MM I D W E E K

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

1210 S Brand Blvd Glendale CA 91204

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

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

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

L o s A n g e L e s

Volume 26 - No 36 bull 3 Sections - 22 Pages

May 4-6 2016

MM I D W E E K

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

1210 S Brand Blvd Glendale CA 91204

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

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

THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY May 5-11

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DATELINEUSAfrom the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

DIVINE INTERVENTION Presidential candidates Vice President Jejomar Binay shakes hands with Manuel Roxas after signing the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) Elections after a Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Monday May 2 The signing was witnessed by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista among others CBCP photo by Roy Lagarde

the Philippines is poised to be the fastest growing economy in south-east Asia this year and the next the International monetary fund (Imf) said in a new regional report

In its ldquoregional economic out-look for Asia and the Pacificrdquo the multilateral institution forecasts higher 2016-2017 gross domes-tic product (GDP) growth for the Philippines compared to the rest of Association of southeast Asian Na-tions (Asean)-5

the Imf said Philippine real GDP growth is likely to hit 6 percent this year and 62 percent in 2017 higher than Indonesiarsquos 49 and 53 percent malaysiarsquos 44 and 48 percent thai-landrsquos 3 percent and 32 percent and singapore 18 percent and 22 per-cent respectively

Domestic demandldquothe modest uptick in growth is ex-

pected to be driven by the continued strength of domestic demand which will more than offset the drag from net exports the latter will remain sub-dued but spillovers from China are

IMF PH to be fastest-growing ASEAN economy for next two years

LIBerAL Party presidential bet manuel ldquomarrdquo roxas 2nd Vice President Jejomar Binay and 16 senatorial aspirants signed a covenant for truthful responsible Upright transparent and honest (trUth) elections on monday may 2 a week before the country goes to the polls

the two presidential candidates and the other bets vowed to avoid using violence deceit fraud and other unfair and dishonest practices

they also pledged to refrain from using guns goons and gold

the senatorial candidates who signed the pact were sen Vicente sotto III former Justice secretary Leila de Lima former Interior secretary rafael Alunan III manila Vice mayor Isko moreno former metropoli-tan manila Development Authority Chairman fran-cis tolentino former special Action force chief Leo

Binay Roxas sign pact for honest truthful polls

the BANGKo sentral ng Pili-pinas (BsP) and the Anti-money Laundering Council (AmLC) on monday may 2 said leaked in-formation on the bank accounts allegedly owned by presiden-tial aspirant rodrigo ldquoDigongrdquo Duterte did not come from them

ldquoWe would like to categorically

BSP AMLC deny leaking Dutertersquos bank info

Strong demand to drive GDP at fastest pace among Asean-5

ZAmBoANGA CItY ndash ten In-donesian sailors kidnapped by the Abu sayyaf were freed on sunday may 1 after five weeks in captivity

officials said emissaries dropped off the 10 tugboat crew-men at the home of sulu Gov Abdusakur tan Jr in Jolo during a heavy midday downpour

ldquothe report (of their release) is confirmed they were there I saw themrdquo Jolo police director supt Junpikar sitin said

ldquothey appeared tired but were in high spiritsrdquo he added

10 Indonesian hostages released by Abu Sayyaf CAVIte mdash Presidential aspirant senator Grace

Poe hit the administration anew on tuesday may 3 saying that people are already fed up and ldquodisil-lusionedrdquo with its ldquodaang matuwidrdquo (straight path) policy

ldquoAng mga tao ay sawang-sawa na ang mga tao ay disillusioned dahil palaging idinidiin lsquodaang matuwid daang matuwidrsquo samantalang nakikita naman natin ang serbisyo ay palpak sa maraming ahensya ng gobyernordquo Poe said in an interview af-ter holding a motorcade in this vote-rich province for more than six hours

(The Filipino people are fed up they are disil-lusioned with the ldquostraight pathrdquo policy while we see that the services in many government agencies are inefficient)

ldquomatagal ko nang pinupuna rin lsquoyan Nakikita natin na hindi nagiging prayoridad ang pangan-gailangan ng ating mga kababayan Kaya para sa ating mga kababayan iniisip nila lsquobakit niyo sina-sabi na napakabuti ninyo kung kinakalimutan niyo

naman kamirdquo(i have been criticizing this We can see that the

necessities of our countrymen are not prioritized Thatrsquos why for our our countrymen they think ldquowhy are you claiming that you are great when you are neglecting usrdquo)

ldquohindi ko naman sinasabing nakadirekta sa

Poe Filipinos fed up with lsquostraight pathrsquo policy

the primary suspect of the heinous mur-der of 23-year-old Karie Ces ldquoAikardquo mojica in olongapo City Zambales in July last year was extradited by the Us back to the Philippines on sunday may 1

filipino-American Jonathan Dewayne Vi-ane 29 was turned over by agents of the fed-eral Bureau of Investigation (fBI) after getting arrested in Iowa september 3 of last year Vi-ane arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 4 am sunday morning

Viane allegedly murdered mojica a store supervisor and his wifersquos best friend last July 25 the murder went viral on social media after mojicarsquos body was found burned stran-gled and shot before being disposed in a dike in san felipe Zambales

reports say that mojica had a conversation with Viane the night before her murder she was convincing him to allow his wife to bring their 4-year-old son back to the Us

Viane fled outside the country after the

US extradites Fil-Am suspect in Olongapo murder

WAshINGtoN DC ndash members of the government private sector and the aca-deme gathered at the Johns hopkins school of Advanced International studies (sAIs) for a symposium entitled ldquoPhilippines 2016 Gov-ernance Growth Development and securityrdquo on thursday April 28

Philippine Ambassador to the United states Jose L Cuisia in his keynote address de-scribed the Philippinesrsquo path towards good governance growth and development as challenging fulfilling and dynamic crediting the countryrsquos economic transformation to the good governance program of the Aquino Ad-ministration and economic policies centered on inclusive growth

Ambassador Cuisia also cited the deepen-ing Philippines-Us relations along the defense and security people-to-people and economic tracks as an avenue of continued cooperation for the next administration

ldquothe Philippines is committed to be a pro-active reliable and responsible ally of the Us but more importantly a strong Philippines is

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growth and relations with the US

by Mayvelin U CaraballoManilaTimesnet

by llanesCa T PanTiManilaTimesnet

by ben o de veraChrisTine o avendantildeo

and nintildea P CallejaInquirernet

by Maila agerInquirernet

uPAGE A4

uPAGE A4

uPAGE A4

by roel ParentildeoPhilstarcom

state that the BsP and the AmLC are not the source of the docu-ments and information being cited by a vice presidential candi-date regarding the alleged bank accounts of a certain presidential candidaterdquo the BsP officer in charge (oIC) Vicente s Aquino said in a statement

he was referring to sen An-tonio trillanes IV a vice presi-dential candidate and Duterte a presidential candidate

trillanes earlier said that he did

not get from the AmLC records of Dutertersquos bank accounts which showed transactions amount-ing to P24 billion from 2006 to 2015

he said the documents came from someone who got them from a relative working with an agency that was investigating ill-gotten wealth of public officials

Duterte first denied the exis-tence of his bank account at the BPI branch on Julia Vargas Av-

Mayor Rodrigo ldquoDigongrdquo Duterte

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe Inquirernet file photo

uPAGE A3

uPAGE A3 uPAGE A4

uPAGE A3

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

YOUR OWN PIECE OF QUIET LUXURY IN CEBU

After years of hard work come home to a place of

quiet luxury in Cebu the newest global metropolis One such de-velopment project is underway Its builders had in mind the future homeowner who has worked hard for many years and will now be able to relax in his own home close to everything yet away from it all

It seems far away from the busy economic district and the grid-locked streets but is actually right within the center where everything is within reach Located along a national highway it is flood-free due to its elevation of 100 meters above sea level

With the names Kenneth Cobon-pue Budji Layug and Royal Pineda composing its world-class design team SUNDANCE RESIDENCES is certainly an attractive residential investment

It has a Party Hall where res-idents can hold gatherings with family and friends For the health and fitness enthusiast a gym with modern equipment is available A jogging path outdoor playground

prayer room meditation garden and a poolside lounge within the property are all part of the whole design

Sundance Residences is devel-oped by Worldwide Central Proper-ties With over 40 years of experi-

ence and expertise in the steel and construction supply business you have the assurance of quality in-tegrity and commitment as it raises the bar in building homes and cre-ating self-sustained healthy com-

munitiesHere are eight rea-

sons why you choose right with Sundance Residences

1 Your own private hillside home Located on the hills of Banawa your snug getaway af-fords you fresh moun-tain air a serene com-fortable distance from the urban center

2 Convenience and Accessibility Away but not far your home is a walk to and from the malls and easily accessi-ble via public transport Near schools churches hospitals your home is a only a ride away to the business district

3 Family-centered amenities Sundance Residences is the coun-tryrsquos first child amp family-friendly residential development group

With their Day Care Center Fitness Gym pool jogging path and Sky garden fa-cilities which ensure family bonding they are also spiritually strengthened at the Prayer Room

4 Elegantly functional by de-sign Backed by a team of world-class design consultants such as Kenneth Co-bonpue Royal Pine-da and Budji Layug

Sundance Residences is an archi-tectural feast for the senses

5 A developer you can fully rely on Worldwide Central Proper-ties Inc is an integral part of the Worldwide Steel Group Inc which includes reputable home-grown

brands such as Worldwide Steel and Worldwide Home Depot The group has a tried and tested track record in the construction industry for over 40 years

6 A quality home at an afford-able priceDelivered finished with upper and bottom kitchen cabinets and gran-ite counter top among others add-ed in Sundance Residences units are relatively larger compared to other developments

7 Move-in hassle freeSix months before turn-over of the units residents are presented with the option to choose from the stan-dard designs for their units with recommended furniture and appli-ances to maximize space

8 Best Value for your MoneyAt an affordable price Sundance Residences with its prime com-mercial and residential location is an unbeatable investment

For more information visit wwwworldwidecentralpropertiescom

Party Hall

Poolside Lounge with Bar

Sky Garden

Worldwide Central Properties executives with design team Architect Royal Pineda and Kenneth Cobonpue

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 AFrom the Front Page

NEW LAWYERS Bar passers hug each other after the Supreme Court released the list of successful examinees A graduate of the University of the Philippines topped the 2015 Bar examinations with a grade of 8740 percent Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro chairman of the 2015 Committee on the Bar Examinations on Tuesday said 1731 or 26 percent of the 6605 examinees passed The new members of the Bar will take their oath in June ManilaTimesnet photo by Mary Rose Piano

and will continue to be smaller [in the Philippines] than in other parts of the regionrdquo it said

The IMF added that domes-tic demand would benefit from higher public consumption and investment growth but private demand was also expected to re-main buoyant helped by low un-employment low oil prices and higher workersrsquo remittances

ldquoPrivate investment growth is expected to remain robust owing to improvements in public infra-structure and implementation of public-private partnership proj-ectsrdquo it said

The IMF forecasts were lower than the governmentrsquos 68 per-cent to 78 percent target for 2016 as well as the 66 percent to 76 percent range set for 2017

GDP growth eased to 58 per-cent last year from 61 percent in 2014 on the back of a slowdown in exports and other factors

Asia growth engineMeanwhile the IMF said

growth in Asia and the Pacific is expected to remain strong at 53 percent this year and next ac-counting for almost two-thirds of global growth

Despite a slight moderation it

IMF PH to be fastest-growing ASEANhellipsaid Asia remains the engine of global growth

While external demand remains sluggish domestic demand con-tinues to show resilience across most of the region driven by low unemployment growth in dis-posable income lower commod-ities prices and macroeconomic stimulus it added

ldquoOf course Asia is impacted by the still weak global recovery and by the ongoing and neces-sary rebalancing in Chinardquo said Changyong Rhee director of the Asia and Pacific Department at the IMF

ldquoBut domestic demand has remained remarkably resilient throughout most of the region supported by rising real in-comes especially in commodity importers and supportive mac-roeconomic policies in many countriesrdquo he added

Facing risksHowever IMF stressed that the

region faces a number of exter-nal challenges including slow growth in advanced economies a broad slowdown across emerg-ing markets weak global trade persistently low commodity prices and increasingly volatile global financial markets

These risks compound domes-tic vulnerabilities such as high debt incurred in recent years In the short term Chinarsquos transi-tion to a new growth model will disrupt its regional partners es-pecially those heavily exposed to the regionrsquos biggest economy

Geopolitical tensions and do-mestic policy uncertainty add risks of potential trade disrup-tions or lower domestic demand it also said

Natural disasters too can re-verse economic gains particu-larly in lower-income countries and small states including many Pacific islands Small states also face the challenge of reduced fi-nancial services by global banks or ldquode-riskingrdquo which could hold back financial inclusion and growth

The report also recognizes however that the outcome could turn out more positive than fore-cast

Low commodity prices could be a bigger boost to the regionrsquos economies than expected and regional and multilateral trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership could benefit Asia-Pacific even before they are ratified it said n

PAGE A1 t

enue in Pasig City but later ad-mitted that it had less than P200 million

Amid the brouhaha over Dutertersquos bank records BSPrsquos Aquino assured ldquothe Filipino peo-ple that the BSP and the AMLC are not engaged in partisan politics and will never allow themselves to be used as a tool for political persecution or harassment or as an instrument to hamper compe-tition in trade and commercerdquo

BPI mumCiting client confidentiality

Ayala-led BPI on Monday refused to further comment on Dutertersquos bank accounts

ldquo[The] Bank of the Philippine Islands will not make any com-ment as regards this morningrsquos discussion involving prominent politicians at our Julia Vargas Pasig City branch To do so would be against the basic bank-ing principles of client confiden-tialityrdquo BPI said in a statement

The bank said it was ldquocom-mitted to protecting client infor-mation and preserving the trust bestowed on us by our clients all these yearsrdquo

BPI denied on Friday it was the source of information on bank accounts that Trillanes claimed belonged to Duterte

Informant namedAt a news conference at the

Magdalo headquarters in Quezon City after he met with Duterte representatives at the BPI Julia Vargas branch Trillanes pre-sented his signed affidavit that identified his informant

In the affidavit he said he got information about Dutertersquos ldquose-cret bank accountsrdquo from a Jo-seph de Mesa whom he met on April 21 in his office

De Mesa ldquoused to idolizerdquo Duterte and withdrew his sup-port ldquowhen he saw documents showing that Mayor Duterte maintained numerous bank ac-counts where hundreds of mil-lions if not billions of pesos were depositedtransferred over the yearsrdquo he said

The senator said De Mesa got the documents ldquofrom a close rel-ative who was working with an agency involved in investigating ill-gotten wealth of government officialsrdquo

De Mesa he said gave him copies of the documents showing the bank accounts in the name of Duterte and his daughter Sara at the BPI Julia Vargas branch and BPI Edsa Greenhills branch as well as the Banco de Oro Unibank

BSP AMLChellipPAGE A1 t

uPAGE A4

Sitin said the group ate lunch at the governorrsquos home

Sources said a huge ransom was paid in exchange for the freedom of the hostages but the military refused to provide infor-mation about the release

Sitin also could not confirm if indeed ransom was paid

Sitin added the 10 Indonesians were later brought to a hospital in Camp Teodulfo Bautista for medical check up

The Abu Sayyaf intercepted the Taiwanese-owned tugboat MB Brama off Sabah and seized the 10 Indonesians while they were en route to Manila on March 26

The militants are reported to have sought a P50-million ran-som but Sitin said he was un-aware that any money had been paid The Abu Sayyaf does not normally free hostages unless a ransom is paid

The Indonesians were freed six days after the Abu Sayyaf be-headed Canadian John Ridsdel

President Aquino vowed Wednesday to devote all his en-ergy to crushing the group before he steps down in two months

Authorities said the bandits are still holding 11 other foreign hostages ndash four Indonesians four Malaysians another Canadian a Norwegian a Dutchman and six

localsThe four Indonesians were sep-

arately taken by the Abu Sayyaf on April 15

The Abu Sayyaf is a radical offshoot of a Muslim separatist insurgency in Mindanao that has claimed more than 100000 lives since the 1970s

It is believed to have just a few hundred militants but has with-stood repeated US-backed mili-tary offensives against it surviving by using the mountainous jungle terrain of Sulu and nearby islands of Basilan to its advantage

The bandit grouprsquos network is deeply entrenched and efforts to

flush out its fighters have proved to be a big challenge for the Armed Forces of the Philippines

The lucrative kidnapping busi-ness has allowed Abu Sayyaf to invest in high-powered boats weapons and modern communi-cations equipment With poverty and joblessness rife it is able to recruit with ease

Foreign ministers of the Phil-ippines Indonesia and Malaysia are due to meet in Jakarta this week to discuss ways to work together to secure key shipping routes in the waters between the three countries (With Cecille Suerte Felipe)

10 Indonesian hostages released by Abuhellip

Photo provided by the office of Sulu Gov Abdusakur Tan Jr (center) shows 10 Indonesian sailors having a meal after they were released by the Abu Sayyaf in Jolo Sulu on Tuesday May 3

PAGE A1 t

16-2

027p

s_g

en-v

-16-

012

copy20

16 l

acm

ta

metronet

metrolosangeles

losangelesmetro

Expo Line to Santa Monica Opens May 20Metro Railrsquos Expo Line to Santa Monica is only a few weeks away from the grand opening of seven new sta-tions that stretch from Culver City to Santa Monica As testing continues in the area please remember to watch for trains Learn more at metronetmoreexpo

Safety is Metrorsquos Top PriorityIf you see any suspicious activity while riding Metro report it immediately through the LA Metro Transit Watch App The app gives you a quick and easy way to report an incident or contact sheriffs directly The app even works underground by storing information until the user reaches an area with cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity Download the free app in the App Store or Google Play Store or visit metronetsecurity for more details

May is Bike MonthWhether you ride your bike to get coffee or all the way to work therersquos something for everyone to get excited about for Bike Month 2016 Learn how to repair your bike at informative workshops participate in Bike to Work Day on 519 check out the Bike Night at Union Station on 527 and experience all the fun throughout the month Learn more at metronetbikemonth

Metro Seeks Input on 2017 Fiscal Year Budget Metrorsquos annual budget sets transportation priorities across Los Angeles County for the coming year Metro will continue gathering comments on the FY17 budget at the Regional Service Council Meetings in May and the public hearing on May 18 before formal adoption by the Board of Directors For meeting information or to provide your comments go to metronetbudgetcom-ments

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A From the Front Page

ELECTION PREPARATION Workers rush to package vote counting machines (VCMs) at the COMELEC warehouse in at Sta Rosa Laguna where a transmission of mock elections results is also held duing the weekend in preparation for the May 9 elections Inquirernet photo by Marianne Bermudez

Napentildeas Susan Ople Cresencio Paez Pasig City (Metro Manila) Rep Roman Romulo Princess Jacel Kiram former party-list Rep Risa Hontiveros former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu broad-caster Rey Langit Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez and Diosdado Valeroso

The candidates promised to support and promote the right of Filipinos to vote and advocate truthful responsible upright transparent and honest elec-tions

The agreement was signed after a Holy Mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle

Tagle called on voters to be

Binay Roxas sign pact for honesthellipdiscerning and to ldquochoose the candidates who will be a repre-sentative for the common goodrdquo

The cardinal clarified that the Catholic Church will not endorse any candidate

ldquoWe wonrsquot impose on who you should vote [for] because we want the flock to participate based on their intellect and conscience We cannot preach participation and curtail the peoplersquos right to act according to their intellect rationally and with consciencerdquo he said

Tagle noted that the right to vote is a blessing that should not be wasted

ldquoKaya kung tutuusin ang pagboto ay isang tungkulin na hindi lamang makabayan kundi makadiyos dahil sa aking pag-

boto ako ay nakikilahok sa biyaya na binibigay sa atin na maging bahagi at magkaroon ng boses para sa ikabububuti ng ating li-punan [it could be said that vot-ing is not just a patriotic duty but a godly one since by doing so we participate in the grace given us to play a part in and have a voice in the betterment of our society]rdquo the cardinal added

According to Tagle voters have the responsibility to be dis-cerning and analytical of the can-didates

ldquoMag-aral kumilatis ku-mawala sa pagkakulong sa sarili at isipin ang kabutihan pangka-halatan [Study discern and liber-ate yourself from your preoccu-pation with oneself and think of the common good]rdquo he said n

PAGE A1 t

isang tao kundi nakadirekta sa pamamalakad na parang yun bang parang wala nang mabait kundi lsquoyung iilanrdquo she said

(I am not referring directly to a single person but to the gover-nance that it seems like there are only a few good people)

Poe made the remark when sought for comment on presi-dential frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Dutertersquos report-ed statement that many people have embraced him because they hate the governmentrsquos purported inactions

At a campaign rally in Nueva Ecija on Monday the senator also warned voters against elect-ing a government that will pro-mote violence saying the poor will suffer from it

While she also dreams of quick solutions to long-time problems Poe said she does not believe that killing would bring the peace and order people want

ldquoMerong isa kasing kandidato na ang sinasabi tatapusin niya ng tatlo hanggang anim na buwan ang droga Kahit naman ako pangarap ko rin lsquoyon Walang masama doon kung talagang magagawa Kaya lamang ito Ang pamamaraan ay malirdquo she said

(There is a candidate who says he would end illegal drugs in three to six months I also have the same dream There is noth-ing wrong with that if it could re-

ally be done However the way of doing that is wrong)

Poe was apparently referring to Duterte who earlier promised to solve criminality in his first six months in office should he get elected President

The senator said it was not right to give any group blanket power to just kill or kidnap sus-pected criminals without going through due process Under this culture of impunity she said the poor are in a disadvantaged posi-tion

ldquoAng problema ang palaging napapagkamalan ay mahihirap Pansinin ninyo meron bang pinatay na mayaman doon sa lugar nila na nasuspetsahan ng droga smuggling o anupaman Kaya kahit gusto natin ng mabilis na solusyon gagawin ko pa ring mabilis ang solusyon pero naaay-on sa prosesordquo she said

(The problem is the poor are always blamed If you would no-tice has there been a rich person killed in their place for suspect-ed engagement in drugs smug-gling or similar activities Thatrsquos why although we want quick so-lutions I would make quick solu-tions according to due process)

If she wins in the May 9 elec-tions Poe said she would push for the creation of a drug court to try only drug-related cases This she said will declog the countryrsquos criminal courts which are saddled with thousands of

unresolved casesShe said she would also

strengthen the Public Attorneyrsquos Office so that the poor can have access to free and competent le-gal services

ldquoBibigyan ko ang mga mahihi-rap ng magagaling na abogado Magtatalaga ako ng magaling na pulis sa bawat rehiyon At lsquopag hindi bumaba ang datos ng kri-men at droga hindi ako maghi-hintay ng dalawang araw ako mismo tatanggalin ko lsquoyung pro-vincial police para mapalitan ng gumagawa ng trabahordquo she said

(I will provide competent law-yers to the poor I will assign ef-ficient police to each region And if crime and drug rates donrsquot go down I wonrsquot wait for two days I will fire the provincial police so he could be replaced immedi-ately)

Poe said the appointment of local police chiefs must not be politicized to ensure that the Philippine National Police (PNP) force across the country will be impartial

ldquoHindi pwedeng politi-cal ang appointment ng pulis Kailangan ang pulis ay nagta-trabaho para sa inyo dahil nani-niwala ako na ang tao ay hindi dapat matakot sa gobyerno Ang gobyerno ang dapat matakot sa inyo lsquopag hindi namin ginagawa ang aming trabahordquo she further said n

Poe Filipinos fed up with lsquostraight pathrsquohellipPAGE A1 t

in Mandaluyong CityHe said in his affidavit that he

vetted the information given to him and also compared them with Dutertersquos statements on as-sets liabilities and net worth

He said he executed the affidavit disclosing the identity of his infor-mant so that there would be no more reason for the mayorrsquos camp not to issue a bank waiver and to ldquoend this issue because I want the people to know what we knowrdquo

Face-offEarlier in the day the much-

awaited face-off between the camps of Duterte and Trillanes at BPI Julia Vargas where the presidential hopeful admit-tedly kept bank accounts drew throngs of supporters but went for naught as no bank records were opened

Instead of a waiver Duterte lawyer Salvador Panelo request-ed BPI to look into his clientrsquos records and issue a certification that ldquoat no time since the open-ing of the account has there been P211 million whether singly col-lectively or cumulatively depos-ited to his bank accountrdquo

Banks asks for 7 daysThe bank branch however

asked for seven days to respond to the request of Dutertersquos camp

Panelo said a bank official told him that the request had to be carefully studied since it was a joint account

Trillanes said after the meeting Dutertersquos camp had failed to issue a bank waiver even if he had given it an affida-vit detailing how he obtained the information on Dutertersquos bank

accountsPanelo however said the

special power of attorney (SPA) signed by Duterte granting him the power to request and receive a bank certificate from the bank was the waiver ldquoIt is the bank waiver that Trillanes was askingrdquo the lawyer said over the phone

But the language in the SPA was specific It allows Panelo to ldquorequest for and receive from the Bank of the Philippine Is-lands (BPI) bank certificates for BPI Saving Account No 2433-0695-39 to show the current balance as well as the fact that at no time since the opening of the aforesaid bank account was there a deposit either singly or collectively of two hundred mil-lion pesos (P211 million)rdquo

Trillanes is accusing Duterte of having P227 millionmdashnot P211 million as earlier reportedmdashin the BPI account

Asked about the discrepancy in the amount Panelo said ldquoThat is his problem He is always chang-ing his statements That fact is Dutertersquos account has no mil-lionsrdquo

lsquoHearsayrsquoThe lawyer dismissed as hear-

say the affidavit that Trillanes handed to Panelo as part of the senatorrsquos dare to Duterte to open his bank account

ldquoIn other words it was a hear-say coming from De Mesa He heard it from De Mesardquo Panelo told reporters

Panelo said he showed BPI officials Trillanesrsquo affidavit that contained Dutertersquos supposed transaction history ldquoThe official of the bank said lsquoSir we donrsquot

have a form like that That was done by a computerrdquo he said

It was Trillanes who initiated the challenge to Duterte for a face-off at the BPI branch on Ju-lia Vargas last week

He offered to resign as sena-tor and withdraw from the vice presidential race if his accusa-tions against Duterte could be proven false

The face-off attracted support-ers from both camps who cov-ered a portion of the avenue

Duterte supporters were seen carrying campaign materials shouting ldquoDuterterdquo The other camp responded ldquoCorruptrdquo

The two camps traded jeers with Duterte supporters calling the others ldquobayaran (for hire)rdquo

Trillanesrsquo supporters came pre-pared sounding drums and wav-ing flags ushering their princi-palrsquos arrival shortly before 11am

The security at the BPI branchrsquos periphery was tight with police-men carrying shields and trun-cheons keeping the supporters and even reporters at bay

Roxas PoeAlso on Monday Liberal Party

(LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas continued to press Duterte to re-veal his bank transactions a line of attack he has made since last week

ldquoMayor Digong why wonrsquot you face the truthrdquo he said address-ing the foul-mouthed mayor by his nickname

Sen Grace Poe said Duterte should stop making excuses in refusing to open the history of his bank accounts in BPI (With reports from DJ Yap and Gil C Cabacungan)

BSP AMLC deny leaking Dutertersquos bank info

critical to the stability of South East Asia and I do look forward to the Philippines continuing along its current pathrdquo he said

During the first panel on gov-ernance growth and develop-ment Motoo Konishi former World Bank Country Director for the Philippines emphasized the importance of addressing corrup-tion and improving governance protecting the population from climate change and environmen-tal disasters and having peace in eliminating extreme poverty

ldquoFighting poverty and elimi-nating poverty means that you have to know each poor who they are and where they live and your investments need to be targeted to those people Fast growth doesnrsquot eliminate pover-ty you have to choose your poli-cies carefullyrdquo Konishi said

The Aquino Administration has actively pursued these three ob-jectives according to Konishi

ldquoThe Aquino Administration focused on pro-poor policiesrdquo Konishi further added stating that the Philippine experience will be a highlight of the World Bankrsquos flagship World Develop-ment Report this year

