(Continued on page 2)

One of theGood Places

(Continued on page 13)(Continued on page 9)(Continued on page 13)

Freedom Park in Makati comes to life after Christmas lights and lanterns were switched on as part of Meralco’s Maliwanag ang Pasko Campaign of Hope. Manny Marcelo

Boxing idol Manny Pacquiao waves from his van as he arrives at the Qui-apo Church in Manila for a thanksgiv-ing Mass. EDD GUMBAN

By Nelson Beltran Philstar

Home is the world’s best

pound-for-pound ghter.Boxing champion MannyPacquiao received a grand

Pacquiao gets hero’s welcome

(Continued on page 4)

welcome betting a sportshero as he arrived from LosAngeles, California beforedawn yesterday, three daysafter scoring a stunning eight-

Baguioshivers in Yule chill

By Artemio Dumlao Philstar

BAGUIO CITY – There’sa denite nip in the air up hereamong the pine trees.

Residents here woke up

yesterday morning to a chilly12.4 degrees Celsius, the low-In celebration of its 15thyear of serving Filipino com

munities in North America,ABS-CBN International isgiving away cash and vaca

tion packages amounting toa total of 80,000 dollars.The promo entitled BigA

tin Bigay Todo Sweepstakeswill be awarding $1,000to ten US residents everymonth from December 16this year to March 17 of thefollowing year.In the grand draw, threeindividuals will receive$10,000 and two lucky win

ners will each get a grand

ABS-CBN gives away cashand vacation packages

Juanita

We are certainly livingin such an unusual time. Nowhere in history have weencountered so many up

heavals, and in so many dif

ferent sectors of our lives---economic, political, social,religious. With the holidaysdrawing near, a lot of peoplehave been sobered by theseevents, some more than oth

ers. Now is not the time for frivolity or extravagance,they say. All the uncertaintysurrounding our day to dayhas unnerved even the moststaunch optimist.So what do we do in thisseason of celebration, of the“Coming,” of giving andreceiving? Here lies theingenuity of the Filipino.He or she will ll the familytable lovingly with whatever he or she can. The family

home will be surrounded

by friends and family evenmore this year end, witheveryone gathered around providing warmth and

Christmas at Goldilocks

Holiday Comfort Food At Home

The Orien

tal Place hasrecently bro

ken ground,commencingconstruc

-tion work for

the 35 storeydevelopment.Mr. Alfred Ty,Federal Land’sPresident, ledthe ceremony.The ground

breaking

Photo shows Mr. Alfred Ty (in the middle), president of Federal Land, leading the ground-breaking ceremony for The Oriental Place.

The Oriental Placemarks a milestone

(Continued onpage 9)

Simeon G. Silverio, Jr.

Publisher & Editor

The San DiegoAsian Journal

It happened during

the summer of

1961 in their neighborhood onPlaterias Street,Quiapo, thedowntown areaof Manila in thePhilippines. Theywere living inan apartment on the second oor of his father’s printing business.See page 5

Our MerriestChristmas Wishes

Baby Chiely receiving gift from Santa as witnessed by GradmaVangie Cordova and Nina Coching, Santa’s helper.

By: Conrad I. Reloj, Jr.

Christmas holidayseason is the time of year when we enjoy being withfriends and families, espe

cially those close to us tocelebrate love, kindness,and charity of spirit.It’s Christmastime inSan Diego once again, the‘time for peace – goodwillto men’. This is the timeof the year we marvel at thered and green around us,the ever-lovely Christmasscene, with colorful lightsand home decorations, thecards, the gifts, the treasureof love with blessing fromGod above.As we celebrate the AklanAssociation of San DiegoCounty’s Annual Christmas party 2008, weBy

Genevieve T. Silverio

Managing Editor

The San Diego Asian Journal

Hot pot, or the art of preparingfood in boiling broth, is steeped inlegend and dates back to the daysof Genghis Khan. The good news

Enjoying the avors of

China, Hot Pot style

is that one does not have to brave the highlands of northern China to partake in this traditional dish.The Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot and Grill res

taurant makes the wonderful culinary spices of

(Continued on page 17)

December 12 - 18, 2008

Msgr. Gutierrez

Entertainment

The Color Purple, A Broadway Musical

The Spirit of Joyless Giving

Miles Beauchamp

Page 2December 12 - 18, 2008 Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.com

Yuletide Symbols -

An ambulant vendor sells Christmas ornaments along a busy street in Manila. VAL RODRIGUEZ

