San Francisco Edition -- August 07 -- 13, 2015

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

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Volume 14 - No. 32 • 3 Sections – 24 Pages

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by KATHLEEN

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am teen charged with murder in Santa Cruz

A 15-YEAR-OLD male has been charged in the murder of an 8year-old girl in Santa Cruz, California. The Asian Journal learned the teen, Adrian Jerry Gonzalez, is Filipino.

Gonzalez faces one count of murder with the special circumstance that he allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and tied Jljg\Zk 8[i`Xe >feqXc\j nXj up Madyson “Maddy” Xii\jk\[ ]fi b`[eXgg`e^# iXg\ Middleton before killXe[ dli[\i% ing her, according to Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell. Gonzalez is also accused of lying in wait.

The teen has also been charged with one count G8>< 8*

A. MARTIN

Philstar.com

MANILA—The Philippines will join the United States in calling for a stop to China’s reclamation activities in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea during a gathering in Kuala Lumpur of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The 48th foreign ministers’ meeting began with host country Malaysia—through foreign minister Anifah Aman—taking a swipe at Beijing’s refusal to raise the maritime issue before the regional bloc.

Singapore’s foreign minister K. Shanmugam also told reporters in Malaysia the maritime issue cannot be ignored, adding that Singapore is not happy with an informal code of conduct

signed by ASEAN and China in 2002.

“As a means of de-escalating tensions in the region, the Philippines fully supports and will pro-actively promote the call of the United States on the ‘three halts’—a halt in reclamation, halt in construction and a halt in aggressive actions that could further heighten tensions,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement.

Del Rosario said the Philippines would push the US call in the meetings this week, but would not agree to be bound by it unless China and other countries locked in the conflict also do so.

“We have to emphasize, however, that this should not in any way legitimize the status of the features reclaimed by China,” Del Rosario G8>< 8)

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Binay hits ‘inept’ gov’t

by WILLIAM

B. DEPASUPIL ManilaTimes.net

VICE President Jejomar Binay on Monday, Aug. 3, delivered his version of the “true” State of the Nation Address (SONA), scoring the Aquino administration’s failure to address corruption, exM`Z\ Gi\j% A\afdXi 9`eXp treme poverty and social inequality.

During his true SONA held at the Cavite State University in Indang, Cavite, the Vice President said the economic growth presented during President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s SONA last week masked the “painful truth” that only a few benefited from such progress.

He noted that only rich Filipinos and those close to the President such as his friends, classmates and members of the Liberal Party (LP) gained from the “much-vaunted economic growth.”

Nevada’s lieutenant governor: A supporter of education, a better economy and Filipinos

IT’S been a busy past couple of months for Nevada’s 34th lieutenant governor.

Since he was sworn in on Jan. 5, Las Vegas native and Republican Mark Hutchison has presided over the consideration of bills as president of the state Senate, engaged in debates, been involved in developing E\mX[X c`\lk\eXek ^fm\iefi DXib bills, reached out to ?lkZ_`jfe constituents and connected with business owners.

But his activity hasn’t stopped there.

He has also attended to responsibilities as a member of Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s cabinet, chairman of the Commission on Tourism, a member of the Board of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, vice chairman of the State Board of Transportation and a member of the Executive Branch Audit Committee.

Despite his busy schedule, public service and a multitude of responsibilities aren’t new G8>< 8*

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Roxas to Poe: Be my Vice President Still playing coy, Grace willing to meet Roxas

by CATHERINE

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S. VALENTE, JOEL M. SY EGCO AND JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA ManilaTimes.net

RESIGNED Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Wednesday, Aug. 4 publicly asked pre-election survey frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe to be his running mate in next year’s elections.

In one live television interview, Roxas said it would be better for the country if he won the presidential race with the first-time senator as his Vice President.

He added that he considers Poe as his best

running mate, pointing to her plus factor to continue the Aquino administration’s daang matuwid (straight path) good governance mantra.

Roxas and Poe earlier vowed to continue the reforms gained under the Aquino administration’s straight-path program.

“We now have a solid foundation. We had a good start and we can now continue movG8>< 8)

Philippine delegation wins 59 medals Int’l group’s letter to AFP at 2015 Special Olympics World Games chief: Stop rights abuses

by AGNES

CONSTANTE AJPress

AFTER a week of competition against more than 6,000 athletes from 165 countries, the 35 athletes representing the Philippines claimed 59 medals dur-

ing the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

From July 26 to Aug. 1, the Philippines competed in seven categories—aquatics, athletics (track and field), badminton, G8>< 8*

by ROSETTE

ADEL

Philstar.com

MANILA—An international human rights organization on Wednesday, Aug. 5 sent a letter to the new Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen.

Hernando Iriberri urging him to create human rights reforms.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) asked the Philippine military to take all necessary action to prevent abuses by its personnel G8>< 8+

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august 7-13, 2015 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From the Front Page

PH, US demand halt...

PAGE A1 said, referring to massive artificial islands that China started building last year on at least seven disputed reefs.

Rosario said the Philippines would like to see the ASEAN making concrete initiatives to expeditiously conclude a legally binding Code of Conduct (COC).

“The COC should be our priority now if it is still to be relevant, practical and usable in the context of what is happening on the ground,” Del Rosario said.

“The situation of uncertainty in the South China Sea also behooves us to reach a common understanding on the practical meaning of the principles of nonuse of force or threat of force and self-restraint in the DOC,” he added.

He said international law and jurisprudence, as well as established best practices, should guide efforts to address challenges on the ground based on such principles of restraint.

China’s massive reclamation activities now cover at least 800 hectares of areas being disputed or are clearly part of the Philippines. Facilities, many of which are of military nature, have been built on some of the artificial islands.

China’s activities have caused irreversible damage to the region’s marine ecosystem with economic losses estimated at $300 million a year. China’s island building activities have also adversely affected the livelihood of millions of people.

“Our northern neighbor has stated that these facilities will also meet its ‘necessary military defense’ so its statements that it has completed the land reclamations offer no comfort,” Del Rosario said. “In fact, they generate new uncertainties. These activities cannot lawfully change the character, status and maritime entitlements of the affected features under UNCLOS.” UNCLOS stands for the United Nations

Convention on the Law of the Sea. The DFA chief also cited provocative moves by the country’s “northern neighbor,” which have threatened freedom of navigation and overflight as well as raised the risk of miscalculations or full-blown conflict.

Security issue Although the maritime issue is not officially on the agenda, developments in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea are a critical aspect of regional security, and it’s only natural that they be raised in the foreign ministers meeting of the ASEAN, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said earlier.

“It’s not just the US raising this; there are other members who we expect will raise these issues,” he said.

The US and China are not members of ASEAN but have been invited to participate and Toner said it was highly possible Secretary of State John Kerry would meet with his Chinese counterpart in Kuala Lumpur.

“On the competing claims to sovereignty over the land fea-

tures in the South China Sea, it’s our strong opinion that a claimant not undertake actions that significantly increase the physical size or functionality of disputed features, or militarize them. We would view that as provocative,” Toner said.

Asked if he was aware the Chinese did not want the sea issue to come up at the ASEAN meeting, Toner said this was a forum in which critical security issues need to be brought up and discussed, and developments in the South China Sea meet that criterion.

“Frankly, that’s why fora such as the ASEAN meeting exists in order to get out—or rather discuss—these issues frankly among nations,” he said.

‘Amicable solution’ The position raised by Malaysia’s foreign minister reflected an earlier one made by the US and the Philippines rejecting China’s warning against any mention of the thorny territorial rifts in the meetings of foreign ministers from the ASEAN and their Asian and Western counterparts.

“ASEAN can and should play a vital part in effecting an amicable settlement” on the South China Sea, Anifah told fellow foreign ministers in his opening address.

“Above all, we must be seen to address this issue peacefully and cooperatively. We have made a positive start but we need to do more,” he said.

“South China Sea is an issue.

We cannot pretend that it’s not an issue,” Singapore’s Shanmugam told reporters.

“We have got to move beyond philosophical discussions to actually say what is in the substance of the agreement,” the Singapore official said. (With reports from AP, AFP, Reuters)

Binay hits...

PAGE A1 Majority of the Filipinos, Binay said, are still “poor, hungry and unemployed” even after five years of the Aquino administration.

“Napakadaling mamulot ng numero, mga numerong sa unang tingin ay makislap at kagiliwgiliw,” he added.

Binay, who received thunderous applause from the crowd, said while the country’s economic indicators have gone up, the numbers “conceal the painful truth” that growth has benefited only a handful.

And while those who are rich and the President’s allies continue to gain from the so-called economic growth, the Vice President also noted that workers, farmers, poor city dwellers, government employees and millions of Filipinos “did not benefit from the developments.”

He said while the country’s foreign direct investments (FDIs) exceeded P6 billion in 2014, Aquino did not say this is the lowest FDI among countries in Southeast Asia.

Although the 2014 FDIs are record-breaking, they did not result in employment for the majority, the Vice President said.

The labor-intensive sectors like manufacturing and mining got only six percent of the FDIs, Binay said.

And while the Philippines’ upgraded credit ratings helped in attracting foreign investors, they

did not translate into actual investments because of constraints in the Constitution’s economic provisions.

Binay had always been vocal in saying that he will push for amendment to economic provisions of the Constitution if he wins the presidency.

In his address, he said that once these provisions are amended, the primary sectors of the country would be opened to foreign investors, resulting in increased jobs and employment opportunities for Filipinos.

The amended economic provisions would also develop public utilities and speed up formation of public-private partnerships, as well as improved services and facilities for the public.

Binay also questioned the figures presented in the President’s SONA, showing a decrease in the number of poor Filipinos.

“Ang hindi sinasabi ng administrasyon, napakababa ng kanilang batayan ng poverty threshold. Para sa kanila, kapag may limampu’t walong piso [P58] ka nang panggastos sa isang araw, ay hindi ka na ituturing na ‘mahirap.’”

He cited the latest Social Weather Station s(SWS) survey showing that five in 10 Filipinos believe they are poor.

That translates to more than 11 million people, saying that even after five years of the daang matuwid (right path), they remain stuck in poverty.

Binay further questioned the President’s claim that there are PAGE A4

Roxas to Poe...

PAGE A1 In another live TV interview, the ing forward. If we change direc- Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer tions now, we’ll be back to zero,” openly invited Poe to become his Roxas said in Filipino. running mate.

“We’re inviting Sen. Grace Poe to join us. Join us in continuing the daang matuwid,” he said in the morning public affairs program Unang Hirit.

Poe said she is open to meet with Roxas.

“I first heard of his invitation to meet through media also this morning. Prior to that we have not spoken about it,” the senator told reporters in a text message.

“I am always open to meet Secretary Roxas as a friend. But there is no particular date arranged,” she added Roxas–the presumptive 2016 standard-bearer of the Liberal Party from Day 1 of the Aquino administration—was formally endorsed last week by President Benigno Aquino III as the ruling party’s top bet while Poe is yet to declare her plans for next year’s elections.

She and fellow independent senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero have been considering running together for higher office.

Poe on Tuesday, Aug. 4 said Escudero will not run against her if she decides to go for the vice presidency.

She said despite pronouncements that she is being wooed by the administration to team up with Roxas, she has not been offered the possibility.

Roxas also clarified that he had offered Poe to become his running mate months ago but he said she might have thought that it was not a formal offer because he had not been declared as the LP standardbearer at the time.

He said he is also open to running with Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto or Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, saying the two could contribute to the continuity of good governance.

“They all have the experience and capability and have shown that they really care for our compatriots,’’ Roxas explained.

“The best attribute that we see here is they are focused to the bones on their belief in daang matuwid.”

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

Fil-Am teen charged with murder...

PAGE A1 of kidnapping and four other sexual assault-related offenses, according to Rosell. If convicted of the charges, Gonzalez may face life in prison. Because of his age, he is not eligible for the death penalty.

“We have charged this individual as an adult with the crimes for which he is responsible,” he said.

“We are going to bring him to justice.”

At his first court appearance on Thursday, July 30, the 15-year-old did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed until Sept.

21, most likely to give the defense more time to build a case, said Santa Cruz District Attorney spokesman Paul Mangasarian.

Gonzalez’s lawyer Larry Biggam told reporters on Thursday, “Our job is to review the evidence, conduct our own investigation, and make sure that the minor—like every citizen accused—receives a fair trial.”

Maddy was last seen around 5:05pm on Sunday, July 26 riding her white Razor scooter in the Tannery Arts Center on River Street, a public-private nonprofit artists colony in Santa Cruz where both she and Gonzalez lived. Her disappearance prompted a frantic overnight search, and FBI investigators went door-to-door looking for clues. The massive search involved volunteers from neighbors, to officials, to relatives and friends.

Around 250 people live in the Tannery Arts Center complex, including about 50 children.

At 7:55pm on Monday, July 27, a little more than 24 hours after she disappeared, a police detective discovered Maddy’s body—4 feet tall, 46 pounds—lying at the bottom of the recycling bin, which had already been searched once by volunteers.

Investigators reportedly saw Gonzalez standing near the bin, causing automatic suspicion. Police believe he was watching them as they searched, and said they have evidence tying him directly to Maddy.

The boy was detained and later arrested on suspicion of homicide, and is being held in a juvenile detention facility.

Residents at the eight-acre complex were “stunned” to learn their neighbor was suspected in

the killing.

“We’re just devastated. These are two of our kids, and one is dead and one has been taken away. And it’s horrible. It’s just horrible,” said resident Yasmina Porter, whose two children, ages 11 and 13, played with both the young victim and the suspect.

“From the community’s standpoint, we mostly feel like these are our babies,” Porter said. “This is the most horrible thing you can imagine.”

Santa Cruz police Chief Kevin Vogel said Gonzalez lured Maddy to his family’s upstairs apartment, where they were alone, and killed her. He then reportedly carried her body downstairs to a garage and hid it in the recycling bin. Police officials believe Maddy willingly went to Gonzalez’s apartment because she knew and trusted him.

“She was 8 years old. She had a reasonable amount of trust in him,” Vogel said. “They were acquaintances. I don’t know to what degree they were friends.”

“It is my belief that [Maddy] was killed even before we got the phone call Sunday at about 6pm, when she was first reported missing,” he added.

Gonzalez is being tried as an adult on the counts of murder, kidnapping, and rape. In their decision to determine charges, prosecutors looked at the Filipino teen’s age, his criminal record, the nature of the crime and how the offense was committed, Rosell said.

Rosell declined to say how Maddy was killed, nor whether Gonzalez had a criminal history.

“At this point, there is no plea deal on anything,” the prosecutor told reporters, and revealed no known motive for the murder.

Authorities have interviewed the boy, but did not disclose any information.

“People do things for lots of different reasons,” Rosell said.

“Sometimes we understand them, sometimes we don’t.”

Gonzalez was described as a well-liked, quiet and polite young man and a “yo-yo expert.” According to a former classmate, Gonzalez’s father was absent and his mother is from Romblon, an island in the Luzon region of the Philippines.

“He would say that a smile is

Nevada’s lieutenant governor...

