Philippine News Issue 7.31.2015

Fil-Brit Myleene Klass to host cooking show

See CLASS, A6

Myleene Klass

See FIL-BRIT, A12

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Keizzel Bernadette Camacho B.A. in Media Studies UC Berkeley

no deportation

Paralyzed Filipina worker in Canada Venancio entered the country through a temporary work visa and under Canadian law, she should not have been able to renew it due to her condition.

See PARALAYZED, A12

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How to save on bank fees and charges in the PH

Dianna Rose Valdez Osana B.A. in Economics UC Berkeley

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION • July 31 - August 6, 2015 • Year 54 • Issue 52

MARIA Victoria Venancio, a Filipino working in Edmonton, Canada on a temporary visa, was biking to work to a McDonalds franchise in 2013 when she was hit by a car.

The accident left Venancio without the use of her legs and limited use of her hands, making her unable to work.

Venancio entered the country through a temporary work visa and under Canadian law, she should not have been able to renew it due to her condition. Because of this, she has been living in Canada illegally since her work visa expired and

Upgrading democracy in the Philippines

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www.philippinenews.com

By Ryan Macasero

Inside

PH Arena at center of Iglesia crisis

Myleene Klass / INSTAGRAM

FILIPINO-blooded artist Myleene Klass has accepted the role of hosting the ITV series BBQ Champ, telling Digital Spy that the position would allow her to indulge in the Filipino tradition of grilling for family feasts.

“I’m hugely people curious so I can natter, I’m Filipino, so I’ve been raised on chicken and pork, you couldn’t personally offer me a better job in my life. So I get to eat the food and natter with the contestants and host the show, perfect!” said Klass, whose mother is a Filipino.

Klass will oversee 10 contestants with judges Adam Richman of Man vs Food and British chef and restauranteur Mark Blatchford for the new five-part reality food competition.

The singer, who performed with defunct pop group Hear’Say

Class of 2015

Vicky Venancio, a Filipina left paralyzed due to an accident, will not be deported from Canada.

$0.50

Camille Prats’ second chance at love A8

with final SONA

Aquino prepares for exit

President thanked everyone who were party to his success Malacañang file photo

Anointing his successor

By Beting Laygo Dolor EDITOR

MANILA – As could be expected, the speech had its share of praise and criticism.

In his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered Monday, July 27, President Benigno Aquino III enumerated his accomplishments for the last 12 months, and thanked everyone who were party to his success as the Philippines’ chief executive.

Speaking as usual in the vernacular, the president was suffering from vertigo as he delivered his speech.

As he has done in his past five SONAs, Aquino repeated his administration’s commitment to his ‘Daang Matuwid’ policy, of keeping the straight and narrow path.

And without naming Vice

As he has done in his past five SONAs, Aquino repeated his administration’s commitment to his ‘Daang Matuwid’ policy, of keeping the straight and narrow path.

See AQUINO, A12

for FILIPINO caregivers

To no one’s surprise, President Benigno Aquino III has opted for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to be the Liberal Party’s bet for next year’s presidential elections. Roxas famously gave way to Aquino in the 2010 elections, instead running for vice president while his longtime friend, then Senator Aquino, ran and won for president. While he had a wide lead over eventual winner Jejomar Binay in the run up to the polls, Roxas lost when various quarters pushed for a ‘NoyBi’ tandem.

Romina Ignacio

Details sought on therapist’s death THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still gathering information regarding the death of Romina Ignacio, the Filipina physical therapist who was found dead in Hutchinson, Kansas, last June 27.

“We are in the process of securing the details of this case from our consulate in Chicago, which has jurisdiction over Kansas,” DFA spokesperson Charles Jose told GMA News Online last week.

This was in response to the appeal of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, a group assisting Filipino migrant workers and their families, to the DFA and to the Department of Justice

Ignacio’s mother has disputed the claims

by US police authorities that her daughter committed suicide.

(DOJ) to look into the circumstances surrounding Ignacio’s death.

Ignacio’s mother has disputed the claims

by US police authorities that her daughter committed suicide.

Citing information from Ignacio’s mother, Susan Ople, the center’s president, said the victim “was found... with stab wounds in her neck and near her heart, as well as superficial wounds in the abdomen, while inside a bath tub, still wearing her clothes and flip-flops.”

Jose acknowledged the concerns of the family, adding that they are working on the repatriation of the remains and that they are See DETAILS, A12

Labor pact in Israel pushed for approval PHILIPPINE and Israel officials are pushing for the early approval of a bilateral labor agreement that will benefit more or less 20,000 Filipino caregivers in the Middle Eastern country.

A statement from the Philippine Embassy in Israel said Ambassador Nathaniel G. Imperial met with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Silvan Shalom on July 21 to discuss the possible agreement.

Among the topics discussed, according to the embassy, is the reduction of “mediation fees” by private recruitment agencies which is seen as the reason for the decline in the number of Filipino workers in Israel.

“The Deputy Prime Minister agreed that this practice is unfair for the workers,” the embassy said, referring to the collection of mediation fees by private recruitment firms.

The embassy said the two officials agreed that this issue could be addressed through a Bilateral Labor Agreement (BLA), “which both the Philippine and Israeli sides are keen to sign at the earliest possible time.”

“Implementation of Israel’s BLAs with other countries has led to a significant reduction in the recruitment fees being charged to foreign workers in Israel,” the embassy said.

See LABOR, A12

among young FilAms

Lawyer keeps Ilocano dialect alive

By CRISTINA DC PASTOR

IN THE Barangan household in Long Island, the children of Caesar and Dulce Valdes-Barangan speak English as well as the Ilocano language of the northern Philippines.

Somewhere in New York State’s multicultural quilt of young Americans, there’s Zack Barangan, who works in an advertising agency in Manhattan who speaks Ilocano, and his younger sister AnnaRosa who studies Brain Cognitive Science at the University of Rochester who is just as fluent.

Culture is best taught through language, said Dulce, the incoming president of the Ilocano-American Association, Inc. in New York (IAAINY). The See LAWYER, A12

Dulce’s wish is for the younger generation Filipino Americans who descended from Ilocano elders to learn the language and make it a vibrant part of their lives.

Dulce Valdes-Barangan

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

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Aquino to endorse Roxas Viloria win paves way in hours-long conversations with political allies.

Aquino met with neophyte Senator Grace Poe, currently the leader in presidential preference polls, at least 4 times in the past few months.

For a while, it seemed as though Aquino was having a hard time picking between Roxas and Poe. The senator and her close friend, Senator Francis Escudero, had said as much in interviews with the media.

But in late July, Poe, in a statement to media, hinted that talks between herself and the LP, as represented by the President, had either faltered or hit a road block.

The President’s impending endorsement of Roxas became clearer in his final SONA, where he heaped praises on Roxas.

But not all of the Aquino administration’s allies are sold on Roxas. There are some who have been pushing for Poe because of her survey numbers.

Unlike Poe, Roxas has been lagging behind in early preference surveys, placing 3rd or 4th. Trailing Poe is opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay, who continues to be hounded by allegations of corruption.

Some LP allies, however, insist that popularity should not be the end-all-be-all in picking a standard-bearer.

“Winnability is important. But popularity and winnability aren’t the only ingredients needed. We need to take into consideration integrity, competence, and experience,” Quezon City Representative Jorge Banal told reporters in a previous interview.

For Banal and a lot of LP members, a Roxas-Poe tandem would have been – or still is – a dream ticket.

OF GHOST MONTHS AND SUPERSTITIONS Aquino’s plan of announcing his bet only after the SONA made some proRoxas politicians anxious.

The schedule meant they only had 4 days before July ended, and the dreaded “ghost month” of August would begin.

The month of August is considered unlucky by the more superstitious Filipinos, and people are cautioned against starting new things during the ghost month – a presidential bid included.

Aquino, according to those close to him, is a fervent believer in the inauspicious nature of August.

Both of Aquino’s parents died in August – his father, martyred Senator Benigno Aquino Jr, died on August 21, 1983; his mother Cory died on August 1, 2009. The young Aquino nearly lost his life on August 28, 1987, during a coup attempt against his mother.

His former Cabinet official, interior secretary Jesse Robredo, also died in a plane crash on August 18, 2012.

Had Aquino remained undecided by the time August rolled in, that meant the LP and its allies would have to wait until September for an endorsement of a standardbearer.

Sources said that Roxas’ team blocked offJuly 29, 30, and 31 for a possible endorsement date. July 28 was ruled out because Aquino would be exhausted from the July 27 SONA; the President

for another title shot

By Truth Esguerra

Chris Farina - Top Rank

MANILA – It has been a long journey full of meetings, consultations, and vague answers to clear-cut questions but within the week, all roads will lead to Club Filipino in San Juan City, where President Benigno Aquino III will finally endorse his bet for the 2016 presidential elections.

Several sources privy to the plans of Malacañang and the ruling Liberal Party (LP) have confirmed that Aquino is set to endorse Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II as his bet for the 2016 elections at the Club Filipino any day this week.

Roxas is not expected to announce his running mate during the declaration.

The same personalities – allies of the ruling LP, particularly those who have remained loyal to Roxas – are expected to crowd Club Filipino when the endorsement happens.

It will be a flashback to 2009, when Roxas, then set to be the LP’s standard-bearer for the 2010 presidential polls, slid down at the last minute for Aquino, whose popularity surged after the death of his mother, democracy icon and former president Cory Aquino.

Aquino earlier said he would announce his choice for the standard-bearer of the LP-led coalition after his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27.

Although he hinted in midJuly that he might make an earlier announcement, it now appears that things will still go according to plan.

MEETINGS WITH POE, ESCUDERO The road that led to Club Filipino was long and winding.

Aquino, explaining that he was not merely the leader of the LP but of the groups it coalesced with, has been

Correspondent

BRIAN “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria easily dispatched Mexican boxing contender Omar Soto in their rematch by stopping him in the first round at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood last week.

The 34 year-old Filipino boxing star was able to drop the persistent Soto three times during their bout before referee Zac Young halted the fight at the 2:02 minute mark.

Viloria, who defeated Soto by a narrow split decision in 2010, was able to showcase his dominant boxing skills and overwhelm his rival with BRIAN “HAWAIIAN PUNCH” VILORIA stops OMAR SOTO in numerous power shots.

The Filipino pugilist 1st round. dropped his opponent twice victory over boxing contender (1 KO). with his powerful right hook Edgar Sosa back in May. Soto’s record falls to 23 and ended the fight with a Viloria’s record improves wins (15 KOs), 12 Losses (8 bruising left hook to the rib- to 36 wins (22 KOs), 4 Losses KOs). cage.

Viloria going through another resurgence in his career since losing his WBA and WBO World Flyweight title belts to Juan Estrada back in 2013.

The Hawaiian Pucn is currently on a four fight win streak and is ranked as one of the top fighters in the super flyweight division.

His victory over Soto has reignited talks about a possible title fight with undefeated WBC Flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez.

The Nicaraguan boxing champion, who has a record of 43 wins (37 KOs), is coming See AQUINO, A3 off fresh from his knock-out

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(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

LEGAL & IMMIGRATION MATTERS

Living legally in the U.S. after a material misrepresentation IS IT still possible to live and work legally in the U.S. after lying to get here? The answer is maybe. Waivers (forgiveness) for the misrepresentation are possible but they are not easy to get.

Willfully misrepresenting a material fact in order to obtain an immigration benefit makes one either inadmissible or deportable or both. Willful means that the misrepresentation is deliberate and voluntary. A material fact is one that would make the alien inadmissible or shut off a line of inquiry which may have resulted in not being admitted. Common examples are using a false name because you were previously denied a visa or misrepresenting your marital status in order to hide the fact that you are not eligible for a green card (claiming to be single when you are actually the married son or daughter of a green card holder).

All hope is not lost for those who have told untruths to get what they want. It is possible to obtain a waiver for the misrepresentation.

In order to qualify for a waiver that will allow the alien to get a green card, she must have a spouse or parent who is a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident. Having a United States citizen or a green card holding child will not give you the relationship you need for the waiver.

Once you have proven that you have the necessary relationship, you must further show that the qualifying relative would suffer extreme hardship if the waiver were denied. Various factors are considered to reach the determination that extreme hardship exists. They include: the

age of the alien, both at the time of entry and at the time of the application for relief, family ties in the United States and abroad, length of residence in this country, the health of the alien and qualifying family members, the political and economic conditions in the country of return, the possibility of other means of obtaining lawful status in the United States, the alien’s involvement and position in his or her community, and his or her immigration history.

The alien must also show remorse and that s/he is entitled to a favorable exercise of discretion. Having good facts are your side is not enough.

Effective presentation of the case is essential to a successful result.

Another section of law applies to those aliens who already obtained lawful status in the United States. That section states that any alien who at the time of entry or adjustment of status was within one or more of the classes of aliens inadmissible by the law existing at such time is deportable. Since misrepresenting a material fact at the time of entry is a ground of inadmissibility, the government can try to make you leave even after they have let you in. In order to do that, they issue a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court. Once in those proceedings, the alien can apply for a waiver.

The waiver for this type of misrepresentation is available to aliens who are the spouse, parent, son or daughter of a citizen of the United States or of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. The alien must show that the positive factors in his case outweigh the negative

ones. Among the negative factors are the “nature and underlying circumstances of the fraud or misrepresentation involved; the nature and seriousness, and recency of any criminal record (even those matters that did not result in a conviction); and any additional evidence of the alien’s bad character or undesirability as a lawful permanent resident of the United States”. Positive factors to be considered may include “family ties in the United States; residence of a long duration in this country, particularly where it commenced when the alien was young; evidence of hardship to the alien or her family if deportation occurs; a stable employment history; the existence of property or business ties; evidence of value and service to the community; and other evidence of the alien’s good character”. Evidence of the positive factors must be carefully presented to the court through documentation and testimony. In addition, the negative factors must be thoroughly dealt with and explained.

Being granted a waiver can mean the difference between living in the United States and having to leave.

Because so much is at stake, aliens in this situation should seek the advice and representation of an immigration attorney who is knowledgeable and experienced in waiver cases.

By Nancy E. Miller of Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza

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CIS expands the provisional unlawful presence waiver program: Are you eligible?

IN A move that will greatly increase the number of individuals who are eligible to apply for a provisional unlawful presence waiver, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is finally taking steps to expand this very popular program which has allowed so many individuals to obtain a green card. As a result, many individuals who are presently ineligible to apply for a provisional waiver will soon qualify.

Not all beneficiaries of family petitions are eligible to obtain a green card while physically present in the United States. Many are ineligible to adjust their status in the United States to that of lawful permanent resident for a variety of reasons, including having entered the United States without inspection, having entered with a visa that has since expired, having entered with a crewman’s visa, or having entered the United States to marry a fiancée or fiancé but failed to do so. Typically these individuals are required to return to their native countries to apply for an immigrant visa. However, this process has often proven very risky given the frequent necessity of applying for a waiver for unlawful presence in the United States.

An individual who departs from the United States after being unlawfully present for more than six months but less than one year is barred from returning to the United States for three years, and an individual who departs after being unlawfully present for one year or more is barred from returning for ten years. As a result, many individuals who were required to apply for an immigrant visa abroad found themselves inadmissible to the United States as a result of their departure after being unlawfully present. Fortunately,

those individuals with a spouse or a parent who was a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident could apply abroad for a waiver of their unlawful presence. However, such a process was difficult and involved a serious risk.

