US Asian Post January 13, 2017

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No baby, marriage plans for Pia Wurtzbach after Miss Universe WWW.USASIANPOST.COM

Vol. 5 No. 60 LOS ANGELES

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Loida Nicolas Lewis denies oust plot vs. Duterte

MANILA, Jan 9 (Mabuhay) -- The Filipino-American philanthropist tagged in an alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte denied that there is a conspiracy to unseat him.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa condole with the family of slain PO1 Enrico Domingo during their visit to the wake in Barangay Capipisa in Tanza, Cavite on January 6, 2017. Domingo was killed on January 4 in an anti-illegal drug operation in Pasay City. (MNS photo)

BI on alert to assist candidates, organizers of Miss Universe pageant MANILA, Jan. 7 (PNA) – In anticipation of the arrival of 2016 Miss Universe candidates and organizers, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is on alert to assist and give courtesy to the participants and guests of the prestigious pageant, which will be held in the country on Jan. 30.

BI Spokesperson Antoinette Mangrobang said they would provide special lane for guests and candidates of the international beauty pageant.

“We would provide special lane for them. Binigyan na kami listahan. On alert na kami to extend assistance sa delegates nila at

No plans to probe ‘LeniLeaks’ – Sec. Aguirre

See LEWIS, page 12

See ‘LENILEAKS’, page 12

By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan

MANILA, Jan. 9 (PNA) – Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday said that the agency has no plans to look into the alleged plot to unseat President Rodrigo Duterte dubbed as “LeniLeaks” which allegedly involves some Filipino-American supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Iilan lang naman sila. They are just making noise although may pera sila,” Aguirre said when sought for a comment on the members of the Global Filipino Diaspora Council (GFDC) including philanthropist Loida Nico-

2017 budget ‘cholesterol-free’ — Palace

candidates nila,” she said.

“We attended the inter-agency meeting last January 4, until unit na dumadating for the pageant mismo they started arriving January 5, mga organizers. Hindi ako sure kung January 6 arrival ng first candidates,” she added.

The beauty queens and organizers are expected to arrive in the country in the coming days before the start of the activities and preparations for the pageant day later this month.

“All terminals 1,2,3 on alert.

Kapag dumating dalhin sa special lane at may sasalubong sa kanila,

MANILA, Jan 9 (Mabuhay) – President Rodrigo Duterte’s first national budget is “cholesterol-free,” Malacañang insisted on Monday as it rejected Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s claim that the Duterte administration has resuscitated the graft-plagued pork barrel system.

Ernesto Abella, the President’s spokesperson, said this year’s budget of P3.35 trillion complied with the Supreme Court’s decision, which declared as unconstitutional the discretionary funds for lawmakers, officially called Priority Development Assistance Fund

See BI ON ALERT, page 12

See CHOLESTEROL-FREE, page 12

Black Nazarene procession: Faith or pop culture?

President Rodrigo Duterte is accompanied by Russian Navy official as he checks the view from the bridge of Admiral Tributs, one of the Russian warships docked at Pier 15 in Manila on Friday. Two Russian Navy vessels are currently in Manila for a goodwill visit, as the Philippines aims to strengthen its partnership with Russia.(MNS photo)

PNP: Foreigners training in terrorist camps

By Perfecto T. Raymundo

MANILA, Jan. 9 (PNA) -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) is closely monitoring 5 to 10 foreigners who are allegedly training in terrorist camps in Mindanao.

PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa made the

By Albert-Anthony “Abs” Abando

MANILA, Jan. 8 (PNA) – Devotees of the statue known as the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno will flock to Quiapo once more in the hope of spiritually and physically connecting with the revered symbol of Catholic faith. The statue made of wood known as “mesquite” was a gift from Mexico in the 17th century. It has since been the central icon of worship at the Quiapo Church in central Manila.

There are conflicting stories of how the Black Nazarene got its dark pigmentation. Some historians believe it is the nature of mesquite wood to turn dark over the

Loida Nicolas-Lewis, a known supporter of Vice President Leni Robredo and her running-mate Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, issued a statement Monday in light of the so-called “Lenileaks.”

These were supposedly “leaked emails” from a Yahoo! group that called themselves Global Filipino Diaspora Council.

The emails were reportedly seen in a YahooGroups page, Global Filipino Diaspora Council.

In her statement, Nicolas-Lewis said: “First: No plot to oust Duterte. Resign Duterte Movement is based on President Duterte’s own words that he would resign if drugs are still rampant six month(s) after his inauguration.”

“Second, Global Filipino Diaspora Council is a Public Site. If there is a conspiracy, would it be

revelation during a press conference on Monday in Camp Crame, Quezon City. on the day of the observance of the “Traslacion” or the procession of the replica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.

Dela Rosa said it is possible See FOREIGNERS, page 12

Mocha says she’s clueless on how to address Duterte cursing on TV

Thousands of devotees join the Traslacion 2017 procession of the Feast of the Black Nazarene after a mass was held at the Quirino Grandstand on Monday dawn (January 9, 2017). (MNS photo)

years. Legend has it that the ship transporting the statue caught fire while at sea and all of the original embellishments were burned but the statue itself was saved though

charred.

Historical fact indicates that the very statue that resides in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene See BLACK NAZARENE, page 12

MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) -- Even Mocha Uson, the newly-appointed board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), has no idea on how to deal with President Rodrigo Duterte’s knack for cursing on live television.

Uson, a performer and celebrity blogger, was asked by a listener on how she, as MTRCB board member, can address Duterte’s frequent cursing in his speeches.

Uson replied: “Ay, hindi ko po alam. Matagal na po kasi ‘yan.

Matagal nang issue yan.”

Duterte has been known for cursing in his speeches even if they See MOCHA CLUELESS, page 12

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More Europeans, Russians visit Boracay

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and members of his cabinet pose with Russian Navy officials during his visit to ‘Admiral Tributs’, a Russian warships docked at Pier 15 of the Port Area in Manila on Jan. 6, 2017.(MNS photo)

God’s miracle: Zero death in Black Nazarene concession, says Manila mayor MANILA, Jan. 10 (PNA) -- The 22-hour Traslacion 2017 ended peacefully on Monday, and with no death recorded so far.

Designated Hermano Mayor of the Quiapo Fiesta, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Tuesday attributed this to “God’s miracle”.

“It’s God’s miracle that no one was seriously hurt, no one died. No matter how excellent our prepara-

tions are, it is God’s doing that we’re able to hold the Traslacion safely and peacefully,” he said.

Estrada lauded the city’s and the National Capital Region’s police, armed forces and other government agencies, Church officials, government and private rescue groups, volunteers, other participants, and the devotees for their “cooperation and hard work”.

“We’ve been preparing

South Cotabato’s Lake Holon closed to visitors for rehab

By Allen V. Estabillo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Jan. 5 (PNA) – For the third time in four years, the famed crater-lake Holon in T’boli town in South Cotabato will be off-limits anew to local and international visitors starting on Saturday, Jan. 7, to facilitate its rehabilitation.

T’boli Mayor Dibu Tuan said Thursday they decided to again close down the lake and its environs to all tourism-related activities to give it some “breathing time” after hosting thousands of visitors last year.

He said the 304-hectare lake’s temporary closure will run until March 10 or a total of 63 days.

“The local tourism industry soared high in 2016 and so we want to give routine breathing time for the lake,” the mayor said.

Aside from resting the lake, Tuan said the local government will rehabilitate the existing cottages and other tourism facilities at the site as well as hold trainings and refresher courses for its frontline personnel.

He said they will also conduct a biodiversity assessment of the area in coordination with environmental experts.

Tuan ordered Rodel Hilado, the municipality’s designated tourism officer, to spearhead the implementation of the closure order and the rehabilitation activities.

The local government first closed down the lake for nine months in June 2014 to March 2015. It again issued a temporary closure order from Jan. 11 to March 5 last year or a total of 55 days.

With the closure, the local government blocked the three main three main entry points to the lake in Barangay T’bolok and Sitios Kule and Nabul in Barangay Salacafe.

Lake Holon, formerly known as Maughan, is nestled at Mt. Melebingoy (Mt. Parker), which is listed as an active volcano.

In 2003 and 2004, Lake Holon was declared as the cleanest inland body of water in the entire country.

The Department of Tourism in Region 12 has been promoting the lake as part of a local ecotourism circuit that includes the Bakngeb Cave in Barangay Laconon, Lamhaku Hot Spring in Barangay Lamhaku, and Hidak Falls and Hikong Kemebel in Barangay Kematu.

Sea marauders kill 8 fishing boat crewmen off Zamboanga City ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jan. 10 (PNA) – Government security forces have dispatched a team of operatives to track down the sea marauders responsible in the killing of eight fishing boat crew off this city.

Reports received by the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) showed the incident took place around 8 p.m. Monday in the vicinity of Siromon Island, Barangay Dita, 42 kilometers east of this city.

