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April 29-May 5, 2021 10 Korean superstore H Mart opens in San Francisco

By Jun Nucum

SAN FRANCISCO - Despite much diffi culties and challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in hate crimes against Asians in big cities in the U.S., the opening of the latest H Mart store in San Francisco was warmly welcomed by local offi cials, community leaders and residents alike

Among the San Francisco County and City leaders and e offi cials who graced the opening of the 48,200 square-foot Alemany Boulevard Ocean View Shopping Center store were Mayor London Breed, District 7 County Supervisor Myrna Melgar and District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai who, together with H Mart Companies Chief Operating Offi cer and President William Choi, also led in the ribbon-cutting ceremonies to mark the start of operation of the super store. In her speech, Mayor Breed hailed the management of H Mart for investing more than $8 million in a community that has been waiting since 2013 to get a new grocery store.

“I know that so many people have worked long and hard to get this place here. Finally we have a partner who has delivered for this community. So in behalf of city and county of San Francisco, we would like to present you this certifi cate to say thank you to H Mart for investing in this community, for being here for the people of San Francisco. It really means a lot to have a grocery store in this community to provide quality produce and all of the things we deserve to have in our lives in our homes,” Mayor Breed told H Mart offi cials.

District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar acknowledged that H Mart pushed through with the eff orts in putting up and opening their store “despite suff ering so much from the pandemic and from violence against our Asian community.”

“We are opening up a place where food and culture and love are available to the residents of San Francisco particularly to the citizens of District 7 and 11. It is also an opportunity to hire locally providing jobs for people who were unemployed during the pandemic because this represents hope of opening back. We will be once again growing our neighborhood and our city,” said Melgar as she also handed a certifi cate of gratitude to H Mart offi cials.

Also recognizing the importance of the event was Supervisor Ahsha Safai of District 11 who regarded the opening as a momentous occasion as he also expressed his excitement and feeling honored that H Mart in investing in their neighborhood and community. .

“This grocery store in the heart of the pandemic in the middle of what we have been experiencing in the past year is phenomenal. We all know what grocery stores’ role for us in the time of strife. To have this happen at this time is historic. Also, with all the discomfort, violence and animosity and racism directed towards the Asian community to have a grocery store like this that will open people’s eyes and minds to culture that they have not experienced is extremely important. H Mrt is a slice of Korea in San Francisco,” Safai stressed.

For his part, President and Chief Operating Offi cer William Choi shared that the City of San Francisco is very important and has special meaning that is why they decided to make it their third location in the Bay Area after San Jose and Cupertino.

“This is the fi rst store in the City of San Francisco and defi nitely will not be the last one especially demographics show that there is a big Asian community of around 20,000 Asians in the city of San Francisco,” Choi said. “We are of Korean ancestry-based but our customer base is very diverse. Everybody is welcome here. This is not just a piece of Korea but also a taste of Asia. H Mart caters for everybody. We are not specialized for one race or one nation. We are all together. We are all one family. This place will be revitalized. All Asian Americans living in San Francisco needed this kind of upscale Asian supermarket.”

H Mart features a variety of fresh produce groceries, meats, seafood, health and beauty products, frozen foods, and quality services, supporting and contributing to the local community. Supplied directly from its California warehouse and local farms, H

H Mart Companies Chief San Francisco City Mayor Opera� ng Offi cer and London Breed President Wiliam Choi

Mart brings fresh goods and produce to the local neighborhood in San Francisco. H Mart’s one-stop-shopping experience highlights unique food selection and welcoming experience for the entire family and local foodies. The new store will feature an in-store food hall off ering various cuisines, as well as Paris Baguette, a popular Korean bakery. This store is anticipated to hire a total of 150 part-time and full-time employees and has participated in San Francisco’s First Source Hiring Program in partnership with the Offi ce of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD). Together with community partners including Inner-City Youth, Young Community Developers, and Self-help for the Elderly they hosted three job fairs, interviewed 317 applicants and hired for 91 positions to date. OEWD and community organizations will continue to work with H Mart to fi ll open positions. Interested jobseekers may apply at west.hr@hmart.com or call 562-551-2376.

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EDITORIAL

Joe of a hundred days

President Joe Biden completes his fi rst 100 days in offi ce this week, and only the most diehard Trump Republicans will say that the 46th President of the United States has not accomplished much in that time.

