Weekend balita february 28, 2015 by Balita Media Inc

LOS ANGELES

VOL. XXIII, NO. 4

FEB. 28 - MAR. 6, 2015

THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANS

Obama challenges 2016 hopefuls on immigration Miami, United States (AFP) – US President Barack Obama trained his sights on Republicans and 2016 presidential hopefuls Wednesday, encouraging voters to demand they support immigration reform. Visiting the battleground state of Florida, Obama appealed directly to its large Hispanic community, which overwhelmingly backs measures to grant amnesty to millions of undocumented migrants. “For the next set presidential candidates,” he told a televised town hall meeting, “when they start asking for votes, the first question should be, ‘are you really

going to deport 11 million people? If not, what’s your plan?.’” Obama said that while he could bypass Congress with executive actions granting amnesty to up to five million people, Congress would need to pass laws to make the changes permanent. “We’ve got to pass a bill. The pressure’s got to continue to stay on Congress. The pressure’s got to continue to stay on the Republican Party that is blocking comprehensive immigration reform,” Obama said. In Washington , the US House rejected Republican leadership early Friday, fail-

Bloomberg projects PHL as world’s 2nd fastest economy in 2015

Palace apologizes for Edsa day traffic

MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) – A Bloomberg survey of economists shows the Philippines will be the second fastestgrowing economy in the world this year, second only to Chna. Bloomberg’s survey says the Philippines and China will be the only two economies out of 57 included in the report that will grow 6 percent or more this year. The report is based on average economists’ estimates. Various analysts have said the Philippines is one of the biggest beneficiaries in the world from lower oil prices. “The world is expected to grow 3.2 percent in 2015 and 3.7 percent next year See BLOOMBERG, page 6

ing to approve a three-week extension of Department of Homeland Security funding and setting up a dramatic showdown hours before the agency goes into partial shutdown. Funding for crucial national security programs freezes at Friday midnight. No budget means 30,000 DHS employees will be furloughed, while some 200,000 agency staff, including border agents, will be ordered to work without pay. Keeping the DHS funded is a congressional priority, but it became embroiled in bitter political battle over President Barack

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III leads the wreath-laying ceremony at the EDSA People Power Monument as part of the commemorative activities of the 29th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted the dictatorship and led Corazon C. Aquino to the Presidency.

23,500 electric vehicles to be sold this year, says EVAP MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) -- The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) on Thursday estimated that 23,500 electric vehicles (EVs) are going to be sold this year, bringing to 40,000 the number of EVs rolling on Philippine roads by the end of 2015. The sales forecast encompasses 20,000 e-bikes and e-motorcycles, 3,000 e-trikes, and 500 e-jeepneys, EVAP president Rommel Juan said in a speech at the 4th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit in Pasig City. “We therefore estimate that by end of 2015, we will have a total of about close to 40,000 EVs on Philippine roads,” he said. Around 15,750 EVs were sold last year, including 15,000 e-bikes and e-motorcycles, 500 e-trikes and 250 e-jeepneys. EVAP members sees the e-trike subsector growing by “as much as 500 percent” this year. “The level of growth we are currently experiencing for the industry is unprecedented,” Juan said, noting that the association expects to reach its target of one million EVs by 2020. “We are far from one million EVs but we are getting there at a faster rate and with a greater intensity,” he said. (MNS)

Obama’s immigration plan, which most Democrats support. ‘Out of cards to play’ Republican congresswoman Martha Roby encapsulated the frustration of hardcore conservatives who helped block the temporary measure. Many have sought to use Congress’s power of the purse to rein in what they see as Obama’s executive overreach. “The DHS appropriations bill the Senate sent over was unacceptable. Why? No prohibition of funds for executive amSee CHALLENGE, page 11

MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) – The government will try its best to prevent massive traffic jams similar to what happened during the celebration of the 29th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Uprising, Malacañang said Thursday. “Humihingi kami ng paumanhin sa ating mga kababayan na naipit sa traffic dulot ng pagsasara ng mga daan kahapon,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a Palace briefing. (We apologize to our citizens who were caught up in traffic caused by the closure of roads yesterday.) Many Filipinos were either stuck in traffic or were forced to walk several blocks on Wednesday after parts of Edsa and other See PALACE, page 6

Pacquiao’s Mayweather tactic? ‘Use my left and right’ By Cecil Morella

Manila, Philippines | AFP | Wednesday 2/25/2015 – Underdog Manny Pacquiao said Wednesday he has a simple tactic to beat American favourite Floyd Mayweather in history’s richest fight by two longtime rivals for the planet’s top “poundfor-pound” boxer crown. natural southpaw, Manny Pacquiao has developed his right “Use my left and A hand so well that his past opponents didn’t know where the right (fists),” the Filipino punches were coming from. boxing hero told reporters when asked how he planned to deal with his undefeated foe’s height and reach advantage, as well as famed defensive skills. “If I hurt him I expect him to run. Otherwise he might fight me toe-to-toe.” The Philippines is in the throes of “Pacmania” as the 36-year-old, dubbed “The National Fist” by local media, is set to fly to the United States to train for the May 2 Las Vegas bout. The 38-year-old Mayweather, tipped as the favourite by bookmakers after announcing the megabucks fight last weekend, has not lost any of his 47 fights, in which he has scored 26 knockouts. Pacquiao has 57 victories and five defeats to his name, including two suffered as recently as 2012. He has two draws and 38 knockouts. But he exuded confidence Wednesday as he gave out free pizzas to supporters while preparing for his third game as a basketball player in the Philippines’ top professional league. See PACQUIAO, page 6

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Avoid foreclosure with a loan mod or short sale There are many solutions available to homeowners falling behind on their payments. Most people think Bankruptcy is the only option, short of just letting the Bank take their home. Bankruptcy is a good option, and while it can strip off the second trust deed if the home is upside down in current value, bankruptcy cannot change the terms of payment on the first mortgage. Frequently, we use a combination of strategies including bankruptcy to strip all secondary liens, modify the terms of the first, and convert the adjustable to an affordable fixed loan. as 12-18 months. Some lenders offer workout options. Under Mortgage cancellation Tax Relief Others want you to “catch up” all the Act of 2007 (H.R. 3648) Forgiven debt missed payments first. A few major banks may NOT be taxed. have sent out letters to their borrowers, ofGet more time in your home, and avoid fering to modify and lower the loan balance the threat of immediate eviction pending a if you meet certain qualifications. How- short sale process. ever, in instances where you do not qualify Permanent tax free debt relief. for a loan modification, the home owner It usually takes 1-4 months to complete should definitely consider a “Short Sale”. a short sale; you may remain in your home Short Sale Facts. during this time. If you are facing foreclosure, a short May qualify for Government relocation sale can be a beneficial alternative. It is assistance – up to $3000 an agreement with your bank or mortgage What is a Loan Modification? company, allowing you to sell the property Loan Modification Facts for an amount less than what you owe. A Loan Modification is usually a conUsually, the bank requires an appraisal, version from an adjustable (and unconand will accept an offer that’s relative to the trollable) to a fixed interest loan. It could current fair market value. Unfortunately, also involve changes to one or more of the the seller (current home owner) cannot also following: Interest Rate; Principal Balance be the new buyer. and even forbearance on penalties. It also What are the advantages of a short sale should bring the account current, creating a vs. foreclosure? fresh start for the borrower. There are many The main advantage of a short sale reasons for seeking a Loan Modification, is preventing foreclosure and the conse- however not everyone can qualify. Most quences that foreclosure incorporates. Lenders will tell consumers they do not Short sales are considerably less damag- qualify, or deny the first attempt in order to ing on credit ratings than foreclosures. collect the full amount due. Our law office Remaining on your report for up to 7 to will qualify you according to the lender’s 10 years, a foreclosure is often times more guidelines and negotiate on your behalf to damaging than a bankruptcy, (unless it’s get the lender to accept your situation and included in a bankruptcy), and may take thereby agree to the modification. you 3 years or more to re-qualify for a A loan modification will take the mortnew home loan. While Short sales may gage you now have and change the interest be reported to the credit bureaus, they are rate, terms or payment requirements in noted as “paid in full” or “settled for less order to convert to a fixed rate. Changes than owed” and have far lesser effect on in rates and payments do not require new fico scores. closing costs, legal fees, survey, appraisal, 2013 is a great year to complete a short or taxes. In contrast, if you “refinance” a sale, and get out of a property that is “un- loan you’ll be required to have a closing der water”. Because a short sale allows and be forced to pay a variety of fees and the homeowner to sell their property for taxes. If you are facing the dilemma of owless than the outstanding mortgage debt, ing more than the property is worth, or you it creates a “deficiency”, written off as cannot afford your mortgage payments, a “forgiveness of debt” by the lender. In give us a call. Let’s see what my office years past, debt forgiveness was considered can do for you. taxable income. The lender would send out Some people try this on their own, but a 1099. Imagine adding $200,000 to your get lost in the system and end up with an regular taxable income! unnecessary eviction instead of a workout. However, for 2012 and 2013, the federal That’s why a lawyer makes a difference. government has given us a pass on debt When a lawyer is involved, calls start to forgiveness taxable income on short sales. get answered and the letters responded to. However, it is wildly expected to end in This could make the difference between 2013. (Please note, this column does not keeping your home or losing it. provide tax advice. Always seek advice Get the help you need. Call the Law from a tax professional, when considering Offices of Paul M. Allen, Two locations tax ramifications in property sales) to serve you: Glendale and La Palma. My Short Sale Summary consultations are free, but it is by appointYou can buy another home in as little ment only. Call now at 818-552-4500.

BIR files Php88.54-M tax evasion case against Camp John Hay Leisure MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) an Php88.54-million tax evasion case against Camp John Hay Leisure, Inc. (CJHL, Inc.). Also charged were CJHL, Inc. president Alberto Q. Avancena and financial controllers Rialena E. Magat and Rodeen A. Corpuz. In a press conference, BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares said the respondents were charged for willful attempt to evade or defeat tax, and deliberate failure to supply correct and accurate information in its Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for taxable years 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011 as defined and penalized under Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. CJHL, Inc. is a domestic corporation with primary purpose of carrying on the business of managing, including supervision, operation/administration, and marketing of hotels such as Camp John Hay Manor. Its registered address is at Camp John Hay, Loakan Road, Baguio City. Henares said a comparison and computation of the documents gathered showed that CJHL, Inc. had a gross income of Php34.53 million in 2006, Php40.92 million in 2009, Php39.76 million in 2010, and Php44.52 million in 2011.

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AFP hopes to ‘substantially decimate’ BIFF in 3 months MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is hoping to “substantially decimate” the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in three months. AFP chief of staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the AFP’s all-out offensive aims to neutralize a large number of BIFF troopers in Mindanao, particularly in the rebel group’s strongholds in Maguindanao and North Cotabato. “In three months, hopefully we can substantially decimate them. Kasama na ang leadership,” Catapang said.

Catapang instructed unit commanders to conduct the joint law enforcement operations with the Philippine National Police (PNP) within the framework of the ceasefire mechanisms to avoid clashes with the MILF. The AFP chief also directed the subordinate commanders to support the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units in providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced civilians. According to AFP public information office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, they have information that the BIFF had

been coddling Basit Usman, one of the targets of the January 25 Mamasapano mission where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers were killed. “We are calling on the people help us locate Basit Usman and his cohorts, and also in locating these BIFF members who are continuously using armed violence to attack innocent civilians and communities,” Cabunoc said. The BIFF was formed by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Ameril Umbra Kato, who is opposed to the peace talks between the MILF and the government. (MNS)

FVR says Enrile sick, in isolation since Wednesday MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) – Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile had been isolation since Wednesday after he suffered from an infection, former President Fidel V. Ramos told reporters Thursday. “Kahapon pa may infection, nakaisolate,” Ramos said when asked about Enrile’s condition. Enrile has been found to have pneumonia and was brought to Makati Medical Center before dawn Thursday, the Philippine National Police said. PNP Health Service spokesman Chief Inspector Raymond Santos said that Enrile was transferred to the hospital at 3 a.m. “He needed some lab procedures na walang capability ang (PNP General) Hospital,” Santos said. Santos said the Sandiganbayan, which had ordered Enrile detained in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam, allows such emergency transfers if the PNP

General Hospital does not have the necessary facilities. Ramos and Enrile were two of the key players in the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986 that toppled then President Ferdinand Marcos from power. Ramos, then vice chief of staff and Philippine Constabulary chief, and Enrile who was Defense Minister at that time, withdrew support from Marcos and rallied people to support Corazon Aquino, Marcos’ opponent in the snap presidential elections. Aquino was subsequently installed as president. Both Ramos and Enrile were not present at Wednesday’s commemoration of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Enrile is facing graft and plunder charges for the P10-B pork barrel fund scam allegedly masterminded by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles. He has been detained at the PNP General Hospital since July last year.

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Two of his colleagues, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., are likewise detained at the PNP Custodial Center also in connection with the scam.

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PNP, AFP in symbolic walk of unity MANILA, Feb 25 (Mabuhay) – Hundreds of members of the military and the police walked in unity along EDSA on Wednesday morning to commemorate their historic “convergence” 29 years ago. In 1986, members of the Philippine Constabulary led by then chief Fidel Ramos and soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines led by its then chief Juan Ponce Enrile met in EDSA after both leaders broke their allegiance to President Ferdinand Marcos. The People Power revolt in 1986 gathered different sectors of society to oust the dictator. Marcos was later succeeded by Corazon Aquino, the widow of slain Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and mother of now President Benigno Aquino III. The “walk of unity” also comes a month after the chaotic Mamasapano mission, which led to the deaths of 44 police commandos, members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and several civilians. Philippine National Police had earlier blamed the military for failing to provide immediate help to the police commandos already under attack from armed groups.

DOJ indicts racer’s wife, businessman for Enzo’s killing MANILA, Feb 26 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has found probable cause to indict Domingo “Sandy” De Guzman and Dahlia Pastor for the killing of international race car driver Enzo Pastor in June of last year. In a 13-page resolution, Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva found sufficient evidence to indict Dahlia, Enzo’s wife, for parricide, and De Guzman, for murder. Villanueva’s findings were upheld by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and Prosecutor General Claro Arellano. “[I]t is respectfully recommended that the attached informations for violation of Article 246 (Parricide) and Article (248 (Murder) of the Revised Penal Code be filed against respondents Dahlia Guerrero Pastor and Domingo De Guzman III y Villaruel, respectively. The complaint for violation of Article 250 (Frustrated Murder) of the Revised Penal Code is hereby respectfully dismissed, without prejudice, for insufficiency of evidence,” the resolution read. It may be recalled that earlier, in a separate resolution on the criminal complaint

against alleged gunman PO2 Edgar Angel, the DOJ recommended his indictment for Pastor’s killing, despite his recantation. The DOJ also also dismissed the case against him, also for frustrated murder, for the injuries sustained by Pastor’s assistant, Paolo Salazar, who was with Pastor at the time of the shooting in Quezon City on June 12, 2014g. In that ruling, the DOJ noted that the complaint failed to attach Salazar’s medical records regarding his injuries. Since the dismissal of the frustrated murder rap is “without prejudice,” it may be refiled. De Guzman and Dahlia Pastor, Enzo’s wife, are believed to be the masterminds of the killing. The criminal complaint alleged that De Guzman and his supposed lover, Dahlia, masterminded Enzo’s killing after the latter found about their alleged affair. In his extra-judicial confession, Angel claimed he was paid P100,000 to kill Enzo. Dahlia Pastor was a no-show in the course of the DOJ’s preliminary investigation. The Pastor camp says she has not surfaced ever since her name was dragged in the killing. (MNS)

Australian arrested on sex abuse charges in PHL Manila, Philippines | AFP | Thursday 2/26/2015 – An Australian man charged with multiple child sex offences in the Philippines is also suspected of killing a 12-year-old girl and burying her under his rented apartment, police said Thursday. Gerard Peter Scully was arrested in the southern Philippine city of Malaybalay on February 20 after a three-week stake-out, Angelito Magno, head of that region’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), told AFP. A local court ordered the 51-year-old’s arrest in November last year on charges of rape and human trafficking after two teenage girls were found naked, chained in the bedroom of an apartment he rented, Magno said. Scully is also under criminal investigation in the Netherlands, where his alleged Internet activities selling online pornography were discovered, Magno said. Dutch, Australian and Interpol police had helped track him down. Magno said the skeleton of a girl he allegedly killed two years ago, when she was 12, was dug up on Wednesday in the kitchen of an apartment he had rented in Surigao, another city on the vast southern island of Mindanao. A former girlfriend tipped off authorities that the body was buried there, Magno said, adding that authorities believed he had abused other girls. “Our investigation led us to at least seven other girls that he had abused. His racket has been active for around three years,” Magno said. “He preyed on girls in depressed areas and lured them with the promise of food and clothes.” Scully would film the girls while using sex toys or while performing oral sex on him, according to Magno. He said some of his alleged victims were as young as 12, while the eldest was 18. Scully first arrived in Manila as a tourist in 2011, then moved to urban centres in the country’s impoverished south where he lured girls into his sex dens hidden in rented apartments, according to Magno.