Siromon forms part of the 11-island group located east of this city. <p The police said the names of the fatalities were not immediately known except that they are crewmen of F/B NR home-based in Ba-

rangay Sangali, some 25 kilometers east of here.</p The police said the fishing boat manned by 15 crewmen was on the way home to Sangali coming from Sibuktuk Island when five gunmen aboard on two motorboats locally known as “jungkung” accosted them.

The gunmen divested the fishing boat crewmen of cash and valuables, including mobile phones, and opened fire killing instantaneously eight of the 15 crew.

The police said the seven other crewmen survived as they managed to jump overboard and swim to safety.

Personnel from ZCPO’s Police Station 2 are on the way to Siromon Island to fetch the survivors.

for the Traslacion as early as July and I can say this is the product of their hard work and cooperation. Definitely, we will make more improvements next year so we can achieve ‘zero casualty’ again,” Estrada said.

MPD director, Chief Supt. Joel Coronel, also expressed relief that no one died during the 22-hour procession, estimated to have been attended by 3.5 million devotees.

Bato: Cop tagged in South Korean’s abduction under restrictive custody MANILA, Jan 9 (Mabuhay) – Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Monday that a police officer has been placed under restrictive custody for his alleged involvement in the abduction of a South Korean businessman in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Dela Rosa, however, declined to name the police officer ranked Senior Police Officer 3, which is now undergoing investigation.

“Regarding sa pulis na suspek, nilagay na siya sa restrictive custody para available anytime na imbestigahan. Pinaylan na siya ng kaso ng Anti-Illegal Drugs Group,” he said in a press briefing.

“SPO3 pero ayaw pabanggit ang pangalan. Hindi naman natin kino-condemn agad pero hindi dedepensahan. Kung siya talaga yung involved he doesn’t deserve a day in this organization,” he added.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said he was hoping that the South Korean businessman identified as Jee Ick-joo is still alive. The victim was abducted last October.

The foreign businessman was abducted last October.

Reports said a police officer claiming to be a member of the AIDG went to the South Korean’s house and abducted him.

The PNP chief said he was informed about the kidnapping case last year.

“I’m completely appraised of that case. Nagre-report sa akin yung dating Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) chief at yung AIDG chief. I hope buhay pa ‘yung Koreano,” he said.

He said he had instructed the AKG chief to contact the wife of the victim so he can meet her.

“Matagal ko nang alam yung kaso ng asawa niya pero kahapon ko lang nabasa yung appeal niya. I instructed yung AKG chief na kontakin yung Koreana gusto ko siyang kausapin, kung willing siya na makipag usap sa akin,” he said.

(MNS)

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BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan, Jan. 5 (PNA) – The number of European and Russian tourists who visited Boracay in 2016 increased, data from Malay Municipal Tourism Office showed.

The island received a total of 58,831 European tourists in 2016, higher compared to 56,578 in 2015, while some 11,593 Russian visitors were listed in 2016, also higher compared to 11,277 in 2015.

Kris Vellete, officer-in-charge of the Department of Tourism Boracay, said Thursday the increase in the number of European and Russian tourists is an indication of the successful promotion and marketing for the island. “European tourists are one of the quality tourists because they are

long staying guests and they spend more,” Vellete added.

To promote Boracay, some billboards and vehicles sporting the Philippine destination are rolled out in some European cities.

On the other hand, Vellete said the upward trend is not just among European and Russian tourists.

“There is also a surge in the number of Indians and Saudi Arabians who visited the island last year,” he said.

In 2016, the island received a total of 15,681 Saudi Arabians and 3,523 Indians. Vellete also stressed that Boracay received more foreign tourists in 2016 than domestic tourists.

A total of 1,725,483 arrivals for Boracay in 2016, 11 percent higher compared

to the 1,560,106 arrivals in 2015.

Tourism data showed that a total of 868,765 foreign arrivals, 813,302 domestic tourists and 43,416 are overseas Filipino workers. Korean tourists still dominate the top foreign visitors here with total arrivals of 321,016, followed

by China with 273,297.

With the good relationship of the Philippines and China, it is expected that the number of Chinese tourists will increase this year.

Vellete also added that the Korean market will also continue to surge due to the additional number of establishments catered for them.

For 2017, Vellete said they target at least 15 percent increase in tourism arrivals.

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 5 (PNA) – The Dumaguete-Sibulan airport in Negros Oriental is now permanently extending its hours of operations up to 7 o’clock in the evening to accommodate late-hour or delayed flights, especially departures to and from Manila.

Mark Michael Anthony P. Diamaoden, Officer-in-Charge of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Dumaguete City, on Thursday said the permanent hours of operations at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport will now be from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Previously, the airport operated only from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., said Diamaoden, who assumed the post last December 1st.

Today, flights to Manila can depart on or before 7 p.m. from Dumaguete, with minimal night-landing equipment such as runway lights to support this, he said.

He said the number of flights at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport has increased to accommodate more local and foreign tourist arrivals as well as cargo.

Because of this, Cebu Pacific has also requested the CAAP to extend the operating hours of the airport

to 5 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. especially as there are days when they have early departures, said Diamaoden.

He said that on certain days, there are six departure flights daily to Manila and other days, there are four.

Also, there are regular flights to Cebu, he said.

Because of the extended hours of operations at the airport here, the local CAAP chief has requested the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for funding for a lighting project for the airport’s vehicle parking area.

Diamaoden said there is a need to provide ample lighting at the parking space for the security and safety of airport users.

The CAAP chief also disclosed that DOTr is planning to renovate the existing passenger departure and arrival buildings, which are currently separated, by making it into one bigger structure to accommodate more passengers.

He said there is a need for additional improvements at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport, such as its restrooms, to make it more appealing to the passengers and other users, such as during a presidential visit.

Diamaoden confirmed a

rise in the number of passengers to Dumaguete in 2016 although his office is still collating data for the entire year.

The daily departure flights for Cebu Pacific are as follows: four flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; two flights for Manila and one for Cebu on Tuesdays and Thursdays; two flights to Manila and two to Cebu on Saturdays; and three flights for Manila and one for Cebu on Sunday, he said.

Philippine Airlines Express, meanwhile, has two daily departures for Manila, he said.

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary Gaspar Ramon Aw Villegas, Director for Communications of the Office of the President, has expressed his support to the continuing efforts to improve and upgrade the amenities at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport.

Villegas recently met with Diamaoden and former airport manager Veronica Sayson Chuang for an ocular inspection at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport.

Villegas said the airport recently acquired two brand new Oshkosh Striker fire trucks funded during the tenure of Chuang.

Dumaguete City airport extends operations to 7 p.m.

2 Chinese fishermen freed by a Court of Appeals remain under BI custody MANILA, Jan. 7 (PNA) – The 12 Chinese fishermen who were freed by a Court of Appeals (CA) ruling will not be deported yet due to discrepancy in their names, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Saturday.

“Wala pang update except ang deportation order has already been issued pero hindi kaagad maideport dahil may discrepancy sa names,” said BI Spokesperson Antoinette Mangrobang.

With this, she noted that the BI would coordinatewith the Chinese embassy to

identify the fishermen, who were jailed in Palawan after being caught for allegedly poaching pangolins and encroaching in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) in 2013, “It is the embassy that is helping to identify them kasi ‘yun din mag issue ng travel documents,” she added.

Mangrobang added that she has no idea if all the 12 Chinese have discrepancies regarding their identities.

“Cannot say kung lahat.

Basta ang sabi hindi ma de-

port dahil may discrepancy ang pangalan,” she said.

Last month, the CA overturned the decision of a Regional Trial Court, which found them guilty of violating Section 27 (Poaching) and Section 26 (Possession of Protected Species) of Republic Act 10067 or the Tubbataha Act of 2009; Article 212 (Corruption of Public Officials) of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, and administrative cases in the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB).

House moves to revert unused fishponds to forest lands MANILA, Jan. 8 (PNA) – The House committee on natural resources has approved a proposal allowing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to revert to forest lands those fishponds which have been unutilized or abandoned for a period of three years. The committee chaired by Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate (Party-list, Bayan Muna) approved the proposal embodied in House Bill 854 authored by Rep. Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica (4th District, Bulacan) prior to the congressional adjournment.

Villarica said environmental laws must be attuned to the demands of climate change as well as the socio-economic needs of the increasing number of people

living in communities.

Villarica, however, said Presidential Decree No. 705, otherwise known as “The Revised Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines” requires that for the DENR to revert fishponds with Fisheries Lease Agreements (FLAB) to forest lands, the fishponds must have been unutilized and abandoned for a period of five years from the time these were released for such purposes. “The five-year period is deemed too long for such fishponds to be utilized for purposes other than what they were intended for, such as for mangrove propagation to address the devastating effects brought about by climate change or for promoting eco-tourism activities to jumpstart the economy of communities wanting in so-

cio-economic development,” said Villarica.

To effectively implement the provision on the reversion of fishponds as well as the Fishpond Lease Agreements (FLAs) issued by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) covering fishponds, Villarica said the DA should be mandated to prepare with the DENR joint guidelines in determining abandoned, undeveloped or underutilized fishponds. “House Bill 854 seeks to address these concerns. The bill was filed during the 16th Congress, but was not taken up due to time constraints. It was refilled for the consideration of the 17th Congress,” said Villarica, chairperson of the committee on foreign affairs.

