LA Midweek Edition -- November 25 -- 27, 2015

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November 25-27, 2015

T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r

Volume 25 - No. 92 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

Also published in: • Orange County/Inland Empire • Northern California • Las Vegas • New York/ New Jersey

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6 years later, still no justice in Maguindanao massacre 221 Judge Jocelyn solis-reyes. malacaĂąang is hopeful that the judiciary will find ways to speed mANILA – Justice remains up the process as presidential elusive for the victims in the spokesman edwin Lacierda has maguindanao massacre as noted the pace of the case. “We continue to be outraged the country commemorated on monday, Nov. 23 the grue- by the whole incident and we some murder of 58 people, in- remember the people who unforcluding 32 media practitioners, tunately died in that tragic massacre,â€? he said, adding that the six years ago. more than 150 witnesses and Palace has been asking the judithousands of pages of docu- cial branch for a way to speed up mentary evidence were pre- resolution of the cases.

But for maguindanao Gov. essented, but the special court handling the case – while mak- mael mangudadatu, who lost his ing substantial progress in the wife Genalyn and two sisters, past year – has yet to issue a along with a number of female single verdict against any of lawyers and staff in the Nov. 23, the accused charged with 58 2009 incident, “justice is still an elusive dream.� counts of murder.

Genalyn was supposed to file the bail plea of primary accused Andal Ampatuan Jr. is the governor’s certificate of canpending before Quezon City didacy in the provincial capital of regional trial Court Branch shariff Aguak when their convoy,

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which included media groups, was stopped by more than a hundred men in Ampatuan town.

All were shot and buried. others were raped before they were killed. the body of reporter reynaldo momay was never found. mangudadatu, then the vice mayor of Buluan town, was supposed to challenge a scion of the Ampatuan clan – then the most powerful political family in the region – for the gubernatorial post.

Prosecution witnesses claim that Andal Jr. himself led the attack, an allegation he personally denied when he took the witness stand last month to testify on his whereabouts during the incident. other prominent members of the Ampatuan clan, including now deceased Andal sr., were For Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, who lost his wife Genalyn and two sisters, along with a number of female lawyers and staff

u PAGE A2 in the Nov. 23, 2009 incident, “justice is still an elusive dream.�

Philstar.com/File photo

Aquino: ‘Laglag-bala’ issue sensationalized Yes, I’m running for President DATELINE USA – Mayor Duterte Clinton proposes

by Dona

Pazzibugan Inquirer.net

sPeAKING for the first time on the infamous bullet-planting controversy at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), President Aquino said he doubted an organized “tanim-bala� extortion scheme existed.

And just like his transportation secretary Joseph Abaya, who earlier drew widespread condemnation for dismissing the questionable arrest of passengers as merely a small percentage of the total number of air travelers, mr. Aquino likewise downplayed the controversy by

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

tax break for family caregivers

DemoCrAtIC presidential candidate hillary Clinton on sunday, Nov. 22, proposed a new tax credit offsetting up to $6,000 in costs for middle-class families who care for their aging parents or grandparents and disabled family members. “We need to recognize the value of the work that caregivers give to all of us, both those who are paid and the great number who are unpaid,� Clinton told a crowd of more than 400 gathered at a town hall-style meeting in Iowa on sunday, according to the Associated Press. her proposal, the latest in a series geared toward America’s middle class, seeks a credit to 20 percent of up to $6,000 in caregiving costs for a total savings of up to $1,200. It also calls for providing caregivers with additional

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Asian American lawmakers oppose House vote halting Syrian refugees DesPIte the house of representatives’ swift vote last week that would halt President Barack obama’s program to admit syrian refugees into the United states, the large majority of Asian-American members of Congress voted against the bill, arguing that it went against basic American values. “No refugees [on American soil] have committed a terrorist act,� rep. ted Lieu (D-Calif.) told NBC News. “If you look at what happened in Paris, those attacks were committed by french nationals and Belgian citizens. so by the republican logic you should be banning travel to the United states by french and Belgians. And if that sounds ridiculous, so should the idea of scapegoating syrian orphans, widows, and senior citizens fleeing persecution.�

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citing similar statistics. “how many people pass through the NAIA per year? the figure is 34 million. how many of those were involved in a bullet case? What they reported out of the 34 million is 1,200 incidents,� the President said in a press conference sunday night, Nov. 22 in Kuala Lumpur where he attended the Association of southeast Asian Nations summit. “medyo ang liit naman yata (That seems a little small),� he told reporters. he said he was told of three passengers who complained that airport personnel had tried to extort money from

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Comelec eyes higher absentee voting turnout in 2016 polls

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

mANILA – more filipinos abroad are expected to come out and participate in the may 2016 elections.

Commission on elections Chairman Andres Bautista over the weekend said the Comelec is eyeing higher turnout for the overseas absentee voting (oAV).

Bautista said filipinos abroad are not only expected to register but

also actually participate and vote in the coming elections. “We are also trying to beat that of the voter turnout. We are targeting hopefully at least half-a-million to vote for the 2016 elections,� Bautista said.

In 2010 national and local polls, Comelec posted a 25.99 voter turnout or a total of 153,323 voted out of the 589,830 who registered for the oAV. In the 2013 midterm polls, the

by neil

a. alcober ManilaTimes.net

“the die is cast. I have already crossed the rubicon.�

Davao City mayor rodrigo Duterte made the statement on monday, Nov. 23 as he confirmed reports over the weekend that he has changed his mind and would run for President in next year’s elections. “Yes, I am running,� he told reporters

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Comelec only recorded 16.11 percent voter turnout when 118,823 filipinos voted out of the 737,759 registered voters in the oAV. for next year’s elections, the Department of foreign Affairs – overseas Voting secretariat (DfAoVs) reported a total of 1,400,767 who registered in various foreign service posts, manila cultural offices, and local overseas voter registration centers.

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Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

PH to China on sea row: Respect rule of law, honor UN tribunal ruling A Thanksgiving Sale!

5IVSTEBZ 8FEOFTEBZ t /PW %FD

by Julliane love

De Jesus

Inquirer.net

KUALA LUmPUr — the Philippines is not giving up its claims on the south China sea as President Aquino once again pressed China to respect the rule of law and honor the ruling of the United National arbitral tribunal that it has jurisdiction over the maritime dispute case. “As the arbitration process we have entered into continues to its logical conclusion, we are hopeful that China would honor its word and respect the rule of law. the world is watching and expects no less from a responsible global leader,� said Aquino at the 10th east Asia summit which was also attended by China.

Countries which participated at the summit were the members of the Association

of southeast Asian Nations (Asean)–Philippines, malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma (myanmar), Vietnam, singapore, Cambodia, thailand, and Brunei–with Australia, People’s republic of China, republic of India, Japan, republic of Korea and New Zealand.

Premier Li Kequiang represented China in the two-day 27th Asean summit held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. “It is regrettable that China continues to massively reclaim and build structures in the sea known by many names, in total disregard of international law as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the south China sea,� said Aquino. he said many countries have expressed serious concerns that the actions of China “threaten freedom of navigation and unimpeded lawful commerce in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.� n

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A NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

From the Front Page

Aquino: ‘Laglag-bala’ issue…

PAGE A1 t

them to drop illegal possession of ammunition charges so they could board their flight.

One of the three eventually admitted the bullet found in his bag was his, Mr. Aquino said.

“If the report that three out of three million is true, how can we say there is an epidemic—that there is a high probability you will get into trouble or that you can say there is a chance you will fall victim to the racket?” the President said.

He said he felt bad for the innocent airport security scanners who were doing their jobs and had actually intercepted firearms and ammunition in other incidents at the airport.

“I have to balance it. In the end [we need] proof. Is there proof that will confirm or deny the tanim-bala scam?” the President BUDGET DELIBERATIONS. Senators Sonny Angara, Grace Poe and Franklin Drilon with Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. (extreme said. right) talk before the start of the Senate’s deliberation of the proposed 2016 budget on Monday, November 23. First among the agencies But he said he also felt bad for whose proposed budgetary allocations were examined by the Senate was the P2.83 billion budget of the Office of the President.

Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo the passengers.

“So I am not saying there is no such [scam]. That is what should come out in the investigation.

But those are the initial statiswho represents some of the me- Solis-Reyes has ruled on the bail tics,” he said.

PAGE A1 t tagged as masterminds of the dia victims, expressed confidence petitions of 62 out of 69 suspects He then accused the media of crime. They have denied the al- that the court could issue a ruling who filed such plea. sensationalizing the news on the A total of 45 suspects, mostly tanim-bala cases. legations. against Andal Jr. and Zaldy.

Time ticking for Aquino ad“The past six years without a police officers, have been almin conviction is a clear breach of lowed to post bail, while 17 susWhen he was elected in 2010, the state obligation to accord the pects – including deceased Andal President Aquino himself pledged victims an adequate domestic Sr. and his sons Anwar Sr. and that convictions would be issued remedy. Nonetheless, I am con- Zaldy – have been denied of their PAGE A1 t in San Juan City (Metro Manila). against the suspects in the mas- fident that because of our initia- motion for temporary freedom.

Despite the bail grant, only one ““But the formal declaration will sacre before he steps down from tive, the first in first out, we could office next year. have a promulgation against two suspect, Andal Sr.’s son Sajid Is- be made by the PDP.” The tough-talking mayor was Former justice secretary Leila Ampatuan brothers before PNoy lam, was able to post the P11.6 de Lima said in October that leaves,” said the lawyer, who is million set by the court. He is referring to Partido Demokratiko she remained confident that a running for Congress under a now running for mayor of Shariff Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDPAguak, a post previously held by Laban, the over 30-year-old politverdict would be issued against party-list group.

Andal Jr. and his brother, former But defense lawyer Salvador his brother Anwar Sr. prior to the ical party that has been pushing him to gun for the presidency.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Panelo said the termination of massacre.

In her rulings granting the bail PDP-Laban traces its roots to Mindanao governor Zaldy Am- the case may not be forthcoming patuan. She personally super- as the accused still have to pres- pleas, the judge said the prosecu- Davao City and Cagayan de Oro tion panel was not able to present City and was organized in the vised the prosecution panel be- ent evidence for their defense. fore resigning last month to run “That could probably last be- convincing and strong evidence early 1980s primarily to galvafor the Senate . yond Aquino’s term. What is against the accused. Most of the nize anti-Marcos forces in the Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes important is the truth in the case orders are questioned before the region. Duterte is a member of Court of Appeals. Zaldy’s camp the party.

Sereno also said that the Su- comes out,” he added.

Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimenpreme Court has done its part Members of the Central Min- also expressed its intention to in helping expedite proceedings danao media community are appeal the denial of bail for the tel 3rd, president of the PDP-Laban, said he spoke with Duterte as it issued a resolution allowing certain of a conviction though as former regional governor.

Panelo said the Ampatuan clan last Saturday and the mayor told Judge Solis-Reyes to separately they remain hopeful that the court has been framed for the mas- him he is now inclined to run in promulgate judgment on the ac- would hand down a ruling soon. sacre, and presented witnesses 2016. cused, known as the “first in, first Bail pleas “This is the accumulation of out” method. It also appointed While no ruling has been is- claiming that Andal Jr. was not an assisting judge to handle mo- sued, the court handling the mul- at the scene but instead at the his [Duterte] frustrations or contions that do not tackle the merits tiple murder case has made sig- municipal hall at the time of the cerns due to complaints given to him like tanim-bala [bulletof the case. nificant progress in the past year. incident.

Private lawyer Harry Roque, Based on court records, Judge u PAGE A3 planting], citizenship and others.

Still no justice in Maguindanao…

“Like out of 10 (people) who will go to the airport, how many will be victimized? For every 10—two, three? That is not what happened. It was sensationalized and there were those who benefited to sensationalize it,” he said.

“Those who thought of this, we will include them in the investigation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the initial police investigation into the tanimbala scam at the airport practically debunked it as an “urban legend.”

“There is no such thing as tanim-bala, there is only extortion,” a source from the Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) told the Inquirer.

“It is just not possible for a security screener to carry bullets in his pocket and plant them in passengers’ baggage. Sleight of hand is out of the question. Nobody’s that fast or that bold,” he said, adding that the Avsegroup had not found proof of tanimbala.

A review of closed circuit TV footage of the security checkpoints showed no evidence of the scheme, he said.

The source, who sought anonymity for lack of authority to

speak on the matter, said the surge in supposed bullet interceptions was due to a reward system put in place by the Office for Transportation Security (OTS), an attached agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications.

He also pointed out that in many of the cases, the passengers admitted carrying the bullets either as souvenirs, mementos or talismans.

“Unscrupulous OTS personnel jump at this chance and extort cash from these passengers who do not want to be inconvenienced by a trip to the police station and risk missing their flights,” the source explained.

OTS Deputy Administrator Robert Villanueva said the agency did set up a system of citation for security screening officers aimed at improving their efficiency and boosting their morale.

“Awardees are given certificates of commendation and cash,” he said.

Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, meanwhile, has agreed to extend by 15 days the deadline given to the National Bureau of Investigation task force investigating the tanim-bala incidents at the NAIA. n

Yes, I’m running for President – Mayor…

Maybe he’s had enough,” Pimentel added.

Pimentel, a Bar topnotcher, said that in order to make Duterte’s candidacy official, the mayor needs to file his own certificate of candidacy for President, attaching the party’s nomination to Martin Diño’s COC, who recently withdrew as standard-bearer of the party.

“We will do it step by step, he [Duterte] still has until December 10 [to file his own COC],” the senator added.

