asian journal july 12, 2013 edition

7/28/2019 Asian Journal July 12, 2013 Edition

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Philippine Govt must keep peso above 40 to $1

July 12-18, 2013

(Continued on page 1)

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July 12-18, 2013



Dr Ofelia DirigeMsgr. Gutierrez Ben MaynigoUnmanned Surface

Vehicle (USV): Made inthe Philippines? p 6


ABS CBN News | MA-NILA, 6/27/2013 - Philippinepolice rescued 29 women and

arrested ve peopleaccused of illegallysupplying mail-orderbrides to South Korea,an ofcial said Thurs-day.

Police raided ahouse in Bacoor, nearManila, on Wednesday fol-lowing a tip-off from a gov-ernment agency that docu-mented complaints by earliervictims, said Chief Superin-

tendent Reginald Villasanta.We have rescued 29

(Filipinas) who were duped

into promises of aninstant wealthy lifethrough marriagewith Korean gentle-men, Villasanta,head of a policeorganised crimetask force, said in a

statement.(In) most cases, they

ended up (on) the losing end

Philippines rescues 29 mail-orderbrides to South Korea

FASEA Welcome Crew of BRPRamon Alcaraz

SDG&E and FiLAm-Fest: Together Inspiring

Future Leaders .. p 6


The Dark Nights of Father Madrid

Inspired by a True Story ....

Chapter 51. El Pueblo de la Virgen

A Historical Novel by Dr. Ed Gamboa

Neighborliness.. p 11


Traffic costs P2.4B daily


ABS CBN News | MA-NILA, 7/3/2013- The coun-trys military facilities areopen not only to the United

States but to other allies aswell, President Aquino saidTuesday.

In a chance interview atCamp Crame where he turnedover new service pistols tothe police force, Aquino saidthe country needs all the helpit can get from allies, par-ticularly the US and Japan, inenhancing its defense capa-

bilities and in dealing speci-cally with Chinas growingmilitary presence in the WestPhilippine Sea.

In Bandar Seri Begawan inBrunei, Foreign Affairs Secre-

PNoy: Other PH allies to getbases access

San Diego, Calif. OnJune 28, 2013, the latest ad-dition to The Philippine Navyeet, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz,

docked at Naval Station SanDiegos Pier 2. The ship and

FASEA Members presenting Leadership Certificate to BRP Alcaraz Cap-tain Ernesto Baldovino. Left to Right: FASEA Vice President Noel Bea, Cap-tain Ernesto Baldovino, FASEA President Simon De Guzman, FASEA Board ofDirector Bobby Cruz, FASEA Auditor Matias Carin

From the Department of

Foreign Affairs | 7/2/2013 --Secretary of Foreign AffairsAlbert F. del Rosario calledon Monday for an expanded

ASEAN-United States (U.S.)

cooperation on maritime se-

Secretary del Rosario calls foran expanded ASEAN-U.S. coop-eration on maritime security

Ofcials say weak currencya boon to economy

by Michelle V. Remo,Inquirer.net | MANILA,7/8/2013 -- The peso shouldstay above 40 to a dollar tohelp ensure the Philippines

will keep its robust-growthmomentum, according to So-cioeconomic Planning Secre-tary Arsenio Balisacan.

Balisacan, who is alsodirector general of the Na-tional Economic and Develop-ment Authority (Neda), saidthe recent depreciation of the

peso to the 43:$1 level wouldeventually prove to be a boonto the economy. He said thiswould help boost exports,improve competitiveness oflocally produced goods andfurther fuel consumption ofhouseholds dependent onremittances.

The peso last year and in

the rst quarter of this yearwas one of the fastest appre-ciating currencies against thedollar on the back of signi-cant foreign capital inows.

While a 40-to-a-dollar ratewould still be tolerable, Bal-isacan said an exchange ratestronger than that could derailefforts to boost the countryscompetitiveness.

I wouldnt want to see thepeso appreciating to 37 or 38,or simply the 30s (to a dollar)territory. That would hurt lo-cal industries, Balisacan said.

He said measures thatcould prevent a sharp appre-ciation of the peso would be

prudent, citing the govern-ments inclination toward bor-rowing more from domesticsources. This would be a goodstrategy not only to minimizeexposure to foreign-exchangerisks but also to help avoid asharp appreciation of the localcurrency, he added.

With less foreign bor-rowings, dollar inows aretempered and the peso is keptfrom signicant appreciation.

The government decidednot to borrow from foreign,commercial sources of creditthis year. It said all fund-ing requirements will be metmostly through the sale ofgovernment securities in the

domestic market.The current level of the

peso is ne, Balisacan said.The weakening of the peso

back to the 43-to-a-dollarlevel followed an increase inthe appetite for the greenbackamid speculations that the USFederal Reserve would soonend its stimulus program,under which it buys enormousamounts of bonds to injectliquidity and boost the Ameri-can economy.

Liquidity arising from thebond purchases partly spilledover to emerging markets likethe Philippines in the form offoreign portfolio investments.

A withdrawal of the stimulusis seen to eventually causeemerging market currencies to


NEDA chief cites JICA studyfor development roadmap

by Michelle V. Remo,Inquirer.net | MANILA,7/6/22013 -- If time is money,then the Philippines is losingP2.4 billion a day in potentialincome due to trafc conges-tion that eats up time thatcould have been used for

productive pursuits, Socio-economic Planning SecretaryArsenio Balisacan said.

Balisacan, National Eco-

nomic Development Authority(Neda) chief, was quoting astudy by the Japan Interna-tional Cooperation Agency(Jica) that the government has

tapped to help come up witha transportation developmentroad map for the country.

Its a no-brainer that we

by Edith Regalado,Philstar.com | DAVAO CITY,Philippines, 7/5/2013 Therst and only crocodileslaughterhouse in Mindanaonally started operationWednesday in the town ofKapalong, Davao delNorte, with the skins tobe sold to luxury bagmaker Louis Vuitton.

Vicente Mercado,chairman of the boardof J.K. Mercado andSons AgriculturalEnterprises, Inc. (JKM-SAE) that owns the

crocodile farm and slaugh-

terhouse, said thatother premium bagmakers also buy

the skins that they getfrom the slaughteredsaltwater crocodilesor the Crocodylus

porosus species.

Quality crocodile skin

commands a very high priceand is said to be sold per cen-timeter.

Located in Barangay NewKatipunan in Kapalong, the10-hectare JKMSAE farm

breeds over 6,000 crocodilesboth for conservation (Cro-codylus mindorensis species)and trade purposes.

The crocodile slaughter-house is considered to be themost modern and second larg-est in the country.

Mercado said that theJKMSAE slaughters at least

Louis Vuitton buying Phl croc skins

We talked about all sorts of stuff...how he would wake up in the middle of the

night and amble towards the bathroom of the convento, only to realize he wasemerging from a musty cave, under a star-lit sky, in the middle of a jungle...

why in the world he was leading a violent band of desperadoes in a predawn raid insteadof a congregation of Carmelite devotees in silent contemplation...

And yet, no matter how far I ran away, God kept coming back... he sighed.

The good shepherd, the widow who lost her precious coin...

Yes. George smiled weakly.

The Hound of Heaven, I said, recalling Francis Thompsons poem.

In the good old days, I could recite most of it, George perked up. My memory cellswere not so clogged up in high school.

My neurons are worse. But do you recall the rst few verses?

I ed Him, down the nights and down the days;I ed Him, down the arches of the years;I ed Him, down the labyrinthine waysOf my own mind; and in the mist of tearsI hid from Him, and under running laughter.Up vistaed hopes I sped;


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Page 2 July 12-18, 2013Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com

Law Offices of Chua Tinsay & Vegawww.ctvattys.com

by Atty. Caesar Cutaran, Esq.

Legal Buzz

Read Atty. Cutarans previous articles by visiting ourwebsite at www.asianjournalusa.com

Asylum: persecution on accountof membership in a particular

social groupby Atty. Caesar Cutaran, Esq.

Even in childhood back in the Philip-pines , Zenaida already displayed anuncanny business acumen. She woulduse her glib and charisma to buy at adiscount whatever items are popular atthe time and resell them at a handsomeprot. Eventually, she graduated witha degree in Banking and Finance froma reputable university. Before long, shewas able to the nd her way to the U.S.on a business visitors visa.

Zenaida overstayed her visitors visaand began working for a jewelry storeas a cashier on an under the table ar-rangement. With her excellent businessbackground, it wasnt long for Zenaidato gain the trust of her employer whoconsequently promoted her to progres-sive positions of responsibility. Thatswhen Zenaida found out that the jewelrystore was being used as a front for anextensive and elaborate money launder-

ing scheme. With no other source ofincome to support herself, Zenaida wasconstrained to remain in the employ ofthe jewelry store and acquired deeperknowledge of its operations as well asthe knowledge of the identities of peopleinvolved in the illegal scheme. Withsubstantial salary increases, generousbonus, and other perks given to Zenaida,she found herself actively using herbanking knowledge in running the day-to-day operations of the money launder-ing scheme.

Unbeknownst to Zenaida, the FBI andUS ICE (Immigration and Customs En-forcement) have long been monitoringthe jewelry stores activities. Finally,federal agents conducted a raid on thejewelry store and arrested all the stafftherein, including Zenaida. In exchange

for dismissal of felony charges againstZenaida, she turned government wit-ness. With her cooperation, the FBIand US ICE were able to make dozensof arrests that resulted in convictions.However, other individuals identiedby Zenaida and convicted were able toleave the U.S. for the Philippines wherethey remain at large. Shortly upon herrelease by the authorities, Zenaida beganreceiving death threats from familiesof those convicted and jailed as well asfrom those fugitives in the Philippines.Also, she was placed on removal pro-ceedings for her visitor s visa overstay, aviolation of U.S. immigration law.