Gloria Steele of USAID high-lighted the accomplishments of the Aquino administration in competitiveness transparency corruption infrastructure edu-cation and health

ldquoThe Filipino people are look-ing forward to more changes and to the continuation of reforms that the Aquino Administration startedrdquo she said

However Steele added that more needs to be done by the next administration such as im-provements in airport infrastruc-ture and quality energy regula-tions

Matthew Bohn of the Mil-lennium Challenge Corporation lauded the first compact with the Philippines which support-ed poverty reduction inclusive growth and elimination of cor-

ruption as being one of MCCrsquos best compacts He also expressed confidence that despite the chal-lenges ahead the Philippines will be able to sustain its growth and development largely because of the ground work that the Aquino administration has set in place

ldquoThe Aquino Administration has successfully put down deep and important roots for creating the conditions for (sustained) economic growthrdquo Bohn said

The second panel discussion on security and peace focused mainly on internal and external security challenges

Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College de-scribed the modernization of the Philippine air force military and marine forces the deepening de-fense relations with the United States through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and Balikatan exercises as some of the major accom-plishments of the Aquino Admin-istration

However peace and security challenges remain in Mindanao one of which is the coercive ca-pacities of political dynasties and political families through the use of private armies

ldquoFor any lasting peace to hap-pen in Mindanao you have to eliminate the private armiesrdquo Professor Patricio Abinales of the University of Hawaii at Manoa said

Professor Abinales also linked the private armies with the per-vasive presence of the illicit sec-tor stating that the presence of illicit trade in Mindanao cannot be weakened without first elimi-nating the private armies

ldquoUnilateral naming doesnrsquot change the status of a territory sea or landrdquo Professor Ruth Wedgwood of Johns Hopkins SAIS said switching the discus-sion from internal to external se-curity challenges

Referring to the impending decision of the Arbitral Tribunal Professor Wedgwood further stated that ldquoChina will be put in a very difficult position to defy itrdquo considering the interest of ASEAN member countries in the case

The last part of the symposium was a keynote address delivered by Senator Richard Lugar speak-ing on the hallmarks of the Aqui-no Administration and the strong ties between the Philippines and the United States n

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growthhellip

crime while the second suspect Nintildeo Dela Cruz also a Fil-Am was arrested by the Philippine National Policersquos Special Action Force in Tondo Manila last Au-gust 12

Aikarsquos father Josar Mojica was in deep sorrow because of his daughterrsquos murder Vianersquos re-turn in the country gave hope to

the Mojica family that the case would push ahead

ldquoItrsquos a good development that he has been brought here but his face is a painful reminder of my daughterrsquos deathrdquo Josar Mo-jica said

Aika Mojicarsquos murder was linked to the custody battle between Vi-ane and his estranged wife back in the United States Viane left

US extradites Fil-Am suspect of Olongapohellipthe US and took their son to the Philippines which led to Mojica intervening in the issue

Viane is temporarily detained at the National Bureau of Investiga-tion (NBI) office as of this writing while Dela Cruz has already been charged before the Zambales RTC Branch 71 and is now locked up at the Zambales Provincial Jail (Ian Jamotillo AJPress)

PAGE A1 t

Ambassador Jose L Cuisia Jr delivers his welcome address at the symposium entitled ldquoPhilippines 2016 Governance Growth Development and Securityrdquo held at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on Thursday April 28 Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy

PAGE A1 t

PAGE A3 t

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 ADateline USa

SAN FRANCISCO mdash A ballot-approved measure in California is benefiting a lot of people with criminal records who have had their offenses lowered to misde-meanor according to a panel of supporters of the reform mea-sure

But many non-US citizen Filipi-no immigrants may still not know about it and could be missing out on opportunities for immigration relief or naturalization

More than 60 percent of Cali-fornia voters in November 2014 approved Proposition 47 (Prop 47) otherwise known as the Safe Neighborhoods and School Act a retroactive measure that reclas-sifies six low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors

They are simple drug posses-sion petty theft or receipt of stolen items shoplifting forg-ery and writing a bad check all under $950 worth The savings that may be generated from the reclassification are reallocated to local prevention and treatment programs

Fewer prisonersAt the New America Media

Calif criminal records purge help many Filipinos missing out

ldquoProp 47 Measuring Impact on Crime and Criminal Justicerdquo briefing held recently at The New America Media in San Francisco Photo by Jun Nucum

news briefing on Prop 47 attor-ney Hillary Blout said there was a 1500-percent increase in money spent for the overloaded prison system before Prop 47 How-ever through the measure the state met the federal mandate and reduced prison population a year ahead of schedule

ldquoWersquove had around 5000 peo-ple released from prison on theft cases with cost of less than $950 not a drug dealer not transport-ing drug but maybe an addictrdquo Blout announced

ldquoFrom Prop 47 savings have already been generated $73 million have been cut from Gov Brownrsquos prisons spending bud-get thus far Figures that will be in by May that could reach $100-150 million in savings which can be used for prevention treatment and different types of programs that will be able to address low-level non-violent offendersrdquo Blout added

In the same briefing San Fran-cisco District Attorney George Gascon affirmed that savings are realized as the cost of pros-ecuting a misdemeanor is signifi-cantly less than the cost of pros-ecuting a felony and takes less time and less court involvement

Around 60 percent of the savings go to drug rehabilitation and mental health programs while the rest go to at-risk youth and services for victims of traumatic incidents

ldquoIncarceration is not deterrent to low-level crime as what it does simply is to warehouse people for a period of time especially if they are drug addicts and cycle people in and out of jail They do worse each time they come out and continue to commit crimerdquo Gascon maintained

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi reported that they handled around 20000 low-level cases a year in San Francisco but the number is now down to a low 4000-5000

More focus on serious crimesldquoWhat that allows police to do

is to focus their efforts more on serious crimes It allows us all in the criminal justice systemmdashde-fenders prosecutors police mdash to focus more on serious and vio-lent crimesrdquo Adachi stated

ldquoJail population in San Francis-co dropped from 2400 about six years ago to the present 1200 with no huge increases in violent crimes as there is nationwide Property crime is up though just

like in the rest of the countryrdquo Adachi reported

Blout added that community organizations and Californians also want money divested from the prison system to be put more in prevention treatment as the present prison system spends $62000 per person in prison but the public schools get only about $8000 per person

ldquoThere have been some

250000 applications around the state for resentencing or record change to get felony convictions off peoplersquos records out of the projected million-plus offenders that may be eligiblerdquo said blout ldquoA felony conviction carries 43000 restrictions most of which prevent people from reintegrat-ing into the society They cannot get a job get a house reunite with kids or get financial aid to

pursue different career goalsrdquo Blout added

Filipinos missing outIn a phone interview promi-

nent Filipino immigration law-yer Lou Tancinco confirmed that Prop 47 offers immigration relief by basically affording the individ-ual an opportunity to lower the offense to a misdemeanor

ldquoA person who is being put

by Jun nucumInquirernet

uPAGE A7

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

FeaturesOpiniOn

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

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

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

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

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

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

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DING CARREONVideographer

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

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ManilaTimesnet photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9mdashthe Philippine national electionsmdashare critical This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support which in turn they hope will manifest in actual votes

Public interest

For Filipino voters this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer

The Filipinosrsquo support is essential to any leader They are after all the ones who get someone into office and whom leaders are repre-senting On the other hand an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipinorsquos life He or she shapes the system make crucial decisions and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino

On Monday May 2 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions

In his homily Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country

ldquoIn being candidates you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility If you win it means you must represent the peoplersquos dreams and common goodrdquo Tagle said

Meanwhile Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day May 3 reminded Filipino voters to ldquonot to

be mesmerizedrdquo by promises of ldquochangerdquo by candidates seeking the countryrsquos top post He said that what the country needs is a ldquoradi-calrdquo and ldquoprofoundrdquo change in

mind behavior and valuesQuevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone ldquothat is not tainted by corruption unexplained wealth and properties and enrichment in officerdquo He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive ideal governmentmdasha that system is com-mitted to the common good shared and personal responsibility and one that finds opportunity for everyone Next week we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the countryrsquos political landscape

Until then may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipinomdashall 100 million of them (AJPress)

Editorial

I WAS having merien-da with some friends last week discussing our political situation when one of them ex-claimed the country is going to the dogs Ever the cynical journal-ist I responded that of course we are going to the dogs and the election is just meant for us to choose our preferred breed

By this time many of us know exactly who we will vote for There are howev-er some of us who are still troubled by the choices set before us

Those who are very sure of their choice can no longer be convinced to vote for anyone else They are already emotionally invested in their choice and any attempt to appeal to their ldquora-tionalrdquo side or even scare them of their votersquos consequences will no longer work

What is ldquorationalrdquo is a personal thing This whole emotion versus reason in peoplersquos decision making process had always been a hot topic among econo-mists and other social scientists As someone who once made his living by claiming the ability to craft peoplersquos choices I always knew that without ldquoan emotional buy-inrdquo a product service or person is destined to fail In my adver-tising days we call this essential ele-ment ldquokurot sa pusordquo

You must have heard about Homo Economicus or the theoretical rational man A human is supposed to make decisions on the basis of self interest Economists who follow the rational choice theory accept the assumption that people make decisions as a Homo Economicus

Homo Economicus as an assump-

tion has seen better days Recent Nobel Prize winners in eco-nomics got their cita-tion because of work in a field known as behavioral econom-ics Briefly behav-ioral economics is ldquoa method of economic

analysis that applies psychological in-sights into human behavior to explain economic decision-makingrdquo

Investopedia explains that ldquobehav-ioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predictions of economic modelsrdquo This is also how we make de-cisions every day yes including the choice we will make on May 9

Let us take the Duterte groundswell that may well bring him to Malacanang It is very clear to me that if we didnrsquot have Duterte we would have to invent him P-Noy may have been the most honest president we have had since his mother but like her he failed to ad-dress some of the most basic needs of our people

True our macroeconomic numbers have not been better but all that had very little impact on the lives of our peo-ple The survey numbers showed even those classified among the ABC social classes are strong supporters of Duterte because they too felt shortchanged by the last six years

I recall someone saying that 70 per-cent of our economic gains over the last six years went to four percent of our population I am not sure how accurate those numbers are but it feels like that It did not help P-Noy was rather inept in rolling out infrastructure that could

have helped alleviate some sufferings among the working classes

A foreign journalist observed ldquothe disconnect between Aquinorsquos rosy rhetoric and realities on the ground is feeding democratic fatigue at the worst possible moment Good gover-nance hasnrsquot smashed the oligarched nature of the economy any more than rapid growth has eradicated poverty Filipinos have every reason to be dis-enchanted with the ruling elite telling them life is superrdquo

Add to all that is a rather insensitive president who had been unable to feel what common people feel He consid-ered anyone who complains about his leadership as enemies for whom he has reserved some of the most hurtful words of scorn and sarcasm Buhay ka pa naman hindi ba

Duterte as someone observed is P-Noyrsquos lasting legacy People are just so angry they find this crass and dirty-mouthed mayor from the south as just

the man who can bring them reliefMar Roxas also made a big messag-

ing mistake by emphasizing continuity (being rational) when what people want is change (being emotional) Thatrsquos not surprising in this administration because the president and his officials just talk to each other instead of casting a big net to gather diverse opinions and reports

During the last presidential debate in Dagupan Mar Roxas who had been trailing badly in the polls made a good and rational presentation Some of my technocrat friends who had been unsure about voting for him were convinced he is their man I was not surprised

If I didnrsquot know any better I would be won over by Marrsquos presentation too His style is what those of us who went to graduate school and worked in the higher levels of management are hard-wired to look up to Mar was the McK-insey consultant trying to convince us and it works all the time with the logic and the numbers even if divorced from reality

The masses that are all out for Duterte are on the other hand not inclined to listen to concepts or big pictures from well dressed people who smell good They have heard all that before and have been disappointed They know better this time

They are mad as hell for a life that makes them wake up before dawn to fall in line for hours for a train only to be told the trains are not running or will be delayed Out in Mindanao far from the consciousness of Imperial Manila they are dying of hunger and they got shot at instead

The Makati businessmen were disap-pointed Duterte did not deliver a coher-ent speech that gave them an idea of

his possible approach to economic poli-cies He doesnrsquot care They are not the audience he is banking on to bring him to the Palace

Dutertersquos audience is only ready to listen to memorable sound bites that offer them relief Duterte has won their hearts and their hearts have chosen him for better or for worse

The acoustical war this week will not likely lead to a change of heart if the choices remain as they are If the elite want to prove it remains power-ful enough to influence elections they will have to take drastic steps or suffer Duterte for the next six years

Cheating should not be an option because with emotions at a very high level it could lead to a bloody protest The elite power brokers may have to convince the other candidates to join forces for a last stand Divided it will be Duterte for the next six years

I have heard stories about planeloads of cash being feverishly rushed all over the country The price per voter is said to have gone up to P5000 But given the emotional investment of his supporters on his candidacy people may take the money and vote for Duterte anyway

Man versus machine Some Binay and Roxas followers are saying their machinery will prevail in the end I am not too sure machinery beats the emo-tional ties that bind the Duterte follow-ers But we will see

This is one election that could be a turning pointhellip which I hope will be for the good of our beloved country We will all vote with our hearts with our emotions We always do because some-how the heart knows best

Boo Chancorsquos e-mail address is bchancogmailcom Follow him on Twitter boochanco

How we will vote

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign just a week before the all-important presiden-tial election in the Philippines following allegations made by VP candidate Sen Antonio Trillanes Trillanes alleged that the Philippine presidential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Dutertersquos charac-ter have been branded as black propa-ganda by the Duterte camp and his fol-lowers alleging that his opponents are so desperate to pull him down after his dominance in the recent polls all over the country

But as some say all is fair game in politics especially when a candidate has given his detractors ammunitions to

fire back at him Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he the mayor should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian

Then there were more among many others his

own words admitting he has killed peo-ple and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance his cursing the popular Pope Francis his blatant unapologetic and even bragging statement that he is a womanizer the al-legations that he has ghost employees his reported statements that if elected he will release former Pres Gloria Ar-royo that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani and that he will let Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency

Just this past week something has been happening in the polls We see the

rise of DILG Sec Mar Roxas in surveys especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29 Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent unchanged from the April 19-24 survey but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll

The Drsquo Strafford Research and Strat-egies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte It showed Roxas on top with 278 per-cent followed by Duterte with 254 per-cent

If this trend continues could Roxas pull an upset on May 9 and be elected president

ABANGAN

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC For comments go to wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls can Duterte lead be overtaken

Duterte

Roxas-Robredo

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

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Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

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Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

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89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

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Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

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Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

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Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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Green Onions

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20Korean BBQ Ribs

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

YOUR OWN PIECE OF QUIET LUXURY IN CEBU

After years of hard work come home to a place of

quiet luxury in Cebu the newest global metropolis One such de-velopment project is underway Its builders had in mind the future homeowner who has worked hard for many years and will now be able to relax in his own home close to everything yet away from it all

It seems far away from the busy economic district and the grid-locked streets but is actually right within the center where everything is within reach Located along a national highway it is flood-free due to its elevation of 100 meters above sea level

With the names Kenneth Cobon-pue Budji Layug and Royal Pineda composing its world-class design team SUNDANCE RESIDENCES is certainly an attractive residential investment

It has a Party Hall where res-idents can hold gatherings with family and friends For the health and fitness enthusiast a gym with modern equipment is available A jogging path outdoor playground

prayer room meditation garden and a poolside lounge within the property are all part of the whole design

Sundance Residences is devel-oped by Worldwide Central Proper-ties With over 40 years of experi-

ence and expertise in the steel and construction supply business you have the assurance of quality in-tegrity and commitment as it raises the bar in building homes and cre-ating self-sustained healthy com-

munitiesHere are eight rea-

sons why you choose right with Sundance Residences

1 Your own private hillside home Located on the hills of Banawa your snug getaway af-fords you fresh moun-tain air a serene com-fortable distance from the urban center

2 Convenience and Accessibility Away but not far your home is a walk to and from the malls and easily accessi-ble via public transport Near schools churches hospitals your home is a only a ride away to the business district

3 Family-centered amenities Sundance Residences is the coun-tryrsquos first child amp family-friendly residential development group

With their Day Care Center Fitness Gym pool jogging path and Sky garden fa-cilities which ensure family bonding they are also spiritually strengthened at the Prayer Room

4 Elegantly functional by de-sign Backed by a team of world-class design consultants such as Kenneth Co-bonpue Royal Pine-da and Budji Layug

Sundance Residences is an archi-tectural feast for the senses

5 A developer you can fully rely on Worldwide Central Proper-ties Inc is an integral part of the Worldwide Steel Group Inc which includes reputable home-grown

brands such as Worldwide Steel and Worldwide Home Depot The group has a tried and tested track record in the construction industry for over 40 years

6 A quality home at an afford-able priceDelivered finished with upper and bottom kitchen cabinets and gran-ite counter top among others add-ed in Sundance Residences units are relatively larger compared to other developments

7 Move-in hassle freeSix months before turn-over of the units residents are presented with the option to choose from the stan-dard designs for their units with recommended furniture and appli-ances to maximize space

8 Best Value for your MoneyAt an affordable price Sundance Residences with its prime com-mercial and residential location is an unbeatable investment

For more information visit wwwworldwidecentralpropertiescom

Party Hall

Poolside Lounge with Bar

Sky Garden

Worldwide Central Properties executives with design team Architect Royal Pineda and Kenneth Cobonpue

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 AFrom the Front Page

NEW LAWYERS Bar passers hug each other after the Supreme Court released the list of successful examinees A graduate of the University of the Philippines topped the 2015 Bar examinations with a grade of 8740 percent Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro chairman of the 2015 Committee on the Bar Examinations on Tuesday said 1731 or 26 percent of the 6605 examinees passed The new members of the Bar will take their oath in June ManilaTimesnet photo by Mary Rose Piano

and will continue to be smaller [in the Philippines] than in other parts of the regionrdquo it said

The IMF added that domes-tic demand would benefit from higher public consumption and investment growth but private demand was also expected to re-main buoyant helped by low un-employment low oil prices and higher workersrsquo remittances

ldquoPrivate investment growth is expected to remain robust owing to improvements in public infra-structure and implementation of public-private partnership proj-ectsrdquo it said

The IMF forecasts were lower than the governmentrsquos 68 per-cent to 78 percent target for 2016 as well as the 66 percent to 76 percent range set for 2017

GDP growth eased to 58 per-cent last year from 61 percent in 2014 on the back of a slowdown in exports and other factors

Asia growth engineMeanwhile the IMF said

growth in Asia and the Pacific is expected to remain strong at 53 percent this year and next ac-counting for almost two-thirds of global growth

Despite a slight moderation it

IMF PH to be fastest-growing ASEANhellipsaid Asia remains the engine of global growth

While external demand remains sluggish domestic demand con-tinues to show resilience across most of the region driven by low unemployment growth in dis-posable income lower commod-ities prices and macroeconomic stimulus it added

ldquoOf course Asia is impacted by the still weak global recovery and by the ongoing and neces-sary rebalancing in Chinardquo said Changyong Rhee director of the Asia and Pacific Department at the IMF

ldquoBut domestic demand has remained remarkably resilient throughout most of the region supported by rising real in-comes especially in commodity importers and supportive mac-roeconomic policies in many countriesrdquo he added

Facing risksHowever IMF stressed that the

region faces a number of exter-nal challenges including slow growth in advanced economies a broad slowdown across emerg-ing markets weak global trade persistently low commodity prices and increasingly volatile global financial markets

These risks compound domes-tic vulnerabilities such as high debt incurred in recent years In the short term Chinarsquos transi-tion to a new growth model will disrupt its regional partners es-pecially those heavily exposed to the regionrsquos biggest economy

Geopolitical tensions and do-mestic policy uncertainty add risks of potential trade disrup-tions or lower domestic demand it also said

Natural disasters too can re-verse economic gains particu-larly in lower-income countries and small states including many Pacific islands Small states also face the challenge of reduced fi-nancial services by global banks or ldquode-riskingrdquo which could hold back financial inclusion and growth

The report also recognizes however that the outcome could turn out more positive than fore-cast

Low commodity prices could be a bigger boost to the regionrsquos economies than expected and regional and multilateral trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership could benefit Asia-Pacific even before they are ratified it said n

PAGE A1 t

enue in Pasig City but later ad-mitted that it had less than P200 million

Amid the brouhaha over Dutertersquos bank records BSPrsquos Aquino assured ldquothe Filipino peo-ple that the BSP and the AMLC are not engaged in partisan politics and will never allow themselves to be used as a tool for political persecution or harassment or as an instrument to hamper compe-tition in trade and commercerdquo

BPI mumCiting client confidentiality

Ayala-led BPI on Monday refused to further comment on Dutertersquos bank accounts

ldquo[The] Bank of the Philippine Islands will not make any com-ment as regards this morningrsquos discussion involving prominent politicians at our Julia Vargas Pasig City branch To do so would be against the basic bank-ing principles of client confiden-tialityrdquo BPI said in a statement

The bank said it was ldquocom-mitted to protecting client infor-mation and preserving the trust bestowed on us by our clients all these yearsrdquo

BPI denied on Friday it was the source of information on bank accounts that Trillanes claimed belonged to Duterte

Informant namedAt a news conference at the

Magdalo headquarters in Quezon City after he met with Duterte representatives at the BPI Julia Vargas branch Trillanes pre-sented his signed affidavit that identified his informant

In the affidavit he said he got information about Dutertersquos ldquose-cret bank accountsrdquo from a Jo-seph de Mesa whom he met on April 21 in his office

De Mesa ldquoused to idolizerdquo Duterte and withdrew his sup-port ldquowhen he saw documents showing that Mayor Duterte maintained numerous bank ac-counts where hundreds of mil-lions if not billions of pesos were depositedtransferred over the yearsrdquo he said

The senator said De Mesa got the documents ldquofrom a close rel-ative who was working with an agency involved in investigating ill-gotten wealth of government officialsrdquo

De Mesa he said gave him copies of the documents showing the bank accounts in the name of Duterte and his daughter Sara at the BPI Julia Vargas branch and BPI Edsa Greenhills branch as well as the Banco de Oro Unibank

BSP AMLChellipPAGE A1 t

uPAGE A4

Sitin said the group ate lunch at the governorrsquos home

Sources said a huge ransom was paid in exchange for the freedom of the hostages but the military refused to provide infor-mation about the release

Sitin also could not confirm if indeed ransom was paid

Sitin added the 10 Indonesians were later brought to a hospital in Camp Teodulfo Bautista for medical check up

The Abu Sayyaf intercepted the Taiwanese-owned tugboat MB Brama off Sabah and seized the 10 Indonesians while they were en route to Manila on March 26

The militants are reported to have sought a P50-million ran-som but Sitin said he was un-aware that any money had been paid The Abu Sayyaf does not normally free hostages unless a ransom is paid

The Indonesians were freed six days after the Abu Sayyaf be-headed Canadian John Ridsdel

President Aquino vowed Wednesday to devote all his en-ergy to crushing the group before he steps down in two months

Authorities said the bandits are still holding 11 other foreign hostages ndash four Indonesians four Malaysians another Canadian a Norwegian a Dutchman and six

localsThe four Indonesians were sep-

arately taken by the Abu Sayyaf on April 15

The Abu Sayyaf is a radical offshoot of a Muslim separatist insurgency in Mindanao that has claimed more than 100000 lives since the 1970s

It is believed to have just a few hundred militants but has with-stood repeated US-backed mili-tary offensives against it surviving by using the mountainous jungle terrain of Sulu and nearby islands of Basilan to its advantage

The bandit grouprsquos network is deeply entrenched and efforts to

flush out its fighters have proved to be a big challenge for the Armed Forces of the Philippines

The lucrative kidnapping busi-ness has allowed Abu Sayyaf to invest in high-powered boats weapons and modern communi-cations equipment With poverty and joblessness rife it is able to recruit with ease

Foreign ministers of the Phil-ippines Indonesia and Malaysia are due to meet in Jakarta this week to discuss ways to work together to secure key shipping routes in the waters between the three countries (With Cecille Suerte Felipe)

10 Indonesian hostages released by Abuhellip

Photo provided by the office of Sulu Gov Abdusakur Tan Jr (center) shows 10 Indonesian sailors having a meal after they were released by the Abu Sayyaf in Jolo Sulu on Tuesday May 3

PAGE A1 t

16-2

027p

s_g

en-v

-16-

012

copy20

16 l

acm

ta

metronet

metrolosangeles

losangelesmetro

Expo Line to Santa Monica Opens May 20Metro Railrsquos Expo Line to Santa Monica is only a few weeks away from the grand opening of seven new sta-tions that stretch from Culver City to Santa Monica As testing continues in the area please remember to watch for trains Learn more at metronetmoreexpo

Safety is Metrorsquos Top PriorityIf you see any suspicious activity while riding Metro report it immediately through the LA Metro Transit Watch App The app gives you a quick and easy way to report an incident or contact sheriffs directly The app even works underground by storing information until the user reaches an area with cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity Download the free app in the App Store or Google Play Store or visit metronetsecurity for more details

May is Bike MonthWhether you ride your bike to get coffee or all the way to work therersquos something for everyone to get excited about for Bike Month 2016 Learn how to repair your bike at informative workshops participate in Bike to Work Day on 519 check out the Bike Night at Union Station on 527 and experience all the fun throughout the month Learn more at metronetbikemonth

Metro Seeks Input on 2017 Fiscal Year Budget Metrorsquos annual budget sets transportation priorities across Los Angeles County for the coming year Metro will continue gathering comments on the FY17 budget at the Regional Service Council Meetings in May and the public hearing on May 18 before formal adoption by the Board of Directors For meeting information or to provide your comments go to metronetbudgetcom-ments

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A From the Front Page

ELECTION PREPARATION Workers rush to package vote counting machines (VCMs) at the COMELEC warehouse in at Sta Rosa Laguna where a transmission of mock elections results is also held duing the weekend in preparation for the May 9 elections Inquirernet photo by Marianne Bermudez

Napentildeas Susan Ople Cresencio Paez Pasig City (Metro Manila) Rep Roman Romulo Princess Jacel Kiram former party-list Rep Risa Hontiveros former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu broad-caster Rey Langit Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez and Diosdado Valeroso

The candidates promised to support and promote the right of Filipinos to vote and advocate truthful responsible upright transparent and honest elec-tions

The agreement was signed after a Holy Mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle

Tagle called on voters to be

Binay Roxas sign pact for honesthellipdiscerning and to ldquochoose the candidates who will be a repre-sentative for the common goodrdquo

The cardinal clarified that the Catholic Church will not endorse any candidate

ldquoWe wonrsquot impose on who you should vote [for] because we want the flock to participate based on their intellect and conscience We cannot preach participation and curtail the peoplersquos right to act according to their intellect rationally and with consciencerdquo he said

Tagle noted that the right to vote is a blessing that should not be wasted

ldquoKaya kung tutuusin ang pagboto ay isang tungkulin na hindi lamang makabayan kundi makadiyos dahil sa aking pag-

boto ako ay nakikilahok sa biyaya na binibigay sa atin na maging bahagi at magkaroon ng boses para sa ikabububuti ng ating li-punan [it could be said that vot-ing is not just a patriotic duty but a godly one since by doing so we participate in the grace given us to play a part in and have a voice in the betterment of our society]rdquo the cardinal added

According to Tagle voters have the responsibility to be dis-cerning and analytical of the can-didates

ldquoMag-aral kumilatis ku-mawala sa pagkakulong sa sarili at isipin ang kabutihan pangka-halatan [Study discern and liber-ate yourself from your preoccu-pation with oneself and think of the common good]rdquo he said n

PAGE A1 t

isang tao kundi nakadirekta sa pamamalakad na parang yun bang parang wala nang mabait kundi lsquoyung iilanrdquo she said

(I am not referring directly to a single person but to the gover-nance that it seems like there are only a few good people)