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Pala starts construction of $5-M renovation PALA, CA February 18, 2015. Pala Casino Spa & Resort has started a $5 million construction project that will add new venues to the property and renovate several existing restaurants. It also will add a permanent outdoor stage to Pala’s popular Starlight Theatre. All elements are slated to be completed and open to the public just ahead of the Memorial Day week end. Specific opening dates will be announced. The cornerstone will be CAVE, a new 6,000-square-foot, full-service dining experience, bar, lounge, underground wine cave and entertainment complex. CAVE will build on the success of Mama’s Cucina Italiana, the restaurant it will replace. Mama’s popular Italian Chef Luciano Cibelli and his entire staff will remain to ensure the quality of CAVE’s “Mediterranean cuisine with an Italian flair.” CAVE also will offer an extensive wine list from Napa Valley, Sonoma, France, Italy, and Australia, a wide variety of wines by the glass and a creative selection of large format bottles. The CAVE lounge also will provide an imaginative menu of craft cocktails. The subterranean wine cave will be one of a kind and will provide a unique, elegant setting for wine enthusiasts to enjoy their favorite selection. Atop the wine cave Pala will build a permanent, outdoor concert stage which will host a diverse schedule of head line entertainers in the Starlight Theatre. The spring/summer concert series will kick-off Saturday, May 23 with Queen Nation and Zeppelin USA followed on Friday, May 29 with Creedence Clearwater Revisited. “Chef Luciano’s new CAVE menu will offer many of the authentic Italian dishes

for which Mama’s was well- known, but will add many, new, Mediterranean specialties as well,” said Bill Bembenek, Pala’s chief executive officer. CAVE’s menu will include “small bites” of Beef Tartare, Tuna Crudo, Lamb Carpaccio, Chicken Liver Cognac Pate, Bruschetta and Charcuterie selections of Cured Meats and Cheeses. Appetizers will include Chef Luciano’s family recipes for Octopus, Mussels, Clams, Escargot, Quail and Foie Gras. Cave will also offer fresh pasta dishes and salads while entrées will include Carbonara with Pancetta, Chef’s Daily Ravioli, Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu, Muscovy Duck, Luciano’s Daily Risotto, Prime Filet or Rib-Eye Steaks and daily selections of fresh fish, Shrimp and Lobster. In conjunction with the opening of CAVE, Pala also will unveil Luis Rey’s, a new indoor-outdoor entertainment venue with a patio lounge and bar. Luis Rey’s will bring the scenic, mountain views that are unique to Pala into a comfortable, casual patio bar with live entertainment. Its menu will offer a blend of appetizers from around the U.S. and Mexico to include Pala’s famous Street Tacos, Carne Asada Nachos, Taquitos, Empanadas, Grilled Halibut Tacos, Ahi Tuna Carnitas, Ahi Tuna Poke, Oyster Shooters, Dungeness Crab Cakes, Coconut Shrimp, a selection of Sliders, Wings and Specialty Burgers, Fish and Chips, Beer or Chicken Satay, Egg Rolls, Lettuce Wraps, Fried Frog Legs and additional bar appetizers. Luis Rey’s will also feature a wide variety of local craft beers from San Diego and Mexico, craft cocktails and Tequila. Luis Rey’s guests also will enjoy live bands performing on stage during weekend evenings and holidays.

In landmark decision, US bans two-speed Internet By Rob Lever

Washington, United States | AFP | Thursday 2/26/2015 – US regulators on Thursday approved landmark Internet rules that would prevent broadband providers from separating online traffic into slow and fast lanes. The Federal Communications Commission’s 3-2 vote in favor of so-called “net neutrality” followed an intense debate in Washington pitting backers of online services like Netflix, Twitter and Yelp against big Internet service providers like AT& T and Verizon. The ruling, climaxing a years-long regulatory battle, sets a new standard that treats all Internet traffic as equal, preventing Internet firms from charging fees for better access. Backers said the move guarantees Internet users can roam freely online and prevent any effort to stifle expression, but critics complained it would give the government too much control. FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said the plan would foster a free and open Internet where broadband services cannot be “gatekeepers” for what is available online. “The Internet is the ultimate tool for free expression,” Wheeler said ahead of the vote. “The Internet is too important to allow broadband providers to be making the rules.” Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said the measure would “give those with deep pockets as well as empty pockets the same opportunity to succeed.” Also voting for the plan was Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who said, “We cannot have a two-tiered Internet that speeds the traffic of the privileged

and leaves the rest of us lagging behind.” Internet as public utility The plan unveiled earlier this month by Wheeler regulates broadband Internet service providers as “public utility” carriers, revamping the agency’s rules struck down by a federal court last year. In response to a court decision which said it lacked authority, the FCC reclassified Internet service providers as “common carriers” under a 1934 telecom law, while promising to steer clear of rate regulation and other provisions of that law. The new rule also applies the concept to mobile Internet carriers, preventing them from blocking or throttling content for competitive reasons. President Barack Obama, who urged the FCC in November to adopt rules enshrining the concept of “net neutrality,” welcomed the FCC action, saying it will “protect innovation and create a level playing field for the next generation of entrepreneurs.” The plan prohibits service providers from blocking lawful content or slowing one service, such as streaming video operator Netflix, to support a rival like Hulu. But the years-long battle may not end with the FCC vote. The ruling is likely to face fresh court challenges, and the Republican-controlled Congress could seek to overturn or modify the regulations. Critics say the plan amounts to old-style regulation based on a Depression-era law regulating telephone companies, and that the FCC will be hard-pressed to selectively enforce provisions of the law. ‘Government control’ Commissioner Ajit Pai, one of the two dissenters, said the plan “marks a monumental shift toward government control of the Internet.”

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Homestead students score 78% in the last quarter; RN-to-BSN Homestead Schools located in Torrance, Calif. continued to post consistent results at NCLEX in its vocational nursing program. The results show that 78 percent of its students passed the board exam on the first attempt bringing its annual average to 66 percent. The school is obviously proud of its record but also recognizes that there’s ample room for improvement. Like any corporation in the business world, or a professional sports team in the NFL or NBA, the school has good quarters and bad quarters from time to time, but over the past 8 years the school has maintained a lifetime pass rate of 68 percent for its graduates as first-time NCLEX takers. In the next couple of months the school plans to open three new vocational nursing classes with morning, evening and weekend schedules to accommodate the needs of full- and part-time students. The school has opened a new state-ofthe-art skills lab with mannequins and electronic gear to provide simulated clinical experience to its students. On another note, the school just opened its first RN-to-BSN completion program with in-class and online training programs. Classes are held on Saturdays at its campus in Torrance whereas online instruction is provided in asynchronous mode. Time to complete the program would vary from student to student depending upon previously obtained credits that can be transferred and general education and elective courses already taken, but on average a student will be able to complete the program in 4-5 semesters (16-20 months). More and more hospitals are now requiring its RNs to have at least a BSN education. Needless to say, an RN with a BSN will have a much better chance of landing a desirable, higher-paying job than an RN without one. A report by the Institute of Medicine, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2010), has recommended that healthcare organizations increase their bachelor’s prepared RN staff to 80 percent by 2020. The RN-to-BSN program at Homestead Schools has one of the lowest cost per unit. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. Besides vocational nursing and RN-to-BSN programs the school also offers nurse assisting and medical assisting programs. The school is located at 23800 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90505. (310) 791-9975.

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Charmed by singer/composer Engelbert Humperdinck at the Saban A lovely girlfriend treated some of us to watch the recent one-day showing of Engelbert Humperdinck’s concert at the historic Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. We’ve all heard his popular songs when we were in high school and we were all surprised to see a nostalgic performance and experience the 79-year old Humperdiinck’s charm and enigmatic voice belting out the cherished songs of our youth. Arnold George Dorsey (Humperdinck’s real name), was born in “Madras, British India (now Chennai, India), on May 2, 1936. He was one of the 10 children to British Army NCO Mervyn Dorsey, who was of Irish descent after, he began playing saxophone in and his wife Olivia, who was of German nightclubs, but he is believed not to have descent. Their family moved to Leicester, tried singing until he was seventeen, when England when he was ten years old He friends coaxed him into entering a pub soon showed interest in music and began contest; His impression of Jerry Lewis learning to play the saxophone. Soon prompted friends to call him “Gerry Dors-

ey,” a name he used for almost a decade.” Dorsey’s music career was interrupted when he had to serve in the British Army Royal Corps of Signals but when he was discharged, he had the opportunity to record with Decca Records in 1958 with his first single, “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.” Though that single wasn’t a hit, he continued working the nighclub circuit until 1961 when he was stricken with tuberculosis for a short while, until he “regained his health and went back to nightclub work with little success.” “In 1965, Dorsey teamed up with Gordon Mills, his former roommate in the Bayswater area of London, who had become the music impresario and manager of Tom Jones. Aware that Dorsey had been struggling for several years to become successful in the music industry, Mills suggested a name - change” to the more powerful sounding “Engelbert Humperdinck,” borrowed from the 19th century composer of operas such as “Hansel and Gretel” Thus, Dorsey adopted the name “professionally but not legally” giving way for Mills arranging a “new deal with Decca Records and he performed under his new name except in Germany where he can only use “Engelbert” as a stage name because the former composer’s family has disallowed his use of the full name.” Consequently, Engelbert Humperdinck’s career plummeted, including filming a music video in Belgium with his song “Dommage, Dommage,” and in the mid-60’s he collaborated with another famous German songwriter named Bert Kaemfert in his house in Spain where they recorded the three-song arrangements of “ Spanish Eyes,” “Strangers in the Night,” and “Wonderland By Night.” “Realizing the single record potential of “Strangers in the Night” Humperdinck asked his manager Gordon Mills if he can release the song as a single, but his request was refused, because the song had already been requested by Frank Sinatra.” However, the “changes paid off in the end when Humperdinck’s version of “Release Me” was recorded in a smooth ballad-style with full chorus joining him on the third

Engelbert Humperdinck

refrain, and this made the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic and number one in Britain. “ Humperdinck’s “Release Me” single ran “56 weeks in the Top Ten charts and was believed to have sold 85,000 copies a day at the height of its popularity, and for years it was the best known of his songs. His easygoing style and good looks earned him a large following, particularly among women.” He went on to record other hit singles such as: “There Goes My Everything,” “The Last Waltz,” “A Man Without Love,” “Am I That Easy To Forget,” :The Way It Used To Be,” “I’m a Better Man” (with Burt Bacharach anf Hal David), and “Winter World of Love.” Appearing in a dramatic red silk open buttoned-shirt and a black tux, a lot of us in the audience sang with him as he sang his popular songs: “Am I That Easy to Forget,” “A Man Without Love,” “Quando, Quando,” “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” The Shadow of Your Smile,” “Secret Love,” “After The Lovin’,” “Stranger in Paradise” and of course, “Release Me.” The crowd was just overwhelmed toward the end of his two-hour show. It was really an evening filled with the memorable songs of yesteryears. Engelbert Humperdinck goes on a world tour. Catch his show when you can. I promise you an evening full of memories.

BLOOMBERG From page 1

after expanding 3.3 percent in each of the past two years, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists. China, the Philippines, Kenya, India and Indonesia, which together make up about 16 percent of global gross domestic product, are all forecast to grow more than 5 percent in 2015,” Bloomberg said.

Malaysia, an oil producer that is being hit by lower oil prices, will see growth slow from 6 percent to less than 5 percent. Also in the top 5 are Kenya and Nigeria. Many economists are pointing to Africa as the next fast-growth region after Asia. (MNS)

PALACE From page 1

roads were closed for the said celebration. “Sa susunod na pagkakataon maglalabas ng mas maaga at mas kumpletong abiso hinggil sa mga alternate routes na maaring daanan upang wag dumanas ulit ng malaking abala at sakripisyo sa matinding trapik,” Coloma added. (Next time we’ll release an earlier and more comprehensive advisory about alternate routes that motorists can take to avoid delays caused by heavy traffic.)

Asked if the heavy traffic, which many netizens complained about, was the fault of the government, Coloma said the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority released their advisories two weeks before the Edsa celebration. “Ganunpaman, kinikilala niya (MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino) na pwede namang ma-improve pa ‘yon, at ayon nga sa kanya sa susunod na pagkakataon ay gagawin nila ang nararapat,” the Secretary added.

PACQUIAO

oldest player in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He said he would also hit the court again on Saturday, hours before his US flight. “My Lord, my God, He is the Creator of everything. He knows everything,” he added, pointing to the ceiling and repeating his mantra that God will keep him from harm. Unlike his boxing, however, Pacquiao’s basketball career has been underwhelming.

From page 1

His determination to play for his Kia Carnival team has raised fears he might get injured before the fight, which US media report could net him an $80 million pay cheque. “I know what I’m doing,” said the 1.69-metre (5-foot 6-inch) Pacquiao, a devout Christian who is also the shortest and

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OC Fil-Am Chamber, Tacloban execs, GMA Foundation in fundraiser More than a year after Super Typhoon Yolanda unleashed her fury on residents of coastal towns along its path in the Visayan area of the Philippines, many victims still grapple with the reality of not being able to return to normal living. Dozens of countries and well-meaning organizations around the world came to the rescue as soon as the weather cleared up to help in the massive effort in the aftermath of the typhoon that claimed the lives of more 6,000 people with many more still missing. to dig deeper in their hearts to help the Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philip- victims of the calamity. pines as Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and his wife, Council-member Cristina that also devastated portions of Southeast Gonzalez, will be drumming up for more Asia and the strongest storm ever recorded compassion with Tacloban City “still to hit landfall needing the help with more survivors Driven by media coverage of one of the still living in tents more than a year after most powerful storms in recorded history, Haiyan.” the international community mobilized It will be recalled that Alred and Crison a historic scale to help survivors of tina had recently met with the Taclobanons Yolanda. in Los Angeles at Josephine Cerritos to Credit it to the extraordinary resilience appeal for their help for their townmates. of the Filipinos though, more than a year The duo is expected to again rally them after the devastation, the flattened areas in supporting the massive rehabilitation are slowly being rebuilt brick by brick, effort. stone by stone and many lives have been FACCOC president Elena Lapidpermanently scarred by the calamity. Salonga, who shares the passion for helpMany sectors are still on the site helping the typhoon victims, has appealed to ing out the victims. Fil-Am entrepreneurs at the recent Small The Yolanda aftermath has become a Business Summit of Chamber at the galvanizing tragedy that moved people Bowers Museum in Santa Ana in Orange even in the entertainment world to pitch in County to help in the fundraising project to help through many fundraising events. as part of the community outreach of the On March 14, at the Radisson Hotel in association, although this is not the first Uptown Whittier, the Filipino American time that the organization is joining in Chamber of Commerce, GMA Kapuso the effort to rehabilitate the victims of Foundation and the provincial executives the calamity. or tickets to the fundraiser, of Leyte province, one of the hardest hit please contact Maarcella (949)701-1029/ coastal areas of Typhoon Yolanda, are Elena (626) 327-1907 or log in to www. joining efforts to appeal to the attendees faccoc.org.

