Asian Journal January 18-24, 2013 Edition

Immigration bureau: In 2012, some 172,000 foreign tourists extended stay in PHL

10 killed in Atimonan nega-tive for paraffi n: source

ANC News | MANILA, 1/15/2013 – Investigators are now focusing on the re-autop-sy on Paul Arsedillo Quio-hilag, one of the 13 fatalities in the alleged shootout in

Atimonan, Quezon.He is one of two victims

said to have been brought to the hospital after the incident.

Quiohilag was shot at least seven times, with one of the bullets hitting his left temple.

But a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) source revealed that there was tat-tooing or powder burns on Quiohilag's face.

This means he could have been shot at close range.

Quiohilag's left chest also bore a nozzle mark, which

January 18-24, 2013

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(Continued on page 16)


Reodica: His Grand Rise And

Fall .. p 8

When Marital “Wine”Runs Out/

Sto. Niño .. p 9

Ernie Delfi nMsgr. Gutierrez Ben MaynigoBringing Home the

Bacon .. p 14



More people surf Web, read horoscopes than Bible

Cebu all set for Sinulog 2013


A Historical Novel by Dr. Ed GamboaInspired by a True Story ....

Chapter 26. Th e Raid at Sante Fe

May 2013 Elections

The Dark Nights of Father Madrid

Initial NBI fi ndings bolster rubout angle

Nora Lucero, an ac-countant, left SGV to spread God’s word

Edwin Bael (c2002)

The meeting with members of the revolutionary Barrio Organizing Committee at San-ta Fe had been properly pre-arranged. George did not have to do much except show up for the event. His job was to see to it that the committee

went about putting up the “Samahang Nayon” the right way. This new organization, mandated by the government, was to become the offi cial union representing the local farmers.

Fighting the government up front was not prudent strategy. Know the enemy; recognize who their agents are, their support-ers, and their resources. Bide your time, gain strength. By now, he knew Mao’s words by heart.

by Edwin D. Bael on Monday, 1/14/2013 -- Yes-terday, January 13, 2013, was the start of the ban against the bearing, carrying, or trans-porting of fi rearms or other deadly weapons, in prepa-ration for our May 13, 2013 Elec-tions for Senators, Con-gress-men,

Party-list Groups, and the elective regional, provincial, city, and municipal offi cials. It is called mid-term elec-tions as it occurs in-between the election for President and other offi cials every six years. Campaign period for senators and party-list groups start on February 12, while the period for candidates for the House of Representatives and local offi cials start on March 29.

The code for what is de-sired of this election is SAFE: Secure and Free Elections. In other words, we hope for the unfettered and true expres-sion of the voting citizens'

will, neither clouded by undue and improper pressure or infl uence, nor subjected to the treason and betrayal of "dagdag-bawas" operations, nor prevented by voters list manipulations, nor distorted by fl ying and substitute vot-ers, nor rendered into a total farce appearing real by the surreptitious insertion of elec-tronic programs that automati-cally "adjust" the votes of one or two or more candidates in the tallies, whether at the local level or at the fi nal counting

Politicians warned: No cam-paigning in Sinulog

By Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News | CEBU,1/17/2013 – Senatorial bets and local offi cials alike were warned by Sinulog organizers against campaigning during the 3-day religious festival that will be attended by at least 4 million devotees of the Sto. Niño, ac-cording to the Sinulog Foun-dation Incorporated (SFI).

The foundation's executive director, Ricky Ballesteros, said their security personnel will confi scate any leafl ets, banners, tarpaulins or any

other campaign materials that will be dished out to the public during the Sinulog Festival.

"They must behave also, it’s a simple rule to follow," he said.

Church leaders are looking at cyberspace as the main arena to keep the faithful.

Inquirer.net | MANILA, 1/17/2013 -- In this predominantly Catholic country, the Bible is not only fac-ing stiff competition from romance pock-etbooks, horoscopes, feng shui (Chinese geomancy), it also is facing

the challenge of the Internet, an offi cial of the Philippine Bible Society (PBS) said Tuesday.

Romance pock-etbooks are popu-lar among women while the young patronize more Internet shops instead of read-ing and refl ecting on the Bible, said PBS general sec-

Inquirer.net | MANILA, 1/16/2013 -- Some 172,000 for-eign tourists opted to extend their stay in the Philippines by apply-ing for an "extension of stay" in 2012, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the BI visa exten-sion offi ce approved 172,055 applications for extension of stay by foreign tourists in 2012.

“Our country remains a favor-ite tourist destination that many foreign visitors are opting to stay here longer not only for vacation or to visit our tourist attractions but also to explore business and investment opportunities,” he said in a news release.

He added that the number of approved visa extensions in 2012 was 13 percent higher than the 151,913 applications for exten-sion of stay the bureau approved in 2011.

Meanwhile, BI visa extension offi ce acting chief Julius Cortez said non-visa required foreign tourists are admitted for 21 days upon their arrival in a Philippine port of entry while visa-required nationals are granted an initial stay of 59 days.

Cortez said they may then apply to extend their stay for two months and every two months thereafter until they reached the maximum stay of 16 months.

“All of them may extend their sojourn in the Philippines before the lapse of their authorized stay so long as they do not violate the conditions of their stay and pay the required fees to the bureau,” he added.

Peak extension months

Cortez said tourist visa exten-sions were highest in January, July, August, and December when more than 15,000 applications were pro-cessed.

The lowest was registered April when only more than 12,000 were approved.

The BI noted the Department of Tourism had expected to lure as many as 4.5 million foreign tourists in 2012.

In January to June 2012, the DOT recorded 2.1 million tourist arrivals, mostly from South Korea, United States, Japan, China and Taiwan.

There has also been a steady infl ux of nationals from neighboring coun-tries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). - VVP, GMA News

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Bonta Bill In-cludes School Instruction on Filipino Role in

Farm Worker Movement

AB 123 Recognizes Important

Contributions of Filipinos

(SACRAMENTO, CA) 1/15/2013 – Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) was proud to introduce AB 123 this week, a bill to require school districts to include within their social study instruction the contributions of Filipino Ameri-cans to the farm labor movement in California.

Assemblymember Bonta explained that the goal of AB 123 is to supple-ment California’s rich farm worker history with the contributions of the Filipinos and the Filipino American community. “The Filipino American population composes the second largest Asian population in Califor-nia and continues to grow; yet the story of Filipinos and their crucial efforts to the farm labor movement is an untold part of California his-tory.

“The names and historical signifi-cance of vastly influential leaders in the farm labor movement - such as Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz - are unknown to the general public. California residents need to learn about the pioneering efforts of Filipino farm laborers and leaders in instigating the 1965-1970 Delano Grape Strike, which helped launch the American farm labor movement. AB 123 would give students a more complete account of California’s farm labor movement and ensure that these important leaders are remembered by future generations of Californians.”

Bonta concluded, “It is time to recognize the contributions of Filipinos to the history of our state and country by including them in the social sciences curriculum taught in California schools. AB 123 is a strong step toward this goal.”

Elected in 2012, Assemblymem-ber Rob Bonta represents the 18th Assembly District, which includes Oakland, Alameda, and San Le-andro. Bonta is the Chair of the Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee. He serves on the following Assembly Committees: Health, Transportation, Banking and Finance, and Elections and Redistricting.

Contact: Amy Alley (916) 319-2018

by Karen Davila, ABS CBN News | MANILA - ABS-CBN News has obtained some of the pictures of the aftermath of the alleged shoo-tout in Atimonan, Quezon that tell conflicting stories.

In the first picture, a victim is not yet that bloody, his shirt is raised, and his gun holstered.

In the second, there is noticeably more blood, the victim's shirt is down, and he has a gun in front of him.

Another victim in a white shirt fell in a street gutter and there is no gun.

But when scene of the crime operatives arrived, a gun suddenly materialized in front of him.

The body's position has also changed and is now deeper in the gutter.

ABS-CBN's source also raises questions about a man in a check-ered shirt.

Like the first two, he has no gun in the first picture, and already has one in the second.

The source asks how the man was able to hold a gun when both of his fists were closed.

The pictures are part of the report of the PNP's fact-finding commit-tee submitted to PNP chief Alan Purisima.

The report concludes there were violations in the conduct of the checkpoint as well as the crime scene inquest, and excessive force was used against the victims.

The report also says the injuries of Police Superintendent Hansel Marantan, who led the operation, could not be determined because he declined to submit to a physical examination.

There are also doubts about the position of the two fatalities found outside the vehicles, who may have been moved and the firearms found.

Investigators also say, not all the guns found near the victims were discharged.

Although the probe has yet to be concluded, the report says all signs point to an ambush and not a

All signs point to an ambush, not shootout

shootout.The fact-finding committee is

recommending criminal charges against all PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel involved in the incident.

NBI official doubts Quezon inci-dent was a shootout

Meantime, Purisima has given the fact-finding team until today (Jan. 14) to re-submit its report, which he returned for lack of form and substance.

Congress also wants its own probe into the Atimonan, Quezon shootout that left 13 people dead.

Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, Jr. filed a resolution on Monday say-ing the incident might have been a rubout.

It follows a similar call from Quezon Representative and minority leader Danilo Suarez.

The National Bureau of Inves-tigation (NBI) is the lead agency handling the investigation. Its deputy director, Virgilio Mendez, doubts there was an encounter.

"Depende kung anong understand-ing n'yo ng shootout. Ibig sabihin [ba nun] nagbarilan?” he says.

Mendez says, while there is no deadline to finish the investigation, the final report will most likely be on President Aquino's desk by Friday.

The NBI is also still waiting for the report of the PNP's fact-finding team.

Purisima won't confirm or deny re-ports that what happened in Quezon wasn't a shootout but an ambush.

But, he says, there were lapses committed by the policemen in-volved.

"Just by looking at the crime scene, makikita mo there are already violations sa police opeartion and procedure and more or less, doon tayo magcoconcentrate,” he says.

In Malacanang, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda refuses to comment until the NBI's official findings are out. -- with a report from Atom Araullo, ABS-CBN News

ABS CBN News | MANILA, Philippines, 1/17/2013 - Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago admit-ted Wednesday she did not top the 1969 Bar Exams but resents Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile's raising of the issue to deflect attention from the Senate's excess budget.

Speaking to ANC's Headstart, the lawmaker said she was in love when she took the Bar. She also said she was rebelling against her father for not allowing her to go on a scholar-

ship to Russia."Sasagutin ko ang tanong mo - I

almost flunked the Bar? That's right because I fell in love. I never denied it. I never passed myself off as top-ping the Bar. What I am saying is I passed the Bar," she said.

A report on the University of the Philippines Vanguards website said Santiago got a 78% average grade in the Bar. Santiago is a sponsor of the UP ROTC Unit.

Santiago said she had wanted to go

on a scholarship to Russia right after finishing her law degree at the Uni-versity of the Philippines Diliman but her father, district trial judge Benjamin A. Defensor, said no.

"That was my form of rebellion to my father. Well, I studied but I also found the questions completely unintelligible. Anong pinagtatanong nito? What is this guy thinking of?" she said.

She also recalled the story of her roommate who said: "Itong si Miriam, Bar exam time nagde-date."

The senator said she resented En-rile's bringing up of the issue amid her call for a Commission on Audit probe on the Senate's savings. This is after Enrile gave out P1.6 million additional maintenance and other

operating expenses (MOOE) funds to 18 senators but not to Santiago and 3 other colleagues.

"That's personal. Ano reklamo niya that I did not top the bar? He's mak-ing a personal accusation against me. Ano relasyon niyan dito sa pera?" Santiago asked.

She noted that Enrile was shift-ing attention away from the Senate funds by resorting to argumentum ad hominem or attacks of a person's character or circumstances.

"What about you? What if I say you have body odor? Wala nang katapusan yan," she said.

"Kung di ba malisyoso yung tao na yun pati yun isasama niya sa debate? Ang debate tungkol sa P2 million na rinegalo niya sa mga senador. Bakit

dadalhin niya kung saan saan? I am very familiar with that because I was best debater in the UP College of Law," she added.

Santiago refused to file a case against Enrile because she wanted to exhaust other remedies first, includ-ing a COA probe of Senate funds.

She again challenged Enrile to debate on the issue.

"Harap-harapan tayo para marinig ng taumbayan ang rason mo at rason ko at bahala sila kung anong hatol nila. Hindi yung nagsisiraan tayong dalawa. Sino natutuwa dun? Ikaw?"

Miriam admits: I almost flunked the Bar


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

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

by Miles Beauchamp, PhD

Perspectives

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Community Services. www.fi lamwellness.org

Contemporary Asian American Issues

As sweet as it gets

Ah, chocolate. There are many great chocolates, handmade ones, those from Godiva, and of course See’s. For over 90 years See’s Candies has been dedicated to making candy Mary See’s way. No preservatives are added to the candy and you can choose from over 100 different candies and chocolates, whether you are shopping online or visiting one of the iconic black-and-white checkered shops (where every

customer still gets a free sample).

Founded and headquartered in California, See’s Candies has ex-panded from one candy shop to over 200 shops across America, and a fl ourishing online store.

Mary would be proud

Throughout the history of See’s Candies, Mary See has symbolized the old-fashioned virtues of home-made quality and friendly service.

The spectacled, silver haired woman still smiles with pride from candy boxes shipped throughout the world, and her original recipes are savored by millions. When Charles See arrived in Los Angeles from Canada in 1921 to try his hand at the confection business, he decided that no image would better refl ect the personality of his fl edgling venture than that of his mother. Apart from using her rec-ipes as a foundation, See knew that keeping things in the family was the only way to bring about the kind of lovingly crafted product he desired.

See, along with his mother and his wife, Florence, opened the fi rst See’s Candies shop and kitchen on Western Avenue in Los Angeles in November of 1921. The sparkling clean, black and white shop was de-signed to resemble Mary See’s home kitchen.

Benefi ting from the wide accep-tance of an unusually high qual-ity candy, See’s was able to grow steadily from that fi rst shop in Los Angeles to twelve shops by the mid-1920’s and thirty shops during the depression. By 1936, See’s was able to expand to San Francisco.

Mary See died in 1939 at the age of 85, but the company’s ability to adjust to changing times - without abandoning the passion for quality and service that Mary See represent-ed - kept it going strong throughout the decades to come.

Continued growth

Following World War II, See’s Candy Shops grew as California grew, and the See’s family contin-ued the tradition, opening up shops throughout the state. In the 50’s, See’s established itself with the new and growing phenomenon of shop-ping malls. Customers continued to recognize the See’s Candies product for its quality and taste, and con-tinued to visit See’s old-fashioned black and white shops. In 1972, the See’s family sold the company to Berkshire Hathaway Inc., presided over by Chairman Warren Buffett. Today, See’s candies are sold in over two hundred shops throughout the West, a true sign of their enduring popularity. And, to this day, Charles

See’s living motto, “Quality Without Compromise” continues to guide the company.

Since 1921, See’s Candies has been actively engaged with com-munities, striving to support those in need, as well as to target specifi c causes for support that reach beyond the local communities with which they are involved. From schools to non-profi t support groups and chari-ties, they aspire to make a difference through involvement with various community groups.

Examples of current community support activities

Children’s Health Council, Palo Alto, California: The Children’s Health Council specializes in as-sisting children and their families to overcome specifi c health and

behavioral issues through a variety of interventions. For more infor-mation, go to chconline.org. Sojourn To The Past: See’s Candies has sponsored over 300 high school students from South San Francisco High School to an educational trip centered on the Civil Rights Move-ment in the United States. This 10-day trip provides a life-changing experience as high school students study the events and locations of many of the transformative civil rights events from the 1960’s. For more information, go to sojournproj-ect.com. World Cocoa Community: See’s has joined with major choco-late industry companies to directly

support two exceptional programs to improve conditions for farmers and youth in cocoa producing regions of Africa. First, the ECHOES program of the World Cocoa Foundation is dedicated to improving the educa-tion of youth in the Ghana and Ivory Coast regions of Africa. With additional grants from the US Gov-ernment, contributions from See’s and other program contributors, the program works to improve the education provided to children, with life skills training, teacher training, and functional literacy.

In addition to ECHOES, See’s directly supports the Cocoa Liveli-hoods Program in conjunction with the Bill & Melinda Gates Founda-tion to provide cocoa farmers with better skills and training to operate cocoa farms in a sustainable fash-ion, signifi cantly improve farmer incomes, and diversify farming into alternative crops based on market information. For more information on these programs, visit worldcocoa-foundation.org.

About cocoa

Worldwide chocolate production is roughly 8.1 billion pounds of choco-late, with U.S. production approxi-mately 10% of the world total. See’s Candies (ultimately See’s customers) purchases approximately 1-2% of the US chocolate production on an annual basis, mostly incorporated into See’s famous boxed chocolates.

The chocolate that goes into their candy represents 1-2% of the total US chocolate market. In partnering with Rain Forest Alliance Certifi ed Farms, they are committed to using more than twice that percentage share in Certifi ed Cocoa Beans (and plan to use even more as availability increases). Certifi ed beans are now used in See’s chocolate at a rate higher than their total share of the US cocoa market.

Source: See’s

See’s Candy

After a few days rest, I write this column/blog with the International CES 2013 Conference that I attended still fresh in my mind.

