Asian Journal Oct 7-13, 2011 edition

Kalusugan & Operation Samahan .. p. 6

RSVP: Come to the Fiesta.. p. 11

Congress tags FoI bill as priority measure

(Continued on page 2)

by Simeon G. Silverio, Jr. Publisher & Editor in Chief, Asian Journal San Diego

Chapter 8

Fantasy Land

Sharing little known facets of the president’s character

Mike Arroyo’s anomalous diplomatic passport

Political dynasties still dominate Congress Mystery Donor

Dr. Ofelia DirigeMsgr. Gutierrez Ben MaynigoPs, Is, Ts.. p. 8

October 7-12, 2011


(Continued on page 20)(Continued on page 4)


Philippine Radio

AM 1450M-F 7-8 PM

The original and first Asian Journal in America

550 E. 8th St., Ste. 6, National City, San Diego County CA USA 91950 | Ph: 619.474.0588 | Fx: 619.474.0373 | Email: [email protected] | www.asianjournalusa.com

PRST STDU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 203Chula Vista CA 91910

San Diego’s first and only Asian Filipino weekly publication and a multi-award winning newspaper! Online+Digital+Print Editions to best serve you!


October 7-12, 2011

Ronnie Ricketts: From Fame to Social Responsibility

Baliktanaw II

by Dr. Romy Protacio, PhD

Unlike most actors who had to struggle their ways into stardom, Ronnie Ricketts (Ronald Naldo Ricketts in real life) seemed to have his destiny all laid out for him, with very little obstacles along the way. He entered the public eye fi rst as a ramp model and then as an actor who became known for his martial arts expertise. In the span of more than 20 years, Ronnie has carved his name in the annals of Philippine fi lms, not just as a versatile actor, but also as a scriptwriter, director and producer.

On May 27, 2011, I was in San Diego to watch the concert of Armida Siguion-Reyna’s “Aawitan Kita sa Amerika.” It was dur-ing this time that I met Ronnie’s parents, Max and Edith Ricketts. His parents are based in San Diego, California, where they manage their real

estate business, the Naldo-Ricketts Realty. I have been trying to get a schedule to in-terview Ronnie but I was not fortunate to do so because of his busy schedule. I was

so glad to have met Edith. She helped me

in setting up an appointment to interview Ronnie. Finally, I met Ronnie in his offi ce during my recent trip to the Philippines in August 2011. He was very candid in

sharing his life in showbiz, bits and pieces of his family life, and more so of his current challenges as the Chairman and CEO of the Optical Media Board (OMB). He was very generous of his time and his stories and he readily answered questions I asked, offering some words of wisdom, from time to time.

Although his mom, Edith Naldo is a Bicolana from Iriga, Ronnie was born and raised in Manila. He started his primary schooling in Don Bosco and later spent his high school days at the Philippine Chris-tian University-Union High School of Manila (PCU-UHSM). He was a famous player in the school’s “Panthers” basketball team, where

AT GROUND LEVEL By Satur C. Ocampo , The Philippine Star --

That political dynasties continue to dominate Congress isn’t hard news anymore. A news report on an Asian Institute of Management Policy Center study showing this has been relegated to the inside, rather than the front, page of a major daily.

Nonetheless, it’s worth looking deeper into that study, which tends to indicate that legislators belonging to political dynasties represent areas with lower per-capita incomes and higher poverty levels although this needs further validation.

More signifi cantly, the AIMPC study reveals that an increasing number of political dynasties are

gaining seats in Congress. This fact

Congresswoman Imelda Marcos, Governor Imee Marcos and Senator Bong Bong Marcos

by Perry Diaz A couple weeks ago after Mike

Arroyo exited the country for Germany last Septem-ber 18, 2011, a Philippine Star news report said, “There is no irregularity in the use of former fi rst gentleman Jose Miguel ‘Mike’ Arroyo of a diplomatic passport because he is the husband of an incumbent legislator, the Bureau of Immigration yes-terday.” Supposedly Arroyo went abroad to seek “stem cell treatment” for himself and his wife, former President and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

According to a Bureau of Immi-gration (BI) spokesperson, Arroyo presented two kinds of passports

– one regular and the other diplomatic. The BI spokesper-son said that the BI offi ce at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport checked the validity of Arroyo’s two passports and there was no

irregularity. Of course there was no irregularity because Arroyo is too smart to present a fake passport when leaving the country.

But why did Arroyo present his two passports when he left the country? All that was needed was his regular passport since he was not

The Daily Tribune

Frustrated over the persis-tent refusal of President Aqui-no to prioritize the Freedom of Information (FoI) bill to be enacted into law, leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives took matters into their hands and agreed for Congress to prioritize the FoI and pass this bill, as agreed upon by them yesterday dur-ing the fi rst-ever Legislative Summit.

The FoI was just one of the measures leaders of both Houses have agreed upon, as confi rmed by Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto.

It will be recalled that Malacañang had submitted a list of President Aquino’ bills during the Ledac meeting, but a lot of bills prioritized by Aquino were seen as unim-portant in the sense that the bills were perceived by the lawmakers to have ignored the more important bills that would impact on the economy and its growth, as well as certain social and political reforms.

Even more frustrating for the Congress leaders was that none of the bills submitted by Malacañang had any compan-ion bill in both the House and the Senate.

Sotto confi rmed that both chambers of Congress agreed to act swiftly on the FoI bill which has been archived too many times and remains un-acted upon.

The FoI bill is expected to provide concerned parties easier access to public docu-ments and bring about gov-ernment transparency.

Malacañang has been reluctant to prioritize the FoI bill and has used too many lame excuses for the administration not to be able to act on this, with a presidential spokes-man claiming that “there is sensitive information that should not be made public, such as the public offi cials’ Statement of Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALn) since they contain the names of the spouses and chil-dren of the public offi cials.

It is the SALn where one can even spot graft and perjury from the as-sets and liabilities listed down and their worth.

The fact the mysterious donor to the campaign of the newly-elected president of Fantasy-land was based in Florida and dealt with pharmaceutical products did not help extinguish the fi re of controversy regarding his donation.

Some people started putting two and two together and deduced he made his millions through illegal drugs and had ties with the drug cartels in Miami and South American coun-tries like Colombia. How could a Fantasylander become a billionaire from a legitimate busi-ness in just a few years in America, they wondered?

“Was the presidency bought with profi ts from illegal drug deals that ru-ined the lives of millions of people?” read a headline of a column of one of the most infl uential writers in Fanta-syland.

“Presidential victory tainted by drug money?” speculated another columnist.

The controversy, which started from a mere whisper, had become a confl agration. The idyllic story of a son of well-loved and martyred

couple, who won the presidency with the help of what seemed to be a divine intervention, was overshadowed by the more juicy and controversial rumors about the mysterious donor. The issue had reached the point that the supposedly sweet victory of an underdog and honest man started to taste bitter. Finally, when things started to get out of hand, it was announced the mysterious donor would be interviewed on the

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo (The Philippine Star) 10/4/2011 -- Set-ting aside the wild accusations of the “evil eyes” that can’t seem to see anything good in President Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy), there are many Filipinos who have very little apprecia-tion of our president’s charac-

ter. Appreciating a president’s character is essential if Filipi-nos are to properly assess the

state of governance.P-Noy’s character is

easily misunderstood and the “evil eyes” have been capitalizing on this in promoting a distorted presidential image that an incompetent Mes-saging Secretary fails to clarify. P-Noy’s charac-ter is easily misunder-stood because he’s such

October 7-12, 2011Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com

10717 Camino Ruiz, Ste. 122 San Diego, CA 92126Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry• State-of-the-Art Technology and Sterilization• Digital X-rays and Massage Dental Chairs• Caring and Friendly Staff• Affordable Fees• Military Dependents Welcome• Evening and Weekend Appointments Available• New, Walk-in and Emergency Patients Welcome• Most PPO Plans Accepted•

Email: [email protected] Phone: (858) 566-6099

Open: Monday – Friday 9am – 6pmSaturday 8am – 2pm

Credit Cards AcceptedZOOM!

Exam, Digital X-rays & Cleaning *

*Over $200 in savings, in the absence of gum disease, new

patients only.Limited time offer.

$3499Reg. $238 Towards Any

Dental Service$550 or more

Cannot be combined with insurance.

Limited time offer.

$10000

In Offi ce Teeth WhiteningIn Just an Hour!

Limited time offer.

$29899Reg. $600

Affliate, Law Offices of Chua Tinsay & Vega www.ctvattys.com

by Atty. Andrew Agtagma, Esq.Legal Buzz

Read Atty. Agtagma’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

Mike Arroyo’s Anomalous Diplo-

matic Passport(Continued from page 1)

on an official diplomatic mission. But by presenting his diplomatic passport and properly stamped that he left the Philippines purportedly on an official diplomatic mission, he could enter the country of his destination with his diplomatic passport only and wouldn’t have to go through customs; thus, whatever he’s bringing with him would not be subjected to physical inspection. If that’s what he did, why? What was he carrying that he did not want to go through customs? Was there something that needed the protection

of diplomatic immunity?A few days ago, Malaya columnist

and former Ambassador Rey O. Arcilla wrote in his column, “Why the heck does the husband of a congresswoman carry a diplomatic passport? On what basis?”

Ambassador Arcilla pointed out, “The Philippine Passport Act of 1996 (RA 8239) provides, among others, that a member of Congress may be issued a diplomatic passport only when he/she is going on official mission abroad or as a delegate to international conferences. His/her spouse and unmarried minor chil-dren may also be issued a diplomatic passport when accompanying or fol-lowing to join him/her in an official mission abroad. Obviously, he must have been carrying the diplomatic passport issued to him when his wife was posing as president of this

Republic. Nonetheless, for a diplo-matic passport to be valid for travel once it has been used earlier, has to be revalidated so it can be used again. Did Del Rosario or any of his underlings revalidate the diplomatic passport Arroyo was carrying? If not, it is not valid for travel.”

Now that the cat is out of the bag, what is Foreign Affairs Secretary Del Rosario going to do about it? It shouldn’t take him long to cancel Arroyo’s diplomatic passport and notify all Philippine embassies and consulates abroad to inform their host countries of the cancellation.

But the ultimate question is: Would Del Rosario do it? Or is this an issue that is deemed “political” and way over his head? If so, then President Benigno Aquino III should – nay, must -- deal with it… now! --

([email protected])

by Atty. Andrew Agtagma

In the second part of this article, I wrote about two recurring mistakes that cause clients to miscalculate the value of their personal injury cases. I also gave an overview of the two major components of case value—special and general damages—and discussed special damages. To review, special damages are the elements of one’s injury whose monetary value can readily be deter-mined, such as property damage, lost earnings, and medical expenses.

Unlike special damages, determin-ing general damages is more art than science, and is perhaps the biggest challenge in assessing case value. How, exactly, does one put a dollar value on the harm to a person’s emo-tional well-being?

One “rule of thumb” provides that pain and suffering is calculated by multiplying the special damages by a certain number. Depending on whom you ask and the complexity of the case, the multiplier can be as low as two to as high as four. Thus, a person with $5,000 in medical bills and lost wages would have pain and suffering damages worth anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 using this approach.

Another approach, called the “per diem” approach, assigns a dollar value for each day that a person endures physical discomfort. If an

injured person takes three months to recover from his or her injuries and the attorney assigns a $100 per diem amount, the person’s pain and suf-fering will be valued at about $9,000 ($100 per day for 90 days).

In cases involving minor injuries—known as soft-tissue injuries—these rules of thumb are harmless enough and have some utility. The danger is that those who evaluate cases, both attorneys and non-attorneys, rely on these rules while losing sight of when they are appropriate and when they should be disregarded.

These rules came about as a short-hand way not to predict the value of an injured person’s pain and suffer-ing in an absolute sense, but rather to predict what a jury is likely to award in similar circumstances, with similar injuries. The reason experi-enced attorneys in this field focus on juries is because they are the final ar-biters of what a case is worth. If the two parties in a personal injury case cannot agree on a settlement value, they submit the case to a jury—or to a judge, if a jury is waived—and barring any procedural irregularities, the jury’s decision is final.

One can determine the “value” of a person’s pain and suffering, therefore, by looking at jury verdicts of cases that involved similar facts. Besides the nature and severity of the injuries themselves, other factors that can influence the value of a case

include the county in which the case is filed; the demographic profiles of the injured and negligent parties—a person’s gender, occupation, and ethnic background, among other things—and the skill and experience of the attorney trying the case.

Insofar as making an injured person “whole,” awarding money for pain and suffering is invariably unsatisfying. For when we look at general damages in terms of dollar figures, the underlying message is that the injured person’s case—and indirectly, the inherent value of a person—is worth a certain amount. Most people would agree that such an exercise is an affront to human dignity.

Although our system of civil justice is flawed, we are constrained to work within these limitations until we as a society come up with a better system. In the meantime, the best way to afford justice to an injured person is to make sure that the case is evaluated properly, to optimize the amount he or she ulti-mately receives.

Atty. Andrew Agtagma is a gradu-ate of U.C. Berkeley (Boalt Hall) School of Law. He works closely with the Law Firm of Chua Tinsay and Vega (CTV) and its clients to provide counsel in his areas of expertise, which include employ-ment law, personal injury, and general civil litigation. He can be reached by phone at: (650) 589-5700, or e-mail at: HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected]. CTV is a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego and Manila. The information pre-sented in this article is for general information only and is not intended as formal legal advice, or to serve as the basis for an attorney-client re-lationship. CTV can be reached at: (415) 495-8088; (619) 955-6277.

What is Your Personal Injury Case Worth? (Part 3)

Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.comOctober 7-12, 2011

YOU’VE GOT FRIENDS IN THE BUSINESS.Is your minority or woman-owned business ready for the inside track to success in the retail industry? We’re looking for stars like you!

The Workshop at Macy’s is now accepting applications for our Spring 2012 Program. Select high-potential participants will take part in a 4.5-day intensive training course, led by Macy’s seasoned pros and star partners, and designed to help you succeed and sustain growth in the retail industry.

For more information and how you can be a part of it, go to macysinc.com/workshop

N1090384A.indd 1 9/30/11 10:47 AM



(Continued from page 1)

Fantasy Land:Mystery Donor


Sharing Little Known Facts of the

President’s Character

he was the team captain for several years. After graduating from high school, he then enrolled at PCU College for a degree in Business Management. Again, Ronnie joined the school’s varsity team and he made the team proud in several occasions.

His movie commitments soon made it impossible for him to finish his college studies right away. However, a couple of years back, he enrolled with PCU’s PACE program, a self-paced distance learning program that allowed him to finally obtain his baccalaureate degree. It is just one of the many proofs of Ronnie’s determina-tion and self-discipline that enables him to pursue his goals in life.

Ronnie joins the roster of several promi-nent figures who graduated from Union High School -PCU. The list includes Marita Zobel and Amalia Fuentes (both my high school classmates), Ronaldo Valdez, Willie Revillame, and Marianne dela Riva. The school has also produced non-showbiz personalities such as Leddy Vidallon Cariño (also my classmate) who was the Dean of the UP College of Education for years before she passed away. Congresswoman Cynthia Villar of Paranaque (wife of Senator Manny Villar) is also a proud alumnus of the school,

which is known for its Christian-based education.

He has two brothers, the late Grandmas-ter Christopher (“Topher”) and Alex. He shared the same love for martial arts with his mentor, Topher, who unfortunately died in October last year. Together, they were part of a team that trained American soldiers who visited the country during the Philippine-USA Balikatan exercises. Unknown to Ronnie at that time, it was his expertise in martial arts and good looks that would open many doors to him in the future.

Ronnie’s other brother is Alex, who just returned from Afghanistan where he served in the U.S. Airborne and Civil Affairs.

His Life as an ActorRonnie started his career in the limelight

as a fashion model for high-end couturiers like Rudy Fuentes, Auggie Cordero, Mike de la Rosa, and Gerry Katigbak. Even before male models graced the life-size billboard ads in EDSA as they do now, the likes of Edu Manzano, Miguel Rodriguez, and Ronnie Ricketts were already into ramp modeling, showing off their good looks while flashing the creations of the big names in Philippine haute couture.

He was first noticed by RVQ, Dolphy’s

Balik-Tanaw II: The Filipino Stars

of Yesteryears

Read Dr. Romy Protacio’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Dr. Romy R. Protacio

Ronnie Ricketts: From Fame to Social Responsibility


Negotiations on increasing the debt ceiling include a proposal to change the formula for computing inflation that could impact the cost of living adjustments (COLA) paid to military retiree, Social Secu-rity recipients, disabled veterans and others. COLASs are currently determined based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is based on the changing cost of food, shelter, clothing, fuel, and other goods and services that consumers buy for day-today living. Lawmakers are discussing changing to new index, the so-called “chained CPI,” that takes into account the substitution that consumers make in response to changes in prices and may result in slightly reduced COLAs.

Veterans CornerProposed Changes to Cost of Living

Allowance (CPI)Fleet Reserve Association contin-

ues to monitor negotiations to reduce government spending particularly as proposals relate to military pay, health care, benefits and other quality-of-life programs.

Military retirees and other ben-eficiaries haven’t seen a COLA increase for the past two years, but many economists are estimating as much as a 3.5 percent increase to take effect in January 2012. The exact adjustment will be dependent on which index is used to determine inflation, which wouldn’t be deter-mined until mid-October 2011.

Henry Empeno Sr.Navy Relations Committee ChairFleet Reserve Association, Branch

84 San Diego

film production as a po-tential handsome action star. He was introduced in the film, “My Heart Belongs to Daddy”, where he was paired with Maricel Soriano. For some time, he was featured as a regular in

some of RVQ films, where he would often play action roles. Ronnie remembers how Dolphy used to say, “Pag fight scenes, bigay mo kay Ronnie, karatista yan!” He was casted in several Dolphy-Alma movie flicks such as the “Professor” series – “Crazy Professor” and “Good Morning, Professor”.

Eventually, he got offers from other film outfits such as Regal Films. Under Regal, he made “The Graduates” and “I Love You, I Hate You” with Maricel Soriano. His movies were a blend of

drama, comedy and action, although he was always at his best with action roles. He worked with other actions stars that were also at the peak of their careers- Lito Lapid, Dante Varona and Bong Revilla. His unforgettable portrayal was with Bong Revilla in the Imus Production’s “Sparrow Unit”, where he won an award as Best Supporting Actor.

He soon landed lead roles in movies such as “Baril Ko ang Uusig”, “Target: Maganto”, “Gapos Gang” and “Matira ang Matibay” to name a few, some of which he did with his own movie outfit, Rockets Productions. He had the chance to play opposite many leading ladies such as Beverly Vergel, Vina Morales, and his real life partner, Mariz.

His Venture into Film ProductionIn 1994, Ronnie started producing

movies through Rockets Productions. He was one of the youngest producers in tinsel town, who was able to produce quality films at reasonably low budgets. The company produced films which he himself wrote and directed. “Noon, para ma-infiltrate ko ang market, kailangan ako ang mag-produce, because nobody be-lieved in me at that time”, Ronnie fondly remembered.

He was finally able to prove that he can achieve what others did not think possible. One of his projects, “Mano Mano” (1995) was a testament of his creative talent – he wrote the script, did the lead role, directed and produced the movie, which became a big hit. The movie was so popular, that a follow-up was inevitable. There were two sequels to the film – “Mano Mano 2” and “Mano Mano 3”. Other films that he produced, line-produced and/or directed are “Uno” (2005), “Lagot ka sa Kuya Ko,” (2006),Mano-Mano 2 (2001), “Ang

Boyfriend Kong Pari” (co-produced with Tagalog Ilang-Ilang in 1999), “Hawak ko Buhay Mo” (line produced for Viva Films in 1998), Huwag Mong Isuko ang Laban” (1997), “Boy Buluran” (line produced for Neo Films in 1997), “Madaling Mamatay, Mahirap Mabuhay” (line produced for Neo Films in 1997), Matira ang Matibay: (line produced for Viva Films in 1997). He starred in over 50 movie hits. He garnered several awards and acclamations for his talent, creativity and efficiency. He also became one of the Past Presidents of the Film Actors Guild.

Through it all, Ronnie remained an un-assuming actor, director and producer who

valued self-discipline and clean living. He is well known for his strict work ethics that he also expected from the people who worked for him. He is against all forms of gambling and drinking during film shoots. He insists on punctuality and he sets a good example of being an efficient leader and team player, qualities which drove his success not just in the film industry but also in his other endeavors.