“Love for Tacloban”: As the massive rehabilitation efforts for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City continues, local provincial executives of the province will be joining the OC Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce and GMA Kapuso Foundation in raising the needed funds for the effort. Mayor Romualdez and his wife, Councilor Cristinas Romualdez, were in the Los Angeles area recently to drum up support from their fellow Taclobanons at a fundraiser.

Aquino approves six-month extension of deadline for Martial Law claims application Three months after the November 10, 2014 deadline expiration, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has approved Joint Resolution No. 3 extending for six months the deadline for Martial Law claims application to May 2015. Joint Resolution No. 3 is the consolidation of Senate Joint Resolution No. 10 and House Joint Resolution No. 16. “The enactment of the law is a crucial victory for the families and victims of human rights violations during the Martial Law period whose hope and opportunity to file their claims for reparation and redress for the sacrifices and sufferings they endured in the past were blighted by the November 2014 deadline,” Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez. “With the new deadline, we ensure that all legitimate claimants, particularly those

who are now in their final years and those who are living in the far-flung areas, are given the vital time and full opportunity to file their claims with the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board,” the lawmaker added. Gutierrez said that an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 legitimate claimants are yet to file their claims for reparation under Republic Act No. 10368, or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013. “Even as a new deadline is set, we, however, continue to urge the various grassroots-based civil society organizations located across the country to support the Board in reaching out to all the victims, many of whom have no access to public information on Martial Law claims and the Claims board,” the Akbayan solon said.

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Will increased rates help the real estate market? This is one topic that is confusing to many, you hear it all the time on the news . Will the Fed lower rates? Will the Fed raise rates? The most important question of all, of course, is: how does it affect me or the Real Estate Market? A little background is in order. The Federal Reserve is the central banking system of the United States, and as such acts to preserve the stability of the monetary system. In other words, it s primary somewhat conflicting goals is to keep inflation to a minimum, and maintain economic growth. In order to do this, it has several weapons at that people put in their savings accounts its disposal. It can directly buy or sell gov- and lends it out to other people. In actuality, ernment securities such U.S. Treasury bills a bank can lend out up to ten times as much and savings bonds, thus directly creating money as it owns! (1) Daily fluctuations, or taking money out of circulation. It can as people deposit and withdraw money, change the required reserve rate of United lead to some banks having more money States banks. Most famously, it can change than they need on hand, and other banks the federal funds rate. not having enough. There’s a market for The federal funds rate, in a nutshell, this, where banks lend each other money is the interest banks must pay to borrow overnight. It’s a capitalist system; banks money from each other. A common mis- bid and offer different amounts of interest conception is that banks take the money to borrow money. The federal funds rate is the target rate for this overnight lending. The Federal Reserve attempts to influence the rate by becoming a buyer or seller itself; it cannot just dictate what the rate will be. Why does this all matter? It’s a very broad way for the Federal Reserve to influence the economy. The cheaper it is for banks to borrow money, the cheaper they can loan it to borrowers themselves. If they are paying 5.25% (the current target federal funds rate) to borrow money, you had better believe they are not going to loan it out to people for 5%. They’d be losing money on every loan they made! Instead, they charge a little bit for you to borrow it, and that’s how banks make money. As the old joke goes, banking is a 3-6-3 job… borrow at 3%, lend at 6%, then get to the golf course by 3 o’clock. Now suppose you are looking to buy a house for $400,000, putting 20% ($80,000) down. You can get a simple 30-year fixed mortgage for the remaining $320,000 at 4.23% for $1,570.47/month. Now let’s assume that the Fed thinks that the economy is growing too quickly, and suddenly

raises the fed funds rate by one percentage point. Banks, who were used to borrowing money at 5.25%, are now borrowing at 6.25%. Again, they’re not going to loan you money at 4.23% since they would lose money with every loan they made. They’ll eventually be forced to start loaning at, say, 6.25%. If you got the same mortgage terms as before, you’d be paying $399.82/ month! Since most homebuyers tend to look at their monthly payment instead of at the entire purchase price of the house, they’re going to be more hesitant to buy that house, or they won’t want to pay as much. In order to pay the same amount per month as before, they would need to knock about $15,000-30,000.00 off the purchase price of the house. In the long run, the price of real estate would tend to stabilize or drop. More likely than not, it would stabilize, since for expensive items such as real estate, sellers tend not to drop their price rapidly, but prefer to let the “real” price (what others are offering) catch up to their selling price. On the other hand, if the Fed wanted to help the economy grow more quickly, they could lower the rate by a percentage point to 3.25% and that mortgage’s monthly payments would now be $1392.67. People would be able to afford more house for the same amount of money, and the prices of real estate would increase. People would be more inclined to borrow money to buy property, and more houses would be built and bought by people seeing the prices

of houses increasing rapidly. This would also cause many secondary effects, such as creating an increased demand for lumber, brick, and other building materials. This is actually how the government quick reaction help the economy avoid a super depression back in the 08-09’s. The Feds has since kept rates low to help boost the economy, I should say they have done a good job. But the party is closing to an end just like anything, the rates will have to start to rise, it will rise slowly but surely. Of course, the federal funds rate is only one factor in determining the prices of real estate. The location of the property, the time of year, whether or not the house has furniture in it, and a thousand other variables all combine to create the selling price of the house. All that said, knowing how the federal funds rate affects your real estate holdings is an important piece of the pricing puzzle. We learn from other countries, vise versa therefore we definitely need to learn from Japan, the Fed Fund rate of Japan has been at abnormal low rates since 2009 and there comes a time where its no longer helping but actually hurting its economy. Fed Chair Yellens job is to avoid that part where the lowering of Fed Funds rates now has to rise to help the other sector benefit for a slightly higher borrowing rate. Thanks for your inquiries and comments, please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance at 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net.

French president visits typhoon-hit Guiuan By Hervé Asquin

Guiuan, Philippines | AFP | Friday 2/27/2015 – French President Francois Hollande met survivors of one of the world’s strongest typhoons in a remote Philippine coastal town on Friday, seeking to sound a global alarm on climate change ahead of a crucial UN summit. Hollande is on a two-day trip to the Southeast Asian archipelago, regarded as a frontline state in the struggle against global warming, as part of his campaign to build diplomatic momentum ahead of the Paris summit in December. The French president is determined to broker an historic pact in Paris to save the world from catastrophic impacts of climate change, and he went to the storm-battered Philippines to highlight those feared consequences. “My visit is not only as president of the Republic of France, but also as a member of the international community which is mobilising to succeed at the Paris summit,” Hollande said in Guiuan in the far east of the Philippines. The small fishing community of Guiuan was one of the first towns hit when Super Typhoon Haiyan roared in from the Pacific Ocean 15 months ago with the strongest winds ever recorded on land. Haiyan then swept across already deeply impoverished farming and fishing communities of the central Philippines, leaving more than 7,350 dead or missing in the world’s deadliest natural disaster of 2013. The Philippines endures about 20 major storms or typhoons every year but scientists say they are getting stronger and more unpredictable because of climate change, and that this will likely mean more Haiyanlike disasters. In Guiuan, Hollande met fishermen who lost their homes during Haiyan, walked past the remains of a destroyed church and spoke at an elementary school with a roof still missing after being torn off during the typhoon. “I’m here with you, in Guiuan, to show the entire world the devastation from the typhoon you have suffered,” he said. Forty-year-old fisherman Jessie Bisaya said he was awestruck when Hollande shook his hand next to a seaside row of shanties where he lives.

President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges views with French President François Hollande on Thursday (February 26) in Malacañang. The State visit is a first by an incumbent President of France to the country since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1947. (MNS photo)

“I’ve never seen a foreign leader before. We are happy and honoured that he visited our town,” Bisaya told AFP from his cramped home made entirely out of tarpaulin that he shares with eight other family members. “Life has been tough since Yolanda (Haiyan). We have not fully recovered. It can get really hot inside this house and we sleep packed like sardines.” Hollande, the first French head of state to visit the Philippines, brought a highprofile delegation with him, including French actresses Marion Cotillard and Melanie Laurent. The Hollywood stars, as well as Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, travelled with him to Guiuan. Joint appeal In a joint appeal for climate change action in Manila on Thursday, Hollande and Philippine President Aquino emphasised that Filipinos had “endured an unprecedented series of extreme weather events in the last few years”. The main message in their appeal was for world leaders to secure a “universal, equitable and ambitious climate deal” in Paris to contain climate change. Hollande presented the appeal as a show of unity that could serve as a model in the lead-up to Paris for rich and poor nations, whose divisions led to a similar effort at a UN summit in Copenhagen in 2009 ending in disarray. The goal of the planned Paris pact, which must enter into force by 2020, is to limit warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels.

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Senior about to retire seeks discharge of $85k credit card debt Client files Chapter 7 to stop eviction and discharge $70k second trust deed; Obama fights back to lift injunction on amnesty SENIOR WILL DISCHARGE $85K CREDIT CARDS Client has been working as a registered nurse for 30 years, and is now 65 years old. Her pay scale is good. She grosses $10K a month, and nets after taxes and 401K deductions about $7,500. Ten years ago, her 25-year marriage ended in divorce when her then husband decided that he did not want to be married anymore. He suffered a heart attack when he was visit ing his country of origin. There, a young nurse, 15 years younger than him, took very good care of him. Since he have $450K of cash and liquid investments. had to stay and recuperate, husband hired the She has decided further, to retire in her home young nurse for full time care. They stayed in a country after obtaining her discharge. She family home near the beach for 3 months. The intends to buy a condo there paying a cash beach life appealed to him greatly and slowly price of $120K and enjoy her retirement with but surely he fell in love with his caregiver. her new husband. I guess new husband got a The heart attack made him think a lot about his sweetheart deal with client being as it is that mortality. He decided that he did not want to he wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to work anymore and live a life return to America any more. He just wanted to of ease in the islands. live by the beach with his caregiver girlfriend, STOPPING EVICTION & DISCHARGand forget about his hectic lifestyle in America. ING 2ND TD OF $70K He filed for divorce from Client, and agreed Client purchased a house in Los Angeles to pay for half of their $50K of credit card debt for $500K zero down. The 2nd of $70K was in the marital settlement agreement. Client used to finance the down payment of the house. kept their residence in Torrance, which had a Client purchased house with joint tenant. They mortgage of $500K. He relinquished his claim live in the house together but are not legally on clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $200K retirement account. Back in married to each other. 1st mortgage payment the islands, he forgot about his obligation to is $3K a month. 2nd TD payment is $800 a pay for half of their credit cards, and did not month. Client lost his job 4 years ago. Partner pay a single cent on these cards. As a result, is not able to pay the first and 2nd by herself. client had to pay $1700 monthly for the last They used to split the payments half/half. 10 years to keep these cards current. Clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Partner who is still employed and makes $5K mother became ill with cancer 5 years ago in a month with a government job requested for her home country. She had no medical insur- loan modification, which was denied by bank ance. Client used her credit cards to pay for twice. So, mortgages have not been paid for motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medicals and hospitalization. When 3 years. No mortgage or rent for 3 years, not mother died last year, Client paid for her burial too bad. Last week, the first mortgage files a and had to send more money to her brothers lawsuit for eviction since the residence was and sisters who had families but insufficient foreclosed in December 2015 against client income. All told, clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credit card debt in- and his partner. Client has minimal credit card creased to the current level of $85K requiring debt but now owes the $70K 2nd TD as unse$2600 a month of minimum payments. Her cured debt. Client decides to file Chapter 7 to house, which has equity of $150K, requires a stop eviction in the meantime, and to discharge mortgage payment of $3K. Client remarried the 2nd TD of $70K. 3 years ago, also to a younger man who made OBAMA FIGHTS BACK TO LIFT INa third of her income. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s JUNCTION ON AMNESTY the major income earner. The OBAMA AMNESTY which allows Client will be 66 in 4 months, and will people who are here without legal status proretire. When she retires her income will be vided they have a qualifying child who is an $2500 a month. As you can readily see, even American citizen or legal permanent resident, the credit card payment on $85K of debt is to get a work permit valid for 3 years and more than her retirement income. Client now renewable for periods of 3 years per renewal seeks a Chapter 7 discharge of all her credit is temporarily stopped. People who entered as card debt. Thereafter, she will sell her house minors below the age of 16 and who graduated in Torrance, and keep the $150K of equity. from a US high school or obtained a GED also Her 401K is now worth $300K. So, she will qualify. Applications will be decided by the

Embezzlement & shoplifting: When good people do bad things; Two crimes of moral turpitude When times are hard and when we see others enjoy their new gadgets and toys, the temptation to take what is not ours may overwhelm oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better self. Through the years, I have had to represent many of our kababayan who, for one reason or another, have been criminally accused of embezzlement or shoplifting. I know deep down these persons were otherwise deep down are good people. It is not my job to pass moral judgment. My job is to analyze their circumstance and craft the best legal strategy I can muster to achieve the best result for my client. It is the prosecutionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. My client, the accused, has certain basic rights under the constitutionincluding that to remain silent, to be able to confront his accusers and to effective counsel. Often you would have a police report which narrates the events from the point of view of the arresting officers. Many times, the reportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s account of the events will contain sufficient inaccuracies and conflicting information that will have to be pursued. Major department store owners often will have loss prevention departments whose jobs it is to watch shoppers and employees through cameras located throughout the store. Part of the evidence often will be a videotape of some sort. The evidence could either implicate or may even cast some doubt into the accuserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story. Many times my client may find themselves unwittingly making statements . Often these statements are said to have been made â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;voluntarilyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and after their Miranda rights have been given but in many situations, it is just not so. The alleged items or

USCIS on a case-by-case basis. Documented entries with passports and I-94â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, or undocumented entries through the border, or otherwise undocumented, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter as long as AMNESTY requirements are met. Last week, A Federal judge in Texas decided to issue an injunction to stop the implementation of the executive order. The President states that the Department of Justice will ask the judge for an emergency stay in the next few days, asking him to reverse himself. Will he reverse himself, probably not? The next step will be to appeal the injunction to the 5th Circuit. If the Injunction is lifted, both DAPA and DACA will be going full blast. DACA will proceed immediately, and DAPA by May 28. What are the chances that the 5th Circuit will lift the stay? Most legal experts expect that Court of Appeals will lift the injunction, although this may take a couple of months, and even though the majority of the 5th Circuit are conservatives because the weight of legal

authority supports the executive order. Prospective applicants should continue preparing and collecting documentary and other proof to show that they comply with requirements under DACA or DAPA. ONE SERAPHIM CRIED TO ANOTHER AND SAID: â&#x20AC;&#x153;HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS; HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF HIS GLORY!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ISAIAH 6:3. Lawrence Bautista Yang is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and has been in law practice for thirty years. He specializes in bankruptcy, business and civil litigation and has handled more than five thousand successful bankruptcy cases in California. He speaks Tagalog and looks forward to discussing your case with you personally. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave, MAILSTOP 58, Building A-1 SUITE 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803 OR at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

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their amounts may also be exaggerated in order to better extract an admission or confession from the accused. False promises or guarantees of leniency may have been made in order to get them to talk. Finally, an advocateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to achieve a good result for his client is often affected not only the quality of the evidence against his client but on the particular jurisdiction in which court the case lies. If you find yourself facing criminal charges for embezzlement or theft, you also may have certain immigration issues to consider. It is to your best interest to consult with a lawyer with regards to your rights and defense under the circumstances. Our office is ready, willing and able to assist and represent you in these criminal matters. Please contact us at your most reasonable convenience for a consultation. Attorney Miguel Inumerable is a graduate of UCLA Law School and has more than 25 years experience serving the Filipino community. He is bilingual in Tagalog and English. His areas of practice includes Family Law (divorce, custody, support, restraining orders) Bankruptcy, Business Litigation, Immigration and Deportation, Probate and Criminal and Regulatory Law.

