1

March 16-31, 2015

Vol. XXIV, No. 9

Online: www. manilamail.us

March 16-31, 2015

Clooneys wife elevates Arroyo case to UN rights panel

WASHINGTON D.C. Filipino human rights groups have
criticized international human
rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin after taking the cudgels for
former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who says her rights
were violated by her successor.
Alamuddin is of course the
British wife of Hollywood superstar George Clooney.
Arroyo
lawyers
Larry
Gadon and Modesto Ticman Jr.
said they supplied Alamuddin
with the details of the case and
held a teleconference with her.

Gadon added the complaint

filed through the United Nations
Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention last Feb. 26 was prepared and written by Alamuddin
herself.
Alamuddin believes the
Philippine government violated
several provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, the report said.
She asked the UN to intervene in the immediate release
of Arroyo, who is detained
under charges of plunder over
the alleged misuse of Philip-

Philippine leader has been under

hospital arrest for a bone mineral
disorder.
The crime of plunder does
not allow granting of bail under
local statutes. Alamuddin wants
the Philippines to reform its laws
on non-bailable offenses.
Alamuddin said the government has failed to establish any
legitimate ground denying bail
and there has been undue delay
in bringing Arroyo to trial.
She is also seeking a public

Amal Alamuddin-Clooney

pine Charity Sweepstakes Office

(PCSO) funds.
Arroyo has also been blamed
for hundreds of extrajudicial killings of journalists, churchmen
and labor leaders, and was the
subject of a Capitol Hill investigation that led to imposing conditions for US military aid to the
Philippines.
The ABS-CBN report said
Alamuddin cited Articles 9, 14,
19 and 25 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to call for Arroyos
immediate release. The former

MANILA. Key lawmakers

want the United States to provide more information on the
extent of its role in the disastrous
Mamasapano police operation
against two top terrorists who
were in the Federal Bureau of
Investigations most wanted
list, even as the army launched
a punitive strike against a group
partly responsible for the killing
of 44 police commandos last Jan.
25.
Senate President Franklin
Drilon is leading a bipartisan
group of lawmakers who want

the US to shed more light on what

they were doing in Mamasapano
during the clash between the
police Special Action Force (SAF)
and the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
The BIFF is composed
mainly of former MILF guerillas whore opposed to the peace
deal with the government.
There are reports the US
was operating a drone in the
area at that time, and could have
been transmitting video images
to US commander as the fiasco
unfolded.
Did the FBI know beforehand about this operation?
Drilon asked, Or any US armed
forces personnel, did they know
about this operation beforehand?

A US official in Manila said

American personnel helped
evacuate the wounded, but that
the operation was planned and
executed by Philippine authorities.
Philippine Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert del Rosario
remained mum about any US
role. We have very close counter terrorism cooperation with
the United States, he said.
Meanwhile, over a dozen
BIFF guerillas have been killed
after the military launched an
air and ground assault against
their positions in Maguindanao
and adjacent provinces. Close to
100,000 civilians were forced to
flee their homes to avoid getting
in the crossfire.

Tagle helps map Pope visit to US

WASHINGTON D.C. He
played the perfect host when
Pope Francis visited the Philippines, and Manila Archbishop
Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle
was in town earlier this month
to share some of that experience
while helping in preparations for
the first-ever visit of Pope Francis to the United States later this
year.
The pope has been invited
to address a joint session of the
114th US Congress in the nations
capital on Sept. 24.

New bid for Balangiga

bells Page 5

Tagle celebrated mass at St.

Anns Catholic Church in Falls
Church, Virginia last March 3.
Quoting the days reading, he stressed to some 400
Filipino Americans churchgoers
that everyone should heed the
call of conversion by doing two
things: not just resisting evil but
also by doing good.
Fr. Mel Portula, parish priest
of St. Anne Church, told Manila
Mail the cardinal was here on an
invitation from Catholic University. Since he was already in the

Continued on page 16

Nasty divorce scars

Pinay wife, solon

Government forces use armored vehicles to re-open road captured by rebels.

By Jennie L. Ilustre

Continued on page 16

until after they separated last

year.
But Lolita Grayson said
she divorced Carson in Guam
in 1981, not in Broward County
as the congressman claims.
She added that she was not the
Lolita B. Carson cited in a dissolution of marriage that her
estranged husband says is proof
that she was still married to
Carson when they wed. Neither
side has found Carson.
If the marriage is annulled,

Continued on page 16

ORLANDO, Florida. Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson (9th district) has accused
his estranged Filipina wife of

bigamy at the start of an acrimonious divorce case last March 9

that could potentially be worth
millions of dollars.
Grayson alleged that Lolita
Grayson married Robert Carson,
an American soldier in the Philippines in 1980 and did not get a
divorce until at least three years
after they got married on April
28, 1990. The solons lawyers
claimed Carson only filed for a
divorce in 1993 and was finalized
in 1994.
Grayson insists that he did
not know about that marriage

Youngest Fil-Am
billionaire Page 6

US flies Poseidon from

PH Page 13

Sharons comeback
Page 15

Pacquiao, Mayweather
vie for edge Page 16

Rep. Alan and Lolita Grayson

Continued on page 16

March 16-31, 2015

March 16-31, 2015

Officials spar over WWII battleship wreck

MANILA. The Philippine
National Museum is taking a
close look and working with
various agencies, including
the Japanese government, after
the reported discovery of the
wreck of the Japanese battleship
Musashi in the Sibuyan Sea near
Romblon Island.
Microsoft co-founder and
philanthropist Paul Allen led the
search for the Musashi, sunk
by US warplanes in October
1944 at the height of the Battle of
Leyte Gulf, taking over a thousand souls to the bottom of the
Sibuyan Sea.
When
he
announced
the
discovery
through
Twitter last March
1 it triggered
angry reactions
from Philippine
officials
who
were unaware of
Allens search.
The breakthrough
was
made
from
Allens luxury
yacht and exploration ship, MY
Octopus
that
also previously
located
and
helped recover
the bell from the

when a passenger van collided

with a truck in Nabas, Aklan last
March 4.
The US citizen was identified as William Mitchell, 72, a
resident of Chicago, Illinois, and
temporarily staying in Boracay
Island.

Japanese battleship Musashi

HMS Hood, a British warship
sunk by the German battleship
Bismark in the Denmark Strait.

American hurt
AKLAN. An elderly American and 10 others were injured

The incident happened

at 4:15 in the afternoon along
the National Road in Barangay Habana just in front of the
Habana Elementary School. An
L300 van traveling from Kalibo
to Catical collided head-on with
an Isuzu Wing truck.

March 16-31, 2015

March 16-31, 2015

Fil-Am returns to PH to look for mom

SEATTLE. Alika Kee, born
Alex Conde in the Philippines
26 years ago, has returned to the
country to the country to look for
his mother who gave him up for
adoption.
He last saw his mother
when he was six. She had tuberculosis and she had to give me
up at orphanage when I was
younger, Kee explained. He and
half-brother Ronel grew up in
two Philippine orphanages and
were adopted by an American
family in 1998.
His mother, Jocelyn, is
believed to be living in Naga.
Ive been wanting to do this trip
for last 10 years but I just had to
build up courage, and there was
a lot of anger in me when I was
a child. I feel like todays a good
day and right time for me to step
up, he said.
I cant thank you enough
and Ronel and I would like to say
maraming salamat. Mahal kita,
nanay Jocelyn, Kee declared.
Kee likewise found out,
through the Kaisahang Buhay
Foundation, that he has three
other siblings. They are Abigail
Conde, Anjo Conde, and Jake
Conde Santos. He would also

like to look for them.

Fil-Ams re-elected
LOS ANGELES. Two Filipino-Americans won fresh mandates last March 4 following
elections for city councils of Cerritos and Carson in Los Angeles
County.
Mark Pulido, currently
mayor of Cerritos, topped the
city council elections for the

his fourth term on the city council.

Pulido got the most votes
ever recorded in the citys election history when he was first
elected to the council in 2011.
Pulido is also the first Fil-Am on
the city council.
He is one of three Fil-Ams
currently serving as city mayor
in LA County, home to an estimated half a million Fil-Ams.
The two others are Duarte Mayor
Tzeitel Paras-Caracci and Bellflower Mayor Sonny Santa Ines.
Pulido is also the district
director for Congressman Alan
Lowenthal of Long Beach and
previously served as a legislative
consultant with the California
State Assembly in the Los Angeles offices of Assembly Speakers
Robert M. Hertzberg, Herb J.
Wesson Jr. and Fabian Nez.
Meanwhile, Santarina was a
retired teacher from Nueva Ecija
and campaigned on a platform
of support for youth and senior
groups.

Cerritos, Ca. Mayor Mark Pulido

Balangiga Bells

second time.
Elito Santarina, mayor pro
tem of Carson, was re-elected to

LOS ANGELES. Logan

Clarke, president of the Committee for the Return of the Bells,
gave a small audience a peak last

Feb. 28 into his documentary

Bells of Balangiga, depicting
the famed war booty from Eastern Samar during the PhilippineAmerican war in the 1900s.
Forty-eight American soldiers were killed in an early

Those involved the atrocities have been punished but the

bells continue to be held as war
booty in US military installations
in South Korea and Wyoming.
Clarke lived in the Philippines in the 1970s and 1980s

Balangiga bells on display in Wyoming military camp.

morning surprise attack on Sept.
28, 1901 by mostly Balangiga
townsfolk and some Filipino
rebels. The documentary showed
the ensuing reprisals against
Samar natives, which resulted
in the death of tens of thousands
and seizure of three church bells
of Balangiga by American soldiers acting on orders from their
superiors.

where he worked on the local

film Sunigin ang Samar! starring Pilar Pilapil. Hes banking
the documentary could help
renew efforts to return the bells.
He plans to launch a campaign to raise awareness of this
issue and kick-off a crowd-funding drive to finance a full-length
documentary about the events
on September 28, 1901 in Samar.

March 16-31, 2015

Fil-Am is worlds 2nd youngest billionaire

NEW YORK. Snapchat cofounder Bobby Murphy, 26,
whose mother is a Filipina, was

magazine said Snapchat has

been valued by investors at $10
billion and it estimated Spiegel
and Murphy each own at least 15
percent.

