February 16-28, 2014 1

Vol. XXIII, No. 7 Online: www. manilamail.us February 16-28, 2014

Asian Americans split on
need for immigration x
WASHINGTON D.C. Asian
Americans are split on the ques-
tion of whether current immigra-
tion laws are working for them,
according to a recent survey by
the Pew Research Center.
The largest Asian origin
groups in 2012 were the Chinese
(24 percent), Indian (20 percent)
and Filipino (18 percent).
Nearly 80 percent of the
nations 12.2 million Asian-
American adults are foreign
born, a share greater than that
among Hispanic adults (50 per-
cent).
Asian Americans also make
up a larger share than Hispan-
ics of new immigrants arriving
in the US, making the topic of
immigration reform an impor-
tant one to the Asian-American
community.
The survey results show
Asian Americans are split in
responding to the question of
how well the current US immi-
gration system is working.
Forty-ve percent say the
system works pretty well and
requires only minor changes
while 47 percent say the system
needs to be completely rebuilt
or needs major changes.
Eight-in-ten Asian-Ameri-
can adult immigrants are either
Pinoy war vet,
ex-White House
chef passes away
WASHINGTON D.C. Cres-
encio O. Fortin, a veteran of
World War II who later worked
as a White House chef for four
American presidents, has passed
away in Fort Washington, Md. at
the age 87.
When the Japanese invaded
Manhattan complaint blames
injured Fil-Am journalist
NEW YORK. Police have
arrested a Jamaica resident for
the brutal mauling of Filipino
American arts and culture jour-
nalist Randy Gener last Jan.
17 but the criminal complaint
claimed indicated he could have
provoked the attack.
A report in the Filipino
Reporter cited portions of the
criminal complaint led by the
Manhattan District Attorneys
Ofce that claimed Gener alleg-
edly kicked a woman during a
sidewalk dispute along Seventh
Avenue between West 54th and
55th Streets.
Leighton Jennings, 25, of
166th Street was charged with
second-degree assault on Jan. 28
for allegedly throwing a punch
that caused Gener, 46, to strike
his head on the sidewalk on Sev-
enth Avenue in midtown.
Detective Michael Diaz of
the NYPD Bias Incident Inves-
tigations Unit said after initially
investigating the openly-gay
Geners injuries as a hate crime,
it was determined that the attack
was not bias-related.
The woman involved in the
case, whose identity has been
withheld, told Diaz that as she
was walking, Gener bumped
Continued on page 21
Continued on page 22
Fordham fetes
Tagle P5
PH ag in
Sochi P8
Fil-Am was
NFL QB P8
Jinggoy, JPE in
scam P12
Victim or villain
P20
Fil-Ams press TPS grant as US
senators add voice to clamor
WASHINGTON D.C. A
bipartisan group of United States
senators has written Secretary of
State John Kerry to grant Tem-
porary Protected Status (TPS)
for Filipinos in US, even as Fili-
pino American groups nation-
wide stepped up their lobbying
efforts.
Fil-Am groups have been
mounting a campaign to con-
vince the US government to grant
TPS as a way of helping recovery
efforts in the Philippines follow-
ing the massive devastation of
super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan)
last November.
The killer typhoon, com-
bined with other calamities has
displaced millions of Filipinos,
many of them in poor, rural
areas.
The magnitude of the
destruction has continued to put
strain on the local governments
ability to provide basic services
to their people, the US solons
said in a Feb. 6 letter to Kerry.
We appreciate the assis-
Continued on page 21
Chief Petty Ofcer Cresencio Fortin
Randy Gener
State Department Philippine Desk ofcer David Arulanantham joins an 11-man delegation of Filipino American
community leaders led by Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis pushing for the granting of Temporary Protected Status for
Filipinos in the US. From left, Maria Aunio of FALDEF, Manila Mail columnist Jon Melegrito, Dr. Angie Cruz of
NaFFAA, Atty. J.T. Mallonga of FALDEF, Atty. Nicolas-Lewis, Grace Valera of MHC, David Foran of the State Dept.,
Arulanantham, Atty. Arnedo Valera of MHC, Apollo Inserto of US Medicare-Philippines, Lorna Imperial Seidel of
Phil. Nurses Association, Edwin Jose of Noli Me Tangere Opera and Jim Bean of State Dept.
WASHINGTON D.C. Presi-
dent Obama will visit Manila
in late April as part of a four-
nation Asian swing to under-
score his re-balancing strategy
that aims to position the United
States and counter Chinas grow-
ing inuence in the economically
dynamic but politically challeng-
ing Asia Pacic region.
The White House
announced last Feb. 12 that the
President will be traveling to
Americas key allies Japan, South
Korea and the Philippines as
well as to Malaysia.
In Japan, the President will
meet with Prime Minister Abe
to highlight the historic steps
the United States and Japan are
taking to modernize our 54-year
alliance, deepen our economic
ties, including through the
Trans-Pacic Partnership, and
expand our cooperation on a
range of diplomatic challenges
in Asia and globally, the state-
ment read.
The White House announce-
ment added that Obama will
meet with South Korean Presi-
dent Park to reafrm the United
States commitment to a strong
alliance, review recent develop-
ments in North Korea and our
combined efforts to promote
denuclearization, and discuss
our ongoing implementation of
the Korea-United States FTA.
In Malaysia, the US leader
will meet with Prime Minister
Najib to showcase the substan-
tial progress made in deepening
our diplomatic, economic, and
defense ties with such an impor-
tant partner in Southeast Asia
according to the White House.
Manila will be his last stop.
Continued on page 21
Continued on page 21
February 16-28, 2014 22
February 16-28, 2014 3
February 16-28, 2014 44
House GOP retreats from immigration reform
WASHINGTON. Is the
Republican Party bent on put-
ting immigration on the back-
burner or are they just holding
out for more concessions from
Democrats?
Political analysts appear
divided on how to read House
Speaker John Boehners declara-
tion that it would be difcult
to get any legislation passed by
the GOP majority this year after a
high-prole unveiling of Repub-
lican immigration principles last
month.
At a Republican retreat
Jan. 30, Boehner proposed a set
of immigration reforms that
included legal status for the 11
million people living in the U.S.
illegally but no special path to
citizenship.
Boehner reportedly received
lukewarm and at times hostile
response from his own partys
conservatives, who complained
there was little value in engaging
in an issue that deeply divides
Republicans.
Rep. Raul R. Labrador
(R-Idaho), among the hard-lin-
ers, said any moves by Boehner
to bring up immigration legisla-
tion this year would be a ter-
rible mistake on his part, a politi-
cal miscalculation on his part.
And thats why I dont think hes
going to do it.
Boehner blamed a decit of
trust between Republican law-
makers and President Obama.
Theres widespread doubt
about whether this administra-
tion can be trusted to enforce
our laws, Boehner said, adding
its going to be difcult to move
any immigration legislation until
that changes.
The American people,
including many of my mem-
bers, dont trust that the reforms
that were talking about will
be implemented as it was
intended, Boehner stressed.
But the Washington Post
said his attempt to place the
burden on Obama illustrated
the mounting opposition from
hard-line conservatives and laid
the groundwork for blaming the
White House if a deal fails.
Cuisia: Fil-Ams have numbers to sway US policies
WASHINGTON D.C. Fili-
pinos in the United States have
enough numbers to help sway
policies in both their native and
adopted homeland, Philippine
Ambassador Jose. L. Cuisia said
in a recent interview.
Filipinos here in America
must be made to realize that
they have the numbers to not
only help inuence US policy
towards the Philippines but also
the ability to affect the outcome
of national elections back home,
Cuisia said in an interview
posted on GMA News Online.
Filipinos comprise the 2nd big-
gest Asian American group, next
to the Chinese. The 2010 Census
showed the Filipino population
growing by 38 percent, exclud-
ing multi-racial Fil-Ams, from
the last survey in 2000. Seven out
of 10 are now US citizens, one of
the highest percentages among
Asian immigrants to America.
Fil-Ams are also the largest
bloc of overseas Filipinos. How-
ever, there were less than 85,000
registered Filipino absentee
voters in the US based 2012 sta-
tistics. The US and Philippines,
historical allies in the Pacic,
allow for dual citizenship of
their nationals.
The Philippine diaspora
is the fastest growing. Unfor-
tunately, unlike other Asian-
Americans and other immigrant
communities, we have not really
realized the windfall of opportu-
nities that could come if we all
get together and unite behind
our common aspirations, Cuisia
said.
He indicated those numbers
could help drive the impetus for
important policy initiatives in
Washington, including efforts to
x Americas broken immigra-
tion system.
Ambassador Jose. L. Cuisia
February 16-28, 2014 5
Manilas Cardinal Tagle to receive Fordham University honors
NEW YORK. Manilas Luis
Antonio Cardinal Tagle will
be visiting the United States in
March to receive an honorary
degree from Fordham University.
A report posted on the Fili-
pino Reporter website said Ford-
ham will confer a Doctorate of
Humane Letters, honoris causa,
on Tagle when he visits on March
28.
This is the prelates rst of-
cial visit to the United States as a
cardinal and the rst time that a
U.S. university will award him
an honorary degree. However,
he has family ties in the Metro
DC region and spent years study-
ing at the Catholic University of
America in Washington DC.
The Cardinal will also cel-
ebrate a special Mass on campus
on March 29. Attendance at these
events is by invitation only.
On March 28, Tagle, who is a
member of the Vaticans Ponti-
cal Council on the Pastoral Care
for Migrants and Itinerant People,
will address the audience on the
plight of immigrants and refu-
gees, the Filipino Reporter said.
The next day Tagle will be
the main celebrant and homilist
at Mass in the University Church.
During Mass the Cardinal will
bless a memorial to Fr. John F.
Hurley, SJ, a 1914 Fordham alum-
nus who was among the rst
American Jesuits to serve in the
Philippines in 1921.
Fordhams ties to the people
of the Philippines are deep and
longstanding, said Joseph M.
McShane, S.J., president of the
University.
Likewise, the Society of
Jesus has a distinguished history
in the Philippines. Therefore,
it is with delight compounded
that we celebrate today our ties
to, and history with, the people
of the Philippines. When Cardi-
nal Tagle accepts his honorary
degree, he may be assured that
the honor is ours.
Fordham has close ties with
Filipinos through its sister Jesuit
institution, the Ateneo de Manila
University.
Tagle is the 32nd archbishop
of Manila, and when Pope Bene-
dict XVI named him a cardi-
nal in October 2012, he became
the second youngest cardinal
in the world. Pope John Paul II
appointed him to the Vaticans
International Theological Com-
mission, where he served from
1997 until 2002.
Currently he serves on the
Permanent Council of the Synod
of Bishops and the Congregation
for Catholic Education.
Cardinal Antonio Tagle
February 16-28, 2014 66
No apology but generous sum for HK hostage victims
MANILA. The Philippines
is ready to pay a generous
amount to the families of Hong
Kong tourists held hostage in
Rizal Park in 2010, including
those killed in a botched police
rescue.
Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul
Hernandez announced in Manila
last Feb. 7 that the government
hoped the gesture of solidarity
with the families would bring
closure to the issue, which has
caused a diplomatic rift between
Manila and the Chinese Special
Administrative Region.
Hernandez did not specify
what would constitute a gener-
ous amount.
The government had earlier
given unspecied amounts to the
victims families, recently foot-
ing the hospital bills for recon-
structive surgery of one of the
survivors.
Secretary to the Cabinet Jose
Rene Almendras is reportedly
working out the generous ges-
ture with the Hong Kong gov-
ernment and the victims fami-
lies.
The Hong Kong government
has demanded an apology from
President Aquino for whats
since been called the Manila
hostage crisis on Aug. 23, 2010.
Twenty ve people, mostly tour-
ists from Hong Kong, were held
hostage inside a bus for 10 hours
by dismissed policeman Rolando
Mendoza in an attempt to get his
job back.
Nine people, including the
hostage taker, were killed in a
90-minute gun battle that played
out on live television and cast
a dark light on the edgling
Aquino administration.
The Hong Kong authori-
ties recently withdrew visa-free
travel privileges to members of
the Aquino administration after
President Aquino refused to
apologize for the incident.
The President insists there
is no need for the government
to apologize because Mendoza
was the one responsible for the
deaths.
We have done everything
we possibly can to address the
Quirino Grandstand issue, Her-
nandez said.
Aquino had formed a com-
mittee headed by Justice Secre-
tary Leila de Lima to review the
incident.
The committee recom-
mended the ling of administra-
tive or criminal charges against
public ofcials who were in
charge of the police response.
They included then Manila
mayor Alfredo Lim, interior
undersecretary Rico Puno, Phil-
ippine National Police chief
Jesus Verzosa, Metro Manila
police director Leocadio San-
tiago Jr., Manila Police District
chief Rodolfo Magtibay, MPD
hostage negotiator Orland Yebra
and the commander of the MPD
Special Weapons and Tactics
team, Santiago Pascual.
DC-based think tank says $410-B in hot money passed PH
MANILA. A Washington-
based non-government organi-
zation said as much $410 billion
in hot money went in and out
of the Philippine nancial system
since the 1970s.
The illegal movement of
money has worsened in the
last 10 years, said Tom Carda-
mone, managing director of
Global Financial Integrity (GFI),
a research and advocacy group
based in Washington DC dedi-
cated to curtailing illicit nan-
cial ows and enhancing global
security.
It had to do with the change
in government which happened
a few years prior to 1990. I think
what happened was interna-
tional trade became more preva-
lent here, globalization became
more prevalent and with the ease
in trade, it became a lot easier to
conduct smuggling and the illicit
movement of money in and out
of the country, Cardamone said
in an interview with ABS-CBN
News cable network ANC.
He said GFI chose the Phil-
ippines as subject of a special
report because the country
has always been in the top 10
of annual studies done by the
group.
We understood from past
work that the Philippines had
a consistent problem here, he
said.
Thats why we decided to
take a look here and really drill
down see what we might nd,
and that is how we came up with
the $410 billion illicit inow and
outow in country in the last 52
years.
His visit in Manila comes
at a time when there is renewed
focus on smuggling, includ-
ing the countrys staple grains,
thats come to a head with recent
changes in the leadership of the
Bureau of Customs.
What we aim is to put some
rigorous economic research on
the illicit ow of money, as a way
to help inform policymakers, the
media, civil society groups about
the extent of the problem of illicit
money on the economy, he
added.
It comes down to the politi-
cal will of the government and
of the prosecuting authorities if
they want to go after individuals
or companies that they believe
may have been perpetrating
these kinds of activities. It also
comes down to the quality of evi-
dence put together to prosecute
these individuals, he said.
Cardamone said reducing
trade barriers might have an
effect on smuggling.
When you lower the barri-
ers, make it easier to trade, which
is in itself a good thing because it
drives the economy and creates
jobs, but if you do it in a context
in a country that has difculty
enforcing rules and regulations
like the Bureau of Customs here,
it may drive illicit ows even
more, he said.
Police surround bus where tourists from Hong Kong were held hostage.
US rejects China 9-dash claim, backs PH position
WASHINGTON D.C. The
United States appears to have for
the rst time, explicitly rejected
Chinas so-called nine-dash-line
argument to assert sovereignty
over nearly the whole South
China Sea.
This appears to buttress the
position of the Philippines and
other rival claimants and sets the
stage for what could be an inter-
national legal showdown with
Beijing, according to an analysis
by Radio Free Asia (RFA).
Washington has always
said that it takes no position
on competing territorial claims
in the South China Sea among
China, the Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei
and opposes any use of force to
resolve such issues.
But U.S. Assistant Secre-
tary of State for East Asian and
Pacic Affairs Daniel Russel in
effect ended the ambiguity in
testimony before a Feb. 5 hear-
ing of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Russel said that under inter-
national law, maritime claims in
the South China Sea must be
derived from land features and
that Chinas use the nine-dash
line was inconsistent with inter-
national law.
The international commu-
nity, he said, would welcome
China to clarify or adjust its
nine-dash line claim to bring it
in accordance with the interna-
tional law of the sea.
Chinas lack of clarity with
regard to tis South China Sea
claims has created uncertainty,
insecurity and instability in the
region, he noted.
I think it is imperative that
we be clear about what we mean
when the United States says that
we take no position on compet-
ing claims to sovereignty over
disputed land features in the
region, Russel said.
The RFA report observed
that Beijings claim to up to about
90 percent of the South China Sea
is not based on claims to particu-
lar islands or other features but
on a historical map China of-
cially submitted to the United
Nations in 2009.
The map contains a nine-
dash line forming a U-shape
down the east coast of Vietnam
to just north of Indonesia and
then continuing northwards up
the west coast of the Philippines.
Russel supported Philippine
efforts to hail China to court.
Manila had brought the case up
a year ago under the UNCLOS,
saying the nine-dash line has no
basis under the law.
UNCLOS states that coastal
states such as the Philippines
are entitled to a territorial sea
extending 12 nautical miles as
well as a 200-mile economic
exclusion zone in which they
have rights to sh and extract
undersea resources.
The RFA report quotes Jef-
frey Bader, one of President
Obamas advisers on China,
who believes that for the rst
time, the United States govern-
ment has come out publicly with
an explicit statement that the so-
called nine-dash line ... is con-
trary to international law.
By explicitly rejecting the
nine-dash line, Assistant Secre-
tary Russel and the administra-
tion have drawn our own line in
the right place, Bader said.
As expected, Beijing bristled
at Russels statement, calling
them groundless accusations.
The nine-dash line, said
Chinese foreign ministry spokes-
man Hong Lei, was established
way back in 1948, a year before
the establishment of the Peoples
Republic of China, and had been
supported by successive Chi-
nese governments.
Russel, one analyst said, has
just provided a legal roadmap
for the other claimant countries
in the South China Sea.
US State Department Assistant Secretary for East Asia & Pacic Affairs
Daniel Russel.
February 16-28, 2014 7
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February 16-28, 2014 88
Many reasons for Pinoys to celebrate Super Bowl
By Cris Maralit
BALTIMORE. The global
Filipino has everything to be
proud of in the just nished
Super Bowl XLVIII.
