MM I D W E E K

E D I T I O N w w w a s i a n j o u r n a l c o m

1210 S Brand Blvd Glendale CA 91204

w w w a j d i g i t a l e d i t i o n c o m

Tels 8185020651 bull 2132509797 bull Fax 8185020858 bull 2134810854Also published in bull Orange CountyInland Empire bull Northern California bull Las Vegas bull New York New Jersey

Th e F i l i p i n ondashAm e r i cA n co m m u n i T y ne ws pA p e r

L o s A n g e L e s

Volume 26 - No 56 bull 3 Sections - 22 Pages

July 13-15 2016

MM I D W E E K

E D I T I O N w w w a s i a n j o u r n a l c o m

1210 S Brand Blvd Glendale CA 91204

w w w a j d i g i t a l e d i t i o n c o m

Tels 8185020651 bull 2132509797 bull Fax 8185020858 bull 2134810854Also published in bull Orange CountyInland Empire bull Northern California bull Las Vegas bull New York New Jersey

1

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DATELINEUSAfrom the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

After a tempestuous primary season sen Bernie sanders (D-Vermont) has officially en-dorsed hillary Clinton to secure her position as the sole Democratic presidential candi-date

sanders and Clinton held a joint rally on the morning of tuesday July 12 in Portsmouth New hampshire a city and state that sanders had won during the primaries by wide mar-gins

sanders opened up the speech celebrat-ing the progress of his own campaign -- his ldquopolitical revolutionrdquo -- touting the 1900 delegates he garnered during the primaries which he said was ldquofar more than almost any-one thought we could winrdquo

he then went on to voice his support for Clintonrsquos presidential ticket assuring that she is far more suited for the presidency than pre-sumptive republican presidential nominee

Sanders officially endorses Clinton for president

IN the wake of the shootings of two black men that reignited the conversation on racial profiling by law enforcement Asian Ameri-cans are standing in solidarity with the Black Lives matter (BLm) movement

BLm was formed in 2013 in response to the wave of police shootings of black individuals across the United states the movement reg-ularly organizes protests around police shoot-ings of black individuals and speak on broad issues like racial profiling and inequality

the movement has been received with mixed reactions some have hailed it as a modern day civil rights organization others have panned it as a racist organization like former NYC mayor rudy Giuliani who ac-cused BLm of ldquoisolatingrdquo blacks

New York City-based ethnographer Christi-na Xu wanted to respond to negative reactions

Asian Americans support Black Lives Matter respond to recent shootings

International tribunal sides with PH in case against China

Itrsquos been only a couple of months since his induction to the Philippine senate but manny Pacquiao is already reportedly planning to take a leave of absence for an-other go in the boxing ring

top rank Ceo Bob Arum told Boxing-scenecom that Pacquiao is looking for another opponent for a possible return fight and is working with senate President franklin Drilon to figure out how to can go on a break to train

ldquohe is going to fight I donrsquot know what the date is he is working with the Presi-

dent of the Philippine senate for an appro-priate date where he can leave the Philip-pines for two or three weeks to prepare for a fightrdquo said Arum

Pacquiao announced back in April he would be retiring from boxing after a unanimous decision win over timothy Bradley to focus on his political career

this recent string of events looks as if his retirement was written on sand

As per Boxingscenecom Adrien Broner was originally slated as Pacquiaorsquos oppo-nent but the American asked for a price both Arum and Al haymon canrsquot afford

ldquoI was dealing with Al haymon on mak-

Pacquiao planning Senate leave to prepare for next fight mdash Arum

foLLoWING the President rodrigo Dutertersquos earlier revelations former Philippine Drug enforcement Agency (PDeA) Director General Dionisio san-tiago claimed on monday July 11 that former President Benigno Aquino III had known the 23 mayors protecting illegal drug syndicates but explained that the government lost the cases filed against these officials

In a news conference at Aristocrat restaurant in manila santiago dis-closed that during Aquinorsquos term Aqui-no and his executive secretary Paquito ochoa were given a list of local govern-

ments linked to drug syndicatesldquothey [Aquino and ochoa] knew

these individuals We provided them with the list like Amante Alcala Asis-tio Ablan Cuenca and soonrdquo added santiago who also served as former Armed forces of the Philippines (AfP) chief of staff

According to him the government lost the cases against the alleged drug protectors after either the prosecutors or the judge dumped the charges

Although santiago did not drop first names he believes that these officials have already been on Dutertersquos list of drug lords

on friday July 8 Philippine Na-

Ex-PDEA chief discloses Aquino aware of 23 lsquodrugrsquo mayors

PhILIPPINe military forces en-gaged in counterterrorism efforts in mindanao killed a total of 40 Abu sayyaf Group (AsG) extremists dur-ing the first week of President ro-drigo Dutertersquos administration a military spokesperson announced on monday July 11

major filemon tan of the Armed forces of the Philippines Western mindanao Command told the Asso-

ciated Press that 22 militants have been killed and 16 wounded in sulu since Philippine troops launched their offensive last week Another 18 AsG fighters were killed and nine more wounded in the province of Basilan near the town of tipo tipo so far only one filipino sol-dier has died in combat since the military began its campaign against hostage-taking AsG militias operat-ing in the predominantly muslim southern Philippines

40 Muslim extremists killed by PH troops in first week of Duterte admin

PhILIPPINe Na-tional Police (PNP) Director General ronald ldquoBatordquo Dela rosa has spoken out against the in-creased violence and execution of criminals advocated by President rodri-go Duterte

ldquothe PNP does not condone vigi-lantism I person-ally will be vigilant against vigilantismrdquo he said at a weekly press briefing at Camp Crame on monday July 11

According to a PNP report 103 drug-related suspects were killed over a ten-day period from the day Duterte was inaugurated Police said that they were killed for resisting arrest

Despite his disapproval of the administrationrsquos decisions Dela rosa expressed support for the policemen involved in the capture and persecu-tion of the suspects

on the other hand PNP solicitor General Jose

PH police chief denounces violence as drug killings rise

Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Dionisio Santiago

by Klarize MedenillaAJPress

uPAGE A3

uPAGE A4

by eric anthony licasAJPress

by Joseph alMer B pedraJasAJPress

PNP Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo Dela Rosa

As a part of the new admin-istrationrsquos push to wipe out the illegal drug trade there are plans to institute rehabilitation programs for tens of thousands of drug addicts in the Philip-pines according to Presidential spokesperson ernesto Abella

Philippines to create drug rehab program

by Klarize MedenillaAJPress

by eric anthony licasAJPress

by Bong lozadaInquirernet

uPAGE A2uPAGE A3uPAGE A3

uPAGE A2

uPAGE A3

uPAGE A2

IN a huge victory for the Phil-ippines the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the hague Netherlands ruled that Beijing has no legal basis to as-sert sovereignty over most of the south China sea

the landmark ruling issued on tuesday July 12 found that Chinarsquos claims violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the sea (UNCLos) and that the country has no historic right over the resources and territories de-spite the centuries-old maps and guides it presented

Chinese activity within and near the Philippinesrsquo exclu-sive economic Zone (eeZ) ille-

gally interfered with the island nationrsquos petroleum exploration and fishing operations the PCA concluded sovereign rights over Panganiban (mischief) reef Ayungin (second thomas) shoal and recto (reed) Bank were awarded to the Philippines

the PCA ruling also defines the contested scarborough shoal as a common traditional fishing ground that no country may claim exclusive right over A standoff at the shoal between the Philippine and Chinese navies and Chinarsquos violation of a subsequent truce prompted former President Be-nigno Aquino IIIrsquos administration to file a complaint with the PCA in 2013

the five-judge panel also unanimously found that China

aggravated the dispute and said the construction of a large arti-ficial island on top of mischief reef caused irreparable harm to its ecosystem

ldquoItrsquos an overwhelming victory We won on every significant pointrdquo said Paul s reichler the Philippinesrsquo chief counsel in the case

the decision was welcomed by Philippine officials as well as filipinos throughout the United states

ldquothe Philippines strongly af-firms its respect for this mile-stone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the south China seardquo said Philip-pine foreign secretary Perfecto

Filipino-American community members in New York rallied outside the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday July 12 hailing the Philippinesrsquo victory over its case against China The UN Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague Netherlands ruled that Beijing has no legal basis to assert sovereignty over most of the South China Sea Photo by Troi Santos

Manny Pacquiao Inquirernet photo

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

From the Front Page

OATH TAKING Vice President Leni Robredo is sworn in by President Duterte as the chairperson of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) on Tuesday July 12 Her oath taking is witnessed by her three daughters Aika Tricia and Jillian Robredo The oath taking ceremony was held after Duterte called a Cabinet meeting following the ruling of the United Nationrsquos arbitration court favoring the Philippinesrsquo case against China over the South China Sea Photo from the Office of the Vice President

Calida expressed his support for Dutertersquos crusade against illegal drugs at the same conference

He also assured that the ad-ministration was continuing to support the PNP adding ldquowe will not allow anybody to derail the efforts of the PNP against illegal drugsrdquo

ldquoHuwag kayong matakot (Do

not be afraid)rdquo he saidThe presidentrsquos controversial

tactics used in the war against drugs have received criticisms by many individuals and orga-nizations The Roman Catholic Church have previously de-nounced the rise in killings since Dutertersquos victory

The Catholic Bishopsrsquo Confer-ence of the Philippines (CBCP)

spoke on the recent 100 killings in a statement urging its mem-bers and followers to continue to stand up for what is ldquomorally wrongrdquo

ldquoWe will stand for and defend every personrsquos life and dignityrdquo said Archbishop Socrates Vil-legas ldquoWe will shield the weak from harm We will protect the confused form errorrdquo n

PH police chief denounces violencehellipPAGE A1 t

tional Police (PNP) chief Direc-tor General Ronald ldquoBatordquo Dela Rosa warned that the president has a list of 23 mayors involved in drug trafficking which will be divulged only when the evidence is sufficient

ldquoThe president has the list of these local executives involved in illegal drugs I canrsquot reveal their identities only the President can make public their namesrdquo Dela Rosa said

When these mayors were iden-tified they will face filed charges at the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) the court will handle the case if found guilty and they can be dismissed from their posts afterward

Meanwhile Lucena City May-

or Roderick Alcala denied his link to any illegal drugs after being accused of taking over a relativersquos operations in the Que-zon province

Consequently he said that he is planning to file appropriate charges against the publication that accused him of such

Mayorsrsquo and vice-mayorsrsquo rela-tives surrender

In response to Dutertersquos cam-paign against illegal drugs rela-tives of high officials in various towns and cities surrendered to the police authorities ndash adding to the thousands of self-confessed drug users and pushers who have been surrendering since the president took office

The son of newly-elected May-or Vincent Unite of Ballesteros

Cagayan went to the police to admit that he was once involved with drugs

King Unite signed a memoran-dum of undertaking to cooperate with the police to identify other drug syndicates

Contrary to the statements of political opponents Police Sr Insp Stanley Banan clarified that the younger Unite is a user and not a pusher

Meanwhile in Caloocan City Vice Mayor Macario Asistio III sur-rendered his own brother Luisito Jr after the city police informed him that Luisito Jr was associated with top drug personalities

Elias Delentildea a municipal councilor and relative of the Pre-sentacion town mayor also sur-rendered herself n

Ex-PDEA chief discloses AquinohellipPAGE A1 t

Yasay from Manila in response to the ruling However he also rec-ommended that ldquoall those con-cerned to exercise restraint and sobrietyrdquo

Though the tribunalrsquos decision is final and legally binding for both countries it has no means to enforce its ruling

Chinese officials have denied the tribunalrsquos authority on the matter and had refused to partic-ipate in the courtrsquos proceedings They claim the Philippines vio-lated international law by bring-ing forth its case without directly consulting China

ldquoChinarsquos territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall un-der no circumstances be affected by those awardsrdquo Chinarsquos For-eign Ministry said in a statement responding to Tuesdayrsquos deci-sion ldquoChina opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awardsrdquo

China defines its area of sover-eignty according to a ldquonine-dash

linerdquo which encompasses most of the South China Sea The de-marcation conflicts with territo-rial and resource claims asserted by the Philippines Vietnam Tai-wan Malaysia and Brunei

Jonathan London Leiden Uni-versity professor of Asian politi-cal economy told the Associated Press the ruling will give in-volved countries as well as those concerned with Beijingrsquos actions ldquosomething to point to and to rally aroundrdquo

Japan Vietnam and the Unit-ed States have issued comments in support of The Haguersquos deci-sion

In a statement released by spokesman John Kirby on Tues-day the US State Department called the ruling an ldquoimportant contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolutionrdquo and ex-pressed ldquohope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligationsrdquo

Though the Philippines has historically been a close ally of the US the latter has not sided

with any particular country Offi-cials in Washington have assert-ed freedom of navigation in the region which the US has been expressing through joint na-val patrols with the Philippines earning criticism from Chinese officials

Ben Cardin a top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the US should ldquofly sail and oper-ate wherever international law allowsrdquo

Most of the 70 countries that support China are outside the Pacific Rim however a bloc of smaller Southeast Asian coun-tries have been stifling efforts to mobilize unified opposition to Beijingrsquos claims

China would prefer to hash out disputes between individual countries separately in bilateral talks in which the regional pow-erhouse might be able to exert greater influence

In May Philstar reported that President Rodrigo Duterte told

International tribunal sides with PH inhellipPAGE A1 t

uPAGE A4

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 AFrom the Front Page

HOUSE BLESSING President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday July 12 led the blessing ceremony of his official residence the Bahay Pangarap in Malacanang Photos sent to the media showed Duterte holding a candle while two priests led the blessing On Tuesday Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte spent his first night at the Bahay Pangarap on Monday July 11 Photo courtesy of Christopher Go

On Monday July 11 Sutiyoso head of Indonesian intelligence agency Badan Intelijen Negara (BIN) said the ASG was sus-pected in the kidnapping of three Indonesian fishermen over the weekend Twenty-four Indone-sians have been taken as hostag-es in a series of ASG attacks this year straining relations between Jakarta and Manila according to ABC News

In June Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi an-nounced that the country would halt coal exports mdash which are critical to the Philippine power grid mdash until there is ldquoa guar-antee for security from the governmentrdquo The three most recent kidnapped fishermen have been released but Indone-sian officials deny having paid a ransom

The ASG beheaded two Cana-dians this year after officials de-clined to pay $64 million (P300 million) in ransom for each of their lives The extremists kid-napped John Ridsdel and Robert

Hall along with Kjartan Sek-kingstad of Norway and Filipina Marites Flor from a Samal Island resort on September 21 last year the Asian Journal previously re-ported

Hallrsquos severed head was found in Sulu last June 13 and the ASG released a video depicting Rids-delrsquos beheading on April 26 Flor was released on Friday June 24 as a gesture of goodwill accord-ing to the Philippine Star while Sekkingstad remains in ASG cus-tody

ASG spokesperson Abu Raami had taunted President Duterte in a statement released following Hallrsquos execution

ldquoPara kay Duterte ang bagong Presidente (This is for Duterte the new President)rdquo Raami said in June ldquoIto ay alamin mo kung ano gagawin namin sa Canadian (This is for you to know what we will do to the Canadian)rdquo

Duterte had called upon the ASG to cease kidnappings in the region and expressed sympathy for Mindanaoans frustrated by ldquofailed promisesrdquo from the Phil-

ippine governmentldquoYoursquove never heard me say

that they are criminalsrdquo the president said on Friday July 8 during the Hariraya Eid al-Fitr celebration in Davao ldquoThey were driven to desperationrdquo

However this weekendrsquos kidnappings suggest that ASG members were unmoved by the presidentrsquos appeal Amidst mounting pressure from the Philippinesrsquo neighbors to halt attacks based out of Mindanao Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen Ricardo Visaya told Inquirer he had been given the order to prioritize hos-tage rescues while exterminating the ASG The AP reported that thousands of troops with artillery and air support have been mobi-lized against the estimated 400 strong ASG

ldquoAs much as possible we will add more troops and more resources more augmenta-tionmdashmeaning all resources will be poured hererdquo said Visaya ldquoThis is what President Duterte wantsrdquo n

40 Muslim extremists killed by PHhellipPAGE A1 t

There are no specific details on the plans yet but the ad-ministration plans to set up re-hab centers in all 18 regions of the Philippines Abella said in a press briefing at Malacanang on Tuesday July 12

According to Gulf News since Dutertersquos victory in the May 9 election hundreds of drug ad-dicts all over the country have surrendered to authorities in fear of getting injured or killed in sting operations that police have been carrying out

Since his inauguration on June 30 at least 103 suspects involved in the illegal drug trade have been killed by police

The governmentrsquos call to im-plement more rehabilitation pro-grams and resources comes after over 1000 suspected drug users in Quezon City surrendered to police on June 22-24 accord-ing to Former Deputy Director for Operations Sr Supt Joselito Esquivel Jr of the Quezon City Police District

ldquoTalagang dumagdagsa yung nagsu-surrender sa station levels

Philippines to create drug rehabhellip(There really were a lot that have surrendered at all station levels)rdquo Esquivel Jr said in a Manila Bul-letin report

Those that turned themselves in were promised amnesty as well as rehabilitation coun-seling and livelihood training Each suspected drug user had to take a drug test submit their profile for records and asked to sign a sworn statement promis-ing to withdraw from the illegal drug trade

Duterte has also voiced con-

PAGE A1 t

ing that fight Al tried but Broner was asking for crazy money that nobody can afford so he is out and Manny is looking for another opponentrdquo said Arum

Top Rank has made a pencil reservation for October 15 at

Mandalay Bay Events Center for Pacquiaorsquos possible return

Arum added Pacquiao has to train in the Philippines before he goes to the States if a fight push-es through

ldquoIn any event he is going to have to do most of his prepa-

ration in the Philippinesmdashyou know after he sits in the Sen-atemdashso it is going to be an in-teresting thing but definitely he is looking to comeback and the question is how can we arrange itrdquo said Arum in the Boxing-scenecom report n

Pacquiao planning Senate leave tohellipPAGE A1 t

Donald Trump Despite his previous statement

in April when he deemed Clinton unqualified for the presidency Sanders said on Tuesday that her stances and plans on a myriad of issues like immigration and the economy will lead the country in the right direction

ldquoIt is no secret that Hillary Clin-ton and I disagree on a number of issues Thatrsquos what this cam-paign has been about Thatrsquos what democracy is aboutrdquo Sand-

ers said standing next to Clinton who received 389 more delegates than Sanders

ldquoSecretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and I congratulate her for thatrdquo Sanders said ldquoShe will be the Democratic nominee for presi-dent and I intend to do every-thing I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United Statesrdquo

Sanders has not formally sus-pended his campaign due to ldquoprocedural reasonsrdquo related to

the Democratic National Conven-tion later this month Although the two are not particularly close Sanders and Clinton have a his-tory of fighting on the same side

In the 1990s Sanders as a congressman backed Clintonrsquos health reform plan

Both had overlapped two years in the Senate while Clinton was a New York senator In the Sen-ate both served on the Health Committee where they co-au-thored legislation including the

PAGE A1 t

uPAGE A5

uPAGE A4

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

LADOTTRANSITCOM (213 310 323 818) 808-2273

SAMA-SAMA NATING IPAGDIWANG ANG DASH

MULA HULYO 1 HANGGANG DISYEMBRE 31 2016

Sa limitadong panahon

maghahandog ang LADOT

Transit ng mga libreng sakay sa

DASH sa lahat ng TAP cardholder

na may kasalukuyang 7-Araw o

30-Araw na Metro pass sa

kanilang card

Tara na sakay na

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A Dateline USa

SETTING SAIL The coastal town of Subic in Zambales province hosts about 2000 fishermen many of whom have been frequenting the disputed Scarborough Shoal to earn a living Fishermen geared up on Tuesday July 12 for a return trip to the disputed Scarborough Shoal saying they were now armed with a favorable ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague Inquirernet photo by Allan Macatuno

to the police shootings of black individuals particularly those of Asian Americans She started a Google Doc page and allowed contributors from all over the country to share research per-spectives and thoughts in a col-lective open letter

ldquoIn fact letrsquos draft letters in

our native languages to our par-ents and our communities Get it passed around WhatsApp We-Chat LINE etcrdquo Wu tweeted on Thursday July 7 to launch the letter

She started the Google Doc at 11 am that day and hundreds of Asian Americans contributed to the letter Filipino Pulitzer Prize-

winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas assisted in editing the fi-nal drafts of the letter

ldquoMom Dad Uncle Auntie Grandfather Grandmother We need to talkrdquo the letter opens up ldquoYou may not have grown up around people who are Black but I have Black people are a fundamental part of my life they are my friends my classmates and teammates my roommates my family Today Irsquom scared for themrdquo

The letter encourages Asian Americans everywhere to em-pathize with the movement to stand up to racial inequality in America The writers reference the nationrsquos history of black and Asian persecution to encourage solidarity between the two com-munities together today

ldquoBlack people have been beat-en jailed even killed fighting for many of the rights that Asian Americans enjoy todayrdquo the let-ter said ldquoWe owe them so much in return We are all fighting against the same unfair system that prefers we compete against each otherrdquo

The letter has been translated -- and is continuing to be trans-lated -- in multiple languages

The letter came in the wake of the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile who were

Asian Americans support Black Lives MatterhellipPAGE A1 t

successful ldquoSanders-Clinton amendmentrdquo which guaranteed training for ldquogreen collar jobsrdquo in renewable energy technologies

In 2006 Clinton donated $10000 to a political action com-mittee (PAC) to help get Sanders elected to the Senate In 2009 Sanders voiced his support for President Barack Obamarsquos ap-pointment of Clinton as secretary of state calling her ldquoone of the brightest people in Congressrdquo

The Sanders and Clinton teams are undergoing discussions on Sandersrsquo role in the Democratic presidential campaign

The Republican National Com-mittee (RNC) responded to the endorsement suggesting that Sanders a firm critic of ldquoEstab-lishmentrdquo politics has ldquosold outrdquo by supporting Clinton who is considered an eminent Estab-lishment politician

ldquoThis hollow display of left-wing solidarity flies in the face of Bernie Sandersrsquo months-long crusade against Hillary Clin-tonrsquos judgment character and fitness to serve as presidentrdquo RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement released on Tuesday

ldquoVoters wonrsquot forget Sandersrsquo blistering criticisms of Clintonrsquos paid speeches to Wall Street banks her reliance on big-mon-ey special interests to fund her campaign or her support for overseas military interventions While Sanders may have pushed the Democrat Party even further to the extreme left his support-ers must rightly be wondering if their candidate has all of a sud-den sold out to the same rigged system he so strongly cam-paigned againstrdquo

Trump took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the endorsement which parallelled the RNCrsquos statement suggesting Sanders had abandoned his principles as an anti-Establishment leader

ldquoBernie Sanders who has lost most of his leverage has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clin-ton He will endorse her today - fans angryrdquo Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning

Sandersrsquo campaign responded with a tweet of its own

ldquoBig talk from the same guy who was too afraid to debate Bernie in Californiardquo the Sand-ers camp tweeted to Trump

Following the endorsement Sandersrsquo campaign team sent

out an email to Sanders support-ers assuring Clintonrsquos suitability for the presidency

The tension that had culmi-nated between the two caused a divide in the Democratic Party between progressives and Estab-lishment Democrats but Sanders assured supporters that his deci-sion was the right one

ldquoToday I endorsed Hillary Clinton to be our next presi-dentrdquo Sanders said in the email ldquoI know that some of you will be disappointed with that decision But I believe that at this mo-ment our country our values and our common vision for a transformed America are best served by the defeat of Donald Trump and the election of Hill-ary Clintonrdquo

The endorsement represents the final solidifying of the Demo-cratic Party during this election cycle

On the Republican side Trump has yet to receive endorsements from several of his primary chal-lengers like former Republican presidential nominees Sen Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Gov John Ka-sich of Ohio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A3 t

SAN FRANCISCO ndash Police arrested four sus-pects in the kidnapping for ransom of a Filipina American resident of Vallejo California more than a week ago The 57-year-old victim remains miss-ing according to police

Elvira Babb was last seen around 3 pm June 29 at the Sea Food City market in Vallejo She lived on Daniels Avenue in Vallejo Her dog was found dead inside her vacant home

A kidnapper texted the victimrsquos son John Babb 36 of San Francisco demanding a ransom of around $100000 or his mother would be killed The texter also threatened to kill the victim if John Babb went to the police

Several law enforcement agencies are helping with the investigation including the Solano Coun-ty Sheriffrsquos Office the Fairfield Police Department the Sacramento Police Department the FBI and the US Marshals

Police arrested Emmanuel Espinoza 26 of Stockton Friday night July 8 in Sacramento but he has not cooperated in locating the victim Es-pinoza has a previous arrest record for drug and robbery related offenses

The same night police also arrested Jalon Brown 32 and Larry Young 23 both of Sacramento and Lovely Rauzol 27 of Vallejo Rauzol has a previ-ous arrest for prostitution (Inquirernet)

Filipina in Vallejo Calif kidnapped for ransom still missing

Missing kidnap victim Elvira Babb was last seen June 29

MANILA mdash The United States will keep an ldquoincreasedrdquo pres-ence in the Philippines ldquonot only in military termsrdquo visiting US State Department Counselor Kristie Kenney said on Tuesday July 12

In an interview on ANCrsquos ldquoHeadstartrdquo Kenney ndash former US ambassador to the Philip-pines ndash said there is much the US and the Philippines can achieve as partners and ldquoyou will not see us stepping backrdquo

ldquoOur commitment to the Philip-pines is ironclad We will respect our treaty alliance in every wayrdquo Kenney said She said the US will continue to visit ports conduct humanitarian activities and help in community development

The State Department offi-cial said Secretary of State John Kerry had asked her to meet with members of President Dutertersquos

US to maintain lsquoincreasedrsquo presence in Philippines ndash Kenney

by Pia Lee-BragoPhilstarcom

foreign policy teamKenney is the first high-level

Washington official to meet with Duterte administration represen-tatives since his June 30 inaugu-ration

ldquoI want to tell him (Duterte) that

we want to support the Philip-pines We want to be your friend your partnerrdquo Kenney said ldquoOur goal is to work with President Duterte and his team Thatrsquos why President Obama phoned him right awayrdquo

The US she said wants Duterte and the country to continue to be successful ldquoWersquore here to see how we can work togetherrdquo she added

She met with Philippine gov-ernment officials civil society groups and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) innovators entrepreneurs and other ldquomoversrdquo working to ad-vance social-entrepreneurship technology innovation and the smart cities movement in the country

Kenney will be in Rangoon and Naypyitaw Myanmar from July 12 to 14 to meet with her gov-ernment counterparts civil soci-ety representatives and YSEALI alumni n

US State Dept Counselor Kristie Kenney

Loida Nicolas Lewis philanthropist and community leader Photo by Troi Santos

US President Barack Obama he would be willing to engage in bi-lateral talks with China if the PCA decision fails to de-escalate ten-sion in the region

On Tuesday morning about 50 Filipino-American community members in New York organized a rally outside the United Na-tions headquarters and carried placards urging China to ldquonot be a rogue staterdquo and proclaiming that the ldquoWest Philippine Sea be-longs to Filipinosrdquo

ldquoWe as Filipinos are peace lov-ingrdquo Filipino philanthropist and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis said outside the UN ldquoThe Chinese have all the warships All we have is worshiprdquo

In Los Angeles Fil-Ams held similar signs outside the Chinese Consulate

ldquoItrsquos a victory for the Filipino people We are vindicated and a proof that a small nation can win over a big nation by reasonrdquo Arturo P Garcia of the Alliance Philippines said

Chinarsquos official response to Tuesdayrsquos ruling makes an im-mediate resolution of tensions unlikely but Reichler said that added international pressure could erode the defiant stance China has taken

ldquoWhat China may ultimately do in six months or a year or two years may be different than what it says on July 12 or July 13rdquo Reichler told the AP ldquoI think a lot will depend on the reaction to the award (ruling) of the inter-national community as a whole particularly Chinarsquos neighborsrdquo

Though Tuesdayrsquos decision

comes as a blow to China the military and economic power-house still wields significant le-verage in the region and Duterte has publicly committed to avoid-ing armed conflict between the

two countries The exact nature of future negotiations between the Philippines China and other potential claimants remains un-certain (With reports from Mo-mar G Visaya AJPress)

International tribunal sides with PH inhellip

uPAGE A5

PAGE A2 t

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MASS SURRENDER More than 500 people said to be engaged in the sale and use of illegal drugs in this city surrendered to police here on Saturday July 9 vowing to stop their activities and mend their lives Superintendent Barnard Dasugo Batangas City police chief attributed the mass surrender to their house-to-house visits on suspected drug users and peddlers in various barangays in the city under the policersquos Oplan Tokhang program

EVEN if the President is not given without emergency pow-ers Malacantildeang is confident that the horrendous traffic jams in Metro Manila can be solved within 100 days under President Rodrigo Duterte

Presidential spokesman Ernes-to Abella said several proposals to ease the traffic problem were presented by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during

Traffic gridlock fixed in 100 days ndash Palaceby Catherine S Valente

ManilaTimesnet

the second Cabinet meeting on Monday July 11

ldquoSecretary Tugade made a pre-sentation on Monday and already they have a menu of changes which could very positively im-pact the rate of flow ndash traffic flow soon very soonrdquo Abella said

ldquoIrsquom sure within the next 100 days wersquore going to see results Already there seems to be some rightrdquo he added

