LA Weekend Edition -- January 30 -- February 02, 2016

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EDITION

January 30-February 2, 2016

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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 26 - No. 9 • 4 Sections – 32 Pages

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US ambassador: Mamasapano not an American operation

Fil-Am mother, son charged with smuggling gun parts to PH

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

by PatRicia LouRdeS Philstar.com

ViRay

MAnilA — The United States maintained that it did not carry out oplan Exodus, the operation that led to the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in an encounter with Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last year.

“This was a philippine-designed and carried out operation. This is not an American operation,” US Ambassador to US Ambassador Philip Goldberg said that the reopening of the Mamasapano the philippines philip Goldberg investigation in the Senate earlier this said in an interview with radio week was just a “repeat” of the previous dzMM. He also denied that hearings on the incident.

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File photo

by aGneS

conStante AJPress

A Filipino-American woman from long Beach, California and her son have been charged with smuggling ammunition and firearm parts to the philippines.

Marlou Mendoza, 60, was arrested last week at los Angeles international Airport upon returning from a trip to the philippines, officials from the US Attorney’s office said Wednesday, Jan. 27.

Her 30-year-old son, Mark Mendoza, remains at large and is believed to be in the philippines, inquirer reported. prosecutors say he operated a business called last Resort Armaments, according to The Associated Press (Ap).

The mother and son were indicted on

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separate charges by a federal grand jury last month. in 2011, the mother and son attempted to smuggle hundreds of thousands of ammunition rounds and parts for assault rifles to the philippines, authorities said. The indictment cited three instances when Mendoza did not provide the mandatory written notice to freight forwarders that she was shipping ammunition, labeling shipments of .22caliber ammunition as “household goods,” inquirer reported.

“The weapons shipments charged in the indictments allowed firearm parts and ammunition to leave the United States and travel tot he philippines, where they could have been sold to anyone,” US Attorney Eileen M. Decker said in a statement.

Mark Mendoza was charged with conspir-

acy, three counts of unlawful export of munitions, three counts of export smuggling and one count of money laundering.

The publication further reported that he ordered more than $100,000 worth of ammunition and firearm accessories, including parts for AR-15 and M-16 rifles, which are cannot be shipped to the philippines without an export license from the Department of State, according to the Arms Export Control Act. Mark had the ammunition delivered to his parents’ home in long Beach.

His mother was released on a $10,000 bail bond pending trial. if found guilty, she faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. if Mark is convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 115 years in federal prison. n

Aquino to receive honorary degree DATELINE USA from Loyola WHIAAPI, federal Marymount University FRoM THE AJpRESS NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

agencies boost outreach efforts in Fil-Am community

ASiAn American media crowded the Japanese American national Museum in los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 27, where the White House initiative on Asian Americans and pacific islanders (WHiAApi) hosted an informational session for various members of the AApi community. it was an event to bring together to discuss programs that affect the diverse AApi population in the Southwest region.

The initiative, housed under the Department of Education and reinstated by president Barack obama in 2009, works to improve the quality of life for AApi communities nationwide through accelerated access to and participation in federal programs.

“The goal of the initiative is to create open communication between the public Asian American and pacific islander community

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National AAPI PAC endorses Hillary Clinton A nATionAl Asian American pacific islander (AApi) political action committee announced on Thursday, Jan. 28 that it is formally endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, noting her record of connecting to the AApi community.

The announcement made by San Francisco-based CApA21 is the first endorsement by any major AApi Hillary Clinton AJPRess photo by Ding Carreon pAC for the 2016 presidential race.

“Hillary Clinton has clearly demonstrated her commitment to AApi communities and issues,” said Glen S. Fukushima, CApA21 cofounder and chair, in a statement. “As Sena-

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pHilippinE president Benigno S. Aquino iii is expected to visit Southern California on Wednesday, Feb. 17, where he will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane letters degree from loyola Marymount University.

During the invitation-only event, Aquino will be honored by lMU’s president, Timothy law Snyder.

The university has chosen to confer the degree on Aquino “in recognition of his dedication to his Pres. Benigno Aquino III country, his integrity, and his embodiment of a Jesuit education,” according to a statement.

Aquino, who took office as president in 2010, received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Ateneo de Manila University. He has received six honorary degrees from various institutions including Fordham University in new York, University of the philippines, Diliman and Centro Escolar University.

The event is being co-sponsored by the School of Education’s Teach for the philippines program and the World policy institute at lMU. no further details regarding Aquino’s visit, such the length of his trip and whether he will meet with the FilAm community in los Angeles, have been revealed as of press time. (AJPress)

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile starts questioning former Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force Chief, Director Getulio Napeñas during the reopening of the hearing on the Mamasapano incident, where 44 members of the Special Action Force were killed during operations. It was Enrile who initiated the reopening of the investigation. Also in photo is Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, the committee that conducted hearings on the incident.

Senate photo by Joe Arazas

SAF 44 case to be resolved in 4 weeks

“please expect us to resolve that – give us three to four weeks to be able to do that,” Caparas MAnilA — in three to four told reporters. weeks, the Department of JusHe said state prosecutors tice would be able to come up working on the case would “go with a resolution on the Mama- over everything that has been sapano tragedy, acting Justice gathered.”

Secretary Emmanuel Caparas The DoJ on Dec. 17 concluded said on Friday, Jan. 29. after three hearings its prelimiby Ghio

onG Philstar.com

DOH: Philippines remains free of Zika

by Rudy

SantoS Philstar.com

MAnilA – The philippines remains free of the Zika virus, but the public should remain vigilant, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Friday, Jan 29. lyndon lee Suy, spokesman for the DoH, said a case of Zika virus was documented in Cebu City in 2012 but no other case has since been reported.

“We don’t want to be alarmist, but it is not enough that people become aware of what is The World Health Organization (WHO) website describes the Zika virus as a mosquito-borne disease that was first detected among rhesus monkeys in happening. We should always be Uganda in 1947.

AP photo by Felipe Dana on guard because it’s happening ed among rhesus monkeys in Uganda in in other countries and it can also 1947. happen here,” lee Suy told reporters. in 1952, it was detected among humans The World Health organization (WHo) website describes the Zika virus as a mos- in Uganda and the United Republic of quito-borne disease that was first detectu PAGE A2

nary investigation into the killing of 35 members of the police Special Action Force (SAF) by guerrillas belonging to the Moro islamic liberation Front (MilF) and the Bangsamoro islamic Freedom Fighters (BiFF) and some private armed groups in Mamasapano, Maguindanao

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A JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From the Front Page

SAF 44 case to be resolved in 4…

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last year.

No charges have been filed against anyone for the killing of the nine other SAF members as no witnesses have come forward to identify suspected killers.

The investigation involves some 13 commanders of the MILF and six of the BIFF. Four of the respondents have submitted

affidavit denying the charges of direct assault with murder.

Investigators are also examining videos of the killings that went viral on social media.

Caparas also said he did not expect the outcome of the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano carnage last Wednesday to affect the drafting of a resolution.

“In our assessment, there’s

nothing really new there, so whatever is on the table now, we continue,” he said.

At Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said last Wednesday’s Senate hearing failed to establish President Aquino’s direct link to the police operation that led to the deaths of 44 SAF commandos.

He said the President had been fed the wrong information by some police officials particularly then SAF commander Getulio Napeñas.

Coloma said that while the Office of the Ombudsman is now conducting a probe on Napeñas, Congress would have to take steps to avoid a repeat of the Mamasapano incident – specifically, reviewing the PNP Law. He said it was largely Napeñas’ failure to make the necessary coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines that threw the SAF operation in disarray.

Coloma also pointed out that

OUTSTANDING YOUNG MEN.Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, along with Senators Gringo Honasan, Nancy Binay, Loren Legarda, JV Ejercito and Sonny Angara, hand over of copies of Senate Resolution No. 1696 to six of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of 2015(TOYM) awardees, who were commended for their outstanding work in public service, education, science, and the arts, among other fields, during the plenary session on Monday afternoon. The awardees (starting with 3rd from left) are Rogelio Santos Jr. for social entrepreneurship; Geoffrey Bryan Chua for education; Roderick Salenga for public health; Jose Ramon Aliling for Civil Engineering; Donald Patrick Lim for community development; Michael Barney Almazar for Law/legal aid; and Raymond Abrea for Accounting and Finance. Also in picture is TOYM Executive Director Larry Cruz (2nd from right).

Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo

DOH: Philippines remains free of…

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Tanzania.

In May 2015, Brazil reported its first case and the disease has since spread to 22 other countries u PAGE A3 and territories in the region.

Zika virus is similar to dengue as the disease is caused by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Symptoms include mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis, which could last for two to

seven days.

Zika virus has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a poorly understood condition in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, sometimes resulting in paralysis.

WHO will convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika Virus on Monday to determine if the outbreak constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern.”

Lee Suy said the best way to fight Zika virus is to observe personal hygiene and sanitation as well as eliminate possible breeding sites of mosquitoes.

“We have been advising the public to keep their surroundings clean. Get rid of anything that may collect water because mosquitoes could breed in them. We talk here of the same mosquitoes that can spread dengue,” he said.

Meanwhile, health authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are on alert to prevent the entry of Zika virus.

Doctors at the NAIA said mosquito-carrying virus from Brazil could not reach airports and seaports in the country.

Brazil has no direct flight to the Philippines and passengers will have to take a connecting flight to able to land at the airport. (With report from Roel Pareno)

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From the Front page

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016

A

US ambassador: Mamasapano…

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there was an American casualty in the operation.

Goldberg added that the if ever the US gave support to the operation, it is a part of its Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines.

The US ambassador, however, did not elaborate the details of the participation of the US in the operation to neutralize Ma-

laysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan.

“There is cooperation and I think most Filipinos support that and it’s done in a way that is at the request of and in conjunction with the Philippine Armed Forces and government,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg admitted that the US forces have assisted the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police, in-

cluding the SAF, in its efforts against international terrorism.

“We have provided intelligence... We have done training and we have done some quipping. We admit that’s what we do,” the US ambassador said.

The Senate joint committee report on the Mamasapano operation, which was released last year, confirmed that the US was involved in the mission. n

National AAPI PAC endorses Hillary…

PAGE A1 t

tor, she was a leader on issues to improve the lives of AAPI families and communities. As Secretary of State, she understood that the importance of the Asia-Pacific region in US foreign policy, which strongly impacts recent AAPI immigrant communities.”

Dale Minami, CAPA21’s cofounder and president, remarked that Clinton’s campaign has AAPIs in top positions — such as Huma Abedin, campaign vice chair; Dennis Cheng, finance director; and Lisa Chandadveja, AAPI outreach director — and has “crafted an AAPI-focused vision.”

Clinton visited Southern California on Jan. 7, where she launched AAPIs for Hillary, gathering key AAPI elected officials and hundreds of supporters from across the nation. It marked the first event a major presidential candidate held exclusively for AAPIs. “A candidate’s actions, not just words, on AAPI priorities preview how she will perform once in office,” Minami said.

According to AAPIData and the Center for American Progress, Asian American voters have nearly doubled in the last decade from more than two million voters in 2000 to 3.9 million in 2012.

Further data shows that the electorate is expected to grow by more than 600,000 voters in each presidential cycle.

Asian American voter numbers are critical in swing states, such as Nevada, Virginia and Florida.

The PAC’s leadership council co-chairs include Ginger Lew, CONFISCATED. An eagle owl was among 47 animals found inside styrofoam boxes intended for transport to Japan. Doubting that it was Maeley Tom, Mona Pasquil, a shipment of aquatic plants for Japan, agents of the Bureau of Customs and the Wildlife and Aquatic Resources got the surprise of Mark Keam, Steve Ngo, Phong their lives when 22 snakes and tarsiers greeted them when they opened five styrofoam boxes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Thursday, Jan. 28. The endangered species were among 47 animals that a member of the Office of Transportation Security La, Tessie Guillermo, Kiran Jain, wanted flown to Japan on a Philippine Airlines flight.

Philstar.com photo by Rudy Santos and Dilawar Syed.

CAPA21 continues on the work of the now-defunct Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA), founded in 1988 as the country’s first national Asian American PAC. PAGE A2 t that the military was compromised Mamasapano incident.

In case a criminal case is filed (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress) in a photo taken at 4:14 p.m. on and should not be told about sensiagainst President Aquino after Jan. 25 last year or hours after tive operations were baseless.

“That is the personal opin- his term ends on June 30, Pimenthe bloody encounter, Napeñas did not appear concerned about ion and assessment of Director tel said the burden would be on Napeñas that does not necessar- the person who would pursue the fate of his men. to build new, multilingual pro“He did not have a mindset of a ily reflect the situation, the over- charges against the president as private citizen. grams to help people understand commander seriously concerned all situation,” Coloma said.

The Senate president reiteratNothing established the process. with the welfare of his troops At the Senate, Aquino’s allies ed that Cabinet members, police “[USCIS] making a great ef- and he belittled the seriousness fort to reach a number of API of the situation. All of these are reiterated that he should not be and military officers negated the communities, especially the important responsibility of a held liable for the Mamasapano “assertions on stand down.”

Although he said he does not growing Filipino population here commander,” the presidential carnage.

Senate President Franklin want to pre-empt Senate comin California,” said Curda. “We spokesman said. want to speak to these communi“In all instances, the Aquino Drilon noted that nothing was mittee on public order and danties in their own language so that administration adhered to the established against President gerous drugs chairperson Sen. there’s no confusion, and we can truth. Our position has been Aquino’s liability after hours of Grace Poe, Drilon echoed her take away some of the mystery transparent, the Armed Forces the chamber’s discussion on the statement that there is nothing more to add to the 129-page and fear in the process. We don’t and the Philippine National Po- issue last Wednesday.

“The nearly seven-hour hear- committee report after Wedneswant it to be fear holding people lice and the government did not back from getting naturalized. conceal anything and answered ing would show that it was actu- day’s reopening of inquiry.

The Poe report had found We want to talk to people about all questions that were thrown in ally Napeñas who crafted Oplan how to trust us as an agency.” various investigations regarding Exodus. It was he in fact who Aquino ultimately responsible for signed the Oplan Exodus as au- the Mamasapano tragedy.

USCIS is holding a Tagalog- this,” Coloma pointed out.

Drilon said the committee relanguage information session He also said the nation had thor of the document,” the Senport has not been approved by on Monday, Feb. 1 at the Na- been witness to the pronounce- ate president said.

“He deliberately disregarded the Senate. A total of 20 senators tional City Public Library, and ments of Napeñas, the AFP and Wednesday, Feb. 3 at the Carson PNP officials that there was no the President’s instruction to co- have signed the report. Those Community Center, for Filipinos stand down order from the Presi- ordinate with the AFP and as a who did not sign were Drilon, interested in learning about the dent. Napeñas said Purisima told result of that it was Napeñas who Enrile, Senators Lito Lapid and process of citizenship. him to order the SAF operatives compartmentalized the operation Antonio Trillanes IV. “I do not know if she will subDOL to hold their positions because of Mamasapano to himself and Purisima because of his distrust mit that report to the Senate for Kimchi Bui, district director they were talking to the MILF. approval, in which case it will of the US Department of Labor “That is why in my view, as of the AFP,” Drilon added.

While there was “noth- be debated upon. As of now it (DOL) Wage and Hour Division, witness to the seven-hour invescame forward to speak about tigation, the allegations of Sena- ing earthshaking” about last remains a committee report that the DOL’s efforts to enhance tor (Juan Ponce) Enrile were ef- Wednesday’s hearing, Sen. Aq- has not been acted upon by the the welfare of the nation’s large fectively answered and belied,” uilino Pimentel III said nothing Senate,” Drilon said. (With recould prevent Enrile from filing a ports from Aurea Calica, Chrisworkforce, reaching out to vul- Coloma said.

He added Napeñas’ allegations separate report or opinion on the tina Mendez and Helen Flores) u PAGE A5

WHIAAPI, federal agencies boost…

PAGE A1 t

and the federal agencies that serve them,” said Danny Pasquil, co-chair of the WHIAAPI regional network, at the start of the event.

“We are continuously working to create a better relationship.”

Representatives from various government agencies--including the FBI, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the US Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Social Security Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-were present at the event to speak about the programs, benefits, and services they offer.

FBI Special agent Amir Ehsaei gave a presentation on FBI, which he stressed is both a “law enforcement and intelligence agency.”

With offices worldwide and an increased annual budget of $8.3 billion ($20 million allotted to the branch in Los Angeles), the FBI addresses threats to US society, including counterterrorism, cyberattacks, firearms, etc. The FBI is also committed to a diverse presence and relationship with America’s many ethnicities,

reaching out to communities through seminars and mentorship programs.

“The Philippines is an area we’re responsible for here in Los Angeles, so engagement with the Filipino community is important.

We have a presence in the Philippines that has strengthened, thanks to continued dialog, faceto-face meetings with the community, listening and explaining with the people,” Ehsaei said.

“The Bureau is like a family, and it’s important that we maintain these tight-knit relationships, acknowledge the barrier of trust,” said Lori Nelson, a Filipina special supervisory agent for the FBI branch in Los Angeles.

USCIS US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, focuses on field operations regarding the US’ legal immigration system and services benefiting immigrants in the US. Field operations Associate Director Daniel Renaud and District Director Susan Curda spoke to communities in hopes of better outreach, to “demystify” naturalization, and the USCIS’ plans

SAF 44 case to be resolved in 4…

A JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

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

40% of California 5th-graders are overweight or obese PALO ALTO, California – Two of every five 5th graders in California’s public schools are overweight or obese, according to 2015 data from the California Department of Education that are now available on Kidsdata.org.

All California public school students in grades five, seven, and nine are required to take the Physical Fitness Test, which includes an assessment of body composition. Students are considered overweight or obese if their body composition scores reach beyond the Healthy Fitness Zone, which represents a level of fitness that offers protection against the diseases that result from sedentary living.

Not only are the percentages of students who are overweight or obese high in California, the data reveal substantial disparities between ethnicities. Up to 56 percent of Pacific Islander 5th graders for example, were considered overweight or obese—more than double the percentage of Asian American 5th graders.

The data also vary widely by county. In some counties, less than 20 percent of 5th graders were considered overweight or obese, but in one, the percentage reached above 50 percent.

Nationwide, the childhood

obesity rate has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents over the past 30 years. Today, about one third of children ages 2-19 are overweight or obese in the U.S. Overweight children are at higher risk for a range of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, asthma, and some types of cancer; they also are more likely to stay overweight or obese as adults.

California has been a leader in advancing policies to combat childhood overweight and obesity, from banning soft drinks

and unhealthy food in schools to requiring nutrition labeling in chain restaurants. Yet the state continues to battle an obesity epidemic among children.

Experts say reducing childhood obesity requires policies that promote equitable access to safe places to play and exercise, frequent opportunities for physical activity in and out of school and affordable healthy foods and beverages . Public policy can make a difference by changing the environment in which children make food choices, live, go to school, and play. (Inquirer.net)

Longer build, lower cost for CA bullet train

by Allyson

EscobAr

AJPress

CALIFORNIA’S high-speed rail, connecting Los Angeles with the San Francisco Bay Area, could take longer to build than previously estimated, and its overall cost is “difficult to predict,” said the head of the highspeed rail authority on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

“It may take us a little longer than we said to do this,” rail authority Chairman Dan Richard told the state Assembly transportation committee, not going into detail, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A forthcoming update of its business plan for the high-speed bullet train will show a reduction in the estimated cost of $68 billion, Richard added, despite recent delays that have slowed construction.

The project is more than two years behind the proposed schedule the rail authority announced

back in 2012 when it expected to start building 29 miles of rail structures from north to south.

The work officially began last July, and remains at a slow pace.

The oversight hearing was called by Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), who described the bullet train as “one of the most complex projects not only in the state but in the nation’s history.”

Bloom said construction of the rail system will be “difficult and full of risks,” and added that he believed the project overall “is being managed well.”

The hearing was limited to testimony from three officials, two of whom work for transit authority, and a third who is chairman of a peer review panel.

In a public comment period after the hearing, several speakers present quickly, sharply criticized the rail project, including Assemblywoman Patty Lopez (DSan Fernando).

Lopez said she had asked rail authority officials to compromise on some of the effects of the bullet train would have on her working-class community, but did not receive any response.

Other objections were raised by the Train Riders Assn. of California, farmers and other rural residents in areas affected by the tracks.

However, two labor union ofANIMAL LOVER. Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach has a big heart for everyone—dogs included. On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Wurtzbach broke ficials praised the project. security protocol to approach “Rex,” a K9 dog of Novotel Manila, and play with him. “Our Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach softly broke the security protocol to stop by, Pia whispered things to this K9 and shook his hand. Very touching scene indeed. ‪#‪Con Richard and state rail authorfidentlyBeautiful ‪#‪MostBeautifulDay,” the caption of the photos released by the Binibining Pilipinas Facebook page read. The most ity Chief Executive Jeff testified beautiful woman in the universe, who was then wearing her Albert Andrada pink and white terno, gave the cute canine a kiss. against a news story in October Screengrab from Novotel’s Facebook page‬‬ 2015 that concluded that California was “highly unlikely to complete an initial operating segment from Burbank to Merced by its 2022 deadline, or to bring the be completed in September and pay data proposal, according to

by AgnEs constAntE project in on budget.”

AJPress reports would be due one year NBC News. “I think it can have a A Times investigation found after. very galvanizing, conscious-raisthat the years remaining before THE Obama administration on “Too often, pay discrimina- ing effect on people.” the deadline were not enough Friday, Jan. 29, announced new tion goes undetected because Marc Benioff, chief executive to construct 300 miles of track, rules aimed at ensuring equal of a lack of accurate information of Salesforce.com, who was enbore 36 miles of mountain tun- pay for all American workers. about what people are paid,” listed by the White House to help u PAGE A6 The proposal would require Yang told the Times. “We will be make its case for the rules, said companies with more than 100 using the information that we’re that although he never planned employees to annually report collecting as one piece of infor- on paying women less than men, to the federal government how mation that can inform our inves- he found out his company was much they pay their employees tigations.” doing just that after two female with a breakdown of the employIn 2014, women earned 79 workers raised that concern with ees’ ethnicity, gender and race. cents for every dollar a man him, according to the Times.

