By Jelly F. MusicoMANILA, June 6 (PNA) – Senate minority leader Juan Ponce

Enrile, the country’s oldest lawmaker, on Monday took the podium, not to debate, but to bid goodbye to the chamber which he served for 27 years, capping his more than 50 years of public service.

”My esteemed colleagues, this will be my last day to visit this chamber because when we adjourned at midnight today, I shall have closed my public service to the nation for more than half a century beginning in January 1966,” the 92-year-old Enrile said in his vale-dictory speech during the sine die adjournment of the 16th Congress.

Enrile, one of the brilliant minds in the Philippine Senate, served

DAVAO CITY, June 4 (Mabu-hay) – Incoming Solicitor General Jose Calida on Saturday said he is “very hopeful” that the Philip-pines will win its arbitration case against China on the disputed West Philippine Sea.

“We are very hopeful that we will win this case,” Calida told reporters at Royal Mandaya Hotel.

The former Justice undersec-retary said he recently met with incumbent Solicitor General Flo-rin Hilbay, who briefed him and incoming foreign affairs secretary

Jun Yasay on the case.“During that meeting we only

discussed the West Philippine Sea dispute with China, he said.

“It’s really a complicated issue but according to the solicitor gen-eral now, around 70 to 80 percent we will win this case,” Calida said.

Asked what will happen if the country wins the case with the international tribunal, Calida said, “Well we will cross the bridge when we get there. We will wait for the decision then we will make our move.”

The Philippine government earlier asked the international tri-bunal in The Hague to rule on the validity of China’s controversial 9-dash line claim.

He said another issue he wants to address is the overwhelming number of cases that each solicitor handles.

“Did you know that they handle 1,500 cases? Each solicitor,” he said.

“We have around 250 solicitors and we are still recruiting. I want

MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, on Sunday said, “there is virtue in silence,” an apparent reply to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s attacks on the church.

“There is virtue in silence. There is virtue in speech. Wisdom is knowing when it is time for silence and when is the timing for speech,” Villegas said in a statement enti-tled “Understanding Silence.”

Villegas went on to say, “Mine

MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into information about the involvement of some police generals in corruption and illegal drugs but its chief said the PNP has yet to fi nd evidence to support the claims of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

Outgoing PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez revealed that he has sent a team of anti-il-legal drugs policemen in Visayas to probe details linking generals to corrupt activities and illegal drug trade.

“We have not found any evidence

yet that will support the information about the involvement of active general (in corruption and drugs),” Marquez told reporters at Camp Crame after the fl ag-raising cere-mony on Monday.

“But we have raw information before so as a matter of fact we de-ployed special teams ng (of) AIDG (Anti-Illegal Drugs Group) in Vi-sayas but until now, the work is in progress,” he added.

Marquez, who will soon be re-placed by Duterte’s pick Chief Supt. Ronald Dela Rosa, said the PNP’s Intelligence Group has been inves-

MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – The president of the National Press Club (NPC) said that the choice of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to course his statements through the government television network PTV-4 following his decision to sus-pend his nightly press conferences would have negative repercussions on the country’s free press.

NPC President Paul Gutierrez described Duterte’s decision to use only state-run media for his statements as a “subtle way” of undermining a free press.

“I believe that this is a follow-up doon sa sinabi niya na kung ayaw siyang i-boycott ng media, eh siya

na lang ang magbo-boycott sa me-dia. In a sense, this is a subtle way o simpleng pamamaraan ng bagong administrasyon na limitahan ang ating kalayaan sa malayang pama-mahayag,” Gutierrez said Monday.

(I believe that this is a follow-up to what he said that if the media won’t boycott him, he would boycott the media. In a sense, this is a sub-tle way of the new administration to limit the free press.)

Duterte, 71, drew fl ak for justify-ing the murders of journalists, say-ing that those who have been killed were corrupt. He also catcalled a female television reporter in one of

MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – Incoming Senator Panfi lo Lacson said Monday that the call for the public to arrest and kill suspected drug lords should not come from President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

Even as citizen’s arrest is al-lowed under the Revised Penal Code and killing on self-defense may be accepted, the President should not encourage the public to take it upon themselves to kill accused drug personalities.

“Sa palagay ko ay hindi dapat

By Nimfa U. RuedaLOS ANGELES – Hundreds

of Filipino-Americans paraded through Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles on June 4 to celebrate the 118th Philippine Independence Day.

Cheering crowds watched a marching band, local beau-ty queens on floats, community leaders in a convoy of cars, Har-ley-Davidson motorcycle riders in formation and dozens of partici-pants who marched while waving Philippine fl ags.

A group of youths, dressed in Igorot costumes, danced in the streets.

“We want to show everyone that Filipino-Americans are united and have a great deal to contribute to the community, this city and the nation,” said Bernie Ganon, assistant executive director of the nonprofi t Filipino-American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), one of the event organizers.

More than 30 organizations participated, including the Na-tional Union of Journalists of the Philippines, USA Chapter, whose members paraded a banner with a message for President Elect Rodri-go Duterte: “Stop Media Killings.”

“It’s not just about celebrating

“Unang-una, yun naman yung hiningi ng media,” Salvador Pan-elo said.

He added that Duterte’s state-ments were not coming out “as ac-curately as they should” in media reports.

Panelo could not say how long Duterte would shun media inter-views but said the President-elect would still be “transparent” about

his activities through his spokes-man and other appointees.

“Sa ngayon yan ang kanyang pa-takaran,” he said. “But then again, even assuming that to be, kahit na patagalan, wala pa rin namang kurtina na nakatakip o bintanang sinarado. Open pa rin e.”

Duterte was irked when asked in an interview last week about an international watchdog group’s

call for Filipino journalists to boy-cott his press conferences.

The Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) wants Duterte to apologize for saying that many of the journalists killed in the Phil-ippines were paid hacks and were corrupt.

“Just because you’re a journal-ist, you are not exempted from

Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016

Why Andi

Eigenmannalmost

quitshowbizSee Page 6W W W . U S A S I A N P O S T . C O M

Vol. 5 No. 36 LOS ANGELES A BALITA MEDIA PUBLICATION

See DUTERTE, page 7

See MEDIA SUBTLE, page 7See LACSON, page 7See MESSAGE, page 7

See SILENCE, page 7

See SOLGEN, page 7See ENRILE GOODBYE, page 7

See GENERALS, page 7

Filipino-American media practitioners led who belong to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines USA Chapter with a strong message to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, who earlier said that corrupt journalists deserved to die in the Philippines.” Photo: Benny Uy

DUTERTE TO SHUN MEDIA

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile thanks his colleagues in his valedictory speech on Monday (June 6, 2016) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. Enrile is retiring from government service after having served the country’s Executive Department for 20 years where he served as Justice and Defense secretary, and 27 years in the Legislative Department with four terms in the Senate and three years in the House of Representatives. Also in photo are Senators Grace Poe and Aquilino Pimentel III. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

DAVAO CITY, June 6 (Mabuhay) – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is rejecting inter-views for now in response to a call to boycott his press conferences until he apologizes for his statement on media killings, his spokesman said Monday.

Fil-Ams celebrate Independence Day, have message for Duterte

Using only state-run media a ‘subtle’ way to stifl e free press: NPC head

Lacson: Duterte should not urge public to arrest, kill suspected drug lords

Amid Duterte criticisms, CBCP president says: There is virtue in silence

PNP probing involvement of generals in corruption, illegal drugs

Incoming SolGen ‘very hopeful’ PHL will win arbitration case vs China Enrile, PHL’s oldest lawmaker, bids goodbye

to half century of public service

Visit www.usasianpost.com Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 THE US ASIAN POST2

SULU SEA (June 4, 2016) U.S. Sailors, embarked aboard the forward-deployed Whidbey Island Class dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), conduct Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure training with service members of the Philippine Navy in support of exercise Cooperation Afl oat Readiness and Training.The service members are scheduled to participate in a number of classes and exercises with the Marines and Sailors aboard the Ashland. CARAT is a series of annual, bilateral maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine partner nations to include Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. The Ashland is assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet.(U.S. Navy photo by Lance Cpl. Carl King Jr/Released)

MANILA, June 7 (PNA) – Units from the Philippine and US Navies formally started on Monday the bi-lateral exercise of this year’s Cooperation Afl oat Readi-ness and Training (CARAT).

CARAT 2016 aims to conduct combined naval op-erations in order to enhance inter-operability between the various PN and USN.

It also seeks to strength-en both navies’ combined capabilities in surface and modern naval warfare, am-phibious operations, and special operations; enhance situational awareness and information sharing; and will promote partnership and goodwill.

“CARAT strengthens the strong and enduring re-lationships between the US and Philippine navies,” Philippine Fleet commander Rear Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado said.

“We’re looking forward to working along-side our US Navy partners during CARAT 2016,” he added.

The exercise will involve at-sea and in-port events de-signed for subject matter ex-change, individual and unit training, and engagement with the local community.

The Philippine and US navies will exchange best practices and share infor-mation during multiple professional exchanges and

seminars ashore.They will also conduct

civic action projects, com-munity service events and joint band concerts to allow our forces to interact with the local community.

In-port activities will take place in different areas of Olongapo City and Zam-bales while at sea events will be in the waters and airspace of the Sulu and Luzon Sea. It will last until June 10.

“CARAT enables us to develop strong relationships with our Philippine Navy and Marine partners,” Task Force 73 commander Rear Adm. Charles Williams said. (PNA)

PHL, US navies start war games

MANILA, June 7 (PNA) -- House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. expressed hope on Tuesday that the incoming administration of President Rodrigo Duterte will confront with resolve and wisdom the challenges facing the country today, mainly the integration of the economies of the Southeast Asian region and the dis-pute in the West Philippine Sea.

“Our country must be primed to take a leading role in the integration of the economies of the Southeast Asian region. The dispute on the West Philippine Sea will test the mettle of the next administration in diploma-cy. We hope that the in-coming administration will confront these challenges with wisdom and resolve,” Belmonte said.

The Speaker wished the Duterte administration well during his speech at the sine die adjournment of the Third Regular Session of the 16th Congress.

Belmonte noted that the incoming administration had already declared war on drugs, poverty and all forms of corruption. Moreover, it has vowed to prioritize ed-ucation and health care for

the people.Belmonte exhorted his

colleagues who would be part of the 17th Congress to help the Duterte ad-ministration by passing the necessary laws for the country’s development and progress while exercising its oversight powers.

“Let us strengthen our resolve to help the incoming administration by crafting and formulating laws re-quired to move our country forward even as we exercise our powers of oversight,” said the Speaker.

“We welcome the incom-ing administration of Pres-ident-elect Rodrigo Duterte with high hopes and un-wavering faith in our col-lective love for the Filipino nation. Whatever changes or reforms the incoming administration may pursue, we hope that it will further strengthen and continue the reforms initiated by the Aquino administration,” Belmonte added.

He said President Aqui-no’s single-minded ded-ication to his duties and responsibilities and his un-blemished integrity has gained the admiration and high regard of other coun-tries in the country’s eco-

nomic and geopolitical en-deavors.

