Us asian post june 24, 2015

Celebrating

T H E

ENTERT

INMENT

Heart has ‘matured’ a lot See PAGE 7

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Vol. 4. No. 39 LOS ANGELES

A Balita Media Publication

Wednesday - Tuesday, June 24 - 30, 2015

PHL sets US, Japan naval exercises as China row simmers

Manila, Philippines (AFP) Thursday 6/18/2015 – The Philippines is to hold simultaneous naval drills next week with key allies the United States and Japan, the military said Thursday, as Chinese building continues on the disputed South China Sea reefs.

The annual joint manoeuvres with the United States will include a P3-Orion spy plane flight and a helicopter crash and rescue simulation near disputed waters, officials said.

The exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force, only the second ever, will be staged separately, but in the same week as the US exercise, Philippine navy spokesman Commander Lued Lincuna said.

Lincuna could not immediately provide details of the second exercise but Japanese media, quoting unnamed official sources, said it would be staged in the South

China Sea. The Japanese media also said Japan would field a P3 surveillance aircraft.

“The joint training will help capacitate and familiarize our troops with modern equipment.

There will be sharing of information, techniques and best practices on the tactical level,” Lincuna told AFP. He said the twin joint maneuvers were not directed against China, which has built artificial islands on South China Sea reefs claimed by the Philippines.

“They are regularly planned and scheduled exercises. With Japan, the focus is on search and rescue and disaster relief,” Philippine foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose told AFP. The US joint maneuvers, Lincuna said, would be held near the island of Palawan, though off the See NAVAL EXERCISES, page 2 A torch-lighting ceremony is attended by various groups of Rizalistas before midnight on Thursday below the 22-foot statue of the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. The groups gathered at the 22-foot statue of Rizal in Calamba City, Laguna to celebrate his 154th birthday on June 19. (MNS photo)

Filipinos fear ‘armed conflict’ with China over sea row: poll Designed for tablets using Google’s Android operating system, the health officer of a remote town can upload medical records and clinical information on a patient.

PHL tests health app for remote islands Manila, Philippines (AFP) Thursday 6/18/2015 – The Philippines is testing an app that will speed up delivery of health services to hundreds of remote island communities, the science department said Thursday.

Using the app, designed for tablets using Google’s Android operating system, the health officer of a remote town can upload medical records and clinical information on a patient, which can then be viewed anywhere by doctors

and nurses.

So far, about a hundred tablets preloaded with the locally-developed application have been distributed by the ministry to towns in four islands to test its viability.

If successful, about 450 remote towns in the archipelago will get their own tablets, with mayors and health officers—local officials responsible for community medical care – then better able to track the area’s health needs using the See HEALTH APP, page 2

Manila, Philippines (AFP) Friday 6/19/2015 – Eight in 10 Filipinos are worried a festering South China Sea territorial dispute could lead to “armed conflict” with the world’s most populous nation, an independent polling outfit said Friday.

Manila-based Social Weather Stations said this sentiment had weighed on people’s minds since the Philippines backed down from a tense standoff with China over control of rich fishing grounds around Scarborough Shoal in 2012.

The study showed 84 percent of 1,200 respondents were “worried” about armed conflict with China.

Binay quits Aquino Cabinet; still ‘confident’ in next year’s polls MANILA, June 22 (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay has tendered his resignation from President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet, a statement from his office said Monday.

According to Joey Salgado, head of Binay’s media affairs office, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay, the vice president’s daughter, handcarried the resignation letter addressed to Aquino.

“She was accompanied by Undersecretary Benjamin Martinez Jr., chief of staff of the Vice President. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa received the letter around 3:55 p.m. at the Office of the Executive Secretary,” he said.

See BINAY QUITS, page 2

US govt lists NPA, Abu Sayyaf, JI among Torre de Manila construction stopped foreign terrorist MANILA, June 16 (Mabuhay) tional hero. organizations in PHL – THE Supreme Court has issued They added that the building’s Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (right) salutes the honor guards after the wreath laying ceremony at the Rizal Park in Manila on Friday in celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s 154th birth anniversary. The Supreme Court recently ordered a stop to the construction of the Torre de Manila, seen in the background. (MNS photo)

a restraining order against the construction of the 46-story Torre de Manila.

Petitioner Knights of Rizal said the construction mars the view of the Rizal Monument in Luneta.

In its petition, they said when Torre de Manila reaches the full height of 46 floors by the target date of 2016, it would completely dominate the vista and, consequently, substantially diminish in scale and importance the most cherished monument of the na-

developer has also violated Republic Act 7356 (law creating the National Commission on Culture and the Arts), Republic Act 4846 (Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act) and Republic Act 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 or an Act Providing for the Protection and Conservation of the National Cultural Heritage).

Aside from this, the petitioner also asserted that DMCI violated

MANILA, June 20 (Mabuhay) – The Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah and Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army are among the Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) operating in the Philippines, the US State Department said.

In its Country Reports on Terrorism 2014, the State Department said these groups may threaten the security of US nationals or the national security –

See TORRE, page 2

See US GOVT LIST, page 2

About half were “worried a great deal” while more than a third were “somewhat worried”.

The same poll has been conducted every year since 2012, and in each of the surveys at least 80 percent of respondents have been concerned that the sea dispute could escalate into a full-blown conflict with the Philippines’ powerful Asian neighbor.

“It is natural for us to worry about armed conflict as it is a fact that it does not benefit anyone,” presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told AFP, reacting to the survey results.

“This is precisely why our government has pursued peaceful

means to resolving the dispute.”

The Scarborough Shoal standoff ended with Beijing taking control of the fishing area, which lies 220 kilometers (140 miles) off the main Philippine island of Luzon.

The shoal lies 650 kilometers from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese land mass.

China and the Philippines are also in dispute over other islands and reefs in the South China Sea, with the Philippines seeking arbitration from a United Nationsbacked body.

China has refused to participate in the proceedings.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and See ARMED CONFLICT, page 2

Grace Poe now leads race for president – SWS MANILA, June 19 (Mabuhay) -- Senator Grace Poe has overtaken Vice-President Jejomar Binay in the latest Social Weather Stations survey on possible presidential contenders, backing similar results from the latest Pulse Asia survey.

The survey conducted last June 5 to 8 and first published on BusinessWorld showed 42% of Filipino voters picking Poe as the best leader to succeed President Aquino.

This is 11 percentage points higher than the 31% she got in the March 2015 survey, and 21 percentage points higher than her 21% rating in December 2014.

On the other hand, Vice-Pres-

ident Binay dropped to second place with 34% of respondents choosing him as their preferred candidate, two percentage points lower than the 36% he got in March.

Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas was third on the list with 21%, up from 15% in 2015.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ranked fourth on the list with 20%, higher than the 15% in March.

Manila Mayor and former president Joseph Estrada ranked fifth on the list with 7%, down from the 11% recorded in March.

“The top five presidential contenders were followed by former See POE LEADS, page 2

Palace: DPWH, MMDA working to address flooding as rainy season nears MANILA, June 20 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority are working to address the problem of flooding in Metro Manila as the rainy season draws closer, Malacañang said Saturday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said both agencies are making sure floods do not disrupt traffic especially in major thoroughfares.

“Patuloy na tinututukan ng DPWH at MMDA ang lahat ng mga facility para magkaroon ng epektibong katugunan sa pagdating ng ulan at pagbaha sa metropolis. Sila ang nagtutulungan diyan,” he said on state-run dzRB radio.

Floods had hit parts of Metro Manila in the wake of heavy rain from thunderstorms in recent days.

State weather agency PAGASA had said it may declare the start of the rainy season in the coming days.

Coloma said that in Metro Manila, the DPWH is working on See DPWH, page 2

1-877-35-NOPAY 818-334-5445 818-552-4500 (1-877-356-6729)

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Wednesday - Tuesday, June 24 - 30, 2015

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US GOVT LIST From page 1

national defense, foreign relations or economic interests – of the US. Also, the State Department listed parts of southern Philippines as possible havens for such terrorist groups.

Abu Sayyaf In its report, the US said the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) – designated as an FTO as early as October 8, 1997 – is the “most violent of the terrorist groups operating in the Philippines” as it claims to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.

The US noted ASG group split from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the early 1990s.

