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Comelec won’t rush proclamation of winners

DATELINEUSAfrom the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

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by Marc Jayson cayabyabInquirer.net

IMF: PH to be fastest-growing ASEAN economy for next two years

Binay laughs at Roxas’ ‘Solid North’ claim

ELECTION PREPARATION. Workers rush to package vote counting machines (VCMs) at the COMELEC warehouse in at Sta. Rosa, Laguna, where a transmission of mock elections results is also held duing the weekend in preparation for the May 9 elections. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne BermudezPAGE A2

Slot reserved for Pacquiao on PH boxing team

A file picture of alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf Group. Inquirer.net photo

Abu Sayyaf bandits who beheaded Canadian threaten to kill Aquino

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by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

mANILA—the Commission on elections (Comelec) will not rush the proclamation of winners in order to attain a credible election on monday, may 9.

the poll body is not aspiring to surpass its previous performance in the 2013 elections, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said on Wednesday, may 4.

“We are not looking at any previ-ous performance as a hard target. We want to improve from the last elections,” Jimenez said.

he said automated election does not mean having speedy results as it is intended to provide the public a better alternative.

“If we are fine-tuning automa-tion and if you need to take a hit in some areas so you can boost other areas, I think you should look at it holistically,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez, however, assured the public that the proclamation of winners in the upcoming polls would not depart much from the 2013 polls.

“In my estimates, we will not be far from the 72 hours (in 2013),” he said.

In 2013, the Comelec proclaimed the six winning senators three days after the elections and the next three senators the following day.

the 12 winning senators then were proclaimed less than a week after the elections despite the transmission rate of only 76 per-cent.

former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal earlier warned of possible delay in the proclama-tion of winners as the poll body adopted a new procedure.

Under the new procedure, the Board of Canvassers (BoC) cannot

VICe PresIdeNt Jejomar Binay on Wednesday, may 4 laughed at his political nemesis Liberal Party standard-bearer manuel “mar” roxas II’s claim that the latter has the support of the “solid North.”

In an interview with reporters in Cauayan, Isabela where he took his campaign sortie, Binay expressed his disbelief that roxas would claim to have the backing

of the north although the latter is not even from there.

roxas’ roots can be traced to Capiz, the home province of his grandfather former President manuel roxas.

Binay said he, however, is a native of Isabela, because his mother was born in Cabagan.

“tiga saan ba yun? tiga saan (Where is from?)” Binay said of roxas, laughing.

“tiga north ba yun? Ako, North-ern Luzon ako. saka nanggaling

kami ni sen. (manny) Pacquiao doon, sobrang init ng pagka-katanggap sa amin. sa Ilocos Norte ha. (is he from the north? i’m from Northern Luzon. Sen. Pacquiao and i went there and we received a warm welcome. in ilocos Norte),” Binay said.

he said in the 2010 vice presi-dential race, he won in all the towns of Ilocos Norte although he had not campaigned much in the province.

by yuJi Vincent GonzalesInquirer.net

memBers of the bandit Abu sayyaf Group (AsG) who beheaded Canadian John ridsdel on April 25 have recently threatened to kill President Benigno Aquino III.

In a 52-second video of ridsdel’s beheading which is circulating online, an AsG member addressed Aquino and threatened to cut his head off if they meet before proceed-ing to kill the Canadian.

“Noynoy Aquino, tignan mo kung hindi mo binibigay ‘yung ransom namin, puputulan ko ng ulo ‘yung Canadian. Pati ikaw kung mahuli kita puputulan din kita. (Noynoy Aquino, watch this; if you will not give us the ransom, we will cut this canadian’s head off. You too, if i find you, i’ll cut your head off),” the man said in the video.

the authenticity of the video, which was posted on www.zerocen-

sorship.com, was not verified.the AsG members were uttering

the phrase “Allah hu Akbar” (Al-lah the greatest) as they beheaded ridsdel, who was seen shouting in

there’s a spot reserved for filipino ring idol manny Pacquiao in the Philippine box-ing team.

“It’s really up to him if he’s willing to join us,” boxing coach Boy Velasco said in filipino during the Philippine sportswriters Association fo-rum at shakey’s malate on tuesday, may 3.

the International Boxing As-sociation (Aiba) has proposed allowing professional boxers in the olympics, a move that the world governing body will tackle and possibly ratify in a meeting next month.

the eight-time world cham-pion has shown interest but the representative from saranggani has been busy in his senatorial campaign lately.

“In my opinion, he doesn’t need it. to become an eight-time champion is an achieve-ment far bigger than the olym-pics,” said Velasco in the weekly forum backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming

Corporation, Accel and san miguel Corporation.

Just the same, the Associa-tion of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (Abap) has reserved a slot for Pacquiao, who can

compete in the 64kg division.once he bites the bait, Pac-

quiao will take over the spot of light welterweight dennis Galvan.

Velasco, who coached his siblings onyok and roel to olympic medal-winning perfor-mances, said Pacquiao would be forced to adjust to the ama-teur style of fighting which gives premium on points and speed.

“But of course, he’s manny Pacquiao. his mere presence could intimidate his oppo-nents,” said Velasco. (June Navarro/inquirer.net)Manny Pacquiao AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

Strong demand to drive GDP at fastest pace among Asean-5

by MayVelin u. caraballoManilaTimes.net

the Philippines is poised to be the fastest grow-ing economy in southeast Asia this year and the next, the International monetary fund (Imf) said in a new regional report.

In its “regional economic outlook for Asia and the Pacific,” the multilateral institution fore-casts higher 2016-2017 gross domestic product (GdP) growth for the Philippines compared to the rest of Association of southeast Asian Na-tions (Asean)-5.

the Imf said Philippine real GdP growth is likely to hit 6 percent this year and 6.2 percent in 2017, higher than Indonesia’s 4.9 and 5.3 percent; malaysia’s 4.4 and 4.8 percent; thailand’s 3 per-

US extradites Fil-Am suspect in Olongapo murder

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growth and relations with the US

the primary suspect of the heinous murder of 23-year-old Karie Ces “Aika” mojica in olongapo City, Zambales in July last year was extradited by the Us back to the Philippines on sunday, may 1.

filipino-American Jonathan dewayne Viane, 29, was turned over by agents of the federal Bureau of Investigation (fBI) after getting arrested in Iowa september 3 of last year. Viane arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 4 am sunday morning.

Viane allegedly murdered mojica, a store supervisor and his wife’s best friend

WAshINGtoN, d.C. – members of the government, private sector, and the academe gathered at the Johns hopkins school of Advanced International studies (sAIs) for a symposium entitled “Philip-pines 2016: Governance, Growth, devel-opment and security” on thursday, April 28.

Philippine Ambassador to the United states Jose L. Cuisia, in his keynote ad-

In the IMF’s latest Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific (REO), the Philippines is seen recording the fastest gross domestic product (GDP) growth among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-5 (Asean-5) this year. Philstar.com photo by Paulo Alcazaren

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Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay Inquirer.net photo

Pres. Benigno Aquino III

May 5-11, 2016 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOURNaL http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678A�

From The FronT Page

Comelec won’t rush proclamation...PAGE A1

transmit the results of the canvass-ing until all Secure Digital (SD) cards from the provincial level have been imported.

Comelec website more se-cured

The Comelec website is now accessible and ready for use by 55 million registered voters one month after it was hacked, accord-ing to Jimenez.

He said the website contains the list of registered voters and deacti-vated voters so that the people can check if they can still vote or not.

The Comelec posted on its web-site templates for the ballots for each city or municipality.

The only similar information in the ballots are the candidates run-ning for national posts, Jimenez said.

Aside from the voters’ list and template of ballots, the public can also search and download the different Comelec resolutions concerning the conduct of the May 9 polls.

Jimenez assured the public that the website is more secure and safe from hackers.

Defective VCMsThe vote counting machines

(VCMs) the Commission on Elec-tions (Comelec) has sent to Con-gress for the canvassing of presi-dential and vice presidential votes later this month are defective.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said the machines are generating the wrong vote tallies.

“The machines cannot gener-ate provincial and city certificates of canvass (COCs), only regional tabulations,” he said.

Under the law, the congressio-nal canvass of votes for president and vice president should be based on the provincial and city COCs, Gonzales said.

“The regional tallies are useless to us,” he said.

The software defect was de-tected when the VCMs were tested on Tuesday, May 3.

Gonzales said he immediately phoned Comelec Chairman An-dres Bautista and asked him to send technicians to reprogram the VCMs.

The canvassing will be done at the plenary hall of the House of Representatives at the Batasan complex in Quezon City.

The House and the Senate will convene as a canvassing board shortly after sessions resume on May 23.

The Senate is in charge of re-ceiving the manually accom-plished COCs showing the votes for president and vice president from the provincial and city board of canvassers.

The COCs are to be sealed in ballot boxes.

The Senate will have to form a reception committee that will receive the ballot boxes, which will be transported to the House before the start of canvass.

In the past, COCs were tabulated in the order the Senate received them. Most likely, this will be the procedure that will be followed in this year’s canvassing.

During the canvass, the VCMs deployed in the House will gener-ate electronic COCs for compari-son with the manually done vote certificates.

The House and the Senate have started enforcing stricter security measures in preparation for the canvassing.

After determining the winners, the two chambers will proclaim them in a joint public session.

The poll body is not aspiring to surpass its previous performance in the 2013 elections, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

Binay laughs at Roxas’ ‘Solid North’...“Nung 2010 sa lahat ng bayan

nanalo ako doon hindi pa ako halos nakapagkampanya. Ito, katulad nung sa ibang lugar, mga pinuntahan ko sa oras ng pangan-gailangan. Lagi akong nakikita sa field. (In 2010, I won in all the towns of Ilocos Norte although I haven’t campaigned much there. It was here, as well as in other places, where I came in times of need. I was always seen in the field),” Binay said.

Binay made the reaction after Roxas’ camp said it has gained the support of Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas and 22 mayors in the province.

Roxas also got the support of Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson, who is the Liberal Party’s regional chair.

Binay claimed to have the sup-port of the “Solid North” because of his tandem with Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who gained support of the officials from the Ilocos region owing to his regionalistic roots there through his father the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos’ family hails from Batac, Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, Binay also has a following in the north because of his Ibanag roots in Isabela.

Interestingly, Binay’s running mate Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Ho-nasan II had been missing Binay’s sorties in the north in deference to the local officials there who were supportive of a Binay-Marcos tan-dem, or “Bi-Bo.”

While Binay had failed to regain his lead in the opinion polls, Marcos had been leading the voters’ preference surveys, while Honasan had consistently placed at the bottom. According to the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from April 26-29, Mar-cos shared the lead with adminis-tration vice presidential candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo.

Sen Marcos’ vice presidential bid remains hounded by the hu-man rights violations under the martial rule of his father Ferdi-nand Marcos and the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by his family under the late dictator’s 21-year rule.

During the first vice presiden-tial debate at the University of Santo Tomas, Marcos even said he had nothing to do with his family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth and that he could not return what he does not have.

Meanwhile, Sen. Marcos’ sister Ilocos Norte Governor

Imee Marcos and her three sons were implicated in the offshore accounts in the British Virgin Islands, a known tax-haven for the world’s elite, according to the Offshore Leaks in 2013 released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and reported by the Philippine Center for Investiga-tive Journalism.

The investigation linked the governor to offshore companies Sintra Trust, ComCentre Corp., and M Trust, which she did not declare in her statement of assets and liabilities networth (SALN), raising suspicions that these could have been used to stash away the Marcoses’ alleged ill-gotten wealth pegged at $5 billion during her father’s two-decade rule.

The Marcoses were also sub-jects of civil forfeiture cases before the Sandiganbayan on their alleged ill-gotten wealth in connivance with their cronies. Meanwhile, the Marcos matriarch Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos faces 10 counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly hav-ing pecuniary interests in various foundations set up by her and her husband to accumulate ill-gotten wealth.

IMF: PH to be fastest-growing ASEAN...cent and 3.2 percent; and Singa-pore 1.8 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.

Domestic demand“The modest uptick in growth

is expected to be driven by the continued strength of domestic demand, which will more than offset the drag from net exports. The latter will remain subdued, but spillovers from China are and will continue to be smaller [in the Philippines] than in other parts of the region,” it said.