A Dedicated Family ManI don’t doubt that Ronnie must have

had several romantic affiliations before he settled down, but I did not really ask him about his past loves. He is happily married to Mariz, who is also his business partner and who handles the finance side of Rocketts Production. Mariz belonged to the stable of German Moreno’s talents, and for some time, she graced the radio waves with her musical talent. She also did a couple of films and currently co-hosts German Moreno’s “Walang Tulugan” TV show. Mariz has a current television series on Channel 5, “Ang Otol Hoodlum.”

Ronnie fondly recalls that it was ER Ejercito, (now Governor ER of Laguna), his best friend and movie contemporary, who introduced Mariz to him. “Si ER ang cupido -- siya ang nag-cupido sa amin ni Mariz,” Ronnie said. Ronnie remembers telling ER one day, “Pare, wala pa akong girlfriend, ihanap mo nga ako.” At that time, ER had a picture of Mariz and ER said, “Eto kilala ko ito.” Mariz was an aspiring singer back then and had not yet entered the movies. Love blossomed between the two and a wedding at the San Antonio Church in Forbes Park sealed their destinies together. Among their wedding sponsors were Ronnie Poe, Erap Estrada, Dolphy, German Moreno, and Inday Badiday. They are blessed with two daughters, Marella Rosabelle (16) and Raechelle Marie (13). Like all the other roles he handled in his professional life, Ronnie takes his roles as a husband and Dad seriously. Even with a very busy schedule, he squeezes in quality time with Mariz and their girls. He has not really encouraged his daughters to enter showbiz, but he sees a bit of him in them as they love sports also, the way he does.

A New Challenge in Government Service

In 2009, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Ronnie as the Chairman of the Optical Media Board (OMB). OMB is responsible in regulating the manufacture of optical media which includes films in CD and DVD formats, software, computer games, as well as CDs of local and foreign musicians. He succeeded other movie personalities – Edu

Our life and times

Read Sim Silverio’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Simeon G. Silverio Jr.

much-respected American television program “60 Minutes” to put to rest these speculations. The program, which normally featured three sto-ries per broadcast, devoted its entire hour to the issue that had captivated not only the interest of the Fantasy-landers but also people around the world.

The mysterious donor turned out to be a handsome sixty-year-old Fantasylander, who claimed to have made his fortune in Silicon Valley. Maximo Dullesco was an engineer who first worked in a start-up inter-net company and, through shrewd investments, was able to increase his assets to up to $10.5 billion. It was a credible story verified by financial records. Everything was legitimate as all his tax payments through the years were closely scrutinized. His was a success story only few people knew about, for he was modest and had maintained a very low profile just as he wanted. In fact, Fanta-sylanders were surprised to learn there was somebody else much

richer than the richest Fantasyland-ers that Forbes Magazine had been proclaiming through the years. Max Dullesco might be Fantasyland, but he was listed in Forbes’ tally as an American, a fact that turned out to be false since he had not relin-quished his Fantasyland citizenship despite migrating to America years ago. The magazine merely assumed he was American, and since the list had been dominated by Ameri-cans with only few Fantasylanders, he was able to fly under the radar completely unnoticed. It was a big surprise to many, especially the Fantasylanders.

As to his alleged links to Co-lumbian drug cartels? One of his investments turned out to be on a legitimate drug company that made a breakthrough in curing a particular childhood illness. The eager critics put together his base of operation in Miami, Florida, its proximity to Colombia where drug cartels were operating, and his investments in drugs, albeit legitimate drugs. Bi-ased critics looking to find fault on a person came up with a wrong prem-ise and ended up with an erroneous

conclusion.However, viewers were not disap-

pointed. There were other juicy parts of the story that entertained their imagination. When the “60 Minutes” interviewer asked Max’s children to come before the camera, two of his daughters reminded the viewers of one of the prettiest actresses in Hol-lywood. They learned the reason for this when the wife was introduced. Indeed, she was the very pretty actress they had in mind.

During the interview, Max ex-plained his desire to help his native country once and for all.

“I have made enough money and it’s about time to be of assistance to my people,” he said. “I have dis-cussed this with my family and they completely support me. I plan to set aside at least two billion dollars in projects that can help the country be on the road for development.”

“But how can your money make a difference when billions of dollars of aid had been given by other coun-tries with little effect?” the inter-viewer asked.

“I will do it my own may.”“How”“You’ll see,” he simply answered

and flashed an enigmatic smile.

THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEW PRESIDENT OF FANTASY-LAND WAS A BIG EVENT. At the grandstand where the inauguration was to be held, people all over the world watched on television as the VIPs arrived. Women in colorful native clothes, including the rela-tives and friends of the winners, plus the wives of government officials, trooped to their seats as if they were walking on the red carpet. Some pretty movie actresses, who sup-ported the newly-elected president, also got a chance to traipse up to their seats and show their wares. Some of them were interviewed by a lady television reporter as they left their cars, with their close up images flashing on the giant TV screen at the site, with TV sets all over the world tuned in to that program.

When things settled down, a black luxurious van pulled up in front of the grandstand. Two burly Israeli bodyguards got off and opened the rear door. They caught everyone’s attention as the scene was also projected on the TV screen. Out came Max Dullesco wearing a crispy barong tagalog. Two pretty women followed him: his actress wife and one of their daughters. The women looked so fabulous that whatever ad-miration the people had on the early arrivals, including the local movie stars, were dissipated. Clearly, the mother and daughter were the pretti-est women of them all! – AJ

(To be continued)

(Editor’s Note: To read the previ-ous and weekly installments of this series, visit www.asianjournalusa.com. Once there, click the “Editori-als” heading, then click “Fantasy Land by Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.” title to see the list of all previous chapters of the series. Click the title of the chapter you want to read and the article will appear.)

a deviation from other politicians. His mother, President Cory, was also misunderstood for being different from our past presidents, especially the dictator she had preceded.

Where most politicians would do anything and everything to attract media coverage and public atten-tion, P-Noy would rather keep his official contacts with media to what are required by the job. Where most politicians would subscribe to myth-making - Ferdinand Marcos as the most decorated Filipino war hero the best case in point - P-Noy will not project an image that he knows mis-represents his true person. By nature, P-Noy is self-effacing and would prefer to stay out of the limelight.

During the 2007 senatorial campaign, three of the Opposition candidates - Senators Manny Villar, Loren Legarda and then Tarlac Rep-resentative Noynoy Aquino — held a campaign sortie in the shopping plaza outside our subdivision. My wife Mey was there to shop and saw Senators Villar and Legarda in the thick of the crowd. To her surprise - Mey noticed that Noy was quietly standing at the sidelines as if he wasn’t a candidate for the Senate.




ASIAN JOURNALThe first Asian-Filipino weekly in Southern California

An award-winning newspaper, it is San Diego’s most widely circulated Asian-Filipino newspaper!

Ashley SilverioAssistant Editor

In Pursuit of ExcellenceEugenio “Ego” Osin, (1946 - 1994)

Joe Cabrera, (1924 - 1996)Soledad Bautista, (1917-2009)

Dr. Rizalino “Riz” Oades, (1935-2009)

The Asian Journal is published weekly and distrib-uted in all Asian communties in San Diego County. Publication date is every Friday of the month. Adver-tising deadline is Thursday prior to publication date at 5 p.m. For advertising rates, rate cards, or information, call (619) 474-0588. Subscription by mail is available for $50 per year (56 issues). The Asian Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photo-graphs but welcomes submissions. Entire content is © 2011 copyrighted material by Asian Journal. Materi-als in this publication may not be reproduced without specific permission from the publisher.

Genevieve SilverioManaging Editor

Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.Publisher & Editor

Miles BeauchampAssociate Editor

Santi SilverioAssociate Publisher

At Large...

Miles is Assistant to the Dean and Assistant Professor in the Shirley Hufstedler School of Education at Alliant International University where he teaches new media and diverse writing courses. He has been with the Asian Journal since the 1990’s.

by Miles Beauchamp

by Dr. Ofelia Dirige Founder, President & CEO Kalusugan

Community Services. www.filamwellness.org

Contemporary Asian American Issues

Perspectives

Missing a print edition of the Asian Journal? Read the digital edition at www.asianjournalusa.com/digital

855,605 reads on scribd.com/asianjournal

by Dr. Ofelia Dirige, Joel San Juan and Fe Seligman

“Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is progress; Work-ing together is success.” -- Henry Ford

We are all aware of the economic recession that has been going on for so many years and sometimes we think it will never end. Some are able to make it and survive; how-ever, many more are almost at the end of their ropes with no hope in sight except their reliance totally on God. In times of economic down-turn, there are many ways that an organization can do to survive. They can cut personnel and have them work part time, recruit more volun-teers, streamline their operations so that management is more efficient, diversify sources of funding, and establish networks or collaborations. Kalusugan Community Services (KCS) have been doing all this for some time now because of the un-certainty of their budget situation.

Collaborations or coalitions are an organization of individuals repre-senting diverse groups, factions, or constituencies who agree to work together to achieve a common goal. They combine their human and material resources to effect a social change the members are unable to bring about independently. Collab-orative efforts are an emerging force for change. As more communities try to change their health and social systems to make them responsive to

Kalusugan And Operation Samahan: A Resurrected

Collaborationtheir needs, collaborative efforts are becoming recognized as powerful vehicles for transformation. They are necessary to a group’s existence and more so during times of economic recession.

Building a coalition is an art that calls for distinctive attitudes and skills. Maintaining the coalition re-quires that individuals and groups be willing to overcome their feelings of separateness and powerlessness and to join forces with others in a spirit of mutual understanding, patience, flexibility and group sensitivity.

According to the late Dr. Riz Oades,” coalitions are a relatively new phenomenon to Filipinos and it will remain as such for sometime because Filipinos tend to form new associations and then split into two groups, usually owing to internal power struggles. Such propensity partly explains why there is a pro-liferation of Filipino organizations in America. In San Diego there are 200 associations (as contrasted to 17 in 1970), and the number keeps on growing.”

History of Collaboration

Project Kalusugan (Good Health) was a pioneering coalition of com-munity leaders and health profes-sionals that was formed in 1992. It was spearheaded by San Diego State University Graduate School of Pub-lic Health and Department of His-tory represented by Professor Ofelia Dirige, DrPH, RD and Professor Riz Oades, PhD; Operation Samahan in

National City, represented by Joel San Juan, Executive Director; and Council of Philippine American Organizations (COPAO), headed by Paul Ones, former President.

Project Kalusugan was established in response to a request for proposal (RFP) from the California Depart-ment of Health Services (CDHS) for the fiscal year 1992-93. The purpose was to develop a coalition that will conduct a needs assessment of the Filipino American (FilAm) com-munity and develop intervention programs for them. Project Ka-lusugan’s mission was to advocate for change conducive to a healthy FilAm lifestyle and to help the local community build its problem-solv-ing ability, leadership, and health promotion program.

The coalition was successful in mobilizing the community and conducting the assessment. They utilized literature surveys, focus groups, written surveys, clinical survey of Operation Samahan, and community forums to determine the health needs of the population. Re-sults of the assessment showed that cancer, heart disease, and diabetes were the major adult concerns as well as mental problems of the youth such as gangs, suicide, teen preg-nancy, and school dropouts.

After the first year of the project in 1994, the coalition separated into the three separate components. The SDSU group became KCS, Operation Samahan decided to be a separate entity due to conflict of interest, and COPAO remained as the umbrella organization. Be-cause of the success of the original coalition, the remaining members of the coalition decided to apply as a non-profit community organization or have a 501 (c ) 3 status in 1995 and changed its name to Kalusugan Community Services (KCS). During this time contact existed between the three organizations but not as a coalition. It is sad that this hap-

pened because more could have been accomplished if the coalition were continued and remained intact.

Subsequently, KCS was able to ob-tain funding to support its programs of preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and social programs for youth. Its major emphasis is on preventing chronic diseases by improving nutrition and increasing physical activity. Most of the funding were from government (state, city & county), private foun-dations (The California Endowment and The California Wellness Foun-dation), and individual donations.

In 2004, KCS established the Filipino American Wellness Cen-ter (FWC) in National City to be the site of a comprehensive health promotion, disease prevention, and wellness program. It has four major components: Community service, Advocacy, Research and Training (CART). Activities included dis-semination of information; blood pressure screening and referral; nutrition and physical activities; health education workshops; and inter-generational cultural activities (Filipino American Arts & Cultural Festival). Up to 2009, KCS has obtained approximately $4 million in funding.

Resurrection of the Collabora-tion

Operation Samahan, Inc, is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike in San Diego County. Samahan, in Tagalog, means working together. As a multi-service provider, it offers primary care, dental, and multi-faceted human services to the uninsured, to in-sured, and underserved individuals and families of all income levels regardless of their ability to pay. It offers culturally competent services through staff that speaks the follow-ing languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Visayan, Spanish, Laotian, Hindi,

Bengali, Russian, Dutch, Thai, Viet-namese, and Mandarin.

Operation Samahan (OS) was founded in 1973 within the FilAm community of SD County by a volunteer group of Filipino health professionals and community leaders who sought to help Filipino se-niors that did not have the finances, linguistic skills or ability to navigate through the health care system. It has evolved into a diverse commu-nity health center that now operates ambulatory primary care in three locations. OS is funded by govern-ment (federal, state, city, county), private foundations (TCE, TCWF, Tides Foundation, Alliance Health Care Fd, Kaiser) and other private organizations. KCS and OS has been collaborating since 1995 in activities such as writing letters of support to federal agencies, funders and legisla-tors and in grant-writing.

In 2010, KCS and OS strengthened their partnership through the Asian Pacific Islander Network (APICHN), an ancillary program of OS. The network is a partnership of nine community partners consisting of: a health care industry (Operation Sa-mahan, Inc); the academia (Institute of Public Health- San Diego State University); a social service agency with focus on legal and immigra-tion issues (ACCESS, Inc.); and six ethnic nonprofit community orga-nizations representing the diverse API community in SD: Filipinos (Kalusugan Community Services), Laotians (Lao American Coalition), Cambodians (Victoria House Cor-poration), Native Hawaiians (Pacific American Education Scholastic Foundation), Samoans (Samoan Athlete’s Group), and Chamorros (Che’lu, Inc).

The network aims to address dis-parities among the API communities in SD by understanding the differ-ences and commonalities of health beliefs and behaviors between them and to further the discussion and

dialogue of these issues by providing accessible information and resources driven by grass root participatory research.

The resurrected collaboration be-tween OS and KCS through the net-work has enabled these two Filipino agencies to launch effective cultur-ally competent resources that extend far beyond the Filipino community. Both agencies are now sharing their expertise to the diverse API com-munity in SD. OS recruited KCS to work with the FilAm population in San Diego (SD) as they have been working with this population for al-most 20 years with Dr. Dirige, Presi-dent and CEO, as representative. As part of her expertise in nutrition, she screened, tested and modified

(low in fat, salt, cholesterol, sugar) native recipes from the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Hawaii, Samoa, and Guam. These modified dishes and served during the community forum held in June 2011. A com-ment is that, “ It’s good to know that healthy food can also be so deli-cious.”

In addition, a booklet entitled, “Food and Culture: Asian Ameri-can and Pacific Islander Cuisine & Recipes” was published and given to the participants. This booklet is available from OS at a very minimal cost. Please call Kristin Noonan (619) 474-4008 to order. KCS will continue its collaboration with OS this coming year by developing a manual and brochure on “Healthy Eating and Active Living for Filipi-nos” that will include a guide as well as a leaflet on the above subject.

Meanwhile, OS in partnership with the Pacific American Academy, a K-8 charter school and a project of the Pacific American Education Scholastic Foundation (PSESF), has been awarded a half a million grant to establish a school-based health center within the school campus of PAA. This is a historic moment of pooling resources of two ethnic communities (Filipino and Pacific Islanders) into a long-term, tan-gible project that benefits the larger community. The new school-based health center will provide cultur-

Perhaps it’s the changing of the seasons from summer to fall. Even in Southern California the weather is start-ing to change; to become a bit crisper, a little less like the softness of summer.

Whatever the reason, my thoughts seem to turn to islands around this time of year. I start to read travel sites more often and check airfares hoping … hop-ing … hoping…

If I could just figure out a way to get the paper to send me on assignment to Tahiti.

Tetiaroa

In looking at the islands you finally come across Tetiaroa. “The mysterious island jewel of Tetiaroa, meaning “who stands apart” in Tahitian, is a 4.5-mile wide atoll and is located just 36.5 miles north of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti. It is probably most famously known for its now deceased legendary owner, Hol-lywood actor Marlon Brando.

In 1965, Brando fell in love with the pristine atoll while shooting the film

“Mutiny on the Bounty.” He decided to purchase the atoll for a 99-year lease, build a small runway and a hotel with 13 bungalows exclusively for guests. Being an advocate of protecting the environment, Brando conserved the original appeal of this magnificent and peaceful atoll.

The atoll, which consists of 12 motu (small islets) with poetic names like “shimmering sand,” “still hand” and

“traveler’s friend,” is in itself a world apart.

It is surrounded by a protective coral reef with no opening to the sea, keeping the water of the lagoon warmer than anywhere else and thus creating one of the richest marine life habitats in the world.

A royal playground

Today, Tetiaroa is a pristine and untouched atoll, having resisted tour-ism and development due to its private and exclusive ownership status over the years. This enchanted atoll is also known for being home to one of Tahiti’s only protected bird sanctuaries as well as an intact and healthy environment.

The atoll once known as “Te-Tua-Roa” – meaning “high tide” - was con-sidered somewhat a royal playground for the wealthy and upper class as it used to be a summer residence or pri-vate getaway for various ruling families, ari’i (chiefs), and kings of Tahiti over the years. Legends from ancient times tell of royal treasures that were hidden on the atoll.

The Bounty

In 1789, three deserters from the Bounty became the first Europeans to visit the island during the ship’s 23-week stay in Tahiti. It was after their

Tahiti: Mysterious island jewel of Tetiaroa

departure that the famous “Mutiny on the Bounty” took place.

In 1904, the royal Pomare family of Tahiti gave the island to Johnston Walter Williams, a dentist and British Consul who had moved to Papeete in 1902. As a private island, Tetiaroa changed hands a few times before being acquired by Marlon Brandon in 1965, after filming “Mutiny on the Bounty.”

Being a fervent protector of the

environment, Brando worked hard to conserve the original charm of the atoll by resisting large-scale commercial developments, which were always being presented to him.

The only hotel that ever operated on the island was owned by Marlon Brando and was shut down shortly after his death. The hotel, known as Hotel Tetiaroa Village, was an exclusive place offering rather basic amenities at upscale prices. Its 13 thatched-roof bun-galows “fares” were most sought after by wealthy honeymooners and newly-weds. Teihotu, Brando’s son, used to run the hotel and is currently Tetiaroa’s only official inhabitant.

The Brando

Today, an eco-friendly hotel project in homage to Marlon Brando is in the works - “The Brando.” This was Bran-do’s vision to create a project, which will resonate with visitors and also foster opportunities for guests to get to know both the place, the environment and the people of French Polynesia.

The project is being overseen by Tahiti Beachcomber SA, whose CEO, Richard Bailey, owner of several luxury resorts in French Polynesia, was a good friend of Brando’s and had been work-ing with him for many years to fulfill their joint vision to develop an environ-

mentally sustainable resort. Bailey has experience with other

sustainable projects in French Polynesia as he owns four InterContinental resorts in the region, utilizing eco-friendly practices. Pacific Beachcomber hopes to make Tetiaroa a prototype for sustain-able development in the hospitality industry and remains committed to the goal of attaining LEED Platinum certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The two principal renewable energies that will be used on the island include solar panels and bio-fuel generators. The photovoltaic (solar) panels will be installed alongside Pacific Beachcomb-er’s new airstrip, which was completed in May 2010. The balance of the energy demand will be sourced using bio-fuel.

Another fundamental component of Tetiaroa’s goal of energy autonomy is the installation of a seawater air con-ditioning (SWAC) system, which uses cold water pumped from 930 meters (nearly 3,000 feet) below the surface to cool the water used in the resort’s air-conditioning system. Given the year-round tropical climate in French Poly-nesia, air conditioning can account for

up to 50% of electricity consumption. SWAC significantly reduces the demand for electricity and will further Pacific Beachcomber’s goal of creating a 100% renewable energy community. This will be the second industrial SWAC system in the world; the first is located at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa, also part of the com-pany’s wide portfolio.

