asian journal july 22, 2011

Grandmaster Floro Villabrille: The Founder and Grand Old

Man of KALI .. p. 15

How to Tell What is Right from Wrong? .. p. 11

President Noy Aquino: Let UN settle Spratlys

(Continued on page 2) Shaun Samson

On the way to the hospital, Danny was barely conscious of

what was happening around him.

“Mamatay na ata ako, ah (I think I might die),” he mut-tered to himself.The emergency personnel worked quickly once the vehi-cle arrived. Four men in white uniforms placed Danny in a mobile stretcher and whisked him inside the emergency room.“How do you feel?” one of them asked Danny.Danny could not answer. His eyes remained open, staring at the white lights on the ceiling.“Is he having a heart attack?” he heard his wife Mindy ask one of the male nurses.“We don’t know yet,” replied the paramedic. “Just stay outside in the waiting room. We will know as soon as we fi nd out.”Danny was connected to a lot of apparatus. He was breathing through a face mask. He could feel a

By Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.Publisher & Editor

Asian Journal San DiegoThe Original and First Asian Journal in America

Chapter 22

A New OpportunityComplicated Aff airs

6th Amung International Festival of Kalingas is hosted by San Diego Kalingans

Photo shows incoming executive offi cers and directors of the Kalingas of North America (KaNA) Net-work during the Gala Night that highlighted the organization’s 3-day Amung (Reunion) hosted by the San Diego Kalingans. From left are: Michael Wandag, Cultural Education Coordinator; Kiriin Macapugay, Juliet Cheatle, Modesta G. Amiling, President & Board Chairperson; Vina M. Phelps, Connie B. Alfrido, Lucia Arca, Chief Financial Offi cer/Treasurer; Rhaiza Shiu, Corporate Secretary; Marshall A. Wandag, KaNA Founder.

KaNA Swears in New Offi cers and Directors

By Genalyn D. Kabiling

MANILA BULLETINMANILA, Philippines —

President Aquino stood fi rm Friday in bringing the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute to a United Nations (UN) tribunal as the “only recourse” for the Philippines.

“I think that is (the) only recourse open to us. We want to establish precisely who is right in terms of the defi nition of the rights imbued under the United Nations Conven-tion on the Law of the Sea,” Aquino said in a press confer-ence after distributing houses to soldiers and policemen in Calamba, Laguna.

The President said he plans to raise the proposal of letting an international tribunal rule on the territo-rial claims during his visit to China next month even though Chinese authorities had earlier rejected such a move.

Aquino, who has vowed not to allow any nation to bully the territorial integrity of the country, is tentatively scheduled to visit China in late August or early Septem-ber amid rising tension over the ownership of the contest-ed islands.

“So where do you go? You don’t go to China to ask it to defi ne what the Philippine rights are as far as the West Philippine Sea is concerned. You have to go to the body where everybody is a signa-tory practically to, and that is the UN, and specifi cally the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS),” he added.

Asked if he will press for UN arbitration when he visits China, Aquino said: “Yes.”

The Philippine govern-ment had earlier proposed that both countries submit their competing claims to the UN-backed ITLOS to resolve the dispute.

But China reportedly frowned on the Philippine proposal, saying the dispute should be settled through di-rect talks between concerned parties.

Zena Sultana BabaoMsgr. Gutierrez TravelOn Holy Ground: Divine

Mercy Hills Shrine, Mindanao .. p. 24

July 22-28, 2011

(Continued on page 16)


OSMAN AHMED, Vogue.com.UK | 7/18/2011 -- LONDON-BASED design-er Shaun Samson won the coveted Col-lection of the Year award - and €15,000 - at this weekend’s tenth anniversary International Talent Support Prize in Trieste, Italy. The Central Saint Martins graduate - who has been studying vari-ous forms of fashion design for almost a decade - was selected out of eight fi nal-ists by a panel of jurors including Viktor & Rolf, Hilary Alexander, Antonio

London-based Fashion Designer Shaun Samson wins coveted Collection of the Year Award in Italy

Designer is son of local businessman Sam Samson

San Diego Fil-Ams Join Global Pinoys to Protest China Oil Drilling in Spratleys

Filipino Americans converged in front of NBC Studios in Downtown San Diego to join world-wide protests on July 8th. Listen to 7-14-11 podcast featur-ing Loida Nicolas Lewis, Aileen Catapusan and Rudy Liporada (See page 4).

If you missed our live broadcast, you can listen to it anytime anywhere in the world through live streaming

on our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com. Click on the Philippine Radio icon.

you can listen to it anytime anywhere

Every Sunday, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.PILIPINAS KONG MAHAL - Host: Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.

An Hour Of Filipino Music, Commentaries, Poems And Pinoy Jokes

Every First and Third Sunday, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.BALITAKTAKANG FILKANOY - Host: Rudy Liporada

A talk broadcast dealing with dissecting the latest news a�ecting primarily Filipino Americans

Every Second and Fourth Sunday, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.SHOWBIZ WATCHER :Host: Ogie Cruz

Juicy tidbits about Philippine show biz with occasional celebrity guest co-host

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Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio announced today his campaign grossed $540,000 in the fi rst 25 days of the cam-paign. Nearly 90% of dona-tions came from within San Diego County and the median contribution was only $150, which illustrates an impressive grassroots donor base capable of generating much more in the future.

“I’m up against the labor unions and special interest insiders who will be fi lling the campaign coffers of my oppo-nents,” said DeMaio. “That’s

DeMaio Campaign Raises $540,000 in 25 Days

San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio

why I asked San Diegans to partner with me to fi x the mess at City Hall – I am over-whelmed and humbled by their


July 22-28, 2011

July 22-28, 2011Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com

Shaun Samson Wins Award ..

(Continued from page 1)

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by Atty. Jean Tinsay, Esq.Legal Buzz

Read Atty. Jean Tinsay’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com


LEGAL BUZZ by Jean S. Tinsay, Esq., | SAN DIEGO, SAN FRANCISCO, MANILA, 7/18/2011 -- An employer need not be a Fortune 500 com-pany, have been in business for decades or employ dozens of workers in order to sponsor an alien to work for its company in the United States. While the big-ger and more stable companies would certainly qualify to spon-sor an alien for employment in the United States, so too would smaller businesses, sole propri-etors and even individuals pro-vided they can comply with the USCIS requirements for employ-ment-based immigrant petitions on behalf of alien workers. For example, a sole proprietor who owns a home for the elderly can hire caregivers abroad or even an individual who is in need of a nanny for her children.

A showing that the em-ployer is financially able to pay the salary of the alien worker is one of the important require-ments in filing an employment-based immigrant petition. The employer’s ability to pay alien worker’s salary must be demon-strated from the time the priority date is established (date the labor certification application or im-migrant petition is filed on behalf of the alien worker) and continu-ing until the alien worker obtains U.S. permanent lawful residence status.

Employer’s Ability To Pay in Hiring Foreign Workers

For large companies employing 100 workers or more, the financial ability to pay re-quirement can be met by simply providing the USCIS with a statement from the employer’s fi-nancial officer establishing their ability to pay the wage offered to the alien worker.

However, for employ-ers with less than 100 workers, financial ability has to be estab-lished and proven. This can be done by submitting copies of (i) annual reports, (ii) federal tax returns or (iii) audited financial statements. In reviewing these documents, the USCIS will make a positive determination of ability to pay in the following instances:

when employor’s net income is equal to or greater than the wage offered to the alien;

when net current assets are equal or greater than the wage offered to the alien; or

(iii) when the records contains credible verifiable evi-dence that the employer is cur-rently employing the alien and pays the alien the offered wage.

The USCIS will also accept additional documents such as the employer’s profit/loss statements, bank account records, or personnel records. If employer is a sole proprietor, the USCIS will consider the individ-ual personal assets and liabilities in determining whether it meets

the ability to pay requirement. If the employer’s

documents are not sufficient to establish financial ability to pay, the USCIS may take into account certain discretionary factors in determining whether the em-ployer meets the ability to pay requirement.

In one case, the USCIS was not deterred in finding that the employer had the ability to pay the wage offered to the alien despite the fact that the em-ployer’s net income was substan-tially less than the wage offered to the worker by considering employer’s “reasonable expecta-tions of continued increase in business and increasing profits.” In determining that the employer had the ability to pay the alien’s wage, it took into account the following factors: (i) length the employer had been in business; (ii) employer’s ability to pay the salaries of its current workers without evidence of financial dif-ficulties; (iii) (that) the addition of the worker would substantial-ly increase employer’s business; and (iv) (that) the employer was well recognized as evidence by numerous articles published in magazines.

In another case, the US-CIS considered the ability of the employer to generate income in determining what is suitable evi-dence to demonstrate financial ability to pay the alien worker’s salary.

The employer’s ability to pay is only one of the re-quirements to be met before the USCIS will favorably decide an employment-based immigrant petition. There are other require-ments that must be complied with. Filing an employment-based immigrant petition is a long and complicated process and best done with the assistance of an immigration attorney.

Atty. Jean S. Tinsay is a part-ner in The Law Firm of Chua Tinsay and Vega (CTV) - a full

service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego and Manila. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. The CTV attorneys will be hold-ing regular free legal clinics at the Max’s Restaurant in Vallejo, California. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (415) 495-8088; (619) 955-6277; [email protected]

Berardi, Renzo Rosso and Mandi Lennard.

“I’m just speechless and over-whelmed - I genuinely didn’t think that I was going to win,” said a gasping Samson after being awarded the prize by last year’s winner, Takashi Nishigani, from Japan. “I’m so grateful to ITS and the jurors for provid-ing me with the foundations of which I can built my dreams upon.”

The San Diego-born designer showed a collection of men’s knitwear, which took simplicity, in the structure and silhouette of oversized shifts paired with cigarette trousers, and paired it with complexity of construction: fabrics were manipulated in or-der to merge thick Argyle knits, distinctive Scottish tartans and an array of flannel wool.

“I wanted the collection to be about the distinction of urban tribes - how each Scottish class has a distinct and unique tartan,” explained the designer. “I kept the silhouette simple so that there was an ultimate focus on


Filipinos have become known as “God’s special agents,” evangeliz-ing the world through The Divine Mercy. But why Divine Mercy, a message and devotion that began in Poland through the revelations of St. Faustina, thousands of miles from the Philippines?

In his homily on Saturday, June 25, the newly ordained Fr. James Cervantes, MIC, shared two top reasons why.

“Why does it resonate so much with us? ... Because we have recog-nized our misery,” he said. “We have tasted poverty and tasted suffering.”

The second reason — “the most important reason,” he said — is that “Filipinos recognize that their strength comes from God.”

Everything for which Filipinos have come to be known through-out the world was on display at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy on June 25, during the Shrine’s sixth annual Filipino Day, which drew more than 300 pilgrims

‘God’s Special Agents’Filipinos Flock to Nation-al Shrine for Special Day

Saturday, June 25, 2011Felix Carroll, National Shrine of the Divine Mercy,

Stockbridge Massachusetts

from throughout the northeast and Canada.

Their faith and trust in Jesus. Their love of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Their devotion to family. Their fond-ness for food, song, and dance. Their predisposition to share.

When Ida Guerrero, a Filipino now living in Jacksonville Fla., heard of a pilgrimage to the Shrine for Filipino Day, there was no hesitation.

“We said ‘Yes,’” she said. “We are a ‘Yes’ people — if it’s for the improvement of the soul and the world.”

The pilgrims disembarked from tour buses laden with homemade food to share, musical instruments to play, garlands, and banners.

“I remember, before I joined the Marians, coming to the Shrine for Divine Mercy Sunday and seeing the people, many of whom were Filipinos,” said Fr. Kenneth Dos

Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.comJuly 22-28, 2011

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If you missed the discussion at Balitaktakang FilKanoy with Radio Host Rudy D. Liporada last July 14, 2011 broadcast, you can still down-load and listen to the broadcast at Philippine Radio San Diego at HYPERLINK “http://www.asianjournalusa” www.asian-journalusa. Listen to how Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis, Vonz Santos, and Aileen Catapusan responded to Rudy’s probing questions regarding the Spratly Island issue.

Ugaliing makinig sa KFSD 1450 AM - Radio Philippines San Diego. Dulog sa inyo tuwing alas-siyete ng gabi ng inyong mga abang linkod: Lunes at Biyernes ni Simeon G. Silver-io, Jr. sa Pilipinas Kong Mahal; Martes ni Joe Son sa Our San Diego Community; Miyerkoles

Will the Philippines Attack China over claim on Spratly Islands’ Oil?

Will the Philippines attack China on Balitaktakang FilKanoy – Ra-dio Host Rudy D. Liporada (right) and Aileen Catapusan had a radio telephone patch discussion with Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis (inset) and Vonz Santos (head photo) on the Spratly Islands issue last July 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at KFSD 1450 AM. One can still listen to the broadcast at www.asianjournalusa. Click on Philippine Radio icon on left of page – Radio Philippines – July 14, 2011. Photo by John Lock

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Beyond the room, however, beyond the bowling alley was a

childhood paradise where Des and I would play and escape the reality life of adults full of yelling and moaning.

On its side of the street, the

bowling alley dominated the street, margined only by two hills with clearings splattered with remnants of buildings bombed by the Japanese. On a promontory, stood a towering fireplace that used to be part of what I guess was a mansion. Fronting the clearings were acres of jungles of sunflowers – Mara-pait, they are called because everything about them from roots, stalks, leaves, vines, and flowers are bitter. The sticks tow-ered to over ten feet and could be like well fed snakes in diameter. Their leaves spread like open palms and the sunflowers, like one-eyed pancakes with yellow petals, followed the position of the sun from sunrise to dusk.

After school and on week-ends, Des and I would assemble with as many as fifteen boys and girls, together with toddlers who were saling-pusa or copy cats. We transformed those hills into stages where we acted out our heroes’ and anti-heroes’ lives. We became marines, with Marapait sticks as our carbines

A Childhood– A Childhood…continued…

and torches, overwhelming the enemy in caves from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli. We did not have to define who were playing GIs or Japanese, but somehow, I always ended as squad leader of younger kids where I learned basic war strategy and tactics and how to impress them unto youthful

minds, how to harangue to bring on high the moral of my troops, how to persuade would be ren-egades to keep them to my side on battles we have to wage.

When The Three Hundred Spartans came to the theaters, we became Greeks slashing the Per-sians with Marapait swords and spears. We fashioned cardboards into circular shields complete with inverted Vs printed with

ballpens. Those of us who were more sophisticated borrowed, without our mothers knowing, pot lids from their kitchens to serve as our glittering shields. Those not suave enough to have shields became the Persians who we overrun as Spartans, who forged forward in V formation leaving a litter of dead playmates who rose from the dead when another battle had to be forged.

The pot lids were also used as shields when The Knights of the Round Table rode into town. During the lance tournaments, the Marapait sticks pinged on the lids as we rode our horses, piggy backed on our bigger and stronger playmates. Even at her death bed, bless her soul, I never confessed to my mother who wondered why her pot lids for her adobo had dents.

Lashing sunflower sticks to-gether with lanot vine also made them frames of balay-balay playhouses of varied shapes and multiple rooms. Marapait leaves

and dried grass topped our ceil-ings and walls. In these houses, we acted out the ideal role of family members. Baby and Lily were always good mothers. My brother was always a baby.

During cowboy and Indian games, the houses became wig-wams protected by the braves. Often the wigwams were liter-ally torched when the cavalry won. Nonetheless, Geronimo was a battle cry for those willing to die for the sake of their tribes. And “Ugh!” was the last word of the dead before they resurrect for the next game.

Sometimes, real fights broke out with real fists or, violently, with Marapait sticks.

I made the mistake once, be-lieving that because I was taller, I could beat Henry in a fist fight. Though much smaller than me, however, he knew my swings were coming and kept on duck-ing at the right time and hitting me instead. I went home sore and dejected that day.

That was not the end of it. Boy who had the tendency to become a bully became one. Just because Henry beat me, Boy thought I was a push over. He was wrong but he still beat me on a fist fight he instigated. Though my face was not a pulp, my spirit was that day.

It was after this fight that I learned the power of How-To books. With my little savings, I bought me a Bruce Tegner basic karate book. Boy was surprised when I instigated the next fight. Our common friends were also amazed that Boy could not hit me anymore and he was being smacked on the face repeatedly. I just followed Bruce Tegner’s basic advise: let your opponent make the first move; telegraph-ing his intentions, you parry or duck and hit. It was as simple as that.

Convincingly the winner against Boy, I became a Bruce Tegner ninja leading the troops.

And from those fist fights, I learned that bullies never won even if they quashed opponents physically. If you are stronger or bigger, you are expected to win so victory will be shallow. If you lose, it would be embarrassing, that you, an elephant could be bit by an ant. I also learned that the smaller you are, the greater your victory when you stand up against giants, even if you have more lumps on your face.

We also chopped dried mara-pait sticks with our bare hands. Often, there were harder sticks to chop and hurt the slicing hand but we’ve learned to discourage tears from flowing to hide pain not only to save face but also not to discourage the troops.

At times, we were liter-ally wounded. Nicks or gush-ing wounds could, however, be cured with sunflower leaves. Get a leaf, pound it with stone to a


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ASIAN JOURNALThe first Asian-Filipino weekly in Southern California

An award-winning newspaper, it is San Diego’s most widely circulated Asian-Filipino newspaper!

Ashley SilverioAssistant Editor

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

Joe Cabrera, (1924 - 1996)Soledad Bautista, (1917-2009)

Dr. Rizalino “Riz” Oades, (1935-2009)

The Asian Journal is published weekly and distrib-uted in all Asian communties in San Diego County. Publication date is every Friday of the month. Adver-tising deadline is Thursday prior to publication date at 5 p.m. For advertising rates, rate cards, or information, call (619) 474-0588. Subscription by mail is available for $50 per year (56 issues). The Asian Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photo-graphs but welcomes submissions. Entire content is © 2009 copyrighted material by Asian Journal. Materi-als in this publication may not be reproduced without specific permission from the publisher.

Genevieve SilverioManaging Editor

Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.Publisher & Editor

Miles BeauchampAssociate Editor

Santi SilverioAssociate Publisher

At Large...

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

by Miles Beauchamp

Perspectives

by Dr. Ofelia Dirige Founder, President & CEO Kalusugan

Community Services. www.filamwellness.org

Contemporary Asian American Issues

Fifth of a Series on Youth Entertainment

Reading: My Favorite Entertainment

Guest Writer: S. Lilah Markham


There are all sorts of “sins.” There are sins of omission, the Seven Deadly Sins, sins against humanity and the list goes on probably forever. This list isn’t anywhere as serious as those - this is a simple list of things that make life more difficult (with a few of

my own comments and observa-tions thrown in because I can and it’s fun).

My list has things that make life harder than it needs to be and yet they never go away. So why do we do them? Sometimes we don’t

know what they are until we do them for the first time, sometimes we seem to be unable to learn after we’ve done them a dozen times, and sometimes they simply catch us because we were looking in another direction.

Life’s (Almost) Deadly Sins

Rudeness (in the grand overall picture of life, this one may not be as big as grand theft. But rudeness makes life more miser-able than it needs to be and so why do it?) Do we need to be so selfish that we’re rude too?

Blowing a sneeze across the room

Coughing at some-one (or coughing into your hand and then extending that hand to shake someone else’s hand)

Giving the “fin-ger” while driving (unless it’s in Florida - where it’s probably necessary)

Pumping your own gas in Oregon (there is no self-serve in Oregon. You can imagine me standing at the car watching an 80- year-old person pump my gas. I’m glad the law gives them a job, but come on there are better ways)

Arguing PC vs. Apple (it’s bor-ing, it’s old, who cares, get over it)

Picking your nose while driv-ing (Hey! That’s glass all around you and we can see you. It’s gross so knock it off unless you’re in Texas - there it’s probably manda-tory)

Noise in movie theatres: the popcorn is crunchy - chew with your mouth closed. Oh, and shut up

When you pull into the gas sta-

Life’s (Almost) Deadly Sins

These are guaranteed to make your life harder than it should be

tion to get gas and there’s no one ahead of you at the pump island, pull to the forward pump. Don’t make the rest of us have to drive around you because you can’t be a tiny bit considerate. Get over yourself

Speaking of getting over your-self, get over yourself

Don’t kick sand, it’s not that hard to learn how to walk at the beach

When you’re eating in a fast-food restaurant throw away your trash when you’re finished. The rest of us really do not want to have to toss your used ketchup packets away because you’re too lazy to do it. If you want full ser-vice go somewhere else - it’s not difficult to figure out

Do you really need a pint of imitation butter product on your small popcorn at the theater? Quit pumping and go sit down.