Poe made the remark when sought for comment on presi-dential frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Dutertersquos report-ed statement that many people have embraced him because they hate the governmentrsquos purported inactions

At a campaign rally in Nueva Ecija on Monday the senator also warned voters against elect-ing a government that will pro-mote violence saying the poor will suffer from it

While she also dreams of quick solutions to long-time problems Poe said she does not believe that killing would bring the peace and order people want

ldquoMerong isa kasing kandidato na ang sinasabi tatapusin niya ng tatlo hanggang anim na buwan ang droga Kahit naman ako pangarap ko rin lsquoyon Walang masama doon kung talagang magagawa Kaya lamang ito Ang pamamaraan ay malirdquo she said

(There is a candidate who says he would end illegal drugs in three to six months I also have the same dream There is noth-ing wrong with that if it could re-

ally be done However the way of doing that is wrong)

Poe was apparently referring to Duterte who earlier promised to solve criminality in his first six months in office should he get elected President

The senator said it was not right to give any group blanket power to just kill or kidnap sus-pected criminals without going through due process Under this culture of impunity she said the poor are in a disadvantaged posi-tion

ldquoAng problema ang palaging napapagkamalan ay mahihirap Pansinin ninyo meron bang pinatay na mayaman doon sa lugar nila na nasuspetsahan ng droga smuggling o anupaman Kaya kahit gusto natin ng mabilis na solusyon gagawin ko pa ring mabilis ang solusyon pero naaay-on sa prosesordquo she said

(The problem is the poor are always blamed If you would no-tice has there been a rich person killed in their place for suspect-ed engagement in drugs smug-gling or similar activities Thatrsquos why although we want quick so-lutions I would make quick solu-tions according to due process)

If she wins in the May 9 elec-tions Poe said she would push for the creation of a drug court to try only drug-related cases This she said will declog the countryrsquos criminal courts which are saddled with thousands of

unresolved casesShe said she would also

strengthen the Public Attorneyrsquos Office so that the poor can have access to free and competent le-gal services

ldquoBibigyan ko ang mga mahihi-rap ng magagaling na abogado Magtatalaga ako ng magaling na pulis sa bawat rehiyon At lsquopag hindi bumaba ang datos ng kri-men at droga hindi ako maghi-hintay ng dalawang araw ako mismo tatanggalin ko lsquoyung pro-vincial police para mapalitan ng gumagawa ng trabahordquo she said

(I will provide competent law-yers to the poor I will assign ef-ficient police to each region And if crime and drug rates donrsquot go down I wonrsquot wait for two days I will fire the provincial police so he could be replaced immedi-ately)

Poe said the appointment of local police chiefs must not be politicized to ensure that the Philippine National Police (PNP) force across the country will be impartial

ldquoHindi pwedeng politi-cal ang appointment ng pulis Kailangan ang pulis ay nagta-trabaho para sa inyo dahil nani-niwala ako na ang tao ay hindi dapat matakot sa gobyerno Ang gobyerno ang dapat matakot sa inyo lsquopag hindi namin ginagawa ang aming trabahordquo she further said n

Poe Filipinos fed up with lsquostraight pathrsquohellipPAGE A1 t

in Mandaluyong CityHe said in his affidavit that he

vetted the information given to him and also compared them with Dutertersquos statements on as-sets liabilities and net worth

He said he executed the affidavit disclosing the identity of his infor-mant so that there would be no more reason for the mayorrsquos camp not to issue a bank waiver and to ldquoend this issue because I want the people to know what we knowrdquo

Face-offEarlier in the day the much-

awaited face-off between the camps of Duterte and Trillanes at BPI Julia Vargas where the presidential hopeful admit-tedly kept bank accounts drew throngs of supporters but went for naught as no bank records were opened

Instead of a waiver Duterte lawyer Salvador Panelo request-ed BPI to look into his clientrsquos records and issue a certification that ldquoat no time since the open-ing of the account has there been P211 million whether singly col-lectively or cumulatively depos-ited to his bank accountrdquo

Banks asks for 7 daysThe bank branch however

asked for seven days to respond to the request of Dutertersquos camp

Panelo said a bank official told him that the request had to be carefully studied since it was a joint account

Trillanes said after the meeting Dutertersquos camp had failed to issue a bank waiver even if he had given it an affida-vit detailing how he obtained the information on Dutertersquos bank

accountsPanelo however said the

special power of attorney (SPA) signed by Duterte granting him the power to request and receive a bank certificate from the bank was the waiver ldquoIt is the bank waiver that Trillanes was askingrdquo the lawyer said over the phone

But the language in the SPA was specific It allows Panelo to ldquorequest for and receive from the Bank of the Philippine Is-lands (BPI) bank certificates for BPI Saving Account No 2433-0695-39 to show the current balance as well as the fact that at no time since the opening of the aforesaid bank account was there a deposit either singly or collectively of two hundred mil-lion pesos (P211 million)rdquo

Trillanes is accusing Duterte of having P227 millionmdashnot P211 million as earlier reportedmdashin the BPI account

Asked about the discrepancy in the amount Panelo said ldquoThat is his problem He is always chang-ing his statements That fact is Dutertersquos account has no mil-lionsrdquo

lsquoHearsayrsquoThe lawyer dismissed as hear-

say the affidavit that Trillanes handed to Panelo as part of the senatorrsquos dare to Duterte to open his bank account

ldquoIn other words it was a hear-say coming from De Mesa He heard it from De Mesardquo Panelo told reporters

Panelo said he showed BPI officials Trillanesrsquo affidavit that contained Dutertersquos supposed transaction history ldquoThe official of the bank said lsquoSir we donrsquot

have a form like that That was done by a computerrdquo he said

It was Trillanes who initiated the challenge to Duterte for a face-off at the BPI branch on Ju-lia Vargas last week

He offered to resign as sena-tor and withdraw from the vice presidential race if his accusa-tions against Duterte could be proven false

The face-off attracted support-ers from both camps who cov-ered a portion of the avenue

Duterte supporters were seen carrying campaign materials shouting ldquoDuterterdquo The other camp responded ldquoCorruptrdquo

The two camps traded jeers with Duterte supporters calling the others ldquobayaran (for hire)rdquo

Trillanesrsquo supporters came pre-pared sounding drums and wav-ing flags ushering their princi-palrsquos arrival shortly before 11am

The security at the BPI branchrsquos periphery was tight with police-men carrying shields and trun-cheons keeping the supporters and even reporters at bay

Roxas PoeAlso on Monday Liberal Party

(LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas continued to press Duterte to re-veal his bank transactions a line of attack he has made since last week

ldquoMayor Digong why wonrsquot you face the truthrdquo he said address-ing the foul-mouthed mayor by his nickname

Sen Grace Poe said Duterte should stop making excuses in refusing to open the history of his bank accounts in BPI (With reports from DJ Yap and Gil C Cabacungan)

BSP AMLC deny leaking Dutertersquos bank info

critical to the stability of South East Asia and I do look forward to the Philippines continuing along its current pathrdquo he said

During the first panel on gov-ernance growth and develop-ment Motoo Konishi former World Bank Country Director for the Philippines emphasized the importance of addressing corrup-tion and improving governance protecting the population from climate change and environmen-tal disasters and having peace in eliminating extreme poverty

ldquoFighting poverty and elimi-nating poverty means that you have to know each poor who they are and where they live and your investments need to be targeted to those people Fast growth doesnrsquot eliminate pover-ty you have to choose your poli-cies carefullyrdquo Konishi said

The Aquino Administration has actively pursued these three ob-jectives according to Konishi

ldquoThe Aquino Administration focused on pro-poor policiesrdquo Konishi further added stating that the Philippine experience will be a highlight of the World Bankrsquos flagship World Develop-ment Report this year

Gloria Steele of USAID high-lighted the accomplishments of the Aquino administration in competitiveness transparency corruption infrastructure edu-cation and health

ldquoThe Filipino people are look-ing forward to more changes and to the continuation of reforms that the Aquino Administration startedrdquo she said

However Steele added that more needs to be done by the next administration such as im-provements in airport infrastruc-ture and quality energy regula-tions

Matthew Bohn of the Mil-lennium Challenge Corporation lauded the first compact with the Philippines which support-ed poverty reduction inclusive growth and elimination of cor-

ruption as being one of MCCrsquos best compacts He also expressed confidence that despite the chal-lenges ahead the Philippines will be able to sustain its growth and development largely because of the ground work that the Aquino administration has set in place

ldquoThe Aquino Administration has successfully put down deep and important roots for creating the conditions for (sustained) economic growthrdquo Bohn said

The second panel discussion on security and peace focused mainly on internal and external security challenges

Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College de-scribed the modernization of the Philippine air force military and marine forces the deepening de-fense relations with the United States through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and Balikatan exercises as some of the major accom-plishments of the Aquino Admin-istration

However peace and security challenges remain in Mindanao one of which is the coercive ca-pacities of political dynasties and political families through the use of private armies

ldquoFor any lasting peace to hap-pen in Mindanao you have to eliminate the private armiesrdquo Professor Patricio Abinales of the University of Hawaii at Manoa said

Professor Abinales also linked the private armies with the per-vasive presence of the illicit sec-tor stating that the presence of illicit trade in Mindanao cannot be weakened without first elimi-nating the private armies

ldquoUnilateral naming doesnrsquot change the status of a territory sea or landrdquo Professor Ruth Wedgwood of Johns Hopkins SAIS said switching the discus-sion from internal to external se-curity challenges

Referring to the impending decision of the Arbitral Tribunal Professor Wedgwood further stated that ldquoChina will be put in a very difficult position to defy itrdquo considering the interest of ASEAN member countries in the case

The last part of the symposium was a keynote address delivered by Senator Richard Lugar speak-ing on the hallmarks of the Aqui-no Administration and the strong ties between the Philippines and the United States n

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growthhellip

crime while the second suspect Nintildeo Dela Cruz also a Fil-Am was arrested by the Philippine National Policersquos Special Action Force in Tondo Manila last Au-gust 12

Aikarsquos father Josar Mojica was in deep sorrow because of his daughterrsquos murder Vianersquos re-turn in the country gave hope to

the Mojica family that the case would push ahead

ldquoItrsquos a good development that he has been brought here but his face is a painful reminder of my daughterrsquos deathrdquo Josar Mo-jica said

Aika Mojicarsquos murder was linked to the custody battle between Vi-ane and his estranged wife back in the United States Viane left

US extradites Fil-Am suspect of Olongapohellipthe US and took their son to the Philippines which led to Mojica intervening in the issue

Viane is temporarily detained at the National Bureau of Investiga-tion (NBI) office as of this writing while Dela Cruz has already been charged before the Zambales RTC Branch 71 and is now locked up at the Zambales Provincial Jail (Ian Jamotillo AJPress)

PAGE A1 t

Ambassador Jose L Cuisia Jr delivers his welcome address at the symposium entitled ldquoPhilippines 2016 Governance Growth Development and Securityrdquo held at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on Thursday April 28 Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy

PAGE A1 t

PAGE A3 t

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 ADateline USa

SAN FRANCISCO mdash A ballot-approved measure in California is benefiting a lot of people with criminal records who have had their offenses lowered to misde-meanor according to a panel of supporters of the reform mea-sure

But many non-US citizen Filipi-no immigrants may still not know about it and could be missing out on opportunities for immigration relief or naturalization

More than 60 percent of Cali-fornia voters in November 2014 approved Proposition 47 (Prop 47) otherwise known as the Safe Neighborhoods and School Act a retroactive measure that reclas-sifies six low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors

They are simple drug posses-sion petty theft or receipt of stolen items shoplifting forg-ery and writing a bad check all under $950 worth The savings that may be generated from the reclassification are reallocated to local prevention and treatment programs

Fewer prisonersAt the New America Media

Calif criminal records purge help many Filipinos missing out

ldquoProp 47 Measuring Impact on Crime and Criminal Justicerdquo briefing held recently at The New America Media in San Francisco Photo by Jun Nucum

news briefing on Prop 47 attor-ney Hillary Blout said there was a 1500-percent increase in money spent for the overloaded prison system before Prop 47 How-ever through the measure the state met the federal mandate and reduced prison population a year ahead of schedule

ldquoWersquove had around 5000 peo-ple released from prison on theft cases with cost of less than $950 not a drug dealer not transport-ing drug but maybe an addictrdquo Blout announced

ldquoFrom Prop 47 savings have already been generated $73 million have been cut from Gov Brownrsquos prisons spending bud-get thus far Figures that will be in by May that could reach $100-150 million in savings which can be used for prevention treatment and different types of programs that will be able to address low-level non-violent offendersrdquo Blout added

In the same briefing San Fran-cisco District Attorney George Gascon affirmed that savings are realized as the cost of pros-ecuting a misdemeanor is signifi-cantly less than the cost of pros-ecuting a felony and takes less time and less court involvement

Around 60 percent of the savings go to drug rehabilitation and mental health programs while the rest go to at-risk youth and services for victims of traumatic incidents

ldquoIncarceration is not deterrent to low-level crime as what it does simply is to warehouse people for a period of time especially if they are drug addicts and cycle people in and out of jail They do worse each time they come out and continue to commit crimerdquo Gascon maintained

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi reported that they handled around 20000 low-level cases a year in San Francisco but the number is now down to a low 4000-5000

More focus on serious crimesldquoWhat that allows police to do

is to focus their efforts more on serious crimes It allows us all in the criminal justice systemmdashde-fenders prosecutors police mdash to focus more on serious and vio-lent crimesrdquo Adachi stated

ldquoJail population in San Francis-co dropped from 2400 about six years ago to the present 1200 with no huge increases in violent crimes as there is nationwide Property crime is up though just

like in the rest of the countryrdquo Adachi reported

Blout added that community organizations and Californians also want money divested from the prison system to be put more in prevention treatment as the present prison system spends $62000 per person in prison but the public schools get only about $8000 per person

ldquoThere have been some

250000 applications around the state for resentencing or record change to get felony convictions off peoplersquos records out of the projected million-plus offenders that may be eligiblerdquo said blout ldquoA felony conviction carries 43000 restrictions most of which prevent people from reintegrat-ing into the society They cannot get a job get a house reunite with kids or get financial aid to

pursue different career goalsrdquo Blout added

Filipinos missing outIn a phone interview promi-

nent Filipino immigration law-yer Lou Tancinco confirmed that Prop 47 offers immigration relief by basically affording the individ-ual an opportunity to lower the offense to a misdemeanor

ldquoA person who is being put

by Jun nucumInquirernet

uPAGE A7

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

FeaturesOpiniOn

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

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

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

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

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

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

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

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ManilaTimesnet photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9mdashthe Philippine national electionsmdashare critical This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support which in turn they hope will manifest in actual votes

Public interest

For Filipino voters this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer

The Filipinosrsquo support is essential to any leader They are after all the ones who get someone into office and whom leaders are repre-senting On the other hand an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipinorsquos life He or she shapes the system make crucial decisions and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino

On Monday May 2 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions

In his homily Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country

ldquoIn being candidates you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility If you win it means you must represent the peoplersquos dreams and common goodrdquo Tagle said

Meanwhile Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day May 3 reminded Filipino voters to ldquonot to

be mesmerizedrdquo by promises of ldquochangerdquo by candidates seeking the countryrsquos top post He said that what the country needs is a ldquoradi-calrdquo and ldquoprofoundrdquo change in

mind behavior and valuesQuevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone ldquothat is not tainted by corruption unexplained wealth and properties and enrichment in officerdquo He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive ideal governmentmdasha that system is com-mitted to the common good shared and personal responsibility and one that finds opportunity for everyone Next week we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the countryrsquos political landscape

Until then may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipinomdashall 100 million of them (AJPress)

Editorial

I WAS having merien-da with some friends last week discussing our political situation when one of them ex-claimed the country is going to the dogs Ever the cynical journal-ist I responded that of course we are going to the dogs and the election is just meant for us to choose our preferred breed

By this time many of us know exactly who we will vote for There are howev-er some of us who are still troubled by the choices set before us

Those who are very sure of their choice can no longer be convinced to vote for anyone else They are already emotionally invested in their choice and any attempt to appeal to their ldquora-tionalrdquo side or even scare them of their votersquos consequences will no longer work

What is ldquorationalrdquo is a personal thing This whole emotion versus reason in peoplersquos decision making process had always been a hot topic among econo-mists and other social scientists As someone who once made his living by claiming the ability to craft peoplersquos choices I always knew that without ldquoan emotional buy-inrdquo a product service or person is destined to fail In my adver-tising days we call this essential ele-ment ldquokurot sa pusordquo

You must have heard about Homo Economicus or the theoretical rational man A human is supposed to make decisions on the basis of self interest Economists who follow the rational choice theory accept the assumption that people make decisions as a Homo Economicus

Homo Economicus as an assump-

tion has seen better days Recent Nobel Prize winners in eco-nomics got their cita-tion because of work in a field known as behavioral econom-ics Briefly behav-ioral economics is ldquoa method of economic

analysis that applies psychological in-sights into human behavior to explain economic decision-makingrdquo

Investopedia explains that ldquobehav-ioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predictions of economic modelsrdquo This is also how we make de-cisions every day yes including the choice we will make on May 9

Let us take the Duterte groundswell that may well bring him to Malacanang It is very clear to me that if we didnrsquot have Duterte we would have to invent him P-Noy may have been the most honest president we have had since his mother but like her he failed to ad-dress some of the most basic needs of our people

True our macroeconomic numbers have not been better but all that had very little impact on the lives of our peo-ple The survey numbers showed even those classified among the ABC social classes are strong supporters of Duterte because they too felt shortchanged by the last six years

I recall someone saying that 70 per-cent of our economic gains over the last six years went to four percent of our population I am not sure how accurate those numbers are but it feels like that It did not help P-Noy was rather inept in rolling out infrastructure that could

have helped alleviate some sufferings among the working classes

A foreign journalist observed ldquothe disconnect between Aquinorsquos rosy rhetoric and realities on the ground is feeding democratic fatigue at the worst possible moment Good gover-nance hasnrsquot smashed the oligarched nature of the economy any more than rapid growth has eradicated poverty Filipinos have every reason to be dis-enchanted with the ruling elite telling them life is superrdquo

Add to all that is a rather insensitive president who had been unable to feel what common people feel He consid-ered anyone who complains about his leadership as enemies for whom he has reserved some of the most hurtful words of scorn and sarcasm Buhay ka pa naman hindi ba

Duterte as someone observed is P-Noyrsquos lasting legacy People are just so angry they find this crass and dirty-mouthed mayor from the south as just

the man who can bring them reliefMar Roxas also made a big messag-

ing mistake by emphasizing continuity (being rational) when what people want is change (being emotional) Thatrsquos not surprising in this administration because the president and his officials just talk to each other instead of casting a big net to gather diverse opinions and reports

During the last presidential debate in Dagupan Mar Roxas who had been trailing badly in the polls made a good and rational presentation Some of my technocrat friends who had been unsure about voting for him were convinced he is their man I was not surprised

If I didnrsquot know any better I would be won over by Marrsquos presentation too His style is what those of us who went to graduate school and worked in the higher levels of management are hard-wired to look up to Mar was the McK-insey consultant trying to convince us and it works all the time with the logic and the numbers even if divorced from reality

The masses that are all out for Duterte are on the other hand not inclined to listen to concepts or big pictures from well dressed people who smell good They have heard all that before and have been disappointed They know better this time

They are mad as hell for a life that makes them wake up before dawn to fall in line for hours for a train only to be told the trains are not running or will be delayed Out in Mindanao far from the consciousness of Imperial Manila they are dying of hunger and they got shot at instead

The Makati businessmen were disap-pointed Duterte did not deliver a coher-ent speech that gave them an idea of

his possible approach to economic poli-cies He doesnrsquot care They are not the audience he is banking on to bring him to the Palace

Dutertersquos audience is only ready to listen to memorable sound bites that offer them relief Duterte has won their hearts and their hearts have chosen him for better or for worse

The acoustical war this week will not likely lead to a change of heart if the choices remain as they are If the elite want to prove it remains power-ful enough to influence elections they will have to take drastic steps or suffer Duterte for the next six years

Cheating should not be an option because with emotions at a very high level it could lead to a bloody protest The elite power brokers may have to convince the other candidates to join forces for a last stand Divided it will be Duterte for the next six years

I have heard stories about planeloads of cash being feverishly rushed all over the country The price per voter is said to have gone up to P5000 But given the emotional investment of his supporters on his candidacy people may take the money and vote for Duterte anyway

Man versus machine Some Binay and Roxas followers are saying their machinery will prevail in the end I am not too sure machinery beats the emo-tional ties that bind the Duterte follow-ers But we will see

This is one election that could be a turning pointhellip which I hope will be for the good of our beloved country We will all vote with our hearts with our emotions We always do because some-how the heart knows best

Boo Chancorsquos e-mail address is bchancogmailcom Follow him on Twitter boochanco

How we will vote

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign just a week before the all-important presiden-tial election in the Philippines following allegations made by VP candidate Sen Antonio Trillanes Trillanes alleged that the Philippine presidential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Dutertersquos charac-ter have been branded as black propa-ganda by the Duterte camp and his fol-lowers alleging that his opponents are so desperate to pull him down after his dominance in the recent polls all over the country

But as some say all is fair game in politics especially when a candidate has given his detractors ammunitions to

fire back at him Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he the mayor should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian

Then there were more among many others his

own words admitting he has killed peo-ple and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance his cursing the popular Pope Francis his blatant unapologetic and even bragging statement that he is a womanizer the al-legations that he has ghost employees his reported statements that if elected he will release former Pres Gloria Ar-royo that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani and that he will let Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency

Just this past week something has been happening in the polls We see the

rise of DILG Sec Mar Roxas in surveys especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29 Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent unchanged from the April 19-24 survey but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll

The Drsquo Strafford Research and Strat-egies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte It showed Roxas on top with 278 per-cent followed by Duterte with 254 per-cent

If this trend continues could Roxas pull an upset on May 9 and be elected president

ABANGAN

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC For comments go to wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls can Duterte lead be overtaken

Duterte

Roxas-Robredo

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

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Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

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Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

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Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

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Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

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San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

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Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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Baby Bokchoy

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Green Bell Pepper

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Regular Banana WAS

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Cantaloupe

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Small Taro

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CucumberWAS

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Corn White

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Green Onions

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33

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each

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20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

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Chicken Leg Quarter

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29Salmon Fillet

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 AFrom the Front Page

NEW LAWYERS Bar passers hug each other after the Supreme Court released the list of successful examinees A graduate of the University of the Philippines topped the 2015 Bar examinations with a grade of 8740 percent Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro chairman of the 2015 Committee on the Bar Examinations on Tuesday said 1731 or 26 percent of the 6605 examinees passed The new members of the Bar will take their oath in June ManilaTimesnet photo by Mary Rose Piano

and will continue to be smaller [in the Philippines] than in other parts of the regionrdquo it said

The IMF added that domes-tic demand would benefit from higher public consumption and investment growth but private demand was also expected to re-main buoyant helped by low un-employment low oil prices and higher workersrsquo remittances

ldquoPrivate investment growth is expected to remain robust owing to improvements in public infra-structure and implementation of public-private partnership proj-ectsrdquo it said

The IMF forecasts were lower than the governmentrsquos 68 per-cent to 78 percent target for 2016 as well as the 66 percent to 76 percent range set for 2017

GDP growth eased to 58 per-cent last year from 61 percent in 2014 on the back of a slowdown in exports and other factors

Asia growth engineMeanwhile the IMF said

growth in Asia and the Pacific is expected to remain strong at 53 percent this year and next ac-counting for almost two-thirds of global growth

Despite a slight moderation it

IMF PH to be fastest-growing ASEANhellipsaid Asia remains the engine of global growth

While external demand remains sluggish domestic demand con-tinues to show resilience across most of the region driven by low unemployment growth in dis-posable income lower commod-ities prices and macroeconomic stimulus it added

ldquoOf course Asia is impacted by the still weak global recovery and by the ongoing and neces-sary rebalancing in Chinardquo said Changyong Rhee director of the Asia and Pacific Department at the IMF

ldquoBut domestic demand has remained remarkably resilient throughout most of the region supported by rising real in-comes especially in commodity importers and supportive mac-roeconomic policies in many countriesrdquo he added

Facing risksHowever IMF stressed that the

region faces a number of exter-nal challenges including slow growth in advanced economies a broad slowdown across emerg-ing markets weak global trade persistently low commodity prices and increasingly volatile global financial markets

These risks compound domes-tic vulnerabilities such as high debt incurred in recent years In the short term Chinarsquos transi-tion to a new growth model will disrupt its regional partners es-pecially those heavily exposed to the regionrsquos biggest economy

Geopolitical tensions and do-mestic policy uncertainty add risks of potential trade disrup-tions or lower domestic demand it also said

Natural disasters too can re-verse economic gains particu-larly in lower-income countries and small states including many Pacific islands Small states also face the challenge of reduced fi-nancial services by global banks or ldquode-riskingrdquo which could hold back financial inclusion and growth

The report also recognizes however that the outcome could turn out more positive than fore-cast

Low commodity prices could be a bigger boost to the regionrsquos economies than expected and regional and multilateral trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership could benefit Asia-Pacific even before they are ratified it said n

PAGE A1 t

enue in Pasig City but later ad-mitted that it had less than P200 million

Amid the brouhaha over Dutertersquos bank records BSPrsquos Aquino assured ldquothe Filipino peo-ple that the BSP and the AMLC are not engaged in partisan politics and will never allow themselves to be used as a tool for political persecution or harassment or as an instrument to hamper compe-tition in trade and commercerdquo

BPI mumCiting client confidentiality

Ayala-led BPI on Monday refused to further comment on Dutertersquos bank accounts

ldquo[The] Bank of the Philippine Islands will not make any com-ment as regards this morningrsquos discussion involving prominent politicians at our Julia Vargas Pasig City branch To do so would be against the basic bank-ing principles of client confiden-tialityrdquo BPI said in a statement

The bank said it was ldquocom-mitted to protecting client infor-mation and preserving the trust bestowed on us by our clients all these yearsrdquo

BPI denied on Friday it was the source of information on bank accounts that Trillanes claimed belonged to Duterte

Informant namedAt a news conference at the

Magdalo headquarters in Quezon City after he met with Duterte representatives at the BPI Julia Vargas branch Trillanes pre-sented his signed affidavit that identified his informant

In the affidavit he said he got information about Dutertersquos ldquose-cret bank accountsrdquo from a Jo-seph de Mesa whom he met on April 21 in his office

De Mesa ldquoused to idolizerdquo Duterte and withdrew his sup-port ldquowhen he saw documents showing that Mayor Duterte maintained numerous bank ac-counts where hundreds of mil-lions if not billions of pesos were depositedtransferred over the yearsrdquo he said

The senator said De Mesa got the documents ldquofrom a close rel-ative who was working with an agency involved in investigating ill-gotten wealth of government officialsrdquo

De Mesa he said gave him copies of the documents showing the bank accounts in the name of Duterte and his daughter Sara at the BPI Julia Vargas branch and BPI Edsa Greenhills branch as well as the Banco de Oro Unibank

BSP AMLChellipPAGE A1 t

uPAGE A4

Sitin said the group ate lunch at the governorrsquos home

Sources said a huge ransom was paid in exchange for the freedom of the hostages but the military refused to provide infor-mation about the release

Sitin also could not confirm if indeed ransom was paid

Sitin added the 10 Indonesians were later brought to a hospital in Camp Teodulfo Bautista for medical check up

The Abu Sayyaf intercepted the Taiwanese-owned tugboat MB Brama off Sabah and seized the 10 Indonesians while they were en route to Manila on March 26

The militants are reported to have sought a P50-million ran-som but Sitin said he was un-aware that any money had been paid The Abu Sayyaf does not normally free hostages unless a ransom is paid

The Indonesians were freed six days after the Abu Sayyaf be-headed Canadian John Ridsdel

President Aquino vowed Wednesday to devote all his en-ergy to crushing the group before he steps down in two months