He said the Davao City mayor will be the substitute candidate of the PDP-Laban.

According to Pimentel, PDPLaban has been reenergized and is now flexing its political muscle although he admitted that they do not have candidates in all municipalities.

He said there are many personalities identified with PDPLaban who are no longer part of the party but vowed to campaign

for Duterte after learning about the his presidential bid.

The party fielded former Quezon City barangay (village) captain Martin Diño as its standard-bearer after Duterte failed to appear at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office in Manila on the last day of filing of certificates of candidacy.

A few weeks later, PDP-Laban passed a resolution designating Duterte as its “substitute candidate” in case Diño withdraws his candidacy.

Another resolution stated that Duterte could not turn down the party’s decision to draft him as its candidate for President.

According to the schedule of the Comelec, a political party may replace its registered candidates not later than December 10.

Speculations that the 70-yearold Duterte–known for his tough stance against criminality and illegal drugs–was eyeing a higher

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From the Front Page

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015

A

Yes, I’m running for President – Mayor…

PAGE A2 t

position started after he embarked on a nationwide speaking tour purportedly as part of a campaign to draw support for a proposal to move for a shift to a federal form of government.

He, however, has repeatedly denied eyeing the presidency, citing his age and desire to retire from politics.

The mayor even threatened “to shoot” whoever was behind the movement to draft him to run for President in the 2016 elections.

Duterte’s eventual entry into the presidential derby makes the 2016 elections a five-cornered fight.

The administration Liberal Party is fielding former senator and Interior secretary Manuel Roxas 2nd, while the opposition United

Nationalist Alliance would be bannered by Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Independent candidates Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Defensor-Santiago round up the contenders.

“Whether they’ll accept it or not, I don’t worry. I don’t know how my lawyers would fix the problem, but my lawyers will soon sort it out. There should be a proper step on that,” Duterte told reporters when asked how he would throw his hat into the ring.

He said his disappointment with the government’s failure to act on the alleged bullet-planting (tanim-bala) extortion scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Senate Electoral Tribunal’s decision favoring Poe

were the factors that made him change his mind.

“As a matter of principle, I cannot accept the fact that we have elected [someone] who is halfAmerican and half-Filipino,” the mayor added, referring to Poe, who is facing disqualification cases over her citizenship and residency.

Duterte said should Poe be disqualified, he is willing to withdraw his candidacy.

When asked on when he is going to file his candidacy, he replied, “When I get to confer with the PDP leadership, it will be a formal announcement. When will it be, I can’t tell you.”

“I have to talk to the father and son first [former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Koko Pimen-

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Clinton proposes tax break for family…

PAGE A1 t

UNITED WITH LUMAD. Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle during his surprise visit to the Lumad’s tents at Kampuhan sa Liwasan in Manila. He expressed solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples from Mindanao who joined the Manilakbayan (Journey to Manila) to create increased national awareness of the plight of the Lumads.

Social Security benefits, and reforming work-family policies to support paid and unpaid caregivers, a Clinton aide said.

In the United States, there are approximately 12 million who require long-term care. By 2050, as the population ages, that number is expected to hit 27 million, according to a Clinton campaign fact sheet. The presidential candidate said the economic value of unpaid work performed by family caregivers in 2013 for aging and disabled individuals was $470 billion.

“As baby boomers age, more

Still no justice in Maguindanao…

PAGE A2 t

He also reiterated that Andal Jr. was in the United States a few days prior to the massacre, making it impossible for him to attend the supposed meetings where the crime was planned.

“The accused are hounded by the reality that their witnesses are either killed, intimidated, bought or charged with fabricated crimes to make them mortally fearful to testify. Some of them died or are debilitated by illness.

Others who are willing to testify are opposed by the prosecution panel because it doesn’t want the truth to come out about the Ampatuans being framed for a crime they have not committed,” Panelo added. (With report from

Comelec eyes higher absentee voting turnout…

PAGE A1 t

The Comelec said it’s the first time the country exceeded one million active overseas registered voters.

Comelec – Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) head Commissioner Arthur Lim earlier announced the poll body’s plan to implement OAV mobile voting to promote a higher voter turnout.

Under the planned mobile voting system, members of the OAV Board of Election Inspectors would be bringing the vote counting machines to areas with large concentrations of Filipinos.

There will also be voting in Philippine embassies and consulates via the personal manual and automated voting; and mail voting, where Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista said Filipinos abroad are not only expected to accomplished ballots are register but also actually participate and vote in the coming elections. mailed. n Philstar.com file photo/Rudy Santos

Asian American lawmakers oppose House…

PAGE A1 t

Those three categories, Lieu said, represent the majority of the 2,220 Syrian refugees that have been admitted to the US so far.

Lieu also mentioned how recent public comments made by David Bowers, mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, shows the recurring fear which has distorted American politics. Bowers referred to the racist Japanese-American internment during World War II as justification to deny Syrian refugees’ entry.

Rep. Mike Honda of California, chairman emeritus of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and a former internee, sad he was “disappointed by the vote, and by how some in Congress would use war hysteria, racial prejudice and religion…and not provide the necessary political leadership in the face of popular sentiment that is wrong headed.”

“I voted NO on HR4038. This bill is just a political symbol, not

a real solution for the refugees crisis #SyrianRefugees #NeverAgain9066” Honda tweeted on Thursday, Nov. 19.

Honda said the bill actually would create a new system of vetting the refugees that could take up to five years to implement which “would essentially allow legislators to avoid addressing resettlement.”

In his remarks on the House floor on Nov. 19, Rep. Mark Takano of California addressed Mayor Bowers’s comments, saying, “What takes wisdom is recognizing that history is now repeating itself. And what takes courage is sending a message to the world that America will protect innocent people regardless of their nationality or religion.”

Members of CAPAC, comprised of Asian American and Pacific Islander members of Congress who advocate for the needs of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, were nearly unanimous in their vote against the restrictive measure.

Of two members who joined nearly 50 Democrats to forge a bipartisan majority for the bill was Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), who in 2014 called for the immediate suspension of the Visa Waiver Program for countries “that have large numbers of Islamic extremists actively fighting alongside groups such as ISIL in the Middle East and elsewhere.”

Gabbard did not comment to press on her vote, but posted on her Facebook: “I’m doing my due diligence to find out exactly how these refugees are going to be vetted, and getting details from the Department of Homeland Security and relevant intelligence agencies responsible for vetting Syrian refugees before they are allowed to enter the United States.”

Rep. Ami Bera, the only Indian American currently serving in Congress, was the second CAPAC member who voted in favor

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SEAFOOD CITY AD2

and more families will need to provide care for or will need care from loved ones,” her campaign said. “Many family members, most often spouses and adult daughters, spend time out of the workforce, cut back on hours, or use personal days, vacation and family time to provide needed care.”

Clinton also said that lost wages and work especially comes at a cost to women, who constitute the majority of paid and unpaid caregivers.

“Whether a woman leaves the workforce to care for children or leaves the workforce to care for

a spouse or parent, it means that there is not then an income coming in that could be used to help calculate Social Security benefits later. And I think we have got to recognize that for many women, this has a very serious impact on the amount of money they then draw from Social Security, in order to take care of themselves,” Clinton said.

Campaign estimates put the cost of the plan at $10 billion throughout a 10-year period.

However, it would not add to the nation’s debt, the campaign said, as it would be financed with tax

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A NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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Dateline USa

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015

A

LAX will be the busiest US airport this holiday season Record 2.1 million passengers expected at LAX this Thanksgiving

by Allyson

EscobAr

AJPress

MANGROVE PLANTING. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar leads the mangrove planting at Baseco Compound, Port Area, Manila. The senator, a staunch environment, has been encouraging the planting of mangroves to avert massive flooding especially in the coastal communities. She joined the Cavitex Advocates for the Restoration of Environment (Cavitex-CARE) and Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran ng Baseco during the planting of 500 seedlings in Baseco.

Clinton proposes tax break for family…

PAGE A3 t

increases Clinton has previously proposed.

“Hillary Clinton’s solution to every pressing issue is to expand government and raise taxes, and this plan is no different as it will cost hardworking Americans billions,” said Ninio Fetalvo, Asian Pacific American press secretary at the Republican National Committee. “Clinton is simply checking a box to score political points at the expense of middle-class Americans.”

Wall Street Journal political reporter Laura Meckler, who covers

Clinton and the 2016 presidential campaign, wrote that the Clinton campaign did not provide more specific details about a revenue source for the proposal, other than a variety of other pay-fors.

Assisting adults attending to their elderly parents, often while simultaneously raising their own children or assisting with their grandchildren, has become a theme at Clinton’s campaign stops, Reuters reported.

Clinton’s plan would also invest additional money into programs providing grant dollars for respite care needs, such as short

stays in caregiving facilities, according to CBS. She would also launch a government-wide “Care Workers Initiative,” which would guide training and placement for care workers and ensure they are paid fairly, CBS reported.

The presidential candidate previously proposed the creation of a new, refundable $5,000 credit for out-of-pocket health costs and a new credit for businesses that create apprenticeships, Politico reported. Her campaign said she will offer additional middle-class tax breaks in the coming months.

(Agnes Constante / AJPress)

Asian American lawmakers oppose House…

PAGE A3 t

of the bill.

“It is critical that our first priority is to keep America safe--that is why I voted today for a bill to ensure that all Syrian refugees are thoroughly vetted. This additional screening step will ensure that we know those coming into the country are not a security threat,” Bera announced in a statement.

Rep. Lieu, however, disagreed, saying the House bill’s creation of extra security for every refugee--who already endures an 18 to 24-month vetting process before determining eligibility into

the US--is a waste of time and effort by national security agencies.

“We should make our intelligence gathering better and that would prevent a Paris-style attack, not focusing on widows fleeing Syria,” said Lieu. “The bill gives terrorists exactly what they want, which is an overreaction from Western countries that feed into their rhetoric to get more recruits.”

“We should be doing what France is doing. France suffered these horrific terrorist attacks last week and are letting in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.”

The 289-137 majority vote makes the bill veto proof, and it is unclear if the Senate will take a look after they return from the Thanksgiving holiday. The measure also faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said he would try to block the bill.

Congresswoman Rep. Judy Chu, CAPAC chair, also tweeted her sentiments shortly after the vote: “It’s time to stop the xenophobic rhetoric around #SyrianRefugees before we regret it.

Again.” (Allyson Escobar / AJPress)

LOS ANGELES Mayor Eric Garcetti and city Councilmember Bob Blumenfield joined airport officials to announce that a record 2.1 million travelers will pass through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) this Thanksgiving.

The record number of travelers is an increase of 6.9 percent over last year’s 1.96 million actual passengers. According to travel company Orbitz.com, LAX will be the busiest among all US airports this Thanksgiving – the third year in a row.

“As more people choose to work, visit, study, and play in Los Angeles, LAX keeps on breaking records,” said Garcetti. “LA is a world-class destination for visitors from around the globe, and this is great news for our local economy.”

“As we prepare for a busy holiday season, we urge LAX travelers take steps to ensure that their travel experience goes as smoothly as possible, and know that during the holidays, as we do every single day, the airport, Airport Police, and Los Angeles Police Department -- working in collaboration with our partner agencies at the federal level - are taking every step to keep Angelenos and visitors from around the world, safe,” said Blumenfield, who is the chair of the trade, commerce, and technology committee.

According to a press release from Los Angeles World Airports, the start and end of the 11day travel period are expected to be the busiest, with a record estimated 205,000 passengers each day on Friday, November 20; Saturday, November 21; and Sunday, November 29; and then 219,000 passengers on Monday, November 30. Slower days are expected to be on Thanksgiving Day (November 26) and Black Friday, with 147,000 and 170,000 passengers, respectively.

The average daily passenger volume at LAX, ranked the fifth busiest airport in the world, is about 193,000.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 25) is also expected to be the fifth busiest day of the travel period, continuing Thanksgiving Eve’s slide over the last few years from its former ranking as the busiest air travel day of the year. Nonetheless, an estimated 197,000 travelers are expected Wednesday, November 25, almost five percent higher than Thanksgiving Eve last year.

“We recommend airport guests reduce the stress of holiday travel by planning ahead and allowing extra time for getting to LAX,” said Deborah Flint, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, which owns and operates LAX. “Travelers can check out LAXisHappening. com website for real-time traffic before coming to the airport.”

Travelers should expect to see busy airport terminals and many domestic flights at least 90 percent full. Flights between LAX and cities that are traditionally popular with Southern California residents--such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and Boston–may also be fully booked.

An estimated 947,000 vehicles are expected to use the upperand lower-level roadways in the Central Terminal Area during Thanksgiving, a daily average of 86,000 vehicles traveling the airport.

Anticipating the heavy city traffic, travelers are strongly encouraged to take public transportation to and from LAX, including the cheaper LAX FlyAway® bus and Metro Rail Green Line, as well as city taxis, longdistance buses, and other ride-

sharing services.

Airport officials also recommend drivers who are picking up arriving passengers to use the LAX Cellphone Waiting Lot at 96th Street and Vicksburg, where they can wait up to two hours for free. Arriving passengers can conveniently take the free LAX Shuttle “C” bus to Parking Lot C, which is adjacent to the LAX Cellphone Waiting Lot. To help departing passengers catch their flights on time, the airport will continue its popular LAWA employee volunteer InTerminal Passenger Assistance program. Wearing red vests, airport employees will roam the Upper/Departures Level in all terminals on the day before and the Monday after Thanksgiving to assist passengers, in addition to the Volunteer Information Professionals and Customer Service Representatives who are assigned to help passengers in the terminals.