I went to Las Vegas, Nevada known as the “Sin City” with one specifi c purpose. It was the same as in previous years – to check out the new products and technologies that were being launched, unveiled, demonstrated, displayed, and exhibited at the International CES.

I was particularly interested in prod-ucts and/or technologies that would fi t the description, “Miracles, Magic, and/or Mind-Boggling Technologies” in the Sin City. It was also my intention to gather some sample products for review. The products could be as amazing in the way they were created and designed; and in their utility features as they try to satisfy the consumers’ appetite based on necessity, benefi ciality, and practicabil-ity.

I accomplished my main objective and defi nitely realized my other intention, at least partially.

I will write about them in a series of articles subsequently.

This week’s column focuses on how the monumental meeting of mind-bog-gling IT multi-nationals was managed in virtually miraculous or magical manner. I have been attending the event since the time when Bill Gates delivered the Pre-Convention Keynote Speech. I was an Industry Affi liate being a Chairman and CEO of an IT company. I decided to register and apply as a credentialed member of the Press during the last few years.

I saw it grow every year until it be-came “the largest in the show’s 45+ year history, with 1.92 million net square feet of exhibit space. The previous record was 1.86 million net square feet of space at the 2012 International CES. More

than 3,250 exhibitors unveiled some 20,000 new products at the 2013 CES drawing more than 150,000 attendees, including more than 35,000 from more than 170 countries outside the United States.” (CEA)

I always took the excellent manage-ment for granted. It was like the “Digital Natives” instinctively knowing how to use the digital gadgets. They just take it for granted without recognizing the creativity, the design, the effort, the time and the value of producing the devices.

As I lay down on my bed at my Las Vegas hotel reviewing the recently unveiled products and technologies, the press and social events, exhibits, the awarding ceremonies, the transportation issues and many more details, I realized how CES Management “miraculously or magically” put this gargantuan gather-ing together with absolute competence, effi ciency, and effectiveness.

When Moses (in the Bible) gathered several thousand Hebrews and led them to freedom, he needed Divine Inter-vention to part the Red Sea in order to escape the charging Pharaoh of Egypt and his soldiers. The parting event was a “miraculous” one.

CEA President Gary Shapiro was as amazing in planning, leading, organiz-ing, and controlling the entire Interna-tional CES Show, which was subdivided into several smaller events.

CES as a show involves production, marketing, fi nance, personnel and hu-man resource, technical, legal and socio-political issues. In fact, every event involves similar issues as well.

Gary Shapiro dealt with them ef-fi ciently and effectively. However, unlike Moses, he did not require Divine Intervention but proceeded instead with substantial human intervention as extremely effi cient and experienced staff assisted him. A Board of Advisors and CEA offi cers were on hand to help in the management.

International CES and every event oc-curring is a production. As a production, management has to check the Manpow-er, Material, Machinery and Monetary requirements in each event.

As a marketing issue, management has to worry about its target market and its marketing mix – product, price, promo-tions, and places of distribution. Product revenue centers such as major corpo-rate sponsors and partners, exhibitors, concessionaires, registration, and special events must be reasonably priced, promoted and positioned in strategic locations. This year, CES attracted the participation of more than 170 countries.

As an investment or fi nancial issue, management worries about return on in-vestment, revenue increase, reduction in cost, resale value, or replacement costs. I am sure that, like in previous years, CES tackled them with fl ying colors as it grew bigger.

I am convinced that the CES success story could be attributed substantially to the behavioral approach in manage-ment. Dealing with more than 150,000 attendees, 35,000 of whom are foreign-ers, 3250 exhibitors, and thousands more of the international press, it would really take charismatic leadership and management to get them to absorb and follow the CES’ own equivalent of “Ten Commandments”.

I could easily see that the technical, legal and socio-political aspects of the monumental meeting were not real issues. This is because on the technical side, you are managing a technology-oriented group. On the legal and socio-political side, you are dealing with a host city like Las Vegas who stands to benefi t economically, politically, and socially as in previous CES conferences.

The products and/or technologies could be considered “Miracles, Magic, or Mind-Boggling”, but the way the Monumental Meeting was managed was amazingly miraculous or magical.

Managing a Monumental Meeting of Miraculous, Magical, and/or Mind-Boggling Technology Enterprises

GUEST WRITER: ALBERT TAN TIU

Food is a necessity for life and one cannot live without it in some

form or another. However, beyond its pragmatic implica-tions, food has the potential to be much more than just be the essentials of life. In fact, practically every culture in the world has created its own interpretation of this crucial yet very basic need. Filipinos are no exception and in fact, are extremely passionate and vested in the foods that they create and consume. How-ever, even though that is the case, Filipino food is not more readily appreciated in Amer-ica, a country that Filipinos have fl ocked to for decades and have come to call their home.

There are many contributing factors to the underrepresentation in not only the food of the Philippines, but also of the people in general. Through explora-tion of Filipino cuisine, parallels can be drawn with the political status of Filipi-nos in general. This dichotomy between the status of Filipino food and political recognition is an important issue to ad-dress in Filipino culture. Filipinos are proud of their culture and the food they produce, but somehow that pride has not projected onto the American landscape like the Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisines have. One reason proposed is due to an issue with the food

itself.Living in America has luckily made

me privy to almost every major style of cuisine. However, my experience with Filipino cuisine such as longanisa, tuyo, corned beef, pancit, adobo, sinigang, lechon and even the infamous balut, is largely confi ned to my household and predominantly Filipino communities. Stepping outside of my home, all of that Filipino infl uence is drowned out by the diversity of other types of cuisines. For instance, Chinese food can be found in every center of commerce, regardless of the demographic majority. Japanese and Mexican food can also be found readily outside of its spheres of infl u-ence, which generates an interest and appreciation among people not normally seeking it out.

A reason as to why Filipino food is not on par in recognition is due to the nature in which the food is prepared. Clint Owen illustrates this in his paper, “How Filipino Food Can Be Accepted in Mainstream America” by saying that the “soupiness” of the food creates an “undesirable” effect for the Americans, who otherwise look for “freshness” and “quality” in their foods”. Owen’s analy-sis of the situation points to a defi ciency in the appearance of Filipino cuisine and

the infl uence it could have on people new to the cuisine. To illustrate the point further I have included an image of a dish from each of the nationalities I had mentioned above:

All fi ve of these dishes are staples of the culture they originated from, but a disparity is highly evident when com-paring Filipino food against the other more popular native dishes of other nationalities. From personal experi-ence, I can testify that all these dishes are exceptional, but looking at the visual representation of the Filipino foods, it is easy to see how one could be put off. The “soupiness” is quite evident, and also the oily nature of the dishes is un-fl atteringly displayed. As Owen rightly states, the ingredients are hidden away from view by the sabaw, which creates a “mystery meat” connotation to the dish. It is no secret that we eat with our eyes as well as with our mouths and that visually unappealing foods could have detrimental effects on the actual tasting.

A common tale that I tend to hear from people who tried a Filipino dish for the fi rst time is that “It was great once I tried it!” As pleasing as it is to hear, they enjoyed Filipino food and that line itself brings a sense that they may have been put off by the initial presenta-tion. In a world increasingly dependent on fi rst impressions and appearances, Filipino dishes do not always get the benefi t of the doubt, especially when no one is around to encourage a fi rst timer into trying the dish. I fell prey to this personally when I was asked to try palabok, binagoongan, and balut, all of which I love now. Appearance and presentation are an important aspect of making a type of cuisine popular despite how superfi cial it sounds, and unfortu-nately, Filipino food is lagging behind the other country’s dishes in this respect.

Another factor affecting the prolifera-tion of Filipino food in America is the lack of interest of the Filipino com-munity to break out of the communities they are in. Filipino food is something that has to be sought out if you happen to live outside of Filipino communities, and this is a problem that some of the other nationalities do not seem to suffer from. Filipinos seem to have a “for us, by us” mentality when it comes to food and Owen’s comments of how Filipinos tend to have a “colonial mentality which... [keeps their] cuisines hidden from mainstream America,” is evidently true. This unwillingness to branch out into American culture has hurt the potential of Filipino food to become more widely accepted in Ameri-can culture. Filipinos love to cook and love food with a passion, but it does not

seem to translate into their willingness to succeed in the American food market.

In fact, the reasons for this transcend food, and go into the general desire of the Filipinos to just blend in. It has been my experience that Filipinos, especially newer immigrants, tend to be non-confrontational in dealing with people around them. In Tagalog it is called being mahinhin, or shy, bashful, in English. Factors that could contrib-ute to Filipino invisibility could be just plain fear of the unknown and the fear of being unfavorably classifi ed by peers. There is also the language barrier--even though Filipinos tend to be leaps ahead of other Asian cultures in initial English ability, their accents tend to be a point of contention. Furthermore, the restaurant business is an extremely unforgiving industry that leaves little room for error, indecisiveness, and being mahinhin. All of these things can be attributed to the lack of growth in the popularity of Filipino food in America.

Filipino foods are a delicious and savory cuisine with a rich history and dedicated people who are striving to keep the tradition alive. Despite not as-similating to American culture, Filipino dishes will continue to exist through the means of family tradition. However its advancement into the American mainstream will be a long and arduous road. There are many obstacles that will deter the advancement of Filipino food into the mainstream, but seeing as how Filipinos have overcome hardships in the past, it is not impossible for them to overcome this. However, it is still un-clear whether Filipinos have the desire to become a signifi cant contributor to the American culinary diversity.

Albert is a senior student majoring in Economics at San Diego State Univer-sity. He is mestizo, born to a Chinese father and Filipina mother. He is a student of Dr. Dirige in Asian Studies 460, “Contemporary Issues in Filipino American Communities” last Fall 2012.

***

KALUSUGAN NEED VOLUNTEERS STARTING JANUARY 2013. KCS IS ONCE AGAIN RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS FOR THE YEAR

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How Filipino Food Can Go Mainstream

Albert Tan Tiu


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by Atty. Susan V. Perez

Immigration 911

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

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IMMIGRATION 911 by Atty. Susan V. Perez

This article is very timely because

of the newly published rule on I-601 waiver, which will take effect on March 4, 2013. This article talks about an actual case of I-601 waiver application that was denied by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), but the denial was reversed on appeal. Antonio, a native and citizen of Venezuela, entered the United States without inspection in April 2003 and did not depart the United States until February 2007. Antonio was thus inadmissible to the United States under our immigration laws for having been unlawfully present in the United States for more than one year. Antonio is married to a U.S. citizen and they have a child togeth-er, born in 2005. Antonio wants to come back and reside in the United States so he could be with his U.S. citizen spouse and child. Antonio then filed the Application for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability (Form I-601). The USCIS denied said ap-plication on the ground that Antonio failed to establish that his wife and child would suffer extreme hardship if Antonio were to live in Venezuela.

In general, a foreign national (oth-er than an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residency) who has been unlawfully present in the United States for one year or more, and who again seeks admission within 10 years of the date of such alien’s de-parture or removal from the United States, is inadmissible. The Depart-ment of Homeland Security (DHS) has the sole discretion to waive this inadmissibility in the case of an ap-plicant who is the spouse or son or daughter of a United States citizen or of a legal permanent resident, if it is established to the satisfaction of DHS that the refusal of admission to such foreign national would result in extreme hardship to the citizen or legal permanent resident spouse or parent of such alien.

To be successful in I-601 waiver, Antonio must first establish that his U.S. citizen spouse would suffer extreme hardship were she to remain in the United States while Antonio resides abroad due to inadmissibil-ity. Antonio’s wife claimed that she will suffer emotional and financial hardship. In a declaration, she stated that she is suffering depression due to Antonio’s absence. In addition, she noted that prior to Antonio’s departure, he would work nights and care for their child during the day, but since his departure, she is the sole caregiver for her child and such a situation is causing her hardship. Finally, Antonio’s wife asserted that prior to Antonio’s departure, he was financially assisting the household but since he left the United States, she has been forced to move out of her apartment, as she is unable to afford the monthly payments on her own. She was forced to reside with her parents. However, her parents are facing the risk of foreclosure due to interest rate modification and economic crisis. In support of the emotional hardship, Antonio’s wife submitted her diagnosis of depres-sion, her need for antidepressants, and the recommendation that she be excused from work due to her impairment in functioning. For the financial hardship, Antonio submit-ted her wife’s parents’ increased monthly house payments due to an interest rate adjustment, and their debt of almost $20,000 on the home, which may lead to foreclosure. Antonio also submitted documents showing his financial contributions to the household prior to his depar-ture from the United States, to sup-port the assertion that his wife needs Antonio’s financial contribution.

Antonio’ spouse claimed that the country of Venezuela has problem-atic conditions with crime, violence and economic problems. A state-ment from the Department of State

was provided for support. She also pointed out the substandard quality of living in that country, using the example that her child fell ill while visiting Venezuela in the past due to the lack of drinking water, un-sanitary conditions and lack of basic supplies, like milk and rice. She had to make 3 separate visits to a clinic in one month, due to her child’s acute diarrhea, vomiting and inflam-mation of the lymph nodes. A Medi-cal report and the corresponding translation was provided to prove this. Antonio’s spouse claimed that moving to Venezuela would be det-rimental to her life, since she would be moving to a Country that is not familiar to her, she would have to leave her support network of family and friends, her long time job, her community and church. She also has concerns for her child’s safety and welfare.

The Administrative Appeals Of-fice (AAO) found that the situation presented in this application rises to the level of extreme hardship. However, granting a denial of the waiver also hinges not only on the issue of extreme hardship, but also on the discretion of the secretary and conditions and procedures as he may by regulations prescribed. The alien bears the burden of proving eligibility in terms of equities in the U.S. which are not outweighed by adverse factors. In this case, the favorable factors considered were: the extreme hardship that Antonio’s U.S. spouse and child would face if the applicant were to remain in Ven-ezuela, regardless of whether they accompanied Antonio or remained in the United States, community ties, support letters, active involvement with the church, gainful employ-ment, the apparent lack of a criminal record, and the passage of more than six years since Antonio’s unlaw-ful entry to the United States. The unfavorable factors in this matter are Antonio’s unlawful entry to the United States and unlawful presence and employment while in the United States.

The AAO found that Antonio has established that the favorable fac-tors in this application outweigh the unfavorable factors. It was estab-lished that Antonio has sustained the burden of establishing that the ap-plication merits approval. The AAO sustained the appeal and approved the I-601 waiver application.

A successful I-601 waiver case re-quires not only good arguments but also credible, well organized, and presented evidence. The adjudicator may only have minutes to make a decision in each case. A well-orga-nized and presented evidence can make the adjudicator’s job easier. I always submit I-601 waiver with a brief, which is separate from a cover letter. A well-written brief can assist the adjudicator in making a decision.

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

Winning Your Stateside Provisional I-601 Waiver

HUD, Census Bureau expand access to

information on nation’s housing

Nearly 20 percent of recent mov-ers identified “convenience to job” as the most important factor in their choice of neighborhood in 2011, ac-cording to the 2011 American Hous-ing Survey (AHS), the definitive source of information on the quality of housing in the United States. For the first time in its history, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have made survey results available on the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder data access tool.

A wide range of specific topics is covered in the survey, including plumbing and source of water and sewage disposal; housing problems; householder’s satisfaction with home and neighborhood; value, purchase price and type of mortgage; recent home improvement activity and costs; safety features and poten-tial health hazards; features in home providing accessibility to people with disabilities; and socio-econom-ic characteristics of the householder. Statistics are national-level only and are provided for apartments, single-family homes, manufactured hous-ing, new construction and vacant housing units.

Topics new to the housing survey include safety features, potential health hazards and features provid-ing accessibility to people with disabilities. Among the accessibil-ity features in occupied homes were floors with no steps between rooms (64 percent of homes have this feature), entry level bathrooms (48 percent), entry level bedrooms (36 percent) and handles or levers on sinks (28 percent). The least common accessibility features were elevators (found in 0.2 percent of homes), ramps (1 percent), hand-rails or grab bars (excluding steps) in nonbathroom areas (2 percent), raised toilets (7 percent) and built-in shower seats (8 percent).


The strategy was to out-wardly help the government put up this local organization. Once bureaucrats were lulled into thinking that the govern-ment had accomplished its objectives -- and, more im-portantly, once you’ve flushed out their agents, couriers and underlings -- you gradually turn the organization around and make it work for the party instead, while eliminating government operatives co-vertly.

Kumander Gusi liked bar-rio Sante Fe. It wasn’t very large. There were only a few transients, so you got to know everyone pretty well. Though not fully radicalized, folks were very sympathetic to the communists. It was one of Gusi’s “safe” barrios. So, con-trary to custom, he decided to linger for a few days, after the Samahang Nayon meeting.

That early Sunday morning, the communist party members were sitting around the dining table, enjoying breakfast and a bit of ca-maraderie while going over specific strategies and comparing notes on suspected government undercover agents, when word came that a column of government soldiers was approaching the barrio from the west end, or the main roadway. A few minutes later, another watcher barged into the house to warn the group that soldiers had been spotted advancing from the south side, from the river.

The meeting was immediately adjourned and the group dispersed to the northeast. The locals quickly returned to their homes, pretending to be busy with their usual tasks. But it was too late. The third column, coming from the east, had arrived undetected.