“The campaign against corruption has been the hallmark of his administra-tion. The accomplishments of the outgoing adminis-tration are remarkable, so let me take this chance to say, congratulations and thank you, Mr. President PNoy, Sir. Thank you for your trust, confi dence and support,” said Belmonte.

He also urged his col-leagues to continue to serve the country responsibly and in fulfi llment of their consti-tutional duties as they have done in the 15th and 16th Congresses.

“My dear colleagues, the 15th and 16th Congresses have done their level best. We are proud of what we have accomplished. We have performed our constitution-al duties, without fear or favor. Let us all continue to serve our country with honor and dignity,” said Belmonte.

According to him, the Aquino administration and the 15th and 16th Con-gresses have put in place a sound and viable economic foundation for the country, as well as the policies and the infrastructure needed.

By Azer N. ParrochaMANILA, June 7 (PNA)

– The Ninoy Aquino Inter-national Airport (NAIA) will implement a heightened alert status until June 20 as passengers using public transportation are expected to increase in time for the opening of classes.

This is part of the Ma-nila International Airport Authority’s (MIAA) Oplan Ligtas Biyahe: Balik Esk-wela 2016 where security measures will be in place.

MIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado also assured that the airport is very much ready to accom-modate students and teach-ers as they fl y and return to their schools.

“While June may not be the busiest month for fl y-ing, management assures passengers that the same

level of security will be implemented at the airport as that of the peak season,” Honrado said.

In June 2015, passengers totaled to 2.95-million which is an increase by more than a hundred thousand passen-gers compared to June 2014 when passenger volume was recorded at 2.80-million.

Government agencies operating at the airport in-cluding the Offi ce for Trans-portation Security, and the Bureaus of Customs, Im-migration, and Quarantine have been directed to deploy suffi cient personnel at their stations to ensure smooth passenger fl ow.

Likewise, the Airport Police Department (APD), the Aviation Security Group (ASG) of the Philippine Na-tional Police, the Metropol-itan Manila Development

Authority (MMDA), and the local government units of Parañaque City and Pasay City will be in charge of security and traffi c.

There will also be police, public assistance, and med-ical teams of the MIAA will be deployed at terminal Help Desks to assist pas-sengers with any concern during their travel.

An Operations Center will also be set-up to monitor all operations at the airport aside from a maximum de-ployment of security person-nel, an

Passengers with concerns are advised to get in touch with MIAA via its hotline 0917-“TEXNAIA” or 0917-8396242 or with the De-partment of Transportation and Communications Action Center through (02) 7890. (PNA)

By Lilybeth G. IsonMANILA, June 6 (PNA)

– The Chamber of Mines in the Philippines (COMP) expressed full support on Monday to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s call to stop illegal and irresponsi-ble mining in the country which poses threat to the community and the envi-ronment.

“This has always been COMP’s position as we continue to find ways to strengthen our programs in social development and management to include in-digenous peoples (IPs) and environmental enhance-ment,” the Chamber said in a statement. “We commit to work hand in hand with the incoming administration to help address concerns in our industry so that we may promote true inclusive growth around the country,” it added.

Incoming President Dute-rte, during his thanksgiving party on Saturday in Davao City, warned mining com-

panies to “shape up” as he signaled he would prefer ownership of mining assets to be left to local investors.

“I have a big problem with mining companies. They are destroying the soil of our country,” he stressed.

“The mining people must shape up. It has to stop. The spoiling of the land, the destroying of Mindanao,” he added.

Duterte also said the incoming government may rewrite rules to limit envi-ronmental degradation in the sector. “I want it (mining assets) to be a cooperative of all Filipinos. We will sup-port them and give them in-structions how not to end up spoiling the land,” he said.

Meanwhile, reelected If-ugao Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat agrees with the stand of the incoming Pres-ident, saying mining “has caused mountains to be fl attened, rivers to be pol-luted and communities to be displaced.” “It is also the reason why many Lumads

who oppose the destruction of their ancestral lands are being killed,” he added.

Baguilat, who belongs to the Liberal Party (LP), is chair of the House of Rep-resentatives’ Committee on Indigenous Peoples in the outgoing 16th Congress.

The Ifugao solon agrees that under the current min-ing regime, ecosystems are being destroyed, indigenous peoples are being driven away from their homes, mountains of ore are being shipped overseas with little regulation and taxation and the victim has been Mindan-ao, as well as other mining areas such as parts of the Cordillera Administrative Region. Given this reality and the fact that Duterte is the fi rst president to come from Mindanao, Baguilat hopes that they will be able to work together to pass in the 17th Congress a new mining law—the Minerals Management Law—which seeks to better regulate the mining industry.

By Perfecto T. RaymundoMANILA, June 6 (PNA) –

Retired Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Ruben Reyes on Monday stressed the importance of the use of the Filipino language in the judiciary.

In the second Norberto Romualdez Lecture of the Commission on Filipino Language (CFL) held at the Court of Appeals (CA) auditorium, Reyes said it is better to use the Filipi-no language in cases since

these originate from the Mu-nicipal Trial Court (MTRs) which frequently involved ordinary citizens. Likewise, Reyes is also pursuing the translation of the laws in Filipino so that it will be close to them and will be ful-ly understood by the public.

In particular, he said these include laws on drugs, illegal recruitment and pro-tection of women.

According to Reyes, it is now necessary to do remove the mentality that Filipino

is an inferior language and being profi cient in such lan-guage means being weak in English language.

In fact, Reyes said, there is such a necessity although their decisions in the SC are written in English. Reyes narrated that during his time, the Filipino language was being used in their de-liberations. He also boasted that President Benigno S. Aquino III used the Filipino language in almost all of his speeches.

NAIA on heightened alert, all set for back to school rush

Belmonte hopes Duterte will confront West PHL issues with wisdom and resolve

Chamber of Mines support Duterte’s call ‘to stop irresponsible mining’ in PHL

Ex-SC justice stresses importance of Filipino language in judiciary

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 Visit www.usasianpost.com 3

By Lilian C. MellejorDAVAO CITY, June 6

(PNA) – President-elect Ro-drigo Duterte urged three generals of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to resign before he assumes offi ce on June 30.

“Do not wait for me to name you in public because I will really humiliate you,” he said before an estimat-ed 500,000 crowd during the “One Love One Nation Thanksgiving Party #DU30” at Crocodile Park here.

In his speech, he said the three generals should not wait until they are named and humiliated. Duterte continues to strongly criti-cize corruption and illegal drugs among the police ranks.

The fi ght against corrup-tion, illegal drugs and crime are the centerpiece of his presidential campaign that he vowed to curb in three to six months.

He also vowed to review the cases of police offi cials dismissed from service cit-

ing the practice of those involved in cases to just disappear after charges are fi led against them.

“Kasi ang (Because their) style nila (their) they disap-pear from the horizon tago tago lang (just hide). Pag matagal na, pupunta na sa abogado dahil wala ng wit-ness patay na o matanda na o hindi na interesado dahil after 2 or 3 years walang nangyayari dahil at large man sila. (If {the case} is al-ready long-drawn-out, they go to lawyers because there is no more witness or the witness is dead or too old or not interested because after two or three years nothing happened because they were at large). After two years they appear post bail,” said Duterte.

Duterte said if the people facing criminal cases cannot post bail, they will insist on a speedy trial because under the Philippine Constitution “there must be a speedy tri-al. If the case is dismissed and is always with jeopardy

it cannot be fi led again.”Duterte said the judges

can also dismiss cases based from a statement from those who serve the summons that witnesses or complainants cannot be located anymore.

“So yun gagawin nila (they will do that),” he said. He said these kind of offi cials will then go the National Po-lice Commission or Camp Crame asking for their re-instatement to service with a fee of PHP300,000.

“Hindi ako papayag niyan (I will not allow that),” he said. He said he would kill all police offi cers facing drug charges and reiterated his warning for those involved in illegal drugs to stop or face the consequences.

He said some policemen are into illegal drugs for two reasons: extreme need and extreme greed. He assured to shoulder the reason of extreme need such as hospi-talization of family member by providing a little amount of fi nancial help just to let them stop their illegal ac-

Ambassador KIM Jae-Shin (left)paid a courtesy call to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday (June 2, 2016)in Davao City. The Ambassador conveyed the congratulatory message of Republic of Korea President PARK Geun-Hye to Duterte. Ambassador KIM said that the Korean government hopes to further improve the bilateral ties between the two countries and to continue the cooperation in various fi elds under Duterte’s administration.(PNA photo courtesy of Korean Embassy)

Duterte asks 3 PNP generals to resign before he assumes presidency

tivity.He advised those who are

hooked on drugs to stop be-cause as the medical experts say, rehabilitation is not al-ready an option. “It shrinks the person faster than ever,”

he stressed.He also urged the peo-

ple to invoke their right to arrest a criminal. You tell them “inaaresto kita bilang (I am arresting you as) crim-inal and I am invoking the

criminal law of the land,” Duterte said. He further said that if the criminals resist arrest and attempts to harm the arresters, “barilin mo (You shoot)” I’ll give you a medal,” he said.(PNA)

MANILA, June 4 (Mabu-hay) – A total of 10,000 new members will soon join the Philippine National Police, the Department of the Inte-rior and Local Government (DILG) said.

In a statement on Friday, DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said 10,000 new policemen and women will join the force in July.

“These new youngbloods went through rigorous screening including drug test, face to face interview, psychological and psychiat-ric examination, complete background investigation, and committee delibera-tion, among others,” said Sarmiento, concurrent chairman of the National Police Commission.

The 10,000 new recruits are part of the PO1 Regular Recruitment Program or the fi rst cycle of the PO1 Recruitment Program.

Sarmiento explained that these recruits will strengthen the Police Re-gional Offi ces’ (PROs) cam-paign in insurgency-affect-ed areas.

The otehr new recruits will join National Opera-tional Support Units in-cluding the Special Action Force, Maritime Group and Aviation Security Group.

Meanwhile, Sarmiento said that the recruitment of 11,200 additional police-men will start this month, as part of the second cycle of the PO1 Attrition Recruit-ment Program. They are

expected to take their oaths by November 15, 2016.

Recruits from this cycle will replace policemen who were “attrited for reasons of retirement, death, dropping from the rolls, separation, dismissal and resignation from the police service.”

Sarmiento encouraged aspiring cops to visit the nearest police stations in their areas or check the PNP website for details.

“I am calling out our brave Filipino fellowmen and women who aspire to join PNP: Now is the time for you to realize your dream of contributing to nation-building by keep-ing our communities and streets safe,” he encour-aged.(MNS)

10,000 new recruits to join PNP

Veiled Muslim female views from afar the Bolkiah Grand Masjid, the largest mosque in the Philippines funded by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam himself at a staggering cost of USD48-million. Built in 2008 on a fi ve-hectare lot at Baranagay Kalanganan, Cotobato City, the mosque compound could accommodate 15,000 worshippers in time for the month-long Ramadan fasting season of Islam believers to start either June 6 or 7 depending on the sighting of the new moon. (PNA photo by Noel Punzalan-Cotabato Bureau)

MANILA, June 4 (Mabu-hay) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines has tempo-rarily halted its operations against a local terror group in Butig, Lanao del Sur to give way to the month-long Ramadan.