While many nations are now facing their second or third wave of COVID-19, the US will soon attain the much ballyhooed herd immunity, thereby eff ectively conquering the pandemic. This week, some 200 million Americans will have received at least their fi rst jab of the vaccine of their choice. In another week or so, the 70 percent of the population mark indicative of herd immunity will have been reached.

As President Biden has focused his attention on the greatest global health crisis in a century, he also made sure that the people will keep their body and soul together, thanks to the $1,400 emergency cheques that he pushed Congress to provide to as many families as possible.

The US is not out of the woods yet, by any means. There are other problems and issues that need to be resolved, and there are no easy solutions to them.

For one, there remains a humanitarian crisis sparked by the deteriorating situation in large parts of South America. This has forced countless South Americans to seek succor in the US by keeping its borders open. This is causing an infl ux of would-be immigrants that authorities are not fully prepared to handle.

And for reasons that we do not fully fathom, there has been a marked increase in the number of mass shootings this year, perpetrated mostly by crazed individuals who had access to semi-automatic weapons.

Also, white policemen and women continue to shoot and kill Black Americans on mere suspicion that they have committed or are about to commit a crime. The use of excessive force as a fi rst rather than last choice is extremely disturbing for all law-abiding Americans.

Closer to home is another problem that President Biden needs to address, and that is the rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans, FilAms included.

But at least we have in the White House a man who could yet become a truly transformative president. He could be more Franklin D. Roosevelt than, say, Harry S Truman, or Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, for that matter.

In aspiring to be as good a president as he could be, Joe Biden from Scranton, Pennsylvania could attain greatness. Time will tell.

For now, he must be congratulated for an exemplary fi rst 100 days as POTUS.

More than the able leadership he has provided is the calming eff ect he has had on US politics. There are still some Republicans who appear set on making sure he fails, but they have only proven themselves as nothing more than fringe politicians out of touch with the needs of the times.

What we need is precisely what we have. Some will dismiss him as just another guy named Joe, but we do not care. He’s our Joe, and we feel safe having a president who has the nuclear codes of our vast arsenal in his safe and sensible hands.

Keep up the good work, Mr. President.

God bless you, and God bless the USA.

Seton vows service to low-income folks

Upside

CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO

DALY CITY, Calif. - Over 30 years’ experience in health care administration has taught AHMC Seton Medical Center CEO Anthony Armada to show up bright and early on a Saturday to observe the second 2-day Covid19 vaccination distribution recently at this city’s fi rst and largest healthcare complex.

Seton had requested the State and County to be a partner vaccine site to ensure access to the demographic it has been serving, Armada added, drawing attention to a condition of the 2020 sale of the landmark institution to Southern California-based AHMC Healthcare Inc. by Verity Health. “Being a ‘safety-net provider’ means that the hospital takes care of a higher percentage of low-income patients as a percentage of overall patients. Our commitment to patients who are uninsured, underinsured and ineligible for governmental assistance or other insurance coverage continues through our charity care policy supporting individuals with family incomes at 500 percent of the federal poverty level and below,” said Armada, who took the helm last year in the much-publicized cliff -hanger transaction. To his and everyone else’s consternation, the coronavirus hit this country just as Seton ownership changed hands. Armada, who had weathered both “humbling and rewarding” stints in his career, quickly embarked on “a journey of passion.”

“Who would have thought that you would take an organization from bankruptcy, transition to a new company and ownership and re-start new processes, relationships and culture, craft a plan for organizational viability under the auspices of a COVID pandemic,” he depicted the scenario recurring throughout the planet.

A year later today, he has focused on his mandate to “stabilize the organization’ while basically starting over “in the most economic and most eff ective way,” confi dent despite the crisis compounding a situation that already started “in a “defi cit position.”

He recognized employees and physicians who “stand up to the challenge” by working through seemingly boundless obstacles resulting from the pandemic. And yet the mission remains foremost on his agenda.

When the number of COVID cases peaked and required additional facilities, Seton off ered to serve the greater community by signing up to be a “designated space hospital” from March - August 2020. The move backfi red, however, with the disease still a mystery. Mixed messaging by authorities, even denial of the risks by the highest offi cials, discouraged the public from setting foot in the buildings.

‘WRONG IMPRESSION’

“Everyone was under the impression that we were just a COVID hospital; we were painted with the wrong impression,” said Armada.

