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Volume 22 - No. 50 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages december 18-24, 2015

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DATELINEUSAfrom the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

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Ramos tells Duterte, Roxas: Act like global leaders

GUIDE US TO THY PERFECT LIGHT. A man stands before a giant Christmas lantern while hearing the first of the nine-day traditional novena Masses popularly known as the ‘Simbang Gabi’ at the Cultural Center of the Philippines grounds. ManilaTimes.net photo by Cesar Dancel

Binay assures Pinoys of cheap electricity

Union City middle school renamed in honor of Fil-Am labor leaders

China denies damaging reefs in disputed sea

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A passenger prepares her luggage for inspection at the NAIA.

by Gil CabaCunGan Inquirer.net

In this file photo, the alleged on-going reclamation of Subi Reef by China is seen from Pag-asa Island in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, western Palawan Province, Philippines. China’s campaign of island building in the South China Sea might soon quadruple the number of airstrips available to the People’s Liberation Army in the highly contested and strategically vital region. That could be bad news for other regional contenders, especially the U.S., the Philippines and Vietnam. File photo by Ritchie Tongo

former President fidel V. ra-mos said that if mar roxas and ro-drigo Duterte want to be President, they should act like one.

the 87-year-old ramos, whose term ended 17 years ago, said that roxas and Duterte should realize that they would not only be com-pared to past Philippine Presidents but they would also be compared

with other world leaders on the global stage.

“my advice, simple: Act like a Philippine President who must be competitive nationally because you

No end to bullet cases at NAIA as 3 passengers heldby Rudy SantoS

Philstar.com

mANILA—A niece of former senator francisco tatad was stopped while about to board her flight, along with an American and a 74-year-old grandmother after bullets were allegedly found in their belongings while under-going security check at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

NAIA personnel said rosanna tatad, 31, was found with a bullet

A hIstorIcAL moment for fili-pino-Americans in the United states will take place on friday, Dec. 18, when a middle school in Union city, california will be officially renamed in honor of fil-Am labor leaders Lar-ry Itliong and Philip Vera cruz.

Alvarado middle school will offi-cially become Itliong-Vera cruz mid-dle school, marking what is believed to be the first school in the nation named for filipino-Americans.

“We’re very honored,” Johnny Itliong, the son of Itliong, told the Asian Journal on behalf of his family. “We’re also honored to have Philip

Vera cruz’s name alongside Larry’s even though they didn’t see eye to eye on many occasions. But they both stood up for the rights of people, first and foremost of their filipino brothers and sisters, the manongs, and then for all others.”

Itliong and Vera cruz were key lead-ers who helped organize the United farm Workers union in the 1960s and led filipino farmworkers who were the first to walk out in the Delano Grape strike on sept. 8, 1965.

still, Johnny acknowledged others in addition to his father and Vera cruz.

“there were many other filipino la-bor leaders and union organizers who stood and fought with my dad and one of the main things is United farm

Workers Union, and it wasn’t just my dad and Philip, it was also Andy Imu-tan, Pete Velasco and there were many others,” he said.

talks of naming a Union city school in honor of filipino-Americans date back to 1992, said Joe Angeles, who is part of a coalition that urged the school to be renamed, according to the contra costa Times.

“We had two schools named Alvara-do: Alvarado elementary and Alvarado middle. Alvarado elementary has more history; it’s one of the first elementary schools in the area,” Angeles said, the times reported.

though Itliong and Vera cruz pri-marily worked in the central Valley

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by aGneS ConStanteAJPress

Photo courtesy of Johnny Itliong

by PatRiCia louRdeS ViRay Philstar.com

mANILA—Beijing on Wednesday, Dec. 16 denied reports that its con-struction activities on islands and reefs in the south china sea damage marine ecological environment.

this follows the report from BBc News that chinese fishermen are de-stroying coral reefs in the south china sea.

“the relevant report is severely bi-ased and misleading. the Nansha Is-lands are china’s territory. china cares about ecological protection of relevant islands, reefs and waters more than anyone,” chinese foreign minsitry spokesperson hong Lei said in a press conference.

hong stressed that china underwent scientific evaluation and argumentation before starting construction in the is-lands and reefs.

“Placing equal emphasis on construc-

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A BINAy presidency will move toward ensuring that all filipinos, particularly in mindanao where the power issue remains unsolved, will have ac-cess to cheap electricity and long-term energy supply and security, according to Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“We will pursue legislative measures to address energy needs, including the liberalization of the constitutional policies on foreign investments,” Binay said on thursday, Dec. 17.

he noted the importance of getting more inves-tors in the power sector and vowed to streamline the application process for construction of power plants.

“my administration will cut down the bureau-cratic inefficiencies that delay the construction of new power plants. It currently requires 160 signa-tures gathered over two years before a new power plant is approved,” Binay said.

“We will streamline the application process for new power plants to ramp-up mindanao’s power supply,” he added.

Binay is in south cotabato to attend the birth-day celebration of sarangani rep. emmanuel “manny” Pacquiao.

he mentioned that mindanao’s power supply is lower than demand, which affects long-term pro-ductivity and business viability.

Binay said as of November 23, the mindanao grid had a capacity of 1,157 megawatts, which is 212 megawatts short of the peak demand at 1,360 megawatts.

mindanao is projected to require at least 500 mW of new capacity by 2016, another 500 mW by 2020 and 1,600 mW by 2030.

At present, it relies on two government-run hy-dropower plants for 50 percent of its supply.

the threat of el Nino puts mindanao’s energy supply at risk, Binay said.

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f o r m e r Philippine Am-bassador to the United states Willy Gaa died last Wednes-day, Dec. 9 of lung cancer at the age of 69.

the fili-pino commu-nity across the United states is saddened by the news.

“Ambassa-dor Gaa was known in the foreign ser-vice for his level-headed insightfulness

Willy Gaa, envoy and statesman passes awayFil-Am community mourns death of veteran diplomat

Former Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa

Supreme Court hears historic case on affirmative action

Asian Americans will benefit, experts say

the nation’s highest court has been debating a landmark case regarding Us affirmative action in college admissions.

the supreme court appeared sharply divided last week, as conservatives, in-cluding chief Justice John G. roberts Jr., believe that using affirmative action in ad-mission decisions is “unneeded and un-constitutional,” reported the Los Angeles times.

“What unique perspective does a mi-nority student bring to a physics class?” Justice roberts asked, when a lawyer spoke of the importance of diversity in the classroom. “In the past, when the high court has upheld affirmative action, it did so with the understanding that it was a ‘temporary’ measure. When do you think your program will be done?”

the court’s three liberals, led by Jus-

tion and protection, china has taken into full account issues like ecologi-cal environment and fishery protec-tion, strictly followed environmental

standards and requirements during construction, and adopted many ef-fective measures to protect ecological

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in her shoulder bag last Dec. 13.security screening officer

Anna margarita repario said she saw an image of ammunition af-ter tatad’s bag passed through the X-ray scanner.

the bullet was found after repario inspected the bag in the presence of tatad and senior Po-lice officer 1 Allan sonio.

tatad, of congressional model subdivision, camarin, caloocan

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Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos

december 18-24, 2015 • Oc/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797A�

From the Front Page

Ramos tell Duterte, Roxas...PAGE A1

will be compared with other Philip-pine Presidents. But this is now the 21st century, and the Philippine President must be world-class. We are not anymore in the period of Antonio Luna, Emilio Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio. Our coun-trymen should not kill each other, they should unite to develop our nation,” Ramos said.

The presidential candidates should realize that they would serve as a national model when they appear in international meet-ings such as with the United Na-tions, Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Ramos said in a breakfast forum at Ka-muning Bakery in Quezon City.

Ramos also weighed in on the possibility that two front-runners

in the tight presidential race would be disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). “Let us give the benefit of the doubt to the people directly concerned. Let the people decide,” he said.

Ramos warned that that the public may be left with only one choice for President if “this pro-cess of elimination” would contin-ue, referring to the disqualification cases against Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe.

“We may end up with only one candidate for President if we fol-low this process of elimination, which is not [how] the people want it,” he said.

Ramos, a former military chief and a health buff, did not find it funny that Roxas and Duterte’s political exchanges would revolve around slapping, fistfights, gun-

fights and mudslinging.“Slapping, fighting, killing each

other will not solve the problem. The real problem of the world to-day and the Philippines is fighting poverty, fighting natural calami-ties, or preparing for them if we cannot fight them; to mitigate cli-mate change,” Ramos said.

Ramos, who was perceived as supporting Duterte, advised the Davao City mayor to watch his mouth. “He should brush his teeth not with Colgate but with toilet pa-per,” he said.

He said, however, that voters should not look for a perfect Presi-dent because no candidate would fit the position perfectly.

What was important, Ramos said, was for the elected President to “transform” himself in office to be a better person.

He also noted that while new coal-fired plants are expected to come after 2015, officials say that as supply improves, Mindanao also needs to brace for rate increases.

Binay assures Pinoys of cheap...

Union City middle school renamed in honor...advocating for the rights of farm workers, Angeles said Itliong spent some time organizing in Union City and worked with some residents from the area in the 1960s.

Approval for renaming the school came from a split 3-2 de-cision in 2013 by the New Haven Unified School District board. Some wished for the school to remain Alvarado, which was in honor of 19th century Mexican governor Juan Bautista Alvara-do. Others said he was already well-represented in Union City, with an elementary school, two

streets, a park and a neighbor-hood bear his name, according to the Times. The issue resulted in staged demonstrations and full school board meetings.

In the neighborhood sur-rounding the middle school, 38 percent of residents are Filipino-American, said Joe Angeles, who is part of a coalition that urged for the renaming of the school, according to the Times.

Renaming the school is esti-mated to cost $60,000. The bulk of the price tag, $57,440, will be covered by Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle, state Sen. Bob Wieckowski and As-

semblymen Bill Quirk and Rob Bonta,

Separately, an overpass in San Diego that intersects State Route 54, which is known as the Filipino-American Highway, will also be renamed in honor of the labor leaders to the Itliong-Vera Cruz Memorial Bridge. The cel-ebration will also take place on Friday.

“These [renamings] are huge strides for our Filipino commu-nity to be recognized in Ameri-can history, and we are basically indebted to the manong genera-tion, [which] has made our lives much better,” Johnny said.

China denies damaging reefs in...environment,” Hong said.

On the other hand, BBC News correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reported how hundreds of white coral branches in the in the Spratly or Nansha Islands have been damaged because of Chi-nese fishing activities.

Wingfield-Hayes narrated how he went underwater and saw that the sea floor was covered in

No end to bullet cases at NAIA...City, denied owning the bullet. She was subjected to inquest and charged with violation of Repub-lic Act 10591.

American Joseph Ocasiones, 35, was found allegedly carrying a 9mm caliber bullet in his trolley bag last Tuesday. He was bound for San Francisco with his five-year-old daughter.

NAIA police said X-ray screen-ing officer Rica Verano saw the image of the bullet in the trolley bag of Ocasiones.

Verano then called the atten-tion of Police Officer 3 Robinson Fernandez, the duty officer.

She inspected the bag in the presence of Police Officer 2 Pura Saavedra and security screening officer Arnedo Perez and Airport Police Officer 1 Danilo Santos and found a 9mm caliber bullet.

Ocasiones was arrested and detained at the police jail at the airport.