During her removal proceedings,Zenaida applied for a grant of asylumalleging that the numerous death threatsfrom both here in the U.S. and the Phil-ippines created in her a well-foundedfear of persecution if she were to returnto the Philippines. Will Zenaida succeedin her application for asylum?

The Attorney General may grantasylum to a refugee. Under the Im-migration and Nationality Act (INA), arefugee is an alien unwilling or unableto return to his country of origin be-cause of persecution or a well-foundedfear of persecution on account of race,religion, nationality, membership ina particular social group, or politicalopinion. [italics supplied]. On the factsof Zenaidas case, she can reasonablyargue that she is entitled to asylum be-cause, as someone who testied againstindividuals who engaged in moneylaundering, she is a member of a par-ticular social group, by reason of whichshe has well-founded fear of persecutionif she were to return to the Philippines.As a threshold requirements, Zenaidamust prove: 1) that the numerous death

threats rise to the level of persecution;2) that the persecution (death threats)was on account of one or more of theprotected grounds (here, membership ina particular social group); and 3) that thePhilippine government will be unable orunwilling to control the fugitives whogave death threats to her.

The term particular social group isambiguous, confusing and the subjectof much litigation. The term was rstinterpreted by the Board of ImmigrationAppeals in a 1985 case as a group ofpersons all of whom share a common,immutable characteristic. In a 2006case, BIA rened the standard by rulingthat an asylum applicant must show thathis/her proposed particular social grouphas social visibility and particular-

ity. Subsequent BIA cases construedthe social visibility requirement asone of general social perception (asunderstood by others and recognizableby other members of the community)rather than on sight visibility (abystander can literally see the charac-teristics that make a person a memberof the group). In a recent February 2013case, the BIA ruled that the perceptionof the persecutors may matter the most.In other words, when a particular socialgroup is not visible to society in general( in this case, witnesses/informants likeZenaida who are usually hidden by thegovernment), social visibility may beshown by the looking to the persecu-tors (in Zenaidas case, the fugitives inthe Philippines who have made deaththreats to her). In a 2008 case, the BIAruled of the particularity criteria issatised if the proposed group wouldbe recognized as a discrete class ofperson. The particularity require-

ment in Zenaidas proposed group (gov-ernment witnesses/informants) can bemet through verication of court recordsidentifying the witnesses/informants anddocumenting their testimony.

Atty. Cesar G. Cutaran is a partnerin The Law Firm of Chua, Tinsay andVega (CTV) - a full service law rmwith ofces in San Francisco, SanDiego, Sacramento and Manila. Theinformation presented in this article isfor general information only and is not,nor intended to be, formal legal advicenor the formation of an attorney-clientrelationship. Call or e-mail CTV foran in-person or phone consultation todiscuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at(415) 495-8088; (619) 955-6277; (916)509-7280; [email protected]

after becoming victims ofgrave abuses, he added.

The act of matching Filipinas formarriage to foreign nationals on amail-order basis was outlawed by thePhilippines in 1990, with jail terms ofup to eight years for those convicted ofthe crime.

A 2003 statute later classied thecrime as human trafcking, with jailterms of up to 20 years for violators.

However, Villasanta said many Filipi-nas are still swift to enter into whirlwindmarriages with strangers in a bid toleave their impoverished country for jobopportunities abroad.

Nearly 10 million Filipinos, or abouta tenth of the population, live and workabroad.

The women are displayed in cata-logues in South Korea, some of themonline, Villasanta said.

In many cases however, victims werefed false information about the back-ground of their future spouse and familyand suffered abuse after the marriage.

These led to abandonment of themarital home, separation and divorce,the task force statement said.

It said the Philippine embassy inSeoul had received many complaintsfrom Filipinas who had married throughmail-order.

Police were tipped off about theBacoor-based gangs operation by agovernment commission that looks intothe welfare of Filipinos working abroad,Villasanta said.

Police did not release the names of theve suspects, who also included threeFilipinos.

The suspects had violated both thelaws against matching brides by mailorder and against human trafcking,police said.

(Continued from page 1)

PHL rescues

its crew were greeted the nextmorning by representativesfrom the Philippine Consulateof Los Angeles, members ofthe Filipino-American Ship-builder Employee Association(FASEA) and various groupsand individuals from the localFilipino community.

The ceremony concluded with refresh-ments and a presentation featuringtraditional Filipino music.

While in San Diego, the ship and itscrew were also graced by a visit fromthe family of the ships namesake, whoreside in the U.S.

The Alcaraz began its journey fromCharleston, South Carolina, where itunderwent ret-ting following itsformal transferto the Philippinegovernment in2012.

After receivingnotice, just a fewdays before theAlcarazs visitto San Diego,FASEA and the local Filipino com-munity scrambled to organize a varietyof activities for the crew to enjoy. Theactivities took place while the ship com-pleted the process of provisioning andrefueling prior to resuming its courseacross the Pacic.

FASEA members were involved incoordinating a basketball game betweenthe crew of the Alcaraz and retiredmembers of the U.S. Navy who are ofFilipino descent. The organization alsoparticipated in the Adopt-A-Sailorprogram, wherein crew members of theAlcaraz were given the opportunity tovisit the homes of local Filipino-Amer-icans or to take in the sights and soundsof San Diego County. One FASEAmember was reported to have assisted inlocating and reuniting one of the sailors


FASEAwith some of his relatives who currentlyreside in the County.

The Executive Ofcer of the Alcaraz,Peter Deguzman expressed his apprecia-tion for the visitors to the Alcaraz andits crew, describing it as a very warmwelcome.

Prior to departure, FASEANs joinedthe men and women of the Alcaraz incelebrating the Fourth of July, U.S.Independence Day, otherwise knownas Filipino-American Friendship Dayin The Philippines. The group enjoyeda wide range of Filipin o and Americandishes from the classic rice and adobo,to the traditional Fourth of July barbe-cue, hotdogs and burgers. FASEA mem-bers presented the crew with a certicateof appreciation for their efforts in keep-ing the Philippines safe. A certicateof leadership was also presented to theships Captain, Ernesto Baldovino. Theday ended with a view of the San DiegoBig Bay Boom Fireworks show, seenatop the deck of the Alcaraz.

FASEAVice PresidentNoel Beamentioned thatthe effortsof FASEAand the SanDiego Filipinocommunityin welcomingthe Alcarazand its crew

demonstrated the organizations and thecommunitys character and strength,indicating that though we may be farfrom the country of our ancestors, ourFilipino values in welcoming our Ka-babayans still remains an integral partof who we are.

On July 5, members of FASEA werepresent as the Alcaraz and its crew dis-embarked from San Diego towards theirnext stop en route to The Philippines.

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Page 3Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.comJuly 12-18, 2013

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(Continued on page 7)(Continued on page 7)


Community

APAC: 5th Annual

Lantern Festivaland other events

The Little Saigon San DiegoFoundation invites you to the OpeningCeremony of the 5th Annual LanternFestival, Saturday, July 20th 5PM atHoover High. The festival will includecarnival rides, food, vendors, enter-tainers & an evening display of 6,000

colorful lanterns. To attend the Open-ing Ceremony, RSVP by July 15th [email protected]. Formore Festival information visit www.sdlanternfestival.com.

The Japanese American CitizensLeague is hostingStacey Hayashi,creator of the 100th/442nd RegimentalCombat Team manga, for a Meet &Greet event on Friday, July 19th at Sushion a Roll. For more information, andto purchase tickets, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/7219013263.

The Rotary Club of San DiegoParadise Valley presents its 9th AnnualOfcers' Induction & Charity Ball @ the

Join our caring environmentFor close to 60 years, the employees of Rady Childrens Hospital-San Diego have helpedto make us San Diegos trusted source for quality pediatric care. Were the regions onlydesignated pediatric trauma center and Californias first LEED certified acute care hospital.U.S. News and World Reportalso honored us as one of the nations top childrens hospitals,being one of only twelve hospitals in the country ranked in ten specialties.

Come experience Rady Childrens our exceptional clinical care, healing environment,pioneering research and commitment to teaching not only make us one of the best pediatrichospitals in the country but also makes us tops with the people who matter most ouryoung patients and their families.

innovationbelongs in every moment

EOE M/F/D/V

To learn more about careers atRady Childrens, visit us online at:

RCHSD.ORG

Members of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society pay their nal respects toCol. Edwin P. Ramsey, an ofcer in the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the PhilippineScouts, who headed a guerrilla force in the Philippines during the Second WorldWar. Colonel Ramsey, who passed away at the age of 95 on 7 March 2013, wasburied with full military honors at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginiaon Friday, 28 June 2013. (Philippine Embassy Photo by Elmer G. Cato)

Interment of Guerrilla LeaderEdwin Ramsey

The Secret ofMy Success!

NAWBO San Diegos JulyProgram Features Bravo!

Award Winners, BoardInstallation

SAN DIEGO July 1, 2013TheNational Association of Women Busi-ness Owners (NAWBO) San Diego,which promotes, supports and educateswomen business owners in achievingsuccess, announced today that its Julyfeatured program will be highlightedby a panel discussion with the 2013BRAVO! Award winners, The Secretof My Success. The breakfast meet-ing will take place on Wednesday, July17 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at theHera Hub-Mission Valley, 8885 Rio SanDiego Dr. #237.