The IMF added that domes-tic demand would benefit from higher public consumption and investment growth, but private demand was also expected to re-

main buoyant, helped by low un-employment, low oil prices, and higher workers’ remittances.

“Private investment growth is expected to remain robust owing to improvements in public infra-structure and implementation of public-private partnership proj-ects,” it said.

The IMF forecasts were lower than the government’s 6.8 per-cent to 7.8 percent target for 2016 as well as the 6.6 percent to 7.6 percent range set for 2017.

GDP growth eased to 5.8 per-cent last year from 6.1 percent in 2014 on the back of a slowdown in exports and other factors.

Asia growth engineMeanwhile, the IMF said

growth in Asia and the Pacific is expected to remain strong at 5.3 percent this year and next, ac-counting for almost two-thirds of global growth.

Despite a slight moderation, it said Asia remains the engine of global growth.

While external demand re-mains sluggish, domestic de-mand continues to show resil-ience across most of the region, driven by low unemployment, growth in disposable income, lower commodities prices, and macroeconomic stimulus, it add-ed.

“Of course, Asia is impacted by the still weak global recovery, and by the ongoing and neces-sary rebalancing in China,” said Changyong Rhee, director of the Asia and Pacific Department at the IMF.

“But domestic demand has remained remarkably resilient throughout most of the region, supported by rising real in-comes, especially in commodity importers, and supportive mac-roeconomic policies in many countries,” he added.

Facing risksHowever, IMF stressed that

the region faces a number of ex-ternal challenges, including slow growth in advanced economies, a broad slowdown across emerg-ing markets, weak global trade, persistently low commodity prices, and increasingly volatile global financial markets.

These risks compound domes-tic vulnerabilities, such as high debt incurred in recent years. In the short term, China’s transi-tion to a new growth model will disrupt its regional partners, es-pecially those heavily exposed to the region’s biggest economy.

Geopolitical tensions and do-mestic policy uncertainty add risks of potential trade disrup-tions or lower domestic demand, it also said.

Natural disasters, too, can re-verse economic gains, particu-larly in lower-income countries and small states, including many Pacific islands. Small states also face the challenge of reduced fi-nancial services by global banks or “de-risking” which could hold back financial inclusion and growth.

The report also recognizes, however, that the outcome could turn out more positive than fore-cast.

Low commodity prices could be a bigger boost to the region’s economies than expected; and regional and multilateral trade agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, could benefit Asia-Pacific even before they are ratified, it said.

SOVEREIGNTY. Members of the Armed Forces hoist the Philippine flag in one of five unoccupied islets in Itbayat, Batanes on Saturday, April 30, capping a three-day maritime domain awareness activity. The maritime awareness activities were held amidst growing tensions caused by China’s excessive claims in the disputed areas in the South China Sea and west Philippine Sea, including Philippine territory. Philstar.com photo

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West Point chapel returns San Pedro bell to Bauang, La Union church

by MoMar G. VisayaAJPress

WEST POINT, NY – The parish priest of the church, Filipino of-ficials and community members, a few cadets and parishioners took turns in ringing the San Pedro bell one last time on April 29, before it was sent back to its rightful home in Bauang, La Union after remain-ing for 101 years in West Point, New York.

“The return of the San Pedro Bell embodies the strong bond and deep understanding of our nations, par-ticularly when we were allies during the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict. We are therefore extremely grateful as a country and as an ally to the United States,” said Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr.

Most Holy Trinity Catholic Cha-pel chaplain Matthew Pawlikowski led a mass for the event partici-pants before leading a procession to the bell outside the chapel. The chaplain also blessed the bell in a valediction ceremony, right before the bell was rung for the last time, then unbolted to be prepped for shipping.

“Last November, we received a letter from the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul, one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, established in 1587 and through that letter, we learned that the church is also the home of the San Pedro bell,” said Col. Wayne Green, Chief of Staff of the United States Military Academy. “There was no question on the proper disposition that we should take. We knew the right and honorable thing to do was to send San Pedro bell home.”

Col. Green also said that for the past six months or so, they com-municated back on forth with the Bauang parish on how they can return the bell.

“We’re now here today in the spirit of friendship and cooperation to say farewell to the San Pedro bell which has been part of the West Point community for many years and return it to its rightful place,” Col. Green added. “In doing so, we not only affirm our commitment to one another but also return to Sts. Peter and Paul its voice and it is our hope that through this bell, the church will speak to the community for many generations to come.”

San Pedro bell history“It is said that the history of West

Point is the history of America. The bell is part of that,” said Sonny Busa, a community leader repre-senting the US-Philippine Society and the West Point Society of the Philippines. “The return of the bell is a manifestation of the strong bilateral ties between the United States and the Philippines,” he added.

In 1833, Father Mariano Garcia, assistant priest of Bauang, La Union was given a large bell by the province’s Lieutenant-Governor, D. Mariano Balancio and a Lieutenant D.D. Hilario Calica.

The 834-pound bell, an alloy of gold, silver and copper, was baptized and named San Pedro. It was almost destroyed during the Philippine-American War.

Engraved on the bell are these words: ‘Siendo Cura Parroco El M.P.P.F. Mariano Garcia Ano de 1883 / Donacion del Gobernador-cillo D. Mariano Balancio y del te-niente D. Hilario Calica A su Yglesia de Bauang’.

The bell was brought to the

Workers unbolt the San Pedro bell from its base outside the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel in West Point, New York. Photos by Troi Santos

US extradites Fil-Am suspect in Olongapo...

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growth...

last July 25. The murder went viral on social media after Mo-jica’s body was found burned, strangled and shot before being disposed in a dike in San Felipe, Zambales.

Reports say that Mojica had a conversation with Viane the night before her murder. She was convincing him to allow his wife to bring their 4-year-old son back to the US.

Viane fled outside the country after the crime while the second suspect, Niño Dela Cruz, also a

dress, described the Philippines’ path towards good governance, growth, and development as challenging, fulfilling, and dy-namic, crediting the country’s economic transformation to the good governance program of the Aquino Administration and economic policies centered on inclusive growth.

Ambassador Cuisia also cit-ed the deepening Philippines-US relations along the defense and security, people-to-people and economic tracks as an av-enue of continued cooperation for the next administration.

“The Philippines is commit-ted to be a proactive, reliable and responsible ally of the US, but more importantly, a strong Philippines is critical to the sta-bility of South East Asia, and I do look forward to the Philip-pines continuing along its cur-rent path,” he said.

During the first panel on governance, growth and devel-opment, Motoo Konishi, former World Bank Country Director for the Philippines, emphasized the importance of addressing corruption and improving gov-ernance, protecting the popula-tion from climate change and environmental disasters and having peace in eliminating ex-treme poverty.

“Fighting poverty and elimi-nating poverty means that you have to know each poor, who they are and where they live, and your investments need to be targeted to those people. Fast growth doesn’t eliminate poverty, you have to choose your policies carefully,” Koni-shi said.

The Aquino Administration has actively pursued these three objectives, according to

Fil-Am, was arrested by the Phil-ippine National Police’s Special Action Force in Tondo, Manila, last August 12.

Aika’s father Josar Mojica was in deep sorrow because of his daughter’s murder. Viane’s re-turn in the country gave hope to the Mojica family that the case would push ahead.

“It’s a good development that he has been brought here but his face is a painful reminder of my daughter’s death,” Josar Mo-jica said.

Aika Mojica’s murder was

linked to the custody battle be-tween Viane and his estranged wife back in the United States. Viane left the US and took their son to the Philippines which led to Mojica intervening in the is-sue.

Viane is temporarily detained at the National Bureau of Inves-tigation (NBI) office, as of this writing, while Dela Cruz has al-ready been charged before the Zambales RTC Branch 71, and is now locked up at the Zambales Provincial Jail. (Ian Jamotillo / AJPress)

Konishi. “The Aquino Administration

focused on pro-poor policies,” Konishi further added, stating that the Philippine experience will be a highlight of the World Bank’s flagship World Develop-ment Report this year.

Gloria Steele of USAID high-lighted the accomplishments of the Aquino administration in competitiveness, transparency, corruption, infrastructure, edu-cation and health.

“The Filipino people are looking forward to more chang-es and to the continuation of reforms that the Aquino Admin-istration started,” she said.

However, Steele added that more needs to be done by the next administration, such as improvements in airport infra-structure and quality energy regulations.

Matthew Bohn of the Mil-lennium Challenge Corporation lauded the first compact with the Philippines, which support-ed poverty reduction, inclusive growth, and elimination of cor-ruption, as being one of MCC’s best compacts. He also ex-pressed confidence that despite the challenges ahead, the Phil-ippines will be able to sustain its growth and development largely because of the ground work that the Aquino adminis-tration has set in place.

“The Aquino Administration has successfully put down deep and important roots for creating the conditions for (sustained) economic growth,” Bohn said.

The second panel discussion on security and peace focused mainly on internal and external security challenges.

Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College de-scribed the modernization of

the Philippine air force, military and marine forces, the deepen-ing defense relations with the United States through the En-hanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and Ba-likatan exercises as some of the major accomplishments of the Aquino Administration.

However, peace and security challenges remain in Mindan-ao, one of which is the coercive capacities of political dynasties and political families through the use of private armies.

“For any lasting peace to happen in Mindanao, you have to eliminate the private armies,” Professor Patricio Abinales of the University of Hawaii at Manoa said.

Professor Abinales also linked the private armies with the pervasive presence of the illicit sector, stating that the presence of illicit trade in Mind-anao cannot be weakened with-out first eliminating the private armies.

“Unilateral naming doesn’t change the status of a territory, sea or land,” Professor Ruth Wedgwood of Johns Hopkins SAIS said, switching the discus-sion from internal to external security challenges.

Referring to the impending decision of the Arbitral Tribu-nal, Professor Wedgwood fur-ther stated that “China will be put in a very difficult position to defy it” considering the interest of ASEAN member countries in the case.

The last part of the sympo-sium was a keynote address delivered by Senator Richard Lugar, speaking on the hall-marks of the Aquino Adminis-tration and the strong ties be-tween the Philippines and the United States.

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May 5-11, 2016 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOURNaL http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678A� Dateline USa

Abu Sayyaf bandits who beheaded...pain, with a knife.

A male decapitated body found in Sulu province was turned over to Marine Battalion Landing Team on April 27, days after Risdel’s be-heading. The Canadian’s severed head was found in a yellow sack near a police station inside the municipal hall premises in Jolo last April 25.

A P20-million ransom had been raised for delivery to the Abu Sayyaf captors on the day Ridsdel

PAGE A1 was beheaded. The ASG initially demanded P1 billion for each of the four kidnap victims for an April 8 deadline, but later reduced the ransom to P300 million each due April 25.

Risdel’s companions—fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norweigian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipino Maritess Flor—remain captives of the bandit group. They were kidnapped at a marina on Samal Island in September last year.

The ASG released a video of

the remaining hostages pleading to the Canadian and Philippine governments to meet the militant groups’ demands.

Canadian Prime Minister Jus-tin Trudeau, who first broke the news of the beheading, said his country will not pay ransoms for the release of its citizens following Ridsdel’s gruesome killing.

Aquino previously revealed terrorist plot to kidnap his sister Kris and boxing icon Manny Pac-quiao.

Comelec won’t rush proclamation...Manual countingVotes cast by detainee vot-

ers for local candidates will be counted manually, according to the Comelec.

Comelec Commissioner Luie Guia, chairman of the committee on detainee voting, said the poll body has decided to separate the ballots containing votes for local positions.

Guia said ballots containing the votes for national posts would be counted using the VCMs while the votes for both local and na-tional positions would be counted manually.

“Since the temporary restrain-ing order (TRO) came in late and our process is already in place, this is the least disruptive system we thought we can have,” Guia explained.

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Return-to-sender mailed overseas ballots piling up

by Jun nucumInquirer.net

With the May 9 deadline for overseas absentee voting approach-ing, the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco announced that it has been getting back a number of return-to-sender (RTS) ballot packets they sent earlier to voters for mail-in voting.