He denied owning the bullet found in his bag. “Why would I carry ammunition when I know that it’s prohibited?” he said.

“I read and saw news from newspapers and on TV that many passengers were caught having bullets in their belongings. “I re-member when I alighted from the car, I noticed a group of people that included porters blocked my path and the next thing I know, I was arrested for the bullet planted in my baggage.”

Los Angeles-bound grand-mother Araceli Fortuna was alleg-edly found carrying two caliber .45 bullets in her luggage.

Pasay City prosecutors ordered the immediate release of Tatad, Ocasiones and Fortuna after in-vestigation and they were able to continue with their journey.

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Willy Gaa, envoy and statesman...family during this difficult time.

“I know my Dad is now look-ing from up above upon us with much pride, knowing that we will continue to carry on the work of servicing the Fil-Am community which he so dedicated his life and career to when he was in the dip-lomatic corps,” Wendell said.

Gaa was the Philippine ambas-sador to China from 2003 to 2006. He then served as consul general at the Los Angeles Consulate Gen-eral. Prior to his appointment as ambassador to the United States, he was charge d’affaires at the Philippine Embassy in Washing-ton, DC.

He was also assigned as an envoy to Australia and Libya and non-resident ambassador to Tuni-sia, Malta and Niger from 1992 to 1997.

Consummate Diplomat“Ambassador Willy Gaa was a

consummate diplomat, whose ac-tions more than his words, helped make a difference in the Filipino American community’s aspira-tions for empowerment,” said NaFFAA National Chairman JT Mallonga.

“As Philippine Ambassador to the United States from 2006-2011, Ambassador Gaa deeply cared for the community’s issues and concerns, notably the struggle of Filipino World War II Veterans for justice and equity. He championed this cause with determination and delight, walking the halls of Con-gress and meeting with U.S. lead-ers to speak for the thousands of veterans who needed a voice. He was there when the House finally voted for the Filipino Veterans Eq-uity Compensation Fund on Feb-ruary 2007, staying late into the

night to savor a measure of justice that had long been denied from our brave heroes. Thank you, Am-bassador Gaa, for standing with us during our community’s most critical hours,” Mallonga added.

Community leader Gloria T. Caoile said Ambassador Gaa came to Washington, DC. “with an open mind and a heart full of passion to serve us well.”

“With his wife Linda, they opened their home to the commu-nity, relating to us as their family! His wry sense of humor and hu-mility served him well in the re-warding relationships he forged, driven mainly by a passion to serve his people and his country. We will miss you, Sir, but we will never forget the good things you left behind,” Caoile said.

Loida Nicolas Lewis, NaFFAA National Chair Emeritus, praised Ambassador Gaa’s diligent efforts to motivate Filipinos and Filipino Americans to give back to their mother country.

“He instilled a sense of devo-tion and duty to the Philippines by encouraging them to become dual citizens, and be involved in the country’s governance as over-seas voters and citizens. He also encouraged community organiza-tions to help needy and distressed Filipino nationals who are in need of legal and humanitarian assis-tance. He was truly a man who cared. He gave his very best, with quiet dignity and humble grace,” Lewis said.

Interment is scheduled on Dec. 15, with viewings from De-cember 10-14 at Funeraria Paz, Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Paranaque. (Momar G. Visaya/AJ-Press)

and bright attitude,” said Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. “His illustrious career that spanned 36 years proved his expertise in various aspects of the Service – in administration, consular af-fairs, political diplomacy – in all geographic areas covered by the Department.”

The Filipino-American com-munity he dealt with in Northeast United States during his term as Consul General in New York and later as Ambassador to the United States remembers him as a warm and accommodating community leader.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr also issued a statement on Gaa’s passing.

“It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Am-bassador Willy Gaa. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Gaa fam-ily during this time of loss and sorrow. On this sad occasion, we recall the Ambassador’s long and dedicated service to our country and to the Filipino people. Am-bassador Gaa’s professionalism and tireless efforts to advance the interests of the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora community will continue to inspire the work of the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General across the United States,” Cuisia said.

Gaa, a veteran diplomat and a statesman, is survived by his wife Linda and sons Wendell and War-ren.

The outpouring of prayers and condolences on Facebook and various email groups prompted Wendell to thank friends, relatives and supporters for their prayers, support and well wishes to the

a thick layer of broken fragments of coral.

“I swam on and on. In every di-rection the destruction stretched for hundreds of meters, piles and piles of shattered white coral branches. It seemed so illogi-cal. Why would fishermen, even poachers, destroy a whole coral system like this?” Wingfield Hayes said in his report.

The BBC News correspondent

described the situation of the sea “complete devastation.”

During the hearing on the mer-its case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Nether-lands, the Philippines hit China for interfering with fishing activities in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippine delegation ar-gued that China’s construction activities in the region destroy the sea bed.

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Parts of Mindanao have been experiencing rotational power in-terruptions in the past several days because of continuing decline of power supply from the National Grid Corporation of the Philip-

pines (NGCP).As of December 14, NGCP ad-

vised an additional deficiency of 40MW because of reduced capac-ity of STEAG power plant in Misa-mis Oriental. (ManilaTimes.net)

WINDY. A man holds on to his umbrella during a slight rain brought about by typhoon Melor (local name “Nona”) in Taguig City on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

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Supreme Court hears historic case on...tice Sonia Sotomayor, argued in defense of race-based admissions policies at the University of Texas, which was segregated by law and later opened its doors to minority students in 1950.

The public university has al-ways had a selective admissions system that “sought to increase the minorities, using race and ethnicity as one of many factors in evaluating applicants,” reported NPR. Angered lower courts have ruled that UT could not consider race in any way in its admissions policies, but the university has still implemented it, guaranteeing three-quarters of slots as reserved by law for students who qualify in the top 7 to 10 percent of their high school class.

Abigail Fisher, a white student who was not accepted to UT in 2008, challenged UT’s “holistic review” policy that combines race/ethnicity and class rank with SAT scores, independently-graded es-says, and extracurricular leader-ship, awards, and skills.

“There were people in my class with lower grades who weren’t in all the activities I was in, and who were being accepted into UT, and the only other difference between us was the color of our skin,” Fish-er argued.

Denying her claims, the univer-sity said it was neither extracurric-ular activities nor race, but Fisher’s grades and test scores were “sim-ply too low” to get her in. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed the school’s claims of good faith in its use of race in admissions, up-holding the plan as constitutional by a 7-1 vote in 2013.

By contrast, Justice Antonin Scalia raised controversy when he questioned whether affirmative action benefits African American students.

“There are those who contend that it does not benefit African-Americans to get them into the University of Texas, where they do not do well, as opposed to hav-ing them go to a less-advanced school, a slower-track school where the do well,” he said.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, of-tentimes the key swing vote for the Supreme Court, suggested that the case should be sent back to a lower court to give the uni-versity an opportunity to present more evidence about the plan. It felt “like we’re just arguing the same case,” he said.

Supporters of affirmative action in higher education are fearful that the court might issue a broad ruling in the case, that would cur-

tail a public university’s ability to consider race in order to produce a more diverse student body, said CNN.

The outcome almost certainly turns on Kennedy’s vote. If Ken-nedy votes with the three liberals, the court will be split 4-4, which would affirm the lower court’s rul-ing although without a majority opinion.

Justice Kennedy has long agreed that having a diverse stu-dent body is sufficiently important to justify consideration of race in admissions, but only if all other race-neutral systems have been tried and failed--such as economic status, NPR reported. During his career, Kennedy has never voted to uphold a race-based policy, but he has not joined with more con-servative justices in a ruling that would flatly forbid affirmative ac-tion, said the LA Times.

If the court writes an opinion in Fisher vs. University of Texas, it is not likely to be handed down until the late spring.

Jennifer Lee, a sociologist and professor at UC Irvine, said she hopes that Asian American par-ents who are against the concept understand that affirmative action represents a “net positive” for their community.

“They think it’s in their self-in-terest to fight affirmative action,” Lee, author of “The Asian Ameri-can Achievement Paradox,” told NBC News. “But it is only in a very narrow way, without thinking of their broader life course. We need affirmative action because we don’t have the institutional ad-vantages we think we do.”

She also pointed to data from the 2014 National Asian American Survey that shows the majority of Asian Americans--69 percent of registered voters polled from California--are in support of affir-mative action, mainly because at some point, they may need such policies.

“This may come as a surprise because there has been a small, but highly organized, vocal mi-nority who opposes it. What’s important to note is that the sec-ond generation are more likely to support affirmative action than immigrants, most likely because the former understand how race affects their life chances, even as they attain high levels of educa-tion,” Lee continued. “The better question [isn’t self-interest, but] whether Asian Americans are willing to recognize our ethnic and class diversity.”

“Affirmative action policies al-low universities to consider the

differential starting points while also promoting diversity on cam-puses,” she added.

A May 2015 study by the As-cend Foundation, a non-profit or-ganization dedicated to fostering business leadership in the Asian-American community, which found that while Asian Americans made up 27.2 percent of profes-sionals at major tech companies Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, LinkedIn, and Yahoo, only 13.9 percent of executives were Asian-American, pointing to a lack of representation in leadership posi-tions.

“They make up less than 1 percent of corporate board mem-bers and about 2 percent of col-lege presidents. Asian Americans may be facing a ‘bamboo ceiling,’ not unlike the glass ceiling that women face. How to break down that ceiling? Affirmative action, of course.”

In her collaborated research with UCLA professor Min Zhou, Lee explained that some lower-income Asian Americans were able to overcome class disadvan-tages by using what the research-ers called “ethnic capital”—the “communal knowledge, practices, and institutions created by bet-ter-off peers to help others within their ethnic group. It includes academic enrichment and tutor-ing programs,” she explained. “Those communities with larger middle classes are in [a] position to leverage their education and fi-nancial resources to create it. But other groups like Mexican immi-grants remain disadvantaged. Not all groups have access to the same type of ethnic capital. This is why affirmative action matters.”

Across the country, universities are making major efforts to diver-sify their campuses, whether af-firmative action makes it through the Supreme Court or not. In No-vember of this year, Yale Universi-ty announced it would devote $50 million to retaining and recruiting a diverse faculty, and Brown Uni-versity said it would spend $100 million.

“The racial tensions that have come to light on campuses across the country, and the students’ non-violent protests show that race continues to matter in the lives of university students, even for those who are on the coun-try’s most elite campuses,” Lee finished. “Students, faculty, and universities have made their posi-tions clear: diversity matters, and insuring diversity is critical for all, not just certain groups.” (Allyson Escobar/AJPress)

THE Supreme Court has de-clined to review an appeal of an Illinois ordinance banning assault weapons and large-capacity mag-azines, marking a victory for gun control advocates.

The decision on Monday, Dec. 7, comes after a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California and nearly a month after such an inci-dent in Paris, which have fueled fierce arguments over gun regu-lation in the United States.

In 2013, the City of Highland Park in Illinois issued an ordi-nance that bans the sale, pur-chase, or possession of a number of semi-automatic weapons, in-cluding the AR-15 and AK-47. It also bans magazines containing over 10 rounds of bullets, as well as semiautomatic guns with a grip for the nontrigger hand.

The measure was challenged by the Illinois State Rifle Asso-ciation and Dr. Arie Friedman, a pediatrician who kept guns and magazines that were banned by the ordinance at home for self-defense. They told the justices that the term “assault weapons” is “an imaginary and pejorative category,” according to The New York Times.