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De Lima insists: Duterte behind Sebastian stabbing MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) – Senator Leila de Lima on Friday stood by her claim that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the stabbing of drug lord inmate Jaybee Sebastian inside the New Bilibid Prison last September.

In a statement, De Lima said she had “very credible” sources who pointed to Duterte and his “enforcers.”

“I have my own sources, very credible ones, about who’s behind that stabbing incident which victimized four of the ‘Bilibid 19,’ including Jaybee Sebastian, and why they did that,” De Lima said.

“Clearly, that’s one sure way of coercing Sebastian, et al, to testify and lie

against me as they eventually did after such stabbing incident. Ang Pangulo mismo ang nag-utos nyan, and implemented by his enforcers,” the senator said.

Duterte has linked De Lima to the drug trade inside the national penitentiary, which supposedly flourished during the senator’s term as Justice Secretary in the past administration.

De Lima refuted Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre’s earlier denial that it was Duterte who was behind the stabbing of Sebastian last September 28.

Aguirre said it was not in Duterte’s interest to have Sebastian killed.

“Anong interes ni President Duterte na patayin

siya? Kung ako siguro, nanghuhula lang ako na kung ako si Presidente Duterte gusto ko magsalita si Jaybee Sebastian ng katotohanan at ‘yan nga katotohanan sinasabi niya,” Aguirre said.

But De Lima said Duterte and his cohorts have the “capacity and resources to do anything and everything,” including criminal acts to implement a “presidential vendetta” against her.

De Lima had been in a long-running word war with Duterte since her days as the chair of the Commission on Human Rights, amid allegations of human rights violations allegedly committed by Duterte as then mayor of Davao City.(MNS)

De Lima slams DOJ, NBI for doing ‘gravest form of selective justice’ MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) – Senator Leila de Lima on Friday scored the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation for practicing what she considered “gravest form of selective justice” after the filing of the fifth complaint against her over her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.

In a statement, De Lima said she was no longer surprised with the new complaint slapped against her last Thursday.

“What else is new! I expected that already and I am expecting more cases in this continuing saga of madness and persecution!” De Lima, a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier said complaints for violation of the Comprehensive Dan-

gerous Drugs Act and Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act had been filed by the NBI against De Lima due to her alleged links to Eastern Visayas drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa.

Espinosa earlier claimed that he gave around P8 million in drug payoffs to De Lima to fund her 2016 senatorial bid. De Lima has denied the allegation, saying she doesn’t know Espinosa and never meet with him.

“Ang tanong: Bakit kapag sakin, buong pwersa ng gobyerno ang gamit nila at ang bilis ng mga pagsasampa ng kaso?” De Lima said.

De Lima, former Justice secretary, also questioned DOJ’s plan to ask the court to turn Espinosa into a state witness. Espinosa is already under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

“Mukhang gagawin pa nilang mga state witnesses mga drug lords (like Kerwin Espinosa) at drug convicts para lang ma-indict ako,” De Lima said. “‘Yung mga tunay na drug lords or convicts, and these are big time criminals, are the ones absolved or to be absolved basta ba si De Lima ang makasuhan at makulong!” she added.

De Lima said both the DOJ and the NBI have been employing the “gravest form of selective justice,” as she raised the bribery scandal involving two Immigration officials, who are fraternity brothers of Duterte and Aguirre.

“It’s the gravest form of selective justice being employed by DOJ/NBI that we have not heard anymore about their supposed probe,” De Lima said.

Philippine Coast Guard personnel on Friday (Jan. 6, 2017) check on their assignment, particularly the Jones Bridge area, to prepare for any possible incidents that may arise during the procession of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Monday, January 9. (MNS photo)

Drug war nets over 1M drug suspects since July 1 – PNP MANILA, Jan. 8 (PNA) – There is now a total of 1,020,904 drug suspects who surrendered in the anti-drug operations launched by the Philippine National Police (PNP) last July 1.

Of the total number of surrenderers, 75,481 are drug pushers and more than 945,000 are drug users.

The PNP is the lead agency in the government’s

all-out war against illegal drugs. In the data released by the PNP on Sunday, from July 1, 2016 to 6 a.m. of Jan. 8, 2017, there is now a total of 2,208 drug suspects killed nationwide for the six months and a week period.

The PNP has launched a total of 41,900 anti-drug operations nationwide for the same period.

A total of 44,312 drug

personalities were arrested.

Under the “Project Tokhang”, the PNP has visited more than 6 million houses nationwide.

In the Project Tokhang (Knock/Request), the houses of drug suspects are visited by the PNP and they are asked to turn away from their illegal activity, surrender or undergo rehabilitation.

Mocha Uson vows to prohibit soft porn on primetime TV MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) – Former sexy singer-dancer and newly-appointed board of censors member Margaux “Mocha” Uson said Thursday that she will not allow “soft porn” to be shown on primetime television shows.

Uson was appointed as Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) board member on January 3, palace officials said Thursday.

MTRCB regulates and classifies motion pictures, television programs, and publicity materials.

“Pagtutuunan po natin ng pansin na mawala na yung mga ‘soft porn’ sa mga teleserye,” Uson said.

“Kung hindi car sex scene, sa garden. ‘Yung isa naman sa mga kwarto-kwarto...dapat magkaron na ng pagbabago sa telebisyon,” the manager of sexy girl group Mocha Girls said.

In a Facebook post, Uson slammed critics who questioned her appointment.

“Sa mga bumabatikos na kesyo magiging malaswa na daw ang MTRCB dahil sa pagiging open-minded ko eh hindi po kayo updated. Matagal na po yang mga video o picture na inuupload ng mga haters.”

Uson said she had no plans of entering politics but accepted the appointment as she is an advocate of “volunteerism.”

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MOTORING Toyota unveils 2018 NASCAR Camry at North American International Auto Show DETROIT (January 10, 2017) -- In an unprecedented event, Toyota unveiled its 2018 NASCAR Toyota Camry race car in unison with the debut of the 2018 production Camry at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Following a dramatic redesign to its show room counterpart, the Camry race car will compete on the race track in 2017 as Toyota defends its NASCAR Premier Series manufacturer’s championship.

“The 2018 Toyota Camry NASCAR race car has been years in the making, and

to unveil it simultaneously with our new production Camry is a milestone moment for our organization,” said Ed Laukes, Vice President of Integrated Marketing Operations for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. “The collaboration between Calty Design Group and TRD has produced a NASCAR Camry that showcases aggressive styling that is sure to turn heads on the race track and among our fans in Toyota showrooms across the country. Reimagining both the Camry race car and its production counterpart has been a tremendous under-

taking and our goal has been to maintain parallel design characteristics so our fans can enjoy driving a Camry that closely resembles the one their favorite NASCAR driver races each weekend.”

Spearheaded by Camry chief designer Masato Katsumata, the production Camry received a radical redesign for 2018 and engineers from Calty Design Research, Inc., Toyota’s North American design studio, and TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) worked together to ensure the NASCAR Camry showcased the same aggressive attributes as its

2018 Toyota Camry NASCAR Cup car 01

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updated production sibling.

TRD and Calty worked together with NASCAR throughout the process.

Calty previously worked with Toyota and TRD to update the NASCAR Camry when NASCAR introduced its Gen-6 models in 2013, and again when Toyota updated the Camry race car in 2015. The design group also worked with TRD on the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series Camry, the 2014 Toyota Tundra for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the current NHRA Funny Car Camry.

Toyota entered NASCAR Premier Series competition with the Camry in 2007 and the manufacturer won its first driver’s championship in 2015, followed by its first manufacturer’s championship in 2016.

Camry drivers have won 95 NASCAR Premier Series races over 10 seasons.

The NASCAR Camry will make its debut on-track in 2017 prior to the 2018 production Camry hitting showroom floors at Toyota dealerships later this year. The NASCAR Camry will first compete at Daytona International Speedway on February 18 in The Clash at Daytona before defending its Daytona 500 title on Sunday, Feb. 26.

For more information on the new 2018 Toyota Camry, please visit http://toyota.

Battery cell production begins at the gigafactory

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Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy through increasingly affordable electric vehicles in addition to renewable energy generation and storage. At the heart of these products are batteries. Today at the Gigafactory, Tesla and Panasonic begin mass production of lithium-ion battery cells, which will be used in Tesla’s energy storage products and Model 3.

The high performance cylindrical “2170 cell” was jointly designed and engineered by Tesla and Panasonic to offer the best performance at the lowest production cost in an optimal form factor for both electric vehicles and energy products.

Production of 2170 cells for qualification started in December and today, production begins on cells that will be used in Tesla’s Powerwall 2 and Powerpack 2 energy products. Model 3 cell production will follow in Q2 and by 2018, the Gigafactory will produce 35 GWh/year of lithium-ion battery cells, nearly as much as the rest of the entire world’s battery production combined.