In an exclusive interview with Deputy Consul-General Jaime As-calon and Consul Reginald Bernabe at the consulate voting center, it was learned that as of May 1, some 500 names were posted on the consul-ate website whose ballot packets were returned to the consulate as they could no longer be located at the last address on record. These voters have changed residence without informing the consulate of their new address.

“We average around 90 RTS packets per day and as of May 1, around 1-2 percent of the estimated 46,000 eligible voters are listed and more are expected in the coming days. The listed names on the web-site would be updated as the other RTS come,” Ascalon disclosed.

“Just this morning, a voter came in to claim he did not receive his ballot after transferring residence. But since his ballot packet has not yet been received back here, we advised him to leave his new ad-dress and phone number and he will be informed if he may claim his returned packet personally or, if time still permits, have it mailed to him,” Ascalon said.

Ascalon clarified that they cannot issue another ballot as voters are allowed just one ballot each.

“Only when the ballots are re-ceived back by us can we have their ballots sent back to them or have their ballots claimed here person-ally. So i advise those around 500 voters whose names are on our list as posted on our website http://www.philippinessanfrancisco.org./ (as of May 1, 2016) to inform us right away through email atvote@philippinessanfrancisco.org of their new contact details particularly the new mailing address,” he said.

“It would be much better if they can come over to the consulate to personally claim their ballots and actually fill-out their forms here so they can hand-in the accomplished forms right away. No need to mail-back that takes time especially now that we are only days away from May 9,” Ascalon added.

Bernabe reported that the num-ber of mailed completed ballots is picking up, but the consulate is not allowed to give an estimate since the voting process is still ongoing and they expect a lot more to be

received from the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the com-ing days.

“Rest assured that all the ballot packets were sent individually to the voters to fillout and send back here in time to be counted,” Bern-abe said. “We are making an appeal to the voters not to wait too long to accomplish their ballots so they can be sent soonest, through mail or hand-in, right away for it to be counted in as time flies fast.”

Only around 30 voters so far have indicated that they would be personally voting in the consulate, the bulk of the ballots cast would really come by the mail.

Ascalon disclosed that so far they were happy with the turnout of completed ballots but that they also want more people to send back the ballots right away to avoid hav-ing their votes wasted due to late receipt.

“In terms of absolute numbers, we will surpass, if we haven’t sur-passed it yet, the turnout in the last election in 2013. But we also have to consider that the number of reg-istered voters have increased since the last registration from 15,000 to the present 46,000. The number has more than tripled,” explained Ascalon.

Ascalon also reminded the vot-ers to follow the proper way of accomplishing or filling out the forms, specifically by darkening or shading the oval beside the name of choice and not make any markings on the name itself such as encircl-ing the name, which cannot be read by the VCMs.

“Another reminder is not to vote more than the number of choices allowed which is one choice each for the position of the president, vice-president and party-list and 12 for senators. There may be less than 12 for chosen senators and still be valid but not more than 12,” reminded Ascalon.

Ascalon and Bernabe also said

that they will not be canvassing the votes as this will be done at the Philippine Embassy in Wash-ington, DC.

“We have 46 precincts here and we will have results one from each precinct. Grand total will be done in Washington, DC,” Bernabe divulged. “We will come up with a precinct count, all 46 of them, individually. By then, votes for in-dividual candidates will be posted also by precincts.”

Aside from San Francisco, there are 55 precincts in LA, 33 in Van-couver and 8 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Seen filling out her ballot in the consulate was Dolores Alontaga of Bicutan, Taguig, who came with her husband Victor of Cebu and Laguna.

“The instructions in voting are clear and simple enough for easy understanding. This is my first time to vote since we have been here for only two years. We live near the consulate so i decided to fill out my ballot here so i can just hand them over my accomplished form to be sure it reaches them on time,” Dolores said.

“Voting here is much easier, more convenient and stress-free than when we were voting back in the Philippines. In Taguig, precincts were usually full of voters with hot and humid room conditions, espe-cially when the polling places were about to close.”

Victor hopes that the voting process today is fool-proof and will have no more problems that the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines had before.

“I didn’t have any problem voting here in the consulate. It was even faster and easier than I expected. I exhort everyone to exercise their right to vote. Do not waste this chance to be heard. I also hope that everything will be fine and we will be able to vote for the right leaders of our country,” Victor related.

SPECIAL POWER. Policemen secure the front of the BPI office in Julio Vargas Pasig City as supporters of both Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Antonio Trillianes troop the area after Duterte’s lawyer and Trillianes faced off to settle the alleged P211 million pesos Duterte account. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

The Supreme Court (SC) had earlier issued a TRO stopping detainees from voting in the local elections.

Guia said the commission came out with a resolution to address the issue following the SC ruling.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10112, detainee ballots with votes only for national positions will be fed into the machines.

Ballots containing votes for local positions will be placed in separate envelopes so they could be counted manually.

Votes for local candidates will be considered stray votes by the Special Board of Election Inspec-tors, Guia said.

There are around 64,000 pris-oners who are registered to vote in 248 detention facilities nation-wide.

PCG on alert for pollsPhilippine Coast Guard com-

mandant Rear Admiral William Melad placed the PCG on height-ened alert in preparation for the May 9 elections.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo yesterday said that Melad mobilized the PCG’s sea marshals, quick response teams, K-9 units and shore patrol teams.

The PCG will assist the Comelec in transporting the ballots and other election paraphernalia. (With Jess Diaz, Evelyn Macairan/Phil-star.com)

West Point chapel returns San Pedro bell to...United States in 1902 after the U.S. forces took it in 1899. In 1915, the bell came to West Point.

“It was during the process of chasing Emilio Aguinaldo then. The U.S. Army had an SOP that if they see things that could be con-verted into bullets, they would con-fiscate them. The bell was one of the things they seized in the town of Bauang, La Union,” explained Busa, a retired Department of State foreign service officer. “They heard a rumor that the insurgents, the insurrectos were making artil-lery out of church bells, so they took the town’s bell.”

Thomas Barry, a West Point graduate from the Class of 1877 served in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War and subsequently became the 27th Superintendent of the Military Academy. Through cooperative ef-forts in the Philippines, Barry was instrumental in sending the bell to West Point in 1915.

The bell remained in the church belfry for 44 years unhung and unrung only to be discovered during the 1959 expansion of the chapel. Before being shipped to the Philippines, the bell stayed outside the chapel on a base which was designed in the 1980s and funded by the West Point chapter of the Daughters of the U.S. Army.

On November 10, 2015, the pas-tor of St. Peter and Paul Church in Bauang wrote a letter to the Military Academy Superintendent, request-ing the Academy to return the bell to its home in the Philippines.

“Gen. Caslen read the letter and they conducted an investigation. Their historians verified this claim

Dolores Alontaga carefully fills out her ballot right at the consulate premises to make sure it gets submitted on time and not lost in the mail. Inquirer.net photo by Jun Nucum

and the conclusion is that the bell belongs to the people of Bauang. He made a moral and ethical deci-sion to return it,” explained Busa. “Now, the bell will be on its way home. We can very well call it our Balikbayan Bell.”

Last January 28, 2016, Lieuten-ant General Robert Caslen, Jr. wrote back to Fr. Ronald Chan obliging his request.

“I have a special interest because it is going back to the Diocese of San Fernando,” added Consul General de Leon, who added that his father is from the town of San Juan, the town after San Fernando. Bauang is part of the Diocese of San Fernando.

Community response“It is very heartwarming. I am

so elated because this bell is going back to Bauang, which was our vacation place then. I didn’t want to miss this opportunity,” said Jo-sephine Gopiao of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC), an organization based in Northern Virginia. She joined a group of community leaders who drove from Washington, DC and Maryland to attend the bell’s send-off.

Members of the group sang ‘Bayan Ko’ after Busa delivered his speech. Filipino and some Filipino-American cadets joined members of the community in the singing.

“I am very happy that the bell is going back home, this is an important part of our history,” said Don Stanley Dalisay, one of only two Filipinos from the Philippines who are currently enrolled at West Point. “This highlights the strong relationship between the United States and the Philippines espe-

cially considering our jaded history. We’ve fought against each other before, now we’re allies in the Asia Pacific region.”

Dalisay comes from the town of Tingloy, Batangas. He is a junior cadet at West Point taking up eco-nomics and operations research. He spent a year as a plebe at the Philip-pine Military Academy as a part of the Gabay-Laya Class of 2016.

“This bell (San Pedro) was inci-dental. The group is trying to get the Balangiga Bells back and that is why they have been communi-cating with me. Admiral McKin-non told me that he heard there’s another bell at West Point so he told me to look into it and do some research,” Dalisay explained.

The group he was referring to is the group of Rear Admiral Dan McKinnon, Dennis Wright and other U.S. Navy veterans who have been heavily involved in getting the Balangiga Bells of Samar back to the Philippines.

The cadet went to the library to do his research but he stumbled on a dead end as there was nothing about San Pedro bell. West Point officials just took photos of the bell and sent it to the group and the Balangiga historian in Leyte, Dr. Rolando Borrinaga who was able to trace the origin of the bell and cross reference the Spanish inscription on the bell with records of parishes.

Armed with that information, Father Chan of Sts. Peter and Paul wrote that letter to the US Military Academy Superintendent Robert Caslen.

Almost six months have passed, and now the San Pedro bell is on its way back home.

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(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com A�LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 5-11, 2016

Dateline PhiliPPines3 airport men charged over ‘tanim-bala’PH bets sign TRUTH Covenant

Comelec asked to probe Poe, Roxas for vote buying

by EvElyn Macairan Philstar.com

MANILA—Presidential candi-dates Vice President Jejomar Bi-nay and former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and 15 senatorial candidates on Monday, May 2 vowed not to use guns, goons and gold in the remaining days of the campaign period.

The candidates attended a concelebrated 9am mass presided over by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle at the Manila Cathedral.

They later signed the covenant for Truthful, Responsible, Upright, Transparent and Honest (TRUTH) elections.

The 15 senatorial aspirants were Sen. Vicente Sotto III, Maria Susanna Ople, former interior secretary Rafael Alunan III, former Philippine National Police-Spe-cial Action Force director Getu-lio Napeñas Jr., former justice secretary Leila de Lima, former Metropolitan Manila Develop-ment Authority chairman Francis Tolentino, lawyer Lorna Kapunan, Manila Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, former PhilHealth director Risa Honti-veros, broadcaster Rey Langit, Princess Jacel Kiram, Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, Leyte Rep. Mar-tin Romualdez, Vicente Paez and Diosdado Valeroso.

Meanwhile, Robredo was rep-resented at the occasion by her relative Gail Robredo.

DIVINE INTERVENTION. Presidential candidates Vice President Jejomar Binay shakes hands with Manuel Roxas after signing the covenant for Truthful, Responsible, Upright, Transparent & Honest (TRUTH) Elections after a Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Monday, May 2. The signing was witnessed by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Commission on Elections chairman Andres Bautista, among others. CBCP photo by Roy Lagarde

Radio Veritas president Fr. Anton Pascual said they sent out invitations to all five presidential candidates, six vice presidential candidates and 55 senatorial can-didates but unfortunately, many were unavailable as they were busy in campaign sorties.

In the covenant, the candidates promised “to strongly admonish our relatives, friends, followers and supporters to desist from using violence, deceit, fraud and other unfair and dishonest practices.”

“We will uphold the credibility and the integrity of the remaining campaign period and election

process and the dignity of the Filipino people,” they added. “We will remember always that we are God’s steward on earth and must therefore promote at all times a safe, clean and wholesome environment and an unequivocal respect and reverence for life.”

They also promised to encour-age voters to exercise their right to suffrage.

In his homily, Tagle said that Filipinos should treat their right to vote as a “blessing” because there are other countries where this right is enjoyed only by some classes in society.

by rosEttE adEl Philstar.com

MANILA—Senatorial candidate Greco Belgica on Tuesday, May 3 filed a petition before the Commis-sion on Elections for an investiga-tion into alleged vote buying by the Liberal Party led by its standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and by presidential bet Sen. Grace Poe.

