Weekend balita january 4, 2014 by Balita Media Inc

LOS ANGELES

VOL. XXI, NO. 48

JANUARY 4-10, 2014

PHL allows phone use on planes Laptops, MP3 players can now be used inflight – CAAP MANILA, December 31, 2013 (AFP) – The Philippines’ civil aviation authority said Tuesday it would allow passengers to use mobile phones and laptops to make calls and access the Internet during flights. Civil aviation director general William Hotchkiss said the order covered “transmitting portable electronic devices”. With immediate effect, the move will allow “people on board the aircraft conditional use of laptops, cellular phones, Internet or short-based-messaging service, voice communications and other broadband services during flights”, he said in a directive. However, devices should still be turned off pre-flight, when the aircraft is refueling, and be switched to silent mode. “The use of MP3s should always be with

earphones and not with additional or separate speaker or amplifiers,” Hotchkiss added. The United States and the European Union have also said they will relax restrictions on the use of mobile devices on planes. However there have been concerns that allowing voice calls would cause disturbance to other passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) memorandum circular released on Tuesday allows conditional use of transmitting portable electronic devices (TPEDs), music players (MP3s), and global system for mobile communication on-board aircraft (GSMOBA) on all commercial aircraft operating within or en-route over the territorial jurisdiction of the Republic of the Philippines. Hotchkiss said Memorandum Circular 52-

13, Series of 2013 permits people on board an aircraft conditional use of laptops and cellular phones, internet or short-message-service (SMS) or voice communications and other broadband services during flights provided they meet the conditions set by the agency. The conditions and limitations set by CAAP are:1) When the aircraft doors are still open – Use of laptops and cellular phones may be used, internet or short-message-service (SMS) or voice communications, unless the Pilot-In-Command and or Senior Cabin Crew would specifically announce on the public address system (PAS) its prohibition. However, laptops using broadband communications and cellular phone will never be allowed use when the aircraft is refueling. In this inSee PHONE ON PLANES, page 12

Non-machine readable passports to be phased out by late 2015 - DFA MANILA, Jan 1 (Mabuhay) – The use of all non-machine readable passports will not be extended beyond 31 October 2015 and must be completely phased out by 24 November 2015, the Department of Foreign Affairs said recently. Citing its own regulations and the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), DFA

said all Filipino nationals holding machine readable-ready passports (MRRP, green passports) and machine readable passports (MRP, maroon passports) will no longer be allowed to apply for an extension of the validity of these passports after 31 October 2014. All Filipinos are told to apply for a new e-Passport as soon as possible before the expiry of their current MRRP (green) or MRP (maroon) passports. Those who fail to do so will likely encounter difficulty at immigration checks when traveling through any ports of entry around the world after October 2015, DFA said. Passport holders are also reminded that there are strict rules for applying for an extension of the validity of expiring or expired passports. Passports that are valid for less than six months or those that have already expired may be extended once only in the followSee PASSPORTS, page 12

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines circular allows conditional use of people on board the aircraft conditional use of laptops, cellular phones, Internet or short-based-messaging service, voice communications and other broadband services during flights on-board aircraft on all commercial aircraft operating within or en-route over the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines.

Pacman, Kim obviously were not shooting at each other – Palace

Philippine Passport Biometric Data Page from Wikimedia Commons. The Department of Foreign Affairs said nonmachine readable passports to be phased out by late by 2015.

MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang said the recent friendly shootfest where Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao teamed up with Internal Revenue Commission Kim Henares was proof that there is no hostility between the administration and the Saranggani lawmaker. “This shows that the President has no hostility toward Rep. Pacquiao,” Presidential Communications Operations Office head Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a briefing aired over state-run Radyo ng Bayan on Thursday. “But the outstanding issue of his tax obligations to the government remains. That shootfest has no bearing,” Coloma added. See PACMAN, page 12

Filipina beauty captures Miss Tourism International title for the second straight year The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur reported that a Filipina emerged victorious for the second straight year at the Miss Tourism International pageant held on December 31, 2013 at the Marriot Hotel and Spa in Putrajaya. Twenty year old Angeli Dione Gomez bested 59 other contestants from around the world to win the title. She was crowned by Miss Tourism International 2012/2013 and fellow Filipina Rizzini Alexis Gomez. Rounding up the top five are Thailand’s Sunidporn Srisuwan (Miss Tourism Queen of the Year), first runner-up; Australia’s Sarah Czarnuch (Miss Tourism Metropolitan), second runner-up; Dominican Republic’s Michelle Alexis Torres (Miss Tourism Global International) third runner up and Malaysia’s Thaarah Ganesan (Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan International), fourth runner-up. Vietnam’s Phan Hoang Thu was named Ms. Southeast Asia. “Ms. Gomez’s victory in the Miss Tourism International See MISS TOURISM, page 12

Miss Tourism International 2013/2014 Angeli Dione Gomez (center) is flanked by fellow winners at the end of the pageant coronation night held at the Marriot Hotel and Spa in Putrajaya.

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Can bankruptcy stop a foreclosure? There has been sevtion if the property is CONSUMER eral articles in the press financially worth saving. MATTERS recently, that suggests we For those with a second are about to experience a mortgage that is in esnew wave of foreclosures sence, unsecured by the this spring. Banks usucurrent real value of the ally, try to avoid dumpproperty, the bankruptcy ing their entire foreclocourt can choose to consure portfolio at once, to sider this an unsecured prevent prices dropping debt, and discharge it so low, that it encoursimilarly to credit card ages even more people debt. That in turn imBY ATTY. PAUL ALLEN to default. Who wants to proves the loan to value service a mortgage on a position on the property. property that is significantly upside down? The U.S. Courts’ publication BankPersonally, I think we are in a longer ruptcy Basics refers to a Chapter 13 real estate recession than many realize. bankruptcy as “an adjustment of debts of A few years ago, many home buyers took an individual with regular income” where advantage of low start rates, hoping their the debtor works with the bankruptcy court property would appreciate faster than the to develop a repayment plan for the debtor rise in adjustable loan rates. Unfortunately, to follow over the next three to five years. this didn’t happen for those on the tail end Upon completion of the repayment plan, of the real estate boom. Many of them, the bankruptcy court will discharge any unable to qualify for the new HARP2 remaining eligible debts. refinancing, choose to let their properties A Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing can foreclose, rather than service loans higher stall or derail foreclosure proceedings. than the home is worth. That’s because of bankruptcy’s “automatic So what happens when you stop pay- stay” provisions that force creditors to ing your mortgage? After a few months the sidelines while the bankruptcy court in arrears, the mortgage lender starts a sorts things out. The lender can petition foreclosure process. Foreclosure is a legal the court to allow it to continue with the procedure that involves mortgaged prop- foreclosure, depending on where you are in erties. If a homeowner defaults on his or the foreclosure process, but it should buy her mortgage, by either failing to make you some time. mortgage payments or failing to follow The following, is from page 24 of other terms of the mortgage document, the U.S. Courts’ publication Bankruptcy foreclosure may be the result. Usually there Basics: is a forced sale of the property at public By virtue of the automatic stay, an auction; The home owner loses title, and in individual debtor faced with a threatened most cases, it is the mortgage lender who foreclosure of the mortgage on his or her takes possession. The lender will subse- principal residence can prevent an imquently lists the property for sale through mediate foreclosure by filing a chapter 13 a local real estate broker. The homeowner petition. Chapter 13 then affords the debtor will face eviction. a right to cure defaults on long-term home Bankruptcy is a legal procedure that mortgage debts by bringing the payments begins when an individual cannot meet all current over a reasonable period of time. their financial obligations, and chooses to The debtor is permitted to cure a default avail themselves of the protection of the with respect to a lien on the debtor’s prinbankruptcy court. cipal residence up until the completion For those in foreclosure, a chapter 13 of a foreclosure sale under state law. 11 bankruptcy repayment plan may be the U.S.C § 1322©. answer. You will still have to make your Clearly, you should hire a bankruptcy regular mortgage payments on time, but attorney to guide you through this complex arrears can be amortized over several years. process. That’s why the Law Offices of It is a solution for those struggling with Paul M. Allen is here to help you consider both mortgage payments and unsecured the advantages of a re-structuring, through debt like credit cards, because the bank- the flexibility of a Chapter 13 plan. ruptcy can discharge the unsecured debt, For a free consultation, call the law ofand give you a chance to use that money fices of Paul M. Allen today. to save your home. 1-877-35-NOPAY (1-877-356-6729) Of course, that is only a good solu- Glendale & Cerritos.

1.3 million jobs in government portal – Baldoz MANILA, Jan 1 (Mabuhay) – There are now 1.3 million job vacancies posted in the government’s online jobs and skills matching portal to guide Filipino workforce to gain new skills and experience in 2014, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a news release Tuesday. She said with many private employers being accredited in the Phil-JobNet system, the government’s official online job and skill matching portal, the job vacancies reached 1,384,728 from January to November in 2013. The number of job vacancies posted in 2013 has increased by 21.8 percent compared to 1,137,551 job openings posted during the same period in 2012. However, the Bureau of Labor and Employment (BLE), the agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) assisting job seekers through the Phil-JobNet, noted that there are only 203,639 job seekers who applied for the jobs posted in the Phil-JobNet portal. “The resulting surplus of decent job opportunities posted by a growing number of accredited employers this year should encourage jobseekers to upgrade their skills and qualify for the available vacancies, especially in the coming year (2014),” said Baldoz. Most of the job openings are in the services, construction, tourism, as well as Information Technology and Communications (ICT), particularly Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). The department’s regional offices have also strengthened information campaigns in many local communities about these job vacancies to provide jobs even up to poor barangays. Baldoz said the BLE accredited 7,443 private employers, an increase of 20.8 percent from the 6,164 employers accredited during the same period last year to post their job openings in the government’s Phil-JobNet portal. The figure also surpassed the total 6,574 employers accredited in the entire 2012.

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Infant, toddler die in PHL New Year revelry shootings MANILA, January 2, 2014 (AFP) – An infant and a toddler have died after being accidentally shot during raucous New Year celebrations in the Philippines, police said Thursday. The revelry left eight other people across the country wounded by stray bullets, while 793 were injured by firecrackers, according to a health department tally. A three-month-old baby boy was hit in the head by a stray bullet from a gun that was being fired into the air as part of festivities in the northern town of Caoayan in the early hours of January 1. “He was lying in his room when the bullet pierced the roof and hit the child,” the Ilocos Sur provincial police chief Jemar Modequillo told AFP. In the neighbouring province of Ilocos Norte, a two-year-old boy was also hit by a bullet as he slept in his family’s home in the town of San Nicolas, said the provincial police chief, Senior Superintendent Gerardo Ratuta. Like the infant, this boy also died in hospital later,

police said. Police are now looking for the persons who fired the guns. The governor of Ilocos Sur province has offered a reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect in the infant’s shooting, Modequillo said. Filipinos have traditionally welcomed the New Year by shooting off powerful firecrackers and sometimes by firing guns into the air – despite the government’s efforts to discourage both practices. Last year’s revelry left one dead and 25 wounded by stray bullets, and a further 800 injured by firecracker explosions. President Benigno Aquino called for safer ways to celebrate New Year’s day, his spokesman Herminio Coloma told reporters Thursday. “Every New Year’s Day, we are greeted with headlines on hundreds of injured persons as a result of firecracker explosions, as well as casualties from stray bullets. We believe that there should be an alternative to this unfortunate scenario,” he said.

DOH warns public of contracting tetanus after firecracker injuries MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – With fireworksrelated injuries breaching the 800-mark Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) warned the public of the dangers of tetanus, which can be life-threatening. “Paalala lang namin kasi marami sa kanila ang naputukan ngayon. Hindi pa pumupunta [sa ospital] kasi akala nila daplis [lang], wash, don’t touch,” Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag said. He encouraged those injured but haven’t gone to the hospital yet to come so they could be given an anti-tetanus vaccine. “Kasi kung hindi [kayo pumunta], simula bukas, kung tetanus ‘yan, maninigas na ‘yung bibig niyo. Magkakaroon ng seizures. Baka maging

panganib pa sa buhay niyo ‘yan,” Tayag said. Tetanus causes muscle spasms, said Tayag. He also said medical staff in government hospitals automatically provide vaccines for patients with fireworks-related injuries. “Kung nakalimutan po kayong bigyan ng bakuna, may karapatan po kayong bumalik at kailangan po na bakunahan po kayo. Libre po ‘yun,” he said. Symptoms will appear within three days of exposure in people infected with tetanus, Tayag said. The tetanus infection is usually contracted through wound contamination. “Kung magkakaroon ka ng symptoms within the first seven days, malamang sa hindi ay ikamatay mo,” Tayag said. (MNS)

Roselle Leones, 20, looks at her newborn baby boy, Mark Ian, after giving birth to him at midnight on New Year, at the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital in Manila January 1, 2014. At least three babies were born on New Year’s day at the Jose Reyes Memorial hospital, according to hospital officials. (MNS photo)

PHL economy to slow down in 2014: economist MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – The Philippine economy’s growth is expected to slow down this year, former Budget Secretary and economist Benjamin Diokno said. Diokno said he expects economic growth to slow to 5.5% to 6.5% this year, lower than the government forecast of 6.5%-7.5%. “Talagang medyo mabigat ang 2014 kung kumpara sa 2013. Ang consensus ng mga ekonomista mas magiging mahina ang paglago ng ekonomiya natin... Palagay ko papalo tayo ng 5.5% to 6.5%,” he said. The economy is recovering from the natural calamities, particularly the devastation caused by super typhoon “Yolanda” last year. Diokno noted President Aquino also faces declining popularity this year, due to his administration’s response to the “Yolanda” tragedy. “As a nation parang mas divided tayo dahil sa mga pangyayari ngayon. Nakita ng mga tao na may pagka-vindictive talaga ang Presidente natin and demonstrated incompetence sa paghandle ng ekonomiya. Unang-una, yun PPP hindi naman nagtake-off. At nakita ng mga tao ang pag-responde nila sa mga natural calamities,” he said.

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DOH: Number of fireworks-related injuries climbs to 933 The number of revelry-related injuries from late December to early January surpassed last year’s levels, reaching 933 as of Friday, the Department of Health said. National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Enrique Tayag also said at least one child lost both hands Thursday after picking up several unexploded fireworks. While he did not identify the child, he described him as 11 years old and from Balong Bato in Quezon City, and is now at the Manila Central University Hospital. In posts on his Twitter account, Tayag said the 933 injuries included 914 from fireworks, and two from fireworks ingestion. Another 17 injuries were due to stray

bullets, he added in posts on his Twitter account. Of the 914 fireworks-related injuries, 354 or 39 percent were due to piccolo, Tayag noted. In the same period in 2012, Tayag said the total revelry-related injuries stood at 919, including 892 from fireworks, two from fireworks ingestion and 25 from stray bullets. The DOH had campaigned last year against the use of fireworks to celebrate Christmas and to welcome the New Year. However, Tayag said the campaign may have been affected by recent calamities, as the DOH had to deploy manpower and resources to help those affected.

Grace Poe wants to make date of Ampatuan massacre ‘Philippine Press Freedom Day’ MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe has filed a bill seeking to declare November 23 Philippine Press Freedom Day. On that day in 2009, around a hundred gunmen stopped a convoy in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao that was on its way to file the certificate of then Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, who intended to run for governor against then Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., scion of the clan that enjoyed almost absolute rule over the central Mindanao province for a decade. The convoy’s passengers and those in a number of vehicles that happened to pass by at the time were taken to a hilltop in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman and slaughtered. The Ampatuan massacre claimed 58 lives in all, including those of 32 media workers, making it the worst incident of electoral violence in recent Philippine history and the deadliest single attack on the press ever. Yet, more than four years later, none of the more than 190 persons accused of the carnage, including key members of the Ampatuan clan, has yet to be convicted. Although May 3 is officially recognized as World Press Freedom Day since the UNESCO General Conference adopted a recommendation in 1991, Poe said locally commemorating November 23 would be a fitting reminder of the sacrifices journalists make in the practice of their profession.