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday,

January 13 - 19, 2017

‘LeniLeaks’ only an expression of freedom of expression—LP solons MANILA, Jan 9 (Mabuhay) – The series of email conversations supposedly exchanged by certain supporters of the Liberal Party do not indicate a plan to destabilize the government or oust President Rodrigo Duterte, two members of the party at the House of Representatives said Monday.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman dismissed the so-called “Lenileaks” as exercises of freedom of expression that are protected by the Bill of Rights.

“While some of the emails may suggest the resignation of Duterte for an erratic decision favoring the burial of the late dictator Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani and for failure to solve the drug menace, they express honest opinions and do not recommend any radical action or upheaval to pre-terminate Duterte’s incumbency,” Lagman said in a statement.

Lagman said the administration’s alarm at the e-mails as “grossly misplaced.”

“If the President’s men believe that Duterte is rendering fealty to his mandate, then their phobia of his impending ouster is grossly misplaced and is conveniently used as a pretext to discourage and censure critical dissent,” he said.

In a tweet, Ifugao Rep, Teddy Baguilat called “LeniLeaks” as a “figment of a scheming mind.”

“And I don’t think it’s abt preventing an ouster but a ruse for entrenchment of power,” the lawmaker said.

The “Lenileaks” are comprised of emails posted online which allegedly showed exchanges between some United States-based LP supporters such as immigration lawyer Ted Laguatan and certain individuals in the Philippines.

The emails were supposedly posted in a Yahoo! group Global Filipino Diaspora Council, whose members reportedly include LP supporter and Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the administration will investigate the matter.

Vice President Leni Robredo has yet to comment on the issue although she earlier denied any connection to plans of ousting the President. In a separate statement, Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said “LeniLeaks” show “how twisted and paranoid the demigods under the Duterte administration have become.”

“Why burden the public with hateful rumors? What good will it bring to put down a good person except to assuage their own fears and insecurities,” he said.

Villarin expressed hope that the new year will be a chance for the country to be united instead of being drowned by “lies and deceit.” (MNS)

Palace: It’s up to Robredo to convince public if Lenileaks are true or not MANILA, Jan. 8 (PNA) – Malacañang said on Sunday that it is now up to Vice President Leni Robredo to convince the public whether the so-called ‘Lenileaks’ are true or not.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag made this comment after Robredo assured that she has nothing to do with a move to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We will respect whatever the Vice President would claim and it’s up to her if there are photos or emails or leaks that came out” Banaag said in an interview with state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

“Then it’s up for her to convince the public if it is true that she has nothing to do or she is not coordinating with other groups in the US or other personalities in the Philippines about that,” she added.

The hashtag “#lenileaks” has been trending on social media particularly on Twitter, alleging that the Office of the Vice President is part of a well-orchestrated, well-funded strategy to discredit President Duterte as well as losing vice presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos.

Marcos is contesting his only more than 200,000 votes lost to Robredo in the last May 2016 vice presidential race.

Banaag said the demands of the groups asking for President Duterte to resign would not likely to happen considering the President is working hard to improve the lives of the more than 100 million Filipinos.

“The President has strong support from our countrymen,” Banaag said.

Last week, the Pulse Asia came with a survey showing President Duterte enjoying an 83 percent approval and trust rating.

Banaag said she is not sure whether there is a need to investigate the ‘Lenileaks’.

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5

OPINION

In Boston, who will bear climate change burden?

Boston communities rise to the challenge Boston is a city of neighborhoods, with diverse enclaves containing both deeply-entrenched and newly-arrived residents.

As various city agencies work to stay ahead by creating climate change plans — Climate Ready Boston’s newest report was released Dec. 8 — community leaders are ramping up resident involvement to ensure that the most vulnerable Bostonians won’t be overlooked.

Diverse voices are crucial in devising responses that protect all residents.

In Roxbury, Alternatives for Community and Environment has long been championing environmental justice through fights like keeping hazardous waste out of Boston’s low-income communities and pushing for fair public transit access.

To ACE executive director Kalila Barnett, climate change planning is one more area for grassroots vigilance.

“When plans are being made at the city and state level, factors that create an unfair impact have to be taken into account, so that already-burdened communities will not also bear the heaviest burden of climate change,” she says.

ACE is part the Green Justice Coalition, a group of Boston-area environmental, community and labor groups. Formed in 2008, GJC is committed to creating green jobs in home-weatherization projects and is now zeroing in on “energy democracy,” to ensure that not only the wealthy benefit from the opportunities of clean energy like wind and solar.

“As we make a shift to renewable energy,” says Barnett, “if there’s still a big economic gap and continuing racism and oppression, then we’ve still failed.”

Other place-based organizations in Boston are involving local residents in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions — the culprit behind climate change — as well as ease climate impacts. As an added benefit, some of these projects bring savings to households in need.

In Codman Square, Queeley helps residents of the 46-acre “Eco-Innovation District” secure low-cost or free home weatherization retrofitting.

His group is also working to put more trees and water-collecting rain gardens in the neighborhood, among other projects.

Across town in diverse and immigrant-rich East Boston, an area vulnerable to flooding as well as rising heat, local organizers are aware of their neighborhood’s unique risks, says Chris Marchi, director of community building and environment for Neighborhoods of Affordable Housing.

“There are some underlying challenges in East Boston that make the prospect of climate change effects more scary,” he says. “People are just establishing themselves in this country, so they don’t have an extensive safety net. They’re working in low-wage industries.

There’s linguistic isolation.”

Marchi says it’s clear that residents are concerned about climate change, but they need to know actions they can take now, ideally ones that bring benefits in the present and future, he says. It’s important to “take community issues and put them up front,” he emphasizes.

By Sandra Larson The Bay State Banner

January 6, 2017 – Boston is in for more severe storms, damaging floods and dangerously hot days in the coming years, experts say.

“It’s very real. Climate change is already happening.

There’s ample evidence of it,” says Paul Kirshen, a professor of climate adaptation at UMass Boston’s School for the Environment. Kirshen recently led a research group of experts in developing new Boston-focused climate change impact projections. Their findings informed the first phase of the city’s “Climate Ready Boston” report issued in June.While all Bostonians will feel the impacts of extreme weather and increased flooding, they may be felt hardest in the city’s communities of color and lower-income neighborhoods.

These residents already face a slate of challenges and inequities that will make it harder to withstand heat waves and bounce back after disasters.

“Everyone will be affected by climate change, some people disproportionately so,” says Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, minister at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston, who has been an outspoken leader on climate change. “We need to make sure that no one is sacrificed, no one drowns, no one dies alone in their home of heat exhaustion.”

Not just the floods — the heat Sea level rise and vulnerable coastal homes and property often come to mind first in regards to climate change, but extreme heat — the leading weather-related cause of death in the U.S. — may be a more immediate threat in densely-populated city interiors like Boston’s.

“We are on the edge of one of the hotter zones in the city,” says David Queeley, director of Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation’s Eco-Innovation Initiative in Dorchester. “So for us, the issue isn’t necessarily sea level rise — it’s heat.

As those 90-degree days go up, it’s going to be harder and harder for people to get around. Where will people go to cool off, and how do we begin to cool off the neighborhood as a whole?”

Boston’s temperature has topped 90 degrees an average of 11 days annually over the past several decades. This past summer there were 20 such days. By 2030, experts say up to 40 scorchers per year could be the new normal. And when today’s teens are senior citizens in 2070, summer in the city could be nonstop swelter, with possibly three straight months of days over 90 degrees, including up to 33 over-100-degree days.

Elders, pregnant women, young children and people with disabilities and respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat and extended heat waves.

In addition to the health dangers, White-Hammond says she worries about the effects of increased heat on water bills, water scarcity and food access.

“For some people, this is their access to healthy food,” she says, recalling how last summer’s heat took a drastic toll on her neighborhood’s community gardens.

“We’ve done a lot of work to get more healthy food in our communities, and if those are put at risk, that could be a challenge.”

Mapping heat vulnerability Cities already are hotter than non-urban areas. Their extensive asphalt and pavement, relative lack of tree canopy and densely clustered buildings create a known “urban heat island” effect that also means less cooling relief at night.

A recent Trust for Public Land report on mitigating the urban heat island effect in Boston includes a Heat Vulnerability Index analysis revealing census tracts that may be at a particular disadvantage in rising heat, based on factors such as a high number of disabled and elderly residents and elders living alone, low tree cover and lack of access to air conditioning.

Of 11 census tracts showing the highest heat vulnerability, five are in Roxbury. The rest lie in Mattapan, East Boston, Chinatown, South End, Fenway and Roslindale.

“There’s been so much focus on Boston along the waterfront,” said Darci Schofield, TPL’s Urban Program Director for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “And it is a major issue. However, there are some climate risks happening today in the urban core, in communities of color, relating to heat and to transportation.”

As part of its “Climate-Smart Cities” program, TPL has developed a Boston-specific mapping tool to examine where temperature hot spots or flood zones overlap with social vulnerability or critical infrastructure. The maps can help prioritize where to implement solutions such as bolstering transit access or increasing tree cover. The “Decision Support Tool” was designed with city governments in mind, but is accessible to the public as well.

