Us asian post august 27, 2014

MANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – A total of 1,951 Philippine-edu-cated nurses took the US National Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for the fi rst time from January to June this year, in the hopes of obtaining gainful employment in America, Cebu Rep. Gerald An-thony Gullas Jr. said Monday.

“The number is little changed when compared to the 1,944 Fili-pino nurses who took the NCLEX for the fi rst time, excluding re-peaters, over the same six-month period in 2013,” said Gullas, vice chairman of the House committee on higher and technical educa-tion.

The NCLEX refers to the Na-tional Council Licensure Exami-nation administered by the US (National Council of) State Boards of Nursing Inc. (USNCSBN).

“We do not expect the number of Filipino nurses seeking to prac-tice their profession in America to increase any time soon. The healthcare labor market there remains somewhat bleak,” the House Assistant Majority Leader said.

“We remain positive that the situation will eventually improve

as the US economy starts to re-cover. But right now, a number of US hospitals and nursing homes are still laying off workers,” he added.

According to Gullas, based on the latest report from the US Bu-reau of Labor Statistics, in July alone, US hospitals shed off 7,000 jobs, while nursing care facilities there got rid of another 6,000.

He urged Filipino nurses to in-stead seek potential employment in the Middle East and other countries that continue to recruit foreign healthcare staff.

The 2007-2008 global fi nancial crisis sent the US economy into deep economic slowdown that forced many hospitals and nurs-ing homes, especially those whol-ly or partly funded by federal and state agencies, to cut back staff and cease hiring new nurses.

The number of Filipino nurses taking the NCLEX for the fi rst time is considered a reliable indi-cator as to how many of them are trying to enter the profession in America.

Gullas said USNCSBN statis-tics show that among foreign-ed-

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Nearly 2,000 Philippine-educated nurses took the US National Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for the fi rst time from January to June this year, report said, in the hopes of obtaining gainful employment in the “land of honey.”

MANILA, August 25, 2014 (AFP) – Thousands of people in-cluding activists and clergy gath-ered at the Philippine capital’s main park on Monday in a rally to denounce the “pork barrel” sys-tem which they blame for spread-ing corruption.

Organisers said almost 20,000 people joined the rally but ob-servers said the crowd was much smaller, with police putting it at about 5,000 at its peak.

The crowd, which included nuns, priests and lawyers, was

signifi cantly smaller than a simi-lar rally over the same issue last year which observers said drew at least 250,000.

That rally, called through a vig-orous social media campaign, had captured the outrage following re-ports of a scam involving tens of millions of dollars from the “pork barrel” funds of congressmen.

Such allocations are supposed to pay for the pet projects of legis-lators but large amounts were al-legedly syphoned off. Three pow-erful senators have already been

jailed over the controversy.Infl uential Manila archbishop

Cardinal Luis Tagle praised those taking part in the “march against pork” in a statement posted on a church social media site.

“I extend my greetings and sol-idarity. Thank you for making de-mocracy alive and active. Thank you for advancing decency in pub-lic life,” the senior church leader said.

Peachy Bretana, an offi cial of the Scrap Pork Network which

President Benigno S. Aquino III offers a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers during the commemoration of the National Heroes Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonofacio, Taguig City on Monday (August 25, 2014). With theme: “Bayaning Pilipino: Lumalaban para sa Makatwiran at Makabuluhang Pagbabago.” (MNS photo)

MANILA, Aug 23 (Mabuhay) – The woman who tried to enter Malacañang with a loaded pistol has been charged with illegal pos-session of fi rearms, police said on Saturday.

The Manila Police District said Flora Pineda, 36, was charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 or unlawful possession of fi rearm and ammunition.

Pineda, who is a resident of Signal Village, Taguig City, on Friday attempted to enter the presidential palace through the Arias Gate on Jose Laurel Street carrying a .45-caliber pistol.

She was immediately disarmed

by the Presidential Security Group and then brought to the General Assignments Section of the Manila Police District head-quarters.

Police said the .45-caliber pis-tol Pineda was carrying is owned by her brother, Staff Sgt. Rolando Nonato, a member of the Philip-pine Marines.

Pineda is allegedly suffering from mental illness, according to her brother.

The fi rearm was loaded with nine bullets.

Pineda earlier said she had no intention of harming anyone.

MANILA, Aug 23 (Mabuhay) – Pope Francis’ visit to the Phil-ippines this coming January may take on a stronger Filipino fl avor as organizers consider ferrying him around in a jeepney.

Former Ambassador to the Holy See Henrietta de Villa, a member of the preparatory com-mittee, said this is one of the op-tions they are considering.

“Nothing is fi xed yet... I’m not actually the one in charge of this but I think there are suggestions for a jeepney that is open on top,” De Villa said, according to an article posted Saturday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of

the Philippines news site.Pope Francis is scheduled to

visit the Philippines Jan. 15 to 19. He is expected to visit areas dev-astated by super Typhoon Yolan-da (Haiyan) in November 2013.

The jeepney is a modifi ed jeep used for public transport in the Philippines. Many jeepneys use modifi ed diesel engines and cus-tom-built bodies.

In 1995, a modifi ed Asian util-ity vehicle (AUV) was used as the Popemobile for the papal visit of now Saint John Paul II.

De Villa said the idea of a jeepney being the next Popemo-

MANILA, August 23, 2014 (AFP) – Philippine police arrested eight suspects and are hunting more in connection with an In-ternet extortion racket that has victimized hundreds of people in Hong Kong, Singapore and Ma-cau, an offi cial said Saturday.

This is the second large-scale arrest of suspects allegedly for “sextortion” – using the Inter-net to lure foreigners into send-ing them compromising material which they can use for blackmail, said Jhoanna Fabro, spokeswom-

By Daniel HICKS

MACAU, August 25, 2014 (AFP) – Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao on Monday dis-missed his next opponent, unde-feated American Chris Algieri, as merely an “okay” fi ghter as the build-up began to their upcoming contest.

Pacquiao (56-5-2) will put his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on the line against 30-year-old former kickboxer Algieri (20-0) on No-vember 23 when the Filipino icon returns for his second fi ght in the southern Chinese gambling ha-ven of Macau.

DAVAO CITY, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – No less than Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has confi rmed that the jihadist group Is-lamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is recruiting young Davaoeños.

Duterte said most of those recruited by the group have already left the country in the past month.

“I am concerned. I am not condemning anybody here. I feel sad for those who go there. They probably feel it’s alright...” he said in his weekly program “Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa.”

Former President Fidel V. Ramos earlier told ANC that at least 100 Filipinos are reportedly undergoing training with jihadists cur-rently creating havoc in Iraq and Syria.

He said the Abu Sayyaf has been encouraged by the success of the Islamic State (IS), formerly known known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The Philippine military has denied Ramos’ claim, saying that military intelligence has yet to monitor any signs of recruitment activity by the jihadist group.

Duterte, however, said the military is denying the report because “they aren’t sure if these Filipinos are already fi ghting overseas.”

“The only reports we’ve received said that there will be some sent there,” the mayor said.

Nearly 2,000 Pinoy nurses hurdle test to set foot to US

Activists, churchmen gather in ‘pork barrel’ protest

Gun-toting woman who tried to enter Palace charged PHL hunts new

suspects in new ‘sextortion’ ring

Jeepney may serve as Pope Francis’ Popemobile during PHL visit

ISIS recruiting Davaoeños, says Duterte Pacquiao dismisses Algieri threat in Macau

See PROTEST, page 12

See GUN-TOTING, page 12 See SEXTORTION, page 12 See JEEPNEY, page 12

See PACQUIAO, page `12See ISIS RECRUITING, page 12

Visit www.usasianpost.com Wednesday - Tuesday, Aug. 27 - Sept. 2, 2014 THE US ASIAN POST2

est ranked in the Asia-Pacifi c, due in part to prevailing problems of terrorism and corrup-tion in the country.

The report also mentioned the territorial dispute with China.

“Corruption, poverty and the patron-client nature of relations in the Philippines means that problems exist across all levels of society – not just in areas under confl ict – with high levels of violent crime and kidnapping. Fur-ther, the decades-long confl ict on the southern island of Mindanao, between the government and Muslim separatist groups, continues,” the report said.

The GPI, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, ranks 162 countries in terms of global peace through three themes: the level of safety and security in society, the extent of domestic or international confl ict, and the degree of militarisation. It ranks countries according to 22 indicators of peace.

IEP has offi ces in Sydney, New York and Oxford.

In fact, the country’s peace rating is only second from the bottom in Southeast Asia, beating only Myanmar, which ranked 136th. Neighbor Thailand, which is still under mar-tial law after increased political tensions, still beat out that Philippines, ranking of 126th.

Other neighbors which garnered a higher score than the Philippines in the peace index include: New Zealand, (4th) Japan, (8th) Aus-tralia, (15th) Singapore, (25th) Taiwan, (28th)

Malaysia, (33rd) Laos, (38th) Mongolia, (41th) Vietnam, (45th) South Korea, (52nd) Indonesia, (54th) Timor-Leste, (69th) Papua New Guinea, (90th) Cambodia, (106th) and China (108th).