“While we are considered to have the freest press in Asia, we are also bombarded with numbers of murdered and disappeared journalists. Remembered as the single deadliest event for journalists in recent history, the Maguindanao massacre is and continues to be a symbol of the fight for press freedom and (journalists’) rights in the practice of their profession,” she said. “Certainly, the Maguindanao massacre is a wanton violation or their rights, and the day that such an abuse of power and machinery happened at the expense or innocent truth seekers must be a day to commemorate and honor their sacrifices to prevent another ignominy in the history of the Philippine press,” she added. The senator stressed that, “Freedom of the press not only includes the rights to speech and write but also includes the right to be respected and protected from threats, intimidation and harm to their lives and property while in the pursuit of their profession.” Philippine Press Freedom Day, she said, “seeks to promote and uphold freedom and heighten awareness on press freedom, so that journalists may freely and securely report the truth no matter who gets hurt by it.” Poe said a similar bill had been filed during the 15th Congress but had stalled at the committee level for lack of time to pass the measure. “In the light of all these circumstances, the swift passage of this bill is earnestly sought,” she said. (MNS)

Palace: No legalization of marijuana soon MANILA, Jan 3 (Mabuhay) – Unless Congress amends the law, Malacañang does not see the Philippines going the way of some states in the US in legalizing the use of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said marijuana is considered a prohibited substance under the Philippines’ Dangerous Drugs Act. “It’s proihibited under the Dangerous Drugs Act. It will remain as such until Congress amends it otherwise,” she said at a media briefing Friday. Marijuana had been recently legalized in Colorado in the United States. Valte said that while it is up to Congress whether to amend the present law to legalize marijuana, the substance will continue to be banned here. But for now, she stressed Philippine law enforcers will continue to enforce the Dangerous Drugs Act, which outlaws the drug. “As of the moment, the executive department implements the law as it is,” she said. In the US, Colorado and Washington approved the recreational sale of cannabis in November 2012 referendums, and pot shops were allowed to open on January 1 in Colorado and later in the year in Washington.

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Bill to create portable water filters nationwide MANILA, Jan 3 (Mabuhay) – A lawmaker has filed a bill requiring all provinces and cities throughout the country to acquire portable water filters to ensure potable water supply during disasters. Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan (4th District, Quezon) said House Bill 3244 aims to provide potable water to communities affected by calamities. “This will ensure the continuous supply of safe drinking water to the victims of calamities and the general public,” said Tan, who is a medical doctor. She noted that undoubtedly, both natural and man-made disasters bring life to a standstill as calamities do not only hamper electricity but also clean drinking water supply, affecting the public with numerous waterborne diseases. Tan cited the case of many victims of the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol, Cebu province and Siquijor Island in Central Visayas where cases of diarrhea and other waterborne diseases were reported due to the disruption of running water. Many areas that were affected by the killer quake are living without adequate quantities of clean water and sanitation facilities, she added. “Since the country is prone to disasters and hazards, waterborne diseases become prevalent in times of tropical cyclones, earthquakes and social conflicts. Hence, communities across the archipelago need guaranteed access to clean water and sanitation facilities to prevent the spread of diseases,” Tan said. Tan said it is the policy of the State to uphold the people’s constitutional right to life by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters, strengthening the country’s institutional capacity for building the resilience of local communities to disasters including climate change impacts. In addition, Tan said the new policy will adhere to and adopt the universal norms, principles and standards of humanitarian assistance as concrete expression of the country’s commitment to overcome human sufferings due to recurring disasters that affect the country year in and year out.

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Tacloban City acquires 6000-square-meter lot as mass grave for 1400 Yolanda victims MANILA, Dec 31 (Mabuhay) – A 6,000-squaremeter lot will serve as the mass grave for some 1,400 unburied fatalities of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Tacloban City, one of the areas hit hardest by the cyclone last November. The city government acquired the lot at Barangay Basper, about 10 km north of the city, state-run Philip-

pines News Agency quoted city councilor Jerry Uy as saying. Uy said many residents have expressed anxiety about the unburied remains, which had attracted flies and had emitted foul odor. But the National Bureau of Investigation has not finished processing and identifying several of the remains,

the report added. Yolanda battered the Visayas and Southern Luzon last Nov. 8, leaving more than 6,100 dead in its wake. While the international community has responded by sending relief teams to help those affected, the Philippine government has drawn up a recovery and rehabilitation plan for the devastated areas. (MNS)

Aquino signs P14.6-billion supplemental Let’s climate-proof the PHL, says Finance chief MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – On top those that are,” he added. budget for calamity-hit areas of earthquakes and sometimes volcanic Guarantee mechanism MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III has signed into law the supplemental budget appropriating P14.6 billion for the rehabilitation of calamitystruck areas. Aquino signed the joint congressional resolution on December 26, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Secretary Herminio Coloma said on Thursday. The measure was earlier certified as urgent by the President. The supplemental budget covers unspent amounts from the calamity fund, quick reaction fund, and other items in the 2013 budget. It was also sourced from the unreleased pork barrel funds of lawmakers for the

second semester of 2013. The Priority Development Assistance Fund was eventually declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The supplemental budget will cover the “rehabilitation services to communities/areas affected by man-made and natural calamities, and repair, reconstruction of permanent structures, including other capital expenditures for disaster operations and rehabilitation activities.” This will include, but will not be limited to, areas devastated by typhoons Labuyo, Odette, Pablo, Sendong, Santi, and Vinta; the siege and unrest in Zamboanga; the magnitude-7.2 earthquake in Bohol and Cebu; and the recent super typhoon Yolanda. (MNS)

eruptions, the Philippines is assailed by 20 typhoons on average per year – some really deadly – that is why the government is pushing for new ways and schemes of responding to and recovering from disasters. This includes the creation of a calamity resiliency fund, the Finance chief told reporters in a briefing over the weekend. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said his department is currently working with state agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations, and the private sector in drafting measures toward developing a long-term plan in managing the economic costs and preventing damage to life and property from man-made and natural calamities. The Department of Finance (DOF) is looking at the creation of a calamity resiliency fund – a special purpose fund aimed at “climate-proofing” the Philippines. “I think its time to look for a climate resiliency fund,” Purisima said. The fund will be used to improve and ensure the structural integrity of public infrastructure – including the possible relocation of key buildings – and put in place water and flood management programs. While the nitty-gritty of the fund is still being worked out, including the amount involved, the idea is to use it also to insure hospitals, schools, markets and other public infrastructure. It will also require legislation to allow disaster-stricken local governments to tap into the calamity fund for rebuilding and rehabilitation. Purisima said a draft bill will be out by the first quarter of 2014. “If we are able to pass this bill, there will... be a pooling of funds. Those that were not hit by calamities will able to help

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A guarantee mechanism that gives banks the flexibility to offer survivors low interest rates is also being mulled over by the department. Purisima said they are looking at tapping government financial institutions to set up a guarantee fund, the details of which they are now working on before a final plan could be announced likely within the first quarter of 2014. “Insurance has to be viable. It has to be done in a way that there is maximum participation,” he said. He said low interest rates on loans will raise the chances of businesses and individuals to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a calamity. The United Nations ranks the Philippines as the third most vulnerable country to natural hazards after the South Pacific island states of Vanuatu and Tonga. Twenty-five tropical cyclones hit the Philippines in 2013, according to weather bureau PAGASA. Last Nov. 8, Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest to make landfall on record, cut a wide swathe of destruction in central Philippines and killed over 6,100 persons. The Philippines also lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire that makes it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Last Oct. 15, a magnitude-7.2 earthquake jolted the Visayas, reducing historical churches to rubble and killing over 200 individuals. Yearly, natural calamities shave an estimated 1 percentage point from the Philippine gross domestic product, according to government officials. “If we want to reduce the vulnerability of the future, we have to put in place reforms now,” Purisima said. (MNS)

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10 Pinay â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sex slavesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rescued in Malaysia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; report MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ten Filipinas were among the 35 women rescued from three massage centers in Malaysia, a Malaysian news website reported. According to www.thestar.com.my, the other rescued women composed of 10 Chinese, 12 Thais, and three Vietnamese nationals. The rescue was a result of the raid conducted against three reflexology centers in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. The report added that the women lived

in makeshift rooms and forced by their employers to service their customers. The women were offered jobs as professional masseurs but ended up as sex slaves for six months. Upon arrival in Malaysia, the women said their employers confiscated their passports. The raid also resulted in the arrest of the alleged operators of the illegal reflexology centers. They include five men â&#x20AC;&#x201C; four locals and one Myanmar national â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and a Filipina.(MNS)

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Aquino elated over UNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action adopting PHL-sponsored resolution on violence vs women migrant workers MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Aquino government expressed elation over the action of the United Nations General Assembly adopting the Philippinesponsored resolution on violence against women migrant workers, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on Thursday. Coloma said during the regular press briefing in MalacaĂąang the UN Assembly adopted by consensus the Philippine-sponsored Resolution No. 68/137 on Violence Against Women Migrant Workers last December 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It urges all governments to consider permitting migrant women workers who are victims of violence to apply for resi-

dency permits independently of abusive employers or spouses, in accordance with national laws, and to eliminate abusive sponsorship systems,â&#x20AC;? the Communications Secretary said. Coloma said the Philippine initiative was prompted by the need to extend protection to thousands of Filipina migrant workers. According to Coloma, the resolution calls on all countries to grant women migrant workers in domestic service access to gender-sensitive transparent mechanisms for bringing complaints against employers including termination of their contract, in case of labor and economic exploitation, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse and violence.(MNS)

ANILA, Dec 31 (Mabuhay) -- Workers party Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) on Tuesday called on Yolanda rehabilitation head Panfilo Lacson as well as the agencies involved in the reconstruction plan and international aid groups to dialogue with workers associations in Leyte demanding decent jobs and peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation in the process. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yolanda survivors should be treated as citizens not beggars. It behooves Ping, rehab agencies, and donor countries to engage with the Leyte informal workers in the reconstruction plan. Inclusive growth is mere lip service, people empowerment is just a buzz word without the actual participation of organized groups at the grassroots,â&#x20AC;? said PM spokesperson Wilson Fortaleza in a news release. On Monday, PM and its partner groups in Eastern Visayas conducted a motorcade of a hundred tricycles garbed in tarp posters with the message â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make jobs a priority in Yolanda rehab.â&#x20AC;? They went around Tacloban City and were warmly received by typhoon survivors. The motorcade signaled the launch of the campaign for decent employment, social protection, and peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation as bedrocks of Yolanda rehabilitation and reconstruction plan. Before the motorcade, the tricycle drivers attended a noon mass at the Sto. Nino Church. A gathering and small salo-salo followed the motorcade at the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social hall where family members and other Yolanda survivors gathered to hear the groupsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; manifesto and affirm their commitment to the collective

struggle of rebuilding their lives and their communities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the rehabilitation and rebuilding process, we do not want to just revert back to where we were before Yolanda. We want a new community, a better community,â&#x20AC;? said Judy Torres, PM-Region 8 coordinator and chair of the Tacloban Federation of MCH (Motor Cabs for Hire) Drivers and Operators Associations Inc. (TAFEMDO). The campaign came days after the government announced the US$8.17-billion or P361-billion plan under the so-called Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) which will be completed in four years. In a joint manifesto,TAFEMDO, Trisikad Operators and Drivers Organization of Hilongos, Leyte; Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa-Region 8; and PM explained that prior to the onslaught of Yolanda, they were already living miserable lives. Transporting people around the city through motorized and non-motorized cabs for hire as their only source of income was insufficient. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our priority demand is decent jobs because it is a guarantee to a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longterm security and a life of dignity,â&#x20AC;? said Torres, adding that while everybody was devastated it is the poor that suffered most. He added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extreme weather systems are the awful outcome of climate change caused by unrestrained economic activities of industrial countries. Thus, we believe that more than the humanitarian aspect, developed countries have the historical, moral, and social responsibility to come to our aid.â&#x20AC;?(MNS)

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Macau gambling revenue hits record $45-B in 2013 HONG KONG, January 2, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Macauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gambling revenue jumped 18.6 percent to a record $45 billion in 2013, official figures showed Thursday, cementing the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest gaming hub. Gaming revenues rose to 360.75 billion patacas ($45.17 billion) last year from 304.14 billion patacas in 2012, according to government figures. There had been fears of a slowdown as year-on-year growth in 2012 was just 13.5 percent, compared to 42 percent in the previous year. Macauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gaming sector has seen a boom in recent years due to an influx of well-heeled Chinese gamblers, and the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government has distributed cash handouts to its residents annually since 2008. But the high growth has also caused

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Saudi to execute Pinoy if PHL fails to raise blood money MANILA, Jan 2 (Mabuhay) – An overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia could be executed this month if his family and the Philippine government fail to raise the P17.5-million needed to save him. Philippine ambassador to Saudi Ezzedin Tago reported that the government has so far raised 520,831 Saudi riyal (around P6.1 million) to spare the life of OFW Joselito Zapanta, who was sentenced to death in 2009 for killing his Sudanese landlord allegedly out of self-defense. The amount is still SAR 1.48 million (P17.5 million)

short to complete the SAR 2 million being renegotiated with the victim’s family. Vice President Jejomar Binay, presidential adviser on OFW concerns, once again appealed to Filipinos to help raise Zapanta’s blood money. “Once again, I ask everyone to help raise funds for Joselito. Let us start this year by helping save the life of a fellow Filipino and bringing joy to his family,” Binay said in a statement. The vice-president said the victim’s family might reconsider and accept the offer if the Philippine government manages to present a higher

amount for the blood money. The payment of the blood money was originally due on November 12, 2012, but was extended to March 12 last year. A second extension was granted, with the deadline already lapsing last November 3. Donations for Zapanta’s blood money may be made out to the Riyadh Philippine Embassy’s sub-account in the Saudi Hollandi Bank: Account Number 037-040790-022 International Bank Account Number (IBAN): SA 61-5000-0000-0370-4079-0022 Swift Code: AAALSARI. (MNS)

DOLE seeks to reduce 8,000 overstaying OFWs in SKorea to increase deployment MANILA, Dec 31 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Labor and Employment seeks to reduce the estimated 8,000 overstaying overseas Filipino workers in South Korea so that it could increase its deployment in the north Asian country through its Employment Permit System (EPS). In a news release, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said South Korea’s annual quota for foreign workers under its EPS is decided by its Foreign Workers Policy Committee with due consideration on the number of overstaying workers, as well as labor market trends, level of labor shortages, and economic condition. In 2014, Baldoz said she will aggressively address the issue of illegally staying EPS Filipino workers in South Korea. “We have to show we are serious in reducing the number of the estimated 8,247 EPS workers illegally staying in South Korea if we wish to have our quota increased,” she said. Baldoz thus instructed Philippine Overseas Employment Administration head Hans Leo J. Cacdac to initiate disciplinary action against overstaying OFWs covered by the government-to-government arrange-

ment with the POEA as the sending agency. She also ordered the strict monitoring of contracts by the POEA and for the Philippine Overseas Labor Office to sustain its on-site campaign and education program. “The POEA rules and regulations has provision on disciplining OFWs, and the POEA itself should show that if it can discipline OFWs deployed by licensed private recruitment agencies, the more it should show that it can, as sending agency, discipline errant workers,” she said. At the same time, Baldoz instructed Labor Attache to South Korea Felicitas Bay to coordinate and link with the Human Resource Development Service and Ministry of Labor of South Korea on measures to ensure that Filipino workers under the EPS leave South Korea at the end of their contracts. “You also have to intensify your active campaign for voluntary return of workers to the Philippines and your financial literacy and reintegration preparedness programs because these will be good for them and for other workers wishing to work in South Korea,” she said, observing that returning EPS workers get extended

work contracts of four years and 10 months if they stay with their South Korean employers all throughout the duration of their contracts. They are also exempted from the Korean language test and job training course, and are not subject to the age limitation of 38 years old. According to Labor Attache Bay, these kind of workers are called “sincere” workers by the Koreans. “We can increase our quota if we religiously follow the EPS law, and this will be good for us because South Korea is a good destination for OFWs,” Baldoz said. Effective January 2014, the minimum

wage in South Korea will be increased by 7.2 percent, or 320 Korean won per hour, from 4,860 (US$4.58) won to 5,210 (US$4.92) won per hour. This is equivalent to around 1,088,890 won US$1,027.98 per month or P45,642. Labor Attache Bay had reported that POLO South Korea data show there are 6,700 undocumented or overstaying Filipino workers under the EPS of the total 8,247 undocumented OFWs in South Korea as of September 2013. As of the same date, there are 25,951 OFWs in that country, of which number 13,818 are under the EPS.(MNS)