This process was difficult as an applicant had to remain abroad while their waiver application was being processed – something which could take months, or even a year or more. And this process involved a risk because the denial of a waiver application meant that the applicant could not immigrate to the United States until their inadmissibility bar of three or ten years had run.

For many, such a process proved very unappealing as it often meant a long separation from one’s family with no guarantee after the prolonged wait that the applicant would be approved for the waiver and thus allowed to immediately return to the United States.

As a result, many individuals who qualified for such a waiver simply declined to pursue this process. Fortunately, just over two years ago, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services introduced the provisional unlawful presence waiver program – a program which eliminated the two bases which deterred most individuals from seeking the unlawful presence waiver abroad. Instead of waiting outside the U.S. for months, or a year or more, individuals with a United States citizen spouse or parent could apply for a waiver of their unlawful presence while remaining in the United States to await a final decision. This also eliminated risk of being stuck outside the United States if the waiver were denied.

While the provisional unlawful presence waiver program proved an immedi-

ate success when introduced in 2013, the program was not available to all individuals who required an unlawful presence waiver – the waiver was only available to those individuals who had a United States citizen spouse or parent. However, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is finally moving to expand the provisional unlawful presence program to include not only those individuals with a spouse or parent who is a United States citizen, but also those individuals who have a spouse or parent who has a green card.

The expansion of the provisional unlawful presence waiver program will become effective in a few months, and with it many individuals who are presently ineligible for the program will now qualify.

Obtaining such a waiver is not an easy task – an applicant must establish that his or her qualifying relative will suffer extreme hardship if the waiver is denied, as well as evidence that the waiver should be granted as a matter of discretion. In addition, to be eligible for the provisional waiver, unlawful presence must be the only ground under which the immigrant is inadmissible.

However, an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney will be able to evaluate an individual’s eligibility for the waiver and, if eligible, represent that individual throughout the entire waiver application process as well as the resulting immigrant visa processing.

brought to trial or hearing.

(2) * After a litigation has been finally determined against the person, repeatedly litigates or attempts to litigate, in pro per, the validity of the determination against the same defendant(s) as to whom the litigation was finally determined or the cause of action, claim, controversy, or any of the issues of fact or law, determined or concluded by the final determination against the same defendant(s) as to whom litigation was finally determined.

(3) * In any litigation while acting in pro per, repeatedly files unmeritorious

motions, pleadings, or other papers, conducts unnecessary discovery, or engages in other tactics that are frivolous or solely intended to cause unnecessary delay.

(4) * Has previously been declared to be a vexatious litigant by any state or federal court.

If this request to have a person defined a vexatious litigant is successful, two protective remedies become available. The court determines the amount of security and the time it must be posted. These payments will be reasonable expenses incurred in connection with

the litigation. Additionally, approval of the presiding judge will be required before a motion is filed.

The statutory provisions that address the vexatious litigant protect the opposing party against the financial burden of defending against repetitious non-meritorious lawsuits and prevent the abuse of the abuse of the judicial process.

By Attorneys Gregory J. Boult & Nancy E. Miller

Family law vexatious litigant FAMILY law cases: divorce, custody battles, child and spousal support establishment and enforcement, discovery, restraining orders and on and on. Family law litigation is stressful and personal. But when you have an ex-spouse or a parent who keeps filing frivolous motions with the court and loses each motion but does not stop, what can you do?

This type of litigation is

expensive and stressful but is there a remedy? Yes, in California, vexatious litigant give you rights to put a stop to it.

You can keep your ex spouse or the other parent from filing another motion until what they intend to file is preapproved by the presiding judge. A bond or “security” (putting up money aside that will go to you if they lose) may even be required.

A vexatious litigant is

AQUINO from A2 himself said on Monday he was not feeling well.

Thursday, July 30, was an unlikely choice because of the scheduled Metro Manilawide earthquake drill.

People close to Roxas, his wife and broadcast Korina Sanchez included, also happen to be believers in the bad tidings of announcements and decisions made during the ghost month.

“If we wait until after August, that would be advantageous to Poe,” conceded one LP ally.

The month of August will be another crucial period for presidential aspirants.

Polling firms are set to conduct surveys towards the end of the month, and are set to release the results by September.

2016-2022 Courting Poe to be Roxas’ running mate isn’t just about eliminating a threat or riding on her popularity come 2016.

For LP members, it’s also about making sure the administration’s “Daang Matuwid (Straight Path)” – its tagline for its transparency, anti-corruption and good governance platform – is in place for 12 more years.

The continuation of reforms has been a recurring theme in many of Aquino’s speeches. After touting his administration’s accomplishments during his last SONA, the President again emphasized the importance of choosing Daang Matuwid

and shunning the country’s so-called old ways.

The idea is for Roxas to continue and build on existing reforms and programs from 2016 until 2022, followed by a Poe administration until 2028.

An extra 6 years, members of the LP argue, would do well for Poe, who has barely reached the 3rd year of her 6-year term as senator.

But Poe, in previous interviews, dismissed that notion. She claimed that experience did not help past vice presidents who became presidents to do well in office – an apparent reference to former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Poe is said to be gearing for her own presidential bid, with campaign headquarters to boot. Roxas’ campaign team, meanwhile, has been quietly fixing up “Balay,” the LP’s headquarters, for the interior secretary’s 2016 campaign.

Should Poe push through with a presidential bid even without the President’s endorsement, even those allied with the administration are doubtful that the LP-led coalition will remain intact.

With an endorsement in the bag and only a final date left hanging, the journey to 2016 – and to Malacañang – begins for Roxas and the Liberal Party.

Will the road be as bumpy as 2010? – Rappler. com

a self-represented individual who repeatedly files petitions, applications, or motions that without merit. The statutory authority is California Code of Civil Procedure 391(b) defines a vexatious litigant as a person who does any of the following: (1) * In the immediately preceding 7-year period has commenced, prosecuted, or maintained in pro per status at least 5 litigations other than in a small claims court that have been finally determined adversely to the person or unjustifiably permitted to remain pending at least 2 years without having been

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EDITORIAL

(Norcal/Nat’l/SC/LV) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

Founded in 1961

Editorial

A house divided IN ONE of his most famous speeches, before he became President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Today, an influential church in our motherland finds itself divided, with some analysts saying that the end may be near for this politically potent congregation known for its block voting.

Guilty as sin, but…

The INC is divided because the Manalo family that runs the sect is divided.

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) – a Christian sect that was founded in the Philippines 101 years ago and which now has millions of followers with churches erected all over the world – finds itself in the middle of its worst crisis ever.

The INC is divided because the Manalo family that runs the sect is divided.

For better or for worse, the INC is for all intents the exclusive fiefdom of the Manalos. The church was founded by Felix Manalo in 1914. Upon his death in 1963, his son Erano Manalo took the reins of the INC, until he too passed away in 2009. His oldest son, Eduardo, is the present head of the congregation, said to number two million in the Philippines alone.

Critics have noted that the INC has striking similarities with North Korea, which has known only a member of the Kim family as their absolute ruler since the nation was founded in the 1950s.

Last week, mere days before the church was to celebrate its 101st anniversary, the INC leadership announced the expulsion of the mother as well as the younger brother of the incumbent executive minister.

This, after the pair had aired a video over YouTube where they asked for public support after saying that their lives were in danger.

Cristina Manalo is the widow of the revered Erano Manalo while their son Angel is the younger brother of Eduardo. The mother and son had also said that a number of INC ministers had been kidnapped and were being held against their will. For its part, the church said that the two had been expelled for sowing disunity.

While there have been no details released yet, the mother and son were reportedly disgruntled with the growing “corruption” within the church. The small group that is tasked with handling the finances of the INC is said to have been misusing the funds, in some cases for personal gain.

In the last few days, a handful of ministers have either been expelled or have resigned from the church.

While there has been no mass exodus of members and ministers yet, such a possibility is not to be discounted. Cristina and Angel Manalo have their own followers within the sect. And while INC members are trained to be obedient to their leaders and to never question their judgment, there are those who cannot help but be disgruntled when they witness the disunity within the family that is supposed to guide them.

One issue that the church faces is the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena that may yet turn out to be a white elephant of humungous proportions. Billed as the world’s largest indoor arena, the INC-owned structure completed last year costs millions to maintain yet has no steady source of income.

The schism within the Manalo family can therefore be likened to family corporations where the second or third generation squabble among themselves on how to best run their cash cow. More often than not, such major disagreements result in the family corporations disintegrating, and everyone ends up as loser.

But of course, the INC is a religion not a family corporation. Its survival will be dependent not on how well or how poorly it is managed, but how the majority of its congregation are able to unite to end the ongoing crisis.

International arbitration, China’s AIIB, and Philippine security

By Rommel C. Banlaoi

WHILE the high-level Philippine delegation went to The Hague for the oral hearings on the Philippine international arbitration case against China on 7-13 July 2015, one issue left behind in Philippines-China relations was the Philippine’s participation in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The AIIB is China’s version of the American-led World Bank and the Japan-led Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Though welcomed by many members of the international community, the AIIB continues to raise suspicions of some countries in Southeast Asia. The Philippines, particularly, deferred the signing of AIIB’s Articles of Agreement (AOA) when it was officially opened for accession on 29 June 2015.

The Philippine government earlier expressed its strong interest to join the AIIBwhen President Xi Jinping proposed it in October 2013.

But Manila has currently become very cautious of joining the AIIB because of its lingering suspicions of China’s overarching strategic intentions as a gigantic neighbor involved in complex territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

With an initial fund of $100 billion, there is no doubt that the AIIB is a tempting financial offer to the Philippines considering its huge infrastruc-

ture requirements.

But Manila is not yet ready to join this “new financial entity” because of its enormous security baggage associated with China’s rapid rise as a world power with ongoing territorial and maritime conflicts with the Philippines.

The AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) is China’s version of the Americanled World Bank and the Japan-led Asian Development Bank (ADB).

First, the Philippine government is not yet comfortable to be part of the AIIB because of its current international arbitration case with China.

The International Arbitral Tribunal has started its oral hearings on jurisdictional issues of the Philippine case against China. It was very awkward for the Philippine government to sign the AOA while it was rigorously preparing for its oral arguments against Beijing’s “excessive claim” in the South China Sea. It is not very prudent to borrow money from a neighbor whom you just sued for some reasons.

Not joining the AIIB at the moment is a tactical move of the current Philippine administration to save its beleaguered face amidst the international arbitration case against China.

Even on the part of China, it is utterly difficult to lend money to a neighbor with a pending legal case against you. The loan can be perceived as a subtle bribe to go easy on the case, if not to totally withdraw it.

The Philippines, in fact, is giving China a big favor when Manila decides to defer its accession to the AIIB. The Philippines is saving China from its current dilemma on how to deal with the Philippines considering the on-going international arbitration case.

The case truly hurts the sensitivity of China not only as a claimant state, but also as an ascendant world power that has a grandiose dream to rejuvenate its nation after a century of global humiliation.

Second, the Philippines is enhancing its defense alliance with the United States (US) in the light of prevailing security situation in the Asia Pacific, in general, and in the South China Sea, in particular. The Philippine government has, in fact, signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US last year to reaffirm the importance of their existing security alliance See INTERNATIONAL, A5

Upgrading democracy in the Philippines

By Efren Padilla

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DOES our democratic subculture possess any traction to direct us as we head off to our second century?

While we call ourselves democrats, the assurance of the political tone with which it is expressed is not matched by intellectual coherence and practical outcome of what is being conveyed.

After more than a hundred years as a nation, we are still languishing with a third world per capita income where our economic future is still opaque to our political leaders and a better standard of living is still elusive to the majority of our people.

Why is this so?

For me this question is an instructive reflection on how our democratic version was constructed as a copy.

As a copy, it is not just a copy but also a poor copy of the original. Our version is at least four-times removed from its source – the American Democratic Experiment whom the French philosopher Alexis Tocqueville characterized as uniquely favored by four kinds of conditions: the structure of its government, geographical accidents, historical accidents, and the culture of its people.

LOST IN TRANSLATION As things now stand, we are lost in translation! We do not have America’s federal system aimed at promoting a serious local autonomy; we do not have the virtually empty continent of North America to expand; we do not have America’s general equality of wealth before its democratic government was established; and we do not have the strong hold of Protestantism in America which provided the ethics of the American Dream and the Town Hall Model of democratic self-government.

After more than a hundred years as a nation, we are still languishing with a third world per capita income.

In contrast, we have a national cacique government which normalizes patronage and mendicancy; we have an archipelago stripped of its resources and subjected to a never-ending natural as well

as political disasters; we have a structure of social inequality where the rich and poor coexist side-by-side wedged by a lattice of 10-foot concrete walls; and we have a dominant medieval religion which exacts a hierarchy of top-down obedience and conformity to sometimes outmoded beliefs and practices.

In the absence of those conditions, picture how far our image is removed from our reality. How then do we make sense of it? Why do we still make sense of it? Or can we really make sense of it?

Like many of our compatriots, I mulled over these questions and our country’s prospect for a long time.

Our democratic version with its customary imperial praxis is a notion of misplaced sovereignty, especially given the fact that our commerce is global. The incongruence is obvious – our economic development is regional but our politics is still imperial.

IMPERIAL BUREAUCRACY How can our democracy survive in an imperial bureaucratic setting that has no bearing whatsoever to a seriSee UPGRADING, A5

IT IS one of life’s sad realities that powerful people can get away with just about any crime, including rape, plunder and murder.

To this day, I remain one of countless people who are fixated at the unfolding drama – or should I say train wreck -- that is Bill Cosby.

I remain just as focused on Jejomar Binay, but on a more personal level.

I used to admire Cosby, all the way back to his I Spy days.

The TV series was shown in the old Channel 13, if memory serves, and the young Cosby was every bit the partner rather than mere sidekick of Robert Culp.

It wasn’t obvious then, but it turned out that Cosby was more comedian than serious actor, and for some reason I don’t remember, I ended up with an LP of him doing his stand up routines, which were funny as hell.

It is no exaggeration to say that anything Bill Cosby did, I watched and/or listened to. I even enjoyed a widely panned movie he made called Leonard Part 6, which I watched with my wife at the Quad back in ’87.

His reputation has since gone to the dogs. Within the last year or so, between 30 to 40 women have come out in the open and accused him of drugging then sexually abusing them, mostly in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. The latest accuser said that Cosby did pretty much the same thing that all the other women say he did, but the assault happened less than 10 years ago.

His reputation may be in tatters, but I seriously doubt if the old comedian will ever see the inside of a jail cell. He has his high priced lawyers who will do everything possible to make sure that Cosby’s ruined reputation does not translate to time in prison, despite the very serious crimes he has been accused of, not in a court of law but in the court of public opinion.

The same may be said of Jojo Binay. I will admit that up until a few years ago, I had a grudging admiration for the guy. He was especially heroic in my eyes when he refused to accept a suspension order from the Arroyo administration, by holing himself up at the penthouse of the Makati City Hall building.

I didn’t join the mediamen who covered the event, but I knew a few who did. They said that the support that then Mayor Binay got from Makati residents was for real. No hakotbrigade. Just ordinary folk who felt they had to defend their mayor against the big, bad Arroyo administration.

Over the years, most everyone had heard the rumors of Binay’s alleged corrupt ways.

Of how his administration required any company erecting a condo in Makati to ante up with a unit or two before building permits were issued them.

Since there was no proof, I half believed that the talk against Binay was mostly rumor. But everything ended last year when the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearings revealed the extent of the Binay family’s corruption.