Two conservatives on the nine-member court, Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia dis-sented, saying the Supreme Court should have heard the case to

Supreme Court refuses to hear case challenging assault weapons ban

by Agnes ConstAnteAJPress

prevent the appeals court “from relegating the Second Amend-ment to a second-class right.”

A key component to the argu-ment was a 2008 Supreme Court decision that said the Second Amendment of the Constitution gives an individual the right to possess a handgun for self-de-fense. The ruling, however, also said there could be restrictions for “dangerous and unusual weapons.”

“The overwhelming majority of citizens who own and use such rifles do so for lawful purposes, including self-defense and target shooting,” Thomas wrote in a six-page dissent. “Under our prece-dents, that is all that is needed for citizens to have a right under the Second Amendment to keep such weapons.”

A supporting brief filed by 24 states urging the Court to strike down the ordinance said the weapons banned are commonly used and protected by state laws that prohibit local communities from restricting them.

Decision previously upheldIn April, the 7th Circuit Court

of Appeals in Chicago upheld the ordinance in a divided vote.

“A ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines might not prevent shootings in High-land Park (where they are already rare), but it may reduce the car-nage if a mass shooting occurs,” Judge Frank Easterbrook wrote on behalf of the majority. He added,

“if a ban on semiautomatic guns and large-capacity magazines reduces the perceived risk from a mass shooting, and makes the public feel safer as a result, that’s a substantial benefit.”

Judge Daniel Manion wrote the dissent.

“By prohibiting a class of weap-ons commonly used throughout the country, Highland Park’s or-dinance infringes upon the rights of its citizens to keep weapons in their homes for the purpose of de-fending themselves, their families and their property,” he wrote.

Highland Park lawyers defend-ed the ban, citing it was issued after a series of mass shootings across the United States, includ-ing the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Con-necticut, where 26 people were killed. They also noted that seven states, including California and New York, have similar laws.

Attorneys for the Rifle Associa-tion said that in the seven years since the landmark gun ruling in 2008, “the lower courts have as-siduously worked to sap it of any real meaning. They have upheld severe restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms that would be unthinkable in the context of any other constitutional right,” NBC News reported.

The Supreme Court last heard a major gun case in 2010, when it ruled in McDonald v. City of Chicago that its ruling in 2008 ap-plied to the states.

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SIMBANG GABI. Boholano Catholics have filled the churches like St. Joseph Cathedral in Tagbilaran City for the first “Simbang Gabi,” or “Misa de Gallo,” to affirm their faith. At least 600 residents attended the “Simbang Gabi,” held for the first time at the alternative church. Sto. Niño Parish Church, which was built in 1880 and made of coral stones, was damaged when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake shook the island-province of Bohol on Oct. 15, 2013. Inquirer.net photo by Leo Udtohan

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Dateline PhiliPPinesIn face of ruling on Duterte candidacy, Poe camphopes ‘honest mistake’ in COC would also be forgiven by TeTch Torres-Tupas

Inquirer.net

After macho talk, Duterte ready to debate

by aurea calica Philstar.com

The camp of Senator Grace Poe is hopeful that the Com-mission on Elections (Comelec) would also accept the “honest mistake” in her certificate of candidacy (COC) in 2013 after the poll body decided to accept the COC of her rival, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

“We welcome the decision of Comelec to accept the COC of Mayor Duterte. As stated before, we believe that in a true democ-racy, individuals should be al-lowed to offer themselves to the electorate to serve the country, as well as people should be al-lowed to choose their next leaders from a complete list of candidates. In a democracy, the freedom to choose is the most powerful tool of the people,” Poe’s spokesman, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gathalian, said in a text message on Thursday, Dec. 17.

“With this positive decision we are hopeful that the Com-elec en banc applies consis-tency in rendering decision on the MR of Sen. Poe. In this case (Duterte case) they accepted the ‘mistake’ of Mr. Dino, hence we believe that they should be consistent and accept ‘honest mistake’ of Sen. Poe in her 2013 COC when she ran for senator,” Poe’s spokesman added.

Gathchalian was referring to

Martin Diño, the original stan-dard-bearer of PDP-Laban, who later withdrew his COC. Diño was replaced by Duterte.

Diño’s COC indicated, howev-er that he was running for mayor of Pasay City.

Meanwhile, Poe has a pending appeal at the Comelec en banc after its first and second divi-sions ruled to disqualify her from the 2016 presidential race for al-legedly making false statements about her period of residency in the country and her status as a natural-born Filipino.

In its decision to disqualify

Poe from next year’s presiden-tial race, the Comelec’s Second Division ruled that there was a deliberate attempt on Poe’s part to mislead, misinform or hide a fact when she stated in her COC for President that her period of residency in the Philippines up to the day before the May 9, 2016 elections was 10 years and 11 months.

But such declaration, it said, was false based on her own COC for senator in 2013 where she stated that she has been a resi-dent of the country since No-vember 2006.

DAVAO CITY—There’s one fight Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is looking forward to, and it’s not the slapping challenge, nor the gun duel with rival candidate Mar Roxas but a verbal jousting with all fellow presidential wan-na-bes.

“When the political campaign starts, I will debate with them on any matter under the sun,” Duterte told reporters.

Told about the clamor of some sectors for him and Roxas to stop the word war and instead discuss issues, he replied, “You better watch out.”

Duterte earlier said he would slap Roxas when he sees the for-mer interior secretary after the standard-bearer of the adminis-tration claimed Davao City was not at all peaceful as the mayor boasted.

Roxas cited police data that said Davao’s crime volume for 2014 was more than 14,000. The city police had since corrected him, saying Roxas counted non-index crimes, or crimes solved through regular law enforcement

activities such as serving of war-rants against those charged in courts.

The mayor admitted that Roxas was a close friend, who allegedly engaged in black propaganda when reports about Duterte was running for President came out. Duterte said Roxas’ publicist was behind stories that the mayor had cancer.

It turned out that it is the may-or’s former wife, Elizabeth, who has throat cancer.

Roxas denied that his camp was behind the story.

After Roxas described as a myth the peace and order situa-tion in Davao City, Duterte retort-ed by saying his being a Wharton graduate was the real myth.

Roxas claims to be a graduate of Wharton School of the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania. Duterte, however, said Roxas graduated from University of Pennsylvania, and not from Wharton.

“Wharton is for MBA. He did not take up MBA,” the mayor said. “This guy is a fraud,” he said.

The word war escalated after Roxas said he would slap the mayor if he could prove that he is a Wharton graduate.

When asked on Monday night if the slapping challenge between him and Roxas was a manly act, Duterte quickly said: “Let’s have a gun fight instead … rich people are afraid to die,” the mayor said. (Inquirer.net)

PulseAsia: Sotto, Lacson remain top Senate betsby paTricia lourdes Viray

Philstar.com

MANILA—Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and former Sen. Pan-filo “Ping” Lacson remain the top bets for the senatorial race in 2016, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey released on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Sotto scored 72.6 percent while Lacson scored 65.3 per-cent. The two senators also topped theSeptember survey of Pulse Asia.

Sen. Ralph Recto ranked third with 62.9 percent followed by

former Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pan-gilinan with 58 percent.

Completing the list of prob-able winners in the senatorial race are the following:

• Senate President Franklin Drilon (57.5 percent)

• former Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri (57.5 percent)

• Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (52.1 percent)

• Boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao (50.2 per-cent)

• Philippine Red Cross Chair Richard Gordon (49.7 percent)

• Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingo-na III (44.8 percent)

• former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (37.9 percent)

• former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel (36.5 percent)

• Manila Vice Mayor Fran-cisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (30.4 percent)

• Former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ChairFrancis Tolentino (23.4 percent)

• TV host Edu Manzano (22.2 percent)

• Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian (22 percent)

• former Pampanga Gov. Mark Lapid (20.4 percent)

• former TESDA chief Joel Vil-lanueva (19.7 percent)

• actress and Parañaque Councilor Alma Moreno (15.4 percent)

• Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Mar-tin Romualdez (14.6 percent)

The survey was conducted among 1,200 respondents na-tionwide from November 8 to 15. The respondents were asked who among the senatorial bets would they vote for if the elec-tions were held during the day of the survey.

Roach acknowledges Mayweather as era’s best boxerby dino Maragay

Philstar.com

EVEN Freddie Roach is sold: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best boxer of his generation.

Roach, Manny Pacquiao’s long-time trainer, recently admitted that the undefeated Mayweather tops his ward as the best boxer of this era.

“Manny had eight world titles and a lot of great opponents and so forth. Mayweather had the same, had a great career and un-defeated, so I guess we’re going to have to give it to Mayweather,” the multi-titled cornerman said in a boxingscene.com report by Car-los Boogs.

Mayweather actually won titles in five weight divisions, three few-

er than Pacquiao, who was cham-pion in an unprecedented eight weight classes.

But Mayweather proved he is the top dog by besting Pacquiao in their showdown last May, which turned out to be the richest fight in boxing.

Roach himself trained two box-ers in an attempt to hand May-weather his first loss ever. He worked Oscar De La Hoya’s cor-ner when he fought Mayweather in 2007 and did the same for Pac-quiao.

In both times, Roach failed.Mayweather retired after beat-

ing Andre Berto in September, his perfect 49-0 record intact.

This, Roach said, is why May-weather’s the best.

“Mayweather had no losses and so forth, so he’s probably king of this era,” he added.

Still, Roach gave Pacquiao his due.

“But Manny was a lot more ex-citing for the fans,” Roach said.

Respondents in Mamasapano cases no-show in probe

THE 84 respondents in the direct assault with murder and theft cases in connection with the January 25, 2015 Mamasa-pano clash failed to show up in the second preliminary investi-gation at the Department of Jus-tice (DOJ).

During the preliminary inves-tigation on Thursday, Dec. 17, Atty. Carlos Valdez appeared on behalf of alleged 118 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Base Command commander Pendatun Utek Makakua while Atty. Ronald Torres appeared on behalf of Mustapah Tatak and La-kiman Dawaling.

The three respondents sub-mitted their counter-affidavits denying allegations that they participated in the clash.

“I am a poor man and I have no way of going to Manila due to my hard life,” Makakua said in his affidavit.

He also submitted a certifica-tion signed by Abdulwahid Tun-duk, MILF 118th Base Command certifying that he is not one of their members.

On the other hand, three other respondents asked the DOJ for a copy of the complaint before submitting their counter-affida-vit.

Meanwhile, the DOJ panel of prosecutor led by Senior Assis-tant State Prosecutor Roseanne

Balauag has submitted for reso-lution the case against the 84 respondents for their failure to appear and communicate with the DOJ.

The next preliminary investiga-tion is scheduled on January 14.

The complaint against the 90 individuals covers only the death of 35 members of the 55th SAF company that engaged MILF and BIFF fighters and PAGs in the cornfields of Brgy. Tukan-alipao.

The 90 individuals were ac-cused of acting “in conspiracy with one another to attack, employ force, seriously intimidate or resist the 35 SAF commandos, who were uniformed police officers and, thus persons in authority.”

SWS: Aquino satisfaction rating dipsTHE last quarter of the year,

but Malacañang was unfazed by the decline.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey taken from Dec. 5 to 8 found 58 percent of the re-spondents satisfied and 26 per-cent dissatisfied with Aquino’s performance, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of +32, which is classified as “good.”