He said there are also ldquotech-nical adjustments being donerdquo to ldquoincrease incrementally the

number of passengers and the number of tripsrdquo

Tugade earlier said the admin-istration will ask Congress to give emergency powers to Duterte to allow him to solve the Metro Ma-nila traffic crisis

But the proposal was not dis-cussed during the Cabinet meet-ing

The proposed ldquospecial pow-ersrdquo will allow the government to open private subdivisions to traf-fic and do away with public bid-ding for certain projects n

MANILA mdash The Philippines stands to benefit from its large population of young people but to realize the demographic divi-dends teenage girls must have access to quality education and youth-friendly health services as they prepare for working age the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Monday July 11

According to UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck ado-lescent girls aged 10-19 currently make up 10 percent of the Philip-pinesrsquo 100 million population

ldquoThey hold enormous opportu-nity to transform the future of the Philippines but this can only hap-pen if they have the right informa-tion and skills and are healthy and empowered to make informed de-cisions in liferdquo he said

He issued the statement as World Population Day was cel-ebrated on Monday

Beck underscored the need to take action citing a study spear-headed by the National Econom-ic and Development Authority and supported by UNFPA called the ldquoDemographic Sweet Spot and Dividend in the Philippines The Window of Opportunity is Closing Fastrdquo

The study showed the ldquohigh probability that the Philippines will miss the rare opportunity of additional economic growthrdquo

This is due to the relatively high fertility rate or the average number of children by women especially the poorest and the relatively high unemployment rate particularly among the youth sector

Students and volunteers take a selfie after placing their pledges on the commitment wall during the observance of World Population Day with the theme lsquoInvesting in Teenage Girlsrsquo at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila yesterday Photo by Miguel De Guzman

PH to benefit from population of young peopleby Sheila CriSoStomo

Philstarcom

Philippine celebrationWorld Population Day was

commemorated at the Rizal Me-morial Coliseum in Manila with the participation of some 2000 teenage girls

The event was spearheaded by the Commission on Population

Health Undersecretary Gerar-do Bayugo said there is a need to combine the efforts of the gov-ernment and non-governmen-tal organizations to address the rising teenage pregnancy in the country

ldquoWe need to inspire our teen-

age girlshellip They need special care Not only because they are the future They will give life and nurture the future of our coun-tryrdquo Bayugo said

This yearrsquos event was high-lighted by the launching of the ldquoBABAEnihanrdquo campaign which seeks national attention to issues that affect the future of young women

It is a call for stakeholders to work together to expand oppor-tunities for girls through invest-ments in their education health

uPAGE A7

shot and killed by police officers just one day apart

On July 5 Sterling 37 was sell-ing CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge Louisiana When police officers discovered he had a gun on his person Sterling was shot multiple times at point-blank range Louisiana is one of 31 states that permits open carry of firearms

Several bystanders had filmed the encounter and the shooting

One day later 32-year-old Cas-tile a nutrition services supervi-

Asian Americans support Black Lives Matterhellipsor in Minnesota was stopped by police for a broken rear light When reaching for his license and registration Castile told the officer he had a licensed con-cealed weapon in the car As he put his hands up the police shot him four times

Castilersquos girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car Reyn-olds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook

Legal and civil rights organiza-tion Asian Americans Advancing Justice has also come out in sup-

port for BLM in the wake of the killings of Sterling and Castile

ldquoAs the nationrsquos leading legal and civil rights voice rooted in Asian American communities we stand together with commu-nities of color in the fight to end systemic police brutalityrdquo the organization said in a statement ldquoAs the facts of each case sur-face we ask the US Department of Justice to not only investigate the fatal shooting of Mr Sterling but also to investigate the shoot-ing and death of Mr Castilerdquo (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A4 t

cerns over elected officialsrsquo in-volvement in illegal drug activi-ties

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines has historically been an issue but the trade has ex-panded in recent years to take down narcotic networks which include approximately 200 gov-

ernment officials according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

ldquoThe president plans to issue a memorandum to barangay cap-tains (village officials) and may-orsrdquo Abella said

According to Abella the ad-ministration plans to conduct investigations of officials in areas

Philippines to create drug rehabhellipwith high prevalence of drug-re-lated problems

In a media briefing in April Duterte promised to rid the coun-try of its drug problem within three to six months of taking the presidency

ldquoI will raise the level of the drug threat into a national security is-suerdquo he said n

PAGE A3 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

KUDOS to former Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosa-rio and the whole team which on behalf of the Filipino people filed argued and won the case against China before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal

The court found Chinarsquos claims illegal in its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) an area rich in seafood and other resources

As ABS-CBN News reported this landmark rul-ing was the first case against Chinarsquos expansive claims which has sparked international alarm and prompted the United States to send warships on ldquofreedom of navigationrdquo patrols

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Manny ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

ldquoThe rule of law The United Nations has fulfilled its existence not war but peace through the rule of law so this is the triumph of the Philippines because we have followed the regular process of settling disputesrdquo said US Pinoys for Good Gover-nance Chairman Loida Nicolas Lewis in a report

by The Filipino Channelrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo New York Correspondent Don Tagala

Bobby del Rosario the son for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosario was among those who celebrated this victory in front of the United Nations in New York

ldquoIrsquom gonna quote a couple of words from what my father said

Chinarsquos a great superpower and to be a great superpower you have to follow the laws and the rules of the landhellipand International Law is a great equalizerrdquo del Rosario said in the report

Fil-Am leaders however acknowledge that this victory is just a moral and legal victory which can-not be enforced against China The biggest ques-tion and challenge remains will China now exit the disputed area and leave the West Philippine sea to the Philippines pursuant to the provisions United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) that were upheld by the tribunal rul-ing

China boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and has repeat-edly vowed to ignore the ruling saying its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests

After the ruling was announced Cui Tiankai mdash Beijingrsquos Ambassador to the US mdash said the tribunalrsquos decision denying Chinarsquos claims in the South China Sea will ldquointensify conflict and even

confrontationrdquo as reported by ReutersThe Chinese ambassador however also said

that Beijing remains committed to negotiations with other parties in disputes over the South Chi-na Sea waters that have some of the worldrsquos most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas

The Philippinesrsquo newly sworn-in President Ro-drigo Duterte had said that he was seeking a ldquosoft landingrdquo with China after the decision ABS-CBN News reported that Foreign Affairs Secretary Per-fecto Yasay Jr said he would seek negotiations with Beijing mindful that the tribunal had no pow-

ers to enforce its decisionIn response to the reaction of the Duterte admin-

istration to the UN tribunal ruling Fil-Am commu-nity leader Loida Nicolas Lewis further said on Balitang America ldquoPara sa akinhellipWe negotiate according to our constitution We keep 60 percent you [China] get 40 percent If they donrsquot want to accept that then they are a rogue state Because it is very clear from the tribunal we have 100 percent ownership but that doesnrsquot mean we cannot share 40 percentrdquo

According to Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala the US Pinoys for Good Governance are amenable to President Dutertersquos negotiation with China but with pre-conditions

How do you think the Duterte administration should handle the negotiation with China

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Many ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo 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 wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

Main Office1210 S Brand BoulevardGlendale CA 91204Tels (818) 502-0651Fax (818) 502-0858e-mail infoasianjournalinccomhttpwwwasianjournalcom

Northern California1001 Bayhill Drive Suite 200San Bruno CA 94066Tel (650) 616-4150 bull Fax (650) 616-4152

Asian Journal Publications Inc (ldquoAJPIrdquo) reserves the right to refuse to publish in its sole and absolute discretion any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client (ldquoClientrsquos Materialrdquo)Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Clientrsquos Material AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Clientrsquos Material and to delete objectionable words or phrasesClient represents and warrants that a Clientrsquos Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity does not and will not violate or infringe upon or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including without limitation any copyright trademark service mark or contract right) of any person or entity or violate any other applicable law and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigationPublication of a Clientrsquos Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publicationClient agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss liability damage expenses cost charges claims actions causes of action recoveries judgments penalties including outside attorneysrsquo fees (individually and collectively ldquoClaimsrdquo) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Clientrsquos breach of any of the representations warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Clientrsquos MaterialAJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Clientrsquos Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Clientrsquos Material In the event of an error or omission in printing or publication of a Clientrsquos Material AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisementUnder no circumstances shall Asian Publications Inc be liable for consequential damages of any kind

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS INC publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal published twice a week the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal Northern California Asian Journal Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Orange Counties Northern California Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectivelyArticles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher Letters to the Editor are welcome Letters must contain complete name and return address The materials however are subject to editing and revisionsContributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays For advertising rates and other informations please call the LA office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at infoasianjournalinccom

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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

Manila Office2nd Floor Units DampE Fort Palm Springs30th St Cor 1st Ave Bonifacio Global City TaguigTel (632) 856-4921 bull Fax (632) 856-1661

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OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimesnet photo

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

I WAS developing a column on ldquodue process of lawrdquo built around the prizefight being promoted (by the Inquirer) between the fiscalizer (Sen Leila de Lima) and The Punisher (Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte) when I realized that the boxing imagery would cheapen the more fundamental issues involved in the depressing spec-tacle of state-sanctioned killings in the country today

I thought it would be more useful if I examined instead the underlying clash between the right of criminal suspects to due process and the right of society to protect itself and its members

While doing research on this weighty subject I was startled to find strong and persuasive literature in support of both sides

Daniel Websterrsquos noble summation ldquoDue process of law is that which hears before it condemns which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trialrdquo stands out as a banner for due process in addition to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

On the other side there is also much persuasive literature and equally ex-plicit constitutional provisions that ar-gue eloquently for the assertion of state responsibility to suppress the lawless

Conventional thinking presumes that

this debate was settled long ago in favor of the rights of suspects to due process over the rights of society to protect itself

The advent of Duterte is a reminder that the debate is far from set-tled There is a strong

current of opinion in this country in fa-vor of a hard-line policy against crime especially the illegal drugs trade

Duterte conducting a class on public policy

I think what is happening is this President Duterte is conducting a class in public policy in which we the citizens are the students

The subject is not the illegal drugs trade but two critical and related top-ics

1 The moral argument or rationale for capital punishment and the execu-tion of criminals

2 The statersquos monopoly of violence which seeks to crush lawless elements (organized crime terrorism insurgen-cy) in the country

These are fields of study and research in political science criminology and po-lice science and sociology

To take the topics in sequence this is what DU30 appears to be telling us

Why the death penalty is necessaryLike other government executives be-

fore him Duterte believes that the death

penalty ldquoaffirms liferdquo By failing to ex-ecute murderers or stop drug lords we signal a lessened regard for the value of the lives of victims People who oppose the death penalty are like the neighbors of a teenage murder victim who heard her cries for help but did nothing They are like the neighbors who looked away while the drug pusher plied their ugly trade and ruined the lives of people

This is the standard ldquomoral defenserdquo of death as punishment Even if executions donrsquot deter violent crime or the drugs trade any more effectively than imprison-ment the death penalty is still required as the only means society has of doing jus-tice in response to the worst of crimes

One former mayor of New York City Edward Koch fully endorses this view of the death penalty He has authored a famous article ldquoDeath and justice How capital punishment affirms liferdquo which lays out his argument cogently and per-suasively

He concluded the article with these words ldquoThe death of anyonemdasheven a convicted killermdashdiminishes us all But we are diminished even more by a jus-tice system that fails to function It is an illusion to let ourselves believe that doing away with capital punishment moves the murdererrsquos deed from our conscience The rights of society are paramounthellip

ldquoIt is hard to imagine anything worse than being murdered while neighbors do nothing But something worse ex-

ists When those same neighbors shrink back from justly punishing the murder-er the victim dies twicerdquo

Dutertersquos thinking with respect to il-legal drugs is similar to this He shares the frustration and anger of people who see that the Aquino government did nothing to combat the drug menace So what if the death penalty doesnrsquot work as a deterrent At least it gives citizens the satisfaction of knowing that we got one or two of the sons of bitches

State monopoly of violenceThe other powerful argument focuses

on the statersquos monopoly of legitimate physical force in society

State monopoly of violence is the con-cept that the state alone has the right to use or authorize the use of physical force It is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state

In his lecture ldquoPolitics as a Vocationrdquo (1918) the German sociologist Max Weber defines the state as a ldquohuman community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territoryrdquo

The concept does not imply that the state is the only actor actually using violence but rather that it is the only actor that can legitimately authorize its use The state can grant another actor the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it remains the only source of the right to use violence

The monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force also known as the mo-

nopoly on violence is a core concept of modern public law

This monopoly is limited to a certain geographical area A necessary condi-tion of statehood is the retention of such a monopoly

De Lima vs DuterteBecause government has failed mis-

erably to solve the great problems of national life Duterte is taking us back to the basics of governance to find the wellsprings for effective government

In law enforcement his government is searching for the right policy mix that will enable it to overcome the threat posed by organized crime repel the threat of Islamist terrorism and negoti-ate lasting peace with insurgents

At the moment the public eye is riv-eted more on the responsibility of gov-ernment than on the rights of criminal suspects

The safety of society comes first The court process can wait This is one big reason why the death toll is high and mounting

The balance will tilt when Congress debates the issue and conducts its promised inquiries into the killings

ldquoI am watching yourdquo Sen De Lima has warned the President

No doubt the President is watching her in turn

This is going to be one hell of a prize-fight when Sen Manny Pacquiao also gets into the ring (yenmakabentaya-hoocom)

The death penalty and state monopoly of violence

Yen Makabenta

Opinion

A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving and has become a P200-billion ldquoindustryrdquo

War on drugs

An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates

According to the PDEA 2051 percent or 8629 barangays (villages) out of the 42065 nationwide are plagued with the drug-related cases

Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 9210 percent of the regionrsquos baran-gays involved Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and marijuana remain the most abused illegal drugs in the country

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr re-vealed that barangays are considered slightly af-fected if there are identified drug users in the com-munity but no known drug pushers or traffickers are operating in the area while moderately affected if at least a suspected drug pusher or trafficker is operating in the barangay A barangay is seriously affected if at least a drug laboratory den dive or resort is suspected to exist in the community

Perhaps this is why Pres Rodrigo Duterte stayed true to his word that when elected he would launch a bloody war on drugs

In recent weeks the nation saw a spike in drug-related killings Reports show that there have been more than 100 reported cases of drug-related kill-ings in less than a month

Amid this intensified anti-drug campaign there

has also been a spate of surrenders from thousands of drug users and peddlers across the country They have pledged to not do or sell drugs again and cooperate with the gov-

ernmentrsquos drive against drugs While the government is gaining momentum in

its campaign against drugs some senators have questioned its efficacy and raised concerns over the rising number of extrajudicial killings

ldquoWe have to look into that in aid of legislation The killings are on the rise and there are just tell-tale signs of summary executions in a number of themrdquo said Sen Leila De Lima who was the for-mer chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

Sen Franklin Drilon echoed De Limarsquos senti-ments and agreed to conduct the Senate inquiry

ldquoWhile we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs of the Philippine National Police the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in recent monthsrdquo Drilon said

Even Vice Pres Leni Robredo agrees She en-couraged authorities ldquoto look into these cases If there is really culpability then justice requires that appropriate cases be filed and that those proven to be accountable be punishedrdquo

ldquoWhile we are one with the fight against drugs we are concerned with the growing culture of vigi-

Editorial

lantism and violence We hope that the war is not done at the expense of the innocent and defense-lessrdquo Robredo said

Recognizing the rampancy of the drug problem in the country is only the first step Instead of in-flicting fear among the citizenry the national gov-

ernment must initiate a cohesive effort in dealing with the drug problem

Engaging in an all-out war against drugs is be-yond the power of the government alone This campaign can only be deemed successful with the engagement of the public (AJPress)

Fil-Am leaders speak up on the Philippinesrsquo victory over China in UN tribunal decision

Filipinos in Los Angeles also organized a rally outside the Chinese Consulate hailing The Haguersquos ruling in favor of the Philippines Photo courtesy of Art Garcia

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

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amp

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OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

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JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

From the Front Page

OATH TAKING Vice President Leni Robredo is sworn in by President Duterte as the chairperson of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) on Tuesday July 12 Her oath taking is witnessed by her three daughters Aika Tricia and Jillian Robredo The oath taking ceremony was held after Duterte called a Cabinet meeting following the ruling of the United Nationrsquos arbitration court favoring the Philippinesrsquo case against China over the South China Sea Photo from the Office of the Vice President

Calida expressed his support for Dutertersquos crusade against illegal drugs at the same conference

He also assured that the ad-ministration was continuing to support the PNP adding ldquowe will not allow anybody to derail the efforts of the PNP against illegal drugsrdquo

ldquoHuwag kayong matakot (Do

not be afraid)rdquo he saidThe presidentrsquos controversial

tactics used in the war against drugs have received criticisms by many individuals and orga-nizations The Roman Catholic Church have previously de-nounced the rise in killings since Dutertersquos victory

The Catholic Bishopsrsquo Confer-ence of the Philippines (CBCP)

spoke on the recent 100 killings in a statement urging its mem-bers and followers to continue to stand up for what is ldquomorally wrongrdquo

ldquoWe will stand for and defend every personrsquos life and dignityrdquo said Archbishop Socrates Vil-legas ldquoWe will shield the weak from harm We will protect the confused form errorrdquo n

PH police chief denounces violencehellipPAGE A1 t

tional Police (PNP) chief Direc-tor General Ronald ldquoBatordquo Dela Rosa warned that the president has a list of 23 mayors involved in drug trafficking which will be divulged only when the evidence is sufficient

ldquoThe president has the list of these local executives involved in illegal drugs I canrsquot reveal their identities only the President can make public their namesrdquo Dela Rosa said

When these mayors were iden-tified they will face filed charges at the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) the court will handle the case if found guilty and they can be dismissed from their posts afterward

Meanwhile Lucena City May-

or Roderick Alcala denied his link to any illegal drugs after being accused of taking over a relativersquos operations in the Que-zon province

Consequently he said that he is planning to file appropriate charges against the publication that accused him of such

Mayorsrsquo and vice-mayorsrsquo rela-tives surrender

In response to Dutertersquos cam-paign against illegal drugs rela-tives of high officials in various towns and cities surrendered to the police authorities ndash adding to the thousands of self-confessed drug users and pushers who have been surrendering since the president took office

The son of newly-elected May-or Vincent Unite of Ballesteros

Cagayan went to the police to admit that he was once involved with drugs

King Unite signed a memoran-dum of undertaking to cooperate with the police to identify other drug syndicates

Contrary to the statements of political opponents Police Sr Insp Stanley Banan clarified that the younger Unite is a user and not a pusher

Meanwhile in Caloocan City Vice Mayor Macario Asistio III sur-rendered his own brother Luisito Jr after the city police informed him that Luisito Jr was associated with top drug personalities

Elias Delentildea a municipal councilor and relative of the Pre-sentacion town mayor also sur-rendered herself n

Ex-PDEA chief discloses AquinohellipPAGE A1 t

Yasay from Manila in response to the ruling However he also rec-ommended that ldquoall those con-cerned to exercise restraint and sobrietyrdquo

Though the tribunalrsquos decision is final and legally binding for both countries it has no means to enforce its ruling

Chinese officials have denied the tribunalrsquos authority on the matter and had refused to partic-ipate in the courtrsquos proceedings They claim the Philippines vio-lated international law by bring-ing forth its case without directly consulting China

ldquoChinarsquos territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall un-der no circumstances be affected by those awardsrdquo Chinarsquos For-eign Ministry said in a statement responding to Tuesdayrsquos deci-sion ldquoChina opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awardsrdquo

China defines its area of sover-eignty according to a ldquonine-dash

linerdquo which encompasses most of the South China Sea The de-marcation conflicts with territo-rial and resource claims asserted by the Philippines Vietnam Tai-wan Malaysia and Brunei

Jonathan London Leiden Uni-versity professor of Asian politi-cal economy told the Associated Press the ruling will give in-volved countries as well as those concerned with Beijingrsquos actions ldquosomething to point to and to rally aroundrdquo

Japan Vietnam and the Unit-ed States have issued comments in support of The Haguersquos deci-sion

In a statement released by spokesman John Kirby on Tues-day the US State Department called the ruling an ldquoimportant contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolutionrdquo and ex-pressed ldquohope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligationsrdquo

Though the Philippines has historically been a close ally of the US the latter has not sided

with any particular country Offi-cials in Washington have assert-ed freedom of navigation in the region which the US has been expressing through joint na-val patrols with the Philippines earning criticism from Chinese officials

Ben Cardin a top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the US should ldquofly sail and oper-ate wherever international law allowsrdquo

Most of the 70 countries that support China are outside the Pacific Rim however a bloc of smaller Southeast Asian coun-tries have been stifling efforts to mobilize unified opposition to Beijingrsquos claims

China would prefer to hash out disputes between individual countries separately in bilateral talks in which the regional pow-erhouse might be able to exert greater influence

In May Philstar reported that President Rodrigo Duterte told

International tribunal sides with PH inhellipPAGE A1 t

uPAGE A4

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 AFrom the Front Page

HOUSE BLESSING President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday July 12 led the blessing ceremony of his official residence the Bahay Pangarap in Malacanang Photos sent to the media showed Duterte holding a candle while two priests led the blessing On Tuesday Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte spent his first night at the Bahay Pangarap on Monday July 11 Photo courtesy of Christopher Go

On Monday July 11 Sutiyoso head of Indonesian intelligence agency Badan Intelijen Negara (BIN) said the ASG was sus-pected in the kidnapping of three Indonesian fishermen over the weekend Twenty-four Indone-sians have been taken as hostag-es in a series of ASG attacks this year straining relations between Jakarta and Manila according to ABC News

In June Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi an-nounced that the country would halt coal exports mdash which are critical to the Philippine power grid mdash until there is ldquoa guar-antee for security from the governmentrdquo The three most recent kidnapped fishermen have been released but Indone-sian officials deny having paid a ransom

The ASG beheaded two Cana-dians this year after officials de-clined to pay $64 million (P300 million) in ransom for each of their lives The extremists kid-napped John Ridsdel and Robert

Hall along with Kjartan Sek-kingstad of Norway and Filipina Marites Flor from a Samal Island resort on September 21 last year the Asian Journal previously re-ported

Hallrsquos severed head was found in Sulu last June 13 and the ASG released a video depicting Rids-delrsquos beheading on April 26 Flor was released on Friday June 24 as a gesture of goodwill accord-ing to the Philippine Star while Sekkingstad remains in ASG cus-tody

ASG spokesperson Abu Raami had taunted President Duterte in a statement released following Hallrsquos execution

ldquoPara kay Duterte ang bagong Presidente (This is for Duterte the new President)rdquo Raami said in June ldquoIto ay alamin mo kung ano gagawin namin sa Canadian (This is for you to know what we will do to the Canadian)rdquo

Duterte had called upon the ASG to cease kidnappings in the region and expressed sympathy for Mindanaoans frustrated by ldquofailed promisesrdquo from the Phil-

ippine governmentldquoYoursquove never heard me say

that they are criminalsrdquo the president said on Friday July 8 during the Hariraya Eid al-Fitr celebration in Davao ldquoThey were driven to desperationrdquo

However this weekendrsquos kidnappings suggest that ASG members were unmoved by the presidentrsquos appeal Amidst mounting pressure from the Philippinesrsquo neighbors to halt attacks based out of Mindanao Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen Ricardo Visaya told Inquirer he had been given the order to prioritize hos-tage rescues while exterminating the ASG The AP reported that thousands of troops with artillery and air support have been mobi-lized against the estimated 400 strong ASG

ldquoAs much as possible we will add more troops and more resources more augmenta-tionmdashmeaning all resources will be poured hererdquo said Visaya ldquoThis is what President Duterte wantsrdquo n

40 Muslim extremists killed by PHhellipPAGE A1 t

There are no specific details on the plans yet but the ad-ministration plans to set up re-hab centers in all 18 regions of the Philippines Abella said in a press briefing at Malacanang on Tuesday July 12

According to Gulf News since Dutertersquos victory in the May 9 election hundreds of drug ad-dicts all over the country have surrendered to authorities in fear of getting injured or killed in sting operations that police have been carrying out

Since his inauguration on June 30 at least 103 suspects involved in the illegal drug trade have been killed by police

The governmentrsquos call to im-plement more rehabilitation pro-grams and resources comes after over 1000 suspected drug users in Quezon City surrendered to police on June 22-24 accord-ing to Former Deputy Director for Operations Sr Supt Joselito Esquivel Jr of the Quezon City Police District

ldquoTalagang dumagdagsa yung nagsu-surrender sa station levels

Philippines to create drug rehabhellip(There really were a lot that have surrendered at all station levels)rdquo Esquivel Jr said in a Manila Bul-letin report

Those that turned themselves in were promised amnesty as well as rehabilitation coun-seling and livelihood training Each suspected drug user had to take a drug test submit their profile for records and asked to sign a sworn statement promis-ing to withdraw from the illegal drug trade

Duterte has also voiced con-

PAGE A1 t

ing that fight Al tried but Broner was asking for crazy money that nobody can afford so he is out and Manny is looking for another opponentrdquo said Arum

Top Rank has made a pencil reservation for October 15 at

Mandalay Bay Events Center for Pacquiaorsquos possible return

Arum added Pacquiao has to train in the Philippines before he goes to the States if a fight push-es through

ldquoIn any event he is going to have to do most of his prepa-

ration in the Philippinesmdashyou know after he sits in the Sen-atemdashso it is going to be an in-teresting thing but definitely he is looking to comeback and the question is how can we arrange itrdquo said Arum in the Boxing-scenecom report n

Pacquiao planning Senate leave tohellipPAGE A1 t

Donald Trump Despite his previous statement

in April when he deemed Clinton unqualified for the presidency Sanders said on Tuesday that her stances and plans on a myriad of issues like immigration and the economy will lead the country in the right direction

ldquoIt is no secret that Hillary Clin-ton and I disagree on a number of issues Thatrsquos what this cam-paign has been about Thatrsquos what democracy is aboutrdquo Sand-

ers said standing next to Clinton who received 389 more delegates than Sanders

ldquoSecretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and I congratulate her for thatrdquo Sanders said ldquoShe will be the Democratic nominee for presi-dent and I intend to do every-thing I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United Statesrdquo

Sanders has not formally sus-pended his campaign due to ldquoprocedural reasonsrdquo related to

the Democratic National Conven-tion later this month Although the two are not particularly close Sanders and Clinton have a his-tory of fighting on the same side

In the 1990s Sanders as a congressman backed Clintonrsquos health reform plan

Both had overlapped two years in the Senate while Clinton was a New York senator In the Sen-ate both served on the Health Committee where they co-au-thored legislation including the

PAGE A1 t

uPAGE A5

uPAGE A4

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

LADOTTRANSITCOM (213 310 323 818) 808-2273

SAMA-SAMA NATING IPAGDIWANG ANG DASH

MULA HULYO 1 HANGGANG DISYEMBRE 31 2016

Sa limitadong panahon

maghahandog ang LADOT

Transit ng mga libreng sakay sa

DASH sa lahat ng TAP cardholder

na may kasalukuyang 7-Araw o

30-Araw na Metro pass sa

kanilang card

Tara na sakay na

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A Dateline USa

SETTING SAIL The coastal town of Subic in Zambales province hosts about 2000 fishermen many of whom have been frequenting the disputed Scarborough Shoal to earn a living Fishermen geared up on Tuesday July 12 for a return trip to the disputed Scarborough Shoal saying they were now armed with a favorable ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague Inquirernet photo by Allan Macatuno

to the police shootings of black individuals particularly those of Asian Americans She started a Google Doc page and allowed contributors from all over the country to share research per-spectives and thoughts in a col-lective open letter

ldquoIn fact letrsquos draft letters in

our native languages to our par-ents and our communities Get it passed around WhatsApp We-Chat LINE etcrdquo Wu tweeted on Thursday July 7 to launch the letter

She started the Google Doc at 11 am that day and hundreds of Asian Americans contributed to the letter Filipino Pulitzer Prize-

winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas assisted in editing the fi-nal drafts of the letter

ldquoMom Dad Uncle Auntie Grandfather Grandmother We need to talkrdquo the letter opens up ldquoYou may not have grown up around people who are Black but I have Black people are a fundamental part of my life they are my friends my classmates and teammates my roommates my family Today Irsquom scared for themrdquo

The letter encourages Asian Americans everywhere to em-pathize with the movement to stand up to racial inequality in America The writers reference the nationrsquos history of black and Asian persecution to encourage solidarity between the two com-munities together today

ldquoBlack people have been beat-en jailed even killed fighting for many of the rights that Asian Americans enjoy todayrdquo the let-ter said ldquoWe owe them so much in return We are all fighting against the same unfair system that prefers we compete against each otherrdquo

The letter has been translated -- and is continuing to be trans-lated -- in multiple languages

The letter came in the wake of the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile who were

Asian Americans support Black Lives MatterhellipPAGE A1 t

successful ldquoSanders-Clinton amendmentrdquo which guaranteed training for ldquogreen collar jobsrdquo in renewable energy technologies

In 2006 Clinton donated $10000 to a political action com-mittee (PAC) to help get Sanders elected to the Senate In 2009 Sanders voiced his support for President Barack Obamarsquos ap-pointment of Clinton as secretary of state calling her ldquoone of the brightest people in Congressrdquo

