Weekend balita july 26, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. The Philip-pine Embassy and the Philippine Consul-ate General in New York are asking the Filipino Community in the United States to offer prayers for a Filipino-American couple who lost their lives after a tornado struck a camping site in Cape Charles, Virginia, on Thursday.

We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of Lordy Ba-latbat and Lolabeth Ortega, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said. We would like to invite the Filipino-American Community to offer prayers for the couple and the loved ones who they left behind.

Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron also visited Balatbats parents, Luis and Lily, and other family members in Jersey City to express the sympathies of the Em-bassy and the Consulate General and at the same time convey the offer to help. He was accompanied by Jersey City Councilman Rolando Lavarro.

Balatbat and Ortega, both 38 and residents of Jersey City, New Jersey, were killed and their 13-year old son, Lhean-dro Lloyd, seriously injured when a tree fell on their tent at the height of tornado that hit the campsite in Virginias eastern shore, more than four hours by car from Washington, D.C.

Deputy Consul General Patron said the couples two daughters, Lharizia, 12, and Lheana Ann, 6, were also injured along with another Filipino-American couple.

MANILA, July 23 (Mabuhay) Whats a soldier to do when the government he serves is ruled in violation of the Constitu-tion hes sworn to defend?

Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Cata-pang, the new Armed Forces of the Phil-ippines chief of staff, had a ready answer for the troops when he visited the 1st Air Division headquarters in Clark, Pampanga Let It Be and Let It Go, and steer clear of the issue.

Catapan, who was installed on July 18 and has until July of next year to lead the military, is on a Talk to the men tour that

he kicked off at the Northern Luzon Com-mand, which he used to head and which is based in Tarlac, President Benigno Aquino IIIs home province.

The President, our commander-in-chief, is clear that the DAP was a mecha-nism created by government precisely to accelerate services to the people. The government felt that it is unconscionable to close its eyes to the problems that can ag-gravate especially when there is no money made available, Catapang told the troops at Clark, referring to the Disbursement Acceleration Program, key provisions of

which the Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional.

This is a concern that all officers and soldiers must understand. Recently, the na-tion has been preoccupied with this issue on DAP And of coruse, we are also a beneficiary of this DAP, Catapang said.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said his department and the AFP received more than P600 milion in DAP funds but, following the high court deci-sion, at least P10 million supposed to be for a Navy housing project had to be returned

MANILA, July 23 (Mabuhay) Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Erap Estrada on Wednesday said the inefficient governance in Manila by the past administration made the city the gates of hell.

Six years of inefficient governance made Manila the gates of hell, Estrada said during his State of the City Address (Soca) at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in

Manila. Estrada said that he inherited from the previous government poor peace and order, saddled debt, and bloated bureau-cracy.

The former president also mentioned the increase in revenue collections during his term compared to the previous admin-istration.

Estrada won the 2013 local elections against former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

He also reiterated his commitment to the Manila police to beef up measures to promote the citys peace and order.

He said thousands of orange cards have been distributed to poor families for their free access to healthcare and medicines.

Estradas Soca was attended by officials of the city government of Manila and the people of Manila. (MNS)

Former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada (3rd from right) leads the nationwide simultaneous earthquake and fi re drill themed, Kahandaan at Kaligtasan ng Pamayanan ,Pundasyon ng Kaunlaran on Wednesday (July 2, 2014) in Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Estrada: Past ineffi cient governance made Manila the gates of hell

Troops told to steer clear of DAP fi asco

Fil-Am couple killed in Virginia camp site tornado

See TORNADO, page 10

See DAP FIASCO, page 10

LOS ANGELES

VOL. XXII, NO. 25 THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANSJULY 26 - AUG. 1, 2014

Kris Aquinogives up on love

See KRIS AQUINO page 29

Coup rumors: The men and women in uniform in the pass-in review during the Testimonial Review and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Change of Command Ceremony at the AFP General Headquarters Grandstand, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City Friday with President Benigno S. Aquino III among the offi cials observing the march. The Philippines has seen a number of coup attempts, especially during the term of the late President Cory Aquino, right after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in February 1986. (July 18, 2014). (MNS photo)

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WASHINGTON, July 24, 2014 (AFP) - A major drought across the western United States has sapped underground water resources, posing a greater threat to the water supply than previously understood, scientists said Thursday.

The study involves seven western states including Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, California, New Mexico and Nevada in an area known as the Colorado River Basin.

Since 2000, the region has seen the driest 14-year period in a century, and researchers now say three quarters of the water loss has come from underground.

The total amount of water loss is almost double the volume of the nations largest reservoir, Nevadas Lake Mead, said the study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

From 2004 to 2013, satellite data has shown that the basin lost nearly 53 mil-lion acre feet (65 cubic kilometers) of freshwater, it said.

This is a lot of water to lose. We thought that the picture could be pretty bad, but this was shocking, said lead study author Stephanie Castle, a water resources specialist at the University of California, Irvine.

We dont know exactly how much groundwater we have left, so we dont know when were going to run out, added Castle.

NASA said the study is the first to quantify the amount that groundwater contributes to the water needs of western states.

The data came from the NASAs Grav-ity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite, a joint mission with the

German Aerospace Center and the German Research Center for Geosciences.

Experts say water levels and losses in rivers and lakes is well documented, but underground aquifers are not as well understood.

The satellite was able to detect below ground water by measuring the gravita-tional pull of the region as it changed over time due to rising or falling water reserves.

The Colorado River Basin supplies water to some 40 million people in seven states, and irrigates about four million acres (1.6 million hectares) of farmland.

The Colorado River Basin is the water lifeline of the western United States, said senior author Jay Famiglietti, senior water cycle scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

He said the basin, like others world-wide, was relying on groundwater to make up for the limited surface-water supply.

We found a surprisingly high and long-term reliance on groundwater to bridge the gap between supply and demand, he said.

Combined with declining snowpack and population growth, this will likely threaten the long-term ability of the basin to meet its water allocation commitments to the seven basin states and to Mexico, Famiglietti said.

Its summertime and the living is hot and sticky.

And as Southern California tempera-tures continue to climb upward, reaching triple digits in some areas, air conditioners will get a rigorous workout as customers seek relief from the severe heat. However, increased air-conditioner usage can spike electricity consumption and raise utility bills.

Southern California Edison (SCE) of-fers several programs, tools and energy-saving tips designed to help keep custom-ers cool, conserve energy, earn up to $200 in bill credits, protect the environment and more during peak times of the day this summer.

At Southern California Edison, we care about our customers and want to make sure they know about the tools and resources available to help them manage their energy usage and costs, said Marlyn Denter, SCE manager of Consumer Affairs. In addition to the wealth of information and self-service options on our website, our customer service representatives are also here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The telephone number is 1-800-

655-4555. At SCEs My Account, customers

can learn about new Web tools that work together with a smart meter to help plan and manage a households use of energy. Customers can oversee their energy man-agement with features designed to help earn bill credits.

Who isnt on a budget these days? SCEs Budget Assistant lets customers manage their energy spending. Set a spending goal and Budget Assistant will track costs online in close to real-time, sending customers alerts on how their projected bill compares to that goal.

SCE customers who participate in Save Power Days can earn up to $100 in bill credits each year and help conserve some energy. When a Save Power Day is called, customers will be asked to reduce their electricity usage between 2-6 p.m. Cus-tomers can select how they would like to be notified, either by phone, email or text.

Enrollees in SCEs Summer Discount Plan can receive bill credits of up to $200 by allowing their central air conditioner to be temporarily turned off or cycled re-motely during peak times of the day.

Southern California Edison offers several programs, tools and energy-saving tips designed to help keep customers cool, conserve energy, earn up to $200 in bill credits, protect the environment and more during peak times of the day this summer.

SCE helps customers beat the summer heat

Shocking underground water loss in US drought


Q: Creditors are harassing me but I lost my job, and cannot pay. How do I stop them calling?

