San Francisco Edition -- September 04 -- 10, 2015 by Asian Journal Community Newspapers

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Volume 14 - No. 36 • 3 Sections – 24 Pages

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by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

ALIAmANU, hawaii – A filipino immigrant was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife by stabbing her several times during an argument August 17. Police arrested Pablo fiesta Jr., 46, who was charged The victim, Cecilia Fiesta, with second-degree reportedly worked two jobs so murder in the death she could send for her husband of his wife, Cecilia and child from the Philippines fiesta, 43, in their last year. home at 1017 Puolo Drive. their 10-year-old daughter saw her father stab her mother in their living room about six times in the back and torso, according to a police report filed in honolulu District Court. Stabbing suspect, Pablo Cecilia fiesta was Fiesta. taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Pablo fiesta gave himself up to police a day after the stabbing. he was detained at oahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $500,000 bail. Cecilia fiesta reportedly held two jobs to bring her husband and a 17-year-old daughter to hawaii from the Philippines about a year ago. (inquirer.net)

PAGE A2

dent and Abad in their implementation of the DAP. But Justice secretary Leila de Lima said the office of the ombudsman cannot conduct preliminary investigation against the President because the immunity from suit accorded to him while in office covers the conduct of preliminary investigation. she explained that the office of the ombudsman could only conduct factfinding investigation on the charges filed against the President as part of its “ministerial function.” PAGE A2

Vice President Jejomar Binay mimics photographers during a visit to Escopa III in Project 4, Quezon City on Wednesday, Sept. 2. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

San Francisco offers bilingual ballots, including Filipino

sAN frANCIsCo—the Department of elections will introduce bilingual ballots for the November 3 election, each with content in english and one other language: Chinese, spanish, or filipino. the Department is asking voters who prefer to receive election materials, including the official ballot and the Voter Information Pamphlet, in another language in addition to english to update their language preference. Voters may do so by completing the form at sfelections.org/language, by calling (415) 554-4375, or by visiting the Department’s office. Voters who have provided their language preference to the Department will receive a ballot in english and their preferred language either by mail, at the City hall Voting Center, or at their polling place. on election Day, the Department will provide polling place signage indicating that three bilingual versions of the ballot are PAGE A2

NATIONAL HEROES DAY PROTEST. Environmental activists blow on horns in front of the Chinese Embassy in Makati City on Monday, Aug. 31 during a rally to protest recent moves by China in island-building at the disputed group of islands in the South China Sea. Led by former National Security Adviser Roilo Golez and businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis of the group US Pinoys for Good Governance, the demonstrators called their gathering a “Global Day of Prayer for Peace and Victory in the West Philippine Sea.” Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

NY-based press group calls for protection of Philippine journalists by agnes

constante AJPress

foLLoWING the death of another filipino journalist on thursday, Aug. 28, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on tuesday, sept. 1, to work toward eliminating attacks against press in the country. radio broadcaster Cosme maestrado, 46, the most recent victim, was shot to death by four unidentified gunman, according to The Guardian. on Aug. 19, teodoro escanilla,

Settlement with Pemberton impossible–Laude family by allan

Loma, Quezon City in a boodle fight in Amoranto Park. Binay also said he believes the investigation is meant to exhaust the issue so the public will forget about it in 2016. In february, the supreme Court (sC) ruled that DAP violated Article VI section 25 (5) of the 1987 Constitution and the doctrine of separation of powers of the executive and legislative branches. morales announced on tuesday, sept. 1 that her office is investigating the possible culpability of the Presi-

mANILA—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday, sept. 2 scoffed at reports that ombudsman Conchita Carpio-morales is investigating President Aquino and Budget secretary florencio Abad in connection with the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). “Drama. Nothing will happen there. If that is true, they (Aquino and Abad) should be suspended already,” Binay said in an interview after joining residents of Barangay salvacion in La

City Council approves LA’s bid for 2024 Olympics Los ANGeLes is another step closer toward the bid for the 2024 olympics, following the city council’s approval on tuesday, sept. 1. Last week, a city council subcommittee focused on the olympics approved recommendations city analysts made on the contract, before sending it to the full council for a vote. In a 15-0 vote on tuesday, mayor eric Garcetti now has the authority to pursue the bid with the Us olympic Committee (UsoC). the council added that it wants to be in-

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY

Binay: DAP probe vs. PNoy, Abad ‘just drama’

USA

DATELINE Filipino immigrant in Hawaii arrested for fatally stabbing wife

S eP t e mbe r 4 - 1 0 , 2 0 1 5

Macatuno

a radio anchor for dzms, was shot in front of his house; on Aug. 18, newspaper columnist and publisher Gregorio Ybanez was shot dead in front of his home, the Associated Press reported. “We call on President Benigno Aquino to give top priority to swiftly resolving these egregious cases,” said shawn Crispin, the senior southeast Asia representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists, according to the Associated Press. “Until Aquino demonstrates his government is seri-

ous about ending the onslaught, the killings will inevitably continue.” maestrado, an anchor at radio station dxoC, escaped a previous attack in November 2011, his colleagues told The Guardian. he was known for his commentary on the abuse of power and local corruption. the publication reported that maestrado was shot 10 times. “he was a good man, kind-hearted and helped many people. his cry is for change,” radio station manager remegio Bonustro said, according to

the Associated Press. escanilla, according to the news agency, was a spokesman of human rights group Karapatan in the province of sorsogon and was critical of alleged military abuses. the Associated Press further reported that Ybanez was a board member of an electric cooperative in Davao, and police are delving into whether a disagreement among board members of the cooperative could have been a reason behind the killing. PAGE A2

Customs issues new memo banning inspection of balikbayan boxes by Patricia lourdes

Viray

Philstar.com gender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude Inquirer.net mANILA—the Bureau of said a settlement with the camp oLoNGAPo CItY—the law- of accused Us marine Lance Cpl. Customs (BoC) on Wednesday, yers for the family of slain transPAGE A2 sept. 2 released a new memorandum order which bans the random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes.

the revised rules and regulations in the importation of balikbayan boxes from overseas filipino workers (ofWs) state that the boxes undergo mandatory x-ray scanning instead. PAGE A2

Jennifer Laude camp (L-R) Julita Laude, Atty. Virgie Suarez. Marc Sueselbeck, Atty. Harry Roque and Marilou Laude arrive at the preliminary investigation. Inquirer.net photo by Joan Bondoc

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september 4-10, 2015 • NOrCAL AsIAN JOUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 616-4150

From the Front Page

Binay: DAP probe vs PNoy, Abad... PAGE A1 A fact-finding investigation involves data gathering, a case buildup to determine if there is a need to subject a person to preliminary investigation. Preliminary investigation, on the other hand, refers to an inquiry to determine if there is sufficient ground to file a case in court. “A complaint is filed so the ombudsman has no option under the law but to conduct the fact-finding investigation. This is just the same with a complaint filed with the Department of Justice. It has no option but to conduct an investigation therein,” De Lima said in a statement. “The President can be subject of an investigation by the ombudsman. However, this only goes so far as the fact-finding stage because he cannot be subject to preliminary investigation without violating his immunity,” she pointed out. But Binay said despite Aquino’s immunity from suit, he could still

be subject to investigation by the ombudsman. Binay said should he get elected president next year, he will push for the investigation on DAP and the government officials involved. “If there are evidence, why not? The people who committed wrongdoings under this administration, especially Mr. Abad, should be held accountable. It’s not good to enforce selective justice. If there are evidence, they should be charged,” he said. As for Aquino, Binay said he would leave it to the Department of Justice to determine whether or not the President could be charged. Lawmakers, meanwhile, said Morales should not waver in her investigation. “We are wary that this investigation is a new subterfuge aimed at deodorizing Aquino, Abad and all other Liberal Party stalwarts ahead of the elections. We urge the ombudsman to act judiciously, and not bow to the pressure and

machinations of the current administration,” Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said. He said the ombudsman has enough reason to find Aquino and Abad liable for several charges, including malversation and plunder. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, leader of the independent bloc of the House of Representatives and the Philippine Constitution Association, one of the groups that questioned the constitutionality of DAP before the SC, said he was hoping that Morales would remain independent and perform her mandate without fear or favor. “The ombudsman must proceed with full authority here because this is a very important issue that warrants clarity in the name of transparency and accountability,” he said. For Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., the probe against Aquino and Abad shows there is no selective justice under the administration. (With Edu Punay, Paolo Romero)

San Francisco offers bilingual ballots... PAGE A1 available. This information will be conveyed in English, Chinese, Spanish and Filipino on the sign placed on the Election Table, on each ballot card, and on the Ballot Secrecy Folder issued to every voter.

Similarly, the vote-by-mail ballot packet will include information about availability of the three bilingual versions of the ballot. Although the ballots in English and each aforementioned language will be available by

mail, at the City Hall Voting Center, and at all polling places, San Francisco voters are encouraged to choose their preferred ballot language well before Election Day by providing their language preference at sfelections.org/ language. (Inquirer.net)

City Council approves LA’s bid for 2024...

PAGE A1

cluded in the process for the next two years and vote on the final bid agreement that will be presented to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The USOC also confirmed at a press conference on Santa Monica Beach that LA will be its candidate to the IOC. “This is a great day for Los Angeles and a great day for the Olympic movement,” Garcetti said at the press conference. Boston was a leading contender for the 2024 Olympics; however, in July the city dropped out due to the lack of public support and questions about taxpayer spending. The USOC said polling data shows that over 80 percent of LA’s residents are in support of hosting the Olympics. An initial proposal for 2024 — released by Garcetti and sports executive Casey Wasserman — has a $4.1 billion budget, in addition to $150 million in insurance premiums and $400 million for cost overruns, the Los Angeles Times reported. “In Los Angeles, the spotlight is always on. We have the resources, experience and secure environment to share the biggest events with the world,” the proposal states. The proposal further outlines renovation projects for existing venues, including the

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (which estimates $800 million for seating upgrades and premium amenities) and a $500 million investment from the University of Southern California, according to the Associated Press. Various events would be held throughout the city: gymnastics and basketball at the Staples Center, volleyball on Santa Monica Beach, road cyclists and marathon runners on Hollywood Boulevard and mountain bike racing in Griffith Park. An Olympic Village “centrally located along the revitalized LA River to reduce travel times and provide a place to rest and prepare” for athletes is also included in the plan. City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana and Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso cautioned that acquiring and developing the site may “significantly exceed” the $1 billion budget. The costs incurred by a host city and whether it benefits have been subjects of debate. Sochi, Russia, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 2014, cost $51 billion and is considered the most expensive games to date. “It is vital to properly and sufficiently safeguard Angelenos and our city government from possible losses — and to avoid placing our city in a po-

sition wherein we might have to indemnify the US Olympic Committee or any other entity from losses they might incur,” LA City Controller Ron Galperin wrote in a letter to the council last week. Councilmember Mike Bonin noted that the city was not financially responsible during the 1984 Summer Games. “The City did not assume that responsibility in 1984. Why would it assume that responsibility now? Since LA is the only US city currently willing to bid on the 2024 games, have we used this strong negotiating position to ask the USOC to cover any costs or provide any financial guarantees?,” Bonin wrote in a letter to Council President Herb Wesson on Friday, Aug. 28, according to the LA Times. A $161-million surplus is expected, according to Garcetti, who cited revenues from broadcast, sponsorship and ticket sales. The Olympics were previously held in Los Angeles in 1932 and 1984. The US hasn’t hosted the Summer Games since 1996 in Atlanta. Contenders have until Sept. 15 to bring their bid to the IOC. Among other international contenders are Paris, Rome, Hamburg and Budapest. The IOC will announce the 2024 host city in 2017. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

NY-based press group calls for protection... Customs issues new memo banning inspection...

PAGE A1 In 2015 alone, six journalists have been killed in the Philip-

pines, and 32 since Aquino assumed the presidency in 2010, according to a Philippine Center

for Investigative Journalism report. If the three most recent incidents are determined to have been work-related murders, the number of journalists killed in the Philippines since 1986 will be at 150, according to Philippine media watchdog Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. “The murder of three journalists in two weeks shows how the lack of progress in ending impunity has emboldened those bent on silencing the press in the Philippines,” Crispin said, according to The Guardian. Presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma has criticized the attacks and told reporters that police have been instructed to search for the killers. The Philippine National Police Director General Ricardo Marquez, according to the Associated Press, said police have created separate special investigation groups to look into each of the attacks. The Philippines is ranked the third most deadly country for journalists around the world by the Committee to Protect Journalists, following Iraq and Syria. n

PAGE A1 Boxes tagged “suspect” after x-ray scanning will be subjected to 100 percent physical examination to be conducted by a Customs examiner in the presence of the apprehending officers, representatives of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and a designated officer of an OFW association. The BOC will also acquire K-9 units and install CCTVs in all authorized inspection and examination areas, according to the memo. The said order seeks “to contribute to the enforcement efforts in suppressing unscrupulous individuals using the balikbayan boxes privilege to smuggle goods.” The new memo applies to all non-commercial inbound consolidated shipments of OFWs and for returning OFWs, as provided under the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines. President Benigno Aquino III earlier ordered the BOC to stop conducting random physical inspections of balikbayan boxes.