Col. Roseller Murillo, commander of the Philip-pine Army’s 103rd Infantry Bridade, said that the troops will be on standby and ready to respond to any possible terror activities of the Butig-based Maute Group.

“Kung may gagawin ma-sama man ang mga local terrorists, habang ni-respe-

to natin ang pagdiriwang Ramadan, ipatupad talaga ang law enforcement,” he said.

The start of Ramadan would depend on the sight-ing of the moon, which is expected on Sunday or Mon-day.

Murillo said that the mil-itary will focus on rehabili-tation efforts in Butig after the Ramadan to allow its residents to return to their homes.

Government forces began clearing the Butig of mem-bers of the Maute Group last May 24.

The military had claimed that more than 30 members of the group have been con-fi rmed killed in the opera-tions.

Murillo said the Maute Group and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Commander Janatie Mim-bantas occupied the camp from February 20 until it was retaken by the military on March 1.

The military launched the “second wave” of opera-tions after the Maute Group kidnapped and beheaded sawmill workers in April.(MNS)

MANILA, June 6 (Mabu-hay) – A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court asking it to compel the Commission on Elec-tions (Comelec) to prosecute Smartmatic officials who tampered with the automat-ed election system used in the May 2016 elections.

In their petition, lawyer Eduardo Bringas, Bishop Reuben Abante and Moses Rivera also asked the SC to order the Comelec “to explain the apparent erratic upsurge and abrupt fall in the discrepancy between the votes for the president and vice-president from the May 9, 2016 elections at 7:25 pm; 7:45 pm; 8:05 pm; and 8:25 pm; specifi cally, where the votes came from and where they were later assigned.”

The petitioners said the Comelec should be required to conduct an “independent

and thorough” investigation and eventually prosecute Smartmatic officers and other personnel who al-legedly tampered with the server.

The petitioners also prayed that the high court will order Comelec to al-low the petitioners and the public to have access to the source codes and hash codes that were certifi ed on Janu-ary 26, 2016; and February 9, 2016 and February 11, 2016.

They wanted the SC to have the source and hash codes “examined by com-petent IT experts and to provide the petitioners copy of the final report of the Random Manual Audit from the 715 precincts that were audited pursuant to the Comelec rules.”

They accused Comelec chairman Andres Bautista

and some commissioners of showing bias by making conclusions on the issue, and asked that these poll offi cials inhibit themselves from the investigation.

The petitioners also asked the SC to require the Comelec to provide all the published updates of the election results and the raw data that were received from the transparency serv-er. The petitioners pleaded “for Comelec to provide the complete data of the updates of the elections for the position of the president and vice president from the time the votes were trans-mitted on May 9, 2016 up to the time before the actual canvassing of Congress in the same sequential order of updates received by the network, indicating the places where the votes came per update result.”

MANILA, June 6 (Mabu-hay) – Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. must not attend the fi nal session day of the Senate, the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan ruled.

In a minute-resolution promulgated on June 3, a copy of which was released to the media on Monday, the Sandiganbayan First Division maintained that Revilla, as a detention prisoner, can no longer discharge functions in relation to his elective offi ce.

“It is a matter of record that accused Revilla Jr. is a detention prisoner whose petition for bail had been denied. As such, he cannot discharge his offi ce while in detention,” the First Division said in its ruling.

Revilla is facing plunder and graft charges before the First Division in connection with his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam. He has been detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City since June 2014.

In his motion fi led with the court last week, Revilla asked that he be allowed to leave his detention for three days or on June 6, 7 and 8 all starting at 3 p.m. to attend the Senate’s fi nal sessions before the 16th Congress formally closes on June 30.

Revilla said that as he is ending his term as a senator, he intends to perform his duty to the people for the last time by attending the fi nal session days.

While Revilla asked for a three-day furlough, the lead-ership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives have earlier stated that the 16th Congress will already adjourn sine die in one last plenary session on Monday afternoon.

In denying his request, the First Division cited a previous Supreme Court (SC) ruling (People vs. Maceda) ruling that a prisoner no longer has a right to practice his profes-sion, business, or duties as an elective or appointive offi cial.

“The Honorable Supreme

Court stressed ‘that all pris-oners whether under preven-tive detention or serving fi nal sentence cannot practice their profession nor engage in any business or occupation, or hold offi ce elective or appoint-ive, while in detention,” the First Division’s ruling read.

The court said Revilla failed to present any compel-ling reason to deviate from the SC ruling as his request is not a matter of emergency or of necessity.

“Indeed, the Court cannot consider the accused-mo-vant’s prayer as a special circumstance which could be treated as an exception to the general restrictions on his rights as a detention prison-er,” the ruling read.

Further, the court said that allowing Revilla to leave his detention for functions that he no longer has the right to exercise, would “not only el-evate accused-appellant’s sta-tus to that of a special class, it also would be a mockery of the purposes of the correction system.”

AFP halts operations in Butig with expected start of Ramadan

Sandiganbayan nixes Bong Revilla’s bid to attend fi nal Senate session

SC asked to require Comelec to probe ‘tampering’ during May polls

Visit www.usasianpost.com Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 THE US ASIAN POST4

OPINIONBy Joann Santiago

MANILA, June 6 (PNA) – The Philippines, being a tech-savvy nation, is now estimated to be the third country in the world in terms of virtual currency (VC) usage.

Since its introduction in 2009, VCs like Bitcoin have been widely used around the globe despite the fact that no central bank has ever issued it, thus, it is unregulated and is not backed by any commodity such as gold and silver unlike existing legal tenders and coins.

VCs are being used through online transactions to purchase virtual goods like online gaming environment and social networks as well as real goods and services provided by retailers and restaurants, among others.

Online data say Bitcoin was introduced in 2009 as a peer-to-peer payments system. It is a digital currency said to have been developed by inventor Satoshi Nakamoto, who, on the other hand, has denied it.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., in a briefi ng said, VC capitalization around the globe amounts to about USD 3.6 billion, to date.

”In the Philippines, bitcoin exchanges or estimated transactions passing through registered companies here range between USD 2-3 million per month. So it is not a small amount of transactions,” he said.

In March 2014, the BSP came out with an advisory warning the public that use of VCs remain unregulated, thus, consumers are not protected from fi nancial losses.

Espenilla said they have issued advisories on VCs “to get the public, fi rst of all, to think about the risks in using any particular fi nancial products.”

“Our belief is that BSP cannot always be around to protect the public. That public must, fi rst and foremost, learn to protect itself,” he said.

The central bank executive, however, assured the public that the BSP is continuously studying VC usage intricacies “to formally regulate virtual currencies.”

“We are looking at it for two important reasons – aspects of money laundering and consumer protection concerns,” he said.

Espenilla said these factors are among the risks on the use of VCs citing that “Bitcoin prices may vary and customers might get the wrong idea and invest with it and think that is has the same value.”

He, on the other hand, said Philippine monetary offi cials have rec-ognized a possible advantage of VC usage on remittance transactions to lower its rates.

Earlier, BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said they are assessing the possibility of VC usage as low-cost remittance solution.

“We are trying to better understand the intricacies of its use and im-plications on consumer protection. This innovation could possibly offer a low cost remittance solution, but we would need to have some level of confi dence that the weaknesses could be addressed,” he said. (PNA)

BEIJING, June 6 (PNA/Kyodo) – The United States and China remained at odds over the South China Sea dispute Monday as their leading diplomats exchanged views on the matter at the start of a two-day bilateral ministerial meeting in Beijing.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said at the event’s opening cer-emony that the issue should be resolved not by unilateral action but through law, diplomacy and discussions. But Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi emphasized that the problem should be solved among the countries involved.

The two sides were expected to cover outstanding topics related to security and foreign policy as well as economy and trade during the eighth round of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

A major US concern is China’s reclamation activities in the South China Sea, a body of water rich in fi sh and potential gas and oil reserves that is disputed with parties such as the Philippines and Vietnam.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea. Its massive rec-lamation of islands in the waters and building of military facilities on them have generated concerns among not only the claimants but also other countries including Japan and the United States.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the dialogue’s opening ceremo-ny that China and the United States must deal with “sensitive” issues and differences in their opinions in an appropriate manner, apparently referring to the South China Sea dispute.

Kerry, meanwhile, called on all parties to follow international law and rules in addressing the issue and expressed hope that China will resolve the matter peacefully.

The annual event, which began in 2009, is aimed at expanding co-operation and easing any tensions between the two countries through direct talks.

Xi noted that the two sides have been able to maintain mutual under-standing and cooperation in addressing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and called for enhancing mutual understanding on issues related to the Asia-Pacifi c region where they share common interests.

Other key participants of the meeting include US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang. (PNA/Kyodo)

MOSCOW, June 6 (PNA/Sputnik) – Speaking on US-China rivalry in the Asia-Pacifi c, Chinese Pres-ident Xi Jinping said both countries had extensive mutual interests in the region and should learn to cooperate.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the United States to build mutual trust and refrain from adopting a confrontational stance on any divisive issues, at Monday’s opening of the annual US-China dialogue.

“We should enhance the mutual trust between our two countries,” Xi said in Beijing, as quoted by the South China Morning Post. “The key is not to adopt a confrontational attitude towards any differences.”

Speaking on US-China rivalry in the Asia-Pacifi c, the Chinese president said both countries had exten-sive mutual interests in the region and should learn to cooperate.

“[We] should hold regular dialogues, cooperation, cope with various challenges and work hard to culti-vate a mutual, instead of an exclusive, circle of friends between the two countries,” Xi said.

He emphasized that Beijing favored a “dual-track approach” to territorial rows in the South China Sea,

meaning nations that are involved in a dispute should talk directly to each other.

“Based on the principle of the dual-track approach, the South China Sea disputes can be properly re-solved,” the Chinese leader noted.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said at the opening ceremony that disputes over South China Sea territories should be handled in line with inter-national laws.

“We are looking for a peaceful resolution to the dis-pute in the South China Sea and oppose any country resolving claims through unilateral action,” he was quoted by the media as saying.

The 6th US-China Strategic and Economic Dia-logue started in Beijing on Monday amid rising ten-sions over the South China Sea. The United States criticizes China for building islands to claim vast areas of the sea, which are also contested by China’s neighbors.

The talks also tackled strategic security issues, such as maritime security and North Korea’s nuclear and missile program, according to the US Department of State. (PNA/Sputnik)

WASHINGTON, June 7 (PNA/Xinhua) – US Feder-al Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen said on Monday that gradual interest rate hikes remain appropriate by giving a cautiously optimistic view about the US economic outlook, but avoided providing precise tim-ing for the central bank’s next move.

“The positive economic forces have outweighed the negative, and despite the challenges that the economy continues to face, I continue to expect further progress toward our employment and infl ation objectives,” Yellen said in a speech at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia on Monday.

In her speech, she avoided giving hint about the timelines for further rate hikes, but said that she expected the federal funds rate will probably need to rise gradually over time to ensure price stability and maximum sustainable employment in the longer run.

The stance was in contrast to her remarks made on May 27, when she expected rate hikes in coming

months might be appropriate.Some analysts hold that the reason for her cur-

rent prudent remarks might be found in the recent disappointing job data. The total nonfarm payroll employment increased by only 38,000 in May, the weakest performance since September 2010.