The Sanders and Clinton teams are undergoing discussions on Sandersrsquo role in the Democratic presidential campaign

The Republican National Com-mittee (RNC) responded to the endorsement suggesting that Sanders a firm critic of ldquoEstab-lishmentrdquo politics has ldquosold outrdquo by supporting Clinton who is considered an eminent Estab-lishment politician

ldquoThis hollow display of left-wing solidarity flies in the face of Bernie Sandersrsquo months-long crusade against Hillary Clin-tonrsquos judgment character and fitness to serve as presidentrdquo RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement released on Tuesday

ldquoVoters wonrsquot forget Sandersrsquo blistering criticisms of Clintonrsquos paid speeches to Wall Street banks her reliance on big-mon-ey special interests to fund her campaign or her support for overseas military interventions While Sanders may have pushed the Democrat Party even further to the extreme left his support-ers must rightly be wondering if their candidate has all of a sud-den sold out to the same rigged system he so strongly cam-paigned againstrdquo

Trump took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the endorsement which parallelled the RNCrsquos statement suggesting Sanders had abandoned his principles as an anti-Establishment leader

ldquoBernie Sanders who has lost most of his leverage has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clin-ton He will endorse her today - fans angryrdquo Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning

Sandersrsquo campaign responded with a tweet of its own

ldquoBig talk from the same guy who was too afraid to debate Bernie in Californiardquo the Sand-ers camp tweeted to Trump

Following the endorsement Sandersrsquo campaign team sent

out an email to Sanders support-ers assuring Clintonrsquos suitability for the presidency

The tension that had culmi-nated between the two caused a divide in the Democratic Party between progressives and Estab-lishment Democrats but Sanders assured supporters that his deci-sion was the right one

ldquoToday I endorsed Hillary Clinton to be our next presi-dentrdquo Sanders said in the email ldquoI know that some of you will be disappointed with that decision But I believe that at this mo-ment our country our values and our common vision for a transformed America are best served by the defeat of Donald Trump and the election of Hill-ary Clintonrdquo

The endorsement represents the final solidifying of the Demo-cratic Party during this election cycle

On the Republican side Trump has yet to receive endorsements from several of his primary chal-lengers like former Republican presidential nominees Sen Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Gov John Ka-sich of Ohio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A3 t

SAN FRANCISCO ndash Police arrested four sus-pects in the kidnapping for ransom of a Filipina American resident of Vallejo California more than a week ago The 57-year-old victim remains miss-ing according to police

Elvira Babb was last seen around 3 pm June 29 at the Sea Food City market in Vallejo She lived on Daniels Avenue in Vallejo Her dog was found dead inside her vacant home

A kidnapper texted the victimrsquos son John Babb 36 of San Francisco demanding a ransom of around $100000 or his mother would be killed The texter also threatened to kill the victim if John Babb went to the police

Several law enforcement agencies are helping with the investigation including the Solano Coun-ty Sheriffrsquos Office the Fairfield Police Department the Sacramento Police Department the FBI and the US Marshals

Police arrested Emmanuel Espinoza 26 of Stockton Friday night July 8 in Sacramento but he has not cooperated in locating the victim Es-pinoza has a previous arrest record for drug and robbery related offenses

The same night police also arrested Jalon Brown 32 and Larry Young 23 both of Sacramento and Lovely Rauzol 27 of Vallejo Rauzol has a previ-ous arrest for prostitution (Inquirernet)

Filipina in Vallejo Calif kidnapped for ransom still missing

Missing kidnap victim Elvira Babb was last seen June 29

MANILA mdash The United States will keep an ldquoincreasedrdquo pres-ence in the Philippines ldquonot only in military termsrdquo visiting US State Department Counselor Kristie Kenney said on Tuesday July 12

In an interview on ANCrsquos ldquoHeadstartrdquo Kenney ndash former US ambassador to the Philip-pines ndash said there is much the US and the Philippines can achieve as partners and ldquoyou will not see us stepping backrdquo

ldquoOur commitment to the Philip-pines is ironclad We will respect our treaty alliance in every wayrdquo Kenney said She said the US will continue to visit ports conduct humanitarian activities and help in community development

The State Department offi-cial said Secretary of State John Kerry had asked her to meet with members of President Dutertersquos

US to maintain lsquoincreasedrsquo presence in Philippines ndash Kenney

by Pia Lee-BragoPhilstarcom

foreign policy teamKenney is the first high-level

Washington official to meet with Duterte administration represen-tatives since his June 30 inaugu-ration

ldquoI want to tell him (Duterte) that

we want to support the Philip-pines We want to be your friend your partnerrdquo Kenney said ldquoOur goal is to work with President Duterte and his team Thatrsquos why President Obama phoned him right awayrdquo

The US she said wants Duterte and the country to continue to be successful ldquoWersquore here to see how we can work togetherrdquo she added

She met with Philippine gov-ernment officials civil society groups and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) innovators entrepreneurs and other ldquomoversrdquo working to ad-vance social-entrepreneurship technology innovation and the smart cities movement in the country

Kenney will be in Rangoon and Naypyitaw Myanmar from July 12 to 14 to meet with her gov-ernment counterparts civil soci-ety representatives and YSEALI alumni n

US State Dept Counselor Kristie Kenney

Loida Nicolas Lewis philanthropist and community leader Photo by Troi Santos

US President Barack Obama he would be willing to engage in bi-lateral talks with China if the PCA decision fails to de-escalate ten-sion in the region

On Tuesday morning about 50 Filipino-American community members in New York organized a rally outside the United Na-tions headquarters and carried placards urging China to ldquonot be a rogue staterdquo and proclaiming that the ldquoWest Philippine Sea be-longs to Filipinosrdquo

ldquoWe as Filipinos are peace lov-ingrdquo Filipino philanthropist and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis said outside the UN ldquoThe Chinese have all the warships All we have is worshiprdquo

In Los Angeles Fil-Ams held similar signs outside the Chinese Consulate

ldquoItrsquos a victory for the Filipino people We are vindicated and a proof that a small nation can win over a big nation by reasonrdquo Arturo P Garcia of the Alliance Philippines said

Chinarsquos official response to Tuesdayrsquos ruling makes an im-mediate resolution of tensions unlikely but Reichler said that added international pressure could erode the defiant stance China has taken

ldquoWhat China may ultimately do in six months or a year or two years may be different than what it says on July 12 or July 13rdquo Reichler told the AP ldquoI think a lot will depend on the reaction to the award (ruling) of the inter-national community as a whole particularly Chinarsquos neighborsrdquo

Though Tuesdayrsquos decision

comes as a blow to China the military and economic power-house still wields significant le-verage in the region and Duterte has publicly committed to avoid-ing armed conflict between the

two countries The exact nature of future negotiations between the Philippines China and other potential claimants remains un-certain (With reports from Mo-mar G Visaya AJPress)

International tribunal sides with PH inhellip

uPAGE A5

PAGE A2 t

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MASS SURRENDER More than 500 people said to be engaged in the sale and use of illegal drugs in this city surrendered to police here on Saturday July 9 vowing to stop their activities and mend their lives Superintendent Barnard Dasugo Batangas City police chief attributed the mass surrender to their house-to-house visits on suspected drug users and peddlers in various barangays in the city under the policersquos Oplan Tokhang program

EVEN if the President is not given without emergency pow-ers Malacantildeang is confident that the horrendous traffic jams in Metro Manila can be solved within 100 days under President Rodrigo Duterte

Presidential spokesman Ernes-to Abella said several proposals to ease the traffic problem were presented by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during

Traffic gridlock fixed in 100 days ndash Palaceby Catherine S Valente

ManilaTimesnet

the second Cabinet meeting on Monday July 11

ldquoSecretary Tugade made a pre-sentation on Monday and already they have a menu of changes which could very positively im-pact the rate of flow ndash traffic flow soon very soonrdquo Abella said

ldquoIrsquom sure within the next 100 days wersquore going to see results Already there seems to be some rightrdquo he added

He said there are also ldquotech-nical adjustments being donerdquo to ldquoincrease incrementally the

number of passengers and the number of tripsrdquo

Tugade earlier said the admin-istration will ask Congress to give emergency powers to Duterte to allow him to solve the Metro Ma-nila traffic crisis

But the proposal was not dis-cussed during the Cabinet meet-ing

The proposed ldquospecial pow-ersrdquo will allow the government to open private subdivisions to traf-fic and do away with public bid-ding for certain projects n

MANILA mdash The Philippines stands to benefit from its large population of young people but to realize the demographic divi-dends teenage girls must have access to quality education and youth-friendly health services as they prepare for working age the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Monday July 11

According to UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck ado-lescent girls aged 10-19 currently make up 10 percent of the Philip-pinesrsquo 100 million population

ldquoThey hold enormous opportu-nity to transform the future of the Philippines but this can only hap-pen if they have the right informa-tion and skills and are healthy and empowered to make informed de-cisions in liferdquo he said

He issued the statement as World Population Day was cel-ebrated on Monday

Beck underscored the need to take action citing a study spear-headed by the National Econom-ic and Development Authority and supported by UNFPA called the ldquoDemographic Sweet Spot and Dividend in the Philippines The Window of Opportunity is Closing Fastrdquo

The study showed the ldquohigh probability that the Philippines will miss the rare opportunity of additional economic growthrdquo

This is due to the relatively high fertility rate or the average number of children by women especially the poorest and the relatively high unemployment rate particularly among the youth sector

Students and volunteers take a selfie after placing their pledges on the commitment wall during the observance of World Population Day with the theme lsquoInvesting in Teenage Girlsrsquo at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila yesterday Photo by Miguel De Guzman

PH to benefit from population of young peopleby Sheila CriSoStomo

Philstarcom

Philippine celebrationWorld Population Day was

commemorated at the Rizal Me-morial Coliseum in Manila with the participation of some 2000 teenage girls

The event was spearheaded by the Commission on Population

Health Undersecretary Gerar-do Bayugo said there is a need to combine the efforts of the gov-ernment and non-governmen-tal organizations to address the rising teenage pregnancy in the country

ldquoWe need to inspire our teen-

age girlshellip They need special care Not only because they are the future They will give life and nurture the future of our coun-tryrdquo Bayugo said

This yearrsquos event was high-lighted by the launching of the ldquoBABAEnihanrdquo campaign which seeks national attention to issues that affect the future of young women

It is a call for stakeholders to work together to expand oppor-tunities for girls through invest-ments in their education health

uPAGE A7

shot and killed by police officers just one day apart

On July 5 Sterling 37 was sell-ing CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge Louisiana When police officers discovered he had a gun on his person Sterling was shot multiple times at point-blank range Louisiana is one of 31 states that permits open carry of firearms

Several bystanders had filmed the encounter and the shooting

One day later 32-year-old Cas-tile a nutrition services supervi-

Asian Americans support Black Lives Matterhellipsor in Minnesota was stopped by police for a broken rear light When reaching for his license and registration Castile told the officer he had a licensed con-cealed weapon in the car As he put his hands up the police shot him four times

Castilersquos girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car Reyn-olds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook

Legal and civil rights organiza-tion Asian Americans Advancing Justice has also come out in sup-

port for BLM in the wake of the killings of Sterling and Castile

ldquoAs the nationrsquos leading legal and civil rights voice rooted in Asian American communities we stand together with commu-nities of color in the fight to end systemic police brutalityrdquo the organization said in a statement ldquoAs the facts of each case sur-face we ask the US Department of Justice to not only investigate the fatal shooting of Mr Sterling but also to investigate the shoot-ing and death of Mr Castilerdquo (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A4 t

cerns over elected officialsrsquo in-volvement in illegal drug activi-ties

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines has historically been an issue but the trade has ex-panded in recent years to take down narcotic networks which include approximately 200 gov-

ernment officials according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

ldquoThe president plans to issue a memorandum to barangay cap-tains (village officials) and may-orsrdquo Abella said

According to Abella the ad-ministration plans to conduct investigations of officials in areas

Philippines to create drug rehabhellipwith high prevalence of drug-re-lated problems

In a media briefing in April Duterte promised to rid the coun-try of its drug problem within three to six months of taking the presidency

ldquoI will raise the level of the drug threat into a national security is-suerdquo he said n

PAGE A3 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

KUDOS to former Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosa-rio and the whole team which on behalf of the Filipino people filed argued and won the case against China before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal

The court found Chinarsquos claims illegal in its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) an area rich in seafood and other resources

As ABS-CBN News reported this landmark rul-ing was the first case against Chinarsquos expansive claims which has sparked international alarm and prompted the United States to send warships on ldquofreedom of navigationrdquo patrols

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Manny ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

ldquoThe rule of law The United Nations has fulfilled its existence not war but peace through the rule of law so this is the triumph of the Philippines because we have followed the regular process of settling disputesrdquo said US Pinoys for Good Gover-nance Chairman Loida Nicolas Lewis in a report

by The Filipino Channelrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo New York Correspondent Don Tagala

Bobby del Rosario the son for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosario was among those who celebrated this victory in front of the United Nations in New York

ldquoIrsquom gonna quote a couple of words from what my father said

Chinarsquos a great superpower and to be a great superpower you have to follow the laws and the rules of the landhellipand International Law is a great equalizerrdquo del Rosario said in the report

Fil-Am leaders however acknowledge that this victory is just a moral and legal victory which can-not be enforced against China The biggest ques-tion and challenge remains will China now exit the disputed area and leave the West Philippine sea to the Philippines pursuant to the provisions United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) that were upheld by the tribunal rul-ing

China boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and has repeat-edly vowed to ignore the ruling saying its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests

After the ruling was announced Cui Tiankai mdash Beijingrsquos Ambassador to the US mdash said the tribunalrsquos decision denying Chinarsquos claims in the South China Sea will ldquointensify conflict and even

confrontationrdquo as reported by ReutersThe Chinese ambassador however also said

that Beijing remains committed to negotiations with other parties in disputes over the South Chi-na Sea waters that have some of the worldrsquos most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas

The Philippinesrsquo newly sworn-in President Ro-drigo Duterte had said that he was seeking a ldquosoft landingrdquo with China after the decision ABS-CBN News reported that Foreign Affairs Secretary Per-fecto Yasay Jr said he would seek negotiations with Beijing mindful that the tribunal had no pow-

ers to enforce its decisionIn response to the reaction of the Duterte admin-

istration to the UN tribunal ruling Fil-Am commu-nity leader Loida Nicolas Lewis further said on Balitang America ldquoPara sa akinhellipWe negotiate according to our constitution We keep 60 percent you [China] get 40 percent If they donrsquot want to accept that then they are a rogue state Because it is very clear from the tribunal we have 100 percent ownership but that doesnrsquot mean we cannot share 40 percentrdquo

According to Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala the US Pinoys for Good Governance are amenable to President Dutertersquos negotiation with China but with pre-conditions

How do you think the Duterte administration should handle the negotiation with China

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Many ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo 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 wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

Main Office1210 S Brand BoulevardGlendale CA 91204Tels (818) 502-0651Fax (818) 502-0858e-mail infoasianjournalinccomhttpwwwasianjournalcom

Northern California1001 Bayhill Drive Suite 200San Bruno CA 94066Tel (650) 616-4150 bull Fax (650) 616-4152

Asian Journal Publications Inc (ldquoAJPIrdquo) reserves the right to refuse to publish in its sole and absolute discretion any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client (ldquoClientrsquos Materialrdquo)Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Clientrsquos Material AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Clientrsquos Material and to delete objectionable words or phrasesClient represents and warrants that a Clientrsquos Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity does not and will not violate or infringe upon or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including without limitation any copyright trademark service mark or contract right) of any person or entity or violate any other applicable law and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigationPublication of a Clientrsquos Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publicationClient agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss liability damage expenses cost charges claims actions causes of action recoveries judgments penalties including outside attorneysrsquo fees (individually and collectively ldquoClaimsrdquo) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Clientrsquos breach of any of the representations warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Clientrsquos MaterialAJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Clientrsquos Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Clientrsquos Material In the event of an error or omission in printing or publication of a Clientrsquos Material AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisementUnder no circumstances shall Asian Publications Inc be liable for consequential damages of any kind

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS INC publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal published twice a week the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal Northern California Asian Journal Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Orange Counties Northern California Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectivelyArticles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher Letters to the Editor are welcome Letters must contain complete name and return address The materials however are subject to editing and revisionsContributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays For advertising rates and other informations please call the LA office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at infoasianjournalinccom

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Las Vegas Sales Office3700 W Desert Inn RoadLas Vegas NV 89102Tel (702) 792-6678 bull Fax (702) 792-6879

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

Manila Office2nd Floor Units DampE Fort Palm Springs30th St Cor 1st Ave Bonifacio Global City TaguigTel (632) 856-4921 bull Fax (632) 856-1661

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New Jersey449 Hoboken AvenueJersey City New Jersey 07306Tel (212) 6555426 bull Fax (818) 5020858

OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimesnet photo

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

I WAS developing a column on ldquodue process of lawrdquo built around the prizefight being promoted (by the Inquirer) between the fiscalizer (Sen Leila de Lima) and The Punisher (Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte) when I realized that the boxing imagery would cheapen the more fundamental issues involved in the depressing spec-tacle of state-sanctioned killings in the country today

I thought it would be more useful if I examined instead the underlying clash between the right of criminal suspects to due process and the right of society to protect itself and its members

While doing research on this weighty subject I was startled to find strong and persuasive literature in support of both sides

Daniel Websterrsquos noble summation ldquoDue process of law is that which hears before it condemns which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trialrdquo stands out as a banner for due process in addition to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

On the other side there is also much persuasive literature and equally ex-plicit constitutional provisions that ar-gue eloquently for the assertion of state responsibility to suppress the lawless

Conventional thinking presumes that

this debate was settled long ago in favor of the rights of suspects to due process over the rights of society to protect itself

The advent of Duterte is a reminder that the debate is far from set-tled There is a strong

current of opinion in this country in fa-vor of a hard-line policy against crime especially the illegal drugs trade

Duterte conducting a class on public policy

I think what is happening is this President Duterte is conducting a class in public policy in which we the citizens are the students

The subject is not the illegal drugs trade but two critical and related top-ics

1 The moral argument or rationale for capital punishment and the execu-tion of criminals

2 The statersquos monopoly of violence which seeks to crush lawless elements (organized crime terrorism insurgen-cy) in the country

These are fields of study and research in political science criminology and po-lice science and sociology

To take the topics in sequence this is what DU30 appears to be telling us

Why the death penalty is necessaryLike other government executives be-

fore him Duterte believes that the death

penalty ldquoaffirms liferdquo By failing to ex-ecute murderers or stop drug lords we signal a lessened regard for the value of the lives of victims People who oppose the death penalty are like the neighbors of a teenage murder victim who heard her cries for help but did nothing They are like the neighbors who looked away while the drug pusher plied their ugly trade and ruined the lives of people

This is the standard ldquomoral defenserdquo of death as punishment Even if executions donrsquot deter violent crime or the drugs trade any more effectively than imprison-ment the death penalty is still required as the only means society has of doing jus-tice in response to the worst of crimes

One former mayor of New York City Edward Koch fully endorses this view of the death penalty He has authored a famous article ldquoDeath and justice How capital punishment affirms liferdquo which lays out his argument cogently and per-suasively

He concluded the article with these words ldquoThe death of anyonemdasheven a convicted killermdashdiminishes us all But we are diminished even more by a jus-tice system that fails to function It is an illusion to let ourselves believe that doing away with capital punishment moves the murdererrsquos deed from our conscience The rights of society are paramounthellip

ldquoIt is hard to imagine anything worse than being murdered while neighbors do nothing But something worse ex-

ists When those same neighbors shrink back from justly punishing the murder-er the victim dies twicerdquo

Dutertersquos thinking with respect to il-legal drugs is similar to this He shares the frustration and anger of people who see that the Aquino government did nothing to combat the drug menace So what if the death penalty doesnrsquot work as a deterrent At least it gives citizens the satisfaction of knowing that we got one or two of the sons of bitches

State monopoly of violenceThe other powerful argument focuses

on the statersquos monopoly of legitimate physical force in society

State monopoly of violence is the con-cept that the state alone has the right to use or authorize the use of physical force It is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state

In his lecture ldquoPolitics as a Vocationrdquo (1918) the German sociologist Max Weber defines the state as a ldquohuman community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territoryrdquo

The concept does not imply that the state is the only actor actually using violence but rather that it is the only actor that can legitimately authorize its use The state can grant another actor the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it remains the only source of the right to use violence

The monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force also known as the mo-

nopoly on violence is a core concept of modern public law

This monopoly is limited to a certain geographical area A necessary condi-tion of statehood is the retention of such a monopoly

De Lima vs DuterteBecause government has failed mis-

erably to solve the great problems of national life Duterte is taking us back to the basics of governance to find the wellsprings for effective government

In law enforcement his government is searching for the right policy mix that will enable it to overcome the threat posed by organized crime repel the threat of Islamist terrorism and negoti-ate lasting peace with insurgents

At the moment the public eye is riv-eted more on the responsibility of gov-ernment than on the rights of criminal suspects

The safety of society comes first The court process can wait This is one big reason why the death toll is high and mounting

The balance will tilt when Congress debates the issue and conducts its promised inquiries into the killings

ldquoI am watching yourdquo Sen De Lima has warned the President

No doubt the President is watching her in turn

This is going to be one hell of a prize-fight when Sen Manny Pacquiao also gets into the ring (yenmakabentaya-hoocom)

The death penalty and state monopoly of violence

Yen Makabenta

Opinion

A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving and has become a P200-billion ldquoindustryrdquo

War on drugs

An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates

According to the PDEA 2051 percent or 8629 barangays (villages) out of the 42065 nationwide are plagued with the drug-related cases

Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 9210 percent of the regionrsquos baran-gays involved Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and marijuana remain the most abused illegal drugs in the country

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr re-vealed that barangays are considered slightly af-fected if there are identified drug users in the com-munity but no known drug pushers or traffickers are operating in the area while moderately affected if at least a suspected drug pusher or trafficker is operating in the barangay A barangay is seriously affected if at least a drug laboratory den dive or resort is suspected to exist in the community

Perhaps this is why Pres Rodrigo Duterte stayed true to his word that when elected he would launch a bloody war on drugs

In recent weeks the nation saw a spike in drug-related killings Reports show that there have been more than 100 reported cases of drug-related kill-ings in less than a month

Amid this intensified anti-drug campaign there

has also been a spate of surrenders from thousands of drug users and peddlers across the country They have pledged to not do or sell drugs again and cooperate with the gov-

ernmentrsquos drive against drugs While the government is gaining momentum in

its campaign against drugs some senators have questioned its efficacy and raised concerns over the rising number of extrajudicial killings

ldquoWe have to look into that in aid of legislation The killings are on the rise and there are just tell-tale signs of summary executions in a number of themrdquo said Sen Leila De Lima who was the for-mer chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

Sen Franklin Drilon echoed De Limarsquos senti-ments and agreed to conduct the Senate inquiry

ldquoWhile we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs of the Philippine National Police the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in recent monthsrdquo Drilon said

Even Vice Pres Leni Robredo agrees She en-couraged authorities ldquoto look into these cases If there is really culpability then justice requires that appropriate cases be filed and that those proven to be accountable be punishedrdquo

ldquoWhile we are one with the fight against drugs we are concerned with the growing culture of vigi-

Editorial

lantism and violence We hope that the war is not done at the expense of the innocent and defense-lessrdquo Robredo said

Recognizing the rampancy of the drug problem in the country is only the first step Instead of in-flicting fear among the citizenry the national gov-

ernment must initiate a cohesive effort in dealing with the drug problem

Engaging in an all-out war against drugs is be-yond the power of the government alone This campaign can only be deemed successful with the engagement of the public (AJPress)

Fil-Am leaders speak up on the Philippinesrsquo victory over China in UN tribunal decision

Filipinos in Los Angeles also organized a rally outside the Chinese Consulate hailing The Haguersquos ruling in favor of the Philippines Photo courtesy of Art Garcia

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 AFrom the Front Page

HOUSE BLESSING President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday July 12 led the blessing ceremony of his official residence the Bahay Pangarap in Malacanang Photos sent to the media showed Duterte holding a candle while two priests led the blessing On Tuesday Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte spent his first night at the Bahay Pangarap on Monday July 11 Photo courtesy of Christopher Go

On Monday July 11 Sutiyoso head of Indonesian intelligence agency Badan Intelijen Negara (BIN) said the ASG was sus-pected in the kidnapping of three Indonesian fishermen over the weekend Twenty-four Indone-sians have been taken as hostag-es in a series of ASG attacks this year straining relations between Jakarta and Manila according to ABC News

In June Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi an-nounced that the country would halt coal exports mdash which are critical to the Philippine power grid mdash until there is ldquoa guar-antee for security from the governmentrdquo The three most recent kidnapped fishermen have been released but Indone-sian officials deny having paid a ransom

The ASG beheaded two Cana-dians this year after officials de-clined to pay $64 million (P300 million) in ransom for each of their lives The extremists kid-napped John Ridsdel and Robert

Hall along with Kjartan Sek-kingstad of Norway and Filipina Marites Flor from a Samal Island resort on September 21 last year the Asian Journal previously re-ported

Hallrsquos severed head was found in Sulu last June 13 and the ASG released a video depicting Rids-delrsquos beheading on April 26 Flor was released on Friday June 24 as a gesture of goodwill accord-ing to the Philippine Star while Sekkingstad remains in ASG cus-tody

ASG spokesperson Abu Raami had taunted President Duterte in a statement released following Hallrsquos execution

ldquoPara kay Duterte ang bagong Presidente (This is for Duterte the new President)rdquo Raami said in June ldquoIto ay alamin mo kung ano gagawin namin sa Canadian (This is for you to know what we will do to the Canadian)rdquo

Duterte had called upon the ASG to cease kidnappings in the region and expressed sympathy for Mindanaoans frustrated by ldquofailed promisesrdquo from the Phil-

ippine governmentldquoYoursquove never heard me say

that they are criminalsrdquo the president said on Friday July 8 during the Hariraya Eid al-Fitr celebration in Davao ldquoThey were driven to desperationrdquo

However this weekendrsquos kidnappings suggest that ASG members were unmoved by the presidentrsquos appeal Amidst mounting pressure from the Philippinesrsquo neighbors to halt attacks based out of Mindanao Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen Ricardo Visaya told Inquirer he had been given the order to prioritize hos-tage rescues while exterminating the ASG The AP reported that thousands of troops with artillery and air support have been mobi-lized against the estimated 400 strong ASG

ldquoAs much as possible we will add more troops and more resources more augmenta-tionmdashmeaning all resources will be poured hererdquo said Visaya ldquoThis is what President Duterte wantsrdquo n

40 Muslim extremists killed by PHhellipPAGE A1 t

There are no specific details on the plans yet but the ad-ministration plans to set up re-hab centers in all 18 regions of the Philippines Abella said in a press briefing at Malacanang on Tuesday July 12

According to Gulf News since Dutertersquos victory in the May 9 election hundreds of drug ad-dicts all over the country have surrendered to authorities in fear of getting injured or killed in sting operations that police have been carrying out

Since his inauguration on June 30 at least 103 suspects involved in the illegal drug trade have been killed by police

The governmentrsquos call to im-plement more rehabilitation pro-grams and resources comes after over 1000 suspected drug users in Quezon City surrendered to police on June 22-24 accord-ing to Former Deputy Director for Operations Sr Supt Joselito Esquivel Jr of the Quezon City Police District

ldquoTalagang dumagdagsa yung nagsu-surrender sa station levels

Philippines to create drug rehabhellip(There really were a lot that have surrendered at all station levels)rdquo Esquivel Jr said in a Manila Bul-letin report

Those that turned themselves in were promised amnesty as well as rehabilitation coun-seling and livelihood training Each suspected drug user had to take a drug test submit their profile for records and asked to sign a sworn statement promis-ing to withdraw from the illegal drug trade

Duterte has also voiced con-

PAGE A1 t

ing that fight Al tried but Broner was asking for crazy money that nobody can afford so he is out and Manny is looking for another opponentrdquo said Arum

Top Rank has made a pencil reservation for October 15 at

Mandalay Bay Events Center for Pacquiaorsquos possible return

Arum added Pacquiao has to train in the Philippines before he goes to the States if a fight push-es through

ldquoIn any event he is going to have to do most of his prepa-

ration in the Philippinesmdashyou know after he sits in the Sen-atemdashso it is going to be an in-teresting thing but definitely he is looking to comeback and the question is how can we arrange itrdquo said Arum in the Boxing-scenecom report n

Pacquiao planning Senate leave tohellipPAGE A1 t

Donald Trump Despite his previous statement

in April when he deemed Clinton unqualified for the presidency Sanders said on Tuesday that her stances and plans on a myriad of issues like immigration and the economy will lead the country in the right direction

ldquoIt is no secret that Hillary Clin-ton and I disagree on a number of issues Thatrsquos what this cam-paign has been about Thatrsquos what democracy is aboutrdquo Sand-

ers said standing next to Clinton who received 389 more delegates than Sanders

ldquoSecretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and I congratulate her for thatrdquo Sanders said ldquoShe will be the Democratic nominee for presi-dent and I intend to do every-thing I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United Statesrdquo

Sanders has not formally sus-pended his campaign due to ldquoprocedural reasonsrdquo related to

the Democratic National Conven-tion later this month Although the two are not particularly close Sanders and Clinton have a his-tory of fighting on the same side