A: If you cannot pay your bills, creditors will take steps to collect. Thats natural, but continued harassment can be

Creditors are harassing me!

emotionally depressing. If you have lost your job, or simply cannot cope, call me. You have options, and depending on your situation, I will help you choose the option thats best for you. Federal bankruptcy laws are designed to give people in distress, a fresh start, and may be the right solution for you.

Q: Will a bankruptcy stop collection agencies from calling me?

A: Yes, filing a bankruptcy protects you from creditor harassment, and provides peace of mind. Creditors will not contact you if you filed bankruptcy and have an attorney representing you. Otherwise they risk being cited for contempt of fed-eral court, something they will not risk. Another reason to consider a bankruptcy now, even if you do not have assets to protect, is that after a bankruptcy, you can immediately begin the process of repairing your credit. This usually takes between 6 to 12 months, so an early start will get you there faster.

Q: I have just received a summons from a creditor. Is it too late to file a bankruptcy?

A: No. When you file for bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect immedi-ately stopping any lawsuit filed against you and any action against your property by a creditor, collection agency or government entity. This can be very important, Espe-cially if you are at risk of being evicted or foreclosed on, being found in contempt for failure to pay child support or losing such basic resources as utility services, welfare or unemployment

Here is how the automatic stay affects some common emergencies:

Utility disconnections. If youre behind on a utility bill and the company is threat-ening to disconnect your water, electric, gas or telephone service, the automatic stay will prevent the disconnection for at least 20 days. Bankruptcy will also discharge the past due debts for utility service. Although the amount of a utility bill itself rarely justifies a bankruptcy filing, preventing electrical service cutoff might be justifica-tion enough.

Q: Will filing a bankruptcy stop the foreclosure on my home?

A: If your home mortgage is being fore-closed on, the automatic stay temporarily stops the proceedings, but the creditor will often be able to proceed with the fore-closure sooner or later. If you are facing foreclosure and wish to save your home, Chapter 13 bankruptcy is almost always a better remedy than Chapter 7 bankruptcy if you qualify, because it provides for a repayment plan on the arrears.

Q: Can a bankruptcy stop an evic-tion?

A: If you are being evicted from your home, the automatic stay can buy you a several months, just enough time to find somewhere else to live. However, dont file for bankruptcy solely because youre being evicted. Youll probably be better off looking for a new place to live or fighting the eviction in Municipal court instead. Re-member, the main idea behind bankruptcy is to discharge debt.

Q: Will bankruptcy protect me; Im behind in my child support payments?

A: If you owe child support or alimony, bankruptcy will not interrupt your obliga-tion to make current payments. And while the automatic stay will temporarily stop proceedings to collect back support you owe, usually the bankruptcy court will per-mit collection to go forward if the creditor requests it. In any event, these debts will survive bankruptcy intact and will have to be paid once the case is closed. Chapter 13,

however, lets you pay the back support as part of the repayment plan.

Q: a creditor is garnishing my wages. Will bankruptcy help me?

A: Yes. Although no more than 25% of your wages may be taken to satisfy a court judgment (up to 65% for child support and alimony), many people file for bankruptcy to protect their income. For some people, any loss of income is devastating. Your employer may also get angry at the expense and hassle of facilitating a succession of garnishments and take it out on their em-ployees. Although federal law prohibits you from being fired for one garnishment, an employer can fire you for multiple garnishments. Filing for bankruptcy stops garnishments dead in their tracks. Not only will you take home a full salary, but you also can discharge the debt in bankruptcy.

Q: Should my wife and I file bankruptcy together?

A: Most married couples are better off filing for bankruptcy together, if all prop-erty and debts are community property. If, however, you are in a relatively new marriage, have not accumulated any joint (marital) property and you want to get rid of separate (premarital) debts, you are probably safe filing alone. In addition, you may want to file alone if: You live in a com-munity property State, but your debts are primarily non-community in nature, Your spouse owns separate, valuable property, such as a second home, or you and your spouse own a house in tenancy, (look at your deed), or you and your spouse have separated.

Q: Can all debts be discharged in bankruptcy?

A: Certain categories of debts cannot be discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy. These are called non-dischargeable debts, and it doesnt make much sense to file for bankruptcy if your primary goal is to get rid of them. The main ones are: Back child support or alimony obligations, Student loans that first became due fewer than seven years ago, Court-ordered restitution. Taxes less than three years past due. The bankruptcy judge may rule other debts non-dischargeable if the debt resulted from a wrongful act on your part and the creditor raises the issue and proves your bad actions in the bankruptcy court. These debts may be ones incurred on the basis of fraud, such as lying on a credit application or writing a bad check. Debts from willful or malicious injury to another or an others property, in-cluding assault, battery, false imprisonment, libel and slander, and debts from larceny (theft), breach of trust or embezzlement. However, even if they cannot be discharged in a Chapter 7, they can be consolidated in a Court approved repayment plan under Chapter 13 rules, which will still give you the normal bankruptcy protection against harassment, liens and garnishment.

You can also file a Chapter 13 repay-ment plan, that discharges all debt that would normally be discharged in Chapter 7, but includes the non-dischargeable debts in the payment plan. So even if the bulk of your debt may be nondishargable, you can still be protected by the bankruptcy Court.

So if you have too many debts, and not enough money, call the Law Offices of Paul M. Allen and schedule a free consultation. Lets discuss your options and get you the relief you are entitled to by law. Call 818-552-4500 or 562-356-9931 today, for Peace of mind and a good nights sleep tomorrow.


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While the sport of mixed martial arts expands rapidly in Asia, it has captured the attention of male and perhaps more sur-prisingly, female fans as well. This can be attributed to the inspiring feats of two stars, Malaysias Ann Osman and Ana Julaton of the Philippines. Pioneers in their own way, both Osman and Julaton have demonstrated that women can compete alongside men in this male-dominated sport.

Osman was an avid outdoor enthusiast prior to her MMA career. She discovered the sport in 2011 and made her profes-sional debut after two years of training. Since bursting onto the scene in her debut last October, she has captivated the hearts and minds of Malaysians everywhere with her infectious and bubbly personality. She has since become synonymous with mixed martial arts in the country, appearing on magazine covers, newspapers and televi-sion shows. As the first female Muslim to compete for a major organization in mixed martial arts, she carries the expectations on her shoulders with pride. She is proud to be

a role model for women all over the world, and wants to use the platform to encourage women to chase their dreams.

While Osman has trained extensively in mixed martial arts, her opponent Ju-laton has taken a different route to get to where she is today. Born in San Francisco to Filipino parents, Julaton earned a black belt in Taekwondo and Bok Fu in her teens, before she discovered boxing at the age of 24. She was labelled a boxing prodigy after winning the San Francisco Golden Gloves, a popular amateur boxing tournament, with just two weeks of training. She began her professional career in 2007, and won both the WBO and IBA Super Bantamweight championships just eight fights into her career. In 2013, she decided to try her hand in mixed martial arts, and finished her opponent in front of her Filipino fans in Manila.

With two of the leading lights in women mixed martial arts in Asia colliding on 29 August, fans all over the world will be tun-ing in to watch the two luminaries compete.

Los Angeles, 23 July 2014 World Championships of Performing Arts (WCO-PA) Philippines National Director Gerardo Mercado accompanied by Mr. Jed Madela paid a courtesy call on Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim on 16 July 2014.

Jed Madela is the first Filipino to win the Grand Champion Performer of the World title in 2005. Jed was a featured guest performer at the 17th annual WCOPA and received an Achievement Award inducting him into the Performing Arts

Hall of Fame during the 18th WCOPA finals on 19 July 2014. He is a recording artist of the Universal Records and to date has had six double platinum albums with most becoming classics. He has become a superstar Filipino recording artist and songwriter, and is known as The Singers Singer. His sold-out tours and concerts around the world are legendary. He is a co-host and performer on ASAP and a member of ABS-CBNs Star Magic, two top rated weekly television programs. For

two consecutive years (2011 and 2012), he was named Male Recording Artist of the Year.