Friday’s announcement coin- earned, the White House report“We’re never going to solve cided with the seventh anniver- ed. The White House Council of this issue of pay inequality if sary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Economic Advisers states that CEOs like myself and others Pay Act, the first bill President the US gender wage gap is 2.5 continue to turn a blind eye to Barack Obama signed into law percent higher than the average what’s happening in their own when he took office in 2009. The developed country. corporations,” Benioff said in act makes it easier for employees However, Pew Research re- a conference call organized by to challenge unequal pay. ported in April that it found the the White House, noting he was “Women are not getting the fair gender pay gap to be less than spending $3 million to eliminate shot that we believe every single what the White House claimed. the pay gap at his firm, the Times American deserves,” Obama said The report stated that women reported. in the proposal announcement. earn 84 percent of what men do, Not everyone touted the White “What kind of example does pay- while the wage gap for younger House’s pay gap logic, however. ing women less set for our sons women stands at 93 percent of Other critics say that the metric and daughters?” what men are paid. used by the US Bureau of Labor Obama’s new rules would Compliance with the new rules Statistics is not the most accurate build on an executive order he is- is expected to cost each em- measurement. sued about two years ago, which ployer less than $400 in the first A new report by Payscale sugrequired federal contractors to year, according to White House gests that “men are simply more provide salary data for men and estimates, and several hundred likely to hold higher-paying jobs, women. dollars per year after that. whether it’s because of the in“Social change never happens Obama is also looking to push dustry, job type, or job level.” overnight,” he said. “It is a slog Congress to pass the Paycheck Obama’s actions on pay equaland there are times when you Fairness Act, which would pro- ity have also been criticized by just have to chip away and chip vide additional resources to Republicans, who say that gender away...It’s reliant on all of us to women seeking to challenge pay discrimination is already illegal keep pushing that boulder up the discrimination. and that extra measures are unhill.”

“I don’t think this is an empty necessary. Additionally, the new Jenny Yang, chairwoman of move,” Robyn Muncy, interim rules would require the president the Equal Employment Opportu- chair of women’s studies and a to use his executive authority, for nity Commission, told The New history professor at the Univer- which Republicans have further York Times that the rules would sity of Maryland, said of the new criticized him. n

Obama proposes new rules to advance equal pay

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016

A

CoRona CaRmaggedon

Riverside Freeway’s weekend shutdown set next month

MOTORISTS prepare — carmaggedon is coming next month as one of the busiest travel corridors in Inland Empire will be completely shut down for the whole weekend in Corona.

According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the 91 Freeway will be closed in both directions between Interstate 15 and the Corona (71) Expressway during the week of February 19-22. The closures will last for 55 hours.

Dubbed as the “Corona Carmageddon,” the closure will make way for three major components of the “91 Project Fast Forward” without traffic conflicts. These include (1) Demolish the west CENTENARIANS. The Makati City government has recognized on Monday, three new centenarian city residents and honored each of them side of the Maple Street Bridge with a P100,000 cash gift. Makati Mayor Kid Peña led the awarding ceremony attended by the two living centenarians and their family members, as well as the son of the other honoree who passed away last December, a few days after she turned 100 years old. over the 91, (2) Install support Philstar.com photo beams for the new westbound Maple Street flyover ramp bridge, and (3) Pave the new eastbound 91 alignment near I-15.

As part of the 91 Project, the RCTC also launched its “91 Steer Clear” public service campaign, reminding motorists that LOS ANGELES — Karl Liboro, yeast infection. The infection is the roadway will be fully closed a microbiology major at Cal State primarily caused by Candida al- starting Friday, Feb. 19 at 9pm to LA, has been honored with the bicans, an opportunistic fungus. Monday, Feb. 22 at 4am.

Howell-CSUPERB Research An estimated 75 percent of wom“By fully closing the roadScholar Award. en will have at least one infec- way, we will be able to consoliLiboro is one of only 12 stution in their lifetime. Recurring date these significant construcdents in the California State infection can significantly affect tion efforts into one weekend, University system to receive the a woman’s quality of life. rather than multiple weekends award, which funds promising “Even though there has been or extending this over a month undergraduate research related strong emphasis on the impor- of weeknights,” said RCTC Exto women’s health. The award is u PAGE A7 ecutive Director Anne Mayer in offered by the CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB), in partnership with the Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research.

“The Howell-CSUPERB Award will give me the funding and competitive edge necessary Karl Liboro to continue my career and to resides in Glendale. continue working on projects Working with his mentor, Cal that will not only help improve State LA Professor Hyunsook women’s health, but the health Park, Liboro will conduct reof all individuals,” said Liboro, search on vulvovaginal candidiaan Honors College student who sis, commonly known as vaginal

Fil-Am microbiology student receives scholar award at the 28th CSU Biotechnology Symposium

WHIAAPI, federal agencies…

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nerable, low-wage workers and enforcing federal labor laws to the billions of private and public businesses in the US. With multilingual regional and area offices, the stressed partnerships with AAPI organizations and national consulates.

Bui also talked about the EMPLEO program, first launched in fall 2015, with the DOL and Pilipino Workers Center (PWC).

“We saw the need that we need to have a workers’ program for different Asian American communities,” she said. A new call-center housed by multilingual staff at PWC will serve as a hotline for employees to call in about labor issues, discrimination in the workplace, and other wage issues, and is a resource for employers to ask questions about US labor laws.

“We are hoping that the program can get expanded to include other ethnic communities as well,” Bui said. “The DOL is here to help campaign for workers, employers, and we keep information confidential. We want compliance for both employees and employers; we are there to investigate labor cases.”

SSA / IRS Essie Landry from the Social Security Administration talked about the benefits social security has on AAPI citizens. “59 million people can benefit from social security, as well as Supplemental Security Income (SSI),” Landry shared. “We want the community to know that they will not be disadvantaged in any way. Call our national toll-free number and ask for an interpreter; check out our easy-access portal and resources [such as W-2 forms, electronic wage reporting, verification services] online. We want them to be actively engaged in how we can service you.”

Stakeholder Liaison Lisa Hamilton also talked about the impor-

tance of the IRS--which handles income and refundable tax credits to those who qualify, among other services--in helping America’s taxpayers.

EEOC The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a federal agency committed to fighting against discrimination, and for justice and equality in the workplace. “We enforce laws including the Equal Pay Act, which includes Title VII--protecting workers from discrimination due to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, genetics, or sexual orientation,” said Christine Park-Gonzalez, a representative for the EEOC. The EEOC also helped to settle the 2012 case against Delano Regional Medical Center, where solely Filipino caregivers were harassed through a language policy. The case was resolved for $975,000 for a three-year consent decree, including new policies and procedures for hiring.

Last May, the WHIAAPI hosted the first-ever White House Summit on AAPIs, featuring special guests including prominent entertainment personalities, artists and activists, as well as the first Asian-American US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy. The summit served as a symbol of the unity within the diverse AAPI community and its government leaders.

“As the WHIAAPI co-chair, it’s a great opportunity, and something I couldn’t turn down,” Pasquil, a Fil-Am who is also the district director of the DOL Wage & Hour Division’s West Covina office, told the Asian Journal.

“The Southwest Regional Network has grown tremendously to include federal employees and different agencies, and we’re bringing people from different backgrounds, areas, and levels together.” (Allyson Escobar / AJPress)

According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the 91 Freeway will be closed in both directions between Interstate 15 and the Corona (71) Expressway during the week of February 19-22. The closures will last for 55 hours. Screenshot from CBS Los Angeles

statement released to the media.

“Consolidating the work activities within one weekend will reduce the number of closure hours by more than 50 percent. The project’s design-build method allows for flexibility in planning work, such as this weekend closure,” she said.

The full closure will also help ensure the safety of the crews working at the project, as well as the traveling public by eliminating cars and equipment on the road during construction.

In case of rainstorms or in-

clement weather, the Feb. 19-22 closure will be postponed to the next weekend, weather permitting.

Plan ahead, avoid or stay home To minimize delays and impacts during the closure, RCTC have these words of wisdom to offer motorists: Plan ahead, avoid the area or stay home, as traveling on the 91, 71 or I-15 near the project area during that period can expect delays of three to four hours. If travel cannot

u PAGE A6

A JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

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PH envoy briefs US National Press Club on closer ties WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Philippine Ambassador to the United States briefed members the National Press Club January 27 at the Philippine Embassy on the closer ties between the two countries.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said, “In the past seven decades, the Philippines and the U.S. have seen themselves become treaty allies, strategic partners and close friends. We believe that bilateral relations are truly at their best as they are comprehensive, dynamic and forward-looking.”

Cuisia briefed the audience on the results of the recently concluded 2nd Philippines-U.S. Ministerial Dialogue, the Philippine Supreme Court’s favorable decision on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and the Philippines’ positions on the South China Sea issue, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

“The Philippines and the United States recognize EDCA as a security component of our treaty alliance. It is especially critical to enhancing joint capacities for the provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and to increasing the inter-operability of the Philippine and U.S. Armed Forces,” the envoy remarked.

Cuisia also thanked the U.S. for helping strengthen the Philippines’ maritime security.The Philippines and China are currently embroiled in a row concerning certain areas in the South China Sea. The dispute led the Philippines to initiate

Ambassador Cuisia at podium responds to a question during the special briefing for the members of the National Press Club on January 27.

Contributed photo

arbitral proceedings under the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea in January 2013.

“Having an impartial third party rule on a case holds weight because one side will have the backing of international law,” Cuisia explained.

He also expressed support for sustained US Freedom of Navigation operations (FONOPs) in critical sealanes of communication.

Cuisia defended the Asean Economic Community as having “clearly more complementarity today, rather than competition among ASEAN industries.”

He added,” Recent years have seen more trade within industries, belying the sceptics of the 1990s who predicted little impact and benefit from the ASEAN free trade area.”

He stated that expanding economic cooperation between the United States and ASEAN will be among the topics of discussion when President Barack Obama hosts the ten ASEAN leaders, in-

cluding Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, in a special summit in California next month.

Cuisia also fielded questions on Philippines-Japan relations, Philippines-U.S. cooperation in countering terrorism.

“I have to say that the relations between Japan and the Philippines have also never been better. Japan has been very, very supportive of the Philippines,” the envoy said, adding that Japan has consistently been the Philippines’ largest provider of official development assistance and leading trade partner. Japan’s assistance in boosting the Philippines’ defense and security capacities were also cited as proof of the strong ties between the two countries.

Established in 1908, the National Press Club (NPC) is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. It has over 3,500 members, including journalists from every major news organization. (Inquirer.net)

Longer build, lower cost for CA bullet…

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nels, build six train stations, erect high-voltage electrical systems and construct a heavy maintenance facility, based on comments by tunnel engineers, construction experts and geologists not necessarily involved with the project.

The story also reported that the agency’s primary consultant, Parsons Brinckerhoff, had submitted a cost estimate in October 2013 that projected a 31 percent increase in the cost of the initial construction segment, and a 5 percent increase in the cost of the full 500-mile system.

The agency’s estimate, a twoyear effort by a team of engineers, was not used when the state issued its 2014 business plan a few months later.

Morales told lawmakers the Parsons Brinckerhoff estimate was just a draft, subject to revision and among other studies used for the official public cost estimate. A number of the rail agency’s reports and documents are marked “draft” in large letters, including the written testimony that Richard and Morales read from a witness table at Wednesday’s hearing.

“They are hiding behind the draft stamp,” Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) told reporters after the hearing.

Morales testified that part of the $9-billion increase reported

by The Times was “based on construction of more miles of track and longer viaducts.”

The full documentation behind the Parsons Brinckerhoff cost estimate has yet to be disclosed.

Louis Thompson, chairman of a peer review panel mandated under state law, also testified at the hearing, suggesting the project should have significantly closer oversight by a well-funded and long-term branch of the state government. n

TRIBUTE. The Japanese imperial couple have paid tribute to the country’s national hero Dr. Jose Rizal as they laid a wreath before his monument in Manila. The Official Gazette, through its social media pages, shared photos of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Rizal monument in Luneta. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada was seen with the couple in the wreath-laying ceremony. Pia.gov.ph photo

California mayors encourage residents to reduce carbon footprint through competition THE CoolCalifornia Challenge, a competition between California cities to motivate and reward residents for reducing their carbon footprints and build more sustainable communities, just got a little more competitive. With 22 cities vying for the title of “Coolest California City,” nine mayors and city officials upped the stakes, sharing rousing videos to promote the challenge and encourage participation among residents.

In the videos, mayors discuss what makes their cities “the Coolest” and offer a range of ideas to improve sustainability in their cities, from mainstream concepts like biking to work to more creative ideas like “No Flush Fridays.”

“The CoolCalifornia Challenge is a fun way for cities and residents to band together and see their sustainability efforts rewarded in a tangible way,” said

Pamela Wellner, the manager of Climate Change Programs for Energy Upgrade California. “These mayors have taken the competition to the next level by infusing some humor and creativity into their calls to action. As we kick off a New Year, we hope these videos inspire residents to re-

solve to cut carbon emissions.”

Three additional cities — Richmond, Larkspur and Corte Madera — have already answered the call and are producing videos with their mayors, expected to go live in the coming weeks.

Households in participating

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thiS Week in RevieW US GOP faces off without Trump THE 7th Republican debate took place in Iowa on the evening of Jan. 28, with the top seven candidates minus Donald Trump.

The defiant Trump staged his own competing counter-program with rallying supporters a few miles away, leaving the rest of the contenders to ardently debate immigration reform, health care, military tactics, climate change, and gun control. The two-hour debate was notably calmer than previous stand-offs, with candidates proudly defending their campaign strategies and promising great things for government. The candidates are just days away from the crucial Feb. 1st Iowa caucuses, which will narrow the competition for the GOP representative for president.

Escape from jail THREE inmates escaped from an Orange County jail on Jan. 22, using tools to cut through security bars in a plumbing tunnel into air vents, and barreled down about 50 feet from the roof of the hail. One of the escapees, 43-year-old Bac Tien Duong, turned himself to authorities a week after the escape. A suspect in connection with the escape was also arrested. Authorities are still looking for a stolen white van and the other two escapees, 37-year-old Hossein Nayeri, and 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu. A $200,000 reward is being offered for anyone with information about the fugitives.

Barbie gets a new body MATTEL toy company released three new body shapes for its famous Barbie doll, the biggest change in the doll’s 57-year history: curvy, tall, and petite. Along with the new body shapes, new shoe sizes, hair colors, and skin tones will also be released alongside the original, thin-waisted Barbie, reflecting the diversity of today’s young women.

The mind of Malik R&B singer Zayn Malik released his first single “Pillowtalk” on Friday, Jan. 29 as a solo act. The much-anticipated single release also came with a music video featuring super-model girlfriend Gigi Hadid, as well as news about his debut album, “Mind of Mine,” which will be released on March 25--one year from the exact same day the British heartthrob left boyband One Direction. Malik told Beats 1 host Zane Lowe in an exclusive interview that he “never really wanted to be in the band.”

Riverside Freeway’s…

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2/2/16

be avoided, motorists can use the 57, 60 and I-10 as alternate routes.

Mayer however, assured that emergency vehicles—like police, fire, CHP and ambulances—will be able to travel on the 91 as needed to respond to calls if any.

There will still be more work to be done in the coming months after the weekend construction activities are completed. Crews will rebuild the Maple Street bridge and construct the flyover ramp bridge across the 91, and nightly full closures on the eastbound will likely happen for about a week. Once the flyover

ramp bridge at Maple Street is completed this summer, another full closure may happen to remove the temporary support beams the crew will be installing the weekend of February 19-22.

The 91 Project is being done to add regular lanes, tolled express lanes, auxiliary lanes and direct express connectors from northbound 15 to westbound 91, and from eastbound 91 to southbound 15. Aside from that, interchanges, ramps lanes and surface streets along 91 between the Riverside County/Orange County Line in Corona and Pierce Street in Riverside will be improved.

The new lanes are expected to open in 2017. (AJPress)

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A

PH comfort women ask gov’t: Don’t abandon us in fight for justice

by TeTch

Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net

SOLO FLIGHT. An Austrian blogger had an entire Philippine Airlines plane to himself on a trip to Boracay, the Daily Mail reported. The report said 28-year-old Alex Simon was the only passenger who showed up for a PAL flight from Manila to Boracay supposedly after no one else booked a ticket. He posted the video on his YouTube account in February last year, but the report said it went viral after being shared by websites recently.

PH seas rising fast, according to US study to place, with the rate around the Philippines “five times the global rate.”

The findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal, suggest that increasingly severe storm surges could be anticipated as a result.

Sea level can mount due to two factors — melting ice and the thermal expansion of water as it warms.

Until now, researchers have believed the oceans rose between 0.7 to one millimeter per year due to thermal expansion.

But a fresh look at the latest satellite data from 2002 to 2014 shows the seas are expanding about 1.4 millimeters a year, said the study.

“To date, we have underestimicroorganisms in preventing PAGE A5 t tance of probiotics in preventing recurring vaginal yeast infec- mated how much the heat-related expansion of the water mass in yeast infections, there are few tions.

Liboro received the CSUPERB the oceans contributes to a global studies to explain how probiotic microorganisms prevent these Research Scholar Award dur- rise in sea level,” said co-author infections,” explained Liboro, ing the 28th CSU Biotechnology Jurgen Kusche, a professor at the who plans to pursue a career in Symposium, which was held at University of Bonn.

The overall sea level rise rate is the Hyatt Regency Orange Counbiomedical sciences. about 2.74 millimeters per year, Liboro’s research focuses on ty earlier this month.

The symposium aims to make combining both thermal expanthe mechanisms by which bacteriocin-like peptides secreted connections between innovative sion and melting ice.

Meanwhile, sea level on the US

by Lactobacillus bacteria inhibit life science research and the imthe biofilm formation of Candida pact it has on society, to highlight West Coast is largely stable bebiotechnologies, cause there is hardly any ocean albicans. Park said Liboro’s re- cutting-edge search may help researchers and to inspire students for suc- warming in that area, said the findings. (ManilaTimes.net) understand the role of probiotic cess in the global economy. n MIAMI—The amount of sea level rise that comes from the oceans warming and expanding has been underestimated, and is likely about twice as much as previously calculated, German researchers said Monday, Jan. 25.

Sea level rise was also found to vary substantially from place

Fil-Am microbiology student…

California mayors encourage residents to…

PAGE A6 t

cities can join the CoolCalifornia Challenge by registering at CAChallenge.org. They can then track energy use and vehicle miles driven, as well as share energy saving tips to earn points for their cities. The city with the highest sustainability points at the end of the challenge will be crowned Coolest California City.

Two runner-up cities will be named Cool California City. All participating cities will receive a portion of a $150,000 prize based

on the percentage of their points that will be used to support local sustainability projects.

This year’s participating cities include Claremont, San Mateo, Buellton, Indio, Burlingame, Long Beach, Elk Grove, San Carlos, Lynwood, Martinez, South Pasadena, Redwood City, Huntington Beach, San Pablo, Benicia, Corte Madera, Mill Valley, Sausalito, El Cerrito, Fairfax, Larkspur and Richmond. Current standings of the cities can be found at: http://www.CAChal-

lenge.org.

The CoolCalifornia City Challenge ends March 30, 2016, and the winning city will be recognized during Earth Week, April 21, 2016.

CoolCalifornia Challenge is a partnership between Energy Upgrade California®, the CoolCalifornia.org program at the California Air Resources Board, and the Cool Climate Network at the University of California, Berkeley’s Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory. n

ABANDONED by the government–this is how the Malaya Lolas feel in their quest for justice for the abuses they suffered during the World War II under the Japanese regime.

Lola Belen Culala, 84 said not one from the government has talked to them.

“Walang nakipag-usap sa amin. Walang tumutulong sa amin dito sa gobyerno sa Pilipinas,” Culala said.

(No one is talking to us. No one from the Philippine government has extended assistance to us.)

She said presidents come and go but their pleas fall on deaf ears.

“Mga babae kami, anong kaya namin kung hindi kami tutulungan ng nanunungkulan?” she said, adding that they go to the streets to protest but it seems no one was listening.

(We are women, what can we do if those in power do not help us?)

Lola Isabelita Vinuya, said they were originally 90, but only 32 are left now.

“Kami ay nabubuhay pa sa awa ng Diyos (We are still living, thank God),” Culala said.

Vinuya, on the other hand, said they are hoping that the Japanese Emperor would give them their just compensation.

“Kami ay mahihina na, matatanda na gusto man magpaospital walang gagastusin.

Sana po ipagkaloob ninyo ang kompensasyon sa amin,” Vinuya, President of Malaya Lola said.

(We are already weak and old, and we wish to afford hospitalization. We hope you will grant our compensation.)

“Kami ay nananawagan sa ating Pangulo ng Pilipinas, suportahan n’yo naman kami (We ask the President of the Philippines, please support us),” she pleaded.

Vinuya said if only the President Benigno Aquino III would only support their pleas, their fate would be the same as that of the comfort women in South Korea.

In December, Japan and South Korea reached a deal where Japan apologized and gave over a billion Japanese yen. The South Korean government has supported the pleas of the comfort women in their country.

Aquino remained mum on the

pleas of the comfort women during his meeting with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan.

In a statement, Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said reparations for the abuse of the World War II victims have long been resolved by the government.

He said the government will not block any private claims for war crimes.

It has been the position of Malacañang that the Philippines and Japan had already settled reparations from the war in previous agreements, among them the Reparations Agreement signed in May 1956, that had Japan providing the Philippines with $550 million worth of goods and services.

But the comfort women said they were never part of that agreement. n

A JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OpiniOn

Features

Falling 10 notches

AFTER five years of seeing improvements in the Philippines’ ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index, the country has dropped 10 notches in the latest one. The Philippines placed 95th out of 167 countries in the annual study prepared by Transparency International, ranking behind the four other founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Northeast Asian economies.

Malacañang, which had welcomed the annual Transparency reports in previous years, said perception was different from reality. In fact when it comes to corruption, perception – as recorded by independent groups – is often the best gauge of whether a country is dealing effectively with the problem.

Palace officials should not consider the drop in ranking as an indictment of President Aquino himself or his avowed commitment to the straight path, but rather as an assessment of the general state of governance around the country.

The Aquino administration has had its share of corruption scandals, although not in the same degree as its two predecessors. And like economic growth, the anti-corruption campaign has been slow in trickling down to the lowest levels of the bureaucracy. Red tape, which encourages corruption, plagues both national and local government offices, driving away investments and contributing to perceptions of worsening corruption.

What nations do with the problem is a key factor in Transparency’s annual report card. In the previous year’s Corruption Perceptions Index, the Philippines ranked ahead of China and Indonesia and tied with India, Sri Lanka and Thailand at 85th place. This time, all five countries have pulled away from the Philippines.

Indonesia has leapfrogged from 107th to 88th place. China, which has launched an anti-corruption crackdown, also rose from its 100th spot to tie with Sri Lanka at 83rd, while Thailand tied with India at 76th. Malaysia fell from its 50th spot but was still way ahead at 54th place, while Singapore, as in the past, was the only Asian country in the best 10, placing eighth – a one-notch slip.

In Northeast Asia, South Korea placed 37th, Taiwan 30th, and Hong Kong and Japan were tied at 18th. Denmark was perceived as the cleanest country, followed by Finland and Sweden, while North Korea and Somalia tied for the worst.

As Transparency International pointed out, no

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

country is immune from corruption. What is important is how countries deal with the problem.

Perhaps the others improved because they were seen to have done more. The Philippines’ ranking

in the Corruption Perceptions Index is a challenge, for both the current administration and the incoming one, to maintain the focus on good governance.