There was Fil-Am singer
Bruno Mars providing the enter-
tainment highlights during half-
time.
Most notably, Seattle wide
receiver Doug Baldwin scored
one of his teams touchdowns in
the third quarter, thereby earn-
ing him the honor of being the
rst player with Filipino roots
to play in the Super Bowl and
scored, too.
Baldwin is best remem-
bered for his exuberant display
of Filipino patriotism when
he entered the Seattle stadium
during one of its games in the
regular season waving a Philip-
pine ag.
Baldwins mother is a half
Filipino and his maternal grand-
mother hailed from Tacloban
City, which was severely dam-
aged by Yolanda.
On a nostalgic note, Fil-
ipino-American old-timers
would probably still remem-
ber the rst Filipino-American
to have played in the National
Football League. He was Roman
Gabriel Jr., starting quarterback
of the Los Angeles Rams, and
later the Philadelphia Eagles.
Gabriel was the son of Fili-
pino immigrant Roman Ildonzo
Gabriel Jr. and his Irish-Ameri-
can wife.
He played for the Rams
from 1962-1972, and later the
Eagles from 1973-1977. In 1962
and straight out from North Car-
olina State University, Gabriel
was the rst pick of the Oakland
Raiders of the American Foot-
ball League, and also the second
pick of the Rams in the National
Football League. He chose to
play for the Rams.
At NC State, he was two-
time All-American at quarter-
back and All-American aca-
demic. He held several state and
ACC college records that even-
tually earned him entry into the
College Hall of Fame in 1989.
He was the rst Filipino-
American to make a name for
himself as a top player in the
NFL. Also at 6-4 and 235 lbs, he
was regarded as the rst large
quarterback in the NFL.
As an NFL quarterback,
Gabriel was ranked 22nd all-
time in pass attempts (4,468),
29th in all-time pass completion
(2,385), and 26th all-time in TD
passes (201). He also had 358
rushing attempts for 1,304 yards
and 30 TDs.
During his career, he was
chosen NFL Most Valuable
Player in 1969, Pro Bowl MVP in
1970 and Combeback Player of
the Year in 1973.
After his retirement,
Gabriel had a brief stint in the
movies. He was featured as a
prison guard in the 1968 spoof
Skidoo; and as an American
Indian named Blue Boy in a
1969 John Wayne movie The
Undefeated.
Because of his dark com-
plexion, Gabriel was really mis-
taken for an American native.
He also appeared in several epi-
sodes in Wonder Woman, Gilli-
gan Island and Perry Mason.
About the author: Cresencio
Cris Maralit is a retired general,
and was for many years, the face
and voice of the Philippine National
Police (PNP) where he served as
spokesman and public informa-
tion chief. After graduating from
the University of Santo Tomas, he
worked for a time as a sports reporter
but later earned an officers commis-
sion with the now defunct Philip-
pine Constabulary. He is a member
of Samahang Plaridel, a prestigious
literati group, and the Katipunan,
the largest Fil-Am organization in
Baltimore. He was recently feted
by the Migrant Heritage Commis-
sion (MHC). Cris currently lives in
Nottingham, Md. with wife Mayet
Carandang-Maralit.
Pacquiao says no more nice guy for Bradley rematch
NEW YORK. Two years
after their highly controversial
split-decision, Manny Pacquiao
is anxious for redemption when
he meets welter weight cham-
pion Timothy Bradley anew in
Las Vegas on April 12
The Filipino champion
insisted hes gotten his killer
instinct back.
Naging mabait ako sa
mga kalaban ko pag alam ko
na na leading na ako sa points
kaya nag-re-relax na. This time
around, kailangan nating i-make
sure na its a decisive win, vic-
tory and convincingly, (Ive been
too kind to my opponents when
I see Im leading on points. This
time around I have to make sure
its a decisive win) said Pac-
quiao.
Bradley said the bout is
more important for Pacquiao.
Its gonna be the end of the road
for him, he averred.
Because of the controversy,
Bradley says he never got the
recognition he deserved for
being one of the elite few who
defeated Pacquiao.
Redemption here is the
most important thing, I think we
gotta get it right, said the unde-
feated American. We want the
fans, the public to really see who
really won that rst ght.
Pacquiao senses this could
be his last stand and losing this
rematch could bring down his
market value tumbling.
If his pay-per-view (PPV)
buys are any indication, Pac-
quiao ghts, which normally
rake in more than a million, was
cut nearly in half during his last
ght in Macau against Brandon
Rios. That was after he lost to
Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.
Top Rank promoter Bob
Arum says this is one of the rea-
sons why the Pacquiao-Bradley
sequel is back in US.
The United States is a big
pay-per-view market, and we
had to reintroduce Manny to the
United States, said the veteran
promoter. I think it would have
been too much of a hit for Manny
not to have done this ght in the
United States.
Pacquiao fought in Macau
to escape the punitive US fed-
eral income tax rate of nearly 40
percent (39.6) as compared to 12
percent in Macau.
The April 12 bout will be
held at the MGM Grand in Las
Vegas.
Happy naman ako dito,
happy ako na lumaban dito sa
Amerika, (Im happy here,
happy to ght here in America)
said Pacquiao. Wala namang
problem kahit na mag tax sila,
makaka-rebate ka naman, mas
maganda rito kasi may tax
refund (There no problem if they
tax, we can have a rebate and
its good here because of the tax
refund).
In a press conference in New
York Thursday, after a day of
ticket sales for the April 12 ght
at the MGM Las Vegas, Arum
says the Pacquiao-Bradley sequel
is a rematch made in heaven.
He says its 70 percent sold
out, and theyre expecting to sell
out in the next two weeks.
PH ag ies again in Winter Games after 22 years
WASHINGTON D.C. The
sight of the Philippine ag being
paraded at the opening ceremo-
nies of the Sochi Winter Olym-
pics in Russia Feb. 8 was enough
to send Filipinos cheering.
Figure skater Michael Chris-
tian Martinez is the lone repre-
sentative of the Philippines in
the Winter Olympics, but the
17-year-old from Muntinlupa
has managed to grab a piece of
the spotlight.
He is the rst Filipino skater
to qualify for the Winter Olym-
pics. He also enjoys the distinc-
tion of the rst Winter Olympics
athlete from the Philippines after
over two decades; the last time
a Filipino qualied was skier
Michael Turuel who competed in
the slalom events of 1992 Winter
Olympics in Albertville, France.
Martinez marched with
the Philippine ag during the
events opening rites that was
seen by an estimated 3 billion
people worldwide, according to
organizers. Some international
commentators called Martinez
a highly-talented gure skater
during the coverage of the lavish
ceremonies.
He was also the subject of a
prole by Nicholas McCarvel of
NBCOlympics.com, the website
of the events American broad-
cast partner.
The prole detailed Mar-
tinez journey to the Olympics
from an air-conditioned shop-
ping mall in humid Manila at the
age of nine.
For three years he skated
once a week at the mall rink,
taking lessons and building the
foundation for the skills that
would one day help take him to
the Olympics, the prole read.
The feature ended with
Martinez talking about Filipino
pride as he makes history as the
rst gure skater from the coun-
try to compete in the Olympics.
I feel proud because there
are a lot of people that say that
because were a tropical country,
we cant do this or we cant do
that, Martinez said. But what I
say to them is them is that Ill be
the rst one to skate in the Olym-
pics. Im proud of that.
But there are two other ath-
letes of Filipino descent compet-
ing for medals in Sochi.
Filipino-American J.R.
Celski, 23 is considered a prime
medal contender with the US
short-track speedskating team.
He father is Polish-American
and his mother is from the Phil-
ippines.
Doug Baldwin Roman Gabriel Jr.
Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley unveil their coming grudge match.
Michael Christian Martinez is only Filipino athlete in Sochi Winter Olympics.
February 16-28, 2014 9
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February 16-28, 2014 10 10
Talks for more US troops, access in PH to take longer - Goldberg
MANILA. United States
Ambassador Philip Goldberg
has conceded that an agreement
to deploy more US troops and
share military facilities in the
Philippines will take more time
as both sides try to iron out dif-
ferences amid growing tensions
in the South China Sea.
In some ways, we perhaps
had too ambitious a timeline for
completion, but Im optimis-
tic that well come to an agree-
ment, he told a gathering of top
business leaders here last Feb. 5.
Meanwhile, President
Benigno Aquino III sparked
another word war with China
when he likened the Asian pow-
ers occupation of Scarborough
Shoal to Nazi Adolph Hitlers
tactic of bullying and creeping
invasion of neighbors just before
the outbreak of World War II in
Europe.
At what point do you say
Enough is enough? Well the
world has to say it -- remember
that Sudentenland was given in
an attempt to appease Hitler to
prevent World War II, Benigno
told the New York Times in an
interview.
Chinas state run media
branded the Philippine leader
as ignorant and amateurish.
Malacanang responded that the
President was letting his Hitler
remarks stand.
China also lashed out at the
US after a top American diplo-
mat warned Beijing from impos-
ing an air defense identication
zone (ADIZ) over the South
China Sea, similar to what it did
last year in waters disputed with
Japan.
Chinas lack of clarity with
regard to its South China Sea
claims has created uncertainty
in the region and limits the
prospect for achieving mutually
agreeable resolution or equita-
ble joint development arrange-
ments, said Danny Russell, US
Assistant Secretary of State for
East Asian and Pacic Affairs at
a congressional hearing.
Russel supported the Philip-
pines right to take its case to a
United Nations tribunal, a move
denounced by China, as part of
efforts to nd a peaceful, non-
coercive solution to the ter-
ritorial disputes in the Spratly
Islands and the rest of South
China Sea.
Manila and Washington
began talks on enhanced defense
co-operation in August 2013. But
the negotiations hit an impasse
in November over issues con-
cerning Philippine access to,
and control of, temporary US
military facilities that would be
located within local bases.
The 1987 Philippine consti-
tution banned foreign military
bases and nuclear weapons,
prompting the government to
close US bases in the early 1990s.
But the agreement being
hammered out now would avoid
violating the constitution by pro-
viding that the US troops rotate
through the Philippines instead
of being permanently based in
the country.
Fil-Am stays on with White House AAPI advisory panel
LAS VEGAS. Filipino-
American community leader
Rozita Lee has been asked to
stay on with the White Houses
Advisory Commission on Asian
Americans and Pacic Islanders.
Lee, 79, was rst appointed
to advisory body in September
2010. Her term was supposed
to end in October last year, but
the commissioners were asked
to remain until replacements are
named.
Its an honor to stay in
the commission and continue
to serve the community, said
Lee, who is also active with
the National Federation of-Fil-
ipino American Associations
(NaFFAA) and the Las Vegas
Hawaiian Club.
The body includes another
Filipino, Hector Vargas, who
represents the LGBT community.
Thank you for your sup-
port and participation through
the years. I truly appreciate you.
Please continue to call me with
concerns about our communities
that I can share with the Com-
mission and the President, Lee
posted on her Facebook page.
I will be attending a special
meeting at the White House next
month, she said.
In December, Lee helped
the Filipino-American Cham-
ber of Commerce of Greater
Nevada sponsor a concert that
raised about $8,000 for the vic-
tims of Super Typhoon Yolanda
(Haiyan).
Currently busy helping
enroll people for the Affordable
Care Act, she said her next focus
will be on immigration reform
and voter registration.
We dont have any elected
Filipino-American in Nevada,
she said. We have the voting
numbers. We have the largest
population among Asians, but
we have no elected ofcials.
Ofcials from the Philippines and United States face off at negotiating table.
Rozita Lee
February 16-28, 2014 11
Trial nally starts for brutal slayings of Fil-Am, infant son
SACRAMENTO, Califor-
nia. Its been over six years in
the making but the trial for the
brutal slaying of a young Fili-
pino American father and his
infant son nally got under way
as jurors heard testimony from a
suspected drug dealer.
Sean Aquitania, 21 and his
7-month-old son Sean Jr. were
shot dead while reportedly visit-
ing a friend in South Sacramento
in September 2007. They could
have been at the wrong place,
at the wrong time, investigators
surmised.
Police have arrested Donald
Ortez-Lucero and Christopher
Strong for the murders. They
were allegedly trying to rob
Frederick Dallas Gill, a sus-
pected drug dealer, in his home
when Aquitania arrived to visit
him.
Gill was picked up in
Ensenada, Mexico earlier this
month and after being promised
immunity, now acts as the pros-
ecutions star witness.
Sean was my friend,
Gill said at the special circum-
stances murder trial that could
send Ortez-Lucero and Strong to
prison for life without the possi-
bility of parole.
Gill said he had lived at
the house where the killings
happened for nearly a year. He
said he had just nished a drug
transaction at the house with a
known associate on the morn-
ing of Sept. 14, 2007, exchang-
ing hallucinogenic mushrooms
for cocaine and $3,000 in cash,
when two intruders approached
the house along with Aquitania,
who had called earlier to say he
was coming with his son and
apparently stumbled upon the
planned robbery.
He was with two people.
Id never seen them before, Gill
testied.
Gill couldnt positively
identify either of the defendants
but prosecutors assured they
can link the pair through other
sources. Ortez-Lucero was the
alleged triggerman.
Gill testied that both he
and Aquitania were repeat-
edly beaten by the two intrud-
ers, who demanded money. He
added that the Aquitania was
later released but moments later,
returned and kicked the front
door off the hinges.
He went haywire. He went
straight after the Mexican dude
and started punching on him.
The black dude tried to hit Sean
with the butt of his gun, Gill tes-
tied.
Aquitania had apparently
just discovered that his son, Sean
Jr., had been shot in his car seat.
Police believe the infant was hit
by an unintentional discharge
from a Glock 40 caliber handgun
while his father was being pistol
whipped.
Gill said he ed the house
with his hands zip-tied before
Aquitania was shot and returned
to the house to nd his friends
body after getting a neighbor
to cut the nylon tie. Autopsies
concluded that Aquitania died
from two gunshot wounds to
the abdomen while his son died
from the single shot to the top of
his head.
Sean Aquitania and his 7-month old
son
February 16-28, 2014 12 12
Only one-third of OFWs satised with PH agencies
MANILA. The Philip-
pine overseas workers welfare
agency topped the latest Social
Weather Station (SWS) survey
that included a poll on how Fili-
pinos abroad viewed the agen-
cies tasked to help them.
Still, only about a third of
those surveyed said they were
satised with the Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA) that emerged as gener-
ally the most helpful government
agency to overseas Filipinos.
The survey, conducted from
December 11-16 2013, showed
that 37 percent of Filipinos based
abroad trusted OWWA. The
agency provides various types of
assistance to overseas Filipinos,
including repatriation for dis-
tressed workers and providing
livelihood assistance for return-
ing workers. They have 1.2 mil-
lion members, according to the
OWWA website.
The Department of For-
eign Affairs (DFA) fared even
worse with only 22 percent of
respondents saying they were
satised. The Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE),
another key agency that have
regular dealings with overseas
workers, had a satisfaction rating
of only 15 percent, according to
the SWS survey.
Only 18 percent said they
were satised with the Philip-
pine Overseas Employment
Administration (POEA).
The satisfaction ratings of
top government ofcials and
institutions also suffered a blow,
the SWS survey revealed.
President Aquino was rated
poor in controlling ina-
tion and oil prices as well as in
achieving justice for victims of
the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.
Vice President Jejomar Binays
net satisfaction rating dropped
seven points, the survey showed.
Canada exports garbage,
soiled diapers to PH
MANILA. A lot of things
are dumped on the Philippines
but Customs agents couldnt
believe what they saw when they
opened ve of 50 suspicious,
foul-smelling container vans on
Feb. 10.
They contained tons of gar-
bage shipped from Canada and
declared as plastic scraps.
According to Customs
Deputy Commissioner for
Enforcement Group Ariel Nepo-
muceno, explained that shipment
of plastic scraps are common and
they are being used by compa-
nies in the country for recycling
as plastic wares.
But upon inspection, Cus-
toms found out that the ship-
ment contained a mixture of dif-
ferent household garbage that
included adult diapers, not just
empty plastic containers.
The shipment was loaded
on 50 container vans with a
weight of 891.200.6 kilograms
amounting to US$222,800.15 or
more than P10 million.
Customs said the shipment
will not be allowed to enter the
country because it violates the
Toxic Substances and Hazardous
and Nuclear Wastes Control Act
of 1990.
The shipping rm, Chronic
Incorporated, with address at
95 Regency Crescent, Whitby,
Ontario, Canada LIN 7K8, will
be obliged by the Customs to
ship back the container vans at
the port of origin, at the ship-
pers expense.
Criminal charges are now
being prepared by the Bureau
of Customs and the Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources against the shipper
and its consignee identied as
Chronic Plastics with ofces
listed in Valenzuela City.
Pork scam witness back from US, tags Jinggoy, Enrile
MANILA. A former aide
of then President (now Manila
Mayor) Joseph Estrada returned
from the United States to testify
in the alleged P10 billion pork
barrel scam thats implicated her
former boss son and political
allies.
Ruby Chan Tuason pro-
vided what Justice Secretary
Leila de Lima described as slum
dunk testimony implicating
lawmakers and some of their
staff members in the alleged
scam.
In her Feb. 7 afdavit to
the Ombudsman, Tuason talked
about kickbacks for legislators
that Janet Lim-Napoles, the
alleged mastermind, skimmed
off pork-funded projects. Mil-
lions of pesos apparently
changed hands in the Senate and
restaurants.
Tuason said she acted as a
conduit since 2004 for the kick-
backs of Senators Juan Ponce
Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada that
came from the senators Priority
Development Assistance Fund
(PDAF).
She said she personally
handed the money for Estrada
to the senator himself, and for
Enrile to the latters former chief
of staff, Gigi Reyes.
I personally delivered
all the shares of Sen. Jinggoy
Estrada and when I delivered
in his ofce at the Senate I was
instructed to pass through the
entrance to the senators parking
space so that my bag containing
the money will not be opened,
Tuason said.
I usually placed the
money that would be delivered
to Estrada in a bag, the size of
which depends on the amount,
Tuason added.