In the 1990s Sanders as a congressman backed Clintonrsquos health reform plan

Both had overlapped two years in the Senate while Clinton was a New York senator In the Sen-ate both served on the Health Committee where they co-au-thored legislation including the

PAGE A1 t

uPAGE A5

uPAGE A4

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

LADOTTRANSITCOM (213 310 323 818) 808-2273

SAMA-SAMA NATING IPAGDIWANG ANG DASH

MULA HULYO 1 HANGGANG DISYEMBRE 31 2016

Sa limitadong panahon

maghahandog ang LADOT

Transit ng mga libreng sakay sa

DASH sa lahat ng TAP cardholder

na may kasalukuyang 7-Araw o

30-Araw na Metro pass sa

kanilang card

Tara na sakay na

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A Dateline USa

SETTING SAIL The coastal town of Subic in Zambales province hosts about 2000 fishermen many of whom have been frequenting the disputed Scarborough Shoal to earn a living Fishermen geared up on Tuesday July 12 for a return trip to the disputed Scarborough Shoal saying they were now armed with a favorable ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague Inquirernet photo by Allan Macatuno

to the police shootings of black individuals particularly those of Asian Americans She started a Google Doc page and allowed contributors from all over the country to share research per-spectives and thoughts in a col-lective open letter

ldquoIn fact letrsquos draft letters in

our native languages to our par-ents and our communities Get it passed around WhatsApp We-Chat LINE etcrdquo Wu tweeted on Thursday July 7 to launch the letter

She started the Google Doc at 11 am that day and hundreds of Asian Americans contributed to the letter Filipino Pulitzer Prize-

winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas assisted in editing the fi-nal drafts of the letter

ldquoMom Dad Uncle Auntie Grandfather Grandmother We need to talkrdquo the letter opens up ldquoYou may not have grown up around people who are Black but I have Black people are a fundamental part of my life they are my friends my classmates and teammates my roommates my family Today Irsquom scared for themrdquo

The letter encourages Asian Americans everywhere to em-pathize with the movement to stand up to racial inequality in America The writers reference the nationrsquos history of black and Asian persecution to encourage solidarity between the two com-munities together today

ldquoBlack people have been beat-en jailed even killed fighting for many of the rights that Asian Americans enjoy todayrdquo the let-ter said ldquoWe owe them so much in return We are all fighting against the same unfair system that prefers we compete against each otherrdquo

The letter has been translated -- and is continuing to be trans-lated -- in multiple languages

The letter came in the wake of the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile who were

Asian Americans support Black Lives MatterhellipPAGE A1 t

successful ldquoSanders-Clinton amendmentrdquo which guaranteed training for ldquogreen collar jobsrdquo in renewable energy technologies

In 2006 Clinton donated $10000 to a political action com-mittee (PAC) to help get Sanders elected to the Senate In 2009 Sanders voiced his support for President Barack Obamarsquos ap-pointment of Clinton as secretary of state calling her ldquoone of the brightest people in Congressrdquo

The Sanders and Clinton teams are undergoing discussions on Sandersrsquo role in the Democratic presidential campaign

The Republican National Com-mittee (RNC) responded to the endorsement suggesting that Sanders a firm critic of ldquoEstab-lishmentrdquo politics has ldquosold outrdquo by supporting Clinton who is considered an eminent Estab-lishment politician

ldquoThis hollow display of left-wing solidarity flies in the face of Bernie Sandersrsquo months-long crusade against Hillary Clin-tonrsquos judgment character and fitness to serve as presidentrdquo RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement released on Tuesday

ldquoVoters wonrsquot forget Sandersrsquo blistering criticisms of Clintonrsquos paid speeches to Wall Street banks her reliance on big-mon-ey special interests to fund her campaign or her support for overseas military interventions While Sanders may have pushed the Democrat Party even further to the extreme left his support-ers must rightly be wondering if their candidate has all of a sud-den sold out to the same rigged system he so strongly cam-paigned againstrdquo

Trump took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the endorsement which parallelled the RNCrsquos statement suggesting Sanders had abandoned his principles as an anti-Establishment leader

ldquoBernie Sanders who has lost most of his leverage has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clin-ton He will endorse her today - fans angryrdquo Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning

Sandersrsquo campaign responded with a tweet of its own

ldquoBig talk from the same guy who was too afraid to debate Bernie in Californiardquo the Sand-ers camp tweeted to Trump

Following the endorsement Sandersrsquo campaign team sent

out an email to Sanders support-ers assuring Clintonrsquos suitability for the presidency

The tension that had culmi-nated between the two caused a divide in the Democratic Party between progressives and Estab-lishment Democrats but Sanders assured supporters that his deci-sion was the right one

ldquoToday I endorsed Hillary Clinton to be our next presi-dentrdquo Sanders said in the email ldquoI know that some of you will be disappointed with that decision But I believe that at this mo-ment our country our values and our common vision for a transformed America are best served by the defeat of Donald Trump and the election of Hill-ary Clintonrdquo

The endorsement represents the final solidifying of the Demo-cratic Party during this election cycle

On the Republican side Trump has yet to receive endorsements from several of his primary chal-lengers like former Republican presidential nominees Sen Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Gov John Ka-sich of Ohio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A3 t

SAN FRANCISCO ndash Police arrested four sus-pects in the kidnapping for ransom of a Filipina American resident of Vallejo California more than a week ago The 57-year-old victim remains miss-ing according to police

Elvira Babb was last seen around 3 pm June 29 at the Sea Food City market in Vallejo She lived on Daniels Avenue in Vallejo Her dog was found dead inside her vacant home

A kidnapper texted the victimrsquos son John Babb 36 of San Francisco demanding a ransom of around $100000 or his mother would be killed The texter also threatened to kill the victim if John Babb went to the police

Several law enforcement agencies are helping with the investigation including the Solano Coun-ty Sheriffrsquos Office the Fairfield Police Department the Sacramento Police Department the FBI and the US Marshals

Police arrested Emmanuel Espinoza 26 of Stockton Friday night July 8 in Sacramento but he has not cooperated in locating the victim Es-pinoza has a previous arrest record for drug and robbery related offenses

The same night police also arrested Jalon Brown 32 and Larry Young 23 both of Sacramento and Lovely Rauzol 27 of Vallejo Rauzol has a previ-ous arrest for prostitution (Inquirernet)

Filipina in Vallejo Calif kidnapped for ransom still missing

Missing kidnap victim Elvira Babb was last seen June 29

MANILA mdash The United States will keep an ldquoincreasedrdquo pres-ence in the Philippines ldquonot only in military termsrdquo visiting US State Department Counselor Kristie Kenney said on Tuesday July 12

In an interview on ANCrsquos ldquoHeadstartrdquo Kenney ndash former US ambassador to the Philip-pines ndash said there is much the US and the Philippines can achieve as partners and ldquoyou will not see us stepping backrdquo

ldquoOur commitment to the Philip-pines is ironclad We will respect our treaty alliance in every wayrdquo Kenney said She said the US will continue to visit ports conduct humanitarian activities and help in community development

The State Department offi-cial said Secretary of State John Kerry had asked her to meet with members of President Dutertersquos

US to maintain lsquoincreasedrsquo presence in Philippines ndash Kenney

by Pia Lee-BragoPhilstarcom

foreign policy teamKenney is the first high-level

Washington official to meet with Duterte administration represen-tatives since his June 30 inaugu-ration

ldquoI want to tell him (Duterte) that

we want to support the Philip-pines We want to be your friend your partnerrdquo Kenney said ldquoOur goal is to work with President Duterte and his team Thatrsquos why President Obama phoned him right awayrdquo

The US she said wants Duterte and the country to continue to be successful ldquoWersquore here to see how we can work togetherrdquo she added

She met with Philippine gov-ernment officials civil society groups and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) innovators entrepreneurs and other ldquomoversrdquo working to ad-vance social-entrepreneurship technology innovation and the smart cities movement in the country

Kenney will be in Rangoon and Naypyitaw Myanmar from July 12 to 14 to meet with her gov-ernment counterparts civil soci-ety representatives and YSEALI alumni n

US State Dept Counselor Kristie Kenney

Loida Nicolas Lewis philanthropist and community leader Photo by Troi Santos

US President Barack Obama he would be willing to engage in bi-lateral talks with China if the PCA decision fails to de-escalate ten-sion in the region

On Tuesday morning about 50 Filipino-American community members in New York organized a rally outside the United Na-tions headquarters and carried placards urging China to ldquonot be a rogue staterdquo and proclaiming that the ldquoWest Philippine Sea be-longs to Filipinosrdquo

ldquoWe as Filipinos are peace lov-ingrdquo Filipino philanthropist and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis said outside the UN ldquoThe Chinese have all the warships All we have is worshiprdquo

In Los Angeles Fil-Ams held similar signs outside the Chinese Consulate

ldquoItrsquos a victory for the Filipino people We are vindicated and a proof that a small nation can win over a big nation by reasonrdquo Arturo P Garcia of the Alliance Philippines said

Chinarsquos official response to Tuesdayrsquos ruling makes an im-mediate resolution of tensions unlikely but Reichler said that added international pressure could erode the defiant stance China has taken

ldquoWhat China may ultimately do in six months or a year or two years may be different than what it says on July 12 or July 13rdquo Reichler told the AP ldquoI think a lot will depend on the reaction to the award (ruling) of the inter-national community as a whole particularly Chinarsquos neighborsrdquo

Though Tuesdayrsquos decision

comes as a blow to China the military and economic power-house still wields significant le-verage in the region and Duterte has publicly committed to avoid-ing armed conflict between the

two countries The exact nature of future negotiations between the Philippines China and other potential claimants remains un-certain (With reports from Mo-mar G Visaya AJPress)

International tribunal sides with PH inhellip

uPAGE A5

PAGE A2 t

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MASS SURRENDER More than 500 people said to be engaged in the sale and use of illegal drugs in this city surrendered to police here on Saturday July 9 vowing to stop their activities and mend their lives Superintendent Barnard Dasugo Batangas City police chief attributed the mass surrender to their house-to-house visits on suspected drug users and peddlers in various barangays in the city under the policersquos Oplan Tokhang program

EVEN if the President is not given without emergency pow-ers Malacantildeang is confident that the horrendous traffic jams in Metro Manila can be solved within 100 days under President Rodrigo Duterte

Presidential spokesman Ernes-to Abella said several proposals to ease the traffic problem were presented by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during

Traffic gridlock fixed in 100 days ndash Palaceby Catherine S Valente

ManilaTimesnet

the second Cabinet meeting on Monday July 11

ldquoSecretary Tugade made a pre-sentation on Monday and already they have a menu of changes which could very positively im-pact the rate of flow ndash traffic flow soon very soonrdquo Abella said

ldquoIrsquom sure within the next 100 days wersquore going to see results Already there seems to be some rightrdquo he added

He said there are also ldquotech-nical adjustments being donerdquo to ldquoincrease incrementally the

number of passengers and the number of tripsrdquo

Tugade earlier said the admin-istration will ask Congress to give emergency powers to Duterte to allow him to solve the Metro Ma-nila traffic crisis

But the proposal was not dis-cussed during the Cabinet meet-ing

The proposed ldquospecial pow-ersrdquo will allow the government to open private subdivisions to traf-fic and do away with public bid-ding for certain projects n

MANILA mdash The Philippines stands to benefit from its large population of young people but to realize the demographic divi-dends teenage girls must have access to quality education and youth-friendly health services as they prepare for working age the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Monday July 11

According to UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck ado-lescent girls aged 10-19 currently make up 10 percent of the Philip-pinesrsquo 100 million population

ldquoThey hold enormous opportu-nity to transform the future of the Philippines but this can only hap-pen if they have the right informa-tion and skills and are healthy and empowered to make informed de-cisions in liferdquo he said

He issued the statement as World Population Day was cel-ebrated on Monday

Beck underscored the need to take action citing a study spear-headed by the National Econom-ic and Development Authority and supported by UNFPA called the ldquoDemographic Sweet Spot and Dividend in the Philippines The Window of Opportunity is Closing Fastrdquo

The study showed the ldquohigh probability that the Philippines will miss the rare opportunity of additional economic growthrdquo

This is due to the relatively high fertility rate or the average number of children by women especially the poorest and the relatively high unemployment rate particularly among the youth sector

Students and volunteers take a selfie after placing their pledges on the commitment wall during the observance of World Population Day with the theme lsquoInvesting in Teenage Girlsrsquo at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila yesterday Photo by Miguel De Guzman

PH to benefit from population of young peopleby Sheila CriSoStomo

Philstarcom

Philippine celebrationWorld Population Day was

commemorated at the Rizal Me-morial Coliseum in Manila with the participation of some 2000 teenage girls

The event was spearheaded by the Commission on Population

Health Undersecretary Gerar-do Bayugo said there is a need to combine the efforts of the gov-ernment and non-governmen-tal organizations to address the rising teenage pregnancy in the country

ldquoWe need to inspire our teen-

age girlshellip They need special care Not only because they are the future They will give life and nurture the future of our coun-tryrdquo Bayugo said

This yearrsquos event was high-lighted by the launching of the ldquoBABAEnihanrdquo campaign which seeks national attention to issues that affect the future of young women

It is a call for stakeholders to work together to expand oppor-tunities for girls through invest-ments in their education health

uPAGE A7

shot and killed by police officers just one day apart

On July 5 Sterling 37 was sell-ing CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge Louisiana When police officers discovered he had a gun on his person Sterling was shot multiple times at point-blank range Louisiana is one of 31 states that permits open carry of firearms

Several bystanders had filmed the encounter and the shooting

One day later 32-year-old Cas-tile a nutrition services supervi-

Asian Americans support Black Lives Matterhellipsor in Minnesota was stopped by police for a broken rear light When reaching for his license and registration Castile told the officer he had a licensed con-cealed weapon in the car As he put his hands up the police shot him four times

Castilersquos girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car Reyn-olds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook

Legal and civil rights organiza-tion Asian Americans Advancing Justice has also come out in sup-

port for BLM in the wake of the killings of Sterling and Castile

ldquoAs the nationrsquos leading legal and civil rights voice rooted in Asian American communities we stand together with commu-nities of color in the fight to end systemic police brutalityrdquo the organization said in a statement ldquoAs the facts of each case sur-face we ask the US Department of Justice to not only investigate the fatal shooting of Mr Sterling but also to investigate the shoot-ing and death of Mr Castilerdquo (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A4 t

cerns over elected officialsrsquo in-volvement in illegal drug activi-ties

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines has historically been an issue but the trade has ex-panded in recent years to take down narcotic networks which include approximately 200 gov-

ernment officials according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

ldquoThe president plans to issue a memorandum to barangay cap-tains (village officials) and may-orsrdquo Abella said

According to Abella the ad-ministration plans to conduct investigations of officials in areas

Philippines to create drug rehabhellipwith high prevalence of drug-re-lated problems

In a media briefing in April Duterte promised to rid the coun-try of its drug problem within three to six months of taking the presidency

ldquoI will raise the level of the drug threat into a national security is-suerdquo he said n

PAGE A3 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

KUDOS to former Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosa-rio and the whole team which on behalf of the Filipino people filed argued and won the case against China before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal

The court found Chinarsquos claims illegal in its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) an area rich in seafood and other resources

As ABS-CBN News reported this landmark rul-ing was the first case against Chinarsquos expansive claims which has sparked international alarm and prompted the United States to send warships on ldquofreedom of navigationrdquo patrols

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Manny ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

ldquoThe rule of law The United Nations has fulfilled its existence not war but peace through the rule of law so this is the triumph of the Philippines because we have followed the regular process of settling disputesrdquo said US Pinoys for Good Gover-nance Chairman Loida Nicolas Lewis in a report

by The Filipino Channelrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo New York Correspondent Don Tagala

Bobby del Rosario the son for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosario was among those who celebrated this victory in front of the United Nations in New York

ldquoIrsquom gonna quote a couple of words from what my father said

Chinarsquos a great superpower and to be a great superpower you have to follow the laws and the rules of the landhellipand International Law is a great equalizerrdquo del Rosario said in the report

Fil-Am leaders however acknowledge that this victory is just a moral and legal victory which can-not be enforced against China The biggest ques-tion and challenge remains will China now exit the disputed area and leave the West Philippine sea to the Philippines pursuant to the provisions United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) that were upheld by the tribunal rul-ing

China boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and has repeat-edly vowed to ignore the ruling saying its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests

After the ruling was announced Cui Tiankai mdash Beijingrsquos Ambassador to the US mdash said the tribunalrsquos decision denying Chinarsquos claims in the South China Sea will ldquointensify conflict and even

confrontationrdquo as reported by ReutersThe Chinese ambassador however also said

that Beijing remains committed to negotiations with other parties in disputes over the South Chi-na Sea waters that have some of the worldrsquos most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas

The Philippinesrsquo newly sworn-in President Ro-drigo Duterte had said that he was seeking a ldquosoft landingrdquo with China after the decision ABS-CBN News reported that Foreign Affairs Secretary Per-fecto Yasay Jr said he would seek negotiations with Beijing mindful that the tribunal had no pow-

ers to enforce its decisionIn response to the reaction of the Duterte admin-

istration to the UN tribunal ruling Fil-Am commu-nity leader Loida Nicolas Lewis further said on Balitang America ldquoPara sa akinhellipWe negotiate according to our constitution We keep 60 percent you [China] get 40 percent If they donrsquot want to accept that then they are a rogue state Because it is very clear from the tribunal we have 100 percent ownership but that doesnrsquot mean we cannot share 40 percentrdquo

According to Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala the US Pinoys for Good Governance are amenable to President Dutertersquos negotiation with China but with pre-conditions

How do you think the Duterte administration should handle the negotiation with China

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Many ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo 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 wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

Main Office1210 S Brand BoulevardGlendale CA 91204Tels (818) 502-0651Fax (818) 502-0858e-mail infoasianjournalinccomhttpwwwasianjournalcom

Northern California1001 Bayhill Drive Suite 200San Bruno CA 94066Tel (650) 616-4150 bull Fax (650) 616-4152

Asian Journal Publications Inc (ldquoAJPIrdquo) reserves the right to refuse to publish in its sole and absolute discretion any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client (ldquoClientrsquos Materialrdquo)Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Clientrsquos Material AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Clientrsquos Material and to delete objectionable words or phrasesClient represents and warrants that a Clientrsquos Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity does not and will not violate or infringe upon or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including without limitation any copyright trademark service mark or contract right) of any person or entity or violate any other applicable law and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigationPublication of a Clientrsquos Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publicationClient agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss liability damage expenses cost charges claims actions causes of action recoveries judgments penalties including outside attorneysrsquo fees (individually and collectively ldquoClaimsrdquo) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Clientrsquos breach of any of the representations warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Clientrsquos MaterialAJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Clientrsquos Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Clientrsquos Material In the event of an error or omission in printing or publication of a Clientrsquos Material AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisementUnder no circumstances shall Asian Publications Inc be liable for consequential damages of any kind

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS INC publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal published twice a week the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal Northern California Asian Journal Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Orange Counties Northern California Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectivelyArticles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher Letters to the Editor are welcome Letters must contain complete name and return address The materials however are subject to editing and revisionsContributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays For advertising rates and other informations please call the LA office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at infoasianjournalinccom

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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

Manila Office2nd Floor Units DampE Fort Palm Springs30th St Cor 1st Ave Bonifacio Global City TaguigTel (632) 856-4921 bull Fax (632) 856-1661

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OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimesnet photo

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

I WAS developing a column on ldquodue process of lawrdquo built around the prizefight being promoted (by the Inquirer) between the fiscalizer (Sen Leila de Lima) and The Punisher (Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte) when I realized that the boxing imagery would cheapen the more fundamental issues involved in the depressing spec-tacle of state-sanctioned killings in the country today

I thought it would be more useful if I examined instead the underlying clash between the right of criminal suspects to due process and the right of society to protect itself and its members

While doing research on this weighty subject I was startled to find strong and persuasive literature in support of both sides

Daniel Websterrsquos noble summation ldquoDue process of law is that which hears before it condemns which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trialrdquo stands out as a banner for due process in addition to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

On the other side there is also much persuasive literature and equally ex-plicit constitutional provisions that ar-gue eloquently for the assertion of state responsibility to suppress the lawless

Conventional thinking presumes that

this debate was settled long ago in favor of the rights of suspects to due process over the rights of society to protect itself

The advent of Duterte is a reminder that the debate is far from set-tled There is a strong

current of opinion in this country in fa-vor of a hard-line policy against crime especially the illegal drugs trade

Duterte conducting a class on public policy

I think what is happening is this President Duterte is conducting a class in public policy in which we the citizens are the students

The subject is not the illegal drugs trade but two critical and related top-ics

1 The moral argument or rationale for capital punishment and the execu-tion of criminals

2 The statersquos monopoly of violence which seeks to crush lawless elements (organized crime terrorism insurgen-cy) in the country

These are fields of study and research in political science criminology and po-lice science and sociology

To take the topics in sequence this is what DU30 appears to be telling us

Why the death penalty is necessaryLike other government executives be-

fore him Duterte believes that the death

penalty ldquoaffirms liferdquo By failing to ex-ecute murderers or stop drug lords we signal a lessened regard for the value of the lives of victims People who oppose the death penalty are like the neighbors of a teenage murder victim who heard her cries for help but did nothing They are like the neighbors who looked away while the drug pusher plied their ugly trade and ruined the lives of people

This is the standard ldquomoral defenserdquo of death as punishment Even if executions donrsquot deter violent crime or the drugs trade any more effectively than imprison-ment the death penalty is still required as the only means society has of doing jus-tice in response to the worst of crimes

One former mayor of New York City Edward Koch fully endorses this view of the death penalty He has authored a famous article ldquoDeath and justice How capital punishment affirms liferdquo which lays out his argument cogently and per-suasively

He concluded the article with these words ldquoThe death of anyonemdasheven a convicted killermdashdiminishes us all But we are diminished even more by a jus-tice system that fails to function It is an illusion to let ourselves believe that doing away with capital punishment moves the murdererrsquos deed from our conscience The rights of society are paramounthellip

ldquoIt is hard to imagine anything worse than being murdered while neighbors do nothing But something worse ex-

ists When those same neighbors shrink back from justly punishing the murder-er the victim dies twicerdquo

Dutertersquos thinking with respect to il-legal drugs is similar to this He shares the frustration and anger of people who see that the Aquino government did nothing to combat the drug menace So what if the death penalty doesnrsquot work as a deterrent At least it gives citizens the satisfaction of knowing that we got one or two of the sons of bitches

State monopoly of violenceThe other powerful argument focuses

on the statersquos monopoly of legitimate physical force in society

State monopoly of violence is the con-cept that the state alone has the right to use or authorize the use of physical force It is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state

In his lecture ldquoPolitics as a Vocationrdquo (1918) the German sociologist Max Weber defines the state as a ldquohuman community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territoryrdquo

The concept does not imply that the state is the only actor actually using violence but rather that it is the only actor that can legitimately authorize its use The state can grant another actor the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it remains the only source of the right to use violence

The monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force also known as the mo-

nopoly on violence is a core concept of modern public law

This monopoly is limited to a certain geographical area A necessary condi-tion of statehood is the retention of such a monopoly

De Lima vs DuterteBecause government has failed mis-

erably to solve the great problems of national life Duterte is taking us back to the basics of governance to find the wellsprings for effective government

In law enforcement his government is searching for the right policy mix that will enable it to overcome the threat posed by organized crime repel the threat of Islamist terrorism and negoti-ate lasting peace with insurgents

At the moment the public eye is riv-eted more on the responsibility of gov-ernment than on the rights of criminal suspects

The safety of society comes first The court process can wait This is one big reason why the death toll is high and mounting

The balance will tilt when Congress debates the issue and conducts its promised inquiries into the killings

ldquoI am watching yourdquo Sen De Lima has warned the President

No doubt the President is watching her in turn

This is going to be one hell of a prize-fight when Sen Manny Pacquiao also gets into the ring (yenmakabentaya-hoocom)

The death penalty and state monopoly of violence

Yen Makabenta

Opinion

A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving and has become a P200-billion ldquoindustryrdquo

War on drugs

An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates

According to the PDEA 2051 percent or 8629 barangays (villages) out of the 42065 nationwide are plagued with the drug-related cases

Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 9210 percent of the regionrsquos baran-gays involved Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and marijuana remain the most abused illegal drugs in the country

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr re-vealed that barangays are considered slightly af-fected if there are identified drug users in the com-munity but no known drug pushers or traffickers are operating in the area while moderately affected if at least a suspected drug pusher or trafficker is operating in the barangay A barangay is seriously affected if at least a drug laboratory den dive or resort is suspected to exist in the community

Perhaps this is why Pres Rodrigo Duterte stayed true to his word that when elected he would launch a bloody war on drugs

In recent weeks the nation saw a spike in drug-related killings Reports show that there have been more than 100 reported cases of drug-related kill-ings in less than a month

Amid this intensified anti-drug campaign there

has also been a spate of surrenders from thousands of drug users and peddlers across the country They have pledged to not do or sell drugs again and cooperate with the gov-

ernmentrsquos drive against drugs While the government is gaining momentum in

its campaign against drugs some senators have questioned its efficacy and raised concerns over the rising number of extrajudicial killings

ldquoWe have to look into that in aid of legislation The killings are on the rise and there are just tell-tale signs of summary executions in a number of themrdquo said Sen Leila De Lima who was the for-mer chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

Sen Franklin Drilon echoed De Limarsquos senti-ments and agreed to conduct the Senate inquiry

ldquoWhile we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs of the Philippine National Police the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in recent monthsrdquo Drilon said

Even Vice Pres Leni Robredo agrees She en-couraged authorities ldquoto look into these cases If there is really culpability then justice requires that appropriate cases be filed and that those proven to be accountable be punishedrdquo

ldquoWhile we are one with the fight against drugs we are concerned with the growing culture of vigi-

Editorial

lantism and violence We hope that the war is not done at the expense of the innocent and defense-lessrdquo Robredo said

Recognizing the rampancy of the drug problem in the country is only the first step Instead of in-flicting fear among the citizenry the national gov-

ernment must initiate a cohesive effort in dealing with the drug problem

Engaging in an all-out war against drugs is be-yond the power of the government alone This campaign can only be deemed successful with the engagement of the public (AJPress)

Fil-Am leaders speak up on the Philippinesrsquo victory over China in UN tribunal decision

Filipinos in Los Angeles also organized a rally outside the Chinese Consulate hailing The Haguersquos ruling in favor of the Philippines Photo courtesy of Art Garcia

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

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50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

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Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

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WAS$359

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Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

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Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

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Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

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WAS$399

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Sugar 4lbs

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Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

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Pork Chop Skin On

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Jumbo Milkfish

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Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A Dateline USa

SETTING SAIL The coastal town of Subic in Zambales province hosts about 2000 fishermen many of whom have been frequenting the disputed Scarborough Shoal to earn a living Fishermen geared up on Tuesday July 12 for a return trip to the disputed Scarborough Shoal saying they were now armed with a favorable ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague Inquirernet photo by Allan Macatuno

to the police shootings of black individuals particularly those of Asian Americans She started a Google Doc page and allowed contributors from all over the country to share research per-spectives and thoughts in a col-lective open letter

ldquoIn fact letrsquos draft letters in

our native languages to our par-ents and our communities Get it passed around WhatsApp We-Chat LINE etcrdquo Wu tweeted on Thursday July 7 to launch the letter

She started the Google Doc at 11 am that day and hundreds of Asian Americans contributed to the letter Filipino Pulitzer Prize-

winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas assisted in editing the fi-nal drafts of the letter

ldquoMom Dad Uncle Auntie Grandfather Grandmother We need to talkrdquo the letter opens up ldquoYou may not have grown up around people who are Black but I have Black people are a fundamental part of my life they are my friends my classmates and teammates my roommates my family Today Irsquom scared for themrdquo

The letter encourages Asian Americans everywhere to em-pathize with the movement to stand up to racial inequality in America The writers reference the nationrsquos history of black and Asian persecution to encourage solidarity between the two com-munities together today

ldquoBlack people have been beat-en jailed even killed fighting for many of the rights that Asian Americans enjoy todayrdquo the let-ter said ldquoWe owe them so much in return We are all fighting against the same unfair system that prefers we compete against each otherrdquo

The letter has been translated -- and is continuing to be trans-lated -- in multiple languages

The letter came in the wake of the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile who were

Asian Americans support Black Lives MatterhellipPAGE A1 t

successful ldquoSanders-Clinton amendmentrdquo which guaranteed training for ldquogreen collar jobsrdquo in renewable energy technologies

In 2006 Clinton donated $10000 to a political action com-mittee (PAC) to help get Sanders elected to the Senate In 2009 Sanders voiced his support for President Barack Obamarsquos ap-pointment of Clinton as secretary of state calling her ldquoone of the brightest people in Congressrdquo

The Sanders and Clinton teams are undergoing discussions on Sandersrsquo role in the Democratic presidential campaign