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Double-check your ‘fixed salary’ status – You may be owed back wages! (Part 2)

Last week, we discussed the case of a class of “Review Appraisers,” employed by Bank of America (BoA), who recently obtained approval of a settlement for $5.8 million. The employees, who primarily proofread appraisal reports generated by staff appraisers, claimed they were misclassified as ‘exempt’ from overtime and from taking meal and rest breaks. As appraisers, they often work more than 60 hours per week, with barely any meal or rest breaks, exemption does not apply to them because without compensation. They sued BoA to this exemption relates to occupations recover overtime and missed meal and rest where an advanced degree or prolonged period wages, penalties, and interest. course of academic study is required (such The employer argued that the apprais- as in the case of doctors, attorneys, CPAs, ers are exempt employees because they etc.). Appraisers generally can become apare learned professionals. The employees praisers with only a high school diploma, countered that the learned professional several weeks of classes and some on-the-

job training. For employees to be exempt from overtime pay under the Learned Professional Exemption, the employees must be paid no less than twice the state minimum wage. More importantly, the employees must regularly exercise discretion and independent judgment in the performance of their duties. Employees under the Learned Profession exemption are primarily engaged in work that either: (A) requires knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study, or (B) is predominantly intellectual and varied in character (as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work) and the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time. Employees described as “learned” professionals typically possess an advanced degree based on a prolonged course of specialized intellectual study. In California, the eight recognized professions are law, medicine, dentistry, optometry, architecture, engineering, accounting, and teaching. The term ‘customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellec-

tual instruction’ limits the exemption to professions where specialized academic training is a requirement to enter into the profession. The employee meets this criteria if the employee has the appropriate academic degree. It may also apply to employees who have substantially the same knowledge level and the same work as employees with degrees, but who attained the advanced knowledge through a combination of work experience and intellectual instruction. Employees should not simply accept the employer’s designation that they are exempt from overtime. If they exercise limited discretion and judgment in their work, or they seem to be doing the same routine tasks on a daily basis, they may wish to consult with an attorney to find out if they are owed back wages after all. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is trial attorney who has obtained several million dollar recoveries for his clients against insurance companies and employers. He has been selected as a Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, featured in the cover of Los Angeles Daily Journal’s Verdicts and Settlements, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center Washington, D.C. and the University of the Philippines. Visit his website at www.joesayaslaw.com or contact his office at (818) 291-0088 for a no-cost inquiry.]

Certain H1-B dependent spouses now allowed to work DHS to grant H-4 dependent spouses of nonimmigrant workers seeking green cards WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director León Rodríguez announced today that, effective May 26, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending eligibility for employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking employment-based lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. DHS amended the regulations to allow these H-4 dependent spouses to accept employment in the United States. Finalizing the H-4 employment eligibility was an important element of the immigration executive actions President Obama announced in November 2014. Extending eligibility for employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants is one of several initiatives underway to modernize, improve and clarify visa programs to grow the U.S. economy and create jobs. “Allowing the spouses of these visa holders to legally work in the United States makes perfect sense,” Rodríguez said. “It helps U.S. businesses keep their highly skilled workers by increasing the chances these workers will choose to stay in this country during the transition from temporary workers to permanent residents. It also provides more economic stability and better quality of life for the affected families.” Eligible individuals include certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who: Are the principal beneficiaries of an approved Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; or Have been granted H-1B status under sections 106(a) and (b) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 as amended by the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act. The Act permits H-1B nonimmigrants seeking lawful permanent residence to work and remain in the United States beyond the six-year

limit on their H-1B status. DHS expects this change will reduce the economic burdens and personal stresses H-1B nonimmigrants and their families may experience during the transition from nonimmigrant to lawful permanent resident status, and facilitate their integration into American society. As such, the change should reduce certain disincentives that currently lead H-1B nonimmigrants to abandon efforts to remain in the United States while seeking lawful permanent residence, which will minimize disruptions to U.S. businesses employing them. The change should also support the U.S. economy because the contributions H-1B nonimmigrants make to entrepreneurship and science help promote economic growth and job creation. The rule also will bring U.S. immigration policies more in line with those laws of other countries that compete to attract similar highly skilled workers. Under the rule, eligible H-4 dependent spouses must file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with supporting evidence and the required $380 fee in order to obtain employment authorization and receive a Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD). USCIS will begin accepting applications on May 26, 2015. Once USCIS approves the Form I-765 and the H-4 dependent spouse receives an EAD, he or she may begin working in the United States. USCIS estimates the number of individuals eligible to apply for employment authorization under this rule could be as high as 179,600 in the first year and 55,000 annually in subsequent years. USCIS reminds those potentially eligible that this rule is not considered effective until May 26, 2015. Individuals should not submit an application to USCIS before the effective date, and should avoid anyone who offers to assist in submitting an application to USCIS before the effective date. For more information on USCIS and its programs or about this rule and filing procedures, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Facebook (/uscis), Twitter (@ uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

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President Barack Obama shows the Resolute Desk to a group of DREAMers, following their Oval Office meeting in which they talked about how they have benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Feb. 4, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Uncertainty dogs Obama’s immigration plans Washington, United States | AFP | Wednesday 2/25/2015 – US President Barack Obama faces a tough political and legal battle to drive through an amnesty for five million illegal immigrants, but uncertainty may prove as big a hurdle as Congress or the courts. Sitting opposite Obama in the Oval Office on February 4, 19-year-old Mexicoborn Steven Arteaga felt confident his mother, an illegal immigrant, would soon be able to come out of the shadows. Arteaga himself received protection from deportation in 2013, part of an Obama initiative to grant amnesty to kids brought over the border. Last November, Obama issued a presidential order extending the program to a bigger pool of undocumented youngsters, and to the undocumented parents of American citizens. Because Arteaga’s sister was born in the United States, his mother – who has been living illegally in the United States for almost two decades – could now come forward. “It really meant a great deal for me,” Arteaga told AFP. “Growing up, I would always have a fear that either I would come home and she wouldn’t be there, or I wouldn’t make it home – that something would happen and one of us might get deported.” When the Department of Homeland Security was to start accepting applications on February 18, he was ready to file his mother’s request. But while Arteaga sat in the White House, highlighting the people behind the policies, Republicans fought a rear-guard action in court and in Congress to overturn the extension. Two days before the program’s start, 26 states – all but two Republican-governed – convinced a Texas judge to block Obama’s order. Republicans accused him of effectively ruling by decree. “The president said 22 times he did not have the authority to take the very action on immigration he eventually did,” said House Speaker John Boehner. “So it is no surprise that at least one court has agreed.” Obama’s Justice Department has said it will appeal, but the issue is likely to be in limbo before a higher court takes up the case. “It probably does need to get to the Supreme Court,” said Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. “The actions that the president wants to undertake are illegal. This is a pretty funda-

mental question of separation of powers, it really is a constitutional question.” Political fight On Wednesday, Obama will make the political case for reform in Miami, a city with a huge Hispanic population in an electoral battleground state that is likely to prove pivotal in 2016’s presidential vote. He will host a town hall meeting that will be televised on Telemundo, a Spanishlanguage network. The White House has argued that the law and history are on its side. But that may mean little for millions of undocumented immigrants for whom protracted wrangling just means more uncertainty. “I was intending to apply,” said 34-yearold Florida resident Ivan Reyes, who was brought to the United States when he was 10. “They stopped it, now I can’t. I am in shock. All my friends have papers, I’m the only one who doesn’t.” “I knew that something was going to happen, something always happens. Every time we are going to get something, something happens.” Activists have warned political and legal reverses could make scare undocumented migrants, pushing them further into the shadows. The court ruling could “confuse potentially eligible immigrants and undermine the success of these initiatives,” said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. Arteaga acknowledged it is possible a post-2016 administration could overturn the amnesty, making him vulnerable to deportation or prosecution. But it is a risk he is willing to take. “I believe that is a possibility, but I also believe that any candidate that goes through with it will be committing political suicide.” “The Latino population is getting bigger and bigger here in the United States,” he said. “If four million apply, they can’t take it away.”

CHALLENGE From page 1

nesty,” Roby posted on Twitter. A measure linking the immigration plan freeze with the funding of critical national security programs passed the House last month, but Senate Democrats repeatedly blocked it, demanding that the two issues be split. Senate Republicans conceded, with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cutting the immigration language from the DHS spending measure.

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Struggling with debt: What are you prepared to do? In this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article, I would like to address a bad habit that we all tend to have at times. In dealing with debt, it can mean the difference between failure and success. What am I referring to? I am referring to this nasty habit called â&#x20AC;&#x153;procrastinationâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Procrastinationâ&#x20AC;? is defined by the dictionary as â&#x20AC;&#x153;putting off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or lazinessâ&#x20AC;?. Ouch. If you are offended by this definition because it describes how you are dealing financial situation. Their home is in forewith a certain situation in your life at this closure and are at least 6 months behind in moment, then you can stop reading at this paying all their bills. Collectors are calling point. But I have a feeling that if you are and are threatening to sue. Two months going to be honest enough with yourself, ago, when the situation was less serious acknowledging what you have done wrong than it is now, they went to see a couple of up to this point would make an excellent attorneys for advice on what to do. And first step towards turning your situation guess what this couple decided to do right around for the better. after that? (Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to believe this A couple came to see me regarding their one) They went on vacation for a month!

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right! They told me that they had already planned this vacation a long time ago and that it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;too much workâ&#x20AC;? to change their plans and re-schedule. Can you believe that? Their home is in foreclosure and they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that this was urgent enough to change their vacation plans. Now, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been around for a month since they got back from vacation and are just now seeing me. The reason: They said that they just hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t â&#x20AC;&#x153;found the timeâ&#x20AC;? to take care of this situation until now. I can understand how people sometimes get crippled with fear when facing a financial crisis and they are simply afraid to take any kind of action. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another thing to continue putting off something that you need to do when you already know that by not doing anything, things can easily go from bad to downright ugly. In my work as a bankruptcy attorney over the last 10 years, I have met two kinds of people: the â&#x20AC;&#x153;whinersâ&#x20AC;? and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;doersâ&#x20AC;?. The whiners do nothing but complain about how bad things are. They have been to different attorneys for advice and they know exactly what

they need to do. However, they simply procrastinate until their situation becomes a financial emergency. They seem oblivious to the imminent threat to their financial security. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;doersâ&#x20AC;?, on the other hand, are the people who â&#x20AC;&#x153;walk the talkâ&#x20AC;? and make things happen. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see themselves as victims and they know that â&#x20AC;&#x153;if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all up to me.â&#x20AC;? Ask yourself: Are you a â&#x20AC;&#x153;whinerâ&#x20AC;? or a â&#x20AC;&#x153;doerâ&#x20AC;?? I think only you can answer that question. Until next time. If you are under a lot of financial stress and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to do, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to help you figure out the best way to get your finances back in order again.. Call us for a free consultation at Toll-Free 1-888752-8211. We have offices in Pasadena, Cerritos and Valencia. (None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped more than 5,000 clients in finding solutions to their debt problems. To schedule a free attorney consultation, please call RJB LAW OFFICES at TOLL FREE 1-888-752-8211).

Valid work permit may not be required under caring for children class Q. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a live-in caregiver but did not complete my 24 months of work experience within the four years of my arrival. I therefore never applied for permanent residence and my work permit has expired. I do not want to return to the Philippines as my new employer really needs me. How do I get my status back? Can I apply to stay in Canada on humanitarian reasons? A.Yes, applying under compassionate grounds is an option but per- trend in express entry draws, you will have haps you should investigate whether you seen that the last three draws included apcan apply under the new caregiver rules. plicants with scores of about 800 / 1200. Upon review, it appears that a person does This translates into applicants who were not need to hold a valid work permit to successful in obtaining job offers. You qualify. That is not to say that those with have not indicated if you have a job offer no status will automatically be approved or not. Assuming you do not have one then (since it is a violation of the rules to remain you will likely score much lower than 800. in Canada illegally) but there is no statutory That is the bad news. The good news, in requirement to apply under this new class. my opinion, is that the threshold numbers In my opinion, it perhaps opens the door for are coming down and time will tell at one people who lost their status and do not cur- point they will fall. It is unjust to exclude rently hold a valid work permit. It should qualified applicants like you who easily be noted that the live in caregiver class does qualified under the previous Canada Exindeed have a statutory requirement to hold perience Class which did not require a job a valid work permit at all times. Second, if offer. If you do get selected under express you worked for 24 months by now, it may entry by mid 2016, you must obtain a be something you should research in lieu labour marker impact assessment (LMIA) of the humanitarian application. To qualify, to get it renewed. An approved LMIA will you must: be worth 600 points and will most likely Have qualifying work experience on a get you over the hurdle into the next draw. full time basis (at least 30 hours per week) Q. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a Canadian Citizen since 1980. I at the time application is received. often travel to the Philippines for business. Provide proof of your work experi- Last year I met a woman in Manila and she ence. You do not have to be employed at just gave birth to our child. I do not wish the time you submit your application. Work to sponsor her but I want to bring the child experience does not need to be continuous to Canada. Can I? Do I need to sponsor the but the work must have been authorized child? How do I file the application since and work outside Canada does not count. I spend most of my retired years abroad? 3. Must have a good level of proficiency A. First things first. The child does not in English in these four areas: need to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;sponsoredâ&#x20AC;?. The child was listening, born to a Canadian father and therefore the speaking, child is a Canadian Citizen. It is irrelevant reading, and if you want to sponsor the mother of the writing. child. You now need to initiate the process 4. Must have a completed Canadian one- for proof of citizenship of the child. If year post-secondary educational credential you are in Canada, then this can be done OR a completed foreign educational cre- via the Sydney, NS processing centre. If dential AND a satisfactory Educational abroad, you can contact the local Canadian Credential Assessment with minimum Embassy but in my experience that process equivalency will extend processing times an additional Q.I graduated from George Brown Col- six months at least. lege and obtained a post grad work permit Attorney Henry Moyal is a certified for 3 years. My work permit will expire and licensed immigration lawyer in ToJuly 2016 and I want to apply for express ronto, Ontario. The above article is general entry. Will I be able to obtain my immigrant advice only and is not intended to act as a visa before my work permit expires? If not, legal document. Send questions to Attorhow could I renew the work permit? ney Moyal by email canada@moyal.com A. If you have been following the recent or call toll free 1-888-847-2078.