Trained therapy dogs and handlers, called PUPs (Pets Unstressing Passengers), will also roam several boarding gate areas of each terminal to provide a less stressful airport environment by visiting passengers awaiting flights, providing comfort, and offering airport information.

Timely information on flight status, traffic conditions, and other useful travel tips is available on LAX’s website at www. lawa.org/lax, and on Twitter @ flyLAXairport and Facebook.

Airport Police Twitter (@LAXPD_Alerts) will also provide upto-date information on traffic conditions at LAX. n

A NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

OpiniOn

Features

Troubled water

OVER the weekend, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered for its annual summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The global leaders discussed some of the region’s most pressing issues including economic integration, trade liberalization, sustainable growth and energy security.

With some of its members embattled with China on the contested waters of South China Sea, ASEAN expressed serious concern over the brewing tension.

In recent months, China drew ire for its aggressive stance and sweeping claims over almost the West Philippine (South China) Sea. The Philippines and China, along with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims to parts of resource-rich water, which is believed to have significant oil and gas deposits.

China has also been busy militarizing the strategic water in the last two years through the creation of new outposts by piling sand atop reefs and atolls, and then adding buildings, ports and airstrips big enough to handle bombers and fighter jets.

Despite continuous calls from the international community to halt the construction, China remained adamant over its assertion to the South West Philippine (South China) Sea. The country maintained that its military activities are consistent with its position that the construction of artificial islands was designed to provide public service to the region by helping ships and fishermen and disaster relief efforts.

Chinese President Xi Jinping who attended last week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) Summit in Manila, said that the sea is a common home and encouraged fellow members of the regional bloc to foster an environment of peace and focus on development.

“It is important that we establish an all-round partnership on development and mobilize the government, enterprise and social resources in concerted efforts for implementation of the sustainable development agenda,” Xi told his APEC counterparts.

For his part, Pres. Benigno Aquino III took the podium at the ASEAN in Malaysia over the weekend to appeal to the rule of law amid increasing tensions and invite his fellow ASEAN leaders to take a stand against China.

Aquino also noted that the maritime disputes have been a subject of concern, not only to the region, but to the entire international community as well. He said that many countries have expressed serious concerns that China’s recent actions threaten freedom of navigation and lawful commerce in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.

Citing peaceful resolution on the jurisdiction over the disputed waters, the Philippines has pleaded its case to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). It is now awaiting results of the preliminary hearings over the Philippine claim.

“As the arbitration process we have entered into continues to its logical conclusion, we are hopeful that China would honor its word and respect the rule of law. The world is watching and expects no less from a responsible global leader,” Aquino said.

During the summit, ASEAN leaders adopted the Declaration on Enhancing Regional Maritime Cooperation, which promotes peace, stability and security in the region. It aims to initiate cooperative efforts within its members by encouraging more countries to accede to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which ensures the universal application of international law and respect for sovereignty. It guarantees that all countries enjoy and exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.

The leaders also signed the Kuala Lumpur Dec-

Editorial

Inquirer.net photo

laration on the “ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together,” the region’s post-2015 vision which charts the direction of the ASEAN Community in the next 10 years.

Allies not only by common interests, but by shared values and aspirations among its people, ASEAN will set precedents for creating solution

to global challenges. Despite obstacles set by conflicts among nations, ASEAN is moving forward to pursue higher goals. By 2025, the ASEAN community is sure to meet its vision of becoming an alliance that has withstood the test of time, assuring regional peace and stability for its people.

(AJPress)

Poll result: Fil-Ams do not want any more Syrian refugees in the US over terrorism fears AFTER the coordinated terrorist attacks consisting of mass shootings, suicide bombings, and hostage-taking in Paris that killed 130 people and injured 389 on November 13, people all over the world have been debating about the possible security threat posed by the Syrian refugee program being shared by progressive countries in Europe and North America for humanitarian purposes.

A majority of people in the United States and Canada are opposed to the acceptance of any more Syrian refugees who have been displaced because of the ongoing war in Syria. They fear that this program may potentially be used by ISIS, the same extremist group that has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, and other acts of terror in other parts of the world.

This position has been pushed by the Republicans in government, especially by those who are vying for the GOP nomination for the presidency

ments that they oppose letting in 2016. refugees into their states.

CNN reported that the US The Fil-Am Pres. Barack Obama defendHouse of Representatives passed ed his position on the issue, a measure last week that will ef- Perspective and accused those who opfectively pause the processing of pose the Refugee program of Syrian refugees into the country. political posturing, NBC News Such bill insists that no refugee reported. will be admitted without certifica“Slamming the doors in their tion by the Department of Home- Gel SantoS-reloS faces would be a betrayal of our land Security.

The measure secured enough veto-proof ma- values,” Obama said at the conclusion of the G20 jority votes from Republicans and even House summit in Antalya, Turkey, adding that Syrian Democrats, despite the White House’s pleas to “refugees are the victims of terrorism.”

Obama administration officials have underoppose it.

“It’s a security test, not a religious test. This re- scored that those seeking asylum in the US underflects our values. This reflects our responsibilities. go rigorous background screenings from several And this is urgent,” Speaker Paul Ryan told report- federal agencies and lengthy in-person interviews ers at his press conference on Thursday, Nov. 19 with Homeland Security officers.

NBC News says so far, none of the terrorists prior to House members casting the vote.

Thirty-one governors likewise released state- identified in the Paris attack have been Syrian

refugees.

Despite the tragedy, French President Francois Hollande declared on Wednesday, Nov. 18 that his country would accept 30,000 Syrian refugees over next two years, a stark contrast to the US position.

In the meantime, kababayans in America share the cautious stand of the Republicans about the issue. In an online poll by The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America”, a big majority of those who voted — 67 percent — say the US should stop letting Syrian refugees into the country for safety and security reasons. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos

Noli Me Tangere and the APEC Summit THE APEC summit, for which the Aquino Street government was willing to create horrible Talk incoveniences and economic losses for the country, concluded amidst self-congratuGreG B. MacaBenta latory applause and back-patting by its organizers.

The good news is that, in spite of the threat of a terrorist attack, in the wake of the massacre in Paris, the delegates clearly enjoyed the warmth and goodness of the Filipino people, even while they might have shaken their collective heads in amusement at the efforts of the Philippine government to impress them. Surely, this was not the first time that international conference hosts had gone to great lengths to put up a good show. Some simply did it better than others. Worldly wise heads of state could easily see through the pretensions.

One thing the APEC delegates were assured of, however, was that the hospitality showered on them at the conference was heartfelt and sincere. We are a genuinely caring and friendly people – to a fault. In truth, the monstrous inconvenience that the government made the citizenry suffer, in order to offer the delegates an “impressive” experience, was a typical manifestation of that fault.

If they were to visit a Filipino home, be it ever so humble, they would be offered the most comfortable bed (even if the hosts themselves have to sleep on the floor) and served the choicest dishes (while the family members make do with morsels).

This curious characteristic of our people is by no means new. In Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tangere, Kapitan Tiyago, hosts a reception for everyone in town, particularly the most important personages, namely, the Spanish friars and colonial officials. In the course of the party, discreet instructions are given to the house help that the kind of fare served the guests would depend on their stature. There would also be a code to distinguish the important guests from the ordinary ones: tsokolate eh, a richer, tastier blend, for the former and, for the latter, tsokolate ah, a watered down serving.

Not surprisingly, the Spanish friar, Padre Damaso, the quintessential villain in Rizal’s novel, had nothing but contempt for the lowly Indios and for the pretentious Kapitan Tiyago, who was falling all over himself to impress his colonial masters.

Dr. Rizal wrote with bitterness and bluntness about this unsavory trait and

other instances of hypocrisy, decrying them as symptoms of the social cancer afflicting the Filipino people. To this day, many of us are subconsciously burdened by this colonial mentality.

Inflicting inconvenience and economic losses on the Filipino people in order to look good in the eyes of foreign dignitaries was just one more indication of this mindset.

Thus, the APEC delegates saw a spicand-span Metro Manila, specifically in the vicinity of the conference and the routes taken by official convoys. Airline flights were cancelled, schools and offices closed, beggars and vagrants rounded up and kept away from view, neighborhoods with unsightly shanties boarded up and painted over, and the main thoroughfares reserved exclusively for APEC delegates and the omnipresent security personnel.

The daily traffic anarchy, which became even worse, was consigned to the areas that the delegates did not visit. It was pretty much the equivalent of dirt being swept under the rug.

In a manner of speaking, the APEC delegates were served tsokolate eh, while the rest of our people had to make do with tsokolate ah.

Of course, now that the conference is over, things have reverted back to normal, meaning congested airports, congested highways, urchins and the homeless populating the streets, vendors hawking their wares in the middle

of traffic, and shanties and ramshackle store fronts exposed once more.

To the credit of the organizers, stringent measures were taken to guarantee the safety of the delegates. In fact, had there been a terrorist attack (God forbid), security personnel would not have hesitated to take a bullet for them. Our police force may not be the most efficient or best equipped, but the courage of our uniformed men and women is beyond doubt (ask the Americans who fought alongside Filipinos in Bataan and Corregidor).

People have wondered: couldn’t the government have planned a successful and impressive conference without exacting a heavy toll on the citizenry? Why did the government decide to stage the APEC summit in Metro Manila which, aside from being overcrowded and traffic-plagued, presented a security nightmare?

It was simply a case of good intentions but poor decision-making owing to incompetence or, at best, lack of experience.

It may be recalled that the first time the Philippines hosted the APEC summit, back in 1996, it was held at the former Subic Naval Base which had already become a bustling export zone.

The president then was Fidel V. Ramos, who was not only steeped in operations management but also had the support of an efficient and competent team. The Subic Freeport itself was

under the management of Dick Gordon who, with the help of volunteers, had taken over an abandoned US naval facility and transformed it into a showcase of the Pinoy can-do spirit.

In contrast, planning for the current APEC summit began during the incumbency of President Benigno S. Aquino III, whose qualifications, capabilities and work ethic pale beside that of President Ramos.

In fairness, PNoy never claimed to be anything more than being the son of illustrious parents when he was swept to the presidency by a wave of grief over the death of President Cory Aquino and disgust over the alleged corruption of outgoing President Gloria MacapagalArroyo. As it turned out, this was a classic example of the Peter Principle – promoting someone to his level of incompetence – and many of us should say mea culpa for that.

In presiding over preparations for the APEC summit, Aquino could at least have sought the advice of Ramos. Unfortunately, Aquino seems averse to seeking advice on things he knows not.

Worse yet, he apparently knows not that he knows not.

At any rate, the APEC summit over and done with and one can almost hear Noynoy Aquino tell the loudly complaining Filipino people: “Pasensiya na kayo sa tsokolate ah. Buhay pa naman kayo, hindi ba? “ (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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Dateline USa

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015

A

Filipino Heritage Night D ateline PhiliPPines now a Warriors tradition Help pioneering Pinay inventor, govt urged

by Jun

nuCum Inquirer.net

OAKLAND, California – It was probably sports’ longest Filipino Heritage Night ever, but no one was heard complaining and every one seemed to even want more. More of the Filipino Heritage Night, that is, especially among Filipinos cheering for the Golden State Warriors who won a thrilling overtime game over the Brooklyn Nets 107-99 on November 14 at the Oracle Arena.

The basketball crazy Filipino fans brought their passion for the ballgame with them from the Philippines to the Bay Area, handing it to their children by bringing them along to the games. That’s especially so during heritage night when Filipinos get together, starting with in a

FILIPINO kids with their Kampeon shirts at the tailgate in the Oracle Arena parking lot during the recent Golden State Warriors Filipino Heritage Night.

Photos by Jun Nucum

celebratory tailgate akin to a rural Philippine fiesta.

“It is really exciting that the Filipino Heritage gets to grow each year. I mean I can tease everyone we can make every night Filipino Heritage night because if

you look at the crowd, it is really a very strong fan base. We are really excited to continue to do it,” beamed Filipina American Golden State Warriors Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Cabalquinto before the game. n

THE government should help the group of Filipina inventor Aisa Mijeno to realize their goal of mass-producing their saltwater-powered LED lamp, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday.

It is sad, according to Marcos, that the government is yet to provide support for Mijeno’s invention when both US President Barack Obama and Chinese billionaire Jack Ma of Alibaba had recognized the potential of her invention.

Mijeno, CEO of SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting), shared the stage with Obama and Ma at the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) CEO Summit where Obama moderated a session after his speech on climate change.

She said her group needed funding to mass-produce the lamp.

“SALt’s invention has gained international attention and earned various awards and it is puzzling why we have not seen any effort from the government to help bring this product of Filipino ingenuity to the market,” Marcos noted.

Powered only by a solution of water and two tablespoons of salt or plain seawater,

the LED lamp can provide 8-hours of light.

The senator said SALt’s invention, which will provide a cheap and dependable source of light in many rural areas of the country where there is still no electricity, will also give employment if massproduced here in the country.

At the very least, Marcos added, concerned government agencies should take the initiative of reaching out to Mijeno’s group to inform them of the assistance they could avail of under Republic Act 7459 or the Investors and Inventions Incentives Act. He said inventors were complaining in the past that they experienced difficulty in trying to avail of incentives they are entitled to receive under the law, prompting many of them to find support outside the country.

“We should be the first ones to benefit from the innovative creations of our inventors. Unless we give them adequate support, we will always lose out on investors abroad who are always on the lookout for promising new products,” Marcos added. (ManilaTimes.net)

Obama struggles to keep focus on Asia Aquino remains firm vs income tax cuts US to host ASEAN leaders in 2016

US President Barack Obama voiced his determination to put Asia front and center in his foreign policy, even as a two-nation visit to the region was eclipsed by jihadist attacks in France and Mali.