However, Yellen said in her speech that one should never attach too much signifi cance to any single monthly report, and other timely indicators from the labor market have been more positive.

In her speech, she pointed four areas of uncertainty the US economy is facing, including the weak business investment, overseas risks, low productivity growth in US, and low infl ation.

US Fed has kept the benchmark short-term in-terest rates unchanged after it raised the rate last December. After the release of May’s job data last week, the market now sees an interest rate hike in June unlikely. (PNA/Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, June 7 (PNA/Xinhua) – “The global threat emanating from ISIL (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) remains high and continues to diversity,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a report issued here on Monday.

The continued military pressure exerted in Iraq and Syria by international coalition forces has led to serious military setbacks for ISIL, Ban said in his 21-page report to the UN Security Council.

Not yet weakened“However, even though the territorial expansion

of ISIL in both States has been halted and, in part reversed over recent months, many (UN) member states have noted that ISIL is not yet strategically and irreversibly weakened.”

“A worrying factor is that no member state has reported that ISIL is short on, or lacks, arms or am-munition,” he said in the report, compiled on the basis of information from all the 193 UN member states.

Over the past six months alone, “ISIL has carried out, inspired, or claimed responsibility for, terrorist attacks in Bangladesh, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Turkey and the United States of Ameri-ca,” he said. “The attacks have killed more than 500 individuals and injured hundreds more.”

“The attacks in November 2015 and in Brussels in March 2016 demonstrate the ability of ISIL to mount complex, multi-wave attacks,” said the sec-retary-general.

National law enforcement agencies continue to investigate those attacks, but it is already clear that they were coordinated by foreign terrorist fi ghters who had returned to Europe from ISIL-held territory

in Syria, Ban noted.“To some extent, these cells received directions

from the ISIL leadership and were supported and facilitated by a range of individuals and groups with pre-existing records of involvement in criminality (in-cluding Al-Qaida-affi liated terrorist groups,” he said.

“This demonstrates the ability of ISIL returnees to quickly link up and draw on the support of estab-lished radical networks and supporters of Al-Qaida and thereby enhance their newly acquired terrorism skills with local knowledge and support,” he said.

“Continuing pressure on ISIL in Iraq and the Syr-ian Arab Republic also increases the likelihood that the terrorist group may try to move funds to affi liates outside the immediate current confl ict zone,” he said. “Initial reports received from member states indicate that this may already be occurring.”

Foreign terrorist fi ghtersMeanwhile, the secretary-general said, “Signifi -

cant numbers of foreign terrorist fi ghters continue to travel from States around the world to join ISIL in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic,” he said, citing a report from a member state saying that around 38,000 individuals may have attempted to travel to the region in the past few years.

“Most foreign terrorist fi ghters currently with ISIL travel from North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia,” Ban said. “Signifi cant numbers have also travelled from Europe and South and Southeast Asia.” “Even though the increase in the number of new foreign terrorist fi ghters travelling from some regions has slowed, the travel and attempted travel of new foreign terrorist fi ghters from other regions has increased,” he said.

UNITED NATIONS, June 7 (PNA/Xinhua) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged leaders to share their benefi ts from science, technol-ogy and innovation with “those who stand to gain most.”

Ban made the remarks, while addressing the fi rst multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 development targets to be reached by all UN member states by 2030.

“Over the next 15 years, progress in science, tech-nology and innovation will be key to delivering on all the SDGs - from poverty eradication to agriculture and food security, to energy, to water and sanitation, and climate change,” the secretary-general said in his speech to delegates, business leaders, and innovators at the event organized at UN Headquarters in New York.

“Linking science, technology and innovation with progress in sustainable development at the ground level is the greatest challenge. That is the gap this Forum is expected to close. You have a critical mission to accomplish,” he said.

Convened by the UN Economic and Social Coun-cil (ECOSOC), the two-day forum was intended “to ensure a life of dignity for all, with greater shared prosperity on a clean and healthy planet.”

“Innovation is embedded in the Sustainable De-

velopment Goals, together with advancing science and technology, as Goal 17,” Ban said. “But science, technology and innovation must not be limited to SDG 17. They cut across all the SDGs as an important element of implementation.”

Meanwhile, the secretary-general cautioned that science, technology and innovation cannot be confi ned to the use of new technologies or software, but rather, innovation is a mindset and an attitude: “It means questioning assumptions, rethinking established sys-tems and procedures, and introducing new strategies. New technologies are important, but as a means to an end,” he said.

Ban indicated that the multi-stakeholder Forum will take place each year until 2030, to pool ideas, and fi nd ways to incentivize, scale up and adopt break-through solutions.

“I hope it will be a new way of doing things at the United Nations,” Ban said. “We will need ownership, participation and active involvement from all sectors of society, for sustainable development to become a global reality within the next 15 years.”

Adding that the defi ning pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is that no one will be left behind, he also informed member states that it is the chosen theme for this year’s fi rst High-level Political Forum on the agenda, which will be held in New York from July 11-20. (PNA/Xinhua)

PHL now a major player on virtual currency usage: BSP exec

US, China remain at odds over S. China Sea issue

China’s President Xi calls for ‘mutual trust’ with US amid maritime rivalry

Fed chair cautiously optimistic about economy but evasive about rate hike timing

Global threat from Islamic State remains high: UN chief

Benefi ts of technology, innovation must be shared with those in need: UN chief

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 Visit www.usasianpost.com 5

(Family Features) When you’re crunched for time, you may be tempted to ditch the pampering from your morn-ing routine. No matter how quickly you have to dash out the door, you can always fi nd shortcuts to your daily beauty regimen that let you look and feel your best.

These time-saving tips will let you give your body the TLC it deserves, even when you’re pressed for time.

Be a multi-tasker. You can do two things at once to save time, such as applying a face mask or wash before brushing your teeth or let-ting a deep-conditioning hair mask work while you shave your legs. Letting the face

wash sit on your skin while you brush allows you to get more of the skin care bene-fi ts without the added time, and pinning up your hair in the deep-conditioning mask while shaving then rinsing it out will help your hair feel softer and more hydrated.

Keep up with conditioner. You may fi nd it tedious, but hair care is no place to cut corners. Keeping your hair well-conditioned helps keep it healthier in the long run. Healthy strands are easier to detangle and style, which ultimately saves time. Have an all-in-one shampoo and conditioner on hand for days when you simply can’t do both and save detangling time by using a wide-tooth

comb in the shower.Use products that do

double-duty in the shower. Using a multi-benefi t body wash can give your skin and senses needed nourishment in the shower. One example is the new line of Softsoap Luminous Oils Body Wash-es, which contain a touch of luxurious oil, essence of peony or iris and an alluring fragrance. The sheer, non-greasy formula will leave your skin feeling radiant and soft.

Master a few simple hair styles. Whether your hair is long or short, experi-ment with a few go-to styles you can rely on when time is short. Sleek ponies and messy buns can disguise a

hectic morning. For shorter cuts, look for a style that lets you air dry for a carefree tousled look.

Lighten up when it comes to cosmetics. You may be surprised by how pulled together you appear with a minimalist approach to makeup. Use a tinted mois-turizer with sunscreen to even your skin tone, then use natural shades to en-hance your best features. Save complex eye makeup for a less rushed day and stick to the basics: mascara, a dusting of blush for color and a pretty nude gloss.

Speed up those busy morn-ings with these time-saving beauty tips. For more infor-mation, visit softsoap.com.

These time-saving tips will let you give your body the TLC it deserves, even when you’re pressed for time.

Quick beauty tricks for a busy morning

By Leilini S. JunioMANILA, June 6 (PNA)

– Health workers of the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Ma-nila appealed to incoming President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday to stop the De-partment of Health (DOH) plan to abolish the national maternity hospital.

“We urge him (Presi-dent-elect Duterte) to make true his declaration that he will prioritize health care by scrapping the privatization of public health services,” Elvira Mendoza, spokes-person of the Save Fabella Hospital Movement, said in a statement.

Mendoza also said that they condemned the DOH

denial of the Fabella Hospital abolition and that they were disgusted by the attempts to hide the truth behind what was really being done and why.

“The people ought to know the truth,” she said.

It can be recalled that Health Secretary Janette L. Garin ordered the holding of a referendum last week among Fabella Hospital of-fi cials and workers for them to fi nally determine whether the majority were in favor of transferring the hospital to a more modern facility located at the nearby San Lazaro Hospital compound or stay in the old Bilibid Prison compound. The Health chief denied private involvement

in the proposed transfer of the hospital, saying it was decided after it was found that four of the existing buildings of the old hospital were structurally unsound and continued occupancy might result to damage to life and property in the event of a major earthquake.

Garin said the findings were discovered in January 2016 and relayed to the DOH last March.

“Who will now be answer-able kung saka-sakaling may mangyari at di well-informed ang mga pasyente?” she asked. She also said that there is no available funding yet for retrofi tting which is not seen also as feasible step for the building because it is

very much different from con-struction and will be fi nished in a minimum of three years

She added that in case funding is found by year 2018, therefore the comple-tion date will be 2021 and not practical at all.

As a comparison, she men-tioned the National Library building retrofi tting which up to now is not yet fi nished. “Ang retrofi tting, di mo ‘yan pwedeng galawin ng sa-bay-sabay,” she said as she cited the difference between retrofi tting and actual con-struction.

In addition, she said that retrofitting activities will cost as much as P300 million. As part of the plan, while waiting for the completion of

the new building, the Fabel-la Hospital patients will be accommodated and served at the Philippine General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, San Lazaro Hospital and the National Center for Geriatric Health. The DOH earlier assured that hospital equipment and health workers that will take care of the patients will also be temporarily be housed at the said hospitals and be transferred to the new building of Fabella once the structures are fully opera-tionalized.

The Save Fabella Hospi-tal Movement also said in a statement that the Home Guaranty Corporation, a government agency under

the Offi ce of the President, informed Fabella Medical Director Dr. Ruben Flores last September 2015 that they should vacate the hos-pital premises because, as mandated, it should imple-ment an urban development project. Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital is the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Ma-ternal Health for years and the one and only huge public maternity hospital dubbed as “Paanakang Bayan” which renders maternal and child health care to the margin-alized sectors of society not only in Metro Manila but also in nearby provinces like Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and many others.

Save Fabella Hospital Movement to Duterte: Stop DOH plan to abolish Fabella

NEW YORK, June 6 (PNA/PTI) -- A new drug that harnesses the immune system to attack tumors is highly effective against ad-vanced bladder cancer, re-searchers, including one of Indian-origin, have found.

Injections of the experi-mental agent atezolizumab were found to shrink tumors by at least 30 percent and stall new tumor growth in 28 of 119 (24 per cent) of patients.

All patients had received the medication as their ini-tial therapy for the disease.

“Our new study results argue that atezolizumab represents a major advance in the treatment of bladder cancer,” said Arjun Balar from New York University in the US.

“Atezolizumab is the fi rst therapy to be approved in more three decades for this disease, and it is the new standard of care for patients whose initial therapy with platinum-based chemother-

apy drugs has failed,” said Balar.

“Indeed, it may be the only therapy some patients need,” he added.

