Orange County / Inland Empire -- May 27 -- June 2, 2016

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Volume 23 - No. 21 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

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by Jaime R. PilaPil and llanesca T. PanTi

The Manila Times

Filipino on FBI’s Most Wanted list

MAY 27-juNe 2, 2016

Duterte: ‘All Aquino officials must go’by ediTh Regalado

Philstar.com

Saying all current Cabinet officials must go, incoming president Rodrigo Duterte’s transition team continues its search for people to fill the remaining positions in his Cabinet and other key offices.

Massive revamp vowed at NBI, PNP, BuCor, PDEA

New campaign raises awareness of lung cancer in Asian Americans

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DAVAo CItY—there will be no room in the next administration for appointees of President Aquino, incoming president rodrigo Duterte made clear on thurs-day, may 26.

“they have to go,” he said, even as his transition team continues its search for people to fill the remaining positions in his Cabinet and other key offices.

“there are those we want to get, but the low pay in government discourages them from being part of my administra-

tion,” Duterte said.the president-in-waiting said he hopes

to gather his Cabinet officials here next week as he ruled out going to manila ahead of his inauguration as the coun-try’s 16th president on June 30.

the initial batch of Duterte’s unofficial Cabinet appointees met in manila for the first time last Wednesday, may 25.

At the meeting, among others, were salvador medialdea who will be the ex-ecutive secretary; hermogenes esperon Jr., national security adviser; Perfecto Ya-say Jr., foreign affairs; Vitaliano Aguirre

II, justice; Arthur tugade, transportation; mark Villar for public works and emman-uel Piñol for agriculture.

Duterte also wants a massive revamp in the Philippine National Police, Na-tional Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Corrections and Philippine Drug en-forcement Agency when he assumes of-fice on June 30.

the plan stemmed largely from the death of five people, including an Ameri-can citizen, in a concert at the mall of Asia grounds on sunday, may 22.

The 16th Congress continues the canvassing of votes for president and vice president at the plenary hall of the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Thursday, May 27. Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

Marcos questions high number of ‘undervotes’

Lawyers for sen. ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. have questioned the unusually high number of “undervotes” in the vice presidential race as shown in Certificates of Canvass (CoCs) opened on Wednesday, the first day of the official tally by Congress.

“We have accounted ‘un-dervotes’ Your honor, that’s totaling the votes cast for the Vice President vis-à-vis the votes cast by the voters, it would appear that such num-ber was discovered from the CoC Your honor that totals 623,174,” one of the lawyers, George Garcia, said on thurs-day.

the discovery confirmed marcos’ earlier complaint that 3.3 million “undervotes” were discovered in their own quick count, Garcia added.

Because of questions in-volving the “undervotes,” only 45 of the 48 opened CoC were officially included in the can-vass.

Garcia said the three ques-tioned CoC were from the provinces of Laguna, Ilocos sur and Davao del Norte.

these were found to have

by agnes consTanTeAJPress

A fILIPINo man from Los Angeles wanted for the murder of his preg-nant girlfriend last month has been named to the fBI’s ten most Wanted fugitives list.

Philip Patrick Policarpio, 39, was charged with first-degree murder on April 22 in Los Angeles. Authorities have issued local, state and federal warrants for his arrest, and are of-fering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

“his pattern is one of violence, and Philip Patrick Policarpio (Photo from FBI)

Next president, VP proclaimed next week

by Paolo RomeRo Philstar.com

mANILA—Congress aims to pro-claim the country’s new president and vice president by the end of the month or on June 1, sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said as the canvassing of votes for the top two positions of the land entered its second day yes-terday.

Pimentel, who heads the senate contingent in the joint canvassing committee, issued the statement as lawyers of incoming president rodrigo Duterte pressed for his im-mediate proclamation, ahead of the vice president, saying the winner in

the presidential elections is “obvi-ous at this stage.”

“maybe we will have a tuesday or Wednesday proclamation,” Pi-mentel told reporters, noting the canvassing appears to be moving smoother than expected.

the senate and the house of representatives convened on tues-day, may 24 as the National Board of Canvassers (NBoC), after which it approved its rules of canvassing and designated the members of the joint committee, eight from each chamber with five alternates.

the joint committee conducted actual opening of the ballot boxes

‘Draconian’ laws vowed vs crimeby Paolo RomeRo

Philstar.com

mANILA—the country is facing a “peace and or-der crisis” including crip-pling traffic jams, and the incoming 17th Congress may have to pass draco-nian measures to address this, Davao del Norte rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said on thursday, may 26.

Alvarez, who is the choice of incoming presi-dent rodrigo Duterte to be the next speaker of the house of representatives, also said extra powers may be sought by the executive to deal with the crisis.

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Incoming Davao Del Norte Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, the anointed Speaker of presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, on Friday said half of the Liberals are jumping ship to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). Inquirer.net photo by Marc Jayson Cayabyab

Report finds Asians in US are healthier than other groups

A NeW study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that Asian adults – particularly Chinese adults – are physically and psychologically healthier than other Us adults.

overall, Chinese adults reported better health in five measures included in the re-port: likelihood for fair or poor health, chron-ic conditions, psychological distress, work limitations and limited social participation.

the study, based on data from the 2010-2014 National health Interview survey (NhIs), took into account the six largest Asian subgroups: Chinese, filipino, Asian Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean.

for other groups, no clear patterns were observed for the measures.

filipino adults fared better than all Us adults in the five measures, although the

Lung cancer is the no. 1 cause of cancer death among

demographicLUNG cancer has long been commonly as-

sociated with a history of smoking. however, more studies have shown that other factors contribute to the development of this type of cancer, including genetics, so even if you are not a smoker, you may still be at risk.

About 221,200 new cases and 1.5 mil-lion deaths from lung cancer will occur in the United states this year, according to the American Cancer society.

Within the Asian American community, lung cancer is the number one cause of can-cer death; of the Asians who are diagnosed, 40 percent do not smoke.

“for those who have never smoked, they have certain genetic changes for reasons that we don’t still understand why. they made not have any significant smoking exposure and they can get lung cancer,” Dr. Kim-son Nguyen, an oncology-hematology physician at the Palo Alto medical foundation said on tuesday, may 17 at an educational media

he is always armed,” said special Agent scott Garriola, a member of the fBI’s Los Angeles fugitives task force. “he is the definition of a con-tinuing threat to the community.”

the fBI said the filipino fugitive may have traveled to Las Vegas and has family ties to the Philippines.

During a card game last month with associates and friends, Policar-pio got into an argument with his girlfriend who was 17 weeks preg-nant. Garriola said Policarpio, in front of everyone, began beating her with his fists, then pulled out a gun

differences with the electroni-cally-transmitted CoC.

As part of the investigation, the Joint Canvassing Com-mittee ordered the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBoC) in the three provinces to ex-plain the discrepancies.

Citing as an example, Gar-cia said the first electronically-transmitted CoC from Davao del Norte did not conform with the succeeding printed four CoC.

election watchdogs and In-formation technology experts earlier said “undervotes” do not usually exceed one per-cent of the total votes cast.

In the 2016 elections, there should be not more than 400,000 such votes at 81 per-cent voter turnout.

Insignificantthe camp of rep. Leni

robredo of the Liberal Party (LP), howeve, downplayed the reported “undervotes.”

romulo macalintal, the lead counsel for robredo, said the issue is no cause for alarm.

“he is saying that there are around 600,000 ‘under votes.’ But this should not be a cause for alarm because it does not indicate irregularity. Not all people cast their vote for Vice

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COUNT GOES ON Lawmakers inspect a ballot box on the second day of the official canvassing of votes for President and Vice President. As of 7 p.m. Thursday, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was leading by 255, 254 votes. Senate photo by Ruy L. Martinez

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From the Front Page

Duterte: ‘All Aquino officials...PAGE A1

Authorities said these were due to drug overdose resulting in heart attack, kidney failure and dehydration.

Duterte did not hide his dismay over the incident.

“It was a failure of intelligence on the part of the police and other agencies concerned. How did it pass security?” said Duterte, who stressed that he was angry over how illegal drugs were distrib-uted inside the concert venue and passed from one user to another.

The incoming president is also disappointed that nobody is talk-ing about the incident that would have conveyed to the public the anger of parents.

“Where is the NBI and anti-drug, the police, local govern-ment and the national capital re-gion? Where is PDEA? How come there were too many deaths? Had it been just one death, then it could be attributed to bad luck. But there were five, why did it happen?” Duterte asked.

He said the incident shows how prevalent the illegal drug trade is in the country, adding that police officers themselves are the ones controlling it.

Duterte plans to reassign police officers in the NCR and Luzon areas to several Mindanao prov-inces, including Surigao, Com-postela Valley, Maguindanao, Zamboanga and Sulu.

He also wants a massive reorga-nization in the BuCor after hearing of reports on the manufacture of shabu inside the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa and Iwahig Penal Colony in Palawan.

If these law enforcers still would not reform after the reshuf-fling, then the Armed Forces of the Philippines will be asked to temporarily perform law enforce-ment duties in the fight against il-legal drugs, he added.

Starting July 1, Duterte said he would also impose a mandatory drug test on all law enforcement agents to ensure that they are not into illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, outgoing Sen. Ser-gio Osmeña III yesterday said Duterte has all the power to reor-ganize the executive department, including the bureaus of Cus-toms (BOC) and Internal Revenue (BIR).

“The president has the pow-er to reorganize the executive

branch but he would need laws to establish new departments and appropriations,” Osmeña said.

But reelected Sen. Ralph Recto said Duterte may not have meant it literally when he talked of abol-ishing some government offices.

Duterte also tagged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) as

“most corrupt,” adding that it might be better to simply disband all three agencies.

“I’m very sorry but the most corrupt agencies – BIR, Customs, LTO – those three… I might as well abolish them,” Duterte said in a press conference in Davao City recently. (With Christina Mendez)

OPENING THE BALLOT BOX. Senate Seretary Oscar G. Yabes opens the ballot box containing the Certificates of Canvass (CoCs) and Statement of Votes (SoVs). The Senate and the House, sitting in joint session as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), started canvassing the votes for the 2016 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections on Wednesday, May 25. Senate photo by Albert Calvelo

Next president, VP proclaimed...and reading of the certificates of canvass (COCs).

The NBOC has to record all 165 COCs from all over the country and from the local and overseas absentee voting.

As of 7 p.m., the NBOC had canvassed 80 COCs, and deferred those from Iloilo, Antique and Ku-wait due to objections from law-yers of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is in a tight race with Cama-rines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo for vice president.

On Wednesday, May 25 the NBOC was able to canvass 45 COCs.

Based on total votes for presi-dent canvassed as of 7 p.m., Duterte continued to lead with 10,557,060 votes.

For the vice presidential race, Marcos was leading with 8,244,798. Close behind was Ro-bredo with 7,828,476 votes.

Based on the initial schedule is-sued by the NBOC, the body aims to finish the canvassing in nine days or until June 6.

According to the schedule, the joint committee will prepare its final report and submit it for ap-proval on June 7.

The Senate and the House will convene in joint session to pro-claim the president and vice presi-dent.

In 2010, President Aquino was proclaimed on June 9. While in the 2004 elections, then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was pro-claimed on June 23.

WaiverIn pushing for an earlier proc-

lamation of Duterte, his lawyers led by Salvador Panelo urged his rivals, including Sen. Miriam De-fensor-Santiago, to formally waive their rights to the ongoing can-vassing of votes.