America’s self-styled “Pacific President” has been frustrated to see a trip to Malaysia and the Philippines designed to highlight his stated refocus on Asia overshadowed once again.

After years of talking about the need to deepen trade, security and diplomatic ties with the region, White House officials had hoped the trip would be a victory lap.

Twelve countries recently agreed to Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, and the US pledged to boost security assistance to its ally the Philippines, which is in a confrontation with China over maritime territory.

During the weeklong Asia

swing, Obama has touted his years growing up in Southeast Asia, vowed to become the first president to visit Laos, and chatted with audience members in Bahasa Indonesia.

But at a business forum on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Malaysia on Saturday, Nov. 21, Obama had to begin by talking about events half a world away in Mali, where 27 people died in an attack by gun-toting jihadists.

In a speech, Obama condemned the “appalling” attack, adding that “this barbarity only stiffens our resolve to meet this challenge” of extremist violence.

“On behalf of the American people, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the people of Mali and the victims’ families, including at least one American,” he said.

On Sunday, Nov. 22, the president said he would host the lead-

Jessica Thompson is raising funds to help indigent Filipino painter stricken with debilitating illness.

welcomed her with open arms.

Thompson is currently staying at her friend’s home in Picayune to recuperate from a minor injury she sustained as she was walking across Florida near the Alabama state line.

A major rainstorm caused Thompson to slip and fall, pulling a hip muscle.

Picayune resident Sheila Hansen picked Thompson up and brought her to Picayune to recover.

Hansen said she admires Thompson for what she’s doing.

“Part of it is crazy, but I give her a lot of credit. I admire her for doing this because at least she’s doing something for someone. Too many people nowadays are living in their own world,” Hansen said.

Since she began her journey, Thompson said it hasn’t been emotionally easy.

“Every day I doubt myself. You can’t walk 20 miles in the rain without wondering what you’re doing out there,” Thompson

Yes, I’m running for President – Mayor…

PAGE A3 t

tel]. There’s a need for the party [PDP-Laban] to talk first,” the mayor said.

Duterte confirmed that his eventual running mate would be Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, whom he remarked as “very patient” in waiting for his eventual “Yes.” “There he is, at my back,” referring to Cayatano. “If not, why would we be together?” he said.

Legal loopholes President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Monday expressed doubts that Duterte could still join the presidential derby.

“For instance, will he be adopted by PDP-Laban? A story came out that the PDP-Laban candidate [Martin Dino] filed for mayor instead of President. So can he file? Speculation. I don’t have a copy of the document but

they can say it’s not document but the intent,” Aquino said.

Some sectors, he added, would ask if the Comelec would give Duterte special accommodation because he was given an extension to file his candidacy. “There’s a deadline for filing and now all of a sudden you can file after that period,” the President said.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Wednesday said Duterte’s eventual move to become the substitute presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban could face problems.

Macalintal raised at least two issues involving Diño’s candidacy.

First is the apparent error in Diño’s certificate of candidacy, which indicates that he is running for mayor of Pasay City (Metro Manila).

CAliCA Philstar.com

KUALA LUMPUR – President Aquino is still not amenable to proposals lowering income taxes.

In an interview with reporters on Sunday night, Nov. 22 after attending the Association of southeast Asian Nations and related summits here, Aquino said Congress leaders told him they may not be able to pass complementary measures, like lifting bank secrecy to improve collections and recover revenues to be lost once income taxes are lowered.

“Is that a responsible action?

I am not sure, that’s why we are still studying the matter,” Aquino said.

The President said he could not just make a decision that could earn brownie points for his administration but would only create problems for his successor.

“What about my conscience?

There are a lot of headaches, problems, which have not been resolved. The others, we are still solving until this day. They were left to me. I promised not to pass (problems) to my successor,” Aquino said.

Aquino said he does not want to risk the country’s current said. credit ratings by cutting the However, she finds inner sources of revenues without a strength from the support of her clear trade-off. family.

When she told her family about her plans to walk across the United States, Thompson said, “I didn’t expect them to understand but they were actually excited about it.”

Even though she’s far from home, she video chats with her family every night before going to sleep.

“I know this is scary and not easy but I have a policy of not avoiding things that aren’t easy,” Thompson said.

She raises awareness about her walk via her Facebook page, A Walk Across the United States.

She documents her experiences and all the people she’s met in her journal.

Thompson said she’s encountered many people on the road and through social media who have supported her cause. However, there are people who don’t understand it.

“I get a lot of criticism about why I’m walking and raising money for someone in the Philippines. People call me a guru and I don’t want to be called that,” Thompson said.

Thompson said she wants to be referred to as “a mom on a walk to help someone.”

During her walk, Thompson hopes to raise $20,000 for Ardiente’s medical expenses. She plans to be back on the road soon to continue her journey west in hopes of inspiring people, especially her two children.

“The way I can parent them is to lead by example,” Thompson said.

She believes her journey will take no more than a year to complete. n ers of 10 Southeast Asian nations next year as he rejected accusations that the Middle East turmoil was distracting him from focusing on Asia.

“I’m pleased they accepted and I look forward to continuing our work,” he said, speaking in Kuala Lumpur at the end of a marathon week of diplomacy that has taken in summits in Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia. He added that good ties with Asian nations were “absolutely critical” to US security.

Obama said his Asia tour, which had been initially overshadowed by terrorist attacks in France, Lebanon and Mali, was neither distracted by nor “somehow disconnected from pressing global events.”

“This region is not a distraction from the world’s central challenges but is critical to security, prosperity and human dignity around the world,” he said. (Inquirer.net with reports from AFP and AP)

Woman walking across US for ailing Filipino artist PICAYUNE, Mississippi – Jessica Thompson chose the road less traveled when she decided to embark on a walk across the United States in honor of Dr. Wayne Dyer, a well-known motivational speaker and self-help author.

“After Dyer passed away this year, I was motivated and inspired to help people the way he helped people,” Thompson said.

The 37-year-old stay-at-home mom of two is paying it forward and raising money for a destitute artist from the Philippines, 47year-old Ivanhoe Ardiente, who has a rare disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis, an inflammatory disease that can cause some of the vertebrae in a spine to fuse together, which could cause difficulty breathing, according to the Mayo Clinic’s website.

The Tennessee native began her journey in Jacksonville, Florida on October 11 and has since walked 10 to 20 miles a day with just her hiking backpack in tow.

Thompson met Ardiente online and developed a friendship.

Thompson said she was “inspired” by Ardiente’s passion for art even though he’s limited by his crippling disease and lives in a poor community.

“I was inspired by him and hope my walk inspires many people and helps him,” Thompson said.

Thompson walks during the day and sleeps in a tent most nights. She stays at hotels when her family and friends are able to pitch in.

However, the journey hasn’t been smooth sailing. When Thompson arrived in Panama City, Florida, she ran out of money, so she had no choice but to spend a night sleeping outside with the homeless, who she said

by AureA

“If that happens, what we [will see] is that Dino [will run] for mayor of Pasay City. That would have problems. If that happens, I don’t know how they would substitute Mayor Duterte,” Macalintal said.

The second issue that the lawyer sees is the Comelec law department’s reported plan to consider Diño as a nuisance candidate.

“Even if he’s saying that he haswithdrawn his candidacy, the Comelec has to resolve if Dino is a nuisance candidate. Even if he already withdrew, there’s still a need for Comelec approval,” Macalintal said.

If Diño is declared a nuisance bet, his COC will also be considered null and void, he added.

(With reports from Catherine S. Valente and Jefferson Antiporda)

In an interview with reporters on Sunday night after attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and related summits here, Aquino said Congress leaders told him they may not be able to pass complementary measures, like lifting bank secrecy to improve collections and recover revenues to be lost once income taxes are lowered.

Photo by LAuro Montellano Jr/ Malacañang Photo Bureau

The President said being fiscally irresponsible would have repercussions. He said his successor would only blame him if income taxes would have to be raised later because of a budget deficit.

Pressure He said he is aware of the pressure on some members of Congress in view of the election season, but does not want to give the public false hopes.

The President said he told lawmakers to strike a balance between proposals to lower income taxes and improve collections.

Early this month, Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. met with Aquino and his economic managers led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima to persuade him to agree to proposals to adjust income tax rates. (With report from Paolo Romero)

A NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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COMMUNITY Journal

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Business News

PH loss from TPP not significant

by Richmond

S. meRcuRio

Philstar.com

MANILA – The Philippines should not fret while it waits for doors of the recently-forged Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to open, a senior trade official said.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Director Senen Perlada said the country may have missed out on certain opportunities by not initially being included in the United States-initiated TPP but he noted losses would not be that substantial as the country waits for TPP protocols in accepting new members.

“Our hope is we still have the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). We still have that US GSP which is unilateral. We really don’t have to give up a lot of things, we’ll just have to make

use of the low hanging fruits such as the US GSP,” Perlada said.

In July this year, the US renewed the GSP program when President Barack Obama signed the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015. The renewal of the US GSP program is seen to boost the access of Filipino exporters to the US market.

“Remember also that we have other engagements with the others in the group like Japan and New Zealand. So we’re doing very well,” Perlada said.

With the Philippines’ absence from the group, many believe the country would lose out many deals to ASEAN counterpart Vietnam which is part of the TPP. “It’s really not in terms of what we tend to lose but more on what kind of competition we’re going to be in especially with the Viet-

nam factor. But basically that’s all the problem I see for now.

Vietnam will become our closest competition because they are part of the TPP and we’re not,” Perlada said.

The Philippines for its part has been consistent on its intent to be part of the TPP. DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo has said the TPP and other bilateral and regional trade agreements are all building blocks for the economic integration of the Asia-Pacific region.

“The group (members of the TPP) has known our intention. So if we’re invited, it is better to be in than out,” Perlada said. by iRiS GonzaLeS Economies composing the Philstar.com TPP account for 40 percent of the world’s total gross domestic MANILA – Colorado-based product and undertake almost Smashburger is targeting to half of the global trade in mer- make its foray in the Philippine chandise. n market through the vast network of fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) as it sets its sight in Asia for expansion, its top official said.

In an interview with The Star, Smashburger founder Tom Ryan

Smashburger wants bite of Asian market US burger chain looks to enter Philippines in partnership with Jollibee

PAL to expand international routes

by LouiSe

mauReen Philstar.com

Simeon

MANILA – Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is set to expand its international operations as it adds five destinations to the Middle East and Australasia over the next two months with its continuous fleet growth.

In a report by think tank Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), PAL would expand its Middle East network to a total of six destinations in just over two years, with the addition of services to Jeddah and Kuwait by early January 2016.

Other existing destinations include Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Dubai, and Riyadh. Currently, PAL serves Dubai with five weekly frequencies but starting January, flights to Dubai will be increased to daily but with four weekly Manila-Dubai-Kuwait and three weekly Manila-DubaiJeddah flights.

“PAL is hoping the new tag to

said the company is looking forward to expanding in Asia through its partnership with JFC, a move that would mark its first bite into the vast Asian market.

“There’s nobody better in this part of the world than JFC. They are a powerhouse in this region.

Their intrinsic knowledge of the customer base and business models would help us. We’re looking forward to having them manage and maneuver us in this

part of the world,” said Ryan, who arrived in Manila last week for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit.

He said the plan is to have “a couple of stores in Manila.”

“After that, we really are relying on the JFC team through all their brands to tell us where Smashburger would be in a sequential way and when it can happen,” Ryan said.

u PAGE B2

Purisima pushes Asean membership in TPP

by PRinz

P. maGtuLiS Philstar.com

MANILA – As Southeast Asia draws near to its integration next year, the country’s finance chief has renewed calls to allow the entire region – and not just some countries – to join the US-led TransPacific Partnership (TPP).

“That’s moot already, but TPP members can actually tell Asean that it would like to invite it in the next round,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima told The STAR in an interview.

Four of the 10 members of the Association of Kuwait and Jeddah will improve Furthermore, CAPA said the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) are already memits performance in the Dubai Philippine flag carrier would also bers of the TPP, the hallmark of the Obama adminmarket. PAL will have uplift improve its Australasia network istration’s “pivot to Asia” policy by establishing a rights from Dubai to Kuwait and from the existing five destina- Pacific-wide trade agreement.

They are Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, SingaJeddah which it intends to utilize. tions to eight before 2015 ends, It is also hoping to carry signifi- as services would be launched to pore and Vietnam. Purisima reiterated the Philipcant traffic from Manila through Cairns, Auckland, and Port Mo- pines remains interested in joining the TPP, but added that letting the whole Asean bloc in would Kuwait and Jeddah, enabling it to resby. improve load factors on Manila“Cairns will become PAL’s make the agreement “better.”

Last month, the US finished TPP negotiations Dubai,” CAPA said. u PAGE B2

For Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, making the entire Asean part of the TPP will make the pact more inclusive. He cited the potential disadvantage the country will have against Malaysia and Vietnam once the TPP commences.

Philstar.com/file photo

with 11 countries, which will benefit from freer flow of goods and services through the dismantling of tariffs and non-tariff barriers. The TPP members account for almost a third of the global economy.

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B NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Business news

Smashburger wants bite of Asian…

PAGE B1 t

However, he said there’s no definite timetable yet for the expansion in Asia as Smashburger is still focused on growing its brand in the US. In October, JFC acquired a 40 percent stake in Smashburger for $99.5 million.