(Philstar.com)

Reader feedback: Making a case against stricter gun control I RECEIVED a letter from a reader who passionately replied to an article I wrote about the gun control. In the article, I looked at the importance of understanding the spirit and historical context by which the law was written in our understanding and appreciation of the Second Amendment of the Constitution in the very contentious issue of stricter gun control measures that President Barack Obama has been advocating for.

I quoted US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who explained in an interview the historical basis for her view on the Second Amendment and how it relates to the gun control debate.

“The Second Amendment has a preamble about the need for a militia... Historically, the new government had no money to pay for an army, so they relied on the state militias,” she said.

“The states required men to have certain weapons and they specified in the law what weapons these people had to keep in their home so that when they were called to do service as militiamen, they would have them. That was the entire purpose of the Second Amendment.”

Justice Ginsburg went on to say, “It’s function is to enable the young nation to have people who

will fight for it to have weapons that those soldiers will own. I The Fil-Am view the Second Amendment as rooted in the time totally allied Perspective to the need to support a militia.

So...the Second Amendment is outdated in the sense that its function has become obsolete.”

Mr. Scott Miller from Grand Gel SantoS-ReloS Terrace, California is married to a Filipina and had the chance to read my article in the Asian Journal while they were dining at a Filipino restaurant.

In essence, Mr. Miller said he does NOT support Pres. Obama’s executive action on gun control. From what I understood in his commentary, Mr. Miller believes 1) the president is abusing his executive power and is, therefore, violating the Constitution; and that 2) Obama has ill intent in advocating for stricter gun control laws and would only want to deny Americans of their right to bear arms as protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

Mr. Miller wrote that “all the ‘common sense’ gun laws in the world would not have prevented

past mass shooting …or will they or the new executive actions proposed by Obama prevent a single shooting. ” He added that “they have no more potential of saving lives than any previous gun law or regulation has to date.”

He also opined that neither Justice Ginsburg nor this writer, have a clue about the true spirit or purpose of the Second Amendment.

To quote his thoughts about this: “…few non-gun owning Americans understand the true reasons why our founding fathers included the right to bear arms in the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution. They did not include it to protect hunting rights or for self-protection against the bad guys who do own guns, or even for self-defense by individuals living on the frontier far from the protection of military forces against Indian attack…”

And then Mr. Miller said, “rather, our founding fathers understood all too well that those in charge of any government, even one based on democratic principals, have a natural tendency to believe not

Unstoppable: the values of singlesex education and co-education JULIET Williams, a professor of gender studies at UCLA, wrote Rhizomes an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, entitled “What’s Wrong with single-sex schools? A lot.”

She concludes that single-sex schools perpetuate gender stereotypes, with deleterious re- PRoSy abaRquezsults: “As a result, boys are being DelacRuz, J.D. deprived of the opportunity to develop crucial social skills, such as working collaboratively and thinking creatively, while girls are being denied the opportunity to build test-taking skills and learn how to succeed under pressure.”

What I find disturbing is that she stated a conclusion, then, she cited similar ones: “But the larger story is the overwhelming number of single-sex public school programs that haven’t produced any positive results. In 2014, researchers Erin Pahlke, Janet Shibley Hyde, and Carlie M. Allison published a meta-analysis of existing studies on single-sex instruction. Their exhaustive review found no significant advantage, for boys or girls, over coeducation.”

While her opinion-editorial would like us to believe that overwhelming evidence supports her opinions, she cites no specific schools that were studied, and in her writer’s bio, she cites an upcoming book on “Single Sex-Education and the New Politics of Gender Equality.” Could it be that her less than logical op-ed is a pretext for advertising her upcoming book by inviting controversies?

In today’s age of social media, anyone can share opinions, including tweeting 140 characters online, or even more extensively on Facebook. But, must we not expect that a gender studies professor write a well-reasoned analysis, before publication?

If she wants to contribute to debunking gender stereotypes, could she better serve the public by sharing the evolution of sexism and the genesis of our national unconscious biases? That might make us all examine our biased thoughts, and perhaps even consider withering away our exclusionary separatist practices and not perpetuating stereotypes?

Why not examine where inequalities in educa-

tion come from?

Our society has evolved away from the factory jobs of yesteryears, as much of everyday commodities are now manufactured abroad, cheaply in China, Japan, South Korea and India. We have now moved into mostly knowledge transfer jobs of computerizing, coding, programming, animation, databases, and where most of our modern day research for information that we need is done by googling, not in the encyclopedias in the library.

Are US schools set up to develop the fullest intellectual potential of students so we could be a society of highly-trained experts?

Or do we track students since elementary grades, distinguishing those who take the standardized tests, as “smart” and those “gifted,” instead of discovering what various forms of learning and teaching methods they need?

Are US schools set up instead to prepare young people for their future roles in life: as computer programmers, doctors, nurses,teachers, engineers, psychologists, filmmakers, musicians, janitors, computerized car mechanics, organic farmers, chefs, interior designers, poets, curators, writers, artists, pastors, and priests? Therefore, simply focused how to get a paycheck?

For example, amongst indigenous people, where community learning is done by exposure to life skills, but also to oral handing down of knowledge by actual demonstration, e.g. of weaving skills and the underlying stories that accompany those skills, are equally important ways of learning. It is not just visual; it is a hands-on application of those skills.

It is observing. It is watching how others do it and their relevance in building communities. It is also by mentoring others to learn from their examples.

The value of a single-sex education As an example, Ted Benito (Executive Director of Apl.de.ap Foundation International) cites the value of his single-sex education at Loyola High

u PAGE A9

only that they, and ONLY they, know know what is in the best interest of the people they govern, but that the people are INCAPABLE of knowing what is in their own best interest”.

“As a result, governments,” he wrote, “even ones based on democratic principals, will become despotic and tyrannical if nothing is put in place to prevent it. An armed populous is the only thing that keeps a democratic government democratic.”

Mr. Miller then went on to quote George Washington to prove his aforementioned point.

“The Second Amendment serves to protect all of the other God-given rights protected by (NOT created by) the US Constitution. Without the Second Amendment, [the] government would have abolished ALL our rights long ago,” he wrote.

THANK YOU, Mr. Scott Miller, for sharing your opinion. *** 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

IS THERE A PLAN ‘P’?

If Aquino couldn’t trust Roxas, why should we?

IF presidential candidate ManAlmost the whole day of Jan. uel Roxas 3rd looked so morose Commentary 25, 2015 in Zamboanga, Roxas at the Senate hearing the other was with Aquino, getting mesday on the Mamasapano massages that indicated that the sacre – especially when Senator police troopers were trapped in Juan Ponce Enrile grilled him on enemy territory, and the defense why he did not do anything to secretary – who could have givsave the massacred police comen express orders to the military mandos – it was most probably RigobeRto tiglao to save the SAF troops – was by because he has already been his side. mourning the fatal impact of that incident on his Yet Roxas didn’t bother to ask – to demand – that bid to be the next Philippine President.

Aquino call for an emergency command conferEnrile snarled at him and Defense Secretary Vol- ence to determine exactly what was happening and taire Gazmin: “You two are in charge of the nation’s plan how to save the SAF members who were still security! You on internal security, Secretary Gaz- locked in battle. min (who sat beside Roxas) on external security, He was exchanging text messages with his pobut you did nothing [to save the 44 Special Action lice officials, of course. But no, he did not bother to Force troopers]?” ask for a command conference. Why? Indeed, Roxas by his own admission, said that “When I got the reports of an encounter, it he was informed of Oplan Exodus, its success in seemed just another encounter in the normal killing a wanted international terrorist, Marwan, course of events. There was no sense of urgency,” and of the troopers’ difficulties at about 7:00 in he said. He thought it was just another encounter, the morning, after which, he said, he promptly in which an international terrorist is killed in a raid informed President Aquino through an SMS mes- deep into Muslim insurgent territory? sage of what he just learned.

What did the police officials need to do to em“What was Aquino’s response?” he was asked. phasize to him a “sense of urgency?” Show him Roxas said, “He replied: ‘thank you’.” pictures of bloody SAF troopers on the ground?

Didn’t Roxas find that response strange? Did he Roxas’ excuses could have sounded logical if he not get angry that the police, which was supposed were in his office in Manila, and moving from meetto be under him, undertook probably the most im- ing to meeting. But he wasn’t. The whole day he portant anti-terrorist operation ever in the country, was with the President, ranking police and military and he knew nothing about it? officers, and with defense secretary Gazmin, as reWhy did he not ask Aquino about it when they ports on the carnage in Mamasapano trickled in. were on the presidential jet for an hour-and-a-half Did he not find it strange that Aquino the other just sitting, watching the clouds pass by on their day suddenly asked him to go to Zamboanga ostenway to Zamboanga City? sibly to check what really happened in the reported What kind of a head of our internal security bomb attack in the city, only to be told when they was he? An international terrorist was terminated, got there that an international terrorist had been there was an operation still ongoing in which the killed in Mamasapano near Cotabato City, an hour troopers were in some trouble, yet Roxas didn’t away by helicopter from where they were? even take the initiative to discuss these important Roxas’ last excuse was pathetic: “I didn’t even developments with the President? u PAGE A9

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Dateline PhiliPPines

A

Look beyond Duterte’s ‘bad boy’ character, says spokesperson

by Marc Jayson

cayabyab

Inquirer.net

SAYAW FOUNDATION. Senator Cynthia Villar led the induction of the newly-elected officers of Sayaw Foundation and the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the construction of ballet center at Don Bosco TVET Center - Tondo. The ballet center is for the out-of-school youth interested to learn ballet skills. The scholars of the center would become ballet dancers or instructors. The senator built a similar center in Las Piñas.

Senate photo

Unstoppable: the value of single-sex…

PAGE A8 t

School in Los Angeles: “Looking back in personal retrospect, the fact that it was an all-boys school actually did not matter one way or the other simply because of two important facets: (1) the curriculum of the school inherently pushed us to excel in all of our class work (meaning, there was genuine, academic competition in the classroom – everyone wanted to make the grades to get into the right colleges or universities as well as be valedictorian ; and (2) again, we had the underlying cohesion of the ongoing development of our Catholic/Christian faith in the Jesuit tradition (we were compelled to do community service and to become “men for others” to the communities we lived in or wanted to help; and, we celebrated religious feasts and holidays. If there were any stereotypes back then, it was through perceptions of each other… like he’s a jock, he’s a nerd, he’s gay, he’s a player, he’s an artist, he’s related to this famous person, his parents own this or that, etc... which is typical for high school. Unless exposure to girls was in our own personal lives outside of school , we met girls at dances of our ‘sister’ high schools. These supervised dances were throwbacks to the 1950s/1960s sock hops, only with the music of the day. The school provided the forum, but you were on your own in terms of meeting girls and getting the chance to relate to them outside of school.”

He continues, “To answer based on my own per-

sonal experience, I do not think single-sex education has much influence in terms of perpetuating gender stereotypes as does coeducational education. I think the emphasis of single-sex education, specifically again to my own experience, has more to do with bringing out the best of the young adult in all aspects of their personal lives, while preparing them to deal with society as a whole.”

Notice here that even at an early stage, Ted was learning how communities are built.

I was educated in a single-sex elementary and high school in the Philippines.

I found that it had the division into the “haves” and the “have nots.” Those with more wealth were perceived to gain access to the school’s nuns, while those in the lower rung had access to the lay teachers, but all of the students, were educated to seek our highest full potentials. Beyond that, our single-sex school also made sure we serve others, and we had compassion towards the poor through our ministries, including teaching the poor, basic literacy skills.

I was also an observer to the student-sponsored art exhibits at the Archer School for Girls in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles . It was wonderful to see how young girls were encouraged to be poets and to fully express their talents and skills in science exhibits, but also to write in Oracle, their newsletter and get this, readers, to curate art exhibits in their art gallery. Students are

u PAGE A10

If Aquino couldn’t trust Roxas…

PAGE A8 t

know there was an operation going on. We were blinded, and we didn’t know we were blinded,” referring to the fact Aquino had not informed him and defense secretary Gazmin of Oplan Exodus.

“The entire morning I and Voltz (Gazmin) were looking at each other, wondering what was happening,” he even dared to say.

The President didn’t trust him and Gazmin enough to tell them about Oplan Exodus.

When he found out about it early in the morning, Roxas did not even have the guts to ask Aquino what was really going on, who had the task of informing the President about the progress of the operation and why the President blindsided him on such an important operation, to demand that the Zamboanga visit be cut short so that the entire presidential party could focus on taking immediate action to save the lives of the SAF troops under him. That would have been leadership.

Men with just an iota more of integrity would have resigned right there and then, refusing to accept and dignify the President’s act of going over his head in the chain of command and demonstrating to the whole world that he didn’t trust his interior secretary. And this guy of weak command sinews and moral fiber wants to be President of this Republic?

Aquino himself couldn’t trust Roxas with Oplan Exodus, why are they, then, asking us to trust him to run the country?

The Mamasapano and “Yolanda” disasters were litmus tests for Roxas to show his leadership. He utterly failed. The Mamasapano hearing the other day provided the last nails for Roxas’ political entombment.

Plan “P” I have been hearing rumors that given Roxas’ inability to demonstrate his leadership and his low poll ratings, Aquino and his Yellow Cult – worried that they could end up in jail this year if they lost power – are launching a Plan B, or rather Plan “P,”

which involves shifting their support and resources to Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

The talk is that Roxas has been forced to rely almost entirely on the Araneta-Roxas wealth, rather than on the Liberal Party-Yellow Cult’s campaign kitty, and that the new Interior Government Secretary Senen Sarmiento had been given explicit instructions to wait for express orders from Aquino and Senator Franklin Drilon on the release of DILG funds for use in the May election campaign.

The Mamasapano hearing provided us with indications that Aquino may have, indeed, shifted his support to Llamanzares. Llamanzares appeared to be supportive of the plot to clear Aquino of any accountability for the Mamasapano massacre, and seemed to want the hearing to end as soon as possible. Aquino’s lawyer, Senate President Franklin Drilon, was on Llamanzares’ side the whole time, and had been seen whispering to her from time to time.

Although I admire very much presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte for his anti-elite worldview, the Mamasapano hearing added to my suspicion that his bark may be worse than his bite.

He has been bragging that he knows what really happened in the Mamasapano massacre because he was there, hinting that he was in the confidential briefings with the President. While he says the information he holds is confidential, he may be forced to disclose what he knows in a Senate hearing. But Enrile issued an open invitation for him to attend the hearing. He made no appearance at the Senate and we don’t hear his bark over Mamasapano any more.

The only presidential candidate that has been unscathed by this Mamasapano hearing is Vice President Jejomar Binay. Quite cleverly, and in contrast to Duterte, he has kept his mouth shut – after commiserating profusely with the SAF 44 relatives last year, and the image embedded now in the public’s mind is that of Binay saluting a huge mural of the fallen troopers. (ManilaTimes.net)

A SPOKESPERSON for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has pleaded to the public to look beyond the character of the toughtalking presidential hopeful and understand his womanizing ways.

In her first public appearance as spokesperson for Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on Friday, Paula Alvarez said Duterte, regardless of his “character blemishes,” had several accomplishments in stamping out crime in Davao City.

“What we want is for people to look beyond these swearings and profanity that they are throwing at him. What we should look into is his track record,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez also asked the public not to take literally Duterte’s

statements of killing criminals, saying he publicly passed himself off as a murderer only as a hyperbole.

“Some of his statements are just hyperbole. Minsan in-e-exaggerate niya, to drive home a point,” she said.

Alvarez also compared the slow relief response led by then Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, now the administration candidate, to that by Duterte, whose relief goods were plastered not with his face but only with a note “From Davao City.”

“What we want is efficient government. Yun sana ang tingnan natin, ang mabilis na aksyon at solusyon,” she said, referring to the slogan of Duterte and his running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Alvarez said Duterte should not be judged for being good at charming women, who she said

couldn’t help throwing themselves at the “bad boy” mayor.

“The women are the ones naman who throw themselves at him, maybe because he’s now seen as a rockstar. Pag artista ka, public persona ka na parang feeling nila action star siya diba.

Feeling ko ganun,” Alvarez said after the Pandesal forum at Kamuning Bakery Cafe.

Alvarez even compared Duterte’s charms to that of action star Robin Padilla, who is known for his bad boy attitude.

“Parang si Robin Padilla, gusto ng mga tao kasi parang bad boy,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez maintained that Duterte was “pro-women,” saying Davao City was the first to have a women’s code that protected them from discrimination.

“He’s very respectable toward women,” she added.

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A10 JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline PHiliPPineS

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No to divorce, yes to fast annulment “When you are being physically abused by your husband, you don’t need a psychologist to THE senatorial candidates of prove that. It would be worse if Sen. Grace Poe do not favor di- such kind of marriage won’t be vorce but they vowed to support dissolved,” Colmenares said. bills that will speed up and reOple, who had her marriage duce the cost of annulment. annulled in 1999, agreed that Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Col- existing laws are too tedious and menares, former Labor Under- exasperating. secretary Susan Ople, Valenzue“The annulment is one of the la City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, most painful experiences in my Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo life. I have spent P100,000 for and former Sen. Juan Miguel that, and while I felt relief when it Zubiri made the stand during was finally granted, I also felt sad.

The Rundown: A Senatorial fo- I don’t want other women experirum held in UP Diliman on Fri- encing the same,” she said. day, Jan 29.

Romulo and Zubiri, who are Colmenares said his pending both married, are also for a bill in Congress already address- speedy annulment. es loopholes in existing laws by “Divorce is just breaking up automatically classifying spousal a marriage for any reason. We violence, infidelity and abandon- should amend our laws on anment for one year as a psycho- nulment to provide relief for the logical incapacity—a ground for battered wives,” Romulo, who is annulment of marriage. married to former tv host Shalani

by LLanesca

T. PanTi ManilaTimes.net

Soledad, pointed out.

“I don’t believe in divorce. My parents were aged 19 and 21 when they got married, and they fought a lot. But they worked on it and they have been married for 53 years. I am all for speeding up the process of annulment, but not divorce because divorce result in dysfunctional policies,” Zubiri added.

Only Lorna Kapunan favored divorce—a stand that drew cheers from the crowd.

“We should stop implementing double standards. Why do we allow men to have so many sweethearts? Not a lot of people understand psychological incapacity. I am for no fault divorce,” Kapunan said.

“Men like to have their cake and eat it too. These mistresses are the eat it too part and we should not allow that,” she added. n

Senate to indict Abaya

DOTC chief should answer for MRT 3 mess – Poe

by Jefferson

anTiPorda ManilaTimes.net

THE Senate will most likely recommend filing of criminal charges against Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya in connection with the problem-riddled Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3.

Senator Grace Poe, chairman of the public services sub-committee on transportation, said the panel is completing the report on its investigation into MRT 3 accidents and malfunctions. The report is based on the three resolutions filed by Senators Juan Edgardo Angara, Paolo Benigno Aquino 4th and Nancy Binay in 2014.

“I believe that he [Abaya] is really responsible [for the MRT 3 mess] and there is a big possibility that he will be included [in the recommendation], but it will be better if we just wait for the committee report,” Poe said in a news conference on Friday in Angeles City, Pampanga.

The sub-committee will present its report before the 16th Congress adjourns in June. The report will include recommendations for filing of graft-related cases against several transportation officials.

Poe admitted that she was disappointed by the exclusion of

Abaya from the list of individuals charged with graft over an allegedly anomalous MRT 3 maintenance deal.

While she hailed the filing of criminal charges against former MRT 3 general manager Al Vitangcol 3rd and five others, she said she was not happy that top transportation officials were spared.

Vitangcol was indicted at the Sandiganbayan after the Office of the Ombudsman found sufficient evidence to show that he conspired with PH Trams Incorporators for the awarding of the $11.5-million maintenance contract without public bidding. Five PH Trams executives were also charged.

Poe noted that based on the information gathered from a series of hearings held by her committee, Abaya should have been among those charged because he signed and approved the contract.

She recently asked the Transportation chief to produce the P3.8-billion negotiated contract between the government and the Korean-Filipino consortium chosen to take charge of the maintenance operations of MRT 3 after his announcement that the firm would no longer back out.

The senator wants to review the contract with Busan Trans-

portation Corp. to find out the different provisions under the deal and to determine if it is still the original contract.

Poe said she has been receiving information that the contract has been revised to stop the contractor from withdrawing.

The Senate hearing on MRT 3 was triggered by a series of train derailments, including an incident that happened at the train system’s Taft Avenue station in Manila that injured 12 passengers.

The MRT 3 serves 13 stations and passes through the cities of Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan and Quezon.

Questionable Also on Friday, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the alleged midnight deal entered into by Abaya for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) System.

Marcos said he finds it distressing that the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) proceeded with the awarding of the P3.8-billion maintenance contract despite numerous questions over the agreement, including its awarding without bidding.

“The deal for me is highly questionable mainly because it was done without bidding. Sec-

u PAGE A11

VISIT FROM MISS UNIVERSE. Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach set aside time from her busy schedule to visit wounded soldiers at Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center on Wednesday, Jan, 27. Battle casualties who met Wurtzbach were visibly star-struck with the beauty queen titleholder. Employees eagerly waited for Wurtzbach, who came from a noontime show from a TV station nearby. Wurtzbach also met with HIV patients from another hospital.

Inquirer.net photo

SC: Start murder trial of Reyes brothers

by Jerome

aning Inquirer.net

THE Supreme Court has directed the Palawan Regional Trial Court to proceed with the trial of Palawan ex-Gov. Joel Reyes for the 2011 murder of radio broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega, as it set aside a certiorari petition by former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima who questioned the preliminary investigation of the case.

The high court noted that the trial court had already determined independently that probable cause exists to issue an arrest warrant against Reyes.

Therefore, jurisdiction over the case had transferred to the trial court and the trial should proceed, the high court’s Second Division said in a decision penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

Reyes and his brother, former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, are detained in the Puerto Princesa City jail awating trial for the murder in 2011 of Ortega, a vocal critic of Reyes when he was

Former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother, former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes.

Photo by PNP-PIO

governor. The brothers fled the country and were fugitives for more than three years until their capture in Phuket, Thailand, last year. A state witness, a former bodyguard, pointed to the brothers as the mastermind of Ortega’s murder.

De Lima had filed a certiorari petition in the high court against a Court of Appeals decision that annulled her creation of a second panel of prosecutors to reinvestigate the Ortega murder case.

The appellate court upheld the defense’s claim that De Lima had gravely abused her discretion when she created a second panel to reinvestigate the case after the first panel refused to receive additional evidence that would have been crucial for the determination of probable cause.

More prudent course The Second Division justices decided that it would be “more prudent to refrain from enter-

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Look beyond Duterte’s ‘bad boy’…

PAGE A9 t

Alvarez also said the allegations against Duterte for perpetrating the hitman’s group Davao Death Squad were unfounded, since no bodies had been found.

She added that instead of looking at the alleged violation of the rights of criminals, the public should also look at the violations of the victims’ basic rights to lead a secure life.