“We will have a constitutional crisis if Congress won’t be able to proclaim a new president. We must do away with this presump-tive president thing,” Panelo told reporters at the House.

Demaree Raval, who is also a member of Duterte’s legal team, said “the winner in the presiden-tial elections is obvious at this stage.”

He said while Duterte’s rivals have conceded, Santiago has yet to do so. He said there are efforts to ask Santiago and other rivals to issue a formal waiver.

“Canvassing is their right so it can be exercised, it can be waived,” he said. The crux of the matter, he said, is the close fight between Marcos – Santiago’s run-ningmate – and Robredo.

Panelo said Marcos’ frequent objections have prompted the joint canvassing committee to suspend

canvassing on some COCs.Panelo warned questions on the

COCs raised by Marcos’ lawyers could delay Duterte’s proclama-tion.

The next president must assume office at noon of June 30.

Should Santiago concede, Pan-elo said Marcos may call for an expeditious canvass for the presi-dency without prejudice to a sub-sequent separate canvass for the vice presidency.

“If Sen. Bongbong Marcos wants a separate canvass for the vice presidency, he should get Miriam to concede first,” said former University of the East law dean Amado Valdez, also a co-counsel for Duterte.

Inocencio Ferrer Jr., another lawyer for Duterte, said Panelo has instructed his team to prepare the proper manifestation to be filed with the joint committee tomorrow or Monday at the latest.

He said this will be the first time, if ever, that losing presidential can-didates will issue waivers.

“We’re treading in uncharted waters. All presidential elections since 1992 involved simultane-ous canvassing and simultaneous proclamation of the president and vice president. But a separate can-vass, and a separate proclamation, is constitutionally defensible,” Fer-rer said.

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‘Draconian’ laws vowed vs crimePriority measures include

amending the 1987 Constitution to shift the form of government to a federal system, reimposing the death penalty and lowering the age of criminal liability, Al-varez said.

Filipino on FBI’s Most Wanted...and shot her in the head, killing her and her unborn child instantly.

Witnesses at the scene said he fled and has not been seen since.

On May 16, Policarpio was charged with a second count of murder of a human fetus with mal-ice aforethought, according to ABC News.

At the time of the killing, Poli-carpo was on parole for multiple counts of attempted murder in a 2000 case in Burbank, according to the Los Angeles Times. In that case, he fired multiple rounds at a vehicle, shooting a woman in the head and a man in the shoulder. Both victims survived. He fled to the Philippines with the help of his mother, ac-cording to the complaint, and was extradited back to the United States

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Asked if the measures would be “draconian,” he replied, “yes, yes.”

Alvarez said the legislative priorities would address what he described as a “peace and order crisis” as Duterte prom-ised “change in three to six

a year later after being caught by Philippine authorities.

“We believe – based on not only his criminal history, but what seems to be a clear propensity for violence coupled with the fact that he’s on the run – that he’s clearly a danger to society and needs to be caught,” said FBI spokeswoman Laura Ei-miller in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press.

Policarpio is also wanted by the California Department of Correc-tions and Rehabilitation for violat-ing his parole. In 2001, he was convicted for assault with a firearm by an ex-felon as well as narcotics violations, according to ABC News. He was released on parole in May 2015 after serving only part of his 14-year sentence for that case.

The Filipino suspect is described

as 5-foot-8 with brown eyes, black hair and weighing between 150 to 165 pounds. He has a shaved head; a scar near his left eye; a mole on his right nostril below his right lip; tattoos on his back left thigh and both arms; a tattoo on his chest that says “Only God Can Judge Me;” and may wear eyeglasses.

Also named to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list is Luis Macedo, a Latin Kings street gang member from Chicago wanted for the murder of a 15-year-old boy in 2009. Macedo and Policarpio are the 507th and 508th individuals to be named to the list.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565. Those outside the United States may contact the near-est US Embassy or Consulate.

months.”“We are faced with a crisis.

Criminality is rising every day and the main source of the worsening criminality is drugs. Traffic is so horrendous, it is in itself a crisis,” Alvarez told reporters after arriving at a po-litical event in Makati City two hours late.

He said the worsening traf-fic congestion is also causing billions of pesos in economic losses daily.

“The executive branch needs the support of Congress to have extra powers to address these crises, if we’re really serious in fixing them. We need drastic measures,” he said.

Alvarez said previous admin-istrations have tried to address criminality and traffic conges-tion but many have opposed the solutions to protect their own interests.

When asked to elaborate, Al-varez said the executive branch may need powers that should be granted by acts of Congress.

Alvarez added the shift to fed-eralism would greatly address the peace and order situation in Mindanao as the people in the region would be given more freedom to chart their future.

FLAG OF HEROES. Navy personnel unfurl a huge flag during rehearsals for the celebration of Flag Day on May 28 in Alapan, Imus, Cavite. The event commemorates Emilio Aguinaldo’s victory at the Battle of Alapan on May 29, 1898. Aguinaldo hoisted the first Philippine flag after the battle in Cavite Nuevo, now known as Cavite City. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Report finds Asians in US are healthier...group was nearly equal to US adults when it came to a likeli-hood of having multiple chronic conditions, posting 22.3 percent compared to 24.1 percent. Fili-pino adults also came close to all US adults in the measure of likelihood for limited social par-ticipation at 3 percent compared to 3.9 percent.

Asian Indian (4.1 percent) and Korean adults (4.6 percent) were more likely than US adults to have limited social participa-tion.

Vietnamese adults were the most likely group to report fair or poor health status (16.8 per-cent), surpassing the total for US adults (12.4 percent); Japa-nese adults were the most likely to report a work limitation (4.1 percent).

interviews are conducted in lan-guages other than English or Spanish. In these cases, a family member typically translates for the respondent.

In the data collected from 2010 to 2014, approximately 8 percent of interviews were conducted in other languages for non-Hispanic Asian respon-dents. Additionally, 16.6 percent of family respondents said the sample adult’s ability to speak English was “not well or not at all,” compared to 6.5 percent for all US adults.

“This limitation should be considered when interpreting results in this report,” Bloom and Black wrote.

Not detailed in the report are the reasons for Asians’ better health in these areas, nor the genetic risk Asians face for de-veloping diabetes, which is the seventh most common cause of death worldwide.

In LA County, 10 percent of Asian Americans are diabetic, compared with 7 percent of whites, despite Asian Ameri-cans’ lower obesity level, the Tribune News Service reported.

Scientists believe the mis-match is because obesity mea-sures weight – not necessarily fat, which is what is associated with diabetes.

South Asians have some of the diabetes rates among Asians, according to the Tribune News Service. (By Agnes Constante / AJPress)

“The findings of this study are consistent with these ear-lier analyses on non-Hispanic Asian subgroups and add to the body of evidence concern-ing their widely varying health,” wrote authors Barbara Bloom and Lindsey Black, who are with the National Center for Health Statistics Division of Health Interview Statistics. “Further research is needed to better un-derstand the differences among subgroups in health care and health care outcomes for this population.”

Asians constitute 5 percent – or 15 million people – of the US population.

The data used in the report was collected on more than 165,000 adults aged 18 and older. Noted by the authors is that less than 1 percent of NHIS

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Marcos questions...President,” Macalintal added.

He cited the Supreme Court ruling in Mathay vs. Castelo that such ab-staining from voting for a particular post is a regular undertaking.

“That’s why I made a clarification that the voters need not worry. This does not mean poll rigging and is insignificant in the canvassing of vot-ers. That happens in an automated or a manual election where people just remain neutral or abstain from voting for a particular position,” Macalintal said.

He expressed confidence that the discrepancies in the three COC can be explained by the PBOC, particu-larly Laguna where it took the board

twice before successfully transmitting the COC.

Marcos earlier appealed to the Commission on Elections to allow his own IT experts to audit the central and transparency servers of the poll body with the participation of other interested parties.

He said only a system audit would show if a script change done by Smartmatic had triggered the sudden decrease of his almost one million lead in the evening of May 9 during the quick count of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

But the Comelec deferred action on his petition.

Abakada Party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, campaign adviser of Mar-cos, called the poll body’s decision “unfortunate.”

“We could not understand how the system audit could affect the official

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New campaign raises awareness of lung...event hosted by Boehringer In-gelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

At the event, a panel of Asian American oncologists spoke about the risks factors and symp-toms of lung cancer and the lat-est medical developments to help patients manage the disease.

Studies have shown that gene mutations — epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and ana-plastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) — can be behind the develop-ment of lung cancer in Asians who never smoked. EGFR mu-tations occur in approximately 50 percent of Asian lung cancer patients (compared to 10 to 15 percent of Caucasian patients), while ALK occurs in 2 to 7 per-cent of Asian patients.

Dr. Elwyn C. Cabebe, physi-cian partner and chief adminis-trative officer at Valley Medical Oncology Consultants in Los Gatos and San Jose, pointed out that more awareness needs to be done in Filipino-the American community to show how serious the risk of lung cancer is.

“I think Filipinos don’t have a real understanding of the impact of lung cancer in their commu-nities. Here in the United States, we know that Filipinos are one of the largest-growing Asian American communities, and we also understand the incidence of cancers…is also increasing,” Cabebe said. “If you look at lung cancer specifically at Filipinos, it is…one of the highest cancer-re-lated deaths.”

Cabebe went on to note that in the Bay Area, in particular, a large percentage of Fil-Am males get diagnosed with and die from lung cancer.

In a study released by the Can-cer Prevention Institute of Cali-fornia in 2013, prostate, lung, colon/rectum, non-Hodgkin lym-phoma and liver were the five most commonly diagnosed can-cers in Filipino males from 1990 to 2008.

For Filipino females, the five most commonly diagnosed dur-ing the same period were breast,

colon/rectum, lung, uterine cor-pus and thyroid.

“It’s quite large — lung cancer kills more Americans and Filipi-nos than breast, colon, pancre-atic cancer[s] all combined. And yet, there is not enough educa-tion in the community, as well as research in looking at effec-tive ways of catching the disease early and treating the illness. So we are trying to promote…the understanding of the impact in public health, as well as, the promising landscape of options of therapies for those who are diagnosed with lung cancer as well,” he said.

Both Cabebe and Nguyen highlighted the importance of paying attention to symptoms, as that can help patients detect lung cancer early on and get proper treatment.

“If we find cancers early, spe-cifically for lung cancer,” Cabebe said, “we are able to impact out-comes. There’s almost a 20 per-cent improvement and early sur-vival with prevention.”

Such symptoms include: chronic cough, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, shoulder pain, recurrent pneu-monia and bronchitis, among others. The signs, however, can take years to appear or can be confused with symptoms of oth-er less serious conditions like flu or bronchitis.

“We rarely see lung cancer in kids because it does take time and it usually, you need more than one genetic mutation. You need a series of genetic changes over time. Unfortunately, I have some young patients who are di-agnosed in their 30s or 40s, but as we get older, the chance of lung cancer is also higher simi-lar to any type of cancer. So in a way, cancer is also related to aging as well because as we age, we have more time and chance for genes to be mutated,” Nguy-en said.

For Filipinos, specifically, Ca-bebe said more needs to be done to encourage people to get test-ed and discuss the diagnosis.