Nurse nabbed

Bobby Murphy
listed by Forbes Magazine as the
2nd youngest billionaire in the
world today with a net worth of
$1.5 billion.
Murphy grew up in Berkley, California, the son of state
employees. He met Snapchat
co-founder Evan Speigel met in
Stanford University and later
collaborated to launch the hit
temporary photo messaging app.
The 24-year-old Spiegel,
with a net worth of $1.5 billion,
is the youngest in this years
Forbes list.
Murphy was a math major
while Spiegel is into product
design.
Snapchat now has close to
200 million users. The business

LOS ANGELES. A
Filipino nursing assistant in Southern California has been arrested for
allegedly stealing from
his elderly patient.
Maui Berganio was
arrested for allegedly
obtaining and using his
elderly patients debit
card for online purchases
without her permission.
Berganio, 29, reportedly stole as much as
$40,000 from the victim
who is now deceased.
Glendora Police say
Berganio admitted to
them that he has fraudulently obtained the
account of at least two
elderly victims.
Investigators
said
Berganio has worked at
multiple facilities and
they are now trying to
see if he may have done
similar crimes.

Ms. Tucson
TUCSON, Az. Filipina pre-nursing sophomore Patricia Duenas

was awarded with the prestigious title of Miss Tucson Desert

Rose, earning her a slot in the
Miss Arizona pageant this June.
As part of the Miss America
Organization, she will be in the

running for Miss Arizona and if

crowned, will be in the running
for Miss America. But for now,
she makes sure to stay on top of
community service and her studies.

Duenas first competed in

pageants at 13. I competed in
my first local and decided to
run for Miss Tucson, she said.
I won my first time, and I just
couldnt believe it.

March 16-31, 2015

March 16-31, 2015

March 16-31, 2015

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March 16-31, 2015

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March 16-31, 2015

If youd like to include your

organizations events in this calendar, kindly send your information
to Maurese Oteyza Owens at mpapoose@aol.com.
March 15-19. Documentary
Film, Matt Shepard is a Friend
of Mine, directed by Filipino
American film-maker Michele
Josue. It tells the story of the 1998
beating and murder of a 21-year-

old college student, Matthew

Shepard, that raised the worlds
awareness about discrimination against LGBT people. AMC
Loews Shirlington, 2772 South
Randolph St, The Village at Shirlington, Arlington, VA 22206
MAR 20-22 (Friday-Sunday)
Bataan Death March Memorial, White Sands Missile Range,
New Mexico. The march is re-

enacated every year in New

Mexico in memory of those who
marched at the Bataan Death
March. Ambassador Jose Cuisia
will be attending opening ceremonies. More information at
http://www.bataanmarch.com.
MAR 21 (Saturday) Filipino
American Institute of Accountants Seminar on How to Start a
Business, Tax Updates, and NotFor-Profit Reporting Requirements. Lincolnia Senior Center,
4710 North Chambliss Street,
Alexandria, VA 22312. $15 covers
materials and lunch. Contact
Edgar Aznar at eaznar9@gmail.
com or (703) 866-6117.
MAR 22 (Sunday)
Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue Inc. District VI
and Embassy of the Philippines
Merienda with the Ambassador Youth Forum. Hosted by

the Filipino Cultural Association

at the University of Maryland at
College Park. Dialogue between
Filipino American youth and the
Filipino American community
on topics of interest and importance to young Filipino-Americans. Access to professional networking opportunities. Contact
Ronelle Bautista at district.six.
rep@fcaatumd.com
MAR 28 (Saturday) Filipino
Organization of Catholic University Students Philippine Culture Night Program includes a
play and Filipino food. Contact:
John Martin at 60martinjg@cardinalmail.cua.edu
MAR 28 (Saturday) University of Maryland Filipino American Student Association (Baltimore) Pistahan. Cultural show
features traditional Filipino
dances, a play and food tasting.

Contact; Patrick Ventanilla at

cy42971@umbc.edu
APR 10-11 (Fri-Sat) NAFFAA
Region 2 Conference. Richmond,
VA. Details to come.
APR 10-12 (Fri-Sun) Filipino Intercollegiate Network
Dialogue (FIND) Conference.
Hosted by District VI. University of Maryland, College Park.
Theme: Lakas Loob: Strength
without Shame. Contact: Anika
Aquino at 68 Aquino@cardinalmail.cua.edu
APR 12 (Sunday) George
Washington University Philippine Cultural Society Culture
Show (Tandaan XV) Program
includes a play written and
produced by students; cultural
dances and Filipino food. Contact: Kelsey Genuino at psculturalshow@gmail.com
APR 18 (Saturday) 9:00a.m.12:00noon. Philippine American Foundation for Charity,
Inc. Salu-Salo. Kick-off of PAFC
activities for the Philippine Festival. Volunteers welcome to
join various committees. Fellowship over breakfast. Philippine
American Multicultural Center,
7500 Livingston Road, Oxon
Hill, MD. Contact: Bing Branigin
(Chair) at mcbranigin@aol.com
APR 18 (Saturday) 7:00pm
12:00mn Fil-Am Association of
Manassas and the Washington
Metropolitan Area, Silver Anniversary Celebration, Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel (900
South Orme St., Arlington, VA
22204). Registration 6:00-7:00
p.m. Attire: Formal. Ticket is $65
prepaid and $70 at the door. Proceeds go to the construction of
much-needed classrooms in the
Philippines. Contact Danny/
Mila Lunaria, 703-256-7603.
APR 18 (Saturday) American University Philippine Cultural Coalition presents Philippine Culture Night showcasing a play and cultural dances.
Contact: Cheryl Tolentino at
ci8455a@student.american.edu
APR 18 (Saturday) George
Mason University Filipino Cultural Association Culture Night
features FilAm culture, Philippine history, dialogues about
issues and folk/modern dances.
Contact: Denise Diokno at
diokno.denise@gmail.com
APR 24 (Friday) 7:00
pm-12:00 am. The College of the
Holy Spirit Metro Washington
DC Chapter Spring Fling 2015.
New Fortune Restaurant, 16515
South Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Dinner,
dancing, and raffle. Tickets $45.
Contact Ellie Cabanayan ellise1@
yahoo.com/(202) 607-3504
APR 25 (Saturday) 5:00pm10:00pm. Mayon Global Foundation Spring Fling. Lincolnia
Senior Center, 4710 North Chamblis St., Alexandria, VA 22312.
Features a light dinner and dancing. Proceeds to benefit the various humanitarian and charitable
activities of the Foundation.
Contact: Danny Orino: 202-5504991

12

March 16-31, 2015

News in Pictures

March 16-31, 2015

13

Fil-Am activists (from left) Marlan

Maralit of Center of Community
Change, Johanna Puno Hester, President of the Asian Pacific American
Labor Alliance (APALA), and APALA
Exec. Director Greg Cendana played
leadership roles at the recently-concluded AFL-CIO Organizing Institute, which was attended by more 700
labor activists nationwide. (Photo by
Jon Melegrito)
Family members of 18-year-old Ted Albano (2nd from left), a senior at
DeMatha High School, smile for the cameras after his solo piano recital
held recently in Gaithersburg, MD. Joining him on stage are, from left,
cousin Marcelle Pasion, brother Marco, mother Rosanna, brother Lorenzo,
Grandma Evelyn, Grandma Sally Rosal (Teds first piano teacher when he
was six) and father Ted Albano. Ted also plays drums, ukulele, marimba and
fluba. (Photo by Jon Melegrito)

Photojournalist Kim Komenich opened an exhibition of his works during the 1986 People Power revolt in the Philippines. Timed with the 29th anniversary of the People Power in the Philippines, photo shows (left to right) Washington
Post editor William Bill Branigin, the San Francisco Chroniles Komenich, Philippine Deputy Chief of Mission
Patrick Chuasoto and Amb. John Maisto, President of the US-Philippine Society cutting the ceremonial ribbon
during the opening and reception of the exhibit Revolution Revisited. Branigin who was the Washington Posts
bureau chief for Southeast Asia and covered the People Power revolt in Manila shared his experiences as a foreign
journalist in the Philippines in the 1908s. Maisto was instrumental for helping convince former strongman Ferdinand Marcos step down and restore democracy in the Philippines. (Photo by Bing Cardenas Branigin)

Md. gala raises funds for scholarships

By Maurese Oteyza
Owens
COLLEGE PARK, Md. Filipino American students at the
University of Maryland College
Park (UMCP) held the 5th Biennial Filipino American Studies
(FAST) Gala here last Feb. 28 and
raised funds for two important
scholarship programs.
Organized by the Filipino
Cultural Association (UMFCA),
the events goal was to raise
funds for the Philip Vera Cruz
Outstanding Community Service Scholarship and the Major
General Antonio Taguba Profiles in Courage and Leadership
Scholarship.
Launched in 2009, the scholarships, said UMFCA president
Jonathan Reyes, offers not just
financial aid to deserving applicants but also offer validation
and recognition for going above
and beyond, both in and out of
the classrooms.
The Philip Vera Cruz Outstanding Community Service
Scholarship ($500 per recipient)
is named in honor of the Filipino
labor leader, farm worker, and
leader in the Asian American
civil rights movement.
Recipients must be an
undergraduate enrolled in Asian
American Studies who per-

sonifies the vital relationship

between a college education and
the human condition through
service to the under-served and
under-represented.
The Major General Antonio
Taguba Profiles in Courage and

Photo shows, from left, National Federation of Filipino American Association (NaFFAA) Capital Region Chair and Manila Mail editor Bing Cardenas
Branigin; KAYAs Katrina Dizon; and Jason Alinea Tengco, Senior Advisor
at the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islander at the
University of Maryland College Park, Filipino Cultural Associations 5th
Biennial Filipino American Studies Program Gala held last February 28.

networking opportunities.
Sponsors of the event
included the Philippine American Foundation for Charities,
Asian American Studies Program and the Department of
American Studies.