PAGE A1 to Hutchison. Prior to running for his current role, he served on the Nevada Commission on Ethics for six years (two of which he chaired) and represented District 6 when he was elected to the Nevada State Senate in 2012.

He is also a small business owner, a senior partner at Hutchison & Steffen, among the largest lawfirms in Nevada.

With his resume of experiences and an understanding of various facets that contribute to the Silver State, Hutchison said he felt qualified to run for the position he holds today.

On Nov. 4, 2014, he was elected to become Nevada’s lieutenant governor.

Legislative accomplishments In the past six months that Hutchison has held his current role, he has contributed to the creation of a number of bills. Among these are two he is particularly proud of: Assembly Bill 161, which provides tax abatements for the aviation industry, and Senate Bill 92, which requires underperforming teachers to be the first to go when schools need to implement layoffs.

While AB 161 was sponsored and led by Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Hutchison said he had crafted a bill similar to the one that passed and that he was fully supportive of it.

Before the measure was approved, Nevada was not competitive when it came to tax abatements for the aviation industry in multiple areas, including manufacturing, maintenance and upgrades.

As a result, businesses were taking their aircrafts to other states, such as Arizona, California and Washington.

After the bill was passed, the tide changed for the state in this area.

“It was very rewarding for me to see at our last board of economic development ... several aviation companies coming into Nevada for expanding their business in the state based on the passage [of AB 161],” Hutchison told the Asian Journal.

On a related note, the lieutenant governor said he wants to continue focusing on economic development and job creation in the state, particularly in the aviation and unmanned vehicle industries.

“There’s such promising growth opportunities here in Nevada.

Those jobs are good-paying, stable jobs that our citizens could really take advantage of,” he said.

Nevada is one of six sites designated by the Federal Aviation Administration for testing of unmanned vehicles.

“We have tremendous assets in terms of controlled airspace where these vehicles can be controlled and tested ... we have lots of great

airports that really lend themselves to the aviation industry and UAV industry in particular,” he said.

Nevada’s last legislative session, which adjourned on June 1, focused on education, Hutchison said. With that, many education reform bills were passed, including Hutchison’s Senate Bill 92.

It recognized that in Nevada, as in many other states, minority children have been disproportionally educated by underperforming teachers, the lieutenant governor said.

“That’s just not right from a constitutional standpoint. Every student has an equal opportunity to a quality education. It’s not right from a world standpoint in my view and I was going to do something about that,” he said.

SB 92, which went into effect on July 1, requires that layoffs be based on teacher performance rather than seniority. Lower performing teachers are placed back into probation and are provided resources and opportunities for professional development and training. Furthermore, it does not allow these teachers to go back to teaching in schools unless principals agree they are ready to do so.

Having attended Rose Warren Elementary School, Garside Junior High, Bonanza High School and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas – all public schools – education is a topic that hits home for Hutchison.

“I’m truly the product of [the] Nevada education system. It’s been a wonderful asset for me to have and I want to continue to do that for students in the future,” he said.

In addition, all his six children have attended public schools in the state.

A day in Hutchison’s professional shoes When Nevada’s legislature is in session, the lieutenant governor lives in Carson during the week and returns home on most weekends. “[I] eat, and drink and breathe the legislative session as the state’s Senate president. So that’s been a very exciting opportunity for me.

I’m very excited to be part of this legislative session, which by all accounts, anybody who follows the legislature closely, [it’s] a historic session, so I was very involved in the legislative session from February through the first part of June,” he said.

Typically once per day, he presides over the Senate when it is considering bills, and engages in debates.

He also has the opportunity to meet with individuals regarding pending legislation and hear their views on various measures. Among these include his colleagues – both PAGE A5

From the Front Page the best disguise, just things that sounded weird, like something’s wrong, but I didn’t know what I could do to help him,” the anonymous classmate told Balitang America, also noting that Gonzalez was “suicidal” at an early age.

The New York Times reported Gonzalez’ Filipina mother, who has been raising him alone, is a home health care attendant, and she left the apartment building soon after her son was taken in custody, according to neighbors. Most of her family still lives in the Philippines, several residents said.

Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane, who ordered flags to be flown at half-staff, said the city’s reaction is “mixed, somber, and wrenching.”

Both Gonzalez and Maddy were well-known at their schools. Maddy would have been a fourth grader and Gonzalez, a high school sophomore.

Makeshift memorials and handwritten signs appeared on various storefronts around the city, reading “We love you Maddy.” A Tannery neighborhood memorial for Maddy in the arts center shows a growing number of flowers, artwork, and stuffed animals.

“These children are out like little butterflies,” said Denise Kiser Shaw, another neighbor. “It’s a contained area…you stay here in the courtyard and you ride around and you wait for your friend.”

On Tuesday, July 28, Shaw sat in that same courtyard, working on a doll for Maddy’s mom. The doll had wings and wore a purple dress, just like what Maddy had been wearing, with the words “I can fly home. (Allyson Escobar/ AJPress with reports from the Los Angeles Times, Inquirer, CNN, Associated Press, KTLA5, Balitang America, The New York Times)

PAGE A1

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • august 7-13, 2015

A

Philippine delegation wins 59 medals...

bowling, gymnastics, powerlifting and unified football—at facilities at UCLA, the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Convention Center. At the end of the games, the team had won 21 gold, 14 silver and 24 bronze medals.

The fact that the number of Philippine wins exceeded the number of athletes wasn’t a surprise for Kaye Samson, assistant head of the delegation.

“Every time we go to the World Games we always win more medals than the actual persons [on the team]. Always,” she told the Asian Journal.

But the one thing stood out this year stood out this year, Samson said, is that the Philippines took home more gold medals.

“And we’re very happy because those who won gold medals, some of them are first timers to the World Games,” she said.

At the close of the games, Philippine athletes wore smiles to accompany the medals hanging around their necks, while coaches expressed satisfaction with the performance of their teams. Among them was Edvin Cabrera, aquatics head coach and a teacher at SPED Integrated School for Exceptional Children in Iloilo City. The four swimmers on her team won four gold and one bronze.

Athletics coach Christian Doroin said his team performed “pretty well,” receiving a mix of gold, silver and bronze medals.

“We’re just really happy everyone was able to compete and did their best,” he said.

More than medals While the Philippines won a number of awards, Samson said the athletes’ victories extended beyond the tangible recognition.

“Just by looking at them smiling, very happy, you can see those who were quiet before are now becoming outgoing. And they’re saying that, ‘Yeah when we go back, our parents will be proud,’ or, ‘Our classmates won’t bully us anymore,’” Samson said. “So it’s really not just the sports that they won, it’s not the medals, but the experience that helped them grow. In just two weeks, they’ve changed.”

Cabrera specifically pointed out how athletics athlete Aira Aguado transformed into a more social person by the end of the World Games.

“Nag iba talaga. Kasi itong si Aira, parang walang self-confidence. Very introverted [siya], hindi nakikipagusap [sa iba].

Ngayon masayahin na siya, nakikipagkaibigan (She really changed.

Aira seemed like she didn’t have self-confidence. She’s very introverted, she didn’t talk to others.

Now, she’s happy and goes out to make friends),” Cabrera said.

At the World Games, a medical festival that provides free health exams for the athletes resulted in further wins for the Philippines.

For instance, the delegation learned through the festival that rhythmic gymnast Jovelyn Gacayan—who won five gold medals, one silver and one bronze—was blind in one eye and deaf in one ear. It was also found that the extent of aquatics athlete Ronnin Talaboc’s hearing impairment was profound.

In less than an hour, Samson said Talaboc was provided hearing aids.

“When he tested it, he was so surprised. I saw that big smile on his face when the doctor put the aid on him. It’s things like that you can only see in Special Olympics,” she said.

A number of Philippine athletes also received prescription glasses through the Special Olympics.

“Many of [these athletes] cannot communicate verbally. A lot of them cannot express what they feel, so through the specialized program for the athletes, they’re able to detect if they have [any health problems],” Samson said.

The 2015 World Games also marked the first time for most Philippine athletes to attend an international event, visit the United States and experience air travel.

“It’s very exciting to be able to ride the airplane for the first time, go to America, meet the whole world and then win medals,” Samson said.

What’s in store The majority of the Philippine delegation flew back to the country on Monday, Aug. 3, also taking home valuable lessons that team leaders plan on implementing for upcoming Special Olympics.

In 2017, Austria will host the Special Olympics World Winter Games. However, the Philippines will not be participating as it does not have any winter sports. Looking ahead, Samson said the Philippines would like to participate in indoor events, such as floor hockey or figure skating. She added that she learned other countries without winters practice skiing in PAGE A4

A

Dateline USA

august 7-13, 2015 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

Binay hits ‘inept’ gov’t

PAGE A1 fewer overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) now because there are a lot of job opportunities in the country.

Citing data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), he said there has been an increase in the number of Filipinos wanting to leave the Philippines to find work in other countries.

From 2,500 average daily deployment before Aquino became President, the number rose to

6,092 during the first quarter of this year.

Binay also noted the “incompetence and insensitivity” of the Aquino administration.

He said the “insensitivity” was seen on how the administration addressed the incidents in Luneta (Rizal Park in Manila), Tacloban City, Zamboanga and Mamasapano.

In August 2010, a hostage-taking in Luneta hogged headlines worldwide after a botched rescue attempt that resulted in the death

Nevada’s lieutenant governor...

PAGE A3 Republicans and Democrats – with whom he says he has good friendships.

From time to time, Hutchison also participates in commission board meetings.

In the four months of the legislative sessions, these activities occupy his time.

The position of lieutenant governor is considered part-time, and Hutchison remains active outside of the legislature by continuing to practice as a constitutional lawyer.

“Every day I’ve got to prioritize in terms of my responsibilities with my lieutenant governor office. I’ve got responsibilities with my clients and I’ve got to keep a very good calender and record all the events.

But I never let my professional obligations interfere at all with my lieutenant governor duties,” he said.

Hutchison also takes time to meet with his constituents to keep them updated on what’s happening within Nevada’s government and with entrepreneurs to discuss business developments, and asks them what the government can do to better serve them. Furthermore, he has given speeches at a number of educational organizations.

On top of his professional obligations, Hutchison is a husband,

father and grandfather. When time permits, he helps coach the football team at Palo Verde High School, where his youngest child is a member. He and his family are also active in their church.

How does he do it all?

“The No. 1 reason I’m able to do it is because I’ve got a great family and the greatest most beautiful wife on planet earth who supports me and who is so kind and understanding of someone who’s got a very busy life like I do,” he said.

“And she is the absolute bedrock of our family and without her I couldn’t do any of this.”

In addition, Hutchison credits his colleagues in the legal professional for being understanding of his multiple responsibilities.

Significance of Filipino Nevadans In the Silver State, Hutchison notes that the Filipino community is one of the largest segments of the Asian Pacific American community. “[It’s] a growing, robust, dynamic, exciting community,” he said.

Hutchison has mingled with the Filipino community at various Asian Pacific American community events – such as those held by the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and an Asian Pacific American heritage month event

of the hostage-taker, disgruntled former police officer Rolando Mendoza, and eight Chinese tourists.

Binay said that while a comprehensive rehabilitation and recovery plan worth P170 billion was outlined, the money and donations given by other countries appear to have also been swept away by the typhoon.

In Zamboanga, more than 200 were killed and thousands were left homeless but the “greater tragedy” awaited in the evacuation centers where women and children were raped and forced into prostitution.

The Vice President then slammed Aquino’s failure to recognize 44 police commandos who died during the Mamasapano clash in January this year.

Binay said three things symbolize the administration’s incompetence: Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3), Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

He slammed the “bad service and poor maintenance” of MRT 3, which is under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the secretary of which is said to be running for senator in the 2016 elections.

– both while he campaigned and since he assumed office.

“I’ve spent time in different events, different celebrations, and what I think are just invaluable contributions to the state of Nevada are the Filipino community’s involvement in tourism. Tourism is the lifeblood of Nevada and the Filipino community is such an important part of that industry and has done a great job taking care of our visitors and making sure they have a tremendous experience when they come to Las Vegas or Reno or anywhere else in the [state],” he said.

Filipinos, he added, are “inspiring” because they do well as entrepreneurs, which contributes to job creation.

“They are some of the greatest businessmen and businesswomen in the state of Nevada. They provide job opportunities to support their families, to put bread on the table, to send their children to school and colleges,” Hutchison said.

The lieutenant governor said he specifically ensures that he and his staff reach out to the Filipino Nevadans.

“I want to know ... what is it that I can do as Lt. Gov in my role as chairman of the Commission of Tourism, [a member of the] Board of Economic Development, within the state senate, what laws can we pass that will really support the

Filipino community [and] what they’re trying to do in all those areas?”

With the growth and contributions of Filipinos in Nevada, Hutchison said he wants to continue attending events important to the community.

“Every one of them is my constituent and I’m committed to making sure their voice is heard and that we promote their interests as much as we possibly can,” he said.

Looking ahead With the conclusion of Nevada’s 78th legislative session, Hutchison has been focusing his efforts on other areas where the state can flourish.

One of these is in promoting new economies, such as electric cars – specifically Tesla – and the data storage industry. Switch, a data storage company, announced in January that it would invest $1 billion to expand its business in Northern Nevada.

As chair of the Commission on Tourism, Hutchison is also investing time into Nevada’s lifeblood industry. The commission, for instance, recently announced $1.1 million in grants for rural communities throughout the state to promote tourism in those areas.

Aspects of rural tourism that are promoted include cowboy poetry and the winery industry, which the lieutenant governor noted is devel-

Philippine delegation wins 59 medals...

PAGE A3 the sand, something the Philippines may be able to do.

Delia Ortega, head of the delegation, said the team also learned it needs to discipline the athletes better.

“The most challenging [part this year] was motivating them to be more serious with the games,” she said. “Hindi sila masyadong seryoso kasi marami pa ang bago.

Bago to the sport, bago to the World Games (They weren’t too serious because many of them are new. New to the sport, new to the World Games).”

Additionally, Ortega and Samson want to focus on professional coach training.

“We need high-caliber coaches because Special Olympics is now raising the standards of sports programming because we believe

they can do it. It’s not just for fun.

They’re real athletes,” Samson said.

Although the team’s coaches are certified, Samson said there is a difference when a coach is, for instance, from the NBA. The team has approached professionals, but they have asked for fees that the team cannot afford due to a lack of funding.

“We really need to zoom into

sports-specific training because in the Philippines, we lack coaches. That’s why we go into multisports,” Samson said.

Coaches on the Philippines Special Olympics team donate their time with no pay, and are hoping for future support from corporations and governments.

But even without such aid, Philippine volunteers invest in the World Games for the betterment of the athletes.

“Yung pagsali ko sa Special

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 616-4150 Turning his attention to BBL, the Vice President blasted the administration’s view that those who oppose the BBL are automatically against peace.

But Binay said there are conditions to a successful and lasting peace agreement: one, the agreement must be in accordance with the Constitution; two, different groups, sectors and recognized representatives must be involved; and three, Malacañang should not pressure Congress to pass the BBL into law.