Authorities said the bandits are still holding 11 other foreign hostages ndash four Indonesians four Malaysians another Canadian a Norwegian a Dutchman and six

localsThe four Indonesians were sep-

arately taken by the Abu Sayyaf on April 15

The Abu Sayyaf is a radical offshoot of a Muslim separatist insurgency in Mindanao that has claimed more than 100000 lives since the 1970s

It is believed to have just a few hundred militants but has with-stood repeated US-backed mili-tary offensives against it surviving by using the mountainous jungle terrain of Sulu and nearby islands of Basilan to its advantage

The bandit grouprsquos network is deeply entrenched and efforts to

flush out its fighters have proved to be a big challenge for the Armed Forces of the Philippines

The lucrative kidnapping busi-ness has allowed Abu Sayyaf to invest in high-powered boats weapons and modern communi-cations equipment With poverty and joblessness rife it is able to recruit with ease

Foreign ministers of the Phil-ippines Indonesia and Malaysia are due to meet in Jakarta this week to discuss ways to work together to secure key shipping routes in the waters between the three countries (With Cecille Suerte Felipe)

10 Indonesian hostages released by Abuhellip

Photo provided by the office of Sulu Gov Abdusakur Tan Jr (center) shows 10 Indonesian sailors having a meal after they were released by the Abu Sayyaf in Jolo Sulu on Tuesday May 3

PAGE A1 t

16-2

027p

s_g

en-v

-16-

012

copy20

16 l

acm

ta

metronet

metrolosangeles

losangelesmetro

Expo Line to Santa Monica Opens May 20Metro Railrsquos Expo Line to Santa Monica is only a few weeks away from the grand opening of seven new sta-tions that stretch from Culver City to Santa Monica As testing continues in the area please remember to watch for trains Learn more at metronetmoreexpo

Safety is Metrorsquos Top PriorityIf you see any suspicious activity while riding Metro report it immediately through the LA Metro Transit Watch App The app gives you a quick and easy way to report an incident or contact sheriffs directly The app even works underground by storing information until the user reaches an area with cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity Download the free app in the App Store or Google Play Store or visit metronetsecurity for more details

May is Bike MonthWhether you ride your bike to get coffee or all the way to work therersquos something for everyone to get excited about for Bike Month 2016 Learn how to repair your bike at informative workshops participate in Bike to Work Day on 519 check out the Bike Night at Union Station on 527 and experience all the fun throughout the month Learn more at metronetbikemonth

Metro Seeks Input on 2017 Fiscal Year Budget Metrorsquos annual budget sets transportation priorities across Los Angeles County for the coming year Metro will continue gathering comments on the FY17 budget at the Regional Service Council Meetings in May and the public hearing on May 18 before formal adoption by the Board of Directors For meeting information or to provide your comments go to metronetbudgetcom-ments

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A From the Front Page

ELECTION PREPARATION Workers rush to package vote counting machines (VCMs) at the COMELEC warehouse in at Sta Rosa Laguna where a transmission of mock elections results is also held duing the weekend in preparation for the May 9 elections Inquirernet photo by Marianne Bermudez

Napentildeas Susan Ople Cresencio Paez Pasig City (Metro Manila) Rep Roman Romulo Princess Jacel Kiram former party-list Rep Risa Hontiveros former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu broad-caster Rey Langit Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez and Diosdado Valeroso

The candidates promised to support and promote the right of Filipinos to vote and advocate truthful responsible upright transparent and honest elec-tions

The agreement was signed after a Holy Mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle

Tagle called on voters to be

Binay Roxas sign pact for honesthellipdiscerning and to ldquochoose the candidates who will be a repre-sentative for the common goodrdquo

The cardinal clarified that the Catholic Church will not endorse any candidate

ldquoWe wonrsquot impose on who you should vote [for] because we want the flock to participate based on their intellect and conscience We cannot preach participation and curtail the peoplersquos right to act according to their intellect rationally and with consciencerdquo he said

Tagle noted that the right to vote is a blessing that should not be wasted

ldquoKaya kung tutuusin ang pagboto ay isang tungkulin na hindi lamang makabayan kundi makadiyos dahil sa aking pag-

boto ako ay nakikilahok sa biyaya na binibigay sa atin na maging bahagi at magkaroon ng boses para sa ikabububuti ng ating li-punan [it could be said that vot-ing is not just a patriotic duty but a godly one since by doing so we participate in the grace given us to play a part in and have a voice in the betterment of our society]rdquo the cardinal added

According to Tagle voters have the responsibility to be dis-cerning and analytical of the can-didates

ldquoMag-aral kumilatis ku-mawala sa pagkakulong sa sarili at isipin ang kabutihan pangka-halatan [Study discern and liber-ate yourself from your preoccu-pation with oneself and think of the common good]rdquo he said n

PAGE A1 t

isang tao kundi nakadirekta sa pamamalakad na parang yun bang parang wala nang mabait kundi lsquoyung iilanrdquo she said

(I am not referring directly to a single person but to the gover-nance that it seems like there are only a few good people)

Poe made the remark when sought for comment on presi-dential frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Dutertersquos report-ed statement that many people have embraced him because they hate the governmentrsquos purported inactions

At a campaign rally in Nueva Ecija on Monday the senator also warned voters against elect-ing a government that will pro-mote violence saying the poor will suffer from it

While she also dreams of quick solutions to long-time problems Poe said she does not believe that killing would bring the peace and order people want

ldquoMerong isa kasing kandidato na ang sinasabi tatapusin niya ng tatlo hanggang anim na buwan ang droga Kahit naman ako pangarap ko rin lsquoyon Walang masama doon kung talagang magagawa Kaya lamang ito Ang pamamaraan ay malirdquo she said

(There is a candidate who says he would end illegal drugs in three to six months I also have the same dream There is noth-ing wrong with that if it could re-

ally be done However the way of doing that is wrong)

Poe was apparently referring to Duterte who earlier promised to solve criminality in his first six months in office should he get elected President

The senator said it was not right to give any group blanket power to just kill or kidnap sus-pected criminals without going through due process Under this culture of impunity she said the poor are in a disadvantaged posi-tion

ldquoAng problema ang palaging napapagkamalan ay mahihirap Pansinin ninyo meron bang pinatay na mayaman doon sa lugar nila na nasuspetsahan ng droga smuggling o anupaman Kaya kahit gusto natin ng mabilis na solusyon gagawin ko pa ring mabilis ang solusyon pero naaay-on sa prosesordquo she said

(The problem is the poor are always blamed If you would no-tice has there been a rich person killed in their place for suspect-ed engagement in drugs smug-gling or similar activities Thatrsquos why although we want quick so-lutions I would make quick solu-tions according to due process)

If she wins in the May 9 elec-tions Poe said she would push for the creation of a drug court to try only drug-related cases This she said will declog the countryrsquos criminal courts which are saddled with thousands of

unresolved casesShe said she would also

strengthen the Public Attorneyrsquos Office so that the poor can have access to free and competent le-gal services

ldquoBibigyan ko ang mga mahihi-rap ng magagaling na abogado Magtatalaga ako ng magaling na pulis sa bawat rehiyon At lsquopag hindi bumaba ang datos ng kri-men at droga hindi ako maghi-hintay ng dalawang araw ako mismo tatanggalin ko lsquoyung pro-vincial police para mapalitan ng gumagawa ng trabahordquo she said

(I will provide competent law-yers to the poor I will assign ef-ficient police to each region And if crime and drug rates donrsquot go down I wonrsquot wait for two days I will fire the provincial police so he could be replaced immedi-ately)

Poe said the appointment of local police chiefs must not be politicized to ensure that the Philippine National Police (PNP) force across the country will be impartial

ldquoHindi pwedeng politi-cal ang appointment ng pulis Kailangan ang pulis ay nagta-trabaho para sa inyo dahil nani-niwala ako na ang tao ay hindi dapat matakot sa gobyerno Ang gobyerno ang dapat matakot sa inyo lsquopag hindi namin ginagawa ang aming trabahordquo she further said n

Poe Filipinos fed up with lsquostraight pathrsquohellipPAGE A1 t

in Mandaluyong CityHe said in his affidavit that he

vetted the information given to him and also compared them with Dutertersquos statements on as-sets liabilities and net worth

He said he executed the affidavit disclosing the identity of his infor-mant so that there would be no more reason for the mayorrsquos camp not to issue a bank waiver and to ldquoend this issue because I want the people to know what we knowrdquo

Face-offEarlier in the day the much-

awaited face-off between the camps of Duterte and Trillanes at BPI Julia Vargas where the presidential hopeful admit-tedly kept bank accounts drew throngs of supporters but went for naught as no bank records were opened

Instead of a waiver Duterte lawyer Salvador Panelo request-ed BPI to look into his clientrsquos records and issue a certification that ldquoat no time since the open-ing of the account has there been P211 million whether singly col-lectively or cumulatively depos-ited to his bank accountrdquo

Banks asks for 7 daysThe bank branch however

asked for seven days to respond to the request of Dutertersquos camp

Panelo said a bank official told him that the request had to be carefully studied since it was a joint account

Trillanes said after the meeting Dutertersquos camp had failed to issue a bank waiver even if he had given it an affida-vit detailing how he obtained the information on Dutertersquos bank

accountsPanelo however said the

special power of attorney (SPA) signed by Duterte granting him the power to request and receive a bank certificate from the bank was the waiver ldquoIt is the bank waiver that Trillanes was askingrdquo the lawyer said over the phone

But the language in the SPA was specific It allows Panelo to ldquorequest for and receive from the Bank of the Philippine Is-lands (BPI) bank certificates for BPI Saving Account No 2433-0695-39 to show the current balance as well as the fact that at no time since the opening of the aforesaid bank account was there a deposit either singly or collectively of two hundred mil-lion pesos (P211 million)rdquo

Trillanes is accusing Duterte of having P227 millionmdashnot P211 million as earlier reportedmdashin the BPI account

Asked about the discrepancy in the amount Panelo said ldquoThat is his problem He is always chang-ing his statements That fact is Dutertersquos account has no mil-lionsrdquo

lsquoHearsayrsquoThe lawyer dismissed as hear-

say the affidavit that Trillanes handed to Panelo as part of the senatorrsquos dare to Duterte to open his bank account

ldquoIn other words it was a hear-say coming from De Mesa He heard it from De Mesardquo Panelo told reporters

Panelo said he showed BPI officials Trillanesrsquo affidavit that contained Dutertersquos supposed transaction history ldquoThe official of the bank said lsquoSir we donrsquot

have a form like that That was done by a computerrdquo he said

It was Trillanes who initiated the challenge to Duterte for a face-off at the BPI branch on Ju-lia Vargas last week

He offered to resign as sena-tor and withdraw from the vice presidential race if his accusa-tions against Duterte could be proven false

The face-off attracted support-ers from both camps who cov-ered a portion of the avenue

Duterte supporters were seen carrying campaign materials shouting ldquoDuterterdquo The other camp responded ldquoCorruptrdquo

The two camps traded jeers with Duterte supporters calling the others ldquobayaran (for hire)rdquo

Trillanesrsquo supporters came pre-pared sounding drums and wav-ing flags ushering their princi-palrsquos arrival shortly before 11am

The security at the BPI branchrsquos periphery was tight with police-men carrying shields and trun-cheons keeping the supporters and even reporters at bay

Roxas PoeAlso on Monday Liberal Party

(LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas continued to press Duterte to re-veal his bank transactions a line of attack he has made since last week

ldquoMayor Digong why wonrsquot you face the truthrdquo he said address-ing the foul-mouthed mayor by his nickname

Sen Grace Poe said Duterte should stop making excuses in refusing to open the history of his bank accounts in BPI (With reports from DJ Yap and Gil C Cabacungan)

BSP AMLC deny leaking Dutertersquos bank info

critical to the stability of South East Asia and I do look forward to the Philippines continuing along its current pathrdquo he said

During the first panel on gov-ernance growth and develop-ment Motoo Konishi former World Bank Country Director for the Philippines emphasized the importance of addressing corrup-tion and improving governance protecting the population from climate change and environmen-tal disasters and having peace in eliminating extreme poverty

ldquoFighting poverty and elimi-nating poverty means that you have to know each poor who they are and where they live and your investments need to be targeted to those people Fast growth doesnrsquot eliminate pover-ty you have to choose your poli-cies carefullyrdquo Konishi said

The Aquino Administration has actively pursued these three ob-jectives according to Konishi

ldquoThe Aquino Administration focused on pro-poor policiesrdquo Konishi further added stating that the Philippine experience will be a highlight of the World Bankrsquos flagship World Develop-ment Report this year

Gloria Steele of USAID high-lighted the accomplishments of the Aquino administration in competitiveness transparency corruption infrastructure edu-cation and health

ldquoThe Filipino people are look-ing forward to more changes and to the continuation of reforms that the Aquino Administration startedrdquo she said

However Steele added that more needs to be done by the next administration such as im-provements in airport infrastruc-ture and quality energy regula-tions

Matthew Bohn of the Mil-lennium Challenge Corporation lauded the first compact with the Philippines which support-ed poverty reduction inclusive growth and elimination of cor-

ruption as being one of MCCrsquos best compacts He also expressed confidence that despite the chal-lenges ahead the Philippines will be able to sustain its growth and development largely because of the ground work that the Aquino administration has set in place

ldquoThe Aquino Administration has successfully put down deep and important roots for creating the conditions for (sustained) economic growthrdquo Bohn said

The second panel discussion on security and peace focused mainly on internal and external security challenges

Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College de-scribed the modernization of the Philippine air force military and marine forces the deepening de-fense relations with the United States through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and Balikatan exercises as some of the major accom-plishments of the Aquino Admin-istration

However peace and security challenges remain in Mindanao one of which is the coercive ca-pacities of political dynasties and political families through the use of private armies

ldquoFor any lasting peace to hap-pen in Mindanao you have to eliminate the private armiesrdquo Professor Patricio Abinales of the University of Hawaii at Manoa said

Professor Abinales also linked the private armies with the per-vasive presence of the illicit sec-tor stating that the presence of illicit trade in Mindanao cannot be weakened without first elimi-nating the private armies

ldquoUnilateral naming doesnrsquot change the status of a territory sea or landrdquo Professor Ruth Wedgwood of Johns Hopkins SAIS said switching the discus-sion from internal to external se-curity challenges

Referring to the impending decision of the Arbitral Tribunal Professor Wedgwood further stated that ldquoChina will be put in a very difficult position to defy itrdquo considering the interest of ASEAN member countries in the case

The last part of the symposium was a keynote address delivered by Senator Richard Lugar speak-ing on the hallmarks of the Aqui-no Administration and the strong ties between the Philippines and the United States n

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growthhellip

crime while the second suspect Nintildeo Dela Cruz also a Fil-Am was arrested by the Philippine National Policersquos Special Action Force in Tondo Manila last Au-gust 12

Aikarsquos father Josar Mojica was in deep sorrow because of his daughterrsquos murder Vianersquos re-turn in the country gave hope to

the Mojica family that the case would push ahead

ldquoItrsquos a good development that he has been brought here but his face is a painful reminder of my daughterrsquos deathrdquo Josar Mo-jica said

Aika Mojicarsquos murder was linked to the custody battle between Vi-ane and his estranged wife back in the United States Viane left

US extradites Fil-Am suspect of Olongapohellipthe US and took their son to the Philippines which led to Mojica intervening in the issue

Viane is temporarily detained at the National Bureau of Investiga-tion (NBI) office as of this writing while Dela Cruz has already been charged before the Zambales RTC Branch 71 and is now locked up at the Zambales Provincial Jail (Ian Jamotillo AJPress)

PAGE A1 t

Ambassador Jose L Cuisia Jr delivers his welcome address at the symposium entitled ldquoPhilippines 2016 Governance Growth Development and Securityrdquo held at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on Thursday April 28 Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy

PAGE A1 t

PAGE A3 t

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 ADateline USa

SAN FRANCISCO mdash A ballot-approved measure in California is benefiting a lot of people with criminal records who have had their offenses lowered to misde-meanor according to a panel of supporters of the reform mea-sure

But many non-US citizen Filipi-no immigrants may still not know about it and could be missing out on opportunities for immigration relief or naturalization

More than 60 percent of Cali-fornia voters in November 2014 approved Proposition 47 (Prop 47) otherwise known as the Safe Neighborhoods and School Act a retroactive measure that reclas-sifies six low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors

They are simple drug posses-sion petty theft or receipt of stolen items shoplifting forg-ery and writing a bad check all under $950 worth The savings that may be generated from the reclassification are reallocated to local prevention and treatment programs

Fewer prisonersAt the New America Media

Calif criminal records purge help many Filipinos missing out

ldquoProp 47 Measuring Impact on Crime and Criminal Justicerdquo briefing held recently at The New America Media in San Francisco Photo by Jun Nucum

news briefing on Prop 47 attor-ney Hillary Blout said there was a 1500-percent increase in money spent for the overloaded prison system before Prop 47 How-ever through the measure the state met the federal mandate and reduced prison population a year ahead of schedule

ldquoWersquove had around 5000 peo-ple released from prison on theft cases with cost of less than $950 not a drug dealer not transport-ing drug but maybe an addictrdquo Blout announced

ldquoFrom Prop 47 savings have already been generated $73 million have been cut from Gov Brownrsquos prisons spending bud-get thus far Figures that will be in by May that could reach $100-150 million in savings which can be used for prevention treatment and different types of programs that will be able to address low-level non-violent offendersrdquo Blout added

In the same briefing San Fran-cisco District Attorney George Gascon affirmed that savings are realized as the cost of pros-ecuting a misdemeanor is signifi-cantly less than the cost of pros-ecuting a felony and takes less time and less court involvement

Around 60 percent of the savings go to drug rehabilitation and mental health programs while the rest go to at-risk youth and services for victims of traumatic incidents

ldquoIncarceration is not deterrent to low-level crime as what it does simply is to warehouse people for a period of time especially if they are drug addicts and cycle people in and out of jail They do worse each time they come out and continue to commit crimerdquo Gascon maintained

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi reported that they handled around 20000 low-level cases a year in San Francisco but the number is now down to a low 4000-5000

More focus on serious crimesldquoWhat that allows police to do

is to focus their efforts more on serious crimes It allows us all in the criminal justice systemmdashde-fenders prosecutors police mdash to focus more on serious and vio-lent crimesrdquo Adachi stated

ldquoJail population in San Francis-co dropped from 2400 about six years ago to the present 1200 with no huge increases in violent crimes as there is nationwide Property crime is up though just

like in the rest of the countryrdquo Adachi reported

Blout added that community organizations and Californians also want money divested from the prison system to be put more in prevention treatment as the present prison system spends $62000 per person in prison but the public schools get only about $8000 per person

ldquoThere have been some

250000 applications around the state for resentencing or record change to get felony convictions off peoplersquos records out of the projected million-plus offenders that may be eligiblerdquo said blout ldquoA felony conviction carries 43000 restrictions most of which prevent people from reintegrat-ing into the society They cannot get a job get a house reunite with kids or get financial aid to

pursue different career goalsrdquo Blout added

Filipinos missing outIn a phone interview promi-

nent Filipino immigration law-yer Lou Tancinco confirmed that Prop 47 offers immigration relief by basically affording the individ-ual an opportunity to lower the offense to a misdemeanor

ldquoA person who is being put

by Jun nucumInquirernet

uPAGE A7

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

FeaturesOpiniOn

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

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

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

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

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

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

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DING CARREONVideographer

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

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ManilaTimesnet photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9mdashthe Philippine national electionsmdashare critical This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support which in turn they hope will manifest in actual votes

Public interest

For Filipino voters this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer

The Filipinosrsquo support is essential to any leader They are after all the ones who get someone into office and whom leaders are repre-senting On the other hand an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipinorsquos life He or she shapes the system make crucial decisions and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino

On Monday May 2 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions

In his homily Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country

ldquoIn being candidates you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility If you win it means you must represent the peoplersquos dreams and common goodrdquo Tagle said

Meanwhile Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day May 3 reminded Filipino voters to ldquonot to

be mesmerizedrdquo by promises of ldquochangerdquo by candidates seeking the countryrsquos top post He said that what the country needs is a ldquoradi-calrdquo and ldquoprofoundrdquo change in

mind behavior and valuesQuevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone ldquothat is not tainted by corruption unexplained wealth and properties and enrichment in officerdquo He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive ideal governmentmdasha that system is com-mitted to the common good shared and personal responsibility and one that finds opportunity for everyone Next week we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the countryrsquos political landscape

Until then may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipinomdashall 100 million of them (AJPress)

Editorial

I WAS having merien-da with some friends last week discussing our political situation when one of them ex-claimed the country is going to the dogs Ever the cynical journal-ist I responded that of course we are going to the dogs and the election is just meant for us to choose our preferred breed

By this time many of us know exactly who we will vote for There are howev-er some of us who are still troubled by the choices set before us

Those who are very sure of their choice can no longer be convinced to vote for anyone else They are already emotionally invested in their choice and any attempt to appeal to their ldquora-tionalrdquo side or even scare them of their votersquos consequences will no longer work

What is ldquorationalrdquo is a personal thing This whole emotion versus reason in peoplersquos decision making process had always been a hot topic among econo-mists and other social scientists As someone who once made his living by claiming the ability to craft peoplersquos choices I always knew that without ldquoan emotional buy-inrdquo a product service or person is destined to fail In my adver-tising days we call this essential ele-ment ldquokurot sa pusordquo

You must have heard about Homo Economicus or the theoretical rational man A human is supposed to make decisions on the basis of self interest Economists who follow the rational choice theory accept the assumption that people make decisions as a Homo Economicus

Homo Economicus as an assump-

tion has seen better days Recent Nobel Prize winners in eco-nomics got their cita-tion because of work in a field known as behavioral econom-ics Briefly behav-ioral economics is ldquoa method of economic

analysis that applies psychological in-sights into human behavior to explain economic decision-makingrdquo

Investopedia explains that ldquobehav-ioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predictions of economic modelsrdquo This is also how we make de-cisions every day yes including the choice we will make on May 9

Let us take the Duterte groundswell that may well bring him to Malacanang It is very clear to me that if we didnrsquot have Duterte we would have to invent him P-Noy may have been the most honest president we have had since his mother but like her he failed to ad-dress some of the most basic needs of our people

True our macroeconomic numbers have not been better but all that had very little impact on the lives of our peo-ple The survey numbers showed even those classified among the ABC social classes are strong supporters of Duterte because they too felt shortchanged by the last six years

I recall someone saying that 70 per-cent of our economic gains over the last six years went to four percent of our population I am not sure how accurate those numbers are but it feels like that It did not help P-Noy was rather inept in rolling out infrastructure that could

have helped alleviate some sufferings among the working classes

A foreign journalist observed ldquothe disconnect between Aquinorsquos rosy rhetoric and realities on the ground is feeding democratic fatigue at the worst possible moment Good gover-nance hasnrsquot smashed the oligarched nature of the economy any more than rapid growth has eradicated poverty Filipinos have every reason to be dis-enchanted with the ruling elite telling them life is superrdquo

Add to all that is a rather insensitive president who had been unable to feel what common people feel He consid-ered anyone who complains about his leadership as enemies for whom he has reserved some of the most hurtful words of scorn and sarcasm Buhay ka pa naman hindi ba

Duterte as someone observed is P-Noyrsquos lasting legacy People are just so angry they find this crass and dirty-mouthed mayor from the south as just

the man who can bring them reliefMar Roxas also made a big messag-

ing mistake by emphasizing continuity (being rational) when what people want is change (being emotional) Thatrsquos not surprising in this administration because the president and his officials just talk to each other instead of casting a big net to gather diverse opinions and reports

During the last presidential debate in Dagupan Mar Roxas who had been trailing badly in the polls made a good and rational presentation Some of my technocrat friends who had been unsure about voting for him were convinced he is their man I was not surprised

If I didnrsquot know any better I would be won over by Marrsquos presentation too His style is what those of us who went to graduate school and worked in the higher levels of management are hard-wired to look up to Mar was the McK-insey consultant trying to convince us and it works all the time with the logic and the numbers even if divorced from reality

The masses that are all out for Duterte are on the other hand not inclined to listen to concepts or big pictures from well dressed people who smell good They have heard all that before and have been disappointed They know better this time

They are mad as hell for a life that makes them wake up before dawn to fall in line for hours for a train only to be told the trains are not running or will be delayed Out in Mindanao far from the consciousness of Imperial Manila they are dying of hunger and they got shot at instead

The Makati businessmen were disap-pointed Duterte did not deliver a coher-ent speech that gave them an idea of

his possible approach to economic poli-cies He doesnrsquot care They are not the audience he is banking on to bring him to the Palace

Dutertersquos audience is only ready to listen to memorable sound bites that offer them relief Duterte has won their hearts and their hearts have chosen him for better or for worse

The acoustical war this week will not likely lead to a change of heart if the choices remain as they are If the elite want to prove it remains power-ful enough to influence elections they will have to take drastic steps or suffer Duterte for the next six years

Cheating should not be an option because with emotions at a very high level it could lead to a bloody protest The elite power brokers may have to convince the other candidates to join forces for a last stand Divided it will be Duterte for the next six years

I have heard stories about planeloads of cash being feverishly rushed all over the country The price per voter is said to have gone up to P5000 But given the emotional investment of his supporters on his candidacy people may take the money and vote for Duterte anyway

Man versus machine Some Binay and Roxas followers are saying their machinery will prevail in the end I am not too sure machinery beats the emo-tional ties that bind the Duterte follow-ers But we will see

This is one election that could be a turning pointhellip which I hope will be for the good of our beloved country We will all vote with our hearts with our emotions We always do because some-how the heart knows best

Boo Chancorsquos e-mail address is bchancogmailcom Follow him on Twitter boochanco

How we will vote

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign just a week before the all-important presiden-tial election in the Philippines following allegations made by VP candidate Sen Antonio Trillanes Trillanes alleged that the Philippine presidential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Dutertersquos charac-ter have been branded as black propa-ganda by the Duterte camp and his fol-lowers alleging that his opponents are so desperate to pull him down after his dominance in the recent polls all over the country

But as some say all is fair game in politics especially when a candidate has given his detractors ammunitions to

fire back at him Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he the mayor should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian

Then there were more among many others his

own words admitting he has killed peo-ple and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance his cursing the popular Pope Francis his blatant unapologetic and even bragging statement that he is a womanizer the al-legations that he has ghost employees his reported statements that if elected he will release former Pres Gloria Ar-royo that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani and that he will let Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency

Just this past week something has been happening in the polls We see the

rise of DILG Sec Mar Roxas in surveys especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29 Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent unchanged from the April 19-24 survey but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll

The Drsquo Strafford Research and Strat-egies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte It showed Roxas on top with 278 per-cent followed by Duterte with 254 per-cent

If this trend continues could Roxas pull an upset on May 9 and be elected president

ABANGAN

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC For comments go to wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls can Duterte lead be overtaken

Duterte

Roxas-Robredo

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A From the Front Page

ELECTION PREPARATION Workers rush to package vote counting machines (VCMs) at the COMELEC warehouse in at Sta Rosa Laguna where a transmission of mock elections results is also held duing the weekend in preparation for the May 9 elections Inquirernet photo by Marianne Bermudez

Napentildeas Susan Ople Cresencio Paez Pasig City (Metro Manila) Rep Roman Romulo Princess Jacel Kiram former party-list Rep Risa Hontiveros former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu broad-caster Rey Langit Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez and Diosdado Valeroso

The candidates promised to support and promote the right of Filipinos to vote and advocate truthful responsible upright transparent and honest elec-tions

The agreement was signed after a Holy Mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle

Tagle called on voters to be

Binay Roxas sign pact for honesthellipdiscerning and to ldquochoose the candidates who will be a repre-sentative for the common goodrdquo

The cardinal clarified that the Catholic Church will not endorse any candidate

ldquoWe wonrsquot impose on who you should vote [for] because we want the flock to participate based on their intellect and conscience We cannot preach participation and curtail the peoplersquos right to act according to their intellect rationally and with consciencerdquo he said