The Philippines had a total of 45 Fili-pino acts for the competition with talents ranging from vocalist, models, dancers, actors, and instrumentalists. The Philip-pines took the worlds center stage with grand slam wins taking the top two (2) awards at the 18th World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held in downtown Los Angeles. The Xtreme danc-

ers composed of Raymark Alminasa (22yrs old) and Eddie Melody (23 yrs old) from Coronadal won the 2014 Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World and Lloyd Montebon from Davao bagged the 2014 Junior Grand Champion.

Ann Osman and Ana Julaton leading the charge for womens mixed martial arts in Asia

PHL World of Champions of Performing Arts pay courtesy call on Consul General Herrera-Lim

BalitaThe leading source of News and Information for the

Filipino American Community


woman, young enough to be out of place in the ICU, though by far she was the one who needed our full attention.

She was rushed to the ER late this morning with blue lips, unable to breathe and within minutes her athletes heart gave up on her.

Resuscitation was underway when I arrived in the ER. Our hospital staff gave the best demonstration of a coordinated life-saving effort that I have never expe-rienced in recent memory.

In our book, she was beautiful, but she kept slipping away, so we administered electric shocks, chest compressions and adrenaline injections to restart her heart.

Repeatedly, the calls rang out loudly: Code! Start compressions, even though our medical team never left her bedside.

Whew! Watching her face, I remem-bered thinking, shes much too young to go through something like this, but I must focus on the monitor.

During near end situations like these Catholic doctors like us would pray the Hail Mary. An ultrasound machine was brought to the ER revealing clues of the would-be killer. Our patients heart flit-ted in and out of view, in between CPR compressions, which clearly showed the unusual enlargement on her right ven-tricle, the chamber that feeds all blood

to the lungs.Our coordinated diagnosis was Pulmo-

nary (lung) Embolism.,We found a clot, coming from a major vein which may have passed into the lung, knocking out the blood circulation, thus making the heart fail in a particular way.

One immediate treatment I suggested was to give the patient Alteplase, a clot-busting medication, the kind used in major heart attacks or strokes. This was an extremely dangerous and expensive medicine, but its the only one that could work fast enough to make a difference.

In times of crisis like this, I had to act fast to consult with and get the medi-cal opinion of senior physicians in the room, even breaking my own rule on democracy because this was a novel situation, passively unattempted in the country, and I had to admit, I was scared, though both the cardiologist and the ER consultant immediately agreed with my suggestion.

I conferred with the husband who was in a special ER unit and he was in a state of shock. I explained to the husband that

in medicine, any life-saving procedure can cause harm and any drug is a po-tential poison. However, we as doctors are required to discuss both the benefits and risks, with the immediate family. By doing so, they will decide either on signing a written consent for the risky procedure or not at all.

Further, I explained to the husband what I could do in about half a minute, with no real alternative diagnosis, the chance of dangerous bleeding later, but which is the only hope of reversing the possible clot. Within five seconds, the husband agreed to the procedure by say-ing do what you can, Doc I cant think right now, as he was holding his face in his hands.

I immediately ran back into the room to give orders to administer Alteplase to the ER staff, who must all be used to this, because within a minute, the drug was being reconstituted for infusion. This is not to exaggerate because as the saying goes, time acts funny when death is at the door.

(To be continued)

Eighty minutes in saving the quality of a patients life I would like to share the following riveting Pulmonary

Embolism story sent to my attention recently by Dr. Jep Palo , an Intensive Care Specialist, who works at the Medical City Hospital in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.

One misstep and it would all be over, even doing everything right, we could still lose this day and in the days to come.

When death comes knock-ing, few people are ready to receive Him.

Tonight, my patient is a

LOS BAOS, Laguna, July 23 (Mabuhay) Senator Cynthia Villar on Wednesday commended the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for its initiatives to enhance the nutritional con-tent of rice as it would be a big boost to government efforts to address key health concerns and improve public health in general.

Speaking at a forum organized by IRRI as part of its Nutrition Month cel-ebrations, Villar said that the agencys move to come out with healthier rice varieties is a very welcome development.

Rice has the potential of reaching

many Filipinos. Healthier varieties of the staple which would have more iron, zinc and beta-carotene among other nutrients would be a big boost in improving the health and nutrition of the population, she said.

Based on the Food and Nutrition Re-search Institute (FNRI), 94.7 percent of Filipino households consume rice.

She added that gains from increased farm productivity and income will be more amplified and obtain more benefits if the health and nutrition of the people, especially the most vulnerable communi-ties, will improve.

The chairperson of the Senate Agri-culture and Food Committee took special note of the important role that IRRIs Healthier Rice Program will play in fighting the prevalence of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among Filipinos of all ages.

The status of micronutrient malnutri-tion in the Philippines, according to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is a cause for concern, Villar said.

According to the FAO report, iron deficiency disorder (anemia) is the most alarming of the micronutrient deficien-cies affecting 56.6 percent of infants; 50.7

percent of pregnant women; 45.7 percent of lactating women; and 49.1 percent of older male persons.

I believe that IRRIs valuable efforts to enhance the nutritional content of rice are a step in the right direction. Even a small increase in the micronutrient content of rice could have a significant impact on health, Villar said.

What needs be done now is to make healthy rice available to all Filipinos. Let us continue to exert and join efforts in making it possible for this generation of rice-eaters and onwards, she said. (MNS)

Villar lauds IRRI efforts to create healthy rice


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Victory Autos offers buyers the chance to watch and bond with the greatest Philippine rockers of the 1990s (from left): Jett Pangan, Cooky Chua, Wency Cornejo, Gary Ignacio, and Introvoys.

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extensive relationships with the auto dealer community, which allows us to purchase a wide variety or lease returns and new car trades at exceptional value. This enables Victory Autos to pass along huge savings to our buyers.

But more important, it is Victory Au-tos philosophy: Treat each customer as more than a car buyer. Minsan parang pakiramdam ko mga kapatid ko na sila, Heddy said. Well work with you all the way para makuha mo ang iyong dream car for the lowest price. And the proof is in the numbers. Napakarami na naming mga kababayang natulungan, Heddy said. Heddy invites everyone to visit Victory Autos. Sigurado Kabayan, magkakakotse ka, he assured.

Victory Autos is a proud sponsor of Mga Bokalista Ng Mga Banda Ng Dekada Nubenta, on August 1, featur-ing the lead vocalists of the four most influential Philippine bands in the 1990s Jett Pangan, Cooky Chua, Wency Cornejo and Gary Ignacio backed by Introvoys, another popular group of that fabled decade.

Venue is Beyond the Stars Palace, 417 N Brand Blvd Glendale CA 91203. Showtime is at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are at $60 and $100 (VIP).Victory Autos is offering 2 free VIP

tickets (worth $100 each) for every ve-hicle purchase. So not only do they help you get your dream car, Victory Autos gives you a chance to watch and have your photos taken with the greatest Philippine rock stars of the 1990s.

Visit Victory Autos at three convenient

locations:Victory Autos Showroom

at 791 E Arrow Highway, Azusa CA 91702 or call (626) 859-9199 or (626) 969-6169; Victory Auto Bro-ker at 1579 E. Amar Road, West Covina CA 91792 or call (626) 253-7576; Victory Auto Care at 352 S Irwindale Avenue, Azusa CA 91702 or call (626) 334-7573.

For more information, you can call Victory Autos toll-free number (877) 821-7145 or visit their website: www.victoryautoconnect.com.

Victory Autos: Get the car of your dreams for the lowest price buyers get 2 VIP tickets

Wency Cornejo

Concert sponsor Heddy Trinidad of Victory Autos (rightmost) with Bokalista artists and guests during Thursdays news conference.