US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba (Ret.), at the 5th Biennial Filipino
American Studies Gala, sponsored by the University of Maryland-College
Park Filipino Cultural Association last February 28. (Photo by Bing Cardenas Branigin)
Leadership Scholarship seeks to
recognize undergraduates who
demonstrate scholarship and
leadership and who are considering a future in federal public
service, both civilian and military. ($1,500 award).
More information is available at http://www.aast.umd.
edu/scholarships/scholarshipprogram.
The afternoon event held at
Orem Hall in UM College Park,
was an uplifting three hours of
song, traditional and modern
dance, inspiring speakers and

Keynote speaker Maryland

Delegate Kris Valderrama urged
the Filipino American students
to participate in the political process by exercising the right to
vote and by running for office.
Rita Cacas of The Rita M
.Cacas Foundation, Inc., spoke
about the need to preserve the
history of early Filipino Americans in the Greater Washington,
D.C. area.
Major General Antonio
Taguba called on the audience
to get involved in the Filipino
Veterans Project that aims to

AWO2 Joseph Dandrea (right) demonstrates the electro-optical camera of

the P-8A Poseidon to Philippine Lts. Paat and Arquillo during a bilateral
patrol mission. US Navys Patrol Squadron 45 operated out of Clark Air
Base in support of the 7th Fleet Commanders objectives aimed at strengthening maritime partnerships in the Pacific Region (US Navy photo)
gain national recognition for the
Filipino American World War II
soldiers for their wartime contributions.
Together their messages
called upon the students to rec-

ognize and honor our Filipino

American history and contributions and to continue the journey
with determination and excellence.

14

March 16-31, 2015

PH scraps oil exploration in disputed waters

MANILA. The Philippines
has finally pulled the plug on
oil exploration in the countrys
waters that is also being disputed by China.
The Filipino-British consortium Forum Energy Plc. said the
Department of Energy (DOE)
told it to stop all work in its contracted area at Reed Bank in the
South China Sea off Palawan.
The DOE issued the order
because the area falls within the
territorial disputed area of the
West Philippine Sea which is the
subject of a United Nations arbitration process between the
Republic of the Philippines and
Peoples Republic of China, the
company said in a statement last
March 2.
Philex Petroleum Corp.
owns 60 percent of Forum
Energy. Philex chairman Manny
Pangilinan said last year that the
project has not attracted other
investors because of concerns
about offending China.
Last year, President Aquino
expressed concern that two Chinese hydrographic ships sighted
at Reed Bank could be followed
by an attempt to drill for oil
there. In March 2011, Chinese
ships tried to drive away a Philippine exploration vessel at Reed
Bank.

Chinese Foreign Ministry

spokesman Hong Lei defended
Chinas activities in the region
as reasonable, legitimate and
legal and said it has exercised
restraint and responsibility.

Advanced delivery
MANILA. South Korea
is advancing delivery of two

last March 3.
They will be combat and
mission ready upon their arrival
this December, he said.
Manila signed off on buying
12 FA-50s in March last year; KAI
committed to deliver all the aircraft by mid-2017.
President Aquino inspected
an FA-50 at Gimhae Air Base in

South Korea-made FA-50 fighter jets.

fighter-bombers to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as part of
a nearly P19 billion deal for a
squadron of the FA-50 lightattack aircraft.
Korea Aerospace Industries
(KAI) will deliver two FA-50
light-attack aircraft to the PAF
ahead of schedule in December,
Philippine Undersecretary of
Defense Fernando Manalo said

South Korea in December 2014,

and at the time told reporters he
expected the 12 aircraft to just be
the start of increased defense cooperation between the two countries.

Billionaires club
MANILA. SMs Henry Sy
Sr. emerged as the wealthiest
Filipino and jumped to 73rd richest man in the world, the latest

Forbes ranking revealed.

The
90-year-old
mall
tycoons net worth increased
to $14.2 billion from last years
$11.3 billion.
JG Summit Holdings Inc.s
John Gokongwei Jr came in 2nd
richest with a net worth of $5.8
billion from last years $3.9 billion. He was ranked 254th richest
man in the world.
Sliding to 3rd place is
Enrique Razon Jr. with a net
worth of $5.2 billion from $4.2
billion in 2014. He was followed
by Megaworlds Andrew Tan
whos worth $4.8 billion; Lucio
Tan and George Ty came in 5th
and 6th places with identical net
worth of $4.4 billion;
Construction
magnate
David Consunji follows with a
net worth of $4.1 billion; Jollibees Tony Tan Caktiong ranked
8th and worth $2.7 billion (a billion-dollar jump from the previous year); retail chain Lucio and

Henry Sy
Susan Co had a combined worth
of $2.3 billion; and rounding out
the top 10 richest Filipinos is
Roberto Coyiuto Jr. with $1.8 billion.
Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is the richest man in the world with a net
worth of $72 billion.

Fan Page 15

March 16-31, 2015

Gutom na gutom
By Andrew Esmele

It all started when JC and I

were both done with classes and
we were hungry.
What do you want to get?
Semester break ended a while
ago so weve been reacquainted
to the campus food. We both
think of our options, but ever
since we went home for break,
weve craved Filipino food. So
I searched on the trusty internet since Im from Maryland
and JCs from VA beach, and we
decided to have a Northern Virginia adventure! The first place
we went to seemed good, and we
were excited.
Andrew are you sure this is
a Filipino place?
Of course!
I found this restaurant fairly
close, so we walked in. Never
have I been so wrong. Instead
of Chicken Inasal it was Pollo
Asaso, instead of Lumpia they
had Tamales! Filipino place
huh?
JC online it was listed
under Filipino cuisine!
Oh yeah? Wheres the
Halo-Halo?
Look they have flan! Thats
like Leche Flan, so Im not totally
wrong.
The waitress told us that if
we came a couple weeks earlier,
we would have found the Filipino food were dying for. Strike
numero uno for me. This is why I
have trust issues.
I looked for the closest
Pinoy place which lands us in
Arlington. This better be a Fili-

pino place.
So JC and I walk in, I was
so happy when I saw an ad for
Balikbayan boxes. See? I told
you it was! But then we realized that even though it was a
great oriental store, there was
no ready to eat food. Andrew,
its Filipino, but what are we
gonna eat? I grab some instantpancit canton. We could just
warm this up? I said, knowing that it wouldnt satisfy our
cravings. Strike two. JC was just
about to lose hope.
So I look for the next closest Filipino Restaurant, emphasis on restaurant. We drive for a
bit; I bought JC some cornick

Fil-Am talents shine

in reality shows
HOLLYWOOD.

Filipino-

American talents are packing

this seasons hottest TV reality
shows and are getting a good
introduction to American audi-

dance scout of this seasons

Americas Got Talent.

Cinderellas voice

ences.
Cheryl Burke has left after
a decade with the top-rating
to make up for my unforgivable
mistakes. We pulled up to the
3rd place.
It says Global Supermarket.
But it says Filipino! We
walk into the store and browse
around. Strike 3 for me. That
would have been game over for
me, until a certain smell lured
us to the back of the store, like
light at the end of the tunnel, we
saw Sinigang, Adobo, Lechon
Kawali, everything. We almost
cried. I was never this happy
from food, it was amazing, and
it was just right for the budget
of a broke college student. At
least now we know where to go
whenever we need Filipino food.
Check out
Fiesta Oriental Store: 4815
1st Street North, Arlington, VA
22203 and
Filipino Global Supermarket: 5509 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041.

Sharon comeback
MANILA.
Philippine
megastar Sharon Cuneta is
busy plotting her comeback
after surviving a deep personal
crisis, including the death of her
mother Elaine last November.
On a Facebook post,
Cuneta, 49, told fans that they
will be seeing her in just a few
days.
Cuneta did not provide
any other details on her comeback project, but it apparently
includes an aggressive weight
loss campaign to achieve her
ideal weight. She is reportedly returning to ABS-CBN after
leaving the network in 2011.
She withdrew from the
limelight and some reports
suggested she suffered from
depression. Cuneta admitted in
an August 2014 interview that
she lost control of her weight
and went through one of the
lowest times of her life and
career.
She apologized to her fans
for neglecting her career. Cuneta
has starred in 53 films and
recorded more than 40 albums.

Cris Judd

Sinigang na hipon

Americas Got Talent will

premiere its new season this
May 27.

Dancing with the Stars to join

a new reality show called I can
do that!
In

the

comedy-variety

series airing this summer on

NBC, Burke joins Fil-Am talent
Nicole Scherzinger, Joe Jonas
and three other stars.
Meanwhile,

another

tal-

ented Fil-Am scored a new gig

this year. Hollywood choreographer Cris Judd is the official

The former New Zealands Got Talent judge came

on board to seek Americas best
dancers for the show. The show
is still open to video auditions
and welcomes all kinds of performers of all ages.

LONDON. Singer and West

End actress Rachelle Ann Go has
lent her voice to the latest rendition of the timeless fairytale
Cinderella, singing A Dream
Is A Wish Your Heart Makes.
Written and composed for

the 1950 Walt Disney animated

film, the song was revived with
a new arrangement and music
video. Disney chose Go to perform the song because they said
the Filipina star embodied the
values of Cinderella.

Rachelle Ann Go
We were looking for someone special, not just to sing the
song beautifully but to also
deliver the message reliably and
inspire audiences, said Amit
Malhotra, General Manager of
Walt Disney Studios Southeast
Asia in a press release.
Fans will be also treated
with an extra special segment
in the music video, where Rachelles mother flew from Manila
for a surprise visit during studio
recording.
She is currently in the
London West Ends revival of
Miss Saigon.
Disneys
Cinderella
by British director Kenneth
Branagh opens in cinemas later
this month.