The Vice President said the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the DAP, both

declared illegal and unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, have been revived under different names including insertions, special purpose funds and Unified Accounts Code Structure or UACs. While Aquino enumerated his accomplishments, Binay also noted that Aquino apparently forgot to mention a number of these achievements were started or were planned by previous administrations as early as President Fidel Ramos’ time and were merely continued or completed by the Aquino administration as required by government rules., Aug. 3.

and impartial probe Int’l group’s letter... transparent into the abuses and uphold interPAGE A1 and ensure accountability for human rights violators.

It also asked Iriberri to address discredited rights and hold violators to account.

“General Iriberri has the time and the opportunity to make greater respect for human rights a priority of the Philippine armed forces,” said Phelim Kine, the groups’s deputy director for Asia.

The organization noted that Philippine military personnel continue to be implicated in violations of international humanitarian law in armed conflict situations involving the New People’s Army and Moro insurgents.

It said there have been reports of abuses such as arbitrary arrests, tortures, illegal killings of civilians and rebel fighters in custody.

Human Rights Watch said Iriberri should conduct prompt,

national humanitarian law in conflict areas.

Military elements are also implicated in the harassment of activists, such as red baiting and publicly marking government detractors as state enemies, the group said.

Among the demands of the HRW in the letter is the effective command and control of paramilitary groups, long been allegedly responsible for serious human rights abuses.

The organization said the military’s human rights office should undergo reforms to make it more responsive as it has not lived up to its mandate and responsibilities.

The human rights group also asked the military to join the new international Safe Schools Declaration committed in protecting students, teachers and schools from armed conflict. This was signed by 47 countries to date.

oping in Douglas County.

The commission is also finalizing its fall and winter campaign to promote out-of-state tourism. The focus of the campaign is largely on the state’s outdoor offerings, including skiing in Lake Tahoe and cycling in Nevada.

With his full plate of responsibilities, Hutchison remains in the present, focused on his duties as Nevada’s lieutenant governor.

One thing he’s not thinking about is whether he will run for re-election two years from now.

“Right now, all I’m focused on … [is] being the best elected official. [With] all these things I’ve got going, I’m handling a lot of balls in the air right now, so I’m really focused on serving as well as I possibly can. And then we’ll think about the 2018 election,” he said. (Agnes Constante/AJPress)

Olympics as a volunteer, talagang passion ko ito, yung sports for these kids. You know they can’t excel academically, so itong sports [ang] parang mag boo-boost ng ego, ng self-confidence [nila] (My participation in Special Olympics as a volunteer, it’s really my passion, the sports for these kids. You know they can’t excel academically, so these sports are what boost their ego and self-confidence),” Cabrera said.

Witnessing athletes transformation into improved versions of themselves also makes volunteering time well-spent.

“Our athletes change right before our eyes every day in training, in competition. Just to see them develop in sports, in their other skills, like social skills and cognitive skills, it’s very rewarding. Nothing will really compare to that experience. No money, no salary will ever compare to that,” Samson said.

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OPINION

FEATURES

Counterattack

IN his version of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Aug. 5, Vice President Jejomar Binay told a crowd of about 1,000 at the Cavite State University gymnasium in Indang, Cavite that the current administration is “palpak at manhid” (inept and callous).

According to Binay, this manifested in four locations: Luneta, Tacloban, Zamboanga, and Mamasapano, Maguindanao—where many lives were lost.

These four events the Vice President was referring to were the Luneta hostage crisis where eight Hong Kong nationals were killed (Aug. 23, 2010), the Zamboanga siege where hundreds died and thousands displaced (Sept. 2013); the devastation caused by super typhoon Haiyan in various provinces in Visayas (Nov. 7, 2013); and the bloody clash between Philippine police and Moro forces in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that left 44 elite policemen and 19 Muslim rebels dead (Jan. 25, 2015).

Binay also mentioned issues such as the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as proof that Pres. Benigno Aquino III’s administration failed its people. He also discredited the administration’s ‘daang matuwid’ (straight path) policy, saying that corruption remains rampant in the government. And even after five years of Aquino’s reforms and leadership, Binay said that the majority of the Filipino people remain poor, hungry and unemployed.

While the audience appreciated his candor, it doesn’t change the fact that Binay has been holding the second most powerful seat in the country for five years and has apparently made little impact to address and fix the

country’s deficiencies (he mentioned) either.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda called Binay’s counter-SONA as “clearly politics at its ebb” and said that “it is bewildering how the camp of Binay would go to great lengths to fool the people.”

“First, it took them a week to fabricate a speech which could have otherwise been delivered a day after the Sona. It was all a rehash of what could easily be found in the broadsheets. Second, did he have to go to Cavite State University where it is several miles away from Coconut Palace to read a bereft speech when he could have shown up at the Senate where it is a hop, skip and a jump from his official residence to answer all allegations of corruption?,” Lacierda pointed out.

Lacierda said that the Vice President kept mum “where he could have been part of the solution” and even praised Aquino “in many instances” during his five-year stint in the Cabinet. Binay resigned in June as the chief of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and as the Presidential Adviser on OFW Affairs.

The true state of the nation is apparently subjective.

The current social, economic and political situation of the country varies, depending on who you ask. The multitude of ills in the country have yet to be accounted for. It might take more that one presidential term to

Editorial

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solve them all.

It is impossible to measure a politician’s performance. There are so many factors to identify how formidable a politician can be, and it is unjust to base the relationship of a leader and his followers on approval ratings alone. What matters more is the successful negotiations and compromises both parties extend to each other.

The Filipinos and the rest of spectators in all these political travails are given a sort-of-Rorschach inkblot test. They should think objectively and look at the facts

instead of having prejudices and biases, and personal hatred cloud judgments. Because in the upcoming elections next year, Filipinos hold the power to lead the Philippines’ steep road to political redemption. It will be up to the voters to delineate expertise, gravitas and decency over popularity and political grandstanding.

As for the aspirants and current leaders, the renewed interest political affairs by Filipinos should inspire and challenge them to do more for the people instead of working double time on increasing popularity and gaining plaudits. (AJPress)

If the presidential election were held today: Fil-Ams choose between Mar and Binay AFTER President Noynoy Aquino finally anointed DILG Sec. Mar Roxas to be his successor and the Liberal Party’s standard bearer in the 2016 Philippine Presidential Election—which Mar has accepted in a gathering among friends and supporters at the historic Club Filipino—it is GAME ON in Philippine politics!

Even Vice President Binay is happy he now has a real nemesis in the race to Malacañang, being the first to declare his intent to run for President in 2016.

While kababayans are still eagerly awaiting the decision of Sen. Grace Poe—the frontrunner in the polls—as to whether she will seek higher office by running for President or Vice President, other names have been much talked about as better options:

Davao’s Rudy Duterte, Sen. Miriam Defensor- The Fil-Am Santiago, Sen. Bongbong Marcos, Sen. Ping Perspective Lacson, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Francis Escudero, and Manila Mayor (and deposed) GEL SANTOS-RELOS former Pres. Erap Estrada.

Prior to PNoy’s endorsement of Roxas on July 31, 2015, the Second Quarter 2015 Social Weather Survey revealed that Poe, Binay and Roxas top the people’s “three best leaders to succeed PNoy in 2016.”

According to the SWS report, when respondents were asked the question “Who do you think are the good leaders who

should succeed Pres.

Aquino as President?

[You may give up to three names],” 42 percent named Sen. Poe, 34 percent named Vice Pres. Binay, and 21 percent named Sec. Roxas.

With the 55 percent rating of the Aquino Administration in the “Second Quarter 2015 Social Weather Survey: Net satisfaction with National Administration,” could Aquino’s endorsement give Mar Roxas the much needed momentum in his bid for the Presidency?

If the online poll on the Filipino Channel’s daily newscast Balitang America is to

A second opinion on the state of our nation

SENATOR FERDINAND ‘BONGBONG’ R. MARCOS JR. (Speech given on Wednesday July 29 at the Asia CEO Talks forum, Marriot Hotel.)

IN the letter of your chairman, Mr. Richard Mills, I was told that I am given the liberty to speak about whatever topic I feel would be compelling.

Well, I thought about that for a while and I think that at this particular point in time nothing proves to be more compelling than indulging in a reflection about the current state of our country. We heard the other day the President’s own version of the state of our nation in his 6th and final State of the Nation Address, where he brandished to Congress and the people the gains of his “Daang Matuwid” blue print for administration.

Now then comes a rather expedient time for post hoc public reactions, annotations, comments, from the entire captive audience, Filipino or otherwise, from experts to armchair analysts, from cheerleaders and well-wishers down to plain trigger-happy bashers.

But rather than engage in a critical discourse and give you a negative-toned counter, or Contra-SONA, allow me to present rather some sort of draft SONA, or administration blue-print, of a make-believe or hypothetical President made at a maiden SONA or at a miting de avance. One that presents another diagnosis of our country, a second opinion if you will, and wherein would contain the plans and programs required to remedy and respond to the state of problems in which we found ourselves and the country as that President leads and assumes the highest and most pow-

erful office of the land.

And please let me emphasize the words hypothetical, not hopeful, expectant, but less wishful thinking, lest I be quoted out of context and suddenly be reported, as it has been reported before we come here, to have announced a surprise early presidential bid. But if in case it happens, you will be able to see it nowhere else but here in the Asia CEO Forum, and you’ll be able to say, you heard it here first.

A nation that has become great again My vision of our country is one that can overcome its economic and social challenges by drawing on our own strengths and drawing on our unity. It is a vision of the Philippines that is prosperous, rich in opportunity, and home to happy, morally upright, and productive citizens whose lives are meaningful because theirs is a just society, because theirs is a nation that has become great again.

Business should take the lead in nation-building and poverty reduction I will immediately work to restore in all Filipinos the lost sense of pride in themselves and pride in being citizens of the Republic of the Philippines. We had at some point in our history that pride, that sense of nationhood but we see it to have gone astray and we have lost it.

This administration should govern our country with special attention to the needs of the more than 26% of our population who are the poorest, and the almost 70% who are called “unpoor” but actually mean that they live only precariously above the poverty line.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where you come in.

I would like to focus on two things that I believe we need to finally banish these discouraging statistics, unavoidable facts which persist despite our best efforts to change them.

First, I believe business should take the lead in nation-building, in

poverty reduction, in developing our shared future. You have demonstrated in your work your ability to do so with your wealth, your skills, and your imagination in raising our economy to a level that has attracted positive elements. But it has happened under a system that has distributed the benefits inequitably.

The success of our nation depends on national unity, but it is hard for me to imagine how unity can be even be possible when nearly 97% percent of our people do not feel they are sharing in our so-called “economic miracle.”

And share in it they must. Not simply because for those of us of privilege and wealth, caring for the needs of our communities and our nation is the correct, upright thing to do, but also because it is in our best interests.

It is alarming to note that, despite our economic gains of recent years, at least 3,700 Filipinos leave for jobs abroad every single day. Nearly one in 10 of us are already abroad, meeting our families’ basic needs with the earnings from foreign jobs. It is distressing to see the most desperate of our people even consigned to the streets, or falling prey to sexual or other forms of exploitation simply because of a lack of opportunities.

These people are our workforce, and our market. They are our greatest resource, a resource that only grows in strength and does not diminish if it is used for the benefit of all.

Asking business to lead us in nation-building is a tall request, and one that government cannot rightly ask if it is not willing to equally share the burden, or take the lead. Which brings me to the second, but no less important point: How can government help business do business?

It is perhaps understandable if many doubt whether government actually has the ability to do that, because recent problems have revealed shortcomings in our efforts to eliminate corruption and improve

be the indicator, Filipinos in America overwhelmingly favor Roxas.

Immediately after PNoy’s endorsement and Mar’s acceptance on July 31, Balitang America asked its viewers and web visitors: “If the Philippine Presidential Elections were held today, who would you vote for? Roxas, Binay, or neither?

A big majority of those who voted—85 percent voted for Roxas, 8 percent said neither, while 7 percent voted for Binay.

This result runs parallel to Aquino’s high favorability and satisfaction among Fil-Ams in the “Balitang America” poll after Pres.

Aquino delivered his sixth and last SONA. Balitang America asked its viewers and web visitors: “Do you think Pres. Aquino successfully adressed the Philippines’

performance. The P62.3-billion Conditional Cash Transfer Program, directed at the poorest of our poor Filipino families, has not helped all that it could because of leakages, because of weaknesses in the implementation, and because of lack of clarity in principle and in concept as to what the program was meant to achieve.

The modest efforts towards upgrading our armed forces have been hampered by anomalous deals and irregular transactions with suppliers of questionable competence. Every day, hundreds of thousands of commuters – our workers, our students, our shoppers – face the challenges of using an aging, inadequate commuter rail service that has become unreliable under the best of circumstances, and actually dangerous to life and limb at its worst.

Sound fiscal management has provided the Philippines with billions in accumulated savings, yet deploying those carefully-collected resources into infrastructure, improving the nation’s defense and law enforcement capabilities, and other basic development has proved more difficult than it should rightly be. And as a result, opportunities to create jobs, to create new areas for business growth, and to expand consumer and investment markets have been lost.

Government as well as business must change. The “trickle-down” concept of economics, pursuit of profit for profit’s sake with the expectation that the benefits will eventually find their way to the lower levels of our society, is a failure. It is something I sensed a long time ago, while still a student at university. In a study that we made on the Marshall Plan, which had as its central principle, a trickle down theory: throw money at the problem, if you had enough money it would trickle down to the poorest and you would have taken care of it. While there, I wrote a paper proposing that it is good economic policy, and ulti-

pressing problems during his term?” 64 percent of those who voted answered YES. The Balitang America “ISYU NGAYON” poll is just the first among many polls leading up to May 2016. As new names of candidates are added, political dynamics change, and new developments steal the headlines, this unofficial barometer of the Fil-Am’s political mood and opinion will be interesting to follow! *** >\c JXekfj I\cfj `j k_\ XeZ_fi f] K=:Ëj È9Xc`kXe^ 8d\i`ZX%É M`\nj Xe[ fg`e`fej \ogi\jj\[ Yp k_\ Xlk_fi `e k_`j Zfclde Xi\ Xi\ jfc\cp k_fj\ f] k_\ Xlk_fi Xe[ efk f] 8j`Xe AflieXc Xe[ 89J$:9E$K=:% =fi Zfdd\ekj# ^f kf nnn% K_\=`c$8dG\ijg\Zk`m\%Zfd# _kkgj1&&nnn%]XZ\Yffb%Zfd&>\c% JXekfj%I\cfj

mately profitable strategy for business, to balance those profits with a concern for the common good.

In recent years, many other have woken to the same realization, from political leaders, to learned and respected economists, and most recently even Pope Francis, who has offered strong words. In 2013, in his apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” he argued that “trickle down” economics wrongly demand “a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power.” And as recently as this past July 10, while visiting Bolivia, he condemned the unbridled greed of naked capitalism: “Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions, once greed for money presides over the entire socio-economic system, it ruins society, it condemns and enslaves men and women, it destroys the human fraternity, it sets people against one another and, as we can clearly see, it even puts at risk our common home: the planet Earth.”