ASG “engages in kidnapping for ransom, bombings, ambushes of security personnel, public beheading, assassinations, and extortion,” it said.

Also, the report said the ASG remained active in 2014, conducting numerous attacks on civilian and government targets in the southern Philippines.

Last July 28, 40 to 50 ASG militants with assault rifles fired at

civilians traveling to celebrate the end of Ramadan, killing at least 21, including six children.

“In a July video, senior ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon, also an FBI most-wanted terrorist, swore allegiance to ISIL and ISIL’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” it added.

According to the report, the ASG is estimated to have 400 members and operates mainly in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi; and on the Zamboanga Peninsula and even in Malaysia.

It said the ASG is funded through kidnapping for ransom operations and extortion, “and may receive funding from external sources including remittances from supportive overseas Philippine workers and Middle Eastbased violent extremists.”

Jemaah Islamiyah JI, designated as an FTO on October 23, 2002, seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, southern Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, and the southern Philippines.

In late 2012, the Philippine

military said it had killed two JI members in separate incidents in the southern Philippines, including “one of the group’s seniormost representatives to the Philippines.”

The US said JI’s strength may “vary from 500 to several thousand.”

It said that while JI is based in Indonesia, it is “believed to have elements in Malaysia and the Philippines” and gets funds via membership donations and criminal and business activities.

CPP-NPA The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), designated an FTO on August 9, 2002, seeks to overthrow the government through protracted guerrilla warfare, the US said.

According to the State Department, the CPP-NPA primarily targeted “Philippine security forces, government officials, local infrastructure, and businesses that refused to pay extortion, or ‘revolutionary taxes.’”

Also, it said the CPP-NPA

POE LEADS senator and former Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo M. Lacson who got 7%, Senators Francis Joseph ‘Chiz’ G. Escudero and Miriam Defensor-Santiago who both received 4%, Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos, Jr. who received 3%, and Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano who got 2%,” the report said.

The June survey involved faceto-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide.

Respondents were not given a list and had the option to give up to three names of good leaders to succeed Mr. Aquino. The sampling error margins used were 3% for national and 6% for area percentages.

The SWS survey mirrored results of the latest Pulse Asia survey, which showed Poe enjoying the lead in the May 2016 presidential race with 30 percent of voters saying they would vote for her.

Four other probable candidates, including Vice-President Binay (22%), also have doubledigit presidential voter preferences .

COMING INTO HER OWN

charged some politicians in its influenced areas for “campaign permits.”

“Over the past few years, the communist group has continued to carry out killings, raids, kidnappings, acts of extortion, and other forms of violence which are directed mainly against domestic and security force targets,” it said.

On July 10 last year, NPA fighters attacked a municipal police station in Surigao del Norte, and held four police officers captive.

Two police officers were wounded.

On July 17 last year, at least two soldiers were killed and another wounded following an encounter with suspected NPA rebels in Negros Occidental.

Even during a holiday ceasefire

in December 2014, NPA guerrillas staged multiple attacks, “including setting fire to construction equipment and a civilian’s vehicle, abducting a jail warden, and shooting and killing three military-affiliated individuals – all unarmed and in civilian clothes,” the US said.

“The NPA continued to use explosive and improvised explosive devices to target police and security forces,” it added.

But also last year, CPP-NPA leaders Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma were arrested in Aloguinsan, Cebu. Another suspected leader, Abraham Delejero Villanueva, was arrested July 20.

Last August 5, Eduardo Almores Esteban was arrested in Iloilo.

DPWH

eas.

For its part, the MMDA is cleaning esteros and waterways to minimize the effects of flooding.

(MNS)

From page 1

a catchment area along España Boulevard in Manila, one of the metropolis’ most flood-prone ar-

TORRE From page 1

the zoning ordinance of the city of Manila since the building is locat-

BINAY QUITS

From page 1

Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, research director of Pulse Asia Research, earlier said Poe may not just be tapping the old constituency of her father, as she may have come into her own after her recent public actions on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and tackling issues and questions about her experience.

“Baka rin meron na siyang dalang sarili niya... To be sure meron siyang good will from those who supported FPJ but that cannot be the sole basis.”

She also said Poe’s being a fresh face in a field of old politicians may have also worked in her favor.

“Ang isang anggulong tinitingnan ng mga political analyst ay naghahanap [ang mga tao] ng bago-bagong mukha, bagong pulitiko, bagong dugo. Maaari kasi doon sa mga nakakasama niya, mas matagal na yung nasa larangan. Siya talaga ang pinakabago,” she said.

She said Poe and the other politicians in the survey may have also benefited from Binay’s losses.

Binay’s numbers have been headed south even while he was still ahead in previous surveys

amid the steady stream of negative news from the corruption allegations against him.

Political analyst Prof. Edmund Tayao said the attacks of the United Nationalist Alliance against Poe over her foundling status actually helped her.

He described the attacks as a major political blunder.

“Ang nangyari yung public nag-emphatize with the senator being a foundling.

Ang Pilipino madaling naantig ang puso niyan. Imbes na ang focus ay sa kanyang qualifications, napunta ang atensyon sa pagiging ampon,” he said.

‘MASA’ SHIFTING FROM BINAY TO POE University of the Philippines (UP) political science professor Temario Rivera, meanwhile, said Poe’s 11-percentage point lead over Binay in class D in the Pulse Asia survey shows that the poor are also not satisfied with the vice president’s responses to the allegations of corruption and ill-gotten wealth against him and his family.

This, despite his projection of himself as “makamasa” or “propoor.”

THE US ASIAN POST

From page 1

Salgado said Binay’s resignation was irrevocable and effective immediately.

Binay, who is embroiled in a corruption controversy, is the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns.

The camp of Vice President

ed in an area reserved for schools and government buildings as mandated under Manila City Ordinance 8119 (Zoning Ordinance of Manila). (MNS) Jejomar Binay remains optimistic amid the drop in the latter’s ratings.

In a press statement Friday, Joey Salgado, Binay’s head of media affairs, said despite the relentless attacks from his opponents, the Vice President is thankful for the unwavering support of the people as reflected in the Social Weather Stations survey.

HEALTH APP From page 1

data they obtain.

“This is for communities that are isolated, remote and hard to reach. Its chief advantage is its portability,” said Vincent Tablos, the project coordinator for the government’s Department of Science and Technology.

“If it is adopted widely by our local health (workers), then we can consolidate it as part of our national health system,” he told AFP. Under the pilot-scheme a mayor and health officer each get one tablet loaded up with government health forms, including for health insurance, via the app.

After an individual’s health data is uploaded, all of the information on the required forms can be easily called up during consultations. “Once they go to the health centre, they will have all their records available. Instead

of waiting two hours just filling out forms, they go straight to the doctor,” he said.

If a person moves to another town, his existing health records can be viewed immediately through the app, Tablos added.

The communities targeted are all located far from major cities, where health centers are not readily accessible to local populations, making it difficult to send or receive patients’ information, Tablos said.

The device also includes a communication system that allows for easier data sharing between the local health officer and mayor.

“This will help in decisionmaking. The mayor can chart any outbreak or see any rise in dengue or malaria. He can see what kind of medicines have to be bought, what they must prioritise for next year,” he said.

ARMED CONFLICT From page 1

Taiwan also have overlapping claims over the South China Sea, which hosts major shipping lanes and is believed to hold vast mineral reserves.

China has ramped up construction of artificial islands in the area to reinforce its sovereignty claim over most of the sea, even waters close to the shores of its neighbors.

The Philippine poll also showed a rising number of Filipinos disapproved of their government’s handling of the dispute as China undertook other actions to reinforce its claim, including alleged harassment of Filipino fishermen.

In April, Philippine authorities accused the Chinese coast guard of robbing Filipino fishermen of their catch at gunpoint at Scarborough Shoal and shooing away one group with a water cannon.

Forty-six percent of respondents disapproved of their government’s response to the Chinese actions at the shoal, higher than 32 percent last year and 27 percent in 2013.

Forty-nine percent in the most recent survey, which was carried out over four days in March, said they approved of government response.

NAVAL EXERCISES From page 1

eastern coast rather than the South China Sea-facing west.

The Philippines held landmark naval exercises with its World War II foe Japan only last month on the South China Sea, less than 300 kilometres (186 miles) from a Philippine-claimed shoal now under Chinese control.