The current “first-line” standard of care in blad-der cancer, is cisplatin, a drug that kills tumor cells by preventing them from repairing damage to their DNA.

In widespread use since the 1970s, cisplatin extends survival to slightly more than a year, but nearly half of bladder cancer pa-tients, most of whom are elderly with other serious health issues, cannot take it because of its toxic side effects on nerve and kidney function, as well as hearing, researchers said.

Moreover, many patients’ cancers develop drug re-sistance to cisplatin and similar chemotherapy medi-cations over time, they said.

According to Balar , atezolizumab was well tol-erated by all patients in the

current study, which was conducted in medical cen-ters across the US, Canada, and Europe.

Patients reported rel-atively mild instances of fatigue, itchy skin, and di-arrhea, which represented far fewer and less-severe side effects than seen with cisplatin or its common alternative, carboplatin, Balar said.

Half the patients who responded to the new ther-apy did so within 15 weeks, with almost all (21 out of 28) remaining on therapy with-out any detectable signs of cancer growth (at a dose of 1,200 milligrams every three weeks).

Checkpoint inhibitors - some already approved to treat other forms of cancer - are designed to “retrain the immune system” to attack tumor cells by blocking the action of proteins believed to help cancer cells evade recognition by the immune system, said Balar.

MANILA, June 6 (PNA) – The country’s most active cancer survivor group advo-cating healthy lifestyle ex-pressed hopes that the Dute-rte administration would im-mediately enforce nationwide ban smoking in public places.

“We are hoping that in-coming President Rodrigo Duterte, an action man, will fast track imposing a nation-wide smoking ban. We have a law banning smoking in public places but it is seldom implemented even after more than 10 years of enactment,” New Vois of the Philippines (NVAP) president and Global Cancer ambassador Emer Rojas said.

Rojas said a nationwide smoking ban, as pushed by Duterte since the campaign period as a personal concern for health when he starts work as president, would

oblige local authorities to uphold Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Control Act.

“We are excited for him to replicate what he did in Davao to the rest of the coun-try. Imagine being in a public space where you and your family are safe from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke such as cancer,” said Rojas, who ran as a nominee of CANCER partylist during the last national elections. “There is no safe exposure from tobacco smoke. With all the toxic chemicals associat-ed with it, inhaling tobacco smoke is like breathing in poison coming from another person,” Rojas added.

It is estimated that tobacco contains an estimated 7,000 chemicals including 70 can-cer-causing ingredients.

Presidential Proclamation No. 183 signed in 1993 de-

clares the month of June as National No-Smoking Month to raise public awareness on the ill effects of smoking and encourage smokers to quit. The event came right after the observance of World No Tobacco Day which is ob-served every May 31. Rojas said Duterte knows exactly what it meant to be sick from tobacco consumption as he had Buerger’s disease, a condition that causes the swelling of blood vessels and prevents the flow of blood leading to tissue damage.

In 2002 Duterte, as mayor of Davao, imposed an an-ti-smoking ordinance in the city including smoking in government-owned vehicles, accommodation and enter-tainment establishments particularly enclosed public spaces, public buildings, and public outdoor spaces.

Drug found effective against bladder cancer

Cancer victims hopeful of nationwide smoking ban

Visit www.usasianpost.com Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 THE US ASIAN POST6

Andi Eigenmann admit-ted she came to a point where she almost quit show business.

“Mahirap eh. Minsan pa-rang you just don’t want to deal with it anymore. I don’t want to live in a world where all I can do is explain myself. My past doesn’t defi ne me. I know that I’m worth some-thing more,” she said.

However, she was in-spired to love her craft more following the victory of her

mother Jaclyn Jose at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.

“It helped me believe that yes, you fall down, but what you do is you get back up and you try and you try. In God’s time, things like this will come to you,” she said.

Jose won the best actress award at this year’s Cannes film festival for her role in “Ma’ Rosa.” Eigenmann is also part of the Brillan-te Mendoza fi lm. “I’m just taking this as a chance to

begin again. This time, to be recognized and to be ap-preciated for what I can do, not just for what I’ve done, for how I look but for what I can do because I’m really so passionate about my craft,” she said.

Meanwhile, Eigenmann broke into tears when asked how she thinks her father, late actor Mark Gil, would have reacted to the inclusion of “Ma’ Rosa” at the pres-tigious fi lm festival. “I feel

like my dad is just up there looking down at us, very happy. ‘Yun ‘yung isa sa mga sayang kasi wala na siya dito para ma-witness ‘yun with us. My dad has always been one of my biggest fans and to know that I made it, kahit na one week lang, even if isang maliit na bagay lang ang nagawa ko, na mapa-bilang sa isang pelikula na na-recognize abroad, alam ko na sobrang proud siya sa amin,” she said. (MNS)

Actress-TV host Denise Laurel and basketball player Sol Mercado now have more time to plan their wedding.

They were supposed to tie the knot this year but with both wanting the event to be extra special, they have moved it to 2017.

“I’m starting na to plan,” Denise said at the press conference of Lifestyle Net-work’s new show “Modern Girls.”

Several things prompted the postponement. “I think it’s always about timing. It’s no joke to have a wedding. I guess na-overwhelm lang ako putting our schedules together.

“Then there’s the budget. I have no idea na aabutin ng parang 4 million or some-thing like that. Hindi naman kasi ako bongga na tao, so I want a simple wedding lang. I don’t even know that a simple wedding would cost 2.5 million.”

A practical and smart woman, especially since she already has a son, Denise is also thinking long-term goals.

“I’m thinking kasi not lang about the wedding, I’m thinking about life,” she said. “My son (Alejandro) is getting bigger and we (with Sol) want to have more kids one day. Gusto ko lang mag-ing wais and I want to plan it properly. I’m getting there.”

Denise has been busy with teleseryes. She also joined the talent compe-tition “Your Face Sounds Familiar,” where she won the grand prize.

Sol, on the other hand, is busy with PBA.

“Madaming factors (na kino-consider like) schedule ng PBA, getting everybody there, people from the States to here,” she enumerated. “If we could just have a wedding and get everybody there together, we would do it in a heartbeat.

“I understand also that Sol would like to have a wonderful wedding and I want to have a wonderful wedding also. My son keeps on saying when are we get-ting married? I want to give them a really wonderful day, something awesome that

they will remember for a very long time…”

Asked what her ideal wedding is, Denise said, “Ngayon ko pa lang na-fi -fi gure out kung ano ang gusto ko. I’m so excited. He’s excited also because he’s always wanted to have a big wedding. Ako, kahit ‘steady’ na wedding lang. I’m excited

but I need a lot of help.”In the past few months,

Denise was into producing her own album. She plans to release her own music video and single soon.

What’s keeping her busier nowadays is “Modern Girls” with Sam Oh and Gretchen Ho. The show premiered last May 28. (MNS)

ISABELLE De Leon won several best child actress awards for her role as the paraplegic sister of Jiro Ma-nio in the internationally-ac-claimed movie, “Magnifi co”, in 2003. She stayed with GMA7 for many years as a child star as one of Vic Sot-to’s daughters in “Daddy Di Do Du.” As a teen star, she did a lot of shows with TV5.

But now, 13 years later, she’s back on GMA7 as the daughter of Gina Alajar who maltreats Louise delos Reyes in the new GMA Af-ternoon Prime soap, “Mag-kaibang Mundo” which airs after “Eat Bulaga”.

“It’s nice to be back as a Kapuso dahil dito naman ta-laga ako lumaki,” she says. “I welcome playing my fi rst contravida role.

Mahirap pala. Nasanay akong ako ang inaapi even as a child actress. Eh ngay-on, akong nang-aapi kay Louise at hirap na hirap ako kapag kailangan ko siyang saktan, lalo na noong kail-angan kong sabunutan siya at ingudngod ang mukha niya. Sorry ako nang sorry sa kanya before and after the take. Buti na lang very professional siya at okay lang na totohanin ko ang pananakit sa kanya para sa ikagaganda ng eksena.”

It’s good TV5 let go of her after she did several stories for their “Wattpad Presents” where she played lead roles. “Wala naman po akong contract with them and, lately, di ba Viva took over? Wala namang project for me so sumubok naman ako sa GMA and I’m so glad nabigyan ako ng show rito.”

Has she heard of what happened to Jiro, who was her kuya in “Magnifico”? “Yes, nun pa lang makita siya wandering sa airport, may nag-tag na sa akin. Nagulat ako and I asked my dad na puntahan namin siya agad sa NAIA. But nung papunta na kami, we learned nakuha na raw siya ng mga pinsan niya. So hinayaan na lang namin kasi, siyempre, pamilya niya ‘yun. I felt so sad kasi halos sabay kaming lumaki. Kahit wala kaming masyadong komunikasyon, concerned pa rin ako. I was so thankful nang tulungan siya ni Tita Ai Ai (de las Alas.) Pinun-tahan namin siya once sa bahay nila, pero wala roon at kina Tita Ai Ai nga raw. Sana naman, maging okay na siya uli kasi magaling siyang actor, he deserves a second chance. Sana huwag siyang basta husgahan agad ng mga tao.” Isabelle has the looks of a lead actress. She can also act and sing well. We hope she’ll be given better roles and projects now that she’s a Kapuso actress.

It’s been years since Rayver Cruz was last in a rela-tionship. His last showbiz girlfriend was Cristine Reyes, with whom he part-ed ways in 2013.

Since then, Cruz has not been roman-tically linked to any-one, while Reyes is now married to Ali Khatibi and has a one-year-old daugh-ter.

Despite being sin-gle for years now, Cruz told entertain-ment site Push that he is just waiting for the right person to come.

“Wala eh. Ready naman ako, naghihintay lang ako kasi ayaw ko naman na hinahanap. Eventually, gusto ko ‘yung bigla na lang siyang darating,” he said, adding that he would prefer someone not from showbiz.

“Siguro kung maaari gusto ko non-showbiz naman pero kasi ang hirap naman sabihin and hindi naman ako mapiling tao. Basta tinamaan ako doon sa isang babae, ‘yun na ‘yun,” he said.

Cruz admitted that most of the girls he regularly works with, especially on “ASAP,” have already “bro-zoned” him.

“Kasi lumaki ako sa ‘ASAP’ na lahat ng tao tinatawag kong bro. Pagtagal ng panahon, pati ‘yung mga babae, ang tawag sa akin bro,” he said.

Prior to Reyes, Cruz was also romantically linked to Sarah Geronimo in the past. (MNS)

Since his breakout role in GMA’s groundbreaking teleserye “My Husband’s Lover,” Tom Rodriguez has not only become a household name but also a sought-after talent who has proven that he is not merely an over-night sensation.

Last year, the 26-year-old Filipino-American actor acquitted himself well in memorable turns in the fi lms “The Love Affair,” and “No Boyfriend since Birth.”

This June, Tom hopes to leave another lasting impression in the political thriller, “Magtanggol.” Di-rected by Sigfreid Barros Sanchez and conceptual-ized by investment banker Jojo Dispo, “Magtanggol” tackles the issue of abuses committed against overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) by their employers.