“Don’t move!” screamed the military commander. The soldiers had their semiautomatics aimed and ready.

Some of the insurgents jumped out of windows only to be accosted by soldiers who had by then surrounded the house. Gregorio, the host and owner of the house, hurriedly instructed Gusi, actually shoving the rebel commander. to hide in the cramped space behind the wooden frame support of the kitchen stove. Gregorio’s wife deftly filled the space up with sacks of flour, and re-inforced the fragile barrier with large cans containing rice and corn.

Soon, a batch of soldiers entered the house. One of them barked, “What are you doing here? Meeting with subversives?”

“No, captain,” replied Gregorio, coyly. “We were meeting about the Samahang Nayon.”

“Bullshit! You are subversives -- plotting against the government! Now, get out! Out of the house….everyone of you!” the soldier com-manded.

When every one got out of the

house, they were lined up in the yard, then hauled away to be separately interrogated. Hidden in the kitchen, Kumander Gusi heard everything, but could not see a thing. Several minutes later, Gregorio’s wife tapped on the stove and whis-pered, “Are you okay, commander?” Gusi heard her sobbing.

“Yes, I‘m okay.”

“I will get more sacks. I will cover you some more.”

“No, manang.” Gusi started push-ing the barrier and eased himself out of the hole. “It is better that I leave right now, “she explained to her. “The soldiers will return any minute.”

The trembling woman nodded. She was holding a baby in her arms. That was probably why the soldiers allowed her back into the house, to feed the baby or something.

“Where are the soldiers?” Gusi whispered. The woman pointed towards the door so Gusi hurriedly exited through a back window. This was not his first narrow escape from military pursuers. Nor would it be his last, he thought, as he scurried through the cornfields.

After several minutes of interroga-tion and threats, the soldiers got one of the men to admit that Kumander Gusi had been in the area. The soldiers rushed back to the suspected house and searched it again. They overturned the rickety dining table, broke some plates and glasses, and threw pots and pans all over the kitchen. They probed every nook and cranny. Finally, under the stove, lodged in between bulging sacks, they found a single ball pen. Gusi had dropped the pen as he squirmed out of his hideaway.

Since most of the town folks were illiterate, the soldiers correctly concluded that the pen belonged to the rebel commander or his aides. The information they had received earlier had been correct. They searched the rest of the house one more time. Not finding the elusive fugitive, they ransacked the kitchen again and thrashed the house, leav-ing the poor woman sobbing in a corner, clutching her crying baby and groveling in fear. “Dear Lord,” she silently prayed. “Let them kill me...but, please, not my husband or my baby!”

####

To be continued...

The author welcomes comments, corrections, suggestions, etc. from Asian Journal readers. These may be included in the novel’s final ver-sion. Please send your remarks to [email protected].

Copyright. E. Gamboa

Book The Dark Nights of

Father Madrid

Selection

a historical novel byDr. Ed Gamboa, MD

(Continued from page 8)

Author’s note: August 21, 1983. Exiled Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, the charismatic opposition leader, arrives at the Manila International Air-port to a returning hero’s welcome. Escorted by government soldiers, Ninoy is summarily shot to death as he steps on the tarmac… Kumander Gusi watches the TV coverage of the assassination while recovering from wounds sustained during an encounter with commandos of the Philippine Constabu-lary. Years earlier, Gusi was the newly-ordained and affable Father George Madrid whose social justice work among oppressed farm workers (sacadas) in the parish of Santa Lucia eventually led to his defection to the Communist Party of the Philippines. In short order, the rebel priest had risen to the rank of commander of the dreaded New People’s Army. In this chapter, the rebel commander meets with some of his aides in a “safe” barrio. Tipped by an informant, the military raids the barrio...

Chapter 26. The Raid at Sante Fe


619.746.3416

The Metamorphosis

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by Ernie Delfin

THE METAMORPHOSISBy Ernie D. Delfin

“ For what doth it profit a man, if he gains the whole world

but suffers the loss of his own soul?”-- Matthew 16:25

For many Christians that include this columnist, we believe that everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses, as God sets the time for birth and the time for death…. (Ecclesiastes 3:18) The above thoughts struck me like a bolt of lightning and reverberated in my bones, upon hear-ing and reading of the unexpected and shocking news, before the New Year, that a former friend and former employer who successfully enticed me over 25 years ago, to give up very lucrative and stable job as an auditor for the County of Los Angeles Health Services Department in the early 1980’s to join his Glendora management team at Grand Chevrolet and Grand Wilshire Group of Companies, was arrested by the FBI after almost 25 years as a fugi-tive. I am referring to the soft-speaking business owner Eminiano “Jun” Reo-dica, a Filipino immigrant who rose from ‘rags to riches’ in his business em-pire whose meteoric rise to “success” was a subject of many publications and newspapers for about half a decade up to the day of his complete disappearance in California in 1988.

The Los Angeles Asian Journal (Dec. 29,2012 - Jan 1, 2013 issue) ban-ner headline “PINOY CAR DEALER ARRESTED BY THE FBI” caused a tsunami conversations, recollections and speculations (on why, how and what has transpired prior to his arrest) by count-

less of Filipinos and their friends in the Southland especially those who have been in California since the mid 1980’s who knew the man and/or his infamous Grand Chevrolet and his Grand Wilshire empire that was supposedly the biggest and most “successful” Filipino or Asian American minority owned business at that period of time.

As a CPA and a first degree im-migrant myself who worked for him for less than 3 years, ( I resigned a year before his downfall as I already saw the handwriting on the wall then, as I was already very uncomfortable at that time as he did not listen to oppos-ing views from anyone) I knew him enough to know the character, demeanor and business philosophy of the man (as I have tried to capsulize his modus operandi and his business “philosophy” in my METAMORPHOSIS column in the (now) defunct Los Angeles based Philippine American News ( August 16-31, 1988 issue) as well as an “Open Letter to Jun Reodica” that I wrote for my friend, the late Ben Bejar of Carson, California (see the reprinted “column” and “open letter” in this is-sue. I got mixed emotions, like a dozen of my friends who knew him, (some lost money too) felt too: relief and ephemeral joy to know and realize that in the USA that “the powerful arm of American justice system has finally caught him, and sadness and pity for him and his family especially during the Christmas Holidays.

According to the L.A. Asian Journal story, he was arrested on November 27th and has been in custody ever since, as his plea for bail has been denied by the court due to the gravity of the charges against him in addition to being considered a high flight risk to avoid prosecution.

The felony charges filed against him include a massive series of fraudulent transactions that made several banks suffered over $200 million losses, esti-mated over $40 million from individual investors, many of whom are Filipino Americans and their friends, estimated to be over 1,000 investors who were conned by him. It is believed that there were much more transactions that were not unearthed to the day of filing those felony charges against him.

* * * * *Since that banner story came out in

Los Angeles, I received over a dozen phone calls from friends who knew that once upon a time I worked for him till about a year before the collapse of his business empire that were built upon shaky foundation of made-up finan-cial stability and shaky materials. The comments range from “Crime does not really pay”, “I hope there will still be some kind of restitution, even just pen-nies for every dollar scammed”, “Let his millions free him from years of incarceration” “Let him suffer and rot in prison” to “Kaawaawa naman siya” (it’s really pitiful for him to suffer that).

From my perspectives, as a Christian, especially now that I am a certified minister in the Orange Diocese Prison Detention Ministry that conducts com-munion services and bible studies to prisoners and inmates in Orange County jails, I sincerely wish that Jun Reodica, like many sinners in human history since biblical times, who were saved due to their repentance and acceptance of the great yet unfathomable mercy of Jesus Christ (some even became saints, like Saul who became St. Paul, the apostle, was a persecutors of Christians before his conversion, and St. Dismas ---one of the two thieves who was hanged beside Jesus in Calvary) will find in his heart a sincere contrition, ask forgiveness from his own God (Who knew where he was, even when he was hiding from the law and even before he was born!), He should also, if still feasible, make restitution and ask forgiveness from all his investors, who are still alive, that he has caused financial ruin. I also pray that he can garner the strength and humility to ask forgiveness to all, in-cluding himself so that his last quarter of his life (he is now 68 years old) can be more at peace, especially now that he has ceased to be a fugitive from the arm of American justice.

It is my ardent wish and prayer that the story of this fallen man who once stood very tall who received and enjoyed undeserved accolades from his fellow mortals, (that is a subject of some

Reodica: His Grand Rise And Fall & Arrest By The FBI After a Quarter of

a Century as a Fugitive

enterprising people to produce a “docu-mentary” film) who was born of modest means, driven by blind ambition, rose to phenomenal “success” but became oblivious of the unwritten law of ethics and morality, can be a great lesson to all of us, especially for immigrant com-munities. People especially the hard working breadwinners must be more discriminating and sophisticated enough to pause and question any promises or guarantees of the highest returns for their money by anyone, especially when they are promised over expensive din-ners and man-made colorful props held by cheerleaders and written in a glossy paper and signed by a soft spoken angel, who could have been just another Luci-fer in disguise.

As a retired CPA and as a former Registered Principal, Series 26, 6 & 63 licensee, I will offer an hour or two FREE consulting and advice from our Filipino American community who re-ceives any “commercial paper” promis-sory note or investment proposal from anyone, especially those that are NOT that duly registered with the SEC nor accompanied by investment prospectus (like the commercial paper or promis-sory notes that Jun Reodical peddled, and marketed thru unlicensed “market-ers.” To any experienced securities dealer, what Jun did in creating and marketing those “commercial papers” by unlicensed people were all SEC prohibited transactions, hence illegal, from from DAY ONE! Fortunately or unfortunately, his intended market was not Wall Street but the Main Street of hardworking and unsophisticated bread-winners of California, most of them were immigrants like himself.

My disappointment and disgust resurfaced anew because I personally knew dozens of victims of Jun Reodica, especially a close friend who entrusted the entire equity $100,000 (in 1986) of his apartment in Long Beach as well as small breadwinners who entrusted their entire savings to him. I was told by a reliable doctor friend that his fellow doctor’s widow invested the life insur-ance proceeds amounting to half a mil-lion dollars, after the death of her doctor husband, upon the guarantee of Jun that she would earned much more interests than what the bank was giving her. The widow went into depression when she lost her nest egg completely! Very very sad indeed.

When all is said and done, however, life must go on. I am ear-nestly praying that there will be some lasting LESSON to be learned from this sad shameful story of Reodica whose fall was driven by blind ambition to be number one and fueled by greed to possess more at all costs. In my book, he did not possess the moral fiber and true compassion for the welfare of thousands of hard working people in writing his short-lived “$ucce$$” story. The millions of money that remain unaccounted for, which may have been stashed away for future use will prob-ably NOT save him from federal prison that is, of course, IF ever the court will find him guilty as charged. Watch for more the sequel of this excit-ing drama.. (His trial is scheduled to start January 28, 2013)

Lastly, dear readers, let us ALWAYS remember and be guided by that old fashion maxim: “WHEN IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THERE IS GREAT LIKELIHOOD THAT IT IS NOT TRUE!” Never cheat anybody nor allow yourself to be cheated by anyone, either!

Good luck, and Happy Prosper-ous Peaceful New Year to all!

Email writer : [email protected] or [email protected]







Read Monsignor’s previous articles by visit-ing our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez

Lower Your Nets Balintataw

Read Virginia Ferrer’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Virginia H. Ferrer

Spiritual Life

©2013 Virginia H. Ferrer. All rights reserved.

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

2nd Sun. in Ord. Time


Mother Rejects Abortion After See-ing Baby’s Smile in

Ultrasound

by Steven Ertelt | LifeNews.com | 1/14/13 5:54 PM -- For decades, ultrasound has had the power to convey the beauty and reality of human life before birth. Conveying that power, the London Daily Mail newspaper today reports on the story of a mother who rejected abortion and chose life for her baby after see-ing him smile in an ultrasound.

Katyia Rowe was told her baby would never be able to walk or talk, but a real-time ultrasound scan showed him blowing bubbles and waving his arms, so she decided to go through with the birth. he died just 9 hours later, but she is very glad she chose life instead of abor-tion.

Despite the ordeal, Ms Rowe said she had no regrets going through with the birth as she was able to cuddle her baby son.

Katyia, 26, a training administra-tor, said: ‘We were devastated to be told our son’s brain abnormalities were so severe they were life limit-ing we should consider a termina-tion.

‘Further scans were arranged to asses the extent of his disabilities but when I saw him smiling and playing inside me I knew I couldn’t end his life.

‘If he could smile and play and feel then despite his disabilities he deserved to enjoy whatever life he had left, no matter how short. Just because his life would be shorter or different, didn’t mean he didn’t deserve to experience it.

‘As long as he was pain free I vowed to let him enjoy his life both while inside me and outside, no mat-ter how long that be.’

Miss Rowe, from Telford, Shrop-shire was thrilled to discover she was expecting a baby with partner of four years security offi cer Shane Johnson, 26, in March last year.

She added: ‘It was a shock but we were thrilled. Shane and I were so excited and looking forward to the birth. We had so many plans for the future and could not wait to meet our baby.

While doctors often counsel moth-ers with disabled babies to have an abortion, Rowe said she focused on preparing for the potential birth of a baby with special needs.

InayInay

para sa iyo ang araw na ito

gunita sa amin sa kadakilaan mo

bale wala ang laht kung wala ka sa mundo

ikaw na inspirasyon ko maging sa trabaho.

Inay

wala nang tutulad pa

init ng pagmamahal sa ami'y ipinadama

lahat ng sandali ng iyong pag-aaruga

ngayong wala ka na, buhay ka pa rin sa aming gunita.

Inay

wala ka man sa tabi ko ngayon

nais ko pa ring sa iyo ay ibulong

na walang makakadaig sa iyong mga tulong

dahil 'di mo alintana kahit anong hirap ang sinuong.

Inay

pasensya na lamang sa mga pagkukulang n

na naidulot ko sa iyo dala nang kabataan

matagal ko na ring ito ay napagsisihan

ang mahalaga sa lahat ikaw pa rin ang mahal.

Joke of the week: A middle-aged man was sitting on his porch as fall-ing snow swirling all around him. A passing neighbor called out: “Why in the world are you sitting out there in the snow and cold?” The porch-sitter called back: “I have to.” “What do you mean ... I have to?” “Well,” declared the man on the porch, “my wife is taking singing lessons, and I don’t want the neighbors to think I’m beating her.”

Scriptures: First Reading: Isaiah 62: 1-5. It is believed that the author is a pupil of Second Isaiah and prophesied the end of the exile. The return of the exiles to their land is anything but happy, because there is an urgent need for a spiritual renewal. Yet the prophet continues to put his high hopes on the fulfi ll-ment of the promise that God will rejoice over his bride, the restored city of Jerusalem. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11. St Paul is specifi cally writing to the Christian Gnostics in this community who think that their gifts, such as speak-ing in tongues, are by far superior to any of the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle likewise reminds all that whatever gifts they have received are primarily for the good of the community, and not for their own selfi sh vested interests. Gos-pel: John 2: 1-11. The evangelist John writes to the Jewish Christians who had feared expulsion from the synagogue and had refrained from practicing publicly their Christian faith. He wants them to make a decision whether they are commit-ted to following Christ or not. With the help of the miraculous changing of water into wine, the fi rst sign of

When Marital “Wine”Runs Out/ Sto. Niño

Christ’s public mission which would reach its fi nal “hour” on the Cross, the evangelist tries to convince the Jewish Christians that Christ is truly the Messiah.

Refl ection: A wedding is an important milestone in the life of two individuals: the bride and the groom. It is a memorable event that is full of mirth, dancing, eating, and drinking. Yet there were times when weddings went out of control. Ann Landers shares the follow-ing unfortunate experiences of her readers. From a minister in Florida: “Weddings are a pain. Allow me to list my grievances: Bossy, overbear-ing mothers of the bride; grooms-men who don’t know their left foot from their right, arriving late and drunk; caterwauling sopranos, who see themselves as operatic divas, wanting to sing the theme song from ‘Titanic’; and pushy photographers, who think the wedding is a show staged for their benefi t.” From Los Angeles: “There should be a dress code for brides-gowns with sleeves and shoulder straps. I attended a wedding ceremony recently, and the bride wore a strapless gown show-ing her cleavage. When the groom grabbed her for the ‘wedding kiss,’ her breast fell out. From New York: “Another bride asked if her dog could walk her down the aisle. I asked, ‘Are you blind?’ She replied, ‘Oh, no, but Buster is a member of the family, and he would be hurt if he weren’t included’.” From Illinois: “Too many couples have never been inside a place of worship, and do not know how to conduct themselves in a church. Their weddings did not a have spiritual content. They are

theatrical productions, directed by the bride’s mother. I will be retiring soon, and what I will miss the least are weddings.” From Arkansas “I am an organist at a Baptist church. I don’t understand why people who have little interest in their spiritual life want to be married in a church. The music they request was blas-phemous.” From Houston: “Maybe some priests are wealthy, but I’m still paying off my seminary loan. I’ve been at weddings where there are stretch limos in front of the church and the reception is in a crystal ballroom, yet the family gave this priest nothing because ‘that’s their job’.”