Under the deal, JFC through its subsidiary Bee Good! Inc. has the option to purchase up to an additional 35 percent of Smashburger between 2018 and 2021 and the balance of 25 percent between 2019 at the earliest and 2026 at the latest.

The purchase price for the remaining 60 percent will be based on the achievement of certain financial performance targets agreed by the parties.

The move would enable JFC to penetrate deeper the $100 billion US burger market, its chairman Tony Tan Caktiong said.

Smashburger serves fresh 100 percent Certified Angus Beef burgers. It currently has 339 res-

taurants with sales of approximately $339 million for 2015, equivalent to 12 percent of JFC’s estimated worldwide system wide sales for the same year.

Outside the US, it has presence in Panama, Costa Rica, Canada, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and we signed up to England and Egypt.

Smashburger’s system wide sales have been growing at an annual rate of approximately 30 percent between 2011 and 2015 while its store network has been increasing annually by approximately 20 percent.

Ryan said the company is very pleased to partner with Jollibee.

“Jollibee approached us. They were looking for a partner with an emerging and high growth plan. We really felt that we had many things in common. Both brands were very consumer centric versus investments from private equity groups. We got a beautiful opportunity to partner for the long-term-benefit,” he said.

JFC tapped J.P. Morgan served as financial advisor, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as legal advisor and Isla Lipana & Co. as accounting and tax advisor for the transaction.

At present, JFC owns and operates 87 restaurants in the US, consisting of Jollibee units with 32 outlets, 33 Red Ribbon stores, 19 Chowking outlets and three Jinja branches. In all, system wide sales in the US account for five percent of JFC}s worldwide sales.

In the Philippines it has 2,384 outlets as of end-August. It also has 629 outlets abroad with 415 in China, 127 in Southeast Asia and the Middle East as well as the 87 branches in the US. In terms of joint venture deals, JFC has 50 percent interest in the following stores: Highlands Coffee (Vietnam, Philippines) 85 branches; Pho 24 (Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Korea) 39 and 12 Sabu in China with 20 outlets. n

PAL to expand international…

PAGE B1 t

fifth destination in Australia after Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney, while Auckland will be its first destination in New Zealand, and Port Moresby its first destination in Papua New Guinea. PAL also serves Guam, a US territory in the South Pacific which is considered part of the Australasia,” CAPA said.

PAL would initially operate four weekly flights on a ManilaCairns-Auckland route starting Dec.1, while Port Moresby would be served with three weekly turnaround flights on Dec.18 “PAL will rely heavily on sixth freedom traffic in these markets

as well as fifth freedom traffic on the Cairns-Auckland sector.

Port Moresby offers high yielding business traffic, while Cairns is primarily a leisure market,” it added.

On the other hand, CAPA noted PAL might face new competition from low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific in the Australasia network as it plans to launch services to Guam next year and enter the Melbourne market after the forged air service agreement between Australia and the Philippines last April.

While PAL has been profitable over the last year due to low fuel prices and improving conditions in some of its markets, its inter-

national load factor slipped below 70 percent last June, the lowest monthly international load factor for PAL since 2012.

PAL Holdings reported a P6.1 billion net profit for the first nine months of 2015 compared to P238 million in the same period last year. Passenger revenues were up 13 percent for the January-September period to P68.4 billion on the back of increased international passenger traffic.

PAL’s international network would exceed 40 destinations by January 2016. The flag carrier is on track to carry approximately 6 million international passengers by year-end, a 20 percent annual passenger growth. n

Purisima pushes Asean membership in TPP

PAGE B1 t

US President Barack Obama, in a briefing after his bilateral talks with President Aquino last Wednesday, said his country would help the Philippines meet the requirements of TPP that include allowing more foreign participation in the economy.

For Purisima, making the entire Asean part of the TPP will make the pact more inclusive. He cited the potential disadvantage the country will have against Malaysia and Vietnam once the TPP commences.

“In the case of our garments industry…, if the tariffs drop immediately to zero, then we have serious issues with our garment industry (against) Vietnam and Malaysia. Those countries may have points of advantage to us,” he explained.

“When you have an agreement where four are included and the rest are excluded, at some point, it creates potential friction,” Purisima pointed out.

Such conflict may turn unhealthy amid the Asean integra-

tion, the finance chief said, but he added he remains confident the 10-member bloc will succeed as a one market.

“We like to talk to the participants so that the TPP does not become a stumbling block towards a smoother integration of Asean,” Purisima said.

As to the 21-member AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), he said the grouping could serve as a “catalyst” for the Philippines toward becoming a TPP member later on. n

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA WITHOUT assimilation by every immigrant to his or her adoptive country through the generations, no nation can retain the structural integrity of the foundational values that created it in the first place. That nation’s collapse is not a matter of “if” but “when.”

More simply put: Immigration without assimilation is nothing more than invasion.

Two opposing forces on the issue of immigration are aligning. There could only be one of two ways. You are either for or against it. It was too hot to handle for previous administrations.

Presently, the conscious nonenforcement of the laws in the books appears to be a long-term sinister agenda of seeding future electorate for one particular party. America has placed this divisive issue of immigration far too long in the back burner.

Unchecked illegal immigration has reached critical mass and the time has come to confront this issue head on.

For Election 2016, the sick American economy is still issue number one for a majority of voters. A debtor nation plagued with a serious job crisis with over 92 million workers unemployed and owing $19 trillion dollars in debt is in no position to wield its big stick in the global stage. It is losing its superpower status to other nations, notably Russia and China. There is a new sheriff in town wielding the big stick in dealing with ISIS and his name is Putin. There are serious doubts ex-KGB Vladimir Putin can be trusted as he has been itching for years to rebuild the lost glory of Russia on the world stage.

However, to engage Russia over Syria just as theUS had foolishly done in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, costing trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives lost over essentially nothing is certainly not in America’s best interest at this time when its economy is severely battered and the psyche of most Americans dealing with day to day existence, at an all time low. Stupidity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result.

Tied in closely with American

Melting pot or salad bowl? The serious case for assimilation “Immigration without assimilation is nothing more than invasion.” economic woes is the issue of immigration. Whether deliberately or not, Donald J. Trump has yanked the issue of illegal immigration front and center.

Anyone applying for the post of top dog must deal with it. It seems that Trump has tapped into an angry pulsating nerve of a “YUGE” swath of the American population.

To the absolute dismay of both the Republican and Democratic parties, Trump’s message is resonating. Over the last 4 months since June this year, he seems to have morphed into the microphone for many Americans who have no voice and who are plainly sick and tired of political correctness. It can no longer be business as usual.

As an added attraction to the protracted front act of the primary election and nomination that precede every national election, Trump seems to instinctively know how to play the liberal media like a fiddle to the delight of many. After 2 national elections during which media played the role of an in-your-face partisan hack, majority view major networks and big publishers as dishonest and completely untrustworthy.

There seems to be seething cold anger. Something tectonic is afoot. Major unpredictable shifts will take place. Professional life-long politicians who have made it their life’s work to keep running for office and serve the interests of those who bankroll their runs are in for a rude awakening.

Immigration, legal and illegal, is now a white hot issue. While it is true that immigration has always been a cornerstone of the foundation, structure and substance of this amazing country, recent historical events and the current state of the US as a debtor nation, need to be taken into serious consideration when dealing with immigration.

An estimated 12 million immigrants or about 4% of the total American population of over 300 million are illegal. Some experts say that it could be far more massive than this lowball estimate. It is entirely possible

that there might be an effective thinning out of the numbers among the 12 million, beginning with those who have committed crimes and/or are gang members.

But the lousy economy, perhaps more than anything, is already causing natural attrition in the numbers, with jobs difficult to come by. This might be followed by a steep rise in deportation proceedings, a buttressing of border measures, the building of an impenetrable wall as Trump proposes it, a near paranoid check of the flow of goods and people in the ports and airports, a tightening of the screening process from source countries now made more possible by advanced monitoring and communications technology.

While the laws are in the books and the personnel to enforce them are in place, the political will to wield the ax and deal with immigration problems once and for all, is clearly absent. Big business that funds candidates has an agenda that runs completely opposed to the interests of the American public.

These are globalist interests opposing national interests. Only one can win.

At this point, it’s anybody’s guess how this will pan out. But drastic measures must be implemented effectively to address the issue in a much changed world where invasion is dangerously posing as legitimate immigration.

There are increasingly strident advocates who seek to shut the doors of America to immigration with the argument that recent immigration has created, instead of the melting pot society, a salad bowl of disparate, disjointed ethnic groups unwilling and unable to assimilate into the main fabric of American life.

Some compare current American society as a mosaic that appears to be whole but is essentially fragmented. They further claim the absence of a common purpose poses a threat to the unity and structural integrity of this country.

u PAGE B3

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Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng Practically everyone knows that the good times of loan modification are going to end next year. loan modifications under HaMP are set to expire December 31, 2016 after several extensions. HaMP was a direct result of the mortgage bubble in 2007 to 2009 when everyone, including your dog, could qualify for a zero down mortgage to buy a house that would increase in value almost immediately. Since the investment bankers in Wall Street concocted this plan of making the american dream of owning a house come true for anyone with a social security number, real or not, doesn’t matter, when the bubble burst and homebuyers who really were not qualified for the mortgage started defaulting, the entire financial system of the United States and the world collapsed. the stock market lost 50% of its value and we elected our first minority President to rescue us from the financial chaos unleashed by Wall Street. Our President gave us HaMP and told the banks that got bail out funds to give loan modifications to those who qualified under the guidelines. if your mortgage exceeded 31% of your gross income, you could qualify. But a lot of homeowners still could not qualify under this guideline.

So, that guideline was eventually removed. in the midst of this chaos, there were some fortunate beneficiaries. By fortunate beneficiaries of this chaos, i mean homeowners who have not

Community Journal

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Clients with very large Calendar of Events across merica default on mortgage seek to save house by Chapter 13 ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS!

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paid their mortgage for several years without the bank making a move to foreclose. i’ve seen clients who have not paid their mortgage for two or three years and still own their house today. However, recently, banks have been starting to ramp up foreclosures. Believe it or not, i have one client who has not paid his mortgage for 9 years as of today and the bank just sent him his notice of default, the start of the foreclosure process last week. that’s 9 years of free rent worth $324,000. Not bad at all. He is way ahead in the foreclosure game. i don’t think anyone can beat his record. it’s like winning the lottery and receiving $324,000 of cash over 9 years. client no. 1 is 55. He has not paid his mortgage for 2 years. His mortgage arrears total $120,000. i asked him if he disputes the arrears. He said no, that’s correct. His house now has equity of $300,000. i asked him are you sure you can afford to pay the current mortgage plus $2,000 a month plan payment to cure the default of $120,000? He said yes.

He wants to keep his house. apparently, some business associates owe him some money, about $200K, which he expects to collect in a couple of months.

He decides to file a chapter 13 to protect his house from foreclosure. it remains to be seen if he can actually produce the plan payments. But who am i to question client. if he says he can pay it, then well and good, it’s a good faith filing. client no. 2 is 63. Her default

is $118,000. She owns a 4-plex.

She lives in one unit and rents out the other 3. the rent she receives is about $45K a year.

She and her husband receive about $3K a month total of social security. She has not paid the mortgage for 2 years. She actually sold her house in Orange county 6 years ago and transferred her net profit to buy the 4-plex where she planned to retire with her husband. the problem, it appears is that some scofflaws in countrywide Home loans, created a fake trust deed and drew out $40K and left her holding the bag. in addition, they added another $30K, which is part of her $120K default. So, she’s been working with another lawyer for the last 4 years trying the get his matter resolved without any success so far. But the current lender, the bank that purchased the notes, has set the foreclosure sale for next week. ONly a cHaPtEr 13 caN StOP tHE FOrEclOSUrE SalE. client sees the urgent need for chapter 13 and decides to file one to save her 4-plex.

“GiVE UNtO tHE lOrD tHE GlOry DUE tO HiS NaME; WOrSHiP tHE lOrD iN tHE BEaUty OF HOliNESS.” PSalM 29:2.

*** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California.

Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

Melting pot or salad bowl? The serious case…

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LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015

ing birth in the US just to get to some extent, the argument citizenship for their babies is is valid. anti-immigrant groups now in sharp focus. Some counreserve their biggest contempt tries like Britain and australia and vitriol towards first gen- may have already rescinded this eration immigrants who refuse privilege and plugged this loopto assimilate and in their view, hole. come here to america to merely after streamlining the systake what they can, identifying tem and enforcing the laws and exploiting the holes and already in the books, immigraflaws of a largely generous, hu- tion should be hinged to some manitarian system. degree, on meritocracy. it must tourism citizenship or the continue as a tightly controlled, concept of “anchor babies” per- highly regulated way of attracttaining to pregnant women giv- ing people, possibly the best

and brightest from around the world, but perhaps more importantly, ONly those with the ability and willingness of heart to assimilate and become part of a whole. the founding fathers envisioned america in 1776 clearly.