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Awarding child custody in California One of the most emotional aspect sof a marital dissolution case is dealing with Child custody issues. Sadly enough, this is an area where most parents play games with each other trying their best to deprive the other parents of their right to maintain relationship with their child. Child custody comes in two parts, 1) physical custody and 2) legal custody. Physical custody may be awarded solely to one parent or jointly. Sole physical custody means that the child will reside primarily and under the with the noncustodial parent. Family Code supervision of one parent subject to visita- §3040(a)(1). A major factor that would tilt tion from the other parent upon order of the the courts decision are incidents or history court. Family Code §3007. Joint physical of child abuse and domestic violence. This custody on the other hand means that the can be from the part of a parent, a parent’s child gets to spend frequent and continuing co-habitant, or other person to whom a contact with both parents. Family Code parent has a relationship with. The childs §3004. The court would state specifically amount and nature of contact with the the periods of time the child will be under parents is also another factor considered. the supervision of each parent. Fam. Code §3011(c). Other factors that Legal custody on the other hand deals can be considered are the parent’s use of with the right and responsibility of a par- controlled substance, prior criminal conent to make decisions regarding the health, victions and registration as a sex offender, education, and welfare of the child. Family and existence of restraining order against Code §3006. Examples would be decisions a parent. such as where the child shall attend school, The family code requires that the parties whether the child can travel to another ju- go to mediation and attempt to agree on the risdiction or state, legal decisions involving custody issue prior to the court hearing the the child. In cases where joint legal cus- contested case. Family Code §3170(a). tody is ordered by the court, either parent If the case is not settled in mediation, it alone can make decisions concerning the gets decided in court through a contested health, education, and welfare of the child hearing. At unless otherwise specified in the order. times, the court will order a child In making its determination on child custody evaluation if it determines that it custody issues, the court considers various would be in the best interest of the child. factors depending on the specific facts of The court may also appoint a minor’s counthe case. The court usually follows the sel if it feels it would be in the best interest public policy of ensuring and encourag- of the child. Family Code §3150(a). The ing the child’s frequent and continuing court retains continuous jurisdiction over contact with both parents after the divorce issues of child custody and support until unless it would not be in the best interest the child reaches 18. This means the order of the child. Fam. Code §3011. If the may be modified all throughout this period court is inclined to order sole custody to if there has been a change in circumstances. one parent, the consideration boils down Please note that this article is not legal to which parent is more likely to allow advice and is not intended as legal advice. the child frequent and continuing contact The article is intended to provide only

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general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. Attorney Kenneth Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com. Visit us at www.kenreyeslaw.com

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Students attending the Woodcraft Rangers NVSION program at Holmes Elementary located in South Los Angeles, set an example for its surrounding community. With the elections coming up on March 3, the youth candidates created a two week campaign that raised awareness as they ran for the after school leadership student council. Speeches were written and delivered to the young audience by the candidates. The week ended with every student casting their vote. The custom-made booths were designed by the art club to simulate the privacy of voting. This event created a buzz around the community as the students encouraged their parents be active voters.

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OPINION

Aquino: I won’t let those against peace succeed

MANILA, Feb 25 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday said he would not let those against the peace process succeed, a month after the deadly Mamasapano incident put peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in peril. “Kung magpapatalo sa mga kontra-kapayapaan, parang hinayaan na rin natin ang kaguluhan sa Mindanao... Hindi ko ito papayagan,” Aquino said during the 29th EDSA People Power commemoration. The President also appealed for calm amid public outrage following the Mamasapano incident, which left 44 elite policemen dead. “Sa harap ng video na nagpapakita ng karahasan, sa kabila ng galit sa ating puso, mas makapangyarihan pa rin ang pagtitiwala, malasakit, pag-ibig at kapayapaan,” Aquino said. Aside from the 44 commandos, 18 MILF members and three civilians were also killed in the Mamasapano clash. Congress suspended deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law after the misencounter in Mamasapano but Aquino meeting with House leaders on Monday supposedly placed the passage of the bill back on track at least as far as the House of Representatives is concerned. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. the chairman of the House ad hoc committee on the BBL, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, said the draft could be tackled in the plenary by May 4. The creation of a new Bangsamoro political entity through the BBL is the centerpiece of the peace agreement the government signed with the MILF in March 2014. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle also called on Filipinos to shun war and take the path to peace on Wednesday during the commemoration of the 29th EDSA People Power Anniversary. “The path of peace is to find a neighbor, a brother and a sister. When I don’t see anyone as an enemy, I don’t have to fight,” Tagle said during a Holy Mass to mark the EDSA People Power Anniversary. The EDSA People Power commemoration came a month after the Mamasapano incident. The Roman Catholic Church official said the People Power Revolution showed the world the “Filipino’s deep capacity to see a brother, a sister in an enemy.” Aquino and Cabinet officials were present during the Holy Mass. (MNS)

Fighting for legacy

The long-awaited mega-bout between Filipino ring icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and America’s undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr has finally been set for May 2 this year at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The upcoming fight will be the biggest and richest in boxing history to date. Both fighters are expected to earn not less than $80 million each, although Mayweather will earn more based on a 60-40 split in the purse agreement. Aside from the pricey tickets, the cash to be generated in this super fight will be the price of pay-perview to be shown on television live from Las Vegas. Although the price of seats inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino has yet to be announced. However, some are saying that the price of tickets for the fight will not be lower than $1,000 each. Ringside tickets could probably cost $10,000, if not more. Both HBO and Showtime networks are working on a joint venture to promote the mega fight and are expected to charge viewers as much as $100 to watch Pacquiao square off with Mayweather. No matter how stiff the price of tickets are, I’m sure many Filipino boxing fans will find a way for them to watch the fight in Las Vegas as they used to every time Pacquiao fights in “Sin City.” To those who cannot afford to buy tickets to watch the fight up close at the MGM Grand, they will be content to watch it live on their television via pay-per-view. Filipinos all over the world are expected to take time off from their work to enjoy the upcoming bout. This could probably be “Pacman’s” last appearance from the ring. He has been giving hints to media that he is considering retirement after his superfight with Mayweather. Once again, Filipinos will set aside their differences on fight night to watch Pacquiao showcase once more his boxing skills while drinking their beers or hard drinks with their favorite pulutan on the side. I’m sure there will be lots of kalderetang kambing or lechon kawali in every Filipino household on May 2. Here in Southern California, Filipino boxing fans can hardly contain their excitement. Even my daughter Bhambie, who is a hospice nurse, said she will take a day off from her

hectic schedule just to watch the historic fight. As of now, Mayweather appears to be the overwhelming favorite in Las Vegas odds. He remains undefeated in all of his 47 fights. Pacquiao, on the other hand, has 57 victories and five losses, including a knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. Mayweather is 38 years old while Pacquiao is 36. Mayweather is taller and has a longer reach than Pacquiao. No wonder, most people are giving Mayweather the edge over Pacquiao. Pacquiao said he is not bothered being the underdog in their upcoming bout. He said it will only give him extra motivation to train very hard to deal Mayweather his first defeat in boxing. Although considered by many boxing experts as the best defensive fighter they have ever seen, Mayweather has never fought a southpaw who has tremendous speed in both hands and feet and punching power as well. Many boxing experts are analyzing the styles of each fighter as well as their weaknesses. Some are saying that this fight might not turn out to be as explosive as what many are expecting it to be if Mayweather will opt to run in circles inside the ring instead of engaging Pacquiao toe to toe. On fight night, Pacquiao and Mayweather will not only fight for pride but for their respective legacy as well when both decide to retire from boxing. I am sure that Pacquiao, win or lose, will still be, and will always be the pride of the Philippines. Let us all cheer for him and pray that he will emerge victorious in this fight. If and when Pacquiao decides to retire from boxing, Filipinos will still respect and love him from what he has accomplished no other boxer has achieved – that of winning titles in eight divisions. While Pacquiao continue to remain popular and well-loved by Filipinos, I cannot say the same with President Noynoy Aquino. The balding President is becoming more and more unpopular among Filipinos that they are now demanding for his resignation as a result of the botched police operation which resulted in the brutal slaying of 44 police commandos in Maguindanao last month. As usual, Aquino blamed suspended PNP Chief Alan Purisima and sacked PNP SAF Commander Getulio Napenas for the slaying of the police officers during a fierce gunbattle with Muslim rebels. As expected, both chambers of Congress absolved President Aquino from any culpability in the Mamasapano incident. I don’t know if Congress also absolved the president for being stupid, indecisive and a coward. I do not blame President Aquino. He is a very confused man. President Aquino must be having difficulty too in finding out what gender he belongs. No wonder, at the age past 50 years old, he has never been married.

Aquino says PHL, France share same principles in building a peaceful nation MANILA, Feb 27 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday pledged support for the people of France in building a peaceful nation by upholding human dignity and promoting the rule of law. In his toast during the state dinner in honor of visiting French President François Hollande at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace, President Aquino admitted that he was “appalled” by the attack on the French publication Charlie Hebdo in Paris last January where 11 people were killed. “Such savagery should have no place in this world, and my countrymen and I are in full support of the people of France, as you uphold human dignity and work to protect the blessings of democracy,” he said. The Charlie Hebdo shooting was reportedly in retaliation for the French satirical newspaper’s controversial drawings of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. President Aquino said the Philippines is one with France in treading a path towards building a better nation, free from terrorism, injustice, and inequality. “As leaders of our respective peoples, you and I are bound by fraternité; ours is a brotherhood pledged to protecting the principles that serve as the firm foundation of our nations: the belief in the democratic way of life, the pursuit of justice and the preservation of one’s rights, and the promotion of the rule of law,” he said. For his part, President Hollande pledged to build a sustainable partnership with the Philippines in

terms of addressing climate change, combating corruption, and upholding the rule of law in resolving domestic issues. He said his visit was made special by the launch of the Manila Call to Action on Climate Change, which aims to engage the international community and all stakeholders in addressing climate change that has greatly affected the Philippines in recent years. “My visit is exceptional as well, given that we have launched together today the appeal of Manila. I am sure it will be heard beyond the borders of the Philippines, all around the world. I wanted to mobilize the international community in prospect of the Paris meeting, which will be crucial for the future of our planet,” he said. “You have been dealing with tsunamis and typhoons. We’ve been by your side on these occasions, and front we’ll always be. We reaffirm our commitment to stand by the Philippines when I travel to Guiuan tomorrow and confirm that we will provide all support to the projects that you’re undertaking in order to preserve your country, the environment and to introduce innovation and technology,” he added. President Hollande will be going to Guiuan, Eastern Samar on Friday to visit areas devastated by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013. President Hollande brought along a large delegation of advocates of environmental protection, led by Oscar award-winning actress Marion Cotillard, French actress Melanie Laurent, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. (MNS)

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Genes play a role in peanut allergy, study confirms Paris, France | AFP | Tuesday 2/24/2015 – Suspicions that genes play a part in peanut allergy were confirmed in a study Tuesday that said environmental factors may contribute to the problem. Researchers in the United States compared the genomes of more than 1,300 children of European ancestry, most of whom had some kind of food allergy, to those of their biological parents. The team found no genetic variants to explain allergies to eggs or cow’s milk. They did, however, find that telltale variants in two genes, HLA-DQ and HLADR, located on Chromosome 6, accounted for about 20 percent of children with peanut intolerance. “We always suspected it, but this is the first genome-wide association study that identified a genetic link,” said Xiaobin Wang, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. In the United States, about one child in 13 has a food allergy, of which the most common by far is to peanuts, according to the study published in the journal Nature Communications. The problem ranges in scale from a

lifestyle hassle to life-threatening. Those with a severe allergy live in constant fear of accidental exposure to peanuts. “Over the past 20 years, FA (food allergy) has grown from a relatively uncommon to a major clinical and public health problem worldwide, due to its increasing prevalence, potential fatality and enormous medical and economic impact,” the study said. “FA accounts for more than $20 billion (17.7 billion euros) in overall annual healthcare costs in the United States.” The investigation marks a first step towards a fuller picture of genetic causes for food allergies, something that would help doctors identify children at risk. The researchers added there could also be non-genetic factors. Not everyone with the HLA-DR and HLA-DQ mutations develops peanut allergy, they found. It could mean other culprits are epigenomes – the chemical switches which help turn genes on and off. Epigenomes are not part of DNA but are passed on as cells divide. They can be influenced by environmental factors, such as food, tobacco smoke, toxic substances and uterine fluid.

Marlou Colina, stylist to the stars at the Oscars Stylist to the hollywood stars, Marlou Colina has once again shared his Academy Awards moments with us. As a topnotched beauty expert, Marlou is likewise often visited by celebrities from back home such as: KC Concepcion, Anne Curtis, Angeline Quinto, Boy Abunda, Jake Cuenca, AiAi De Las Alas, Jaya Ramsey and many more. Marlou Colina’s Salon is located at: 3505 Long Beach Blvd., Suite 2B Long Beach, CA. 90807; tel: 562/988-3101; website: www.colinasaloninc. com

On Monday, a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine found that most children at high risk from peanut allergies – determined by pre-existing eczema or egg allergy – were protected if they ate peanuts frequently, starting within the first few months of life. “Hopefully, one day, we can manage or prevent food allergies in a safe, simple, effective way,” Wang said. “We might be able to use pharmaceutical treatment, but if we can figure out whether a lifestyle, nutrition or environmental change could reduce allergies, that would be even better.”

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Tea’s benefits extend to old bones: Japan researchers Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Tuesday 2/24/2015 – Researchers in Japan say black tea could help treat osteoporosis, a bone condition affecting older people, but admit you need to drink an awful lot of it. Scientists say the humble brew contains an antioxidant that can prevent the loss of bone density commonly seen in old age that makes the elderly more vulnerable to fractures. The news is the latest claim for a drink that is a staple of countries around the world, and one over which never-ending arguments rage about how to brew the perfect cup. Researchers led by Keizo Nishikawa of Osaka University found that theaflavin-3 (TF-3), the antioxidant, works by inhibiting the function of an enzyme called DNA methyltransferase, which destroys bone tissue. The research, published in the online edition of the US journal Nature Medicine on Monday, found that mice suffering from osteoporosis who were given TF-3 showed recovering levels of bone volume, similar to those of healthy mice. But it might be a bit early to rush to put

Scientists say tea contains an antioxidant that can prevent the loss of bone density.

the kettle on – the research found that a 60 kilogram (130-pound) adult would have to drink 60 cups of tea over three days to see a noticeable difference, Jiji Press reported. Osteoporosis particularly affects women in later life and is a growing problem in rapidly ageing societies such as Japan.

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FOOD & DINING Chocolate Drizzled Strawberries and Tapioca Pudding — Drizzle strawberries with melted dark chocolate and allow to set. Layer chopped strawberries Minty Chocolate Pudding — Cut mint and chocolate and Kozy Shack Tapioca Pudding in a small dish. Top with a chocolate-drizzled layered candies into smaller pieces. Spoon Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding into a small bowl. Top with mint pieces. strawberry.

Bananas & Cinnamon Rice Pudding — Spoon rice pudding into a small dish. Top with sliced bananas and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

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hat do you reach for around 3 in the afternoon? Something salty? Something crunchy? Something creamy, smooth and sweet? These days, more and more snackers are looking for something wholesome and satisfying to get them through the afternoon. Here’s one snacking choice you may not have thought of: pudding. When pudding is made right — just the way your grandma used to — it’s made with real ingredients like milk and eggs, cooked slowly until it’s creamy and delicious. While cooking up your own pudding is a fun and satisfying weekend or evening project, when you need a quick afternoon snack, that’s probably not in the cards. Fortunately, there are still some companies making pudding just the way you would at home, slowly simmered to perfection. This is great news for people who want a smooth and creamy snack they can feel good about. There’s a good reason why simple, comforting pudding was a favorite childhood snack — and is still a wholesome snack choice today.