I had to take this personally because this person still aspires to be president of my country. Bill Cosby is just one former idol who turned out to be a sexual predator, but Jojo Binay is worse. He is a plunderer who acts more and more like dictator Ferdinand Marcos, showing a disrespect for the law when it does not serve his purpose.

But alas, like Cosby I don’t think Binay will ever be imprisoned. He has seemingly studied the tactics that made plunderer/ rapist/murderer Marcos evade justice to his dying day, which is not too hard to do in the Philippines. Sad, sad, sad…

(Norcal/Nat’l/SC/LV) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

OPINION

Echoes from Pope Francis’ travels to South America INEVITABLY, the more recent papal visits to the lesser-known countries of Latin America drew comparisons with those he was most vocal about as he bewailed the surge of corruption as the ‘gangrene of a people’ in Paraguay.

As Pope Francis’ threenation tour of South America drew to a close, he did not hesitate to rail against ideologies while he strongly reminded his vast audiences that ‘ideologies end badly, they do not work, they do not take into account the people.’

The well-known theme of Pope Francis’ visits since his election as head of the Vatican has almost always been equality.

Although it was reported that his listeners were packed in small stadiums during his recent visits, Pope Francis was able to be heard through his unscripted remarks.

“Look what happened with ideologies in the last century. They ended in dictatorships always.”

Without disguising the ills of corruption, Pope Francis was quick to denounce it as he cited several South American countries where the evils ‘plagued’ their people.

In multiple calls for poverty to cease, the visiting head of the Catholic Church did not identify which concerns rank high among those nations whose populations are in impoverished stages.

“Wealth creation should not be only for the benefit of a few and must be extended to each citizen without exclusion.”

In calling for the equality of what he described in various ways as ‘wealth creation,’ the papal commentaries urged political leaders in his unscripted addresses not to ‘sacrifice human lives on the altar of money and profit.’

“What counts first and foremost is the human person and the environment in which he or she lives,” as what counts in economics, in business, and in politics.

Pope Francis was quick to point out the role of women in society. He referred to those whose countries’ histories held key information to the outcome of war and how it

UPGRADING from A4 ous territorial representation?

More so, a pork-barreled bureaucracy that is more responsive to favoritism than to transparency and accountability?

Over the years, I have come to the realization that our democratic subculture is fated to fail because it exposes the depth and breadth of our political mind as well as our political behavior.

Consider this: Despite the trillions of pesos that our imperial administrators had spent over the years on their respective ad-hoc and discretionary political priorities, we have not moved an inch beyond the politics of patronage. And worse, all we can show is how to squander and behave badly and then escape the just punishment for our actions.

Unless we do things differently, there is no way for us to salvage our democracy.

Where does my hope lie? My hope lies in the clear understanding of our natural and intrinsic strengths – three of which predominate: our archipelagic landscape conducive to maritime development; our geothermic proximity to the ring of fire as source of energy; and our highly educated gentry endowed with intellectual, technical, and organizational capabilities to succeed.

CITY-STATE PLANNING Against this backdrop, we can craft our country as a maritime society of territorial and functional city-states (either as city-provincialregional-or-island-based).

By maritime society, I mean the re-rooting of

was the woman who took care of the household, as he reiterated what he knew about women, wives and mothers of embattled countries where war zones became their history.

Without disguising the ills of corruption, Pope Francis was quick to denounce it as he cited several South American countries where the evils ‘plagued’ their people.

Addressing the Paraguay women in particular, Pope Francis said: “I would like especially to mention you, the women, wives and mothers who at great cost and sacrifice were able to lift up a country defeated, devastated and laid low by war.”

Unmistakably, the threenation visit of Pope Francis to Latin America was not just meant for that region to listen to him.

As he talked to his various audiences, he touched strongly on the everyday struggles of ordinary people. Reportedly, he simply addressed the people away from prepared printed pages.

Pope Francis remains as the living model of simplicity and humility.

He has shunned the robes of those who came before him leaning only on the plain white papal cossack. Nowhere has Pope Francis been photographed in those ‘shimmering vestments’ that demonstrated the singularity of the papacy.

Each time he talked of

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poverty, the pope did not stop to lash at corruption.

His audiences knew he was directing his remarks to them, and not to the chosen few.

Pope Francis did not stay away from speaking on the gnawing greed, consuming avarice marred by the debilitating godlessness characteristic of the world today.

Using himself as the example of penance, the pope said very distinctly: “I too have transgressed and am in need of penance,” as he spoke to incarcerated prisoners.

Rather than allowing the church to be a victim of history, Pope Francis is taking the lead in seizing the opportunity where freedom and spontaneity and less institutional control dominate the phenomenon of religion.

The pope, as quoted on numerous occasions, has seized the opportunity at initiative.

He has largely mentioned social justice more frequently than he has touched on canon law.

“That God is felt to be close to His people, identifying with their vicissitudes,” is what Pope Francis has been known to make emphatic and continues to emphasize what he solemnly believes in.

“Liturgy is a joyful encounter with the liberating Lord,” is a known theme of the papal messages as he compared the number of candles that should be lit at the Masses over which he presides, or that the rubrics of the Eucharistic Liturgy be punctiliously observed.

It is not only the Catholic World that has listened to Pope Francis.

The world today is considered fortunate that it has a Francis in this day and age when comparisons are unavoidable.

Since 2013 when the Argentine-born pope was elected pontiff of the Catholic Church, the universe has welcomed Pope Francis.

The global scenario has been quick to feel all parts of the world have been addressed on what matters most to them in times like what transpire today.

Preparing for a better Philippines I STILL remember many of the proverbs that my parents and teachers in school taught me. I would question their wisdom when they would repeat over and over what they were saying to make a point.

I usually got a quick response which was meant to further impress and establish the point that they were initially making.

“Papunta ka pa lamang, pabalik na ako” (Listen, I know better because I have been there), is what I usually heard from my teachers.

“Eh ba’t di po tayo nagkita o nagkasalubong?,” (How come I did not see you along the way?) , was my response, then I would follow it up with the following to make my point “Iba na po ang panahon ngayon” (The times have changed).

Sometimes I wonder if we Filipinos still recognize and follow the lessons we learned from many proverbs and “kasabihang Pilipino” that were taught to us.

“Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay di makakarating sa paroroonan,” is one of the more popular and valuable proverb that I have heard. Are these words applicable to the journey of the Philippines to become a better country? If it is, where is the Philippines now in her journey?

During President Aquino’s SoNA (State of the Nation Address) last July 27, 2015, he cited what was expected--- his administration’s performance, accomplishments and challenges, including the not-kept promises that still have to be worked on.

Some Filipinos were on the protest mode, which included activists belonging to the militant political groups, the urban poor, landless peasants, agricultural and urban workers, and members of the Lower House’s Makabayan bloc who flashed and unveiled their protest signs and placards after President Aquino’s speech.

Is the message “Iba na ang panahon ngayon” applicable to these protesters?

For these protesters, they view the SoNA as the best time

to organize and mobilize their base and supporters to project their demands and issues to a larger audience. But what I do not completely comprehend and understand are the protest signs and slogans that portray President Aquino’s administration as a regime controlled or in cahoots with the United States government. The line “Rehimeng US-Aquino” was used frequently by the protesters as seen in their signs and banners.

Sometimes I wonder if we Filipinos still recognize and follow the lessons we learned from many proverbs and “kasabihang Pilipino” that were taught to us.

U.S. involvement and control of Philippine affairs was evident during the rule and time of Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Activists referred to Marcos’ rule as the “US-Marcos Regime” then. The Philippines was under martial law which was irrefutably supported by the U.S. government. The democratic opposition and protest movement’s call at that time was to oust, topple, dismantle and overthrow the U.S. backed Marcos regime.

In order to realize their goal, the opposition and prodemocratic movement and forces in the Philippines at that time laid the groundwork to “expose and oppose” the

U.S. part of the equation, which called for campaigns to educate people about the abuses of Marcos’ rule in order to win the hearts and minds of the American people and the community of democratic nations around the world.

The protest movement against Marcos finally won in 1986 through the people power revolt in EDSA and democracy was restored in the Philippines. It has been a slow-painful journey with hard bumps and climbs from 1986 up to this time.

This is why 2016 is a very important year in the nation’s political journey. Aside from electing the president and other the local and national leaders of the country, 2016 also marks the 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolt.

The journey has been slow and painful, but the Philippines has definitely moved forward.

There’s a saying in English that people have to prepare for the worst. In the Philippines, the Filipino people can use this time to prepare for a better Philippines by continuing their vigilance and the fight against corruption, by engaging in voters education to make the power of the ballot count so that the country can veer away from the elections results of the past where bribery and grease money ruled--- which allowed for many unqualified and corrupt officials to be elected.

There is a Filipino proverb that says “Sa galing at nasa banig ay nagtungo pa sa sahig.” The Filipino people should not go back from where they have risen from.

Jojo Liangco is an attorney with the Law Offices of Amancio M. Liangco Jr. in San Francisco, California.

His practice is in the areas of immigration, family law, personal injury, civil litigation, business law, bankruptcy, DUI cases, criminal defense and traffic court cases. Please send your comments to Jojo Liangco, c/o Law Offices of Amancio “Jojo” Liangco, 605 Market Street, Suite 605, San Francisco, CA 94105 or you can call him (415) 974-5336.

INTERNATIONAL from A4

to implement the American cultural, psychological, po- to issue its award on the Philrebalance strategy in Asia, litical, economic and strategic. ippine case versus China on Joining the AIIB will be the South China Sea disputes. which Beijing perceives as a a great paradigm shift in Phil- Philippine accession to the containment strategy.

With EDCA, Manila ex- ippine foreign and security AIIB will be heavily influpects the Pentagon to provide policy – a shift that former enced by the outcome of the but a no-nonsense, and a non- its “little brown brother” in President Gloria Macapagal arbitration case. our development to the distracted implementation! origins of the city-state that Unless the Philippine Asia the needed security as- Arroyo enjoyed during her And who can do this? the classical Greeks talked government musters enough sistance, particularly in the term and suffered after that. about. In fact, the success of Here are some ideas.

Finally, the present Philip- courage to defy the will of context of rising security tenFirst, we need an incorMonaco, Macau, Hong Kong, sions in the South China Sea. pine government has not yet its American ally opposing ruptible strongman commitor Singapore can be traced Thus, it is ungrateful for recovered from its bad experi- the AIIB, it will be odd for to the application of the city- ted to the tasks of maritime the Philippines to join the AIIB ences with China’s loan facili- the Philippines to be part of state model of development. development, no matter what. at the moment considering that ties, particularly in connection a China-led global financial Second, we must selecFuture-wise, this model will the US has expressed opposi- with the North Rail Project project. The Philippine govtively replicate all over the prepare us better to face our tion to the establishment of this amounting to $11.5 billion ernment has to develop its archipelago special districts naval challenges in West and ZTE Broadband Project skills to get the best of both new financial entity. à la Subic Bay Metropolitan Philippine Sea. The AIIB not only chal- amounting to $329 million. powers and not just to be torn Area (SBMA) and Clark lenges the credibility and reli- These projects were associated between two lovers.

Finally, unless the Philipability of the World Bank led with corruption scandals inOver the years, I Development Corporation (CDC). If we do it right, this by the US. Being led by China, volving China’s firms and top pine government learns how to have come to the is the closest we can get to the AIIB also challenges the Filipino government officials move on with the bad experiour city-state development existing global power structure of the previous administration. ences with China, its decision realization that model.

The Philippines is very wary to participate in the AIIB will currently ruled by the US. our democratic Third, we must restrucThe AIIB is a reflection of accepting loans from China be continuously haunted by the subculture is fated ture our country into honest- of China’s global power tran- because of lessons learned ghosts of the past. to-goodness programmatic There is no doubt that sition. The AIIB reveals the from previous projects. to fail because it and integrated territories.

From economic stand- AIIB sounds good. But will heightening of US-China mamore gerrymandering of jor power rivalry. In the midst points, the AIIB offers many it work to advance Philippine exposes the depth No political power via invented of this major power rivalry, the opportunities for the Philip- security? and breadth of our special interest groups or Answering this question Philippines has currently opted pines to meet its many infraskewed representation of will be a great challenge to the structure needs requiring huge to be on the side of its erstwhile political mind as senators and government next Philippine administration financial support. colonial master, the US. well as our political functionaries from Luzon at But Philippine participa- in 2016. – Rappler.com Though other American the expense of Visayas and Rommel C. Banlaoi is a tion in the AIIB is not only security allies, like Australia behavior.

Mindanao. and South Korea, have joined dictated by economic im- Senior Faculty at the DepartFinally, there is the easi- the AIIB, the Philippines does peratives. It is largely influ- ment of International Studies, est, and yet, the most painful not have the same political and enced by political and security Miriam College. He is also option. We can simply main- economic leverage that these concerns associated with the the Director of the Center Geographically, it is tain the status quo, romantipointless to exhaust the culinternational arbitration case, for Intelligence and National other allies have. cize our political atrophy, or tivation of our limited land If the truth be known, Philippine-American security Security Studies (CINSS) of render our people’s demoresource. Instead we must the Philippines is the most alliance, and bad experiences the Philippine Institute for cratic chance a heart-breakconserve it by making marisubservient American security with the outcome of China’s Peace, Violence and Terroring déjà vu. time trade and services as ism Research (PIPVTR) and ally in Asia. The Philippines is development aid.

Can we change our our chief economic activities.

In January 2016, the Phil- currently the Vice President of the most dependent American future for the better? Yes, we security ally because of a wide ippine government expects the the Philippine Association for Unfortunately, our preoccan. - Rappler.com cupation with the former array of reasons: historical, International Arbitral Tribunal Chinese Studies (PACS). is the main reason why our Efren Padilla is a full people are still being fatigued professor at California State by a never-ending agrarian Report adult abuse University, East Bay. His conflict. And yet, land is not areas of specialization are our main resource!

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TOP NEWS

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Class of 2015 Keizzel Bernadette Camacho Keizzel Bernadette Camacho graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in May 2015 with a B.A. in Media Studies and minors in Public Policy and South and SouthEast Asian Studies. Keizzel was largely involved in P4 (The Partnership of Pre-Professional Pilipinos) as Co-Marketing Director in 2012-2013 and Executive Director 20132014, She was also BUILD Director for three years, part of UC Berkeley’s Public

Service Center, and part of Cal Hawaii for three years including serving as its Internal Vice President.

In 2014, Keizzel studied abroad in the UK and was selected as a Gilman Scholar.

Starting August, Keizzel will work as an Account Manager at Oracle based in San Francisco. Keizzel is the daughter of Edna and Benedicto Camacho from Stockton, California.

Dianna Rose Valdez Osana Dianna Rose Valdez Osana graduated from the University of California,

Berkeley in May 2015 with a B.A. in Economics. Her honors and awards included being named a SAGE Scholar, Dean’s 4.0 GPA Spring 2012 Honors List and the Grace Asuncion Leadership Scholarship.

Dianna was a member of P4 (The Partnership for PreProfessional Pilipinos). She also participated in the annual Pilipino Cultural Night.

Her future career plans entail becoming a Certified Public Accountant.

Dianna is the daughter of Editha and Dominador Osana from Stockton, California.

Junjun Binay wants resolution of TRO plea MANILA -- Suspended Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay has asked the Court of Appeals to finally resolve his plea to stop his six-month preventive suspension over graft charges related to alleged irregularities in the construction of a building at the Makati City Science High School.

In an ex parte manifestation, Binay pointed out to the appeals court that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas have not yet filed their respective comments on the plea he filed last June 29.