Tagle noted that the right to vote is a blessing that should not be wasted

ldquoKaya kung tutuusin ang pagboto ay isang tungkulin na hindi lamang makabayan kundi makadiyos dahil sa aking pag-

boto ako ay nakikilahok sa biyaya na binibigay sa atin na maging bahagi at magkaroon ng boses para sa ikabububuti ng ating li-punan [it could be said that vot-ing is not just a patriotic duty but a godly one since by doing so we participate in the grace given us to play a part in and have a voice in the betterment of our society]rdquo the cardinal added

According to Tagle voters have the responsibility to be dis-cerning and analytical of the can-didates

ldquoMag-aral kumilatis ku-mawala sa pagkakulong sa sarili at isipin ang kabutihan pangka-halatan [Study discern and liber-ate yourself from your preoccu-pation with oneself and think of the common good]rdquo he said n

PAGE A1 t

isang tao kundi nakadirekta sa pamamalakad na parang yun bang parang wala nang mabait kundi lsquoyung iilanrdquo she said

(I am not referring directly to a single person but to the gover-nance that it seems like there are only a few good people)

Poe made the remark when sought for comment on presi-dential frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Dutertersquos report-ed statement that many people have embraced him because they hate the governmentrsquos purported inactions

At a campaign rally in Nueva Ecija on Monday the senator also warned voters against elect-ing a government that will pro-mote violence saying the poor will suffer from it

While she also dreams of quick solutions to long-time problems Poe said she does not believe that killing would bring the peace and order people want

ldquoMerong isa kasing kandidato na ang sinasabi tatapusin niya ng tatlo hanggang anim na buwan ang droga Kahit naman ako pangarap ko rin lsquoyon Walang masama doon kung talagang magagawa Kaya lamang ito Ang pamamaraan ay malirdquo she said

(There is a candidate who says he would end illegal drugs in three to six months I also have the same dream There is noth-ing wrong with that if it could re-

ally be done However the way of doing that is wrong)

Poe was apparently referring to Duterte who earlier promised to solve criminality in his first six months in office should he get elected President

The senator said it was not right to give any group blanket power to just kill or kidnap sus-pected criminals without going through due process Under this culture of impunity she said the poor are in a disadvantaged posi-tion

ldquoAng problema ang palaging napapagkamalan ay mahihirap Pansinin ninyo meron bang pinatay na mayaman doon sa lugar nila na nasuspetsahan ng droga smuggling o anupaman Kaya kahit gusto natin ng mabilis na solusyon gagawin ko pa ring mabilis ang solusyon pero naaay-on sa prosesordquo she said

(The problem is the poor are always blamed If you would no-tice has there been a rich person killed in their place for suspect-ed engagement in drugs smug-gling or similar activities Thatrsquos why although we want quick so-lutions I would make quick solu-tions according to due process)

If she wins in the May 9 elec-tions Poe said she would push for the creation of a drug court to try only drug-related cases This she said will declog the countryrsquos criminal courts which are saddled with thousands of

unresolved casesShe said she would also

strengthen the Public Attorneyrsquos Office so that the poor can have access to free and competent le-gal services

ldquoBibigyan ko ang mga mahihi-rap ng magagaling na abogado Magtatalaga ako ng magaling na pulis sa bawat rehiyon At lsquopag hindi bumaba ang datos ng kri-men at droga hindi ako maghi-hintay ng dalawang araw ako mismo tatanggalin ko lsquoyung pro-vincial police para mapalitan ng gumagawa ng trabahordquo she said

(I will provide competent law-yers to the poor I will assign ef-ficient police to each region And if crime and drug rates donrsquot go down I wonrsquot wait for two days I will fire the provincial police so he could be replaced immedi-ately)

Poe said the appointment of local police chiefs must not be politicized to ensure that the Philippine National Police (PNP) force across the country will be impartial

ldquoHindi pwedeng politi-cal ang appointment ng pulis Kailangan ang pulis ay nagta-trabaho para sa inyo dahil nani-niwala ako na ang tao ay hindi dapat matakot sa gobyerno Ang gobyerno ang dapat matakot sa inyo lsquopag hindi namin ginagawa ang aming trabahordquo she further said n

Poe Filipinos fed up with lsquostraight pathrsquohellipPAGE A1 t

in Mandaluyong CityHe said in his affidavit that he

vetted the information given to him and also compared them with Dutertersquos statements on as-sets liabilities and net worth

He said he executed the affidavit disclosing the identity of his infor-mant so that there would be no more reason for the mayorrsquos camp not to issue a bank waiver and to ldquoend this issue because I want the people to know what we knowrdquo

Face-offEarlier in the day the much-

awaited face-off between the camps of Duterte and Trillanes at BPI Julia Vargas where the presidential hopeful admit-tedly kept bank accounts drew throngs of supporters but went for naught as no bank records were opened

Instead of a waiver Duterte lawyer Salvador Panelo request-ed BPI to look into his clientrsquos records and issue a certification that ldquoat no time since the open-ing of the account has there been P211 million whether singly col-lectively or cumulatively depos-ited to his bank accountrdquo

Banks asks for 7 daysThe bank branch however

asked for seven days to respond to the request of Dutertersquos camp

Panelo said a bank official told him that the request had to be carefully studied since it was a joint account

Trillanes said after the meeting Dutertersquos camp had failed to issue a bank waiver even if he had given it an affida-vit detailing how he obtained the information on Dutertersquos bank

accountsPanelo however said the

special power of attorney (SPA) signed by Duterte granting him the power to request and receive a bank certificate from the bank was the waiver ldquoIt is the bank waiver that Trillanes was askingrdquo the lawyer said over the phone

But the language in the SPA was specific It allows Panelo to ldquorequest for and receive from the Bank of the Philippine Is-lands (BPI) bank certificates for BPI Saving Account No 2433-0695-39 to show the current balance as well as the fact that at no time since the opening of the aforesaid bank account was there a deposit either singly or collectively of two hundred mil-lion pesos (P211 million)rdquo

Trillanes is accusing Duterte of having P227 millionmdashnot P211 million as earlier reportedmdashin the BPI account

Asked about the discrepancy in the amount Panelo said ldquoThat is his problem He is always chang-ing his statements That fact is Dutertersquos account has no mil-lionsrdquo

lsquoHearsayrsquoThe lawyer dismissed as hear-

say the affidavit that Trillanes handed to Panelo as part of the senatorrsquos dare to Duterte to open his bank account

ldquoIn other words it was a hear-say coming from De Mesa He heard it from De Mesardquo Panelo told reporters

Panelo said he showed BPI officials Trillanesrsquo affidavit that contained Dutertersquos supposed transaction history ldquoThe official of the bank said lsquoSir we donrsquot

have a form like that That was done by a computerrdquo he said

It was Trillanes who initiated the challenge to Duterte for a face-off at the BPI branch on Ju-lia Vargas last week

He offered to resign as sena-tor and withdraw from the vice presidential race if his accusa-tions against Duterte could be proven false

The face-off attracted support-ers from both camps who cov-ered a portion of the avenue

Duterte supporters were seen carrying campaign materials shouting ldquoDuterterdquo The other camp responded ldquoCorruptrdquo

The two camps traded jeers with Duterte supporters calling the others ldquobayaran (for hire)rdquo

Trillanesrsquo supporters came pre-pared sounding drums and wav-ing flags ushering their princi-palrsquos arrival shortly before 11am

The security at the BPI branchrsquos periphery was tight with police-men carrying shields and trun-cheons keeping the supporters and even reporters at bay

Roxas PoeAlso on Monday Liberal Party

(LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas continued to press Duterte to re-veal his bank transactions a line of attack he has made since last week

ldquoMayor Digong why wonrsquot you face the truthrdquo he said address-ing the foul-mouthed mayor by his nickname

Sen Grace Poe said Duterte should stop making excuses in refusing to open the history of his bank accounts in BPI (With reports from DJ Yap and Gil C Cabacungan)

BSP AMLC deny leaking Dutertersquos bank info

critical to the stability of South East Asia and I do look forward to the Philippines continuing along its current pathrdquo he said

During the first panel on gov-ernance growth and develop-ment Motoo Konishi former World Bank Country Director for the Philippines emphasized the importance of addressing corrup-tion and improving governance protecting the population from climate change and environmen-tal disasters and having peace in eliminating extreme poverty

ldquoFighting poverty and elimi-nating poverty means that you have to know each poor who they are and where they live and your investments need to be targeted to those people Fast growth doesnrsquot eliminate pover-ty you have to choose your poli-cies carefullyrdquo Konishi said

The Aquino Administration has actively pursued these three ob-jectives according to Konishi

ldquoThe Aquino Administration focused on pro-poor policiesrdquo Konishi further added stating that the Philippine experience will be a highlight of the World Bankrsquos flagship World Develop-ment Report this year

Gloria Steele of USAID high-lighted the accomplishments of the Aquino administration in competitiveness transparency corruption infrastructure edu-cation and health

ldquoThe Filipino people are look-ing forward to more changes and to the continuation of reforms that the Aquino Administration startedrdquo she said

However Steele added that more needs to be done by the next administration such as im-provements in airport infrastruc-ture and quality energy regula-tions

Matthew Bohn of the Mil-lennium Challenge Corporation lauded the first compact with the Philippines which support-ed poverty reduction inclusive growth and elimination of cor-

ruption as being one of MCCrsquos best compacts He also expressed confidence that despite the chal-lenges ahead the Philippines will be able to sustain its growth and development largely because of the ground work that the Aquino administration has set in place

ldquoThe Aquino Administration has successfully put down deep and important roots for creating the conditions for (sustained) economic growthrdquo Bohn said

The second panel discussion on security and peace focused mainly on internal and external security challenges

Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College de-scribed the modernization of the Philippine air force military and marine forces the deepening de-fense relations with the United States through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and Balikatan exercises as some of the major accom-plishments of the Aquino Admin-istration

However peace and security challenges remain in Mindanao one of which is the coercive ca-pacities of political dynasties and political families through the use of private armies

ldquoFor any lasting peace to hap-pen in Mindanao you have to eliminate the private armiesrdquo Professor Patricio Abinales of the University of Hawaii at Manoa said

Professor Abinales also linked the private armies with the per-vasive presence of the illicit sec-tor stating that the presence of illicit trade in Mindanao cannot be weakened without first elimi-nating the private armies

ldquoUnilateral naming doesnrsquot change the status of a territory sea or landrdquo Professor Ruth Wedgwood of Johns Hopkins SAIS said switching the discus-sion from internal to external se-curity challenges

Referring to the impending decision of the Arbitral Tribunal Professor Wedgwood further stated that ldquoChina will be put in a very difficult position to defy itrdquo considering the interest of ASEAN member countries in the case

The last part of the symposium was a keynote address delivered by Senator Richard Lugar speak-ing on the hallmarks of the Aqui-no Administration and the strong ties between the Philippines and the United States n

DC symposium reflects on Philippine growthhellip

crime while the second suspect Nintildeo Dela Cruz also a Fil-Am was arrested by the Philippine National Policersquos Special Action Force in Tondo Manila last Au-gust 12

Aikarsquos father Josar Mojica was in deep sorrow because of his daughterrsquos murder Vianersquos re-turn in the country gave hope to

the Mojica family that the case would push ahead

ldquoItrsquos a good development that he has been brought here but his face is a painful reminder of my daughterrsquos deathrdquo Josar Mo-jica said

Aika Mojicarsquos murder was linked to the custody battle between Vi-ane and his estranged wife back in the United States Viane left

US extradites Fil-Am suspect of Olongapohellipthe US and took their son to the Philippines which led to Mojica intervening in the issue

Viane is temporarily detained at the National Bureau of Investiga-tion (NBI) office as of this writing while Dela Cruz has already been charged before the Zambales RTC Branch 71 and is now locked up at the Zambales Provincial Jail (Ian Jamotillo AJPress)

PAGE A1 t

Ambassador Jose L Cuisia Jr delivers his welcome address at the symposium entitled ldquoPhilippines 2016 Governance Growth Development and Securityrdquo held at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on Thursday April 28 Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy

PAGE A1 t

PAGE A3 t

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 ADateline USa

SAN FRANCISCO mdash A ballot-approved measure in California is benefiting a lot of people with criminal records who have had their offenses lowered to misde-meanor according to a panel of supporters of the reform mea-sure

But many non-US citizen Filipi-no immigrants may still not know about it and could be missing out on opportunities for immigration relief or naturalization

More than 60 percent of Cali-fornia voters in November 2014 approved Proposition 47 (Prop 47) otherwise known as the Safe Neighborhoods and School Act a retroactive measure that reclas-sifies six low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors

They are simple drug posses-sion petty theft or receipt of stolen items shoplifting forg-ery and writing a bad check all under $950 worth The savings that may be generated from the reclassification are reallocated to local prevention and treatment programs

Fewer prisonersAt the New America Media

Calif criminal records purge help many Filipinos missing out

ldquoProp 47 Measuring Impact on Crime and Criminal Justicerdquo briefing held recently at The New America Media in San Francisco Photo by Jun Nucum

news briefing on Prop 47 attor-ney Hillary Blout said there was a 1500-percent increase in money spent for the overloaded prison system before Prop 47 How-ever through the measure the state met the federal mandate and reduced prison population a year ahead of schedule

ldquoWersquove had around 5000 peo-ple released from prison on theft cases with cost of less than $950 not a drug dealer not transport-ing drug but maybe an addictrdquo Blout announced

ldquoFrom Prop 47 savings have already been generated $73 million have been cut from Gov Brownrsquos prisons spending bud-get thus far Figures that will be in by May that could reach $100-150 million in savings which can be used for prevention treatment and different types of programs that will be able to address low-level non-violent offendersrdquo Blout added

In the same briefing San Fran-cisco District Attorney George Gascon affirmed that savings are realized as the cost of pros-ecuting a misdemeanor is signifi-cantly less than the cost of pros-ecuting a felony and takes less time and less court involvement

Around 60 percent of the savings go to drug rehabilitation and mental health programs while the rest go to at-risk youth and services for victims of traumatic incidents

ldquoIncarceration is not deterrent to low-level crime as what it does simply is to warehouse people for a period of time especially if they are drug addicts and cycle people in and out of jail They do worse each time they come out and continue to commit crimerdquo Gascon maintained

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi reported that they handled around 20000 low-level cases a year in San Francisco but the number is now down to a low 4000-5000

More focus on serious crimesldquoWhat that allows police to do

is to focus their efforts more on serious crimes It allows us all in the criminal justice systemmdashde-fenders prosecutors police mdash to focus more on serious and vio-lent crimesrdquo Adachi stated

ldquoJail population in San Francis-co dropped from 2400 about six years ago to the present 1200 with no huge increases in violent crimes as there is nationwide Property crime is up though just

like in the rest of the countryrdquo Adachi reported

Blout added that community organizations and Californians also want money divested from the prison system to be put more in prevention treatment as the present prison system spends $62000 per person in prison but the public schools get only about $8000 per person

ldquoThere have been some

250000 applications around the state for resentencing or record change to get felony convictions off peoplersquos records out of the projected million-plus offenders that may be eligiblerdquo said blout ldquoA felony conviction carries 43000 restrictions most of which prevent people from reintegrat-ing into the society They cannot get a job get a house reunite with kids or get financial aid to

pursue different career goalsrdquo Blout added

Filipinos missing outIn a phone interview promi-

nent Filipino immigration law-yer Lou Tancinco confirmed that Prop 47 offers immigration relief by basically affording the individ-ual an opportunity to lower the offense to a misdemeanor

ldquoA person who is being put

by Jun nucumInquirernet

uPAGE A7

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

FeaturesOpiniOn

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

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

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

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

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

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

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

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ManilaTimesnet photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9mdashthe Philippine national electionsmdashare critical This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support which in turn they hope will manifest in actual votes

Public interest

For Filipino voters this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer

The Filipinosrsquo support is essential to any leader They are after all the ones who get someone into office and whom leaders are repre-senting On the other hand an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipinorsquos life He or she shapes the system make crucial decisions and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino

On Monday May 2 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions

In his homily Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country

ldquoIn being candidates you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility If you win it means you must represent the peoplersquos dreams and common goodrdquo Tagle said

Meanwhile Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day May 3 reminded Filipino voters to ldquonot to

be mesmerizedrdquo by promises of ldquochangerdquo by candidates seeking the countryrsquos top post He said that what the country needs is a ldquoradi-calrdquo and ldquoprofoundrdquo change in

mind behavior and valuesQuevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone ldquothat is not tainted by corruption unexplained wealth and properties and enrichment in officerdquo He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive ideal governmentmdasha that system is com-mitted to the common good shared and personal responsibility and one that finds opportunity for everyone Next week we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the countryrsquos political landscape

Until then may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipinomdashall 100 million of them (AJPress)

Editorial

I WAS having merien-da with some friends last week discussing our political situation when one of them ex-claimed the country is going to the dogs Ever the cynical journal-ist I responded that of course we are going to the dogs and the election is just meant for us to choose our preferred breed

By this time many of us know exactly who we will vote for There are howev-er some of us who are still troubled by the choices set before us

Those who are very sure of their choice can no longer be convinced to vote for anyone else They are already emotionally invested in their choice and any attempt to appeal to their ldquora-tionalrdquo side or even scare them of their votersquos consequences will no longer work

What is ldquorationalrdquo is a personal thing This whole emotion versus reason in peoplersquos decision making process had always been a hot topic among econo-mists and other social scientists As someone who once made his living by claiming the ability to craft peoplersquos choices I always knew that without ldquoan emotional buy-inrdquo a product service or person is destined to fail In my adver-tising days we call this essential ele-ment ldquokurot sa pusordquo

You must have heard about Homo Economicus or the theoretical rational man A human is supposed to make decisions on the basis of self interest Economists who follow the rational choice theory accept the assumption that people make decisions as a Homo Economicus

Homo Economicus as an assump-

tion has seen better days Recent Nobel Prize winners in eco-nomics got their cita-tion because of work in a field known as behavioral econom-ics Briefly behav-ioral economics is ldquoa method of economic

analysis that applies psychological in-sights into human behavior to explain economic decision-makingrdquo

Investopedia explains that ldquobehav-ioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predictions of economic modelsrdquo This is also how we make de-cisions every day yes including the choice we will make on May 9

Let us take the Duterte groundswell that may well bring him to Malacanang It is very clear to me that if we didnrsquot have Duterte we would have to invent him P-Noy may have been the most honest president we have had since his mother but like her he failed to ad-dress some of the most basic needs of our people

True our macroeconomic numbers have not been better but all that had very little impact on the lives of our peo-ple The survey numbers showed even those classified among the ABC social classes are strong supporters of Duterte because they too felt shortchanged by the last six years

I recall someone saying that 70 per-cent of our economic gains over the last six years went to four percent of our population I am not sure how accurate those numbers are but it feels like that It did not help P-Noy was rather inept in rolling out infrastructure that could

have helped alleviate some sufferings among the working classes

A foreign journalist observed ldquothe disconnect between Aquinorsquos rosy rhetoric and realities on the ground is feeding democratic fatigue at the worst possible moment Good gover-nance hasnrsquot smashed the oligarched nature of the economy any more than rapid growth has eradicated poverty Filipinos have every reason to be dis-enchanted with the ruling elite telling them life is superrdquo

Add to all that is a rather insensitive president who had been unable to feel what common people feel He consid-ered anyone who complains about his leadership as enemies for whom he has reserved some of the most hurtful words of scorn and sarcasm Buhay ka pa naman hindi ba

Duterte as someone observed is P-Noyrsquos lasting legacy People are just so angry they find this crass and dirty-mouthed mayor from the south as just

the man who can bring them reliefMar Roxas also made a big messag-

ing mistake by emphasizing continuity (being rational) when what people want is change (being emotional) Thatrsquos not surprising in this administration because the president and his officials just talk to each other instead of casting a big net to gather diverse opinions and reports

During the last presidential debate in Dagupan Mar Roxas who had been trailing badly in the polls made a good and rational presentation Some of my technocrat friends who had been unsure about voting for him were convinced he is their man I was not surprised

If I didnrsquot know any better I would be won over by Marrsquos presentation too His style is what those of us who went to graduate school and worked in the higher levels of management are hard-wired to look up to Mar was the McK-insey consultant trying to convince us and it works all the time with the logic and the numbers even if divorced from reality

The masses that are all out for Duterte are on the other hand not inclined to listen to concepts or big pictures from well dressed people who smell good They have heard all that before and have been disappointed They know better this time

They are mad as hell for a life that makes them wake up before dawn to fall in line for hours for a train only to be told the trains are not running or will be delayed Out in Mindanao far from the consciousness of Imperial Manila they are dying of hunger and they got shot at instead

The Makati businessmen were disap-pointed Duterte did not deliver a coher-ent speech that gave them an idea of

his possible approach to economic poli-cies He doesnrsquot care They are not the audience he is banking on to bring him to the Palace

Dutertersquos audience is only ready to listen to memorable sound bites that offer them relief Duterte has won their hearts and their hearts have chosen him for better or for worse

The acoustical war this week will not likely lead to a change of heart if the choices remain as they are If the elite want to prove it remains power-ful enough to influence elections they will have to take drastic steps or suffer Duterte for the next six years

Cheating should not be an option because with emotions at a very high level it could lead to a bloody protest The elite power brokers may have to convince the other candidates to join forces for a last stand Divided it will be Duterte for the next six years

I have heard stories about planeloads of cash being feverishly rushed all over the country The price per voter is said to have gone up to P5000 But given the emotional investment of his supporters on his candidacy people may take the money and vote for Duterte anyway

Man versus machine Some Binay and Roxas followers are saying their machinery will prevail in the end I am not too sure machinery beats the emo-tional ties that bind the Duterte follow-ers But we will see

This is one election that could be a turning pointhellip which I hope will be for the good of our beloved country We will all vote with our hearts with our emotions We always do because some-how the heart knows best

Boo Chancorsquos e-mail address is bchancogmailcom Follow him on Twitter boochanco

How we will vote

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign just a week before the all-important presiden-tial election in the Philippines following allegations made by VP candidate Sen Antonio Trillanes Trillanes alleged that the Philippine presidential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Dutertersquos charac-ter have been branded as black propa-ganda by the Duterte camp and his fol-lowers alleging that his opponents are so desperate to pull him down after his dominance in the recent polls all over the country

But as some say all is fair game in politics especially when a candidate has given his detractors ammunitions to

fire back at him Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he the mayor should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian

Then there were more among many others his

own words admitting he has killed peo-ple and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance his cursing the popular Pope Francis his blatant unapologetic and even bragging statement that he is a womanizer the al-legations that he has ghost employees his reported statements that if elected he will release former Pres Gloria Ar-royo that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani and that he will let Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency

Just this past week something has been happening in the polls We see the

rise of DILG Sec Mar Roxas in surveys especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29 Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent unchanged from the April 19-24 survey but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll

The Drsquo Strafford Research and Strat-egies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte It showed Roxas on top with 278 per-cent followed by Duterte with 254 per-cent

If this trend continues could Roxas pull an upset on May 9 and be elected president

ABANGAN

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC For comments go to wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls can Duterte lead be overtaken

Duterte

Roxas-Robredo

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

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Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

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UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

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Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

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Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

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Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

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Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

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San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

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$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

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Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

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$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

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Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

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$12lbsfor

Small Taro

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$050SAVINGS

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CucumberWAS

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Corn White

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Green Onions

WAS

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33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

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$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

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$099SAVINGS

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Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

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$169SAVINGS

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99centlb

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$399lb

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$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 ADateline USa

SAN FRANCISCO mdash A ballot-approved measure in California is benefiting a lot of people with criminal records who have had their offenses lowered to misde-meanor according to a panel of supporters of the reform mea-sure

But many non-US citizen Filipi-no immigrants may still not know about it and could be missing out on opportunities for immigration relief or naturalization

More than 60 percent of Cali-fornia voters in November 2014 approved Proposition 47 (Prop 47) otherwise known as the Safe Neighborhoods and School Act a retroactive measure that reclas-sifies six low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors

They are simple drug posses-sion petty theft or receipt of stolen items shoplifting forg-ery and writing a bad check all under $950 worth The savings that may be generated from the reclassification are reallocated to local prevention and treatment programs

Fewer prisonersAt the New America Media

Calif criminal records purge help many Filipinos missing out

ldquoProp 47 Measuring Impact on Crime and Criminal Justicerdquo briefing held recently at The New America Media in San Francisco Photo by Jun Nucum

news briefing on Prop 47 attor-ney Hillary Blout said there was a 1500-percent increase in money spent for the overloaded prison system before Prop 47 How-ever through the measure the state met the federal mandate and reduced prison population a year ahead of schedule

ldquoWersquove had around 5000 peo-ple released from prison on theft cases with cost of less than $950 not a drug dealer not transport-ing drug but maybe an addictrdquo Blout announced

ldquoFrom Prop 47 savings have already been generated $73 million have been cut from Gov Brownrsquos prisons spending bud-get thus far Figures that will be in by May that could reach $100-150 million in savings which can be used for prevention treatment and different types of programs that will be able to address low-level non-violent offendersrdquo Blout added

In the same briefing San Fran-cisco District Attorney George Gascon affirmed that savings are realized as the cost of pros-ecuting a misdemeanor is signifi-cantly less than the cost of pros-ecuting a felony and takes less time and less court involvement

Around 60 percent of the savings go to drug rehabilitation and mental health programs while the rest go to at-risk youth and services for victims of traumatic incidents

ldquoIncarceration is not deterrent to low-level crime as what it does simply is to warehouse people for a period of time especially if they are drug addicts and cycle people in and out of jail They do worse each time they come out and continue to commit crimerdquo Gascon maintained

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi reported that they handled around 20000 low-level cases a year in San Francisco but the number is now down to a low 4000-5000

More focus on serious crimesldquoWhat that allows police to do

is to focus their efforts more on serious crimes It allows us all in the criminal justice systemmdashde-fenders prosecutors police mdash to focus more on serious and vio-lent crimesrdquo Adachi stated

ldquoJail population in San Francis-co dropped from 2400 about six years ago to the present 1200 with no huge increases in violent crimes as there is nationwide Property crime is up though just

like in the rest of the countryrdquo Adachi reported

Blout added that community organizations and Californians also want money divested from the prison system to be put more in prevention treatment as the present prison system spends $62000 per person in prison but the public schools get only about $8000 per person

ldquoThere have been some

250000 applications around the state for resentencing or record change to get felony convictions off peoplersquos records out of the projected million-plus offenders that may be eligiblerdquo said blout ldquoA felony conviction carries 43000 restrictions most of which prevent people from reintegrat-ing into the society They cannot get a job get a house reunite with kids or get financial aid to

pursue different career goalsrdquo Blout added

Filipinos missing outIn a phone interview promi-

nent Filipino immigration law-yer Lou Tancinco confirmed that Prop 47 offers immigration relief by basically affording the individ-ual an opportunity to lower the offense to a misdemeanor

ldquoA person who is being put

by Jun nucumInquirernet

uPAGE A7

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

FeaturesOpiniOn

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

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

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

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

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

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

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

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ManilaTimesnet photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9mdashthe Philippine national electionsmdashare critical This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support which in turn they hope will manifest in actual votes

Public interest

For Filipino voters this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer

The Filipinosrsquo support is essential to any leader They are after all the ones who get someone into office and whom leaders are repre-senting On the other hand an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipinorsquos life He or she shapes the system make crucial decisions and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino

On Monday May 2 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions

In his homily Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country

ldquoIn being candidates you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility If you win it means you must represent the peoplersquos dreams and common goodrdquo Tagle said

Meanwhile Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day May 3 reminded Filipino voters to ldquonot to

be mesmerizedrdquo by promises of ldquochangerdquo by candidates seeking the countryrsquos top post He said that what the country needs is a ldquoradi-calrdquo and ldquoprofoundrdquo change in

mind behavior and valuesQuevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone ldquothat is not tainted by corruption unexplained wealth and properties and enrichment in officerdquo He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive ideal governmentmdasha that system is com-mitted to the common good shared and personal responsibility and one that finds opportunity for everyone Next week we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the countryrsquos political landscape