Settlement with Pemberton... PAGE A1 Joseph Scott Pemberton was impossible now that both parties had rested their case. Pemberton is facing a murder charge in Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 here for the death of Laude, whose body was found in a motel bathroom on Oct. 11 last year. Witnesses identified Pemberton as the man who was last seen with her as they checked into the motel. “Any settlement now is impossible, especially since both parties are done presenting their respective evidence,” said Virgie Lacsa Suarez, one of the Laude family’s lawyers, in a text mes-

sage to the Inquirer on Monday, Aug. 31. Suarez said that since the start of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence on March 23, there had been no talk of a settlement. “There was only a discussion on a plea bargain as part of the pretrial early in February,” Suarez said. She denied reports the family had demanded P38 million and six US visas to drop the case. “There is simply no truth to that… maybe that’s what they (defense lawyers) want to offer [the family],” Suarez said. She said she suspected Pemberton’s lawyers were “testing the waters” when they revealed

Liza Macaranas of the parcel section chief at the Manila Post Office starts her day by organizing stacks of boxes sent in by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from all around the world. President Benigno Aquino III recently intervened in the controversial customs inspections of Balikbayan Boxes, even as some OFW rights organizations declared a “Zero Remittance Day” on Friday, Aug. 28. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

the alleged offer. “There is no truth to reports we will drop the case at anytime,” Suarez said. City Chief Prosecutor Emilie Fe de los Santos said Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde scheduled the summation and submission of memorandums on Sept. 14. De los Santos said a verdict is expected by Dec. 14, which is within the prescribed one-year period to finish court proceedings under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Lawyer Harry Roque Jr., the Laude family’s lead counsel, dubbed reports the family was open to a settlement a “PR ploy” by Pemberton’s camp. He warned Pemberton’s lawyers not to approach the Laude family without the consent of

their counsel. “They should not even come close to my client, otherwise I will enforce the ethical prohibition of a trial and I will move for their disbarment for ethical breaches,” Roque told the Inquirer by phone on Monday. Laude’s mother, Julita, has been adamant her family would not accept a settlement. “It’s not money that could compensate for a life that was lost. No amount of money can replace the life of my child. Not even Pemberton’s life can replace Jennifer’s,” she had said during the trial. In April, Laude’s relatives sought at least P200 million in moral and exemplary damages as the civil aspect of the case was tackled in Pemberton’s trial.

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • SeptembeR 4-10, 2015

Filipino teacher honored by White House, LA City Hall by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

LOS ANGELES—In high school, Jaime Ballesteros didn’t think he would be able to attend college because of his undocumented status. Originally from Bacolod City, Philippines, Ballesteros was 11 years old when his family moved to Jersey City, New Jersey after his father obtained a temporary work visa for an accounting job. However, when the recession hit, Ballesteros’s father lost his job and the visa. “Overnight my family became undocumented,” Ballesteros shared. “I never really knew how to deal with it until I opened up to my teacher during the junior year of high school.” He kept his undocumented status a secret at first, but eventually confided in his English teacher, Ms. Solberg, who helped him research colleges that could offer merit scholarships for undocumented students. Ballesteros went on to Drew University, a liberal arts college in New Jersey that granted him a scholarship. During his junior year in college, his mom encouraged him to apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that President Obama announced in 2012, and he was approved to live and work in the US legally. Since it was introduced, more than 660,000 people have received DACA, according to the White House. “Applying to DACA is very personal. A lot of immigrants

may be scared of coming out of the shad- ows because of the repercussions that may come with it. But personally, I feel that DACA has changed the way that I engage every day—I can drive, I can work, I can do all these amazing things I wouldn’t have been able to do without a social security number or a driver’s license...it has impacted me on a positive way,” Ballesteros said. “I definitely recommend that if you are eligible for DACA to pursue it because I don’t think there are negative repercussions from applying and trying.” Becoming a DACAmented teacher Ballesteros, who graduated from Drew University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in art history and a minor in chemistry, originally intended to go to medical school. But the reality of his status made him recognize that he wouldn’t be able to live out that plan. With Ms. Holberg and how she impacted his educational career in the back of his mind, he decided to delve into teaching. “…I changed my path in my senior year when I thought back to Ms. Holberg and what she did for me. I joined Teach for America soon after graduating from college,” Ballesteros said. Sharing how he “wanted to be civically engaged but didn’t know how to do that while being undocumented,” Ballesteros came across Teach for America (TFA) again in college when a friend applied, and saw that the program was accepting corp members who are DACA recipi-

CA Senate advances six tobacco regulation bills by agnes

COnstante AJPress

THE state Senate approved on Thursday, Aug. 27, six tobacco regulation measures that would raise the smoking age in California from 18 to 21 and restrict e-cigarette usage in a variety of public areas. The vote marks the second time in three months that California’s Senate has advanced measures boosting the smoking age and restricting e-cigarettes. The package of legislation also expands on tobacco bans in schools and workplaces. “We cannot continue to sit by while these tobacco companies continue to poison generation after generation with their addictive products,” said Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), who pushed for the bill supporting the increase in smoking age, according to the Los Angeles Times. Behind the legislation restricting e-cigarettes was Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), who revived an earlier measure during a special health care session. Leno’s proposal came in part as a response to a federal finding last year revealing that use of ecigarettes among teenagers has multiplied three times in the last couple of years. “This is important because the fastest growing segment of the e-cigarette market is middle and high school students,” Leno told his colleagues, pointing out that 11 other states, including

Colorado and Minnesota, possess similar laws, the Los Angeles Times reported. The bills passed mostly along partisan lines, although Republican Sen. Jeff Stone of Temecula and Democratic Sens. Cathleen Galgiani of Stockton and Richard Roth of Riverside joined their colleagues on opposite parties for certain measures. “They are going after the kids, and that’s where I have to draw the line,” Stone said in support of the e-cigarette regulation bill. Opponents of the legislation argue that if Californians are allowed to join the military at 18 years old, they should be permitted to decide if they wish to smoke. “These people are adults who are willing to put their life on the line for their country and they ought to be able to go buy a pack of cigarettes if they want to,” said Pete Conaty, a lobbyist for the American Legion, according to the Times. Among lawmakers, Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine), spoke against a measure by Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) that would allow local governments to impose their own taxes on tobacco. “If we want to ban cigarettes, let’s just ban them,” he said. “This slow approach makes no sense to me.” Anderson argued that allowing local governments to increase levies on tobacco would PAGE A4

Advisory committee: Airlines should decide on allowing in-flight calls A COMMITTEE under the Transportation Department on Tuesday, Sept. 1, approved a recommendation stating that airlines should possess discretion in whether to allow passengers to make phone calls during flights. “We recommend that if safe and secure, that the Department of Transportation allow airlines to decide whether to permit passengers to use mobile devices for voice calls,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who is chairman of the advisory panel, USA Today reported. The panel, composed of four airline and consumer representatives, met in Washington, according to Bloomberg. It also assesses the Transportation Department’s consumer protection programs. The advisory committee’s recommendation comes more than one year after federal agencies gathered thousands of complaints against the possibility that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would lift the ban. In December 2013, the FCC agreed to consider removing the ban on in-flight calls, which went into effect in 1991. The proposal, however, drew much opposition: the FCC collected 1,400 comments, virtually all of which were against it. Members of Congress said they would present legislation to ban calls if the FCC decides to allow inflight calls; travelers, among others, are not pleased with the idea

of seat mates chatting while onboard packed flights. Flight attendants have also raised the possibility of terrorists using cellphones to communicate attacks. “We’ll keep the wishes of our customers in mind if the rules governing cell phone use shift from the government to individual airlines,” Matt Miller, a spokesman for American Airlines Group Inc., told Bloomberg. Should the FCC decide to permit mobile phones and devices, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety regulations would still remain in place, the Department of Transportation said in a notice last year, according to Bloomberg. Before the ban is lifted, aircraft operators would need to confirm that equipment would not affect aircraft systems, the publication reported. USA Today reported that many foreign airlines already provide cellular service, including calls, demonstrating the safety, supporters say. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told Congress that the reasoning behind the ban is no longer applicable as aircrafts today have their own cell towers, the publication reported. The advisory committee’s recommendation is non-binding, and the FCC and Transportation Department have yet to set a date on when to decide on the issue, according to USA Today. (Agnes Constante/AJPress)

ents. TFA first accepted two “DACAmented” teachers into the program in 2013, and 44 teachers were placed in 10 regions across the country the following year. To date, over 90 DACAmented teachers are working in 13 regions, according to the organization’s website. Among the areas where the organization has partnerships with schools to hire these teachers are the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. “TFA-Los Angeles has the largest number of DACAmented corp members in the country across our 52 regions and mainly because when we heard about the opportunity to have DACAmented corp members, we were able to call Los Angeles Unified School District and our big charter partners and say ‘will you hire our teachers? will you support this initiative?’ and all of them across Los Angeles said yes. We have tremendous support from our partners…we’re able to bring in all kinds of folks, like Jaime, as possible because we believe so deeply in his story, in him and the children who have the same experience,” said TFA-LA Executive Director Lida Jennings. For DACA recipients to be considered for TFA, they must have at least a 2.50 undergraduate GPA, a bachelor’s degree, a social security number and an Employment Authorization Document to meet the hiring requirements of partner schools. TFA also helps corp members with legal assistance if needed.

Leandro Otero, director of external affairs & partnerships for Teach for America - LA (TFA- LA); Stephanie Goodman; Lida R. Jennings, executive director of TFA-LA; Jaime Ballesteros; Joe Bernardo, policy analyst for the LA Mayor’s office of immigrant affairs; and Luis Figueroa at LA City Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 26. AJPress photos by Ding Carreon Filipino teacher Jaime Ballesteros receives a recognition from the City of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Ballesteros is now entering his second year as a high school chemistry teacher for Animo College Preparatory Academy, a public charter school in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. Since it’s an inner-city school, Ballesteros said he tries to be positive and engaging in the classroom, noting that some of students may not come from “healthy backgrounds.” “Throughout my first year, I found out that the key to me being able to make a great impact in the classroom is making strong individual relationships with my students…I pride myself in knowing the strengths of my students and what they need to improve on—that really guides me when I’m planning my lessons and teaching in class,” Ball-

Nine educators who received DACA, including Jaime Ballesteros, were honored by the White House as “Champions of Change” in July. Photo courtesy of Teach for America - Los Angeles.

esteros said. Similar to how Ms. Holberg took an interest in him despite his immigration status, the 23year-old teacher intends to do the same with his students. “In sharing my story with some

of my students, they’ve also told me that they themselves are undocumented,” he said. “I’ve been working with them to look for different colleges and scholarships they can apply to so that’s PAGE A4

september 4-10, 2015 • NOrCAL AsIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 616-4150

CSUN biology professor, students, make discovery that could improve breast cancer treatments by Agnes

ConstAnte AJPress

A TEAM of nine students and one biology professor from Cal State Northridge (CSUN) have pinpointed a gene that can cause breast cancer to spread. The new finding, published in this month’s Public Library of Science One journal, could change the course of breast cancer treatment, researchers say. Among women, breast cancer is the most common and constitutes 23 percent of all cancer cases, the study states. For women whose cancer metastasizes through the bloodstream, the survival rate is 24 percent. The discovery could lead

to improved diagnoses of the cancer and innovative therapy for patients, the Los Angeles Daily News reported. “I think it can bust down the cancer house—at least do it damage,” CSUN biology professor Jonathan Kelber told the newspaper. “It’s a battering ram. “Essentially, we’re going to cripple the house cancer and stop it in its tracks.” Kelber and his students found that a gene called PEAK1 affects a protein known as TGF beta, which typically regulates cell growth and suppresses tumors. They found that PEAK1 serves as an important “support wall” for cancer cells, which promotes metastasis to

various parts of the body. In certain breast cancers, the team discovered TGF-beta protein causes a swift conversion of benign tumor cells to malignant ones, in turn speeding up the progression of the cancer. “That is our discovery: that PEAK1 converts TGF-beta from good to bad,” Kelber said, according to the Daily News. “So this is the first set of reports to uncover the functioning mechanism of how breast cancer progresses. This can lead to therapy for breast cancer and has the potential to improve patient outcome.” How the change in the cells occur remains a topic for future research. The CSUN study has re-

Filipino teacher honored by White House... PAGE A3 definitely been a powerful experience to do what my teacher did for me back in high school.” At Animo, about 80 percent of the students are Latino, and many of his students are undocumented or have family members who are. “Jaime represents a commitment that we as an organization have made to bring teachers to match the backgrounds of our students. This is a more per-

sonal story behind that, but we are bringing in a more diverse corp and we’re proud to say that our students are being taught by people that look like them and come from the same background. It’s a commitment we’re going to continue see through,” Leandro Otero, director of external affairs and partnerships for TFA-LA said. Though he is in a unique position to connect with his students on a more personal level, Balles-

teros shared that other teachers may not be aware of how to handle undocumented students. “[Teachers] should inform themselves of the struggles that undocumented students face and the solutions that are available for these students. It’s not enough to tell the students that they need to work hard. I think teachers need to provide actionable solutions to students,” he said. Champion of change In July, nine educators who have received DACA were honored by the White House as

ceived positive feedback from oncologists, including Dr. Julia Tchou, breast cancer surgeon at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and an associate professor at the school. Tchou said the university’s research underlines a “novel strategy” that can target the interaction between the TGF-beta protein, the PEAK1 gene and tumor cells to stop them from spreading, according to the Daily News. “As our understanding of the tumor cell and its microenvironmental deepens, we no longer think of tumor cells as the only therapeutic target within the tumor,” she said in a statement. n “Champions of Change.” “This event honored nine young leaders in the field of education that are also DACA recipients, who have been strong role models for students and families, as well as change agents within their communities,” the White House said in a statement. Among the nine was Ballesteros, who flew out to DC for an awards ceremony for the leaders and a convening of DACAmented teachers hosted by TFA. The DACA-recipient teachers also spoke on a panel about their experiences and pathways into teaching. “It was definitely a very surreal experience. As someone

FISHY BUSINESS. An activist wearing a dolphin costume lies before his placard-wielding colleagues in front of the Japan Embassy in Pasay City to dramatize their call for a stop in the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russel Palma

who is undocumented, I never thought I would have been honored at the White House or even step foot in [there]. After finishing my first year—which as any first-year teacher knows is a great feat—it was almost like a victory lap for me for my efforts to be recognized,” Ballesteros recalled. Since joining TFA, the recognitions for Ballesteros haven’t stopped there. On Wednesday, Aug. 26, the City of Los Angeles presented a certificate to Ballesteros in an intimate ceremony. “This is a such a big honor for me, especially just moving to LA and just starting my second year