Capitalism as we know it, whether we like it or not, is becoming socially unacceptable.

Do not take it as a damnation of the capitalist society or the capitalist principle. But merely to say that government must take and must institute and have a mechanism that actively pursue the principle of distribution of wealth. I think even the most recent rock star of the economics fraternity, a gentleman by the name of Piketty, on his large and rather hard-going book on capital, again seems to have confirmed the same observation that growth in value of capital is never matched, if left to its own devices, by the growth in value of each individual in that economy.

By focusing on poverty, we focus on the fundamental strength of this nation, and our greatest resource, our people. It will require government and business working hand in hand.

But neither business nor the great population of Filipinos can have confidence in a government that does not demonstrate the com-

petence and the ethical commitment to good performance. I was disappointed that in the SONA that we heard a couple of days ago, he neglected to mention the Freedom of Information Bill, a freedom of information bill that he actually can take note.

I believe in the FOI, because I believe it is a tool to build trust— something that we have to rebuild in our country as we have been set in a political system and even in a social system where we must take sides against each other. The FOI is a tool that encourages government to carry out its mandates honestly, competently, and with due regard to all stakeholders in critical issues and challenges facing the nation.

Government cannot, after all, exhort those it serves to practice discipline and follow the law if it does not set the example by respecting the separation of authority and responsibilities of the individual branches of government, or to utilize collaborative tools like the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, or LEDAC, or pursue long-overdue peace arrangements with enemies of the state with a sincere objective to improve the lives of all who are affected by any such conflict.

Neither the people nor you, as leaders of our vibrant business sector, can have the confidence and trust in the competence and commitment of government as a partner in advancing the nation if doubt is created by perceptions of corruption, of lack of ability, or of favoritism towards special interests.

The FOI will help erase those doubts, but it is only part of the answer.

If the next administration is to succeed, meritocracy must be the guiding principle. The next leader should surround himself or herself with the best of the best in the Cabinet. Our country is blessed with such great human talent and we must engage that great human talent in the service of nation-building. Meritocracy must govern all appointments, not only in high-level G8>< 8.

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

A second opinion...

PAGE A6 appointments, but throughout the entire bureaucracy.

Meritocracy will guide the organization and leadership of even the Armed Forces and Philippine National Police as well. Our nation’s internal and external security, peace and order in our cities and neighborhoods, is a critical concern for all us, government, business, and private citizens—all the same.

Under the next administration, leadership roles in the police and armed forces that will be regarded with the gravity they deserve: As roles with vital responsibilities, responsibilities that can only be met by leaders who have demonstrated integrity, have demonstrated skill, and experience, and who believe, as I do, that inasmuch as promotion to a position of greater authority is an endorsement of one’s abilities and good service, it is also a call to duty and not a reward to be passed frequently from one officer to another.

These critical top leadership positions in our Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP will no longer be subject to the “revolving door policy”, wherein, again, for political considerations just make up a queue and say you will be the head for six months, next, next, next, immaterial of what your performance has been or if you have shown any special qualities that put you above the rank and file, that put you above all the other officers who also are vying for the same position.

Our military and police leaders have great responsibilities, and must earn the trust and confidence of their men and women in uniform if they are to lead effectively. And that they cannot do if they cannot be assured of stability and continuity in command. Frequent changes in leadership undermine morale, and make instilling discipline from the top, where it should start, difficult if not impossible. The next administration, leaders of the uniformed services will be chosen according to demonstrated skill and experience, and will be retained for as long as they can serve, and continue to make a positive difference.

But in order for our leaders in uniform to fulfill the duties we demand of them, they must have our support, and be given the tools they need to carry out their tasks. Just as government should strive to help business do business, under the next administration we will do our utmost to pay tribute to our courageous and hard-working men and women in uniform in deeds, and not only words.

Modernizing the AFP is an ob-

jective that should be pursued with vigor, but with reason. It is unreasonable to pursue modernization without having a clear doctrine addressing national defense and reduction of internal threats. It is unreasonable to pursue modernization while overlooking the basic needs of servicemen and their families for fair pay, and meaningful benefits delivered efficiently and with a minimum of procedures. It is unreasonable to pursue modernization by seeking bargains on other nations’ obsolete, second-hand equipment and materiel. It is unreasonable to pursue modernization using a complicated, time-consuming procurement process that is at risk of corruption and abuse.

Modernization of the armed forces under any successful administration will build trust and confidence in government and the armed forces alike, because it will be exactly that – modernization. We should seek to equip the armed forces with only the best tools and systems – not others’ hand-me-downs – and to eliminate middlemen and lengthy processes that can be corrupted, we will, we should, wherever possible, pursue the needed upgrades through government-to-government deals.

Where that is not possible, and with the FOI as the peoples’ assurance that transactions are carried out with integrity, we will seek only the best suppliers with proven track records through transparent, consistent bidding processes.

I would like also now to take a few moments to touch upon and focus on the topic of “peace and order.”

As I’m sure you are all aware, the threat of crime and a general lack of discipline is harmful to our economy, diverts resources away from productive endeavors, and reduces our quality of life.

A successful administration will have meritocracy that will be applied to our law enforcement and judicial sectors with no less vigor than the rest of the government. Because again, it is as much a matter of trust as it is “getting the job done.”

Proper equipment and training, and the fair, firm, and consistent maintenance of discipline will encourage greater respect for the law, as will improving the efficiency and consistency of the judicial system.

By focusing on meritocracy, efficiency, and integrity in government, in national defense, and in law enforcement, this government will lay the firm foundation needed to “democratize capitalism” and to encourage the sharing of the fruits of our collective effort with all Filipinos. It is the firm foundation that we need to be able to ask you, the

Dateline Philippines business leaders of our country, to take the lead in nation-building for all Filipinos. It is the firm foundation we need to be able to help you in that role, and to create a business environment of more opportunities for investors, an environment in which innovation, competition, and customer choice, value-added, drives our growth, and an environment in which businesses and consumers alike can be confident in fair, consistent, and uncompromised regulation.

So that we can have peace and order reign in our land, we must find ways to end internal conflicts and long-standing rebellions. The next resident must initiate peace negotiations with all who wish to stand against us – the MILF and other Muslim groups, and the New People’s Army and its Communist compatriots. And we will achieve this peace by building self-respect and mutual respect, addressing the root causes of conflict while protecting the rights and opportunities of all Filipinos.

Power and water supply, traffic and transport issues, other challenges Let us shift now our focus to some of the specific challenges our nation faces.

The Philippines has the dubious distinction of having the most expensive electricity among all the ASEAN nations, the second-highest in all of Asia, next to Japan. Part of this cost can of course be attributed to our heavy reliance on imported fuels, and out-dated, inefficient power generation systems.

Another significant contributor to our very high electrical costs, however, is the unjustifiable perception shared by government and

the power sector that all risks and losses can be passed on to the end consumer. Electricity, of course, is not free, nor should it be. It requires resources and effort to produce and to deliver to consumers, and it is altogether appropriate that those consumers pay a price for it that reflects the true costs of production and distribution, and yes, a fair profit for producers and distributors as a worthwhile reward for their efforts.

What is not appropriate is to pass on to consumers costs not directly connected to the production and delivery of the commodity they are purchasing. Costs such as corporate income taxes. Costs such as capital expenditures for the development and roll-out of a prepaid electricity program that already provides electricity distributors with the bonus of guaranteed, up-front income, and further traps poor consumers in a subsistence-level existence. Costs such as “system losses” due to inefficiency, poor maintenance, or outright thievery. Cost such as the electricity used to power the electric generator’s or distributor’s own facilities.

Costs such as more than P5 billion in excessive generation charges levied against electric customers more than a year ago, but thankfully declared invalid and ordered returned.

Again, addressing these matters cannot be done with a single-dimensional approach. Any successful administration can and will work to develop more sensible rules, and create a regulatory framework that not only encourages and facilitates inputs from all affected stakeholders, but relies on them in a way that reflects the democratic nature of

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • august 7-13, 2015 our society. By the same token, we recognize that we must also strive to provide greater opportunity for growth and innovation, by providing a consistent, rule-of-law based business environment, and by giving our strong support to development of alternative sources of electricity, using resources the Philippines is blessed with, such as geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass and any other emerging technology that we may take advantage of.

Solving our chronic power supply problems not only opens new opportunities in the power sector, it will be a big step towards the creation of the elusive inclusive economy, and greatly enhance the Philippines’ productivity at all levels.

Other countries have taken a shortcut to lowering power rates by subsidizing electrical costs. I think that is something that we have to look at very closely and possibly is a mistaken approach to the problem, and cannot lead to the same productivity and cost reduction that equitable but strict regulation and an attractive level playing field can provide. There must be no subsidies under the next administration – but there will be close monitoring and engagement with the industry.

Although studies vary in their perceptions of the scope and degree of the problem, it is a growing shared concern among scientists and policymakers that the entire world is moving quickly towards a water crisis. Over the past couple of months, we have seen a glimpse of what’s to come in California, where vast stretches of the state are unable to obtain fresh water in any form at any cost.

Studies in the Philippines confirm we are not immune to this risk:

A

“Peak water,” the point at which our consumption exceeds our resources to replenish supplies, is estimated sometime between 2030 and 2050.

Already we feel the effects of an El Niño-triggered drought in some parts of the country, while other places such as Mindanao regularly experience shortages during long dry spells.

Under the next administration, we must not wait like California for the crisis to be upon us before acting to secure our future water needs. We must take steps to encourage more investment in water supply systems, and I believe an area that has great promise in desalinization, a tried and tested technology already being regularly used in different parts of the world.

Desalinization technology is not of course without its challenges; the systems themselves are costly, and consume a great deal of energy.

But I believe we must find ways to attract investment in that area, and that by doing so, help the technology to improve, to become more efficient, and to lower costs. Even if it is costly at first, the alternative—no water at any price—is simply unacceptable.

Thanks to the duopoly we have allowed to capture this vital part of our national infrastructure,—telecommunications—we are forced to tolerate service that is consistently rated as some of the worst in the world, and some of the highestpriced. A reliable, competitivelypriced telecommunications system whose performance is on par with our partners and competitors throughout the region is not just a matter of convenience; it is a matter of national security.

PAGE A8

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A second opinion...

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I feel it is more productive to approach problems from as positive a perspective as possible. But that is very difficult when it comes to the problem of telecommunications infrastructure, because consumer anger is so widespread. Frustration with poor telecommunications services cuts across all segments of society– I’m sure there’s at least one or two, or quite probably more, of us in this room who have recently, maybe even today, been annoyed and inconvenienced by a poor signal, or a lack of coverage, a dropped call, missed messaging. It is 2015, ladies and gentlemen, the technology exists.

Why do we suffer under these conditions?

For reasons that I have never been able to fathom, prepaid load on cellular phones has an expiration date. This only happens in the Philippines. You go to Malaysia, no such thing occur. You go to Thailand, no such thing occur. You go anywhere else where there is a cellular phone system, no such thing occur. Is it perhaps because most load is used for text messages, which cost virtually nothing for the telcos to transmit?

A good president must ensure

telecommunications services are improved, and provide value to their users. We should work with the patriotic Agham Group of Scientists for the People, whose assessment is that the provision of text messaging services should and can be provided for free, at very little if any real cost to the companies. We must also direct that a critical review of industry pricing structures and practices be carried out, and abusive or otherwise unjustifiable practices corrected. I will also explore ways in which greater competition in the industry can be encouraged, perhaps through a law similar to the recently-enacted law permitting the entry of foreign banks, or changes to the so-called ‘economic provisions’ of the Constitution.

We are all, no doubt, very familiar with the ongoing woes of Metro Manila’s light rail transit system— serious safety and reliability issues, poor maintenance, overcrowding, allegations of corruption—and I know that you are all familiar with these so I will not belabor the point.

In fact, we should acknowledge that some small progress is being made. I think more progress is made if one does not wait five

;8K<C@E< G?@C@GG@E<J years to begin the work, so the next administration must hit the ground running. We all know how safe and comfortable nearby rail systems such as in Singapore or Hong Kong are compared to our own. The only thing stopping us from having the same system in our country, in our cities, is ourselves.

Traffic congestion goes hand-inhand with overworked public transit systems, and both present the same problem to all of us: They have a serious negative impact on our productivity and on the bottom line. I saw recently a calculation, an estimate, as to what are the actual peso costs to the very bad traffic situation in Manila and the calculation was at P2.4 billion a day. I think that all of us here who have sat in our cars, frustrated at the lack of progress going from one place to another, will find that that estimate is just about right.

Fixing the trains will take some engineering effort, but traffic congestion can at least be partly solved by enforcing discipline on our roads. Discipline comes from the top, which is why the meritocracy-based, non-political standards I mentioned earlier for choosing leaders in the police and military is so important: Corrupt and erring lower-level officers cannot be corrected by superiors who are not above reproach. The next adminis-

tration must ensure that discipline is the rule throughout every rank of law enforcement. When the law enforcers become the law-breakers there is a serious problem in the system.

Of course, government must contribute to the effort, and to that end the next administration should focus on expanding the transportation infrastructure, as well as providing better training and proper equipment to law enforcement and for the orderly conduct of our transport system.

We cannot speak about the problems that plague the country without talking about port congestion. I am pleased that the amendments to the Cabotage Law have finally been enacted, and I urge the government and Philippine businesses to take full advantage of it. Yes, it does increase competitive pressure, but I believe it opens up new opportunities as well.

We have also recently learned that Manila’s port area is vulnerable to strong earthquakes. It makes sense then to encourage traffic to spread to other ports, which is what the next administration must do – for example, Subic and Port Irene for goods bound to or from Central and Northern Luzon, and Batangas for deliveries in Southern Luzon.

Infrastructure building must be a central part of the government’s efforts to improve the economy. One of the challenges we must overcome if we are to build a greater nation is to find ways to meet our enormous need for infrastructure of all kinds.

We have now a limited number of large companies – highly-qualified and successful companies, to be sure – who build our large-scale infrastructure projects, and while they do good work, it is clear more participation is needed. The next administration must find ways to attract new investors and partners to help build the infrastructure we need. The government has belatedly recognized the lack of infrastructure development and public investment.

We had over the past few years been spending at the rate of 2.5 percent of our GDP on infrastructure development. And because it had been clearly shown that we cannot make the economy expand and grow and create jobs if we do not improve our infrastructure development plan, then there was a policy decision that we would increase the government expenditure in infrastructure development to 5 percent of GDP. However, government also—following the recommendations of the World Bank study where it said 50 percent of the personnel of the Department of Public Works needed to be removed—so with an increase of double of our expenditure but with halving of the capacity of the

_kkg1&&nnn%Xj`XeaflieXc%Zfd -,' -(-$+(,' Department of Public Works, then clearly it cannot work.

And this kind of system where we have the government, where the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing, again brings us to this kind of situation. As I said this is a belated realization but it is a simple problem that does not have a simple solution. It must start from the very beginnings of the creation of policy and carried on through the implementation of that policy.