“Wherefore it is respectfully prayed to this Honorable Commis-sion to create a body to conduct an investigation on the above-stated vote-buying scheme by the Liberal Party,” Belgica, a former Manila councilor, said in his petition.

Belgica said there are videos to prove his claims that the two

presidential candidates tried to buy votes.

The senatorial aspirant also said he is filing the petition through his own initiative as a registered voter and a taxpayer of the Philippines saying “it is the right of every citizen, voting or not, to report incidents in violation of any laws particularly those pertaining to election laws.”

He asked the commission “to conduct a cautious investigation on an untoward vote-buying scheme spearheaded by the Liberal Party to assuage the votes in favor of their standard-bearer Mar Roxas.”

Belgica said the investigation may lead to the disqualification of Poe and Roxas.

“Ito ay para himukin ang im-bestigasyon sa vote buying na nakita sa hinagawa sa kampo ni Secretary Roxas at Senator Grace Poe. Hopefully, imbesti-gahan ng Comelec for potential disqualification,” Belgica told the reporters.

Belgica, the lead petitioner at the Supreme Court against the pork barrel system and the Disburse-ment Acceleration Program, is a known supporter of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodri-go Duterte. He is also the chairman of Reform Coalition Philippines, a political watchdog calling for the restoration of security features in vote counting machines to be used in the May 9 elections.

by Ghio onG Philstar.com

MANILA—Two agents of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) and an airport wheelchair attendant at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were charged by the Pasay City prose-cutor’s office in connection with the alleged tanim-bala or bullet-planting scheme that recently victimized an elderly couple.

OTS agents Ferdinand Morales and Fatti Dame Go and attendant Niño Namba were charged for planting evidence under Article V, Section 38 of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Law, robbery with intimidation and unjust vexation.

Salvacion Cortabista,75, and husband Esteban,78, filed the complaints.

The couple claimed that they were victimized by the OTS per-sonnel who found a live .38 caliber bullet in the hand carry bag of Salvacion at the departure area of the NAIA Terminal 1 on April 19. The couple denied owning the bullet.

The bullet was found in a pocket inside Salvacion’s brown handbag

at the final X-ray counter of the departure area.

The couple was supposed to fly to Los Angeles to visit their daughter and for Salvacion’s medical checkup for arthritis.

In their joint sworn statement, the Cortabistas alleged that Mo-rales, Go and Namba might have

conspired to execute the alleged tanim-bala scheme.

They also stressed that Namba was the only one who got near their baggage.

The statement also said two personnel in uniform, later identi-fied as Morales and Go, prevented

Personnel from the Public Attorney’s Office accompany Salvacion Cortabista, 75, to a preliminary hearing at the Department of Justice on the charge of illegal possession of ammunition on Monday, May 2. Cortabista and her husband, Esteban, 78, were barred from leaving for Los Angeles on April 19 after a .38 caliber bullet was found in one of their hand-carried bags at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. They denied owning the bullet and insisted that NAIA personnel planted it in their bag. Philstar.com photo

PAGE A7

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OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimes.net photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9—the Philippine national elections—are critical. This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support, which in turn, they hope will manifest in actual votes.

Public interest

For Filipino voters, this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer.

The Filipinos’ support is essential to any leader. They are after all, the ones who get someone into office, and whom leaders are repre-senting. On the other hand, an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipino’s life. He or she shapes the system, make crucial decisions, and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino.

On Monday, May 2, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful, Responsible, Upright, Transparent & Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions.

In his homily, Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country.

“In being candidates, you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility. If you win, it means you must represent the people’s dreams and common good,” Tagle said.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day, May 3, reminded Filipino voters to “not to

be mesmerized” by promises of “change” by candidates seeking the country’s top post. He said that what the country needs is a “radi-cal” and “profound” change in

mind, behavior and values.Quevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone “that is not tainted by corruption, unexplained wealth, and properties, and enrichment in office.” He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life.

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive, ideal government—a that system is com-mitted to the common good, shared and personal responsibility, and one that finds opportunity for everyone. Next week, we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the country’s political landscape.

Until then, may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes. May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipino—all 100 million of them. (AJPress)

Editorial

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls, can Duterte’s lead be overtaken?

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign, just a week before the all-important presidential election in the Philippines, following allegations made by VP candidate Sen. Antonio Trillanes. Trillanes alleged that the Philippine pres-idential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not de-clared in his Statement of Assets and Li-abilities and Net Worth (SALN).

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Duterte’s character have been branded as black propaganda by the Duterte camp and his followers, al-leging that his opponents are so desper-

ate to pull him down af-ter his dominance in the recent polls all over the country.

But as some say, all is fair game in politics, especially when a can-didate has given his detractors ammunitions to fire back at him. Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he, the mayor, should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian.

Then there were more among many others: his own words admitting he has

killed people and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance; his curs-ing the popular Pope Francis; his blatant unapologetic and even bragging state-

ment that he is a womanizer; the alle-gations that he has ghost employees; his reported statements that if elected, he will release former Pres. Gloria Ar-royo; that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani; and that he will let

Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency.

Just this past week, something has been happening in the polls. From plac-ing fourth below Duterte, Poe and Binay, we see the rise of DILG Sec. Mar Roxas in surveys, especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN.

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29, Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent, unchanged from the April 19-24 survey, but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent, a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll.

The D’ Strafford Research and Strate-gies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte. It showed Roxas on top with 27.8 percent, followed by Duterte with 25.4 percent.

If this trend continues, could Roxas pull an upset on May 9, and be elected president?

ABANGAN!* * *

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

SenatoR HaRRy Reid

Commentary

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

THE United States has al-ways been a nation of im-migrants. At every turn in our history, we have become stronger and closer by rec-ognizing the richness in each of our many cultures. Nevada, like America, is stronger for its diversity – not only from the greater Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, but also the great diversity within it.

In May, we recognize and celebrate the rich heritage and diversity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander commu-nity. Our nation is enriched by the more than 16 million people—representing 45 dif-ferent ethnic groups and 28 languages—that make up this vibrant community, and I am grateful for their immense con-tributions to Nevada’s cultural and economic development.

Each year, more and more Ne-vadans can trace their roots back to the Philippines, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, India and many other Asian and Pacific nations. They have excelled in the arts, commerce, academia, medi-

cine, law and government fields. They have enriched the lives of many Ameri-cans through cultural ex-change, fought in wars to pro-

tect our freedom, and played an important role in our economy. And with each new generation comes the promise of stronger, more vibrant communities —and the same is true for our country as a whole.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped build, de-fend and strengthen our nation through their work as civil rights activists, rail-road workers, farm-ers, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, servicemen and women, and public servants. Even through times of hardship and a long his-tory of injustice, this community has persisted and forged ahead, helping to shape a more perfect union.

Our nation is made stronger by its diversity, and America is a better place because of the AAPI community and its accomplish-ments. I extend my best wishes for a joyous Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

MaRlen V. Ronquillo

Commentary

The elite’s desperate push for the hopeless Mr. Roxas

THE last failure of the economic elite–and their surrogates in the media and civil society– was the one involving Mrs. Arroyo. They wanted her out of power right after the 2004 elections through means fair or foul, and preferably via the Nicaraguan version of crippling the capital with massive protest actions. There were constraints, though.

One was protest fatigue. After EDSA Uno and EDSA Dos—and the short-lived EDSA Tres—the middle class and the urban poor were no longer predisposed to mass at EDSA and cripple the main transport route of the me-tropolis to topple down the Arroyo administration. The middle class just wanted to vent their ire in the 2010 elections and humiliate Mrs. Arroyo’s chosen through their votes. The urban poor had been calmed down by former First Quar-ter Storm activists then working in Mrs. Arroyo’s camp to rein in their anti-Arroyo angst.

With the middle class bone weary and tired of political protests and the anger of the urban poor reined in, the economic elite and their surrogates fought their war through the major media outlets they controlled and still control. The last few years of Mrs. Arroyo in power saw the explosion of corrup-tion stories that was unparalleled in the country’s political and media history.

The Arroyo administration also saw to it that the other vital institu-tions of government, the Congress and the judiciary, stayed out of the fray and did not go along with

the grand agenda of the elite. The leading lights of the legislative and the judiciary also shared the general view of the tired middle class – the 2010 elections, not the ouster of Mrs. Arroyo, was the preferred option on leader-ship change. Congress and the LGUs—and the military—were most opposed to the elite’s wish for an extra-constitutional option to oust Mrs. Arroyo.

The glory of Gloria Arroyo came to pass and in the 2010 elections, the elite’s anointed, Mr. Aquino, was unanimously elected presi-dent. The demonized image of Mrs. Arroyo was enough to sink her candidate, actually the most qualified candidate in that elec-tion cycle. Mr. Aquino, to show his fealty to the elite, truly fulfilled the economic elite’s grandest hope, an “all-business president” who measures his accomplishments on growth rates and credit upgrades, and how much wealth has been transferred to the already-awe-some wealth of the economic elite.

Six years of unprecedented up-ward redistribution. Through six years, not a single one was a down

year for the elite. Steve Forbes, the failed US presidential candidate whose family owns the magazine that measures the wealth of the global elite, was so caught up with the elite’s gushing over Mr. Aquino that he wanted a clone of Mr. Aquino to be president of the US. In his country, bridging inequality is primordial in the political de-bates. Here, we are stuck up in the ‘80s mania for growth, balanced budgets and credit upgrades.

As if this Catholic country has never heard of a pope named Francis who has debunked trickle-down economics and the kind of reckless, unfettered capitalism bannered by Mr. Aquino.

In the current election cycle, the elite is in yet another state of despondency and frustration. The chosen one, Mr. Roxas, has been lagging in the polls and is now in third place – more than 10 percent behind the polling leader, Mr. Duterte. After six years of cruel capitalism that tilted 100 percent into their direction, the elite can’t let go. The problem is they have a weak and near-to-hopeless can-didate who has failed to catch up despite the sky-is-the-limit support

extended to him by the influential institutions the elite controls or owns.

Mr. Roxas is supported by all sectors with a national mega-phone, from Big Business to Big Media. The Aquino administra-tion precisely crafted the BUB in the national budget to help Mr. Roxas’ candidacy and that is throwing money into the LGUs to get votes for Mr. Roxas. Even the cash transfer program has been politicalized. (That sounds more correct than “politicized.”) In the blighted rural areas, the Aquino government campaigns with the threat that the conditional cash transfer will be gone with Mr. Roxas defeat. Despite all these, he has been mocked by Mr. Duterte as a “ loser.”

After Big Media was done slim-ing Mr. Binay, the early leader in the presidential poll who has slid down to 4th place from his com-manding lead, the new target is Digong Duterte. Duterte is now facing questions about a banking history that involved alleged more than P2 billion in recent trans-actions. It is now the big story, supplanting the Makati City tales

of alleged big-time construction-related corruption.

It involves the same narrative, the leading presidential candidate enmeshed in a morass of corrup-tion and unsuccessfully wiggling away from the charges. Only the name has changed. It is now Duterte instead of Binay. The cur-rent charge is “ bank accounts” the one that successfully led to the ouster of Erap in 2000.

As the Makati-centric stories on alleged corruption faded from the national discussion, it is Davao City and its arriviste mayor that are now hogging the headlines. The problem is the timeline. It is just a few days from May 9 and the hard-core devotion of many voters to the arriviste mayor is for real.

There is doubt that the elite can deliver a Hail Mary pass for Mr. Roxas. (ManilaTimes.net)

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com A�LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 5-11, 2016

Dateline PhiliPPines

Deguito denies money laundering raps

FREEDOM’S FULL MEAL. Ten Indonesian sailors who were freed by the Abu Sayyaf eat a hearty meal of fried chicken, fish and rice at the house of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II in this photo released to the Inquirer. The Philippine government on Monday, May 2 said it is glad that the Indonesians kidnapped by the bandit group Abu Sayyaf are now free and safe after five weeks in captivity.

by Edu Punay Philstar.com

PH bets sign TRUTH CovenantHe also reminded the can-

didates that they need to keep in mind the responsibility that comes with winning the elec-tions, which is to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

Value of honestyRoxas said the signing of the

covenant was very important to re-instill the value of honesty among candidates.