CA Senate advances six tobacco... PAGE A3 probably discourage smoking and cause a drop in California’s tobacco revenues. “I think we have to be very careful that we don’t kill the golden goose,” he said, according to the Associated Press. The tobacco industry has contested the regulation legislation, arguing that e-cigarettes are safer since they use vapor rather than combustible tobacco. The industry also notes that the products are often used by smokers working toward eliminating the habit. The bills now head to the Assembly where they face an uncertain future. In the past,

a committee shelved previous Senate legislation. Along with the six-bill package, a separate measure to increase the to tobacco tax by $2 a pack is supported by Save Lives California, a coalition whose members include the American Cancer Society, American Lung Assn., California Medical Assn. And Service Employees International Union. Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), who is sponsoring the bill, noted that the state’s tobacco tax of 87 cents per pack ranks California 33 in the country, falling behind New York, which tacks a $4.35 tax per pack. Federal tax on each pack of

cigarettes is $1.01. Pan said he knows convincing Republicans to back a tax raise will not be easy, but said he believes a tobacco tax is a “winwin” for taxpayers as it would simultaneously boost revenue and decrease costs, Mercury News reported. “It’s time to step away from the rhetoric and look at the facts,” Pan said, Mercury News reported. “But if my colleagues refuse to support this, we’ll take it to the ballot. The people will pass this.” In addition to the passage of the six bills, a new Field Poll on Thursday found that two-thirds of California voters support a $2

in teaching,” he said. In addition to teaching, Ballesteros is currently pursuing a master’s degree in urban education at Loyola Marymount University and hopes to shape education policy in the future. “I plan on staying in the classroom as long as I can and making a career out of education. Eventually, way into the future, I see myself making an impact on education policy because I feel that as a teacher, I have control on the impact that I could make on the 120 students that go through my classroom each day. As I gain more experience, I want a broader impact on my students,” he said. n tobacco tax increase. The survey sampled 1,555 registered California voters and was conducted via phone from June 25 to July 16. Most interviews were done in English, but were also conducted in Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Hindi. Another bill approved Thursday by the Senate would permit the California Board of Equalization to charge a $265 licensing fee to tobacco retailers annually instead of a one-time $100 fee. The board would also be allowed to raise the annual license fee assessed on tobacco distributors from $1,000 to $1,200, the Times reported. (With reports from Los Angeles Times, San Jose Mercury News and the Associated Press)

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20 lawmakers tied to new P500-million pork scam Malacañang reminds by NaNcy

c. carvajal Inquirer.net

SenatorS Juan Ponce enrile and ramon revilla Jr., former Sen. edgardo angara, and 17 current and former representatives have been accused of channeling at least P500 million of their pork barrel allocations to questionable nongovernment organizations (nGos), documents made available to the Inquirer showed. the documents included sworn statements executed by four new whistle-blowers that form part of the evidence being prepared by Levito Baligod, a lawyer who helped expose the P10-billion racket involving the diversion of the congressional Priority Development assistance Fund (PDaF) to fake nGos of Janet Lim-napoles. the PDaF funds were funneled to state-owned national agribusiness Corp. (nabcor) and ended in the accounts of several organizations found by the Commission on audit (Coa) to be questionable, according to the documents. the affidavits, along with copies of checks and other documents, will be submitted to the office of ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Wednesday by Baligod, counsel for the whistle-blowers. “May I respectfully refer to you for appropriate actions the enclosed affidavits of four witnesses who detailed their knowledge on the involvement of certain government officials and private individuals in the so-called PDaF scam,” Baligod said in his letter to the ombudsman. Baligod said in his letter that PDaF funds ended in questionable nGos “through the solicitation of other service providers using exactly the same modus as that of Janet napoles.” “the witnesses share their knowledge on how the malversation of P490,685,000.00 of PDaF happened and the participation of each of those who appear to be responsible,” Baligod said. named by the new witnesses as among those who assigned their pork barrel from 2007 to 2010 to fake people’s organizations were:

Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr. and former Sen. Edgardo Angara (from left), along with 17 current and former representatives, have been accused of channeling at least P500 million of their pork barrel allocations to questionable nongovernment organizations (NGOs), documents made available to the Inquirer showed.

- revilla, P22 million in special allocation release order (Saro) numbers roCS-07-08555 allocated to St. James the apostle Multipurpose Cooperative. - enrile, P15 million with Saro number roCS-09-04956 to Kagandahan ng Kapaligiran Foundation Inc. - angara, P20 million with Saro number roCS-09-05619, also to Kagandahan. Angara’s denial angara denied he allocated money to Kagandahan and said his office had no records of such transaction. He also said he did not know Quennie estanislao and Maylanie asuncion alleged by witnesses as the owners of the foundation. “We never assigned funds to the said organization and based on our office records and the Senate finance committee there was absolutely no allocation,” angara said. He also said the issue had already been cleared with Coa. the documents also showed that: - Former Davao rep. Prospero nograles allocated a total of P96 million to two nGos—aaron Foundation allegedly operated by now Davao rep. nancy Catamco (P60 million with Saro number BMB-03240 and roCS-08-05177) and Kapuso’t Kapamilya Foundation (P36 million with Saro number BMB07-09681 and BMB-07-03264) whose owner was alleged to be Marilou Ferrer. - Former rep. Joseph Santiago allocated a total of P32.5 million with Saro numbers e-

08-08945, roCS-07-00333, roCS-07-02117 to Kabuhayan at Kalusugang alay sa Masa Foundation allegedly owned by a Marilou antonio; Ikaw at ako Foundation of Joel Soriano and Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation also of antonio and Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation also of antonio. - Former rep. roberto Cajes of Bohol allocated P90.3 million with Saro numbers roCS-0708956, roCS-08-04339, roCS09-05253, BMB-e-07-07367, BMB-08-00457, roCS-0700439 and roCS 07-02950 to questionable nGos— Gabay sa Magandang Bukas Foundation, Kabuhayan at Kalusugang alay sa Masa, Kapuso’t Kapamilya and Buhay Mo Mahal Ko. - Former rep. Florencio Miraflores allocated P25 million with Saro numbers roCS-07-00722, roCS-0608146, roCS-0703483, roCS-07-07405, roCS08-00420 to Center for Mindoro Integrated Development Foundation and Uswag Guimaras Foundation and suppliers. - Iloilo rep. neil tupas allocated P5 million with Saro number roCS-08-03696 to Kabuhayan at Kalusugan alay sa Masa Foundation, also of antonio. - Former rep. Carol Lopez allocated P29 million with Saro numbers roCS-08-07146 and roCS-08-05631 to Kagandahan ng Kapaligiram Foundation, also of antonio. - Former rep. edgar San Luis allocated P10 million with Saro number e-08-09740 to Kaisa’t

Kaagapay Foundation care of Maripaz de la Vega and rizza de la Vega. (according to the witnesses, the De la Vegas were fronts of a still unidentified person.) - rep. arturo robes allocated P8 million with Saro number roCS-08-07053 and BMB-08003055 to Kaisa’t Kaagapay also to the De la Vegas and Kapuso’t Kapamilya Foundation of a Marilou Ferrer. - Former rep. Joel Villanueva allocated P45 million with Saro numbers roCS-08-05175, roCS 09-04151, Do8-07773 to aaron Foundation, Kaagapay Magpakailanman and Infinite Community Integrated Development Support. - Former rep. rodolfo antonino allocated P15 million with Saro number roCS-0702898 to Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation. - Former rep. reno Lim allocated P33.43 million with Saro numbers roCS-09-04604, roCS-09-04095, roCS-0803725, roCS-08-07187 to Kagandahan ng Kapaligiran and Gabaymasa Development Foundation. - rep. Julius Ledesma IV of negros oriental allocated a total of P27 million with Saro numbers roCS-08-07953. roCS-0807954 and roCS-09-04785 to Kaisa’t Kaagapay Mo Foundation. - Former rep. evita arago allocated P6 million with Saro number e- 09-02570 to Kaisa’t Kaagapay Mo Foundation. - Former Pangasinan rep. rachel arenas allocated P9.7 million with Saro number roCS08-08864 to Pangkabuhayan Foundation operated by evelyn “Lyn” Miranda. - Former rep. alfonso Umali allocated P4.8 million with Saro number roCS-08-00826 to Kaagapay Magpakailanman. - rep. al Francis Bichara allocated 18 million to Kaisa’t Kaagapay Foundation. - Former rep. Marina Clarete allocated a total of P37.5 million under Saro numbers 07-07894, 0804170, 09-04240 and BMB e-08-00596 to three foundations—Kabuhayan at Kalusugan alay sa Masa, Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation and alay sa Masa.

Ombudsman: Aquino immune from suit by louis

BacaNi Philstar.com

ManILa—amid the ongoing probe on the Disbursement acceleration Program (DaP), Malacañang reminded the office of the ombudsman on tuesday, Sept. 1 that the chief executive enjoys immunity from lawsuit. “We wish to point out the Constitutional principle that an incumbent President of the Philippines is immune from suit,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a note to media. according to reports, ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales revealed this morning that her office is now investigating aquino and Budget Secretary Florencio abad in connection with the implementation of the controversial DaP. Morales made the revelation in reply to a question during a hearing on the proposed budget of her office in the House of representatives. Coloma said they respect the authority of the office of the ombudsman to investigate the president. “the office of the ombudsman is empowered by law to

conduct such investigation,” Coloma said. Introduced by the administration in 2011, the DaP realigned government savings from slowmoving projects to other programs to supposedly fast-track public spending and stimulate the economy. In 2014, the Supreme Court (SC) unanimously declared certain acts under the DaP as unconstitutional for violating the doctrine of separation of powers and the constitutional provision prohibiting the inter-branch transfer of budget allocations. the high court ruled that “authors, proponents and implementors” of the DaP such as aquino and abad can have criminal, civil, administrative and other liabilities “unless there are concrete findings of good faith in their favor by the proper tribunals.” the SC ruling against the DaP sparked calls for the resignation of aquino and abad and an impeachment attempt on the president. aquino and abad had consistently defended the DaP, saying the program was done in good faith and benefited the nation.

President Benigno Aquino III administers the oath of office to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales at Malacañang’s President’s Hall in July 2011. Malacañang photo

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Binay siblings face raps over PDAF Makati Rep. Abigail Binay sees by Nestor

Corrales Inquirer.net

LawyeR Renato Bondal on tuesday, Sept. 1 filed before the Ombudsman charges of malversation of public funds against the two children of Vice President Jejomar Binay. Bondal filed a complaint against Makati City Rep. Marilen abigail Binay over the alleged misuse of her Priority Development assistance Fund (PDaF) coursed through the city of Makati during the term of suspended Mayor Jejomar erwin “Junjun” Binay. Bondal said Rep. Binay released P25 million of her pork barrel funds to “fake” non-gov- Makati City Rep. Marilen Abigail Binay and suspended Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay. Bondal said he included sus- revealed that 15 checks were reernment organizations (NGOs). He said the Gabay at Pag-asa pended Mayor Binay in the com- leased directly to the name of ng Masa received P15 million on plaint since Makati City was the Barcelo and not to his office. also included in the comJan. 20, 2011, while the kaakbay implementing agency for his plaint was Commission on auBuhay Foundation inc. got P10 sister’s pork barrel funds. Bondal also questioned dit (COa) auditor to Makati City million on March 29, 2011 from the medical assistance worth Cecilia Cag-anan for failure the PDaF of Rep. Binay. Bondal said both NGOs were P895,020 given by the Makati to “safeguard the use of public found to be “dubious and fraud- City government from Rep. funds.” Bondal said rules for pubulent” belonging to “the Godo- Binay’s PDaF to Ryan Barcelo, fredo Roque group with similar former head of the Makati Social lic bidding were not followed in awarding of the funds to the modus operandi with that of the welfare Department (MSwD). During a senate hearing, it was “fake” NGOs. now infamous Napoles NGOs.”

Belmonte: FOI bill still a priority by Paolo

romero Philstar.com

MaNiLa—the Freedom of information (FOi) bill remains a priority of the House of Representatives despite criticism from transparency groups that the chamber is not acting on the landmark measure, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said. Belmonte said the FOi bill was among the measures listed by both leaders of the House and Senate last month as prioritized for passage before the campaign period for the 2016 elections starts in February. “Our list of priorities remains unchanged and our timetable and agenda is still the same,” Belmonte told reporters, adding that “as soon as there is an opportunity to pass it, we’ll do so.” the Right to know, Right Now! Coalition, a national coalition of groups and individuals campaigning for transparency and accountability in government, has released a statement declaring the “death” of the FOi bill in Congress. the measure, which was a consolidation of 20 bills filed by several lawmakers, has been passed at the committee level

but has yet to be presented in plenary for approval on second reading. the counterpart bill in the Senate was already passed on third and final reading. earlier, authors of the FOi bill expressed disappointment that President aquino did not push for the approval of the transparency measure in his last State of the Nation address. Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo tambunting, one of the authors of the measure, said aquino would have gained more support from the public had he mentioned the FOi bill. Quezon City Rep. winston Castelo, one of the authors of the measure, said he hopes the House will pass the bill soon. “we are already prepared to answer any and all questions relating to the various issues and concerns about the FOi,” he said. the FOi bill covers all government offices in the executive, legislative and judicial branches as well as constitutional bodies. the transparency measure seeks to make available for public scrutiny, copying and reproduction all information pertain-

ing to official acts, transactions or decisions as well government research data used as basis for policy development. it, however, also makes certain exemptions, including information that is specifically authorized to be kept secret such as those relating to national security; records of minutes and opinions expressed during the policy-formulation invoked by the President as privileged; information gathered by any congressional committee in executive session; and information whose disclosure will constitute unwarranted invasion of privacy. Reps. Leni Robredo of Camarines Sur and kaka Bag-ao of Dinagat islands, who are also among the authors of the FOi bill, cited other major youth groups – such as the FOi youth initiative – that have not lost hope for the measure. “we are glad that their optimism remains firm in the fight for the passage of this important measure. at the end of the day, progressive legislation can only be enacted not just through the efforts of lawmakers, but through active citizenship and people’s participation,” Robredo said.

conspiracy in malversation charges by Nestor

Corrales Inquirer.net

Makati City Rep. Mar-Len abigail Binay said there was a conspiracy in the malversation charges filed against her before Office of the Ombudsman on tuesday, Sept. 1. in a statement, Binay accused Sen. antonio trillanes iV of being behind the complaint filed by lawyer Renato Bondal. Bondal has filed malversation of public funds against Binay over the alleged misuse of her Priority Development assistance Fund by funneling it to “fake” nongovernment organizations.