“These human rights allegations are never founded. No bodies, no criminal actions or prosecution has been instituted,” Alvarez said.

“What people don’t talk about under human rights law is that you are entitled to safely live …

These are other human rights that are never addressed …

Duterte wants these protected because these are basic human rights,” she said.

Instead of looking only at human rights of criminals, Alva-

rez said it should be read “in a broader spectrum.”

Alvarez added that Duterte’s campaign would also spread awareness about federalism as an alternative to the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the implementing legislation of the peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which had been declared dead in Congress.

Alvarez said in the end, Duterte’s main rival was not the other candidates like Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Grace Poe. Duterte’s main enemy, according to the spokesperson, is himself.

“Ang kalaban lang niya ang sarili niya. He has to work to convince the people that despite his character blemishes—nagmumura, the human rights accusations—kaya niyang ipakita sa mga tao na may political will,”

Alvarez said.

“If we want real change, we should look beyond his character and look at achievements,” she added.

Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy as standard-bearer of PDP-Laban amid questions on his eligibility to replace Martin Diño, who earlier withdrew his candidacy for president because of a petition to declare him a nuisance.

While he is hailed for his anticrime crusade, Duterte has been linked to the Davao Death Squad, an alleged gang of assassins purportedly responsible for the deaths of 1,000 suspected criminals in the city since Duterte became mayor in 1988.

“They say I am the death squad?

True, that is true,” Duterte once said in a television interview admitting his ties to the alleged group. n

Unstoppable: the value of single-sex…

PAGE A9 t

given a physical space to mount an exhibit, guided by an art teacher who teaches them the process.

This includes the students choosing art pieces, including visits to art galleries with extensive dialogues with the painter or sculptor, as to their intentions behind their art pieces. Students share freely what they find appealing (and not) and are encouraged to develop their artistic sensibilities, interpretative abilities and how their points of view contribute to a broadening of perspectives in the humanities and how they see various cultures and peoples of the world.

But, the beauty of what t hey are doing is they are working with other girls, a supportive network of parents who attend the exhibits, including outside community members and new friends, who are interested in art.

I became immersed in this exhibit, that I ended up purchasing an alphabet book by Tierney Gearon. At first glance, my shallow point of view looked at the images and questioned why photos of children are depicted in a rainbow-colored glass structure, as if confined, or with eagle head masks, as hidden or with angel wings fishing in a stream.

It turns out the artist has whimsical eyes and a light-heartedness, that her book is now one of the favorite books of my one-year-old granddaughter, Princess (a given name for this piece). Imagine this one-year-old chooses what books to read on a given day, influenced by Archer’s girls school students selecting Tierney Gearon, as the artist to showcase.

That is the value of a single-sex education, the ability to drill down a concept, embracing a process, the skill to imagine, share, execute ideas and integrate them towards a much broader perspective, including a safety net to make mistakes and the ability to turn those mistakes into lessons and to extend them to the next generation.

That is what we expect any educational institution can provide and that is the beauty of what I see in the highlighted single-sex schools here, including a well-formed mission of preparing students for life, to live a life of mission and purpose, executed by dedicated teachers.

It is not either single-sex or coeducational -- to me, that would be the wrong dichotomy -- it is about our mission to educate our children, whether in single-sex or coeducational environment, and prepare them for life beyond and more than cogs

for factories and other jobs to fill in the modern day world.

When Cokie Roberts (NPR and ABC’s political commentator, 2008 Living Legend by the Library of Congress and author of NY Times bestselling books) was asked on Jan. 27, 2016 at Mount St. Mary’s if any of the presidential candidates can change America, she replied, “We do not need to change America, what we need to do is change its priorities.”

She encouraged the mostly female audience “to take this fabulous education they are getting to enact change, to make it work, to vote. To run for office, to run for CEO, to run for the Olympics, to run with their artwork to be displayed at the Getty, to be like the Sisters of St. Joseph, and to be unstoppable.” To a Latino millennial who shared that her community is turned off from voting, she responded, “They have got to vote...there is a sizable group of people turning against the Latino community, so to address that, you need to vote and vote in office those who are sympathetic to Latinos.” To which, the Latino millennial replied, “I will tell them Cokie Roberts sent me,” to which, Cokie said, “Do that.”

Cokie Roberts shared she has become who she is today, because of her parents and because of the Religious Sisters of the Sacred Heart who educated her.

Single-sex education is here to stay, co-existing with coeducational schools with well-formed missions. It will continue to provide rigorous academic curriculum and total human formation much beyond the 21st century and into the next centuries -- much like, Mount St. Mary’s, which has been educating girls and women for 90 unstoppable years, and much like Archer School for Girls and Loyola High School for boys! *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 9 years now. She contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 22 national parks in the US, in pursuit of her love for arts.

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A11

Poe denies anew rumors she is Bongbong’s sis

by Ding

Cervantes Philstar.com

ANGELES CITY – Sen. Grace Poe on Friday, Jan. 29 belied yet again rumors of her blood relation with Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., dismissing it as an “urban legend” devoid of any basis.

She admitted being tempted to pursue a DNA test to, once and for all, settle the issue of her allegedly being the daughter of the late dictator president Ferdinand Marcos.

“For a time, I considered it,” the independent presidential candidate said, referring to a DNA test involving Marcos. “But I don’t want to bother other people.”

Poe’s running mate Sen. Francis Escudero, meanwhile, promised to work for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill in the first 100 days should they get elected to office.

Such a law, he said at a press

PAGE A10 t

conference here, is one of the top three measures he and Poe are eyeing to curb graft and corruption in government.

Escudero said despite the cases filed by the Aquino government against big-time personalities, including former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and chief justice Renato Corona, corruption persisted in the government.

“We want the FOI passed into law in the first 100 days of the Poe administration,” Escudero said.

He also stressed the need to minimize “areas of discretion” given to several government offices.

“In the Bureau of Customs, for example, shipments that arrive are not immediately processed.

The policy should be first in, first out to remove areas for corruption,” the lawmaker said.

Escudero, who appeared with Poe at the press conference, also dismissed claims that he will be

the one to run the government for Poe should they both win in the coming polls.

“That’s an insult not only to Grace but also to women,” he said, noting that Poe has proven her independence on many occasions.

“I think not even her mother (actress Susan Roces) can dictate to her.”

Poe, who is still facing a disqualification petition before the Supreme Court, also denied that she would be a factotum or a handyman to Escudero.

“Chiz has done much. But in the end, it will be my decision,” she said.

She also thanked Bongbong for his tolerance on the issue of them being half-siblings.

Only recently, a document allegedly coming from a forensic scientist claimed that a DNA test on Bongbong indicated that he and Poe were related. The document, however, turned out to be spurious. n

Senate to indict…

retary Abaya justified it by saying it was because they were under an emergency but some sectors have alleged that it was just a scheme to do away with the bidding,” he said.

The senator said the Ombudsman should step in and determine if the awarding of the contract was legal.

The Ombudsman has the power to investigate and prosecute on its own any act or omission of any public officer or employee, office or agency.

Marcos pointed out that an investigation is needed since there

were also questions over the allegedly anomalous maintenance contracts entered into by the DOTC with PH Trams from 2012 to 2013.

The DOTC awarded the P3.8billion three-year maintenance contract for MRT 3 with the joint venture company of South Korean group Busan Transportation Corp., Edison Development and Construction, Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMI Corp. Inc. and Castan Corp.

But Marcos said several groups have questioned the competence of the consortium.

The awarding of the contract

was dubbed a midnight deal because it was entered into in the last few months of the Aquino Administration and its funding had long been planned and appropriated under the 2014 and 2015 national budgets.

“The Office of the Ombudsman should take the initiative here because it is not only the integrity of our procurement processes that is at stake but the safety of our commuting public. We cannot just let the lives of our people be put in the hands of a group of people who are inexperienced on this. This is very disturbing,” Marcos said. n

SC: Start murder trial of Reyes… taining the [De Lima] petition considering that the trial court already issued a warrant of arrest against [the] respondent.” “[T]he trial court has already determined, independently of any finding or recommendation by the first panel or second panel, that probable cause exists for the issuance of the warrant of arrest against respondent. Probable cause has been judicially determined. Jurisdiction over the case, therefore, has transferred to the trial court,” the justices said.

“A petition for certiorari questioning the validity of the preliminary investigation in any other venue has been rendered moot by the issuance of the warrant of arrest and the conduct of arraignment,” they said.

The ruling noted that the Palawan RTC Branch 52 handling the criminal case had issued an arrest warrant against Reyes after a judicial determination of probable cause.

Independent determination The issuance of the arrest warrants against Reyes and his coaccused on March 27, 2012, “signi-

fies that the trial court has made an independent determination of the existence of probable cause,” it said.

“Once the information is filed in court, the court acquires the jurisdiction of the case and any motion to dismiss the case or to determine the accused’s guilt or innocence rests within the sound discretion of the court,” the high court said.

Division chair Justice Antonio Carpio and members Justices Arturo Brion, Mariano del Castillo and Jose Mendoza concurred in the ruling. n

REOPENING OF THE MAMASAPANO HEARING. Senator Bongbong Marcos, Board of Inquiry chair Police Director Benjamin Magalong (center) and former Special Action Force chief, Director Getulio Napeñas, attend the reopening of the hearing on the Mamasapano incident, where 44 members of the Special Action Force were killed during an operation in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Senate photo by Romeo Bugante

NAIA ceiling collapse injures American

by Benjie

L. vergara ManilaTime.net

A DEPARTING American was brought to a clinic after a portion of a restaurant’s ceiling at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 collapsed on Thursday morning, Jan 28.

The passenger, Day Adam Warner, 30, was taking breakfast with his wife and kid at the Sweet Ideas restaurant located at the pre-departure area when the board—about 3×7 meters—fell at 7 a.m., hitting Warner, who sustained lacerations in his right upper arm.

Warner’s wife and son were unhurt.

Other passengers who were eating at the restaurant at the time were also brought to the medical clinic for minor injuries.

Airport authorities said Sweet Ideas has been closed down while investigation is ongoing.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said a more thorough investigation is being conducted by the manage-

AIRPORT ACCIDENT Part of a ceiling of a restaurant at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport collapsed on Thursday morning, injuring an American passenger.

This photo was posted on social media by Kherwin Cheng Chua.

ment to determine if the materials that were used for the construction of that particular ceiling as well as the construction of the restaurant itself were weak.

The management noted that the construction of the interiors of commercial spaces at the terminal is shouldered by the concessionaires themselves.

“Penalties will be imposed on the concessionaire should [his] construction plan be found to be sub-standard. The restaurant will remain closed until investigation and proper renovations are completed,” the MIAA said.

The American family later boarded their Delta Flight 172 around 10am on the same day. n

Comelec ties up with Facebook for 2016 polls

Hernandez signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the partnership.

The MOA also includes an MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thurs- agreement with Facebook to day sealed its partnership with source out questions for ComFacebook to promote the May 9 elec’s debates for presidential and vice presidential candielections.

Comelec Chair Juan Andres dates.

The poll body recently anBautista, Facebook executives Katie Harback and Elizabeth nounced its partnership with

by PatriCia LourDes Philstar.com

viray

Twitter to enable voters to interact with top election candidates.

The Comelec earlier announced to move the start of ballot printing for the upcoming elections from February 1 to February 8.

The poll body moved the printing of ballots again as it is “still cleansing the lists of candidates.” n

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal Vilma ‘sad’ over Luis-Angel split-up Margie Moran, Lara Quigaman–where have their crowns, gowns and sashes gone? by rickY lo Philstar.com

MaNiLa—Just when she was expecting her son Luis Manzano to give her her first apo, Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos got the biggest surprise of her life when she learned that Luis had broken up with angel Locsin, two weeks after they came back from a US vacation.

“Sad,” Vilma told The Star in a phone interview on Friday, Jan. 29. “Nakapanghihinayang (what a waste)!” it was actually the sweethearts’ second break-up. The first was a few years ago when Luis admitted that he was “caught” by angel “with somebody.” For a while, Luis went steady with Jennylyn Mercado and angel with Phil Younghusband. it didn’t take long before, free again, Luis and angel got back together again. in a Star interview published last Sunday, Jan. 24, Vilma was positive that Luis and angel would get married and give her a grandchild. “But i’m not pressuring them,” explained Vilma.

Lara Quigaman, Miss International 2005, While both Luis and angel wearing her diamond- and Mikimoto pearlstudded crown during her victory parade in are mum on the issue, Vilma was Metro Manila.

Inquirer.net photo cautious about her comment on the break-up. trophies, which are on display, my “Let’s hope for the best,” she crown, scepter and sash are kept in a box inside one of my closets.”

When told that we also needed to photograph her with her crown, Moran wasn’t sure where ThE 17-year-old Filipino who it was. asked reigning Miss Universe When she learned later that it was in Davao, she asked one of Pia alonzo Wurtzbach to be his her household staff to fly with it prom date had his hopes up after getting a reply from the beauty to Manila.

Unfortunately, she never got queen herself.

During Wurtzbach’s #askto keep her Binibining Pilipinas MissUniverse Twitter event on Universe crown because she had Thursday, Jerel Labra from Texas, to pass it on to her successor.

“Personally, my most valuable through a video message, asked possessions are the photos and the Filipino beauty title holder newspaper clippings i have col- if she could go with him to their lected. The experience was one school’s senior prom.

Wurtzbach answered: “i’d love important highlight of my life,” to go if my schedule permits. So, she said. we’ll see. i can’t promise anything Smaller replica Lara Quigaman, Miss interna- yet right now, but your message was really sweet.”

PAGE B3

Do beauty queens get to keep the paraphernalia they wear and/or win during pageants?

by Alex

Y. VergArA Inquirer.net

Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015, was right when she said during the pageant finals that “to be a Miss Universe is both an honor and a responsibility.”

The late amparo Muñoz of Spain, Miss Universe 1974, must have been so burdened with her duties that, according to one account, she reportedly tossed her crown out of an open window during her reign.

Nobody knew what happened to it, but Muñoz, who wasn’t officially dethroned, was conspicuously absent when it was time to crown her successor.

But she wasn’t the first Miss Universe whose crown was damaged.

Crushed crown Our very own Margarita “Margie” Moran, Miss Universe 1973, got a new crown from contest organizers when her original silver crown studded with Russian diamonds was crushed on her way to New York. But unlike Muñoz, the perpetually poised Moran didn’t throw a fit. “i was supposed to always hand-carry it, but at one point it became too inconvenient because i was always stopped at security after the box containing the crown had passed through X-ray,” Moran said through e-mail. “i always had to explain what it was. One time, i decided to check it in. it was crushed.”

Fortunately, the replacement, which Moran got to keep, along with her Miss Universe scepter and sash, was as good as the original.

She also got to keep her Catalina swimsuit and aureo alonzo terno. The white gown accented

Margarita “Margie” Moran, Miss Universe 1973, with her crown, scepter and sash today.

Photo by Kenneth Tangonan

with a cabbage rose by auggie Cordero, which she also wore to the finals, is now on display at the Villa Escudero museum.

Miss Photogenic Moran also bagged Miss Photogenic during the pageant held in Greece. With no internet yet, the special award wasn’t decided by fans, but by accredited photographers who covered the event. “i also received a Miss Photogenic trophy, which i still have,” she said.

When she turned 50, Moran used her Miss Universe crown, sash and scepter as accessories.

She also invited female guests to have their photos taken wearing her iconic possessions.

“The picture-taking became the party’s highlight,” said Moran, who regularly shuttles between Manila and Davao. “apart from my

Ex-sweethearts Luis Manzano and Angel Locsin. Bottom photo shows Angel with ‘ex-future mother-in-law’ Vilma Santos.

Philstar.com photos

added. “it’s their decision be- edad na naman sila. Naka-guide cause they are mature enough to lang ako as a mom to Lucky and as handle the situation. Nasa tamang tita to Gel. Give them time.”

Fil-Am teen asks Miss Universe to be his prom date

LOS ANGELES

TAIPEI

Labra expressed gratitude to Wurtzbach for noticing his proposal, adding he was hoping the Miss Universe would make it to their date.

“Thank you for your reply Pia! i hope you can make it, but please make time for it! Excited na ‘ko,” Labra tweeted.

The teenager also posted a video of himself working out in the gym, saying Wurtzbach’s reply inspired him to be more physically fit.

“When @Miss Universe @ PiaWurtzbach gives me that inspiration to work out harder at the gym,” he said. (Inquirer.net)

Jerel Lebra from Texas

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Erik Santos to keep ‘relationship’ with Angeline Quinto private

by JOyCe JiMenez

to themselves.

Kasi mahirap talaga, sa dati kong experience, nahirapan po talaga ako,” he explained, referring to his past showbiz girlfriend, Rufa Mae Quinto.

The Kapamilya balladeer also noted how the popularity of social media could somehow be damaging to a relationship of a showbiz couple.

“Kasi lahat ng tao kapag hindi kayo umaamin, especially now a days na may social media, gusto nila malaman kung kayo. Kapag kayo na, gagawa lahat ng mga ingay para mapaghiwalay,” he pointed out.

For now, he’s enjoying the “more than friendship” relationship they have, although he reiterated that they’re not yet an item.

At the same press conference, Martin Nievera advised them and other showbiz couple that it’s Erik Santos said one thing he learned from having a showbiz girlfriend before is to keep the better to “keep your relationship details of his relationship private.

Philstar.com photo by Joyce Jimenez private” in this industry. syon talaga, mas okay siguro kung i-keep namin sa sarili namin,” said MANILA—erik santos wants erik during the press conference of to keep private whatever is going “Royals” on Tuesday, Jan. 26. he clarified that they would let on between him and Angeline the public know if they’re officially Quinto.

“I prefer na kung magkakaro’n together, but would choose to kami ni Angeline ng official na rela- keep the details of the relationship Philstar.com

Why Kiray Celis is on Cloud 9 by riCky lO

and solenn heussaff in the Valentine movie “Love Is Blind (LIB).”

AT 19, Kiray (Celis) vehemently Directed by Jason Paul Laxaclaims that, cross her heart, she mana (Babagwa, Astro Mayabang has never been kissed—that is, and Magkakabaung), LIB casts until Regal Films tapped her as the Derek as spoiled bachelor Wade co-star of ex-lovers Derek Ramsay who turns his back on his sassy Philstar.com

girlfriend Maggie (solenn) when he meets Fe (Kiray), a hotel intern who looks so much like his ex.

Unknown to Wade, Fe has a secret weapon, a love potion that she got from her friend (Kean Cipriano) that transforms her into Maggie’s character every time she and Wade meet.

In one kissing scene, Kiray never expected that Derek would turn what she thought was a mere smack into a wet kiss, prompting Kiray to tell the movie press, “he opened his mouth. I was shocked!

Iba talaga si Kuya Derek. In fairness, his breath was fresh. Kung ano ang bango ng katawan niya, ‘yun din ang amoy ng hininga niya.”

Weeks after that magical kiss, Kiray has remained on Cloud 9, standing far taller than her 4’11”, whenFunfare interviewed her.

“It’s okay because it’s my first big role, at starring role pa says Kiray. “every time I did a movie, palagi na lang ako friend ng bida, friend ng kontrabida, always the friend, always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Actually, ayokong isipin na first big role ko ito; nakaka-pressure pala. It was okay with me if my previous movies PAGE B5

Photos courtesy of LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show

LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show: An event to satisfy your sweet tooth

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJ Press

Those with a sweet tooth can rejoice — the second annual LA Cookie Con and sweets show is back this February with two days filled with treats to satiate any craving.

Responding to the popularity of last year’s inaugural convention, the organizers are bringing a bigger show at a venue that’s three times larger with more than 125 local and national vendors, and are expecting over 10,000 attendees.

“It’s a much bigger show [this year]. We listened to all the feedback and we’re excited to show everybody what we’ve been working on,” said Nancy Tei, the Filipino-American co-founder of the event known as “the West Coast’s

BIGGesT Baking, Decorating and Pastry Convention.” on saturday, Feb. 6 and sunday, Feb. 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, sweets enthusiasts can indulge in an array of cakes, cookies and ice cream, to name a few, watch baking demonstrations, participate in workshops and enjoy celebrity appearances by actress sarah Michelle Geller, Ron Ben-Israel of Food Network’s “sweet Genius” and Rosanna Pansino of YouTube cooking show “Nerdy Nummies.”

Plus on saturday, the Food Network show “Cake Masters” will be filming an episode of celebrity baker Duff Goldman serving a large scale cake for attendees to taste.

In organizing this event, co- Nancy and Todd Tei, co-founders of the LA Cookie Con Photo by HNI Productions PAGE B4

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Jericho Rosales on his staying power: I force myself to evolve

by Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com

PROVISIONAL WAIVER DISPELS THE FEAR IN GOING BACK TO MANILA FOR VISA PROCESSING — ON A SPECIAL EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Cindy was a crewman who jumped ship and had been a TNT for more than 10 years. After seeing a CITIZEN PINOY episode about a crewman who also jumped ship, Cindy and US citizen husband, Tom decided to consult with leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel.

Through Atty. Gurfinkel’s help, Cindy’s PROVISIONAL WAIVER was approved. She went back to the Philippines and was processed for her immigrant visa at the American Embassy in Manila and returned to the US as a legal permanent resident. Watch an encore episode on Provisional Waivers, which could benefit crewmen, those who entered the US without inspection, or K-1 who did not marry their US petitioner, on “Citizen Pinoy” – this Sunday, January 31 at 6:15pm (PST) on TFC.

Anne Curtis on viral Jasmine & Erwan photo: This is a non-issue MANILA—“It was all an inside joke,” this is how Anne Curtis described the photo of her sister Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Erwan Heussaff hugging each other, which went viral on social media on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

On her Twitter account, the Kapamilya actress said that the photo was “wrongly screencapped” from her private social media account.

Anne was sad that the people “reacted maliciously” about the photo and that “such viciousness is being thrown to the people I love.”

She then clarified that “noth-

ing happened, we are all fine. I’m lucky that Erwan treats Jasmine as his own sister.”

In the end, Anne said that it’ll be the last time she’ll talk about the issue and asked the public to “stop saying awful things about my sister & boyfriend.”

Solenn on Tuesday also reacted on the viral photo by posting a photo of her and Erwan hugging.

“OMG!!!!! Nakakaloka sila!!!!

Magkapatid sila!! Soo groosss!

At tignan niyo shirtless pa si solenn!!! Full of malice!!!!,” she said in the caption. (Philstar. com)

MANILA—Jericho Rosales is celebrating his 20 years in the showbiz industry, and he somehow still cannot believe it has been that long already.

“Parang kalian lang...” he said, singing the popular line from the song “Handog” by Florante, during his press conference on Thursday, Jan. 28.

“Actually the best thing about it is hindi siya feeling 20 years,” he said. “Ang bilis ng panahon.

Twenty years for me, ang daming nangyari na pala and I guess it’ll be my love until the end of the time.”

For the two decades he has been in the industry, Jericho acknowledges that he had his fair share of ups and downs. Yet, the Kapamilya actor said that it was something normal for him.