Tom portrays a senator determined to champion the causes of abused OFWs but instead becomes a high-pro-fi le suspect in a series of kill-ings involving the abusive

employers.“This film has been an

eye-opener for me. It has further strengthened how I view OFWs and the sacrifi c-es they have to make,” Tom told InterAksyon and other media during the recent press conference to promote the fi lm, which opens nation-wide on June 8.

“I can relate to their plight in the sense that I know what it’s like to be away from from their fam-ilies. The members of my family are in the States so I

live far from them.”As hard enough as it is

for an OFW to be separated from his or her loved ones, Tom said it’s even hard-er for them to experience both physical and emotional abuses from their employers.

“When you hear the real stories of abuses from the OFWs themselves like we did when doing this movie, it’s terrible.

It doesn’t just happen in the movies but very much in real life, too. We were able to give an example of that in the fi lm with Yam Concep-cion’s portrayal of an abused OFW,” Tom further shared.

Playing a senator who comes from a political dy-nasty has also allowed Tom to see things from the point of view of an elected offi cial.

“The fi lm also opened my eyes to the big responsibili-ties that rest on a politician’s shoulders. It’s not a position that anyone should belittle. The essence of the words, public servant, is exactly just that, to serve the public.

If you’re going to go into this career, you really have to think about what’s good for the public,” he pointed out.

If Tom sounds like he has immersed himself into this role, it’s because Tom embraces every project as a learning experience.

“Every project that I done, I always fi nd a challenging aspect about it. One of the best things about the proj-ects I’ve done is that I’m blessed with being able to work with amazingly talent-ed people. ‘Magtanggol’ is no exception.

It’s exciting just to merely watch my co-stars at work. There are literally genera-tions of talent in this fi lm,” he noted.

Boasting of a stellar mix of young and seasoned per-formers, “Magtanggol” also stars Ejay Falcon, Denise Laurel, Kim Domingo, Al-bie Casino, Dina Bonnevie, Joonee Gamboa, William Martinez, Ricky Davao, Epy Quizon, Raul Morit and Giselle Sanchez. (MNS)

Award-winning director Brillante Mendoza laments the lack of a market for mov-ies like his “Ma’ Rosa” in the Philippines, but hopes he can cultivate one.

“That’s what I’m trying to cultivate here in the Philip-pines because we don’t have a core market for alterna-tive; sa abroad, meron sila. Hindi naman malaki, no, kasi may mainstream din naman sila dun eh,” he said.

Mendoza said an alter-native fi lm like his does not compete with mainstream movies because fi lmmakers like him are aware that they are alternative movies.

They remain afl oat, how-

ever, because no matter how little their core market abroad is, they faithfully watch out for alternative movies especially those that are critically acclaimed. But in the Philippines, he said, there is no market yet for movies as such.

“What we have here is pure awareness that there is an alternative fi lm, may mga independent films; pero wala pa tayong mar-ket. Ang market, binubuo natin ‘yan,” he said. He hopes that international recognition his fi lms are get-ting will someday translate to box offi ce sales.

Meanwhile, he said un-

like the Cannes Film Fest where he sent his entry on his own, qualifying for the Academy Award goes through a different proce-dure altogether.

“We cannot send our fi lms to the Academy. There is this body in the Philippines that chooses the fi lm that we send to the Academy,” he said, referring to the Film Academy of the Philippines.

“Kahit na gumawa ako ng limang pelikula in one year, kung di nila pipiliin, hindi ako mapapadala dun sa Oscars,” he added.

The star of his “Ma’ Rosa” fi lm, Jaclyn Jose, brought home the Cannes award

for best actress, but some critics thought the win was undeserved since her character appeared to be a supporting role. Veteran Hollywood actor Donald Sutherland was among the fi rst to voice an objection to such critique, saying Jose’s was a “a big-time leading role.”

Mendoza, for his part, said Jose’s excellence is due to the fact that she was not even acting. “Magaling siya because in fact, she wasn’t even acting. Parang wala kasi siyang acting. The whole time, throughout the fi lm, she was just being nat-ural,” he said. (MNS)

Why Andi Eigenmann almost quit showbiz

Andi Eigenmann

Denise Laurel, fi ancé move wedding day to 2017

Denise Laurel

Tom Rodriguez considers new fi lm eye-opener on plight of OFWs

Tom Rodriguez

Brillante Mendoza seeks ‘alternative’ movie market in PHL

Isabelle fi nds it hard to play ‘bad’

Isabelle De Leon

Rayver just waiting for the right girl

Rayver Cruz

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 Visit www.usasianpost.com 7

DUTERTEFrom page 1

MESSAGEFrom page 1

GENERALSFrom page 1

SILENCEFrom page 1

LACSONFrom page 1

MEDIA SUBTLEFrom page 1

SOLGENFrom page 1

ENRILE GOODBYEFrom page 1

assassination if you’re a son of a b****,” he told reporters last week.

The RSF lists the Philip-pines as the third most dan-gerous country in the world for journalists. Topping the list is war-torn Syria fol-lowed by Iraq.

Panelo criticized journal-ists covering Duterte here for “keeping silent” on the boycott demand.

“That means all media organizations are agreeing to that,” he said. “Kaya pinagbigyan kayo ni Mayor Duterte.”

Panelo said Duterte was not “justifying” media kill-

ings as what supposedly appeared in some reports.

Asked if Duterte should also speak more clearly next time, Panelo said journal-ists should instead be more “conscientious” in listening to him.

“Siya ang pinaka-klarong presidenteng narinig ko na e,” he said.

In a speech before tens of thousands of supporters at a thanksgiving party here last Saturday, Duterte lambast-ed the wrong Davao-based reporter for asking about his medical condition in a previous press conference.

He cited Philippine Dai-

ly Inquirer correspondent Karlos Manlupig. But in a Facebook post, Manlupig said the question was asked by another reporter.

Duterte said he found the question “very impertinent,” then ridiculed the reporter by saying: “‘How is the vagi-na of your wife? Is it smelly? Or not smelly? Give me the report. Bastos eh.’”

Panelo downplayed Dute-rte’s outburst.

H e s a i d t h e P r e s i -dent-elect was just citing a “parallel situation” and pointing out that the ques-tion on his health should not have been asked.(MNS)

Philippine independence, it’s about freedom – and remind-ing Filipinos to fi ght for real freedom in the homeland,” said another organizer, Ar-turo Garcia, national coordi-nator of Justice for Filipino American Veterans.

“It’s a very significant time to celebrate Indepen-dence Day since we have new leadership back home,” said Ganon, who is also president of Fil-am Inter-national.

“I hope that the new lead-ership tries to become more

inclusive and not foster partisan politics and region-alism.”

One longtime parade-go-er, 79-year-old Aurora de la Cruz Medina, came dressed in a colorful Filipiniana attire.

Cherish Freedom“I’ve been attending Inde-

pendence Day parades and events here and in Carson for many years,” said Medi-na, a resident of Long Beach who hails from Hagonoy, Bulacan.

“These events are im-

portant to me. They remind us to cherish our freedom. We have to be a good model for the next generation and show them that we continue to defend our freedom for their sake.”

Medina said she hoped the new Philippine leaders would steer the government in the right direction so the country could overcome its many challenges, including the exodus of talented and skilled Filipinos to other countries in search of green-er pastures.

manggaling pa sa isang ha-lal na Pangulo ang pag-en-courage sa publiko to take it upon themselves to arrest and kill suspected drug lords sa dahilang baka mawalan na ng control ang law en-forcement agencies or offi -cers sa pagsugpo ng ilegal na droga,” the comebacking senator said in a text mes-sage.

He said it is assumed that the public has no training in intelligence gathering or gathering validated intelli-gence with regards to drug

lords unlike law enforce-ment offi cers.

He added that identi-fying the real drug lords undergoes a thorough study and discussions of different intelligence agencies in an “intelligence workshop.”

He said it is in an intel-ligence workshop where criminals and those involved in illegal drugs are listed in an “order of battle.”

“Ang OB (order of battle) ay isang classifi ed na doku-mento at may takdang pana-hon para i-declassify ito kaya

hindi maaaring basta na lang ipamahagi o i-disseminate sa mga walang intelligence clearance, lalo na sas mga pangkaraniwang mama-mayan,” said Lacson.

On Saturday night during his thanksgiving party, Duterte said he will offer millions of pesos in rewards for the arrest and killing of drug lords and distributors.

“Ang bayad ko ngayon, pagka-drug lord P5 million ‘pag patay. Kung (buhay), P4 million 999 thousand lang,”

his press conferences.When international press

group Reporters Without Borders urged Philippine media to boycott Duterte, the incoming President was unapologetic, even challeng-ing the media to boycott him.

Gutierrez said that one of the dangers of relying solely on state-run television network for government in-formation is that journalists outside PTV-4 will have dif-fi culty in verifying whether the details they received are accurate.

The NPC president hoped that incoming Communi-cations Secretary Martin Andanar would talk sense into Duterte.

“I cannot help but to think of it that way kasi kung dati, may free market of ideas—na kanya-kanyang pagalin-gan ang mga mamamahayag

sa pagkuha ng balita biglang nagkaroon ng fi lter, particu-lar na sa Palasyo ng Mala-cañan (because before, there was a free market of ideas—the journalists are showing their skills in getting news then suddenly, there is now a fi lter, particularly in Mala-cañan). Naniniwala naman tayo na (I believe that) they would somehow prevail on the President. It cannot go on this way,” he said.

Last Saturday, the media setup in Duterte’s thanksgiv-ing party in Davao City was tweaked hours before the event started. The last-min-ute change barred media groups from setting up in a prepared area near the stage. Media organizations were then directed to use the live footage by PTV-4 and Radio Television Mala-cañang.

tigating tips from concerned citizens.

“A big part of our campaign against drugs is the internal cleansing—one of the major deliverables of an organiza-tion,” he said.

This was after Duterte dared three corrupt generals, whom he did not name, to resign from their post or else he would name them in pub-lic. “Corruption must stop. I would have to ask about three generals diyan sa (there at) (Camp) Crame to resign. Do not wait for me to name you in public because I will only humiliate you,” Duterte said before thousands of his supporters during his victory party in Davao City last Sat-urday. However, Marquez ex-plained that they cannot force the high-ranking offi cials to resign because the PNP has a process, which could be a dis-missal, to follow in removing unscrupulous cops.

is the silence of Jesus before the arrogance of Pilate.”

Duterte has criticized bishops, warning them he will reveal their secrets and sins.

He also lamented that the separation of church is no longer being observed.

For instance, during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, bishops allegedly asked the chief ex-ecutive for vehicles, he said.

On Thursday, Duterte said there is hypocrisy in sectors of society, including the Catholic Church.

In his statement, Villegas said, “There is nobility in silence like the silence of the lambs brought to slaughter in the temple to atone for sins.”

The CBCP presidentad-ded, “You can understand my speech if you speak the language of silence.

to recruit the best and the brightest,” Calida said

He said he wants to bring up the number of solicitors to 300 or more — “as much as our budget can afford.”

Asked what his priori-ty will be? He said it is to “win every case that we will handle.”

