Orange County/Inland Empire -- December 04 -- 10, 2015

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PH: Vulnerable countries need funds ‘with no strings attached’

by John

nery Inquirer.net

PArIs—halfway through the first week of the climate change negotiations in Paris, the Philippines is broadcasting an appeal for strong adaptation support, without conditions.

“We need predictable, scaled-up funding to adapt to the consequences of climate change. the world must heed this call if they are sincere in helping developing nations. there President Benigno S. Aquino III joins fellow leaders during the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) High Level Event should be no strings attached in this at Le Maroni of the Blue Zone UNFCCC Le Bourget in Paris, France on Monday, Nov. 30. Earlier, the President assistance,” secretary emmanuel de delivered his National Statement on the Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Malacañang photo by Joseph Vidal Guzman, chief of the Philippine del-

USA

DATELINE White House strengthens visa waiver program from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

the White house announced changes to a visa waiver program aimed at securely screening migrants from 38 nations not required to get visas before traveling to the Us. In light of the deadly Paris terror attacks in November that left 130 dead, the Department of homeland security (Dhs) will now gather more information from travelers about past visits to countries, such as syria and Iraq, the White house said on monday, Nov. 30. the White house characterized the “enhancements” as “a move that would stymie terrorists who try to use lost or stolen passports to travel.”

“Where we have opportunities to make meaningful enhancements, we won’t hesitate,” White house spokesman Josh earnest told reporters in Paris for the UN climate change summit. “We are cleareyed about the stakes.” the nation’s nearly 30-year-old visa waiver program helps bring nearly 20 milPAGE A2

Study: Harder for California students to get into state public universities tIGhter admissions standards and lack of state funding are making it more difficult for California high school students to be accepted into the state’s public university system, a new report found. the Campaign for College opportunity on monday, Nov. 30 released “Access Denied: rising selectivity at California’s Public Universities,” which revealed that the University of California (UC) and California state University (CsU) systems lack the capacity, among other factors, to serve the state’s growing population of college-eligible and ready students, forcing campuses to turn away a significant portion of applicants.

California is currently ranked 49th in the country in the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in a four-year university. the report went on to note, “when our four-year public university system cannot serve all qualified California students, we produce fewer bachelor’s degree holders PAGE A3

egation to the 21st Conference of Parties to the UN framework Convention on Climate Change, or CoP21, said in a statement. the Philippines, current chair of the Climate Vulnerable forum, an advocacy alliance, added its voice to the call of the key negotiating bloc known as the Group of 77 and China for developed economies to honor their “legal obligation” of sharing financial resources with struggling countries. earlier, the G77 and China spokesperson, Ambassador Nozipho mxakato-Diseko of south Africa, reminded

delegates that, under the UN Convention, “developed countries are obliged to provide financial resources, including technology transfer and capacity building to all developing countries. this is a legal obligation under the Convention. It is neither ‘aid’ nor ‘charity’, nor is it the same as development assistance.” the 2007 UNfCCC report on “Investment and financial flows to Address Climate Change” estimated that developing countries would need anywhere between $28 billion and $67 billion PAGE A2

14 killed, 21 injured in San Bernardino mass shooting

by Agnes

ConstAnte And Allyson esCobAr AJPress

tWo suspects in a san Bernardino mass shooting on Wednesday, Dec. 2, that left at least 14 people dead and 21 injured were killed in a shootout with police more than four hours after the rampage. syed rizwan farook, 28, a Us-born health inspector for san Bernardino County, and his wife, tashfeen malik, 27, carried out what authorities call a “well-planned” attack during a holiday party for san Bernardino County employees at the Inland regional Center. “these people came prepared to do what they did as if they were on a mission,” said san Bernardino police chief Jarrod Burguan, according to NBC News. “they were armed with long guns, not handguns.” the shooting was reported to have occurred at MASS SHOOTING. Flowers are left by the side of the road as a a police officer blocks the road leading to the site of the mass shooting in San Bernardino, around 11am, minutes after some sort of argu- Calif. A heavily armed man and woman dressed for battle opened fire on a holiday banquet for his co-workers Wednesday, Dec. 2, killing 14 people and AP photo by Chris Carlson PAGE A2 seriously wounding 21 others in a precision assault. Hours later, they died in a shootout with police.

Upheld: Jury’s $4.5M award to trafficked Filipino teachers Binay: No VAT hike after tax reform passage

Los ANGeLes— A Us appeals court monday, Dec. 1 upheld a jury’s $4.5 million award to a class of roughly 350 filipino teachers who accused recruitment companies of demanding they pay massive processing and placement fees or face losing their jobs in Louisiana.

Affirming a California federal judge’s amended judgment following the jury verdict, the the Ninth

Circuit decided that Los Angeles-based Universal Placement International Inc. and its principal, Lourdes “Lulu” Navarro, had to pay back the fees, along with about $1.3 million in attorneys’ fees. the teachers on November 4 had asked the appeals court to uphold a federal jury’s $4.5 million award.

A class of 347 filipino teachers, who came to the United states to work on h-

1B guest worker visas, said recruitment agencies and their agents misled them and collected millions of dollars in fees, according to Courthouse News service. they reportedly paid up to $16,000 each to work in public schools in Louisiana. the teachers incurred debts and the recruiters tried to silence them with threats of legal action and Mairi Nunag-Tanedo is one of hundreds of teachers recruited from the Philippines to PAGE A2 teach in Louisiana public schools.

Where to jail Pemberton?

there would be no increase in valueadded tax (VAt) when the income tax reform bill is passed into law during his administration, Vice President Jejomar Binay vowed on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Binay is the standard-bearer of the United Nationalist Alliance in next year’s elections.

“We will ensure that VAt will remain as it is so our people could buy more from their income,” he said. “the point of reducing the income tax would be meaningless if prices of our commodities would skyrocket because of increased VAt,” the Vice President added.

PAGE A3

by JomAr

CAnlAs ManilaTimes.net

the olongapo regional trial Court (rtC) has ordered the Philippine and the United states governments to submit a note identifying a permanent jail where a convicted Us marine, Joseph scott Pemberton, will serve his prison sentence.

According to a two-page order of Judge roline Ginez-Jabalde, the Philippine Commission on Visiting forces (PCVf) through its executive director, retired general eduardo oban Jr., was directed to submit a memorandum of agreement (moA) within five days. the olongapo City rtC on tuesday, GUILTY. Convicted US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton is escorted to his detention cell upon arrival at Camp Dec. 1 convicted Pemberton of homiAguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, Dec. 1. The Olongapo Regional Trial Court Branch 74 found Pemberton guilty in PAGE A2 the killing of transgender Jennifer Laude and sentenced him to 6-12 years in prison.

AP photo by Ted Aljibe

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Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay

A

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december 4-10, 2015 • Oc/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL

From the Front Page

PH: Vulnerable countries need...

PAGE A1

tor for adaptation and director annually by 2030 for adaptation of the Climate Change office of requirements—that is, retrofit- the Department of Agriculture, ting their economies to meet said the Paris climate treaty changing conditions caused must specify that adaptation by the consequences of global finance will be grants-based. warming.

“Assistance for infrastructure In the same statement, Alicia improvement, the relocation Ilaga, lead Philippine negotia- of communities to places that

are safer, require money. We shouldn’t have to be subjected to having more debt from the international community to get that help,” she said.

Climate funds that come in the form of interest-bearing loans would be difficult for developing countries like the members of the CVF to access. Grants, or outright donations, would be easier to secure.

The Forum, a coalition of 43 middle-sized economy and small-island developing countries headed by the Philippines, made a dramatic call last Monday for strong support of adaptation actions. The Manila-Paris Declaration put in writing the group’s ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to below 1.5°C. The CVF pointed out that developing countries are already “leading the design of adaptation plans” as reflected in the intended nationally determined contributions or INDCs they submitted before the start of COP21.

“The Paris agreement can make a difference on the ground if it supports the implementation of these proactive adaptation actions, and further efforts to lead by example,” the CVF said.

Upheld: Jury’s $4.5M award...

PAGE A1

14 killed, 21 injured in San Bernardino...

PAGE A1 ment involving Farook, according to multiple accounts recounted

by Burguan. Following the argument, Farook stormed out. Then, he and his wife, who were later identified, returned in full assault gear and guns, and opened fire on attendees.

An “explosive device” was also found in a secondary sweep of the building, authorities said, while objects made to appear as pipe bombs were thrown during the pursuit, said Meredith Davis, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) spokeswoman, according to NBC News.

Suspects Farook was an employee for the San Bernardino County Public Health Department, where he worked for five years. He attended the same party the previous year, and did not appear out of place, The New York Times reported.

CNN reported that law enforcement officials said he was reported to have been in communication with multiple international terrorism subjects being investigated by the FBI. The news agency further reported that Farook was radicalized, which contributed to his motive. However, law enforcement authorities said other issues, such as workplace grievances, may have also played a role.

In 2013, Farook traveled to Saudi Arabia for a few weeks for the Hajj, a pilgrimage devout Muslims are required to complete at one point in their lives.

The New York Times reported that Farhan Khan, who is married to Farook’s sister, said the couple met on a dating website, and that Farook traveled to Saudi Arabia at least two times: first to meet Malik’s family and a subsequent time to marry her.

Malik became a naturalized Pakistani-American citizen through her marriage to Farook two years ago.

deportation, the teachers’ lawsuit claimed.

Louisiana school districts chose Universal International Placement, based in Los Angeles Koreatown, its president Lourdes “Lulu” Navarro and Quezon City-based PARS International Placement Agency, to recruit the teachers.

The school districts hired Navarro even though she was a convicted swindler who served time for defrauding the California Medi-Cal system of more than $1 million. She also pleaded guilty to money laundering PAGE A1 in New Jersey, according to the cide for killing Jennifer Laude, a August 5, 2010 complaint. (In- transgender, in a motel in October 2014 after joint US-Philipquirer.net) pine military exercises near the city.

Jabalde sentenced Pemberton to six to 12 years in jail–after the charge was reduced from murder, which carries a heavier penalty– citing mitigating circumstances, including Laude not revealing that she was a transgender.

The court heard that Pemberton and Laude agreed to have sex after meeting in a bar, but that the drunken US Marine turned violent when he discovered that Laude still had male genitals.

It ordered Pemberton’s incarceration at the national penitentiary–the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City (Metro Manila)–but the convict was taken to a temporary detention facility at the Philippine military’s custodial center in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City pending a final decision on where he would serve his sentence.

“In view thereof, the Executive Director of PCVF is hereby ordered to submit to this court within five days from today the memorandum of agreement entered into by the above-mentioned agencies, and the written agreement between duly autho-

On the day of the shooting, the suspects left their six-month-old daughter with Farook’s grandmother, saying they had to go to a doctor’s appointment.

People who worked with Farook described him as a quiet person.

“He never struck me as a fanatic, he never struck me as suspicious,” Griselda Reisinger, a colleague who worked with Farook until May, told the Los Angeles Times.

Another co-worker who shared a cubicle with Farook, Patrick Baccari, said his colleague never acted out of the ordinary. He added that Farook hardly ever started conversations with other people and almost never talked about religion at work.

Another person acquainted with him, Maria Gutierrez, told the New York Daily News that Farook was “quiet but always polite.”

Khan also described the couple as “very private people” and said Farook was a “normal person,” the NY Times reported.

At a press conference in Anaheim, Khan said he was in “shock,” ABC News reported.

“I am very sad, deeply sad and shocked something like this happened here in my community.

I love this country, I’m living in this community for a long time and something like this happened here,” Khan said.

“On behalf of my family, we are all shocked and very sorry for what happened,” he continued.

“I have no idea why [Farook] would do that.”

As of press time, police have yet to determine a motive for the attack, but Burguan said investigators do not believe an individual was targeted in the incident.

In 2013, a man with his name and title working at the agency earned $53,000, according to records cited by CNN. Reports also say there was no indication his job was in jeopardy.

President Barack Obama on

Thursday, December 3, said the attack could have possibly been terrorist related, but provided no confirmation.

“At this stage we do not yet know why this terrible event occurred,” he said at the Oval Office.

“It is possible that this was terrorist related, but we don’t know. It’s also possible that this was workplace related,” Obama said, adding that more conclusions will be drawn after the FBI conducts a substantial number of interviews, CNN reported.

Burguan made a similar comment.

