• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
 
Tales of two monkeys,the bird and the turtle
(Continued on page 10)(Continued on page 2)(Continued on page 13)(Continued on page 3)
 Philstar, February 15, 2009
MANILA, Philippines -President Arroyo welcomedthe passage of the $787-bil-lion economic stimulus bill bythe United States Congress,which would pave the way for the grant of monetary ben-
ets to Filipino World War II
veterans.President Arroyo pointedout in a statement that equity
for Filipino veterans is at hand
with the passage of the stimu-lus bill by both the US Houseof Representatives and theSenate.“Despite America’s eco-nomic challenges, the USCongress voted to correct ahistoric wrong and incorpo-
rate the lump sum benet for 
our veterans in Section 1002,Title X of the stimulus billknown as the American Re-covery and Reinvestment Act
Equity for World War II veterans passed
WELCOME TO ORIENT VALLEY FILIPINO CUISINE 
owned by KADP Group, LLC, The Home of Lumpia, Pancit and more. We invite you to visit this beautiful new location at 9951 Carmel Mountain Road,San Diego, CA 92129 next to Armstrong Garden. Phone # (858) 484-9637. We offer dine-in, take-out and catering. The cuisine is currentlymanaged by Teddy Pua and Nancy Cayabyab with extensive experienceof over 25 years under their belt; always ready to provide quality servicethat our customers deserve. See story on page 15.
Orient Valley Filipino Cuisine Opens
(Continued on page 4)
Beautiful Philippines
Sinugdan Festival of Limasawa Island in Cebu. Photo by Ferdinand Edralin.
February 20 - 26, 2009
Msgr. Gutierrez
Entertainment
Getting Ready for Lent 
Riz A. Oades
 Richard Gutierrez is King of Hearts
 A military skydiver carrying the Philippine ag lands safely during 
the Hot Air Balloon Festival at Clark Field in Pampanga. PhilStar  photo by VAL RODRIGUEZ 
REDWOODCITY, CA,February 12,2009
 – Thehighest-grossing
Filipino movie
team-up in 2008is back with aU.S. premiere of the much awaitedfollow-up to their hit movie,
 A VerySpecial Love.
 Daisy Romualdez and daughter Danita Paner during the interview at the Roma Room of theManila Hotel 
 FUNFARE  By Ricardo F. LoUpdated 
Daisy Romual-dez and daughter Danita Paner duringthe interview at theRoma Room of theManila Hotel
When Daisy Ro
-mualdez celebratedher birthday last
Feb. 6, there was a
special glow abouther. The reason? As
Funfare reported
Much awaited sequel with Pop Princess SarahGeronimo to screen in LA, SF Bay Area
John Lloyd Cruz to grace U.S.premiere of “You Changed My Life”
 John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo
John Lloyd Cruz andSarah Geronimo – bothnamed recently as SM Cin-
ema Box Ofce King and
Queen in 2008 - reprise theloveable characters of MiggyMontenegro and Laida Mag-talas, respectively in
YouChanged My Life.
As part of the 15
th
anni-
versary celebration of TFC,
The prodigal daughter is back 
weeks ago, her prodigaldaughter Danita Paner came home before Christ-mas last year after having
 been “AWOL” for several
months.It was an advance birth-day gift for Daisy who haslearned how to “loosen up a
 bit” on Danita and not to be
too strict with her.
 By James Mananghaya
MANILA, Philippines -Make way for the army of 
“kulkats” (kulang sa sukat) as
the minimum height for re-
cruits is now ve feet for both
males and females.Previously men must stand
5’4” and women 5’2” before
they can join the Army.Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner,Army spokesman, said skilledand talented applicants have been rejected because theyfailed to meet the height
‘Kulkats’ cannow join Army
With the lamp on the ground,Mang Fermin picked up a
short stool leaning againstthe tree, placed it by thecarabao, sat on it andstarted washing one teat of 
a carabao with water. With
the empty pail placed under the carabao, he pulled downthe teat as milked poureddown in the pail. In a short
while, he lled up ve pails
with the milk of the threecarabaos.By
Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.