We must find ways to attract new investments and partners to help build the infrastructure that we need. And that is why I think we have come upon a very important juncture when we speak about infrastructure development: we are at the moment in my committee in Public Works, we are presently finishing the amendments to the PPP Law. There is great promise if we can actually get the system to implement large national projects on PPP bases, where we can transfer the costs of capital to the private sector and even the financial risks to the private sector, whilst giving the private sector to gain profit.

And now, I’ve saved the best part for last, let us talk about tax policy.

Undoubtedly, you businessmen, that is your favorite subject.

My administration—should it happen— will push for the adoption of the gross income tax policy for businesses. Just as excessive human intervention poses a risk to government procurements, collecting tax revenue has become similarly compromised. Under that administration, corporations will pay reasonable, fixed taxes computed on their gross income, with companies fairly categorized according to their type and size.

Practices such as negotiating a bribe to receive a reduced tax assessment will immediately become a thing of the past under such as system.

Managing an equitable and efficient tax system – or anything else I’ve touched on today – will not be possible without a meritocracybased, professional civil service and judiciary. A strong and independent judiciary is a vital necessity, a partner in all our efforts to provide greater opportunities for our people, to maintain our peace and security, encourage discipline, and maintain a productive level playing field for every business and every entrepreneur.

But it is a partner that many would say is missing, and has been for many years now. The next president, if it is I, will welcome that partner back to our nation, by applying the principles of meritocracy to the judiciary. It is a judiciary that is free from the whiff of corruption and totally above reproach, because its

people are employed and rewarded in ways that recognize their competence and good performance, and provided with respectable livelihoods for the important work they do on behalf of our nation.

In my remarks today, I have tried to remind us all of our duty to our fellow-man, the vast population of the Philippines who do not share in the benefits we are able to create, yet makes those benefits possible and could increase them almost beyond measure just if they are given a fair opportunity. I have touched on the gap in trust created between a government that performs poorly and inefficiently and the people it is meant to serve.

I have highlighted areas – areas familiar to every one of us on a personal level, such as utility services, telecommunications, transportation, power-generation – in which our policies have hampered our growth and development. And I have, at least in brief terms, suggested ways in which the rule of law can be better enforced and in which taxes can be assessed more equitably and ethically, and more consistently.

The strength of the nation is in its unity, but unity cannot be achieved if the leader of the nation serves both the nation and his party. We must leave politics in its proper place. I take the same view as President Manuel L. Quezon when he said: “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.” This is something that all our leaders should be well reminded of. Therefore, the next president must resign from his party and be a unifying president – after all, we do not elect a “President of the Liberal Party,” or a “President of the Nacionalista Party,” but a President of the Republic of the Philippines, whose duty is no less to the citizen who did not vote for him than it is to his most ardent supporter. And in a non-partisan role, one should work with all political parties to strengthen the party system, an area of our democracy that is weak and ineffectual.

Once again the concept of meritocracy: I believe that in a meritocracy, the rule of law becomes second nature. In a meritocracy, we can focus on the real answer to that question: What would I do if I were president? Strong nations need strong foundations, and a successful presidency must emphasize service to the vast majority of our people – not in handouts, but in opportunities to easily join the meritocracy where we can build together.

Thank you very much and good afternoon. God bless us all. Mabuhay ang Republika ng Pilipinas.

Mabuhay ang Asian CEO Forum.

(ManilaTImes.net)

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

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • august 7-13, 2015

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

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2015

CJ

Journal

Your Immigration Solution Atty. Robert Reeves May Zhang & Diza & Nancy E. Miller COMMITTING a crime can get you into a lot of trouble. But entering a plea in criminal court may get you into even more trouble. If you don’t know the immigration consequences of the plea you enter, your troubles may just be beginning. That great deal that kept you out of jail may also get you deported.

That is why the United States Supreme Court has said, in Padilla v. Kentucky, that criminal defense lawyers must either tell their non-citizen clients the immigration consequences of their proposed agreement or instruct them to seek the advice of an immigration attorney.

Mr. Padilla had lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for over 40 years.

He had served in the military with honor during the Vietnam War. When he learned that he faced deportation after pleading guilty to the transportation of a large amount of marijuana, he went back into criminal court to try to withdraw his guilty plea (a process called post-conviction relief). He said that his criminal defense attorney failed to advise him of the immigration consequences of the plea. He also said that his defense attorney told him that he “did not have to worry about immigration status since he had been in the country for so long.” In fact, Padilla’s guilty plea made deportation a certainty. He said that, if he had known that, he would have taken his case to trial. When the courts in Kentucky denied his request for post-conviction relief, he asked the Supreme Court to review his case. The Court agreed to review the case and decided that criminal defense counsel have an obligation to advise their immigrant client that the offense to which he is pleading will result in his removal from this country.

How will your guilty plea affect your ability to stay in the US? The Court held that the importance of accurate legal advice for noncitizens accused of crimes has never been more important.

It recognized that deportation is sometimes the most important part of the penalty that may be imposed on noncitizen defendants who plead guilty to specific crimes. For that reason, a defendant is entitled to the effective assistance of competent counsel before deciding to enter into a plea agreement.

The test for determining whether representation is competent was set forth in a case called Strickland v. Washington.

The Strickland test has two parts.

The first part examines whether counsel’s representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness.

The second part looks to whether the result would have been different but for the unprofessional error (in other words, was the defendant prejudiced by the incompetent representation). To satisfy this section, a noncitizen will have to convince the court that a decision to reject the plea bargain would have been rational under the circumstances.

The Court did not, however, go so far as to require that criminal defense attorneys become experts in the area of immigration law. It acknowledged that immigration law is complex and that there will be numerous situations in which the deportation consequences of a particular plea may be unclear or uncertain. As Justice Alito said in his concurring decision in Padilla, “nothing is ever simple with immigration law”. Terms such as “conviction”, “moral turpitude”, “single scheme of criminal misconduct” are terms of art and have different meanings in immigration law than in state law. Other concepts in the

Immigration & Nationality Act are ambiguous or confusing to attorneys not versed in the intricacies of immigration law. Is someone an alien (or are they a citizen without knowing it)?

What is the difference between being inadmissible, removable or ineligible for naturalization?

Under Padilla, the criminal defense attorney does not need to know the answers to these questions. But the alien trying to avoid deportation must.

The question then for the noncitizen accused of a crime is, how can he best protect himself from a “good” plea bargain that results in his deportation? The immigrant quite plainly must consult an immigration attorney experienced and knowledgeable in the immigration consequences of criminal offenses and convictions and he must do so before he enters into any plea agreement. Ideally, his criminal defense attorney and his immigration attorney should work together to obtain a “deal” that is beneficial from both a criminal defense and an immigration standpoint.

To the alien who says “why should I have two attorneys just to deal with this one criminal problem?” The answer is “because you want to be able to legally stay in the United States.” *** 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)

Newly elected set of officers and members of IBP-CAL for the term 2015 to 2017. Annual Picnic of IBP-CAL held at Lake Elizabeth Park in Fremont, California

IBP – CAL elects new set of officers for the term 2015-2017 FREMONT, CA -- In a General Membership Meeting held Sunday, July 26, 2015, at Lake Elizabeth Park in Fremont, California, the members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – California Chapter (IBP-CAL) elected its new set of officers to serve the term of office from 2015 to 2017. This General Membership Meeting coincided with the Annual Summer Picnic of the said organization.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines was established as the official organization for the legal profession by Philippine Republic Act No. 6397.

The law confirmed the constitutional power of the Philippine Supreme Court to adopt rules for the integration of the Philippine Bar. Consequently, Presidential Decree 181 constituted the IBP into a corporate body in 1973.

The IBP Constitution and By-Laws considers the following, “automatically and without exception,” as members of the IBP: 1) All lawyers whose names were in the Roll of Attorneys of the Supreme Court on January 16, 1973. 2) All lawyers whose names were included or are entered therein after the said date. There are currently about forty-thousand (40,000) living attorneys who comprise the IBP and they are organized into chapters located in every town and city all over the Philippines and one in the United States. These are the attorneys whose names appear in the Rolls of Attorneys of the Supreme Court. They have qualified for and have passed the Philippine Bar Examination conducted annually, and have taken the attorney’s oath, un-

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EEOC releases report on the American workplace 50th anniversary report illustrates progress made by women and minorities, challenges that remain

WASHINGTON – The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as part of the year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary, today released American Experiences versus American Expectations. The re-

port illustrates the significant changes to the demographics of the workforce since EEOC opened its doors in 1965 as well as the continuing challenges to equal opportunity in employment.

The new report, an update to EEOC’s groundbreaking 1977 report Black Experiences Versus Black Expectations, examines changes in participation in nine job categories for African-Ameri-

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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS 8L > L JK / (

Jk% =iXeZ`j :_`c[i\eËj =le[ (,k_ 8ee`m\ijXip ;`ee\i 8lZk`fe Join us for a night of great food, dancing, fellowship, and answering to God’s call of helping poor children and victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. This special fundraising dinner dance and silent auction will take place on Saturday, August 8th at Griffith Park Visitor Center Auditorium (4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA) from 6 to 10:30pm. For reservations, please call 818-748-7361 or 818-627-3720.

K_fdXj`Xej LJ8 ),k_ J`cm\i 8ee`m\ijXip The Thomasians USA (Sto. Tomas, Pampanga) will celebrate their 25th Silver Anniversary on August 8, 2015 at the Westin Hotel - LAX. The association is headed by Liza Diaz, president. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For additional information, please call Linda Simbulan (562) 607-2811 or Dan Sunga at (818) 359-5853.

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E8J: +0k_ 8ee`m\ijXip ;`ee\i$;XeZ\ The Nagcarlan Association of Southern California will celebrate their 49th Anniversary with a fundraising dinner-dance at the Stardancers Dance Studio on Saturday, August 15, 2015. For any questions, please call Roger Flores at (818) 438-8893.

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=`\jkX `e 8d\i`ZX Now on its 17th year, Fiesta in America (FIA) presents trade & cultural show and food festival on Aug. 15 & 16 at Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, NJ. The concert segment features Philippine-based singer-actress Vina Morales and TV personalities Edgar Allan Guzman and Maxene Magalona. On opening day on Saturday, Aug. 15, senior citizens (62 years and above) and children (below 6 years) can enter the expo free of charge between 12 noon and 1pm and can take a free health screening inside. Free seminars on various topics are scheduled. General admission: $25; Seniors $18. To sponsor, exhibit, advertise or attend, call 212.682.6610 or email info@fiestainamerica.com.

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GNL88J: Jldd\i G`Ze`Z The Philippine Women’s University Alumni Association of Southern California invites alumni, family and friends to its picnic Sunday, August 16 from 10 am to 5 pm, at Cabrillo Beach (3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro, CA 90731). Philwomenians continue to give back to their Alma Mater by contributing annually towards the Final Boost Scholarship Program. To date, PWUAASC has had nine scholars at the PWU, Manila. For directions, call (310) 548-2909. Limited street parking is free for early arrivals, and beach parking $9 maximum all day. Varied activities including swimming, fishing, biking, and a play area for kids. Bring your favorite dishes or desserts to add to PWUAASC’S picnic treat. Prizes await game winners. To RSVP, contact Tessie Go-Hoey at (310) 569-1670, Email:tessiegohoey@yahoo.com, or Exal Igidbashian at (562) 447-9783,

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DJ<L= 8clde` ?fd\Zfd`e^ I\le`fe Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation of Lucena City, Philippines to be hosted by MSEUF Alumni Association of California. Announcement to all MSEUF (formerly known as Luzonian University Foundation) Alumni of our Grand Reunion to be held on August 20-22, 2015 at the Gold Coast Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada (4000 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas). Tickets are $80.00/person, including Bowling and the reunion Dinner/ Dance. For additional information and inquiries, please contact the following: Nonato Palomar (818) 209-6881 nonatop@sbcglobal.net; Mercy G. Bruno (310) 686-1421 mercygbruno@ gmail.com; Malou Almadrones (213) 531-7824 marylou616@yahoo.com; and Butch Villarama (916) 600-8472 r.villaram@comcast.net.

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*'k_ Efik_i`[^\ @em`kXk`feXc KflieXd\ek E@K n Student Association is set to host their annual 30th Northridge Invitational Tournament (NIT), one of the most competitive Filipino American sports tournaments in Southern California from August 21-23 at CSUN campus, with over sixty teams and 700 athletes in attendance. The 3-day summer sports tournament will include basketball, volleyball, softball, football, and bowling. Players include high school varsity, junior college, NCAA & NAIA Division 1-3, and some professional players. For more information on participating in or sponsoring NIT, please visit www.csunfasanit.com. Registration payments are due by Friday, August 14. For any questions, please email us at fasa.nit@gmail.com or call the Tournament Director CJ Berina at (818) 458-7446. You can also follow FASA NIT on Twitter @FASANIT2015.

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GNL88J: :Xj`ef Klie$8ifle[ =le[iX`j\i The Philippine Women’s University Alumni Association of Southern California appeals to alumni, family and friends to help in its humanitarian mission with a casino turn-around fundraiser at Harrah’s on Sunday, August 23. First pick up is at 8 am at 1512 E. Amar Rd., West Covina, CA 91792. Bus departs at 8:15 am; please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure. Second pick-up is at 8:45 am at 7511 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, CA 99621.

Bus leaves at 9 am with a return from the casino at 3 pm. Donation is $20, which includes bus ride and continental breakfast, and a chance to help PWUAASC’s projects like the annual distribution of hygienic packages for homeless men at Skid Row; backpacks for children at Harbor UCLA Medical Center; and donation to American Red Cross for survivors and victims of natural disasters. To sign up, please contact Virginia B. Vivas (714) 397-2976; Puring Worrell (310) 999-9574; Vicky Soong (626) 272-0465, Tessie N. Lightholder (909) 465-5919, or email Marigene Strouse GENIE1705@aol.com.

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LG88>C8 @e[lZk`fe ;`ee\i$;XeZ\ All U.P. Graduates, family and friends are invited to attend The Induction Dinner Dance of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) on August 29, 2015 at 6pm at the Glendale Embassy Suites (800 Central Ave, Glendale, CA 91203). This event shall benefit the Scholarship Fund of UPAAGLA. Tickets are $75 inclusive of dinner. For ticket and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Arnel Joaquin (213) 880-3305 / arnelj@gmail.com, or Dick Cu (562) 547-0560, or visit www.upaagla.org.

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EXk`feXc :fleZ`c f] G_`c`gg`e\ 8d\i`ZXe :XeX[`Xe 8ZZflekXekj )'(, :_Xi`kp >fc] KflieXd\ek 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.

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EXk`feXc :fleZ`c f] G_`c`gg`e\ 8d\i`ZXe :XeX[`Xe 8ZZflekXekj )'(, :fem\ek`fe 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.

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=`c`g`ef 8jjfZ`Xk`fe f] C\`jli\ Nfic[ ;`ee\i$;XeZ\ 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.

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The CTV Files ATTY. LILLI B. BACULI ON November 20, 2014, President Obama announced certain Executive Action initiatives, one of which was the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, first introduced in 2012. Under the Executive Action announced by the President, DACA was to be expanded to allow DACA recipients to have a three-year instead of a two-year work authorization document.