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Bill grants scholarship to teachers and their children MANILA, Jan 2. (Mabuhay) – Lawmakers have filed a bill granting scholarships to public school teachers and their children. Reps. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur) and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga) filed House Bill 3035 to uplift the personal integrity of teachers by extending them proper recognition and the corresponding benefits. Under the measure, to be known as the Scholarship Grants to Public School Teachers and their Children Act of 2013, public school teachers who are in active

service for at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the date of application for the grant shall be eligible to avail of the scholarship grants to enrol in any masteral or post graduate course. Also covered by free education are only the legitimate children of public school teachers covering preschool, elementary, secondary and tertiary education. Retired public school teachers are likewise entitled but only to a proportional amount of scholarship grant for their children. The scholarship grant shall be applicable in all

public schools and state universities upon passing the requirements set by the respective schools. Public school teachers who have been charged and proven to have committed acts of professional misconduct shall forfeit their eligibility to avail of the grant for themselves and for their children as well. Arroyo said the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers Act of 1966 or Republic Act 4670 was passed into law to help promote and improve the social and economic status of public school teachers. (MNS)

Bill to foster entrepreneurial programs in schools mulled MANILA, Jan. 1 (Mabuhay) – To accelerate business opportunity among Filipinos in providing more jobs to unemployed, a lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to promote a business incubation program in schools to give students unique educational opportunities and provide entrepreneurs with enhanced access to a skilled workforce. Marikina City Rep. Marcelino Teodoro said academic affiliated incubators bridge the missions of academic institutions by bringing together education, economic development, and technology commer-

cialization efforts. As defined in House Bill 2475, a business incubator is an entity affiliated with, or housed in a degree-granting institution that provides space as well as coordinated and specialized services to entrepreneurial business which meet selected criteria during the businesses’ start-up phase. These services include shared office space and services, access to equipment, access to telecommunications and technology services, flexible leases, specialized management assistance, access to financing and other related coordinated business

or technical support services. The measure authorizes the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to support the establishment and development of incubators and to appropriate from the National Treasury such sums it may deem appropriate in carrying out the purpose of this Act. As for the appropriated funds, the bill provides that the CHED shall use 80 percent of the allocation to make awards, on a competitive basis, in the amount of P20 million to help acquire or renovate space for incubators. Awards in the amounts of P20 million to P50 million shall be allocated for developing currircula, providing services including preparing corporate charters, partnership agreements, and basic contracts, assistance with patents, trademarks and copyrights and technology acquisition services or providing programming for entrepreneurs housed in an incubator. The allocations shall be awarded to a non-profit entity that has a strong affiliation with a degree-granting institution and manages or provides technical assistance to the degree-granting institution’s af-

filiated incubator, or in its absence, to the degree-granting institution managing the incubator. The CHED is further directed under the bill to use 10 percent of the amount on rewards, in amounts of P20 million to P50 million for feasibility studies for determining the need for or siting of incubators. These allocations shall be awarded to a degree-granting institution or a non-profit municipality, city township, or community development organization. Each entity desiring assistance under this Act shall submit an application to the CHED at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the CHED may require. The CHED shall give priority to funding applications under this Act that provide strong educational opportunities to students in entrepreneurship, and to those that require significant collaboration between businesses, academia and local government and economic development leaders. Teodoro said business incubators help academic institutions contribute to the local goals of sustaining economic development in their surrounding communities.

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ALL FILIPINO CHRISTMAS AT JACOBS: The Filipino work-force of Jacobs, one the world’s largest engineering firms, held an all-Filipino Christmas celebration at the residence of Dione and Benny Bunnao, the first time ever for the Filipino engineers, technical staff and their families to gathered in the spirit of camaraderie to celebrate the event. The party was also turned into a fundraising event for Yolanda Supertyphoon victims in the Philippines.

EDITH Z. DI VOLUNTEERS TO CELEBRATE A MILESTONE: Friends and family joined Edith Zambrano-Dimaculangan (CEO of Books ‘En More) and her husband Manny, celebrate her 50th birthday by volunteering at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank last Dec. 28 and fulfilling her passion to fight hunger in the community. The kind-hearted business entrepreneur is shown third at the 2nd row, left, kneeling, with her fellow volunteers.

2014 California laws: Blessings for employees and immigrants Californians woke up January 1st greeted by new AROUND laws many see as a bundle of blessings and protections for “vulnerable low income workers, immigrants who TOWN are in the country illegally, domestic care givers and farm workers.” Also benefitting from new laws are transgender students, same sex couples, women seeking abortions, the homeless, prison inmates who committed crimes as juveniles and celebrities with young children. Gov. Jerry Brown signed 805 bills into law in 2013 and said no to 96 others. The Democratic leaders of both the Assembly and the Senate had in mind the protection of the workers who are reeling from recession. The labor front has considered the year 2013 as BY RAY ANDRES a banner year for workers with the benefits of the laws being felt immediately and has established California as a “national leader in protecting the rights of workers.” The Republicans saw the new laws in a different perspective claiming they “will harm California’s business climate.” In a dramatic and far-reaching move, minimum wage workers will be paid $9 starting July pushing the base of the two-dollar –an-hour boost to $110 base wage by 2016 and “giving the state of California one of the nation’s highest rates.” Under the new law, domestic workers must be paid time-and-a- half if they work more than nine hours in a day or more than 45 hours in a week. Baby sitters, however, are exempt from the law. Workers in the agriculture and landscaping industries will now get rest breaks during hot weather. In protecting the immigrants who are in the country illegally, they now enjoy new rights and protections by making it a crime “for employers to report workers to immigration authorities as a form of retaliation for worker-related complaints” and for anyone extorting money from those in the country illegally by threatening to report their legal status. Moreover, local law enforcement agencies can no longer detain immigrants for deportation if they are arrested for a minor crime and are eligible to be released from custody. They are also prohibited from requiring immigration or citizenship papers before releasing crime reports and other public records. A new law that takes effect in 2015 grants immigrants the added mobility they have long fought for by giving a right to have a driver’s license. Other laws in effect add job protections for victims of domestic violence and other crimes; prohibiting employers from firing an employee who has been a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking or dismiss a victim of certain crimes who takes time off for a court hearing. The 800 new state laws also deal with electric cars and low-emission vehicles, celebrities on paparazzi limits, neglect of children and child abuse, crimes, drugs, environment, gender, government, guns and health.

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We’ll help you fulfill your American Dream. •FAMILY PETITION •SPOUSAL PETITION •FIANCÉ VISA Photo Captions ALL•GREEN FILIPINO CHRISTMAS AT JACARD COBS: The Filipino work-force of Jacobs, one the world’s largest engineering g CITIZENSHIP g firms,, held an •U.S. all-Filipino Christmas celebration at the residence of Dione and Benny Bunnao, PETITION the first time ever •EMPLOYER for the Filip Filipino pino eng engineers, gineers,, technical n ical s staff taff a and nd ttheir heir ffamilies amilie es tto o gathered g athered iin n tthe he s spirit pirit o off c camaraamara•H-1B VISAevent. derie d erie tto oc celebrate eWORK leb brate the The party p art y w was as a also lso tturned urned into a ffundraising undraising e event vent ffor or Y Yolanda olanda •STUDENT VISA Supertyphoon S upertyphoon v victims ictim ms iin n tthe he P Philhiilippines. ip ppines. Photo: All Pinoy •DEFERRED ACTION PROCESS EDITH Z Z. DI VOLUNTEERS TO CELEBRATE A MILESTONE:

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From page 1

stance, all transmitting portable electronic devices must also be turned-off.2) When the aircraft doors are closed—Transmitting portable electronics devices (TPEDs), on silent mode, may be used only for shortmessage-service (SMS) or internet. Voice communications are not allowed except the use of GSMOBA provided its use does not interfere with the orderly conduct of flight. Games on electronic devices on silent mode may be played.3) The use of MP3s should always be with earphones and not with additional or separate speaker and or amplifiers. CAAP said the memorandum circular will take effect 15 days after compliance with the single publication in a newspaper of general circulation and a copy filed with the UP Law Center-Office of the

MISS TOURISM From page 1

pageant is a perfect way to cap the country’s impressive streak in the pageant scene and is wonderful news to start the new year. The Embassy extends our congratulations and wishes her well during her reign as Miss Tourism International,” said Embassy Charge d’Affaires, a.i. Medardo Macaraig, who was present during the coronation night. During the coronation night, the field was reduced to 20 delegates, where the contestants competed in the evening gown. It was then reduced to 10 for the interview portion. The candidates were asked how they will promote world peace. During her turn, Ms. Gomez said that she will promote tourism, as this would involve people-topeople movement and communication, which will make each one understand cultures, beliefs and traditions.

Quezon City. Use of TPEDs and other electronic devices while on board an aircraft were not allowed before as it was believed to interfere with the radio signal of the plane. But, studies conducted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that using TPEDs while on board an aircraft does not interfere with the plane’s radio signals. In fact, CAAP said the move will make travel more enjoyable especially on longhaul flights since passengers can do their own business while flying. CAAP said a similar move was recommended by U.S. air authorities as early as November but still awaits approval of higher authorities. (With reports from Mabuhay News Service)

This is the third time that the Philippines captured the title in the international beauty contest, which is the most extensive pageant that promotes the tourism industry. In 2000, Ma. Esparanza Manzano of Quezon City won the title. The Miss Tourism International pageant began in 1994 in Kuching, Sarawak with candidates from 20 countries. The title is now franchised in over 80 countries worldwide. The pageant aims to provide Malaysia with a homegrown title and an opportunity to gather beauty queens from around the world to indulge in the sights, sounds and scents of Malaysia. Throughout its history, Miss Tourism International has gathered more than 500 delegates in Malaysia. With this victory, the country tops the list for the most number of wins in the pageant, followed by India (2001 and 2008) and Poland (1998 and 1999).

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From page 1

The shootfest was hosted by President Benigno Aquino III on December 21 at the firing range of the Presidential Security Group. The BIR has filed a P2.2-billion tax evasion case against Pacquiao, resulting in the freezing of his bank accounts. For several days, the camps of Pacquiao and Henares engaged in a bitter word war,

with Mr. Aquino at one point being quoted saying Pacquiao should just shut up and settle whatever liability he has with BIR. The word war stopped only when the Court of Appeals, which is still hearing Pacquiao’s petition to stop the BIR from moving against him, issued a gag order on both sides. (MNS)

PASSPORTS From page 1

ing instances: 1. death in the family requiring the OFW and members of his/her dependent family to urgently travel to the Philippines; 2. medical emergencies requiring the OFW and members of his/her dependent family to urgently travel to the Philippines or another country for medical treatment; 3. OFWs returning to their employers abroad with valid employment contracts processed by the POEA; and

4. those going home on final exit visas (for Filipinos in the Middle East). In these instances, proof of urgency such as a copy of the death certificate, medical certificate, valid employment contracts processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) or any of the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO), along with plane tickets with confirmed flight details, should be presented. (MNS)

California driver’s license features new look for the New Year On the last day of 2013, businesses and law enLIGHTHOUSE forcement officers.” I received my new driver’s license after celebrating Moreover, according to my recent birthday. To my the DMV website, some of surprise, the new Califorthe new driver’s license nia driver’s license has a features include: “a ver“new look!” tical layout for persons Apparently, since Ocunder 21, the cardholder’s tober 2010, the Califordate of birth, signatures nia Department of Motor that can be felt by touch, Vehicles has been issuing images that can be seen the newly-designed, more only with the use of ulsecure California driver’s BY MYRNA AQUITANIA traviolet lights, a 2-D bar license and identification code on the back of the (ID) cards. The new cards card that replicates and are “equipped with the latest in document verifies only the information on the front security technology and have security of the card (similar to the current magnetic features to protect cardholders from fraud stripe); illustrations of California landtampering and counterfeiting.” marks in a subtle background and a laserPersonally, I like the “old look” better. perforation outline of the California Brown The photo image was of course clearer Bear, which can be seen from the front of with the lighter beige background and the the card when a flashlight is pressed against whole front portion of the license offered the back of the card.” a lot of open space where the personal The California Department of Motor information is embedded and incorporated Vehicles also stated on their website that in between the two photos. I also prefer the annually, “they issue more than 8.25 milwhite image of the State of California seal lion driver’s licenses and ID cards to Caliin the background, as opposed the new card fornians. It is of extreme importance that which has an “outline” of the California these documents are safe, authentic, secure Brown Bear, which is unidentifiable. But and accurate to properly identify each indicertainly, the DMV has all the right to vidual cardholder. More importantly, these make the necessary changes they see fit cards have been designated as the primary for the safety and protection of all of us, identification document in the state. This is its California cardholders. the first revision of the California driver’s Noticeably for me too, the front image license and ID card since 2001.” of the new license appears much darker Although the new cards were issued in including the smaller version of the photo October 2010, it is common knowledge placed below it, unlike the old version that existing driver’s license and ID cardwhere the larger and smaller photos were holders are not required to get a new one aligned. The necessary information are until they expire. However, if you have renow cramped, because a larger font was cently applied for a new driver’s license or used, and there was a repetition of the word ID card, you will more than likely receive “None” (End NONE and RSTR NONE), the new card in two to three weeks, per my for which only the DMV can explain its recent experience. “security” meaning. The DMV’s new slogan is quite selfThe other redundant feature for me is explanatory: “See it, Touch it, Trust it,” the repetition of the dates of birth (DOB), which can be interpreted as follows: the thus making the new license appear too card can easily be seen without the aid “cramped;” Again, the possible reason for of special tools; or it can be touched by this is most probably for additional vis- pressing your finger over its features and ibility purposes. trust it, simply because these new driver’s DMV Director George Valverde ex- license and ID cards are made to be secure. plained that “the new license security For more information on the new features coupled with advanced technol- California driver’s license and ID cards, ogy, make the California Driver’s license you may log on to the DMV’s website at: and ID cards one of the most secured ID www.dmv.ca, gov. documents in the country. We are confident Wishing you a safe and a happy driving that they will be well-received by residents, experience this New Year!