The United States is the Philippines’ longest-standing military ally, with the two countries bound by a 64-year-old mutual defense treaty and a separate visiting forces agreement.

An agreement that would allow the US to rotate more troops in Philippine military bases was signed last year, but will not be implemented until the Supreme Court decides on its legality.

Earlier this month, President Benigno Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to start negotiations for the transfer of defense equipment, including anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft and radar technology.

China said on Tuesday that land reclamation in the disputed Spratly islands would finish soon but be followed by “facility construction”, as it reasserted its claim over almost the entire South China Sea. Philippine military surveillance revealed that a giant runway on one of the reefs was “75-percent complete”, potentially giving Beijing longer military reach, defense department spokesman Peter Galvez had said.

China is separately engaged in a long-standing dispute with Japan over an island chain in the East Sea. China’s claims in the South China Sea overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

The Philippines has challenged China’s claims before a United Nations-backed arbitration tribunal, where it is expected to argue its case at the court’s first hearing next month.

China has refused to participate in the arbitration.

THE US ASIAN POST Wednesday - Tuesday, June 24 - 30, 2015

Gov’t focuses on efficient budget spending to spur growth MANILA, June 20 (Mabuhay) – President Aquino has instructed his Cabinet to ensure that all agencies effectively and consistently execute their respective budgets based on the 2015 General Appropriations Act to boost economic growth, a palace official said on Saturday.

“The DBM (Department of Budget and Management) continues to monitor the disbursements of all agencies to ensure that the agencies meet their targets,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Coloma also noted the latest forecast by Moody’s, lowering its estimated GDP (gross domestic product) growth for the Philippines from 6.5 percent to 6 percent.

According to Moody’s, this adjustment is due to “weak global trade alongside low government spending.”

Despite Moody’s adjustment in its outlook, Coloma said the government will stick to its plan of boosting spending through the approved 2015 national budget.

Coloma said that the government doesn’t have much control over the weakening of trade although the country’s trade performance is good. So the focus is on efficiently

PHL mulls fisheries deal with Taiwan amid sea row Manila, Philippines (AFP) Wednesday 6/17/2015 – The Philippines said Wednesday it was studying a draft fisheries agreement with Taiwan as tensions in rich border fishing grounds re-emerged two years after the Filipino coast guard shot dead a Taiwanese fisherman.

While the proposed deal will not define borders, it will set protocols on the arrest and detention of fishermen, Philippine foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose said.

“The mechanism will provide guidelines for incidents at sea,” Jose told a news conference.

“It will not be an agreement on maritime boundary delimitations.”

The draft agreement was prepared by the trade representatives of the two parties, which have no formal diplomatic relations.

Manila recognizes Taipei’s rival Beijing, which considers Taiwan its province.

Fisheries-related scrapes between the two Asian neighbors have hotted up in recent months.

A Filipino coastguard ship attempted to arrest a Taiwanese fishing vessel off the Batan island group last month, but the Taiwan coastguard intervened, resulting in a four-hour standoff.

Manila broadcaster ABS-CBN aired on Wednesday footage of a June 6 standoff between Filipino and Taiwanese coast guard ships, which ended with the Taiwanese vessel turning back after a tense exchange of radio messages.

These incidents recalled the 2013 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Filipino authorities in the same area. Philippine authorities filed homicide charges against eight of their coast guard men over the death of the 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman in May 2013. A local court is hearing the case.

The coastguard men said they opened fire after the fishing vessel tried to ram them, but Taiwan called the shooting “coldblooded” murder and imposed economic sanctions on Manila.

Jose acknowledged a “huge overlapping” of the exclusive economic zones on the Philippines’ northern waters and waters off Taiwan’s southern end.

President Benigno Aquino’s office is reviewing the proposed fishing agreement and will decide within the year whether or not to sign it, Jose said.

Senator Cynthia Villar, principal sponsor of the law extending the corporate life of Philippine National Railways (PNR) to another 50 years, rides the train during an inspection on Friday. The PNR will reopen the line from Tutuban to Sta. Rosa, Laguna after a mishap in April suspended operations. (MNS photo)

disbursing the budget this year. “‘Yung ikalawa ay pinag-iigting ang mga pagsisikap na ma-execute ang budget,” Coloma said about government spending. “Kung ano ang inilaan na pananalapi ay magastos sa tamang paraan at sa mga kapaki-pakinabang na mga proyekto para ang benepisyo ng pag-unlad ay maramdaman ng ating mga mamamayan.”

The central bank reported a surplus because the government has not spent much of its budget, according to Coloma. (MNS)

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No room for political violence, Palace tells PNP after vice mayor’s killing Malacañang on Saturday reminded the Philippine National Police to thwart political violence following the fatal shooting of Jones, Isabela Vice Mayor Florante Raspado on Friday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said there is no room for violence in Philippine politics, where Filipinos are to elect their leaders less than a year from now.

“Siyempre ayaw natin ng anumang banta sa katahimikan at kaayusan ng komunidad,” he said on state-run dzRB radio.

“Hindi natin dapat bigyan ng puwang [ang karahasan] at hindi katanggap-tanggap na dahilan ang pulitika dahil ang pulitika natin ay dapat isagawa na naaayon sa batas,” he added.

Coloma said that as far as the killing of Raspado is concerned, the PNP should conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident and bring the killers to justice.

On Friday, police arrested two men for the fatal shooting of Raspado at the town’s session hall.

Patrick Sacama, a consultant of Raspado, said the vice mayor was shot in the head. He added it took police a long time to respond.(MNS)

Olympics still a distant dream for Philippines SEA Games medalists Manila, Philippines (AFP) Thursday 6/18/2015 – The just-concluded Southeast Asian Games may have unveiled potential world-beaters for the Philippines but a “tough journey” awaits them before they are in with a shot at the country’s first ever Olympic gold, sports officials said Thursday.

Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Tom Carrasco said that the five Filipino boxers who won gold at the SEA Games in Singapore stood the best chance but even they will have to place in qualifying tournaments before reaching the Olympics in Brazil in 2016.

“It’s really a tough journey but I don’t think we should stop trying,” he said.

An Olympic gold medal has long eluded the Philippines and the closest it has come is two silvers in boxing in 1964 and 1996.

The Philippines has the dubious distinction of being the country with the most Olympic medals without a single gold, the website Olympstats said.

“The Southeast Asian Games is really far from the standards needed to qualify for the Olympics,” Carrasco told AFP. “The best chance (for a medal) are the boxers, possibly athletics. They have a new management, new coaches,” he said.

Among the SEA Games Filipino medalists, only Eric Cray, who won golds in the 100-metre and 400-metre hurdles, has already qualified for the Olympics after passing the standard in a meet in Los Angeles before the start of the Singapore games.

Even the executive director of the Philippine amateur boxing board, Ed Picson, who is credited for the boxing medals in Singapore, is less than confident of the Philippines’ chances.

“This (the SEA Games) is just a regional tournament,” he told AFP. The Filipino pugilists will start training next week for qualifying tournaments like the Asian championships in August and then the world championships later, he said.

Once there, the Filipinos will have to face boxing powerhouses like China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia, on the way to the Olympics, Picson warned.

THE US ASIAN POST

OPINION

China, US set for ‘vigorous’ talks on tough issues

By Jo Biddle

Washington, United States (AFP) Sunday 6/21/2015 - The United States is vowing not to “paper over” differences with China at key talks this week weighed down by thorny issues of trade, cyber spying and tensions in the South China Sea. And while some analysts believe there will be few concrete results from the annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the two-day talks which open formally on Tuesday in Washington are seen as an important forum for managing ties between the two global powers.

“We talk through, we work through our differences. We seek to solve problems and to manage the problems that we can’t seem to solve,” said the top US diplomat for East Asia, Danny Russel.

“We don’t paper over these differences. We don’t turn a blind eye to problems. We discuss them and we seek to tackle them directly.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will host China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice Premier Wang Yang for a private dinner on Monday, before the talks kick off at the State Department the next day.

The world’s two leading economies remain at odds over China’s claims to much of the South China Sea and Washington has repeatedly urged Beijing to stop building artificial islands in the key waterway.

Such moves are “troubling not just to us, but to the countries in the region,” Russel said, adding: “The prospect of militarizing those outposts runs counter to the goal of reducing tensions.”

