asian journal oct 29 - nov 4, 2010

Get Out and Vote!

All Saints’ Day: Zacchaeus: from sin to

repentance. ...p. 15

(Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 22)

(Continued on page 9)

October 29 - November 4, 2010

Elections 2010Msgr. Gutierrez Ogie CruzPinakamagaling na aktres sa lahat ng panahon... p. 22

Warning: The California Department of Real Estate has not examined this offering, including but not limited to the condition of title, the status of blanket liens of the project (if any), arrangements to assure project completion, escrow practices, control over project management, racially discriminatory practice (if any), terms, conditions, and price of the offer, control over annual assessments (if any), or the availability of water services, utilities, or improvements. It may be advisable for you to consult an attorney or other knowledgeable professional who is familiar with real estate and development law in the country where this subdivision is situated.

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Itochu Corp. of Japan is investing $120 million in an ethanol plant in San Mariano, Isabela, which is expected to become the Philippines’ biggest and the only integrated biofuel plant by 2012.

The project would be under-taken by Green Future Innova-tions Inc. (GFII), a joint venture of Itochu, another Japanese firm JGC Corp., the Philippine Bio-ethanol and Energy Investments Corp., and Taiwanese holding firm GCO.

Under the plan, the joint

venture will plant sugarcane over an 11,000 hectares in San Mariano. It will employ an estimated 15,000 people in farm and 500 in the plant.

“We’re just waiting for its proclamation as an economic zone before we can start con-struction),” said GFII Chief Executive Officer Alexander Uy in an interview at the sidelines of the Philippine Corn Congress in Reina Mercedes, Isabela.

The GFII expects to avail of tax and other incentives as a pioneering biofuel producer from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s (PEZA).

The San Mariano ethanol plant will become the country’s biggest ethanol plant with a capacity of 54 million liters per year. Other ethanol producers now are the San Carlos Bioener-gy Inc. which has a 37 million-liter annual capacity, and Roxol Bioenergy Inc., 30 million-liter capacity.

On top of the ethanol pro-duction, GFII will produce 19 megawatt (MW) of electricity from bagasse, a sugarcane re-sidual, of which 13 MW will be sold to the national grid.

Uy said the GFII plant in San Mariano will be a greenfield plant in that it will have a sug-arcane farm whose production will largely be used for ethanol. It will be the only fully inte-grated (production-processing) ethanol plant.

“We will be planting, grow-ing sugarcane. We’ll be creating value with new farms developed

Japan’s Itochu invests $120M in Isabela ethanol plantPROMISED LAND

A Gift from Heaven“Hulog siya ng langit sa

atin (She’s a gift from heaven),” she told her hus-band who was still with-holding judgment until

the final ruling. But in her heart, Ditas was already convinced Mikaela was

her daughter. Like she had said, Ditas believed she’s a gift from heaven, granted

through the intercession of her deceased father. This

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sion of “Mikaela”.

By Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.Publisher & Editor

Asian Journal San DiegoThe Original and First Asian Journal In America

See page 9

Veritas taps Smart for e-trading project to benefit urban poor

Shown in the photo during the MOA-signing ceremony held recently (from left to right) are: Perry V. Bayani, Marketing Group Head for Talk ‘N Text; Orlando B. Vea, SMART Chief Wireless Advisor; Manuel V. Pan-gilinan, PLDT and Smart Chairman; Fr. Benigno P. Beltran, SVD, Chair-man and CEO of Veritas; Carlos Palad, COO of Veritas; Girlie Santos, Environment Planner for Veritas.

Residents of Tondo may soon enjoy the benefits of buying and selling goods over the internet through a joint e-trading project of Veritas Social Empower-ment, Inc. (Veritas) and leading wireless services provider, Smart Communi-cations, Inc. (Smart).

Veritas, an NGO that is helping in the rehabilitation

of Smokey Mountain and Tondo, will use Smart’s communication and e-com-merce solutions to support the area’s livelihood activi-ties. As an initial engage-ment, Smart will power the Veritas infoboard system, a two-way web-based information system that will allow members of the

PAGUDPUD SHIP OIL SPILL. A Korean cargo ship is grounded on the top of the corals in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte as it continues to spill fuel to the sea and is listed on its left after it was left months ago by its crew when the Bureau of Customs stopped it from sailing. The ship also appears to be looted of its equipment as a rope is attached from its side to a tree under-neath the Pagudpud Bridge. PINOY GONZALES/ PNS

DIRECTV, the world’s most popular video service, will turn couches into ring-side seats for the highly anticipated boxing event, Pacquiao vs. Margarito, on Nov. 13. DIRECTV will offer boxing fans the chance to experience sweat-soaked history as Filipino boxing super-

star and world sensation, Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, fights for an unprecedented eight division world championship title at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas. The title at stake is the World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Welterweight Championship.

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Recently named “Fighter of the De-cade” by the Boxing Writers Association of America, the fighting congress-man from the

Philippines will be battling, not for pride, but - according to the “People’s Champ” himself - for the “glory of the Philippines.” Pacquiao is ranked the number-one fighter “Pound-for Pound” by ESPN.com and “The Ring.” In the other corner of the ring, and bent on changing history himself, is Mexican Antonio “Tony” Margarito, known as the “Tijuana Tornado.”

October 29 - November 4, 2010Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com

In years past, a minor child who is the benefi ciary of an immigrant petition (either directly or as a derivative benefi ciary) of an immigrant petition must set foot in U.S. soil before he turns 21 years old, otherwise, he will lose im-migration benefi ts as a minor child. So much of a minor child’s fate is left at the mercy of the USCIS and the Depart-ment of State. Previously, processing delays from these government agencies would result in families being sepa-rated for many years.

The passing of the Child Status Protection Act of 2002 (“CSPA”) which took effect on August 6, 2002 provided for “age out” protections allowing minor children to retain their classifi cation as minor children even if he or she has reached the age of 21.

Minor Children of U.S. citizens

Provided the U.S. citizen parent fi les the immigrant petition on behalf of the minor child while he is under 21 years old, his age will be “frozen” on the date his U.S. citizen parent fi led the immi-grant petition. For example, if the U.S. citizen parent fi led the immigrant petition for his minor child when he was 20 years old, under the provisions of the CSPA, for immigration

CSPA’s “Age Out” Protectionspurposes, his age will remain at 20 years old regardless of the processing time it takes for the child to acquire lawful permanent residence status.

Minor Children of Law-ful Permanent Residents Who Subsequently Natural-ize

In instances where the immigrant petition was fi led for the minor child while his parent was a lawful perma-nent resident and the parent subsequently naturalizes, the minor child’s age is “frozen” on the date his parent natural-izes provided he was under the age of 21 years old at that time.

Minor Children of Law-ful Permanent Residents

Minor children of law-ful permanent residents are subject to visa availability. Thus, for a child to retain his classifi cation as a minor child, he has to be under the age of 21 on the date a visa number becomes available under his preference category. To determine his age on the date the visa number becomes

available, the period of time the petition was pending is deducted from his age (the number of days between the date the petition was fi led and the date the petition was approved) at the time a visa number is available under his preference category. For example, a lawful permanent resident parent fi les an im-migrant petition on October 1, 2006 for his minor child who was born on October 1, 1997. At the time he fi led the immigrant petition, his minor child was exactly 19 years old according the child F-2A preference category status (minor child of a lawful per-manent resident). The immi-grant petition was pending for three years and was approved on October 1, 2009. A visa

number becomes available under this preference category on October 2010. The real age of the minor child is now 23 years old. However, his “CSPA age” is only 20 years old (by deducting the 3 years when the petition was pend-ing from his age at the time the visa is available under his preference category). Hence, while his real age is 23 as of

October 2010, his CSPA age is only 20 years old and he is still deemed a minor child for immigration purposes.

Minor Children As De-rivative Benefi ciaries

Minor children are also deemed as derivative benefi -ciaries of their parents who have been petitioned by their siblings (aunts and uncles of the minor children) or by their parents (minor children’s grandparents). The same calculation provided in the immediately preceding para-graph is used to determine the age of the minor child. For example, a child was born on October 1, 1988. On March 1, 1991, an immigrant peti-tion was fi led on behalf of the minor child’s father by his brother thereby according

him F4 prefer-ence category (brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens). The immigrant peti-tion was pending for 5 years before it was approved. On October 2010, the visa numbers under this prefer-ence category become available. The real age of the minor child as of October 2010 is 22 years old.

However, the minor child’s CSPA age is only 17 years old (by deducting the period of time the immigrant petition was pending, in this case 5 years, from his age at the time the visa numbers under his father’s preference category is available).

If a child’s age is deter-mined to be under 21 years old, he will benefi t from the CSPA provided he seeks to acquire lawful permanent residence status within one year of the date the visa be-came available.

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ABS-CBN proved to have not just quality top-rating programs but values-oriented programs as well which were recognized in the recent Catholic Mass Media Awards 2010 where it bagged major recognitions on television and radio categories.

Seven out of the 13 recogni-tions for TV went to ABS-CBN shows namely “Kulilits” for best program for children and youth; “Si Bro ang Star ng Pasko 2000” for station ID; “Maalaala Mo Kaya” for drama series; “Ang Aming mga Sala” for TV special; “TV Patrol Sabado” for special event coverage; “Rated K” for news magazine program; and “TV Patrol” for news program.

Top-rating ‘santaserye’ “Agua Bendita” was given a special citation alongside weekend public service program “Failon Ngayon” and reality-talk show “Bottomline.”

DZMM, on the other hand, dominated the night winning six out of seven CMMA’s for radio which include best branded radio ad for “Child Labor: Piko,” counseling program for “Dr. Love,” drama program for

In the service of the Filipino, in the service of God…ABS-CBN reaps major honors in 2010

Catholic Mass Media Awards

TV Patrol anchors Julius Babao, Karen Davila and Ted Failon

“Maalaala Mo Kaya,” business radio news or feature for “Sikap Pinoy,” public service program for “Tambalang Failon at San-chez,” news program for “Radyo Patrol Balita,” and news com-mentary for “Pasada Sais Trenta.”

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN Publishing bagged the Best Special Feature award in the print category with its “Paalam Cory: An ABS-CBN Commemorative Special.”

Star Recording Inc’s “May Bukas Pa” also took home a CMMA for Best Album-Inspira-tional. A special citation for Best Public Service program was also awarded to ABS-CBN Cebu’s “Halad sa Kapamilya.”

The CMMA is a tribute to those who are serving God through the mass media pro-fession and promote Christian values in an outstanding way, in radio, press, advertising, televi-sion and fi lm. Archdiocese of Manila through His Eminence Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, organized the CMMA in 1978 to stress the importance of mass me-dia and instill a sense of responsi-bility in communicators.

Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.comOctober 29 - November 4, 2010


Bill’s Corner

Read Bill Labestre’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Bill Labestre, MBA

In most Filipino homes, we can find older parents who were petitioned by their children. Some of them may have been living here for many years and became naturalized citizens. Others, only lasted a short time and decided to go back home to the Philippines. Still, a num-ber of them stayed here and toughed it out for the sake of other family members that were left behind.

My wife petitioned her Mom the same year we moved to San Diego and finally joined us in 1987. She is the main reason how my wife was able to pursue a nursing career. She was a big help in caring for our young kids then. I was also able to attend night school in 1993 - 1994 to obtain my MBA. Now at 86, Nanay is still active and independent.

Some of us are fortunate to have parents or in laws who are understanding and less trouble-some. Nobody is perfect but, somehow we learned how to get along. It is just a matter of respecting each other.

In some cases, older parents are more of a problem than help to their busy children. They made the lives of their own children and in laws miser-able. They wanted more atten-tion focused on them. Some are too demanding or will not listen to reasons. They still want to run households which belong to their children.

On the other hand, there are people who never under-stood the older parent’s situa-tions. These are your parents and not your servants. They also need some time for them-selves and chance to socialize with other people their age and can speak the same language.

Life in the U.S.A. can be

tough for some older parents arriving from the Philippines. If they are not healthy enough to move around on their own, they are stuck in the house. They are at the mercy of their children and in laws. They may have no problem helping with house-hold chores or baby sitting but, not watching those disrespect-ful and ungrateful older grand-children.

Some of these parents have decided to live on their own by renting rooms or liv-ing with other senior citizens. Maybe they had enough fric-tions with their children and in laws. Other times, these are selfish parents who failed to realize how they got here.

It’s fortunate for the older parents who receive SSI from the government. At least they have money to help their kids here and those in the native land. A few used their welfare money to frequent the local Indian Casinos. Maybe they are expecting to win big and become instant millionaires. Many have died waiting.

Some of those who do not collect SSI yet, had to do some-thing to earn money. Lucky are those who get paid babysitting their grandkids. Others have no choice but to stick around and suffer the loneliness for the sake of the petitioned family members still in the Philip-pines.

The sad truth is that a few of these elders may end up in Nursing Homes. Most of the time, it’s not an option but a pure necessity. Nobody can take care of them at home for 24 hours a day. Couples have to go to work to pay their bills.

Well, maybe USA is not a place for your old parents.

The Elders

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

Two elderly women were eating breakfast in a restaurant one morning. Ethel noticed something funny about Ma-bel’s ear and she said, ‘’Ma-bel, do you know you’ve got a suppository in your left ear?’

Mabel answered, ‘I have a suppository in my ear?’ She pulled it out and stared at it. Then she said, ‘Ethel, I’m glad you saw this thing. Now I think I know where to find my hearing aid.’

***When the husband finally

died his wife put the usual death notice in the paper, but added that he died of gonorrhea. No sooner were the papers delivered when a friend of the family phoned and complained bitterly, ‘You know very well that he died of diarrhea, not gonorrhea.’ Re-plied the widow, ‘I nursed him night and day so of course I know he died of diarrhea, but I thought it would be better for posterity to remember him as a great lover rather than the big shit he always was.’

***An elderly couple were

on a cruise and it was really

Ethel and Mabelstormy. They were stand-ing on the back of the boat watching the moon, when a wave came up and washed the old woman overboard. They searched for days and couldn’t find her, so the cap-tain sent the old man back to shore with the promise that he would notify him as soon as they found something. Three weeks went by and finally the old man got a fax from the boat. It read: ‘Sir, sorry to inform you, we found your wife dead at the bottom of the ocean. We hauled her up to the deck and attached to her butt was an oyster and in it was a pearl worth $50,000. Please advise.’

The old man faxed back: ‘Send me the pearl and re-bait the trap.’

***A funeral service is being

held for a woman who has just passed away. At the end of the service, the pall bear-ers are carrying the casket out when they accidentally bump into a wall, jarring the casket. They hear a faint moan. They open the casket and find that the woman is actually alive! She lives for ten more years, and then dies. Once again, a ceremony is held, and at the end of it, the pall bearers are again carrying out the cas-ket. As they carry the casket towards the door, the husband cries out, ‘Watch that wall!’

***When I went to lunch to-

day, I noticed an old lady sit-ting on a park bench sobbing her eyes out. I stopped and asked her what was wrong.

She said, ‘I have a 22 year old husband at home. He makes love to me every morning and then gets up and makes me pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit and freshly ground coffee.’

I said, ‘Well, then why are you crying?’

She said, ‘He makes me homemade soup for lunch and my favorite brownies and then makes love to me for half the afternoon.

I said, ‘Well, why are you crying?’

She said, ‘For dinner he makes me a gourmet meal with wine and my favorite dessert and then makes love to me until 2:00 a.m.’

I said, ‘Well, why in the world would you be crying?’

She said, ‘I can’t remember where I live!’

***Two elderly ladies had

been friends for many de-cades. Over the years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.

One day they were play-ing cards when one looked at the other and said, ‘Now don’t get mad at me....I know we’ve been friends for a long time.....but I just can’t think of your name! I’ve thought and thought, but I can’t remember it. Please tell me what your name is.’

Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her. Finally she said, ‘How soon do you need to know?’

THE SENILITY PRAYER

Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the dif-ference.

Now, I think you’re supposed to send this to 5 or 6, maybe 10.

Oh heck, send it to a bunch of your friends if you can remember who they are.

Then something is supposed to happen . . . I think.........

A veteran of 14 world championship fights, the hard-hitting Margarito is a former three-time Welterweight World Champion.

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Antonio, a native and citi-zen of Venezuela, entered the United States without inspec-tion in April 2003 and did not depart the United States until February 2007. Anto-nio was thus inadmissible to the United States under our immigration laws for having been unlawfully present in the United States for more than one year. Antonio is mar-ried to a U.S. citizen and they have a child together, born in 2005. Antonio wants to come back and reside in the United States so he could be with his U.S. citizen spouse and child. Antonio then fi led the Appli-cation for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability (Form I-601). The U.S. Citizenship and Im-migration Services (USCIS) denied said application on the ground that Antonio failed to establish that his wife and child would suffer extreme hardship if Antonio were to live in Venezuela.

In general, a foreign national (other than an alien lawfully admitted for per-manent residency) who has been unlawfully present in the United States for one year or more, and who again seeks admission within 10 years of the date of such alien’s de-parture or removal from the United States, is inadmissible. The Department of Home-land Security (DHS) has the sole discretion to waive this inadmissibility in the case of an applicant who is the spouse or son or daughter of a United States citizen or of a legal permanent resident, if it is established to the satisfac-

Winning Your Application for I-601 Waiver

tion of DHS that the refusal of admission to such foreign na-tional would result in extreme hardship to the citizen or legal permanent resident spouse or parent of such alien.

To be successful in I-601 waiver, Antonio must fi rst establish that his U.S. citizen spouse would suffer extreme hardship were she to remain in the United States while Antonio resides abroad due to inadmissibility. Antonio’s wife claimed that she will suffer emotional and fi nancial hardship. In a declaration, she stated that she is suffering depression due to Antonio’s absence. In addition, she noted that prior to Antonio’s departure, he would work nights and care for their child during the day, but since his departure, she is the sole care-giver for her child and such a situation is causing her hard-ship. Finally, Antonio’s wife asserted that prior to Anto-nio’s departure, he was fi nan-cially assisting the household but since he left the United States, she has been forced to move out of her apartment, as she is unable to afford the monthly payments on her own. She was forced to reside with her parents. However, her parents are facing the risk of foreclosure due to interest rate modifi cation and eco-nomic crisis. In support of the emotional hardship, Antonio’s wife submitted her diagnosis of depression, her need for an-tidepressants, and the recom-mendation that she be excused from work due to her impair-


by Dr. Ofelia Dirige Founder, President & CEO Kalusugan Community Services

Contemporary Asian American Issues

Read Dr. Dirige’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

men and women have a higher rate of out-group marriage compared to other Asian groups except the Japanese American. More than 50% of FilAms marry outside their ethnic group—18% of Fili-pino men and 39% of Filipina women.