“We have no information at this point to indicate that this is terrorist related, in the traditional sense that people may be thinking,” he said, according to the LA Times. “Obviously, at a minimum, we have a domestic terrorist-type situation that occurred here.”

Earlier reports of a possible third suspect were dismissed on Thursday. Although a third person was detained after the attack, Burguan said the person was connected to a different case.

Guns used were purchased legally The guns used in the San Bernardino shooting were purchased legally in the United States, an ATF spokesman said, according to RT. The Associated Press reported that two were bought by someone who is now under investigation.

The suspects had two .223caliber assault rifles, which are powerful enough to break through the standard bulletproof vest worn by police officers. They also had two semi-automatic handguns manufactured by Ilama and Smith & Wesson, according to Burguan.

Authorities, including the FBI, said the level of preparedness and equipment used suggests a certain degree of planning, RT reported.

“They were in tactical gear PAGE A3

Where to jail Pemberton? rized representatives of the United States and the Republic of the Philippines on the confinement or detention of accused Pemberton after conviction,” the court ruled.

“Pending the submission of the MOA and written agreement between duly authorized representatives of the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines, accused [Lance] Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton is temporarily confined or detained [at the ] AFP Custodial Center at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, under the supervision of the Bureau of Corrections. Otherwise , the commitment order dated December 01, 2015 shall be enforced,” it said.

The RTC ruled that the convict be immediately brought to the national penitentiary.

Before the promulgation of the case, the Supreme Court denied a petition of the Laude family to order the transfer of Pemberton to a regular jail.

The US insists that its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the Philippines provides that American personnel accused of crimes will remain under US custody until completion of all judicial proceedings.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Ricardo Rainier Cruz 3rd

also on Wednesday said there is no chance that Pemberton will be detained at the national penitentiary.

Cruz added that he had expected that Pemberton will not be brought to the NBP despite a court order.

He said the government must follow the VFA notwithstanding the public clamor that the 20-year-old American should be held with ordinary inmates.

“I want to make this clear.

Pemberton is covered by the provisions of the Visiting Forces Agreement, stating that he shall be detained at the mutuallyagreed prison facility. And the agreed prison facility was the NBP station facility in Camp Aguinaldo,” the BuCor chief added.

He explained that there is an existing MOA between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and BuCor to use a detention cell in Camp Aguinaldo as the extension facility of NBP. Cruz assured that Pemberton would not get special treatment from the 18 BuCor personnel, who will watch over the US Marine.

The only problem now, he said, is how they will feed Pemberton as the national penitentiary only has a daily food budget allocation of 50 pesos per prisoner.

White House strengthens visa waiver...

PAGE A1

lion people from 38 countries (i.e. a majority of European countries, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan) to the US every year with less stringent screening. Under the program, citizens of participating countries are allowed to travel to the US without a visa for stays of 90 days or less if they meet certain requirements.

Supporters of the waiver program, which includes a cross-section of lawmakers from tourismreliant states and the businesses that support them, have said the program offers an economic boost. Opponents worry the program could serve as a backdoor for potential terrorists to travel to ISIS-run terrorist training camps in other countries, then travel back and forth from Europe, using the program to come to the US. The federal changes were announced as the White House faces criticism and pushback from lawmakers in Congress against President Barack Obama’s plans to welcome an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next fiscal year.

“As opposed to the rhetoric we have heard from the Republicans, the administration is offering it as an alternative...to rationalize and strengthen the programs that track persons so we have better

information and can implement cautious policies,” said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, according to NBC News.

Though the polls have shown a majority of Americans who also oppose the plan, officials such as CIA Director John Brennan to Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence committee and California Democrat Sen. Diane Feinstein, the committee’s ranking member, are more worried that the visa waiver program is a greater concern in that it makes it much harder to keep track of potential terrorists and prevent attacks in the States.

As the administration works to address those concerns, DHS will also look at pilot programs for collecting biometric information, such as fingerprints from visa waiver travelers, the White House said in a statement.

A task force in the House of Representatives will meet this week to discuss details of the program, and hopes to craft legislation to pass “by the end of the year,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif).

McCarthy told reporters that lawmakers were “interested in requiring all countries in the waiver program to issue e-passports with chips and biometrics.”

Another intended change would be to make sure that passengers were screened against a database of lost and stolen passports.

In the meantime, the White House said administration officials are talking to senators from both parties about the official visa waiver program changes, and have urged Congress to give Homeland Security additional powers for extra security measures, such as increasing fines for air carriers that fail to verify passport data, and requiring all travelers to use passports with embedded security chips.

The White House also wants to expand the use of a “pre-clearance program” in foreign airports, to allow border officials to collect and screen biometric information before visa waiver travelers can board plans going to the US. Earnest urged Congress to pass legislation before the holidays.

“We saw Congress a couple of weeks ago pass legislation related to refugees that would not actually do anything to enhance our national security, they were able to take those steps in three or four days. Surely over the course of the next three weeks, they should be able to do something that actually would strengthen our national security,” he said. (Allyson Escobar / AJPress)

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Dateline USa

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • dECEmbER 4-10, 2015

Study: Harder for California students to get... Binay: No VAT hike after tax reform...

PAGE A1 and ultimately hurt the economy and threaten the future of our state.”

The findings come amidst the application deadline for fall 2016 admission to the UC and CSU campuses. The UC system expects about 200,000 applications for admission, while CSU anticipates 800,000, according to EdSource.

For fall 2015, 60 percent of California residents who applied were accepted by UC schools (down from 63 percent the previous year), while about threequarters were admitted into CSU schools. At CSU, 139,697 eligible students were turned away between 2009 and 2014.

In contrast, 62.2 percent of international students were accepted by UC schools, seeing an increase from 60.1 percent, a Reuters report stated.

Given the budget cuts at UC and CSU campuses, critics allege that the public universities are instead accepting out-of-state and international students, who pay more in tuition.

The average grade point average (GPA) of admitted students to six of the nine UC campuses in 2014 was over a 4.0. The median SAT score of admitted students to UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego was less than 400 points away from a perfect score.

The gap between the number of UC applicants and those admitted has more than doubled between 1996 and 2013.

“It is a shame that hard-working, talented California students need to be virtually perfect to get a spot at the University of California. It should not be more difficult for a student to enroll directly in a four-year university than it was for previous generations,” Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity, said.

Students applying to the CSU system find a similar challenge of rising admissions standards. Six of the 23 campuses now require a higher GPA and/or SAT score than the CSU baseline eligibility requirements. Within the CSU campuses, impacted majors that require a higher GPA and/or SAT score have increased by 135 percent since 2004.

“CSU denying 30,000 eligible

students last year is heartbreaking for all the talented students whose only opportunity to succeed professionally relies on their ability to access a high quality and affordable university education,” said Ivna Gusmao, a recently retired college counselor from Reseda High School who has been serving students in the Los Angeles public schools for over 30 years, in a statement.

“Getting into the UC for students today is more like playing the lottery. College counselors can no longer tell students with any accuracy where they are likely to get in even if they had a 5.0 GPA.” The report also pointed out that the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education — which adapts to California’s population growth and is still the current structure being used — is outdated. The plan envisioned the public university system to be free and available for all qualified California residents and placed caps on admission to UC and CSU schools at the top 12.5 percent and top 33 percent, respectively, of state students based on academic achievement.

However, funding for the public universities has dropped — an estimated $1 billion lost between 2006 and 2014 — at the expense of raising tuition, increasing class sizes and decreasing enrollment.

Figures show that the cost to attend a UC has increased by 200 percent in the past 15 years. For the 2015-16 school year, the estimated average cost is $29,500 for those living off campus and $33,600 for those living on campus, according to the UC Admissions website.

“Many more students struggle to pay tuition and fees that have skyrocketed in recent years. It is imperative that California reinvest in its public higher education system so that California youth from all backgrounds, especially low-income students of color, have equal opportunity to enroll in and graduate from the state’s four-year universities,” Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, said.

In November, UC President Janet Napolitano held an ethnic media roundtable to discuss per-

ceptions and barriers faced by minority communities in applying to the university system.

Addressing the costs, Napolitano cited that more than half of California resident students at UCs pay no tuition because of programs that cover that cost for families that make $80,000 or less. Pell Grants, which offer awards of up to $5,775, depending on family income, are also options; 41 percent of UC students are benefitting from them.

“The state’s economic future depends on our students being able to access, afford and complete a postsecondary degree,” said California State Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León in a statement reacting to the report. “A majority of the 6 million children attending our K-12 public schools are lowincome and underrepresented minorities, and California must take a more strategic approach to establish a pipeline from our K-12 school system to our higher education institutions.”

With its findings, the Campaign for College Opportunity has proposed that Governor Jerry Brown and state lawmakers do a strategic overhaul to prioritize funding for public higher education, so that more California students are accepted into the public fouryear universities.

Further, the report called for caps on the number of out-ofstate and international students who are admitted.

“Increased competition for limited spots in college is not a win-win situation – there are winners and losers at the precise time we need more educated Californians to maintain a thriving economy. Just like California’s drought threatens our future and calls for immediate solutions, so too does the shortage of a college-educated populace,” Siqueiros added.

Recently, UC regents approved aRecently, UC regents approved a plan to increase the enrollment of California undergraduates by 10,000 by 2018. For the 2016-17 term, $25 million was allocated to UC to increase the number of in-state undergraduates by 5,000. The number will increase by 2,500 students for each of the following two years. (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)

14 killed, 21 injured in San Bernardino...

PAGE A2

and have several mags full of ammunition fashioned to their body so they were ready for a gunfight should that occur,” Davis of the ATF told NBC News. “With my experiences with other mass shootings, there are indicators this was well-planned out and it was to be violent in nature.”

Police found more than 1,400 rounds for the rifle and over 200 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the suspects’ SUV, RT reported; 2,000 rounds for the handgun ad 2,500 rounds for the rifle were found at their home in Redlands.

Also found were 12 pipe bombstyle devices and hundreds of tools police said could be used to build improvised explosive devices, ABC News reported.

Victims identified The names of the victims of Wednesday’s attack were released Thursday. Many of them included employees of Inland Regional Center, as well as the San Bernardino County environmental health department.

The victims are Daniel Kaufman, 42, who ran and trained clients in the coffee shop at the Regional Center; Damian Meins, a physical education teacher in Riverside; Nicholas Thalasinos, 52, an environmental health specialist; Sierra Clayborn, 27, a graduate of the University of California at Riverside; Mike Raymond Wetzel, a loving father; Robert Adams, 40; Isaac Amanios, 60; Bennetta Bet-Badal, 46; Harry Bowman, 46; Juan Espinoza, 50; Aurora Godoy, 26; Shannon Johnson, 45; Tin Nguyen, 31; and Yvette Velasco.

“I’ve lost so many friends and co-workers,” a saddened Leilah Kelsey, a supervisor at the San Bernardino County Health Department who survived the attacks, told the Daily News. “We don’t know who’s all gone yet.

We don’t have all the names yet.

There’s so many people unaccounted for.”

The coroner’s teams were still working at Inland Regional on Thursday, and law enforcement said that some of the bodies of victims remained at the center, according to New York Times.

Among the injured included several who were in critical condition, but “stabilized,” according to officials. Three of the wounded were listed in fair condition at nearby Loma Linda University Medical Center, said Kerry Heinrich, chief executive of the hospital.

“All of the patients are gunshot wound victims,” he said, not giving any more detail.

Twenty four-year-old Kevin Ortiz, a county environment in-

spector, was shot twice in the leg and once in the shoulder. He was able to survive and call his family to tell them he was “in a lot of pain,” but okay. “That’s Kevin, he’s a fighter,” said his brother, David.

Ortiz is being treated at the Arrowhead Regional Memorial Hospital in Colton, CA, which had five patients from the shooting as of Thursday morning, according to San Bernardino County spokeswoman Felisa Cardona.

Twenty two-year-old Jennifer Stevens from Redondo Beach, who suffered a gunshot wound to her abdomen, was in “stable condition,” according to her mother.

Julie Paez, another employee of the health department, was attending the Christmas party in the conference room. She was supposed to receive an Employee of the Year award when the assailants stormed into the room, opening fire. Paez survived, but was shot once in the upper thigh and once in the abdomen.