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New Year resolution: Know your employment rights Employees who want employees enjoy. WorkPROTECTING to be more vigilant of ers who have agreed to EMPLOYEE & their rights in the workreceive a 1099 may still CONSUMER RIGHTS place this year may want be misclassified as indeto pay attention to the pendent contractors and, following: therefore, denied proper Overtime – Work of compensation or benefits more than 8 hours per due to them. day or more than 40 hours Illegal Employer Reper week must be paid taliation – An employer overtime compensation may not retaliate against computed at either 1.5 an employee (by firing, times the employee’s suspending, demoting BY C. JOE SAYAS, JR. regular rate (“time and or assigning to a less a half”) or 2 times the advantageous position) regular rate (“double time”). If employees because the employee complained (or receive piece rate pay, shift differential is about to complain) of the employer’s pay, or non-discretionary bonuses, their violation of state or federal laws. Retaliovertime rate may be increased. Also, ated employees may recover damages and personal attendants (nannies and private attorneys’ fees for the retaliation. caregivers) are now entitled to overtime When Leaving Employment – The starting January 1, 2014. employer must immediately pay all comMeal and Rest Breaks –Employees must pensation due, including wages for regular receive an uninterrupted 30-minute meal and overtime hours, pay for missed meal break for every 5 hours of work and must and rest breaks, and unused vacation time be relieved of all duty during this time. Rest (if any). Employers must not hold their breaks must be authorized in 10-minute employee’s final paycheck “hostage” until duration for every 4 hours of work, or the employee signs a release. Employees a major fraction of 4 hours. Employees with potential claims, who are asked to sign not provided a meal or rest break must a release in exchange for additional money, be paid an additional 1 hour’s pay at the may want to consult with a knowledgeable employee’s regular rate (or an additional 2 employment attorney before signing any hours’ pay if both breaks are not provided). such document. Working during meal breaks may also en[C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is trial attorney title employees to overtime pay. who has obtained several million dollar Disability Discrimination –Employers recoveries for his clients against insurance may not terminate an employee based on companies and employers. He has been the employee’s disability or medical condi- selected as a Super Lawyer by the Los tion. Employers must engage in a timely, Angeles Magazine, featured in the cover good faith interactive process to determine of Los Angeles Daily Journal’s Verdicts if disabled employees require reasonable and Settlements, and is a member of the accommodation, including a brief exten- Million Dollar-Advocates Forum. He is a sion of a12-week medical leave. graduate of Georgetown University Law “Independent Contractor” Misclas- Center Washington, D.C. and the Universification –Independent contractors are sity of the Philippines. Visit his website at not employees and, therefore, do not www.joesayaslaw.com or contact his office have the same rights and protections that at (818) 291-0088 for a no-cost inquiry.]

US workers, employers test ‘unlimited vacation’ By Ivan Couronne WASHINGTON, January 2, 2014 (AFP) – Unlimited vacation policies, which have so far been adopted by only a handful of US businesses, have been embraced by both workers and their employers, who say the flexibility increases profitability. At Ryan, a tax services firm of 1,600 employees, the majority of workers have not formally declared their hours since 2008, and no one keeps track of time off. It’s an exception to the norm in the United States, where most people work 40 hours a week and paid leave is not regulated by law. On average, Americans receive two weeks of paid vacation per year, according to a study from the non-profit, non-partisan Center for Economic and Policy Research. Steve Thompson – a director at Ryan’s Washington office – says he often begins his summer weekends at mid-day on Fridays to avoid traffic on his way to the beach. The 32-year-old and the two people on his team generally are physically in the office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – so-called “core hours” – but are otherwise free to organize their work weeks. Thompson – whose job entails helping businesses reduce their property taxes, earning Ryan a percentage of the savings – says he sometimes leaves at lunchtime to do errands or work out. “If I’m feeling particularly stressed and

I don’t have a meeting, I can go to the gym, work out some of the stress and then come back to work,” he told AFP. He estimated that in practice, his two team members still limited their “real” vacation to two consecutive weeks last year. But the real added value of the policy for employees is that they can easily take three-day weekends or the occasional day off, as long as they get their work done. Telecommuting, made easier by new technologies, is encouraged. Ryan’s flexibility marks a turn-around for the company, previously known for its nose-to-the-grindstone work atmosphere. “It was a pressure-filled environment,” said Delta Emerson, executive vice president and chief of staff, who helped put in place the new policy, called myRyan. It replaced Excel spreadsheets of hours worked, which had been the way employees were formerly evaluated. Since 2008, new standards based on individual performance have governed Ryan’s employee evaluations, with 40 percent of their assessment based on financial goals and another 40 percent based on client satisfaction scores. The multiple benefits of unlimited vacations extend to employers as well, said Sheeva Ghassemi-Vanni, a lawyer who helps companies with similar transitions, especially in Silicon Valley. For one, businesses no longer have to devote administrative resources to keeping track of leave.

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Saudi gives 2-month reprieve for qualified foreign workers to legalize status – report MANILA, Jan 3 (Mabuhay) – Undocumented foreign workers in Saudi Arabia who tried to rectify their status during last year’s amnesty period but could not meet the Nov. 3 deadline may benefit from a two-month grace period given by the Kingdom’s government, a Saudi news site said Friday. A report on Arab News said the two-month grace period will allow the illegal workers to complete the rectification procedures at the Passport Department (Jawazat). The report said the order would particularly benefit expatriates who could not complete their residency correction procedures before the Nov. 3 deadline due to various circumstances, including those whose rectification documents were still being processed when the amnesty ended. But the report also indicated the grace period applies only to those whose papers were already being processed by the labor ministry before March 1. It quoted Maj. Gen. Suleiman Al-Yahya, director general of the Passport Department, as saying Interior Minister Prince Muhammad bin Naif ordered the department to “complete correction procedures of expatriates whose papers were being processed by the Labor Ministry during the amnesty, before March 1.” The Saudi government had given foreign workers until Nov. 3 to rectify their status or return home without penalties. With the Nov. 3 deadline having lapsed, illegal workers face up to two years in jail and fines of up to SR100,000. Arab News cited “reliable estimates” indicating more than four million foreigners rectified their labor and residency status during the amnesty period, and one million illegal workers left the Kingdom. (MNS) We carry : PHILIPPINE AIRLINES, Personal Travel Managers

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Putative spouse status as a defense to a petition for Nullity of Marriage All property, real or personal, wherever situBARRISTER'S ated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in California is community CORNER property. Family Code 760. However, there are situations in which the marriage may be held to be null and void. These situations include, but are not limited to entering into a bigamous marriage, fraud and misrepresentation in entering into a marriage, etc. The legal consequences of having your marriage annulled by your spouse is that it results to you not having any community property interest on property acquired by your spouse during the BY KENNETH REYES marriage. A nullity may also cut off your claim for & DARRICK TAN spousal support. What options do you have if your spouse files a nullity against you? You may still have a claim to community property and support as a putative spouse. A party to a void or voidable marriage has “putative spouse” status only if he or she believed in good faith the marriage was valid. Family.Code. § 225;

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Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1493, 112 CR3d 906, 908; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 721, 248 CR 807, 813. A party who has the requisite objectively reasonable “good faith” belief may be a putative spouse where any legal infirmity in formation of the marriage renders the marriage invalid. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga (2008) 162 CA4th 1000, 1005, 76 CR3d 401, 404; Estate of DePasse (2002) 97 CA4th 92, 107, 118 CR2d 143, 155; see Marriage of Vryonis, supra, 202 CA3d at 718–719, 248 CR at 811–812. A party’s “good faith” belief in the validity of the marriage is not tested by whether he or she believed a “marriage” lawfully occurred under some private, secular or spiritual set of standards. A putative spouse must have had a good faith belief in the existence of a lawful California marriage. Estate of DePasse (2002) 97 CA4th 92, 107–108, 118 CR2d 143, 156; Welch v. State of Calif. (2000) 83 CA4th 1374, 1378–1379, 100 CR2d 430, 432–433; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 723, 248 CR 807, 814–815 “Good faith” belief is tested by an objective standard based on facts that would cause a reasonable person under the circumstances to harbor a good faith belief in the existence of a valid California marriage. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga, supra, 162 CA4th at 1005, 76 CR3d at 404; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1497, 112 CR3d 906, 911; Marriage of Ramirez & Llamas (2008) 165 CA4th 751, 756, 81 CR3d 180, 183. Whether a party had an objectively reasonable “good faith” belief is a question of fact to be determined in light of all the circumstances. Successfully proving putative spouse status or putative marriage status in court gives rise to certain property, support and attorney fees/costs rights, as well as certain other rights that ordinarily attach only between lawfully married persons. Property that would have been community or quasi-community property had the marriage been valid is deemed “quasi-marital property” and, in a proceeding to terminate the invalid marriage, “shall” be divided between the

parties as if it were community. Family. Code. § 2251(a)(2); Marriage of Tejeda (2009) 179 CA4th 973, 983, 102 CR3d 361, 368; Quasi-marital property divided pursuant to § 2251 is also liable for the parties’ debts to the same extent as if it had been community or quasi-community property. Family.Code. § 2252. In addition, “temporary” and “permanent” spousal support may also be awarded in a nullity proceeding in favor of a putative spouse “in the same manner as if the marriage had not been void or voidable” Family Code Section 2254. The court may also award attorney’s fees pursuant to family code section 2030 in favor of a party found to be “innocent of fraud or wrongdoing in inducing or entering into the marriage, and free from knowledge of the then existence of any prior marriage or other impediment to the contracting of the marriage for which a judgment of nullity is sought.” Family Code Section 2255. Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only 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 Ursua Reyes is a Board 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 or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

108 journalists killed in 2013, Syria deadliest, PHL 3rd: IFJ BRUSSELS, December 31, 2013 (AFP) – Some 108 journalists and media professionals were killed around the world doing their jobs this year, with conflict-torn Syria the deadliest country ahead of Iraq, the International Federation of Journalists said Tuesday. The death toll is down 10 percent from 2012 but the IFJ said governments still need to do more to “stem the bloodbath in the media”. “Levels of violence are still unacceptably high and there is an urgent need for governments to protect and enforce journalists’ basic right to life,” it said in a statement. The group issued what is said was a “desperate appeal for governments across the world to end impunity for violence against journalists and media staff”. The IFJ listed Syria as the most dangerous country with 15 journalist deaths, followed by Iraq on 13, Pakistan, the Philippines and India with 10 each, Somalia seven and Egypt six. By region, the Asia-Pacific was the worst, accounting for 29 percent of the deaths, and the Middle East and Arab world 27 percent. The IFJ, which represents more than 600,000 journalists in 134 countries ac-

cording to its website, said female journalists were facing increased levels of violence. Six were killed in 2013 and many others were the victims of sexual violence and intimidation, it said. Earlier this month, media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders said 71 journalists were killed in 2013, down slightly, but kidnappings rose sharply. The IFJ figures include media workers such as film crew and presenters. Separately, the Vienna-based International Press Institute put the number of killed journalists so far this year at at least 117, making 2013 the second deadliest year on its Death Watch since it started counting work-related journalist deaths in 1997. It said the Middle East and North Africa were the deadliest regions, with 38 deaths overall. The worst year was 2012, with 132 journalists killed, 39 of them covering the Syrian conflict, the IPI said. FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION VISIT

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OPINION

Belmonte: 2014 an opportunity to recover

MANILA, Dec 31 (Mabuhay) – After the trials of 2013, House Speaker Sonny Belmonte believes the coming New Year is a chance for the country to recover and transform. Belmonte on Tuesday said that the national issues and natural disasters that the country faced in 2013 “should also be viewed as opportunities to pick ourselves up, and work doubly hard toward the reforms that we seek.” “We are continuing to discover that the road to change and lasting reform is not easy and often met by trials and stumbling blocks along the way. But the road we now travel as one nation is significant,” Belmonte said in his New Year Message. “I am hopeful that from these trials we are able to draw greater strength, but they are constant reminders of our determination to achieve great change,” he added. Belmonte also urged Filipinos to unite and put aside differences for the country’s greater good. “Whatever political, religious or personal differences we may have, the love for country should be a shared focus, enough for us to work hand-in-hand for its continued development and for upholding the dignity of the Filipino,” he said. (MNS)

Pope calls for global solidarity in New Year blessing VATICAN CITY, January 1, 2014 (AFP) – Pope Francis on Wednesday called for greater solidarity in the world in his first New Year blessing as pontiff in front of crowds of pilgrims on St Peter’s Square. “We all have a responsibility to act so that the world may be a community of brothers who respect each other, who accept their diversity and who take care of one another,” the pope said on Catholic World Peace Day. The first pope from Latin America said violence and injustice “cannot leave us indifferent or immobile” and said 2014 should bring “a real commitment to build a society with more justice and more solidarity”. “We have to stop on this road of violence! What is happening in the heart of man? In the heart of humanity? We have to stop!” the pope said. Francis said he hoped that a “cry for peace” in the world would encourage dialogue and “tear down walls that prevent enemies from seeing each other as brothers”. The pope also made an unscheduled visit to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome later on Wednesday, where he prayed in front of a famous icon of the Virgin Mary. It was the same church that he visited on the first morning after his election on March 13, 2013. At a New Year mass in St Peter’s Basilica earlier on Wednesday, Francis prayed in his homily for people “who hunger and thirst for justice and peace” in the world. He also called on the faithful to show “strength, courage and hope” in the year to come, speaking in his homily in front of thousands of people in the church. Francis, formerly the Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected following his predecessor Benedict XVI’s momentous resignation in February 2013 – a first for the Catholic Church since the Middle Ages.

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Palace backs tougher rules on firecrackers

MANILA, Jan 1 (Mabuhay) – If the Palace and the Department of Health (DOH) will have their way, people will no longer be allowed to light up firecrackers in their own yard or streets. Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma on Monday said the Aquino administration is supporting Health Secretary Enrique Ona’s proposal to bar individuals from using fireworks and firecrackers and instead allow only communities to light them up in designated areas. “Kaisa kami sa pahayag na ito ni Secretary Ona ng DOH. Panahon na upang magkaroon ng ligtas na alternatibo sa mapanganib na pagdiriwang ng Bagong Taon,” he said. Ona earlier said firecrackers should only be allowed as a community activity “managed by responsible persons, local government units or organizations in designated areas.”

“Assistance should be extended to firecrackers manufacturers to shift to safe, beautiful fireworks production. Strong advocacy is needed,” he added. The DOH on Wednesday said 599 people were injured due to firecrackers and fireworks during the New Year’s Day revelry in the country, up 43% from year-ago figures. Meanwhile, Coloma said President Aquino spent a “quiet and private New Year.” He said the President took a much-needed rest ahead of his work in 2014, particularly the reconstruction of Zamboanga, Central Luzon, Bohol, and Yolanda-affected provinces. “Also in his must-do list is attaining the goal of inclusive economic growth that he considers to be the pivotal factor in transforming Philippine society,” Coloma added. (MNS)

Abe says Japan’s pacifist constitution may be revised by 2020 TOKYO, January 1, 2014 (AFP) – Japan’s nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the country’s pacifist post-World War II constitution which limits its military to self-defence could be amended by 2020. In a New Year comment published in the conservative daily Sankei Shimbun on Wednesday, Abe predicted the constitution “will have been revised” by 2020 when Tokyo hosts the Summer Olympics. His comments come days after he enraged Asian neighbors and disappointed Washington by visiting a Tokyo shrine honoring the country’s war dead, including World War II leaders, and been seen abroad as a symbol of Japan’s militaristic past. “(By 2020), I think Japan will have completely restored its status and been making great contributions to peace and stability in the region and the world,” he said. He added that Japan’s elevated status could possibly help Asia become a “balanced and stable region”. Abe took power a year ago in an election landslide as Japan faced China’s increasingly assertive military posture amid a fierce territorial dispute with Beijing over Tokyo-controlled islands. He initially focused on improving the economy with stimulus packages, mixing big-spending and easy money policies. In recent months, he has turned to his more conservative agenda, passing a state secrecy law which critics say is a threat to democracy in Japan.

In a New Year message, Abe reaffirmed his resolve to change the pacifist constitution imposed by the US after Japan’s defeat. “As it has been 68 years since its enactment now, national debate should be further deepened toward a revision (of the constitution) to grasp the changing times,” he said. “Now is the time for Japan to take a big step forward toward a new nation-building effort.” On his security policy, Abe said, “We will resolutely protect to the end Japan’s territorial land, sea and air.” The premier has long agitated for the amendment of a key article in the constitution that limits its military to self-defense and bans the use of force in settling international disputes. The country’s well-funded and well-equipped military is referred to as the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). Abe has said he would like to look into making the SDF a full-fledged military, a plan that sets alarm bells ringing in Asian countries subject to Japan’s occupation in the first half of the 20th century. In his first policy as premier last year, Abe said he would look to change a provision which requires a two-thirds majority in parliament to amend the basic law. In his New Year message, Abe said the launch of a US-style National Security Council in December would help promote his “proactive pacifism” as a “’signboard of the 21st century’ which should be borne by our country.”