But he declined to comment when asked about the absence of

3 airport men charged over...them from undergoing final in-spection of their baggage as something suspicious was found inside Salvacion’s handbag.

Morales later found the bul-let, saying it was found in the handbag pocket during the final check.

He also said “mahina ang sing-kwenta mil (P50,000 is peanuts),” which the couple believed was an attempt at extortion.

The couple also said Morales was gesturing at Go and this was captured by a security camera, according to the couple’s state-ment.

Salvacion also said in the state-ment she was treated as just another prisoner “without con-sideration for my old age and condition” when she underwent booking procedure by police.

The incident, the couple said, traumatized them and forced

some of his rivals.“Maybe you should ask them.

I don’t know what it means to them. Maybe this is not important to them. We are leaders. We are expected to uphold the high-est and best values as Filipinos. And these are our values – the truth and what is the truth being suggested there? Upliftment, transparency, honest elections. For me, this is not just taking time out (from the campaign),” Roxas told reporters.

He, however, took potshots at Binay, saying his rival apparently was not afraid of “being hit by lightning” for entering a holy place despite the corruption al-legations against him.

“Other candidates apparently are afraid of being hit by lightning because one must be truthful inside the church, right?” he asked.

Roxas said he shook hands with Binay and greeted him “peace be with you.”

PAGE A5

them to cancel their US trip.The Public Attorney’s Office,

counsel for the Cortabistas, in-cluded in an affidavit 46 resolu-tions recommending dismissal of previous tanim-bala cases due to lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, a Bureau of Immi-gration officer at NAIA Terminal 1 praised the Office of the Om-budsman that found two former BI commissioners and another employee guilty of grave miscon-duct for the illegal suspension of a bureau officer.

The ombudsman’s order, signed by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer II Blesilda Ouano last Jan. 26, but released only last April 4, ordered the dismissal from the service with all the necessary penalties of for-mer immigration commissioners Ricardo David Jr. and Siegfred Mison and BI head executive as-sistant Grace Lara.

Complainant Paulino Verzosa, a former Immigration Alien Control Officer at the BI Laoag Field Of-fice, had accused David, Mison and Lara of grave abuse of author-ity, grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public officer and oppression.

Verzosa was suspended for one month and one day on Nov. 13, 2007 for simple misconduct by then BI officer in charge Ronaldo Ledesma and Felino Quirante Jr.

Verzosa immediately filed a motion for reconsideration but was denied by the BI in July 2010 when David was the new BI com-missioner.

He brought the case to the Manila regional trial court in Sep-tember 2010 and the court issued “a Writ of Preliminary Mandatory Injunction directing the BI offi-cials to desist from implementing the penalty of suspension upon complainant.”

PAGE A5

MANILA—Former Rizal Com-mercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito denied on Monday, May 2 the money laundering charges filed against her in connection with the $80.9 million stolen by hackers from the Bangladesh Bank and laundered to the country.

In a 15-page counter-affidavit, Deguito asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss the complaint for violation of Section 4 of the Anti-Money Launder-ing Act filed against her by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) last March.

Deguito’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said the complaint should be dismissed for lack of probable cause. She refused to grant jour-nalists’ request for an interview.

In her affidavit, Dequito denied facilitating the laundering of the stolen money, insisting that it was former RCBC president Lorenzo Tan who ordered her to open the four fictitious accounts where the $80.1 million was deposited.

She said all transactions at her branch had the approval of Tan, and the bank officials are using her as a scapegoat to avoid crimi-nal liability.

Topacio asked for another extension for the filing of their reply to the charges, citing the recent complaint filed by the AMLC against the executives of remittance firm Philrem Service, where part of the laundered money reportedly went.

The AMLC lawyers opposed the move, calling it a dilatory tactic.

Assistant state prosecutor Gilmarie Fe Pacamarra denied

Topacio’s request, saying the respondent was given enough time when she was granted an extension during a hearing on April 12.

Topacio questioned the motive of the AMLC in rushing the pre-liminary investigation of the case at the DOJ.

“We are puzzled why the money laundering council is rushing to end the hearing at the DOJ with-out first filing charges against the RCBC officials. When will they run after those who are really behind the laundering?” he said.

Meanwhile, the camp of casino junket operator Kim Wong did not file an answer to the charges, and instead appealed the decision of the prosecutor.

Casino operator Weikang Xu did not appear or send a repre-sentative.

SC extends anew suspension of Arroyo plunder trialby TETch TorrEs-TuPas

Inquirer

THe Supreme Court (SC) ex-tended up to June 20, 2016 its or-der stopping the Sandiganbayan from proceeding with the plunder trial of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million in funds of the Philip-pine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from 2008 to 2010.

In a resolution released Wednes-day, May 4, the high court granted the request for extension filed by Arroyo’s counsel.

“The status quo ante order (SQAO) under Resolution of March 8, 2016 is extended until June 20, 2016, unless sooner revoked by the Court,” the high court said.

This is the third extension issued by the high court that stopped the Sandiganbayan trial.

On October last year, the high court issued a 30-day SQAO. After its lapse last November, the high court then extended it for 90 days that lapsed last Feb. 20. Then, from Feb. 20, 2016, it was extended up to April 20, 2016 and eventually to June 20.

The high court issued the SQAO after Arroyo filed a 115-page petition asking the high court to reverse the final ruling of the Sandiganbayan First Division last February denying her bail in the PCSO case.

Arroyo is detained at the Vet-

erans’ Memorial Medical Center plunder over the alleged misuse of P366 million in intelligence funds for the PCSO from 2008 to 2010 for personal gain.

Arroyo went to the high court after the Sandiganbayan denied her bid to post bail.

In her petition, Arroyo cited her deteriorating health in asking the high court to reverse the rulings of the Sandiganbayan.

Arroyo said the high court had ruled in many cases that detain-ees are entitled to bail “if their continuous confinement during the pendency of their case would

be injurious to their health or endanger their life.”

The petitioner invoked the case of De La Rama, where the high court ruled that hospital arrest “fell short of meeting or accomplishing the humanitarian purpose or reason underlying the doctrine adopted by modern trend of courts’ decisions which permit bail to prisoners, irrespec-tive of the nature and merits of the charge against them, if their continuous confinement during the pendency of their case would be injurious to their health or endanger their life.”

Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

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VEGAS&STYLEJournal

The first of everything: First-time mothers share their joys and challenges

PAGE B6

OF the joys and challenges women face in life, none is more extraordinary than having their first baby. From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth, women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their life and their growing baby.

In this Mother’s Day special fea-ture, we asked a first-time mothers about their experiences, emotions and how they deal with their life now with their first born.

“Holding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happier.”

- Aileen B. Castañeda, mother to Sophie Nicola Castañeda (born March 3, 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted.

“I was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon. It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into pregnancy—baby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due date,” she said then added, “I was also very scared since being a first time Mom, everything was all new to me. I did not know

what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be. I had my husband (Ryan) with me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process, so I knew everything was going to be okay.”

Apart from the usual paranoia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie.

“I wanted to be prepared—read books, went to birthing classes, stocked up her nursery so there would not be any surprises, I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how long!,” Aileen shared. “But at the end of the day, it was what it was, just a prepa-ration. I did not know what the future holds, I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband, family and friends willing to support and do anything and everything. That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fears.”

She takes cue from her hard-working mother to become a better mom to Sophie. With this, she only has one wish for her daughter.

“There will come a time when she will face her own challenges in

life. I wish she can embrace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her. I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values. “

“I was full of gratitude, and I said my prayer of thanks to God, that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing, as we have now my child in my arms.”

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Puzon, mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16, 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon, nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband, Aldrin, to see their son come out of this world. The couple had been through years of trying to have a child.

“It was just overwhelming. It was the most surreal experience,” she shared. “[I} still couldn’t be-lieve that I was able to push that baby out of me. My husband and I were tearful for a moment, then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smiles.”

As a nurse working at a govern-ment birthing facility in Makati City, Philippines, Marie does counseling about breastfeediing

with mothers. Ironically, it was the same thing that she faced during the first days after Aldrei was born.

“I did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experi-enced it myself. I was struggling during the first few days, feeling pained and lacking sleep; as it was a round-the-clock job,” she shared. “It was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first. I almost thought of giving up, but I can’t. I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increased.”

With the difficulties in breast-feeding, being sleep deprived and tired; Marie always reminds her of her mother’s advice.

“[My] mom told me that when you are tired, it’s ok to ask for help so that you can rest.

“My mom is a woman of prayer. She tells me that despite those fatigued moments from diaper change and long nursing sessions, I still and should find time for prayer, seek help, ask for blessings and to guide me through mother-hood,” she said. “I am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him. I want him to be God-fearing,

Aileen Castañeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

by Charisse Trinidad / AJPress

The origins of Mother’s Day & how Filipinos celebrate

MOTheR’S Day is observed in different forms throughout the world.

The American existence of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. While dates and celebrations may differ, Mother’s Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and tradi-tionally involves presenting mothers with flowers, cards and other gifts.

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. however, the most modern ver-sion of Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”

The roots of the modern Mother’s Day date back to the 19th century. Years before the Civil War (1861-1865), Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children. These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War.

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day is a time when children and fathers both spend a day pampering and showering mothers with presents, as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family.

Mothers in the Philippines go by various titles: Ina, Nanay, Mama, and Mommy, to name just a few. Mothers are recog-nized as the “ilaw ng tahanan,” which is translated to the “light of the home.” This Filipino expression serves to describe moth-ers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way possible, sometimes even putting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so. This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying: “Ang ina, isusubo na nga lang, ibibigay pa sa anak,” which means “even with the food all ready for her to consume, the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her children.”

having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise, especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role. Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families, so it is common for Mother’s Day to also include grandmothers, aunts, cousins, and other women in the family who are also mothers.

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers, with some even bringing breakfast to mom in bed. Fathers, on the other hand, generally give their wives a present they have been asking for, or a trip to the spa for a day of relax-ation. Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restaurant. The rest of the day is usually spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go.

may 5-11, 2016 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOURNaL http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678B� Features

Even the most intelligent, beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers. Here are few famous quotes about mothers:

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

- Abraham Lincoln,US President

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect power.”

- Maya Angelou, writer, poet and civil rights leader

“The only love that I re-ally believe in is a mother’s love for her children.”

- Karl Lagerfeld, fashion designer

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.”

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling, - English journalist,

writer, poet and novelist (1865-1936)

5 Mother’s Day gifts money can’t buyby AlixAndrA CAole VilA

Philstar.com

Mother’s Day is almost upon us. While others are in panic searching for the most expensive gift that they can buy, why don’t you think of giving something that any amount of money can’t buy instead?

on Mother’s Day, you could give your mom a stunning jewelry set, a signature purse or a blouse, or you could turn the day into an experience she will never forget for the rest of her life.

Prepare a nostalgic mealstart the day right. remem-

ber the dish your mom used to prepare when you were a kid? try to remake her signature breakfast! on a Mother’s Day tribute held in Manila Peninsula on May 6, the value of scent was discussed. scent conjures memo-ries more lucid than any other sense. so is it any surprise that the simple whiff of something familiar evokes so much emotion and nostalgia?

More than just the aroma of her signature dish, the comforting smell of your blanket as she tucks you in at night, the scent of her dress as she hugs you tight also

audio clips she can listen to.Make her do the things she

had always wanted to doone thing that always makes

a big splash is acknowledging their lives outside of motherhood. What’s something they really like to do but never get to because they’re too busy taking care of everyone else? treat her to a spa or go travel outdoors! Make Mother’s Day really her day. Find out where she would most like to

go and do some real planning.Simply spend the whole day

togetherA simple visit can be the most

meaningful gift, especially if you don’t come around as much as you’d like. Make her the boss of everything. Let her choose what you should do together, may it be going to church or watching DVDs. Let her guide the day and just go with it. Focus on making her happy.

Mother’s Day is almost upon us. While others are in panic searching for the most expensive gift that they can buy, why don’t you think of giving something that any amount of money can’t buy instead?