“Culturally, there’s this sort of bias that somehow when you develop lung cancer, you some-what deserved it. Because of that association with smoking that somehow you’ve chosen to undergo that lifestyle and you developed that risk. But those patients — that’s someone’s mother, someone’s father and someone’s loved one. I don’t think anybody ever chose to have cancer. I think that it’s this sort of forum that allows the openness to encourage people to come out and discuss their di-agnosis,” he said.

Several treatment options are available depending on the stage and type of lung cancer, includ-ing surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and targeted medications. Based on testing, doctors can determine what type of treatment would work best for the patient’s type of cancer.

“We have what we refer to as a patient support program. We know that cancer medications can be very expensive for pa-tients and we have ways that we can help offset the costs for peo-ple,” Bill Ragaz, director of on-cology marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim, said. “Cancer can take a terrible toll on the family emotionally and financially, and while we want to make sure they get the best outcomes, we want to make sure that it’s appropri-ate and affordable for families as well too and we are doing what we can to help that… “

For those diagnosed with ad-vancing non-small cell lung can-cer and have the EGFR mutation, the pharmaceutical company has developed Gilotrif, once-daily tablets that have been shown to be more effective than chemo-therapy in prolonging patients’ survival, Ragaz said.

Earlier this year, Boehringer Ingelheim launched FACELung-Cancer.com with information about lung cancer, biomarker testing and treatment options. In addition to English, the website is available in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. (AJPress)

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canvass because all election returns have been transmitted and all COC have been printed out for canvass,” dela Cruz said.

“The integrity of the whole 2016 elections is on the line here and we do not want unresolved questions and is-sues to linger after the proclamation. It is our position that whoever will be proclaimed Vice President by the NBOC [National Board of Canvass-ers] deserves a clear and unequivo-cal mandate once he assumes the position. We cannot allow all doubts to linger on our new Vice President which would diminish the stature of his office,” he noted in a statement.

“We will take the next legal step to ventilate our request for the sake of truth and for the millions of Filipinos who cast their votes despite the odds and limitations on May 9,” dela Cruz said.

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Dateline PhiliPPinesAquino on treason raps: Do you want us to be hostile to China?

From 3 to 300, PDP-Laban forms ‘supermajority’ in House

South China Sea tackled in ASEAN defense ministers meetby Frances Mangosing

Inquirer.net

TARLAC CITY—“Treason?” President Benigno Aquino III said on Thursday, May 26 be-fore asking if his detractors wanted him to engage in hostili-ties with China.

“I’d like to hear the specific charge so I can respond appro-priately,” he said, referring to the treason and espionage charges filed by supporters of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

The complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman ear-lier this month said Mr. Aquino and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV committed treason when they engaged in “back-channel” talks with China, which claims a large part of the disputed South China Sea.

Aquino, however, explained how difficult it was for the Phil-ippines to take on China by mili-tary action.

“What should we do about the dispute? Engage in hostilities?” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“If we engage in hostilities there, can we win? Obviously no,” he told Malacañang report-ers in this city.

Aquino said there was no need to endanger lives “unnec-essarily.”

Aquino even quoted St. Thom-as Aquinas and his concept of a “just war.”

“If you engage in war, there has to be that possibility of win-ning,” he said.

The President said the govern-ment, as well as the agreements it has entered into, had always adhered to international law.

He emphasized that interna-tional law, which he believes is a great equalizer among na-tions, should be binding on ev-erybody.

Red linesAsked if he agreed with se-

curity experts who said that Scarborough Shoal, which was among the Philippine territories transferred to the US by Spain, was a “red line” (meaning “a limit past which safety can no longer be guaranteed”), Aquino

said, “I think there are so many red lines.”

At the same time, he pointed out that Scarborough Shoal was within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

He said the Philippines had already taken two tracks to ad-dress the issue: through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and through international arbitration.

“Now, in ASEAN, in an effort to ease the tensions in this body of water, in 2002, they tried to come up with a code of con-duct,” he said.

While the group has failed to establish a code, there is al-ready a Declaration on Conduct of Parties in South China Sea (DOC), which states that par-ties should refrain from actions that will escalate tensions in the area.

He enumerated several in-stances when Philippine ves-sels had issues with China while in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

“Now, their continued pres-ence is something that we have continuously objected to but at the same time…Parang (It’s like) part of that is we want to stress the difference between the Phil-ippines’ and China’s behavior in that we are religiously adhering to the DOC,” he explained.

Aquino said the government wanted to show the contrast be-tween the actions of the Philip-pines and China.

He added that it would not help the case of the government if Philippine vessels adopted a “confrontational attitude.”

by Kristine angeli sabillo Inquirer.net

CONGRESS CONVENES IN JOINT SESSION. Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., open Congress in joint session on Tuesday, May 24, to canvass the votes for President and Vice President in the elections held last May 9. The Senate and the House convened as the National Board of Canvassers to proclaim the winners for President and Vice President. Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo

Regional security, including the South China Sea disputes, was tackled by defense ministers on the sidelines of the Associa-tion of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Defense Ministers Meet-ing in Laos this week.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin emphasized the need to have actions of states guided by and in accordance with inter-national law, saying the Philip-pines’ decision to seek arbitra-tion on the maritime dispute with China was a clear manifestation of having international law being the anchor of a state’s actions, the Philippine defense depart-ment said in a news release on Thursday.

The defense chief also said ac-tions of states should be consis-tent with their policy pronounce-ments of promoting regional peace and stability.

In 2013, the Philippines initi-ated an arbitration case ques-tioning China’s excessive claims

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin

by gil c. cabacungan Inquirer.net

From three to nearly 300.The Partido Demokratikong

Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the political party of pre-sumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, has cobbled together a “supermajority” coalition in the incoming 17th Congress less than three weeks after the May 9 elections.

Incoming Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said PDP-Laban was close to achiev-ing its goal of creating one of the biggest coalitions in Congress’ history after taking in 37 House members from the independent party-coalition bloc in the 17th Congress.

Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe estimated that PDP-Laban’s Co-alition for Change has gathered as many as 260 allies or 90 per-cent of the estimated 290 mem-bers in the next Congress.

Batocabe said this was an ex-traordinary feat in itself as PDP-Laban started with only three House members on its roster—Valenzuela Rep. Erik Martinez, Lanao del Sur Rep. Jun Papan-dayan, and Alvarez.

Ako Bicol is among the 32 party-list groups who joined the PDP-Laban as coalition partners. The rest are 1-Ang Edukasyon; AAMBIS-OWA, 1-Care, 1-Pac-man, 1-Sagip, Aangat Tayo, Aa-senso, Abang Lingkod, ABS, ACTS-OFW, AGAP, Agbiag, Agri, Akbayan, Amin, Ang Kabuhayan, Angkla, A-Teacher, BH, Buhay, Butil, Cibac, Coop-NATCCO, Kabayan, Kalinga, Kusug Tau-sug, Manila Teachers, Mata, PBA, TUCP, and Yacap. Party-list bloc is made up 73 members. Batocabe explained that 8 other party-list members have been weeded out of the bloc because they joined other political par-ties.

“Alvarez wanted a clean alli-ance, not cluttered, because he wants to deal directly with par-ties and not blocs,” said Bato-cabe.

Batocabe said Alvarez would recognize the party-list bloc as a political party on its own, which would be entitled to its propor-tionate share of full, standing committee chairs and member-ships for distribution among majority members. Batocabe said Rep. Sharon Garin of AAM-BIS-OWA was being groomed as a Deputy Speaker, the first party-list member to hold such a lofty post. Batocabe said Alvarez was also open to converting the special committees on climate

change and maritime affairs as full committees.

The PDP-Laban has signed a coalition agreement with Nacio-nalista Party with 50 members, Nationalist People’s Coalition with 45 members, National Uni-ty Party with 40 members, and Lakas-CMD with four members. The PDP-Laban is expected to emerge as the single biggest party with at least 80 members by the end of its raid on the Lib-eral Party’s ranks. Alvarez said he expected to reduce the minor-ity bloc to “bite size” or 20 mem-bers.

Batocabe said that having a

supermajority in the House was important as this would ensure smooth approval of Duterte’s leg-islative agenda, specifically the reimposition of the death penalty and Charter change to liberalize economic restrictions and shift to federalism.

Aside from the party-list bloc, six House members also shifted to the PDP-Laban. They are Es-trelita Suansing of Nueva Ecija, Along Malapitan of Caloocan City, Ricky Sandoval of Malabon-Navotas, Abraham “Bambol” To-lentino of Cavite, Roy Loyola of Cavite, and Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo of Quezon City.

in the disputed South China Sea, challenging the latter’s nine-dash claims over the disputed waters.

China, however, refused to participate in the proceedings and reiterated that it would not abide by the court’s decision.

A ruling on the dispute is ex-pected to come out next month.

In the same meeting, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wan-quang was quoted as saying that China and the Asean had a “shared destiny.”

Chang also suggested military exercises among Asean mem-bers and China’s armed forces in the South China Sea.

Pres, Benigno Aquino III


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WHILE most of the country is joining the bandwagon of Presi-dent-elect Rodrigo Duterte, the Church is keeping its stand and keeping a close eye on the incoming leadership.

Separated

Earlier in April before he won the votes, Duterte has already shrugged off a possible support from the Church. He even warned Catholics to not vote for him be-cause the Church said it would be sin to vote for him.

He then vowed that, if he wins, the Church would have no say in his administration.

Duterte and the Church leadership have since been butting heads on divisive issues such as death penalty and family planning. The presi-dent-elect insists on these “solutions” to combat criminality and overpopulation.

“I’m a Christian, but I’m a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation,” he said. “The religious sector, I’m sorry, your fundamen-tal beliefs do not solve the problems of the coun-try,” Duterte said on Sunday, May 22.

Duterte said the government’s population control program was “not moving because every President has deferred to the stand of the Catho-lic Church.”

“I will defy the opinion or the belief of the Church,” Duterte vowed. He called the Church as the most “hypocritical institution” and warned to reveal the sins of the Church if it continues to

meddle in his leadership.For centuries, followers of the

Church are bound by stern and unrealistic expectations that are set by strict traditions. Today, the

Church must become less of a moral standard and must make itself more of a guide, for people to find a harmonious relationship with God with-out dictating on how they can live as decent hu-man beings.

There is something in the Filipino ethos that makes a person accept the harsh reality. A Filipi-no finds it easy to come to terms with hardships and persist on achieving a better life. What soft-ens the blow of the realities of life is the Filipino spirit when it comes to living a difficult life. Such resilience is a precious gift, but is not an excuse to practice fatalistic attitude.

The country’s problems is multi-faceted which makes mitigation to require action from mul-tiple fronts—including the Church. Religion is no excuse. Being faithful is not turning a blind eye on solutions (that contradicts the teachings of the Church) to problems. The Filipino faithful must find a balance to embrace their faith and welcome the change they want achieved in the society. (AJPress)

Editorial

This race to the White House is not like any other, especially when you look at the front-run-ners of each party. In past elections, voters gen-erally have fallen in love with their candidates of choice, giving each a boost in favorability ratings. The winning candidate usually has the highest fa-vorability rating — the one that is most “likable,” but such is not the case in this election cycle. Polls show that presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic Party front-runner Hillary Clinton are both deemed highly unfavor-able by the voters. In fact, of the three remaining candidates for president, Vermont Senator Ber-nie Sanders has the highest favorability rating.