Obamacare birth control mandate doesn’t violate nuns’ rights: US WASHINGTON, January 3, 2014 (AFP) – The US Justice Department on Friday asked the Supreme Court to throw out a challenge from a nuns’ group against a birth control mandate in the Obamacare health reform law. The Little Sisters of the Poor had asked the US high court to exempt it from the controversial birth control clause, saying that providing birth control was contrary to its religious beliefs. The US government, in its written response, asked the court to lift the temporary block on birth control, arguing that the provision does not apply to the nuns anyway. The Little Sisters’ lawsuit is “not about the availability or adequacy of a religious accommodation,” the Justice Department brief said. Instead, the nuns group wants to “justify its refusal to sign a self-certification that secures the very religion-based exemption the objector seeks.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor had issued the temporary block on the birth control provision late Tuesday, giving the US government until Friday to provide its response. The US adminstration wrote in its filing that the Obamacare law – formally known as the Affordable Care Act – does not require the nuns or any other nonprofit religious group to provide employees with insurance coverage for birth control.

The nuns had argued that signing a waiver – which would allow an insurance administrator to provide the coverage through separate funding – would make them complicit in making birth control available. But the Justice Department noted that the administrator of the nun group’s insurance – which is itself a church group, itself – is also exempt from providing coverage for birth control. The landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA) legislation was a bid by Obama to guarantee that uninsured Americans are afforded access to medical care, but opponents have objected strongly to various aspects of the law. The birth control requirement has been one of the most controversial aspects of the US health law, and has received spirited pushback from religiously affiliated organizations. Sotomayor had acted late New Year’s Eve, just hours before major provisions of the Affordable Care Act law were to take effect, asking for the government’s response by Friday. It was not clear when she would make her decision now that the government had filed. Her order late Tuesday applied to the Little Sisters of the Poor and other Roman Catholic nonprofit groups that use a health plan called the Christian Brothers Employee Benefit Trust.

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ENTERTAINMENT Alice Dixson is dating again FHM December cover girl Alice Dixson confirmed that she’s back in the dating game again. In a recent interview with the TV5 star, Alice shared she’s going out on dates but nothing serious yet. She’s still in the “getting to know you” stage and clarified that she’s not exclusively dating someone. “Kakaumpisa lang. Hindi pa todo ito, getting my feet wet pa lang,” said Alice. The actress said she’s ready to entertain suitors again because she’s at that stage where in she’s comfortable with herself, where she’s in and the kind of life she lead. The actress said, “I haven’t felt this in a long time. I don’t even know what you call it, basta ang alam ko ang tawag dito ay dating.” When asked what she will try to avoid in her next relationship, the actress ponder for a bit then replied: “I would avoid expecting somebody to change. For me kasi, I thought love could change things, change a person is, their character, pero once you meet somebody, you really have to know them and you either accept them or you don’t accept them,” she said. To recall, the 44-year-old actress married to businessman BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS Ronnie Miranda. The former couple lived in Canada, where WITH US! Alice was managing her own real estate business, before she decided return to the Philippines and try her hands at acting again. They filed separation papers in December and two months later, the Canadian court granted the divorce and ending their 13-year marriage. Alice said she’s through with that phase of her life and AIRPORT TRANSFER AVAILABLE she’s moving forward. She said, “I’m just experimenting with my career right BUY ONE ROUNDTRIP TICKET FROM March 08, 2013 TO March 08, 2014 now. I’m really confident about myself, about my body. I AND GET A CHANCE don’t feel that I should be in any shape, way or form conTO WIN A ROUNDTRIP TICKET TO MANILA!!! -tax exclusive servative.” Meanwhile, Alice was asked how she will size up her “For PLEASE CALL MANILA TRAVEL FOR CRUISE INQUIRIES Love or Money” leading man Derek Ramsay. TEL: According to her, they’ve become good acquaintances in 714.956.5668 the set and had small talks about life and work in general. 714.991.8669 “As a co-worker, he’s very dedicated. I say this because 714.600.7818 he wants to know his lines, nakikita ko na nagsisipag siya Mon to Fri - 9am to 5pm • Sat 9am to 2pm and he’s very professional. He’s busy with his personal life website: www.manilatravel.150m.com and he’s very busy kasi he’s taping every day,” Alice said. email: manilatravelinc@yahoo.com CST No.: 208278040 When asked if romance wise, Derek would pass her

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checklist, Alice immediately said no because he’s from the entertainment industry. Alice confessed, “Honestly, he wouldn’t fall under my top category kasi he’s in showbiz. I don’t really go for guys in showbiz.” She added that the actor is not tall enough for her as she only go out with much taller guys. But personality-wise, Alice said Derek will fall in her category. (MNS)

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FOOD & DINING Comforting Complements A spicy red with raspberry and peppery flavors, Zinfandel pairs particularly well with the flavors of winter â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the season where comfort food is king. When searching for the perfect complement to your hearty, comfort fare, go for wines that deliver on quality at a fair price. Discover Amador County, an up-and-coming wine region nestled in the rolling Sierra Foothills of California, through the wines of Renwood Winery. The winery runs under the direction of Joe Shebl, a talented winemaker whose artistic vision and passion for both Zinfandel and Amador County shows in every bottle. For more information, visit www.renwood.com.

Pair with Renwood Premier Old Vine Zinfandel, Amador County Yield: 4 servings 2 links Italian turkey sausage (3 1/2 ounces each) 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 egg white 2 cups marinara sauce, divided 1 1/4 pounds Wisconsin Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, divided 1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1. Remove sausage from casing and crumble into medium skillet with onion. 2. Cook for 10 minutes or until both are browned, breaking up sausage with back of spoon. 3. Stir together ricotta, basil, garlic powder and egg white in small bowl. 4. Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of 9-inch square baking dish. 5. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the dish, forming solid layer with no gaps. 6. Drop 1/2 ricotta mixture in spoonfuls over top and spread out just a little. 7. Sprinkle with 1/3 of mozzarella and 1/2 sausage mixture. 8. Add 1/2 cup more sauce then repeat potato, cheese and meat layers. 9. Top with last layer of potatoes, remaining sauce and mozzarella. 10. Cover with plastic wrap and make small slit to vent. 11. Microwave on high for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

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Pair with Renwood Zinfandel, Fiddletown 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence (or combination of dried thyme, fennel, basil and savory) 1 teaspoon garlic salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 cup flour 1 tablespoon canola oil 4 small (2 pounds) bone-in-chicken breasts, skin removed 1 1/4 pounds small Wisconsin red potatoes 3/4 cup frozen, thawed pearl onions 1 cup small baby carrots 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 8 ounces small baby bella or white mushrooms Chopped fresh thyme (optional) 1. Combine Herbs de Provence, garlic salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. 2. Spoon flour onto a second dinner plate. 3. Coat each chicken breast with herb mixture; then dredge in flour. 4. Heat oil in a large skillet. 5. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat until chicken is golden brown on both sides (approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side). If necessary, cook chicken in two batches so as not to crowd the pan. 6. Once browned, place chicken in large slow cooker and add all remaining ingredients, except fresh thyme. 7. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. 8. Sprinkle with fresh thyme before serving, if desired.

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Beyond their appearance in some of the most beloved dishes, potatoes also boast many benefits to your diet. Here are few reasons to add this versatile vegetable into meals: ď Ž Potassium â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Potatoes are a great source of potassium, which may help lower high blood pressure, making them a heart-healthy choice. In fact, potatoes contain more potassium than a banana or spinach. ď Ž Vitamins â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A spud a day may keep the cold germs away. One medium-sized spud has nearly half the recommended daily value of vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamin B6. ď Ž Dietary fiber â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Potatoes are also a source of dietary fiber, a complex carbohydrate, which is known to increase satiety and help with weight loss. ď Ž Gluten free â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Potatoes are a naturally gluten-free food, so those with gluten sensitivity can enjoy this flavorful vegetable. For more on potatoes and healthy recipe ideas, visit www.eatwisconsinpotatoes.com.

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long-term services and supports. Policies reimburse policyholders a daily amount (up to a pre-selected limit) for services to assist them with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing or eating. You can then select a range of care options and benefits that allow you to get the services you need, where you need them. If you are in poor health or already receiving long-term care services, you may not qualify for long-term care insurance. For more information about additional methods of paying for long-term care, including reverse mortgages, annuities and trusts, visit www.longtermcare.gov.

FAMILY FEATURES

here are important realities every American must know about long-term care. Long-term care is more expensive than most people think. And, most importantly, the cost of care is usually paid for out of savings and income. About 70 percent of people turning 65 can expect to need some kind of long-term care as they age. A number of public programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, may help pay for some long-term care services under certain circumstances. However, each program has specific rules about what services are covered, how long you can receive benefits, whether or not you qualify for benefits, and how much you have to pay in out-of-pocket costs. To accurately plan for your long-term care needs, it is very important to know the facts about what may or may not be covered.

Medicare focuses on acute care costs

Paying out-of-pocket for care

Medicare covers medically necessary care and focuses on medical acute care, such as doctor visits, drugs and hospital stays. If very specific conditions are met, Medicare will help pay for all or a portion of a short stay in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care or home health care. Medicare does not cover custodial long-term care services. These services and supports help people perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) that are non-medical, such as getting in and out of bed, walking, bathing, dressing, eating, and bowel and bladder management.

If you have enough income and savings, you will need to pay for long-term care services on your own, from your incomes, savings and, possibly, the equity in your home. Many people believe wrongly the medical insurance or disability insurance they currently have will pay for all or much of their long-term care. In general, health insurance covers only very limited and specific types of long-term care. Disability policies serve to replace income and, as such, do not cover long-term care at all. Long-term care insurance is designed to cover

Medicaid only available if income and assets are low enough

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Medicaid is a joint federal and state government program that helps people with low income and assets pay for some or all of their health care bills. It covers medical care, long-term care services  $3,293 per month for care in an assisted in nursing homes and long-term care services provided at home. living facility (for a one-bedroom unit) Rules about who is eligible for Medicaid benefits and what services  $205 per day or $6,235 per month for a are covered are based on federal requirements, but states have consemi-private room in a nursing home siderable leeway in how they operate their programs. To be eligible for Medicaid, you must meet certain requirements,  $229 per day or $6,965 per month for a including having income and assets that do not exceed the levels private room in a nursing home used by your state. The Medicaid eligibility process considers the Calculate the cost of care in your area by visiting value of your home to make sure it is under the state set limit, http://longtermcare.gov/costs-how-to-pay/costs-of-care-in-youryour assets and your income. Documentation from your financial state/. institutional “looking back” five years will be required. Once your state determines you are financially eligible for Medicaid, the state will conduct a functional assessment to determine whether you are FOR MORE NEWS disabled enough to qualify for long-term care services. Your state Medicaid Assistance office is the best source for information about AND INFORMATION how to qualify for Medicaid in your state and if you qualify for longterm care services. VISIT If you receive Medicaid coverage for long-term care services, federal law requires states to recover the amount Medicaid spent on NOW AVAILABLE! your behalf from your estate after you die. Most states recover the cost of long-term care services. Balita Digital Copy

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COMMUNITY

On New Year’s Day, as we shake off the revelries of the night before, eight of my bills from this past year will become law SB 44 will require all state websites home environment. Under this law, the to add a link to the Secretary of State’s majority of visits for each child must occur in the home. voter registration page, allowing even SB 528 directs the Department of more people to easily take part in the Social Services to collect data on parpolitical process. In 2012, Yee’s SB enting and pregnant youth, so we can 397 allowed online voter registrabetter understand the challenges these tion throughout California, and over youth face and provide services accord900,000 Californians have used it to ingly. It also authorizes social workers register to vote or update their registo provide them with age appropriate tration. reproductive health education, and proSB 286 extends the Green Sticker motes the use of parenting conferences program an additional three years, BY SEN. LELAND YEE designed to teach parenting skills. These which will allow plug-in hybrid cars conferences are aimed to help connect to access HOV lanes until 2019. This will incentivize Californians to utilize new technologies, foster youth with programs and services related to their benefiting our economy while cleaning our air and further parenting situation. SB 553 requires fee elections, such as storm drain or levy assessments, to implement the same reducing our carbon footprint. SB 335 will move data regarding state contracts from standards for oversight as other elections already have, the State Contracting and Procurement and Registration requiring ballots are kept for public inspection to prevent System to FI$CAL. This will make it easier to search for against potential fraud. Prior to this law, these ballots could be destroyed, denying the public the opportunity and compare these contracts online. SB 342 strengthens the standards for social workers to confirm the results of the election. SB 751 extends the Brown Act to cover all meetings to ensure that more visits foster youth take place in the home, so as to assure the child is living in an adequate by large intergovernmental agencies This brings an end

to the practice of members of these bodies, often times elected officials, voting anonymously. Yee also passed numerous resolutions calling for Congressional action in 2013. SJR 6 urged passage of Senator Barbara Boxer’s LINE Act, which requires local governments beset by excessive lines at polling places to modernize their systems so as to increase access to our elections. SJR 13 called for the restoration of the F-3 and F-4 Visa categories in the Federal Immigration Reform Bill so as to allow families to be reunited. SJR 14 demanded the restoration of the Voting Rights Act to prevent discrimination in elections. SR 8 called upon Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. In addition, SCR 66 declared September 19th to be Online Voter Registration Day in the State of California. SCR 20 designates October 20 as Leyte Landing Commemoration Day to recognize the landing of the United States military on the Philippine island of Leyte on October 20, 1944. Since entering the legislature in 2003, I have successfully passed 181 pieces of legislation, with 133 of them chaptered into law. As I enter into my last year in the legislature, I will continue to work hard for the betterment of our state.

DMV reminds motorists of new 2014 laws SACRAMENTO – With 2014 just around the corner, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is reminding motorists of some of the new laws that will become effective in the new year. The following laws go into effect on January 1, 2014, unless otherwise noted. The following laws go into effect on January 1, 2014, unless otherwise noted. Bicycles: Passing Distance. AB 1371 (Bradford), known as the Three Feet for Safety Act, will require a motor vehicle driver passing a bicycle that is proceeding in the same direction to pass with no less than 3 feet between any part of the vehicle and any part of the bicycle or driver. When three feet is not possible, the motor vehicle must slow to a reasonable and prudent speed and only pass when no danger is present to the bicyclist. Failing to do so can incur a fine, regardless of a collision or not. This law will take effect September 16, 2014. Clean Air Vehicle Decals / “HOV Stickers.” AB 266 (Yee) and SB 286 (Blumefield), together extend sunset dates for low emission, zero emission vehicles to operate in high occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV) without meeting occupancy requirements to January 1, 2019. Commercial Driver’s License. AB 1047 (Linder) will allow the DMV to conduct the commercial drive test for the holder of an out-of-state commercial learner’s permit. The department would electronically transfer the information to the motor vehicle department in the applicant’s state of residence. AB 1047 also modifies the license class definitions to require a driver operating a bus weighing more than 26,000 pounds to hold a commercial Class B license and a driver operating a bus weighing 26,000 pounds or less to hold a commercial Class C license. DMV Vehicle Registration Pilot Program. SB 806 (Hueso) authorizes DMV to establish a pilot program to evaluate the use of alternatives to stickers, tabs, license plates, and registration cards, subject to certain requirements. It will also enable the DMV to experiment with electronic license plates, as well as facilitate DMV’s ability to explore cost-effective alternatives to California’s traditional metal license

plate, plastic–coated registration stickers, and paper registration cards. Registration and Vehicle Transfers Between Family Members. AB 443 (Lowenthal) prohibits the transfer of ownership of a vehicle to a relative or a revocable living trust until all parking or toll-violation fines and penalties reported to the DMV are paid by the transferee. Teen Drivers. SB 194 (Galgiani) will prohibit a person who is under 18 years of age from using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text–based communication while driving, even if it is equipped with a hands–free device. Veterans License Plates. AB 244 (Bonilla) Requires the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) to sponsor a veterans’ special interest license plate and requires the DMV to issue the veterans’ plate if CalVet meets the current statutory requirements. This law creates, in addition to the current Honoring Veterans design of the Veteran’s Organization Plate, a new program to reissue the Veteran design that was issued prior to January 1, 2010. These plates are available to all vehicle owners. The Department of Veterans Affairs must secure 7,500 pre–paid applications in order for the department to implement this plate program. Additionally, the Department of Motor Vehicles will begin the process of implementing AB 60 (Alejo) – the new law requiring DMV to issue a driver license to an applicant who is unable to submit satisfactory proof that he/she is legally present in the Unites States – by drafting new regulations and preparing field offices to process new applications. The new law becomes operative by January 1, 2015. The applicant will be required to meet all other driver license qualifications. For complete information on chaptered bills enacted in 2013, please refer to the Legislative Counsel website at www. LegInfo.ca.gov. Save Time, Go Online! Doing business with the DMV has never been easier. The DMV offers an array of services to customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through its Website including online advance appointments for written and drive tests; vehicle registration and driver

license renewals, selection of personalized license plates, changes of address and payment of fees via secure debit transactions. Customers can also effect transactions by calling DMV customer service at (800) 777–0133. DMV is a department under the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA).