Jett Pangan

Gary Ignacio

Cookie Chua


Financing is subject to NMAC Tier 1 through Tier 3 credit approval. $13.89 per month per $1,000 financed at 0.0% for 72 months, subject to credit approval. Down payment may be required. See Carson Nissan for details. Good thru 7/31/14.

on your case, there should be some provi-sion with regards to the degree of scrutiny or permission needed from the other parent before you can take children to a foreign country. Even then, the airline itself may require some sort of written documentation as well. what if the other parent refuses to sign or in some cases, is unable to sign or cannot be found?

There is also the issue of to what degree of parental scrutiny or discretion will be required by the Court. Is written parental consent required or for example, is mere written notice enough? What happens when this provision is violated? What are the consequences on the rest of the case ? Are you jeopardizing your current parental custodial or visitation rights? A stipulation

or a court order may be required? A court hearing? Should you have any questions on these issues, it behooves you to consult with an attorney that has experience in the field of family law. Please contact our of-fices. We have decades of courtroom expe-rience in this field , having practiced in all the county courts of Southern California.

Attorney Miguel Inumerable is a graduate of UCLA Law School and has more than 25 years experience serving the Filipino community. He is bilingual in Tagalog and English. His areas of practice includes Family Law (divorce, custody, support, restraining orders) Bankruptcy, Business Litigation, Immigration and Deportation, Probate and Criminal and Regulatory Law.

A divorced parents dilemma Taking your child to the PHL on vacation may not be so easy

You left that marriage years ago..and you finally got enough money saved to take the kids on that long-awaited trip to the motherland. Easy, right? For a separated or divorced parent not so fast. Depending on the degree of non-cooperation be-tween the former spouses, traveling with the children overseas may or may not be a problem. Whether the Philippines or that trip to nearby Mexico or Canada...there is a good likelihood that you may need some sort of consent to take the children with you. If you went to court

Los Angeles, 23 July 2014 Rynn Chua and Edward Aparis are two (2) delegates from Southern California selected to participate in the 2014 Filipino American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPRO) and to take part in an immersive program in the Philippines from 24 to 28 July 2014.

The FYLPro is an annual program run-ning on its 3rd year, launched in July 2012 in partnership with the Ayala Foundation, FYLPro taps the Philippine Embassy and Philippine Consulates in the United States in identifying 10 outstanding young Filipino-American leaders who have great potential in pushing Philippines-US rela-tions forward. This is a project of PHL Ambassador to the U.S. Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., tailored to develop leadership and talent of second-generation Filipino Americans into contributing to further development of the Philippines and provides delegates to meet and dialogue with the highest officials and policymakers in the Philippines, leaders of industry, media, cultural experts, business and social entrepreneurs as well as innova-tors in different fields.

Rynn graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University. Not resting on his laurels, he is currently pur-suing his MBA at Pepperdine University concentrating in Entrepreneurship, while

running Double Y Entertainment, Inc., an event management firm of which he is the Founder and CEO. He was a social worker at the APAIT Health Center, board member of the LA County Prevention Planning Committee, and later employed at the US Center for Disease Control and the As-sociations of Schools of Public Health in Atlanta, Georgia. From social work and public health, he is now actively involved with the Filipino Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles.

Edward is from Chula Vista, California and works as a Consultant at the Strands Group, which is involved in project man-agement, grant writing and public affairs consulting.

After graduating from the University of California, Riverside, he worked with the Southwest Center for Asian Pacific American Law in San Diego. Later on, he served on the organizing committee of the Filipino American Arts & Culture Festival and co-founded and helped spearhead the Civic Education & Policy Advocacy Net-work, known as CEPA Net, which along with the Council of Philippine American Organizations (COPAO) in San Diego, raises civic awareness and engagement in the Filipino American and larger Asian American communities.

SoCal representatives to FYLPRO off to Manila

LONDON, July 24, 2014 (AFP) Sham marriages to win the right to live in Britain are more prevalent than thought and a major risk to immigration control, a group of lawmakers warned on Friday.

The number of suspect couples re-ferred to the interior ministry each year had more than doubled over the past three years to 2,145, a parliamentary commit-tee said.

It urged for registrars, who officiate marriages, to be given the power to refuse to marry couples they find suspicious.

There is an industry of deceit in the UK which uses sham marriages to circumvent immigration control, said committee chair Keith Vaz.

The estimated 10,000 sham mar-riages appears to be increasing at an alarming rate. One sham marriage can

provide UK residence rights to an entire extended family who would otherwise have no right to be here.

Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed to cut immigration to the country ahead of a general election in 2015 in which migration is a touchstone issue.

A government estimate of 4,000 to 7,000 fake marriages a year was likely smaller than the true figure, independent chief inspector of borders and immigra-tion John Vine told the committee.

Vine said the problem was one of the biggest potential threats to immigration control.

Most commonly, people from outside the European Economic Area try to marry residents from within the zone to gain the right to live in Britain for themselves and their extended families.

Fake marriages more rife than thought, British MPs warn

MANILA, July 22 (Mabuhay) Sena-tor Antonio Trillanes IV is pushing for the suspension of the implementation of the K to 12 Program, which he described as overly ambitious program of the government.

Trillanes, in pushing for the suspension of the K to 12 Program, cited pending resolutions to the current fundamental problems of the countrys education sys-tem as well as the projected problems it would encounter at the start of its sched-uled implementation in 2016.

It is in the best interest of the country to suspend the K to 12 Program while we continue to face the perennial problems of our education system, such as the lack of classrooms and school materials, high student-teacher ratio, and low salary of teachers, Trillanes, who conducted coun-try-wide inspections and consultations on K to 12, said in a statement on Tuesday.

In addition to this is the governments

unpreparedness to the threatened retrench-ment of around 85,000 college professors and employees when the program com-mences in 2016, he said.

Trillanes said the poor quality of the countrys education system would only be solved by first addressing these funda-mental problems.

Once we provide a conducive learning environment, its going to reflect on the students performance in school, he said.

The senator also scored the govern-ments claim that it has already eradicated the classroom backlogs.

That is not true. There are still a lot of schools which continue to use make-shift classrooms, or take shifts in using classrooms just to accommodate their students, he said.

The situation would even worsen once two batches of students would be absorbed in addition to the four levels of high school that we have now.

Trillanes calls for suspension of overly ambitious K to 12 program


Ang Journey sa Pechanga championship golf course, ay isa sa mga natatanging amenidad sa mga bisita sa Pechanga Resort & Casino, at patuloy na tampok bilang pinaka-mataas na uri ng pampublikong kurso sa bansa. Isang hamon at makabuluhang kurso para sa mga golfers sa lahat ng antas, ito ay naglalatag ng ibat-ibang topogra-piya canyons, ravines, open fairways at gayundin ang tee shot na may 300-foot drop.

Nakapaloob sa paanan ng bundok ng kaaya-ayang tanawin sa Southern California wine country sa Tem-ecula Valley sa Pechanga Indian Reservation, kalapit ng Pechanga Resort & Casino, ang Journey at Pechanga ay pumapaimbulog paikot sa mga naglalakihang bato sa kabundukan. Ang Journey at Pechangas par-72, 18-hole golf course ay sumasakop sa 7,219 yards.

Ayon kay Arthur Hills, Golf course architect, tinagurian nitong isang perpektong pagkaka-angkop ng kalikasan, kabuuan at kahalagahan. Tinutukoy nito ang kakaibang latag ng lupain na may sagradong pagkakakilanlan at sensitibong kultura sa tribu ng Pechanga. Nakatuon ang Journey sa pagpapaimbulog ng drama at natural na tanging ganda at kakaibang lugar habang pinoprotektahan nito ang sensitibong mga lugar at sa paglalatag ng golf kaakibat

ang pinaka-mataas na antas at mga tradisyon.Sa katapat na lugar nakatirik ang pinaka malaking

resort/casino sa estado taglay ang lahat ng karangyaang inaasahan ng mga manlalakbay mula sa isang kilalang lugar sa Las Vegas. May antas na AAA Four Diamond na pag-aari sa loob ng 13-taon, ang resort kailan lang ay nakaranas ng isang mayoryang pagbabago sa hotel lobby, four restaurants, Jacuzzi suites at VIP lounge. Ang mga manlalakbay na mahilig sa golf ay makatitipid ng green sa paglahok ng kani-kanyang pananatili sa hotel sa golf rounds sa Journey to Golf stay at play package.