The resort’s system has saved approxi-mately 2,500 tons of carbon dioxide per year since it was installed in 2006. The construction on The Brando has of-ficially begun with completion slated for late 2012.

Construction of the luxury eco-resort has commenced with the official autho-rization from the Tahitian government after several years of studying the im-pact of construction on the environment. The Brando will feature: 47 deluxe bun-galow villas (each with private plunge pools), a spa, fitness center, community pool, as well as various island activities including scuba diving and archaeologi-cal tours of royal Tahitian sites.”

Tahiti Tourisme North America Email: [email protected] Website: www.Tahiti-Tour-isme.com


by Atty. Susan V. Perez

Immigration 911

Read Atty. Susan Perez’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

Work Visas/Green Cards thru Employment• Family Visas• Student, Trainee, Tourist, Investors, Visas • Reinstatement of Petition • Deportation Defense• International Adoption• Appeals, Motions to Reopen/Reconsider• Battered/Abused Spouse• I-601 Waivers (Hardship)• Consular Support in Manila•

IMMIGRATION (619) 819-8648Speak directly with an Attorney

The Law Offi ces of SUSAN V. PEREZ offer the following services:

We also handle ALL PHILIPPINE cases and have an offi ce in Manila to service your needs there.

*Susan Perez is a licensed attorney both in the State of California and the Philippines. She has eighteen (18) years of combined experience in both jurisdictions in the areas of Immigration, Family, Appellate, Juvenile Dependency, Civil, Criminal, Labor, Contracts, Tax, and Business Law. She is also admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit of the Court of Appeals, and the District Courts of Southern California and Central District of California.

Nagsasalita ng Tagalog asin Bicol.

By Appointment only from 9:00 to 5:30, Monday thru Friday.

San Diego Offi ce: Manila Offi ce:625 Broadway, Suite 1015 Suite 2502-A East TowerSan Diego CA 92101 Philippine Stock Exchange CentreTel. No. (619) 819-8648 Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig CityFax No. (619) 923-9555 Tel. Nos.: (632) 687-2565 / 687-9851 Email: [email protected] Fax No.: (632) 687-2565

Atty. Susan V. Perez

Visit our website: www.law-usimmigration.com

"Se Habla Espanol"

Tuloy PoKayo

Tel: (619) 477-5643 • Suite # 5

V i e t n a m e s eNoodle House

Permanent Make-up and Skin Care

TESS R. REYESREALTOR

(619) 477-4173 • FAX: (619) 477-4819CELL: (619) 252-8377

MEDICAL CENTEREDNA M. BAY, R.P.T.(619) 474-3294 • Suite 14

Nesty and Elvie Arbulante(619) 477-1666 • Fax (619) 477-1690Specializing in Women’s Clothing and Gift Items

SUITE 10

ELVIE’SBOUTIQUE

Bernardita N. Lizan, D.M.D.

550 E. 8th St., Ste. #12National City, CA 91950

Tel. (619) 477-7570

San Diego

Asian JournalLJ Printing

(619) 474-0588 - Asian Journal(619) 474-1878 LJ Printing

Fax: (619) 474-0373Suite # 6

Quality Custom Framing

Manny I. MiclatOwner

(619) 477-2010Suite # 7

NOBLE PREMIUMS, INC.GENERAL SUPPLIES/INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

“Excellence through Quality and Service”Phone: (619) 477-4387

550 E. 8th Street, Suite #1

(619) 336-1880 Of fice(619) 575-2598 Home(619) 336-1891 Fa x

600 E. 8th St., Suite #1

ED PASIMIORealtor - Broker

ROSE PASIMIORealtor - Owner

OLD SCHOOLHOUSE SQUARE

Gra

phic

sby

The

Filip

ino

Pre

ss

“Your Little Manila Shopping Center”

550 East 8th Street Suite 3

AMY’SHAIR SALON

550 East 8th St. #16 (619) 477-1795

MabuhayTailoring & Cleaners

DYNAMICProperties & Investments

(619) 336-0761 • Ste. 15FULL SERVICE SALON • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Hair design • ColoringNail service • Perms

General Dentistry

Law Offices ofA. Erwin Bautista

Attorney at Law

550 E. 8th St. #11National City, CA 91950

(619) 474-7755 • Fax (619) 474-0051

24 HOUR REMITTANCETel: (619) 336-1112

Hours: 9-6 M to F • 9-1 Sat.

LUCKYMONEY

Specializing in: Military Uniforms,Embroidery Name Plates and Patches

and Mounting Medals

– Produce, Seafood, Meat –Open 7 Days a Week • 8:30 am - 7:30 pm

(619) 477-7954

WORLD-CLASS REALTY, INC.Ellen Nobles-Sexsion

Tel: (619) 336-4885

��

�

� �

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS FORBANQUETS UP TO 100 PERSONS, CALL (619) 477-8512

• C L O S E D O N M O N D AY S •

Fried Chicken and Filipino Cuisine None Can Compare.

Comevisit us!

Tuesdays & WednesdaysBUY ONE & GET ONE

50% OFF ONFRIED CHICKEN

from 11:00am to 2:00pm ONLY**Some Restrictions apply. Void on holidays and special days like Valentines Day, Christmas Day, Father’s Day etc.

MELINDA S. CASASOwner

(619)474-9640 • 550 E. 8th St. #17

MSC Physician Billing Services, Inc.

500-600 E. 8th St. National City, CA 91950 (7-Blocks East of I-5)

(619) 474-2300

MANANSALAINSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

• BOOKKEEPING • TAX PREPARATION •• NOTARY PUBLIC •

LOURDES B. MANANSALAAGENT/ BROKER/REALTOR

TEL: (619) 477-9709RES: (619) 428-4191

SUITE # 2

COIN LAUNDRYFluff & Fold

(619) 477-8613

Filipino Desserts & Turo-TuroSuite #9 (619) 434-6255

Pan-de-sal Bakery& Barbeque

Coming soon!Expansion &Frozen Yogurt

Coming soon!Expansion &Frozen Yogurt

600 E. 8th St., Suite # 3

Of fice: (619) 477-0940Fa x: (619) 477-1024email: [email protected]

Your Key to the Filipino Community

NEW!

Get the best results for your

CLASSIFIED AD via Asian Journal’s

online+digital+print editions.

Call 619.474.0588

IMMIGRATION 911 by Atty. Susan V. Perez | SAN DIEGO, 10/7/2011 --

The U.S. Citizenship and Immi-gration Services (USCIS) denied the employment-based immigrant visa petition filed by SRL on be-half of Maritess. The denial was reversed on appeal and the petition was approved. SRL is engaged in food processing business that sells frozen whipped topping products to wholesalers, retailers, and food service distributors. SRL wanted to employ Maritess permanently in the United States as a Quality Assurance Manager/Research and Develop-ment Specialist. The Director of USCIS denied the petition because Maritess was not qualified for the position. The Director said Maritess does not possess a U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree in food service. The specific issue on appeal was whether Maritess’ Ph.D. in agriculture and forestry specializing in dairy tech-nology qualifies for the position of food technologist. A food technolo-gist is in charge of researching and

developing dairy and non-dairy-based food products and for which a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in food science is required.

In the labor certification filed by SRL, it indicated that the qualifica-tions for the position are: 1) Four-year bachelor’s degree in food sci-ence; and 2) two years experience in the job offered or as a research sci-entist. The records show that Mari-tess graduated from University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) with Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Master of Science degree in Animal Science. She also has a Ph.D. in dairy technology from the University of Melbourne. Mari-tess credentials were evaluated by an accredited evaluation agency, which found that her Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree in Animal Science from UPLB as being the equivalent of a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sci-ence from a regionally accredited educational institution in the United States. The evaluation does not state that Maritess possesses a foreign equivalent Bachelor’s degree in food science and the labor certification, as certified, does not demonstrate that SRL would accept a degree in a field other than food science. To determine whether a beneficiary is eligible for a preference immigrant visa, USCIS must ascertain whether the alien is, in fact, qualified for the

job specified in the labor certifica-tion. USCIS will not accept a de-gree equivalent or unrelated degree when a labor certification expressly requires a candidate with a specific degree. USCIS will not and should not ignore the term of the labor certi-fication, nor it may impose addi-tional requirements. In this case the labor certification expressly requires a bachelor degree in food science.

USCIS uses evaluations by credentials evaluation organization of a person’s foreign education as an advisory opinion only. In this case the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) gave less weight to the evaluations because they were inconsistent. The AAO reviewed the Electronic Database for Global Edu-cation (EDGE) created by AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. EDGE is a web-based resource for evaluation of foreign educational credentials. Authors for EDGE are not merely expressing their personal opinions. Rather, they must work

with publication consultant and a Council Liaison with AACRAO’s National Council on Evaluation of Foreign Educational Credentials. According to EDGE a bachelor’s de-gree and a master’s degree from the Philippines and a Ph.D. from Austra-lia represent a comparable amount of education in the United States. The AAO noted that the Department of Labor (DOL) categorized the position offered under Food Tech-nologist and Food Scientists, which generally require a graduate or mas-ter’s degree. The offered position’s duties include research projects on developing non-dairy based foods and formulating and developing new products that may include non-dairy/dairy-based products. Maritess’ specialized graduate work and Ph.D. thesis involved dairy technology, specifically, “studies on chemical, enzymatic and physical character-istics of reconstituted UHT milk: effects of raw milk and powder stor-age”. The AAO said Maritess Ph.D. rendered her aptly qualified for the position. It further said: “The ben-eficiary’s education correlates to the education required by the position. Thus, the beneficiary does possess a degree in the correct field for the position as her degree in agriculture and forestry with specialization in dairy technology has prepared her to perform the required job duties of food technologist for the petitioner.

Filipino Won Appeal from Denial of his Work Visa

DOL’s standardized occupational standards support the premise set forth by the petitioner that food science is a broad field, encompass-ing numerous specialty degrees, such as the beneficiary’s credentials. The beneficiary does have a United States baccalaureate degree or a foreign equivalent degree to food science and meets the requirements of the labor certification, and, thus, does qualify for preference visa clas-sification.”

We welcome your feedback. If you have any immigration questions, please feel welcome to email me at HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected] or call 619 819 -8648 to arrange for a telephone consultation.


The last time I was involved in the process of amending the Philippine Constitution was sometime before the end of the term of Philippine Presi-dent Fidel Ramos.

I remember making a presentation to a group of infl uential men in the President’s circle namely; National Security Adviser Jose Almonte, former Senator and Foreign Affairs Secretary Raul Manglapus, and then Budget Secretary Salvador Enriquez. The latter arranged the meeting after sponsoring a series of seminars that I ran for a group of young lead-ers at the Club Filipino. Upon my recommendation these youth leaders decided to organize a Philippine People’s Parliament as a way of insti-tutionalizing People Power through the Constitutional and Statutory provisions on People’s Initiative.

As I explained, the People’s Initia-tive would make the youth or other Filipino citizens who participate Members of the Parliament or Con-gress, Provincial Board Members, Municipal Councilors and/or Baran-gay Councilmen at the same time. This is because it would allow them to amend the Constitution; make, re-peal, and amend national laws; make, repeal and amend provincial board resolutions; make, repeal, and amend municipal ordinances; and make, repeal, and amend Barangay resolu-tions. They can even recall local offi cials. They will also earn the title, MPP (Member, People’s Parliament).

They are empowered by mere LAGDA or signature even without being elected!

I agreed with the wise and famous men above that it would benefi t the country to allow President Fidel Ra-mos who had a successful presidency to run for re-election by proposing a Constitutional amendment. However,

it was my contention that it would be wiser to offer other amendments including economic ones as well.

My real interest was more on test-ing the People’s Initiative as the legal institutional substitute for People Power in the streets. The process would have allowed us to build a network up to the Barangay/Precinct level, which in effect was effective party-building. This specifi cally in-terested Senator Manglapus who was the President of Lakas-NUCD-CMD at the time.

Only the term extension amend-ment was proposed. Former president Cory Aquino and the Catholic Church opposed it. Understandably, they thought it was too early to amend the Constitution. Then Vice-President Erap Estrada, Speaker de Venecia and other Presidential hopefuls opposed it for obvious reasons.

It would have been a good test. Ramos was preparing us toward industrialization and to an almost “Dragon or Tiger” status as we approached the 21st Century. Cory Aquino was a transition President. We were still recovering from the economic shambles caused by the Marcos Dictatorship. Six years were not enough to rebuild and to institute reforms. The would-be successors did not provide much hope.

Furthermore, as Senator Mangla-pus said, “If the process is allowed to prosper, those who oppose have several opportunities to fi ght it. First, they can go against the signature campaign; second, if there are suf-fi cient signatures, they can campaign against it during the plebiscite or ratifi cation; and if the amendment is passed, they can campaign and vote against Ramos’ re-election.”

Indeed, democracy in action, it would have been!

There are now moves to amend at least the economic provisions of the Philippine Constitution. Led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, there seems to be a consensus in Con-gress that a Constituent Assembly be formed with the objective of amend-ing the economic provisions of the Constitution.

Specifi cally targeted are the restric-tive economic provisions that affect foreign direct investments in land; in the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources; in media; in public utilities and even in tertiary education.

There is also the move to liberal-ize the practice of one’s profession in accordance with the principle of reciprocity. Example: If the Califor-nia State Bar and / or Hawaii State Bar allow licensed Filipino lawyers to practice in either or both states, their licensed lawyers would also be allowed to practice in the Philippines.

The economic objectives are to grow our economy; to attract foreign investments, and to attain full em-ployment.

The Philippines Board of Invest-ments claims that in order for the country to have a GDP growth rate of 7% annually, it must attract at least $7 billion foreign investments yearly as opposed to a mere $2 billion currently. Compared to the foreign investments attracted by Indonesia, which averages $10 billion annu-ally and by Vietnam’s $6 billion, the Philippines is almost pitiful. This is despite our supposed advantage of having an English-speaking and skill-ful labor force.

“Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” is actually a good start. Foreign investors would like to deal with an honest government and less red tape. American and other foreign investors are also covered by their national Anti-Corrupt Practices Acts.

To generate employment, we must industrialize. We must attract invest-ments not just in industries but also in infrastructure development and innovation.

Less restrictive regulations will en-courage an increase in tourism, trade, technology transfer and targeted training. .

The debate on the proposed amend-ments should start soon. I look forward to joining the discussion!

Ps, Is, Ts

Los Angeles, CA (October 3, 2011) - ES Advertising, a full-service ad-vertising agency specializing in the Asian American market is the recipi-ent of 3 EMMA Awards.According to NAMIC, the EMMA is awarded to cable industry’s marketing leaders commitment to maintaining best practices, while developing creative, strategic and innovative approaches to ethnic-targeted marketing. The competition is comprised of two award categories: Marketing Tactics and Case Studies/Campaigns. A judging panel of independent in-dustry experts evaluated entries and selected all winners based on sound and innovative strategy, strength of execution against the strategy, evaluations of strategy, implemen-tation and results. Deviating from the traditional “best of” competi-tion method, each entry was judged against a standard of excellence and

ES Advertising Takes Home 3 EMMAs (Excellence In Multi-Cultural Marketing Awards) at the 25th Annual NAMIC Conference on October 5th, 2011 in New York

not against other entrants, resulting in the potential for zero to multiple winners in each category.

ES Advertising took 1st place in “Print Marketing Tactics” category with print ad “Free Quality Time” creative targeting the Filipino American community, 3rd place in “Television Marketing Tactics” with “Family Unity/Connected” 60 sec spots created for the Mandarin preferred Chinese American com-munity, and 3rd place in “Direct Mail Marketing Tactic” with “1 Month Free of Pinoy Entertainment” created for the Filipino American community.

“It is such an honor to win an award for each creative we submit-ted for this competition. We are deeply thankful to our client Time Warner Cable for giving us this op-portunity and for their dedication to be culturally “brand” relevant with

each of the different Asian seg-ments”, said Sandra Lee, President and CEO of ES Advertising.

2011 EMMA winners will be ac-knowledged during the 25th Annual NAMIC Conference on October 5th at the Hilton New York in Manhat-tan.

About ES Advertising

Established in 1999, ES Advertis-ing, Inc. is a full-service advertising and PR agency specializing in the Asian American market. Since 2005, ES Advertising has been ranked as one of the Top 10 Asian American advertising agencies by Advertis-ing Age. Clients include California Bank & Trust, Comcast, Walt Disney Home Entertainment and Time War-ner Cable. For more information, please visit www.esadvertising.net and www.twitter.com/esadvertising.

Missing a print edition of the Asian Journal? Read the digital edition at www.asianjournalusa.com/digital

855,605 reads on scribd.com/asianjournal



Business News

sdge.com/assistance

One call can enroll you in two programs

so if you qualify for CARE, we’ll check to see

if you’re eligible for free appliances and

other upgrades for

your home from

our Energy Team.

© 2010 San Diego Gas & Electric Company. All copyright and trademark rights reserved.

Helping you save.

Get free services and

appliances from

SDG&E’s Energy Team.

Whether you rent or

own a house, apartment,

condo or mobile home,

you may qualify for new

appliances, energy-

efficient lighting, sealing

for doors and windows,

minor home repairs,

and more.

24-hour assistance is available

from SDG&E representatives. If

you need help paying your bill,

we offer a variety of options,

including payment arrangements.

Call 1.800.411.7343.

Up to 35% Savings on Your Bill

Save up to 35% on your bill through our CARE

program. You may qualify if you’re on a limited

income or have lost your job. On average, families

save over $275 a year. Have your account number

handy and apply online or call 1.877.646.5525.

SAN DIEGO & LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2011 –San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) have entered into an agreement with The Greenlining Institute outlining work-force- and supplier-diversity goals for the next four years.

The agreement will go into ef-fect on Jan. 1, 2012, and replaces an existing agreement between the utilities and The Greenlining Institute that has been in place since 2007. The new agreement calls for SDG&E and SoCalGas to achieve even higher levels of employee and supplier diversity than called for under the existing agreement.

“At SDG&E and SoCalGas, di-versity is more than a goal—it’s part of our corporate DNA. We are very proud of the positive impacts we have made on the diverse communi-ties in our service territory, and rec-ognize that we can always raise the bar even higher,” said Lee Schavr-ien, senior vice president of finance, regulatory and legislative affairs for SDG&E and SoCalGas. “The Greenlining Institute has proven to be an effective partner in helping enhance our outreach to underserved communities and we look forward to further building upon the remark-able diversity achievements we’ve attained in recent years.”

Among the goals agreed upon, SDG&E and SoCalGas will aim to

award 32 percent of all supplier con-tracts to diverse business enterprises. Over the past 11 years, the utilities have increased their spending with diverse suppliers more than six-fold to $615 million from $93 million.

Today, more than half of the workforce at SDG&E and SoCalGas is comprised of minorities—from the front-line field employees to the leadership team. Over the next four years, SDG&E and SoCalGas have committed to continue striving to reflect the Southern California labor market by ethnic classification at every level of the organization.

“Greenlining believes in the exper-tise and integrity of the SDG&E and SoCalGas leadership teams and the core values that support these goals” said Orson Aguilar, executive direc-tor of The Greenlining Institute. He added, “SDG&E and SoCalGas have made it clear that diversity, when done right, positively impacts the bottom line of corporations.”

Underscoring the utilities’ efforts to prioritize building a diverse 21st century energy economy, a goal was set to work toward achieving 15 percent of Smart Grid procurement from diverse business enterprises. Additionally, the utilities plan to in-crease the level of philanthropic giv-ing to underserved communities to reach 67 percent of total giving, and

to invest $650,000 annually over the term of the agreement in technical assistance and business development programs targeting diverse business enterprises.

About San Diego Gas & ElectricSan Diego Gas & Electric

(SDG&E) is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reli-able energy service to 3.5 million consumers through 1.4 million elec-tric meters and more than 850,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The util-ity’s area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to creating ways to help our customers save energy and money every day.

About Southern California Gas Co. Southern California Gas Co. (So-

CalGas) has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 20.9 million consumers connected through nearly 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company’s service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. Both SDG&E and SoCal Gas are subsidiaries of

SDG&E, SoCalGas Aim To Raise The Bar With New Diversity Goals

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL 10/08/20111272567-PAPC57177RADCHH

6.466” x 7.25”Wendy DeHaas v.5

www.rchsd.orgEOE M/F/D/V

It’s not just caring about children that makes our staff so special. It’s our dedication to specialized training and sensitivity that is perfected by caring for children 100 percent of the time. As the region’s only pediatric trauma center, Rady Children’s cares for children with the most severe medical emergencies to those with mild illnesses.