Pasay City-born Tony Armada traded medical technology for health care administra� on and became CEO of AHMC Seton Medical Center. Photo by C. M. QUEROL MORENO

(Continued on page 27)

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America First Caucus’ WASP agenda

The term “America First” has been bandied about in the US for so long that nobody knows what it really stands for today. After Trump was kicked out of presidential politics last November, remnants of the Trump political family have been struggling to create a new identity for themselves. But PerryScope none of the top Republicans PERRY DIAZ that include Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have the charisma or following to lead the Republican Party back to power. Former president Donald Trump still commands the loyalty of Republicans out of fear of being primaried in the 2022 midterm elections.

Meanwhile, there are Republicans whose political credentials border on extremist ideas that are gaining support among the various Republican factions. Among them are Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, Matt Gaetz, and Louie Gohmert. All four House Republicans have been identifi ed in the past as catering to Trump’s brand of nativist politics. Nativism is the policy of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants. Nativism began as an anti-catholic and anti-immigrant movement in the 1840s. In 1854, they formed the “American Party.” It is dedicated to the proposition that the United States was founded to serve only White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs), a term that is redundant since all Anglo-Saxons are whites.

WASPS are not the majority in the U.S. but the numbers vary depending on how you defi ne WASP. According to Quora, “historically, WASP referred to people of the wealthy upper class elite who were of Anglo-Saxon origin. WASP was more a matter of social class than ethnicity. As such, WASPS were not the majority, but they had a great deal of infl uence in society and politics. They were the people who belonged to the exclusive country clubs and attended the best colleges and universities. They were once the ruling class. This generally would be people of British ancestry though some might defi ne it to include those with ancestors from other parts of northwestern Europe such as Scandinavia and Germany. British Americans are the narrowest group of Anglo-Saxons. They make up 13% -23.3% of the population.”

With the infl ux of non-WASP Europeans and people of color into the US, the term WASP hasn’t been used for over 50 years. Indeed, WASP has diminished in size in the American melting pot. And that’s probably what Greene and company had in mind when they formed America First Caucus: the revival of WASP to its former glory days. But those are bygone days. The term WASP is now a bit anachronistic. It’s passé.

Anglo-Saxon platform launched

When the formation of the America First Caucus was announced, it identifi ed Representatives Greene and Gosar as behind the new caucus. According to a document that was released, the America First Caucus would champion “AngloSaxon political traditions.”

But as soon as the America First Caucus’ manifesto was published, Greene and her small group of hard-line rightwing politicians got themselves in hot water. Very few politicians were buying it or would identify with its formation.

The manifesto that was circulated on April 16, said that the caucus would battle to promote “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions and infrastructure, engineering, and aesthetic value that befi ts the progeny of European architecture.”

The document warned that “mass immigration” poses a threat to “the long-term existential future of America as a unique country with a unique culture and a unique identity.” Country is unique due to the fact that it is now multi-cultural and has multi-racial identity.

It’s interesting to note that the phrase “America First” was a credo of the Ku Klux Klan, which was frequently included in Trump’s speeches when he was president.

The manifesto, which was initially reported by the congressional newsletter “Punchbowl News,” drew immediate attacks by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. GOP Leader McCarthy called it a “nativist dog whistle” while Rep. Ken Buck of the hard right Republican “Freedom Caucus” bashed its position as “hatefulness.” Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger said that any caucus members (Continue on page 27)

Apostille processing of documents for Fil-Ams in 3 States

Two weeks ago, I got a call from new clients requesting help and assistance in the notarization and apostille of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate involving seven siblings. The fi ve siblings in California need to sign the Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate of their parents prepared by ART GABOT MADLAING Health & Wealth their lawyer and then be notarized and apostilled.

One of the siblings lives in Illinois; another one lives in Hawaii and fi ve of the siblings live in California. The apostille processing of the Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate (in seven sets) started with the signing of the documents by a sister residing in Illinois in the presence of two witnesses. The signed documents were notarized by a commissioned Notary Public in the State of Illinois; and subsequently apostilled by the Secretary of State, State of Illinois.

Next, the set of documents apostilled by the Illinois Secretary of State were sent to the sister in Hawaii who then signed the set of documents in the presence of two witnesses. The signed documents were then notarized by a commissioned Notary Public in Hawaii; and subsequently apostilled by the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaii.