Hacking charges Ties have also strained over US accusations of cyber-espionage.

A bilateral cyber-working group was suspended

by Beijing last year after Washington indicted five Chinese military officers for hacking into US computers to pilfer intellectual property and US government secrets.

But both countries recognize it is an area where they need to cooperate.

“It’s a place where us and China both have very important equities and as in the past, we’ll continue to discuss those issues vigorously with our Chinese counterparts,” a US Treasury official said.

Chinese officials remained more circumspect with foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang saying the delegations would have an “in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations as well as other major issues of common interest.”

And the state-run Chinese press appeared optimistic about this seventh round of annual talks, which come ahead of a visit to the US by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September.

“Following months of diplomatic clashes over the South China Sea, Sino-US relations seem to be headed for calmer waters after key events in the lead-up to a major meeting between the two countries,” the China Daily said.

It quoted Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Renmin University, saying: “Washington understands the consequences of US-Sino confrontation, and conflict is not on the agenda.

“Still, it has to issue criticisms of China over the South China Sea to show its muscle and commitment to its Asian allies.”

Not all doom and gloom Other knotty problems remain over trade, the new Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – spurned so far by the US – and whether to include the Chinese yuan as part of the IMF’s international basket of reference currencies.

Washington has long claimed the yuan was manipulated, but the IMF said late last month that the currency was “no longer undervalued.”

Such differences do “not necessarily doom the dialogue,” said Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, adding the talks will still be “professional.”

And David Dollar, an expert with the Brookings Institution, predicted the chill in ties arising from security issues would not spill over into the economic track.

Both countries “have compelling reasons to have a robust discussion of economic trends and to try to make progress on bilateral issues,” he said.

“If anything, tension on the security side makes the economic talks more important.”

One potential area of cooperation is on climate change, as UN-led talks loom in Paris in December to set new targets on limiting greenhouse gases.

“We’re still the two largest emitters in the world. We’re trying to position ourselves and lead, frankly, the international community into the Paris conference,” said Russel.

There is concern in Beijing however over President Barack Obama’s woes with Congress, particularly in trying to push forward a huge Pacific trade deal—even though it will not include China.

The Chinese “start to wonder, can the US government execute things in its own self-interest?” said Posen.

Hundreds of thousands rally in Rome against gay unions

By Philippine Robert Rome, Italy (AFP) Saturday 6/20/2015 – Hundreds of thousands of Italians gathered in Rome Saturday to demonstrate against gay unions and the teaching of gender theories in schools, as Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tries to push a civil union bill through parliament.

Holding aloft banners reading “The family will save the world” and “Let’s defend our children”, a sea of people crammed into the San Giovanni square near the Italian capital’s historic centre to support family values.

The square, which can hold an estimated 300,000 people, was overflowing with the young, elderly and parents with toddlers, an AFP photographer said, with many more demonstrators spilling into nearby streets. Organisers for their part said one million people were taking part. Italian police never provide figures for demos.

“In my children’s schools they are talking about families made up of two fathers or two mothers, without asking parents’ permission,” said 41-year old doctor Giuseppe Ripa, adding: “It’s dangerous and wrong.”Fellow protester Piero Uroda, a 78-yearold pharmacist, said it was “not honest to say these things to the very young, it’s not like they are students who can debate these ideas.”

“I don’t want gay marriage or gay adoption, the natural family is like ours,” he said, pointing to his relatives gathered around.

‘Defending children’s future’ The protest comes as the Italian senate examines a civil union bill, which Renzi wants to see go to a vote in the coming weeks, with the aim of legislation being enacted before the end of July.

The call for Italy to keep pace with its western

European neighbours on the issue has grown stronger since Ireland voted overwhelmingly in favour of gay marriage last month.

But rights activists warn it will be no mean feat for the leader of the centre-left Democratic Party to find allies across the political spectrum, blaming an excessive influence of the Catholic clergy on the political class.

While a survey published by Italian daily La Stampa at the end of May found that 51 percent of voters would support gay marriage, protesters in Rome said the state should stop trying to interfere in sexual or gender education.

“We are asking for families based on marriage be respected, and stressing the central role parents play. We forcefully reject the attempt to sneak into the curriculum projects which aim to destroy children’s sexual identities,” said Massimo Gandolfini, spokesman for the “Defend our children!” committee.

There were both cries of support and derision from the political sphere.

Matteo Salvini, rising star on the far right and head of the Northern League party, sent a Facebook “hug for all the mummies and daddies protesting peacefully in Rome to defend their children’s future.”

Vincenzo Brana, head of the long-standing Arcigay gay rights association in Bologna, was quick to point out that “today is World Refugee Day”, with hundreds of thousands of migrants in Italy facing an uncertain future.

Their problems “are an urgent issue which concerns us all. Those who take to the streets to talk of other things show they are living on another planet, and I would recommend leaving them on that planet alone.”

US crushes ton of ivory in New York’s Times Square

By Brigitte Dusseau

New York, United States (AFP) Friday 6/19/2015 – A ton of illegal ivory carved into decorative objects was destroyed in New York’s Times Square on Friday as US officials denounced poaching that kills thousands of elephants a year.

Under the gaudy neon lights of the most famous square in the world, the objects – most of them seized from the store of a jailed Philadelphia art dealer – were placed one by one on a conveyor belt before being dropped into the crusher to the sound of applause.

“Today’s ivory crush serves as a stark reminder to the rest of the world that the United States will not tolerate wildlife crimes, especially against iconic and endangered animals,” said US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell.

US officials say that between 2011 and 2014 the poaching of African elephants reached the highest level ever recorded.

In just three years around 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory, Jewell said.

She said there was a growing demand for ivory, with international organized crime networks seeing it as a low risk, high-profit market.

Dozens of demonstrators held up posters in Times Square saying that 96 elephants fall victim to the illegal trade each day.

It was the second time that US authorities have staged a massive public destruction of ivory.

In November 2013, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which comes under the department of the interior, organized the destruction of more than five tonnes of ivory in Denver.

Obama laments huge number of displaced persons Pasadena, United States (AFP) Friday 6/19/2015 – US President Barack Obama on Friday lamented the “record levels” of people displaced by violence and other unrest around the globe, on the eve of World Refugee Day. The United Nations this week reported that 60 million people – half of them children – have been forced to flee conflict and persecution.

“Tomorrow, on World Refugee Day, we will pause to reflect on the millions around the world who have been displaced from their homes – the hardships they face, the courage and resilience they demonstrate, and the dedication of those who

come to their aid,” Obama said.

“This year’s commemoration comes as worldwide displacement reaches record levels.”

“The struggles of some are captured in searing images of people waiting at border crossings, housed in endless lines of tents, and crammed into rickety boats at sea, while those of others, crowded into the shadows of large cities, may go unobserved.”

Amid domestic budget battles and rows over immigration, he called on Americans to “challenge themselves” and to be generous in helping those in need.

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UTREACH

WCOPA Team Philippines: Preserving the good name of the Filipino artist worldwide Time and again, the Philippines have dominated the world stage as numerous Filipinos rake in top awards in various talent searches across the globe.

Currently the reputation is such that if you are Filipino , people from different nations and the international community expect you to have an incredible talent. More often than not, their expectations are correct.

Many searches have come and gone but the World Championships of the Performing Arts, known to be the world’s only Talent Olympics have been around for 19 years.

A search where no less than 52 countries gather together in the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, California USA. Nations bring the best talents from their country to compete in various categories namely: Singing, dancing, acting, modeling, variety act. This is where Filipinos have constantly preserved that good reputation that we have earned worldwide and Team Philippines have remained to be the fiercest contender of every nation by being

1st in the rankings every year.

Eversince the Philippines joined in 2005 with Jed Madela raking in all the gold medals and winning the top plum all across different categories, Filipino artists continued to shine year after year after year gaining the respect and adulation of artists from different countries. Celebrity mentors and hitmakers of big named artists in Hollywood, Nashville, New York such as Seth Riggs, Steven Dorff, Shele Sondheim to name just a few, have turned to Team Philippines to find new artists to groom.

Team Philippines started joining the modeling category and since then our Filipino models have been getting callbacks from modeling agents Crista Clayman and Darrien Arnolds of LA models (Tyra Banks).