What has bothered many Democrats lately is the fact that Trump and Clinton are now neck-and-neck in a hypothetical match-up for the No-vember general elections. This is bad news for Clinton, who used to have a double-digit lead over billionaire business mogul/reality star Trump.

Despite his unconventional campaign, ques-tionable conservative principles, and bizarre policies and platform, Trump has defied expecta-tions and the Republican Party leaders’ attempt to deny him the nomination.

Critics explain the reason behind the narrow-ing margin between Trump and Clinton is the fact

that Republicans are now starting to rally behind their presumptive nominee, whereas Clinton is still in the race against Sanders to be the democratic nominee. Many of the Democratic party estab-lishment leaders blame Sanders, saying his continued criticism of Clinton just increases her unfa-vorability and trust ratings among voters, not to mention the time and resources she is spending to compete with Sanders, which should otherwise be used to start unleashing her arsenal to defeat Trump in the general elections.

But the Sanders campaign is not giving up, vowing to fight all the way to the convention in July.

Why won’t he? He continues to win in state primaries and re-

ceive donations from ordinary citizens who be-lieve in his cause for a political revolution that would give power back to ordinary working Americans and not just to the top 1 percent of the richest American corporations and citizens.

The Sanders campaign contends that the pri-mary election isn’t over until all states have made their voices heard and not until Clinton has won

the required 2,383 delegates to clinch the nomination with-out the weight of the superdel-egates — elite Democratic party officials who have given Clinton 525 delegates. Sanders only has 42 superdelegate counts. As of press time, Clinton has 1,776 unpledged delegates (from or-dinary citizens’ votes from dif-

ferent states that have completed their primary elections), while Sanders has 1,533 unpledged delegates.

The Clinton camp says the superdelegates’ votes should catapult her to be the party nominee even before the delegate-rich states of California. Sanders says this is something he will fight until all votes from all states have been counted, and up until the Democratic National Convention in July.

The Sanders campaign believes that should Sanders win big in the remaining states, espe-cially in California, then he can make his case for the superdelegates to shift their votes to him to reflect the will of their constituents.

Moreover, Sanders contends that he is the stronger candidate to defeat Trump, with his

double-digit lead over Trump in the polls. He also points out how he has energized new and return-ing voters to align with the Democratic Party, even attracting more independent voters and moderate Republicans, especially in states where Democrats need to win. The Clinton campaign ar-gues that the reason for this is because Sanders is not really vetted yet, and has not really been the target of the GOP’s arsenals of negative ads.

But beyond this, Sanders continues to be in the race to fight for his progressive agenda, which is supported by almost half of the Democratic pri-mary voters. Even if he ends up losing to Clinton, he has already pushed Clinton to embrace more of his policy and platform, which he wants to be part of the Democratic Party platform that will be presented in July and all through the general elec-tion campaign season against the Republicans.

So what do you think? Should Bernie Sanders remain in the race and fight all the way to the convention?

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

With the unfavorable ratings of front-runners Clinton and Trump, should Sanders drop out of the race?

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

Change requires new ideas

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

THE Duterte campaign prom-ised the nation that change is coming. Close to 40 percent of the voters bought that promise. The question now is… can Mr. Duterte deliver change?

Based on recent cabinet ap-pointments, change is not appar-ent. I saw one complaint on social media that captures a skeptical sentiment: “I voted for Duterte but it seems Gloria Arroyo won.”

Indeed, some Duterte appoint-ments are rethreads from the Ar-royo era. There is nothing wrong with that if the appointees have been outstanding. That does not seem to be the case.

Other than the names, ideas are also important. We have age old problems and past adminis-trations have applied the same old solutions that have not been effective.

Someone said something about the idiocy of applying failed solu-tions over and over in the hope of having a different outcome. Past administrations have been doing that and the Duterte administra-tion is in danger of doing that too.

In a way, I like the appointment of former Gov. Manny Piñol as agriculture secretary. He doesn’t have formal training in agricul-ture, but he runs his own farm. I don’t know how big a farm it is, but I can imagine that running a farm plus his direct contact with

THE International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), representing more than 340 rul-ing, opposition, and independent politi-cal parties on Friday, May 20 called the Philippine national elections “free, clean, and without violence and an exemplar for third-world countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.”

The ICAPP bureau include its Founding Chairman, former Philippine Speaker Jose de Venecia; Co-Chairman and Secre-tary General Chung Eui-yong of South Korea; Vice Chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An of Cambodia; and Special Rapporteur, Pakistan senior Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, repre-senting the 23-man Standing Committee from Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, West Asia including the Arab world, Australia, New Zea-land and the small Pacific island states.

The Asian political leaders endorsed President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s initiative to put an end to Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency, set a prolonged ceasefire and include Cabinet-level communist representatives in the new government and his call for federalism as an instrument to end the Muslim insurgencies, develop Mindanao and the regions, and decentralize the national govern-ment.

They said they will ask the leadership of govern-ments in Southeast Asia to support the setting up of joint naval patrols by the Philippines, Indone-

Asian political parties describe Philippine polls as ‘exemplar’

Former Philippine Speaker Jose de Venecia

sia, Malaysia, and Brunei navies against piracies and radical groups in the Ma-lacca Straits, Sulu Sea, and Southeast Asian waters.

The ICAPP bureau also called for initiatives for negotiated bilateral or multilateral political settlements in the South China Sea, East China Sea, revival of the six-nation Korean talks, a formula for the long-neglected Mus-lim-Rohingya refugees in Myanmar, new solutions to the bloody Iraq-Syria-Libya crises, and revival of the global Inter-Faith Dialogues at the U.N. to reduce the bitter Sunni-Shiite Muslim conflicts and the unspeakable violence of radical ISIS extremism

in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. ICAPP reported that it just held Asia-Latin

America-Africa inter-parties conference in Jakarta last April 22-24, to inaugurate the first tricontinen-tal meeting of political parties (ICAPP, the Council of African Political Parties (CAPP), and COPPPAL, composed of Latin American and Caribbean politi-cal parties) to revive the historic Bandung Spirit of the 1950s and intensify post-colonial economic mobilization to defeat pervasive poverty.

The tricontinental leaders said they will con-tribute efforts to mobilize political parties, govern-ments, parliaments, and the private sector in the continuing campaign against poverty, since one percent of the world or some 80 persons are said to own more than 50 percent percent of the world’s wealth, intensify the global effort against climate change and environmental degradation, and the unceasing violent politico-religious extremism.

farmers as a provincial governor are good inputs in crafting and carrying out agriculture policies that work and not just in theory.

Mr. Piñol’s first pronounce-ment, however, makes me won-der if change is coming. Maybe it is not just Mr. Piñol, but Mr. Duterte himself. The former gov-ernor said it is the policy of Mr. Duterte to stop private importa-tion of rice to stop smuggling. Only the NFA will do importa-tions.

Perhaps, it will help Mr. Piñol to get the economists of PIDS, the government economic think tank, to brief him on the prob-lem. Or consult Dr. Rolly Dy, a native of Davao who is an expert in agri-business at the University of Asia and the Pacific.

It seems the policy of Mr. Duterte, as announced by Mr. Piñol, is more of the same thing that already failed. The policy also resulted in piling up NFA debts that surpass our annual na-tional defense budget.

The problem is precisely in the government agency’s monopoly to import rice. Private importers have to get NFA’s permit to im-port. This is at the root of corrup-tion in NFA and the recyclable permits they issue are the basis of much rice smuggling. NFA of-ficials also have the incentive to over import and pad costs of re-lated services like trucking.

On the other hand, if we liberal-ized rice importation, the private traders will not import more rice than the market can buy. They can also respond more quickly to unexpected market demand, up

or down.Private importers will have the

incentive to buy rice as cheaply as possible because there’s com-petition from other importers. There will be no reason to smug-gle rice because importation is allowed. We can also put an im-port tax and the proceeds used to help local rice farmers.

This is why a group of econo-mists under the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) called on the incoming Duterte admin-istration to stop the rice importa-tion monopoly of NFA. It is only through liberalizing rice importa-tion that the new administration can make good on its promise of affordable food for the poor.

FEF believes liberalizing rice importation “will enhance food security, rather than diminish it. Malaysia allows up to 30 percent of its needs to be met by rice im-ports.

The economists are sure “liber-alizing rice importation will defi-nitely benefit the poor. Our coun-try cannot bear rice to become more unaffordable especially at a time of supply uncertainty due to severe drought conditions.”

There is also the need to un-burden taxpayers with billions of annual subsidies to NFA which presently exceeds P150 billion, the economists urge. The World Bank estimates that for every P5 of spending for NFA, P4 are wasted leakages that provide no public benefit.

In any case, our rice quantita-tive restriction (QR) expires in 2017. After that, we are com-

PAGE A7

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 27-JUNE 2, 2016(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com A�Dateline PhiliPPines

Branson to business: Avoid bribery

Change requires new...mitted by our international trade obligations to allow private sec-tor importers. The QRs on rice should have expired in 2012, but extended to 2017 at our request.

As part of the continued QR on rice, the Philippines has commit-ted to cut tariff under the scheme starting July 2015. Tariff is now 35 percent and with minimum ac-cess volume or MAV of 805,200 MT. Purchases beyond that will be subject to a 50 percent rate.

In energy, Duterte’s pick for Energy secretary promised to “ensure reliable, steady and af-fordable power supply and work towards greater energy self-suf-ficiency.” Those are wonderful motherhood objectives an En-ergy secretary has no power to deliver due to the nature of the sector today.

But I cannot blame Al Cusi, a close friend of Mike Arroyo, who was appointed to head the En-ergy department by Mr. Duterte, for trying to sound like he can deliver. Al has little or no back-ground in energy, his last assign-ments under the Arroyo admin-istration having been running NAIA, CAAP and the Philippine Ports Authority.

Al will be disappointed to eventually find out he got the worse Cabinet seat there is. Un-

like during the time when I was with Energy under the late Ron-nie Velasco, we had the power and resources to really manage the energy sector.

Today, the Energy secretary is powerless. The petroleum down-stream sector is deregulated. All he can do is monitor prices in Singapore, make some computa-tions and exert moral suasion on oil companies not to raise prices too much. During our time, we had Petron to set prices that the private oil companies must fol-low or lose market share.

In the power sector, we had NPC to build new plants and distribution lines. Now the En-ergy secretary must convince the private sector to invest in power plants and the power grid.

Once power plants are built, the private generators pretty much call the shots under EPIRA. Then there is the independent ERC for regulating the utilities including the approval of power rates.

There is PSALM which holds and manages assets of NPC. Here, the chairman of the board is the Secretary of Finance, not the Energy secretary.

The Energy secretary does not have powers, but has all the re-sponsibilities. Al will get blamed when oil prices don’t go down at the pump fast enough or go up

too quickly. He will be blamed for blackouts even if all he can do is monitor the power supply situation through data given by NGCP.

I am not sure how the Energy department can handle govern-ment-to-government oil importa-tions from Russia or some other country as some eager beaver in Davao announced. Government no longer has a refinery to pro-cess that crude. The independent oil companies import processed products from Singapore. Petron has a top rated refinery, but any deal has to benefit its bottom line.

On energy development, gov-ernment has no money to risk in this very risky side of the energy business. We are dependent on private oil companies with the risk appetite. But they look at the most favorable deals that also de-pend on world oil market prices (now depressed and unattractive for exploration) and data about our geology.