Next and fi nal step, the seven sets of documents apostilled by the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaii were sent to Fe, the oldest among the fi ve siblings residing in California. Fe called Mobile Signing Services for the signing, notarization and apostille of the seven sets of documents. She arranged for appointments for the fi ve sibling residing in San Francisco, Daly City, Pacifi ca and Stockton, California respectively.

With diff erent schedules and places of residence, Fe was able to schedule and arranged for the siblings to come to my home-offi ce in San Francisco, California for the signing and notarization of the seven sets of documents in three appointments. Two brothers residing in San Francisco and one sister in Pacifi ca, California came to my home-offi ce on Saturday morning and signed the seven sets of the Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate in the presence of two witnesses. Next, a sister residing in Stockton, California came to my homeoffi ce on Wednesday morning. She signed the seven sets of documents in the presence of two witnesses. Then, the sister signed my Journal of Notarial Acts and put her right thumb marks like her three siblings who signed the same sets of documents earlier.

Finally, a sister residing in Daly City, California came to my home-offi ce on Friday afternoon and signed the same set of documents previously signed by her six siblings earlier. Then, she put her thumb marks in my Journal of Notarial Acts to complete the signing and notarization of the seven sets of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate.

As accredited and commissioned Notary Public since 1981, this was my fi rst time to help clients, consisting of seven siblings residing in three diff erent states, in the notarization and apostille of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate needed in the Philippines. This was urgently needed due to the deadline on the tax amnesty requirements.

This was a very long process but it was done primarily due to the persistence and commitment of Fe, the oldest of the seven siblings, to do and follow-up on what’s needed to complete the notarization and apostille of the seven sets of documents urgently needed in the Philippines. She arranged for the appointments as well as the re-scheduling of appointment for one of the sisters (due to emergency hospitalization) who was the last to sign the seven sets of documents for notarization and apostille.

On a happier note, Fe and her siblings benefi ted from the advantages and savings on the Mobile Signing Services as follows:

SAVINGS ON MULTIPLE DOCUMENTS AND SIGNATURES - MSS off ers 10% to 15% discount and savings on multiple documents and multiple signatures.

SAVINGS ON GAS AND MILEAGE FEES – It’s good that Fe and her siblings came to our home offi ce in San Francisco for the signing and notarization of the seven sets of documents. The sibling from Stockton, California saved $120 on gas and mileage fees and the rest of the siblings saved $50 each on gas and mileage fees.

FREE PARKING – Fe and her (Continue on page 27)

More sustainable development projects

It is now over a year since economic activity in the country slowed down because of the pandemic. Many companies have adopted the wait-and-see attitude, putting on hold investments. But not San Miguel Corporation, one of the country’s top corporations. Instead, SMC is ramping up its investments in infrastructure, energy and food manufacturing, among others.

This reminds me of former President Fidel V. Ramos, who, during his incumbency, told members of the Rotary Tri-Districts 3050, 3860, and 3870 that in the game of development, there is nothing gained where nothing is ventured. This holds true to this day.

It is individual initiative and private enterprise that must provide the driving force for development.In a published article, San Miguel Corporation President and COO Ramon S. Ang was quoted saying it is SMC’s vision to lead eff orts to deliver on national goals and help set the pace of progress in the country. “Our corporate slogan is to make the world better for Filipinos. I believe both describe well our aspiration of making the Philippines succeed and improving the lives of our countrymen. These are the things that inspire and drive us and make us passionate about our work,” he said.

The investments of SMC are geared toward sustainable development—economic, environmental, social—not only in the National Capital Region but in every region across the country. After its construction of the Skyway Stage 3 project that has made travel from areas north to areas south of Metro Manila and vice versa a breeze, SMC is building the new Manila International Airport in Bulacan expected to be completed in 2025. The new Manila International Airport project is the largest investment in infrastructure by a Philippine company at P740-billion. It will ease traffi c congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and is expected to spur tourismrelated activities and investments in the region.