Hours after the shooting on Wednesday, Inland Regional Center was an “active scene,” officials described. Survivors of the attack were hiding in offices, bathrooms, and closets, and employees in surrounding buildings were placed on lockdown before being safely evacuated by authorities.

Those impacted were texting their loved ones to let them know they were alive.

“It’s been a rough night. It hits home since I work here, and I have friends whose families are forever affected...I just can’t believe this happened,” a county social worker who preferred not to be named told the Asian Journal. “The sad thing is, this could have happened at any time.

We don’t have properly trained armed guards. People are worried about going to work.”

The county employee, who works for Children and Family Services of San Bernardino County, described his work meeting being cancelled before the shooting, and being on lock-down in a building nearby for several hours as police actively searched for the suspects. Several courts in the area cancelled their hearings, while all buildings in close proximity of the incidents were on lock down.

“Children and Family Services are on emergency response duty; we can get called in and respond from home. Even in tragedy, we never completely shut down because we prevent further tragedy. I work with some amazing people—you have to have dedication and heart in CFS.”

More than 1 shooting each day in the US in 2015 Tuesday’s incident in San Bernardino marks what RT reported as the “deadliest gun violence episode” in 2015, a year when 355 mass shootings have occurred.

“My heart is broken after this rampage that led to tragic loss of life, so many injuries, so much trauma and pain for the people of San Bernardino. I want to thank the medical personnel who are working as we speak to save lives, and all the brave, courageous law enforcement officers who rushed to the scene and later stopped these killers,” US Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said.

Two databases that track mass shootings indicate that 462 people have died while 1,314 have been injured in such incidents this year. Many of these occurred on streets or in public settings, according to the databases.

The information comes from shootingtracker.com and gunviolencearchive.org, which are unofficial tallies that depend on news accounts.

This week alone, five people were injured Sunday, Nov. 29, in a shooting in Kankakee, Ill.; on Wednesday before the San Bernardino incident, a shooting in Savannah, Ga. Left one woman dead and three men wounded, The Washington Post reported.

In November, shootings in East Texas, New Orleans, and Jacksonville, Fla. left 10 people dead and 17 injured.

A recent report by the Congressional Research Service found a slight rise in recent years in shootings where four or more people were killed: from 2009 to 2013, there were an average of 22.4 mass shootings per year, versus 20.2 shootings annually in the preceding five years.

However, James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University, told the NY Times that when analyzed in four-year intervals rather than five-year ones, the average number of yearly mass shootings declined from 2011 to 2014 compared to the preceding four-year period.

“It’s a matter of how you slice it,” Fox told the publication, who still touted the research service’s report.

San Bernardino Mayor Carey Davis spoke Thursday of his “shock” at Wednesday’s event.

“The priority has been public safety. Our police department responded as effectively and safely as they could,” Davis said, according to TODAY. “We need to stay on a high level of alert but at the same time we can’t be paralyzed by these instances.”

PAGE A1 He noted that 11 million Filipino families are poor.

Binay allayed fears that slashing income taxes would result in revenue loss for the government.

“Raising VAT is not the only way to compensate for the revenue loss. We already have a menu of options to compensate for the potential revenue losses from reducing tax rates,” he said.

These options, according to Binay, include sale of government assets and privatization of a number of government-owned and—controlled corporations (GOCCs); approval of revenuegenerating measures, including fiscal incentives rationalization; fuel marking to fight oil smuggling; and continued improvement in tax administration and collection efficiency.

Should he be elected President, he said, he would convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) within the 100 days of his administration for swift passage of the tax reform bill.

“If given the opportunity to serve our fellow Filipinos, I will certify the tax reform bill as urgent after a thorough consultation with the Ledac,” Binay added.

“We are pushing for a comprehensive tax system reform that will gradually reduce the personal and corporate income tax rates in the Philippines to a level that is more consistent with our peers in Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations],” he said.

Binay cited advantages of passing a tax reform bill, saying it would result, for one, in improved tax collection and compliance.

“With the current taxation system, up to 85 percent of the total collection of individual income taxes is paid by the working class while only 15 percent comes from self-employed individuals and professionals,” he said.

“Tax reform would result in the improved competitiveness of Philippine corporations and their workforce. It will also encourage more foreign investments, resulting in more jobs for our people, and more revenues for the government,” the Vice President added.

Binay said tax reform would also lead to increased consumer spending, allowing the government to recover some of the

short-term revenue loss.

The Vice President expressed his disappointment with some government officials and candidates for dismissing the tax reform bill as a “pogi bill,” designed only to attract votes from the middle class.

“It is unfortunate that this issue is being politicized. The tax reform measure will benefit individual households, society and the economy at large,” he said.

“Tax savings will help Filipino families afford a house, there-

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fore [fewer] informal settlers; an education plan for their children, causing [fewer] drop-outs in schools; and a retirement plan that will have [fewer] senior citizens dependent on charity or the government,” the Vice President added.

“Our tax system must be seen as fair. Those with bigger paychecks ought to pay higher taxes than those who earn less, and inflation-adjusted tax bracket is only just,” Binay said. (ManilaTimes.net)

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D ateline PhiliPPines Comelec denies pressure from Poe’s rivals

by Sheila

CriSoStomo Philstar.com

MANILA—None of the rivals of Sen. Grace Poe in the presidential race has ever pressured poll officials into issuing the decision to have her disqualified from running for president in the 2016 elections on questions regarding her residency.

This was according to Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, who emphasized there’s no way poll commissioners would allow themselves to be influenced by any group or individual in issuing decisions.

“When we were appointed (to the Comelec), our obligations are to the people. We are grateful to the Filipino people (for this opportunity to serve),” Bautista said, adding, “No pressure whatsoever.”

Bautista was reacting to accusations raised by Poe’s supporters that Comelec commissioners were doing the bidding of the Liberal Party-led administration, which has former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II as its standard bearer in next year’s elections.

Bautista and Comelec commissioners Christian Robert Lim, Arthur Lim, Al Parreño, Sheriff Abas, Rowena Guanzon and Luie Guia are all appointees of Presi-

Sen. Grace Poe

dent Aquino.

The Comelec Second Division composed of Parreño, Abas and Arthur Lim earlier disqualified Poe for her supposed failure to meet the 10-year residency requirement for those running for president.

Poe’s lawyer George Garcia expressed confidence that the Comelec full session would eventually rule in his client’s favor when they file a motion for reconsideration on Monday,

Dec. 7.

“We believe that the three members of the Second Division will change their minds. We believe that under the leadership of Chairman Bautista, the Comelec en banc will be able to issue a fair and just ruling,” Garcia added.

He said they also do not intend to move for the inhibition of any of the poll officials despite their being Aquino appointees.

“No problem. Their loyalty to the President or the appointing authority ends where their loyalty to this country begins,” Garcia said.

Garcia reiterated that the decision disqualifying Poe was unjust and did not take into consideration the more than 400 pages of evidence she presented through The rise in new infections coincides with an increase in risky behavior, such as multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use. her lawyer.

“In our MR, we will emphasize our evidence to disprove the (ruling),” he maintained.

by Sheila CriSoStomo The Comelec’s Second Diviaged 10 to 19 living with HIV in Adolescents at higher risk of Philstar.com sion, in its 34-page decision, Asia-Pacific.

HIV include gay men and other granted the petition of lawyer EsThese are: Cambodia, China, men who have sex with men, MANILA—The Asia-Pacific retrella Elamparo to cancel Poe’s gion is facing a “hidden epidem- India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Paki- transgender people, injecting certificate of candidacy, citing ic” of HIV among adolescents stan, Papua New Guinea, the drug users and people who buy inaccuracies in the information with around 220,000 infected Philippines, Thailand and Viet- and sell sex. on residency provided by the teens, according to a new report nam.

Based on the report, it will not senator.

Among countries where data be possible to end the AIDS epiof the Asia-Pacific Inter-Agency Elamparo was chief legal Task Team on Young Key Popu- are available, Papua New Guin- demic as a public health threat counsel and spokesperson for lations. ea and the Philippines have the by 2030 without tackling the epithe Government Service InsurThe inter-agency team in- highest proportion of adolescents demic among adolescents. ance System. cludes the United Nations Chil- living with HIV, accounting for To transform the situation, the dren’s Fund and Joint United almost 10 percent of total people report recommends that governliving with HIV in each country.

Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. ments develop better data on In the Philippines, new HIV adolescents, strategies for HIV The report showed the 220,000 adolescents with HIV live in large infections among 15- to 19-year- prevention and adolescent-specities like Manila, Bangkok, Ha- olds have risen by 50 percent cific laws and policies. at the World Bank and the Global noi and Jakarta. In 2014, it was over four years, from an estimatThese should include compreFinancial Literacy Excellence estimated that of the 50,000 new ed 800 in 2010 to 1,210 in 2014. hensive sexuality education in Center (GFLEC) at the George In South Asia, AIDS-related schools and through social meinfections, adolescents aged 15Washington University.

19 accounted for 15 percent of deaths among 10- to 19-year- dia, information on where to get Singapore is home to the higholds have almost quadrupled, an HIV test, condom use and HIV the cases. est percentage of financially The report, titled Adolescents: from around 1,500 in 2001 to testing and treatment services literate adults (59 percent) in Under the Radar in the Asia-Pa- 5,300 in 2014, while in East Asia designed for adolescents.

Asia, while only 18 percent of cific AIDS Response, also stated and the Pacific, deaths have inIt is also vital for adolescents Cambodian and Nepalese adults that although new HIV infections creased from 1,000 to 1,300 over to know their HIV status and get were able to correctly answer the are falling overall, they are ris- the same period. treatment if they need it, but in questions on basic financial con“Adolescence is a time of tran- many countries they are turned ing among adolescents from key cepts. populations, in particular young sition and risk-taking, as children away from HIV testing centers.

The survey also uncovered ingay men and other men who navigate the difficult journey to Only 10 countries in the region formation about varying levels adulthood,” said Daniel Toole, are known to have laws and polihave sex with men. of consumer knowledge about The rise in new infections co- UNICEF regional director for cies enabling independent confinancial products. In China, incides with an increase in risky East Asia and the Pacific. sent for young people to access 63 percent of adults who own a Toole said that UNICEF is work- HIV testing and related services. behavior, such as multiple sexual credit card were financially ilpartners and inconsistent con- ing with governments throughUNAIDS Regional Support literate. Overall, 28 percent of out the Asia-Pacific region to en- Team for Asia director Steve dom use.

Chinese adults were financially The report showed the HIV sure they meet their obligations Kraus said, “We want all adolescompetent. burden among adolescents falls to protect adolescents’ health, cents regardless of where they Significantly, the survey found heaviest on 10 countries in the including by providing access to live or who they are to enjoy every younger Asians more likely to region, which together account adolescent-sensitive HIV testing opportunity to grow into healthy be financially adept than older for 98 percent of adolescents and treatment services. and productive adults.” respondents. In Hong Kong, 58 percent of residents between the ages of 15 and 34 were financially literate, compared to 31 percent of residents over 55. In Taiwan, the 15-34 age group was almost twice as likely to be financially literate as the over-55 group.

Asia-Pacific youths facing hidden HIV epidemic -study

PH among least financially literate

by Paolo

G. monteCillo Inquirer.net

FILIPINO adults were among the least knowledgeable about their personal finances, presenting a major constraint to equitable economic development.

Standard & Poor’s ranked 140 countries in terms of financial literacy and found that adults in Asian countries knew the least about monetary ideas, including risk diversification, inflation and compound interest.

While the survey established regional differences in knowledge between East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, the percentage of financially literate adults across the continent was lower than the global average.

Two-thirds of adults worldwide were financially illiterate, according to the survey.

The Philippines was one of the 30 least financially literate countries in the world, with only 25 percent of adults aware of the basics of managing their money.

The list was topped with European countries’ Denmark, Nor-

way and Sweden. S&P said 71 percent of adults in those countries were financially literate. The bottom three were Yemen (13 percent), Albania and Afghanistan (both 14 percent).

“We are committed to creating stronger financial markets all over the world,” said Courtney Geduldig, executive vice president of public affairs at McGraw Hill Financial, parent of S&P Ratings. “We believe there are correlations between financial literacy, financial access and the strength of markets. Addressing financial literacy is a key strategy in building stronger, more accessible and sustainable markets around the globe.”

The survey results come from interviews of more than 150,000 adults in more than 140 countries who were tested on their knowledge of four basic financial concepts: Numeracy, risk diversification, inflation and compound interest (saving and debt.)