Attendees will get the rare opportunityto pick the brains of ve award-winningwomen business owners to discoverhow they overcame challenges, avoidedpitfalls, asked for help, and more. Themeeting will also feature the installationof the 2013-2014 NAWBO San DiegoBoard of Directors and presentation ofa check to San Diego City College (pro-ceeds from the BRAVO! silent auction)to fund scholarships for women businessstudents.

Early bird pricing for members andguests is available through 5 p.m. onJuly 15. More information, includ-ing online registration, is available atnawbo-sd.org.

About NAWBO San DiegoNAWBO San Diego is one of 80 U.S.

chapters of NAWBO, a national non-prot organization of more than 7,000members that represents women busi-ness owners across all industries. Since1975, NAWBO has helped womenevolve their businesses by sharing re-sources and providing a single voice toshape economic and public policy. For

more information, visit nawbo-sd.org.

Camps to Help ReduceReading Loss

The Summer Readers - FutureReaders Summer Learning Camp is anexciting new collaborative undertak-ing of the San Diego Unied SchoolDistrict and 10 partner organizations,all of which have come together under

the umbrella organization the DiamondEducational Excellence Partnership orDEEP to support early literacy.

Camp Dates and Times: Mondaythrough Friday, June 17 July 19.

Every day begins at Chollas-MeadElementary (401 N 45th St).

Afternoons at the Jackie RobinsonYMCA (151 YMCA Way).

Other activities at the Chollas CreekEarth Lab (Must go through Ground-work San Diego 5106 Federal Blvd.#203) and the Malcolm X Library (5148Market St).

This rst-of-its-kind in San Diegosummer learning camp is focused onreducing summer reading loss -- akey barrier to early literacy prociency

and a phenomenon that is particularlyprevalent in low-income communitieswhere children often do not have thesame access to books and summer learn-ing opportunities as their more afuentpeers.

Partnership To Support Early Literacy In Southeastern San Diego

Saint James HighSchool Grand

Reunion(a) Sponsored by Subic Association of

San Diego(b) July 2013 Dinner and Dance Town

& Country Resort 500 Hotel CircleNorth San Diego, CA 92108

(c) Hotel Reservation : 1888 321 3058

A team from the Philippine Consul-ate General in Los Angeles will conducta Consular Outreach Program in San Di-ego, California on Saturday and Sunday,August 3 & 4, 2013, at the Council ofthe Philippine American Organizationsof San Diego County, Inc. (COPAO)Center, 832 E Avenue, NationalCity, CA 91950. Service Hours will befrom 9:00 am 5:00 pm. The consularoutreach program is being undertaken incooperation with COPAO.

The following consular services willbe rendered:

1. Applications for Electronic Passport(ePassport) (Cost: $60), to be returnedto the applicant by mail at an additionalcost of $6.

2. Applications for the retention andre-acquisition of Philippine citizenshippursuant to Republic Act 9225 or DualCitizenship Law (Cost: $50). Oath-tak-ing will be scheduled on the same dayfor qualied applicants.

3. Applications for Report of Marriage& Birth (Cost: $25) will be accepted butthis will be processed in Los Angeles

and returned to the applicant by mail atan additional cost of $6.

STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENTONLY (by following the applicablescheduling steps below) AND WITHCOMPLETED DOCUMENTS ONLY.NO WALK-IN APPLICANTS WILLBE ENTERTAINED.

Appointment Scheduling Steps forePassport Applicants

1. Visit the Philippine Consulate web-site www.philippineconsulatela.org todownload and accomplish the ePassportapplication form; and,

2. No later than July 26, 2013 or untilthe Consulate receives 280 applications,whichever comes rst, send an advance


Philippine Consular Outreach InSan Diego On August 3 & 4, 2013


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Destinations

During the summer months, energy use soars. Especially with the increased use of air

conditioning. But you can do your part to save energy by just lifting a nger. Set your

air conditioner to 78 , or better yet, use a fan instead. Using a room or ceiling fan can

lower cooling costs by up to 90%. Youll not only save money, but youll be helping us

reduce the need to tap into more energy. And thats good for everyone.

Connect with more energy-saving tips and programs at sdge.com/summer.

Saving energy this summeris a matter of degrees.

2013 San Diego Gas & Electric Company. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

connected to summer-saving ideas

I :

GMA News | MANILA, 7/4/2013 Thisis the third year in a row that the Philip-

pines Boracay made it to Travel + LeisureMagazines Worlds Best Awards, butthe famous island lost its top spot toPalawan, which was not even on the listin 2012.

With its majestic limestone cliffs,wondrous underwater scenes, breathtaking

beaches, and eco-luxury resorts, Palawanis fast becoming a favorite destinationamong local and foreign tourists.

With a score of 95.04, Palawan led thetop 10 islands as voted by Travel + Leisurereaders.

Islands were voted based on naturalattractions/beaches, activities/sights, res-taurants/food, people, and value.

Meanwhile, Boracay slipped to the

second spot with a score of 93.58.The two Philippine islands were fol-

lowed by Maui, Santorini in Greece,Prince Edward Island in Canada, Bali,Kauai, Sicily in Italy, Koh Samui in Thai-land, and Galapagos.

Earlier this month, El Nido in Palawan,

Puka Beach in Boracay, and Palaui Islandin Cagayan Valley also made it to CNNslist of the worlds top 100 best beaches.

In 2012, El Nido also topped CNNGoslist of the Philippines best beaches andislands.

In the same year, Palawan was numberfour in the Top 10 Holiday Destinationscategory of a worldwide poll by onlinetravel magazine, Smart Travel Asia.

In 2007, Palawan was recognized as oneof the worlds best tourist destinations in

National Geographic Travelers magazine.Palawan was placed in the Doing Wellcategory, for places that are in relativelygood shape but face minor problems.

The magazine noted that pollutionposed a threat to the diverse marine lifesurrounding the islands, but conservation

efforts were improving.Boracays woesMeanwhile, Boracay made its debut on

the Travel + Leisure list in 2011.It rose to number one in 2012, despite

the fact that some visitors have noted algaebloom, among the signs of pollution in

the place that many describe as a beachparadise.

While tourism has provided livelihoodopportunities for Boracays residents, thenegative effects of commercializationcannot be denied. Another problem is theuneven distribution of wealth, with theAti, the islands original residents, on thelosing end.

Boracay has also suffered a tourism glutfollowing the diplomatic row between thePhilippines and Taiwan.

To address the declining visits, theDepartment of Tourism urged Boracaystakeholders to market the island to morecountries.

Los Angeles Times travel editorCatharine Hamm was also disappointed

by Boracay, with its roads like pot-holed

obstacle courses, crowded beaches, andbadly damaged coral.

This wasnt a love match not for me.Maybe 30 years ago when Boracay and Iwere less overdeveloped, Hamm wrotein May. Carmela G. Lapea/KG, GMA

News

Palawan trumps Boracay as Worlds Best Island

Free concerts, festivals andclassy racing begin July 17

DEL MAR, Calif. Del Marrstopened its gates in 1937 and this sum-mer the legendary racetrack once againwill welcome the nations fastest horsesand Southern Californias most spiritedparty-goers. The seaside facilitys seven-week meet lled with big races, freeconcerts and exciting weekend events will commence on Wednesday, July 17.

One of Southern Californias most an-

ticipated summer events Opening Dayat Del Mar is likely to welcome morethan 47,000 celebrities, socialites andparty-goers to the track to get the seasonup and running in Kentucky Derby style,

Del Mar Galloping Toward 2013 Season

highlighted by The One and Only TrulyFabulous Hats Contest, a continuingtradition of glamorous, eye-catching andelaborately beautiful hats.

Besides world-class Thoroughbred

racing, Del Mar is known for its incred-ible lineup of entertainment, hosting big



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ASIAN JOURNALThe first Asian-Filipino weekly in Southern California

An award-winning newspaper & San Diegos most

widely circulated Asian-Filipino newspaper!

Ashley Silverio

Assistant Editor

In Pursuit of Excellence

Eugenio Ego Osin, (1946 - 1994)

Joe Cabrera, (1924 - 1996)

Soledad Bautista, (1917-2009)

Dr. Rizalino Riz Oades, (1935-2009)

The Asian Journal is published weekly and distributed in all Fili-

pino & Asian communties in San Diego County. Print publication date

is every Friday of the month. Advertising deadline is Wednesd ay prior

to publication date at 5 p.m. For advertising rates, rate cards, or in-

formation, call (619) 474-0588. Subscription by mail is available for

$50 per year (56 issues). The Asian Journal is not responsible for unso-

licited manuscripts and photographs but welcomes submissions. Entire

content is 2012 copyrighted material by Asian Journal. Materials

in this publication may not be reproduced without specific permission

from the publisher.

Genevieve SilverioManaging Editor

Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.Publisher & Editor

Miles BeauchampAssociate Editor

Santi SilverioAssociate Publisher

Perspectives

by Dr. Ofelia DirigeFounder, President & CEO Kalusugan

Community Services. www.lamwellness.org

Contemporary AsianAmerican Issues

At Large...

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

by Miles Beauchamp, PhD

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

by Benjamin Maynigo

Take It FromMy Barber

ROOM FOR RENTQuiet Neighborhood in National City.No smoking. No drugs. 619.746.3416

Guest Writer: Dennis-MichaelBroussard

San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E)has a community program that is build-ing the next generation of diverse, civi-cally minded, responsible and ethicalleaders in San Diego. The Filipino Artsand Culture Festival, known to the Fili-pino community as FilAmFest, is happyto be part of this program. FilAmFesthas long been committed to empoweringthe Filipino American (FilAm) com-munity especially the youth and youngadults, and partnering with SDG&E willfurther its ability to develop the nextgeneration of FilAm leaders.