Suspended Mayor Jejomar erwin “Junjun” Binay was also charged since Makati City was the implementing agency for his sister’s pork barrel funds. the complaint against the Binay siblings came a week after Representative Binay exposed the “overpriced” consultants of trillanes. “Sinabi niya na maghahain sya nang kaso laban sa akin ngayong Martes. Eh bakit si atty. Bondal ang nag-file? Hindi ba’t ito’y matibay na patunay ng kuntsabahan ng mga nag-aakusa at nandirinig ng mga akusasyon sa Senado laban sa aking tatay at pamilya na

batay lamang sa hula at Powerpoint presentation?” she said. Binay said she was no longer surprised of the charges filed against her, citing she had supporting documents to prove her PDaF was properly used. “Dati ko nang sinabi na ang aking PDaF bago siya idineklara na unconstitutional ng Korte Suprema ay ginamit ko ayon sa proseso at hindi ghost projects. Suportado nang mga dokumento, mga litrato at akwal na beneficiaries. Masasabi kaya ito ni Senator trillanes sa kanyang PDaF at mga consultants niya?” she said.

PH ranks 14th in best places to raise family for expats – survey by Yuji

ViNCeNt GoNzales Inquirer.net

tHe Philippines ranked 14th among 41 countries in a listing of best places to raise a family for expatriates, an international survey showed. in interNation’s 2015 Family Life index, the Philippines trailed countries like Mexico, Canada, United kingdom, China, thailand, South korea, italy, indonesia, Hong kong, Malaysia,

Saudi arabia, and the United States, among others. the Family Life index ranked countries according to expatriate parents’ response to subcategories, namely availability of child care and education, cost of child care and education, quality of education and family well-being. the Philippines ranked seventh in availability of child care and education, fifth in cost of

childcare and education, and 26th in family well-being. the country, however, was second to the last (40th) in quality of education. austria emerged as expatriate parents’ top choice this year, followed by Finland, Sweden, israel and New Zealand. Other countries in the top 10 are Singapore, Germany, France, australia and Luxembourg.

LONE SUPPORTER. By his lonesome, Jose Kwe stands outside the Dept. of Justice in Manila to show his support for Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Kwe, 67, a construction engineer, stood outside the DOJ gate, displaying a placard urging de Lima not to be afraid. Last week, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) members held a protest rally outside the DOJ accusing de Lima of intervening in the internal affairs of the church. Inquirer.net photo

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Robredo says she will not run for VP Unesco advisory body urges ‘removal’ of Torre de Manila by AllAn

nAwAl And williAmor mAgbAnuA Inquirer.net

Camarines sur rep. Leni robredo said she was not running for the vice presidency in the 2016 elections. robredo, who graced the Kalivungan Festival, which marked the culmination of activities for the 101st anniversary of north Cotabato, told reporters here the move of some groups and individuals aimed at convincing her to run alongside interior secretary mar roxas has been overwhelming. “running for the country’s second highest post was never an option,” robredo said, adding that besides a possible senate run, she might also stand for reelection. robredo said she would rather bat for senator Peter alan Cayetano or Batangas Gov. Vilma santos as roxas’ running mate. she said even in her meetings with roxas, there was no talk of her running for the country’s second highest post. robredo said her decision not to run for vice president was final. robredo said she has been leaning more towards a senate run although she would have to work more to improve the level of the

public’s awareness of her as reflected in the surveys. But robredo, who defeated a well-entrenched political clan in the 2013 congressional election in Camarines sur’s third district, believed that the “tsinelas leadership” of her husband—the late interior secretary Jesse robredo—which she has also been espousing would help her convince voters to support her. she said her husband was known for his simple lifestyle as reflected in the slippers he wore when he went around checking government projects in naga City and talking to people to get to know what they needed from the local government. it was the same simple lifestyle that she and her children have inherited. Living a simple life kept her from falling into the trap of corruption, which so many politicians had fallen into, she said. robredo told reporters that she and her children have elected to continue living in a small apartment in naga City as they had done when Jesse robredo was still alive.

by EdgAr

AllAn m. SEmbrAno Inquirer.net

an imPOrTanT advisory body to the United nations educational, scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has passed a resolution stating that the construction of the multistory Torre de manila violates the visual integrity of the rizal monument and urges “all national authorities of the Philippines … to develop and implement conservation measures for the protection of the … monument and its setting.” The resolution was passed last november during the 18th general assembly in Florence, italy, of the international Committee on monuments and sites (icomos), says conservation architect augusto Villalón, president emeritus of icomos Philippines. icomos is an international nongovernment organization that is the sole adviser to the Unesco for heritage conservation and protection. it is an interdisciplinary network of 9,500 members, among them architects, urban planners, historians, archeologists, anthropologists, engineers, tourism planners, lawyers and landscape architects.

The Philippines is one of the 110 national committees of icomos. in its resolution 18Ga 2014/31, Protection of Cultural Heritage in relation to real-estate Development: The rizal monument, manila, Philippines, the Florence resolution notes “that the monument in the City of manila to the Philippine national Hero, Dr. José rizal, whose remains are buried in it and near to the scene of his execution in Luneta Park, has been an enduring, honored, and iconic site for all Filipinos ever since it was inaugurated on 20 December 1913…” The resolution also notes “with grave concern that construction has begun on a 46-story residential building located 400 meters from rizal Park, which may significantly compromise key sightlines of the rizal monument and could have detrimental impacts on the heritage values and on the setting of this national monument.” Thus, icomos “encourages all national authorities of the Philippines to work in cooperation with icomos Philippines to develop and implement conservation

measures for the protection of the rizal monument and its setting.” Villalón explains the icomos position: “The icomos position is that the Torre de manila building violates provisions on landscape and setting stated in republic act no. 10066, the national Cultural Heritage act of 2009, and international principles stated in the Unesco World Heritage Convention, icomos Charter of Venice, australia icomos Burra Charter and others, specifically provisions regarding the setting of historic monuments, which include guidelines on protecting the visual integrity and landscape settings of monument with regard to skylines and silhouettes that form the backdrop of a monument when seen from key vantage points.” The rizal monument was declared a national monument by the national Historical Commission of the Philippines (which cleared the construction of Torre de manila) and a national Cultural Treasure by the national museum. even if Torre de manila is located at a distance to the back of

the monument, “its height volume disrespects the rizal monument by visually usurping its importance,” Villalón says. Villalón concludes: Torre de manila is “serious visual disruption to the solemnity of the rizal monument and, therefore, must be removed.” icomos gives a number of examples in asia and europe wherein high-rise development projects in the vicinity of heritage sites were either cancelled or scaled down, the most notable of which would be the case in istanbul, Turkey. international standards are set in the Unesco World Heritage Convention and icomos Charter of Venice. The Venice charter’s concept of historical monument includes its setting. Villalón also notes that the nHCP’s own Guidelines on monuments Honoring national Heroes, illustrious Filipinos and Other Personages cites the Venice charter. “These are international conservation guidelines likewise violated by the Torre de manila construction.”

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Features

Heroic

“EVERY Filipino can be a hero if we will continue to fight our desired destination,” Pres. Benigno Aquino III said as he paid tribute to the Philippine national heroes at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Monday, Aug. 31. This year’s theme is “Bayaning Pilipino Noon at Ngayon: Ang Simula at Tagapagpatuloy ng Malawakang Pagbabago (The Filipino Hero Then and Now: Where Transformation Begins and Continues).” As Aquino led the wreath-lag ceremony for the fallen Filipinos and Filipinas, he remembered their sacrifices and challenged today’s generation, to turn themselves from meek individuals into successful men and women that may collectively hone a better and brighter future for the country. “We pay tribute to the sacrifices offered by Philippine heroes. As we honor them, so too are we called to do our part and to continue the battle they began—whether in a small, or a big way—for the betterment of our nation,” Aquino said. On the same day, Aquino also led the conferment of awards to the five recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards this year. Also dubbed as the nobel Peace Prize of Asia, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards, now on its 58th year, honors individuals or organizations who “address issues of human development in Asia with courage and creativity.” In his speech, Aquino congratulated Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa (Philippines), Kommaly Chanthavong (Laos), Anshu Gupta (India), Kyaw Thu (Myanmar), and Sanjiv Chaturvedi (India) for transcending the “individual perspective.” he described them as individuals who have “chosen to leave their comfort zones, and answer the call to serve more and more people, whether their immediate community, or all of society.” The President also likened the awardees to the country’s national heroes for their perseverance despite facing formidable opponents, “from

corrupt employees and officials in government, to the phenomenon of widespread poverty and inequality, and even to the way that time erodes our most valuable traditions. But you were not daunted” in order to protect and promote justice, basic human rights, and cultural heritage. “Real transformation requires real, backbreaking effort—and this is what you gave, willingly. In many ways, you are like the heroes that many of my countrymen remember on this day: those who struggled and endured hardship for a greater cause. It is only right that we are paying tribute to all of you on this occasion. You are the modernday heroes that not only Filipinos, but all men and women all over the world need,” Aquino added. not all heroes should die on the battlefield, some heroes may just be ordinary men and women who inhabit extraordinary lives that make a change and inspire other people. Filipinos should hold on to what their forefathers have achieved yesterday and to move forward with it to initiate progress tomorrow. Their enduring journey left us with a great example to live by. We are all called to live like heroes, not to make a mark in the world through suffering or death—but to appeal similar lives, for our kababayans and our country. Being young or being away is not an excuse for indifference. It is every Filipino’s responsibility to honor the value of nationalism, to revere the essence of freedom and to observe the ethos displayed by the Philippines’ gallant heroes. (AJPress)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

The rise of anti-establishment candidates: Move over Clinton, Bush and even Trump? The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS ThOUGh a candidate most Democrats outside of the state of Vermont have never heard of, Senator Bernie Sanders has proven a sustained upward climb in the polls, possibly threatening the frontrunner status of former First Lady and Secretary of State hillary Clinton. A new poll among Iowa caucus goers, the first to hold the primary in the 2016 US Presidential elections, proves just that. A survey released last Saturday, Aug. 29 by the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics revealed that Clinton has lost 1/3rd of her supporters since May, and that Bernie Sand-

ers continues to cut into hillary Clinton’s once-commanding lead among Iowa Democrats, closing to just 7 points of Clinton in Iowa. Sanders now trails Clinton 37 percent to 30 percent. Cnn reports that just last January, half of likely Democratic caucus goers were unfamiliar with Sanders, and he was pulling in just 5 percent of support. According to Cnn, the poll finds that Sanders’ support is more due to voters’ enthusiasm for his candidacy and his message, rather than opposition to Clinton. An overwhelming 96 percent of those who support Sanders say they support him and his ideas. Only 2 percent say their vote is motivated by a desire to stop a Clinton candidacy. The report further says that as for the controversy surrounding Clinton’s use of email while leading the State Department, 61 percent of likely Democratic caucus goers say the issue is not important to them.

The poll further reveals that Sanders “has a deeper reservoir of support”, with 39 percent of likely caucus goers say their feelings about Sanders are very favorable and just 8 percent having a negative view of him. In contrast to Clinton: 27 percent view her very favorably, but 19 percent view her negatively. Sanders has been running a campaign that has put forth a platform of how the government should help ordinary Americans, providing them with basic services like health care, education, higher wages, stronger protection of consumer rights, instead of the government being run and manipulated by powerful oligarchs, benefitting the richest of the rich in society, at the expense of the middle class. Sanders’ appeal has been further strengthened by the consistency of and commitment to his message since the 1980s, a stark contrast to his political opponents.

“What this new poll shows is that the more Iowans get to know Bernie, the better they like him and what he stands for. We’ve seen the same thing in new hampshire and across the country,” Cnn quoted Sanders’ campaign spokesman Michael Briggs. Meanwhile, the same poll further says that Vice President Joe Biden, [he has not declared his candidacy for president], captured 14 percent of the vote, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (3 percent), former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (2 percent) and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee (1 percent). Carson ties with Trump For the first time in more than a month, real estate mogul and reality show star Donald Trump’s frontrunner status is now being threatened by a newbie in politics and another anti-establishment candidate, Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon. Carson has surged up in the

pack to tie Trump in Iowa, according to the results of the poll released by Monmouth University on Monday, Aug. 31. According to the survey, Trump and Carson are now tied at 23 percent. Cnn reported that this is the first time since July 26 that a poll in the first four states to select a Republican nominee did not find Trump substantially ahead of all other candidates. Cnn further reported that according to the Monmouth poll, farther behind Trump and Carson were former hewlett-Packard CeO Carly Fiorina at 10 percent; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 9 percent; Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 7 percent; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 5 percent; Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, each at 4 percent; Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at 3 percent; and former Arkansas Gov. Mike huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum at 2 percent. Cnn added that no other candidates

topped 1 percent. This is a big change from the Iowa poll conducted by Monmouth University, taken before the first Republican debate. In late July, Walker led with 22 percent, Trump had 13 percent, Carson had 8 percent and Fiorina was at 3 percent. A Cnn/ORC poll taken in early August revealed that Trump’s lead had diminished, compared to the results of the latest Monmouth survey in Iowa. Trump was then at 22 percent, Carson was at 14 percent, Walker was at 9 percent, Cruz was at 8 percent and Fiorina was at 7 percent. Could Bernie Sanders and Ben Carson really have the chance to be President after all? *** 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