The Republican National Com-mittee (RNC) responded to the endorsement suggesting that Sanders a firm critic of ldquoEstab-lishmentrdquo politics has ldquosold outrdquo by supporting Clinton who is considered an eminent Estab-lishment politician

ldquoThis hollow display of left-wing solidarity flies in the face of Bernie Sandersrsquo months-long crusade against Hillary Clin-tonrsquos judgment character and fitness to serve as presidentrdquo RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement released on Tuesday

ldquoVoters wonrsquot forget Sandersrsquo blistering criticisms of Clintonrsquos paid speeches to Wall Street banks her reliance on big-mon-ey special interests to fund her campaign or her support for overseas military interventions While Sanders may have pushed the Democrat Party even further to the extreme left his support-ers must rightly be wondering if their candidate has all of a sud-den sold out to the same rigged system he so strongly cam-paigned againstrdquo

Trump took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the endorsement which parallelled the RNCrsquos statement suggesting Sanders had abandoned his principles as an anti-Establishment leader

ldquoBernie Sanders who has lost most of his leverage has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clin-ton He will endorse her today - fans angryrdquo Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning

Sandersrsquo campaign responded with a tweet of its own

ldquoBig talk from the same guy who was too afraid to debate Bernie in Californiardquo the Sand-ers camp tweeted to Trump

Following the endorsement Sandersrsquo campaign team sent

out an email to Sanders support-ers assuring Clintonrsquos suitability for the presidency

The tension that had culmi-nated between the two caused a divide in the Democratic Party between progressives and Estab-lishment Democrats but Sanders assured supporters that his deci-sion was the right one

ldquoToday I endorsed Hillary Clinton to be our next presi-dentrdquo Sanders said in the email ldquoI know that some of you will be disappointed with that decision But I believe that at this mo-ment our country our values and our common vision for a transformed America are best served by the defeat of Donald Trump and the election of Hill-ary Clintonrdquo

The endorsement represents the final solidifying of the Demo-cratic Party during this election cycle

On the Republican side Trump has yet to receive endorsements from several of his primary chal-lengers like former Republican presidential nominees Sen Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Gov John Ka-sich of Ohio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A3 t

SAN FRANCISCO ndash Police arrested four sus-pects in the kidnapping for ransom of a Filipina American resident of Vallejo California more than a week ago The 57-year-old victim remains miss-ing according to police

Elvira Babb was last seen around 3 pm June 29 at the Sea Food City market in Vallejo She lived on Daniels Avenue in Vallejo Her dog was found dead inside her vacant home

A kidnapper texted the victimrsquos son John Babb 36 of San Francisco demanding a ransom of around $100000 or his mother would be killed The texter also threatened to kill the victim if John Babb went to the police

Several law enforcement agencies are helping with the investigation including the Solano Coun-ty Sheriffrsquos Office the Fairfield Police Department the Sacramento Police Department the FBI and the US Marshals

Police arrested Emmanuel Espinoza 26 of Stockton Friday night July 8 in Sacramento but he has not cooperated in locating the victim Es-pinoza has a previous arrest record for drug and robbery related offenses

The same night police also arrested Jalon Brown 32 and Larry Young 23 both of Sacramento and Lovely Rauzol 27 of Vallejo Rauzol has a previ-ous arrest for prostitution (Inquirernet)

Filipina in Vallejo Calif kidnapped for ransom still missing

Missing kidnap victim Elvira Babb was last seen June 29

MANILA mdash The United States will keep an ldquoincreasedrdquo pres-ence in the Philippines ldquonot only in military termsrdquo visiting US State Department Counselor Kristie Kenney said on Tuesday July 12

In an interview on ANCrsquos ldquoHeadstartrdquo Kenney ndash former US ambassador to the Philip-pines ndash said there is much the US and the Philippines can achieve as partners and ldquoyou will not see us stepping backrdquo

ldquoOur commitment to the Philip-pines is ironclad We will respect our treaty alliance in every wayrdquo Kenney said She said the US will continue to visit ports conduct humanitarian activities and help in community development

The State Department offi-cial said Secretary of State John Kerry had asked her to meet with members of President Dutertersquos

US to maintain lsquoincreasedrsquo presence in Philippines ndash Kenney

by Pia Lee-BragoPhilstarcom

foreign policy teamKenney is the first high-level

Washington official to meet with Duterte administration represen-tatives since his June 30 inaugu-ration

ldquoI want to tell him (Duterte) that

we want to support the Philip-pines We want to be your friend your partnerrdquo Kenney said ldquoOur goal is to work with President Duterte and his team Thatrsquos why President Obama phoned him right awayrdquo

The US she said wants Duterte and the country to continue to be successful ldquoWersquore here to see how we can work togetherrdquo she added

She met with Philippine gov-ernment officials civil society groups and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) innovators entrepreneurs and other ldquomoversrdquo working to ad-vance social-entrepreneurship technology innovation and the smart cities movement in the country

Kenney will be in Rangoon and Naypyitaw Myanmar from July 12 to 14 to meet with her gov-ernment counterparts civil soci-ety representatives and YSEALI alumni n

US State Dept Counselor Kristie Kenney

Loida Nicolas Lewis philanthropist and community leader Photo by Troi Santos

US President Barack Obama he would be willing to engage in bi-lateral talks with China if the PCA decision fails to de-escalate ten-sion in the region

On Tuesday morning about 50 Filipino-American community members in New York organized a rally outside the United Na-tions headquarters and carried placards urging China to ldquonot be a rogue staterdquo and proclaiming that the ldquoWest Philippine Sea be-longs to Filipinosrdquo

ldquoWe as Filipinos are peace lov-ingrdquo Filipino philanthropist and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis said outside the UN ldquoThe Chinese have all the warships All we have is worshiprdquo

In Los Angeles Fil-Ams held similar signs outside the Chinese Consulate

ldquoItrsquos a victory for the Filipino people We are vindicated and a proof that a small nation can win over a big nation by reasonrdquo Arturo P Garcia of the Alliance Philippines said

Chinarsquos official response to Tuesdayrsquos ruling makes an im-mediate resolution of tensions unlikely but Reichler said that added international pressure could erode the defiant stance China has taken

ldquoWhat China may ultimately do in six months or a year or two years may be different than what it says on July 12 or July 13rdquo Reichler told the AP ldquoI think a lot will depend on the reaction to the award (ruling) of the inter-national community as a whole particularly Chinarsquos neighborsrdquo

Though Tuesdayrsquos decision

comes as a blow to China the military and economic power-house still wields significant le-verage in the region and Duterte has publicly committed to avoid-ing armed conflict between the

two countries The exact nature of future negotiations between the Philippines China and other potential claimants remains un-certain (With reports from Mo-mar G Visaya AJPress)

International tribunal sides with PH inhellip

uPAGE A5

PAGE A2 t

Sanders officially endorses Clinton forhellip

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MASS SURRENDER More than 500 people said to be engaged in the sale and use of illegal drugs in this city surrendered to police here on Saturday July 9 vowing to stop their activities and mend their lives Superintendent Barnard Dasugo Batangas City police chief attributed the mass surrender to their house-to-house visits on suspected drug users and peddlers in various barangays in the city under the policersquos Oplan Tokhang program

EVEN if the President is not given without emergency pow-ers Malacantildeang is confident that the horrendous traffic jams in Metro Manila can be solved within 100 days under President Rodrigo Duterte

Presidential spokesman Ernes-to Abella said several proposals to ease the traffic problem were presented by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during

Traffic gridlock fixed in 100 days ndash Palaceby Catherine S Valente

ManilaTimesnet

the second Cabinet meeting on Monday July 11

ldquoSecretary Tugade made a pre-sentation on Monday and already they have a menu of changes which could very positively im-pact the rate of flow ndash traffic flow soon very soonrdquo Abella said

ldquoIrsquom sure within the next 100 days wersquore going to see results Already there seems to be some rightrdquo he added

He said there are also ldquotech-nical adjustments being donerdquo to ldquoincrease incrementally the

number of passengers and the number of tripsrdquo

Tugade earlier said the admin-istration will ask Congress to give emergency powers to Duterte to allow him to solve the Metro Ma-nila traffic crisis

But the proposal was not dis-cussed during the Cabinet meet-ing

The proposed ldquospecial pow-ersrdquo will allow the government to open private subdivisions to traf-fic and do away with public bid-ding for certain projects n

MANILA mdash The Philippines stands to benefit from its large population of young people but to realize the demographic divi-dends teenage girls must have access to quality education and youth-friendly health services as they prepare for working age the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Monday July 11

According to UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck ado-lescent girls aged 10-19 currently make up 10 percent of the Philip-pinesrsquo 100 million population

ldquoThey hold enormous opportu-nity to transform the future of the Philippines but this can only hap-pen if they have the right informa-tion and skills and are healthy and empowered to make informed de-cisions in liferdquo he said

He issued the statement as World Population Day was cel-ebrated on Monday

Beck underscored the need to take action citing a study spear-headed by the National Econom-ic and Development Authority and supported by UNFPA called the ldquoDemographic Sweet Spot and Dividend in the Philippines The Window of Opportunity is Closing Fastrdquo

The study showed the ldquohigh probability that the Philippines will miss the rare opportunity of additional economic growthrdquo

This is due to the relatively high fertility rate or the average number of children by women especially the poorest and the relatively high unemployment rate particularly among the youth sector

Students and volunteers take a selfie after placing their pledges on the commitment wall during the observance of World Population Day with the theme lsquoInvesting in Teenage Girlsrsquo at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila yesterday Photo by Miguel De Guzman

PH to benefit from population of young peopleby Sheila CriSoStomo

Philstarcom

Philippine celebrationWorld Population Day was

commemorated at the Rizal Me-morial Coliseum in Manila with the participation of some 2000 teenage girls

The event was spearheaded by the Commission on Population

Health Undersecretary Gerar-do Bayugo said there is a need to combine the efforts of the gov-ernment and non-governmen-tal organizations to address the rising teenage pregnancy in the country

ldquoWe need to inspire our teen-

age girlshellip They need special care Not only because they are the future They will give life and nurture the future of our coun-tryrdquo Bayugo said

This yearrsquos event was high-lighted by the launching of the ldquoBABAEnihanrdquo campaign which seeks national attention to issues that affect the future of young women

It is a call for stakeholders to work together to expand oppor-tunities for girls through invest-ments in their education health

uPAGE A7

shot and killed by police officers just one day apart

On July 5 Sterling 37 was sell-ing CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge Louisiana When police officers discovered he had a gun on his person Sterling was shot multiple times at point-blank range Louisiana is one of 31 states that permits open carry of firearms

Several bystanders had filmed the encounter and the shooting

One day later 32-year-old Cas-tile a nutrition services supervi-

Asian Americans support Black Lives Matterhellipsor in Minnesota was stopped by police for a broken rear light When reaching for his license and registration Castile told the officer he had a licensed con-cealed weapon in the car As he put his hands up the police shot him four times

Castilersquos girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car Reyn-olds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook

Legal and civil rights organiza-tion Asian Americans Advancing Justice has also come out in sup-

port for BLM in the wake of the killings of Sterling and Castile

ldquoAs the nationrsquos leading legal and civil rights voice rooted in Asian American communities we stand together with commu-nities of color in the fight to end systemic police brutalityrdquo the organization said in a statement ldquoAs the facts of each case sur-face we ask the US Department of Justice to not only investigate the fatal shooting of Mr Sterling but also to investigate the shoot-ing and death of Mr Castilerdquo (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A4 t

cerns over elected officialsrsquo in-volvement in illegal drug activi-ties

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines has historically been an issue but the trade has ex-panded in recent years to take down narcotic networks which include approximately 200 gov-

ernment officials according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

ldquoThe president plans to issue a memorandum to barangay cap-tains (village officials) and may-orsrdquo Abella said

According to Abella the ad-ministration plans to conduct investigations of officials in areas

Philippines to create drug rehabhellipwith high prevalence of drug-re-lated problems

In a media briefing in April Duterte promised to rid the coun-try of its drug problem within three to six months of taking the presidency

ldquoI will raise the level of the drug threat into a national security is-suerdquo he said n

PAGE A3 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

KUDOS to former Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosa-rio and the whole team which on behalf of the Filipino people filed argued and won the case against China before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal

The court found Chinarsquos claims illegal in its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) an area rich in seafood and other resources

As ABS-CBN News reported this landmark rul-ing was the first case against Chinarsquos expansive claims which has sparked international alarm and prompted the United States to send warships on ldquofreedom of navigationrdquo patrols

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Manny ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

ldquoThe rule of law The United Nations has fulfilled its existence not war but peace through the rule of law so this is the triumph of the Philippines because we have followed the regular process of settling disputesrdquo said US Pinoys for Good Gover-nance Chairman Loida Nicolas Lewis in a report

by The Filipino Channelrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo New York Correspondent Don Tagala

Bobby del Rosario the son for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosario was among those who celebrated this victory in front of the United Nations in New York

ldquoIrsquom gonna quote a couple of words from what my father said

Chinarsquos a great superpower and to be a great superpower you have to follow the laws and the rules of the landhellipand International Law is a great equalizerrdquo del Rosario said in the report

Fil-Am leaders however acknowledge that this victory is just a moral and legal victory which can-not be enforced against China The biggest ques-tion and challenge remains will China now exit the disputed area and leave the West Philippine sea to the Philippines pursuant to the provisions United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) that were upheld by the tribunal rul-ing

China boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and has repeat-edly vowed to ignore the ruling saying its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests

After the ruling was announced Cui Tiankai mdash Beijingrsquos Ambassador to the US mdash said the tribunalrsquos decision denying Chinarsquos claims in the South China Sea will ldquointensify conflict and even

confrontationrdquo as reported by ReutersThe Chinese ambassador however also said

that Beijing remains committed to negotiations with other parties in disputes over the South Chi-na Sea waters that have some of the worldrsquos most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas

The Philippinesrsquo newly sworn-in President Ro-drigo Duterte had said that he was seeking a ldquosoft landingrdquo with China after the decision ABS-CBN News reported that Foreign Affairs Secretary Per-fecto Yasay Jr said he would seek negotiations with Beijing mindful that the tribunal had no pow-

ers to enforce its decisionIn response to the reaction of the Duterte admin-

istration to the UN tribunal ruling Fil-Am commu-nity leader Loida Nicolas Lewis further said on Balitang America ldquoPara sa akinhellipWe negotiate according to our constitution We keep 60 percent you [China] get 40 percent If they donrsquot want to accept that then they are a rogue state Because it is very clear from the tribunal we have 100 percent ownership but that doesnrsquot mean we cannot share 40 percentrdquo

According to Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala the US Pinoys for Good Governance are amenable to President Dutertersquos negotiation with China but with pre-conditions

How do you think the Duterte administration should handle the negotiation with China

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Many ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo 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 wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

Main Office1210 S Brand BoulevardGlendale CA 91204Tels (818) 502-0651Fax (818) 502-0858e-mail infoasianjournalinccomhttpwwwasianjournalcom

Northern California1001 Bayhill Drive Suite 200San Bruno CA 94066Tel (650) 616-4150 bull Fax (650) 616-4152

Asian Journal Publications Inc (ldquoAJPIrdquo) reserves the right to refuse to publish in its sole and absolute discretion any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client (ldquoClientrsquos Materialrdquo)Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Clientrsquos Material AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Clientrsquos Material and to delete objectionable words or phrasesClient represents and warrants that a Clientrsquos Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity does not and will not violate or infringe upon or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including without limitation any copyright trademark service mark or contract right) of any person or entity or violate any other applicable law and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigationPublication of a Clientrsquos Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publicationClient agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss liability damage expenses cost charges claims actions causes of action recoveries judgments penalties including outside attorneysrsquo fees (individually and collectively ldquoClaimsrdquo) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Clientrsquos breach of any of the representations warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Clientrsquos MaterialAJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Clientrsquos Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Clientrsquos Material In the event of an error or omission in printing or publication of a Clientrsquos Material AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisementUnder no circumstances shall Asian Publications Inc be liable for consequential damages of any kind

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS INC publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal published twice a week the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal Northern California Asian Journal Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Orange Counties Northern California Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectivelyArticles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher Letters to the Editor are welcome Letters must contain complete name and return address The materials however are subject to editing and revisionsContributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays For advertising rates and other informations please call the LA office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at infoasianjournalinccom

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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

Manila Office2nd Floor Units DampE Fort Palm Springs30th St Cor 1st Ave Bonifacio Global City TaguigTel (632) 856-4921 bull Fax (632) 856-1661

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New Jersey449 Hoboken AvenueJersey City New Jersey 07306Tel (212) 6555426 bull Fax (818) 5020858

OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimesnet photo

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

I WAS developing a column on ldquodue process of lawrdquo built around the prizefight being promoted (by the Inquirer) between the fiscalizer (Sen Leila de Lima) and The Punisher (Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte) when I realized that the boxing imagery would cheapen the more fundamental issues involved in the depressing spec-tacle of state-sanctioned killings in the country today

I thought it would be more useful if I examined instead the underlying clash between the right of criminal suspects to due process and the right of society to protect itself and its members

While doing research on this weighty subject I was startled to find strong and persuasive literature in support of both sides

Daniel Websterrsquos noble summation ldquoDue process of law is that which hears before it condemns which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trialrdquo stands out as a banner for due process in addition to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

On the other side there is also much persuasive literature and equally ex-plicit constitutional provisions that ar-gue eloquently for the assertion of state responsibility to suppress the lawless

Conventional thinking presumes that

this debate was settled long ago in favor of the rights of suspects to due process over the rights of society to protect itself

The advent of Duterte is a reminder that the debate is far from set-tled There is a strong

current of opinion in this country in fa-vor of a hard-line policy against crime especially the illegal drugs trade

Duterte conducting a class on public policy

I think what is happening is this President Duterte is conducting a class in public policy in which we the citizens are the students

The subject is not the illegal drugs trade but two critical and related top-ics

1 The moral argument or rationale for capital punishment and the execu-tion of criminals

2 The statersquos monopoly of violence which seeks to crush lawless elements (organized crime terrorism insurgen-cy) in the country

These are fields of study and research in political science criminology and po-lice science and sociology

To take the topics in sequence this is what DU30 appears to be telling us

Why the death penalty is necessaryLike other government executives be-

fore him Duterte believes that the death

penalty ldquoaffirms liferdquo By failing to ex-ecute murderers or stop drug lords we signal a lessened regard for the value of the lives of victims People who oppose the death penalty are like the neighbors of a teenage murder victim who heard her cries for help but did nothing They are like the neighbors who looked away while the drug pusher plied their ugly trade and ruined the lives of people

This is the standard ldquomoral defenserdquo of death as punishment Even if executions donrsquot deter violent crime or the drugs trade any more effectively than imprison-ment the death penalty is still required as the only means society has of doing jus-tice in response to the worst of crimes

One former mayor of New York City Edward Koch fully endorses this view of the death penalty He has authored a famous article ldquoDeath and justice How capital punishment affirms liferdquo which lays out his argument cogently and per-suasively

He concluded the article with these words ldquoThe death of anyonemdasheven a convicted killermdashdiminishes us all But we are diminished even more by a jus-tice system that fails to function It is an illusion to let ourselves believe that doing away with capital punishment moves the murdererrsquos deed from our conscience The rights of society are paramounthellip

ldquoIt is hard to imagine anything worse than being murdered while neighbors do nothing But something worse ex-

ists When those same neighbors shrink back from justly punishing the murder-er the victim dies twicerdquo

Dutertersquos thinking with respect to il-legal drugs is similar to this He shares the frustration and anger of people who see that the Aquino government did nothing to combat the drug menace So what if the death penalty doesnrsquot work as a deterrent At least it gives citizens the satisfaction of knowing that we got one or two of the sons of bitches

State monopoly of violenceThe other powerful argument focuses

on the statersquos monopoly of legitimate physical force in society

State monopoly of violence is the con-cept that the state alone has the right to use or authorize the use of physical force It is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state

In his lecture ldquoPolitics as a Vocationrdquo (1918) the German sociologist Max Weber defines the state as a ldquohuman community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territoryrdquo

The concept does not imply that the state is the only actor actually using violence but rather that it is the only actor that can legitimately authorize its use The state can grant another actor the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it remains the only source of the right to use violence

The monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force also known as the mo-

nopoly on violence is a core concept of modern public law

This monopoly is limited to a certain geographical area A necessary condi-tion of statehood is the retention of such a monopoly

De Lima vs DuterteBecause government has failed mis-

erably to solve the great problems of national life Duterte is taking us back to the basics of governance to find the wellsprings for effective government

In law enforcement his government is searching for the right policy mix that will enable it to overcome the threat posed by organized crime repel the threat of Islamist terrorism and negoti-ate lasting peace with insurgents

At the moment the public eye is riv-eted more on the responsibility of gov-ernment than on the rights of criminal suspects

The safety of society comes first The court process can wait This is one big reason why the death toll is high and mounting

The balance will tilt when Congress debates the issue and conducts its promised inquiries into the killings

ldquoI am watching yourdquo Sen De Lima has warned the President

No doubt the President is watching her in turn

This is going to be one hell of a prize-fight when Sen Manny Pacquiao also gets into the ring (yenmakabentaya-hoocom)

The death penalty and state monopoly of violence

Yen Makabenta

Opinion

A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving and has become a P200-billion ldquoindustryrdquo

War on drugs

An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates

According to the PDEA 2051 percent or 8629 barangays (villages) out of the 42065 nationwide are plagued with the drug-related cases

Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 9210 percent of the regionrsquos baran-gays involved Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and marijuana remain the most abused illegal drugs in the country

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr re-vealed that barangays are considered slightly af-fected if there are identified drug users in the com-munity but no known drug pushers or traffickers are operating in the area while moderately affected if at least a suspected drug pusher or trafficker is operating in the barangay A barangay is seriously affected if at least a drug laboratory den dive or resort is suspected to exist in the community

Perhaps this is why Pres Rodrigo Duterte stayed true to his word that when elected he would launch a bloody war on drugs

In recent weeks the nation saw a spike in drug-related killings Reports show that there have been more than 100 reported cases of drug-related kill-ings in less than a month

Amid this intensified anti-drug campaign there

has also been a spate of surrenders from thousands of drug users and peddlers across the country They have pledged to not do or sell drugs again and cooperate with the gov-

ernmentrsquos drive against drugs While the government is gaining momentum in

its campaign against drugs some senators have questioned its efficacy and raised concerns over the rising number of extrajudicial killings

ldquoWe have to look into that in aid of legislation The killings are on the rise and there are just tell-tale signs of summary executions in a number of themrdquo said Sen Leila De Lima who was the for-mer chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

Sen Franklin Drilon echoed De Limarsquos senti-ments and agreed to conduct the Senate inquiry

ldquoWhile we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs of the Philippine National Police the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in recent monthsrdquo Drilon said

Even Vice Pres Leni Robredo agrees She en-couraged authorities ldquoto look into these cases If there is really culpability then justice requires that appropriate cases be filed and that those proven to be accountable be punishedrdquo

ldquoWhile we are one with the fight against drugs we are concerned with the growing culture of vigi-

Editorial

lantism and violence We hope that the war is not done at the expense of the innocent and defense-lessrdquo Robredo said

Recognizing the rampancy of the drug problem in the country is only the first step Instead of in-flicting fear among the citizenry the national gov-

ernment must initiate a cohesive effort in dealing with the drug problem

Engaging in an all-out war against drugs is be-yond the power of the government alone This campaign can only be deemed successful with the engagement of the public (AJPress)

Fil-Am leaders speak up on the Philippinesrsquo victory over China in UN tribunal decision

Filipinos in Los Angeles also organized a rally outside the Chinese Consulate hailing The Haguersquos ruling in favor of the Philippines Photo courtesy of Art Garcia

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MASS SURRENDER More than 500 people said to be engaged in the sale and use of illegal drugs in this city surrendered to police here on Saturday July 9 vowing to stop their activities and mend their lives Superintendent Barnard Dasugo Batangas City police chief attributed the mass surrender to their house-to-house visits on suspected drug users and peddlers in various barangays in the city under the policersquos Oplan Tokhang program

EVEN if the President is not given without emergency pow-ers Malacantildeang is confident that the horrendous traffic jams in Metro Manila can be solved within 100 days under President Rodrigo Duterte

Presidential spokesman Ernes-to Abella said several proposals to ease the traffic problem were presented by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during

Traffic gridlock fixed in 100 days ndash Palaceby Catherine S Valente

ManilaTimesnet

the second Cabinet meeting on Monday July 11

ldquoSecretary Tugade made a pre-sentation on Monday and already they have a menu of changes which could very positively im-pact the rate of flow ndash traffic flow soon very soonrdquo Abella said

ldquoIrsquom sure within the next 100 days wersquore going to see results Already there seems to be some rightrdquo he added

He said there are also ldquotech-nical adjustments being donerdquo to ldquoincrease incrementally the

number of passengers and the number of tripsrdquo

Tugade earlier said the admin-istration will ask Congress to give emergency powers to Duterte to allow him to solve the Metro Ma-nila traffic crisis

But the proposal was not dis-cussed during the Cabinet meet-ing

The proposed ldquospecial pow-ersrdquo will allow the government to open private subdivisions to traf-fic and do away with public bid-ding for certain projects n

MANILA mdash The Philippines stands to benefit from its large population of young people but to realize the demographic divi-dends teenage girls must have access to quality education and youth-friendly health services as they prepare for working age the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Monday July 11

According to UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck ado-lescent girls aged 10-19 currently make up 10 percent of the Philip-pinesrsquo 100 million population

ldquoThey hold enormous opportu-nity to transform the future of the Philippines but this can only hap-pen if they have the right informa-tion and skills and are healthy and empowered to make informed de-cisions in liferdquo he said

He issued the statement as World Population Day was cel-ebrated on Monday

Beck underscored the need to take action citing a study spear-headed by the National Econom-ic and Development Authority and supported by UNFPA called the ldquoDemographic Sweet Spot and Dividend in the Philippines The Window of Opportunity is Closing Fastrdquo

The study showed the ldquohigh probability that the Philippines will miss the rare opportunity of additional economic growthrdquo

This is due to the relatively high fertility rate or the average number of children by women especially the poorest and the relatively high unemployment rate particularly among the youth sector

Students and volunteers take a selfie after placing their pledges on the commitment wall during the observance of World Population Day with the theme lsquoInvesting in Teenage Girlsrsquo at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila yesterday Photo by Miguel De Guzman

PH to benefit from population of young peopleby Sheila CriSoStomo

Philstarcom

Philippine celebrationWorld Population Day was

commemorated at the Rizal Me-morial Coliseum in Manila with the participation of some 2000 teenage girls

The event was spearheaded by the Commission on Population

Health Undersecretary Gerar-do Bayugo said there is a need to combine the efforts of the gov-ernment and non-governmen-tal organizations to address the rising teenage pregnancy in the country

ldquoWe need to inspire our teen-

age girlshellip They need special care Not only because they are the future They will give life and nurture the future of our coun-tryrdquo Bayugo said

This yearrsquos event was high-lighted by the launching of the ldquoBABAEnihanrdquo campaign which seeks national attention to issues that affect the future of young women

It is a call for stakeholders to work together to expand oppor-tunities for girls through invest-ments in their education health

uPAGE A7

shot and killed by police officers just one day apart

On July 5 Sterling 37 was sell-ing CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge Louisiana When police officers discovered he had a gun on his person Sterling was shot multiple times at point-blank range Louisiana is one of 31 states that permits open carry of firearms

Several bystanders had filmed the encounter and the shooting

One day later 32-year-old Cas-tile a nutrition services supervi-

Asian Americans support Black Lives Matterhellipsor in Minnesota was stopped by police for a broken rear light When reaching for his license and registration Castile told the officer he had a licensed con-cealed weapon in the car As he put his hands up the police shot him four times

Castilersquos girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car Reyn-olds live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook

Legal and civil rights organiza-tion Asian Americans Advancing Justice has also come out in sup-

port for BLM in the wake of the killings of Sterling and Castile

ldquoAs the nationrsquos leading legal and civil rights voice rooted in Asian American communities we stand together with commu-nities of color in the fight to end systemic police brutalityrdquo the organization said in a statement ldquoAs the facts of each case sur-face we ask the US Department of Justice to not only investigate the fatal shooting of Mr Sterling but also to investigate the shoot-ing and death of Mr Castilerdquo (By Klarize Medenilla AJPress)

PAGE A4 t

cerns over elected officialsrsquo in-volvement in illegal drug activi-ties

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines has historically been an issue but the trade has ex-panded in recent years to take down narcotic networks which include approximately 200 gov-

ernment officials according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

ldquoThe president plans to issue a memorandum to barangay cap-tains (village officials) and may-orsrdquo Abella said

According to Abella the ad-ministration plans to conduct investigations of officials in areas

Philippines to create drug rehabhellipwith high prevalence of drug-re-lated problems

In a media briefing in April Duterte promised to rid the coun-try of its drug problem within three to six months of taking the presidency

ldquoI will raise the level of the drug threat into a national security is-suerdquo he said n

PAGE A3 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

KUDOS to former Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosa-rio and the whole team which on behalf of the Filipino people filed argued and won the case against China before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal

The court found Chinarsquos claims illegal in its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) an area rich in seafood and other resources

As ABS-CBN News reported this landmark rul-ing was the first case against Chinarsquos expansive claims which has sparked international alarm and prompted the United States to send warships on ldquofreedom of navigationrdquo patrols

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Manny ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

ldquoThe rule of law The United Nations has fulfilled its existence not war but peace through the rule of law so this is the triumph of the Philippines because we have followed the regular process of settling disputesrdquo said US Pinoys for Good Gover-nance Chairman Loida Nicolas Lewis in a report

by The Filipino Channelrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo New York Correspondent Don Tagala