More important than the physi-cal fanfares of a wedding, there is the spiritual element. Christian wed-ding is a time when two individuals commit themselves to each other for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, with just “water” and a little bit of “wine,” until death. A Christian marriage is the sol-emn moment when God who is the origin and end of marriage seals the consent by which the spouses mutu-ally give and receive one another. In this act of giving and receiving, the Christian couples confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony. Just as God had established an eter-nal love with Israel through a nuptial covenant, and in this way prepared for the nuptial union of Christ, the Son of God, with our humanity, so Christ encounters the married couples and grants them the sacra-mental grace to perfect their love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity. Vatican Council 11 document, Gaudium et Spes, states, “Authentic married love is caught up into divine love.” What happens when the honeymoon is over, lovers no longer walk on cloud nine and marital problems and diffi culties challenge married partners? Some married couples persist on remaining com-mitted to each other through thick and thin, even though nothing is left and “wine” is no more, but what remains is pure “water”. Other mar-riages become traumatic for those involved, because either one partner or both spouses looked for another relationship where there is “new wine.” At the wedding in Cana, Jesus’ presence saved the day for the newlywed couple: he changed

water into wine, the very best they and their guests had ever tasted. If only married couples would keep Christ to be always present in their lives, then he is there to change their “water” into “wine” one more time. Married couples don’t have to look elsewhere for “new wine,” because Christ could once again miracu-lously use their marital problems or “water” for another “best wine.”

Quotation of the week: “The main business of a Christian soul is to go through the world turning its water into wine.” Andrew Long.

Feast of Sto. Niño

Joke of the week: A boss dialed an employee's home phone num-ber and was greeted with a child's whispered, “Hello?” Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to a youngster, the boss asked, “Is your Daddy home?” “Yes,” whispered the small voice. “May I talk with him?” the man asked. The small voice whispered, “No.” “Is your Mommy there?” “Yes,” was the answer. “May I talk with her?” Again the small voice whispered, “No.” “Is there anyone else there in your house?” the boss asked the child. “Yes,” whispered the child, “a policeman.” “May I speak with the policeman?” “No, he's busy talking to Daddy and Mommy and the fi re-man,” whispered the child. Growing concerned and even worried as he


When Marital Wine Runs Out

At least 10,000 individuals will be deployed as security personnel during the 3-day event, which comprises forces from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Reserve Offi cers' Training Corps, and barangay marshals.

"’Pag hindi nila ma-follow, bahala na ang electorate sa kanila," Balles-teros said.

He added that handshaking among the devotees should also be avoided by politicians as it seemingly depicts campaigning by itself.

The organizers have agreed that politicians will not be acknowledged during the programs except for the mayor of Cebu City, who is the host of the event, and President Aquino, who is expected to grace the event on Sunday.

"Only one person can deliver a speech, it’s the mayor of Cebu City" Ballesteros said.

Preparing for Sinulog

The streets of Cebu City are now fi lled with colorful fl aglets or “ban-deritas”, depicting a massive fi esta atmosphere that is about to unfold in the next few days.

Competitors for the Sinulog Dance have started to arrive, while some have been practicing at the Cebu Sports Complex, complete with colorful costumes and props.

With this year’s theme of "One Beat, One Dance, One Vision", at least 45 dance groups from all over the country will vie for the title of the best Sinulog Performance with a grand prize of P1 million.

Both local and international tour-ists have also started fl ocking to the Basilica.

One tourist, Joy Aligno, is from Manila and fl ew to Cebu for the Sinulog to fulfi ll her yearly devotion to the Sto. Niño.

Prentice Postanes also fl ew to Cebu from Bohol, and said it has been their family’s tradition to join the parades for the Holy Child.

Anna Marie Arcenas and Christian Rojas, meanwhile, said aside from the Sto. Niño, their peers who came along with them wanted to experi-

ence one of the largest, if not the biggest, festival in the country.

Events

Highlights of the 33-year-old Sinu-log Festival will start Friday after-noon with the Sinulog Dance Crew Finals and Sinulog Festival Queen at the Cebu City Sports Center.

On Saturday morning, the annual event will kick off with a Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous image of the Sto. Niño in the waters of Cebu. In the afternoon, the historic Sinulog Procession of the image will begin at 2 p.m. starting from the Ba-silica and back after at least 5 hours of procession on a 6.1 kilometer route around the city.

The organizers estimate that around 4 million people will join the process in veneration of the histori-cal image that Ferdinand Magellan gave to Queen Juana in the 1500's.

In the evening of the same day, a fi reworks competition will be held in SM Cebu and a Kasadya Nite Mardi Gras at Ayala Center.

On Sunday, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will hold a pontifi cal mass at the Basilica at 6 a.m. to be followed by another Holy Mass at the Cebu Sports Center at 8 a.m.

The Sinulog Grand Parade Carou-sel will kick off at 9 a.m. and will last until 7 p.m. It will be followed by a Grand Finale and Grand Fire-works to cap the event.

Awarding of the winning contin-gents who participated in the carou-sel will be on Monday afternoon.

Ballesteros said all hotels, pension houses, and even motels are fully booked until Monday. Airline tickets are all sold out.

Heavy vehicular traffi c is also expected all throughout the city be-cause some major thoroughfares will be closed down due to the activities.

It will be car-less days in Cebu, said Ballesteros.

With the erratic weather being experienced in the province, the organizers are advising tourists to carry with them an all weather gear, anticipating sunny but also rainy weather all throughout the festivi-ties.

Twenty-fi ve medical teams of the Department of Health will also be stationed at the route of the proces-sion which will provide fi rst aid treatments and medicines while ambulances will also be on standby to bring patients to the hospital.


Sinulog

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heard what sounded like a helicopter through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, “What is going on there?” In an awed hushed voice the child answered, “The search team just landed the hello-copper.” Alarmed, concerned and more than just a little frustrated, the boss asked, “What are they searching for?” Still whispering, the young voice replied, along with a muffl ed giggle: “Me.”

Scriptures: First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6. Majority of Biblical exegesis agree that this passage is about a descendant of David and fu-ture king. Still others could not agree whether this poem narrated the birth of a future king or his ascension to the throne, or this was a traditional formulation about a particular king, such as the son of Hezekiah. It is also unclear whether the names refer to the child himself or to God. What is important though is the fact the people will be delivered from darkness of slavery not through their power but by God, just as he had promised their deliverance from the Assyrians. The end of this oppres-sion is symbolized by the burning of all garments associated with war. Most importantly the people should rejoice because a child is to be born upon whose “shoulders” (shikmo) will rest the divine authority. Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18. Paul had boldly preached the true doctrine at Ephesus to the worship-pers of the false god “Diana”. He knew it was not easy to keep one’s Christian faith amidst such idola-trous practitioners. So Paul reminds them that the true God had elected (predestined) them to eternal life through Jesus Christ. Gospel: Luke 2:41-52. Luke’s Gospel is the only one that mentions about losing and fi nding. For instance, there is today’s passage on Mary and Joseph losing the Child Jesus and fi nding him listening to learned men. There is also the story of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus who were lost in their doubt, but were found and enlightened by Jesus. There is the parable of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost prodigal son.

Refl ection: Cynthia Black

in Lost and Found (June 6, 2005) wrote, “Too often the ‘fi nders’ are the powerful and ‘losers’ are the powerless. Like a ‘lost and found,’ the church can be a body that col-lects things that might be important to the lost: dignity, respect, honor, integrity, wholeness and a sense of self-worth.”

Jesus got “lost” so that his parents could fi nd him. This became an occasion for his parents to realize that he must fulfi ll his Father’s will. Whether we are losers or fi nders, we all have to fi nd or to lose ourselves in God’s in loving embrace. It is one of the ironies of the ministry that the very man who works in God's name is often hardest put to fi nd time for God. According to Vance Havner, “The parents of Jesus lost Him at church, and they were not the last ones to lose Him there.”

Finding our lost selves in God will help us clearly see our mission in life. This is what the Blessed Virgin did; after fi nding her “lost” Son, she pondered all things in her heart.

We have lost so many things and people in life. Sometimes, our attitude seems to better leave them in oblivion, especially those that have hurt us so traumatically, such as loss of a happy marriage in divorce, loss of loved ones in death, loss of old friends and home. “Remember that lost time does not return.” (Thomas à Kempis) Yet, we have to resurrect those painful memories to reconcile ourselves with those losses. Aristo-phanes once remarked, “Your lost friends are not dead, but gone be-fore, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod.” There are so many emotions in fi nding those losses again. Regrets and remorse would not bring back what we have lost. There is healing after ignoring so long the wounds we suffered, there is also joy in fi nding new and better ways in coping with trials and problems, if we face with courage and resignation those that we have lost. As St. Francis of Assisi once re-marked, “It is in dying (losing) that we are born to eternal life.” Indeed, losing and fi nding are not so bad after all. Henry David Thoreau said, “Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”

Historical Tidbits: Nick Joaquin, in his book, Almanac for Manileños (Published in 1979), wrote, “The fi esta of Tondo is on the

third Sunday of every January. At four in the afternoon of the visperas (meaning the Saturday before) the Santo Niño of Tondo is borne to the sea by a dancing crowd among the groups of women in pastora hats or in Katipunera attire: white camisa, red saya. The dancing is through sunny streets hung with bunting; and here and there will be a giant heart or bell that opens up, as the Santo Niño passes, to unloose a shower of petals. Everyone dances, even the boys bearing standard or farol.

At North Harbor waits the great pagoda, with turreted altar. The Santo Niño embarks, along with everybody who can squeeze aboard, and the pagoda moves through the fl aming hues of the sunset, escorted by fi shing fl eets bedecked with ban-ners, the smaller boats racing each other round and round the pagoda. Dusk falls as the fl otilla sails north-ward along the bay. On the pagoda the dancing continues, but the trip has also become a picnic as the good old custom of caridad showers forth bags of biscuit and baskets of native oranges. The Santo Niño moves in a blaze of light on the waters of his city.

The voyage ends at the land-ing just off the new slaughter-house in the Velasquez area. The Santo Niño disembarks and is returned to the carroza for the trip back to the church. This trip back through Velasquez and Pritil, densest tene-ments of Tondo, is even livelier because the young folk back from school or work join in the merriment and, besides, it's always more fun to dance under the stars than under the sun! Parents not only from Tondo or Manila but also from the provinces come to dance before the Santo Niño to pray for a sick child or give thanks for a child's recovery. The Santo Niño is of course the patron of childhood and January is the month of the Santo Niño.”

Quotation of the week: “For-giveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.” Saint Augustine


The death of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who jumped into a deep section of Mount Pinatubo's crater has prompted the Department of Tourism (DOT) to issue a travel advisory to people planning to hike at the mountain.

Department of Tourism Central Luzon Director Ronaldo Tiotuico also said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phiv-olcs) has found hazardous substanc-es in Pinatubo's crater lake water.

"We remind foreign and local hik-ers who intend to mount an uphill climb to Pinatubo via the jump-off point in Sta. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac that the serene crystal blue lake is only meant to be a majestic vista that is to be charmed by its natural beauty and never to be treated like a resort playground for swimming, kayaking or aqua cycling," Tiotuico said, according to a Jan. 7 report of the Philippine Information Agency.

The DOT said the OFW, 44 years old, jumped into a deep section of its crater lake.

Tiotuico reminded tourists not to stay close to the lakeshore due to frequent rock falls and landslides, especially during heavy downpour.

“(Phivolcs) has found the Pinatubo crater lake water to contain hazard-ous substances, specifi cally arsenic, aluminum, boron, chloride, iron, manganese, sulphate and total solids which may affect human health in various ways and may become fatal over an extended period of time,” he added. - VVP, GMA News

OFW's death prompts DOT

travel advisory on Mount Pinatubo


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Arts & Culture

Once home to a 19th-century sugar baron, Silay City's Balay

Negrense was saved from disrepair when it was turned into Negros Occidental's fi rst museum in 1990. Balay Neg-rense is now the most famous heritage house in the city, which has the most number of heritage houses to be declared as National Treasure by the National Historical Commis-sion of the Philippines.

Built in 1897, Balay Negrense bore witness to the lavish hacien-dero lifestyle. However, after being abandoned for years, the mansion deteriorated.

"Puno ng talahib dito. Punong-puno ng talahib. Twelve years of nobody taking care of it took its toll. One day, nahulog na lang basta 'yung lugar doon. That one corner there, it just fell," Lynn Gamboa, president of the Negros Cultural Foundation," said in a report on GMA News' Balitanghali on January 14.

With help from the Department of Tourism, the house was repaired in 1989. Today, there are two more

heritage houses that serve as mu-seums in Silay, while others were converted into shops, bakeries, and other establishments.

The Philippines has fi ve UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites, and 190 historical sites recognized by the NHCP, the report said.

The Alberto house in Biñan, Laguna is where Teodora Alonso, national hero Jose Rizal's mother, grew up. Jenny Carpena Chiucinco-Temprosa

Among these is the Bahay Alberto in Biñan, Laguna, where Teodora Alonso, the mother of national hero

Jose Rizal, once lived. Built in the 1800s, the two-storey

house with a fl oor area of about 600 square meters was owned by the family of Jose Alberto Alonso, the father of Rizal’s mother. However, the 200-year-old ancestral home is now falling apart, with part of its roof collapsing last October. Only

its shell remains after its parts were transferred to Bataan, where it will be rebuilt by its new owner.

Under Sec. 7 of the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, the government must prioritize funding for the preservation and protection of historical sites. In case the owner cannot afford to maintain the house, NHCP is responsible. However, NHCP's budget of P8,818,000 is hardly enough.

"Ang pondo ng gobyerno ay kulang na kulang. Marami pa silang ibang problema na dapat bigyan ng allocation ng pera ng pamahalaan,"

If these walls could talk: Preserving PHL heritage sites

Architect Luisa Valerio of the NHCP said on Balitanghali.

In a country where tourism contributes much to the economy, heritage sites can help in the devel-opment of provinces such as Vigan, where tourists are drawn to the well-preserved 19th century ancestral houses.

"Identity natin ito bilang Pilipino. Kung mayroon silang Eiffel Tower sa Paris, then they care about it. We also have to care for our own," a Vigan resident said in the report.

According to the report, local ordi-nances play a big role in maintaining the historic structures in the Spanish colonial town, as well as its overall look. "'Pag nagpatayo ka ng bahay dito sa malapit ng mga lumang ba-hay, ganyan din ang hitsura. Bagong bahay pero ang design niya lumang bahay rin," a resident said.

For those who have a hard time maintaining ancestral homes, own-ers are able to maintain the homes through tourism. "'Yung kinikita po nitong bahay, dito lang siya umiikot, pangbayad ng bills, pang-maintain, tapos kung ano 'yung nasisira, pina-paayos namin," Maricris Pandoro, a caretaker of a heritage house, said.

Houses that are already destroyed are not wasted, either, as the wood is saved and used to repair other houses. "Kapag bagong kahoy ang nilagay mo, madali lang masira. Aanayin lang siya. Kasi 'yung mga lumang kahoy matitigas sila," Pan-doro said.

Vigan has kept its reputation as a living museum, and its Old World charm makes it a popular travel destination in the country.

"Our own heritage, it comes from there. If you really value it, you are committed to it, then you'll probably take the effort or the initiative to now do the necessary work in order to get it further recognized," Dr. Vir-ginia Miralao, Secretary General of UNESCO-Philippines, said. —Car-mela G. Lapeña/KG, GMA News

BALAY NEGRENSE IN SILAY CITY, the Paris of Negros. During its gold-en days, Silay City was the center of commerce, arts and culture in Negros. The beginning of industrialization of Silay City coincided with the growth of sugar cane plantations in the island. Yves Leopold Germain Gaston, a French in origin, spurred this sunshine industry in Silay which even spilled over to other towns and cities all over the island. His eldest son, Victor Fernandez Gaston, built in 1897 what is now Balay Negrense, arguably the single most important landmark in the city. Named after a tree that were locally abundant, the city has a collection of 31 ancestral houses, three of which are now museums open to the public. Hence, Silay City is called the Paris of Negros. At the height of trade and commerce, the barons would bring in performers and artists not only from Manila but also from Europe to make the city even livelier. Silay has an important place in the annals of Philippine history. At Farmacia Locsin, Ne-grense secretly planned the successful revolution against Spanish government on November 5, 1898. Hence, the street was named Cinco de Noviembre.The city is now the site of the Bacolod-Silay Airport, an international in standards but principal 1 in classifi cation. It serves to major local airlines such as PAL, Air Philippines, Cebu Pacifi c, and Zest Air.-- 7107islandtours.com. For tour packages contact Harry Asuncion Balais Mobile: +63 917 627 4945 Land-line: +632 799 5486. Email: [email protected] Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/harrybalais


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EntertainmentShowbiz Watcher

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

by Ogie Cruz

By Ogie Cruz

Aminado si Sarah Geronimo na siya ang pumili ng mga songs na kinanta niya sa kanyang Tv show “Sarah G Live” sa channel 2, na isang patama sa dati niyang boyfriend na si Gerald Anderson.