A good Energy secretary must have some good ideas that can only come from years of expe-rience in the energy business. Otherwise, he will be a non-per-former, his best intentions not-withstanding.

* * *Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco.

PAGE A6

Duterte warns De Lima: ‘Don’t fight me; you’ll lose’

DAVAO CITY—The word war between presumptive Presi-dent-elect Rodrigo Duterte and Senator-elect Leila de Lima is far from over.

In an early morning press conference here on Thursday, May 26, the incoming Presi-dent said he would launch an investigation on De Lima for her supposedly slow response in busting the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison.

Duterte said that it took the former Justice Secretary seven months to start doing anything about his tip on the prolifera-tion of methamphetamine hy-drochloride (shabu) inside the national penitentiary.

“I will dig deep. Sabihin ko sa kanya, ‘Hoy, hija. Huwag mo akong masyadong pakiala-man sa bunganga ko (I will tell her, ‘Woman, don’t focus on how I say things’). You bet-ter look in your own backyard because you have a very seri-ous problem there. Shabu is being cooked there inside the penitentiary. It took her seven months to enter the premises,” the tough-talking mayor said.

It turns out that the rift be-tween Duterte and De Lima goes a long way.

In 2014, Duterte testified in the Senate and threatened to kill alleged rice smuggler Da-vidson Bangayan.

“Shabu [inside the Bilibid] started during her time! Siya ang magbantay sa akin (And she will censor me)? I called her attention when she criti-cized me after I testified in the Senate on rice smuggling. Nag-mura ako doon (I cursed there)… She issued a state-ment. Instead of zeroing in on the real culprit, na yung Intsik, ako ang idedemanda niya (she will sue me) for threatening,” he said.

In various instances, the for-mer Justice secretary said that she would act as a fiscalizer in the Duterte administration.

She said that she would watch out for Duterte, who supposedly emboldened local officials with his “anti-human rights policies.”

De Lima also expressed concern about Dutertes pro-nouncements that he would give dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos a hero’s burial, pardon former President Gloria Maca-

pagal Arroyo and reinstate the death penalty.

“Dapat ngayon pa lang man-gamba na tayo (We should be worried as early as now). Let’s be really vigilant,” she was quoted as saying.

Duterte said that De Lima should brace for the charges he would file against her.

“Hoy, De Lima, tumahimik ka (shut up)! I will investigate you. I will file charges against you. Do not pick a fight with me, you will lose,” he warned.

by Aries Joseph heginA Inquirer.net

by prinz MAgtulis Philstar.com

MANILA—Businesses need to be at the forefront in the fight against corruption by keeping a sense of “high moral author-ity,” one of the world’s billion-aires and philanthropists said on Wednesday, May 26.

“We are trying to get business leaders to never ever be tempted to bribe public officials. I think if every business leader does that, then public officials will not ask for bribes,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the British firm Virgin Group.

He also stressed the need for greater competition among in-dustries.

“Business is in a position of putting it right. This is one area where businesses need to stand out,” he said in a forum spon-sored by the ABS-CBN News Channel in Pasay City.

Branson ranked 286th in Forbes magazine’s billionaires’ list this year, with a net worth of

$5.5 billion.The 65-year-old high-school

dropout currently operates the Virgin brand in airlines,

financial services and even spaceflight industries.

In 1994, he sold his record-ing venture Virgin Records for $1 billion and saw his beverage

subsidiary, Virgin Drinks, lose to competition with Coca-Cola Co. in 2007.

Commenting on the Philippine business landscape, Branson said rule of law is a vital ingredi-ent in a democracy and that lo-cal companies need to embrace more competition.

He voiced support for the opening of more industries to more competition, something the incoming Duterte administration has vowed to prioritize once it takes office on June 30.

“The country is dominated by 20 very big companies. It is dif-ficult for foreign companies to invest in many sectors here and I am not necessarily sure if that is in their interest,” Branson said.

“If you have too much pro-tection, it means you don’t get enough competition and consum-ers don’t benefit. A little bit more competition from overseas will be good,” he said, adding he would “love to come and bring the Vir-gin magic” to the country.

British billionaire Richard Branson, who founded the Virgin Group of companies, talks during the ANC Leadership Forum on Wednesday, May 25.

Senator-elect Leila de Lima

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the asian journal entertainment magazine may 27-june 2, 2016

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

2

may 27-june 2, 2016 2Power Duo wins PGT Season 5

Mariel Rodriguez to give birth in US

by Kane errol Choa Philstar.com

ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak (fourth from left) and KidZania Mayor Cookie Bartolome during the awarding ceremonies.

The powerful, romantic and acrobatic dance of Power Duo won the hearts and votes of viewers and judges of “Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT)” to make dancers Anjanette and Gervin the grand champion of the reality-talent show’s season five and winner of the P2M grand prize.

Still in a state of shock, the couple is overjoyed that all their sacrifice and hard work have paid off. “We are so happy. We did not expect to win and so the idea of winning has not really sunk in. All our hard work and sacrifice paid off,” said Gervin.

Anjanette and Gervin’s performance Sunday night, May 22, not only earned standing

ovation from PGT judges Vice Ganda, Robin Padilla, Angel Locsin and Freddie “FMG” Garcia, but also obtained a score of 100 percent.

“That was not just a dance. That was love. Tonight, love wins,” said Vice after the duo’s performance. “Sa mundo na punong-puno ng mga taong nananakit, pinaniwala niyo ako muli sa pag-ibig.”

Robin added, “When love talks, everybody listens. Love conquers all.”

Asked where the love between the two is coming from, Anjanette and Gervin gave all the thanks to God for bringing them to each other and inspiring them in all their performances.

”We should be thankful to God. he is our inspiration. We

would not be able to achieve this without him. Thank you to God. This is part of his plan for us,” said Gervin.

Power Duo was one of the season’s contestants that earned a “golden buzzer” during the auditions that earned them a spot in the semi-finals, where they also impressed the judges with their interpretation of “Wag Ka Nang Umiyak.”

It was the first time in PGT for a dance duo to win top honors. The past four seasons were won by singers, namely Jovit Baldivino, Marcelito Pomoy, the Maasinhon Trio and Roel Manlangit.

When asked about breaking the streak of singer-winners, Gervin explained that their goal was simply to show the talent God gave them and the couple was already happy with the positive responses they’ve been receiving about their performances.

“It all depends on the viewers’ choice. For our part, we did what we were supposed to do and danced with all our hearts in order to reach our dreams,” he said.

For a change, the grand champion of PGT 5 was not solely determined by viewers’ SMS and Google votes. half of the scores combined came

from the judges. It was the first time for a Got Talent franchise worldwide to do so.

Following Power Duo in the Top 3 were fire dancer Amazing Pyra (66.57 percent), who endured a minor burn suffered during a rehearsal for the semi-finals, and magician Ody Sto. Domingo (50.61 percent), who dedicated his act to his mother who succumbed to cancer 10 months ago.

The other grand finalists include Master Mind, Kurt Philip espiritu, Power Impact Dancers, Crossover, Dino Splendid Acrobats, Sto. Tomas Bulilit Generation, UA Mindanao, The Chosen Ones and Next Option.

Sharon Cuneta entertained the big crowd at the SM Arena and viewers by singing the theme of “Bituing Walang Ninging.”

The two-night Final Showdown of “Pilipinas Got Talent” dominated the weekend by topping all programs and receiving national TV ratings of 33.8 percent last May 21 and 36.7 percent last May 22, according to data from Kantar Media.

Social media were also abuzz in both days as the official hashtags #PGT5FinalShowdown and #PGT5GrandWinner top-trended worldwide and in the Philippines via Twitter.

Power Duo’s heart-stopping performance merited the perfect score of 100 percent combined from the four judges and text votes from the audience.

Dancers Anjanette and Gervin, grand champion and winner of the P2M grand prize.

Jaclyn Jose becomes the first Filipino to win Best Actress at Cannes

By Billy De la Cruz AJPress

Cannes best actress Jaclyn Jose shows her Palme d’Or (Gold Leaf) award upon her arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Tuesday, May 24. Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande

JACLYN Jose made history after winning the Best Actress award at the 69th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, May 22. She is the first Filipino to bring home the acting honor for the Philippines at Cannes.

The 52-year-old veteran actress was hailed for performance in the film “Ma’ Rosa,” directed by Brillante Mendoza, who marks the film as his return to Cannes after winning Best Director for his film “Kinatay (Butchered)” in 2009.

In “Ma’ Rosa,” Jose plays a struggling mother who owns a small sari-sari (variety) store in a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Manila. She makes ends meet with her husband (played by Julio Diaz) by selling drugs.

“The small-time drug selling and all that is happening and it’s quite alarming and something needs to be done. That’s why I decided to make a story out of this situation,” Mendoza said about the film.

“I don’t know what to say. I am so surprised,” Jose said with a shaking voice as she accepted her award at the Palais des Festivals on the French Riviera in France. An emotional Jose was joined by her daughter and “Ma’ Rosa” co-star Andi eigenmann and Brillante on stage.

“I just went through having a red carpet walk with my daughter, my real life daughter and my daughter in the movie also,” she continued. “Thank you to Cannes, thank you so much. Thank you to the jury, thank you that you liked our film”

“Thank you also to Brillante Mendoza. I was just following whatever he tells me to do. he is such a brilliant director--a genius in the Philippines, and now, here in your country,” Jose said as she gestured towards Mendoza, who

was applauding at the sidelines. “To my countrymen, to the Philippines. Thank you so much, France, for loving our work,” she concluded.

Jaclyn bested front-runners and hollywood actresses Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron, Ruth Negga, Isabelle huppert, and Kristen Stewart for the prestigious Palme d’Or (Gold Leaf) award.

“When I saw the line-up, I said, ‘Oh, they are all my idols and they are all good.’ (During the awards night) I was just watching and enjoying the moment. When they called my name, I got surprised and got emotional,” Jose told Reuters after the awarding ceremony.

“Who would not get be emotional, this is the Cannes film festival, this is big, especially in my country. You know, not anyone can be in the competition here or be nominated as best actress, so this is big in my country right now,” she added.

International accoladesDuring a press conference after

the awarding ceremony, Cannes Jury member and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen described Jose as “a wonderful leading actress, a master of her skills.”

“It was an absolute beautiful, beautiful performance for lead actress. That’s why she got it,” Mikkelsen said.

French film director and screenwriter Arnaud Desplechin said: “She’s the film. have you seen the performance she gave? She broke my heart.”

“everybody’s heart, actually,” Shahrzad Media International CeO and Iranian film producer Katayoon Shahabi echoed.

Jose now joins the rank of other premier actresses who have won the Best Actress award at Cannes, such as Sally Field (1979), helen Mirren (1984, 1995), Cher (1985), Meryl Streep (1989), Julianne Moore (2014), and Rooney Mara (2015), among others.

Ph film, Sid Lucero win in LA festby Bayani San Diego Jr.

Inquirer.net

JOhN Paul Su’s “Toto” won two awards at the recent 19th Los Angeles Comedy Festival in California, the film festival website announced on Tuesday, May 24.

Lead star Sid Lucero won best actor, while the movie itself won best foreign film.

“Toto,” which focuses on a desperate Filipino everyman who dreams of migrating to the United States, was an entry in the New Wave section of the Metro Manila Film Festival, held in December last year.

Sid Lucero in the film “Toto.”