I personally gave it to Atty.
Gigi Reyes who picked it up per-
sonally in my house or in restau-
rants where we both agreed to
meet, she said.
Estrada did not deny he
knew Tuason but claimed she
brought merienda not cash.
Reyes is believed to have left
for the US around the same time
Tuason ed the snowballing
pork barrel fund controversy.
Tuason also conrmed the
statements of Benhur Luy, the
former Napoles aide who is now
the prosecutions star witness,
that Enrile and Estrada received
a 40-percent commission, minus
5-percent withholding tax
for Napoles, for every project
funded by their pork that they
assigned to Napoles dummy
NGOs.
She also said that she deliv-
ered to the two senators from
Napoles were more than the
amounts that Luy earlier quoted
in his afdavits and Senate testi-
mony.
She admitted receiving a
commission from Napoles for
every project she transacted
involving the PDAF of the two
senators.
Tuason said that she
stopped being the two sena-
tors conduit of the money from
Napoles for Estrada in 2008 and
Enrile in 2007.
She explained that she
was cut off from the transac-
tions after Reyes and Estrada
became personally known to
Napoles. Tuason denied she was
a member of the younger Estra-
das Senate staff but admits she
once worked as former President
Estradas social secretary.
Estrada appeared to have
directly dealt with Napoles
because money intended for
delivery to him was received by
his secretary and no longer by
me, Tuason said.
Tuason said she rst met
Napoles in 2004 through her
late husband, Carlos Butch
Tuason, a cousin of Mike Arroyo,
the husband of former President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now a
Pampanga congresswoman, as a
potential buyer of their house in
Bel-Air, Makati.
She said she became close to
Napoles when the latters mother
died in 2008 and Tuason helped
her in making the arrangements
for the wake and other parties
that the businesswoman gave.
Tuason has been given con-
ditional immunity and placed
under the government Witness
Protection Program.
Nation mourns loss of ex-
SC Justice Seran Cuevas
MANILA. A veritable
pillar of Philippine law, former
Supreme Court Associate Justice
Seran Cuevas has passed away
at age 85 last Feb. 9.
With a career spanning over
six decades, Cuevas has been
involved in three impeachment
trials, the last one against then
Supreme Court Chief Justice
Renato Corona.
He is a graduate of Univer-
sity of the Philippines College of
Law and has worked as justice
secretary under the administra-
tion of former President Joseph
Estrada. He was an associate jus-
tice during the administration of
President Ferdinand Marcos.
Cuevas was the Supreme
Courts 106th Associate Justice,
serving from June 1, 1984 to
April 16, 1986. He was desig-
nated by then Chief Justice Fred
Ruiz Castro as chairman of the
SC panel that drafted the trial
court manual.
He was a known lawyer of
the inuential Iglesia Ni Cristo
(INC) and a former chairman of
INC-afliated New Era Univer-
sity. He also taught in his alma
mater, and got to help mold
many of todays lawyers and
jurors.
Cuevas was born in Bacoor,
Cavite on June 25, 1928.
We extend our condolences
to the family of the late Justice
Seran Cuevas who dedicated
a good portion of his life and
career to public service, Mala-
canangs Communications Secre-
tary Sonny Coloma said.
Justice Seran Cuevas
was undoubtedly one of the
most brilliant legal minds in the
country, said former President
now Manila Mayor Estrada. He
described Cuevas as a man of
competence and unquestionable
integrity
Pork scam witness Ruby Tuason delivers sworn testimony.
Seran Cuevas
Manila Customs ofcials open garbage-lled container van.
February 16-28, 2014 13
UN: Dont forget Bohol quake victims need help too
MANILA. A United Nations
humanitarian agency appealed
anew to donor countries for
additional help for an estimated
360,000 people displaced in
quake-devastated Bohol and
nearby provinces.
The UN Ofce for the Coor-
dination of Humanitarian Affairs
(Ocha) appealed to donors to ll
the $19-million funding gap in
the $34-million revised Bohol
action plan, which seeks to
address the remaining humani-
tarian needs in the disaster zone
until April this year.
International donors had
earlier contributed a total $15.1
million to the six-month plan
(October to April).
The revised plan released
on Feb. 7 reduced the United
Nations funding request from
the original $46.8-million plan
following assessment and con-
sultation with government and
stakeholders as humanitarian
work on the ground has already
shifted to the recovery phase.
Luiza Carvalho, United
Nations resident humanitarian
coordinator in the Philippines,
cited how the United Nations
continued to do parallel work
in quake-hit provinces even
while donor priority shifted to
providing relief to more than
14 million people affected by
super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan)
barely a month after the Bohol
disaster.
The Philippines authorities
and humanitarian partners have
contended with a series of disas-
ters, including Supertyphoon
Haiyan, since the 7.2-magnitude
earthquake hit Bohol on Oct. 15
last year. We are continuing to
support the authorities efforts on
many fronts and will not forget
the plight of people affected in
Bohol, said Carvalho.
The 7.2-magnitude Bohol
quake displaced nearly 370,000
across the Central Visayas
region.
As aftershocks are still
common, support for durable
shelter solutions is urgently
needed to help people get out
of these unsafe conditions, the
humanitarian agency said.
Bail denied for Pinoy charged with murder
HONOLULU, Hawaii.
A judge has denied bail for
Giovanni Lictawa Corpuz, 41,
who faces second degree murder
charges for the New Years Eve
killing of 88-year-old Amby
Cruz.
The judge sided with the
prosecution that Corpuz is a
ight risk.
Police allege that he Cruz
at his Omao home and then
attempted to escape to the Phil-
ippines. He was intercepted at
the Taiwan international airport
during a stop-over and even-
tually extradited to the United
States.
Fireghters found Cruz,
unresponsive at his home in the
early morning hours of Jan. 1
after responding to a medical
call. An autopsy revealed the
victim was shot in the head.
He was arraigned last Feb. 4
after a weeks delay as the court
searched for someone who can
translate proceedings to Ilocano
as Corpuz requested. The trial
date is set for April 21.
If convicted, Corpuz faces
extended sentencing for inict-
ing serious injuries to a person 60 years old or older.
Church lies in ruins after Bohol quake.
Murder suspect Giovanni Corpuz is
arraigned.
February 16-28, 2014 14 14
Pastor back in US after release from PH jail
OKLAHOMA CITY. Ameri-
can pastor Tom Randall is back
in the United States after a
charge that he failed to prevent
young wards in an orphanage he
ran south of Manila, Philippines
from being sexually molested by
people he knew were dropped.
Randall arrived back in
the US last Feb. 5 after being
released from a Philippine jail
where he was held for 22 days
on charges of negligence. Pros-
ecutors dropped the charges just
hours earlier.
He and his staff at Sankey
Samaritan Orphanage in Lucena,
Quezon were arrested after
police received a complaint that
a worker kissed a 15-year old
girl. About 30 orphans had been
removed during the investiga-
tion and the government closed
the orphanage.
Randalls Ohio-based
employer Christ Community
Chapel said in a statement:
Were encouraged and relieved
that the investigation into this
accusation returned no evi-
dence of wrongdoing on Toms
part. We remain concerned for
the orphans without a home to
return to in Lucena City and will
do all we can to care for them.
Randall was arrested in
Quezon Province last Jan. 13.
Friends and church members
mounted a campaign to rescue
him from jail and bring him back
to the US.
Church elders sought the
help of Philippine Ambassador
Jose L. Cuisia Jr. in Washing-
ton DC who promised to look
into the case but also reportedly
assured them of Randalls safety
while in the Philippines.
Two Filipinos earlier
arrested for alleged human traf-
cking are likely to be pros-
ecuted.
Cokes controversial Super Bowl ad features Fil-Am girl
WASHINGTON D.C. Coca-
Cola bucked controversy over an
ad celebrating Americas diver-
sity that aired during the Super
Bowl last Feb. 2 by running an
even longer version of the sing-
ing of America the Beautiful in
more languages, including Taga-
log.
The Tagalog part of the song
was sung by a young Filipino-
American girl named Leilani.
Coca-Cola also uploaded a
clip of Leilani singing America
the Beautiful in Tagalog.
I think people will feel
really good in themselves to
know that America is there and
to hear it in many different lan-
guages spoken, especially if one
of the languages is a language
that you speak.
And itll get really deep
inside of you, Leilani said with
a smile.
Air time during the Super
Bowl is some of the most expen-
sive advertising real estate in
the world. Coca-Cola has used
its spot during this years game
to show a multilingual America
with a rich diversity of cul-
tures and families.
The minute and a half spot
featured America the Beautiful
sung in at least seven different
languages. It aired during a com-
mercial break in the rst half of
the game.
However, the controversial
ad also drew outrage from some
Americans via Twitter.
One Twitter user said Hey
@CocaCola This is America. Eng-
lish, please. #SB48
Another Twitter user said
hell never drink Coke again.
Safe to say Im never drinking
coke again after they sing an
american song in another lan-
guage for the damn super bowl,
buncha pricks.
Dear Coke, Your com-
mercial is a slap to the faces of
my Italian and Finnish ances-
tors who came here & learned
English. #AmericaIsBeautiful,
another commenter said.
However, the ad also elic-
ited praise.
Twitter user @AshleyKarls-
son said, Thanks @CocaCola for
reminding us that we are beauti-
ful because of and not in spite of
our linguistic diversity. #Amer-
icaIsBeautiful
The ad is also historic for
featuring the rst gay family in
an ad aired during Americas
biggest game night.
In one of the vignettes
showing how America is a melt-
ing pot of cultures and individu-
als, two male partners and their
daughter are shown roller skat-
ing together.
The NBC report said that
gay rights organization GLAAD
has praised the ad, calling it a
step forward for the advertising
industry.
Oklahoma pastor Tom Randall
Fil-Am Leilani lent her voice to Coke ad.
February 16-28, 2014 15
If you would like your orga-
nizations events to be included in
the calendar, please send your data
to Maurese Oteyza Owens at mpa-
poose@aol.com.
Feb 15 (Saturday )
6:00pm BIGAY PUSO: Sayawan
at Kantahan. ANCOP Founda-
tion USA, Inc. with the coopera-
tion of Couples for Christ (Val-
entines Party with serenade
and special performances) in
conjunction with the Pinoy Idol
Regional Finals. St. Josephs Ful-
lerton Parish Center, 8420 Belair
Rd, Baltimore, MD 21236. $10.00
per person. Singing Talent 18
years old and above from the
local area are welcome. Contact
Pete Catama at (301) 292-2486
Feb15 (Saturday) 10am
-1pm Filipino Ministry of
Northern VA SPRING FOR
HOPE: Share and Support
Building Our Youth and Com-
munity.. Guest: Msgr. Mariano
Balbago; Brian Miller, One
Vision Project ; and FilAm Youth
Performers. Sweet City Desserts
(behind Mattress Discounters),
131-A Maple Ave W, Vienna,
VA 22180 (703) 938-8188 . Direc-
tions: www.sweetcitydesserts.
com, Contact: etiong93@gmail.
com
F e b
21 (Friday) 7-10pm. Friday
Night Love-in @ the FAC, a
post-Valentine celebration fea-
turing romantic ballads, love
stories, sing-a-long around the
piano of classic love songs, free
advice from The Love Guru,
instrumental music, line danc-
ing, dinner and cash bar. Fili-
pino American Cultural Center,
7500 Livingston Rd., Oxon
Hill, MD. $10 advance reserva-
tion, $15 at the door. Call Mya
Grossman, 240-441-6941, or
e-mail mylenegrossman@gmail.
com.
Feb 22 (Saturday) 6-8
pm, Fil-Am Multi-Cultural
Center Brown Strokes on a
White Canvas Travelling Exhibit
Legends, Myths, Origins Art
Exhibit Opening. Learn the
stories behind the Rice Ter-
races, Mayon Volcano, and
more. Filipino-American Multi
Cultural Center,7500 Livingston
Road, Oxon Hill, MD. Contact.
Julian Oteyza atjulianoteyza@
gmail.com
Feb 22 (Saturday)
8pm Company E with Jason
Ignacio Filipino born dancer/
teacher, Gordon Center Stage,
Jewish CommunityCenter-
Owings Mills, 3506 Gwynnbrook
Avenue Owings Mills, MD 21117
(410) 356-5200. $24/per person
in advance, $28 at the door.
Tickets: http://www.jcc.org/
gordon-center/dance-perfor-
mances/
Feb 22 (Saturday)
1:00pm. Bowling Tourna-
ment jointly sponsored by
Ateneo Alumni Association. De
La Salle Alumni Association
and UP Alumni Association.
Form your own team of 4. Reg-
istration $25 per bowler. Win
trophies and prizes. Proceeds to
benet calamity relief programs
in the Philippines. Bowl America
Shirley, 6450 Edsall Road, Alex-
andria. Contact: butcharroyo@
cox.net.
Mar 5 (Wednesday) 6:30-
9:00pm Philippine Ameri-
can Chamber of Commerce,
Washington, DC (PACC-
DC)Empowering Leaders
Through Executive Mentor-
ing Carrie Rich, CEO, The
Global Good Fund. For details
and registration: Rene Calandria
at rene19va@yahoo.com
Mar 8 (Sunday)
10:00am Philippine Ameri-
can Foundation for Charities,
Inc. Salo-Salo Brunch Roll Out
of PAFC Programs for 2014. The
Hermitage, 5000 Fairbanks
Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311,
Auditorium in the Basement
Level.Contact: Mya Grossman
at mylenegrossman@gmail.com
Mar 8 (Satur-
day) 6:30pm Yolanda Relief
Campaign (YRC) of DC, Mary-
land, and Virgina with the Phil-
ippine Humanitarian Coali-
tion SPRING FOR HOPE
Dinner and Dance Benet with
special guest performers. Drag-
ony Bistro Restaurant, 13840
Braddock Rd. Centreville, VA
20121. $45 VIP seating; $35
Regular Seating. Contact: Avic-
Marivic Macaranas 703-405-3199.
PAARALANG PINOY : A
Slice of Pinoy: Workshops for
Kids: Paaralang Pinoy brings
workshops where kids can actu-
ally try out an activity and learn
a slice of Pinoy culture. St. Joseph
Center of Our Lady of Good
Counsel Catholic Church, 8601
Wolftrap Road, Vienna,
VA, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. To
register, visit blogspot:http://
paar al angpi noy. bl ogs pot .
com/2014/01/a-slice-of-pinoy-
workshops-for-kids.html and
click the Sign Up Genius button
on the right
Mar 16 (Sunday) Maglaro
Tayo! (A Street Games Work-
shop)
Apr 27 Mamiesta Tayo! (A
Fiesta Workshop)
Apr 5 (Saturday) 12:00-
5:00pm. ABS CBN DZMM with
ANCOP Global Pinoy Singing
Idol 2014 Cultural Assembly
Church , Winter Park, FL, Details
to come.
Apri 18 (Tuesday) 6:30-
9:00pm PACC-DC Social
Media as the New Marketing
Billboard Speaker: Terrence P.
Sutherland, Press Ofce Direc-
tor, U.S. Small Business Admin-
istration. Army Navy Country
Club 1700 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, Virginia. . For details
and to register: Rene Calandria
at rene19va@yahoo.com.
February 16-28, 2014 16 16
Around DC in Pictures
Manila Mail columnist Myrna M. Lopez and her husband, Dr. Mitch Lopez,
had lunch with former Philippine Ambassador to Washington D.C. Willy and
Mrs. Linda Gaa at the new restaurant, Wooden Spoon, in Rockwell, Makati
city during their visit to Manila early this month. (Facebook photo)
Engr. Vic Vizarra gives childhood sweetheart Aida Hulen of Gaithersburg, MD. a passionate kiss as friends and
community leaders cheer them on after listening to the couples aming love story on February 9. The lovers were
separated for 42 years but found each other on Facebook, an account that inspired Vizarra to write a book of poems,
The Fire Within. The book reading, organized by PALM President Mitzi Pickard, was held at Sweet City Desserts
in Vienna.
All photos by Jon Melegrito
Filipino American songwriter and musician George Brooks celebrated his
60th birthday on Feb. 8 playing with The Tutubi Band at the American or the
sheer love of music. Wife Malu sprang a surprise for him later in the evening
with friends singing Happy Birthday, savoring his favorite cake and dancing
till past midnight to the bands rock and roll beat.
Erlinda Inejosa of Silver Spring, MD. and Elvi Bangit of Bristow, Va. (seated, 4th and 5th from left) mark an impor-
tant milestone in their lives when members of Tanghalang Pilipino hosted a birthday celebration recently at Jon and
Elvie Melegritos residence in Kensington, MD. Before the evening ended, the revelers (Rey Bangit, Hugh Fraser,
Cecille Cancio, Yvonne Reyes and her two sons Diwa and Lakan, Al & Prunie Esguerra Mike and Minnie Rosenthal)
gathered around the piano and sang romantic ballads and classics dating back to the 1950s.
Ed Tiong (right), coordinator of the Filipino American Ministries of Northern Virginia, shares with leaders of the
Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC) the plans and projects of the Yolanda Relief Campaign (YRC)
of DC, Maryland and Virginia - a faith-based committee with the Philippine Humanitarian Coalition. YRCs Project
Tindog Bungtu! Ahon Bayan! (Rise Up, My People) is raising funds to benet Typhoon Yolanda victims in the
Diocese of Borongan, Eastern Samar.
Manila Mail food columnist and Master Chef Evelyn Bunoan talked about
Philippine history and cuisine and gave cooking lessons at her deli store
(Philippine Oriental Market & Deli) to Girl Scouts/Brownies of Francis
Scott Key Elementary School of Arlington, Virginia on January 14, 2014.
This is in line with her advocacy to promote and teach healthy Philippine
cuisine to Filipino-Americans and a mainstream audience. Also present
were some parents of the children and also some of their troop leaders who
requested this program.
February 16-28, 2014 17
February 16-28, 2014 18 18
February 16-28, 2014 19
Fil-Am teen hurdles American Idols Hollywood Week
HOLLYWOOD. Filipino-
American teen Malaya Watson
impressed judges and made it
through Hollywood Week of
America Idol Season 13.