Millions of jobs will be created during and after construction and local economies are expected to get the much-needed stimulus. Included in the development plan is an eight-kilometer airport toll road that will connect the airport to the NLEX and Skyway Stage 3 to the SLEX. SMC is also proposing rail and road networks to form part of a seamless transport system. These include the NMIA Airport Expressway, Integrated Airport Toll Expressway Network Northern Access Link, Integrated Airport Toll Expressway Network-Southern Access Link, Integrated Airport Toll Expressway Network- Central Access Link, East Metro Manila Expressway, Northeast Airport Expressway, Calamba-San Pedro Expressway, Bulacan-Tarlac Expressway (BTEX), Bataan-Bulacan Expressway (BBEX), Skyway Stage 3-R10 NMIA Expressway, MRT 7 Road, and NMIA Expressway MRT 7 (Road Spur Access). The proposed rail network are the MRT7 Katipunan Spur, MRT7 Airport Expressway-North Line, MRT7 Airport Expressway-West Line, MRT7 Extension Project, and MRT7 Airport Expressway Southeast Line. “Taken together with the airport, travel and trade in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and outside the country will be easier and more effi cient,” RSA said.

Chosen to undertake the land development works for the airport project is Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. through its subsidiary Boskalis Philippines, Inc. The company’s work plan and methodology include measures to prevent liquefaction in the area, a major concern of those who opposed the airport construction.According to Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya, the involvement of the Royal Boskalis, a Dutch company in the land development of the new airport underscores the dynamism of PhilippineNetherlands economic partnership.

Malaya made the statement during a courtesy call by representatives of the Royal Boskalis at the Philippine Embassy in The Hague recently. During their visit, the Boskalis offi cials affi rmed the company “will undertake its work on an environmentally-sound basis and protect the Manila Bay shoreline.” In an earlier statement Boskalis CEO Peter Berdowski, said: “As Boskalis, we have a rich tradition in creating land all over the world to the highest technical and environmental standards.”In the energy sector, SMC is spending over US$1 billion to build simultaneously 31 new battery energy storage facilities nationwide through SMC Global Power Holdings. With a total committed capacity of 1,000 megawatts, the facilities will be located in strategic (Continue on page 27)

THE OUTSIDER

MELANDREW T. VELASCO

Bad news comes in threes Treason and Presidents

(Part One)

‘Knowing ourselves fi rst will make us better’

There is a Filipino saying that bad news comes in threes. Ditto with good news. The belief is so strong that when two especially bad things happen, the typical Pinoy will make the sign of the cross and pray to God to please, please, please don’t let one more awful thing happen to him. Or her.

I must admit that I am inclined to believe this odd belief, which may or may not be unique to Filipinos.

The month of April has been especially bad for me personally. At the end of the fi rst week of this month, my ex-wife and mother of our four great kids passed away after a lingering illness. A little more than a week later, my favorite uncle likewise passed on.

That was two Dolors down, and I was praying and keeping my fi ngers crossed that a third would not join the two.

It didn’t, but for me it might as well have. A close friend from way, way back died a few hours ago. His name was Manny, and he was a favorite drinking buddy. Unlike the fi rst two who left us after being ill for some time, friend Manny was in relatively good health, but fell to that bane of the 21st century, COVID-19.

It happened pretty fast. It seemed that he had had a bad cough for almost two weeks, but Manny thought nothing of it. He continued to live his life as normally as possible, all things considered.

A few days ago, his cough got so bad and he had been so weakened that he fi nally went to a doctor, who diagnosed him with coronavirus.

Like thousands of families in Metro Manila where one member gets sick with the dread disease, he knew he needed to be hospitalized. The only problem was that all the hospitals in the metropolis are overfl owing with COVID-19 patients.

Luckily for Manny, one of our friends is part owner of a hospital, and that friend arranged for Manny to be confi ned there. The only problem was that the hospital he owned is based in Cavite. But it had to do, as Manny’s situation was deteriorating every day.

We kept in touch via text messages, and he had one request of me, which I easily granted. He asked if I could send him a few tablets of Ivermectin, which has a growing reputation of not curing, but at least relieving the symptoms of coronavirus.

Doctors here in the Philippines are divided over the effi cacy of Ivermectin. Some swear by it, while others dismiss it as a drug to rid pets of parasites, which could only mean that it was useless against any human illness.

A few friends and relatives have been taking it twice a month as a safeguard. When a person tests positive for COVID-19, the recommended dosage is one tablet daily for fi ve days. But when a person is at the height of the coronavirus infection, the dosage is much higher.

Fortunately or unfortunately for Manny, the 20 tablets I sent to his house in Quezon City never got to him. Instead, he was being given a couple of very expensive medications.

It was all for nothing. His lungs were barely working when he was admitted to the hospital. His wife said the doctors told her that only 10 percent of his lungs were working.