Bobby del Rosario the son for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosario was among those who celebrated this victory in front of the United Nations in New York

ldquoIrsquom gonna quote a couple of words from what my father said

Chinarsquos a great superpower and to be a great superpower you have to follow the laws and the rules of the landhellipand International Law is a great equalizerrdquo del Rosario said in the report

Fil-Am leaders however acknowledge that this victory is just a moral and legal victory which can-not be enforced against China The biggest ques-tion and challenge remains will China now exit the disputed area and leave the West Philippine sea to the Philippines pursuant to the provisions United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) that were upheld by the tribunal rul-ing

China boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and has repeat-edly vowed to ignore the ruling saying its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests

After the ruling was announced Cui Tiankai mdash Beijingrsquos Ambassador to the US mdash said the tribunalrsquos decision denying Chinarsquos claims in the South China Sea will ldquointensify conflict and even

confrontationrdquo as reported by ReutersThe Chinese ambassador however also said

that Beijing remains committed to negotiations with other parties in disputes over the South Chi-na Sea waters that have some of the worldrsquos most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas

The Philippinesrsquo newly sworn-in President Ro-drigo Duterte had said that he was seeking a ldquosoft landingrdquo with China after the decision ABS-CBN News reported that Foreign Affairs Secretary Per-fecto Yasay Jr said he would seek negotiations with Beijing mindful that the tribunal had no pow-

ers to enforce its decisionIn response to the reaction of the Duterte admin-

istration to the UN tribunal ruling Fil-Am commu-nity leader Loida Nicolas Lewis further said on Balitang America ldquoPara sa akinhellipWe negotiate according to our constitution We keep 60 percent you [China] get 40 percent If they donrsquot want to accept that then they are a rogue state Because it is very clear from the tribunal we have 100 percent ownership but that doesnrsquot mean we cannot share 40 percentrdquo

According to Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala the US Pinoys for Good Governance are amenable to President Dutertersquos negotiation with China but with pre-conditions

How do you think the Duterte administration should handle the negotiation with China

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Many ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo 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 wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

Main Office1210 S Brand BoulevardGlendale CA 91204Tels (818) 502-0651Fax (818) 502-0858e-mail infoasianjournalinccomhttpwwwasianjournalcom

Northern California1001 Bayhill Drive Suite 200San Bruno CA 94066Tel (650) 616-4150 bull Fax (650) 616-4152

Asian Journal Publications Inc (ldquoAJPIrdquo) reserves the right to refuse to publish in its sole and absolute discretion any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client (ldquoClientrsquos Materialrdquo)Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Clientrsquos Material AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Clientrsquos Material and to delete objectionable words or phrasesClient represents and warrants that a Clientrsquos Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity does not and will not violate or infringe upon or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including without limitation any copyright trademark service mark or contract right) of any person or entity or violate any other applicable law and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigationPublication of a Clientrsquos Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publicationClient agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss liability damage expenses cost charges claims actions causes of action recoveries judgments penalties including outside attorneysrsquo fees (individually and collectively ldquoClaimsrdquo) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Clientrsquos breach of any of the representations warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Clientrsquos MaterialAJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Clientrsquos Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Clientrsquos Material In the event of an error or omission in printing or publication of a Clientrsquos Material AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisementUnder no circumstances shall Asian Publications Inc be liable for consequential damages of any kind

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS INC publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal published twice a week the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal Northern California Asian Journal Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Orange Counties Northern California Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectivelyArticles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher Letters to the Editor are welcome Letters must contain complete name and return address The materials however are subject to editing and revisionsContributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays For advertising rates and other informations please call the LA office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at infoasianjournalinccom

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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

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Manila Office2nd Floor Units DampE Fort Palm Springs30th St Cor 1st Ave Bonifacio Global City TaguigTel (632) 856-4921 bull Fax (632) 856-1661

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New Jersey449 Hoboken AvenueJersey City New Jersey 07306Tel (212) 6555426 bull Fax (818) 5020858

OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimesnet photo

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

I WAS developing a column on ldquodue process of lawrdquo built around the prizefight being promoted (by the Inquirer) between the fiscalizer (Sen Leila de Lima) and The Punisher (Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte) when I realized that the boxing imagery would cheapen the more fundamental issues involved in the depressing spec-tacle of state-sanctioned killings in the country today

I thought it would be more useful if I examined instead the underlying clash between the right of criminal suspects to due process and the right of society to protect itself and its members

While doing research on this weighty subject I was startled to find strong and persuasive literature in support of both sides

Daniel Websterrsquos noble summation ldquoDue process of law is that which hears before it condemns which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trialrdquo stands out as a banner for due process in addition to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

On the other side there is also much persuasive literature and equally ex-plicit constitutional provisions that ar-gue eloquently for the assertion of state responsibility to suppress the lawless

Conventional thinking presumes that

this debate was settled long ago in favor of the rights of suspects to due process over the rights of society to protect itself

The advent of Duterte is a reminder that the debate is far from set-tled There is a strong

current of opinion in this country in fa-vor of a hard-line policy against crime especially the illegal drugs trade

Duterte conducting a class on public policy

I think what is happening is this President Duterte is conducting a class in public policy in which we the citizens are the students

The subject is not the illegal drugs trade but two critical and related top-ics

1 The moral argument or rationale for capital punishment and the execu-tion of criminals

2 The statersquos monopoly of violence which seeks to crush lawless elements (organized crime terrorism insurgen-cy) in the country

These are fields of study and research in political science criminology and po-lice science and sociology

To take the topics in sequence this is what DU30 appears to be telling us

Why the death penalty is necessaryLike other government executives be-

fore him Duterte believes that the death

penalty ldquoaffirms liferdquo By failing to ex-ecute murderers or stop drug lords we signal a lessened regard for the value of the lives of victims People who oppose the death penalty are like the neighbors of a teenage murder victim who heard her cries for help but did nothing They are like the neighbors who looked away while the drug pusher plied their ugly trade and ruined the lives of people

This is the standard ldquomoral defenserdquo of death as punishment Even if executions donrsquot deter violent crime or the drugs trade any more effectively than imprison-ment the death penalty is still required as the only means society has of doing jus-tice in response to the worst of crimes

One former mayor of New York City Edward Koch fully endorses this view of the death penalty He has authored a famous article ldquoDeath and justice How capital punishment affirms liferdquo which lays out his argument cogently and per-suasively

He concluded the article with these words ldquoThe death of anyonemdasheven a convicted killermdashdiminishes us all But we are diminished even more by a jus-tice system that fails to function It is an illusion to let ourselves believe that doing away with capital punishment moves the murdererrsquos deed from our conscience The rights of society are paramounthellip

ldquoIt is hard to imagine anything worse than being murdered while neighbors do nothing But something worse ex-

ists When those same neighbors shrink back from justly punishing the murder-er the victim dies twicerdquo

Dutertersquos thinking with respect to il-legal drugs is similar to this He shares the frustration and anger of people who see that the Aquino government did nothing to combat the drug menace So what if the death penalty doesnrsquot work as a deterrent At least it gives citizens the satisfaction of knowing that we got one or two of the sons of bitches

State monopoly of violenceThe other powerful argument focuses

on the statersquos monopoly of legitimate physical force in society

State monopoly of violence is the con-cept that the state alone has the right to use or authorize the use of physical force It is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state

In his lecture ldquoPolitics as a Vocationrdquo (1918) the German sociologist Max Weber defines the state as a ldquohuman community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territoryrdquo

The concept does not imply that the state is the only actor actually using violence but rather that it is the only actor that can legitimately authorize its use The state can grant another actor the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it remains the only source of the right to use violence

The monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force also known as the mo-

nopoly on violence is a core concept of modern public law

This monopoly is limited to a certain geographical area A necessary condi-tion of statehood is the retention of such a monopoly

De Lima vs DuterteBecause government has failed mis-

erably to solve the great problems of national life Duterte is taking us back to the basics of governance to find the wellsprings for effective government

In law enforcement his government is searching for the right policy mix that will enable it to overcome the threat posed by organized crime repel the threat of Islamist terrorism and negoti-ate lasting peace with insurgents

At the moment the public eye is riv-eted more on the responsibility of gov-ernment than on the rights of criminal suspects

The safety of society comes first The court process can wait This is one big reason why the death toll is high and mounting

The balance will tilt when Congress debates the issue and conducts its promised inquiries into the killings

ldquoI am watching yourdquo Sen De Lima has warned the President

No doubt the President is watching her in turn

This is going to be one hell of a prize-fight when Sen Manny Pacquiao also gets into the ring (yenmakabentaya-hoocom)

The death penalty and state monopoly of violence

Yen Makabenta

Opinion

A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving and has become a P200-billion ldquoindustryrdquo

War on drugs

An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates

According to the PDEA 2051 percent or 8629 barangays (villages) out of the 42065 nationwide are plagued with the drug-related cases

Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 9210 percent of the regionrsquos baran-gays involved Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and marijuana remain the most abused illegal drugs in the country

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr re-vealed that barangays are considered slightly af-fected if there are identified drug users in the com-munity but no known drug pushers or traffickers are operating in the area while moderately affected if at least a suspected drug pusher or trafficker is operating in the barangay A barangay is seriously affected if at least a drug laboratory den dive or resort is suspected to exist in the community

Perhaps this is why Pres Rodrigo Duterte stayed true to his word that when elected he would launch a bloody war on drugs

In recent weeks the nation saw a spike in drug-related killings Reports show that there have been more than 100 reported cases of drug-related kill-ings in less than a month

Amid this intensified anti-drug campaign there

has also been a spate of surrenders from thousands of drug users and peddlers across the country They have pledged to not do or sell drugs again and cooperate with the gov-

ernmentrsquos drive against drugs While the government is gaining momentum in

its campaign against drugs some senators have questioned its efficacy and raised concerns over the rising number of extrajudicial killings

ldquoWe have to look into that in aid of legislation The killings are on the rise and there are just tell-tale signs of summary executions in a number of themrdquo said Sen Leila De Lima who was the for-mer chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

Sen Franklin Drilon echoed De Limarsquos senti-ments and agreed to conduct the Senate inquiry

ldquoWhile we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs of the Philippine National Police the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in recent monthsrdquo Drilon said

Even Vice Pres Leni Robredo agrees She en-couraged authorities ldquoto look into these cases If there is really culpability then justice requires that appropriate cases be filed and that those proven to be accountable be punishedrdquo

ldquoWhile we are one with the fight against drugs we are concerned with the growing culture of vigi-

Editorial

lantism and violence We hope that the war is not done at the expense of the innocent and defense-lessrdquo Robredo said

Recognizing the rampancy of the drug problem in the country is only the first step Instead of in-flicting fear among the citizenry the national gov-

ernment must initiate a cohesive effort in dealing with the drug problem

Engaging in an all-out war against drugs is be-yond the power of the government alone This campaign can only be deemed successful with the engagement of the public (AJPress)

Fil-Am leaders speak up on the Philippinesrsquo victory over China in UN tribunal decision

Filipinos in Los Angeles also organized a rally outside the Chinese Consulate hailing The Haguersquos ruling in favor of the Philippines Photo courtesy of Art Garcia

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

KUDOS to former Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosa-rio and the whole team which on behalf of the Filipino people filed argued and won the case against China before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal

The court found Chinarsquos claims illegal in its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) an area rich in seafood and other resources

As ABS-CBN News reported this landmark rul-ing was the first case against Chinarsquos expansive claims which has sparked international alarm and prompted the United States to send warships on ldquofreedom of navigationrdquo patrols

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Manny ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

ldquoThe rule of law The United Nations has fulfilled its existence not war but peace through the rule of law so this is the triumph of the Philippines because we have followed the regular process of settling disputesrdquo said US Pinoys for Good Gover-nance Chairman Loida Nicolas Lewis in a report

by The Filipino Channelrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo New York Correspondent Don Tagala

Bobby del Rosario the son for-mer DFA Sec Albert del Rosario was among those who celebrated this victory in front of the United Nations in New York

ldquoIrsquom gonna quote a couple of words from what my father said

Chinarsquos a great superpower and to be a great superpower you have to follow the laws and the rules of the landhellipand International Law is a great equalizerrdquo del Rosario said in the report

Fil-Am leaders however acknowledge that this victory is just a moral and legal victory which can-not be enforced against China The biggest ques-tion and challenge remains will China now exit the disputed area and leave the West Philippine sea to the Philippines pursuant to the provisions United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) that were upheld by the tribunal rul-ing

China boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and has repeat-edly vowed to ignore the ruling saying its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests

After the ruling was announced Cui Tiankai mdash Beijingrsquos Ambassador to the US mdash said the tribunalrsquos decision denying Chinarsquos claims in the South China Sea will ldquointensify conflict and even

confrontationrdquo as reported by ReutersThe Chinese ambassador however also said

that Beijing remains committed to negotiations with other parties in disputes over the South Chi-na Sea waters that have some of the worldrsquos most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas

The Philippinesrsquo newly sworn-in President Ro-drigo Duterte had said that he was seeking a ldquosoft landingrdquo with China after the decision ABS-CBN News reported that Foreign Affairs Secretary Per-fecto Yasay Jr said he would seek negotiations with Beijing mindful that the tribunal had no pow-

ers to enforce its decisionIn response to the reaction of the Duterte admin-

istration to the UN tribunal ruling Fil-Am commu-nity leader Loida Nicolas Lewis further said on Balitang America ldquoPara sa akinhellipWe negotiate according to our constitution We keep 60 percent you [China] get 40 percent If they donrsquot want to accept that then they are a rogue state Because it is very clear from the tribunal we have 100 percent ownership but that doesnrsquot mean we cannot share 40 percentrdquo

According to Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala the US Pinoys for Good Governance are amenable to President Dutertersquos negotiation with China but with pre-conditions

How do you think the Duterte administration should handle the negotiation with China

Kababayans in the United States gave their all-out support to the Philippine government in this fight with Fil-Ams in the East Coast spearhead-ing protest rallies against Chinarsquos ldquobullyingrdquo and intrusion in the West Philippines Sea Many ral-lies and five years after these Fil-Ams are back but this time it was to celebrate the victory of the Philippines with the tribunal decision that favored the Philippines

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo 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 wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

Main Office1210 S Brand BoulevardGlendale CA 91204Tels (818) 502-0651Fax (818) 502-0858e-mail infoasianjournalinccomhttpwwwasianjournalcom

Northern California1001 Bayhill Drive Suite 200San Bruno CA 94066Tel (650) 616-4150 bull Fax (650) 616-4152

Asian Journal Publications Inc (ldquoAJPIrdquo) reserves the right to refuse to publish in its sole and absolute discretion any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client (ldquoClientrsquos Materialrdquo)Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Clientrsquos Material AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Clientrsquos Material and to delete objectionable words or phrasesClient represents and warrants that a Clientrsquos Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity does not and will not violate or infringe upon or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including without limitation any copyright trademark service mark or contract right) of any person or entity or violate any other applicable law and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigationPublication of a Clientrsquos Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publicationClient agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss liability damage expenses cost charges claims actions causes of action recoveries judgments penalties including outside attorneysrsquo fees (individually and collectively ldquoClaimsrdquo) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Clientrsquos breach of any of the representations warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Clientrsquos MaterialAJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Clientrsquos Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Clientrsquos Material In the event of an error or omission in printing or publication of a Clientrsquos Material AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisementUnder no circumstances shall Asian Publications Inc be liable for consequential damages of any kind

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS INC publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal published twice a week the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal Northern California Asian Journal Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Orange Counties Northern California Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectivelyArticles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher Letters to the Editor are welcome Letters must contain complete name and return address The materials however are subject to editing and revisionsContributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays For advertising rates and other informations please call the LA office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at infoasianjournalinccom

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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

Manila Office2nd Floor Units DampE Fort Palm Springs30th St Cor 1st Ave Bonifacio Global City TaguigTel (632) 856-4921 bull Fax (632) 856-1661

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New Jersey449 Hoboken AvenueJersey City New Jersey 07306Tel (212) 6555426 bull Fax (818) 5020858

OpiniOn Features

ManilaTimesnet photo

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

I WAS developing a column on ldquodue process of lawrdquo built around the prizefight being promoted (by the Inquirer) between the fiscalizer (Sen Leila de Lima) and The Punisher (Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte) when I realized that the boxing imagery would cheapen the more fundamental issues involved in the depressing spec-tacle of state-sanctioned killings in the country today

I thought it would be more useful if I examined instead the underlying clash between the right of criminal suspects to due process and the right of society to protect itself and its members

While doing research on this weighty subject I was startled to find strong and persuasive literature in support of both sides

Daniel Websterrsquos noble summation ldquoDue process of law is that which hears before it condemns which proceeds upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trialrdquo stands out as a banner for due process in addition to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

On the other side there is also much persuasive literature and equally ex-plicit constitutional provisions that ar-gue eloquently for the assertion of state responsibility to suppress the lawless

Conventional thinking presumes that

this debate was settled long ago in favor of the rights of suspects to due process over the rights of society to protect itself

The advent of Duterte is a reminder that the debate is far from set-tled There is a strong

current of opinion in this country in fa-vor of a hard-line policy against crime especially the illegal drugs trade

Duterte conducting a class on public policy

I think what is happening is this President Duterte is conducting a class in public policy in which we the citizens are the students

The subject is not the illegal drugs trade but two critical and related top-ics

1 The moral argument or rationale for capital punishment and the execu-tion of criminals

2 The statersquos monopoly of violence which seeks to crush lawless elements (organized crime terrorism insurgen-cy) in the country

These are fields of study and research in political science criminology and po-lice science and sociology

To take the topics in sequence this is what DU30 appears to be telling us

Why the death penalty is necessaryLike other government executives be-

fore him Duterte believes that the death

penalty ldquoaffirms liferdquo By failing to ex-ecute murderers or stop drug lords we signal a lessened regard for the value of the lives of victims People who oppose the death penalty are like the neighbors of a teenage murder victim who heard her cries for help but did nothing They are like the neighbors who looked away while the drug pusher plied their ugly trade and ruined the lives of people

This is the standard ldquomoral defenserdquo of death as punishment Even if executions donrsquot deter violent crime or the drugs trade any more effectively than imprison-ment the death penalty is still required as the only means society has of doing jus-tice in response to the worst of crimes

One former mayor of New York City Edward Koch fully endorses this view of the death penalty He has authored a famous article ldquoDeath and justice How capital punishment affirms liferdquo which lays out his argument cogently and per-suasively

He concluded the article with these words ldquoThe death of anyonemdasheven a convicted killermdashdiminishes us all But we are diminished even more by a jus-tice system that fails to function It is an illusion to let ourselves believe that doing away with capital punishment moves the murdererrsquos deed from our conscience The rights of society are paramounthellip

ldquoIt is hard to imagine anything worse than being murdered while neighbors do nothing But something worse ex-

ists When those same neighbors shrink back from justly punishing the murder-er the victim dies twicerdquo

Dutertersquos thinking with respect to il-legal drugs is similar to this He shares the frustration and anger of people who see that the Aquino government did nothing to combat the drug menace So what if the death penalty doesnrsquot work as a deterrent At least it gives citizens the satisfaction of knowing that we got one or two of the sons of bitches

State monopoly of violenceThe other powerful argument focuses

on the statersquos monopoly of legitimate physical force in society

State monopoly of violence is the con-cept that the state alone has the right to use or authorize the use of physical force It is widely regarded as a defining characteristic of the modern state

In his lecture ldquoPolitics as a Vocationrdquo (1918) the German sociologist Max Weber defines the state as a ldquohuman community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territoryrdquo

The concept does not imply that the state is the only actor actually using violence but rather that it is the only actor that can legitimately authorize its use The state can grant another actor the right to use violence without losing its monopoly as long as it remains the only source of the right to use violence

The monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force also known as the mo-

nopoly on violence is a core concept of modern public law

This monopoly is limited to a certain geographical area A necessary condi-tion of statehood is the retention of such a monopoly

De Lima vs DuterteBecause government has failed mis-

erably to solve the great problems of national life Duterte is taking us back to the basics of governance to find the wellsprings for effective government

In law enforcement his government is searching for the right policy mix that will enable it to overcome the threat posed by organized crime repel the threat of Islamist terrorism and negoti-ate lasting peace with insurgents

At the moment the public eye is riv-eted more on the responsibility of gov-ernment than on the rights of criminal suspects

The safety of society comes first The court process can wait This is one big reason why the death toll is high and mounting

The balance will tilt when Congress debates the issue and conducts its promised inquiries into the killings

ldquoI am watching yourdquo Sen De Lima has warned the President

No doubt the President is watching her in turn

This is going to be one hell of a prize-fight when Sen Manny Pacquiao also gets into the ring (yenmakabentaya-hoocom)

The death penalty and state monopoly of violence

Yen Makabenta

Opinion

A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving and has become a P200-billion ldquoindustryrdquo

War on drugs

An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates

According to the PDEA 2051 percent or 8629 barangays (villages) out of the 42065 nationwide are plagued with the drug-related cases

Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 9210 percent of the regionrsquos baran-gays involved Methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and marijuana remain the most abused illegal drugs in the country

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr re-vealed that barangays are considered slightly af-fected if there are identified drug users in the com-munity but no known drug pushers or traffickers are operating in the area while moderately affected if at least a suspected drug pusher or trafficker is operating in the barangay A barangay is seriously affected if at least a drug laboratory den dive or resort is suspected to exist in the community

Perhaps this is why Pres Rodrigo Duterte stayed true to his word that when elected he would launch a bloody war on drugs

In recent weeks the nation saw a spike in drug-related killings Reports show that there have been more than 100 reported cases of drug-related kill-ings in less than a month

Amid this intensified anti-drug campaign there

has also been a spate of surrenders from thousands of drug users and peddlers across the country They have pledged to not do or sell drugs again and cooperate with the gov-

ernmentrsquos drive against drugs While the government is gaining momentum in

its campaign against drugs some senators have questioned its efficacy and raised concerns over the rising number of extrajudicial killings

ldquoWe have to look into that in aid of legislation The killings are on the rise and there are just tell-tale signs of summary executions in a number of themrdquo said Sen Leila De Lima who was the for-mer chair of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR)

Sen Franklin Drilon echoed De Limarsquos senti-ments and agreed to conduct the Senate inquiry

ldquoWhile we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs of the Philippine National Police the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in recent monthsrdquo Drilon said

Even Vice Pres Leni Robredo agrees She en-couraged authorities ldquoto look into these cases If there is really culpability then justice requires that appropriate cases be filed and that those proven to be accountable be punishedrdquo

ldquoWhile we are one with the fight against drugs we are concerned with the growing culture of vigi-

Editorial

lantism and violence We hope that the war is not done at the expense of the innocent and defense-lessrdquo Robredo said

Recognizing the rampancy of the drug problem in the country is only the first step Instead of in-flicting fear among the citizenry the national gov-

ernment must initiate a cohesive effort in dealing with the drug problem

Engaging in an all-out war against drugs is be-yond the power of the government alone This campaign can only be deemed successful with the engagement of the public (AJPress)

Fil-Am leaders speak up on the Philippinesrsquo victory over China in UN tribunal decision

Filipinos in Los Angeles also organized a rally outside the Chinese Consulate hailing The Haguersquos ruling in favor of the Philippines Photo courtesy of Art Garcia

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

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Jumbo Milkfish

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 ADateline PhiliPPines

BASILAN CENTER Officials launched on Friday the construction of a new colossal provincial government center in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City in the island province of Basilan The P250 million worth project shall be bankrolled by the executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

MANILA mdash Sen Antonio Trillanes IV has revived his pro-posal for Congress to grant an increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) members

After former President Aquino vetoed the bill passed by Con-gress hiking the SSS pension last January Trillanes refiled his measure through Senate bill No 91 to be tackled in the new 17th Congress which will open ses-sions on July 25

Under SBN 91 all SSS pen-sioners shall receive an across-the-board increase of P2000 re-gardless of the date of effectivity of their retirement

ldquoWe had the opportunity to provide relief to our pensioners last Congress by passing a leg-islation that would increase their monthly pension The measure

Trillanes re-files bill seeking pension increase for SSS members

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

THE SUPREME Court (SC) en banc sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Vice President Maria Leonor ldquoLenirdquo Robredo to answer the election protest filed by former senator Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr

During deliberations on Tues-day July 12 the magistrates agreed to require Robredo to file her comment where she is ex-pected to present her defenses and arguments to dispute the

Answer Marcos poll protest VP toldby Jomar Canlas

ManilaTimesnet

allegations of Marcos that there was massive cheating during the May 2016 elections

The case was raffled off to As-sociate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa who has ties to both parties

Caguioa is a classmate of for-mer President Benigno Aquino 3rd Robredorsquos Liberal Party mate from elementary to col-lege He was also a classmate of the former senatorrsquos wife Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law

Aquino has a huge stake in the

case having drafted Robredo to run against Marcos The former Presidentrsquos sister actress Kris Aquino was Robredorsquos top cam-paigner and financier

Robredo won against Marcos with a margin of 263473 votes

Marcos is questioning the ac-curacy of the poll results and is asking for a probe of reported irregularities during the polls through a judicial revision or re-count of the ballots and the ex-amination system audit and ver-ification of the voterrsquos receipts election returns and related elec-tion documents n

YOU havenrsquot seen (or heard) anything yet

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to deliver the most ex-plosive State of the Nation Ad-dress (SONA) that the country will ever hear administration sources said

In his first SONA scheduled on July 25 the President is expected to drop a number of bombshells including the identities of all lo-cal government officials mem-bers of the media and other per-sonalities believed to be involved in illegal drugs

ldquoWe expect it to be a no-holds barred type of speech Already he is gathering up all the infor-mation he [needs] You want to know the real state of the nation We will hear it from him that dayrdquo a highly placed administra-tion source who spoke on condi-tion that he not be named said

ldquoWe saw it during the anniver-sary of the [Philippine] Air Force We were all caught off-guardrdquo the source added

He was referring to the Air Force anniversary rites on July 4 when Duterte accused five police officials of protecting illegal drug traffickers

In his speech during the event at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

Duterte preparing lsquoexplosiversquo SONAthe President named two for-mer and three active officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the top five coddlers of illegal drug rings retired dep-uty director general Marcelo Garbo Jr retired chief superin-tendent Vicente Loot Director Joel Pagdilao Chief Supt Ber-nardo Diaz and Chief Supt Ed-gardo Tinio

All five have vehemently de-nied the Presidentrsquos accusation

Subsequently the PNP chief Director General Ronald ldquoBatordquo de la Rosa claimed that other police officers with the rank of senior superintendent down to Police Officer 1 were on a list held by the President

De la Rosa also claimed a num-ber of media personalities were involved in illegal drugs as users pushers or protectors of drug traders

Duterte has set a six-month deadline to crack down on ille-gal drugs criminality and graft and corruption a key campaign pledge that helped sweep him to power

The President may already be ldquoitchingrdquo to release the names of the individuals to publicly hu-miliate them but doing so will be ldquoanti-climacticrdquo The Manila Times source said

ldquoWhere else and when would be the best time for him to do

this The SONA is just a few days awayrdquo the source added

But Duterte may still opt to re-lease the names of the drug per-sonalities in his ldquodrug matrixrdquo anytime he wishes before or af-ter the SONA the source said

The Manila Times called Presi-dential Communications Secre-tary Martin Andanar to verify the information but the official said he still had no idea on the con-tents of the Presidentrsquos speech

Former military chief Dionisio Santiago a former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who ran for senator un-der Dutertersquos ticket said he does not know when Duterte would make public the names of per-sonalities linked to drugs

ldquoTo be honest I have no ideardquo he said in a text message

The annual SONA is held every fourth Monday of July coincid-ing with the regular opening of Congress There the President also submits the general appro-priations bill to the legislature for scrutiny

Besides the state of ldquonarco-politicsrdquo in the country Duterte is also anticipated to disclose his administrationrsquos plans for the countryrsquos future

Cabinet officials have been asked to submit their plans of ac-tion based on the Duterte admin-istrationrsquos agenda n

by Christine avendantildeoInquirernet

however was not signed into law With this re-filed measure we hope to finally provide sup-port to our pensioners through this long overdue increase in their pensionrdquo Trillanes said in a statement

Six months ago then Presi-dent Aquino vetoed the mea-sure as Palace spokespersons had said he was worried that the ldquostability of the entire SSS ben-efit systemrdquo would be ldquoseriously

compromisedrdquo if the pensions of two million pensioners and their dependents were increased

In his bill Trillanes pointed out the need to raise the pension of SSS members since it had been 19 years since the last SSS pen-sion increase was implemented through Republic Act 8282

He bewailed the fact that the cost of living expenses had con-siderably increased over time

ldquoHowever the meager amount of monthly pension of our SSS pensioners who are old and mostly suffering from various medical conditions has become inadequate to support their monthly food sustenance and maintenance medicinesrdquo the senator said

ldquoMoreover pensioners who retired after the effectivity of RA 8282 are even more struggling because they are receiving small-er amounts of monthly pensionrdquo Trillanes added n

by Joel m sy egCoManilaTimesnet

and wellbeing Beck said this yearrsquos theme

about investing in adolescent girls is particularly relevant and urgent because teenage girls are among the marginalized sectors of society in terms of accessing social services that respond to their real needs

He added that based on a new study of the UNFPA adolescent fertility has gone down in all countries in the Asia-Pacific re-gion except for the Philippines