‘Flawed democracy,’ ‘external challenges’According to the report, the Philippines is

governed by a “fl awed democracy,” while cor-ruption has been singled out as a primary rea-son for economic inequality.

“[T]here is a widely held belief that graft among the elite is the reason why poverty rates and income inequality have remained very high by regional standards, despite strong economic performance in the past de-cade,” it said.

The report also noted how the ongoing con-fl ict with China over disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea affected the country’s ratings.

“External challenges to peace also exist. The Philippines’ relations with China have dete-riorated in the past few years, as the Chinese government has become more assertive in its claims over various parts of the South China Sea (SCS), areas of which are also claimed by the Philippines,” the report said, adding that “diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions have failed” due to China’s uncooperativeness.

The Philippines has sought international arbitration in the confl ict, which resulted in the deterioration of the Philippines’ score for relations with neighboring countries, the re-port added. (MNS)

MANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – Despite the historic signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro earlier this year, the Philippines has slipped further down the pole in terms of

peace.The Philippines ranked 134th

out of 162 countries in the Glob-al Peace Index for 2014, down fi ve notches from last year. The country remains one of the low-

Corruption, dispute with China cause PHL to slip in peace index

MANILA, August 23, 2014 (AFP) – The Phil-ippines said Saturday it will repatriate over 400 of its troops serving as UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights and Libe-ria amid security threats and concerns over the Ebola virus.

“To ensure the safety and security of the Phil-ippine military troops deployed to confl ict-af-fected areas, the coun-try’s contingents in the Golan Heights and Libe-ria are scheduled to be repatriated within the year,” a Defence Depart-ment statement said.

“The 331-strong Fili-pino contingent serving as part of the United Nations Disengagement Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights will be repatriated at the end of their tour of duty in October,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, about 115 Filipinos serving in Libe-ria would be repatriated “as soon as possible,” due to the health risk posed by the Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, the statement added.

“The Philippines pri-oritizes the safety and security of its troops, but remains commit-ted to the peacekeeping missions of the United Nations,” the statement said.

Defence Department spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said the Philip-pines would not send back its troops to the Go-lan Heights “unless the situation improves”.

He expressed confi -dence the pullout would not hurt the country’s standing with the Unit-ed Nations, recalling that Filipino troops had remained in the Golan Heights in 2013 even af-ter Australian, Croatian and Japanese peacekeep-ers were withdrawn.

“However the situa-tion has become more volatile with increased security risk, hence the recommendation and subsequent approval for repatriation,” he said in a statement to AFP.

Galvez also said that the Filipinos from Libe-ria would be quarantined for at least 21 days after arriving to ensure they are not infected.

Foreign Department spokesman Charles Jose said “we don’t expect this decision to affect our UN standing and interna-tional image,” citing the country’s involvement in peacekeeping operations for years. Last year the Philippines also consid-ered pulling its Golan peacekeepers out after 25 of them were kid-napped but later freed by Syrian rebels in two separate incidents.

PHL to repatriate UN troops in Golan, Liberia

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MANILA, Aug 23 (Mabuhay) – Passengers of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) were inconve-nienced anew on Saturday, as the rail system’s operations stopped at noon due to a communications glitch.

Light Rail Transit Authority and MRT spokesman Hernando Cabrera said the operations were suspended starting 12:05 p.m.

“Nag-down ang radio commu-nication between control center at

mga train operator,” he said.He said this affected all sta-

tions from North Avenue in Que-zon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City.

“Both lanes/direction, walang biyahe,” he said.

It was the latest glitch to hit the MRT, one of whose coaches earlier this month overshot the safety barrier at the Taft Avenue station, injuring nearly 40 people. (MNS)

The Metro Rail Transit (MRT) train slams the barrier at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue Station on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 13, 2014) in Pasay City. (MNS photo)

MANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – A southbound Philippine Na-tional Railways (PNR) train got derailed from its tracks at Altura St., Sta. Mesa Manila Monday, media reports said.

No injuries were reported.The train, with body number

8088, was traveling between the Españ a and Sta. Mesa sta-tions when its last coach de-railed from its tracks at 9:21

a.m.The train was repaired on-

site by PNR technicians for about 30 minutes and was op-erational by 10:50 a.m.

PNR trains traveling south-bound transferred on the north-bound track when approaching the Sta. Mesa station.

PNR is currently investigat-ing the cause of the derailment of the train. (MNS) for investment in economic and

industrial zones,” Budget Secre-tary Florencio “Butch” Abad said in the statement.

“We’re talking about greater accessibility to and from NAIA, as well to and from our seaports in Manila and Batangas, for ex-ample. But more important is the decongestion of traffi c be-tween Cavite and Laguna, so our commuters will have an easier time plying this route daily,” he added.

Under a public-private part-nership scheme, P25.2 billion or 71 percent of the project will be undertaken by a private sector counterpart while the remaining P10.2 billion will be from the na-tional government.

The implementation of the project is expected to begin this year while completion is targeted by 2018.

The project has, however, faced delays after San Miguel Corp. unit Optimal Infrastruc-

ture Development Inc. sought Malacañang’s intervention after the DPWH disqualifi ed the com-pany from the bidding because its bid security was four days short of the required 180 days.

Other bidders prequalifi ed for the CALA project, which include Malaysia’s MTD Capital Bhd, MPCALA Holdings of Metro Pa-cifi c Investments Corporation, and Team Orion of Ayala Corp. and Aboitiz Land Inc., asked the DPWH Bids and Awards Com-mittee to disqualify Optimal In-frastructure.

The opening of bids pushed through on June 13, with Team Orion submitting the best bid at P11.659 billion.

This year, Abad said the de-partment has already allotted P442 billion for public infrastruc-ture from P165 billion in 2010.

“This fi gure will eventually go up to P800 billion in 2016. That’s 5 percent of the country’s GDP,” he added. (MNS)

MANILA, Aug 23 (Mabuhay) – A party-list lawmaker on Sat-urday claimed that the present hype about a looming power crisis in 2015 might be used to push the revival of the mothballed coal-fi red power plant in Subic, Zam-bales, despite its expected envi-ronmental impact in the area.

In statement, Kabataan party-list representative Terry Ridon said, “What is clear now is that the power crisis is a mere ploy to justify the resumption of the mothballed 600MW Redondo coal-fi red power plant without need for compliance with environ-mental laws.”

Ridon served as the legal coun-sel of environmental advocates who sought for a writ of kalikasan before the Supreme Court in 2012 against the proposed construction of a P56-billion coal-fi red power plant at Mount Redondo.

The power plant’s construction was spearheaded by the Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., a consor-tium of the Aboitiz Power Corp., Manila Electric Co. and Taiwan Cogen Corp.

He pointed out the issue after Finance Secretary Cesar Puri-sima and Budget Secretary Flor-encio Abad Jr, earlier this week, blamed the looming power crisis to the Supreme Court’s decision on the writ of kalikasan demand-

ing the stoppage of the plant’s construction.

“Had the Supreme Court not TRO-ed the Redondo power plant, which would have been on-stream, we wouldn’t even be facing this issue,” a report on the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Purisima saying during a briefi ng on the proposed 2015 national budget.

Also, Abad said the power plant in Subic would have been more than enough to cover the looming power shortage in 2015, the report said.

After the issuance of a writ of kalikasan, the case was trans-ferred to the Court of Appeals, which eventually invalidated the environmental compliance certifi -cate (ECC) issued by the govern-ment for the construction of the power plant.

“Purisima and Abad’s defense of the halted Subic power plant reveals that the looming power crisis was never about a general concern for a lack of supply, but merely to go to the aid of the Meralco-owned power plant,” Ridon claimed.

“In fact, Meralco had all the chances of complying with envi-ronmental laws despite the SC appeal, but it did not do so, choos-ing instead to fl oat this power cri-sis scenario.” (MNS)

MANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P1.6 billion to partially cover right-of-way acquisitions and contract services for the Cavite-Laguna (CALA) Express-way project.

The initial budget to jump-start the project was taken out of the Public-Private Partner-ship Strategic Support Fund of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget for this year, the DBM said in a statement.

The CALA project is a P35.4 billion four-lane, 47-kilometer expressway linking the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Mam-plasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna to the Manila Cavite Tollroad Expressway in Kawit, Cavite.

“The construction of the CALA expressway would defi nitely im-prove access to transportation and open more opportunities

MRT operations suspended anew; communication glitch blamed this time

PNR train gets derailed; no injuries reported

Solon: Power crisis used as ploy to revive Subic coal-fi red power plant construction

DBM releases P1.6B for CALA right-of-way acquisitions

Solon wants exemption for individual taxpayers raised to Php100,000

MANILA, Aug 23 (Mabu-hay) – A neophyte lawmaker is seeking to increase the per-sonal exemption for individual taxpayers to Php100,000 from the present Php50,000 so that the government can reduce the burden of the people and alle-viate their economic condition.