Mula $219 bawat isa o $299 sa dalawa katao, ang pack-age ay nag-aalok ng mamahaling akomodasyon, mabili-sang pagkuha ng cart, serbisyo ng concierge at 24-horas na room service. Ang mga bisita ay maaari ring bumili ng 2014 Annual Golf Pass at $899 para sa 12-round ng golf.

Ang pass ay magagamit anumang araw sa isang linggo, limitado sa apat na round kada araw. Sa karagdagang im-pormasyon, tumawag lamang sa 866-991-PARR (7277) at banggitin ang Annual Golf Pass. Ang resort ay naghah-andog ng 517 na kuwarto at suites, isang full-service spa at salon, pool at cabanas, A-list na kasiyahan, mahigit 100,000-square feet na ibat-ibang kaganapan at espasyo

sa meeting, 11 restaurants, at mga extras gaya ng ibreng WiFi, walang resort fees, libreng concierge at valet park-ing at 24-horas na serbisyo sa kuwarto. Ang resort ay may mga nakatalagang grupo sa sales, catering at banquet team upang pagsilbihan ang anumang kuwarto o kaganapan.

Ang mga karagdagang aktibidad ay maaring balakin para sa meeting at mga dadalo sa Pechanga. Isa sa kilala ay ang pag-aayos ng golf outings o kahit golf tournaments ng kumpanya sa Journey at Pechanga. Ang lahat ng detalye ay pinangangasiwaan ng on-site tournament coordinator. Ang iba pang mga aktibidad na maaring pagbalakan para sa mga dadalo sa Pechanga kabilang ang pribadong gabihan, poker tournament, wine and beer tasting tours sa kalapit na winer-ies at breweries, spa at salon treatments, at Native American history tours upang pumili ng lugar sa Pechanga reservation.

Sa karagdagang impormasyon o kaya ay magtakda ng reservation sa Pechanga Resort & Casino, bumisita lamang sa www.Pechanga.com o tumawag sa (877) 711-2946. Ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay matatagpuan sa Temecula, Calif. dalawang minuto mula Interstate 15, kulang isang oras mula sa San Diego at Ontario International airports, at kulang sa isat kalahating oras mula Los Angeles at Orange County.

Journey at Pechanga Ang dambuhalang resort/casino sa estado na naghahandog ng green-saving at play package sa mga bisita

MANILA, July 22 (Mabuhay) A lawmaker has filed a measure lowering the compulsory retirement age of public school teachers to 60 years. Under House Bill 4501 authored by Rep. Silvestre H. Bello III (Party List 1-BAP), the retirees shall be entitled to the benefits provided that the retiree has already rendered 15 years of service and at least 55 years of age at the time of retirement for optional retirement. The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 8291, otherwise known as the Revised Government Service Insurance Act of 1997, that sets the mandatory and optional retirement age for government employees except those for the military and the police service.

Bello said there are about 14,000 newly licensed teachers

every year but could not get a teaching job because the posts are still being held by senior teachers.

He said these new educators get stuck in unemployment, or go for odd jobs, which provide neither full employment nor career satisfaction. The few lucky ones find work in private schools, and so our youths in the public school system are deprived of the new teaching methods and youthful energy that these new and younger teachers possess, Bello said.

With long working hours and larger class sizes than our neighbor countries, these older teachers are unlikely to have the time, energy and opportunity to have other pursuits, or equip themselves with higher skills to be abreast with mod-

ern teaching methods and technology, or at least to prepare for alternative livelihoods to cross over to when they retire, Bello added.

Bello said majority of elementary teachers in Malaysia and Indonesia are below 60 years old, while 15% of elementary school teachers in the Philippines are over 60 years of age.

Research data in the US also point to the fact that young educators led to higher test scores for students, because they not only came on board with newer and more effective teach-ing practices, but were more energetic in experimenting and finding other methodologies to match their students aptitude levels, Bello said.

Bill seeks to lower compulsory retirement of teachers to 60 years


TORNADOFrom page 1

DAP FIASCOFrom page 1

Balatbats brother, Lovel, who was with the family escaped injuries. Also with them was Ortegas sister and her two children but it is not known if they were among the 34 other injured victims.

The Embassy and the Consulate Gen-eral continues to coordinate with police authorities, hospital officials and members of the Filipino Community in Virginia and New Jersey on how they could extend as-sistance to the family of the victims.

like the song of the) Beatles...When I find myself in trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. So, sige (all right) let it be, e dinesisyonan ng Supreme Court e (the Supreme Court has decided). Pero sa bagong [kanta ng] mga bagets (But in the new song of the youngsters), Let it go... so, let it go, Catapang said.

Let It Go is the theme song of the animated movie Frozen.

The AFP chief reminded the soldiers that the continuing row over the DAP is part of the dynamics of democracy. Let the legal experts share their ideas and opinions while the executive branch awaits the deci-sion on its motion for reconsideration. The DAP has become a political issue [and] we should be reminded that as members of the AFP we should remain professional and non-partisan.

The government has filed a motion for reconsideration on the high courts deci-sion, which has dealt Aquino a devastating setback and paved the way for the filing of impeachment complaints against him.

We should allow the democratic pro-cess to take its course and let the judicial, the executive, the legislative branches of government deal with this. Magkakaintin-dihan rin naman yan (They will come to an understanding) in the end dahil (because) you know, they are people we have elected or put in position.

Their ultimate goal is to serve the coun-try, to serve our people. So, I know that after all things have been said and done, these things will be properly reconciled. Huwag tayong makialam, trabaho lang tayo (Lets not interfere, lets just work), Catapang said.

Nevertheless, he also stressed that the DAP helped our modernization kaya may mga bago tayong eroplano, barko (which is why we have new planes, ships), hous-ing, among others. Tayo ang naging (We became the) beneficiary of the honesty of the tuwid na daan na ginagawa ng ating Pangulo (the straight path of our President) ... These are the funds that the President made available to us in order to show appreciation sa ating ginagawa para sa bayan (for what we do for the country). (MNS)

to the national treasury.Whatever the ruling of the court is,

that it is unconstitutional, sabi ko nga (as I said) so let it be kung unconstitutional yan, parang kanta ng (if its unconstitutional,

MANILA, July 25 (Mabuhay) The Sandiganbayan on Friday on Friday or-

dered the suspension of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile from his post for

Sandiganbayan orders the suspension of Senator Enrile90 days for his alleged role in the P10-B pork barrel scam.

In a press conference, lawyer Dennis Pulma, Third Division clerk of court, said the court granted the prosecutions motion to suspend Enrile.

Enriles camp earlier insisted that only the Senate can suspend him.

Lawyer Estelito Mendoza said the provision states that Congress shall have the power to punish its members for dis-orderly behavior, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its members, suspend, or expel a member.

He said Section 5 of Republic Act 7080 or Plunder Law, which is being cited by the prosecution in seeking the suspension of Enrile, is not applicable to his client being

a member of the legislature.Section 5 of Republic Act 7080 states

that public officers charged with plunder shall be suspended from office. Should he be convicted by final judgment, he shall lose all retirement or gratuity benefits under any law.

Enrile is facing plunder and graft charg-es for allegedly amassing, together with his co-accused, P172.8M in kickbacks from 2004 to 2010 through non-government organizations put up by trader Janet-Lim Napoles.

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan or-dered Friday that alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles be transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.


are doing until they have exhausted all of their resources to defend their wrong deci-sion. Then, its too late because too much damage has been done.