By Non Alquitran and Rhodina Villanueva Philstar

Metro Manila police chief Direc-tor Leopoldo Bataoil launched hisSanta cops program in Divisoriarecently for the security of shoppers in said place and all over themetropolis. EDD GUMBANClose to 300 “Santa Cops” weredeployed all over the metropolisto protect civilians from criminalsstarting yesterday.These “Santa Cops” yesterdayconverged at the SM Mall of Asia

Santa cops launched

- Metro Manila police chief Director Leopoldo Bataoil launched his Santa cops program in Divisoria recently for the security of shoppers in said place and all over the metropolis. EDD GUMBAN

Santa copslaunched

complex in Pasay City where ashort program that launched 271 policemen wearing Santa bonnets,was held. NCRPO chief Director LeopoldoBataoil said, “The ‘Santa Cops’will go around all over their des-ignated areas to provide securityas well as prevent crime incidentsfrom taking place. This move aimsto protect civilians from criminalswhile they’re out and busy gettingready for Christmas.”Bataoil formally launched “SantaCops” during simple rites heldat SM Mega Mall Building B inMandaluyong City yesterday.The event was attended by EPDdirector Chief Superintendent LinoCalingasan and his four city policechiefs. Mandaluyong City policecommander Senior SuperintendentCarlos de Sagun led the openingceremonies while Marikina policeSuperintendent Sotero Ramos Jr.;Pasig City Superintendent RamiroBausa of Pasig and San Juan City police chief Superintendent Proco- pio Lipana led the contingent fromtheir respective police units.“The national police would liketo touch people’s lives in a specialway,” said Bataoil, adding thatwith the implementation of thesecond wave of discipline zoneswithin the respective districtscoupled with “Santa Cops,” the NCRPO assured the public of a peaceful Yuletide season.“The community’s concern for us giving information regardingany suspicious looking persons or occurrence of untoward incidentsthat will help us immediately solvethe crime will be a big help to the police force.”Bataoil pointed out that theseSanta bonnet-wearing cops will beseen particularly in crowded areassuch as malls, markets and trans- port terminals. “Santa Cops 2008”anti-crime program is an annualcrime prevention program of the NCRPO. The policemen are tasked

to conduct intensiﬁed patrolling

activities in the metropolis. The program will be implemented untilJan. 2.Bataoil cited that the launch of “Santa Cops” in previous yearshave had a positive impact as tothe crime monitoring activities of policemen. “We want the people tofeel secure. We want the public to bring back their trust to the coun-try’s law enforcers.”“Street crimes [shoplifting, pickpocketing and cell phonesnatching] have been proliferating.It is during October and Novem- ber where we observe crime rate

getting high. During the ﬁrst week

of December, crime rate is stillsomehow high, though towardsthe second week, it will be mini-mized,” Bataoil said. He said, “itis important to enhance police

visibility operation during the ﬁrst

week of this month.”Bataoil led the EPD delegationin the walk through the different

ﬂoors of one of the biggests mall

in the country accompanied by po-liceman-representative from every police station in the district cladin Santa Claus costume giving outcandies and balloons to children.

Gunless

Santa Cops or policemen wear-ing Santa Claus’ red hat should

not carry any ﬁrearms so they will

be more friendly to the peoplearound, Bataoil said yesterday.“Ang advise namin (sa ating mga pulis), while they patrol, preferablywalang sidearms. But if there’s aneed… but preferably without thesidearms so they will be friendlier to the people around,” Bataoil saidin an interview.Bataoil spearheaded the deployment of over 200 uniformed policemen, who are wearing SantaClaus’ red hat, in the metropolis.The chief of the National Capital

Regional Police Ofﬁce said all the

Santa Cops should be on their postfor the rest of the day in differentareas of responsibility.Bataoil said the deploymentwas meant to enhance visibility patrol and crime prevention duringthe holiday season as part of theannual crime prevention programof the Philippine National Police(PNP).Aside from Santa Cops, Bataoilnoted that PNP members will be patrolling crowded areas in coordi-nation with elements of the ArmedForces of the Philippines andrepresentatives from the civiliancommunity.“Maximum deployment of policemen is deemed necessary to prevent crime and to protect the public from the atrocities of crimi-nal elements,” he said.Bataoil reminded Santa Cops to be watchful of criminal elementswho are out to victimize ordinarycitizens with the intention of stealing their hard earned money.“Tandaan natin: meron po tayongminamanmanan na grupo na nag-aabang lang ng pagkakataon paramakagawa ng robberies. Sa inyong pagpunta sa mga pagpatrolya ngiba’t ibang lugar ng malls, dapattayo ay maging alerto. Alerto tayoat maging matulungin at magingfriendly sa ating mga kababayan,”he added.“So this is a two-pronged ap- proach in bringing the PNP closer to the people. It is very important

to win back the trust and conﬁ-

dence of our people and establish partnership against criminality will be enhanced,” he added. – WithCecille Suerte Felipe

est temperature so far since theonset of the cold season in the Cityof Pines.At dawn last Friday, mercurylevels reached a low of 13.3 degreesCelsius.Government weatherman EfrenDanipog said the drop in temperature is caused by the tail-endof a cold front emanating from the