Rep. Evelio R. Leonardia (Lone District, Bacolod City) made the proposal through House Bill 4705, which seeks to amend Section 35 (A) of Re-public Act 8424, as amended by RA 9504, otherwise known as the “National Internal Rev-enue Code of 1997.”

Leonardia said while taxes are the lifeblood of the govern-ment and should be collected without necessary hindrance, the government should in turn help improve the lives of the people paying these taxes.

“Without taxes, the gov-ernment would be paralyzed for lack of motive power to activate and operate it. The government for its part is ex-pected to respond in the form of tangible and intangible ben-efi ts intended to improve the lives of the people and enhance their moral and material val-ues,” said Leonardia.

He said according to the Na-tional Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), the poverty in-cidence in the country was 28.8 percent in 2006, 28.6 percent in 2009 and 27.9 percent in the fi rst semester of 2012.

“Looking closely at this data, the poverty incidence from 2006 to 2012 has barely improved. The government should enact a law to reduce the burden of the people and alleviate their economic con-dition,” said Leonardia, a vice chairman of the House Com-mittee on Transportation.

House Bill 4705, now pend-ing at the Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Rep. Miro Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City), seeks the amendment of Section 35 (A) of RA 8424, as amended by RA 9504, which pertains to the “Allowance of Personal Exemp-tion for Individual Taxpayer.”

MANILA, Aug 26 (Mabuhay) – No less than the former vice-may-or of Makati has admitted that he got kickbacks from the construc-tion of the P2.7 billion Makati City Hall 2.

He also claimed that former Makati Mayor and now Vice-President Jejomar Binay received kickbacks in the project.

Speaking before the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hear-ing, former Makati Vice-Mayor Ernesto Mercado said it was Bi-nay who was signing all the docu-ments for the construction project.

“Ako ho aaminin ko sa inyo, sa Phase 1 at Phase 2 nakinabang po ako,” he told senators during the hearing.

Asked if Binay also pocketed kickbacks, he said: “Alam po niyo, tayong mga pulitiko ay alam ang

sagot dito. Kung ang vice-mayor nakinabang, siguro mas higit na-kinabang ang mayor dito.”

“Imposibleng hindi nakinabang ang aking mayor. Yun po ang ka-lakaran.”

Mercado, who was Binay’s vice-mayor from 2007-2010, said he was surprised when the building’s construction cost skyrocketed to P2.7 billion.

He said the project was initial-ly pegged at P1.7 billion during his term.

Mercado said it was not poli-tics that led him to reveal details about the Binays as he has long been an ally and a family friend of the Binays.

He pointed out that he stood by Binay even when the then-mayor was placed under suspension dur-ing the Arroyo administration.

Ex-Binay ally admits kickbacks in Makati building project

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles and Southern California on Wednesday welcomed 10,065 newly naturalized citizens in a sol-emn but celebratory event for the thousands of immigrants at the Los Angeles Convention Center in South Hall “H-J.”

The candidates, lawful permanent residents who have met all the requirements for citizenship, represented nearly 150 coun-tries. Twenty-four members of the Armed Forces also pledged their allegiance to the United States by taking the oath to a nation they already unselfi shly serve as members of the nation’s fi ghting force and defenders of the peace.

The top ten countries represented at Wednesday’s ceremonies were: 1) Mexico; 2) El Salvador; 3) Philippines; 4) Iran; 5) Guate-mala; 6) China; 7) Korea; 8) Armenia; 9) Vietnam; and 10) India. These monthly naturalization ceremonies highlight the success-ful efforts of the Los Angeles District Offi ce of USCIS to process thousands of lawful permanent residents to become citizens of the United States of America.

During Fiscal Year 2013, USCIS adjudicated more than 93,000 citizenship cases in USCIS District 23, which covers the seven counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Ber-nardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

The huge attendance needed two oath-taking ceremonies for the new citizens – one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

USCIS welcomes 10,000 new U.S. Citizens in L.A.


OPINIONMANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – Stay away from people who

pretend to push for reforms but are in fact peddling lies, Presi-dent Benigno Aquino III said on Monday.

Aquino, who led the celebration of National Heroes Day, said that while many nameless Filipinos strive to contribute to the country’s development, there are some who instead sow discord.

“There are still a select and selfi sh few who remain deter-mined to bring back the old and abusive political systems,” he said during his speech at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

He warned the public to remain vigilant “against those who seek to sow doubt and lies” and to “refuse to allow ourselves to be manipulated by those who only pretend at reform.”

“Stay on the straight path,” he said.Aquino did not mention who he was referring to but he has

been vocal in the past against his critics, especially those who accused him of protecting the pork barrel system.

He gave his speech as hundreds of protesters led by the Abol-ish Pork Movement converged at Rizal Park on Monday. The group, which was also behind last year’s Million People March, is attempting to gather six million signatures to ban any form of pork barrel. The protesters claimed that there is still pork bar-rel for lawmakers, although in another form and another name.

But Aquino said Filipinos should instead work together and support his administration.

“What can be achieved when a hundred million Filipinos work arm-in-arm towards a single goal?” he asked.

Aquino pointed out that the National Heroes Day allows peo-ple to remember and be grateful for the sacrifi ces made by those before them.

He also said it was an “opportunity to refl ect on the meaning of being a hero, not only in the past, but in our present situa-tion.”

“We must also remember that there are many heroes who re-main anonymous — whose deeds are not known to many,” said the President, enumerating acts of heroism encountered over the past year.

From saving lives during calamities to being honest and hard-working, Aquino said everyday heroes work alongside their countrymen instead of giving up.

“Instead of hurling criticism or spreading negativism, which some of our countrymen have grown accustomed to doing, these remarkable Filipinos chose to empower their fellowmen,” he said of Filipinos, who, despite losing everything during the 2011 tsunami in Japan, thanked God for being able to survive the disaster.

“Their contagious optimism and the strong faith displayed by them truly encouraged their Japanese neighbors—these, with the positive disposition of the people there served as the founda-tion for the reconstruction of Fukushima,” he said.

The President also lauded Noli Dela Cruz, a government worker, who helped save lives during the onslaught of super ty-phoon “Yolanda” by tying together bed sheets and clothes that served as a lifeline for his neighbors caught in the fl ood.

“The responsibility to make certain that we will bequeath to coming generations a Philippines freer and more progressive still rests on our shoulders. Indeed, times have changed, and thus, the forms of heroism we are capable of living out have changed as well,” Aquino said.

At one point in his speech, he referred to an article by Ma. Francesca Santiago published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Young Blood section.

“To her, it seems as if the latest trend is to hurl criticism, even at those who are doing everything in their power to uphold the interests of the people,” Aquino said.

“Instead of helping to fi nd a solution, there are some who want to worsen the fear and suffering of our countrymen. It is clear to her that everyone has a right to free expression, but at the same time, each one has the obligation to remain just and reasonable.”

Impressed with what she has written, Aquino said he was sur-prised to learn that Santiago was only 13 years old.

“It is impressive that, at this age, she already exhibits more discernment than some who are much older than her. If this is the caliber of thinking of the youth today, I am certain that we are indeed facing a brighter future,” the President said. (MNS)

Aquino slams naysayers in Heroes Day speech

MANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – The Integrated Bar of the Philippines on Monday said President Benigno Aquino III’s desire to amend the 1987 Con-stitution casts doubts on whether he is still fi t to govern the country.

“To cite the purported need to amend because he lost in the Disbursement Acceleration Program case where the program was declared unconstitu-tional, simply taxes our credulity, undermines and defi es reason and puts to great doubt the ability of the President to govern under the Rule of Law,” the group said in a statement.

The group was referring to the rift between the executive and the judiciary following the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring portions of the Aquino ad-ministration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as partially unconstitutional.

The decision pitted Aquino with the high court, with the President openly criticizing the tribunal and accusing it of standing in the way of his admin-istration’s reforms.

The decision has become the basis for at least two impeachment complaints against Aquino.

Cory AquinoIn its statement, the IBP also reminded Aquino

how his mother, the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, actively opposed Charter change while she was still alive.

“The IBP is impelled to state for the record its offi cial unequivocal opposition to amend the 1987 Constitution for the purpose of clipping the power of the Supreme Court and allowing President Be-nigno Simeon Aquino III to seek a second term for the presidency of the country,” it said.

The IBP quoted a speech that Mrs. Aquino de-livered at the Luneta Park on September 21, 1997 where she openly expressed her opposition to then-President Fidel Ramos’ proposal to amend the 1987

Constitution to lift term limits of elected offi cials.“The same words apply today. Former President

Cory Aquino called on then President Ramos to re-member that the presidency is a rare gift that one person – any person – ould and should have only once,” the IBP said.

The group expressed hopes that Aquino would heed his mother’s “voice from a not so distant past, and listen to the lessons they impart.”