Among the Filipino girls aged 15-19 about one in 10 has given birth

Instruments for transforma-tion

Vice President Leni Robredo

also joined the call for more in-vestments in the education and health of teenage girls saying that women ldquoare the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo

ldquoEmbrace the soft power of your femininity There is strength in being a girl You are the hope for our nationrsquos transformationrdquo Robredo said in a speech read by her eldest daughter Aika at the World Population Day cel-ebration in Manila

Robredo skipped the World Population Day celebration to at-tend her first Cabinet meeting in Malacantildeang

Meanwhile the Department of Education (DepEd) also enjoined schools and community leaders to make sure that female stu-

dents are given an education that will empower them

ldquoLet us grow young females whose rights needs well-be-ing and potentials are not com-promised or violated Let us take strides to allow our young women to lead and have a voice thatrsquos heardrdquo the agency said in a statement

DepEd noted that despite the worldrsquos achievements in gender equality teenage girls remain vulnerable and compromised by social and economic disparities

In many parts of the world girls are deemed even forced by their community and their fami-lies to be ready for marriage and childbirth DepEd said (With Helen Flores)

PH to benefit from population of younghellipPAGE A5 t

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

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OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

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(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Philippines remains the worldrsquos top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Center Association of the Philip-pines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compel-

ling value proposition differentiated from any other market out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) countries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice services a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the countryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice seg-

mentBy 2017 the Philippine information tech-

nology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-tryrsquos largest source of income

From 525000 employees in 2010 and $89 billion in revenue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 bil-lion in revenue this year

MANILA Philippines - The Philippines re-mains the worldrsquos top call center destination

MANILA mdash Three new indus-tries are expected to emerge un-der the Duterte administration mdash funeral homes drug rehabili-tation and drug testing centers and retirement businesses

This is according to the coun-tryrsquos franchise industry experts

In a press briefing Thursday July 7 Samie Lim chairman emeritus of the Philippine Fran-chise Association said the group has been receiving inquiries from funeral companies on the possibility of franchising

Future franchise favorites Funeral homes drug rehab centersldquoWersquove been getting inqui-

riesrdquo he saidOther industries seen emerg-

ing are in drug rehabilitation and drug testing given the Duterte administrationrsquos fight against drug use

Alan Escalona president and CEO of Fruit Magic said drug rehabilitation can be a lucrative business because drug use can be a very deep problem and it takes time and effort to rehabili-tate a user

ldquoThe history of a drug rehab dates back during the Marcos era There are only a few people

MANILA mdash The wireless sub-sidiary of PLDT Inc is spending P1 billion to expand the cover-age of its Wi-Fi service in trans-port hubs government offices as well as business establish-ments in the country this year

Smart Communications Inc said the P1 billion budget for the Wi-Fi service program is part of the P43 billion capital expenditures earmarked for this year

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-Fi service

Smart is currently working on the upgrade of the Wi-Fi public hotspots in the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino Interna-tional Airport in Pasay City as well as in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao Iloilo International Airport Ba-colod-Silay International Air-port in Negros Occidental and Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in Negros Oriental

Apart from the airports Smart Wi-Fi is also being made available to passengers wait-

MANILA mdash Net inflows of job-generating foreign direct investments (FDI) jumped to the highest-ever monthly fig-ure of $22 billion in April as the Philippinesrsquo economic star shone in the region and attract-ed greater investor interest the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday July 11

Data showed net FDI inflows

Foreign investment in PH reaches record high of $22-B

last April surged from $364 million a month ago and $382 million a year ago which BSP said was ldquoreflective of the fa-vorable investment climate as the economy continued to post strong growth and show even better growth potentialsrdquo

The Philippine economy grew by a better-than-expected 69 percent in the first quarter with full-year growth expected to be within a ldquoconservativerdquo

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

by Ben O de VeraInquirernet

by IrIs GOnzalesPhilstarcom

by lOuella d desIderIOPhilstarcom

by rIchmOnd s mercurIOPhilstarcom

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B2

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

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Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

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Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

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$129SAVINGS

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lb$129

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Box$399

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Pork Chop Skin On

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Jumbo Milkfish

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33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

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Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

ing at the terminals of bus com-panies including Alps Five Star Bus Isarog Bus Jam Liner Phil-tranco and Victory Liner

Smart is expanding the Wi-Fi service to cover more public ar-eas like city halls schools malls restaurants and coffee shops

ldquoOver the past months we have aggressively broadened the Smart Wi-Fi footprint through our key partnerships with gov-ernment institutions and business establishments consequently im-proving internet access and cov-erage nationwiderdquo Eric Alberto executive vice president at PLDT

and Smart saidHe said the Wi-Fi rollout is

in line with the telcorsquos efforts to provide customers a seamless digital experience

Apart from providing internet connectivity to more people Smart Wi-Fi is also seen to sup-port the operations of small and medium enterprises and institu-tions

ldquoWith more people using Wi-Fi provided by establishments they patronize Wi-Fi connectivity has been proven to contribute to business growthrdquo Alberto said

Through Smartrsquos Wi-Fi ser-vice users could enjoy free con-

nectivity for an initial number of minutes

Those looking to continue their use of the internet beyond the free minutes could purchase credits from Smart

Smartrsquos Wi-Fi service is sup-ported by PLDTrsquos fixed and wireless networks with the most extensive fiber optic foot-print spanning over 100000 ki-lometers

Amid growing demand for fast-er more reliable and affordable internet connectivity PLDT is im-plementing a three-year network expansion program to provide customers better services n

Smart spending P1-B to boost Wi-FihellipPAGE B1 t

despite growing challenge from other countries the Contact Cen-ter Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said

ldquoThe Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide Despite the challenges the preference is still the Philippines for voice as a compelling value proposition dif-ferentiated from any other mar-ket out thererdquo CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) coun-tries such as Vietnam Turkey Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippinesrsquo voice ser-vices a run for its money

CCAP however said the local industryrsquos sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue

continued to tighten the coun-tryrsquos grip as the global leader in the voice segment

By 2017 the Philippine infor-mation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the coun-

tryrsquos largest source of incomeFrom 525000 employees in

2010 and $89 billion in rev-enue the industry is expected to generate 13 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year n

Despite growing global competitionhellipPAGE B1 t

who are very patient (in running a drug rehab) so it can be a very lucrative business Drug is a very deep issuerdquo he said

ldquoIt can be a very good business but itrsquos 247 work If rehab cen-ters can be put up as a jumpstart then itrsquos possible Possible cure for drugs is really really very dif-ficult and the chances of being rehabilitated is lowrdquo Escalona explained

He said drug testing will also be done more often now given Dutertersquos crackdown on drugs

ldquoThere are only few authorized drug testing centers in the Philip-pines now Many are asking now if these (centers) are franchising They are looking into it because there are so many inquiriesrdquo Es-calona said

Another industry that can also emerge is retirement centres for the aged

He said that when Duterte is able to fulfill his promise that he would resolve the peace and or-der situation in the country many of the elderly population would be comfortable retiring even in urban cities in Metro Manila

In addition to the three indus-tries Lim said some companies in Davao may also expand in Metro Manila to enable other people to experience the taste of life in Davao such as its cuisine n

Future franchise favorites Funeral homeshellipPAGE B1 t

6-7 percent a range still bet-ter than most forecasts for its ASEAN neighbors

The average economic growth of 62 percent in the first five years of the previous Aquino ad-ministration was also the fastest since the late 1970s such that Aquinorsquos economic managers had declared that the Philippines was no longer Asiarsquos sick man but now a rising star in the re-gion

In a statement the BSP said net inflows were posted across all FDI components at the start of the second quarter

According to the BSP the bulk of the net inflows in April was made of debt instrumentsmdashover-seas-based parent firmsrsquo lending to their affiliates in the country in order to finance existing opera-tions as well as expansion which hit $13 billion up 3716 percent year-on-year

Net equity capital placements meanwhile reached $825 million

or 31993-percent higher year-on-year as gross equity capital placements rose 20441 percent year-on-year to $839 million outpacing withdrawals that the BSP said ldquoremained lowrdquo and dropped 63 percent year-on-year to $13 million

The top sources of equity capi-tal placements last April were Germany Japan the Nether-lands Taiwan and the United States

The industries that received the most amount of FDI that month included administrative and support service activities financial and insurance manu-facturing real estate as well as wholesale and retail trade

Reinvestment of foreign inves-torsrsquo earnings however declined 85 percent year-on-year to $74 million

At the end of the first four months net inflows of FDI climbed 1836 percent year-on-year to almost $35 billion

ldquoIn particular non-residentsrsquo

investments in debt instru-ments [as of end-April] more than doubled to $19 billion from $687 million last year Net eq-uity capital placements also grew by 3726 percent to $13 billion from $279 million This was due mainly to the $14-billion gross equity capital placements which is four times the previous yearrsquos level of $369 millionrdquo the BSP explained

The top five sources of equity capital placements during the January to April period were Hong Kong Japan Singapore Spain and the US from where investments were poured mostly into the accommodation and food service construction financial and insurance manufacturing as well as real estate sectors

End-of-April reinvestment of earnings also slid 41 percent year-on-year to $255 million

The BSP expects FDI inflows to hit $63 billion by yearend and exceed the last yearrsquos $57 bil-lion n

Foreign investment in PH reaches recordhellipPAGE B1 t

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you dis-agree with the determination you have the option to either ac-cept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office The appeals process is an adminis-trative means to resolve your problems without resorting to

Basics of IRS appeals processcourt trials Here are some ba-sics on the appeals process

1 Go to appeals if an IRS agent with an attitude had just put you through a treadmill If you feel that there were errors in the han-dling of your case or that you werenrsquot adequately represented in the audit go to appeals Itrsquos cheaper faster and more equi-table You go before an experi-enced Appeals Officer who has a broader mind and a better under-standing than the agent who put you through a ringer

2 You practically have a nice advantage The Appeals Officer acts like a mediator Another ad-vantage that you have your op-

ponent is not there It is just you and the Appeals Officer It frees your senses as a result from ad-versarial feelings against the pre-vious agent creating an air that is conducive to settlement

3 Your objective is to settle and resolve And your chance to settle increases if a broadminded tax veteran can see it your way

4 An Appeals Officer in most cases is a CPA lawyer or both who may find critical issues that may have been overlooked by the previous agent If this is your case stay away from appeals

5 After the audit of your re-turns you receive a notice from

uPAGE B3

Photo courtesy of escapemanilacom

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 BCommunity Journal

People and Events

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it please email us the details at infoasianjournalinccom or calendarasianjournalinccom

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of PentildeafranciaUnited Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone Bicolanos devotees and friends

to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Pentildeafrancia Patroness of the Bicol Region The festivities will start on Sept 9 with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA 90029 A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept 9 to Sept 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday Sept 10 at 330 PM and Sunday Sept 11 at 230 PM and culminates on Saturday Sept 17 with the ninth day novena at 8am foot amp fluvial procession at 9 AM and a Concelebrat-ed Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park 3501 Valley Blvd Los Angeles CA 90031 Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes Bishop of Sorsogon For details please call Lanie Ber-rei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896

SEPTEMBER 8-17

UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th

Anniversary amp Coronation Night on July 16 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odys-sey Dr Granada Hills Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa amp The Midnight Motion Band For other related questions please call Romy Elepano Governor ( 323) 498-9333 Carmel Gonzales Vice-Gov (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina Vice-Gov (323) 474-5877

JULY 16

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Divorcing couples with chil-dren sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their chil-drenrsquos college education after the divorce once their children grad-uates high school They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the col-lege expenses of their children This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family The old family becomes less of a priority

in california there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college expenses However the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos college education as part of a marital settlement agreement Family code section 3587 in re Marriage of rosen-feld and gross 225 cal App 4th 478 (2014) Pursuant to statute and court cases college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement as incorporated into a courtrsquos judgment constitutes adult child support such that court had ju-risdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlementrsquos failure to specifically provide that adult

child support was not subject to modification in re Marriage of rosenfeld and gross 225 cal App 4th at 488 (2014) Providing for payment of adult childrenrsquos college expenses is recognized more of an ldquoadd onrdquo to adult child support Family code 4062(b)(1)

However the parties may ldquoopt outrdquo or restrict the courtrsquos juris-diction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agree-ment that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or ter-mination by the court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parentrsquos contrac-tual agreement cal Family code Section 3587 3651(a)

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the col-lege tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you will share on the college tuition and expenses of your chil-dren in doing so you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifi-able or not in the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult childrenrsquos collegeexpenses in their divorce judgment

and non-terminable the default is that child support is modifi-able Sometimes leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support pro-vision in the MSA

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES PC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd Suite 747 Los Angeles CA 90010 Tel (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslawgmailcom or visit our website at Kenreyeslawcom

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice The article is intended to provide only general non-specific legal information This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U Reyes PC This article is not a solicitation (Advertising Supplement)

(Part 1 of 2)SoME stories are cautionary

tales if we approach our own lives with a smidgen of humil-ity stories do teach and show us the way in 2010 these stories illustrated supreme ego and an overblown sense of personal en-titlement

What do Tiger Amy and Joe have in common Yup you guessed it All three of them felt entitled

Amy Bishop of Alabama gunned down a number of his colleagues Joe Stack chose the murder suicide route The last sad tale is that of the once-upon-a-time golf legendTiger Woods it looks like in the postcript to Tigerrsquos Tale big bad karma will have the last say on the remain-der of his life story

on February 2010 Amy Bish-op a Harvard-trained neurosci-entist killed 3 of her colleagues with a 9 mm gun in cold blood and wounded three others in a faculty meeting in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Bishoprsquos rampage may have been motivated by the fact that she was denied tenure and will have to look for work elsewhere by the end of the spring semes-ter of that year She is married with 4 kids and appears to be the sole family provider With her ac-tion she decimated half the Biol-ogy Department and two of the wounded were hit in the head She went target shooting at the range prior to this

The second story is that of the pilot Joe Stack who flew and rammed his small Piper chero-kee plane in an irS office that houses close to 200 irS staff in Austin Texas causing a huge explosion and a massive fire kill-ing himself and another person and injuring 2 others in the pro-cess He torched his own home before taking off from a nearby airport leaving his second wife and daughter homeless and to pick up the pieces in tears He had a massive bone to pick with the taxman

And who has not heard of Tiger Woodsrsquo blazing fall from grace

Amy Bishop felt entitled So did Joe Stack Tiger Woods him-self admitted ldquoi felt that i had worked hard my entire life and

Tales of entitlement

deserved to enjoy all the tempta-tions around me i felt i was en-titledhelliprdquo

Letrsquos go over the storiesAmy Bishop who was per-

ceived as a brilliant inventor and scientist but a social oddball strongly obsessively felt entitled to be given tenure at UAH She had a secret troubled past be-ginning with the death of her own 18 year old brother whom she shot in the heart 24 years ago with a shotgun a case that was ruled accidental in Braintree Massachusetts

Well past the statute of limita-tion that case was never logged in the national database because she was never charged in that incident in hindsight police offi-cials now believe there was prob-able cause to charge her for what she did after the incident when she held a man at gunpoint in a nearby dealership demanding a get-away car and holding officers in a stand-off There are talks that because her mother who had some clout intervened and that there were some slip-ups in the chain of command Bishop was effectively exonerated and noth-ing more was heard of this case until now This important piece of information could have pre-vented the university from hiring her in the first place

Her husband who appears de-lusional as she is paints a pleas-ant picture of her as a mother and wife in stark contrast from those who felt she was aloof and arrogant in her perceived supe-riority She herself said she was arrogant because she is superior She frequently mentioned Har-vard in class and that she was a cousin of the author John irving who wrote ldquoThe cider House rulesrdquo and ldquoThe World Accord-ing to garprdquo

Former neighbors in Mas-sachusetts sighed in relief and held a pizza party when her fam-ily moved to Alabama She and her husband had called the cops on their neighbors in excess of a dozen times over perceived slights to the point that the cops felt they could not do enough for them She prevented the ice

cream truck from coming to their street because her children were lactose intolerant nor did she want her children to play with her neighborhood kids

Students at the UAH peti-tioned that she be removed from the classroom since she taught by reading from the textbook didnrsquot make eye contact and was just plain ineffective in a class-room setting There are other troubling incidents in her past life such as when she punched a woman at the local iHoP all because of a child booster seat while ranting profanities raving and screaming ldquoi am Dr Amy Bishoprdquo She and her husband were among those investigat-ed but never charged in a mail bombing incident of Professor Paul rosenberg of Harvard it appears the professor was giving her a negative review of her post-doctoral work That case remains unresolved

no one could have predicted that Amy Bishoprsquos very vocal ranting and internal raging over something she felt entitled to would result in tragedy Her ap-peal for tenure was denied last october Sadly one of her vic-tims the Biology Department head Dr gopi Podila a well-liked academic who immigrated from india and who supported her appeal for tenure and even dismissed the studentsrsquo petition against her was the first Amy Bishop shot dead The other 2 are Dr Maria ragland Davis and Dr Adriel Johnson all in their early fifties and by all accounts great human beings She fired repeatedly at her friend Dr Deb-ra Moriarity despite her pleas for mercy but the gun jammed and her friend lived to tell the grue-some details of the carnage

on April 2011 the Alabama Madison county District Attorney robert Broussard said during a court proceeding that he would seek the death penalty for Amy Bishop (Conclusion next week)

Nota Bene Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications Inc To send comments e-mail monettemaglayaasianjournalinccom

ldquohellipI felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptationsaround me I felt I was entitledhelliprdquo -Tiger Woods

the irS examination division asking you to agree or disagree They send a 30-day letter This is your ticket to appeals

6 Writing a protest is your ini-tial step Be persuasive Focus on issues in your favor counter ar-guments on matters that are not in your favor

7 The protest will be forward-ed to the original agent who will file a response obtain a copy of that response from either the Appeals officer or through FoiA Freedom of information Act so you may prepare for rebuttal

8 Prepare well for the confer-ence it is critical that all rele-vant information were provided to the auditor prior to appeals Any new information will gener-ally result your case back to the auditor for consideration This could cause delays in resolving your tax matters

9 The appeals conference is

one of negotiation Up to this point your forum has been an informal proceeding one of me-diation it remains as a non-dock-eted case

10 if no settlement can be reached the Appeals office sends a notice of Deficiency (also known as a 90-day letter or 150 days if addressed to you outside of the United States) Your case becomes a docketed case The chief counsel of the irS becomes involved it becomes more costly to defend as your case moves from informal mediation to the formal jurisdiction of a court where lawyers and cPAs fight in trial before a judge

11 it will be classified as a small case and can remain in appeals if the deficiency is $50000 or less otherwise it will be forwarded to area counsel where it will be cal-endared for trial in Tax court

12 cAUTion Do not represent yourself unless you know what

you are doing You are no match for the experienced officers You could be trying to save a few hun-dred dollars in fees only to lose thousands in potential savings of tax interests and penalties

You may also use appeals for levies liens claims for refund seizures and rejections of oic (offers in compromise) or in-stallment agreements (payment plans) it cannot be used for bankruptcy cases or fraud

in accordance with irS circu-lar 230 this communication is not to be considered a ldquocovered opinionrdquo or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for irS audit tax dispute or any other purpose

Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals corporations LLCs and business entities The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies (Advertising Supplement)

Basics of IRS appealshellipPAGE B2 t

Atty lAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

cLiEnT is 45 He is actually a medical professional in his coun-try of origin it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here Unfortunate-ly his professional license is not recognized here He is required to study another two years here in california to complete his pro-fessional degree and thereafter pass the licensing board Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7 he believes his priority is to make money to support his family and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his pro-fession here His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month

client decided to set up a business He set up a trucking business with a business part-ner They established a c-corpo-ration with each owning 50 The corporation purchased three trucks with installment fi-nancing provided by a bank and leased two trucks client and partner both drove two trucks and they hired three drivers for the other three Each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt on their first year gross receipts was about half a million $ less operating expenses of $480K consider-ing that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of opera-tions clientrsquos trucking business was ok but not that great Busi-ness was able to pay all install-ment and lease payments and all expenses on time

The problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state Their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries clientrsquos insur-ance carrier had limited liability which was insufficient to pay for all damages So now the injured parties are suing the business

Business owner chooses Chapter 7 for $250k personal guaranties on business loans

for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance Their own driver was badly injured and could no longer drive The business started losing money and could not pay the banks and the leases Eventually the truck that caused the accident was re-turned to the leasing company Subsequently the other truck was also returned to the leas-ing company Each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each Unfortunately client per-sonally guaranteed the leases so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies To make matters worse the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks which are now also seri-ously delinquent

What did i say many times before Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans if you own a house why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan in any event client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K it doesnrsquot even end at $220K The business itself will be facing law-suits arising from the accident for $700K Fortunately for client even though he owns a house the equity in the house is only $60K well within the homestead exemption of $100K So client opts for chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K keep his house and all his assets to start life again without lawsuits He can be pro-ductive again Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license in two years with his degree and professional li-cense client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year

The other client is 62 He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a

year Wife is a licensed voca-tional nurse and makes $36K a year They make about $100K a year which is good They still have a daughter in college They send her $1500 a month out of state Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income Wife sends sister $500 a month Husband has $40K of credit card debt He pays $1200 to keep that current Wife owes $15K of credit cards She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current So credit card payments are almost $2K a month just to keep them current client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years They have paid $240K in ten years and still owe the same $40K and $15K However client anticipates that he may just con-tinue working for another year or so What happens then His income will be gone and he will rely on social security which is less than $2K a month Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year and another $24K next year or save $48K in two years Should have done it chapter 7 wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago and set aside $240K more in his retirement account And now he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus he would have perfect credit to-day if he filed for chapter 7 ten years ago

ldquoDanielrsquos Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lionrsquos Den Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured But God Sent An Angel That ldquoShut The Lionsrsquo Mouthsrdquo (Daniel 622) And Daniel Was Miraculously Sparedrdquo

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy business real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California Please call Angie Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Mailstop 58 Building A-1 Suite 1125 Alhambra CA 91803 (Advertising Supplement)

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

Performer Jhong Juanilo Mendiola strikes an athletic mid-leap pose onstage at the 20th annual World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center He and his partner in the Iloilo dance groupRuth Lynn Grace Lazaro will represent team Philippines in dance categories

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

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WAS$399

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lb$129

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Box$399

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Jumbo Milkfish

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B PeoPle amp events

(Left Top and Bottom) Filipino competitors show off some of their stage outfits at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center on July 10 during opening ceremonies for the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) The 75 member strong delegation from the Philippines will participate in a week of contests against teams from 50 countries So Far Team Philippines has earned a gold medal in the Group Production Number event and Team Director Gerry Mercado (Top Middle) was named Superior National Director of the year Filipino performer and WCOPA Hall of Fame inductee Jed Madela (Top Right) serves as this years host Photos by Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

SAVINGS69

Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

SAVINGS42

$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsforChayote

WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

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$069SAVINGS

64

$14lbsforCantaloupe

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$129SAVINGS

61

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WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsforGreen Onion

OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

40

Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

$599lbWAS

$799SAVINGS

25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

99centlbWAS

$139SAVINGS

29

Chicken Leg Meat

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$499SAVINGS

40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull JULY 13-15 2016 B

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

SAVINGS69

Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

SAVINGS42

$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsforChayote

WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

WAS

$069SAVINGS

64

$14lbsforCantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforTomato Regular

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsforGreen Onion

OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

40

Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

$599lbWAS

$799SAVINGS

25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

99centlbWAS

$139SAVINGS

29

Chicken Leg Meat

$299lbWAS

$499SAVINGS

40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

JULY 13-15 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

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SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday July 13 2016

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

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Whole Banana 4lbs

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50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

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Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

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Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

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WAS$399

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Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

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$52for

WAS$399

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Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

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Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

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WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

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$069SAVINGS

64

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$129SAVINGS

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OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

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lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

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Box$399

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Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

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Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

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99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

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Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

2 cover story

Top 5 things overseas Filipinos send back to the Philippines

Things you need to know about the balikbayan box by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

AS of 2014 there were around 105 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a number that is only increasing Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy

There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed to put in their balikbayan box but there are a number of favorites and staple items that they include Though there are no statistics available on what Filipinos send back home here are five things commonly found in balikbayan boxes

(1) FoodNon-perishable

goods are par-ticularly on top of the list par-ticularly canned goods like spam

corned beef and Vienna sausages

for the reason that they can last the long journey home Biscuits and chocolates are also sent for the same reason that they contain preservatives that would avoid spoilage One thing to note though that not many know that coffee mdashdecaf or not instant or for brewing mdash is pro- hibited

(2) Clothes and shoes

Filipinos back home are some-what inclined to US brand names specifically shoes

and clothes American brands

like Nike Adidas and Northface are some of

the favorites There is said to be a decline in sending clothing brands like Gap or Old Navy for the reason that most of these products are now mostly manufactured in Asia Shoes although a number of brands are already made in China are still in demand

On average a pair of shoes may be slightly cheaper in the United States Also Filipinos abroad tend to have access to better quality clothing and shoes and can obtain them more easily at less cost than in the Philippines especially when they buy them at outlet stores Plus they make great gifts for rela-tives

(3) Personal and hygiene products

Personal and hygiene prod-ucts such as soap shampoo lotion toothpaste cologne and

even perfume are also sent home Soap and hair products arenrsquot very expensive in the Philippines but most people rarely buy imported brands

Although these are not restricted items many cargo companies do not encourage their clients to send bottled liquids as they may break and leak causing to damage not only to the other items where they are packed into but also to other boxes as well This is why that they remind Filipinos to make sure liquids are sealed tightly so they donrsquot spill in transit Bottles can be placed in resealable bags or wrapped around the opening with tape to ensure they do not leak For bottles made of fragile material like glass cover them with bubble wrap

(4) ToysLike shoes

and clothes most toys in the US are made in China Still young children enjoy seeing new toys when they open a balikbay-an box Be sure not to send toy guns though for they will be confis-cated by customs

(5) Electronics Electronics

like TVs comput-ers cameras and game consoles are sent by over-seas Filipinos to their families in the Philippines as these tend to be cheaper in the US and have a wider selection Although it is not advisable to send electronic items such as big screen TVs laptops or desk top computers balikbayans or returning Filipinos who wish to retire in the homeland try to ship these items

The good news is that just last May the Cus-toms Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was signed by former President Benigno Aquino III increasing the tax-exempt value of items sent by overseas Filipinos from P10000 to P150000

Furthermore Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted

a tax exemption for the personal and household effects not exceeding

P350000As always cargo companies

remind their clients to carefully pack fragile items declare their cargo truthfully in their packing list and to consider paying additional insurance to cover any damages

that may happen while in transit (AJPress) (AJPress)

All boxed up

IT could be because of colonial mentality that overseas Filipinos are just as excited to fill up and send a balikbayan box home as those receiv-ing it back in the Philippines ldquoBalikbayanrdquo means returning to onersquos country and I guess sending balikbayan box is the Filipino way of staying con-nected to friends and families back home

Itrsquos the simple tradition of giving pasalubongs mdash gifts mdash only that it has been raised to unprecedented levels because of the sheer number of Filipinos now live andor work overseas In the early days only the very rich can go abroad

Today there is an estimated

10 million Filipinos abroad due to their migration to the United States Canada and Australia and the demand for OFWs all over the

What not to sendSenders should keep in

mind that since the shipping of a balikbayan box is con-solidated it means that one prohibited item caught will affect ALL the packages inside the container In the past a lot of individuals have abused the tax-free privilege by smuggling commercial items or contra-bands

For this reason cargo com-panies as well as US and Phil-ippine Customs offices always inform senders not to send the following prohibited items

bull Alcoholalcoholic drinks bull Automobilemotorcycle

parts or wholebull Ceramic tablewarebull Cultural artifacts and

potterybull Defense articles or items

with military or proliferation applications

bull Products containing dog or cat fur as well as animal hide

bull Drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for medical conditions)

bull Firearms explosives (including parts)

bull Cheese Meat fruits and vegetables (unless canned)

bull Pets plants seeds soilbull Used clothing of com-

mercial quantity (ukay-ukay or in bales)

bull Pornographic materialsbull Fluids and perishable

food itemsPlease check with your

trusted balikbayan cargo com-pany for other items that may not be on the list

The Customs Moderniza-tion and Tariff Act (CMTA)

In May of this year former president Benigno Aquino III signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or Republic Act 10863

in response to the growing concern of overseas Filipinos about the continued corruption and additional taxes and duties being planned by the Bureau of Customs on all balikbayan boxes

Prior to signing RA 10863 the existing law was outdated because it was still following the 1987 tax-exempt value of only up to P10000 (about $200) Many lawmakers feel that it would be unfair to tax overseas Filipinos since the amount has not been adjusted according to inflation and in-creasing commodity rates

With the new law in place Filipinos can now send up to three P150000-worth (about $3500) of tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes in a year given that the goods are not in commercial quantities nor intended for barter sale or for hire

On top of the tax- and duty-free balikbayan boxes Filipinos who have stayed in a foreign country for at least 10 years and are returning to the Philippines will also be granted tax exemption for the personal and household effects not ex-ceeding P350000 they will be

bringing with them when they return to the country

As for Filipinos who have lived overseas for at least five years they would be entitled to tax- and duty-free personal and household effects amount-ing to P250000 while those who have stayed abroad for less than five years could enjoy P150000 tax-free ceiling