Until then may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipinomdashall 100 million of them (AJPress)

Editorial

I WAS having merien-da with some friends last week discussing our political situation when one of them ex-claimed the country is going to the dogs Ever the cynical journal-ist I responded that of course we are going to the dogs and the election is just meant for us to choose our preferred breed

By this time many of us know exactly who we will vote for There are howev-er some of us who are still troubled by the choices set before us

Those who are very sure of their choice can no longer be convinced to vote for anyone else They are already emotionally invested in their choice and any attempt to appeal to their ldquora-tionalrdquo side or even scare them of their votersquos consequences will no longer work

What is ldquorationalrdquo is a personal thing This whole emotion versus reason in peoplersquos decision making process had always been a hot topic among econo-mists and other social scientists As someone who once made his living by claiming the ability to craft peoplersquos choices I always knew that without ldquoan emotional buy-inrdquo a product service or person is destined to fail In my adver-tising days we call this essential ele-ment ldquokurot sa pusordquo

You must have heard about Homo Economicus or the theoretical rational man A human is supposed to make decisions on the basis of self interest Economists who follow the rational choice theory accept the assumption that people make decisions as a Homo Economicus

Homo Economicus as an assump-

tion has seen better days Recent Nobel Prize winners in eco-nomics got their cita-tion because of work in a field known as behavioral econom-ics Briefly behav-ioral economics is ldquoa method of economic

analysis that applies psychological in-sights into human behavior to explain economic decision-makingrdquo

Investopedia explains that ldquobehav-ioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predictions of economic modelsrdquo This is also how we make de-cisions every day yes including the choice we will make on May 9

Let us take the Duterte groundswell that may well bring him to Malacanang It is very clear to me that if we didnrsquot have Duterte we would have to invent him P-Noy may have been the most honest president we have had since his mother but like her he failed to ad-dress some of the most basic needs of our people

True our macroeconomic numbers have not been better but all that had very little impact on the lives of our peo-ple The survey numbers showed even those classified among the ABC social classes are strong supporters of Duterte because they too felt shortchanged by the last six years

I recall someone saying that 70 per-cent of our economic gains over the last six years went to four percent of our population I am not sure how accurate those numbers are but it feels like that It did not help P-Noy was rather inept in rolling out infrastructure that could

have helped alleviate some sufferings among the working classes

A foreign journalist observed ldquothe disconnect between Aquinorsquos rosy rhetoric and realities on the ground is feeding democratic fatigue at the worst possible moment Good gover-nance hasnrsquot smashed the oligarched nature of the economy any more than rapid growth has eradicated poverty Filipinos have every reason to be dis-enchanted with the ruling elite telling them life is superrdquo

Add to all that is a rather insensitive president who had been unable to feel what common people feel He consid-ered anyone who complains about his leadership as enemies for whom he has reserved some of the most hurtful words of scorn and sarcasm Buhay ka pa naman hindi ba

Duterte as someone observed is P-Noyrsquos lasting legacy People are just so angry they find this crass and dirty-mouthed mayor from the south as just

the man who can bring them reliefMar Roxas also made a big messag-

ing mistake by emphasizing continuity (being rational) when what people want is change (being emotional) Thatrsquos not surprising in this administration because the president and his officials just talk to each other instead of casting a big net to gather diverse opinions and reports

During the last presidential debate in Dagupan Mar Roxas who had been trailing badly in the polls made a good and rational presentation Some of my technocrat friends who had been unsure about voting for him were convinced he is their man I was not surprised

If I didnrsquot know any better I would be won over by Marrsquos presentation too His style is what those of us who went to graduate school and worked in the higher levels of management are hard-wired to look up to Mar was the McK-insey consultant trying to convince us and it works all the time with the logic and the numbers even if divorced from reality

The masses that are all out for Duterte are on the other hand not inclined to listen to concepts or big pictures from well dressed people who smell good They have heard all that before and have been disappointed They know better this time

They are mad as hell for a life that makes them wake up before dawn to fall in line for hours for a train only to be told the trains are not running or will be delayed Out in Mindanao far from the consciousness of Imperial Manila they are dying of hunger and they got shot at instead

The Makati businessmen were disap-pointed Duterte did not deliver a coher-ent speech that gave them an idea of

his possible approach to economic poli-cies He doesnrsquot care They are not the audience he is banking on to bring him to the Palace

Dutertersquos audience is only ready to listen to memorable sound bites that offer them relief Duterte has won their hearts and their hearts have chosen him for better or for worse

The acoustical war this week will not likely lead to a change of heart if the choices remain as they are If the elite want to prove it remains power-ful enough to influence elections they will have to take drastic steps or suffer Duterte for the next six years

Cheating should not be an option because with emotions at a very high level it could lead to a bloody protest The elite power brokers may have to convince the other candidates to join forces for a last stand Divided it will be Duterte for the next six years

I have heard stories about planeloads of cash being feverishly rushed all over the country The price per voter is said to have gone up to P5000 But given the emotional investment of his supporters on his candidacy people may take the money and vote for Duterte anyway

Man versus machine Some Binay and Roxas followers are saying their machinery will prevail in the end I am not too sure machinery beats the emo-tional ties that bind the Duterte follow-ers But we will see

This is one election that could be a turning pointhellip which I hope will be for the good of our beloved country We will all vote with our hearts with our emotions We always do because some-how the heart knows best

Boo Chancorsquos e-mail address is bchancogmailcom Follow him on Twitter boochanco

How we will vote

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign just a week before the all-important presiden-tial election in the Philippines following allegations made by VP candidate Sen Antonio Trillanes Trillanes alleged that the Philippine presidential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Dutertersquos charac-ter have been branded as black propa-ganda by the Duterte camp and his fol-lowers alleging that his opponents are so desperate to pull him down after his dominance in the recent polls all over the country

But as some say all is fair game in politics especially when a candidate has given his detractors ammunitions to

fire back at him Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he the mayor should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian

Then there were more among many others his

own words admitting he has killed peo-ple and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance his cursing the popular Pope Francis his blatant unapologetic and even bragging statement that he is a womanizer the al-legations that he has ghost employees his reported statements that if elected he will release former Pres Gloria Ar-royo that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani and that he will let Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency

Just this past week something has been happening in the polls We see the

rise of DILG Sec Mar Roxas in surveys especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29 Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent unchanged from the April 19-24 survey but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll

The Drsquo Strafford Research and Strat-egies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte It showed Roxas on top with 278 per-cent followed by Duterte with 254 per-cent

If this trend continues could Roxas pull an upset on May 9 and be elected president

ABANGAN

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC For comments go to wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls can Duterte lead be overtaken

Duterte

Roxas-Robredo

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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WAS$259

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Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

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Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

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$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

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89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

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69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

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Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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Baby Bokchoy

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37

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CucumberWAS

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Corn White

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Green Onions

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each

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20Korean BBQ Ribs

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29Salmon Fillet

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

FeaturesOpiniOn

DANTE SAMBILAYArt Director

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

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

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

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

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIELPublisher amp Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIELPresident

BELLE M SISONExecutive Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYASenior Vice President

Los Angeles Asian Journal

ANDY TECSONTED TALAGBERT JAURIGUE

Photographers

MOMAR G VISAYAExecutive Editor

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISONChief Financial Officer

IVY MANALANGVice President - MarketingLos Angeles Asian Journal

SHARON ANN SAN PEDROVice President - SalesBalikbayan Magazine

DING CARREONVideographer

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

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

ManilaTimesnet photo

THESE last few days leading up to May 9mdashthe Philippine national electionsmdashare critical This moment is intense as aspiring leaders are rushing to mount campaigns that will boost in public support which in turn they hope will manifest in actual votes

Public interest

For Filipino voters this moment is a chance for them to relish the pow-er they have and take this exercise with tenacity and good cheer

The Filipinosrsquo support is essential to any leader They are after all the ones who get someone into office and whom leaders are repre-senting On the other hand an elected leader plays a central role in every Filipinorsquos life He or she shapes the system make crucial decisions and represent the hopes and interests of every Filipino

On Monday May 2 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gathered candidates for national positions during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral where he also made them sign the covenant for Truthful Responsible Upright Transparent amp Honest (TRUTH) elec-tions

In his homily Tagle urged the political aspirants to evaluate what the real needs of the people are and to do everything in their powers to foster bet-ter and safer communities in the country

ldquoIn being candidates you need to know that it is a blessing that comes with a responsibility If you win it means you must represent the peoplersquos dreams and common goodrdquo Tagle said

Meanwhile Cardinal Orlando Quevedo on Tues-day May 3 reminded Filipino voters to ldquonot to

be mesmerizedrdquo by promises of ldquochangerdquo by candidates seeking the countryrsquos top post He said that what the country needs is a ldquoradi-calrdquo and ldquoprofoundrdquo change in

mind behavior and valuesQuevedo urged voters to throw their support for

the candidates who have an option for the poor and those with moral integrity or someone ldquothat is not tainted by corruption unexplained wealth and properties and enrichment in officerdquo He encour-aged them to choose a leader who is competent to govern 100 million Filipinos and lead them to a better life

Filipinos have signaled an inclination for a pro-gressive ideal governmentmdasha that system is com-mitted to the common good shared and personal responsibility and one that finds opportunity for everyone Next week we will see if election re-sults will usher in a new presidency that would mark a significant change in the countryrsquos political landscape

Until then may voters ruminate on who they think will be a good leader before casting their votes May they choose an inspiring leader who will stand for the highest values and ideals of every Filipinomdashall 100 million of them (AJPress)

Editorial

I WAS having merien-da with some friends last week discussing our political situation when one of them ex-claimed the country is going to the dogs Ever the cynical journal-ist I responded that of course we are going to the dogs and the election is just meant for us to choose our preferred breed

By this time many of us know exactly who we will vote for There are howev-er some of us who are still troubled by the choices set before us

Those who are very sure of their choice can no longer be convinced to vote for anyone else They are already emotionally invested in their choice and any attempt to appeal to their ldquora-tionalrdquo side or even scare them of their votersquos consequences will no longer work

What is ldquorationalrdquo is a personal thing This whole emotion versus reason in peoplersquos decision making process had always been a hot topic among econo-mists and other social scientists As someone who once made his living by claiming the ability to craft peoplersquos choices I always knew that without ldquoan emotional buy-inrdquo a product service or person is destined to fail In my adver-tising days we call this essential ele-ment ldquokurot sa pusordquo

You must have heard about Homo Economicus or the theoretical rational man A human is supposed to make decisions on the basis of self interest Economists who follow the rational choice theory accept the assumption that people make decisions as a Homo Economicus

Homo Economicus as an assump-

tion has seen better days Recent Nobel Prize winners in eco-nomics got their cita-tion because of work in a field known as behavioral econom-ics Briefly behav-ioral economics is ldquoa method of economic

analysis that applies psychological in-sights into human behavior to explain economic decision-makingrdquo

Investopedia explains that ldquobehav-ioral economics explores why people sometimes make irrational decisions and why and how their behavior does not follow the predictions of economic modelsrdquo This is also how we make de-cisions every day yes including the choice we will make on May 9

Let us take the Duterte groundswell that may well bring him to Malacanang It is very clear to me that if we didnrsquot have Duterte we would have to invent him P-Noy may have been the most honest president we have had since his mother but like her he failed to ad-dress some of the most basic needs of our people

True our macroeconomic numbers have not been better but all that had very little impact on the lives of our peo-ple The survey numbers showed even those classified among the ABC social classes are strong supporters of Duterte because they too felt shortchanged by the last six years

I recall someone saying that 70 per-cent of our economic gains over the last six years went to four percent of our population I am not sure how accurate those numbers are but it feels like that It did not help P-Noy was rather inept in rolling out infrastructure that could

have helped alleviate some sufferings among the working classes

A foreign journalist observed ldquothe disconnect between Aquinorsquos rosy rhetoric and realities on the ground is feeding democratic fatigue at the worst possible moment Good gover-nance hasnrsquot smashed the oligarched nature of the economy any more than rapid growth has eradicated poverty Filipinos have every reason to be dis-enchanted with the ruling elite telling them life is superrdquo

Add to all that is a rather insensitive president who had been unable to feel what common people feel He consid-ered anyone who complains about his leadership as enemies for whom he has reserved some of the most hurtful words of scorn and sarcasm Buhay ka pa naman hindi ba

Duterte as someone observed is P-Noyrsquos lasting legacy People are just so angry they find this crass and dirty-mouthed mayor from the south as just

the man who can bring them reliefMar Roxas also made a big messag-

ing mistake by emphasizing continuity (being rational) when what people want is change (being emotional) Thatrsquos not surprising in this administration because the president and his officials just talk to each other instead of casting a big net to gather diverse opinions and reports

During the last presidential debate in Dagupan Mar Roxas who had been trailing badly in the polls made a good and rational presentation Some of my technocrat friends who had been unsure about voting for him were convinced he is their man I was not surprised

If I didnrsquot know any better I would be won over by Marrsquos presentation too His style is what those of us who went to graduate school and worked in the higher levels of management are hard-wired to look up to Mar was the McK-insey consultant trying to convince us and it works all the time with the logic and the numbers even if divorced from reality

The masses that are all out for Duterte are on the other hand not inclined to listen to concepts or big pictures from well dressed people who smell good They have heard all that before and have been disappointed They know better this time

They are mad as hell for a life that makes them wake up before dawn to fall in line for hours for a train only to be told the trains are not running or will be delayed Out in Mindanao far from the consciousness of Imperial Manila they are dying of hunger and they got shot at instead

The Makati businessmen were disap-pointed Duterte did not deliver a coher-ent speech that gave them an idea of

his possible approach to economic poli-cies He doesnrsquot care They are not the audience he is banking on to bring him to the Palace

Dutertersquos audience is only ready to listen to memorable sound bites that offer them relief Duterte has won their hearts and their hearts have chosen him for better or for worse

The acoustical war this week will not likely lead to a change of heart if the choices remain as they are If the elite want to prove it remains power-ful enough to influence elections they will have to take drastic steps or suffer Duterte for the next six years

Cheating should not be an option because with emotions at a very high level it could lead to a bloody protest The elite power brokers may have to convince the other candidates to join forces for a last stand Divided it will be Duterte for the next six years

I have heard stories about planeloads of cash being feverishly rushed all over the country The price per voter is said to have gone up to P5000 But given the emotional investment of his supporters on his candidacy people may take the money and vote for Duterte anyway

Man versus machine Some Binay and Roxas followers are saying their machinery will prevail in the end I am not too sure machinery beats the emo-tional ties that bind the Duterte follow-ers But we will see

This is one election that could be a turning pointhellip which I hope will be for the good of our beloved country We will all vote with our hearts with our emotions We always do because some-how the heart knows best

Boo Chancorsquos e-mail address is bchancogmailcom Follow him on Twitter boochanco

How we will vote

Boo ChanCo

Demandand Supply

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may have had the most challenging week of his campaign just a week before the all-important presiden-tial election in the Philippines following allegations made by VP candidate Sen Antonio Trillanes Trillanes alleged that the Philippine presidential front-runner has multiple bank accounts with millions of pesos not declared in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

This allegation of corruption and many other attacks on Dutertersquos charac-ter have been branded as black propa-ganda by the Duterte camp and his fol-lowers alleging that his opponents are so desperate to pull him down after his dominance in the recent polls all over the country

But as some say all is fair game in politics especially when a candidate has given his detractors ammunitions to

fire back at him Duterte has been criticized over many issues like his rape statement wen he said he the mayor should have been the first one to rape the murdered Australian

Then there were more among many others his

own words admitting he has killed peo-ple and is willing to kill more to get things done as his approach to governance his cursing the popular Pope Francis his blatant unapologetic and even bragging statement that he is a womanizer the al-legations that he has ghost employees his reported statements that if elected he will release former Pres Gloria Ar-royo that he will allow deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos be buried in Libin-gan ng mga Bayani and that he will let Bongbong Marcos take over if he fails to resolve crimes in the first three months of his presidency

Just this past week something has been happening in the polls We see the

rise of DILG Sec Mar Roxas in surveys especially following the last debate hosted by ABS-CBN

In the Pulse Asia survey for the period April 26-29 Duterte may have stayed at top place at 33 percent unchanged from the April 19-24 survey but Roxas has climbed up to second place with 22 percent a 2 percent rise from the previ-ous poll

The Drsquo Strafford Research and Strat-egies Poll for the period April 25-29 could be more problematic for Duterte It showed Roxas on top with 278 per-cent followed by Duterte with 254 per-cent

If this trend continues could Roxas pull an upset on May 9 and be elected president

ABANGAN

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFCrsquos ldquoBalitang Americardquo Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC For comments go to wwwTheFil-AmPerspectivecom httpswwwfacebookcomGelSantosRelos

Gel SantoS-ReloS

The Fil-Am Perspective

With Roxas and Robredo surging in polls can Duterte lead be overtaken

Duterte

Roxas-Robredo

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

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$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

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Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

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IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

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Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

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Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

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Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

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$229SAVINGS22

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San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

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$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

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Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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$099SAVINGS

49

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Baby Bokchoy

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$079SAVINGS

37

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Red Yam

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$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

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$079SAVINGS

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Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

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Cantaloupe

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$129SAVINGS

61

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Small Taro

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$050SAVINGS

60

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CucumberWAS

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58

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Corn White

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$050SAVINGS

60

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Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

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$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

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$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

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$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

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41Gasper Goo

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23Golden Pampano

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43Silk Snapper

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FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

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17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

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20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 A

Dateline PhiliPPines

MANILA mdash The camp of businessman Kim Wong pledged to continue cooperating with authorities in returning parts of the $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh and transferred to banks and casinos in the Philippines

Toby Purisima Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo

Wong one of the personalities accused of money laundering has returned amounts of $46 million P38 million and P200 million The funds allegedly came from casino junket agent Gao Shuhua

The funds are currently with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for safekeeping

Wongrsquos camp was supposed to file their comment to the petition for civil forfeiture of assets filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) before the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 53

The petition seeks to seize the funds in favor of

the governmentFinance Secretary Cesar Purisima said ldquoafter the

funds are forfeited in favor of the Republic any claimant can file a claim to get those fundsrdquo The central bank of Bangladesh can eventually file its petition to claim the funds that Wong returned n

Wong to return more laundered money

Toby Purisima businessman Kim Wongrsquos lawyer said his client ldquowill continue to cooperate with all agencies with all bodies with the legal process as committed from the beginningrdquo Senate PRiB photo file

by Ghio onGPhilstarcom

AS the elections draw nearer Sen Ferdinand ldquoBongbongrdquo Marcos Jr called on his support-ers to guard their votes warning that his opponents are hatching all types of tricks to manipulate the result of the May 9 polls

The Ilocano lawmaker issued the warning on Monday May 2 after his camp received more than a dozen reports of irregu-larities during the conduct of the overseas absentee voting

ldquoWe have 12 to 15 cases from Dubai to Japan and to California where our supporters voted for me and yet the votersrsquo receipts did not show my namerdquo he told reporters in a chance interview at Great Eastern Hotel Manila in Quezon City where local politi-cians gathered to express their support to him

Marcos said the overseas vot-ing discrepancies were reported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

ldquoSo far we were told that the complaining voter will be al-lowed to vote again invalidating the questionable voterdquo the sena-tor added

Marcos said he anticipates more attempts to cheat him that is why he has tapped lawyers to guard his votes

ldquoOur legal team is on top of the

Marcos urges voters to guard votespreparations in making sure all our votes are counted and guard-ed We also have our volunteers who will help us on the ground to closely monitor the elections on Mondayrdquo he added

ldquoWe are now focusing on guarding our votes Of course we are still campaigning but we are intent on making sure that all our votes are countedrdquo the sena-tor said

The local officials present on Monday were Councilors Bong Suntay (Fourth District) Jun Ferrer (First District) and Tates Gana common-law wife of May-or Herbert Bautista who is run-ning for councilor of the Fifth District

Meanwhile Marcos said that he topped the mock elections among members of El Shaddai

ldquoI donrsquot have the details yet but I was told that I emerged on top

of the consultation I am thank-ful to the El Shaddai members for their trust and confidencerdquo he added

At the start of Saturdayrsquos prayer rally members of the reli-gious group were told to fill out a piece of paper and indicate their preferred politicians for national seats from President to senators

Marcos also won the sup-port of a big labor group Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center led by Terry Tuazon

ldquoFrom Cory Aquino to the present President we only had frustrations We believe in the platform of government of Bong-bong which is geared toward granting more benefits to ordi-nary workersrdquo Tuazon said

Cory is Corazon Aquino late former president of the Philip-pines and mother of President Benigno Aquino 3rd n

by Jaime R PilaPilManilaTiamesnet

on removal proceedings for instance because of a remov-able offense or felony will have a chance to have his offense lowered to a misdemeanorrdquo ex-plained Tancinco

ldquoIf it is lowered to a misde-meanor offense this individual may have the removal proceed-ings terminated and be safe from being deportedrdquo Tancinco fur-ther explained

ldquoThis is the same scenario for those non-US citizen Filipinos who want to apply for naturaliza-tion but have criminal offenses that render them ineligible They may avail of Prop 47 to have their felonies modified to that of a misdemeanor thus allowing them to apply for naturalizationrdquo she added

Unfortunately Tancinco doesnrsquot believe that many Filipi-nos in California with low-level criminal records know about Prop 47 and how it can ben-efit them Because of this they are usually prevented from ap-plying for naturalization for fear that they may be subject to de-portationremoval

ldquoIt is really important for all to know not just about the benefits and relief brought by Prop 47 but also that the deadline of Novem-ber 2017 is really approaching

We have a year and a half left to reach the people who can benefit from Prop 47 We are working to have this deadline lifted but if we donrsquot that will be the last day to apply for relief through Prop 47rdquo Blout warned

She encouraged people to visit the website myprop47org which carries all the information for people to apply to remove felo-nies from their records There is a clickable county map as well where onersquos felony conviction took place ldquoAgain the applica-tion to remove felonies from your record must be filed before No-vember 2017 and it is all freerdquo reminded Blout

DoubtsDespite all the gains from Prop

47 Center on Juvenile and Crimi-nal Justice (CJCJ) communica-tions and policy analyst Ericka Webster asserts that the measure needs more time for its real gains to be determined

ldquoIt is too early to conclusively measure Proposition 47rsquos effects on crime but that the data avail-able to us does not show Prop 47 has an impact on urban crime in the citiesrdquo Webster contended

A new report by CJCJrsquos Mike Males indicates that by compar-ing recently released FBI crime data for Californiarsquos 68 largest cities with prison dischargesre-

leases as a result of Prop 47 and overall county jail population de-creases it is too early to conclu-sively determine if Prop 47 has had an impact on crime

Filipino community leader Rudy Asercion is not sold on the benefits of Prop 47 which he calls ldquonot really a good dealrdquo

ldquoThey are releasing a lot of criminals out to the street and they are the ones committing all these car break-ins that are becoming epidemic in San Fran-cisco and all over the place They just cannot continue releasing criminals and sending them out in the streets because they are the ones breaking into the cars and destroying propertiesrdquo Aser-cion argued

ldquoThe first rule of the govern-ment is not to hurt people and Prop 47 is a bad law that must be revisited and repealed There were 25899 car burglaries in the city in 2015 based on the report of the San Francisco Police De-partment This is unacceptablerdquo

Asercion claimed to be one of the victims of those car break-ins which he suspects were done by released prisoners who willfully smashed car windows to steal personal items causing hundreds of dollars in repairs for victims most of whom are work-ing people n

Calif criminal records purge help manyhellipPAGE A7 t

VICTORY HUG De La Salle Universityrsquos (DLSU) Kim Fajardo (center) gives graduating teammates Ara Galang (left) and Mika Reyes a tight hug after beating archrivalrsquos Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eaglersquos three-peat bid in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday April 30 Inquirernet photo by August dela Cruz

Accepting Applications

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon

The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) pro-gram starting Monday June 6 2016 and will close on June 20 2016 This voucher can be used in any unit as long as the unit you wish to rent accepts Section 8 and meets the standards of the program

How Do I Apply You may complete an application online at wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information mdash (562) 5706309

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Ang Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) ay magsisimulang tumanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) simula Lunes June 6 2016 at magsasara ng Lunes June 20 2016 Ang voucher ay maaaring gamitin sa kahit anong uri ng pama-mahay na rerentahan na tumatanggap ng Section 8 at umaayon sa pamantayan ng programa

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa wwwlongbeachgovhaclbapply Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon mdash (562) 5706309

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upa-ng makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon

WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

All City of Long Beach Public LibrariesLong Beach Senior CenterCentro CHA (Community Hispanic Association)

Cal Rec Community CenterUnited Cambodian CommunityHoughton Park Community CenterSilverado Park Community CenterFilipino Migrant Center

1150 E Fourth Street205 E Anaheim St

1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave1545 W 31st Street2125 Santa Fe Ave

900 am mdash 200 pm M-F 830 am mdash 600 pm M-Th830 am mdash 300 pm F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 1200 pm M-F 900 am mdash 200 pm M-F900 am mdash 200 pm M-F1000 am mdash 200 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach Attn Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E 4th Street Long Beach CA 90802

Listahan ng paghihintay para sa Long Beach housing authorityhousing choice Voucher magBuBukas ng June 6 2016

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797A

SEAFOOD CITYREGULAR AD

FPFC

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

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PDDue Date Color

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APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

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BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 B

BUSINESSampCOMMUNITY J o u r n a l

MANILA mdash The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas (BSP) has stressed the need for the ben-eficiaries of cash remittances from overseas Filipinos to invest more amid the increasing access to financial services of migrant work-ers and their families

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007

while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent

Results of the BSPrsquos Consumer Expecta-tions Survey showed the percentage of ben-eficiaries using remittances to invest only al-most tripled over the nine-year period while those using remittances to save booked a six-fold increase

ldquoThe challenge and the opportunity is to encourage more investments by overseas Filipino householdsrdquo he said

Tetangco said the survey showed that 973 percent of overseas Filipino households

use remittances to purchase food and other household needs

Cash remittances went up 46 percent to a record $258 billion last year while per-sonal remittances inched up 44 percent to $285 billion

Remittances accounted for 98 percent of the countryrsquos domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product

Personal and cash remittances have been a dependable source of strength for the Phil-ippine economy amounting to $228 billion

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr said investments by overseas Filipino households has only increased to 65 percent in the first quarter of the year from 23 percent in 2007 while savings surged to 434 percent from 72 percent Philstarcom file photo

MANILA mdash A week before the national elections are inves-tors getting wary of a potential Duterte presidency

With the peso and the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) down in recent days some observers rang alarm bells over foreign fund outflows as surveys showed tough-talk-ing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has vague eco-nomic plans leading the presi-dential polls

But if volatility or how wide

Analysis Is the market really wary of Duterte

are the swings or changes are considered data showed the local bourse and currency are not only moving in tandem with their regional counterparts now they also follow a gener-ally risk averse trend common during looming change in gov-ernment

ldquoIt will be very hard to point out what exactly influences the marketrdquo said Emilio Neri Jr lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands

From Jan1 to April 26 this year the peso added 012 percent on a normalized ba-

MANILA mdash An international airport that works efficiently and does not cause flight delays a number of new roads and bridges and a consistent and level play-ing field in doing business are just among the wishes that busi-nessmen want from the countryrsquos next president

Businessman Manuel V Pan-gilinan said the next adminis-

MANILA ndash The lure of over-seas employment seems to be fading as more workers are seeking jobs in the country

This was according to Depart-ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of Tuesdayrsquos applicants who trooped to the job fairs of-

Pinoys now seeking jobs in Philippines

This statement was according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag who said more than half of the applicants who trooped to the job fairs offered by the DOLE nationwide on Sunday May 1 preferred to work locally in the Philippines and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs Philstarcom file

fered by the DOLE nationwide preferred to work locally and only a small percentage applied for overseas jobs

Fameronag said as of 1pm on Tuesday May 3 they have re-corded a total of 22036 job ap-plicants nationwide more than half of whom wanted domestic employment