Simple Ideas for a Delicious Snack Peanut lovers have been enjoying Simple Pleasures peanuts with crunchy garlic chips and peanuts with chili ‘n lime every weekend at the Bamboo Bistro restaurant since February 14. Entrepreneurs Maribel Catala and Direk Maning Rivera collaborated with Bamboo Bistro owner Dan Belen in bringing this tasty snack product to the plaza’s mostly Hispanic and the restaurant’s Filipino customers. Adding to buyers’ amusement are the cartoons displayed on the wall, hand drawn by Direk saying “I’M peaNUTS ‘BOUT YOU!” And a definition of peanuts as excellent food for the brain, followed by “ Here’s something for the sexiest part of you...your brain.” Come and enjoy the peanuts and the cartoons every weekend at the Bamboo Bistro in Panorama city.

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Pudding is perfect straight out of the refrigerator, of course, and all you need to enjoy it is a spoon. But you can make it your own with other ingredients that you probably have right in your kitchen. Take a look at your spice rack: You’ve probably got cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. In your pantry, you’ve got crunchy cookies, pretzels and nuts. Fresh and frozen fruit are always good to have on hand. Even canned and shelf-stable packs of tropical fruits can top your pudding. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing surprising pudding pairings everywhere you look. With a little creativity, you could have a unique pudding snack every day of the week. We’ve got a few ideas to get you started. Find out more about Kozy Shack® Pudding at www.kozyshack.com.

Mango & Coconut Tapioca Pudding — Cut a fresh mango into small pieces. Spoon Kozy Shack Tapioca Pudding into a small dish. Top with mango and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Blackberry Rice Pudding — Dice a handful of fresh blackberries. Layer blackberries and Kozy Shack Rice Pudding in small dish. Top with any remaining fruit and a mint leaf. Fresh Raspberries and Chocolate Pudding — Layer fresh raspberries, whipped cream and Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding in a small dish. Top with extra raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

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ENTERTAINMENT Kris: Herbert asked me to marry him TV host Kris Aquino revealed on Tuesday that her ex-boyfriend, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, asked her at one point to marry him. In a rare blog entry titled “The State of My Heart,” Aquino gave details of her past relationship with the former actor, with whom she has renewed ties as friends. However, Aquino said she has realized she can no longer be friends with Bautista, as “continuing the friendship will continue to make me long for what wasn’t meant to be.” According to Aquino, Bautista first asked for her number on February 11, 2014 -- the second telecast date of “Aquino & Abunda Tonight,” her nightly talk program with long-time co-host Boy Abunda Two months later in April, the actorpolitician proposed marriage. “This is the first time I’ll publicly acknowledge this, because I can now recall with absolutely no bitterness or regrets; on the first Friday of April nearly a year ago during merienda, he said he was tired, he didn’t want to play games, he was tired of chasing and of running away, and he wanted to feel secure with someone he could grow old with. He said, walang romance, walang lokohan, walang bolahan. Okay na raw ba ‘ko to marry him kasi nga pagod na siya? “I remember laughing and saying that was probably the least romantic proposal any woman has ever received, but because we were so similar in our weirdness, I was in agreement; I wanted to grow old with him because I knew we’d never be bored conversing, and maybe this was where God led two individuals who deserved a chance at life-long companionship with maturity, and full acceptance of equally colorful pasts.” Aquino narrated what transpired in the following days, including attending a Catholic mass together, and Bautista’s first meeting with her family. She recalled that day as particularly emotional one, as she and Bautista discussed their expectations of each other. “I said I realized he never said he loved me, he was simply tired, and I didn’t want to be his version of Salonpas, Alaxan, Ben Gay, or a massage. He cried too and said he was scared, overwhelmed, afraid of being branded a ‘user’ when he has given

the majority of his life to public service, and maybe we should take a step back,” she said. On April 7, 2014, Aquino spoke for the first time about her ties with Bautista on “Aquino & Abunda Tonight.” She confirmed that they were indeed “partners,” ending weeks of speculation. “The next day, over the phone he broke up with me, right before Bimb’s (her son) 7th birthday party,” Aquino said in her blog, without giving details. While neither Aquino nor Bautista never gave a specific reason for the separation, it was reported that the city mayor’s children with former partner Tates Gana were negatively affected by news on the relationship. Aquino admitted being heartbroken over the breakup, and shared in her blog the ways she coped. She said she avoided any place or thing that she associated with him, including a fast food outlet, a cinema house, a restaurant, a figurine he gave her, a brand of sports drink and two Starbucks branches, among others. “I cut off more than 18 inches of my hair,” she recalled, “because I wanted to forget how I must have looked with hair all over my face and pillow, when he used to surprise me by waking me up and bringing me my venti nonfat latte with no foam, just because his day would be so hectic and early morning was the only time he could see me, regardless of my still being fast asleep.” Aquino also listed the places she traveled to after the breakup—Hong Kong, New York City, Boracay and Tokyo, among others—saying being away also helped her heal. “The last time I cried about him was Christmas Eve. I remembered an earlier agreement that we had made, when he asked early in our relationship how we’d deal with the holidays, I said that my nonnegotiable was Christmas Eve Mass with my family, but Christmas Day was for him and his siblings and his kids. And I went to sleep with tears quietly streaming down my face, sad that we hadn’t made it.” While Aquino earlier said she has managed to stay friends with Bautista, she sang a different tune in her blog. She shared the events of February 15, a day after her 44th birthday.

Sarah G keeps it simple amid success Blessed with an enviable mix of talent and beauty, singer-actress Sarah Geronimo is one of the country’s biggest stars whose personal and professional life remain rosy. Sarah confirmed in a recent interview that her movie with Piolo Pascual, originally slated for a Valentine’s Day release, will push through but at a later date. She said they might start working on the film after the second season of “The Voice of the PhilipSarah Geronimo pines,” where she is coach-judge. There’s also talk of Sarah being paired in a movie with Korean star Lee Min Ho. While Sarah could only be hopeful about this, she has yet to discuss the matter with Viva big boss Vic del Rosario. What’s sure is that her beautiful relationship with real-life leading man, boyfriend Matteo Guidicelli, continues to bloom. Despite being loaded with work – which even kept them from celebrating Valentine’s Day together – she makes it a point to find time for Matteo, and vice versa. Her happy love life helps her keep a pleasant demeanor, which translates to her looking good all the time. Sarah maintained that being beautiful starts in the mind. “Marami tayong insecurities. That’s a fact na hindi natin maiiwasan, especially kapag may nakikita tayong mestiza, mas maganda sa ’tin, mas sexy. Pero you have to find in yourself kung ano ang strengths mo, what makes you special,” she said. “Kaya nga mentally, kailangan paniwalaan mo na espesyal ka, maganda ka; (na) iba lang ang ganda mo sa kanila. Kanya-kanyang ganda lang ’yan.” (MNS)

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COMMUNITY 2 Fil-Ams team up in bid for Cerritos City Council CERRITOS – Being longtime friends and sharing fresh ideas for the city where they were both raised, it was inevitable that Mayor Mark Pulido and Frank Aurelio Yokoyama would team up in their campaign for two of three seats in the Cerritos City Council being contested in the March 3 elections. Pulido is seeking a second four-year term while Yokoyama is hoping to get elected for his first four-year term in the City Council. Nine candidates, including an incumbent (Pulido) and two former council members (Jim Edwards and Grace Hu), are contesting the three council slots. Incumbents Bruce Barrows and Joseph Cho are vacating their seats because council members are limited to two consecutive terms. The “homegrown team” of Pulido and Yokoyama shares goals of improving public safety and reducing crime, improving streets and parks, and balanced budgets and fiscal accountability for the city of Cerritos. Both 46, Pulido and Yokoyama were raised in Cerritos and are now raising their respective family in the city they call their hometown. Pulido, who is district director in the office of Congressman Alan Lowenthal, takes pride in being the first FilipinoAmerican to serve as mayor of Cerritos. During his one-year term as mayor, Pulido led efforts that resulted in a 35-percent drop in residential burglaries; fought to repair streets, sidewalks and trim more

than 15,000 trees; and balanced the budget while preserving programs and services. Pulido was elected to the Cerritos City Council in March 2011. Before that, he served for 10 years as member and later president of the ABC Unified School District Board, where he was elected in 2001 and again in 2005 and 2009. Pulido earned his bachelor’s degree from UCLA, where he served as president of the Student Council, and his master’s degree from the University of Chicago. Pulido’s candidacy is being endorsed by Lowenthal, former Mayor Laura Lee, and School Board member Celia Spitzer, among others. Yokoyama, a successful attorney and real estate broker, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from UC Berkeley and his law degree from the Harvard Law School. In endorsing Yokoyama during a fundraiser at The Corner Place restaurant in Cerritos last Friday, Tina Cho, a member of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2012, said: “City Hall has been run by the same people over and over again. We have to have people with new ideas, people who understand the importance of hard work. Frank is open, honest, and intelligent. I know that he is very much willing and able to make Cerritos a very vibrant city.” Pulido, on the other hand, said: “I owe so much to Frank for all the hard work we’ve been doing together for the city of

Fil-Am Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido (right) and Frank Aurelio Yokoyama

Cerritos. We now have the opportunity to serve together and work together to turn this city around.” If elected, Yokoyama pledged to make community safety a top priority, protect the quality of life for all residents, collaborate with school leaders to better serve students and residents, strengthen the local economy, and fix streets, sidewalks, trees and parks. Yokoyama said he represents the diversity of the city of Cerritos, being a son of a Japanese father, Tom Yokoyama, and a Filipino mother, Chit Aurelio Yokoyama, and being married to a Korean-American, Wendy Ha. Yokoyama has served the Cerritos com-

munity for many years as a former planning commissioner, a youth sports coach and an active member of the PTA of his two children’s schools. Yokoyama is endorsed by Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Council Member Joseph Cho, and School Board Vice President Olympia Chen, among others.

Courtyard at Ventura Canyon condos offer the most value in San Fernando Valley (2/10/15) – Thinking of renting a condo? If you are looking for the newest, highest quality, largest and most livable rentals in the San Fernando Valley, look no further than Courtyard at Ventura Canyon, just down the street from Kaiser. According to building developer Stephen Ross, “Our new condos have been wildly successful with all kinds of renters. We’ve been open just 60 days and we have only 9 apartments left out of 50. Our extra large units are complemented with an outdoor courtyard that renters just love.” Additional features include quartz kitchen counters, stainless steel microwave, dishwasher, stove and oven, granite bathroom counters, and a washer and dryer in every unit. All you need to move in is a toothbrush. There is a gym, a community BBQ, underground parking, secured intercom entry and that beautiful courtyard with fountains. You really need to see it to believe it. 2 bedroom units start at just $1,795. You can visit The Courtyard at Ventura Canyon at 7851 Ventura Canyon Ave. in Panorama City. Models are open daily. For more information please call John at 818.836.1425, or visit www.sfvapts.com. Montage. Neighborhood Builders. The leading source of News and Information for the Filipino American Community

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Sriracha to stay SoCal February 23, 2015 – You may not have heard of Huy Fong Foods, but you’ve most likely tasted the company’s popular Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. Each year, the California-based company makes enough hot sauce to fill five Olympic-size swimming pools. Owner David Tran first started the company in 1980 in a small Chinatown shop. By 2010, they had grown so popular that they moved into a 650,000-squarefoot facility in Irwindale. And Southern California Edison (SCE) played a role in ensuring Huy Fong Foods stays in itsservice territory. “We thought SCE only worked with electricity and we weren’t aware of the other services,” said Donna Lam, Huy Fong Foods executive operations officer. “SCE came forward to help our business stay in California.” Huy Fong Foods worked with SCE’s Business Customer Division on a rate analysis that showed the company could save $100,000 per year on its electricity bill. Keeping the company in SCE’s territory also saved more than 150 local jobs. When the company was contemplating moving its operations out of the state, SCE helped the company convince local officials of its economic value to the region. SCE’s Customer Service Economic Development Services stepped in to provide an economic analysis. The data showed the company’s forecasted impact on job growth and tax revenue at the city, county and state levels. This helped to demonstrate Huy Fong Foods’ benefit to the community and made a case for the company to expand in Irwindale. It also helped resolve the permitting challenges. “We provide valuable tools and services to make our large business customers more competitive,” said SCE Economic Development Services manager Mike Nuby. “We’re very proud of the work we do. We’re committed to helping our customers take advantage of everything California has to offer.”

LA County to host used oil and filter recycling event in Rowland Heights

LA County Public Works will host a free used motor oil and oil filter recycling event on Saturday, February 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at O’Reilly Auto Parts, located at 19705 Colima Road, Suite 8, Rowland Heights, 91748. When used oil is illegally dumped into storm drains, it pollutes local water bodies and contaminates sources of clean drinking water. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it only takes one gallon of motor oil to contaminate as much as a million gallons of fresh water. That is equivalent to a year’s supply of drinking water for 50 people. People who recycle oil filters will receive one new oil filter. In addition, free used oil containers, shop towels, and funnels will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Items for drop-off should be prepared by placing oil filters in sealed plastic bags and storing used motor oil in reusable, leak-proof containers. Used oil should not be mixed with any other liquid, including water. Used motor oil and oil filters also can be recycled for free at a local certified collection center or on weekends at a County-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Waste collection event. A full calendar of collection events and list of collection centers can be found at www.CleanLA.com. For additional information on the County’s oil and oil filter recycling program, call Edna Gandarilla, Program Manager, at (626) 458-6536.

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JOB MARKET For advertising, call (818) 552-4503

ASST. BOOKKEEPER Entry level position, will train. Chance to advance, bene¿ts, pd pking, paid vac, health ins. Quality job for quality person. Fax resume to 310-208-4933; or email: timhall1043@aol.com NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER Live-in needed in Rowland Heights. Good salary. Filipina preferred. Call Linda 909-3158089.

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CAREGIVER Live-in male caregiver. In a Board & Care in Northridge. Call 818-368-5108. CAREGIVERS Wanted immediately! Full-time. 2770 Highgate Pl. Simi Valley, CA 93065 w/ or w/out experience w/ valid working status only. 1-888-237-5945; 805-582-2188 for apmnt, application & personal interview

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JAY D" PLUMBER/ HANDYMAN Plumbing repair, drain cleaning, copper repipe, bath & kitchen, remodel hydro jetter, toilet, disposal, heating water heater, iron works, electrical & carpentry. Free estimate. (818) 730-6571 JB HANDYMAN SERV. Plumbing, rotor rooters, electrical, carpentry, tile & wood Àr installation, bath & kitchen renovation. Iron works bench & gates. Washer/dryer repair any brand. Centralized a/c maintenance. 818-4160516

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APTS. FOR RENT 1 Door apt. 2 BR. Filipino Town area - Temple / Rampart. 2BR 1 BA, parking space. Preferably nonsmoker. For inquiries call Vicky @ (213) 944-8887 or (213) 384-1955.

APT. FOR RENT Single w/ bath $725/mo. 1 BR, 1 BA $950/mo. Near WalMart. Panorama City. Call Pablo 818-358-4814.

APT. FOR RENT Hollywood. 1 BR $1,200; Single $1,000; Bachelor $850. Brand new hardwood Àr, intercom entry, a/c, TFC cable ready, gated parking, pool, near Sunset & Wilcox, no pets. Manager speak Tagalog. 323-462-3573.

ROOM -NORTH HILLS $600/mo. furnished, w/ BA, free utilities, cable & internet. Near Seafood market Nordhoff branch. Avail Feb. 20. Welcome students, caregivers & single female. Call 818-693-1358.

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BEDSPACER $325 Panorama City. Close to WalMart, Island Paci¿c, Food4Less & bus line. Month to month. Call 818205-8655.

ROOM FOR RENT 2 Spacious rooms, 1 BA, big kitchen. Close to Filipino restaurants & market. Between Temple & Beverly St. Call for more info 818679-3891; 213-908-5279.