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving side I realized that the balikbayan box is more than a piece of corrugated

box filled with clothes canned goods and chocolates or that whiff of the ldquostatesiderdquo scent mdash it is a symbol of the hard work generosity and love for family

Itrsquos true that our families back home could probably buy most of the items in the Philippines but I believe it the anticipation of whatrsquos com-ing to their doorstep and the idea that every item has been carefully chosen and packed is what makes them appreciate it more

Any kind of guns firearms (whether whole or in parts) and ammunition are not allowed inside a balikbayan box

Automobiles and motorcycles parts are prohibited inside a balikbayan box

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

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50lbs

$1299WAS

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Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

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Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

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Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

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WAS$399

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Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

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WAS$399

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Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

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$129SAVINGS

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Jumbo Milkfish

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Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

By Joseph Almer pedrAJAs AJPress

Sarangani is one of the southrsquos best-kept secrets and more and more people are discovering other lovely features of the province aside from its pretty beaches Sarangani is unlike anything you have visited before yet it has everything to love mdash beyond and above your usual getaway Philstarcom photo

Your next best destination the Philippines

WITH over 7100 distinctly beautiful islands the Philippines has a huge variety of breath-taking destinations to offer Whether you are a history geek beach bum adventure seeker or travel hardcore yoursquove got everything The country harbors a multitude of attractions that will make you feel like yoursquore in paradise Here are the top 5 less traveled yet jaw-dropping destinations to unleash the best out of your trip

5 Sagada Surviving the ridges of the Mountain Prov-ince

Location Sagada Mountain Province CAR

The town of Sagada is one of the most adventurous destina-tions in the Philippines Located behind the mountains of the Cordillera Region Sagada can be reached by bus and takes roughly 12 hours to get there from Manila because of the bumpy and literally cliff-hang-ing roads

Sagada is perfect for ad-venture seekers It offers the Sumaguing and Lumiang Cave connection which gives guests an adrenaline rush Brimmed with slippery rocks ragged surface batsrsquo feces and minor cliffs the caves are perfect for risk takers

However if you are not into too much adventure you can take an hour trek to Bomod-Ok Falls Other options are the Hanging Coffins a traditional way of the locals to bury the deceased Echo Valley watching Sagada weavers Lake Danum and witnessing the sunrise and sea of clouds in Kiltepan Peak

To restore your energy the locals also offer their famous pinikpikan arabica coffee yogurt and lemon pie that are perfect for the near freezing temperature

Lately many tourists (foreign and local) have been going to Sagada since the location has been featured more in television shows and movies However the difficulty of getting there still has kept the area less crowded compared to other tourist spots

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Direct bus ride

to Sagada at Coda Lines Termi-

These places less traveled are yet to be discovered

nal in Quezon City The ticket cost is P720$17

Option 2 mdash You can take a side trip to Banaue before going to Sagada by bus via Ohayami Bus in Manila Ticket from Manila to Banaue is about P450$11

Upon arriving in Banaue take passenger jeep bound for Bontoc then transfer to another for Sagada There are also com-muter vans available in Banaue bound for Sagada The fare is about P200$5

Option 3 mdash Coming from Baguio City take a bus bound

for Sagada at Dangwa Terminal Station near St Maryrsquos Church Buses start to depart by 5 pm

Tipsbull Respect the culture by re-

fraining from making insensitive comments about the nativesrsquo rituals or traditions

bull Keep the environment safe and clean Donrsquot leave trash and dispose of it properly

bull Avoid bringing outside food The locals serve food with love They do it the best they can There are some restaurants that charge food and drinks if taken from the outside

bull Pack lightly and wear comfortable clothes for trekking hiking spelunking and walking

4 Sarangani Tremendous serenity

Location Sarangani ProvinceOften ignored the province

of Sarangani boasts natural tourist attractions that can be at par with Palawan in the battle of the Philippinesrsquo most preserved sanctuaries Beaches falls div-ing spots and corals are abun-dant in the area The serenity of the place is one of the reasons why tourists flock to the area

You can find the Small Boracay of the South at Gumasa Beach Glan while scuba diving in Maasim Tino Reef is satisfying as the locals are working hard to preserve and protect the marine life

You could also meet the endangered pawikans and enjoy other activities such as food trips museum visits paragliding and ziplining

How to get thereFrom Manila take a flight

bound for General Santos City There you can ride a van that will take you to Sarangani Airfare costs around P6000ndashP8000$143-$190

Tipsbull Pack clothes and necessi-

ties for swimming and walking around such as comfortable cool clothes sunblock and sandalsslippers Donrsquot forget to bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights

bull Sarangani is one of the Philippinesrsquo preserved paradises so maintain cleanliness by leav-ing no trash behind and keeping the endangered sea turtles safe

3 Siargao Island Playing with crystal-clear waters of Mindanao

Location Siargao Island Surigao del Norte

Off the coast of Surigao del Norte is the island of Siargao

home of world-class waves that surfers from around the world visit Unlike La Union in Luzon Siargao is less visited because of its almost secluded location

Siargao produces huge waves that will make your heart beat while its white sand beaches also add to the islandrsquos beauty However if you are not into surfing there are still other things you can do Other activities to do in its three main islands are kayaking diving fish-ing bird watching swimming spelunking star gazing and sports

How to get thereOption 1 mdash Getting to Su-

rigao City the capital of Surigao del Norte is the jump-off point to Siargao Islands if you are coming from Manila Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines have daily flights to this city A roundtrip flight is about P7000-P8000$167-$190

In Surigao catch a multi-cab or tricycle bound for Dapa Port (P250$) to Dapa Port of Siargao dock At Dapa Port hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you to General Luna From there you can find many people to assist you

Option 2 mdash Siargao has its own airport and the easiest way is to fly direct However only Cebu Pacific flies there and the fares may be costly From the

airport you will still need to go to General Luna which is a 45-minute van ride

Tipsbull Siargao has ATM machines

at Dapa Portbull Major mobile phone

service providers deliver strong signals

bull The Best time to go is from July to November

2 Leyte Home of the most beautiful sandbars

Location Leyte Eastern Visayas

The resiliency of the province of Leyte and its people is the reason why you should visit this commonly underrated destina-tion You will be amazed by how God protected the place after Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as well as how the people bounced back from the destruction

The Leyte Landing Memorial or MacArthur Park located in Palo is one of the must-visit des-tinations The memorial sculp-ture represents an important piece of Philippine history when General Douglas MacArthur came back to our shores to win our fight against the Japanese in WWII

One can walk on 216-kilo-meter San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar and Leyte and enjoy the picturesque islands and islets of the Philippine archi-pelago

There three stunning lakes in Ormoc mdash Kasudkuran Janagdan and Danao mdashwhich are perfect for kayaking and swimming

Aside from its history and bodies of water you can climb Eastern Visayasrsquo highest moun-tain the Alto Peak

Another spot to visit is Kalanggaman Island Its bird-like shape and thin sandbars will make you visualize that you are walking in the water

Continued on Page 5

Batanes Photo by Potpot Pinili

Kalanggaman Island Photo by Christopher Glenn Tantildeega

Sagada Photo by Raphael John Oriel

Siargao Photo by Carlo Delantar

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

SAVINGS69

Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

SAVINGS42

$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsforChayote

WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

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$069SAVINGS

64

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$129SAVINGS

61

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WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsforGreen Onion

OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

40

Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

$599lbWAS

$799SAVINGS

25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

99centlbWAS

$139SAVINGS

29

Chicken Leg Meat

$299lbWAS

$499SAVINGS

40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

featuresFASO concert taps Sylvia La Torre Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as special guests

The Philippinesrsquo legendary veteran entertainer Sylvia La Torre and her granddaughter Broadway performer and TV-film actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle will be the special guests in the August 13 concert of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO)

La Torre and Perez de Tagle will perform a duet and solo numbers with FASO the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines The beloved icon and her talented granddaughter singing with a full orchestra will be a landmark Filipino-American musical event

FASO under the baton of musical director and conductor Robert ldquoBobrdquo Shroder will also play ldquoPeter amp the Wolfrdquo Sergei Prokofievrsquos well-loved childrenrsquos classic (to be narrated by Joan Almedilla) cherished movie and television tunes including themes from ldquoStars Warsrdquo and ldquoharry Potterrdquo films Broadway favorites and Filipino music gems

Titled ldquoFASO Plays Proko-fievrsquos lsquoPeter amp the Wolfrsquo rdquo the exciting concert for children and adults will be staged on Saturday August 13 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center at 1440 e Broadway Glendale California 91205

It will be La Torre and Perez de Taglersquos first time to collabo-rate musically with FASO La Torre a national music treasure who joined a singing contest at the age of five in 1938 in Manila is acknowledged as the first Filipino artist to enjoy a hugely successful career in all major entertainment fields in the Phil-ippines radio television record stage and film

Now based in California La Torre known as the Queen of Kundiman and also for her fondly remembered ldquoIbyangrdquo character in the pioneering days of Philippine entertain-ment continues to be a dynamic performer

Perez de Tagle debuted on Broadway in the acclaimed

2011 revival of ldquoGodspellrdquo where she earned good reviews The singer-actressrsquo credits include the film version of ldquoFamerdquo and the TV shows ldquohannah Montanardquo ldquoCamp Rockrdquo and ldquoCamp Rock 2 The Final Jamrdquo With several records under her name Perez de Tagle whose early singing coach was her famous grand-mother has toured with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers

The FASO Childrenrsquos en-semble will also be spotlighted in the latest concert of FASO which is noted for its entertain-ing and quality concerts The trailblazing orchestra is com-prised of volunteer musicians from various sectors of the Fil-Am community

Festivities on August 13 begin at 400 pm with an ldquoor-chestra instrument petting zoordquo and face painting in the theater lobby and food trucks in front of the theater on Broadway Street Bring your ldquoStar Warsrdquo

lightsabers and ldquoharry Potterrdquo wands The concert starts at 600 pm

For tickets call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096 Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936 and Arlene Fer-rolino (213) 248-9850 Tickets are at $30 $40 $60 $75 and $100 More information at wwwfasofoundationorg

A non-profit organization FASO is led by a board of direc-tors dedicated to keeping FASO as a Fil-Am cultural institution for many generations to appre-ciate The board is made up of Arlene Ferrolino (president) Luis Ramos (vice president) Susan Legaspi (treasurer) John Mina (secretary) and directors Charina Carrera Claire espina Jose Luis Garcia Amirah May Limayo Wendy Mazon Ruben Nepales Rocio Nuyda Asuncion Ojeda Carmelita OrsquoNeil and edwin Raquel

Multiple Grammy nominee David Benoit is an honorary member

Consulate-General of Japan Harry H Horinouchi Chairman of GREEN TEA WORLD USA INC Taku Maeda and CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc Nobuyuki Ota

From Nagasaki to Abbot Kinney SHUHARI Matcha Cafeacute innovates green tea flavor

with opening of US flagship storeFROM green tea lattes and

matcha ice cream to green tea soda matcha aficionados can now stop in to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute and enjoy numerous varia-tions of green tea at its new US flagship store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice California

According to ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute ldquoMatcha is made of Ten-cha leaves which are Gyokuro leaves that have not been rolled into needles Unlike whole leaf tea which is steeped matcha is served by whisking powdered tea in hot water It contains a higher amount of nutrients (vitamins amino acids polyphenols and fiber) than other teas and its flavor is densely rich -- almost creamy -- compared to other teasrdquo

With the growing popularity of matcha across the globe the cafeacute is committed to ldquoserving an expertly curated selection of the highest quality of Japanese green tea creating exceptional and innovative handcrafted tea beverages and serving custom-ers with excellence and priderdquo

The name ldquoShuharirdquo refers to the process of achieving mastery in the world of tea ceremonies In Japanese ShU means to savor centuries of tradition hA means to shake things up or break the rules and RI means to achieve independence and a new sense of creativity

ldquo[ShUhARI] very much has its routes in Nagasakirdquo Mark Chapman Marketing Manager of ShUhARI Matcha Cafeacute said ldquo1856 is the year Japanese green tea was first exported to the

world from the port of Nagasaki In our minds it was the starting point of a green tea revolution Our brand is inspired by that date and [Nagasaki]rdquo

however it is Taku h Maedarsquos love for green tea that has allowed for the global expan-sion and evolution of matcha Since founding Maeda-en USA a green tea importer and distribu-tor in 1984 Maeda now serves as CeO of Green Tea World holding

Cool Japan Fund a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas de-mand for Japanese product and services is backing ShUhARI It is the first time the fund is sup-porting a company in the US

During the grand opening ceremony on Thursday July 7 the Venice Beach community was

treated to games giveaways and samples of ShUhARIrsquos signature green tea beverages

ldquoWe are able to curate the best tea from Japan and bring it straight to your cup in Americardquo Chapman said

With the desire to showcase the love for matcha beyond Abbot Kinney Consul General of Japan harry h horinouchi opened his residence to com-munity leaders in the greater Los Angeles area on Friday July 8 to celebrate the beginning of Japanrsquos green tea culture in America

Guests were treated to a wide array of matcha drinks including lattes sparklers and iced teas along with curry buns and onigirazu sandwiches a type of Japanese rice ball with fillings such as avocado and crab chicken and pickles and tuna

The cafeacute offers 40 varieties of tea beverages

ldquoWe embrace the classics If you come to our cafeacute you can have a traditional cup of green tea that is steeped in teapots and served in tea cups but we also push the boundaries with green tea enjoyment with the sparklers and lattesrdquo Chapman said

Customers are encouraged to infuse green tea into their daily experiences savoring the calming energy and the life-bal-ancing properties that the sooth-ing beverage has to offer

ldquoOur key marketing targets

Continued on Page 6

Sylvia La Torre with granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

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Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

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Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

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$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

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Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsforChayote

WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

WAS

$069SAVINGS

64

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WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

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WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

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OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

40

Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

$599lbWAS

$799SAVINGS

25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

99centlbWAS

$139SAVINGS

29

Chicken Leg Meat

$299lbWAS

$499SAVINGS

40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

features

To wrap up your day at the beach you can savor Leytersquos Binagol and Suman Moron delicacies

How to get thereOption 1 mdash To get to

Ormoc take a flight bound to Cebu then take the fast craft to Ormoc City Airfare may cost P4000ndashP5000$95-$119

Option 2 mdash You can also get there by flying to Tacloban City and then take a two-hour car ride to Ormoc City

Kalanggaman IslandFly to Tacloban City and take

a three-hour bus ride at Tacloban New Bus Terminal to Palom-pon Then ride a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island

Tipsbull Donrsquot forget to coordinate

with the Palompon Ecotours Of-fice to be more guided

bull If you are not in a hurry take the longer bus route to

Your next best destinationFrom Page 3 enjoy the scenery

1 Batanes Home away from home

Location Batanes Group of Islands Cagayan Valley

Although the northernmost province in the Philippines Batanesrsquo natural beauty culture and people can still make you feel at home

Comprised of 10 unpopu-lated islands (only three are hab-itable) the Batanes island group is proud of its virgin infinitely green island

There are many things to do in Batanes that are in line with either nature or culture You just have to choose which among the three islands to visit Batan Sabtang and Itbayat

Meanwhile the traditional Ivatan houses will give you the experience of their culture They are made up of limestone walls and cogon roofs intend-ed to strengthen the structure

and protect it against possible earthquakes

The remarkable lion mane-like wigs are the trademarks of the Ivatans They call it Vakul worn by farmers in the field While the vests worn by men are named as Kanayi paired with Talugong or a hat (salakot in Filipino)

How to get thereThere is only one way to

reach Batanes mdash by air But there are at least three air-lines that fly there and land in Basco Airport Because of its location airfare to Batanes can be expensive ndash from as low as P7000$167 to as high as P18000$429

Tipbull There are many hotels

and lodgings to stay when in Batanes Hotels may cost P1200 ($29)night and any other regular lodgings may P35ndashP600 (-$1-$14)night

Alden amp Maine Stronger happier togetherby Joyce Jimenez

Philstarcom

MAINE Mendoza and Alden Richards preferred to remain mum about their relationship

ldquoBasta po masaya kami lsquoyon langrdquo Maine replied when asked about their relationship when they were revealed as the cover of YES 100 Most Beauti-ful Stars on Monday July 11 ldquoMasaya po kami sa relationship naminrdquo

Alden added ldquoKumbaga what you see is what you get pordquo

Since their love team started

July last year the two have grown fond of each other and many have noticed the blos-soming romance between them

Meanwhile the two re-vealed that they havenrsquot slept well for two days when they shot the cover of the magazine They were finishing their movie ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo that time which will be in cinemas on July 13

However they donrsquot seem tired on the cover since accord-ing to Maine they are happy doing the photo shoot ldquoHappy

kasi tayo kaya nag-radiate lsquoyong happiness natinrdquo she said

Alden described being on the cover as an ldquoopportunity of a lifetimerdquo while Maine said that it came to her as a shock

ldquoShocking talaga kasi kaka-start pa lang po ng AlDub one year pa lang po kami pero nabigyan kami ng opportunity na maging cover ng 100 Most Beautifulrdquo she explained

ldquoFor my first year in show-biz isang malaking bagay na mapabilang dito lalo na maging cover pordquo she concluded

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementJIMuEL Pacquiao the

eldest son of boxing legend Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Sarangani Vice Gov-ernor Jinkee Pacquiao steps out from the shadows of his celebrity parents with his very first endorsement

Late last week Jimuel was launched as the newest celeb-rity ambassador of a spa

ldquoAs a myself I understand the needs of those my age Like our parents we need to de-stress and recharge but most especially we need treatments that can help us in managing our skin problemsrdquo the Pacmanrsquos good looking son took the spotlight said

Even as a very privileged child to a world famous father Jimuel is a typical teen who is not spared from breakouts and skin problems that come with growing up Especially so since this 15-year-old juggles an intense academic life as a Grade 10 student and varsity basketball team player

Grateful as he is however for the opportunity Jimuel clarified that he has no plans of going into showbiz

ldquoIt feels strange since it is my first time [to do something on my own like this]rdquo the well

by iza iglesiasManilaTimesnet

rounded young man laughed ldquoIt was always my dad my mom and even my lola [in the public eye] Honestly I just enjoy being a regular teen-ager studying playing having crushes But my parents told me to try new things so Irsquom thankful to Blue Water Day Spa They chose me even though there are so many other famous

teens out there but I think I represent the younger genera-tion today We should always have a healthy lifestylerdquo he explained

Proud parentsAll present to witness

Jimuelrsquos big day were his proud parents together with his younger brother Michael The

Jimuel Pacquiao

Continued on Page 6

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza celebrate the first anniversary of their love team AlDub via the film ldquoImagine You amp Merdquo

features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

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SAVINGS30

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$52for

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Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

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WAS$399

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Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

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WAS

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lb$129

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features6The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016 Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A night at Dodgers Stadium

It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests mdash where 43588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear split-ting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium

Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further the team struggles For years wersquove watched them play regardless if they are winning or losing they go up there grind it out locked in every good pitch or fighting off the good pitches of hitting it or driving it It was always fun watching them and knowing their good offenses they can explode in any inning and put up a great spot

there stood Yasmani Gran-dal the catcher that hit three home runs (a 66-year record) who lined a two run home runs to right field in the first inning then hit a towering three run shot to the center in the third A punishing eight runs eight hits four homers in 2 12 innings by the seventh amid raptur-ous chants Grandal hit his third home run of the game and 12th of the season at bases empty shot right It has been a source of many ldquooohsrdquo and ldquoaahsrdquo from teammates and oppo-nents

It is on nights like these where you start wondering where are their careers going We see great fast hands work-

ing extremely hard aware about the strike zone real well that the minute they get out of it can get them in trouble Do they stick with the plan especially among the young players What of monstrous meaningless home runs

Baseball is about grateful chances the pressure not to mess up filling gaps and injuries without timetables they pitch capably if not spectacularly they are more than sluggers homers with hitting stretched streaks who hit for power potent offensive and their skids they foul off in deep frustrations and aggravation but play their best baseball all the time

Even as their outlook remained as unsettled as ever injuries are blows they live on mdash because somebody is always ready to step in Some players are better while others are wild-er knocking balls that zoom into the stands this does not strike fear as these baseball watchers are thrilled to have a ball thrown their way Players now and then pass a ball to children at the dugout and field seats

that night Beethovenrsquos

Symphony no 5rsquos first quartet trumpeted a home run for the Padres

Meanwhile us fans will al-ways look for action mdash of stolen bases on formidable sides curb balls slide steps players and more

these are the signs sights and sounds you canrsquot see on broadcast

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdlaolcom

Dodgers Stadium baseball field

With the grandchildren at the PadresDodgers game

Marian Rivera to take a quick breakfrom showbiz to prioritize Baby Zia

by Iza IglesIasManilaTimesnet

MArIAn rivera has decided to take a break from television projects to focus on being mom to her eldest child with husband Dingdong Dantes the adorable baby Zia

Her break will begin after the four-week extension of her morning show ldquoYan Ang Morn-ing wraps uprdquo

ldquonag-extend ako ng four weeks pero after nun sabi ko ire-rest ko na muna kasi ang hirap magka-soap Lumalaki kasi lsquoyung anak ko Sa stage na ito hindi ko kayang iwan Aalis ako ng bahay tulog si Zia Pag-uwi ko tulog Ang sakit sa akin so sabi ko palakihin ko muna anak ko and then after niyan siguro pwede nang sumabak sa trabahordquo

rivera also shared that while she is a first time mom she is very hands-on when it comes to nurturing her seven-month old daughter adding that she never asks any assis-tance from her helpers at home to take care of Zia

ldquoSabi ko nga walang susuko walang titigil at very proud ako na seven months na ako nagpapa breastfeed na walang formula Seven months na ang anak ko seven months din akong puyat Yun yung totoo Hands on ako eh Katabi ko siya wala akong yaya na lsquoAte gawin mo lsquotorsquo Pag nasa bahay ako ako lahat sa anak ko pati paligo sa pag-dede sa pag tulog ako lahat yanndashkaming mag asawa Ang sarap naman eh priceless naman eh Kaya kahit mapuyat ako ok langrdquo the young mother enthused

In describing Baby Zia ri-vera said she inherited different personalities from her mom and dad From her Zia is very cheer-ful and from Dantes she is ver observant

ldquoSi Zia bungisngisera siya eh nakikita niyo sa mga posts ko sa Instagram mahilig siya tumawa Pag sinabi mong dance sumasayaw siya So lsquoyun ata yung nakuha sa amin tapos hindi siya iyakin na bata pag pamilyar siya sa ibang bagay Observant siya eh lsquoyun minana niya sa tatay niya Yung pagiging bungisngisera yung personality sa akinrdquo the doting mom said

Every so often rivera said she and her husband also take time to go on dates which she believes is important in a marriage She proudly said that Dantes is so supportive of her and calls her ldquoSuper Momrdquo as she balances work and raising Zia

ldquoKahit na busy sa work and kay baby lagi pa rin nag rerequest si Dong na lsquoAre you free Kailan lsquoPwede ba tayong umalisrsquo tapos ako yung lsquoAh okrsquo Parang nanliligaw ulit siya pag sasabihin niya lsquoBaka pwede naman kitang idate by tomorrow sa ganitong orasrsquo Parang medyo may kilig kilig pa rin naman ako kahit papano na ay naiisip pa rin ng asawa ko yanrdquo rivera excitedly shared

ldquoParang boyfriend-girlfriend pa rin tapos uuwi ako sa bahay may flowers ako may gift ako may card ako Kasi sabi niya hindi biro ang magpadede ng seven months na pure na no formula So sabi niya lsquoWow yoursquore a Super Mom talagarsquo

nakakatuwa kasi na-a-apreciate niya

ldquoBlessed and thankful ako sa nangyayari sa buhay ko kasi nandyan yung asawa ko para suportahan ako at the same time biniyayaan ako ng pangi-noon ng anakrdquo she added

When asked if she will allow Baby Zia to go into showbiz when shersquos older the celeb-rity mom laughed and said ldquonapakamot ako ng ulordquo

After pausing to gather her thoughts on the matter rivera shared ldquoSiguro ngayon masaya ako na may mga malalaking kumpanya na nagtitiwala sa aming mag ina so ang sabi ko mas maganda din na i-endorse namin lalo na pagkasama ko yung anak kondashyung totoo at pinapaniwalaan ko Siguro hanggang ganyan na lang muna ang anak ko siyempre gusto pa rin namin na mamuhay siya nang normal na bata Siguro ito muna ang endorsement saka na muna yung ibardquo

From Nagasaki to Abbot KinneyFrom Page 4

are millennials heritage seekers and anyone who works the one common thing every group has is wersquore all struggling to find timehellip We hope through our tea everyone is able to achieve balance in their livesrdquo Chapman said

Looking forward SHUHArI hopes to eventually spread the

product of green tea and the culture that comes with it to the rest of America and the world

ldquoOne day [SHUHArI] will be like Starbucksrdquo said nobuyuki Ota CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc

to celebrate SHUHArIrsquos connection to Japan SHUHArI customers will have a chance

to enter to win two round-trip tickets to Japan courtesy of All nippon Airways one of only seven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from the airline consulting company Skytrax the cafeacute will announce the contest winner the week of August 7

For more information on SHUHArI Matcha Cafeacute visit wwwshuharicafecom

Jimuel Pacquiao gets his first endorsementfamily expressed their full sup-port for his endeavor with the power Pacquiao couple sharing how their son can be very good example for the young genera-tion

ldquoI canrsquot believe na 15 years old na si Jimuel and medyo mahiyain siya ng konti kasi syempre first time niya Ang masasabi ko ay isa siyang ma-sunuring bata kung ano yung sasabihin namin sa kanya ni

Manny nag o-obey siya Minsan sinasabi na niya yung mga crushes niya pero OK lang yun ganun talagardquo mom Jinkee related

ldquoSa amin kasi sa pamilya before you go to bed kailangan mag-basa ng Bible kasi yun ang pinaka-foundation na ibinibigay namin sa kanilamdashto do what is right and walk humbly with Godrdquo she added

ldquoMasaya ako at proud sa anak ko kasi parang kailan lang

batang-bata pa siya ngayon teenager na at matatalino at may takot sa Panginoon I always encourage them to love others and we teach them kung paano mamuhay ng may takot sa Panginoon Pinapaalam naman nila sa amin kung may crush sila bata pa naman Pero mag-focus muna sila sa pag-aaral nila at tungkulin bilang taordquo his newly elected senator-father said

From Page 5

Picture perfect Marian Rivera and daughter Maria Letizia ldquoZiardquo Dantes

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

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Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

SAVINGS69

Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

SAVINGS42

$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

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$12lbsforChayote

WAS

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50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

WAS

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$14lbsforCantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforTomato Regular

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsforGreen Onion

OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

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Jumbo Milkfish

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$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

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$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

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25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

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$139SAVINGS

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Chicken Leg Meat

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40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

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PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

SAVINGS69

Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

SAVINGS42

$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsforChayote

WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

WAS

$069SAVINGS

64

$14lbsforCantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforTomato Regular

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsforGreen Onion

OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

40

Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

$599lbWAS

$799SAVINGS

25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

99centlbWAS

$139SAVINGS

29

Chicken Leg Meat

$299lbWAS

$499SAVINGS

40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - July 13 2016

$199WAS

$359SAVINGS45 Del Monte Fruit

Cocktail 30oz

$699WAS

$899SAVINGS22 Golden Saba Frozen

Whole Banana 4lbs

$2899WAS

$3999SAVINGS28 IP Jasmine Rice

50lbs

$1299WAS

$1799SAVINGS28 IP Brown Jasmine

Rice 20lbs

99centWAS

$149SAVINGS34

Sweet Cow Condensed Milk 12oz

89centWAS

$129SAVINGS31

Sweet Cow Evaporated Milk 12oz

$52for

WAS$359

SAVINGS30

Del Monte Four SeasonPineapple Orange in Can 136L

$23for

WAS$219

SAVINGS69

Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream StyleWhole kernel Corn No Salt 1475-1525oz

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

Suntropics Organic Water in Bottle 169floz

Chaudoc Coconut Milk 135oz

WAS$129

SAVINGS42

$34for

$52for

WAS$399

SAVINGS37 CampH Pure Cane

Sugar 4lbs

$52for

WAS$349

SAVINGS28

Coco Glaze Frozen Coconut Dessert 775oz Asstd Flavors

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforChinese Eggplant

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsforChayote

WAS

$050SAVINGS

50

$14lbsforGreen Cabbage

WAS

$069SAVINGS

64

$14lbsforCantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsforTomato Regular

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsforGreen Onion

OkraWAS

$399SAVINGS

68

lb$129

Mango MexicanWAS

$799SAVINGS

50

Box$399

$149lbWAS

$229SAVINGS

35

Pork Chop Skin On

$149lbWAS

$249SAVINGS

40

Jumbo Milkfish

$199lbWAS

$299SAVINGS

33Seafood Mix

99centlbWAS

$199SAVINGS

50Imitation Crab

Flakes

$599lbWAS

$799SAVINGS

25Jumbo White Shrimp HL

99centlbWAS

$139SAVINGS

29

Chicken Leg Meat

$299lbWAS

$499SAVINGS

40

Beef Shoulder Clod

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

SizzlingSummer Deals

Valid July 14-20

MEATSEAFOOD

amp

FRESHPRODUCE

PANTRYFAVORITES

OPENING SOON IN LONG BEACHValid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS

Vermont Los Angeles OxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga