June 30, 2013 1

Vol. XXII, No. 16 Online: www. manilamail.us June 30, 2013

US to ensure SEA peace P6

Pinoy in 7-11 Scheme P8

PH independence reception P16 Happy July 4th

to our readers

FilAm judge in NJ to fight rapsSOMERVILLE, New Jersey -

The fi rst Filipino American to be appointed superior court judge in New Jersey is in trouble.

Carlia Magpantay Brady, 41, who was appointed by Gov. Chris Christy in February this year, was arrested at her home in Woodbridge allegedly for inter-ferring with police who were seeking to arrest her boyfriend.

On her arraignment on June 19, Brady’s lawyer, Robert Scrivo, entered a plea of not guilty, adding that she will fi ght the charges.

Donning a business suit and

with her hair pulled back tightly into a bun, Brady did not speak and showed no signs of emotion during the arraignment before Presiding Somerset County Superior Court Judge Robert Reed. He ordered Brady not to leave New Jersey as the case pro-ceeds and told her to surrender her passport.

Reed noted that Brady was to be released on her own recog-nizance pending the outcome of the case, with no bail required.

Authorities have been tight-lipped from the start regard-ing the charge against Brady,

who was appointed to the bench in February. The 41-year-old Woodbridge resident was arrested for allegedly harboring Jason Prontnicki in her Coolidge Avenue home for about an hour without making any attempt to contact police; Prontnicki, who also is 41, is charged with rob-bery in connection with an April incident at a pharmacy in Old Bridge.

As of last week Prontnicki was being held at the Middle-sex County Adult Correction

DFA confirms OFW sex tradeMANILA - Foreign Affairs

Secretary Albert del Rosario on June 24 said some allegations of sexual harassment, molesta-tion, and abuse of authority in some Philippine embassies in the Middle East have been con-fi rmed.

It was a lengthy meeting over the weekend Del Rosario and the 12 heads of Philippine diplomatic posts in the Middle East and North Africa.

This came as more witnesses

to the sex trade surfaced.Plans are afoot to replace

ambassadors and labor attaches with women to stop the exploi-tation of Filipino women OFWs.

The ambassadors were told to go home to participate in the probe into allegations that some Philippines embassy staff are exploiting and even prostituting distressed Filipino workers.

Del Rosario is personally leading the investigation. The Department of Labor is also con-

ducting its own investigation of it attaches in the Middle East.

“We were able to one, col-late all possible information that I think will enable us to have justice for the victims. We would be able to punish the guilty. And we also will be able to review all the policies and procedures gov-erning our conduct pertaining to cases such as these,” he said in a press briefi ng.

Del Rosario also met with

US hails Ople as anti-traffi c, OFWs ‘hero’

By Lito Katigbak

WASHINGTON - Susan Ople, youngest daughter of the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople, has been hailed by

the US State Department as a hero for her work against traf-fi cking in persons (TIP) and out-spoken advocacy on behalf of the millions of overseas Filipino

Continued on page 21

Continued on page 21

Special to the Manila MailBy JON MELEGRITO

The pain and anguish of families torn apart by a broken immigration system was the core message of the fi lm “Docu-mented,” which had its world premiere on June 21 at the Amer-ican Film Institute’s Documen-tary fi lm festival (AFI Docs). The centerpiece screening was held at the National Portrait Gallery, which drew a standing ovation and rave reviews from the more than 400 guests who attended.

Written and directed by Filipino American journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, the 90-minute documentary is a personal account of Vargas’ journey to

the United States as a child, his efforts to deal with his status as an undocumented immigrant, his travels across the country as an immigration reform activist and his inward journey as he re-connects with his mother, whom he hasn’t seen in 20 years.

Two years in the making, the fi lm took a different turn according to Vargas after send-ing a crew to the Philippines to interview his own mother. “I didn’t want it to go there but it had to go there,” he said. In the clip that showed their emo-tional conversation via Skype on Christmas Day last year, his mother, Emily Salinas, begged her son to “come home soon so

Continued on page 20

Continued on page 22

Senate OKs immigration reform bill

WASHINGTON D.C. - As we go to press, the US Senate was set to approve the compre-hensive immigration reform bill.

The Upper Chamber made a giant step forward June 24 by approving a bipartisan amend-ment promising a strong border security.

The bipartisan vote, 67-to-27, opened the gates for more Senate Republicans to help assure the bill’s overwhelming fi nal passage this weekend. Fif-teen Republicans voted in favor of the measure.

But the bill faces a rougher

DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario

Jose Antonio Vargas and ‘skyped’ photo of his mom, Emily Salinas

Sussan Ople

Judge Carlia Magpantay Brady

Continued on page 21

June 30, 201322

United Pinoys elect Lavarro to Jersey City CouncilJERSEY CITY -Thanks to the

united FilAm votes, incumbent Councilman-at-large Rolando Ramos Lavarro, Jr., a full-blooded Filipino, was re-elected to a full four-year term in the June 11 run off elections in this city.

He now holds the distinc-tion of being the fi rst FilAm to win a full term elective position in the city government here. He is also the fi rst Fil-Am ever to get elected to a public offi ce in Jersey City, the second largest city in New Jersey, when he won the elections in 2011 to assume a vacancy in the City Council brought about by resignation of one of its members.

Lavarro also hkas the dis-tinction of being the only local

FilAm political leader who unifi ed the large number of Fili-pinos (estimated between 15,000 to 20,000) under one FilAm can-didate.

In previous elections, a number of Filipinos ran under different and opposing politi-cal groups, thus, dividing the so-called ‘Filipino vote’ and resulted in the repeated failures of Fil-Ams in more than 25 years to gain even a seat in the City Council.

When the 42-year-old Lavarro surfaced into the city’s political arena a few years ago, many observers readily con-ceded he would have a bright future in local politics because of his passion, deep sense of com-munity service and fl uency in

English.

A graduate of New York

University with a degree in busi-

ness, Lavarro works as assistant

director for grants at the New Jersey City University.

He is married with a child.In a mass text sent even

before the ballots were tallied, Lavarro thanked his support-ers. “Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am. Thanks for all your help,” he said in his email.

At the same time, Team Fulop (political group of Mayor-elect Steven Fulop), other At-large candidates Joyce Watter-man and Daniel Rivera, as well as its candidates in Wards A, B and F won the run off elections.

The results give Fulop a 7-2 majority in the council.

Fulop’s candidates in Ward C and D lost the electoral contest.

With that majority, the new mayor now has “a full coun-cil” that he desired during the campaign so he could “do the changes he plans to introduce.”

In an unoffi cial but almost complete tally by the Hudson County Election Offi ce, the fol-lowing results were obtained for the Filipino Reporter for council-at-large: Joyce Wat-terman-11,587; Daniel Rivera-11,324; Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr.-11,069; Viola Richardson-5,542; and Sean Connelly-3,384.

Rolando Lavarro, Jr. fl ashes victory sign.

June 30, 2013 3

CNA school lures Tagalog-English studentsMANASSAS, Virginia -

Astar Education Institute, a local ESL and occupational training school, is launching Northern Virginia’s fi rst Certifi ed Nurs-ing Assistant (CNA) Training Program aimed at the bilingual Filipino community. The six-week course, which begins July 8th, prepares students to per-form nursing procedures under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN).

A CNA assists individuals with their daily healthcare needs such as ambulation, output measurement and vital sign test-ing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average annual salary for a CNA ranges from $19,925 to $35,000.

Astar is currently enroll-ing students who want to begin a career in the health care fi eld. Students who are fl uent in Taga-log are welcomed to join Astar as the school hopes to build an assembly of bilingual CNAs to serve the ever-diversifying Washington Metropolitan area. Unlike other nurse training pro-grams, optional “Medical Eng-lish” classes are available to those who need to study English at Astar before admission into the CNA program.

The program consists of classroom and skills lab train-ing as well a clinical component in which students gain practical experience in long term care facil-ities and hospitals. The course culminates in the administration

of the NNAAP(r) Exam. Once the student passes the exam, he or she receives state-certifi cation as a Certifi ed Nursing Assistant.

Astar Education Institute of Northern Virginia is a non-profi t organization designated by the

United States Department of Homeland Security & Immigra-tion to handle international and domestic students. Astar has been offering enriching the com-munity through education since 2006, and has full approval from

the Virginia Board of Nursing to grant CNA certifi cates.

If you would like more information about the program, please call Astar Education Insti-tute at (703) 368-6838 or send an e-mail to info@astarinstitute.org.

June 30, 201344

VA driver in skateboard accident chargedThe 17-year-old driver of

the car that was involved in the skateboarding accident that caused the death of a Filipino American student in Arlington, Virginia June 4 has been charged with reckless driving.

The 17-year-old driver, whose name has not been released because he is still a minor, is the schoolmate of John Malvar, 18, who died when he fell and hit his head on the pave-ment in the 300 block of South Highland Street in Arlington, Virginia.

Trial of the young driver is set for August 8.

Malvar was scheduled to graduate from high school this month.

Police said Malvar was clinging to the side of a pickup truck driven by a schoolmate while skateboarding when he fell and hit his head on the pave-ment. He was not wearing a helmet.

He died at George Wash-ington Hospital.

Earlier, police intimated the young driver has a bad driving record.

Washington Lee High School has allowed John’s father, George Malvar, to receive his son’s diploma during gradua-tion rites last week. His mother died several years ago. John’s co-graduates wore ribbons to honor him.

Earlier, police said the driver of the pickup truck, who

attended the same school as John, may also have run over his friend. When John fell to the ground, he suffered a signifi cant head trauma and left a large pool of blood on the road when para-medics arrived.

Medics performed CPR, Malvar regained a pulse, and he was rushed to George Washing-ton University in critical condi-tion, police said. He was later pronounced dead.

Guys who have skated with John say skitching is not common in Arlington. They say it was out of character for their friend, who planned to go to VCU in the fall for nursing.

“This was pretty uncharac-teristic of him. I’ve told a couple people this didn’t seem like the kind of thing he would do,’ says Brandon Toone, who had just gone to the prom with John May 31.

Like a lot of Arlington teens, he’s struggling with the fact that the smiling teen he loved so much is gone.

Mechanical failure causeof deadly Limo fi re

SAN MATEO, California - The offi cial cause of last month’s

tragic limousine fi re on the San Mateo Bridge that claimed the lives of fi ve Filipino women and injured four others has been ruled as a result of mechanical failure.

Last week investigators con-cluded that the vehicle’s suspen-sion system had failed and that the air springs in the rear of the limo had popped,which led to friction, a fuel leak then the deadly eruption.

Whether or not the limou-sine company will face charges of criminal negligence in the vehicle’s maintenance, that deci-sion rests in the hands of the San Mateo County District Attor-ney’s offi ce and the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

The night of Saturday May 5 began as a celebration for nine close friends, all from the Phil-ippines and connected through their ties as nurses.

After meeting in Alameda, the group was picked up by the limousine driver then the entourage began the short trip to Foster City, where a bridal party awaited 31-year-old Nariza Fojas, a Fresno resident, who along with her new husband planned to be wed in the Phil-ippines in front of family and friends in the middle of June.

As the 1999 Lincoln Town

Car made its way over the bridge, on what had to be a bumpy ride, fl ames began to overtake the rear of the vehicle.

The stretch white came to a halt and four of the riders, along

with the limo driver, managed to escape the blaze. Initial reports are that the locks on the doors in the back had shorted out.

The ruling that mechanical failure was the culprit brought a small sense of closure to the unthinkable tragedy. Yet no matter what offi cials determine, nothing will fi ll the void left by the loss of the fi ve women.

The names of the victims in remembrance are Fojas, Felo-mina Geronga, 43, Jennifer Balon, 39, of Dublin City; Anna Alcantara, 46, of San Lorenzo and Michelle Estrera, 35, of Fresno. (FilAm Star)

FilAm mayor makes Milpitas fi nances +AA

MILPITAS, California - Five-term Mayor Jose Esteves, a Fili-pino American, told hundreds of constituents at his very fi rst State of the City address late last month that the city fi nance were a better than others in Northern California.

“Let me say plainly that our current fi nancial stand-ing is +AA and our outlook is very positive,” Esteves told the standing-room-only crowd at the Chamber of Commerce venue.

“I don’t want to move ever,” said Deritha May Randall who has lived in Milpitas for 50 years. “Thank God for the (Milpitas) Police and Fire Departments. The mayor is good and has improved Milpitas more than any man, especially in the Dixon area (where she lives). Mayor Esteves has got it under control.’

Esteves admitted, however, that the last seven years were the most diffi cult in the city’s his-tory. Tough decisions and sacri-fi ces had to be made, he said, for Milpitas to become fi nancially solvent. “We cut costs internally and redefi ned our service deliv-ery without compromising it. This is an accomplishment not all

cities can claim,” he explained.But the solvency came at

a price. In the last year, the city council had to cut $9.2 million from the $69.2 million general fund in June, as a result of State’s decision to eliminate redevelop-ment agency funding.

This forced the city to cut its expenses by $7 million on top of a $2.2 million structural defi cit.

Like most cities, Milpitas residents and businesses felt the impact of reduced public works maintenance and recreation pro-grams, reduced police and parks protection, a halt to repairs, cuts in service hours in libraries and limited ability in code enforce-ment activity.

Suspects in 2 FilAm students’ slay arrested

SAN JOSE, California - San Jose Police offi cers early this month arrested the two suspects in the May 26 killing of two Fili-pino American high school stu-dents.

The victims, Christian Comi-lang, 15, and Johnson Cular, 16, were students of Independent High School and members of the Filipino Youth Coalition, a com-munity service group founded in 1992. The two were San Jose residents who would have been sophomores in the fall.

After a week-long wait without word from the SJPD as to possible motive or suspects in slayings of the two, the youth coalition appealed to authorities for action. Police fi nally arrested Matthew Clifford, 19, and a 17-year-old juvenile.

The two suspects were booked at the Santa Clara County Jail and Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, respectively. Clif-ford is a resident of this city, but the other suspect has not been named since he is still a minor.

According to FYC sources, Comilang and Cular separated from a group of youths enjoying a late afternoon frolic toward the end of Rinehart Drive, behind Kohl’s department store along McKee Road.

They were seen talking to a stranger on a bicycle, who had one hand in his pocket. The bicy-clist suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Comilang and Cular pointblank.

The police report logged the 911 call at around 6:30 p.m.

and reported that both victims suffered from a gunshot wound each. It also said one of them was pronounced dead on the scene while the other died at the hos-pital.

Comilang and Cular were not gang members and did not have police records. Speculation in the Filipino community is that the slaying was done as part of

a gang initiation or hazing. Both the community grapevine and Facebook are abuzz with this theory.

SJPD homicide detectives issued a statement saying they believed the crime was not gang-related. About a third of the 22 crimes so far this year in San Jose is attributed to gangs. According to many in the Filipino commu-nity served by the FYC in the east side, gangs wield a heavy infl u-ence.

Not too many individuals are willing to speak about the slayings openly or to the authori-ties for fear of retaliation. Both victims’ parents were unavail-able for comment.

Two coeds who requested anonymity remembered Comi-lang’s ability to make friends

laugh and his desire to be a boxer someday. “He didn’t do any-thing and didn’t deserve this,” said one of the young women. “They were just at the wrong place and at the wrong time.”

Both said they didn’t know Cular personally, but that both Cular and Comilang were in the same grade and would hang out together. One coed said she couldn’t talk about Cular and Comilang with her own family”because they didn’t know,” but she felt she was among family with the FYC”.

Friends and relatives set up this makeshift shrine where Comilang and Cular were slain FYC counts among its members, students from Independence, Silver Creek,Mount Pleasant, Overfelt, Piedmont Hills, Milpi-tas, Evergreen Valley, Fremont (near Sunnyvale and Cupertino), Santa Clara and Wilcox high schools.

Executive Director Sarah Gonzalez said the FYC is meant ‘specially for at-risk youth and youth who are impacted by gangs. It’s a community outreach program that involves its mem-bers in alternative positive after-school programs. This means, among other things, talent shows, dances and distributing food to the homeless in their area, with an emphasis on going back to one’s own cultural roots.

Just this year, past FYC member Marlon Custodio came back from an API internship at the White House to encourage the current FYC members.

John Malvar

Photo of burning limo in San Fran-cisco that killed 5 FilAm nurses.

Christian Comilang

Mayor Jose Esteves

June 30, 2013 5

FilAms await VA police report on Mylene’s deathAlmost a month after two

Sheriffs deputies killed a FilAm woman at Cotsco store in Ster-ling, Virginia, police have yet to release a report of their formal probe into the incident that many people claimed was the use of excessive to kill a small woman.

The Philippine embassy and community organizations have expressed hope the authorities would conclude its report into the killing of Mylene de leon Scott, 38, at the store on May 29, 2013.

Meanwhile, reports are that

the Philippine embassy will help facilitate the repatriation of the remains of Mylene to the Philip-pines.

Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Jr. paid his fi nal respects June 15 to Mylene and personally extended his condolences to her former husband, their two daughters and her uncle.

The ambassador also expressed hope that authorities would soon conclude their inves-tigation and release the results, the embassy added.

Earlier, Cuisia said in a press

statement the embassy shared the concerns expressed by Myl-ene’s family in the Philippines. Her mother was pictured on TV crying after hearing the news of her daughter’s death.

The Washington Post as well as the Filipino American com-munity wondered how a small woman weighing only a little over 100 pounds posed a threat to the sheriff’s deputies. They asked probers to release copies of TV monitors as they felt law enforcement offi cials may have responded with disproportion-

ateforce.Reports said Mylene, who

was depressed by her divorce and separation from her two children, de leon scottReports says Mylene de Leon Scott alleg-edly became hostile while serv-ing sample pizza’s at Costco’s on that day.

The sherrif’s deputies said she was holding a knife and a pair of scissors and was threaten-ing fellow employees when they arrived at the scene. When she refused to follow their orders to

drop the knife and scissors, they shot her fi ve times after their stun gun failed to stop her.

Her mom in Manila, Medina de Leon, questioned the “exces-sive force” used by authorities in Virginia. She also denied police theories that what caused her to be aggressive was her separation from her American husband.

Medina de Leon explained that they have already been living separately for two years and her daughter has moved on from the relationship.

June 30, 201366

Russel vows to lower tension in East, South China SeasWASHINGTON - Danny

Russel, the nominee to become the top US diplomat in East Asia told the Senate during his confi r-mation hearing June 20 he will do everything in his power to “lower the temperature” in ter-ritorial disputes in the South and East China Seas.

He also said it was “unac-ceptable” for China to demand only bilateral negotiations with the other claimants, and voiced strong US support for efforts by Southeast Asia to negotiate as a bloc and frame a “code of con-duct” to manage the disputes, an issue to be taken up at regional security talks in Brunei later this month.

Earlier, Senator r. Menen-drez (D, New Jersey), and his co-sponsors Senators Benjamin Cardin (D, Maryland), Marco Rubio (R, Florida), and Bob

Corker (R, Tennessee) fi led Senate Resolution 167 condemn-ing China’s use of force and pro-vocative acts in the South China Sea.

Resolution 167 blamed China for several “dangerous” incidents in the waters involving countries it has territorial dis-putes with, like the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan.

Russel is currently White House senior director for Asian affairs. He is nominee to become assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacifi c Affairs, replacing Kurt Campbell, who resigned in February to enter business.

Russel is a 28-year career diplomat, less ebullient than Campbell, with long experience in Japan and Korea. His associa-tion with Asia began in his 20’s when he spent three years study-ing martial arts in Japan.

He has played a central role in the Obama administra-tion’s strategic “pivot” to Asia.

That’s seen the U.S. stake out a diplomatic position on maritime issues that has irked Beijing, with Washington saying it has a national interest in the peace-ful resolution of disputes in the

South China Sea.Six governments have over-

lapping claims to tiny reefs and islands across those rich resource waters, with China claiming it has sovereignty over virtually all of it. While the US itself is not a claimant it says it has a stake in the freedom of navigation in its busy sea lanes, which are crucisl to world trade.

“I certainly will do every-thing in my power to try to lower the temperature, push claimants including China into a diplomatic track and continue to warn them that the region in which China will fl ourish is a region of law, a region of order and a region of respect for neigh-bors, not one in which there is space for coercion and bullying,’ Russel said.

He said that President Barack Obama and Secretary of

State John Kerry have raised the issue of China’s behavior on the seas with its leaders, and the Chi-nese “are in no doubt that Amer-ica stands by our allies.’

The most volatile mari-time disputes involving China in the past couple of years have involved US treaty allies, the Philippines and Japan “nations whom Beijing has blamed for triggering tensions.

While acknowledging US-China competition, Russel, said the US supports the rise of China that is stable, prosper-ous and abides by international rules and norms. He said the US seeks a practical cooperation that benefi ts both countries and the region.

He said positive cooperation with China would be ‘essential’ in getting North Korea to aban-don its nuclear weapons.

Global anti-China imperialist rally set July 24NEW YORK - American

groups opposed to China’s claim on islands off the Philippines will hold a protest rally at the United Nations headquarters here on July 24.

The U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) is denouncing China’s latest “incursion” on Ayungin Reef which is located just 105 nautical miles from Palawan and is close to Kalayaan island which is now part of the province of Palawan.

In Manila, Rep. Walden Bello of the Akbayan partylist announced that his group is join-ing the July 24 mass action in the Philippines and will encourage

its supporters throughout the world to join in global actions to denounce China’s provocative actions in the Ayungin Reef.

“China seized the Philip-pines’ Mischief Reef in 1994, then our Scarborough Shoal last year,” stated Loida Nico-las Lewis, the national chair of USP4GG and former national chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associa-tions (NaFFAA).

“This year, China is set to invade and occupy the Ayungin Reef. We refuse to accept China’s expansionist agenda.”

Lewis explained that July 24 marks the fi rst anniversary

of China’s establishment of the Sansha City Prefecture, which Beijing mandated to have juris-diction over more than two mil-lion square kilometers of the South China Sea (West Philip-pine Sea), including islands and reefs in the Spratlys that are within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philip-pines.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) pro-tested the creation of the Sansha Prefecture, after learning that its jurisdiction covered the Kalay-aan Island Group in the Spratlys, which “is an integral part of the Philippine territory falling under

the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan province.’

“Sansha City has been a subject of a Philippine protest as its administrative jurisdiction encompasses Philippine territory and maritime zones in the West Philippine Sea,” DFA spokes-man Raul Hernandez said.

The USP4GG said the July 24 action at the United Nations would include simultaneous town hall meetings to discuss the China threat in Filipino com-munities throughout the United States. It would also call on the U.S. communities of the claimant countries whose territories are being invaded by Chinese ships

from the Sansha Prefecture. ‘All patriotic Filipinos should join in the July 24 denunciation of Chi-na’s imperialist activities in the South China/West Philippine Sea,” the group stated.

The Ayungin Reef is guarded by a Philippine marine detachment on board the BRP Sierra Madre, which is perma-nently moored on the reef to pro-tect it.

The Ayungin Reef is con-sidered the gateway to the Recto Bank, which the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) esti-mates to contain 2.5 billion bar-rels of oil and 25.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

China slams PH ‘occupation’ of Ayungin reefMANILA - China has con-

demned the “illegal occupation” of a disputed coral reef by the Philippines, and vowed to pro-tect its sovereignty as Manila moved new soldiers and sup-plies to a grounded vessel that serves as base for Filipino troops.

The Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as the Ren’ai reef and Ayungin in the Philip-pines, is at the center of the latest territorial dispute between Bei-jing and Manila.

The Philippines is accus-ing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just 5 nautical miles from an old transport ship that Manila ran aground on a reef in 1999 to

mark its territory.“China’s determination to

safeguard its national sover-eignty is resolute and unwaver-ing and (we) will never accept any form of illegal occupation of the Ren’ai reef by the Philip-pines,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefi ng.

Philippine armed forces chief General Emmanuel Bau-tista told reporters the military had brought in a fresh team to replace

soldiers stationed on the grounded ship on the reef and replenished their supplies, including food, water and fuel.

The Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic gateway to Reed Bank,

believed to be rich in oil and nat-

ural gas, is one of several possible

fl ashpoints in the South China

Sea that could force the United

States to intervene in defense of

its Southeast Asian allies.

In 2010, Manila awarded

an Anglo-Filipino consortium

a license to explore for gas on

Reed Bank, but drilling stalled

last year, because of the presence

of Chinese ships.

Manila says Reed Bank,

about 80 nautical miles west of

Palawan island at the southwest-

ern end of the Philippine archi-

pelago, is within the country’s

200-nautical mile exclusive eco-

nomic zone.

Beijing says it is part of the

Spratlys, a group of 250 uninhab-

itable islets spread over 165,000

square miles, claimed entirely by

China, Taiwan and Vietnam and

in part by Malaysia, Brunei and

the Philippines.

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Danny Russel

Photo of grounded, old Philippine navy ship on Ayungin shoal.

June 30, 2013 7

Sharon Stone settles with FilAm nanny

LOS ANGELES - “Basic Instinct” star Sharon Stone has reached a settlement with her former nanny after she claimed the Oscar nominee insulted her Filipino heritage and did not pay her for overtime.

Erlinda Elemen was fi red by the star in February 2011, after Stone reportedly discovered she had wrongly been paid overtime, and Elemen alleges Stone made a number of disparaging com-ments about Filipinos, including calling them “stupid people.”

The amount of the settle-ment was not revealed. Elemen, in her suit, sought damages from the actress.

According to the lawsuit, Stone “criticized Plaintiff for fre-quently attending church and, on one occasion, forbade Plain-tiff from reading the Bible in Plaintiff’s room in Defendant’s residence” and ordered her not to speak to her three kids Roan, Laird and Quinn because she did not want them “to talk” like her.

Elemen claimed she began working for Stone as a back-up nanny to take care of one of the actress’ sons, then was promoted

to head nanny in 2008.She added that she moved

in with Stone in 2008 and began travelling with the actress and the children until she was fi red in 2011.

After Stone allegedly made the racist remarks, events came to a crescendo when she accused Elemen of “stealing” for getting overtime pay and demanded that Elemen pay her back.

This was despite the fact, Elemen alleged, that she worked seven days a week.

According to the lawsuit, Elemen’s hours and pay were reduced after Stone accused her of “stealing” for getting overtime pay despite an alleged seven-day workweek.

The nanny claims she was then terminated for no reason.

“Because abuses in overtime pay are common for household employees it seems ironic that Ms. Stone initially did the right thing and paid Mrs. Elemen overtime wages and then ter-minated her for accepting those same wages,” Solomon Gresen, Elemen’s lawyer, said in a state-ment at the time.

Pinoy wins Asian Karting championshipMANILA - Duplicating his

feat in the opening leg of the

Asian Karting Open Champi-

onships last month, Seaoil-DC

karter and Kosmic Japan factory

driver Gabriel Tayao-Cabrera

lived up to expectations by again

bagging the lone championship

for the Philippines in round 2 of

the race series held at the Kart-

dromo de Coloane in Macau.

Despite being the youngest

driver in the junior grid, Tayao-

Cabrera dominated the Formula

125 Open Junior event, topping

the time trials and was likewise

the only junior karter to hit the 59

second mark in Heat 3, matching

the best lap times of the upper

Formula 125 Senior class.

Tayao-Cabrera showcased

his driving skills particularly

in the Pre-fi nals as he engaged

in a neck and neck battle with

Chinese karter Chan Tsun Piu

of Hong Kong who managed to

snag the lead from the Filipino in

the last few laps of the event. It

was however short-lived when

Tayao-Cabrera executed a well-

planned dive at the last turn of

the last lap which elicited a huge

gasp from the karting crowd who marveled at the Filipino’s bold move.

The 13-year old eventually bagged the championship after breezing through the fi nals as his contenders struggled to main-tain control of their karts in the 18-lap wet race.

“I had limited time to get used to the track and my com-petitors either had home-track advantage or have been compet-ing in the class longer compared to this being my fi rst year in For-mula 125 cc Junior-- a big jump

from my MiniROK 60 cc class last year. Aside from being glad I had the opportunity to race with good drivers, I am also fortunate that I have a good working rela-tionship with my mechanics,” said Tayao-Cabrera.

The son of Los Angeles-based former MBA Negros Slasher ball player Richard Cabrera, Gabriel is set to leave again soon to compete in Indone-sia and Japan for the Asian Kart-ing Open Championships Round 3 and the All-Japan Junior Cham-pionship leg respectively.

Gabriel T. Cabrera on board the go-kart.

June 30, 201388

Cuisia vows to aid Pinoys involved in 7-11 chargesWASHINGTON, D.C.—

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said consular and legal assis-tance will be extended to undoc-umented Filipinos allegedly being exploited by 7-11 conve-nience stores in New York and Virginia Beach.

Cuisia said the assistance will include Filipino citizen Ramon Nanas, 49, of Great River, New York, who was among nine persons arrested and indicted by authorities for exploiting undoc-umented Filipino in various 7-11 convenience stores in both cities.

The Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Consulate General in New York are in touch with concerned United States authori-ties in connection with the inves-tigation of the case.

Acting on instructions of Cuisia, Labor Attache Luzvi-minda Padilla and New York Consul General Mario De Leon contacted the Department of Homeland Security, the Fed-eral Bureau of Investigation, the Nassau County District Attor-ney’s Offi ce and the Eastern District Court of New York to inquire on the status of the case.

“We also want to check the condition of the Filipino nation-als involved in order to deter-mine the kind of assistance that could be extended to them,” Cuisia said in a statement.

Cuisia said that other than Nanas and the eight others who were indicted, US authorities have not released the names of

the more than 50 employees of various 7-11 stores in New York

and Virginia that included a still undetermined number of Filipi-nos.

De Leon said US authori-ties have also made it clear that the employees have not been arrested, detained or charged for any offense and are considered victims of exploitation. They will serve as witnesses and will

appear in a hearing scheduled on July 18 at the Eastern District

Court of New York.According to De Leon, the

US Department of Justice said the employees were exploited, their wages stolen and were required to live in unregulated boarding houses.

Nanas and the eight others, who have been described as owners or managers of at least

14 7-11 stores in Long Island and Norfolk, were indicted for con-spiracy to commit wire fraud, stealing identities and conceal-ing and harboring illegal immi-grants.

The Eastern District Court of New York had said the investi-gation of the case is still ongoing and may involve other undocu-mented foreign nationals work-ing in other 7-11 stores in several states.

NEW YORK - Federal agen-cies busted an alleged multi-state scheme involving the employ-ment of illegal immigrants at 10 franchises in Long Island and four in Virginia.

Nine individuals, includ-ing a Filipino, were arrested and charged after federal authori-ties seized control of these 7-11 Eleven franchises Monday.

According to the offi ce of Loretta Lynch, U.S. attorney for the eastern district of New York, the defendants employed

more than 50 illegal immi-grants at 7-11 stores on the Island and in Virginia since 2000. They allegedly equipped the work-ers with stolen identities from more than 20 American citizens, housed them in properties they owned and pocketed wages that were due to those illegal employ-ees.

A spokeswoman for Lynch said the employees worked 80 to 100 hours per week, but were only paid for 25 to 30 of those hours. The defendants also alleg-

edly took rent money out of the employees’ paychecks.

The defendants have been charged with wire fraud con-spiracy, related to submitting payroll to 7-11 under false iden-tities, alien harboring and aggra-vated identity theft. They were arraigned June 17 at courthouses in Central Islip and Norfolk, Va. The defendants in Central Islip all pleaded not guilty and were being held without bail.

According to the indict-ment, defendants Farrukh and Bushra Baig,

residents of Head of the Harbor, owned, co-owned or controlled 12 of the 14 franchises on Long Island and in Virginia. Virginia residents Zahid and Shannawaz Baig, Farrukh Baig’s brothers, helped manage and control those stores with assis-tance from Malik Yousaf, a resi-dent of South Setauket, Virginia resident Tariq Rana and Filipino of Great River Ramon Nanas, the indictment said. Brothers Azhar Zia, of Great River, and Thomas Zia the other two stores, located in Suffolk County, and were indicted separately.

Rana and Uppal are Paki-stani citizens and Nanas is a citi-zen of the Philippines, while the remainder of the defendants are U.S. citizens.

Edward Jencks, an attorney for Nanas, declined to comment on the case because he had not yet met with his client.

Pinoys proud of Spoelstra; Obama congratulates himWASHINGTON D.C. - The

White House says President Barack Obama congratulated Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on winning the NBA champion-ship for a second consecutive season.

Obama called coach Spoels-tra on June 21. The White House says Obama pointed out the team’s relentless determina-tion and noted it was a historic season for the team and for its MVP, LeBron James.

The White House says Obama told the coach that he’ll have the team to the White House to congratulate them in person on their victory. Last year he similarly met the team in the White House.

Miami won its third NBA championship June 20, beating the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 in Game 7 of the fi nals.

In Miami, the Heat team held a victory parade on June 24 with all players, the owners and Spoelstra.

By EDDIE ALINEA

MANILA (PNA) -- In boxing, “Erik” means Morales. In basketball, it is Spoelstra. Spoel-

stra, in basketball, is the coach of back-to-back NBA champi-ons Miami Heat. “Spo” to the basketball community,is a Fili-pino. Half Filipino, that is. And as such, he now commands 90 million or so following from the country of his mother’s origin.

For gifting South Florida, a pair of NBA championships, Spo has suddenly become a national hero … a treasure. People from all walks of life now consider him an inspiration. Pride of the nation. In the mold, perhaps, of eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao.

“Miami was lucky enough to have the Big Three in LeBron James, Duayne Wade and Chris Bosh – it also has a very talented and coach. I’m proud to be a Filipino. Every Filipino should be proud of him,” former Con-gressman Prospero “Butch” Pichay, now the president of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, said of the basket-ball guru.

Pichay’s sentiment was shared by communications mogul and Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan, Philippine sports

Commission chair Richie Garcia, fi rst Filipino chess Grandmas-ter Eugene Torre and 13 other sportsmen.

“We’re happy for coach Spo. Basta Pinoy, suportahan nain, “Pangilinan, ‘MVP” to the busi-ness and sports sectors who will be presiding over Philippines’ hosting of the coming FIBA-Asia championship, said, adding: “Go Spo for the third (title).”

“Iba talaga ang Pinoy,” PSC

chair Garcia, for his part, said. “I really never doubted Miami to win the crown, knowing that it has a Pinoy Coach.”Sana maging

inspirasyon siya ng ating mga atleta who will represent our country in the coming Southeast Asian Games.”

“Like a true Filipino, coach Spo was cool under pressure in the entire best-of-seven fi nals against the San Antonio Spurs,” Torre said. ”His coolness had

infl uenced the likes of LeBron, Wade and their teammates to play a never-say-die attitude that carried them from adversities after another.”

“Truly inspiring,” Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio eloquently put his admiration to Spoelstra, whose mother Elisa hails from San Pablo City in Laguna. “Spo was a picture of poise even when they were on the brink of losing the series. Leading his team to a two-straight NBA champion-ships is an incredible feat. I’m proud of him.”

“Proud to be Pinoy,” PBA buddies Alvin Parimonio and Jerry Codinera chorused as they were joined former pro cagers Atoy Co, Jimmy Mariano, Fritz Gaston, coach Norman Black, Gilas Pilipinas team manager Butch Antonio and educator Peter Cayco.

“I’m proud that a Pinoy is making history in the inter-national sporting stage as the NBA,” Co, many-time councilor of Pasig City, averred.

“Indeed, coach Spo is an inspiration for all of us Filipinos because he just showed what a Filipino is capable of doing.”

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra leads team to victory in fi nal game.

One of the 7-11 stores involved in the case.

June 30, 2013 9

June 30, 20131010

Ampatuans offer P50-million each to victims

MANILA - President Aquino III has directed state prosecutors handling the Magu-indanao massacre case to oppose any dilatory tactics by the accused in the wake of reports that the accused are offering P50 million (About $1.2-M) to each of the victims’ families to drop their case.

The government has expressed opposition to any settlement between the accused Ampatuan family members and the relatives of the victims of the November 2009 massacre and will press for the swift resolution of the case.

“Our public prosecutors will never support a move like that,” said a presidential spokes-woman. The President’s instruc-tions to prosecurotrs is to avoid delay in trying the 3-year old case and object to all the dilatory tactics of the defense.

Lawyer Harry Roque had earlier revealed that 14 families of the victims have supposedly agreed to withdraw the case against the suspects in exchange for fi nancial settlement without his knowledge early this year.

Roque, however, clarifi ed that such settlement will not be recognized by the court since the law prohibits settlement in murder cases.

Malacanang also disagree

with Roque’s claim that the gov-ernment is mandated to provide compensation to the families of the massacre victims. It said while the suspects of the Magu-indanao massacre were elected

offi cials, the government is not part of the crime.

“In any criminal case, there is an accused and it is understood that once he is proven guilty in court, that will include the civil aspect of the case,” it said.

The President had earlier expressed hope that the perpe-trators of the Maguindanao kill-ing would be convicted before he steps down from offi ce in 2016.