We are recognized by Parent’s Magazine as one of the best places to work and by U.S.News & World Report as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the U.S. Our current openings include:

• Assessment Specialist• Audiologist• Business Systems Analysts• Lead Network Engineer• Lead Storage Engineer• Manager, Coding Compliance• Nurse Practitioner – Critical Care• RN Care Coordinators• RN Case Manager – Per Diem• RNs – Critical Care, ED, Hem/Onc, NICU,

Home Care

• RN Clinical Research Coordinator• RN Telephone Triage Nurse• Program Manager, MPF• Project Manager, Revenue Cycle• Report Writer• Respiratory Therapist• School Nurse – Per Diem• Speech Pathologists• Sr. Director, Principal Gifts• Sr. Director, Patient Revenue Cycle• Surgical Technologist

For more information on these and other Allied Health & RN openings or to apply, visit us online at: www.rchsd.org or call toll free: (800) 869-5627.


SDG&E,SoCalGas New Diversity Goals(Continued from page 9)

Get the best results for your CLASSIFIED AD with our 3-in-1 PRICE offer via

online+digital+print editions. Only from the Asian Journal

619.474.0588

Read previous articles by visiting our website at www.asian-journalusa.com

by Atty. Rogelio Karagdag, Jr.Member, State Bar of California & Integrated Bar of the Philippines

Phil - Am Law 101

LUNCH - $6.99Monday - Saturday

10:30 am - 3:50 pmChildren 2-11 $0.60 per year

DINNER - $9.89Monday - Saturday

3:50 pm - 9:30 pmChildren 2-11 $0.80 per year

HOLIDAY & SUNDAY

All Day $9.893:50 pm - 9:30 pm

Children 2-11 $0.80 per year

buffet to go | combo to go | party room | party tray

SODA $0.99 (FREE REFILL)

Beijing Royal Buffet4 Euclid Ave., Ste. A-C, National City, CA 91950Used to be New Town Express Chinese RestaurantInside Wrigley’s Shopping Center at the corner of Euclid Ave. & Division St.

TEL: 619. 266.8888 FAX: 619.266.8008BUSINESS HOURS: Sunday - Thursday 10:30 am - 9:30 pm Friday & Saturday 10:30 am - 10:00 pm

CRAB LEG for every DINNER.

CRAB LEG & OYSTERfor FRIDAY & SATURDAY

DINNER ANDSUNDAY ALL DAY!!

SENIOR CITIZEN 60+

10 % OFFCatering PartyAll Welcome

$2 OFFfor more than

$20.00spending

Exp. 10.22.11

$3 OFFfor more than

$30.00spending*

Exp. 10.22.11

$5 OFFfor more than

$50.00spending*

Exp. 10.22.11

$10 OFFfor more than

$100.00spending*

Exp. 10.22.11

$20 OFFfor more than

$200.00spending*

Exp. 10.22.11

10%OFFfor more than

10 adultsgroup party*Exp. 10.22.11

Also available

*NO DOUBLE COUPON OR DISCOUNT APPLIES

*






Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.

About The Greenlining InstituteThe Greenlining Institute is a na-

tional policy, organizing, and leader-ship institute working for racial and economic justice. The organization’s mission is to empower communi-ties of color and other disadvan-taged groups through multi-ethnic economic and leadership develop-ment, civil rights, and anti-redlining activities.

by Dr. Aurora Cudal

MANILA, 9/28/2011 - Filipino Americans testifi ed on September 26 before the joint hearing of the House committees on Suffrage and Foreign Affairs in support of House Bill 3201 amending the 2003 Overseas Absentee Voting Act that would eliminate the provision requiring overseas voters to sign an affi davit promising to return to the Philip-pines within three years or face the penalty of perpetual disbarment from future voting and up to one year in jail.

“This heinous provision is the single most signifi cant factor respon-sible the low registration of Filipino overseas voters,” said Rodel Rodis, president of the US Pinoys for Good Governance. “Granting overseas Filipinos the right to vote was a kiss on the cheek,” he said, “but adding the Affi davit to Return was a slap in the face.”

According to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Armando Velasco, who attended the joint hearing at the Batasan, the registration applications of overseas Filipinos who did not check the box confi rming the signing of the Affi da-vit to Return were rejected.

When House Suffrage Committee Chair Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. asked Ve-lasco about the Comelec’s position on the Affi davit to Return, Com-missioner Velasco disclosed that the Comelec commissioners informally agreed that the Affi davit provision should be removed.

“We want to encourage as many overseas Filipinos to register and vote in Philippine elections and this provision clearly discourages them from voting,” Velasco said.

Rodis said that in the 2010 presi-dential elections, around 589,830 Filipinos - out of 11 million overseas Filipinos registered to vote and only 300,000 actually cast their ballots. “Out of 4 million Filipinos in the US,” Rodis said, “only 100,000 actually voted.”

Loida Nicolas-Lewis, chair of the US Pinoys for Good Governance, testifi ed about the practices of other countries which allow for overseas voting. “In all these cases, there was no biometric requirement,” she said. “Only the Philippine government requires its citizens to go to the con-sulate to personally register to vote and be fi ngerprinted.”

This biometric requirement means that Filipinos in outlying states would have to travel great distances at great expense to register and vote, she said.

Lewis recommended that overseas voters be allowed to register by mail by downloading the Comelec registration form from the Comelec website and mailing them to the nearest Philippine Consulate.

Dr. Jun Rasul, the president of the Philippine Medical Society of Washington DC, testifi ed that the

Filipino Americans Testify At Batasan Hearing On Amend-

ments To Overseas Voting Actword “Absentee” should be removed from the Overseas Absentee Voting law because of its negative connota-tions. “An absentee voter means that we are not present when we vote,” he said. “If overseas voters have the right to vote, then why do we have to be considered absentee?” he asked.

After the testimonies of the Fili-pino American “resource persons” were taken, the members of the joint committees deliberated. Joining the joint committee members in their deliberations was Batasan House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. who spoke in full support of the pro-posed amendments to the bill which included the elimination of the Af-fi davit to Return provision.

When the votes were taken, the joint committee members voted to eliminate the Affi davit to Return provision.

On the motion of Rep. Rufus Ro-driguez, the joint committees voted to add the provision eliminating “Absentee” from the title of the bill. The joint committee members voted unanimously to support the added provision. House Bill 3201 will now called the Overseas Filipino Voting Act.

The joint committee members were not able to complete the deliberation and vote on the other proposed amendments when they voted to adjourn at 12:30 PM after convening at 9:30 AM.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, the principal sponsor of House Bill 3201, expressed confi -dence that “Filipinos all over the world will soon be able to partici-pate in national elections – regard-less of their location, and regardless of their intention to return to the Philippines.”

Bello said he believes that under a true democracy, elections must be as inclusive as possible, “with each and every Filipino partaking in the selec-tion of the national leadership.”

Bello expressed confi dence that the bill will become law in a few months with suffi cient time for over-seas Filipinos to register to vote in May 2013 Philippine elections.

Dear Atty. Karagdag,

I recently took my oath as a United States citizen. Now, I am planning to petition my 19-year old daughter (I am divorced from her father) and my parents who are in the Philippines. My daughter has a 6-month old baby although she remains single. I also have an unmarried brother who is only 20 years old.

My questions are:

Can my daughter’s baby come with her as a derivative benefi ciary?

Can my youngest brother come with my parents as their derivative benefi ciary?

I hope you can enlighten me on these things.

Thank you in advance.

Priscilla

Dear Priscilla,

First of all, it is important to men-tion that your daughter and parents are considered as your immediate relatives under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 101 (b) of the INA defi nes immediate relatives as the spouse, child, or parent of a U.S. citizen, except that in case of the parent, the U.S. citizen son or daughter must be at least twenty-one years of age. The same Section 101(b) requires that the child must be unmarried and under 21 years old to be considered as an immediate relative.

It is important to lay down the defi nition of immediate relatives because they have the unique ad-vantage of migrating to the Unites States without visa numerical limita-tions. This simply means that their immigrant visas are immediately available. In contrast, other rela-tives such as spouses and children of immigrants have to wait for several years for their visa numbers to be-come available.

Also, the spouse and child are considered as derivative benefi cia-ries who can accompany or join the principal benefi ciary in migrating to the United States.

Unfortunately, immediate relatives have one big disadvantage. They DO NOT have derivative benefi ciaries.

In layman’s terms, the petition in which you are the principal ben-efi ciary can include your immedi-ate relatives but not their children. Again, this is because you are a U.S. Citizen.

So, in answer to your questions – NO, your daughter cannot bring her baby with her. The same rule applies to your parents; they cannot bring with them your younger brother.

Instead, your daughter will have to fi le a separate Form I-130 petition for her baby once your daughter arrives in the United States. Unfortu-nately, there is a waiting time before her baby can come here. The baby is classifi ed as an unmarried child of a lawful permanent resident (F-2A). The Visa Bulletin for October 2011 indicates a waiting time of almost three years as the visa numbers are available only for F-2A petitioners fi led on or before January 1, 2009.

On the other hand, there is no pref-erence category for grandchildren under U.S. immigration law. So, you yourself cannot fi le a petition for your grandchild.

As regards your brother, he also cannot come with your parents. But you have two options to bring him here. First is for your parents

to fi le a separate Form I-130 for your younger brother as an unmar-ried child of an immigrant (F-2A). However, as mentioned, the waiting time for F-2A petitions is three years so his category will surely convert to F-2B (unmarried son 21 years and over of an LPR) before his priority date arrives. Currently, the waiting time for F-2B petitions is almost 11 years. One caution though. Once your brother marries (before your petitioner parent naturalizes), the F-2A or F-2B petition will be auto-matically revoked. As a side note, I sometimes advise my clients to have both parents petition their children, just in case something happens to one of them.

Your second option is for you yourself to fi le a separate Form I-130 petition for your brother under the F-4 category (brother or sister of an adult U.S. citizen). The downside here is that there is a very long wait-ing time for F-4 petitions (21 years). However, it has one advantage. Your brother can get married and his spouse and children (future children, that is) can accompany or join him as derivative benefi ciaries when the time comes, as long as they are less than 21 years old by that time.

We hope we have enlightened you and our readers on these matters. Good luck!

Sincerely,

Atty. Karagdag

Atty. Rogelio Karagdag , Jr. is licensed to practice law in both Cal-ifornia and the Philippines. He prac-tices immigration law in San Diego and has continuously been a trial and appellate attorney in the Philip-pines since 1989. He travels between San Diego and Manila. His offi ce address is located at 10717 Camino Ruiz, Suite 131, San Diego, CA 92126. He also has an offi ce in the Philippines at 1240 Apacible Street, Paco, Manila, Philippines 1007, with telephone numbers (632)522-1199 and (632)526-0326. Please call (858)348-7475/(858)536-4292 or email him at [email protected]. He speaks Tagalog fl uently. Articles written in this column are not legal advice but are hypotheticals intended as general, non-specifi c legal information. Readers must seek legal consultation before taking any legal steps.

Can My Child Bring Her Baby With Her?

The “evil eyes” try to project P-Noy as diffi dent, following the Wikileaks report on former US Ambassador Kristie Kenney. The better-informed and better-educated societies con-sider this as a manifestation of what is called the strong silent type, a person who feels self-assured.

The recent high marks that P-Noy registered in the Pulse Asia and SWS surveys could be an indicator that P-Noy’s bosses have adjusted to his presidential personality and have learned to appreciate the virtues of their president. His track record speaks for itself. P-Noy is focused on eradicating corruption and isn’t afraid to fi ght mighty dragons if that’s what has to be done for the good of the country. Convinced that economic growth will not happen unless we curb our popula-tion growth, P-Noy openly fought the Catholic Church leaders over the RH bill. In the face of Catholic Taliban bullying, P-Noy displays grace under fi re. P-Noy has shown decisiveness when that was needed. Prisco Nilo and Lito Alvarez can attest to this.

Remarkable presidential tenacity is noted in his unstinting support for



Sharing Little Known Facts ...


“Masaya ako anak sa malaking pagbabago mosubalit pagmasdan mo ngayon ang bakod nating itosa dami ng butas malaking kanyang ipinagbagoibang-iba na siya ngayon sa dati niyang anyo.”

Sa tuwina na ikaw sa ibang tao’y nagagalitnag-iiwan ito ng marka sa kanya’y nakaukitmay pilat itong tanda ng kimkim mong poot at bangiskung minsa’y matagal bago ito’y tuluyang maalis.

Kapag ang kutsilyo’y itinarak sa sinumang taokaagad mo itong mahuhugot kung gugustuhin mosubalit mananatiling may pilat na likha ito na sa kanya’y nakatatak takpan man ng kahit ano.

Isang libo beses man na ika’y humingi ng tawadmapagbibigyan ka n’ya subalit ang kirot ay bakasang salitang patawad ay napakadaling ibigkassubalit sa puso ramdam mo pa rin na may bagabag.

Kaya pakatandaan kaibigan ay gintong yamannakangiti sila sa’yo sa bawat baytang ng tagumpaynakikinig din sila sa iyong mga karainganmahalin mo sila at galit ay laging pipigilan.

Ang Bakod (3)


BalintatawRead Virginia Ferrer’s previous articles by visiting our website

at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Virginia H. FerrerRead Monsignor’s previous articles by visit-

ing our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez

Lower Your Nets

©2011 Virginia H. Ferrer. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Virginia H. Ferrer is a Filipino Language Teacher at Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista.

Balintataw

Spiritual Life

TRICARE / UNITED CONCORDIA / MILITARYDELTA DENTAL & MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED

Clinic Hours (National City) : Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat - 9am to 6pm(Poway): Tuesday & Thursday 10am to 6pm

Oriental Cargo 1635 Sweetwater Road, Ste. G, National City, CA 91950

WE WILL BEAT COMPETITOR PRICE

DROP OFF PRICEREGULAR

23x20x17JUMBO24x18x24

PICK-UP PRICEREGULAR

23x20x17JUMBO24x18x24

MANILA40

55

LUZON45

60

VISAYAS55

70

MINDANAO60

75

MANILA50

65

LUZON55

70

VISAYAS65

80

MINDANAO70

85

* AGENTS AND COLOADERS WELCOME

Forwarders

619.434.2728Toll Free: 855.232.2746

619.565.8748FAX: 619.434.2787

Office HoursMon-Sat 9 AM - 7 PM

We process returning resident containers

Door-to-Door Cargo & Remittances to the Philippines!

Joke of the Week: In a local restaurant a salesman paid his check, turned to the stranger at the next table and asked, “Would you like to buy a railroad?” The stranger said he would not be interested. “I didn’t think you would,” the salesman apologized, “I simply mentioned it so I can say that business was dis-cussed at this meal when I report my income tax.”

Scriptures: First Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-10. The image of the great banquet alludes to a celebration after the battle is won. This feast for all peoples is given “on this mountain,” presumably Mount Zion. The blessing of a sumptuous feast connotes the wishful thinking of a deprived nation for a bountiful meal. The great feast is very important not only because of the plentiful food and drink, but also because God, the host, is present and dining with his people.

Second Reading: Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20. Philippi was a Roman city in Macedonia. Originally, this city had a Roman background, but it was ethnically diverse. Paul, writing from prison, rejoices in good times and in bad, because the Lord’s pres-ence gives him strength to endure everything. Yet at this particular time, he greatly rejoices because the members of the church at Philippi, the fi rst Christian mission he found-ed on European soil, had shown their concern for him with their gift of monetary help.

Gospel: Matthew 22: 1-14. The banquet signifi es God’s presence and love for his people. The food is ready and God is ready to play

host for the invited guests. But those expected to attend the feast refused to come. They turned down God’s invitation to attend his banquet. Some of those who had come did not live up to God’s expectations. Being a repentant sinner, a prostitute is no more a guarantee of entrance to the kingdom than being a Phari-see or hypocrite. One must not only accept the invitation to be a follower of Jesus, he must also fulfi ll the responsibilities that come with the response to that invitation. It is not enough to say that one believes in Jesus, he must also live an authentic Christian life.

Refl ections: NASA’s statistics show that the International Space Stations (ISS) as of this year has served at least 13,000 meals and 10,000 snacks. In the United States, 36.3 million people -including children- live in households that go through hunger or run the risk of going hungry. Some people in these households skip meals, eat too little or sometimes go without food for a whole day. Study shows that preschool and school-aged children who go severely hungry have a higher risk of chronic illness, anxiety, depression, and behavior problems than children who do not experience hunger. There are more than 1,000 soup kitchens and food pantries in New York City and 2,700 in New York State that serve two million New Yorkers annually. They will serve 60 million meals this year to hungry men, women and children, and everyday they have to turn away over 2,500 people due to lack of enough food and facilities. In San

Diego, Father Joe’s Villages spend $2 million to prepare and serve each of the 1.4 million meals to residents, non-residents, and the working poor people.

Among their many differences, eating separates man from beast. Man eats to live whereas animal lives to eat. How, why, what, and when man eats distinguishes him from animals. Human meals and banquets are rich in symbolism and signifi cance. They have a profound impact on one’s personal, social, psychological and religious life. They effect what they signify: unity, peace, harmony, hospitality, recon-ciliation, and communal spirit. Com-panion came from two Latin words, “cum” (with) and “panis” (bread). Literally, to break bread with some-one is to affi rm one’s friendship.

Food is used in today’s readings as a representation of God’s love and invitation to all people to participate in his kingdom. In the fi rst reading from the prophet Isaiah, food is a symbol God’s generosity. In God’s kingdom, in the City of God, there will be a sumptuous feast for all who are able and willing to dine with God. Paul tells the Philippians in the second reading that he rejoices both in the abundance or lack of food, because of his love for Jesus Christ. Though Matthew probably had in mind the Jewish leaders who rejected God’s invitation through his Son, yet the evangelist had also in mind all Christians, especially those who accepted the invitation but do not live up according to their responsibility. It is not enough to say, “yes” to the invitation and believe in Jesus Christ. As Christians we should practice what we profess, we should put on the “wedding garment” of justice and charity. Baptism, symbolized by the white garment, is necessary. But the recep-tion of this sacrament is not enough. We must live our faith to the full in spite of all the distractions and preoccupations in life. The king in today’s gospel was insulted when his invitation to break bread was turned down by the VIPs. Adding insult to injury, the VIPs murdered the king’s messengers. His retaliation in anger was understandable. Yet his invita-

tion to the outcasts of society who had never been seen eating with the dignitaries of the palace was indeed a big surprise!

When this earthly journey is over, there will be three surprises in heaven: 1) we will be surprised not to fi nd those whom we expected to be in heaven; 2) we will be sur-prised to see those whom we did not expect to be in heaven; 3) we will be greatly surprised that we made it to heaven.

Quotation of the Week: “If you clothe the naked, you clothe yourself with righteousness; if you shelter the stranger under your roof, and succor the needs, he procures for you the friendship of the saints and eternal habitations. This is no slight recompense. You sow earthly things, receive heavenly.” St. Ambrose.

RSVP: Come to the Fiesta

Monthly Message On the fi rst of every month, our Lord

gives Anne a new message about His call to service.

October 1, 2011

Jesus

All is well, dear apostles. Does this statement console you, even as you look at the changes occurring in the world? Why do I tell you that all is well when you can see clearly that diffi culties have arisen in many areas? I hear the prayers of My children asking that I send relief from the sufferings that affl ict them and cause them to question their security and even their faith. How often I have to teach mankind that I am the only true security and that reliance on Me will bring peace and all possible benefi t to each man and to the intentions of each man. In heaven’s eyes, all is well, even as many suffer. Are God’s children suffering with the benefi t of the truth? Do they understand that I am with them and that I have overcome even death? My friends, if there are those remaining who do not understand the extent of My love, then your work is not fi nished. If there are those remain-ing who do not understand that joy is possible, even in suffering, and indeed especially in suffering, then your work

is not fi nished. If there are times when you are afraid, then you must come to Me. I will protect you from anything that is outside of My will for you and for your work. Will you be overcome? Consider My authority, dear apostles, and do not consider the extent of your weakness. Never be distracted by the strength of your enemy because the en-emy’s strength is an illusion and even

the illusion is fl eeting. Be assured that I will compensate for your weaknesses as I compensate for your beautiful humanity which so endears you to Me. Where you are weak, I am strong. Where you are frail in your humanity, I add my divinity and what goes out from you is blessed and protected, but


IW Group79631

79631_L199.7.11

Newsprint85

DG


Entertainment


Showbiz Watcher

Read Ogie Cruz’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Ogie Cruz

DON’T DO IT. DON’T TO LERATE IT. REPORT IT:

(800)315-7672

Commit Workers’Comp Fraud,

Get A New Outfit.VALUABLE OFFER TO NEW PATIENTS Your referral of a friend or family member to our office is one of the finest compliments you can give us. We welcome them to become part of our practice.