The data were collected in 2014 by Gallup as part of the Gallup World Poll and analytical support was provided by researchers

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada

Jinggoy Estrada confident of bail from plunder like in 2003 by marC JaySon

Cayabyab

Inquirer.net

SEN. Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday, Dec. 3 said he was confident he would be granted bail from his plunder suit over the pork barrel scam, the same way he was cleared of the charges as a coaccused of his father over alleged illegal gambling funds.

In an interview after his bail hearing at the Sandiganbayan, the senator expressed confidence that the decision of the fifth division hearing his case would be a “repeat” of the antigraft court’s order granting him bail in the plunder case of deposed President Joseph Estrada over “jueteng” money.

Noting that he was granted bail in the 2001 plunder case because he was not a flight risk, the younger Estrada said he should be allowed the same privilege now because he had affirmed before the court that as an incumbent senator, he would not flee his charges.

“When I was charged for plunder in 2001 together with my father, we also surrendered voluntarily. Hindi ako tumakas. We faced the charges in court. Ganoon din ngayon. Wala pa nga ang warrant of arrest na in-issue sa akin ang Sandiganbayan, nagsurrender ako kaagad sa Camp Crame just to show that I will face the charges leveled against us,” Estrada said. “(In 2003), I was granted bail

because there was no strong evidence presented against me. I think this is another repeat performance. Wala naman sila talagang ebidensya. All hearsay,” he added.

The father and son tandem was jailed in 2001 for the plunder charges, which propelled the aborted impeachment trial of former President Estrada.

In 2001, the younger Estrada, then San Juan mayor, was charged with conspiring with his father “in amassing and acquiring ill-gotten wealth through illegal gambling or any or a combination or a series of overt or criminal acts or similar schemes or means.”

In March 2003, two years after their detention, the former mayor was allowed bail as the Sandiganbayan found that he probably collected jueteng protection money only for his “own selfish needs” and not in “conspiracy” with his father.

In 2007, the older Estrada was convicted of plunder, but then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted him pardon barely two months later. His son, meanwhile, was acquitted.

After more than a year of hearing, the Sandiganbayan fifth division oconcluded the oral summation of evidence in the senator’s bail hearing, this time over the pork barrel scam. He had been detained since June 2014 and seeking bail after surrendering to the police.

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The court ordered both parties to submit memoranda summarizing the testimony and evidence within 10 days before submitting the plea for resolution.

Senator Estrada hoped he would be granted bail in time for Christmas, claiming the prosecution failed to prove he received P183 million in kickbacks from accused scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

“It’s been approximately one year and six months that I’ve been incarcerated. I just hope and pray that the court the Sandiganbayan will specifically grant my motion,” he said.

He is accused of receiving P183 million in kickbacks from his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) through alleged ghost projects using the bogus foundations of Napoles.

The senator is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center with colleague Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., who is facing the same charges for allegedly accumulating P242 million in kickbacks from Napoles.

Revilla’s bail plea was denied by the Sandiganbayan in December 2014, just months after he surrendered in June 2014.

Meanwhile, the 91-year-old Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is accused of receiving P172 million kickbacks, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court based on humanitarian grounds and his political stature.

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OpiniOn

Features

Self-destructive

“THE people of the Philippines are not ready for my kind of style,” Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte warned in September when he turned down ardent calls by his supporters for him to run for the presidency.

In a sudden twist of fate, Duterte made his presidential bid official on Friday, Nov. 27, as he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president as the standard-bearer of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party, with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano of the Nacionalista Party as his running mate.

Duterte’s entry into the presidential race makes it a five-cornered fight where he will go against prominent names including Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former Sen. Mar Roxas.

The documents he submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) included priority programs he will implement if elected as the Philippine president. These included “streamlining bureaucracy by introducing digital systems and technologies” and “values formation in all elementary and high schools nationwide.” He also plans to reduce crime and eliminate drugs, make drug dealers and criminals face stiffer penalties and strengthen the criminal justice system. His national platform of government also focuses on fixing government administration, tax reforms, shifting to federalism and building disaster and resilient communities.

Despite throwing his hat late in the competition, Duterte received the highest score in a recent Pulse Asia survey conducted two weeks ago in Metro Manila. One in every three voters (34 percent) in Metro Manila said he or she would vote for Duterte if elections were held early this month. He was followed

by Poe with 26 percent; Binay, 22 percent; Roxas,

11 percent; and Santiago, 7 percent.

His supporters want him to turn the Philippines as safe and as thriving as Davao City. He may be rough around the edges, but his unconventional and vigilante-style of leadership has turned Davao City the fourth safest place in the world as ranked by Numbeo.com, and the country’s most child-friendly based on a government ranking.

In the last few days, Duterte’s presidential bid surged as he was hogging the majority of news headlines. He was a serious contender and if the recent survey will dictate the 2016 election results, he has the makings of the next Philippine president.

The presidency is almost his for the taking -- until he opened his mouth. During his proclamation as the official standard-bearer of PDP-Laban on Monday, Nov. 30, Duterte didn’t mince words as he told the audience of the kind of leader he is going to be.

He admitted to being a womanizer (he has two wives and two girlfriends), and is not afraid of killing criminals and drug dealers.

He had constant applause on the onset of his speech, but the cheers died down when he decided to take a swipe at the Roman Catholic Church and curse Pope Francis.

Duterte might have overlooked that the Philippines is still a predominantly Catholic country and the majority of the populace is not ready for his no-nonsense kind of leadership. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) criticized Duterte’s recent speech and cried foul over his curs-

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

ing of Pope Francis.

“Is this the leadership by example that Mayor Duterte excites in us? Is this the leadership by example that makes a public official deserving of the title ‘Honorable’?” CBCP President and Archbishop Socrates Villegas lamented.

Not one to back down on his detractors, Duterte responded to the Church’s leadership by saying to not to judge him because the institution is also not spotless.

“You priests, you bishops, you condemn me. And you suggest that I withdraw and I will withdraw, but then I will start to open my mouth. There are so many secrets that children are hiding. This religion is not so sacred,” Duterte retorted.

If he continues to charge like a raging bull, Duterte will force his supporters to think twice before checking his name on the ballot come election next year.

He needs to dial down on the crassitude and vulgarity, and realize that being the most powerful man in the country means taking a central role in every Filipino’s life. He will shape the system, make crucial decisions about the economy, and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino in the world.

Duterte might have gotten plaudits for now, but factors that might take a toll on his standing are yet to come. After all, good politicians should know that holding a public office means embracing challenges and opportunities that the post offers them.

(AJPress)

Roxas and Duterte tied as Fil-Ams’ top favorites for president Will this change with the new Duterte controversies?

AFTER previous denials of his intent to join the race to Malacañang, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has finally declared his candidacy for the presidency His supporters who’ve been waiting for this moment rejoiced, saying “the eagle has landed” and pinning hopes that Duterte is the leader the country needs during this page in Philippine history.

Politicians, businessmen, and ordinary Filipinos have jumped ship from the camps of Roxas, Binay, Poe and Santiago to declare their all-out support for the Duterte campaign. They contend that Duterte is the candidate who can bring about real change. Unlike past presidents and his current political rival, they admire Duterte for being a straight talker and a strong leader who has been instrumental to Davao City’s prog-

ress, peace and order.

Even some Fil-Ams have been energized by Duterte’s bid for The Fil-Am the presidency. In The Filipino Perspective Channel’s daily newscast Balitang America, an online poll revealed that Duterte is now tied with Mar Roxas, as the top two candidates kababayans in America would Gel SantoS-reloS vote for if the elections were held today, surpassing Binay, Poe and Santiago.

But would the dynamics change with the latest controversy about Duterte, whom his critics say has gone too far with his language and style, to the point of using the “P.I.” curse on Pope Francis?

As ABS-CBN News reported, Duterte came under fire for cursing at Pope Francis after he allegedly

You have a right to affordable and high quality health care Commentary aSSeMBlyMeMBer

roB Bonta,

repreSentinG the aSSeMBly diStrict

18th

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Having true access to a doctor when you need one can improve, extend, and even save one’s life.

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Applying through Covered California is simple, fast, and confidential.

Visit CoveredCa.com today to review the costs and benefits of each plan and find the health care coverage that fits your needs and budget and works best for you and your family. Covered California helps individuals determine whether they are eligible for premium assistance that is available on a sliding-scale basis to reduce insurance costs or whether they are eligible for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal. Covered California partners with immigration advocacy groups

to ensure consumers that their information will never be used to enforce federal immigration laws. So I want all Californians to rest assured that the personal information you submit, including your immigration status, is strictly confidential and will never be used against you.

Regardless of the plan you choose, you will have benefits that will take care of most of your healthcare needs. In addition, your plan will include free preventive services to stay ahead of big health risks, such as blood pressure and cholesterol screenings for adults, mammograms and cervical cancer screening for women, and common vaccinations for children.

This year, Covered California has made it even easier for you to apply. The Covered California website is now available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. There are thousands of Covered California representatives available to provide free, confidential, in-person assistance in a variety of languages, as well as drop-in storefront retail locations offering convenient service.

Please take advantage of this important opportunity to care for yourself and your families. Remember! Open enrollment for 2016 began on November 1st and will continue through January 31, 2016. Contact my office at (510) 286-1670 or visit coveredca.com if you need assistance. For additional free, confidential, in-person help in your area, visit coveredca. com/get-help/local or call (800) 300-1506.

got caught in a traffic jam during the Catholic leader’s visit in the Philippines in January. Duterte himself said a friend told him that the traffic jam was caused by the Pope’s arrival, ”Gusto kong tawagan, ‘Pope p******.”

Duterte reportedly later denied cursing Pope Francis. However, he maintained that he would still not invite the Pope Francis back to the country if he becomes president.

The blunt Davao City mayor was also criticized for flaunting that he has two wives and two mistresses, contending that his possible presidency won’t change that. Worse, he would even give details about his sexcapades with women, offend-

ing those who say he sounds like he just sees and treats women as objects.

Others have expressed concern over his “dictatorial tendencies” in the way he implements changes, without respect and regard to due process and the rule of law.

Amid these criticisms Duterte said, “I don’t crave for ratings, I do not need praises, I will not die if I don’t become the president. If you don’t like my character, the solution is, do not vote for me.”

Would you vote for Duterte? *** 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

How the average Pinoys regard the Spratlys conflict

Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III has been excoriated for his handling of the festering conflict with China over the Spratlys.

From losing trading revenues to being pulverized in a shooting war, Aquino’s “belligerence” has been severely criticized, but the pundits have not offered any constructive and realistic suggestions on how we should handle the situation, aside from the equivalent of the late Senator and Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus’ classic advice: “If rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it” (or words to effect).

Meanwhile, the United States has begun to turn on the pressure on China over the broader issue of unhampered access to the strategic maritime lanes comprised by the South China Sea. From being simply an amicus curiae, calling for diplomacy and the rule of international law in resolving the conflict, the US has begun to assert its position as a concerned party with economic, military and political interests at stake.

In his speech at the recently concluded ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, President Barack Obama was no longer subtle in his drubbing of China, in the presence of high-level Chinese delegates: “I commend ASEAN for working to ensure that all nations uphold international law and norms, including the peaceful resolution of disputes, freedom of

navigation, and freedom of overflight. And I applaud ASEAN for working to create a code of conduct for the South China Sea. For the sake of regional stability, claimants should halt reclamation, new construction, and militarization of disputed areas.”

The response of China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin was like that of a dirty old man who had been told to keep his hands off a young girl: “One should never link the military facilities with efforts to militarize the South China Sea,” Liu said.

“This is a false argument. It is a consistent Chinese position to firmly oppose the militarization of the South China Sea.” To soft-pedal the loss of face that China had to bear at the summit, a mere deputy foreign minister was designated to express the protest, instead of the head of the Chinese delegation, Premier Li Keqiang.

President Aquino, obviously emboldened by the increasingly vocal US position on the issue, had his own blunt words to say: “It is regrettable that China continues to massively reclaim and build structures in the sea known by many names, in total disregard of international law as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.” For sure, the alarmists cannot be blamed for pointing out that, what started as an irritant between the Philippines and China—as well as between China and several other countries ringing the South China Sea—is fast becoming a dangerous game of

chicken between two economic and military super powers. Even international geopolitical analysts are saying as much.