If you are using a public toilet, flush it, just flush the freaking toilet already

It’s not all about you.In fact, it’s rarely, if ever, about

you (or me either)

Littering. If people would simply throw away their trash

in trash cans we wouldn’t need draconian laws like these: Mas-sachusetts: Fine of not more than $5,500 for the first offense and not to exceed $15,000 for each subse-quent offense. Oregon: Class A misdemeanor. Fine not exceeding

$6,250 or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both. Source: National Conference of State Leg-islatures. I have to say that Oregon was prob-ably the cleanest place I’ve ever been but do we really need laws like this to make us do something so simple, easy, and good for us? Yeah, I guess so - how bloody sad

Saying “no problem” when someone says “thank you.” We don’t care whether it was a problem or not - if it’s your job to do something and someone says “thank you,” just reply “you’re welcome”

Here’s a sin for you: Not replacing an empty toilet paper roll. We

don’t care how you put it on, if the paper hangs down in front or in back, just don’t leave it empty. And then we promise not to leave it empty for you

Question: Is life really so boring

and dull for you that you need to express yourself on bathroom walls? If so, put the pen down and go do something. Join a club, take a class, go somewhere, jog, anything, just get a life. Writing on bathroom walls will not make you immortal, famous, or funny. It just proves you really are the person you wish you weren’t

Drinking does not make you smarter. It’s not a sin to drink, just to make the rest of us listen to you ramble about what needs to be done and how you would fix it. If you can make something better go do it. If you can’t then go home and watch TV

Here’s my last almost deadly sin: wasting your life. This is your shot, your chance. Don’t waste it. Go help someone, go back to school and start a new career, apologize for your mistakes and then move on. You can change your life and make it better. Plus, you can make the lives of those around you so much better too.

So there you have my incom-plete list of life’s (almost) deadly sins. I’m not sure what started this topic; it was probably when some-one said “no problem” and I took off from there. There are thou-sands more, of course, but to list them would be committing another sin: being more boring and cranky than even I have any right to be.

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“I love to read because I ap-preciate creativity, imagination, facts, research, and learning about different subjects. I cannot choose what type of book strikes my fancy the most, however, many of the books I read and own are autobiographies, non-fiction and fiction. I enjoy the many different writing styles of authors”.

My favorite form of entertain-ment is reading. I have always loved to read. I read on a daily basis. I read with my son, my husband and usually by myself. Reading can be a great pastime and mental escape in many loca-tions. Mainly, reading is done at home and during my breaks while I am traveling. My son and I read magazines, children’s books and “site words” he has to study for school. Site words are words that he and his class focus on each week. The list usually consists of about 5 words and are words used in everyday vocabulary such as “I, the, as, is, and, etc.”

What is great about reading with my son is that I get to wit-ness his growth as well as enjoy

seeing him discover new words. For instance, he sees words that he is unfamiliar with and sounds them out. The other day he saw the word “Alaska,” which was a new one for him and before ask-ing me what it said; he sounded it out and asked me what Alaska was. We also visit the public library on a regular basis to dis-cover all of the forgotten gems that exist since the Internet and bookstores have become popular in today’s culture. I have read to my son ever since he was a baby. He also sees me reading often, which instills a love for reading in him.

I love to read because I ap-preciate creativity, imagination, facts, research, and learning about different subjects. I cannot choose what type of book strikes my fancy the most, however, many of the books I read and own are autobiographies, non-fiction and fiction. I enjoy the many different writing styles of authors. Some authors are very detailed, which creates vivid images in my mind. Some authors are poetic and romantic. I believe that the best authors are those that strike some kind of

emotion in the reader, whether the book is fiction, non-fiction, etc. A book that is well written will receive a reaction from the reader, whether it is positive or negative. Books, to me, are a work of art. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth 1,000 words,” it is also true with books; rather, the 1,000 words are worth the mental picture painted.

ONE OF MY FAVOR-ITE WRITERS IS PAULO COELHO. He writes in Portu-guese and his books are translat-ed into many different languages. For me, his books are romantic and poetic. When Portuguese phrases are translated in English, they differ from how they would be said in English. I believe that Portuguese is considered a “language of love,” and Paulo Coelho’s books definitely reflect that. Also, his life story inspires me. Writing was his lifelong passion and his parents insti-tutionalized him because they thought his artistic streak was a form of mental illness. His perseverance and drive to write has given me an extra amount of appreciation of his books.

I enjoy learning about different subjects and people. I am a firm

believer in facts and evidence and I do not like to exclude an idea before doing the proper research. For instance, religion has always been a fascinating topic for me. There are many religions in the world, and many people think that their religion is the “right one.” Many wars are waged and many people are killed over religion. I find this to be intriguing and somewhat of a contradiction. The fact that there is no actual evidence of a higher power piques my curiosity. It is the mystery of religion and the fact that it can be tirelessly argued, with each party believing they are correct, which leads me to do my own research and draw my own conclusions.

I HAVE ENJOYED READING MY WHOLE LIFE. As a child, I loved library day and would usually checkout books on the Salem witch trials. Even as a child, the question of “do witch-es actually exist?” fascinated me. During my teen years, I loved reading autobiographies, maga-zines, and fiction. To this day, I still love to read. Sometimes, I read a few novels at a time. At times I feel like there is so much information in the world for me to learn. I do not believe every-

thing I hear or read, so reading different points of view as well as facts on a subject allows me to draw my own conclusions.

I believe that knowledge, as well as life experience leads to wisdom or applied knowledge. I am currently reading a non-fiction novel titled “Electroboy,” by Andy Behrman. It is a book about a young man who is battling bipolar disorder and re-ceives electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to assist with healing. I just finished “The 19th Wife,” by David Ebershoff, about the infa-mous Ana Eliza; one of Brigham Young’s many wives. Although the book is fiction and names are

changed, it con-tains many facts about Ana and

Brigham’s infamous divorce as well as life in a polygamous household.

Another book worth mention-ing is “Infidel,” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ayaan’s non-fiction book, is very detailed about growing up Muslim, female genitalia mutila-tion, and escaping an arranged marriage. She writes about losing her faith and becoming an Atheist, hence the title, Infidel. Because of this change, she must live her life surrounded by body-guards as she receives multiple death threats for becoming an “infidel.”

I would love to travel and do research on different cultures, sub-cultures, cities, countries, etc. I am in the travel industry and an Anthropology major.

This is not something I dream about, rather, this is something that I will be doing in the future. I have a plan to make this hap-pen and wheth-er or not I will make a career out of this, I will be travel-ing and doing re-search. Different people fasci-nate me, as well as their habits, mannerisms, diet, communica-tion techniques, style of dress, superstitions, and religious or non-religious practices.

I also appreciate my solitary time. I find comfort in being alone and I am my own best friend. While I enjoy being around others, being alone is crucial. I am a critical thinker and like to know how things work and why people behave the way they do. Because of this, I rarely jump to conclusions when interacting with others, especial-ly while traveling, because their customs may differ from my American customs. A number one place on my list to research is Romania and the Carpathian Mountains. It is said that every superstition that exists originated in the Carpathian’s. Also, the legend of Drakul is both mystify-ing and interesting. Basically, solitary travel and research is what I love to do, and will be do-ing at a larger scale in the future.

About Lilah Markham

Me and Snappy

Paulo Coelho


by Atty. Susan V. Perez

Immigration 911

Read Atty. Susan Perez’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

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IMMIGRATION 911 by Atty. Susan V. Perez | SAN DIEGO, 7/22/2011 -- I am sharing with you another true story. Francis-co, a Filipino citizen, was only 17 years old when his parents immigrated to the United States. Francisco was given specific instruction by his parents that he should not get married lest he forfeits the opportunity to immigrate to the United States and to make a better life for himself. Francisco’s mother petitioned for him as soon as she became a green card holder or a legal permanent resident. A year later, Francisco met Veronica, a seventeen-year-old provincial lass of Tarlac. They fell in love after a few weeks of dating. Their passion clouded their judg-ment and soon enough, they are faced with the specter of hav-ing a child when they are barely young adults themselves. When Veronica’s parents found out of her pregnancy, they were out-raged. They live in a very small, conservative community where everybody knew what was going on in everybody’s life and where the Catholic notion of premarital sex was an abomination of sorts. Francisco was torn between his chance of immigrating to the United States and doing the right thing for the love of his life. When Veronica’s pregnancy was starting to show, her parents be-came desperate to save the fam-ily’s reputation. They exerted pressure on Francisco to marry Veronica. So he did. They got married, lived together, and had three children. Ten years later, Francisco received a notice of interview from the U.S. embassy in Manila. He and his parents were ecstatic. At the interview, Francisco stated he was single and did not disclose the fact he has children. The U.S. embassy issued a visa to Francisco as an unmarried son of a legal perma-nent resident.

Francisco entered the United States and became a legal per-manent resident. He got a job, paid his taxes, and was never in trouble with the law. His parents became U.S. citizens, but the father died shortly. Francisco visited his wife and children every year. Francisco had two jobs to support his family. He missed the playful and innocent years of his children and endured a life without the company and love of his wife. Francisco remained steadfast in his role as head of the family. He remained faithful to his wife and sent fifty per cent of his earnings to the

Waiver For Misrepresention In A Removal Case Does Not

Require The Qualifying Parent To Be Alive

family. Francisco couldn’t wait to be reunited with his family in the United States. As soon as he gained five years of residency in the United States, he filed for naturalization. Then the problem started. The Government found out about the marriage before he entered the United States and initiated removal proceedings against Francisco. Francisco admitted that he procured his immigrant visa by willfully misrepresenting a material fact, which was the marriage. He requested relief under the Im-migration and Nationality Act (INA) 237(a)(1)(H), which gives the Immigration Judge (IJ) the discretion to waive the removal of an immigrant who procured a visa through misrepresentation. Only an alien who is the spouse, parent, son, or daughter of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resi-dent is eligible to apply for this waiver. The removal proceed-ings against Francisco dragged on for years. Francisco’s mother died before the hearing on Fran-cisco’s request for INA section 237(a)(1)(H). At the hearing, the Government counsel stated Francisco was no longer eligible for the waiver because his quali-fying relative who was his U.S. citizen mother has died. The IJ held that Francisco was eligible because he continues to be the son of a U.S. citizen after the death of his U.S. citizen mother. The IJ then examined a long list of equities in Francisco’s favor and granted Francisco a waiver. The Government appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The BIA interpreted the INA section 237(a)(1)(H) differ-ently. It sustained the Govern-ment’s appeal, holding that to be eligible for a waiver under this provision, the alien must estab-lish that a qualifying relationship to a living relative. According to the BIA, because Francisco’s mother was no longer living, Francisco was no longer eligible to apply for the waiver. The BIA vacated the IJ’s decision and ordered Francisco removed to the Philippines. Francisco appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal. The 9th Circuit said the BIA erred and Francisco is eligible for the waiver. INA sec-tion 237(a)(1)(H) does not state that the qualifying relative must be alive and “it is not the role of those who enforce and inter-pret immigration law to impose unilaterally novel substantive re-quirements beyond those set for in the immigration law itself”. It was a happy ending for Fran-

cisco. He was very fortunate the 9th circuit ruled in his favor. Before this decision came out, a lot of aliens were deported be-cause their U.S. citizen parents had passed away when removal proceedings were initiated against them.

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

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Business NewsPhil-Am Business Improvement District Letter to 2011 StarBlazers and Top Hats, Guests

Photo 1: 2011 Star Blazers and Top Hats Awardees. Photo 2: Edna Concepcion, ConGen Aragon, Shirly Horton, The Honorable Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye. Photo 3: Edna Concepcion, Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye, Rosanna Salcedo, Lilian Lim. Photo 4: The Honor-able Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye delivers the keynote speech


Shaun Samson Wins Award ..


Read previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjo-urnalusa.com

by Atty. Rogelio Karagdag, Jr.Member, State Bar of California & Integrated Bar of the Philippines

Phil - Am Law 101

Missing a print edition of the Asian Journal? Read the digital edition at www.asianjournalusa.com/digital


A Childhood

pulp, spit on it, and apply it to the wound. Presto! Your wound would clot.

We also fought for our turf when bands of marauding kids from neighboring streets ven-tured into our clearings. They would harass our women and perturb our games. If they wanted to play with us, their rules were different and were unacceptable to us. As far as we were concerned, our clearing is Rome and they must do what we, Romans, do. Disputes were settled in mortal combat with a band’s commander. What starts as a fist fight turns into kab-bo. The no holds bar wrestling on the grass produced me often as victor.

Conflicts with these intrud-ers also turned into full scale wars. We became trained in accurate far distance hurling of stones. We later on evolved into using slingshots armed with stones which proved to be better weapons of mass destruction. We heard about them and contem-plated on venturing the use of those sling arrows used by the Oxo and Sigue-sigue gangs of far away Manila but those were too nuclear and we did not want to be involved in humanity’s an-

nihilation. Then the rains

would come and the hills would be too soggy. Only the bravest or foolish of us who ventured to afford the ire of parents would play on the hills reenacting warfare in swamps. My mother screamed at me and my brother not only once – something about how expensive Perla soap is and just because we do not know how hard it is to wash clothes. And don’t you know that you could get sick playing under the rain?

A round of castigation from our parents was enough for us not to go back to the hills of our imaginations during the rainy season. We then let the weather take its course but as soon as the sun radiated back, we, too, would be back in full force unto our paradise jungles which would now be swathed with thicker and greener carpets of grass. The foliage of Marapaits, still dripping with the monsoon’s left over, would also be denser – a full arsenal of our would be pistols with silencers, lances and swords, and pillars for our balay-balays.

The skirmishes would again ensue where we had captains, generals, centurions, kings, and damsels in distress; where we recognized whom to follow and how to lead, to set rules and abide by them and treat one like a pariah if one disregards the

rules. We also power brokered - to make friends with those most influential in organizing games and avoid those with tantrums, who, wrongly, believed games could not be carried out without them. We also asked for forgive-ness and to forgive. After all, we needed all the playmates we could have for the scenes we had to reenact and the turf we had to protect should invaders trample our sacred shores.

Yes, those jungles of Marapa-its taught us a lot about honor, service, and camaraderie, and to be war mongers.

And yes, the Marapait sunflow-ers could not be as beautiful as they were and their eyes could not be following the sun from sunrise to dusk if not for a Heav-enly Hand.

“Yes, I want to enter the semi-nary, no matter what you say,” I said to my father and mother.

It is the beach’s fault and also the Marapaits’.

Thanks be to God. To be continued…

(Publisher’s Note: Pusoy is Rudy D. Liporada’s second novel and third book being seri-alized in Asian Journal. One can get a copy of the book through Amazon.com – A Russian Poker - or by calling the author at 858-722-1465.)

the fabric and the combinations of different materials.”

Hilary Alexander - who contributed to Samson’s suc-cess - showed admiration for his cohesive approach to design. “In a way, he reminds me of Viktor & Rolf as he took a simple idea, ran with it and didn’t try to have his hands in too many pots,” said the legendary fashion journalist. “It takes courage to do that.”

The designer will be showcas-ing his collection at London Fashion Week this September as part of the FashionEast col-lective. Until then, he’ll also be developing a womenswear alternative to his award-winning designs.

The winners are: Fashion Collection of the Year:

Shaun Samson, USA - Central St. Martins College of Art and Design

Accessories Collection of the Year: Oliver Ruuger, UK - Lon-don College of Fashion

Swarovski Elements Jew-ellery Award: Sarah Vedel Hurtigkarl & Raluca Grada, UK - Royal College of Art

Diesel Award: Niran Avisar, Is-rael - Shenkar College of Engineering and Design

Fashion Special Prize: Kristian Guer-ra, Italy - Uni-versità IUAV di Venezia - Corso di Lau-rea in Design della Moda

Skunkfunk Sustainability Award: Ruth Green, UK - Royal College of Art

Maison Mar-tin Margiela Award: Fah Chak-shuvej, Thailand - Royal College of Art

MODATECA Award: Kevin

Kramp, USA - Fashion DesignerLink: http://www.vogue.co.uk/

news/2011/07/18/shaun-samson-central-saint-martins

(This article is reprinted from the Asian Journal Feb 26, 2010 issue)

Taking a break from our busy schedule in Manila last month, we invite some close friends and their wives to dinner by the Bay at the back of Mall of Asia. Our favorite eating place there is the Trinity Ihaw-Ihaw and Food House. We eat dampa-style, which means that we buy raw food from the nearby wet market and bring it to Trinity for them to cook in whichever way we want. We have our favorite sinigang na maya-maya, inihaw na panga ng bariles (grilled tuna jaw), inihaw na liempo (grilled pork), halaan (clam) soup, kinilaw na tanigue (wahoo cooked raw in vinegar) and, of course, the Philippine mango, both ripe and green, the latter dipped in bagoong. Outside, live music blares from the 3-man band. You can have your favorite song played by them. Gerby, who has been unusually quiet, writes “Isn’t She Lovely” on the tissue paper and gives it to the waitress. It was written in 1976 by Stevie Wonder to celebrate the birth of his daughter. The band plays the song, and our friends start teasing Gerby “Lolo” (grandfather).

I have been out of loop but I easily grasp the situation. Gerby has only one child, my inaanak Aimee. Can it be that Aimee is already a mother, and Gerby a Lolo? To my reckon-ing, she is only 17, and the last time I saw her 5 years ago, she was just a petite 12-year old.

My thoughts are immediately confirmed when Gerby sits beside me and starts a serious conversation, something which I am not used to hearing from him. He begins by tell-

ing me right away that he is already a grandfather; that Aimee has just given birth to Andrea. Gerby breaks for a while, waiting for me to ask my questions. Instinctively, I asked who the father is. Gerby tells me that Andrea’s father is Ruffy, and that he and Aimee have been sweethearts for a couple of years now. They are both 17. Ruffy is a United States citizen and is now in California. Ruffy and his family have been calling them to ask about Aimee and Andrea. They want to bring them to America. My friend wants only the best for Aimee and Andrea, and asks for our advice on how they can go to the U.S.

We tell Gerby that Aimee can join Ruffy in the U.S. either as his spouse or his fiancée. In either case, Andrea will be coming with her. But they have to wait just for a little while. We explain that if Ruffy and Aimee decide to marry first, Philippine law requires that both the bride and the groom must be at least 18 years old for the marriage to be valid. Since they will first get married before Ruffy files the petition, this will mean that they have to wait until they both turn 18. As regards U.S. immigration law, there is no age re-quirement for a petitioner. However, as a petitioner, Ruffy is required to submit Form I-864 (affidavit of support), and USCIS requires that a sponsor in Form I-864 must be at least 18 years old and domiciled in the United States, or its territories or possessions. Thus, both Philippine and U.S. laws require a petitioner in a spousal petition to be at least 18 years old.

On the other hand, there seems to be no age requirement for a petition-

er in a fiancée petition. Neither the Form 129-F (fiancée petition) nor the Form I-134 (affidavit of support for fiancées) indicate any minimum age requirement. However, we must remember that the couple has to get married within 90 days from the fiancee’s arrival in the United States, and most states require the parties to be at least 18 years old to marry without parental consent. For exam-ple, California law requires that if ei-ther the bride or groom is under 18, at least one of the minor’s parents, or legal guardian, must appear with the couple. Certified copies of birth certificates are required. The couple must also schedule an appointment with a counselor and then appear before a superior court judge.