By looks alone, you would not be able to pinpoint my Asian heritage. I am half Mexican, half Filipino. My mother is Filipina, raised in the United States, and my father is Mexican, and immi-grated to this country while a teenager. They both adopted American culture and way of life. Although I consider myself an American, I can-not abandon my family roots. Since my father is from Mex-ico, I have a somewhat stron-ger tie to that heritage. Living so close to Mexico, Spanish is used more frequently, and that is the language I used to com-municate with my Mexican grandparents.

My Filipino grandparents immigrated here before most of their children were born. English was widely used in the Philippines, which made the language transition some-what simple for them. They only used English to com-municate with their children, and were able to practice their religion here (Catholicism) without any trouble due to the high volume of Catholic churches. Although the tran-sition was a fairly easy one (for both my grandparents), it is still a life altering decision, that I owe them. This is my Filipino grandparent’s story.

My Filipino grandpar-ents are Cristina Cañeba and Ananias Manaog. They are from Iriga City, in the prov-ince of Camarines Sur, Phil-ippines. My grandmother Cristina went to college and was able to get her teaching degree within a couple of years. She was a teacher to 1st and 2nd grade students in her town. She revolved to music and folk dance teaching as a permanent position in her school. She had class sizes as big as 46 students. She was able to maintain this job for 5 and one half years.

My grandfather, Ananias, (or Andy) was unable to finish school. He was only able to finish up to the 7th grade. He needed to start working right away for his younger sisters, since his father had aban-doned them, and his mother passed away. He was one of 12 children, and was the youngest of 5 boys. Unfor-tunately all of his brothers passed away due to tuber-culosis, which seemed to be common in their town. My grandfather tried to find work in Manila, but it turned out that you could only get a job

in Manila if you already had money and was established. He ended up working on a Filipino Army Base shining shoes.

Then he joined the military by stating that he had an extra two years of schooling. This did not affect him academical-ly since the school curriculum in the Philippines was some-what advanced. He remained in the military for 22 years. During that time he was sent to Vietnam, and was even captured by the Japanese. He walked in the infamous walk of Bataan, and was one of the few who survived. He was then offered to serve in the US military, which opened

the opportunity to move to the United States.

My grandfather had to work hard to secure my grand-mother’s hand in marriage. She was engaged to a lawyer, but knew that my grandfather was the one for her. They married, and had their first daughter, Marie, in the Philip-pines. Once my grandfather was enlisted to join the US Army, and was set to move to the United States, he had to convince my grandmother. He told her, “Don’t blame me if I find another wife.” With that said, she was US bound. She had to let her family know. Her father said that if he ever got ill, like most people in their town, he would only last about a week, due

to the poor health conditions. He asked her if she would be able to make it if that ever happened. She knew she might not.

My grandparents arrived in the United States in 1959. They were first stationed in an Air Force Base in Alabama. They were there for a year. My grandmother noted that when she was there, she only met one other Filipino. Rac-ism was strong when they ar-rived. She noted a time when she rode the city bus off base and all of the African Ameri-cans were standing in the back of the bus. She saw a Japanese woman sitting in the back with her white American

husband. My grandmother wondered why she was sitting back there, since her skin was pale. My grandmother considered herself white, and only used the white facilities vs. the “colored” facilities. Thank goodness no one ques-tioned her rationalization, as other foreigners may not have been so lucky. She spent most of her time on the military base where she was protected.

A year later they moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where they had three daughters, Charlene, Carol, and Cindy (my mother). My grandfather was in and out of the states on leave, so my grandmother was mostly alone, taking care of the children. Eventually they were stationed in San Diego, while my grandfather worked at Nasco in National City, helping build ships. My grandmother was never able to work, since my grandfather was away so often. They had their youngest child and first boy, Ronnie, in San Diego. My grandparents decided that they would not teach their children to speak Filipino. They said it was too hard. Luckily, they were able to continue to cook lumpia and pancit, the backbone of my family’s Filipino culture.

They ended up retiring in San Diego. My grandfather was able to go to Adult School and get his general education, which my grandmother helped him attain. They met many Filipinos here, and became life-long friends. In 1976, my Aunt Marie was the Miss Philippines of the Bicol Club that my grandparents were a part of. She was able to win a trip to the Philippines and took my grandmother. Unfor-tunately my great-grandfather

had passed away before she was able to make the trip, but she was able to see her mother. Her mother was close to her deathbed as well, and told my grandmother not to worry about making the trip back. That was the last time my grandmother was in the Philippines.

I asked my grandmother if she would ever go back to the Philippines. She said there was nothing left for her there. Everyone she once knew is gone, and the only one left there is her brother. I asked her if she could choose be-tween the United States and the Philippines, which one she would choose. She said,

“United States of course!” She likes the weather here better, and likes how certain things are read-ily available here, such as cabbage. She prefers the education as well as the health care system. Not only that, she is glad that she was able to raise her children in a house and not

had to worry about the poor health conditions. I am glad my grandparents moved to the United States, and were able to keep their culture.

***

Jeannette is a student majoring in at San Di-ego State University. She is a student of Dr. Dirige in Asian Studies 310, “Contemporary Issues in Asian American Communities.”

=======

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Perspectives

ASIAN JOURNALThe first Asian-Filipino weekly in Southern CaliforniaAn award-winning newspaper, it is San Diego’s most

widely circulated Asian-Filipino newspaper!

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

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

by Miles Beauchamp

This is an interesting take on “No Child Left Behind.” Teachers will enjoy it, parents will be informed and politi-cians should consider it. “My dentist is great! He sends me reminders so I don’t forget checkups. He uses the latest techniques based on research. He never hurts me, and I’ve got all my teeth.

When I ran into him the other day, I was eager to see if

Sent to me by a teacher…No Dentist Left Behind

he’d heard about the new state program. I knew he’d think it was great.

“Did you hear about the new state program to measure effectiveness of dentists with their young patients?” I said. “No,” he said. He didn’t seem too thrilled. “How will they do that?”

“It’s quite simple,” I said. “They will just count the number of cavities each pa-

tient has at age 10, 14, and 18 and average that to determine a dentist’s rating. Dentists will be rated as excellent, good, average, below average, and unsatisfactory. That way par-ents will know which the best dentists are. The plan will also encourage the less effective dentists to get better,” I said. “Poor dentists who don’t im-prove could lose their licenses to practice.”

“That’s terrible,” he said. “What? That’s not a good atti-tude,” I said. “Don’t you think we should try to improve children’s dental health in this state?”

“Sure I do,” he said, “but that’s not a fair way to deter-mine who is practicing good dentistry.” “Why not?” I said. “It makes perfect sense to me.”

“Well, it’s so obvious,” he said. “Don’t you see that den-tists don’t all work with the same clientele, and that much depends on things we can’t control? For example, I work in a rural area with a high percentage of patients from deprived homes, while some of my colleagues work in upper middle-class neighbor-hoods. Many of the parents I work with don’t bring their children to see me until there is some kind of problem, and I don’t get to do much preven-tive work. Also, many of the parents I serve let their kids eat way too much candy from an early age, unlike more edu-cated parents who understand the relationship between sugar and decay. To top it all off, so many of my clients have well water which is untreated and has no fluoride in it. Do you have any idea how much dif-ference early use of fluoride can make?”

“It sounds like you’re mak-ing excuses,” I said. “I can’t believe that you, my dentist, would be so defensive. After all, you do a great job, and you needn’t fear a little ac-

countability.” “I am not being defensive!” he said. “My best patients are as good as anyone’s, my work is as good as anyone’s, but my average cavity count is go-ing to be higher than a lot of other dentists because I chose to work where I am needed most.” “Don’t’ get touchy,” I said.

“Touchy?” he said. His face had turned red, and from the way he was clenching and unclenching his jaws, I was afraid he was going to dam-age his teeth. “Try furious! In a system like this, I will end up being rated average, below average, or worse. The few educated patients I have who see these ratings may believe this so-called rating is an ac-tual measure of my ability and proficiency as a dentist. They may leave me, and I’ll be left with only the neediest pa-tients. And my cavity average score will get even worse. On top of that, how will I attract good dental hygienists and other excellent dentists to my practice if it is labeled below average?”

“I think you are overreact-ing,” I said. “’Complaining, excuse-making and stone-walling won’t improve dental health’... I am quoting from a leading member of the DOC,” I noted. “What’s the DOC?” he asked.

“It’s the Dental Oversight Committee,” I said, “a group made up of mostly lay persons to make sure dentistry in this state gets improved.”

“Spare me,” he said, “I can’t believe this. Reasonable people won’t buy it,” he said hopefully.

The program sounded reasonable to me, so I asked, “How else would you mea-sure good dentistry?”

“Come watch me work,” he said. “Observe my pro-cesses.” “That’s too complicated, expensive and time-consuming,” I said.

“Cavities are the bottom line, and you can’t argue with the bottom line. It’s an absolute measure.”

“That’s what I’m afraid my parents and prospective patients will think. This can’t be happening,” he said de-spairingly. “Now, now,” I said, “don’t despair. The state will help you some.”

“How?” he asked. “If you receive a poor

rating, they’ll send a dentist who is rated excellent to help straighten you out,” I said brightly. “You mean,” he said, “they’ll send a dentist with a wealthy clientele to show me how to work on se-vere juvenile dental problems with which I have probably had much more experience? BIG HELP!”

“There you go again,” I said. “You aren’t acting pro-fessionally at all.” “You don’t get it,”

he said. “Doing this would be like grading schools and teachers on an average score made on a test of children’s progress with no regard to influences outside the school, the home, the community served and stuff like that. Why would they do some-thing so unfair to dentists? No one would ever think of doing that to schools.” I just shook my head sadly, but he had bright-ened. “I’m going to write my representatives and senators,” he said. “I’ll use the school analogy. Surely they will see the point.”

He walked off with that look of hope mixed with fear and suppressed anger that I, a teacher, see in the mirror so often lately.”

I didn’t write this but I wish I had…

Introduction:Filipinos have a long tradi-

tion of intermarriage with people of various ethnicities and backgrounds. One obvi-ous reason is that Filipinos are of a mixed heritage, i.e., 22% according to the U.S. census 2000. The historical background from the Philip-pines showed pre-colonial contacts with Chinese, Japa-nese, Indian and Muslim traders and colonization by Spanish and American con-querors that intermarried with native Filipina women.

Another reason is their ex-posure to different races here in America but with similar culture, values, and experi-ences that draws them to each another. One out of four FilAm women was married to a white non-Hispanic. Howev-er, they also enter interracial marriages of all combina-tions especially Latinos as an example in this story.

Filipino American (FilAm)

Guest Writer: Jeannette Rascon

By looks alone, you would not be able to pinpoint my Asian heritage.

I am half Mexican, half Filipino. My mother is Filipina, raised in the United States, and my father is Mexican, and immigrated

to this country while a teenager.They both adopted American culture and way of life. I am glad my grandparentsmoved to the United States, and were able to

keep their culture and pass it on to their children.


Nominations/Statements • of Interest due November 26, 2010

Please submit your nomi-nations or statement of interest by email to [email protected] by November 26. Please in-clude a 1-paragraph statement or CV explaining your interest in serving on FALSD’s Board. Positions are as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, 5 Board Members, 3 Student Board Members. In accordance with the By-Laws, the VP may also serve as President-Elect for the following year.

2011 FALSD Board of Directors Elections

General Election Meet-• ing (Happy Hour location, TBD) will be held Decem-ber 8 at 5:30 p.m. Voting by Ballot will remain open until December 15th for members who are unable to attend the meeting.Installation of FALSD • Board for 2011 will be at the FALSD/PALSD 33rd Annual Dinner on January 27, 2011 at The Bristol, 6:30 p.m.Contact falsd1@gmail.• com for more information.

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

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“Basta hating kapatid tayo. Walang lamangan”, Milet told her six brothers and sisters. Being the eldest in the family, she has to make sure that her siblings get their fair share in the property left behind by their parents. Their father passed away eight years ago and then their mother fol-lowed three years later.

Their parents did not bother to leave any last will, perhaps because their estate consists solely of a 4,000 square meter compound in Va-lenzuela. It has one big house and six bungalows. Milet re-mained single and stayed with their parents in the big house, so they all agreed that she would get the big house. The six bungalows were assigned to the other six children. They were scattered in the com-pound so that each of them gets the same land area.

There are actually eight children but Carding – the second child – left home a long time ago, The last time they heard, Carding went with his friends to Mindanao to prospect for lead metal left behind by the Japanese during World War II. Their parents died without getting any more news about Card-ing, so everyone presumed he was kidnapped and killed by terrorists. They presumed quite correctly. Carding got involved in a deal that turned sour and his business partners had him silenced. But before he died, Carding got married and begot a son named Rico.

One day, Carding’s widow came with Rico to the com-pound and introduced them-selves to her in-laws. There was no doubt that Rico is Carding’s son. They not only look alike. The marriage contract and the young boy’s birth certificate legally prove that Rico is their legitimate nephew.

How do they now divide the estate?

Let us analyze the se-quence of events. We will digress a little to explain more clearly how the estate should be divided.

We will assume that the compound was the conjugal property of Milet’s parents. This means that the compound was owned one-half by their father and one-half by their mother. When their father died, only his one-half share passed to his heirs. The other one-half remained untouched as property of their mother.

Their father’s heirs were his widow and children who inherited in equal shares. At this point, it is necessary to determine the number of heirs to know how many parts their father’s estate should be di-vided into. More specifically, should Carding be counted as an heir? The answer is yes, regardless of whether Carding was still alive when his father died. But let us qualify this. If Carding was still alive when his father died, then he in-herited directly. On the other hand, if Carding was already dead when his father died, then his son Rico would take his place by representation. The Philippine Civil Code says that “the representative

(Rico) is raised to the place and the degree of the person represented (Carding), and acquires the rights which the latter would have if he were living or if he could have inherited.”

Now, the smart aleck among us might ask, what if Carding and his father both died before Rico was born, when Rico was still in his mother’s womb? Carding is dead and Rico is not yet alive, so how can Rico inherit? In this situation, the law consid-ers Rico to be already alive. Again, the Philippine Civil Code says that “the conceived child shall be considered born for all purposes that are favor-able to it.’

If we were to digress a little bit further, what about Carding’s widow? Does she get anything from the estate? This is when the timing of Carding’s death becomes relevant. If he survived his fa-ther, then he inherited directed from his estate. When he died, his heirs were his widow and Rico, who inherit from him equally. The same rule applies if Carding survived his moth-er. If Carding predeceased both his parents, his widow gets nothing.

Another thing we should stress is that the heirs inherit at the moment of the dece-dent’s death, without need of doing anything. The last will or extra-judicial settlement only formalizes the succession by the heirs. So even if the heirs did nothing eight years ago when the father died, their inaction did not affect their

“Hating Kapatid”(How to Share Your Parents’ Estate)

successional rights. If ever, they will have to pay higher estate taxes because of the penalties.

So, if there were eight children, their mother and the eight children got one-ninth of their father’s one-half share (or 1/18 of the whole com-pound). Since their mother retained ownership of one-half (or 9/18), plus her 1/18 inheritance, she owned 10/18 of the compound. Each of the eight children owned 1/18 of the compound.

Then, when their mother died, her 10/18 ownership of the compound passed to her children equally. Bottom line is that the seven children and Rico get 1/8 each of the compound. But remember, there are only seven houses consisting of the big house and six bungalows, so they may a problem on how they will divide the estate. But, as they say, there are many ways to skin a cat.

The first option is to physi-cally divide the compound into eight portions, but al-though doable, this may not be feasible because of there are only seven houses. The second option is to sell the compound and divide the pro-ceeds by eight, but again this may not be practicable since it will displace the current occu-pants. We believe that the best option is for Milet and her sib-lings to buy out Rico’s share. We are sure that his mother would find this last option ac-ceptable and may even settle for a lower-than-market price, unless she relishes the idea of living in the same place with their newly found relatives who may not be at all pleased to get less than their expected inheritance.

Caveat : This hypothetical is based on Philippine law. U.S. laws may provide differ-ently.

Atty. Rogelio Karagdag , Jr. is licensed to practice law in both California and the Philippines. He practices im-migration law in San Diego and has continuously been a trial and appellate attorney in the Philippines since 1989.

SOMEWHERE IN TIME

If you find yourself faced with something you didn’t expectIt is but Life presenting you with a twist of FateI have no illusions or expectations of you, dear oneOnly of what you could be as my soulmate.For there are really no questions to be asked hereThey’ve already been answered before they were even raised. And even if we are oceans apartYou will always be in my heartFor although you are so far awayYou are with me to stay.For distance is not a matter of space and timeTogetherness is a state of mind and emotion. Let your tears of lonelinessBe replaced with tears of happinessTo water the secret garden of my heartA paradise of peace, a haven for restAnd keep alive the song in my heartThe melody of love, a miracle that’s blest. Let my angel wings shelter you from the stormAnd let my loving embrace keep you warmLet my prayers carry you through your lonely dayAnd let my lips dry away your tears and kiss your pains awayLet my words reassure you when doubts overcomeAnd let me be the pillar you lean on when faith doesn’t come. Let my breath be the breeze on your hair and cheeksThe air to sway the leaves on earth’s verdant treesTo nudge the clouds to their daily destinationAnd provide the field for angels to play onWill they ever reach the point to meet the starsUnderneath the moonlit skies up above us? Time is our ally to realize our dream of a blissful unionBut mortal time, my dear, has its limitationFor we must always rememberThis life’s constant reminder:That the next time is not guaranteedAnd tomorrow is neither promised. So we take advantage of the time we have on handWe must treasure the present’s every secondFor to enjoy Life’s every minuteWe have to grab the gifts that are in itAnd all the secret romantic fragmentsOf a few stolen moments…

By Jesse TiamsonSeattle, Washington

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 of-fice in the Philippines at 1240 Apacible Street, Paco, Ma-nila, Philippines 1007, with telephone numbers (632)522-1199 and (632)526-0326. Please call (858)348-7475/(858)536-4292 or email him at [email protected]. He speaks Tagalog flu-ently. Articles written in this column are not legal advice but are hypotheticals intended as general, non-specific legal information. Readers must seek legal consultation before taking any legal steps.