ROOMS FOR RENT Northridge/Canoga Park. Furnished, free utilities, cable, internet, Filipino channel. Very clean & in quiet area. 1 Room $395/ mo., the other room $490/ mo. 818-477-2027.

ROOM FOR RENT In North Hollywood. A one large room divided in two sections, with air-con, spacious parking. Tel: 818764-7850; 818-392-8028.

2 BEDSPACERS Preferred a lady. $250 bedspacer. 7800 Woodman Ave. Panorama City. Close to Kaiser Permanente hospital. Contact Luz 818-9165145.

4 ROOMS FOR RENT Female only. From $350 to $500 free utilities. Canoga Park. Quiet area, parking. Near bus stop. Island Paci¿c, Costco. 818-8009615.

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PRAYERS PRAYER of ST. JUDE Most Holy Apostle, St. Jude faithful servant and friend of Jesus. The church honors and invokes you universally as the Patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me. Make use, I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you. To bring visible help, where help is almost despaired of. Come to our assistance in this great needs that we may receive the help of heaven in all our necessities, tribulations and sufferings particularly [please mention intention]...that I may praise God with you and with all the elect, forever. I promise, blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor.To honor you as my most powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you, AMEN. -NONOY

PRAYERS PRAYER FOR SAINT THERESE Oh Glorious Saint Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid and counsel mankind, I invite your miraculous intercession. So powerful are you in obtaining every need of body and soul, Our Holy Mother Church proclaims you a “Prodigy of Miracles”. Now fervently beseech you to answer my petition: (mention here) and carry out your promise of doing good upon the Earth of letting fall from heaven a shower of roses. Henceforth, Dear Little Flower, I will ful¿ll your plea “to be made known everywhere and I will never cease to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen (Say prayer every day for 9 days. By 4th day, you will see a rose in a magazine, TV picture or receive roses. You can also get strong scent of roses in home even if no roses present. Must promise publication. Thank you Saint Therese. -NONOY

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With love, from Palos Verdes, California to Guintigi-An, Leyte She’s living the dream in Palos Verdes, California while dreaming of visiting Guintigui-An, Leyte in the Philippines. “I have never been to the Philippines. My dad has always wanted to take my me and my sister, however traveling there and back as a family is very costly,” said Tatum Rae Contreras, daughter of a Filipino father from Cavite and a Southern-California-native mother. At a glance, this high school junior at Palos Verdes High, is your typical teenager. She does well with her studies; and keeps busy with together. Also, our school has an amazing extra-curricular activities – dancing and program in place that allows students to photography. She is tall and statuesque, start and manage their own clubs. Because with pretty mestiza features. At 16 years of this, we were able to involve 120 more old, it’s obvious that the world is hers to students and make Project Philippines a bigger, more powerful project.” conquer. The two are currently on a two-week But this is all that’s typical about Tatum. Because unlike most teenagers, and even drive to collect pens, pencils, markers, colsome of her peers who are preoccupied ored pencils, crayons, erasers, paper, glue with day-to-day high school life – stud- sticks, binders, folders, calculators,tape, ies, dating, malling, going out, shopping, rulers for the students of Guintigui-An movies and pop culture, Tatum is busying Elementary School in Leyte. They have put herself with community work to support donation boxes in their campus, hoping to collect “unused”school supplies. education in the Philippines. Monetary donations are also being col“I have always wanted to get involved in the Philippines in some way, consider- lected for shipping of the boxes. You may ing that is where half of my family is from. send a check or money order to: Palos Once I saw the devastation of Typhoon Verdes High School (Room 402) 600 Yolanda, I felt obligated to help. I have Cloyden Road PVE, CA 90274 “Actually, after asking my past English always valued education, so I thought that supporting an under-funded/ under- teacher if we could put a donation box in privileged school would be a perfect way his room, he went on to tell me that his trip to the Philippines a few years back was the to give back,” she said. With the help of her best friend Hannah best trip of his life. He said that everyone was extremely Glazer, Tatum put up Project Philippines: “Our club at Palos Verdes High School kind and loving,” said Tatum. “I would collects school supplies that we will send love to experience this, as well as the to the Philippines through our mother beautiful scenery, weather, and food. I organization, Volunteer for the Visayans.” have heard many stories from my dad While giving back is not always easy, and his side of the family about life in the especially to people one hasn’t met; and Philippines and would love to have the in a place one hasn’t even seen, Tatum is opportunity to see it for myself.” But instead of focusing her energies into up to the task, facing the challenges with her winsome smile and a positive attitude: make this dream trip a reality, Tatum is “Fortunately, everything about starting selflessly concentrating on helping others this project ran smoothly. Since Hannah first. It’s a simple step that goes a long way. and I have been friends for 8 years, we And this teenager is showing the world know each other very well and work well what it means to serve, with love – crossing

Tatum (left) with her best friend Hannah when they launched Project Philippines last year.

Tatum and Hannah and the volunteers they recruited for Project Philippines.

continents, breaking barriers, spanning nationalities – from Palos Verdes, California, in the United States to Guiguinti-An, Leyte in the Philippines. Jannelle So is credited for creating, hosting and producing America’s first and only locally-produced daily talk show for Filipinos, that ran for 8 ½ years under her

leadership, making it the longest-running Filipino talk show outside of the Philippines. On her spare time, she loves to travel. This new column will document her sojourns as she shares what she learns an discovers on her trips. Connect to her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; or email her at sojannelle77@gmail.com.

Balita lensman auctions off best work for a cause

Weekend Balita and US Asian Post photographer Benny Uy has auctioned off one of his best works to raise funds for a scholarship program for the children of slain journalists in the Philippines. “I’m very thankful to those supporting my efforts,” said Uy, who has used his wide community network and strong presence in social media to solicit bids for his photo, titled “Downtown LA at 6:22 a.m.” “This is the least I can do to help the families of media colleagues who died in the line of duty.” The Philippines has the third highest number of journalists killed worldwide every year, according to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Uy is part of “Light and Shadow: A Photography Exhibit,” which will be on display at the La Habra Art Gallery until April 18. “The bidders include the Who’s Who in the FilAm community in LA,” said Uy, who will turn over the photo to the highest

Benny Uy

“Downtown L.A.@6:22 a.m.” by Benny Uy is one the featured photographs in the “Light and Shadow: A Photography Exhibit” at La Habra Art Gallery. Bidding has reached nearly $1,000 for this photograph.

bidder at the exhibit’s closing reception on April 19. The highest bidder as of press time is Dr. Felix Lapuz, outbidding Van and Marilou Dichoso, Mildred Deang, Vina Lelim Nacionales, Romeo Balboa and Angelina Munar. To place a bid on Uy’s photo and for private viewing of the gallery, call Luz Spanks at (562) 383-3643. Benny Uy is the Com-

munity and Senior Services photographer for Los Angeles County and also serves as photographer of Weekend Balita and US Asian Post. Uy said he developed his passion for photography when he served as a photographer at his mother Luz BelarminoUy’s social and church events and volunteered to take photos for the Mission Community United Methodist Church.

The other featured photographers are: Nikki Arriola, Rudy Autor, Romeo Balboa, Joe Cobilla, Emmy Award-winning artist Jess Española, Robert Gamo, Rick Gavino, Vics Magsaysay, Phillip Ner, Art Ramos and Jerry Ubalde. The exhibit is organized by journalist Nimfa Rueda and La Habra artist Luz Spanks. The gallery is located at 215 N. Orange St. in La Habra.

A VALENTINE’S DAY WEDDING Right at the height of Cupid’s day,Gerald David Donley and Siti Khatijah Medina Bte Abdullah tied the knot after a decade of knowing each other. The wedding ceremony was officiated at downtown Fullerton, California. Siti is the niece of Vics Magsaysay, who is also one of the featured artists in the “Light and Shadow: A Photography Exhibit” now ongoing at La Habra Library located at 215 No. Orange St., La Habra, CA 90631.

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Series for Covered California: Part 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Last Call! Feb. 15 is the official last day of open enrollment into a Covered CA plan. But if you have a qualifying event you can still be enrolled. For example, if you lose your group plan, you lose your Medi-cal, you gain legal presence, you get married, you have a new child, or you move to CA, you can in 2014, you have a form 1095-A to give get a health insurance. Now, the government is offering an- your tax preparers to reconcile the amount other qualifying event for people to be of premium tax credit. So if the amount of enrolled. As you all know, tax season is income known to Covered CA is less than around the corner and people who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the final modified adjusted gross income have insurance last year are now informed (MAGI), excess tax credits have to be that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tax penalty for not having paid back in the form of tax. On the other insurance. They may have to pay the pen- hand, if the amount declared to Covered alty for 2014 but they can now avoid the CA is more than the final MAGI, IRS tax penalty for the 2015 if they enroll on will actually give you more tax credits for inadequate premium assisted and may be or before April 30. The tax penalty is called â&#x20AC;&#x153;shared re- given in the form of tax refund. The 1095-A amounts are tabulated in sponsibility paymentâ&#x20AC;?, called so because everyone is now required to have health a monthly basis. The same form can be insurance in the US, buying for themselves used to assess the amount of tax penalty for rather than relying on others to pay for every month thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no insurance. If you are heeding to the last call for their care. For 2015, the penalty is $325 per person in the household or 2% of their enrollment or enrolling for any qualifying event, look for a Covered CA Storefront income, whichever is higher. For those of you who were enrolled near you.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sinulogâ&#x20AC;? by Phillip Ner (inset), now on display at the La Habra Library where h th the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Li â&#x20AC;&#x153;Light ht & Shadow: A Photography Exhibitâ&#x20AC;? is being held.

Capturing the spirit of the moment If you look at Phillip Nerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s images and recognize the subject and yet feel that something is amiss or different, then you could say Ner has done his job. For the Fullerton, Calif.-based photographer, releasing the shutter is often only the beginning of his work as a photographer. The rest of it goes on in his studio. But whatever he does in there â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cropping a photo or adjusting color â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one thing is clear: the viewer is guaranteed an image that is striking and alive. This is no more clear than, for example, in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gettysburg,â&#x20AC;? which he shot during a Civil War reenactment in Long Beach, Calif., in 2012. The level of detail is impressive, but more so is the illusion that the Confederate cavalry is right before your eyes. Ner says he subscribes to the famous quote from Ansel Adams: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take a photograph, you make it.â&#x20AC;? Put another way, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an image waiting to be taken at any given moment, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not necessarily the one we see. Rather itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

see yet. Nerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gift seems to be that he sees that second and far more striking image right away, and he goes ahead and grabs it. Ner is part of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Light and Shadow: A Photography Exhibit,â&#x20AC;? which will be on display at the La Habra Art Gallery until April 18. The other featured photographers are: Nikki Arriola, Rudy Autor, Romeo Balboa, Joe Cobilla, Jess Espanola, Robert Gamo, Rick Gavino, Vics Magsaysay, Art Ramos, Jerry Ubalde and Benny Uy. The exhibit is organized by journalist Nimfa Rueda and La Habra artist Luz Spanks. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the photos will go to a scholarship program for the children of slain journalists in the Philippines. The La Habra Art Gallery is located at 215 N. Orange Street in La Habra. Gallery hours are from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For private viewing, call Luz Spanks at (562) 383-3643. (The first part of this article was taken from Salamin Magazine. For more information on Phillip Ner, go to www.phillipnerphoto.com)

Black/blue or white/gold? Dress debate goes viral Washington, United States | AFP | Friday 2/27/2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Is the dress black and blue, or white and gold? That question is lighting up the Internet. It all started when a Tumblr user with the handle â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;swikedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; uploaded a picture of a dress with the caption: â&#x20AC;&#x153;guys please help me - is this dress white and gold, or blue and black? Me and my friends canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree...â&#x20AC;? And then the Internet blew up. The post went viral on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms, with users passionately split over what color the dress really is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; blue with black lace, or white with gold lace. A BuzzFeed page devoted to the debate had more than 25 million views early Friday, with 72 percent of Internet users insisting the dress was white and gold, while 28 percent swore it was blue and black. Even the glitterati weighed in. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What color is that dress? I see white & gold. Kanye sees black & blue, who is color blind?â&#x20AC;? Kim Kardashian wrote on Twitter, on the debate raging in her household with rapper husband Kanye West. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand this odd dress debate and I feel like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a trick somehow,â&#x20AC;? pop diva Taylor Swift wrote in a message retweeted more than 90,000 times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m confused and scared. PS itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OBVIOUSLY BLUE AND BLACK.â&#x20AC;? There may be a scientific explanation for all the madness. According to British physicist Isaac Newton, color is not inherent to objects. Humans perceive the colors reflected on the surface of objects through light that hits the retina in the back of the eye. Reena Garg, an assistant professor at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York, said the varied

The dress is, in fact, royal blue with lace.

reactions can be explained by how we understand color, noting that the poorly exposed photograph was likely taken with a cell phone camera. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you see the dress as black and blue, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re probably seeing the photo as overexposed, meaning there is too much light, so the colors in the dress appear darker to you after the retina has compensated,â&#x20AC;? Garg told AFP. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you see the dress as white and gold, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re probably seeing the photo as underexposed, meaning there is too little light and the colors in the dress appear lighter to you after the retina has compensated.â&#x20AC;? On Friday, after the Internet explosion, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;swikedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; asked simply: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What have I done?â&#x20AC;? Of course, there is an answer to it all. A description on British manufacturer Roman Originals confirms that the dress is, in fact royal blue with lace, and sells for ÂŁ50 ($77).

Immigrants warned: Beware of scammers in your community By Hannah De Castro-Abinuman

Following President Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent announcement of immigration reform, there have been allegations that several scam artists have emerged in different ethnic communities, callously tricking people into giving away their hard-earned money in exchange for services that are actually fake. According to New America Media and Federal Trade Commission, each year, scam artists defraud our communities of hundreds of millions of dollars by offering fake services on everything from immigration, housing, health care to debt collection and education certificates. In response and to protect the community, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and New America Media (NAM) held a briefing last February 10 at the Japanese American Cultural Center in Los Angeles. And the main agenda was to educate the people on spotting and avoiding scams in our communities. New America Media brought in top local enforcement officials and consumer protection experts together with representatives of the FTC to discuss the different types of fraud that are currently on the rise. Panelists included Rigo Reyes, chief of investigations at the County of LA Dept. of Consumer Affairs; Thomas Syta, Assistant Regional Director of FTC Western Region-Los Angeles; and Monica Vaca, Assistant Director of Bureau of Consumer Protection- FTC. There are various types of scams that reportedly occur in our communities. Some scammers pretend to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who claim that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;potential victimâ&#x20AC;? owes the government a large sum of money and needs to pay immediately. Otherwise, he will be subject to trial and be charged with even more money. Other scammers pretend to be from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and ask for the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credit card information for their supposed â&#x20AC;&#x153;payment.â&#x20AC;? In some cases, people are deceived into purchasing something or acquiring a service that is not delivered. Due to Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent immigration reform announcement, more scammers have been targeting immigrants, the panelists said. These con artists even set up offices that look very legitimate. They pretend to offer legal services for the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immigration needs, promising that they will file the immigration papers, and then end up just running away with their clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money. Based on the testimonies by the victims of these scams, there is one common factor: the language used. Oftentimes, the scammer will use the potential victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s native

language to gain his trust. One of the testimonies shared during the briefing was from Alba, a victim of an immigration scam. She went to a law office named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Liberty Immigration Group.â&#x20AC;? There, she found a lawyer who spoke her native language, thus, making her feel comfortable to do business with the company. She paid $2,000 for the company to file her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immigration papers. Days later, the company was nowhere to be found, and so was Albaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money. Sadly, many people have fallen prey to these scammers because of misinformation or lack of knowledge about the law and how the government operates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talking to someone, whether a relative or someone from the FTC or the police about the incident and verifying what it is that you are being asked to do is very critical in preventing you from losing money to these scammers,â&#x20AC;? said Monica Vaca (FTC). â&#x20AC;&#x153;One thing you should know is that the IRS will never call you. They will send you letters. But the IRS will never call people to collect money, and even more specifically, ask for credit card information over the phone,â&#x20AC;? added Thomas Syta (FTC). Here are some tips from the FTC on avoiding scams against immigrants: â&#x20AC;˘ Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go to notario or notary public for legal advice. In the U.S., notaries are not lawyers, they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give you legal advice or talk to government agencies for you, like the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). â&#x20AC;˘ Never pay for blank government forms. Government forms are free, though you will need to pay once submitted for filing to the USCIS. â&#x20AC;˘ Get immigration information from US government websites. If the URL/website does not end with a dot gov (.gov), then it is not from the US government. â&#x20AC;˘ Do not let anyone keep your original documents, such as birth certificates or passports. â&#x20AC;˘ Never sign a form before it has been filled out. â&#x20AC;˘ Keep a copy of every form that you submit as well as every letter from the government about your application or petition. â&#x20AC;˘ You will get a receipt from USCIS when you submit your paperwork. Make sure that you get a copy. Federal Trade Commission, protects consumers from fraud through law enforcement regulation and education. To report a scam, visit ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877382-4357.