The credibility of the INC leadership is at stake When the truth gets subverted and we no longer get Shooting the real truth, that’s when Straight nasty rumors surface. Supposedly by yesterday noon, the four-day protest rallies by the members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (InC) should BoBit S. avila have already been terminated because the InC leaders and the government have come up with a deal of sorts. But what kind of deal has been hatched we have yet to know. But is this row really at an end? But while this deal was supposedly hatched in Manila, I found a report on Facebook that, the InC members in the South District held an indignation rally against Department of Justice (DoJ) Leila de Lima here in Cebu City where the InC assembly walked from the InC District office in Mango Ave. passing by the Fuente Osmeña and marched all the way to downtown Cebu City and into the Plaza Independencia. What really is at stake here? The InC leadership committed to rally against the DoJ Secretary and sought for her ouster supposedly by noontime yesterday. however we haven’t heard any reports that Sec. De Lima has been removed or fired. So will the InC leadership escalate their protest marches, which have al-

ready become nationwide? I reckon that the credibility of the InC leadership here is on the line. If the InC does not get what it wants from the Aquino regime, it might commit more members into this protest march against Pres. Aquino to force him to fire Sec. De Lima. If the President blinks, then the InC leadership gets its credibility fully restored. If not, many people believe that the InC as a church will suffer a serious setback or even breakup. So will the InC escalate their rallies? In my book, the InC leadership has already added more to their demands other than the ouster of Sec. de Lima… to justice for the 44 fallen Special Action Force (SAF) versus the Aquino Regime. But wait! Where was the InC last Jan. 25 when the entire nation was horrified at the news of the Maguindanao massacre? Worse was when the flag draped coffins of the fallen 44 arrived at the Villamor Air Base and P-noy chose to go to a plant inauguration, all the more it angered the Filipino people. But we only heard total silence from the InC leadership because it is more than obvious to us that the InC supported P-noy… until they

had their internal squabble that ended in the alleged kidnapping of InC executives. I submit that DoJ Sec. de Lima is right in investigating that InC row, where kidnapping may have been committed. however, the DoJ Secretary cannot insist on the rule of law, when she herself has failed to throw the book at the 20 Senators and 100 Congressmen implicated in the Janet Lim napoles files. Since de Lima has become the “Queen” of Selective Justice… the InC as a loyal yellow supporter or ally of P-noy Aquino is only demanding what his allies have been getting from the DOJ in selective justice. Meanwhile in what I would call the irony of ironies, Malaysian Prime Minister najib Razak is also facing tens of thousands of protesters seeking his ouster for allegedly pocketing some $700 million in his personal account purportedly from still unidentified foreign donors. In an ironic twist the people seeking his ouster are all wearing yellow shirts! PM najib is considered a very close friend of Pres. Aquino. But since former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has not yet disclosed to the public who are the foreign donors that gave illegal money to najib, I got a lot of nasty text messages from friends that Pres. Aquino could be one of these foreign donors. I would like to believe that P-noy is

upright enough not to engage in corruption himself. But I have always believed in that quotation, “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are!” Prime Minister najib has been known to be so close to P-noy, people say that if anything goes wrong with the Aquino Presidency and he is ousted from power, Malaysia’s najib would give him the sanctuary he needs. This is why Malaysia despite their non-neutral stand on the Sabah issue shouldn’t have brokered the peace between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government. But it went along anyway because of his links with P-noy. So for the sake of transparency… we would like to know from the Malaysians who are these foreign donors whose $700M was found in najib’s personal account? According to the reports we are reading, the entry of former Prime Minister Mahathir is the last straw for najib and Malaysians believe that he won’t last long. Finally, the InC rallies in eDSA will not result in a People’s Power Revolt simply because eDSA 1 was a unique type of revolution. But if you recall, when the mass of protesters trooped to Malacañang demanding the ouster of then Pres. erap estrada, he immediately quit! (Philstar.com)

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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Journal

Your Immigration Solution Atty. RobeRt Reeves MilleR, ZhAng & DiZA WHen people are desperate, they are tempted to take dangerous routes to get what they want even if the chances of success are small and the risk is high. That is why those in positions of power have a great responsibility to promote wise decisions. at the very least, they have a responsibility to avoid leading people down a path to disaster. Unfortunately, not everyone considers that the actions or products they promote might have terrible unanticipated consequences for those who don’t know better. People from all over the world want to come to live in the United States. However, the desire does not necessarily lead to the reality. not everyone is eligible to immigrate to the United States. one must qualify under either family-based or employment-based categories in order to make that happen. (There are other requirements but now is not the time to discuss them). everyone knows you can’t choose your parents. and if yours don’t have US status, they can’t help you get it. Having a child in the United States and waiting 21 years for them to petition for you (and avoiding being deported during that 2 decade—plus wait) seems a bit drastic. Some people willing to take the longer view do choose their career on the basis of how that will help them immigrate but, that, too, is not something that happens immediately. and some may not want to wait. But marriage to a United States citizen can make a green card happen. When a person who desires to immigrate falls in love with a United States citizen and the feeling is mutual and they decide to create a life together, the law

On the wings of Preliminary injunctions granted in US Court against 44 Pirate Sites sham marriages Federal Offering ABS-CBN content; sites now blocked provides that the citizen can file a petition for the immigrant that will lead to a green card. Some people, however, are not fortunate enough to find someone that they want to share their life with who can also get them legal status. They can then be tempted to enter into marriages solely for the purpose of getting a green card. These are called sham (fake) marriages. and because it is so tempting to many desperate people, Congress has passed laws and Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS) has promulgated regulations that make the repercussions Draconian for those who get caught. and most people in sham marriages do get caught. CIS investigates marriages to determine that they are real. Real does not just mean legal. It means based on a real relationship. The legal term is “bona fide”. If it determines that the marriage is not bona fide, it will, of course, deny the petition. But the problem does not end there. The immigrant is placed into Removal Proceedings where he or she faces the very real possibility of being deported. and a subsequent marriage, or a petition from another family member or employer will not help. Because a separate ramification is that the immigrant who has been found to have entered into marriage in order to get a green card is permanently barred from getting any benefits as a petitioner or a beneficiary of any family-based or employment-based petition. This is true even if the sham marriage took place years ago and the immigrant is now married to a US citizen and the parent of several US citizens. They will still have to leave. That is the truth and the reality. However, unfortunately,

the television and movie industry finds sham marriages a source of entertainment. Paying a United States citizen to marry an immigrant for a green card is portrayed as amusing and “no big deal.” Well, it is a crime and an immigration violation so it is a big deal. The debate over the impact of the media on individual’s actions is ongoing. What impact does what we see have on what we do is still an open question. But if a desperate person sees someone they admire (even if they see them portraying a fictional character) succeeding in a course of action, they may be tempted to do the same. a currently very popular television serial portrays its main characters as engaging in a sham marriage for immigration purposes. It has resulted in many people asking those in the legal community if they should do the same. So the answer is an unequivocal no! no matter how desperate you are, you should not take steps that will make your situation worse. Television is fiction. Don’t confuse it with facts. To get the real facts about how to resolve your immigration problem, consult with a licensed, reputable, experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney. *** Atty. Reeves has represented clients in numerous landmark immigration cases that have set new policies regarding INS action and immigrants’ rights. His offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

San FRanCISCo—aBS-CBn has received several preliminary injunctions in the US Federal District Court against 44 sites distributing aBS-CBn TV shows and movies. The most recent lawsuit, aBS-CBn et al. v. Hapitvnow. info, et al., was filed on august 10, 2015 and seeks over $20 million in damages. This new lawsuit follows the recent criminal arrests of nico angelo Rempillo of naga City, and Jim Marcelino of Roxas City, and Mark Marlon Millendez of Davao City, who allegedly operated sites that pirated aBS-CBn’s TV shows and movies. Civil lawsuits have been filed for copyright and trademark infringement against these three defendants, for over $10 million in damages. Millendez’s websites, pinoymovie2k.tv and movie128.com, have already been taken down and replaced with the pleadings for the lawsuit against him. Rempillo’s website, ireplaymo.com, and Marcelino’s websites, pnoytv-online.com, pinoytvpost.com, teleseryepinoy. com, and teleserye-pinoy.com, have been ordered disabled and are in the process of being transferred. The following sites, which were offering aBS-CBn TV shows and

movies without permission, have been ordered by the Court to be disabled and have either already been disabled or are in the process of being blocked today or tomorrow. These sites had combined traffic of over 3.4 million views: abscbnlobotv.info freepinoychannel.com hapitvnow.com hapitvnow.info ikontvstreams.com ireplaymo.com lambingan.se lambingan.to movie128.com movie2kph.com onepinoychannel.com phstream.com ph-tvserye.com pinay-tambayan.com pinay-tambayan.net pinoyhdreplay.net pinoymovie.to pinoymovie2k.tv pinoynetwork.to pinoynetwork.tv pinoyportaldaily.com pinoyreplay.tv pinoyreplaytv.org pinoyshow.biz pinoytambayan-replay.com pinoytvpost.com pinoytvreplayhd.com pnoytambayantv.com

pnoytambayantv.net pnoytelebyuwers.biz pnoytv-online.com pusongpinoytv.com streampinoy.info tambayanatin.com tambaytayo.com telebyuwerspinoy.info teleph.info teleseryepinoy.com teleserye-pinoy.com tvnijuan.net wowpinoy-tambayan.info wow-pinoytambayan.info wowpinoytambayan.net wowpinoytambayan.org aBS-CBn’s aVP for Global antiPiracy & Content Security, elisha lawrence, warned: “These sites pose a major risk to our viewers because by clicking on these sites, the malware can allow hackers to invade their phones, laptops and tablets and steal private information including their bank account numbers, private emails as well as to have access to other confidential information. Warn your friends and family to stay away from pirate sites. Don’t pay a high price for free! If you find any additional pirate sites, youtube or google blogspot links offering or distributing aBS-CBn TV shows and movies, please email us the information at report@abs-cbn.com.”

‘Bold Step’: A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Delano Grape Strike Sept. 5-6 in Delano, CA Delano—The newly formed Delano chapter and its parent organization, the Filipino american national Historical Society (FanHS), will host a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Delano Grape Strike with a series of events over labor Day Weekend, Sept. 5 and 6, in Delano, Ca. Dubbed “Bold Step,” the weekend will focus on the momentous decision to strike, and celebrate the strike’s legacy in the Filipino

american community in Delano and across the nation. The weekend’s events will kick off on Saturday, September 5 at the Filipino Community Hall, the historic building where the strike vote was taken and the headquarters of the first years of the Grape Strike. The program will include presentations by strike veterans, scholars, community activists, and local community leaders. a highlight of the weekend will be

a screening of the emmy-award winning documentary, Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers. new York-based filmmaker Marissa aroy, whose family roots are in Delano, will be present. The weekend will also include bus tours of local historic sites. The Delano Grape Strike began on September 8, 1965, when thousands of mostly Filipino american grape work-

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National Council of Philippine American & Canadian Accountants 2015 Charity Golf Tournament Where: Penderbrook Golf Club, 3700 Golf Trail Lane, Fairfax, VA 22033 When: September 4, 2015; 8am-2pm Please contact: Jaena Hermosilla Valles 718-275-1422; jvalles@vallesvendiola.com or Bobby Tamayo 703-615-9451; rgtamayo@verizon.net Visit www.ncpacafoundation.com for more details.

Saulog Celebration: A Night of Serenade Cebuanos Engaging in Building Unity, Inc. (CEBU INC.) will be hosting a Saulog Celebration: “A Night of Serenade” on Friday, September 4th, at St. Rebastian Roman Catholic Church (5802 Roosevelt Ave., Woodside, NY 11377). The show will present the Cebu Clergy Performing Artists, and feature: the 2015 NYC Philippines Independence Day Parade Grand Prize Winner - C.E.B.U. INC. Sinulog Dancers. The show will start at 8:00pm on Friday. Please contact CEBU INC. for more details.

september 4-6

National Council of Philippine American & Canadian Accountants 2015 Convention Where: JW Marriott 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20004 When: September 4-6, 2015; from 8am-5pm Please contact: Jaena Hermosilla Valles 718-275-1422; jvalles@vallesvendiola.com or Bobby Tamayo 703-615-9451; rgtamayo@verizon.net Visit www.ncpacafoundation.com for more details.

s e p t e m b e r 4 -7

Ramon Magsaysay/Cubao High School 2015 Reunion in Las Vegas Calling all Cubao High School/Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School graduates and alumni! Come out and join the 2015 Get-Together of our Alma Mater from Friday, September 4 to Monday, September 7 at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas (4000 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89103). A special Dinner/Dance is scheduled on Saturday, September 5. To our Alumni now residing in Canada, the US, and other parts of the world, all are invited to share this special weekend event with their fellow graduates and classmates in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, please call Jay Medina at (310) 967-9517 or Boots Doria at (925) 330-8081.

september 5

Filipino Association of Leisure World Dinner-Dance The Filipino Association of Leisure World will hold their dinner-dance at the Leisure World Hall on Saturday, September 5th. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For further information, please call Ren Villanueva at (323) 854-6209.

september 5-6

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) for Accountants at the NCPACA Convention Where: JW Marriott 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20004 When: September 5-6, 2015; from 8am-5pm, at the National Council of Philippine American & Canadian Accountants (NCPACA) 2015 Convention Please contact: Jaena Hermosilla Valles 718-275-1422; jvalles@vallesvendiola.com or Bobby Tamayo 703-615-9451; rgtamayo@verizon.net Visit www.ncpacafoundation.com for more details.

september 19

Citizenship Day 2015 The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association is having a FREE Citizenship Day event on September 19, from 10:00am to 3:00pm, to assist low-income, 18+ immigrants eligible for US citizenship with the full naturalization process. Every case will be reviewed by a legal attorney. Please call us at 407-841-8310 ext. 3123 for an appointment and any questions you may have. Thank You!

PiLiPiNo iNTER-CLub oPEN invitational Golf Tournament The 11th annual PILIPINO INTER-CLUB OPEN (PICO) is open to fellow master golfers from the tri-state area. The charity tournament will be held on Saturday, September 19, at Royce Brook Golf Club (201 Hamilton Rd, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844). It will be a shotgun start @ 1:30 pm. Registration is $120 each player; includes golf cart and food after the game. Come early for registration, refreshments, and mini contests. Come and join the quest for individual and team honors by class. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Family Center Christian Church, and donations are 100% tax deductible. Sign-up now at http://www. spgolfclub.com/PICO. For more details, please contact Ed Badiola 908-531-7377, or Justil Cruz 973-926-1400.

s e p t e m b e r 2 0 -26

CELEbRATE LoCAL with San Diego Restaurant Week! This September, San Diego Restaurant Week, presented by Lexus Dealerships of San Diego, will CELEBRATE LOCAL... keepin’ it fresh - really fresh. San Diego Restaurant week returns September 20th - September 26th for ONE WEEK ONLY to “Celebrate Local” at all 180+ participating restaurants. Choose from a three-course dinner or two-course lunch deal to satisfy your cravings. NEW THIS YEAR, San Diego Restaurant Week will be partnering with Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank to provide backpacks for children in need within the San Diego community during the ALL FOR KIDS campaign. Ditch the dirty dishes and join over 150,000 fellow diners as we celebrate San Diego’s thriving culinary scene and the homegrown, local businesses that provide us with the produce and products we love! Tickets are not necessary for this delectable week of discounted dining, but reservations are recommended! Visit SanDiegoRestaurantWeek.com for more information, including a list of participating restaurants, or to make your reservations in advance!

s e p t e m b e r 25 -26

2nd Grand Reunion GoT (RETiRED) from Cerveza San Miguel uS CHAPTER Where: Gold Coast Casino & Hotel (4000 Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89103) When: Sept. 25 and 26; Grand Reunion Sept. 26 at 7:00 pm For details and information, please contact Renato Umayam at 323-841-3516, Nida Matias at 818-394-9178, Greg Lacondola at 702-334-8068, or Arnold Navarro at 318-779-6254.