“The President must listen to the history ca-denced in (his mother’s) words, to the wisdom con-tained in these verses, and to the memories of suf-ferings and sacrifi ces of the Filipino people under the former dictatorship which give substance to the lessons learned in these same words of his very mother former President Cory Aquino,” said the IBP.

BullyThe group branded as an “assault to our elemen-

tary sense of order” the attempts to “bully justices into submission under threat of impeachment” and the congressional probe on the Judiciary Develop-ment Fund.

The IBP stressed that the authority and power being exercised by the Supreme Court was given by the “the people - President Aquino’s bosses” through the crafting of the 1987 Constitution during the in-cumbency of his mother.

“The men and women who authored the Freedom Constitution, just freed from dictatorship, had rea-son to expand judicial power and the concomitant power of judicial review,” the group said.

Two weeks ago, Aquino said in a television inter-view that he was now open to amending the 1987 Constitution to limit the judiciary’s reach on the executive and the legislature. He said the current Charter does not balance the powers of the three government branches. (MNS)

MANILA, Aug 25 (Mabuhay) – Civil society groups, organizations and several personalities, including supporters of President Benigno Aquino III, on Monday launched a coalition to counter what they called were “enemies of reforms” and pursue the administration’s “tuwid na daan” advocacy be-yond 2016.

They said that critics of the administration are un-dermining the reforms that the Aquino government had started, and that it was time that the backers of the President took an “open and pro-active stand.”

They also insisted they were not set up to push for Charter change and a term extension for Mr. Aquino.

The launch of the Koalisyon ng Mamayan Para sa Reporma (KOMPRe) was held at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, simultaneous with the gathering of activitists and sectoral groups at the Luneta Park in Manila, who are pushing for a People’s Initiative to remove the pork barrel system in the national budget.

What was originally planned as an anniversa-ry rally to mark last year’s Million People March against pork barrel has included, this time around, issues on Charter change and term extension, as well as other issues resonating with the mostly-la-bor ralliers in Manila.

Among them were organizations of state work-ers, primarily from COURAGE, who have petitioned the Supreme Court for a temporary retraining order against the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s order tax-ing their bonuses, allowances and other benefi ts.

At the Ateneo, the Aquino backers were just as re-solite: “We will continue to fi ght for the reforms un-der the Aquino administration. The Tuwid na Daan must continue beyond 2016,” according to KOMPRe in a statement.

“We must educate and organize, mobilize and em-power people who stand to lose by any reversal to the reforms,” it added.

Former Civil Service Commission chief Karina Constantino-David, one of the group’s convenors, said that many of their advocacies have been at-

tended to by the Aquino administration.“But as the enemies of reform gather their forc-

es to tear down all that has been accomplished, we can no longer remain quiet. ...We will be labelled as government hacks, as the lackeys of PNoy. But no amount of name calling will deter us from standing up for reform,” she said in a news conference.

Asked who the enemies of reforms were, he said they were “political leaders who oppose reforms that are already here.” She also said the “enemies” were those criticizing some of Aquino’s fl agship programs such as the Conditional Cash Transfer and the Grassroots Participatory Budget Process.

“If they are not anti-reforms, then what is it they’ve done to get more reforms instituted?” David said.

Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement said the formation of the coalition was the people’s way of seeing to it that the work that the Aquino administration has started will not go to waste, and would continue.

Former Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said that the group will help see to it that reforms are contin-ued in the last two years of the administration.

“Implementation is the key in the next two years. We’re here for the long haul,” Lim added.

The group said the coalition was not established to push for Aquino’s second term or to endorse his successor, repeatedly stressing that it was not being discussed.

But David said that she believes that the Presi-dent’s successor should be one who has already worked on the “tuwid na daan” advocacy and should have unquestionable integrity.

The group is made up of 165 organizations nation-wide, and has been holding workshops to assess the performance of the administration and come up with proposals on what still needs to be done.

Before the launch, a workshop was held at the Ateneo to review the President’s Social Contract with the people. The organizers said they have invited Cabinet members to attend the workshop. (MNS)

By Jérôme Cartillier

WASHINGTON, August 25, 2014 (AFP) – US President Barack Obama has vowed to take action on immigration before summer’s end. Now millions of hopeful undocumented immigrants are eagerly awaiting his move—as are Republican leaders who accuse him of abusing his power.

Back in Washington after two weeks of a golf-fi lled family vacation on a small island in Massa-chusetts, the US president is readying to take on a issue which is especially sensitive in the run-up to November’s midterm elections.

“The American people don’t want me standing around twiddling my thumbs waiting for Congress to do something,” said Obama, frustrated by the lack of action by lawmakers on Capitol Hill, before he left.

Details of any executive orders to be signed by the president are not yet known – the White House says a range of options is being considered – but Obama’s political opponents are already angry, threatening a major political crisis.

Some hope for, while others fear, that a presiden-tial decision could offer a reprieve to nearly half of the around 11 million undocumented immigrants, many of whom have lived for years in the United States, but who live in constant fear of deportation.

One of Obama’s options would be to expand the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival” or “DACA” program, launched in 2012, which offers temporary visas to minors who arrived in the United States be-fore age 16, perhaps to also include their parents or even grandparents.

But Lynn Tramonte, deputy director of America’s

Voice, a group that advocates for immigrant rights, expects something more.

“I foresee a major policy change,” she told AFP.After six years of deportations and minor reforms,

“we are ready for a major change, we are ready for the Obama administration that we expected to come into offi ce after the 2008 election,” she said, de-nouncing a “fundamentally broken” system that is “working against families.

But in acting alone on the issue, the president has sparked criticism he is encroaching on the role of Congress, with some lawmakers accusing him of defying the spirit of the Constitution.

He would also risk harming the chances of vul-nerable Democrats fi ghting to retain their seats in conservative states – where reform is unpopular – and who are crucial to their party’s hopes of hanging on to the Senate.

Obama’s predecessors, from Republican Ron-ald Reagan to Democrat Bill Clinton to Republican George W. Bush, each signed orders specifi c to cer-tain categories of immigrants coming from China, Kuwait or El Salvador, for example.

But Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that argues for reinforcing the borders, insists an executive order from Obama offering temporary legal status to a large number of undocumented immigrants would be in a different category –] and, in the long term, counter-productive.

“Those small actions were all radically different from what the president is proposing,” Krikorian said, emphasizing that each was linked to a very specifi c crisis.

Lawyers’ group to Aquino: Remember Cory, forget Cha-cha

Pro-Aquino alliance hits out at ‘enemies of reform,’ denies pushing term extension

All eyes – hopeful and accusatory – on Obama over immigration


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By Glenn CHAPMAN

NAPA, August 25, 2014 (AFP) – Vintners in California’s pres-tigious wine country on Monday were shaking off the effects of a major earthquake and thanking the very soil from which their prized vintages stem.

Winemakers who endured the 6.0-magnitude South Napa Quake were quick to conclude that how much damage was suffered de-pended not only on proximity to the epicenter, but the “terroir” in which grapes are rooted.

Rocky soil seen as ideal for powerful red wines also seemed to hold up well, while spots richer in clay or sand were more inclined to shiver dangerously, like gelatin, beneath foundations.

Early estimates put the cost of the damage into the billions of dollars, with much of that done to businesses like hotels, restau-rants and shops that cater to tour-ists who fl ock to the area to visit wineries known around the world.

Damaged buildings and broken water lines could have an array of businesses off limits during the coming three-day Labor Day weekend in the United States, prime time for tourism here.

Barrels smashed -Many wineries were reporting

damage no worse than bottles or barrels smashing to fl oors in wine cellars or tasting and barrel rooms.

Gates were barred to many as-piring visitors Sunday due to elec-tric power being out of service, not because of quake damage.

“We had no damage whatsoev-er,” said Jim Sullivan of Castello di Amorosa, a winery built as a replica of a 13th century Tuscan castle.

“While it has rock more than

100 years old on the outside, be-hind it is concrete and (steel rein-forcement) rebar.”

Darioush winery, whose own-ers are from Iran, boasts free-standing columns in a design put-ting modern touches on ancient Persian architecture.

The structures were unscathed by the quake, which did only slight damage to wine there, ac-cording to marketing directory Alessandra Boscarino.

“We were really fortunate,” Boscarino said of Darioush. “The difference between my home and here was quite astounding. At home, everything that was elevat-ed came down.”

The number of lost wine bar-rels tallied about 20 at Bouchaine Vineyards, where the crew had begun the labor intensive crush-ing of grapes the same weekend the quake hit.

A wine barrel holds enough to fi ll 300 standard bottles.

A building at Trefethen Fam-ily Vineyards was knocked out of shape by the quake, which also caused two 20,000-liter tanks of Cabernet to spill at a Hess Col-lection facility, according to local news reports.

“Ways property was affected had to do with the soil,” Boscarino said.

“The terroir contributes to the wine with its different composi-tions and structures, so you won-der.”