Starting in 2013, under the leadership Mr. Gerry Mercado, currently the National Director for the Philippines. Team Philippines have been sending large numbers of talented Filipinos and since then won the Senior and Junior Grand Champion Performers of the World for two

years straight. “At this point, we have succeeded in uplifting the Filipino brand, it is now a matter of preserving that good name we have earned in the global stage.”

This year, Team Philippines 2015, dubbed as “the team to beat in WCOPA”, is bringing in 40 acts which includes, not only singers but dancers, models and a candidate for variety act. “We are in our best winning form like always and we are pretty excited to showcase our new Pinoy artists. We did not limit our search to only Luzon and Davao this year, We now have delegates coming from GenSan and Cebu” says Mercado.

WCOPA Philippines makes sure that whatever reputation we have earned, we will keep.

More so now with the support of the government through the Department of Tourism, Philippine Airlines and NCCA and companies such as Folded and Hung, Cravings and Secosana, Kudos to Team Philippines for bring continuously bringing honor to the country. They are scheduled to leave for California on July 8.

Cabinet in high-level PHL trade and investment mission to US Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima and Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo will lead a High Level Trade and Investment Mission to the United States from 24 to 29 June 2015. The Mission, which is being organized by the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., together with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the US-Philippines Society, will begin with a Conference at CSIS on Wednesday, 24 June, before heading to New York from 25 to 26 June and San Francisco on 29 June 2015.

At the Washington Conference, the Mission will aim to provide US officials, policymakers, think tanks, academics and the business community with updates on recent positive developments in the Philippine economy, as well as outline the opportunities for American firms

to support and take part in Philippine infrastructure projects.

The New York Economic Briefing and Investments Conference will be held at 9 a.m. on 26 June at the Goldman Sachs Auditorium, 200 West St., NY while the San Francisco event will take place at the Philippine Consulate General, 447 Sutter St., San Francisco.

The Mission is an important follow-up to the PhilippinesUnited States Memorandum of Cooperation on an Infrastructure Collaboration Platform, which was signed during the 8th Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum (GILF) held in New York in February.

Secretaries Purisima and Domingo will be joined by Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio L. Singson, Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Rene Limcaoco,

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President Arnel Paciano Casanova, and senior officials from other government agencies.

A Private Sector delegation of senior executives will also be led by Mr Guillermo Luz, Private Sector Co-Chair of the Philippine National Competitiveness Council.

The Conferences are being organized in cooperation with the Philippine Consulates General in New York and San Francisco, as well as Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Development Bank of the Philippines, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JP Morgan, Land Bank of the Philippines, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered, and UBS.

Measure filed to confer Congressional Gold Medal on Filipino WWII vets WASHINGTON, D.C.— A bill seeking the Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers in the United States and the Philippines who fought during World War II was introduced today at US Congress by a bipartisan and bicameral group of legislators.

A press conference announcing the bill’s introduction was held by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). Other members of the Senate and the House of Representatives were on hand to announce their support for the legislation, including: Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Representative Joe Heck (R-NV), and Representative Juan Vargas (D-CA).

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Antonio Taguba also spoke at the press conference on behalf of the Filipino Veterans

Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). Two veterans, Purple Heart recipient Maj. (Ret.) Jesse Baltazar and Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Remigio Cabarcar were also present at the event.

The bill acknowledges the dedicated service of over 260,000 Filipino and Filipino-American who fought side-by-side with American soldiers and seeks to collectively award the Congressional Gold Medal to the veterans.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. welcomed this development and expressed his hope for the bill to move forward.

“The announcement of this bill is timely as we celebrate Philippine Independence and the friendship between the Philippines and the United States. The 4th of July is the United States’ Independence Day and

also Philippines-American Friendship Day. Our friendship has deep historical roots, which include fighting side by side in wars for liberation. I am pleased to see this friendship continue to grow and hope that our veterans receive the recognition they deserve,” said Ambassador Cuisia.

The Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to persons “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.”

The award is the US Congress’ highest expression of appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. It is also one of the highest civilian awards in the United States, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

11 HS grads to receive PHILSELA scholarships CERRITOS – The Philippine Society of Southeast Los Angeles (PHILSELA) will present scholarship awards to 11 high school graduates during its annual Scholarship Awards Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, at the Washington Room of Liberty Park in Cerritos. The scholars this year are from ABC Unified District High Schools: Artesia, Cerritos and Ghar and from St. Joseph and St. John Bosco. Alice Ramos, scholarship committee chair, said the scholarships are available to graduating seniors, continuing on to college, from high schools around the city of Cerritos, including the following – Artesia High, Cerritos High, Gahr High, St. John Bosco High, St. Joseph High, Valley Christian High, and Whitney High.

To qualify for the awards, a high school graduate must be of Filipino ancestry, has been accepted into an accredited college or university for Fall 2015, has a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), has a minimum total SAT score of 1500, must show leadership skills and extracurricular activities, and is committed to serving the FilipinoAmerican community.

The scholars will receive a one-time monetary award and certificates of recognition during the awards dinner.

“This has been a continuing program for the last 29 years because PHILSELA views higher education as crucial for the youth to reach their career goals and become contributing members of the community,” said Ramos, who has served

as president of PHILSELA in 2012 and the current scholarship chair.

PHILSELA, which marks its 41st year this year, is an organization composed of Filipino-American volunteers who are dedicated to providing outstanding service to the community. Elizabeth Boschma is the current president, with Linda Bautista as chairman of the board. Aside from the Scholarship Program, PHILSELA also holds the annual Santacruzan, and sponsors and supports city-initiated programs, including the Festival of Friendship, Let Freedom Ring 4th of July Event, and Halloween Festival. PHILSELA has also participated in the Philippine Independence Centennial celebration, and the Filipiniana Library Project.

Nations bring the best talents from their country to compete in various categories namely: Singing, dancing, acting, modeling, variety act. This is where Filipinos have constantly preserved that good reputation that we have earned worldwide and Team Philippines have remained to be the fiercest contender of every nation by being 1st in the rankings every year.

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Chiz rekindles call for return of Balangiga bells

By Abner Galino

Senator Francis Escudero has rekindled a dormant call for the return of the three historic church bells of the town of Balangiga, Samar which were taken as war booty by the United States Army during its suppression of Filipino revolutionaries in the early 1900.

As guest speaker at the 117th Philippine Independence Day celebration at Universal Hilton in Universal City, California, the senator not only renewed the Philippine claim to the historic church bells but also brought back the tragic memory associated with them by passionately retelling the details of that episode in Philippine history.

Escudero said that it is time for the United States government to return the bells as they don’t qualify as war booty and that their return would symbolically magnify the picture of a long friendship and alliance between the two countries in the international arena.

The senator also floated the idea of a shrine to be built to house the bells when they are returned.

“Ilalagay natin doon yung mga pangalan ng mga sundalong Amerikano at pati na rin yung mga Pilipino na namatay sa mga sagupaan sa Balangiga,” Escudero said.

The crowd at the ballroom hall of the hotel was not very enthusiastic about the issue, apparently expecting a current political announcement from the senator who is a popular vice presidential pick in the upcoming 2016 presidential elections.

But some keen observers positively viewed the renewed call for the return of the Balangiga bells.

Art Garcia, a prominent community organizer in Los Angeles, echoed the call for the return of the bells. “Mahigit 100 taon na ang isyung yan. Panahon na ibalik na nila yan (Balangiga bells) sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Garcia said.

Another Filipino present at the affair, Nikki Arriola, an officer of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), explained that the crowd was not enthusiastic about the issue mainly because of the lack of information.

“But the well-informed members of the crowd were warm about the issue. They think it is important,” Arriola said.

According to him, the return of the Balangiga bells would somehow placate the sorrow felt by the Filipino people that were embedded in those relics.

One of the three bells is with the US 9th Infantry Regiment in Camp Red Cloud in Seoul, South Korea and the two others are with US 11th Infantry Regiment at F.E Warren Air Force base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The tragic episode that led to the taking away of the bells was known in Phil-

Philippine Independence Day committee officials led

by Darna Umayam (left) honor Philippine Senator Chiz Escudero and his wife, actress Heart Evangelista, during the celebration of the 117th anniversary of the Philippine Independence Day at Universal Hilton last June 13. Photo: Joe Cobilla

ippine history as the Balangiga massacre.