Before the show ni Sarah Last Sunday,nagsalita na rin si Gerald sa “D Buzz “na balak talaga niya ligawan si Maja Salvador kung bibigyan siya ng chance nito.Siempre ang Sarah G,halatang in-love pa rin sa binata kaya naman idinaan na lang nito ang kanyang saloobin sa pa-mamagitan ng song ni Britney Spears “Womanizer”.

Sinabi rin ni Ms. Geronimo sa kan-yang live audience na huwag papatol sa mga womanizer, dapat maging faithful daw ang isang lalaki sa kan-yang nililigawan.Sinabihan rin niya ang co-host niya na maging faithful ito at huwag gagaya sa iba na maging womanizer.

Inawit rin ni Sarah sa bandang huli ng show niya ang song na “Take A Bow”, goodbye to boyfriend ang tema ng song na halatang kay Gerald Anderson pa rin patama.

Close friend sina Sarah at Maja,pero nanahimik na lang siya kung anu mayroon ngayon relasyon ang dalawa.Basta raw, wish daw niya kay Maja na lumigaya ito sa bago nitong pag-ibig.

Humingi rin siya ng sorry kung anuman ang naging behavior niya last Sunday sa kanyang show,dahil niya napigilan ang kanyang sarili. Isang katotohanan na mahal pa rin niya si Gerald, hindi kaya sisihin ni Sarah ang kanyang Nanay sa pakikialam tungkol sa kanyang love affair?Nagtatanong lang po kami.

Nagseselos Ba ?Sarah Geronimo Pinasaringan

Si Gerald Anderson !!!

!!!Masyadong mainit ngayon ang batuhan ng parehong kandidato bilang Mayor ng Maynila na sina Joseph Estrada at Mayor Lim,nagsalita nga si Erap na lihitimo raw siya na isang taga-Maynila dahil sa tundo raw siya pinanganak samantalang si Mayor Lim raw ay baka sa Beijing ito pinan-ganak.

Sabi naman ni Mayor Lim, hindi raw dapat sinasapelikula ang mga gangster sa Manila para huwag pama-risan tulad ng pagsasapelikula noon ng “Asiong Salonga”.

Sagot naman ni Erap, bakit anu ba ang “Dirty Harry” di ba dirty ito at grabe ito pumatay ng tao dahil gina-gawang batas ang kanyang sarili.

Dinagdag pa ng Dating Presi-dente na pangatlo raw sa kulelat ang Manila sa lahat ng Municipali-ties dahil napakalaki raw ng utang nito.Ayon raw sa survey out of 18 municipalities,panglabing lima raw ang Manila at napag-iwanan na raw ito ng Makati,Pasig at Mandaluyong to think na capital pa naman daw ito ng Philippines.

Hamon naman ni Mayor Lim, may-roon raw silang 6 ng public hospitals , 3 public Universities, 71 public El-ementary,32 public High School, 480 Day Care at 59 na Health Care.Anung city raw sa Pilipinas ang puedeng mag-beat doon ? kaya imposible na sabi niya na kulelat ang manila sabi pa ni Mayor Lim.

Pati sa Vice Mayor nila mahigpit daw ang labanan sa pagitan ni Lou Veloso sa side ni Lim at si Isko Moreno sa side naman ni Erap.Sobra din ang batuhan ng dalawa,kesyo

Tulad ni Sarah, si Kim Chiu rin mukhang nagseselos rin sa Gerald & Maja love affair. 2 years ago, mag-boyfriend sina Kim at Gerald hanggang sa magkahiwalay na sila ng landas pero alam nyo ba na bestfriend din sina Kim at Maja noon? Kesyo si Maja pa raw ang nag-a-advise kay Kim about love affair nito kay Gerald kaya nga nabigla siya nang malaman niya na sina Maja at Gerald na.

Pati nga ang Queen of All Media kris Aquino,nag-advice rin kay Kim na mag-move on na at pabayaan na ang Gerald-Maja romance.

Basta isa lang ang masasabi namin, mahaba ang hair ni Maja dahil pinag-seselosan o kinaiingigitan siya sa ngayon nina Sarah at Kim.

At sabi nga ni Tita Swarding si Ger-ald Anderson raw ang dapat bansagan na “TUHOG KING” sa ngayon.Magkakaibigan kasi raw ang tinuhog ng binata.Say n’yo ?

PATUTSADAHAN NINA MAYOR LIM AT ERAP LALONG UMIINIT

Sarah Geronimo

bakla raw yung isa at sobrang pangit.Sabi naman ng isa, doble cara yung isa at hindi puedeng pagkatiwalaan dahil corrupt daw ito.

Hay naku,sobrang gulo ngayon sa pulitika na may bahid ng showbiz dahil maraming tumatakbong artista sa ngayon,hindi lang Manila maging sa ibang panig ng Pilipinas.Buti pa sa San Diego,walang magulo at maayos ang election.

REO BARBERSHOP NI MR. LEO NAGKAROON NG AKSIDENTE !!!Isa na sa pinakamatagal na Bar-bershop ang aming kliente sa Asian Journal ang “Reo Barbershop” na nasa Rio Drive San Diego na kaharap ng “Clear Skin”.

Kamakailan nagkaroon pala ng aksidente rito, pumasok ang isang kotse sa nasabing barbershop na mi-namaneho ng isang matandang babae na parang nawalan ng break,buti na lang at walang nasaktan sa loob ng barbershop.

Naging balita nga ito sa mga local tv stations dito sa San Diego,kaya minabuti namin na puntahan ito. Sarado ngayon ang Barbershop,hindi namin alam kung kailan ito ulit mag-bubukas.

Ang alam namin,yung may-ari na si Mr Leo at asawa niya ngayon ay nagbabakasyon sa Pilipinas, siguro nakarating na rin sa kanila ang nang-yari sa “Rio Barbershop”.

Ang disgrasya talaga,hindi mo alam kung kailan mangyayari kahit nasa loob ka lang ng isang gusali buti na lang at wala namang nasaktan.

Top: Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu. Bottom: Erap and Mayor LimReo Barbershop

MANILA, Philippines – The Ka-pamilya network ended 2012 with a bang as it dominated nationwide TV ratings across urban and rural homes from June to December.

According to Kantar Media, ABS-CBN gained an average national audience share of 42% against rival GMA-7’s 31%. The No. 3 network TV5 garnered a scant 12% audience share.

ABS-CBN led its competitors in the primetime and morning slots, and also had a higher audience share for the month of December.

The new ratings data showed ABS-CBN pulling away from its competi-tors in the primetime slot with 48% of Philippine households watching its programs, posting a 20-point lead over GMA’s 28%. The network’s primetime line-up also posted an audience share of 44% for the month

of December alone as compared to GMA’s 30%.

TV5 only had 11% TV viewership for its primetime slot from June to December 2012 by households

Meanwhile, in the morning block, ABS-CBN strengthened its perfor-mance with an average audience share of 40% compared to GMA’s 31% and TV5’s 14%.

Leading in urban, ruralABS-CBN further bolstered its

leadership in rural homes from June to December when it garnered an au-dience share of 49% versus GMA’s 31% in total day viewing and 56% vs 26% in primetime.

The Lopez-owned network also ruled urban homes for the whole of 2012 with an average audience share

ABS-CBN dominates top 20 most watched shows in 2012


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TrendsTech IT

from My Barber

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

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

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Tech Trend: Made in the Philippines

In my article, “The Digital Storage Revolution”, which was published last week, I wrote about my personal experience in witnessing the expo-nential growth of digital storage.

Answering a question from my barber, I told him that the IT com-pany that I used to transact business re electronic products and/ or tech-nologies was First Convergent Com-munications Worldwide, Inc. (FCC Worldwide). The latter was incorpo-rated in the early ‘90s already pre-dicting the convergence of emerging technologies in Text, Voice/Audio and Video or now known as Multi-media. You can recognize this by the company’s name.

Together with my friend and classmate, Francis Rueca who now lives in San Francisco, California, we introduced the fi rst electronic mailing in the Philip-pines. We brought the technology owned by SYSCOM and entered into a contract with then RCPI (Radio Communications of the Philippine Islands), one of the fi rst telecommunications fi rms in the Philippines. Known for delivering telegrams/telegraphs to consumers in the Philippines, our digital technology substantially reduced the cost of delivery and several times increased the speed of delivery as well. Francis and I received a certain percentage of RCPI’s revenue from the digitized communications business.

On the digital voice communica-tions (telephone), we also brought the Qualcomm CDMA technology early in the game. Qualcomm was just a new and growing enterprise then, nowhere near what it is today – a multibillion-dollar company. We offered it to PLDT (Philippine Long

Distance Telephone) and its cellular company in the 1990’s when Verizon and Sprint were just negotiating to utilize it. Since PLDT was still a virtual monopoly at the time, it rejected the new technology at the expense of the consumers who had to absorb high telephone charges and of potential customers who had to wait several years just to become a subscriber.

I also remember bringing the TDMA technology of International Mobile. I also offered it to PLDT’s cellular company but, as expected, they rejected it. The communications fi rms of Japan, South Korea and China adapted the TDMA and/ or

WDMA technology.Can you imagine if either of these

technologies was utilized in the Philippines earlier?

Almost in the same period, my company also brought the latest technology in the Cable TV industry by way of bringing the new hard-ware, software, and systems in the delivery of content (TV programs) owned by General Instrument/JER-ROLD to homes in the Philippines.

The pioneer of the cable industry in the Philippines and owner of the Country Cable, the fi rst cable TV operator in the country Senator

Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. recognized the technology’s importance and im-mediately utilized, distributed, and promoted it. The biggest cable com-pany, SKY Cable and many other provincial cable operators followed suit and the rest is history.

While the eBook Reader technol-ogy, which I discussed in last week’s column only merged text, sound/audio/music, and systems/organizer technologies. The indispensable but limiting element was storage.

In all of the technologies discussed above, the more limited the storage capacity, the more limited your con-tent would be – be they documents, music, audio and applications.

I will be writing more on the digi-tal storage revolution in subsequent columns as I review my notes on the exhibitors and presentations in the Storage Visions Conference.

In this week’s column, I thought that it should be all about “bringing home the bacon” in answer to my barber’s queries.

Home, of course, is the Philip-pines. Bacon, in this case, is the digital technologies.

Also in the ‘90s I represented a company that manufac-tured and supplied the U.S. military with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The UAVs were used during the fi rst Persian Gulf War. I offered a whole system to the Philip-pine Military.

The manufacturer even agreed to transfer the technol-ogy to the Philippines. Its president and owner offered to work with me in getting

the necessary approvals from the U.S. Government (Commerce and State). It stood a good chance be-cause of the U.S.-RP Military Bases Agreement and Defense Treaty at the time.

I remember bringing the Philip-pine military attaché to the company premises for a demonstration. Repre-sentatives of the Israeli military were also there checking out the latest technology.

My Philippine partner and I even lobbied the Philippine Congress to allocate a certain amount for the project. An amount equivalent to my

Bringing Home The Bacon

quote was actually budgeted. Under the self-reliance program of the mili-tary, we even agreed to eventually assemble a Philippine-made UAV working with the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT).

What happened? Being familiar with the Anti-Corrupt Practices Act of the United States and the Anti-Graft Laws of the Philippines, I decided and correspondingly advised my client, not to proceed.

The UAV actually did have non-military uses. In fact, accompanied by Gerry Zorilla, an Advertising and PR Executive and a cousin of my wife, arranged and joined me in a meeting with then GMA 7 President Meynardo Jimenez to use the tech-nology for broadcasting. It would have been dubbed, “Eye in the Sky”. The TV station was not ready.

It could have also been used in sur-veillance and in package deliveries. In fact, we were in serious discus-sions through Tony Zorilla with the foundation of then former Senator Saturnina Rasul precisely for use of the system for monitoring and surveillance of the boundaries and shorelines of selected provinces in Mindanao. The death of Tony Zorilla and the loss of Rasul’s Senatorial bid prevented us from pursuing it further.

“Bring Home The Bacon”. Filipi-nos who leave the country always think of doing so. Those who live in foreign lands, they bring it home as “Balikbayans” (Returning visitors) or send it in “Balikbayan Boxes”. They are always thinking of bringing or giving something back to their country.

I am no exception. In my case, I like bringing home the latest tech-nology. In my return, I always make sure that I bring back Pinoy Jokes. ###

Good News Pilipinas | MANILA, 1/4/2013 -- Continuing to earn high approval rating from gamers is Streetfood Tycoon, a game applica-tion created by Filipino computer programmer/game developer Erick-son Garayblas, which has already reached four million downloads.

Although hardly original – it obvi-ously borrowed its format from several other popular tycoon type of games (Lem-onade Tycoon, Fish Tycoon to name a few) – Streetfood Tycoon fi rst gained notice early last year, earning over a thousand users by May 2012.

The game is available in iOS and Android formats. The main objective is to earn enough coins by selling food to customers who place their order through a picture bubble. Play-ers need to tap all the right ingredi-ents as shown in the bubble to create the order, dragging them towards the customer to complete the sale. There’s a time limit of course, and if you’re not quick enough the cus-tomer will leave in a huff.

There are also other matters (like stocks running low) that had to be addressed as you progress in the game. But users will also be able to upgrade their cart to serve more and better quality food.

According to Garayblas, devel-oping the game meant months of research.

“Ang gusto ko kasi talaga ‘yung gumawa na isang game na topic ay pang-masa,” he told “Umagang Kay Ganda” on Thursday.

Garayblas said he thought of streetfood as the main component

of the game as the idea seemed very “Filipino.” He was right. Among Streetfood Tycoons’ fi rst few patron months after its release were Pinoys. Today, over a million Filipinos have already downloaded the game.

“Nakakatuwa na tinangkilik ng mga kababayan natin ang game,” he

said.Garayblas took

the idea further by adding seem-ing caricatures of several celeb-rities that could or could not be Manny Pacqui-ao, Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber as featured cus-tomers.

“Nagustuhan nila [players] itong mga spe-cial characters sa game,” Garay-

blas shared. “So ginawan ko…pero parang spoof lang naman nila.”

(Story courtesy of NR Ramos of the Manila Bulletin)

Pinoy-made game application ‘Streetfood Tycoon’ a big hit



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By David Sayen You may have wondered how

Medicare works with other insur-ance coverage, such as a group health plan from a former employer or union.

It’s an important issue because it determines whether your medical bills are paid correctly and on time.

If you have Medicare and other insurance, always be sure to tell your doctor, hospital, and pharmacy.

When there's more than one insur-ance payer, certain rules determine which one pays fi rst.

This is what’s called "coordination of benefi ts."

The "primary payer" pays what it owes on your bills fi rst -- and then sends the balance to the "secondary payer" to pay.

In some cases, there may also be a third payer.

The primary payer pays up to the limits of its coverage. The secondary payer only pays if there are costs the primary insurer didn’t cover.

But keep in mind that the second-ary payer (which may be Medicare) may not pay all of the uncovered costs.

If your employer insurance is the secondary payer, you may need to enroll in Medicare Part B before that insurance will pay. (The Part B pre-mium for most Americans in 2013 is $104.90 per month.)

Here’s who pays fi rst in various situations:

If you have retiree insurance (cov-erage from a former job), Medicare pays fi rst.

If you’re 65 or older, have group coverage based on your or your spouse’s current employment, and the employer has 20 or more work-ers, your group plan pays fi rst. (If the company has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare pays fi rst.)

Your group plan also pays fi rst when you’re under 65 and disabled, have group coverage based on your or a family member’s current em-ployment, and the employer has 100

or more employees. (Medicare pays fi rst if the company has fewer than 100 employees.)

If you have Medicare because of end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure), your group plan pays fi rst for the fi rst 30 months after you become eligible for Medi-care. Medicare pays fi rst after this 30-month period.

Medicare may pay second if you’re in an accident or have a workers’ compensation case in which other insurance covers your injury or you’re suing another entity for medical expenses.

In these situations you or your lawyer should tell Medicare as soon as possible. These types of insurance usually pay fi rst for services related to each type:

· No-fault insurance (including automobile insurance);

· Liability (including automo-bile and self-insurance);

· Black lung benefi ts;· Workers’ compensation.

Medicaid and TRICARE (the healthcare program for U.S. armed service members, retirees, and their families) never pay fi rst for services that are covered by Medicare. They only pay after Medicare, employer plans, and/or Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) have paid.

For more information, visit www.medicare.gov/publications and read the booklet “Medicare and Other Health Benefi ts: Your Guide to Who Pays First.”

You can also call 1-800-MEDI-CARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask for a copy to be mailed to you. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

If you have questions about who pays fi rst, or you need to update your other insurance information, call Medicare’s Coordination of Benefi ts Contractor at 1-800-999-1118. TTY users should call 1-800-318-8782.

You can also contact your employ-er or union benefi ts administrator. You may need to give your Medicare number to your other insurers so your bills are paid correctly and on time.

David Sayen is Medicare’s re-gional administrator for California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacifi c Trust Territories. You can al-ways get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDI-CARE (1-800-633-4227).

How Medicare works with other insurance Refreshing News | 1/4/2013 --

Even if you don’t plan on doing a detox program, your health will benefi t from adding more detox superfoods to your daily diet. There are many great superfoods with detoxifying properties, but here are my top 12 picks. And, they’re deli-cious too.