O C tO b e r 1 0

LA builder Lions Club 25th Anniversary The Los Angeles Builder Lions Club will celebrate their 25th Anniversary and Annual Outstanding Parents Night on October 10, 2015 at the Almansor Court banquet hall (700 S Almansor St, Alhambra, CA 91801). Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For further questions, please call Lion Bill Menor (323) 465-0613, Lion Yoli Ramo (213) 3051332, chairpersons or Lion Tita James, co-chair at (818) 203-2325.

O C tO b e r 1 7

uNiTED LAb-uSA 32nd Anniversary The UNITED LAB-USA will celebrate their 32nd Anniversary on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at Royal Garden in Cerritos. The association is headed by Rey Guieb, President. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For other questions, please call Felix Belen, outgoing president at (626) 839-0736.

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

The CTV Files

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 616-4150

Treaty nationals the filing or approval of an immigrant petition, is a factor that will be taken into consideration along with other relevant factors, every time that a TN nonimmigrant alien applies for admission, readmission or a new extension of stay. According to NAFTA, “temporary entry” means an entry into the United States without the intent to establish permanent residence. The circumstances surrounding an application should reasonably and convincingly indicate that TN alien’s temporary work assignment in the United States will end predictably and that the TN alien will depart upon completion of the assignment. Nevertheless, an intent to immigrate in the future which is in no way connected to the proposed immediate trip need not in itself result in a finding that the immediate trip is not temporary. An extended stay, even in terms of years, may be temporary, as long as there is no immediate intent to immigrate. TN aliens wishing to immigrate should consult with an immigration attorney to consider alternative strategies. ***

UNdER the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadian and Mexican citizens (known as “Treaty Nationals” or “TNs”) can come to the United States temporarily, not to exceed one (1) year at a time, under a “TN Status” nonimmigrant visa, to work/engage in activities at a professional level. TN Status can be extended for as long as there is an offer of employment from any United States employer. Also, TN status generally covers a broader range of job categories, including nurses, medical/ allied professionals, scientists, architects, engineers, computer systems analysts, accountants, graphic designers, veterinarians and the like. TN Status is similar to an H1B visa (non-immigrant working visa for professionals in a specialty occupation) except that (i) there is no statutory limitation on a TN status, unlike the H-1B (which is normally, 6 years); and (ii) TNs cannot have dual intent unlike H-1Bs, and are subject to INA 214(b) and must prove their intent not to immigrate. Section 214(b) is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It states: Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status... To qualify for a tempo-

rary, non-immigrant visa (like a visitor/tourist or student visa), an applicant must meet the requirements of Section 101(a)(15)(B) or (F) of the INA – and that is, that applicant possesses a residence abroad that s/he has no intention of abandoning. Thus, a non-immigrant visa applicant has the burden of proof to show that s/he has strong family, professional and economic ties abroad that would compel him/her to leave the United States at the end of his/her temporary stay. INA § 214(b) is fully applicable to a Canadian or Mexican under a TN Status such that a person admitted under a TN Status cannot form any intent to immigrate. For example, a Canadian engineer was admitted on a TN Status. After a few months, his employer files for an immigrant worker (I-140) petition, and it was approved. Meanwhile, the Canadian TN returns to Canada to attend his sister’s wedding and upon returning to the United States after 14 days, was denied by the border inspector upon learning that he has an approved immigrant worker (I-140) petition. The Canadian TN was denied admission at the border on the ground that he no longer has non-immigrant intent. While the filing or approval of an immigrant petition may raise concerns whether a TN alien continues to possess nonimmigrant intent, that fact may not be, in and of itself, a reason to deny an application for admission, readmission, or extension of stay if the alien’s intent is to remain in the United States temporarily. However, a TN alien should be aware that

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

The murder of babies and the killing of a lion

AurorA VegA-Buzon, esq.

Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Conclusion of 2 parts)

IT is sad that a legislative effort to defund the group of taxpayer money has failed just recently due in part to the lack of leadership and true grit among many members of our feckless, inept Congress and Senate who lack the moral and intestinal fortitude to win victories when they have the capacity to do so. There is simply no excuse. The matter will be up for revote and I sense a change in the direction of the wind. The sad part about all these is that an overwhelming number of babies murdered are from the African American community and other minorities. Margaret Sanger, the pioneer for abortion many decades ago, actually started the practice of eugenics for the purpose of eliminating certain members of the community she deemed undesirable. PP is led by its outspoken, high profile, well connected, no apologies CEO, Cecille Richards, daughter of the late Texas Governor Ann Richards, who along with others have made it part of their life’s work to promote abortion under the dubious guise and disingenuous pretext of freedom of choice for women while ostensibly promoting women’s health as a cover. Anyone with 2 neurons firing in the brain know this is just a part of a general bogus narrative of the so called liberal lie of the“war on women.” There is a reason for the pandering. Polls indicate that women supporting abortion are a significant voting bloc that can pull the lever in national and local elections. The reading of pollsters is skewed and is patently deceitful. Women of substance who stand for life

Atty. Aurora Vega is a partner in The Law Firm of Chua Tinsay and Vega (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and Manila. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorneyclient relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (415) 4958088; (619) 955-6277; auvega@ctvattys. com. (Advertising Supplement)

“Evil is sly and coats itself in the dishonest lingo of political correctness.” are in overwhelming numbers compared to those who stand for the culture of death. Planned Parenthood’s services to women such as mammograms, scans and such other benign procedures appear to be just a smokescreen for 90% of what they really do: abortions and the harvest of baby body parts for profit with yet another smokescreen of advancing medical research. You may sugarcoat it and disguise it all you want, the end will never justify the means. Multiple videos have been released by the group and can still be viewed on youtube barring injunctions from a Northern California judge who has sided with PP in stopping the pro-life group from releasing the explosive videos. Political influence is at work in suppressing freedom of speech for the time being. In the interest of full disclosure, that judge in Northern California, was a campaign bundler raising more than $200,000 for the current administration in its run for the office. Critics of the videos claim these are heavily edited and a conspiracy to discredit PP. That dubious claim has been debunked as the raw footage of the videos are available online (as of this writing) for anyone to view. The minions of these marauding murderers of the most innocent of human beings are well placed and wield the highest political clout, from the highest echelons of office to the low-

est handlers. The White House, Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren are staunch defenders of PP. Technicians in lab coats poke teeny tiny baby body parts with tweezers in a dish, figuring out if the minuscule body part is a leg, an arm, a liver, a kidney or an eyeball and pricing dead baby parts retail. In this coming national election, CHOOSE LIFE. Find out the voting record on this matter of all those running for election and reelection. It is difficult to be a single issue voter since this country has complicated its voting process by mixing up both good and bad so that everything seems murky. Evil is sly and coats itself in the dishonest lingo of political correctness. In my view, the one thing that is a clear reflection of the soul of a candidate running for elective office, a telling glimpse of how highly evolved the candidate is as a human being who can mirror the divine and ultimately, the direction and actions a candidate takes to govern his constituency, guide this country and shape the world at large according to its Christian founding principles, is the unflinching and uncompromising stand on the issue of abortion. Of all the creatures that walk the earth, God didn’t choose lions, or tigers or dinosaurs or any other animal in his own image and likeness. God chose us. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

‘Bold Step’: A celebration of the 50th anniversary... PAGE CJ1 ers walked off of the vineyards in delano. The delano Grape Strike sparked the farm labor movement of the 20th century, one of the most significant social justice movements in American history. From the strike came the multiethnic farm laborer’s union, the United Farm Workers. Moreover, the strike raised global consciousness about the plight of farmworkers. It was a pivotal moment in which Filipino Americans made their largest and most significant imprint on the American narrative. That bold step taken by these Filipino workers -- most of whom were senior citizens in the twilight of their lives -- inspired labor movements and movements for civil rights and social justice amongst Filipino Americans and Americans of all backgrounds. In the late summer of 1965, the small agricultural town of delano was energized as thousands of Filipino migratory farmworkers arrived for the grape harvest, as they had done

every year through most of the 20th century. The workers, most of whom were members of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee union (AWOC, AFL-CIO), were fresh from the Coachella Valley, where they had struck and won $1.40 per hour for the grape harvest. The migrant workforce shared the grocery aisles and streets with the 13,000 or so permanent residents eager to fatten their paychecks from harvesting boxes of Thompsons, Calmerias, and Ribiers – popular varieties of the finest table grapes in the world. With a prosperous season, they could make enough to get by the lean winter months. When delano grape growers refused a wage of $1.40 per hour, anticipation and excitement turned to conflict and tension. Led by a veteran union organizer, AWOC’s Larry d. Itliong, the doubtful and frightened grape workers -- more than a few with families and mortgages – gathered at the Filipino Community Hall on the evening of September 7 to con-

sider an action that would throw their lives and their community into chaos. They voted to strike. The next day, several thousand laborers in about 20 individual farms left the precious crop on the ground and walked off on September 8, 1965, in a unified declaration for a fair wage and decent working conditions for the farm worker. Growers evicted Filipinos from their homes in the labor camps and hired Mexican scab workers. Violent clashes erupted between law enforcement and strikers, but Filipino workers remained militant. Itliong made the fateful decision to approach Cesar Chavez and his mostly Mexican worker’s association, the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), and asked them to join the strike. On September 16, 1965, the NFWA voted to join the AWOC. In 1966, the AWOC and the NFWA merged to form the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee. Cesar Chavez was named director, and Itliong

u PAGE CJ4

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Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ thERE have been many tragic situations where people were duped into applying for immigration benefits to which they were not entitled. Unscrupulous immigration consultants promise work permits, green cards, and other immigration benefits to people who are eager to work in the U.S. and send money back home. Only later do they find out they were tricked and cheated out of their hard-earned money. to make matters worse, they are charged with fraud by the USCIS and denied legitimate immigration benefits. In an unpublished decision from the administrative appeals Office (aaO), an alien was charged with fraud. he filed his fraud waiver which was denied because he did not properly demonstrate his qualifying relative (his spouse) would suffer extreme hardship. however, on appeal, the aaO concluded he did not intend to defraud and/or willfully misrepresent a material fact to the US government. therefore, no fraud waiver was required, and his adjustment of status application should be approved.

Community Journal

In that particular case, a consultant told an out of status alien that the consultant’s neighbor was a high-ranking official at the USCIS’s District Office. that official supposedly had several green cards he could give out at his discretion each year. the consultant repeatedly assured the alien that this whole process was legal and the alien could trust the consultant, who would take care of everything. the alien paid the consultant, who even had the person go to USCIS’s offices to have his picture and fingerprints taken. he later received a work permit, providing further assurance the whole process was legitimate. a few months later, he received a denial notice in the mail for permanent residence. he was shocked at receiving the denial, and tried calling the consultant. however, the consultant would not return any phone calls, and later refused to send him copies of any paperwork on what was filed. the consultant claimed he had an argument with the highranking official, but would provide no information about that official, such as his name or contact number. When the alien was finally applying for legitimate immigration

benefits, he obtained a copy of his previous filing, and was horrified to find there were forms containing his forged signature, along with a picture of a woman he had never met. apparently, the consultant filed paperwork making it appear that the alien had married, and was being petitioned by a US citizen. the alien had been duped and tricked. the aaO concluded the alien did not make a willful or fraudulent misrepresentation, but instead was tricked and fooled by a consultant. therefore, he was not guilty of fraud, and no fraud waiver was required. If you were previously duped or tricked into applying for immigration benefits to which you were not entitled, you should seek the advice of an attorney who can gather and analyze your files, and evaluate whether you were also a victim of fraud. however, if a person knowingly and intentionally applied for immigration benefits to which they were not entitled, attended interviews and repeated the lies in the forms they submitted to the USCIS, then this case may not apply to you. however, if you were duped and tricked, and did not know what was being filed on your behalf, and were truly

this is a public service from tFC and the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, and a great opportunity to get answers to your immigration questions. So don’t forget to visit www.citizenpinoy.com to send in your inquiry on or before the September deadline.

KaPaMILya in Los angeles and nearby areas will get the chance to discuss their immigration issues with leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel up close and personal on Citizen Pinoy. Just go to www.citizenpinoy. com and submit your question

on or before Friday, September 11. you will be notified if your question gets picked. and get the chance to meet atty. Gurfinkel one-on-one on September 20 at their Glendale office at 219 N. Brand Blvd., to appear on a future episode of Citizen Pinoy!