 Publisher & Editor 
The San DiegoAsian JournalSee page 5
Quiapo Memories
 A day in the life of thepeople of Platerias Street
 Retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, former comptroller of the Armed Forc-
es, is escorted by police ofcers during 
the promulgation of his perjury case at the Sandiganbayan . PhilStar photo by BOY SANTOS 
 By Michael  Punongbayan
MANILA, Philip- pines - A retired Armygeneral suspected of illegally amassing mil-lions of pesos when hewas still the military’scomptroller was sen-tenced by the Sandi-ganbayan yesterday to amaximum of two yearsin prison for perjury indeclaring his assets.The Sandiganbayan’s
Fourth Division said the
 prosecution was ableto prove how retiredMaj. Gen. Carlos Gar-cia made a “willful anddeliberate assertion of 
a factual falsehood” in
Ex-AFP comptrollerconvicted for lying
his Statement of Assets and
Liabilities and Net Worth(SALN).
The anti-graft court saidthe retired general failed todeclare his multimillion- peso investment account ina military fund and misde-clared the value of his threevehicles.In a 20-page decision penned by Associate JusticeJose Hernandez and con-curred in by Associate Jus-tices Gregory Ong and AlexQuiroz, the Sandiganbayanordered Garcia imprisoned
 
Page 2February 20 - 26, 2009 Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com
Dr. Iem earned her board
certification from the AmericanOsteopathic Board of Fam-
ily Practice in 2008. Being an
advocate of preventative and
alternative medicine, Dr. Iem
practices a full range of fam-ily medicine including minor office procedures and derma-
tologic care. In addition, she is
skilled in Osteopathic Manipu-lative Techniques (OMT). Dr.Iem takes pleasure in seeingall ages, with special empha-
sis in Women’s Health andskin care.
 The Family Physiciansof Escondido
935 East Pennsylvania Ave.Escondido, CA 92025
Tel: 760.747.7512Fax: 760.747.1253
 www.urfamilydoc.com
Dr. Yam received his undergradu-ate degree from UCLA and graduatedmedical school from the PhiladelphiaCollege of Osteopathic Medicine in2002. Dr. Yam completed his intern-ship and residency at Riverside Coun-ty Regional Medical Center where heserved as Chief Resident. Dr. Yam isboard certified with the American Col-lege of Family Medicine and is trainedin Medicine and Gynecology, with spe-cial emphasis in Pediatrics and Wom-
en’s Health, Sports Medicine, and heis skilled in OMT, all delivered with aHolistic approach.
 
Dr. Stephanie Iem and Dr. Ving Yam
Specializing in Holistic Healthcare
•
 Adult and Pediatric Medicine
•
Women’s Health
•
Preventative Care
•
Dermatologic Care
•
Sports Medicine
•
The approved lump sum includedin the American Recovery andReinvestment Act of 2009-- $15,000for US citizens and $9,000 for non-US citizens may provide temporarymonetary relief for many. However,this is not a cause for celebrationlet alone thanksgiving. This is yetanother piecemeal legislation thatfails to address the grave injustices
committed against the Filipinoswhen on February 18, 1946, the US
Congress enacted the Rescission Actthat deemed the US military services
of the Filipinos inactive, thereby, de-
nying them of their rights and privi-leges as American veterans. Of the at
least 60 nationalities that served theUS during World War 2, the Filipinos
were singled out to receive unequaltreatment as their American counter- parts who fought side by side withthem during the war.The questions that beg for answersare: How has the lump sum ad-dressed the historical and ongoinghumiliation and injustices that are
inicted on the Filipino veterans for the last 63 years? How should theFilipino community and progressive
communities move forward with the
ght for genuine equity?
The Philippine government and
some Filipino organizations in the
US hail the lump sum as a victoryfor the veterans. They are rapidlythrowing congratulatory remarks oneafter the other, with the “champions
in Congress” at the top of the list,
and providing the impression that
the lump sum is the fulllment of the
long fought struggle for equity.