“It’s been 23 days since the issuance of the resolution and up to this day, no comment has been filed by the respondents,” Binay said in his manifestation.

Binay said it should already be “presumed” that Roxas and Carpio-Morales have already received the CA resolution requiring them to comment on the mayor’s plea.

He cited Section 3(v), Rule 131 of the Rules of Court, which provides that a letter can be “satisfactorily presumed” to have been received “if duly directed and mailed in the regular course of the mail.”

“In view of the foregoing and the urgency of the matter, it is respectfully prayed for the honorable court to resolve the question on the issuance of the temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction,” he said.

Carpio-Morales issued the suspension order, while it was Roxas’ Department of Interior and Local Government that served the order to Binay.

In his June 29 plea, Binay asked the court to exercise its constitutional duty under Article VIII, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution “to correct” the preventive suspension order by the Ombudsman.

Saying the Ombudsman suspension order was issued “with grave abuse of discretion,” Binay asked the the CA to issue a temporary restraining order and, after due proceedings, a writ of preliminary injunction stopping the respondents from performing acts that would render his petition moot.

Binay said he cannot be held accountable for the alleged anomaly involving Phase I, II, and III of the MSHS construction project because they happened before 2010 or before he was elected mayor.

His father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, was mayor at the time.

As for the subsequent phases of the same project (Phases IV and V), the younger Binay said he cannot be held administratively liable for these phases because his reelection had rendered the case against him moot and academic.

The Makati mayor added there is no allegation against him that he supposedly rigged the bidding for the MSHS project, and that the claim of bid rigging was merely based on hearsay evidence.

He added that the allegation of conspiracy among him and the other respondents in

He said the Ombudsman the Ombudsman case was unsupported by any evidence. failed to evaluate the evidence against him, and merely relied on the complainants’ “perjuriThe Makati ous” allegations that there were irregularities in the bidmayor added ding of the construction for there is no Phase VI of the MSHS project.

It was the second time allegation the younger Binay had sought against him that relief from the CA stemming from an Ombudsman suspenhe supposedly sion order.

The first one involved rigged the the alleged overpricing in the bidding for the Makati City Hall Building II. In both suspension orders, MSHS project, Binay invoked the doctrine and that the of condonation, which clears an elected official of adminclaim of bid istrative liability if he gets re-elected. rigging was He got a TRO form the merely based appellate court against the first suspension order. on hearsay The Supreme Court then evidence. indefinitely suspended the implementation of the suspension order pending a resolution on a case that the Ombudsman Junjun Binay said he “re- filed to question the authority lied in good faith upon the of the CA justices in stopping recommendation of his sub- the implementation of the ordinated” when he signed suspension.

But the younger Binay documents related to the award of contract for the Phase IV, V, failed to get a TRO the second and VI of the 10-storey MSHS time around. This forced him project to Hilmarc’s Construc- to temporarily vacate his office on July 1. — GMA News tion Co.

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

PH Arena at center of Iglesia crisis MANILA -- Felix Nathaniel “Angel” Manalo on Monday named two Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) officials as part of the alleged corruption hounding the church leadership.

In an interview on “24 Oras,” the younger brother of executive minister Eduardo Manalo identified INC auditor Glicerio Santos Jr. and general secretary Radel Cortez among those involved in corruption within the ruling council.

Manalo said he wants to meet his older brother to discuss how to put an end to the issue of corruption in the church.

“Hindi naman po sa kabuuan ang kurapsyon e. Nasa iilang tao lamang po ang gumagawa ng kasamaan at ‘yun nga po ang sanggunian,” he said, adding that his camp will release evidence in the coming days.

According to Manalo, the corruption allegedly involves the construction of the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

“Napakalaki na po ng maintenance cost po nun.

Nahihirapan ang mga kapatid kakaabuloy, karagdagang abuloy,” he said.

INC spokersperson Edwil Zabala, however, denied the allegations and said that the church has its own audit of contributions from members.

Earlier, another former church official also implicated Santos in a video posted on Facebook.

“Alam ninyo na sa ating pag-uusap, kahit noon, kayo rin ang bumabanggit ng mga

katiwalian na ginagawa ni Glicerio Santos Jr.,” said Isaias Samson Jr., addressing Zabala and INC general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago.

The younger brother of executive minister Eduardo Manalo identified INC auditor Glicerio Santos Jr. and general secretary Radel Cortez among those involved in corruption within the ruling council.

Samson, the former editor-in-chief of the church’s official publication “Pasugo,” has been expelled from the church and is facing libel raps.

Over the weekend, members of the INC flocked to the Philippine Arena to mark the religious group’s 101st anniversary.

Traffic on parts of the North Luzon Expressway was heavy Saturday night to early Sunday due to the number of vehicles heading to the Philippine Arena, radio dzBB reported.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino said in a dzBB radio interview

that at least 2 million people attended the anniversary at the arena.

“Palagay ko milyon din iyon. Hindi nalalayo sa anibersaryo noong isang taon,” Tolentino said.

He said that it may take between 2 and 3 hours to clear the traffic around the arena.

At least two million people attended the group’s 100th anniversary last year.

The North Luzon Expressway posted photos of heavy traffic at Marilao and Meycauayan in Bulacan, and in Valenzuela City (northbound) due to vehicles entering the Philippine Arena as of 4:51 a.m Meanwhile, the NLEX said the high volume of motorists heading for the Philippine Arena and those illegally parking at NLEX are causing traffic congestion.

It said the plates of vehicles parked and abandoned at NLEX were being confiscated. “Towing is also ongoing,” it added.

The INC is currently embroiled in a controversy allegedly involving misuse of funds, which was made public recently when a video of a grandson of the group’s founder Felix Manalo and a son of the late leader Erano Manalo claiming harassment and abductions.

The latest statement from Angel Manalo shows that one of the causes of the controversy that rocked the centuryold INC is the construction of the largest indoor arena in the world – the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena. — GMA News

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(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015 HUMAN trafficking remains pervasive in the Philippines under the watch of President Benigno Aquino III although a number of convictions sparked hope that reforms are in progress, the U.S. State Department said in an annual report released on Monday.

While the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report cited increased law enforcement efforts to address the problem, it noted several instances that allowed human smuggling conditions to persist.

“The Philippines is a source country and, to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement issued in Manila with the report, which is an assessment of how 188 states tackled modern-day slavery, sex trade and other forms of abusive labor.

“The Government of the Philippines does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking,” it said, an indication that Aquino, with barely a year in office as he steps down in June 2016, should bolster his administration’s attempt to combat the global scourge.

The State Department tried to strike a balance by stating that Manila is “making significant efforts” to address trafficking with recent convictions of perpetrators of human smuggling.

The government convicted 54 traffickers—an

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U.S. REPORT

Human trafficking still persists in Philippines increase from 31 the previous year—and took steps to expedite prosecutions, it said.

Since 2011, the Philippines has been retained in the Tier 2 category.

The country was on a dreaded watchlist from 2009 to 2010 and would have ended up in a more severe blacklist that entails sanctions that include the withholding of millions of dollars of American aid had it not taken drastic measures to address the problem.

Meanwhile, the US upgraded Malaysia to Tier 2 from Tier 3, despite calls by human rights groups and nearly 180 US lawmakers to keep the Southeast Asian country on a list of worst offenders for failing to suppress trafficking.

‘COMPLICIT’ Although Philippine officials say the government is stepping up efforts to curb illegal human trade, the State Department lamented that “public officials, including those in diplomatic missions abroad, law enforcement agencies, and other government entities, are said to be complicit in trafficking or allow traffickers to operate with impunity.”

It cited reports that some corrupt officials accept payments or sexual services from establishments notorious for

trafficking, accept bribes to facilitate illegal departures for overseas workers, downgrade trafficking charges, or overlook unscrupulous labor recruiters.

“Some personnel working at Philippine embassies abroad reportedly sexually harass victims of domestic servitude, withhold back wages procured for them, subject them to domestic servitude for a second time, or coerce sexual acts in exchange for government protection services,” it said.

The U.S. report cited conditions that allowed human smuggling to continue, such as “endemic inefficiencies in the judicial system” and “pervasive corruption” that undermined government efforts to combat trafficking.

Investigations of potentially complicit officials did not lead to criminal convictions and in some cases even failed to secure administrative punishment against offenders, it added.

Other problems, the report said, is the lack of effort on the part of the government to provide all trafficking victims access to specialized services; minimal protection for male victims; and the continued demand for commercial sex acts.

The State Department also expressed concern on

Escudero quits as Senate finance chair MANILA – Francis Escudero quit as chairman of the Senate finance committee on Tuesday, July 28, the same day Malacañang was to submit to Congress the proposed national budget for 2016.

Citing “delicadeza,” the senator, who earlier said he might seek higher office next year, also resigned as co-chairman of the joint congressional oversight committee on public expenditures.

Escudero will, however, remain with the majority bloc.

“Ang rason na ‘binigay ko sa kanya ay delicadeza, dahil seryosong pinag-iisipan ko [ang] pagtakbo sa 2016.

Ayokong mabahiran ng anumang alegasyon o ng anumang pasaring na ‘yung budget ay nagagamit o ginagamit sa particular interes sa pulitika o partisan politcs,” Escudero told reporters about his resignation letter, which he submitted and was accepted by Senate President Franklin Drilon on Tuesday morning.

(The reason I gave him is propriety, because I am seriously considering running in 2016. I don’t want the 2016 budget to be tainted with any allegations of partisan politics.”)

Drilon, for his part, said Escudero’s voluntary resignation is “certainly commendable.”

The Senate finance committee is one of the powerful committees in Congress, as it determines allocations in the national budget.

Senators Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe shared the sentiment. When asked if Escudero’s resignation is necessary, Villar said the committee is “too powerful.”

“The finance committee is difficult because all people go to you for their budget and sometimes it’s too difficult,” Villar said in Filipino.

Poe, friend and ally of Escudero, said Escudero

did the right move. The two are said to be a formidable tandem in 2016, with talks of Poe running for the presidency and Escudero’s public announcement of his willingness to be Poe’s runningmate.

The reason I gave him is propriety, because I am seriously considering running in 2016.

I don’t want the 2016 budget to be tainted with any allegations of partisan politics.

- Escudero

“I think that’s really his personal decision. If he asked for my advice, I’d probably say the same thing. Masyadong fragile at sensitibo pag ang pinaguusapan ay pera ng bayan, pwede ka masabihan na ginagamit mo sa sariling interes kaya tama ang ginawa ni Senator Chiz,” Poe said in an ambush interview.

(I think that’s really his personal decision. If he asked for my advice, I’d probably say the same thing. The topic of public funds is too fragile and sensitive. You can be accused of using it for personal gains. Sen Chiz [Escudero] did the right thing.)

Poe said Escudero’s decision is a personal one and does not influence his decision for 2016.

MAJORITY BLOC Despite his resignation, Escudero said he would still be with the majority bloc in the Senate. After all, he said, what he did was in line with President Benigno Aquino III’s Daang Matuwid

There’s no excuse for abuse.

If you are or if anyone you know is in an abusive relationship and need information or services, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or for the agency in a specific area.

(Straight Path) campaign.

Malacañang saw no problem with Escudero’s resignation.

Aquino and Escudero are long-time friends and political allies. Escudero supported Aquino’s presidential campaign in 2010 and ran for re-election under the administration’s Team PNoy banner in 2013.

Palace Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr, in a text message, said Malacañang officials “respect” the senator’s decision.

There are talks Escudero will be the running mate of Senator Grace Poe, who is leading in national presidential preference surveys.

Escudero and Poe met with the President twice in the past weeks, but no decision has been reached on a possible tandem under the Liberal Party’s banner. Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II is the presumed standard-bearer of the ruling party. – Rappler. com

women and children—many from impoverished families, typhoon-stricken communities, and conflict areas—being subjected to domestic servitude, forced begging, forced labor in small factories, and sex trafficking in Manila, Cebu, Angeles, and urbanized cities in Mindanao.

CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING Child sex trafficking also remains a serious problem, it said.

“Child sex tourists include persons from Australia, New Zealand, and countries

in Northeast Asia, Europe, and North America. Filipino men also purchase commercial sex acts from child trafficking victims,” the State Department said.

It also expressed alarm that organized crime syndicates transport sex trafficking victims from China through the Philippines en route to other countries.

HOLD OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE The report urged the government to increase its efforts to hold government officials administratively and criminally accountable for trafficking and trafficking-related offenses through criminal prosecutions, convictions, and stringent sentences.

It also recommends expanding the continuous trial mechanism to increase the

speed of trafficking prosecutions, developing and implementing programs to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, and increasing the availability of shelter and protection resources for trafficking victims, particularly males.

The US Embassy assured that Washington is committed to working with the Philippine government and its people to prevent trafficking activities in the Philippines, to prosecute perpetrators, and to protect victims.

“We recognize the government of the Philippines’ progress on trafficking in persons and we look forward to continuing our close cooperation to tackle this regional and global issue,” it said. — GMA News

ENTERTAINMENT

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

Camille Prats’ Instagram

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Kapuso host and actress Camille Prats is engaged to her boyfriend VJ Yambao.

VJ surprised Camille at her family’s resort in Batangas surrounded by their loved ones.

Camille Prats’ second chance at love KAPUSO actress and host Camille Prats got the surprise of a lifetime as her non-showbiz boyfriend VJ Yambao proposed to her in front of family and friends last Saturday, July 18.

Posting a photo of himself kneeling in front of Camille on Instagram, VJ wrote, “Once in a while right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale.

Never did I imagine that the day will come that I will kneel down on one knee and ask you to be my wife.

I have always dreamed of giving you something you will never forget. With God’s grace and His perfect timing, this is where we are today. I thank God for all the things that are happening to us right now. To my fiancee, you

deserve nothing but goodness and happiness, I love you so much! Thank you to our family and friends who witnessed one of our milestones, thank you for all your love and support.”

thony Linsangan, who succumbed to nasopharyngeal cancer in 2011. “Today, this little boy and I got engaged,” she wrote. “I thank God for giving you to us mahal.

Thaaaaank you my love for such a sweet surprise. Di ko to kinaya infairness. I love Thaaaaank you you my future husband.” my love for such The actress, whom Filia sweet surprise. pino viewers have watched blossom from a promis- Camille ing child star to one of her generation’s most talented personalities, is currently a host on the GMA lifestyle Camille happily talk show Mars with Suzi reposted the photo of their Entrata-Abrera on GMA Life special moment, saying, “A TV. thousand times over, yes, yes, In an exclusive inand YES!” terview with GMA News, She also shared a photo Camille and VJ revealed that of her with Nathan, her son their wedding has been set from her first marriage to An- for 2017

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

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COMMUNITY

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United Pangasinanes of America celebrates its Golden Jubilee SAN FRANCISCO, CA.-The UNITED PANGASINANES OF AMERICA, INC. (UPA) is commemorating its 50th AnniversaryGolden Jubilee on August 08, 2015, Saturday, 6:00 PM to 1:30 AM at the Grand Ballroom of the South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 S. Airport Blvd., SSF. This is the highlight of the Annual Pangasinan Day Celebration Gala Banquet and Ball, with Past President and Director Emeritus Zosimo De Veas as Executive Chair and Past President nor serving as Vice President Ernesto Abalos as Executive Vice Chair.

All Pangasinenses, their friends and the public are cordially invited to come together to renew old friendships, build new ones, share a nostalgia for the good old days in the home province and enjoy a delightful summer evening in this great adopted country.