Almonds—are high in fi ber, calcium, magnesium, and useable protein that helps stabilize blood sugar and remove impurities from the bowels.

Avocados—lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity. Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks at least 30 differ-ent carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that elderly people who had high levels of glutathione were healthier and less likely to suf-fer from arthritis.

Beets—contain a unique mixture of natural plant chemicals (phy-tochemicals) and minerals that make them superb fi ghters of infection, blood purifi ers, and liver cleansers. They also help boost the body’s cel-lular intake of oxygen, making beets excellent overall body cleansers. Aphrodite, according to legend, ate beets to retain her beauty. She was defi nitely on to a good thing since beets, in addition to all the benefi ts listed above, also help stabilize the blood’s acid-alkaline balance (pH), which in turn supports healthy de-toxifi cation.

Blueberries—contain natural aspirin that helps lessen the tissue-damaging effects of chronic in-fl ammation, while lessening pain. Blueberries also act as antibiotics by blocking bacteria in the urinary tract, thereby helping to prevent infec-tions. They have antiviral properties and are loaded with super-detoxify-ing phytonutrients called proantho-cyanidins.

Cabbage—contains numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant com-pounds and helps the liver break down excess hormones. Cabbage also cleanses the digestive tract and soothes the stomach, which could in part be due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage (kale is an-other excellent choice—see below) demonstrate powerful detoxifi cation activity, including neutralizing some of the damaging compounds found

Top 12 Detox Superfoodsin cigarette smoke (and second-hand smoke). They also contain a com-pound that helps the liver produce adequate amounts of enzymes for detoxifi cation.

Cranberries—have powerful antibiotic and antiviral substances to help the body cleanse harmful bacteria and viruses from the urinary tract.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil— are loaded with essential fatty acids, particularly the omega-3s. They are essential for many cleansing functions and maintaining a healthy immune system. They are also criti-cal to maintaining a healthy brain. The health of every cell in your body is dependent on getting adequate amounts of essential fatty acids.

Garlic—helps cleanse harmful bacteria, intestinal parasites, and viruses from the body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse buildup from the arteries and lowers blood pressure. Garlic has anti-cancer and antioxi-dant properties that help detoxify the body of harmful substances. It also helps cleanse the respiratory tract by expelling mucous buildup in the lungs and sinuses.

Kale—contains powerful anti-can-cer and antioxidant compounds that help cleanse the body of harmful substances. It is also high in fi ber, which helps cleanse the intestinal tract. Like cabbage, kale helps neu-tralize compounds found in cigarette smoke and contains a substance that jump-starts the liver’s production of cleansing enzymes.

Legumes—are loaded with fi ber that helps lower cholesterol, cleanse the intestines, and regulate blood sugar levels. Legumes also help protect the body against cancer.

Lemons— are superb liver detoxi-fi ers. In addition, they contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make a sub-stance called glutathione. Glutathi-one helps ensure that phase 2 liver detoxifi cation keeps pace with phase 1, thereby reducing the likelihood of negative effects from environmen-tal chemicals. Vitamin C and other antioxidants found in lemons are integral to ward off cancer, fi ght the

effects of pollution and cell damage. Fresh lemon juice contains more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and helps balance the body’s pH levels.

Seaweed—could be the most underrated vegetable in the Western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body so it can be removed. Radioac-tive waste can fi nd its way into the body through some medical tests or through food that has been grown where water or soil is contaminated. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body. In addition, it is a powerhouse of minerals and trace minerals.

Nationla Insititute of Health | Washington DC, 1/14/2013 -- A liquid therapy placed underneath the tongues of people with peanut allergy can reduce their sensitivity to peanuts, a new study found. With further development, the experimen-tal technique could make life easier for people whose only current option is to avoid everything that contains peanuts.

Food allergy comes about when the immune system responds to a harmless food as if it were a threat. Symptoms can range from hives and itching to a life-threatening condi-tion called anaphylaxis, which can involve throat swelling, a sudden drop in blood pressure, trouble breathing, fainting and dizziness.

In both children and adults, pea-nuts are one of the most common foods to cause allergic reactions. About 3 out of every 500 people in the United States are allergic to peanuts. The only way to prevent the symptoms of food allergy is to avoid the food altogether. But it’s diffi cult to completely avoid exposure to peanuts and all the products made with them.

Therapy Shows Promise for

Peanut Allergy



619.746.3416

Health and Wellness


KIFM / 98.1 Smooth FM Morning Show Host, Lenny B, Is Making “Flu Kit

Housecalls”San Diego – January 14, 2013 –

KIFM / 98.1 Smooth FM Morning Show host, Lenny B, and the 98.1 “Flu Crew” are making “Flu Kit Housecalls” to listeners who are at home sick with the fl u.

With the infl uenza epidemic now having reached all fi fty states, 98.1 Smooth FM wants to do something to help locals who are at home suf-fering with the fl u and have nobody to take care of them. A masked Lenny B. and the “Flu Crew” are going to listeners’ houses with cans of chicken soup, Therafl u, tea, Ga-torade, cough drops, hand sanitizer, boxes of Kleenex, and more.

It all began this past Friday when a listener with the fl u called in. Lenny B. was joking around with her and she said that she was new to San Diego and had nobody to help take care of her or pick anything up for her at the store. Lenny decided to make a “Flu Kit Housecall” since most doctors no longer make house-calls. He assembled some of the 98.1 Smooth FM promotions team as the “Flu Crew.”

Television coverage is welcome at any of the housecalls and the times can be arranged to fi t your fi lming schedule and we’ll provide the medi-cal masks! They typically make the housecalls late morning but we can accommodate your schedule.

###

For more information, please contact John D’Angelo at 619-728-7174 or by email at [email protected]. Information is also available at www.981SmoothFM.com

National Institute of Health | Washington DC, 1/14/2013 -- A study in mice suggests that lack of a certain protein may trigger atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema. The fi nding may lead to im-proved treatment options for people.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease in which the skin becomes itchy and infl amed. The disease can be diffi cult to treat. It affects an estimated 10-20% of children and 1-3% of adults nationwide. Most people outgrow atopic dermatitis by early adulthood, but for some, the disease persists. Both genes and environmental factors play a role in atopic dermatitis, but its root causes aren’t known.

Scientists believe that atopic dermatitis involves a defective skin barrier that allows allergens to enter the skin and interact with immune cells to cause infl ammation. Several proteins have been identifi ed that may be involved in this response. One is thymic stromal lymphopoi-etin (TSLP), which has also been linked to asthma and to a food allergy-related disorder called eo-sinophilic esophagitis. TSLP expres-sion is elevated in mice with atopic dermatitis. The factors involved in this regulation, however, aren’t well understood.

Past work led by Dr. Arup Indra at Oregon State University showed that COUP-TF interacting protein 2 (Ctip2) is crucial for forming and maintaining the skin barrier in devel-oping mouse embryos. Ctip2 was also found to be important for skin lipid metabolism, which keeps the skin healthy and hydrated.

In the new study, Indra's team set out to explore the role of Ctip2 in the skin of adult mice. The team genetically altered mice to remove Ctip2 from epidermal (outer layer) skin cells. The study was partly funded by NIH's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and

Protein Linked to Atopic

Dermatitis


More people(Continued from page 1)


Protein linked (Continued from page 15)


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

journalusa.com

Please consider this email as one important enough to forward!

Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Govern-

ment for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.

This will take less than thirty

seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.This is an idea that we should/must address.

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could re-tire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecu-tion for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under

those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that passed ... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever . The self-serving must stop.

If each person that receives this will forward it on to 15 people, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representa-tives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States..."

You are one of my 15.--- Ed Gamboa, MD. FACS

35 States so far ..EPA Provides $93,000 in Fund-

ing Under Border Program

LOS ANGELES—The U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency, the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the Municipality of Tijuana today celebrated the opening of the Urban Composting Center in Tijuana, Mexico. This is the first center of its kind on the Mexican side of the border region. The compost center will produce about 150 tons of compost in its first year which will be used to plant trees and nurseries throughout Tijuana.

The center was funded through a $73,000 Border 2012 grant to Tijuana Calidad de Vida, a non-governmental organization, creating a partnership with Tijuana’s Municipality to develop land-scape grade compost from landscape cuttings supplied by the municipality. An additional $20,000 under the new Border 2020 Program will be used to increase municipal capacity and raise community awareness on the benefits of composting and a path to zero waste. Using less materials, reducing toxics, and recovering more of the materials used, creates a more sustainable com-munity.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the open-ing of this center, a model for com-munities throughout Baja California as they incorporate composting into their everyday practices,” said Jared Blumen-feld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The composting center will help protect the environment on both sides of the border by reduc-ing waste within our shared San Diego/Tijuana watershed that would have gone to landfills.”

The Urban Composing Center will be used to build municipal expertise on compost practices, as well as an educa-tional venue to increase public aware-ness about composting as a practice to divert reusable, organic material from landfills.

Baja California Celebrates First Urban Compost-ing Center, Will Produce Almost 150 Tons in its

First Year for Urban Greenscaping in Tijuana"For BECC the inauguration of the

first compost center in the city of Ti-juana, Baja California is very important. This is a demonstrative project that will be used in the parks and gardens of the city with sustainable practices because of the use of organic materials. It will also serve as an educational center for public awareness regarding the benefits of composting and it's funded by the Border 2020 Environment Program", said Maria Elena Giner, General Manager of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission.

Some of the grant money will go towards the development of a com-post practice manual for distribution throughout the border region, a website with composting information resources, and workshops for the city, community, and other institutions to learn about composting practices. Many of the educational tools and resources were developed in collaboration with the City of San Diego, through the shared U.S.- Mexico Border partnership. The Mira-mar Greenery composting facility in San Diego, Calif., for example, hosted several Mexican officials and advised the new center on institutional compost-ing practices. The Urban Composting Center has already trained more than170 individuals from various institutions to educate the public on how composting is used to redirect food, landscape and other organics from dumps and landfills.

Today’s opening celebration is part of EPA Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld’s two day visit to San Diego and Mexico. Blumenfeld will also meet with tribes in San Diego, tour a solar panel plant in Tijuana and visit the Toyota Manufacturing plant in Tecate, Mexico.

The Border 2020 U.S.-Mexico Environmental program is a bi-national border environment program (formerly Border 2012) that enhances the ability of cities on both sides of the border to build capacity to improve the environ-ment. Border 2020 builds on past efforts

by emphasizing regional and locally driven approaches for decision making, priority setting, and project implementa-tion to address the environmental and public health challenges in the border region.

For more information on the Urban Composting Center, please visit: http://calidad-de-vida.org/wordpress/

For more information on the Border 2020 program, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/border2020/index.html


619.746.3416


Peanut AllergyRecent studies have found that oral

immunotherapy may hold promise for treating food allergy. A research team led by Dr. David M. Fleischer of National Jewish Health in Denver and Dr. A. Wesley Burks at the University of North Carolina set out to test whether an approach called sublingual immuno-therapy could be used to treat peanut al-lergy. The medically supervised therapy involves placing a small amount of the allergy-causing substance (allergen) under the tongue to decrease the body’s sensitivity to the allergen.

The scientists enrolled 40 people, ages 12 to 37 years, with peanut allergy. All were on a peanut-free diet. After an initial food challenge to measure how much peanut powder they could eat without having an allergic reaction, participants were randomly assigned to receive sublingual immunotherapy or placebo. The therapy group received escalating doses of peanut powder every 2 weeks until a maintenance dose was reached. The trial was funded by NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Re-sults appeared in the January 2013 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

The researchers found that 14 of the 20 participants (70%) given peanut immunotherapy were able to consume at least 10 times more peanut powder after 44 weeks of daily therapy than they could at the beginning of the study. In contrast, only 3 of the 20 participants (15%) given placebo could safely con-sume such an increase. After 68 weeks, those on immunotherapy could consume significantly more peanut powder without having an allergic reaction than those given placebo. The therapy caused only minor side effects, such as itching in the mouth.

With more work, the scientists hope that sublingual immunotherapy could protect people from unintentional exposure to peanuts. “These results are encouraging,” Burks says. “The immune response was stronger than we thought it might be, and the side effects of this treatment were relatively small. How-ever, the magnitude of the therapeutic effect was somewhat less than we had anticipated. That's an issue we plan to address in future studies.”

This is one of several federally funded trials currently testing immune-based approaches to food allergy. The researchers caution that people should not try any of these techniques on their own because they carry a significant risk for allergic reactions. These therapies should be administered only under the guidance of trained clinicians.

—by Harrison Wein, Ph.D.

Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and National Institute of Environmental Health Sci-ences (NIEHS). Results appeared in the December 20, 2012, issue of the online journal PLoS One.

The researchers found that around 8 to 10 weeks after birth, 67% of the mice lacking Ctip2 had dry and scaly skin and 17% also developed skin lesions. By 4 months, 89% of the altered mice dis-played symptoms. Normal mice didn’t have skin issues at any age.

The team identified an age-dependent increase in certain inflammatory cells in the skin of the mice lacking Ctip2. Ctip2 deficiency also caused systemic inflam-matory responses. The altered mice had enlarged lymph nodes and spleens, as well as high levels of circulating inflam-matory proteins.

Expression of genes known to be involved in mouse and human atopic dermatitis, including TSLP, increased in mouse skin when Ctip2 was absent. TSLP levels were up to 1,000-fold high-er. The team found evidence that Ctip2 directly regulates TSLP. Future research will be needed to determine precisely how repression of TSLP by Ctip2 might protect against disease.

“With a better understanding of just what is causing eczema on a genetic basis, we should be able to personalize treatments, determine exactly what each person needs, and develop new thera-pies,” Indra says. “This might be with topical compounds that increase Ctip2 expression in skin cells, or custom-ized treatments to restore an individual person’s lipid profile.”

—by Miranda Hanson, Ph.D.

retary Nora Lucero.She added that a PBS study

in 2011 also showed that 55 percent of Filipinos did not have their own copy of the Bible.

Many distractions

“There are many [distractions]. It’s not just [horoscopes and feng shui books] because there are pock-etbooks that are like telenovelas while the young spend more time in the Internet cafes,” Lucero said at a Church forum in Intramuros, Manila.

The Internet is becoming the main competitor of the Bible as Filipinos spend more and more time on online games and social networking sites, she said.

Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Pablo David has maintained that “all the ac-tivities in the life of the Church should be animated by the Bible,” Lucero said.

“Sometimes, the Church has many programs that are not linked to the Bible so it is really a great help if the Church itself should push for Bible reading,” she added.

To increase Bible literacy among Filipinos, the PBS, which includes the Catholic Church and Protestant churches, launched a program in 2009 to distribute 5 million Bibles in five years. So far, they have been able to distribute 800,000 Bibles.

Funding needed“We are now trying to do more and

are not looking at a five-year schedule because we also face other challenges like values formation and funding (Bible production),” Lucero said.

The printing cost for one Bible is P150, but the PBS sells its copies for only P50 each.

“So we have to raise funds for the P100 difference. We do that locally and internationally because there are also other Bible societies like us,” Lucero said.

Audio, e-Bible

To neutralize the challenge posed by the Internet, the PBS has also produced an audio Bible and an e-Bible that can be downloaded online.

“We made the e-Bible available two or three years ago, while the audio Bible can be downloaded from the Internet,” Lucero said.

Despite the challenges, Lucero said their project was successful as the per-centage of Filipinos with no Bibles had gone down from 60 percent in 2005 to 55 percent in 2011.

“We have touched several millions because, from 60 percent, it’s now down to 55 percent. Hopefully, this is a dent and there would be a continuing interest in the word of God,” she added.

Prayer for Inner Healing 1

Dear Lord Jesus, please come and heal my wounded and troubled heart. I beg you to heal the torments that are causing anxiety in my life. I beg you, in a par-ticular way, to heal the underlying source of my sinfulness. I beg you to come into my life and heal the psychological harms that struck me in my childhood and from the injuries they have caused throughout my life.

Lord Jesus, you know my burdens. I lay them on your Good Shepherd’s Heart. I beseech you—by the merits of the great open wound in your heart—to heal the small wounds that are in mine. Heal my memories, so that nothing that has hap-pened to me will cause me to remain in pain and anguish, filled with anxiety.

Heal, O Lord, all those wounds that have been the cause of evil that is rooted in my life. I want to forgive all those who have offended me. Look to those inner sores that make me unable to forgive. You who came to forgive the afflicted of heart, please, heal my wounded and troubled heart.

Heal, O Lord Jesus, all those intimate wounds that are the root cause of my physical illness. I offer you my heart. Accept it, Lord, purify it and give me the sentiments of your Divine Heart.

Heal me, O Lord, from the pain caused by the death of my loved ones. Grant me to regain peace and joy in the knowl-edge that you are the Resurrection and the Life. Make me an authentic witness to your resurrection, your victory over sin and death, and your loving presence among all men. Amen. -- Link: http://www.catholicwarriors.com/pages/war-fare_prayers.htm

1. Gabriele Amorth, An Exorcist Tells His Story, pp. 201-202. Reprinted with permission of Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA.


It’s easy to get into debt. It’s much harder to get out of it.