The Metamorphosis

US-born son’s first visit to his father’s roots in the Philippines

(Part 1 of 3) What would you do and respond, if you were me, a first degree immigrant here in the United States, when your only son requests you to postpone your scheduled vacation to the Philippines until summer (when he is off from his teaching job) as he would like also to visit your own village and province where you were born and grew up? Even though the request caught me by surprise, I had no hesitation, to say why not? Instantly I asked, “When do you want us to travel from Los angeles?” So father and son flew to the Philippines mid-July 2015 and we were together for two solid weeks, resulting to even cancelling some important Rotary meetings,) just to give the best quality time to my son’s first visit to my homeland, especially my provincial roots in a farming village in anis, Laoac, Pangasinan as pleasantly memorable as possible. the first few days were spent in Batangas City, the hometown of his mom where he had also a good time bonding with his cousins whom he has met several times in that city as well as during their visits to California. then, for several days, we checked in at Midas hotel on Roxas Blvd. to have a few days to tour the Old City (Intramuros). to have our own pace of travel, we did not join any tour groups and instead hired a taxi for most of the day. after a heavy breakfast buffet at the hotel, we visited Fort Santiago where Jose Mercado Rizal, Philippines’ national hero was imprisoned in a solitary dungeon, prior to his execution on Dec 30, 1898. then, we proceeded to the

Bagumbayan Field, now Rizal Park, where he was killed by firing squad after his conviction for treason and rebellion against the Spanish government. I became an instant history teacher to my curious student-son for several hours. From there, we had an impromptu visit to my alma mater, Colegio de San Juan De Letran. Unfortunately, the college was closed because due to the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. I was talking to the uniformed guard that all I wanted was to visit the chapel, where I used to serve the Dominican priests, as a working student and an altar boy, but he was unmoved probably because that was his order not to let just anybody enter the campus during holidays. But lo and behold, the angel of serendipity smiled at us, as a young Dominican priest, Fr. Boyd Sulpico, OP, Letran’s VP for Financial affairs, overheard me imploring the strict security guard, and wisely overruled him. thus, we were inside the college campus in a few seconds! For about half an hour or so, my son and I were in the same chapel where I served countless of masses as early as 5:30 am for about four years – forty four years ago. Like a captive audience, my son listened to my many recollections what I did and experienced in Letran, then the oldest college for boys in the Philippines. (Founded in 1620, Letran will celebrate its 400th year anniversary in years, a milestone for any school to last that long!) the biggest surprise of that visit however, was the serendipitous meeting with my theology professor, Fr. Raffy Quejada, OP, now 88, who happened to be there as a “retired” priest. he then invited us to be in their pri-

vate dining room at the top floor of the college, where there were two other priests, including Fr. Boyd -- who joined us while being served by a working student -- for a mid afternoon merienda! I would not have recognized Father Raffy now (as he no longer walked briskly; his age was catching up with him physically) but surprisingly, he remembered and recognized me still, while fatherly touching my face to convince himself that I am them “real” alumnus who served them during my college days. and to document that visit, my son took some candid pictures of us that delighted my entire family when he posted them on Facebook! From there, we visited the oldest churches in Intramuros, namely the Manila Cathedral (founded 1571) and also San agustin Church (founded 1607). Looking back, during special occasions, some Dominican priests were asked to celebrate mass in these churches and from time to time they brought an altar boy with them, so I have had the experience of serving several Dominican priests in these 400-year-old churches. and yes, the mass then was celebrated in Latin, parroting those prayers “Confiteor Deo Omnipotente” or “Dominus Voviscum, Et Cum Espiritu to o,” or songs like “tantum Ergo” a million times! Nostalgic memories, thou art too beautiful to reminisce, especially in the presence of my only son! the Metamorphosis food for thought: “The strongest faith is of no use without action!” -- Pope Francis (To be continued next week. ) *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com or zhunrize. foundation@gmail.com Websites:www. rotaryeclubGlobalKalingaD3780.org www.foundation4nextgen.zhuncity.com

Daly City implements new pilot program to conserve more water Free recycled water made available to residential customers

thE City of Daly City, through its subsidiary the North San Mateo County Sanitation District, is initiating a new Pilot Residential Water Use Program for outdoor landscape irrigation to the first 100 eligible homeowners from Daly City and Broadmoor. the pilot recycled water use program mirrors the successful efforts undertaken by East Bay sewer agencies in providing free, self-serve designated recycled water fill stations. Interested residents are encouraged to call (650) 991-8200 to sign up for state mandated training on the proper use of recycled water. City staff will conduct the training which takes about a half hour. the training dates being offered by Department of Water and Wastewater Resources will

No fraud waiver required if you were a victim of fraud

Get the chance to have a one-on-one ‘Your Tanong, My Sagot’ with Atty. Gurfinkel!

ernie D. Delfin

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • SeptembeR 4-10, 2015

take place on September 9 and 15 beginning at 9 am at the administration Offices, at 153 Lake Merced Blvd., on the south end of Westlake Park. additional training may be offered based on growing interest with the program. When registering for the program, City staff will mail a numbered application form to the homeowners for them to bring to the training. the pilot program’s 100 resident limit recognizes access limitations at the wastewater treatment plant. In addition, residents should be aware that water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon, so at the 300-gallon per trip limit at each visit, residents will be transporting up to 2,502 pounds. Residents will need to consider both the type of container and method of transport. Driving a heav-

ily loaded vehicle with a required covered container of moving liquid decreases vehicle stability unless properly secured and requires longer stopping distances. Eligible participants are residents of Daly City and unincorporated Broadmoor who reside in single-family homes. Commercial and multi-family apartments are not eligible due to restricted amounts of participants. the tertiary recycled water available for free under this pilot program meets all applicable full public contact standards under title 22 and can be used to water trees, gardens, vegetables, and lawns. For more information about this program and other water conservation techniques visit www.dalycity.org or call (650) 991-8200.

GET A CHANCE TO HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE “YOur TANONG, MY SAGOT” WITH ATTY. GurFINKEL! Kapamilyas in Los Angeles and surrounding areas have the chance for a “free”, face-to-face question and answer with leading uS immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel about your immigration issues or problems. Just go to www.citizenpinoy.com to submit your immigration question on or before September 11. You will be notified if your question gets picked for a one-on-one discussion with Atty. Gurfinkel on September 20 at their Glendale office at 219 N. Brand Blvd.

an innocent victim, there may be hope. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different.

The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established

with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the uS: (866)—GurFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FrANCISCO · NEW YOrK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

PeoPle & events

september 4-10, 2015 • NOrCAL AsIAN JOUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 616-4150

San Mateo County celebrates Filipino WWII vet seeks support National Recovery Month from Native American veterans Community support essential for recovery from mental health and substance use issues

NoW in its 26th year, recovery month celebrates local residents who have reclaimed their lives through recovery from mental health and substance use issues and honors the healthcare providers who make recovery possible. recovery month raises awareness that recovery is possible and that the community plays an important role in helping people with mental health and/or substance use conditions to live healthy and rewarding lives. This year’s theme, “Join the Voices for recovery: Visible, Vocal, Valuable!,” highlights the value of support in educating, mentoring, and helping others. It encourages people in recovery and their support systems to be active in their communities, and encourages everyone to start conversations about preventing, treating, and recovering from behavioral health conditions. events throughout September will bring together more than two dozen community organizations, local businesses, San mateo County Health System’s Behavioral Health and recovery Services, and over 300 people in the recovery community. Events September 1-27 recovery Art Show at the 400 County Center, Caldwell memorial Art Gallery, redwood City

September 1 Kickoff Breakfast, 7:30 am Bridges Program, 680 Warren Street, redwood City Speakers: • Stephen Kaplan, Director, Behavioral Health and recovery Services • Judge richard Livermore, San mateo County Superior Court The Philomena Walk of Hope, 8:45 am march from Bridges Program, 680 Warren Street to 400 County Center Proclamation, 9 am Hall of Justice Board Chambers, 400 County Center, redwood City Speakers: • Stephen Kaplan, Director, Behavioral Health and recovery Services • orville roache, executive Director, our Common Ground • Ján Allen, local resident in recovery Learn and Connect resource Fair, 9 am – 11 am Courtyard, 400 County Center, redwood City September 2, 4 pm mental Health & Substance Abuse recovery Commission David Lewis Award Presentation oak room, San mateo main Library, 55 West 3rd Ave., San mateo September 15, 11 am – 2 pm Annual recovery Happens

Picnic resource fair, activities, raffle prizes, proclamation reading, and more Flood Park, 215 Bay road, menlo Park Speakers: • San mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine • Stephen Kaplan, Director, Behavioral Health and recovery Services • Karen Francone, executive Director, Service League of San mateo County • Wayne Garcia, Vice President of Programs, Healthright 360 • rev. mary Frazier, Bread of Life Worship Center September 25, 12 noon – 1:30 pm Speak up, Save a life: Suicide Prevention Forum oak room, San mateo main Library, 55 West 3rdAve., San mateo Program: keynote speaker, panel, and resource tables. refreshments will be provided. more details at: www. smchealth.org/suicideprevention. September 26 Film Screening: The Anonymous People, 5 pm recovery Dance, 8 pm Friendship Hall, 416 Second Avenue, San mateo events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit smchealth.org/recoverymonth.

‘Bold Step’: A celebration of the 50th anniversary... PAGE CJ2 served as the UFW’s assistant director from 1966-1971. Fifty years later, the courage to make that stand at such a high risk resonates in the prosperity, diversity and growth of Delano and the Filipino American community nationwide. Filipino Americans are now the largest Asian American group in California, California’s third largest minority group, and the second largest Asian American group in the United States. Latinos and Filipinos are the two of the fastest growing ethnic

EMPLOYMENT

groups in the nation. Despite the growth of the community, the history of Filipino involvement in the farmworkers movement has been largely obscured. on July 2, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill establishing october 25 as Larry Itliong Day. In 2014, the California State Legislature passed AB123, which calls for students to learn about Filipino American farm labor organizing history. Both bills were sponsored by rob Bonta, the first Filipino American elected to the California State

Assembly. recently Union City, CA renamed a middle school the Itliong/Vera Cruz middle School to honor the UFW vicepresidents, and a bridge in San Diego, California was recently named Larry Itliong/Philip Vera Cruz. Speakers and a detailed program will be forthcoming. A link to a schedule of events to date (subject to change). For more information, please visit the FANHS/Delano Chapter Facebook page. For ticket information, a link to our eventbrite event.

FIL-Am Post 509 American Legion Cmdr. emilio G. reaches out to Native American Indian veterans for support on their kick-off campaign “Balangiga Bells revisited” next month. American Indian Nations from many tribes across the United States recently came together under one roof. It was the Navajo Nation-Code Talkers (US marines secret weapon) that received the Congressional Gold medal in the year 2000 (gold) and in october 2008 (silver) for their role during the World War II era in the Pacific Theatre. Because of efforts like this from a few Filipino WWII veterans to take a final stand,

their story to fight continues to live on, in the Capitol Hill chambers of Washington, DC. They find themselves fighting this battle on the return of these church bells and cannon after twelve years of silence from the community and 113 years of silence from the bells since 1901. We invite all family members and supporters to aggressively participate in this project. Visit: www.facebook.com/ BalangigaBells1901

Former PVB 2016 Grand Reunion Former employees of Philippine Veterans Bank will hold their Grand reunion on February 21, 2016 at the marco Polo Hotel in ortigas, manila. We are trying to reach out to all members residing all

over the world to disseminate information about the upcoming event. For more details about the reunion, please contact the following members through their Facebook accounts: Southern California – Au-

rora Carillo Northern California – Angie Virola Philippines – Lourdes Barbero ramos and Lyn Lagpitanghap We look to forward to see you all!

Free Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event on Sept 12 in San Mateo County SAN mateo County residents can safely dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) free of charge at a special drop-off collection event on Sat., Sept. 12, 2015. make an appointment for our Free event by visiting www.smchealth.org/hhw or calling (650) 363-4718, select option 3. exact location and

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 4, 2015

‘Monstress’: A story of the Filipino life in the Bay Area and the pursuit of the American dream Onstage at the American Conservatory Theater for its two world-premiere By Malou liwanag-Bledsoe

WE hear about Filipinos pursuing the American dream all the time and although a number believe that they have a achieved it, some still continue to tread the unknown in a land so different from their own. Giving a fictional tale about this is Monstress, two worldpremiere one-act plays about love, longing and the American dream. Going onstage at the American Conservatory Theater’s (ACT) Strand Theater, Monstress is based on the

/ AJPress

short stories by Lysley Tenorio and is adapted for the stage by Bay Area playwrights Philip Kan Gotanda and Sean San Jose. Tenorio shared that he wrote the book because of his interest in surprising historicalcultural intersections. “They surprising, unexpected, at times bizarre,” he said and then added, “and they make for compelling stories.” He also said that although he is a Filipino immigrant, the stories in Monstress are not autobiographical. Nevertheless, he

The cast members (L-R) Sean San Jose, Director Carey Perloff, Jomar Tagatac, Ogie Zulueta, Rinabeth Apostol, Kelsey Venter and Nick Gabriel.

Lysley Tenorio

Photo by Alessandra Mello

Costume sketch for the Squid Mother by Lydia Tanji

The ACT Strand Theater.

Photo by Bruce Damonte

feels that they resonate his emotions. The idea of putting Monstress onstage happened when Carey Perloff, ACT Artistic Director contacted him after the book came out. Perloff, who is also the director of the play, then said that she was interested in adapting the stories. “As soon as I came across Lysley Tenorio’s magical

Philip Kan Gotanda, Lysley Tenorio and Sean San Jose

collection of stories called Monstress, I wondered if there was a play hidden inside…or several plays,” said Perloff in a statement. “Tenorio’s tender and complex look at FilipinoAmerican life in the Bay Area has so much resonace for us at ACT as we open a new theater adjacent to one of the biggest hubs of Filipino culture.” Playwrights Philip Kan

Gotanda and Sean San Jose then chose their favorite stories from the book to come up with a riveting script. “Sean San José and Philip Gotanda have already done a remarkable job transforming these stories for the stage, infusing them with a new energy which, at the same time, honors the stories themselves,” said Tenorio. In these two tales of contemporary Fil-Am life in the Bay Area, a vibrant array of characters strive for personal transformations that are seemingly impossible, wonderfully moving, and distinctly theatrical. The infamous headlinemaking eviction of Filipino residents from San Francisco’s International Hotel in the 1970s sets the background for Gotanda’s stirring Remember the I-Hotel. The story illuminates the dangers of love that crosses forbidden territories.