Street Poetry

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

by Michael R. Tagudin

©2010 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 Slavary & Traffi cking (CAST)”, a non-profi t that provides public awareness and advocacy effforts against human traffi cking in the City of Angels. To learn more, visit www.castla.org. To help, call the CAST 24 hour hotline 888.KEY.2.FRE(EDOM) or 888.539.2373. Contact [email protected] for more information about ordering the book “Crushed Violets.”

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Fred Pierce understands what is important to our families and children. As your school board member he will:

� Work to gain equal SDSU admissions access for our high school graduates.

� Enhance influence in Sacramento so that legislators give us our fair share of the K-12 budget.

� Substantially increase private financial support for our schools.

Frederick W. Pierce for Poway School Board

Fighting for the resources our children deserve!

Fred Pierce for School Board 2010

330 Encinitas Blvd., Ste 101Encinitas, CA 92024

I.D. #1328078

www.FredPierceForSchoolBoard.com

My name is Fred Pierce and I am running for the Poway School Board in next week’s election. I have lived in the Dis-trict for 17 years and currently reside in 4S Ranch with my wife Christine and daughters Peyton (17 – a senior at Westview High School) and Riley (6 – a 1st grader at Stone Ranch Elemen-tary School). I decided to run for the School Board at this time because, given the draco-nian budget environment facing the District and my 20+ years experience in public education, educational fundraising and legislative advocacy for educa-tion, I believe I can make a real difference! To me, a real differ-

Fred Pierce for Poway School Board

ence means “stopping the bleed-ing” related to recent budget cuts, diversifying the District’s sources of revenue (largely through greater private sup-port) and returning the funding for extra-curricular programs, academic support, smaller class sizes, teacher classroom days, and other elements that have been so dramatically cut in recent years. If the budget cuts aren’t curtailed, it will impair the top caliber education fami-lies in the District have enjoyed for many years. I am the only candidate with a plan to stop the bleeding.

If elected, My Priorities

Fred Pierce

include: · Equal Admissions Access

to San Diego State University (SDSU) – Enrollment of PUSD

high school graduates at SDSU is down 38% since 2006 as a result of higher admission stan-dards being applied to graduates from high schools located north of SR-56. I plan to work to have the Poway School District included within SDSU’s service area, so our graduates are not subjected to artifi cially higher admissions standards than their high school peers south of SR-56.

· Increased Private Support – There is a tremendous oppor-tunity to diversify the District’s dependence on the state budget by signifi cantly growing the private support provided to our schools. I intend to work with the existing District and School Foundations to expand the reach of these fundraising organiza-tions and procure funds from alumni, philanthropists, educa-tional foundations, corporate sponsorships and public private partnerships. There are $10s of millions in additional resources that can potentially be gener-ated annually to benefi t PUSD schools.

· Stronger Legislative Advocacy – In the Candidates Forum, several of the candi-dates were openly frustrated and commented that their efforts to infl uence the legislature in Sacramento had come up empty handed. As an integral part of the CSU Board of Trustees’ and statewide CSU Alumni Council legislative advocacy team for 14 years, I have helped to produce signifi cant successes in Sacra-mento including a budget com-pact to stabilize annual funding, new legislation to allow more fl exible use of revenues by the CSU, and successful placement of bond measures on the bal-lot (which were approved by voters). I will use my experi-ence and track record of success in Sacramento to bring K-12 funding equity and operational fl exibility to assist our District.

Background By way of background, with

more than two decades of vol-unteer and philanthropic con-tributions to education, I have the experience and commitment to make an outstanding School

Life is Just a Moment(Poem No. 21)

Life is just a moment A moment of awareness

A moment of feeling Most of the time

I am lost in my thoughts Thinking ... About you .. About me .. About us ..

About our moments .. . ..in life....


PhilippineStories

Read Sim Silverio’s previous articles by visiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Simeon G. Silverio Jr.

LAW OFFICES OF

E.B. ALEJO“20+ Years Experience”Been living in San Diego since 1977

Attorney is available daily on regular business days at the San Diego Office

*Member, California State BarLicensed to practice before the US Federal District CourtSouthern California and California Supreme Court

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*Former San Diego Regional Coordinator for U.S. Immigra-tion Amnesty for Catholic Community Services, Catholic Diocese of San Diego

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

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

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Also Featuring:Debt Negotiation

Bankruptcy AssistanceLoan Consolidation

Chapter 31

(Editor’s Note: To read the previous and weekly install-

ments of this series, visit www.asianjournalusa.com. Once there, click the “News and

Features” heading, then click “Promised Land by Simeon

G. Silverio, Jr.” title to see the list of all chapters of ‘Prom-ised Land’. Click the title of the chapter you want to read and the article will appear.)

Romy and Ditas took the

day off the next day to at-tend to the needs of Mikaela. They brought her to the social welfare service office and explained how the little Mexi-can girl landed in their care. A social worker was assigned to the case. DNA tests for the girl and Romy were scheduled to prove paternity. Under the law, Mikaela would have been endorsed to the custody of foster parents. However Ditas was eager and sincere to care for her. Romy was with the U.S. Navy. They could there-fore provide a stable family environment for the little girl. The social worker agreed to give the couple temporary custody until the case was resolved.

“Sana anak mo nga si Mikaela (I hope Mikaela is your daughter),” Ditas told her husband as they left the agency. “Para makumpleto ang pamilya natin (So our family will be complete).”

Romy felt guilty. Because of his indiscretions in patron-izing prostitutes in nearby Tijuana, Mexico, he got sick and was unable to bear a child. This was one of the reasons why he had become resentful of his wife. He could not be a complete husband to her and to cover up for this inadequacy, he played the role

PROMISED LAND

A Gift from Heavenof a macho and domineering husband, denying his wife the love he professed to her when he was still after her affection.

He too, however, was hop-ing Mikaela was his child. It would be his best chance to become a father, taking care of his own flesh and blood instead of adopting a stranger’s child. But until a paternity test would prove so, he was withholding his love and affection for the little girl, one his own father labeled as anak ng puta (child of a bitch).

But not Di-tas. She had be-stowed uncondi-tional love to the little girl from the day she realized there could be a slight chance she could raise her as her own. It was ironic that while she could be resentful of the child as the product of Romy’s illicit liaison, she was the one eagerly pursuing Mi-kaela rather than her husband. She had long been resigned to the fact that, if ever, she could only be an adoptive mother although she was biologically capable of bearing her own child. Ditas had been raised to stick to her marital vow of never leaving or separat-ing from her spouse. Now a child had landed on her lap whom her husband could truly love if she was proven to be his child. She didn’t have to worry about herself because her good nature was capable of generously bestowing love and affection to anyone, no matter what.

“Hulog siya ng langit sa atin (She’s a gift from heav-en),” she told her husband who was still withholding

judgment until the final ruling. But in her heart, Ditas was already convinced Mikaela was her daughter. Like she had said, Ditas believed she’s a gift from heaven, granted through the intercession of her deceased father. This was why she even bore his name, “Miguel” which is the Spanish and male version of “Mikaela”.

Romy dropped them off at the McDonald’s Ditas was managing so the latter could make sure everything in the restaurant was okay while she was away. He then proceeded to his office to work.

“NAKU, ANG GANDA NG

BATANG IYAN (That child is beautiful),” Ditas’ Filipina co-workers were enthused to

see the child. “Pag laki niya, dalhin mo sa

Pilipinas. Tiyak kukuning ar-tista iyan (When she grows up, take her to the Philippines. Surely, they will get her as a movie star),”

Ditas was all smiles. She was

very happy. Her dream of becom-ing a mother could be fulfilled. Her maternal instincts

could be satisfied.She gave Mikaela a Happy

Meal, a feast she eagerly devoured. In a short time, de-spite their inability to commu-nicate with each other as the girl could only speak Spanish which Ditas could not, the two had bonded like mother and child.

“Take care of the restau-rant,” she told her co-workers afterwards. “I need to shop for clothes for Mikaela.”

Ditas and the girl proceed-ed to the nearby mall which was just walking distance away. She brought Mikaela the clothes and other things she needed at Target’s and treated her to ice cream after-wards. She even got Mikaela a doll of her choice. Ditas was like a little girl herself, dress-ing up her own doll. Mikaela received much love and atten-tion in a single day, perhaps much more than she received during her lifetime of poverty and depravation in the brothel where she was born and raised. Ditas enrolled the girl

in a day care center nearby so she could work. Romy’s parents refused to take care of her during the day so Ditas could save money.

“SHE’S YOUR CHILD,

SHE’S OUR CHILD!” Ditas happily announced to Romy when the latter arrived home after a few weeks. She just received the results of the DNA tests proving Romy is Mikaela’s biological father. Romy could not believe the turn of events. A few weeks ago, he had no hope of ever becoming a dad. In an instant, a daughter landed on his door-step, his own flesh and blood. All the while, he didn’t know he had a daughter being raised in poverty in a Tijuana brothel during the past five years. While he surely missed out on her birth and early upbring-ing, he was grateful he had found his child. It was never too late to catch up.

Romy however did not change from his errant ways overnight. While becoming a father had stoked the paternal instinct in him, his treatment of his martyred wife remained the same. He was still too proud to show the eternal affection he promised Ditas while wooing her. Until he discovered a letter that forever changed the course of their relationship.

(To be continued) (Editor’s Note: To read the

previous and weekly install-ments of this series, visit www.asianjournalusa.com. Once there, click the “News and Features” heading, then click “Promised Land by Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.” title to see the list of all chapters of ‘Prom-ised Land’. Click the title of the chapter you want to read and the article will appear.)

Gift your friends and rela-tives with the book “Promised Land” by Simeon Silverio. Call 619.474.0588.

Tondo community to send and receive real-time announce-ments via SMS broadcasts.

The Talk ‘N Text-powered Infoboard system will provide Tondo residents with a quick and affordable tool to share their feedback and concerns. It will also allow Veritas to pool information, such as im-portant income and consump-tion statistics of Tondo house-holds, and data on the supply chain of food and basic com-modities, to help forecast and manage economic activities in the community.

Another aspect of the partnership will involve the use of Smart Money for the trading activities of Veritas. Smart Money, which is the world’s first reloadable card linked to a mobile phone, will enable Tondo residents to perform fast and secure cashless payment transactions with accredited merchants of the e-trading project. Smart and Veritas have also agreed to develop additional products and services, including an e-PLDT-powered Point-of-Sale (POS) system, that will ad-dress the diverse communica-tion needs of Tondo residents.

“As the country’s leading wireless services provider, we are continuously looking for touch points for nation build-ing,” said PLDT and Smart Chairman, Manuel V. Pang-ilinan. “We are proud to be part of this pioneering initia-tive that will help improve the lives and livelihood of the residents of Tondo.”

Orlando B. Vea, Smart’s Chief Wireless Advisor said that Smart’s participation in the e-trading project sup-ports its longstanding strategy

of democratizing access to its tried and tested commu-nication services. “We are hopeful that by making our wireless services accessible to those from the low-income segment, we will help spur livelihood opportunities and economic growth for this emerging market,” Vea added.

“The e-trading project is part of a bigger picture to achieve the UN’s Millennium Development Goals for the residents of Tondo,” said Fr. Benigno P. Beltran, SVD. “We are happy that Smart has helped us take the first step to reduce poverty and hunger in urban areas.”

According to 2006 report of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 33% of the Philippine population are classified as poor or survive on a daily of income of less than US$1. Tondo, which has a population of close to one million, is predominantly poor.

In 2000, to address the poverty problem in many countries, world leaders agreed to adopt common development goals to be achieved by 2015. Dubbed as the Millennium Develop-ment Goals (MDGs), they have been set to guide the entire international commu-nity to work together towards a common end—to eradicate extreme poverty in its many dimensions. These eight time-bound goals include targets on income poverty, hunger, maternal and child mortality, disease, inadequate shelter, gender inequality, environ-mental degradation and the Global Partnership for Devel-opment.

Veritas taps Smart for e-trading project to benefit urban poor

(Continued from page 1)


Nick Popaditch and some of his core of Grassroots volunteers who proudly call them-selves "Gunny's Corps."

Cee-gar Man: This April 9, 2004 file photo shows Staff Sgt. Nick Popaditch of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines Regi-ment, smoking a cigar while standing on top of his tank, in downtown Baghdad in front of a statue of Saddam Hussein just before his unit helped tear it down. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)

Retired USMC Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch

Nick PopaditchAn American Hero for Congress The Winning CandidateBy Zena Sultana Babao

By Tuesday evening, No-vember 2, 2010 – Nick Popa-ditch will be the new Congress-man in the 51st Congressional District!

People used to say that de-feating the incumbent is an up-hill battle, a difficult challenge. That is no longer true! Nick Popaditch, the war hero and decorated veteran, is the clear choice of the 51st Congressional district voters, especially after his debate with Filner where

Nick emerged as the clear win-ner.

The Popaditch-Filner debate held Thursday, October 21, 2010, at the Plaza de la Cul-tural Building at the Imperial Fairgrounds in Imperial Valley, California, was sponsored by the Joint Chambers of Com-merce of El Centro and Braw-ley. For those who wanted to see the debate, log in at www.YouTube and search for: Nick Popaditch debates Bob Filner –

Part1. From part 1, you can go through all parts of the debate, as there are several.

Our American hero run-ning for Congress is a retired Gunnery Sergeant and combat veteran of the U. S. Marine Corps. He almost lost his life in the service of his country! He was at the front and center as history was being made in our country’s fight for freedom. Popaditch was both in the Gulf War’s Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations, and later the Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He served with the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Divi-sion, commanding an M1-A1 Abrams Battle Tank from the deserts of southern Iraq to the streets of Baghdad. In April 2003, Popaditch’ unit helped topple Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad’s Firdos Square.

Worldwide attention focused on Popaditch after an Associ-ated Press (AP) photographer captured a smiling photo of him smoking a cigar, standing on top of his tank in front of a statue of Saddam in down-town Baghdad, just before his unit helped tear it down. The photograph landed on the front pages of the world’s newspa-pers.

In a combat action during the Operation Vigilant Resolve in Fallujah in April 2004, he

was hit on the head by fragments from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and almost lost his life. The blast blinded his right eye, and left him with only eight percent vi-sion in his other eye. He had been engaged in com-bat inside the ter-rorist stronghold continuously for 36 hours before he was severely

wounded. A Marine to the core, the

43-year old Popaditch, lovingly referred to as “Gunny Pop” by his troops, now sports a pros-thetic eye emblazoned with the Marine Corps’ eagle, globe and anchor logo. He wears a black patch over his missing eye.

For his gallantry in action, and his honorable and patriotic

service, Popaditch was award-ed the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement medal with Combat “V”, and the Combat Action Ribbon. He was medically retired from the service in 2005.

Videos of the attack is available on YouTube and in the website of his book Once a Marine an Iraq War Tank Com-mander’s Inspirational Mem-oir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery. The book, which holds an honor spot on the U.S. Marine Corps Professional Reading Program, also known as the Commander’s reading



By Dr. Cesar D. Candari28th in a series of articles

I was a member of the Board of directors of COPAO in 1992. The late Dr. Oades, a history professor at San Diego State University, was the clos-est to a scholar of COPAO who has written about the organization for a long time extensively and who seems never to run out of an angle. I was appointed the chairman-ship of the Constitution and Bylaws with Dr. Oades as my co-chair. As the saying goes, the wind of change was in the offing; COPAO draws up a reorganization program. This umbrella organization of some 62 associations in San Diego County has great potentials to become and effective vehicle of the Filipino agenda for action, but there were serious doubts and problems in this organization. Apart from hu-man failings, there are struc-tural weaknesses. The move to amend the COPAO Bylaws was a modest attempt of some few dedicated individuals—search of solutions—to make the Council a more viable institution serving Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.

Being a chairman of the Bylaws Committee is easy. What actually made it diffi-cult- frustrating and, at times irritating—was when some “pseudo leaders” decide to filibuster in the committee proceedings. These people were identifiable group, shar-ing common characteristics. They manifest strong regional bias and preoccupation with social status. To quote Dr. Oades…”they spoke gibber-ish, and thought that they did a lot for or ‘own’ COPAO. They were also pathetically ultra-conservative, anti-intel-lectual, insecure, and sen-sitively short-tempered and courageously dull.”

Whenever these people attend the BOD meetings, they vote for or against any resolution depending upon who present them. The merits of the issues under consider-ation were of no consequence to this group. For they were avid practitioners of “tayo-tayo” (solely ours) system. It was perhaps because of these “Kutseros”(horse’s cart driv-ers) and their hanger cons that the Council needs more than just a radical organizational overhaul.

There were more questions and less clear-cut answers that emerged as the bylaws and constitution committee examined the old copy of the document and attempted to streamline the policies, servic-es, fiscal operations and struc-ture of COPAO. All of this calls attention to the critical role which Filipino-American

From Antique to America:Memoirs of a Filipino American Doctor

Community Involvement – Part 2voluntary association play in the lives of ordinary members of this ethnic group.

The committee held sever-al meetings; Dr. Oades, Ernie Flores, Jun Galang, Paul Ones COPAO Chairman, Relly Me-noza, Roy Bautista and Ferdie Balagtas helped me a lot in the streamlining procedures. Through all these meetings, the Committee was convinced that it needed to preserve the two sets of officers or bodies, with a semblance of autono-my and balance of power and duties in the COPAO Chart of organization. The following were suggested:

1. Creation of policymak-ing body; (formerly, the Board of Directors and Delegates) to be called the House of Delegates. This body shall be composed of the presidents of affiliated organizations and a delegate and/or alternate. They shall vote its own sets of officers; this assembly will provide representation of the membership of the affiliated organization. It shall formu-late long-term COPAO poli-cies reflecting the needs and wishes of its membership. It shall act as the legislative body of the COPAO by initiat-ing business, considering the reports of the officers and the presidents of affiliated orga-nizations and the chairman of the Executive Council. Other explicit power and duties in-cludes the power to amend the budget of the organization. It shall have the power to amend the Constitution and Bylaws of COPAO.

2. The Executive Council- composed of elected officers. Its main duty was to imple-ment the policies and exercise the general control, supervi-sion and management of the organization and shall act on all urgent and pressing mat-ters and those that pertain to routine administrative matters.

I explicitly expressed my opinion that it is for best inter-est of the organization that the pendulum of power must not be tilted to either side of the fulcrum of the organization.

To make a long story short, proposed amendments was ratified with satisfactory deliberations. This was my contribution to COPAO that remained in my memoir that I wish to share with readers of this story.

Did it solve the intramural problems of COPAO after this reorganization? The lack of unity remained unsolved.