Speaker Alvarez vows full support for Don Bosco foundation’s vision MANILA, Jan. 9 (PNA) – House Speaker Pataleon Alvarez on Monday vowed to bring nationwide the mission and vision of a foundation run by a Salesian priest that has been helping to reintegrate poor, abandoned and homeless children into the mainstream society.

The Speaker made the vow after visiting the Tuloy Foundation at the 4.5-hectare Tuloy sa Don Bosco Street Children Village inside the Elsie Gaches Village Compound in Alabang, Muntinlupa City during the holiday season.

Tuloy Foundation was established in 1993 by Fr. Marciano G. Evangelista of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

“In line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s advocacy to save the youth, especially the abandoned children, from criminal elements and drugs, we want to duplicate the charity being showered by the Tuloy Foundation nationwide. We are one with Fr. Evangelista in pushing this advocacy to help and inspire abandoned children. Helping them is a commitment to build the nation,” Alvarez said.

He also lauded Evangelista for committing his life to the cause of poor and abandoned children as he cited a similar program by the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) that supports the President’s national feeding program for the poor.

Aptly called “Duterte’s Kitchen,” the establishment has been feeding 50 to 70 hungry street children daily

in Cubao, Quezon City for free.

In the meantime, Evangelista related that Alvarez was astonished to learn that a center like Tuloy Foundation has been existing to save street children through a comprehensive program of caring, healing, and teaching.

In a radio interview with veteran broadcaster and former Agham Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones over dzRH also on Monday, the Salesian priest said that Alvarez was amazed with what he saw at the center.

“Speaker Alvarez told me that he hoped that many more Tuloy Foundation centers could be established in all corners of the country because this is what President Duterte wants -- to help the poor children,” he related.

“He said ‘Father, this will not be the last time that we would be seeing each other. I hope that there would be more like this so that could do so much more.’ I could really feel his sincerity just from the tone of his voice,” Evangelista said.

The priest said that Tuloy Foundation is a non-government and non-profit organization for marginalized children registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide residential care services for the disadvantaged children and youth.

The foundation pursues the charism of St. John Bosco who dedicated himself to the care and training of poor boys in the 19th century.

6

Friday - Thursday, January 13 - 19, 2017

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ENTERT

THE US ASIAN POST

INMENT Zsa Zsa on Conrad: I’m happy to be reunited with my love

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach

No baby, marriage plans for Pia Wurtzbach after Miss Universe

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach took to social media to assure her fans that she has no plans yet of settling down after her reign.

In a Twitter post, Wurtzbach denied that she intends to get married or have a baby after passing on her Miss Universe crown.

“Just to be clear, wala po akong balak magkaanak o mag-asawa after Miss Universe. Kalma lang po,” she said.

Wurtzbach has recently been open about dating Filipino-Swiss race car driver

Marlon Stockinger, with the two getting cozy in Hawaii during the holidays.

This prompted some fans to believe that the beauty queen is already planning on settling down with Stockinger once her Miss Universe reign has ended.

Wurtzbach is set to crown her successor in her home country this month. The next Miss Universe will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on January 30.

The Philippines’ representative to the pageant, Maxine Medina, is eyeing a backto-back win for the country.(MNS)

For the first time, singer Zsa Zsa Padilla openly talked about her reconciliation with architect Conrad Onglao.

Padilla recently welcomed 2017 with an Instagram post where she looked back on the previous year and wished for a bright future ahead.

“Thank you for being part of my 2016. It was some year for me – if you know what I mean,” she said, presumably referring to the time she and Onglao called off their engagement. “But I survived the ups and downs thanks to all of you.”

Padilla went on to say that the year 2016 brought her closer to her family in Las Vegas.

Referring to Onglao, she continued: “I’m happy to be reunited with my love and we plan bigger things for us in 2017.”

It was last October when Onglao confirmed that he and Padilla got back together quietly after unexpectedly crossing paths at a mall, months after they called off their engagement.

Zsa Zsa Padilla

The two spent Christmas together with their respective families, based on the Padilla’s Instagram post last

Sunshine Dizon drops charges vs husband

Why Coleen was hesitant to do ‘Extra Service’

Bea Alonzo

Bea ‘taking it slow’ with Gerald Actress Bea Alonzo admitted that actor Gerald Anderson makes her happy.

During a bloggers’ conference for her newest TV series, “A Love to Last,” Alonzo said she and Anderson, her rumored boyfriend, continue to enjoy every moment together.

Pressed if she and the actor are now a couple, she replied: “Hindi, hindi pa kami. Nagde-date pa kami.”

Alonzo continued: “Dapat kasi ang love, hindi minamadali. Dapat every moment, every day, sini-savor mo. So right now, nandoon pa lang ako sa mas kinikilala ko pa siya. Sini-savor ko itong moment na nagiging masaya ako sa mga ginagawa niya para sa akin. And I hope to do the same for him.”

The actress went on to say that she is happy how things are going with Anderson after their short-lived romance several years ago.

“Ang ganda, na parang we are taking it slow,” said Alonzo, who recently took a break abroad with Anderson and some of their friends.

Meanwhile, Alonzo also reacted to photos of Anderson and his leading lady and ex-girlfriend, Kim Chiu, at a party for their upcoming series “Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin.”

The actress expressed nothing but support for the two celebrities. “Hindi ba mas magandang nagkakasundo sila sa show nila? You don’t expect these two not to get along and do a project together. Of course, you expect them to be friends again and get along again,” she said.

“Actually, wala akong alam kung may moment ba silang ‘di sila okay. Pero maganda na nagkakasundo sila,” she added, stressing that Anderson is a “very trustworthy person.”(MNS)

Coleen Garcia admitted she was initially hesitant to do the movie “Extra Service” because she wasn’t confident with her comedy skills.

But the sexy actress accepted the offer anyway when she learned that it will be directed by “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” filmmaker Chris Martinez.

“Sobra akong kinabahan talaga kasi hindi talaga ako nagco-comedy. Wala akong experience diyan tapos mahiyain pa ako in front of people. Siyempre parang iniisip ko, paano ko gagawin?” she said.

“Nung nalaman ko na si Direk Chris ‘yung director, nakampante na ako because I’ve seen some of his work.

Magaling naman talaga siyang director. Pinakanagulat ako, sobrang bilis. Akala namin ang tagal-tagal pa namin sa set, yun pala, take one, tapos na. Ang husay naman talaga,” she added.

Aside from being known as a good comedy director, Garcia also lauded Martinez’s patience the whole time that they were doing the movie.

Coleen Garcia

December. The singer, however, did not say anything about the reconciliation at the time. (MNS)

Sunshine Dizon

Actress Sunshine Dizon on Thursday dropped the cases she filed against her husband, Timothy Tan. Speaking to reporters, Dizon said she did it for the benefit of their children.

“We filed our desistance

today. It means that we are dropping all our charges against my ex-husband, Timothy Tan. Siguro ang masasabi ko lang is, ultimately I’m a mother. It’s sad that I won’t be able to give my children exactly what

they want. Masakit ‘yun sa akin bilang ina na hindi ko na kayang ibalik ‘yung dati at buohin ‘yung pamilya namin,” she said.

“Ang pinaka-pwede ko na lang ibigay ay ‘yung gawan ko ng paraan na hindi masira ‘yung relasyon ng mga anak ko sa tatay nila so that’s why we filed the desistance already,” she added.

The charges against Tan were for violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 and concubinage.

The actress said she will soon file for the annulment of her marriage to Tan, contrary to what she earlier said.

“I also want to make it clear that hindi pa rin po tapos ang laban because I owe it to myself already to be free of all of this. So, I’m also filing na din for annulment. Marami pong bagay sa buhay na kailangan nating tanggapin na hanggang doon na lang talaga pero ang importante ngayon sa akin is ma-save ko ‘yung konting pwede kong i-save na maibibigay ko sa mga anak ko,” Dizon said.

“Marami pa kaming hakbang na gagawin, marami pa kaming hakbang na gagawin. Ang tinatapos ko lang ngayon ay ‘yung kaso ko laban kay Tim.”(MNS)

Camille Prats weds non-showbiz BF Actress Camille Prats tied the knot with non-showbiz boyfriend John “VJ” Yambao Saturday at the Prats’ family-owned Nayomi Sanctuary Resort in Balete, Batangas Camille, a 90s child star, looked elegant in a intricately designed off-shoulder, laced wedding gown she matched with a silver tiara, while Yambao was dressed in a three-piece suit with a white dress shirt and bow tie. He completed his dapper ensemble with a pair of black, leather shoes.

This was Camille’s second marriage. She first exchanged wedding vows with Anthony Linsangan but the latter passed away in 2011 because of nasopharyngeal cancer. Linsangan was only 31 years old.

Meanwhile, Prats and

Camille Prats

Yambao reconnected again in December 2012, 20 years after their last meeting.

They were grade school classmates but drifted apart when Yambao moved to the Unites States while Prats continued her acting career

in the Philippines.