50% This certi�cate entitles you to:

o�credit towards treatment

Beauty Water Ask us about “Beauty Water”

by Kangen Water®

SHOWBIZ WATCHER By Ogie Cruz | SAN DIEGO, 10/7/2011 --

Last Tuesday, isinugod sa hospi-tal si Nora Aunor dahil sa hirap ng paghinga dahil sa plema, sa Medi-cal City at nilipat din sa Cardinal Santos.Pulmonya raw ang dahilan sabi ng mga doctor ang sakit ni Ate

Guy.Ayon naman kay Kuya Germs, dahil daw ito sa pagod at sa dami ng projects na ginagawa ng Superstar.Dalawang linggo siyang pinagpapa-hinga, stable na raw ang kondisyon ng Superstar at may gana naman itong kumain,pero naka-quarantine ito para hindi makasagap ng anu-mang mikrobyo.

Pinagbawalan na rin siya ng mga Doctors na manigarilyo para mabilis ang kanyang paggaling.kung na-tatandaan n’yo tinuligsa ang Super-star dahil sa photo magazine cover nito na may hawak ng sigarilyo ng

Nora Aunor Sinugod Sa Hospi-tal, Dahil Hirap Sa Paghinga !!!

Phil. Medical Association at ni Fr. Robert Reyes.

Aminado naman ang Superstar na naninigarilyo siya bago siya isinugod sa hospital.Sa katunayan, nakipagkita pa siya kay no smok-ing volunteer Fr. Robert Reyes para tumulong sa campaign nito na Phil-

ippine Smoke-Free Campaign.Sabi nga ni Ate Guy, unti-unti

niya matatanggal ang paninigarilyo at hindi biglaan basta lagi siya sa tabi ni Fr. Robert Reyes.Sang-ayon ang Superstar na hindi maganda ang paninigarilyo sa kalusugan at lalong ayaw niyang makita ang mga kabataan na maagang naninigarilyo.Natuwa naman ang running priest sa pagkikita nilang dalawa, at least daw mas maraming susunod ng mga tao kapag si Nora Aunor daw ang nagsabing tigilan na ang paninigari-lyo dahil idolo siya ng marami.

Samantala, ang Phil. Medical As-sociation ay handang tulungan ang Superstar ng libre para matigil nito ang paninigarilyo.”The PMA will help Ms. Nora Aunor to achieve her desire to stop smoking .We intend to help Nora to start a free medically supervised smoke cessation pro-gram.We are looking forward for the Superstar to join the PMA’s Smoke Free and Healthy Lifestyle Advo-cacy very soon. We wish her well,”

ayon sa pamunuan ng PMA.Ang tanong namin ngayon kailan

naman kaya si Gov. Vilma Santos para sumali sa no smoking cam-paign?

KINALABUTAN SI WILLIE REVILLAME SA GUESTING NI NORA AUNOR SA KANYANG SHOW!!! First time naming naki-tang nag-guest ang Superstar Nora Aunor sa show ni Willie Revillame

na‘Will Time Big Time’( hindi pa

ho napapanood ito sa Amerika, sa internet lang ito at lalong hindi ito sa TFC ng channel 2) last Saturday, Oct 1,2011.

Aminado si Willie kinalabutan siya sa kanyang nakita na pagtanggap ng audience sa naturang Superstar, fi rst time lang daw siya nakakita ng isang

artista na ganyan ganyan kainit ang pagtanggap.

“Ngayon lang ako kinalabutan ng ganito, walang biro, wala akong nakitang artista na tumayo kayo ng ganyan.Wala akong nakitang ganyan kainit ang pamamahal sa iyo, nag-iisa kang Superstar Nora



LAW OFFICES OF

E.B. ALEJO“20+ Years Experience”Been living in San Diego since 1977

Attorney is available daily on regular business days at the San Diego Office

*Member, California State BarLicensed to practice before the US Federal District CourtSouthern California and California Supreme Court

*Author,”How to Apply for the US Tourist Visa” as listed by worldwide bookseller Amazon.com Bookstores

*Former San Diego Regional Coordinator for U.S. Immi-gration Amnesty for Catholic Community Services, Catholic Diocese of San Diego

*Legal Advisor, Los Chabacanos of Cavite CityAssociation, Inc., San Diego, California

*Juris Doctor law degree, University of San Diego (1985),Diploma; Oxford Institute on International and Comparative Law (USD), Oxford, England (1984);Bachelor Degree, University of Southern California (1983);Montgomery High School, San Diego (1979)

*Born in the Philippines (Cavite)

For your convenience, walk-ins acceptedespecially between 2:00pm – 8:00pm

Business days Monday to FridayIMMIGRATION LAW • DIVORCE • WILLS & TRUSTS • CRIMINAL DEFENSE • BUSINESS

LAW • CREDIT/DEBT DISPUTES and PROBLEMS • WAGE & HOUR VIOLATIONS • UNEMPLOYMENT APPEALS • WORK CONTRACTS • LANDLORD – TENANT DISPUTES •

BANKRUPTCY ASSISTANCE • FORECLOSURES • TAX PREPARATION

FAIR PRICES/COURTEOUS AND FRIENDLY SERVICE

We can accept the following on a Contingency Basis (CASE BY CASE BASIS):

AUTO ACCIDENT or PERSONAL INJURY • WRONGFUL TERMINATION • SEXUAL HARASSMENT/HOSTILE WORK PLACE

• WORK DISCRIMINATION (Racial, Age, Gender, Disability)

240 Woodlawn Avenue, Suite 11, Chula Vista, CA 91910Convenient location and plenty of free parking;

Near Chula Vista trolley station. Nagsasalita kami ng Tagalog

For free consultation call (619) 203-5782

We can help you stop worrying about your legal problems.

Also Featuring:Debt Negotiation

Bankruptcy AssistanceLoan Consolidation

Light &Shadows

Read Zena Babao’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Zena Sultana Babao

By Zena Sultana Babao

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 5, 2011 - Before we know it, the national election is here! As concerned and conscientious voters we need to se-lect and elect a Leader who has our country’s best interest at heart and who can point us back to the right path – a path in accordance with God’s laws.

Here is how our presidential candidates stand on the issues of abortion, fiscal responsibility, and marriage.

On Abortion An estimated 1.4 million

abortions are performed annually

The Presidential Candidates Stand on Selected Election Issues

– that is one abortion every twenty seconds. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies end with induced abor-tions.

Pro-LifeHERMAN CAIN: “I am pro-life

from conception. If I were presi-dent, I would sign a legislation that would protect the sanctity of life. Planned Parenthood is planned genocide. You can quote me on that.”

NEWT GINGRICH: Gingrich sup-ports a federal ban on abortion and parental notification. He opposes federal funding for Planned Parent-hood and stem cell research; and signed the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List Pledge.

MICHELLE BACHMANN: Bach-

mann supports the repeal of Roe v. Wade and favors parental consent laws. She opposes federal funding for Planned Parenthood and opposes embryonic stem cell research. She also signed the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List Pledge.

RON PAUL: Paul believes that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. He supports a ban on abortions but does not oppose all federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. He signed the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List Pledge and voted to de-fund Planned Parenthood.

MITT ROMNEY: Romney was previously pro-choice. ABC News published photos of Romney and his wife attending a fundraising event for Planned Parenthood in 1994. He opposes federal funding for Planned Parenthood but refused to sign the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List Pledge.

Pro-ChoiceBARACK OBAMA: President

Obama is in favor of abortion and his administration pushes ag-gressively for federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

GARY JOHNSON: Johnson supports parental notification but opposes federal funding for Planned Parenthood. He did not sign the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List Pledge.

UnclearJON HUNTSMAN: He is silent

on this issue, and did not sign the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List Pledge. He supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade and as governor, signed bills that banned 2nd-trimester abortions.

On Fiscal Responsibility Congress has raised the statu-

tory debt limit 78 times since 1940, and has sometimes raised it multiple times per year. Since 1970, federal spending has increased more than ten times faster than the median household income.

Here is how our Presidential candidates stand on the issue of fis-cal responsibility:

BARACK OBAMA: President Obama’s latest budget plans to spend more than $46 trillion over the next decade and increase the national debit by an additional $7.2 trillion during that time. He has put forward no proposals with official cost estimates for solving the long-term fiscal crisis.

MICHELLE BACHMANN: Bachmann said, “People understand that they can’t live with excessive spending that creates unsustainable

levels of debt. We need to make the American people know that if they put us in office, we will vote to repeal ObamaCare.”

HERMAN CAIN: Proposes ad-dressing federal deficits and debts through a 5-point stimulus program: (1) Eliminate the taxes on repatri-ated profits, which are earnings of American-based multinational com-panies that sit in bank accounts over-seas. (2) Make the current tax rates permanent. (3) Reduce the corporate income tax from 35 to 25 percent. (4) Eliminate the tax on capital gains and their dividends. (5) Suspend payroll taxes for both employees and employers for one year.

NEWT GINGRICH: Gingrich believes that the government is too big, spends too much, and is too intrusive. He said the government needs to follow the private sector in managing its finances, and he sup-ports replacing bureaucratic attitudes with entrepreneurial management.

RICK PERRY: Perry has mar-shaled the legislators to formulate spending cuts. In the Presidential debates Perry supports a balanced budget amendment.

RON PAUL: Paul believes that our deficit will be our country’s down-fall. He also believes that we must start paying off our debt with drastic reductions in spending. He also said that borrowing from foreign coun-tries gives these countries power over us and it should be stopped.

MITT ROMNEY: Romney offered a detailed economic plan when he announced a 59-point job and economic proposal called ‘Day One, Job One.’ If elected, Romney pledge to initiate ten major actions on the first day of his presidency, consist-ing of five bills and five executive orders.

RICK SANTORUM: His cam-paign website does not address the economy or the deficit. He reports that he led the charge to reform the broken entitlement system, and was one of a handful of legislators who took a stand to save the Social Secu-rity system for future generations by offering creative reforms focused on empowering the individual.

On Marriage God created man and woman,

male and female. The Bible, in Mark 10:6-9

says: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no

longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Pro-MarriageMICHELLE BACHMAN:

Bachmann said: “In 5,000 years of recorded human history, it has been defined that marriage is between one man and one woman. That’s an outstanding fact and it isn’t until the last 12 years or so that we have seen the definition changed.”

HERMAN CAIN: As an opponent of same sex marriage or civil unions, he is asking his supporters to stand behind him and protect the sanctity of the institution of marriage.

NEWT GINGRICH: Gingrich op-poses domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples and wants a constitutional amendment to protect the traditional family. He believes that same-sex couples should have some sort of legal rights so they can leave their estates to their partner or visit them in the hospital.

RICK PERRY: Perry signed the National Organization for Marriage Pledge that commits him to support a constitutional amendment defin-

ing marriage as one man and one woman.

MITT ROMNEY: Romney op-poses same-sex marriage saying that it is the family which forms the basic foundation of America and therefore it needs to be protected and strength-ened instead of being redefined.

RICK SANTORUM: Santorum believes that same-sex marriage threatens freedom of religion in this country “because it changes the definition of an intrinsic element of society in a way that minimizes what that bond means to society.”

Anti-MarriageBARACK OBAMA: Obama is a

staunch supporter of the gay rights agenda. He has instructed his Justice Department not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court. He has also directed the Depart-ment of Defense to end the Clinton administration’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

GARY JOHNSON: Johnson firmly supports same-sex marriage. He scolded Romney, Bachman and


Health and Wellness

There are lots of foods that bring a smile to my face—cookies, veggie burritos, and peanut butter oatmeal (trust me, it’s delicious) are just a few. But it turns out some foods don’t just please the palate; they stimulate the brain and make us physically happy, too. When we need a little pick-me-up, we should skip the cookies (as yummy as they are, the sugar rush destabilizes our moods) and seek out these foods instead.

Spinach This leafy green is loaded with the B vitamin folate, which has been linked to depression when levels are too low. B vitamins help the brain produce serotonin, a neu-rotransmitter that affects mood and behavior.

Turkey Turkey’s full of tryptophan, an amino acid that the body uses to create mood-regulating serotonin and melatonin. Since our bodies don’t produce tryptophan naturally, we must get it from food sources. For a non-poultry vehicle for the amino acid, try pineapple, cottage cheese, or lobster.

Walnuts Researchers at the Mas-sachusetts based McLean Hospital found that rats’ moods improved when given an injection of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts and ground fl ax-seeds (they have to be ground for the body to absorb the nutrients) are the best non-animal source of omega-3s.

Milk/Non-Dairy Milk Milk prod-ucts and vitamin-fortifi ed non-dairy products (soy milk, almond milk, etc.) are rich in vitamin D, which can increase serotonin production and has been linked to reducing depres-sion in some people. A 2008 study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that vitamin D al-leviated some depressive symptoms.

Soy Like turkey, soy products such as tofu and edamame have high lev-els of tryptophan. Soybeans also rank low on the glycemic index, meaning they don’t spike energy levels too quickly and won’t cause a mood crash later.

Salmon If you’re not a vegetarian, the best way to get a good dose of omega-3s into your diet is through

10 Foods That Will Improve Your Mood

salmon. Not a fan of salmon? Tuna and herring boast a decent amount of the fatty acids as well.

Beans Protein- and fi ber-fi lled legumes like black beans and lentils are also packed with iron, an es-sential mineral that combats lethargy and gives us energy.

Chocolate Few people would frown after popping a square of chocolate into their mouths, but it’s not just because it tastes so good—chocolate causes the brain to release endorphins and can boost serotonin levels and it contains compounds, like phenylethylamine, that act as mild stimulants. However, plain old milk chocolate won’t do; opt for 70 percent dark chocolate to ensure maximum health benefi ts.

Carbohydrates Foods rich in carbo-hydrates also affect serotonin levels in the body, but simple carbs—those with white fl our as the primary ingredient—increase insulin produc-tion so rapidly that the feel-good vibes we get after ingesting them quickly turn into grumpiness. Stick to whole grains like oats, brown rice, and whole wheat bread, all of which contain B vitamins as well.

Bananas Besides being a potassium powerhouse, eating bananas adds a hefty amount of tryptophan to our diets. In a study at Oxford Univer-sity, researchers found that women recovering from depression who were defi cient in tryptophan had a higher chance of regressing back to depressive states. Bananas are a great source of iron, too.

What makes certain foods mood-elevating seems based on whether they contain essential ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, tryp-tophan, vitamin D, or B vitamins. Unfortunately, what we crave when we’re depressed usually isn’t fl ax-seeds or salmon. Our cravings are usually in the form of French fries and donuts, foods that comfort us briefl y but make us feel even more sluggish and moody afterward. But if we learn to reach for these mood-boosting foods instead, maybe we can banish the blues before they even start. -- Posted by pooja


FAMILY DENTISTRYWe treat you like family at

1127 Highland Ave., National City, CA 91950

Dr. Eleanor Madrid Lumahan & Family

Call 619.336.6063Located in the same building as Chuckee Cheese and Hometown Buffet behind Price Breaker

By David Sayen Medicare’s open enrollment season

begins earlier and lasts longer this year than in the past.

Open enrollment will start on Octo-ber 15 and continue through December 7.

This is the time when people with Medicare should carefully review their Medicare health and prescription drug plans.

These plans can change from year to year. Premiums can go up and drugs can be dropped. So it’s important to make sure that your plan still meets your needs in terms of cost, coverage, and convenience.

During open enrollment, you can join a plan or cancel one that no longer suits you.

A good way to shop for a new plan is to go to the www.Medicare.gov website. Click on “Compare drug and health plans.” Using the Medicare Plan Finder tool, you can plug in your zip code and see a list of plans that provide coverage in your area.

Plan Finder shows a plan’s monthly premium, deductible, whether you have to go only to doctors in the plan net-work, and your estimated annual health and drug costs.

The “Formulary Finder” tool on the Medicare website lets you enter the medications you’re currently taking and search for Medicare Part D plans that cover them.

Information on health and drug plans in your area also can be found in the “Medicare & You” handbook, which is mailed each fall to every Medicare benefi ciary.

Or you may want to call our toll-free help line, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Customer representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help walk you through your health and drug plan options.

If you prefer face-to-face counseling, that’s available, too. Just call for an appointment with the closest offi ce of your State Health Insurance Counsel-ing and Assistance Program, or HICAP.

In California, the HICAP number is 1-800-434-0222. The call and the coun-seling are free.

The California HICAP is a terrifi c

Medicare Open Enrollment – It’s Different This Year

program. Many of the counselors are Medicare benefi ciaries themselves, and they can help you with a wide variety of issues – including enrollment.

The good news for next year is that we expect average premiums for Medicare Advantage health plans to be 4 percent lower than this year. Average premiums for Medicare prescription drug plans are expected to be about the same next year.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, people who enter the coverage gap, or donut hole, in their Part D drug plan will be able to get a 50-percent discount on brand-new drugs.

In addition, you’ll have access to preventive health services at no out-of-pocket cost. These services include cancer screenings and a new annual wellness visit with your doctor. During this visit, you and your doctor can discuss your health status and develop a personalized care plan.

We’ve also begun to rate Medicare Advantage plans based on our Five-Star Rating System. You’ll be able to see each plan’s star rating when you go on the Plan Finder.

This year, for the fi rst time, you’ll see a gold star icon designating the top rated 5-star plans. You’ll also see warn-ings for plans that are consistently poor performers.

I encourage all Medicare benefi cia-ries enrolled in private plans to know their plan’s overall star rating and to consider enrolling in plans with high ratings. When comparing plans, you should consider the plan’s quality in addition to its costs, coverage, and other conveniences.

Part D plans also receive quality ratings.

So don’t forget: Medicare open enrollment begins October 15 and ends December 7. The earlier time frame will allow us to process any changes you make and ensure that you have your new membership card in hand on January 1, 2012.

David Sayen is Medicare’s regional administrator for California. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Imagine waking up without an ache or pain, cruising through your day with energy and ending it by enjoying a refreshing night’s sleep. Then, imagine waking up to do it all over again. Think it’s impossible? Think again. The key is eliminating toxins from your body and your life. Toxins can leave you feeling slug-

gish, achy, heavy, and out-of-shape. They can also be a factor in the development of chronic diseases like cancer, arthritis, allergies, and many other serious conditions. Here’s where to start:

1. Eat an organic diet as much

30 Ways to Detox Your Home & Body


Street Poetry

Read about Michael’s upcoming book of poems “Crushed Violets” by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Michael R. Tagudin Read Romeo Nicolas’s previous poems by vis-

iting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

Mga Tulang Tagalog

by Romeo Nicolas

©2011 Michael R. Tagudin. All rights reserved. About the Author: Michael R. Tagudin Educated as an engineer in the Philippines, the City of Los Angeles employee hopes his legacy of poems will provoke a dialogue about the human condition. He is donating the proceeds from the book “Crushed Violets” to the “Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST)”, a non-profit that provides public awareness and advocacy efforts against human trafficking in the City of Angels. To learn more, visit www.castla.org. To help, call the CAST 24 hour hotline 888.KEY.2.FRE(EDOM) or 888.539.2373. Contact [email protected] for more information about ordering the book “Crushed Violets.”


KCS and Oper-ation Samahan

29 years of combined experience

* FHA Purchase at 3.5% Down Pay-ment

“Opening doors of HOPE…”

Harvest Homes

FHA Purchase at 3.5% Down Payment

FHA to FHA Streamline Refinance

FHA Refinance

Also Specializing in VA Loan—zero down payment

VA Purchase, VA Refinance, rate and term

VA to VA Streamline Refinance

Conventional Loans

Need options on your current home? Give us a call for a one on one counseling, free of charge.

Gillianne Santos, Broker, GRI, Realtor Graduate Realtor Institute DRE License No. 01369235/ NMLS ID 357385 Proudly Serving San Diego since 2002, SDSU Alumni Direct: (619) 985-7717 Email: [email protected]

“Each office independently owned and operated.” FHA TITLE II NONSUPERVISED LOAN CORRESPONDENT—LENDER ID 28686-000-4

2449 E Plaza Blvd. Suite D National City, CA 91950

Ava Sevilla Taji DRE License No. 01124981

Broker/Loan Originator All Home Lending, National City Branch NMLS ID 341387 Proudly Serving San Diego since 1991

Direct: (619) 925-0167 Email: [email protected]

Harvest Home Lending

Mother & daughter TEAM!