Before the difficult years of the 1930 Great Depression and World War II, there were several fore runner Pangasinan organizations. Their members became the pioneer trailblazers and visionaries for the United Pangasinanes of America, Inc., that we know today. In 1965 the UPA was formally incorporated under California Law as a non-profit charitable organization. It became the anchor group for the various Pangasinan town and city organizations that were soon established in the San Francisco Bay Area . In April 1976, after realizing enough funds from its charter Philippine Group tours for down payment, UPA purchased its own building. It is a 3-story

Mario Panoringan, 16th President of UPA

building on Mission St. in San Francisco, near Geneva Avenue.

The ceremonial burning of the Deed of Trust took place in 2006, marking the full payment and outright ownership of the Pangasinan Building by the organization. A selfsustaining property, with is two rental apartments in the second and third floors, the Pangasinan Center on the first floor is used as meeting and social hall. Several prominent personalities have visited the building including former President Fidel Ramos and his wife, Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., City Administrators and mayors of Pangasinan. We take pride in our building, which serves as a place of socializing and camaraderie for members. Many remarkable and memorable events had taken place along the years in the life of the UPA. The UPA is standing strong and draws its strength and staying power all these years from the unity, cooperation and mutual respect among the eight (8) living presidents

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

health care FOR undocumented children

Zosimo De Veas, Past President and Director Emeritus

and their members.

Retired Chamber CEO and current UPA President Mario Cendana-Panoringan, who hails from Pangasinan’s capital town of Lingayen said, he will continue to pursue Pangasinan unity through the existing affiliation drive open to Pangasinan town or city organizations, carry out its Scholarship, Sports, Youth Activities, Cultural Development, Awards Program, Mutual Assistance, and charitable donations in times of natural calamities and disasters in addition to the social and civic involvement.

Donation for the Golden Jubilee 50th Anniversary Banquet and Ball is $60.00 for a combination entrée of Steak and salmon, with music furnished by a live band. Attire is semi-formal.

For more information contact President Mr. Mario C. Panoringan, 650-892-3508; Secretary Dr. Charito RoxasWui, 650-296-2326; ExecChair Zosimo O. de Veas, 510-799-6179. Save the date and join the historic UPA Golden Jubilee Celebration.

In Loving Memory DRA. FE G. TORRES (wife of Dr. Godofredo Torres)

California’s nearly 2 million undocumented residents contributed $130 million each year to the state’s economy. Yet, more than half of them have no health insurance, forcing them to live sicker and die younger. Sen. Ricardo Lara spoke about California’s recent decision to provide health care to around 170,000 of its undocumented children, and how his Health For All bill, SB 4, will allow the state’s undocumented adults to purchase insurance with their own money on Covered California. Assemblymember Rob Bonta (right), the principal supporter of the bill, talked about its importance to API communities.

PH CONSULATE GENERAL INVITES PUBLIC

SUPPORT SPECIAL WORLD OLYMPICS LOS ANGELES 2015 LOS ANGELES – A Philippine Delegation of 36 Athletes and 16 Coaches/ Staff, headed by Ms. Delia A. Ortega, President and Ms. Kaye Samson, National Director of SO Philippines will join the 2015 Special Olympics (SO) World Games in Los Angeles on 24 July -02 August 2015. The 2015 SO World Games website states that the Philippine Athletes will be competing in Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Football (Soccer), Powerlifting, Table Tennis and Volleyball. The host town for SO Philippines is Santa Clarita City.

In line with the SO Games, a cultural connections festival will be featured to celebrate different regions

of the world with cultural and educational programs.

The program focuses on the seven days of Games-time activities between the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the World Games. Each of the seven Special Olympics Global Regions will be represented with its own dedicated day of authentic cultural performances, programming, food and other educational offerings.

In this regard, the Philippine Consulate General is pleased to announce that through the cooperation of the Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts, the Philippines is represented in the said Cultural Connection program. Kayamananng Lahi will have a 20 minuteperformance during the Asia

Pacific Day on 30 July 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at the University of Southern California (USC) Alumni Park (next to the Doheny Memorial Library), 3550 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089.

The festivals are free and open to the public.

The Philippine Consulate General enjoins the community to watch the cultural performance of Kayamanan Ng Lahi and to support the games of our athletes as they compete in their respective events.

For the regional breakdown of countries/territories with Special Olympics programs and other information, please visit the World Games Festival website at www.la2015.org.

August 28, 1933 - July 17, 2015

Confused about Medicare?

FE GANIBI TORRES died of heart attack last July 17, 2015 at the age of 81.

She is survived by her loving husband Dr. Godofredo Torres, her daughter Evelyn, her son Roland and daughter-in-law Victoria Bunag-Torres and her grandson Nathan and their families. We invite friends and family to attend the viewing and rosary on July 29th and 30th starting at 4pm at Cypress Lawn Funeral Home at 1370 El Camino Real, Colma CA. A funeral mass will be held on July 31 and she will then be placed in her final resting place at Cypress Lawn Cemetery.

HICAP SM is here to help.

For free, personalized and confidential counseling, call: 650-627-9350

HICAP SAN MATEO is a nonprofit administered by the federal and state government to provide counseling and advocacy for Medicare beneficiaries.

CLASSIFIED ADS

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

NATIVE Filipinos living in Charter communities are feeling closer to home with the recent launch of GMA International’s three Filipino channels: GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International, now available as part of the new Filipino View tier on Charter Spectrum TV™.

GMA’s flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV, first aired in the United States in August 2005, followed by GMA Life TV’s launch two years later. At present, GMA International’s broadcast services are available in almost a hundred countries and territories and in various platforms through partnerships with the biggest carriers across the globe.

With this latest launch, Charter Spectrum TV customers can enjoy the latest Filipino programs from GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and for the first time in the US, GMA News TV International direct from the Philippines.

“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we continue to uphold our commitment to bring quality Kapuso [Tagalog, meaning one in heart] programming to a wider audience. And for the first time, GMA News TV International will be available in the United States to provide our kababayans [fellow countrymen] with the most comprehensive and most credible news from home,” says GMA Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia.

“Spectrum TV offers a wide array of diverse, quality content that touches many cultures and we are pleased to bring GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA NewsTV International to our customers in these communities, and more will follow,” says Allan Singer, Charter Communications Senior Vice President, Programming.

Alongside GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV, GMA News TV International joins

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Filipinos abroad can enjoy various top-rating morning, afternoon, and primetime Kapuso shows on GMA Pinoy TV. A wide array of lifestyle programs can be seen on GMA Life TV. GMA News TV International is now widely available in the US for the first time on Spectrum TV

24 Oras anchors and GMA News Pillars (from left) Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco

CHARTER and GMA launch three Filipino channels on Spectrum TV the roster of channels served up by the network, marking its first availability in the United States.

GMA News TV International airs the latest, most relevant, most controversial Filipino and Regional Filipino news from home. It is supported by the Philippines’ most trusted, multiawarded news organization – GMA News and Public Affairs – and led by the most respected names in Philippine broadcast journalism today including Jessica Soho, Mike Enriquez, Mel Tiangco, Arnold Clavio, Vicky Morales, and Howie Severino.

Among the news programs are Brigada, a spin-off of GMA Network’s most popular new magazine program in the ‘90s, Brigada Siete; State of The Nation (SONA), which tackles the current issues with in-depth and comprehensive news reporting; Bawal ang Pasaway, which examines anomalies and political controversies with input from experts; and documentary programs Front Row and Reel Time, which tackle poverty and social issues. In recognition of the Filipino’s diverse culture, regional news programs are also made available via 24 Oras Regional, which serves

noyTV, www.facebook. com/gmalifetv, and www. facebook.com/gmanewsinternational, and Twitter pages @GMAPinoyTV and @ GMA_LifeTV.

Soho also anchors State of The Nation, which tackles the current issues with in-depth and comprehensive news reporting

hot news from Southern Mindanao, Central Visayas, and North Central Luzon.

In 2014, GMA won its fourth George Foster Peabody Award for its outstanding coverage of Typhoon Yolanda. GMA is the only news and public affairs organization in the country to have received this prestigious award for excellence in broadcast journalism.

Kapuso viewers abroad can catch the latest updates from GMA International channels by visiting the website www.gmanetwork.com/ international, Facebook pages www.facebook.com/GMAPi-

The topnotch documentary program, i-Witness has garnered numerous awards since its launch in 1999. It airs worldwide on GMA Pinoy TV.

Reel Time

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MILF chief negotiator wants to meet with senators on BBL MANILA -- Hopeful that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will be enacted under the Aquino administration, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said he intends to meet with all the senators individually.

In an ambush interview on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa for President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address, Iqbal said he sent a letter to all senators last month.

“When Congress resumes session, we are going to talk to them individually...Sinasabi namin na jointly signed by my counterpart and me, as chair of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, that when Congress resumes, we are going to pay a courtesy call to them individually,” Iqbal told reporters.

The BBL was stalled in the Senate after Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. junked the Malacanang-drafted proposal and instead said he will propose a sub-

stitute bill.

Marcos is the chairman of the Senate committee on local government tasked to discuss the provisions of the proposed Bangsamoro law.

The BBL is the product of the peace agreement signed between the Aquino government and the MILF. It seeks to create a Bangsamoro political entity which will replace the ARMM. The BBL is the product of the

peace agreement signed between the Aquino government and the MILF. It seeks to create a Bangsamoro political entity which will replace the ARMM. Iqbal admitted that the MILF sees “problems” in having the BBL passed in the Senate, but said that they will do “everything possible” to have it passed under the Aquino administration.

“There is no other way to do except really to pass the BBL. It has been long overdue and this should be the time to do it because the two agreements—FAB [Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro] and CAB [Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro]—were signed during the time of Aquino and then the BBL was drafted during his time,” he said.

“It would be natural that this President will see to it that it will pass,” Iqbal added.

— GMA News

AQUINO from A1 President Jejomar Binay – who was present at the president’s valedictory address – Aquino took exception with those who opposed his policy.

“The evidence of positive change is present everywhere,” Aquino said in Pilipino, yet there were those who considered the changes as too slow. It was Binay who had recently accused the administration of moving at a turtle pace, shortly after he resigned from the Cabinet.

Aquino sarcastically said that when “someone else” becomes president – meaning Binay – life would supposedly be better. This was a swipe at the vice president’s oft-repeated slogan “Gaganda ang buhay kay Binay (life will be better under Binay)” that was used during the 2010 campaign and is being used now by his camp in the run-up to the next year’s presidential elections.

In what became the most memorable line of Aquino’s SONA, the president said that the best reply to those who kept repeating the Binay campaign slogan was, “Eh di wow!”

Allies and opponents of Aquino could not help but note that there was no mention of the Mamasapano incident that resulted in the deaths of 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force earlier this year, considered the worst crisis of the president’s administration.

Media also took note of his failure to include the proposed Freedom of Information Act during the speech. But the day after his SONA, Aquino asked his allies in Congress to prioritize the FOI bill.

Media also took note of his failure to include the proposed Freedom of Information Act during the speech.

But the day after his SONA, Aquino asked his allies in Congress to prioritize the FOI bill.

Aquino’s thanks were not limited to his official family. As part of his speech and to lighten the mood, the president also thanked his designer, hair stylist, even his yaya (nursemaid). Of his hair stylist Cherry Reyes, Aquino said she had to make do with what little hair he

had left. Reyes had to work with “unlimited wants with very limited resources,” he said.

The final Aquino SONA was marred when, at its end, the Makabayan bloc of party list representatives created a commotion when they unfurled anti-Aquino posters.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte said he was “embarrassed” by the actions of the seven-member bloc, and the rest of the 40 party list congressmen distanced themselves from the act by saying “Makabayan is not representative” of the group, which is allied with the administration coalition in the House of Representatives.

Binay said that he would deliver what he called TSONA, or True State of the Nation Address, in the near future.

With his final SONA behind him, Aquino is expected to endorse Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as his chosen successor. This, despite the public’s growing preference for Senator Grace Poe as the country’s next president.

The president has often said that he plans to retire from politics for good when he steps down next year.

Unless he has a change of heart – there have been suggestions that he run for vice president alongside Mar Roxas – the end of the Philippines’ second Aquino presidency is already in sight.

LAWYER from A1 language – familiar to non-speakers through the immortal courtship song, “Pamulinawen” — is long forgotten. Her wish is for the younger generation Filipino Americans who descended from Ilocano elders to learn the language and make it a vibrant part of their lives.

“In my own house, my children speak Ilocano,” she said in an interview with The FilAm. “When I meet with members of the association, I conduct my meetings in Ilocano and English.”

Dulce, 61, a lawyer, comes from San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. Ilocano is her first language. She has neither forgotten it nor consciously blocked it from memory as some immigrants tend to in their attempts to assimilate.

Her husband Caesar, who works with the Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities organization in Long Island, helps enforce the rules. “We make sure to keep the dialect. We need to keep it going.”

Dulce came to the U.S. in 1987 after she earned her law degree from Ateneo de Manila and passed the bar.

She is currently a per diem attorney who handles cases in the areas of Personal Injury, Family Law, No-Fault, Foreclosure, Art. 81 Guardianships, Credit Collection, and Arbitrations.

She volunteers to handle some cases pro bono through the Queens Volunteer Lawyers Program in Queens County of New York.

Although the IAAINY was founded in the 1980s, Dulce herself became active only in the last three years. She was invited by her family friend, Brenda Talisaysay, a longtime member. She became the public relations officer shortly after joining.

“I have heard about the group and attended some of their affairs.

I’ve known about them through some of the people close to me,” she said.

Like hundreds other Philippine regional organizations in the New York area, the Ilocano association

has served members who want to keep their connection with a culture and people known for their hardy and frugal ways. The IAAINY gives back through fundraising and tuition assistance programs for the youth.

With the same passion that the association wants to revive the language, the members also want to make known another cultural distinction: its culinary specialties.

The group’s website states how it “aims to promote and preserve our rich culture, beautiful customs and traditions, and strong work ethic and family values of Filipinos, in general, and Ilocanos, in particular, among Filipino-Americans, particularly the youth.”

“I am typical Ilocano American, a hardworking immigrant,” Dulce said. “We Ilocanos are very mixed, we are professionals and also bluecollar workers. We are teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, corporate people mixed with people working in construction, restaurants.”

Ilocanos, she added, are a mobile people who have moved around a lot, “from the farthest north to the farthest south of the country,” in search of a quality of life that may be modest yet steady enough to raise a family. Coming to the U.S., some of them initially settled in Hawaii, others moving to the mainland for better opportunities in terms of jobs and education for

their children.

What many may not know is that the association owns a building in Jamaica, Queens, which for many years it had leased to the Filipino American Human Services, Inc. or FAHSI. Lawyer Reuben Seguritan, who founded FAHSI, is the legal counsel of IAAINY. Association members come from the northern provinces of Ilocos Norte , Ilocos Sur , Abra , La Union, Apayao , Cagayan , Isabela , Nueva Vizcaya , and Quirino. Those who may not have originated from these provinces but speak the language are encouraged to join. Among its noted members are Reuben and his wife Cora Seguritan, doctor Emilio Quines, PIDCI’s Angie Molina, marketing executive Grace Labaguis, and Handang Tumulong’s Ave Pimo.

With the same passion that the association wants to revive the language, the members also want to make known another cultural distinction: its culinary specialties.

“Our ‘pinakbet’ has no squash,” said Dulce smiling at the thought that this classic Ilocano vegetable stew may have been misappropriated and mislabeled over the years.

“Pinakbet, which is very Ilocano, has a lot of vegetables in it, okra, patani, green beans, bitter melon, eggplant, ginger and garlic, but no squash. The Tagalogs put in the squash.”