In February 16, 2015, the 5th Circuit Court issued an injunction to halt Executive Action initiatives, such as the expansion of DACA. Some 2,100 three-year work authorization documents were issued to DACA recipients after February 16, 2015, which are now being recalled by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Individuals who have received a letter to return their employment authorization documents to USCIS are those that have been identified as those who must return their employment cards to USCIS. USCIS will terminate all such identified erroneous threeyear work authorization documents as of July 31, 2015, and failure to return such erroneous three-year work authorization document prior to July 31, 2015 will be deemed as a negative factor in any renewal DACA applications or other discretionary applications in the future.

Two-year DACA work authorization still available option Many young individuals have already taken advantage of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which was first announced on June 15, 2012. While this does not provide a pathway to getting lawful permanent resident status (i.e., a green card) or citizenship, this nevertheless allows young individuals to remain in the US and

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA GXik ( f] )

IN 2010, a young boy who climbed Mount Everest gained a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. He was on TV for his 15 minutes of celebrity status.

I had to flip the channel.

Abby Sunderland, a California teenager who set out in January 2010 to circumnavigate the world solo and who eventually sent out distress signals that had three countries scrambling to launch rescue missions in the dangerous South Indian Ocean. She’s alive and well apparently.

Ian Kiernan, an Australian record holder for the same feat says, “I don’t know what she’s doing in the Southern Ocean as a 16-year-old in the middle of winter. It’s foolhardy.” Abby’s brother had achieved the feat a few years ago. And it was enough to make the younger sibling decide, hey me too.

Back in April 1996, a 7-year old named Jessica, died together with her father and flight instructor, their plane crashing after take-off in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Jessica was trying to become the youngest person to fly an airplane across the US. And who can ever forget the insane inanity of the “balloon boy’s” parents?

Such stunts have been met with criticism, some loud and harsh and some with just a mute shaking of the head. I, for one, am deeply suspicious about the values that generate this kind of vainglorious dreams that badly skews our perceptions of what matters in life.

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Recall of 3-year DACA Work Authorization Cards; criminal bars to DACA application apply for a work authorization document.

A key element to qualify for deferred action is that an individual “must not have been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more non-significant misdemeanors, and not pose a threat to public safety or national security.”

What counts as a conviction for a felony? A felony is a federal, state or local offense that carries a potential sentence of more than one year.

What counts as a conviction for a significant misdemeanor?

A “significant misdemeanor” is a federal, state, or local criminal offense punishable by imprisonment of one year or less, but more than five days and is an offense of domestic violence; certain crimes involving a controlled substances (distribution or trafficking of controlled substances); burglary; driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; or any other misdemeanor for which the person received a jail sentence of more than 90 days.

What counts as a conviction for multiple misdemeanors?

“Multiple misdemeanors” are three or more non-significant misdemeanors not occurring on the same day and not arising from the same act or scheme of misconduct. For this purpose, a misdemeanor is a federal, state, or local criminal offense punishable by imprisonment of one year or less, but more than five days.

What about Juvenile Delinquency Adjudications? Juvenile Delinquency is an act that would have been a crime if it was committed by an adult.

Juvenile delinquency adjudication varies from state to state. However, under Federal Law, a disposition of juvenile delinquency is defined as a find-

ing made by a juvenile court of a violation of law committed by a person prior to his or her 18th birthday. The Board of Immigration Appeals has ruled that “to determine whether state juvenile proceeding results in a criminal conviction or civil delinquency adjudication, [it] will compare the judgment in question with adjudications under the Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act (FJDA).”

Each Application is assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether, under particular circumstances, a favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion will be granted to an Applicant.

Failure to disclose a juvenile adjudication might be considered fraud and lead to the initiation of removal proceedings. Even if the juvenile case is under seal, there is no guarantee that the incident will not appear on an applicant’s FBI rap sheet, which USCIS will check.

It is important to know your options, and understand the process involving the DACA program. An experienced immigration law firm or attorney will be able to help you navigate through the DACA application process, including how to handle a criminal history or juvenile record. *** 8kkp% C`cc` 9\iYXef 9XZlc` `j Xe XjjfZ`Xk\ Xkkfie\p n`k_ :_lX K`ejXp M\^X# 8 Gif]\jj`feXc C\^Xc :figfiXk`fe :KM $ X ]lcc j\im`Z\ cXn Ôid n`k_ f]ÔZ\j `e JXe =iXeZ`jZf# JXe ;`\^f# JXZiXd\ekf Xe[ G_`c`gg`e\j% K_\ `e]fidXk`fe gi\j\ek\[ `e k_`j Xik`Zc\ `j ]fi ^\e\iXc `e]fidXk`fe fecp Xe[ `j efk# efi `ek\e[\[ kf Y\# ]fidXc c\^Xc X[m`Z\ efi k_\ ]fidXk`fe f] Xe Xkkfie\p$Zc`\ek i\cXk`fej_`g% :Xcc fi \$dX`c :KM ]fi Xe `e$g\ijfe fi g_fe\ ZfejlckXk`fe kf [`jZljj pfli gXik`ZlcXi j`klXk`fe Xe[&fi _fn k_\`i j\im`Z\j dXp Y\ i\kX`e\[ Xk -(0 0,,$-)..2 +(, +0,$ /'//2 0(- ++0$*0)*2 cYXZlc`7ZkmXkkpj% Zfd% =fi ^\e\iXc `e]fidXk`fe m`j`k nnn% Z_lXk`ejXpm\^X%Zfd%

Hail to the ordinary “There are definitely some enemies in my life I definitely would wish celebrity on ...”

—Gary Coleman, dead at 42, suffered a reversal of fortune, star of the sitcom, “Diff’rent Strokes”

As others are finding out, celebrity can be a curse. When will this insanity of glory hounds end, both these young ones and their parents? Does the lure of making it on the books, celebrity, money and endorsements and feeling superior overtake common sense? Do parents feel the need to bask in the reflected glory of their children’s achievements? Surely there has got to be more to life than satisfying one’s ego. Surely, there are more worthwhile things in the world such self-absorption can be redirected to.

In the interest of providing a view that may knock some sense to some of us with pie-in-the sky longings for recognition and celebrity, here’s an article that attempts to provoke thought. This addresses the same tendency that in Greek mythology, had Icarus’ wax wings melting in the heat of the sun as he flew higher, the same thing that doomed the fallen angels and the same thing that may have driven Adam and Eve from Eden. Here it is – an attempt to show appreciation for what simply is.

The world we live in is conditioned to emulate extremes.

We delight in the most beautiful, the tallest, the largest, the richest, the brightest, the fastest and anything else you can think of, as well as pay attention to extremes at the opposite end of the spectrum: the ugliest, the shortest, the smallest, the poor-

est, the darkest, the slowest. You get the idea.

We’re conditioned to pay no mind to the ordinary, the middle ground, the average run-ofthe-mill, the shades of gray, the humdrum of everyday life or the predictably dull and boring.

The heroes and heroines made immortal in books and movies were extraordinary characters.

We do not particularly care for bland characters who live lives of quiet desperation. We want to live vicariously through the lives of characters who are defiantly shaking their fists at the gods and beating all odds.

We are tempted to look at movie stars, fat cats and other luminaries who dare defy conventions basking in the public limelight pursued by TMZ cameras as people worthy of awe and respect. And if you let it, a tiny tinge of envy gnaws at our souls when you see their images commanding megabucks.

They appear as titans walking among ants.

Granted a select few of them deserve the attention we give them but most can be reduced to fodder for the gristmill of entertainment. The truth is, those who deserve our awe and respect are the ones who orbit our daily life.

(Continued next week) *** EfkX 9\e\1 Dfe\kk\ 8[\mX DX^cXpX `j JMG f] 8j`Xe AflieXc GlYc`ZXk`fej# @eZ% Kf j\e[ Zfdd\ekj# \$dX`c dfe\kk\%dX^cXpX7 Xj`XeaflieXc`eZ%Zfd

EEOC releases report on the American…

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cans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, and women between 1966, the first year for which EEOC collected data, and 2013, the most recent year for which data is available. The report draws on data from EEOC’s EEO1 survey.

“Despite notable progress in diversity and inclusion in the workplace over the past half century, this report highlights continued job segregation by race and gender, with women and people of color disproportionately occupying lower paying positions,” said EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang.

Beginning in 1966, all employers with 100 or more employees (lower thresholds apply to federal contractors) have been required by law to file the Employer Information Report EEO-1 with the EEOC. In FY 2013, approximate-

ly 70,000 employers filed reports indicating the composition of their workforce by sex, race/ethnicity, and major job categories.

Observations from the American Experiences versus American Expectations report include the following: • In 1966, African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans each made less than 1 percent of senior-level positions. Since then, the participation rates for all three groups have increased by five to seven times.

• The participation rate of women in the Professionals category has skyrocketed from roughly 14 percent in 1966 to more than 53 percent in 2013.

• Women and minorities remain concentrated, or segregated, in lower paying positions. For example, in 2013: • Hispanics composed 20.5 percent of Service Workers and 29.2 percent of Laborers, yet

they were only 5.7 percent of Professionals and 7.4 percent of Officials and Managers.

• African-Americans composed 23.3 percent of Service Workers and 18.7 percent of Laborers, yet they were only 7.6 percent of Professionals and 6.8 percent of Officials and Managers.

In conjunction with American Experiences versus American Expectations, EEOC has produced a fact sheet highlighting key data points on each demographic group of workers covered in the report. These fact sheets—which include EEO-1 data, EEOC charge and litigation information, and agency outreach activities—are available with the report at www.eeoc. gov/eeoc/statistics/reports/.

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov. ■

Community Journal

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

Immigration Corner Atty. Michael Gurfinkel, ESQ WHENEVER a person commits fraud in obtaining an immigration benefit (such as entering the US under a different name, using bogus documents, applying for benefits to which they are not entitled, etc.), the person is typically required to file a Form I – 601, waiver of inadmissibility, or fraud waiver. To be eligible to apply for a fraud waiver, the person must demonstrate he or she has a US citizen or green card holder spouse or parent (called “qualifying relatives”), and the qualifying relative(s) would suffer “extreme hardship” if the fraud waiver is not granted or approved.

Immigration cases and memos describe the various factors which could demonstrate extreme hardship. Among the strongest factors are the mental and physical condition of the qualifying relative. The more depressed or sickly the qualifying relative is, the stronger the case.

Recently, my office had a very challenging fraud waiver case.

Years ago, a Filipina entered the US as a visitor under a different name. She later married a US citizen, who wanted to petition her, but because she entered under a different name, she would need to file a fraud waiver. However, the husband was a very wealthy, successful, healthy, emotionallystable psychologist, and therefore, most of the traditional hardship factors would not apply to

Dr. Val’s Dental Views Dr. Valerie

de Leon

DO you have a toothache?

Wear these fish bones around your neck, repeat a chant, and drop a few pears into the river!

Sounds ridiculous, right? But those are toothache remedies you’d hear during the Middle Ages! You can imagine how frustrating it must have been for our ancestors with tooth pain—they were willing to try anything for relief! Modern dentistry has swept away many bizarre superstitions—however, some people still believe dangerous myths about toothaches and how to cure them.

Different “cures” from different cultures There are a lot of unusual methods for relieving toothaches we’ve gathered from various cultures (both ancient and modern) around the world. One common belief was that dental pain was caused by a “tooth worm” that had burrowed its way inside a tooth. To coax the worm out, people would inhale smoke, smear their teeth with honey, and

him.

A qualifying relative typically goes to a clinical psychologist for evaluation, to confirm or evaluate their mental condition and extreme hardship. In this case, the husband who was a psychologist, diagnosed himself, and concluded he was not suffering from any severe or clinical psychological ailments. He pointed out that he was not going to go to a colleague or competitor seeking evaluation or treatment. Moreover, it would seem ironic that a psychologist, whose job it is to treat people for these conditions, was not able to treat himself? That would be like an immigration lawyer with visa problems: shouldn’t they know how to solve it themselves?

Our office was still able to gather information about his life, background and present circumstances, and we were able to develop a case where there were other aspects and factors in his life, demonstrating his reliance or dependence upon his wife, and he would be affected (or suffer from extreme hardship) if the fraud waiver was not granted. He testified that he needed his wife, and would be in bad shape emotionally if she were deported.

She was his “shoulder to cry and lean on” for support.

At the wife’s adjustment interview, while the officer read the husband’s declaration, he still wanted to hear directly from the husband about his various hardships. The result: case approved!

I want to be clear that I am not

providing any kind of “guarantee” concerning the success or results of anyone’s case. But my point is that if a person is required to file a Form I– 601, it is still possible that even if they do not meet all the traditional or listed extreme hardship factors, there may be other facts and circumstances that can be developed and packaged to make the qualifying relative’s situation appear like a tear – jerking TFC teleseria. And while I’m not saying everyone’s fraud waiver will be approved, if this situation applies to you, you may want to seek the assistance of an attorney, who could thoroughly evaluate your situation (and your qualifying relative’s situation), to see if there is extreme hardship. *** 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 reenactments) 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

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Crazy things people believe about toothaches swish with all kinds of disgusting rinses. Others include: • Putting both stockings on one foot.

• Driving a horseshoe nail into your house’s front door lintel.

• Spitting out bread by an anthill, and as the ants carry it away the pain will leave.

• Complaining to a pear tree about your toothache.

• Vowing to never comb your hair on a Friday or shave on a Sunday.

Though these may seem absurd, let’s not be too quick to judge— there are still plenty of false beliefs about toothaches today!

Modern toothache myths There are several causes of dental pain including cavities, gum disease, infection, and chipping. These three tips will help debunk some common myths that could stop you from getting the treatment you need: • Do not put aspirin on your tooth. Aspirin does nothing to relieve pain when applied topically, and could result in a nasty acid burn on your cheek and gums.

• A toothache does not mean

you will lose the tooth. There are treatments that can save even badly infected teeth.

• If pain is off-and-on, you still need a checkup. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. It shouldn’t be ignored.

Don’t wait to visit us if you have pain Trust our practice for solutions. Nobody should have to live with dental pain. Our practice is focused on the latest treatments to not only relieve toothaches, but to create healthy and resilient smiles, so you can get back to living your life. Don’t let one more day of dental discomfort go by without contacting us.

We cherish our relationship with you as our valued patients and friends! *** If you have questions, pls call Dr. Valerie de Leon at (650) 697–9000 or visit our website at www.millbraesmiles.com.

She is with Millbrae Smile Center located at 15 El Camino Real, Millbrae 94030. She is a member of American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Academy of Laser Dentistry, ADA, CDA and SMCDS. Please call for a free consultation.

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For example, as proof of identity, we must see your: • US driver’s license; • State-issued non-driver identification card; or • US passport.

If you do not have one of these specific documents, or you cannot get a replacement for one of them within ten days, we will ask to see other documents, including a(n): • Employee identification card; • School identification card; • Health insurance card (not Medicare card); or • US military identification card.