Meanwhile, Justice Secre-tary Leila de Lima stressed that

the attempt of the Ampatuan clan to settle the case with some of the families of the victims is a clear indication of the respon-dents guilt.

De Lima said this a day after

Roque bared that at least 14 of the victims in the massacre, four of whom are clients, signed “the authorities to negotiate” without his knowledge in February.

While she urges families of the victims of the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre to resist temptations for monetary settlement, De Lima believes that the action of the Ampatuans was an implied admission of guilt on their part.

Binay takes crash course on legislation

MANILA - Get elected fi rst and learn to legislate later.

This seems to be the motto of Senator-Elect Nancy Binay who has just completed a short course on legislation at the UP as she prepared to take on a job for which she had been criticized as unqualifi ed.

She said she was doing this for her self enhancement and for her constituents.

“During my campaign up to now, hindi sila ang main con-cern ko. Ang main concern ko is mapagsilbihan ngayon ang mga kababayan natin, lalong lalo na ‘yong mga sumuporta sa akin.”

The executive course on legislation, designed by the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance for Binay and her team, ran for a week.

Subjects include the roles and accountabilities of a legisla-tor, the Philippine administra-tive system, the national legisla-tive process, and preparing the national budget, among others.

“Exciting. Feeling ko fresh-man ako ulit,” said Binay, a tour-

ism graduate of UP.Binay said she is particularly

interested in learning how to draft a bill and seeing it through the legislative process, especially

since her experience is limited to the government’s executive branch.

Before running for the Senate, Binay was a personal assistant to her father, Vice Presi-dent Jejomar Binay, who also heads the Housing and Urban

Development Coordinating Council.

“I admit hindi ako familiar with the workings of the Senate,” she said. “I guess malaking

tulong ito to familiarize myself with the Senate.”

Aside from taking the short course, Binay is also attending briefi ngs and holding consulta-tions with sectors involved in her advocacies, such as transpor-tation and children’s welfare.

NPA says 5 abducted soldiers are POWs, undergoing probe

MANILA - The communist New People’s Army said the fi ve soldiers seized in Davao del Norte are undergoing investiga-tion for alleged human rights violations.

In a statement, the NPA-Southern Mindanao Regional Command identifi ed those being held captive as Cpl. Emmanuel Quezon, Pfcs. Ronald Gura, Vernie Padilla and Donato Estandia, and Pvt. Marteniano Pasigas.

The rebels described the sol-diers as ‘prisoners of war.’

“The POWs are currently undergoing investigation for possible serious human rights violations, violations of Interna-tional Humanitarian Law and crimes versus the people that they may have committed in the course of their participation... as elements of the reactionary armed forces,” the NPA said in the statement.

The fi ve soldiers were on board motorcycles to buy food stock for a feeding program when they were abducted by the rebels clad in military uniform in Davao City. At the time, the sol-diers were unarmed.

A sixth soldier, 1Lt. Neven

Canitan, escaped after he leaped to a ravine and incurred bruises. Canitan and his men are mem-bers of a peace and development team deployed in Paquibato Dis-trict.

Philippine Army spokesper-son Col. Randolph Cabangbang said the NPA has resorted to kid-napping for a fee.

“There is no other purpose for kidnapping soldiers unless may kapalit ‘yan. I-re-release nila ‘yan eventually but may kapalit,” Cabangbang told GMA News Online in a phone inter-view.

“This kidnapping validates what the Army has been saying all along that they have shifted to kidnapping soldiers for a fee,” he added.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces information chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said they “do not negoti-ate with this terrorist group that abducted our soldiers.”

‘We ask them (rebels) that if they are really concerned for the-community that they are fi ghting for, they should release our sol-diers who are helping that very community....They [captive sol-diers] should be released with-out any condition,” Zagala said.

Enrile son spent P150-M in failed bid

MANILA - Defeated senato-rial candidate Juan “Jack” Ponce Enrile Jr., son of resigned Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, was the top spender in the 2013 sena-torial race, according to Com-mission on Elections (Comelec) records.

Enrile, who landed in 15th place, spent P150,797,910.18 (about $4 million) on his failed campaign for a Senate seat and also received the biggest contribution from donors at P150,401,072.09, according to his statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE).

Senator-elect JV Ejercito, who ranked 11th in the 12-man Senate race, was the second-high-est spender at P138,207,825.76. He spent P2,276,085.01 of his own money and received P135,931,740.75 in contributions. Among his contributors were Inigo U. Zobel, who gave P15 million.

Among those who used their personal funds, Senator-elect Cynthia Villar spent the most, shelling out P131,656,672.84 of her own money. Villar, who ranked 10th in the race, spent P133,979,127.25 and received only P2,616,454.41 in contribu-

tions.The other top spend-

ers were Alan Peter Cayetano (P131,044,782.33), Nancy Binay (P128,695,057.10) and Bam Aquino (P124,327,987.81).

Grace Poe, who topped the Senate race, ranked 7th in expen-ditures with P123,448,994.86. She was followed by Juan Edgardo Angara (P120,136,752.86), Chiz Escudero (P100,723,309.10), Risa Hontiveros (P88,628,348.11), Loren Legarda (P83,034,205) and Koko Pimentel (P75,552,863.49).

Of the top 12 spenders, Enrile and Hontiveros, who spent P8,835.448.11 of her per-sonal funds, did not win.

Among the Magic 12, Sena-tor-elect Gregorio Honasan, who landed in the 12th spot, spent the least at P24,111,848.96, of which P1,009,707.92 came from his own pocket.

The Ampatuans, father (left) and son, Andal.

Senator-Elect Nancy Binay

Juan “Jack” Ponce Enrile Jr.

June 30, 2013 11

June 30, 20131212

2000 attend 16th annual Antipolo pilgrimage By Jennie L. Ilustre

WASHINGTON D.C. - Some 2,000 Filipino American Catholics from the East Coast, including this capital city, Vir-ginia, Virginia Beach and Mary-land, attended the 16th Annual Filipino National Pilgrimage, held on June 22 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The pilgrimage, organized by the Birhen ng Antipolo USA group led by Ed Caparas, honors the Blessed Virgin Mary who is known by her different titles, including Our Lady of Good Counsel and Good Voyage.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia and his wife, Mrs. Ma. Victoria Cuisia were among those who attended the mass.

Devotees came from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,and Delaware. Many brought images of the Blessed Virgin Mary for a pro-cession before the mass. The principal celebrant of the mass was visiting Kalibo Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc.

“I’m no longer surprised at the big crowd, or the number of images in the procession, usually about 50 of them,” said Caparas.

He thanked Rev. Msgr. Walter Rossi, rector of the Basil-ica, Msgr. Vito Buonano, Basili-ca’s director of pilgrimages, for the event’s success, as well as the Fil-American groups and indi-vidual participants, volunteers, and donors.

He invited the community to attend next year’s pilgrimage on June 28. Cardinal Luis Anto-nio Tagle. Archbishop of Manila, will be the main celebrant.

Among the devotees was Mrs. Ligaya Veranga, mother of choir conductor Red Veranga

of the San Lorenzo de Manila Choir of Tidewater, Virginia. She brought two icons of Our Lady of Manaoag.

Pamela Cindy Felix Emman-uel sang the Birhen ng Antiolo Hymn. Mass lectors were Dr. Luth Garda Tolentino of Ohio and Benildo Bautista of New York.

Petition leaders, who ren-dered the prayers in Philippine dialects, were: Susan Motus, Ellen Carag, Domingo Patawarn, Nina Palangdao, Isidoro Badua, Dina Adams, Sheila Gonzales,

Mila Oasan, Linda Mendiola and Susan Gorospe.

The Antipolo Choir is composed of the Voices of St. Columba and St. Ignatius, with Commigos of Bowie, Maryland,

Himig Alay of New York and the

Joy in the Spirit Choir of Balti-

more. Other participating choirs

came from New Jersey and Phil-

adelphia.

Screening of Abaya’s ‘Filmmaker on a Voyage’ set July 30

The Philippine embassy is inviting the community to the Washington DC premiere of the documentary “Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Filmmaker on a Voyage” written, directed and produced by Mona Lisa Yuchengco on July 30 at the Romulo Hall of the Phil-ippine embassy.

Reception starts at 6:15 p.m. and screening starts promptly at 6:45 p.m. The fi lm runs one hour and 20 minutes. The director will be available to answer ques-tions after the screening.

Seating is limited. Please send RSVPs to monalisa.yuchengco@gmail.com no later than July 15.

Marilou Diaz-Abaya was one of the most successful and inspiring directors the Philip-pines has ever seen. Her second movie, Brutal, was the fi rst Fili-pino fi lm to deal with rape in a social justice framework and it won six awards in the 1980 Metro Manila Film Festival. Some of her memorable works include: Sa Nunal ng Tubig (In the Navel of the Sea, 1977), Jose Rizal (1998) and Muro Ami (Reef Hunters, 1999).

“The fi lm has a natural fl ow from the director’s early struggles as a fi lm director to her coming to terms with her art and life...This is a landmark docu for Yuchengco who

managed to capture an artist’s life in all its searing intensity minus the emotional blackmail....It is a beauti-ful fi lm.”

- fi lm critic, Pablo A. Tariman, Philippine Star

“...a rich and thorough visual rendering of her (Marilou) life and work...She tackled subjects that were groundbreaking and controver-sial and helped in the demise of old thinking...This documentary will be very instructive to the younger gen-eration...to people confronting their own illnesses...to all who yearn to use the craft to deepen our human-ity.”

- activist and blogger, John L. Silva

Pilgrimage organizer Ed Caparas (center, in Philippine barong), is shown with Rev. Msgr. Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica (behind him, in black vestment), and the priests who took part in the concelebrated mass, led by visiting Kalibo Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc.

Some participants brought images of the Virgin Mary for the procession held before the Mass. Photo shows the image of Birhen ng Antipolo whose larger-than-life icon is venerated at the Basilica’s crypt church. (All photos by Jaypee Salvatierra)

Charice sings at DOH anniversary

President Benigno S. Aquino III listens to the performance of International singing sensation Charmaine Clarice Pempengco during the 115th Department of Health (DOH) Anniversary cel-ebration at the DOH grounds of the San Lazaro Compound in

Manila City on Tuesday (June 25). It has for its theme: “Taong Pangangalaga Sa Kalusugan Ng Bawa’t Pilipino”. Also with the President is Health Secretary Dr. Enrique Ona. (Malacañang Photo)

Elephant tusks destroyedAs a symbolic gesture

denouncing worldwide ivory traffi cking, the Philippines

destroyed fi ve tons of seized ivory worth almost $10 million were crushed by a fl eet of indus-

trial rollers while the remaining parts were burned. With the slaughter of elephants approach-ing its worst level in a decade, the predominantly Roman Cath-olic nation will be the fi rst ivory-consuming country to destroy its stock of harvested “blood ivories. “This action is meant to send a message that the Philip-pines is against the illegal trade of ivory and the merciless mas-sacre of elephants,” Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau head Theresa Mundita Lim said.

June 30, 2013 13

Pinoy retirees in US may lose SSS pensionsWASHINGTON D.C. -

Thousands of Filipino Social Security System pensioners who are now residing in the US or elsewhere around the world may lose their benefi ts because of stringent new rules adopted by the SSS in Manila.

At the same time, almost two million Social Security System members, who lacked 120 monthly contributions when they reached age 65 on April 1 this year, will lose their pen-sion if they fail to apply and get approval for voluntary member-

ship payment, which is no longer allowed under a policy, a senior offi cial said.

Under the new SSS rule on overseas retirees, the pensioner living abroad must personally collect their monthly benefi ts. If their relatives collect them in Manila, they must present a duly accomplished consular power-of-attorney obtained in the Phil-ippine embassies or consulates every year before the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the SSS repository, will release their pen-sion. If they fail to do so, BPI will

continue to deduct fees from the retirees account.

SSS retirement, death and funeral offi cer Zenaida Losarito said closing the door on 65-year-old members to pay contribu-tions was based on a 1968 reso-lution, which the Social Security Commission, the policy-making body of the SSS, wanted imple-mented.

“We were asked by the Social Security Commission to revisit the

commission resolution number 3586,”Losarito said.

The 2003 actuarial valua-tion showed about 13 million members were non-contributing, which means they are out of jobs or in-between jobs. Actuarians estimate about 10.97 percent will need to contribute beyond age 65 to qualify for pension.

Under the new policy, an estimated two million members will be disqualifi ed to receive a lifetime pension, including a per-centage of 610,873 new entrants in 2002, who were 55 years-old and could no longer meet the required number of contribu-

tions when they reached age 65.Losarito said receiving

voluntary contributions from 65-years-old members would not be “fi nancially healthy” for SSS, and based on the 1968 resolution they should only get a refund of their contribution payments.

“The SSS will incur a net liability if the practice (volun-tary payments from 65-year-old members) continues,” Losarito said.

Losarito offered two options for members who reached the age of 65 on April 1 and wish to continue paying until they meet the required number of contribu-tions to qualify for pension.

She said those whose birth dates were prior to last April’s announcements had until July 31 to fi le an application to continue paying, and those whose birth-dates were after the announce-ment would be given 30 days to fi le their applications.

“They will have to pay until the gap is fi lled, but should they fail or miss one contribution month, the privilege to complete the 120 month requirement will be revoked,” Losarito said.

“Again, should they fail to pay less than their dues, the chance to complete the require-ment will be revoked,” she said.

June 30, 20131414

June 30, 2013 15

June 30 (Sunday) PAFC Philippine Festival’s Community Picnic and Sports Fest.

Fun and food, games for children and sports for grown-ups plus a cultural show and a band marathon pull the commu-nity together. Special Feature: Parada ng Lechon, Tucker Road Recreational Park, Fort Washing-ton, MD Contact: Mya Talavera at myatalavera@aol.com.

July 13 (Sunday) 11:00am - 3:00pm UPAA Annual Picnic and Election of Offi cers and Board of Directors, River Bend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills St., Great Falls, VA 22066. Contact: upaadcmdva@yahoo.com

July 20 (Saturday) 7:30pm Filipino Mass at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfi eld, VA 22152. Sponsored by Filipino

Ministry of St. Bernadette. Con-tact 703-569-1054.

July 30 (Tuesday) 6:15pm. Washington, DC premiere of the documentary, “Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Filmmaker on a Voyage.” Written, directed, and produced by Mona Lisa Yuchengco. Romulo Hall, Philippine Embassy at 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Limited seating. RSVP to monalisa.yuchengco@gmail.com no later than July 15.

August 3, 2013 (Saturday) 9:00am to 8:00pm ... Marin-duquenos of the Capital Area, Inc. “MCA, Inc. Annual Family Picnic” at Black Hill Regional Park - Shelter “C”, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841. “POT LUCK”, come one - come all - bring “your favorite food” to share. Contact: Xavier Cugie Dela Santa 301-728-1684

August 3 (Saturday) 8:00am ANCOP Global Walk 2013 to raise funds and awareness for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. Online registration via www.ancopwalk.us; Occo-quan Regional Park. To register, visit www.ancoopwalk.us. Reg-istration fee: $15

August 17 (Saturday) 7:30pm Filipino Mass at St. Ber-nadette Catholic Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Spring-fi eld, VA 22152. Sponsored by Filipino Ministry of St. Berna-dette. Contact 703-569-1054.

August 24 (Saturday) 7:30am ANCOP Global Walk 2013 Washington DC-Southern and Central Maryland to raise awareness and funds for its vari-ous programs- Children’s educa-tional sponsorship, Community development, Family health and Nutrition, Medical and Sur-gical Mission. At 1771 Tucker Rd, Oxon Hill-Glassmanor Md. 20745. Online registration, visit www.ancopwalk.us Registration fee $15.00.

October 5 (Saturday) 8 pm-2 am. Ateneo Alumni Asso-ciation of Metro Washington DC “Charity Gala Dinner-Dance and Auction.” Crystal Gateway Mar-riott Grand Ballroom, 1700 Jef-

ferson Davis HighwayArlington, VA 22202. Contact: Aimee San Ramon at aimeesr@yahoo.com

October 19 (Saturday) 6pm-12mn Bicol Association of Met-ropolitan Washington DC“30th Sarung Banggi Gala Fundrais-ing.” Bethesda Ballroom, 5521 Landy Lane, Bethesda, Mary-land 20816. Attire Formal. For all the charitable causes including scholarships and the Surgical Mission.$65 pre-paid; $70 at the door.

Nov 9 (Saturday) 6:00-12:00pm Feed the Hungry, Inc. Handog 2013 at Hilton Markham Center, Alexandria, VA. Contact Person: Solita Wakefi eld (703) 992-4610 or swakefi eld09@gmail.com

Nov 16 (Saturday) 2pm – 5pm PAFC “Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards” Romulo Hall, Philip-pine Embassy, Washington, DC. Contact: Aylene Mafnas 703 868 5660.

Dec 1 (Sunday) PAFC, Phil-ippine Embassy and FOCUS, “Paskong Pinoy.” Pryzbyla Hall, Catholic University of America.

Cuisia seeks closer PH-Jamaica ties

KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Philippines is looking forward to strengthening its relations with the Caribbean island-state of Jamaica by opening new doors for increased trade and coopera-tion. Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. conveyed President Aquino’s strong desire to further improve relations with Jamaica when he formally presented his creden-tials as Manila’s non-resident ambassador to Governor Gen-eral Patrick Allen in ceremonies at the King’s House here on recently.

“The Philippines would like to strengthen its relation-ship with Jamaica not only by expanding trade but also explor-ing other areas where our two countries could cooperate,” Cuisia told Allen.

He said the Philippines, which is among the top provid-ers of seafarers in the world, would like to enter into an agree-ment on cooperation in maritime training and manning services to allow it to share its best practices with Jamaica, which is host to as many as 100 Filipino seafarers.

He said Manila would also like to explore the possibility of exporting more Philippine-made products such as furniture to the former British colony as well as deploying Filipino workers in sectors where their skills and expertise may be required.

At present, Jamaica ranks as Manila’s 125th export destina-

tion and 123rd import source with more than $730,000 in exports from January to October 2012. Philippine exports to Jamaica include electrical and electronic machinery, equipment and parts; pineapple juice; and lead acid while imports include rum and tafi a; stainless steel waste and scrap; and recovered paper and paperboard waste and scrap.

In his earlier call on Sen. Arnold Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Cuisia thanked Jamai-can authorities for accommo-dating the close to 300 Filipinos who have made the island their second home.

The Ambassador noted that Jamaica is one of the few Carib-bean governments that the Phil-ippines has recognized as having adequate labor and social laws that protect the rights of migrant workers.