Dubbed “the largest comedy fest in the US,” the annual event turns the spotlight on “thousands

of live comedic acts and hundreds of films from LA and around the world.”

AFTeR tragic miscarriages in the past, Mariel Rodriguez is happy to go through the first trimester of her pregnancy.

“Siyempre hinintay ko talaga na safe na,” she explained about her delayed announcement of her pregnancy, in an interview aired in “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on Tuesday, May 24. “Sinigurado ko na ‘yong first trisemester malagpasan, so after that sinabi ko na talaga.”

“Bakit hindi ko sasabihin, e, ang saya-saya ko!” she added.

The Kapamilya host is still

taking extra precautions with her pregnancy, since she has gestational diabetes.

Before this pregnancy, she has experienced two miscarriages last year. First was in March, and the second was in August.

Mariel plans to give birth in US with her husband, Robin Padilla. Despite her sensitive pregnancy, Mariel denied that she’s taking an early leave from “It’s Showtime.”

“Basta kaya ko, I will do it,” she said. (Philstar.com)

Mariel Rodriguez is happy that she made it through the first trimester of her pregnancy.

Gloc 9 reminds youth: Get high with musicGLOC 9 and Jason Fernandez

are saddened by the negative image being associated with music festivals.

Recently, five concert-goers died in a music festival organized by a toothpaste brand, after allegedly taking a heavy dose of drugs which is supposedly not allowed inside the venue.

“Ni-lock ko sa bahay ‘yong mga anak ko,” joked Gloc 9 when asked to react about the incident, in an interview on Wednesday, May 25.

On a more serious note he added, “Pero nakakalungkot ‘yon. Ang unang-una kong naisip ay ang mga magulang ng mga batang ‘yon. hindi mo na mababalik ‘yon, e.”

If his children, who are aged 7 and 9, would want to attend such events in the future, he would rather accompany them.

“Kung hindi nila ko isusumpa na nakiki-party ako sa kanila, at papayag sila na ako ang sumama sa kanila, e, mas okay,” he added.

by JoyCe Jimenez Philstar.com

Being musicians and parents themselves, Gloc 9 and Jason Fernandez are saddened that drugs is being associated with music festivals.

Meanwhile, Jason who is one of the rock artists in the local scene denied they’re heavy takers of drugs.

“Mukha lang kaming nagda-drugs pero hindi, high kami sa music,” he said.

he added that real singers “are high with their music. If hindi ka ganun at musikero ka, something is wrong with you.”

Jason would also like to remind

the youth that “puwede ka naman magsaya na hindi ka nagda-drugs.”

“Minsan kasi ‘yong kultura ng kabataan kapag party, kapag hindi ka nag-take, hindi ka cool, hindi kasi gano’n ‘yon,” he added.

he also hopes that incident will serve as lesson to the youth that “’wag n’yo putulin ang buhay ninyo sa napakabatang edad. Puwede tayo magsaya na hindi gumagamit ng anumang droga.”

Solenn Heussaff weds Argentinian bf in France

AFTeR five years of dating, actress Solenn heussaff and her boyfriend, Argentinian businessman Nico Bolzico, finally tied the knot last May 22 in an intimate ceremony at eglise Notre Dame in the commune of Combourg in Brittany, France.

Midway through her walk down the aisle, Solenn, wearing a form-fitting lace gown by Israeli designer Lili hod, was joined by her former Marine French father, Louis Paul heussaff. Guests described the moment as “touching, emotional.”

The event was attended by relatives and close friends. Among them were the 30-year-old bride’s brother, erwan, and his girlfriend, actress Anne Curtis; Georgina Wilson, Isabelle Daza, Carla humphries, Lovi Poe, Liz Uy, Bianca King, Jasmine Curtis Smith and Paulo Avelino.

by allan PoliCarPio Inquirer.net

The reception was held at the Château du Grand Val.

early this year, it was reported that Solenn married Nico in civil rites in Argentina in December 2015. She later clarified at a press conference that what they had was merely a belated engagement celebration, and assured fans that she would share with them her wedding moments in social media.

And true to her promise, guests were free to post online snaps of the wedding, which were appended with the hashtag, “SosBolz.” Solenn herself posted on her Instagram account a photo of her kissing Nico, which she captioned “Te amo!”

They plan to stay in France for two more weeks after their big day, Solenn said in a recent episode of “Taste Buddies,” the GMA News TV lifestyle show that she hosts.

Nico Bolzico and Solenn Heussaff

may 27-june 2, 2016 3www.asianjournal.com

Meganewbie on ‘The Voice’by Lea SaLonga

Inquirer.net

NoT just a few fans were excited by the news that Megastar Sharon Cuneta would be joining us on “The Voice Kids” as its newest coach. After weeks of speculation and some names being thrown around in social media, fans greeted the news with jubilation. My own friends, who are solid Sharonians, were very happy.

She started her show-biz career in 1978 as a 12-year-old singing the Rey Valera-penned hit “Mr. DJ,” launching her as a major radio favorite. Then began her foray into movies, the first being Sining Silangan’s “Dear Heart,” which was also her first team-up with leading man Gabby Concepcion.

She followed that with films that paired her with other leading men of the era: William Martinez, Rowell Santiago, Christopher de Leon, Miguel Rodriguez, Robin Padilla and Aga Muhlach, and has worked with directors like Danny Zialcita, Eddie Rodriguez, olivia Lamasan, Leroy Salvador, Lino Brocka, Emmanuel H. Borlaza and Eddie Garcia. She has been heralded the box office queen for the high grosses of her movies, earning her the title Megastar.

As for my own history with

her, we have seen each other in television studios and concert venues since the early ’80s, when I started making records, and thus would be a guest on TV shows including hers (the first one, “C.U.T.E.,” with her aunt Helen Gamboa, and “The Sharon Cuneta Show” on IBC 13 and later on ABS-CBN).

I must’ve been around 10; she was about 15. We would sometimes sing together, and she would interview me. And I would also be the occasional observer watching her star rise.

Movie premiereAbout a year earlier, I was

invited to the premiere of her then newest movie with Gabby, “Pati Ba Pintig ng Puso?” Sharon was Jena, Gabby played Aldrin. My mom, brother Gerard and I were sitting in the mezzanine, a few rows behind where the two lead stars would sit.

The electricity inside the theater was building. Sharon and Gabby fans were in the orchestra section with fan signs and banners at the ready. Then, upon their arrival, the whole place exploded!

They stood at the edge of the balcony, graciously receiving the applause and screams. When Gabby wiped Sharon’s forehead

with a hankie, even we seated behind them couldn’t help but feel that kilig that infected everyone else. The movie actually happened to be a good one, if memory serves me right.

And now, she’s with us on “The Voice Kids.”

on our second day of Blind Auditions, we filmed our opening number. We had rehearsed the music the night before, so we were already prepared. one of our floor directors, Archie, was teaching us our blocking. Sharon was laughing and making jokes while being given her instructions. I was wondering if she was actually listening.

Then, after being taught just once, she knew exactly where to stand, where to walk to, and when. My jaw fell on the floor. This was old-school professionalism, the kind that I always respect and admire in anyone who displays it. And yes, Sharonians, she sounds good.

To say that I’m thrilled she’s in our show is an understatement. I now get to say that I’m doing a TV show with her, get to bask in her reflected light—and to watch and learn. And I get to be a fan.

The queen is back, ladies and gentlemen. And I couldn’t be happier!

“The Voice Kids” coaches (from left): The author, Bamboo and Sharon Cuneta

Bamboo hopes for back-to-back win in ‘The Voice Kids’

by Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com

BAMBoo is the coach of the champion in the last season of “The Voice Kids,” putting extra pressure on his part.

“I’ll try,” he replied if he’s aiming for a back-to-back win in the competition, in a recent interview at the set of “The Voice Kids.”

He added that, “I always say na I can’t control things, but I’ll try my best.”

He also pointed out that his real goal in the competition is “to bring out the best in every child.”

As to what he looks for in the competition, he aims to mentor someone who is a complete package.

“Gano’n talaga, e, hindi mo puwede isa-isahin,” he explained. “It’s the vocal character, the composition, maraming bagay.”

Above all, Bamboo emphasizes, “it’s about heart.”

Dawn Zulueta: Nothing wrong with May-December affair

LoVE knows no age, and the heart has no wrinkles. That is basically what Star Cinema’s romantic comedy, “Love Me Tomorrow,” is all about.

It is topbilled by Dawn Zulueta, Coleen Garcia and Piolo Pascual, whose characters in the film are entangled in a love triangle.

In this age of “cougars” and “hot mamas,” Dawn’s role is a celebration of woman power in matters of the heart.

Here’s my tête-à-tête with Dawn:

What’s something about Piolo that surprised you during your shoot?

I saw how wacky he can get. The few times I spent with him prior to shooting, he was formal. Working with him made me see his lighter side.

What do you think of May-December relationships?

It’s nice as long as both of you aren’t attached to someone else. I don’t see anything wrong with falling for someone despite your age difference. If you really love each other, go for it.

What’s the craziest thing that you did for love?

I gave up something I really

by DoLLy anne carvaJaL Inquirer.net

loved doing just to appease someone I loved.

When your son is old enough, what advice would you give him about love and women?

I will tell Jacobo not to rush. To make friends with a lot of different people so from there, he will become more discerning. I’ll tell him to keep those with a positive outlook in life as friends.

Eventually, from that circle, maybe he can choose a girlfriend. I would advise him that in a relationship, they should both be assets to each other.

What makes your marriage work?

Honesty and trust, aside from the fact that my husband is super loyal to me. That’s an A-plus.

What are your secrets for aging gracefully?

I refuse to feel my age. I’m 47, but I don’t limit myself to dressing up or behaving a certain way.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who is free-flowing, fun-loving, who takes her work seriously, but doesn’t take herself too seriously.

Lana masterpieceWe gave Jun Robles Lana’s

masterpiece, “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan,” a grade of A at the Cinema Evaluation Board. It’s a raw and piercing depiction of love

in the time of war. No wonder it reaped awards in festivals abroad and has nine nominations in the coming Gawad Urian.

Lead actress LJ Reyes shed her sweet image and went beyond her comfort zone. She more than deserves her best actress award at the Pacific Meridian International Festival in Russia.

But could it be true that it will be the last time that LJ will portray such a daring role, because she is now a devout Born Again Christian?

If so, maybe she can find middle ground between her art and faith, to be able to balance personal convictions and professional growth. Religion must not get in the way of maximizing her God-given talents.

Bamboo

Dawn Zulueta

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

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Jed Madela: I can’t let gossip control my lifeby AllAn PolicArPio

Inquirer.net

JED Madela, the balladeer best known for his prodigious belting skills, has always relished the fact that he can do things with his voice that not many other local male vocalists can replicate. And in this birit-crazy country, his style of singing is definitely an edge—the one thing that he feels sets him apart from the rest of the pack.

In the coming concert series mounted in support of his latest album, “Iconic,” Jed will test how much further his instrument can go, as he takes on the music of some of the most influential pop divas. And he will be holding no punches. His first show on May 28 at Music Museum will be dedicated to pop-R&B superstar Mariah Carey.

“There’s deeper purpose of singing, which is telling stories—and I saw that with Mariah. You can feel what she’s going through just by listening to her,” the singer said in a pocket interview for “The Iconic Concert Series: Jed Madela Sings…”

The challenge, of course, is doing all that while keeping up with Mariah’s trademark vocal calisthenics—intricate riffing and dexterous shifting among different vocal registers.