“I really believe in seasons,” he explained. “May time na ang career mo nasa taas, then going back down again. Hindi puro [pataas], wala sa lifestyle ko, e, hindi relaxed. So I really try to enjoy moments na ando’n ka and moments na nasa baba ka.”

He also pointed out that the “down seasons” in his career is what drives him to do better. “‘Yong falling down ‘yon ang great realization for me, learning stage for me and inspires me to get back up,” he said. “Kasi it’s going to make things sweeter. So when I look back on those [down] days, no regrets, charge to experience, di ba. It made me a better person.”

Time may pass, seasons may change, and new breed of actors may come in and out of the industry. Yet many believe that Jericho is one of the actors who will stay in

Anne Curtis said the photo of her sister Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Erwan Heussaff is a “non-issue” after it went viral on social media sites on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Philstar.com photo by Jonathan Asuncion

Gary V can’t wait to be a granddad

Gary Valenciano

GARY Valenciano, whose sons, Paulo and Gab, are Jericho Rosales constantly forces himself already married, says he can’t wait to become a grand- to evolve as an actor and performer to have father. something new to offer.

“I’m waiting for it. I want to be a lolo while I can still Philstar.com photo by Joyce Jimenez move around—swim, run and play basketball. If, for example, Paulo would finally have a child next year, it means that, in 10 years’ time, I’ll be 60, but I’ll still be able to do something with the child.

Right now, Angeli (his wife) and I stay in a three-story house. It gets lonely there. Even (daughter) Kiana says we have to start thinking of the time when she leaves the nest, because it’ll just be us in the huge house.” (Marinel Inquirer.net photo R. Cruz/Inquirer.net)

Margie Moran, Lara Quigaman –where...

PAGE B1 tional 2005, wasn’t able to keep both her Binibining Pilipinas and Miss International crowns because she also had to pass them on to her successors.

“I got to keep my sash, glass plaque, trophy and framed picture,” the ABS-CBN talent said through e-mail. “I also received a smaller replica of my crown from Miss International.”

The replica came in a pink box lined with satin cushion. She kept it stashed somewhere at home.

She hasn’t opened the box for a long time, she said.

Her Binibining Pilipinas International and Miss International sashes are tightly sealed in a Ziploc bag, while her plaque and trophy are displayed on the bedroom shelf.

“The one from Binibini is still in good condition, but my Miss International sash got stained because I wore it almost every day during my reign,” she said.

Quigaman had the sash washed, but the condition got worse. The gold satin trim bled further, she said, damaging the once pristine sash. She also had a replica of the Miss International sash made.

Unlike more recent Miss Universe winners who had to pass on their crowns to their successors, Moran has been able to keep original souvenirs from her beauty queen past.

Overwhelmed again “All the clothes I used during the pageant in Japan belonged to Binibining Pilipinas,” she noted.

“I didn’t get to keep any of them.

Both my national costume and gown were designed by Colombian Alfredo Barraza.”

Although she hasn’t looked at her Miss International sash and crown for a long time, Quigaman is pretty sure that once she does, she would feel “overwhelmed” all

over again.

“The last time I did, it still felt unreal,” she said. “Even when I see my plaque and trophy, I’m transported back to that day.

More than the pride of bringing honor to the country, I feel grateful and humbled. It seemed like an impossible dream that a short, ordinary-looking girl like me won an international pageant. But with God, anything is possible. Without Him, I’m nothing.”

LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show: An event...

PAGE B2

founders Nancy Tei and Todd Tei wanted to replicate the buzz and fan appeal surrounding comic conventions.

“My co-founder Todd and I were regulars on the comic and pop culture convention circuits, so we’ve always really enjoyed that atmosphere — the excitement, the celebrity appearances and all the free swag you get. We wanted to do something similar, not a comic con, but something that had that same hype around it, so we were talking about different ideas, and then the idea of a sweets convention fell into place,” said Nancy Tei. The debut convention was held at the Pasadena Convention Center in January 2015, where the turnout was larger than anticipated.

“Nothing has really changed

Photos courtesy of LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show

from the first to the second show, except we had a year to plan instead of six months and we already had a lot of great vendors who wanted to come back because they enjoyed our first show. We had a lot of attendees [re-purchasing] tickets and telling their friends for the second show.

In a way, it was easier because we had a strong brand name coming

in,” she said.

100 percent of the proceeds from the sugar art and baking competitions will benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Last year, $5,000 was donated to the hospital.

For more information and tickets, visit the LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show website, www. lacookiecon.com.

the industry for a long time.

The actor-musician doesn’t want to get it all in his head, so when asked about his staying power he simply replied “I think siguro kasi I go with the flow.”

“Like I said kanina, I believe in seasons,” he continued. “So I guess evolution lang, I force myself to evolve as an actor, as a perform-

er. I understand kung nasaan ako, I don’t have problem accepting my age, I don’t have problem kung I mature, growing older.”

After the success of his 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Walang Forever” and winning the best actor award for the film, Jericho is now ready again for the projects this 2016.

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Jonas Gaffud: Meet The ‘Mirror’ who foretells the next fairest queen of the Universe

By Monet

Lu

IF fairytales were written in a modern setting and Queen Grimhilde—Snow White’s evil stepmother, aka the Wicked Queen—was to ask her magic mirror who the fairest of them all is, she better wish that the mirror contained the spirit of Jonas Gaffud.

Jonas Gaffud is no psychic, but he has a gift for seeing the beauty-queen potential behind any ordinary Pinay – turning her into an extraordinary woman fit to wear that $300,000 diamond crown. With the help of his team, Aces and Queens, they work together to train Filipinas to compete in Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and other prestigious pageants.

Their group is composed of equally talented and gifted professionals from diverse fields: an award-winning movie director, a lawyer, an engineer, a fitness instructor, a make-up artist, an architect, a nurse, a fashion designer and a talent manager. Surprisingly, they are not paid to train and handle beauty queens. Gaffud says in an article, “We don’t get paid not even part of the prize money. We only get a cut for endorsements because we helped them get it. Passion talaga ‘to, katuwaan ‘to (This is really a passion, we do it for fun).”

This makes Gaffud and his team even more admirable. I had the privilege of meeting Jonas a few years ago when he came here for an event with Venus Raj (who won 4th Runner-up in Miss Universe 2010).

He is a very dedicated manager/ handler. He is truly passionate in what he does and he is just happy doing what he loves. In Snow White’s story, he could be “Happy,” the dwarf who is full of joy and encourages the princess, but out there in the tough and competitive world of pageants, he could be as fierce, strong-willed and missionoriented as the wicked queen.

Jonas Gaffud

A deadly yet – has proven to be – an effective combination.

Products of Gaffud’s magical training style are Megan Young (Miss World 2013), Ariella Arida (Miss Universe 2013 – 3rd Runner-up), Janine Tugonon (Miss Universe 2012-1st Runner-Up), Shamcey Supsup (Miss Universe 2011 – 3rd Runner-up) and Venus Raj (Miss Universe 2010 – 4th Runner-up), among many others.

Through all of the queens’ quest for worldwide victory, their mentor, Jonas stayed with them and never failed to be optimistic, which in my opinion is not as easy as it sounds. Having high hopes for your candidate, let alone your mentee (or your “alagas,” as he calls them), and receiving a different verdict from the judges every year can be frustrating. It takes someone with a heart like Gaffud to keep pressing on. And quite incidentally, an unassuming ‘Queen’ possessing the same fighting spirit was bound to meet her very own magic mirror.

Miss Universe 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is known for joining the Bb. Pilipinas pageant not once, not twice – but three times – until she was finally crowned as Miss Universe – Philippines 2015.

Her dream and relentless drive led her to Gaffud’s path where winners – and “winner-handlers” – meet. And as expected, it was

a match made in heaven – the universe rather.

We can say that the rest is history after that but only the queen and her mentor know exactly what they had to go through to be where the universe has placed her to be right now.

As Gaffud wrote in his blog, “In Random Order by JAG”, he recalls his first experiences with Pia: “Pia and I had three encounters in 2012 before I took her under my wing as an aspiring beauty queen. I first saw her in a restaurant with her friends. I told her she could join a pageant but she had to undergo series of trainings. She said yes, but I never heard from her again.

I saw her for the second time during the Star Magic Ball. She did not even recognize me, so I assumed she really wasn’t interested… The third time I saw her was in a mall in Makati City....

I called her over and scolded her for snubbing me at the ball and she apologized. Then I asked her, “Are you serious about the pageant? You could win you know.” To which she replied, “Really? I could join?”

This was the first time I saw her eyes sparkle with genuine enthusiasm. I assured her she could win, but not without conditions. I told her she had to train very hard. I was quite surprised when she exclaimed, “Finally I have something to do with my life!”

Well, she indeed has something – and so much more to do now that she is reigning Miss Universe. And guess what, Mr. Jonas Gaffud, you somehow saw that even before she knew she could. Pia’s dream-come-true was like a fairytale.

Some queens have fairy godmothers. As for Pia, well, she had a magic mirror.

Celebrate the auspicious Lunar New Year of the Monkey at Pechanga Resort & Casino Enjoy the lucky red envelopes promotion and lion dance performance

Lucky Red Envelopes Swipe & Win To enhance the festive atmosphere at the property, Pechanga lets players become even luckier with the “Lucky Red Envelopes” promotion this February. On Tuesdays and Thursdays in February from 1:00p.m. to 9:00p. m., Pechanga Club Card holders can swipe their member card at kiosks across from the Pechanga Box Office for a chance to win up to $1,000 in Easyplay®. For more information, please call 1-877-711-2946 or visit www.

Pechanga.com.

Lucky Lion Dance Performance Lunar New Year is a period many Asian cultures celebrate with their families and friends.

In celebration of the 2016 Year of the Monkey, Pechanga invites everyone to join the fun and festivities with a wonderful performance by the Lucky Lion Dancers on Saturday, February 6, starting at 3:00p.m. Traditional firecrackers begin popping in the hotel valet area which then awakens the “lions.” The lion dancers work their way throughout the casino floor. Pechanga Resort & Casino executives will follow the *** lion dancers and pass out lucky Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award- red envelope to guests along winning celebrity beauty stylist with his the way. own chain of Monet Salon salons across These series of Lunar New

Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

The Global Kababayan

Year promotions and activities will bring endless joy to all the guests. Pechanga will continue our effort to promote more Asian events for our valuable guests and patrons.

Starting Feb. 1 through Feb. 29, Pechanga guests can enjoy and take photos in front of traditional New Year décor situated throughout the resort. Décor items include red lanterns, cherry blossom trees, tall plants and trees with red envelopes affixed to the branches and more.

Many foods such as fish, chicken and tofu are considered to bring good luck for the New Year. Blazing Noodles and Bamboo at Pechanga feature two family-style dining specials to usher in the Year of the Monkey.

For $59, diners can feast on a whole lobster prepared stir-fried with fresh ginger, scallions and oyster sauce or deep fried with salt and pepper. A meal to certainly share, the lobster special weighs in over two and one-half pounds. Being served whole fish is also considered auspicious for Lunar New Year. Bamboo and Blazing Noodles also feature a whole striped sea bass for $48.

Guests can choose how they want the two and one-half pound fish prepared – steamed with special soy sauce and ginger and scallion on top, or deep fried with

Szechuan Sauce, green and red bell pepper, mushrooms and hot and sour spicy sauce. These dining specials are available every day at Blazing Noodles and on Feb. 8 and 9 from 11am to 2am at Bamboo.

Pechanga Resort & casino Pechanga Resort & Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the Number One casino in America by readers of USA TODAY and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino provides an unparalleled getaway.

Offering more than 3,400 of the hottest slots, table games, worldclass entertainment, 517 hotel rooms, dining, spa and championship golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort & Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort & Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free 1-888-PECHANGA or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort & Casino on Facebook and on Twitter @ PechangaCasino. Pechanga Resort & Casino is open 24-hours. Guests must be 21 and older to enter the casino.

(Advertising Supplement)

Programming of Kababayan Today, February 1-5, 2016

G. TönGi MonDay, Feb. 1 - Voiceover actress Mary Grant shares her love for Filipino food by creating a parody, “Pilipino Pood,” for kababayans.

She even creates one with karaokestyle lyrics. Tune in to sing along!

Grant is a Fil-Am who grew up in a small town in Virginia. Get to know her roots on the show today!

Tuesday, Feb. 2 - February is “Buwan Ng Pagibig”. For Talk Tuesdays this month we feature a two part special where Filipinas with different points of view define love that is specific to their circumstances.

Wednesday, Feb. 3 - Midweek News Updates from the Asian Journal.

Get to know firefighter-turnedbartender Darwin Manahan and get details for a fundraiser he is doing for Pilipino Workers Center (PWC).

Professor Brandon Reilly shares his expertise in his “Know History, Know Self” segments.

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Playwright Giovanni Ortega and Theater Director Jon Lawrence River discuss the latest offering from EastWest Players called “Criers for Hire.” “Criers for Hire” will open on Feb. 17. Tick-

Moonlighting

by Mylah de

leon

LAS VEGAS— Come hell or high water, people flock here to untie the knot.

Divorce is simply about the villain and the victim. It is who got cheated and who got left—the agony of the dumped. How dramatically love can turn around will always be a conundrum.

In this city of quickie divorce, layers of emotional smog pollute the atmosphere in any divorce lawyer’s office. The time a divorcing couple spends in a courtroom is brief. After the judge denies alimony, mediation where offers and counteroffers are tendered— follows. However, discussing private matters in crowded hallways is not exactly the best place for dramatic partings. Some cry out and lament “extortion!” The corridor minuet is simply all about the payoff or some equivalent symbol of revenge — like a demand that the mate burns in hell for eternity if such a request were enforceable.

Here, divorce is a real life-altering event. Couples argue over custody and the division of estates, whose value depends on who is

ets are available at the EastWest Players website, over the phone or at the box office. Tune in to get a discount code for Kababayan Today viewers.

Friday, Feb. 5 - Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so what better way to show your love by giving flowers. Since flower arrangements are three times more expensive during this Hallmark occasion, Ed Rame will show you how to make your own arrangement and

what flowers to use. *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of Kababayan Today, a daily talk show that features relevant topics for Filipino’s living in America. Her aim is to bridge not only the cultural gap between America & the Philippines but to help with the generational gap between our own people. She is married with two children and is based in Southern California and makes frequent trips in the Pacific Rim to Hawaii and Manila to feature fellow kababayans who are empowering the FilAm community.

The agony and ecstasy of divorce counting or hiding assets. Some try and fail miserably to keep as much mud off of their public images, especially tabloid fodder celebrities, but there are only two emotions that people feel in a divorce case: anger and guilt, played by gladiators in a melodrama of greed, hurt, outrage, shock and disbelief. Believe me, gentle readers, I know what I’m rattling about.

It is said that the freedom to luxuriate in self-pity is one of the consolations of a marriage gone wrong. Whether one is ending a marriage of long standing, in which ones were mostly happy, or a miserable and shorter relationship, one needs time to grieve the ending, as time and space generally heal wounds.

People choose the wrong partner, or cheat on him or her because they’re bored or begin to loathe the spouses they once adored. Lying, tricking and obfuscating when all that are at stake are half their net worths and their emotional equilibrium.

The soon-to-be former wife is surely saddling him with tremendous legal bills; the scorned woman will use whatever she can and subscribe to such a strategy as well, when it is expedient and sometimes bordering on what is considered ethical.

The catalogue of fear and

insecurity that bedevils these disgruntled and miserable uncoupling couples are as deep as the Grand Canyon and just as hard to fill up. “I’ll be financially ruined and no woman wants to date a pauper.” “I’ll become a bag lady. I’ll lose contact with my children and they’ll never forgive me.” “He will get off easy because he has hidden money in offshore accounts.” “She will skip town and run away with my kids.” “He will marry an obnoxious bimbo who’ll be an influence on my children…” These fears are enormous, but the deadliest is, “I’ll be alone and die!”

On the other hand, no one can ever discount the possibility that people can be positively transformed by the crucible of divorce. A woman who has never had control of finances and can’t even balance a checkbook—much less, manage investments—will learn to become her own person. Women start out scared, but at the end, they become both psychologically and financially stable.

But for the Moonlighter and the late Mr. de Leon, divorce was never considered during the decades of an almost blissful marriage, despite our countless quarrels. Murder—oh so many times, but to divorce was definitely out of the question!

EntErtainmEnt

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How Karylle Yuzon stays in shape

by Mylene Mendoza-dayrit Philstar

Screengrab from Sancho delas Alas’ Instagram account

Jiro Manio now out of rehab

FORMER child actor Jiro Manio has been released from the rehabilitation facility, actress Ai-ai delas Alas confirmed on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

On Instagram, delas Alas posted a photo of her together with Manio and her two children.

“Welcome back anak (son)… we are family! Wooo!” delas Alas caption read.

Sancho delas Alas also posted the same photo with the caption describing Manio as his sibling.

Last June 2015, InQUIRER.

net first reported seeing the multi-awarded actor loitering at the ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. He said then that he was running away from home and denied that he was an actor.

Delas Alas, who has played the role of Manio’s mother in the “Tanging Ina” franchise, took Manio to a rehabilitation facility.

The actress has since been posting updates on Manio’s condition on her social media accounts. (Inquirer.net)

Ella Cruz: Career before love life MAnILA—Ella Cruz focuses all her time in her career, especially now that her talent management Viva is lining up a series of projects for her.

“Priority ko ang work. Lalo na ngayon marami ng work, so do’n tayo mag-focus,” she said in an

interview on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

This is the reason why despite Bret Jackson’s admiration to her, their relationship didn’t blossom, but still they remained friends with each other.

“Kasi naman dati pa lang sinasabi ko na mas priority ko work, sinabi ko ‘yon sa kanya,” she explained. “Sabi ko mas okay na rin na maging friends kami, so friends pa rin kami until now. Katulad ng dati, gano’n pa rin.”

In a previous interview, Bret also said he doesn’t want to hinder Ella from pursuing her career in showbiz, but said she remains a “special girl” to him.

In case love comes knocking on her door, Ella said she would not immediately jump into it.

“Ang pinunta ko dito is pagaartista, so bakit ko i-sacrifice?

Ang tagal-tagal ko hinintay ‘to,” she said. “Kapag gamay ko na kung paano pagsabayin [ang love at work], tsaka siguro ako magkaboyfriend.”

Ella is now paired to Akihiro Ella Cruz will focus all her time in her career, especially now that a number of projects is Blanco for the “Wattpad TV Movies Presents: Avah Maldita.” (Philstar. being lined up for her.

Philstar.com photo by Joyce Jimenez com)

Kiray with her Love Is Blind (LIB) co-stars, ex-lovers Derek Ramsay and Solenn Heussaff. It’s her first-starring movie so Kiray said she let herself be kissed by Derek.

Philstar.com photo

Why Kiray Celis is on...

PAGE B2 didn’t make money, I don’t care, at least I got paid. But this time, if this movie doesn’t make money, my God, nakakaluka!”

Kiray talks the way she looks… funny!

“I told myself that I wouldn’t let myself be kissed kung hindi ako bida,” explains Kiray.“Kasi if you do it at the start, tuluy-tuloy na ‘yon. Like I started in Goin’ Bulilit na palaging inaasar, kayapalagi na akong inaasar sa mga roles ko.

Look at the actors who agree to play bading roles. They become typecast.”

During an airing of TV5’s Happy Truck ng Bayan, Kiray got teased by his co-hosts (Mark neumann, Martin Escudero, Carl Guevarra and Akihiro Blanco, among them) when Derek made a surprise appearance and offered her flowers.

“Love team na talaga ang dating namin,” laughs Kiray. “Haba ng buhok ko (my hair is growing longer).”

In her 16 off-and-on years in showbiz, Kiray has appeared in several movies and TV shows, languishing in supporting roles until LIB came along.

“I was three years old when I competed in the Little Miss U contest in MTB (Magandang Tanghali Bayan,the ABS-CBn defunct noontime show hosted by Willie Revillame, Randy Santiago and John Estrada),” Kiray looks back.

“I was singing songs by Engelbert Humperdinck, mga Cuando Cuando and Love Me With All Of Your Heart.”

She was singing those songs at age 3? “natutuhan ko ang mga ‘yun sa

mga lasenggero sa lugar namin sa Sta. Ana, Manila, where we lived,” says Kiray. “I placed only fourth but I was made a mainstay on MTB where I stayed for two years until the nuns at St. Paul’s saw the show and gave me a scholarship. I finished only grade school kasi bawal sa kanila ang nag-aartista.”

After a stint on Goin’ Bulilit, Kiray quit showbiz upon reaching the awkward stage.

“My career was off and on since then because they didn’t know what role to give me, alangan bata at alangan dalaga.”

Born Johanna Celis to Ilonggo parents (from Bacolod), the third and only girl among four siblings, she got named Kiray when she competed on MTB. “I joined because we needed the money to pay the rent for the apartment we were staying in at that time,” confesses Kiray. “Our landlady was Aling Teray. So Wilie and direk Bobot (Mortiz, MTB director) nicknamed me Kiray. We still live in Sta. Ana but in another house.” now combining showbiz and studies (home schooling), Kiray is earning enough to send her siblings to school, that’s why she is putting having a boyfriend on hold.

“But I have suitors pero hindi ko sila pinapansin. I just told them I’m busy sa work,” adding that she does have an ultimate crush, Sam Milby. “But I don’t make myself obvious. He has been my crush since myBulilit days.” Does Sam know about it? “He doesn’t believe it kasi hindi ko raw siya pinapansin.

Kasi I’m the type who keeps quiet in the presence of my crush.”

AnA Karylle Yuzon energizes the room as soon as she enters.

Simple, down-to-earth, yet extremely talented. Her acting, hosting, and entertaining career crosses over stage, television, and even film. She sings, writes songs as well as produces. She has several business ventures.

Despite having a daily noontime show, Karylle still finds time to share her insights not only on social media but also on blogs and recently, a column in Shape Philippines where she is also featured as its first local cover.

Shortly after reading her story as a marathoner’s wife where she recounted special moments of husband Yael’s first marathon in France, it dawned on me that what I have learned from Karylle is how to have joie de vivre.

Her posts on social media will certainly perk you up and inspire you. She always points out the joy of living and even slowing down. She is not afraid to laugh at herself. She celebrates people she meets and finds joy in everyday things. She has an infectious smile and a healthy appetite to try new things.

She is very committed to her own fitness as she is to her music.

She tells us more about both.

Philstar.com: What are you busy with lately aside from your daily hosting onShowtime?

Karylle: My new album “A Different Playground” is out now.

I worked on it the whole of last year and I’m really excited for

everyone to hear it. I wrote Can’t Shut Up and if you know my husband Yael, you’d know it’s about him instantly. I also wrote Half a Million, Sunny Daze, and Sunflowers.

There is a standard song there calledTenderly, which I recorded eight years ago. I waited for the perfect time to release it. I’m very proud of that recording.