And the Ilocano adobo? “Ours is dry, has very little sauce, but lots of ‘mantika!”

The group counts about 30 families in its active roster.

Did she say “families”?

Laughed Dulce, “We’re getting young people more involved. That’s our thrust right now. The older generation wants to retire.”

Turning serious, she underscored how young people can infuse new ideas and move the association forward into the New World.

Said Dulce, “Slowly we’ll get there.” —The FilAm

MOLESTING MINOR IN CALIFORNIA

Pinoy accused of sexual assualt A REGISTERED Filipino sex offender was arrested last week for sexual assault after authorities found a 14-year-old girl earlier reported missing in his home in Santa Clarita, California, reports said.

Kaene Dean, however, denied the charges of oral copulation of a person under 16 and performing a lewd act on a child before the San Fernando Superior Court on July 20, according to a report on The Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

According to prosecutors, Dean, 26, “willfully, unlawfully and lewdly commit a lewd and lascivious act upon and with the body of (the alleged victim), who was 14 years old, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, and gratifying the lust, passions, and sexual desires of the defendant.”

Dean will appear before court once more for the preliminary hearing on August 18.

A July 21 report on the LA Times said Dean was released on bail from immigration custody after it was revealed that he was staying in the US illegally.

It added that the Filipino had been convicted of lewd conduct in public in 2008 and indecent exposure on March 14, 2014, resulting in a six-month sentence in state prison.

He also received a sentence of 16 months for burglary.

Dean was able to post a $10,00 bond within six months of his detention as a result of a bond hearing initially designed to allow detainees to “reunite with their families while fighting their deportations”.

A report on KTLA said Dean’s latest victim was reported missing two days before she was found locked his garage on July 15.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was able to track the girl down to Dean’s garage after tracing a number found on the girl’s phone records to Dean himself.

According to the girl, Dean befriended and convinced her to exchange phone numbers at a grocery store. He then took her home after meeting at the same store the following day.

—GMA News

FIL-BRIT from A1 at the Royal Variety Performance in 2001, said Richman already offered to cook for her and her two daughters in light of her less-than-desirable cooking skills.

“I was like, ‘you haven’t faced a Filipino girl before!’ He’s very sweet, he’s offered to come over and BBQ for the girls. Toughest audience yet! Especially if it’s not macaroni cheese!” she said.

In 2014, Klass accompanied her Filipina mother Magdalena on a charity trip with Save The Children to build houses for Typhoon Yolanda victims.

Quoting the pair’s interview on ITV’s Daybreak, The Daily Mail re-

ported that Klass found it incredibly difficult to see children “hungry and tired” as their families struggled to “help themselves” in the aftermath of the typhoon.

“We’re out there and you realize there is still so much more that needs to be done, the scale is devastating… the one thing that hits you about the Filipino people is their resilience,” Klass said.

“They’re strong, they’re loyal they want to help themselves and they are helping themselves but they need that extra bit of help from people that have a bit more,” she added. — GMA News

PARALYZED from A1 has no medical coverage.

Earlier this year, Venancio was unsure if she would be deported.

Now, she doesn’t need to worry about deportation – at least for the next two years, after she was granted another two-year work permit.

Edmonton MP and Minister for State Multiculturalism Tim Uppal told Venancio the news on July 24.

“I was very pleased to be able to tell that news to Vicky in person,” Uppal told CBC News.

“I’m in heaven right now,” Venancio told CBC News. “It’s not only my victory. It’s [for] everyone who is supporting me and praying for me.”

Back in the Philippines, “her family lives 3 hours from a major center and the simple lack of infrastructure would present incredible challenges to her,” her lawyer Chris Bataluk told CTV News.

Bataluk said: “She’s becoming more independent. And here in Canada, where we have things we take for granted, like paved streets and DATS buses, she has the opportunity to progress and live a relatively fulfilling life.”

Venancio is also suing her former employer for medical and disability coverage. According to local media reports, Alberta’s health minister met with Venancio and said she would try to restore Venancio’s health benefits.

At present, she is receiving free treatment at the University of Alberta.

Canada’s immigration laws have been under heat by immigration activists lately, especially the “4 and 4 rule,” which was introduced in 2011.

The rule mandates that temporary workers who have entered Canada after April 1, 2011 can work in the country for 4 years, but must leave again for 4 years before being allowed re-entry.

Prior to this rule, workers could simply reapply for another work permit and continue staying in Canada.

This law could force at least 70,000 migrants to leave Canada.

Before being granted the new permit, Venancio was issued an exclusion order in a deportation hearing – which would not allow her to return to Canada if she left. – Rappler.com

LABOR from A1 It added that Shalom and Imperial expressed support for the early resumption of negotiations on a BLA between the Philippines and Israel to boost the competitiveness of Filipino caregivers in Israel. -- GMA News

DETAILS from A1 still gathering more information on the case.

“We note the statement of the family reported by the media, however we are still acquiring more information,” he said.

Ignacio went to the US to work in March. She passed her licensure exams in Guam, which made her eligible to work in five states in the US. The young therapist eventually found work in a nursing facility in Kansas. — GMA News

Save the children More than 5 children die everyday from abuse in the United States.

Call the National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) to report suspected child abuse in the U.S., its territories, and Canada.

(Norcal/Nat’l/SC/LV) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

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Q: How can I get my name off a student loan that I co-signed?

A:

How to save on bank fees and charges in the PH

By MoneyMax.ph

HAVING a bank account apart from a payroll ATM is something that most people forego. Many reason that it’s costly to maintain, or that they don’t have the extra money for it. Even though 80% of the general population doesn’t have a bank account, it’s still an essential part of personal finance, especially when you want to save up.

As such, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) – in its continued efforts to promote financial literacy – has partnered with MoneyMax.Ph to urge those who do have bank accounts to read the fine print of the account documents your

banks send to you.

Given that there are fees and charges that come with maintaining a bank account, it’s important to have an understanding of what makes it up.

Just taking this time could save you hundreds of pesos in fees.

But how else can you save on bank fees and charges?

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR Among the things in your deposit literature, the BSP encourages that you pay close attention to the following: • service fees • falling below average daily balance (ADB) • dormancy fee

• ATM transaction fee • fee for checks written against insufficient funds • interbranch transaction fees MIND THE SERVICE AND TRANSACTION FEES Banks charge their depositing clients a certain amount for maintenance and transaction. Some of these fees are for deposits that fall below the minimum Average Daily Balance (ADB). Larger fees may apply to excess withdrawals, inter-branch transactions, and if you close the account within a year of opening it.

Here’s a sample of fees from a major bank to give you a general idea of what you might encounter.

It’s important to be aware of the service and transaction fees that come with your account to help you better manage the costs of maintaining it. This way, you don’t lose money while you’re trying to save it.

FALLING BELOW ADB Any deposit account you open with a bank carries a required maintaining balance.

This amount is held in the account and differs from the required minimum amount for earning interest. Falling below the minimum maintaining balance may mean extensive fees. The charges and fees for falling below the ADB are computed at the end of each month.

How to avoid this fee: Keep an eye on how much

money there is in your account to make sure you’re above the maintaining balance.

DORMANCY According to the regulations set forth by the BSP, an account is considered “dormant” after two years of no deposits, or a year without withdrawals. Dormant accounts are subject to a fee that is determined by the bank, and is taken from the amount still in the account.

How to avoid this fee: it’s best to make deposits every now and again, regardless of the amount. If you have an account you haven’t used in a while and no longer need, close it to avoid dormancy.

BOUNCED CHECKS If you have a checking account, it’s important to know how much money is in it.

Not only are bounced checks embarrassing, they could also cost you at least Php 2,000 in fees – not to mention Php 200 for every Php 40,000 fraction of the check amount per day if your check bounces.

How to avoid this fee: Keep your checking account balanced and up to date. This prevents you from incurring these fees, and there’s less of a risk of bounced checks.

The BSP, as a matter of policy, does not actually keep a ceiling on the fees and charges that banks can impose on their clients. There is the matter of transparency between banks and their clients, but the fact is that you can avoid exorbitant fees and charges on your bank account by using these simple tips.

during Aquino administration

Foreign, domestic investments surge MANILA -- Investment inflows from foreign and domestic firms increased during the past five years of the Aquino administration.

President Benigno S. Aquino III, during his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, said net foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the country in 2014 reached $6.2 billion from $1.07 billion in 2010.

Net FDI surged by almost 500 percent from 2010 to 2014.

On the other hand, domestic investments become upbeat during the current administration, the Chief Executive said.

He mentioned that when his administration started in the third quarter of 2010 up to end-2014, domestic investments amounted to P2.09 trillion from P1.24 trillion in 2003 to 2010 period.

The upbeat investment inflows in the country, President Aquino said, was pushed by developments in the national economy such as gaining in-

vestment grades from global investment rating institutions which translates that the Philippines a good investment destination with lower risks to businesses.

He also mentioned that the country has further climbed in the Global Competitiveness Index rankings and is now called as “Asia’s Rising tiger” and “Asia’s Rising Star”.

“Lahat ng ito ay direktang resulta ng pagsulong ng reporma sa daang matuwid,” President Aquino said. -- (PNA)

Public warned vs high yield returns ILOILO CITY - - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reminded the public especially ordinary households and overseas Filipino workers to be extra careful on investments that are promising high yield returns.

“Once the offer is too good, it is not true,” said SEC Commissioner Manuel Gaite during a press briefing for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation here, July 22.

He said companies even if they are registered with SEC as ordinary corporations need secondary license in order to sell investment securities.

Joining Gaite in the press briefing was Finance Under-

secretary Gil Beltran who also emphasized the importance of checking the company’s registration before investing.

“Before you invest in any instruments make sure that the entity that is handling the investment, where you put your money is registered with SEC, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and other regulators, it is very important,” said Beltran.

He also encouraged the public to invest in longer term money which is usually invested in mutual funds, in equities and stock markets.

“Deposits have very low interests and they are shorter money, what we want is longer term money,” said Beltran.

Beltran said regulators have been going around the country especially the BSP trying to educate Filipinos on the merits of investing in financial instruments aside from deposits.

“Opportunities like these where returns are much better should be known to everybody,” said Beltran.

Beltran and Gaite also shared with reporters during the briefing some of the highlights of the APEC workshop such as the issue of capital market development, particularly one of the proposed initiatives under the Cebu Action Plan which is the Asia region fund’s passport. -- (PIA)

When you co-sign a loan, you become equally liable for the loan as the person who took it out. In most cases, the person taking out the loan has bad or no credit. That is the reason the banks would not approve them for a loan. When you co-sign for a loan, you must be 100% prepared to pay off the loan for the other person if they default on it. That is why never co-sign for a loan. It does not matter if it is a student, car or or any kind of a loan for that matter. If the person who took out the loan defaults, the creditor has every right to collect from you since you guaranteed the loan. That’s what co-signing means.

I have to tell this story again. A client called me about her niece who cannot get a student loan. Her sister had bad credit and could not co-sign for her child so she did. After a few months in school the niece got pregnant and stopped going to school. The niece claims that she never finished the course so why should she have to pay for it? The sister kept promising to pay for the loan but was not making any effort to. So my client, the Aunt ended up paying for the loan since she does not want her credit damaged. Now the sisters don’t even speak to each other.

See what I mean. You will create enemies out of friends or relatives when they do not want to pay up and you will end up paying for it. So the best move is to let them be angry at you for not co-signing but at least you do not have to fork up for someone elses unpaid debt and it does not become your problem.

So, if you have bad credit and cannot get a loan by yourself, give me call so we can take care of your unpaid debts and recycle your credit. We can settle any outstanding debts for much

less that you owe.

If you need help in getting out of credit card debts, call Debt Aid Consulting. We have free Credit Repair after your program.

We do not use call centers which keeps your information safe. We have a new program that keeps collectors away.

You need not even have to bother with them. We take Federal Credit Unions, Military Debts and Payday loans in our program too. This is the concept of our newest program where collectors are restraint from contacting you.

This is exclusively available for Debt Aid Consulting clients. No one else has this program in the market. You are well protected.

We also provide “Free Credit Repair” to all our current and future clients. Go with the best. Go with Debt Aid Consulting!

Do not fall for marketing gimmicks saying that they have the right program for you. Most marketing companies only have one program and will enroll you in that program whether it fits you or not. So beware!

Ben Lou at your service! I have over 30 years of real financial experience. If you would like sound financial advice, call us at Debt Aid Consulting.

We do not use call centers like Financial Rescue. Say no to LLC corporations in Canada! Debt Aid Consulting is the first and only Filipino debt restructuring company incorporated in the US and Canada.

Now serving the Caribbean Islands!

Tawag na po sa 1-888-341-5234 at tutulungan po namin kayo.

Itama po natin ang mali!

Tawag na sa Debt Aid Consulting

888-341-5234

Itama po natin ang mali!

The opinion and information expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the views of Philippine News.

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(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

Sexual impotence WHAT IS IMPOTENCE? With the advances in medical science, the experts have replaced the word impotence with a less pejorative and less derogatory name.

Today, impotence is referred to as Erectile Dysfunction (ED), the inability to attain and maintain an erection for a satisfactory sexual intercourse. While the word impotence used to connote a hopeless and permanent condition, Erectile Dysfunction nowadays is synonymous with a disability that can be treated with great success in most cases.

HOW COMMON IS ED? Erectile Dysfunction affects an estimated 20 million men older than 18 years of age in the United States alone. The prevalence is 52% among men aged 40 to 70, and the incidence increases with age. Normally, men who are otherwise healthy can enjoy sex throughout life, even after age 70, albeit less frequently, with softer erection, and the amount and force of the ejaculate somewhat diminished. With currently available medication, the quality of erection can be improved more than 95% in majority of cases.

(caused by a medical disease), which can be treated.

WHAT IS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF ED? The major cause is usually vascular, where the arteries supplying the male genitals are blocked with arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) due to cholesterol deposits, like those blockages found in the coronary arteries of the heart that cause heart attacks. Others include hormonal disorders (hypo or hyperthyrodism, etc), drug use (those taking medications for high blood pressure, etc.), WHAT ARE THE and neurologic disorders CAUSES OF ERECTILE (stroke, multiple sclerosis, DYSFUNCTION? spinal cord injuries, etc).

The etiology of ED CAN THE could be primary (the man PENILE ARTERIES has NEVER been able to get BE BLOCKED? and maintain erections at all) Yes, the tiny arteries to and this is almost always due to some psychologic reasons, the male organ itself can be obstructed by cholesterol like fear of intimacy, sexual guilt, severe anxiety, depres- deposits, and as a result, not enough blood enters the male sion. Rarely, the primary genital to fill it up to cause factor is biogenic, usually associated with low levels of distension and erection. To attain and maintain erectestosterone and associated with hypothalamic-pituitary- tion, the penis must be fully gonadal axis (brain-hormonal filled with blood to keep it engorged and hard. There disorders). The other cause are many factors. Among could be secondary, where the man previously was able the causes of blockage are to attain and sustain erections smoking cigarettes (a major but presently could not. More culprit!), eating red meats than 90% of these are organic (pork, beef, and any dish

Erectile Dysfunction affects an estimated 20 million men older than 18 years of age in the United States alone. The prevalence is 52% among men aged 40 to 70, and the incidence increases with age.

Patients with diabetes more likely to develop tuberculosis SYDNEY -- Patients with diabetes are much more likely to develop tuberculosis in the tropics than the general population, Australian scientists revealed Monday.