“We started talking, hindi kami magkasama and magkalayo kami. He was in the States and we’re only Facebooking and texting. I cannot say I started becoming fond of him because of how he was with me. He was very consistent. I really felt na pinilit niya yung sarili niya, na he wants to be part of my life,” she said.

The actress said she was reluctant at first to enter into a new relationship after Linsangan’s death, but she saw the good qualities of Yambao.

“Nakita ko yung sincerity niya... how genuine he was and his intentions are,” she said. Prats added that Yambao get along well with her son Nathan.

The couple got engaged in July 2015. (MNS)

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday,

January 13 - 19, 2017

Visit www.usasianpost.com

7

UTREACH Invaluable coverage: The deadline to sign up thru Covered California in 2017 nears

(From left) Mike Evans, international photographer Jhenny Morales Evans, Ms. Tourism Zimbabwe 2015 Samantha Tshuma, Filipino international fashion designer John Ablaza and Mithi Aquino-Thomas, wife of US Ambassador to Zimbabwe.

Philippines, Zimbabwe couture mix in New York show New York – John Ablaza, the Filipino international eco-fashion designer, once again delivered a fascinating gala fashion show experience where couture and culture from the Philippines and Zimbabwe were unveiled.

The show was put up in collaboration with the lovely Mithi Aquino-Thomas, wife of US Ambassador to Harare Zimbabwe Harry K. Thomas, and Zimbabwean designer Yvette Ndaba.

Ndabamade her New York debut with her impressive collection of Zimbabwean traditional and modern creations.

Simultaneously, Jhenny Morales Evans, an acclaimed Southern California photographer,held a photo exhibit in the same place where she shared her meaningful experiences in Harare and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – places that she visited with Ablaza early in the year 2016 where they were hosted by the Thomas couple.

The photographs showcased local artisans, designers and the fashion show for charity conducted in Harare and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe early on this year.

With the shared effort of its sponsor Helsey Lubiano

of Orange County, California, the event turnout to be a huge success.

The fashion show became more interesting with the participation of Hollywood actor-model Michael Galante, Miss Philippines-USA Hannah Angelica Ilao Marte, Miss Tourism-USA 2016 Fatena Qassem, Miss Universe Guyana 2016 Soyini Fraser, Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2010 Samantha Tsuma and Belia Zibowa.

Couture & Culture NY 2016 gathered 150 VIP guests from New York’s most influential circles last December 10, 2016 at 4 W. 43rd Street.

Affordable and invaluable health care is available for uninsured Californians in 2017.

But the deadline to enroll is drawing near: Covered California’s open enrollment ends on Jan. 31. Those who enroll by Jan. 15 will have their coverage begin on Feb. 1. Those signing up between Jan. 16 and Jan. 31 will have coverage starting March 1.

While rising rates are a real concern, Covered California members who are renewing their coverage now are finding real savings by shopping around within their health plan’s metal tier. (Plans are available in four metal tiers, also known as coverage levels.) Covered California found that renewing members who have switched their plan, but remain within the same metal tier, have saved an average of $38 per month or $456 per year.

In addition, more than half of all Covered California consumers, 59 percent, are eligible to choose a Bronze plan for less than $10 per month. Bronze plans offer three visits to a primary care physician or specialist that are not subject to a deductible. Also, nearly half of all Covered California consumers, 49 percent, can get a Silver plan for less than $100 per month.None of the outpatient services included in the Silver plan —such as

primary, urgent and specialist care —is subject to a deductible. For someone like Adam Kuns, 27, of Camarillo, the financial impact is secondary to managing his diabetes. Kuns was on his parents’ insurance plan until age 23, but he was depleting their retirement fund paying the $10,000 deductible for all of his needed care. That was until Covered California began offering coverage in 2014.

“I can get the care I really need without going bankrupt,” Kuns said. “I’ve been on both ends of the stick. I’ve gone from having no health care and draining my parents’ retirement to having health insurance that actually works for me. I’m willing to pay a higher premium to get a lower deductible.”

As a small-business owner, Kuns said it can be tough paying more than $340 a month for coverage, but it certainly is better than the alternative. Along with diabetes, Kuns also has ulcerative colitis. He now has an insulin pump and sees an endocrinologist regularly to help him manage his conditions. There are many more stories like his throughout the state,since more than 2.8

million Californians have purchased health insurance through Covered California.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the uninsured rate has fallen from 17 percent in 2013 to 7.4 percent in the first half of 2016.

Covered California has built a competitive market where the consumer is in the driver’s seat and health plans are fighting for their business. More than 90 percent of Californianshave a choice between three or more carriers, and all will have at least two to choose from in 2017. Having coverage can also protect individuals and their families from spending tens of thousands of dollars on an unexpected emergency room visit.

Thoseinterested in enrolling online can do so on CoveredCA.com. Free and confidential in-person assistance, available in a variety of languages, can be found by clicking on “Free Local Help to Enroll.” Consumerscan find a nearby enroller or have a certified enroller contact them through the “Help on Demand” feature.

Theycan also enroll over the phone by calling Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

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Bam proposes one nurse in every public school MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sen. Bam Aquino has filed a measure seeking to employ at least one registered nurse in every public school to provide students access to basic health care services and open employment opportunity to Filipino nurses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our students and our teachers should have quick access to basic health care and assistance in schools,â&#x20AC;? said Sen. Bam in Senate Bill No. 663. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having a nurse in every school emphasizes the value of health, nutrition and well-being as part of the formation of our Filipino children. And with over 45,000 public schools, we create more meaningful

jobs for our nurses,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Sen. Bam pointed out that nurses are as important as other support personnel in the school system as they attend to the physical and mental-health needs of students, spearhead programs to promote nutrition and contribute health-related content in the curriculum. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa iilang paaralan, ang mga guro pa po natin ang nag-aalaga ng mga batang may sakit o nasusugatan.

A nurse in every public school will safeguard the well-being of the students and faculty by attending to health-related issues and accidents,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The measure mandates

the Department of Education and the Department of Health to employ at least one registered nurse in every public school.

The nurse will be responsible for improving the delivery of public health care services and providing relevant and timely education on wellness, hygiene, sanitation and other health safety measures to public school students.

Nurses employed will receive a monthly stipend equal to salary grade 15, consistent with the mandatory minimum entry-level pay for government nurses under Republic Act No. 9173, otherwise known as the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002.(MNS)

Wheelchairs for Maitum PWDs in Maitum, Sarangani (January 10, 2017) - Fifty seven PWDs (Person With Disability) receive a free wheelchair each from the Department of Health-Region 12 and the provincial government during the Handog Pasasalamat of the local government units of Sarangani and Maitum with a medical, surgical and dental mission held at the municipal gymnasium on January 6. (Jake Narte/Sarangani Information OďŹ&#x192;ce)

Cavite tops HIV/AIDS cases in Calabarzon, Permanent ďŹ&#x201A;u vaccines to be developed says program coordinator gas, Rizal and Quezon based a person does not exhibit by U.S. vaccination researchers

By Rogelio Limpin

BACOOR CITY, Cavite, Jan. 5 (PNA) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cavite remains the Calabarzon Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top province with the most number of HIV/AIDS cases ,according to Department of Health (DOH) HIV and registry of the Philippines Epidemiology Bureauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HIV/AIDS cases recorded in the region.

In an interview with the PNA on Thursday, Haydelisa Maderazo, a registered nurse by profession and Caviteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Provincial HIV Program Coordinator, said Cavite province tops the list in the Calabarzon Region comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batan-

on the DOH statistics from January to October 2016.

Maderazo said the health statistics on HIV/AIDS cases in the Calabarzon Region has Cavite leading with 389 cases, followed by Rizal, 278 and Laguna, 214 cases, respectively.

She said the current figure and ranking have remained since 1984 to date where Cavite still tops the list with 1,756 HIV/AIDS (asymptomatic cases) followed by Rizal at 1,348 and Laguna with 983 asymptomatic cases.

Maderazo said a person diagnosed with HIV is usually asymptomatic which means

symptoms yet typically seen in people with HIV. Maderazo said an asymptomatic HIV is a phase of chronic infection with (HIV) human immunodeficiency virus during which there are no symptoms of HIV infection. She said the HIV infection however goes through a stage or phase in which the immune system infected by HIV slowly deteriorates, yet the person may not exhibit obvious symptoms.

Maderazo said more than half of all HIV cases in Cavite or 223 belong to the 25-34 age bracket while 113 belong to the 15-24 year-old youth sector.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (PNA/Xinhua) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; U.S. researchers of vaccines and infectious diseases have reported progress on studying a vaccine that could prevent influenza permanently with a single injection. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we had an effective universal vaccine, it would take a huge dent out of health-care costs (and) disruption of work, school attendance and social activities,â&#x20AC;? said William Schaffner, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, this week.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It could change the entire way we prevent influenza,â&#x20AC;? he added.

The scientists classified the two major types of seasonal flu viruses that can infect humans. A universal and permanent vaccine is designed to provoke antibodies against the common core of both types of flu viruses.