Unfortunately, in an election season, the possibility of armed conflict that could involve the Philippines appears to have a low priority in the minds of the Filipino people. We appear to be more interested in the virtual teleseries involving Sen. Grace Poe, Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, VicePresident Jejomar Binay and Liberal Party presidential standard bearer Mar Roxas, with Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago being mentioned as an afterthought.

However, the average Pinoy who has some familiarity with the Spratlys controversy has some down-to-earth views on it, as I found out on my last trip to Manila. I broached the subject to the tricycle drivers plying our neighborhood in Parañaque. Here are their views: 1. How should the Philippines handle the Spratlys conflict? Napasubo na tayo, kaya panindigan na natin. Pero kahit hindi tayo pumalag, talagang balak ng Tsina na kunin ang South China Sea dahil sa angking yaman nito. Kung baga, matagal nang balak gahasain ang anak mong dalaga. Gagawin at gagwin iyon. (The die is cast, so we have to hold our ground. But even if we did not protest, China really intended to control the South China Sea due to its natural resources.

It’s like, there has always been the intention to rape your daughter. It would have happened, anyway.)

2. Couldn’t the Philippines have

arranged to share the resources of the Spratlys with China? Kung puede sana, nuon pa, sinabi sana natin na pagsaluhan na lang ang yaman ng dagat, pero siyempre, lamang din ang Tsina dahil higante. (If it were possible, back then, we could have offered to share the wealth of the sea, but of course China would have had an advantage, being a giant).

Walang iniwan iyan sa hatian ng mga magsasaka at ng mga mayari ng isang hacienda. Siyempre, lamang ang haciendero. (It’s no different from the sharing arrangement between the farmers and the owners of a hacienda.

Naturally, the hacienderos get the bigger share).

3. What will happen next? Will a favorable decision of the world court help the Philippines? Iyang nakuha na ng Tsina, hindi na natin mababawi, pero dapat wala nang mabawas sa teritoryo natin.

Kaya tama lang na manindigan tayo. Sa bagay na iyan, malaking tulong ang suporta ng America at makakatulong ang pabor na desisyon ng world court. (What China has taken, we cannot get back, but we should not lose any more territory, which is why we should stand our ground. In that regard, the support of America is a big help and so will a favorable decision of the world court.).

4. Will our trade with China suffer because of the conflict? Ang mga intsik ay negosyante. Sa ngayon, mas malaki ang binibili natin sa Tsina kaysa binebenta natin sa kanila. Siyempre tuloy pa rin ang pagbebenta sa atin, kahit may alitan. Negosyo lang PAGE A7

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • dECEmbER 4-10, 2015

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Roxas tells Poe: Stop blaming others, face your DQ Italy backs Philippines’s move to bring sea row to court

by Julliane love

De Jesus

Inquirer.net

STop putting the blame on others and answer the allegations.

That was the call of Liberal party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II to Senator Grace poe after the latter accused Roxas of having a hand in her disqualification from the presidential race.

Roxas also maintained that he does not know lawyer Estela Elamparo, the petitioner in the disqualification case that was upheld by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Kabahagi ito ng proseso.

Mga hindi ko naman kakilala itong mga abogado na nag-file laban sa kanya, itong mga law groups. So imbis na manisi siya sa ibang tao ay sagutin nalang

these law groups. So, instead of blaming others, she should answer [the allegations against her]),” he said in an interview over RMN Cebu radio on Thursday, Dec. 3.

Roxas also said he understands poe’s predicament but he maintained that he has nothing to do with the poll frontrunner’s disqualification.

“Nauunawaan ko ang kanyang damdamin. Na-hurt siya.

Pero lilinawin ko lang, wala akong kinalaman. Wala akong koneksyon at wala akong ni katiting na kinalaman sa pagdisqualify sa kanya. (I understand her sentiment. She was hurt. But I want to clarify, I have nothing to Liberal Party presidential bet Mar Roxas do with it. I have no connections niya. (This is part of the process. and I don’t have the tiniest bit of I do not know who these lawyers involvement in her disqualificaare who filed [cases] against her, tion),” he said.

More contraband seized in Bilibid raid

MoRE gadgets, signal boosters, and other prohibited items were seized inside the Maximum Security Compound of the New Bilibid prison (NBp) on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

The raid is part of the “oplan Galugad” to ferret out contrabands inside the national penitentiary.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Ricardo Rainier Cruz said the raid was the sixth such kind of operation since last month.

The raid was conducted at Quadrant 3 which took about three hours.

Authorities seized over 100 pieces of improvised weapons, mostly knives and “sumpak,” or home-made shotguns.

Also seized were several signal boosters, cellular phones, and WiFi sticks. on the other hand, Cruz said that having only a small number of contraband items seized meant that their continuing

operation has made a dent on smuggling activities of inmates.

Cruz added that investigations are still ongoing to determine how the items managed to get inside the NBp, especially if it’s a result of possible collusion between jail personnel and the inmates.

BuCor is planning to increase the height of the walls of the national penitentiary as well as to increase the number of CCTVs, among others. (Inquirer.net)

How the average Pinoys regard the Spratlys...

PAGE A6 iyan. (The Chinese are businessmen. As of now, we are buying more from them than what we are selling to them, that’s why they will continue to sell to us in spite of the conflict. It’s just business) Pero dapat siguro gumawa tayo ng sariling pagkakakitaan, para hindi tayo masyadong nakasandal sa ibang bayan – tulad ng pagpapalago ng agriulutura, turismo at teknolohiya. (But we should do something about generating earnings from other sources so that we don’t depend too much on other countries such as agriculture, tourism and technology) 5. Do we really need the support of the US in dealing with China? Bakit, kaya ba nating suwagin nang mag-isa ang Tsina?

Kung hindi ba nakikialam ang America, hindi ba lalo tayong inaapi? (Why, can we take on

China by ourselves? If America were not involved, wouldn’t we be bullied even more?)

6. Do you think the US and China will go to war over the South China Sea? Girian lang iyan, at maaaring magkabarilan ng kaunti, pero hindi nila palalakihin iyan.

Talo silang pareho at ayaw nilang mangyari iyan. Parang Russia at America nuong Cold War. (It’s just posturing and maybe some shooting, but they will not let it become a big conflict. They will both lose and they don’t want that that happen. Just like Russia and America during the Cold War).

7. Do you think the US will defend the philippines in an armed conflict with China? Sea? Huwag nating kakalimutan na ang pakikialam ng America ay laging para sa sariling kapakanan. Kung ang kapakanan ng America ay apektado sa labanan ng Pilipinas at Tsina, makikialam ang America.

(Remember that American in-

volvement will always be in its own interests. If its interests will be affected by a conflict between the philippines and China, America will get involved.)

8. Do you think the philippines should remain neutral? Tayo na nga ang inaapi, papaano tayo hindi mapapadawit sa alitan? (We are the ones being bullied, how can we avoid being involved in the conflict?)

9. Is it too late to repair relations between the philippines and China? Kahit ba ginahasa ang anak mong dalaga, kung pakakasalan, puedeng magareglo. (Even if your daughter is raped, if there is an offer of marriage, an amicable settlement is always possible.)

Sometimes, it helps to listen to the neighborhood tricycle driver and the average pinoys. They may be wiser than we give them credit for. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

by alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

ITALIAN leaders expressed support for the philippines’s move to bring its territorial dispute against China before an international tribunal during their meeting with president Benigno Aquino III on Thursday, Dec. 3.

Aquino held separate meetings with Italian president Sergio Mattarella and prime Minister Matteo Renzi to strengthen the diplomatic relationship between the philippines and Italy, which will turn 70 in 2017. The meeting with Mattarella was held at the palazzo del Quirinale, a historic building that housed some popes and kings, while that with Renzi took place at his official residence in palazzo Chigi.

The issue of the West philippine Sea (South China Sea) row was tackled in both meetings, with both leaders saying that the philippines did the right thing in seeking a rules-based approach to the issue.

“Italy affirms the philippines’ adherence to UNCLoS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) in upholding freedom of navigation and acknowledges that that the philippines has taken an appropriate path to peaceful dispute resolution,” presidential Communications operations office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

In 2013, the philippines filed a case against what it described as China’s exaggerated and baseless territorial claims before an international arbitral tribunal. China, however, ignored the philippines’ complaint and insisted that maritime disputes should be settled through bilateral negotiations, not through multilateral channels.

China claims to have historical rights over virtually the entire South China Sea, where more than $5 trillion worth of trade passes through every year. The philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the area.

To assert its claims, China built what appear to be military structures on some disputed reefs, raising concerns among countries who are wary about their impact on freedom of navigation.

Last october, a Hague-based arbitration court ruled that it has jurisdiction over the philippines’ case even if China has refused to join the legal proceedings. The philippines is now presenting the merits of its case before the tribunal.

President Benigno Aquino III meets with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Sala del Bronzino of the Quirinal Palace on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Philippines, Italy vow to fight terrorism Terrorism and extremist ideology were also tackled during the two meetings.

Coloma said Aquino and Renzi “discussed threats posed by radicalization and global terrorism.” Aquino and Mattarella, meanwhile, expressed their support against efforts to curb terror threats.

“Both leaders (Aquino and Mattarella) expressed solidarity in the campaign against global terrorism. They share the view that it is vital to exert efforts towards de-radicalization,” Coloma said.

Europe has been placed on high alert in the wake of the terrorist attacks in paris, France that left more than 120 persons dead.

Terrorist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it was a response to the air strikes against its allies in Syria. philippine security officials have claimed that there is no credible Islamic State threat in Manila but vowed to remain vigilant to prevent attacks.

Other issues Aquino also thanked the Italian leaders for supporting the upgrade efforts of the philippine military, one of the weakest in the Asia pacific region.

He cited Italy’s support for the philippines’ acquisition of Augusta choppers that are now being used for disaster relief operations.

The philippine Navy bought five AW-109 power helicopters from Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland for p1.35 billion. The philippine Air Force, meanwhile, acquired eight AW109 power helicopters from the same supplier for p3.44 billion.

Aquino briefed the Italian leaders about the Bangsamoro Basic Law framework for peace, an issue of great interest to Italy, according to Coloma. Mattarella and Renzi, for their part, congratulated Aquino for the progress of the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The Italian leaders also cited the contributions of the more than 171,000 Filipinos in Italy. Coloma said Renzi, a former mayor of Florence, had lauded the Filipinos for “being good quality and highly integrated workers.”

Economic issues also figured prominently in the meetings.

Aquino and Renzi discussed possibility of the philippines becoming a manufacturing base for exports to the European Union through the Generalized Scheme of preferences (GSp), Japan through the Free Trade Agreement and Southeast Asia.

Last year, the European Union granted the GSp+ status to the philippines which provides duty free entry to some of the country’s most important exports.

The GSp+ preferences cover more than 6,200 tariff lines including fruit and foodstuffs, coconut oil, footwear, fish and textiles.

The philippines has reaped benefits from the status including the attraction of new industrial investments in sectors where relatively high tariffs are slashed to zero. These include Filipino exports that are labor intensive like pineapple juice, garments, preserved fruits, tuna, fruit jams, jellies and footwear.

Mattarella also discussed the European country’s concern for migrants and refugees from conflict-torn countries. Aquino responded by citing the philippines’ record in assisting refugees.

A

december 4-10, 2015 • Oc/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL

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december 4-10, 2015

The Filharmonic rocks VPAC at CSUN

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A capella group gets the crowd dancing at the Plaza Del Sol THE audience was clearly enthusiastic—screams and shrieks and emitted from the mixed crowd of college kids, tweens, and older fans at the 500-seat venue at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC). This was all for the FilipinoAmerican a capella group The Filharmonic, whose unbelievably a capella set brought a reaction from the crowd akin to that of boyband fandom.

The repertoire consisted of mostly Top 40 hits, save for Earth, Wind and Fire’s September, which was still a crowd pleaser. Though all songs were covers, the group surely made each one their own.

From the opening Chains (Nick Jonas) to encore Sugar (Maroon 5), the Filharmonic kept the audience in rapt attention.

Smash hits Shut Up and Dance, The Way, Stay and This Is How kept the audience moving. But it was their cover of Bruno Mars ‘ Treasure which proved pivotal, as this song was the one the group first performed ever, and telecast nationwide on NBC when the group was formed to compete in the a acapella competition The Sing Off. The group admittedly acknowledged that they were

The Filharmonic: Jules, Trace, VJ, Joe, Barry and Niko.

not a fully formed group when approached by the NBC casting.