Exceedingly, Abundantly, Above...as promised.

29 years of combined experience

Direct: (619) 925-0167 Office: (619) 470-4744 Fax: (619) 470-4510

Get the best results for your CLASSIFIED AD with our 3-in-1 PRICE offer via

online+digital+print editions. Only from the Asian Journal

619.474.0588

ally competent medical, dental, and behavioral health services to PAA’s students and families and the whole community at large.

Filipino American Arts & Cultural Festival- (FILAMFEST 2011)

A more creative and exciting col-laboration was the greater participa-tion of OS in the annual FilAmFest (FAF) of which Kalusugan has been the fiscal sponsor since 2007. It was held October 1, Saturday, from 11 AM to 6 PM in the Paradise Hills Area (6610 Potomac Street). FAF is a one day festival that showcases the culture, heritage and history of the FilAm community. It featured FilAm artists and other ethnic groups, com-mercial and food vendors, exhibit of Philippine handicrafts and educa-tional booths and performance space to show traditional and contempo-rary dances & music. The approxi-mate attendance was 15,000 major-ity of which were young people.

OS was one of the title sponsors for this event and strengthened the “Health and Wellness” program of FilAmFest besides contributing a large resource. Although health has been one of the FilAmFest program areas it has not been emphasized. OS’s program significantly enhanced the health and wellness area by in-viting many health organizations to have exhibit booths at the OS booth located in the central area (WIC, UPAC, Job Corps, KCS and others) that provided educational resources and basic health screenings for diabetes, blood sugar, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. Staff also conducted a survey of the health behaviors and attitudes of youth and their parents, the results of which will be used to plan intervention programs for the API community.

OS staff arranged for continued physical activities such as zumba, aerobics, yoga, and line dancing. They also arranged for a commu-nity garden where festival goers actively participated in planting seedlings for fruits, vegetables and herb. Participants also learned about local environmental issues and how

to start their own home garden and composting bin. The garden was sponsored by the Trash Talkers Co-alition and Olive Garden

Other nutrition & physical activ-ity (PA) programs included a chef demonstration by Mark Cabulagan, Executive Chef/Retail and Cater-ing Manager for Palomar Pomerado Health in Poway California and employed by Aramark. For physical activity, the SD Doce Pares (SDDP) conducted workshops on the Filipino Martial Arts through their original “Multi-Style” system of Eskrima and San Miguel Eskrima. Two dance organizations Samahan FilAm Performing Arts and Education and PASACAT showed festival goers how to do traditional dances.

We are excited about this health collaboration on nutrition and physical activity. It is high time that FilAms unite and collaborate on many programs and activities. This way, we can do more, spend less, save more, enjoy each other’s company, be more relaxed and not to be so tired, be happy, learn more from each other, and enjoy each other’s company. LET’S COLLAB-ORATE year round and we hope to see you at next year’s FILAMFEST !!!!!!!!!!!

CONCLUSION: How does one stimulate interaction and exchange among community leaders and inter-ested groups? One way, of course is to form collaborations. A collabora-tion is established as a resource base to coordinate planning, implementa-tion and monitoring the effectiveness of a community effort. The size and scope of a coalition depends on its purpose. But whatever one’s reason for forming one, the needed ele-ments are the same—time, planning and teamwork.

Guest writers are Mr. Joel San Juan, Executive Director of Opera-tion Samahan and Fe Seligman, OS Program & Fund Development Manager.

Paano ba mabubuhay itong bansa nating mahal,Sa dami ng kasamaang ngayon lang natutuklasan?Mga kasong ‘di umusad at “corruption” natuldukan,Dumarami ang lathala ng walang kapararakan. Lulusog ba itong bansa sa kamay ng MILF?Kung patayan at pagpugot, lagi nila na panakot.Ninanais pang ang Mindanao, magsarili o “sub state”,Sa lagim na binibigay, tao’y takot, sila’y BUWISIT!!! Sige, sige sagutin mo ang problemang kinaharap,Baka sakaling matutu rin sa sagot na hindi PALPAK.Said na ang aking dunong kung ano ang nararapat,Sadya kayang panahon na yaong daang PABALIGTAD? Ito’y aking tinatanong ng arukin ang kaalaman,Kapag gawang KABUTIHAN, yaong sukli, KASAMAAN.Kung lahat ng kasamaan, patuloy na hahayaan,Marahil ang lahat sa atin, iisa na itong KULAY. Ang PUTI ay maglalaho at ang ITIM ay laganap,Wala tayong paghambingan ‘pagkat lahat na ay KURAP.Marahil nga’y ITINAKDA itong ating hinaharap,Bilang buhay sa panahong ‘di magbago itong UTAK. Magbasa lang ng balita, araw-araw sating bansa,Itong “HEADLINE” at iba pa, ang sama’y ‘di masawata.Iskandalo sa PNP, dumarami, lumalala,“Carnaping” at “helicopter”, droga’t “hazing’, sobrang

sama Pasok tayo sa “appointee” na syang manok ni Pangulo,Nasilipan ng masama, talsik agad itong guapo.‘Di pa man lang nagiinit sa upuan itong tao,Sinibak na’t kahalili, sabik na ring masa-puwesto. Eto pa ang nangyayari, tila muling sinimulan,Pagtatapon ng “FETUS”, kumakalat sa lansanganMga tutol sa RH BILL sana’y hindi matamaan,Nitong FETUS na nagkalat na sila ay matapunan. Sige, sige, tigil muna at tugunin ninyo ako,Ibigay ang kurukuro kung may pagasa ba’t ano?Sapat lang bang talakayin ang masama, sagutin mo?O, magkibit balikat lang at hayaan sa PANGULO.

Hirit ni:Romeo Nicolas9/3/2011

Ang Tanong Ko, Sagutin Nyo…

so really...what is the price...the price for this bad...bad boy image!we are...we are bad!raider nation...skull and bone ensigna eliteadoration of the badwe the raider nationin debt for fourteen trillion dollarsit does not really matterit is the price of being badas long as there is an adoration for the badit is always justified...to wear black...to be branded...to project what is bad...but really it is all stupidityto be bad and don’treally have anything worth while...it really is stupidthe bad...the broke intertwined...being us...raider nation...bad boy image adored and glorified!

Bad



LifestyleRead J’Son’s previous articles by visiting our website at

www.asianjournalusa.com

by Joe Son

Del - Chit RiveraProprietor

289 E. Orange & Melrose Chula Vista, CA 91911

(619) 426-7804(Alongside Seafood City Supermarket)

Pary Trays - Fast Food - Food to go - Lechon

AMERASIAN CUISINE

Get the best results for your

CLASSIFIED AD via Asian Journal’s

online+digital+print editions and e-blast

service! Call 619.474.0588

ROOM FOR RENTQuiet

Neighborhood in National City. No smoking.

No drugs. 619.746.3416

(619) 702-3051

Food for ThoughtRead previous articles by visiting our website at www.asian-

journalusa.com

Summary of Life

Monthly Message, Direction for Our Times


Digital Edition855,601 reads

on scribd.com/asianjournal

Follow @asianjournal on Twitter.Facebook at

www.facebook.com/asianjournal or

asianjournal.sandiego Email

[email protected] to subscribe to

our e-blast.

Asian Journal San Diego

From a recent visit to my medical practitioner, he stressed a self-test and evaluation of body symptoms and report immediate findings for a possible tests and treatment. I argued, that there are illnesses that sometimes don’t show any signs in an early stage and might be too late when detected. He said, “Actually, you have to be more self-conscious and understand what your body wants you to know. That rash or a teeny-tiny bumps can be clues to health problems you may not realize you have. Here are some hints what your body just might be trying to tell you.”

It’s normal for eyebrows to thin as you age. But it’s just the outer third getting sparse, you may have an under-active thyroid. After all, thy-roid symptoms are visible, including rapid increase of obesity or drastic change in poor health, bulging eyes and throat. Thyroid doctors should get your levels to determine your condition.

There could be that itchy, blistery rash on your elbows, shoulders, knees, and butt. Don’t just cover it up with clothing, it could be derma-titis herpetiformis, a sign of celiac disease . If a skin biopsy confirms it, your dermatologist will likely treat the rash with an antibiotic and ad-vise you to go on a gluten free diet.

How about peeing pink? Unless you’ve been eating beets, there’s

probably blood in your urine. You could have a urinary tract infec-tion, (UTI) or an overly hard-core workout. Strenuous exercisers. like marathon runners, can see red from the trauma all that work inflicts on their kidneys. Visit your doctor to rule out more serious possibilities, such as kidney stones. If exercise is the problem, you may need to switch to a gentler one.

Did you wonder about a yellow patches on your eyelids? They’re often a sign of high total cholesterol or low levels of HDL (good) cho-lesterol. These patches are harmless but unattractive. A dermatologist can remove them, but since they may come back if you don’t keep your cholesterol in line. help fend them off with a heart-healthy diet and exercise; cholesterol medicines can also do the trick.

When your nails grow in with horizontal ridges, it may be a sign of yeast infection there. This can happen when the cuticle’s destroyed, say, by a rough manicure or pedi-cure. Your dermatologist may sug-gest using an antiseptic like Listerine (mouthwash) under the cuticle, or an oral antifungal medicines for bad cases.

Some people poop up to three times a day, but others only three times a week. Anything between those ends of the spectrum is consid-ered normal. But if your stools are

Be Conscious of Body Symptoms!

very hard or you strain to get them out, you could develop problems like hemorrhoids, which can cause itching, pain, and or bleeding, so consult your doctor. (Very rarely, severe constipation can aslo lead to painful ulcers in the rectum.) If you’re not straining, but just icky from being backed up, try upping your exercise , drinking more water, and eating more fiber-packed fruits and veggies to get things moving again.

Special tips for women only! If your period’s lasting longer than a week, and that’s unusual for you, possible culprits include fibroids or polyps (usually benign growth of the uterine lining), polycystic ovary syndrome, or perimenopause. Your doctor may prescribe a hormonal treatment, like the Pill; a new, non-hormonal drug called Lysteda could also help. Better still, visit your doctor. -- Joe C.Son, [email protected], San Diego, CA

only if you are relying on Me. You will know when you are relying on yourself because you will be afraid. Consider how I conducted Myself on earth. I trusted the Father and I was gentle, going about My tasks in the day with conviction. If the Father willed it for Me, then I accepted it and saw to it as best I could. When I was rejected, I quietly moved on. When I was accepted, I offered the Father’s love and gave to the fullest extent of the Father’s will. Do the same, beloved ones. Do the same. I am with you and all is well.

Link: www.directionforourtimes.comSource: Direction for Our Times

9000 W 81st Street Justice, Illinois 60458 United States (708) 496-9300

as possible. Most foods contain harmful pesticides and genetically-modified organisms.

2. Try to make a large component of your diet raw vegetables and juices. It’s easy when you eat a large salad daily and drink a freshly-made juice.

3. Engage in periodic cleanses or detox programs: one day a week, a weekend every month, or a longer detox in the spring and fall.

4. Sauna to help eliminate toxins through the skin in sweat. Of course, consult your physician prior to start-ing a sauna regime.

5. Stretch daily: yoga, tai chi, and qigong, are excellent.

6. Avoid chemical cleaning products in favor of natural clean-ing ones. Baking soda, vinegar, or orange oil can replace almost any chemical cleaner.

7. Avoid chemical pesticides at home. Use baking soda with sugar or peppermint oil.

8. Read labels on food products and avoid those with which you are unfamiliar.

9. Avoid synthetic chemicals in personal care products and cosmet-ics. Read labels and avoid those ingredients with which you’re unfa-miliar. No label? Avoid the product. Definitely avoid any containing: parabens, diethanolamine (DEA), or phthalates.

10. Drink an ounce of wheatgrass juice daily to supplement your diet. Wheatgrass juice is nutritionally equivalent to many vegetables.

11. Take chlorella or spirulina tablets daily to supplement your diet and help round out the nutrients you .


30 Ways to Detox Your Home

& Body

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats..

2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.

3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.

4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.

5) You can’t trust dogs to watch your food..

6) Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair..

7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.

8) You can’t hide a piece of broc-coli in a glass of milk.

9) Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

10) The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandma’s lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.

2) Wrinkles don’t hurt.3) Families are like fudge...mostly

sweet, with a few nuts 4) Today’s mighty oak is just yes-

terday’s nut that held its ground... 5) Laughing is good exercise. It’s

like jogging on the inside.6) Middle age is when you choose

your cereal for the fiber, not the toy..

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional...

2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.

4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking

chair that you once got from a roller coaster.

5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions...

6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician

7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus. 2) You don’t believe in Santa

Claus.3) You are Santa Claus..4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4, success is . . . . not pid-dling in your pants.

At age 12, success is . . . having friends.

At age 17, success is . . . having a driver’s license.

At age 35, success is . . . having money.

At age 50 success is . . . having money..

At age 70, success is . . . having a driver’s license.

At age 75, success is . . . having friends.

At age 80, success is . . . not pid-dling in your pants.

Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.

Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way;

BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.

Have a wonderful day with many *smiles*



Filipiniana Bookshelf: First Among PeersFirst Among Peers

Th e Offi cial Biography of Marcial Valenzuela

Chapter 4

World War II and the Years of Living Dangerously

By Arturo G. ValenzuelaNinth in a series of articles

(continuation)“I Shall Return”

When he left in 1942, General MacArthur vowed and made that famous remark “I shall return” and proceeded to board the U-Boat at Corregidor that took him to a wait-ing submarine which transported him to Australia, hence to the United States. President Quezon and Vice Pres. Sergio Osmeña, Sr. were

shipped out ahead of MacArthur to the United States where they estab-lished the Philippine government in exile. Secret papers in American war archives made public on televi-sion documentaries decades later attest to the fact that Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt----upon the advice of his military consultants who were mapping the re-conquest of the

entire East Asia from the Japanese in 1943---had wanted to skirt the Philippines and head straight to Japan instead. MacArthur fought hard and argued that the key to the defeat of the Japanese was to retake the Philippines fi rst and make it the springboard to Japan. MacArthur got what he argued for and landed the

Sixth US Army in Leyte province in Central Philippines on October 20, 1944. Having done that, he swung northwest and stabbed right in the heart of Northern Philippines through Lingayen Gulf in Tatay’s home province. The relentless bombardments of the shorelines of Lingayen by American warships anchored at the Lingayen Gulf could

be heard as far as Mangatarem, ac-cording to Tatay Marcial.

MACARTHUR AT LEYTE AND DAGUPAN Gen. Douglas MacArthur wades ashore at Leyte on Oct. 20, 1944 upon his return to recapture the Philippines from the Japanese invaders. On Janu-ary 9, 1945 HYPERLINK “http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Krue-

ger” \o “Walter Krueger”General Krueger’s Sixth Army landed his

fi rst units on the shores of Lingayen Gulf on the western coast of Luzon. Almost 175,000 men followed across the twenty-mile (32 km) beachhead covering the towns of Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan and San Fabian. With heavy air support, the US Army pushed inland, taking HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Clark_Air_Base” \o “Clark Air Base”Clark Field, 40 miles (64 km) south. (Wikipedia) Photo at right MacArthur walks the down-

town street of Dagupan City (Notice the signboard “Dagupan” on the up-

per right corner of the photo.) (Photo from manilahub.i.ph)

In 1974, an article was published in a Manila-based vanity magazine that MacArthur had allegedly kept a secret lover in the Philippines prior to and after the war. He made a “sen-timental journey” to the Philippines in 1961 and passed away in New

York on April 5, 1964 at age 84. In his farewell address before the US Congress and separately before the


Metamorphosis

Read Ernie Delfin’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Ernie Delfin

ISRAEL TAMAYOLEADERSHIP, COUNSELING & MISSIONS PASTOR

951 | 294 | 4013

JON MEJICAHEAD PASTOR

858 | 776 | 2221

www.harborofl ife.org9625 BLACKMOUNTAIN RD. SUITE 209/211 SD CA 92126 | PHONE: 858.578.0952

SUNDAY SERVICE: 9:30 -11AM

KIDS MINISTRY: SUNDAY 9:30 -11AM

CELL MINISTRY: SUNDAY 11:15AM

But seek fi rst his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things

will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

EAD PEOPLE TO KNOW CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOUR

NCOURAGE THEM TO GROW IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

CKNOWLEDGE THEIR SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND TALENTS EVELOP THEM TO BECOME LEADERS AND WORKERS FOR GOD

L

E

A

D

OUR MISSION

THE METAMORPHOSIS By Ernie D. Delfin | FOUNTAIN VALLEY, 10/7/2011 --

(2nd in a two-part series) After more than a week of visit-

ing and enjoying many sites and historic places in Austria and Italy, my wife and I took Ryan Airlines (a very popular airline in Europe known for its very inexpensive air fares but makes it up by charging exorbitantly surcharges for excess weight over l5 kilos of luggage and even for not printing your own boarding pass from your own computer’s printer!) from Rome to London. The plane was full but ev-erything went as scheduled with an efficient crew, that sold everything to the passengers including coffee, water and even the European lotto.

We were met at the airport by a new Rotarian friend, Harry Royle, whom I have never met before that day. Harry and I belong to our Ro-tary International Travel and Hosting Fellowship (www.ithf.org) . It took us about 45 minutes drive from the London Stansted Airport to his home in Colchester, England. Before we reached his house, we had a late lunch at a century old Barn’s Restau-rant that served excellent food and wine. In dollars (one pound is about $1.71 that day) that was proba-bly one of the most expensive lunch that I ever had in my life. It was the start of a several days of a never- imagined- adventure to ancient his-tory of England and meeting dozens of British citizens, compliments of a fellow Rotarian who took extra miles to make our stay in England quite unforgettable.

The rest of the afternoon was

just sightseeing and driving around Colchester, the ancient capital of England before it was transferred to London. Colchester is a very old historic city, built during the Victorian age. It became world famous as it was the real set-ting of that very short but popu-lar Humpty Dumpty Rhymes. It is said that Humpty Dumpty was in fact believed to be a large cannon! It was used during the English Civil War ( 1642 - 1649) in the Siege of Colchester (13 Jun 1648 - 27 Aug 1648). Colchester was strongly fortified by the Royalists and was laid to siege by the Parliamentarians (Roundheads). In 1648 this Victorian town of Colchester was a walled town with a castle and several churches and was protected by the tall city wall made of thick layers of bricks over several years to protect the city from invaders . Standing im-mediately adjacent the city wall, was St Mary’s Church that still stands to this day. A huge cannon, colloqui-ally called Humpty Dumpty, was strategically placed on the wall next to St Mary’s Church which is still in good condition to this day. The historical events detailing the siege of Colchester are well documented referring to this historic cannon, Humpty Dumpty. Although my wife and I read as much as we can to prepare for our European trip, this unexpected visit to this “Humpty Dumpty” site with its interesting story added some sweet dessert to our memorable trip to old England..

The following day, we toured London, took lots of pictures of the usual tourist spots of the Bucking-ham Palace, Big Ben, the Parlia-ment and many others. Thereafter, we took the long river cruise up the Thames River from Westminster to Greenwich Village, where the biggest Maritime museum in the world is housed, I learned. Our eyes feasted lavishly on count-less historic sites and buildings that were aptly described by our Rotarian host Harry the whole day. Over lunch, we met an Italian business-man from Milan, Christian Dr. Mol-teni, with his wife and their 2 year old son, who was quite interested to know more about Rotary. After exchanging business cards, I found out that he is the export and market-ing manager of his company and he goes to Las Vegas at least once a year to participate in a furniture trade show. I asked him to email me before he comes to the USA next year and we could meet again. As businesspeople, the more we people we know the better for our business-es too. I also invited him to consider joining our cyberspace based Global Kalinga e-Rotary Club that I orga-nized this year. Hopefully we will meet again; only time will tell.

It was a very hectic day which tired our aging bodies, but the mind and spirit were very much en-grossed with so many things that seemed to be like fairy tales.