“It’s exciting but hard—and there’s pressure because people

expect me to hit all the high notes and pull off the vocal runs, which I’m not used to doing because I don’t sing R&B. That is why I have friends teaching me how to do it,” he said. “I always want to challenge myself … I do not want to be complacent.”

Jed, the first Filipino Hall of Fame inductee at the World Championships of the Performing Arts, had just arrived from rehearsals, where he worked on the ballad, “Can’t Take That Away.” The song, he admitted, had unwittingly exposed a weak spot he needs to address.

Difficult“I thought it was going to be

easy, but it wasn’t. The phrasing and dynamics the song requires are difficult. Mariah can probably sing an entire verse with one breath. That was where I had trouble,” said Jed, adding that he asked his fans in social media to help create a set list.

Late last year, due to fatigue, Jed completely lost his voice for two months. Is he worried that this latest musical endeavor will end up putting tremendous stress on his vocal cords?

Aside from Mariah, the Star Music recording artist will also pay tribute to Celine Dion in July, Madonna in August and Whitney Houston in September.

With everyone in the lineup being female artists—gay icons, at

that—longstanding rumors about Jed’s sexual preference are bound to be reignited. At this point in his 13-year career, however, the singer has stopped paying too much attention to the intrigues, saying that it’s impossible to please everyone. “It gets tiring. Even if you deny it or explain your side, people will find something bad to say about you,” he pointed out. “I am here to sing.”

Jed admitted that gossip affected him before, but he has learned to take things in stride. “I try not to let negativity affect my performances; I cannot let that control my life,” he stressed.

Jed Madela

AN all-day festival featuring non-stop cultural and patriotic performances and various entertainment for the entire family will mark the 118th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day.

The event will take place on Saturday, June 11th, from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Veterans Park, located at 22400 Moneta Avenue in Carson. The celebration is open to the public and admission is free.

Non-stop entertainment will begin at 10 a.m. featuring big names in the Filipino pop music industry, homegrown talents and cultural groups. Food and display booths are also lined up for the day’s activities.

Topping the list of this year’s guest is Miss World 2013 Kapuso Actress and TV-Host Megan Young.

She will be joined by numerous up-and-coming Filipino artists, as well as Carson’s own local talents. A parade of reigning beauty queens representing various regions from the Philippines will cap the celebration.

In the City of Carson, which is home to more than 20,000 Filipinos, the celebration of Philippine Independence Day is a yearly festival that draws thousands of both Filipinos and non-Filipinos of all ages from all over Southern California. It is a commemoration of the birth of the Philippine republic after over 400 years of Spanish rule. This is the premiere Filipino event in the United States.

“On behalf of the citizens of the City of Carson, I extend my sincerest appreciation to the Philippine

Independence Day Foundation for their exceptional dedication in ensuring a successful event each year to celebrate this important historical occasion. It is truly a delight to see the diversity of Carson celebrated through cultural events such as this. Thank you for giving the community the opportunity to see and experience the richness of Philippine history and culture and for making a wonderful contribution to the ethnic diversity that makes Carson great,” said City of Carson Mayor Albert Robles.

The annual celebration is a joint undertaking of the City of Carson and the Philippine Independence Day Foundation. For more information about the event, please contact Veterans Park at (310) 830-9991.

All-Day Festival to Mark Carson’s 118thPhilippine Independence Day Celebration

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Driving tourism growth through effective marketing slogans

Tourism is a big business. The tourist market is getting broader, changing and becoming more competitive. understandably nations and individual cities are constantly battling for their share of the huge tourism market to sustain the economic viability of attractions that bring in tourists and travelers – whether they are pristine beaches, ancient monuments, or natural wonders. To attract more tourists, destinations, strive and outdo one another in trying to be different through destination branding.

The Philippines, in fact, is among those countries that are investing heavily in tourism promotions and marketing efforts in the hope of attracting more visitors to the country. officials of the current administration have been quoted in various news reports as saying that tourism is one of the highest economic drivers of the Philippine economy, next to the iT and semi-conductor industries. Data confirms that tourism is an important sector of the Philippine economy, contributing 7.8% to the country’s GDP in 2014.

in 2001, the Department of Tourism, with richard Gordon as the secretary, launched “WoW PHiLiPPiNEs” campaign, which focused on attractions to be experienced in the country. The marketing campaign generated foreign visits reaching a little over 3 million in 2007.

Notwithstanding what the “WoW Philippines” campaign accomplished in creativing awareness and interests from prospective travelers, DoT under then Tourism secretary Albert Lim launched “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” tourism slogan in 2010. The special preview, which was done in 3D and

was attended by 700 guests, reportedly costs Php4.8 million. unfortunately, the slogan was much-criticized and maligned for its negative connotations and was pulled out only a week after it was launched.

in January 2012, Tourism secretary ramon r. Jimenez Jr. launched the “it’s more Fun in the Philippines” slogan. Within weeks it was dubbed the third smartest marketing campaign in the world by global annual ranker of marketing campaigns Warc 100. That year, the Philippines drew in 4.27 million visitors – a record high for the country, but still a little below the target of 4.6 million visitors.

in 2014, DoT, through its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board unveiled a new campaign the “Visit Philippines Year 2015 (VPY2015)”, with the aim of attracting some 6 millions visitors. The target was later on downscaled to 5.5 million. At the end of 2015, the country recorded 5.36 million tourist arrivals.

For 2016, DoT aims to bring in 10 million foreign visitors and launched a new tourism campaign dubbed as “Visit the Philippines Again 2106 (VPA 2016).

in today’s competitive tourism industry, a country has to stand out to draw the attention and interests of tourists. A country needs to be distinctive and unique. Thus branding is perceived as a major factor in gaining attention and motivation for the tourists to visit the place.

using this new tourism marketing tool, many countries have been very successful with their campaigns slogans drawing millions of international travelers every year. Hong Kong, for example, with its “Asia’s World City” campaign attracted 59.3 million visitors in

2015. others Asian countries with successful tourism slogans which clocked impressive tourist arrivals in 2015 include: Japan (“Endless Discovery”) with 19.73 million tourist arrivals; india (“incredible india”) with 8.03 million; indonesia (“Wonderful indonesia”) with 9.73 million; Korea (“Korea, Be inspired”) with 13.23 million; malaysia (“Truly Asia”) with 25.7 million; Taiwan (“The Heart of Asia”), with more than 9.9 million; Thailand (“Amazing Thailand”) with 29.88 million; and Vietnam (“Timeless Charm”) with 7.94 million. (source: uN World Tourism organization’s World Tourism ranking 2015)

However, the success of a brand or marketing slogan cannot be measured overnight. it takes years of sustained awareness campaign and a variety of aggressive marketing strategies before the desired objective is achieved, which is to drive tourists to specific destinations.

That is why many countries and destination cities do not change their slogans. india for example, has been using its slogan for the past 10 years. on the other hand, a few including the Philippines has a penchant for coming up with new slogans on a regular basis.

With the change in administration coming on July 1st, so will there be the changing of guards in the Cabinet and other appointed positions in the different government agencies. Each of the new appointees is up for a big challenge to fulfill the promises that Team Duterte made during the campaign.

Given that the tourism helm is about to change hands, we are wondering if the tourism target of 10 million tourists for 2016 still remains or will be downgraded to an attainable figure. in addition, there are other questions in our inquiring minds: Who will be the new tourism head that will be tasked to steer the country’s tourism industry? Will he or she share the vision of the “it’s more Fun in the Philippines” campaign? Will the new tourism chief maintain the existing brand and strengthen the country’s competitiveness? or will he or she launch a new campaign to sustain the country’s tourism efforts?

in many cases, making changes is the first thing incoming leaders do in an attempt to convey that they are doing something new or different from what their predecessors did. in the case

of tourism, we hope that whoever will be the new bosses will realize that they do not own the brand that promotes the Philippines. rather, they are temporary custodians of a strategy that captures the country in a positive light.

it is worth noting that tourism is a big spender, too. specifically, changing slogans is costly and complicated. Although we are not privy as to how much money the government agency spent to adopt a tourism slogan, launching new campaign can be very expensive. if a foreign brand consultant is hired, the cost could increase to several million dollars, not to mention the fact that previous brochures and other printed promotional materials identifying the old brand or slogan will be wasted completely.

such multi-million dollar spending can, of course, be justified if the slogan attracts more foreign visitors. But, what if a new slogan or brand does not fulfill its purpose? Changing slogans or brands not only cost millions but can also can have a negative impact because they can alter the image and identity of the country. To avoid the prospect of spending millions of dollars, maybe our new

set of leaders under the new administration should look into putting in place legislations to regulate spending on new campaigns.

Effective marketing slogans have been proven to drive tourism growth. The challenge is how to sustain the interests of the travel and tourism market. We hope that whoever the next tourism head will be, will see the wisdom that it is not the constant changing of marketing slogans or branding that draws in the tourists. The effectiveness of a tourism slogan lies in aggressive promotional activities that create awareness and strong presence in the travel market.

• • • Manny V. Ilagan is a Tourism Specialist

with over 23 years professional experience in the tourism and travel industry. He provides travel consultancy services to some of the biggest wholesalers and tour operators in the country as well as to some airline companies. He is the former Tourism Director-OIC of the Philippine Department of Tourism-Los Angeles, where he worked for over two decades. As a writer, he has written numerous articles about travel and tourism, which have been published in various Filipino-American newspapers in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York. For comments or questions, you may reach him at [email protected].

Department of Tourism’s slogans aimed at drawing more tourists to the Philippines.

Successful tourism slogans and branding drives tourism growth. However, Changing slogans can be costly and complicated. That is why many countries and destinations do not change their slogans on a regular basis.


EVA wins Special Global Traveler Leisure Lifestyle award

“Outstanding Customized Service” and Hello Kitty jets laudedEVA Air and its Hello Kitty

Jets have won a special Global Traveler magazine Leisure Lifestyle Award for Outstanding Customized Service, recognizing the airline for “going beyond what is expected” and “doing something extraordinary.” The magazine presented the award at a glamorous poolside event in Los Angeles on May 19, 2016. Travelers can learn more about EVA, its extraordinary service and Hello Kitty Jets, book and buy tickets, select seats and, with business class tickets, order meals before departure at www.evaair.com.

EVA makes quality service and safety priorities throughout all of its operations and enhances its products with creativity and innovation. The airline initiated its Hello Kitty Jets program in 2005 and flew two specially painted Airbus 330-200s on regional and short-range routes within Asia until 2008 when the program ended. It launched its second generation of the themed aircraft in 2011 and now operates seven of the popular planes:

• two long-range Boeing 777-300ERs on trans-Pacific and transcontinental routes, the EVA Hello Kitty Shining Star and Hand-in-Hand Jets and

• five short-range Airbuses for regional and short-range flights, the EVA Hello Kitty Magic, Apple, Global, Happy Music and Speed Puff Jets.