While JFAV waits to see the nal
language of the lump sum provision,
it appears that the “quit claim”—a
 provision that indicates that upon ac-ceptance of the lump sum, the veter-ans SHALL RELEASE future claimsincluding lifetime pension, was keptintact. Average white American vet-erans have been receiving a monthly
 pension since 1946. So why would
the US government deny the brown
Filipinos the same benet and recog-nition? During the war, the Filipinos
and their American counterparts en-dured the same bombings, starvation,
disease, isolation and torture. Whywould the Filipinos get anything
less? The veterans in the Philippines
got an even smaller benet by virtue
of their nationality and not of USmilitary service. Is this equity?
Lump Sum is NOT Equity
The Rescission Act of 1946 took 
away the full recognition of the
Filipinos’ military services duringthe war. Where in the text of thelump sum can one nd any attempt
to amend or rescind this racist act?If not, then why would one equatelump sum with veterans’ equity?
Congressman Bob Filner attemptedfor the rst time to introduce the
lump sum in Congress in 2008. Thiswas heavily opposed by veterans
with whom Filner was forced to
apologize later on, on the groundthat a lump sum does not providethe dignity for veterans and actuallyin effect treats them as mercenaries.
Why would a second attempt for a
lump sum be treated otherwise?In reality, the veterans never de-manded for a lump sum. They havealways demanded for full recogni-tion, equity and lifetime pension ben-
et as embodied in S1314 approved96-1 by the Senate in 2007 and later 
approved by Congress in 2008 but
WITHOUT the Filipino provision.The Filipino community in the
US, through the ABS-CBN BalitangAmerica Town Hall community
meeting held in San Francisco, wrote
a letter to President Barak Obamaasking among other things, that
Filipino veterans be granted full rec-ognition and lifetime pension benet.
THE LUMP SUM IS CLEARLY
 NEITHER OF THEM.We recognize the relief, albeit
temporary, that the lump sum can provide especially to the impover-ished veterans in the Philippines,
who do not avail of the benets likemedical and SSI that Filipino veter-
ans in the US enjoy. But a historic
wrong cannot be rectied by another 
wrong that attempts to put closure on
an unnished ght.We believe that at the root cause of 
the injustice and the unequal treat-
ment of the Filipinos is racism. Untilthe Filipinos are treated equally and
fully recognized as American veter-ans and as people worthy of respectand recognition, gross injustice willcontinually prevail. There will never  be a closure of this dark chapter in
the history of the world until Filipi-
nos are treated as equals.
The ght for genuine equity en-
compasses not only the desire of thesurviving 18,000 veterans but alsothe widows before the enactment
of the law—who get nothing fromthe lump sum—and the collectivememory of the 250, 000 Filipinos
who fought a war not of their ownand the 1,000,000 people who suf-fered and died because of a US war in a US territory.
In 1942, the Filipino soldiers and
their American counterparts choseto follow US President Roosevelt’scommand to defend the Philippineswith the complete understanding thatthe US territory was indefensible
and that continued ghting would
lead to many casualties. It was not
 pragmatic but the Filipino soldiers
did what they thought was the rightthing to do. Today, the lump sum
appears to be popular among Filipino
and US politicians. But for the sakeof truth, it must be clearly stated thatthe lump sum is neither equity nor a tactical victory towards genuine
equity and justice. We choose to be
on the side of truth.Injustice anywhere is injustice ev-erywhere. Outside of the lump sum,
the Filipino veterans, the surviving
widows, the sons, daughters andlegal heirs, the political activists, the
Filipino and American communities
and the people at large who believein racial equality and veterans’equity, shall continue to carry onan arduous struggle until justice iscompletely delivered.