World’s most beautiful in the world’s most important roleJeNNIFer Aniston broke into

the limelight with her role as ra-chel in the global tV hit “Friends.” the last episode aired in 2004, but that has not stopped the spotlight from shining on the trendsetting beauty who built a career on

portraying relatable characters onscreen.

she was recently surprised by a cover on People magazine that proclaimed her as the Most Beautiful Woman for 2016. the girl-next-door who is now enjoy-

ing wedded bliss to actor, director, and screenwriter Justin theroux, exclaimed that it was a very teen-age-y moment.

In an interview with People, the 47-year-old actress says she’s learned to embrace her appear-

trigger nostalgia. so make sure that you prep her bed the night before using Downy’s timeless from the Parfum Collection to evoke the sincerity and simplicity of unwavering, genuine love.

Take the chores off her hands

Make an effort to do the house-hold chores. If you can cancel plans for a friend’s wedding, why can’t you do the same for your mom’s special day? A random act of kindness will take you far. Do the dishes, clean your room, wash a load of laundry.

Bring back old photos, opt for personalized gifts

Again, you do not have to shell out big bucks for a mother’s day gift. rather than hitting the malls, rummage through your home! Use your creative skills and make a scrapbook filled with photos of her though the years. It may seem quite plain and tra-ditional, but with today’s digital age, doing a collage, which takes up a lot of time and effort is more thoughtful than paying bucks in a retail store. spend some time placing captions and descriptions on the photo to make it more touching. If you are good in mak-ing videos, record some video or

ance over the years, and insists she feels her best when she’s healthy and strong. her secret to her lovely looks is exercising at least six times a week, balancing it out with her favorite chips and her husband’s carbonara.

Aniston is currently cast in the Mother’s Day movie, along with other top-rank celebrities such as Julia roberts, Kate hudson and robert sudeikis. the movie, which was megged by rom-com expert Garry Marshall (“Pretty Woman,” “Valentine’s Day” and “New Year’s eve”) talks about the funny, poignant side of mother-hood – the world’s toughest and most important job.

Mother’s Day shows Aniston as sandy, a divorcee who is now forced to come to terms with her ex-husband’s much-younger new partner. It also takes a look at her hectic life as a single mom who does everything in her power to raise her rambunctious boys properly. she gets by with a little help from her friends, portrayed by the zany and lovable characters in the cast. (Philstar.com)

People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman for 2016 Jennifer Aniston is currently cast in the Mother’s Day movie, along with other top-rank celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson and Robert Sudeikis.

“My mother is a walking miracle.”

-Leonardo DiCaprio, actor

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 5-11, 2016 B�Features

Infographic by AJPress. Sources: American Psychological Association, Pacific Post Partum Support Society, Journal of American Medical Association, National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

By Monet Lu

Words of wisdom from the most important woman in my life

Mrs. Catalina Francisco Lu

I was told on numerous occa-sions that everybody eventually turns into their parents when they grow old. I believe that now to be true as I see so much of my “Nanay” (as I fondly call her) in me – now more than ever. Things like her gestures, or when giv-ing advice, I just can’t help but notice myself talking the way my mother would talk to me. I talk to my friends the way she would usually talk to me when I ask her for advice. all I can say is that my friends are just as lucky as I am that I learned so much from my dear mother.

This coming Mother’s month, I want to dedicate this piece to her. she tried her best to instill in me precious nuggets of wisdom (that I hope I’ve retained all these years). The woman I owe everything to; the most important woman in my life – My Nanay: Mrs. Catalina Francisco Lu.

It has been years since my mother joined the Lord yet her memory stays forever. The pain of losing my mom still remains. I guess the heartache will never be completely gone but I learned to accept the fact that she won’t be around anymore. and that I’ll always keep her memories with me. That way, she lives on in my heart and in my dreams.

My Nanay is your typical “char-ismatic and caring” mother. But don’t let her composed demeanor fool you. she could be feisty and quite the disciplinarian if she wanted to. But no matter how she carried herself, she never failed to express her love and concern for her children.

“Eat your vegetables, they’re good for you.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Pray before you eat.”“Don’t waste food, finish it all.

Think of the hungry children in the world.”

“If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.”

“Call me when you get there so I’ll know you’re okay.”

These are my mother’s widely used reminders. I say them back to myself whenever I’m reminded of them and with gratitude in my heart, I tell myself how lucky I am

to have a mother like my Nanay.she was fond of reciting quota-

tions when she can. Of course at that time, I really didn’t fully un-derstand what they meant. she’d talk mostly about gratitude and work ethics. “ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi maka-karating sa paroroonan.” (He who doesn’t know how to look back from where he came from, will never reach his destiny), she would often say to me. I think it was her favorite. Most of the time she would talk more about “remain-ing humble and never forgetting the people who helped you along the way.”

when I opened my very first salon, she was there to remind me that I should always thank those who made my dream possible, especially my sisters who paid for my tuition so I can study styling and design. she also challenged me to be more mindful and con-scientious about work and money. she would always tell me: “Para kang kalabasa, gapang ng gapang naiiwan naman ang bunga.” which meant that I often worked myself to the ground but I never saw the fruits of my labor.

Nanay’s constant prodding urged me to be more responsible in my fiscal affairs. Thanks to her, I’m still learning.

Looking back, I learned from her a basic truth about life: that there are some lessons we won’t fully understand until we are ready to accept what it requires – so we

can really do what truly matters.Years after her death, Nanay

still continue to teach me these lessons. I’m just glad that I am still here to pass them on to my nieces, nephews and grandchildren, or anyone who needs a motherly advice.

My mother is my hero. I believe she deserves a medal even if she never would have asked for one. I miss her more than words can ever express.

all of us were born because there was that one person who decided we deserve a chance to be in this world. They may be our bio-logical moms or those who raised us as their own. Motherhood is a 24-7 duty with no days off or sick days. a thankless job that we sadly take for granted or often overlook. I hope that this Mother’s Day, we will take the time to honor and appreciate our mothers.

To the most important woman in my life, I love you always. Happy Mother’s Day, Nanay.

***Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-

winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

may 5-11, 2016 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOURNaL http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678B�

Traveling to Asia? Fly China Airlines and enjoy a free half-day tour courtesy of Taiwan Tourism Bureau

The thought of flying halfway across the world for more 12 hours is sometimes too daunting for many people. Understand-ably, long haul flights do not hold any appeal even to the most seasoned travelers. Long haul flights are intimidating if you travel infrequently. The journey could be very exhausting. Not only does it wreak havoc to your body but affects your sleeping pattern as well.

And for us Asians who had made America our home, taking long haul flights had been the norm rather than the rule if we are to maintain our close relationship with our families and friends back home. When travelling halfway across the globe to see family and friends or attend some important business engagement, the last thing you want is to arrive at your destination dragging yourself due

to exhaustion. Surely there are ways to ad-

dress this. Fortunately, airlines are constantly upgrading their services to address and meet the needs of their passengers – especially their loyal customers. And the good news is that some flights are certainly better than others because some airlines have fine-tuned the long-haul experi-ence to make it as comfortable and pleasant to the passengers as possible.

One such airline is China Air-lines, which operates twice week-ly flights between Los Angeles and Taipei. The airline is one of a handful of carriers that are really reinventing their passenger expe-rience from the ground up.

Among China Airlines’ many innovations is the Family Couch, which it launched in 2014. It is a cost-effective and new alternative

to business class’ 180-degree flat bed seats. Available on all its B777 routes, China Airlines’ Family Couch is a row of three economy Class seats that together adapt to create a flat flexible space to stretch out and relax in, giving the passenger the opportunity to enjoy a comfortable sleep in-flight. The Family Couch is perfect for those travelling with small children because the seats are specially designed to convert into a sofa.

China Airlines, Taiwan’s larg-est airline, is reported to be the first airline other than Air New Zealand to install the Family Couch seats, which are not only revolutionary but also provide comfort and ease to those flying long haul. What could be more appealing than arriving at your destination well rested, refreshed and eager to plunge into the day’s

activities?China Airlines’ Premium econ-

omy cabin also offers a pleasant comfortable flying experience. China Airlines Premium economy Cabin features wider seats per-fectly suited for sitting in pairs, and a lot more passenger space that increases your personal space from your neighbor. Other features include enhanced dining options compared to economy, improved amenity kits, inflight entertainment is extensive with an excellent range of current block-busters and classic films which can be viewed on individual 12.1” touchscreen monitor. Plus, there’s Wi-Fi onboard.

And if you are a transit or trans-fer passenger with 7- to 24-hour layovers before your next con-necting flight, who have a valid visa, or from a country eligible for visa-exempt entry to Taiwan, you can avail of the Free half-Day Tour offered by China Airlines in partnership with the Taiwan Tour-ism Bureau.

Passenger can choose from two tours that are available de-pending on your arrival in Tai-wan: the morning tour or the afternoon tour. The morning tour will give you an opportunity to visit Taiwan’s Shou Sin Fang Creativity Wagashi and Cultural Center, a pastry factory in Taipei, which showcases Taiwan’s local cakes and pastries. here visi-tors experience the production process, see artifacts displays, and experience other services, which provide them a deeper un-derstanding of Taiwan’s culture and customs. From there, the tour takes the visitor to Sanxia, about 22 kilometers southwest of Taipei. It is a bustling town with narrow, winding streets and brick buildings, many of them over a century old. The main attraction here is the Zushi Temple, which was built in honor of Song Dy-nasty loyalist Chen Chao-ying, a famous general who was deified as “Protector of the Country” for his achievements and valor. The temple is known for its intricately carved stone and bronze columns and statues, and especially for its unique bird art. There are also carved stone lions, camphor woodcarvings, and exquisite bronze bas-reliefs.

The afternoon tour, meanwhile,

A product presentation seminar jointly conducted by Taiwan Tourism Bureau and China Airlines features the Free Half-Day Taipei Tour. Filipinos traveling to the Philippines who are in transit or have a layover of at least 7 hours in Taipei can participate in the Free Half-Day Tour courtesy of Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Photo courtesy of Taiwan Tourism Bureau

The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is an impressive monument built in commemoration of the late President Chiang. Photo courtesy of Taiwan Tourism Bureau

features the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial hall, an impressive monument built in commemora-tion of the late President Chiang. The majestic hall towers over 25 hectares of landscaped gardens, pavilions and ponds. here you will find the statue of the late president looking out over the city from the main building. Another highlight of the afternoon tour is a visit to Longshan Temple, located in Taipei’s Wanhua Dis-trict. The temple was founded in 1738 and is dedicated to Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. The temple houses hundreds of statues of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian deities. Paintings of various creatures grace the temple walls, while stone statues of mystical creatures stand guard on the temple grounds.

Citizens from India, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Indone-sia who have a valid visa or hold a permanent resident certificates from US, Canada, Japan, UK, Schengen countries, Australia or New Zealand are also eligible to avail and participate in the Free half-Day Tour. Remember, how-ever, that you must have a valid travel documents, such as your passport and a completed immi-gration disembarkation card.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau and China Airlines make it easy for passenger to participate in the Free half-Day Tour. All you have to do is book a tour upon your arrival at the airport at the designated Tourist Service Center in the Arrival Lobby. One thing to keep in mind: passengers can join only one tour during each

stopover. It is also worth nothing that the tour is offered on a first come, first serve basis, with each tour limited to 18 passengers. For group application of four passen-gers or less you may email your application to the airport at cks@tbroc.gov.tw within 10 to 5 work-ing days prior to your departure date. however, for bigger group of five passengers or more, the application must be sent directly to Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s head office at tinghung@tbroc.gov.tw within one month or 14 days prior to departure date.

Filipino-Americans who plan on traveling to the Philippines for the coming Christmas season may want to consider taking advantage of the comfort offered by China Airlines’ Family Couch seats or its Premium economy Cabin. Pro-motions are ongoing right now, so you may want to contact your travel agents as soon as possible and avail of the free half-day tour in Taipei courtesy of Taiwan Tour-ism Bureau during your layover before continuing on your onward journey to the Philippines.

* * *Manny V. Ilagan is a Tourism Specialist

with over 23 years experience in the tourism and travel industry. He provides travel consultancy services to some of the biggest wholesalers and tour operators in the country as well as to some airline companies. He is the former Tourism Director-OIC of the Philippine Department of Tourism-Los Angeles, where he worked for over two decades. As a writer, he has written numerous articles about travel and tourism, which have been published in various Filipino-American newspapers in Los Angeles and San Diego.