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Toyota earns three spots in Kelley Blue Book’s 15 Best Family Cars of 2015 TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 19, 2015 - - The votes are in and the people have spoken! Three popular Toyota models, Camry mid-size sedan, Highlander mid-size crossover and Sienna van, have made the list of “15 Best Family Cars” by KBB.com. Judges for the 15 Best Family Cars was made up of recruited families and the expert editors from KBB.com. Together, each vehicle evaluation was based

on real-life testing, including comfort and driving, safety, child seats, cargo space,

rear-seat entertainment, and extra features. Camry, the best-selling car in America for the last 13 years, received a new design for the 2015 model year. Toyota went bumper to bumper and floor to roof, changing or re-engineering nearly 2,000 parts, making it the boldest Camry ever. The 2015 Highlander sets itself apart from its competitors with a distinct balance of style, comfort, performance and utility. Highlander offers families three powertrain choices, headturning exterior styling, and a roomy and refined interior with advanced

Tesla tops US best car list for 2 year (Washington, United States-AFP) – Consumer Reports named the luxury electric Tesla S its top car for the second straight year, calling the market-shaking sedan a “technological tour de force.” The annual top-10 ranking, based on independent road performance, reliability and crash tests, also gave top category honors to three Subaru models, a landmark sweep for the small Japanese maker. But the Japanese overall won only six slots, their lowest tally since the influential consumer ratings magazine began the list 19 years ago. Instead, three American brands – the Tesla, the Buick Regal and the Chevrolet

Impala – held their own in the top 10. “Detroit vehicles are breaking through in new categories,” said Mark Rechtin of Consumer Reports’ car ratings team. “Many have come a long way in performance, technology, and improved reliability.” “These are the cars that ignite the gasoline in our veins. That we trust. Respect. And love,” the magazine said. “They also happen to score high in our reliability ratings and shine in automotive crash tests.” The $80,000-plus plug-in Tesla again captured the magazine’s fancy as its overall top pick, and not just for the car’s marketbeating 265 mile (426 kilometer) range

without a charge. Consumer Reports praised the ability to update the Tesla’s software over the Internet, and that the company surmounted early technical problems, including a handful of fires that started from objects on the road surface kicking into its underside battery pack. With those problems aside, Consumer Reports lauded the Tesla S’s “magnificence and sheer technological arrogance.” Subaru, whose all-wheel-drive models are popular with both sport driving fans and outdoorists, led three categories of the 10. The Impreza led the compact car group as a “strong value,” and the Legacy was

technologies and exceptional utility. Sienna was refreshed for 2015 with a more expressive exterior design and upgraded interior comfort and styling. Sienna oozes fun and function as it has something for every member of the family. Kids enjoy Sienna’s Blu-Ray Dual View Entertainment Center while parents easily communicate with them through Toyota’s Driver Easy Speak system. For parental peace of mind, Sienna was named a 2015 IIHS Top Safety Pick +, and is the only van in its segment to offer all-wheel drive. the best midsized sedan (it “exceeds those drab, rental-car expectations... also has the best ride among its peers”). And the Forester grabbed one of the hottest market segments, the small sportutility vehicles. “Subaru has nailed the recipe of combining practicality, safety, fuel economy, value, and interior accommodations,” said the magazine. The Audi A6 came in tops for a luxury car, and, unsurprisingly, on the green car side Toyota’s hybrid Prius took the honors for the 12th straight year. Toyota’s Highlander was best mid-sized SUV and the Honda Odyssey the winner among minivans. But the surprise was the inclusion of the Chevrolet Impala as the best large car, beating out the Toyota Avalon and Lexus ES 350.

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Honda Accord and Civic ranked as two most popular models with individual California car buyers in 2014 Accord #1 most popular car with Californians in 2014; CR-V most popular SUV in the state TORRANCE, Calif., Feb 19, 2015 – The Honda Accord and Civic were the two most popular vehicles with individual California car buyers in 2014, according to a Honda analysis of new-vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive. The Accord was California’s most popular vehicle with individual buyers in 2014, followed by Civic as the second most popular new vehicle.1 2014 was the second year in a row that a Honda vehicle earned the top spot in California, with Civic having taken the title in the Golden State in 2013.2

Among all new vehicle registrations, California car buyers purchased 71,578 Accords and 67,293 Civics in 2014, up 17.3 and 0.5 percent, respectively, when compared to 2013 results. What’s more, in 2014 some 34,980 CR-V sport-utility vehicles were purchased by car buyers in California, up 9.8 percent in the state versus the previous year, making CR-V the most popular SUV in California in 2014. “California is a critical battleground for the auto industry, and it tends to set the tone for the country in terms of product and sales trends, so it’s great to see California buyers choosing Honda over the competition in key product segments,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales

at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “We’re in a very strong position with core products like Accord, Civic and CR-V and we’re going to really fortify our light-truck lineup with the launch this spring of the all-new HR-V crossover and the summer arrival of the redesigned Pilot SUV.” On a national basis, the Accord, Civic, CR-V and Odyssey were the top retail sellers in their respective segments for the second consecutive year, according to new-vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive. Taken together, retail registrations of Accord, Civic and CR-V topped 1 million units in 2014, totaling 1,031,266. Although a Honda is a Honda wherever you see one, Filipinos flock to Carson

Honda because of the friendly Filipino staff at the dealership and of course because of the service our kababayans provide. One of them, Rohmer Manalese, has even earned the “Best in Customer Satisfaction,” an honor he keeps consistently, along with the three other Filipino sales staff in the persons of Ricky Agagas, Terzo Pallen and Christian Reyes, all of whom are veterans in the car sales industry. “We have a great staff and this is a great dealership,” Carson Honda General Manager Krisztian Kratky said. “We have a friendly atmosphere.” Carson Honda is located at 1435 E. 223rd Street, Carson, CA 90745. They can be reached toll free at 1-800503-2321.

Nissan Altima named one of the ‘10 Best Sedans Under $25,000’ by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com 2015 model noted for its fuel economy and comfort, among other features NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan’s bestselling Altima drove back into the headlines again when earlier this month Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com named the 2015 model one of the “10 Best Sedans Under $25,000.”

KBB.com editors selected the Altima due to its standout fuel economy, notably comfortable front seats and “cool” Easy Fill Tire Alert system, among other features. “With a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of just $22,300, the 2015 Altima offers a long list of comfort and technology features which make it a customer favorite,” said Dan Mohnke, vice president,

Nissan Chief Marketing Manager & Marketing Operations. “We are honored that the Altima has been chosen for this honor by the experts at Kelley Blue Book.” Since its total redesign for the 2013 model year, the Nissan Altima remains one of the nation’s top-selling vehicles – embraced by owners for its premium exterior and interior design, rewarding driving experience and in-

If you want to be the next Altima owner, or you may want to purchase another Nissan vehicle, brand-new or certified pre-owned, all you have to do call Nelson Samson at Ross Nissan located at 3428 North Peck Road, El Monte, CA 91731.

novative, driver-focused technology. Altima also offers efficient 38 mile-per-gallon highway fuel economy (2.5-liter engine) and an array of five high-value available models that meet a range of customer needs and budgets. As in previous years, its dynamic performance is provided by a choice of a 182-horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine or 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, with both engines matched with a smooth, efficient Xtronic transmission. The 2015 Altima offers a premium interior design that looks and feels a class above, with standard NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front seats, Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System, Streaming Audio via Bluetooth®and an Advanced Drive-Assist Display in the center of the instrument cluster that integrates key information right in front of the driver. Easy Fill Tire Alert is standard, while available next-generation Safety Shield Technologies include Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Moving Object Detection (MOD) systems. The 2015 Nissan Altima is offered in five well-equipped models: Altima 2.5, 2.5 S, 2.5 SV, 2.5 SL and 3.5 SL. Altima is assembled in the United States. If you want to be the next Nissan owner or you may want to purchase another Nissan vehicle, brand-new or certified pre-owned, all you have to do is get in touch with at Ross Nissan located at 3428 North Peck Road, El Monte, CA 91731. Or call them to make an appointment at 1-866-481-1050. For more information, please visit their website at www.rossnissan.com.

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2015 Nissan Sentra earns Top Safety Pick from IIHS NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today awarded the 2015 Nissan Sentra a “Top Safety Pick” vehicle safety rating. The Institute’s “Top Safety Pick” award recognizes passenger vehicles that excel in protecting passengers in moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and also achieve a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in the small overlap frontal test. The 2015 Sentra scored “Good” in all five of the “Top Safety Pick” categories. “Nissan is committed to safety and innovation, and Nissan is proud to achieve the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating for the 2015 Sentra,” said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America. “As a compact sedan, Sentra is a critically important vehicle in Nissan’s lineup and with its standard safety features we’re bringing a high level of safety and security to a growing consumer segment.” Safety and security features standard on all 2015 Sentras include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dualstage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors;

front seatmounted side impact supplemental air bags; roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat Manuel Lava of Nissan of outboard ocMission Hills cupant head protection; three-point front and rear seatbelts, front seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters and adjustable upper anchors; and LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren). Every Sentra comes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist; Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS); Zone Body construction featuring front and rear crumple zones and occupant zones; Energy absorbing steering column; Child safety rear door locks; Nissan Immobilizer

2015 Nissan Sentra: Nissan Sentra’s exterior design is elegant, modern and refined, reflecting a “professional” character targeted at upwardly bound buyers who aspire to drive something more premium than some of the other designs in the segment. It adopts Nissan’s bold signature trapezoid-shaped grille and large wraparound headlights with standard LED accents. In the rear, LED taillights are also standard, which complement the sophisticated styling.

system and anti-theft alarm system; Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with position monitoring and Bluetooth Hands-free phone System. Sentra SV, SR and SL also come standard with Nissan’s innovative and class-exclusive Easy Fill Tire Alert, which sounds the car horn to notify a person filling a tire with air when the recommended tire pressure has been reached.

If you have been desiring to own a new Nissan vehicle, come down to Nissan Mission Hills and check out our kababayan Manuel Lava of Nissan Mission Hills. So what are you waiting for? Schedule a Test drive on the vehicle of your choice at Nissan of Mission Hills. Call Manuel at 1-888588-7635 today! Nissan of Mission Hills is located at 11000 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345.

Kia Soul EV wins 2015 Motorweek Drivers’ Choice Award CHICAGO, Feb. 12, 2015 – Kia’s hip urban crossover and first all-electric zero emissions vehicle, the Soul EV, has been named the Best Eco-Friendly Vehicle in MotorWeek’s 34th annual Drivers’ Choice Awards. MotorWeek, which airs on 92 percent of PBS stations nationwide, analyzes trends, new products and new technology to produce a list of winners that can be used as a car-buying guide by the show’s viewers. Admired for its practicality and fun design, editors at MotorWeek appreciated the roomy interior and cargo space of the Soul EV, which offers more rear seat leg room than other key EV competitors. “As the centerpiece of Kia’s Clean Mobility program, the Soul EV has the best range in its segment, EPA estimated at 93 miles1, and it’s been recognized by Underwriters Laboratories for its use of biobased materials,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, Kia Motors America (KMA). “MotorWeek’sBest Eco-

Friendly Vehicle award is a great honor from a respected source and a powerful endorsement of the Soul EV’s unique blend of range, utility, style and value.” “The Kia Soul EV is the perfect EV. It is totally practical with plenty of room for adults and everyday cargo,” noted John Davis, host and executive producer of MotorWeek. “It has more power and range compared to other affordable all-electric vehicles. Plus, its funky style makes driving the Kia Soul EV really cool.” The Soul EV retains the iconic design of its gasoline-powered sibling and is offered in four color choices from which designconscious customers can choose. The Soul EV has a premium interior and standard amenities including: Navigation with eight-inch touchscreen, a 6.6kW on-board charger, CHAdeMO DC fast charge port, Rear Camera Display2, power windows and driver’s seat, cruise control and an HVAC system that extends the EV’s range by minimizing energy draw.

If you want to find out why Kia is among the leading car brands of today, drop by Car Pros Kia of Carson at 21243 S Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90745 (telephone # 310-221-9131), or at Car Pros Kia

Huntington Beach at 18835 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, CA 92648 (714-6131119) and last but won’t be the last, at Car Pros Kia Glendale at 400 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204 (818) 745-1400.

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Mercedes-Benz of Long Beach • Rates as low as 0.99% up to 36 months1 • 2 Month Payment Credit2

SALES EVENT

• Complimentary Pre-Paid Maintenance3 • Unlimited Mileage Warranty4

SALE ENDS MARCH 2nd Our pre-owned inventory is at an all time high. Shop online today to view our extensive inventory and find exceptional savings. 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 Coupe

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All prices plus government fees and taxes, any finance charges, dealer preparation charges and any emission testing charges. All vehicles 1 subject to prior sale. 0.99% APR for up to 36 months applies to Mercedes-Benz model year 2011, 2012 and 2013 Certified Pre-Owned C, E, S, GLK, M and GL-Class vehicles. Excludes leases and balloon contracts. Available only at participating authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers. Subject to credit approval by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Qualified customers only. Not everyone will qualify. Minimum finance term applies. See Mercedes-Benz of Long Beach for complete details. 22 month Payment Credit up to $900 applies to 2011, 2012, and 2013 Certified Pre-Owned C-Class and GLK-Class vehicles. 2 month Payment Credit up to $1,200 applies to 2011, 2012, and 2013 Certified Pre-Owned M-Class and E-Class vehicles. 2 month Payment Credit up to $2,000 applies to 2011, 2012, and 2013 Certified Pre-Owned GLClass and S-Class vehicles. Vehicles must be financed through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. 3Complimentary Pre-Paid Maintenance contract available on select Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned C, E, S, GLK, M and GL-Class vehicles. Excludes AMG models. Must take delivery of vehicle between January 3, 2015 and March 2, 2015. See your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for complete details on Pre-Paid Maintenance. 4Certified Pre-Owned limited warranty coverage for one (1) year (and no mileage maximum) from expiration date of the original 4-year / 50,000 mile Mercedes-Benz new vehicle limited warranty. If the new vehicle limited warranty has expired, Certified Pre-Owned limited warranty coverage is for one (1) year from the date of purchase, with no mileage maximum. Offers expire close of business 3.2.15.

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866.870.2966

mbzlongbeach.com 2300 East Spring St. • Signal Hill, CA 90755