Full and unconditional recognitionfor the Filipino veterans now!Lifetime pension benet now!Bail out the veterans not the banks!
 by
Arturo Garcia
Justice for Filipino-American Vet-erans (JFAV)
of 2009. It is tting that they hon-
ored the past as they build for the
future,” the President said.Under the bill, Filipino war veter-
ans living in the US would receivea one-time, lump sum payment of $15,000 while those living outsidethe US would get $9,000.Estimates peg the number of 
Filipino veterans living in the US at6,000 while those living in the Phil-
ippines number around 12,000.Mrs. Arroyo said the passage of the bill is the culmination of manyyears of struggle to get the US
government to grant the benetsdue Filipinos who fought under theAmerican ag during the SecondWorld War.“When Franklin Delano Rooseveltcalled on Filipinos to serve in theUS Armed Forces after Pearl Har-
 bor, our fathers of that greatest gen-
Equity for WorldWar II veteranspassed
(Continued from page 1)
eration heeded the call,” she said.
“The President of the UnitedStates was our Commander-in-
Chief. Filipinos served as US
soldiers, fought side by side withAmericans, and died under the ban-
ner of the Stars and Stripes,” she
added.
Mrs. Arroyo said the Filipinoveterans, while ghting under theAmerican ag, suffered through
some of the most brutal acts of 
World War II, including the notori-
ous Bataan Death March.“Yet they prevailed. Together wevanquished the enemy and broughtfreedom and human dignity back to Asia and the world. Today, thathistory is about to be completed.History is being set on its proper course and justice is being done to
the greatest generation,” she said.
Before yesterday’s signing of thestimulus bill, there was concern thatthe provision for $198 million in-serted in the bill might be removed because of some criticisms raised bylegislators.
With the US in recession and the
Republicans refusing to support the bill because they wanted more taxcuts than spending, the compensa-tion of non-American veterans wasapparently not a priority of theAmerican government at this time.However, with the strong backingof a number of legislators, particu-
larly those with Filipino lineage, the
 provision remained in the stimulus bill and was passed by Congress.Mrs. Arroyo expressed her grati-tude to Senators Daniel Inouye andDaniel Akaka and California Rep.
Bob Filner for consistently workingto promote the interests of Filipino
veterans in the US Congress.
“We greatly appreciate the leader-ship of Sen. Daniel K. Inouye for 
making this moment possible. Hiscrucial role will always be honored
and remembered,” President Arroyo
said.The President also cited the effortsof House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,Senators Harry Reid and RichardLugar, former Senator Ted Stevens,Reps. Darrell Issa and Mike Hondaand “every single one of the other 
US legislators who kept the faith.”
In almost all of her visits to theUS, President Arroyo lobbied for 
the passage of the Veterans Equity
 bill during her meetings with themembers of the US Congress.
“We also owe the success of our efforts to both Filipino and Ameri-
can supporters who have patientlyand tirelessly lobbied the US Con-
gress for years,” she said.“We look forward to the signing
of the stimulus bill by PresidentBarack Obama who has also been
a strong supporter of the FilipinoVeterans Bill and to our veterans,
thank you for your love of country,for defending our nation, for your 
sacrice and for inspiring all of usto carry on the ght for justice,” she
added.
Almost dropped
But Foreign Affairs Secretary
Alberto Romulo admitted yesterdaythat the bill was in danger of being
dropped because of the nancial
crisis and new priorities of the USgovernment.Romulo said the Philippines,however, succeeded in getting theUS Congress’ approval because the“passage of this bill further cementsand strengthens the foundations of 
our deep and historic partnership.”
“It was a task in which we suc-ceeded because the President herself was our most convincing advocate – reaching out to key players in the
US Congress,” Romulo said in a
statement.
“Her visit to Washington early
this month came at a crucial time:the provision on our veterans wasin danger of being dropped in the
midst of budgetary difculties anddemanding and new priorities,” he
said.