A 20-year James Cook University (JCU) study, which looked at data from the Townsville Hospital in northern Queensland from 1995-2014, has found the weakened immune systems of diabetics make them more vulnerable to tuberculosis (TB) than the general population.

Director of Microbiology at Townsville Hospital, Dr. Robert Norton said people with diabetes suffered from “immune dysregulation” and were more prone to contracting the deadly infection.

“You can have TB your whole life and not know it, but if you suffer from diabetes and your immune system is not functioning well, it can flare

up,” Norton said.

You can have TB your whole life and not know it, but if you suffer from diabetes and your immune system is not functioning well, it can flare up,”

The study, published in American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, showed that while the overall numbers were lower, the proportion of diabetics developing TB was the same as in lessdeveloped countries.

Scientists had assumed

that higher standards of care for diabetic patients in Australia and the relative rarity of TB meant there was not as strong a link between the two ailments.

Norton said the findings support the view that there must be screening of patients with diabetes for latent TB in any setting.

“It is especially important because the prevalence of type two diabetes is increasing at a very significant pace,” Norton said.

Tuberculosis, which commonly affects the lungs, remains the leading cause of bacterial death worldwide despite improvements in sanitation and antibiotic coverage over the last century.

It is estimated that if diabetes could be reduced by 35 percent globally, 1.5 million TB deaths and 7.8 million infections could be prevented.

-- (PNA/Xinhua)

30 minutes of exercise is key to health in old age PARIS, France – Elderly men who do 30 minutes of physical activity 6 days a week are likely to have a 40% lower risk of death compared to couch-potato counterparts, researchers said Friday, May 15 For men in this age group, just a small amount of regular exercise –regardless of intensity – is as beneficial as giving up smoking, they said.

The evidence comes from a major project in Norway called the Oslo Study.

In it, doctors enrolled thousands of men born between 1923 and 1932, who were given health checkups and volunteered information about their lifestyle and physical activity.

The initiative was launched in 1972-1973 with a first survey among nearly 15,000 men.

In 2000, the survey was repeated among the same group, of whom 12,700 had survived.

Of these 5,700 were able or willing to continue in the

research. By 2011, deaths irrespective of whether the reduced this total to just under activity was light or vigorous,” 3,600. their study said.

Among those who exercised vigorously – defined as Researchers say hard training several times elderly men who a week – the lifespan was whopping 5 years longer do 30 minutes of athan among those who were physical activity 6 sedentary.

The study, led by Ingar days a week are Holme, a professor at the Norwegian School of Sports likely to have a Sciences, is published online 40% lower risk of in the British Journal of Sports death compared Medicine.

Volunteers who took part to couch-potato in the study after the relaunch in 2000 were the healthiest counterparts survivors of the original batch, which potentially skews some of the data.

But even when this is The researchers were struck by the impact of regu- taken into account, the benefits lar physical exercise during the of regular exercise were clear, 2000-2011 period, when the the authors said.

“Physical activity should volunteers were aged in their be targeted to the same extent seventies or eighties.

“A mortality reduction as smoking with respect to of 40 percent was associated public health prevention efwith a moderate use of time forts in the elderly,” they said.

(30 minutes, 6 days a week) –Rappler.com

made of any of these two), eggs, butter, cheese, and other foods that are high in cholesterol, and lack of daily physical exercises. The healthier diet consists of fish, vegetables, fruits, high fiber oats, bran and wheat, and a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement. We do not have to eat red meats and eggs to stay healthy. As a matter of fact, it would be healthier for all of us if we stayed away from them. Diabetes also aggravates hardening of the arteries.

HOW DOES SMOKING CAUSE HARM? Smoking has many bad effects on our health.

It causes thickening of our blood that lead to blood clot formation on the walls of the arteries throughout our body.

As a result of this, the clotted blood becomes so hard it blocks the arteries, like junk blocking our kitchen sink or sewer pipes. This blockage (arteriosclerosis) affect the coronary arteries of the heart, the cerebral arteries of the brain, arteries of the genitals, arteries to the legs and feet.

The other harmful effect of smoking is from the poisonous smoke (the nicotine/tar/ other chemical combination in the cigarettes) that constantly irritates the sensitive mucosal lining of our breathing pipes and the lungs. This causes not only emphysema (“burned” lung tissues) but cancer of the throat, breathing pipes, the lungs, breasts, and other organs in the body

in both males and females.

Erectile Dysfunction is another side effect of smoking.

DOES PROSTATE SURGERY CAUSE ED? Yes, surgery of the prostate gland in men causes Erectile Dysfunction in most, if not all, patients. Those with TUR (Trans Urethral Resection for removal of BPH, benign prostatic hypertrophy: super-enlarged prostate gland that blocks urine flow) have 40% incidence of Erectile Dysfunction. But nowadays, this condition is no longer a hopeless situation like it was about five years ago. Today, we have a medication that takes care of this surgical complication.

WHAT IS THIS “WONDER” DRUG? The “magic” medication is Sildenafil Citrate (Viagra), which we have written about in this column when it was first approved in the United States in March 1998, is a miracle drug to many. This oral tablet has revolutionized the management of impotence, which has since then been renamed Erectile Dysfunction, a much less ominous condition. The success rate in the treatment of ED is so high this condition does not pose much of a problem any more in majority of cases. In 2012 alone, 8 million prescription for Viagra was dispensed, a total sales of about 2 billion dollars. Its generic (much cheaper) version will come out in 2019.

HOW IS VIAGRA USED? The manufacturer recommends taking one 50-mg tablet an hour before sex but we are warning the readers

that those on any medication with Nitrates MUST NOT take Viagra because Nitrates and Viagra are a dangerous combination. We suggest those interested in this medication to consult with their physician before taking this wonder drug.

DOES ALCOHOL CAUSE ED? One drink does not cause Erectile Dysfunction, but excessive alcohol ingestion (two or more drinks) could cause temporary ED. This condition can also be situational, involving time, place, damaged self-esteem, a particular partner, or some perceived competitive defeat.

The psychological component is very strong. Hence, it is very important that a romantic ambiance and a happy rapport between lovers are a prelude to sexual intimacy in order for the partners to experience the fulfillment and true joy of sex.

HOW DOES ONE KNOW WHICH TREATMENT IS BEST? After an interview, physical examination and some appropriate tests, the physician (usually a Urologist) will determine and prescribe a treatment regimen for the patient. The management is tailored to the individual situation. It is for this reason why it is very important to seek medical help as promptly as possible, because the earlier it is diagnosed, the simpler it is to manage and the greater the success rate is.

Please visit philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

for Southern California

Safety Urged as Heat Wave, Thunderstorms Approach With the National Weather Service predicting tripledigit temperatures and thunderstorms in some areas of the region beginning Wednesday, Southern California Edison (SCE) urges its customers to stay safe while staying cool.

SCE has also called a Save Power Day for Wednesday. Customers participating in the conservation program can earn up to $100 in bill credits per year for conserving energy between 2-6 p.m.

The weather service is forecasting that a hot and humid weather pattern, along with possible isolated thunderstorms, will linger over SCE’s service area, including Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, through at least Saturday. Lightning is possible as well.

“During heat waves and especially thunderstorms, it is important that people size up their situation and take the appropriate precautions,” said Don Neal, SCE director of Corporate Environmental,

Health and Safety. “For example, if you hear thunder, even in the distance, immediately find a safe place. Fully enclosed buildings with wiring and plumbing or hard-topped metal vehicles with closed windows are best.”

SCE also reminds customers to never approach or touch a downed power line or dangling wire — even if it appears not to be live — and call 911 immediately. Outages also may leave traffic signals out, so approach those intersections as four-way stops.

Customers may report or inquire about outages at 1-800611-1911 and get the latest information from the outage page at sce.com/outages. They can also download the “My SCE” app for outage updates on their smartphones. Updates also are shared via Twitter.

To sign up for the Save Power Day program, go to: sce.com/spd. Customers can select how they would like to be notified, either by phone, email or text.

To stay cool — and con-

serve energy — during the heat wave, SCE customers are urged to set their thermostats no lower than 78 degrees and to reduce electricity use between noon-6 p.m., the peak hours of energy usage.

Other tips to conserve energy and stay cool, include: • Use electric fans instead of air conditioning when practical.

• Close drapes and blinds to keep out direct sunlight during hot periods.

• Limit how often you open your refrigerator door.

• When possible, businesses should shift powerintensive work processes to morning or evening hours.

“In addition to thunderstorm precautions, customers should minimize outdoor activities during severe heat and drink plenty of water in order to stay hydrated to avoid heat illness or heat stroke,” said Neal. “And if you’re planning outdoor activities the rest of this week, monitor the weather.

Don’t be caught off guard.”

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015 MULTINATIONAL crew members of the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) wrapped up participation in a humanitarian assistance disaster relief (HADR) seminar July 24 hosted by Philippine government agencies at Capiz State University.

Dozens of stakeholders representing a diverse makeup of countries and organizations attended the weeklong event to better prepare all involved in responding to a natural disaster in the region.

“This was the first time that something like this has been done in the Philippines, where a whole region came together [to work on disaster response,]” said U.S. Army Capt. John Karlsson, a civil affairs team leader.

Representatives from six provinces and ten agencies from the Philippines were in attendance, including the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast

TOP NEWS

USNS Mercy crew participate in PH humanitarian assistance disaster relief seminar Guard, and multiple government agencies.

The seminar featured discussions from subject matter experts on lessons learned from HADR operations during the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines), a category 5 super typhoon, which cut across the central Philippines in 2013. The story killed more than 6,000 people and caused more than $2 billion in damage.

“We cannot work alone as first responders. We need help in [the province of] Antique,” said Leoderrick Benitez, a first responder who works for the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) for Antique.

“For instance, in Typhoon Yolanda, we were very overwhelmed during that typhoon. We need some logistics resources and a network [we can call upon.] That’s why we are very grateful to work with people from all of these other countries.”

Filipino first responders were taught how to use a vehicle extrication tool to safely remove crash victims from crushed vehicles. Through donations made by Project Handclasp, 10 extrication tool sets were distributed to PDRRMO teams.

“We were able to distribute this equipment, show some people some online videos, and give some hands-on training. We know that this is now going to save

PH, Indonesia officials to meet on Mary Jane Veloso case MANILA -- Filipino and Indonesian officials are scheduled to meet in Jakarta this week to discuss developments in the cases filed in the Philippines against the recruiters of convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

On July 29, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice will be meeting with Indonesian officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and the Attorney General’s Office, the DFA said.

The meeting is intended

to update Indonesia on the progress of the case filed against Veloso’s recruiter Kristina Sergio, who was charged with illegal recruitment, human smuggling, and estafa.

They will also discuss the possible assistance available to Veloso under the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Among Like-Minded ASEAN Member Countries or ASEAN MLAT. “This is part of the DFA’s continuous commitment to provide assistance to Mary Jane Veloso,” the DFA said.

Veloso, 30, was spared from death at the last minute

when the Indonesian government unexpectedly ordered a stay in her execution following President Benigno S. Aquino III’s last minute appeal to counterpart Jokowi Widodo to turn her into a witness.

The Filipino entered Indonesia from Malaysia as a tourist and was arrested by authorities in Yogyakarta in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were found in her luggage.

Veloso maintained her innocence, saying she was tricked by Sergio into bringing the suitcase to Indonesia.

(PNA)

Honda speaks out on 8th anniversary of Comfort Women Resolution WASHINGTON, D.C.– This week marks the eighth anniversary of Mike Honda’s (D-Silicon Valley) H.Res. 121 that calls on the Government of Japan to formally and unambiguously apologize to the ‘comfort women’ of WWII and amend their history books to recognize their wartime history and mistakes of their past.

“Prime Minister Abe had an historic opportunity in April to unequivocally apologize for how Japan treated the 200,000 ‘comfort women’ of WWII. As he prepares to once again speak publicly as the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII approaches, I strongly urge the Prime Minister to seize this opportunity to deliver an apology on behalf of the Japanese government. Only then can

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we finally bring some peace and justice to the women who suffered so terribly at the hands of Japanese soldiers,” said Congressman Honda.

“Japan must acknowledge the mistakes of the past and amend its history books so that future generations will know the truth of what happened and not be condemned to repeat it.”

In 2007, Congressman Honda worked with his colleagues and shepherded H.Res. 121 through the committee process and eventually secured unanimous approval of the resolution in the House of Representatives. In April of this year, Honda sent a bipartisan letter to Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kenichiro Sasae, calling on him to urge Prime Minister Abe to formally

lives,” said Karlsson.

Members of the Japan Self Defense Force also provided a briefing on the disaster response efforts following the Great East Earthquake of Japan in March 2011.

“It was apparent during the workshop that our Japanese friends wanted to share their experiences. The one thing that they expressed was the difficulties that they had during the earthquake and tsunami,” said Giselle Grace Gerial, a representative from the Philippine Department of the Interior. “If I hadn’t interacted with them, I might have thought that the Philippines is behind compared to the things other countries are doing. But, after interacting with them I realized that we

are actually on par in terms of planning, but our challenges lie in implementation of our plan.”

Pilots and air crewmen from U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21, “Blackjacks,” provided training on how to find and mark helicopter landing zones in the field. Also, the aircrew provided a take-off and landing demonstration, as well as familiarization flights at Capiz State University’s sports stadium.

“What we saw during the relief efforts after Typhoon Yolanda, was when a helicopter tries to land, so many people flocked to the helicopter landing zone,” said Karlsson. “It’s a problem across multiple agencies…

What we were able to do is bring everyone together and talk about roles and responsibilities, and actually practice that.”

U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy medical per-

sonnel also provided training on how to respond to crushing injuries during a disaster scenario. However, probably the most valuable lesson learned during the seminar was learning to work together across multiple countries and agencies, said Karlsson.

“What we really did was get people to solve problems together,” he said. “The region was very interested in collaborating together as a whole. Just by putting all the right people in the room together, there were new ideas, and it showed people how to work together.”

Now in its tenth iteration, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region.

Mercy arrived in Roxas City July 18 and will depart Aug. 4 to transit to Subic Bay and continue its mission in the Philippines.

postponed AGAIN

Corona arraignment on tax evasion case MANILA -- For the 10th time, the Court of Tax Appeals has postponed the arraignment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona over a tax evasion-related case.

On Monday, the Second Division moved Corona’s arraignment for non-filing of tax returns charges to September 7 pending the resolution of a petition for review before the court en banc.

The defense is questioning the filing of charges against Corona under Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code at the same time.

“He was previously arraigned for Section 255.

It’s our contention na hindi pwedeng mag-plead for both 254 and 255,” lawyer Rean

Balisi, legal counsel of Corona, told reporters.

The government filed six counts of tax evasion against Corona under Section 254 and another six counts of violations under Section 255 for failure to file income tax returns for the years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Meanwhile, the division denied the defense’s motion to defer the preliminary conference and pre-trial conference for charges filed under Section 255.

The preliminary conference will be held on Monday afternoon while the pre-trial conference will proceed as scheduled for July 29.

The defense already filed

a motion for reconsideration before the Second Division to drop the case under Section 254. The court, however, denied the motion.

Asked if the Corona camp will seek remedy from the higher court, Balisi said they will have to study the matter if necessary. “There is always a legal remedy provided under the rules of the CTA going up to the Supreme Court ... We will have to deliberate on that as of now well take the process one step at a time.”

Corona arrived at the CTA together with his wife, Cristina. The couple refused to grant any request for interviews.