Let her keep singing, said
juror Jennifer Lopez with a big
smile after fellow judge Harry
Connick Jr. asked to cut her ren-
dition of Alicia Keys Brand
New Me.
Watson, 16, hails from
Southeld, Michigan. She earlier
earned a coveted golden ticket
to Hollywood with her per-
formance of Aretha Franklins
Aint No Way.
Absolutely beautiful, con-
test judge Keith Urban gushed.
Thank you for doing such
a great job, Connick, Jr. chimed
in.
Youre blessed. God gave
you something so pure and real
and special. I cant wait to see
how you go through the trans-
formation youre about to go
through, Lopez said.
After the audition, Lopez
described Watson as amazing
and compared her to a young
Michael Jackson. In her Road to Hollywood
American Idol video, Watson
recalled how nervous she was
during the audition. At rst I
was nervous, singing the song
but then I kinda got comfortable.
But they loved it. I got all three
yeses. I must have done some-
thing, Watson said.
Watson, who also plays the
tuba for her high school march-
ing band, mentioned her Lolo as
a musical inuence.
My musical inspiration
comes from three people: my
Dad, who was a guitar player.
My grandfather who died when
I was seven months, hes a musi-
cal genius. And my other grand-
father, who I called Lolo which
means grandfather. He was also
a guitar player. Thats where I
came from, she said.
Asked what makes her
unique, Watson said, Im 16 but
I have all this soul. I have this
soul and it touches people, gives
people quivers and all that. Since
Im young and I have such an old
style, that soul, I feel that makes
me way unique.
Maryland seeks feedback for guide on multicultural education
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland.
The Governors Commission on
Asian Pacic American Affairs
is offering a rare opportunity for
the Asian American community,
especially Filipino Americans, to
help shape how their children
will be educated in the state.
I am soliciting feedback
and comments from the com-
munity on the document enti-
tled, Essential Understandings
for Asian Americans that is
envisioned to serve as a guide
to teachers and administrators
all over the state, Fil-Am com-
munity leader Mencie Hairston
wrote in an email to the Manila Mail.
Hairston is part of the Mary-
land Governors Commission on
Asian Pacic Americans.
The comment period ends
on April 1, 2014.
The Essential Understand-
ings for Asian Americans was
designed to support the states
current focus on Education that
is Multicultural (ETM).
The working draft of Essen-
tial Understandings was put
together by a team headed by
Dr. Janelle S. Wong of the
University of Maryland at Col-
lege Park.
The brief document out-
lines the varying socioeconomic
resources, racial and cultural
diversity within the community,
the Model Minority stereotype
and the changing demograph-
ics of the Asian Pacic Ameri-
can community brought about
by changes in US immigration
policy.
The draft document can be
viewed online at http://www.
asian.maryland.gov/document-
sasian/AsianPacicAmericanEs-
sentials-Draft.pdf.
You can submit your com-
ments and suggestions to
mencie. hairston@gmail. com
before April 1.
Dr. Marci Taylor-Thoma,
Social Studies Specialist, Mary-
land State Department of
Education, said the depart-
ment plans to share the docu-
ment with teachers and adminis-
trators across the state.
It is our hope that this
Essential Understandings will
help teachers and administrators
in their work with our increas-
ingly diverse student population
in the state, she said.
This is an excellent oppor-
tunity to be able to raise aware-
ness about our community
among the very people who
teach our children, Hairston
pointed out.
Mencie Hairston
Malaya Watson
February 16-28, 2014 20 20
Fil-Am lm editor lands critically
acclaimed TV shows, indies
LOS ANGELES. Michelle
Tesoro, the NYU-trained motion
picture editor from Lincoln Park,
Illinois, recently landed coveted
editing positions in two critically
acclaimed shows.
One is Netixs House of
Cards, a political thriller about a
conniving United States congress-
man featuring Academy Award-
winning actor Kevin Spacey;
and the other is HBOs The
Newsroom, a ctionalized his-
torical drama about a cable news
network created by Academy
Award-winning writer Aaron
Sorkin.
Michelle traces her roots to
Filipino immigrant parents who
arrived in America in the 1960s.
Her mother Evangeline Tesoro
Paredes, a single parent, came
from a family of nurses and doc-
tors from Ilocos Sur. She described
her father as one of the rst male
nurses during World War II.
Evangeline has earned a
reputation as one of the most
outspoken community organiz-
ers in Chicago. She is active in the
University of Philippines Nurses
Alumni Association of the Mid-
west (UPNAAM).
A report by Alfred Dicioco
in Inquirer.net said Michelle grew
up in the care of her Polish neigh-
bor, Genevieve, and her Auntie
Mary, as her mother immersed
herself in community work espe-
cially at Chicagos Jose P. Rizal
Heritage Center which serves as
a gathering place for Filipino-
Americans.
Although Michelle took
Tagalog lessons at the center for
a while, she didnt stick with it
because she rarely found people
to speak to, including her mom. I
think my mom believed it would
confuse us, or inhibit us in some
way. I know a lot of children of
immigrants who dont know
their parents language, Michelle
explained in the article.
Actors mauling fuels public drama over rape, extortion raps
MANILA. The mauling of a
popular TV host has pushed the
public to second-guess much of
what happened from an alleged
rape attempt to charges that
an inuential Filipino-Chinese
businessman had staged it for an
elaborate extortion scheme.
So far, there is only one
undisputable fact: that Ferdi-
nand Vhong Navarro, 37, a
mainstay in the top-rating Its
Showtime variety program,
was severely beaten in a Taguig
condominium unit occupied by
a 22-year-old model turned styl-
ist and lifestyle guru, Deniece
Cornejo on the evening of Jan. 26.
Everything else is subject
to debate: Cornejo said Navarro
tried to rape her. A friend named
Cedric Lee, who was conve-
niently closed by with a posse
of friends, including a mixed
martial arts athlete, said he dis-
covered the foul deed and pro-
ceeded to defend his friends
honor. The group tied up the
now black and blue Navarro
and drove to a police headquar-
ters several kilometers away,
although there one nearer to
the condo, and had the alleged
attempted rape recorded in the
police blotter. No complaint
was lodged against Navarro and
someone from Lees group drove
the alleged would-be rapist back
to his car.
Navarros manager, Chito
Rono, broke the news days later.
When pictures of the severely
injured Navarro began circulat-
ing on social media, there was
instant pandemonium quickly
followed by a media frenzy that
seemed to overshadow all the
other major events at the time:
a breakthrough peace deal with
secessionist rebels after over two
decades of carnage in Mindanao,
the pork barrel scam, govern-
ment corruption behind rice
smuggling, etc.
It took almost a week before
any of the protagonists was for-
mally deposed. Navarro led his
complaint with the Department
of Justice during the rst week of
February.
Lee, his sibling Berniece Lee,
Cornejo, Zimmer Rance, Ferdi-
nand Guerrero, a certain Alias
Mike, and two unidentied
accomplices have been charged
with serious physical injuries,
grave threat, grave coercion,
unlawful arrest, blackmail, and
serious illegal detention, which
is a non-bailable offense. Lee and
Cornejo have also been placed in
an airport watch list.
Cornejo also led a rape
complaint against Navarro.
And the rest of the country
has been left to debate whos the
telling the truth or for the more
assiduous followers, who had
the stronger case.
The medias fascination
with the case has brought pres-
sure on law enforcers, inves-
tigators and prosecutors. The
National Bureau of Investiga-
tion, for instance, has cast doubt
on Cornejos version of events,
point to a closed-circuit video
recording inside the condomin-
ium building that suggested she
wasnt even inside her apart-
ment when Lee and his compan-
ions arrived.
In his afdavit, Navarro
claimed he was set-up by
Cornejo and Lee to blackmail
him into paying P2 million in
exchange for silence. Navarro is
separated from his wife, former
actress Bianca Lapus but has kids
and a current girlfriend.
Still, Cornejo is sticking with
her story. Why would I say Im
risking my life here if Im not
telling the truth? Im afraid as
hell. If I said Im telling the truth,
whatever you say, Im telling the
truth. Period. I was raped. And
no one should question it, shed
declared in an interview with the
Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Lino Brocka classic
rediscovered in NY
NEW YORK. Manila sa
Kuko ng Liwanag, a Lino
Brocka classic from the tur-
bulent 1970s was shown in a
weeklong run at the Museum
of Modern Art that started on
Feb. 6.
With help from its cinema-
tographer Mike de Leon, and
Martin Scorseses invaluable
World Cinema Foundation, the
movie has been restored from
original materials given to the
British Film Institute by Pierre
Rissient, a renowned cinephile
who introduced Brockas work
to Cannes in the 1970s.
The 1975 movie is about
the limits to life in the Philip-
pines under the dictator Ferdi-
nand Marcos. The movie is also
known here as Manila in the
Claws of Neon and Manila in
the Claws of Darkness.
The movie tells the story
of Julio (Bembol Roco) in the
big story. Its a tale of strug-
gle, survival, endurance and
defeat that Brocka, perhaps the
most celebrated Filipino direc-
tor, lmed down and dirty in
Manila when the Philippines
was still in the grip of the
Marcos dictatorship.
Brocka, a political activist
as well as a prolic lmmaker,
died in a car accident in 1991 at
52, and is ready for rediscovery.
Vhong Navarro
Deniece Cornejo
Cedric Lee
Fan Page
February 16-28, 2014 21
tance that the State Department
and USAID have provided to the
PhilippinesBut we believe that
TPS should also be granted to
Filipinos in the US until they can
safely return to the Philippines
without putting further stress
on efforts to provide typhoon
survivors with food, water and
shelter.
The letter was signed by
Senators Mazie Hirono, Dean
Heller, Robert Menendez, Lisa
Murkowski, Richard Durbin,
Marco Rubio, Kristen Gillibrand,
Orrin Hatch, Mary Landrieu,
Mark Kirk, Harry Reid, John
McCain, Edward Markey, Cory
Booker, Tim Kaine, Barbara
Boxer, Patrick Leahy, Brian
Schatz and Christopher Coons.
The letter was similar to
one sent by 20 US Senators last
November to the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), seek-
ing the granting of TPS for Filipi-
nos in the US.
A group of Fil-Ams met in
the rst week of the month with
State Department ofcials David
Foran, David Arulanantham and
Jim Bean of the Ofces of Inter-
national Migration, Bureau of
Population and Refugees and
Migration, respectively and sub-
mitted arguments in favor of the
grant of TPS to Filipinos.
The meeting was arranged
by Loida Nicolas Lewis of US
Pinoys for Good Governance
(USPGG) and JT Mallonga,
national vice chair of National
Federation of Filipino Ameri-
can Associations (NaFFAA) and
president of the Filipino Ameri-
can Legal Defense and Education
Fund (FALDEF) in New York.
They later invited DC-based
Migrant Heritage Commission
(MHC) led by Atty. Arnedo
Valera and other groups to join
the delegation.
The delegation later met
with Philippine Ambassador
Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Consul Gen-
eral Ariel Penaranda and Consul
Arlene Magno who briefed them
about the TPS.
After the meeting, the group
agreed to put emphasis on TPS
as a humanitarian form of relief,
publicity, grass roots advocacy
and intensied nationwide cam-
paign.
The main argument for TPS
is that Filipino nationals who
are unable to return home are
indirectly supplementing inter-
national relief efforts for the mil-
lions of typhoon victims in the
Visayas and Mindanao through
their remittances and fund-rais-
ing activities.
State Department ofcials
have stressed that they have
already their own investigation,
analysis, and research and that
it was the higher ups that will
make the decision on TPS for
Filipinos.
On Feb. 9, the New York del-
egation met with Senators Chuck
Schumer (D-NY) and Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) in Newark,
NY who had earlier held a meet-
ing with Department of Home-
land Secretary Jeh Johnson.
The Department of Home-
land Security will make the nal
decision on whether or not to
grant TPS to the Philippines,
without the need for Congressio-
nal or presidential approval.
Fil-Ams press TPS... from page 1
the Philippines in December
1941, Fortin immediately vol-
unteered to serve as a scout and
guerrilla for the US Army.
He left his San Narciso,
Zambales village to join the US
Navy in 1945. Even after Ameri-
can and Filipino forces surren-
dered at Bataan and Corregi-
dor in 1942, he retreated to the
mountains to continue the armed
resistance until General Douglas
MacArthurs forces liberated the
country three years later. Within
months after VJ Day in 1945,
Fortin enlisted in the US Navy,
beginning a bright new chapter
in his life
During his 26-year career
in the Navy, he served in a wide
variety of positions as a steward
and chef.
In the late 1940s, he was
requested by name to work on
the personal staff of then-Vice
Admiral Jerauld Wright, the
Commander of Amphibious
Forces U.S. Atlantic in Nor-
folk, Virginia. Most interesting,
during his tenure on Admiral
Wrights staff, Fortin tried out
for and made the Navy Boxing
Team, where he fought his way
to win the welter weight title.
In the 1950s, because of his
professional accomplishments
and culinary talent, he inter-
viewed for and was appointed to
the White House staff as a chef.
During the productive and
lively years of the late-1950s to
early-1970s in the White House,
he worked for four presidents
from Dwight Eisenhower to
Richard Nixon. For a couple
years, he served as a senior chef
at Camp David.
Not surprisingly, the Fortin
home is full of presidential mem-
orabilia, including signed photo-
graphs of Presidents John F. Ken-
nedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, as
well as signed menus from State
dinners at the White House.
Retiring from the Navy with
honors in 1971, Fortin provided
a nal toast to colleagues aboard
the USS Sequoia, the yacht that
had served presidents, vice pres-
idents, and world leaders since
the 1920s.
After an illustrious career in
the Navy, he served the nation
for almost 20 more years as a
civil servant for the General
Services Administration, where
he worked in the Old Executive
Ofce Building right across the
street from the White House.
He nally caught his breadth
in 1988 and began full retirement.
He played a key role in the early
years of Mrs. Philippines home
for seniors. He also lived a holy
life by serving as a Eucharistic
Minister at St Columba Catholic
Church in later years.
He is survived by wife
Evangelina G. Fortin; children
of Rafael G. Fortin, Eterna G.
Oehme and Joan C. Fortin;
brother of Benedicto Fortin;
grandfather of Valerie Grimes,
Madonna Fortin and Christo-
pher Fortin, Martina and Gabri-
elle Fortin. He is also survived by
two great-grandchildren, other
relatives and friends. He will be
interred with military honors at
Arlington National Cemetery.
Pinoy war vet... from page 1
her back, prompting her to
throw her clutch purse at the
guys (Gener) head and missed.
She said Gener then turned
around and kicked the woman
in the chest.
At that point, she told Diaz
that Jennings exited a car and
the guy (Gener) kicked the defen-
dant (Jennings) in the stomach.
Jennings then punched
Gener one time in the face and
that the guy (Gener) fell back to
the concrete, added the woman,
who was described in previous
reports as a companion of Jen-
nings.
In the complaint cited by the
Filipino Reporter, another of-
cer, Frerick Crump of the Mid-
town North Precinct, told Diaz
that Gener was conscious but
disoriented before he was taken
to St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital
by ambulance and admitted in
the neuro-ICU for treatment of a
head injury.
It was later learned that
Gener cracked his skull during
his fall and had to undergo brain
surgery.
He remains in the intensive
care unit of St. Lukes-Roosevelt
Hospital and faces up to a year
of recovery, his family said.
Jennings was released with-
out bail after being arraigned
on third-degree assault misde-
meanor charges on Jan. 29, pros-
ecutors said.
Geners relatives and friends
could not believe the District
Attorneys account of the inci-
dent, but conrmed that police
contacted Geners husband Ste-
phen Nisbet to ask if Gener was
trained in any sort of martial arts.
Absolutely not, Geners
sister Jessica Driessler told
police.
He was the kid who was
made fun of because he stayed
at home all day reading. I have
never seen my brother hurt a
woman before.
In a Feb. 3 public statement,
Geners husband said that while
Gener couldnt yet remember
the unfortunate incident, he
does deny that he has ever been
aggressive or violent against
women.
Gener and his family were
said to be bafed to learn that
Jennings is facing only two mis-
demeanor charges rather than
the felony charge police origi-
nally announced.
Police have not yet inter-
viewed Gener in connection with
the case, yet the charges have
been dropped to a misdemeanor,
Nisbet said.
Meanwhile, Geners family
and friends have been raising
money for his medical expenses.
They have so far raised $63,115
(as of Feb. 5) through YouCaring.
com online fund-raising.
Liz Casasola, a friend of
Gener who co-organized the
fund-raiser with another friend
Nicole Ponseca, said the goal is
to raise at least $85,000 for Gen-
ers hospitalization.
Nisbet and Blair-Driessler
said Gener is likely to face a long
convalescence and may need
additional surgeries.
Court records said Jennings
is scheduled to appear in New
York Criminal Court on March
11.
Manhattan complaint... from page 1
The White House statement
pointed out that the Philippines
is the 5th Asian ally that Presi-
dent Obama has visited in his 6
years in ofce.
He will meet with President
Aquino to highlight our eco-
nomic and security cooperation,
including through the modern-
ization of our defense alliance,
efforts to expand economic ties
and spark economic growth
through the Partnership for
Growth, and through our deep
and enduring people-to-people
ties.
President Obama was forced
to cancel his scheduled visits to
Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lampur
and Bandar Begawan last Octo-
ber because of the impending
federal shut-down in Washing-
ton because of a budget and debt
ceiling impasse with Congress.
He tried to send State Secre-
tary John Kerry in his place but
that too was scrapped because
a powerful storm was about to
strike the Philippines.
Obamas Asia itinerary also
includes one noticeable excep-
tion -- a stop in China.
But his tour is likely to be
dominated by questions over
Beijings territorial claims in the
East and South China Seas that
conict with those of several
Southeast Asian nations, includ-
ing the Philippines.
Obama is expected to return
again to Asia later in the year for
regional summits in Australia,
Beijing and Myanmar.