Paciﬁc Ocean from the eastern part

of Northern Luzon.Temperatures will further diptowards January and February, Da-nipog of the Philippine Atmospher-ic, Geophysical and AstronomicalServices Administration (Pagasa) inBaguio said.“It may drop to a low of nine de-grees Celsius,” added Danipog.Baguio and Benguet highlandsexperience the so-called “cold tri-months” from December to Febru-ary.Last January, Baguio saw a lowof 10.6 degrees and 9.2 degreesCelsius. In January 2006, the lowestwas only 11 degrees Celsius.Further up north in Benguet, thetemperature might even drop to 6degrees Celsius like in highlandAtok town, raising threats of frost invegetable farms.The lowest temperature in the Ba-guio highlands was recorded on Jan.18, 1961 when the mercury leveldipped to 6.3 degrees.The chilly climate that beganFriday was also felt in parts of theVisayas and Mindanao which isexperiencing a cold front, said LettyObispo, Pagasa weather forecaster.

Weak La Niña

Above normal temperatures mightcontinue to affect some parts of thecountry until early next year, asstate weather forecasters predict thedevelopment of a weak La Niña.In a monthly weather outlook,Pagasa said some models suggestthe development of a weak La Niñaduring December 2008 to March2009.La Niña is a weather phenomenoncharacterized by excessive rainfall.“There are some models whichshow the possible developmentof La Niña in early 2009,” Pagasaweather branch chief Nathaniel Cruztold The STAR.Cruz said heavy rains experiencedin some areas in the country in the past weeks could be an indicator of La Niña.“We have to closely monitor thecurrent condition… although wehave a La Niña-like condition, thevalues (of rainfall) especially of thesea surface temperature so far stillfall short of the La Niña threshold,”he said.Pagasa said based on currentconditions and a majority of climatemodel forecasts, the neutral condi-tion of the sea surface temperatureis expected to continue until the endof the year.Pagasa senior weather special-ist Daisy Ortega earlier said thesea surface temperature must benegative 0.5 degrees Celsius and

below for three to ﬁve consecutive

months before the weather bureau

could ofﬁcially declare a La Niña

phenomenon.Pagasa said weather systems thatare expected to affect the countrythis month are the northeast mon-soon, the tail-end of the cold front,intertropical convergence zone or ITCZ, ridge of high pressure area,and possible development of onetropical cyclone.“There is a high probability thatwestern and central Luzon andSouthern Leyte will receive abovenormal rainfall while most parts of the country will have near normalrainfall conditions,” it said.

Baguioshivers in Yule chill

(Continued from page 1)

Page 3 Asian Journal - (619) 474-0588 Visit our website at http://www.asianjournalusa.comDecember 12 - 18, 2008

One of two parts

Aklanon - Malipayon nga Paskwaag Mahigugmaon nga Bag-ongDag-onAta - Maroyan na Pasko woykaopia-an ng Bag-ongBicolano - Maugmang Capas-cuhan asin Masaganang Ba-gongTaon!Cebuano - Malipayong Pasko ugBulahang Bag-ong Tuig!Dibabawon - Marayaw na Paskoaw Bag-ong Tui g kaniyo tibo namga soonHiligaynon - Malipayon nga paskua & Malipayon Nga Bag-ongtuigIbanag - nga PascuaIlocano - Naimbag a Pascua ken Naragsac nga Baro nga Tawen!Mangyan - Mayad paq Pasko kagMansaka - Madyaw na Pasko awmalipayong Bag-ong Tuig kamayo,mga lumonPangasinan - Maabig ya pasko &Maliket ya balon taonPampangan - Malugud Pascu atsaca Masayang Bayung Banua!Sambal - Maligayang Pasko atMasayang Ba-yon Taon!Subanen - Piak Pasko Pu PiagBago TawnSurigaonon - Malipayon na paskosanan bag-on tuig!Tagalog - Maligayang Pasko atManigong Bagong TaonTala Andig - Maayad ha paskodaw bag-ong tuigWaray-Waray - Maupay nga Paskongan Mainuswagon nga Bag-o ngaTuig!