Remember, you are limited to three replacement cards in a year or ten in your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. For example, changes in immigration status that require card updates may not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. For example, changes in immigration status that require card updates may not count toward these limits.

Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits.

For example, changes in immigration status that require card updates may not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.

Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.

What’s more important than having your card is knowing your Social Security number.

This is how we identify you, tally your wages correctly, and how we eventually issue you accurate retirement benefits. You might not even need your card for identification purposes if you know and consistently use your correct number.

For more information about replacing a lost or stolen Social Security number card, go to www. socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

(By Deogracias Santos /Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in the Northern Area)

to 2017 are as follows: President: Atty. Rene Santiago; Executive Vice President: Atty. Flomy Diza; Executive Vice President (Northern CA): Atty. Manny Mallabo; Executive Secretary: Atty. Alberto Montefalcon; Recording Secretary: Atty. Louella Sugui-Diza; Treasurer: Atty. Rebecca Torres; Auditor: Atty. Danny Sabado;

Business Manager: Atty. Raffy Cabatic; Press Relations Officers: Atty. Pres Ordinario & Atty. Clarence Decano; Board of Directors: Atty. Jeanne Serrano; Atty. Evelyn Alfonso; Atty. Dennis Mesina, Atty. Willy Magsaysay, Atty. Raul Picardo; Atty. Roy Manongsong; and Ex Officio: Atty. Melba Cawit.

(Rene Santiago)

IBP – CAL elects new set of officers…

PAGE CJ t

less otherwise disbarred.

The IBP-CAL is the only chapter formed outside of the Philippines that is recognized by the IBP national organization. This chapter was created and recognized in the year 1998 for lawyers residing in the United States of America. The new set of officers elected for 2015

CJ

A very difficult fraud waiver victory

Replacing your Social Security card? Know before you go KEEPING your Social Security number card in a safe place is vital to protecting you against identity theft. Never keep it in your purse or wallet – this is the most common way people lose their card. No matter how hard you try to keep track of your important documents, sometimes they get lost or even stolen.

Getting a replacement Social Security number card is free, but you will have to provide the proper documents to get a new one. Being prepared will save you time at the Social Security office or card center. If you are replacing your card, you will need original or certified copies of the required documents, which include: • Proof of citizenship: If you have not already established your US citizenship with us, we need to see proof of US citizenship. We can accept only certain documents as proof of US citizenship, like your US birth certificate or US passport.

• Identity: We can accept only certain documents as proof of identity.

An acceptable document must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information (date of birth or age), and preferably, a recent photograph.

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2015

ENCORE EPISODE ON ‘CITIZEN PINOY!’ Can “following to join” apply to my kids, so they can come to the US faster? Our adjustment of status was denied. Can my kids now qualify for DACA? Will filing for citizenship affect my husband’s petition of our daughter? These and more will be answered by leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel on an encore episode of the information-packed, award-winning public service program -- “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday, August 9 at 6:15pm PST/EST (9:15pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

UP-Mindanao offers four full scholarships for college freshmen CHICAGO, Ill. -- Freshmen students entering college for academic year 2015-2016 at the University of the Philippines Mindanao have an opportunity to apply for any of the 4 full scholarship grants being offered in BS Food Technology (2 slots) and School of Agribusiness Economics (2 slots). All 4 scholarships include school fees and monthly allowance for four years for students who meet the grant terms and requirements. Application documents should be submitted to Liza Fulvadora of the Scholarships and Financial Services, Office of Student Affairs, UP Mindanao Administration Building, Mintal, Davao City. For queries, use telefax (082) 293-1353, mobile +639-918-4934, and osa. upmindanao@up.edu.ph. Document submission deadline is Friday, August 14, 2015.

The scholarship grant of $30,000 was established by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Chicago (UPAAGC) from the proceeds of Dr. Raul Sunico piano concert in August 2010 under the initiative of Grace A. Villamora, 2010 UPAAGC President, the 2010 UPAAGC Board, and Education Committee. Unprecedented in scope and donation funding, this UPAAGC grant provides a chance of a lifetime for bright Filipino students to finish college despite family hardships

UPAAGC 2015 UP Mindanao Scholars: From left: Abbie Glenn Estribillo, BS Food Technology, cum laude, Chancellor Sylvia B. Concepcion, PhD., Evelyn Kalaw Espina, 2010 UPAAGC Treasurer, and Yunace Autentico Dayaganon, BS Agribusiness Economis, dean’s list.

and displacements in Mindanao.

UPAAGC supports the academic excellence and faculty commitment at UP Mindanao including its renowned leadership in food technology research and agribusiness economics programs in the region.

UPAAGC strives to fulfill its mission to promote and elevate the quality of education at the University. In 2010, UPAAGC also donated $5,000 to UP Los Banos Library, and $6,000 to UP Diliman Institute of Chemistry to help rebuild the labs burned down by accidental fires. To sustain future alumni programs, $12,000 operating funds were left over to the UPAAGC Board for 2011.

In June 2015, UPAAGC’s first batch of scholars finished their 4-year college education with

flying colors: Abbie Glenn Estribillo, BS Food Technology, cum laude, and Yunace Autentico Dayaganon, BS Agribusiness Economics, dean’s list.

“The grants provided us with much better future having been the first in our families to finish college. Words cannot express enough our gratitude to UPAAGC. Your generosity is so inspiring and memorable. Salamat po,” excerpted from emails of Abbie and Yunace.

Johanna Segala, 2015 UPAAGC President remarked, “Naiiyak naman ako sa sulat ng mga batang ito. Their progress report letters are so touching.

Our concerted efforts in Chicago are richly rewarded.” Johanna invites all UP alumni and friends to visit upaagc.org for upcoming events and program. n

CJ

AUGUST 7-13, 2015 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

People & Events

Local community weighs in on city priorities: Police services rank highest Council to consider a half-cent sales tax measure to maintain and enhance the public’s priorities

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – For nearly a year, the City of South San Francisco has conducted outreach to residents and businesses, holding eight Town Hall meetings and reaching thousands of residents through a city-wide “Join the Conversation” campaign. This community engagement made clear the top priorities for residents of South San Francisco including: • Public Safety, including neighborhood police patrols, rapid 9-1-1 emergency response times, and crime prevention and gang suppression programs; • Parks and Recreation and Libraries, including educational and recreational after-school programs for youth and teens; and safe, accessible programs for seniors and disabled residents; and • Public Works, including maintaining streets, repairing potholes and addressing over $18 million in needed street maintenance.

“The support expressed for our police officers during our community outreach was fantastic and it is understandable that maintaining strong public safety was the number one priority of our residents,” said Police Chief Jeff Azzopardi. “Our officers strive every day to keep South San Francisco safe and to provide rapid 911 response,” added Azzopardi.

“The community has told us they value public safety and on this we all agree,” says City Manager Mike Futrell. “We need to maintain current levels of police protection and gang prevention services in the coming years without worrying about public safety budget cuts.”

Parks and Recreation were also identified as a high priority. With more than 50,000 residents enjoying South San Francisco public parks in the last six months alone, Parks and Recreation Director Sharon Ranals says, “As a community, we must look carefully at improving and increasing our investment in programs.” She adds that maintaining after-school and summer services for youth and teens keeps them safe and engaged.

The community also expressed strong support for the services and programs offered by the Library. “Nearly 35,000 residents have library cards and close to 500,000 visits were made to Main and

South San Francisco Community Blood Drive on August 28

THE City of South San Francisco in partnership with the American Red Cross will host a Blood Drive on Friday, August 28, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Services Building. The donation process takes about an hour from start to finish; this includes checking in, screening, donation and time in the canteen.

Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: SOUTHSF or call 1-800-RED CROSS. For more information please contact Rosa Acosta at rosa.acosta@ssf.net or call (650) 8296648. n

EMPLOYMENT

Grand Avenue libraries last year,” said Library Director Valerie Sommer, “and we expect usage to continue to grow.” As seen at the public outreach meetings and events, the South San Francisco community embraces the library as a safe, welcoming and inspiring place for all ages to read, learn, play and get “linked in” to the latest technologies. “We are actively engaged in partnering with our community to plan library programs and services that will facilitate learning and success for generations to come,” adds Sommer.

South San Francisco prides itself on being fiscally prudent and accountable, with balanced budgets while maintaining essential services. “Our budget is balanced and we are able to keep up what we have,” says Futrell. “But to maintain public safety, address $18 million in street maintenance, provide for our children and seniors and meet the changing needs of our residents as expressed through our community outreach, additional revenue is needed.”

Responding to the voiced priorities of the community, the South San Francisco City Council will consider at its regular meeting on July 22, 2015, placing a half-cent sales tax measure on the November 3, 2015, ballot. This will allow residents to decide whether to fund the type of public safety and services identified during Town Hall meetings and other outreach.

If placed on the ballot and if approved by the voters, funds from a half-cent sales tax would be locally controlled and maintained in South San Francisco. City’s sales tax consultants (MuniServices) estimate that between 40-55% of the taxes would be paid either by non-residents shopping in South San Francisco or by South San Francisco businesses, not local residents. It is estimated that this sales tax would generate approximately seven million dollars annually. The proposed sales tax will sunset in 30 years, and the measure contains provisions for citizen oversight of the use of those funds.

In California, sales taxes do not apply to all transactions. The half-cent sales tax measure would not apply to the following: • Unprocessed food, such as groceries from a grocery store or farmers’ market; • Real estate transactions; • Services, such as: - Barber and hair styling; - Car repairs; - Work by plumbers, electricians or carpenters in remodels and construction; and o Professional services such as attorney’s services or tax preparers’ services.

If the Council authorizes a half-cent sales tax measure, they will be authorizing a ballot measure for voters’ consideration, and it will be up to the voters ultimately to weigh the relative cost of this tax against the value of the local services the City provides.

Futrell says the local community should be proud to live in a city where residents and leadership value public safety and the well-being of our youth and seniors. He adds, “Now it’s time to work together to achieve a community-based solution.” n

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

Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus in Alameda County for 2015 First mosquitoes positive for West Nile virus in Alameda County for 2015

HAYWARD – The Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District has received confirmation from the State of two West Nile virus positive groups of mosquitoes. Both groups of mosquitoes were collected from the northern part of Fremont on the night of July 22, 2015. In addition, there have been five West Nile virus positive birds found in Fremont this year.

The District has greatly increased surveillance and larval control efforts throughout the areas with positive West Nile virus detections. Every effort is being made to locate areas of standing water where mosquitoes may breed including but not limited to catchbasins, stormdrain systems, and swimming pools. Neglected swimming pools continue to be a mosquito breeding issue in Alameda County. If you or anyone you know has an unmaintained swimming pool please inform the District so the proper treatment can be made.

“A single neglected swimming pool can produce thousands of mosquitoes capable of spreading West Nile virus,” says District Manager Ryan Clausnitzer. “We

can provide free mosquitofish or treatments to prevent mosquito breeding.”

As of July 27th, California has had 247 dead birds, 756 mosquito samples, 43 sentinel chickens, and 1 human test positive for West Nile virus. The human case did result in a fatality and the positive number of both mosquitoes and sentinel chickens is higher than this time last year.

Reduce the risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases by following these guidelines: • DUMP/DRAIN standing water on your property because that is where mosquitoes develop.

• DAWN/DUSK is when mosquito activity peaks, so limit outdoor activities during this time.

• DEFEND yourself when mosquitoes are biting by wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and apply insect repellent containing EPA-registered active ingredients such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, and Oil of lemon eucalyptus.

• DOOR/window screens should be in good repair with no tears or holes.

West Nile virus is transmitted to people and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito.

There is no cure for West Nile virus. Approximately one in five people who are infected with West Nile virus will develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, or rash. Less than one percent will develop a serious neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis. Adults over 50 years old and people with compromised immune systems are at increased risk of serious complications.

Anyone who develops symptoms should seek medical care immediately.

Horses are very susceptible to West Nile virus and vaccines are available. Horse owners are advised to contact their veterinarians regarding timely vaccinations.

For information about mosquitoes and West Nile virus visit www. mosquitoes.org. Residents can request mosquitofish for their fish ponds, horse troughs, etc. by contacting the District office located in Hayward at 23187 Connecticut St. or by calling (510)783-7744.

For information concerning West Nile virus symptoms, prevention or testing please contact the Alameda County Public Health Department at (510)267-8001. n

Federal crop insurance gets failing grade

AT the Center for Rural Affairs, we’ve heard from farmers across the Midwest and Great Plains about the negative impacts of federally subsidized crop insurance for over a decade. A farm safety net is important to help family farmers mitigate risks, but there are real concerns with the current crop insurance program. The best way to begin addressing those concerns is through honest assessment of the crop insurance system.

Toward that end, the Center for Rural Affairs recently released a crop insurance report card, entitled: Promises vs. Per-

formance: A Report Card Evaluating Federal Crop Insurance.

Most of the grades awarded are not what parents would hope to see on their own child’s school report, and the accompanying Policy Brief offers further analysis and recommended reforms to improve the performance of the crop insurance system. In overall performance, crop insurance received a failing grade (www.cfra. org/crop-insurance-reform).

Subsidizing the nation’s largest and wealthiest farms on every acre, every year, regardless of crop prices, production or

farm profitability, puts America’s natural resources at risk. And, absent reform, crop insurance gives mega-farms an advantage in bidding up land costs, driving their smaller neighbors out of business, and preventing the next generation of farmers from ever getting started.

The impact crop insurance will have on future years of farming practices is significant, making reform of the federally subsidized crop insurance system vitally important to the future of rural and small town America. (John Crabtree / Center for Rural Affairs)

United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee Celebration Banquet & Ball THE United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. (UPA) will be commemorating its 50th anniversary with a gala banquet and ball at the Grand Ballroom of the South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 S. Airport Blvd., South San Francisco at 6pm to 1:30am

FOSTER HOME CARE

LEGAL SERVICES

on August 8, 2015.

Music will be provided by a live band under Maestro Joe Alvarez.

Donation is $60 per person. UPA officers in formal attire, guests in semi-formal.

We would like to invite all Pangasinanes, their friends, and

the general public to join. For more information contact UPA President Mario Cendana Panoringan at (650) 892-3508, Secretary Dr. Charito Roxas-Wui at (650) 296-2326, Executive Chair Zosimo O. De Veas at (510) 7996179. n

NURSING SCHOOL

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

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2015

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22nd ANNUAL PISTAHAN PARADE AND FESTIVAL

THE BEST OF FILIPINO ART, DANCE, MUSIC AND FOOD IN THE HEART OF SAN FRANCISCO THE Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) is proud to bring you this year’s Pistahan Parade and Festival on August 8 and 9, Saturday and Sunday at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens. Now on its 22nd year, the two-day event is billed as the largest celebration of Filipino-Americans in the United States, expecting to draw over 75,000 people each day.

This year also features the first-ever Pistahan Parade Manny Pacquiao Look-Alike Contest. The winner will be chosen by public vote and will win $100.