The next day was again full of activities of pure immersion to ancient history while visiting other places surrounding Colchester. This includes the City Hall that is over 300 years old but still proudly standing showing its eternal gran-deur and beauty. In the evening, we drove about 45 minutes to attend my first Rotary “make up” meet-ing in England. The Rotary Club of Harwich and Dovercourt is all male-members- Rotary Club (as evidenced by their Rotary roster) unlike most Rotary Clubs in the USA. The fellowship during the no-host cocktails was great and the dinner-meeting was quite jovial, with lots of English humor

embedded during committee reports on their forthcoming projects. Like the Rotary Clubs in America and Asia, this English Rotary Club also has many community services and club’s activities for the year. I felt “at home” with their transpar-ent hospitality to both my wife (the only lady in the big hotel function room!) and me! As a tradition, their club president, Tony Boddy and I exchanged Rotary banners after I spoke briefly about my former club in California and invited them to visit us also. Also, I informed them also about our Global Kalinga e-Rotary Club, that I founded with 40 members.

Reflecting on my own Rotarian experience while in the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, I was reminded by the story of the small little wave from the best seller book, Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom. It is about a story of the little wave rushing toward the shore, feel-ing quite scared and lonely, real-izing that at any moment he will definitely crush and die. Asked by another wave why the little wave was sad and lonely, the latter answered, “Don’t you see that very soon we will crush and die!” The other wave answered, “My dear little wave, you don’t really under-stand. You are not just a little wave, you are a part of the ocean!” After about 15 years as a Rotarian and having visited probably about a hun-dred Rotary clubs in Asia, America and now Europe, I am now quite convinced that although I am just ONE Rotarian, I am also an important part and parcel of this great ocean of humanity, in gener-al, and this 106-years-old organiza-tion called Rotary International, in particular, now consisting of over 1.3 million members in about 200

countries, doing their best every day to render Service Above Self. Ser-vice to humanity (without expecting any returns) is indeed the best work of life! What a better and lasting legacy, can we leave to our children and their children than that? To me, that is what Rotary in a nut-shell!

As all good things must end, after several days as guests of Harry, it was time to say goodbye as he drove us very early in the morning to a train station, almost an hour away from his house, for Paris. We could not thank our Rotarian host enough who walked extra miles in host-ing us in England that made our trip quite unforgettable. A Rotar-ian for about a quarter of a centu-ry, Harry told us that he was happy that he was able to do what he did for us, as one way to recipro-cate what has been accorded to him by other Rotarians in other parts of the world in the past. We also assured him that we may not be able to reciprocate to him personally, but to be rest assured that we will do it again to another human being, pos-sibly to another Rotarian in the near future in our Southern California home. Indeed that is a great human philosophy of “Paying It Forward”.

--------We arrived in Paris in less than

3 hours on this “bullet” train pass-ing through the English channel, and took a taxicab to our hotel in the heart of Paris, where we could walk to many city’s tourist attrac-tions, which we did the whole day, with intermittent eating and incessant photo taking. After many hours of walking, our bodies are sorely tired and returned to our hotel exhausted. That night we slept like a log and never knew that we were are in the heart of Paris,

until we woke up to face another day of information overload and pleasure-hunting.

We promenaded like most tourists do, and with some “minor” guid-ance from local people who speak English, we were able to locate the Seine River Cruise, that gave us a much needed rest for several hours that day! We were furnished a headset we can tune into any language giving descriptions of the many buildings, artwork attractions, historical places along this famous Seine River. With intermittent Parisian music, and photo taking along the way, all the tourists on this cruise obviously enjoyed an expensive 3-hour ride.

As first time tourist in Paris and as an interior designer, who had extensive training in arts and architecture, my wife had her “must see” places and buildings, like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame de Paris, Pont Neuf, Musee de Orsay and Hotel de Ville which she plans to include in her professional blogspot: www.eyean-dfeelofdesignblogspot.com

After several days in Paris, we boarded another Air Berlin flight to Vienna to catch our Lufthansa flight back to sunny California . That ended our exhausting l6 day ad-venture to Europe, hectic but truly a memorable trip for my wife and me. We were quite happy that we did it at this time of our lives!.

To all my friends and AJ readers, I recommend that you too take an adventure to places where you just dreamt or read about it, as part of your own “Bucket List”, while you are strong and healthy. The time and money will be all worth it.. -- Email writer: [email protected] or [email protected]

Sightseeing In London and Paris and Insights From The

Experience

entire cadet corps of the US Military Academy at West Point, Virginia, MacArthur closed the final chapter of his colorful military career, para-phrasing an old soldier’s poem, and saying: “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”

Pangasinan province played a key role in the conquest of the Philip-pines---it served as the springboard to Manila. From Leyte, General MacArthur landed a big part of the Sixth Army of the United States at Lingayen Gulf across a shoreline that stretched for almost 20 kilome-ters wide from the capital Lingayen to Binmaley hence to Dagupan and nearby San Fabian town. He waded ashore at Lingayen and later at Dagupan town and stayed overnight at the Home Economics building of the East Central Elementary School, then a property of the Common-wealth regime of the American government.

GEN. DOUGLAS MACARTHUR was so admired by Tatay Marcial, and so was Commonwealth Presi-dent Manuel Luis Quezon that he named two of his sons after them. Photo at left shows the general with his corn cob pipe, his physical signature during the war. (Left photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

IN RIGHT PHOTO Tatay Mar-cial snaps President Quezon upon ar-rival for a speaking engagement. He covered all Philippine presidents of the Philippines from Quezon in 1935 to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos in1965.)

This wedge-type military strategy divided the Japanese Forces into two: one was pressured to head north toward the tip of the Philippines by way of Baguio City and Nueva Ecija province while the other pitched tent and dug in at the villages of Nanca-pian and Lareg Lareg in Malasiqui town in Pangasinan where about 400 Japanese soldiers, among the thousands who took up defensive positions, were killed by advancing American soldiers.

One recent story in a television documentary has it that the Japanese soldiers that retreated northward were carrying with them a great portion of the billion-dollar war loot that were ravaged by Japanese Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita in China,

First Among Peers




FOI Bill



Wet Pants

Featured Books of RD Liporada

Read Rudy Liporada’s previous articles by visiting our web-site at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Rudy D. Liporada

Pusoy, A Russian Poker -- Chapter 13

Another time, the Palace spokesmen claimed that Aquino was all-out for the FoI, but that he just wants to ensure that the right to privacy of public offi cials is not breached, apart from claiming that the information on documents is of a sensitive nature and should not be made public.

Sotto said the FoI is defi ntely included in the list of priority bills agreed upon by the House and Senate leaders, which means, he explained this would be the fi rst ones to be tackled, out of the thousands of other bills pending at the Sen-ate and at the House of Representatives.

The two chambers of Congress on Thursday held their fi rst legislative summit to reconcile their priority bills, and to tackle how they will proceed with proposals to amend the Constitu-tion.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. for his part said the House will be drawing up its own list of priorities, but assured that the FoI bill will be prioritized, to ensure that the two chambers are working in coordination with each other.

“When a bill is tackled by one chamber (Senate), it does not necessarily mean that it will be taken up by the other house. We just want to be sure that if these bills are prioritized, one chamber will be giving those bills the at-tention they need,” Belmonte said.

Aquino has been claiming that a Cabinet technical working group, headed by com-munications undersecretary Manolo Quezon lll, is currently working on its fi nal draft of the FoI bill, saying that the group was formed to discuss minor points in the bill, including the provision on national security, before it is recommended to Congress for approval. aside from the 34 priority bills Aquino identifi ed during his fi rst two Ledac meetings his list of bills he wanted Congress to prioritize, but it is unlikely that many bills in the Palace list are not going to be passed by Congress.

The following day after my father wet his pants, Jenny just smiled when I entered Room 10 at 4:30 p.m. Somehow my father’s wet pants became a squeezed sponge that made ideas pour into my soul.

The Camagongs were not really huge capitalists. Nonetheless they harbor the bourgeoisie mental-ity when they entered the bowling alley business. My father and the pinboys were not really that kind of proletariats but, in a sense, worked for a small capitalist. It was normal for the Camagongs to make profi t although they could be good people. To extract the maximum profi t, their cost must be pegged at the mini-mum. This means breaking the backs of the pinboys at the most pittance pay. This means making my father deal with the mafi osos using his own money so there could be peace and he could keep his job.

The interests of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat are diametrically opposed. It is like pressing an elon-gated balloon on one end and the other end bloats. To increase the pay of my father and the pinboys is to minimize the profi t of the Cama-gongs which to the Camagongs would not be acceptable.

The mafi oso goons, like the pinboys, are also products of the ab-sence of decent paying jobs in a non-industrialized and mere agricultural country like the Philippines. The US colonialists kept the Islands merely as a source of raw materials and kept the country from industrializing because they cannot have competi-tors for fi nished products they have to dump into the country.

To solve crime, unemployment and other problems of the Philippines one must uproot the prevailing social and economic systems.

But what can I do?

I am a petty burgis. I am not that poor wallowing in poverty but I am in the verge of being poor. In my not that kind of being poor, my parents are able to send me to school making me able to understand that imperial-ism sends its colony like the Philip-pines in a spiral of being impoverish over a period of time. I understood that imperialists use the landed elite as their cohorts in maintaining the Islands agricultural and non-indus-trialized. I understood that only the landed elite could control the gov-ernment. As such, would the landed elite promulgate laws that would be inimical to their interests? Like the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, the interests of the landed elite and the peasants are diametrically opposed.

My father noticed that I had been coming home late and not because I had soccer practice. He also noticed my change in demeanor and tone when we had discussions in the sparse dinners we could share.

“You are a communist,” my father said one night when I challenged that the Americans did not liberate the Filipinos from the Japanese.

“Well, it was you who sent me to UP,” I said.

I did not have the heart to tell him that I must have turned into a com-munist because he wet his pants.

Cynthia, too, sensed the change in me when she came home for the Christmas break.

“You have not touched your cheeseburger,” she said. She had arrived late the night before and had me meet her early evening at John Hay the following night.

“I really do not feel right with all these. I just could not have this thinking about those who might not even be having dinner tonight.”

“I understand how you feel,” she said. “As I told you in our letters, I

understand where you now stand.”Cynthia had also been attending

discussion groups in Manila. The rising tuition fees, the spiraling gas prices, and consequent spike in prices of goods and services had spurred students to be concerned. The likes of Jenny took advantage of the maladies to organize discussion groups and relate the problems to imperialism, feudalism, and bureau-crat-capitalism.

Being a petty burgis, too, Cynthia understood because she knows the poverty of her relatives. She also be-came more sympathetic on account of my demeanor change. Nonethe-less, she had not committed herself to the movement. She is of the upper side of the class and far from being threatened into poverty. Besides she is going to the United States.

“Look,” she said. “Let us be practical. That cheeseburger is now in front of you. You cannot pass it on to any of the poor in the slums. Besides, shouldn’t you be strong if you really want to get involved?”

She made sense and I munched at the cheeseburger for such was also my nature as a petty burgis – one who could vacillate.

A worker who joins the movement could be totally committed for he does not have anything else to lose for he does not own anything any-more except his strength to work.

A peasant could still own a ca-rabao or a small piece of land. He could only join the revolution with the promise of genuine land reform where he could own or have more land and be not at the mercy of a landlord.

A petty burgis could be revolution-ary serving as catalyst but could waiver at the mere taste of hardship in the struggle and could want to go back to his soft bed.

After the cheeseburger, Cynthia and I even shared a banana split while waiting for the band to play.

It was a different band. Orlando and his group had already gone abroad having secured a contract to play in Japan. For most bands in the Philippines, playing locally had become only a prelude to their going abroad if they turn out good enough with the local gigs serving only as their practice stages to perfect their craft – enough for the Japanese or the Singaporeans or those in Hong-Kong to appreciate them.

They are also petty burgis but have not yet heard the call or might never hear the call with the songs they

have to play warping their ears to the real causes of why they had to go abroad.

They had to go abroad because there were no better jobs available for them in the Philippines.

Yet, the band that replaced them also played our song and Cynthia and I danced to it as petty burgis who could fl uctuate with the given moments of our lives. Cynthia and I were of the petty burgis who could be revolutionaries but could be lulled by the niceties of the mo-ments. There was no urgency on our part to change the situations that befall the hunger of the workers and the peasants and those in the slums areas.

“Hey, I like the things you sayAnd I like the wayYou do the things you doIt’s nice to be with you.


Ida’s Hair & Nails

Phone # (619) 267-1447 Cell: (619) 398-6576

3100 E. 8th St. Ste. B National City, CA 91950(Corner 8th St. & Harbison / Across St. “Church Chicken”)

Hair Taming System

Services:Men or Women’s Haircut• Free Hot Oil (Any Chemical • Services / First time customer only)Senior Discount• Perm, color & highlights of hair•

Call for appointmentBusiness Hours:Mon - Sat: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.Sun: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

“SE HABLA ESPANOL”

Walk-in WelcomeMilitary Family Welcome!

WANTED MANICURIST & SKIN SPECIALIST

12. Exercise for 45 minutes daily. Brisk walking, rebounding, running, cycling, cross-country skiing are excellent choices. Be sure to consult a physician prior to beginning.

13. Eat at least three of the best detoxifying foods daily. Some of the best detoxifi ers include: broccoli, garlic, spinach, cabbage, sprouts, blueberries, ginger, and turmeric.

14. Exchange massages with a partner. Massage improves circula-tion and helps move lymph (lymph picks up toxins throughout the body so it can be eliminated).

15. Kick the habit. If you smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke, quit it. -- Posted by pooja at 12:11 AM, refreshing news9.blgspot.com


30 Ways to Detox Your Home

& Body


Presidential Candidates

Stand on Issues(Continued from page 14)

Political Dynasties ...


Bill’s Corner

Read Bill Labestre’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Bill Labestre, MBA

One thing about being old is that there are so many memories that we can or tried to remember. I wish I have enough time to write a journal about my simple life. There were no great adventures in it but, my kids and my future grandchildren may fi nd it interesting. Each of us has a unique life and experienced different things as we grow up.

There were many events which happened in our past that we may not even want to remember. You may have a selective memory or maybe you’re still connecting the dots. How far can you remember of your childhood years? Don’t you wish your parents or even somebody kept a log book or snap shots of your childhood?

It’s fortunate for our children who were born in this country. In some way, we were able to keep photo albums or video tapes from their births and as they grew up. I’m sure some of you still have hundreds of photographs stored in shoe boxes waiting for you to place them in albums. At least for now, the new digital pictures can be easily stored on line.

I grew up in a small town with only one photographer. He was invited to baptisms, weddings and funerals. He was busy during major school events like graduations. Of course, the pictures were all in black and white.

It can be fun looking at our old pictures. It’s amazing how we changed physically as we grew older. The outfi ts and hair styles seemed to look funny now. Most of us posed so serious in those old pic-tures. Maybe you still have one that looked like a Wanted Poster.

You know you’re old when your movie idols looked ancient and tired. Some of your favorite singers have been dead for a while. At least you still have copies of your favorite mu-

sic albums. Your kind of songs are those with stories in it or written in plain English and the singers don’t swear a lot or sound angry.

Sometimes, my wife and I talked about our younger days. When you were poor back then, it seemed like nobody cared much about you. Pov-erty though, has taught us valuable lessons in life. It made us appreciate the good things that we currently have.

Why do Filipinos tend to give gifts or “Pasalubong” to other people who could afford to buy them? I have a friend who visited his hometown after many years in the U.S. and was surprised to see many neighbors came to see him and bear-ing gifts too. He wondered why none of these people came when he was poor and hungry.

It’s funny how some things in our lives come in full circle. I grew up in a basic Filipino diet of rice, fi sh, vegetables and fruits. Meat was served once in a while and we seldom drink sodas. The snacks were ripe bananas, sweet potatoes, cassavas or seasonal fruits grown in the yard.

After migrating to the U.S. where food is abundant and afford-able, we eventually changed our diet. We love to eat polished Jasmine rice, lots of meat and junk fast food.

As we get older, we tend to go back to healthier food. This time it’s brown rice, lots of green vegetables, more fi sh and less meat. Water is now the main drink of choice.

Memories of the Past

Perry for signing the National Orga-nization for Marriage Pledge to ban same-sex marriage.

UnclearJON HUNTSMAN: Hunts-

man supports civil unions but not same-sex marriage. He supports a constitutional amendment to defi ne marriage as between one man and one woman.

RON PAUL: Paul opposes all federal efforts to defi ne marriage, whether defi ned as a union between one man and one woman, or defi ned as including anything else as well. He believes that recognizing or legislating marriages should be left to the states.

Please vote in accordance with God’s laws! Our Founding Fathers founded this country as “a nation un-der God” following God’s precepts. Let’s do the same.

XXX

points up the glaring failure to real-ize the 1987 Constitution’s declared state policy “to guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynas-ties as may be defi ned by law.”

It’s also useful to correlate the AIMPC study with those made earlier, as these confi rm that political dynasties have held sway in our na-tional life for much too long — over 100 years!

Their persistent dominance in Phil-ippine politics also explains why at-tempts towards democratic electoral reforms and social legislation to uplift the lives of the poor have been diffi cult to pass in Congress.

First, consider these fi ndings of the AIMPC study:

1. At least 115, or 68 percent, of the members of the 15th Congress (the House of Representatives) elected in 2010 have relatives who have been members of the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th congresses, or local offi cials who were elected in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.

A bigger number — 144 — are re-lated to other members of Congress or local offi cials elected in 2001, 2004 and 2007.

2. Based on their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, legislators belonging to political dy-

nasties appear to be richer (average net worth: P52 million) than those not belonging to dynasties (average net worth: P42 million).

3. Members of political dynasties also dominate membership in the major political parties: 76 percent of the Lakas-Kampi; 57 percent of the Liberal Party; 74 percent of the Nationalist People’s Coalition; and 81 percent of the Nacionalista Party.

4. Seventy-seven percent (77 percent) of the legislators aged 26-40 belong to political dynasties; 64 percent of those aged 41-55 are also from political dynasties.

Is there a direct link between political dynasties and the incidence of mass poverty? Roland Mendoza, AIMPC executive director, empha-sizes that notwithstanding the initial fi nding that wealthier legislators tend to represent poorer constituen-cies, further study and analysis are needed to conclusively determine this.

However, the earliest study, done in 1965 by Dr. Dante C. Simbulan, established that the elite in Philip-pine politics and government have historically exploited the poverty and ignorance of the masses to win political power, and wield that power for their personal benefi t.

This political elite came from the propertied and educated class, who had been given local administra-tive roles since the latter part of the Spanish colonial rule. Constituting the principalia that became surro-gate-accomplices of the Spaniards, they performed similar services un-der the American colonial adminis-

tration, and have taken the dominant role in Philippine politics since the Commonwealth years and through-out the post-World War II Republic.

Dr. Simbulan chronicles their evo-lution; he documents their economic interests, lifestyles, and behaviors in government over a period of 18 years, spanning the presidencies of Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia, and Diosdado Macapagal in “The Modern Principalia, The Historical Evolution of the Philippine Ruling Elite.”

In an update of his book in 2005, Simbulan ruefully concludes that his fi ndings 40 years ago “still ring true today.” He observes: “In every province in the whole country, the ruling elite families — the so-called political dynasties — are still very much in evidence and they continue to lord it over not only the political life but also the economic and social life of the common people.”

Another study in 2004 by four journalists of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism — Sheila Coronel, Yvonne Chua, Luz Rimban and Booma Cruz — depicts how “political families have domi-nated Congress for 100 years.”

Titled “The Rulemakers, How the Wealthy and Well-born Domi-nate Congress,” the study however points out that while the legislature has always been the bastion of the wealthy, there have been changes. It explains:

Reach the lucrative Asian Pacifi c

Islander Market by advertising in the

Asian Journal!Call (619) 474-0588


“The souls that say this chaplet will be embraced by My mercy during their lifetime and especially at the hour of their death (754).” -- Words of Jesus in the Diary of St. Faustinaespecially at the hour of their death (754).” -- Words of Jesus in the Diary of St. Faustina

CHAPLET OF THE DIVINE MERCYUsing the rosary beads, recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one I Believe in God.

On the Our Father beads say this prayer, which was given by Our Lord to St. Faustina (1905-1938).

Eternal Father, I o�er You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

On the Hail Mary beads say:

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

In conclusion say three times:

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

The Hour of Great Mercy

At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion,

particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to

the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (Diary, 1320). -- Divine Mercy in My Soul: Diary of Saint Faustina Kowalska

You expired, O Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and an ocean of mercy

opened up for the whole world.

O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. O Blood and Water, which

gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. Amen.