Cuisia said he expects a more robust engagement with Kingston with the promotion of Jamaican businessman Everoy Hugo Chin from Honorary Consul to Honorary Consul Gen-eral of the Philippines.

According to Chin, majority of the Filipinos based in Jamaica are missionaries and seafarers. The rest are administrative and managerial workers, equipment operators, technicians, clerical and related workers, engineers, accountants, chefs, teachers and household service workers.

June 30, 20131616 Around DC

Pomp, pageantry, patriotism at PH Independence celebrationBy Maricar CP Hampton

Pomp, pageantry and patriotism fi lled the historic Hay-Adams Hotel on June 12 as offi cials and a who’s-who of the Filipino community dressed in colorful Filipiniana gowns cel-ebrated the 115th anniversary of Philippine Independence.

With the theme “Kalayaan 2013: Ambagan Tungo sa Mala-wakang Kaunlaran” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., and wife Maria Victoria Cuisia hosted a recep-tion dinner in celebration of freedom from the Spanish rule.

Over 300 distinguished guest including Rep. Madeleine Bordallo of Guam, Rep. Ed Royce of California’s 39th district and Philippine Secretary of Trade and Industry Gregory Domingo joined the celebration.

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in his keynote speech recounted the long friendship between the Philip-pines and the United States and their shared history and sacri-fi ces for a common purpose.

“American and Filipinos soldiers fought and perished together there and in other loca-tions Corregidor Bataan and Leyte,” he said.

He added “Today more than 7 decades later the Philip-pines has overcome the threats the authoritarianism and com-munism and the two countries are working together to realize our shared vision for a secure peaceful prosperous Asia pacifi c region in the 21st century.”

Domingo in his remarks reported that the Philippines has been improving in the global competitiveness ranking among countries.

“The World Economic Forum has raised us from 85th place in 2010 to 65th place. We hope to continue to see more improvements in this rating,” he said, citing also the Philippines’ recent investment grade ratings from Standard and Poor’s and Fitch and its emergence as the No. 1 call center destination in the world.

For his part, Royce said: “Our economic ties are an important part of this relation-ship. For too many years, the Philippines had failed to reach its enormous potential. The prob-lems have been bad government, corruption, and generally harm-ful economic policies. There are welcome signs that conditions are improving.”

A ceremonial toast was then offered as a testament to contin-ued friendship and camaraderie between our people.

Also during the program, recognition awards were given to Filipino Americans –Dr. Gabriel

Esteban president of Seton Hall University in New Jersey, and White House Executive Chef and Cristeta Comerford- for their sig-

nifi cant contribution in building the image of Filipinos in the Phil-ippines in the United States.

Dr. Esteban was appointed

20th president of Seton Hall Uni-versity and the fi rst Filipino to lead the University¹s more than 900 faculty and 1,800 employees and nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students to aspire to excellence in scholarship and service and is committed to the institution’s 157-year Catholic mission. Comerford on the other

hand is the White House execu-tive chef since 2005.

“ Its very humbling fi rst of all to be recognized. Ambassador Cuisia and the community is so close knit. It’s almost like family. Every time it’s the same people you see everywhere and for me the more you see each other the relationship gets so much closer,” Comerford said of the award.

The evening was capped with classical entertainment pro-vided by Stephanie Reese where she performed songs like The Payer and a Broadway Medley.

The audience gamely joined in when she crooned the popular Bayan Ko.

“ In choosing my pieces I wanted to sing my favor-ite Broadway songs but also I wanted to sing a special Filipino song which I felt really refl ect our deep love for our country and patriotism,” she said.

The Philippine national anthem was a prerecorded bamboo fl ute performed by Chad Hugo and the Yardnoise.

Guests also enjoyed an open bar buffet of sumptuous Fili-pino food such as lechon, Paella, lumpiang sariwa and halo-halo while gazing at the panoramic views of Washington, including the view of the White House.

Cuisia extols Bonifacio at Independence ‘Vin’

Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., noting that this year’s 115th anniversary of Philippine independence con-cided with the sesquicenten-nial of the birth of one of our most revered heroes- Andres Bonifacio - called on Filipino Americans to help ensure that the fruits of the current devel-opment will benefi t the major-ity of the Filipino people.

He said the theme for this year’s commemoration is “Kalayaan 2013: Ambagan Tungo sa Malawakang Kaun-laran.” It is particularly appro-priate in the context of the “country reaping the fruits from reforms being instituted pursuant to the Aquino Admin-istration’s program of good governance.”

“The recently concluded elections not just refl ects the vibrancy of our democracy, but the faith voters have placed in the government’s agenda,” he said.

“This is where the broader concept of ambagan, or of the community coming together towards a single purpose, comes in.

“Throughout our his-tory, countless brave men and

women fought valiantly for the cause of freedom during the fateful period of the late 19th century. Bonifacio, who founded the Katipunan, penned stirring manifestos and roused nationalism that would help overthrow three centuries of subjugation to Spain.

“The Katipunan was a society direly needed by the country then. Today, in a dif-ferent and far less tumultu-ous setting, Filipino American associations can also serve as important catalysts for change, as we build on the sacrifi ces of our heroes. The efforts of socio-civic organizations in attaining the Philippinesâ ™ develop-ment objectives contribute to a future of peace and prosperity that Filipinos from all walks of life rightfully deserve.

“With this year’s theme, each one of us is called upon to do our share to ensure that our development is sustained, and its fruits are enjoyed by the most number of people. It is imperative that we join hands and march alongside one another toward an era of even greater stability and equitable progress.”

Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. offers toast during independence day reception at Hay Adams Hotel in Washington D.C. June 12. (All photos in this page by Elmer Cato)

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns delivers his remarks with guests in background.

Ambassador and Mrs. Jose L. Cuisia Jr. pose with Dr. and Mrs. Gabriel Esteban after giving the doctor an award of recognition for being selected president of Seton Hall University, the largest Catholic university in New Jersey.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. presents award of recognition to White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford . (Philippine Embassy Photo by Elmer G. Cato)

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. wel-comes Rep. Ed Royce (R, Califor-nia), Chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the United States House of Representatives, during the Independence Day Reception at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C. (Philippine Embassy Photo by Elmer G. Cato)

June 30, 2013 17

MHC’s theme: America Powered by ImmigrantsElegant evening gowns and

men’s formal evening vested suits, the latest barong style and Filipina gowns sparkled in the night of June 22, 2013 during the annual gala held by the Migrant Heritage Commission at the huge ballroom of the Marriott Ward-man Park Hotel in Washington DC. Graced by the presence of HE Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia and his wife, and ABS-CBN Balitang Amerika, tv anchor, Gel Santos- Relos, embassy offi cials, community leaders and other VIPs, the celebratory theme of the night was “America is Pow-ered by Immigrants.”

The gala was formally opened with a soulful rendition of “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” by Justin Fronda, while colors were presented led by the US Army Military District of Washington DC and Embassy of the Philip-pines Military Offi ce.

During dinner, a brief cul-tural entertainment was pro-vided by Hannah Johnson and Alyssa Patalinhug , MHC’s Champion for the Rising Young Star competition, 2010 Interna-tional Migrant Heritage Festival, 2010 MHC’s Filipino Migrant Workers’ Day and MHC Fil-AM Dance Ensemble, Justin Fronda and Josette Francia. Ambassaor Cuisia commended MHC for recognzing honoring and cel-ebrating the many achievements of Filipino migrants.

Awards were handed out to the following: Sarah Bengzon, Cecile L. Motus and Stella Choi for the most community service and promotion of cultural diver-sity; Greg Abella, Arthur Calig-uiran, Rebecca Amor and Ben and Zeny Frasier, for community service; and Marivir R. Monte-bon, Nimfa Rueda and Ben Cal for outstanding migrant award

for media. Group awardees were Katipunan (Katipunan Filipino American Association of Mary-land, Inc. for outstanding com-munity service and promotion of cultural diversity; both the Alex-

andria Asian American Lions Club of VA (AAALC) and the Foundation for Aid to the Philip-pines, Inc. (FAPI) for community and health services and the Jus-tice for Filipino American Vet-

erans (JFAV) and the Assisted Living Home Providers Associa-tion of Alaska (ALHPAA), out-standing migrant organization for human rights. (Boots Felix-berto)

PAFC’s gala ball, a parade of gownsJune 15, 2013 was the annual

PAFC Philippine Independence Gala Ball celebrating the 115th anniversary of independence from Spain at the JW Marriott Washington. “Our Families, Our Communities: Helping Shape America,” was the theme that the participating youth and their elders sought to express by their working together this particular

evening.Greeting the guests with

familiar Filipino tunes was the Virginia Rondalla ensemble.

Gala Ball Chair Nanette Carreon welcomed the guests while PAFC president Aylene Mafnas updated the audience on the organization’s success-ful projects this past year and its grants program that provided

monies for organizations whose mission complemented that of PAFC.

Gracing the occasion were Ambassador and Mrs. Jose Cuisia who reported a bright and encouraging report on the Philippine economy, citing a 7.8% GDP growth rate beating even China.

Guest speaker of the eve-ning was Jose Antonio Vargas,

an advocate for immigration reform. A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, fi lmmaker, and social activist, he has been at the fore-front of the immigration debate, especially on the issue of “how to treat the young undocumented individuals “ in the country.

He is the founder of “Defi ne American, a nonprofi t orga-nization intended to open up dialogue about the criteria

people use to determine who is an American. He was much applauded for his bravery and candor, but he also created some controversy among the listen-ers. It did open healthy dialogue throughout the evening.

Music at dinnertime was provided by the the Quion Quin-tet, which is made up of chil-dren of Drs. Jun and Nathalie Quion.

Opening ceremonies of the Migrant Heritage Commission’s gala ball in Washington DC on June 22.

Internatioal FilAm singer Stepha-nie Reese sings “Bayan Ko” at the independence day reception at Hay Adams June 12.

Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC), offi cers and volun-teers, at the 2013 annual Philippine Festival Gala, held at the JWMarriott, last JUne 15. Front row: Elvi Bangit, Chair, Silent Auction, Kevin Owens, volunteer.Back Row: Elvie Melegrito, Souvenir Journal, Maurese Owens, Souvenir Journal, Nancy Ceniza, Chair, Raffl e, Marilou Tablang Jimenez, volunteer, and Bing Branigin, Co Chair, Gala 2013.

Ador Carreon, chairman of PAFC poses with Cristeta Comerford, White House Executive Chef, and Jose Antonio Vargas, DREAMERS Founder, and keynote speaker, at the annual PAFC Gala Ball. (Photo: Bing Branigin)

Ambassador and Mrs. Jose Cuisia (left) pose with PAFC Silent Auction win-ners, Atty. Miriam B. Riedmiller and William V. Ridings, Sr. at the PAFC’s 2013 Independence Gala Ball D.C. on June 15, 2013. Riedmiller bid for the “Juan Ponce Enrile Memoirs” and her escort, Mr. Ridings, an execu-tive at SAIC, bid for the two Plate chargers because of the poignant farm/mill design which portrays his mother, Mrs. Janet Ridings’ farm located in Powhatan, Virginia.”

Jon Melegrito, Manila Mail colum-nist poses with Malou Araque, US-Philippine Society staff, at the PAFC Annual Gala.

Lynn Francis, Filipino American Accountants Associations of Metro DC., Marita Etcubanez, Asian American Justice Center, and Bing Branigin, PAFC Board Member at the PAFC annual Gala, June 15, JWMarriott Hotel,Washington DC.

June 30, 20131818 Around DC in Pictures

Former Philippine President suddenly holds the May 31st issue of the Manila Mail to the camera as the Mail’s Angelyn Tugado-Marzan presents him said copy. (Photo by Eric Lachica)

Offi cers and members of Medicare Portability met with visiting former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos, an original partner of the portability campaign during his June 10 visit to Washington D.C. The offi cers updated FVR, former Tourism Sec. Rafael Alunan and Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. on recent developments with our other partners in the PH.

Milagros Sophia A. Lopez, 12, shows her diploma after graduation from Navy Elementary School in Fair-fax, Virginia early this month. She received special honors award for reading. Milagros is the youngest daughter of Teresa A. and Pacifi co Lopez.

President Fidel V. Ramos was in Washington, DC., and held several meetings with policy makers, think tanks, and the Filipino American community, last June 11. Photo shows former President Ramos with Amb. Jose L. Cuisia, Sec. Rafael Alunan, and Philippine Embassy offi cials. Photo: Bing Cardenas Branigin

L to R: Deputy Chief of Mission, Meian Austria, Lito Katigbak, and Mrs. Rosie Bruland, show the Philippine Coffee as give-away, during the 115th Philippine Independence Celebration, at the Hay Adams Hotel.

Eva C. Flores, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ian Flores, marked her fi rst birthday June 12, 2013 at the Park Crest Condominium party room in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia. Though now residing in San Jose, Califor-nia, the party was held locally so that Eva

would be able to celebrate her birthday with her Virginia-based cousins, aunts, uncles, grandfather and grandmothers. The proud grandparents are Jun and Rebecca A. Flores & Rose and the late Johnny Felipe. Photos show Ian and Vanessa holding the

celebrant on the left, while at right shows

the cousins and families of the second gen-

eration of the Alfaro family in Virginia. Not

pictured are the Virgina Beach-based Felipe

family.

First birthday party for Eva Flores

June 30, 2013 19

Pinoy immigrants 4th largest in US; ‘TNTs’ 270,000 WASHINGTON D.C. - A

study undertaken by Sierra Stoney and Jeanne Batalova of the Washington DC-based Migrant Policy Institute says that over the past 50 years, the share of immigrants from the Philip-pines in the United States has grown modestly from just over 1 percent of the overall US foreign-born population in 1960 to more than 4 percent in 2011.

The study released to coin-cide with the 115th anniversary of Philippine independence said “Filipinos now represent the fourth largest immigrant group in the United States by country of origin behind Mexico, China, and India.

(This does not include Filipi-nos of mixed races).”

“As a group, immigrants from the Philippines are better educated, more likely to have strong English language skills, more likely to be naturalized citizens, less likely to enter the United States as refugees or asylum seekers, and less likely to live below the federal poverty line than the overall foreign-born population. Working Filipino-born men and women are more likely to be employed in the healthcare sector than foreign-born workers overall. Yet despite some differences, Filipinos mir-rored trends in the overall for-eign-born population in terms of

age and arrival period.”The study bared a wide

range of characteristics of Fili-pino immigrants, including the population’s size, geographic distribution, admission catego-ries, and demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Data are from the US Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey (ACS), the 2000 Decen-nial Census (as well as earlier censuses), and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Offi ce of Immigration Statistics (OIS).

Geographic Distribution* In 2011, over 1.8 million

Filipino immigrants resided in the United States, representing more than 4 percent of all immi-grants.

* Forty-fi ve percent of all Filipino immigrants resided in California.

* One-third of all Filipino-born immigrants lived in three major metropolitan areas: greater Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

* In 2011, more than 57,000 Filipino-born immigrants were granted US legal permanent resi-dency (LPR status, also known as obtaining a green card).

* Filipino nationals accounted for less than 1 percent of persons granted asylum in 2011.

* More than 42,500 Filipino-

born immigrants became US citi-zens through naturalization in 2011.

* The share of Filipino-born immigrants who have natural-ized (65 percent) is signifi cantly greater than the share of all US immigrants (45 percent) who have naturalized.

* About 56 percent of Fili-pino-born green card holders in 2011 were eligible to naturalize.

* In early 2011, 2 percent or about 270,000 of all unauthor-ized immigrants in the US were from the Philippines.

More women than men* Filipino immigrant women

far outnumbered their male counterparts in 2011.

* The foreign born from the Philippines were more likely than the native born, but slightly less likely than the foreign born overall, to be of working age.

* Over two-thirds of all Fili-pino immigrants have strong English-language skills.

* As a group, Filipino-born adults were more likely to be university graduates compared to all immigrant and US-born adults.

* Filipino-born immigrants have generally mirrored the arrival patterns of the foreign born overall.

* Nearly 17 percent of employed Filipino-born men worked in service and per-

sonal care occupations, while more than 18 percent of Filipina women worked as registered nurses.

* The Filipino born were less likely to live in poverty in 2011 than the native or foreign born overall.

* About 617,000 children under the age of 18 resided in a household with at least one immigrant parent born in the Philippines.

In 2011, over 1.8 million Fili-pino immigrants resided in the United States, representing more than 4 percent of the foreign-born population.

Filipino-born immigrants accounted for 4.5 percent (1.8 million) of the country’s 40.4 million immigrants in 2011. This population has grown 17 times its size since 1960, when an esti-mated 104,800 Filipino immi-grants resided in the United States, or just over 1 percent of all immigrants that year.

Prefer California Forty-fi ve percent or 811,900

of Filipino immigrants resided in California in 2011 followed by Hawaii (112,200, or 6 percent). Other states with Filipino-born populations greater than 80,000 were New Jersey (86,600, or 5 percent); Texas (86,400, or 5 per-cent); Illinois (84,800, or 5 per-cent); and New York (84,400, or 5 percent).

Map shows the states where Filipino Americans prefer to settle.

June 30, 20132020

we can see each other.” Butknowing that their

reunion, like many other fami-lies, depends on the passage of the immigration bill working its

way through Congress, Vargas can only respond “soon, soon.” Both mother and son broke down in sobs as they tried to reach out to each other on a TV screen.

She later talked about the pain of separation and the sacri-fi ce she had to make “so my son would have a better life.”

“That emotional scene between mother and son was the heart of the fi lm,” said Gem Daus, an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland in College Park. “Without that, it would have been a self-centered fi lm about Jose, and not about the personal struggles of many families who are being torn apart because of a broken immigration system.”

Vargas said to AFI that his original plan was to make a fi lm on “DREAMers,” the thou-sands of young people who were brought to the U.S. without legal papers. He started docu-menting their stories two years ago, speaking at their gather-ings and protest actions. In the fi lm, he is seen holding a sign “I Am an American Without Legal Papers” while politely engaging Mitt Romney supporters during the Iowa Caucuses.

Clips also included encoun-ters in Birmingham, Ala. and his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the bi-partisan comprehensive immigration reform bill.

At one point in the docu-mentary, Vargas declared: “I am not really coming out. We are just letting you in,” referring to the need for a national conversa-tion about a subject that, he says,

“most people are uncomfortable talking about.”

Vargas received a stand-ing ovation when he was intro-duced by Festival Director Sky Sitney prior to the screening. He received another one at the end of the fi lm, which was fol-lowed by a question and answer period moderated by Juan Wil-liams of Fox News. With humor and thoughtful insight, Vargas related how he called the offi ces of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ask why he was not being arrested, his con-stant fear of being in the shad-ows, the tensions in his

own family when he revealed his decisions, and his own relief when he fi nally decided to come out and become an advocate himself.