16

March 16-31, 2015

Clooneys wife elevates... from page 1

apology for alleged violations
of Arroyos rights, adding that
full and adequate compensation
should also be accorded to the
former president.
She also wants Arroyo to
have unrestricted access to different means of communications
such as a mobile phone, Internet,
and laptop computer.
Malacanang appeared to
downplay Alamuddins declarations. Presidential spokesman
Edwin Lacierda said she was just

doing her job as a lawyer. What

more can we say? he asked.
He then directed reporters questions to the graft court
which is hearing Arroyos cases.
In a separate statement,
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Malacaang has yet to receive a copy
of the complaint filed before the
UN body.
The
government
will
respond accordingly, through the
Department of Foreign Affairs

PH solons probe... from page 1

Army spokesmen said at
least one of the slain BIFF members wore the uniform of a slain
SAF commando and some of the
weapons they recovered also
belonged to them.
Brig. Gen. Joselito Kakilala,
Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) spokesman, said troops
were trying to speed up operations to flush out and attack the
BIFF. The army offensive, he
explained, was centered in four
critical areas of Maguindanao,
including Mamasapano, that
have been declared no mans

land.
He said at least three BIFF
bases have been captured,
including one that contained a
factory for improvised explosive
devices (IEDs). The army has
deployed 105mm howitzers to
force the BIFF to abandon their
camps and move to the open
where they are more vulnerable.
Several combat battalions from
the armys 6th Infantry Division
are spearheading the offensive.
Local officials have appealed
for a stop to the fighting but the
army has wrangled more time,

Tagle helps map Pope... from page 1

area, we invited him to celebrate
mass here, he said. Fr. Mel
joined the cardinal in a concelebrated 7 p.m. Mass.
Asked if the cardinals visit
was also related to preparations
for the popes visit this fall, Fr.
Mel replied,Kasama na rin
yon (Thats also included as a
purpose of his visit.) Cardinal
Tagle, who is known for being
circumspect and humble (he
stood in line at the buffet table
just like everyone) did not make
any comment.
Pope Francis drew millions
of people to his events in the Phil-

ippines last Jan. 15-19, including

thousands at a storm-plagued
outdoor Mass in Tacloban City,
devastated by super typhoon
Yoland (Haiyan) in November
2013 that killed more than 6,000
people and left a million others
homeless.
Ma.Victoria Cuisia, wife of
Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.,
caught up with the cardinal at
the potluck dinner reception following the Mass. She said the
ambassador, who was scheduled
to attend the Mass, had to go to
the airport instead to welcome
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert

Nasty divorce scars... from page 1

Alan Grayson would avoid
having the court divide personal
property or decide whether he
owes Lolita Grayson alimony.
In court papers, Lolita Grayson
puts her husbands worth at $31
million.
Lolita Grayson filed for
divorce last January, saying
their marriage is irretrievably
broken.
Alan Grayson was born in
New York and worked his way
through Harvard. He earned a
doctorate from the Harvard Law
School and clerked at the Colorado Supreme Court and the
DC Circuit Court of Appeals. He
later joined the firm Fried, Frank,
Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, specializing in contract law, before
establishing his own law firm
Grayson & Kubli in 1991.
But he made his fortune cofounding and sitting as the first
president of IDT Corporation, a

New Jersey-based telecoms company with nearly $2 billion in

annual revenues.
Grayson was ranked as the
11th-wealthiest member of Congress in 2010, based on financial disclosure forms with a net
worth of $31.41 million
He first won a seat as Representative for Floridas 8th district from 2009 to 2011. He lost a
re-election bid but ran again in
2012 for the 9th district seat and
defeated his Republican challenger to win re-election in 2014.
He gained national recognition during the Obamacare
debates when he said the Republicans opposing plan was dont
get sick, and if you do get sick,
die quickly.
Lolita Grayson had earlier
gotten a protective order from
the courts after the congressman allegedly pushed her until
she fell on the floor. She has

(DFA) and the Office of the

Solicitor General (OSG), once we
shall have received the requisite
notice, he said.
Human rights groups criticized Alamuddins intervention
on Arroyos behalf.
Atty. Amal is, unfortunately, completely misinformed,
and her and her spouses popularity and glamor are being
used for an unscrupulous selfish agenda, lawyer Edre Olalia,
secretary general of the National
Union of Peoples Lawyers
(NUPL), said in a statement.

Sadly, she is being fooled

by forces out to rewrite history,
distort reality, twist roles from
perpetrator to victim, and reinvent international human rights
law. The UN (United Nations)
process is also being mocked and
corrupted along the way, the
NUPL said.
In a separate statement,
Bayan Muna partylist Representative Neri Colmenares said
that, while his group recognized
Alamuddins concern for the
human rights in the Philippines,
it would be best for her to also

make a pitch for the situation of

at least 229 cases of extrajudicial
killings of activists, media and
ordinary people.
Her skills and talents are
needed by those who cannot
afford legal services in their
search for justice, like the
widows of the SAF #Fallen44,
Colmenares said.
We ask Atty. Clooney to
visit the Philippines and see for
herself the plight of the nameless
poor who are victims of injustice
and human rights violations.

arguing it needed to cripple rebel

capabilities so they cant spoil
the governments peace efforts in
Mindanao.
The renewed fighting has left
the proposed Bangsamoro Basic
Law (BBL) in a virtual quagmire,
unable to move forward despite
impassioned appeals from President Aquino, religious leaders
and civil society.
Some solons want to amend
the BBL to assuage fears, rising
from the Mamasapano debacle
that government was giving
away too much to the erstwhile
separatist group. MILF leaders have warned tinkering with

the deal forged with the Aquino

administration could unravel
years of careful negotiation and
void compromises contained in
the March 2014 peace accord.
Top MILF leaders have been
pictures of moderation ever
since the Mamasapano clash.
They have urged supporters
to register as voters, anticipating passage of the BBL that will
have to be presented to people
in affected areas, both Christians
and Muslims.
This is part of our preparations to lead our own government, said Von al Haq, spokesman for the 10,000-member

MILFs military wing.

If the fighting worsens or the
peace deal collapses, Emmanuel
Bautista, executive secretary of
the Cabinet cluster on security,
justice and peace, warned international terrorist groups such as
the Islamic State (ISIS) could take
advantage and try to plant their
roots in Mindanao.
He said the BBL could help
solve the internal conflicts in
Mindanao. We have been in
conflict for the last 40 years, we
cant go on fighting in the next 40
years, Bautista said.

del Rosario.
Nancy Ceniza, who was
among the volunteers at the
dinner reception said, Im
delighted to attend this mass.
Someday who knows?Cardinal Tagle will probably be the
first Asian Pope...He is very close
to Pope Francis. He is known for
his excellent homilies and for his
humility. Hes very popular, so
people came despite the snowy
weather.
In a separate interview, Mrs.
Cuisia agreed. Yes, hes very
humble, thats why hes wellliked, both in the Philippines and
here. Filipinos know him here,
because he studied here and he

used to live here.

In his homily, Cardinal Tagle
lamented the modern-day Pharisees who are again engaged in
the crucifixion of Jesus. Noting
that everyone is a sinner, he
mentioned these included government officials, and unfortunately, some church officials.
Despite his busy schedule,
Cardinal Tagle later greeted the
attendees, signing programs and

having photo-ops at the church

also accused him of financial

abandonment. News reports
on Orlandos WFTV that aired
before the 2014 elections alleged
that the couples four (out of
five) children were living off
food stamps, which the congressmans lawyers refuted.
Hearing the case has
also been delayed because of
Lolita Graysons leaking breast
implants as well as her frequent
changes of attorneys.
Circuit Judge Bob LeBlanc
likened the case to scene from
House of Cards the popular
Netflix political drama.
Attorneys at the hearing
suggested that politics, in part,
may be preventing any effort to
reach a quiet, confidential settlement that the judge hinted is the
best option for both Graysons.
Lolita Graysons attorney, Mark
Longell, said the congressman
was going to drag her through
the mud so that he doesnt look
bad.

lobby.
Mitch Ocampo of Arlington, Virginia, son of the late
Philippine National Artist Galo
Ocampo, was among those who
joined the reception line. He
was joking and smiling. Hes
very warm and friendly.

Pacquiao, Mayweather
hunt for edge
LOS ANGELES. Manny
Pacquiao has stepped up preparations for his May 2 showdown
with undefeated archrival Floyd
Mayweather Jr. as both sides try
to find an edge in their training.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiaos
mulit-awarded coach, said they
have recruited a secret sparring
partner for the Filipino champion. He said theyre keeping
the boxers name under wraps
for now because he doesnt
want to get beat up or something like that because hes leaving Mayweathers camp.
Meanwhile, Alex Ariza,
Pacquiaos one-time trainer,
assured hes going to train Mayweather the way he also honed
his former ward.
Im not gonna say that we
are gonna do a bunch of different things for this opponent that
I havent done for other opponents, Ariza was quoted in an
ABS-CBN News report by Bev
Llorente.
For me its just going back

to basics and doing everything I

did for Manny.
Aiza is widely credited
for helping Pacquiao achieve
optimum conditioning despite
climbing several weight classes.
Their partnership enabled the
Filipino champion to claim a
total of eight world titles in eight
divisions.
Whether Pacquiaos practicing with his secret sparring
partner is enough to give him
an edge remains to be seen.
The two came face to face
for the first time since their
Florida encounter when they
attended the press conference
at the Nokia theater here last
March 11. The next time they
meet, it will be atop the ring as
both fighters decided to forego
with promotional tours and
concentrate instead on their
training.
Instead, both camps have
turned to social media to hype
up the mega-fight.

17

March 16-31, 2015

On the Legacy of a War

N
The system is not
the problem
MANILA.
he opportunists here calling for President Benigno
Aquino IIIs resignation
claim that our system of government is the problem and they
want to change it.
Heres shocking news for
these people: Its not the system
thats causing all our miseries.
No system of government is
perfect, whether its presidential,
parliamentary or any combination of these. The authoritarian
form that Ferdinand Marcos
introduced in 1972 wasnt, and
isnt, the right one, either. Or the
totalitarian one that enamors the
Left.
A system will only work if
the people running it are competent, guided by the right principles, and driven by love of
country.
Weve existed as an independent nation for more than
a half-century and were still
mired in a quicksand of despair,
in a rut of economic underdevelopment, in a malaise caused by
never-ending political and social
strife, and in the exploitation by
the ruling class.
We dont want to succeed
as a sovereign nation aspiring to
join the modern world in prosperity. We refuse to let go of our
culture of squabbling among
ourselves, quarreling among
ourselves for advantage.
And were not fit to manage
our affairs of state. Theres an
absence of cooperation, a collective desire to improve our lot.
We ourselves have allowed
our collective lot to be in a continuing state of decay, impoverishment, and misery.
We weaken our bureaucracy
by stuffing it with incompetent
and corruptible workers. We
make our educational system
useless by making do with
improperly trained teachers and,
as a consequence, we produce

hundreds of thousands of halfbaked graduates every year. We

abhor rigor in our work and are
content with mediocrity. We like
to improvise and resort to shortcuts.
We construct buildings,
roads and bridges that crumble
after only a few years. We overprice such projects and charge
the bill to the national treasury
while those who pocketed the
over budget wallow in undeserved luxury.
We steal the peoples money
with impunity without a trace
of guilt feelings. Look at all the
politicians who live in large
estates, driven in fancy vehicles,
and vacation in the posh spots of
the world.
Election after election we
vote crooks and criminals into
office so they can continue stealing the peoples money. Election
after election we send them back
to Manila or the governors mansion and city/municipal hall so
they can perpetuate their dynastic hold on power.
A system can only be as
good as those who run it. Our
politicians, most of whom are
incompetent and unprincipled,
have used the system to sustain their greed and lack of conscience.
But, in the end, whose
fault is it that theyve been able
to commit plunder through all
these years? Who voted for these
thieves and opportunists? It is
us, of course.
Dont blame the system,
thats barking up the wrong tree.
Thats pointing the finger at the
wrong culprit. Thats just a convenient excuse.
The politicians can be rightly
blamed for the infernal abyss
into which we the people have
fallen. But we are all to blame for
allowing it to happen.
Its not the system that
needs changing, its us.