Calida currently heads J. Calida & Associates Law Firm and the Vigilant In-vestigative and Security Agency. He was Justice undersecretary from 2001 to 2004 and was executive director of Dangerous Drugs Board from Jan. 21 t Oct. 31, 2004. (MNS)

more than 20 years in the executive department, han-dling the fi nancial and jus-tice system and the security of the country under the regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

”And all those years, Mr. President, I tried my best to serve the people because I felt that my call to the service was something that I never intended in the fi rst but I was impressed to the service of the people and as a consequence, I thought that it was a mission for me to

do,” Enrile said.Enrile, fondly called by

his friends and legislators ‘Manong Johnny’, won his fi rst term as senator in 1987, a year after cutting ties with Marcos that eventually led to the ouster of the former strongman through a bloody people’s power revolution.

After serving as House representative of the first district of Cagayan from 1992-1995, Enrile served three more terms as senator: 1995-2001, 2004-2010, and 2010-2016.

Visit www.usasianpost.com Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 THE US ASIAN POST8

MOSCOW, May 31 (PNA/Sputnik) – The United States has lost its world’s most competitive economy status to China Hong Kong and Switzerland, a report by the IMD World Competi-tiveness Center research group revealed.

According to the report, Sin-

gapore, Sweden, Denmark, Ire-land, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada followed China Hong Kong, Switzerland and the United States in the top ten of the world’s most competitive economies.

The US economy was ranked fi rst by the researcher in three

past years in a row.The IMD center has been

publishing its rankings annually since 1989, assessing more than 340 criteria based on four main factors, namely economic perfor-mance, government and business effi ciency, as well as infrastruc-ture. (PNA/Sputnik)

LOS ANGELES, June 1, 2016 – Southern California Gas Co. More low-income customers may now be eligible to receive a rate discount and no-cost ener-gy-saving home improvements from SoCalGas due to new income guidelines that went into effect June 1 for qualified customers who enroll in the state-sponsored California Alternate Rate for En-ergy (CARE) andEnergy Savings Assistance Program.

The higher income limit means a family can earn more and still be eligible for assistance programs like CARE, which gives income-qual-ifi ed customers 20 percent off their monthly natural gas bill. The previous limit of $31,820 for a family of two expiredTuesday. The current limit is $32,040 a year. Each additional person adds $8,320. For example, a household of four can earn up to $48,600 to be eligible.

“We are pleased to inform our community about the new guide-lines and to encourage those who qualify and can benefi t from our assistance programs to enroll,” said Lisa Alexander, vice president of Customer Solutions & Communications for SoCalGas. “The monthly rate discount and savings from no-cost energy-effi cient home improvements can make a real difference, especially for struggling families.” Customer Anselma Hernandez says she appreciates the money she saves on her natural gas bill each month through her participation in CARE.

“The program is very good and it is easy to apply,” said Hernandez, who lives in Santa Ana, Calif. “I like how I was treated and it has helped my family very much.”

Luis Barajas, also from Santa Ana, said he has been enrolled in CARE for a long time and always recommends it to his friends, family and neighbors. “I use the savings I receive to pay other bills,” he said.

Here is additional information about the programs:CARE: The CARE program provides a 20 percent rate discount on

the monthly natural gas bill for eligible households and has already enrolled over 1.5 million customers throughout the SoCalGas service area. Those who qualify and are approvedwithin 90 days of start-ing new gas service will also receive a $15 discount on the Service Establishment Charge.

Energy Savings Assistance Program: This program provides no-cost, energy-effi cient home improvements to income-qualifi ed renters and homeowners. Services may include:

Door weather-stripping and caulking to keep unwanted drafts out of the home

Attic insulation to help make homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter

Low-fl ow showerheads that can save energy used to heat waterFurnace replacement (owner occupied residences only)Other minor home repairs.

WASHINGTON, May 31 (PNA/Xinhua) – A majority of US voters felt disconnected with major polit-ical parties and were pessimistic about the presidential election, said a new poll on Monday.

Just 8 percent of all Americans considered the Republican Party to be very or extremely responsive to what ordinary voters think, with 62 percent saying the GOP is only slightly or not at all responsive,

according to the poll by the Associ-ated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The Democratic Party did just slightly better, with 14 percent saying the party is very or ex-tremely responsive. Another 46 percent said that it’s only slightly or not at all responsive, said the poll. The poll came at a time when both parties were scrambling to boost voters’ confi dence as the cha-

otic and divisive primary season was about to come to an end.

However, according to the poll, only 15 percent of Americans said they have a great deal of confi dence in the Democratic Party, while just 8 percent saying the same of the GOP. In addition, the poll found that only 13 percent of respon-dents said they felt proud about the election while 37 percent said they were hopeful. (PNA/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, June 7 (PNA/Xinhua) – US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Monday reached the number of 2,383 delegates needed to become the fi rst-ever female nominee of a major polit-ical party in the United States, according to the latest AP dele-gate count.

The former fi rst lady and sec-retary of state garnered 1,812 pledged delegates won in pri-maries and caucuses, plus the public support of 571 superdel-egates, unpledged Democratic party leaders who are free to vote for any candidate at the national convention, the AP reported.

WASHINGTON, June 1 (PNA/Xinhua) – US consumer spending in April rose at the fastest pace in almost seven years, indicating that US economy will bounce back in the second quarter after a slow start to the year, the US Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

Personal spending surged 1 percent in April from the previous month, the largest monthly gain since August 2009, the Commerce Department said. When adjusted for inflation, personal spending edged up 0.6 percent last month, the biggest increase since Febru-ary 2014.

Personal income increased 0.4 percent in April after rising by the same margin in the previous month, while personal savings rate declined to 5.4 percent from 5.9

percent in March, the Commerce Department said.

The price index for the personal consumption expenditure (PCE), a gauge for the infl ation level pre-ferred by the US Federal Reserve, increased 0.3 percent from a month earlier, the largest gain since May 2015. The core PCE price index, excluding volatile food and energy, increased 0.2 percent from the pre-vious month and 1.6 percent from a year ago, still below the central bank’s target of 2 percent.

April’s improvement in personal income and spending boosts econo-mists’ confi dence that the US econ-omy will bounce back in the second quarter after a disappointing start to the year, as consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of economic output.

US loses status of world’s most competitive economy to Hong Kong

Majority in US feel disconnected with major parties: poll

US consumer spending in April rises at fastest pace in almost 7 years

Hillary Clinton has enough delegates to secure US Democratic nomination: media

More SoCalGas low-income customers may be eligible for assistance

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 Visit www.usasianpost.com 9

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PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRITHoly Spirit Thou who 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

want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After

to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Glecy

PRAYERS

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRITHoly Spirit Thou who 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

want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After

to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Dan

PRAYERS

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRITHoly Spirit Thou who 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

want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After

to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. STAN

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MOTORING WASHINGTON, June 7

(PNA/Sputnik) – US oil fu-tures hit highs not seen in 11 months due to disruptions to the world oil supply, accord-ing to US media reports on Monday. The July outlook for West Texas Intermediate crude climbed by USD1.07, or 2.2 percent, to end at USD49.69 per barrel on the New York Mercantile

Exchange, its highest price since July 21, 2015, Market-Watch reported.

August Brent crude in-creased 91 cents, or 1.8 percent, to USD50.55 a bar-rel on the London futures exchange.

Oil futures are the con-tracts in which buyers agree to a set price for delivery of a specifi c quantity of oil on a

future date.Last week, prices dropped

about 1.4 percent after the Organization of the Petro-leum Exporting Countries (OPEC) failed to cap mem-ber countries’ oil production.

In addition, Saudi Arabia cut oil prices for Europe as Iran continues to increase its exports following the lifting of international sanctions.

However, the reports noted, militant attacks in Nigeria have affected the oil supply in that country, causing production to de-cline to about 1.6 million barrels per day.

Moreover, oil production in Canada’s Alberta prov-ince is down about 40 per-cent due to wildfires last month. (PNA/Sputnik)

Two boys enjoy watching water spouting from a busted fi re hydrant along Bacoor Blvd. in Bacoor City, Cavite on Wednesday (June 1, 2016). The fi re hydrant was damaged after it was hit by a wayward van which later fl ipped on its side on the same boulevard. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

TOKYO, June 6 (PNA/Kyo-do) – None of the four Mitsubi-shi Motors Corp. minicar models affected by the automaker’s fuel economy data manipulations was sold in May, data released by an industry body showed Monday, the result of produc-tion and sales suspensions put in place by the automaker. Another major minicar manu-facturer Suzuki Motor Corp., which revealed in mid-May that it had not used proper fuel economy testing methods since around 2010, had two minicar models in the top 10 ranking for best-selling vehicles in May, but both marked year-on-year drops in sales.

Mitsubishi Motors has sus-pended production of its eK Wagon and eK Space as well as the Dayz and Dayz Roox that were supplied to Nissan Motor Co. since it admitted in late April to having infl ated their fuel economy data. (PNA/Kyodo)

MANILA, June 6 (PNA) – The Board of Investments (BOI) is expected to confi rm its approval and announce the participating car mak-ers under the Comprehen-sive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program.

The confi rmation of ap-proval of participating car makers is set during the BOI Board of Directors’ meeting on Wednesday. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corpo-

ration (MMPC) enrolled the manufacturing of hatchback and sedan Mirage for the CARS Program while Toyota Motors Philippines (TMP) enrolled the production of Vios for the program.

MMPC and TMP will fi le their registration for the CARS Program after the confi rmation of BOI’s Board.

BOI has opened the enrol-ment for the CARS Program incentives on Jan. 15.

Last year, President Be-nigno S. Aquino III signed the Executive Order No. 182 which rolled out the CARS Program in order to boost local assembly of completely knocked down (CKD) units.

Under the CARS Pro-gram, a participating car maker is required to produce and sell at least 200,000 units of the enrolled four-wheeled motor vehicle model for a period of six years.

By Azer N. ParrochaMANILA, June 6 (PNA)

– The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulato-ry Board (LTFRB) warned Monday operators and driv-ers of some public utility vehicles (PUVs) bearing stickers with the words ‘Slim Only’ on their front seats to remove them immediately or

pay a hefty fi ne.LTFRB made the warning

following a number of pas-senger complaints on these stickers particular found in UV Express vans which were deemed discriminato-ry. “It might seem funny for some passengers, but these stickers are discriminatory. There is no place for discrim-

ination in public transport,” LTFRB board member Atty. Ariel Inton said. Operators will be fi ned with PHP5,000 for the fi rst time a vehicle is caught bearing the sticker, Php 10,000 for the second time and PHP15,000 for the third. The operator may also lose his certifi cate of public convenience (CPC).

LAGOS, June 7 (PNA/Xinhua) – The bombings of major oil installations by the Niger Delta Avengers, a mil-itant group could worsen the operations of oil companies in Nigeria, a top offi cial with the Manufacturers Associa-tion of Nigeria (MAN) said Monday.

The development would negatively affect the ef-forts of the government to increase power generation in the country, Azubuike Okafor, a regional chair-man of the association told reporter in southern city of Awka. He said that though manufacturers were pleased with efforts being made by the government to tack-le the country’s electricity challenges, such efforts were being hindered by the mili-tants.

According to him, the

actions of the militants has caused the closure of many industries because of the non-availability of diesel to power industries.