Claims would have to be led
within one year of the bill beingsigned into law. – Marvin Sy, PiaLee-Brago
LAW OFFICES OF
E.B. ALEJO
“20+ Years Experience” 
 Been living in San Diego since 1977 
 Attorney is available daily on regular business days at the San Diego Ofce
*Member, California State Bar 
Licensed to practice before the US Federal District Court
Southern California and California Supreme Court
*Author,”How to Apply for the US Tourist Visa” as listed by
worldwide bookseller Amazon.com Bookstores
*Former San Diego Regional Coordinator for U.S. Immigration
Amnesty for Catholic Community Services, Catholic Diocese of San Diego*Legal Advisor, Los Chabacanos of Cavite CityAssociation, Inc., San Diego, California
*Juris Doctor law degree, University of San Diego (1985),
Diploma; Oxford Institute on International and
Comparative Law (USD), Oxford, England (1984);Bachelor Degree, University of Southern California (1983);Montgomery High School, San Diego (1979)*Born in the Philippines (Cavite)
For your convenience, walk-ins accepted especially between 2:00pm – 7:00pmBusiness days Monday to Friday 
IMMIGRATION LAW • DIVORCE • WILLS & TRUSTS • CRIMINAL DEFENSE •BUSINESS LAW • CREDIT/DEBT DISPUTES and PROBLEMS • WAGE & HOURVIOLATIONS • UNEMPLOYMENT APPEALS • WORK CONTRACTS • LANDLORD –TENANT DISPUTES • BANKRUPTCY ASSISTANCE • FORECLOSURES
FAIR PRICES/COURTEOUS AND FRIENDLY SERVICE 
We can accept the following on a Contingency Basis
(NO ATTORNEY FEES UNLESS WE WIN):
AUTO ACCIDENT/PERSONAL INJURY • WRONGFULTERMINATION • SEXUAL HARASSMENT/HOSTILE WORKPLACE • WORK DISCRIMINATION
(Racial, Age, Gender, Disability)
240 Woodlawn Avenue, Suite 11, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Convenient location and plenty of free parking;Near Chula Vista trolley station. Nagsasalita kami ng Tagalog
call (619) 203-5782 • (619) 254-7610
We can help you stop worrying about your legal problems.
Also Available:
Tax Preparation Services (Low Prices!)
Letters to the Editor 
 Read previous articles by visiting our website at www.asian- journalusa.com
 
Page 3 Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.comFebruary 20 - 26, 2009
Easy to gEt to. Hard to lEavE.
 Just off I-8 at WIlloWs road619-445-5400
•
 vIEJas.com
Management reserves all rights. Please play responsibly. For help with problem gambling, call 1-800-426-2537. © 2009 Viejas Casino, Alpine CA.
 SAN DIEGO’S ONLY
$1 AND $2 BLACKJACK 
Lower Limits, More Fun!
 
•
Now play $1 Blackjack at Viejas* 
•
Or play $2 Single Deck Blackjack! 
•
Lower limits mean longer play and more fun. 
•
Plus, it’s a great way to learn how to play!
*Does not include 25¢ collection per hand.
Play $1 and $2Blackjack24/7
Te Action’s Back!
 
•
Action and color buys are back on traditional Pai Gow tables. 
•
Plus, no commission EZ Baccarat is here!
Get in the Actionat Viejas!
(Continued from page 1)
GET THE RELIEFYOU DESERVE
Over 14 Years Successful Criminal Defense
LAW OFFICE OF GERALD E. SMITH
(619) 231.1400
2220 India St., San Diego
Former Texas Police Officer for 9 Years.