Thus goes to show the immense talent of the members, brought together by fate and serendipity.

A significant plus are the beatboxing capabilities of Niko Del Rey and Trace Gaynor, who riff off in vocal percussion. Niko’s unique style stemmed from having to accompany himself when breakdancing. So adept is he that he can incorporate lyrics with a bass line and percussion in one breath.

Spontaneity and wit are qualities that all members possess, as they kept the crowd involved through a bit with Barry Fortgang,

who made and entertaining “poor execution” of a call and response. Needless to say, all are exemplary soloists, with Joe Caigoy’s endearing high tenor and VJ Rosales’ riffs.

The group is blessed with such individuality, expertly brought together, with the guidance of VJ, who acts as Musical Director though most of them contribute arrangements. Credited with founding the group is Jules Cruz, whose rare deep bass voice rounds out the sound of these vibrant vocalists.

Flashlight, the group’s cover of the Jessie J song has reached over 2 million hits on YouTube

New songs and new moves with Barry, Niko, Joe, VJ, Jules and Trace.

and the group flawlessly delivered it live, with the requisite hand choreography. Some people in the audience even knew the routine, as the group has a tutorial up on you’re its YouTube channel.

The group touted new songs and new moves for this show, aptly displayed in “Monster MashUp” where the FIlharmonic got the audience to “Whip” and do the “Nae-Nae.” CSUN’s own acapella group “Acasola” opened the show, setting the stage for the Filharmonic. The show was a co-presentation of Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA (PPA-USA), Music Arts Events and the Valley Performing Arts Center.

Photos by Rick Gavino

The Filharmonic got the crowd dancing on their feet for most of the night.

PPA-USA and Music Arts Events are planning future shows. If you want to bring The Filharmonic to

your city’s performing arts center, call (818) 322-5018 or email info@ musicartsevents.com.

National Geographic picks Why Dingdong Dantes left newborn daughter behind for trip to Paris Philippines as must-see for 2016 MANILA— The National Geographic Traveler presented a list of “go-now destinations that will get you packing this 2016,” and Philippines is among them.

Tagging the Philippines as “An Island for Every Taste,” the US-based magazine describes the country as “a mix of tribal pride, Catholic fervor, American pop-culture savvy, and tropical affability.”

With a total of 7,107 islands, visiting at least one of the Spanish churches in the old, walled center

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

PARIS—Fathers do not usually attend work-related events abroad immediately after their wives give birth. But it was not the case for actor and National Youth Commission commissioner Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Dantes.

Dantes is in this city to attend the climate talks, leaving behind his wife, actress Marian Rivera, who just gave birth to their first daughter Maria Letizia last Nov. 23.

So what prompted him to assume his role as representative of the youth at a time when he is very much needed as a father?

For Dantes, his participation at the climate meet is about the future of his daughter.

“I come from an archipelago that knows an average of 22 typhoons a year. On paper, I am a commissioner representing the youth of the Philippines, but in my heart I feel like I’m really just representing my daughter, Maria Letizia,” he told members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum on Monday, Nov. 30.

“If you here are first time parents as well, you know that I really shouldn’t have left her or her mother’s side at this time even for a single minute. Yet, here I am. I am here because when I represent Maria Letizia, I represent the world,” he added.

“You are all also here for yours—your sons and daughters—and for those still without, the children you are about to bear, if fate bestows you.”

of Intramuros and stroll around Manila Bay at sunset and indulging in beaches such as those in Palawan, Apo and Siargao should be included in one’s must-see list if visiting the Philippines, the magazine says.

The magazine also took note of the rich biodiversity in Mindanao.

“On the southern isle of Mindanao, more than 1,300 land species—including the endangered Philippine eagle— reside in Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, which recently

joined northern Luzon’s rice terraces as a World Heritage site.”

Other countries included on the list are: • South Georgia Island, Winnipeg (Canada) • Côte d’Or (Burgundy, France) • Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) • Glasgow (Scotland) Greenland • Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hokkaido (Japan) • New York City (USA) • Okavango Delta (Botswana) • Masurian Lake District (Poland)

Marian Rivera said she now has a complete family with husband Dingdong Dantes after she gave birth to daughter Letizia.

Instagram photo by Marian Rivera

The Philippines is one of the countries facing high risks because of changes in the climate. It is one of the five countries that experienced the biggest number of weatherrelated disasters since 1995, according to a recent report by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Another report by the United Nations Children’s Fund warned that children would bear the brunt of climate change because about 530 million of them reside in flood-prone areas and 160 million others are in drought severity zones.

Dantes said young people have an important role in spreading awareness about climate change, which has been blamed for natural disasters and extreme weather conditions.

He cited the launching of #NOWPH last year, which aims to

promote vigilance for the care of the planet.

NOW, which stands for “Not on our Watch,” uses the Internet to encourage various sectors do their share in addressing climate change in a country known as the social media capital of the world.

Dantes said while there have been debates on whether to limit the global warming to below two degrees Celsius or 1.5 degrees, the heart of the issue is about caring for the planet regardless of race, color, stature or capacity.

“To choose to be involved and to get people involved is certainly the greatest contribution we can make in addressing the common problems we face in our common world. With a reach of 221 million social media impressions, and 3.6 million total pledges, please listen to all these voices saying NOW,” he said.

The National Geographic Traveler presented a list of “go-now destinations that will get you packing this 2016,” and Philippines is among them.

4th Impact after ‘X Factor UK’ Iñigo Pascual comes to Julia Barretto’s defense exit: Let’s keep believing

by JoyCe Jimenez

bad comments about us siyempre masasaktan kami,” he said.

He believes that Julia is just MANILA—Iñigo Pascual stood up for Julia Barretto, who has been often “misinterpreted” by the hounded by various controversies. public, when in reality, “Julia is real.

Julia is one of the kindest people.”

On Sunday, Iñigo posted Aside from her fallout with on his Instagram account an father Dennis Padilla, another “appreciation” message for Julia. hearsay Julia faces is her alleged Here he said how the Kapamilya links with On the Wings of Love actress remains “strong” lead star James Reid. despite issues she has been The two are being romantically encountering. associated, although James’s best “I guess I just felt the need to friend, Bret Jackson, has already do that,” he replied when asked denied the brewing romance what led him to write the post, in between the two Kapamilya stars. an interview on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Asked if he thinks the issue “I just felt the need to do that can affect their team up, Iñigo because she can’t do that, she can’t say, ‘Stop, guys.’ So I just had replied, “In this job naman I don’t to step up and just show that this think you should let any personal stuff affect it. To be honest, I don’t girl is real and hindi totoo ang know anything going on about sinasabi ng mga tao.” her personal life and vice versa, He added that even though so it’s not my business to talk if they know people don’t always there’s anything going on.” mean what they say, Iñigo said “So we just work kung ano they still get “affected” by their man ang ibigay sa amin, and we comments. have that friendship. Basta we “We don’t show na deep work together and we know what inside we’re hurt because we’re we want,” he concluded. humans and every time we get

by ChuCk

smith Philstar.com

Philstar.com

MANILA—All-Filipino girl group 4th Impact remains grateful for their X Factor UK journey despite being eliminated from the British reality talent show on Sunday, Nov. 29.

A few hours after their exit from the show, sisters Almira, Mylene, Celina and Irene Cercado

took to Twitter to thank their fans for voting for them on the competition.

4th Impact was eliminated for having the lowest number of public votes. The group went on a sing-off with Lauren Murray for being in the bottom two.

Reports say Celina collapsed on stage after their group was eliminated from the competition.

Iñigo Pascual defends his friend, Julia Barretto, from her critics, saying that she’s one of the “most real” person he met.

Julia and Iñigo stars in the upcoming Dreamscape productions TV series And I Love You So which also stars Miles Ocampo, Angel Aquino, Dimples Romana and Tonton Gutierrez.

It’ll start airing on December 7 in the Kapamilya afternoon block of ABS-CBN.

Pinoy group 4th Impact thanks their fans for support them on “X Factor UK.”

Their mentor Cheryl FernandezVersini and X Factor UK judge Rita Ora also expressed their well-wishes for the group on Twitter.

4th Impact, previously known on the show as 4th Power, was among the early favorites to do well in the competition following their well-received performance of the hit Bang Bang for their audition.

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John Lloyd Cruz experiences a lot of firsts with MMFF entry

by JoyCe JiMenez Philstar.com

MANILA—John Lloyd Cruz will experience a lot of first as his movie Honor Thy Father joins this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

The movie was initially not part of the eight entries of the 2015 MMFF. But earlier this month, it was announced that Honor Thy Father will officially part of the annual film fest after Gil Portes’ historical movie “Hermano Puli” backed out.

Although he has been in showbiz for over a decade, this is John Lloyd’s first time to be part of the MMFF. “I’m going to be busy promoting Honor Thy Father,” he replied when asked about his Christmas plans in an interview on Wednesday, Dec. 2. “First time sasakay ako ng float. ‘Yon ang bago, first Christmas season ko na I’ll be working.”

Before getting busy with his MMFF entry, John Lloyd thanked his fans who supported A Second Chance, the sequel of the film One More Chance which also stars Bea Alonzo.

John Lloyd admitted that while working on the film, he was “skeptical” of how the audience

“A Second Chance” and “Honor Thy Father” star John Lloyd Cruz will join the Metro Manila Film Festival Parade of Stars for the first time.

Fil-Am Amy Vachal makes it to ‘The Voice’ Top 9 SHE’S not saying “bye, bye, bye.”

Filipino-American jazz singer Amy Vachal’s journey in the The Voice continues as it was announced on Tuesday, Dec. 1 that she made it to the hit singing competition’s Top 9.

Vachal continued her and coach Adam Levine’s tested strategy of flipping successful songs from different genres to suit her jazzy and folksy leanings. On Monday, Nov. 30, Vachal covered Bye, Bye, Bye, one of the biggest hits from American boy band *Nsync.

The official twitter page of the boy band praised her, saying her rendition was “well done.”

Her version also made it to the

Top 10 of the iTunes charts. Her previous covers of Drake’s Hotline Bling and Taylor Swift’s Blank Space also proved to be popular among the viewers.

Both of Gwen Stefani’s bets, Korin Bukowski and Braiden Sunshine faced elimination, but viewers chose to save Sunshine, ultimately sending Bukowski home.

Joining Vachal in the Top 9 are fellow Team Adam members Jordan Smith and Shelby Brown.

Team Gwen’s Jeffrey Austin and Sunshine; Team Blake Shelton’s Zach Seabaugh, Barrett Baber and Emily Ann Robertson; and Team Pharrell Williams’ Madi Davis also made it through the next round.

(Inquirer.net)

Amy Vachal

Gerald Anderson’s way of giving back

by Marinel

r. Cruz

MANILA – Luis Manzano is “hopeful” that his girlfriend Angel Locsin can still star in the Star Cinema’s Darna movie project.

In October, Angel had to pull out of the film due to a disc bulge on her spinal column.

“She’s studying a lot of options and she has one or two in mind. I think we just have to wait and see kung anong mangyayari sa operation,” Luis said about Angel’s health condition in an interview aired on ABSCBN’s news program TV Patrol on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

With this, Luis is hopeful that Luis Manzano hopes Angel Locsin can still do “if management hasn’t started, Star Cinema’s Darna movie project. maybe, maybe there’s a good

GERALD Anderson has set up a foundation that will help children with cancer and mental disability, promote the preservation of the environment, as well as participate in search-and-rescue operations in calamity-struck areas.

“The Anderson Foundation is being formed as we speak. It will also involve my brother, Ken (who is also an actor), and the rest of my family,” Gerald told the Inquirer. “I thought of this because I wanted to join the military before joining show business. This will fill my life with more passion and meaning.”

According to Gerald, the foundation’s first project is a canine-aided search and rescue unit. “Our dogs will help look for chance [she’ll do Darna].” missing people in areas struck by He also thanked the the calamities, like Tacloban. I own one Kapamilya actress’ fans who of the dogs. I named him Fredo showed their support to her after my character in Dyesebel. My despite her sudden decision to let brother has two. We are currently go of the project. a six-man team.”