SDG&E is committed to the com-munity and contributes to improving the

quality-of-life of its customers in themany diverse communities it serves. Itis committed to supporting the develop-ment of the next generation of well-prepared diverse leaders that SDG&Eand other regional companies, nonprotorganizations, colleges and universities,and local governments will rely on tolead our communities into the future.

The Inspiring Future Leaders Initia-tive focuses on three primary areasof giving: Mentoring, Leadership andCharacter Development Programs, Col-lege and Workforce Preparedness Pro-grams, and STEM Programs. FilAmFestis widely known for championing theyouth and mentoring the younger FilAmgeneration into community activists andleaders.

FilAmFest might be seen as a one-day event, but it actually is a year-longprocess in which the youth are the activeplanners and participants. Many walkinto the committee with little or no ex-

perience and through the cross trainingefforts of our experienced directors, thevolunteer-based organizing committeeis trained with a variety of skills that areall very real, transferable, and market-able.

They are taught about marketingstrategies and how to outreach to thegeneral public versus targeted com-munity marketing. They learn how toapproach corporations for sponsorships;how to budget for expenses and to avoidoverspending; how to create timelinesand plan accordingly with milestones;how to manage teams and work withingroups; and so many more importantskills employers want.

Funding by this program began in2012 and SDG&E continues its partner-ship with FilAmFest, with the largestFilAm event in San Diego, and itsscal sponsor, Kalusugan CommunityServices (KCS), a health and wellnessnonprot based in National City. Thispartnership has been impactful in mak-

ing FilAmFest now reaching an annualattendance of over 15,000 people in oneday.

Even before the Inspiring FutureLeaders program, FilAmFest and KCShave long benetted from and con-tributed to partnerships with SDG&E,helping to promote many of SDG&Esprogram to educate low income andhard to reach communities about savingmoney and conserving energy. KCS willagain be a presenter at this years eventon Saturday, October 5th.

Many individuals in the communityknow that FilAmFest organizes anannual arts and cultural festival everyrst Saturday of October in the ParadiseHills area. It is a one-day festival thatshowcases the culture, heritage and his-tory of the FilAm community. It featuresFilAm artists and other ethnic groups,commercial and food vendors, exhibit ofPhilippine handicrafts and educationalbooths, and performance space to show

traditional and contemporary dances andmusic.For anyone who would like to par-

ticipate in FilAmFest (youth and youngadults alike), please contact FestivalDirector Luisito Melchor at lmelchor@

gmail.com or email Festival ChairDennis-Michael Broussard at [email protected]. For moreinformation visit the website: www.FilAmFest.org. More information aboutSDG&E and this program can be foundat www.sdge.com/community/inspiring.

Dennis-Michael Broussard is FestivalChair of FilAmFest and the Founder andEvent Producer of Silk Road Produc-tions Inc. He has been dubbed SuperCoordinator of Asian Events andrightly so by Rudy Liporada of Asian

Journal. His prole showed the manyactivities and awards he has garneredbacked by his academic and professionalbackground.

ANNOUNCEMENT ON FILIPINO

SDG&E and FiLAmFest: TogetherInspiring Future leaders

FORUMThe next Filipino Forum will be on

July 27, Saturday, from 8:30 AM to 11AM at the Kalusugan Community Cen-ter, 1419 East 8th Street, National City,CA 91950. Since the utility rates willbe going up this fall, we would like thecommunity to be knowledgeable abouthow to CONSERVE ENERGY andSAVE MONEY ON THEIR BILLS. Wewill invite a speaker from SDG&E topresent ideas on how this will be done.For more information and to register,

please call the Center at (619) 4773392 and leave a message or email Dr.Dirige at odir [email protected]. Moreinformation will be presented about theFilipino Forum at the next issue.

Flat TireOf all the silly questions...What? A at tire? How did

that happen?

Theres nothing quite like a at tire tostart the day. Well, okay, maybe boilingin oil. Its just that when you take alook at the tire, and there it sits all atand not at all the way its supposed tolook, you get a sinking feeling in the pitof your stomach. You know the day isgoing downhill from there. Heres mymorning just a couple of days ago:

7:25am: My wife Michelle walks outthe door headed for work;

7:30am: Michelle charges back in thedoor, My car has a at! I either need totake your car or call in a substitute;Take mine, and I breathe a deep sighand a shiver runs down my back;

7:35am: Michelle heads out the drive-way full-tilt for classes she is going toteach for the next eight hours; My sonRyan and I look at each other and at theat tire (guys do this a lot - we look atat tires, engines that wont start, deadbatteries. Its just what we do).

Whatcha gonna do dad? asks Ryan.Call triple A?

Heck yeah.

Call AAA

Normally the answer to the questionof whether or not to call AAA would be,Heck yeah (see above). But my daugh-ters school starts in 15 minutes. And itsrush hour. Ever try to get an AutomobileClub of Southern California service callin rush hour? Its possible, but the mini-mum wait time is often around an hour.So I did what so many others do in thissituation, I tossed 32 years of dues outthe window and changed the suckermyself. Actually Ryan and I changed it.

Now its been a number of years,at least a decade or two, since Ivechanged a tire. But a skill once learnedis seldom forgotten and there I wasyanking the jack out of the back of theMurano. After I found the jack in theback of the Murano. After I got out theowners manual and looked up the loca-tion of the jack in back of the Murano.

Ah, okay, it seems that the rearoorboard comes apart in three piecesinstead of just the one I was yanking onand its the right piece that covers thejack. Got it.

Placed jack under the car in thedesignated spot according to the placardplaced on the underside of the sparetire cover. Started jacking. Ryan says,Uh, dad, is that the right tire?

I look at it. No, no its not. Thanksfor noticing. No sense in explodingnow. So I let the car down and movethe jack. Why did I jack up the rear tireinstead of the front one that was at?Because I was trying to put the jacktogether in a place that was close to theplacard that told how to put the thingtogether. And then I just started jacking.Id love to say that I wont make a sillymistake like that again, but I know mebetter than that.I owe Ryan somethingbig because if I had jacked up the carall the way and then removed the wrongtire, well, the sound of tire iron onMurano would have been heard in LasVegas.

I moved the jack and started jackingonce again. And jacking. And jacking.Im not sure who designed the jack forthe Murano but I am sure this personshould be sent straight to a prison inthe middle of a desert for a year or two.Not that it was difcult, not at all. Justplace jack in the correct location, insert

bar into jack, insert extender into barand begin cranking; for each turn of thebar scrape knuckles once. And yes, Ihad it put together correctly. I checkedthe manual. Twice. Turn, scrape. Turn,scrape. Turn, scrape. Ryan, go get someBand-aids.

Where are they?Same place theyve always been.

The same place they were yesterdaywhen we got a Band-aid for your blister.Now GO GET THE BAND-AIDS!

Okay, pop. Sheesh.Im not sure Im going to make it

through his teen years.Its on!Finally got car up, tire off and spare

tire on. Ryan and I wash up, his sisterscrambles for back pack and lunch, Igrab a Pepsi and we head off to schoolonly 30 minutes late. Not bad, not badat all. After I dropped her off I droveto Firestone to leave the tire to be xed,provided it can be xed and did I wantto replace the sensor in the tire thatmight have been ruined?

What sensor?The sensor that tells you if the tire

pressure is low. He then looked at meand said just x the tire, got it.

So I left the tire and drove home, thor-oughly annoyed at the entire morning.

Just about that point is when manypeople come up with a refrain thatgoes something like this: If they canput people on the moon why cant theymake a tire that wont go at?

I felt like saying something similarexcept that I know the answer to thatparticular question and here it is: GiveFirestone, Yokohama, Michelin, orGoodyear twenty ve billion dollars(one hundred and forty-ve billiondollars after adjusting for ination) andtheyll come up with a tire that wontgo at. Heck, for a few billion dollars tohire some scientists I could do it myself.But so far no one seems willing (or ablefor that matter) to write me a checkquite that large. Go gure. So untilthen we just have to get out the jack(but not me - from now on Im callingAAA no matter how late the kids are toschool).

Picture 1: KAMP awardees: Paul Valen, Trish and Amanda and WarrenRuis, SDG&E Representative. Picture 2: FilAmFest awardees: Dennis-Mi-chael Broussard, Dr. Ofelia Dirige, and Warren Ruis, SDG&E Representative

In last weeks column, I wrote aboutan opportunity in the 1990s for the Phil-ippines to access the Unmanned AerialVehicle (UAV), otherwise known asDrone technology. I also mentioned thepossibility of making Philippine UAVsto go with the opportunity.

What I did not mention was that thenext project after UAV would have beenwhat was called at the time UnmannedWater or Marine Vehicles project. Theofcial term for it now is UnmannedSurface Vehicle (USV).

For almost the same military usesprimarily protecting the Philippine Ar-chipelagos maritime territories; for theircivilian functionalities; and commercial

applications, I thought at the time thatthe Philippines should also acquire theUSV technology.

About two weeks ago, the JapaneseDefense Minister Itsunori Onodera vis-ited the Philippines. He met with Philip-pine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin,signed a couple of agreements, and lateron co-hosted a press conference.

At the conference they announced thatthe Philippines would establish bas-ing arrangements with both the US andJapanese militaries. Foreign MinisterOnodera also pledged to help the Philip-pines defend its remote islands inits dispute against China regarding thewaters of the South China Sea.