ot just a war, but World

War II, the conflict that
affected most of the
countries on earth in the 1940s,
following three decades later the
first global turmoil dubbed by
historians as the war that will
end all wars. Wars among and
between nations never end; disputes arising from claims of geographical border-trespassings
and other so-called conflicts of
interest and which are not settled
by peaceful means inevitably
end always in massive deaths
and destructions. Throughout all
the recorded global conflicts, the
Philippines has never been an
adversary, but she, for a time in
her dark period, was a victim.
Japan, a major participant in
the Second World War, brought
deaths and destructions to the
Philippines, following the landing of Japanese forces on December 10, 1941 at Aparri in northern Luzon. The invasion was
swift. Bataan and Corregidor,
the remaining defensive strongholds of Filipino and U.S. soldiers, were overtaken ending in
the hasty departure of General
McArthur for Australia. Before
leaving, he promised to return
and to liberate the whole country.
On December 20, 1944, the
liberation begun when the U.S.
6th Army, with 174,000 strong,
poured men and equipment on
the island of Leyte. Reflecting
the tenet of Carl von Clausewitz,
a noted theoretician, that the
conduct of war is determined by
the speed of the mode of transportation used, brought with
them several hundreds of small,
general-purpose vehicle with
80-inch wheelbase, four-wheel
drive, and a loading capacity of
one-fourth of a ton. And like the
mythical bird arising from the
ashes of war, the jeep has been
the Phoenix hovering around the
hearts and minds of the Filipinos
since then.
The war ended; peace was
declared and settled. The withdrawing U.S. forces left with
them a surplus in several hundred s of these small all-terrain
vehicles. Within a few months,
realizing the immediate needs of
the people to move from one area
to another, business-minded Filipinos took possession, and coupled with the inherent ingenuity
of the others, came up with the
Jeepney, a small jitney vehicle
converted from a jeep that can
carry passengers on a small fare,
on a regular route, and on a flexible schedule.
To increase the load, the
wheelbase was stretched to
accommodate 17 to 18 paying
passengers of regular built and

size, one half sitting elbow to

elbow on one side facing the
other half. On a regular trip, a
passengers need to get to ones
destination more often than not
overrode the need for comfort.
The conversion followed the
designs for an oval-shaped roof
as a protection from the elements and for the installation of
heavy-textured curtains, usually
of canvas, which can be rolled
up or down depending on the
presence of rains or sunrays.
Some of the outside parts were
replaced by chromes, the windshield wipers were upgraded,
and spaces visible from the outside were painted over in enticing colors and designs to make it
appear cozy inside.
No part of the original jeep
was left untouched. The hood
was reconfigured to accommodate chrome linings and the
front is topped by a figure, also
in chrome, of a charging stallion,
a rooster, or an eagle on wings.
To those mostly manifesting Filipino folk psyche, a Sarimanok,
in shiny metal plating, is the preferred ornament. Sarimanok, a
mythical bird, is associated with
the culture of Mindanao, the
southern part of the Philippines.
Even the radio antenna was not
spared; the attached colorful
streamers would wave like flags
when rustled by the wind. Inside,
there would be on the dashboard
a small altar, with a cross and a
small figure of the Our Lady of
Good Voyage, the patron saint of
travelers. Always, there would
be a garland of Sampaguita flowers, serving as decorations and as
a deodorizer.
The number of these vehicles grew. They are everywhere;
no major road or street, or even
highway, has not been plied by
any of them. In Metro Manila
alone, a census conducted as
late as 1990 counted them at
around 50,000 weaving their
way through and around traffics. Their ubiquity, along with
the added Sarimanok and Sampaguita flowers, make them
cultural icons. The Philippine
government, when invited to
participate in international cultural festivals, along with other
artifacts and iconic cultural
samples, would also send over a

functioning jeepney, with all the

trimmings and colorful designs.
The recent participation of the
Philippines at the Smithsonian
Folk Festival gave the FilipinoAmericans, living and working
here in the United States, a rare
chance of viewing glimpses of
life in the Philippines.
When my wife and I, along
with our three kids, went to Paris
for the first time on a short vacation, the exposure to European
culture, the peoples way of life,
their language, their food, and
the advanced designs of their
clothes, although some of them
we took in as somewhat peculiar-looking, overwhelmed us to
a point that at the end of a day
we longed for, hunkered, for a
difference in taste, especially for
something Philippines. After
several inquiries, we learned that
in the middle of Paris, tucked
in at a historic-looking building
was a small restaurant offering Filipino dishes, which we
later learned was owned by the
famous Filipina chef, Nora Daza.
But what surprised us most,
when we finally located the restaurant, was a jeepney parked in
front of it. No doubt, we looked
at and accepted it as a travelling
Philippine treasure.
The jeepneys, long may they
live, are the driving, living symbols of the Filipino inventiveness, of how a visiting calamity
like the destructive effects of
a war, could be turned into an
opportunity for survival. The
fact that in this modern, upscale,
time, the jeepneys are still
around speak eloquently of the
peoples resilience and, and born
of the colonizing influence of the
Spanish temperament, of a matador facing a charging bull. They
are a legacy of the past preserved
for the future. The onslaught of
new models of SUVs, mini-vans,
and pickups now being marketed in the Philippines cannot
stop the demands for these small
vehicles. Sarao Motors, in Las
Pinas, which stopped production
in 2000, after 44 years of service,
gave the chance to others, like
Francisco Motors and Serrano
Motors, to take over in meeting
the continuing demand for the
converted jeeps.

18

March 16-31, 2015

Here Comes
Spring & the
Jobs Report

I
The Greatness Behind the
Human Mind
RICHMOND, Virginia.
ehold the human brain,
Gods beautiful, intricately
designed masterpiece.
Despite only making up two
percent of our body weight, our
brains demand 15 percent of our
total heart output and 20 percent
of our total oxygen to function.
Scientists say the average human
brain has between 50 and 100
billion neurons and 1000 trillion
connections when our synapses
are all firing.
Thats a lot of power to
punch behind the human brain
despite just weighing a measly
three pounds. With all that said
its pretty safe to say that she is
perhaps the most complex yet
important and vital part of our
bodies. She also gives the Godgiven ability to think, create and
act on our ideas, which is the true
blessing of the human brain after
all.
In the past few articles, I
have talked about how we all
have ideas, but what separates
the great ones from the regular
ones is what makes extraordinary individuals stand out from
the rest. Itseparates the Steve
Jobs and Warren Buffetts from
the Average Joes of this world.
To some degree everyone
wants to leave their mark with
their own great ideas which
gives us all an itch at some point
in our lives to share them with
others and even take on the Big
Machine a.k.a the game of business. Unfortunately it takes a lot
to even get our ideas out in the
first place let alone start a business, but what prevents us all
from taking our own walk with
greatness?
I believe it all starts with
Fear. The funny thing about
fear is he can creep up into our
lives and hit as in an instant
out of nowhere. What starts as
something so small can suddenly
send us in the middle of an ocean
with waves crashing mightily.
Fear is what keeps entrepreneurs
from actually taking the first step
merely dipping our feet in shallow waters.
Fear also creates doubt and
leaves us prisoners to our own
thoughts. How often do we see a
person with a great idea just sit
and become complacent, thinking and second guessing himself

over and over until the idea just

fades into the dark?
The mantra is always have
a winning mentality, never let
yourself get boxed in and always
think outside the box. As you
can see my secret weapon is
broken down in three parts but
if you take a closer look it focus
on one common goal which is
essentially beating that Fear.
Not that I am trying to step
on Tony Robbins shoes, but if
you think about it most business
owners struggle taking first steps
into taking on the Big Machine,
because they have already been
defeated before they even start.
Most of us are also intimidated
by the fear of competition, and
how others are far better and
more superior than us.
Genius is one percent
inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration, said Thomas
Edison. Everyone has to start
somewhere and even the greatest of them have to work hard
through blood, sweat, and tears
with their craft.
I have seen this so many
times, people enamored with
their own ideas that number
2 and 3 of my mantra become
more like a two-headed monster. Take one of my past clients
for instance. He was a successful Italian restaurateur, having
established a chain of very popular New York Style Pizza.
After winning them over
with his pizza, he decided to
scale a different mountain the
Italian Sicilian Pizza. In his mind
he wanted to share to his customers a real and authentic style of
pizza. His team would use marketing taglines buzzword like
the real pizza or viva la pizza
aka forever live tawayizza. He
stopped listening to his customers and even his own team advising him that his first take at the
Italian Pizza may be missing
ingredients or a new approach.
Sales never hit the mark but
he kept driving the same pizza
and it was driving business
away. The moral of the story?
He let himself get boxed in and
stopped thinking outside the
box.
Number one, there is no
such thing as a finished product which is why we should
always strive to better our ideas

t sure doesnt feel like spring

on the east coast. However,
our calendar tells us that it is
March and we have two important events Daylight Saving
Time started on March 8, which
means we must turn our clocks
forward and we have another
jobs report being released.
It seems like we just had a
jobs report to comment on, but
we must remember that February is a short month.
The jobs data has been so
strong lately, our guess is that
projections are starting to creep
up. There was a time not long ago
in which 200,000 jobs added was
considered a fantastic month.
Now 200,000 may be considered
a disappointment.
If we continue to add jobs at
the rate of 250,000 per month, it is
possible that the Federal Reserve

Board will raise short term rates

more quickly than anticipated.
Evidence the fact that rates
moved up significantly during
the week of the last jobs report.
The move was not enough to
shake the markets nor enough to
deter consumers from purchasing homes.
However, that does not
mean another strong report
could not move rates up another
notch.
The real estate data released
in the past week was not especially strong with existing sales
slightly lower than expectations
and new home sales slightly
higher than expectations.