Joining Vargas at the screen-ing were a dozen members of his own extended family from Mountain View, Calif., includ-ing his grand mother, Leonila Salinas, 75, who took care of him when he arrived. He was 12 years old when he left his mother in their hometown of Iba, Zam-bales.

Earlier in the day, Philip-pine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisa Jr. invited the whole Vargas family to the Philippine Embassy for a reception. In his remarks, he paid tribute to Vargas for his “talents, expertise, persistence and hard work.” Citing statistics from the Migrant Policy Institute, Cuisa noted that 2 percent of the 11 million undocumented immi-grants are Philippine citizens, or 270,000. “They don’t deserve to be mistreated,” the ambassador said. “They are valuable assets to U.S. society.”

Prior to his coming out in June 2011, Vargas sought the assistance of the National Fed-eration of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). He spoke to NaFFAA board mem-bers and was warmly welcomed. The Filipino American Legal and Defense Education Fund (FALDEF), a NaFFAA affi liate, offered its services to Vargas and has been providing legal guid-ance and assistance since.

At the Philippine Indepen-

dence Gala Dinner hosted by the

Philippine American Foundation

for Charities (PAFC), Vargas was

the keynote speaker. It was his

fi rst public appearance before a

Filipino American audience in

the Washington, D.C. area. In

his remarks, he challenged the

Filipino American community

to be “politically involved and

civically engaged.” Being in the

shadows, he said, haunted him

for many years. “The issue of

immigration is bigger than us,”

he noted.

“It’s about citizenship and

what it means to be American.”

He said he was pleased that the

PAFC theme for the event was

“Our Families, Our Communi-

ties: Helping Shape America.”

This theme affi rms “why we

need to be talking among our-

selves and having a conversa-

tion even if the topic makes us

uncomfortable,” he added.

While a few guests at the

PAFC dinner expressed oppo-

sition to his presence as guest

speaker, PAFC board member

Mya Talavera explained that

Vargas “does not present an

immediate signifi cant threat to

public safety as determined by

criminal history and taking into

consideration the specifi c facts of

each case, including immigration

history. I admire this man for all

the right reasons he stands for.”

Patrick Ferraren, a community

leader and offi cer of the Filipino

American Institute of Accoun-

tants (FAIA), said Vargas’ “bold

and candid” speech was an

“eye-opener that should spur us

to participate in this country’s

political process.”

In the fi lm, Vargas’ mother,

Emily Salinas, begs her son to

come home.

Photo shows the extended family of Vargas during reception hosted by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. In the picture is the grandmother who took care of Vargas, Leonila Salinas, 75, (beside Cuisia).

Vargas bares pain... from page 1

Jose Antonio Vargas receives a standing ovation at the American Film Insti-tute’s world premiere of his fi lm “Documented,” while Festival Director Sky Sitney extends her congratulations. PHOTOS by Jon Melegrito

June 30, 2013 21FilAm judge in NJ... from page 1

road in the House of Represen-tatives where Republicans hold the majority. The Lower House appears in favor of a piecemeal approach to the immigration problem.

The expense that would be needed for the socalled “border Security surge” is expected to turn off congressmen who are bent on reducing the country’s defi cit.

The compromise amend-ment broke the Senate’s stale-mate on immigration by the introduction of a compromise for a stronger border security to pave the way for a path to citi-zenship for the some 11 million undocumented aliens.

The bipartisan group of senators think the overwhelming vote for passage would convince the House to do the same.

In addition to addressing border security, the amendment was important because it also incorporated amendments from Sens. Susan Collins (R) of Maine and Bernie Sanders (I) of Ver-mont that should swing more support to the fi nal bill. And that process isn’t fi nished.

Proponents say other amendments to be introduced would widen the appeal and add more Republican votes to the Senate version of the reform bill.

The expected passage of the bill in the Senate is considered historic.

Under the border security amendment, more than 19,000 new border patrol agents should be hired by 2019, nearly doubling the size of the border patrol, and separately add some 3,500 more customs agents by 2017.

It will undertake The con-struction of 700 miles of fencing along the US-Mexicoco border,

up from 350 miles in the original legislation and provicespecifi c border security materiel for each section of the border.

Besides the setting up of a number of ground sensors buried near San Diego, for exam-ple, there will be four border surveillance drones and a clutch of Blackhawk helicopters for borderwide surveillance and enforcement.

All these will be added to the conditions set in the original bill. These include the establish-ment of an improved system of tracking entry and exit to the country at air and seaports, and the implementation of E-Verify, a nationwide workplace-verifi -cation system. All those bench-marks must be achieved before any of the 11 million undocu-mented immigrants can become permanent residents.

Now it is the turn of the House of Representatives, domi-nated by the Republican major-ity, to take up the bill after the July 4th recess. The success in the Senate represents a milestone in the push to overhaul U.S. immi-gration laws for the fi rst time since 1986.

Now it is the turn of the House to draft their own version of the immigration reform bill.

A big portion of the House Republican conference are will-ing to defy both popular opinion and political pressure in service of ideology and self-preserva-tion. To this group, which num-bers perhaps 100 members or more, the Senate bill is unaccept-able. It is too big and too expen-sive. It rewards law-breakers with health-care benefi ts, and kicks off the citizenship process before the border is secure.

The House Republican con-

ference both dislikes and dis-trusts the Senate, which is why the suggestion that a formidable margin in the upper chamber will impact the House strikes many conservatives as laugh-able.

But proponents of immi-gration reform, as well as some political handicappers, argue that the clout of the GOPâ’ anti-immigration wing has waned in the wake of Mitt Romney’s defeat last November.

While the House bristles at taking direction from the Demo-cratic Senate, they argue, it might listen to business lobbies like the Chamber of Commerce, anti-tax icons like Grover Norquist, evan-gelical churches, and a high-tech community it sees as an emerg-ing donor base.

Immigration reform has a powerful advocate within the House in former vice presiden-tial nominee Paul Ryan, plus a cadre of conservatives who sup-port the concept if not the Senate bill. Few people dispute the U.S. immigration system is broken, and an overwhelming majority support efforts to fi x it.

The conference will meet on July 10 to map out a battle plan on immigration. The House has three paths at its disposal. One is to try to move its own comprehensive measure. The odds of that appear long, since the working group tasked with assembling a bipartisan plan has so far come up empty. Many conservatives prefer a piecemeal approach, passing one or more bills that beef up border security and enforcement standards with-out the citizenship path Demo-crats seek. There is also a faction in the House that doesn’t want to pass anything at all, because of fears that sending immigration measures to a conference with the Senate could backfi re.

Senate OKs immigration... from page 1

three alleged victims of abuse in Saudi Arabia.

“Certain allegations were confi rmed. And this was accom-plished by the three witnesses from Riyadh coming forward and providing us their testi-mony,” he added.

Del Rosario refused to name who are being investigated.

However, he said the ambas-sadors who were summoned home have not been implicated in the controversy.

“No need to re-shuffl e or change the ambassadors, Until other victims and witnesses come forward, all other allega-tions including sex rings remain as allegations requiring further investigation,” he said.

Del Rosario said nearly all the allegations involve Filipina workers staying in halfway houses, while awaiting repatria-tion.

This is why the DFA has also asked heads of Philippine

diplomatic posts in Hongkong, Singapore, and Malaysia to come home, so they too can help in the investigation.

Malacanang also said it will not tolerate any misconduct by Philippine embassy personnel, and those responsible for the abuse will be punished.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered an offi cial to return home and answer the accusa-tions against him.

In a meeting Monday morn-ing between the investigating team of the Labor Department and alleged victims of the sex-for-fl ight scheme, “Michelle”, “Analisa”, and Angel gave details about the nightmare they endured inside the labor offi ce in Riyadh, Saudi arabia.

“Sobrang trauma po unang una po sa pamilya ko ayaw kong malaman nila ang nangyari sa akin lalo na sa mga anak ko,” Angel said.

The DOLE will use their testimonies in its preliminary investigation on assistant Labor Attache Antonio Villafuerte, who is accused of molesting and prostituting the victims.

“The said offi cial will have to answer the charges or accusa-tions against him dito sa Pilipi-nas,” said Leah Fortuna, head of the Labor Department’s investi-gating team.

The three women also submitted their affi davits to Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello who exposed the alleged sex trade.

“We will go to the DOLE and DFA give and submit the affi davits with the expectation na ipo-process na ang criminal complaints,” Bello said.

The 2 Filipinas who worked in Saudi Arabia claim to have been victimized by the scheme. One of the women, “Michelle,” fl ed an abusive employer.

She sought assistance from the Philippine Consulate in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, little did Michelle know that she

would also suffer abuse from the people who were supposed to help her.

She revealed that she was molested by a labor offi cer.

“Hinalikan nya ako sa bibig at tinaas ang palda ko. Nang sumigaw ako na ‘may tao’ atsaka kumalas,” she said.

Michelle said she was also prostituted to an Egyptian.

However, the Egyptian took

pity on her and offered to buy her a ticket back home.

“Analisa,” another Filipina migrant worker in Riyadh, said she suffered the same ordeal at the hands of the same labor offi -cer.

“Hindi po ako pumayag kaya ang tagal ko pong nakauwi. Hindi na ako tinulungan,” she said.

Center in North Brunswick in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to the correctional center’s records department.

Informed about the case,

Gov. Christie, through spokes-man Michael Drewniak said: “If the accusations about a sitting Superior Court judge are true, then the conduct is deplorable and frankly, stupid,”

After her arrest, New Jer-sey’s Chief Justice Stuart Rabner suspended Brady immediately without pay from her $165,000-a-year job. “She will perform no judicial functions until fur-ther notice,” he said, adding her case will be moved to Middlesex County.

Frontnicki was arrested either at Brady’s home or as he was leaving the house, the law enforcement sources said. Pront-nicki is charged with robbing an Old Bridge pharmacy on April 29.

The police report said a man wielding a crow bar entered the pharmacy at about 7 p.m. and demanded drugs. Authorities later identifi ed Prontnicki as a suspect and secured a warrant for his arrest.

The suspended judge knew Prontnicki was a wanted man but failed to notify authorities of his whereabouts, police sources said.

The Somerset County Pros-ecutor’s Offi ce said Brady had

been harboring a “live-in com-panion” who is wanted for an alleged armed robbery. It said Brady has been charged with two counts of hindering the

apprehension of a fugitive.The fi rst count, a second-

degree offense, charges Brady with failing to report her com-panion to authorities, according to a statement released June 20 by County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano.

The second hindering charge, a third-degree offense, alleges Brady was “harboring or concealing a fugitive” at her Woodbridge home, Soriano said.

The case has been trans-ferred to Somerset County because Brady is a judge in Mid-dlesex County.

Before rising to Superior Court judge, Brady was an attor-ney with the Lawrenceville fi rm of Stark & Stark, working in the accident and personal injury group.

“She had a good track record as a lawyer,” said state Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), chairman of the Senate judiciary committee. Brady was approved unanimously by the committee, and Scutari recalled her confi r-mation hearing as “uneventful.”

He added, “I think just as anybody else, Judge Brady has a right to a full vetting of the facts.”

Judge Carlia Brady is fl anked by her lawyers during her arraignment in court.

DFA confirms OFW... from page 1

June 30, 20132222

workers.“Toots” as she is known by

friends was offi cially honored when the State Department released its annual TIP Report which ranks countries on their ability to comply with US efforts to fi ght traffi cking.

In the TIP report the Phil-ippines for the third straight year received the equivalent of a B report card. It was grouped in the Tier 2 list of countries

deemed to be making signifi cant efforts to comply with minimum standards to eliminate traffi ck-ing.

The Philippines received bouquets and brickbats at the same time.

The 2013 TIP report said the Philippine government on the one hand undertook notable efforts to prevent the traffi cking of overseas workers and to pro-tect Filipino victims exploited

abroad, increasing many of its fi nancial and human resource allocations to combat traffi cking.

On the other hand it did not make signifi cant progress in addressing the underlying weaknesses in its judicial system, which stymied efforts to hold traffi cking offenders account-able.

The overall number of prosecutions and convictions remained disproportionately low for the size of the problem.

Ople who heads the Blas Ople Policy Center, a labor advocacy NGO she formed and named for her father, dedicated the award to him --a journalist who went on to became Senate President, longtime labor secre-tary and foreign secretary before his death in December 2003.

“He is my inspiration. Every OFW I help and every worker I manage to bring home is like a planting a fl ower in his garden of memories. This is for him,z’ she told the Manila Mail in a tele-phone interview.

“Fighting human traffi ck-ing is a lonely, 24/7 job and this award is particularly satisfying because it came at a time when I did not expect it,” she said.

Each year, the Department of State honors individuals -- NGO workers, lawmakers, police offi cers and concerned citizens -- around the world who have devoted their lives to the fi ght against human traffi cking.

They are invited to Wash-ington to receive awards in rec-ognition of their tireless efforts “ despite resistance, opposition, and threats to their lives to pro-tect victims, punish offenders, and raise awareness of ongoing criminal practices in their coun-tries and abroad.”

Ople is the third Filipino awardee. The others are Dar-

lene Pajarito (2011) and Cecilia Flores-Oebanda (2008).

After a lengthy government service including a stint as

Undersecretary of Labor and Employment during the Arroyo presidency, Ople has decided to devote her time to her advocacy work which she describes as her true calling.

She is also a journalist and has a Sunday column in Manila Bulletin’s Panorama Magazine and Tempo.

Ople said she is aware of the dangers in her job and the risks involved but it is a job she embraces.

One particular case that stands out for her involved a Fili-pina she identifi ed only as Alice who was recruited to the Middle East under false promises.

On arrival in Dubai in 2006 an agent confi scated her passport and other papers and “sold” her as a domestic servant for little food and money. She was resold in Jordan and fi nally ended up

practically a slave in Damascus, Syria.

Alice who had a cell phone her Syrian employers did not know about was somehow able to get in touch with Ople who lobbied hard to convince the Philippine embassy in Lebanon to send a team to locate the dis-tressed Filipina and convince her employers to let her go.

Alice is now married and an OFW in Hong Kong.

Ople described her tele-phone talks with Alice, spread over several months, as heart-rending.

Alice would often com-plain about going hungry. When she was able to buy food in the market, she would place it in a plastic bag, bury the bag in a fi eld and dig it up at night to eat when her employers were asleep.

Ople was one of nine people recognized this year for their tireless efforts in the fi ght against human traffi cking.

US hails Ople ... from page 1

Secretary of State John Kerry congratulates Susan Ople at the State Depart-ment ceremonies.

FilAm is top teacher in New YorkMANILA - A Filipina has

been named one of New York City’s best teachers.

Marietta Geraldino, geom-etry teacher in 10th and 11th grades at the Fredrick Doug-las Academy II in Manhattan, was one of the 11 teachers who received the “Big Apple Award” last June 12.

On its website, the NYC education department said the award was meant to recognize the top teachers in public schools across the city.

‘Marietta is able to decon-struct the most complex math-ematical concepts and make them palpable to even the most resistant students,’ the website quoted Geraldino’s principal as saying.

Geraldino has been teaching for 24 years “ nine in New York and 15 years in the Philippines. During her 24 years of teaching,

she has constantly searched for

ways to grow as an educator and seeks out professional develop-ment opportunities to improve her practice,” the website added.

Geraldino was chosen from the more than 2,000 nominees submitted by students, teachers,

schools and families.

Aside from the Big Apple trophy, the winners received $3,500 each and classroom grants. They were also named Big Apple ambassadors for school year 2013-2014. (Helen Flores, Philippine Star)

Pascual, ‘Mail’ editor’s colleague, wins award

Philippine Star columnist Federico D. Pascual Jr., a close friend of the Manila Mail’s edi-tor-in-chief, has won the most prestigious tri-media award given out yearly by the Rotary Club of Manila, the oldest Rotary Club in Asia.

Pascual was given the most anticipated Journalist of the Year (2013) award in ceremonies last June 6 at the Manila Polo Club, Makati. The STAR was adjudged Newspaper of the Year for its fair, accurate and balanced reporting.

Other Rotary awardees included: ABS-CBN, Television Station of the Year; dzMM, Radio Station of the Year; and Mike Enriquez of GMA-7, Broadcast Journalist for TV.

After Pascual retired as editor-in-chief of the Philip-pine Daily Inquirer in 1992,

he joined the STAR as opinion

writer. He was also previously assistant managing editor of the now defunct Philippine Daily Express, and senior reporter of the pre-martial law The Manila Times.

Marietta Geraldino

Federico D. Pascual Jr

June 30, 2013 23Entertainment

3 Pinays in this year’s Miss Universe tilt

The Philippines’ Miss Uni-verse candidate will join two other candidates with Filipino blood - Miss Canada Riza Santos and Miss Gabon Ruth Jennifer Ondo Mouchita - in this year’s contest.

Aside from our own Miss Universe bet Ariella Arida, full-blooded Filipina Riza Santos of Canada will compete for the prestigious Miss Universe pag-eant later this year.

Santos, was recently crowned Miss Universe Canada 2013 after a recount showed that Denise Garrido from Brad-ford who was earlier declared the winner on May 25 at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in Toronto actually placed third runner up.

A validation of the comput-erized scoring results whowed a typ among the fi ve top candi-dates.

Santos’ parents are both Fili-pino - Ruel Santos from Bulacan and Dina Buenaventua from Bataan. She was raised in Cal-gary and became a naturalized Canadian citizen.

The 25-year-old beauty queen is veteran of beauty pag-eants, having represented the

Canada in Miss Earth 2006 and Miss World 2011.

In Philippine showbiz industry, Santos has made a numerous appearance in TV shows and movies like “Dobol Trobol,” “When Love Begins,”

and “Ikaw Parin Bonga ka Boy” after she won Second Big Winner in PBB in 2007.

Earlier, half-Filipina Ruth Jennifer Ondo Mouchita was declared as Miss Gabon 2013 last December 22, 2012 at the City of Democracy Hall in Libreville.

The 21-year-old black

beauty will represent her coun-try also at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant.

According to her Wikipedia entry, Mouchita “is the second Gabonese Beauty Queen who is a mixed race with Filipino and

Gabonese Ancestry, following Channa Divouvi in Miss Uni-verse 2012. Mouchita’s mother is a pure Filipina, while her father is a Gabonese.

The representative of the province of Haut-Ogoou is said to be fl uent in English, French, Tagalog and Fang.

‘Bimby’ doesn’t like Mom’s kissing scene

Not one to keep mum on his mother’s “affairs,” James Yap, Jr., more popularly known by his nickname “Bimby,” expressed his disapproval of Kris Aquino’s kissing scenes in an upcoming Kapamilya series, Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw.