Quake trumped ‘crush’ -Wine makers here were clean-

ing up quickly and getting on with the freshly-started grape harvest, known as the crush because juice must be quickly squeezed from fruit.

“I can tell you that 99 percent of all the businesses in this val-ley are open and ready for our

guests,” Bourassa Vineyards vint-ner Vic Bourassa said in a blog post.

“Napa is still one of the pretti-est places on earth.”

The earthquake that rocked California’s scenic Napa Valley wine country a day earlier was the strongest to hit the region in a quarter of a century, seriously injuring three and jolting thou-sands from their sleep.

Data collected from activity tracking UP bracelets indicated that 93 percent of wearers in the cities of Napa, Sonoma, Vallejo and Fairfi eld woke when the quake hit at 3:20 am in Califor-nia.

Slightly more than half of UP wearers further away in San Francisco and Oakland were roused by the shaking, according to bracelet maker Jawbone.

“Once awaken, it took the resi-dents a long time to go back to sleep, especially in the areas that felt the shaking the strongest,” Jawbone said, noting that many did not make it back to sleep.

No deaths were reported, but authorities said a child was in crit-ical injured after being crushed by a fi replace and that some 130 people sought minor medical care and that.

Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the wake of the quake, which sparked fi res, burst water mains, caused gas leaks and even cracked roads.

The US Geological Survey said the temblor was the most power-ful to hit the San Francisco Bay area since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, at magnitude 6.9.

Water main breaks added to woes, including those of wineries eager to save precious waters in the face of an enduring drought here.

“This tour is great!” says Josh Ken Artero, a young professional from Agana, Guam.

“I’ve been living in the U.S. for 41 years. I’ve participated in four ACGTDTs and will join future

tours even if I come here on my own to help the ABS-CBN Founda-tion with school-building projects,” Los Angeles fashion designer Ar-cadio Boy Lizaso remarks.

“It’s our fi rst ACGTDT and we’re enjoying it. We stayed at the Solaire Resort and Casino for two weeks on our own last year, but will still avail of the optional ACGTDT trips later,” discloses Dr. Aquilio Agliam with his wife, Salve, who live in Cleveland, Ohio.

These are the testimonials gath-ered from a few participants of the 9th Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour of the Philippines (ACGTDT). This year’s tour had a total participants of 260 visitors coming from New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guam and Hawaii. Filipino-Canadians have formed their own separate homecoming tour “Winter Esca-pade” which was held in the Vi-sayas last January this year.

For a reasonably-priced long-haul basic tour package, the AC-GTDT participants were here from July 28 to 31 to relax, enjoy and spend precious time with families and friends as well as explore in-vestment and retirement possibili-ties here at home.

“We encourage Filipinos here to invite their relatives and friends in the U.S. and Canada to plan and book for these tours, especially for “Visit Philippines2015.” More Pi-noy homecoming tours are in the works for young Fil-Am leaders and for Filipinos in Europe and the Middle East,” states Chief Op-erating Offi cer Domingo Ramon Enerio III of the Tourism Promo-tions Board (TPB), marketing arm of the Department of Tourism.

“Through this successful tour program, we are able to entice Fil-ipino-Americans as well as their friends in the U.S. to visit us to deepen their appreciation of the history, heritage and culture of our country and the natural warmth of our people. Aside from being a safe place to travel and right time to invest, the Philippines is one of the best places for medical and wellness tourism as well as retire-ment haven,” Enerio adds.

Tour participants arrived to a VIP reception with sampaguita leis at the Ninoy Aquino Inter-national Airport. The next day, the participants were treated to a Mindanao-inspired welcome din-ner at the Makati Shangri-la Ho-tel with an environment-oriented musical. Organized by Fantas-mic Production Haus, the musical consisted of the “Enlighten Black Theater Group” with Jeff Suma-bat singing “Paraiso” and the El Gamma Penumbra performing “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”

Last July 29, the particpants were brought via guided tours to the luxurious resort of Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas. This area is renowned for being part of the “center of the center of the world’s biodiversity” which means that more than 65% of the world’s marine species can be found there with some species very recently discovered by Cali-fornia Academy of Sciences.

The ACGTDT participants ar-rived to festive welcome of native songs and dances with rondalla music by hundreds of local grade

Fil-Ams partake of lechon (roasted pig) served during lunch for the 9th ACGT-DT participants. Lunch was hosted by the Municipal Governor of Nasugbu, Batangas and the Department of Tourism-Southern Tagalog Regional Offi ce last month.

school children. After which, there was sumptuous lunch consistently mostly of Southern Tagalog cui-sine. With outcast skies and showers in the morning and early afternoon, the participants went for indoor games and guided cove tour.

Nasugbu Mayor Charito Apacible and Tourism Regional and Tourism Regional Director for Southern Tagalog Rebecca Villan-ueva-Labit personally joined them throughout their stay in Hamilo Coast.

“Nasugbu town is a popular beach holiday destination, espe-cially for its medical black sand beaches. From excursionists, our town has expanded to its target upscale visitors and residents of Europeans, Americans, other ex-pats, and Asians, mainly Koreans, who patronize our dive resorts, mountain resorts, historical and cultural landmarks, ecotourism destinations, retirement havens, native restaurants, and a modern hospital. Pico de Loro Cove is one of our new tourist attractions ca-tering to the AB market,” Mayor Apacible enthuses.

“We heartily invite all ACGTDT participants to visit and invest in Nasugbu,” she adds.

“Through the Cavitex Express-way and the innovative Kabiang Tunnel, Pico de Loro Cove and Nasugbu, for that matter, is less than one and a half hours away from Metro Manila. After pass-ing by the well-preserved rustic greenery of its mountainside, the Cove greets every visitor with its fi ne beaches, amenities and cui-sine. Twenty minutes away is the progressive town of Nasugbu where more attractions and un-discovered destinations await visi-tors,” quips Tourism Regional Di-rector Labit.

“Nasugbu and Pico certainly meet the challenge of making visi-tors stay longer than the usual three-day night sojourn in a desti-nation. These are beyond the usu-al weekend visits,” she emphasiz-es. In bidding the Batangas hosts farewell, Consul General Leo Her-rera-Lim of Los Angeles cites, “You welcomed us not as friends but as family. We leave Nasugbu well-informed and highly appreciative of the beauty of the town and of Batangas province and the hospitality of the people. Now we have more reasons to return and visit and invest here. We, in turn, extend our invitations to all of you to visit us in the U.S.”

A rousing and non-stop musical number – consist-ing of several teenaged Batangueño musicians as well as Provincial Gover-nor Vilma Santos’ very own V.I.P. dancers – sent off the hundreds of participants from the Pico Country Club Ballroom to their respective tourist buses back to Maka-ti, where they had in turn an exciting fellowship night hosted by Western Union.

The next day, they were at the historic Rizal Monument in Luneta for the wreath-laying ceremony. They then proceeded to Malacañang Palace for a museum tour and luncheon at the Heroes Hall. There were also spe-cial tours arranged for Cor-regidor, Intramuros, Met-ropolitan Musuem at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Camiling Association of California’s 25th Anniversary, August 23, 2014. FACLA President Austin “ Jun” Baul administers the oath of offi ce to the incoming offi cers of the Camiling Association of California (CAC) during their induction ceremonies held at FACLA on August 23, 2014. Hundreds of Camilingians from all over California attended the dinner-Luau party at FACLA for their induction, dinner and dance party.

Napa Valley wineries shake off major earthquake

Tour with ambassadors scores well with Fil-Am vistors


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ACTRESS Heart Evangelista and Senator Francis “Chiz” Es-cudero are now engaged to be married.

Evangelista’s best friends, Lovi Poe and Alessandra de Rossi, took to image-sharing ap-plication Instagram to share the happy news of the couple.

Both Kapuso actresses posted on Saturday evening a series of photographs and videos taken during Escudero’s proposal to the “StarTalk” host.

“After months of planning, congratulations @saychiz for pulling off the best surprise for @iamhearte!!! We’re so happy that we’re here to witness this special occasion,” Poe said.

She added: “I’m so happy for you guys! Chiz and Heart. You

fi nally found someone who gives you that feeling that people write novels about. Someday when the time comes all I have to do is look at you both and al-ways remember to choose happi-ness more than anything in this world.”

Poe even recorded the mo-ment when Escudero went down on one knee and asked Evange-lista’s hand in marriage.

De Rossi congratulated the couple and uploaded a close-up photo of Evangelista’s heart-shaped engagement ring.

Escudero and Evangelista are dating for almost two years now.

The senator was married to Christine Flores but the union was annulled in 2012. They have two kids. (MNS)

Heart, Chiz now engaged

Chiz and Heart

ACTRESS KC Concepcion is certain that her mother, Mega-star Sharon Cuneta, will sur-pass diffi culties with her weight gain and disappointments in her showbiz career.

KC said that her mother did not mention the issue to her dur-ing their last conversation.

“Nag-usap kami ni Mom and wala naman siyang na-mention sa akin na problem. Masaya nga yung talk nami sa phone nun,” she said.