Zushi Temple, one of the destinations featured in the free half-day Taipei tour, was built in honor of Song Dynasty loyalist Chen Chao-ying, a famous general who was deified as “Protector of the Country” for his achievements and valor.

EMPLOYMENT

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PSYCHIC

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 5-11, 2016 B�Features

PhiliP S. Chua,MD, FaCS, FPCS

Health@Heart

O Visa: New guidance for individuals of extraordinary abilityangela K. ho& nanCy Miller

Your ImmigrationSolution

US CitizenShip and immigra-tion Services (USCiS) has released long-awaited policy guidance for adjudicating O nonimmigrant petitions in cases where compa-rable evidence is introduced as an alternative standard. the govern-ment grants O-1A and O-1B visas to those individuals of objectively “extraordinary ability” in the fields of science, education, business, athletics or the arts. Ballet danc-ers and choreographers, Olympic champions, movie and tV produc-tion crew, pioneering researchers and professors, innovative artists and designers, fine dining chefs and nobel prize laureates are just a few examples of individuals who can be eligible for an O visa. For many, the challenge of a suc-cessful O petition is convincing the government that the body of

achievement submitted rises to the level of “extraordinary ability” and relates to the requested period in the United States.

normally, the beneficiary can demonstrate “extraordinary ability” by submitting evidence listed in the regulations—such as awards, publications, and other widely recognized distinctions—that prove that the individual is operating at the highest level in their field. in some cases, demonstrating extraordinary ability in particular fields does not neatly comport with the list of acceptable evidence. For those individuals, the “comparable evidence” provision exists as a catch-all umbrella for USCiS to ac-cept equivalent forms of evidence not enumerated in the regulations. however, in order to even use this provision, petitioners have had to first establish that the majority of the listed criteria do not readily ap-ply to the beneficiary’s occupation. Once that case is made, only then will USCiS consider the comparable

evidence provided. USCiS’ new guidance firmly

does away with this numerically driven requirement. USCiS will now consider equivalent, compa-rable evidence in support of the beneficiary’s claim of extraordinary ability instead of disregarding it if they believe other means listed in the regulations would suffice. By in-terpreting the regulations in a more open manner, the government acknowledges that extraordinary ability in an occupation can fit more than one conventional measure of achievement. Comparable evidence can now be considered on equal footing with the other listed evi-dence in the regulations rather than a last resort alternative after other avenues have been exhausted. By allowing comparable evidence to be more readily considered in adjudications, the government has expanded the scope of O visa eligi-bility to be more fair and inclusive. in this day and age, innovative or unconventional occupations that

nonetheless entail extraordinary ability should be eligible for O visas and the government’s new guidance concurs with this new reality.

in the policy memo, USCiS lays out how officers should now adjudicate O visas when a ben-eficiary wishes to use comparable evidence. if a particular criterion in the regulations does not apply to the beneficiary’s occupation, the comparable evidence provi-sion can then be used to provide additional relevant evidence even if other listed means are available. Before, USCiS officers would deny O visas on the grounds that the other listed evidentiary means were not exhausted. now, the guidance states that summary denial should not result in those grounds.

Some guidelines apply for em-ploying comparable evidence. First, the petitioner must explain why a particular evidentiary criterion is not easily applicable to the bene-ficiary’s occupation. Second, the

petitioner must give an argument for why the submitted comparable evidence is equivalently significant. third, even with the revised accep-tance of comparable evidence in O visa adjudications, petitioners must still take care to satisfy O eligibility requirements under the regula-tions. Additionally, the standard of review for establishing eligibility requirements of the O-1A and O-1B remains a preponderance of the evidence—the petitioner must show that what it claims is “more likely true” or “probably” true.

nevertheless, this is undoubt-edly good news for those individu-als of extraordinary ability who may have less recognizable accolades of excellence. Although we will have now have new considerations on how to approach O-1A and O-1B petitions, USCiS’ guidance shows that the government is willing to take a less rigid position on these nonimmigrant visas. Overall, USCiS asserts that it will assess the petition on both the quality and quantity

of evidence offered. Arbitrary dis-missal of good, probative evidence, which aggrieved past O-1 hopefuls, should hopefully be an uncommon occurrence. A final version of the policy memorandum should be released by the end of this year.

Applications for a visa for one with extraordinary ability are best done by an attorney with extraordi-nary ability. For that reason, be sure that the lawyer you hire is one who is an experienced and knowledge-able immigration lawyer.

***Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza Law Corporation’s offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com.

***The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving: 101 and Beyond

BeCAUSe times have been so tough for an extended length of time, many are looking for ways to cope financially. Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt. Yet in good and bad times, there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices.

properly and ethically done, multilevel marketing can work for some. One caveat: if you don’t like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails, you would do well to look elsewhere. here’s an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route.

For some reason, multilevel marketing organizations find eth-nic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns. the promise of riches to the un-suspecting immigrant is a bait that works nearly all the time. Know that there are legitimate

What you need to know“The darkest hour of any man’s life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning it.” — Horace Greeley

companies who operate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that operate bordering on the illegal and/or unethical.

here is how it works. A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners; vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel, insurance or se-curities.

there are supposedly two ways to make money. You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends. As you run out of family and friends to sell to, you eventually expand to oth-er prospects, including strangers by using cold calling and other

prospecting techniques.note that the company will

stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company. You earn override commissions from the sales of those you have recruited who in turn, can recruit others for their downline. On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out.

the one who recruited you, your upline, earns a commis-sion off of you. the company’s structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids. this concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed,

Do you have bad breath?

AS A common presumption goes, “one isolated incident of bad breath, like a first-time thief who is caught, permanently tarnishes the reputation, and the condemnation sticks for life.”

What is halitosis?halitosis is the medical term for

bad breath. Dental reports in the United States say there are about 65 million Americans who have bad breath. in the philippines, as in other regions in Asia, the inci-dence, conservatively speaking, may be 75 percent or higher for the general population. this is a rough guesstimate, and the figure, of course, varies for different sub-groups in the community.

Compared to rural areas, hali-tosis is less found among those who live in the city -- those who are more affluent and of a higher socio-economic status; those who are more educated or profes-sional; and those in the younger generation. Obviously, the finan-cially handicapped cannot afford the luxury of toothpaste, dental floss, mouthwash, regular dental check-up and proper dental care.

they also may not be as well-nour-ished, and as healthy, as those who can afford. But realistically, just about anyone, in any profession or walk of life, may have annoy-ing bad breath, persistently or occasionally.

What causes halitosis?there are a variety of causes

of bad breath: eating foods like garlic and onions, poor dental hygiene, decayed tooth or infec-tion of the gums or oral cavity, and diseases like diabetes, esophageal diverticulum, esophageal reflux, sinusitis and emphysema.

But the most common underly-ing cause is poor dental hygiene wherein taking care of the teeth and mouth is neglected. there are people who do not brush their teeth at all and go to bed at night with food particles stuck in between their teeth. they may gargle and rinse their mouth with water (or water and salt) after each meal, or even use mouthwash, but the food caught in between their teeth (especially meat and fish) rot and stink like dead animals on the street. this is putrefaction and the foul smelling odor is from the volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) produced by the decaying meat, which usually results in gram-negative (anaerobic) bacterial infection (and more bad odor), and

this makes for a vicious cycle. Does the tongue harbor bac-

teria?Yes, as a matter of fact, the

tongue is a major culprit of bad breath. Bacteria hide in the fur-rows of the tongue, especially in the back (base) of the tongue. hence, the regular use of a tongue scraper or brushing all the way back to the base of the tongue (until you feel like gagging) at least twice a day is essential.

What can be done for persis-tent halitosis?

if proper daily oral hygiene is done and if there is no tooth decay or any infection in the mouth or throat, the bad breath may be coming from sinusitis, emphysema or from the stomach (as in esophageal reflex, where the controlling valve between the stomach and the food pipe is airtight and isn’t closing properly). A dental, or even medical, evalu-ation may be needed to ascertain the specific cause of this persistent halitosis.

Can mouthwash eliminate bad breath?

Mouthwash alone cannot do the trick. First, the food particles that can rot must be removed from in-between the teeth immediately after each meal (by dental floss-

PAGE B7 PAGE B7

may 5-11, 2016 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOURNaL http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678B� Features

Pops Fernandez returns to the stage at Silverton Casino

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday, April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati. It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance.

To those who attended, many thanks! It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses.

Family feuds in the Philippines, and elsewhere in the world, have always been about money -- lots of money. However, although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money, there is almost always more to a family war than just the money. Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy, greed, thirst for control, bitterness, ha-tred, and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent.

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships. A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families, are men-tally ill or addicted.

According to lawyer P. Mark Accettura, author of the book “Blood & Money: Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About It,” the combatants can always trace their problems back several years, if not all the way back to childhood. It is clear that inheritance conflict doesn’t come out of nowhere; it is a continuation of long-term

Prof. EnriquE M. Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one. And they aren’t just about money or greed; they are about more, much more. But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved one’s estate?

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance. Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing:

1. First, humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict;

2. Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents, especially when the dece-dent is a parent,

3. We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion, sometimes finding it when it doesn’t exist;

4. Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind; and finally,

5. In some cases, one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles.

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive; in most cases, some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict. Case in point: The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano “Nanoy” Ilusorio, which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp. (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club, valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001.

Pitting one set of siblings against another, the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now, clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits, and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years. To quote media covering the conflict...

“It’s not the first “prominent/wealthy family” inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last, but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano ‘Nanoy’ Iluso-rio’s heirs has emerged as one of the longest, nastiest, most public, no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudence.”

Far from easing tensions, the death last Feb. 17, 2016 of Poten-ciano’s widow, Erlinda “Nena” Kalaw-Ilusorio, in New York City, seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point.

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago, the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed, a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001, and quite pos-sibly, a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate, on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets. (To be continued)

* * *Prof. Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor, Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group, Wong + Bernstein Advisory. He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May. Grab Prof Soriano’s book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled “Ensuring The Family Business Legacy.” For those interested, please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevilla@wongadvisory.com. Prof Soriano’s business articles can also be accessed at www.Faminbusiness.com.

morally upright and a responsible man.”

“Your child does not need the latest of most expensive toys/clothes to be happy and healthy, they only need your love and your attention.”

- Marge Maceda, mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out, Marge Maceda said, “Sobrang saya at takot, mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear, [because] we are now parents!”

Just like any other first-time mother, Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days. Still, this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son, Maktan, gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy.

Marge also looks to her own mother in raising Maktan. Through her mother’s actions, she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy. What’s important is giving your love and attention to them.

“When she was in my tummy, I have been longing to hold, hug, smell, and kiss her. She finally arrived. It was so surreal.”

- Nina Berroya-Carlos, mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7, 2016)

Overwhelmed with happiness, Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first-born, Andi. And just like any other first-time mother, she went through the challenges, such as breastfeeding and balanc-ing their time.

“Even I want to purely breast-feed Andi, I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk. I still try by diligently doing breast pump,” she shared. Nina added they struggle at times trying to under-stand Andi’s needs and wants as a newborn. Also, getting ready is a balancing act.

“We need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to pre-pare [about] Andi too,” she said.

Still, she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her.

“I wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthy,” Nina said and then added, “I also wish that she grows to be kind, smart, responsible, patient, obedient, diligent [and a] God-fearing wom-an.”

The first of everything: First-time mothers...PAGE B1

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan

Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy MireilleMae Manubay with baby Mason

“I have always wanted to be a mom. So for me, it was a dream come true. I’ve always loved be-ing around kids and taking care of them, but it’s true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own child.”

- Mae Ermita-Manubay, moth-er of Mason Manubay (born November 10, 2015)

As a person, Mae Ermita-Ma-nubay likes to be organized and on time for everything. This is a must for her life, especially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York. However after giving birth to her son, Ma-son, she realized that she has to let things go.