Manny was still in good spirits when we texted each other last. He even sent me a photo of him lying in bed, dextrose attached to his arm, and a monitor showing his breathing pattern.

When he could no longer breathe properly, the doctors recommended intubation, which was fi nally resorted to after a few hours.

My dear, dear friend Manny Natividad could not stand it. He forcefully removed the tube that was sending precious oxygen to his lungs.

As could be expected, he fell into a coma. The doctors attempted to revive him, and for a while their eff orts succeeded. But my friend of friends fi nally succumbed to COVID-19 a few hours later.

I felt like I lost a brother. We may not have seen each other regularly in recent years, but when we did it was a given that we would have more rounds of beer than we should consume.

Two months ago, when he celebrated his birthday, Manny asked me to go to his place and we would proceed to a favorite hangout of his a few blocks Offline

BETING DOLOR

Anation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself.” –Marcus Tullius Cicero HOMOBONO A. ADAZA Cicero is a philosopher – he was a popular Roman politician. He was not only quoted by his peers and avid followers, he is quoted even now by knowledgeable and well read individuals but by brilliant and accomplished national and world leaders. Why? He fi ts Plato’s defi nition of a philosopher king – a leader whose wisdom is tested and well acknowledged by everyone, including his opponents and enemies. Cicero is a philosopher politician of all seasons – in words and in action, as shown On by the quote at the start of this article. Provocation and Remembering: Treason and Presidents are always interesting subjects – in a debate, political campaign, essay, and simple conversation. It becomes intriguing when it is a tussle in a court of law or in the fl oor of Congress – in a criminal case or a case for impeachment. It becomes more interesting and intriguing if it is the subject of book like that of Rebecca West’s New Meaning of Treason. This article is fi rst of two on treason and Presidents. The Presidents are the Siamese twins of the Philippine presidency – Rodrigo “Digong” Roa Duterte and Benigno Simeon “Noyno” Aquuno III. On Digong, it comes as a provocation from two friends – retired general Robert Ganzon and barrister businessman Raul Corrales. Both of them are from the South –Robert from Iloilo, the home province of my irrepressible and ebullient friend, the late Senator and Mayor Roding Ganzon while Raul is from Camiguin, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu cities. The provocation comes in the form of a question – Can President Duterte be charged with treason on his conduct involving the West Philippine Sea? This article is a response to that question. On Noynoy Aquino, it is a case of remembering. On March 4, 2015, Herman Tiu Laurel and I fi led a case for treason against President Noynoy Aquino in the Offi ce of the Ombudsman on his conduct in the Mamasapano incident, Noynoy’s giving Five Million (P5,000.000.00) Pesos to Ibrahim Murad, Chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as President Noynoy Aquino’s gift to the MILF in Tokyo, Japan and for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The case is docketed as IC-OC-15.0531 in the Offi ce of the Ombudsman – fi led on March 4, 2015, dismissed quickly seven (7) days later on March 11, 2015. We fi led a timely motion for reconsideration on April 24, 2015 which is pending resolution before the Ombudsman for fi ve (5) years, eleven (11) months and twenty (20) days as of this day. Seven days to dismiss the complaint but less than eight days to exactly six (6) years with the motion for reconsideration This will be the subject of the second part on the article on treason and presidents. The crime: There is a discussion on when can one be charged on the crime of treason. To get a clear picture on what treason means, here is the defi nition of treason under Article 114 of the Revised Penal Code: ““Art. 114. Treason. – Any Filipino citizen who levies war against the Republic of the Philippines or adheres to her enemies, giving them aid or comfort within the Philippines or elsewhere, shall be punished by reclusion temporal to death and shall pay a fi ne not to exceed a 100,000 pesos….” The discussion revolves primarily on whether there is war against the Philippines. These questions arise – What is meant by war? Does it mean a declared war when the government through Congress passes a declaration of war against another country? Or, does war under this provision mean a state of war without Congress declaring that a state of war exists? But even if there is no war in terms of the use of armaments, any “Filipino citizen who adheres to her enemies, giving them aid and comfort in the Philippines or elsewhere…” commits the crime of treason as defi ned in Article 114 of the Revised Penal Code. And Communist China is an enemy! The answer: In law, here and elsewhere, when the words of the law are clear, there is no (Continue on page 27)