On September 28, 1901, the people of the town, angered by a prolonged embargo on food and trade imposed by the occupying Americans, revolted and attacked the local garrison. It resulted in the death of 48 American soldiers and was described as US Army’s worst defeat since the Battle of Bighorn in 1876 wherein the legendary army officer George Custer perished.

General Jacob Smith ordered his troops to turn the island of Samar into a “howling wilderness” and it is believed that around 50,000 Filipinos were killed in the indiscriminate retaliatory attacks. The administration of President Fidel Ramos asked US President Bill Clinton to help in the recovery of bells.

In 2002, Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. authored Resolution 393 which asked the current administration to work for the return of the bells. Almost simultaneously, the Catholic Bishops Council of the Philippines has declared that the relics were “inappropriate war booty.” The same plea was conveyed to the administration of US President George W. Bush.

In the US Congress, Cong. Bob Filner, twice authored resolutions, one in the 109th Congress and 110th Congress urging the US government to transfer ownership of the bells to the Filipino people. Both resolutions died with the adjournment of both congress.

The latest official attempt to recover the bells was made in October 2007 by Senator Manny Villar through Resolution 177.

The 117th Philippine Independence Day celebration attended by Escudero was organized by the Philippine Independence Coordinating Council of Southern California (PICCSC). Darna Umayam, PICCSC secretary general, said the occasion was also graced by Consul General Leo Herrera Lim, Tourism director Emmanuel Ilagan and officials of various non-government Filipino-American organizations in California.

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ENTERT

INMENT

Meet the new girl in Derek’s life Derek Ramsay used to be very secretive about the identity of his new ladylove because she’s non-

Heart Evangelista

Christopher impressed

by Heart’s ‘maturity’ ONE of the promising new shows on GMA7 that will air soon is “Beautiful Strangers” starring Heart Evangelista, Lovi Poe, Rocco Nacino, Benjamin Alves, and balikKapuso actor Christopher de Leon, directed by Albert Langitan.

Heart is happy to be reunited with her Tito Boyet, who says he is so impressed by Heart’s maturity as an actress.”I’ve been working with Heart since her teenage years in ABS-CBN,” says Boyet. “Nasubaybayan ko ang paglaki niya and I really treat her as one of my daughters. It’s been a while since we last worked with each other, kaya nagulat ako nang magkasama kami uli dito sa ‘Beautiful Strangers’ because she has improved tremendously in her craft. Maybe it’s because marami na siya pinagdaanan and she’s now married kaya she shows much greater maturity in her performance.”

“It’s really flattering to hear that,” says Heart in return. “Coming from a multi-award-winning and respected actor like Tito Boyet. I can really say that I have really gained more experiences as a person and as a married woman. This has helped me a lot to be a better actress, so I’m really proud of what and who I have become at this point in my career.”

Boyet is happy to be working not only with Heart in “Beautiful Strangers” but also his own youngest son, Gab de Leon. “First time naming magkakasama sa isang soap and I’m glad I can personally guide him sa taping.”

Gab himself is so happy to work with his dad.

“He’s always been my inspiration kaya ako pumasok sa pag-arte,” he says. “Marami na akong natutuhan sa kanya, especially about discipline to refine your craft as an actor. Nakikita ko kung gaano ang paghahandang ginagawa niya bago siya sumabak sa isang eskena. He’s very passionate with his work at ‘yun ang gusto kong tularan. Sana nga, maging magkaeksena kami sa ‘Beautiful Strangers’ dahil matagal ko nang pangarap na makabatuhan ko siya ng linya.”

Meantime, Boyet is very thankful to the Lord for healing his wife, Sandy Andolong, after her kidney operation, and their U.S.-based son, Miguel, who is now totally cancer free. Praise God. (MNS)

showbiz. But it looks like they’re both more open now about introducing her to the public.

She recently made an appearance in his “Extreme” series and even did a risky stunt going up a crane. Her name is Joanne Villablanca and she hails from Cebu. She’s currently working with a big car company.

Derek has posted their pictures together taken during their outof-town trips. Just recently, they went mountain climbing and had their photos taken at the top of Mt. Pulag, amidst all its beautiful clouds. Joanne is very pretty, just like Derek’s past girlfriends, notably Angelica Panganiban and Cristine Reyes.

She can very well join showbiz if she’d put her mind into it. We won’t be surprised if Derek would make her appear in “Happy Truck ng Bayan” where he’s a host, just like her surprise appearance in his “Extreme” series.

But when Derek exposed photos of his bonding moments with Joanne, he also paved the way for the usual haters and bashers to say all sorts of nasty things against Joanne on social media.

But obviously, he has learned his lesson and just ignored all of them, which for us is the best attitude since, if you’d reply to such sad people with miserable lives, you’d only prolong the story.

(MNS)

Derek Ramsay and Joanne Villablanca

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The latest hair trends seen at London Collections: Men

The fit population of Los Angeles has helped the city edge out Rio and Paris to be named most attractive dating city in the world in a poll. © evgeny varlamov/shutterstock.com

‘Our city’ voted most attractive dating population in the world Friday June 19 2015 (Relaxnews) – The most attractive city in the world for finding a date? That honor goes to Los Angeles, land of the buxom, blond and perennially tanned.

That’s according to the results of a new survey dubbed the “2015 Foreign Affairs Study” carried out by Expedia and Tinder, which polled 1,000 Americans on their attitudes towards travel and romance.

When given a list of 20 of the world’s most visited cities to choose from, LA won the title of most attractive dating population taking 37 percent of the vote, narrowly edging out Rio de Janeiro which came in at a close second with 36 percent.

Rounding out the top five spots are Paris (34 percent), Miami (34 percent) and Rome (32 percent).

At the other end of the spectrum, though they still managed to take about a quarter of the vote ranging from 24 to 26 percent, Istanbul, Seoul and Hong Kong landed at the bottom of the heap.

Thinking of popping the question? Odds are your partner will be ecstatic if you book a trip to Paris, as nearly half (46 percent) of respondents named the City of Light as their dream destination

for receiving a marriage proposal, followed by Rome (40 percent) and Barcelona (22 percent).

When it comes to testing the waters of an early relationship, the most socially acceptable wait time for embarking on a weekend getaway with a new partner averages six months. For 30 percent, that’s shortened to one to three months.

Interestingly, 16 percent said they’d wait a full year before taking the relationship to the weekend, mini-break level.

Presence of good restaurants was cited as the most important priority when planning a weekend getaway with a new partner, followed by tourist attractions and a room with a view.

And if you’re thinking of asking your new partner to tag along on a family trip, consider how long you’ve been together, as the largest cohort of respondents (36 percent) said they’d wait more than a year before taking that next step.

In other odds and ends, the survey also revealed that a quarter of Americans would consider honeymooning at a theme park and that 38 percent of respondents would be willing to date someone who primarily spoke a different language.

Recently, Tinder launched a Passport service that allows premium subscribers to change their location and connect with locals while on holiday.

For the survey, Expedia and Tinder also collaborated on a ‘Match Made in Travel’ game that allows users to swipe right on their favorite locations to get paired with their ideal ‘destination match.’

Wednesday June 17 2015 (Relaxnews) – After four days of laying down the next season’s big trends, London Collections: Men has finally closed up shop. There was plenty to talk about regarding the clothes, but what about the grooming? Here we take a look at the hairstyles you’ll be rocking for Spring/ Summer 16, according to the catwalks.

Slick hair Slicked back hair was big throughout the show. At Bobby Abley hair was slicked back so severely that audience members could see the track lines left by the brush – all the better to highlight the contrasting soft cartoonishness of the designs.

Casely-Hayford went for a smoother look, but one that was slicked back off YMC on the second day of the Spring/Summer 2016 Lonthe face nonethe- don Collections Men. ©AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF which was on show at James Long. less. And Matthew locks Miller went for the sideways Au-naturel slick for a gentlemanly effect. Christopher Raeburn went for the Quiffs and fringes slightly wild, natural look when it The quiff was back in style at Ka- came to the hair for his explorertie Eary, where the bold clothes inspired presentation. YMC kept didn’t overpower the models’ things very long, straight and polgroomed looks. The quiffs were ished, while Lou Dalton went for worn high and voluminous, with a naturally messy aesthetic for the hair kept long in the back to its Haçienda-themed collection, emphasize the shape. The alterna- invoking the idea of a hedonistic tive was the sweeping side fringe, night or morning.