Even though the data was

not strong, the numbers continued to be improved on a
year-over-year basis thus the
market is moving in the right
direction and the very strong
pending home sales numbers
released on Friday confirms that
assessment.
Ramon M Llamas, NMLS#:
483757, has been in the lending
business for more than 20 years. He
has helped thousands of homeowners saved money in their mortgage
needs, purchase or refinance. Any
mortgage question or free personal
mortgage analysis, please email him
at homemortgage101@yahoo.com or
call his cellphone at 703.980.3984.

Parole in place

he USCIS on November
15, 2013 issued a Policy
Memorandum clarifying
the treatment of alien relatives of
United States military personnel.
Spouses, parents and children of active duty service
members, including veterans
and reservists, who are present in the United States without
valid immigration status will be
granted parole status.
This temporary status will
shield qualified aliens from
deportation. Unless the alien
has been convicted of serious
crimes, it is likely that parole will
be granted. It is given on yearly
increments.
Under current law, aliens
who enter the country without
inspection ordinarily would
not qualify for adjustment of
status unless granted parole. For
instance, the spouse of an active
duty soldier who crossed the
border into the US would not be
able to adjust to permanent resident without exiting the country to apply for an immigrant
visa. The problem however is
that once the alien exits the US,
he/she may have to wait for
an indefinite time before being
granted an immigrant visa to
return.
Whether or not the alien will
qualify for adjustment of status
in the US without exiting the

country would depend upon the

status of the US military member.
Only immediate relatives of U.S.
citizens will qualify for adjustment of status and these are
spouses, parents and children
under 21years. Parole does not
erase other grounds of inadmissibility like failure to maintain
continuous lawful status since
entry into the US, unless the

alien is an immediate relative of

a US citizen or falls under other
exemptions designated by law.
If the US military member
is only a green card holder, the
better way to proceed would
be to wait until the military
member, reservist or veteran
obtains US citizenship.
(Questions
may
be
addressed to 703 893 0760)

and number two, it helps to

listen and to trust, being open
to others. And lastly it is lack of
trust in ourselves and others that

keeps us complacent with our

own ideas.
Do yourself a favor and let
out what you have been keeping

in all these years. Its time to take

that plunge and share your great
ideas to the world great ideas to
the world.

VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINES

MARCH 2015
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried sons/daughters
of US citizens
Feb. 01, 2005
Second:
A: Spouses/minor children of
permanent residents:
Jun 22, 2013
B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years
of age or older of permanent residents
Mar. 22, 2004
Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens Aug. 01, 1993
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens
Sep. 08, 1991
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority workers
Current
Second: Professionals holding advanced
degrees or persons of exceptional ability
Current
Third: Skilled workers, professionals
Jun. 01, 2014
Other Workers
Jun. 01, 2014
Fourth:
Certain Religious Workers
Current
Fifth: Employment creation/
(Million or half-million dollar investor)
Current

19

March 16-31, 2015

VEGETABLE PATTIES

uring Lent season, I am

so passionate to serve
my family and visiting
friends with delicious vegetarian
dishes they have not tried before.
As a meticulous and creative
master chef, as well an artist, I
always believe that exploring,
inventing and re-engineering
recipes is a never-ending art for
me. Try this one, my newly created light recipe, that is surprisingly good to munch any time
of the day. These patties can be
eaten as is or with your favorite
sweet and sour sauce or homemade combined honey and mustard.
Yields 4-6 patties

Methods:
Using a skillet, slightly wilt
the kale without any oil over
medium heat and set aside to
cool.
Wipe clean the same skillet
and saut the onions with a dash
of vegetable oil until soft (about
2 to 3 minutes). Add the carrots

and potatoes to cook half-done.

Add the sweet potatoes, red bell
pepper and thyme; season with
salt and pepper and continue to
cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
All the vegetables should be
cooked but still crunchy. Transfer to a platter to cool completely.
In a mixing bowl, transfer

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup finely chopped
onions
1/2 cup tiny diced carrots
1/2 cup tiny diced potatoes
1/4 cup tiny diced sweet
potatoes
1/4 cup tiny diced red bell
pepper
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, slightly beaten

the vegetables, including the

kale, and fold the eggs into this
mixture (do not overbeat) and
blend the ingredients gently.
Clean the same skillet or
use a 12-inch frying pan instead
to cook the patties. Preheat the
skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons
of vegetable oil over medium
heat; using a soup ladle, scoop
about 2 to 3 patties, pressing
them slightly with the back of
the ladle to create a slightly
bumped round shape (about 3 or
4 inches in diameter). Cook one
side about 3 to 4 minutes and
flip over the patties to cook for
another 2 to 3 minutes or until
cooked through.
Served hot or chilled.
Editors Note: Master Chef
Evelyn --100 Most Influential Fili-

pina Women in the U.S., 2009, Filipina Womens Network; MHC Most
Outstanding Migrant Award in
Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC Dakila
Special Achievement Award, 2011;
Owner/Master Chef, Philippine
Oriental Market & Deli, Arlington,
Virginia; Founder and President of
CHEW (Cancer Help Eat Well)
Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) public
charity formed to help and cook probono for Filipino-Americans who
are afflicted with cancer and other
serious illnesses; Culinary writer;
Member, Les Dames dEscoffier
International, Washington DC
Chapter; Member, International
Cake Exploration Society, Member,
Culinary Historians of Washington,
D.C.; Master Chef, French Cuisine
and Patisserie, Le Cordon Bleu,
London.

BEER

puwede, mare.
Doray: Bakit naman, mare?
Pinang: Virgin pa kasi ako
eh.

BIBLE CLASS

little girl, dressed in her

Sunday best, was running
as fast as she could, trying
not to be late for Bible class.
As she ran she prayed,
Dear Lord, please dont let me
be late! Dear Lord, please dont
let me be late!
While she was running and
praying, she tripped on a curb
and fell, getting her clothes dirty
and tearing her dress. She got up,
brushed herself off, and started
running again!
As she ran she once again
began to pray, Dear Lord, please
dont let me be late... but please
dont shove me either!

ROMANTIC
The wife texted her husband:
My love. if youre sleeping,
send me your dreams. If youre
smiling, send me your smile.
If youre crying, send me
your tears. I love you.
He replied: Im in the toilet.
What would you like me to send
you?

BOYFRIEND
A 5-year-old boy went
to visit his grandmother one
day. Playing with his toys in
her bedroom while grandma
was dusting, he looked up and
said, Grandma, how come you
dont have a boyfriend now that

Grandpa went to heaven?

Grandma replied, Honey,
my TV is my boyfriend. I can sit
in my bedroom and watch it all
day long. The religious programs
make me feel good and the comedies make me laugh. Im happy
with my TV as my boyfriend.
Grandma turned on the TV,
and the reception was terrible.
She started adjusting the knobs,
trying to get the picture in focus.
Frustrated, she started hitting
the backside of the TV hoping to
fix the problem.
The little boy heard the
doorbell ring, so he hurried to
open the door and there stood
Grandmas minister.
The minister said, Hello
son, is your Grandma home?
The little boy replied, Yeah,
shes in the bedroom bangin her
boyfriend.
The minister fainted.

CONSIDERATE
An old guy is in Costco
pushing a cart around, when he
collided with a young guy also
pushing his cart. He said to the
young guy, Sorry about that.
Im looking for my wife and I
guess I wasnt paying attention
to where I was going.
The young guy says, Thats
OK. Its just a coincidence. Im
looking for my wife, too. I cant
find her and Im getting a little

desperate.
So, the old guy says, Well,
maybe we can help each other.
What does your wife look like?
The young guy says, Well,
she is 24 years old, tall, with
blond hair, green eyes, long legs,
big boobs and shes wearing
tight white shorts, a halter top
and no bra. What does your wife
look like?
The old guy replied,
Doesnt matter. Lets look for
yours.

ANO BA
Anak : Tays! Kakains nas
tayos!
Tatay: Hoy! Tigilan mo yang
kalalagay mo ng S sa mga sinasabi mo ha! Ano ba ang ulam ?
Anak: Bangu na may kamati,
ardina na may ibuya!

Sabel: Sabi nung friend ko,

nakakalaki daw ng tiyan ang
beer.
Carol: Bakit mo naman
nasabi yan?
Sabel: Kasi noong minsang
nalasing siya, nabuntis siya!

ENTRANCE FEE

Bride: Kinakabahan ako...

baka di ko makaya. Parang
natatakot ako.
Groom: Kaya mo ito. Di ba
dati may alaga kang ahas?
Bride: Oo nga, pero takot
talaga ako sa uod!

Walang entrance fee ang

sinumang may dalang panabong. Dahil gusto ni Juan na
makalibre, pumasok siyang may
dalang inahin.
Bantay: (Sinita si Juan) Ano
yan?
Juan: (Galit pa!) Manok!
Bantay: Alam ko. Eh bakit
inahin?
Juan: May laban ang mister
niya, siyempre kailangan niya
ang moral support... bobo ka
talaga!

BAWAT BUTIL

DI PUWEDE

Teacher: Children, alam

niyo ba na ang bawat butil ng
palay ay galing sa dugot pawis
ng mga magsasaka?
Mga bata: Eeewwww!

Doray: Mare, kulang pa

kami ng isang miyembro. Baka
gusto mong sumali sa paluwagan.
Pinang: Hindi pa ako

HONEYMOON

VOGUE
Amo: Inday, kunin mo nga
yung VOGUE magazine!
Inday: Mam, Vogyu hindi
Vog.
Amo: Inday, Vog ang
tamang pagbigkas.
Inday: O sige na nga Mam,
Vog na... theres no need to arg.

PIZZA
Waiter: Sir, gusto po niyo
i-cut ko ang pizza niyo into 4
slices or 8 slices?
Kaloy: Into four na lang,
masyadong marami yung eight...
baka di ko mauubos.

LAGING MALI
Anak: Wala akong kuwentang anak para sa inyo! Lahat na
lang ng ginagawa ko puro mali !
Lagi na lang ako mali! Di niyo na
ako mahal!
Ama: Nagkakamali ka anak.
Anak: O ayan! Mali na
naman ako!

20

March 16-31, 2015

Minister Ariel Rodelas Penaranda

M
Sugar and Spice and
Everything Nice

(I

-am-counting-to-fiftythen-Im-going-to-hurlsomething-at-the-wall.Maybe-something-intellectuallygray.) Oh shades! Forgive me.

I must have been gnashing my
teeth out loud again. Boutique
Smut does that to me every time.
It is International Womens
Day. I am also down with a particularly virulent type of respiratory infection. And I am in
a foul mood. But the vision of
a grandmother in full tantrum
has effectively stopped me from
completely losing my dignity.
Allow me to rest and replenish. The article below is a favorite.