The visit could give added
impetus for negotiators from the
US and Philippines to resolve
remaining obstacles to an agree-
ment authorizing the deploy-
ment of additional US troops
and equipment in the country,
including a facilities-sharing
arrangement that has worried
ultranationalists in the Philip-
pines.
The US has bared plans to
deploy the majority of its naval
forces to the Pacic by 2020, pre-
sumably to counter Chinas mili-
tary build-up and muscle exing
in the strategic South and East
China Seas.
The US Navy already oper-
ates two nuclear-power air-
craft carrier battle groups in
the Pacic, and recently forged
an agreement with Australia
to increase the rotation of US
Marines there.
Pres. Obama sets... from page 1
February 16-28, 2014 22 22
legal permanent residents or
naturalized US citizens. An addi-
tional 6 percent are in the US
with a work, student or other
type of temporary visa. And 14
percent are unauthorized immi-
grants (this compares with His-
panic immigrant adults, 43 per-
cent of whom are unauthorized
immigrants).
According to the survey, 69
percent of Asian Americans say
that they or their family mem-
bers have had some personal
experience with the system.
About 86 percent say they have
at least a little knowledge about
the US immigration system, and
34 percent say they know a lot
about it.
Overall, Asian-American
respondents give high marks to
specic aspects of the US immi-
gration system.
About 72 percent say that
the process for getting visas for
high-skill jobs works very well
or somewhat well. When it
comes to getting legal permanent
residency, 69 percent of Asian
Americans say the system works
very well or somewhat well,
according to Pew Research
Center.
The survey also found that
about two-thirds of Asian Amer-
icans say the system works very
well or somewhat well when
it comes to work visas for inter-
national students who want to
stay and work in the U.S. after
they graduate.
On family reunication
visas, 57 percent of Asian Ameri-
cans say the same about the
system.
Asian Americans split... from page 1
Lotte Plaza Grand Opening January 24
The new Lotte Plaza (presi-
dent, Sung Kil Lee, opened a
new Asian and international
grocery store on January 24th
at 221 Muddy Branch Road,
Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
Lotte Plaza, with a slogan
Good Food, Good Price, and
Good Service, opened its rst
Asian and international grocery
store in Rockville, Maryland in
1989. Since then it has expanded
up to nine Lotte Plaza stores,
and one Hispanic-oriented
store, La Grande, in the metro-
politan area.
The general manager of the
new Lotte Plaza, Mr. Yong-do
Jung is condent that the new
store will differentiate itself
from its competitors not only
with low price, product fresh-
ness, and product quality, but
with a pleasant shopping atmo-
sphere including modern dis-
plays and layout. Competition
is good for consumers, and we
will try our best to be chosen as
winners by them.
The store has a ower shop,
beauty and health, pharmacy,
deli, bakery, meat /sh/gro-
cery department and expansive
produce offerings. Also, inside
the store customers can experi-
ence an abundance of Asian cui-
sine from Korea, China, Japan,
Vietnam, Thai, Philippine, and
India, Pakistan, Hispanic food.
Approximately 40 percent
of the items are Asian with the
remaining percentage catego-
rized as Hispanic, Indo-Paki-
stan, American or other inter-
national foods. For example,
Lotte Plaza carries eight types
of cucumbers ranging from
Mexican, Indo-Pakistan, Chi-
nese to Korean varieties. This
choice of international items
accommodates all Lotte Plaza
customers. We are serving an
ever-expanding multicultural
community in the Gaithers-
burg, said Jung. Gaithersburg
branch increases Lotte Plaza
s ability to reach our interna-
tional customers and we have
hired 50-60 employees for the
new location. Store hours
are form 9:00a.m to 10:00p.m.
7 days a week. Customers can
join the grand opening sweep-
stakes continuing until the end
of March to win prize such as a
$5,000 VISA gift card, Samsung
LED TV and much more.
The Fire Within: Love Transcends
By Boots Felixberto
Reminding us to rekindle
the re of love is the most appro-
priate description for Victor
Vizarras poetry book: The Fire
Within: Victor and Adelaide:
Love Poems Volume I.
Victor and Adelaide were
childhood friends, separated in
time, in place, married to other
people for some time, for more
than 40 years, yet a re within
kept their memories alive and
longing for each other. Decades
later, they sought each other, and
realized the true love within, sur-
passed the hurdles, and decided
they will be on each others side
for the rest of their lives.
Victor Vizzara is an engi-
neer by profession. A man very
familiar with numbers, formulas,
systems and methods, he went
into a totally different plane of
just writing freely about the emo-
tions he feels for this surpassing
love for Adelaide.
Intrigued with the world
of poetry, he joined a group of
aspiring poets and decided to
publish his rst, unedited book
of collection of poems he wrote.
I met Victor Vizzara in a
Filipino cafe in Maryland the
day before he was scheduled to
do his book launching. After the
usual tracing of our origins from
the Philippines, we started talk-
ing about the craft of writing.
I pretty much applaud Victor
for taking the step to be out in
the published world and savor
and improve on the experience
of writing. He made clear to me
that his intentions were to pretty
much publish his collection of
love poems, as a manifest of
his undying love to his woman,
Adelaide.
For about the next half hour
or so, I discussed with Victor
walking in the path of a writer.
I would be remiss if I do not dis-
cuss honest criticism of the book
and I told him, like any profes-
sional and well-acknowledged
writer out there, you have to
grow thick skin, in order to
improve your craft.
My rst comment is that
for someone to really appreciate
the book, I suggested to bring
us along in the story of how
this undying love that was born
between two kids, how each
one pursued their own lives and
worlds apart, what kindled them
to nd each other again and talk
about how they have overcome
the hurdles to be never separated
again.
What people do not realize
is that the story of love behind
these poems is hardly bland.
Victor was a married man, who
decided to leave his then wife
and mother of their three kids,
to pursue the love of his life,
Adelaide. I told Victor these are
the human drama behind these
love poems which could make
your readers relate more to your
human experience.
Aside from that, there are
forms, structures and styles in
writing. I suggested to him to
put some rhyme and reason for
the structure of his book and
if he claims that the poems are
award-winning, he owes it to the
readers and to the legal world,
to be specic with the informa-
tion of his claims. He needed to
be upfront what was the poetry
contest, who were the judges,
what was the criteria, what were
the entries, and everything else
to prove your claims the poems
were award-winning.
What differentiates profes-
sionals and amateurs is that,
professionals know the rules of
the professional game, knows
the standards of the industry,
knows the legal ramications
of his actions and knows the
long-term effect and build-up
of every career move. Ama-
teurs do not look into this. They
have creative ideas, but lack the
form, the style, the distinctness
of what will make things stand
out and they seek the comments
and ideas from those they know
who will not only be honest with
their comments but will provide
intense credibility behind those
comments. Simon Cowell, the
media mogul who builds profes-
sional careers out of amateurs
know that the more rigid the
standards, and sometimes the
more painful the comment, the
more it brings out the new and
improved artist. That was also
my challenge with giving Victor
a piece of my mind.
I told Victor I can probably
hook him up with a Filipino
singer/composer/producer in
New York that I know, Archie
Dairocas. Maybe he can have his
poems become a form of lyrics to
a song that Archie could write
and put music into.
See, it takes a lot of courage
to be out there as an artist, as a
writer, as a musician, one way or
the other, but once you do, then
you connect to a whole world of
other artist who needs you and
can help you grow with them.
I am looking forward to
meet Adelaide, the woman who
brought out the poet out of
Victor, just by being the object
of his love. The Fire Within, is
a story of surpassing love for a
woman. I sincerely hope it is also
the start of a poets undying love
for his craft and art.
Medicare portability leaders
launch 2014 campaign in PH
MANILA. The leaders of
the Washington-based advocacy
organization, US Medicare PH,
kicked off their 2014 campaign
during the First Global Nurses
Summit at the Manila Hotel on
January 16.
The event was attended by
more than 300 nurses and sup-
porters.
Their partners at the event
were: Philippine Nurses Associa-
tion of America (PNAA) led by
their president Victoria Navarro
RN, Secretary Imelda Nicolas
of the Commission on Filipinos
Overseas (CFO), Sec. Enrique Ona
M.D. of the Philippine Depart-
ment Health (DOH) and Gen.
Manager Vernie Atienza of the
Philippine Retirement Authority
(PRA).
We appealed to the nurse
leaders and our partners to renew
their commitment to cause of
Medicare Portability for thou-
sands of returning elderly Fili-
pino Americans by ensuring high
quality health standards and by
keeping low medical costs in the
homeland, said Eric Lachica,
organizer of the US Medicare PH,
and a speaker at the summit.
We urged them to persuade
US Medicare Advantage insur-
ance companies to provide full
emergency coverage for our retir-
ees here and to build condence
in doing business with the top
PH hospitals and their doctors,
Lachica added.
The leaders of the US advo-
cacy group later consulted and
strategized with the Retirement
& Healthcare Coalition (www.
rhc.com.ph), formed by the four
inuential foreign chambers of
commerce (American, European,
Japanese and Korean).
Marc Daubenbuechel, the
RHC executive director, reviewed
their strategy and actions to
improve healthcare and to pro-
tect the interests of retirees and
visitors with relevant PH govern-
ment agencies.
He also explained the RHC
benets to retiree members like
health wellness, travel insurance,
visa assistance, counseling and
transportation services.
The Medicare PH group later
visited and consulted the new US
Ambassador Philip Goldberg and
his economics affairs counselor in
the US Embassy on Roxas Blvd
on February 4.
Virginia-based proponents of Medicare portability Eric Lachica (left) and
Daisy Tucay (4th from left) in Manila.
Book Review:
February 16-28, 2014 23
Fil-Am artists mark 2nd year
of LaTiDo in DC
M
usical acts and the
spoken word seem
like distant cousins but
not to Don Mike Mendoza and
Regie Cabico whove combined
both into their cabaret show,
LaTiDo Monday evenings at
8 p.m. at the Black Fox Lounge
(along Connecticut Ave. NW).
Don Mike and Regie invite
international spoken word art-
ists and Helen Hayes Award
winning-theater actors as special
guests. They also banter with
each other and the audience, and
belt out show tunes. Since they
launched their cabaret show two
years ago, it has been a hit with
audiences and critics alike. It was
recently awarded Best Cabaret
Show by BroadwayWorld.com.
LaTiDo celebrated its
2nd anniversary at the Black
Fox Lounge last January 26, and
thats where the Manila Mail
caught up with them.
Q: You and Regie are the
only Fil-Am thespians in the
D.C. area to have a weekly caba-
ret show. Why do you think La-
Ti-Do continues to be successful?
La-Ti-Do continues on, now
also in New York City, because
we have a welcoming and open
atmosphere for artists to gather
and practice their art in a sup-
portive environment. Regie and
I set out to create a community,
not to make money and I know
that it is what keeps this going
week in and week out. The con-
sistency of us always delivering
a quality product on Monday
nights without pause also makes
us a staple in the city that people
can depend on like the nightly
news.
We are also always playing
with new concepts. When we
rst opened the show, we had
a weekly musical and spoken
word feature and a handful of
guests. Weve since graduated
into having a monthly feature,
weekly feature, all in both music
and spoken word, and 3-4 guest
performers every week. Keeping
the show fresh with new con-
cepts and different guests all at
varying calibers helps us appeal
to multiple fan bases and artistic
communities.
The nal piece is that Regie
and I dont just like to create this
show, we LOVE to create La-Ti-
Do! The artists we get to help by
providing them a forum and the
fullled audience members who
come and participate at every
show make it all worthwhile.
Q: You must have been very
pleased with the overwhelm-
ing response to the show last
November when you dedicated
the show to our kababayans who
were the victims of Typhoon
Yolanda?
Absolutely! We were sur-
prised that more people werent
doing things in the DC artistic
community, so we decided that
it would be us. Being an orga-
nization run by Fil-Ams, we felt
it our duty to raise funds for the
relief effort in the Philippines.
The instant volunteering that
came from our artists to partici-
pate was also touching because
it showed another piece of our
mission of building a community
come to life because we set out a
call and everyone responded to
help in some way.
Q: Will you and Regie be
making some changes to La-Ti-
Do for the year 2014 or will you
be sticking to the same format?
We do have some minor
changes. Most importantly, we
will be completing our process
of becoming a 5013c Not-For-
Prot organization along with
a board and staff members. Its
a very exciting time and I as
the inaugural Executive Artistic
Director and Regie as the Associ-
ate Artistic Director will be able
to leave an even bigger mark in
the DC community and slowly a
mark on the NYC Community.
We thank Joshua Morgan of the
No Rules Theatre Company for
working so closely with us to get
this off the ground.
We will also raise our admis-
sion price to $15 per person for
general admission on the night
of the show to help with show
costs in the new year. How-
ever, we will provide a limited
opportunity for audience mem-
bers to score $10 ticket vouchers
through our EventBrite advance
RSVP system.
Q: Will you be inviting in
more special guests performers?
Yes! We are kicking off the
year with our January monthly
features: Ines Nassara of Signa-
ture Theatres Crossing and
Poet Sophia Walker who won
the BBC Slam competition in
2013. We will also have several
DC theatre stars such as Diana
Huey and Cheryl Daro (also a
Fil-Am) of Signature Theatres
Miss Saigon as well as more
mainstream artists like Hope
Leigh Rollins - who will assist
with bringing La-Ti-Do to Los
Angeles - who herself just won
Pop Album of the year at the LA
Music Awards for her band Me
& Mr. Cassidy
CORRECTION
Caption of Philippine embassy reception for media
published in the last issue of the Manila Mail (Feb.
1-15) mistakenly identied the person who catered the
affair as Evelyn Manuel, Executive Chef and Manila
Mail columnist.. Her name is Evelyn Bunoan. Our
apology to Mrs. Bunoan,
EDITORS
Philippines thanks world
for typhoon aid
MANILA. The Philippines
said Thank you on billboards
around the world last Feb. 8
in gratitude for the help that
poured in from dozens of coun-
tries following the devastation of
super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan)
last November that killed about
8,000 people.
Electronic billboards lit up
with Thank you signs at New
Yorks Times Square, Galer-
ies Lafayette in Paris, Tokyos
Shibuya Crossing, Londons
Piccadilly Circus and ve other
cities exactly three months after
Yolanda/Haiyan struck the Phil-
ippines Eastern Visayas region.
The number of lives lost
and affected is unprecedented.
But ever since then, the world has
been one with the Philippines in
helping rebuild the nation, the
Department of Tourism said on
its website.
The Philippines wants to
say a big thank you to everyone
who are helping us rebuild after
Typhoon Haiyan, the ministry
said on its ofcial Twitter page,
where it later posted the bill-
board pictures.
Super typhoon Yolanda was
one of the strongest typhoons
ever to hit land. It left about four
million people homeless.
The government is still col-
lecting corpses and looking for
nearly 2,000 missing people with
6,201 deaths already conrmed,
many of them swept away
by giant, tsunami-like waves
unleashed on coastal communi-
ties.
The Washington-based
Migrant Heritage Commis-
sion (MHC) had actually been
mounting a similar campaign for
the past two months, expressing
the Filipinos gratitude for mas-
sive outpouring of help from the
US and other countries, includ-
ing the 3 million-strong Filipino
American community.
On March 2, the MHC is
staging a thanksgiving Misa ng
Bayan (Peoples Mass) at the
Christ the King church in Silver
Spring, Md.
Various Fil-Am groups from
the Metro DC region are con-
ducting relief activities in not
only Tacloban City but the other
Visayan cities also damaged by
typhoon Yolanda.
The US and other coun-
tries deployed troops, ships and
aircraft to aid rescue and relief
efforts following the deadly
cyclone. The United Nations
has an international aid appeal
to raise $788 million to fund
humanitarian efforts in the
typhoon-stricken areas this year.
Amid the continuing dif-
culties, the tourism department
urged the worlds 100 million
Filipinos on Saturday to join its
#PHthankyou campaign on
social media.
It suggested they download
some of the ministrys The Phil-
ippines says thank you notes
from its website and adorned
with pictures of the countrys
top tourist draws, and post them
on Facebook, Twitter, and other
popular social networking sites.
Russell Geekie, spokesman
for the UN disaster agency in
the Philippines, said it was shift-
ing to an early recovery phase
with a focus on restoring liveli-
hoods for millions of people.
But he also stressed that
shelter needs remain enor-
mous.
Philippine thank you ad appears at the Piccadilly in London.
February 16-28, 2014 24 24
Imelda Exploits The
Peoples Emotions
MANILA
I
melda Marcos calls Gloria
Arroyos continued hospital
arrest cruel, unjust and inhu-
man. Look whos talking.
Mrs. Marcos adds that
when President Aquinos father,
Ninoy, was the one incarcerated
during martial law, her husband
Ferdinand sanctioned a trip to
the United States so Ninoy could
seek medical attention for his
ailing heart.
So why doesnt the current
president allow Mrs. Arroyo to
be treated abroad by specialists?
queries the former rst lady.
Arroyo neednt go abroad
for treatment. First, there must
be capable Filipino doctors who
can do the job as well as, if not
better than, foreign doctors.
And, if Arroyo insists on
having foreign doctors, which is
her right, then they can be own
in to see her. Indeed that would
even be more economical than
ying her out with an entourage.
A couple of specialists would be
cheaper to bring in. Why hasnt
that been done?
The many activists who
died during martial law must
be turning in their lonely graves
over Imelda Marcos newfound
bleeding heart. Where was it
during martial law when many
people were persecuted, jailed
and even murdered?
Equally galling it must be
for the many Filipinos who,
while alive today, were given
hell by Marcos operatives for
the crime of expressing dissent
over the existing iron-st rule
then. How many careers and
lives were snuffed out because of
the excesses and unbridled exer-
cise of power by the Marcoses?
The Philippines had never
seen such excess until the martial
law days of the Marcoses. Lets
hope we and future generations
of Filipinos will not experience
such abuse of power and merci-
less persecution of people who
were just exercising their rights.
So for Imelda Marcos to
express sympathy and sadness
over what she calls inhuman
treatment of a former ofcial
accused of a non-bailable crime
is pure hypocrisy and crass
exploitation of the publics emo-
tions.