Fameronag further noted that of those who applied almost

For next president businessmen bare wish listtration must be consistent with policies

ldquoI would say more decisive-ness Donrsquot change the rules in the middle of the game You have contracts so donrsquot change themrdquo Pangilinan said

The Aquino administration over the past six years has often been criticized by the private sector for changing the rules in the middle of contracts

Pangilinan who heads Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) however said the business com-

munity could not disregard what the present administration has done for the improvement of the national economy despite its shortcomings

ldquoEverybody was a beneficiary (of the economic boom)rdquo Pang-ilinan said

Ports and casino magnate En-rique Razon said the next admin-istration must immediately work to build a new airport and con-necting roads

ldquoMy wish is that they focus on the needed infrastructure Num-

ber one is an airport And then roads They have to do these more or less at the same timerdquo Razon said in a recent interview

Asked if he is willing to help the next administration should it continue the Aquino administra-tionrsquos public-private program for infrastructure Razon said yes

ldquoFor an attractive project why not If it will help push things forward yes I am willing to help It could possibly be an airport projectrdquo he said

uPAGE B2

uPAGE B3

uPAGE B5

uPAGE B2

by Prinz P MagtulisPhilstarcom

by Mayen JayMalinPhilstarcom

by lawrence agcaoiliPhilstarcom

by iris gonzalesand richMond Mercurio

Philstarcom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

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SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

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SAVINGS42

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Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

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SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

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$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

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Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

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69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

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$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

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Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

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IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

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Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

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Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

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$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

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$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

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Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

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Small Taro

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$050SAVINGS

60

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CucumberWAS

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58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

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Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

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$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

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$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

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41Gasper Goo

99centlb

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$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

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$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

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17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Business news

between 2005 and 2015ldquoThe importance of remit-

tances for enhancing the finan-cial stability of overseas Filipinos and the economic growth of our country cannot be overempha-sizedrdquo Tetangco said

The World Bank has ranked the Philippines as the third larg-est remittance-receiving country after India and China

The BSP chief said banks and fi-nancial institutions should develop

and promote products suited for the needs of overseas Filipinos

ldquoFinancial education is essen-tial for overseas Filipinos to re-alize the opportunities ndash as well as possible pitfalls ndash in invest-ments Equally important finan-cial institutions should consider it their responsibility to inform overseas Filipinos of their rights and protection as financial con-sumersrdquo he added

According to Tetangco the BSP has put in place policies

and programs to enable the de-velopment of a wide range of products that could cater to the needs of overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries through a na-tionwide Economic and Finan-cial Learning Program

Through the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion the BSP together with 12 other govern-ment agencies would provide a financial system that is acces-sible and responsive in greater financial inclusion n

OFW families should invest morehellip

sis against the dollar It closed at 999168 on Tuesday May 3 according to data culled from Bloomberg

At that level the local currency was weaker than its counter-parts in Southeast Asia On that same day the Indonesian rupiah closed 958143 Malaysian ring-git at 914336 and Thai baht at 976833

The base mark is 100 with movement up signaling weak-ness while a downward adjust-ment means strength While these currencies ended up stronger than the peso data also showed that it was the least vola-tile among the four from January to April

For economists the fact that other regional currencies also weakened more so at a higher magnitude is a sign the Philip-pines remains on the investor map

ldquoEmerging markets are all weakening and it is due to global developmentsrdquo Neri said

ldquoAt some point we are better because we are not that volatile We do not want a volatile curren-cy Thatrsquos why the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) intervenes from time to time to smoothen its movements Otherwise it could be damaging to businessesrdquo he added

Remrick Patagan research di-rector at the Institute for Devel-opment and Econometric Analy-sis Inc said exchange rates are ldquoinherently unpredictablerdquo af-fected by many factors

ldquoWhile players might have a better grasp of market senti-ments disentangling the effects of shocks (or news) on sentiments and in turn the effects of those sentiments on foreign exchange markets is extremely problem-aticrdquo he said in an e-mail

This may include sentiments

on news here and and abroad For instance when recent news of Duterte leading the surveys came the US Federal Reserve signaled and eventually kept in-terest rates low just as the gov-ernment reported two-year low economic growth

Elsewhere the Bank of Japan also kept interest rates low as well as its by yen80 billion credit program that aims to flood its economy with money to boost prices and gross domestic product

For Jonathan Ravelas chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc there were a ldquocombination of factorsrdquo that drove the peso to end the week down at 4689 to a dollar last Friday

ldquoThe dollar was oversold and then there were heightened ex-pectations from the Fed as well as renewed China concernsrdquo he said in an e-mail

To put into context a slow-ing China magnified by reports of missed corporate quarterly earnings and deflation worries prompted some investors to leave emerging markets such as the Philippines

In the same way positive news from the US could lure them back to the worldrsquos safe haven giving the greenback a boost and weakening its counterparts in developing countries

Previous electionsInterestingly the peso had

shown wild fluctuations in the run-up to the 2010 elections than in 2016 data showed

While it ended trading stron-ger at 967826 on April 30 2010 the currency moved from over 100 level until early March be-fore strengthening its way to that level until April

Similar to 2016 it also traded weaker than some of its counter-parts such as rupiah (958205) and ringgit (929848) by the end of April It only performed better than the baht (971636) that day

The PSEi on the other hand remained up 477 percent since the start of the year to close at 715929 last Friday That was slower than the 949-percent in-crease during the same period in 2010

The fact that it remains up no matter by how much indicates investors see the economyrsquos strength intact Neri said

ldquoThe economy will continue to perform well because you have a very healthy consumption base driven by overseas Filipino re-mittancesrdquo he added

While analysts asked by The Star refrained from stating po-litical opinions an earlier report by think tank GlobalSourcePart-ners provided a glimpse of how investors would react to the poll results

Fund managers they asked seemed to favor a win by ad-ministration bet Manuel Roxas II and will ldquobuyrdquo more local eq-uities On the other hand views are mixed for a win by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen Grace Poe n

Analysis Is the market really waryhellip

PAGE B1 t

PAGE B1 t

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

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APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

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Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

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SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

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Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

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Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

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Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

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89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

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69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

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Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

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Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

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San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

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San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

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Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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49

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Baby Bokchoy

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37

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Red Yam

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61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

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$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

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37

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Cantaloupe

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$129SAVINGS

61

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Small Taro

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$050SAVINGS

60

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CucumberWAS

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Corn White

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Green Onions

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$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

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$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

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$099SAVINGS

49

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Chicken Leg Quarter

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$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

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99centlb

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WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

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

Americaalendar of EventsacrossC

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTSPRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT

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

FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

PUPPCC to hold 1st Global ReunionAttention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philip-

pine College of Commerce join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association USA Inc scheduled on May 27-29 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas NV We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days There will be lots of entertain-ment singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends

For more information please contact any of the following Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrerayahoocom Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_san-tillanyahoocom Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejiakwcom Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalancayahoocom Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmagharigmailcom Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sallymendoza616yahoocom Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honeyworldclassfreightcom Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbitogmailcom Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1attnet Violeta D Cristobal at 310-880-5808or veecristobalcpacom Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoyyahoocom

MAY 7

Piyesta Pinoy BolingbrookPlease join us on Saturday June 4 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy

sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook IL) This yearrsquos event will include a variety of food vendors business merchan-dise and non-profit organizations as well as hours of dance games and musical entertain-ment including special guest performances The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs For more information or to volunteer perform exhibit or donate please visit wwwpiyestapinoynet or email Piyestpinoygmailcom

JUNE 4

11283 have qualified or have been referred for an interview while 2292 were hired on-the spot (HOTS)

ldquoWe have already posted 361 percent HOTS with 497 of those hired for local employmentrdquo Fameronag said

In Metro Manila DOLE Nation-al Capital Region (NCR) director Nelson Hornilla said for the first time more local jobs were of-fered in the Labor Day job fair and many of the jobseekers also applied for local employment

Hornilla said 17000 local jobs were opened to jobseekers as compared to only 15000 over-seas jobs

Of the more than 1000 regis-tered applicants 320 were hired-on-the-spot with local employ-ment accounting for 265 of the job placements

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the DOLE is grateful that there were more job oppor-tunities both local and overseas offered in the last Labor Day job

fair to be mounted by the Aquino administration

ldquoWe are hopeful that we will achieve our target of 25 percent HOTS this Labor Dayrdquo Baldoz said adding that in 2010 DOLE registered 10 percent HOTS

She said all of the participating employers are operating labor-compliant companies

Baldoz said the high number of local jobs offered in the La-bor Day job fairs showed that government efforts to encour-age more investments such as in tourism and infrastructure have succeeded

ldquoSo we are looking forward to a brighter future for our work-ersrdquo Baldoz said

She expressed hope that the next administration will continue the whole-year job fair that DOLE is undertaking to address unem-ployment

The increasing HOTS for the past years Fameronag added indicated DOLErsquos job facilitation services are working well

He said the Labor Day job fair

would continue for a monthldquoThat is the measure how we

are performing in our one-day job fair This time we hope to exceed last yearrsquos number of job applicants as well as the HOTSrdquo he said

Hired on the spotFameronag dismissed allega-

tions that the jobs being offered in the job fairs are contractual employment

He said there are many big companies participating and they are hiring lot of engineers and other professionals

For new graduates like 21-year-old Mariel Diaz it took her only 10 minutes to find employ-ment upon arriving at yesterdayrsquos Labor Day job fair

Diaz said she just graduated last April and was hired immedi-ately as marketing assistant with an entry monthly salary level of P13000 plus other benefits de-spite her lack of work experience

ldquoI was very surprised that I got hired immediately even if I am just a new graduaterdquo Diaz said n

Pinoys now seeking jobs inhellip

MonetteAdevA MAglAyA

ImmigrantLiving 101 and Beyond

BECAUSE times have been so tough for an extended length of time many are looking for ways to cope financially Job growth in many US industries has ground to a halt Yet in good and bad times there are many offers of opportunities to make money in multilevel marketing and direct sales organizations that depend on a network of people (bodies) to push their products or ser-vices

Properly and ethically done multilevel marketing can work for some One caveat If you donrsquot like selling or dealing with people and all that it entails you would do well to look elsewhere Herersquos an article that may shed some light on this practice should you decide to go this route

For some reason multilevel marketing organizations find ethnic communities fertile ground for their recruitment campaigns The promise of riches to the unsuspecting immi-grant is a bait that works nearly all the time Know that there are legitimate companies who oper-ate this way and may be worth your while and a host of others on the pyramid scheme that op-erate bordering on the illegal andor unethical

Here is how it works A com-pany sells different products ranging from such mundane products as household cleaners vanity products such as cosmet-ics or health and diet formulas as well as financial products such as travel insurance or se-curities

There are supposedly two ways to make money You gen-erate revenue as a direct retailer and salesperson of the product yourself buying products from the company and reselling them to your own customer base ini-tially consisting of a circle of relatives and friends As you run out of family and friends to sell to you eventually expand to oth-er prospects including strang-ers by using cold calling and other prospecting techniques

Note that the company will stress that the more lucrative way to make money is to recruit people as your downline into the company You earn override commissions from the sales of

What you need to knowldquoThe darkest hour of any manrsquos life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning itrdquo mdash Horace Greeley

those you have recruited who in turn can recruit others for their downline On and on it goes with recruitment providing the lifeblood of the multilevel mar-keting organization that suffers eventually from the natural law of attrition as members often lose interest or bail out

The one who recruited you your upline earns a commis-sion off of you The companyrsquos structure resembles a pyramid of hundreds or thousands of other pyramids This concept feeds on the dream of most im-migrants that with a minimum of investment on their part and a consuming desire to succeed the organization can help them become rich quickly

Multilevel marketing compa-nies spend tons of money to produce slick and smooth pre-sentations replete with testimo-nialsmdashvery often emotionalmdashof people within the organization claiming that being in the com-pany doing everything the com-pany does has done a tremen-dous difference in their lives with tremendous wealth and a quality of life beyond imagining The websites of successful mul-tilevel marketing organizations gush in florid emotional lan-guage claiming individual suc-cess A few of these stories may be true others however may have been spun by spin doctors Recruits BEWARE

Before you give up your regu-lar job or sign up to do this on a part time basis ask yourself this question Do you like to sell This is a nonstop selling job and for you to realize your dreams of wealth you have to sell pro-digiously and tirelessly because no product no matter how ex-cellent and necessary ever sells itself

Do you believe in the prod-uct Does it have value and merit and is it fairly priced Is this something that is really up along your alley something you can do for long periods of time and from which you can re-ally make a good living and be happy with what you do How reputable is the outfit Are there

pending lawsuits and of what nature Has it been around for a considerable length of time or is it a company that is merely rid-ing high on current hypemdashhere today and gone tomorrow How many of your friends and rela-tives are already part of it and how are they faring with their sales efforts

Here is a caveat for those em-barking on a multilevel market-ing career To be good at selling something you must believe in it with passion And because you want to succeed so much you then have a tendency to talk about nothing else but the prod-uct you are selling If you are not careful you will transform yourself to a boring predictable person to your friends and rela-tives who will tend to scamper in all directions when they see you thinking up all sorts of excuses to avoid being sold to Keep your balance even as you try to succeed in a multilevel sales ca-reer

An early warning flag that the organization may not be what it claims to be is if you are asked to pay an up-front fee just to get in on the ground floormdashin ex-change for a starter kit consist-ing of some brochures a video and sample products You might as well kiss that money good-bye Organizations with good solid reputations in existence for some years with no major lawsuits might be your best bet

Regard with deep suspicion any group that pushes recruit-ment with very little emphasis on the product or service it is selling It could be an outright scam On the other hand if the product just by word of mouth gets great reviews from ordinary people who have nothing to gain by pushing it it is likely that the company is a good one worth looking into if you are truly a salesperson at heart and you feel strongly that a sales career is where your talents lie

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

PAGE B1 t

I HAD a wonderful time ex-changing notes with the partici-pants of my Family Business Talk last Friday April 29 at the Holiday Inn in Makati It was a sold out event with whole families coming in droves and occupying several tables armed with loads of ques-tions related to governance

To those who attended many thanks It is my sincere desire that the key learnings highlight-ed in the talk can translate into actual application and pocket wins leading to harmony and growth in your respective family businesses

Family feuds in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have always been about money -- lots of money However although estate fights are commonly per-ceived to be just about money there is almost always more to a family war than just the money Many estate disputes are sewn by the seeds of jealousy greed thirst for control bitterness ha-tred and hurt feelings resulting from real or perceived preferen-tial treatment by a parent

The infighting becomes more intense if the patriarch or matri-arch had another family on the side or children from previous marital relationships A signifi-cant number of inheritance dis-putes also involve testators and beneficiaries who come from dysfunctional families are men-tally ill or addicted

According to lawyer P Mark Accettura author of the book ldquoBlood amp Money Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About Itrdquo the combatants can always trace their problems back several years if not all the way back to childhood It is clear that inheritance conflict doesnrsquot come out of nowhere it is a continuation of long-term

Prof EnriquE M Soriano

The KiteRunner Family feuds and

shattered familiesrelationship problems that resur-face upon the illness or death of a loved one And they arenrsquot just about money or greed they are about more much more But what is it that so often drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood over a loved onersquos estate

There are five basic reasons why families fight in matters of inheritance Author Mark Accet-tura accurately points to the fol-lowing

1 First humans are geneti-cally predisposed to competition and conflict

2 Our psychological sense of self is intertwined with the ap-proval that an inheritance repre-sents especially when the dece-dent is a parent

3 We are genetically hard-wired to be on the lookout for exclusion sometimes finding it when it doesnrsquot exist

4 Families fight because the death of a loved one activates the death anxieties of those left be-hind and finally

5 In some cases one or more members of a family has a partial or full-blown personality disorder that causes them to distort and escalate natural family rivalries into personal and legal battles

Accettura cites that these sources of family conflict are not mutually exclusive in most cases some combination of the five elements present themselves in a combustible cocktail of fam-ily rivalry and conflict Case in point The bitter family squabble over the estate left by Lawyer and businessman Potenciano ldquoNanoyrdquo Ilusorio which included shares in Philippine Communica-tions Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and the Baguio Country Club valued at between one and two billion pesos at the time of his death in 2001

Pitting one set of siblings against another the Ilusorio fam-

ily feud has dragged on for more than 15 years now clogged the court system with more than 300 legal suits and counter-suits and entertained the idly curious as it played out in the media over the years To quote media covering the conflict

ldquoItrsquos not the first ldquoprominentwealthy familyrdquo inheritance battle waged nor will it certainly be the last but the on-going estate litiga-tion of Potenciano lsquoNanoyrsquo Iluso-riorsquos heirs has emerged as one of the longest nastiest most public no-holds-barred litigious family feuds in Philippine history or in the annals of jurisprudencerdquo

Far from easing tensions the death last Feb 17 2016 of Poten-cianorsquos widow Erlinda ldquoNenardquo Kalaw-Ilusorio in New York City seems to have raised the sim-mering bad blood between the rival family factions back to boil-ing point

In a newspaper article that came out two months ago the rival factions are now said to be fighting over the ashes of the dearly departed a weird echo of the tug-of-war they played over the custody of their aged and non compos mentis father just before his death in 2001 and quite pos-sibly a prelude to renewed fight-ing on the legal front over her es-tate on top of the pending tussle over other Ilusorio assets (To be continued)

Prof Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor Book Author and Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group Wong + Bernstein Advisory He is slated to deliver a series of talks in the US this May Grab Prof Sorianorsquos book as he shares his insights and offer solutions to Family Businesses through his second book entitled ldquoEnsuring The Family Business Legacyrdquo For those interested please call Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevillawongadvisorycom Prof Sorianorsquos business articles can also be accessed at wwwFaminbusinesscom

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

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SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

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$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

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$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

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$12for

$2999WAS

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IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

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Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

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Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

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17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B Community Journal

Atty LAwrence yAng

Debt Relief

CLIENT and husband are the only stockholders of an S corpo-ration that has been doing well for the last 15 years In fact itrsquos still doing well and had a great year last year What is the dif-ference between and S corpora-tion and a C corporation In an S corporation the business income is declared in the 1040 of the owners while the C Corporation files its own tax returns But both corporations are legally separate entities from their owners The corporation is a lsquopersonrsquo created by legal fiction It can do what-ever a real person does legally For instance a corporation can buy and sell land transact busi-ness in its own name file a law-suit and be sued in its own name without affecting the owners of the corporation

In clientrsquos case the problem is that husband is ill and can no longer run the business So wife now will run the business Her concern is that the corporation

Will business bankruptcy affect owners of the businessowes $15 M to banks and suppli-ers and that she has equity in her residence of $10 M So what is the connection between the two Client is worried that if something happens to the business and it cannot pay the $15M can the bank sue her and get her house

Letrsquos analyze the problem The first thing that has to be deter-mined is whether or not husband andor client signed any personal guaranties that made them per-sonally liable for the debts of the corporation If neither one of them gave any written personal guaranty to any creditor for the debt of the business then the an-swer is that the creditors of the business will not be able to get her house to satisfy the debts of the business But certainly cred-itors will attempt to penetrate the veil of corporate fiction to get to clientrsquos house Creditors will sue the corporation and client and allege that the corporate fiction should be invalidated or lsquopiercedrsquo Of course creditors will attempt to do this but can they be suc-cessful in proving the allegation and end up with a court order setting aside the corporate that shields the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

To pierce the corporate veil to get to the house of client credi-tors will have to prove that the corporation was simply the lsquoalter egorsquo of the owners that it was not operated by owners like a real corporation The easiest way to prove the lsquoalter egorsquo attack on the corporation is proven by a preponderance of evidence that per-sonal funds of the owners were being intermingled with the funds of the cor-poration In other words the owners were using the cor-poration as a lsquopiggy bankrsquo So in clientrsquos case if there was no intermingling of per-sonal and corporate funds clientrsquos house is secure because creditors will not be able to pierce the corporate veil to get her house to pay for the debts of the corporation Salary payments to the owners because they are officers of the corporation is not intermingling of funds Money lent by owners to the corpora-tion is considered to be a debt owed by the corporation to the owner-lender just like any other

debt This is not intermingling of funds

However if the owners use the corporate account to pay personal bills this is intermin-gling of funds Another reason to pierce the corporate veil is that corporate formalities were not followed such as recording board

resolutions for decisions made by the company Yet another reason is that the owners perpetrated a financial fraud on the creditors What is financial fraud If the owners acted recklessly in their business transactions resulting in major debt that they knew the business had no chance in pay-ing back this could be viewed as financial fraud and could be used to pierce the corporate veil

Letrsquos say owners borrowed $50 M from creditors based on pro-jected sales of $50M per year but in reality sales came in at $10M a year a case can be argued by creditors saying that owners were reckless in their decision to borrow $50M But certainly owners may still prevail in prov-

ing that they were justified in their $50M sales projec-tions but something happened that was totally unexpected Itrsquos really a matter of proof at trial

So what is the lesson here If you own a business do not ever person-ally guarantee the debts of the busi-

ness If the creditor requires your personal guaranty go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business with-out tying you in If the business fails at least you donrsquot lose any of your personal assets You will still have a house to live in There is no reason to lsquogo for brokersquo and put your familyrsquos security at risk is there The other lesson is that do not intermingle personal

funds with business funds and make sure the corporation fol-lows legal formalities and proce-dures If you do this then your corporation will do business by assuming its own debts and shield your personal assets from business debts

Now if client wishes to not con-tinue doing business the S cor-poration itself can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to handle the $15 M of corporate debt The corpo-rate bankruptcy will not affect the personal assets of client because as I said earlier a corporation is a separate ldquopersonrdquo created by legal fiction therefore it can file for bankruptcy without affecting the personal assets of the owners of the corporation

ldquoNow to the King eternal im-mortal invisible the only God be honor and glory for ever and everrdquo mdash 1 Timothy 117

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

ldquo If you own a business do not ever personally guarantee the

debts of the business If the creditor requires your personal guaranty

go to another bank or supplier who will extend credit to your business

without tying you inrdquo

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

FOR SALEEMPLOYMENT

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

(818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797 bull httpwwwasianjournalcom LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL bull MAY 4-6 2016 BCommunity Journal

THE Hepatitis B Screening at the Community Mini Health amp Re-sources Fair scheduled on Saturday May 7 has been postponed The LA Police Metropolitan Division will close Temple Street be-tween Rampart Blvd to Parkman from 600am to 200pm

On May 7 two educational awareness workshops to promote Hepatitis B prevention will go on at the same place through the side entrance on Bentonway The address is Center of Hope 2707 W Temple St Los Angeles California 90026 The first ses-sion will be 930am-1030am and the second session 1100am to 1200noon For more information contact Perla Santos (323) 664 3880 Ext 341 or email psantosaphcvorg n

Notice of Cancellation of Hepatitis B Screening on May 7 due to street closure

Arlene Al-osCPA MBA

Whatrsquos New

Atty Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barristerrsquos Corner

Grounds for annulling a marriage

MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usu-ally file for Divorce There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage ldquovoidedrdquo rather than ldquodissolvedrdquo There is a big difference between the two concepts With a voided marriage it restores the couple to status of unmarried person as if they have never been married before In a divorce the couple would always be regarded to as married during the period of the marriage

Unlike Divorce which can be obtained regardless of the reason Voiding a marriage may only be obtained based on certain grounds It is void in cases of incest and bigamy It is voidable in cases of minority Unsound Mind Fraud Force or Physical Incapacity Marriages between parents children an-cestors and descendants broth-ers and sisters half brothers and sisters uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews are incestu-ous and are void from the be-ginning So are bigamist mar-riages where either party was still married to another person when they entered the marriage Nevertheless it is best to obtain a Nullity Judgment to clarify the legal status of the parties under these circumstances

Certain situations does not nec-essarily make a marriage void but makes it voidable on the parties option One such circumstance is when the petitioner was under 18 years old when the petitioner married and the parents did not provide their consent The Nul-lity petition based on this ground

has to be filed within four years after the party turns 18 The par-ent of the minor may also file the Petition provided it is filed prior to the minor turning 18 Another situation is a bigamist marriage where the first spouse has been absent and not known to be liv-ing for 5 years prior to the sec-ond marriage or if the party be-lieved the spouse to be dead at the time of the second marriage A Nullity based on this ground may be filed during the life of the other party

A marriage may be voided if either party was of unsound mind at the time of the marriage Unsound Mind means a person is incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties and responsibili-ties it creates which depends on the degree of mental capacity of the party This may not be a ground if the party later on came to reason yet continued to freely cohabitate with the spouse

Fraud is another ground for voiding a marriage The false representation or concealment must relate to a substantive mat-ter and directly affect the purpose of the party deceived in entering the marriage The fraud must go to the very essence of the mari-tal relation before it is sufficient for an annulment It is not suffi-cient simply to contend that your spouse turned out to be a lazy drunken disappointment Nul-lity based on fraud has to be filed within four years of discovering the fraud

Certain marriages that are entered into by force are void-able Circumstances that meet these standards requires that the forced partyrsquos free will to have been overcome by the spouse such as through the use

of threats These type of Nullity must be filed within four years from the date of marriage A marriage where the spouse was found to be incapable of physi-cally engaging in copulation may be voided It can only be filed by the spouse that does not have the physical incapacity and must be filed within four years of the marriage Before deciding weather a divorce is the appro-priate avenue to end your mar-riage parties should evaluate if a Nullity is a viable alternative and weather it serves their best interest

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

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

WE talked about tax conse-quences of short sales foreclo-sures and abandonments of homes Let us now talk about tax consequences of cancelled debt on qualified real property ndash in-cluding rental units

Debt forgiven from short sales foreclosures and abandonments creates debt relief income ndash tax-able income taxed at ordinary rates Hard for property owners who lose their properties to fore-closures then find themselves paying tax on debts that are for-given reduced or cancelled

There are laws that protect property owners first under bankruptcy and insolvency rules Second the Mortgage Forgive-ness Act of 2007 comes to the aid of homeowners Third the Rev-enue Reconciliation Act helps rental owners Let us explore how you as rentals owners can exclude income from debt relief

Qualified acquisition indebted-ness Debt relief income can be excluded by landlords from quali-fied acquisition debt This is debt incurred or assumed to acquire construct reconstruct or sub-stantially improve real property It also includes debt resulting from refinancing as long as the new loan does not exceed the amount of old loan It does not cover funds used to pay off car loans credit cards travel or college costs

Debt relief exclusion for rental properties

It does not apply to bankruptcy cases It does not apply directly to insolvency cases when your as-sets are less than your debts im-mediately before the cancellation The insolvency exclusion must be applied prior to seeking relief for cancelled qualified real property business debt

Qualified Real Property Busi-ness Debt Taxpayers other than corporations may exclude debt forgiveness from qualified real property business indebtedness and where the insolvency excep-tion does not apply The ques-tion is ndash can rental properties be eligible for the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclu-sion The debt must be incurred or assumed in connection with a trade or business It is based on the taxpayerrsquos involvement in the rental activity For this purpose rentals are ldquotrade or business propertyrdquo even if a manage-ment company is hired Rentals conducted as net leases do not qualify

Exclusion limit Exclusion is limited to your equity in deprecia-ble properties and the basis can-not be reduced below to zero

How to elect the qualified real property business debt exclu-sion You must make an election to exclude cancelled qualified real property business debt The taxpayer makes the election on Form 982 (PDF) which must be attached to a timely filed (in-cluding extensions) 2015 federal income tax return Check the box

on line 1d of Form 982 Include the amount of canceled qualified real property business debt on line 2 of Form 982 Reduce your tax attributes in Part II of Form 982 If you filed but missed this election you can still make the election by filing an amended re-turn within 6 months of the due date of the return Enter ldquoFiled pursuant to Section 3019100-2rdquo automatic extensions on the amended return and file it at the same place you filed the original return

Example Let us say that you own a $550K ($550000) worth fourplex with a first mortgage of $510K and a second of $90K The second trust deed holder agrees to reduce the second loan from $90K to $30K Your debt dis-charged is $60K The maximum debt that you can exclude from income tax is loan balance im-mediately before the discharge of $600K minus the fair market value of $550K You may elect to exclude $50K from your income

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

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

Razon whose operator Inter-national Container Terminal Ser-vices Incrsquos main office sits right at the heart of the congested port area in Tondo Manila has long been pushing for new roads