Concepcion believes that the Facebook post of Sharon is in-tended for her loyal supporters.

“I feel na that open letter is Mom’s way of letting her fans know that she is still here, and she still cares for them. Sa lahat ng ginagawa ng mom ko, she al-ways remembers her fans and wants them to be happy. It’s her way of saying she has not forgot-ten them,” she said.

As for Cuneta’s weight gain is-sue, Concepcion said it will take time but she is positive that her mom will get the hang of things.

“Her struggle to get back in shape is a long process, hindi na-man ganun kadaling magpapa-yat to be honest,” she said.

The 29-year-old actress also thanked close friend, Judy Ann Santos, for the continuous love and support not just to her mom, but to their whole family.

“I am very thankful that Ate Juday has always been there for my mom, sincere siya sa friend-ship nya and she’s part of our family. Like Ate Juday, me, our family, friends and her loyal fans are all behind her 100 percent. Kaya niya yan!” she ended.

Earlier, Cuneta opened up on her Facebook account about be-ing fat and admitted that she is going through mid-life crisis.

She wrote that she “let myself go and allowed myself to get fat and stay fat”. She became com-placent and lost faith on herself.

“I was going through a mid-life crisis, the effects of which I could never have foreseen. My reaction to it was awful; I became rebel-lious because I hated myself for the way I looked and the time I continued to waste by not focus-ing and working on bettering my own person.”

“It was I who let myself be-come affected by the fact that I had turned 40, not my public.” (MNS)

KC and Sharon

KC Concepcion on mom Sharon: We’re all behind her

ANNE Curtis does not mind be-ing labeled “lasenggera” (drinker).

“That’s okay. Not an issue for me at all. I had worse!” said the 29-year-old tv host/actress at the grand press launch of her upcom-ing movie “The Gifted” alongside Cristine Reyes and Sam Milby.

Curtis said she is not hiding anything from the public and ev-eryone knows that she likes to party and hang out with friends.

“I don’t deny na I drink naman and minsan nalalaseng talaga. At least I’m honest about it and yung tao hindi nasa-shock kasi alam nila na she’s like us, na it hap-pens,” she added.

Also, she clarifi ed that she is still with most of her sponsors.

“I’m still with most of my en-dorsements. I think what helped was I was honest about it. Hindi ako nagtago and I admitted that it was a mistake. It goes to show na tao ako and people could relate. Nangyayari talaga,” she added.

Earlier, the “It’s Showtime” host became controversial follow-ing two separate confrontations between her and some showbiz

personalities. She was under the infl uence of alcohol in both inci-dents.

Meanwhile, the actress said that she and her boyfriend, food blogger Erwann Heussaff, are “very much together.”

She said they just keep their relationship private.

“It will just keep on happening [rumors of break-up] because we are not a showbiz couple. We don’t post mushy Instagram pictures,

but that’s a choice. We choose to keep it private. He’d rather keep ours, ours.”

Curtis said they are happy with the relationship but no plans yet of getting married.

“Wag muna! Siguro in mga three or four years, I’ll be ready,” she added.

When asked if she sees her-self settling down with Heussaff, Curtis replied: “Ayoko mag-isip ng ganun kasi paano pag hindi, masakit. I’d rather not have my hopes high. Sana, yun na lang.”

Curtis said that she is too young to settle down and start her own family. But she hopes that when the time comes that she will fi nally become a mother and a wife, she will still get lead roles on television or movies.

“If you’re not in showbiz, it’s the perfect age [29 years old]. With us kasi, it’s different in the industry here. You don’t become leading lady material once you’re already a wife. It’s very rare.”

“The Gifted” will grace the big screen starting September 3. (MNS)

Anne Curtis shrugs off ‘lasenggera’ tag

Anne

The new “Feng Shui” movie will be titled just that, lead star Kris Aquino revealed during a story conference for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry.

According to Aquino, her up-coming horror fi lm will be a con-tinuation of the 2004 blockbuster also directed by Chito Rono. Star Cinema will produce anew.

This time, the actress will be joined by “Ikaw Lamang” star Coco Martin, who will portray a hardworking man who will suffer the same misfortune as Aquino’s character in the original “Feng Shui.” Also reprising their roles in the 2014 movie are Cherry Pie

Picache and Joonee Gamboa. New cast members include Carmi Mar-

tin, Ian Veneracion, Joem Bascon, and Martin Escudero.

Meanwhile, Aquino said she would gladly settle for No. 2 in the box-offi ce race at this year’s MMFF, noting that her son, Bimby, will also be competing via the Vice Ganda-starrer “Praybeyt Benjamin 2.”

She said Martin would also not mind conceding the top spot, pointing out his close ties with Vice Ganda. Martin has referred to the comedian as his best friend even before he joined showbiz.

Filming for “Feng Shui” will start in the last week of August, Aquino said. (MNS)

Why Kris will settle for No. 2 in MMFF

Kris

Actress Dawn Zulu-eta took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to fi nally address ru-mors saying that she and “The Voice” judge Bamboo Mañalac are siblings.

Zulueta denied that Mañalac is her broth-er, but she was quick to add that she has “high respect” for the singer.

The actress said she and her brother, George, are the only chil-dren of her parents, Jose Fazil Tahanlangit-Taleon and Maria Cleofe Soleta-Salman.

Her father remarried and she only has two half-brothers, Jed and Josiah.

“Apart from all of us, both my parents can attest to no other off-springs,” she said.

In the end, Zulueta urged the public to help her in putting an end to the said issue. She also requested Mañalac to release his own statement “as a courtesy.” (MNS)

They are not yet a couple but Erik Santos has fi -nally confi rmed that he and fellow singer Angeline Quinto are now exclusively dating.

“Exclusively dating kasi wala namang iba,” San-tos said in an interview on “Kris TV” on Wednesday.

Asked if he would still allow Quinto to date other guys, Santos replied: “Okay lang kung mature na siya. Kung mature at responsible ka naman, alam mo ang tama.”

But will he get hurt if she does? “Depende kung sino,” he said.

Earlier, Quinto said she considers Santos her “next level friend.”

“Kung ano man po ang mangyari after nito, ‘yung nangyayari sa amin ngayon, okay naman ako. Alam niya naman po ‘yun,” she said at the time.

While they have yet to formalize their relation-ship, Quinto shared that she and Santos are vocal about their feelings for each other.

“Nag-I love you siya. Siyempre nag-I love you too ako. Hindi ko pa po masabi ngayon [if we are offi cial-ly together] kasi gusto ko rin po na si Erik din yung magsabi sa mga tao. [When we talk], I miss you, I love you, ganyan. Hindi naman lagi [na may I love you] pero madalas,” she said.(MNS)

Dawn Zulueta reacts: Bamboo is not my brother

Dawn and Bamboo

Erik Santos, Angeline Quinto ‘exclusively dating’

Erik and Angeline


SUMMER CLEARANCE SALE

FAMILY FEATURES

Whether you’re gathering the neighborhood kids for a backyard celebration or going on a weekend hike with family, you can make fueling up for the fun easy with snacks the whole family can enjoy.

Everyone loves popcorn, and this tasty treat is easy to incorporate into a wide range of nibbles perfect for summer. Popcorn’s wholesome taste makes it an excellent partner to ingredients that tease your taste buds with fl avors that are sweet, salty or even zesty.

Creating a delicious trail mix to carry on an adventurous hike is a cinch when you combine fresh popcorn with your favorite sweet dried fruits and lightly salted nuts. Or, if you’re staying closer to home, use popcorn treats as a more nutri tious alternative to traditional party desserts.

Each of these recipes features freshly popped popcorn paired with common ingredients that appeal to both kids and adults for summery snacks that are big on both fl avor and fun.

For more creative recipes that give some pop to your summer, visit www.popcorn.org.

Blueberry & Pomegranate Power BarsYield: 12 bars 8 cups popped popcorn 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds 1/2 cup toasted and coarsely chopped whole natural almonds 2/3 cup honey 2/3 cup light brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 6 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate Line 13-by-9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray.

Combine popcorn, oats, blueberries, pomegranate seeds and almonds in large bowl.

Combine honey, brown sugar and butter in small saucepan. Cook over low heat to boiling; boil two minutes. Pour over popcorn mixture and mix thoroughly.

Using damp hands, press mixture fi rmly into prepared pan. Refrigerate until fi rm, about two hours. Cut into 12 bars.

Dip bottoms of bars into melted chocolate. Place on wax paper-lined pan. Store in tight covered container in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Popcorn Trail MixYield: 5 cups 1 quart popped popcorn (air popped) 6 ounces diced, dried fruit (apricots, apples, etc.) 8 ounces raisinsPlace freshly popped popcorn in large bowl. Add diced fruit and raisins. Toss popcorn and fruit until combined thoroughly.Note: Add whatever fi xings your family enjoys: dried fruits, seeds, nuts, etc.