Bimby, Aquino’s son with basketball player James Yap, was with his mother on the set of ABS-CBN’s upcoming soap “Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw” when he saw her kissing her co-star for a scene.

“Nung Friday sumama siya (Bimby) sa taping ng ‘Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw,’ eh 15th wedding anniversary naman ‘yung sinu-shoot, so siyempre may kiss,” Aquino said during the Wednes-day episode of her morning talk show “Kris TV.”

In the series, Aquino will play the wife of actor Robin Padilla.

“My God, hanggang Satur-day, hindi tumigil, sinumbong ako kay Pinky. ‘I’m going to call Tito Noy, I’m going to tell him you’re kissing a boy,” Aquino said.

“Sabi ko, ‘Bimb, it’s just acting. You make sumbong if it’s real life,” she added, laughing.

It had been “a week of tor-ment” for the fi ve-year-old, according to Aquino, as he also stressed over his mother’s con-versation with actress-politician Lucy Torres-Gomez about her “love life.”

“Bumulong ako kay Kris,” said Torres, who was the guest co-host of “KrisTV” on the same episode. “Sabi ko, ‘Kris nami-miss mo magkaroon ng love life?’ And Bimby was so far away.”

“Sinabi ni Bimby, ‘Tita Lucy, why are you telling my mama to have a boyfriend? Sabi ko, ‘No, Bimb, I didn’t say.’ Sabi niya, ‘I heard, I heard. You want me to die?’” Torres added, laughing.

Aquino and Yap were mar-ried in civil rites in 2005. They separated in June 2010 and in January this year, their marriage was annulled.

Ex-Miss U’s reeling from bad breakups!

Miaa Universe runners-up Venus Raj and Janine Tugonon now have one thing in common: both are reeling from bad break-kups with boyfriends.

Venus, the 2010 Miss Uni-verse fourth runner-up, recently ended her relationship with her “Umagang Kay Ganda” co-host Andrei Felix after one year.

Janine, the fi rst runner-up in last year’s tilt, also just broke up with her former offi cemate Jaypee Santos after a year of dating.

Attending a fashion event recently, the two beauty queens admitted their break-ups were less than amicable.

Venus refused to divulge her reason for parting with Andrei but said they are not on speaking terms at the moment.

Regarding reports that Andrei was devastated by her decision, Venus said, ‘Kung may isa na hindi sang-ayon defi nitely may masasaktan talaga sa relas-yon.”

Instead of rushing back to the dating scene, Venus has elected to go back to school. The dusky Bicolana has enrolled in a three-year Community Develop-ment course at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

“Matagal ko na rin kasi plano mag-aral even before.

Matagal ko na hindi nagagawa dahil wala ngang oras,” she explained.

For her part, Janine said she was not proud of the new expression ‘na-Janine Tugonon

ka”, which has become short-hand for a pretty woman dump-ing an ugly boyfriend.

She felt bad for her ex and believes the backlash was all her fault. “Parang kasalanan ko naman ata kung bakit luma-bas ˜yun. We’ve learned a lot from that experience. Sa akin lang ngayon I accept that I was wrong. Alam ko ˜yun na ako ang at fault at ako talaga ang mali”,

Janine said.Nevertheless, she is deter-

mined to turn this setback into something positive.

“I wouldn’t like that failure to defi ne who I am. ˜Yung mag-

dikta kung anong gagawin ko sa susunod ko na relasyon”; Mis-takes do happen but it doesn’t have to dictate to me where I am going,” she said.

Because of the media fallout from the split, Janine decided not to join showbiz in deference to her family’s wishes. She said her family members were even more affected by the issue than she was.

‘Adobo Nation’ wins Emmy Award

The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) “Adobo Nation” has nabbed yet

another Emmy Award this year. The weekly lifestyle maga-zine show, which is produced in the United States, was recog-nized for best Public/Current/Community Affairs feature seg-

ment with its story titled “Arise.”Last year, the “Adobo

Nation” team also won an Emmy in the same category for its story on a group for former ex-convicts who turned their lives around

and are now committed to keep-ing kids out of trouble and off the streets.

Aside from the lifestyle magazine show, TFC also won another trophy from the award-giving body for the “Balitang America’s documentary “The Filipino Champions of SOMA.”

“Balitang America’s” resi-dent fi lm critic Manny Dela Rosa also won another Emmy in the Best On Cam Talent category.

Finally, TFC’s cameraman Jeremiah Ysip won the Emmy for Craft, Best in Photography.

Rizza Santos of Canada and Ruth J. Mouchita of Gabon.

Actress Kris Aquino poses with her co-star, Robin Padilla in this wed-ding scene.

Janine Tugonon and Venus Raj pose for the media at the Mega Pinoy Pride Ball recently.

The cast of Adobo Nation pose with their Emmy Awards.

June 30, 20132424

On Debt and Gratitude

It is a story of regrets.On a warm summer

afternoon, while I was coming from a graduate course in management at the American University in Washington, D.C. I noticed a classmate standing under an oak tree, a few feet away from the Metro bus stop. I could easily sense that he had been in that spot for quite a while, seem-ingly unable to make a move, his face expressing indecision. I asked him what was going on and he replied with pained hesi-tation that he had lost his bus ticket; as was his habit, he had taken with him only his student ID, his notebook and a course book. He added that as a precau-tionary act he had left his wallet in his room. He didn’t know how to get to his apartment. I offered him ten dollars to cover his bus fare and politely assured him that my gesture was voluntary, no repayment was expected. He accepted my offer with professed thanks, expressed a few times in English and in his native lan-guage. But the pained expression on his face remained up to the time he boarded his bus.

He was a foreign student, from Japan. I can’t recall his full name, except his last name, Nishino, which he explained meant “from the West.” This inci-dent has haunted me for years for it duplicated a grave moment of helplessness that happened to me a few years back. The same gesture of kindness was offered to me by a stranger without any expectancy of payback. This has stayed in my conscience for quite a while; the offer was made with no conditions and there was no way I could ever pay him back. My acceptance of this act of kind-ness is a burden I have to carry for a long while spiritually, mor-ally, and mentally. It is in my nature as one born and nurtured in the ways only Filipinos can ever acquire.

The acceptance and the car-rying of this burden, a load on one’s conscience, is an aspect of Filipino culture, a learned pat-tern of behavior handed down from parents to children. “Utang na Loob” is a debt of conscience freely and unconditionally given by someone who is fully aware that repayment is never forth-coming. And the person to whom it is given must acknowledge the fact that henceforth his actions,

orally or physically, will forever be defi ned by this kind act. This makes him a debtor. Culturally, as is true with peoples in and from the Orient, Filipinos and their descendants are indebted to past actions and events, debtors to the ages.

“Utang na Loob,” the Filipino way, can take the form of obligation, loyalty, kindness, or love. Our obligation to our parents for giving us life and nurturing us to adulthood is an act of fi lial piety that can never be repaid. We owe them big. The obligation is unconditional, per-petual. We accord them respect, give them our love, tend to their needs in their waning years, all in the spirit of indebtedness. It is because of this that the west-ern equivalent of a nursing home might not prosper in the Philippines. Philosophically, this act of indebtedness is not a virtue. The repayment becomes a virtue when a debtor knowingly engages in acts or expression of gratitude.

Filipinos and their descendants acknowledge a favor, accept a kind gesture, with the word “salamat,” with the obligatory “po.” (Thank you in English.) The equivalent in Spanish is “gracias,” “merci” in French, “grazie” in Italian, “danke” in German, “spashiba” in Russian,” “terima kasih” in Bahasa Indonesian,” “xiexie” in Chinese Mandarin, “ “cam on” in Vietnamese,” “kamhasamida” in Korean, and “si yuus maasi” in Chamorro, in Guam.

It is another story in Japanese culture. The acceptance and acknowledgement of a favor or a kind gesture, from which “utang na loob” has a cultural origin, is measured in degrees depending on how much the burden is perceived by a debtor. Hence, one can hear someone saying thank-you in replies of “arigato,” “kino doku,” and “sumimasen.” Another word expressed more strongly is “kat-ajikenai” which can be translated into “loss of face,” “insult” or “shame.” In the Seventh Century in Japan and up to the end of the Second World War, the burden of debt to the Emperor overrode all other obligations to anyone.

Filipinos and their descendants’ way of replying to

Protecting the Confi dentiality of Your Medical and Health Information

QUESTION: Over the years I have sought med-ical assistance for several

ailments and, in fact, I am under medical care at the moment. I often wonder if there are laws and/or regulations that protect the confi dentiality of my medical records and health information. Are there?

ANSWER: Yes, there are, and I will explain them briefl y here. The Health Insurance Por-tability and Accountability Act of 1996 or “HIPAA” was enacted by the U.S. Congress on August 21, 1996. The law requires the Secre-tary of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to establish standards for the elec-tronic exchange, privacy and security of health information. To implement the requirements of HIPAA, the HHS established rules and national standards for the protection of certain health information, addressing the use, protection and disclosure of individuals’ health information (called “protected health infor-mation” or “PHI”) by organiza-tions subject to the rules (called “covered entities”). A major goal of the privacy rules is to ensure that individuals’ health informa-tion is properly protected while allowing the fl ow of health infor-mation needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public’s health and well-being.

The privacy rules apply business associate is a person or organization, other than a member of a covered entity’s workforce, that performs certain functions or activities on behalf of, or provides certain services to, a covered entity that involve the use or disclosure of individu-ally identifi able health informa-tion.

QUESTION: What kinds of information are protected under HIPAA and the privacy rules?

ANSWER: The privacy rules protect all “individually identifi able health information” held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral. The privacy rules call this informa-tion “protected health informa-tion” or “PHI.” “Individually identifi able health information” is information, including demo-graphic data, that relates to the individual’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition; the provision of health care to the individual; or the past, present, or future pay-ment for the provision of health care to the individual, and that identifi es the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe can be used to iden-tify the individual. Individually identifi able health information

includes many common identi-fi ers (e.g., name, address, birth date, SSN).

QUESTION: What are some of the permitted uses and disclo-sures of PHI under HIPAA and the privacy rules?

ANSWER: There are sev-eral instances in which PHI may be disclosed, but I can only describe a few here due to space limitations. A covered entity is permitted, but not required, to use and disclose PHI to the indi-vidual who is the subject of that information, without that indi-vidual’s authorization. It may also use and disclose PHI for its own treatment, payment, and health care operations activi-ties, without the individual’s authorization. In some circum-stances, informal permission may be obtained by asking the individual outright. PHI may also be used or disclosed, with-out an individual’s permission, for certain prescribed national priority purposes. Where the individual is incapacitated or in an emergency situation, covered entities may generally use and disclose PHI if, in the exercise of their professional judgment, the use or disclosure is determined to be in the best interest of the individual. A covered entity, however, must obtain the indi-vidual’s written authorization for any use or disclosure of PHI that is not for treatment, pay-ment, or health care operations. An authorization must be writ-ten in specifi c terms, and it must be in plain language. Likewise, a covered entity must obtain an individual’s authorization to use or disclose psychotherapy notes, subject to very limited excep-tions. Note that the privacy rules require a covered entity to treat a “personal representative” (i.e., the person legally authorized by an individual to make health care decisions on that individu-al’s behalf) the same as the indi-vidual with respect to uses and disclosures of the individual’s PHI.

QUESTION: What rights do I have over my health informa-tion?

ANSWER: HIPAA and the privacy rules give you certain rights over your health informa-tion. For example, you may ask to see a copy of your medical record and other health informa-tion. You may also ask to change

any wrong information in your medical fi le or add information to your medical fi le if you think that something is missing or incomplete. You may seek infor-mation about how your health information is used and shared by your doctor or health insurer. Likewise, you may ask that your health information not be shared with certain people, groups, or companies.

QUESTION: Can one fi le a complaint against a covered entity for violating HIPAA and the privacy rules?

ANSWER: Yes. Anyone can fi le a complaint alleging a viola-tion of the privacy rules with the HHS’s Offi ce of Civil Rights (“OCR”). A complaint must be fi led in writing, either on paper or electronically, by mail, fax, or e-mail. You must fi le the com-plaint within 180 days of when you knew that the act or omis-sion complained of occurred. The 180-day period may be extended by the government if you can show good cause.

QUESTION: Are there are penalties for violation of HIPAA and the privacy rules?

ANSWER: Yes. HHS may impose civil monetary penalties on a covered entity of $100 per failure to comply with a privacy rule or requirement, which may not exceed $25,000 per year for multiple violations of the identi-cal privacy rule or requirement in a calendar year. A person who knowingly obtains or dis-closes individually identifi able health information in viola-tion of HIPAA may face a fi ne of $50,000 and up to one-year imprisonment. The criminal penalties increase to $100,000 and up to fi ve years imprison-ment if the wrongful conduct involves false pretenses, and to $250,000 and up to ten years imprisonment if there is intent to sell, transfer, or use health infor-mation for commercial advan-tage, personal gain, or malicious harm. The U.S. Department of Justice imposes criminal sanc-tions.

A. Enrico C. Soriano, Esq., is the managing member of Axxis Law Group, PLLC (www.axxislaw.com). The answers and discussions provided in this column do not con-stitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created hereby. You should consult a competent attorney for further assistance.Continued on page 30

June 30, 2013 25

We’re not a serious peopleMANILA

We seem to have reached a point here where we take for granted

as regular happenings the street snatchings and riding-in-tandem killings, burglaries and home invasions, bank holdups, all sorts of scams, and many other crimes. Are the cheating, stealing and widespread corruption in our country the “new normal”?

Let’s take the recent elec-tions (last May 13) as an example. Violence against one another, cheating, unfairness, deception, deviousness, and a general ten-dency to break the law. These are among the bad things we do just to get what we crave. They don’t speak to the strivings of a relatively young nation whose people tout themselves as intel-ligent, enterprising, courageous and world-class.

We have no sense of coun-try. We don’t know how to build a nation, how to make it strong and permanent. We need to look at what’s happening to society, what’s happening in our neigh-borhoods, in places of business that get burglarized, and in both the streets and homes where innocent people get hurt or killed by lawbreakers who make an excuse out of being poor.

The common excuse of criminals is, “I was in need; I needed to feed my family.” What about the person that that criminal robbed, hurt or killed? Didn’t he need to feed his family, too? Now that he or she is dead, who’s going to take care of the orphaned family?

We need to look at the big picture for this is what we’ve failed to do. We lament the crimes, the cheating of all kinds, the taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable, the retail and wholesale corruption, the steal-ing from businesses or private homes, the kidnappings-for-ransom, the riding-in-tandem phenomenon that involves assassins killing people while riding a motorcycle, and many other willful violations of the law (such as bus operators who fi eld multiple units with the same license plates).

We complain about cor-rupt politicians, private armies, armed criminals, hoods in judges’ robes, thieving bureau-crats, shoddy products in our

stores, ineffi cient service from public utilities and government bureaucrats, profi t-hungry oil companies, and so on and so forth.

We whine about those things and many, many more but fail to decry what all these acts and crimes, taken together, are doing to us as a society. What they do is continually erode and destroy us as a nation. “A nation never falls but by suicide,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. We are slowly committing suicide and, before we know it, we will all be gone, society will be asunder, and the nation will be dead.

We are divided by poli-tics, religion and economic clas-sism. We have become a com-munity of individuals, in itself a contradiction in terms. A well-functioning community consists of team players, not individu-als, out to win the game for all. Instead, we’re composed of colo-nies of self-interests. Ant colonies are more cohesive, coordinated and choreographed. We are the opposite: we’re forever fi ghting against one another, when we’re not stealing from each other.

We lack focus as a people. Because we don’t see the big picture, we concentrate on little, often inconsequential, things. We’re distracted by things we shouldn’t even waste a minute of our lives on. The lives of other people, especially the so-called celebrities, telenovelas that titil-late the simple-minded, and fan-tasy television shows that don’t even make sense, occupy our time. And we crave gossip so much, whole shows are devoted to it, with even news programs putting in their share.

Politicians manufacture con-troversies to hide their failings as public servants. And when the dust settles from their con-trived entertainment, our atten-tion has been diverted from their sins against the public, either through historical revision-ism or corny “pick-up” lines by politicians that we lap up with glee because we’ve been brain-washed to accept their regurgita-tions as erudition.

There are far more impor-tant things that should occupy our lives, attract our scrutiny, and invite our anger. Let’s not be too onion-skinned and bristle

‘Right’ Disaster?

The window to ease impacts of global warming is clos-ing more rapidly than ear-

lier estimated, says World Bank in a study released last June 19. Sea level surges will double as mountain glaciers melt. They’ll interlock with intense storms infl icting deaths and damage.

What happens when, in words of the study, “rainfall becomes more sporadic and, in rainy season, even more intense”? Inquirer’s Michael

Tan sketches a graphic answer from “Emong”, this sea-son’s fi rst storm.

“Monday night, I broke my own record of airport commut-ing ordeals, clocking 13 hours to get from the Ninoy Aquino Inter-national Airport to my home in San Juan . I left Naia at about 5:30 p.m. in a taxi.” By 8 p.m.,Tan was still stuck in Makati . At 11pm, he gave up and took a hotel room. “I fi nally got home at 6:30 a.m the next day.

“Hindi ka nagi-isa,” politi-cal prisoner Ninoy Aquino used to say.

Thousands were also stranded. Storm “Fabian” lurks around the corner..And rainy

season’s end is 17 or more typhoons away.

Among seven cities, Manila is second most at risk from cli-mate change, says 2013 Climate Change Vulnerability Index which covers 197 countries. Others are: Dhaka, Bangkok , Yangon, Jakarta , Ho Chi Minh and Kolkata,

Rising sea levels could uproot 13.6 million Filipinos by 2050, Asian Development Bank projected in an earlier study: “Addressing ClimateChange and Migration in Asia and the Pacifi c.” Three typhoons, in as many years, lashed Mindanao . The island used to reel from a waywardstorm every 17 years or so World leaders are committed to curb greenhouse emissions and tamp down temperature increases to about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, ( 2 degrees Celsius.) There’ve been concerns “ that temperatures will soar to fi ve

degrees Celsius over a century”, the 2012 WB study noted.

The 2013 study, therefore narrowed the focus to the next few years. The heaviest impact will slam parts of Asia most prone to fl ooding and harsh tropical storms”, it found. Bang-kok could be swamped by fl oods in 2030. Hanoi ‘s just-built new fl ood control systems are obso-lete. Rising ocean temperatures and saltwater intrusion into rivers could ruin local fi sheries. Fish is a key source of protein for people Vietnam , Indonesia and the Philippines.