Diliman Way

The Philippines lags behind Thailand and Vietnam in terms of progress. South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan are even farther ahead. I still remember that during the 60s and 70s, these countries were as poor and as challenged as the Philippines. What happened to the Philippines? Presently under Rodrigo Duterte, even ATTY. JOJO LIANGCO Immigrant’sStory in areas where the Philippines gained respect and recognition before--- such as human rights, press freedom, freedom of expression, and democratic governance--- the country has retrogressed and moved many times backward. I have always heard the rationalization that Filipinos lack nationalism (putting the country’s interest fi rst) and patriotism (love of country) as the reason why we lag behind our Asian neighbors. Yes, we were once colonized by Spain for more than 330 years and lived under American and Japanese colonization. But our other Asian neighbors also suff ered from colonialism and Filipinos were even the fi rst people in Asia to fi ght for their independence and freedom against foreign rule and domination. In terms of valor and bravery (not to mention anti-colonial and anti-foreign struggles and movements) Philippine history is so rich with lessons that we can all learn and be inspired from.

Then there’s this other common rationalization that Filipinos are “not united” or “will never be united” because the country is an archipelago and the diversity of languages, ethnicities, and cultures are barriers to national unity and nationhood.

Note that the same geographical characteristic and conditions can be said about Indonesia and Malaysia, but they are moving ahead faster compared to the Philippines. Racial and ethnic diversity is also common in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia but notice that instead of making their ethnic diversity as a barrier or liability, these countries treat it as an asset and a resource.

We have many common patterns in our history with our Southeast Asian neighbors such as the experience of being under western colonization, military regimes and dictatorships, being ruled by corrupt politicians and strongmen, landlord elites, and compradors, but notice that only the Philippines has not successfully moved on.

What makes this experience of the Philippines and of Filipinos diff erent from the countries I mentioned? Why do we lag so far behind?

We really need to discover and learn more about our history as a people and with that, we can discover ourselves more and learn how we can better serve the Philippines.

Even here in the U.S., I remember when I fi rst came in the early 80s, it was a “challenge” identifying myself as a Filipino in this country that occupied the Philippines for many years. Although Filipinos have settled in the U.S. longer than other Asians, Americans do not seem to know us. One book even concluded that “Filipinos are the forgotten Asian Americans.”

There exist very little information materials in libraries, resource centers, and institutions of higher education about Filipinos. This dearth of Filipino-American historical information has contributed to the lowly status of Filipinos and even in the U.S., we seem to lag behind our Asian American counterparts when it comes to resource and information about us as a people although we have the numbers in terms of population. This again prevents us from knowing more about ourselves as a people, including the history Philippines.

In the Philippines, although the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986 has propelled the positive visibility of the Philippines and of Filipinos in the United States and around the world, the promised democratic reforms of the revolution have yet to be realized because the Filipino people have stopped being vigilant about guarding, protecting, and pursuing the rights that the revolution has won for them. The gains of the EDSA People Power Revolution are now being railroaded by very powerful forces as we speak. History is being rewritten and it is sad that truth is being erased and diluted.

The overwhelming call and inspiration should be to study our past, to know our history, so we do not fall prey to the quacks, the paid trolls and hacks, (Continue on page 27)

What are the Common Problems in Naturalization application?

When applying for naturalization, there are problems many applicants encountered during the interview process. This is because they look at how you fi rst get your green card and what actions you have made while a green card holder. Listed below are some of them: 1. Proving good faith marriage. You will be surprised that your are applying for naturalization and yet the USCIS is considering you as a green card applicant although your marriage happened ten years ago . If you obtained your green card through marriage, no matter how many years has passed, they always asked questions and documents about whether your marriage is bona fi de and what joint documents support this marriage. 2. Proving family relationship if you were petitioned by your parents, siblings or as derivative of your parents. You should be able to show proof of your relationship through marriage certifi cate, birth certifi cate, divorce or death certifi cate, whichever documents applied to your case. 3. If you were involved is a crime, no matter how minor you think it is, they will always look for documentation if you have been convicted and if you served your sentence. 4. There are crimes that will make you deportable when applying for naturalization. This will include committing two crimes of moral turpitude or an aggravated felony. Theft is a crime involving moral turpitude. There are waiver available and you should talk to an immigration lawyer. 5. Green card holders who obtained their green card through misrepresentation may also be sent to removal proceedings. These include those who committed marriage fraud or declared as single but actually married. If you have this kind of problem you need to talk to an immigration attorney to fi nd if you qualify for a waiver of fraud or misrepresentation. 6. Failure to fi le and pay your income tax may also disqualify you for naturalization. If you have a payment plan agreement with the IRS and you keep paying the monthly payments you may be able to get approved. Again you need to consult with an immigration lawyer about your situation. 7. Failure to pay child support. You may be denied if you fail to pay for child support. 8. If you stayed outside the U.S. for more than 180 days in a single year, you may be denied naturalization. 9. If you lack the required period of residency, you may also be denied.