*********
Sugar and spice and everything nice. Thats what little girls
are made of. I was a prickly girl
so whoever wrote this nursery
rhyme missed me by a mile.
I grew up in Fernando Air
Base (FAB) in Lipa, Batangas. It
was built by the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 by using Philippine and American prisoners
on forced labor.
There is a bunker, a tunnel,
to the rear of the FAB Elementary School. We made up stories
of human skeletons in various
tortured poses inside. The more
adventurous among us ran the
length of the cave and reappeared on the other side. I ran
fast, the hair on the back of my
neck stood on its end in protest. I imagined skeletal claws
closing in on me. Nevertheless I managed to peek at the
rooms on either side of the cave.
There were no skeletons. There
was that unmistakable smell of
ammonia and animal droppings.
Any horror was covered with
overgrown grass. My personal
horror was about to begin.
Our fifth grade morning
classes started like any other. But
the harmless heckling escalated
into malicious name calling. This
boy dared me to meet him by
the bunker. He was to bring his
second and I was to bring mine.
You first. No, you first.
We goaded each other to throw
the first punch as we circled one
another. What did I get myself
into this time?
I grabbed his shirt and we
both ended up in a heap on the

grass and exchanged punches. I

was careful to blunt his blows to
my face. I kept my head close to
his chest. I had the advantage of
my gender. Boys did not resort to
sabunutan (hair-pulling). I took a
firm grip on one end of his shirt
and pulled. He swung counter
to my weight to try to dislodge
me. I spun with him; my legs
cart wheeled off the ground. I
pulled again. I was gratified by
the sound of ripping cloth.
It shocked us both. We
pushed away from each other,
revolted by our ferocity of a few
moments ago. He glanced at his
torn shirt. His face contorted in
astonishment, hatred, and fear.
Our allies were bug-eyed and
disbelieving. They were frozen
in the sidelines.
Oh no, oh no, oh no
My second was kneeling on the
ground with both fists covering
her mouth. She was rocking to
and fro, no doubt regretting her
role in this sordid affair.
My challengers second
looked at me with loathing.
Both his fists were clenched and
raised in defiance, in imitation
of his ally. He helped his friend
straighten up as best he could.
Then with a final malevolent
look of parting, they both hobbled away.
Im deadIm deadIm
dead My mind mocked in
rhythm with my leaden feet as
I walked home. The boy had
bruises on his face and a torn
shirt. My bruises were on my
body, not apparent to anyone
unless they disrobed me. I
forced myself to eat the lunch
my mother prepared. I dreaded
going back to school and thought
of feigning illness but I didnt
want to appear panicked.
As soon as the bell sounded
I was called to the principals
office. The classroom was abuzz.
Word had leaked about my
midday exploit. I arrived at the
office to see the boy there with
his mother. I looked at him from
the corner of my eye. He met
mine with brashness. My mother
arrived. She paled when she saw
the boy. She didnt look at me.
That evening my mother
told my father about my infamy.
They talked for a very long time.

Continued on page 23

inister
Penaranda,
has returned back to
Manila after completing his tour of duty as the Deputy
Chief of Mission of the Embassy
of the Philippines in Washington,
D.C. on December 31, 2014. We,
in the Filipino American community have seen diplomats and
officers of the Embassy come and
go, but I was so amazed with the
extraordinary number of invitations that this diplomat received
in his honor to bid him farewell.
Invitations started coming in
mid last year and many more
were received as his last day in
the office came closer. Litany of
invitations came in November
to the last day of December for
lunches, dinners and if possible,
even breakfasts; also in group
gatherings and organization
events. Many were thankful that
his final departure was on the 1st
week of February which fortunately gave the well-wishers last
minute farewell parties for goodbyes. Though in Manila now, I
am inspired to pay tribute to him
and his wife.
The Deputy Chief of Mission: First and foremost, the Minister has an impressive profile as
a diplomat. At age 41 in 2014,
he became the Deputy Chief of
Mission, the No. 2 position at
the embassy after the Ambassador. In his words, he feels fortunate that with his posting at
Washington, D.C., his career was
thoroughly enriched by working
with outstanding Ambassadors,
Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.
and Ambassador Willy C. Gaa
under the leadership of two Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and
Secretary Alberto G. Romulo.
I commented that his successive promotions were not
pure luck. Yes, he was fortunate
to have had a very well-rounded
diplomatic and consular experience at the nations capital,
but his upward movements in
a short period of time were due
to his own sterling and meritorious performances that his
diplomatic superiors gave him
credits for. With his humble and
unassuming demeanor, it takes
some directed and focused conversations before he would put
himself into the limelight. Who
knows someday, he might come
back to Washington, D.C. as the
Ambassador.
Profile
on
Diplomatic
Career: His Masters Degree
in Foreign Affairs and Trade
received from the Monash University in Australia had set his
educational foundation towards
a diplomatic career. To further his studies, he took PhD
courses in Development Studies
in Political Science, but had to
postpone its completion due to
his assignment to WDC. There
were positions that he assumed
while building up his diplomatic

career at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. These all

led to foreign assignments as
Second Secretary and Consul
at the Philippine Embassy in
Amman, Jordan in 1999- 2002;
First Secretary and Consul at the
Philippine Embassy in Ankara,
Turkey in 2002- 2005; Directorship of American Affairs that he
assumed in Manila in 2005- 2008;
then came the plum assignment
at the Embassy of the Philippines in Washington, D.C. as
Minister for U.S. Congressional Affairs in November 2008May 2014; Consul General from
November 2012- May 2014; and,
Deputy of Mission on June 2014
December 31, 2014 when his
tour of duty ended.
Highlights of His Career in
WDC: Among others, Minister
Penaranda proved to be an asset
to the Embassy in various capacities that he was entrusted to hold.
He advised Ambassador Cuisia
on promoting relations, building
network with the US Congress
and advancing Philippine interest with Members of Congress;
contributed to the Embassys
successful passage of Save Our
Industries Act, a U.S. Congressional Bill that aims to promote
jobs in the Philippine garments
industry; worked closely with
the US-Philippines Congressional Friendship Caucus and
interacted with the various key
Committees of the Senate and
the House; contributed to the
Embassys successful campaign
for the passage of the Filipino
Veterans equity provision in
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into
law by President Barack Obama
in 2009 with funds approved by
the US Congress for the Philippines increased from US$120
Million in 2009 to US$ 187 million in 2014. These are just a part
of his accomplishments that had
impacts on his series of promotions.
The Amiable and Popular
Diplomat: Though impressive as
it is, I thought that writing only
about his professional position
of affairs would reflect an incomplete image of Minister Penaranda. On this light, I chose to
touch on his personal attributes,
as well. The Filipino American
community met the young Minister for Legislative Affairs and
Consul for the first time in 2008,

only 35 years old and handsome,

I heard. Over the years, the
Washington, D.C. community
leaders noticed this diplomat
to be dynamic, accommodating
and had a pleasant personality.
He attended events hosted by
different organizations closely
engaged the Filipino community,
attending to administrative concerns as well.
We eventually met his pretty
wife, Rowena, who moved with
modesty, finesse, grace. They
were a handsome couple and for
sure, a delight to watch especially
when wearing our Philippine
costumes of terno and barong.
In fact, when they performed
in the Rigodon de Honor dance
that I choreographed for the gala
ball of the Philippine American
Foundation for Charities, Inc.
last year, they were considered as
the most photographed couple
of the evening and proved popular with the community leaders who performed with them.
During rehearsals, the couple
was so diligent and always came
prepared in spite of their busy
schedule between work and
family. Honestly, the couple was
my model performers for their
disciplined manners and graceful dancing. With a respectable
diplomatic stature, everyone just
loved them for their low-key and
friendly demeanor. I could not
help but express my full admiration for them.
Personal Tidbits: Ariels
wife Rowena or Wena for short,
used to work for the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) in
Manila before joining the International Monetary Fund (IF) in
Washington, D.C. She sacrificed
a more stable career to join Ariel
in his foreign postings. Expert
in human resources, her degree
in international studies from the
De La Salle University also prepared her to undertake the challenging task of supporting her
diplomat husband, requiring her
to interact with people of diverse
cultural and professional backgrounds. She involved herself
with the leaders and members
of the Filipino American community who have been agents
in promoting Philippine culture
and heritage.
This young couple is blessed
with three children. Both nationalistic, they gave their children

Continued on page 23

Editorial

March 16-31, 2015

21

Stunning beauty
Amal Alamuddin has the kind of beauty that leaves most
men breathless; shes also a sharp, young barrister whos represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and victims of the
Armenian Genocide in Turkey, among others.
The Lebanese-British lawyer, activist, and most recently,
celebrity wife of Hollywood star George Clooney has revealed
an inclination towards complex, unpopular causes, not the least
her reported intervention for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the discredited former president, locked inside a hospital room while
being tried for plunder.
Officials in Manila, still reeling from the backlash of the
Mamasapano debacle in Maguindanao, have muted their
response. As this paper goes to press, Justice Department officials claimed they still dont have Alamuddins alleged papers
on Mrs. Arroyo.
Mrs. Clooney has reportedly demanded her release and
an apology from the Aquino administration. She purportedly
insists Mrs. Arroyos rights have been trampled on.
Thats raised not a few eyebrows in Manila. The irony cant
be more glaring Mrs. Arroyo presided over one of the bloodiest chapters of Philippine history, rivaling Ferdinand Marcos
Martial Law regime.
About a thousand people priests, journalists, union organizers, farmers, labor leaders, students have been murdered
during Mrs. Arroyos eight-year tenure. A United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings denounced the culture
of impunity, shielding the worst offenders. Before she could
step down, one of her key political allies allegedly murdered 58
people, 34 of them journalist, in Maguindanao: the single deadliest day for journalists around the world.
Whether shes indeed taken the cudgels for Mrs. Arroyo or
this turns out to be a hoax, the attention its gotten may have
given Amal Alamuddin-Clooney an opportunity to really stun
Filipinos and indeed the world, into action for human rights in
the Philippines.