Incidentally, the word
inhuman has been bandied
about in public commentary
lately. While the dictionary is
ambivalent about the deni-
tion of inhuman and inhu-
mane, the more appropriate
term to be used in the context
of Mrs.Marcos observation is
inhumane because inhuman
is used more to describe non-
human (or alien) qualities rather
than the emotions or motiva-
tions related to how people are
treated.
Theres a huge difference
between the respective situations
of Ninoy Aquino in the 1970s and
80s and of Gloria Arroyo today.
The senior Aquino was con-
victed by what almost every-
body will agree today as a kan-
garoo court, one that consisted
of Marcos yes-men who obeyed
the bidding of the then strong-
man. In short, it was a bogus
conviction after a bogus trial in a
bogus court.
Thats one. Two, the Mar-
coses feared at the time that if
Ninoy died on their watch, it
would be like shooting them-
selves in the head because they
would be risking the peoples
wrath, which at that point was
simmering and ready to boil
over.
Ferdinand and Imelda
couldnt risk such a possibil-
ity, that if news broke out that
Ninoy was dead, there would
be a tremendous and life-threat-
ening (for them) upheaval in
the streets. That wasnt hard to
suppose, that the people would
rise up over the death, no matter
the cause, of one, if not the only,
thorn in the side of the Marcoses
at the time.
The massive outpouring
of emotions and bodies at the
funeral march of Ninoy in 1983
would buttress the point that the
people revered him and would
have taken to the streets, possi-
bly to an end at that point of the
Marcos regime.
The case of Arroyo, on
the other hand, is different. A
legitimate court has ordered her
detained, mercifully in a hospital
in recognition of her illness. This
court cannot be said to be of the
same nature and composition
as Ninoy Aquinos military trial
Continued on page 30
On Where Noli Is Among Great Books
C
ulture, in the minds of
those who ponder about
it, is a word much like the
old saw that begs the question
of which came rst, the chicken
or the egg. Which came rst, a
culture or a nation? Culture, of
course, is what sociologists and
anthropologists call a body of
learned behavior handed down
from parents to offspring, defy-
ing time and persisting from
generations to generations. For
those living in the Philippines
and elsewhere in the globe the
question of culture or nation is as
valid as the proverbial query on
egg or chicken.
The groups of people that
came by boats to populate most of
the islands that constitute what is
now the Philippines, in the great
migration occurring in 50,000
B.C., carried with them their
own tools, pottery, agriculture,
the foods they ate, their respect
for the dead, their religion, ways
of evading catastrophic acts of
nature, their hopes and dreams,
and their ideals. Traces of these
can be gleaned in todays way
of life, persisting from centuries
to centuries, because these man-
ners, these behaviors, have been
written about in books and other
materials which later became
parts of the nations history.
Noli, the short but affec-
tionate reference to Jose P. Rizals
novel Noli Me Tangere (Touch
Me Not), portrays the lives of
Filipinos living at the time when
the country was under the colo-
nial rule of Spain. The portrayal
is ctionalized and satiric, but
the behaviors and manners of
the characters in the book reect
their frustrations, their helpless-
ness , the inability to cope in an
oppressive environment. In the
book, the characters endure, but
what prevailed in the minds of
those who had read Noli in
that era was the hope that lives
could be better, that dreams
could be fullled, and that any
kind of struggles could have a
happy ending. These ideals later
took root in the consciousness
of the oppressed and the move-
ment to repel was born. All these
happened because of Rizals
book; he was executed for his
written craft.
A book, written in any form,
becomes a great book because
the ideas it propounds propel an
individual, a group, or a nation
to move. A movement justies
an end or a means, for better or
for worse, even in todays stan-
dards. The Noli, written and
rst published in 1887 in Berlin,
Germany, certainly moved a
nation to be freed from Spanish
rule. The books effects on the
nation, becoming a part of school
curricula, year after year, are
retained in the annals of Philip-
pine history. Reading the Noli,
absorbing the ideals it portrays,
is a part of Filipino culture. But
is it a great book? Remember-
ing that when we, as readers,
assign values to a book, we are
judgmental, with personal bias
sneaking in, but we are chal-
lenged to form an opinion. Now
then, can Noli stand in the
pantheon of great books written
from the time range of 3rd mil-
lennium B.C. to 21st Century
where, among others, Platos The
Republic, Lord Actons The His-
tory of Freedom, Homers The
Iliad, Ciceros On Moral Duties,
Gandhis An Autobiography,
or Churchills My Early Life,
reside?
Let us ponder the evi-
dences. Factors to be considered
in measuring the greatness of
a book, as rst formulated by
the eminent Professor of Clas-
sics, J. Rufus Fears, Ph.D., are
the essential qualities of a great
theme, noble language, and its
universality. Rizal fashioned his
craft from the lives of people
living under the colonial rule of
Spain, where members, individ-
ually, planned their daily activi-
ties, pursued their ambitions,
parlayed their emotions under
the all-encompassing inuence
of a religion brought over by
the Spanish friars. As they lived
their individual lives, tragic
and comedic moments unveiled
what was once an unspoken
truth about a signicant era in
a nations history. This was a
portrayal considered enough to
cause a movement.
Rizal wrote Noli origi-
nally in Castilian Spanish, which
nowadays is called Madrilne.
The language used conveyed
powerful emotions and ideas,
while lacking literary merit in
some parts as some would argue,
was memorable enough to drive
readers to pursue the same ideals
in their moments of dire needs.
Today, the novel speaks to a
reader in a medium easily under-
stood; it conveys messages that
portend endurance for ages. The
ennobling quality of the original
language was translated in sev-
eral versions into English and
other languages and dialects, the
latest being the English version
of Harold Augensbraum in the
2006 Penguin pocketbook edi-
tion.
The overall ideal of liberty
from oppression, the longing of
a soul to be free, and the pursuit
of the means to achieve it is as
old as the earths creation, a part
of human identity. Rizal under-
stood this stance and parlayed
it in a form readily acceptable to
many, crossing borders to touch
the hearts and minds of readers,
even though they could be ages
and million miles away from
situations and events cited in
Noli. The appeal in the west-
ern part of the globe appears still
to be on hold; perhaps until such
time as the human values pic-
tured in the book are understood
and accepted worldwide, then
the lure is nal.
History, it has been written
and argued about many times
by historians and chroniclers,
is made by great individuals,
great events, and great ideas.
The adjective great is inherent,
inescapably linked to any discus-
sion of any of the three param-
eters, the greatness residing in
the enduring values, wisdom,
visions for the future, and life-
enhancing qualities each param-
eter imparts. A book--written by
a man or a woman with unques-
tioned stature and spotless repu-
tation, who wields authority like
a magic wand, on an event that
touches the hearts and minds of
many, that affects the standing
of morally-stranded individuals,
and is based on the assumption
that to render what is good and
right to any individual is justice
enough--can always make the
grade. Rizals stature, the colo-
nial rule for 333 years, and the
ideal of liberty all make Noli
not only a cultural icon, an event
in history, but also a great book.
February 16-28, 2014 25
Women in
our lives
MANILA
L
et a woman in your
life, And you invite
eternal strife, Thats
lifted from a song in the 1956
Broadway smash hit: My Fair
Lady.
Prof. Henry Higgins gives
speech lessons to Eliza Doolittle,
a Cockney ower girl, so she
could masquerade as a well-
born lady.
So, did then Senate Presi-
dent Juan Ponce Enrile invite
conict in his choice of Atty. Jes-
sica Lucila Gigi Reyes to serve
as his chief of staff? She quit
after a controversy erupted over
Christmas bonuses handed out
to senators by Enrile.
Since then, Sen. Miriam
Santiago urged the Justice
Department Secretary to look
into use of the names of Reyes-
and her family in disbursement
of P5.1 billion in public funds
into the Cagayan Freeport and
breakwater project in Port Irene
-- Enriles hometurf.
The project was awarded
to Sta. Elena Construction with
links to Sta. Ana Builders where
the board of directors include
Reyes family. Neal Jose Gon-
zales, Ms Gigis brother is chair-
man of Sta. Fe Builders. Reyes
mother is Maria Cooper who is
a board member. Clearly, this
shows Enriles thumbprint.,
Santiago asserts.
Enrile scoffed at claims he is
romantically linked to Reyes.
Thatd have been ne --- if he
ended there. Instead, Enrile pan-
dered to the macho crowd. May
asim pa, the 89-year old said
with a wink. . Loosely translated,
that means his libido is just ne,
thank you. That only spurred the
rumor mills.
Secretary de Lima transmit-
ted Santiagos charge to a joint
NBI and Justice fact-nding
team. It is led by Justice Under-
secretary Jose Justiniano.
Sorry. But Ms Gigi wont be
there for the probe. She stopped
answering her phone after quit-
ting. And she ew to Macau,
alone with two bags, on Cebu
Pacic ight 5J362. Bureau of
Immigration records show. She
had a return ight booked two
days later. But she vanished
and didnt leave a forwarding
address. The chiefs of staff of
some senators suddenly took
leave, too.
Isnt that a reprise of the
Dec. 14, 2000, hearing of the
impeachment case against Presi-
dent Joseph Estrada?. Witness
Maria Carmencita Itchon testi-
ed that she checked jueteng
collections. The P6-million
batches came from Jinggoy
Estrada, known Jingle Bells,
witnesses told the Senate. These
were handed to Eraps accoun-
tant-auditor: Yolanda Ricaforte
who has since ed the country.
Was it just happenstance
that by then, the 10th
whistle-blower surfaced and
admitted: He drove a Napoles
courier and saw him ladle bun-
dles of cash, from a duffel bag,
in front of Attorney Gigi.
Cash boodles were unloaded
in Reyess residence, between
2009 and 2011, Merlina Sunas
Temporary protected status
T
he Philippine government
with the support of some
members of the U.S. Con-
gress requested the Secretary of
the Department of Homeland
Security to grant Temporary Pro-
tected Status (TPS) to certain Fili-
pino nationals in the U.S. owing
to the devastation in the coun-
try brought about by typhoon
Haiyan in .November, 2013.
As of this writing, DHS has
yet to make a determination.
What is TPS? It is a tempo-
rary privilege to remain in the
U.S. granted by the immigra-
tion service for humanitarian
grounds to nationals of a country
beset by armed conict or natu-
ral calamities making it unsafe
for these people to return to their
home country.
Countries currently desig-
nated for TPS because of natural
disaster or armed conict are El
Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, South
Sudan and Syria.
TPS provides relief from
deportation; grants work autho-
rization and even travel autho-
rization. The initial status may
be granted for a period of six
to eighteen months and may
be extended if conditions in the
country warrant. Judging from
the period of TPS granted to
nationals of Central American
countries, it could be extended
repeatedly.
To be eligible, the applicant
must prove that he is a national
of the designated country; reg-
ister for TPS within the initial
registration period; prove con-
tinuous physical presence in the
US since the effective date of the
designation; and the date speci-
ed in the designation.
Individuals with felony
convictions or two or more mis-
demeanors and serious crimes
including security related
offenses are ineligible.
TPS designation may apply
to all nationals of the country or
portions of a country.
VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINES
MARCH 2014
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried sons/daughters
of US citizens Aug. 15, 2001
Second:
A: Spouses/minor children of
permanent residents: Sep. 08, 2013
B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years
of age or older of permanent residents Jun 08, 2003
Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens Feb. 15, 1993
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens Sep. 01, 1990
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority workers Current
Second: Professionals holding advanced
degrees or persons of exceptional ability Current
Third: Skilled workers, professionals May 15, 2007
Other Workers May 15, 2007
Fourth:
Certain Religious Workers Current
Fifth: Employment creation/
(Million or half-million dollar investor) Current
Continued on page 30
Love Buy
Y
es, you read it right.
LOVE BUY instead of
LOVE BUG on the LOVE
MONTH. Its that time of the
year that homebuyers will be
out there looking for their dream
home. The energy on the Year
of The Wooden Horse seems
like kicking and galloping in
its truest sense on the housing
market. Surprisingly, my phone
started getting calls and mes-
sages from potential buyers for
the past couple of weeks at this
early.
If you are one of those, never
call an agent and say Im ready
to buy a house; I have enough
money for down payment, look-
ing in Annandale with at least
four bedrooms and so on and so
forth. You cannot just do that.
Chances are you will end up with
home buying mistakes instead of
a rewarding experience. You are
buying a house not a dress. Even
buying a car is a big decision,
what more of a house that could
be your lifetime investments and
may hold your future. Here are
some pointers I want to share
with you based on my years of
experience buying and selling
homes for my clients:
BE PREPARED This may
include paying your credit card
bills and other outstanding loans.
Contrary to the belief, do not
close any credit card accounts
especially you were a member
for a long time with good paying
on time records. We tend to close
our credit cards thinking that
would help us get a loan if we do
not owe anything. Save cash for
the down payment, closing cost
and even move in expenses. Do
not apply for any loan especially
big purchases like cars etc. Start
getting records of your deposits,
withdrawals and other nancial
transaction. Lenders are getting
proof of your nances. It will be
easier for you if everything has
been documented.
GET PROFESSIONAL HELP
Call a loan ofcer to start with.
The best ones are referrals from
your friends and families. Dont
just ip yellow pages or Google
names. You dont want to take
any chances of risk and guessing
games. Lay all your cards on the
table; do not hide anything from
the loan ofcer. These are pro-
fessionals and they will nd out
sooner or later. You dont want
to waste any of your time. At this
early stage, you will know if you
are qualied or not. Even if you
think you are not qualied, its
good to know so you can prepare
and get nancial advice from
them. Nothing to lose.
REALTOR ON YOUR
SIDE - Once you are qualied, go
online and do your homework.
Most buyers now do their own
research on the internet. There
are lots of website you can surf
like realtor.com, zillow.com etc.
You can narrow your search by
entering all your preferred cri-
teria from location, sales price,
number of rooms, garage, schools
and anything that you can think
of. This will excite you for sure.
Get a partner on your side, con-
tact a Realtor . Again, the best
option is to get a referral from
families and friends. You and
your Realtor will be best friends
from now on. He or she will help
you out nding the one that best
ts your need and wants. A Real-
tor will walk your through the
whole process. Get ready for
either a bumpy or a smooth ride.
Dont worry; you have your Real-
tor on your side.
RELAX The process maybe
overwhelming and stressful for
you; but think of the end side.
THE AMERICAN DREAM. Let
the Realtor, loan ofcer, Title
Company etc. do the work.
Thats why theyre there for you.
They just need your cooperation
on documents in order to process
the loan in a timely manner. Be
patient as they may ask for these
several times but rests assure they
are doing this to get the best for
you.
ENJOY THE MOMENT All
the hard work pays off. You got
the key at the settlement table.
All documents are signed and its
all yours!!!
These sound easy as it may
seem but I just want you to be
prepared of what you will be get-
ting into. Whatever it is, bottom
line is you get what you negoti-
ate. Remember, its the falling;
its the slipping that made the
reward more meaningful.
Note: Jocelyn Porteria is a
Realtor licensed in VA. She earned
a designation of ASP, Accredited
Staging Professional; ABR, Accred-
ited Buyers Specialist; CDPE Cer-
tified Distressed Property and Short
Sale Expert, (SFR) Short Sales and
Foreclosure Resource. For more info,
visit her website at www.jprealdeal.
Continued on page 30
February 16-28, 2014 26 26
SWEET AND SOUR COD FISH
(Escabeche)
E
scabeche is an inherited
dish from the Spaniards,
but made authentic and
better by the native islanders.
For me, this dish breaks away
from eating sh in a traditional
manner, creating a new level
without overdoing it. Very col-
orful and appetizing, you cannot
eat this dish without steamed
rice.
In this recipe, I use cod sh
but other kinds, like Spanish
mackerel, red snapper, rocksh,
swordsh or even tilapia can
be substituted. Cod sh is good
enough to serve on its own, but
tastes even better with this tasty
combination of ginger, slightly
sweetened and tangy sauce with
some selected vegetables, pine-
apple chunks, and juice.
Ingredients:
3 pieces cod sh steaks
(palm size)
vegetable oil for shallow
frying
half cup thinly sliced ginger
1-1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon saffron
salt to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
dissolved in 1/4 cup water
(slurry)
few pieces julienne or ow-
erettes carrot
12 pieces pineapple chunks
with juice (3 tablespoons)
6 pieces broccoli owerettes
or scallions (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped or
stripped red bell pepper
Methods:
Season both sides of the
sh with salt and pan fry in just
enough oil until golden brown.
Remove sh from skillet and set
aside on a plate lined with paper
towel.
Wipe clean the same skil-
let with paper towel and saut
ginger in a little bit of oil until
lightly brown. Add water, vin-
egar, sugar, saffron and season
with salt and bring to a boil.
Slightly thicken the sauce with
slurry then add the sh and the
rest of the vegetables including
the pineapple chunks and juice.
Then simmer for two more min-
utes and serve hot.
Editors Note about Master
Chef Evelyn: 100 Most Influential
Filipina Women in the U.S., 2009,
Filipina Womens Network; MHC
Most Outstanding Migrant Award
in Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC
Dakila Special Achievement Award,
2011; Owner/Chef, Philippine Ori-
ental Market & Deli, Arlington,
Virginia; Founder and President of
CHEW (Cancer Help Eat Well)
Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) public
charity formed to help and cook pro-
bono for Filipino-Americans who
are afflicted with cancer and other
serious illnesses; Culinary writer;
Member, Les Dames dEscoffier
International, Washington DC
Chapter; Member, International
Cake Exploration Society, Member,
Culinary Historians of Washington,
D.C.; Master Chef, French Cuisine
and Patisserie, Le Cordon Bleu,
London.
ITS A SIN
J
ohn was sitting outside the
local pub one day, enjoy-
ing a quiet drink and gener-
ally feeling good about himself,
when a nun suddenly appears at
his table and starts decrying the
evils of drinking.
You should be ashamed of
yourself young man! Drinking is
a sin! Alcohol is the blood of the
devil!