I’m also very fortunate that I was given the chance to record Magbalik ka na Mahal because being part of Ballet Philippines’ Rama Hari at the CCP is one of my career highlights. The song is by ninongRyan Cayabyab and national Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera. This piece of work is just so inspiring because it is where music, poetry, and ballet come together with other elements such as great sets and costumes.

I’ll be promoting my album this year. I’ll also be starting a very exciting new show very soon. I am writing again. Watch out for my articles in Shape Philippines magazine and on my blog. I launched a website with some friends where you can help certain charities. Check it out: www.mypledge.site.

How do you stay fit? What is your exercise routine?

Yoga with my neighbors. I love that we bond this way. I did my first-ever headstand in my Bali vacation with the teacher there.

Pilates for my scoliosis. Sessions with coach Kit at Gold’s Sheridan.

Before I met coach Kit, I scored the lowest in a fitness test. She

promised to make me strong. On Christmas, I took the Sheridan Christmas challenge and scored the highest. I’ve never felt so strong in my life. What a great way to end 2015!

I super love the spinning class with coach Arnold plus the definitions class after. I like sharing this moment with the other people in the class. I feel like their victory is my victory. I’m inspired by seeing how hard they work, especially if they come to the classes regularly.

I also like the tandem sessions with Yael. I also see other people doing couples’ workout and it’s cute! Especially the situps… hahaha. I can’t quite do them alone! I also sometimes do kickboxing class for the Padilla boxer in me. I also like swimming, but it’s more for my singing. It keeps my lungs strong.

Any special diet?

As for my diet, I eat muesli with yogurt for breakfast with some fruit. Lunch is pretty regular: rice andulam. I love rice so much that I wrote a song about it and Sponge Cola recorded it. “If I had a choice, I’d eat rice every day. Every day. With every meal.

Rice, you’re alright.” I think you get the idea hahaha! Yael tries to get me to eat brown rice and kamote. I also have fresh fruit juice.

Dinner is special coz it’s my dinner date with Yael. Sometimes, we cook and sometimes, we eat out.

Midnight snack is bad, but I do have cheese some-

times. Chips are always a craving, which is why I try to keep them away from the house. I have a healthy alternative, which is broccoli or asparagus or cauliflower with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), garlic, italian herbs, basil from our garden in the oven … with a touch of lemon or cheese before serving!

B january 30-february 2, 2016 • La WeeKenD aSIan jOurnaL

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COMMUNITY Journal

Your Immigration Solution Atty. RobeRt Reeves ben LovemAn And nAncy miLLeR ON Tuesday, Jan. 19, the US Supreme Court threw a lifeline to the Obama administration’s deferred action programs known as DAPA and expanded DACA (Deferred Action for Parents of US citizens and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, respectively) agreeing to hear the case in this Court term. Of course, the Court’s decision to hear the case is just a first step and is not an indication that the Court will overrule the lower court decisions or allow DAPA to be implemented. For those hoping that DAPA and expanded DACA will be implemented, we continue to urge that you explore all options available as many other changes to the immigration landscape have opened new pathways to residency and other benefits over the last several years.

For months the DAPA and expanded DACA programs have taken one legal hit after another and looked in peril of fading with the end of the Obama presidency. However, the United States’ highest court agreed to hear the case and could potentially invalidate an injunction issued in 2015 by a US District Court Judge in Texas which has to date blocked implementation of the program which could benefit millions of families with undocumented family members.

Importantly, the decision by the Supreme Court to hear the case was made in time so that the Court could receive briefs and argument from the parties and issue a ruling by June of 2016 prior to the November elections.

Many Republican candidates have indicated in no uncertain terms that they would immediately rescind the program if elected. However, November is a long time off and election results are unknown and unknowable at this time. Further, even assuming a Republican wins the presidency, rescinding benefits

Deferred action program to receive Supreme Court review from the parents of US citizens could be a costly and unpopular move and could prove easier said than done.

While many immigration group advocates rejoiced in the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case, they did so cautiously. The groups and the immigrants they represent are all too aware of the fact that the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case is a far cry from a victory in this matter and that the Court could still uphold the lower court’s rulings which have to date prevented the programs from being implemented. In the meantime potential beneficiaries of these programs should seek professional assistance from experienced immigration attorneys to assess what other options might be available and to ensure that if the programs go in to effect that they will be ready.

The programs in question, if implemented, could benefit millions of persons across the United States. The programs were conceived to be implemented as a form of executive action known as prosecutorial discretion. Existing regulations enable beneficiaries of prosecutorial discretion who are granted deferred action to apply for and receive employment authorization. The DAPA and DACA programs aimed to provide deferred action to millions and thereby provide a route to work

authorization and a way out of the shadows and away from a living in fear of deportation.

Specifically, DAPA would provide a three-year work authorization and potentially the ability to later apply for travel authorization. To qualify you must have: (1) a US citizen or permanent resident son or daughter (of any age) as of November 20, 2014; (2) continuous presence in the US since before January 1, 2010; (3) physical presence in the US both on November 20, 2014 and at the time of making the request for DAPA. Applicants must also not be considered a priority for removal. The DACA program would be expanded by the elimination of the upper age limit of 31 and by bestowing eligibility to applicants arriving in the United States before January 1, 2010 whereas before eligibility required arrival before June 15, 2007. If the Supreme Court allows the programs to be implemented it is likely that the Obama Administration would roll out the programs as quickly as possible to beat the November election cycle.

The benefits that the DAPA and expanded DACA programs could achieve for the affected people, their families, and for the United States as whole are tremendous. However, there is no indication of which way the Supreme Court will rule and those who are waiting for a deci-

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016

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C JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Atty. RAymond BulAon

Why are most people too embarrassed to seek debt help?

HAVE you ever faced a situation in your life where you needed help so badly but you were just too embarrassed to ask for it? Perhaps you felt confused and overwhelmed with the problem that you spent sleepless nights trying to figure out what to do.

As a bankruptcy attorney, over the years I have met a lot of people who were simply too embarrassed to seek help with their debt problems. Of course, this is perfectly understandable. After all, financial matters are often too personal that we don’t even share this kind of information with our family or closest friends.

The result is often isolation and unfortunately, this only results in people not getting the help they need so badly. Sad but true.

Oftentimes I meet people who tell me that on the outside, everything looks great so no one has the slightest suspicion about the insurmountable debt problems that they are dealing with. These people often have good jobs, live in nice homes, they drive fancy cars and they own expensive things. They look financially successful in the eyes of the world.

But the reality is that these people are harboring a deep secret: Nobody knows that ev-

erything that they have was purchased on credit and they could hardly afford to make the payments each month!!! These people have mortgaged their futures and have trapped themselves in a lifetime of debt. Once they realize it, they have this sick feeling in their stomach and they know that they cannot keep up their current lifestyle anymore. Something has to give. But as I said, they are too embarrassed to seek help because they don’t want anyone to know what a big mess they have gotten themselves in.

At the end of a long day, these people can’t even get a good night’s sleep because they are worried sick about how their next paycheck will cover all their bills.

Their blood pressure goes up as soon as they see the pile of bills on their kitchen table that they haven’t been able to pay. The world thinks that they are financially successful so how can they let anyone down? They need to keep up with the image that the world has of them and they don’t want to disappoint anyone or to embarrass themselves. So day after day, they continue to live with this “secret” that nobody knows.

Deep inside, it’s driving them crazy and they feel helpless.

Minding Your Finances

Family Law Atty.

EthElEnE F. SAlAS MY last article dealt with the fact that many Pilipinos have misconceptions or are misinformed about family law here in the United States, specifically, in the State of California. They tend to not know their rights or the parameter of rights that deal with the area of family law. These areas include divorces, custody, child/spousal support, paternity actions, wills/trusts, property rights etc.

As stated previously, throughout the years that I have practiced family law here in Southern California, I found that my Pilipino clients have to be briefed about the law and what the law

Tax Tips

20 don’ts in an IRS audit

9. Don’t insult.

10. Don’t bully.

11. Don’t raise your voice.

12. Don’t fight the auditor. This VictoR Sy, is an agent’s case assignment, not cPA, mBA a personal attack against you.

1. DON’T ignore the IRS. 13. Don’t create distance be2. Don’t mess with the IRS. tween you and the agent.

3. Don’t go to your appoint14. Don’t insist on indefensible ment unprepared. positions. You’ll lose it anyway.

4. Don’t be late for your ap15. Don’t argue for the sake of pointment with the auditor. arguing. You know who’s going 5. Don’t volunteer informa- to lose. tion.

16. Don’t expect to win on all 6. Don’t be condescending of issues. Settle. education, experience, age, or 17. Don’t reject the agent’s pogender. sition without adequate analysis.

7. Don’t be arrogant, even if It could be worse. you clearly have an upper hand.

18. Don’t be fixated in resolv8. Don’t flaunt your being a ing the case with the agent. Go CPA or lawyer to an agent who to Appeals. may have fewer qualifications.

19. Don’t complain about bu-

If you or someone you know is in this situation just remember that sooner or later, you will need to do something about your debt problems. Because if you don’t take action, things will only get worse and you will only have yourself to blame. We all make mistakes and if you have made some bad financial decisions in the past that have led you to your present predicament, there is nothing you can do to change the past. But there is something that you can do right now to make sure to change your future.

If your finances are out of control, you need to do something about this situation- the sooner the better. You don’t need to Barrister’s face debt problems alone. Help Corner is available but you need to take action. For a free attorney consultation, please call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772. We have offices Atty. Kenneth in Los Angeles, Cerritos, Pasa- uRSuA ReyeS dena and Valencia. *** CONSIDER the common diNone of the information herein is in- vorce scenario where the ditended to give legal advice for any specific vorce judgment provides primasituation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has success- ry custody of the children to one fully helped thousands of clients in getting spouse while the other spouse out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation only gets visitation. The parties of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon begin to file separate tax returns.

Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772. What are the tax consequences (Advertising Supplement) of the non custodial parents with regards to claiming the children in his or her return?

A non-custodial parent can no longer file as head of household, even if the non custodial parent plugged-in and then a child sup- is allowed to claim the children port figure is calculated for a as dependents under the divorce child or a series of minor chil- judgment because this requires dren. One popular version of that the parent have custody of this computerized program is the children at least 6 months of the year. Non custodial parcalled the “Dissomaster.”

Like many mathematical equa- ents also can no longer claim the tions, many factors and figures earned income tax credit. Howare used to calculate child sup- ever, the non custodial parent port. All gross earnings of both can claim the child tax credit In the absence of a provision parties, medical insurance, union dues, mandatory retirement are in the judgment which states just some of the factors that are otherwise, the parent with priplugged-in to this formula. It is mary custody of the children is simply not just the father’s in- ordinarily entitled to claim the come or the mother’s income, children as dependents for tax but both incomes are used to cal- purposes. If a qualifying child is claimed as a dependent by both culate child support.

Many of my clients would ask parents and the parents do not me if their monthly expenses are file a joint return, the child is taken into consideration. They normally treated as the qualifywould inform me of their high ing child of the custodial parent mortgage payments, car pay- IRC § 152(c)(4)(B)(i) However, the Code allows ments, credit card bills etc. with u PAGE C3 the dependency exemption and

Child support in California could and would provide for them. They tend to bring their own knowledge of the law from the Philippines and expect that the Philippine law would also apply here in the United States.

This is rarely the case and is a cause of adverse rulings against them. That is why it is very important that we Pilipinos know our rights in this area so that we could plan ahead of time before it is too late.

In this week’s article, I would like to discuss the issue of “child support” in the State of California. Child support is computed pursuant to a California Statute also known as “guideline child support.”

This mathematical computation is now computerized and is used frequently by state courts to calculate the appropriate level of support for any minor child. Numbers are

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reaucracy. Instead, use bureaucracy to your advantage.

20. Lastly, if you’re in a hole, stop digging!

And if you don’t behave, plead the fifth. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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Tax consequences of divorced, non-custodial parents child tax credit to be shifted to the noncustodial parent when a child receives over one-half of the child’s support during the calendar year from the child’s parents who are either (i) divorced, (ii) legally separated, (iii) separated under a written separation agreement, or (iv) living apart at all times during the last six months of the calendar year.

The child must be in the custody of one or both of the child’s parents for more than one-half of the calendar year. IRC § 152(e) (1)(A) & (B) To shift the exemption and child tax credit to the noncustodial parent, the custodial parent must release or waive his or her claim to the exemption for the year by executing IRS Form 8332. IRC § 152(e) (2). The custodial parent can waive this right to claim the children as dependents and let the non custodial parent claim them by executing IRS Form 8332 and filing it with his or her return.

Certain Tax Court cases held that the waiver is effective even if the Form 8332 was not filled out in detail. In Bramante (T.C. Memo 2003-228), the custodial parent and agreed to waive her right to exemptions on Form 8332. The custodial parent realized that as her income increased, the value of the exemptions increased. The custodial parent discovered that her Social Security number was missing on

the form and that the noncustodial parent, had dated the form in his handwriting. The tax court still upheld the waiver as effective despite the missing details from Form 8332.

In Boltinghouse, the IRS argued that missing details in the separation agreement defeated the waiver (T.C. Memo 2003134). In this case, the parties executed a separation agreement allowing the non custodial parent to claim one of his children, but the non custodial parent did not file a Form 8332. As a result, the court had to decide whether the agreement conformed in substance to Form 8332. The IRS contended that the agreement was not in substance a Form 8332 because it did not reflect the years the exemptions were to be waived and it did not provide Social Security numbers for the parents. Although the IRS pointed to some cases in which the Tax Court had rejected waivers that were ambiguous as to the applicable years, the Tax Court said that it was clear that this agreement applied to the years the parents began filing separate returns.

As in Bramante, lack of Social Security numbers was not considered a serious defect by the Tax Court.

The custodial parent can waive the dependent exemption each year or for a number of

u PAGE C4

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Community Journal

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr.

Lyft drivers misclassified as independent contractors settle for $12.25 million

LYFT, the “ride-sharing business” and Uber competitor, has settled a class action lawsuit by its drivers for over $12 million. Lyft drivers had accused the company of misclassifying its drivers as independent contractors (ICs), when they should have been classified as employees. It is important for workers to be correctly classified as employees and not as ICs because ICs do not have the same rights and protections afforded by law to employees.

ICs are not entitled to minimum wage, to overtime pay for working more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Without employee status, they are denied reimbursement for business expenses, and workers’ compensation coverage, and denied protection from unlawful deductions, unlawful discrimination and harassment. They are not entitled to additional benefits such as sick pay, health insurance, retirement and profitsharing plans.

There are several factors that determine whether a worker has been correctly classified as an independent contractor. The most important factor is the employer’s right to control the worker’s manner and means of performing the job. If the employer dictates how the worker should do the work, what tasks to accomplish and how to accomplish them, then the worker is an employee and not an independent contractor.

In the case against Lyft, the drivers alleged that Lyft exercised control over drivers in the

following ways: The company retained the right to terminate drivers at any time, and at its own discretion. Lyft drivers must identify themselves with a large pink mustache provided by Lyft.

Drivers are not allowed to set rates of pay for their services, Lyft dictates the rates. Drivers must undergo training session where they are instructed how to interact and talk to customers.

Drivers’ vehicles are evaluated for aesthetic purposes and must pass an appearance evaluation.

The company has the right to discipline or fire drivers who do not work hours they are signed up to work.

Rather than continue with litigation, Lyft agreed to settle and pay a total of $12.25 million to over 100,000 drivers in California (a majority of which worked only a total of 50 hours or less).

The company also agreed to first warn drivers before deactivating them from the system, and provide a reason for the deactivation, such as low ratings from passengers. However, Lyft will not be re-classifying its drivers as employees, and drivers will continue to be classified as independent contractors.

Technology, mobility, and better communications systems have dramatically changed the way that people work and earn a living in the 21st century. The creation of new industries has also given rise to new business models that attempt to do away with the traditional employeremployee relationship but instead tap into the practice of “outsourcing” or “crowdsourcing” – where companies who

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Child support in…

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the hope that the law would take these payments into consideration. Unfortunately, I would have to inform my clients that these figures are usually not taken into consideration. The policy of this State is that child support is of the highest importance regardless of whether one party has a $2,200.00 mortgage payment per month.

On the other hand, the court will consider some factors that are not voluntary in nature.

need services obtain them from the general public, rather than from traditional employees or suppliers. This has led to the “on-demand economy” or “gig economy,” and has boosted the rise of alternative employment arrangements, which include “free lancers”, on-call workers, temporary help agency workers, and workers provided by contract firms. More often than not, workers in the gig economy are not considered “employees” in the traditional sense. Although many of these workers are bona fide self-employed or contractual workers, many more may be misclassified as “independent contractors” and are denied the rights and protections afforded to employees.

Misclassified employees may be owed back wages such as overtime pay, wages for missed breaks, and reimbursements for business expenses. If the misclassification occurred for several years, the back wages and reimbursements owed may be significant.

*** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. *** C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary relief for thousands of employees and consumers. He is named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum.

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and bringing an action in court.

I have had many cases where the other side or opposing party These would include extra-or- would force my client and I to dinary medical expenses, trans- go to court only to find out that portation costs, other supported they would not get a reduction of minor children, etc. child support, instead, my client The issue of child support would get an increase. Someshould not be taken lightly by times, this increase in child supany parent. This issue should port is significant. This outcome, be planned out carefully with of course, is beneficial for my cliall possible outcomes taken into ent, but it also proved very detconsideration.

There should rimental to the other side. Do be no surprises after parties go not let this happen to you. Unto court. There are many laws derstanding your rights in family that govern child support and law could and would protect you a parent should consult an at- from unexpected surprises. torney prior to arguing in court Schedule an appointment with

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016

C

Preventing abandonment of your green card due to travel abroad A GREEN card holder can travel outside the US and return with some limitations. If a green card holder is outside the US for an extended period of time, he may be considered to have abandoned his permanent resident status. Brief travel (such as for a vacation) normally will not affect permanent resident status. However, abandonment of permanent resident status is a potential issue for green card holders who have to leave the US for an extended period of time (over 1 year) for one reason or another, such as to finish studies or work abroad. In such situations, how can a person be prevented from losing his green card?

If a person plans to be outside the US for an extended period of time (over 1 year), an application for a reentry permit must be filed.

A reentry permit establishes that one did not intend to abandon his green card, and it allows one to apply for admission to the US after being outside the US for up to 2 years without having to obtain a returning resident visa. Reentry permits are normally valid for 2 years from the date of issuance. A permanent resident can re-apply for subsequent reentry permits for 2 year increments As aforementioned, if one is outside the US for an extended period of time without a reentry permit, he may be considered to have abandoned his green card. If a person who has been outside the US for more than 1 year attempts to re-enter the US, he may be referred to an Immigration Judge to determine whether he has abandoned his permanent resident status.

An application for reentry permit should be filed at least 60 days prior to the contemplated extended trip outside the US. While a person does not have to be present in the US at the time his reentry permit application is approved, it is important to file it with sufficient time prior to the trip to allow time to receive the biometrics notice after the application is filed, and have biometrics taken.

An applicant must provide his biometrics while in the US. If an applicant leaves the US before biometrics are taken, the USCIS may deny the application.

What if a permanent resident has already left the US and either has 1) been outside the US for over 1 year or 2) been outside the US for over 2 years with an expired reentry permit? The Department of State on its website advises to apply for a Returning Resident Visa. To qualify for a Returning Resident Visa, you must show a valid reason why your stay abroad was extended, and that the reason for the extended stay was beyond your control or for which you were not responsible.

Another (perhaps better) option would be to re-enter the US--if US customs denies admission due to abandonment of your green card, you will have an opportunity to argue that you did not abandon permanent resident status, here in the US before an Immigration Judge.

Obtaining a green card often is a difficult process. For some, it takes many years. It is accordingly important to take all steps necessary to maintain permanent resident status once attained. If you plan to be away from the US for an extended period of time, or have been away from the US for an extended period of time without a reentry permit, or a reentry permit that has expired, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced attorney. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association.

LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw. com.

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Deferred action…

me and I can help you estimate your child support amount because I have the computer softPAGE C1 t ware “dissomaster.” sion on the case would be well*** Ethelene F. Salas, Esq. is a practicing family served by seeking the advice and assistance of a reputable and exlaw attorney. Ms. Salas is a Filipino-American perienced immigration attorney born in the Philippines, raised in the United to explore options for obtaining States, and speaks Tagalog fluently. The Law benefits at this time under existOffices of Ethelene F. Salas is located at two ing laws. Many new programs locations – the main office at 100 N. Barranca and changes to old ones have St., Suite 700, West Covina, CA 91791 and been implemented in the last affiliated offices at 18000 Studebaker Road, several years and may provide Suite 700, Cerritos, CA 90703. To schedule a route to residency or employan appointment with her, please call (626) ment authorization where none existed before.

858-4646 or visit www.EFS-Law.com. *** (Advertising Supplement

Atty. Reeves has represented clients in numerous landmark immigration cases that have set new policies regarding INS action and immigrants’ rights. His offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City.

Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.

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C JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng CLIENT has had an on going “battle” with Wells Fargo for justice on her mortgage since 2007.

It’s been 9 years since she made the mistake of refinancing her fully paid house with World Savings Bank. Yes, client was already a senior 9 years ago when she decided to borrow $250K against her house, which had no more mortgage! Apparently, a relative had asked her for some money to finance a business, and being the doting aunt that she was, she gladly but mistakenly, obliged.

The question then was where should she get the refinance loan? She spoke to an agent of a very popular mortgage loan broker who offered her a fixed 30-year mortgage at 2% per annum. The broker told her that the interest rate was so low, it would make her cry, that the mortgage payment would be fixed for 30 years, and that she could even choose from several amounts of mortgage payments, depending on which one she would be most comfortable with.

She signed all the loan documents without reading them as most seniors would do. After paying for two years, she noticed that the loan balance, instead of decreasing, was increasing!

Eventually, she got a letter from Wells Fargo informing her that the bank had taken over the loan. In addition, Wells Fargo said that she had a default of $20,000, and that if this amount was not paid in full immediately, foreclosure of her residence would ensue. When she called the famous loan broker to ask what was going on, she was told that the loan broker was being criminally indicted for a massive

Community Journal

Client files chapter 13 Calendar of Events across merica while hoping for a loan modification of mortgage ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS!

A

Client seeks chapter 7 relief for $78K credit card debt

loan mortgage fraud scheme. It was only then that client realized that she had been duped. She did some research and found out that Wells Fargo had taken over the loans of World Savings, including hers, and that Wells Fargo was actually trying to make things right for the victims of this “massive” fraud as part of the settlement with the Attorney General’s office as well as part of the Federal “bail out” funds.

She called Wells Fargo and was given the run around. Wells Fargo wrote her many letters saying that they were going to look into the matter and would get back to her within 30 days.

The 30 days dragged into 7 years without any resolution.

Wells Fargo started foreclosure proceedings and client paid off the entire default of $57K. It was back to square one for a while then the problem resurfaced.