Those seasonal vaccines only respond to the part that changes every year, which means the patients have to take shots every decade.

Animal tests of the prospective vaccines are just around the corner while tests in humans are prom-

ising in the near future, according to the researchers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It may no longer be a flight of fancy,â&#x20AC;? Schaffner said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;some very impressive scientific efforts are underway to make this real.â&#x20AC;?

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Saksihan sa Pechanga ang Pagtatanghal ng DIVAS live sa Pebrero Itinatampok ang apat na sikat sa larangan ng musika— Kyla, Angela, KZ, at Yeng na tinaguriang DIVAS Live in Manila— sa isang kakaibang pagtatanghal na masasaksihan live sa Pechanga Resort & Casino sa Pebrero 18 alas-7:30 ng gabi.

Ang Pechanga Resort & Casino sa Temecula, California ay kilala sa pagtangkilik ng magagaling at mahuhusay na mga Pilipinong artista at mang-aawit kagaya ng international singer na sina Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Mega Star na si Sharon Cuneta, Lani Misalucha, ang singer/aktres at Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, pupolar na komedyante at aktor, Vice Ganda, winner ng ‘Star Power Search 2011’ Angeline Quintos, international actress at top endorser Anne Curtis, at Pop Star Princess Sarah Geronimo-- na bigay todong umaaliw sa kagalakan ng mga manonood.

Bukod sa maayos na mga kainan, pahingahan at kasayahan, nais ng Pechanga Resort & Casino na magalay ng natatanging kaganapan lalo na sa Pilipinong mga patron. Kung kaya’t ang ‘DIVAS Live in Manila’, na kilala at tagumpay sa larangan ng pag kanta at entertainment ay mag-aaliw sa mga Pilipinong patron at taga subaybay ng naturang casino.

Ang Filipina DIVAS na patok na nagtangghal Live sa Manila ay mapapanood sa buwan ng mga puso sa Pebrero 18 alas-7:30 ng gabi sa isang masayang pagsasama ng apat na sikat na mang-aawit— Kyla, Angeline Quinto, KZ, at Yeng Constantino. hatid sa inyo ng premyadong Pechanga Resort & Casino.

Si Kyla ay minsang binansagang Princess ng R&B na kalaunan ay tinanghal na Queen sa taglay na kasikatan at patok na mga awitin gaya ng “On the Wings of Love” at “Til I Met You.” Si Kyla, na 16-taon ang seniority sa tatlo, ay dati ng nanalo sa MTV Video Music Awards noong 2001 at malimit na hilingang umawit ng mga dayuhang bisita sa Manila upang magtanghal.

Ang ‘Queen of Theme Song’ na si Angeline, na ihinalintulad kay Regine Velasquez ng mga millenials sa ganda ng boses at isa rin sa bumubuo ng Divas.

Aaliwin kayo ni Angeline sa kanyang solo na tiyak na kagigiliwan at pag-uusapan.

Sa isang banda, si KZ ay isang overnight sensation matapos magtamo ng grand championship sa X-Factor Philippines kung saan lahat ng indikasyon ay nagtuturo ng makulay na mga susunod na taon.

Ang interpretasyon ni KZ sa ‘Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako’ ang nagbigay daan sa brand ng ‘Himig Handog’ na ipinagmamalaking pag-uusapan. Ikinukumpara ang istilo ng pag await ni KZ sa international singer na si Pink.

Pagdating sa pagtatanghal, ala- Taylor Swift o Madonna at Lady Gaga naman ang dating ni Yeng ayon sa mga tagamasid. Si Yeng ay bumulusok paitaas mula sa pagiging Pop Rock Princess sa Pinoy Dream Academy bago tanghaling Superstar. Karaniwan, ang mga awitin ni Yeng ay madalas ipalabas sa PETA-staged musical.

Nagpasikat sa kanya ang “Jeepney Love Story” ng siya’y nasasa ilalim pa ng Pinoy Dream Academy na

“Hawak Kamay” at ang awiting sinulat niya para sa kabiyak na si Yan Asuncion na may titulong “Ikaw.”

Ang apat na Divas ay nasa ilalim ng pamamahala ng Cornerstone Entertainment na nagbigay daan sa isang kosyepto ng pagtatanghal di lamang lokal kungdi international sapagkat sila anya ay ‘world class’ at dapat lamang maibilang na international stars mula sa Manila.

Abangan ang pagtatanghal ng Divas, Live in Manila sa Pebrero 18, 7:30 ng gabi ihinahatid ng ipinagmamalaki sa Temecula, California—- Pechanga Resort & Casino. Bumili na ng tikets (mula $118, $98, $88 hanggang $78) sa Pechanga Box Office 877-711-2946 o online sa www.Pechanga. com.

Ang mga pagtatanghal sa Pechanga Theater ay nagdudulot ng komportable at natatanging karanasan sa konsierto. May 1,200 na mag upuan sa teatro, habang bawat isang pagtatanghal ay naghahandog ng mga makabago at naayong tugtuging akma sa pandinig. Sa paglilibang sa mga paboritong artista sa Pechanga kumpara sa ibang lugar ay walang hirap na pagpapatunay lamang kabilang din ang libreng valet at sariling parking sa mga bisita, libreng casino/resort shuttles, gourmet at kaswal na kainang pagpipilian sa lugar, at komportableng mga upuan at malapitang tanaw habang nakaupo sa teatro.

Patungkol sa Pechanga Resort & Casino Inaalok ng Pechanga Resort & Casino ang isa sa mga pinakamalaki at malaganap na kasiyahan na pang resort/casino ka-

hit saan sa United States.

Ibinotong numero unong casino ng mga mambababasa ng USA Today at hinirang na “Four Diamond property” ng AAA mula pa noong 2002, ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay nagbibigay ng walang katumbas na paraan para sa isang araw o pang-matagalang marangyang bakasyon. Naghahandog ng mahigit sa 3,400 sa pinaka mainit na slot

machines, table games at world-class entertainment, 517 mga kwarto sa hotel, kainan, spa at championship golf sa Journey sa Pechanga, ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay tampok na destinasyon na tumutugon at humihigit sa kagustuhan ng mga panauhin nito at ng komunidad. Ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay pag-aari at palakad ng Pechanga Band ng mga

Luiseño Indians. Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, tumawag ng toll-free sa 1-877-711-2946 o pumunta sa www.Pechanga.com.

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KITCHENOMICS

Day Boat Cod with Melted Tomatoes and Shaved Fennel and Orange Salad

FAMILY FEATURES

I

t may sound contrary to your healthy eating plan, but the human body actually needs some types of fat for heart and brain health.

One common source is cooking oil, such as olive oil.

Of the cooking oils most commonly used in North America, such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil and various vegetable oils, olive oil contains the most monounsaturated fat, which is widely recognized for its potential role in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. In fact, beginning in 2016, olive oils will display the American Heart Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heart Check-Mark* to alert consumers about olive oilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart-healthy benefits.

Experience the distinctive tastes of different varieties of olive oil in these delicious dishes and find more hearthealthy recipes at AboutOliveOil.org.

Vegetable Frittata with Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes Serves: 6 6 large eggs 1 tablespoon water 2 tablespoons Parmesan Reggiano, grated, plus additional for garnish 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 2 teaspoons shallots, small diced 1 cup russet potatoes, peeled, small diced, boiled until tender, drained and chilled 1 roasted red pepper, peeled, deseeded and diced 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon basil, chopped 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup fontina cheese Lemon, Basil and Garlic Roasted Asparagus (recipe below) Roasted Tomatoes (recipe below) Beat eggs with water, then beat Parmesan into egg mixture and reserve.

Combine garlic, shallots, potato, pepper, parsley and basil, and set aside. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch non-stick saute pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until they start to brown.

Reduce heat to medium and add reserved vegetable mixture. Saute for about 1 1/2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add additional olive oil, if needed, then add reserved egg mixture to hot saute pan.

Cook 2-3 minutes until egg cooks and sets on bottom. Transfer saute pan to broiler and broil until light and fluffy, and almost totally set, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle fontina cheese on top of frittata and place back under broiler until melted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to cutting board and cut into six triangle servings.

Place one serving in center of plate. Garnish each portion with four stalks of Lemon, Basil and Garlic Roasted Asparagus and two wedges of Roasted Tomato. Sprinkle each portion with Parmesan.

Lemon, Basil and Garlic Roasted Asparagus 3 1 1 24 1/4

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Peppers Serves: 6-8 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed, cut in half and outside leaves removed 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 6 medium garlic cloves, chopped 3 tablespoons basil, chopped 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped salt and pepper, to taste 2 red sweet peppers, large diced 2 yellow sweet peppers, large diced 1 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced to light syrup Heat oven to 375 F. Combine Brussels sprouts with all ingredients except peppers and balsamic syrup. Toss Brussels sprout mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to sheet pan and roast in oven for 15 minutes.

Stir sweet peppers into mixture and roast 5-10 minutes more.

Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Drizzle with balsamic syrup and serve immediately.

tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves, finely sliced lemon, zested large garlic clove, minced large asparagus stalks (snap bottoms of individual stalks) cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste Heat oven to 400 F. Combine parsley, lemon zest and garlic.

Set aside.

Place asparagus on sheet pan in one layer and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley mixture and place back in oven for 3-5 minutes.

Roasted Tomatoes 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 6 large Roma tomatoes, quartered 3 fresh thyme leaves 1/2 garlic clove, minced sugar, to taste salt and pepper, to taste Heat oven to 400 F. Combine all ingredients in bowl and transfer to sheet pan lined with baking paper. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until done. *Heart-Check Certification does not apply to recipes.

Serves: 4 olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 4 cod filets (6 ounces each) Olive Oil Melted Tomatoes (recipe below) Orange, Fennel and Olive Oil Salad (recipe below) 4 lemons, cut into eighths Heat oven to 400 F. Heat medium sized saute pan on high. Add olive oil and heat. Salt and pepper cod. Add cod to hot oil and sear very hard on one side, until fish is golden brown and crisp.

Transfer cod to baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil. Place cod in oven until it starts to flake, about 12 minutes. Remove cod from oven and keep warm.

Using spoon, portion Olive Oil Melted Tomatoes onto four large dinner plates. Allow some flavored oil to puddle on plate. Carefully transfer cod on top of warm tomatoes.

Then top cod with Orange, Fennel and Olive Oil Salad. Squeeze lemon wedge over entire plate.

Olive Oil Melted Tomatoes 8 large Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut in half salt and pepper, to taste 6 basil leaves, shredded 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped 1 lemon, zested 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin extra-virgin olive oil Heat oven to 325 F. Place tomatoes in 9-inch cake pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter herbs, lemon zest and garlic on top of tomatoes.

Drizzle tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil, which should come up about three-quarters of the way on tomatoes.

Cover with foil and bake until tomatoes are tender, approximately 40 minutes.

Orange, Shaved Fennel and Olive Oil Salad 1/2 large fennel bulb, sliced thin on mandolin 2 medium oranges, rind and seeds removed, cut into slices 1/2 medium lemon, juice only 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped salt and pepper, to taste Combine all ingredients and gently toss just before garnishing cod.

11

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BLACK NAZARENE’

From page 1

in Quiapo is no longer the original work of the unknown Mexican sculptor. Church records show that two identical figures were brought to Manila. The original statue was destroyed during World War 2 and the statue given

by Recollect Priests to the Quiapo church has since taken its place.

The statue of the Black Nazarene is brought out of the Quiapo Church only on two occasions; on January 9th -- the procession known

as “Traslacion” -- and on Good Friday during Lent. Hordes of devotees, usually in a mad frenzy jostle for every inch of space to bridge the gap between themselves and the statue itself -- if not only a part of the float that carries it. Devotees of the Black Nazarene usually come in Spartan attire. They are markedly barefoot to signify the humility of Christ. During the Spanish era up until the 1970s, devotees would come in shoes or slippers. It has since been

decided that flimsy footwear easily gets lost during melee that always accompanies the celebration. Shoes were also ditched because it would be inconsiderate to step on other peoples shoulders and sometimes heads if you were wearing sneakers.

For the devotees, the mere sight of the image, to witness the procession, to touch the statue or any part of the float including the ropes used for pulling the float will work miracles for them.

To devotees like Eleazar Cantolino who has been at-

CHOLESTEROL FREE tion, in connivance with those in the executive branch, the legislators now identify their projects prior to submission of the budget to Congress, during the budget deliberations and even during the bicameral conference,” Lacson said.

The senator said certain favored congressmen received as much as P3 billion in pork allocations while some of his colleagues in the Senate could access up to P300 million in PDAF. Lacson, who has consistently ditched his pork barrel allocations, showed a copy of “pro forma files,” or standard documents on which congressmen identify their projects.

The documents would

then be presented to the Department of Budget and Management for inclusion in the National Expenditure Program prepared by the Palace.

While it was widely regarded an open secret in the bureaucracy, corruption in the use of pork barrel came to the fore when whistleblower Benhur Luy spilled the beans on his cousin, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Napoles allegedly utilized her vast network of friends in the Senate and the House to access about P10 billion in PDAF through fake nongovernment organizations, which implemented fraudulent government projects.

(MNS)

Mangrobang noted that the processing will only take less than 60 seconds.

“Mabilis lang. Less than a minute, abot lang passport.

Kasi regular processing kapag arrival it should not be 45 seconds (regular processing) from the time you appear in front of the officer wala lang sila queuing,” she said.

This is the third time

the country will be hosting the international event, the earlier pageants were held at the Folk Arts Theater in 1974 and Philippine International Convention Centre in 1994.

Miss Universe 2015 and the third Filipino to win the prestigious title, Pia Wurtzbach will be crowning her successor at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.

BI ON ALERT

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from the Department of Tourism (DOT) pati Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is also there to give airport assistance,” Mangrobang said.

She added, “Pag assist wala na sila queuing but all Immigration protocols gaga win pa din, data capturing , biometrics, except hindi na lang sila papillahin at hindi na hahalo sa iba.”

tending the feast for the last 30 years, merely staring at the image and saying a fervent prayer to the “Senor”

THE US ASIAN POST

was enough to heal his son who then had a problem with baldness. “Tinitigan ko lang yung istatwa at humiling

ako na bigyan ng buhok yung anak ko. Makaraan ang ilang araw, tumubo at lumago ang buhok sa ulo niya!”

celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. ”So far so good,” was the assessment made by the PNP chief on the ongoing celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.

Dela Rosa expressed his

belief in the Lord that no untoward incident will happen today after they have conducted all the possible precautionary measures against any threats. ”Just do your best and God will do the rest,” Dela Rosa said.

FOREINERS

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there are more foreign nationals who are training the terrorists in the country, but it is difficult to identify them if they are of “Malay” race who look like a Filipino.

He, however, assured there is still no “specific terror threat” during the

MOCHA CLUELESS

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(PDAF).

“There are no pork barrel items in the 2017 budget.

(It) is compliant to the SC ruling on PDAF,” Abella said.

Mr. Duterte has been very vocal against the pork barrel, which some corrupt senators and congressmen used to fatten their own wallets by endorsing spurious PDAF-funded projects and to promote patronage politics.

But Lacson accused the President and his allies in Congress of conniving with each other to clandestinely revive PDAF, which they allegedly did “without official records or communication.”

“To put a veil on their postenactment participa-

Friday - Thursday, January 13 - 19, 2017

LOS ANGELES

are aired live on television.

He had choice words for those who expressed concern over the thousands of extrajudicial killings blamed on his war on drugs.

Among those he had cursed in the past were outgoing US President Barack

Obama and United Nations secretary-general Ban KiMoon.

He also had expletives for Pope Francis when he was still campaigning for the presidency.

Uson — accused by administration critics of being

a pro-Duterte propagandist who spreads “fake news” — was appointed MTRCB board member on Thursday.

She also had a brief stint as ambassadress for the Metro Manila Film Festival.

(MNS)

wala kaming probe,” Aguirre told reporters adding that it could be the National Security Agency who might look into the matter. Aguirre said he is even not sure if such can be called as a conspiracy since not all conspiracies are illegal. When asked if he believes that Robredo is involve in such a move, Aguirre only said he believed that the Vice President and Senator Leila De Lima, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, stayed at Nicolas-Lewis home during their visit in

the US last year. “I dont know kung matatawag mo na conspiracy yan. Kasi ang conspiracy could be legal or illegal. Kung legal lang, okay lang yan. But there such a thing called illegal conspiracy to commit crime. Di naman lahat ng conspiracy is illegal kasi you could conspire to make a movement to call for the resignation of the president. Hindi illegal yan. But it is one thing to conspire to overthrow the duly constituted authorities,’ he explained.

‘LENILEAKS’ From page 1

las-Lewis and her sister, former Commission on Filipino Overseas chairwoman Imelda “Mely” Nicolas. The two were reportedly pushing for Vice President Leni Robredo to become President.

In one of the leaked emails dated Dec. 4, 2016 which was first posted online by a blogger, Lewis supposedly told GFDC members that the only way to fight an “evil plot” to unseat Robredo is to call for Duterte’s resignation.

The DOJ chief belittled Lewis and her supporters’ capacity to oust Duterte, calling her “a dreamer.’

“She is calling for the VP to become president. She is calling for the resignation of... she is a dreamer’, Aguirre told reporters during the press briefing at DoJ. “As long as they do not violate the law, there is nothing wrong with it, nothing wrong to dream. Sa DOJ

LEWIS

From page 1

discussed in a public page?” she added.

Nicolas-Lewis then said, “Dissent is NOT equivalent to a plot or conspiracy.”

“In a democracy, opinions of varying shades, either praise or criticism, are a staple ingredient of

a vibrant democracy,” she said. “Since when has criticism become an element of sedition?”

Communications Sec. Martin Andanar on Sunday said Malacañang will investigate online reports on “Lenileaks.” (MNS)

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