Client sold his house and realized cash of $500,000. He decided to buy a motel for $2.5 million. He put $400,000 as down payment and the bank financed $2.1 mil-lion. He used $100,000 to buy a condo in Pasadena for $400,000 with a mortgage of $300,000. He had a retirement account of $300,000. For the first 6 months, the motel was breaking even. It had a banquet hall that needed improvements of $100,000. The faade of the motel also needed a facelift of $100,000. Client decided to borrow an SBA loan of $250,000 using the motel as collateral. Because of the improvements, the motel started to make a profit of $5,000 a month. For one year, it was making money. On year two, it started to lose money again because a new motel franchised by a Marriott was completed and operating nearby. To continue operat-ing despite its monthly loss of $20,000 a month, client liquidated his retirement account of $300,000 in a little over a year. Then, he borrowed $200,000 of credit cards to continue operating. When the credit cards were used up, he went back to SBA to try to borrow some more money unsuccessfully. He tried to sell the motel

for $2.5 M and received an offer for $1.0 M. With his back against the wall having used up all of his retirement account and borrowed another $450,000 from the SBA and credit cards to keep the motel afloat, and losing his down payment of $400,000, client now comes to see me with his hands raised in a sign of surrender. No more. All his resources have been used up. Now he wants bankruptcy relief.

Lets analyze how bankruptcy relief will help client. First, he can keep his condo in Pasadena with $175,000 of equity because its now worth $500,000 and he is 65 years old. With some adjustment for cost of sale and the outstanding balance of the mortgage, the viable equity is within the homestead exemption for a senior.

Second, he can return the motel to the bank or have it foreclosed upon without worrying about a foreclosure or voluntary return deficiency. Third, he will discharge the $2.1 million owed to the bank, which financed the purchase of the motel, the $250,000 owed to the SBA and all of his credit card debt of $200,000. So, he keeps his condo, his new Mercedez-Benz 250, which he is still paying for, and everything else that he owns but discharging all debts incurred because of the wrong decision to buy the motel.

Client lost $400,000, the d/p on the

motel and $300,000, which was all of his retirement account. Well, I would say that buying the motel was the biggest mistake of his life financially. He lost $400,000 of cash from the sale of his residence, and he lost $300,000, which is supposed to be for his retirement. In terms of cash money lost from his pocket, he lost $700,000. Never mind about the money lost in the form of debts to the banks, which is another $2.5 m.

If client had come to see me earlier, before he raided his retirement account, I would have suggested that he file for bankruptcy before he touched a single cent in his retirement account. If client had decided to file his bankruptcy 18 months earlier, he would have been able to keep his $300,000 in his retirement account even with a Chapter 7. He would have kept his condo, everything else his owned, includ-ing his $300,000 of retirement portfolio. But as you can see, ego, stubbornness and sticking to a wrong decision can make you

lose a lot of money, including everything that you worked for all your life! So, if you have this kind of problem, dont raid your retirement account, you can keep that in bankruptcy, up to $1.0 m. Remember, your retirement account is for your secu-rity when you retire, not for you business investments or debt payments.

My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.

Lawrence Bautista Yang is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and has been in law practice for thirty years. He specializes in bankruptcy, business and civil litigation and has handled more than five thousand successful bankruptcy cases in California. He speaks Tagalog and looks forward to discussing your case with you personally. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appoint-ment at 1000 S Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Bldg A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

Client raids retirement account to pay business debts, then seeks Bankruptcy reliefIn life, for those who already have experience and some

wisdom, there is such a thing as getting the right advice at the right time. In fact, the right advice at the right time can result in losing a fortune or keeping a fortune. The problem is that most people have an ego problem. They think that they cant make a mistake because they are so very smart, instead of ask-ing our Lord Almighty for help and guidance. So, just to insist that their decision is correct, they keep on doing what they

LOS ANGELES The former mayor of the City of Rosemead was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison af-ter pleading guilty to attempted witness tampering and making false statements to FBI agents conducting a corruption investigation.

John Tran, 38, of Rosemead, was sentenced this morning by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer.

Tran pleaded guilty late last year to the witness tampering and false statement charges. In a plea agreement filed in Unit-ed States District Court, Tran acknowl-edged that he received approximately

$38,000 in payments from a developer in exchange for Trans promise to help her obtain permits for a project.

The witness tampering resulted from Tran asking the developer to lie to a federal grand jury by denying that he had recently met with Tran or paid Tran any money. Tran made false statements to the FBI in 2011 when special agents went to his home to conduct an interview and Tran denied receiving anything but campaign contributions from the developer.

Tran was elected to the Rosemead City Council in 2005 and was mayor of Rosemead from 2007 to 2009.

Rosemead mayor in corruption case involving cash payments, witness tampering, perjury gets 21-month jail term


hours worked beyond 8 in a day or over 40 in a week be paid at 1.5 times your regular rate of pay. All hours worked beyond 12 in a day must be paid at twice your regular rate of pay.

Putting an employee on salary does not automatically make them exempt from overtime law. True exempt status is deter-mined primarily by an employees duties.

For example, executives or managers must perform managerial, not merely ministerial, duties. These duties include managing the business, hiring, firing, and disciplining employees, deciding on employee salaries and wages, and creat-ing work policies and procedures. These duties must take up more than 50% of their work time. If, for example, managers work 10-hour days, they must spend more than 5 hours per day on managerial work. And yes, among other things, the manager must be paid at least twice the states minimum wage for full-time employment.

Misclassification of non-exempt em-ployees is widespread. But experts who study the ongoing trends of where employ-ment policies may be headed are concerned that even those who are currently earning twice the minimum wage per hour may not be as better off as minimum or even mid-wage wage workers.

Says the Economic Policy Institute (EPI): Americans are working longer hours and are more productive yet wages are largely flat... One reason Americans paychecks are not keeping pace with their productivity is that millions of middle-class and even lower-middle-class workers are working overtime and not getting paid for

it. The finding of disparity between pro-ductivity and compensation rings true even in California, where the state employment laws are more protective of employees.

In line with EPIs study, some U.S. senators are pushing to update the fed-eral overtime laws. Dubbed the Restoring Overtime Pay for Working Americans Act, it is meant, among other things, to ensure that people who work more get paid more, and boost incomes for those who work longer hours. One of the most interesting features of this Bill is the provi-sion to gradually raise the overtime salary threshold for executive, administrative and professional workers from $455 a week to $1,090 a week, to match inflation-adjusted levels. This would ensure if employees earn less than $56,000 per year, they are automatically eligible for overtime pay, regardless of their fancy titles.

If this federal Bill passes into law, it would be interesting to see how it affects and what changes it will prompt in Califor-nias own state employment laws.

[C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is trial attorney who has obtained several million dollar recoveries for his clients against insurance companies and employers. He has been selected as a Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, featured in the cover of Los Angeles Daily Journals Verdicts and Settlements, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center Washington, D.C. and the Univer-sity of the Philippines. Visit his website at www.joesayaslaw.com or contact his office at (818) 291-0088 for a no-cost inquiry.]

Debunking the myth of being a salaried employee

Q: I am a salaried employee receiving exactly twice the minimum wage per hour. I have a heavy workload and I super-vise a few employees but I cant hire or fire them. My employer insists that since I am salaried and paid double the hourly minimum wage, I am exempt from overtime pay. Is this right?

A. Unless you are employed in an executive, administra-tive, or professional capacity, California law requires that all

CERRITOS The Gapan City Associa-tion of Southern California (GAPASCA) will hold its inaugural ball at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 9, at the Cerritos Sheraton Hotel.

The first set of officers of the newly formed association, composed of former residents of Gapan City in Nueva Ecija in the Philippines, will be inducted by Vice Consul Mary Joy Ramirez of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles. GP Padiernos, Nueva Ecija Vice Governor, is attending as guest speaker.

Larry Camus, president, and Nimfa Castro, chairman of the board, lead the inductees.