“I’ve seen hashtags saying, He added: “Ours is the only ‘We will wait for Angel as Darna.’ group of its kind in Asia—a team That’s not to downplay any artists with privately-owned dogs trained that we have today, but it goes for search and rescue. This will not to show that she did a great job be just for the Philippines. If we’re bilang Darna. So thank you all on needed in places like Nepal (where behalf of Angel,” he said. an magnitude-8.1 earthquake Luis and Angel will go on struck in April), we will go there, vacation in Las Vegas, but he too.” clarified that they won’t get The actor said there will also hitched. They’ll be joined by Luis’ be projects to benefit kids with dad Edu Manzano and his siblings special needs. “This is my way of in their tour in Cuba and Miami. giving back. I also plan to tie up

wastes in our bodies of water. I hope we could change our ways before it’s too late.”

Gerald told the Inquirer: “People who are greedy and selfish make me angry. It’s sad that the funds supposedly for the rehabilitation of Tacloban after Supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ were not used appropriately. I know I’d get into trouble for saying this, but these officials are so greedy that they felt no remorse taking what Gerald Anderson weren’t theirs.”

Asked whether running for with Ocean Adventure for other public office has ever crossed his projects.” mind, the 26-year-old actor said: Gerald was recently named “Never. In my own little way as an Ocean Adventure Subic Bay’s first brand ambassador. “They first saw artist, I am already able to help and inspire people. I think I am me when I brought the Cancer Warriors (a group of young cancer able to do more for others than some people currently in power.” patients) to the theme park.”

On the possibility of endorsing He added: “As part of the a presidential candidate for campaign, I got to play with the the 2016 elections, Gerald said dolphins and sea lions. I was so he would first sit down with a thrilled by the experience! Before that session, I was only able to see political aspirant “and try to find out how he would be able to help them as an audience. It was my first time to spend time with them. the masses. They are the ones who The park has other exciting shows are most affected if a politician with animals that no one thought steals from government funds.”

Gerald, who is a registered were even trainable. Imagine voter, admitted that he hasn’t being able to make chickens do had the chance to vote in past tricks. It’s amazing!” elections. “This is why the coming Gerald said he learned a lot election is special to me,” he from the experience. “Humans added. “Everyone should think are not the only living species in not just of their future, but of our the world that can be taught. It’s would-be children’s. We should sad because I was told that our elect someone who will bring country is the third in Asia with change to the country!” the biggest number of plastic

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will embrace A Second Chance.

“Skeptical [ako] sa magiging reaction ng audience kasi hindi ito ‘yong glossy Star Cinema film na usually napapanood mo o puwede mo asahan,” he explained.

“Tsaka kung alam n’yo lang ang process ng lahat sa paggawa nito, talagang kakabahan ka. It’s a very personal process para sa aming lahat.”

Despite all the worries, he is “very happy na nagustuhan ang end product kasi doon naman tayo nakatuon.”

Yet the viewers were not the only ones who learned from the film. John Lloyd admitted that

he has learned a lot from his character Popoy when it comes to relationships.

He is currently in a relationship with Kapamilya actress Angelica Panganiban.

“I won’t go to details, that’ll be too personal,” he said.

“Honestly after this film talagang mas maganda ang understanding ko about relationships. Dito ‘yon siguro ang biggest take ko, I had some enlightenment sa ilang areas with regards to relationships, ganyan.”

“Totoo naman kasi sa akin ‘yon and every character is a journey for me, every film,” he added.

Luis Manzano ‘hopeful’ Angel Locsin can still play Darna

Inquirer.net

SERVICES

december 4-10, 2015 www.asianjournal.com

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Come celebrate the holidays with us at Pechanga Resort & Casino As Christmas approaches, how do you plan to celebrate this joyful holiday? Will you get together with friends for some fine dining?

Enjoy a comfortable and relaxing spa treatment with your significant other? Invite a few friends to Journey for a round of golf?

Perhaps try your luck on the casino floor for a glamorous gaming experience? Pechanga’s friendly, dedicated staff is here to provide you with the finest service 24/7, making your stay at Pechanga Resort & Casino a memorable experience. Come to Pechanga Resort & Casino with your family and friend for some holiday fun.

New Year’s Eve Car Giveaway To add to the cheerful atmosphere on property, Pechanga Resort & Casino will be hosting a New Year’s Eve Car Giveaway plus EasyPlay on December 31, 2015. To enter the drawing, swipe your club card for a chance to win. Promotional period is from 9pm-3am.

Pechanga Club Members can win up to $500 or $1,000 in EasyPlay.

The Grand Drawing will take place at 3am, where one lucky winner will drive away in an Audi A3.

Participate in the drawing for a chance to become the next big winner in the upcoming year!

For more information about the drawing, please visit www. pechanga.com.

Pechanga Resort & Casino

This holiday season, the Historic Filipinotown Christmas Festival kicks off on Friday, December 4th with a Christmas Parade along the streets of Temple, Beverly, and Alvarado.

Participants in the parade come from various community organizations and businesses, and include Fil-Am community leaders and humanitarian advocates. A reception will follow after the parade with live entertainment, vendor booths, and delicious food. The crowning of Miss/Mrs. Filipinotown will be presented on December 11th at Casa Italiana in downtown Los Angeles. Join us as we celebrate the holidays in Historic Filipinotown! Please email Project Manager Lou Razon at lou.filipinotown@gmail.com for sponsorship inquiries, or visit www.historicfilipinotown.org for more details.

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Santo Nino de Cebu Association Annual Dinner Dance wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Pechanga Resort & Casino Pechanga Resort & Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experience anywhere in the country. Voted the #1 casino in the Us by UsA Today and rated a Four Diamond property

by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino provides an unparalleled getaway.

Offering more than 3,000 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class 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 1-877-711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort & Casino on Facebook.com/Pechanga and on Twitter @PechangaCasino.

Pechanga Resort & Casino is open 24-hours. Guests must be 21 and older to enter the casino.

(Advertising Supplement)

AoyAgi-StoM / Southern CAliforniA ediSon should ask for the caller’s name, as well as their department and business numbers,” said Kevin Payne, sCE senior vice president of Customer service, who was joined by the Monterey Park Police Department and AARP at a recent news conference hosted by the utility. “End the call and report the incident immediately to local police and sCE.” sCE has a web page with information on scams and how to avoid them in multiple languages.

In addition to creating awareness among business owners, customers were urged to help their family and friends avoid becoming victims.

“We do not want to become the grandparents of fraud,” said Patricia Perez, AARP California state president. “The AARP … wants its members and non-members to protect themselves against the utility phone scam and stay alert this holiday season.”

Local police departments have been working with sCE to capture these perpetrators. The Monterey Park Police Department has been issuing search warrants to track down the telephone

numbers used by the suspects.

They have also issued warrants for the IP address to locate which Internet carrier and portals the scam came from.

“We believe there are many more victims out there who have not reported these scams,” said Monterey Park Police Department Detective Bob Hung. ”We do want the public to be made aware and be cognizant of what is going on out there.” since the first scam call came in six months ago, Lee continued to receive calls at his business weekly for several months.

And he has some advice for other businesses to avoid being scammed.

“Be on top of your bill and use the sCE online services to confirm everything,” he said.

Here are some other tips to avoid being scammed: sCE never calls customers on the telephone and demands immediate payment with the threat of service disconnection. sCE does not accept prepaid cash cards for bill payments. sCE does not have a Disconnection Department.

For more information: on.sce. com/scamAlert.

Maria Ozawa: PH perfect; ‘it’s better here because there’s love’

by Arvin

MendozA Inquirer.net

HOW does Maria Ozawa find the Philippines?

“Perfect,” the Japanese actress told the media during a cast party for Nilalang, her first movie shot in the Philippines.

“Philippines is so different from Japan. It is better here because you guys have the love.

In Japan, work comes before family,” Maria said.

“Work is so important in Japan. You can’t skip anything for work. But here it’s opposite.

Family comes first. It’s hard for me to handle that because it’s different from how I have been raised,” she said.

Maria finished taping last month her scenes in the actionthriller film, which also stars Cesar Montano, Meg Imperial and Yam Concepcion.

Nilalang, an entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, tells the story of Tony (Cesar), an NBI agent who investigates a series of rapes and killings in the metro.

Maria plays the role of Miyuki, daughter of elder Yakuza member Mr. Kazudo. she will team up with Tony and together they will come face-to-face with their true enemy.

Maria said she enjoyed working in the Philippines the

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS Filipinotown Christmas Festival and Parade

With more than 16,000 SCE customers victimized since January 2014, the utility recently partnered with local law enforcement and AARP

by CAroline

America

D EC E M B E R 4

Don’t fall for utility bill scams this holiday season WHEN Jinza Teriyaki restaurant owner John Lee, 40, answered the phone at his business six months ago, the suspicious caller identified himself as a southern California Edison representative and asked for immediate payment or his electricity would be turned off. sensing that something was not right, he went online and checked his account. He saw that his bill was current and paid in full.

“This is a scam, right?” Lee asked.

The scammer hung up the phone immediately.

Lee’s story is all too common. since last year, more than 16,000 sCE customers have received calls from impostors asking for money. Of this number, at least 700 customers have paid them using prepaid cash cards, losing nearly half a million dollars.

This year, more than 5,500 sCE customers have received such scam calls.

And sCE hopes to bring these numbers down, especially during the busy holiday season when there is often a spike in scams.

“Customers who suspect they’ve received a fraudulent call

Calendar of Events across

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

Pasigueñans of Northern California 30th Annual Fiesta Celebration The Pasigueñans of Northern California invites all Pasigueñans, families, and friends to its 30th Annual Fiesta in honor of its patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The annual fiesta will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2015 from 1:00pm to 8:00pm at Joseph A. Fernekes Building, in Orange Memorial Park (781 Tennis Drive, South San Francisco, CA 94080). Celebration of the Holy Mass will be at 3:00pm, which will be followed by a sumptuous dinner, dancing, entertainment, and raffle drawing. For more information, please contact Flery Santos-Panganiban (707-567-4779), Polly Santiago-Cortez (925-876-7695), Edna Balido-Reyes (925-260-9764), Edith Balido (925-681-9770), Chit Santos-Dalangin (707-704-7887), Marico Enriquez (650-483-8306), Oscar Rosales (707-332-4991), Jerry Field (925-681-0974), Marivic Beltran-Tuazon (707-656-1081), or Pete Saguisag (650-994-0701).

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

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LA Archdiocesan SIMBANG GABI 2015 WHAT: LA Archdiocesan SIMBANG GABI 2015 WHEN: Tuesday, December 15, at 6:30pm WHERE: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012) Principal Celebrant: Most Rev. Jose H. Gomez, D.D., Archbishop of Los Angeles The Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, San Fernando Pastoral Region, will sponsor the first day of the Archdiocesan Simbang Gabi. Pre-liturgy/Parol Procession will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by the Mass celebrated by Archbishop Rev. Jose H. Gomez. Filipiniana attire is requested to be worn by organizers and participants. This year’s theme is “Jesus Our Savior, Empower Our Families to be Better Stewards of Your Creation.” For the Parol Procession Guidelines and other information, contact any Chairperson: Patty Santiago – email: piesan@hotmail.com; Phone: (818) 472-4288 or Raymond de Guzman- email: rdeguzman1317@verizon.net; Phone: (818) 634-8664.

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

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

All 1965 graduates of the Pampanga High School (PHS), formerly the Jose Abad Santos High School (JASHS), and their spouses are welcome to all scheduled events. Admission is free.

The celebration will begin with BISPERAS on December 29 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, enjoying fun games, old music, and togetherness at the DIASPORA FARM RESORT in Santa Barbara, Bacolor, Pampanga. On December 30, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, join us for KAPIYESTAN, a provincial fiesta luncheon featuring familiar Kapampangan dishes, at the Mulang Galang orchard in San Antonio, Mexico, Pampanga. The evening of Dec. 30 will conclude with TERAKAN, a gala dinner-dance from 6:30 pm to 12 midnight, at the Fortune Hongkong Seafood Restaurant in the San Fernando, Pampanga. Enjoy a fun evening of dancing to the retro music of Decadas and the mellow songs of folksinger Jerry. Class ‘65ers, please join us in celebrating our 50th Golden Anniversary! Full details on preparations, events and venues can be found on “TULA ampong SAYA,” on Facebook. For donations, interest in the 50th Anniversary Reunion souvenir memory book, highlighting the successes of individual Class ‘65ers and the accomplishments of the PHS Class ’65 Foundation, Inc., please contact the jubilee reunion organizing committee in the Philippines: Joseph Deang (0927-228-8588); Erlie Aquino Estandarte (0929-219-0248); Corazon Cunanan (0939-118-2888; 0926-660-35540); Cecille Morales Bernas (0932-509-2646); and Marcial Morales (0918-915-9095); and Dan Galang 0929-427-9308; 045-966-0764). In the US and Canada, please contact Dan Galang at (510) 487-5551 or at (510) 648-1047.