E pluribus Unum. Out of many, ONE. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

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 N OV E M B E R 28

Dr. Jose P. Rizal Award for Excellence Dr. Jose P. Rizal Award For Excellence In Medicine, Education, Arts & Literature and The Youth When: Saturday, November 28, 2015, 1-6 pm Where: Astoria World Manor in Astoria, Queens, NY Hosted by: Knights of Rizal - New York For More Information, please contact: Atty. Ferdinand G. Suba, Esq., KCR Commander, Knights of Rizal - NY E-mail: SUBALAW@aol.com

Briefing on Coverage Programs & Services for Overseas Filipinos Social Security

In cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) of Chicago, you are invited to a briefing on Social Security coverage programs and services for overseas Filipinos on Saturday, Nov. 28 at PCG Multi-Purpose Hall (122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago, Illinois, 60603). The info briefing session and onsite services (new SS number registration, verification of records and existing reactivation, enrollment in Flexi-fund Program, data amendments, compliance with Annual Confirmation of Pensioners Program, benefit claim applications) starting at 10:00 am. Please contact Ms. Marites Marin through marinmc@ sss.gov or in Viber at *6598444384 for SSS inquiries, and Mr. Alvar Rosales through chicagopcg@att.net to confirm attendance.

D EC E M B E R 3

AAPA Awards Gala

Asian American Professional Association (AAPA) will host The Achievement Awards & Graduation Gala, honoring prominent leaders who trailblaze and inspire others to become leaders, and celebrating the 2015 graduating class of AAPA Mentees. The theme is “Waves of Change, Oceans of Opportunity.” The gala will take place on Thursday, Dec 3 from 5:30pm - 9:30pm, at the Hilton San Gabriel (225 West Valley Blvd. San Gabriel, CA 91776).

Expose your brand to the professional community who are your customers, clients, potential employees, entrepreneurs, corporate and community leaders. Your support will directly benefit the AAPA mentees in the program. To purchase a ticket or ad, the cost is $50 each (limited time only); full/half/quarter page ad sizes are available in full color. Please visit http://aapaawards.eventbrite.com/ for more details and to RSVP by Nov. 13. Please get involved by emailing lia.andika@aapamentoring.com.

D EC E M B E R 5

Santo Nino de Cebu Association Annual Dinner Dance The Santo Niño de Cebu Association of Southern California, Inc. will hold its ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DINNER DANCE on December 5, 6pm - 12:00 midnight, at Almansor Court (700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801). For more details and reservations, please contact Helah (626) 215-2684, Gemma (909) 997-1026, Nelia (818) 425-9926, Joy (909) 228-0437 or Willo (818) 458-0779.

Pasigueñans of Northern California 30th Annual Fiesta Celebration The Pasigueñans of Northern California invites all Pasigueñans, families, and friends to its 30th Annual Fiesta in honor of its patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The annual fiesta will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2015 from 1:00pm to 8:00pm at Joseph A. Fernekes Building, in Orange Memorial Park (781 Tennis Drive, South San Francisco, CA 94080). Celebration of the Holy Mass will be at 3:00pm, which will be followed by a sumptuous dinner, dancing, entertainment, and raffle drawing. For more information, please contact Flery Santos-Panganiban (707-567-4779), Polly Santiago-Cortez (925-876-7695), Edna Balido-Reyes (925-260-9764), Edith Balido (925-681-9770), Chit Santos-Dalangin (707-7047887), Marico Enriquez (650-483-8306), Oscar Rosales (707-332-4991), Jerry Field (925-6810974), Marivic Beltran-Tuazon (707-656-1081), or Pete Saguisag (650-994-0701).

D EC E M B E R 9

St. Joseph School presents WRAPPING ALL THE WAY What: Annual Christmas Presentation Featuring TK through 4th Grade and Parish When: Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 7:00 pm Where: St. Joseph Parish (1150 W. Holt Avenue Pomona, CA 91768) The St. Joseph School Annual Christmas program serves as an opportunity for all students and parishioners to come together to celebrate the joyful season. All are welcome to come and be merry. Donations are welcome. For more information, please call: Director Ning Manahan at (909) 629-4101 or (909) 622-3365

D EC E M B E R 1 8

Blessed Hope Christian Church Night of Praise Come celebrate the birth of Christ and praise God with the congregation at our upcoming Christmas Praise Night, on Friday, December 18 at 7:30pm. Our church can be found at 474 North Summit Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103. Please contact Jun Recio (818) 472-5244 for more details.

On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 10:27 AM, Allyson Escobar <a.escobar@asianjournalinc.com> wrote: ONE MORE thank you!

D EC E M B E R 29 -3 0

Pampanga High School Class of ’65 Golden Jubilee Celebration The Class of 1965 of the Pampanga High School will hold “TULA ampong SAYA,” its 50th Anniversary Reunion, this coming December 29-30, in San Fernando Pampanga, Philippines.

All 1965 graduates of the Pampanga High School (PHS), formerly the Jose Abad Santos High School (JASHS), and their spouses are welcome to all scheduled events. Admission is free. The celebration will begin with BISPERAS on December 29 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, enjoying fun games, old music, and togetherness at the DIASPORA FARM RESORT in Santa Barbara, Bacolor, Pampanga. On December 30, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, join us for KAPIYESTAN, a provincial fiesta luncheon featuring familiar Kapampangan dishes, at the Mulang Galang orchard in San Antonio, Mexico, Pampanga. The evening of Dec. 30 will conclude with TERAKAN, a gala dinner-dance from 6:30 pm to 12 midnight, at the Fortune Hongkong Seafood Restaurant in the San Fernando, Pampanga. Enjoy a fun evening of dancing to the retro music of Decadas and the mellow songs of folksinger Jerry. Class ‘65ers, please join us in celebrating our 50th Golden Anniversary! Full details on preparations, events and venues can be found on “TULA ampong SAYA,” on Facebook. For donations, interest in the 50th Anniversary Reunion souvenir memory book, highlighting the successes of individual Class ‘65ers and the accomplishments of the PHS Class ’65 Foundation, Inc., please contact the jubilee reunion organizing committee in the Philippines: Joseph Deang (0927-228-8588); Erlie Aquino Estandarte (0929-219-0248); Corazon Cunanan (0939-1182888; 0926-660-35540); Cecille Morales Bernas (0932-509-2646); and Marcial Morales (0918915-9095); and Dan Galang 0929-427-9308; 045-966-0764). In the US and Canada, please contact Dan Galang at (510) 487-5551 or at (510) 648-1047.

M Ay 2 0 1 6

PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global Reunion

Attention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 2729, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends.

For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_santillan@ yahoo.com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa SugayPalanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmaghari@gmail.com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 orhoney@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 orconnieacosta1@att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 or vee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

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

B NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgment?

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes DIvoRCInG couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school.

They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children. This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family.

The old family becomes less of a priority.

In California, there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult children’s college expenses.

However, the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult children’s college education as part of a marital settlement

EMPLOYMENT

agreement. Family Code section 3587; In re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th 478 (2014). Pursuant to statute and court cases, college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement, as incorporated into a Court’s judgment, constitutes adult child support such that court had jurisdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlement’s failure to specifically provide that adult child support was not subject to modification.

In re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th at 488 (2014). Providing for payment of adult children’s college expenses is recognized more of an “add on” to adult child support.

Family Code 4062(b)(1).

However, the parties may “opt out” or restrict the court’s jurisdiction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agreement that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or termination by the Court be-

cause the adult child support order is rooted in the parent’s contractual agreement. Cal. Family Code Section 3587, 3651(a).

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the college tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce, you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your children. In doing so, you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifiable or not. In the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable and non-terminable, the default is that child support is modifiable. Sometimes, leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support provision in the MSA. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a

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ORMOC CITY, Leyte — Resorts World Manila (RWM) President & CEO Kingson Sian (5th from left cutting ribbon) and Bouberg Productions’ world renowned composer Claude-Michel Schönberg (2nd from left cutting ribbon), together with Habitat for Humanity President Charlie Ayco (6th from left cutting ribbon), recently turned over 209 houses and a school building with two classrooms located in Barangay Dolores, Ormoc City, Leyte, to typhoon Yolanda survivors. Bouberg Productions and RWM co-produced “Do You Hear the People Sing”—a two-day gala concert that raised P32,333,796 and featured world class entertainers such as Lea Salonga, David Harris, Marie Zamora, among many others.

The fund raising project was made possible in cooperation with IMG Artists, Enda Markey, and Ultimate Shows Inc.

member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail

kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

*** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all

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the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

(Advertising Supplement)

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LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015

B

People and Events

Philippine dresses featured as part of the fashion show during the ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles Appreciation Dinner LOS ANGELES – The ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles (AWCLA) hosted an Appreciation Dinner on 13 November 2015 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.

AWCLA, first established in 1991, is led by the spouses of the Consuls General of Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand. It is a socio-cultural association of women from ASEAN member countries with the purpose of promoting mutual understanding, cooperation and awareness among ASEAN women, its mem-

bers and the general public.

The highlight of the evening was a fashion show showcasing the national dresses from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand. There were also cultural presentations including dances by artists from Cambodia and Indonesia and song numbers by Malaysian singers. The attendees enjoyed the presentations. This includes special guest, Iron Chef of America’s “Chairman,” Mr. Mark Dacascos.

Philippine Patron and AWCLA President, Madame Fides Her-

rera-Lim thanked the AWCLA Patrons, Officers, sponsors and attendees. It was the collective support received by AWCLA that made the event possible that evening.

Not only did the dinner promote ASEAN fashion and culture, proceeds from the event will also benefit “Smile Train,” an inter- Left Photo: AWCLA President and Philippine Patron Fides Herrera-Lim during her Welcome Remarks Middle Photo: Iron Chef of America’s national children’s charity help- “Chairman” Mark Dacascos addressing the attendees Right Photo: AWCLA Vice President and Indonesia Patron Nila Umar Hadi during her Closing Remarks ing children with cleft lips and palates in developing countries.

AWCLA hopes that the donation comes as a special gift to these children during the upcoming holiday season. n

Photos above are from the Fashion Show presenting dresses from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand.

Photos courtesy of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles

B NOVEMBER 25-27, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

The Asian Journal

MDWK

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 25, 2015

John ArcillA rekindles celeb status via ‘Heneral luna’

by BoBBy yalong

‘Heneral Luna’ is this year’s Philippine entry to the Oscars.

Photos from Henerallunathemovie.com

A

ll stars in the firmament seemed aligned signaling the nascence of a much brighter heavenly body in the person of John Arcilla who exuded eye-blinding brilliance in his latest movie,“Heneral luna.”

They say good film project like this comes as rare as raindrops in a mid-summer day but the phenomenon worked in Arcilla’s favor… being just propitious to be at the right place at the right time with lady luck by his side.

After having already justifiably proven his mettle in the acting department with numerous awards and citations to boot and had profitably survived the industry’s topsy-turvy setting for more than a score, startlingly, Arcilla’s moniker refuses to emit the luster that it should have discharged.

Talent like Arcilla’s begets a highly sensible acting vehicle and time must have just come for him to claim the elusively long overdue spot via “Heneral luna.”

Critically acclaimed movies infrequently amass huge boxoffice returns. It’s either one rakes in voluminous ticket returns in hundreds of millions but fails to win the nods of award-giving bodies or vice-versa. However, “Heneral luna’s” current top boxoffice status might change the dwindling perspective of the local movie industry and enliven the dormant spirit of untapped talents.

Incidentally, last Wednesday, November 3, 2015, this writer unexpectedly received a luncheon invitation for a one-on-one interview with “Heneral luna’s” principal character, John Arcilla himself, who quietly breezed into town in connection with the film’s east coast promotion.

Set in the posh liberty Park Restaurant overlooking the scenic Hudson River with the panoramic view of towering New York City skyscrapers, Arcilla came sportily donned in pristine white dress shirt, black suit jacket over blue

John Arcilla as Heneral Luna in one of his intense scenes

Director Jerrold Tarog

John Arcilla at his best.

The lone warrior in the battle front

Bobby T. Yalong (BTY): How did the project (Heneral Luna) land on your lap?

John Arcilla (JA): According to my director, Jerrold Tarog, I was his first choice even before the project reached its final revision.

What happened was he saw two of my films during an international screening and immediately considered me for his project.

But I was still called for audition and luckily delivered what was expected of me.

BTY: How did you prepare for the role?

JA: Actually, I already have a vague idea of General Antonio luna after having briefly played the role on stage and on the wide screen but not really too detailed. I spent time doing researches about his private life and his peculiar personality.

BTY: From the way the movie was presented, it must have been shot in various settings. What are the locations? How long did it take to finish the film?

JA: We went to a lot of locations: Batangas, Bataan, Quezon, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga … literally, all over luzon with most of the war scenes shot in Tarlac. It took us 31 days to shoot… braving the rain, the heat, and the physically-exhausting location changes. I had no break since I was in almost every scene … and I couldn’t afford to lose the momentum … my presence was essential.

BTY: Now that the movie is receiving good reviews, would you consider “Heneral Luna” your new crowning glory?

JA: I should say, yes! The fact that this is my first title role and although I always gave my best Heneral Luna star John Arcilla paid a courtesy call on Consul General Mario L. De Leon, Jr. at the Philin every project I did, be it lead ippine Consulate General in New York recently. Arcilla was in town to help promote the US screenings of Heneral Luna, the Philippine entry to the Oscars.

Photo courtesy of PCGNY or support, I doubled my effort denims sans any trace of jet lag or lack of sleep.

The meeting went comfortably warm before a sumptuous foodladen table courtesy of Bergenfield councilman Atty. Arvin Amatorio (who happens to be Arcilla’s relative and townmate from Baler, Aurora) and affable marketing specialist and Hudson RehabSpa co-owner Mike Florendo.

Heartily enjoying his sirloin steak in between exchanges of pleasantries, our tete-a-tete went as casual as old-buddytalk after vivid reminiscence of some fond memories of our early acquaintance back home. Actually we initially met in Baguio City on the set of one of Director lav Diaz’s Regal Films projects,“Burger Boys,” where one of my talents was the lead actor.