Choosing your own diet to lose weight is no guarantee of success June 18, 2015 (Relaxnews) – Is it better to choose your own diet when you’re looking to lose weight? Not necessarily, according to American researchers who led an experiment on the subject.

First of all, the best diet is the one you can maintain meticulously and not the one that you choose.

Using the opposite hypothesis, that the diet of your choice is easier to maintain and thus bound to succeed, a team of American researchers followed 207 participants, the majority of them older men with a BMI equal to or greater than 30kg/m2, for 48 weeks.

Half of the volunteers had the your own diet isn’t the best course of action, according to this new study. choice of adhering to a low-carb Selecting ©Olga Danylenko/shutterstock.com diet or a low-fat diet, while the other half was randomly as- measures of physical activity loss was similar between the two signed one or the other. and weight-related quality of life groups. It’s just that the direcAmong the 105 patients with across the board. tion of effect was not even in the the option to choose their diet, The results, published in expected direction.”

58% opted for the low-carb diet the June 16 Annals of Internal Dr. Yancy offered two possible and the remaining 42% the low- Medicine journal, indicate that reasons for the findings: an inclifat option. In the beginning, the choosing your own diet doesn’t nation to overeat when selecting participants had group counsel- help in losing weight, even if the a diet based on food preferences, ing sessions every 2 weeks. Af- researchers did record an aver- and the “personal trainer” effect, ter 24 weeks, sessions occurred age weight loss of 12.5lbs for the in which participants adhere every 4 weeks, and dietitians participants in this group, com- better to a program if told what called the participants between pared to 14.7lbs for the partici- to do. meetings. pants who were assigned a diet.

The researchers concluded Personnel weighed the partic“[The difference in weight that in the future, weight-loss ipants at each meeting and mea- loss] was not statistically sig- interventions should focus on sured their waist circumference nificant,” admitted study au- pairing a person with a diet every 12 weeks. The researchers thor Dr. William Yancy Jr., a through personality questionwere thus able to ensure that research associate in the Center naires, metabolic profiles like participants in both groups ad- for Health Services Research in cholesterol tests or insulin tests, hered to their diets at similar Primary Care at Duke Universi- or even a person’s genetic prorates, and they recorded similar ty, in Durham, N.C. “The weight file.

Chocolate may be good for your heart, study suggests Tuesday June 16 2015 (Paris, June 15, 2015 (AFP)-AFP) – New research has added to tentative evidence that eating chocolate in modest quantities may be good for the heart, its investigators said on Tuesday.

Scientists in Britain looked at data from nearly 21,000 people who filled out questionnaires about their lifestyle, and had their health monitored for more than 11 years.

Their average daily consumption was seven grams (0.25 ounces) of chocolate, ranging from none to 100g.

The top fifth of chocolate-eaters were 12 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 23 percent less likely to suffer a stroke compared to the bottom fifth of consumers, the researchers found.

The study, published in the British journal Heart, noted

that most consumers of the confectionary ate milk chocolate, not dark chocolate which famously has a higher percentage of protective molecules called flavonoids.

“This may indicate that not only flavonoids, but also other compounds, possibly related to milk constituents, such as calcium and fatty acids, may provide an explanation for the observed association,” it said.

The team, headed by Phyo Myint of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, admitted the probe had limitations.

The study was observational, meaning it could not show cause and effect, merely an association which may be circumstantial.

Another question mark was to be found in “reverse causation”: participants who knew they had cardiovascular problems may have followed a healthier diet

and eaten less chocolate.

The team also did a review of other published studies, covering more than 130,000 people in total, and said they had found a similarly beneficial association with regular chocolate consumption.

“Cumulative evidence suggests that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events,” it said.

“There does not appear to be any evidence to say that chocolate should be avoided in those who are concerned about cardiovascular risk.”

A couple of squares of chocolate are around 16g, and an average bar of chocolate about 50g.

Commentators not involved in the research were cautious, noting too much chocolate can lead to weight gain, which is bad for the heart.

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MOTORING Camp in style with the new Volkswagen California Thursday June 18 2015 (Relaxnews) – Now in its fourth generation, the California is still unique in the campervan world as it is designed and built in house, by VW itself.

Based on the equally new Volkswagen T6 commercial vehicle, the latest VW camper van gets the option of four-wheel drive and a paddle-shift gearbox for the first time and the vehicle

can be specified with adaptive suspension for greater comfort even when fully loaded.

There is also a range of safety systems including Driver Alert – which monitors activity to make sure the driver is awake -- brake assist for performing emergency stops more rapidly, and post-collision braking for bringing the California to a complete halt immediately after

an accident.

In terms of camping comforts, the California can sleep four, has a pop-up roof for improving headroom and concealing a double bed, a fridge, stove, sink and a host of ingenious storage solutions.

The California will be offered in two trim levels – Ocean and Beach – and the first deliveries are expected this summer.

Korean cars racing ahead on quality June 17, 2015 (Relaxnews) – The J.D. Power 2015 US Quality Study published Wednesday, shows that the gap between Korean brands and the rest of the US car market has never been wider More startling is the fact that Japanese marquees, once the global benchmark for automotive quality and reliability, have collectively fallen below the entire industry quality average for the

first time in 29 years. The study bases its scores on how many problems an owner experiences with a new car during the first 90 days and the nulber of problems per 100 vehicles – PP100. The lower the score, the higher the quality.

This year’s industry average is 112PP100, two points better than for Japanese brands (114 PP100), which are now on a par with US

Kia Soul, one of Kia Motors’ most popular models.

manufacturers.

But it is Korean brands, with an average of 90PP100 that is remarkable, an 11-point lead over the best of the rest of the industry.

This is a clear shift in the quality landscape,” said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power. “For so long, Japanese brands have been viewed by many as the gold standard in vehicle quality.”

The fourth-generation Volkswagen California. ©Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Japan investigators quizzing Toyota exec on drug charges

By Kyoko Hasegawa

Tokyo, Japan (AFP) Friday 6/19/2015 – Japanese investigators were on Friday questioning Toyota’s most senior female executive after finding controlled drugs sent to her from the United States, police said, as the automaker’s chief vowed to support his “dear colleague”.

Julie Hamp, a US citizen recently appointed to head global public relations at the world’s biggest automaker, was arrested at a Tokyo hotel where she was staying, on suspicion of violating the country’s drug control law, a police spokesman told AFP. She is being held for allegedly importing oxycodone – an opioid used to relieve pain – without permission from the authorities, a crime that “is subject to one to 10 years in prison,” he said.

Hamp, 55, “said she did not believe she had imported narcotics when she was arrested,” the

official said. People arrested in Japan can be held for up to three weeks without charge.

By midday Friday, she had been sent to the prosecutors’ office, another police official said, as the scandal made headlines in Japan. The parcel was sent to Hamp on June 8 from the US and arrived at Tokyo’s Narita airport on June 11 where it was intercepted, he added.

The package, labeled “necklaces”, contained several small boxes, each holding accessories and several tablets, reports said, adding that police suspect there had been an attempt to hide the drug.

Oxycodone is designated as a narcotic in Japan but can be prescribed by a doctor for use as a pain reliever.

Japanese law allows individuals to bring the drug from abroad if they have a legitimate prescription, but they cannot be sent by mail.

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KITCHENOMICS Expensive espresso: Thailand’s elephant dung coffee

Mahouts standing by an elephant eating a mixture containing coffee beans at the luxury Anantara resort. ©AFP PHOTO / Christophe ARCHAMBAULT

Sunday June 14 2015 (Chiang Saen, Thailand-AFP) – In the lush, green hills of northern Thailand, a woman painstakingly picks coffee beans out of a pile of elephant dung, an essential part of making one the world’s most expensive beverages.

This remote corner of Thailand bordering Myanmar and Laos is better known for drug smuggling than coffee, but Blake Dinkin decided it was perfect for a legitimate enterprise that blends con-

servation with business.

“When I explained my project to the mahouts (elephant riders), I know that they thought I was crazy,” the 44-year-old Canadian founder of Black Ivory Coffee, which uses the digestive tract of elephants to create a high-end brew for coffee connoisseurs.