Furthermore, Onodera also mentionedthat Japan would ofcially back the Phil-ippines claim of territorial sovereigntywhich is currently being adjudicatedby the United National Commission onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Suchunprecedented support validates the

Philippine legal claim to the disputedwaters.I am not privy to the discussions

between and among the Japanese,American, and Philippine governmentsofcials. But I sincerely hope that itincluded not just the use of UnmannedAerial Vehicles (UAVs) as practiced byPhilippine and U.S. Naval forces duringtheir joint exercises but also the use ofUnmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs).

USV-UAVBased on my research, outside of

the United States and Israel, Japan hasone of the most sophisticated and mostadvanced USVs in the world. Comparedto China, which is only in the concep-tual design phase, Japan has alreadydeveloped fully operational USVs withfull military as well as civilian and com-mercial uses.

Japans Yamaha, for example, devel-oped two USVs the Unmanned MarineVehicle High Speed (UMV-H) andthe Unmanned Marine Vehicle Ocean(UMV-O).

This is how a USV Research andsurvey describes the two:

The UMV-H is a deep-V mass-pro-duced hull, equipped with 90 KW to go40 knots using water-jet propulsion. Theboat can be used either manned or un-manned. At a length of 4.44 m, the craftis small enough to be loaded on a smallcutter, but large enough to accommodateall necessary equipment and instrumentssuch as under-water cameras (ROV) andsonar equipment.

The UMV-O is an ocean-going USVwith displacement hull. It is used primar-ily in applications involving monitoringof bio-geo-chemical, physical param-eters of the oceans and atmosphere thatput the long-distance capabilities of thevehicle to effective use.

If the Philippines is able to accessand even acquire the Japanese USVtechnology, together they would be ableto protect themselves against Chinesebullying without the risk of losing morelives. Furthermore, Filipino seafarers,sailors or seamen who already man mostof the Japanese ships, could also be re-lied upon to help in mass-producing theUSVs perhaps in Subic. The Philippinescould also work with the Japanese indeveloping and training a new brand ofsailors to operate these USVs.

I am familiar with some of the USVsdeveloped and used by the UnitedStates. They are not limited to militaryuses. Some are productive in combating

maritime problems such as piracy andhuman trafcking. They are also idealfor Philippine use in stopping smug-gling and counter narcotics as well aspreventing piracy. They could also beused during the oods and in search andrescue operations.

I understand that unmanned civilianboats created for leisure have begunoperating.

We supply the seamen or crews formost of the ships in the world. Suchsailors have been remitting more than$4B annually to the Philippines. Theircontribution to the Philippine economyis undeniable.

We graduate about 300,000 seamenevery year. It would be wise if weeventually train our graduates to operateUSVs as well.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles(USV): Made in the Philippines?


7/20



Partnership


Louis Vuitton


APAC

OR (619) 908 5010(a) Holy Mass, Saturday July 27 , 9:30

AM St. Michael Catholic Church 2643Homedale

Street San Diego, CA 92139(a) 28 of July 2013 Sunday, 11:00 AM

6:00 PM. Subic Fiesta Potluck Celebra-tion Admiral Bakerseld 2400 AdmiralBakers Road, San Diego, CA. 92120.

(b) Contact Persons:Medz Quejado, (619) 587 3498Grace Arcedera, (619) 962 8969Rita Shin, (619) 279 3440Precy Portacio, (619) 807 2872Aileen Libby, (619) 934 4001Jing Eclar, (858) 610 1745Violet Grifn, (619) 254 7120Malou Bartlett, (619) 934 9905


St James HS

ROOM FOR RENT

Quiet Neighborhoodin National City. Nosmoking. No drugs.

619.746.3416

by Atty. Susan V. Perez

Immigration 911

Read Atty. S usan Perezs previous articles byvisiting our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

24 crocodiles a day.The reptiles rst undergo an electric

stunner and the coil is cut before theirbrains are picked to make sure that thecrocodiles are dead.

Mercado said that while the skin issold to luxury bag makers, the crocodilemeat, on the other hand, is sold in thelocal market and made into delicacies.

Mercado stressed that crocodiles arevery important to eco-balance for the

productivity of wetlands, hence the farmis also into conservation efforts.International trade in crocodile pelts

is regulated by the Convention on Inter-national Trade in Endangered Species ofWild Fauna and Flora (CITES), whichserves to regulate trade in listed spe-cies, including hybrids and captive-bredspecimens, through a system of permitsand certicates.

There are only three crocodile farmsin the country that are said to be regis-tered with CITES.

The JKMSAE crocodile farm is opento tourists and other visitors who want tolearn more about the crocodile industry.

Research shows that summer learn-ing plays a particularly critical role inexacerbating the reading gap between

students from low-income families andtheir more afuent peers. During thesummer breaks, low-income studentshave been shown to lose more thantwo months in reading achievement,while their middle-class peers actuallymake slight gains. A 2007 study byresearchers at Johns Hopkins Universityrevealed that two-thirds of the 9 th gradeachievement gap between higher andlower income youth can be explainedby unequal access to summer learningopportunities during their elementaryschool years.

Summer Readers-Future Leaders,designed with research-based bestpractices in mind, takes place over ve-weeks for 90 rising second and thirdgraders. The Program is free and kidswere selected based on teacher recom-mendation with an eye toward thosestudents who would most benet fromsuch a program.

Children begin their day with break-

fast and literacy instruction providedby certicated teachers who have beentrained by the partner organization,the California Reading and LiteratureProject based at UCSD. On Mondaysand Wednesdays, they participate inarts-linked-to-literacy classes in dramaand dance provided by teaching artistsfrom Young Audiences of San Di-ego. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, thechildren head to the Chollas Creek EarthLab, where, with the support of the SanDiego Science Project and GroundWorkSan Diego, they engage in hands-on sci-ence activities and track their discover-ies in science notebooks, On Fridays,the kids visit the local Malcolm XLibrary Branch to participate in summerprogramming and check-out books withtheir teachers. Every afternoon, the kidsparticipate in swim-and-gym activitiesand a character development program atthe Jackie Robinson YMCA. Each childalso participates in two half-hour small

group swimming lessons a week. Otherpartner organizations include UPforEdand READ/San Diego, which areproviding parents with workshops onsupporting their childrens learningand literacy development. READ/SanDiego is also giving each child a gift ofsix books to keep.

Partner Organizations:San Diego Unied School DistrictChollas-Mead Elementary ElementaryDiamond Educational Excellence

PartnershipJacobs Center for Neighborhood In-

novationCalifornia Reading and Literature

ProjectYoung Audiences of San DiegoSan Diego Science ProjectGroundwork San DiegoJackie Robinson YMCAMalcolm X LibraryREAD/San DiegoUPforEd

Contacts: Gina Gianzero, DiamondEducational Excellence Partnership.Mobile: 619-306-2793; Toni Robin, TR/PR Public Relations 868-483-3918


PHL Govt

depreciate. Such specula-tions prompted some fundowners to shift to the dollar.

Balisacan said the depreciation ofthe peso was benecial and wouldcomplement efforts to make the robusteconomic growth of the Philippinessustainable.

The local economy grew by 7.8percent in the rst quarter from a yearago, registering the fastest growth ratein Asia.

Mission Valley Town & Country Hotelon July 20th. All proceeds go to funding

local and international projects. Formore info vist http://paradisevalleyrota-ry.org/events.html or email [email protected].

AMP Music Festival, San Diego'sAsian Pacic American contemporarymusic festival, September 14th @Market Creek Plaza, 12-8PM. Producedby Silk Road Productions and presentedby the Pacic Arts Movement. Outdoormusic event spotlighting and focusingon API talent, multi-genre, all ages.Free. For more information visit www.ampmusicfestival.com.

NAAC's 10th Anniversary Gala Oct.18th, 6-10PM @ Town and Country Re-sort Hotel. High caliber speakers, spe-cial guests, dignitaries, and awards. Formore information, and for registration,visit http://naac10.eventbrite.com/#.

IMMIGRATION 911 by Atty. SusanV. Perez., 7/12/2013 --

Since the August 2013 Visa Bulletinhas been published on July 9, 2013, Ivebeen getting calls from clients abouttheir pending petitions. The visa bulle-tin shows that the F2A category or peti-tions led by legal permanent residentson behalf of their children and spousesare CURRENT. Clients are askingwhat the C or current status meansand how long do they have to wait nowthat their priority date is current. Othersdont have a clue what the visa bulletinis all about and how to use it.

In this article, I will explain whatpriority date means and how the visabulletin works. The Immigration andNationality Act (INA) sets the numberof immigrant visas that may be issued toindividuals seeking permanent residentstatus (a green card) each year. Im-migrant visas available to immediate

relatives of U.S. citizens are unlimited,so are always available. Immediate rela-tives include, parents of a U.S. citizen,spouses of a U.S. citizen and, unmarriedchildren under the age of 21 of a U.S.citizen.

Immigrant visa numbers for indi-viduals in a preference category arelimited, so are not always available. Thepreference categories for family peti-tions are divided into four:

First: (F1) Unmarried Sons andDaughters of U.S. Citizens.

Second: Spouses and Children, andUnmarried Sons and Daughters of Per-

manent Residents:A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of

Permanent Residents: 77% of theoverall second preference limitation, ofwhich 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daugh-ters (21 years of age or older) of Per-manent Residents: 23% of the overallsecond preference limitation.

Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daugh-ters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus anynumbers not required by rst and secondpreferences.

Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sistersof Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plusany numbers not required by rst threepreferences.

The U.S. Department of State is theagency that distributes visa numbers.Family sponsored preference catego-ries are limited to 226,000 per year. Inaddition, there are limits to the percent-

age of visas that can be allotted to eachcountry.Because the demand is higher than the

supply of visas for a given year for somecategories, a visa queue (waiting list)forms. To distribute the visas among allpreference categories, the Departmentof State gives out the visas by providingvisa numbers according to the prefer-ence category and ones priority date.The priority date (explained below)is used to determine an individualsplace in line in the visa queue. Whenthe priority date becomes current, theindividual will be eligible to apply foran immigrant visa.

Your priority date can be found onForm I-797, Notice of Action, for thepetition led for you. The length oftime you must wait in line before receiv-ing an immigrant visa or adjusting statusdepends on: the demand for and supplyof immigrant visa numbers, the percountry visa limitations, and the number

of visas allocated for your particularpreference category. For family spon-sored immigration, the priority date isthe date that the petition is properly ledwith U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices (USCIS). A properly led peti-tion contains the required signature(s),ling fee, and any supporting documen-tation required at the time of ling.

The F2A category is now current perAugust 2013 visa bulletin. This meansthat Form I-130 petitions that has beenled before July 9, 2013, should beeligible for visa processing. For ben-eciaries who are in the United States,they can apply for adjustment of status.I suggest that they do it as soon aspossible because we never know whenwill there be another retrogression. Forbeneciaries who are living abroad, theC means that their petitions should besent to the National Visa Center (NVC)for processing. Once the NVC receivesthe fees and documents, the case should

be sent out to consulate for processingand interview. In the prior months oryears, the waiting time for F2A is twoyears. This is a huge leap. Unfortu-nately, the other preference categoriesremain slow especially the employment-based petitions.

We welcome your feedback. If youhave any immigration questions, pleasefeel welcome to email me at [email protected] or call 619819 -8648 to arrange for a telephoneconsultation.

F2A Catergory (Spouses andChildren Of LPRS) Is Current

Per August 2013 Visa Bulletin


8/20



Entertainment

Read Ogie Cruzs previous articles atwww.asianjournalusa.com

ShowbizWatcher

by Ogie Cruz

By Ogie Cruz

DATI MARAMI ANG HUMULAKAY ANGEL LOCSIN NA MALIANG DISISYON NA IWANAN ANGGMA NETWORK AT LUMIPAT SABAKURAN NG ABS-CBN,kesyo walaraw mangyayari sa kanya doon dahilang daming naglalabanan ng mga Reynapero anu ang nangyari sa career niAngel,hindi ba lalo siyang nagningningat umani pa ng maraming awards.

Mukhang susunod sa yapak si MarianRivera, dahil nagsalita na ito na hang-gang August na lang ang kontrata niya sakapuso network at ayaw pa niya sabihin

kung tutuloy pa rin siya for anothercontract,basta abangan na lang daw natinang August kung anuman ang kanyangmagiging disisyon.

Marami kasi na nagsasabi sa kanya napinag-aagawan siya ng tatlong networks,maliban sa channel 7 interesado rin dawang channel 2 at ang singko.Pero binitinniya ang lahat na reporters na nakausapniya kamakailan,abangan na lang dawang August kung anu ang mangyayari.

Kahit nga nasa channel 7 siya sangayon,nababalita rin siya sa mga ibangprograms ng Kapamilya Network likesa show ni Korina Sanchez na 10 MostBeautiful actresses of Philippine Movies.

Tiyak mabubulabog ang bakuran ngchannel 2 kapag nandun na si MarianRivera, ang mga Reyna doon mag-iibaang ranking dahil maagaw ni Marianang katanyagan. Although balita rin nababalik na si Claudine Barretto doon sachannel 2 sa katunayan may gagawin nasiya sa Star Cinema, ewan lang namin

kung tatanggapin pa siya ulit ng publikosa dami ng nangyari sa kanyan for thepast years habang nasa GMA siya.

Kaya Ms. Marian Rivera, Aminin

mo na lilipat ka sa channel 2 dahil masmaganda ang labanan doon, dahilmaraming Reyna doon na padadapainmo.

POP ICON AND MULTIAWARDED SINGER NONOYZUNIGA,DADALAW SA SAN DIEGO!!!Habang sinusulat namin ang aming

column, sa sabado na July 13 ang con-cert ni Nonoy Zuniga sa Rancho Del ReyMiddle School Chula Vista para sa kan-yang Album Tour at pati pagkanta muli

ng kanyang mga pinasikat na kanta saPilipinas na tiyak aabangan ng marami.

First time lang namin makikita inperson ang nasabing singer kaya kamiexcited din na madinig ang kanyangtinig ..live.Special Guest singer niyaang aming friend na si Michael Laygona may mga pinasikat ding kanta noonsa Pilipinas.Nakilala namin si Michaelnang minsan siya mag-concert noon saMcDinnis,but this time dalawa na silangaabangan namin.

Pero before the day of the concert,maymeet & greet pala sila na magaganapitong Friday na ito July 12, mismo saPINOY FIESTA Restaurant sa 8th st.

Marian Rivera, May PlanongLumipat: Tiyak Mabubulabog

Ang Mga Reyna Sa ABS-CBN !!!

Marian Rivera

National City na katabi lang ng ofceng Asian Journal. Lunchtime nandundaw ang lahat ng cast ng Beginning12pm to 130pm,kaya huwag kayongpahuhuli para makita sina Nonoy Zunigaat Michael Laygo ,kasama ang ang apatng San Diegos Young Singers na sinaAlessja Morales,Jessica Duhay,KatrizTrinidad at Micaela Marquez.MEET &GREET THIS FRIDAY JULY 12 ATPINOY FIESTASEE YOU THERE !!!

DENNIS TRILLO,CARLA ABEL-LANA AT TOM RODRIGUEZ NIL-AMPASO ANG TELESERYE NINA

ANGELICA PANGANIBAN AT PIOLOPASCUAL !!! Balita namin iniba na rawang timeslot sa Pilipinas ang Apoy SaDagat nina Piolo Pascual at AngelicaPanganiban na sa ABS-CBN napa-panood dahil nilalampaso raw ito ngteleserye ng GMA network na pinan-gungunahan nina Dennis Trillo, TomRodriguez at Carla Abellana.

Paano naman sobrang ganda angpagkagawa ng teleserye na ito, actually

Pathnders


9/20


Housing & Real Estate

Lancaster Hotel, the Atrium Manila Roadshow at Villa Manila.Mike Gaviola (left) of New York-based PhilippineProperties, Inc. and Ronald Lim (right), Lancaster Hotel/The Atrium CEO, discuss the advantages of the condotel as aninvestment compared to a condo ownership in a housing development. For more information, call 619.746.3416

Condotel Investing 101: Condotel yields rentalincome for investors as PHL tourism expands

ABS CBN News | MANILA, 7/5/2013-- While there are bonds, stocks, andother money market instruments youcan put in your money into, buying realestate is also among the top investmentoptions in the country especially withthe booming economy.

Carl Dy, a property investor, hasdished out some advice for those look-ing into investing in a condominiumunit and making a prot out of it for theshort- or long-term.

"If you're looking to invest in condos,my number one advice would be tomake sure you have a steady ow ofincome... because you have to have atleast the downpayment [for the prop-erty]," Dy told ANC's On The Money.

"Next is to treat your property invest-ment like a business," he continued.

Dy explained that one should look athis property as a product, understandits features well and think about how he

can add value to this before putting itout in the market.

"Also, it's always best that youidentify your market. If it's a condonear a school, then your tenants wouldbe students. If it's a condo near somehospital, then maybe your tenants wouldbe doctors or potential patients fromabroad," Dy said.

Knowing which market your propertywill attract will help you prepare yourunit so it could cater to the needs ofyour target tenants. Dy said it is best tohave a "value-adding" feature in yourunit such as extra storage for clothes orshoes which female occupants love, anda play room if you're looking to rent itout to a family.

"In condos, just like any business, youwill have competition that's why design-ing your unit is very important. Makesure your unit has one unique featureand this can be as simple as a big sofa, a

bigger LCD TV, etc.," Dy said.One would also need to do a little

research before pricing his unit and thisinvolves knowing the average rental ratein the area and understanding how muchyour target market can shell out.

Investing in real estate also means oneshould be ready to market his propertyon his own and this can be done online,

through word of mouth, or through clas-sied ads.

But before nally renting out yourcondo unit, Dy stressed one shouldalways do a background check on thetenant before giving him keys to yourproperty.

"You have to be careful not to get atenant who does not pay on time, andwhat you don't want to get are tenantswho are into illegal activities," Dy said.

"Do a background check at leastmeet with your tenant, have a chat withthem, and ask them some questions," headded.

Tips for those who want to invest in a condo

October 3 to 13, 2013 Eventto Draw Worldwide Attention

IRVINE The U.S. Department ofEnergy today announced that the SolarDecathlon 2013 will take place October3 through October 13, 2013 at the Or-ange County Great Park.

The U.S. Department of Energy SolarDecathlon challenges collegiate teams todesign, build and operate solar-poweredhouses that are cost-effective, energy-ef-cient and attractive. The winner of thecompetition is the team that best blendsaffordability, consumer appeal anddesign excellence with optimal energyproduction and maximum efciency.

The competition houses will be opento visitors on eight days over two week-ends. Public hours will be from 11 a.m.to 7 p.m. daily: Thursday, October 3 Sunday, October 6, 2013 and Thursday,October 10 Sunday, October 13, 2013.

This free event will showcase 20highly efcient, solar-powered housesin a specially constructed solar villageat the Orange County Great Park. Visi-tors can gather ideas to use in their ownhomes and learn about energy-savingfeatures and products that can help themsave energy and money.