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Buyers are still having a hard time getting offers accepted As the housing market for lower-price homes MORTGAGE UPDATE in markets hard-hit by shows signs of bottoming last year after years foreclosure, such as of declining prices, many Phoenix, Miami and first-time buyers such are parts of Southern Caligetting a rude awakening. fornia, or those with Instead of having their pick relatively strong econoof homes to buy in some mies, such as Washmarkets, they’re losing ington, D.C., and San houses to cash buyers and Francisco, Realtors say. bidders with bigger down First-time buyers BY KEN GO payments, or they’re facwho use FHA loans ing bidding wars spurred might be in for the toughest time. They’re by shrinking numbers of homes for sale. It’s been going on for a frequently low-down-payment bidders. while and still show no signs of the RE FHA loans might also require sellers to inventory rising to the required demands. do more home repairs than do other loans, The competition can be most evident such as fixing chipped paint on older

homes, Realtors and lenders say. If sellers receive multiple offers, they may avoid FHA offers. Even first-time buyers with conventional loans and 20% down payments have been surprised by the competition. It was never a buyers’ market, has been a sellers’ market. Here are my quick advise on how to pick your Realtors in this kind of market. Your first question should be: “How are you going to get my offer in and accepted by the sellers if you decide you liked a Property”. I don’t care what experience an Agent has but Realtors have to be super aggressive and they have to be feared. Realtors have to fight hardest for your offer to be considered by sellers, not by agents. Somehow, they have to find ways to get to the sellers first. Some buyers would opt to go direct to listing agents and submit offers that way. Some would submit their offers directly to the sellers with a letter of explanation as to how much they really loved their homes. Although some technics maybe unethical, you as a buyer has to find ways to get your offer considered. Remembers if there are multiple offers, sellers might actually not get to see them all, so a traditional submission of a offer might not work as well. Some agents would offer a much higher offer price to get considered. Whatever you do to get in, you have to always know what you are getting into, you also don’t want to overpay unless you see an upside potential in the area you are buying. It now costs more to rent than to own a home in 98 of the top 100 U.S. metropolitan areas, says real estate website Trulia, which tracks rents and home prices. In some of those markets, however, the inventory of homes for sale has shrunk.

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The power of cash First-time buyers are running into tough opponents in cash buyers. They accounted for almost a third of existing home sales in March and April, the National Association of Realtors says. Before the housing crash, cash buyers accounted for less than 10% of sales, NAR says. More than 53% of first-time home buyers use FHA loans, the April Campbell/ Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey indicates. FHA loans have a minimum down payment of 3.5% and take weeks to close. Conventional loans have bigger down payments and can close faster, Realtors say. Cash deals close fastest, and they don’t involve an appraisal, which lenders require before they make loans. Sellers like cash offers because there’s less risk that they’ll fall through, so they most often win, says Phoenix-area Realtor Keith Krone. FHA home-loan purchases have a higher probability of not closing than do conventional loan purchases, in part because of appraisal issues and also because FHA borrowers tend to have more limited finances. Good news for RE inventories. Rising prices could boost supply Home inventories have shrunk because fewer foreclosures are coming to market. Many homeowners don’t want to sell, because they don’t have enough equity in their homes. Others are waiting for higher prices. Don’t give up if you are in the market, do your homework and be patient. Market should change a little towards becoming even ratios between buyers and sellers. Have a Great 2014 and a Prosperous one too. Please call Ken Go 27 years of Real Estate Financing Experience at 562-5087048 or write to Kennethgo@verizon.net. Call for free magnet calendars to be mailed to you for free.

US home price gains slow again in October: Case-Shiller WASHINGTON, December 31, 2013 (AFP) – US home prices rose slightly in October, marking a continued softening in the housing market recovery, according to a report released Tuesday. The S&P Case-Shiller 20-city composite home price index rose 0.2 percent in October, following a monthly gain of 0.7 percent in September. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the index was up 1.0 percent. The index posted a gain of 13.6 percent year-over-year, the largest annual increase since February 2006, but smaller than the 13.8 percent rise expected by analysts. The annual gains have been in doubledigit territory since March 2013, but “monthly numbers show we are living on borrowed time and the boom is fading,” said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee. Ten cities posted price gains month-onmonth, led by Las Vegas with an increase of 1.2 percent. Nine cities saw prices fall, while New York prices were flat. The price slowdown in part reflects the rise in mortgage interest rates since the Federal Reserve revealed plans in May to cut its stimulus program, a move The Fed finally took earlier this month. In mid-December, the Fed began to reduce its monthly asset purchases by $10 billion to $75 billion.

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Buried in debt: Do feel lost in a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Money Fogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? Maybe youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve exto keep. MINDING YOUR perienced this before: I meet with a lot of FINANCES Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re driving down the people who are in denial road one cold, chilly day about their situation and and before you know it, will try to rationalize you find yourself surby saying things like: rounded by a thick white â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not really that wall of dense fog. How badâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only moneyâ&#x20AC;? did you feel? If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re or (hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one that I allike most people, perways hear) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll haps you felt momentariwin the lottery.â&#x20AC;? Often, BY ATTY. RAY BULAON ly lost and confused or it takes an eye-opening perhaps even panicked, event to wake them up. not knowing what was This could be a nasty colin front of you or the direction you were lection letter they get in the mail, a threat going. of a lawsuit, foreclosure, wage garnishment People who are facing serious debt or a notice of bank levy. Or it could be a problems can feel the same way as in sudden realization one day that their bank the situation above. They feel lost in a account has been consistently overdrawn â&#x20AC;&#x153;money fogâ&#x20AC;?. What exactly is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;money month after month, they are drowning in fogâ&#x20AC;?? Money fog means that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in debt, and they have nothing to show for all a state of being disconnected from your the money theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve borrowed. This is when finances. Here are some of the symptoms: reality hits them like a ton of bricks and (a) Having no idea about your real bank they find themselves totally unprepared for balance (2) Always broke at the end of the the financial crisis that they are now facing. month no matter how hard you work (3) Clearing the fog can sometimes be an Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost track of how much you owe uncomfortable process because it involves (4) Chronic debt that just cannot be paid looking honestly at your financial reality off, and (5) Zero savings- and yet, having and mustering up the courage to do somea lot of expenses that cannot be accounted thing to change things. for or explained. But unless we become aware of what You may be shocked to know that being we may be doing wrong, we may never in a money fog can happen to people of all get out of the fog. The two initial steps income levels. A person who makes $50 you can take would be to know exactly an hour can be just as broke financially as where your money is going every month another person who makes $10 an hour if and sticking with a budget that your income both of them have lost control over their can support.. Create an itemized list of your money. Thus, when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a money fog, debts, balances and interest rates. Learn to it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter much what your income distinguish between â&#x20AC;&#x153;needsâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;wantsâ&#x20AC;? is. At the end of the day, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what you and avoid buying things on credit as much make that really matters- itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you get as possible unless you can pay the bill in

US stocks cap stunning 2013 with fresh records BY JOHN BIERS

NEW YORK, December 31, 2013 (AFP) - US stocks powered to fresh records during the last session of 2013, closing out a year of stunning gains that some analysts say could continue in 2014. The new records for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the broad-based S&P 500 capped the best year for American stocks since the 1990s and confirmed the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. Investors repeatedly bid up equities on a cocktail of loose monetary policy, corporate earnings growth and the steadily rebounding economy. Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gains, another 0.44 percent for the Dow and 0.40 percent for the S&P 500, came on the back of more positive economic data â&#x20AC;&#x201C; consumer confidence was bouncing back from a lull and home prices continued to rise The Dow notched 52 new records during 2013, gaining 26.5 percent to end the year at 16,576.66. It was the blue-chip indexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best one-year percentage increase in more than 15 years. The S&P 500 advanced 29.6 percent to 1,848.36, smashing the record barrier 45 times. It was the largest one-year gain since 1997. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite, while still well short of its all-time record, closed the year at its best level since the 2000 .com crash, adding 38.3 percent for the year to 4,176.59. The vast majority of companies on the S&P 500 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 457 of them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; gained for the year, illustrating the broad character of the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bull run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were not a lot of losers,â&#x20AC;? said Howard Silverblatt at S&P Dow Jones Indices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was a very broad market.â&#x20AC;? 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x153;would rank up there as one of the best years in my memory,â&#x20AC;? said Greg

Peterson, director of investment research at Ballentine Partners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was an extremely good year.â&#x20AC;? The yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s breakout stocks included video streaming company Netflix, which more than tripled in value during 2013, and electric-car maker Tesla, which rose more than four-fold, ending the year amid rumors that it could be taken over by one of the auto majors. Netflix, along with electronics retailer Best Buy and Micron Technology, were the three biggest gainers in the S&P 500, while Newmont Mining was the biggest faller, down more than 50 percent as gold prices plunged 28 percent during the year. The biggest gainer on the Dow for the year was aerospace giant Boeing, which withstood a bumpy stretch related to its flagship 787 before rallying on strong global demand from airlines. The only company on the Dow to fall was IBM, which gave up 2.1 percent amid challenges to the legacy technology giantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business from the new technology leaders. Changes in index membership underscored the shifts in corporate power. On the Dow, Alcoa, Bank of America and HewlettPackard were replaced by Goldman Sachs, Nike and Visa. The S&P 500 dropped slumping retailer J.C. Penney, which shed more than 50 percent of its value, replacing it with social networking company Facebook, which more than doubled in 2013. Twitterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry to the market, raising $1.8 billion, made some of the biggest news during the year. The still money-losing social network powerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock quickly more than doubled from its offer price of $26 to above $63 Tuesday. Other big IPOs came from hotelier Hilton Worldwide Holdings and oil pipeline operator Plains GP Holdings.

full at the end of the month. Financial recovery cannot begin until you stop borrowing and start living within your means. Spend some time working through an accurate picture of your total income after tax, your realistic expenses and current debt repayments. Then work through some ways of eliminating expenses that you can live without and use the money youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to save towards debt repayment. If filing bankruptcy is your only solution to get out of debt, consult with an experienced attorney who can help you understand the pros and cons of such a solution. Whatever you do, have a clear goal and a defined purpose in order to maintain the level of motivation that you

need to become debt-free. I would like to help you get your finances and your life back in order as you start a new year! For a free consultation, call my office at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772 and we will help you step by step in finding a solution thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for you. We have offices in Glendale, West Covina, Cerritos, Valencia & Riverside. (None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772. They have offices in Glendale, Cerritos, West Covina and Valencia.)

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StarQuest Karaoke Winners – from left: Alessa Morales (2nd prize), Vanessa Bryan (judge’s favorite) and Leon Guico (grand champion).

Alpha Kappa Rho West Coast Council Christmas Party 2013 at Oakland, California. The Skeptrons greet the fil-am community a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Fans line up to make history in Colorado pot shops LOS ANGELES, January 1, 2014 (AFP) – It was barely dawn when people began lining up outside the Denver Kush Club on Wednesday, turning up their collars against the sleet and wind. But a little winter weather wasn’t about to put them off – they were making history. “I’m in no hurry. I’ve waited my whole life for this,”Zsaid 43-year-old Scott Van Pelt, who drove seven hours from notoriously conservative Texas to be among the first to legally buy marijuana for recreational use. Colorado and Washington approved the recreational sale of cannabis in November 2012 referendums, and pot shops were allowed to open on January 1 in Colorado and later in the year in Washington. Medical marijuana is already legal and regulated in 19 US states, and has been allowed in some cases for the past 20 years. And in most of them, private consumption of cannabis is not classified as a crime. The start of retail sales marked not only a legal turning point in how marijuana can be purchased, but also in terms of how it will be consumed and the market it will create, if the customers at the Kush Club are any indication. A sour, earthy smell permeated the shop’s two rooms. Amber McFadyen, 38, stood at the front room counter for about 10 minutes browsing products, rocking back and forth on her feet and pressing her finger to her lips as

she tried to decide. She was less interested in the jars filled with weed of varying strengths, labeled Strawberry Kush, Amnesia, Sour Diesel, Golden Goat and Green Crack. Instead, she was more drawn to the edibles, which included bars of cannabislaced chocolate like Cookies and Cream, Peach Dream, Blueberry Bliss and the Monkey Bar. “Do you have any gummy bears?”Zshe asked the girl behind the counter. No luck, but there were plenty of other sweets, from blueberry belt strip candy to “gemstones”Zin juicy pear, raspberry, fruit loops and other flavors – all laced with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical in cannabis. Her husband, Scotland-born Kieron McFadyen, 42, already had his mind made up. “I think I’m just going to get a quarter of whatever the happiest is,” he said. In the end, they walked out with $260 worth of goods stuffed into a little white paper bag stapled at the top. And, they said, they aren’t even regular marijuana users. “We live two blocks away and we got up this morning and said, ‘Why not?’” said Amber. Kush Club co-owner Darin Smith said he expects up to 400 customers per day, now that the law has changed, compared to about 100 when the shop only sold pot for medical use.

MG Multi-Cultural Marketing Team Lead, Ivy Wisco, StarGazer Ballroom Dancing Grand Champion Virginia Puzon and Ernie Marasigan, MG Director of the Pacific Region, Mark Gorney

MoneyGram Congratulates the Grand Champions of the 2013 StarQuest and StarGazer Competition Los Angeles, CA (12/07/2013) – MoneyGram (NASDAQ: MGI), a leading global money transfer and payment services company, salutes the phenomenal Filipino American talents of Southern California at the grand finals of the StarQuest Karaoke and StarGazer Ballroom Dancing competition held at the Dance Revolution (6626 Valjean Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406) last December 7th. Mark Gorney, MoneyGram’s director of the Pacific region, joined other professional judges in choosing the grand champions for 2013: Vanessa Bryan (Judges Favorite Award), Leon Guico (StarQuest Karaoke Grand Champion) and Ernie Marasigan and Virginia Puzon (StarGazer Ballroom Dancing Grand Champion). MoneyGram’s multi-cultural marketing team lead Ivy Wisco was present to award the $500 cash prize. StarQuest and StarGazer is a produc-

tion of Filipino-American Media and Entertainment (FAME) and presented to you by MoneyGram. MoneyGrado sa MoneyGram! About MoneyGram International MoneyGram International, a leading money transfer company, enables consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions to meet their financial needs. MoneyGram offers money transfer services worldwide through a global network of 334,000 agent locations – including retailers, international post offices and financial institutions – in 200 countries and territories. MoneyGram also offers bill payment services in the United States and Canada. MoneyGram is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MGI. To learn more about money transfer or bill payment at an agent location or online, please visit moneygram.com or connect with us on Facebook.

Blizzard brings chaos as eastern seaboard faces ‘glacial levels’ By Brigitte Dusseau, Timothy Witcher

NEW YORK, January 3, 2014 (AFP) – A fierce winter storm dragged temperatures down to glacial levels and caused chaos across the northern United States on Friday, forcing the cancelation of thousands of flights. With more than 24 inches (61 centimeters) of snow falling in one Massachusetts town, a state of emergency was declared in New York and New Jersey states. One worker was killed when a 100-foot pile of salt being prepared to treat roads around Philadelphia fell on him, media reports said. The storm – given the name Hercules – closed major roads with snowdrifts built up by Arctic winds of up to 65 miles (105 kilometers) per hour.