Fortunately, there are credit coun-seling agencies that can help you get your finances in order. They can help you figure out a budget and stick to it while managing your debt and avoiding future financial pitfalls.

However, not all credit counsel-ing agencies are the same. Some offer free or low-cost services while others charge high fees or might not be trustworthy. The following tips will help you choose the right credit counseling agency.

Look for Agencies with a Good Reputation

Most reputable credit counseling agencies are nonprofits that offer free or low-cost services. However, the fact that an agency is a nonprofit does not guarantee that it is afford-able or that it has a good reputation. Here are some tips for selecting a credit agency you can trust:

Ask family members and friends if they can recommend an agency. It’s best to pick one that has been around for several years and has a well-established reputation.

Use credit agencies or credit counseling services referred by credit unions, banks, universities or military bases.

Choose a credit agency that’s been approved by the Federal Govern-ment.

You can also check out state and local consumer agencies to find out if a credit agency has complaints.

Compare Services and Costs

Once you have a list of agencies you can trust, the next step is to take a closer look at the services and costs they offer so that you can choose the one that best serves your needs. Be careful with credit agencies that charge high fees for services that you can get for free somewhere else.

Some of the most common

services offered by credit agencies include:

Professional, person-to-person as-sistance with managing your money and debt.

Help putting together a family budget and sticking to it.

Free workshops and educational material.

Ask Lots of Questions

Before finally choosing a credit agency, it’s worth writing down a list of questions you might have so that you can avoid surprises such as hidden fees or limited services. Here are some questions to help you pick the right credit agency.

Are there different fees for differ-ent services? Some agencies might charge for initial consultations or a monthly fee. Be careful with agen-cies that pay their employees more depending on the services you sign up for.

Will you be signing a contract before getting counseling? If so, be sure to read the contract before signing it.

Does the agency have the right certifications to provide credit coun-seling? It’s best to use agencies that have been certified by independent organizations.

What is the privacy policy of the agency? It’s important that your personal and financial information is protected.

Link: http://blog.usa.gov/post/39388835985/how-to-choose-a-credit-counseling-agency

How to Choose a Credit Counseling Agency USA.gov -- More fires occur

during the winter months than at any other time. Fortunately, taking simple precautions can prevent most fires. Follow the safety tips below to help ensure your safety:

Portable Heaters

Put at least three feet of empty space between the heater and every-thing else.

Vacuum and clean the dust and lint from all heaters.

If the cord gets hot, frayed or cracked, have the heater serviced.

Never use extension cords with portable electric heaters.

Turn off portable heaters when leaving or sleeping.

An adult should always be present when anyone is using a space heater around children.

Make sure your portable electric heater is UL approved and has a tip-over shut off function.

Woodstove and Fireplace Safety

Have a certified chimney sweep clean and inspect your fireplace.

Place ashes outdoors in a covered metal container at least three feet away from anything that burns.

To prevent flue fires, burn dry, well-seasoned wood.

Always use a fireplace screen made of sturdy metal or heat-tem-pered glass. If children are present, use a special child-guard screen.

Generators

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invis-ible killer. You cannot see or smell it. A generator's exhaust contains poisonous CO, which can kill you in a matter of minutes. Follow these important generator safety tips:

Never use a portable generator inside a home, garage, shed or other partially enclosed space, even if doors and windows are open.

Place portable generators outside only, far away from the home. Keep the generator away from openings to the home, including doors, windows,

and vents.Read the label on the generator

and the owner's manual, and follow the instructions.

Install CO alarms with battery backup in the home outside each sleeping area.

Get to fresh air immediately if you start to feel sick, weak or dizzy. CO poisoning from exposure to gen-erator exhaust can quickly lead to incapacitation and death.

Be sure generator fuel is properly and safely stored.

Always refuel the generator out-doors and away from any ignition sources.

If you choose to have a genera-tor permanently connected to your home's electrical system, make sure a licensed electrician installs it and be sure to notify your electric company.

Candles

Place candles in sturdy, fireproof candleholders where they cannot be knocked over.

Make sure all candles are out before going to bed or leaving the house.

Keep candles, matches, and light-ers out of children's reach.

Keep candles away from Christ-mas trees, evergreen clippings, decorations, presents, and wrapping paper.

Smoke Alarms and Home Es-cape Plans

Install smoke alarms outside each sleeping area and in each bedroom.

Test and vacuum your smoke alarms each month to make sure they are working.

Smoke alarms 10 years old or older need to be replaced with new units.

Know two ways out of every room.

Practice your escape plan with your whole family at least twice a year.

Do not attempt to go back into a burning home.

Today’s Lifestyle

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with our 3-in-1 PRICE offer via online+digital+print

editions. Call Asian Journal 619.474.0588

Safety Tips: Winter Fires

By Melissa Costello, Foreword by Tony Horton

Deerfield Beach, FL, January 14, 2013 - The more than 7 million vegetar-ians and 3 million vegans in the United States alone are proving that chowing down on planet-friendly fare not only helps them look and feel better, but it can be delicious too. In her debut cook-book, Karma Chow creator and celebrity chef, Melissa Costello shares an exciting collection of 125+ recipes that will be a welcome addition for anyone already following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle or for the growing number of people embracing more plant-based meals. As personal chef to celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton, creator of the bestsell-ing P90X® fitness system, Melissa is constantly finding creative ways to keep Tony and her other clients happy, fit, and fueled.

With her "keep it simple" and "make it tasty" approach, she offers a smorgas-bord of dairy- and animal-free appetiz-ers and desserts, breakfasts, and dinners, as well as company-worthy menus. Recipes include: Mac & Cheeze, Karma Burgers with Chipotle "Mayo," Thai-Style Tempeh Lettuce Wraps, Supreme-Oh Burritos, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Korean-Style Tempeh Tacos with Red Dijon Slaw, Enchilada Casserole with Ranchero Sauce, Artichoke and White Bean Dip, Cilantro Cauliflower Smash, Pad Thai in Peanut Coconut Sauce, Stuffed Mushroom Poppers, Indian Spiced Coconut Yam Soup, Chili Sweet Potato Fries, Un-Shepherd's Pie, Strawberry Crème Mousse with Pistachio Nut Topping, Banana Carob Bread Pudding, Apple/Pear Crisp, Brownie Bites, Chocolate Truffles, and Cardamom Chocolate Chippers (a Tony Horton favorite!).

The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook (HCI Books -- $18.95) shows anyone how to reconnect with their food and honor it as Earth's source for keeping us alive—all while finding it easier to rock their workouts and sculpt a well-defined physique. It's a winning recipe for suc-cess for anyone looking to transition to a healthier way of life!

For more information, please visit: www.karmachow.com.

About the Author:Melissa Costello, founder of Karma

Chow and creator of The Vital Life Cleanse, is the personal chef to celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton, creator of the highly popular workout system, P90X®. A Certified Nutritionist and wellness coach, Melissa is constantly finding cre-ative ways to keep Tony and her many other clients happy, fit, and healthy through a whole foods, plant-based way of life. She works one-on-one with clients as well as leads thirty-day food-based cleanses with large groups, teach-ing them how to implement changes in their diet that will last a lifetime as well as offering skills on how to relate to food differently. Melissa was featured on TV Guide's Secrets of the Hollywood Body as well as CNBC's How I Made My Millions with Tony Horton.

Sample Recipes:

Euphoria Nuggets15–20 nuggetsThese energy nuggets are great to

make as a snack for your kids. Actually, your kids will love to help you make them! They are loaded with protein, healthy fats, natural sugars, and flavor. They are great for marathon runners or athletes who need to restore their glyco-gen levels on the go. Who needs a candy bar anyway?

Karmic Health Tip: Agave nectar is a lower glycemic sweetener, but make sure you buy the raw dark blue agave to ensure the least amount of processing.

1 cup shelled sunflower seeds⅓ cup pitted dates½ cup almonds⅓ cup raw dark blue agave nectar3–5 tablespoons raw cacao powder Pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon Pinch of sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extractIn a food processor, process the sun-

flower seeds and dates into a fine meal. Add the remaining ingredients and pro-cess until sticky and blended together. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to harden and then roll into one-inch balls.

The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook: 125+ Plant-Based Vegan Recipes for

a Fit, Happy, Healthy You



means a gun could have been pressed before it was fi red.

The NBI source added that based on the trajectory of the bullet that hit Quiohilag on the head, the shooter was either on a higher position or Quiohilag was crouching when he was shot.

The source also revealed that 10 of the 13 fatalities tested negative in paraffi n tests.

Quiohilag and two others, police offi cer Gruet Montuano and Gerry Ancero Siman, tested positive.

But the source said it's possible they were positive for gunpowder residue because they may have been shot at close range. -- ANC

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

journalusa.com

Initial NBI fi ndings(Continued from page 1)

Street Poetry

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

by Michael R. Tagudin

©2013 Michael R. Tagudin. All rights reserved. About the Author: Michael R. Tagudin Educated as an engineer in the Philippines, the City of Los Angeles employee hopes his legacy of poems will provoke a dialogue about the human condition. He is donating the proceeds from the book “Crushed Violets” to the “Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Traffi cking (CAST)”, a non-profi t that provides public awareness and advocacy efforts against human traffi cking in the City of Angels. To learn more, visit www.castla.org. To help, call the CAST 24 hour hotline 888.KEY.2.FRE(EDOM) or 888.539.2373. Contact [email protected] for more information about ordering the book “Crushed Violets.”

Read it all the way through! It's a good laugh! AND really quite true!!

A good laugh for people in the over 50 group !!!

When I bought my Blackberry, I thought about the 30-year business I ran with1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I fi gured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.

That was before one of my grand-kids hooked me up for Tweeter, Tweetree, Twhirl, Twitterfon, Tweetie and Twittererifi c Tweetdeck, Twitpix and something that sends every message to my cell phone and every other program within the texting world.

My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of every-thing except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.

The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife and everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. I had to take my hearing aid out to use it, and I got a little loud.

I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside that gadget was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10

Subject: Should I Really Join Facebook? (Priceless)

minutes, she would sarcastically say, "Re-calc-u-lating." You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then if I made a right turn instead. Well, it was not a good relationship.

When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.

To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cord-less phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't fi gured out how I can lose three phones all at once and have to run around digging under chair cushions and checking bathrooms and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.

The world is just getting too com-plex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sud-den "Paper or Plastic?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reus-able bags to avoid looking confused, but I never remember to take them in with me.

Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or Plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look. I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do toot a lot.."

P.S. I know some of you are not over 50. I sent it to you to allow you to forward it to those who are.

Us senior citizens don't need any-more gadgets. The tv remote and the garage door remote are about all we can handle. - END

Read Romeo Nicolas’s previous poems by vis-iting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

Mga Tulang Tagalog

by Romeo Nicolas

Pagmasdan Mo Ngayon (Huling yugto sa Teleserye ng katandaan)

Ako'y nagtatakang inibig ko'y ikaw,Hindi ka maganda at pangit naman daw.Ngunit nadama kong kaiba ka mahal,Nang puso'y tumibok, ikaw ang hiniyaw.

Ganon daw ang pusong labis na magmahal,Walang tinitignan na kadahilanan.Ang iba'y may sabing bulag kadalasan,Ngunit ang totoo 'to'y TAPAT at TUNAY.

Masdan ang paligid na magsising irog,Hawak kamay pa rin na uugod-ugod.Kahit matanda na't paglakad, hilahod,May tamis ang ngiting pasalamat sa Diyos.

Sa isa at isa sila'y naging tapat,Walang pagbabago pati ang paglingap.Kahit nanghihina't kulubot na ang balat,Damdaming simula ay tanggap na tanggap.

Itong iba naman ay may lahing TSUPER,Ang SASAKYANG nais, BAGO sa paningin.Hiwalay kay Misis, sa BATA kumapit,Hindi nakatagal, naku! Bumagsak din.

Mayrong kanya-kanya tayong mga buhay,Mula sa PAG-IBIG at paghihiwalay.'Di dapat isisi sating KATANDAAN,'Yung pasimulang TAMIS NG MAGMAHAL.

Dapat na tandaan ang kahiwagaan,Ng pusong nagmahal ng tunay na tunay.Tayo ay umibig, hinatid sa ALTAR,'Di dapat tapusin dahil TUMANDA lang.

Kathang tula ni:Romeo NicolasBocaue, Bulacan8/25/2012

DreamsPoem No. 20

When I'm asleep

I'm truly awake

I pretend to be asleep

But I am awake in my dreams

My dreams of contrasting

Stark bright lights

And deep dark shadows

Of memories of undecoded past

Rumbling senselessly on the cinema of my mind

No thought

No sense

Just an awareness ofmy dreams

Nothing to make sense of

Other than an emptiness

That needs to be fi lled

As the Bamboos Sway

Read Rudy Liporada’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Rudy D. Liporada

GOD OF THE OPPRESSED By Rudy D. Liporada

Available at Amazon.com(In the last chapters, government

soldiers look for the NPAs in the village; news of a dam project disturbs the vil-lagers)

Baguio CityMarch 1972Lina spread the cardboard on the

tarmac. An aktibista held her arm as she eased herself to sit on the cardboard. The sea of aktibistas around her buzzed, waiting for the next speaker to climb on top of the jeepney that served as the stage for the rally that afternoon at the Plaza. A phalanx of police in riot gear stood by the side of Session Road. Among the undulating placards and banners, Lina held a placard which screamed in red paint, ‘Damn the Dam’.

Lina joined the students who have come to the rally although she could have just stayed at home. She joined because there would be nothing to be done at home except to absorb again the naggings of the Altamontes, especially Rosa, on why she could not talk Noel out of being a komunista.

“For goodness sake,” Rosa had been saying. “You are pregnant, you should stop joining those teach-ins and rallies. If you are not careful, you could lose that baby. Why couldn’t both of you just concentrate on your studies?”

Lina had a year more to fi nish her nursing course. She had intermittently stopped due to interruptions wrought by students who found issues to stop classes. Moreover, Noel had always been dragging her, organizing aktibistas in different schools even in other cities and towns in Northern Luzon. Although, often reluctant to come, she had come along. After all, she had grown to really

love him. After all, isn’t she one of the poor, one of the oppressed, one of the exploited?

“I come to you today, brothers and sisters in the struggle, with a grim mes-sage regarding our Igorot brothers and sister in the hinterlands of the Cordille-ras,” Noel said atop the jeepney. He held the microphone so as the piece almost touched his kernel sized nose. He ap-peared like a barrel with his belly button almost popping out of his black t-shirt.

He pushed his spectacles that slid down the ridge of his nose as he contin-ued, veering down at the multitude of aktibistas, “This issue affects us all but it affects the Igorots more. And, well, you may say it is just about the Igorots. Who cares about them anyway?

“If you did not care about them be-fore, my brothers and sisters, I beg you, care for them now for your own sake. What would happen to them refl ects how our gobierno could be inconsider-ate to our needs as a nation to serve their selfi sh inhuman interests and that of their foreign masters at our expense.”

He paused and repositioned his spec-tacles.

“Recently, under the guise of develop-ment, the gobierno started to construct a series of hydroelectric dams along the Arak-O River in the hinterlands…

“…we are not against development…we should strive for development but fundamental questions must be answered before development should ensue.

“The basic question is for whom should development be for? And if sacrifi ces have to be made, are they necessary?

“Benefi ts from the dam projects are not clearly defi ned…benefi ts forwarded are in their feasibility studies which cower behind allusions of being enor-

mous, incomparable, a big leap for us all…

“…for us all?“Does all here include at least 100,000

Igorots who would be displaced when the dams submerge their villages in bil-lions of tons of water? Does all here in-clude those who would irrevocably lose their entire economic livelihood, would have their cultural and ancestral roots eradicated from the face of the earth?

“Fertile lands would be deluged, land which yield, without exhaustion, bounti-ful harvests to feed, perpetually, the Igorots and their infi nite future genera-tions will be gone…

“…and the animals…the birds...when the forests will be gone, they will be gone…

“…And for what?“Projected life spans of dams extend

only around fi fty years…fi fty years only…they would sacrifi ce…they would gamble the perpetual economic liveli-hood of the Igorots for a mere fi fty years of prosperity… “…prosperity for whom?

“They say that we, here in the city, will have more electrical power…that we will have more lights and power for our electrical gadgets. It would also save us money as the cost of energy will be cheaper…

“Well, maybe, but who will profi t most primarily? The harnessed energy will be used to propel the industries owned by the foreigners…their mines…their assembly plants…all for them to rake in profi ts…

“…they will profi t while we in the city will suffer the consequences of dams’ construction. Water will dimin-ish, depriving plants of water that fl ow their way. More industries will pollute the remaining water of the rivers, too. This would mean less produce and more expensive goods as supply become less. True, we will have the energy but what good is it if we won’t have anything to eat because goods would have become more expensive?

“And are they really sure about he longevity of dams projections?

“The Ambuclao Dam in Benguet had been predicted to have a life span of fi fty years. After only twenty years, its output had diminished considerably. In fact, this is one of the reasons why they now need more power. And they want it from the Arak-O River.