According to FAAE President, Al Perez, this year’s theme is “Home Away from Home.” The Pistahan holds true to its goal of bringing the Philippines to Filipinos who yearn for the homeland. To do this, FAAE has brought activities, partners and products to its attendees so that they may experience the best of Filipino art, dance, music and food.

Pistahan Parade The traditional kick off the festival weekend starts with the

Pistahan Parade on Saturday, August 8 at 11am (assembly starts at 10am). The parade begins at the San Francisco Civic Center at Grove and Larkin Streets, marches down Market Street and ends at Yerba Buena Gardens on Howard Street.

People will get the chance to witness a dazzling display of Filipino culture and traditions, represented by floats of participating partners and vendors.

Prizes will be awarded to the best contingent, best costume, best choreography and more.

Glorious food Aside from numerous booths offering a taste of the Philippines via their products, the festival has also been known for its culinary events and activities. This year, people will authentic Filipino cooking at the Ramar Foods Culinary Pavilion at the Terrace Level of Yerba Buena Gardens, sponsored this year by the Filipino Food Movement (FFM).

Continuing with popular Pistahan tradition, the pavilion will also be host to renowned food contests—Mama Sita’s

Balut-Eating Contest, the Magnolia Ice Cream Purple Freeze Challenge, and the popular 10th Annual Adobo Cookoff. There will also be a Wine Tasting Pavilion where they can sample the limited edition Pistahan Wine, as well as the the Heavenly Ice Cream Tasting Bee. Local restaurants will feature their specialty regional cuisine, while cooking demonstrations will be held on delectable Visayan dishes by renowned Filipino chefs.

On Sunday, the Culinary Pavilion will be the site for the qualifying round for the Kulinarya Filipino Culinary Showdown. Cheer on your favorite amateur and professional chefs as they slice and dice their way for the spot to represent San Francisco at the Championship round in November.

Discovering the art, music, dance and more There will be seven pavilions for exploration, discovery and learning during the festival. At the Art Pavilion, a Masskara visual art exhibit will showcase an eclectic genre

and styles of Filipino artists from the Bay Area, around the country and from the Philippines. Another art installation will feature artwork utilizing the iconic balikbayan box as the canvas for art expression.

For kids of all ages, the Creativity Pavilion will give them the chance to get handson experience learning Filipino arts and crafts, as well as hear Philippine folktales and folklore.

Festival attendees can catch the rhythm and partake in folk dance and ballroom dance demonstrations at the Dance Pavilion. There is even a free Zumba workshop! This interac-

tive pavilion will teach traditional folk dances, including the Visayan Curacha dance, for a memorable and immersive cultural experience.

There will also be a Health Pavilion sponsored by Kaiser Permanente where people can learn how to improve their health, get free blood pressure screenings and sample healthy versions of Filipino dishes.

At the Wells Fargo Heritage Pavilion, a mini Filipino museum will be set up to display Philippine antiques, artifacts and material art from local institutions and collectors, often never displayed in public before.

This year’s exhibit, “Farm to Fork: A History of Filipino Farm Labor and Foodies,” will present the rich history of Filipino farm laborers (like the Sakadas from Visayas) and laborers (such as Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz).

The exhibit will also chronicle the emergence of Filipino cuisine and chefs (from White House Chef Cristeta Comerford, to Top Chef winner Paul Qui, and even Filipino

winemakers and gourmet food truck owners.

World-class performers The two-day festival boasts of a wide variety of entertainment for the entire family, including folk dance, modern dance, hip hop, R&B, rap, jazz, Broadway, balagtasan (spoken word) and more! People can enjoy world-class performances at the main Pistahan Stage and at the more intimate Bayanihan Stage showcasing Filipino and Fil-Am performers from Manila, Hollywood, Broadway, the Bay Area and all over the US. This year, The Filipino Channel will be bringing some of their most popular artists onstage including singer Morisette Amon, actor Matteo Guidicelli, singer/actress Geneva Cruz, musician Matthew John Ignacio, Adobo Nation’s Michi Salta and Barangay USA’s Gelo.

Admission is FREE! For more information about the 22nd Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival log on to www.

Pistahan.net.

Follow them on Facebook/ Pistahan or Twitter and Instagram #PistahanSF.

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-work-play-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 prefer-

ences, you may conceptualize your unit with the help of a dedicated group of in-house interior designers. You have the option to live in a Modern, Contemporary, Industrial or Modern Zen-inspired home.

Megaworld International is currently selling RFO units in various Megaworld townships and prime locations such as Eastwood LeGrand Towers 1 & 2 in Eastwood City; 115 Upper McKinley in McKinley Hill; Sarasota, Pinecrest and Montecito in Newport City; and Greenbelt Madison and One Central in Makati Central Business District.

Megaworld International is the global marketing arm of Megaworld Corporation. It is present in over 40 countries in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East and is poised to expand to more territories, bringing the best real estate choices from the largest developer in the Philippines.

For inquiries, please call, Angelita Contreras Megaworld International VP-North America 1 (818) 913-1188 San Francisco Office: 433 Airport Blvd. Ste. 328 Burlingame, CA. 94010 1-888-860-8168 Ext. 1 internationalluxuryproperties@yahoo.com *Advertising Supplement

My Top 5 Best Dressed Women at the SONA 2015 SAN FRANCISCO

BY MONET

LU

I AM not really into the affairs of the Philippine government. And it is not because I do not care, but my limited interest in politics and the redundant political scams in my country have rendered me indifferent.

However, my fashion expertise has found a place in some of the events of the government.

Where might it be, you ask?

Well, it is at the congressional “red carpet” a.k.a the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Join me as I round up my top 5 Best Dressed Women at the SONA 2015.

5. Senator Grace Po Placing 5th on my list is Senator Grace Poe’s terno that was created by Rajo Laurel. The yellow and black beading was just magnificent. As the creator described it, “it was handpainted with a palay motif.” I tip my hat off to Rajo, because the dress is as “graceful” as the one who wore it.

4. Heart Evangelista-Escudero Heart Evangelista-Escudero is just the pinnacle of fashion highlights at every SONA. I still cannot get over her white cage-sleeved dress last year.

And now, she does it again in her Inno Sotto white featheredsleeved ensemble. Oh, be still, my heart.

3. Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez Lucy Torres-Gomez stole the show yet again with her breathtaking and immaculate persona.

Just looking at her and those intricate lace appliques on her pastel ternos will make any twohour speech bearable. All hail to its creator, Randy Ortiz.

2. Dawn Zulueta How can a dress look less than stellar when Dawn Zulueta is wearing it? This woman can wear a sack and still manage to look impeccable. And oh, those sleeves! If Heart Evangelista brought a “feather” up her sleeves, Dawn brought a giant ruffled rose. Designer Cary San-

features SF3 The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – August 7, 2015

Young Fil-Am headlines ‘Matilda The Musical’ Nine-year-old Gabby Gutierrez is the first Filipino to play title role in national tour

5. Senator Grace Po

4. Heart Evangelista-Escudero

3. Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez Gabby Gutierrez

NINE-YEAR-OLD Gabby Gutierrez has more in her plate than just being an ordinary young girl. She is, in fact, playing the lead role in the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Matilda The Musical—the first Filipino to do so.

Besting 500 others for the part, Gabby also shares the role onstage with two other young girls—Mia Sinclair Jenness and Mabel Tyler.

Growing up in Springfield, New Jersey, Gabby’s introduction to music and arts was through the piano, which she played for five years. Her piano teacher discovered her talent singing after having her sing the scales in one practice session.

She then went onstage naturally performing in the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas as Annie Who, and the regional staging of South Pacific as Ngana (Papermill Playhouse).

Based on the beloved novel

by Roald Dahlabout, Matilda is a story of an extraordinary 1. Kris Aquino 2. Dawn Zulueta 5-year-old girl who dreams of a tiago indeed knew an elegant interesting yet great choice for better life. Armed with a vivid white gown would stand out on the presidential sister looked imagination and a sharp mind, Dawn Zulueta – and vise versa. who glowing in her powder Matilda Wormwood dares to 1. Kris Aquino blue Michael Leyva serpentine take a stand and change her own Kris managed to shine even Filipiniana. With the right hairdestiny. brighter without her usual style and the perfect color, Kris Matilda The Musical sunshine-y yellow gown. An Continued on Page SF6 is produced by the Royal

Gabby as Matilda

Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers under the direction of Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus, joined by Tony Awardwinning playwright Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin.

Matilda The Musical will play at the San Francisco’s SHN Orpheum Theatre until August 15, 2015. For more information on tickets and schedule, visit www.shnsf.com. *All images courtesy of www. shnsf.com

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celebrityworld The Asian Jour n a l S F M A G A Z I N E - A u g u s t 7 , 2 0 1 5

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar HEARING news of a couple’s imminent parenthood is always heartwarming, as a child is always a blessing to this world. However, hearing that they may have more than one child in one pregnancy is amazing!

Last August 4, action star Robin Padilla posted on his Instagram account an ultrasound sent to him by wife, TV host Mariel Rodriguez. In the caption, he quoted her, “Pwede daw maging triplets!!! Hahahaha triplets or twins daw!!!”

Although this has not been thoroughly confirmed, having triplets is still a possibility since one of the babies may be “folding,” which makes it appear that there are babies developing.

Earlier, the couple announced that they were expecting twins when Robin first posted on his Instagram account a photo of an ultrasound image and captioned it “Maria and Juan de Padilla.”

This is the couple’s second try to have a baby after Mariel had a miscarriage last March.

We are praying for a continuous safe pregnancy for

Robin Padilla and wife Mariel Rodriguez may be expecting triplets

the couple! *** The United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. (UPAI) is inviting everyone to join them in celebrating their 50th anniversary on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the Grand Ballroom of the South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 S. Airport Blvd.

This golden jubilee celebration’s highlist is its gala banquet and ball, from 6pm to 1:30am. All PangasAction star Robin Padilla recently announced that he and wife, TV host Mariel Rodriguez may be having triplets. This is the second pregnancy for Mariel, who had a miscarriage last March.

Ching Evaristo, a successful realtor of Remax Westlake in Daly City, will celebrate her birthday on Sunday, August 16, with a barbecue party to given by her daughter Monique and her husband Laurence Hermano in Dublin.

All together in photo above are Mrs. Pangasinan winners Gloria Junio, Marita Padilla, Cynthia Almeron, Cely Cayabyab, Cedy Manuel, Leizel Junio, and Lourdes Oronio. Not in photo are Rosanna Rosendo and Fe Baronia.

The United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. (UPAI) roster of presidents are shown in photo together with Miss Pangasinan Raven Mapanao (center). They are Ernesto Abolos, Mario Panoringan, Zosimo Deveas, Chris Torres, Alvin Padilla, Fred Almeron, Franklin Aquino and Alfonso Aningalan.

Ernesto Abalos is the Executive Vice Chairman of the United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. (UPAI) which is celebrating its golden jubiliee on August 8.

Shown in photo are United Pangasinanes of America, Inc.’s (UPAI) past first ladies (L-R) Pacita Fermil Aningalan, Loretta de Veas, Caridad Aquino, Cynthia Barbosa Almeron, Marita Padilla, Flory Vallo Abalos and Emma Ferrer Torres.

inanes, their friends and the public are cordially invited to come together to renew old friendships, build new ones, share nostalgia of the good old days in the home province and enjoy a delightful summer evening.

Ms. Mabel Scott, a senior citizen, was recently honored by State Commissioner Ray Satorre. In photo (standing, L-R) Apolinario Angeles, Liwanag Tiong, Simon Angeles, State Commissioner Ray Satorre and wife, Rachel Satorre. (seated, L-R) Ms. Mabel Scott, Ms. Mila Angeles.

AJ Perez, son of Antioch community leaders Anthony and Vangie Perez, recently celebrated his 9th birthday with a party held at the Willowhaven Way. Shown in photo together with AJ are his family and friends.

Investing in condos in the Philippines What does it take to have your ideal condo in the Philippines? If you ask Real Estate Guru Professor Eric M. Soriano III, Program Director for Real Estate of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, it would have to come down to informed decision-making. Knowing which condos give more value for your money and which developers are credible, are only some of the factors one needs to consider in making the significantly important decision of investing in a condominium.

Thankfully, professional advice is not hard to come by.

Eric Soriano: Real estate guru Professor Enrique M. Soriano III, the foremost authority in the Philippine real estate industry, is going to hold a series of

Professor Enrique M. Soriano III, real estate guru

investment talks called “Investing in Condos in the Philippines”. Professor Soriano will talk about investment opportunities in the Philippine real estate industry, growth cities, and the future of investment in the Philippines. The Investment Talks are scheduled to be held at Embassy Suites, Glendale, CA on August 12, 2015 and Pacific Asian Plaza, Las Vegas, NV on August 15, 2015.

The investment talks will be the best opportunity for anyone who wants the best professional advice for their investment plans. Professor Soriano is a known personality in Philippine real estate, with his 28 years of exemplary marketing experience making him one of the most often-cited real estate experts by Philippine news agencies. With a portfolio including being the Founder and President of AA Real Estate (Advisory Asia), Senior Advisor for Wong+Bernstein Business Advisory, a Certified Professional Marketer (CPM) and a National Agora Awardee for Excellence in Marketing Education, Professor Soriano’s professional investment advice is highly regarded by prospective investors who are looking to acquire assets in the Philippines.

Developing with integrity Supporting Professor Soriano is PHINMA Properties, a respected Philippine Real Estate Developer known

for providing quality-assured, affordable condominiums for 29 years.

As a company committed to integrity, PHINMA Properties actively assists its clients in making informed investment decisions through Financial Awareness programs and Real Estate Investment Presentations. Aside from upholding ethical business practices, the company believes that empowering its clients with financial and investment education is the key to making business inclusive and the means by which it becomes nation-building.

The consistently exemplary quality of PHINMA Properties’ projects have merited recognition from industry professionals. Its affordable luxury development ASiA Enclaves Alabang is the winner of the Best Affordable Condo Development (Manila) Award from the 2014 Philippines Property Awards and the Highly Commended Best Condo Award (Philippines) from the 2014 South East Asia Property Awards.

Recently, PHINMA Properties’ Arezzo Place Davao, its first development in Davao City, was awarded the Highly Commended Best Condo Award (Davao) by the 2015 Philippines Property Awards.

The company is the first and only triple-ISO certified developer in the country with certifications in quality, safety and management.

My Top 5 Best Dressed Women...

From Page SF3 Aquino tops my list.

Honorable Mentions And because I just love the sight of stunningly created gowns, let me commend three of my favorites that made it to my honorable-mention list.

One would be Vice Mayor Jinkee Pacquiao in her really cute baby pink and green Francis Libiran gown. Then of course, Shalani Soledad-Romulo who stood out among

a sea of nudes and pastels in her emerald Anthony Ramirez Filipiana. Another runaway hit was Tootsie Echauz-Angara’s Rajo Laurel creation that is a modern boxy, cropped top paired separately with a full pale dove-gray skirt.

There you have it. My top 5 favorite SONA fashionista and some honorable mentions. If only politics is as beautiful as these lovely ladies, I might be convinced to change careers.

But then again, No thanks. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning 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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