Countries must redo earlier estimates.. A 20-centimeter sea level, rise here “over the next 40 years”, is obsolete. This threat still runs “along the Pacifi c sea-board: from Samar to eastern Mindanao ,” Wendy Clavano wrote in “Environmental Science

Immigration NotesBy J.G. Azarcon, Esq.

Approval of petitions after

death of relative

In the past, if the petitioner dies while the visa petition is pending, the benefi ciary

would not be entitled to seek approval of the petition. The law changed with the amendment of Sec. 204(l) of the Immigration Act in 2009.

Under current law, an alien seeking immigration benefi t through a deceased qualifying relative may obtain approval of a visa petition or adjustment application and refugee/asylee relative petition if the alien meets the following illegibility require-ments:

Resided in the United States when the qualifying relative died;

Continues to reside in the United States on the date of the decision on the pending petition or application;

Is at least one of the follow-ing:• the benefi ciary of a pending or approved immediate relative visa petition;• the benefi ciary of a pending or

approved family-based visa peti-tion, including benefi ciary and any derivative benefi ciaries;• any derivative benefi ciary of a pending or approved employ-ment-based visa-petition;• the benefi ciary of appending or approved Form I-730, Refu-gee/Asylee Relative Petition;

an alien admitted as a deriv-ative “T” or “U” nonimmigrant; or• a derivative asylee.

The Immigration Service

defi nes “qualifying relative” as an individual who immediately before death, was:• the petitioner or principal benefi ciary in a family-based petition;• the principal benefi ciary in an employment-based visa petition;• the petitioner in a refugee/asylee relative petition;• the principal alien admitted as a T or U nonimmigrant;• the principal asylee who was granted asylum.

VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINESJULY 2013

• FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES First: Unmarried sons/daughters of US citizens Jul. 01, 2000Second:A: Spouses/minor children of permanent residents: Oct. 08, 2011B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years of age or older of permanent residents Dec. 22, 2002Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens Nov. 22, 1992Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens Dec. 15, 1989

• EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCESFirst: Priority workers CurrentSecond: Professionals holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability CurrentThird: Skilled workers, professionals Oct. 01, 2006Other Workers Oct. 01, 2006Fourth: CurrentCertain Religious Workers CurrentFifth: Employment creation/ (Million or half-million dollar investor) Current

Continued on page 30 Continued on page 30

June 30, 20132626

BABY SQUID ASADO WITH GREEN MANGO

This is one of the many dishes I cooked for my husband when we were vacationing in the Philippines. Finally, I found the baby squid, which is my hus-band’s favorite. Try this recipe when your taste buds long for that unique Filipino taste. Baby squid can be served as an appe-tizer or can be added to green salad, and it is also an ideal ingredient for paella.

Makes 5 to 6 servings

Ingredients:2 pounds baby squid (about

2 or 3 inches long)1 tablespoon granulated

garlic2 tablespoons bread crumbssalt and pepperfew pieces of thinly sliced

red bell pepper1 or 2 green mangoes,

peeled, and meat thinly sliced

Methods:Clean the squid (see Chef’s

tips) and rinse gently. Drain to remove excess water.

Preheat a large non-stick skillet and add the squid and granulated garlic; blanch quickly (1 or 2 minutes), then drain thor-oughly.

Wipe clean the same skillet and drizzle a small amount of vegetable oil. Preheat the skillet again. Stir fry the squid while

sprinkling some bread crumbs and quickly cook over high heat for just a few minutes

(1 or 2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and mix in the red bell pepper.

Can be served warm or cold, garnished with green mango.

Chef’s Tips: To clean the squid: Hold the body of the squid

in one hand and pull off the head and tentacles. For this recipe, discard the ink.

Pull out the inedible “pen”, which looks like a long piece of plastic, then discard.

Cut the tentacles from the head and squeeze to remove the beak; cut off and discard. Optionally, you can cut off eyes and mouth and discard.

Editor’s Note: Master Chef Evelyn: 100 Most Influential Fili-pina Women in the U.S., 2009, Fili-pina Women’s Network; MHC Most Outstanding Migrant Award in Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC Dakila Special Achievement Award, 2011; Owner/Chef, Philippine Oriental Market & Deli, Arlington, Virginia; Founder and President of CHEW (Cancer Help – Eat Well) Founda-tion, a 501 (c) (3) public charity formed to help and cook pro-bono for Filipino-Americans who are afflicted with cancer and other serious ill-nesses; Culinary writer; Member,

Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Washington DC Chapter; Member, International Cake Exploration Society, Member: Culinary Histo-rians of Washington, D.C.; Master Chef, French Cuisine and Patisserie, Le Cordon Bleu, London.

BLIND MANA daughter walked into the

bathroom where her mother was taking a shower. “Mom, there is a blind man to see you,” she says.

“Well, if he is a blind, than it does not matter if I’m in the shower. Send him in.”

The blind man walks into the bathroom, and the mother starts to tell him how much she appreciates him for a fast ser-vice. She goes on and on for 10 minutes until the man interrupts: “That’s nice and all, ma’am, but you can put your clothes on now. Where do you want me to put these blinds?

CELEBRATEAn aged farmer and his wife

were leaning against the edge of their pig-pen when the old woman wistfully recalled that the next week would mark their golden wedding anniversary.

“Let’s have a party, Homer,” she suggested. “Let’s kill a pig.”

The farmer scratched his grizzled head. “Gee, Ethel,” he fi nally answered, “I don’t see why the pig should take the blame for something that hap-pened fi fty years ago.”

DEAR ABBY,My boyfriend is going to be

twenty years old next month. I’d like to give him something nice for his birthday. What do you think he’d like? -- Carol

Dear Carol,Never mind what he’d like.

Give him a tie.

DAGOHOYIt was the fi rst day of school

in Washington, DC and a new student named Dagohoy, the son of a Filipino immigrant, entered the eighth grade.

The teacher began, “Let’s review some American history, class. Who said ‘Give me liberty or give me death?’”

She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Dagohoy’s who had his hand up, “Patrick Henry, 1775.”

“Very good,” said the teacher.

“Who said ‘Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth’”?

Again, no response except from Dagohoy: “Abraham Lin-coln, Gettysburg, 1863,” he said.

The teacher snaps at the

class, “Class, you should be ashamed, Dagohoy who is new to our country knows more about our history than you do.”

She hears a loud whisper from the back: “Screw the Filipi-nos.”

“Who said that?” she demanded. Dagohoy put his hand up. “General John Persh-ing, Manila, 1896.”

At that point, Jack, another student says, “I’m going to puke.” The teacher glares and asks, “All right! Now who said that?”

Again Dagohoy answers, “George Bush, Sr. to the Japanese Prime Minister during the state dinner, Tokyo, 1991.”

Now furious, another stu-dent yells, “Oh yeah? Suck this!”

Dagohoy jumps out of his chair waving his hand and shouts to the teacher at the top of his voice, “Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, the Oval Offi ce, 1997!”

Someone shouts, “You little shit if you say anything else, I’ll kill you.”

Dagohoy yells, “Congress-man Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, Washington, D.C., 2001!”

The teacher faints. “I’m outta here!” mutters one student as he sidles to the door.

“President Gloria Macapa-gal Arroyo, Baguio City, Decem-ber 30, 2002!” Dagohoy responds.

As the class gathers around her on the fl oor, someone says, “Oh shit, now we’re really in big trouble!”

“Saddam Hussein, on the Iraq invasion, Baghdad, May 2003!” Dagohoy bellowed.

“Now, I really have to run,” Jack mutters, heading for the exit.

“Gloria Macapagal Arroyo again, Pampanga, October 4, 2003!” Dagohoy shouts trium-phantly jumping with glee.

Then a burly African-Amer-ican boy grabbed Dagohoy and strangled him, about to give a

fi stful to a frightened Dagohoy.Then an Asian boy stood up

and shouted, “Hey easy on him. I’m a Filipino!”

Dagohoy then blurted out before he got socked out, “Fer-nando Poe, Jr. Manila, January, 2004!”

INDAYThe husband ay galit na

galit kay Inday dahil she burned a hole in his uniform.

He angrily asked her, “Paano mo naman nasunog to?”

She answered: “Secret!”Sir: Inday, natanggal mo

yung mantsa sa barong ko?Inday: Opo, sir! Tanggal na

tanggal!Sir: Good! Anong pinang-

tanggal mo?Inday: Gunting, sir... gunt-

ing!

June 30, 2013 27

Summer Soirees

We seemingly skipped spring when old winter overstayed.

Then summer quietly crept in. It is fi nally here. In fact, we were not even sure if spring has already sprung if not for some sporadic rain drops in May that usually poured in April. Conse-quently, numerous spring fl ow-ers were hesitant to appear as a result of this vagarious weather condition. The Azaleas in our front yard were not in full bloom and did not last long. Likewise, the supposedly big Pansy fl ow-ers of yellow and lavender only produced small blooms. To add, the normally vibrant and colorful Day Lilies were noticeably absent from the garden scenario. But, to be fair, the culprits here were the family of deer that enjoyed the “Day Lily salad feast” in front of our house while we slept – the stag, the doe and their darling Bambi blissfully helped them-selves with our freshly planted annuals. Well, that’s what we get for getting their once upon a time domain.

Pretty soon June will be gone and our focus on the catas-trophes that happened across the nation will momentarily be distracted by the summer festivi-ties, fun and social gatherings. Of course, for those who were directly hit and still without roofs on their head, the situa-tion is still very challenging. We hope that the promises they were given by government authorities who visited their areas will not be forgotten. We say- “Blessed are the people who are resilient and have the strength to cope with the adversities of life. “ With pride, I can also say that, likewise, the Filipinos are also resilient by nature and therefore, blessed. More so, in the face of diffi culty, are creative, ingenious and almost always fi nd practi-cal solutions even to seemingly heavy burdens.

Picnics: Onset of Summer Meanwhile, families, com-

munities or organizations have already started having summer fun with group gatherings and get-together socials. Those homeowners with decks are now busy bugs having parties with everything grilled – hamburgers, hotdogs, pork ribs, steak, corn, vegetables, etcetera. The Metro Washington, DC area parks are similarly bustling with people hurrying up to get their chosen picnic tables with nearby grills. They carry big watermelons, picnic baskets, portable chairs, boom box, trays of foods, with children tugging along and even with Fido on the leash.

My family was one of them when our children organized a picnic at the Great Falls Park

to celebrate Father’s Day for their dearest Daddy on June 15. My chef daughter prepared the grilled succulent baby pork ribs as the main fare with all the salads, breads and Filipino des-serts. He also received beautiful cards and money gifts. My hus-band was very appreciative of this effort to celebrate him. As fathers are as important as moth-ers, our children made sure he was accorded equal attention. Amen.

The Gala Ball The Philippine American

Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC) held its gala ball at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in DC. As the highlight of the 115th anni-versary celebration of the Philip-pine Independence, this formal event featured the theme, “Our Families, Our Communities: Helping Shape America.”H.E., Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. in his message said that “The various events and activities presented by the PAFC to the community fi t-tingly celebrate the contribution that prominent Filipino Ameri-cans have made to US society.” Similarly, Governor of Virginia, Robert F. McDonnell, in his writ-ten message refl ected that “The economic and cultural outreach effort of Filipino Virginians has enriched us all.”To add, Sonny Busa, a retired visiting profes-sor of International Relations at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, wrote in the souvenir pro-gram, “as a part of Asian immi-grants, the Filipino American immigrants are better educated and more affl uent than their par-ents; they highly value family, hard work, education and loy-alty and furthermore, assimi-late better than other immigrant groups. It is easy to see how Fil-Ams shape America for the better.

Led by Ambassador and Mrs. Cuisia and the guest speaker, Jose Antonio Vargas, the event was well attended. Also invited to the Ambassa-dor’s table was Cristeta Pasia Comerford, the Executive Chef at the White House. But I say, equally important in attendance were the guests from the Filipino American organizations and the community at-large.

Being in hiatus for some months, it was so refreshing to see my PAFC colleagues and friends in the community once again. I was temporarily out of circulation the time our damaged

roof was being reconstructed as a result of the catastrophic wind-storm last year. It took some months before the work was done. For a change, I was not involved in any committee or in-charge of something at the gala ball unlike the past years. Being the immediate past president of PAFC, I circulated among the guests, but I also had the chance to just observe and watch the on-goings and the program.

My husband and I were with Dr. Willie and Lottie Buhain, Dr. Cesar and Sonia Soriano at the dinner table which gave me the chance to catch up with them. Father Gary Villan-ueva, who said the invocation before dinner, danced Cha-cha with me. He was a good dancer with his Zumba experience. It was nice to see old friends like Dr. Charlie and Fe Patalinghug from Baltimore,MD. Vellie Diet-rich-Hall who just arrived from Manila with husband Harry Hall made it to the ball. I chit-chatted a little bit with Frank Bituin and wife Nora representing PAMWE, Bobby and Gloria Federigan, Mencie Hairston and Lulu Alex-ander from Mabuhay, Inc., Alice Andam from PNA, Yolly and Johnny Arzadon from Medical Mission of Mercy with Romy and Sally Rosal who just arrived from Manila for a six months vacation. Dr. Jovy Eusebio with husband, Jun Eusebio arrived a bit late because of Jovy’s late closing of her Potomac Skin Care clinic meeting the demands of her cli-entelle. She wore a very elegant Philippine terno newly arrived from Manila. The Embassy dip-lomats, offi cers and staff were also so pleasurable to meet. One cannot help but notice their outstanding personalities and demeanor. There were others I met. It was so humbling to have associated with all these fi ne and lovely friends in the community. I truly enjoyed going around greeting and chit-chatting with them a little bit. In between my round with friends, my husband and I enjoyed dancing the Tango, Rhumba, Merengue and Swing. Dancing is defi nitely therapeutic to me.

As always, it was refreshing to speak with Cris Comerford whose pleasing personality I admired. I joined her at her table with Jose Vargas after dinner for some catch-up moments. The last time we saw each other was when we had brunch with

A Family Affair

The time has fi nally come to let go of our home. It housed nine adults and

one child for a year in its early life. This gracious dwelling was made for a big family. We have become empty-nesters. Even Balou is not dog enough to fi ll up the rooms. So after 25 years it is time to downsize. I heard it groan in pain and sorrow. Or was that my echo?

How does one say goodbye to an inanimate object? It is not a conversation, but rather a solilo-quy.

I’ve said hellos and good-byes to temporary apartment lodgings as well as semi-per-manent homes. Every change of address was painful for me. Except for our fi rst move. I have pleasant memories of that one. It was in July 1976. We moved out of the cramped one room studio in Newark, NJ. Everything we owned fi lled the back seat of our battered Chevy Nova. By then I was eight months pregnant with our fi rst child. The severe nausea from that pregnancy had become a distant memory. I was fi nally healthy and strong enough to help in the move.

Our most prized posses-sion was a Sony Trinitron TV set. The new neighbors at Elizabeth, NJ were horrifi ed when they saw me balance that TV on top of my ballooned stomach. The baby didn’t care. She was quiet and happy enough to help. I was over the moon. We thought ourselves rich and grinned our-selves silly for getting that one bedroom one bath apartment. The rent included a designated parking space. The anxiety each time we came home looking for and fi nding a parking spot was a thing of the past.

It appeared large. We didn’t have furniture except for a table and four chairs we bought from K Mart for $35. Mitch and I slept on the fl oor until a neigh-bor, shocked beyond belief, offered us a bed which was to be donated to the Salvation Army the next day. When the baby was born, we placed her inside a half-opened drawer before purchas-ing a plastic baby carrier. That served as her make shift crib until we had saved enough to buy her a proper one.

That was four decades ago. We have changed addresses fi ve

times since then. Our taste has evolved as our family fi nances improved.

A little over 25 years ago, we were on our way home from a day of picking apples. We made a detour through wind-ing country roads. A cluster of new homes piqued my family’s interest. The houses were nestled among mature trees. The neigh-borhood was peaceful. Mitch and the children were impressed. I was anxious and tried to appear indifferent. I am a nester. I never want to change homes. But I was outnumbered and over-ruled. So we pulled stakes once more and moved. I cried as I said goodbye to our old house. It took a while before I warmed up to our new residence.

To furnish it we visited model homes on weekends and took notes of our likes and dislikes. Hechingers, that now defunct home improvement store, became our go-to resource place. We enjoyed spending time at auctions. Our children gorged on hotdogs and sodas and they were as delighted as we were when we won bids on our selected items.

Our daughters and our son grew up appreciating interior design. They had strong opin-ions and were not coy in rating my successes as well as my disasters. I went through sev-eral styles before I settled into an eclectic look. Along the way I learned how to edit and simplify. My family approved. Decorating became a family affair.

Our home was the party place. Thanksgivings, birth-days, reunions, and Christmas holidays happened here. One Thanksgiving we opened our home to 40 family and friends. In 2004, at my nursing school reunion picnic, we welcomed more than 80 people. The house remained gracious and fi t through it all. It was indestruc-tible.

And now it is time to bid adieu. The family has collec-tively fl exed its muscles. I am outnumbered once again so I have acquiesced. But this is a group decision, a family affair. I will share the burden of the logistical frenzy.

Dear family, we’re off to another adventure. Are you ready? Continued on page 30

June 30, 20132828

It’s more fun in PH …If you have a camera. This is the

report of Pablito Alarcon, an offi cer of Feed the Hungry, who recently distrib-uted these photos taken of advertising signs in Manila and provinces. The photos were forwarded by you know who, Klaus Buntua, to the Manila Mail editor who, in turn, passed it on to Tsismoso.

Talking about Klaus, who spreads the word all over town that he has traveled to practically all the countries in the world, someone has suggested that we dare him

to travel to areas where other Pinoys fear to tread. “Ask Klaus if he is willing to travel to Yemen, Somalia, Iran and other countries where violence reigns,” ask one Tsismoso.

***Tsismoso has decided to use these

photos of Pablito and others which are self-explanatory.

Klaus did not specify if these photos are copyrighted, so I decided to use them.

EditorialCelebrating July 4th

As we observe this country’s anniversary of independence, it’s good to be reminded that July 4th signifi es so much more than the birthday of a great nation. It is the adoption of the Declaration of Independence which tells us about our common beliefs and aspira-tions as a people. The Declaration, after all, affi rms “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The possibilities of such a bold assertion are really what we the people should celebrate on this occasion.

And yet, we know that inequality still permeates U.S.society. Divisive issues like immigration reform are stirring so

much rancor and bitter debates. Arriving at a national consensus has been diffi cult because of political calculations and partisan bickering.