Aquino’s satisfaction score slipped by nine points from +41 in September.

The remaining 16 percent of the 1,200 adult respondents were undecided, the pollster said.

Results of the latest SWS sur-vey on Aquino’s public satisfac-tion rating were published in BusinessWorld.

The President’s satisfaction rating fell by 23 points in bal-ance Luzon to “moderate” +23 from September’s “good” +46 percent.

His satisfaction score went down by eight points but stayed in “good” territory to +31 in Min-danao from +39 in September.

Aquino’s net satisfaction rat-ing increased by eight points but stayed “very good” in the Visayas at +58.

It stayed “moderate” in Metro Manila at +23 percent, up by five points from September’s +18 percent.

Among socioeconomic groups, Aquino’s net satisfaction rating

stayed “good” among respon-dents from classes ABC at +44 and E at +45.

It fell by 11 points to a “moder-ate” +28 among those in class D.

The survey has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus or minus six percentage points each for Metro Manila, balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of +70 and above as “ex-cellent”; +50 to +69, “very good;” +30 to +49, “good;” +10 to +29, “moderate;” +9 to -9, “neutral;” -10 to -29, “poor;” -30 to -49, “bad;” -50 to -69, “very bad,” and -70 and below as “execrable.”

Palace unfazedA Malacañang official down-

played the decline in President Aquino’s satisfaction rating.

Presidential spokesman Ed-win Lacierda said Aquino’s 58 percent satisfaction score in the fourth quarter SWS survey “re-mains the highest among all his predecessors.”

“While these high figures en-courage us in the administration, we measure success by other metrics that reflect the quality of lives of the people,” Lacierda said.

“The Aquino administration continues to do its work not for survey results but toward the more tangible benefits of good governance, poverty alleviation, job increase and economic ex-

pansion,” he added.Government records show that

unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level at 5.7 percent and the third quarter 2015 GDP growth rose to six percent.

A study conducted on the ben-eficiaries of the Pantawid Pami-lyang Pilipino Program showed that 1.4 million households were able to rise above the poverty line, Lacierda said.

“We will continue to work to-ward realizing the dream of every Filipino: to have a more peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Philip-pines,” he said.

Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communica-tions Operations Office acknowl-edged the survey results.

by helen Flores Philstar.com

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey taken from Dec. 5 to 8 found 58 percent of the respondents satisfied and 26 percent dissatisfied with President Aquino’s performance, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of +32, which is classified as “good.”

STILL HOPING. Senator Grace Poe during a presconference in Tarlac City, following Commission on Elections (Comelec) first division canceling Poe’s certificate of candidacy for President, voting 2-1. Poe says her camp expected the ruling, and will file for motion for reconsideration on the following days. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto remains the top senatorial bet in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

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WITH over 30,000 Filipinos living in Long Beach, conver-sations about raising the minimum wage and wage enforce-ment in the city are important issues to the Filipino commu-nity.

Most Filipinos in Long Beach have settled in Westside Long Beach, an area tucked in between the 710 freeway and the bustling Port of Long Beach. Fili-pinos living in Westside Long Beach largely work low-wage jobs in the health and service industries. Raising the minimum wage would undoubtedly create a positive impact in the Filipino community.

According to data from Long Beach Ris-ing: A City that Works for Everyone by the Economic Roundtable, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour would affect 17,000 Long Beach residents who work in the city.

An increase in wages would help nearly over 6,500 Long Beach workers rise out of poverty by 2020. In addition to providing a living wage for residents working in the city, the minimum wage policy should include earned paid sick days so workers do not have to make the choice between going to work sick or staying home and not getting paid. Workers should also receive stronger

protection against wage theft, which includes being underpaid and being denied overtime or breaks.

In November 2015, the Filipino Mi-grant Center surveyed 110 Westside Long Beach residents about raising the minimum wage in Long Beach and their experiences with wage theft. Of the residents surveyed, 96 percent sup-port the raising the minimum wage in Long Beach.

More than half of residents (62 per-cent) shared experiencing at least one form of wage theft, including being underpaid, denied breaks, and work-ing overtime without pay. Respondents working as caregivers, restaurant serv-ers, and health care workers shared personal experiences with wage theft. 41 percent of residents reported know-

ing someone who has experienced wage theft.

The high percentage of respondents stating they have experienced wage theft is not surprising. Filipino immi-grants and migrant workers working low-wage service jobs are some of the most vulnerable to exploitation in the workplace. Long Beach Filipino resi-dents were overwhelmingly supportive of passing a policy to protect workers from wage theft.

As part of the Coalition to End Wage Theft and the Raise the Wage Coalition, the Filipino Migrant Center has been working collaboratively with other com-munity organizations and members in a growing movement to end wage theft and raise the wage in Long Beach. We believe that all workers in Long Beach

deserve better. As a part of a vibrant Filipino community, we must empower workers and uplift communities by pass-ing a policy in Long Beach for a living wage, strong wage enforcement, guar-anteed paid sick days, and no exemp-tions. Our families are depending on it.

Joanna Concepcion is the Executive Director of the Filipino Migrant Center, a non-profit organization based in Long Beach, California that serves Filipinos throughout Southern California and ad-dresses the issues and concerns they face in their daily lives. n

* * *Joanna Concepcion is the executive director of the Filipino Migrant Center, a non-profit organization based in Long Beach, California that serves Filipinos throughout Southern California and addresses issues and concerns they face in their daily lives.

ManilaTimes.net photo

Long Beach Filipinos support $15 minimum wage and protections against wage theft

“THE success of Donald Trump has so defied the conven-tional wisdom of political pun-ditry that a new genre of analy-sis has come into being. Call it Trumpology. It consists of reach-ing for exotic explanations from surprising sources. For example, Barton Swaim, who wrote ‘The Speechwriter: A Brief Education In Politics,’ hears magic in the Donald’s diction. Think word or-der. Think timing.”

Thus did American broadcast journalist Robert Siegel kick off a panel discussion on the mys-tique of Republican presidential aspirant and real estate mogul, Donald Trump, who currently leads the pack in the process of selecting the official GOP candi-date in next year’s US presiden-tial elections.

Participating in the discus-sion were PR specialist Mark McKinnon, vice-chair of Hill & Knowlton; political speech writer Barton Swaim; Scott Adams, the creator and cartoonist of Dilbert; and Rosalind Wiseman, a promi-nent parenting educator and au-thor.

The opinions came from left field, right field and center field, to use baseball idiom, but they all appear to arrive at the same conclusion: Trump represents the “anger” of American voters.

This has been exacerbated by the recent terrorist attacks, such as the one in Paris, which have made Americans feel vulner-able. The more impressionable are pining for a personification of Dirty Harry who will “make their day” by eliminating the threats to their security. Like a typical used car salesman, Trump has vowed to do that and

a whole lot more.We are witnessing a similar

phenomenon in the person of former Davao City Mayor Rodri-go Duterte, said to be leading in the recent public opinions polls among presidential aspirants.

Duterte’s promises are the kind that could come from the mouth of Clint Eastwood as the San Francisco cop who fought crime by being a criminal him-self—to the cheers of the movie audience. If elected president, Duterte would give the funeral parlors a windfall by liquidating drug dealers and assorted crimi-nals. He would literally make the Philippines peaceful by making them rest in peace.

Duterte is foul-mouthed, lac-ing his public remarks with vul-gar invectives. But that simply marks him as an over-aged ju-venile. What makes him particu-larly dangerous is his obsession with extra-judicial killings as a short cut to peace and order.

Like Trump, Duterte is exploit-ing the frustration of the Filipi-no people over everything that seems to be going wrong in the country, and the seeming incom-petence and cluelessness of the current administration. And like Trump, Duterte has one simple solution. Get rid of the crooks, the criminals, the incompetents and everyone who gets in the way of Duterte’s vision of a pro-gressive Philippines.

Apparently, Duterte considers the Law an obstacle to achieving peace and order. He may even suggest to the courts that the best way to clear the backlog of cases is to “shoot the suspects dead.” He hasn’t said it yet but Duterte, as president, may de-

cide to convert the Philippine National Police into the Philip-pine National Death Squad.

It’s classic used car sales-man talk and macho bluster, but even supposedly intelligent Metro Manilans are buying it. Of course, it also helps that the campaign team of Duterte and vice-presidential hopeful, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, has some hotshot communicators and cre-ative minds—with skills that can make black look white and bad sound good.

Duterte’s fans do not seem to care that Duterte’s reputed suc-cess as mayor of Davao does not necessarily qualify him to lead a country of over a hun-dred million people, the majority of whom are wallowing in pov-erty—and a large percentage of whom may be on the verge of turning to criminality in order to survive (would Duterte liquidate all of them?).

A Duterte fan enumerated on FaceBook what he described as “Ten P—Inang Achievements of Duterte in Davao.” The list consisted of ordinances covering smoking in public places, public intoxication, peace and order, using the karaoke after hours, vendors taking over sidewalks, etc. Aside from the incremental benefits created by these ordi-nances, nothing was said about job generation, the economy, foreign affairs, national defense, social welfare, health care, edu-cation and similar urgent nation-al needs. But this simple-minded

Duterte fan appears con-vinced that his favorite local executive is ready for prime time.

Concerning peace and or-der, his fans do

not seem to realize that Duterte’s promise to summarily liquidate criminals could one day see their own relatives and loved ones—even themselves—at the point of a gun, on mere suspicion.

Duterte has publicly boasted that he personally killed crimi-nal suspects, including setting one on fire—and to hell with due process (it makes you wonder if Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has been sleeping on the job or has not been reading the postings on social media—otherwise, shouldn’t she go after Duterte with her usual hammer and tongs?).

Now, where do Nardong Putik and Adolph Hitler come in?

I happen to have written the screenplay of the film about that notorious Cavite bandit for Ramon Revilla. To say that his acting career was washed up at the time would be an understate-ment. But Revilla saw a chance to resurrect it by starring in a bi-opic on Putik.

His gamble hit the jackpot. Nardong Putik, the movie, was the biggest boxoffice hit that year, in spite of opening in the middle of a raging typhoon and floods in Metro Manila. But what followed next will give you an idea of how our people tend to confuse screen heroes with their perception of a real life knight in

shining armor.Encouraged by the box office

success of his movie, as well as his subsequent films, Revilla ran for senator. He lost because he made the mistake of using his real name, Jose Bautista, in his Certificate of Candidacy. In the succeeding senatorial election, he ran again, this time as Ra-mon Revilla. He won. And not only that, he bred a new politi-cal dynasty in Cavite, with fam-ily members winning provincial posts and his son, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., taking his seat in the Senate.

I could have used former Pres-ident and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada as an example of the confused perceptions among our people, but the anal-ogy of Nardong Putik, a killer, is more akin to the macho persona that Duterte has donned. Erap is regarded more as a woman-izer and, in this department, Duterte’s boast that he has two wives and two girl friends pales in comparison. Erap is smooth. Duterte is crude.

And what about Adolph Hit-ler? Isn’t comparing Duterte with Hitler like matching the neighborhood basketball team with an NBA franchise?

That may be the case, but the fascination with Duterte is grounded on the same sense of frustration and hopelessness that catapulted Hitler and the Nazi Party to a position of lead-ership in Germany.

An online write-up entitled, “Why was Hitler’s Nazi party so appealing to Germans in the 1930’s?”, is very instructive:

“The 30s was in the great depression and the monarchy

(was) seen to do nothing to alle-viate the problems of no money and short food supply. The Nazi party offered nationalisation and work, building the autobahns and other national projects, giving Germans a sense of self achieve-ment by completing such major constructions…The Nazi party preyed on the sense of German pride in their self-achievement, using a charismatic Hitler to tell them how good and how much better than the rest of the world the Germans were. And since the party had done such a great job of ending the depression, then maybe, just maybe, it would be better for the whole world if they too were helped by the Germans, ruling them for their ‘own good.’… Of course this was taken a little too far and the party was ruled by idiots, insane people and complete lunatics and megalomania (sic). In ‘39 when all the trouble started, the people went along for the ride, only to realise very shortly that they were on an unstoppable avalanche to hell.”

And as history tells us, it was hell, not just for six million Jews, but for all of Europe.

On social media, I cited the ex-ample of Hitler in an exchange of opinions about Duterte with some friends. Responded one of them, an advertising man, “If Duterte’s Jews are the rich, he’s my dude.”

I wouldn’t describe my friend as irresponsible. I think he is just getting carried away by the Nar-dong Putik, Trump and Hitler syndrome. I hope he realizes this before it’s too late (or his rich clients hear about it). (gregma-cabenta@hotmail.com)

Duterte, Trump, Hitler and Nardong Putik

GreG B. MacaBenta

Street Talk

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to stop crime and corruption if elected president of the Philippines in 2016. It seems that he will stop at nothing to get there. The no-nonsense presiden-tial aspirant is on a mean streak lately and has been engaging his rivals in a political mudslinging.

Menacing

His first target was Sen. Grace Poe, who is currently facing disqual-ification cases over her residency and citizenship status. Duterte said he was convinced to submit his bid for the presidency because he does not want an American to be the country’s next president.

“The president should be a Filipino,” Duterte said.

Poe’s camp maintained the senator is a natural-born Filipino and that the Senate Electoral Tri-bunal (SET’s) favorable decision on the senator’s eligibility, rendered justice to Poe and all other foundlings. “In a democracy, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We respect Mayor Duterte and we respect his opinion. But to reiterate, Sen-ator Poe is a natural-born Filipino. International laws and covenants substantiate this fact,” Poe’s spokesman, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said.

However, Poe’s candidacy remains in limbo af-ter the Commission on Election (Comelec’s) First and Second Divisions disqualified her from the presidential race due to citizenship and residency issues. The Supreme Court will review and give the final verdict on the cases.

On Sunday, Dec. 13, Duterte lashed back at the Liberal Party’s standard bearer, former Interior

Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and accused him falsely of graduat-ing from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

“I would like to ask the presiden-tiable [Roxas], you claim to have graduated from Wharton School of Economics, that is a myth. You did not graduate from Wharton School of Eco-nomics, Mr. Roxas,” Duterte said. Roxas present-ed his Wharton credentials, but Duterte remained adamant and said they were fabricated.

According to the university’s website, Roxas graduated with a Bachelor of Science in eco-nomics from the Wharton School in 1979 and is listed as one the institution’s notable alumni, which also include Donald Trump and Warren Buffett.

The word-war sparked when Roxas claimed that Davao City’s peace and order is a myth. Davao City was recently ranked the fourth saf-est place in the world by Numbeo.com, and the country’s most child-friendly based on a govern-ment ranking.

With neither one backing down on proving their claims, Duterte dared Roxas in a slapping match, while Roxas insisted a fistfight. The heated ex-change ended with Duterte challenging Roxas to a gun duel, saying he is not afraid of anything.

Editorial

While recent poll results are in his favor, Duterte should be reminded that there is a multitude of ills in the country that deserve more attention. Rather than trading barbs with his competition, he should elaborate on his platform instead to en-gage more voters to cast his name on the ballot next year.

Filipinos have unenthusiastic assessments on the socio-political situation in the country. As spectators to this current political drama, they owe it to themselves to think objectively and look at facts instead of having prejudices and biases. With the presidency on the line, civic participation is encouraged now more than ever. (AJPress)

Joanna ConCepCion

Commentary

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • dECEmbER 18-24, 2015(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com A�Dateline PhiliPPines

Laudes sue VFA exec, 11 Pemberton guards for contemptAFTERMATH. Children read rain-soaked school books being dried on a fallen coconut tree in Barcelona town, Sorsogon where Typhoon Nona made its second landfall last Monday, Dec. 14. In the background is one of the houses damaged by the typhoon. Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban

The Supreme Court (SC) de-ferred anew the voting on the con-stitutionality of the Philippines-United States enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (eDCA), with deliberations expected to re-sume next month.

The high court did not make any official announcement on the case at a press conference Wednesday, Dec. 16 but sources privy to what transpired during the special en banc session said deliberations would continue early January.

Militant group Bagong Alyan-sang Makabayan (Bayan), among petitioners against the deal, held a rally outside the Supreme Court

amid rains as deliberations went on, keeping watch of the results. They later dispersed upon getting word that there was no official up-date.

The high court’s ruling has been highly anticipated as it would seal the fate of the contentious defense pact, signed as an executive agree-ment between Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambas-sador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg in April last year, just be-fore US President Barack Obama’s overnight state visit in Manila.

The pact would allow increased rotational presence of US troops in the Philippines, an accommoda-

tion that Bayan said would lead to de facto permanent basing.

But government has been de-fending edca’s status as an agree-ment and not a treaty that would need Senate concurrence as it serves as an implementing pact of the1999 Ph-US Visiting Forces Agreement and the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

The agreement, according to government, would give more opportunities for joint military exercises between Filipino and American troops both in the ar-eas of mutual defense and disas-ter response. (Tarra Quismundo/Inquirer.net)

Still no Supreme Court on EDCA

PH credit ratings likely to get upgrade, says FitchMANILA—The Philippines

could receive another upgrade from Fitch Ratings if the reforms undertaken under the leadership of President Benig Aquino III would be sustained in the next administration.

Fitch said the sovereign credit rating of the Philippines could be upgraded after its outlook was raised to positive from stable last September due to the steady strengthening in the country’s structural fundamentals, improve-ments captured in international measures of governance stan-dards and international competi-tiveness and reflected in the Phil-ippines’ strong macroeconomic performance.

Fitch said the strong growth, a structural current account sur-plus and ongoing fiscal policy discipline are driving a steady im-

provement in the sovereign’s bal-ance sheet of the Philippines.

Last September, Fitch raised the country’s outlook to posi-tive from stable as it affirmed the credit rating at ‘BBB-“ or minimum investment grade on the back of the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals as well as the improved government standards and competitiveness indicators under the Aquino ad-ministration.

Fitch pointed out the country’s global competitiveness in the World economic Forum (WeF) has risen to a level comparable to ‘BBB’-rated peers.

Fitch likewise cited that indica-tors for corruption, transparency and economic freedom have also improved substantially.

With the upgrade, Fitch could raise the country’s sovereign cred-

it rating over the next 18 months especially if the improvement in governance standards over the Aquino administration would be sustained following a change in government.

Likewise, the country’s credit rating would be upgraded if the strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth without the emer-gence of imbalances would be sustained and if the general gov-ernment revenue base that lends greater stability to the government finances would be broadened.

Fitch upgraded the country’s credit rating to ‘BBB-‘ equivalent to minimum investment grade in March last year.

The debt watcher sees the coun-try’s GDP growing 5.6 percent this year as domestic demand remains robust even as external demand weakens. (Philstar.com)

Nancy Binay urges 2016 aspirants: Love, don’t hurt each other

INSTeAD of resorting to per-sonal attacks, Senator Nancy Bi-nay called on all candidates run-ning for public office in 2016 to spread love at least during this holiday season.

“Love, love, love na lang da-hil panahon ng pagkakaisa (Just spread love, because it’s the sea-son for unity),” Binay told report-ers on Tuesday.

“This is not the time to bash each other and hopefully sana pagdating ng election, hindi mag-ing ganu’n ang tono ng pangan-gampanya na personalan (This is not the time to bash each other and hopefully when the election comes, the campaign won’t get personal),” she said.

her father, Vice President Je-jomar Binay, is running for presi-dent in 2016.

The Vice President’s running mate, Senator Gringo honasan, also urged candidates not to allow the political situation “to deterio-rate into personality attacks.”

“It’s not good on the eve of the election,” honasan said during the same interview with the lady senator.

he also refused to comment on the verbal tussle between two presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and for-mer Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, saying the Vice President’s team was focused on presenting to the public its platforms and programs

for the country.Duterte reportedly said that he

would slap Roxas for supposedly saying that the mayor’s reputation as a crime buster was a “myth.”

Also sought for comment on Duterte and Roxas’ tirades, Sena-tor Binay said: “Dapat move for-ward na lang siguro. In a few days, Christmas na e. ‘Pag Pasko, it’s a time to give love so sana mag-kaayos silang dalawa na walang nagaganap na sampalan.”

(They should perhaps just move forward. In a few days, it will be Christmas already. On Christmas, it’s time to give love, so I hope they patch thing up and not resort to slapping each other anymore.) (Inquirer.net)

MANILA—The Comission on elections (Comelec) isn’t going to stop any boxing match between presidential aspirants Manuel Roxas II and Rodrigo Duterte.

As in boxing, however, the Comelec has an advice to the would-be pugilists: no hitting be-low the belt, and no elbowing.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said this yesterday as he refused to act as referee between the two candidates.

Bautista said he does not intend to mediate between the feuding candidates and will let them settle their differences.

“It’s my philosophy that, like

in boxing, as a referee, there are rules that must be followed, like no hitting below the belt, or no elbowing. Other than that, let them be,” he said.

On Monday, Dec. 14, Roxas dared Duterte to make good his threat of slapping him.

Duterte earlier challenged Rox-as to a slapping match “when they cross paths” in response to the administration candidate’s claim that Davao City is not among the safest places in the country. Roxas laughed off Duterte’s claim of hav-ing the safest city in the country, saying it was just a product of the mayor’s imagination.

Bautista noted the escalating exchange of threats between the two protagonists.

“As you know, elections are not for the onion-skinned. elec-tions are not for those who are thin-skinned. Things like that are part of the elections and I don’t think Comelec should step in,” he said.

Bautista, however, said the in-cidents could actually help pro-vide the voters “a holistic view” of the candidates.

“I believe the Filipinos can vote wisely. They can choose the lead-ers that they want to elect,” he said. (Philstar.com)

Comelec as referee: No hitting below the belt

OLONGAPO CITY—The fam-ily of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude on Monday, Dec. 14 filed contempt charges against an official of the Presi-dential Commission on the Visit-ing Forces Agreement (PCVFA) and 11 American soldiers for defying an Olongapo City judge’s initial ruling to jail convicted US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

In the petition filed in the Re-gional Trial Court here, lawyer harry Roque Jr., lead counsel of the Laude family, asked the court to cite eduardo Oban Jr., executive director of the PCVFA, and the 11 American soldiers in indirect contempt for refusing to turn Pemberton over to local au-thorities after his conviction on

Dec. 1.Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde of

RTC Branch 74 found Pemberton guilty of homicide in the killing of Laude in an Olongapo City motel room in October last year. Wit-nesses identified Pemberton as the foreigner who checked into the motel with Laude.

Jabalde had initially directed the Philippine National Police to detain Pemberton at the NBP pending an agreement between the Philippine and US govern-ments on where the Marine would be held.

This triggered a standoff after the reading of the verdict on Dec. 1 when Pemberton’s security es-corts refused to hand him over to the local police.

The standoff ended when Jabal-de allowed Pemberton to be tem-

porarily held at the Armed Forces of the Philippines custodial center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. From the court here, Pemberton, however, was taken to the Joint United States Military Advisory Group facility inside Camp Agui-naldo, the same facility where he was held for more than a year during his trial.

On Dec. 8, Jabalde directed Pemberton to serve his sentence at the AFP custodial center under the supervision of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). She later amended her Dec. 1 order after Oban delivered to the court the Philippine-US memorandum of agreement detailing how and where Pemberton would serve his sentence under the terms of the VFA. (Allan Macatuno/In-quirer.net)

december 18-24, 2015 • Oc/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797A�

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may 30-june 5, 2014www.asianjournal.com

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december 18-24, 2015 2

by AJPress

What’s on a Filipino Table on Christmas Eve?Kumain ka na ba? (Have you

eaten?)In the Philippines, asking

this question is tantamount to saying Hi or Hello to somebody. Filipinos love to eat, and the smart phones and social media have only helped in proving that. If in the past people would gather and pray before a meal, now they transform into foodies searching for that perfect angle of any food served in front of them before taking a snapshot.

Although times have changed, what can be seen on a Filipino table during noche buena or on Christmas Eve has practically remained the same. After hearing the mass and com-pleting the Simbang Gabi for some, the entire family gathers around the table like the knights

of King Arthur, all in preparation for a palatable battle.

While dining customs in the Philippines do not usually adhere to the appetizer-entrée-dessert format of the West, we have organized the following Fil-ipino Christmas foods to fit the menu of our kababayans abroad, particularly those second and third generations of Pinoys who grew up in the United States.

Appetizer• Castañas–These are,

simply, roasted chestnuts. The smell of these shelled delicacies is enough to give any Pinoy that Christmas feeling associated with the malamig na simoy ng hangin. For some, the essence of eating the castañas is in the peeling, so savor that moment.

• MacaroniSalad–A small

serving of this chilled pasta delight is enough to tickle those taste buds and ready them for the bigger treats ahead. Just be sure not to consume too much of this as it might ruin your ap-petite and lose interest in other Christmas cuisines.

• KesodeBola– Literally, a ball of cheese. This is actually an Edam or a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands. This can be paired with any wine of your choice or eaten together with the Christmas ham.

Entrée• Hamon–The Christmas

ham (hamon for most Pinoys) is considered the star and center of the table. Every grocery store is filled with boxes of this cured meat, made in different sizes, shapes, and types. But a typical

ham must always, always, have a special sauce poured on top of it.

•Lechon– This roasted pig that usually comes with a red, succulent apple in its mouth is never absent in any special occasion being celebrated by Filipinos, so it’s only natural that this meat be served alongside other “sinful” food served on the Christmas table.

•Relleno– A special dish that is quite hard to prepare, this is a stuffed cuisine usually made with either a fish (a bangus or milkfish) or a chicken. Put this in any dining experience and automatically it turns any meal into something extra special.

•Paella–This is another meal that is difficult to prepare.

Pork Belly Adobo TacosThe Pork Belly Adobo

Tacos, is served by Chef King Phojanakong at Tito King’s Kitchen at Jimmy’s 43 in the east Village. It can be served as a merienda while waiting for the Noche Buena or an appetizer. “It’s not traditional but it looks, tastes and feels like Christmas,” Chef King said.

Ingredients• 2 pieces Pork Belly, 1¾”-2”

thick• 6 Garlic Cloves, crushed• ½ tsp Black Peppercorns,

whole• 1 Bay Leaf• ½ cup Vinegar, rice wine• 3 oz. Soy Sauce• ½ cupWater• 6 oz. Rice Vinegar

Yield: Serves 4-6

• 1 tablespoon Salt• 3 oz. Sugar• 1 cup Red Onions, thinly

sliced

Crème Caramel LA CrèmE Caramel LA is Los

Angeles’ neighborhood bakery and sweet shop. With a variety of goods, including French and Filipino-inspired crème caramels, bread puddings, upside-down pies, and savory bites, this is your one-stop bakery for custards and confection desserts.

The co-owner, Fil-Am Kristine de la Cruz, attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, where she studied business marketing and soon realized her passion for the food industry. She began making custard desserts,

incorporating her family’s special leche flan recipe as well as Filipino ingredients such as Ube and Buko Pandan.

She along with boyfriend Sean Gilleland started their business in 2010, from humble roots in farmer’s markets, pop-up events, etcetera; and eventually opened their store in Sherman Oaks in 2013. Since then, the success of Crème Caramel LA has been tremendous; with diverse Angelenos, Filipinos, and tourists from every which way coming to visit.

The bakery also helps other food artisans, incorporating locally-made products into some recipes. Crème Caramel LA has been featured all over Southern California, from Coachella to the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture, and was also recognized by LA mayor Eric Garcetti as an Outstanding Small Business in 2014.

Kristine de la Cruz

Bûche de Noêl (Yule Log) using Brazo de MercedesThIS holiday make a Filipino inspired Yule Log or Bûche de noêl

using Brazo de Mercedes based on a recipe courtesy of Créme Caramel. Decorate with toasted coconut, meringue mushrooms, cranberry/rosemary “holly” and you have a sweet and festive treat for your family to enjoy and admire.

Ingredients• 10 egg whites • 1 Tsp cream of tartar • 1 Cup superfine sugar (process granulated sugar for 5 minutes in a food processor), sifted• Powdered suar• half sheet baking pan (12” x 18”)• Baking spray

• Parchment paperMethodPreheat oven 350 degrees f1. Spray baking sheet with

oil and line with parchment 2. Beat eggs and cream of

tartar at low speed until foam forms, slowly add sugar in and mix until stick peaks form.

3. Spread egg mixture

Bibingka Photos courtesy of Balikbayan MagazineKeso de BolaChristmas hamPuto bumbong

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Gary Kelly

Ian N.

Ian N.

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‘Tis the season of giving: Alternative gift suggestions for this holiday

By Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

Arkipelago books

Sun Tropics gift basket Delano Manongs

WE all have to admit that we are all once guilty of recycling gifts. Although it may seem like we have lots of choices, in the end we tend to give the same kind of presents to our family and friends every year. Shopping malls have many things to offer, but with the holiday rush, we might just end up being frustrated with long lines at the counter and crazy crowds who are also trying to do their last minute shopping.

This year, the Asian Journal has a short—but sensible and memorable—list of alternative gifts that you can give to your loved ones.

The gift of knowledgeOne of the best times to

spend the cold nights is to have a cup of hot cocoa, sit on your favorite chair and read. Aside from the usual bestsellers you can find in mainstream bookstores, Arkipelago, The Filipino Bookstore recommends the following books:

A Taste of the Philippines by Ghillie Basan and Vilma Laus

Classic Filipino recipes made easy, with 70 authentic traditional dishes shown step by step in more than 400 beautiful photographs.

(ISBN 978-1-844760949-0, 180 pages, paperback with flap cover, US$19.99)

From Our Table to Yours: A Collection of Filipino Heirloom

Recipes & Family Memories by Angelo Comsti

Treasured recipes handed down from generation to generation.

(ISBN 978-981-4398-56-5, 150 pages, paperback with flap cover, US$28.00)

Four Sparrows: A Tale of Race and Survival in the California Gold Rush by Daniel C. Roddick

In 1850, Tomas travels from the Philippines to strike in rich in the California gold rush as a subconscious way to overcome racial barriers. In his struggle to gain legitimacy he progresses through various stages of racial identity development. He is not alone in this regard. John, an American, has remained in California after the Mexican War to police the camps. Cath has arrived from Ireland to escape her own experience with oppression. Jungdoo, from China, suppresses a painful past brought on by his own cultural hegemony. All fight for legitimacy in an effort to continue their own way of life, at the risk of not living at all.

(ISBN 979-150851-78-9-4, 300 pages, paperback, US$21.95)

Cool Don’t Live Here No More: A Letter to San Francisco by Tony Robles

In Cool Don’t Life Here No More, Tony Robles sings the music of the San Francisco

Streets—that rhythmic sound that is being lost and that some pretend never existed. Through honest humility and with crisp magic, Tony gifts us the food and courage of his poetry, a life “tattooed on the tongue”. A pensive, penetrating study of the city that is being washed away but whose “smell ain’t never gonna come out.” - Benjamin Bac Sierra, Author of Barrio Bushido

(ISBN 978-1-943209-07-1, 180 pages, paperback, US$16.00)

Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews in the San Francisco Bay Area by Oliver Wang

“As a writer and scholar Oliver Wang is relentlessly insightful and compulsively readable. With Legions of Boom he has created something indispensable - a singular document of a forgotten yet influential era in West Coast hi-hop and dance music, a rare and rich account of protean Asian American creativity, and a subtle, poetic work of ethnography.” - Jeff Chang, Author of Who We Be: The Colorization of America

(ISBN 978-0-8223-5890-9, 220 pages, paperback,US$25.95)

To Love as Aswang: Songs, Fragments and Found Objects by Barbara Jane Reyes

The Philippine Aswang is mythic, monstrous creature which has, since colonial times, been associated with female transgression, scapegoating,

and social shaming, known in Tagalog as hiya. In the 21st century, and in diaspora, she manages to endure. Barbara Jane Reyes’ To Love As Aswang, the poet and a circle of Filipino American women grapple with what it means to live as a Filipina, or Pinay, in a world that has silenced, dehumanized, and broken the Pinay body. These are poems of Pinay tragedy and perseverance, of reappropriating monstrosity and hiya, sung in polyphony and hissed with forked tongues.

(ISBN 978-0-9763316-8-1, 90 pages, paperback, US$15.95)

The Brothers Luna: Madmen or Geniuses by Jules Delgallego

Two brothers. One cause. Both willing to die for the freedom of the Philippines from foreign rule. The Brothers Luna is a novel on historical facts intertwined with a compelling story of romance, passion friendship, intrigue, murder and espionage, war and the arts.

(ISBN 978-149-479-126-1,420 pages, paperback, US$21.95)

(Arkipelago Books, The Filipino Bookstore is located at 1010 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. For more information or inquiries, log on to www.arkipelagobooks.com or call (415) 553-8185.

The gift of health and foodThe holiday is all about food

of course. However, for those who are want to give more than the usual peppermint bark, cookies and hot chocolate, why not consider a basket of natural fruit juices and products? SunTropics have a wide array of fruit products that you can choose from like their Pure Calamansi juice, Mango and Soursop, Coconut Water and dried fruits. All their products are

made with real fruit puree, and definitely, no high fructose syrup is used. SunTropics products are available at all 99 Ranch supermarkets, Seafood City and Costco Northern California branches. (Sample gift basket cost is $27).

The gift of Fil-Am historyConsider giving a piece of

Fil-Am history to your family and friends this holiday season by gifting them a DVD copy of the Emmy-nominated documentary, The Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers Movement.

As told by director Marissa Aroy, the documentary positions the Great Grape Pickers’ Strike as a “last stand” for decent wages and working conditions. The manongs by mid-60s had been tolling in the farmlands and service industries of the West Coast for over 40 years but have been prevented from establishing families or owning property. The Strike, organized by Filipinos involved with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), was seen as a bold move for economic dignity. Legendary labor organizer and farmworker Larry Itliong appealed to Mexican laborer and leader of the National Farm Workers Association to join the strike, which they won five years later. That the Filipinos who instigated the years-long action found themselves marginalized from this momentous victory is a sad footnote to this chapter of labor history, one that director Aroy seeks to rectify.

DVD copy is only $25 and can be shipped directly to your gift recipients. To order, log on to http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u= b37c4704f1a854fad4a973a6c&id=39e6c2534c.

The gift of compassion As we gather around the

table to give thanks for all our blessings, let us not forget that there are people in other parts of the world whose daily struggle is finding food to eat. This season, why not consider donating to a worthy cause whose main goal is to bring Noche Buena dinner packs to poor families in the Philippines?

Cassie Eng has been working with the non-profit Project Pearls since was 6 and has become increasingly involved in more projects since then. This summer she did her second Bag of Dreams Challenge and delivered 600 backpacks filled with school supplies to the kids of Project Pears. Last year she gave out 300 bags to the Badjao kids in Lucena.

She has opened a fundraising page to be able to donate 167 Noche Buena dinner packs to the families (as part of Project Pearls’ 1000 dinner pack goal). A minimum of $10 or PhP 500 donation will feed a family of 6–8 with a meal of spaghetti noodles and sauce, canned meat loaf, bread, champorado (porridge) mix and hot chocolate mix.

Cassie has also been selling Christmas ornaments made by the mothers of Project Pearls to help fund her project. This is a perfect gift for those who want to donate in lieu of presents, which includes a note saying that a donation has been made in the name of the receiver.

Cassie’s Noche Buena project is trying to raise $10,000 and still has 14 days remaining until the campaign ends on December 31, 2015.

To donate and/or more information, log on to: http://www.projectpearls.causevox.com/cassie-eng

PSYCHIC

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

december 18-24, 2015 5www.asianjournal.comHorizon Family Dental Group: Family-owned,

community-trusted, service-oriented BB-8 ANA jet model aircraft on the red carpet at the world premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

THE cast of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit the red carpet for the film’s global premiere on Monday, Dec. 14 in

Hollywood. The cast and crew pose with one of the most talked about stars of the movie, BB-8—in the form of a jet plane. The aircraft is a

scale model of the real BB-8 ANA JET that was announced earlier in the year alongside an R2-D2 ANA JET and Star Wars ANA JET.

Actor Harrison Ford signs the BB-8™ ANA JET model aircraft on the red carpet at the World Premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” on Monday, Dec. 14 in Hollywood, California.

Actors John Boyega and Carrie Fisher pose in front of a scale model of the BB-8 ANA JET.

Actress Daisy Ridley (right) with an ANA flight attendant in front of the BB-8™ ANA JET model aircraft.

AS a unique, family-owned and operated dentistry, Horizon Family Dental Group understands the importance of full health. With over 60 years of dental knowledge combined, our dentists are well-trained, experienced, and sensitive to the needs of families, providing comprehensive, patient-centered care from head to toe--not just their teeth.

Dental treatment can be costly--we provide in-house interest free payment plans, and accept all types of PPO insurance. We also do home visits! We understand that there is a person attached to every tooth, and that our patients are people, not dollar signs. At our office, we are committed to providing the best care for each and every one of our patients, as though they were our own family members.

According to the American Dental Association, roughly 50% of children ages 5 to 9 years old have at least one cavity or filling. Is your child one of them?

Poor oral health can negatively affect a child’s self-esteem, lead to absences from school, impact the ability to eat, and cause unwanted shifting of permanent teeth. If left untreated, oral cavity infections can be life-threatening. Visiting the dentist regularly is the quickest way to prevent these issues! We recommend seeing our patients at least twice a year for regular check-ups and cleanings.

Don’t be afraid to visit your family dentist, who can recognize these issues! At Horizon Family Dental, we offer general family and esthetic dentistry: diagnostic, preventative, periodontics (deep cleaning), restorative (fillings, crowns, bridges), root canals, prosthodontics (partial and full dentures), oral surgery (tooth extractions including wisdom teeth), and smile designs (including but not limited to veneers, crowns, in-office and take home whitening).

We also have holiday specials for Zoom whitening, $100 off Zoom in-office and take home whitening, with added incentive for referrals.

Visit your family dentist today! Parents, bring your kids in today for a FREE consultation with Dr. Myoli Landig at one of our convenient locations in Diamond Bar (909-396-5161) and Panorama City (818-920-3959).

Service with a smileDr. Myoli Landig received her

extensive training and graduated from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and recently joined the family business to help her parents, Dr. Hector Z. Landig, and Dr. Yolanda Herrero-Landig.

“What I love most about my job is being able to help people and make meaningful connections. Whether it be a

patient in pain, suffering from low self-esteem, inability to eat, etcetera, as a dentist I have the distinct opportunity to help people. Taking the time to chat and getting to know our patients can create bonds beyond the dental chair,” said Dr. Myoli, inspired by her family’s work ethic, and who hopes to open her own solo practice in the future.

Along with helping patients, the Landigs often make medical mission trips to the Philippines, helping to serve the great dental needs of their own community. This past September to early October, Dr. Myoli traveled to Bulacan province, visiting patients in Malolos City and Pulilan, with Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF) of the Philippines and the Christian Medical Dental Association (CMDA) of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, her alma mater.

“The main goal of the trip was to glorify God through acts of service in the form of limited dental care to the communities in the Philippines. Through these missions, I hope to first and foremost use my gifts that God has so graciously given me to serve His people,” Dr. Myoli shared of the life-changing experience.

“After those weeks, I promised myself that I would always keep the underserved population in my mind and my heart,” she said. “I have been given a gift--the gift of service with a smile--and that gift was meant to be shared.”

(Advertising Supplement)

Thanks to the Spanish colonizers, Filipinos learned to cook rice in a special way, what with all the rich ingredients mixed altogether to bring that exquisite blend, not to mention that it connoted wealth for some families.

Dessert• Leche Flan – Another Span-

ish-influenced food, this dessert is more commonly known by outsiders as crème caramel or caramel custard. The heavenly sweetness and awesome creami-ness of the leche flan makes one ask for more and more... and more.

• Halaya – A Filipino des-sert made of purple yam, many call it as simply ube. Westerners are probably more familiar with the Japanese taro. Well, this is its close relative, and the taste

What’s on a Filipino Table on...is relatively the same—sweet, creamy, and extremely satisfy-ing.

• Fruit Salad – In the Philip-pines, a fruit salad is a mix of all-purpose cream, condensed milk, and tropical fruits easily both in tin cans and is usually called fruit cocktail. To make it special, some add coconut meat shreds, nata de coco, kaong, and cherries.

Drinks• Tsokolate – Hot choco-

late is a Filipino favorite during Christmas Eve. A local recipe is called tablea, which is Spanish for tablet. It is hard chocolate melted into perfect viscosity and mixed using a tool called batirol, which is believed to bring out the flavor of the cocoa.

• Salabat – This is ginger tea, a strong brew that many Filipi-nos believe can help in soothing

any throat malady and improve one’s singing voice. It is usually given free of charge when you buy puto bumbong or bibingka.

Breakfast/Snacks• Puto Bumbong – Usually

eaten after the Simbang Gabi, this is a deep purple, seasonal rice cake made from galapong or sticky rice. The flour mixture is placed in a tube of bamboo or bumbong and cooked through steam. It is then served with margarine, sugar, and sesame seeds.

• Bibingka – A close friend of the puto bumbong, this rice cake is yellowish orange in color and is cooked using an improvised oven—two clay pots filled with burning charcoals. A special bibingka is one that is “baked” with cheese and itlog na pula or salted egg.

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Bûche de Noêl (Yule Log) evenly on sheet.

4. Use a fork to score a design on the surface of the egg mixture and place in 350 degree oven – 18-20 minutes, remove and cool.

5. Sprinkle powdered sugar onto the top of the meringue and turn pan upside down onto a clean parchment.

Pork Belly Adobo Tacos• 10 Corn Tortillas, 4-5”• Your favorite salsa, to tasteMethod1. Combine all ingredients

(pork belly-water) and let stand for at least ½ hour. If necessary, add more liquids to cover.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce to

FillingIngredients• 10 Egg yolks, beaten • 14 oz condensed milk • 2 Tsp ube extract • Sauce pot• Heat resistant spatulaMethod1. Stir all ingredients until

combined and boil over me-dium high heat on the stove,

continue to stir until thick spreadable paste.

2. Cool paste before spread-ing gently onto meringue. Gently roll cake using the parch-ment to help guide and cool in refrigerator for 2 hours.

3. Decorate with toasted coconut, meringue toadstools, and cranberry/rosemary “holly.”

a simmer, and then cover and braise for 1 hour or until tender.

3. Remove from braising liquid and hold.

4. In a pot, combine the vinegar, salt and sugar . Heat to dissolve the salt and sugar.

5. Remove from heat, cool slightly and add to onions.

6. For pickup, grill or saute the pork bellies until caramal-ized and heated through and slice.

7. Brush the tortillas with soybean oil and grill to warm.

8. Assemble the taco with your favorite salsa, pork belly and the pickled red onions.

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december 18-24, 2015 6www.asianjournal.com

ErniE D. DElfin

The Metamorphosis The cup of life: A Christmas reflection

THE Season of Advent is an opportunity for all Christians to reflect the purpose of their lives amidst all the glittering lights and incessant commercials that pervade in the airwaves. Taking minute vacations from the barrage

of noise and human traffic is a gift that allows us to take personal inventory of the contents of the “ CUP” of our lives. December, more than any other month of the year, motivates many people, including this writer, to do something “extra”-ordinary for others. What kind of world we would have if there were no Christmas? Christmas has that mysterious power to clean our

“CUP” inside out and fill it up again with crystal pure water or freshly brewed coffee. There are also more good exhibited or done during Christmastime. Even on the battlefront, enemies desire ceasefire during Christmas Day! To feel and understand that invisible power, just ask an innocent child who still believes in Santa Claus what he dreams for Christmas? You will

Freedman Foundation pledges $500,000 to Cal State Fullerton

Gift to the College of the Arts to benefit graduate studentsTHE Leo Freedman

Foundation is continuing its longstanding support of Cal State Fullerton with a new $500,000 gift to the College of the Arts.

In recognition of this gift and annual scholarship support that dates back to 1993, the name of the current studio and MFA gallery within Visual Arts Building F will be renamed the Leo Freedman Foundation Studio and MFA Art Gallery.

“The Leo Freedman Foundation’s donation will provide significant scholarship support for years to come, ensuring that graduate students in all arts disciplines have the opportunity to pursue advanced studies and are ultimately prepared for vibrant careers and creative lives,” said Dale Merrill, dean of the College of the Arts. “Helping our graduate students pursue excellence and creativity is the greatest testament to how Leo lived his own life.”

The foundation, which supports arts and culture education and programs in Orange County, will be recognized at a reception in the spring.

“It means so much to me to honor my great uncle Leo Freedman by naming the Leo Freedman Foundation Studio and MFA Art Gallery that memorializes his generosity and commitment to the arts in Orange County,” said Sharon Lesk, the foundation’s trustee. “Equally important is honoring him in the hearts of our Cal State Fullerton MFA scholarship students — former, current and future — by helping them make their dreams come true.

“What will continue to make the Leo Freedman Foundation Studio and MFA Art Gallery and the CSUF College of the Arts so dynamic and exciting is the creativity, talent and imagination of the students,” she added.

“I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to honor the legacy of Leo Freedman than by naming our Studio and MFA Art Gallery space after him,” said Merrill. “This is a place where graduate students in the visual arts hone and ultimately showcase their extraordinary creative accomplishments. These students are an important part of the College of the Arts’ graduate

student body, who excel not only in the visual arts, but also in theater, dance and music.”

About the CSUF College of the Arts

Cal State Fullerton’s College of the Arts advances creative expression through impactful undergraduate and graduate programs within its School of Music and the departments of Art and Theatre and Dance. The college’s 2,400 students receive top-tier instruction through its award-winning faculty and advanced curricula and practice, including collaborative relationships and partnerships with leading institutions. Its galleries and performance spaces, including the Clayes Performing Arts Center and Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, offer multiple stages for showcasing students’ visual and performing arts achievements. Since 1961, the College of the Arts’ 14,000 alumni have made their mark on stage, on canvas, on screen and behind the scenes, working for film and animation studios, museums and galleries, music ensembles and other organizations.

Monette

AdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving: 101 and Beyond

(This is a short version of a longer article on logging off and enjoying the moment.)

… I AM picking and choosing from the constant flow of messages in my inbox, only this one below. Some are for laughs, others inform while some can make you think harder or even take action.

Pet peeves are those that are pure drivel and chain emails with a punitive clause, like a curse of bad luck, if you fail to forward. For malevolent messages and all the rest of the junk from scammers promising riches, simplify your cyberlife and HIT DELETE. DO NOT ENGAGE.

Sometimes a golden nugget comes through that deserves to be amplified. So simple, it hits you right between the eyes. I searched for the author’s name but like many other pieces flung by anonymous, creative beings in Cyberville, authorship is largely unknown and unclaimed.

To the originator of this metaphor then, whoever you are and wherever you may be, please accept a profound thank you,

from the rest of us. Here it is.THE HOT CHOCOLATE

STORYA group of graduates, well

established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: ‘Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you’re drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is

just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate we have.

The happiest people don’t have the best of everything… They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

And enjoy your hot chocolate! But first, LOG OFF.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!

* * *Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Hot chocolate“… Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.”

jails every week. Reading many good books allows a voracious reader at his leisure to stand on the shoulders of the writer that rejuvenates his brain cells to feel the intensity of the author’s pen.

One such book that I recently discovered is The Perfect Cup: A Guide for Spiritual Growth, by Joyce Rupp, which is highly recommend especially to all who are still in search for the meaning of their lives. Indeed, we are likened to that old cup, that undergoes different stages: the open cup, the chipped cup, the broken cup, the clean cup, the dirty cup, or that cup lying in the sink for days. Or, the blessing cup which Jesus Christ shared His Blood to His apostles. Whether new or old, in plain color or fancy art colors, the cup’s contents remain the same, until replaced or mixed with other substances. It is a powerful imagery that can be a great source of Christmas reflection.

Our cup can get dirty easily in our messy world these days. But the owner can have the choice, at any time to wash it to be “new” again, to receive another filling of nutrients or to sustain his life. It can also be drank alone or shared with others. To quote from the book, “… the main purpose of a cup is to have its contents given away.” The book is a very fitting reflection during this season amidst the many events in our world today.

***Pope Francis has declared

“The Year of Mercy” last December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and will end November of next year. Every month there will

be a spiritual theme with recommended acts of mercy that Catholics and Christians are urged to do. I am also praying that if all Catholics can increase their works of mercy towards others, like giving clothes to the naked, food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, taking care of the stranger, visiting the sick and those in prison, (read Matthew 25:35-40) the world will become a better place. Cumulatively these corporal acts of mercy can (ideally) stop, or at least slow down the rise of mass shootings, terrorist acts, human trafficking and exploitation around the world. All parish churches are instructed by Vatican to actively promote to all their parishioners to list down and pledge to do something that they have never done before, or augment the quantity and intensity of what they are already doing.

As a practicing Catholic, I also believe that Christians can feel more happiness and fulfillment by doing acts of mercy for others. J-O-Y has been defined as thinking, doing, prioritizing our acts in this order: Jesus Others Yourself. I have become a believer of that formula and I can boldly say that I have become more happy and fulfilled now in my retirement, even with less that I have now. For a good life, everything that I have and I am today, I am forever grateful to my God.

Lastly, my Christmas wish and prayer to all of you is for you to also experience the joy that this season normally brings to all people of goodwill!

Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year to all!

be surprised by their honesty or innocent response. Perhaps you would long for the return of those years of innocence and childlike excitement, or the carefree times when you were happier even without money in your pocket, more than what you feel now as an adult even despite your expensive car in your garage, or the dream trips that you have taken. Nostalgic memories of our simple but innocent childhood—when we did not know about prejudice or envy nor did we store hatred in our hearts.

As I write this, I am still by myself in a big house for almost a month now (my wife is still in the Philippines and my two grown up children have flown from that proverbial parental nest) and so, I am free to do what I want in solitude. Although the normal wear and tear of the physical body has commenced (like a very old cup) the mind is still very sharp and its contents are perennially being changed, challenged or replaced. Reading many non-business or non-political subjects that catch my interest more—when there are no more book reports to write nor high grades to aspire for—is a priceless personal treasure. Reading what others have researched and passionately written stimulates my ever curious mind and at the same time augments the library of knowledge that I can retrieve at will to share with others, especially when I join my fellow prison ministers to conduct Bible Study or Communion Services to the inmates in several Orange County

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Pampanga High School Class of ’65 Golden Jubilee CelebrationThe Class of 1965 of the Pampanga High School will hold “TULA ampong SAYA,” its 50th

Anniversary Reunion, this coming December 29-30, in San Fernando Pampanga, Philippines. All 1965 graduates of the Pampanga High School (PHS), formerly the Jose Abad Santos High School (JASHS), and their spouses are welcome to all scheduled events. Admission is free. The celebration will begin with BISPERAS on December 29 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, enjoying fun games, old music, and togetherness at the DIASPORA FARM RESORT in Santa Barbara, Bacolor, Pampanga. On December 30, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, join us for KAPIYESTAN, a provincial fiesta luncheon featuring familiar Kapampangan dishes, at the Mulang Galang orchard in San Antonio, Mexico, Pampanga. The evening of Dec. 30 will conclude with TERAKAN, a gala dinner-dance from 6:30 pm to 12 midnight, at the Fortune Hongkong Seafood Restaurant in the San Fernando, Pampanga. Enjoy a fun evening of dancing to the retro music of Decadas and the mellow songs of folksinger Jerry. Class ‘65ers, please join us in celebrating our 50th Golden Anniversary! Full details on preparations, events and venues can be found on “TULA ampong SAYA,” on Facebook. For donations, interest in the 50th Anniversary Reunion souvenir memory book, highlighting the successes of individual Class ‘65ers and the accomplishments of the PHS Class ’65 Foundation, Inc., please contact the jubilee reunion organizing committee in the Philippines: Joseph Deang (0927-228-8588); Erlie Aquino Estandarte (0929-219-0248); Corazon Cunanan (0939-118-2888; 0926-660-35540); Cecille Morales Bernas (0932-509-2646); and Marcial Morales (0918-915-9095); and Dan Galang 0929-427-9308; 045-966-0764). In the US and Canada, please contact Dan Galang at (510) 487-5551 or at (510) 648-1047.

DECEMBER 29-30

May 2016

PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine

College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 27-29, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends.

For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_santillan@yahoo.com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmaghari@gmail.com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 orhoney@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 orconnieacosta1@att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 or vee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

Blessed Hope Christian Church Night of PraiseCome celebrate the birth of Christ and praise God with the congregation at our upcom-

ing Christmas Praise Night, on Friday, December 18 at 7:30pm. Our church can be found at 474 North Summit Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103. Please contact Jun Recio (818) 472-5244 for more details.

DECEMBER 18

Feast of Santo Niño de CebuAll are cordially invited to the Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu on Saturday, January 9,

2016, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Bellflower, California, organized and sponsored by the Santo Niño de Cebu Association of Southern California, Inc., a non-profit religious organization. The Eucharistic Celebration will be presided by the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, His Excellency Bishop Oscar A. Solis at 10:00 am followed by the traditional procession of the image of Santo Niño de Cebu, fiesta lunch and Sinulog pre-sentations. Food and financial donations are welcome, and all donations are tax deductible. For further information, you may contact the association President, Danny C. Diluvio at (323) 252-4991 or email at: dannydiluvio1@gmail.com.

JaNUaRy 9

JASHS (Binondo) Alumni Christmas PartyJose Abad Santos High School (Binondo) USA Alumni Association will hold its 2015

Christmas Party at 6:00pm on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, at the Mayflower Seafood Restaurant (679 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). Please contact Val Abelgas val.abelgas@aol.com for more information.

DECEMBER 20

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church Simbang Gabi 2015We invite you be a part of our annual celebration of an old-time Filipino Christmas tradi-

tion, Simbang Gabi, a project of the Filipino Catholics of Saint Paul the Apostle Ministry. Simbang Gabi (meaning “Night Mass”) will occur each morning for 9 straight days, starting December 16 to 25, with Mass starting at 5:30am. Everyone is welcome to celebrate the joyful upcoming birth of Jesus Christ! Light breakfast will be provided after each mass at the Maher Hall of St. Paul the Apostle Church (14085 Peyton Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709). We are currently in need of volunteers to help serve breakfast or assist us in serving at the Mass as ushers or Eucharistic ministers. We gladly accept and encourage individual or group volun-teers. Please spread the news and invite your friends to this joyous community gathering. If you are interested in helping please call any of the following; Tara Villavicencio - (909) 210-4891, Emily Jiao - (909) 248-8791, or Rick Jiao (909) 248-8790.

DECEMBER 16-24

Church of the Good Shepherd Simbang Gabi 2015The Filipino-American & ethnic parishioners of the Church of the Good Shepherd of

Beverly Hills will celebrate “Simbang Gabi 2015” on Tuesday, December 22, at 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited to come and celebrate the special Advent Mass in the parish, in conso-nance with the observance of the tradition by the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The theme of this year’s Simbang Gabi is “Jesus our Savior, empower our families to be better stewards of your creation” –translated in Pilipino as “Jesus aming Tagapaglig-tas, bigyan mo ng kapangyarihan ang aming Pamilya na maging mas mahusay na tagapanga-laga ng iyong nilikha.” Most Reverend Bishop Oscar A. Solis, the first Filipino Bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and currently the Head of the San Pedro Pastoral Region, will be the main celebrant, with other priests including Fr. Ed Benioff to concelebrate with the Bishop. Special guests include the Philippine Consul General of Los Angeles, Leo Herrera-Lim, and his wife, with music from the Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles. A catered and potluck reception follows after the Mass at the Church Hall.

DECEMBER 22

december 18-24, 2015 7www.asianjournal.com

december 18-24, 2015 8www.asianjournal.com