As we mentioned earlier, Andrea can come with Aimee to the U.S. either under a spousal of fiancée petition. If Ruffy and Aimee opt for a spousal petition, Ruffy should file a separate Form I-130 petition for Andrea so she can come to the U.S. with Aimee. The rule is different in a fiancée petition. Ruffy needs only to file one petition – the Form 129F – for Aimee and after the petition is approved, Aimee can apply for a K-1 visa for herself and a K-2 visa for Andrea.

About Atty. Karagdag, Jr.

Atty. Rogelio Karagdag , Jr. is licensed to practice law in both California and the Philippines. He practices immigration law in San Diego and has continuously been a trial and appellate attorney in the Philippines since 1989. He travels between San Diego and Manila. His office address is located at 10717 Camino Ruiz, Suite 131, San Diego, CA 92126. He also has an office in the Philippines at 1240 Apacible Street, Paco, Manila, Philippines 1007, with telephone numbers (632)522-1199 and (632)526-0326. Please call (858)348-7475 or email him at [email protected] for your free consultation. He speaks Tagalog fluently. Articles written in this column are hypotheti-cals intended for general informa-tion, and do not constitute legal advice. You must consult with an attorney before taking legal step.

17-Year Old Expectant Dad Wants to Petition

His Fiancee

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nurse checking his heartbeat with a stethoscope, as another nurse was taking his blood pressure. Yet another one was taking his temperature. He was perspiring profusely and felt like throwing up. That was the last thing he remembered before passing out.

WHEN HE OPENED HIS EYES, he was inside a room. His wife was beside him with some of his children by the door.“Okay, you all have to leave,” he heard a voice tell everyone, the voice of a nurse. “The patient is fine.”“What happened?” he asked Mindy after he opened his eyes.“You passed out,” she said. “But the doctor said you are okay, although there are still performing some tests. He said you can go home as soon as you wake up.”“But I still feel dizzy,” he com-plained.“Take your time,” the nurse told him. “You can stay and rest until you feel okay.”

AFTER ONLY A DAY RESTING AT HOME, DANNY FELT WELL AGAIN.

“I thought our reunion would be short-lived,” his daughter Blanca texted him in Spanish. “I hope it will last a long time.”

Danny felt good. Although his bur-den of responsibilities had increased with the addition of his newly-found daughter Blanca, he was undeterred. Just like a typical gambler, he took everything in stride, never making a

plan or worrying about the future.He helped Mindy and Carol move

to his sister-in-law’s home care facil-ity in Temecula, a good forty-five minutes away from San Diego.

Carol was still protesting, for she preferred to stay in San Diego where she had cultivated many friends. Temecula, she thought, was still a rural, developing community, with nothing much of interest for a teenager like her compared to a developed city like San Diego. But there was nothing she could do. Her parents didn’t allow her to live by herself or stay with relatives. They wanted her mother, Mindy, to closely supervise her.

“Once I turn eighteen, I will move as far away from this hick town,” she promised herself.

ONCE AGAIN, DANNY FOUND HIMSELF LIVING BY HIMSELF. He temporarily moved in to his son’s JR house to save rent money. He wanted to go back to the Philip-pines to attend to his business and take care of his girlfriend Margie and their new baby. But there were a lot of things he had to thresh out, including the matter of his social security pension.

“Do you know you can earn more money if you don’t depend entirely on your ex-wives’ pension?” his friend Bobby told him.

“How?” he asked.“You can still receive the same

amount of pension and get money for your minor children! Go to a Social Security System Office and ask them how.”

Danny followed his friend’s advice hoping to increase the money he had been receiving from the government.

“If you get your own pension, your

minor children will get at least $400 a month each,” the SSS worker told him. “But there is a problem.”

“What?” Danny asked.“You have not earned enough

points to receive your own SSS pen-sion.”

“How do I earn the points?”“You need to work more.”Danny was disappointed. He felt

he was too old to go back to work and earn the points. Besides, he had not worked full-time most of his life. At most he worked for a few years at an 8-to-5 job as a car salesman. After that he worked on his own, hustling for money through gambling and other petty deals. He had his nightclub business in the Philippines, thanks to the money he received from his ex-wife’s pension who passed away, which he used as capital.

“How much money do you need to earn the necessary points?” Bobby asked him after hearing about Danny’s dilemna.

“About $12,000.”“That’s a big amount,” Bobby

agreed. “It’s at least a year’s work, if you earn $1,000 a month.”

There was silence between them for a while. Then Bobby asked, “Why don’t you work for it? It will just take you a year.”

“It’s hard,” Danny replied. He recited his litany of excuses: he was too old; he would not find a job; and he didn’t have the time; and others.

“But you have to sacrifice for your own children,” his frustrated friend told him. “Imagine if you could collect $400 a month for your baby child in the Philippines. You will not need to share your pension with your girlfriend, Margie, in taking care of her. Besides, your daughter Carol is still a minor. She will also be entitled to her own $400 monthly allowance. It will take care of her needs and remove some financial burden from you.”

But the thought of the huge finan-cial bounty for his two minor chil-dren did not motivate Danny to go back to work. He was content with how things were, never thinking about the future or where he would get the money to be able to carry his mounting financial responsibilities.

Frustrated, Bobby gave up on his friend. If he were in Danny’s shoes, he would work even as a dishwasher in a restaurant or as a security guard, which he could handle, to secure a good financial future for his two

minor children. But he and Danny were of a different breed. While they grew up together in the Philippines, Bobby was the much more respon-sible one. Although they both had carefree adolescent years, indulg-ing in petty mischief just like most teenagers, Bobby studied hard and became a doctor. He migrated to the U.S. and built a very successful medical practice and helped his ir-responsible friend through the years.

Few days had passed and Danny remained indifferent to his lost financial opportunities. He treated it like his many losses in gambling, one he would fret over for a day, then forget about the rest of his life. Although he could avail of the boun-ty by simply going back to work for at least a year, he did not regret not being able to avail of the money. To him, it was not money earned and, therefore, not money lost.

But it was his friend Bobby who was bothered by the situation. He knew Danny could have his hand on that money, a guaranteed additional

A New OpportunityComplicated Affairs


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income for the next eighteen years, at least for Danny’s youngest child. His other daughter, Carol, would still have a good few years to get a $400-a-month pension. But their fa-ther Danny was uncaring, unmoved.

After spending several days of wrecking his brains, Bobby accepted the fact he could not force Danny to go back to work and make a sacrifice for his children. Bobby had to think of other solutions. He eventually came up with one.

“Hello?” Danny answered the phone.

“It’s me, Bobby,” said the voice at the other end of the line.

“I’m sorry, Bobby,” Danny was apologetic upon hearing his friend’s voice. “I still don’t have the money.”

He thought Bobby called to collect his debt.

“Forget about it Danny,” Bobby replied. He was a little bit surprised Danny would think about paying the debt since his friend had taken for granted the responsibility for

years. In fact, Bobby never expected Danny to pay his debt. Whenever he lent Danny money, the debt was just like listed in water, one that would be erased the moment it was written.

“Then why did you call?”“I have a plan.”“A plan about what?”“About your earning the points

needed to get your social security pension and the additional $800 benefits for your minor children.”

Danny had long forgotten about it and was a bit surprised Bobby was still into it. He knew how much responsible Bobby was, but didn’t expect the depth of his commitment to his well-being.

“I don’t want to go back to work,” he said.

“No, you don’t need to go back to work,” his friend Bobby assured him.

(To be continued)


Nang ayos na’ng lahat ang lalaking naiwa’y nagwikakung sana daw siya ay mailipat sa may bintananagpaunlak naman ang nars at nang lahat ay magawanagpaalam muna siya’t nagpunta na sa ibaba.

Dahan-dahan, pinilit tumayo’t tinukod ang sikomakadungaw sa bintana at makita n’ya ang mundongunit ang tumambad sa kanya isang pader na blankoat sa pangyayaring iyon ang lalaki ay nanlumo.

Tinanong ng lalaki ang nars ng muli ‘tong dumatingkung bakit ang lalaki sa kanya ay nagsinungalingbakit pinaniwala s’ya ng magagandang tanawinsa lahat ng sinabi na s’ya naman n’yang kinaaliw.

At nang sabihin ng nars na ang lalaki pala’y bulagay lalo pa ngang nadagdagan ang kanyang pagkagulat marahil ay gusto ka lamang ni’yang aliwin ng sapatat maging masaya para mabuhay pa ng maluwat.

Wala nang iba pang sasaya sa ‘yong nararamdamankung makapagpapaligaya ka ng isang nilalanglalo na’t alam na alam mo ang kanyang karamdamandoble ang saya nito sa sinumang babahaginan.

Spiritual Life

BalintatawRead Virginia Ferrer’s previous articles by visiting our website

at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Virginia H. Ferrer

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

by Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez

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Ang Bintana sa Ospital (4)


How to Tell What is Right from Wrong?

Expires July 1, 2011

Joke of the week: To appreci-ate this joke, you must realize that Kansas is a big cattle state, with many ranches and pastures, dotted with “meadow muffins” or “pastures pancakes”, less tastefully called “cow platters.” Anyway, this tourist was travel-ing west and stopped at a gas station in St. Louis, Missouri, to ask for direction to Kansas. The attendant with a western wave of his arm, carefully told him, “Go west until you smell something. Then turn north until you step in it. You’re in Kansas.”

Scripture: First Reading: 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-13. Solomon had the opportunity to ask God for more power, wealth, and greater privileges. But no, Solomon chose wisdom to discern what is right from wrong. For his God-given wisdom, Solomon is remembered for ages. Second Reading: Romans 8: 28-30. Though he did not use the word “wisdom,” yet Paul urges his readers to see everything from their understanding of God’s love that desires every sinner not to perish but to be converted and live.

Gospel: Matthew 13: 44-46. Jesus goes on to say to his fol-lowers in today’s Gospel passage that a person who understands God’s ways must discern the good from the bad. But such discernment requires risk-taking, like the merchant in today’s pas-sage who after his diligent search found a pearl of great price, sold everything he had and bought that field.

Reflection: In contrast with Solomon, who chose wisdom in-stead of greater authority, riches and privileges, today’s pop culture seeks power or domi-nance, money or wealth, sex or pleasure. Power corrupts espe-cially when it is directed against the powerless. It is a crime that

cries to heaven for punishment. The free world is a witness to countless genocide of tribal and innocent people. The quest and desire for power are rooted in one’s grandiose satisfaction of one’s ego. This ego-trip is never ending because it is never fully satisfied.

Money and wealth when wrongly used are evil tools that not only corrupt but also destroy one. Together with power, mon-ey serves as daemonic tool of the powerful to bribe and dominate the poor and impoverished masses. Knowing that the poor are hungry for life’s basic neces-sities, such as food, shelter, and clothing, the corrupt wealthy and powerful person takes control of the powerless for dominance and blind obedience.

Together with the possession of money and hold on power, plea-surable self-indulgence comes easily. Sex is either bought or forcibly demanded of the power-less to satisfy the lustful desire of the evil rich and the powerful. How many innocent women, and even children, are either raped or sold as prostitutes, because they are wanting in power and sustenance to defend themselves against rapists and pedophiles?

Today’s readings demand that we take stock of what we desire in life and that if we seriously take our faith in God we should choose between what is right from wrong. A person who is tru-ly wise in God’s ways will take the risk of giving up corrupting power, wealth, and pleasure in exchange for a pearl of great price or a hidden treasure: God’s kingdom.

Quotation of the week: “The first step of wisdom is to know what is false.” Latin Proverb.

I have been planning to visit the Holy Land since I started escorting my own groups to different destinations in Europe thirteen years ago. Unfortunate-ly, the trip in Holy Land never materialized due to political unrests and safety reasons in the region.

My dream to visit the Holy Land finally came true in 2008 with a theme of “Christmas in Bethlehem” with Fr. Cecilio Moraga. Our group was blessed to be part of the Christmas Evening Mass at the very place where Our Lord Jesus Christ was born with our very own Spiritual Director Fr. Moraga concelebrat-ing in the mass. Needless to say, the many years of waiting to visit the Holy City was rewarded in many ways. I have since gone

back with another group from St. Mary’s Christian Movement for Military Families with Fr. Ed Bernardino in March 2010.

Visiting the Holy Land is not an ordinary pilgrimage. Here, the bible comes alive as we walk in the same ground where Our Lord Jesus Christ walks. We will visit the “manger” where He was born; walk the “Via Dolorosa” as we do the station of the cross all the way to Golgotha, the place of His crucifixion”. We will ride a similar ancient boat across the Galilee, and hold mass at the same sites where He preached. We will also visit the site where He performed the first miracle, the wedding in Cana where couples can renew their wedding vows.

There is something about the Holy Land that people want to see and experience just like what Mrs. Martinez said “I feel like there is a magnet in my feet pull-ing me to go back” Mrs. Marti-nez was in my 2010 group and joining us once again this year in

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Michael Brown, Spirit Daily | 5/27/2011 -- Want to get off the treadmill? Tired of the “rat race”? Exhausted from going “nowhere”? Well, then, get off; all it takes is refocusing on Jesus.

In Christ -- in the Gospels -- we don’t have to compete. We’re “free to lose.” You heard that right: sounds almost unAmeri-can, doesn’t it? It certainly seems counterintuitive (especially when we are surrounded by prosperity ministries).

But here’s the point: when we are founded in Jesus -- truly founded -- we don’t care what the world thinks of us. We don’t need anything but what He provides. With Him, we have standing. We have dignity. We have security. We have peace. We have enrichment of the spiri-tual kind. We are free when we empty ourselves of “self” and fill it with Spirit. Lose yourself in Him. When you go with the flow of Jesus, you don’t need direc-tions.

It’s just the opposite with “the world.”

The world wants you “win-ning.” It has you straining and gunning and killing yourself to be “successful” by its standards (the standards of materialism) and the result is incredible because not only is it impossible for most to attain all the material riches they want (to be “worth” millions), but even those who do fight their way to monetary “success” find that it brings more pain than anything.

Look at how many rich people and celebrities have trouble putting a smile on their faces. Look at even actors who are nearly billionaires or prominent politicians or “star” athletes and

Free To Lose: With Christ

You’re Immune From What

Others Think And Off ‘Tread-

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A Gift of Time, A Gift of Family

The Monumental Maynigo Gal-lang Family Reunion held in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 15-17, 2011 lived up to its billing. As I expected, it was a monumentally filling, fulfilling fattening, fascinating, felicitous, fatherly, and family-concentrated festivity.

Las Vegas is known for being the Entertainment City. Since it is also famous for adult enter-tainment and gambling, it is also dubbed as the Sin City of the world. I was not surprised when the younger generation who composed the majority of our clan voted to have our reunion in the city.

Many Filipinos retire, vacation and hold family reunions in Las Vegas because of what I call the Gs – Games, Golf, Gambling, Good time, and Go-Go Girls. This was why, as part of the itin-erary or program, family praying together led by the clan’s spiri-tual adviser, Fr. Victor Arenas Maynigo was included. GOD should always come into play for any family undertaking.

The Buffet of Buffets which allows you to “eat all you can” from 4 to 7 meals in 7 different hotels for $45.99 (with free Total Rewards membership card) in 24 hours was indeed monumentally

filling and fattening. The Las Ve-gas shows and the entertainment provided by some of the clan’s talents made it fascinating.

I was particularly proud of the stunning performance of my 10 year old grand niece, Raven Maynigo Barbiran, daughter of my niece, Doctor/Nurse Ro-chelle Maynigo Barbiran and her spouse, Nurse Edwin. The Voice, as displayed by the clan’s bet for American Idol and /or America’s Got Talent in the future could be seen on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyi0U9OIj-I). Manang Teresing Cancino, the proud grandma was with us during the reunion. Her late grandpa, Manong Manoling Maynigo must be very proud looking down from heaven.

The hip-hop dance performed by my nieces, Occupational Therapist Lillian Maynigo Espanola and Doctor/Nurse Rochelle Maynigo Barbiran and Raven were entertaining as well. They ably and positively

answered my query, “So you think you can dance?” The mes-sage from the Philippines by my cousin, CPA Diosdado Maynigo was inspiring, funny and enter-taining.

What actually made the reunion fulfilling, felicitous, fatherly and family-concentrated were not the “Gs” I described above, although they helped, but

more because of GOD’s Gifts of Time and of Family as discussed by Fr. Vic in his inspirational message to the family.

Gift of TimeAll human beings are equal. All

are finite and all are allotted the same amount of time, the same number of hours (24) to spend, invest or utilize. It is God’s gift.

As we already know, our 24

hours is always full. Utilizing part of it for something new means dropping or reducing an already pre-determined activity. It is a very valuable asset. It can-not be stored, saved or borrowed. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. You have no way of getting it back.

Paraphrasing the words of Ger-man Philosopher Schopenhauer,

“Time = Life. If you waste your time, you waste your life. You master your time and you master your life.”

Making the most of our time is therefore making the most of our life. Using time to produce things that are useful to fellow


Entertainment


IW Group79276

79276_L17A6.14.11

Newsprint85

JF

Showbiz Watcher

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

by Ogie Cruz

SHOWBIZ WATCHER by Ogie Cruz | SAN DIEGO, 7/22/2011 -- Habang sinusulat namin ito, sa huwebes July 21 pa raw ang dating ng Superstar sa Pilipinas, siempre tuwang-tuwa ang mga kababayan natin sa muling pag-babalik ng Superstar.

Ilang beses na rin kasi naudlot ang pagdating ni Ate Guy, pero

walang malinaw na dahilan at kung bakit hindi siya natuloy.Pero this time, sigurado na, dahil nagkaroon pa ng dispedida na naganap sa Glendale California kamakailan kasama ang ibang Noranians, sayang at hindi kami naka-attend.

Napanood din sa TFC ang naturang dispedida via “Bali-tang Amerika”, at ayon nga sa interview kay Ms. Nora Aunor, sigurado na siyang darating sa Thursday (Marahil habang bina-basa nyo ito, nakabalik na si Ate Guy sa ating pinakamamahal na bansa) at excited na siya muling makabalik sa bansa makalipas ng maraming taon na pananahimik

niya dito sa Amerika.

Ang tanong lang namin, natupad kaya ang pangako ni Gov. Vilma Santos sa Superstar na siya mismo ang susundo sa Airport kapag dumating na ito.Ganda siguro ng tagpong ito, at tiyak pag-uusapan hindi lang sa

apat ng sulok ng Pilipinas maging dito sa Amerika na kinalalagyan namin.

Wala na kasing makakatapat pa sa Labanang Nora-Vilma, na ilang taon din namayagpag noon, lalo na ka-pag may Metro Manila Film Festival entry ang mga ito, siempre labanan sa Best Actress at kung sino ang top grosser ang pinaglalabanan ng dalawa.

Kahit nga si kuya Boy Abunda sa D Buzz, nagsalita ito last Sunday na inaantay niya ang pagbabalik ng Superstar dahil Noranians daw siya talaga, mag-ing si Cristy Fermin pinagmalaki na dati siyang Noranians pero ngayon Vilmanians na siya ,at Noli De Castro nagsalita rin sa “TV Patrol” ang nanay daw niya ay isang Noranians kaya lang

Vilmanians naman siya.

Kahit kami, noong nasa Pilipinas ay naging Vilma San-tos Writer kami at laging nasa “Vilma” sa Broadway para inter-byuhin si Ate Vi after the show kaya nung nagkaroon kami ng chance na ma-interview namin si Ate Guy for the first time noon,kantyaw ang inabot namin sa mga ilang movie reporters.

Kahit sabihin pang Vilma Santos Writer kami, pinaunlakan kami ng Superstar kaya nga after

the interview, niyakap namin si Ate Guy dahil hindi niya kami

inisnab at su-magot siya sa lahat ng aming katanungan.Magmula noon, hindi na namin binabanatan sa aming panulat ang Superstar kapag kino-com-pare namin siya sa “Star For All Seasons”.

Tiyak mabubu-hay na naman ang labanang Vilma at Nora sa pagbabalik ng

Superstar,sayang at hindi namin nakita

o nakausap si Ate Guy habang nandun siya sa LA.

Basta , eto lang ang masasabi naming “ Welcome Back Nora Aunor” sana may chance pa na ma-interview namin kayo ulit kahit nasa Pilipinas na kayo sa mga susunod na araw.

Samantalang, nangako na-man ang mga Noranians dito sa Amerika na siyang naging kasakasama ni Ate Guy sa LA na bibisita sila sa aming radio show sa KFSD 1450 AM Band sa mga susunod na araw para ikuwento nila ang kanila naging karanasan habang naging kasama nila sa mahabang panahon ang kanilang idolo dito sa California.

DOLPHY HINDI NANO-NOOD NG MGA OLD MOV-IES NIYA ! Aminado ang Com-edy King na hindi siya nanonood ng old movies niya, dahil lung-kot ang kanyang nadarama kapag nakikita ang mga ito.Yung mga old movies na black & white pa lang, dahil yung mga kasama niya roon ay puro wala na at siya na lang ang natitira.

Anim na dekada na si Dolphy sa showbiz at 83 yrs old na siya

No Show Si La Aunor sa LAX Airport!!!

sa ngayon, sa July 25 ang birth-day niya at isang special show ang kanyang ginawa para ipala-bas mismo sa araw ng birthday niya sa Channel 5.

Aminado siya na extension na lang ng buhay kaya nandito pa rin siya sa mundo, kaya naman laking pasasalamat niya sa Diyos Ama na lagi niyang kinakausap dahil binigyan siya ng ganitong haba ng buhay.

Maliban sa diyos, pamilya ang kanyang pinaghuhugutan pa ng lakas sa buhay dahil hang-gang ngayon kasama pa rin niya ang mga ito at siempre ang kanyang one and only na si Ms. ZsaZsa Padilla na napapabalita na ikakasal na sila sa malapit na

panahon.

Dagdag pa nga ni Dolphy, lahat ng sakit nagkaroon na siya pati ibat ibang klaseng opera-tions still nandito pa rin siya sa mundo,salamat daw sa pangi-noon.

Happy Birthday Po Dolphy !!!

RUFFA GUTIERREZ GINU-

President NoyNoy Aquino, Dolphy and Zsa-Zsa Padilla

Ruffa Gutierrez

Nora Aunor with her fans

Governor Vilma Santos


Reading: My Favorite Enter-

tainment(Continued from page 6)

SAN DIEGO – This fall, Sycuan Casino will welcome famous bands, musicians and Broadway actors to its intimate Live & Up Close concert venue. Performances this fall include:

July 23, 6 and 8:30 p.m. Tanya

Tucker (Tickets $25/$35 on sale May 6 at noon) – The Country Music Association’s female vocalist of 1991, Tanya Tucker will take the stage and sing some of her hits. With eight consecutive singles reaching the Top 10 in the early nineties, including “Down to My Last Tear-drop,” “(Without You) What Do I Do With Me” and “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane,” Tucker is considered a country music icon.

August 6, 6 and 8:30 p.m. Her-

man’s Hermits starring Peter Noone (Tickets $35/$45 on sale May 6 at noon) – At the age of fi fteen, Peter Noone achieved international fame as “Herman,” lead singer of the leg-endary sixties pop band, Herman’s Hermits. His classic hits included, “I’m Into Something Good,” “Mrs. Brown, you’ve Got A Lovely Daughter,” “I’m Henry VIII, I Am,” “Silhouettes” and “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat.” Consistently playing to sold-out venues, the band has sold over sixty million records with fourteen singles and seven albums hitting gold.

September 3, 6 and 8:30 p.m. The

Midtown Men (Tickets $25/$35 on sale now) – These four stars from the original cast of Broadway’s “Jersey Boys” are bringing back the iconic music of the 1960s with cov-ers by some of music’s best artists including The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Jackson Five and The Mamas and The Papas. Together they have shared the stage for more than 1,000 performances during the run of “Jersey Boys.” Soon they will be entertaining audiences at Sycuan Casino with an electrifying concert that has already proven to thrill audi-ences from coast-to-coast.

September 10, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Lea Salonga (Tickets $35/$45 on sale now) – Most recognized for her Tony-earning performance in “Miss Saigon” in both London and New York, Lea Salonga has capti-vated audiences for decades. She is the voice of two of Disney’s most beloved characters, Princess Jasmine and Fa Mulan, and current columnist for the “Philippine Daily Inquirer.”

September 11, 8 p.m. Easton Corb-

in (Tickets $35/$45 on sale now) Easton Corbin hit number one on the Billboard country music charts early in his career with “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll with It,” making him the fi rst male solo country artist to reach that spot since 2003. Corbin also appeared in the 2010 Brad Paisley H2O Tour. Fans adore him for his country twang voice and wonderful guitar skills.

‘Live & Up Close’ with Survivor, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT and Midtown Men at Sycuan Casino

October 7, 8 p.m. Colin Hay (Tick-ets $35/$45 on sale now) The former lead singer of 1982’s Grammy winning Scottish-Australian rock band Men at Work, Colin Hay will perform for Southern Californians this fall. His debut solo album “Looking For Jack” debuted in 1987 and his music has been featured on hit shows like “Dawson’s Creek,” “Judging Amy” and “Scrubs.” Hay now lives in California and has a new album “American Sunshine.”

October 8, 8 p.m. Survivor (Tick-

ets $35/$45 on sale now) Survivor is best known for the legendary 80s song “Eye of the Tiger,” which spent six weeks at number one on Billboard’s charts. Other Top Ten hits include “Burning Heat,” “High On You” and “The Search Is Over.” The group disbanded in 1989, but has since regrouped with Billy Oz-zello (bass), Robin McAuley (lead vocals), Frankie Sullivan (guitar), Mitch Sigman (keyboards) and Marc Droubay (drums).

October 15, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Aaron

Lewis (Tickets $45/$55 on sale now) Aaron Lewis is well known for being a hard rocker with incred-ibly vulnerable and relatable lyrics. Lewis left his role as frontman of heavy metal/rock band Staind and launched a solo career in 2011 as a conservative country singer. His new EP “Town Line” came out earlier this year.

November 12, 6 and 8:30 p.m.

American English (Tickets $15/$25 on sale now) American English won Illinois Entertainer of the Year and “Best Tribute Band” for their portrayal of The Beatles. They have performed internationally, engaging audiences with their performances of iconic titles such as “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Hey Jude.” American English is Frank Canino as John, Eric Michaels as Paul, Danny Leavitt as George, Tom Gable as Ringo and Ken Zemanek as George Martin (The Beatles’ former producer).

November 22, 7:30 p.m. Monty

Python’s SPAMALOT (Tickets $45/$55 on sale now) A hilarious knock-off of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” SPAMALOT is a new musical featuring King Arthur and his legendary Knights of the Round Table. The show wouldn’t be complete without a cast of beautiful showgirls, cows and killer rabbits. Audiences will love being enter-tained by this performance that The New Yorker calls “a no-holds-barred smash hit.”

Box Offi ce Hours: 11 a.m. – mid-

nightWith limited seating, shows sub-

ject to sell out quickly.Tickets, free of service charges,

can be purchased at Sycuan.com or at the casino box offi ce for 20% off with a Club Sycuan card.

Sycuan Live & Up Close is located adjacent to the Bingo Pavilion on the Casino Second Floor. All guests must be 21 and older. Sycuan Casino is located at 5469 Casino Way El Cajon, CA 92019 and offers valet parking and plenty of free parking for guests.

ABOUT SYCUAN CASINOSan Diego-close, Sycuan Casino

is an easy getaway for the day, with 2,000 reel and video slot machines, more than 40 gaming tables, poker, bingo, restaurants and headliner entertainment. Non-smokers can enjoy more than 400 slots and table games in the comfort of San Diego’s fi rst and largest fully enclosed non-smoking room – complete with its own separate entrance. Sycuan’s in-timate 457-seat entertainment venue, Sycuan Live & Up Close, features national musical acts and comedians year-round.

ABOUT THE SYCUAN BAND

OF THE KUMEYAAY NATIONMembers of the Sycuan Band of

the Kumeyaay Nation have resided in and around the foothills of the Dehesa Valley for nearly 12,000 years. Today they are a modern gov-ernment providing public services to their members, employees and neighbors. The Sycuan Tribal Gov-ernment operates one of the region’s premier Indian gaming and resort facilities, Sycuan Casino and Resort. The Sycuan Tribe demonstrates its strong commitment to the San Diego region through support of civic and charitable organizations. The Tribe, through the Sycuan Tribal Devel-opment Corporation (STDC), also seeks to reinvest back into the San Diego community with a progressive business development effort. To date, STDC has purchased Sycuan Resort (formerly Singing Hills Country Club) and the historic U.S. GRANT HOTEL, is an investor in Hotel Solamar near Petco Park, and is owner/developer of the Marina Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in National City. Combined, these enterprises now employ more than 3,000 San Diegans. For more information about Sycuan visit www.sycuantribe.com.

Follow @asianjournal on Twitter.

Facebook.com/asianjournal or asianjournal.sandiego and on KCEO 1000 Sundays 2-4 PM

Email [email protected] or call 619.474.0588 to post your ads.

Lilah is a third year student at San Diego State University majoring in Anthropology. She was also a student of Dr. Ofelia Dirige in AS 460, “Contempo-rary Issues in Filipino American Communities” last spring 2011. “She is a mestiza, mom is Fil-ipina and dad is Caucasian”

***

!!GARAGE SALE!!

FUND RAISING FOR KALUSUGAN

August 13, Saturday, 8 AM to 2 PM

FilAm Wellness Center1419 East 8th Street, National

City, CA 91950

Many Items to Choose From!Housewares, kitchen items

(stemware, glassware), clothing (ladies & men’s fashion),

Electronics (printer, fax ma-chine), tapes & DVD, vacuum cleaner and MUCH MORE!!

FREE: Books, Handouts, Magazines

For More Information: Call (619) 477-3392

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No Show Si La Aunor sa LAX

Airport!!!(Continued from page 13)

MATH TUTORING SCHEDULE YOUR MATH/CALCULUS TUTORING

AT BONITA LIBRARY. FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. CALL 619.474.0588 ASK FOR

OGIE CRUZ.

DEL MAR, Calif. —The fun continues at the Del Mar Race-track as this season’s meet rolls outs with friendly competition and the fi rst Saturday concert. Thoroughbreds and cougars

will make their way to the track hoping for a win in the Cougar II Handicap and Miss Cougar Del Mar contest. With plenty of spirited competition, Del Mar’s fi rst full week of racing comes accompanied by some of the sea-son’s most anticipated events.

Miss Cougar Del Mar and the

Cougar II Handicap – Fri., July 29 – Del Mar’s longest stakes race, the mile and one-half Cougar II Handicap, will run on Friday honoring its namesake Hall of Fame runner. Finalists for Miss Cougar Del Mar will also be on the prowl throughout the day, hoping to earn the title in the 3rd annual Miss Cougar Del Mar contest. Determined by online and text votes, the win-ner of Miss Cougar Del Mar 2011 will be announced during the races that day and invited to present the trophy for the Cougar II Handicap. Submissions are currently being accepted on www.delmarscene.com.

4 O’clock Fridays continue

with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Fri., July 29 – After the horses have raced and Miss Cougar crowned, Black Rebel

Del Mar Keeps the Opening Day Excitement Alive with First Saturday Concert

Cougars return for 3rd annual contestMotorcycle Club will take the stage for the second 4 O’clock Friday concert. Their alternative, garage rock revival hits are sure to entertain and light up the new Seaside Stage.

First Saturday Concert and

Beer Fest: Ziggy Marley salutes the Legends of Reggae– Sat. July 30 – For the fi rst of only two Saturday concerts, Ziggy Marley will salute the legends of reggae with mellow beats and a special set. In conjunction with the concert, Del Mar will host its fi rst beer fest of the season, where guests can choose to sample up to 60 different brews while enjoying the show.

Racing at Del Mar happens

Wednesdays through Sundays, with post time for the fi rst race on most days at 2 p.m. On Fri-days fi rst post is at 4 p.m. There will be a special Monday racing card on Labor Day, September 5. For more information, call 858-755-1141 or visit www.del-marscene.com. You can follow the Del Mar racetrack on Twitter, @DelMarRacing or become a fan on Facebook at www.face-book.com/DelMarRaces.

GULO NG DATING ASAWA !!! May sariling laban si Ruffa sa ngayon na hinaharap, eto tung-kol sa custody ng kanyang mga anak although naayos na ito pero pilit pa rin siyang tinatawagan ng dating asawa sa istambol para ipadala ang kanyang dalawang anak sa dating asawa.

Ayaw niyang ipadala ang kan-yang mga anak sa dating asawa dahil hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin daw nagbabago ang ugali nito siguro raw kung malalaki na ang mga ito papayagan niya na makita ang ama.

Pinapayagan naman niya na bisitahin sa Pilipinas ang mga anak,pero para ilayo sa kanya, yun ang din niya papayagan.

Samantalang tahimik si An-nabelle Rama tungkol sa issue ni Ruffa dahil may sariling laban ito ngayon kay Nadia Montene-gro. Kaya abangan ang pagsabog ni Annabelle sa mga isisiwalat niya about Nadia.

A Gift of Time(Continued from page 12)

human beings means you are living a productive life. But time is also required to maintain and consume the things produced.

Since time is fi nite and there-fore limited, one may have to prioritize depending on how much one values a set of activi-ties. It is better to work smarter than longer. Working smart and hard would lessen the amount of time needed for many of the life challenges we face.

Electronic organizers, gadgets and other new technologies were all created to save time. We pray for miracles and for the magic wand to save time. Case stud-ies, medical, business, legal and other types of cases based on the experiences of others are documented and summarized for others to learn and obviously to save time.

Gift of Family

Fr. Vic’s inclusion in his mes-sage GOD’s Gift of Family was indeed fi tting, felicitous, fa-therly and timely. Family is not only sharing the same DNA but most especially sharing history, experiences, expertise, empirical studies, experiments, education, data, information, ideas and wis-dom together.

That’s why there is great value to having family reunions. In-vesting time to attend it is in the long run saving time and money. Learning from the experiences of relatives would save you time by avoiding the bad ones and following the good ones. The expertise of relatives who are educated in so many different

fi elds of discipline lends immea-surable benefi ts not only for the present but most especially in the future. Many serve as inspiration and models for emulation by the new generation and those still unborn.

Family members who are working, bonding, enjoying, even patiently waiting and queu-ing together are actually praying together. It is indeed a blessing when you are with family- im-mediate, mediate, and extended. It is never a waste of time. It is a very effi cient and effective use of valuable time.

The Monumental Maynigo Gal-lang Family Reunion is not much different from all other reunions of other cultures. What probably makes us a little luckier is that we have two in our family who were “called and chosen” by God - my cousin, Fr. Vic-tor Arenas Maynigo and my nephew, the late Fr. Cornelio Casanova. Also, we have in our family professionals in several fi elds: Doctors, Nurses, Medical Technologists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, Psycholo-gists, Social Workers, Certifi ed Public Accountants, Engineers, Systems and Information Engi-neers, Scientists, Computer and Software Engineers, Software Applications Developers, Army, Air Force and Navy Offi cers, Lawyers, Educators, Authors, Nutritionists, Teachers, Realtors, and more.

I needed a family and I have one. With great pride and honor, I share with them my time and my life. So should all those who belong to a family! It is a great gift from GOD!

response.”DeMaio pledged to match every

donor during June dollar-for-dollar. Over 1,150 donors gave a cumulative total of approximately $270,000 – and in fulfi llment of a pledge he made at the beginning of the month, DeMaio matched their support with his personal funds on the night of June 30th.

The June 30th reporting dead-line is key for Mayoral cam-paigns to show momentum, and the report will refl ect only 25 days of activity due to city cam-paign fi nance rules.

DeMaio’s campaign performed well among key metrics that re-fl ect bona fi de electoral support:

- Measure 1: How much support came from within San Diego County?

DeMaio raised nearly 90% of his money locally. He stressed the signifi cance of the fi gure by commenting: “I’m up against the labor unions and special interest lobbyists from downtown and Sacramento who will be fi ll-ing the campaign coffers of my opponents. That money does not refl ect grassroots and electoral support – but the percentage of locally-raised dollars we achieved certainly does.”

- Measure 2: What percentage of donors are “maxed out” and what was the average and median contribution?

DeMaio’s grassroots donor base has produced an average dona-tion of just over $230, a median donation of only $150 and less than 30% of DeMaio’s donors gave the maximum contribution of $500. These donation levels refl ect sustainability in his donor base.

- Measure 3: Is the donor base diverse?

DeMaio raised a signifi cant portion of his money from his 25 events in 23 days grassroots fund-raising effort. His contributions show strength across the city, and

come from every economic sec-tor, refl ect every socio-economic group, and represent every politi-cal party.

The campaign will also show over $500,000 cash-on-hand – an important metric that refl ects the actual amount of money that

Carl DeMaio Campaign

raises ..(Continued from page 1)

is still available to deliver the campaign’s message to voters. As required by law, a complete and detailed fi nancial fi ling will be made on or before July 31. To learn more about Carl DeMaio and his campaign visit www.CarlDeMaio.com.


Ida’s Hair & Nails

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Services:Men or Women’s Haircut• Free Hot Oil (Any Chemical • Services / First time customer only)Senior Discount• Perm, color & highlights of hair•

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Light &Shadows

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

by Zena Sultana Babao

What is KALI? KALI, an ancient but existing martial

arts system which originated in Indo-nesia, was practiced in the Philippines even before the Spaniards came. It is so effective in combat that during Spain’s conquest of the Philippines, some Southern Philippine tribes suc-cessfully resisted the armored might of the Spaniards for nearly four centuries. Kali is a system so unique that it is the source of all Eskrima, Arnis and other styles of the Philippine Martial Arts as we know now.

It could also be the only martial arts system in the Philippines where there is one Grandmaster and one Mas-ter at any given time. In other systems it is a common practice that there are several Masters, Grandmasters, and even Great Grandmasters at the same time.

The very fi rst Grandmaster of Kali as we know now is the “Grand Old Man of Kali”, Floro Villabrille, the Philippines’ most revered and feared fi ghter and champion of numerous stick-fi ghting death matches.

From the time of the Spanish invasion to a few decades ago, Kali was a closely guarded secret that was passed on from teacher to student and from father to son. Only the students deemed loyal were taught the art and it was never taught to non-Filipinos. Today the art is practiced by thousands around the world. The perpetuation of this treasured part of the Philippine heritage continues.

The Grand Old Man’s Last Chal-lenge

The Champion stick-fi ghter lunged at his young challenger with a fake jab. The challenger blinked his eyes, and quick as lightning, the champion’s stick hit him on the mouth. It was no surprise to the champion how his wooden garrote easily found its mark. After all, he is a veteran of numerous stick-fi ghting death matches in the past.

They continued circling each other. Another fake jab … another blink from the young man … and this time he got a bloody nose. Cheers from the crowd rose up as blood cov-ered the lower half of the challenger’s face. The betting multiplied in favor of the champion. The champion realized that the young man’s purpose for fi ght-ing him was to be in the same ring with him, plus the thousand-to-one chance of claiming his title.

As the challenger tried to regain his composure, the older man noticed the young man’s shaking legs. So instead of blocking, the champion lowered his stick and just let the blows swish by.

Grandmaster Floro Villabrille: The Founder and Grand Old

Man of KALI Looking at them, the crowd

thought of a charging but ineffective bull against a graceful but strong mata-dor. But unlike in a bullfi ght, there was no dramatic pause before the coup de grace. The young man thought he had seen an opening, his sure entrance to fame. Through the deafening roar of the crowd, the young man felt a sicken-ing thud to his ear. He was down!

The crowd waited for the killing blow. Silence on the part of the crowd. Hesitation on the part of the champion! But the killing blow never came. Feel-ing sympathy for his young opponent, the champion decided to spare his life. There were many of those who died by his hands in so many fi ght-to-the-death matches which were legal during that time.

People all over Hawaii adulated the older man’s name – Floro Vil-labrille, Undefeated Champion. This title remained unchanged, for after that last challenge in 1948, stick fi ghts-to-the-death was banned in Hawaii.

Birth and Early Years

Born February 18, 1912 in Daan-Bantayan, Cebu (Philippines), Floro Villabrille started learning his fi ghting skills at an early age. He studied and mastered Cebuano Eskrima from his uncles, and also learned Kung-Fu from his grandfather, the Hon. Mr. Yap from Macau. At 17, he had several brushes with death on his way to becoming the “Eskrima Champion of Cebu.”

He searched the nearby islands for more knowledge of the fi ghting arts. He found what he was looking for in Gandara, Samar – something he would never forget as long as he lived. On the way to Gandara, he and his training partner, Felicimo Dizon, were stopped by the local police. They were told that Gandara is a place that held “grim consequences for strangers.” Though warned not to continue, they did, and they were able to convince the Chieftain of Gandara about their desire to learn a superior fi ghting art. After answering questions and undergoing initiations, they were permitted to start training. Impressed of their desire to learn, the chieftain fi nally assigned his daughter to become their teacher.

The young eskrimador’s ego was hurt but he didn’t voice it out. He, the champion of Cebu, was assigned to be trained by a lady! And to compound the insult, the lady was blind since birth!

Villabrille’s earlier antagonism changed to respect when during their long sessions, no matter how much he tried hitting his lady teacher, the lady could always sense from what direc-tion or angle the attack would come. Being in darkness all her life, the blind teacher had developed an extraordinary

sixth sense similar to that of the bats. Villabrille and Dizon stayed for

two years in Gandara and it was heart-breaking to leave. They parted ways, and continued their search for more knowledge. Dizon eventually became a master of the close-quarter fi ghting system known as “serrada eskrima”, while Villabrille became the founder and grandmaster of the “Villabrille-Largusa System of Kali.”

Villabrille revived the lost art by combining the eight separate as-pects of the Filipino martial arts (Arnis, Eskrima, Kuntao, Silat, Sikaran, Pagkalikali, Kalirungan and Kalirad-man) into one, and decided to name it “KALI.”

Kali had been somewhat of a “lost art” during all the years, and some Filipino martial artists claimed that Kali is not the real ancestral martial arts of the Philippines. It was probably because the art was hidden from the

public for a very long time, and no re-cords about it exist. Or maybe because the practice of this art was banned by the Spaniards, though some Filipinos continued to practice it secretly, and even incorporated some moves into the

native dances at that time.

Trial by Fire Once while passing Batangas prov-

ince, Villabrille was challenged by two balisong experts. Although the fi ght was two against one, it was sanctioned and authorized by the town leaders. At that time, fi ght to the death was not yet illegal. The fi ght ended with both the balisong fi ghters dead – but not at Vil-labrille’s hands – because they ended up stabbing each other.

Villabrille accepted invitations to fi ght not only in the Philippines, but also Australia and China. He was never defeated in any of these fi ghts. Although he was the grandson of a Chinese kung-fu expert, he classifi ed his fi ghts in China as boring and unin-teresting. Maybe the fi ghts were too easy for him! He was then working as a ship’s seaman so he was able to visit

other countries. He was in Australia when he received a telegram his friend Felicimo Dizon that the “Stick-Fight-ing Champion of Mindanao”, a Moro Datu, wanted to test his skill.

The public match was held at the Alonan Park in Manila during the

Fourth of July celebration in 1933, and was witnessed by the then American Governor General Frank Murphy, who later that day awarded him the “National Grand Sports Competition Martial Arts Division” certifi cate. After each fi ghter signed their names to the waiver of liability, they took turns to demonstrate their particular forms or sayaws. The Moro datu, an expert in silat-kuntao, could easily hop from one spot to another just like a kangaroo.

Villabrille’s trademark of fake jabbing did not work well during the fi rst three rounds. Every time he would attack, the Moro datu would just hop around. And like a boomerang, the datu would counter with a series of quick blows. Acute at observation, Villabrille saw the datu’s strategy, and he initiated a non-stop exchange of blows. It was on the third round when Villabrille felt he was hit on the head. However, at the same time his bahi stick struck the back of the neck of his opponent. The fi ght ended when the datu fell down dead!

Fearful of revenge by the Datu’s family, Villabrille was urged by his own family to leave the country. Though reluctant, the new “Philippine Grand Champion of Eskrima” stowed away aboard an ocean-going steam liner bound for Hawaii.

KALI’s New Home

A kind of welcoming reception never before afforded any Filipino at that time awaited young Floro Vil-labrille’s arrival in Oahu, Hawaii. Two policemen escorted him from the ship and straight to the city jail! He was incarcerated for the next couple of weeks, and then was released to the Filipino community in Waipahu. He started working in the lumber yard, and later on, with the Kauai County Public Works Department.

His fi ghting career was not over yet. Like in Wild West movies, his reputation as a fi ghter arrived ahead of him, and a score of fi ghting experts were literally dying to test his skills. Being young and boyish-looking, the old eskrima experts taunted him merci-lessly: “Hey boy! I heard you were good in sticks back in P.I. I would like to see what you can do.”

“No, manong” was Villabrille’s constant reply. “I am not really good. I was just lucky in my fi ghts.”

One day, Villabrille had an unavoidable showdown with one of his most persistent challengers, and the fi ght was on! The gathering was like a Filipino fi esta – because it was the fi rst time that the Filipinos in Hawaii would witness the Philippine Champion in action.

Villabrille’s opponent was twice his age, but unlike old eskrimadors who mellows with age like good wine his opponent did not improve with age. Despite his youth, Villabrille had mellowed early, and although he was just in his twenties, he was “vintaged.” He did not kill his opponent, but with a bone-shattering blow to his opponent’s shoulder, the “manong” was never able to hold a stick again.

With Villabrille’s victory, the Visayan sector found a hero who could trounce the Ilokano sector’s tough “Sinait Gang.” But being alone in a strange land, Villabrille avoided street fi ghts or confrontations. Anybody who wanted to challenge him and his skills had to fi ght him inside the ring, like boxers do.

Villabrille was exceptionally strong. He possessed iron-like arms and vise-like fi ngers. While he was

still courting Trining (who later became his wife), he happened to pass by some “kababayans” working in the coconut plantation. At the time, the Philippine method of husking coconuts was to drive the nut into a metal stake buried halfway in the ground. By twisting the coconut downwards against the metal stake, the husk would come off. This has to be repeated three times to husk one coconut. Villabrille was chal-lenged by one of the men as to who could husk more coconuts at a given period of time. Villabrille won the challenge, as well as his lady love. He didn’t use the metal stake, just his bare hands!

During the Fifties, Aikido master Koichi Tohei (a direct student of Mori-hei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido) visited Hawaii to introduce the “spiri-tual art” to the Hawaii Police Depart-ment. Tohei showed his amazing “ki” (spirit) as he always did in his demon-strations. Using his strong will, none of the burly Hawaiian cops could bend his arm, nor lift him from the ground, no matter how much they tried.

But Tohei met his match when he asked for a volunteer from the audience. Among the onlookers was Villabrille (by then a Kali Master), who was invited by his friend Yawara, a ka-rate black belt. With Yawara’s urging, the rest of the audience started chant-ing: “Villabrille! We want Villabrille!”

So there they were, the Aikido master facing the Kali master. They took turns testing each other’s internal energy, and right then and there Tohei knew that he had met his match. The immovable object against the irresist-ible force! They then proceeded to demonstrate their particular defensive techniques, attacks, defenses and counters.

After several simulated situa-tions, it was apparent to the audience that Kali was always a step ahead of Aikido. Aware of Villabrille’s ability, Tohei explained to the crowd that when two men have the same strong internal powers, the contest was even – a “draw” like in chess.

When it was Villabrille’s turn to address the crowd, he said: “To fi nd out who is the better fi ghter, let him (Tohei) sign his name on paper, and I will also sign.” That was a formal challenge if signed by both opposing fi ghters. The audience roared its approval, but Tohei declined the challenge, saying, “I did not come here to fi ght, but to introduce Aikido to the police force.”

Villabrille was not only great at martial arts. Although he did not fi nish high school, his knowledge and intelligence was at par with college graduates. He could debate with anyone about politics, and he was so knowledgeable and infl uential that ev-ery political candidate in Hawaii at that time asked for his endorsement.

It would take an entire book to write the colorful true-to-life story of this great man. Suffi ce it to say that he was the Founder of the Villabrille Sys-tem of Kali, later renamed Villabrille-Largusa System of Kali, as well as the Undefeated Champion of to-the death Stick Fighting matches. Upon his death, his student and protégée, Ben Largusa, succeeded him as Grandmas-ter. Grandmaster Largusa died last year, and today the Grandmaster of Kali is Mel Lopez of San Francisco, California. – 2011 Copyright Zena Sultana Babao. All rights reserved)

(Note: My thanks to the late Kali Grandmaster Ben Largusa and Kali Guro Narrie Babao for providing me with the stories and information for this article.) XXX


Rite

The 27th Philippine Cultural Arts Festival will be held on August 6 and 7, 2011 Saturday and Sunday, in Balboa Park at the corner of Park Boulevard and Presidents Way. A yearly pro-duction of the Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts & Education Center, the Festival runs from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm both days. Admission is FREE.

The main attraction of the

two day Festival is continuous entertainment presented in a well-designed stage. The family-oriented and alcohol free event showcases from 11:30 am to 3 pm, the traditional performing arts of the Philippines including colorful folk dances from differ-ent regions of the Philippines, folk songs, Rondalla music and Kulintang music of the South-ern Philippines. Featured also is Philippine Ethnic costume review modelled by the Samahan dancers on Saturday and the Filipiniana - Terno and Barong Tagalog fashion review on Sun-day, coordinated by Dr. Barbara Yorobe, Founder of the Filipino Heritage Library and Museum, San Diego.

Guest emcee and host during

the Sunday event is 10 News Filipino Anchor, Melissa Meci-jia. Melissa Mecijia is involved with the Asian American Jour-nalist Association encouraging Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to consider journalism as a career, developing managers in the media industry, and pro-moting fair and accurate news coverage.

27th Philippine Cultural Arts Festival In Balboa Park

To Be Held On August 6 & 7, 2011The second half of both days

from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. will be devoted to the presentation of mainstream entertainment by young Filipino-Americans from San Diego County and Southern California which features a sing-ing talent show, hip-hop, jazz dance, and other variety numbers by invited Asian and Pacific Islander artists. Invited emcee is Jelynn Rodriquez, long-time dancer with Samahan who is now an actress, recording artist, dancer and had been host of a T.V. show in Hollywood.

Featured also are cultural

and photo exhibit and a Philip-pine crafts booth. Other booths will offer good quality unique T-shirts and costume jewelry. Delicious, popular Filipino food including adobo, lumpia, and pancit and more will be offered by Conching’s Cafe, a very popular Filipino restaurant in National City. Refreshments such as Halo-Halo, also will be available. The general public is invited to this once a year, wholesome, entertaining and beautiful showcase of Philippine culture in Balboa Park.

There is limited audience

seating within a canopy for 200 but ample space on the lawn for blankets or folding chairs. Balboa Park parking lots are adjacent. Business entrepreneurs may still rent booths to partici-pate in the Festival. Please call (619) 444-7528 for more infor-mation. Website – http://www.samahanphilippinedance.com .

Now Available:

TAWA’T TULA NG MGA PILING KATATAWANAN

By Joe Cabrera

A Collection of Jokes Written in Pilipino Verse

$10.00 a copy

Call Asian Journal San Diego619-474-0588

Dismayed by China’s rejection, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said China’s decision could lead to doubts on the validity of its claims.

The Philippines has com-plained about the frequent incursions made by Chinese vessels into waters west of Palawan. The waters are part of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines allowed by the Law of the Sea,d not part of the contested territory in the South China Sea.

China stressed its claim to the entire West Philippine Sea due to historic rights.

The Sulu Sultanate joined the proprietary dispute over the Spratly Islands, slamming China’s claim of what the Moro royalty described as a territory it owned long before the Span-iards came to the Philippines.

“China has no right over the Spratly Islands it calls the South China Sea because that is part of our ancestral domain, includ-ing the marine territory around it and the waters around these islands is part of the Sulu Sea,” a spokesman quoted Muham-mad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I, the reigning Sultan of Sulu and Sa-bah (North Borneo), as saying.

Majaraja Julmunir Jannaral, Sultanate information officer, said China has launched a “divide-and-rule” strategy over ASEAN (Association of South-east Asian Nations) members because it has refused to talk on the Spratlys issue, and instead wants to deal or negotiate with the 10 member countries indi-vidually.

“This is unacceptable to me and my people,” Jannaral quoted the Sultan as saying.

Historically, he said, the pro-prietary rights over the Spratlys, Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, and Palawan and parts of Mindanao belong to the Sultanate of Sulu and Sabah even long before the Spaniards came to the Philip-

pines.“Thus, China is violating

our people’s rights by openly and unilaterally announcing ownership of the Spratlys and the waters around it,” the Sultan said in an official statement.

“My blood lineage dates back from the Mahjapahit and Shrivijaya empires, which extended from Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, Palawan, parts of Mindanao, the islands now known as the Spratlys, Pala-wan, and up to the Visayas and Manila,” the Sultanate statement states.

It added: “The Spanish colo-nial forces drove my forefathers from Manila and Visayas but never conquered the territories of the Sultan of Sulu and Sabah because they failed to subjugate us. The Spaniards illegally an-nexed the Philippines, the Sulu archipelago, Sabah, and Guam to the Americans in their 1898 Treaty of Paris without the Sul-tan’s consent.”

The statement said the Sultan’s direct ancestor, Sultan Jamalul Ahlam Kiram, lent Sabah to the British East India Company in 1878.

“After the last world war, Britain illegally transferred Sa-bah to Malaysia when London granted Malaysia its indepen-dence in 1963.”

Proof that Britain and Ma-laysia recognized the Sultan’s proprietary rights over Sabah is the yearly payment as rent, up to this day, which is paid regularly by Malaysia to the Sultan and eight other descendants of the first Sultan, the statement said.

It said the Sultan has agreed with Aquino’s position that China cannot legally claim own-ership of the Spratlys, which are at least 800 miles away from the nearest Chinese territory, while some of the islands are within the 200-mile economic zone limits of the Philippines under the UNCLOS. (With a report by Ali G. Macabalang)

P-Noy: Let UN Settle the Spratleys


Street Poetry

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

by Michael R. Tagudin

©2011 Michael R. Tagudin. All rights reserved. About the Author: Michael R. Tagudin Educated as an engineer in the Philippines, the City of Los Angeles employee hopes his legacy of poems will provoke a dialogue about the human condition. He is donating the proceeds from the book “Crushed Violets” to the “Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST)”, a non-profit that provides public awareness and advocacy efforts against human trafficking in the City of Angels. To learn more, visit www.castla.org. To help, call the CAST 24 hour hotline 888.KEY.2.FRE(EDOM) or 888.539.2373. Contact [email protected] for more information about ordering the book “Crushed Violets.”

Read Romeo Nicolas’s previous poems by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

Mga Tulang Tagalog

by Romeo Nicolas

Online+Digital+Print+ Starting July 31st...Asian Journal on the radio!

Tune in to KCEO 1000Sundays 2pm to 4pm

for Philippine Radio, the first and only Philippine Radio in San Diego and Temecula.

Or better yet, stream it on the internet.

Email [email protected] for more info.

TRANSITIONAL AS I AM. RIGHT NOW...THROUGH THIS RITE OF PASSAGE...

HAVING BEEN THROUGH THIS HUNDREDS OF TIMES

EXHAUSTING ME TO THE BRINK OF INSANITYYOU...VICTORIOUS IN THIS FIGHT...

ALWAYS WANTING TO FINISH WITH A SMASHAN EXCLAMATION POINT TO THE HIGHEST

STATEMENTME...AVOIDING THE PIT FALL OF SUCH ISSUES

GOT ENSNARED BY YOUR TALL TALESALWAYS SO STRONG TO BRING ME DOWN

MY PATIENCE CRUMBLINGUNLEASHING MY WRATH AGAINST YOU...

YOUR PEOPLE...PROCLAIMING YOU AN ENEMYAS SUCH...EVEN YOUR NATION!CAUSE I AM TOTALLY PISSED...

BEYOND...BEYOND...MY RANGE OF CONTROLWISHING I SHOULD...AND WOULD...

HAVE BOW DOWN TO YOU IN TOTAL...TOTAL SUBMISSION!

BUT I AM NOT...I AM NOT...

YOUR ORDINARY GUY!MY NAME...MY NAME IS A BATTLE CRY...A DRAGON SLAYER OF SOME SORT WHO

LEARNS...THIS STUFF IN AN IMPULSE...

OF AN ON-THE-JOB TRAINING CURRICULUMFROM ONE WHO SAID “WHO IS LIKE GOD!”

THE BATTLE CRY ECHOES!I HAVE THIS IMPULSE...

IMPULSE OF SMASHING THE DRAGONTO THOUSANDS...THOUSANDS OF PIECES!

BECAUSE MY NAME...MY NAME IS MICHAEL!TO ME DRAGONS ARE NOTHING!

NOTHING BUT AN OVER...OVER-RATED LIZARD!

Hoy! heto na at makinig, ang pagsubok ay dumating,Ngayong tayo’y walang lakas, puro DAKDAK at USAPIN. Ang AFP, walang gamit, KINURAKOT ng MAGALING,Sa problemang Spratly Island, tayo ang syang SUSUNDUTIN.

Ano ba ang magagawa nitong bansang sangkot dito?Puro lamang mga SISIW itong bansa na may gusto.Kalaban ay bansang TSINA, isang TUSO’T MANLOLOKO,Ngayon, sila’y nangbu-bully, dahil lahat mga TONTO.

He! He! He! he! TUSONG MATSING, papaano nga ba ito?Military Base nitong US, DAMO’T KALAWANG ang LOGO.Sa panahong naririto’t kapiling ang kaalyado,TAMEME ang mga INTSIK at ‘di tayo GINUGULO.

Ang sabi ng may tungkulin, wag sa SALITA dadaanin,“WORD WAR” ay hindi dapat manatili sa USAPIN.Ngunit habang HUMIHINAY, lumalambot itong PADER,Itong tamang SALOOBIN ay ANGAS na mabibitin.

Nawala ang kagitingan ng tunay na PILIPINO,Kalooban ay nanghinang angkinin nga ang totoo.Kahit tayo’y paniwalang ang “SPRATLY”, atin ito,Bunto’t nati’y binabahag na katulad nitong aso.Kahit sana PAMALO lang at TABAK na mapupurol,‘Pakilala sa sino man na ‘di tayo pasusukol.Walang bansang mangangahas agawin sa mga PINOY,Kahit kapraso ng lupang sadyang atin, mula nuon.

Hirit ni: Romeo S. Nicolas6/8/2011

Ang Spratly Island (I)

BALTIMORE, Maryland – Some 1,000 members of Couples for Christ (CFC) and supporters of ANCOP U.S.A. from various states of the East Coast gathered at BWI Marriott Hotel in this city for a three-day conference, workshop and fellowship on July 8-10, 2011.

“The big attendance is encouraging and overwhelming,” said Cris Jorda, member of CFC NJ core group. (CFC claims a total membership of 1 million in more than 100 countries around the world).

Ricky Cuenca, recently-elected CFC International Coun-cil Head and currently ANCOP U.S.A. Chairman, spelled out a new organizational policy in his first major speech since his elec-tion as CFC Chairman.

“CFC is ANCOP; AN-COP is CFC,” Cuenca emphati-cally said during a talk before CFC members and ANCOP supporters.

“We can’t separate ANCOP from CFC,” the new IC Chair also said. He contin-ued, “The work for the poor of CFC is ANCOP. Without CFC, ANCOP will not succeed in its work of liberating the poor from slavery of the evil one.”

Cuenca concluded, “AN-COP is now a global movement of God’s people in the service of the poor.”

Couples For Christ (CFC) Eastern Conference In Baltimore Attended By

One Thousand Members The IC Chair also shared

with his audience the big cel-ebration last month in Manila on the occasion of CFC’s 30th anni-versary. He said police estimated that around 80,000 to 100,000 CFC/ANCOP members and sup-porters from around the Philip-pines and 34 countries, including U.S. and Canada, witnessed and participated in the anniversary grand parade at the Luneta last June 22.

The new CFC head also revealed that no less than Pope Benedict XVI sent his anniver-sary greetings to CFC

At the same time, during the ANCOP Eastern Summit on July 8, ANCOP U.S.A. officers, led by its President and CEO Tony Ventura, gave the SRO audience an overview of ANCOP U.S.A. ongoing projects, namely, Child Sponsorship Program (CSP), Community Development Program (CDP) and Walk for the Poor.

The ANCOP U.S.A. President also announced that the 12 ANCOP regions around the U.S. will sponsor one com-munity each, starting this year, composed of 30 houses per com-munity for poor Filipinos around the Philippines.

Presently, ANCOP man-ages some 350 communities throughout the native country (PH).


Free To Lose: With Christ ...(Continued from page 11)

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT. DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGU-MENT; AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANY-THING, WROTE IN THE SAND, TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DE-CIDED TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOV-ERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE:

‘TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE’

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, ‘AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?’

THE FRIEND REPLIED ‘WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND, WHERE

WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST EN-GRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT’

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BEN-EFITS IN STONE.

THEY SAY IT TAKES AMINUTE TO FIND A SPE-CIAL PERSON, AN HOUR TO APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN, AN ENTIRE LIFE TO FORGET THEM.

SEND THIS TO THE PEO-PLE YOU’LL NEVER FORGET.

I JUST DID..

IF YOU DON’T SEND IT TO ANYONE, IT MEANS YOU’RE IN A HURRY AND THAT YOU’VE FORGOT-TEN YOUR FRIENDS.

TAKE THE TIME TO LIVE!

DO NOT VALUE THE MATERIAL THINGS YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT VALUE WHO YOU HAVE KNOWN INYOUR LIFE!

AND IF I HAPPEN TO GET IT BACK, THEN I KNOW MY PLACE IN YOUR LIFE

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

STONES by Dr. Caesar D. Candari, MD

On September 20, 2002, the Na-tional Power Corporation (Napocor) wrote a letter addressed to Mayor Plaridel “John” Sanchez of Pandan, Antique, requesting his endorsement from the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Pandan to erect in the municipal-ity, specifically at Danao, Patria, a 110 Megawatt diesel power plant. Reportedly, the plan was to transfer to Pandan a 9-year-old diesel power plant, which was constructed by the Enron Power Development Corpora-tion, from the province of Batangas.

The Pandananons all over the

world reacted badly to the proposal. The impact was like the Semirara Dumpsite nightmare resurrected before its bitter taste had settled into oblivion in the minds of the protest-ers. Once again, letters of protest reached the mayor and the council members. My own letter read as follows:

Dear Honorable Members of the

SB, Municipality of Pandan: Pandan Antique Foundation, a

support group of Pandananons all over the world, joins the ranks of protesters who oppose the proposed Napocor power plant in Patria. We stand solid and firm in our stance against the Napocor project because we are convinced and threatened by the ill effects and the irreparable damage the power plant will give to our kasimanwa and our environ-ment. We think of Pandan and its barangays as our haven of safety, a place we return to for our nostalgic rejuvenation of values, traditions, relationships, and spirit. It is our home, a place where we belong. It is our refuge and reprieve from the harsh realities and demands of our rat-race world abroad. Thus, our affinity to this special place invokes in us a sense of responsibility and protectiveness. Pandan is your per-manent residence and, as such, your responsibility to preserve and protect it at all costs is your resolute obliga-tion and commitment, compounded by the fact that you have been bestowed its stewardship as elected officials. By safeguarding our people

and environment from harm and destruction, you are performing your duty and returning as best you can the full measure of God's gifts and bounty to us. Above all, you leave to your children a legacy of beauty, safety, and pride of place.

Do not let Napocor's plunder be

your downfall and demise. Napo-cor's glitter of gold is a curse rather than a blessing. Be with us in our fight against this impending destruc-tion of lives and property. Do not forget our past; rather, look at the present with an eye for the future so you will someday avoid coming to terms with the agonizing finality of your loss if you allow your integ-rity and loyalty to our kasimanwa crumble and disintegrate. Say NO to NAPOCOR. We are all in this together because our roots bind us in our commonality of origin, senti-ments, and purpose. Let us put our trust in you--and you in us. Let us draw strength from our solidarity and from each other. Let us fight as one and claim our victory as one. With pride in our hearts and with fervor in the very depths of our being, shout alongside with us our reverberating chant: "MABUHAY ANG PANDAN, BANWA KO, PALANGA KO. May righteousness reign supreme.

The Napocor project was discon-

tinued. The Need for Solidarity Among

Us We have been concerned about

the substandard medical care of the needy people of our town whose family cannot afford to send them to better-equipped hospitals in other towns and in Manila. Our hearts bleed for those needy people. Did we develop an indefinable closeness and a definite inter-dependence that will enrich our own lives? No matter how much funding they receive, projects and enterprises that may have been planned and futurized, along meticulously laid out with programs, are all bound to fail if the personalities behind them do not band together in courage, foresight and action. The successful prosecu-

tion of a project needs not collectiv-ity but instead solidarity.

It has been proven time and time

again that the multitude that does not condescend itself to unity only reaps conclusion, while the unity that does not bother to depend on the multi-tude tends to invite tyranny. Certain-

ly, one of the ringing challenges that the modern-day society faces is to foster harmony among its members; without it, it would be impossible to achieve anything for the common good. Disunity or factionalism in a community could dissipate available energies and resources that could otherwise be applied to the tasks of uplifting the socioeconomic condi-tions of the people.

Lastly, I have to share with you

how I will end my memoir. My dear wife Cely has inspired my

life story. As my partner, she contin-ually prayed for me and spiritually discerned all that is coming against me, and showed me those things that God’s grace bestow. She helped me to stay focused in the spiritual areas of life, so that I will continually be

a blessing to others and be blessed by God. She helped me fulfill my calling.

A well known proverb says,

"Behind every good man is a good woman."

I asked my friend and editor Thel-

ma Mantac Ramos about my memoir and here’s what she wrote me:

“Your readers will be impressed at

how you have risen above the shack-les of poverty in pursuit of your dream. Through your own resolve, grit, determination, and ingenu-ity, you have accomplished great things for yourself and for others. They will be in awe at your wealth of knowledge and sense of history. They will marvel at how you were able to recapture the many events in your life in vivid color and accuracy. The extent of your documentation is unbelievable. The best part of it all is your finding the passion and making the time to put your life story in writing so that others will be inspired to follow their dream and seek their own niche in life.”

SUCCESS IS A JOURNEY. In

French, this is la fin (the end) of the memoir. However, I am still on my journey. To the growing youth of our time, there is something in you that you have to do. If you have noted the diverse subjects in this book , then all that is left to do, is to do it.

In the moonlight, I will see you.

THE END

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journalusa.com

From Antique to America: Chapter 61Memoirs of a Filipino American Doctor

The Napocor Problem

(619) 702-3051

how -- unfulfilled -- they resort to bizarre personal lives. Look at the expression we often use for someone with money: “He has done well for himself.” (Key word: self.)

One recent “celebrity” thinks he is “winning” because he has a luxury home, great cars, girl-friends who star in pornographic movies, millions with which to buy drugs (and liquor). Of course, he also has two ex-wives, countless alienated friends, distressed relatives, and children who had to be taken from him.

If that’s winning, we don’t want to see what losing is.

We look at celebrities destroy-ing their families. How many others do the same -- trying to be celebrated?

It’s why they call pride a deadly sin.

And pride is often found in wanting to be admired by the worldly.

The point here: don’t care what the world thinks about you.

“My son, says our Savior Christ, you will not take it to my heart, though some people think or say of you evil that you would gladly not hear, for you will think even worse of yourself, and that no man is as evil as you,” the Lord said in The Imitation of Christ. “If you are well-ordered in your soul, you will not care much for such flying words. It is no little wisdom for a man to keep himself in silence and in good peace when evil words are spoken to him, and to turn his heart to God and not to be troubled with man’s judgment.

“Do not let your peace depend on the hearts of men; whatever they say about you, good or bad, you are not because of it another

man, for as you are, you are. Where is true peace and glory? Is it not in Me? Yes, truly. There-fore, he who neither desires to please men nor fears to displease them will have great plenty of peace; for all disquiet of heart and restlessness of mind come from inordinate love and ground-less fear.”

In the Lord you are free. The truth sets you free. Jesus is “the Truth and the Light.” The abun-dance He gives is real abundance -- sometimes in the way of the material, yes, but mainly in the richness of our inner lives, where the treasures of Heaven are cal-culated. Christ said He gives life and life more abundantly but He never referred -- not once -- to granting material riches.

Are you free? If not, what are you bound to? Whom are you bound to? What system of belief -- what aspirations -- have you in bondage? These are meditations.

Incredible it is, how we con-sider health and life insurance so crucial but do nothing to insure our inner, eternal well-being -- our afterlifeinsurance!

Store up true treasures.And go for peace now -- by

realizing that in Jesus we are free to lose everything we have, that we can lose everything that impresses the world, that we no longer have to enter a room and impress anyone, that it doesn’t matter what the worldly think of us.

“Freedom is another word, for nothing left to lose.”

Nothing worldly.You are free to “lose”!In so doing, you gain every-

thing.[resources: The Imitation of

Christ.]Link: http://www.spiritdaily.

com/realfreedom.htm


830,537 read/asianjournal @asianjournal

Lifestyle

Read J’Son’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Joe Son

As I was busy and excited this morning with Sim Silverio, my

publisher/ ed-in-chief, Genny Silverio, my managing editor and Zena Babao, co-columnist in Asian Journal doing some recordings for our adver-tisers in our new first and only daily Filipino radio program every Monday thru Friday at 7:00-8:00pm in San Diego’s AM KFSD 1450 at Carlsbad, Escondido starting tonight, Monday, June 27, 2011, we came back to the office safely with my company, I was still okay and even jokingly told, Santi Silverio, my associate edi-tor and his friend Steve Cabuag, that I have to go home because may be my wife’s saliva is already dried, where she always marked our entrance door when I left, then I will be in hot water.

I was caught

unaware that when I came home, it seems, I had a breathing problem and sweating cold, where my wife, LInda, doubted that I had an asthma at-

Control asthma first... then, “asma” or “asmama” later!

tack, which I never had before in my life. With her help, who is a retired nurse, I came up with this research. My only problem, is I have to wait for my doctor’s diagnosis until next week for an appointment, to confirm or unconfirm my wifes own diag-

nosis. Thanks God, I was

relieved in-stant-ly by her

tender, loving, care.

Do

you or someone you know ever feel like this?

Wheeze some-times when breath-

ing.Feel tightness in the chest. Have

an early morning or bedtime cough. Seem out of breath when not doing anything to cause it. These may be signs of asthma. Some people may not treat asthma a serious ailment, but asthma when taken for granted may cause ones dear life because this is a respiratory disease chroni-cally recurrence and attended by difficulty of breathing with wheezy coughing and expectoration.

Most men as an egocentric, will take asthma lightly and may take it only as joke, being single, asmama (as my mom says), or when married asma (as my wife says). Doctor’s advice, control asthma first before it controls you. Asthma may be a condition of the lungs that many children and adults live with for a long time. Once you have asthma, you’re dealing with it all the time, even when you don’t have any spe-cific symptoms.

You may get asthma attacks from time to time, but with the help from your doctor and an action plan, you can learn what to do so asthma at-tack may mean a thing of the past from the asthma sufferer. A word of caution though, one asthma patient is not safe to take any asthma pre-scription as the other patient is tak-ing, this should be administered by his primary care or a referral from another practitioner.

Different things trigger an asthma for different people. A trigger is something that causes or brings on an asthma attack. Knowing what triggers your asthma can help you avoid an attack. Study showed some asthma triggers like: Smoke (including tobacco and second hand smoke), air pollution, dust mites, cockroaches and their droppings, furry pets, mold, exercise, burnign wood or grasses, cold, dry air, being sick and even some medicines.

There are three things to keep in mind to help control your asthma: Take the right medicine in the right way. Avoind the triggers that can make your asthma worse. And create an asthma control plan with your doctor and go over it regularly. Anyone who has asthma knows how important it is to have the right

treatment plan. Because managing symptoms can help keep you active and help prevent athma attacks, es-pecially bad ones that could put you in the hospital. (JS/AJ) Joe C.Son

[email protected] San Diego, CA


Health & Wellness

ScienceDaily (Mar. 6, 2011) — For sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), cooking tasks can be both difficult and dangerous. However, a new assistive tech-nology invented by a Queensland University of Technology (QUT) student offers a safe way for

people to lift cookware, relying on the strength of their forearms. Twenty-four-year-old Ching-Hao (Howard) Hsu, who graduated with a Bachelor of Design (Indus-trial Design) at the end of 2010, designed the ‘arthritis handle’ af-ter observing several sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis performing cooking tasks in their own kitch-ens.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers Armed With Kitchen Safety Tool

RA is a chronic disease affect-ing one percent of the popula-tion -- about 500,000 Australians. It involves inflammation of the joints, which can lead to stiffness, swelling and sometimes disable-ment in the hands.

“After several observations and lots of inter-views, I found that lifting was a major prob-lem for suffer-ers of RA dur-ing cooking preparat ion,” Mr Hsu said.

“It was dif-ficult for suf-ferers of RA to lift things with their hands, due to having limited strength and flexibility. So they had to lift with their forearms. This limited them to using cookware with handles on both sides.

“If a saucepan only had one handle, most people put a towel over their other forearm to grasp the op-posite side of the pot, but this was a slippery

and dangerous way of lifting, ex-posing the person to the risk of burns.

“The arthritis handle allows suf-ferers of RA to use any kind of cookware, and not be limited to double-handled products.

“Due to the limited flexibility of a hand with RA, the ergonomical-ly-designed finger holder at the front of the arthritis handle fits

Ching-Hao (Howard) Hsu with his arthri-tis handle invention. (Credit: Image courtesy of Queensland University of Technology)

comfortably on the user’s hand without twisting the user’s fin-gers.

“The shape of the arthritis han-dle is also ergonomic, in that it spreads the weight of the cook-ware across the user’s forearm.”

Mr Hsu said the arthritis handle featured a silicone coating with heat resistance up to 200 degrees celsius, to prevent heat from be-ing directed to the forearm.

“The TPE (thermoplastic elas-tomers) used in the product pro-vide grip, while a magnetic strip enhances the stability for people lifting metal cookware,” he said.

“I want to make sure that the ar-thritis handle is eventually made available in various colours. Peo-ple using assistive technologies often hate sticking out as being a ‘special’ person. So I want this to look like a normal kitchen tool, with the inner frame available in bright orange, yellow or green, with a white outer frame.”

His design has earned a spot on the first-round shortlist of the Australian Design Award/James Dyson Award.

Refreshing News | July 20, 2011 -- The Environmental Working Group (EWG) analysis of more than 500 beach and sport sunscreens with SPF ratings of 30 and higher finds that more than 300 of them, about 60 per-cent, provide inadequate UVA pro-tection and are too weak for the Eu-ropean market, where manufacturers voluntarily comply with a standard for meaningful UVA protection.

Risky vitamin A additives

Many sunscreen makers still use a form of vitamin A, called retinyl

Three of Five U.S. Sun-screens

Wouldn’t be Acceptable in

Europe

(SAN DIEGO, CA July 21, 2011) – Some good news has come out of a new study that looked into most effective ways to prevent sudden cardiac death: maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise significantly reduces the risk of this condition.

The research, published in the recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, focused on women. However, its findings are also relevant for men, says Israel LoBue, owner of Fit Body Boot Camp in San Diego, CA.

“This is yet another body of medical evidence that clearly shows the benefits of a healthy lifestyle that includes physical fitness,” he says.

In the United States, sud-den cardiac arrest, a condi-tion in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, causes more than 300,000 deaths every year. Among main risk factors are heart disease, obesity, smoking, and inactivity.

“All these factors are inter-relat-ed,” LoBue points out. “Sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity, which, in turn, can cause heart disease – the leading killer of Americans. And, of course, smoking is harmful to health in general.”

The new study, however, found that those who don’t smoke, eat sen-sibly, maintain healthy weight, and exercise regularly, can lower their risk of sudden cardiac death by more than 90 percent.

“Sometimes, even the simplest preventive measures can go a long way,” LoBue notes. “These new findings prove once again that physi-cal activity and other healthy habits are real lifesavers.”

When it comes to preventing

San Diego Boot Camp Owner: When It Comes To Heart Health,

Don’t Miss A Beatpotentially serious complications of heart disease – including sudden cardiac arrest – regular exercise is beneficial in several ways, LoBue says.

“If you are overweight, it will help you lose the extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight. It will also strengthen your cardiovascular system,” he says.

While any regimen that keeps you moving is beneficial, LoBue says interval training, which alternates a

high-intensity workout with periods of low-intensity activity or rest, is especially effective in improving cardio-vascular fitness and the body’s potential to burn fat.

“It provides a great workout for your heart, dramatic weight loss re-

sults, and a leaner shape in less time than many other programs,” he says.

Those who already have heart disease or any other medical condi-tion should consult a doctor before starting interval training, LoBue suggests.

“In any case, there are plenty of other, less strenuous exercises that you could safely do to get yourself – and your heart – in the best possible shape,” he says.

About Fit Body Boot Camp:Launched by fitness expert Israel

LoBue in September 2009, Fit Body Boot Camp is a co-ed boot camp fitness program which special-izes in the areas of weight loss and body toning. Program details and client testimonials are available at www.socalfitbodybootcamp.com. LoBue, a certified fitness expert with 10 years experience in the fitness industry, can be reached at [email protected] or 619-757-9018.



(619) 474-0588

Santos, MIC, the Shrine’s rector. “I saw them kneeling in the mud and remember marveling how strong their faith must be. They kneeled for the entirety of the Chaplet, through the Benediction.”

Filipino-Americans and Filipino-Canadians have come full circle, in a way. When the Marians — official promoters of The Divine Mercy message since 1941 — began print-ing Divine Mercy literature in the 1940s, some of it made its way to the Philippines. From there the spark was lit that has spiritually engulfed the Pacific island nation.

Now Filipinos, many of whom now call the National Shrine their spiritual home, work in tandem with the Marians to continue to spread the message of Divine Mercy in North America and throughout the world.

Father James, whose mother is from the Philippines, shared in his homily how when he was a seminar-ian three years ago, he served at the National Shrine. His parents live in California, and he hadn’t seen them for quite some time. He said he began to feel homesick.

“Then came Filipino Day,” he said, “... and I think my homesickness was cured.”

He tasted the food. He joined them in fellowship. “And I experienced what it means to be Filipino,” he

said.

He noted that because jobs are scarce in the Philippines, many Filipinos move elsewhere — to the benefit of the world beyond.

“So we send them abroad, all over,” Fr. James said. “What hap-pens is they go there for work, but they bring their faith with them and their devotions.”

He said that non-Filipinos are inspired. “They see our faith and our devotion, and they want to be a part of this,” Fr. James said.

In his homily, he urged attendees to continue to be witnesses of The Divine Mercy, to share with the world that Jesus came to restore, not punish; that He came to forgive, not judge; and that we are duty-bound as Catholics and children of God to defend the sanctity of life and mar-riage, the importance of the family, love for elders, and compassion for the poor.

That witness includes a complete trust in Jesus that Filipinos exhibit almost habitually,

Filipino Day featured cultural programs, potluck lunch, praise and worship led by the New Jersey-based Ocean of Mercy Choir, oppor-tunities for confession and a group Rosary at the Mother of Mercy Out-

door Shrine. Then, following Mass, the pilgrims prayed the Chaplet of

The Divine Mercy.The man who started the Shrine’s

first Filipino Day, Msgr. Jerry Re-banal, JCD, pastor of St. Mary’s of the Assumption Parish, in Elizabeth, N.J., concelebrated Holy Mass.

Pilgrims were also invited to view a video on the history of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Concep-tion’s Filipino mission.

The beatification in September 2007 of the founder of the Mar-ians, Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczynski (1631-1701), and the 100th anniversary in August 2009 of the renovation of the Marian community, mobilized the Marians to action. Their Filipino mission was launched. Among the mission’s objectives is to provide sound Chris-tian formation in the Philippines, especially in the spirit of Divine Mercy and Marian devotion, and to use the Philippines as a base for the evangelization of other countries in

‘God’s Special Agents’Filipinos Flock to National

Shrine for Special Day(Continued from page 2)

Letters to the EditorRead previous articles by visiting our website at www.asian-

journalusa.com

Asia, especially India, China, and Vietnam.

Filipino Day is one of many ethnic celebrations the Shrine will host this summer, the biggest of which is Encuentro Latino on Aug. 20. Check out the Shrine’s calendar.

“Our pilgrimage season lasts from Divine Mercy Sunday through Oc-tober,” said Fr. Kenneth, “and we’re looking forward to many ethnic days and seeing many pilgrims. We pray that God’s mercy will continue to draw them to the Shrine and work powerfully in their lives.”

The Marians need your help in our efforts to promote the authentic mes-sage of The Divine Mercy through our new mission in the Philippines and our new efforts in Asia. Learn more about how you can help.

Contact us on Eden Hill:National Shrine of

The Divine Mercy www.thedivinemercy.org/shrine

Fr. James Cervantes

Filipinos bearing the Philippine flag stake a claim on Eden Hill

Praise and worship in song

Name: bud wilbornMenu: Editorials - CONTEMPORARY ASIAN AMERICAN IS-

SUES by Dr. Ofelia Dirige, PhDHeading: ‘’Beyond the Mask: Untold Stories of U.S. Navy Filipi-

nos’’

Opinion:-------i enlisted on my 17th birthday in 1952 and in 4 years i served in 7

commands. the only bad memory i have is the fact that men of color seemed to

be looked upon as lessor human beings.

Untold Stories of U.S. Navy Filipinos

Name: Faye (Rendon) GeilfussMenu: News & Features - ProfilesHeading: Memorial Day: Captain Eulalio Arzaga, Jr. and His Run-

away Bride

Opinion:-------Ever since I reconnected with some of your your aunts I’’ve been

wanting to get to know you. But it had been impossible since I was the sole caregiver to my husband. Unfortunately he passed away four months ago.

I was engaged to your father. I was nineteen when we broke up--I was not ready to get married (to me I was too young) and your father understood that but insisted that it was either get married or go our separate ways

I have to say that he was a very personable and wonderful person. What else can I say? To this date, I cannot express how much I cared and meant to.

Captain Eulalio Arzaga, Jr. and His Run-Away Bride

Name: Angel Y. Dayan, EA, CPA Email: [email protected] Menu: Editorials - TAKE IT FROM MY BARBER by Benjamin

MaynigoHeading: B (Bully, Bribery, Bilateral Pacts, Bodyguard) S

(Spratlys, Sino Saber-rattling, Sling Shot, Sea Law)

Opinion:-------A very bright narration of the governing international laws and

legal bodies. The best so far I have read on the subject. How settled laws of today could be reversed by a Chinese map of the Sung Dynasty in the 12th Century. It is insane. It is the Chinese madness. They should as well claim ownership to the American continent that was once connected by a land bridge to China as historians and

researchers would tell us. God help us on this territorial greed.

B (Bully, Bribery, Bilateral Pacts, Body-guard) S (Spratlys, Sino Saber-rattling,

Sling Shot, Sea Law)


Food & Dining GuideCITIZEN Y By Yoly Villanueva-

Ong, The Philippine Star | MANILA -- It’s one for the books! A breed of jailbirds so “special”, they fly in and out of their coop whenever they feel like it. They also party with their girlfriends, live-out, disappear, run for office and of course, go to a dentist in Makati. This specie is also found in equally fecund habitation like Indonesia, India, Mexico and Nigeria.

First world countries have the equivalent highly evolved genus of celebrity jailbirds. They may not flutter as much, but they enjoy VIP privileges as well, like lighter sentences converted to community service for the first multiple offens-es. The world of difference though is that their violations are minor

i.e. driving under the influence of alcohol and/or possession of drugs. Here, our flying convicts are guilty of capital crimes like rape, murder or pushing drugs.

Obviously the case of Prisoner Antonio Leviste is not as rare as hen’s teeth. Captured in one of his flights ostensibly to fix a toothache, the episode reinforced the belief that a prison pecking order exists where the wealthy rule the roost. Convicted of homicide and serving a sentence of 6-12 years, Leviste is one of 400 inmates “living out under minimum security status”. They are free-as-birds inside the 550-hectare New Bilibid Prisons (NBP). And with DOJ authorization, they are allowed to leave the premises when a family member dies, when they are subpoe-

naed or need hospitalization. Since Leviste could not produce a pass, his wings are clipped…for now.

Making matters worse, BuCor Director Ernesto Diokno refuses to resign, accept responsibility or ac-countability. His bird-brained excuse is that his job is policy making and although he admitted hearing about Leviste’s jaunts, he argued that it is impossible to monitor 30,000 prisoners. Once again a professed Presidential “friend” now hangs like an albatross around P-Noy’s neck. Diokno must realize that a lame duck is better off getting his ducks in a row.

Just last month, road-rage-murder suspect Jason Ivler’s photos and videos were posted and circulated online. He was seen partying with liquor in the company of women inside the QC jail. Rosendo Dial, an official of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) would not eat crow and denied that Ivler enjoyed VIP privileges.

In a TV interview, Dial said “Lahat po ng inmates ay nag-oobserve ng policy. Wala pong exemption.” He explained that inmates can receive visitors, limited to immediate families and friends and explained the process. “Puwede naman po iyung dumalaw, bawal iyung inu-man. Dapat pagpasok pa lamang nila, kinukuha na iyung pangalan. Ika-countercheck po iyan”. He claimed that visitors not registered in the master list cannot enter and added that they are allowed inside detention cells because the facility is cramped. “Iyung QC jail po kasi ay napakasikip. Pinapayagan pong lumapit iyung bibisita. Wala na pong visiting area.” Dial also said that he saw the Ivler videos on air but didn’t see any violation “Wala naman po kaming nakitang nakikipag-inuman siya”.

But Ivler’s mother cooked Dial’s goose with her comment that all detention sites are party places as this is “ jail culture”. She claims, “Hari ng selda ang anak ko! Mga Sputnik, Bahala Na Gang, laging inaaya ang anak ko. Pina-tattoo pa nila mukha ng anak ko sa katawan nila.” She boasted that “busloads of women” regularly visit her son and added ”Kung ano man ang bineben-tang treatment doon, kahit sex pa iyon, I’ll pay for it.” BJMP officials dismiss her as crazy-as-a-loon. But historical evidence indicates that it’s time to talk turkey about penal reform.

Former BuCor head Ret. Gen. Dionisio Santiago confirmed that irregularities are indeed widespread. He crowed about how he punished prisoner Peter Co who managed to build a shabu laboratory inside the jail. “Tinapon ko sa Leyte.” He said Co offered him P3 million to return to NBP but he refused. He revealed that it was also common practice for politicians to intercede on behalf of certain prisoners. Santiago recounted that FG himself asked leniency for a certain Yap. But upon learning that Yap was involved in drugs, FG chickened out and asked Santiago to forget that they ever talked.

Years ago, feathers were ruffled when former congressman Romeo Jalosjos, serving a life sentence for raping an 11-year-old girl, was ex-posed as living in luxury at the NBP maximum-security wing. His quar-ters had a queen-sized bed, private bathroom and a 42-inch flat-screen television set. In 2009, he was set free with a GMA pardon. Birds of the same feather do flock together.

But the BNP officials have fouled their own nest for the last time. The transgressions must stop cold turkey. Worried that the Ampatuans had even more clout than Leviste, the massacre victims demanded that the much-delayed arraignment be sched-uled immediately. They insisted on inspecting the Ampatuans’ cells to ascertain that they are still in jail and not receiving special treatment. But Frank Chua, a big-time convicted Chinese drug lord is a gone goose. His whereabouts are unknown and requests to produce him bodily have been ignored. The NBP managers are now sitting ducks. Their happy-as-a-lark-days are past. Media and the public are watching them like

PinoyRecipe.com -- Many Filipino love Paksiw na Bangus because of its flavor that bites, especially when cooked with chilies. Paksiw na Bangus Recipe also known as Milkfish Stewed in Vinegar is the easiest and most com-mon way of cooking Bangus (Milkfish) in the Philippines.

Milkfish, is the national fish of the Philippines, there are countless ways to cook the bangus just get your imagi-nation and resourcefulness working and you will discover a new original bangus dish. In Pangasinan they even have a Dagupan Bangus Festival held every year.

In cooking Paksiw you can also use other fish like tuna, Tilapia, or Galunggong if Bangus is not available. Enjoy this Paksiw na Bangus Recipe from Pinoy Recipe.

Paksiw na Bangus Ingredi-ents:

1 Big Bangus ( Milkfish ), scaled, cleaned, cut into 6 to 7 slices

1 head garlic, crushed 1 small onion, quartered 1 thumb-sized ginger,

crushed 2 pcs finger chilies (siling

haba) 3 pcs small, round egg-

plant, quartered 1 cup sugarcane vinegar ½ cup water 2 Tbsp fish Sauce 1/2 tsp peppercorns

Wash and clean your ban-gus. Remove the gills and the scales. Rub them with salt.

Paksiw na Bangus Recipe

Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

In a large saucepan, put half of the garlic, onion and ginger and some peppercorns.

Arrange sliced bangus on top. Add the remaining garlic, onion and ginger.

Then add water, vinegar and fish sauce. Sprinkle pepper-corns on top. Cover and let it simmer for about fifteen minutes.

Add the eggplant and chilli pepper. Continue simmering

for another five minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

Remove from heat.

Serve Paksiw na Bangus with hot rice!

Submit Your Healthy Cooking

Recipes to [email protected]

Dining GuideRestaurant Directory

Amerasian Cuisine 14897 Pomerado Road Poway CA 92064 (858) 679-0644 Andiamol Ristorante 5950 Center Road San Diego CA 92124 (858) 277-3501 Asti Restaurant728 5th AvenueSan Diego CA 92101 (619) 232-8844 BANGKOK BBQ936 BROADWAY CIRCLE, SAN DIEGO CA 92101 (619) 231-4124 Beijing Restaurant 8993 Mira Mesa Blvd. San Diego CA 92126 (858) 549-3032 Ben’s Restaurant 1615 Sweetwater Rd., National City CA 91950 (619) 474-9811 Benihana Japanese Restaurant 477 Camino del Rio South San Diego CA 92108 (619) 298-4666 Bento-Sushi 10606 Camino Ruiz Suite #06 San Diego CA 92126 (858) 586-0606 Blumbergis 8861 Villa La Jolla (858) 455-1461 Boat House 2040 Harbor Island Dr. San diego CA (619) 291-8011 Bob’s on the Bay 570 Marina Parkway Chula Vista CA (619) 476-0400 Bollicine 8008 Girard Ave. La Jolla (858) 454-2222 Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant 9225 Miramesa Blvd. Suite #118 San Diego CA 92126

(858) 693-3663 Bombay Exotic Cuisine of India 3975 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 100 San Diego CA 92103 (619) 298-3155 Bongiovanni’s Pizza 15244 Old Hwy. 80 El Cajon CA 92026 Brian’s 1451 Washington St. San Diego CA (619) 296-8268 Brian’s American Eatery 7949 Balboa Ave. Kearney Mesa CA (858) 565-4244 Cafe China 12664 Poway Road Poway CA 92064 (858) 486-8228 Cafe La Maze l441 Highland Avenue National City CA 91950 (619) 474-3222 California Club Sushi Bar 5522 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego CA92115 (619) 287-1593 California Thai Cafe 9550 Black Mountain Road San Diego CA 92126 (858) 566-5023 Chang Cuisine of Chine 8670 Genesee Ave. San Diego CA92122 (858) 558-2288 Chef Wok 350 University Avenue San Diego CA 92103 (619) 294-8688 Chef’s Wok 350 University Ave., HIllcrest CA 92103 (619) 294-8688 China Camp 2137 Pacific Highway San Diego CA 92101 (619) 232-1972

Del - Chit RiveraProprietor

289 E. Orange & Melrose Chula Vista, CA 91911

(619) 426-7804(Alongside Seafood City Supermarket)

Pary Trays - Fast Food - Food to go - Lechon

AMERASIAN CUISINE

Are you missing a print edition of the Asian Journal? Read the digital edition on

www.asianjournalusa.com/digital

Jailbirds that fly

Former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste


Business DirectoryATTORNEYS

Abano, Ashley Law Offices of Ashley Abano 225 Broadway, 21st Floor San Diego, CA, 92101Tel. (619) 702-3051 Alejo, E.B. 240 Woodlawn Ave., Suite 14 Chula Vista, CA 91910 Tel. (619) 203-5782 American Legal Center Atty Erwin Bautista 550 East 8th Street, Suite 11 National City, CA 91950 Tel. 619) 474 7755

Carrasquillo, Lorna M. MarquezFree ConsultationTel. (877) 639-4529 Chua, Tinsay, Vega Law Atty. Aurora Vega 1901 First Avenue, Suite 142 San Diego, CA Tel. (619) 955-6277 Cooke, Kenneth c/o Maria Cielito Bejarin 240 Woodlawn Avenue #15 Chula Vista, CA 91910 Tel (619) 696-7196 Karagdag, Atty. Rogelio 10717 Camino Ruiz # 131 San Diego, CA 92126 Tel. (858) 348-7475 Perez, Atty. Susan 625 Broadway, Suite 1015 San Diego, CA 92101 Tel (619) 819-8648

BAKERIES

Bread Deluxe1420 E. Plaza Blvd. S-01National City, CA 91950Tel. (619) 474-2624

CAREGIVERS

Home Care Assistance 162 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd. B-10 Encinitas, CA 92029 Tel. (760)635-3646

Horizons ADHC 1415 East 8th Street Suite 5 National City, CA 941950 Tel. (619) 474-1822 CARGO FORWARDERS

Manila Forwarder 3104 East Plaza Blvd. National City, CA 91950 Tel. (619) 434-7191 Pentagon Cargo 3200 Highland Avenue #2-B National City, CA 91950 Tel (619) 474-0767

Willex USA Cargo, Inc. Main Street, No. 14 Chula Vista, CA 91911Tel. (619)866.6151 CASINOS Barona Casino1932 Wildcat Canyon Rd, Lakeside, CA(888) 722-7662 Sycuan Casino 5469 Casino Way, El Cajon, CA 92019

DENTISTS

Badillo, Dr. Florabel F. Oliver10717 Camino Ruiz, # 122 San Diego, CA 92126 Tel. (858) 566-6099

Chan, Andrew 925 East Pennsylvania Ave. # D Escondido, CA 92025 Tel. (858) 527-0365

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Lazaga, Dr, Myrna 914 East 8th Street, #208 National City, CA 91950 Tel (619) 477-0570

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NOEL: ipapangalan ko sa ak-ing anak “ LEON “ baliktad ng Noel.

NINO: sa akin ONIN baliktad ng NINO.

TOTO: wag niyo akong maisa-li-sali dyan sa usapan niyo!

***

Sinoli ni Paquiao ang libro sa library.

Manny: sobrang dami ng char-acters wala naman storya.

LIBRARIAN: kayo pala kumuha ng telephone directory namin!

***

sa sabungan, walang entrance fee ang may dalang panabong. Si Juan para makalibre pumasok may dalang inahin.

BANTAY: [sinita si Juan] ano yan?

JUAN: [galit pa!] manok!BANTAY: alam ko, eh bakit

inahin?JUAN: may laban ang mister

niya, siyempre moral support bobo!

***

GF: magaling! At sino tong baby na nagtext sayo?

BF: ah eh kumpare ko yun! Lalake yun! Baby lang palayaw.

GF: oh eto replyan mo. Hindi daw kayo tuloy at may mens daw ang

tarantado!***

ERAP SA PIZZA HUTWAITER: sir, do you want me

to cut your pizza into 4 slices or 8 slices?

ERAP: into four na lang, masyadong marami yung eight. di ko mauubos.

***

Nagbubungkal ng lupa si Aling Dionisia para magtanim. Akala ng mga nakakakita naloloko lang siya dahil wala naman siyang tinatanim.

Maid: nay, wala naman kayong tinatanim ah.

Aling dionisia: anu Gid! Seed-less ito.

Seedless Grapes

Kaya mo bang makipagtitigan sa araw,Na walang suot na sunglasses,Kahi’t na masunog ang kilay, paningin mo’y pumanaw? Gaano mo kalayo maihahagis,At gaano kaya katulin,Maibabato ang iyong hinagpis? Kaya mo bang sungkitin ang bituin,Isukbit sa bulsa na tila diamante,Kahi’t na magalit ang prinsipe ng dilim? Maninimbang ka ba sa alambre,Lalaban sa hanging habagat,O makikipaglaro sa tigre? Aakyatin mo ba ang bundok, tatawirin ang dagat,Papasukin ang squatter area kahi’t na mabugbog,Makatatakbo ka ba na mabilis pa sa sibat? Kaya mo bang kumain ng sandaang hotdog,O lumunok ng limampung balut,O di kaya’y ngumuya ng bubog? Kaya mo bang gumawa ng lumpyang walang balot,Maghiwa ng sibuyas na di maluluha,O pumadyak nang maghapon na di mapapagod? Mapipigil mo ba ang iyong hininga,Paglipad ng punglo, kaya mo bang ilagan,Na di mahihilo o di kaya’y matutumba? Di ka ba takot sa aswang, pati sa tikbalang,Kakapit sa patalim, susugod sa apoy,Hahawakan mo ba ang mitsa ng “bawang”? Kaya mo bang kumain ng baboy,Uminom ng alak at maglasing hanggang sa maduling,O sa karate’y pumutol ng kahoy? Kaya mo bang pilipitin ang leeg ng pating,Sisirin ang dagat na kay lalim,O makipagtagisan ng talino sa matsing? Makikipag-away ka ba sa hangin,Lalakarin mo ba ang desyerto,Makikipag-unahan sa tren na matulin? O lilipad sa mata ng tornado,Hindi ka ba manginginig sa talim ng lintik,O kaya’y susuko sa hamon ng bagyo? Matatalo mo ba ang sakit,Kaya mo bang paghiwalayin ang nag-uumpugang bato,O sa lagablab ng apoy ay lumapit? Wari ikaw ba si Bernardo Carpio,Kaya mo bang tumula katulad ni Balagtas,Umawit kaya na gaya ni Janno? Kaya mo bang umiwas sa “taga-labas”,Kaya mo bang makipagkilitian sa bakla,

Kaya Mo Ba?Kaya mo bang makipagtaguan sa Abu Sayaff? Kaya mo bang tumanggi sa hiling ng nobya,O makipagtigasan sa asawa,Matitiis mo ba ang talak ng bungangera? Di ka ba takot sa tikbalang at aswang,Maliligo ka ba sa tubig na kumukulo,Kaya mo bang sumuntok sa buwan? Hihiga ka ba sa pako,Makikipaggirian sa tutube,O lalaban kay Manny Pacquiao?

Makikipaghalikan ka ba sa bulate,Tatapak sa nagbabagang uling,O kaya’y gagamiting sandata ang kokote? Ang babaeng iyong ginigiliw,Kung mapahahanga mo,Iyong-iyo pag-ibig niyang walang maliw.__._,_.___

By Percival C. Cruz


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palmitate, ignoring recent scientifi c research by the federal Food and Drug Administration indicating the chemical may be photocarcinogenic – that it may heighten skin cancer risk when used on sun-exposed skin. While more defi nitive research is under way, EWG recommends that prudent consumers avoid vitamin A-laden sunscreens.

Sky-high SPF claimsAbout 1 in 6 beach and sport sun-

screens claim SPFs greater than 50+, compared to 1 in 8 in 2009. Yet stud-ies show that high-SPF users are ex-posed to as much or more ultraviolet rays than people who use lower SPF products. Why? Those big numbers give people a false sense of security. They wait too long before reapplying and stay out too long.

Still no federal sunscreen rulesThe FDA declared its intent to reg-

ulate sunscreens back in 1978. The rules are still in bureaucratic limbo. While regulators delay, sunscreen makers can sell products that over-state sun protection and underperform in the real world. EWG continues to pressure the FDA to issue enforce-able rules for sunscreen products.

Sunscreens Exposed: 9 surpris-ing truths

Sunscreens prevent sunburns, but beyond that simple fact surprisingly little is known about the safety and effi cacy of these ubiquitous creams and sprays. FDA’s failure to fi nalize its 1978 sunscreen safety standards both epitomizes and perpetuates this state of confusion. EWG’s review of the latest research unearthed trou-bling facts that might tempt you to

give up on sunscreens altogether. That’s not the right answer – despite the unknowns about their effi cacy, public health agencies still recom-mend using sunscreens, just not as your fi rst line of defense against the sun. At EWG we use sunscreens, but we look for shade, wear protective clothing and avoid the noontime sun before we smear on the cream.

Here are the surprising facts:

1. There’s no consensus on wheth-er sunscreens prevent skin cancer.

The Food and Drug Administra-tion’s 2007 draft sunscreen safety regulations say: “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer” (FDA 2007). The International Agen-cy for Research on Cancer agrees. IARC recommends clothing, hats and shade as primary barriers to UV radiation and writes that “sunscreens should not be the fi rst choice for skin cancer prevention and should not be used as the sole agent for protection against the sun” (IARC 2001a).

2. There’s some evidence that sunscreens might increase the risk of the deadliest form of skin cancer for some people.

Some researchers have detected an increased risk of melanoma among sunscreen users. No one knows the cause, but scientists speculate that sunscreen users stay out in the sun longer and absorb more radiation overall, or that free radicals released as sunscreen chemicals break down in sunlight may play a role. One other hunch: Inferior sunscreens with poor UVA protection that have dominated the market for 30 years may have led to this surprising outcome. All major public health agencies still advise us-ing sunscreens, but they also stress the importance of shade, clothing and timing.

3. There are more high SPF prod-ucts than ever before, but no proof that they’re better.

In 2007 the FDA published draft regulations that would prohibit com-panies from labeling sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) higher than “SPF 50+.” The agency wrote that higher values were “inherently

misleading,” given that “there is no assurance that the specifi c values themselves are in fact truthful…” (FDA 2007). Scientists are also wor-ried that high-SPF products may tempt people to stay in the sun too long, suppressing sunburns (a late, key warning of overexposure) while upping the risks of other kinds of skin damage.

Flaunting FDA’s proposed regu-lation, companies substantially in-creased their high-SPF offerings in 2011. Nearly one in fi ve products now lists SPF values higher than “50+”, compared to only one in eight in 2009, according to EWG’s analy-sis of more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens. Among the worst offend-ers are Walgreens and CVS stores and Neutrogena. Walgreens’ boasts of SPF higher than “50+” on nearly half of its sunscreens; CVS and Neu-trogena make the same misleading claim on about a third of theirs.

4. Too little sun might be harm-ful, reducing the body’s vitamin D levels.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that sunshine serves a critical func-tion in the body that sunscreen ap-pears to inhibit — production of vi-tamin D. The main source of vitamin D in the body is sunshine, and the compound is enormously important to health – it strengthens bones and the immune system, reduces the risk of various cancers (including breast, colon, kidney, and ovarian cancers) and regulates at least 1,000 different genes governing virtually every tis-sue in the body (Mead 2008). Over the last two decades, vitamin D levels in the U.S. population have been de-creasing steadily, creating a “growing epidemic of vitamin D insuffi ciency” (Ginde 2009a). Seven of every 10 U.S. children now have low levels. Those most likely to be defi cient in-clude children who are obese or who spend more than four hours daily in front of the TV, computer or video games (Kumar 2009).

Experts disagree on the solution. The American Medical Association has recommended 10 minutes of di-rect sun (without sunscreen) several times a week (AMA 2008), while the American Academy of Dermatology holds that “there is no scientifi cally validated, safe threshold level of UV exposure from the sun that allows for maximal vitamin D synthesis without increasing skin cancer risk” (AAD 2009). Vitamin D supple-ments are the alternative, but there is debate over the proper amount. The Institute of Medicine has launched new research to reassess the current guidelines. In the meantime, your doctor can test your vitamin D levels and give advice on sunshine versus supplements.

5. The common sunscreen ingre-dient vitamin A may speed the de-velopment of cancer.

Recently available data from an FDA study indicate that a form of vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions (NTP 2009). This evidence is troubling because the sunscreen industry adds vitamin A to 30 percent of all sun-screens.

The industry puts vitamin A in its formulations because it is an anti-ox-idant that slows skin aging. That may be true for lotions and night creams used indoors, but FDA recently con-ducted a study of vitamin A’s photo-carcinogenic properties, the possibil-ity that it results in cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sun-light. Scientists have known for some time that vitamin A can spur excess skin growth (hyperplasia), and that in sunlight it can form free radicals that damage DNA (NTP 2000).

In FDA’s one-year study, tumors and lesions developed up to 21 per-cent sooner in lab animals coated in a vitamin A-laced cream (at a concen-tration of 0.5%) than animals treated with a vitamin-free cream. Both groups were exposed to the equiva-lent of just nine minutes of maximum intensity sunlight each day.

It’s an ironic twist for an industry already battling studies on whether their products protect against skin cancer. The FDA data are preliminary, but if they hold up in the fi nal assess-ment, the sunscreen industry has a big problem. In the meantime, EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens with vitamin A (look for “retinyl palmitate” or “retinol” on the label).

6. Free radicals and other skin-damaging byproducts of sun-screen.

Both UV radiation and many com-mon sunscreen ingredients generate free radicals that damage DNA and skin cells, accelerate skin aging and cause skin cancer. An effective sun-screen prevents more damage than it causes, but sunscreens are far better at preventing sunburn than at limit-ing free radical damage. While typi-cal SPF ratings for sunburn protec-tion range from 15 to 50, equivalent “free radical protection factors” fall at only about 2. When consumers ap-ply too little sunscreen or reapply it infrequently, behaviors that are more common than not, sunscreens can cause more free radical damage than UV rays on bare skin.

7. Pick your sunscreen: nanoma-terials or potential hormone dis-ruptors.

The ideal sunscreen would com-pletely block the UV rays that cause sunburn, immune suppression and damaging free radicals. It would re-main effective on the skin for several hours and not form harmful ingredi-ents when degraded by UV light. It would smell and feel pleasant so that people use it in the right amount and frequency.

Unsurprisingly, there is currently no sunscreen that meets all of these criteria. The major choice in the U.S. is between “chemical” sunscreens, which have inferior stability, pen-etrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems, and “min-eral” sunscreens (zinc and titanium), which often contain micronized- or nano-scale particles of those miner-als.

After reviewing the evidence, EWG determined that mineral sunscreens have the best safety profi le of today’s choices. They are stable in sunlight and do not appear to penetrate the skin. They offer UVA protection, which is sorely lacking in most of today’s sunscreen products. Mexo-ryl SX (ecamsule) is another good option, but it’s sold in very few for-

mulations. Tinosorb S and M could be great solutions but are not yet available in the U.S. For consumers who don’t like mineral products, we recommend sunscreens with avoben-zone (3 percent for the best UVA protection) and without the notori-ous hormone disruptors oxybenzone or 4-MBC. Scientists have called for parents to avoid using oxybenzone on children due to penetration and toxicity concerns.

8. Europe’s better sunscreens.Sunscreen makers and users in Eu-

rope have more options than in the United States. In Europe, sunscreen makers can select from among 27 chemicals for their formulations, compared to 17 in the U.S. Compa-nies selling in Europe can add any of seven UVA fi lters to their products, but have a choice of only three when they market in the U.S. European sunscreens could earn FDA’s pro-posed four-star top rating for UVA protection, while the best U.S. prod-ucts would earn only three stars. Sun-screen chemicals approved in Europe but not by the FDA provide up to fi ve times more UVA protection; U.S. companies have been waiting fi ve years for FDA approval to use the same compounds. Last but not least, Europeans will fi nd many sunscreens with strong (mandatory) UVA protec-tion if proposed regulations in Europe are fi nalized. Under FDA’s current proposal, Americans will not.

9. The 34th summer in a row without fi nal U.S. sunscreen safety regulations.

In the United States, consumer protection has stalled because of the FDA’s 33-year effort to set en-forceable guidelines for consumer protection. EWG has found a num-ber of serious problems with exist-ing sunscreens, including overstated claims about their perfomance and inadequate UVA protection. Many of these will be remedied if and when the FDA’s proposed sunscreen rule takes effect. But even after the rule

Three of Five U.S. Sun-screens

Wouldn’t be Acceptable in

Europe

hawks.As the crow fl ies, only the top-to-

bottom plucking of the penal system can resuscitate a malfunctioning, time-dishonored, dead-as-a-dodo organization. Another humongous problem has fallen on P-Noy’s lap, a by-product of the culture of impu-nity so prevalent in the Marcos and Arroyo administrations.

It will take many years to correct the various ills of a correctional institution gone wrong. But it will be a feather in this administration’s cap when jailbirds can no longer spread their wings. They must pay for their crimes, serve out their punishment and clear their debt to society with-out leaving their cages.

One of the presidential campaign lines was “Tanggalin ang tiwali. Itama ang mali.” Let this govern-ment demonstrate political will by taking out the corrupt and ineffective offi cials and righting what’s wrong with the penal system. Otherwise, justice cannot prevail. As William Hudson wrote, “You cannot fl y like an eagle on the wings of a wren.”

* * *E-mail: mailto:citizenyfeedback@

gmail.com

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Jailbirds that fl y


is enacted, gaps will remain. FDA does not consider serious toxicity concerns such as hormone disruption when approving new sun fi lters. The new rules would also still allow sun-screen makers to use ingredients like vitamin A that can damage the skin in sunlight, and would fail to require makers to measure sunscreen stabil-ity despite ample evidence that many products break down quickly in sun-light. --Posted by pooja at 2:27 AM


“It was in the year 2000, The Golden Jubilee Year - when a group of Divine Mercy devotees started to receive vi-sions, messages and instructions from Jesus to start to build the Church of His Mercy,” the testimony is told in a pamphlet -- published by the non-profit group Divine Mercy Founda-tion of Mindanao -- and explains the mystery behind the Divine Mercy Hills shrine.

However the response was not an immediate yes.

“For three straight years the group ignored the Lord’s request to build His Church out of fear and worry.”

They only had P2,000 pesos in the

bank. “It was an enormous task that the

Lord was asking them. They had mixed feelings of doubts and uncer-tainties how this project, which will be funded from solicitations and dona-tions, will materialize. Their fears and worries even became bigger with with the catastrophic disaster of the Twin Towers in New York USA in 2001.”

The narrative continues, “However, God’s ways are not man’s ways and the Lord rebuked them for their lack of faith with this message, “Why do you doubt? The fact that you have doubts indicate that you do not know your God, as you should. If your prayer life is infiltrated with doubts, you have denied yourself the greatest single av-enue of power that your God has made available to you. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Obedience to my commands always bring fulfill-ment. When I give you instructions, obey immediately and watch My per-fect plan unfold in your life.”

God won out. “Armed only with deep faith in the Mercy and providence of the Lord and convinced of the urgency of the message” the group, comprised of homemakers and ordinary towns-folk, frantically followed up with years of activity and outreach letting divine intervention miraculously clear the path that was once obscured by doubt and incredulity.

Today, the 50-foot statue of the Di-vine Mercy Image stands on the hills overlooking the town of El Salvador, now a city, in Misamis Oriental in Mindanao and Macajalar Bay in the east. The red and pale rays in the im-age are made of stairs that lead up to an inner chamber within the heart of the image where a tabernacle awaits the pilgrim. The image stands like a lighthouse for ships at sea.

The symbolism is intentional. Ac-cording to the testimony, “It serves as a beacon of hope for weary souls and a fountain of respite for all people.”

The little town of El Salvador in Mindanao where the Divine Mercy Hills Shrine is ensconced above a val-ley has become a magnet for pilgrims and travelers from all over the Philip-pines and many parts of the world ea-ger to see the wonders of mercy that the Lord has wrought in this remote part of the world. Among them are the faithful who carry out the deeds prayers and words asked in the “Di-ary: Divine Mercy in My Soul” by Sister Faustina which reads, “I desire that the whole world know my infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.” (Diary 687)

“The site would be in this century what Fatima was in its own century according to the Lord,” explained Paquita Adaza, the spokesperson for

A Pilgrimage Site for this Century? Plan for Church Underway Behind 50-foot Statue

Divine Mercy Hills Shrine in El Salvador, Mindanao is Holy Ground claims prayer group

the Divine Mercy Foundation of Min-danao, Inc. and one of the members of the charismatic prayer group that was inspired to carry out the enormous un-dertaking.

She explained it took their prayer group three years to act but in the end, the numerous signs, encouragement and inspiration from the Lord won out over what seemed insurmount-able obstacles of fear, apprehension, lack of money and procrastination to build a shrine in an obscure town in Mindanao.

“True to His words, when the group submitted to God’s Holy Will, an end-less account of miracles took place, from the discovery of the land, nego-

tiations with lot owners, and finding funds for the purchase of the lots, up to the outpouring of donations for its initial developments and the construc-tion of the P25M-plus, 50-foot statue in only three years.”

Paqits Adaza was in Malibu, Califor-nia for a retreat last week, July 11-16, 2011, where she shared her testimony about the mystery of the shrine and announced the shrine’s last remaining work, the construction of a church for pilgrims which will be consecrated on October 13, 2013.

The church will be built behind the statue and a leading architectural firm capped the design with a unique build-ing frame in the shape of crown of thorns that will adorn its domed roof.

“Time is short,” according to Paqits Diaz, “We were given ten years by the Lord to complete this work. We start-ed in 2003 and we shall end the work in 2012-2013.”

There is a sense of anticipation in her voice. At the same time, one en-counters in the person of Paqits Diaz a sense of peace and joy in the Lord and a total trust in his plan of mercy.

Intercessory Prayer Ministry

The Divine Mercy Intercessory Prayer Ministry, is the powerhouse behind the Foundation according to Paqits Adaza. “This group is com-posed of simple lay people who are blessed with the gifts of visions and prophecy. It is though the members of this group, particularly Agustina Tante, Merlyn Pacana and Marlyn Aguilor, that God revealed His plan to build the Divine Mercy Shrine.”

Shrine Facts

The shrine is currently co-managed by three organizations: the Divine Mercy Foundation of Mindanao, Inc., the Congregation of the Mari-ans of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Inc. headed by Fr. Jam M. Rokosz, MIC, Supe-rior General MIC and Fr. Jan Migacz, MIC, Superior of the Asian Vicarate of MIC, and the Archdiocese of Ca-gayan de Oro headed by Archbishop

Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J. The Rector of the Archdiosesan Shrine of Divine Mercy is Fr. Walerian Pozniak, MIC.

The Divine Mercy Hills will feature complete retreat and seminar facilities. Places for reflection and meditation such as Mary’s Rosary Garden and the Stations of the Cross will sprawl over the 12-hectare area.

The 50-foot Statue of Jesus Christ of Divine Mercy is at the center of the shrine. Its base houses the recon-ciliation rooms while the heart holds a chamber of adoration.

Divine Mercy Hills Information

A book “Mysteries and Miracles: Divine Mercy Hills” details the work of shrine and is available from Divine Mercy Publications, owned by the Di-vine Mercy Foundation of Mindanao. For more information, email [email protected].

Healing Waters

The book “Mysteries and Miracles” contains testimonies of the many miracles witnessed at the shrine. It re-calls how hidden springs in the hills of the shrine were discovered after much discernment and prayers dur-ing the early days of construction at the shrine grounds when construction crews experienced the hardship haul-ing water up from the foothills.

Testimonies

One testimony is of the healing of a Muslim woman Nurhina Marcampo Udin in July 2007 as reported by Mrs. Raquel E. Cabarron in July 2007.

Another, Alma A. Jovero of Dum-aguete City claimed she was healed

of her arthritis after drinking the heal-ing water. Her son, Wilfredo Jovero Jr. was also healed of his drug addic-tion on the Feast of Divine Mercy last April 15, 2007.

Miracles

According to the book “Mysteries

and Miracles” (Page 44) Divine Mercy Hills is Holy Ground. And accounts of miracles give proof to the claim of the visionaries that the place is set apart by divine design.

The site was first visited by the prayer group on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, Feb 11 in a village coincidentally named “El Salvador” (The Savior).

“The Lord in a message said, He prepared this place a long time ago. It is a place of healing and conversion. A safe refuge where weary souls come

for rest.” according to Paqits Adaza.

Our Lady of the Snows

El Salvador’s patron saint is Our Lady of the Snows. Our Lady of the Snows commemorates the miracle of how an unusual snowfall in the mid-

LETTER FROM DIVINE MERCY FOUNDATION OF MINDANAO (PHILS), INC.

Office of the Foundation of the Foundation President, Divine Mercy Hills, PSB-Ulali-man, El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Cell No. 639228556429 (Lorna) /

639228556437 (Joy) Email: [email protected] * website: www.divinemercyhills.com

Dear Friend,

Thank you for responding to our invitation to be our partner in con-structing the Church of Divine Mercy for Mindanao.

Your generosity will be greatly rewarded by the Lord with His manifold blessings and Mercy as he had promised, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)

At the donation pledge form, you may choose the amount you want to pledge and the scheme of payment.

If you decide to give postdated checks, please address it to The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro in Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy and mark it with “PAYEES ACCOUNT ONLY.”

For cash donation, please deposit to: The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro in Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy at Banco de Oro (BD)) - R.N. Pelaez, Cagayan de Oro Branch, Account No. 6600051441, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.

Your official receipt will be mailed back to you as soon as we receive your cash donation or your check is cleared.

We are inviting you to visit us at the Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salva-dor City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines.

May the merciful Lord reward you for your gift.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

MRS. PAQUITA G. ADAZAFoundation President

dle of summer in the month of Au-gust in Rome marked the footprint of where the Basilica of St. Mary Major was eventually built in the year 352 to honor the wishes of the Blessed Mother.

Unexplained Signs

At the Divine Mercy Hills Shrine many have witness many unexplained signs.

According to eyewitness reports, “In August 25, 2004 one visitor, Mike Dial, a balikbayan from Sacramento, California, saw a flash of light like a bright morning star moving around the vicinity of the Divine Mercy Hills. It stopped above the spot where the Divine Mercy Statue is now standing. It was revealed in a vision to a mem-ber of the intercessory prayer group that the bright morning star is the one protecting the place which is holy ground.” (See bottom photo.)

Pilgrims also witnessed a celestial phenomenon also witnessed at Fa-

tima, the miracle of the sun, in April 2004 on Good Friday after a recitation of the Stations of the Cross. It would not be the only time. Several times the dancing sun appeared especially the celebration of the Feast of Mercy (Sunday after Easter) and the birthday of the Blessed Virgin (Sept 8).

Shrine Visit

Pilgrims are advised to observe a prayerful atmosphere when they visit the shrine. To spend time in the cha-pel praying the Chaplet of Mercy and simply communicating with the Lord. It is likewise advised for pilgrims to observe dress codes when visiting the shrine. Avoid wearing revealing dresses and shorts. This is a holy place not a picnic ground.

For more details about pilgrimage to Divine Mercy Hills, please call the of-fice of the Divine Mercy Foundation Mindanao (Phil), Inc. at Telephone No (088) 350-9095 or text 09295468052. -- AJ [email protected]

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