Merry Christmas and a HappyNew Year Around the World inMany Languages

Acholi - Mot ki Yomcwing BotwoMe Mwaka ManyenAdhola - Wafayo Chamo Mbaga& Bothi Oro ManyeniAeka- Keremisi jai be“African Rehus Beal Ledeats”Afrikaans - Geseende Kerfees en‘n gelukkige nuwe jaar Afrikaner [Afrikaans] “GeseëndeKersfees”Ahtna - C’ehwggelnen DzaenhAklanon - Malipayon nga Paskwaag Mahigugmaon nga Bag-ongDag-onAlbanian - Gëzuar KrishlindjetVitin e Ri!Albanian “Gezur Krislin- jden”Aleut - Kamgan UkudigaaAlsatian - E gueti Wïnâchte & Eglecklichs Nej Johr!Alur - Wafoyo Kado Oro & Wa-foyo Tundo Oro manyeniAlutiiq - Spraasnikam & AmlertutKiaget!Amharic “Enkwan laberhanaledat abaqqawot”Amharic - Melkam Yelidet BeaalAmuesha - Yomprocha’ ya’ natayaAngami - U kenei Christmas muteicie kes a-u sie teicie kesa-u sieniepete keluo shuzaie weApache (Western) - GozhqqKeshmishArabic “Milad Majid” OR “MiladSaeed”Arabic - I’D Miilad Said ous SanaSaida“Arabic Idah Saidan Wa SanahJadidah”Aragonese - Nabidà! & GoyosaAñada benién.Aramaic - Edo bri’cho o rishd’shato brich’to!Aranés - Bon Nadau!Araucanian - Wi tripantu in cheArawak - Aba satho niw jarida’wisida bonArgentine “Feliz Navidad”“Argentine Feliz Navidad”Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dariyev Soorp JanuntArmenian “Shenoraavor Nor Dariyev Pari Gaghand”“Armenian Shenoraavor Nor Dariyev Pari Gaghand”Aromanian - Crãciunu hãriosu shiunu anu nãu, bunu!Assamese - Rongaali Bihur xub-hessaa loboAsturian - Bones Navidaes &Gayoleru anu nuevu!Ata - Maroyan na Pasko woykaopia-an ng Bag-ongAukan - Wi e winsi i wan bunnyun yaliAymara - Sooma Nawira-raAzeri - Tezze Iliniz Yahsi OlsunBafut - Mboni Chrismen & MboniAlooyefeeBahasa/Malaysia - Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun BaruBamoun - Poket Kristmet & Poketlum mfeBandang - Mbung Mbung Krismie& Mbung Mbung Ngouh SuiieBanen - Enganda ye hiono mes &Hion Hios HesBasque - Zorionak eta Urte BerriOn!“Basque Zorionak eta Urte BerriOn!”Bassa - Ngand Nwi Lam & MwiLamBatak Karo - Mejuah-juah Ketu-ahen Natal

Merry Christmas and aHappy New Year In thePhilippines Dialects

Banned ﬁrecrackers seized in Divisoria - Meisic, Manila police stationchief Superintendent Nelson Yabut examines the banned ﬁrecrackers that his men seized from Divisoria vendors.