Also to be inducted are Gina Patu-landong, VP Budget & Finance; Marissa Yamsuan , VP Membership; Ramil Garcia, VP Ways & Means; Vangie Garcia, VP Programs; Cindy Garces, treasurer; Marlyn Reams, secretary; Armahn Tinawin, audi-tor; Agnes Nerona, PRO; Steve Johnson and Germelie Morales, affairs coordina-tors; Randy Estrella, Veta Garcia, Rolly de Guzman, and Adoracion Palisoc, advisers;

Lito Alfaro, vice chairman; Tipin John-son, secretary; Teofilo Estrella, Percival Garces, Emmanuel Liwag, Gener Nerona, and Wilfredo Ongpauco, directors; and Gia Janella Padiernos, Miss GAPASCA.

Prior to its formation, California resi-dents with Gapan City affiliation gathered every January and May in Cerritos Park East since the early 80s to celebrate the

towns two fiestas under the leadership of the first group of immigrants called Gapan Club of Los Angeles. When attendance to the two annual events ballooned to more than 500, the founding members of the Gapan Club decided to turn over the leader-ship to the younger generation.

The new leadership with bigger vision in mind formally organized early this year as a non-profit organization.

The main mission of GAPASCA is to foster higher education among students from the City of Gapan in Nueva Ecija through its Adopt-A-Student Scholarship Program.

The young group has already launched two projects this year the PABASA, last April and the Divina Pastora Fiesta last May. It also participated in the celebration of Philippine Independence in Cerritos last June 14 as donor and partnered with the Philippine Society of Southeast Los Angeles (PHILSELA) in running the re-freshment booth.

Gapan City Association sets inaugural ball on August 9


771(a)).Separation requires more than a rift

in the spouses relationship. The date of separation occurs only when the parties have come to a parting of the ways with no present intent to resume their marriage and their conduct evidences a complete and final break in the marital relationship. In simple terms, it the first point in time when either party decides to finally end the marriage with no intent to return to their spouse. The burden of proof required to prove this is a preponderance of the evidence. A spouse must show that 1) the spouse entertains the subjective intent to

end the marriage, and 2) there is objective evidence of that intent. A partys intent may be evaluated in terms of the spouses words and conduct evidencing this intent and this should occur simultaneously.

Moving out of the house from where your spouse resides may not be suffi-cient to signify a separation. The partys conduct toward each other evidences ongoing economic, emotional, sexual and social ties ( such as joint checking accounts, credit cards, tax returns; joint acquisitions; joint vacations; exchange of gifts and cards; continuing financial contributions to the marital community;

attempted reconciliations,) may show conduct inconsistent with a complete and final breakdown in the marriage. Discontinuing sexual relationship with your spouse and commencing extramarital cohabitation may not suffice to signify a separation date either.

The parties must be living apart physically. The Court usually looks at all objective facts and circumstances in determining whether the parties are living apart physically. Living in separate dwell-ings alone may not meet this requirement. Some couples have successive series of separation then reconciliation. The act of reconciling in essence vitiates any evi-dence of a complete and final breakdown of the marriage. Due to the heavy factual showing required in litigating this issue, the date of separation is susceptible to trial bifurcation. Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended

to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State Univer-sity, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail [email protected] or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com

Why is the date of separation signifi cant in divorce cases?The date of separation is one of the most litigated issues

in a divorce case. Its determination can have a significant economic consequence in the outcome of the case. The reason being, a spouses earnings and accumulations after separation are his or her separate property. A spouses earnings and accumulations while living separate and apart from the other spouse are his or her separate property as well pursuant to Family Code.

The City of Carson recently se-cured $1,259,000 in funding through a competitive grant process from Metro to develop a bicycle/pedes-trian path along the Dominguez Channel between Main Street and Avalon Boulevard. This bike path will connect with the existing path on the west side of Main Street which runs to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center a key hub for bus rapid transit through the South Bay and Los Angeles.

This bike path is a critical piece in Carsons Masterplan of Bikeways.

While Carson has already received $3 million for bike lanes throughout Carson, the bicycle/pedestrian path is separated from traffic and dedicated exclusively to bicycles and pedestri-ans, making it an extremely safe route for navigating Carson.

By providing this connection to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center, the City of Carson and Metro aims to contribute to promote public transit use and contribute to regional efforts to reduce traffic congestion and im-prove air quality.

Mayor Jim Dear commented that

the new bicycle/pedestrian path will provide a key transportation con-nection for residents, employees, and visitors between Harbor Gateway Transit Center and Carsons many attractions along Avalon Boulevard including the Community Center, SouthBay Pavilion, and the upcom-ing Boulevards at South Bay.

The new bike path is a critical component to the Citys ongoing efforts to improve the health of the people as well as visitors to Carson, by making us a walkable, bikeable, livable community, added Dear.

City of Carson secures $1.26-M in grant funds to develop bicycle and pedestrian paths

More than 225 volunteers from Mercer (@Mercer-Insights), Marsh (@MarshGlobal), the Kiwanis Club of Carson, and the City of Carson (@cityofcarson_ca), organizers from KaBOOM! (@kaboom) and residents of the Carson community will join forces on August 7, to give area kids the childhood they deserve by building a new playground at Scott Park.

The design is based on childrens drawings created at a special design event in June. The park is located at 23410 Catskill Avenue Carson, CA 90745.

The playground will be the first built by Mercer, Marsh and KaBOOM!. Through this partnership, more children will have the joyful childhood they deserve, and in promoting and protecting a childs right to active play at home, at school and in the community.

City of Carson volunteers to build new playground at Scott Park


The Panorama Knights, a non-profit community organization, will be holding its Induction of Officers and Dinner Event on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The guest speaker and inducting officer will be Deputy Consul General Imelda Panolong of the LA Phil-ippine Consulate. The event will also be attended by prominent community leaders and officials from the local government.

The Group has been actively involved in Church and Community Projects over the previous years. Past projects include the Fundraising event in one of the Parishes in the Valley, and active participation in the Kalayaan Philippine Independence Day and community activities hosted by the Philippine Consulate like the Leyte Landing, Bonifacio Day, Bataan/ Cor-regidor Commemoration events.

The upcoming main project of the or-ganization is the operation of its Charity Bingo to help the various charity recipi-ent beneficiaries that include Rancho San Antonio (Boys Town) in the San Fernando Valley, starting this coming October 2014.

The Executive Board is composed of Teddy Ortega President, Vladi Rivera Vice President, Rene Maylad - Secretary, Ben Chico-Treasurer, Tony Florendo Auditor, Nick Mananghaya - Director, Sabie Cacananta - Director Willie De Castro, Henry Osio Director and Raul Baldomero Director.

The Panorama Knights in action

I have been saying this over and over again... that I feel blessed to have found my life partner and even more blessed to have been able to share the love with family and friends. Its been about a week since that special day in scenic Mendocino Coast, California and my heart is still overflowing with wonder-ful memories from that weekend.

An open letter of gratitude

For some of you who have seen the beautiful photos from last Sunday, Im sure you will agree that one other thing that inspires my gratitude is the lovely weather weve been blessed with that day! There was slight drizzle as soon as Lester and I exited the church as Mr. & Mrs. Perkins. In our Filipino beliefs, that signals a blessing from heaven. But when it didnt stop for the next 20 minutes or so, I started to worry. One of the rea-sons we chose the beautiful estate right next to the cliffs was because of the deck where we hoped to treat our guests with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. With the fog and mist, there wasnt going to be anything to see.

But as if on cue, as soon as the guests started arriving at the venue, the sky turned from gray to yellow and perfect blue hues. The sun came out showing all its glory over the dramatic cliffs and the mysterious ocean. Lester and I couldnt believe our luck! We can now not just say; but fully affirm that Mendocino is indeed magical!

I have always kept a vision of my dream wedding small, with very few select guests we could pamper. I wanted each and everyone who made an effort to be with us on that day and witness our vows, to be treated to a good time and a memorable experience. The weather and the stunning sunset that followed were something we couldnt control. I am most grateful to God for that.

In addition to that was the passion and dedication of all the vendors whose work came together to produce such a lovely event that people who witnessed it still cant get over.