Now John gets pretty
annoyed about this, and goes on
the offensive.
How do you know this,
Sister?
My Mother Superior told
me so.
But have you ever had a
drink yourself? How can you be
sure that what you are saying is
right?
Dont be ridiculous - of
course I have never taken alcohol
myself
Then let me buy you a
drink - if you still believe after-
wards that it is evil I will give up
drinking for life.
How could I, a nun, sit out-
side this public house drinking?
Ill have the bartender put
it in a teacup for you, then no one
will ever know.
The nun reluctantly agrees,
so John goes inside the bar.
Another pint for me, and a
triple vodka on the rocks, then
he lowers his voice and says to
the bartender and could you
put the vodka in a teacup?
The bartender said, Oh no!
Its not that nun again is it?
SLOW GOLFERS
A pastor, a doctor and an
engineer were waiting one morn-
ing for a particularly slow group
of golfers.
Engineer: Whats with these
guys? We must have been wait-
ing for 15 minutes!
Doctor: I dont know, but
Ive never seen such ineptitude!
Pastor: Hey, here comes the
greens keeper. Lets have a word
with him. [dramatic pause] Hi
George. Say, whats with that
group ahead of us? Theyre
rather slow, arent they?
George: Oh, yes, thats a
group of blind re ghters. They
lost their sight saving our club-
house from a re last year, so
we always let them play for free
anytime.
The group was silent for a
moment.
Pastor: Thats so sad. I think
I will say a special prayer for
them tonight.
Doctor: Good idea. And Im
going to contact my ophthal-
mologist buddy and see if theres
anything he can do for them.
Engineer: Why cant these
guys play at night? They cant
see anyway.
WIFE
A serious drunk walked into
a bar and, after staring for some
time at the only woman seated at
the bar, walked over to her and
kissed her. She jumped up and
slapped him silly. He immedi-
ately apologized and explained,
Im sorry. I thought you were
my wife. You look exactly like
her.
Why you worthless, insuf-
ferable, wretched, no good
drunk! she screamed.
Funny, he muttered, you
even sound exactly like her.
ANAK
Mister: Malapit na akong
mamatay. Ipagtapat mo na sa
akin kung sino ang ama ng bunso
natin dahil siya lang ang pangit
sa siyam na mga anak natin.
Misis: Huwag ka sanang
magalit... siya lang ang tunay
mong anak!
LOLA
Dinala ang lola sa hospital
dahil sa paninikip ng dibdib.
Doctor: Lola, kailan ho ba
kayo huling nakipagtalik?
Lola: Mga 1955 pa.
Doctor: Matagal na ho pala
ano?
Lola: (Habang nakatingin
sa relo.) Di naman! 20:55 pa lang
naman ah!
TRABAHO
Nagkita si Juan at Pedro na
magkumpadreng matagal na
ring di nagkikita.
Juan: Pare saan ka nagta-
trabaho ngayon?
Pedro: Sa IBM, pare.
Juan: IBM? Eh, wala ka
namang computer background,
ah.
Pedro: Istambay Buong
Maghapon... IBM. Eh, ikaw pare
anong trabaho mo ngayon?
Juan: Chemist, pare
Pedro: Chemist? Paanong
nangyari yon eh, di ka naman
nag-college.
Juan: Ke mis-is umaasa,
pare.
HUNTING TRIP
Pumunta sa probinsiya si
Gorio upang mag-hunting.
Dinala siya ng guide sa
gubat at panay ang pagyaya-
bang na siya raw ay asintado at
wala pa raw siyang ti-narget na
di tinamaan. Sa lumaon nakakita
siya ng baboy-damo, inasinta...
binaril... sablay.
Nagkakamot ng ulo ang
guide, Akala ko po talagang
asintado kayo.
Asintado ako talaga,
napuwing lang ako kaya ako
sumablay. Para patunayan ko sa
iyo, babarilin ko nang nakapikit
yung lumilipad na mga ibon.
Duda pa rin ang guide,
Ayaw ko po yatang maniwala.
Talaga, manood ka,
Pumikit si Juan at pinaputok
ang baril. Nang dumilat siya,
hinanap ang ibon sa lupa.
Aba, pambihira pala ang
mga ibon dito sa inyo, tinamaan
mo na at lahat, eh nakakalipad
pa rin.
February 16-28, 2014 27
Setting goals
S
ome people I know still con-
tinue to make New Years
resolutions and set goals all
these years. Theyre a segment
of people who are so organized,
methodological and systematic.
Amongst them, a couple of
friends in Manila, another two
here in the U.S., one in Canada
fall in this genre and so with my
youngest daughter who lives in
Florida. Her goals are not listed
in just one category. They are
separated into different areas -
work, nancial, home and per-
sonal needs. Everything works
well with her perhaps because
being single, she solely makes
decisions. Things seem to be
falling into proper places, easier
to manage. But she complains
to me about having some pre-
mature grey hair. Perhaps also
having headaches and sleepless
nights? Talk about personal-
ity differences, her mind works
differently from my other two
older daughters, who happen
to operate with some deviations
from one another. Rochela is so
focused and persistent when she
sets her mind on reaching certain
goals. I am inclined to attribute
her mind set to the nature of her
professional work, a systems
development and business ana-
lyst. I nd her ways to be exact
and sometimes too rigid (I say
not a typical bunso behavior).
I am honestly amazed with her
because thinking of my own
ways and demeanor, I am per-
sistent but not that exacting. I
think my other two daughters,
Rowena and Rissa, have more
blissful sleep at night.
When I was younger, I used
to be very idealistic making big
resolutions and goals every year
and the years after. I did not
bother to take a stock and make
assessments if they were accom-
plished or not, just went on
further with the ow of motion
until I nished with my gradu-
ate studies. Time arrived when I
came to my full senses, realizing
the shallowness of my wasted
earlier efforts. By then, pri-
orities and focus have changed
and became very different from
my former immature ideolo-
gies. Teaching experience and
married life with four children
elevated my perspectives to a
higher level, setting goals that
would and should last beyond
January of each year. This led
me to x unnished or failed
past resolutions. From then on,
I became accustomed to listing
just small and doable ones. But
still sometimes, the seemingly
doable small goals and resolu-
tions could not be met with suc-
cess as daily life becomes busier,
if not a little complicated. There-
fore, changes in setting up goals
become constant.
I started the New Year
avoiding making new resolu-
tions on purpose simply because
I failed to accomplish some of
them in the recent past. I may not
have had total control to prevent
things from happening. On the
second thought, it is not too late
to set up goals now. Ten months
is a long time to work on some
things. I say, we cannot change
the past, but we can let it go and
embrace the present. Meanwhile,
we can stay open to see new pos-
sibilities of our goals for tomor-
row and make resolutions or
efforts to rm up our intentions.
Ergo, on again with my plans.
We Carry on with
Resolutions and Good
Deeds
With personal and family
related resolutions and goals
aimed for the year, we can add a
little more to the basket if we also
consider extending some help to
our less fortunate kababayan
in the Philippines. Many of us
generously gave already, but,
typhoon Yolanda will not be the
last for sure. We are also aware of
the numerous natural calamities
and disasters that happened here
in the U.S. like the tornadoes,
hurricanes, earthquakes, res,
windstorm, sinkholes, etc. But
as these catastrophes blast before
us, hope and faith are not lost, not
closing our eyes to our belief that
goes, Theres a reason for every-
thing, - things that our human
minds could not comprehend.
In the recent disasters both here
in the United States and in the
Philippines, as far as we could
see, understand and feel, many
good things have happened and
unfolded, in fact, still happening
and still unfolding . Compas-
sions were expressed, help and
good deeds were selessly given
in many forms by people all over
the world to many people most
in need in different places. These
are the manifestation of what we
simply call, The good Samari-
tans.
On the Lighter Side of
Things
As observed from many
of us, resolutions usually last
til about a month or so. There
are so many ready excuses to
make. For example, the goal to
lose weight by exercising: skip
the workout because it gets cold
and snowy, an important errand
came up, a long distance call
from a sister from California or
an overseas call from a brother
from Manila came in the way, a
necessary trip to the pharmacy,
a doctors appointment, or dog-
gies appointment with the vet
took a lot of time. Once you
skip the workout, you might as
well eat tons of ice-cream while
you are at it. On dieting: got
carried away with the extra deli-
cious Sans Rival dessert, couldnt
help nishing up the left-over
Paella for dinner, a sister cooked
the best Kare Kare in town so
good with bagoong and hot rice,
couldnt resist the crispy chich-
aron, waiting for the yogurt to
be on sale or forgot to include
romaine lettuce and tomatoes on
grocery list, etc., and just one
last time to have big dinner with
friends. On nancial goals: will
start trimming down expenses
tomorrow, could not pass up the
25- 50 % brand names sale in this
department store, buy two, get
one free knit top, buy top-of-the
line big TV set with free speak-
ers, use credit card for the last
time. Theres a lot more excuses
we can use to make our resolu-
tions and goals fail. Whatever, it
is our choice.
The name of the game is
will power, self-discipline and
control. Stay focused, be patient
and watch the results. The little,
daily, repeated-over-long-time
change can make a difference.
Hanging out with people who do
things bigger, better and faster
would be valuable in meeting
specic goals and resolutions;
also being with success-minded
people would continually help
us stay on the track. Good luck!
An Adage
You can put things in the
right perspective and believe in
happy endings because you are
the author of the story of your
life.
Valentines Are for
Fools Like Me
T
here is a eld of clovers
where every fourth leaf
has my name. Each rain-
drop drenches the thirst of a
faerie. A treasure chest is wait-
ing just beyond the horizon and
we each can choose our per-
fect wish. Every tear elevates
a friends heartache somehow
somewhere. Each kiss is saved
in a heart bank that doesnt get
depleted. And one day Santa will
tip toe to my room and leave the
moonbeam I longed for a lifetime
ago. ~Myrna Montera Lopez~
*******
Hello from Manila where
the temperatures are innitely
more tolerable than the frigid
climate in our home state of Vir-
ginia.
The day dedicated to the
heart is around the corner once
again. The Philippine malls have
nally discarded their Christ-
mas decorations. They are now
replaced by heart-shaped every-
thing. The Chinese New year
has saturated the country with
all hues of Kung-Hei-Fat-Choi
red. I didnt realize there are red,
redder, and Valentine reddest.
Mitch and I are overwhelmed by
the novelty of the offerings and
the look of dismay on the faces
of the hopeful lovers. Leche an
in a bottle?
How clever! Even the red
cellophane roses of my San
Carlos and SIH Nursing School
days have survived.
But what continues to
impress me is the unagging
support of my kababayans, my
countrymen, towards the victims
of ST Yolanda and the victims of
the earthquake that leveled cen-
turies-old churches in Bohol. The
enthusiasm has not diminished.
Funds donated by our interna-
tional friends received the most
attention because of the amount
and speed by which they opened
their hearts and pockets. How-
ever, private and public efforts
of the Filipinos here in the Phil-
ippines, unheralded for the most
part, remain. Advocacies are
on the rise. Filipinos put their
money where their hearts lie.
One friend braved the
danger of continued conict in
Mindanao and built a chapel
there at the behest of a nun-
friend, all from donations.
Tanan tanan diha gi donate.
Bisan ang mga lansang. Maka-
busog jud sa kasing-kasing.
(Everything was donated. Even
the nails. It satised and lled
the heart). It is now a place of
peace, quiet, and prayer. It is
a Catholic chapel but even the
Muslim girls are welcome and
take advantage of the chance to
connect with God. It pained us to
learn boys dont go to the chapel.
Most of them are drafted to ght
in the civil war and their sisters
are left to wonder and pray for
their safety.
The nuns encourage one
and all to seek refuge there, but
refrain from proselytizing and
strong-arm conversions. They
rmly believe such should come
from the heart. Mam, unsaon
man pag pray sa inyong Jesus?
(Lady, how do we pray to your
Jesus?) Now how does one put
a price on that?
While at lunch with some
high school friends, I learned that
Christmas was scaled down for
them. Some gave up watching a
show they looked forward to
because it was a choice between
that and a bigger donation to the
Yolanda relief efforts.
What is it about living in
America that makes us extra vul-
nerable, our hearts easily bruised
by the poverty and shabbiness
we see when we visit the Phil-
ippines? In Cebu along Jones
Avenue I had to tug my husband
away from staring at a man lying
on a lthy banig, a native sleep-
ing mat, with a baby beside him.
I pretended not to see the tears
that welled up in Mitchs eyes.
That evening Typhoon Basyang
swept through the city. We won-
dered how the man and the baby
managed through the rain and
the winds. We took a walk the
next day and saw the same man
prostrate on the ground, sleep-
ing, with the same infant beside
him. They are made of sturdier
stuff than we imagined.
I think back to the non-stop
fund raising by all the Filipino
organizations in America. Mil-
lions of dollars have been col-
lected and sent towards the bet-
terment of Filipinos in dire need
here. I am beset by feelings of
inadequacy and hopelessness.
Where have all that money gone?
Continued on page 30
February 16-28, 2014 28 28
Happy $weetheart day
N
o, the head is not a joke. The $
signies the amount of money
sweethearts would shower on
their love ones on Valentines Day. The
richer they are the more expensive the
gifts.
It is said that Pope Gelasius 1 declared
February 14 as Valentines Day after a
clergyman was executed on that day
for secretly marrying couples in ancient
Rome in A.D. 496.
Expressing ones love is a celebrated
custom among humans. How this popu-
lar custom started is still the subject of
debate. But Tsismoso believes sharks
were already in existence at that time that
they started funding the inventors of
Valentine cards, chocolates, owers and
other symbols of love to mass market
their products. Today, these have become
the reason for the lovelorns to empty their
wallets.
Instead of expressing ones love
through cards, owers, etcetera, why not
just a big embrace, a kiss, a date in the
movies, the mo..oopsm etcetera. These do
not cost money. Direct expression of love
can now be done better than owers, cards
and chocolates. With the I-pad, I-phonem
Facebook, Twitter, skype, instagram and
other forms of social media to communi-
cate to a lover. Who needs chocolates that
melt, owers that wilt, cards with stupid
messages that does not come from the
deepest bottom of ones haert.
Why, for instance should sweet-
hearts and family members present gifts
to one another having each other is a gift
by itself. For these reasons Tsismoso is
launching a crusate to banish Valentines
Day cards and all other forms of gifts that
actually do not warm the hearts. Instead,
it strikes the pocketbooks of people. In the
age of social media, there is no more need
for these money-making schemes.
Because of commercialization of the
affairs of the heart, the Census Bureau has
regularly issued statistics on the number
of outts making money from Valentine:
-Candy. 1,148 the number of U.S.
manufacturing establishments that pro-
duced chocolate and cocoa products in
2011, employing 35,538 people. California
led the nation with 122 of these establish-
ments, followed by Pennsylvania, with
109.
-Florists: 15,307 is the total number
of orists establishments nationwide in
2011. These businesses employed 66,165
people and the value of imported roses as
of October, 2013 totalled $354,703,231.
-Jewelry: 23,394 the estimated
number of jewelry stores in the United
States in 2011.Jewelry stores offer engage-
ment, wedding and other rings to couples
of all ages. In February 2013, these stores
sold an estimated $2.8 billion in merchan-
dise.
- Median age for rst marriage- 29.0
and 26.6 years
***
Culled some jokes from Yahoo:
Roger, who was 19 years old, was
buying an expensive bracelet, to surprise
his girlfriend on Valentines Day, and ws
discussing his needs with the jeweler at
Tiffanys.
The jeweler inquired, Would you
like your girlfriends name engraved on
it?
Roger thought for a moment, grinned,
then answered, No, instead engrave
To my one and only love. The jew-
eler smiled and said, Yes, sir; how very
romantic of you.
Roger retorted with a glint in his eye,
Not exactly romantic, but very practi-
cal. This way, if we break up, I can use it
again.
----
A young woman was taking an after-
noon nap. After she woke up, she told her
husband, I just dreamt that you gave me
a pearl necklace for Valentines DayWhat
do you think it means?
You shall know tonight, he said.
That evening, the man came home with
a small package and gave it to his wife.
Delighted, she opened it. She found a
book entitled The Meaning of Dreams.
-----
A guy walks into a post ofce one day
to see a middle-aged, balding man stand-
ing at the counter systematically pasting
Love stamps on bright pink envelopes
with hearts all over them. He then takes
out a perfume bottle and starts spraying
scent all over them. The guys curiosity
gets the better of him and he walks up to
the balding man and asks him what he is
doing.
The man says, Im sending out one
thousand Valentine cards signed, Guess
who?
But why? asks the guy. The man
replies, Im a divorce lawyer.
---
The honeymoon is over when the
husband calls home to say hell be late for
dinner and the answering machine says it
is in the microwave.
Editorial
So, Whats Wrong
with Tinikling?
Despite all the hype about multicultural diversity in this country,
its not uncommon for the American public to associate Filipinos as
those nice people who do the bamboo dance really well. Not sur-
prisingly, our dances along with our delicious food and colorful
costumes get highlighted during Asian Pacic American Heritage
Month.
Year in and year out, the same things are featured over and over
again. As if Tinikling, Adobo and Barong Tagalog are the only things
that dene us, that portray who we really are. The same goes for other
ethnic groups.
The Maryland Governors Ofce of Community Initiatives wants
to change all that. Last year, it created a Joint Task Force on Education,
comprised of representatives from various ethnic groups, including
the Commission on Asian Pacic American Affairs.
The APA team drafted a document, Essential Understandings for
Asian Pacic Americans, and is asking for community feedback and
comment. (See Story on Page 19).
The working draft basically challenges persistent myths, stereo-
types and derogatory terms applied to APAs by highlighting their
long history in the United States and the changing demographics of
the APA community brought about by changes in U.S. immigration
policy.
We commend the Governors initiative in strengthening a greater
awareness and understanding of the states various ethnic groups. We
share the hope that this effort will help teachers and administrators in
their work with our increasingly diverse population.