So that you will not have a problem when applying for naturalization, you should consult with an immigration attorney to avoid possible problem along the way.

Note: This is not a legal advice

If you have immigration problems the Law Offi ces of Crispin C. Lozano can help you fi nd a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation.

Chris Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He practices immigration law, bankruptcy and income tax preparation since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw.net Website: www.crispinlozanolaw.com/

Gov’t optimistic of 6-7% economic growth in 2021

By Jeanne Michael Penaranda

MAKATI CITY - Economic managers remain optimistic for a 6.5-7.5 percent domestic output for this year.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua stressed this saying that the government still has eight months to address the negative impact of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus area. Chua added the economy has been posting improvements since the start of the year before the ECQ implementation, and policies and situations in this year’s ECQ is diff erent from last year.

Economic managers remain confi dent in a strong recovery for the Philippine economy this year, with health and safety protocols being implemented in various infrastructure project sites to ensure their timely completion.

During the virtual “Sulong Pilipinas: preSONA of the Economic Development and Infrastructure Cluster” forum, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said workers in the various infrastructure projects of the government need to follow social distancing measures, and are having regular testing and monitoring as part of the new normal.

“Early in the pandemic, we acknowledged the importance of the infrastructure, which is why we created these guidelines that would allow us to safely conduct our construction,” he said.

Villar said construction work in all the ongoing projects is all systems go because of these measures. “We’re still pursuing our targets whether there’s Covid (coronavirus) or none. And so, in other words, we’re prepared for this new normal and we can expect that the ‘Build, Build, Build’ will continue as planned,” he said.

SM Prime investors take profit as gloomy prospects linger

San Miguel plans P50-billion fixed-rate bonds

PASAY CITY - The ongoing economic uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus pandemic prompted investors of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. to take profi t, making it the 10th most actively traded issue last week.

A total of 24.68 million SM Prime shares worth P875.36 million were traded from April 19 to 23, data from the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) showed.

The share price of the Sy-led property fi rm closed at P35 apiece, down 2.4% from April 16’s closing price of P35.85. Year to date, the stock has gone down by 10.8%.

In a Viber message, Mercantile Securities Corp. Analyst Jeff Radley C. See said SM Prime’s performance last week was refl ective of the market’s “wait and see” attitude, adding that property fi rms are “heavily battered by the pandemic.”

SM Prime released several disclosures to the PSE on April 21, which includes the declaration of cash dividends, the release of capital expenditures (capex) for this year, the election of independent directors, and the amended full-year fi nancial report. SM Prime’s annual report was fi rst released on April 16.

The day of the disclosures’ releases sent the stock’s closing price down by 4% to P34.8 per share from P36.25 per share the previous day. Its closing price rebounded by 1.87% to P35.45 before falling back by 1.27% to P35 on Friday to end the trading week.

MANDALUYONG CITY - San Miguel Corp. has fi led with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the preliminary prospectus and the registration statement for the shelf registration of fi xed-rate bonds worth up to P50 billion.

The company said in a disclosure to the exchange that the bonds will be issued in tranches within three years with an off er supplement each from the eff ectivity of its registration statement.

It will be issued at face value and will be listed and traded at the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

“The use of proceeds for each tranche of the off er will be set out in the relevant off er supplement,” San Miguel said in its preliminary prospectus published on its company website.

For the fi rst tranche, San Miguel also fi led an off er supplement for up to P20billion fi xed-rate bonds with an oversubscription option of up to P10 billion.

The initial off ering will consist of sixyear Series I Bonds due in 2027, with a put option or repricing on the third year. It may be redeemed in the fourth year or the fi fth year.

If the oversubscription option is only partly exercised or if it is not exercised at all during the off er period, the amount will be carried over to the bonds under shelf registration.

“The entire proceeds for this off er will be used for redenominating the existing dollar denominated obligations of the company and expenses of the shelf registration and off ering of the off er bonds,” the company said in its preliminary off er supplement.