He told reporters that the militants were disrupting ef-forts being made by govern-ment to improve and sustain electricity generation and increase oil production.

Okafor advised the gov-ernment to dialogue with the militants and persuade them to support its effort.

Niger Delta Avengers, a new militant group, has been claiming responsibility for a string of attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta.

The group has launched several attacks on oil and gas infrastructure since February 2016, demanding a sovereign nation of the Niger Delta people.

US oil futures hit 11-month high amid worldwide supply disruptions

BOI to confi rm approval of participating car makers in CARS Program

LTFRB to weed out discriminatory ‘slim only’ signs in public transport

None of 4 Mitsubishi minicar models hit by scandal sold in May Attacks on oil facilities to worsen

energy crisis in Nigeria: offi cial

THE US ASIAN POST Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 Visit www.usasianpost.com 11

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

FAMILY FEATURES

Americans love barbequing. There’s somethinggreat about inviting friends and family over,firing up the grill, sitting back and eating a

juicy burger with veggies in the backyard. In fact, nearly six out of 10 Americans plan to grill

more than 15 times this summer, according to a surveyconducted by Bank of America. A large majority — 90 percent — equate barbequing with entertaining.

This summer, celebrity chef Michael Symon fromthe Food Network and ABC’s “The Chew,” is partner -ing with Bank of America to share tips for hosting astress-free barbeque.

Party preppingAccording to Symon, kitchen prep is thesecret to a successful barbeque. A Bank ofAmerica survey found that seven out of 10Americans will invite five to 15 guests totheir summer gatherings so it’s easy to getbogged down in hosting duties and missout on the fun.

“Hosting a barbeque is about beingoutside with your friends and shouldn’t bestressful, that’s why it’s important to do asmuch food and party prep in advance aspossible. The more you can prepare beforeyour guests arrive, the more you can enjoyyour party.”

For instance, Symon advises that hostspre-mix a batch of their favorite cocktailso guests can serve themselves throughoutthe day and hosts can focus on gettingfood on the grill.

Symon also encourages hosts to planahead to find ways to make their budgetsgo further on groceries, such as using arewards card to get cash back.

“To get rewarded for the purchases you make the most, consider using acredit card like the BankAmericard CashRewards Credit Card. Customers earn 2 percent back on grocery store purchasesfor barbeques,” said Symon.

What’s for dinner?Hamburgers are the most popular barbequeentree for Americans (45 percent),followed by steaks (26 percent). If you’relooking to get more creative with thesecommon entrees or want to branch out and try something new, check out thewebsite SeriousEats.com that will sendyou in the right culinary direction. With aweb community of more than 100 onlinecontributors, SeriousEats caters to everylevel of foodie.

For instance, the site has an impressivecatalog of recipes to spice up your grillingto create the ultimate Sriracha burger,master barbequed meatballs or try yourhand at watermelon on the grill.

Once your guests are wowed, but before the plate is bare, show off yourculinary masterpieces to Symon onSeriousEats by using the hashtag#123BBQ on your social media posts. Get inspired by viewing what otherAmericans have already cooked and visithttp://www.SeriousEats.com/123BBQ.

Be a good guestEvery good guest knows to bring some -thing to the party, whether it’s a bottle ofwine or dessert. However one out of 10guests admits they are very likely to bring

a store-bought dish to a barbeque andclaim it’s homemade. Instead of fibbing,find a simple recipe online or help outwith refreshments instead.

Mastering the budgetHalf of Americans think that the hardestpart of planning a barbeque is stayingwithin budget. That’s why planning andprioritizing play an important role inkeeping costs down.

Consider the following ways somepeople are trimming costs, without sacri -fic ing quality and flavor:

� Buy in bulk (cited by 53 percent ofrespondents)

� Use coupons (cited by 45 percent ofrespondents)

� Ask guests to bring items (39 percentof respondents)

� Buying generic or sale brands (29 percent of respondents)

Other ways to manage costs includewriting a grocery list before going to thestore to avoid overbuying and creatingyour own rubs and sauces.

An insider’s tip known to chefs andregular cooks is to befriend your butcher.This is the most effective way to learnabout different cuts of meat and makesavings as your butcher will let you knowwhen your favorite cuts will be on sale.

Saving with the rightrewards credit cardHalf of those surveyed expect to spend$10 to $20 per guest. One of the easiestways to help offset costs can be using acard that gives you cash back on yourpurchases. More than four out of 10people surveyed say they use a rewardcredit card when paying for groceries.

Since the average family of four spends$12,400 a year on groceries, using a cardlike the BankAmericard Cash Rewards,which gives you 2 percent cash back on grocery story purchases, can have aconsiderable impact towards the budgetfor regular summer hosts. Plus you get 3 percent cash back on gas purchases and1 percent on all other purchases. Grocerystore and gas bonus rewards apply to thefirst $1,500 in combined purchases inthese categories each quarter.

For more information, visitwww.bankofamerica.com/creditcard. To see Michael Symon in action, watch his summer BBQ videos atwww.youtube.com/user/SeriousEats.

Celebrity Chef Michael Symon

Visit www.usasianpost.com Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016 THE US ASIAN POST12

Grab the lowest fares to the Philippines (Manila and Cebu) with PAL's Philippine Independence Day Seat Sale. Avail of our incredibly low fares inclusive of in-flight meals and baggage allowance. Enjoy a heartwarming travel experience with the airline that celebrates the Heart of the Filipino. Selling Period: June 3 - 15, 2016

Travel Period: July 1 – December 10, 2016 and December 30, 2016 – March 31, 2017

ORIGINATING All-in Economy Class Roundtrip Fare All-in Business Class Roundtrip Fare

TO MANILA TO CEBU ( Via Manila)

TO MANILA TO CEBU ( Via Manila)

Los Angeles USD 770 ( Peak ) USD 781 ( Peak ) USD 2650 USD 2661 USD 670 ( Lean ) USD 681 ( Lean )

San Francisco USD 770 ( Peak ) USD 781 ( Peak ) USD 2650 USD 2661

USD 670 ( Lean ) USD 681 ( Lean )

Honolulu USD 770 ( Peak ) USD 781 ( Peak ) USD 2150 USD 2161 USD 670 ( Lean ) USD 681 ( Lean )

New York USD 670 ( Peak ) USD 681 ( Peak ) USD 2750 USD 2761 USD 670 ( Lean ) USD 681 ( Lean )

Los Angeles ( Non-stop to

Cebu )

USD 740 ( Peak ) Non-stop

USD 2650 Non-stop

USD 640 ( Lean ) Non-stop

Seasonality: Peak: 01JUL - 15AUG16; 01-10DEC16; 30DEC16- 04JAN17 Lean: 16AUG - 30NOV16; 05JAN-31MAR17 TERMS & CONDITIONS: Seats are subject to availability. Fares are valid for roundtrip travel. Fare is inclusive of US Taxes but subject to change (Total fare may vary depending on current US Taxes at time of ticketing). 50% Mileage accrual for Economy and 125% for Business. Other travel conditions apply. Valid for sales in ticket offices, accredited travel agencies, PAL contact center & PAL website. Travel must be completed by March 31, 2017. Fare Rules Apply. BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: Economy Class: Fare is inclusive of 15 lbs handcarried baggage. Free baggage allowance is 2 pieces at 50 lbs. Business Class: Fare is inclusive of 15 lbs handcarried baggage. Free baggage allowance is 2 pieces at 70 lbs. There may be additional fees for your checked baggage in excess of your free baggage allowance.

ernment and property owners, DOT has come up with an Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP) to study the variety of tourism products in the area putting into consideration the property ownership and zonal values.

At present, the department is also in the process of crafting an Investment Promotions Program (IPP) which according to Jasmin, will help draw in more investments in the public-private partnership.

The San Vincente TEZ is the fi rst TEZ under the initiative of the DOT and its attached agency, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to seek out sites with viable tourism potential, have them masterplanned and develop them into sustainable tourism destinations.

It falls under the department’s Philip-pine National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) which is meant to improve mar-keting competitiveness of the Philippine tourism product.

A TEZ is an area with at least fi ve hect-ares meant for tourism-related development. The area must have historical and cultural signifi cance, environmental beauty, or exist-ing or potential integrated leisure facilities.

TIEZA Chief Operating Offi cer Guiller Asido said that San Vicente was identifi ed as the fi rst fl agship TEZ for its forests, islands, coves, and most specially its 14.7-kilometer shoreline, which is said to be the longest in the world.

Guiller further said that the TEZ bene-

fi ts from its location at the convergence of transport networks.

He said that the completion of Itabiak Road, which leads to the Long Beach area, makes it easier to reach the Tourism En-terprise Zone by land from other towns in Palawan.

Currently, the pier at Barangay Poblacion is being upgraded, but Guiller said that another docking area would be constructed at the TEZ.

Among the components of the TEZ is the San Vicente Airport which will be the main entry point for most tourists once operational.

“(It) will make San Vicente a good week-end destination for Manila residents since the fl ight is only one and a half hours from Manila,” Guiller said.

Guiller said that he expected the TIEZA Field offi ce in San Vicente to be completed before the projected operation of the San Vicente airport by De-cember 2016.

Palawan Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez meanwhile expressed confi dence that the TEZ, as soon as complet-ed, will launch San Vicente as a major tourist destina-tion and create thousands of additional jobs for the local communities.

Last week, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) deputy director general Rodante Joya said that the San Vicente air-port could cater to charter fl ights in the third quarter this year.

He said that it will initial-ly be open to propeller-driv-en aircraft but when it im-proves scheduled fl ights and air navigation equipment may also be added. (PNA)

In consultation with the municipal government and property owners, DOT has come up with an Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP) to study the variety of tourism products in the area putting into consideration the property ownership and zonal values.

DOT to make fi rst Tourism Enterprise Zone in Palawan attractive to investorsBy Azer N. Parrocha

MANILA, June 6 (PNA) – The Depart-ment of Tourism (DOT) on Monday said that it has fi nished formulating a master plan for

the fi rst Tourism Enterprise Zone (TEZ) that will rise in San Vicente, Palawan to make it more attractive to investors.

In consultation with the municipal gov-

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 6 (PNA) – Dapitan City is levelling up with the Department of Foreign Af-fairs (DFA) and Department of Tourism (DOT) in their strong bid to position the country as the next diving destination for the world to visit.

This, as Dapitan City has noted that the two agencies have allocated big chunks of their budget participating in worldwide expositions for aquatic and diving des-tinations “but only promote those resorts in Luzon and Visayas which are already popular in the diving com-munity.”

“It is a sad fact that we discovered during our par-ticipation in Diving and Resort Travel Show Hong-kong 2015. But despite that, we didn’t let such discour-agement kill our spirits to market Dapitan (City),” Apple Marie Agolong, Dapi-tan City tourism offi cer said Monday.

Agolong said their con-certed efforts during the travel show yielded good result as more than 100 in-ternational divers started to arrive in Dapitan City since January.

“Indeed, we are hoping that Dapitan City will at-tract some more and main-tain momentum, hoping that both Departments (DFA and DOT) will take notice to include us in their promotions,” she added.

On April 25, the Phil-ippines was referred to as the “apex of the South East Asian Coral triangle.”

Dapitan City beefs up tourism potential