Weather experts said the windchill temperature would plummet to -13 Fahrenheit (-25 Celsius) in New York state. Transport disruption was reported from Vermont in the north to Washington and fallout from the storm was spreading to southern states. More than 4,000 international and domestic flights from airports along the east cost and as far as Chicago in the Midwest were canceled because of the storm. New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport closed for several hours because of poor visibility and high winds. One runway reopened mid-morning but huge passenger queues built up at all three New York airports. Flights were also canceled at Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and other key air-

ports. Officials said the transport toll would worsen during the day even as the snow eased off. Temperatures were predicted to stay icy. Boston woke up to a temperature of about three degrees Fahrenheit but with the wind chill, it felt much worse. The Massachusetts town of Boxton had recorded 24.3 inches of snow by early Friday. The New York and New Jersey governors ordered major roads closed during the worst of the blizzard, but they were reopened on Friday morning. Government leaders still appealed for people to stay home unless they had urgent business. “These circumstances are dangerous,”

said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. The storm was the first big test for New York City’s new Mayor Bill de Blasio, who only took up his job Wednesday. De Blasio had vowed a “laser focus” on the storm. But the mayor also urged residents to stay indoors and warned against going out in the freezing temperatures. De Blasio shoveled snow from in front of his Brooklyn house Friday before repeating appeals for drivers to stay off the streets to help the city clear its 6,200 miles of roads. “If you want safe, clear streets, stay home,” he said. Tourists lobbed snowballs at each other in Times Square and more than six inches of snow fell on Central Park.

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Is lover’s claim dischargeable?

BEIJING, December 31, 2013 (AFP) – First he handed out cash to victims of China’s 2008 earthquake. Then he sold “canned fresh air” to residents of smogridden Beijing. Now Chen Guangbiao, listed as one of China’s 400 richest people and a man known as much for his publicity stunts as his wealth, claims he is in talks to buy the New York Times. “Soon, I will go to America to do three things,” Chen told a crowd Monday night at a news media award reception in the southern Chinese boom town of Shenzhen, according to the semi-official China News Service. The first, he said, “is to go discuss the acquisition of the New York Times”. Asked later to elaborate on his plans, Chen simply told reporters “the negotiation is currently underway”. However, the publisher of the New York Times has previously denied it is up for sale.

“After a week in which both The Boston Globe and The Washington Post were purchased by new owners, the publisher of New York Times emphatically declared... that the publication was not for sale,” the paper reported Arthur Sulzberger, who is also chairman of The New York Times Company, as saying in a statement in August. Chen built his fortune, estimated at five billion yuan ($825 million) by Chinese wealth publisher the Hurun Report, on a recycling company, Huangpu Renewable Resources Utilisation Group, but he has been derided by critics as a publicity hound who will go to great lengths for attention. After anti-Japanese protests erupted in cities across China last year, Chen spent nearly $800,000 on dozens of Chinesemade cars to give to people whose Japanese-brand cars were damaged. Days ago, he posed in front of a wall made out of thousands of “bricks” made of banknotes.

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Sometimes one lover plaintiff got scammed. takes advantage of the When the relationship BANKRUPTCY other lover by borrowsoured, plaintiff asked ing money that is not for full payment of the repaid. For example, $110,000. Debtor paid John and Mary are in a back $25,000 and left the relationship. They think balance unpaid. Plaintiff that they are in love sued debtor in state court with each other. John and obtained a judgment wants to invest in the for $210,000 because the stock market because $110,000 check bounced BY ATTY. all the stock market inand the court found that LAWRENCE YANG dexes are up over 25% debtor violated the state’s this year. In fact the ‘bad check’ law and Russell 2000 small cap index is up 40% awarded the plaintiff double the amount this year. Mary has been working as a regis- of the check plus $15,000 in attorney’s tered nurse for the last 15 years, working 3 fees minus the $25,000 payment for a total jobs, and was able to stash away $120,000 of $210,000. Debtor filed for Chapter 7 of savings in her 401K. John finds out bankruptcy relief. about Mary’s 401K and convinces Mary Plaintiff filed an adversary complaint to borrow $60,000 from that account so asking the bankruptcy court to have her that he can invest it in various stocks. John ‘lover’s claim’ excepted from discharge. promises to pay Mary back in 6 months in The court found that the debtor intenfull plus 10% interest. Unfortunately, John tionally misrepresented his real estate holdis a bad stock picker and all of the stocks ings in an effort to convince the plaintiff to that he bought are now worthless. John loan him the money. Debtor did not own decides to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy the rental properties, but collected the rent relief and includes the $60,000 that he for his uncle, the owner. Plaintiff said she owes to Mary for discharge. Is the $60,000 would not have loaned the money to debtor dischargeable? if she had known that he did not own the In Re Duhon, plaintiff lent $110,000 rental properties. She said she was blinded to the debtor believing his story that he by love. needed cash because his money was tied The court ruled that the plaintiff’s claim up with real estate. Debtor told plaintiff, his for the amount of the loan minus the payex-girlfriend, that he owned several rental ment was non-dischargeable pursuant to properties. However, the truth was that § 523(a)(2)(A). That section states that a debtor did not own any real estate. debt arising from “false pretenses, a false Plaintiff and debtor were in love. They representation, or actual fraud, other than talked of buying a house together and get- a statement respecting the debtor’s or an ting married. Plaintiff has saved $110,000 insider’s financial condition…” is not to buy a house. She agreed to loan the dischargeable. money to the debtor to fund his day-trading However, the court found that the state of stocks. The loan was to be repaid in 3 court judgment was discharged because months. The plaintiff said she trusted the the undated check was only to be cashed debtor, who told her that all his money was if something happened to the debtor and tied up in rental properties and promised to it was written at a point in time when the use the money he made from day-trading parties agreed that the debtor did not have to buy their first home together. Ah, true the funds to cover it. love where the lover can do no wrong. The Lawrence Bautista Yang is a graduate plaintiff said she accompanied the debtor of Georgetown University Law Center and when he collected rent payments, and be- has been in law practice for thirty years. lieved the debtor when he said he owned He specializes in bankruptcy, business and the properties. In fact, the properties were civil litigation and has handled more than owned by debtor’s uncle, the Maharajah of five thousand successful bankruptcy cases Jaipur. To secure the loan, the debtor gave in California. He speaks Tagalog and plaintiff a second mortgage on his home, a looks forward to discussing your case with mobile home in the Ozarks, worth $5,000, you personally. Please call Angie, Barbara named her as beneficiary of a $150,000 or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointterm life insurance policy, and gave her ment at 1000 S Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, an undated check for $110,000. In short, Bldg A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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Manila-born Tebow heads for TV booth after no club deal NEW YORK, December 30, 2013 (AFP) – Tim Tebow, once a National Football League phenomenon as a quarterback, has signed a deal to become a television analyst after failing to land with a team this season. ESPN announced Monday that Tebow would work as an analyst on collegiate American football on the Southeastern Conference Network when that cable channel launches in August. Tebow, however, will contribute to a variety of ESPN

programs and make his television debut next Monday on the pre-game show before the collegiate American football championship game between Auburn University and Florida State University. Tebow played for two US college championship squads at the University of Florida but found limited success in the NFL. He became a celebrity in part for his evangelical views and a widely imitated kneeling move that became known as “Tebowing.”

In 2011, he began the season as a reserve but rallied the Denver Broncos to a surprise division title and playoff upset of Pittsburgh. Tebow was traded to the New York Jets but threw only eight passes for them in 2012 before being released last April. He did a pre-season training camp with the New England Patriots before being dropped in August. ESPN said Tebow’s role would not preclude him from pursuing NFL playing opportunities.

Unending woes: Lakers Lady solon pushes for creation of schools for sports lose Farmar with torn left hamstring LOS ANGELES, January 1, 2014 (AFP) – Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar is expected to miss at least four weeks with his second left hamstring tear in the past month, the NBA club announced on Wednesday. Farmar missed 10 games in December with a torn left hamstring and was hurt again on Tuesday in the Lakers’ 94-79 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. An ultrasound test on Wednesday morning showed the torn spot, which was in a different location to the one he suffered December 1 that benched him for three and a half weeks, the team said in a statement. Farmar’s loss is another major setback for a Laker backcourt that has already lost Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Xavier Henry and Steve Blake. The Lakers, mired in a six-game losing streak, are 13-19 with the third-worst record in the Western Conference. Farmar has averaged 8.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 22 games for the Lakers this season. Kendall Marshall has taken over as the starting point guard for the Lakers in the wake of the injuries.

MANILA, Jan. 1 (Mabuhay) – Following the success of Filipino athletes in international competition, a lawmaker has filed a bill creating a school for sports to develop world-class athletes. Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla authored House Bill No. 2302 aimed to establish the Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS) to develop world class athletes who will represent the country in international tournaments as well as encourage the Filipino youth to excel in sports and in education. “It will be founded on the basic philosophy of education, that sports and physical development are basic elements in the education and formation of the youth, especially on the level or stage of basic education,” Mercado-Revilla said in her explanatory note. The Cavite solon said the basic strategy for sports development to enable the country to become competitive in international competitions is to have a twopronged approach to talent and player development. “This approach looks at grassroots development on the one hand and elite training on the other,” Revilla said. “It will also allow the general development of the sport in terms of becoming more popular and widely

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WORRY-FREE W ORRY-FREE PRE-OWNED INVENTORY SALE 2008 Honda Accord Sdn

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played and followed,” she added. Among the Filipino athletes who brings home the bacon were Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire who both showed their guts and talents in boxing defeating their opponents convincingly; Fidel Repizo, gold medalist in discus throw category; Arnold Villarube, Ralph Waldy Soguilon, Albert Salcedo and Henry Dagmil, who won gold in 400 meters relay all from the recent Southeast Asian Games (SEA) and many more unsung heroes in sports. Smart Gilas Philippines also showed toughness in ASIA-FIBA Basketball placing second overall. Under the bill, the school shall offer, on a free scholarship basis, a secondary course with special emphasis on developing the athletic skills of the students, with the end in view of training young Filipinos for international sports competitions. The school will be headed by a director to be appointed by the President with a fixed term of eight years. The bill will also create a Board of Trustees to be composed of the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Philippine High School for Sports and three representatives from accredited sports associations. (MNS)

800•503•2321 Sales Hrs: Mon-Sat: 8:30am-9pm, Sunday: 10am-8pm

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GRENOBLE, January 3, 2014 (AFP) – A camera fixed to the ski helmet of Michael Schumacher is being inspected by investigators probing the accident that has left the German retired racing legend comatose in a French hospital with critical head injuries. A source close to French authorities handling the investigation disclosed the existence of the camera late Friday. The source said it had been taken to see if it can yield any clues as to the circumstances of the accident. Schumacher’s 14-year-old son Mick, who was skiing with his father at the time, was also being questioned by investigators, the source said, confirming information reported by the French newspaper Dauphine Libere. The developments in the probe came the day Schumacher turned 45 while still in an induced coma in a hospital in the French Alpine city of Grenoble after his December 29 accident. Fans marked the birthday with a silent vigil outside the facility, part of which was organised by Ferrari, Schumacher’s former team. French authorities are examining various factors in the ski accident, in which Schumacher’s head hit a rock so hard his helmet was split in two. Although he was conscious when airlifted from the unmarked run in the Meribel resort, where he owns a property, Schumacher was agitated and soon fell into a coma, prompting his transfer to Grenoble hospital. He has undergone two operations to remove blood and pressure from his brain. His manager said in the last update on Wednesday that he remains in a critical but stable condition.

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MOTORING 7+( $// 1(: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Experience the difference todayâ&#x20AC;?

INFINITI Carson Honda Filipino sales team (from left) Ricky Agagas, Rohmer Manalese, Terzo â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tâ&#x20AC;? Pallen and Christian Reyes.

Honda to debut all-new 2015 Fit at North American International Auto Show Big news in the New Year for the subcompact-car segment with the introduction of a from-the ground-up more advanced, refined and fun-to-drive Honda Fit TORRANCE, Calif., December 19, 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Honda will take the wraps off the all-new 2015 Fit at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 13, at 2:40 pm. Honda will showcase significant advancements designed to further extend Fitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s status as the benchmark vehicle in the subcompact-car class. The 2015 Fit builds on the current modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative packaging, flexible cargo capability and fun-to-drive character with spirited new styling, an even more spacious and refined interior packed with leading-edge connected car technologies. The third generation Fit is set to offer enhanced fuel-efficiency and performance courtesy of its all-new platform and Earth Dreams Technology powertrain. Equipped with the Honda-exclusive next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineeringâ&#x201E;˘ (ACEâ&#x201E;˘) body structure, the new Fit is also anticipated to earn class-leading safety ratings. John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales for American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will introduce the 2015 Fit at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s press conference, which also will be broadcast live via webcast

at http://hondanews.com/live/2014naiashonda (link will be live Jan. 13). Named a Car and Driver â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10-Bestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vehicle every model year since its introduction to the U.S. market for 2007, the Fit remains one of the best-selling Honda vehicles globally, with cumulative worldwide sales of 4.87 million units1. The Fit is manufactured at ten locations around the world and sold in 123 countries. The new U.S.-market Fit will be produced for the first time in North America at an all-new plant in in Celaya, Mexico. Customers interested in learning more about 2015 Fit are encouraged to visit http://automobiles.honda.com/2015fit/, where they can sign-up to receive more information on the new model. By now for sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided that your next car is a Honda. Well, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better that visiting Carson Honda, which has a Filipino fleet in the persons of Rohmer Manalese, Ricky Agagas, Terzo Pallen and Christian Reyes to help you which Honda vehicle is the best for you. Carson Honda is located at 1435 E. 223rd Street, Carson, CA 90745. They can be reached toll free at 1-800-503-2321.

Carmakers rack up big gains in 2013 US sales CHICAGO, January 3, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Major automakers closed out 2013 with mixed results for December US sales Friday, as the booming auto industry racked up its best annual performance in years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The auto industry was a consistent bright spot in the economic recovery throughout 2013,â&#x20AC;? said Bill Fay, general manager of the Toyota division. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expect the economy will continue to gain strength in 2014, with car sales rising to pre-recession levels.â&#x20AC;? Total industry sales rose 7.6 percent to 15.6 million vehicles in 2013, according to Autodata. The last time annual US auto sales topped 15 million vehicles was in 2007. They slowly recovered to 14.8 million in 2012 after crashing to a low of 10.6 million in 2009 as a result of the financial crisis, which pushed the industry into a deep downturn. In the 14 years prior to the 2008 crash, annual US auto sales had ranged from 15 to 17 million vehicles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;2013 was the year that GM and the auto industry put the last traces of the recession in the rearview mirror,â&#x20AC;? said General Motors US sales chief Kurt McNeil. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now we can devote our full attention to the things that matter most to customers: compelling design, world-class quality and delivering the best ownership experience in the business.â&#x20AC;? December sales were weaker than ex-

pected as a result of brutal winter storms and Thanksgiving discounts which had drawn shoppers to showrooms in November, McNeil said in a conference call. GM reported a seven percent increase in 2013 US sales to 2.8 million vehicles despite a six percent drop in December sales to 230,157. Ford posted its best annual performance since 2006 as US sales jumped 11 percent to 2.5 million vehicles in 2013. December sales rose a more modest two percent from the same period a year ago to come in at 218,058. â&#x20AC;&#x153;December was a strong close to an even better year for Ford,â&#x20AC;? sales chief John Felice said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We saw strong growth across the entire Ford lineup and made significant gains in the import-dominated coastal markets.â&#x20AC;? Toyota posted a seven percent gain in 2013 as US sales rose to 2.2 million vehicles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; despite a two percent drop in December sales to 190,843. Chrysler reported its 45th consecutive month of gains as December US sales rose six percent to 161,007. Its 2013 sales were up nine percent at 1.8 million. Honda managed to top the record it set last December as US sales grew two percent to 135,255 vehicles. Its 2013 sales rose seven percent to 1.5 million, the Japanese automakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second highest annual tally.