EVA is frequently honored, awarded and recognized by passengers, media, industry experts and organizations worldwide. Global Traveler readers singled out the airline for two awards in December 2015, Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents and Best Airline for New Service Launch. AirlineRatings.com ranked EVA Elite Class premium economy and Economy services in the top-10 “best for economy plus and economy class travel for 2015” and, after evaluating quality of service, products, equipment and safety, counted the carrier among the world’s top-10 best airlines in 2014 and 2015. SKYTRAX also ranked EVA as one of the “World’s Top-10 Best Airlines” and the number one airline for “Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness” for 2015, based on its prestigious annual quality satisfaction survey of travelers worldwide.

Global Traveler launched its Leisure Lifestyle Awards four years ago to recognize outstanding achievements among leading travel industry brands, including destinations, resorts, cruise lines

and tour operators. Printed monthly and updated online daily, Global Traveler reports news and information about premium airline cabins and services, luxury hotels and exceptional destination experiences for elite readers who are frequent business and luxury travelers, www.globaltravelerusa.com.

EVA AirEVA Air, a Star Alliance

member, was established in 1989 as Taiwan’s first privately owned international airline. It is part of the respected Evergreen Group and a sister company to global container-shipping leader Evergreen Line. It flies a fleet of close to 70 Boeing and Airbus aircraft to more than 60 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America where gateways include Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and, starting November 3, 2016, Chicago. With just one easy stop in Taipei, travelers can connect onward to most major cities throughout Asia, including 28 destinations in China. Travelers can learn more about EVA and book, buy and reserve seats at www.evaair.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

EVA Hello Kitty Jet Crew in Aprons with Inflight Meals

Do I need a Power of Attorney?AS an elder law attorney

specializing in estate planning and Medi-Cal for Long-Term Care, I receive phone calls from adult children all over the country who have an aging parent here in California. Quite often, our conversation goes something like this: “My father (or mother) is in a nursing home in California, has a home and some assets in the bank. My parent’s medical bills are $8,000 a month. The nursing home gave me your name and told me you could help.”

My first question is usually “Do you have power of attorney for your parent?” If the answer is yes, we can usually help the family preserve assets and protect the family home . If the answer is no, then my next question is “Does your parent still have mental capacity?” If the answer is in the affirmative, there is no problem because we can execute the Power of Attorney at that time.

If the parent does not have capacity, things get a little more difficult. Usually, we must advise the family to court and get a conservatorship over the disabled parent. It can be a long and difficult process that entails going through probate court. 4 to 5 months later the family could have spent $40,000 to $50,000 in legal fees and healthcare expenses. For this reason, we advise all of our clients to execute a Power of Attorney.

So what is a Power of

Attorney? It is a legal document that gives someone other than yourself the right to sign your name. The person giving the power is called the “principal;” the person being appointed is called the “attorney-in-fact” or “agent.” There are only two types: one is for assets, the other for health care.

A health care power of attorney allows the “attorney-in-fact” to make health care decisions for you. This would include giving or withholding consent to any care, treatment, service or procedure that could keep you alive.

The other Power of Attorney is for “asset management.” This will allow the “attorney-in-fact” to do your banking, mortgage your home, amend your trust, make gifts, and much more. It is important that your Power of Attorney says “durable.” A “durable” power of attorney is a power of attorney that remains effective upon the principal’s becoming incompetent or incapacitated. If the word “durable” is absent, the power of attorney is deemed revoked upon incapacity - which defeats the purpose in the first place.

Why do you need a power of attorney? If you are ever incapacitated (unable to manage your own affairs) due to accident, stroke, dementia, or Alzheimer’s , your agent would be able to access your finances to pay bills, manage your assets, or even qualify you for Medi-Cal. If you

are ever terminally ill and unable to make your own decisions, your agent named in a healthcare power of attorney would be able to make decisions for you according to your wishes (i.e. when extraordinary life saving measures should and shouldn’t be used).

While everyone should have these documents as a part of their estate plan, you have to be careful when creating them, as with all legal documents. You are giving someone access to your bank accounts and the power to make financial and real estate transactions for you; you should make sure your attorney-in-fact is a person that you trust completely like a spouse, child, or good friend (even though they are legally obligated to act in your interest, not theirs). One way to protect yourself is to make your power of attorney “springing,” which means it does not become effective upon incapacity, as determined by a licensed physician not related by blood or marriage under penalty of perjury. In other words, as long as you have capacity, you haven’t given anybody the right to sign your name until it “springs” into action.

While no one enjoys thinking about the worst case scenarios of life, executing these two simple documents can save you and your family a lot of trouble in the future. It is always good to have a solid estate plan, just in case.

(Advertising Supplement)

SWING, SWING, SWING Novice Golf TourneyJune 10, 2016 at Whittier Narrows Golf Course

WORD International Ministries - Los Angeles (WIN-LA) is inviting everyone to the SWING,SWING,SWING Novice Golf Tournament on June 10,2016. This is a pilot charity event organized by WIN-LA to connect with the people of Los Angeles and the surrounding cities; and raise funds for several mission projects.

WIN-LA is part of a global Christian ministry that seeks to

spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world. The proceeds from SWING, SWING, SWING Novice Golf Tourney will go towards assisting WIN churches and the missions work in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Golfers and non-golfers alike can join the June 10 golf tourney. Free gifts and prizes await participants. The tax deductible fee of $110 includes

the green fee for the 18-hole shotgun game, golf cart, driving range, lunch, dinner, free gifts and raffle coupons. There will be a dinner-dance after the game to allow the participants to fellowship and have fun with one another.

For registration and other information, please call Mr. Peng Lee Goh from WIN-LA at 310-890-0133 or email sWINg. [email protected].

WIN-LA invites everyone to join the SWING SWING SWING Novice Golf Tourney on June 10, 2016 at the Whittier Narrows Golf Course. Photo shows (L-R) Mr. Peng Lee Goh, event organizer from WIN-LA, Mr. Brent Boznanski, General Manager of Whittier Narrows Golf Course, and Pastor Alberto Cordero of WIN LA. For more details, call Mr. Goh at (310) 890-0133.

Monette

AdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving: 101 and Beyond

(Part 2 of 2)POOR Echo! Her heart

broke into a million little pieces. Beauty and light dissolved into darkness for her until nothing held any meaning. Refusing food and drink, Echo grew pale and consumptive and faded away, leaving only her far-off voice in the distance. It is said that Echo haunts the mountains where she answers all who call but only with the last words.

Narcissus meanwhile continued to break one hapless heart after another in the most mean spirited away, until one day, one totally aggrieved nymph with her heart shattered, prayed to the powers that be, for vengeance, to inflict punishment on Narcissus to make him feel the pure pain of unrequited love, to make him feel how it is to give love and have it flung back in his face. Her prayer was heard and in a world of swift and even-handed justice with no lawyers, judges and jury to cloud the issue, appropriate punishment was served.

One day Narcissus chanced upon a pool with water so clear, it looked like a mirror. Bending over to drink, Narcissus saw his own reflection, thought it was a water nymph, and forthwith,

An old tale on self-absorption“Vanity of vanities; ALL is vanity.” — From Ecclesiastes

was smitten with the image on the pool. He fell in love with the image of himself, hook, line and sinker, not unlike celebrities who read their own press and believe them to be true. But I digress.

Narcissus tried to embrace his own reflection in the water but his attempt to touch or kiss his beloved ended in frustration each time. The image in the water dissolved into ripples, disappeared and came back on. Narcissus had to be content just by looking at the mirror image of himself in the pool, day and night, without ever knowing the joy of touching or being loved in return. He now knew, up close and personal, the excruciating pain of multiple rejections from the same object of his affection. Still he persisted, becoming rooted to the spot by the pool. He now knew how it is to be on the receiving end of rejection. He slowly pined away, losing his youth and beauty and withering away on the same spot by the pool’s edge with Echo still hovering over him and repeating his poignant last word, “Alas!” as he lay dying.

As the woodland creatures prepared to bury his body, Narcissus’ body was nowhere to be found and in its place, stood a flower, bending over the pool, as

though admiring itself. Gardeners know this flower as narcissus.

Hence, we call those who exhibit the same folly these days as narcissistic. The irony of it is that others clearly see it for what it is but the afflicted individual is blind to this egocentric flaw in himself, thinking the world revolves around him. In today’s world, there’s opportunity to cash in on this human flaw and use vanity and self-image as hot buttons to sell their wares: beauty products and services, diet pills and machines and illusions of power and beauty, with remarkable success. Self-improvement is great but only if it comes from the inside out.

Pray that both the “once young” and the young ones don’t fall prey to the trappings of extreme self-absorption that rule the global culture of the present age. Self love taken to extreme, is something that might account for much of the social problems affluent societies with only one or two self-absorbed children per family, experience and suffer from today.

* * *Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail [email protected]

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS!PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW.CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

LASAA dinner-danceThe Los Angeles San Antonian’s (Zambales) Association will hold its dinner-dance on

May 28 at the Holiday Inn-La Mirada, 14299 Firestone Blvd. The association is headed by Larnoe Dungca. Its president. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For questions, call the association’s vice president, Ramon Radoc, at (951) 751-3267.

MAY 28

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday, June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W. Briarcliff Rd. Bolingbrook, IL). This year’s event will include a variety of food vendors, business, merchan-dise, and non-profit organizations, as well as hours of dance, games, and musical entertain-ment, including special guest performances. The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America. Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs. For more information, or to volunteer, perform, exhibit, or donate, please visit www.piyestapinoy.net, or email [email protected].

JUNE 4

Missionary Society of St. Columban Dinner-DanceThe Missionary Society of St. Columban will hold its annual dinner dance event on June

4th, 6pm, at the Friendship Auditorium (3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90941). Organized by the Dancing for the World, an affiliate of the Columbans, will celebrate the “Year of Mercy” to echo and emphatically support the call of Pope Francis’s Jubilee Year. This year is very important to be responsive to the call of the church and be faithful to the mission of God because God is by nature merciful. Thanks to the many dedicated mission-aries, priests, sisters and lay missionaries who responded to the call of God and live among the poor to make a difference and allow God’s mercy to flow into the hearts of those they minister. For more information, please visit www.columban.org. The Dancing for the World event on June 4 is also an opportunity to meet supporters, donors and friends to thank them for their valuable contribution to the Columban mission. Event will include delicious food, ballroom dancing, and fabulous raffle prizes. (For this year, the first prize will be a cruise for two to Mexican Riviera. The second prize is a Flat screen TV. The third prize is a Tablet.) There are many amazing prizes available for all lucky winners. The dinner dance ticket is $40.Reserve your tickets now or before May 15. For information and tickets please contact Carmencita Enriquez (213) 880-5075 or Ariel Presbitero (323) 691-5262, or at: 2919 Moss Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Thank you in advance on behalf of the Missionary Society of St. Columban and the Dancing for the World committee members. Please con-tinue praying for all Columban Missionaries all over the world and the success of this event.

Pechanga Bus tripThe Filipino American Law Enforcement Officers Association (FALEO), a 501c(3) non-

profit organization, will host a bus trip to Pechanga to raise funds for its scholarship. There will be two locations for pick up and drop off: First pick up is at 10:45 am; drop off at 8:30 pm at Carson Civic Center, 801 East Carson Street, Carson. The second pick up will be be-tween 11:15 to 11:30 am; drop off at 8 pm at Angels Stadium Metrolink, 2626 East Katella Avenue, Anaheim. Tickets are $35 and include games and a light breakfast while en route to Pehcanga. For more information, contact Pauline at [email protected].

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at [email protected] or [email protected]


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Orange County / Inland Empire -- May 27 -- June 2, 2016

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