To be taken seriously as citizens and contributors in this country,
we must move beyond the food, the costume and the dance. Filipinos
in America excel not only in ballrooms but also in boardrooms. From
arts to the sciences, we have shown that we are just as creative, com-
petitive and competent as everyone else.
So, whats wrong with Tinikling? Nothing, if all were doing is
showing how quick and nimble our feet are, stepping in and out of
bamboo poles. But if thats all we are going to be known for and noth-
ing else, then thats whats wrong. Because theres more to us than
that.

Continued on page 30
February 16-28, 2014 29
Macho man
T
he Philippine government
under PNoy Aquino is on
the verge of sealing the
deal with the Moro Islamic Lib-
eration Front (MILF) to end the
Muslim rebellion in Mindanao
that never seems to go away. The
political arrangement will create
an autonomous region for the
largely Muslim populated areas.
I have spoken with a former
Philippine Ambassador to the
US and he seems convinced that
this agreement is for real and
could bring peace this time.
There are still skeptics. Not
that the government has bungled
the negotiations, but we have
seen a similar picture before.
Under former Pres. Fidel Ramos,
the government placated Nur
Misuari of the Moro National Lib-
eration Front (MNLF) by carving
out an autonomous region with
Misuari at the helm. But some of
his sidekicks were unhappy and
continued their rebellion under
the banner of MILF. This after
the government has invested
millions of pesos into Misuaris
autonomous region.
Now that the MILF are
ready to return to the govern-
ment fold, a breakaway band
known as BangsaMoro Islamic
Fighting Front (BIFF) continue to
take up arms harassing civilians
and the military in the Muslim
countryside.
What is the lesson here?
When you make a deal, be wary
of the party that loves to use the
F letter. or you could be F#?!%*,
meaning, you could be Fooled.
***
The Philippines has not
run short supply of macho men.
The early pages of history had
Lapu-lapu, the man, not the sh,
who stood up to the rst man
from the west named Magellan
who tried to subjugate the early
Cebuanos, Andres Bonifacio
who tried to fend off Spanish
guns with his bolo and Gregorio
Del Pilar whose blood and guts
resistance at Tirad Pass could
rival the courage of the defend-
ers of the Alamo.
Now we have Pnoy Aquino.
Really? No kidding, Pnoy
Aquino, the under six feet bach-
elor president who according to
my wise barber looks not strong
enough to tackle a lady.
The sleeping giant has
awakened and the name is
China. The behemoth in Asia
now seeks to exercise dominion
over sea lanes and islets proxi-
mate to the Philippines. China
has deployed gunboats to deter
Filipino shermen from making
a living in their own backyard
while facilitating the harvest of
Philippines natural resources by
Chinese shermen.
The Philippines has no
navy to repel might with might.
But Pnoy would not cower and
yield to the bullying tactics of
the Chinese communists. He
can only re stinging words to
shame the Chinese in the world
of public opinion. He dared to
cite the initial reluctance of the
free world to confront the expan-
sionist designs of Adolf Hitler
before invading Czechoslovakia.
The Chinese went bananas at the
insolence of PNoy.
Getting their
bearing
A
s Washington braced for
yet another winter storm,
news that the GOP-dom-
inated House of Representatives
passed a clean debt bill spared
the nation of another kind of
calamity. It can only be a wel-
come sign for Republicans and
an omen for Democrats who are
forced to wrestle with apparently
chronic defects in the implemen-
tation of the Affordable Care Act
aka Obamacare.
Some have branded House
Speaker John Boehners deci-
sion to open the debt bill to oor
vote, passing mostly on Demo-
cratic votes, as surrender. It
averted another possibly conten-
tious showdown that could have
rattled markets and damage an
already precarious economic
recovery. And the arithmetic
hasnt changed from last years
partial government shutdown
that hurt Republicans more than
their opponents. The numbers
clearly showed the GOP would
lose again if they chose to block
the debt bill.
Meanwhile, the White
House delayed once more the
health insurance mandate for
medium-sized employers until
2016, two years longer than
originally envisioned under
the ACA. Under new Treasury
Department guidelines, compa-
nies with 100 workers or more
are also getting a one-year grace
period. The postponements have
been seen as the administrations
way of courting the business
community.
Republicans have pounced
on this to drive home their nearly
manic aversion to Obamacare.
They argued that it was unfair to
delay the rules for businesses but
not for individuals who would
be still subject to nes for non-
compliance with the ACA man-
date. It is time for fairness for
all, declared House Energy &
Commerce committee chairman
Fred Upton of Michigan.
All this only highlights the
obvious: Obamacare will be the
key battle ground come Novem-
ber.
And Democrats could very
well stop counting on Republi-
cans to self-destruct in the polls.
Boehners recent moves suggest
that while tea party conserva-
tives will remain a potent if noisy
force within the GOP, they may
never get the chance to hijack the
party into disastrous, untenable
positions that moves it farther
from winning back control of
Washington.
At the same time they are
giving political cover for other-
wise viable candidates that may
be forced to expose their anks
because of over-heated nomina-
tion ghts. It may also push the
GOP closer to the center and give
independent voters a real choice.
Perhaps it may even compel
partisans to stop cheering candi-
dates who insist victims of legit-
imate rape rarely get pregnant.
Im one who truly believes
that if we get this issue behind
us, and behave ourselves, well
be in the majority here on this
side, in the next six months,
said Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.).
It now seems clear that
Boehner and presumably the
rest of the Republican leadership
will steer clear of controversies
that may divert the focus away
from Obamacare. They have set
Opinion
Continued on page 30
Once Upon a Kiss
I
magine a 5-year-old boy
handing a 3-year-old girl a
violet, then asking her to suck
the nectar out. Imagine the same
boy nine years later sucking the
same girls lips the rst and the
last stolen kiss. Or so the 12-year-
old thought until she met him
again after 42 years.
Amazing things happen in
the name of love. And the story
of Vic Vizarra and Aida Hulen
of Gaithersburg, MD. is one that
simply afrms its crazy power.
Aida says she didnt know
it then, what it was that made
her heart utter when Vic, ten
kilometers away, would ride a
jeepney to her barrio in Tawig,
Marinduque. Hed come visit
every Friday, she recalls. But
he didnt say anything. He just
kept glancing at me.
There were butteries in her
stomach, she remembers. And
heart pumping and pulses racing
when she saw him coming.
For his part, he found all
kinds of excuses to pursue his
infatuation, his crush, or what-
ever you call it. But he was sure
its love. Mahal, thats what he
called her.
And then one day, he
couldnt resist the urgent trem-
ors in his heart, the aching in
his loins, the burning desire in
his soul. Silent waters, it is said,
run deep. And to Vic, action
was louder than words. His
mouth moved closer to hers.
She couldnt, didnt resist. Time
stood still for starry-eyed lovers.
He was 14. She was 12 going
on 13.
But after The Kiss, she never
saw him again. Heart-broken,
she yearned for the boy she
thought shed marry someday,
the tall and handsome boy who
called her mahal, the frequent
visitor who suddenly stopped
courting. Not a word from him if
he still even cared.
He left for the big city to
study engineering, distracted by
grids, graphs and girls. He later
immigrated to California where
his unbridled passions led to
a hasty wedding. Still, he was
a good husband and father to
three children.
Pride kept me from asking
his whereabouts, she says as the
days turned to months, years.
She dealt with the absence and
the pain and moved on,
nding herself studying
international relations at the
University of Maryland, later
landing a job in the Montgom-
ery County Public Schools. Mar-
ried for 26 years until her hus-
band died of cancer in 2008, she
never envisioned loving another
man again. I didnt want to go
through all the hassle of dating,
she says. Shes happy just going
out with 22-year-old Loren, their
only child.
But thanks to Facebook,
Vic and Aida are back together
again, after more than four
decades of separation. Now in
their mid-50s, theyre still as
giddy as the teenage lovers they
had once been.
Vic led for divorce the
month after reuniting with Aida
in September 2011. I discour-
aged him from doing it, she
says. But Vic decided to risk
everything.
A SPECIAL TREAT. Find-
ing his muse, the engineer whos
into solar power has written
The Fire Within, a book of love
poems dedicated to Adelaida, the
love of his life. As described by
PALM President Mitzi Pickard
during a recent poetry reading,
replete with chocolate, wine and
roses: Its a true-to-life story of
two young lovers from an island
paradise who were separated for
42 years, but found each other
once more on Facebook. Both
have humble beginnings, yet
have bright minds, which have
helped them conquer the odds
and become successful in their
respective careers. Despite the
long years of separation, each
having lived their own lives with
their respective families, their
love for each other remains.
One critic panned the book
amateurish. But, says PAFC
Board Chairman Sonny Busa,
who read one of the poems,
taking a pedantic and scholarly
view totally misses the point.
Continued on page 30
Continued on page 30
Vic Vizarra and Aida Hulen
February 16-28, 2014 30 30
Cheers to Pnoy, may you
nally nd your Valentine.
***
CVS Pharmacy announced
that it will discontinue sale of
cigarettes and other tobacco
products in its pharmacies, it
being inconsistent with the pro-
motion of good health.
Pres. Barack Obama
applauded the CVS move saying
that it will reduce deaths from
cancer and heart disease, bring
down health care costs and save
families from untold pain and
heartbreaks for years to come.
Now, turn the page to pot.
In a recent interview with The
New Yorker magazine, Obama
doesnt appear disturbed by the
legalization of marijuana for
recreational use in the states of
Washington and Colorado. This
contravenes federal law that he is
sworn to uphold.
Obama claims that mari-
juana is no more harmful than
alcohol. Really? He may be talk-
ing from experience, but former
Democratic Representative Pat-
rick Kennedy disagrees pointing
out that the marijuana of today is
far more potent than the pot that
Obama used to burn in his youth.
Kennedy, a recovering or recov-
ered drug and alcohol addict is
speaking from experience. Even
Obamas chief of Drug Enforce-
ment Administration expressed
disagreement with her boss, and
so does the American Society of
Addiction Medicine.
So heres the Obama doc-
trine. Banish cigarettes from
store shelves for good health
sake. As for pot? Dont worry, be
happy.
their laser sights on the issue.
The strategy that should have
been their credo during their last
few years is nally gaining some
traction in the GOP.
Of course Democrats still
have a considerable arsenal they
can wield in the months leading
up to the November polls. They
have the edge in technology
and organization. And for most
accounts, they still enjoy the
momentum despite the growing
head winds.
How they can sustain that
and stay ahead is perhaps their
biggest challenge. And for a
green observer of American
politics, thats what really bears
watching.
Getting their bearing... from page 29 Macho man... from page 29
No one will mistake Vics poems
as a classic of the art. They are a
grammarians nightmare. Thats
what gives it its charm. More-
over, Vics passion and dedica-
tion cannot be denied. And that
trumps all else. The master poets
of our time rst and foremost
captured the feelings that ema-
nated from deep down in their
hearts. Vic does that. To be in
the same room with the object of
his affection was a special treat.
Maurese Owens, who also
read one of the poems, later
confessed admiration at a love
that spanned the years; lost and
found and allowed to ourish
to its fullest. And astonishment
at an engineer writing in such
rhapsodic, rhythmic language.
Where did that all come from?
Inspiration and re!
I can personally relate to
ve-year-old Vics ardor when
he handed three-year-old Aida
a violet and told her to suck the
nectar out of the ower. He was
watching her bathe in the river,
waiting to seize the moment as
she emerged from the water with
long hair dripping wet, a towel
wrapped around her body. Long
before the loss of innocence, it
was an image forever etched in
his mind.
In my case, I had a crush
on my Grade I teacher, 20 years
older and two feet taller. But
mine were simply foolish day-
dreams during class of her bath-
ing in the river and emerging
from the water all dripping wet
with nothing to conceal those
body parts my mother warned
would make me blind if I didnt
close my eyes.
But my own ve-year-old
fantasy instantly collided with
adult reality. The crush crushed
me unceremoniously when my
teacher summoned me to the
blackboard and I peed in my
pants. Dripping wet and bawl-
ing shamelessly, I was consoled
by Miss Valencia, bending down
to eye level, one hand running
through my hair and the other
cupping my face the closest to
an erotic pleasure only an embar-
rassed ve-year-old could possi-
bly imagine. It wasnt something
to wax poetic about, however.
But Vic didnt need to day-
dream. He knew his love for
Aida was real then, from the
moment he offered a ower to
the moment he moved in for a
kiss. And love is real still, deter-
mined and deant, despite or
in spite of what happened in
between.
What matters in the end is
the re within.
Send your comments to
jdmelegrito@gmail.com
court.
And the clearest justica-
tion of all for Arroyos deten-
tion is that not a pip has been
heard from the public protest-
ing her incarceration. It would
stand to reason that because of
the restored freedoms of the
people, people would be freer
today than during martial law
to express disagreement over
Arroyos detention if they are so
inclined.
But no such protest. As
Joseph Estrada has repeatedly
remarked: Kawawa naman si
Gloria kasi walang naawa sa
kanya. Very concise but very
telling.
Its safe to conclude that
Imelda was just playing for the
gallery. Is there anybody buying
it?
Imelda Exploits.. from page 24
alleged. There was no one else
in the living room I stood at the
door and from there I could see,
Ang porsiyento naman ni
Atty Gigi Reyes ay pinapadala
ni Madame Jenny kay Fernando
Ramirez o kay John Raymund
de Asis sa bahay ni Atty Reyes
mismo,. (The commission of
Atty Gigi Reyes was given by
Madame Jenny [Napoles] to
Fernando Ramirez or John Ray-
mund de Asis to be delivered to
the house of Atty Reyes herself.)
Which residence? Investiga-
tive reporter Chay Holena has
documented that by 2012, Reyes
real estate property acquisitions
totalled about P50.86 million.
These are reected in her State-
ment of Sssets and Liabilities.
These covered 10 residen-
tial properties, including two
houses in Matuod, Lian, Batan-
gas and the house and lot in La
Vista. Of the 10 listed items 4 are
lots all located in Matuod, Lian,
Batangas. The 10 real property
assets are identical to her listing
in 2011,
Holena asked: How did
Reyes do that with a salary of
just over a million pesos a year,?
In 2010, she built a house
also in Batangas worth P1.5
million. Basta? No sir. She
then bought a residential condo-
minium unit and parking space
at Fairways Towers in Taguig
worth P6.45 million.
In 2011, she had a net worth
of P29.36 million That was more
than double her net worth in
2004, which is Reyes earliest
SALN on record with the Civil
Service Commission.
n 2004, when she was
already Enriles chief of staff,
Reyes had a net worth of P12.8
million and two properties: a
house and lot in La Vista bought
for P2..5 million in 2002, and a
residential lot in South Ridge
Subdivision in Tagaytay worth
P1.4 million.
Besides the vehicles and
her P3-million time deposit, the
next big item in her personal
properties list for 2012 was jew-
elry worth P3 million, Holena
wrote.. Among her weaknesses,
said those who know her, are
jewelry and designer bags.
Reyes was also acknowl-
edged to be inuential. Long-
time employees at the Senate
said that when Enrile was Senate
president and she was chief
of staff, permanent positions
needed her approval. Kung
hindi ka malakas, hindi mo
makukuha ang position, one
former employee said. (If you
were not favored by her, you
wouldnt get the position.)
Ms Gigi reacted when
Enriles lawyer Enrique dela
Cruz said the Senate president
never authorized anyone to
enter into an illegal transaction.
If they did, they should be held
responsible. On Facebook
she snapped: the worst blow
has just been dealt upon me by
no less than the camp of Sena-
tor Juan Ponce Enrile, the man I
served with full dedication, hon-
esty and loyalty for 25 years.
Id be equally as willing for
a dentist to be drilling / Than
to ever let a woman in my life,
Professor Higgins sang in My
Fair Lady.
Women in our... from page 25
Has this been a fools errand
after all? To my eyes weve not
made a dent. Nada. Zilch.
With an effort, I give myself
a mental shake. Didnt Jesus
acknowledge the poor will
always be with us? I take that to
mean this feeling of hopelessness
should not render us inutil, use-
less, and catatonic in the face of
such a task. One soul at a time.
One heart at a time. Every ges-
ture of kindness, however small
and seemingly inconsequen-
tial, is acknowledged in a bal-
ance sheet of hearts in the sky.
I am fool enough to cling to that
thought.
Happy Hearts Day. May
the gift of love be with you. If all
else fail, bribe Cupid and tell him
where and who to aim at.
Valentines Are for... from page 27
com or call her at 571-432-8335 or
email at realdealconsulting@yahoo.
com for a free confidential evalu-
ation of your property, individual
situation, property value, and pos-
sible options.
Love Buy... from page 25
Once Upon a Kiss... from page 29
---
As Valentines day was
approaching, Charlie decided
to buy a special gift for his new
girlfriend, Ruth. The couple had
not been dating for very long,
and so Charlie wanted to make
sure the gift was just right. Ruth
was always complaining about
having cold hands, and so Char-
lie - after careful consideration -
decided a good gift would be a
nice pair of gloves.
Charlie took his sister with
him to buy the gift - he wanted
a womans opinion. they found
a nice pair of gloves at the store,
and Charlies sister purchased a
pair of panties at the same time.
Unfortunately, the sales clerk got
the two items mixed up.
Charlie mailed his Valen-
tines Day gift to Ruth, accom-
panied by the following note:
I chose this Valentines Day
gift as I noticed that you often
dont wear any when we go
out in the evenings. If it had not
been for my sister, I would have
chosen the ones with buttons,
but she prefers short ones that
are much easier to remove.
---
These are a lovely colour.
The lady at the store where I
bought them showed me the pair
she had been wearing for the
past three weeks, and they were
hardly soiled at all. I had her try
yours on for me and they looked
quite lovely.
I wish I was there to put
them on you for the rst time;
no doubt, other hands will come
into contact with them before I
have a chance to see you again.
When you take them off, remem-
ber to blow on them lightly
before putting them away as
they will naturally be a little
damp from wearing.
Just think how many times
Ill be kissing them in the future.
I hope youll wear them Friday
night for me.
Love,
Charlie
Washington Tisimis... from page 28
February 16-28, 2014 31
February 16-28, 2014 32 32