I calmly threw my first question without sounding too inquisitive:

The actor as a singer-performer

Split image. The original Heneral Luna and actor John Arcilla could be twins separated at birth

in this project. Every scene was demanding, physically exhausting and mentally draining but very rewarding.

BTY: Prior this movie, what did you consider the best that you’ve done? Why? JA: Well, that would be “Anino”

by Raymond Red … and yes, “Metro Manila” by Sean Ellis, of course, simply because I won local and international recognitions in both films. And those are the two movies that convinced Director Jerrold Tarog to cast me as “Heneral luna.”

BTY: By the way, how did you enter showbusiness?

JA: Actually, it was a childhood obsession. I loved singing first.

Believe me, I was an amateurista (regular singing amateur contestant) during my youth … and I was always a winner. I was active in school plays during my high school days then when I was in college, I did a television commercial that became a household phrase:“Coffee na lang, dear…” I was also into theater and musical productions under Irma Adlawan, Ryan Cayabyab, Nonong Padilla and became a scholar of laurice Guillen’s School of Actors Workshop Foundation.

BTY: What sort of musical genre composed your repertoire?

JA: I sing Broadway pieces, ballads, and classical music. I’m a pop-tenor with no formal training.

Actually I was offered by Viva Records in 1990 but I was then preoccupied with theater.

BTY: Who handled you in your initial theatrical project?

JA: Tony Mabesa in “Ang Alkalde ng Salamea” presented at the Dulaang UP way back in 1989.

BTY: What were the musical productions you’ve done?

JA: I have done a lot:“Orosman & Zafra,”“Walang Sugat,” Ryan

Cayabyab’s Rizal trilogy, but my pivotal role as lakshmana in the 1999 musical production of “Rama at Sita” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines remains one of my favorites.

BTY: Who you consider your mentor-discoverer?

JA: That would be Raymond Red when he cast me in “Bayani” and in almost all his projects.

BTY: Who among the directors that handled you do you consider the best?

JA: (John took a brief pause… seemingly trying to quantify his reply before verbalizing it) I’m just too lucky to be given the opportunity to be under knowledgeable directors but I would say, Carlitos Siguion Reyna… he’s my director in “ligaya Ang Itawag Mo sa Akin” that gave me my first ever Best Actor award from Urian. He’s very meticulous not only in delivering lines and emoting but exceptionally particular in nuances, blocking, and execution. Needless to mention my director in “Heneral luna” He’s one of the best we have today.

BTY: It’s a common knowledge among local showbiz authorities that every award has a curse. Do you believe in such or were you also “victimized” by the “curse of the statuette?”

JA: Well, I guess so. After my first Best Actor award, I tried to raise my talent fee as everybody did but offers came scarce … actually, none at all. Good that I have the theater to back up my financial needs. I suffered a lull for almost two years after my first acting trophy.

BTY: After the said “drought” what film project revived your almost dwindling career?

JA: A Regal project came … “Sa Iyo lamang” which starred Richard Gomez and Aiko Melendez. Then a renewed flow of luck came… one movie assignment after another.

BTY: Going back to ‘Heneral Luna,’ is there, at some point, some similarities between you and the character you played?

How do you characterize him?

JA: Well, I could also be arrogant in some instance but there should be a forceful provocation to flare me up. But with regard to intense patriotism, as a Filipino, I would say “Heneral luna” is an imperfect person who loves his country perfectly. He might be known for his arrogance but comparatively, I want to immortalize my passion through my art.

BTY: While enjoying the success of “Heneral Luna,” what are your future plans?

JA: I may sound ambitious but I want to take advantage of this opportunity. When I dream, I dream big. I want to penetrate the international scene … the mainstream … and be marketed as “a Filipino in America” unlike those Asians who were actually born in

the US. At the moment, I’m starting to scout for a competent agent to represent me while simultaneously compiling all things I may need for my professional profile.

BTY: After “Heneral Luna,” will you be choosy with projects being offered to you?

JA: The audience provided me with the chance to be choosy following the success of “Heneral luna.” I guess I deserve to be a bit selective or demanding not only to sustain the honor attached to my name as an actor but also to create a new level of status or an escalated dimension for my career.

If I won’t then I will be forever where I am or could even lag behind, in worst case scenario.

BTY: Let’s take a “bite” of what’s “in” at the moment. How do you equate the instant success of the “AlDub” phenomenon? Do you think it will last?

JA: It may be a fad or craze but let’s face it … who could argue with success? Theirs is a wholesome picture of the Filipino youth that demonstrates Pinoy conservatism despite the modernity of society. Yes, I guess, it will continue to enjoy success.

Hopefully they’ll be able to sustain the same thrill and enthusiasm that made Eat Bulaga’s “Kalye-Serye” segment, not only a television phenomenon but a world sensation.

For his unprecedented achievements and exceptional stature as one of the country’s most acclaimed actors in theater, films, television, and advertising, Arcilla was deservingly conferred with the “Dangal ng Aurora” in 2005. low-key despite overwhelming success, Arcilla is professionally armed with a Mass Communications degree from St. Joseph’s College of Quezon City.

He prides himself with his Hollywood debut in The Bourne legacy in 2011 and has experienced attending various international film competitions abroad where his films were screened.

As a multi-awarded actor, Arcilla has been nominated several times in both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories including another Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 16th British Independent Films Awards in 2013.

His latest movie,“Heneral luna,” is currently enjoying unparalleled success being regarded as the longest running movie shown in the Philippines and one of the highest grossers at more than 275 million pesos (as of press time) and still grossing while infectiously penetrating the northern American cinemas. Fresh from his personal appearances all over the Philippines and in various key cities in the US promoting the Philippine entry to the 2015 Oscars (for Best Foreign language Film), the indefatigable actor actively makes the rounds of almost all theaters where “Heneral luna” is showing.

For comments and suggestions, please email: gemini0646@yahoo.com

entertainment

Bea, Lloydie on reprising iconic roles

by Marinel

r. Cruz

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 25, 2015

Rachelle Ann Go excited for ‘Les Miserables’ in Manila

Inquirer.net

“IT’S A BLESSING and at the same time a curse,” said Bea Alonzo of the popularity of Popoy and Basha, the iconic characters of the 2007 hit movie, “One More Chance.”

Bea and John Lloyd were at the Inquirer office recently to promote “A Second Chance,” the sequel to the Cathy Garcia-Molina romantic comedy that will hit Philippine cinemas nationwide on Nov. 25.

The two actors said they were aware of the high expectations for their follow-up project, so they would like to “remind the audience that this is the story that the creators of Popoy and Basha came up with. Just remember that this is what they (scriptwriters Carmi Raymundo and Vanessa Valdez) want to say,” said John Lloyd.

Bea said that they were glad that the movie had sparked online debates. “It’s a blessing because people are really interested, but it’s a curse because those of us who are working on the film don’t know where to position ourselves—the fans have so many suggestions!”

John Lloyd added: “We like the idea that people discuss the film when they leave the cinema. I prefer that it becomes a subject of discourse because this means it has value.

We don’t want them to feel that they’ve wasted two hours of their time on something insignificant—that’s actually our fear.”

Set seven years later, Popoy and Basha are now faced with the challenges of married life.

Popoy is struggling to keep his business afloat and his self-esteem intact. Basha, on the other hand, assumes the role of a docile wife.

“It’s true that marriage can be ugly and boring. We showed all of that in the film,” said Bea. “With what you know, the question now is whether or not you will still choose to be with the one you love.”

Excerpts from the Inquirer’s hour-long chat with the two actors: What’s the difference when

3

MANILA—Rachelle Ann Go is excited to be back in Manila next year.

Rachelle and the team of the West-End music “Les Miserables” will be in Manila next year for the staging of their show in March 2016.

She’s portraying the role of Fantine which was once

Bea and John Lloyd think their onscreen tandem wouldn’t work if they were a real-life couple.

Eloisa Lopez

you did your first few films together and now that you’re the top actors of your generation?

John Lloyd (J): When the teamup was so much younger, at the time of our first break on TV, “Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay,” we would always talk about sincerity. We never pretended that there was something going on between us.

Bea (B): At the time people preferred to see real-life couples working together.

J: Yes, that was during the time when Jericho (Rosales) and Kristine (Hermosa) were very popular.

And you resisted that?

B: We just tried to be real.

J: I had a girlfriend then, and Bea was still so young.

I was being paired with Rica Peralejo and Dimples Romana.

Management then couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with the teamup. That’s when it started.

B: I guess the only change now is that we’re more familiar with each other. We have already developed a certain level of trust. I’m more open to doing certain scenes with him than with other actors.

Everybody considers you very good actors, separately, not only as a love team, but it’s interesting to know how different your processes are.

B: We respect each other’s process. I remember we talked about it in this film. I tried to copy his process, but it was too tiring for me.

J: I can’t do what she does, either. She easily goes on and

off character.

Your love team is iconic.

Why do you think you were never in a romantic relationship?

J: If you think of it, that’s actually scary. I really can’t work with someone I am involved with romantically.

B: Me, too.

J: That’s the only thing that’s real in my life.

B: People will just have to choose—maging kami, (to be a couple) but not see us in a project together anymore [or just to be a reel couple].

Was it difficult to play the characters again after eight years? How did you manage?

B: We were given a questionnaire to answer.

J: This was so we can fill in the gap from when Part 1 ended in 2008 up to the present.

B: The book also helped speed up the process.

Can you give examples of the questions asked?

J: They were very detailed questions…

B: As in how many kids do Popoy and Basha want to have?

J: Or what did you do during your honeymoon? Or what sexual positions do you prefer?

The questions were really intimate because the two characters are already married.

B: We also had to justify our answers, parang thesis.

J: We talked about everything, down to the very core of the characters.

B: While we were answering the questionnaire, I noticed that Continued on Page 4

portrayed by Lea Salonga.

“Sobra akong excited to be home next year and to share with you what I have been doing here in London,” she said in an interview aired in “TV Patrol” on Friday.

She also thanked the Filipinos who make her feel loved even if she’s pursuing a career

in London.

As for her personal life, Rachelle said she has no time for love.

“Parang nanghihinayang kasi ako sa oras if I date someone tapos hindi ko pa naman nararamdaman na siya na talaga,” she explained. (Philstar.com)

4th Impact breaks into ‘X Factor UK’ top 5

ALL-FILIPINO group “4th Impact” has made it into the top 5 of British talent show “X Factor UK” on Sunday (Monday, Philippine time.)

The group, composed of Cercado sisters Mylene, Celina, Irene and Almira, survived another elimination night as Over 25’s sole singer Anton Stephans was kicked out of the competition.

They performed Christina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man” during show’s “Heartbreak Week.”

Other acts which made the top 5 of the reality show included Lauren Murray, Che Chesterman, Reggie N Bollie, and Louisa Johnson.

Meanwhile, some fans of

4th Impact, composed of Cercado sisters Mylene, Almira, Irene and Celina.

the girl group took to Twitter to slam Murray who was seen brushing off the hand of one of the 4th Impact’s members who tried to hug her.

Yet, in a video posted on their Facebook page, the group seemed to have no bad blood with the singer as they

urged their fans to stop bashing Murray.

“Hello, guys. This is 4th Impact and this is Lauren and please stop telling her anything because she is our friend. We love Lauren so please…She’s great,” they said. (Inquirer.net)

Marian Rivera gives birth to baby girl

by ChuCk

SMith Philstar.com

MANILA—Actress Marian Rivera is now a mother.

The GMA-7 star gave to birth to daughter Maria Letizia, with actor Dingdong Dantes at the Makati Medical Center on Monday, Nov. 23.

Marian’s manager Rams David confirmed the news.

He also took to Instagram to inform Marian’s fans that the GMA-7 star has already given birth.

He added: “I just received the best news from Dong and the best Christmas gift from God...

God Bless Maria Letizia. Salamat sa lahat Ng nag pray for Yan and Zia mahal po namin kayo.”

Marian revealed she is

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes have welcomed their first child.

pregnant via a TV interview last April, four months after she and Dingdong tied the knot. “’Yun

din ang isa sa mga dahilan kaya kami nagpursiging magpakasal; it’s to really build a family.

And alam naman natin an ang pagkakaroon ng anak ay isa sa mga mahahalagang bagay para magkaroon ng isang pamilya,” Dingdong said at the time.

The pregnancy led to Marian withdrawing from the GMA-7 drama “The Rich Man’s Daughter,” which was originally planned as the 31-year-old actress’ first soap opera after getting married. Rhian Ramos took over Marian’s role.

“Ito talaga ang pangarap ko at inaasam-asam ko—ang ikasal at magkaroon ng anak at magkaroon ng pamilya. Ito talaga, e,” Marian said in an interview last May.

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entertainment

Alfred Vargas urges filming of more heroes’ tales

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 25, 2015

Rocco Nacino speaks up on rumored split with Lovi Poe: No stealing, no third party

by ChuCk

Smith Philstar.com

MANILA—For the first time, Rocco Nacino opened up about his rumored breakup with GMA7 actress Lovi Poe. Rocco and Lovi, who admit-

ted being in a relationship in 2014, are rumored to have split weeks ago.

Many of their social media followers noted that the two no longer post photos of one another, further fueling the rumor.

by Remy

umeRez Inquirer.net

ALFRED Vargas readily accepted a walk-on part in the screen biopic, “Felix Manalo,” and he would have done it for free—because that’s how he misses acting! The actorturned-politician keeps himself abreast with show biz happenings.