Businesswoman Josephine Go-tianun-Yap president and CEO of conglomerate Filinvest Devel-opment Corp also hopes to see an improvement in the countryrsquos infrastructure

ldquoAll the citizens are looking at some basic infrastructure that is really making the productivity of our country better Examples are mass transit and airport These are really very basic in-frastructure If we can just have these and the connector roads it would make everybody happyrdquo Gotianun-Yap said

She also said businesses want a ldquobusiness friendly governmentrdquo that would ease the cost of doing business and make it cheaper

ldquoWe need to make more com-panies invest in manufacturing plants so you can create per-manent employment The basic things that people look at before we make major investment in-clude infrastructure and ease of doing business We also want a level playing fieldrdquo she said

For global fund manager Mark Mobius of Templeton Emerg-ing Markets Group a business friendly environment is impor-tant before he decides on putting his funds in the Philippines

ldquoIt should be business-friendly and can administer with the mini-

mum of corruption Business like predictability and understand-able regulationrdquo Mobius said

Peter Wallace of the Manage-ment Association of the Philip-pines and founder of the Wallace Business Forum consistency of policies in the government is vital in attracting more foreign direct investments to the country

ldquoInvestors look for stability consistency and predictability of the business environment Not changes every six years or soon-errdquo Wallace said

According to Wallace a study conducted by Asia Pacific Eco-nomic Cooperation (APEC) has revealed that weak enforcement of contracts is among the most pernicious ways of turning off foreign investors

ldquoPhilippine governmentrsquos rules must not be changed on a whim Bidding rules must not be al-tered It scares investors awayrdquo Wallace said

Many analysts for their part said the lack of an economic plat-form by presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is sending jitters to the local stock market

Last week the PSEi fell 132 percent week-on-week to 715929 It dropped to as low as 712276 during the week

Last week the tough-talking Duterte faced the business com-munity in a meeting organized by the Makati Business Club but his executives said his two-hour long speech peppered with ex-pletives did not really provide a detailed economic program n

For next presidenthellipPAGE B1 t

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

MAY 4-6 2016 bull LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL httpwwwasianjournalcom bull (818) 502-0651 bull (213) 250-9797B

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

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69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

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$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

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Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

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$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

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Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

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$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

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Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

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$169SAVINGS

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99centlb

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$389SAVINGS

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$299lb

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$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

The Asian Journal

MDWKMAGAZINEWednesday May 4 2016

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

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89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

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69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

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$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

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$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

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$2999WAS

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IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

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Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

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Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

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Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

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Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

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Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

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Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

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Green Onions

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each

$399lb

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Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

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Chicken Leg Quarter

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$499lb

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ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

by Charisse Trinidad AJPress

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

2 cover story The origins of Motherrsquos Day amp how Filipinos celebrate

The first of everything First-time mothers share their joys and challengesOF the joys and challenges women face in life none is more extraordinary than

having their first baby From the moment they find out about the pregnancy to the day they give birth women will experience many changes and learn new ways to take care of their lives and their growing babies

In this Motherrsquos Day special feature we asked first-time mothers about their experiences emotions and how they deal with their lives now with their first borns

ldquoHolding her for the very first time was when I knew that life was going to be so much brighter and happierrdquo

- Aileen B Castantildeeda mother to Sophie Nicola Casta-ntildeeda (born March 3 2016)

Aileen said she was over-whelmed with mixed emotions when the labor and delivery nurse informed her that she was going to be admitted

ldquoI was very happy that I would be meeting our baby girl soon It was exciting since I was exactly 40 weeks into preg-nancymdashbaby was very punctual because she decided to come out her exact due daterdquo she said then added ldquoI was also very scared since being a first-time mom everything was all new to me I did not know what to expect and did not know how painful labor was going to be I had my husband (Ryan) with

me the whole time and he was a very good coach throughout the process so I knew everything was going to be okayrdquo

Apart from the usual para-noia new mothers have such as not producing enough breast milk and not knowing what the baby needs when it cries is the fear of failing to become the best mom to Sophie

ldquoI wanted to be preparedmdashread books went to birthing classes stocked up her nursery so there would not be any sur-prises I even downloaded some apps so I can be reminded when the next feeding will be and for how longrdquo Aileen shared ldquoBut at the end of the day it was what it was just a preparation I did not know what the future holds I knew there would be challenges ahead but I have my husband family and friends will-ing to support and do anything and everything That support and assurance alone helped overcome any first time mother fearsrdquo

She takes cue from her hardworking mother to become

a better mom to Sophie With this she only has one wish for her daughter

ldquoThere will come a time when she will face her own chal-lenges in life I wish she can em-brace and be passionate of the good values my husband and I will instill in her I hope that she will decide and choose her paths based on those values ldquo

ldquoI was full of gratitude and I said my prayer of thanks to God that after more than five years of wishing and praying for a child we have now received His bless-ing as we have now my child in my armsrdquo

- Maria Lourdes Nitro-Pu-zon mother to Aldrei Mateusz Puzon (born September 16 2015)

For Maria Lourdes or Marie Nitro-Puzon nothing could re-ally have prepared her and her husband Aldrin to see their son come out of this world The couple had been through years of trying to have a child

ldquoIt was just overwhelming It was the most surreal experi-encerdquo she shared ldquo[I still

couldnrsquot believe that I was able to push that baby out of me My husband and I were tearful for a moment then we posed for the picture to have our first family photo and we were all smilesrdquo

As a nurse working at a government birthing facility in Makati City Philippines Marie does counseling about breast-feediing with mothers Ironically it was the same thing that faced during the first days after Aldrei was born

ldquoI did not know that it was going to be that painful until I experienced it myself I was struggling during the first few days feeling pained and lacking sleep as it was a round-the-clock jobrdquo she shared ldquoIt was discouraging as I was producing very little milk at first I almost thought of giving up but I canrsquot I just continued breastfeeding and my milk supply increasedrdquo

With the difficulties in breast-feeding being sleep deprived and tired Marie always reminds her of her motherrsquos advice

Aileen Castantildeeda with baby Sophia Nicola

Marie Nitro-Puzon with baby Aldrei Mateusz

MOTHeRrsquoS Day is ob-served in different forms throughout the world

The American existence of Motherrsquos Day was created by Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1908 and became an official US holiday in 1914 While dates and celebrations may differ Motherrsquos Day most often falls on the second Sunday in May and traditionally involves pre-senting mothers with flowers cards and other gifts

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the an-cient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele However the most modern version of Motherrsquos Day is the early Christian festival known as ldquoMothering Sundayrdquo

The roots of the modern Motherrsquos Day date back to the 19th century Years before the Civil War (1861-1865) Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start ldquoMothersrsquo Day Work Clubsrdquo to teach local women how to properly care for their children These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War

In the US and Philippines on the second Sunday in May Motherrsquos Day is a time when children and fathers both

spend a day pampering and showering mothers with pres-ents as a sign of gratefulness for all that they have done for the family

Mothers in the Philip-pines go by various titles Ina Nanay Mama and Mommy to name just a few Mothers are recognized as the ldquoilaw ng tahananrdquo which is translated to the ldquolight of the homerdquo This Filipino expression serves to describe mothers as the light who brings warmth and comfort to her family by caring for them in the best way pos-sible sometimes even put-ting aside her own happiness and well-being just to do so This material sacrifice is also highlighted in another popular Filipino saying ldquoAng ina isu-subo na nga lang ibibigay pa sa anakrdquo which means ldquoeven with the food all ready for her to consume the Mother will always find the need to still give every last morsel to her childrenrdquo

Having a dedicated day to mothers is no surprise especially in Filipino culture wherein motherhood is a revered role Filipinos tend to have tight-knit families so it is common for Motherrsquos Day to also include grandmoth-ers aunts cousins and other

Continued on Page 3

IN last Wednesdayrsquos MDWK Magazine (April 27 2016) the Asian Journal pub-lished the wrong cover image for our feature story ldquoRocky Gath-ercole Born to be a fashion designerrdquo The Asian Journal regrets this inadvertent error and apologizes for any inconvenience and confusion that this has caused among our readers

erraTuMContinued on Page 3

by Malou liwanag-bledsoe and MoMar g Visaya AJPress

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

features 3The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

The first of everything First-time mothers share theirldquo[My] mom told me that

when you are tired itrsquos ok to ask for help so that you can rest

ldquoMy mom is a woman of prayer She tells me that despite those fatigued mo-ments from diaper change and long nursing sessions I still and should find time for prayer seek help ask for blessings and to guide me through motherhoodrdquo she said ldquoI am teaching my son to pray and call on God to bless him and the people around him I want him to be God-fearing morally upright and a respon-sible manrdquo

ldquoYour child does not need the latest of most expensive toysclothes to be happy and healthy they only need your love and your attentionrdquo

- Marge Maceda mother to Maktan Maceda (born March 2015)

When asked what they felt when their child first came out Marge Maceda said ldquoSobrang saya at takot mga magulang na kami (Overwhelming joy and fear [because] we are now parents)rdquo

Just like any other first time mother Marge shared that not getting enough sleep is one of the major challenges she faced especially during the first few days Still this does not stop her from doing everything so that her son Maktan gets everything he needs to be healthy and happy

Marge also looks to her

From Page 2

Marge Maceda with baby Maktan Nina Berroya-Carlos with baby Andy Mireille

Even the most intelligent beautiful and successful people in the world needed their mothers Here are few famous quotes about mothers

ldquoAll that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel motherrdquo

- Abraham LincolnUS President

ldquoTo describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its per-fect powerrdquo

- Maya Angelou writer poet and civil rights leader

ldquoMy mother is a walking miraclerdquo

- Leonardo DiCaprio actor

The origins of Motherrsquos Daywomen in the family who are also mothers

Children often make cards or drawings for their mothers with some even bringing break-fast to mom in bed Fathers on the other hand generally give their wives a present they have

been asking for or a trip to the spa for a day of relaxation Celebrations for this day usually consist of treating the moms to lunch at their favorite restau-rant The rest of the day is usu-ally spent with the family in the malls or wherever the mothers want to go

From Page 2

own mother in raising Maktan Through her motherrsquos actions she shared that materials things are secondary in making your children happy Whatrsquos im-portant is giving your love and attention to them

ldquoWhen she was in my tummy I have been longing to hold hug smell and kiss her She finally arrived It was so surrealrdquo

- Nina Berroya-Carlos mother to Andi Mireille Carlos (born March 7 2016)

Overwhelmed with happi-ness Nina Berroya-Carlos and husband Dino Carlos were finally holding their first born Andi And just like any other first time mother she went through the challenges such as breastfeed-ing and balancing their time

ldquoEven I want to purely breastfeed Andi I cannot [do it] since I do not have enough milk I still try by diligently do-ing breast pumprdquo she shared Nina added they struggle at times trying to understand Andirsquos needs and wants as a newborn Also getting ready is a balancing act

ldquoWe need to allot more time in dressing up since we need to prepare [about] Andi toordquo she said

Still she sees Andi as a blessing and only wants the best for her

ldquoI wish that she may continu-ously to grow healthyrdquo Nina said and then added ldquoI also

wish that she grows to be kind smart responsible patient obedient diligent [and a] God-fearing womanrdquo

ldquoI have always wanted to be a mom So for me it was a dream come true Irsquove

always loved being around kids and taking care of them but itrsquos true what they say that the feeling is different when you have your own childrdquo

- Mae Ermita-Manubay mother of Mason Manubay (born November 10 2015)

As a person Mae Ermita-Manubay likes to be organized and on time for everything This is a must for her life espe-cially in her work as an assistant to the Deputy Consul General at the Philippine Consulate in New York However after giving birth to her son Mason she realized that she has to let things go

ldquoTime is no longer my friend I feel like it goes by so fast In the beginning we (with husband Robby) found ourselves late for everything until I realized that I just have to give myself an extra hour (or two) to get everything ready before wersquore out the door just to make it on time for an eventrdquo she said ldquoI also had to accept that baby things will take over the house no matter how organized you try to be Sleep will be a thing of the past but Irsquom thankful that I have a sup-portive husband who takes turns with me during night shifts

Mae Manubay with baby Mason

Every minute counts At the end of the day no matter how sleep deprived how unorganized you get or how time will sometimes get the best of you just seeing Mason smile and knowing that hersquos happy is all worth itrdquo

Yes Mae reaffirms that her perspective on life has changed as everything now revolves around her family especially Ma-son She does acknowledge the same challenges first time moms go through mdash the lack of sleep getting ready traveling with their son and planning for the future

ldquoCutting down on expenses to prepare for the future is im-portant Budgeting has definite-ly changed in terms of buying more thing I need as oppose to more things I wantrdquo she said

Although no amount of preparation will be enough Mae believes that some sort of plan will help new and future moms after their baby is born

ldquoHave a plan for childcare Be prepared It can get expen-sive if you donrsquot have family to helprdquo she shared and added ldquoReadsing to your baby itrsquos [a] great bonding time Record your milestones take all the pictures you wantrdquo

Lastly she also would like to impress the importance of keep-ing a healthy marriage

ldquoStill go out and have a date with the hubby Yoursquoll feel guilty at first but itrsquos important to con-tinue to nourish your relationship as a couple as wellrdquo

ldquoThe only love that I re-ally believe in is a motherrsquos love for her childrenrdquo

- Karl Lagerfeld fashion designer

ldquoGod could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothersrdquo

- Joseph Rudyard Kipling - English journalist

writer poet and novelist (1865-1936)

Gary Kelly

Ian Nguyen

Ian Nguyen

Jason Rivanis

Maritza Lizarraras

Rosa Baer

PAL 005342_02

Asian Journal March Filipino

Print Ad

03-24-16

03-30-16

R1

visual

115 w x 1055 h

NA

100

CMYK

Sam Polk

George Miranda

Notes

CDJob Live PM

CDTitle Trim AE

ADElement Bleed

CWDate In Scale

PDDue Date Color

SMROUND Upload

APPROVALS T U D I O P R O D U C T I O N M E C H A N I C A L OK OKCHANGES CHANGESCHANGESAPPROVAL

PAL_005342_02_Pearlfect_WAC_Asian_Journal_Filipino_R1indd 1 4516 1051 AM

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

4The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

entertainment

Continued on Page 5

Judy Ann Santos Ryan Agoncillo celebrate 7th year anniversary

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomes herby Bot Glorioso

Philstarcom

Celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agon-cillo renewed their vows seven years after their wedding

the renewal of vows took place in a beach resort in batangas province on April 30

the couplersquos three chil-drenmdashyohan lucho and lunamdashwere present in the ceremony

Some celebrity friends of the couple such as Agot isidro iza Calzado and KC Concep-

cion also attended the eventFr tito Caluag led the

ceremonyDays before the ceremony

Judy Ann and ryan exchanged sweet messages to mark their anniversary

in an instagram post Judy Ann reminisced how APO Hik-ing Society serenaded them during their wedding

ldquoSeven years ago when APO serenaded us Seven years ago i was on cloud 9 dancing with my foreverhellip this among others is my favorite part Happy anniversary my bubbardquo she wrote as the captionrdquo she said

On his part ryan posted a photo of his wife and kids with the caption ldquoHappy Sevener-saryrdquo

Here are some photos taken during the event taken by the guests and photographers Caliber King and Francis Perez (Inquirernet)

WHetHer you are a show-biz watcher or not you certainly know that Marian rivera is now a mom to five-month-old daugh-ter Maria letizia nicknamed Zia but not everyone knows that since becoming a mom her per-spective in life has broadened the better half of Dingdong Dantes has learned to look at things in a more positive light

ldquoMy point of view in life has widenedrdquo said Marian on how motherhood has changed her ldquoUnlike before that i easily get stressed out even over the simplest matter of concern now i just shrug things off and let them pass especially when it comes to bashers i think all of us have bashers even ordinary people do thatrsquos why i wonrsquot waste my time answering them because for me they are cow-ards hiding their identities with fake accounts and saying nasty things repeatedly Perhaps i will deal with them only when they reveal their true identitiesrdquo

besides Marian is focused on taking care of Zia who is a real bundle of joy ldquoShe is bub-bly irsquom still breastfeeding her Usually in the morning i wait for her to wake up to breastfeed her and then after she just plays in her crib mabait srsquoyang bata kaya i thank God for blessing

Marian Rivera says her first GMA 7 morning lifestyle show Yan Ang Morning is the perfect venue to share her personal experiences with the viewers on being a new mom and homemaker

me with a beautiful family and a happy life there is really no reason to complain in the morning when i open my eyes i see my handsome husband on my side and then on the other side is my beautiful daughter So who am i to complainrdquo

Although Zia already did a photo shoot for a tV commer-cial and has appeared on the cover of yes Magazine Marian

affirmed that media exposure for her baby is limited When asked if Ziarsquos first tV appear-ance will be in her first GMA 7 morning talk show titled ldquoyan Ang Morningrdquo that is set to air its pilot episode today at 1045 am Marian replied in the negative

ldquoAyoko naman ipagdamot bilang parehas naman kami ni

Sharon Cuneta replaces Sarah Geronimo on lsquoThe Voice Kids Philippinesrsquo

A neW coach is coming in the third season of ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo

As Sarah Geronimo bids goodbye to focus on being a performer Sharon Cuneta will be welcomed in the showrsquos new season

ldquoSobrang excited akordquo said the Megastar in an interview with AbS-Cbn news ldquoi will be part of lsquothe Voice Kidsrsquo of course [with] bamboo and lea Salongardquo

before being part of this show Sharon has been one of the judges in the two seasons of ldquoyour Face Sounds Familiarrdquo

Aside from ldquothe Voice Kids Philippinesrdquo the Mega-star also announced that shersquos gearing up for a ldquoreally bigrdquo project

ldquoi have been working on myself para i-surprise kayordquo she said ldquoHindi pa ako tapos but i have lost a lot of weigh preparing for something really bigrdquo (Philstarcom)

Sharon Cuneta

Infographic by AJPress Sources American Psychological Association Pacific Post Partum Support Society Journal of American Medical Association National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation and Depression Facts

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

5The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Crab Legs | Shrimp | Oysters | Salmon on IceCarving Stations with Prime Rib | Ham | Leg of Lamb

Chinese Specialties | Sushi | SashimiBreakfast Favorites | Chefs Entree Specialties

Chocolate Fountain | Crepe Station | Much Much More

During Mothers Day Brunch Sparking Wine | Mimosa | Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

Plus a Flower and Chocolate Gift for Mom

555 Universal Hollywood Drive | Universal City CA 91608

Celebrate Motherrsquos Day at Cafeacute SierraSavor life Savor each and

every moment at Cafeacute Sierra inside the Hilton Los angeles Universal City Enjoy an eclectic blend of culinary delights including California Continen-tal and Mandarin cuisine by veteran Executive Chef George Sit For over 30 years Chef George has taken contempo-rary cuisine and insured a Pa-cific rim influence enhancing each dish with his own personal international flair Dinner and cocktails at the Cafeacute Sierra restaurant and atrium Lounge can be experienced either a la carte or enjoyed from one of our extensive specialty buffets

The culinary team has come together to create a valuable foundation ndash serving up excel-lence from start to finish

our award winning week-end seafood and prime rib buffet is a Los angeles favorite and voted 1 in California by the Yahoo Travel Team Join us for Motherrsquos Day with our eve-ning buffet on Friday Saturday and Sunday as well as a brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday

The Hilton Los angeles Universal City is conveniently located at 555 Universal Hol-lywood Drive Universal City For reservations call (818) 509-2030 (Advertising Supplement)

Marian Rivera Motherhood becomesDong na artista When I was still pregnant I shared photos I also did when I gave birth But on Instagram I seldom post mas si Dong pa kaya oK na yunrdquo

When queried once more if Zia will guest on the showrsquos Motherrsquos Day presentation Marian hinted at the possibility when she smilingly said ldquoWe never know Mommy nga ni Dong (Mommy angeline) nag-guestrdquo

ldquoYan ang Morningrdquo is Mar-ianrsquos first GMa morning lifestyle talk show with Boobay as her co-host The actress never de-nies that hosting is not her forte and she had mixed emotions about accepting the project She was initially worried that she might not be able to deliver on her duty as a host Good thing Dingdong has inspired her to try and take on her new Tv role ldquoHis advice is simple mdash just be yourself and here I am nowrdquo

Marian continued ldquoWala sigurong masama kung susu-bukan mo ang mga bagay na di ka pamilyar dahil ako bilang isang ina marami akong mga bagay na na-realize na kaya ko pala o magagawa ko pala So I

told myself why not apply this to hosting mdash to try my hand in something that I am not yet familiar with If you will notice the showrsquos tagline is lsquoKung kaya ni Yan kaya nrsquoyo rinrsquo because I believe that we can learn every-thing The show is very informa-tive I learn a lot of things even off cam I am not shy to ask our guests like the mommy blog-gers for example questions on the topic about breastfeeding I ask them what should I do to produce more milk so natututo din ako sa mga bagay at na-a-apply ko sa sarili kordquo

The show under the helm of Louie Ignacio allows viewers as well as the studio audience to participate and be involved in everything that Marian does in the program She will have a cooking segment dubbed Luto ni Marian where she will demonstrate simple and afford-able recipes She too will also share latest fitness workouts and invite everyone to try out DIY projects another segment called oK Yan Wag Yan will have two different sides giving their opinions on a certain topic or issue

raising a family is another topic Marian can very well relate

to Televiewers can expect her to talk kilometric when it comes to child-rearing ldquoI am certain that anything that concerns children and family will make the discussion interesting most especially when you are a parent Like how can one be a good mom Perhaps all the moms will agree with me that motherhood is priceless Sabi ko nga mahirap man mag-bun-tis at mag-labor pero pag nakita mo na yung resulta sasabihin mo lsquoLord sana bigyan mo pa korsquordquo

Marian is praying that she and Dingdong will be blessed with four more children of course Marian stressed that she and Dingdong want to raise a good and responsible child ldquoMay plano din dapat Defi-nitely we want our child si Zia muna syempre to grow up as a responsible kid at syempre gusto namin srsquoyang makapag-aral sa magandang eskwelahan at magkaroon ng magandang buhayrdquo

Like most of us Marian nev-er stops wishing for good things to continuously pour but she truly feels content with her life ldquoI canrsquot ask for anything more Kuntento ako at happyrdquo

From Page 4

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

Moonlighting

by Mylah de leon

A retireersquos lunch party6

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

features

Working is a mysterious thing Many of us claim to dis-like it at times but it takes a grip on us so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there

It was a retirement party for a lady who had spent a decade with the same company and her colleagues from her office were in attendance There were pre-pared little speeches toasts and gifts just like hundreds of retire-ment parties being held around the country that afternoon

It was lunch like any Some guests came a little early while others came a little late as usual The women kissed pressing their cheeks kissing the winds and for some reason connected lipstick

The men back-slapped and then settled with short or longer lapses of disconnection Then they would mill around the re-tiree go back to their seats but like a magnet each one would go back to the woman repeat a tale and offer her whatever

More than just breaking bread with her that evening it seemed there was something all each had to say Looking

faintly bewildered but the guest of honor gazing at her colleaguersquos faces could read their minds because whatever it was she was looking for she found in their demeanor and in every burst of laughter It was the eveningrsquos ambivalent emo-tion never mind that all these occurred in one of the top legal offices here in Los Angeles

A manrsquos workmdashif she is good at it it is saidmdashis as im-portant to her as her family It was such a delicate balance the attention that one must be paid to her job and to her familymdashwith never the luxury of overlap

Her job is quite separate from her family that is why for them the men and women she had worked with for a decade were just names from a lifetime Now she is 65 and the rules said that she must retire

The speeches began filled with references and in jokes that made the retiree Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual laugh and nod her head in recognition as every speaker took turns making the people in the room roar with glee

The little speeches were specific not general It was mostly of little matters that had happened over the course of the years Each remembrance was like a small gift to the

retiree I thought about how the

Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual was going to feel the next morning knowing that for the first time in her adult life she wouldnrsquot be driving to the building where the rest of people there would be reporting for work The separation pains have to be just as strong to the loss of a family member yet in the world of the universal work force a person is supposed to accept and even embrace retirement

None of us can really change the world in a lifetime but we touch the people around us in ways that may last That is the real purpose of a retirement party like this one to tell a lady that those memories will remain even though the work rules say that she has to go away

The plaque and office gift was presented and then year and years of work at an end the retiree went back to her own home

And the rest of us went back to ours

The Rev Pastor Mercy Pascual retired from the lead-ing labor law firm of Ogletree Deakins and Nash Smoak amp Stewart PC last April 15

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl

aolcom

Ms Christy Barrett (office administrator) Mercy Pascual (the retiree) and Besty Johnson Esq

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

7The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day

8 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 4 2016

Magnolia Meats in Pack Asstd Kinds 12oz

WAS$599

SAVINGS42

$72for

Meiji Hello Panda Asstd Flavors 91oz

WAS$479

SAVINGS27

$72for

SanMig Coffee 3in1 Original

WAS$259

SAVINGS3

$52for

Tao Kae Noi Grilled Seaweed Asstd Flavors 36g

WAS$279

SAVINGS10

$52for

Ladies Choice Sandwich Spread 220ml

WAS$399

SAVINGS37

$52for

Nestle Purelife Water 1gal

WAS$149

SAVINGS40

89cent

UFC Banana Ketchup Regular 11oz

WAS$089

SAVINGS22

69cent

Kraft Cheese in Can 75oz

WAS$499

SAVINGS30

$72for

Oishi Wafer (chococheeseleche flan) 280g

WAS$279

SAVINGS28

$42for

Kirei Yummy FlakesOishi Prawn Crackers Asstd Flavors 50g

WAS$089

SAVINGS44

$12for

$2999WAS

$3999SAVINGS25

IP Jasmine Rice 50lbs

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

Magic Melt in Plastic Tub Asstd Kinds 400-600g

$199WAS

$249SAVINGS20

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Valuepack Asstd Flavors 6pack

$199WAS

$229SAVINGS13

Paradise Frozen Whole Banana 1lb

$179WAS

$229SAVINGS22

Indomie Noodle Fried Mie Goreng 5pack

$499WAS

$599SAVINGS17

San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

San Miguel Luncheon Meat 12oz

$299WAS

$399SAVINGS25

Hello Bee Pon Rice Cracker 10oz

$699WAS

$949SAVINGS26

Kopiko Brown Coffee 265oz

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbsfor

Baby Bokchoy

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Red Yam

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Green Bell Pepper

WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Regular Banana WAS

$079SAVINGS

37

$12lbsfor

Cantaloupe

WAS

$129SAVINGS

61

$12lbsfor

Small Taro

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

CucumberWAS

$079SAVINGS

58

99cent3pcsfor

Corn White

WAS

$050SAVINGS

60

$15pcsfor

Green Onions

WAS

$299SAVINGS

33

$199Russet Potato 10lbs

each

$399lb

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Korean BBQ Ribs

Mea amp Seafood Fres Produc

Pantr Favorite

WAS

$099SAVINGS

49

$12lbs for

Chicken Leg Quarter

WAS

$699SAVINGS

29Salmon Fillet

$499lb

WAS

$169SAVINGS

41Gasper Goo

99centlb

WAS

$389SAVINGS

23Golden Pampano

$299lb

WAS

$699SAVINGS

43Silk Snapper

$399lb

WeekendSale

FriSatSunOnly

$249lb

WAS

$299SAVINGS

17Pork Belly (Rib-On)

WAS

$499SAVINGS

20Beef Short Ribs

$399lb

ldquoWE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE SALES PROMO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE ITEMS WITH PRODUCTS OF APPROXIMATE VALUE NO RAIN CHECKS PROMO GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER COUPON OR PROMO PRICES MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE GIVEAWAYS NOT VALID FOR CUSTOMERS WITH DISCOUNTrdquo

Valid at Island Pacific West CovinaPanoramaCanoga ParkN Vermont Los AngelesS Vermont Los AngelesOxnardCerritosRancho Cucamonga Thursday - Wednesday bull May 5- 11

Presyon Suli DealCelebra ng M ers Day