We look forward to the arrival of theEnergy Departments Solar Decathlonto the Great Park in October 2013,said Mike Ellzey, Chief Executive Of-cer, Orange County Great Park BoardCorporation. This event will showcasethe Parks commitment to sustainabil-ity, education and public engagementand will bring economic benets to theSouthern California region.

The Solar Decathlon is a biennialevent that was launched in 2002. TheGreat Park was selected as the site forthe Solar Decathlon 2013 through a na-tional competition. This will be the rsttime that the event has been held outsideof Washington, D.C.

Twenty university teams have beenselected to participate in the SolarDecathlon 2013, including several westcoast universities, including the Univer-sity of Southern California, Stanford,California Institute of Technology, SantaClara University, University of NevadaLas Vegas, Arizona State University andthe University of New Mexico.

For more information, go to www.ocgp.org

About the Solar Decathlon

The U.S. Department of Energy SolarDecathlon is an award-winning programthat challenges collegiate teams todesign, build, and operate solar-poweredhouses that are cost-effective, energy-ef-

cient, and attractive. The winner of the

competition is the team that best blendsaffordability, consumer appeal, anddesign excellence with optimal energyproduction and maximum efciency. Formore information go to www.solarde-cathlon.gov

About the Great Park

The Orange County Great Park, withits 1,347-acre master plan, is the focalpoint of the redevelopment of the pub-licly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre

U.S. Department of Energy Sets Official Datesfor Solar Decathlon 2013 at the Great Park, O.C.

Silicon Valley is a hotbed of technological innovation, and a group of studentsfrom Stanford University are tapping that creative energy by creating the Start.Home,a solar-powered prefab home. Using all the amazing tech resources, brilliant facultyand entrepreneur capital at their disposal, the student group is trying to reimaginehow homes are built. Start.Home is based around a central prefabricated utility corethat manages the home's energy, water, lighting, media and other systems. Homes canthen be customized around that core to achieve a high level of sustainability and ef-

former Marine Corps Air Station, El

Toro. The Great Park features an iconictethered helium balloon that rises 400feet in the air, providing an aerial viewof Park development. Other featuresinclude the Carousel, Farm + Food Lab,Kids Rock Playground, Walkable Time-line, Palm Court Arts Complex, NorthLawn recreation area and historic Han-gar 244. The South Lawn lighted soccerelds and Community Garden will beadded in 2012. For more information goto www.ocgp.org

ciency. The student team is also design-ing a custom web application to manageand track the home's performance andeven creating customized xtures thathelp empower the homeowner to livemore sustainably. Currently under con-

struction, the Stanford team will debuttheir home at the 2013 Solar Decathloncompetition this fall in Southern Califor-nia.


10/20


Del Mar(Continued from page 5)

BookTe Dark Nights of

Father Madrid

Selection

a historical novel byDr. Ed Gamboa, MD


Authors note: August 21, 1983. Exiled Senator Benigno Ninoy Aquino, the charismaticopposition leader, arrives at the Manila International Airport to a returning heros welcome.Escorted by government soldiers, Ninoy is summarily shot to death as he steps on the tarmacKumander Gusi watches the TV coverage of the assassination while recovering from woundssustained during an encounter with commandos of the Philippine Constabulary. Years earlier,Gusi was the newly-ordained and affable Father George Madrid whose social justice workamong oppressed farm workers (sacadas) in the parish of Santa Lucia eventually led to hisdefection to the Communist Party of the Philippines. In short order, the rebel priest had risento the rank of commander of the dreaded New Peoples Army. Following Ninoys assassinationand the People Power Revolution, the rebel commander focused on guiding the CommunistParty towards cooperation with the new Philippine Government. Working such a ne line ledto his capture after 14 years of underground activity. Thanks to the tireless work of humanrights groups, the imprisoned rebel priest is eventually released from prison. Fr. George Ma -drid picks up the pieces of his shattered life...in Los Angeles.

Chapter 51. El Pueblo de la Virgen

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

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

Phil - AmLaw 101

Did you know FrancisThompsons father was adoctor? And Francis stud-

ied medicine, I said. But,he was a poet at heart, andlonged to be a writer.

I didnt know that. George said.Yes, but life took a left turn. He

ended up addicted to opium, becamehomeless, died of tuberculosis in his lateforties.

I guess he knew what he was writingabout.

Yes...Chesterton and Tolkien werebig fans of Thompson.

###

We continued our conversation at a

nearby coffee shop. I ordered a tall cafau lait. George simply asked for hotwater and a green tea bag.

He was a simple, humble man. Soft-spoken, his kind face belied the deeplytraumatic experiences he had undergoneover the last thirty plus years. He hadgiven of himself so much yet, to hismind, he had accomplished nothing of

signicance. I reminded him that hisefforts, his clandestine meetings withFather Frank, who in turn updated theCardinal of Manila, who made gutsydecisions which culminated in thebloodless revolution of 1986 was trulyan accomplishment, something whichneeded to be written in history.

I coaxed him to write a piece about it.Would be therapeutic, if anything else.But, he said he couldnt. He was tooinvolved in it; he could not be objective.He also thought it would be premature.It was also important that he protecthis identity and keep Christina isolatedfrom potential danger.

How about an article about how heleft sacerdotal life to be immersed in thelife of the poor and the oppressed, hisprecipitous conversion from Catholicismto Marxism, his return from the throesof revolution back to the ordinarinessof life...? George gave me a faint, butfriendly smile. He thanked me for thecup of tea.

We left the coffee shop and drove to anearby church, Georges favorite, nearUnion Station in downtown Los Ange-les. We strolled towards the little adobe

church, past the Mexican souvenir shopsin Olvera St., past the taco stands, thevendors of champurado...We gazed atthe old church -- no, not the modernCathedral the historic adobe struc-ture with the beautiful mosaic of theAnnunciation, resembling Our Lady ofthe Angels in the Portiuncula chapel atAssisi. George felt more at home in this1822 church.

Did you know that LA was oncecalledEl Pueblo de Nuestra Senora laReina de los Angeles del Rio de Porci-uncula? he beamed.*

Yeah, then Los Angeles, then LA, Iquipped. This is hallowed ground.

We entered the church quietly andknelt down. After some minutes, he gotup, dropped something in the donationbox and lit a candle before the image ofOur Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness ofthe Americas.

I left him in deep prayer before theBlessed Sacrament...

####

Please help St. Joes Buddieshttp://medshare.donorpages.com/mop-

santoninoclinic/Gamboa/Thank you!Edgar A. Gamboa, M.D., FACS,

FICS

name musical acts on the Seaside Stagefor its Summer Concert Series. Race-goers can enjoy free shows from a lineupof performers (to be announced) that in-cluded Ben Harper, Cake and DashboardConfessional during the 2012 meet.

New to the track this year is the DelMar Grill Fest (August 17), where morethan 30 championship barbeque teams,restaurants and caterers will be serv-ing up anything and everything grilled,including desserts. Del Mars two beerfests will each feature more than 100brews, showcasing more than 40 beersfrom the San Diego area (July 27) and

more than 40 IPAs (August 31).Del Mars richest and most prestigious

race, the $1 Million TVG Pacic Classic,will take place Sunday, August 25 and isexpected to attract many of the countrystop jockeys, trainers and racehorses. The2013 season event calendar also will fea-

ture fan favorites such as the Miss Cou-gar Del Mar Contest (July 26), GourmetFood Truck Festival (August 3), DonutDays (July 20 and August 24), Free andEasy Wednesdays (weekly), Daybreakat Del Mar (weekly on Saturdays andSundays) and handicapping seminarsthroughout the season.

The tracks Family Fun Day happensSunday, July 21, but families can enjoykid-friendly activities in the Ineld everySaturday and Sunday throughout themeet. Dog lovers can cheer on the fastestdachshunds in the west between racesduring the Wiener Dog Nationals aperennial family favorite at Del Mar onLabor Day Weekend, September 1.

Racing at Del Mar takes placeWednesday through Sunday, with posttime for the rst race on most days at 2

p.m. On Fridays rst post changes to 4p.m. For more information, call 858-755-1141 or visit www.delmarscene.com.You can follow the Del Mar racetrack onTwitter, @DelMarRacing or become afan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DelMarRaces.

* In 1771, Franciscan friar Junpero Serradirected the building of the Mission SanGabriel Arcangel, the rst mission in thearea.[20] On September 4, 1781, a group offorty-four settlers known as "Los Pobla -dores" founded the pueblo called "El Pueblode Nuestra Seora la Reina de los Angelesdel Ro de Porcincula", in English it is "TheTown of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of thePorcincula River". The Queen of Angels is

an honoric of the Virgin Mary.[21] Two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulattowith a mixture of African, indigenous andEuropean ancestry.[22] The settlementremained a small ranch town for decades,but by 1820 the population had increased toabout 650 residents.[23] Today, the pueblo iscommemorated in the historic district of LosAngeles Pueblo Plaza and Olvera Street, theoldest part of Los Angeles.[24] -- Wiki

Phil-Am Law 101 by Atty. RogelioKaragdag, Jr., Member, State Bar ofCalifornia & Integrated Bar of thePhilippines

Starting August 1, 2013, all F2A peti-tions will be current. The F2A categoryincludes petitions led by immigrantsfor their spouses and unmarried childrenbelow 21 years of age. This is accord-ing to the visa bulletin for August 2013released by the U.S Department of State.