Laughing MatterRead previous articles by visiting our website at www.asian-

journalusa.com

Manzano and Bong Revilla, who handled the same tasks.

In one write up about him, Ronnie was described as a very principled man. He had always believed that he is a man tasked to carry out a mission. Ronnie is a favorite guest celebrity in some events for a worthy cause. He is one of the few showbiz personalities who has an advocacy for clean living. He encourages people, especially the youth, to engage in physical activities such as sports and mar-tial arts, instead of getting involved with drug and alcohol. On a new challenge in government service, Ronnie was recently described by former Senator Ernesto Maceda as one of the ten hardest working offi cials in the Aquino administration.

He is an advocate of anti-drug/anti-smoke/anti-smut and natural family plan-ning campaigns. He once was offered by a cigarette manufacturing company the amount of P3.5 million in order to do a


Baliktanaw II: R. Ricketts


Chula Vista’s party of the century to feature live music, 2012 Olympic preview, culinary tasting area, craft beer garden, food and craft vendors and fi reworks fi nale at scenic Olym-pic Training Center

The stage is set for the city of Chula Vista’s 100th birthday. The public is invited to the offi cial Chula Vista Centennial Celebration at the scenic U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) on Saturday, October 15 from noon to 9 p.m. Gate admission is free.

Friends and family are encouraged to save the date, visit ChulaVista100.com and “Like” the Chula Vista 100 Facebook page to receive the latest updates.

For Chula Vista, this is the party of the century. Guests can dine all day with a variety of food vendors and also in a special culinary tasting area. In addition, the celebration will feature a family-friendly carnival, London Olympics preview, live music and entertainment on two stages, craft beer and margarita garden, shopping opportunities and a fi reworks fi nale.

Reaching back to the city’s roots as the original Lemon Capital of the World, guests will satisfy their taste buds in the Twist of Lemon tasting area. Situated around the Olympic Torch, food lovers will sample culinary offerings from over twenty restaurants, featuring cocktails, des-serts and entrées that incorporate a lemon theme. An additional twenty craft breweries, regional wineries and spirit purveyors will serve zesty samplings.

The Twist of Lemon tasting area will be open from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at ChulaVista100.com for $25 prior to the event, or on the day of the event for $30 (age 21 and over only).

Families will enjoy the lively carnival area, offering over twenty exhilarating games and activities. Get a thrill twirling on carnival rides and snap candid shots as kids saddle up for a pony trot. Face painters and balloon artists will entertain every-one with smiles and surprises. In addition to the lively action, children

Chula Vista Centennial Celebration: An Invitation to

City’s 100th Birthday Bashcan learn about fi re safety and prevention in the Chula Vista Fire Department’s interactive Fire House.

The 2012 Olympics Preview will showcase high-fl ying BMX athletes, navigating a track fi lled with jumps and hairpin turns. Try out the new-est Olympic sport, introduced in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, by riding a bike on the development track where local kids can start their Olympic dreams. Catch the Olympic spirit throughout the world-class training facility and keep your eyes out for Olympians and Olympic hopefuls walking in your midst.

After the Olympic experience, walk the Centennial Milestone Path to check out the classic car display

NOEL: ipapangalan ko sa aking anak “ LEON “ baliktad ng Noel.

NINO: sa akin ONIN baliktad ng NINO.

TOTO: wag niyo akong maisali-sali dyan sa usapan niyo!

***

Sinoli ni Paquiao ang libro sa library.

Manny: sobrang dami ng charac-ters wala naman storya.

LIBRARIAN: kayo pala kumuha ng telephone directory namin!

***

sa sabungan, walang entrance fee ang may dalang panabong. Si Juan para makalibre pumasok may dalang inahin.

BANTAY: [sinita si Juan] ano yan?JUAN: [galit pa!] manok!BANTAY: alam ko, eh bakit

inahin?JUAN: may laban ang mister niya,

siyempre moral support bobo!

***

GF: magaling! At sino tong baby na nagtext sayo?

BF: ah eh kumpare ko yun! Lalake yun! Baby lang palayaw.

GF: oh eto replyan mo. Hindi daw kayo tuloy at may mens daw ang tarantado!

***

ERAP SA PIZZA HUTWAITER: sir, do you want me

to cut your pizza into 4 slices or 8 slices?

ERAP: into four na lang, masya-dong marami yung eight. di ko mauubos.

***

Nagbubungkal ng lupa si Aling Dionisia para magtanim. Akala ng mga nakakakita naloloko lang siya dahil wala naman siyang tinatanim.

Maid: nay, wala naman kayong tinatanim ah.

Aling dionisia: anu Gid! Seedless ito.

Toto

Missing a print edition of the Asian Journal? Read the digital edition at

www.asianjournalusa.com/digital

commercial for them. He fl atly refused the offer, as he would not endorse a product that he knows can be bad for people’s health. For such an act, the World Health Organization recognized him as a staunch advocate of anti-smoking back in 2004. That was a test of his integrity, and Ron-nie passed it with fl ying colors.

He has been a spokesperson for the Philippine Cancer Society for years. He understands the needs of cancer patients and the people who take care of them. His brother “Topher” died of cancer last year. Many non-profi t social groups such as the Gawad Kalinga has invited him to grace their events, and even to be a self-defense instructor to some of their staff. He had delivered inspiration speeches to the youth on several occasions.

Yet most of his social activities are seldom made public. This is the very trait that has endeared him to many – he oper-ates quietly sans the media coverage and lets the results speak for themselves.

In the short time that Ronnie has held his position as OMB chairman, he has already made a mark in the anti-piracy initiatives of his offi ce. He has also gained enemies to the extent that he gets life threats from time to time. Recently, he has made raids in Quiapo, Manila and padlocked the illegal distributors of DVDs. He is proud to say that the combined efforts of OMB and Mayor Lim have now cleansed Quiapo, which for years has been the hub of pirated fi lms.

While new at his post, it was un-derstandable that some of the OMB employees did not welcome him willingly. A change of management always creates some instability, but Ronnie was eventu-ally able to get the trust of his staff. Being a black belter, he started teaching some of his staff a few self-defense tactics. He renewed patriotism as he revived the fl ag ceremony. He conducts team building workshops once a month and invites guest speakers, like Governor Vilma Santos.

TodayRonnie lives a happy life with his wife

Mariz and two lovely daughters. He is dedicated to his job as OMB chairman, and looks forward to the day that piracy will become a thing of the past. One of his missions is to provide livelihood for those who get displaced because of the OMB operations. Many are our Muslim brothers who are themselves, victims to the big syndicates who bring these goods from other countries.

His message to the public is to patron-ize Filipino talent by not buying pirated foreign fi lms and music videos. He asks people to support OMB’s goal to eradicate piracy and regulate the manufacture of optical media in all its forms. He has also created a Facebook page that details the achievements of OMB.

When asked if he has political ambitions after serving as OMB chairman, he em-phatically said “NO.” He believes that he


Wanted: Bread baker, Cake baker, Cake decorator, Store Manager, and Cook Warehouse Manager :

Functions include inventory control, warehousing, delivery, ordering, organization of raw materials. Ex-perience is necessary and heavy lifting is involved.

Full-time position with benefits are available.Please fax your resume to 888-841-1662 or contact

Nora at 619-477-7071.

Pusoy: Wet Pants

R. Ricketts(Continued from page 22)

does not need a political position in order to reach out to people who are in need and to continue his advocacy of service. He is happy with his job now and would prob-ably go back to directing and acting once his term is over.

To Ronnie, I am proud that you are also a Unionite (PCU grad) like me. You belong to the new breed of community workers who selflessly give of themselves without too much fanfare. You are a good example to the young movie idols who can learn from your work ethics, self-discipline and commitment to service. With people like you in the government service, I am confident that change is not at all impossible -- Article reprinted with corrections

Classified Ads


Wanted:Feature Writers

Advertising sales representatives(No experience necessary,

full time or part time)Call 616.746.3416

Nora Aunor Sinugod ...


Get the best results for your CLASSIFIED AD with our 3-in-1 PRICE offer via online+digital+print editions.

Only from the Asian Journal 619.474.0588

Downtown San Diego Immigration Lawyer seeking

bilingual English/Filipino office assistant/receptionist

for part-time position.

Please call 619. 955.6277

Political Dynasties


First Among Peers


To:

From: GEN SILVERIO

Herewith is proof of your classified ad for publication in the Asian Journal. Please proofread i t and fax back the correction if any or call us for your approval. The ad is tentatively scheduled to be published in the

issue of the Asian Journal if we receive your approval on time. At $4 per line

lines, it costs

$______.00 to be paid upon your receipt of the invoice and tear sheet. Thank you.

Fax #

If approved please sign and fax back to

(619) 474-0373

__________________

Asian JournalFirst Asian Weekly Newspaper in Southern California & San Diego’s Most Widely Circulated Asian-Filipino Newspaper

550 East 8th Street, Suite 6, National City CA 91950 • Tel. (619) 474-0588 • Fax (619) 474-0373

10/7/2011

Heather Oberly

1.5x4x1060

CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT ANALYST

Prepare and review solicitation documents and bid submittals related to the award of construction contracts. Call (619) 699-1900 or visit www.sandag.org/jobs for information. Closes: October 21, 2011. EOE.

To:

From: GEN SILVERIO



lines, it costs


Fax #


(619) 474-0373

__________________



10/7/2011

60

Heather OberlySANDAG

1.5x4x10

HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST

Coordinate recruitments to fill a broad range of professional staff positions. Call (619) 699-1900 or visit www.sandag.org/jobs for information. Open until filled. EOE.

To:

From: GEN SILVERIO



lines, it costs


Fax #


(619) 474-0373

__________________



10/7/2011

SENIOR CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT ANALYST

Provide technical guidance to project managers related to various procurement services and activities. Call (619) 699-1900 or visit www.sandag.org/jobs for information. Closes: October 21, 2011. EOE.

Heather Oberly

60

1.5x4x10

Traditional SaleYear Built 1985

Buy • List • Sell • Do loans

Residential • Commercial Property Management

Nationwide, Here & in the Philippines Welcome!

First-Time HomebuyersNo Obligation

CA DRE Lic# 00950926 “Quality Service is my Priority”

FREE FORECLOSURE LISTS Beth is Knowledgeable in Short Sale and Bank Owned.

BUY NOW!!! Low interest rate & Low home prices

Buy * List * Sell do Loans

Residential * Commercial * Property Management Nationwide, Here & in the Philippines

(619) 941-2977

“Quality Service is My Priority” STOP YOUR FORECLOSURE TODAY!!!

NO OBLIGATION!!!

CA DRE Lic# 00950926

Paradise Hills, SD 92139See this 3 BR/2BR & spacious Family room. 1,609 sqft. Has upgraded Kitchen: cherry wood & granite countertops. Upgraded bathrooms. Central Air condi-tioned.New carpet in bedrooms. One yr. Roof. Covered patio with Barbeque island. NO Mello Roos & HOA. New Exterior Paint. With view of Mt. Miguel.

BACK in MarketChula Vista, CA 91913

Alcala complex, Otay Ranch 5BR/3BA, 3,019 sqft floor area. Spacious Master Bedroom with super sized walk-in closet. One Bedroom and Bath downstairs. Spacious Living, Family & Dining Room. With wine cellar. Has Low Mello Roos. Great park in complex with a very quiet neighborhood.

Sunbow, Chula Vista, CA 91911 5 Bedrooms, Bonus attic & 2.75 Baths; Dramatic high-volume ceilings; Spacious Master Bedroom; Upgraded Kitchen w/Granite countertops & custom made maple cabinets; Huge Living & Family room; Dual pane windows & Sliding door; Large backyard with Swimming Pool; Barbecue Island and firepit; Close to Grocery, Schools & Hospital; NO HOA & LOW Mello Roos; Easy Access to Freeway.

Traditional SaleYear Built 1999

Burma, Thailand and Malaysia. For-mer President Marcos was known to have dug for the so-called Treasure of Yamashita and allegedly suc-ceeded in part. A four-foot Golden Budhha with pieces of diamonds hidden inside, and believed to be of Thai origin, was dug up from a well-concealed cave by Filipino treasure hunter Rogelio Roxas in Baguio City in the late 1960s but was confiscated later by the soldiers of Marcos. Ac-cording to an account by Wikipedia: “The Philippines suffered great loss of life and tremendous physical de-

struction by the time the war (World War II) was over. An estimated 1 million Filipinos had been killed; a large proportion during the final months of the war, and Manila was extensively damaged.”

THE ATOMIC BOMB IN MA-NILA My father snapped this A-bomb after the war (c. 1946) as it is being loaded in the belly of a USAF bomber at the old Manila International Airport to be shipped back to the US. Notice the “relaxed” security measures as dozens of civil-ian mill around the tarmac. A boy is shown crossing the path of the rear of the truck that apparently trans-ported the historic cargo.

THE DEVASTATION of Manila was almost complete as shown by the two photographs above. Left

photo showsthe corner of Rizal Avenue and

Carriedo. Ideal theatre, to the left, was restored after the war by its owners, the Roces family which clan also owned The Manila Times Publishing Co. At right is an aerial view of the destruction with the tall building at center that used to house Avenue theatre.

Our apartment was only four blocks away from this area. Tatay Marcial made the right decision to leave Manila just as when the Japanese were trooping into the city from the north where they had landed earlier at the Lingayen Gulf. From Manila we moved temporar-ily to Tatay Marcial’s hometown of Mangatarem in Pangasinan where mobility and food was almost of no issue as we were taking it easy in a laid back village far from harm’s way. It would have been an entirely different situation had Tatay Marcial been a native of Manila. (Left and right photos photos above courtesy of manilahub.i.ph)

After the war, Tatay Marcial and his brother---Pedro, Ricardo and Pio---hiked most of the way from Pangasinan to Manila to check on the situation. Having done that, he moved us back to our apartment at Santa Cruz District and to the work he loved so much---that of taking news photos that always landed on Page One.

(To be continued) Note: Photos and text courtesy of

Wikipedia

Aunor,” sigaw pa ni Willie sa kan-yang show.

Ikunuwento pa ni Willie noong may mga shows siya sa Amerika, dumalaw raw ang Nora at nasa backstage pa man din ito. Mahal ko ito,may show ako sa Amerika at nasa backstage siya dumating.Sabi niya sa akin, gusto daw niya mag-pasaya sa tao kaya kumanta siya ng People,” pagmamalaki pa ni Willie.

Ramdam nga namin ang kasiyahan ni Mr. Revillame na maging guest niya sa show niya si Nora, tiyak kung Vilmanian ka tiyak sasabihin mong Noranian siya.Marahil na amazed lang siya sa dating ng isang La Aunor sa kanyang audience, at takenote sinabi pa ni Willie mismo kay Ate Guy na nanonood daw ang kumareng niyang si Gov. Vilma Santos .

Anu kaya ang naramdaman ni Ate Vi sa mga binitawang salita ni Willie sa Superstar Nora Aunor?Nagtatanong lang kami.

3 EVENTS LAST WEEK ANG IDINAOS !!!Una ang Phil-Am Festival sa Paradise Valley Road na nagmistulang piesta sa saya ng mga pinoy doon.Nakausap din namin ang mga teachers sa Council for Filipino Language and Culture sa panguguna ng kanilang President na si Ms. Rosalinda ‘Sally’ Idos, Vig-inia Ferer,Cory Simpson, Salvador

Idos,Rizalyn Cruz, Aurora Cruz at Juanita Nacu. Nakita rin namin ang ilang nagtanghal para ipakita ang talentong Filipino sa pagsayaw at pagkanta.Nakausap din namin ang mga taga TFC (The Filipino Channel )ABS-CBN, ang kanilang TFC on demand.Next napuntahan namin ay ang St. Mary’s Festival kaya lang sa video lang namin kinuha ang pang-yayari ,natuwa kami kasi sa mga kumanta sa stage nila at sumayaw.Huli naming pinuntahan ay ang 18th Anniversary ng Pentecostal Mission-ary Church of Christ sa 8th street sa imbitasyon ni Maryshel Lumantas , nakilala namin ang kanilang pas-tor na si Bro. Joseph Concepcion kasama ang kanilang mga miembro.

“The sources of (the legislators’) wealth are more diverse, so that Congress can no longer be described as a ‘landlord-dominated’ legisla-ture. The caciques of old have been replaced by real-estate developers, bankers, stockbrokers, and assorted professionals and businesspeople… Still, the reality is that a congress of multimillionaires makes laws for a poor country.”

The study also takes note of anoth-er change: the entry of the party-list representatives from the “marginal-ized and under-represented” sectors (who are constitutionally allotted 20 percent of the total number of seats in the House). It devotes a section, titled “In search of alterna-tives,” mainly to the entry of leftist political parties and the “laying of the groundwork for political and electoral reforms.”

But after 10 years of the party-list system, no reform legislation that can at least reduce the dominance of the political dynasties has gained headway, for obvious reasons.

Worse, political dynasties began appropriating for themselves some party-list seats in 2007, then more in 2010 — courtesy of the Commission on Elections.

Cynthia and I danced the night away while Mrs. Samson fed the slot machines with quarters that could have been a lot of cheeseburgers for those who would have needed them most.

Cynthia had to go back to Manila after the Christmas break.

With her gone, I went back, after school, to Room 10 at 4:30.

To be continued…(Publisher’s Note: Pusoy is Rudy

D. Liporada’s second novel and third book being serialized in Asian Journal. One can get a copy of the book through Amazon.com – A Russian Poker - or by calling the author at 858-722-1465.)

the somewhat misunderstood K + 12 education program and the CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) poverty alleviation program. P-Noy is mas-terfully handling the Spratlys issue, cleverly maintaining good relations with both China and the US while promoting a multilateral approach. Many of our past presidents were lackeys of the US.

Inspired by his heroic parents, P-Noy draws propulsion from a strong sense of mission. During the 2010 campaign, he told me that his main goal as president is to put the coun-try in an irreversible progressive course that will extend far beyond his last day in office in 2016.

Known to be a loyal friend, P-Noy keeps his word and will not deal with liars. He is unaffected by the trappings of power and would rather keep ceremonies and ceremonial fanfare to a minimum. This is not a sign of diffidence but a demonstra-tion of propriety and good taste. He’s wary of loud, grandstanding persons and is impressed by diligent and intelligent work. With the people’s money, he’s as frugal as his late mother.


Sharing Little Known Facts ...

What: The Nationwide Holy Rosary Prayer

Where: Stagecoach Park, Gazebo #1, 3420 Camino de los Coches

Carlsbad, CA 92009 Directions: Fwy 5, Exit La Costa Av.

East, Right on Rancho Sta Fe Rd, Left on Cam. Los Coches

When: Saturday, October 15, 2011Time: 12:00 NOON sharpPublic prayer has proven to be far more

powerful than private prayer to call on GOD ‘s unfathomable mercy and the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, guidance of the Holy Spirit, most espe-cially in times of public tragedy, natural disaster and calamities, sufferings and difficulties. It is our duty to honor GOD publicly as a community of faith.

This Rosary Rally from over 7,000 lo-cations nationwide will be a public act of reparation for the sins hurled against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This will console God and save America and its people. Praying the rosary in public for the conversion of sinners, and making reparation for sins, is very dear to the Heart of Mary.

America is mired in problems – prob-lems in leadership, public scandal and sin, abortion, pornography and same sex “marriage”, terrorism, bad economy, financial and moral crisis, drugs and alcohol, child & spouse abuse, and all moral offenses against the Law of God. Through this Holy Rosary we will pray to Our Lady of Fatima for protection, dis-cernment, wisdom, guidance and strength to withstand the trials we face. For those who had fallen into sin and temptations we shall pray to our dear Mother to preserve them from despair and bring them back with faith, hope and love to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to pray for our leaders to

2011 Public Square Rosary

Crusade in Carlsbad, 10/15

honor God’s Law and have the wisdom and strength to solve the nation’s great and complex problems. We will pray for peace in the world and preservation of our natural environment that God so beautifully created. We will pray to stop the secularist offensive in our society, those who seek to drive God away from our lives, from our schools, family, home and work.

Come pray with us. Let us all turn to our Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, to intercede for us. Let us pray in unity for GOD TO BLESS AMERICA!

For more information, contact: Zarina Cruz, Rally Captain at 619-890-2789 or Joe James, Rally Co-Captain at 760-438-5054

Asian Journal Oct 7-13, 2011 edition

Documents

Transcript of Asian Journal Oct 7-13, 2011 edition