— GMA News

apologize. His bipartisan letter was supported by 23 members of the House of Representatives.

At a press conference , Honda renewed his commitment to finding justice for the remaining comfort women.

Yong Soo Lee, known as Grandmother Lee, is a surviving comfort woman and flew in from Korea to attend the press conference.

Speaking of Grandmother Lee, Honda said, “You are brave and thank you for your courage. You are an example of living history, and the strength it takes to speak out is remarkable.”

Grandmother Lee stated that she “gets the energy to come here from people like Congressman Honda.”

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(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015 FOR THE past few years, there have been endless discussions about reproductive health, sexuality education, and gender identity. In the past few months, conversations have been dominated by debates – often quite heated – about same-sex marriage, HIV in the Philippines, and Caitlyn Jenner.

It’s easy to forget that all these issues revolve around relationships. Human beings are defined by their feelings, urges, desires, preferences, histories, education, experience, and upbringing. All of these things play a big part in all aspects of all relationships, from decision-making to actions both regrettable and commendable.

Relationships – with others and with ourselves – take center stage in Life Love Lust: Straightforward Answers to Provocative Questions by clinical psychologist Margarita Go Singco-Holmes, PhD. Life Love Lust – or LLL, as Holmes calls the book – was originally published in 1990, and Anvil Publishing has just released a 25th anniversary edition.

The book is a collection of letters written by avid readers to Holmes over the years: letters offered up in exchange for sympathy and advice as delivered through her columns across various publications.

Back in 1990, Holmes shares, LLL was “denounced by priests and pundits as a threat to decency and morality.” Holmes herself was “accused of being a nymphomaniac, of being a mere psychologist masquerading as a real doctor, and of being a bad influence for the youth.”

While many condemned it, there were also many who supported, even celebrated it: newspaper columnists, the academe, psychology students.

The book made waves, and forced readers to admit that yes, people have sex.

In 2015, is a book like LLL still relevant? People are much more willing to talk about sex and all the related topics: in various columns, on social media, on the radio, in magazines.

One might wonder about

courtesy of Dr Margarita Holmes

Lessons on ‘Life, Love, Lust’ from Dr. Margarita Holmes

By Regina Layug Rosero

the relevance of letters written 25 years ago. Others might suggest that there is no point in publishing a whole book when it’s so easy to Google when you have questions. But Holmes – and her husband and fellow columnist, Jeremy Baer – still have a thing or two to teach us.

People try hard to live with faith, sexuality One recurring theme is the question of sex as a sin. Many letter writers are torn between sexual desires and the tenets of their faith. Sometimes the questions seem better suited for a priest or a spiritual adviser. Is masturbation a sin?

How do I forgive my husband the serial philanderer? Many people still struggle with these dilemmas.

Sometimes faith clashed with practicality. One woman moved in with her boyfriend in order to save on rent; to avoid the sin of premarital sex, they did everything but penetrative sex. As with all supplicants, Holmes shared her vast medical knowledge along with practical advice, but recommended the aid of someone from their church to resolve their moral dilemmas.

Some things change, some things stay the same

Some letters are dated.

The cost of a cabaret dance, means of communication, and even mention of the December coup during Corazon Aquino’s presidency: these remind us that some of the letters were written over 20 years ago.

Times have changed, but many concerns remain the same: fidelity in a marriage, the merits and demerits of a long-distance relationship, first sexual encounters.

A broad spectrum of cases is brought before Holmes. The worries of each person are different, the solutions varied, the research says one thing or another. Some are clearly medical concerns. But most are ethical, psychological, moral or emotional dilemmas, and so Holmes asks mostly the same questions. Why is this really bothering you? What do you really want? What is important to you? Though Holmes frequently states that the column is no substitute for therapy and counseling, the process is at least initiated when the reader begins to reevaluate and rethink.

Sometimes you just need to face the facts You’ve been there: You have a problem, and you complain to your friends. One

friend says exactly what you need to hear, but you don’t want to hear it because you’re looking for sympathy. So you angrily turn away.

Some readers might feel like Holmes’ husband, Jeremy Baer, is like that honest and sensible friend. Baer is not a clinical psychologist like Holmes, but his replies cut to the chase and offer practical advice based on personal experience.

Filipinos may find his Western speech – direct, blunt, straightforward, sometimes sarcastic, jarring, even unpleasant or downright harsh, but sometimes people need a slap in the face before they’ll listen. Because Baer gets the sensible life advice out of the way, Holmes is able to focus on a reply that’s based on the science and research that is her expertise. And so the letter writer is gifted with a response that is truly two-pronged: the facts of life from Baer, and the facts of science from Holmes.

That’s something LLL didn’t have in 1990!

Everyone has sex – even lolo and lola People tend to associate sexual urges with horny teenagers, philandering husbands and nymphomaniacs. But LLL

reminds us that even senior citizens, couples who have been married for decades, and persons with disabilities are more than marginalized populations in need of Viagra or a distraction. They have sexual urges! And they are perfectly capable of having satisfying, exciting sex lives.

Their letters to Holmes reveal dilemmas unfamiliar to the general populace. Where does one meet single seniors?

Did you know there are dating sites for the disabled?

Can a woman over 60 years old still have orgasms during intercourse?

Women like sex An entire chapter is devoted to “Female Sexual Concerns,” and why not?

Many people still seem to be uncomfortable with the idea of women enjoying sex, as opposed to women just having sex for procreation or to satisfy their husbands. But Holmes’ advice reminds us that women are sexual beings, capable of lust, passion, and orgasm. She explains the science of female sexual organs, and even provides a few pages of advice on what might be deemed the Holy Grail of sex: female orgasm during genital intercourse.

Sometimes it’s not about sex Don’t forget: Holmes is actually a clinical psychologist, fully trained to deal with a vast array of concerns beyond sex. In the chapter “Predominantly Psychological Concerns,” some letter writers still ask about sex, but there are clearly other issues at play: self-esteem, personal history, relationships, social contexts, and emotional status.

F r e q u e n t l y, H o l m e s sounds like a no-nonsense tita who will tell you the things your mother didn’t: Leave him or her. Take charge of your life.

Do not put your life on hold.

Do this for yourself, not for someone else.

Beyond hetero – and homosexuality Fetishes, transgender love, yaoi. These words were probably beyond taboo back in 1990.

Today, there are many

blogs, articles, documentaries, TED talks and campaigns that talk about cisnormativity and non-vanilla sexual practices, as well as the distress and confusion that accompany such misunderstood preferences and activities. In ”Sex Frills” and “LLL in the 21st Century,” Holmes talks about these and more in a sex-positive and sensible manner that doesn’t titillate, but educates and enlightens.

At the end of the book are a glossary and some “Extras,” providing definitions for terms and concepts that are likely unfamiliar to the reader. It would have been useful, however, to have a paragraph or two about BDSM in light of the recent Fifty Shades of Grey film, and what differentiates this activity from emotional, physical and sexual abuse, which some letters mention.

Holmes’ book talks about things that may now be familiar territory or common knowledge, but it also reminds us that people and their relationships are constantly evolving.

Though some things are as true today as they were 25 years ago, so much has changed, and our sensibilities need to keep up.

Through LLL and her other writings, Holmes keeps us informed, encourages us to keep an open mind, and reminds us to take care of ourselves. Only by doing all these can we enter and maintain relationships that are happy, healthy and satisfying. That’s an idea that’s definitely relevant today, and will still be relevant 25 years from now.

– Rappler.com Like most writers, Regina Layug Rosero wears many hats: researcher, project manager, public speaker, editor.

Various projects and employers have brought her around the world of fashion, advocacy, biotechnology, social media, geek culture, population and development, robotics, comic books and myriad other topics. What drives her through these roles and worlds is an insatiable curiosity, and an instinct to share these stories with others.

(Norcal) Week of July 31 - August 6, 2015

Between El Nino and the drought, the East Bay’s natural landscape is filled with oddities these days. Giant purple sea slugs are turning up on the shoreline, birds are migrating months earlier than usual, and mammals appear to be few and far between.

No place is better to observe these natural shifts than Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. Located at the junction of the Delta and the Bay, the park offers an ideal vantage of how climate change, water policy and natural fluctuations in the weather and currents affect our region.

Among the most notable changes is the influx of salt water toward the Delta.

Ordinarily, salt water from the Pacific meets freshwater form the Delta around the Antioch marina. These days, it’s moved about 8 miles upstream to the Big Break area.

The water is also warmer than usual – in some cases four or five degrees warmer than normal for this time of year. The reasons for this are many: less cold water from Sierra snowpack, less cold freshwater being released from the Delta due to farming needs and other water policies, warm waters caused by El Nino flowing into the Bay, and other variables.

All these changes affect plants, fish, birds and other wildlife that live along the Carquinez Strait and Delta sloughs. One might see migrating marbled godwits and long-billed curlews months ahead of schedule, or unusual mixes freshwater, saltwater, native and non-native grasses.

“We are right in the middle of it all,” said Big Break supervisor Mike Moran. “But Big Break is a great place to visit anyway.

It’s a little cooler than the inland areas, it’s breezy, it’s quiet and relaxing…and it’s beautiful.”

The public can learn more about the changes in the Delta and Carquinez Strait every weekend by helping with water testing.

Every Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 10 a.m., join student scientists as they use state-of-the=-art equipment to test for dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity and other variables. The results are sent to a regional database for use by scientists, water managers and researchers.

Big Break also has a first-rate visitor center that

There’s no excuse for abuse.

If you are or if anyone you know is in an abusive relationship and need information or services, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or for the agency in a specific area.

focuses on the Delta ecology, history and wildlife. Trails, a fishing pier, boat launch, an amphitheater and picnic areas are also available at the 1,150-acre park.

Big Break is located at 69 Big Break Road, Oakley. *** At the other end of the East Bay Regional Park District, stop by Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont on Aug. 2 to learn about Ohlone village life.

pants will ride bikes along the shoreline of this gorgeous lake, return to the marina for lunch, workout (or at least look at) at the outdoor fitness area, and then take a relaxing pontoon boat ride around the lake with a captain who can explain the history and ecology of this historic lake.

Loaner bikes and helmets will be available. Open to participants age 12 and up.

Costs range from $32 and $42, which does not include lunch. Register at www. ebparks.org.

Big Break is a Lake Chabot, tucked great place to visit in the oak-studded hills Castro Valley and anyway. It’s a little between San Leandro, is one of the original reservoirs in the East cooler than the Bay, and has a fascinating inland areas, it’s history. Plus, it’s one of the most scenic spots for escapbreezy, it’s quiet ing the hubbub of the urban and relaxing…and East Bay. *** it’s beautiful.

Speaking of Lake Chabot, toxic algae continues to pool in some areas of the Ohlone tribes thrived 315-acre lake. While the lake in the East Bay for 10,000 remains safe for boat rides, years and had complex, fishing, picnicking and othersophisticated and diverse wise enjoying the park, dogs societies. Learn about the should not swim in the lake different roles of men and because they could become woman, which plants and ill or die from exposure to the animals they relied upon for algae toxins. food, medicine and tools, and Dogs are not allowed in generally what life was like Lake Chabot anyway, and in an Ohlone village. neither is swimming. But This free event is from until the algae clears up, we 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the ask the public to be extra park’s visitor center, 8000 cautious with their pets.

Patterson Ranch Road, Toxic algae also persists Fremont. No registration at Lake Temescal in Oakrequired. land and Quarry Lakes in Coyote Hills is home to a Fremont. Park District crews reconstructed Tuibun Ohlone continue to test the lakes village site, complete with regularly and are closely family house, shade shelter monitoring all the East Bay’s and sweat house. The visitor swim areas. Updates are postcenter also has an extensive ed at www.ebparks.org. stock of Native American The toxic algae, which historical information. until this year had been a rare *** occurrence in the East Bay, After learning about the is linked to the drought and Ohlone, stop by Ardenwood warmer weather. We apprecifor a different kind of East ate the public’s patience with Bay history lesson: Victorian this natural phenomenon and lawn games. hope it clears up soon.

Women in the 19th *** century were not encouraged Fruit lovers will want to to participate in many athletic check out “A Taste of Brioevents. Except for croquet, nes,” an Aug. 9 event that that is. Check out elegantly includes a challenging 3-mile attired volunteers as they hike capped with a sampling demonstrate the genteel game of the pears and other fruit of croquet, and maybe even growing in the historic ortry your own hand with the chards dating from the area’s mallet. farm days.

Ardenwood is just up The event is free and Interstate 880 from Coyote open to hikers age 10 and up.

Hills, at 34600 Ardenwood No registration required.

Blvd., Fremont.

Meet at the end of Brio*** nes Road outside Martinez.

Spend a day at Lake Go to www.ebparks.org for Chabot on Aug. 8. Particimore information.

Bea Alonzo denies Zanjoe Marudo breakup rumors MANILA – Bea Alonzo denied that she and boyfriend Zanjoe Marudo have called it quits. In a recent press conference for her upcoming movie with Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta titled The Love Affair, the actress said that they are both happy in their relationship, despite going through some tough experiences.

“Happy naman kami.

Responsibilidad mo sa sarili mong maging happy ka,” she said.

(We’re happy. You are responsible for yourself when it comes to happiness.)

Bea and Zanjoe, who have been dating for years, recently faced persistent breakup rumors. Bea admitted that they encountered problems just like any other couple, but quickly added that they were working on it.

Bea and Zanjoe were recently together in a trip to London.

“May mga pinagdadaanan naman tayo lahat, ‘di naman mawawala ‘yan. Pero ang pinakaimportante is kung paano mo i-handle ‘yung sarili mo pagkatapos ng lahat ng ito. We are working it out and masaya kami.”

(We all have problems, but what is important is how we handle the challenges. We are working it out and we are happy.)

Media also asked Bea about claims that she has moved on from Zanjoe and has since started dating her former Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon co-star Paulo Avelino. Rumors started circulating online when the two were spotted having dinner together. The actress did not deny that she and Paulo went out but added that Zanjoe knew about it.

“Lumabas naman talaga kami. May mga kaibigan naman ako na mga lalaki din so definitely it wasn’t a date.”

Rob Reyes/Rappler

Changes in the environment

BEA ALONZO. The actress stars with Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta in ‘The Love Affair.’

(We really went out. I have other guy friends [aside from Paulo] so definitely it wasn’t a date.)

Paulo also denied dating Bea in other interviews.

BEA ON PLAYING ADIE In The Love Affair, Bea plays the role of Adie, who is searching for happiness after a failed relationship. The actress revealed that she has learned more about herself playing her character.

“Marami akong natutunan sa character [ko] sa totoo lang. Meron akong mga eksena na ginawa dito na na-realize ko, ‘Oo nga napagdaanan ko rin yun.’ Na narating ko rin pala ‘yung rock bottom. Maybe I was in denial kasi merong mga parte ng buhay natin na pa-strong tayo di ba? But I’m a better person because of those challenges.”

(I learned a lot about myself through my character. I realized that I had similar ex-

periences with her, that I also reached rock bottom. Maybe then I was in denial since I wanted to act strong. But I’m a better person because of those challenges.)

Director Nuel Naval shared that the actors played a big part in the conceptualization of the film. He said that Richard, Dawn, and Bea all used their respective experiences in their past relationships in order to do justice to their roles.

When asked what Bea learned from her past relationships, Bea shared that she learned that one must first be happy before he or she becomes involved with another person.

“Kailangan mo muna maging buong buo bago ka magmahal ng ibang tao. You cannot give happiness to others if you yourself are not happy.”

The Love Affair premieres on August 12.

– Rappler.com