JA N UA RY 9

Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu All are cordially invited to the Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu on Saturday, January 9, 2016, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Bellflower, California, organized and sponsored by the Santo Niño de Cebu Association of Southern California, Inc., a non-profit religious organization. The Eucharistic Celebration will be presided by the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, His Excellency Bishop Oscar A. Solis at 10:00 am followed by the traditional procession of the image of Santo Niño de Cebu, fiesta lunch and Sinulog presentations. Food and financial donations are welcome, and all donations are tax deductible.

For further information, you may contact the association President, Danny C. Diluvio at (323) 252-4991 or email at: dannydiluvio1@gmail.com.

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PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global Reunion

Cesar Montano and Maria Ozawa

most, after also having done movies in Taiwan and Thailand.

“Philippines is way better.

Everybody is way too nice. They spoil me,” she said. she added, however, that the working hours were crazy. “More than 15 hours every day. But still, because it is that long, I got to know the cast better. That was

really good. The more I stay, the more I fell in love with them.”

Maria described her costar Cesar Montano as a gentleman who was kind and handsome.

“He is really good as a leading actor. He’s always worried about me and keeps me company,” she said.

Continued on Page 6

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

For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_santillan@yahoo. com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmaghari@gmail. com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 orhoney@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 orconnieacosta1@att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 or vee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

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

december 4-10, 2015 www.asianjournal.com

6 Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

PABA meets with LBUSD Board of Education leaders (8-5-2015). (L-R) Dr. Felton Williams, LBUSD Board of Education President; Citadelle Priagula, PABA President-elect; Hildegarde Aguinaldo, PABA Chair of the Board; Robert Tagorda, Director of LBUSD’s Office of Equity, Access, and College & Career Readiness; Christine Gonong, PABA President; and Ireneo Reus III, PABA Governor.

Paba to push for the naming of a school facility in the Long beach Unified School District in honor of Larry Itliong

LOS ANGELES—The Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) spearheads an effort to name a school facility within the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) in honor of Filipino American labor leader, Larry Itliong, a native of Pangasinan, Philippines.

Itliong was the founder of the Filipino Farm Labor Union and leader of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), which was responsible for the Coachella Valley Strike and the Great Delano Grape Strike in 1965. In 1966, Cesar Chavez’s National Farm Workers’ Associaton (NFWA) joined Itliong’s AWOC, forming the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), one of the greatest unions in the history of the nation.

Together, Itliong and Chavez led the historic march to Sacramento to fight for better working and living conditions, which eventually led to agreements for better wages and protections of farm workers in the 1970s.

On August 5, 2015, PABA leaders, Christine Gonong, Citadelle Priagula, Hildegarde Aguinaldo, and Ireneo Reus III met with Dr. Felton Williams, President of the LBUSD Board of Education, and Robert Tagorda, Director of LBUSD’s Office of Equity, Access, and College & Career Readiness, to seek clarification on the naming process. On November 16, 2015, PABA formally sent to the LBUSD

Board of Education its proposal to name an LBUSD school facility after Itliong.

PABA’s proposal came on the heels of Governor Jerry Brown’s signing on June 30, 2015 of AB 7, a bill establishing October 25 as Larry Itliong Day. Introduced

by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), AB 7 ensures that Mr. Itliong’s work and legacy of fighting for justice, opportunity, and equality will be properly honored for generations to come.

“Larry Itliong was unquestionably one of the great leaders in our state’s history. He changed the course of history by standing up for farm workers’ rights,” Assemblymember Bonta stated.

Tagalog is the third most widely spoken foreign language in households across the United States, following Spanish and Chinese. As of 2011, California is home to 45 percent of all Filipino immigrants to the United States. Although Filipinos are the largest Asian American group in California, there is only one school in this state that is named after Filipino American heroes, the Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School in Union City, California. Formerly known as Alvarado Middle School, the Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School was named after Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, another labor movement leader from the Philippine town of Saoag, Ilocos Sur. PABA initiated the proposal

to dedicate a school facility in Southern California to Itliong to recognize his contributions to the state, home to at least 1.5 million documented Filipino migrants and Filipino Americans. PABA chose to seek the aid of the LBUSD Board of Education, because West Long Beach has a high concentration of Filipinos. Indeed, 1 out of 10 enrollees at Cabrillo High School is Filipino, and Filipinos make up the third largest group in the campus, next only to Hispanics and African Americans, respectively.

PABA President Christine Gonong stated, “PABA’s proposal will not only recognize the contributions of Filipino Americans, but will also be consistent with the text of AB 7, which encourages public schools to remember the life of Mr. Itliong, recognize his accomplishments, and educate the students about the contributions he made to this state.”

“I believe that this proposal will inspire students and highlight the rich diversity in Long Beach,” said PABA Governor Ireneo A. Reus III, who grew up in Long Beach and attended schools in the LBUSD. “Just as the LBUSD already named a school after Cesar Chavez to honor Mr. Chavez’s contributions and legacy, PABA believes that the LBUSD should also name a school after Mr. Itliong to honor his contributions to this great state and the labor movement,” Reus added.

HAVE you ever felt sometimes that nothing ever changes?

It feels like the same ‘ol, same ‘ol, each and every single day, doing the same thing over and over again from sunrise to sunset.

We are like the mythical Greek figure Sisyphus destined to roll a rock uphill. When we reach the topmost point, the rock rolls down to the bottom of the hill and we have to roll that rock again uphill over and over again until the end of our days. The tedium is enough to drive us out of our wit’s end.

But although it may sometimes feel like it, human life is not meant to evolve that way.

Human life wasn’t meant to move in half cycles or in flat lines. The best of human life was intended to go through seasons and complete one cycle – hopefully, happily in one glorious cycle until the end game, until it is time to cross over and to finally come home.

But while alive, we have to fight the tedium of our days.

The grease that puts the ease in cycling through the rough and tough seasons in one’s life with grace and equanimity is that wonderful thing called JOY. JOY is that magical, mystical potion from which loving and appreciating one’s life, with all its countless heartbreaks, comes. Seasons come. Seasons go. They move in cycles and circles.

A circle is perhaps the perfect geometric structure there is.

Although some would claim the triangle or a square to be

Circles, cycles and movement “Life is like riding a bicycle.

To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

— Albert Eistein

better structures because of their stable nature, the circle and all its derivatives — the orb, the sphere, the globe and every structure on earth and in the universe with a core, circumference and radii emanating from the core — can teach and even help us to understand much about nature, our very own human life story and its cycles and seasons.

From the micro to the macro levels, every creative urge in every level, in the intellectual and the physical realms, begins as a thought and if tenaciously pursued and fleshed out by one’s strength of will, proceeds from concept to completion as a circle.

Even in the mundane reality of living an ordinary life from day to day, circles and cycles mark the patterns of our lives. Note nature’s seasons and cycles of birth and death, of sleep and wakefulness, of sunrise and sunset, of the waxing and waning of the moon and of the quarter million year rotation of the solar system around the core of our home galaxy, the Milky Way and in the grandest of levels, the movement of a nearly infinite number of galaxies in the universe, the edge of which only the Creator knows.

On the minutest level, the astounding movement of electrons around a nucleus and the wondrous flow of the human bloodstream from and to the heart are cyclical.

As science has found out, blockages, either man-made or natural to the flow or movement in the processes existing in nature at all levels, can create anomalies, abnormalities and mutations, resulting in pain and illnesses in the human body and if uncorrected, result in diseases, debilitation and ultimately, death. This presents a strong argument for regular exercise and movement, which pumps the movement of blood flow down to the capillaries and strengthens the muscles of the heart.

Nature moves in cycles. While the earth’s atmospheric cloak adheres to the surface because of the gravitational pull of the earth’s mass, the hydrologic cycle will continue to maintain our seas and give us rain to sustain all planetary life — that is, for the time being —unless something unforeseen and catastrophic upsets and upends this delicate homeostaticlike balance.

In a way, the life of our living, breathing planet is reflective of human life itself.

“Life,” according to Einstein, “is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

And on that point, we are finding out he is absolutely right. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

Volunteers needed for Duarte 2016 homeless count DUARTE—The homeless population, although often silent and in the shadows, are part of the demographic make-up of Southern California. To accurately count this often-vulnerable group, the City of Duarte opted to participate in the 2016 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count sponsored by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The actual count is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2016 from 8pm until approximately 12am. The City also participated in the 2015 Homeless Count.

Interested individuals, 18 years and older, are invited to volunteer and assist. The City will need approximately 25-30 volunteers to successfully complete this task. Volunteer counters will receive training and

refreshments that evening and be deployed from the Duarte Community Center in groups to count blocks within a specified area. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department will be assisting the City in this endeavor. Interested individuals are encouraged to sign up by calling Duarte City Hall at (626) 357-7931 ext. 267 or by emailing HYPERLINK “mailto: jruiz@accessduarte.com” jruiz@ accessduarte.com LAHSA, the lead agency for the Los Angeles Continuum of Care (LACoC), coordinates a biennial count of homeless people. The organization strives to make a difference in the lives of homeless residents and the count allows them to assess how and where homeless people can be best served.

LAHSA has contracted with the

San Gabriel Valley Consortium on Homelessness, a nonprofit agency, to provide participating cities with support. For additional information please contact Duarte City Hall at (626) 357-7931, X267.

About the City of Duarte The City of Duarte was incorporated on August 22, 1957.

With integrity and transparency, the City provides exemplary public services in a caring and fiscally responsible manner with a commitment to our community’s future. For more information visit HYPERLINK “http://www. accessduarte.com” www. accessduarte.com or call (626) 357-7931. Follow the City of Duarte on Facebook at facebook. com/duartecommunity; Twitter @CityofDuarte; Instagram @ city_of_duarte and LinkedIn.

Menard Leelin pays courtesy visit to Philippine Embassy THE Republic the Philippines Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., received a courtesy visit from Mr. Menard L. Leelin at the Philippine Embassy diplomatic mission in Washington, D.C. on November 25, 2015.

Mr. Leelin, a long-time Cerritos, California resident, successful Filipino-American businessman, and owner of Leelin Bakery and Cafe, had a warm, pleasant, and friendly conversation with Ambassador Cuisia during his recent business and family vacation trip to the Nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. They discussed various business and current issues concerning the Philippines and the United States, among many others. Mr. Leelin expressed his appreciation to Ambassador Cuisia for the warm hospitality he received during his courtesy visit.

Leelin Bakery and Cafe operates five store chains in Los Angeles, Cerritos, Eagle Rock, North Hills, Panorama City Menard L. Leelin with Ambassador to the US, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and West Covina in Southern Shabu Japanese Fondue Bar and Los Angeles, California, California. Additionally, Menard’s Restaurants in Artesia, Diamond and one in Las Vegas Nevada. family owns four Yojie Shabu

Maria Ozawa: PH perfect; ‘it’s better here...

From Page 5

She admitted she was nervous before filming started because it was her first time to do action scenes and wield a gun and sword.

“The shooting, there is no way I could practice so I just went on the set. I didn’t know the guns could be so heavy. But I got so excited.

All my stress blew because I got to shoot bottles and I was like I want do this more,” she said.

Despite taking kendo lessons in Japan as part of her preparation, Maria said handling the sword was such a challenge.

“It’s so hard to swing it and I had to run. And I got bruises all over my body.”

Maria got her role in Nilalang after saying in April on a radio program that she would love to be in a Filipino movie. She said she felt lucky that the offer

eventually came.

Asked whether she’s open to do more films in the country, she said: “Of course! Definitely!”

Maria also shared she is very much single right now. What does she want in a guy?

“He has to be super romantic.

That’s really a hard thing to do in Japan…to find a decent guy because they are not romantic,” she said.

december 4-10, 2015 www.asianjournal.com

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december 4-10, 2015 www.asianjournal.com

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