Former San Diego Prosecutor
FREE CONFIDENTIAL CASE CONSULTATION
 All Criminal Cases
DUI
•
Drug Offenses
•
Assault & Battery
•
Child Molestation
•
Domestic Violence
•
Attempted Murder / Murder
•
Sexual Assault
•
Juvenile
•
Homicide
•
Theft & Fraud
•
BANKRUPTCY 
Chapter 7/13 and Debt Negotiations
Attorney Harris Brumer
West Point Graduate
 Hatchlings (baby turtles) of the Olive Ridley species have made the Pico de Loro cove in Batangas their home. A PhilStar photo. By Rose De La Cruz 
MANILA, Philippines - The Picode Loro cove in Nasugbu, Batangas
is now home to 83 pawikan hatch-lings (baby sea turtles belonging
to the endangered Olive Ridley
species) which were believed to
have been hatched last November 
(female adult pawikans lay eggs50 to 60 days before they becomehatchlings), according to ofcials of 
SM Investment Corp., developer of Pico de Loro and 12 other coves in
 Nasugbu and its partner, the WorldWildlife Fund.Wesley Caballa, sports and
recreation senior manager of Costadel Hamilo Inc., a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of SM Investment Corp.,said the most recent sighting was
last Jan. 26 when 83 olive green
 baby pawikans were seen walkingslowly to the sea.It was a most heartwarmingspectacle that greeted the staff of theHamilo Coast.The Hamilo Coast project covers
13 coves with a total land area of 
5,800 hectares which SM Invest-ment Corp. intends to convert intoan eco-tourism destination as itteems with wildlife and biodiversityin its mostly-untouched and pristinegreen surroundings and virginalcoastline.Aside from pawikan, the covescontain biodiversity that includes121 species of birds that weresurveyed in one day; snakes andreptiles; wild boar; bayawak.The brackish waters and man-groves are home to numerous
schools of sh aside from the regu-
lar visitation of whales, dolphins,manta sting rays and giant clamsthat were implanted by the companyin cooperation with the Bureau of 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
and local divers.“This is actually the third timesince last year that we saw pawikans
in our project area. We started the
development of Hamilo Coast in
2007 and the rst recorded sighting
involved 11 hatchlings in Pico deLoro on July 7, 2008 and the secondin the Santelmo cove also of HamiloCoast with 48 hatchlings and now
the 83 hatchlings also in Pico de
Loro. It is so exciting to see such pleasant distractions during our stay
there,” said Joel Cruz, SM Invest-
ment Corp. marketing manager.Another sighting was made lastSept. 15 involving an adult hunch-
Pico De Loro: An ecologicalparadise in the making
 back sea turtle measuring onefoot in diameter which the staff of 
Hamilo in cooperation with sher-men properly identied (coded) and
released to the sea.SM plans to make Costa delHamilo as an ecological paradiseeven with some medium rise condo-minium apartments, hotel, marina, beach walk and other modern-dayfacilities for the exclusive use of club members and condo unit own-ers.“Even when we promote Costa delHamilo to the condo unit owners,we will lay down the guidelines
 jointly with the WWF that no pets
will be let loose in the area so theydo not unnecessarily eat any wildlifespecie especially sea turtles roaming
the shorelines,” said Paolo Pagad-
uan, project manager of HamiloCoast sustainable development project.Expected for completion late this
year, the rst phase of Hamilo Coast
will contain amenities like: lowimpact and low density residentialcondos; beach and country clubswith complete sports and leisurefacilities; retail shops; resort hotels;forest park and marine sanctuaries;marina/yacht club and conventionfacilities.The coves are being protected by
the SM Investment Corp, WWF, the
local government unit of BarangayPapaya, Nasugbu which will soonrelease an ordinance declaring thecoves of Pico de Loro and Elayo as
marine reserves (for limited shingactivities) and the Santelmo cove
as a marine sanctuary, prohibited to
shing extraction.
requirement.
“We realized that not all Filipinos
are blessed with height, but arenonetheless blessed with talent, andof course they want to serve their 
country,” he said.Brawner said the AFP deputy
chief for personnel has approved thenew height requirement for Armyrecruits.In the past, the Army lowered theheight requirement to recruit Cordil-lerans into the Mountain Battalionthat saw action in Mindanao duringthe campaign against the Moro Na-
tional Liberation Front, he added.
Members of the Mountain Bat-talion proved that short people could be soldiers, he said.Brawner said the Army is set to
recruit some 3,000 men for an addi-
tional six new battalions for internalsecurity duties.The funds for the recruitment of new soldiers have already beenapproved and would come from the
AFP budget for 2009, he added.
‘Kulkats’ cannow join Army
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...