Initially, he considered using civet cats to make “kopi luwak” coffee, which uses beans collected from the droppings of the Asian cats. But the quality of the end

product has weakened as demand has grown in Southeast Asia – including in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Civet cats are also often kept in cages and force-fed beans, a chasm away from Dinkin’s desire to support rather than damage the environment.

Lions and giraffes also made the shortlist of prospective coffee filters, but eventually Dinkin settled on elephants after discovering that the creatures sometimes eat coffee during periods of drought in Southeast Asia.

He also teamed up with an elephant rescue charity which saves the creatures from the tourist trade.

But making coffee from pachyderm poop was harder than expected.

“I thought it would be as simple as taking the beans, giving them to the elephant, and out will come great coffee,” said Dinkin, adding that the initial result was “horrible” and undrinkable.

“It took me another nine years to actually succeed in doing what I wanted,” he said.

Lose a lot of beans The enzymes in the elephant’s stomach function as a kind of slow cooker, he said, where the coffee beans marinate alongside the herbs and fruits the animal also eats.

As the beans work their way through the elephant’s digestive tract – a 17-hour process – the digestive acid takes the bitterness out of the bean.

“I lose a lot of beans in the bath in the morning,” he said, explaining that the elephants sometimes defecate in the river while bathing.

The mahouts’ wives collect the coffee beans from the elephant dung, before washing and drying them in the sun, a division of labor that is helping to boost the local community’s income.

To make a kilo of coffee, the elephants have to have consumed around 33 kilos of the beans, along with their usual ration of rice and bananas.

But the rewards are worth it. The rarity of the drink is a key part of its branding. In 2015, their third successful harvest, Black Ivory produced 150 kilograms of coffee.

At around $1,880 per kilogram – or $13 for an espresso-sized cup – it does not come cheap.

But riding the “grand cru” trend for coffee, it is sought after by customers eager to pay sky-high prices for unusual products. Black Ivory coffee will soon be available at high-end establishments in Paris, Zurich, Copenhagen and Moscow.

But for now it is sold exclusively at luxury hotels in Asia, mostly in Thailand but also Singapore and Hong Kong.

John Roberts, the director of the foundation that supports the elephants, which have all been rescued from the tourist trade in Bangkok, was initially skeptical of feeding elephants coffee beans.

But he has since warmed to the project.

“The caffeine doesn’t come out of the coffee bean until it’s boiled... so it’s fine for them to eat it,” he said.

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Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach

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mention your request) Only look upon me, then do what Your Heart decides....I

is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short

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Clinton backs stiffer gun laws after US church bloodbath San Francisco, United States (AFP) Saturday 6/20/2015 – Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton issued an impassioned call for gun control Saturday following a “senseless” church massacre that left nine dead and reignited debate about the right to bear arms.

In a speech to US mayors in San Francisco, the former first lady said the time has come for “common sense gun reforms” to help put an end to the recurring shooting tragedies that erupt with shocking frequency in the United States.

Clinton, who is running for the 2016 Democratic nomination, said the most recent spasm of gun violence left America “struggling once again to make sense of violence that is fundamentally senseless.”

“I know that gun ownership is part of the fabric of a lot of lawabiding communities,” she told the gathering.

“But I also know that we can have common sense gun reforms that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals and the violently unstable, while respecting responsible gun owners.”

Clinton, a former US secretary of state and ex-senator, said she shared the grief of relatives of the nine black church members gunned down by an alleged white supremacist late Wednesday in Charleston, South Carolina.

Hillary Clinton

“As a mother, grandmother, a human being – just as a fellow human being – my heart is bursting for them, for these victims and their families, for a wounded community and a wounded church,” she told the US Conference of Mayors.

The message was in line with the more personal and personable approach she has taken for this, her second presidential campaign, after a 2008 loss for the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama.

Clinton, as she invoked civil rights leaders, said it was “tempt-

ing” to view the Charleston attack as an isolated incident, but stressed that “America’s long struggle with race is far from finished.”

“I know this is a difficult topic to talk about,” Clinton added.

“I know that so many of us hoped by electing our first black president, we had turned the page on this chapter in our history.”

She noted the disadvantages still faced by many African Americans, including that the median wealth of black families is about $11,000, compared to $134,000 for white families.

Michelle Obama champions $200-M plan for girls’ education

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Tuesday 6/16/2015 – US First Lady Michelle Obama announced plans for $200 million (177 million euros) in programs to promote girls’ education worldwide on Tuesday as she visited a London school at the start of a European tour.

“I’m here because girls like you impress me and inspire me,” Obama told pupils at Mulberry School for Girls in east London ahead of a trip to Downing Street, where she had tea with Prime

Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha.

“With an education from this amazing school, you have everything you need to rise above all of the noise and fulfil every one of your last dreams,” she added.

The First Lady unveiled plans for Britain and the United States to empower adolescent girls, with a particular focus on “fragile countries”. Obama said 62 million girls around the world did not attend school, calling it a “heartbreaking injustice” caused by factors

including forced marriages, early pregnancies, abuse and sexism.

Writing in the Financial Times newspaper, Obama said Britain and the United States would work together on teacher training, girls’ leadership camps and other community-based programs in developing countries.

“Combined, these efforts total nearly $200 million,” she said.

A choir singing Labi Saffre’s “Something Inside So Strong” greeted Obama as she arrived at the school in bright sunshine.

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Jeb Bush: ‘I will run to win’

By Diego Urdaneta

Miami, United States (AFP) Sunday 6/14/2015 – Jeb Bush jumped headlong into the presidential race Monday, insisting “America deserves better” after eight years of Barack Obama, as the Republican seeks to win over voters skeptical of his political pedigree.

Following a six-month precandidacy exploration, Bush made his formal announcement at Miami Dade College, a diverse university chosen to signal that he aims to run an inclusive 2016 campaign.

“I have decided. I am a candidate for president of the United States,” he said.

While he is the son and brother of two former presidents, Bush highlighted his own political vision and his two terms as governor of Florida.

“We made Florida number one in job creation and number one in small business creation,” Bush said, boasting that he slashed taxes by $19 billion.

“I know we can fix this. Because I’ve done it.”

Bush also stressed he would campaign everywhere and face the issues, rather than rely on his record from a decade ago and his family name as he seeks the nomination now sought by 11 Republicans.

“It’s nobody’s turn. It’s everybody’s test – and it’s wide open,” he said.

“I will take nothing and no one for granted. I will run with heart. I will run to win.”

He also stressed that as president he would take Washington “out of the business of causing problems.”The phrasing marked a jab at the four US senators in the race – Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham and fellow Florida conservative Marco Rubio – and suggested Americans should seek an outsider with executive experience.

Bush, 62, has been running a de facto campaign for months, raising millions of dollars and boosting his international profile with a trip last week to Europe.

Following his speech in Miami, he will set about trying to prove that, although he comes from a

political dynasty, he is his own man.

While he highlighted his own record, he knocked the Obama administration for what he called the “phone-it-in foreign policy, the Obama-Clinton-Kerry team (that) is leaving a legacy of crises uncontained, violence unopposed, enemies unnamed, friends undefended, and alliances unraveling.”

“You and I know that America deserves better,” he said.

Overcoming ‘W.’ legacy Hillary Clinton is the frontrunner on the Democratic side, with no current close competition.

Nationally, Bush is bunched at the top of most Republican polls, but he is not the dominant figure many had expected.

He finished a dispiriting seventh last month in an Iowa poll, but dismisses his struggles to break free of the pack.

He waded into a quagmire last month when he repeatedly stumbled over whether he would have authorized an invasion of Iraq.

The hiccups highlighted what will likely be one of the candidate’s main challenges: overcoming the legacy of his brother George W. Bush, his unpopular Iraq policy and a second term that ended economic turmoil.

“We’ve already seen what a Bush economy looks like,” Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said.

“Jeb would double down.”

Some voters are less critical of the family name.

“To me the last name brings a lot of respect,” Carlos Musivay, an entrepreneur at Bush’s launch, told AFP. “It also brings the challenges of his brother, but we have to look at Jeb for Jeb,” he added.

“He’s his own person. When he was governor, it wasn’t George W. running Florida.”

Grassroots conservatives have expressed skepticism, saying Bush has not put forward a compelling message since leaving the governorship eight years ago.

His support for comprehensive immigration reform places him to the left of virtually all Republican candidates on the issue, and his backing of national education standards is loathed by the farright.