Belorussian - Winshuyu sa Svyat-kami i z Novym godam!Bemba - Kristu abe nenu muli inonshiku nkulu ya MweziBengali - Shuvo Baro Din - Shuvo Nabo Barsho“Bengali Shubho Barodin”Bhojpuri - Naya Sal Mubarak HoBicolano - Maugmang Capas-cuhan asin Masaganang Ba-gongTaon!Bislama - Mi wisim yufala eery-wan one gutfala Krismas & mo wanhapi New Year LongBlaan - Pye duh di kaut Kristo klumunt ug Felemi Fali!Blackfoot - ’Taamomohkatoyiik-sistsikomiBohemian “Vesele Vanoce”“Bohemian Vesele Vanoce”Bohemian/Czech - Prejeme VamVesele Vanoce a Stastny novy rok Brahui - Arkas caik xuda areBrazilian Portuguese “Feliz Natal”“Brazilian Boas Festas e FelizAno Novo”Breton - Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh matBriton “Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat”Bulgarian - Chestita Koleda iShtastliva Nova GodinaBulgarian “Tchestita Koleda” OR “Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo”“Bulgarian Tchestita Koleda;Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo”Bulu - Duma e bo’oBura - e be Zambe e Usa ma kaKirisimassuCambodian “Soursdey Noel”Cantonese - Seng Dan Fai Lok,Sang Nian Fai Lok Carib - Sirito kypoton ra’aCarolinian - Ameseighil ubwutii-wel Layi Luugh me raagh feeCarrier - Zoo dungwel & Soochonohdzi doghelCatalan - Bon Nadal i feliç anynou!“Catalan Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou”Cebuano - Malipayong Pasko ugBulahang Bag-ong Tuig!Chaha Bogem h n mh m &Boxem as nana-h mChamba - Wi na ge nyare Su domeKirismassChamorro - Filis Pasgua & FilisAnu NueboCherokee - Danistayohihv &Aliheli’sdi Itse UdetiyvsadisvCheyenne - Hoesenestotse & Aa’eEmona’eChichewa - Moni Wa Chikondwel-ero Cha KristmasiChiga - Mwebare khuhika - Ha Noel“Chile Feliz Navidad”Chinese [Cantonese] “Sing DaanFaai Lok”Chinese [Mandarin] “ShengDankuai Le”“Chinese (Cantonese) Gun TsoSun Tan’Gung Haw Sun”Choctaw - Yukpa, Nitak HolloChitoCornish - Nadelik looan na looan blethen nowethCornish “Nadelik Lowen”Corsican - Bon Natale e Bon capud’ annu“Corsican Pace e salute”Cree - Mitho Makosi KesikansiCreek - Afvcke NettvcakorakkoCreole/Seychelles - Bonn e ErezAneCroatian “Sretan Bozic”Croatian - Sretan Bozic“Croatian Sretan Bozic”Czech “Velike Vanoce”“Czech Prejeme Vam VeseleVanoce a stastny Novy Rok”Dagbani - Ni ti Burunya Chou &Mi ti yuunDamara/Nama - KhizaDanish “Glædelig Jul”Danish - Glædelig Jul og godtnytår “Danish Glaedelig Jul”Dibabawon - Marayaw na Paskoaw Bag-ong Tui g kaniyo tibo namga soonDine/Navajo - Ya’at’eeh KeshmishDinka - Miet puou yan dhiedhBanyda tene YinDivehi - Ufaaveri aa aharehDschang - Chrismi a lekah NguoSuiehDuri - Christmas-e- Shoma Mo- barak Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en eenGelukkig Nieuwjaar!Dutch “Vrolijk Kerstfeest”“Dutch Vrolijk Kerstfeest en eenGelukkig Nieuwjaar”Egyptian - Colo sana wintomtiebeen“Egyptian Colo sana wintomtiebeen”English - Merry Christmas &Happy New Year English [American] “MerryChristmas”English [Australian] “’Ave a bonza Chrissy, Mate”English [United Kingdom]“Happy Christmas”“English Merry Christmas& Happy New Year”Eritrean - Rehus-Beal-Ledeat“Eskimo Jutdlime pivdlu-arit ukiortame pivdluaritlo”Esperanto “Gojan Kristnaskon”Esperanto - Gajan Kristnaskon &Bonan NovjaronEstonian “Roomsaid Joulu Puhi”Estonian - Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi jaHead uut aastat“Estonian Rõõmsaid Jõu-lupühi”Éwé - Blunya na woEwondo - Mbemde abog abyalinti! Mbembe Mbu!Fali - Use d’h KrismassFaroese - Gledhilig jól og eyd-nurikt nýggjár!Faroese “Gleðilig Jól”Farsi “ChristmasFarsi - Sal-e no mubarak Fijian - Me Nomuni na marau nisiga ni sucu dei na yabaki vouFilipino “Maligayang Pasko”“Finish Hyvää Joulua or Hauskaa Joulua”Finnish - Hyvää Joulua or Haus-kaa Joulua - 0nnellista uutta vuottaFinnish “Hauskaa Joulua”Flemish - Zalig Kerstfeest enGelukkig nieuw jaar “Flemish Zalig Kerstfeesten Gelukkig nieuw jaar”French “Joyeux Noël”French - Joyeux Noël et BonneAnnée!“French Joyeux Noël etBonne Année”

Frisian - Noﬂike Krystdagen en in

protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!

Frisian “Noﬂike Krystdagen en in

protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier”Friulian - Bon Nadâl e Bon AnGnûf Fulfulde - Jabbama be salla Kiris-mati