Client hired a succession of lawyers who all went against a brick wall because client did not want to sue; all she wanted was to have the matter amicably resolved by negotiation.

Now there is a default of $40K, and Wells Fargo wants to foreclose yet again. She now retains me for a Chapter 13 to stop the foreclosure and to negotiate a settlement with the bank without a lawsuit. Fortunately, I was able to get some positive response with the bank saying that they are now having their legal department look into it, and that they would propose a settlement by next week. It remains to be seen whether the bank is now

serious in resolving this matter, or if they are bluffing again.

Second client is 74. Her husband left her 20 years ago. She was able to sell the family home a couple of years ago with a net profit of $200K. Then, disaster struck. Her only son got sick, lost his job because of his illness and became her dependent. She had to take care of her 40-year old son, who moved in with her.

Medical insurance would not pay for a lot of the expenses. So, the $200K evaporated after 3 years.

After that, she relied on credit cards to pay for her son’s medical bills. Fortunately, her son got well and will son be joining the work force again. The problem is she now owes $78K of credit cards. The minimum payment is $3K a month. She only gets social security of $1800 and a pension of $500. She is able to pay her rent of $800. But there is just no way she can pay the 78K of credit cards. So at 74, client decides to wipe out all her credit card debt and obtain a fresh start!

“Let God (Adonai/Yahweh) have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” — 1 Peter 5:7 *** 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.

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Tax consequences of divorced, non-custodial…

PAGE A2 t

years. The non custodial parent should file form 8332 with his or her tax return in order to be entitled to the exemption. To avoid any confusion and tax issues with the IRS, the parties should attempt to agree or resolve in court the issue of who will claim the dependency exemption of the children as part of the divorce judgment. Parties should seek the assistance of an experi-

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enced attorney to weed through complex family law issues. ***

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

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a 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

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 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.

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***

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 JA N UA RY 3 0

Infant Jesus of Prague 9 hour Novena and Mass The Infant Jesus of Prague Apostolic Group is celebrating 32 years of service and prayer, and will hold its 32nd annual 9-hour Novena and Mass in honor of the Divine Child Jesus on Saturday, January 30, at Saint Joseph the Worker Church (19855 Sherman Way, Winnetka, California). The Novena starts at 7:00am with Mass following at 3:20 pm. Based in San Fernando Valley, the Apostolic Group aims to promote the Gospel message of Jesus and spread devotions to the Infant Jesus. For more information, please contact Leo Nevada at (818) 633 3926 or visit www.IJPAG.com.

Year of the Monkey celebrations at The Grove and the Americana at Brand Both The Grove in Los Angeles and the Americana at Brand will transform into a grand celebration of cheer and good fortune on Saturday, January 30 from 2:00 – 5:00pm with two Chinese New Year parades, including traditional lion and dragon performances, Chinese and Korean folk dancers, and a special appearance by cast members from the comedy TV series “Fresh Off the Boat” at The Americana. Guests can also enjoy traditional lantern décor, calligraphy artists, face painters and craft activities for kids, gourmet food and cultural bites, special shopping offers and surprise gifts (including cash prizes or gift cards) in lucky red envelopes, from now until Feb. 8. The dancing fountains at both properties will turn red for Lunar New Year, and the event will conclude with a final parade. Share your photos of the event by tagging #LunarAmericana and #LunarGrove.

F E B R UA RY 1 - 4

Prof. Enrique Soriano Talks About Philippine Business and Franchising Opportunities Prof. Enrique Soriano, ASEAN Family Business Advisor and book author will be delivering a talk on Philippine business and franchising opportunities on February 1st at the Philippine Consulate in New York and on February 4th in Boston. Free admission but reservations required. This is a wonderful opportunity for kababayans to learn about owning a business while still working in the US. This event was put together by BKP, a US based social enterprise group helping Filipino children to read their way out of poverty; the Philippine Consulate in New York, and the Harvard Philippine Forum.

F E B R UA RY 3

A Tagalog conversation with USCIS: ‘How to Become a US Citizen’ United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites you and your relatives to attend a Tagalog-language community event on Wednesday, February 3rd, from 6:00–7:30pm, at the Carson Community Center (801 East Carson Street, Hall A, Carson, CA 90745). Representatives will go through the process and answer your questions about how to become a lawful citizen of the US. For more information about the event, please email us at Public.Engagement@uscis.dhs.gov.

F E B R UA RY 5 -A P R I L 1

Eagle Rock High School Monthly Open House Tours Eagle Rock High School invites the community to International Baccalaureate Open House Tours, from 8-10am during the spring semester on Friday, February 5; Friday, March 11; and Friday, April 1. Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School serves students in grades 712, and was the first school in the LAUSD to be authorized to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (grades 7-10) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (grades 11-12), a project-based program for concept and content-based learning to promote global mindedness and service to others. The IB Open House is open to all interested students, and will include an introductory presentation in the ERHS library, followed by campus tours, classroom visits, and a short questionand-answer period. To register for the Open Houses, please visit www.erhs.la, and click on the “IB Open House Registration” link. Please email Mylene Keipp mylene.keipp@lausd.net for more information. We look forward to your visit!

F E B R UA RY 5 -1 5

University of the East Tau Alpha Sigma (TAS) fraternity golden anniversary Please join us in congratulating TAS for their Golden (50th) Anniversary to be held at Tower Club, Philamlife Building in Makati, Philippines on February 5, 2016. All brothers from all over the world are encouraged to attend. There will be fun–filled activities including dancing, singing, reminiscing college days, golf, trips to Bicol, Batangas, and Tagaytay and reconnecting with both old and new TAS brothers and their spouses. Those who have not yet confirmed their attendance, please contact: (USA) Bernie Lim (bernielim@sbcglobal. net) & Rene Marcos (rmarcos_cpa@verizon.net); (PHILIPPINES) Rodrigo Mangay-ayam (rodman0983@yahoo.com.ph) & Manny Bautista (Manuel.D.Bautista@ph.ey.com).

F E B R UA RY 6

Miss Magsingal Organization of America Coronation & Dinner-Dance The Officers and Members of Miss Magsingal Organization of America (MOA) cordially invites townmates and friends to attend our Miss MOA 2016-17 Coronation and Dinner/Dance on Feb. 6, from 5:00pm -12 midnight at the Hilton of Stockton (2323 Grand Canal Blvd, Stockton, CA). Our Royal Court to be honored and crowned are: Her Majesty Queen, Jillian Foronda; 1st Princess, Jemina Atanaya; and 2nd Princess, Jeramae Luczon. Attire is formal, dinner is $50/person, with live band entertainment. Limited seats are available on a first come first serve basis. For more details, please call Tereso U (209) 603-8440, Lanie (209) 814-8004, and Grace (209) 817-5674. Thank you.

St. Finbar Catholic Church Valentine’s Dinner Dance When: Saturday, February 6 from 7:00 - 11:00pm.

Cost per ticket: $30.

For more information on all events, please contact Marian Nobleza at 818-219-6463.

F E B R UA RY 7

Harvest Baptist Church 9th Anniversary celebration We are inviting you and your family to the 9th Year Anniversary celebration of Harvest Baptist Church located at 92 Hill St., Daly City, California. on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at 10am. Be our special guest in witnessing God’s faithfulness and goodness. Lunch and Nursery will be provided. For more inquiries call 650/296-0922. See you there!

F E B R UA RY 1 2

An Intimate Night with Miguel Vera Beat the Valentine’s Day rush and get your tickets to “An Intimate Night with Miguel Vera,” a special Valentine Show featuring Miguel Vera, performing the greatest OPM hits and romantic Filipino classics by Cayabyab, Canseco, and Cruz. The one-night-only concert will take place at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel (7675 Crescent Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620) on February 12 at 8:00pm. Special guests include Annie Nepomuceno and Kit Navarro. Please call (714) 814-0412 or (818) 913-329 for tickets and information. Tickets are $40 each.

MARCH 13

Sto. Tomas, Batangas Association Fiesta The Sto. Tomas, Batangas Association of Southern California will celebrate their fiesta on Sunday, March 13, at 1:00pm at Sliver Star Financial office (217 N Azusa St. Azusa, CA).

For further details, please call Willie Manacsa (818) 400-7391, Ofie Villanueva (626) 3834152, Rosie Sancianco (951) 898-7628 or Myrna Jaurigue at (909) 545-9876.

A P R I L 1 7-3 0

Pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, Mexico and India Amazing Pilgrimages for the Jubilee Year of Mercy! All are welcome to join Fr. Joe Joseph of Holy Trinity Church for the spiritual and fun-filled experiences of EASTERN EUROPE (April 17- 30): Poland, Czech., Austria, Hungary, Medjugorje; COLONIAL MEXICO/ OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (June 20 - 27): Mexico City, Theotihuacan, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Ocotlan, Xochimilco, Guanajuato, San Miguel De Allende, Guadalajara, San Juan De Los Lagos, Cristo Rey, Zapopan, Tonala; and INDIA (September 15 - 29): Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kerala. For more pilgrimage information and detailed flyers, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com OR call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

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Community Journal

Meeting God as a child: Filipinos’ simple spirituality

To Live With Faith ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas FOUR and a half centuries – that’s how long the Filipino people have venerated the image of Santo Niño de Cebu.

It’s one of most popular religious devotion in the Philippines, second to Simbang Gabi Masses.

The devotion started during the second Spanish Expedition to the Philippines in 1565. While surveying the debris of the village in Cebu where they landed, the Spanish soldiers headed by Miguel Legaspi found an image of the Child Jesus under a pile of ashes, unscratched and unburned, inside a wooden box.

Later on, they learned that this image of the Child Jesus was the gift of Magellan, the leader of the first Spanish Expedition to the Philippines in 1521, to the queen of the island, Juana, on the day of her Christian baptism.

From then, Filipinos have venerated this image of the Holy Child and called it the miraculous Santo Niño. Its devotion spread throughout the Philippines and the world. The Holy See gave permission to celebrate his feast day on the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time.

The original image is enshrined in the Basilica of Santo Niño in Cebu, where the annual International Eucharistic Congress was held last week.

Every year, millions of pilgrims come to Cebu to join in the celebration of his feast day with Novena prayers and a Pontifical Mass, followed by a festive procession and dances called “Sinulog” along the streets of Cebu.

What is so amazing is that this image is ubiquitous – almost every home, restaurant, mall, office and even Jeepneys (the popular local transportation) has this image. Not only do the Filipino people venerate the Santo Nino, they also dress him up in different ways.

So you see Santo Niño dressed up as a farmer, a fisher-

“

faith that is free, humble, totally dependent on the Father, and entrusting to God’s will.

This is the spirituality that evangelizes, that reaches out and converts people to Christ.

It’s much like the experience of St. Edith Stein, the Jewish German philosopher and scholar who converted to Catholicism after her experience of the ordinary piety of Catholic people during her times. It was not his scholarly works that finally converted her. It was her experience of seeing folks expressed their faith with so much devotion – like the experience she had when she entered the Frankfurt Cathedral and was impressed by the faith of a woman kneeling inside the church, praying with so much devotion.

“To the synagogues or to the Protestant churches which I had visited,” she wrote, one went only for services.” “Here was someone interrupting her everyday shopping the God who entered our broken errands to come into this church, although no other person was in human condition.

He is the God of history, as it, as though she were here for Edward Schillebeeckx contends; an intimate conversation. I could he is involved in the history of never forget that.”

So, let us as meet the Childour lives.

He is very much a part of God with meekness, devotion, our being and our ordinary ex- and simplicity of faith. Let us istence, as Karl Rahner would learn from the spirituality and convey. He is immanent and religiosity of the Filipino people: transcendent. He is the ground a spirituality that sees God as an intimate part our daily lives, of our being.

He is God who is the hope a God who is involved in human and consolation of the poor, the history, a God who became one captives, the blind, and the op- like us!

(A homily delivered to the pressed. So we dress him up as a poor fisherman, a laborer or a seminarians and guests of St. John’s Seminary on the Feast of student.

For us Filipinos then, God is Santo Niño, January 24, 2016) *** so much accessible. He is not a tyrant or an arrogant God. He From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend is God-child. To him, we can Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the unburden all our hardships, in- priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in securities and fears. To him, we 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. can come to relieve our pains Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, and to find comfort and joy in Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, his presence.

There is so much to learn he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. from Filipinos’ understanding John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his of God. Many of us, sometimes, appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart come with sophisticated theol- of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted ogy or spirituality. A lot of times 12 years. His term as Associate Director in our life, what we need is the of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s simplicity of faith – a childlike Seminary began in July 2014. man, a doctor, a teacher or even a basketball player with a Lakers t-shirt.

You might say that this veneration has gone too far. But I believe that there is something deeper in seeing this Filipino piety and devotion. It speaks of our pious faith as Filipino Catholic Christians and our understanding of God. You see, for us Filipinos, God is everywhere. He is part of our lives and our world. He is never out there in a distant place. God is very much part of our everyday lives.

Our understanding of God speaks of a low Christology: the God of the Scriptures, the God who became human like us, and

Our understanding of God speaks of a low Christology: the God of the Scriptures, the God who became human like us, and the God who entered our broken human condition.

”

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016

C

C JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM Big businesses that started with humble beginnings

& Immigration Corner

Started from the bottom now they’re here. Your Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ thriving business can turn out to be the next great empire, just like this global league IF, years ago, you were petitioned by an employer, and of extraordinary corporations that employer’s petition (Form

by VIda lacano Inquirer.net

IN life, there are thriving businesses, and then there are those that graduate to big time conglomerates. Here’s a hat tip to some of the world’s best companies that continue to inspire every business owner with their success stories–proof that any business with a great idea and even greater plans can make it big.

1. Mattel You can thank this company for being part of your childhood years.

The company behind Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price toys actu-

Inquirer.net photo

ally started out small, initially producing and selling picture frames from a garage workshop in Southern California before moving on to selling dollhouse furniture. Encouraged by the success of their latter product, the founders, Ruth and Elliot Handler and Harold “Matt” Matson, decided to make toys the heart of their business. They hit it big in 1959 when they introduced the Barbie doll, named after Ruth Handler’s daughter Barbara, propeling Mattel to the forefront of the toy industry. Through the years they have and still continue to inspire and bring out the creativity in kids with their line of amazing toys, including the Cabbage Patch Kids, Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox, and Polly Pocket.

2. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf A very enterprising Herbert Hyman founded Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in 1963. Hyman and his wife were on a honeymoon in Sweden when he discovered great tasting coffee consumed by the locals. Impressed by the quality of coffee they have there, he decided to import PAGE D3

The Philippine tourism industry generated about $6 billion and a total 5.3 million arrivals in 2015. This year, DOT targets six million international tourists, up 13 percent from last year.

DOT targets $6.5-billion tourist receipts for 2016 by louIse

Maureen Philstar.com

sIMeon

MANILA—The Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking at a 10 percent increase in foreign receipts to $6.5 billion for 2016 on the back of enhanced air connectivity and capacity expansion initiatives.

The Philippine tourism industry generated about $6 billion and a total 5.3 million arrivals in 2015. This year, DOT targets six million international tourists, up 13 percent from last year.

The DOT is banking on three drivers for the sustained growth of the industry: better air access, added accommodation facilities and strengthened marketing and promotion strategies.

DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon noted they want to position the Philippines as a multiple gateway destination, as well as conduct more air talks with other countries.

“We conduct air talks very deliberately and review where we need more connectivity. The next few years will see a more equitable distribution of tourist traffic across the country. The government’s liberalized civil aviation policy has resulted in more visitor traffic to other gateways,” Bengzon said on the sidelines of the Hospitality Investment Conference Philippines yesterday.

The department is also allocating P24 billion this year for its convergence program with PAGE D2

Phinma CEO transfers to 8990

by IrIs

Gonzales Philstar.com

MANILA—Phinma Property Holdings Corp. president and CEO Willie Joven Uy will move to another housing developer, 8990 Holdings effective Feb. 1, industry sources said.

Uy will join 8990 as chief operating officer and will work closely with company president Januario Jesus Atencio.

8990 is among the fastest growing mass housing companies in the country.

The Home Development Mutual Fund also known as the PagIBIG Fund picked 8990 as the top developer corporate-wide in terms of take-out value.

In the first three quarters of 2015, 8990 was able to beef up its landbank with the acquisition of 25.4 hectares in Legones, Iloilo and 60.2 hectares in Cabug, Bacolod. This brought the company’s total landbank to 503 hectares.

The company is gearing up for global expansion after strengthening its foothold in various parts of the country. It is in exploratory talks with a potential partner for a possible joint venture project in Tanzania in East Africa.

Atencio said the possible partnership is for a housing project that would involve the development by 8990 Holdings of 50,000 to 100,000 units.

“During the company’s stockholders’ meeting in July, Atencio said 8990 had set a revenue goal

Phinma Property Holdings Corp. president and CEO Willie Joven Uy Philstar.com photo

of between P9.6 billion and P10 billion for 2015 and a net income target range of P3.8 billion to P4 billion, with a minimum 40 percent net margin.

The company is behind Deca Homes. Its projects are located in Cebu, Iloilo, Cavite, Davao, Pampanga and along EDSA in Metro Manila where its first Urban Deca Tower will rise.

It recently launched Urban Deca Homes Manila, which is located in Vitas, Tondo. The project consists of 13 mid rise residential buildings with a total of 13,212 condominium units and 2,226 parking slots. It will also have a mall.

One building comprising 1,000 units will be constructed every three months until its target completion in 2019.

I -140) was approved, but you never received a green card from that case, a new employer could petition you, and you could possibly have the old priority date transferred to the new case. This could save years of waiting time for a green card, as you could utilize the old priority date from the first employer’s case. In addition, it does not even need to be the same type of job!

For example, a person was petitioned as a caregiver in 2000, and their I-140 was approved. However, before the person could adjust status, the employer went out of business, and the case was never concluded. Years later, in 2015, the person had a new employer who will petition them as an accountant. Of course, they will still need to file a new labor certification application (PERM) and have it certified by the Department of Labor, and have a new I-140 filed and approved by USCIS for an ac-

D

It could be possible to retain and transfer your old employment-based priority date

countant. However, they could then have the old 2000 priority transferred to the newly – filed Form I-140.

Even though the USCIS is currently processing cases with 2007 priority dates, if a person is able to retain and transfer their older (or earlier) priority date, they would be immediately eligible to file for adjustment of status and get a green card, instead of waiting years for the later priority date to become current! The regulation states that a “petition approved on behalf of an alien. . . accords the alien the priority date of the approved petition for any subsequently filed petition for any classification. . . for which the alien may qualify.” If a person has several approved petitions, the person is entitled to the earliest priority date. (Note: transferring of priority dates in this manner applies only for employment based petitions; not for family based petitions.)

If you have a previously approved employment – based petition, and you believe you may be eligible under this regulation, you should seek the advice of an

attorney, who can evaluate your situation, and determine your eligibility. I also want to caution you that there are other requirements as well, such as if you are out of status, you may still need the benefit of section 245(i)-- if your priority date was after April 30, 2001. In addition, if your previous petition was revoked or denied, you may not be eligible to transfer the priority date to another petition. However, if your situation qualifies, you could save years of waiting time for a green card by retaining and transferring an older employment – based priority date. ***

member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES

Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active

(Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone. Know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.”

— Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy’s

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IRS issues nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days WASHINGTON—The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that it issues 90 percent of refunds in less than 21 days. The best way to check the status of a refund is online through the “Where’s my Refund?” tool at IRS.gov or via the IRS2Go phone app.

“As February approaches, more and more taxpayers want to know when they can expect their refunds,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “There aren’t any secret tricks to checking on the status of a refund. Using IRS.gov is the best way for taxpayers to get the latest information.”

Many taxpayers are eager to know precisely when their money will be arriving, but checking “Where’s My Refund” more than once a day will not produce new information. The status of refunds is refreshed only once a day, generally overnight.

“Where’s My Refund?” has the most up to date information available about your refund. Taxpayers should use this tool rather than calling.

Taxpayers can use “Where’s

My Refund?” to start checking on the status of their return within 24 hours after IRS has received an e-filed return or four weeks after receipt of a mailed paper return. “Where’s My Refund?” has a tracker that displays progress through three stages: (1) Return Received, (2) Refund Approved and (3) Refund Sent.

The IRS2Go phone app is another fast and safe tool taxpayers can use to check the status of a refund.

In addition, users can use the app to find free tax preparation help, make a payment, watch the IRS YouTube channel, get the latest IRS news, and subscribe to filing season updates and tax tips. The app is free for Android devices from the Google Play Store or from the Apple App Store for Apple devices.

Users of both the IRS2Go app and “Where’s my Refund” tools must have information from their current, pending tax return to access their refund information.

The IRS reminded taxpayers there’s no advantage to calling about refunds. IRS representatives can only research the status of your

DOT targets $6.5-billion tourist...

PAGE D1 the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to ensure access roads to major tourist destinations are constructed and properly maintained.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of expanding the capacity of the country in terms of hotel rooms and accommodations, not just in Metro Manila but in secondary gateways as well.

“It is important to get international brands in secondary destinations because it helps raise the profile of the destinations, thus driving stronger demand,” Bengzon said.

The star rating system initiative of the DOT for hotels and resorts, on the other hand, remains under review. It was originally scheduled to start last November but was postponed due to continuous dialogues with hotel and resort

refund in limited situations: if it has been 21 days or more since you filed electronically, more than six weeks since you mailed your paper return, or “Where’s My Refund?” directs you to contact us. If the IRS needs more information to process your tax return, we will contact you by mail.

The IRS continues to strongly encourage the use of e-file and direct deposit as the fastest and safest way to file an accurate return and receive a tax refund. More than four out of five tax returns are expected to be filed electronically, with a similar proportion of refunds issued through direct deposit.

The IRS Free File program offers free brand-name software to about 100 million individuals and families with incomes of $62,000 or less. Seventy percent of the nation’s taxpayers are eligible for IRS Free File. All taxpayers regardless of income will again have access to In their first multilateral tariff-cut deal in 20 years, APEC members are moving to reduce tariffs to five percent or less on certain goods like free online fillable forms, which solar panels, wind turbines, and air pollution control equipment.

Inquirer.net photo provide electronic versions of IRS paper forms to complete and file.

Both options are available through IRS.gov.

by Voltaire Palaña control equipment. lion within five years, fueled by Manilatimes.net The tariff cut is in line with increasing global energy conowners.

THE 21-member Asia Pacific global talks under the World sumption, demand for greater The new star rating of the DOT Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Organization. efficiency, and environmental is targeted to bring the system in Along with efforts to support regulation, the APEC said. group published on Thursday, line with those applied in other Jan. 28 details of the implemen- service providers that use clean The group added that the countries. The formal classificatation of tariff cuts on 54 envi- technologies, the tariff reduc- progress of implementation work tion comprises five levels, ranging ronment-friendly goods, which tions position the region to meet and next steps to further develop from one to five stars, which is are expected to boost trade and its target of doubling renewable the environmental sector would based on a point system focusing support the fight against climate energy by 2030 and reducing be points of discussion when the on inventory, availability, condienergy intensity by 45 percent region’s officials meet in Lima on change. tion and quality of facilities.