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Mercedes-Benz posts best November sales ever December 03, 2013 MONTVALE, N.J. – Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) has reported that the highest November retail volumes in its history with 37,345 units sold across the Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart model lines, up 14.4% from the 32,649 vehicles sold in November 2012. Sales for the MercedesRaymond Orosa of MercedesBenz brand alone jumped Benz of Encino 13.4% over the same period last year to 34,376, while year-to-date volumes hit a record 279,501. Adding year-to-date sales of 18,988 for Sprinter Vans and 8,409 units at smart, MBUSA achieved a yearto-date grand total of 306,898 units, making November the 50th consecutive month of month-over-month sales increases since the streak began in late 2009. “November’s result has already propelled us past last year’s record sales volume,” said Steve Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA. “We’re striking a chord with more

customers than ever before thanks to a strong product portfolio, the best dealers in the business and a laser focus on the ownership experience.” November sales for Mercedes-Benz were led by the E-, C- and M-Class model lines. The E-Class, completely redesigned for the 2014 model year, came in first at 8,614 units, followed by the sporty C-Class with sales of 7,878. The M-Class, the brand’s top-selling SUV, rounded out the top three at 4,328, up 11.1% over the same period in 2012. The Sprinter lineup, which received a full redesign for model year 2014 on sale since September, posted strong November gains of 23.3% at 2,010 units. Monthly sales at smart reached 959 – up 36.2% from November 2012. Mercedes-Benz’s BlueTEC diesel models recorded sales of 1,724 for the month, up 8.0%, and 15,092 yearto-date, an increase of 9.9% from the 13,738 units sold in November 2012. The company’s high-performance AMG models finished the month with sales of 896, up 34.9%. Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) recorded sales of 8,847 vehicles in November, an increase of 24% compared to the 7,113 units sold in November 2012. On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold

Audi to invest 22-B euros in new models, technology BERLIN, December 27, 2013 (AFP) – Audi, the top-of-the-range carmaker owned by German auto giant Volkswagen, announced Friday a massive investment programme in new models and technology over the next five years. The company said it would invest around 22 billion euros ($30 billion) between 2014 and 2018 and also said it had achieved its goal of an annual 1.5 million deliveries early. “In the future, we will be investing increasingly in new products: 70 percent is

intended for the modernisation and expansion of the model range and for our portfolio of technologies,” Axel Strotbek, Audi board member for finance said in a statement. Audi, whose main rivals are German carmakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz, said it now eyeing two million deliveries a year by 2020, after reaching 1.5 million this year, two years earlier than planned. The group plans to extend its product range from 49 models currently to 60 by 2020, it said.

89,349 vehicles, rising 22% from the 73,431 vehicles sold during the comparable period last year. As far as any Mercedes-Benz is concerned, you’ll always get the best deals at the Mercedes-Benz of Encino because of our kababayans led by Raymond Orosa, Internet Manager of Mercedes-Benz of Encino. Having been working with Mercedes-Benz cars for several years, the highly experienced Raymond says Mercedes-Benz of Encino is one of the best dealerships he’s ever worked with. “We have the best team here,” Raymond says. “Everyone is very friendly, extremely professional and here to help you with whatever you need.” “Some people think it’s impossible to own a MercedesBenz but that’s not true,” Raymond stresses. “We’re here to help put you in the car of your dreams. “Just point out which car you want to drive and I’ll give you the best available deal on it.” So what are you waiting for? Visit your kababayan Raymond Orosa, who speaks Tagalog, at Mercedes-Benz of Encino located at 16721 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91436. Give Raymond a call toll free at 888.898.8996 today.

Anger as new and used cars go on sale in Cuba HAVANA, January 3, 2014 (AFP) – Cubans hoping to snap up imported cars Friday after the relaxation of restrictions dating back half a century had a shock with prices way out the reach of anyone but the elite. The communist regime said last month that it would ease its ban on car imports, marking the end of an era that made icons of Cuba’s vintage automobiles. Opening Cuba’s domestic car market to imports was expected to have fateful consequences for the lovingly maintained 1950s Chevys, Fords and Pontiacs that have survived a 50-year-old US embargo. But there was anger and disappointment Friday when prospective buyers in Havana laid eyes on the prices of new and used vehicles, AFP reporters said. A swish Peugeot 4008 SUV was going for $239,500 at the Sasa dealer in the capital – nearly five times what it costs in Europe. Used vehicles were also available in the capital, but at prices that most people in Cuba can only dream of – salaries average just $20 a month. A 2010 Hyundai Sonata was going for $60,000 and a Volkswagen Passat in the same year had a price tag of $67,500.

MOTORS SALES•LEASING • ALL MAKES & MODELS WE MAKE CAR BUYING SIMPLE.

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JUN GUINTU

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323-547-1291 1930 W. 6TH ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90057

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SINGLE/COUPLE/FAMILY NEEDED TO ADMINISTER A MOTEL IN LANCASTER, CA Live-in, Manager's apartment provided Highly motivated with good communication skills Salary negotiable For a cell-phone distributor in Los Angeles Salary Plus Commission Should be authorized to work in the US

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APT. FOR RENT Move-in special. 1 BR, laundry, covered parking. Close to freeways and schools. 137 N. Rosemont Avenue (between Beverly & Temple), Los Angeles. Manager: Mercy (213) 483-5117. NEW LUX CONDO Van Nuys -13525 Vanowen, 3+2 $1900 & 2+2 $1600. Reseda -7120 Etiwanda, 2+2 $1600 & 1+1 $1200 nice view. Sec 8 ok All w/ washer/dryer in unit, granite counter, big closet, rc light, gated parking. Sam 818-634-1100. APTS. FOR RENT Filipino Town area - Temple / Rampart. 2BR 1 BA, parking space. Preferably non-smoker. For inquiries call Vicky @ (213) 944-8887 or (213) 384-1955

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

ROOM FOR RENT HighlandPark/Eagle Rock, big room w/ small sala furnished free utilities & TFC, nice area close to church Filipino stores, big closet. Call Elena 213-439-9447 or cell 310-567-7565.

GUEST HOUSE 1BR, 1BA guest house and 2BR,1BA house in North Hills. Beautiful, quiet, private, clean, tile Ă&#x20AC;r, parking inside gate. (818) 282-4153 preferred text messages.

NICE HOUSE 1BR 1 BA, nice neighborhood, close to Downtown LA, Glendale, Eagle Rock, frwy, 1 block to church. Call 323-223-8064.

ROOM & BEDSPACER Preferred a lady. $250 bedspacer; $550 room. 7800 Woodman Ave. Panorama City. Close to Kaiser Permanente hospital. Contact Luz 314-513-8288. ROOM FOR RENT $300, $400, $450, $500, (couple), Free utils. House in Figueroa & Colorado at Eagle Rock. Close to frwy 210 & 110. Cable & internet. 323-371-0468; 323-807-5369.

ROOMS FOR RENT Northridge/Canoga Park. Furnished, free utilities, cable, TFC, internet. Very clean and in quiet area. $480 per month; small room $370/mo. 818-477-2027.

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2014 Outlander & Outlander Sport earn coveted IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards Top Mitsubishi vehicles offer consumers the safest crossover model lineup in America Cypress, CA, Dec. 19, 2013 ation of the 2014 Mitsubishi Out– Mitsubishi Motors North lander’s Forward Collision MitigaAmerica, Inc. (MMNA) has tion (FCM) – a system that includes seen its all-new 7-passenger both audio and visual warnings to 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander the driver as well as initiates autonamed an Insurance Institute matic braking if necessary – the IIHS for Highway Safety (IIHS) “Top awarded the system an “advanced” Safety Pick+” – the highest saferating (grades are “superior,” “adRichard Samaco (left) and John Rodis, Filipino Sales, Glendale Mitsubishi ty achievement designated by vanced” or “basic”). Other available the non-profit vehicle research next-generation safety technology and crash test ratings agency – and its 5-passenger 2014 features include a camera-based Lane Departure Warning Mitsubishi Outlander Sport designated the only IIHS “Top (LDW) and radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Safety Pick” model in the Small SUV category. With these With a starting MSRP of only $22,995, the 2014 Mitaccolades, Mitsubishi Motors offers automotive consum- subishi Outlander is one of the lowest-priced vehicles in ers the safest crossover model lineup available in America the segment available with such advanced safety techtoday. Due to more stringent testing criteria for the IIHS nologies. “Top Safety Pick+” and “Top Safety Pick” awards, only For 2014, the IIHS raised the qualifying standard for the 39 vehicle models earned either award in 2014 – a drastic “Top Safety Pick” rating achieved by the 2014 Mitsubishi reduction when compared to the 130 vehicle models that Outlander Sport as its vehicle evaluation now includes the earned IIHS award recognition in 2013. small overlap crash test. According to the agency, the small The redesigned 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander was one overlap crash test “replicates what happens when the front of only 22 vehicles to earn the IIHS “Top Safety Pick+” corner of a vehicle strikes another vehicle or object like accolade for 2014. a tree or utility pole.” In order for a vehicle to become an IIHS “Top Safety “We’ve made it more difficult for manufacturers this Pick+” for 2014, a test subject must not only display ex- year,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund. “Following a emplary performance in the various stringent crash testing gradual phase-in, the small overlap crash is now part of our criteria, but it must now “have systems that can prevent basic battery of tests, and good or acceptable performance or mitigate front-to-rear crashes,” according to the IIHS. should be part of every vehicle’s safety credentials. We The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander’s exceptional IIHS also felt it was time to offer extra recognition to manu“Top Safety Pick+” rating can be attributed to the superla- facturers that are offering a proven crash test avoidance tive engineering of its rigid, high-tensile steel body/chassis technology.” along with the availability of numerous advanced features “Having our all-new 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander named including a radar-based Forward Collision Mitigation a ‘Top Safety Pick+’ and our 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander (FCM) accident/impact reduction technology. In its evalu- Sport becoming the exclusive ‘Top Safety Pick’-rated

vehicle in the Small SUV category is a testament to the precision design and engineering that we strive to instill in every one of our vehicles,” said Yoichi Yokozawa, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA). A key safety technology that helped the 2014 Outlander Sport (starting MSRP of only $19,470) attain the distinguished IIHS “Top Safety Pick” safety rating is Mitsubishi Motors’ patented Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE). Engineered into every Mitsubishi Motors vehicle, RISE is Mitsubishi Motors’ safety body construction system featuring integrated energy-absorbing crumple zones and engineered reinforcements strategically placed within the body/chassis that provide maximum protection to the vehicle’s occupants in the event of an impact by absorbing and/or dispersing a great deal of this energy away from the cabin. For more information on the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander and Outlander Sport crossover vehicles, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com and for more information on the “Top Safety Pick+” and the “Top Safety Pick” awards by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), please visitiihs.org. If you want to know why the Mitsubishi is up in its sales and why the Outlander is America’s top Mitsubishi vehicle for the past several months or why Evolution is the choice of many who are looking for speed, call Richard Samaco or John Rodis, the dealership’s Filipino salespersons at Glendale Mitsubishi at (888) 465-7218. Glendale Mitsubishi, a favorite car dealership among Filipino-Americans, is located at 1235 S. Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA, 91204. Call now or come and visit our kababayans for a closer look at the new Mitsubishi vehicles. What’s more, test drive a Mitsubishi and you can get a three day/two night stay in Las Vegas for free.

Hyundai to offer Google Glass apps for its 2015 cars

The Volkswagen XL-1: The XL1, launched in Geneva this year, is capable of traveling for 100km on 0.9 liters of fuel, thanks to hybrid technology. ©Volkswagen

Only 1% of new US cars will be electric by 2040 (Relaxnews) – A US federal government report forecasts that the overwhelming majority of cars on American roads will still be powered by gasoline for some time to come. The US Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Outlook report for 2014 isn’t all bad news. Though it forecasts that only 1% of all new cars sold will be of the plug-in electric variety, other fuel efficient or alternatively powered vehicles will become progressively more popular in coming years. Chief among these will be hybrid vehicles that combine a small petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor to cut emissions and optimize fuel economy – cars such as the Volkswagen XL1, the only car currently capable of traveling 100km on 0.9 liters of fuel, launched earlier this year. Hybrids could account for 5% of all new cars on the road by 2040 and already have a 3% market share. Thanks to the kudos associated with Audi, Mercedes and BMW, US consumers are also starting to change their opinion about diesel engines. They’re no longer the noisy, dirty and slow motors they once were and this image rehabilitation will help to drive sales. In 2012, only 2% of new cars sold in the US were diesels but they are expected to account for 4% of all new vehicle sales by 2040. Currently, 18% of all new cars on US roads are powered by something other than gasoline and by 2040 they are predicted to represent 22% of all new cars. However, that means that even two and a half decades into the future, 78% of cars will be powered solely by fossil fuels. Still, the nature of traditionally powered cars is also changing, even in the US. Car makers are slowly moving away from big-block V8s to smaller four-cylinder engines and companies such as Ford are using turbochargers to squeeze both power and efficiency out of low-capacity engines. The report also estimates that 42% of gasoline-fueled cars will use some form of battery-powered stop start or energy regeneration technology to boost power further while continuing to cut emission and increase fuel efficiency.

(Relaxnews) – Beginning with the new Genesis, owners will be able to operate their car with their headset or smartwatch as well as their smartphones. Even if the overwhelming majority of consumers are less than sold on the idea of smart headsets like Google Glass, Hyundai believes that wearable devices are a growing trend and that the company should support them in the same way it already does smartphones. Hyundai is exploring wearable technology “We’re always exploring new with the Genesis. ©Hyundai ways to use technology to enhance the ownership experience for our luxury sedan. Hyundai is by no means alone in excustomers. Wearables are a great way to extend the experience outside of the ve- tending its connected car features beyond hicle by leveraging these small screens to smartphones. Mercedes Benz is also curquickly access remote features and deliver rently developing support for wearable timely vehicle information,” said Barry devices. It recently launched an app for the Ratzlaff, executive director, Customer Pebble smartwatch that pushes notificaConnect and Service Business Develop- tions to the wearer’s wrist and at its R&D facility in North America it is currently dement, Hyundai Motor America. The company is developing wearable veloping a seamless door-to-door navigadevice apps that will give drivers con- tion system that works with Google Glass trol over functions such as locking and and exploits its contextual understanding. The headset automatically knows when unlocking doors, remote engine start and it is being worn by someone in a fast movdiagnostics information. In the case of Google Glass that will ing vehicle and when it is being worn by mean creating ‘cards’ that each contain someone traveling on foot. The idea is that vehicle information optimized for the it will automatically adjust the turn-by-turn device’s small screen that the wearer can navigation information to suit the situation. At the Frankfurt Motor Show in Sepscroll through. Push notifications will also inform the driver when the car needs a ser- tember, Nissan unveiled its own smartvice and enable him or her to automatically watch that can record vehicle telematics make a phone to arrange an appointment information and monitor the driver’s vital signs and is aimed at serious ‘track day’ with a Hyundai garage. The first car to support wearable device enthusiasts and weekend racers as well as apps will be the 2015 Hyundai Genesis professional race drivers.

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Mercedes-Benz of Encino

Break new ground. How about a ‘diamond’* in your car? Introducing! Mercedes-Benz 2014 CLA250 • Expressive Design • Athletic Performance • *Diamond Grille

Raymond Orosa

Filipino Sales Email: rorosa@mbencino.com

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Mercedes-Benz 2014 C250 Sport Sedan

Mercedes-Benz 2014 E350

Mercedes-Benz 2014 ML350

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Certified Pre-Owned Rates on Select Models All certified cars sold until Jan. 7, 2014 will have one scheduled maintenance included.