San Jose’s retelling of the title story Monstress moves us from the streets of Manila to the Bay Area, where a B-movie director has been seduced by the opportunity to work with a shady American filmmaker. An evening of song and story about love and family, hope and indifference, triumph and failure, Monstress explores the resilience of a community struggling to find a home in the ever-shifting sands of the American dream. The stories and characters of Monstress may be slightly odd to some, but Tenorio shared that it’s up to the audience how to interpret it. He does, however, hopes that this production will remind people of the thriving Filipino and Fil-Am communities. “ …Full of energy and life, and that they’ve contributed to the culture—their stories deserve to be told in the mainstream, Continued on Page SF6

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Ai-Ai delas Alas on marriage: Hindi na ako umaasa The comedienne added: “Hayaan na lang natin ang panahon at si Lord ang mag-decide kung gusto pa niya ako ipakasal.” The 50-year-old actress is in a relationship with the 21-year-old Gerald. “Kung hindi, okay lang. Pero kung puwede sana, kasi bilang Katoliko nasa pitong Sakramento na kailangan ‘yung Ai-Ai delas Alas: “Hayaan na lang natin ang Sacrament of Marriage, para panahon at si Lord ang mag-decide kung gusto pa wala akong kasalan ‘pag humaniya ako ipakasal.” rap ako sa Panginoon, eh ‘di MAnILA—Ai-Ai delas Alas is masaya kung makasal ako,” Ai happy with her relationship with Ai further said. non-showbiz boyfriend Gerald Ai Ai was previously married Sibayan. to Jed Salang. However, the But the GMA-7 star said she’s comedienne admitted ending not hoping too get married again. their relationship less than two “Hindi na ako umaasa,” she months after tying the knot. said in an interview. “Pero sana She confirmed being legally para kumpleto naman ako dun sa separated from Jed in 2014. pitong Sakramento.” (Philstar.com)

A role that’s ‘new’ to Richard Yap by Bot

Glorioso Philstar.com

Richard Yap

MAnILA—By the time you are reading this, Richard Yap must have already appeared as Carlo Asuncion on ABS-CBn’s Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita. According to Richard, playing Carlo is far different from the characters he has done before. “When they offered the role to me, I said, ‘Why not?’ because it’s something new for me. Medyo mas ma-drama s’ya so I agreed to give it a try.” Attending an acting workshop, Richard added, was no

longer required of him before the taping of his scenes with Vina Morales started. The only pointer he got was a brief yet vivid description of the character. “Medyo positive naman si Carlo dito; he is not as ‘burdened’ as the other characters,” he observed. “My part here is to be a positive influence on the show like lifting (up) the character of Cecilia so that made it a bit easier for me to adjust.” It also helped that Vina is easy to work with, he added. What matters most to him now is the opportunity to work with the singer-actress and the rest of the cast. “It’s (the show) been very successful so I’m glad na nakapasok ako dito.” Asked if he has set certain limitations when it comes to drama acting, Richard replied, “Perhaps, doing a heavy drama, baka di ko pa kaya like in crying scenes, I have to really feel the scene for me to be able to do it but if I, myself, is not convinced that it is needed in the story, I really cannot emote; so for me, ‘yun ang limitation ko siguro.”

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – September 4, 2015

The ‘Beautiful Life’ celebration By Monet

Queen of the Philippines World, Queen of the Philippines Asia and Queen of the Philippines Intercontinental. The “Beautiful Life” Celebration is the youngest of the socio-political organizations that I lead in honor of our Kababayans who have displayed an unparalleled outlook in life. These are: “Reflections” that’s been around for 20 years and “Uliran Awards”, a Filipinana affair that has been instrumental in inspiring Filipinos to give their best always—it is still going strong for 10 years. And, out of the irresistible demand to celebrate our cultural heritage, I—along with like-minded individuals who felt a strong sense of appreciation, formed the “Beautiful Life.” It is held every other year and holds a soft spot in me. One of the most memorable events I had with this organization was the time we raised $5,000 to donate to the victims of typhoon “Yolanda” in the Philippines. And that, by far, is the best way we’ve celebrated “life” apart from recognizing noble men and women. So, it is with so much joy and privilege that I invite everyone to gather with us in acknowledging our exceptional Kababayans. The event will be preluded with a press conference on September 16, 2015, 7pm. at the OMnI Hotel California Plaza in Los Angeles. The actual event is on november 21. Tickets range from $100 to $150 (VIP seating). For more information and other inquiries, you may email me at monetlu@yahoo. com. Reservations can be made via email or by contacting me thru (213) 216 -4923. ***

In celebration of Philippine cultural pride and heritage, I am happy to announce the coming of the 4th Beautiful Life Awards on november 21, to be held at the OMnI Hotel. As some of you may know, this glamorous event is held in honor of the men and women who have remarkably influenced and inspired the Filipino-American Community. It showcases the indigenous work of our kababayans and celebrates the contributions they made in making this world more beautiful. Hence, the title; “The Beautiful Life Celebration.” I am also proud to share that this would be the celebration’s fourth year. In line with that, I am thrilled to give you a preview of the event beginning with my chosen theme for this year. I know I may be pre-empting my own event but I just can’t help but share my excitement as the president of this organization. Please allow me to indulge our readers with just a sneak peak. This year is so unique from the previous years’ themes. I recall: The first one was a fashion show held at the CBS Studio while the second was a blackand-pink-themed awards night, which was also held at the same venue. Both events featured the lovely, Ruffa Gutierrez and other distinguished guests. The third one, which was held at the Metropolitan Banquet, was a classic red-and-black themed event. And now, for this year’s theme, I decided to let the colors come out! It follows the same glamorous ambiance but with more liberty on the color theme. It is a dressto-impress night with exploding colors, so to speak. I am not one to brag but as most people say, each celebration never fails to outshine the previous ones. In light of that, I definitely guarantee that this will be the best one. As I mentioned in the begin-

Awardees of the event

Queen of queens

ning, the event recognizes the extraordinary work and life of our fellow Filipinos in their chosen field of endeavor. It celebrates the choices they made, the lives the lead and the legacy they imparted to the Fil-Am community. Among the awards that will be given are 2015 Distinguished Men and Women of the Year, Special

Award of Distinction, and Distinguished Couple of the Year. And of course, this would not be called “Beautiful Life” if we do not appreciate “Pinay” Beauty; the much awaited Queen of Queens Coronation will also take place on the said event. We will be crowning this year’s Queen of the Philippines Universe, Queen of the Philippines International,

Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 4, 2015

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 4, 2015

celebrity world By Ferdie Villar

Vic Sotto, Pauleen Luna now engaged

THeY proved that their age difference was not an issue, especially when people were saying that their relationship would not last. So just this week, Eat Bulaga! co-host and comedian Vic Sotto confirmed that he and girlfriend Pauleen luna are now engaged. “Yes, we are,” he said during a press conference last September 2. “Hindi ko naman pwedeng i-deny ‘yon. But the details, ‘yun ang sa tamang panahon…kung anuman yung mangyayari in the future.” Vic is 60 years old, while Pauleen is only 26. For other details, the comedian remained tightlipped. “Ibang level na, pero I will go into details sa tamang panahon.” Pauleen went to Instagram to announce her engagement, by posting a photo of her ring with the caption, “In god’s perfect time.” according to ricky lo, Vic gave her a threecarat solitaire ring he bought in Hong Kong. The kept their relationship secret for a while until they were forced by the movie press to admit it. Vic met Pauleen years ago when she competed in little Miss Philippines, a beauty contest for little girls on Eat Bulaga! Congratulations to Vic and Pauleen! *** we are storming heaven with prayers for singer Joey albert, as she again battles colon cancer. “Time is the most important thing in life, not money,

not career….nothing, time talaga,” she said in an interview with Pep.ph. This is the third time Joey has been diagnosed with the disease. She also said that she is scared and disappointed, as she though that the last time was her last battle. “and I do get scared still if you really think about the longevity of your life here, the realization you’re not as strong as you think you are,” she shared and added, “But I do try to keep positive, because I fell it’s really the best medicine. I think if I lend myself to all this fear, I’ll slip.” Joey has been sharing the medical treatments she’s been getting and her fight against cancer through her Facebook account. She said it was a way to ask people for prayers and for others who are going through the same battle. “I share my battle, my journey with people, first of all, I need prayers and I’m not gonna pretend I don’t need help, because I do.” we pray that Joey again wins this fight.

Comedian/TV host Vic Sotto recently confirmed that he and girlfriend Pauleen Luna (who is also her co-host in the afternoon show “Eat Bulaga!”) are now engaged.

Miss World 2013 Megan Young is now the lead role in the remake of “Marimar” on GMA 7.

OPM singer Joey Albert is again battling colon cancer and is asking for prayers of healing. Now based in Canada, this is Joey’s third time to be diagnosed of the disease.

Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves was one of the special guests during the recent United Pangasinanes Association Inc. Golden Jubilee Dinner ball held at the South San Francisco Convention Center. Shown in photo are (L-R) Alexis Bajog, Mayor Esteves, Susan Arcilla, Amor and Vic Barba.

Rev. Father Abraham Alonzo, Pastor of San Rafael Catholic Church recently left for the Philippines last weekend to visit his relatives.

McKayla Michelle Calbeck, daughter of Sarah Ann and Justin Calbeck, was baptized last Sunday, August 16, at the St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco. The ceremony was followed by a grand reception at The Water Bar at the Embarcadero. In photo are (L-R) Chona Enrile, Jun Enrile, Jonas Enrile, Yvonne Enrile, Gil Enrile, Sarah Calbeck, McKayla Michelle Calbeck, Garette Calbeck, Diane Calbeck, Lina Enrile and Stephanie Enrile.

JoAnne Lorenzana comes home in ‘Origins’

One Central is a luxurious 50 and 42-storey twin-tower residential condominium situated in the heart of Makati CBD designed by award-winning international design firms, The Preben Kent and Gettys Chicago.

Life gets easier with Megaworld International’s exclusive ready-for-occupancy units Reward yourself with Megaworld International’s Home Club: Your key to a lifestyle of privileges Megaworld International offers exclusive and pre-selected ready-for-occupancy (rFo) units to meet your meticulous and sophisticated needs. each unit has the advantage on convenience, security and access to endless possibilities of the live-workplay-learn lifestyle. You need not wait for months or years and get to experience the best rewards in an instant. owning an rFo unit means instant membership to Megaworld International’s Home Club, your key to a lifestyle of privileges. as a member, you will automatically enjoy the following privileges: extensive after-sales services including leasing and resale Management, Turnover and Maintenance Services, and Free Interior design Services. You will also receive free items such as a key kit, a one month’s supply of fine wine, and access to the Megaworld International exclusive client lounge. Through Megaworld International Home Club, you will experience seamless transactions from the time you plan to buy a ready unit, to designing your living space and turnover, until you plan to re-sell or lease out your condo units. Worry-free lifestyle

privilege Now is high time to take advantage of venturing on rFo units as it gives guaranteed recurring income because of the solid market for it. Property leased out can really increase your asset and can give rental cash flow to fund your lifestyle and retirement. with the leasing and resale Management Services, selecting and negotiating bank finance options and refurbishment of units in preparation for leasing or resale of the property are done on your behalf. A “hassle-free” turnover process and maintenance a hassle-free Turnover and Maintenance service awaits you to ensure that everything will be in good condition upon your acceptance of the unit. To sustain a premium lifestyle experience, you are guaranteed quality control and maintenance of the rFo units even in your absence. Housekeeping personnel are on standby to regularly check the unit and provide a report to you. Very Personal. Very You. Personalize your units with the free Interior design Services. Based on your personality, lifestyle and mood preferences, you may

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THe Filipina nightingale best known for her 80’s-90s hit songs I’ll Never Let You Go, You, Kung Alam Mo Lang, and her awit award-winning rendition of Bayan Ko, returns to the stage in Berkeley this labor day weekend for her Jazz show, Origins. The celebrated artist of the oPM (original Pilipino Music) scene will share the origins of her musical beginnings. The evening’s repertoire will reminisce the iconic works of composers such as gershwin and Jobim, and, will pay homage to pieces once by music greats ella Fitzgerald, etta James, Barbra Streisand, and Shirley Horn. Joanne will be joined by local Bay area legends ross gualco on piano and keyboards, John Hoy on bass and guitar, and, Joanne’s longtime musician-friend from the Philippine touring days, Boyet

JoAnne Lorenzana

Pigao, on drums. origins will take place on September 5 at the California Jazz Conservatory, a.k.a. the Berkeley Jazz School at 2087 addison Street in downtown Berkeley. Tickets are $22 advanced purchase via eventbrite.com (search Joanne lorenzana) or by contacting abeth at (925)

640-0990. Tickets at the door will be $25, First-come-firstserved basis. Please note that the club is intimate in size and seats may not be guaranteed on the night of the performance. Please contact info@neomondeproductions for more information. *Advertising Supplement

‘Monstress’: A story of the Filipino life... From Page SF2 and I’m so grateful that a.C.T. is recognizing that.” He also said whatever the american dream is—it’s a complicated one. “Full of gains, losses, victories and defeats, joy and heartbreak. It’s life. If there’s any kind of truth, I hope these plays convey that. So I hope everyone will come out and see Monstress—it’s a wonderful show.” The cast of Monstress includes rinabeth apostol, Melody Butiu, danielle Firmer (oct. 20-Nov. 22), Nick gabriel, Jomar Taqatac, Sean San Jose, Kelsey Venter (Sept. 16-oct. 19) and ogie Zulueta. The creative team for Monstress includes associate

director Sean San Jose, lighting designer robert Hand, costume designer lydia Tanji, set designer Nina Ball and sound designer Jake rodriguez. aCT’s production of Monstress is made possible by executive Producers doug Tilden and Teresa Keller; Jack and Susy wadsworth and Producers Jerome l. and Thao N. dodson; dr. gideon and Cheryl Sorokin. Special support provided by the National endowment for the arts. Monstress will be onstage at the aCT’s Strand Theater at 1127 Market Street, San Francisco, from September 16 to November 22, 2015. Performance schedules are: Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 pm,

wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 pm and Sundays at 2 & 7 pm. Single tickets (ranging from $20 to $100) are available by calling the aCT Box office at (415) 749-2228 or online at www.act-sf.org. In association with Monstress, aCT will offer numerous InteraCT events —many of which are presented free of charge—that will give patrons opportunities to get closer to the action while having an entire night out at the theater. Visit act-sf.org/interact to learn more about subscribing to these events throughout the season. *Special thanks to Kevin Kopjak, Charles Zukow Associates.

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