“In the United States…the dam at Lake Austin, Texas can now only store fi ve percent of its projected capacity af-ter only a decade’s operation…siltation had not been projected correctly…

“…dams have proved to be more of economic dislocations than develop-ment…Egypt’s Aswan High Dam had made the Nile Delta infertile as minerals from upstream no longer fl ow to the Delta…Aswan had eliminated an annual 18,000 tons of sardine supply…dams had turned the Alexandrian and Libyan borders from a stretch of prosperous

Chapter 27 - Development for Whom?

vineyards since Rome into a virtual desert…

“…contained water exert pressure on the earth’s crust…India’s Koyna Dam touched off an earthquake that killed 200 people and left thousands home-less…

“…contained water engenders disease bearing organisms, noxious plants and other harmful substances…caused epi-demics in Pakistan, Ghana and Brazil…

“…So, what would happen to our brother and sister Igorots in the Cordil-leras, to their future generations?

“They have mastered the only eco-nomic survival that they know, that of being where they are now…uprooting them would be to throw them subservi-ent into a rigid, cut-throat and ill-pre-pared cash economy where they are not reared to survive…

“…uproot them from their cultural past…water would inundate their cultur-al grounds, sacred places of worship…disengage them from their tangible links with their glorious heritage…to where their identity as a people is hinged…their only bridge to the future…

“…Ghanaians, Boules, Nuoians, and other peoples displaced by dams are now aggrieved, dispirited and lacking in initiative…reduced to mere data marks on unemployment and delinquency statistic tabulation sheets…sore spots in society where they never wanted to be in the fi rst place.

“Now, tell me, brothers and sisters, is

it right to gamble the present concrete benefi ts derived from the lands of the Igorots to dream projections that merely exist in dam benefi t analysis sheets and that would merely serve the interests of a few and their foreign masters?”

“No! No! No!” shouted the aktibistas in unison.

Noel pushed his spectacles up the ridge of his nose. “But Marcos supports the construction of the dams,” he said. “Marcos is a puppet of the imperial-ists who stand to gain from the dam projects.”

“Down with Marcos!” yelled one of the aktibistas.

“Ibagsak!” shouted the aktibistas. Down with him.

“You tell him,” Noel said. “He is here in Baguio, vacationing. He is at his Mansion House.”

“To Mansion House, to Mansion House, to Mansion House,” chanted the aktibistas.

Lina needed an aktibista to help her hoist herself up from her sitting on the tarmac. She heaved a sigh as she rubbed her belly when she fi nally balanced herself standing up.

Good, she said to herself. I could use part of the walk.

In her second trimester of being pregnant, she started to march with the aktibistas poised to go to Marcos’s Mansion House. She waved her placard ‘Damn the Dam’.

The fl urry was swift. There were explosions. Aktibistas around Lina scampered in all directions. She saw a policeman with his truncheon and shield charging directly at her. She turned to run with her pregnant belly. But she was too slow. She felt the smack on her

back. She sprawled on the tarmac. She saw more of the truncheon banging on her.

Blood oozed between her loins.

(Next chapter – Igorots appeal to President Marcos to stop the dam project)


in the national level.Beyond this matter of true

expression and faithful re-cording of the "people's will", however, there is the need for our people to re-examine our beliefs and attitudes on our "right of suffrage".

Politicians are pragmatists. They seek power by getting themselves elected. They get themselves elected by doing what, in their minds, are the things that work to get the votes. They have concluded from so many past elections that what works is money, money, money: to pay for campaign and propaganda expenses, to pay for moving around and meet the electorate/constituents, to pay for the party "volunteers", and most importantly, to pay for the votes of those who have the right to vote or otherwise compel such vote by hook or by crook. This is political science in the Philippine setting. The hypotheses that votes can be bought and that voters can be pressured and/or intimidated have been proven true, time and time again.

Filipino voters have wittingly or unwittingly given our political class proofs beyond reasonable doubt, over so many decades now, that their (politicians') hypotheses on getting votes are reliably replicable and therefore now belong to the category of social scientifi c theory (or estab-lished cause and effect relationship)!

That being the case, can we hon-estly expect our politicians to change their "campaign tactics" this 2013 elections? Sadly, we have to answer no.

Is there hope for us to change this "national culture"?

Yes, I submit.But based on certain changes in

the beliefs of Filipino voters con-cerning their Right to Vote. I believe the change we want can manifest when our voters think and act on the following ideas:

Nothing is permanent; political "culture" is neither etched in stone nor part of genetic programming; it can be changed by judicious exercise of free will with a view to desired results, consequences, and outcomes;

My right to vote is mine, in sover-eignty. No one and nothing can di-vest me of it without my knowledge, agreement, consent, or acquiescence. Only I can use and release this sov-ereign right.

By nature, this right to vote is

mine as indispensable aspect of my being a CITIZEN: the fi nal arbiter of the country's destiny. Yes, I, the Citizen, am the one with the fi nal responsibility to say where the country should go and how fast it should do so: not the Executive, or the Legislative, or the Judiciary; not the military, or the Business Clubs or Chambers of Commerce; not any church or any university... the buck really stops with Me, the Citizen!

By my voting power and my buy-ing power, I direct elected offi cials and economic elites to pilot our national ship of state to destinations bringing forth the greatest good of the greatest numbers amongst us.

As such, my Citizen's Power of Suffrage is neither subject to com-merce, nor to trades for immediate temporal gains, nor to threats and blackmails. I uphold the sover-eignty of this right and therefore I shall never sell it nor give it to one because of fear or pressure!

I shall use this right to bring about true democracy: the government of the people, by the people, and for the people; not a government of a few families, by a few families, and for a few families.

I shall use this right to ensure that only those who will truly and hon-estly work for the greatest good of our greatest numbers shall be elected to positions of responsibility in our representative form of democracy, and therefore, my criteria for voting shall be based on competence and platforms of governance and not on popularity springing from activities unrelated to leadership and gover-nance.

Is there a way we can move our voting population into this frame of mind?

I believe there are many ways. I submit each of us (especially those who carry some light) can creatively light the candles of a lot of others in many ways so that in the end the darkness of our so-called "culture of padrino and money politics" shall burst forth into millions of lighted sovereign lives and transformed into a "culture of respect, responsibility, and equitable national progress".

Let's spread the word: in facebook, in twitter, in publications, in all mass media, in every mode of communi-cation, in whatever way we can...

Our objective is to convince our voters to prove, once for all, that the hypotheses that Filipino voters "can be bought" and "can be threatened or pressured" are false and do not redound to the best interests of our nation. Our aim is to show: the Fili-pino Citizen has arrived!

As Dr. Rizal said, "Like master, like slave. Like government, like

people." (El Filibusterismo, Ghent, 1891, p. 283), we now assert: “Like citizen, like representative; like peo-ple, like government!” He also said: "People and government are cor-related and complementary. A stupid government is an anomaly among a righteous people, just as a corrupt people cannot exist under just rulers and wise laws." (The Indolence of the Filipinos, La Solidaridad, 15 Sept 1890, p. 202). Now, we declare: “A corrupt government cannot exist among a righteous citizenry!”


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Karma Chow

May 2013 ..(Continued from page 1)

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cubes with 4 cups water) 1 15-ounce can coconut milk Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to

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medium heat and sauté the ginger, gar-lic, celery, and onion until translucent and soft. Add the garam masala and stir to combine to release the fl avor of the spice. Add the carrots, yams, and veggie broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cover. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the yams are soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Puree using a hand blender until creamy smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with cinnamon, to taste, before serving.

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of 36% compared to GMA’s 33% in total day, and 42% against GMA’s 30% in primetime.

Most watched programsIn urban and rural homes, 16 out

of the 20 most watched programs nationwide from June to December 2012 were from ABS-CBN.

“Walang Hanggan” topped the most watched program list in the country with an average TV rating of 38.4%, followed by “Princess and I” (35.3%), “Maalaala Mo Kaya” (33.4%), and “Wansapanataym” (32.5%).

“TV Patrol” ranked fi fth with a national TV rating of 31.4%, making it the No. 1 newscast in the country. GMA’s fl agship newscast “24 Oras” trailed behind with only 17.8%.

The other ABS-CBN programs included in the top 20 programs for June-December 2012 are:

“Ina Kapatid Anak” (30.3%)“Dahil sa Pag-ibig” (25.3%)“Kapamilya Deal or No Deal”

(25%)“Rated K” (25%)“Aryana” (24%)

“Goin’ Bulilit” (23.6%)“Be Careful With My Heart”

(22.7%)“Lorenzo’s Time” (21.6%)“The X Factor Philippines” Satur-

day (20.7%)“Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition

4” Saturday (19.8%)“TV Patrol Weekend” Sunday

(19.5%)Meanwhile, GMA’s “Kapuso Mo,

Jessica Soho” (Sunday) ranked 13th with 21.7%, while “Kapuso Movie Night Pinoy Flicks” (20.4%), “Pepito Manaloto Ang Tunay Na Kuwento” (20.4% and “The Good Daughter” (20.2%) placed 16th, 17th and 18th respectively.

Kantar Media launched its ex-panded TV ratings measurement to include rural homes in June 2012. It now uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes that represent 100% of the total Philip-pine TV viewing population, while AGB Nielsen reportedly has 1,980 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 57% of the Phil-ippine TV viewing population.

ABS-CBNnews.com is the news website of ABS-CBN Corp.


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Light &Shadows

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

by Zena Sultana Babao

By Zena Sultana Babao

Among the Filipino Martial Arts systems, the Babao Arnis System has one of the most extensive cur-riculum and stringent test for guro or instructor promotion. For over fi ve years now nobody has been promot-ed – not that there were no students vying for the title.

Grandmaster Narrie Babao does not believe in teaching hundreds of students, and awarding diplomas every year. Nor does he believe in handing out Black Belt certifi cates to those who attend weekend seminars.

The Babao Arnis curriculum, which has to be completed by a guro candidate, is composed of Four Quarters, and each quarter is composed of six units. Our system is comprised of three main systems: the original Batangas Baston Arnis which Narrie learned from his father, the late Buenaventura Babao; the Villabrille-Largusa Kali which he learned from the late Grandmaster Ben Largusa; and the Doce Pares Eskrido Eskrima which he learned from Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Canete.

Before a student takes the ac-tual physical exam, the student must fi rst pass a 100-item written test, with 80 points as the passing score. The physical exam is composed of 36 items: 12 from Batangas Arnis, 12 from Kali, and 12 from Doce Pares Eskrido Eskrima.

Last Sunday (January 6, 20123) two students tested for the Babao Arnis Guro title. The event was held at the Aishinkan Aikido Dojo owned by Marc Fox in Alpine, Califor-nia. Marc is a 6th dan black belt in Aikido.

Originally, nine students belonged to the same class as the two students to be tested. Five of the nine fell by the wayside, with four continuing and reaching the Fourth Quarter of the curriculum. Of the remaining four, one dropped out after he and his wife converted to another reli-gion (that supposedly forbids fi ght-ing), while another was transferred to an investigative job that requires more time and constant attention. That left only two who qualifi ed for the guro exam and went on to the fi nish line.

The Candidates: George Alfonso and Marc Fox

George Alfonso was born in Pan-gasinan, Philippines, in 1955. He is currently employed as a biologist with the City of San Diego’s Water Department. George met with my husband and me at the 2002 Christ-mas Party of the Filipino-American Employees Association. With no prior martial arts training like most of our students, George started Arnis in our school in March 2003.

Our school is affi liated with the Cacoy Doce Pares (CDP)Eskrido

Eskrima and George was promoted to 1st grade black belt in Eskrido Eskrima. Three years ago he went to Cebu City where he received his CDP Hall of Fame award as “Out-standing Student of the Year.”

Like George, Marc Fox started training in Arnis in 2003. Marc is medically-retired campus police offi cer with the San Diego State University. He was shot one eve-ning by an unknown assailant during a regular traffi c stop and lost his right forefi nger during that incident. He met my husband at the Regional Police Academy.

Marc is a 2nd grade black belt in Eskrido Eskrima. Whenever Marc is present at SGM Cacoy’s training seminars, he is a favorite partner of the supreme grandmaster. Marc “enjoys being thrown” and SGM Cacoy even nicknamed him “Eskridonaut” because Marc could make it appear that he is fl oating on air (like an astronaut) when thrown. Last year Marc was a recipient of the CDP Hall of Fame award for “Outstanding Law Enforcement Instructor.”

The Physical Exam

It took around three hours to complete the exam. Assisting GM Babao were some of the Guros of Babao Arnis: Mike Gomez, Joe Abueg, Narrison Babao, Romeo Delos Reyes, Rudy Delos Reyes and Eric Punsalan. Also assisting were some of the Maestros under Guro Abueg: Brian Mitchell, Bill Mincey, Andrew Celestial, Justin Delgado, and Lou Orlina.

Assisting with the throwing, grappling and falling techniques were some of Marc Fox’ Aikido Black Belts: 4th dan Russel Dehnel, 4th dan Todd Eckel, 2nd dan Mike Elgo, and 1st dan Doug Yates. Also assisting as partner dummies were our Babao Arnis senior students: Don Dizon, Chris Montano, Ross Makoske, and Darrell Yamane.

Of the 36 items in the Guro Exam, one item – the “De Cuerdas” – was done the previous month at our school because the Aishinkan dojo’s ceiling is too high to hang the de cuerdas stick. The De Cuerdas is a 40” rattan stick with metal spikes attacked to both ends and tied at the center with a rope, which is hanged overhead. The candidate is required to continually strike and block the spinning stick while remaining within striking distance. The test is for one minute with the use of a baston, and another minute using only bare hands and feet.

Of the 35 other items per-formed during the exam, 12 are required forms (sayaws and sinu-logs). Two of the sayaws – “Estoka Parada” and “Lakaw Manok” – were created by the late Kali Grandmaster Floro Villabrille. Six of the Doce Pares Sinulog forms were developed

Babao Arnis: Passing of the Torch

by Grandmaster Momoy Canete dur-ing the 1930’s. The rest of the Arnis sayaws were created by GM Babao during the early 1970’s.

The physical exam also included: defenses against the Japanese shinai and katana, coun-tering and disarming a tabak-tuyok (nunchako), disarming a gun from different positions, disarming a really sharp knife, different throw-ing and countermoves, and releases from random locks and holds. Also included were various drills such as sinawali, tapi-tapi, sumbrada, kadena de mano, buhanginan, hubad-lubad, alimango, and espada y daga techniques.

The fi nale was a free-for-all sparring and defense against multiple attackers and a minute of balisong free-style techniques which included opening and closing the razor-sharp butterfl y knife. One of GM Babao’s students who recently passed the EMT certifi cation was as-signed to do fi rst aid. Surprisingly, there were no injuries, nor one drop of blood spilled on the dojo’s tatami,

which were imported from Japan.

Other Promotions

Three Guros were promoted to Masters: Mike Gomez, Joe Abueg, and Narrison Babao.

Mike Gomez started when he was around 15 years old, and had to be driven to the practice session by his father, David Gomez. He momentarily stopped training and enrolled back when he was 18. Dur-ing the Iraq War, known as “Desert Storm” in 1991, Mike was a U.S. Navy Corpsman attached to a U.S. Marine Corps company. At pres-ent, Mike is an expert hilot who also practices the Chinese healing arts.

On the same day that Mike Gomez reenrolled in 1979, another 16 year old kid, Joe Abueg, was enrolled by his father, the late Nick Abueg. We earlier met the senior Abueg when he was the Chair of COPAO and I was the Public Rela-tion Offi cer. Joe Abueg is now a grandfather himself, and the CEO of his own Engineering Corporation.

Mike Gomez and Joe Abueg were both promoted to Guro on the same date in 1982 in a ceremony at-tended by both Grandmaster Cacoy Canete and Guro Dan Inosanto.

The third person promoted to Master was Narrison Babao, our eldest son. He started playing around with the rattan sticks even when he was only a year old and started formal training when he was in his teens. Nar is employed with the County of San Diego. He was pro-moted by SGM Cacoy Canete to 6th grade Master Black Belt in Eskrido Eskrima, and was two-time recipi-ent of the Cacoy Doce Pares Hall of Fame Award, which he received in Cebu City.

One student was promoted to Maestro: Kris Babao, our young-est son, the godson of martial arts legend Dan Inosanto, the man who taught Bruce Lee the use of the nunchucks.

XXX

Taken during the Babao Arnis Guro (Instructor) Exam, January 6, 2013, at the Aishinkan Aikido Dojo in Alpine, California, owned by Marc Fox. Two students were promoted to guro: George Alfonso and Marc Fox. Three guros were promoted to masters: Mike Gomez, Joe Abueg and Narrison Babao. Kris Babao was promoted to maestro. Shown here from L- R, front row: Guro Romeo Delos Reyes, Master Narrison Babao, Master Joe Abueg, Co-owner of Babao Arnis: Zena Sultana Babao, GM Narrie Babao, Master Mike Gomez, and Guro Rudy Delos Reyes. L-R, back row: Maestro Kris Babao, Dawn Rosemier, Guro Marc Fox, Maestro Brian Mitchell, Guro George Alfonso, Maestro Bill Mincey, Maestro Andrew celestial, Guro Eric Punsalan, Maestro Justin Delgado, and Maestro Lou Orlina.

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Asian Journal January 18-24, 2013 Edition

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Transcript of Asian Journal January 18-24, 2013 Edition