As a follow up, in year 2000, the constitution and bylaws were again amended going back into a unicameral system of governance. While there were some intramural minutiae of problems, Aurora S. Cudal, former chairper-son of COPAO, declared the

organization is now in good standing.

Fast-forward August 2007: In August 2007 COPAO mounted a Boycott vs. Maria Clara de Pilipinas Sorority (MCPS) of their community event.

As of Monday, March 30, 2009 , New COPAO Re-solves to Move Forward; Of-ficials Say Case of the Missing $27,000 ‘Not Closed’

“Senior officials admit-

ting for the first time that “mistakes were made and irregularities discovered” in their organization, said they were prepared to accept new evidence that could lead to a further investigation of the worst scandal to hit the Filipi-no community in decades. The statement reversed the previ-ous administration’s decision to close the case.”

I wrote an article address-ing Filipino- American unity a disconcerting subject that was published in a local Filipino newspaper.

(To be continued)

Human FaceBy Ma. Ceres P. Doyo

Philippine Daily Inquirer(Continued from last week)

I DIDN’T expect lots of e-mail for a feature story I wrote 20 years ago and which I recycled and compressed for this column (last week and now) in the context of the ongoing recycled debate on reproductive health.

Those who want to read my entire magazine piece (“Just a few meters of lov-ing space,” Sunday Inquirer Magazine, Nov. 26, 1990) from which this column piece was recycled could go to my blogsite. I will post it there. It’s also in my book “Journal-ist in Her Country” which is out of print. I went over the entire piece and realized it would need to be serialized in three columns. But as I said last week, two columns and no more. I also removed some graphic scenes. Deleted portions include sociological observations by professor Mi-chael Tan (before he became an Inquirer columnist).

Carlito Martes, 38, and wife Teresita, 37, have been married 18 years. They have six children, aged 18 to 2. Laking Maynila, the couple started married life with an elopement. They now live in the Leveriza slums. Carlito works as a mason, Teresita as a laundry woman. She is a member of Alay Kapwa, a community cooperative.

The family’s abode, 20 square meters, hardly gives anyone privacy. And with so many children around, the couple had to make a “pa-pag” practically in mid-air, a “mezzanine” that functioned as their bed. For some rea-son, that “papag” had to be removed. “Walang papag, dieta,” quips Carlito, adding that sometimes they forget to have sex. “Nakakalimu-tan na rin.” Once a month is how regular it is and because there’s no more papag they have to have sex in a rush—“baka may magising.” When

The sex life of the urban poor (2)

he’s had some drinks, then “doon ko lang ginagalaw.” Because there’s hardly enough space, fancy positions are out. “Pang-prostitute lang daw yun,” Teresita quotes Carlito.

“I used an IUD (intraurine device) for nine years,” Teres-ita reveals. But twice she had infections because of it. She resorted to the pill, but after experiencing dizzy spells she stopped taking it. After nine years she gave birth again—to twins.

“We’ve never had a time to go out and be by ourselves,” complains Teresita.

“Mabubuhay ka ba ng puro ganun,” Maria Cabello repeatedly points her finger downward, “kung ang tiyan ay kukulo-kulo?” Maria is a full-time housewife while her husband Diosdado is a pho-tographer at the Manila Zoo. He charges P20 per shot, P10 of which goes to him, the oth-

er P10 to the laboratory men. The Cabellos, both in their late 30s, have four children aged 16 to 11. The couple did not finish high school.

The Cabello home is small, but it is neat and clean com-pared to their neighbors’. They have some space and a few trees around them. Maria and Diosdado also have a little private corner to themselves.

Because the couple could not afford more children, Maria took the pill, but after some time she developed cysts and bleeding. She switched to injections and bled every week. Vasectomy was out of the question as the Cabel-los erroneously believe it is hazardous to health. The ever-sacrificing wife says, “Hindi na baleng ako ang magkadep-erensiya, huwag lang ang mis-ter ko.” The couple has, since then, being using the rhythm or the withdrawal method.

“Paghindi siya napagbig-yan sa gabi, maniningil sa araw,” says Maria of her hus-band. “Pagkakataon naman, e,” Diosdado would insist especially when the children are not around. At night, the couple has to wait for the chil-dren to be fast asleep.

Sometimes, Maria says, their bodies are just too tired for anything. “Patay na ang katawan sa kakatrabaho.” But when Diosdado makes kal-abit and Maria is not up to it, she psyches herself up so she can enjoy sex too. They are always ready for their private moments to be disturbed. “Lagi kang handa baka may magbukas ng ilaw. It really all depends on the mood. Thirty minutes is long enough.”

Over in Ermita where many squatters live, a preg-nancy counseling center has been put up by pro-lifers who promote natural family plan-ning (NFP). (The center gives counseling services to preg-

nant women with problems as well as to those who want to know more about birth control options, be they artificial or natural.)

May Belgica, NFP trainor, has invited two women from the Adriatico slums to share something about their sex life. The women, Fe A. and Vicenta B., are in their 30s. Fe is heavy with her third child while Vicenta has an only daughter who’s entering her teens. Fe and Vicenta are used to talking openly about their sex lives because they’ve had many discussions about sex, anatomy and family planning with many other women in their community. Vicenta is, in fact, an NFP counselor.

“Oh, they talk about their orgasms quite openly in group discussions,” says Sister Pilar Versoza, a Good Shepherd nun who also works at the center. “Some of them would even admit that they’ve never had one in all their many years of married life.” But thanks to women’s talakayan many women have become more familiar with their bod-ies and their needs….

In slum areas there is very little that people can hide from one another. The walls have ears, the walls have holes. (Incidentally, there was this billboard in Quiapo which advertised a movie “May Bu-tas sa Dingding.”) Sometimes when there are community meetings during daytime and it takes long for some people to get out of their lean-tos, a leader would yell from the street, “Hoy, bunutin muna niyo yan!” A flustered couple would come out and find themselves being ribbed with, “Baun na baun ba?” followed by lusty laughter. Among the poor, sex, like hunger, is part of their common everyday lot.


Station closures begin this weekend for the Metropoli-tan Transit System’s Trolley Renewal project.

Beginning on Friday, October 29 at 9:30 p.m. and continuing through the week-end, there will be no Trolley service at the San Ysidro, Beyer and Iris Trolley sta-tions. Southbound Trolley service will terminate at Palm Avenue Trolley Station.

Two bus services will be available for riders:

•Trolley Shuttles will serve San Ysidro Transit Center, Beyer Boulevard Trolley Sta-tion, Iris Avenue Trolley Sta-tion and Palm Avenue Trolley Station. This shuttle will run in both directions.

•Trolley Express will

San Ysidro, Beyer and Iris Trolley Stations

Closed This Weekendoperate non-stop between the Palomar and San Ysidro Trol-ley stations in both directions.

The bus services will run

every 8-15 minutes during normal Trolley service hours, and will continue again the next morning. Regular Trolley service will resume in time for the start of service on Mon-day.

This weekend, station am-bassadors will be at the San Ysidro, Beyer, Iris, and Palm Trolley stations to direct and help riders.

The construction schedule calls for Iris Avenue, Beyer Boulevard and San Ysidro Transit Center to be closed to Trolley service on weekends for the remainder of 2010, with the exception of the weekends of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Please note that this is subject to change.

MTS encourages riders to expect delays and give them-selves extra time when travel-ing.

MTS appreciates riders’ patience during construction. The renewal project is fo-cused on improving the Blue and Orange lines. The project will improve station ameni-ties, raise station platforms, replace old rail and overhead wire, and improve switching, signaling, and crossovers.

Riders can find out more information online at www.sdmts.com/TrolleyRenewal.asp or by calling the hotline at 619.557.4533.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is congratulat-ed by US Secretary of State and MCC chairperson Hillary Rodham Clinton during the the Republic of the Philippines-Millennium Challenge Corporation (GRP-MCC) Compact signing ceremony held at the Hilton Room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. With them were Philippine Finance Secre-tary Cesar Purisima and MCC CEO Daniel Yohannes. Jay Morales / Malacañang Photo/ PNS


TAMARA DREWE (opens 10/22) - Based on Posy Simmonds’ beloved graphic novel of the same name (which was itself inspired by Thomas Hardy’s

classic Far From the Madding Crowd), this wittily modern take on the romantic English pastoral is a far cry from Hardy’s Wessex. Tamara Drewe’s present-day English countryside—stocked with pompous writers, rich weekenders, bourgeois bohemians, a horny rock star, and a great many Buff Orpington chickens and Belted Galloway cows—is a much funnier place. When Tamara Drewe (Gemma Arterton) sashays back to the bucolic village of her youth, life for the locals is thrown upside down. Tamara—once an ugly duckling—has been transformed into a devastating beauty (with help from plastic surgery). As infatuations, jealousies, love affairs and career ambitions collide among the inhabitants of the neighboring farmsteads, Tamara sets a contemporary comedy of manners into play using the oldest magic in the book—sex appeal. Directed by Stephen Frears (Dirty Pretty Things, High Fidelity). - www.sonyclassics.com/tamaradrewe/ – 111 minutes. – Rated R. - LANDMARK’S HILLCREST CINEMAS

WHITE WEDDING (opens 10/01) - Set against South Africa’s breath-taking landscapes, White Wedding is a high-spirited modern day road comedy about love, commitment, in-timacy, friendship, and the unbeliev-able obstacles that can get in the way of a fairy-tale ending. In Cape Town the beautiful Ayanda (Zandile Msut-wana) is just days away from achiev-ing her lifelong dream: the perfect white wedding. The only problem is that her husband-to-be, the loyal,

committed Elvis (Kenneth Nkosi of District 9 and Tsosti) is 1800 kilometres away in Johannesburg. He sets off on Tuesday night by bus to Durban, intending to connect with his child-hood friend and best-man Tumi (Rapulana Seiphemo). But the plans start to go awry when Tumi doesn’t show up at the bus station. Not an auspicious beginning, but this is just the first in many comic and illuminating misadventures they meet along the way. In the end, the two lovers learn that celebrating their union is more about the journey than getting to the church on time. Co-starring Jodie Whittaker. Directed and co-written by Jann Turner. (Partially subtitled) - http://whiteweddingmovie.com/ – 94 minutes. – Not Rated. - LANDMARK’S KEN CIN-EMA – Exclusive Engagement

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER (opens 10/01) – Woody Allen’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger follows a pair of married couples, Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) and Helena (Gemma Jones), and their daughter Sally (Naomi Watts) and husband Roy (Josh Brolin), as their passions, ambi-tions, and anxieties lead them into trouble and out of their minds. After Alfie leaves Helena to pursue his lost youth and a free-spirited call girl named Charmaine (Lucy Punch), Helena abandons rational-ity and surrenders her life to the loopy advice of a charlatan fortune teller. Un-happy in her mar-riage, Sally devel-ops a crush on her handsome art gallery owner boss, Greg (Antonio Banderas), while Roy, a novelist nervously awaiting the response to his latest manuscript, becomes moonstruck over Dia (Freida Pinto), a mystery woman who catches his gaze through a nearby window. Despite these characters’ attempts to dodge their problems with pipe dreams and imprac-ticable plans, their efforts lead only to heartache, irrational-ity, and perilous hot water. Taking its title from the prediction fortune tellers use to beguile their marks, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger illustrates with wry humor how easy it is for our illusions to make fools of us all. - www.sonyclassics.com/you-willmeetatalldarkstranger/ – 98 minutes. – Rated R. - LAND-MARK’S LA JOLLA VILLAGE & HILLCREST CINEMAS

PNS -- Napanood namin noong Linggo sa The Buzz ang interview ni Charlene Gonzales kay Pokwang kung saan naglitanya ito ng kan-yang sama ng loob sa mga taong patuloy na tumitira sa kanya. May instance na umii-yak ito at kung minsan naman ay nagpapatawa pa.

Pero bakit kaya hindi namin ma-feel ang sincerity ni Pokwang pati ang kanyang pag-iyak? Komento ng isa naming kasamang nanonood, bakit hindi raw masabi ni Pokwang kung sino ang taong binanggit ni Charlene na may malaking pag-kakautang sa kanya?

Dahil kaya hindi naman ito totoo?

Nagkataon naman na nakausap namin si Tita Cristy Fermin at sinabi nito sa amin na siya raw ang tinutukoy daw ni Pokwang, pero tinawanan lang ito ng TV host. Alam daw kasi naman ni Pokwang kung saan siya pupuntahan

Pokwang cries during Charlene’s interview?

dahil noong may problema siya sa kanyang mga kasa-mahang artista noon, personal niyang pinuntahan si Tita Cristy para magsumbong at umano ay “ipasulat” sa host ng Paparazzi na siraan ang “kinaiinisang” artista na walang iba kundi si Cristine Reyes, na kasama niya noon sa Banana Split.

Ayon pa kay Tita Cristy, dalawang paintings na kinuha ni Pokwang ang hindi pa nito nababayaran at alam daw ito ng nagda-dramang ko-medya-na. Sana raw, magpakatoo si Pokwang o baka hindi niya alam na “naga-gamit” siya ng Dos para pang-damage con-trol sa isyu tungkol kay Willie Revillame?

Mataray na sabi tuloy ng isang miron, ganoon na ba karami ang pera ni Pokwang at puwede na siyang maka-pagpautang? Sa true lang, kung “manghihiram” man si Tita Cristy, siguradong kay Kuya Boy Abunda na dahil

hindi hamak na mas matagal na niya itong kaibigan at can afford itong mag-pautang, huh! Hindi nga lang ginagawa ni Tita Cristy dahil alam din daw kasi ni Kuya Boy kung anong prinsipyo mayroon si Tita Cristy.

JOB NO CLIENT DESCRIPTION PROOFER SCREEN PROOF # DATE TIME OPERATOR

CYANBLACK MAGENTA YELLOW

009477 IW Group Inc McDonald’s Monopoly Ad Filipino Mech-H C-Proof 100 1 09-29-10 10:48 AM LT

FILE NAME:

Max Den. 240 Indesign: CS4 Photoshop: CS4Illustrator: CS4Quark:

New Master SCG Legend 4/5/10 4:18 PM Page 1

Monopoly_Ad_Filipino_Mech_H.indd

Stock: Newsprint

Monopoly_Ad_1342_Filipino_H.indd 1 9/29/10 10:52 AM

EntertainmentMovies to Watch

(Following are movies now showing or soon to be shown in San Diego.)

by Simeon G. Silverio Jr.


By RDLiporada

Publisher’s note: The complete novel serialized here is on Un-holy Allied Mountains by RD-Liporada. For those who would want to procure a copy of the book online, go to unholyallied-mountains.com. In the previous series, Ding is met by a woman who was a part of his past.

Chapter 7 continued (Twelfth of a series)

Initially, Sam-ang did not

really like the NPAs. One day, they just came out of nowhere from the belly of the mountains. They had guns so Sam-ang had to welcome them although he really did not like to. Sam-ang heard through whispers from the mountains that these NPAs are evil people. They toss babies up high into the sky to be pierced with pointed sticks as they fall down from the air. They make salt out of the old people who they would kill because they are burdens to the living.

There are other many confus-ing whispers from the bellies of the mountains about these NPAs. Some say they are actually good because they kill those who steal carabaos from the villagers. They even cure sicknesses with magic needles pierced into dif-ferent parts of the body.

Of course, not all whispers from the mountains could be true. So, Sam-ang allowed the NPAs to explain their kind of whisper. Besides, although he was scared of their guns, they actually appeared humble when they asked permission from him to have a meeting with the vil-lagers. That the NPAs honored his being chieftain could mean that they, too, are honorable. They appeared different from those other lowlander soldiers of the gobierno who thought that because the Ifugaos are mere mountain people, the Ifugaos are dirty, ignorant, and good for nothing.

The gobierno soldiers would even come just to get their pigs and chickens like it is their pre-rogative to merely take them.

He did not know much about the NPA’s but they appeared to

actually showed respect for his being chieftain. Or could this be just for show?

For him to study which whis-pers about the NPAs could be true, he allowed them to meet with the villagers through a gi-mong meeting.

That was a chilly night of so many, many moons ago.

A blazing bonfire was at the center of the village when the squad of NPAs, came for the gi-mong at the village. Children in bare loin clothes crowded upon them as they came. The curious male villagers were also in their loin clothes. The women had lu-peds on with most their breasts, especially the older ones, show-ing. Babies were wrapped in blankets behind their mothers’ backs.

Sam-ang had his putong with enough chicken feathers to show that he was the chief. Smacked round, the rattan weaved hat sat on the center of the back of this head. Although he had a blanket about him, it was not enough to cover the tattoos all over his now frail body and arms. The mix of twirling curves painted on him told how many wives he had and children he has sown. They told of how many battles he had fought against marauding neighboring villages and how many Japanese jawbones adorn his musical gongs.

Sam-ang mused at the NPAs as they approached him to pay their respects. Their guns were of varying lengths and sizes. One of them carried a pole with a red cloth wrapped around the top end. Another lugged a guitar aside from his gun. He snick-ered at one of them for he was fair and lanky. His bare toes were very white and he limped like he was not used to being barefooted worthy of the rough-ness of the mountain trails. One who was the lankiest and frailest wore a pair of spectacles.

Smiling at the NPAs, Sam-ang’s teeth glowed in their crim-sonness due to the mam-ma beetle-nut he was chewing. As they approached, he spat on the ground and the mam-ma splat-tered in a glob of red sputa.

After a little more of respect-ful pleasantries, “you may be-gin,” Sam-ang told the NPAs.

“Good evening, people of Chidlawan,” the lanky fair one began after thanking the chief. “You can call me Ka Alinew.”

Sam-ang was amused that the NPA’s name was the same as the trees that dotted parts of the mountainsides.

“…to open our program,” continued Alinew. “We will now sing the song of all the oppressed people of the world.”Oblique to the fire, the NPA’s stood in line

facing the villagers. At a cue, the one who lugged it began to strum the guitar and at a given cue, they started to sing in Ilo-cano.

“Arise…starvation…arise you wretched of the earth…”

From the first note, the NPA with the pole stepped forward and jutting the pole skyward, unfurled and waved the red sat-in cloth and a golden hammer crossed with a sickle at the cen-

ter of the cloth glistened by the light of the fire.

The villagers started to ulu-late. They have not seen a pro-gram of any sort in the village before.

Even Sam-ang was awed. Yet, he told himself, nice tune but I do not understand why the wretched should arise. Arise from what?

“…Arise…this is the final conflict…”

What final conflict are they referring to?