This means that all F2A petitionerswill soon be receiving notices from theNational Visa Center (NVC) to pay theimmigrant visa fees ($230) and afdavitof support fee ($88). Payment can bemade online. Once these fees are paid,the beneciaries can submit their civildocuments which include their NSObirth certicates, Form DS-230 Applica-tion for immigrant visa, Form I-864Afdavit of Support and tax return, 2x2photos, NBI clearance (if 16 years old)

and copy of the biographic page of thepassport.

For those immigrants who have notyet petitioned their children, this is agood time to do so, especially if yourchild will soon turn 21. For example,you are an immigrant who has anunmarried son who will turn 21 onAugust 5. If you le a petition for yourson, and the USCIS receives it beforehis birthday, say on July 31, then July31 is the priority date. This is importantbecause on August 1, 2013, your sonspetition will become current. When heturns 21 on August 5, he would still beconsidered a minor and he would stillremain under the F2A category. This isbecause of the Child Status ProtectionAct (CSPA) which froze his age at 20years old, his age as of August 1, 2013.

What if the priority date retrogresses?To cite an example, what if the VisaBulletin for September 2013 will saythat F2A petitions have a cut-off date of,

say, July 1, 2013? Since your sons pri-ority date is July 31, 2013, then it wouldnot be current anymore. How would this

retrogression affect him? He would notbe able to get an immigrant visa yet,because it would no longer be available.He would have to wait again until hispriority date becomes current. However,since his age was already frozen at 20years old (his age on August 1, 2013when his visa rst became available), hewould not overage.

What if the child is in the US now?For example, an immigrant is visitedby her 20-year old daughter who camein on a tourist visa? What should theydo? Well, the immigrant mom can lea combined I-130/I-485 petition for hervisiting child. Once the petition is led,the child can remain in the US while thepetition is pending. If, in the meantime,the cut-off date retrogresses as shownabove, the child can still remain in theU.S until it becomes current again.

Of course, every case is unique so youmust always consult a licensed and com-petent attorney before taking any legal

steps. For sure, do not go to a notariofor advice who might know how to llout the forms but do not have the propertraining and experience.

Atty. Rogelio Karagdag, Jr. is licensedto practice law in both California andthe Philippines. He practices immigra-tion law in San Diego and has continu-ously been a trial and appellate attorneyin the Philippines since 1989. He travelsbetween San Diego and Manila. Hisofce is located at 10717 Camino Ruiz,Suite 102, San Diego, CA 92126. Healso has an ofce in the Philippines atUnit 1718, Manila Executive Regency,1200 J. Bocobo Street, Ermita, Manila,with telephone numbers (02)554-0412 &(02)5221199. Please call (858)348-7475or email him at [email protected]. He speaks Tagalog uently.Articles written in this column arenot legal advice but are hypotheticalsintended as general, non-specic legal

information. Readers must seek legalconsultation before taking any legalsteps.

F2A Petitions Will Be CurrentNext Month


11/20



Read Monsignors previous articles by visit-ing our website at www.asianjournalusa.com

by Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez

Lower Your

NetsBalintataw

Read Virginia Ferrers previous articles by visiting our websiteat www.asianjournalusa.com

by Virginia H. Ferrer

Spiritual Life

2013 Virginia H. Ferrer. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Virginia H. Ferrer is a Retired Filipino Language

Teacher at Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Joke of the week: An engineer diesand reports to the pearly gates.St. Peter checks his dossierand says, Ah, youre anengineer. Youre in thewrong place. So theengineer reports to thegates of hell and is letin. Pretty soon, the en-gineer gets dissatisedwith the level of comfortin hell, and starts design-ing and building improve-ments. After a while, theyvegot air-conditioning, ush toilets andescalators. And the engineer is a prettypopular guy. One day St. Peter callsSatan up on the telephone and says witha sneer, So hows it going down therein hell? Satan replies, Hey things are

going great. Weve got air-conditioning,ush toilets, escalator, and there is notelling what this engineer is going tocome up with next. St. Peter replies,What! Youve got an engineer? Thatsa mistake. He should never have gottendown there. Send him up here. Satansays, No way. I like having an engineeron the staff, and Im keeping him. St.Peter says, Send him up back here orIll sue. Satan laughs uproariously andanswers, Yeah, right and just whereyou are going to get a lawyer?

Scriptures: First Reading: Deuter-onomy 30: 10-14. Moses assures theIsraelites that The Law, Gods Torah, isnot so lofty, mysterious and remotefor it is not beyond their reach. In fact, itis within their hearts, only they have toact on it through love of neighbors whoare in need. Second Reading: Colossians1: 15-20. This Carmen Christi speaksof a cosmic Christ, the rst-born ofcreation, the pre-existent Wisdom, the

Word was with God, and the Word wasGod. It afrms that God who revealedhimself in Jesus Christ through the mys-tery of the Incarnation is the same Godwho created the world. But the cosmic

NeighborlinessChrist is not so exalted

that he is beyond ourreach and out-

side mansexperience.He is presentin the com-

munity ofbeliev-ers, theChurch.

Gospel: Luke10: 25-37. The

impact of thegreatest commandment (love of God

and love of neighbor) is not lost with thelawyers right answer. Its importance isheightened when Jesus advises the law-yer to go and live accordingly. It meansthat the lawyer should be a neighbor to

anyone and everyone in need, even tohis enemies.Reection: The dictionary denes

a neighbor as one who lives or islocated near or next to another. As averb, it means, to lie close to or borderdirectly on. The English denitionof neighbor suggests a physical orgeographical condition, one who is closeto us or whose dwelling is proximate toours. Legislation about the treatment ofones neighbors is mostly based on thelogic that the one who is close to us ismost likely the one we have a frequentcontact with and could help us immedi-ately or cause us harm at any moment.In a community-oriented society, likethe Mediterranean world, where familyand neighborhood relationships arevaluable, good neighborliness is veryimportant. The Book of Proverbs coun-sels about proper behavior toward onesneighbor. Jeremiah denounced Jehoia-kim who uses his neighbors services

without pay. And does not give him hiswages.(Jeremiah 22: 13).Who is my neighbor? By narrat-

ing the Parable of the Good Samaritan,Jesus denes what neighbor truly

means. Neighbor is not simply theone who dwells near us or one who ismerely dened by nationality, ethnic-ity or faith. The Bible teaches that theconcept of neighbor includes all andeveryone, even ones enemies. It meansdoing a particular act to anyone andeveryone who is in a particular need

The Filipino understanding ofneighbor is based on family and com-munity relationships. We hear such fa-miliar terms as, kapamilya (a memberof ones family). kasama (a companion),kaibigan (a friend), kababayan (a fellowcountryman). Blood is thicker thanwater. This is so true with Filipinos.Everyone much older is not only treatedwith respect, but addressed as ate, kuya,inang, amang, etc. to establish harmoni-ous and peaceful relationships. We feelat ease with fellow Filipinos, especiallywith friends, fellow town folks, familymembers. Filipinos have a deep senseof Pakikipagkapwa (regard for others).Filipinos are generous and helpful intimes of need as shown in the practice ofbayanihan (mutual assistance) for familyand friends.

A study conducted by PatriciaLicuanan with the Ateneo de ManilaUniversity, A Moral Recovery Program:Building A People Building A Nation,states that the strengths of the Filipinocharacter are also its weaknesses. Whileconcern for the family is the Filipinosstrength, however when it is carried tothe extreme, it forms an in-group to the

disadvantage of the larger communityand the common good. Factionalism,nepotism and patronage thrive to protectfamily interests and erring familymembers or party afliates. In this kindof environment, the Filipino neighboris a member of my party o r family, theone who helps a politician gets electedto protect ones economic and nancialinterests. Implicitly, there is in someFilipinos an existing tribal mental-ity. One is bound to protect a fellowtribal member, no matter what it costs,precisely because he is my neighbor.One who is not a member of my tribe,community, party or family is not myneighbor. If we take to heart Christsinjunction in todays gospel, onesneighbor is any person in need, and tobe a good neighbor is to do a concretedeed to those in need!

Quotation of the week: Neighbor-liness is not a quality in other people; itis simply their claim on ourselves. We

have literally no time to sit down andask ourselves whether so-and-so is ourneighbor or not. We must get into actionand obey; we must behave like a neigh-bor to him. Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Tulad ng Sabi KoTulad ng sinabi ko nuon darating ang tag-ulan

grasya ng Diyos sa atin ay laging nyang ibibigay

mga halaman tuyot na iyan muling mabubuhay

ang pag-asa sa buhay hindi ka dapat mawawalan.

Tulad ng sinabi ko sa yo muling hahalimuyak

masasamyo na naman natin mababangong bulaklak

na waring nagsasabi na huwag kayong mabagabag

maghintay lamang kayo at ulap ay magliliwanag.

Tulad ng sinabi ko ay muli tayong aaliwin

nyang mga ibong paroot parito sa papawirin

mabibighani kang tiyak sa mga huning malambing

sabay kampay ng bagwis ikaw ay mapapatingin.

Tulad ng sinabi ko wag mawawala ang pag-asa

sa buhay nating ito na napakaraming pangamba

pagsubok lamang ito kung hanggang saan ba ang kaya

kaya huwag tayong magpapatalo, huwag tutumba.

Tulad din ng sinabi ko hindi ako iiwanan

at sa iyong piling lamang ako sadyang nakalaan

magkasama nating pakikinggan himig ng kilyawan

at sasamyuin, lalanghapin bango ng kalikasan.

In The End My Immacu-late Heart Will Triumph

(Part 1) by Mother Adela, SCTJM,Foundress, 12/25/2010 -- When wespeak of a triumph we are also referr

asian journal july 12, 2013 edition

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