With Congress working its way to pass a comprehensiveimmigration reform, it is our hope that this country is moving

forward fi nally to achieving the ideal that July 4th signifi es: that we are a great nation of open-minded people who can put aside our dif-ferences, respect each other and be the shining city on the hill. The plight of 11 million undocumented immigrants is not about policy or politics, but about the morality of treating them as human beings.

Filipino Americans have a great stake in this national conversation that will most assuredly shape and transform America. As a commu-nity, we have been blessed with high educational attainment, strong English language skills, the second highest median income among Asians, “even higher than the average U.S. income” and high natu-ralization rates. We are now nearly 4 million strong, with a potential impact on public policy.

And yet, as is so often raised by public offi cials, Filipino Ameri-cans have low voter registration and even lower voter turn out rates in national elections. We have yet to translate our numbers into political clout. We are even generally silent on an issue that is so close to our hearts, one that should keep families together instead of tearing them apart.

It is within each of us who have benefi ted from America’s promise to take steps to ensure that we do our part to combat the inequalities inherent in U.S. society. The way to celebrate July 4th is to remind ourselves that indeed, all men are created equal. It is a simple declara-tion of who we want to be as a people. (J. Melegrito)

June 30, 2013 29

Red vs blue

Red states are Republican states. It is mostly run by politicians who espouse

the conservative philosophy of lower taxation and smaller gov-ernment. It is based on the belief that lesser fi nancial burdens on citizens and job creators stimu-late consumption and economic activity generating more revenue for the public good.

Blue states are Democratic states. Its political leaders favor more taxation to provide for public services thereby giving the government a bigger respon-sibility in looking after the wel-fare of its citizens. Government needs to step in when the free enterprise system falls short in meeting the essential needs of people.

While all politicians profess altruistic desires to use govern-ment as an instrument to pro-mote prosperity for the good of all, two diverging philosophies cannot possibly bring the same results. A recent report by the American Legislative Exchange Council show that red states fared better than blue states in economic performance and pros-pects.

As excerpted by Valerie Richardson writing for the Washington Times, the divide is expanding between pro-growth

states, which tend to elect Repub-licans and those anti-growth pol-icies promoted by Democrats.

Between 2001 -2010, eight of the top ten economic performers based on gross domestic prod-uct, absolute in-migration and nonfarm payroll employment were dominated by red states, led by Texas, followed by purple Nevada, then red states Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Idaho, Arizona, Alaska and Montana. Only one blue state, Washington made the top ten.

Of the bottom ten, eight are blue states including Wisconsin, California, Rhode Island, Mas-sachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois and New Jersey, with Ohio as the only purple state and Mis-souri as the only red state. Blue state Michigan is at the bottom although the report expects a turnaround based on the changes made by the incumbent Repub-lican governor Rick Snyder and conservatives in the legislature.

As for economic outlook gauged by 15 economic indica-tors including tax rates, regula-tory burden and labor policies, eight of the top ten are red states led by Utah, while two are purple states Florida and Virginia with Republican governors.

The report shows “that over a ten year period, the nine states without personal income taxes have outperformed the nine states with the highest income tax rates in population, job and revenue growth.” Most of the nine states are red states, with the exception of Washington.

The clash of conservative and liberal brand of govern-ment is also in full display on both sides of the Potomac River. Liberal Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley is at the helm of the Maryland government. Con-servative Republican Governor Bob McDonnell runs the capitol

Need a little more work

Immigrants powering Amer-ica – that was the theme of this year’s People Ball, a civic

rally masquerading as a dance party or is that the other way around?

The Migrant Heritage Com-mission organizes the annual event – easily one of the largest FilAm parties in the Metro DC region – around the time that’s book-ended by the June 12 Phil-ippine Independence Day and the American 4th of July Indepen-dence Day. The People’s Ball has come to symbolize the FilAm’s dual personality and celebrates their legacy as one of the fastest growing and successful Asian immigrant groups in the United States.

Led by lawyer Arnedo Valera, his sister Grace and MHC’s dynamo Jessie Gatchal-ian, the group is able to draw a diverse section of the FilAm community here and around the US. The causes they cham-pion – from the plight of Mary-land public school teachers and Fil-Am nurses fi red for speaking Pilipino to showing off Filipino culture in American festivals (they’ve represented Filipinos in past July 4 parades in Washing-ton DC and Philadelphia), has built a sizeable army of “volun-teers” who help propagate their vision of public service. They are also a fertile audience for people who want to sway FilAms.

That was precisely what Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. tried to do as he delivered the keynote address amid the din of people who just wanted to have fun. He had to demand their attention, no matter how briefl y. He had an important message to tell – about progress back home (cer-tainly welcome news), current efforts to broaden those gains, and perhaps more importantly, about the developments swirling in our backyard.

The Ambassador’s very charming wife, Vicky (who pro-fesses to be an ardent reader of this column) asked us what we thought about the prospects of immigration reform on Capitol Hill and I replied, I wasn’t too hopeful especially for the House of Representatives.

Despite its deep and wor-rying potential for affecting the FilAm community, immigra-tion reform appears to remain a

distant concern for the average Filipino in the US. It could deter-mine the future size, shape and character of that community as some lawmakers restrict which of our loved ones can join us here or how long we should wait to be reunited with them or if the undocumented among us will fi nally have an opportunity to become lawful members of this great nation.

Filipinos now represent the 4th largest immigrant group in the US, next to Mexico, China and India. They have grown from just 1 percent of the total US population in 1960 to about 4 percent in 2011. Filipinos can be a force to reckon with but alas, divided or worse, ambivalent, that too seems like a “distant” proposition.

Ambassador Cuisia also revealed that the Loudoun sher-

Opinion

Continued on page 30

Of Families and Fertility

The most poignant scene in Jose Antonio Vargas’ nationally-acclaimed fi lm,

“Documented,” is the conversa-tion via Skype between Vargas and his mother, Emily Salinas, on Christmas Day 2012.

They haven’t seen each other in 20 years. He was 12 years old when his mother sent him off to the U.S. to live with his grandparents. With fake papers, it turned out.

It was a sacrifi ce she had to make for his own good, the mother says. But Jose appar-ently felt so confl icted about it he stopped writing and talking on the phone to his own mother the last few years.

Until one day in December. Both mother and son tried once again to re-connect. This time on a TV screen.

And this was all caught on fi lm. It’s Vargas’ creative attempt not only to document his own painful journey as an undocu-mented immigrant in America but to chronicle the human sto-ries of 11 million others, espe-cially the DREAMers – young people like him who grew up American but are undocu-mented.

It’s a compelling story of families being torn apart, thanks to a broken immigration system that has kept millions in the shadows for years.

Vargas was among those in the shadows and it haunted him.

In the fi lm, the mother is seen in tears, begging her son to “come home so we can see each other.”

“Soon, soon,” he replies, breaking down in sobs, know-ing that their reunion, like many other families, depends on the passage of the immigration bill working its way through Con-gress.

“I just want to be able to hug him like I did before,” she says after they hang up. “Even with-out words, I just want to embrace my child.” She talks about how painful it was to be separated. EXTENDED FAMILY. Until Jose’s personal story drove home the point about our broken immigration system, I had always taken for granted how relatively easy it had been for my own family and my extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces to come to the U.S. and later become perma-nent residents and citizens.

There are more than a hun-dred of us now all across the U.S. Every two years, we hold a family reunion in different cities, hosted by a relative’s family on a rotation basis. We will be hosting the next one in July 2014.

In recent years, however, it had been extremely diffi cult for other close relatives from the Philippines to attend our family reunions. Even visitors visas have been diffi cult to come by. We wondered if it had some-thing to do with immigration offi cials suspecting something other than visiting. Overstaying perhaps? Then disappearing in the shadows?

I heard Ambassador Jose L. Cuisa cite some 2011 statistics the other day noting that two percent of the 11 million undocu-mented in the U.S. are Philippine citizens. That’s about 270,000.

On top of being the second largest immigrant group among Asians, Filipinos are also known to have the highest fertility rate, next to Mexicans.

But fertility is good for the county, according to former Texas Gov. Jeb Bush. He said that women who immigrate to America are more fertile than women who are born in the country. Well, let’s see: my U.S. born daughter has two children while my Philippine-born cousin has four. So that checks out.

“Immigrants are more fer-tile, and they love families, and they have more intact families, and they bring a younger popu-lation,” Jeb declared. “Immi-grants create an engine of eco-nomic prosperity.”

The Dizon “engine,” named after my maternal grandfather, comprises four generations of teachers, soldiers, farmers, law-yers, ministers, writers, social workers, nurses, doctors, domes-tic workers, engineers, secretar-ies. Aunts and nieces have won beauty pageants. Uncles and nephews have excelled in vari-ous fi elds.

I thank my great grand mother Lola Lelang’s fertility for bringing into this world talented, hard working and fertile descen-dants.

And to Jose Antonio Vargas and Jeb Bush for their compel-ling arguments on why the 11 million undocumented should become Americans soon.

Send your comments to jdmelegrito@gmail.com Continued on page 30

June 30, 20133030On Debt and Gratitude... from page 24

in Virginia.Gov. O’Malley according to

TV host Lou Dobbs is responsi-ble for at least 19 tax hikes since he took offi ce. His government has carried budget defi cits year after year. McDonnell’s Virginia on the other hand could brag of three straight years of budget surpluses. Maryland has 6.5% unemployment rate while Vir-

ginia is at 5.2%. Maryland is a union state while Virginia is a right to work state.

Between 2007 a d 2010, Maryland reportedly accounted for the largest taxpayer exodus of any state in the region with 31,000 residents leaving the state, many of them relocating to Vir-ginia and bringing with them at

least $360 million to the taxpayer rolls according to the Tax Foun-dation.

Liberal vs. conservative government will be at stake again in the coming gubernato-rial elections in Virginia featur-ing Republican Attorney Gen-eral Ken Cuccinelli and former Democatic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe.

The good thing is that we have a clear choice.

iff’s offi ce has promised to reveal its fi ndings into the fatal shooting of kababayan Mylene de Leon at a Costco store in Leesburg, Va. before the end of June. We are skeptical about that too, espe-cially after authorities refused to open an independent investiga-tion, leaving the sheriff’s offi ce to probe their own men.

There’s been nary an outcry from the FilAm community over de Leon’s fate – shot to death by two sheriff’s deputies after she allegedly threatened them with a pizza knife. There are a host of other issues – Filipino oil rig workers allegedly exploited in the Gulf of Mexico, domes-

tics reportedly abused by their employers, etc. True, there are a few who’ve taken the cudgels for them but the muted response conceals the potential for a more orchestrated, broader response that could reinforce the image of a vigilant, caring FilAm com-munity.

Harnessing the power of the Filipino collective has always been an immense chal-lenge. Time and again, we have proven to be a patient, forgiving, carefree people who’d prefer to go line-dancing than marching down a congressman’s offi ce.

Former Miss Virginia and 2012 Miss USA Nikki Poteet was

among the guests at the People’s Ball. She’s volunteered to coach contestants in a local FilAm beauty pageant and proudly proclaims she’s had more pic-tures taken with Filipinos than any others. What was her most “interesting take” about Filipi-nos, we asked, and she quickly replied “Filipinos like to sing and they like to dance”.

And for that evening at least, Filipinos indulged them-selves. Still, while the tipping point may be high, Filipinos have demonstrated a sweeping capability for profound change (e.g., EDSA People Power). They just need a lot more work but the rewards can truly be great.

Need a little more... from page 29

Red vs blue... from page 29

in anger over fi ctional “gates of hell” (author Dan Brown’s description of Manila) or whether our children have com-plete limbs (supposedly a com-ment by actress Claire Danes).

Let’s forget about nonsensi-cal “controversies” and instead rage against those who steal from us everyday, inveigh against poverty, and demand that the government help the poor, the vulnerable and the weak.

Let’s make those who ran for offi ce promising to make our lives better get to work and fulfi ll their promises. Let’s not allow them to take advantage of our individualism and selfi shness and, thus, control us.

Those who control us, whether it’s government or big economic powers, like things just the way they are. They like us divided and quarreling among ourselves for it’s easier to divide and conquer when we’re already divided. And of course they like us poor, the better to keep us vul-nerable and helpless, and forever begging for their patronage .

We as a nation need to refo-cus our attention and energies.

We need to depolarize ourselves and work as one people.

We need to be a Japan, where people don’t have to riot and loot to get a piece of relief bread. We need to be a South Korea where, when faced with national bankruptcy, people vol-unteered their personal money and jewelry so their government could pay its debts. We need to be like the Scandinavian coun-tries where people are embar-rassed when they earn or own more than their neighbors.

We need to be a serious people, one that isn’t easy to satisfy or fool. One that makes a big deal out of Independence, national heroes Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, and not of show biz stars domestic and for-eign. How many of us partici-pated in the last Independence Day (June 12) rites? How many went to shopping malls instead? There’s no great country that doesn’t make a big deal out of its independence or national day.

We must be a people that prefers museums to malls. Malls don’t create serious jobs or churn out machinery or products that

will generate more economic activity. Don’t we wonder why the government allows its citi-zens to be hired by mall owners and then let go after fi ve months to escape paying them regular benefi ts?

We’re a people distracted from the serious things in life and we don’t even know it. We’re so easy to please (mababaw ang kaligayahan) and to manipulate. Those who control us give us cheap wages, cheap products, cheap service and cheap enter-tainment.

We’re thrown bread crumbs and we’re already delirious with gratitude. No wonder we would settle for “trickle down” instead of an “equal share” of economic growth. But that’s an accepted economics term, someone told me. And that’s exactly the problem, we accept everything “experts” tell us.

We enjoy our sad lot so much, we’re not even aware we’re being robbed blind. We’re so distracted, we don’t even know our pockets are being picked.

Why don’t we get serious for a change?

We’re not a serious... from page 25

“salamat po” expresses a depth of meaning. The reply “walang anuman” or “ayos lang” (In Eng-lish, it is nothing, from nothing, everything is in order) assures the recipient of a favor that it is not a burden to be carried for life. Not a debt but a part of the social practices of etiquette. The same is true in the replies “de nada” or “no hay de que” given in Spanish or “de rien” in France. (all, mean-ing from nothing.) “Prego” and “bitte” in Italian and German, both mean “please” which say in silence that “I am pleased to do it and that you are not accountable to me.” “You are welcome” or “don’t mention it” are expressed as “pashalisto” in Russian, “kembali” in Bahasa Indonesian, “bu keqi” in Chinese Mandarin, khong co cahi” in Vietnamese, “cheonmaneyo” in Korean, and “buen prohecchu” in Chamorro in Guam.

“Utang na loob” or debt of gratitude or debt of conscience is part and parcel of Philippine cul-ture. A favor is given orally with mutual consent of the debtor and creditor, with no conditions or limits of obligation. It is per-petual, unlike any legal written contractual agreement, signed

and notarized, which is common in the United States and in many other countries. This written agreement carries clauses iden-tifying boundaries of commit-ment. “Utang na loob” does not. But it can be a trap.

In essence, “utang na loob” is connected to fi lial piety and the obligation owed extends even to those outside family relations. The “padrino” system as practiced in the Philippines where a job applicant is hired or appointed because of a favor owed to someone has been an anomaly in the Philippines. The ensuing consequences of “utang na loob” are even refl ected in national and local government policies and practices, even in a barangay where positions with responsibility are granted as a payment to a favor owed to someone.

How is then should a favor freely given, solicited or not, be accepted? In times of extreme needs, it must be handled with care, for the consequences can be damaging spiritually, morally, and spiritually. It can be a cancer that gnaws at the innards. It can be a set trap. And regret is always lurking around the corner.

Ambassador Willy and Mrs. Linda Gaa who was visiting from Manila last year. Jose Vargas was nangungupo sa akin as we talked. He said his lola trained him the Filipino way of being polite and respectful to anybody older than himself. Up close and personal: Bata pa siya, inteli-gente at magalang. At the same table were Ambassador and Mrs. Cuisia. They were warm, amiable and accommodating. Guests surrounded them during the kodakan time. The gala ball was a success with the concerted efforts of the PAFC offi cers, directors and numerous volun-teers from the community and various organizations. The spon-sors of the gala and the icnicsort of the Philippine Embassy were most appreciated.

Other Summer Joie de VivreFestivities and events are

abound the area and nearby

states like arts and craft shows, golf tournaments, farmers’ mar-kets, Fil-Am Fiestas, sports fests, home and garden shows, com-munity center festivals and cook-ing lessons, fl owering plants garden shows, yoga and Zumba sessions, book sales in commu-nity libraries, painting shows, school or community stage concerts, song and piano recit-als, bicyclists meet, book read-ing sessions in public libraries, gem shows and for some others - trips to Atlantic City, MD and Charlestown, VA. Most of these events and activities are free, anyway. First, we have to look for them in the local newspaper, libraries, TV news and internet, then, make plans. Investing your time and energy in worthwhile activities are valuable in the long run. Enjoy!

Summer Soirees... from page 27

for Social Change.” Onlyit is more severe.The “high risk” provinces

fl ank Lingayen Gulf, Camotes Sea , Guimaras Strait , waters along Sibuyan and central Sulu, plus bays in Iligan, Lamonand Bislig. Chances of Manila fl ood-ing yearly rose to 65 percent, and Davao ‘s to 90 percent, estimates Clavano, a Cornell University

PhD..”Rising sea level took a back seat because increased fl ooding had a more immediate effect.”

This issue is a major stum-bling block to alleviating global poverty, warned World Bank President Jim Yong Kim Prog-ress of the last 20 years, could be set back if nations must divert scarce resources to recover

from storms and natural disas-ters. Those funds are needed in health, education and other ser-vices.

The Bank will provide loans for Asian countries to cope with inevitable climate shifts. It prods agribusinesses to focus “on how major crops can be altered to live with less water, hotter tempera-tures.” Support is given for crop science and genetics. Will sci-entists win the race to produce

drought-resistant varieties of corn and other plants --- or lose to mass hunger, say in Sub-Saha-ran Africa? A “magic bullet” may prove elusive.

In a report ,released Friday in Nairobi, UN Environment Programme said * *The private sector’s future will hinge on it’s ability to develop goodsand ser-vices that reduce impacts from water scarcity to emissions of harmful chemicals “GEO-5 for Business: Impacts of a Changing Environment on the Corporate Sector” notes signifi cant busi-ness opportunities for greener

urban construction and retro-

fi ts. These are in cities where 60

percent of infrastructure still has

to be built.. Markets for organic

food and beverages expanded by

10 to 20 per cent yearly during

the last decade.

Companies certifi ed as sus-

tainable food producers can

also tap into growing customer

demand.

‘Right’ Disaster?... from page 25

June 30, 2013 31

June 30, 20133232