After the song, the NPAs raised their arms in the air and shouted in unison, “Down with Marcos! Long live the oppressed masa! Long live the villagers of Chidlawan.”

The villagers went berserk, clapping and ululating. They were ecstatic to hear the name of their village be part of a pro-gram.

After the cheering had sub-sided, one of the NPAs who was more stocky than the rest, stepped forward. “I am called Ka Isidro,” he began. He placed his hand over the .45 holstered by his waist. “In the struggle, we address each other Ka for Kad-wa or Kabsat because we are all brothers and sisters in a bond of being oppressed…”

You are not my brother, Sam-ang said to himself. You do not belong to my tribe. Sam-ang reached for his pouch and pinched mam-ma beetle nut and he started chewing again.

“…We are NPA’s, short for the New People’s Army or Hukbo iti Umili. We are new be-cause we are not like the army

of Marcos who serve only to protect the rich…the poor must have their own army…we are that army…the army of the ex-ploited Filipinos…”

We are not Filipinos. Only the lowlanders are Filipinos. We are Igorots. Why should we need you?

“…the peasants toil from morn to dusk…landlords who do not break their backs enjoy all the harvests…”

We till our own lands only for ourselves. We have no land-lords.

“…workers receive wages barely enough for them to sub-sist on and only enough so they could return to work for the cap-italists to rake in more profits…workers comply because they are afraid to be out of work be-cause of unemployment…”

What is wage, profit, unem-ployment?

“…most miners are Igoro-ts…they mine the gold from the bowels of the mountains which used to be owned by our fore-fathers…they mine for the for-eigners who never had the rights to any of the gold…”

Sam-ang spat red globules of mam-ma on the ground.

There are two reasons why the Igorots spit mam-ma. First, the beetle nut on their mouth has spent off its taste. Second, they spat because they were disgust-ed.

Those Igorots are not from Ifugao, Sam-ang said to himself. Those Igorots are cowards and have surrendered their mines. It is their fault that the foreigners got their mines and that is their problem. They are not of our tribe.

“…we should capture those mines for our own use…”

Sam-ang spat again.After the first speaker, the

lankiest with spectacles stepped forward.

Sam-ang snickered again for the frail one appeared like he would be blown away by the next slight wind.

“I don’t mean to brag,” the frail one started, pushing his spectacle up his nose. “I should not be in the rebolusyon…I should have just stayed in the city to finish my studies…here I suffer the cold nights when I have thick blankets at home…here, I don’t know where the next meal will come from…sol-diers hunt me…I could just be home, free to roam around…but I cannot accept that we are ex-ploited. I cannot accept that the rich among the Filipinos leech upon us in connivance with for-eigners…”

I admire your words, young man, Sam-ang said to himself. He held on to his mam-ma in his mouth. But I am afraid that you

are not as strong as your words. You appear to me like a solibao drum that is noisy but hollow in-side.

“…the enemies are few but they control us…they have troops with guns…but if we unite…if we all chew mam-ma and spit at them all the same time, they will drown in a red sea of sputa and the rebolusyon will be over…”

The villagers exploded into applause and ululated. Even Sam-ang’s shoulders heaved as he broke into a guffaw, slapping his thigh in his mirth.

Yet, when Sam-ang’s laugh-ter subsided, he told himself, but still, those are mere brave words, just air that bears no weight.

The next to speak was a short stocky with short legs. “Like you,” he started. “I am an Igorot.”

Sam-ang spat. Yes, I know but you are not of my tribe.

“I used to hunt alingo and ugsa. I shoot them boars and deer with this paltog,” he said raising his gauge 12 shotgun. “Now, there is not much to hunt in our forests…profit hungry companies cut the trees…the animals have ran and the birds have flown away..”

Good. Maybe your animals and birds have transferred to our forests.

“…because of lack of trees, our river is drying up…the fac-tories and mines pollute what is remaining of the river…fields are not watered well and plants are not healthy as before…the gobierno does not do anything because the companies bribe the politicos…”

Praise our anito gods. Our Great Chico River is far from your river.

“…the logging companies are creeping deeper into the for-ests…soon, they will be here in Chidlawan to devastate…”

The villagers broke into a buzz.

How sure are you? Sam-ang spat another ball of mam-ma.

“…do you have to wait for them to come before you join the rebolusyon?”

We will do our own fight if ever they come to trample on our sacred village. For now, don’t drag us in your foolish fight.

That night after the meeting, there was a strong rain. The Chi-co River by Chidlawan below the mountains rose and raged.

(To be continued)

BOOK SIGNINGMeet Author Rudy Liporada of the Asian Journal at the “HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR” in Paradise Valley

Hospital on Saturday, October 30, 2010 from 9 AM to 4PM.

This FAIR is a FUN event and is FREE TO THE PUBLIC. There will be a lot of activities – Halloween Costume Contest (12 years and below) – prizes – food – fun and

surprises for the family to enjoy!

Unholy Allied Mountains

The book “Unholy Allied Mountains” by R.D. Liporada is available from Amazon.com.

ment in functioning. For the financial hardship, Antonio submitted her wife’s parents’ increased monthly house pay-ments due to an interest rate adjustment, and their debt of almost $20,000 on the home, which may lead to foreclo-sure. Antonio also submit-ted documents showing his financial contributions to the household prior to his depar-ture from the United States, to support the assertion that his wife needs Antonio’s financial contribution.

Antonio’ spouse claimed that the country of Venezuela has problematic conditions with crime, violence and eco-nomic problems. A statement from the Department of State was provided for support. She also pointed out the substan-dard quality of living in that country, using the example that her child fell ill while visiting Venezuela in the past due to the lack of drinking water, unsanitary conditions and lack of basic supplies, like milk and rice. She had to make 3 separate visits to a clinic in one month, due to her child’s acute diarrhea, vomiting and inflammation of the lymph nodes. A Medical report and the corresponding translation was provided to prove this. Antonio’s spouse claimed that moving to Ven-ezuela would be detrimental to her life, since she would be moving to a Country that is not familiar to her, she would have to leave her support net-work of family and friends, her long time job, her com-munity and church. She also has concerns for her child’s safety and welfare.

The Administrative Ap-peals Office (AAO) found that the situation presented in this application rises to the level of extreme hardship. However, granting a denial of the waiver also hinges not only on the issue of extreme hardship, but also on the discretion of the secretary and conditions and procedures as he may by regulations prescribed. The alien bears the burden of proving eligi-bility in terms of equities in the U.S. which are not out-weighed by adverse factors. In this case, the favorable fac-tors considered were: the ex-treme hardship that Antonio’s U.S. spouse and child would face if the applicant were to remain in Venezuela, regard-less of whether they accom-panied Antonio or remained in the United States, com-munity ties, support letters, active involvement with the church, gainful employment, the apparent lack of a crimi-nal record, and the passage of more than six years since An-tonio’s unlawful entry to the United States. The unfavor-able factors in this matter are Antonio’s unlawful entry to the United States and unlaw-ful presence and employment while in the United States.

The AAO found that An-

Winning Your Application for

I-601 Waiver (Continued from page 5)



Spiritual Life

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

by Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez

Lower Your Nets Balintataw

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

by Virginia H. Ferrer

Naniniwala Ako (3)Naniniwala ako na minsan na ‘di mo sinadyaat may isang pagkakamali na ikaw ay nagawana nakapagdulot sa iyo ng ibayong pangambaat sama ng loob na halos ay hindi mo kinaya.

Naniniwala ako na lubhang ngang napakatagalang pagdaan ng mga araw bakit napakabagalano nga ba itong aking matagal na hinihintayna nais kong sanang mangyari dito sa aking buhay.

Naniniwala ako na dapat sa iyong pag-alislagi kang mag-iwan ng mga salitang matatamisdahil ang totoo walang sinumang nakakabatidmaaaring ito na ang huli ninyong pagniniig.

(may karugtong)

Joke of the week: The in-mate was aware that all prison mail passes through censors. When he got a letter from his wife about the family garden – “Honey, when do I plant po-tatoes?” – he wrote back, “Do not under any circumstances, dig up our old garden spot. That’s where I buried all my guns.” Within days his wife wrote back, “Six investigators came to the house. They dug up every square inch of the back yard.” By return mail she got his answer: “Now is the time to plant pota-toes.”

Scripture: First Reading: Wisdom 11: 22-12:2. The author, a Hellenistic Jew, writes about mercy as it is manifested in the for-giveness of sin. God overlooks people’s sins and grants them grace to repent. In-deed the divine mercy is everlasting and uni-versal. Second Read-ing: 2 Thessalonians 1: 11-22. It seems that this passage is meant to correct the Gnostic teaching that the day of the Lord had already come. Gnos-tics believe that people are divided into “pneumatics” and “hylics”. The pneumatics are the privileged few who have received the true nature of the Christian gospel and are en-titled to immortality. For this group the day of the Lord had already come and they have no need for doing good deeds, because they are already enjoying the resurrection. On the other hand, the hylics are the less fortunate who have not received the true nature of the Christian gospel and who belong to this world. Gospel: Luke 19: 1-10. This story is

All Saints’ Day: Zacchaeus: from sin to repentance

consistent with the claim of Jesus that he has come to seek and save the lost. His asso-ciations with the outcasts of society, such as sinners and prostitutes, shows that no one, even a hated tax collector like Zacchaeus, is excluded from salvation.

Refl ections: It is said that

there are two things that are inevitable: death and taxes. Though many people try to dodge both, yet most of the times they are unsuccess-ful. During the time of Jesus tax collectors were objects of much hatred and ridicule. They were considered traitors to their own country, because they collected taxes to support the Roman power. They were known public sinners, because they oppressed their fellow Jews for monetary gain.

The Romans chose the tax collectors who paid them in advance the amount these business-minded Jews should collect from the people. Zac-

chaeus is one of these tax collectors. Though the name Zacchaeus in Hebrew con-notes innocent and clean, yet this man is far from being honest and pure. Once the Romans got the people’s taxes paid, they don’t care how tax collectors get back the money that they paid them up front. Zacchaeus had people working for him. These men too overcharged and cheated people. No wonder why tax collectors were not only considered dishonest, but they were put in the same category as robbers and murderers. In-deed tax collecting in ancient time is a despicable trade.

St. Luke cleverly arranged this story of Zacchaeus in such a way that this hated public sinner embodies the three previous characters

mentioned three Sundays ago: the prodigal son, the persistent widow, and the humble publican at prayer. Like the prodigal son, Zacchaeus was lost and is now found. Similar to the persistent widow, Zacchaeus in climbing a tree to see Jesus pass-ing by professes his relentless effort in following the Master. In com-parison with the humble publican, Zacchaeus is also repentant of his sins. He gives half of his possessions to the poor. The Torah requires the return of the object with a 20% inter-

est as punishment to anyone found guilty of cheating. The Roman law demands fourfold restitution from a convicted felon. In promising Jesus to give 400 % to those he un-intentionally cheated, Zac-chaeus does more than what the Romans and The Torah require.

Even though Zacchaeus is sincere with his conversion, of course there are also skeptics. No doubt there are his fellow Jews who question Zac-chaeus’ conversion. There are others who do not believe his true motive and who consider that he is a hopeless case and

morally depraved and lost individual. People ask, “What, Zacchaeus, the despicable tax collector, following Jesus? Of all people!” And adding insult to injury, “how could Jesus go to that sinner’s house and eat with him?” The lesson we learn from Jesus’ attitude is that we should never be quick to judge or condemn anyone. For God there are no hopeless cases, because his mercy is infi nite and everlasting. For our part, our encounter with Jesus should bring back to life the Zacchaeus that is in each of us!

P.S. Last Saturday, October 23, was the grand opening of the offi ce and store of Nef-ful products, the negative ion healthy clothing. The store, owned and managed by Mrs. Shirley Hunter, is located at Bay Plaza, 1420 E. Plaza Blvd., Suite E.-17 (next to Golden Chopsticks Rest.). These Nefful products and negative ions primarily and most importantly with God’s grace enabled me recover from my illness in less than a year. Ions are everywhere and all around us. They’re electri-cally charged atoms, carrying either a positive or negative charge. Negative ions, found abundantly in pine forest and near oceans, are importantly needed to sustain life, fi ght pollutions and detoxify. When we lack access to and are defi cient in negative ions, our body chemistry changes—changes that lead to bouts of depression, physical fatigue and anxiety. Come and visit the store!

Quotation of the week: “It is not a sin to have riches, but it is a sin to fi x our hearts upon them.” St. John Baptist de la Salle.

©2010 Virginia H. Ferrer. All rights reserved.

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

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Winning Your Application for

I-601 Waiver (Continued from page 14)tonio has established that the favorable factors in this appli-cation outweigh the unfavor-able factors. It was established that Antonio has sustained the burden of establishing that the application merits approval. The AAO sustained the appeal and approved the I-601 waiver application.

A successful I-601 waiver case requires not only good arguments but also credible, well organized, and presented

evidence. The adjudica-tor may only have minutes to make a decision in each case. A well-organized and presented evidence can make the adjudicator’s job easier. I always submit I-601 waiver with a brief, which is separate from a cover letter. A well-written brief can assist the adjudicator in making a deci-sion.

We welcome your feed-back. If you have any im-migration questions, please feel welcome to email me at [email protected] or call 619 819 -8648 to arrange for a telephone con-sultation.


Elections 2010

Arlie RicasaPresident, Sweetwater Union High School

District Board of Trustees

Endorsed by Independents, Democrats and Republicans!Partial list: CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, Congressman

Bob Filner, Supervisor Greg Cox, State Senator Denise Moreno-Ducheny, SD City Council President Ben Hueso, Chula Vista City Councilman Rudy Ramirez, SMW Local

206, Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, SD Co. Democratic Party

Elect ARLIE RICASA Sweetwater School Board, Seat #5

(Chula Vista, CA --) Hon-ored as “School Board Member of the Year 2010” by the San Diego County School Boards Association, Arlie Ricasa con-tinues to provide educational leadership that has helped Sweetwater Union High School District schools improve and achieve.

Ricasa is President of the Sweetwater School Board and seeking re-election to Sweet-water School Board, Seat #5. She is the only Filipino Ameri-can elected offi cial serving on any school board in San Diego County.

An educator for 22 years, educational policy-maker for 12 years, a College Director of Student Development, and a parent with a child in a Sweet-water District school, Arlie Ricasa said she is “proud of the signifi cant improvements and achievements students and schools have made.”

“I am proud of the students’ hard work and the tremendous efforts by supportive parents, teachers, counselors and staff that have provided encour-agement for our students to improve and achieve,” Ricasa stated.

“We still have much more to accomplish but we are headed in the right direction,” she added.

Newsweek Magazine recently named four Sweet-water District schools among “America’s Best High Schools” in 2010.

Middle and high schools have been recognized with na-tional and state honors. Sweet-water District schools have received 20 “Distinguished School” and 25 “Golden Bell” awards recognizing academic achievement – more than any

Sweetwater schools improving and achieving under Arlie Ricasa’s leadership

Arlie Ricasa

other school district in Califor-nia.

“My goal is simple: Achieve academic excellence and help our students improve every step of the way,” said Ricasa.

During Ricasa’s tenure on the School Board, student admissions to the university increased by 120%, drop-out rates have lowered to one of the lowest in the County, and every school in the District has increased their test scores.

As a parent with children who will matriculate through the Sweetwater District schools, Arlie Ricasa said she focuses on “the best interests of the students and their educa-tional success.”

“My campaign is about putting students’ best interests fi rst, and achieving and im-proving student performance,” Ricasa said about the election.

“I take my School Board responsibilities very seriously because I know that every deci-sion that I make will directly affect my children, your family and friends’ children, and their quality of education,” Ricasa stated.

Ricasa said that it is impor-tant to use educational expe-rience, sound judgment and maturity to handle the com-plexities of school board issues.

During these tough budget-ary times, many school dis-tricts throughout the state cut thousands of teachers’ jobs and eliminated numerous student programs. Fortunately, Ricasa has exercised fi scal prudence and sound educational deci-sions, and thereby retained classroom jobs and vital stu-dent programs.

Arlie Ricasa has balanced the Sweetwater District’s $364 million budget on time, every year, for 12 consecutive years.

She is endorsed by Inde-pendents, Republicans and Democrats including CA State Superintendent of Instruction Jack O’Connell, Congressman Bob Filner, County Supervisor Greg Cox, State Senator Denise Ducheny, Assemblymember Marty Block, Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox, SD Coun-cilman Ben Hueso, Chula Vista Councilman Rudy Ramirez, SMW Local 206, Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego County Democratic Party.

Ricasa earned her Bach-elor’s Degree in Psychology at UCLA in 1987 and her Mas-ter’s Degree of Counselor Edu-cation at SDSU in 1988. She is a member of the national honor society Phi Kappa Phi and was honored “Woman of the Year 2010” by the State Legislature.

A wife, mother of fi ve chil-dren, and a lifelong resident of South County, Arlie Ricasa is the daughter of the late Narciso and Antonia Ricasa who hailed from the Philippines and im-migrated to San Diego in the 1950’s.

★★RE-ELECT★★

TERRI VALLADOLIDSOUTHWESTERN COMMUNITY

COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES-SEAT 2

The Best choice….For a Quality Education for all students!

Paid for by Friends of Terri Valladolid for School Board 2010 ID #983051

Proven & Tested LeadershipTeam Player with Integrity & CourageRespectful and DignifiedDetermined to continue Improving SWC

For Info or a Yard Sign, Call or E-Mail:Ph: 619. 779.2383 e-mail: [email protected]

Website: valladolid4swc.com

Terri is the daughter of a mother from Mexico and a father from the Philippines, who both worked in the fi elds of California. They told their six children that if they didn’t also want to work in the fi elds, they had to take their education serious and go on to college. This inspired Terri to attend Imperial Valley Com-munity College after gradu-ating from high school and completing her post-second-ary education at San Diego State University (SDSU).

As a graduate of a Com-munity College, Terri has a unique understanding of Southwestern College’s im-pact on the community as a whole and its students along with the challenges they face. She is strongly committed to its future and has dedi-cated the past twelve years as a Trustee on its Governing Board where she has delivered the incredible results that both the college and its student’s deserve. Terri’s tireless and dedicated work has resulted in the following:

INCREASED THE •

Terri Valladolid for Southwestern Community College Board of Trustees-Seat 2

NUMBER OF STU-DENTS RECEIV-ING ASSOCIATE OF ARTS (AA) DE-GREES and passing the Nurses State Exam at Southwestern Col-lege.Southwestern Com-• munity College has secured a 100% PASS-ING RATE by its students for Dental Hygienist State Exam!OPENED THREE • NEW LEARNING CENTERS in San Ysidro, Otay Mesa

and in National City to offer expanded educa-tional opportunities in the South Bay!By working with • the community, she HELPED PASS PROP-OSITION R which will fund the construction of the corner lot and add a new board room, classrooms, book store and civic space for the local community events!TERRI voted for • $800,000 IN HEALTH AND WELFARE BENEFITS FOR SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE’S EM-PLOYEES to help them cover rising health costs without having to pay more out of pocket expenses!

TERRI RESPECTS, VAL-UES AND PROMOTES THE EXPERT VOICES OF FAC-ULTY AND CLASSIFIED STAFF LEADERSHIP!

In addition to her service on the Southwestern College Governing Board, Terri is a proud mother of two daugh-ters Maite and Evita and a very proud Grandmother of nine month old Natalia. Terri has lived for the past thirty years in National City and the Bonita area. She takes great pride in her more than fi fteen years as “SOCCER & GYMNASTIC MOM” and knows fi rsthand the impor-tance of being involved with her children. Terri is married to David Valladolid and she currently works as a Labor Relations Advocate at the University of California San Diego (UCSD).

Terri Valladolid

Reach the lucrative Asian Pacifi c Islander

Market by advertising in the Asian Journal!Call (619) 474-0588


The San Diego County Registrar of Voters office will be open Saturday, October 30 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for voters who want to cast their ballots before Tuesday’s Gubernatorial General Elec-tion.

“People are busy, so we try to offer as many options for voting as possible. In addition to providing mail ballots and staffing polling locations, we are open the Saturday before the election to give voters the opportunity to cast their ballots or drop off their mail ballots,” said Deborah Seiler, County of San Diego Regis-

Registrar of Voters offer Saturday hours

Provides Option for Those Who Cannot Go to Polls on Election Day

Elections 2010

trar of Voters.The Registrar of Voters

office is located at 5201 Ruf-fin Road, Suite I, in Kearny Mesa at the corner of Claire-mont Mesa Boulevard and Ruffin Road.

The public can also get questions answered by phone on Saturday by calling the Registrar of Voters at (858) 565-5800.

In addition, voters can look up their designated poll-ing place and access specific ballot choices by visiting the Registrar’s website at www.sdvote.com.

Fred Pierce for Poway School Board

Board Member. My educational experience includes service for six years as a Trustee of the Cali-fornia State University (CSU) System (1999 - 2004) – being one of only six San Diegans to serve on the CSU Board in the last quarter century. While on the CSU Board, I chaired the Institutional Advancement (e.g. Fundraising) Committee (5 of 6 years) and also chaired the Audit

(Continued from page 8) Committee and University and Faculty Personnel Committee. I have also served as President of five university-affiliated alumni associations including the San Diego State University (SDSU) Alumni Association (board member for almost 20 years) and the CSU Alumni Council (statewide alumni board representing 23 alumni asso-ciations of the CSU campuses – board member for 14 years).

I am currently Vice Chair of the board (10+ year member) and Chair of the Ad Hoc Fiscal Committee of the SDSU Col-lege of Business Administrative and a member of the Executive Committee of SDSU’s Real Estate Program Board. I have significant experience and re-lationships in Sacramento with the Legislature and staff (which is where PUSD gets most of its budget resources). Profes-sionally, my firm is focused on education where we are a major national provider of student housing for college students (www.PierceEducationProper-ties.com). As a result of my vol-unteer, philanthropic and profes-sional contributions, I have been honored to be recognized with many prestigious awards and acknowledgements including:

• Semi-Finalist, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (San Diego), 2010

· Alumni of the Year (“Mon-ty”) Award, SDSU College of Business Administration, 1999

• Outstanding Alumni Award, SDSU Associated Students, 1996-97

• Resolution of Commenda-tion, California Legislature, 2005

• Resolution of Commenda-tion, Academic Senate Califor-nia State University, 2005

• CSU Trustee of the Year, California State Student Asso-ciation, 2000-01

You can learn more about me and my campaign at www.FredPierceforSchoolBoard.com and can reach me at [email protected]. I would very much appreciate your vote in the November elec-tion.


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

journalusa.com

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood

The next morning while they were eating breakfast,

The young woman saw her neighbor hang-ing the wash outside.

‘That laun-dry is not very clean,’ she said.

‘She doesn’t know how to wash correctly.

Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.’

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,

The young woman would

The Window Through Which We Look

make the same comments.About one month later, the

woman was surprised to see a nice clean

wash on the line and said to her husband:

‘Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.

I wonder who taught her this.’

The husband said, ‘I got up early this morn-ing and

Cleaned our windows.’And so it is with life.What we see when watch-

ing others depends on the window through which we look.

A team from the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles will conduct a Consular Outreach Program in National City, California on Saturday, November 6, 2010 from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm at the Holiday Inn, located at 700 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950.

The following Consular services will be STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY AND WITH COMPLETED DOCUMENTS ONLY following the applicable scheduling steps below. No walk-in applicants will be entertained.

1. Applications for Machine Readable Passport (Cost: $50) and returned

Philippine Consular Outreach in National City on November 6

to the applicant by mail at an additional cost of $6. Appointment Scheduling Steps:

a. Visit the Philippine Consulate website (www.philippineconsulatela.org) and print the Passport Application form;

b. Complete the Passport Application form; and,

c. No later than 2 November 2010 or until 300 applications are received, whichever comes first, send an advance copy of the completed passport application form and data page (bearing the name and photo) of the old passport to the Consulate by fax (213) 639-0990.

d. Other than the thumbprint and photo which will be done on site, all pertinent data on the application form must be completed. Otherwise, incomplete forms will not be processed.

2. Applications for Dual Citizenship (Cost: $50). Appointment Scheduling Steps:

a. Visit the Philippine Consulate website (www.philippineconsulatela.org) and print the Dual Citizenship Application form;

b. Complete the Dual Citizenship Application form; and,

c. No later than 2 November 2010, send an advance copy of the completed Dual Citizenship application form and supporting documents to the Consulate by fax (213) 639-0990.

d. Other than the thumbprint and photo which will be done on site, all pertinent data on the application form must be completed. Otherwise, incomplete forms will not be processed.

Note: Oath-Taking will be scheduled on the same day for qualified applicants.

3. Applications for Report of Marriage & Birth (Cost: $25) will be accepted but this will be processed in Los Angeles and returned to the applicant by mail at an additional cost of $6. Appointment Scheduling Steps for Report of Marriage (ROM) & Birth (ROB) -

a. Visit the Philippine Consulate website (www.

philippineconsulatela.org)and print the ROM or ROB form;

b. Complete the ROM or ROB form; and,

c. No later than 2 November 2010, send an advance copy (one set only) of the completed form and supporting documents to the Consulate by fax (213) 639-0990. Incomplete forms will not be processed.

4. Notarization of Documents (Cost: $25) will be accepted but this will be processed in Los Angeles and returned to the applicant by mail at an additional cost of $6.

a. No later than 2 November 2010, send an advance copy of the document to be notarized to the Consulate by fax (213) 639-0990.

Information FOR ALL APPLICANTS

The Consulate regularly updates the appointment schedule posted on the website as they receive the completed applications.

The final list of all applicants with pre-processed applications will be posted at the Consulate’s website (www.philippineconsulatela.org) by 3 November 2010. Personal appearance is required for all applicants for data verification, finger-printing and signature capture. Applications by mail are no longer accepted.

All applicants are advised to transact their business directly with Consulate officials and not through travel agencies.

Private photographers, who are knowledgeable of the photo requirements for the machine readable passport, will be present at the Consular Outreach site for those who will need photos for passport renewal. To obtain details regarding the MRP passport photo requirements, applicants may visit the Consulate’s website (www.philippineconsulatela.org).

The Consulate will only accept payments in cash, postal money order or cashier’s check. Personal checks will not be accepted. Application forms, requirements and other details can be downloaded from the Consulate’s website at www.philippineconsulatela.org.

For information on consular matters, interested parties may wish to call 1-213-637-3020, or for site questions call Fred Gallardo of COPAO at 619-850-0825.

The Council of the Philippine American Organizations of San Diego County, Inc. (COPAO) is facilitating the Consular Outreach with the sponsorship of Western Union.

COPAO Public RelationsTel # 619-421-9415

Novena to Saint Jude

Oh Holy St. Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue, rich in miracles, near Kingsman of Jesus Christ and faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need. To you I have recoursed from the depth of my heart and humbly beg, to whom God has given special great power, to come to my assistance in my present, in return I promised to make your name known and cause to be invoke. ( Say 3 Our Fathers, 3 Hail Marys and 3 Glorys for nine consecutive days, publication must be promised.) St. Jude, pray for us all who invoke your aid. (This novena has never been known to fail.

PersonalPrayer to the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit thou make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal. You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my love ones in your perpetual glory, Amen. A Person must pray this 3 consecutive days without stating one’s wish will be granted no matter how dif-ficult may be. Promise to publish this soon as your favor has been granted.

Nigel LeeMaria Nigel Bo

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Light &Shadows

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

by Zena Sultana Babao

It’s Halloween time again, and it seems an appropriate time to talk about some of the dangerous dark side of the spirit world. The appeal of this dangerous dark side is even stronger now, especially among some of the young ones who still have gullible and impressionable minds.

Strange practices and reli-gions such as Wicca, Santeria, voodoo and channeling are growing in popularity. What’s behind them? Are such things harmless, or is there more to them than meets the eye?

I came across an article about this subject in the Good News magazine written by Mario Seiglie about two or three years ago – a subject that is even more relevant to-day as it was then. Knowing is better than not knowing so we could caution our younger generation against the inroads of this “dangerous dark side”.

A portion of Sieglie’s article follows:

As traditional Christian-ity has lost its appeal for many people, growing num-bers have sought to fill that vacuum in their lives in other ways. Some turn to alternate religions popular in other parts of the world. Some turn to witchcraft and pre-Chris-tian paganism. Some seek answers in the occult. A few even knowingly turn to Satan-ism and evil spirits.

Some are simply curious; others are very serious. But whether they recognize it or not, all are dabbling in dangers that likely are well beyond their limited comprehen-sion. That’s why these dangers are often re-ferred to as the occult – things that are secretive, mysterious and concealed.

Maybe you’ve never seen Satan or his demons, but cer-tainly those familiar with the Bible recognize their influ-ence in this rapidly degener-ating world. No wonder the Scriptures describes Satan as “the god of this age” (Corin-thians 4:4).

His influence is not new, but its prevalence in modern society certainly is. What was once banned or very limited in dealing with the dark spirit realm is now mostly out in the open. Satanism is rampant in movies, and movements based on it, such as Wicca, Sante-ria, voodoo and channeling (consultation with mediums), are thriving, especially with the young.

The apostle Paul tells us we should be wary of such practices, “lest Satan should

The Spirit World’s Dangerous Dark Side

take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devic-es” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Wicca, Santeria and Voodoo

One of the fastest grow-

ing movements in Western nations is Wicca, a modern version of witchcraft. Part of its popularity is due to Ameri-can TV programs and movies about vampires. Wicca is so popular that the United States, Great Britain and many other nations now recognize it as a legitimate religion with legal rights.

The term Wicca was popu-larized in 1954 by the British leader of the movement, Ger-ald Gardner, who described it as a return to the “Old Religion” popular in Europe before Christianity.

Wicca, from an old English word for “witch,” incorporates

many of the trappings of ancient British witchcraft practices. The satanic pentagram is used as its symbol, and one of its main tenets is adoring na-ture through different

rituals and deities. Some, but not all, covens, or groups, practice casting spells, divination and magic. Wicca is an umbrella group or movement that gath-ers under its fold very differ-ent beliefs and practices – but is at its core a thinly disguised type of old-fashioned witch-craft.

Santeria is a Caribbean religion based on mixing Af-rican witchcraft with Roman beliefs – similar in many ways to voodoo or pure African witchcraft. Its followers

practice animal sacrifices and perform feverish dancing dur-ing Santerian rituals that can lead to possession of a person by an orisha or “saint” being invoked. The individual then is said to speak and act as that saint. If this is an actual spiri-tual experience, however, it is nothing more than demonic possession.

All of these practices have this in common: Satan is their originator and they should be absolutely avoided. God, who knows exactly how Satan and his demons work, emphati-cally warns us not to have anything to do with them. He tells us to not “give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27 NIV.)

What is Channeling? Most have heard of the

term channeling. It has be-come increasingly popular on TV and radio, especially with the arrival of the “New Age” movement. This is a modern version of mysticism with roots in Hinduism, Buddhism and occultism. Some famous actors and actresses have pro-moted this new take on some very old religious practices.

Those who do the chan-neling claim they are receiv-ing information or comments from a divine or unknown source. In effect, they say, they are like a radio receiving a signal from a transmitter.

On TV and radio shows, the “channeler” or “medium” has one or more spirits enter his mind and then he becomes the “mouthpiece.” Through the medium, the spirit then

offers informa-tion, advice or predictions on almost any sub-ject imaginable, from the present condition of a departed loved one, to medical counsel, financial advice or even how to improve one’s love life.

Who is speak-ing to the chan-neler? The spirits claim to have varied identities. Some say they are the spirits of the dead, some-

times of famous persons, such as Napoleon, Winston Churchill, the so-called Virgin Mary, and even Jesus Christ. Others claim to be aliens of extraterrestrial origin.

In reality, there is not much that is new with the “New Age” movement. Mediums were used to consult with the dead from the dawn of history. They were used in Babylon, Egypt, India, China, Asia Minor, Greece (which had the famous oracle at Delphi) and even by the native North and South American Indians.

The Bible constantly warns us not to participate in any type of “channeling” that requires us to open our mind to these spirits. Instead of exposing our minds to foreign

sources, we should keep the natural barriers of our minds well protected from any out-side spirit influence.

Tarot cards and Ouija boards

Some use manual devices

such as tarot cards or Ouija boards to consult directly with spirits. These objects should be avoided at all costs – they are not innocent “games” but ancient ways of attracting evil spirits.

Think of these instruments as potential passports into your mind – possibly open-ing an entry to the zone that should only be inhabited by your own thoughts and God’s Holy Spirit. If you do not invite these evil spirits, they cannot enter. Yet sometimes even an unsuspecting invita-tion through these devices can give demons a green light! Sadly, many people have un-

knowingly invited evil spirits into their minds – and they are never quite the same again.

Simply say “No!” We must simply say “No!”

when enticed to play with this dark spirit world. Don’t fold under the pressure from friends, family or anyone else. Put God and His Word first! Literally, your life and your mental welfare could depend on it!

God, who knows exactly how Satan and his demons work, emphatically warns us not to have anything to do with them. We should not consult with people associ-ated with these spirits in spite of any stated intentions to help us. God’s word is clear: “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:31).


Nalalapit na naman ang birthday ng pinakamagaling na aktres sa lahat ng panahon na si Vilma Santos sa Novem-ber 3, kaya minabuti namin na maging topic namin siya sa aming column sa linggong ito.

Kay Ms. Cristy Fermin namin nadinig ang pagtawag kay Ate Vi na “Pina-kamagal-ing na Aktres……..”noong nasa D Buzz pa lang ang sikat na Tv host.Sumang-ayon na-man kami sa aming nadinig.

Naniniwala kasi kami na ang nagawa ni Gov. Vi sa showbiz industries ay hindi mapapantayan ng kahit na si-nong aktres sa Pilipinas.Yung iba nga nawala na sa limelight o di kaya puro supporting roles na lang ang nakukuha sa mga movies.

Im sure maraming tagah-anga si Vi dito sa Amerika , lalo na rito sa California ay matutuwa sa ihahatid naming balita sa kanilang idolo na Star For All Seasons.”In My Life” ang huling movie niya sa Star Cinema natumabo sa takilya at hinirang pa siya na Best Actress nung 2009 sa Star

Awards ng PMPC at ng Gawad Tanglaw.Narito ang ilang importanteng Inpor-masyon sa ating nirerespetong aktres sa showbiz.

Maria Rosa Vilma Tua-zon Santos (born 3 Novem-ber 1953, Bamban, Tarlac) commonly known as Vilma Santos-Recto or Ate Vi is the Philippines’ most awarded ac-tress and longest reigning box office queen. One of the origi-nal Philippine movie queens, she rose to become the most versatile actress of her genera-tion and among her peers in the Philippine movie industry. She has been accorded the fit-ting title of “Star for All Sea-sons”; and most aptly so, as she alone among her contem-poraries has demonstrated the unique ability to translucently essay in her roles the chang-ing mores and values of the Filipino woman, giving face and life to their plight, their struggles, their inner con-flicts, their successes and their failures. Vilma Santos’ per-formance in her movies never fails to garner both critical and box-office acclaim. Her acting range is undeniably unequalled and has been im-mortalized in such Philippine cinema’s classics as Trudis Liit (1963), Lipad, Darna, Lipad (1973), Burlesk Queen (1977), Relasyon (1982), Sister Stella L. (1984), Alyas Baby Tsina (1984), Pahiram ng Isang Umaga (1989), Dahil Mahal Kita: The Dolzura Cor-tez Story (1993), Anak (2000) and Dekada ‘70 (2002), Bata-

Pinakamagaling na aktres sa lahat ng panahon

Bata Paano Ka Ginawa, and recently, In My Life (2009). She is currently in politics as the governor of Batangas province, Philippines. She was also the former mayor of Lipa City, Batangas

Very busy ngayon si Gov. Vi sa kanyang political career sa Batangas kaya naman wala pa siyang nagagawang movie hanggang sa ngayon.Next year pa siya gagawa ng movie na isang Indie Film.Pero ayon sa mga Vilmanians, patulak sa

Korea ang pamilya nila sa linggong ito at maari na raw na doon na rin mag-celebrate ng kanyang Birthday.

Pero alam ‘nyo ba ang pinakahihintay naming tagpo, ang pagkikita muli nila ni Ms. Nora Aunor?Nasa California ngayon si Ate Guy,maaring mabasa rin niya ang sinulat naming ito.Sinabi noon ni Vilma na siya ang susundo kay Nora sa Manila Inter-national Airport sa oras na umuwi ito ng Pilipinas.Tiyak magiging talk of the town sila sa showbiz kapag nangyari yun.Abangan na lang natin.

DASAL NGAYON ANG KAILANGAN NI WILLIE REVILLAME, eto ang sinabi niya sa mga tagasubaybay ng “Willing Willie”, dahil ang TRO daw kasi ng ABS-CBN para mapigilan ang pag-ere ng show niya ay malapit na naman.

Ayon sa kanya kapag sumang-ayon ang korte, tiyak isang buwan titigil ang show at depende pa kung ito ay makakabalik.Eh ang gusto lang naman ng show ay makatulong sa mga mahihirap para magkaroon ng pag-asa at manalo ng papremyo.

Kaya nga mas traffik ngay-on sa bandang Novalihes,dahil maraming pumipila sa studio ng channel 5 para mapanood ang naturang show.Nandun pa rin ang karisma ng dating host ng Wowowee, minsan pa nga instead ng Willing Willie ang babanggitin niya nasasabi niya ay Wowowee, pero ok

Vilma Santos-Recto

lang daw yun dahil dun daw siya nagsimula sa loob ng limang taon.

Walang tigil nga ang pag-anyaya niya sa mga manonood pati sa ibang bansa ,lalo na dito sa Amerika,dahil napapanood naman ang show niya ng live sa internet at maging ilang website kung delay telecast naman.Ayon sa kanila, for the meantime muna ang internet para sa mga OFW at sa January daw ay magkakaroon na rin sila ng TV5International na kagaya ng TFC at Pinoy Tv.Kaunting pag-aantay na lang, at world wide na rin mapapanood ang naturang show sabi pa ni Wil-lie.

Sana matuloy ang TV5In-ternational para mas maram-ing mapapanood ang pinoy around the world, hindi lang sa TFC at Pinoy Tv.Kung maaari nga dito gawin sa California ng isang linggo ang show ni Willie, kung sakaling tuloy na nga ang worldwide ng TV5 at im sure maraming matutuwa.

About sa pilot episode niya last saturday, narito ang rating ng AGB Nielsen at Journal onlline reports……..….

.1.AGB Nielsen surveyOctober 23, Saturday,

Primetime:24 Oras (GMA-7) 8.4%;

Kaya ng Powers (GMA-7) 7.7%; Kapamilya Blockbust-ers: Ang Darling Kong As-wang (ABS-CBN) 8.1%; TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) 10.1%; Willing Willie (TV5) 9.5%

October 25, Monday, Primetime:

24 Oras (GMA-7) 12.8%; TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) 10%; Willing Willie (TV5) 6.5%

2.Journal Online reports rivals’ ratings as follows:

Willing Willie (33.8%),Ang Darling kong Aswang kapamilya Block-buster (30.4%),TV Patrol ABS-CBN (29.7%),Wish Ko Lang GMA-7 (28.8%),24 Oras GMA-7 (27.6%), Kaya Ng Powers GMA-7 (22.7%)

Bahala na kayo kung saan kayo maniniwala sa dalawa., basta dito sa Amerika walang

survey ang TFC at Pinoy Tv kung sino ang nangunguna sa mga programa nila.

SINO ANG TINATAWAG NA DOMINADOR NA YOUNG ACTOR ?Ang ibig kasi sabihin ng dominador, madumi o dirty in English.Minsan daw naghubad daw ang young actor ng kanyang sapatos, at take note nangin-gitim daw ang mga kuko nito sa paa.Shock nga ang mga nakakita rito, dahil ang kinis-kinis ng mukha at katawan nito pero pabaya sa mga kuko nito sa paa.

MInsan naman daw sa mga kuko nito sa Daliri ang marumi,madalas pa ito na walang sock na sinusuot kaya naman, sobrang baho ng paa nito kapag kasama mo ito sa isang saksakyan, umaalin-gasaw ang amoy. Hunk pa naman ito, at napapanood sa kapamilya network.

Pero hindi namin sasabihin kung sino siya,masyadong ng talamak ang pangalan niya bilang “DOMINADOR” at alam na marahil niya na siya

ang tinutukoy ng blind item na ito.Pero kung gusto nyo talaga malaman kung sino ito, puwes makinig kayo kay Tita Swarding sa DZRH every Sunday , bulgaran kasi rito sa programang ito at walang Blind item. Super lakas talaga ng loob ni Tita Swarding,ibuyayang kung sino ito.Basta, kami tigilan na ang pagsuot ng sapatos na wa-lang medyas para wag uma-lingasaw sa baho kung ayaw mong matawag na “DOMI-NADOR”.Magaling pa naman siyang dramatic actor, sino siya? Pwes kung gusto niyong malaman, tawagan nyo ako rito sa Asian Journal.

NATUTUWA NAMAN KAMI KAY MYSTICA, parang may show siya sa facebook at ang sipag-sipag mag-post na kanyang trip sa Kenya Africa, hindi lang picture with matching video.Siya talaga ang narrator at reporter sa mga videos niya at pinakikita niya ang Ibat-ibang makikita sa Africa.May mga interview portion pa, na talagang pinakikita ni Mystica na parang may show siya sa Facebook.

Para ka nga nanonood sa Dicovery channel, lutang na lutang ang galing niya sa Hosting.Tinanong nga naming siya kung may Gorilla roon, para maipakita naman niya Video yung malaking mon-key. Sagot niya wala pa raw pero hindi na daw bale kasi puro gorilla naman daw ang mga kasama niya sa trip na yun. Kung ka-facebook nyo si Mystica alam nyo kung anu ang sinasabi namin.

Actually para may busi-ness sila roon kaya nadun sila ngayon sa Kenya, pero balik showbiz na siya ulit kaya lang wala pang masyadong intriga sa kanya. Pero madalas siyang i-blind item ni Ms. Cristy Fermin, ewan ko lang kung alam niya.Basta kami, isa sa pinakamabait na taga-showbiz na nakilala naming itong si Mystica.More Power sa career niya!!!

Talking about Facebook, mukhang sumasagot na ngayon si Amy Perez sa mga ka-facebook niya.Hindi tulad noon, para lang siya tuod at walang sagot sa magagandang sinasabi sa kanya. Dapat lang hindi naman ikaw , si Vilma Santos o Vice Ganda para wa-lang time sa pagsagot.Siguro nabasa niya yung write-ups namin sa kanya., kaya nag-bago siya.

Binabati pala namin ang aming mga tagabasa sa digi-tal print ng Asian Journal sa Facebook ang mga dati naming students sa CCP sina Carlito Lauderes, Eden Pualo at Nyleen Santos na nasa Chicago.

(619) 702-3051

Showbiz Watcher

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

by Ogie Cruz

$50

TulaSerye ng Pag-ibigIka-3 Yugto

PUSO’Y PINANGIBABAW!

Mabigat ang katawang inayos niya ang sariliSininop ang mga gamit na di pansin noong gabiAng nagdaang pangarap ay pilitang iniwawaksiAt hangarin ay labanan ang masidhing unsiyami.

At sa kaniyang paglalakad patungong paaralanTukso pa ring sumasagi dito sa kanyang isipanAng kaibig-ibig na mukha’t rikit ng paralumanLakip ay ang panalanging maging makatotohanan.

Hanap-hanap ay kabuuan ng naging inspirasyonSa lahat ng binibini na kanyang nasasalubongDatapwa’t nanatiling wala at bigong makasumpongNg kaniyang marubdob na mithiin at nilalayon.

Ang dalahing pagmuni-muni ay napahinto saglitNang doon sa kanyang paaralan siya ay sumapitNawaglit sa isipang araw pala ng pagsusulitAt di siya nakapaghanda dahil sa panaginip.

Luminga-linga pa ring ang pag-asa ay makakitaKatugunan sa naghaharing ala-ala tuwinaNguni’t bigo pa rin at hungkag na makasilay siyaNg anyo ng diwatang malabis na pinapantasya.

Kaya’t nang lumabas na yaong bunga ng pagsusulitAy markang pulos na mabababa ang kanyang nakamitAng naging kat’wiran ay gulung-gulo ang pag-iisipNa ang kadahilana’y di matakasang panaginip.

O kay lungkot naman ng kinahinatnang gantipalaDahil sa bumabagabag ay nagmistulang tulalaPati sa pag-aaral ay lubusan nang nagpabayaPinangibabaw ang pusong magapi ang kanyang diwa. (Itutuloy)

audele10-15-10

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

Ni Romeo Nicolas

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Close to all.$400 per month plus utilities

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Ang Kurapsyon Sa Bayan Ko

‘Dali nating masasabi, samang dulot ng KURAPSYON,‘Pagkat ang syang bunga nito’y hirap sa habang panahon.Bawat isang nasasangkot, bibig ay ‘di maitikom,Hugas kamay sa pagdakdak sa kurapsyong NILALAMON.

Ang totoo ‘sang damukal itong sanghay ng gobyerno,Nagtamasang maging kurap sa nagdaan na Pangulo.Siyam na taong kumakabig sa biyayang panloloko,Yamang hindi maikubli, halatain sa paglobo.

Sa bagong administrasyon sila ngayo’y nasasalang,Binubuong “truth commission” kanya-kanya ang palagan.Senadorang bungangera, dinaig pa yaong wang-wang,At ayaw sa panukala, sa batas daw ito’y bawal.

Bakit kapag may paraang tutukan ang nagkamali,Marami ang lumilitaw na kabuti sa pusali?Paano nga malilinis ang ilalim ng kawali,Kung pamunas na syang gamit, marumi rin at ‘di puti?

Kay hirap ding intindihin ang utak ng Pilipino,Sadya kayang ito’y dala ng dekadang panloloko?Nasanay na sa paraang silang lagi yaong amo,Basta bulsa’y naglalaman, ayos lang ang BUTO-BUTO.

Paano ngayon ang BIR, MMDA at LTO,Ang NFA at KOTONG COP at WANG-WANG na abusado?CARNAPER at CARJACKER, sobrang samang POLITIKO,Ubos na rin yaong taong sa KRIMEN ay tetestigo.

Naku pare! Kabayan ko, sasakit ang ating ulo,Pawang ito ang syang laman, araw-araw nating DYARYO.Pangulo ng ating bansa ang sulong ay PAGBABAGO,Sadya namang nararapat tumulong din tayong tao.

Inyo na bang nalalaman ang inangkat nating bigas?Naroroon sa bodega, nabubulok, inaamag.‘Di pa alam ng gobyerno ang desisyong nararapat,Tuloy pa ring sa pagdating, bigas Vietnam na inangkat.

Ang bigas ay labis-labis, kay taas din ng halaga,Samantalang magsasaka, sa palayan, nakatanga.FERTILIZER na malaong naging SCAM noong una,Hanggang ngayon ang gobyerno ang sisi ng magsasaka.

Ang sistema na nagdaan, para bagang RENTANG BAHAY,Kahit ito’y bagong bago, wala silang pakialam.Dumi dito, dumi roon, bumaho man ay okey lang,Bahala na ang susunod LINISIN ang ALINGASAW.

Batikos ni:Romeo S. Nicolas

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – How can you better manage energy consumption as colder weather creeps in and electric-ity bills creep up? How about getting the answer to your energy-saving questions in one place?

Launched recently in all of its U.S. stores, the Energy Center of Lowe’s is the first of its kind for a major retailer. Here, you will find energy-saving products such as solar-powered products and ENERGY STAR® quali-fied CFLs in one place, making all your money-saving and energy-saving plans for your homes a reality.

“The Energy Center builds on Lowe’s commitment to bring more innovative products and services to our customers,” said Nick Canter, Lowe’s executive vice president of merchandising.

“By pulling together comprehensive options to help them manage their energy use, the Energy Center makes it easier for customers to be-come more energy efficient while putting money back in their pocket.”

Beyond traditional energy-saving methods that influence many Asian homes, the best thing about reducing energy consumption nowadays is that you can measure energy use and even generate renewable energy.

Take your cue from the following amazing products offered at The Energy Center:

Measuring energy use

How to find energy leaks. The handheld Black & Deck-er® Thermal Leak Detector ($49.99) makes it easy to find energy leaks in the home. An LED light changes color to in-dicate changes in temperature around windows, doors and in the attic.

Sealing the gaps and cracks, and properly insulat-ing, can save a

homeowner up to 20 per-cent on heating and cooling costs, according to the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

How much appliances cost to operate. The Kill A Watt™ EZ ($34.97) by P3 International measures how much appliances really cost to operate. Simply plug the ap-pliance into this device, which

Lowe’s energy center goes nationwide

From energy monitors to leak detectors to solar panels, energy-saving products come to one place

plugs into the wall outlet and accurately displays projected costs by week, month or year. It also can measure how much money standby items such as TVs and computers cost when not in use. For more power monitors, including whole-home energy monitors like The Energy Detective ($240) from Energy Inc., visit Lowes.com.

Reducing energy costs

What to do with drafty gaps. Once

drafty gaps have been identified with a Thermal Leak Detector, save energy and save money by sealing them with caulk, weatherstrip or insulating foam. These products, along with energy savers such as CFLs, pro-grammable thermostats and dimmer switches that Lowe’s sells throughout the store, have been

consolidated in the Energy Center to

make it easier for customers to tackle energy efficiency as a project.

What to do with standby-off mode power devices. The average U.S. household spends more than $500 over five years to power devices while they are off (or in standby mode), according to the EPA. Eliminate that power loss, and the need to fumble around under the computer desk, with Choose Renew-ables’ Bye Bye Standby ($19.97). The set of remote-controlled outlets easily plugs into a power strip or elec-tronic devices and switches them on and off individually, or together, with the touch of a button.

Generating renewable energy

When to start using solar power. Lowe’s Energy Cen-ter is also helping consumers take their first step into solar power. The Solar Lite flash-light ($18.97) by Hybrid Light can hold a charge for up to three years. Charge it once by exposing it to any light source, natural or artificial, and store it until needed. It’s durable and waterproof.

When you’re seeking

power on the go. Sunforce’s 1.8-watt Solar Battery Main-tainer ($19.97) and 5-watt Solar Battery Trickle Char-ger ($49.97) use the power of the sun to maintain a full capacity 12-volt battery. The maintenance-free panels work with cars, SUVs, RVs, boats and other vehicles, and can plug directly into a vehicle’s charging port.

When solar panel is the way to go. Consumers who own their homes and have ample sunny, south-facing roof space also might be can-didates for Westinghouse So-lar’s 180-watt AC solar panels ($893 per panel). Winner of a 2009 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Product Award, the panels are available in the Energy Center at select Lowe’s stores and can be pur-chased through special order at all Lowe’s locations.

Lowe’s has won eight consecutive ENERGY STAR awards for its leadership as a retailer of energy-efficient products and in 2010 be-came the first winner of the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in Retail. To get started on saving en-ergy and money, visit Lowe’s in-store Energy Center. For more inspirational ideas and projects, go to Lowes.com/Ef-ficientHome.

About Lowe’sWith fiscal year 2009 sales

of $47.2 billion, Lowe’s Com-panies, Inc. is a FORTUNE® 50 company that serves ap-proximately 15 million custom-ers a week at more than 1,700 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more informa-tion, visit Lowes.com.


list, is recommended for every rank from Private to General.

Nick has undergone a lot of challenging difficulties in the process of almost losing his life, yet he is willing to put his life on the line again for his homeland. To him, service for the country is a continuing endeavor. Dedication, honesty, self-sacrifice and continuing vigilance are the marks of the strength of his character.

This award-winning author and speaker, a symbol of Amer-ican freedom and liberation, is once again ready to serve and protect the liberties that make this nation great. Only this time, the battle will be carried in the halls of Congress!

An anonymous author once said: “Every time a nation comes to the brink of collapse, a warrior-statesman comes forward to save that nation.” Our country may not yet be in the brink of collapse, but if we let the country run its present course, it may. And or a time such as this, a warrior-states-man or a soldier statesman is needed.

Samuel Huntington, a famous Harvard professor and author of the best-selling book The Clash of Civilizations, described soldier-statesmen as possessing courage, compe-tence, commitment and candor. Nick Popaditch is clearly that soldier-statesman. His cour-age has been tested in combat, unlike those who show cour-age only when it’s politically convenient.

Popaditch travels throughout the country sharing his story of encouragement by teaching leadership and core values and motivating people from all walks of life: corporate people, veterans, church and youth groups, and citizens who believe in a better America.

In the past five months, Nick Popaditch has appeared as a guest in major TV and radio talk shows all over the country. The latest appearance was as a panelist in the “Great Ameri-can Panel” Tuesday afternoon, 10/25/10, at the very popular Sean Hannity’s talk show over at Fox News.

A fiscally conservative candidate, Popaditch will work to rein in the out-of-control spending of the current national administration. If you visit his website www.Popaditch-forCongress.com , you will see he is campaigning on the fol-lowing issues: limited govern-ment, strong national defense, secure borders, more jobs, and strong family values.

His campaign issues give voice and action to the Tea Party groups’ concerns and de-mands for a better government.

A supremely confident man who always sees the positive side of life, Popaditch

Nick PopaditchAn American Hero for Congress The Winning Candidate

believes that his chances for winning his bid for the 51st congressional district are excel-lent. “We don’t get in a fight to lose it,” he said. His loyal and dedicated supporters echo his sentiment.

In fact, the momen-tum is building up! And this momentum will carry him on – up the hill and onto victory. Immediately after Popaditch announced his candidacy, grassroots support sprouted up and endorsements started pour-ing in.

One of his earliest and strongest supporters is for-mer Congressman Duncan L. Hunter, who said about Nick’s campaign: “Nick is doing great. He’s moving around a lot, and campaigning a lot. Ev-ery place he goes to he is well received. He speaks like Ron-ald Reagan – he’s very charis-matic and he’s got a magnetic personality. He’s picking up lots of support and he’s truly achieving a grassroots organi-zation. I think it’s a testament to his ability that when he got in the race, the other Republi-can candidates got out. I think that’s also a function of the respect they have for him as a candidate and as a guy who truly is an American hero.”

Former Presidential candidate and FOX News host Mike Huckabee, together with Huck PAC, Huckabee’s political action committee, in announcing their endorsement for Nick, wrote:

“Nick’s willingness to serve is a testament to his character and heart. Cali-fornians deserve a leader like Nick who will fight for lim-ited government, champion a strong national defense and work to secure borders. Nick believes that the only institu-tion that should be deemed ‘too big to fail’ is the ‘traditional family.’ He believes it is our duty to protect our families and protect every human life, without exception – because he understands that life begins at conception. I hope you will join me in sending this great man to Congress, where he can continue fighting for what is right.”

The Combat Veterans for Congress, the Warriors for Congress, and the Can-Do Conservatives for America are among the strong supporters of Popaditch nationwide. Locally, a lot of strong organizations are working for his campaign and thousands of volunteers have walked and saturated the district with flyers, signs and gigantic billboards.

In three days, this mid-term election we will see an American Hero in the Halls of Congress – Nick Popaditch – Congressman for the 51st District.

ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, reached another milestone last Tuesday (Oct 19) after its followers on twit-ter broke the 100,000 mark, making it the most followed and most influential Filipino news organization on the popular international social-networking site.

This only shows that ANC (#ANCalerts) is the preferred source of more Filipinos from all over the world for breaking news and news updates in the Philippines and the world.

ANC Chief Operating Of-ficer Glenda M. Gloria said this new achievement further solidifies ANC’s presence in

With over 100,000 unique followers

ANC, the Philippines most influential news account on Twitter

Vampires and werewolves of ABS-CBN’s newest fantasy series “Imortal” took their first bite on the nationwide viewer-ship shares and scored a rating of 34.4% on its premiere epi-sode beating its rival program with only 22.7%, according to data from Kantar Media.

The primetime soap top-billed by John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin immediately hit second place with a rating of 34.4% when it premiered oct 4 and it was only a decimal point behind top-rater “Noah” (34.5%)

ABS-CBN rules nationwide TV and AM radio

ratings in September

of 1,370 representative house-holds covering urban Philip-pines and reporting on seven sectors namely the National Capital Region, North Luzon, Central Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

ABS-CBN shifted to Kan-tar Media/TNS after filing a case vs. AGB Nielsen Media Research for failing to comply with its request to investigate alleged cheating and data tam-pering in TV ratings. The case is still pending in court.

Imortal John Lloyd Cruz

As a new addition to the Primetime Bida line-up, “Im-ortal” beefs up ABS-CBN’s already unbeatable primetime block this October, picking up from its dominance last September where it scored an average audience share of 40% versus GMA 7 with only 34% TV5 ranked far third and remained stagnant it its place with a meager 8% audience share. Fourth placer Studio 23 is fast catching up with 5% share or only three points be-hind TV5. Its audience share has been on an uptrend since January month-on-month.

Nine out of the top ten most-watched programs nationwide for September were produced by ABS-CBN. These are “Agua Bendita” (32.6%), “Noah” (34.1%), “TV Patrol” (32.6%), “Wansa-panataym” (29.1%), “Mo-may” (27.7%), “Maalaala Mo Kaya” (27.4%), “Idol” (26.9%), “Kokey@Ako” (25.9%), and “TV Patrol Weekend” (24.8%),

ABS-CBN remains the undisputed leader on weekend programming beating all other shows. “Wansapanataym,” “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” and “TV Patrol Weekend” were among its top-raters and no other weekend programs from GMA7 and TV5 made it to the overall top 20 chart.

Meanwhile, noontime program “Pilipinas Win na Win” already bounced back to the top 15 programs nation-wide last Monday (Oct 4) and gradually gaining momentum on its time block when the show introduced its new hosts Rico Puno, Marco Sison, Rey Valera, and Nonoy Zuniga.

ABS-CBN’s AM radio sta-tion DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 continues to conquer radio airwaves in Mega Manila for the month of August with an audience share of 32% based on the 2010 Nielsen Mega Manila RAM. Its FM counter-part Tambayan 101.9, on the other hand, remains steady at the number two spot among all FM stations.

Kantar Media, a global market research group, offers audience research measure-ment systems in 32 countries. It started releasing its Phil-ippine television audience measurement data in February 2009 with panels composed

Angel Locsin

social media, which is said to be where the future of journal-ism is heading with the grow-ing number of people who get and exchange information online.

“ANC was the first TV channel in the Philippines to convert Twitter and Facebook into a second channel,” says Gloria. “We were also the first to have its own social media team, which is composed of young, aggressive and news-savvy producers and writers.”

Because of its social media presence, more young profes-sionals and students are now tuned to ANC, a market that Gloria says ANC had not been successful in penetrating before 2008.

As one of the country’s first and staunchest advocates of citizen journalism, ANC has already built a strong fol-lowing among netizens. On its Facebook page, around 34,000 of its 41,076 fans ac-tively participate in the ANC 24/7 wall, while post views reach an average of no less than 500,000 a month.

In July 2010, meanwhile, ANC joined other global news channels such as BBC and CNBC, which are regularly advertised by Twitter on its front door. It also tops the list of the most influential Philip-pine news accounts on Twit-ter.

On October 4, a regular news day, @ANCAlerts had a unique reader reach of 92,422

but a total reader reach of 5,818,350 based on re-tweets. ANC’s election day coverage, on the other hand, also got the biggest number of unique visitors among all the elec-tion newcasts that were live streamed on abs-cbnnews.com on May 10.

Through social media, the Philippines’ first 24-hour global cable news channel hopes to empower Filipinos from across demographics to get involved in discussions on the nation’s issues, to report on the situations in their areas, as well to keep abreast with the latest events in the coun-

try.It has also incorporated

social media in its programs like the newly-launched “The Brew” featuring Twink Mac-araig, Nadia Trinidad, and Gang Badoy, and “Tease” with Ginger Conejero.

ANC airs on The Filipino Channel (TFC) via satellite bundle in the U.S., Middle East, Europe and Australia. Follow ANC (ANCalerts) on www.twitter.com and www.facebook.com. You may also visit www.abs-cbnnews.com/anc for important news and updates.

out of idle lands. That’s from zero to something,” he said.

The company’s 54 million-liter annual displacement of petroleum fuel will translate to foreign exchange savings of $27.5 million. Its sugarcane production of 700,000 metric tons has an estimated value of P1.6 billion.

GFII will be using the exper-tise on contract growing with farmers of Filipino affiliate firm controlled by the Uys, the Uni-versal Leaf Phils. Inc. (ULPI).

“We have been dealing with small farmers,” said Uy.

“Right now, we import 100 percent of our fuel needs, and foreign exchange goes to the rich Middle Eastern nations. Through partnerships like this, we procure ethanol domestically and provide added value for the low-income Filipino farmers,” Uy said.

Japanese firms Itochu and JGC Corp. have been attracted to invest in the country’s biofuel industry due to the incentives given by the Biofuels Act.

“Among our other Asian prospects, the Philippines is the most advanced in its implemen-tation of a biofuels law. We are glad to be attuned to the market demand, especially as the man-dated five percent blend of etha-nol in gasoline mix will climb to 10 percent by next year,” said GFII Marketing Consultant Erwin Co in a statement.

With a 10 percent petroleum-based fuel to biofuel blend, the country’s ethanol demand will rise to 440 million liters.

Japan’s Itochu invests $120M

in Isabela ethanol plant




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To:

From: Eugene De Leon

Herewith is proof of your classified ad for publication in the Asian Journal. Please proofread i t and fax back the correction if any or call us for your approval. The ad is tentatively scheduled to be published in the

issue of the Asian Journal if we receive your approval on time. At $4 per line

lines, it costs

$______.00 to be paid upon your receipt of the invoice and tear sheet. Thank you.

Fax #

If approved please sign and fax back to

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Asian JournalFirst Asian Weekly Newspaper in Southern California & San Diego’s Most Widely Circulated Asian-Filipino Newspaper

550 East 8th Street, Suite 6, National City CA 91950 • Tel. (619) 474-0588 • Fax (619) 474-0373

10/29/10

L Escamila

9x4x10360

CITY OF SAN DIEGOCity Planning & Community Investment Department

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALFOR

Environmental Impact Report for Uptown/North Park/Golden Hill Community Plan Update (H115301)

The City of San Diego (City) is requesting proposals from highly qualified environmental firms for consul-tant services for Environmental Impact Report for Uptown/North Park/Golden Hill Community Plan Update (H115301).

It is the policy of the City to provide equal opportunity in its environmental professional services contracts. To-ward this end, proposals from small local businesses, disadvantaged businesses and disabled veteran, women and minority owned businesses are strongly encouraged. Prime consultants are encouraged to provide subconsultant opportunities or joint venture with these firms. The City endeavors to do business with firms sharing the City’s commitment to equal opportunity and will not do business with any firm that discriminates on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, medical condition or place of birth.

This project has a voluntary Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBE)/ Emerging Local Business Enterprises (ELBE) Participation Level (SLBE/ELBE) goal of 20%. SLBE/ELBE goals are achieved by contracting with SLBE and ELBE firms as defined in the following website, http://www.sandiego.gov/eoc/boc/slbe.shtml. Attain-ment of the SLBE/ELBE goal is strongly encouraged, but strictly voluntary.

The City of San Diego will ensure that full access to programs, services, meetings and activities comply with Section 504, Title V, of the Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990, Public Law 101-336.

In-depth knowledge and a strong understanding of the local environment, and a local presence for interfacing with the City’s project management staff are essential to the successful completion of this project. The proposal must address the consultant’s knowledge and understanding of: the City and other local agencies’ regulations and policies; local environment; and local building codes and other criteria. The proposal must also address how the consultant plans to interface with the City’s project management staff and the consultant’s workforce in San Diego County.

All proposals submitted must be in full accord with the Request for Proposal (RFP) which can be obtained by requesting the RFP via email from John Mendivil, Consultant Services Coordinator, at:

[email protected] of San Diego, Purchasing & Contracting Department

1200 Third Avenue, Suite 200San Diego, CA 92101.

When requesting the RFP, please refer to the specific project title and number, Environmental Impact Report for Uptown/North Park/Golden Hill Community Plan Update (H115301). For questions about RFP procedures please call John Mendivil at (619) 235-5855.

A pre-proposal meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 10:00:00 AM, at CPCI Department, 4th Floor Conference Room, 202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101. It is strongly recommended that all interested parties attend. For more information, assistance, to request an agenda in alternative format, or to request a sign language or oral interpreter for the meeting, please contact Marlon Pangilinan, at 619-235-5293 at least five working days prior to the meeting to ensure availability.

Proposals are due no later than 5:00 p.m. Friday, December 3, 2010, at the location stated in the RFP. This RFP does not commit the City to award a contract or to defray any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal pursuant to this RFP. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this RFP. The City also reserves the right to revise this RFP, including but not limited to the pre-proposal conference date and the proposal due date. If the City revises the RFP, all RFP holders of record will be notified in writing by the City.

SUmmARY SCOPE OF SERvICESThe Consultant shall prepare the Environmental Impact Report for the Uptown/North Park/Golden Hill Community Plan Update in accordance with the City of San Diego Environmental Impact Report Guidelines (Updated May 2005) and City Memorandum dated September 2002 (Updated December 2005). The remainder of the Scope of Services is contained in the Request for Proposal for Environmental Impact Report for Uptown/North Park/Golden Hill Community Plan Update (H115301), as Exhibit A to the Draft Agreement.

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August 25th 2010 – To-day the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of San Diego County commended the Commission on Judicial Ap-pointments for the approval of Justice Cantil-Sakauye’s nomination to serve as Chief Justice of the California Su-preme Court.

“We are pleased that the Commission on Judicial Ap-pointments approved Justice Cantil-Sakauye’s nomination, a critical step in the nomina-tion process of the first Filipi-na American to lead the state’s

Filipino American

Chamber of Commerce

of San Diego County

Commends Commission

on Judicial Appointments for Approving

the Nomination of Justice

Cantil-Sakauye

judiciary,” said Audie J. de Castro, the Chamber’s Presi-dent, who is also an attorney. “Justice Cantil-Sakauye is an ideal person to lead Cali-fornia, as she has will bring both extensive judicial and administrative experience to the court.”

“Her nomination sends an empowering message to Filipino Americans who are in interested in holding an elected or appointed office. We hope that Californians will make history by voting in the first Filipina American to lead California Supreme Court” de Castro added.


Within a few of days each other, occurring in the Philip-pines and in the United States are several events which the youth’s judgment is challenged. The first is Halloween (both countries); second is the Barangay and Sangguniang Barangay elections in the Philippines; third is the Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert rallies in Washington, D.C.; and fourth is the mid-term elections in the United States.

Halloween involves some mi-nor decision-making processes. Should a girl dress as a Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi, Christine O’Donnell or as a witch? Should

a boy go as Obama, Osama, or Pope Benedict? Should they go to the Kennedy mansion, the Cheney house, the houses where they are far apart, or at the King’s Man- or where the town- houses are all connect-ed to each

other?

Should it be trick or treat?

**********

Barangay is the most basic governmental unit in the Philip-pines. The Chairman which used to be called Captain (Kapitan) is elected not only to act as Chief Executive of the Barangay or in some cases the entire village, but also the representative of the Barangay citizens in the Mu-nicipal Council. He also presides over the Barangay Council and in some instances exercises some judicial functions. Electing the Chairman therefore, is a major decision because it has repercus-sions not only to the present but most especially to the future of the residents.

Sangguniang Barangay is a good training ground for the Filipino youth. It is also a form of self-governance for the lat-ter. It provides them a chance to exercise executive as well as legislative powers. The Aquino government had announced their intention to abolish the Sang-guniang Barangay earlier. The fact that there is an election means that the youth is given another chance to change the course of Philippine governance starting at the most basic unit.

Under Section 13, Article II of the Philippine Constitu-tion, “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being . . .”

As mentioned in a previ-ous column, “the Sangguniang Barangay is an organization with a mechanism that is the only one of its kind in the world. Estab-lished by law, the SK puts the Philippines in the forefront of an emerging movement worldwide to give the youth a direct role in shaping policies and programs. It provides the youth the opportu-nity to learn leadership skills and self-governance.”

President Aquino also an-nounced a plan to set-up an e-Center in every Barangay. Internet would then be accessible

Youth’s Decision: Chance or Change

to residents in every Barangay. Again, the youth would be in the forefront of the internet revolu-tion in every Barangay. The Sangguniang Barangay mem-bers and elected officers are all without exception, what Dan Tapscott calls the “Digital Na-tives” or those who were “born digital”, “growing up digital”, and “grown-up digital”. Give or expose them to an iPhone, iPad, smart phone, netbook or any electronic product and they will learn on their own the features and the effective utilization of the devices. Giving the “Net Generation” or the “Text Genera-

tion” the chance to access a broadband network would help them change the e-Centers into an effective e-Gov, e-Com-munications (e-mail, VOIP, Video-over IP), e-Library (e-books, audio books, etc.) e-Learning, e-Entertainment (multi-media, movies, games, etc.), e-Commerce, e-Shopping, e-Banking, and other changes that may surprise us all.

**************

The rallies led by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert to be held in Washington, D.C. would most likely attract America’s youth and the progressive or liberal segments of America’s political society. They will be compared to the rallies of the conservatives led by Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin’s Tea Party.

The decision for the youth is to go or not to go. Going would negate the perception that they are now less enthusiastic in sup-porting the change which they aggressively pushed two years ago. It would also mean that they are giving “change” a “chance”. Not going would confirm what the conservatives had been asserting all along – the youth prefer another change.

*************

The mid-term elections is another critical event for the youth. The latter’s role is more significant than ever in deciding what course or direction should America go vis-à-vis the change which the youth espoused a couple of years ago. They voted for Obama’s promise of change over John McCain by an over- whelm-ing 2:1 margin (66% vs. 32%). In addi-

tion, in both 2006 and 2008, the youth voted for Democrat- ic congres-sional candidates about the same 2:1 margin that they gave the president in his general elec-tion victory.

Obama promised healthcare reform. Another 40 million Americans are now covered by health insurance with the pas-sage of the healthcare reform law. That’s a change that the youth believed in and in fact, Obama delivered. A recent sur-vey shows that 45% of the young favors it, and another 14% want to see how it works in practice. Only 18% favor repealing it outright.

“Youth is the first victim of war; the first fruit of peace. It takes 20 years or more of peace to make a man; it takes only 20 seconds of war to destroy him.” (Baudouin).

The youth believed that Obama would get us out of wars. He had already started the withdrawal of forces from Iraq and is now preparing the ground-work for eventual withdrawal in Afghanistan.

On the Bush tax cuts, 34% of the young prefer to let all of the Bush 2001 tax cuts to expire, and

an additional 26% favor letting the tax cuts expire for those earn-ing more than $250,000 per year. Only 23% believe that all of the tax cuts should be extended.

The decision for the Ameri-can youth in these mid-term elections then is: should they go to the polls and give “change” a “chance” or vote for another change instead?

My barber says, “the problem with another change is that given the pronouncements of the alter-native, it could go back to the old policies which the youth already rejected only two years ago.”

**********

Amidst all the events dis-cussed above, there are actually two other events which are just as significant if not more so and which could lead to better deci-sions for the young. To Catholics and other Christians, one event is “All Saints’ Day”, and to many others, another event is “All Souls’ Day”.

As models in exemplary service and self-less devotion to noble causes, the Saints, Heroes, and our dearly beloved, could guide the youth and all of us to greater glory and better judg-ment.

As Willa Cather said, “The dead might as well try to speak to the living as the old to the young.”

In God and in them we trust! In the youth we bank our hopes!

Room for Rent in National City

Call 619-746-3416

Filipino American CPAs of Seattle visit

San DiegoTake it from my barber

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

by Benjamin Maynigo

VOTEStan RodkinPUSD Board of Education

Veteran of 13 years

On this School Board in years past

I stood fi rmly for academic rigor then and

still do in spite of the budget shortfall

- No hidden agenda - No axe to grind

- No high sounding phrases - No false promises

Just concern for top notch education for all kids. Issues have come to my attention through former associates which demand change. I have plans

to bring about needed changes.

“A friend of the Asian American Community”“Not supported or endorsed by any special interest group.”

An Ex Board Member and a Graduate Engineer

VOTE Stan Rodkin PUSD Board of Educaton:

Some officers and members of the Filipino American Asso-ciation of CPAs of Seattle, Washington visited San Diego re-cently to attend a seminar and bask in the sunny weather of America’s Finest City. Photo shows, from left to right, Jes-se Tiamson (auxiliary president), Evelyn Tiamson (current president), Victoria Galinato (past president), Simeon Sil-verio (Asian Journal publisher), Emelita Barber (past presi-dent), and Jean Pierre Iturralde (past president). They at-tended a 3-day IRS Tax Seminar held at the Town and Country Convention Center from August 31 to September 2, 2010.

Jesse Tiamson in front of the USS Mid-way Exhibit (top); Jesse with authentic taco shop in Chula Vista with Sim Sil-verio ((right)

Photos from top to bottom, far right: The group at Old Town; Jesse infront of the Rizal bust in the very first Seafood City in America located in National City; Anita Sese and Jesse at the historic Hotel Del Coro-nado; and Jesse with Sim and Anita in the mountain resort of Julian.