“Time is no longer my friend. I feel like it goes by so fast. In the be-ginning we (with husband, Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before we’re out the door just to make it on time for an event,” she said. “I also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be. Sleep will be a thing of the past, but I’m thankful that I have a supportive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts. Every minute counts! At the end of the day, no matter how sleep deprived, how unorganized you get, or how time will sometimes get the best of you, just seeing Mason smile and knowing that he’s happy is all worth it.”

Yes, Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed, as everything now revolves around her family, especially Mason. She does acknowledge the same chal-

lenges first-time moms go through — the lack of sleep, getting ready, traveling with their son and plan-ning for the future.

“Cutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is important. Budgeting has definitely changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I want,” she said.

Although no amount of prepara-tion will be enough, Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born.

“Have a plan for childcare. Be prepared! It can get expensive if you don’t have family to help,” she shared and added, “Read/sing to your baby! it’s [a] great bonding time. Record your milestones, take all the pictures you want.”

Lastly, she also would like to impress the importance of keeping a healthy marriage.

“Still go out and have a date with the hubby. You’ll feel guilty at first but it’s important to continue to nourish your relationship as a couple as well!”

“Honestly, I still can’t believe that I brought this human life out into the world. Yes, there are sleepless night and it get tough sometimes…but when I see her smile at me, it’s all worth it.”

- Luchelle del Rosario-Tarta-glia, mother of Luana Tartaglia

Motherhood has indeed changed Luchelle del Rosario-Tar-taglia, a Risk Management director for a banking institution in the East Coast. Her perspective in life was directed into wanting to do better for her daughter, Luana.

“Like I wanted to be healthier so I can live longer for her,” she shared. “I’m extra careful on my decisions in life whether it is driv-ing above speed limit or investing because I have her in mind and to consider. “

Like most mothers, she had difficulties in producing enough breast milk for her child. In fact, when the pediatrician said that Luana’s dehydrated, Luchelle cried non-stop for 10-15 minutes.

Still, she saw this hurdle as part of learning, along with other challenges. Luchelle shares this advice to fellow first-time moth-ers: “Patience. There would be days na mahirap talaga (There would be days it would really be hard), but it would get better. And sleep whenever you get the chance!”

Luchelle Del Rosario- Tartaglia

SILvERTON Casino Hotel pres-ents Pops Fernandez performing inside veil Pavilion on Saturday, June 25, 2016.

Philippines native Pops Fer-nandez, entertainer, Tv host, actress and most notably, vocalist will be taking the stage inside veil Pavilion to demonstrate just how she earned the title of “Concert Queen.” The performance at Silverton Casino on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 8 p.m. will have fans singing along to their favorite hit songs such as, “Dito”, “Don’t Say Goodbye”, “Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya”, “Little Star” and many more. Tickets start at $34.00 and the concert is open to all ages. Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older.

To purchase tickets visit the Sil-verton Box Office, by calling (702) 263-7777, or online at http://www.silvertoncasino.com.

About Silverton Casino Hotel Silverton Casino Hotel offers

300 deluxe rooms and suites and world-class amenities all located within an upscale, contemporary luxury lodge-themed resort. Sil-verton Casino Hotel is home to a variety of restaurants and dining options, including the Seasons Buffet, the 24-hour Sundance Grill, Shady Grove Lounge, Twin Creeks Steakhouse, Mi Casa Grill Cantina, WuHu Noodle, Starbucks and Johnny Rockets. In addition to the flagship 165,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Silverton offers 90,000 square feet of gaming with more than 1,500 slot machines and 23 table games and the Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge. The property features a 117,000-gallon saltwater aquari-um with more than 4,000 sharks, stingrays and tropical fish, which was voted “Best Free Attraction” in the Best of City Search®. Silver-

ton Casino Hotel is located at I-15 and Blue Diamond in Las vegas. For more information, please call (702) 263-7777 or visithttp://www.silvertoncasino.com.

INTRIGUE NIGHTCLUB OPENING. The beautiful Fil-Am young actress Vanessa Hudgens joined the red carpet at the Grand Opening of Intrigue Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, April 29 with Mr. and Mrs. Steve Wynn, actress Kate Hudson and many others. Vanessa Hudgensappeared in various films and television series for the Disney Channel. She was raised as a Roman Catholic in California and her mother Gina Guangco is a native of Manila, Philippines. Photos by Raoul Gatchalian

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Clark County School District (CCSD), Dunkin’ Donuts and WGU Nevada are giving away more than 20,000 donuts statewide to teachers as part of the Teacher Appreciation Week. The Mayor surprised teachers at Gibson Middle School on Tuesday, May 3 with donuts and words of thanks.

Teri Kennedy

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 5-11, 2016 B�Features

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION. 8th year old American-Filipina Aubrey Spence received her First Holy Communion in St. Matthew School & Church in Franklin, Tennessee last week. She’s an A-plus charming student and a passionate hockey player in her age group. Aubrey was born in Las Vegas before moving down south. Her grandparents Mr.& Mrs. Alcantara retired in Henderson, Las Vegas. Photos by Raoul Gatchalian

Do you have bad breath?ing, since a toothpick alone will not do the job). Then, brushing the teeth using toothpaste (that contains fluoride and other in-gredients like Poly (methyl vinyl ether) maleic acid copolymer and triclosan) for added tooth protec-tion, is essential at least 3 times a day, after each meal. Mouthwash (with Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide) is an impressive regimen that sup-presses bad breath. A study made on 15 mouthwashes showed that most masked the bad breath for a few minutes, only a few were still effective after a few hours. Those products with Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide are impressively effective.

What are the dental problems caused by bacteria?

Besides bad breath, the other problems caused by germs in our mouth include cavities, gum prob-lems, plaques and tartar formation. Therefore, the routine regimen of dental flossing, tongue scrap-ing, toothbrushing, and gurgling (with a mouthwash that contains bacteria killing, and plaque-and-tartar preventing ingredients, like Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide), and visiting your dentist at least every 6 months will not only eliminate bad breath but lead to a healthier dental and oral state.

Can mouth containing alcohol cause cancer?

Yes, according to a 1991 study in the Journal of the American Dental Association, which stated that mouthwashes “containing more than 25 percent alcohol could increase the risk of oral and pharyngeal (throat) cancer by 50 percent.” Fortunately, most, if not all, mouthwashes in the market today contain less than 15 percent alcohol. The safety of chlorine dioxide “has been confirmed by Richardson et al in an extensive study of the reaction of chlorine dioxide with water-borne organics by the EPA (Environ. Sci. Technol., 1994;28:592).”

How effective are breath freshener sprays and gums?

If used as a part of the com-prehensive regimen we have outlined here, these various forms of breath-fresheners could be of help, in between flossing, teeth brushing and rinsing with Sta-bilized Chlorine Dioxide mouth-wash. Chewing parsley, cilantro, basil, or mint also helps maintain a fresh breath. In general, the in-cidence of halitosis is less among vegetarians. But the regimen must include all measures listed above in order to be effective.

Do people know they have bad breath?

It is odd but most people with chronic halitosis do not know they have it. Their own sense of smell is so conditioned to the bad breath in their mouths to the point that they do not even perceive or know they have halitosis. And their friends and relatives (including most spouse) would not even tell them, “to spare” them the embar-rassment (which actually leads to more widespread embarrassment because of the persistence of this very offensive but treatable problem, one which can ruin one’s reputation, business, and social life.) One trick to find out is by licking your forearm and smelling it. The next time you see your lover or a close friend, or relative, beg them to be brutally candid with you and tell you if you have bad breath. This honesty will show them you care and are consider-ate. The revelation might even change your reputation and love life forever -- for the better.

Please visit philipSchua.com***

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

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the organization can help them become rich quickly.

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nials—very often emotional—of people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany, doing everything the com-pany does, has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining. The websites of successful multilevel marketing organizations gush in florid, emotional language claiming individual success. A few of these stories may be true; others however, may have been

What you need to knowspun by spin doctors. Recruits: BEWARE!

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis, ask yourself this question: Do you like to sell? This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth, you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product, no matter how ex-cellent and necessary, ever sells itself.

Do you believe in the product? Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced? Is this some-thing that is really up along your alley, something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can really make a good living and be happy with

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Smith’s to raise funds for Dignity Health-St. Rose

Dominican children’s unit

Comcast promotes diverse film and TV line-up in celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month

Content Includes Movies from Center for Asian American Media, Well Go USA Entertainment, Eros Now and TV Japan

CONTENT Includes Movies from Center for Asian American Media, Well Go USA Entertain-ment, Eros Now and TV Japan.

In recognition of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, Com-cast will promote a collection of Asian-American content across Xfinity On Demand platforms, highlighted by a selection of new films from the Center for Asian American Media such as “Am I American,” “American Arab,” “Off the Menu” and “Someone Else.” The collection will also feature Asian Action films from Well Go USA Entertainment such as “IP Man 3” and “The Assassin.”

“We are thrilled to bring this year’s remarkable stories that rep-resent the diversity of voices of the Asian American community to our customers,” said Javier Garcia, SVP and GM of Multicultural Services,

Comcast Cable. “This curated col-lection of programming once again underscores our commitment of offer prime international program-ming to Xfinity On Demand view-ers all year round.”

Additional programming that will be featured this month in-cludes:

• The new collection of on demand programming from TV Japan

• Best of Interpretations from “Fast & Furious” director Justin Lin’s YOMYOMF

• A collection of films from Eros now including “Singham Returns,” “Raanjhana,” and “Grand Masti”

• Programming from Filipino On Demand, GMA Network, MyX Network and TV K-Pop Music Videos.

• A collection of free films from HI-YAH! including “The Thieves,”

“New World” and “A Simple Life.”

• A free month-long preview of GMA Pinoy TV including its lat-est program launches ‘“Yan Ang Morning,” “Once Again,” “Mag-kaibang Mundo,” and “Juan Happy Love Story”—and its anticipated coverage of the upcoming Philip-pine presidential election.

Select programming will be featured on Xfinity’s Asian web-site (www.xfinity.com/asia) and all programming will be available under the “Multicultural” section on Xfinity On Demand, under Asian Heritage Month or Asian American Heritage Month. Most content will also be available on mobile devices via the Xfinity TV Go website and app.

Learn more at xfinity.com/Asia. (Advertising Supplement)

LAS VEGAS—Smith’s Food & Drug Stores is at it again.

Beginning April 25, Smith’s will begin its fifth annual fund-raising campaign to benefit the St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation Charity Care Pro-gram. Through May 21, Smith’s customers are invited to join store associates in fundraising efforts throughout Southern Nevada and Northern Arizona, including Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Mes-quite, Pahrump, Fort Mohave, Kingman, Lake Havasu and Bullhead.

Customers will be asked to make a donation at the check stands and participate in fun in-store events. In addition, any change dropped into the check stand coin boxes will be added to the effort. This is the fifth annual campaign launched by Smith’s. The funds raised are a combination of efforts

between associates, customers and Smith’s corporate gifts. The contributions are being used to assist families struggling to pay their child’s medical costs after trauma or serious illness.

“To date, Smith’s has do-nated $1.3 million to support the children’s unit at the hospital. By helping St. Rose heal the children of the Las Vegas com-munity, we are helping many families who need our support,” said Smith’s president Kenny Kimball.

Smith’s has a long history of supporting children’s hospitals. In the 1940s, company founder Dee Smith collected pennies and delivered them to the nearby children’s hospital. Since 2002, Smith’s associates, suppliers and customers have contributed more than $12.5 million for children’s charity care through-out Smith’s seven western states of operation.

what you do? How reputable is the outfit? Are there pending lawsuits and of what nature? Has it been around for a con-siderable length of time or is it a company that is merely riding high on current hype—here to-day and gone tomorrow? How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts?

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career. To be good at selling something, you must believe in it with passion. And because you want to succeed so much, you then have a tendency to talk

about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling. If you are not careful, you will transform yourself to a boring, predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you, thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to. Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer.

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked

to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floor—in ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures, a video and sample products. You might as well kiss that money good-bye. Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major law-suits might be your best bet.

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling. It could be an outright

scam. On the other hand, if the product, just by word of mouth, gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it, it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie.

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

may 5-11, 2016 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOURNaL http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678B