In their first multilateral tar- by 2035.

February 20 to March 4 to open The DOT hopes to gain the conIn its official website, the Peru’s year as chair of APEC iff-cut deal in 20 years, APEC fidence of foreign and domestic members are moving to reduce APEC said the tariff reductions this year. travelers who visit the Philippines tariffs to five percent or less on on its list of environmental goods For the Philippines, Most for business and leisure and raise certain goods like solar panels, would promote intra-regional Favored Nation (MFN) tariffs of the country’s tourism competitivewind turbines, and air pollution trade worth around $300 billion products included in the APEC ness. and global trade worth $500 Environmental Goods Initiative billion. are at 5 percent or below except This, the group said, would for six tariff lines whose tariffs unlock new sources of economic are to be reduced to 5 percent growth while giving impetus to subject to the issuance of the the Environmental Goods Agree- implementing Executive Order ment talks under WTO, which are by the President. set to continue this year.

This process also requires the “Each APEC economy has put Philippine Tariff Commission forward an implementation plan (PTC) to hold public consultadetailing the progress of their tions and conduct investigations work to cut tariffs on the region’s on petitions for tariff modificalist of 54 environmental goods,” tion. said Marie Sherylyn Aquia, the The PTC then submits the renew Chair of the APEC Commit- sults of the consultations and its tee on Trade and Investment, recommendations to the National the coordinating body for the Economic and Development initiative.

Authority and an inter-agency “The reduction of tariffs under committee, for deliberation. the APEC environmental goods Upon approval of the NEDA initiative is an important step for- Board, which makes the final ward for trade and green growth,” decision, the Tariff Commission Aquia explained. “Transparent, prepares the EO to be signed by easy-to-access information on the President. tariff cuts within the sector made In details of implementation available by APEC economies will submitted by the Philippines, help businesses take advantage among the environmental prodof new trade opportunities while ucts covered by the APEC tariffpromoting clean, efficient energy cut deal are: flooring panels, use, and lower carbon emissions parts of vapor-generating boilers, in the region.” condensers for vapor power units, Half of the top ten global ex- parts of steam or other vapor turporters of environmental goods bines, parts of industrial furnaces and 12 of the top 30 are APEC or ovens including non-electric economies, according to the In- incinerators, instantaneous or ternational Trade Centre. storage water, machinery for The total market for environ- liquefying air or other gases, and mental goods and services is filtering or purifying machinery expected to double to $2 tril- for liquids.

APEC cuts tariffs on environmental goods

Binay: Economic growth must create jobs

by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

MANILA—Vice President Jejomar Binay downplayed on Friday, Jan. 29 the 6.3 percent growth in the economy in the last quarter of 2015, saying such improvement is “meaningless unless it provides jobs” for the people.

He also criticized the marginal improvement in the agriculture sector at only 1.6 percent from 2011 to 2015, saying the figure proves the continued neglect by the Aquino administration of this vital sector.

“The agricultural sector had a very imperceptible growth last year at 0.2 percent. Agriculture, despite being the dominant sector, is the least productive under the present administration,” Binay said.

Lawmakers also hit Malacañang on Friday, Jan. 29 for making it appear that the country’s growth and corruption figures improved last year.

Reps. Terry Ridon of the Kabataan party-list group and Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of Leyte said the Palace was trying to put different spins on the country’s 6.3 percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year, and the 2015 Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) where the Philippines slid 10 notches from 85th to 95th place.

This is the second year that the GDP has slumped, with growth sliding from the peak 7.1 percent growth in 2013, to 6.1 percent in 2014, to only 5.8 percent last year, Ridon said.

Binay said the agriculture sector’s dismal growth rate under the Aquino administration was the second lowest recorded since 1986 as he vowed to focus on improving the sector, provide jobs and address widespread poverty, especially in rural areas, if he wins the presidency.

His administration, he claimed, would concentrate on generating jobs in the 15 provinces with the most number of poor families,

Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay

especially those with poverty incidence greater than 50 percent, which he identified as Lanao del Sur (67.3 percent), Eastern Samar (55.4 percent), Apayao (54.7 percent) and Maguindanao (54.5 percent).

He promised to create economic zones in key agricultural provinces and train farmers to shift from subsistence farming to agribusiness.

On the GDP growth, Ridon said, “These figures offer a bleak economic forecast for the coming year. Yet, what we are more appalled about is the fact that Malacañang officials, especially presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, still have the gall to heap praises to the administration despite the slowdown.”

He added that instead of discussing the economic downturn as it is, Lacierda and Abad “twisted data to downplay, and even hide” the slowdown.

Lacierda used technical terms like the ‘six-year moving average,’ which actually masks the fact that a marked economic slowdown has again taken place, he stressed.

Ridon pointed out that the government’s fiscal managers actually projected a seven to eight percent GDP growth, as reflected in the 2015 National Expenditure Program.

“We’re way off-target and this has serious implications, even for the country’s national budget,” he said. (With Paolo Romero)

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Peso expected to hit 49:$1 this year

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

Based on a Yahoo Finance report quoting a company spokesperson, UberEats app will allow customers to order from full menus of various restaurants and have the food delivered to them quickly by Uber drivers.

Inquirer.net photo

Uber to offer full-scale meal delivery service in US Five years since starting a ride-hailing app, Uber is set to offer a full-scale meal delivery service to the public in certain US cities by end-March, according to a report.

Based on a Yahoo Finance report quoting a company spokesperson, Ubereats app will allow customers to order from full menus of various restaurants and have the food delivered to them quickly by Uber drivers.

The said service will be available in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Austin, Texas.

Ubereats is set to be offered in

Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle and Dallas as well.

Uber’s full-scale meal delivery service has been available for more than a month now in Toronto with over 100 restaurants. Customers have been able to order from a full-scale menu from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The estimated delivery time is from 30 to 40 minutes.

The service starts when a customer orders from a certain restaurant. Uber will then contact the said establishment and will estimate the time preparation needed. When the Uber predicts

that the food is ready for delivery, it will look for a driver near the said restaurant. The decision whether to deliver lies on the said driver.

The estimated delivery fee is $5 per order which may vary depending on the city. The company will share a certain amount of fee with the driver who delivered the food.

Similarly, Uber will charge the restaurants a certain fee for every order purchased.

Ubereats is an expansion to the lunchtime-only service the company offered last year which transported goods. (Inquirer. net)

Pinoy net users careless about passwords, says study by rainier

aLLan Philstar.com

21 percent for social media sites.

Consumers believe that online shopping and payment applications require strong passwords, but they don’t put the same value on these sites.

Twenty-nine percent of the respondents considered online shopping to be a personally important service, although over a third or 38

ronda

ALMOST half of the world’s internet users admit to being careless with their passwords, making them vulnerable to hacking.

A global study conducted by the internet security firm Kaspersky Lab, whose more than 1,000 respondents were from the Philippines, showed that an alarmingly high 44 percent admit to having shared their passwords with somebody or left them visible to others.

Kaspersky Lab said the result of the Consumer Security Risks Survey 2015 indicated a lack of cyber-knowledge, which makes it easy for criminals to gain access to one’s information online.

David emm, Kaspersky Lab principal security researcher, said with the internet becoming a major part of people’s lives, including banking and bills payment transactions, more care should be given to email accounts and gadget passwords.

“Consumers need to be more cyber-savvy about passwords.

Once shared, it is very difficult to know exactly where your password will end up. Our research shows that there is a real disconnect between the understanding of why we need strong passwords and the action people take to keep them safe. No one would expect a friend or family member to knowingly divulge a password, but by sharing it, consumers are increasing the risk of it falling into the wrong

PAGE D5

Philstar.com photo

hands,” emm said.

This could give cyber criminals easy access to one’s personal and financial information, and hacked accounts can be used to distribute malicious links and files to harm others.

“Worst, the identity of the victim can be at risk. even the most complex password is weak if it’s visible to others, so keep it to yourself,” emm said.

Asked about the importance of passwords, respondents were more likely to think strong passwords were necessary for online services they valued most highly.

The study said consumers believe the sites that need strong passwords were online banking with 54 percent, email 44 percent and social media 24 percent.

The list of the top three most important applications was almost identical: 53 percent for online banking, 43 percent for email and

Big businesses that started...

PAGE D1 them and sell them as gourmet coffee in Los Angeles. The company also gave coffee drinking a twist by introducing its signature ice Blended drinks during the summer of ’87, giving its customers option to enjoy their coffee hot on a cold day, or cold on a hot day. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is currently the oldest and largest privately held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States.

Fast fact: Their ice Blended drink was a precursor to the Starbucks Frappucino.

3. Starbucks Before Starbucks became a global brand that sold caffeinated beverages with their curious mermaid logo plastered on its paper coffee cups, they were a company that sold premium coffee beans.

Founded by teachers Zev Siegl and Jerry Baldwin and writer Gordon Bowker, Starbucks opened its first café in 1971, still selling roasted coffee beans before eventually trying out selling espresso coffee.

A former employee then bought Starbucks in 1987, quickly expanding its operations to numerous storefronts and adding more to their offerings, such as Frappuccino beverages, pastries, and even premium Starbucks mugs and tumblers. To date, the coffee company operates in 43 countries.

Fast fact: Starbucks tried to buy Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, but Coffee Bean declined.

4. Disney The happiest company on earth humbly began as a cartoon studio in the 1920s. The man behind the company, Walt Disney, had little with him when he arrived in California in 1923. He, however, had a cartoon creation called Alice’s Wonderland, which he sold off to a distributor, giving him the financial leeway to set up a then very small Walt Disney Studio with his brother. in 1926, they introduced Mickey

Inquirer.net photo

Mouse to the public, a cute rodent cartoon character that appealed to people of all ages. Mickey Mouse’s first feature film, Steamboat Willie, opened in 1928 and was well received by audiences and critics. To date, the Disney Company’s legacy continues to captivate both the young and the young at heart, providing everyone with experiences that are sure to bring out the child in anyone. Some of the company’s best acquisitions are Pixar Animation Studios and Lucasfilm, Ltd. 5. Wrigley We can probably thank Wrigley for creating that gum that helped a lot of us chew our way out of school tests. in 1891, businessman William Wrigley Jr. was selling soap and baking powder when he noticed that the sticks of gum he was giving away as incentives were becoming more popular than the merchandise he was selling. One to identify a great opportunity in front of him, Wrigley directed his focus to producing his own line of gums. Wrigley was even able to introduce two brands at the height of economic depression in 1893: Wrigley’s Spearmint and Juicy Fruit. These would become global brands decades later. Wrigley is now one of the largest gum companies in the world.

MANiLA—Standard Chartered Bank sees the Philippine peso depreciating between two and three percent this year but is expected to remain the most resilient currency in the region amid the volatile global financial markets.

Divya Devesh, foreign exchange strategist for South Asia and the Association of Southeast Asia at Standard Chartered Bank, said the peso is expected to end the year at 49 to $1.

“We think we are going to see a gradual pressure on the currency this year,” he said.

Devesh said the peso is expected to settle between 47 and 48 to $1 in the first half and to further weaken to48 to 49 versus the dollar in the second half.

“We see a gradual movement for the peso this year,” he said.

He explained slowing remittances from overseas Filipinos, as well as further equity outflows could further weigh on the peso.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently lowered its growth forecast for cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to four percent instead of five percent this year due to the weakening of currencies in host countries and the decline in oil prices.

Latest data from the central bank showed the peso shed 5.2 percent to 47.06 to $1 in end 2015 from 44.72 to $1 in end 2014.

The peso is seen ending the first quarter at 47.30 to $1, the second quarter at 47.75, the third quarter and the fourth quarter at 48.50 to $1.

Standard Chartered Bank global chief economist Marios Maratheftis said the peso would remain the most resilient currency in the region. “The peso is much more stable than other currencies,” he said.

Philstar.com photo

He explained weak external demand remains a headwind but other sources such as tourism receipts and revenues from the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector would remain positive factors.

Devesh said the peso remains overvalued by most measures and tighter monetary conditions could lead to further weakness in the local currency.

“The dollar has some further strength in the first half before consolidating in the second half amid the continuing policy divergence,” Devesh said.

Likewise investors are going to monitor the move of the Chinese central bank on the yuan.

Standard Chartered Bank global chief economist Marios

Maratheftis said the peso would remain the most resilient currency in the region. “The peso is much more stable than other currencies,” he said.

A study conducted by the bank in April last year showed the main shock absorber of most countries against the normalization of interest rates in the US is the currency instead of the economy.

The study showed the most vulnerable currencies to the interest rate hike in the US include the Turkish lira, the indonesia rupiah, Brazilian real, and the Malaysian ringgit.

He attributed the resiliency of the peso against the dollar to the strong current account (CA) surplus being enjoyed by the Philippines.

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Longo Toyota delivers world class experience Being the premiere Toyota retailer in the nation, Longo Toyota aims to deliver a truly world-class experience to our guests on every transaction, everyday. it all starts with our friendly and welcoming staff, a clean and modern environment, and a wide range of services to make your visit pleasant and convenient. Here are some of our key amenities at Longo Toyota: Auto Club of Southern California (AAA) in november 1999, Longo Toyota became the first automotive dealership in the US to have the Auto Club on its premises. For 14 long years, our Auto Club branch has served countless satisfied Longo customers with its wide array of services Today, our on-site branch offers DMV services, airline, car and hotel reservations, discounted movie and local attraction tickets, membership processing, OnBoard Teen Safe Driver Program, and more. Sign up at our Longo Toyota branch and get $13 off the original membership application price. Located in our new car showroom, our AAA branch is open Mondays thru Saturdays, from 11am to 7pm.

Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer Longo Lexus is the first car dealership in the US to provide Verizon Wireless and Verizon Wireless neighborhood services on-site.

Our Verizon branch offers the latest in telecommunications, mobile devices, accessories and services. We also offer complimentary cellphone charging stations for our customers. Our Verizon retailer is located inside our parts retail center. Our Wireless Playground is open Monday-Friday, 7am7pm; Saturday, 7am-5:30pm; and Sunday, 8-4pm. Please call (888) 623-2133 for more information.

Starbucks and Subway While waiting for your car to come out of our car-care service lines, you can enjoy a quick bite at Subway or a nice refreshing drink at Starbucks.

We offer healthy dining options with Subway’s wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and wraps. if you’re thirsty and you’re looking for that quick coffee

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fix, you can grab a refreshing Hazelnut Macchiato or a smooth Caramel Frappuccino at Starbucks. Offering only the finest coffee specialties, teas, juices, and assortment of pastries, there’s something for everybody at our on-site Starbucks branch.

Both our Subway and Starbucks branches are available for catering services.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Longo Toyota also has two enterprise Rent-A-Car offices on its premises. One is located adjacent to the Service Drive in the Pre-Owned Vehicle Showroom, and the other is in the Collision Repair Center.

Customers are welcome to utilize the enterprise rental services, regardless of whether or not they leave their vehicle in Longo for any car service.

Complimentary Vehicle Delivery Service Longo Toyota also offer complimentary vehicle delivery service. Our delivery service is available 6 days a week, Monday thru Saturday, anywhere within a 60-mile radius of Longo Toyota.

Longo Toyota Parts and Accessories Department You can also shop at the Longo Toyota Parts and Accessories Department, which carries a wide selection of genuine Toyota parts and accessories for your vehicle. With thousands of parts and accessories in stock, we definitely have whatever it is you’re looking for. Our boutique also carries a selection of RayBan and Oakley sunglasses, women’s and men’s apparel, and so much more.

Shuttle Service For your convenience, Longo Toyota offers complimentary shuttle service while your vehicles are being serviced.

Our shuttles can take you to virtually anywhere within a 15mile radius of Longo Toyota – be it your home, work, the mall, or even the parlor!

Anywhere!

An engaging stay While we understand that our customer’s time is precious, we realize that many of them may need internet connectivity at all times. As such we are more than happy to provide FRee WiFi throughout our facility, and FRee use of our great business center. in our business center, we provide a quiet setting where our guests can work on our computers or on their own laptops.

We also provide free use of an iPad for Longo guests who are waiting for their vehicles. Our guest Check-in representative will be more than happy to arrange this for you. if you decide to bring the kids to the dealership, boredom will never be a problem. We also offer a variety of video games and DVDs just for kids so that they can also enjoy their visit to Longo Toyota.

For more information on our Longo Toyota guest Services, please log on to http://www. longotoyota.com/dealership/ amenities.htm.

Longo Toyota is located at 3534 north Peck Road, el Monte, CA 91731. Call (626)539-2584 to set up your appointment.

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Award-winning Rosedale master-plan continues to flourish with sensational lifestyle amenities & new conveniences AZUSA—The award-winning master-planned community of Rosedale is thriving more than ever before with a lifestyle that’s evolved into one of the most coveted in the San Gabriel Valley.

With an array of stunning newhome neighborhoods and a spectacular location close to downtown Los Angeles, it’s no surprise that this resort-style community continues to meet the needs of today’s homebuyers. At Rosedale homeowners can unplug from the city and get closer to nature with pristine open spaces, beautifully preserved heritage trees, and 10 community parks brimming with miles of scenic trails, acres of gardens, sports fields, tot lots and more. The Resort, Rosedale’s exclusive clubhouse and two-acre recreation center offers even more opportunities for playtime and leisure with a state-of-theart fitness center; a 75-foot Jr. Olympic swimming pool, spa and children’s wading pool; an openturf area with play structures and volleyball, and a 5,300 square-foot recreation area equipped with trellises, an outdoor fireplace, barbecues and much more.

The lifestyle advantages continue with unbeatable conveniences that include walkable proximity to the brand new Metro Gold Line Station at Citrus Avenue and Palm Drive. When the station opens to the public in March of this year, it will provide residents a simple, cost-efficient alternative to driving for both work and leisure. For more information on the Metro Gold Line, Visit www.foothillextension.

org. Rosedale homeowners are also located within close proximity of the I-10 and 210 corridors, making downtown Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties within easy reach for commuters.

Homebuyers ready to start their future in the San Gabriel Valley’s #1 master-planned community should register their interest at www.LiveRosedale.com to learn about brand-new luxury home opportunities.

“Rosedale has flourished over the years, and with impressive new home offerings, unbelievable amenities and new conveniences on the way, it’s only getting better,” said Mercedes Meserve, Vice President of Marketing for Rosedale Land Partners, LLC, the developer of Rosedale. “The Rosedale lifestyle is like no other, and now is the perfect time to be a part of it all.”

There are currently three stunning new luxury home collections now selling at Rosedale that will accommodate a variety of lifestyles and tastes. These offerings include Azalea by Christopher Homes, a gorgeous single-family collection starting from the $800,000s. Azalea’s timeless, contemporary designs span from approximately 3,174 to 3,538 square feet with four bedrooms and up to five and one-half baths. Priced from the $900,000s to the low $1 millions, Camellia by Brookfield Residential features three singlefamily luxury designs that span from approximately 3,607 to 4,134 square feet with up to six bedrooms and six and one-half

baths. Aster Heights by Brookfield Residential, offers a limited edition of luxury homes that are priced from $1.3 million. Designs range from approximately 4,652 to 4,925 square feet with up to seven bedrooms and up to seven and one-half baths.

Excellent retail, dining and entertainment opportunities surround Rosedale, with options that include Old Town Pasadena, Westfield Santa Anita Fashion Square, Westfield West Covina, Home Depot, Target, Trader Joe’s and Costco. Azusa Pacific University and Citrus Community College are also within a short walk of the community.

To visit the master-planned community of Rosedale, exit the 210 Freeway at Citrus Ave and head north towards the mountains. Turn left on Foothill Boulevard, right on Palm Drive, left on The Promenade and follow the signs to the neighborhoods.

Rosedale Land Partners Ownership and development management of the 518-acre master-planned community of Rosedale in the city of Azusa, CA is a new partnership between Brookfield Residential, Christopher Development Group (CDG) and Starwood Capital Group. As Rosedale Land Partners, these companies bring together the necessary depth of large-scale community planning, development and financing experience required for the successful implementation of community-based master planning and development.

(Advertising Supplement)

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

Marketplace & ShowrooM

Close out January with 72-hour sale at Glendale Nissan WITH January coming to a close, Glendale Nissan is announcing a 72-hour sale this weekend so customers can continue to save in the New Year!

Check out Glendale Nissan’s latest offerings which include models like the Versa Note, Sentra S, Altima, Rogue Select, Quest, Pathfinder S, and Murano.

“All new kababayans are welcome at Glendale Nissan,” said Filipino salesman John Sison, who works alongside Christian Rabia in the dealership’s Filipino sales team.

Sison says that among Filipino clientele, Sentras, Altimas and Rogues—all family cars—are particularly popular. But the dealership has much more in store.

Glendale Nissan is well-known for having one of the best selections of Nissans to choose from

in the Los Angeles area. The dealership aims to provide excellent customer service, and was recognized by Nissan Motor Company as an Owner First Award of Excellence dealer for its superior client service. One of the small ways it does this is by offering complimentary coffee to its customers.

In addition to its physical location, Glendale Nissan has an online showroom that makes it easy for customers to browse its huge selection of new, preowned and certified vehicles.

Customers can also search based on exact specifications, John Sison as well as search for vehicles Glendale Nissan within a designated budget.

727 S Brand Blvd.

Other online features include Glendale, CA 91204 live chat, a credit score estimaTel: (818) 240-6000 tor, the option to request for a Hours: Monday to Saturday quick quote, and access to the - 8:30am to 10pm; Sunday 9am financing application. to 9pm (Advertising Supplement)

Pinoy net users careless about passwords...

PAGE D3 percent felt it warranted a strong password.

Another 29 percent agreed that online payment systems need a strong password, with slightly fewer or 23 percent regarding these services as personally valuable.

More alarming is that although consumers agree that online financial transactions require a strong password, over a quarter or 29 percent thinks there is no need to have additional protection for their personal credentials when using the service.

They expect the brands they

shop to protect them.

Putting personal information is a greater risk, where a third or 33 percent of Internet users admitted to freely sharing passwords with family members.

Forty-four percent said they shared passwords and left them visible to others. One in ten or 11 percent shares passwords with friends and six percent with colleagues.

Over a third or 38 percent of consumers use a single email address for all their Internet needs, which made sharing the password with others potentially disastrous.

Should the password get into the wrong hands, all information stored in the email address could be unlocked.

To help users maintain the integrity of their passwords, Kaspersky Password Manager, a part of Kaspersky total security–multi device, provides an extra layer of protection by securely storing all passwords and synchronizing them with all devices.

The product remembers and generates strong passwords and has auto-logging capabilities for safer access to valuable applications, accounts and websites.

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 30-fEbRUARy 2, 2016 D

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EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

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EMPLOYMENT

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EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 30-fEbRUARy 2, 2016 D

FOR RENT

FOR RENT

SERVICES

D january 30-february 2, 2016 • La WeeKenD aSIan jOurnaL

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