We were happy to see Alfred during the post-birthday dinner he recently hosted at Victorino’s, where he shared his thoughts on issues close to his heart. Sensing the public’s renewed interest in movies about national heroes, he bared plans to reissue “Ang

Supremo,” which he produced a few years ago.

Inspired by the success of “Heneral Luna,” he enthuses, “Andres Bonifacio’s life is also full of controversy, like Luna and Aguinaldo. Our heroes have colorful stories that deserve to be retold!” Manuel Quezon also fascinates Alfred, who also hopes to portray the former president.

Among his colleagues, he expressed admiration for Vilma Santos-Recto, for balancing politics and show biz well. As a public servant, he bats for the construction of low-cost housing for his constituents in Quezon City.

Alfred Vargas accepted a walk-on part in “Felix Manalo.”

Rocco Nacino, in an Instagram post said he did not steal from Lovi Poe. The two, who first admitted being in a relationship in 2014, are currently rumored to have broken up.

Writer Veronica Samio alleged that there are rumors Rocco stole money from his and Lovi’s joint account.

“Ewan kung totoo pero, nababalitang may iba nang nagugustuhang non-showbiz ang aktor (ang dali naman!) na wala pang nakikitang reaksyon mula sa aktres at nagagawang ipagtanggol pa si Rocco sa mga bashers nito sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabing mabuting tao ang binata at humihingi ng pangunawa na gusto niyang gawin munang pribado ang lahat sa kanilang dalawa,” Samio also wrote.

But in an Instagram post on Sunday, Nov. 22, the GMA-7 actor spoke up about the rumors and denied the allegations.

“Been receiving news about me stealing money from a joint account and having a third party involved in our relationship,” Rocco said. “No joint account.

No third party. I have the utmost respect for Lovi. Please do respect the privacy that we both request right now. Thank you.”

However, Rocco kept mum if he and Lovi are still together.

Lovi has also remained silent on the issue.

A scene from “A Second Chance”

Bea, Lloydie on reprising...

From Page 3

there were a lot of things that we disagreed on…

J: Which I appreciated because Bea and I are different.

B: What was good was that we learned to compromise. I enjoyed the discussion.

Are you better people because of the characters you play?

J: I am. That’s actually the bonus of the kind of work we have.

B: There’s a part of me in every character I play, and at the same time, a character also leaves a part of her in me. Take the movie “A Love Affair,” for example. There is this scene wherein my character wants to run after Richard Gomez’s. I argued with the writer—I told her no woman can be that stupid.

I later realized that I’ve already experienced it—not the exact incident—but the feeling. The characters I play actually help me as a person.

Weren’t you intimidated by Lloydie when you began working together?

B: Oh yeah! I was just about to turn 15 then and he just won best actor for “Tabing Ilog.” He was always so quiet. I felt like he didn’t want to talk to me at all!

J: ’Di naman tayo nandoon para magkuwentuhan ano?! (We were not there to just talk to each other.) (Laughs.)

B: You could have at least been more welcoming!

J: Trabaho ng staff ’yon. ’Di ko trabaho ’yon. (That’s the work of the staff, not mine.)

B: (Ignores John Lloyd) He was snobbish then. Seriously, I would not have been this passionate about my craft if it wasn’t John Lloyd whom I first worked with.

J: (Sticks out his tongue) Direk Cathy says she is nervous because people are expecting so much from the sequel. Do you feel the same way?

B: I understand why the directors and writers are feeling the pressure. I appreciate Direk Cathy, Ate Vannessa (Valdez) and Ate Carmi (Raymundo) more now. I see the hard work they’ve put in on this one.

Why do you think so?

J: This is the actual process of the director. This is her most daring so far, in terms of how she fought for what she really wanted.

Do you personally feel that a Part 2 is needed, given the iconic status of the film?

B: We used to think it was no longer needed.

J: We resisted. “One More Chance” is iconic, so we didn’t want to touch it anymore. Now we see that we owe it to the audience—there is clamor for a sequel.

B: The eight-year gap made it difficult.

Do you think the problems that the characters go through will help you when you eventually decide to take the plunge?

J: I guess they will influence me, but not in my decision to get married or not. It opened

my eyes to what a real married couple actually goes through.

I like it that when you’re finally living together, your wife prepares your food and clothes.

I think that’s sweet! I’ve never experienced this before—I’ve never lived in with a girl or gotten married.

B: What I appreciated most about Popoy is that he really loves Basha and that he will do anything to fulfill her dreams to make her happy. I realized how hard it is for the men in our lives to carry the burden of raising a family on their shoulders, while we girls ask and expect too much from them.

How much of Popoy and Basha are actually in you?

J: That’s a tough question.

These characters came from us.

We gave birth to them, with the help of the writers and the director. I don’t know how much, but I’m sure there’s a part of Popoy in me.

B: Basha and I are the same when it comes to our willingness to sacrifice for the sake of love.

J: Talk about Heath Ledger, who was not able to let go of the character he portrayed. It cost him his life.

B: Every character has both a dark side and a happy side.

Just choose to magnify the happy side.

Is it easy for you to disconnect from your character after taping or shooting?

J: I remember when I was doing “Maging Sino Ka Man,” my character was so emotionally and physically draining to portray. Sino nga ba ang girlfriend ko noon? (Who was my girlfriend then?)

B: Si Liz (Uy)!

J: My girlfriend at the time, while we’re fighting, once told me, “Sino ba ang kausap ko ngayon?” (Who am I talking to right now?) She said it’s like she’s talking to another person.

It takes a while before you get detached from your character.

You bring it home—you’re just probably not conscious about it.

B: I’m fascinated by people, by human interaction and emotion.

Are you aware of the effect of Popoy and Basha on a whole generation of teens who first saw it in 2007?

J: I guess the director and the creative team are [the ones] more conscious of this. Ours is just a small contribution to the whole thing.

But it’s you who shaped these characters.

B: Yes, but with the guidance of the director.

J: When we did “One More Chance,” we didn’t know that this particular generation would react the way they did.

Is it very difficult for stars to have a normal relationship?

J: My approach has always been not to take life too seriously.

B: Our work is not so different from that of other people.

I guess artists are just more exposed…

J: And that their every move is magnified.

What is it about stardom that you resist or resent?

J: I always struggle in keeping my private life private.

For me, there are two kinds of artists—celebrities and actors. I always strive to achieve balance. I know that my work begins the moment I step out of the house.

B: I sometimes struggle with how to marry being a businesswoman and being an artist. You compromise, sometimes. You just have to make it work.

J: It’s all a matter of perspective. Counting one’s blessings is sometimes overrated. I feel angry because the T-shirt that I want to wear on a particular day is still in the laundry bin. It’s the little problems that make us real people.

Just a casual observation— John Lloyd is more cynical and Bea is more optimistic.

B: That’s not what I wanted to say! I think I’m just more idealistic and he’s more realistic.

He’s not cynical and I’m not optimistic all the time.

J: Cynical lang ako ’pag Mondays.

Considering all the love teams today—JaDine, KathNiel, AlDub and LizQuen, what can you advise them in terms of longevity?

B: Love your craft—it should start from that. I hope they prioritize that over anything else—not fame or stardom, or how people perceive them.

J: Since Day 1, we’ve offered nothing but our sincerity.

We never tried to fool people into believing that we’re together para lang kiligin sila.

What do you do when you can’t stand each other any longer?

J: Ang dami naming gan’on!

We finished one TV series, “Betty La Fea,” and we didn’t speak to each other at all!

B: We worked on it for almost eight months.

“One More Chance” spawned quotable quotes. Do you have favorites?

B: “Ayaw ko na ng ‘what ifs.’ Gusto ko na ng ‘what is.’”

J: “You had me at my best…”

Let’s tackle social issues this time. Are you willing to use your influence to promote or endorse a political candidate or support an advocacy?

J: If I really believe in something or someone, I’d gladly help.

B: To influence your followers to vote for the person you’re endorsing is a big responsibility. You have to be 100-percent sure that the candidate deserves it.

What can you say about the recently concluded APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit)?

J: I hope that with the P10-billion fund, we can safely say that we’ve been good hosts. I guess we have yet to see and appreciate its benefits—because those will come later on.

features

5

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 25, 2015

Moonlighting

reports that cast light and give lasting pleasure in a manner of reporting that is neither new journalism or old journalism but categorized in the timeless journalism. She is of that highest tradition, THe apple that fell far yet utterly original. i imagine from the tree is one i could her reporting in a style that only dream of -- a perfect should be transparent and newshen and god’s little never calls attention to itself. pencil.

She reports in a style without i would have taught this ornament and devices -- natudaughter to begin each work ral and crystalline, as pure by having a real and passpring water -- and places her sionate curiosity about how people behave in the infinitely considerable skills in the service of the subject at hand various situations they find by having a real and pasthemselves in. friends on Facebook, Twitsionate curiosity about how To be aware that no art ter, instagram and any other people behave in the infinitecan be reduced to principles social media platforms may ly various situations they find or rules, there is the mystery seem awesome, exciting and no one has explained or could themselves. Her reportage is perfect. But more often than explain, which gives great au- ever present when people are not, those travel pictures, thors’ work their literary force, going through actual experistatuses and travel vlogs could particular charm and vitality. ences in their lives (beyond just be moments that are just being interviewed), as they i will encourage unobtrupretty ordinary, but spruced interact with one another. siveness and inculcate that up with some white lies here above all, i want her to she is just a consummate and there. Nobody can be that observer. as a reporter, she is surge across the boundhappy or amazing all the time. to be the reporter’s reporter ary separating women from We’re just human. Try not to the former bastions of the -- as objective, free of prejutake your posts or the posts editorial room, where men dices and preconceptions, of your friends too seriously neutral and fair-minded as it is previously controlled as chief and take the time to appreciopinion giver and defined possible to be. ate the world outside of your what was newsworthy.

She is a newshen who is computer screen without the faithful to the facts and does fear of being judged by the not invent; instead, she uses public. her determination where to Don’t stop with just these look for the telling detail to lessons. go out there and see reinforce her understanding what else you can learn to of the subject until she finds incorporate in your life when the happiest form in which to you get out of your comfort cast her piece. She chooses zone and experience the life of to inform and convey precisetravel. ly what people did and said in *** certain circumstances in their Mango Tours is a provider of quality, affordable life’s journey. and convenient travel services that include lowShe doesn’t interpret, priced airline tickets, customized Philippine and analyze or pass judgment.

International Tour Packages, Cruises, Land TransWhat she does is to get at fers, Passport and Visa Concerns. It is the #1 the truth. She does that with producer of reliable travel services particularly when it comes to Philippine travel arrangements clarity, accuracy, simplicity -- a simplicity grounded in her to the Filipino-American community in the US Mango Tours is able to provide its customers with knowledge of just how complex every human being and a number of travel options at affordable rates because of its consolidator contracts with over 11 human event is. airlines. Book your travel bookings with Mango i want her to look at the Tours by calling its 24/7 U.S. toll-free number at world with affection, enor1-866-2-MANILA (1-866-2-626452). Visit www. mous humor and sanity, and mangotours.com to know more about its latest to be a watchful newshen promos and travel offers.* who listens and brings back *Advertising Supplement

by MyLah de

Mango Mix

by Martin

Jason L. ita-as

TraveliNg may seem like it’s all fun and games, but it can be more than just that.

Sometimes we can learn very valuable lessons on all the little things we experience on our journeys.

From hardships to interactions to exhilarating experiences you may think twice of participating in, there are good and bad morals we can learn from each one. let’s look at some of the things traveling teaches: Some luggage goes a long way if you’re a pack rat or find it hard to throw away things that seem valuable to you, your house is likely full of items you hardly use at all. But take it from traveling: all you need are an ample amount of clothes and necessities and a pocketful of money to survive out there.

You’ll be surprised at how people can survive and be happy with as little as a backpack full of their personal belongings.

Picture perfect Taking lots of photos may seem like an embarrassing thing to do in this camera-obsessed world, but not being able to go back to a moment in your lifetime gives shutterbugs perfectly solid reasons to

What traveling teaches us get snapping! We all have only one life to live. Capturing moments on film, even the small or insignificant ones, allows you to transport back to that time in your head. it’s the closest we can get to modern time travel.

Keeping in touch isn’t hard You may think that moving away from your hometown may make it difficult to catch up with friends and family. But with the marvels of modern technology, you don’t really have to sacrifice your friendships in order to go out and move away to somewhere different. if you feel like you need to see each other visually, there are so many internet-based video programs like Skype that allow you to talk while looking at each other, just like a real conversation.

Be a little daring Whether it’s trying out some new exotic foods or trying out something so crazy that nobody would imagine you doing, you should never let the fear of the unknown stop you from exploring. it’s okay to make mistakes while you try out new things.

Nobody gets everything right the first time. it’s your willingness to jump into a world you’re not familiar with that enables you to learn new things and expand your views and capabilities as a person.

Don’t glamorize your social media Okay, we get it. Your

The daughter in my mind

Leon

Wherever she finds herself, she gets the things she feels are right, whether she is writing fact or fictional.

She will learn to savor the breathtaking way she can walk into people’s lives to ask them anything she wants in that moment available to her -- the whole universe of a person’s life, the pain and suffering, the joy and the struggle -- and learn from it, as she takes it with her and walks away.

She is the newshen who thinks for us, listens for us and asks the questions we might ask if we were on the spot. She is the adorable newshen who asks a decent question, broad enough to allow people to take off in many directions.

She knows how to turn on the tap, eloquently and colorfully, and achieves celebrity status, with power that staggers the mind.

This is a daughter i could not have because i would have died in labor. ***

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@ aol.com

6

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 25, 2015

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