Popcorn S’moresYield: 20 pieces 1 cup fi rmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 10 cups freshly popped popcorn 1 package (10 1/2 ounces) miniature marshmallows 2 cups mini graham cookies (teddy bears) 1 cup chocolate chipsCombine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium sauce pan. Cook over high heat for fi ve minutes; remove from heat and stir in baking soda.

Combine popcorn and marshmallows in large bowl. Pour sugar mixture over popcorn to coat.

Gently stir in graham cookies and chocolate chips.Spread mixture evenly into greased 15-by-10-inch pan. Let cool

completely, then break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Yield: 6 sticks6 tablespoons peanut butter

6 large pretzel rods 3 cups popped popcorn Sugar sprinkles 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter over each pretzel, leaving a two-inch “handle” without peanut butter.

Press and roll popcorn onto peanut butter to coat. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles.

For optional chocolate drizzle, place chocolate chips in small sealable plastic bag and seal. Microwave 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted. Clip small corner from bag and squeeze to drizzle chocolate over popcorn.

Sprinkle with additional sugar sprinkles. Allow chocolate to harden before serving.

Blueberry & Pomegranate Power Bars

Sweet N Salty Popcorn Pretzel Sticks

Yield: 1 quart1 quart popped popcorn

1 teaspoon brewer’s yeast powder 1 teaspoon lime juice 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300°F.Spread popcorn on baking sheet.

Sprinkle yeast powder, lime juice, chili powder and salt over popcorn.

Heat about seven minutes and toss just before serving. Serve warm.

Chili Lime Popcorn Snack Mix


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(Relaxnews) - A dedicated dashboard camera could soon trigger a warning to drivers who use their phone behind the wheel. Developed by researchers at the University of Santa Catarina (Brazil), the solution was recently highlighted by MIT Technology Review.

Created by fi ve Brazilian uni-versity students, the alert system is based on a camera that looks for signs the driver is talking on the phone. There are in fact sever-al indicators, namely the position of certain areas of the driver’s face (eyes, cheeks, ears), which point to phone use.

Working in real time, the sys-tem processes the images taken in three steps: face detection, evalu-ation of the position of certain pix-els, and calculation of the prob-ability that the driver is actually on the phone. A high probabil-ity triggers an alert, which could take the form of a loud noise or a simple vocal warning message.

The algorithm developed cur-rently works on video sequences of 15 frames per second at a reso-lution of between 320 and 240 pix-els.

For the time being, the proto-type is around 90 percent accu-rate on the whole, although the researchers noted that certain lighting conditions led to less reli-able results. The system can only detect standard phone calling, not the use of a hands-free system or other mobile device usage such as reading and writing text mes-sages or emails.

It remains to be seen whether consumers and car makers might buy into the idea, which could po-tentially be more of an annoyance than a help. While talking on the phone is generally considered to greatly increase the likelihood of an accident, it is nonetheless legal in many US states.

A solution developed by Brazilian researchers is capable of analyzing 15 images per second to determine the probability that the subject is on the phone. ©All rights re-served

Research suggests taking pub-lic transportation to work could be almost or as effective as other active means like walking or cy-cling at keeping you in shape.

A British study fi nds that walk-ing, cycling and yes, even taking public transportation to work are associated with lower body weight and lower body fat composition when compared against those who drive.

A team of researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Univer-sity College London collected and assessed 7,534 BMI (body mass index) measurements and 7,424 body fat percentage measure-ments from participants in “Un-derstanding Society, the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study,” a cross-sectional dataset representative of the British pop-ulation.

Ten percent of men and 11 percent of women reported using

public transport. Both their body fat percentage and their BMI scores, like those of others who walked or cycled, were lower than those who commuted by means of a personally owned car.

Men who used public or active (either walking or cycling) trans-port modes had an average BMI score of one percent lower than those who commuted via car, which indicates roughly a differ-ence of 3kg in overall body weight.

For women, BMI scores were an average of 0.7 points lower than their car commuting coun-terparts, equating to an average reduction in overall body weight of 2.5kg.

As far as body fat percentage was concerned, the reduction was similar in size and signifi cance, even after researchers controlled for age-related differences, socio-economic discrepancy, diet and level of physical activity in the workplace.

While the large-scale study did not zero in on public transport us-ers, and they represented a small group, results indicate nonethe-less that the stresses and unpleas-antness associated with trains and buses could be outweighed by the health benefi ts.

Of the thousands of partici-pants screened, 76 percent of men and 72 percent of women commut-ed by means of private motorized vehicles, while 14 percent of men and 17 percent of women walked or cycled to the offi ce.

Average BMI scores came in at 28 for men and 27 for women, indicating that most participants were overweight, teetering on the lines of obesity, which is marked by a BMI score of 30. The ideal BMI score is between 18.5 and 24.9.

The study was published on-line in the British Medical Jour-nal. http://www.bmj.com/con-tent/349/bmj.g4887

Researchers develop alert system to prevent phone use at the wheel

Life and Leisure Newsfor Filipino-Americans

www.usasianpost.com

Taking public transit to work may keep you fi tter: study

(Relaxnews) - The new Q50L is the fi rst car from the premi-um Japanese manufacturer de-veloped exclusively for the Chi-nese market and will also be the fi rst Infi niti to be built in China.

Although based on the exist-ing Q50 executive sedan, Infi ni-ti claims that the L is a result of “listening closely to customers’ needs” in what it describes as a highly sophisticated market.

So, the fi rst obvious differ-ence is the car’s length. Affl uent Chinese drivers value rear pas-senger space as highly as per-

formance or exclusivity. The Q50L measures 4.8 me-

ters from end to end and its wheelbase (the distance be-tween front and rear wheels) is also greater at 2.9 rather than 2.8 meters.

But as well as more leg room, passengers will get mood lighting and rear window sun-shades as standard as well as a 14-speaker Bose sound system.

Infi niti hasn’t neglected the driver either, the car will come with a host of electronic aids in-cluding active lane control. The

Q50L will also be the fi rst In-fi niti to benefi t from a new eco-nomical but potent 2-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine and a drive-by-wire electronic steering set-up for smoother and more responsive maneuver-ing.

It also seems that Chinese automotive predilections are gaining traction in other coun-tries. The Q50L’s big brother the Q70 is already offered in a longer L variant in China and the model is now going to go on sale in the US and Canada.

Infi niti reveals fi rst China-only car


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(Relaxnews) – A small study from the University of California Los Angeles psychology depart-ment concludes absorption in digital media could be a roadblock in children’s development of the ability to read emotions.

Researchers compared two groups of sixth graders (ages 11-12) and found one group per-formed signifi cantly better at rec-ognizing emotions after fi ve days with no digital media, not even television.

Researchers say this is cause for alarm, considering how digi-tal media is rapidly seeping into nooks and crannies of everyday life.

“Many people are looking at the benefi ts of digital media in education, and not many are look-ing at the costs,” says Patricia Greenfi eld, senior author of the study. “Decreased sensitivity to emotional cues – losing the abil-ity to understand the emotions of other people – is one of the costs. The displacement of in-person so-cial interaction by screen interac-tion seems to be reducing social skills.”

In the study, researchers worked with a total of 105 sixth graders from a Southern Califor-nia public school, about half of whom spent fi ve days at a nature and science camp that strictly for-bids digital media.

All 105 children were tested be-fore and after half of them went off to nature camp at the Pali In-stitute. They were asked to ana-lyze 48 photographs, declaring whether the emotions expressed were happy, sad, angry or fright-ened.

(Relaxnews) – The only better source of girl power than an at-tack Chihuahua to ward off fi shy acquaintances would be none other than drug-detecting nail polish. A subtle stir with a fi nger can detect whether the drink brought over by a stranger at a party is safe.

Undercover Colors, as it’s called, is clear when applied, but changes to a red upon being dipped into a drink spiked with Ro-hypnol GHB and even Xanax.

It’s the invention of four students at North Carolina State Uni-versity with a knack for chemistry and concerned about reducing sexual assault.

Among the highlights of their funding so far is an individual con-tribution of $100,000 and $6,500 received for winning fi rst place in the Lulu eGames, a competition jointly sponsored by NC State’s Entrepreneurship Initiative and Lulu.com, a publishing company.

To support Undercover Colors or fi nd out more, visit: www.un-dercovercolors.com

WASHINGTON, August 25, 2014 (AFP) – The number of US youths who have tried e-cigarettes tripled from 2011 to 2013, raising concerns about the potential for a new generation of nicotine ad-dicts, US health authorities said Monday. More than a quarter of a million young people who had never smoked a cigarette used e-cigarettes in 2013, said the fi nd-ings from the US Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention.

That represents a threefold in-crease over the number that tried the electronic devices in 2011, it said in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

According to data from the Na-tional Youth Tobacco surveys of middle and high school students, 79,000 tried e-cigarettes in 2011, compared to more than 263,000 in 2013.