Carlyn Nuyda-Calloway of Thumbelina Atelier made my exquisite gown. I wanted to wear a Filipiniana gown. But when I first came to her, she told me she didnt do pinya. She offered to recommend me to other designers if I wanted my gown to

be made f pineapple fabric. I wanted her to make my gown, so I persisted, knowing she does French lace well, Can we do Filipina butterfly sleeves in French lace?

The lace was ordered from the same house of lace that wove Kate Middletons lace for her wedding gown. I felt like roy-alty! I had to constantly remind myself to keep my back straight, even after hours of wearing the 15-pound ensemble, made heavy, albeit beautiful by hand-sewn glass beads all throughout.

Crystal Sanford of Recycled Love Story did the wedding design and flowers. She kept the whole look flawless, vintage, as planned; yet very elegant. There was nothing over the top, just simple, subdued elegance. She and her assistant drove 11 hours from Los Angeles, to the Northern California Coast.

Kristin Nicasio of Presence, a small shop in Studio City, did all the wedding stationery. She bore with us through many changes and revisions when Lester and I (but mainly I) kept changing our minds. One thing I was excited about was, instead of usual table numbers, Lester and I used the London tube station names, for the tables. The invitation, that set the tone for everything, at least in my opinion, was in the form of a travel ticket.

The delicious meal at the reception was prepared by Julia Conway of Assaggiare and her staff. The appetizers had a flavor of England, the Philippines and Mendocino. For dinner, guests had a choice between the English pot roast or Mediterranean sea bass. In addition, there was also a live risotto station where Julia prepared plates of goodness, made with fresh ingredients.

Accomplished harpist Anna Maria has played for kings and queens and even Pope Benedict XVI. Last Sunday, she shared her gift of music with our guests. Richard Cooper and his team musicians played at the reception.

Mendocino Coast Reservations is a vacation rental company based in Men-docino. Their properties are stunning; and they are such a delight to work with.

We ended up renting 3 properties for the weekend, including the state where we had our wedding reception.

And the glue that held everything to-gether was my wedding coordinator who labored and toiled out of her love for me, Rocio Nuyda, also an esteemed leader in our Filipino American community. She was my secret weapon; we couldnt have pulled it off without her help and guidance.

Kristi Klemens and her husband Paul of KLK Photography, documented almost the entire weekend, through their photog-raphy lenses.

Watch out for the photos soon www.facebook.com/JannelleSoOFFICIAL, where I will also share details about the

vendors, in case youre planning a wed-ding.

To all these special vendors who helped make our dream a reality; to all the guests who partook in our celebration; to all of you who have read the news and seen photos and expressed their support and best wishes; Lester and are most grateful!

Jannelle So is taking a break from 20-years of print and broadcast journalism career that began in the Philippines and continued here in the US. Connect to her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Jan-nelleSoOFFICIAL); Twiiter (www.twitter.com/JannelleSo); and Instagram (www.instagram.com/JannelleSo) or email her at [email protected].

Mr. & Mrs. Lester Perkins


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Forecast update, the active listings in a market have a dramatic effect on real estate market dynamics the fewer homes on the market indicate more competition that results in home price appreciation. Three of the top 20 markets for active listings, which are located in Hawaii, Texas, and California, have a decrease in listings by more than 60 percent on a rolling year-over-year basis. All of the markets have a decrease in active listings of more than

40 percent. Study shows the amount of homes that

are for sale in a particular month divided by the number that usually sell within an average month (for the area). In a stable market, there are usually around 6 months of housing inventory. For the top 20 met-ros, which are located in California, Texas, Nevada, Washington, and Florida, the housing inventory are all below 4 months, signifying a very tight real estate market.

The good news is that the US real estate market is in the midst of a rebound. While every market is different, and every neigh-borhood is different, I see positive trends now being the norm instead of the excep-tion. California has been leading the way in the recovery, followed by other non-judicial states and finally judicial states like Florida where processing foreclosure properties had delayed recovery time but positive trends are now evident. This is a General big pictures, however I see some area San Fernando Valley, Riverside County and some other areas showing signs of a faster slow down compared to other cities. I noticed more inventories, I noticed more open houses on weekends. Those are signs that these market areas might be cooling down and prices might start to decline.

Nationwide, studies also examined the top five markets in terms of price appre-ciation, which can be the barometer of a heated market. Those markets include Na-ples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA; Stockton-Lodi, CA; Madera, CA; and, Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia. Are those markets are heading for a bubble ? They gained steam over the past two years, the markets are still far short of their 2006 peaks. The forecast for these markets is positive over the next 3-5 years but will not sustain the recent recovery pace as post bubble market fundamentals of affordability and price take over.

Again the big difference this time around is that mortgage credit is much tighter due to increased regulation and the zero down, pick-a-pay, stated income, type of exotic mortgages that created the last bubble are no longer an option.

This months Home Value Forecast update also includes a listing of the 10 best and 10 worst performing metros as ranked by its market condition ranking model. Market indicators, including: sales/listing,

not surprisingly, the majority of the overall top ten markets are in California again.

It seems many homeowners are experi-menting becoming new landlord. Why we are not seeing too many sellers, folks look-ing to buy their next home often intend to sell their current house. But a recent poll showed that some homeowners plan to rent out their last home when they purchase that next property. This decision partly explains why there is a supply shortage .

Surveys shows of the nearly 800 consumers nationwide who answered a question on renting vs. selling, 39 percent said they plan to buy another home and then rent out their last house instead of selling it,

Low mortgage, high rentWhy would someone want to rent out

their last home after buying another? 2 reasons.

Plenty of homeowners refinanced over the past few years because mortgage rates have been at historical lows, so their monthly mortgage payment is very low.

Second, the rental market is strong, allowing landlords, especially those who refinanced, to charge rent thats higher than their monthly mortgage.

Rents are increasing across Southern California, too. For Los Angeles County, the median rent gained an average of 2.1 percent year-over-year from January 2012 through December 2013. For Orange County, rents jumped 7.1 percent in the same time. Nationally, rents climbed 3.3 percent for the same period.

I noticed a enormous number of buyer move laterally in prices of homes, mean-ing they sold their homes that might be in better areas but smaller and bought home further out but bigger and possibly newer.

Thanks for your inquiries and com-ments. Please call Ken Go of 1st Innova-tive Finance Group at 562-508-7048 or write to [email protected].

Why home inventory in some areas are still very limitedLets analyze the home market trend that is going on now.

Market is definitely demonstrating that the housing recovery is widespread. The update also examines affordability and home prices now compared to the peak to show that even the markets showing the greatest annual appreciation have not reached the historic peak prices and the low affordability of 2006 and would not be considered another bubble.

In this months Home Value

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2014 (AFP) Sales of existing US homes in June hit the highest level in eight months as home price gains slowed to more welcoming levels, the National Association of Real-tors said Tuesday.

Sales of existing homes, the majority of the US housing market, climbed 2.6 percent to an annual rate of 5.04 million in June, the highest pace since October 2013, NAR reported.

The May sales rate was revised upward to 4.91 million from 4.89 million.

June sales of single-family homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops came in slightly stronger than the analyst consensus estimate of 5.0 million units.

This is the third increase in a row, the highest level since October and, combined with the upward revision to May, is very encouraging, said Jennifer Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets.

Year-over-year, June sales were 2.3 per-cent lower, reflecting the housing markets struggle to recover from a long soft patch due to higher mortgage interest rates, lack of inventory that pushed prices higher, and high unemployment. In May, the rate was down 5.0 percent from a year ago.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said housing fundamentals were moving in the right direction but that new home con-struction was needed to curb price gains.

Inventories are at their highest level in over a year and price gains have slowed to much more welcoming levels in many parts of the country. This bodes well for rising home sales in the upcoming months as consumers are provided with more choices, Yun said.

On the contrary, new home construc-

tion needs to rise by at least 50 percent for a complete return to a balanc

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Weekend balita july 26, 2014