“The increasing number of young people who use e-cigarettes should be a concern for parents and the public health commu-nity,” said lead author Rebecca Bunnell, associate director for sci-ence in CDC’s Offi ce on Smoking

and Health.“Especially since youth e-ciga-

rette users were nearly twice as likely to have intentions to smoke conventional cigarettes compared with youth who had never tried e-cigarettes.”

The study found that 44 per-cent of non-smoking youth who had ever used e-cigarettes said they intended to smoke conven-tional cigarettes within the next year.

Among those who had never tried e-cigarettes, just 22 percent said they intended to try regular cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are cigarette-shaped devices that heat fl avored nicotine liquid into a vapor that is inhaled, much like traditional cigarettes but without the smoke.

Instead, the user exhales a va-por, leading to the habit’s nick-name, vaping.

The devices are currently un-regulated on the US market, and may be marketed to minors. Their fruit and candy fl avors present an additional risk to youth, experts say.

Could smartphones be hindering kids’ social skills

Drug-detecting nail polish could become a woman’s best friend

Youths who try e-cigarettes triple since 2011: study

According to researchers at UCLA, digital media is limiting face to face interractions and could be hindering social skill development for young people. ©Monkey Business Images/shutterstock.com

Additionally, they were shown videos of acted scenarios that evoked simple emotions and were asked to describe what was hap-pening.

For example, one scenario por-trays students taking a test in school and two students express their reactions after having sub-mitted it: One is worried about how he performed, the other is confi dent in his work.

Another scene portrays a stu-dent feeling saddened after being excluded from his peers’ social in-teractions.

Fresh from nature camp, chil-dren performed much better when tested on reading non-verbal cues to emotion, paring their average down to 9.41 errors, which was a signifi cant improvement on their pre-camp average of 14.02.

Meanwhile, the children who

had not been to camp made sig-nifi cantly less progress, according to researchers, who report that fi ndings apply equally to boys and girls.

“You can’t learn nonverbal emotional cues from a screen in the way you can learn it from face-to-face communication,” says lead author Yalda Uhls. “If you’re not practicing face-to-face com-munication, you could be losing important social skills.”

Study participants self-re-ported their time spent texting, watching television and using other forms of digital media, which averaged at four and a half hours per school day, which is lower than surveys suggest the national average to be.

The study was published in the journal Computers in Human Be-havior.


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ucated nurses, Filipinos remain the most active job-seekers in America.

He said 420 Indians, 300 Canadians, 266 Puerto Ricans and 234 South Koreans also took the NCLEX for the fi rst time in the fi rst semester of 2014.

In 2013, a total of 4,034 Filipinos took

the NCLEX for the fi rst time, represent-ing less than one-fi fth of the record-high 21,499 that took the same examination at the height of the 2007 nursing boom.

The Philippines continues to produce thousands of new nurses every year, de-spite a large surplus. (MNS)

But she said she wanted President Be-nigno Aquino III to step down because of the high poverty rate in the country.

She said there are too many beggars on the streets. (MNS)

He added: “Dako man ko respeto basta prinsipyo na. (I have a lot of respect as long as it’s for principle.) I just hope dili ma gen-erate into something bad for us here. They are driven by religious principles. Islam is a very good religion. I just hope that they are there to fi ght for religious purposes and not for hatred. I just hope that they are well there. Whatever it is, they are still Filipinos.”

Meanwhile, the mayor said he is alarmed by reports that another group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, has also pledged allegiance to ISIS.

“I’m a little concerned. I’m wondering what would be the dimensions. It’s a cam-paign of terror. But I just hope they will leave it that way there. They can come here and talk to me and have coffee,” he said. (MNS)

was one of the organisers, told ABS-CBN television the issue was non-partisan.

“This is not about parties. This defi nitely is not anti-administration. This is pro-peo-ple,” she said.

But many of the protesters at the rally used the issue to attack President Benigno Aquino, whom they accused of abetting the pork barrel system and of seeking a second term despite being limited by law to only one term.

“No to pork barrel. No to term exten-sion,” the placards read as protesters car-

ried an effi gy of Aquino as a pig.Aquino, who was elected in 2010 on an

anti-corruption platform, has seen his ap-proval ratings dip amid accusations that his allies are among the benefi ciaries of the pork barrel system.

The president did not directly address his critics. But speaking at an event at the military cemetery, he called on the public “to remain vigilant against those who seek to sow doubt and lies” and spread “baseless accusations.”

an of the national police anti-cybercrime division.

The eight suspects were arrested and fi ve minors taken into custody following a raid on Thursday in towns just outside Ma-nila, she said.

But Fabro warned that an undetermined number may have escaped before the raid.

“There are other targets but we weren’t able to get them,” she told AFP.

About 400 people from Hong Kong, Sin-gapore and Macau were targeted by the group and the arrests were made due to complaints from victims, Fabro said.

The suspects operated from towns in Bulacan province, about 30 kilometers (17 miles) from Manila. They used social media websites such as Facebook to meet people overseas and then used video call services such as Skype to engage in “cybersex,” the police said.

“Unknown to the victim, these acts were recorded. Once the suspect captured suf-fi ciently lewd video footages, he/she would stop the call instantly. Immediately, the victim would receive messages... from the suspect, threatening the victim that his lewd acts were video recorded with a video link to prove it,” the cybercrime division said in a statement.

The suspect would then demand the vic-tim pay a huge amount or the footage would be made public on social media or even sent to the victim’s friends or relatives, the divi-sion said.

Each victim would usually be forced to pay about $30,000 but Fabro said she could not immediately give a fi gure for the total gained from the “sextortion”.

Initially, the group used women but lat-er recruited fi ve minors who were taught to lure other victims. The minors have since been turned over to social workers, said Fabro adding that the suspects would be charged with human traffi cking along with extortion.

Fabro also said they were still investi-gating whether this new group was related to a larger but similar “sextortion” opera-tion that was broken up by police in May.

In that case, dozens of people operating from industrial-sized call centers were ar-rested after allegedly blackmailing hun-dreds of people around the world, luring them on social media in order to get sexu-ally explicit information or images.

One of their victims was a 17-year-old boy in Scotland who committed suicide last year.

This newest operation “is more mobile. If they have a strong enough Internet con-nection, they just do it from their homes,” Fabro said.

Interpol has warned that “sextortion” has emerged as a major concern in recent years as criminals take advantage of more people using social media and greater mo-bile Internet access via smartphones.

bile stemmed from Pope Francis’ visit to South Korea, where he rode a locally built vehicle.

“So maybe it would be better for him to use jeepney here,” she said.

But she added the pope has so far not made any request as far as vehicles are concerned, though “all arrangements will still be fi nalized” this November.

If Vatican protocol offi cials approve a jeepney as the next Popemobile by Novem-ber, de Villa said there will be enough time to build it.

“I don’t think that will be a problem be-cause if ever we have two months to make it, we can make it. It’s not a problem,” she said. (MNS)

Despite Algieri wresting the WBO light welterweight title in a big upset against the tough Russian Ruslan Provodnikov in a controversial split decision in June, it was clear that Pacquiao does not feel his oppo-nent can cause another shock.

“I saw his fi ght with Ruslan,” Pacquiao told reporters at a press conference to an-nounce the November card. “He took a lot of bad punches from Ruslan but he’s tough.

“He can box. I’m not saying he’s really good but he’s not bad. He’s okay,” Pacquiao added.

Pacquiao and Algieri were in Macau on the fi rst date of a whirlwind six-city promo-tional tour that will move on to Shanghai, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said he had concerns over Algieri’s height and reach – he is 5ft 10in (1.77m) compared to Pacquiao’s diminutive 5ft 6in – but little else, believing that Provodnikov had beat-en the New Yorker in June.

“It surprised me because I actually think Ruslan won that fi ght. (Algieri) got beat up a little bit,” said Roach.

“Algieri has a good reach advantage and we’re going to have to get past that and his jab. That will be our biggest problem. We

have ways to do that.”Pacquiao admitted the lithe, athletic

Algieri would be a different prospect to slower, but durable, Brandon Rios, whom ‘Pac-Man’ comprehensively outpointed in the same Cotai Arena venue in November last year.

“The biggest challenge for me is to fi ght another tall guy. I have to use my speed and footwork for this fi ght,” said Pacquiao.

Algieri admitted he blundered in getting caught early in the fi ght against the Rus-sian, but said he would learn from it.

“First round I made a mistake,” said the New Yorker. “Paid for it for the next 11-and-a-half rounds. Got a little too ag-gressive too early against a very dangerous guy.”

Meanwhile Roach seemed a little wor-ried by Pacquiao’s many distractions out of the ring—he is a politician and congress-man, and also is embroiled with a long-run-ning dispute with the Philippines tax man.

And now the latest extra-curricular ac-tivity is becoming player-coach for expan-sion team Kia Motors in the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA).

On Sunday Pacquiao, at 35, became the oldest player to be drafted in the PBA, when Kia picked him in 11th spot.

Us asian post august 27, 2014

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