IM A SHORT SLEEPER

urray!
This is a true confession that
deserves to be published in the
magazine, My True Confession. For years,
yours truly have always taken pride in
telling his friends...and girlfriends... that I
only sleep a few hours a day.
The towns philosopher always lectured me about the need to sleep because
it is vital to my health. I have always
claimed that I felt just as healthy as anybody walking on two legs.
Now researchers say short sleepers
need not worry. I never use an alarm
clock, rarely yawn, dont need caffeine,
and no need for naps.
Scientists in California said short
sleepers like me are more energized than
the regular sleepers.
All day long and nights they are
very active. They are very optimistic.
They are go-getters, according to some
experts. Now Dr. Ying Hui Fu and his wife
at the University of California in San Frncisco say less than one percent of the US
population (that includes me) is biologically capable of comfortably running on
six hours of sleep or less.
Fu has only found 20 to 30 people
with the genetic mutation that allows
them to get by on less sleep. Its hard to
tell how frequent this mutation is. They
said that one day there will be a drug that
changes the circadian rhythm, or internal
clock, that controls sleep.
(No Dr. Fu, I prefer to remain as is...)
***
Here we go again. The Philippine
embassy is going out of its way to answer
critics in the media about the alleged
rudeness of consular officers. Consul
General Emil Fernandez went on Facebook to explain why people have to stay
in tents during the deep freeze to wait for
their passports, etc. The problem is that
the consular office has been temporarily
moved to the main building while the old
building is being renovated, again. Why it
is being renovated in mid-winter is probably beyond comprehension.
Among the complaint: the palakasan
system, rude behaviour of staffers, mo
consideration for Pinoys waiting outside
the building with their bodies tumitigas
na sa lamig...
Why not build a bonfire in the
embassy premises? Pity the overworked
staffers.
***
Here are some taelltale signs of a hus-

band spreading marital bliss. Tsismoso

culled this from the internet, probably
from a veteran kulasisi hunter.
The signs:
Hes acting ...differently, but you just
cant put your finger on why. Then, his cell
phone rings in in the middle of the night...
and he doesnt have a good explanation.
Is he cheating or is he just going through
a rough time?
Weve all heard the he blames you
for cheating and his cell phone has a
password on it behaviors of cheating
men, but those are the obvious shifts.
After interviewing 50 cheating men
and a number of their wives/ex-wives
there are several subtle changes that can
take place and that women are usually
unaware of until its too late. Here are the
top 10 tell-tale signs to watch for in your
man.
BY CHARLES ORLANDO
He strays from his predictable everyday behavior.
My wife knew I was cheating before
there was any real evidence. She said
should could just tell.
After spending time with someone
for a number of months (or even years),
you know their typical behavior. You
know how they will act in certain situations and when they act differently, there
has to be an explanation if not cheating, then something else real and tangible.
In this respondents case, he wasnt doing
anything strange ... but he explained the
sign that exposed him. When he started
his affair, he would grab his phone and
head into the restroom for 20-30 minutes.
His excuse: He was reading email and the
news. The only problem was, his phone
bill showed something very different.
He has unpredictable mood swings.
I was constantly looking for reasons
to get away, and it was hard to think of
new excuses all the time. So, Id start a
fight with her.
Being angry instantly or being
overly nice is a red flag. Theres no real
reason for him to leave, so he has to create
one. New activities that he goes to all
the time, but never mentions is a glaring
example. If he was going somewhere and
had no reason to hide it, he would most
likely share it with you. (I need time just
to be alone.) While logical, excuses like
these are usually without a reason or completely out of the norm for him.
He has a rapid change in weight or
appearance.

Continued on page 23

22

March 16-31, 2015

Politically
incorrigible

O
Celebrating Filipino
Women

t may have been Eleanor Roosevelt who said it, but its
an appropriate quote to cite
as we mark Womens History
Month:
A woman is like a tea bag.
You never know how strong she
is until she gets into hot water.
Writing for Tambuli, a community-inspired publication produced mainly by young people
in the DC metropolitan area
more than 15 years ago, Gloria T.
Caoile dedicated her piece to Filipino women for their contributions to our history and culture.
The more challenges we face,
she wrote, the more we rise to
the occasion. And it even amazes
us when we face those challenges
and conquer our fears.
To Gloria, one woman who
stands out is Marcela Agoncillo,
known in history books as the
Mother of the Philippine Flag.
She was the principal seamstress
of the first and official flag of the
Philippines.
The following is excerpted
from Glorias account: Agoncillo was one of many historical
women who played a significant
part in the building of a nation.
Over a hundred years ago, when
General Emilio Aguinaldo went
into exile in Hongkong, he was
accompanied by revolutionaries, including womenfolk:
wives, sisters, daughters, kinswomen, patriots in their own
way. Among them was Agoncillo, the wife of Aguinaldos
spokesman, Don Felipe. She was
asked to sew the first flag of the
Philippines. She chose silk a
brilliant red, a bright blue and
pristine white, purchased from
the bazaars of Hong Kong. She
selected the touch of gold and
used silken threads to match the
brilliant swatches of silk cloth.
Together with her young
daughter, Lorenza and Delfina
Herbosa de Natividad, whose
mother was a sister of Dr. Jose
Rizal, the women labored hard.
Their hearts were imprinted on
the flag. Marcela never saw the
flag fly in Kawit, Cavite. At the
request of Aguinaldo, her husband remained in Hong Kong
and she stayed with him
The women of the revolution never took up arms
although they fought their own
battle. They were the wives who

sustained their men in adversity; couriers who bore messages

in their gentle, frail persons;
volunteers who braved their
battlefields to cook; nurses who
searched the trenches for the
wounded and the dead; keepers of secrets who hid husbands,
brothers, relatives and friends in
their homes and granaries.
Other revolutionaries who
got into hot water but showed

n March 3, the legislative

council of the Associated
Students of the University of California voted to ban the
American flag along with every
other flag from the lobby of the
student government offices.
The resolution that passed
6 4 with 2 abstentions was
authored by a certain Matthew
Guevara purportedly to remove
barriers that create undue effort
and separation by planning and
designing spaces that enable
everyone to participate equally
and confidentially. The resolution further says that the
American flag has been flown
in instances of colonialism and
imperialism.
Flags not only
serve as symbols of patriotism
or weapons for nationalism, but
also construct cultural mythodologies and narratives that in turn
charge nationalistic sentiments.
How in the world can the
stars and stripes serve as a barrier to equal and confidential
participation by students unless
one is allergic to its presence or
consumed by hate for the symbolism that it represents? What
cultural mythodologies and
narratives do you associate

old glory with that is so offensive that it deserves to be swept

under the rug? The rhetoric is so
laden with garbage that I could
not sort out the absurd from the
nonsense.
I dont know if the proponents of the ban call themselves
as progressives or regressives.
Fortunately they did not represent the views of the majority.
The backlash among students,
alumni and the university
administration was swift. Members of the executive cabinet of
the Associated Students of UC
Irvine held an emergency meeting on March 7 and reversed the
decision of the legislative council. The old glory will fly again in
the lobby of its offices and everywhere in the campus. A member
of the ROTC has reportedly
volunteered to guard the flag at
night to prevent it from being
surreptitiously taken again.

I could understand citizens of other nations resenting

American symbols. The cry of
death to America reverberates
in the streets of certain Middle
Eastern and African countries.
Some people despise American
power, its colonial past and its
alleged imperialist designs. But
for people like young girls in
Afghanistan who just want to
attend school and get educated,
or the Christian Hashidis in Iraq
who are facing brutal extermination, they can only pray for the
protection of the American cavalry.
I look at the stars and stripes
and I see the color of blood
spilled by American sons fighting tyranny in far corners of the
world. I see the image of suffering and sacrifice that gave birth
to this nation. I see the ingenuity

Continued on page 23

Loudest voice doesnt always win

Magdalena Leones
their strength in struggle, were
Melchora Aquino, known as
Tandang Sora, who was
arrested, jailed, exiled in servitude during old age because
she opened her home to Andres
Bonifacio, leader of the Katipunan, and other revolutionaries; and Mara Josefa Gabriela
Cario Silang, the first Filipino
woman to lead a revolt against
Spanish oppressors. Her ferocity in the struggle for liberation
and her assassination in 1763 by
the colonial government became
a symbol for Filipino women
today.
During World War II, Filipino women also exemplified the
same strength in their vital role
during the guerilla resistance to
the Japanese occupation. Among
them was Magdalena Leones.
She repeatedly risked her life
to carry important intelligence
data, vital radio parts and medical supplies through heavily garrisoned enemy-held territory.
Although she knew that detection by the enemy would result in
torture and execution, Corporal
Leones fearlessly continued her
perilous missions between guerrilla forces throughout Luzon
with notable success. Through
her intrepidity and skill as a special agent, Corporal Leones contributed materially to the early

Continued on page 23

pposing sides faced

off on the steps of the
Supreme Court where
lawyers argued the pros and
cons of a dispute over whether
the federal government may
continue to provide subsidized
health insurance to people living
in two-thirds of the United
States.
As soon as cheers rose from
one side, a noisy denunciation
erupted on the other. American
democracy in action, I tried to
explain to Jun and Anne, visiting from Manila, as we walked
along 1st Street to the Library
of Congress. Since neither side
could actually understand what
the other was saying, I told them
only half in jest, that whoever
was loudest, wins.
The Supreme Court deliberation on King v Burwell was
just one issue hanging over
the remaining two years of the
Obama presidency. That afternoon, we heard that House
Speaker John Boehner paved the
way for a bipartisan vote on a
clean bill funding the Department of Homeland Security until
September.
Congress came close to
another self-inflicted wound in
the process of funding the DHS.
Republicans went back to their
old, discredited playbook of
tying pet initiatives to funding
measures. That ploy has already
led to federal shutdowns that
were largely blamed on Republicans. It brought them no closer

to getting rid of Obamacare or in

the latest incident, overcoming
the Presidents executive actions
shielding undocumented immigrants from deportation.
So Im not sure why the
GOP keeps trying to shoot themselves on the foot.
After six years, the Obama
legacy is on precarious footing
but its not because of the Republicans.
The latest suit against the
Affordable Care Act (a.k.a.
Obamacare) stems from a critical ambiguity that apparently
revolves around four out of the
thousands of words in the ACA
established by the state.
Proponents say the text of
the ACA only allows for subsidies on state-run exchanges and
that the regulation being implemented by the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) provides subsidies
for both state-run and federal
exchanges.
If the Supreme Court sides
in favor of the lawsuit, analysts

predict from five to eight million Americans could lose their

tax credits and in all likelihood,
their health insurance coverage.
Although the fall-out is difficult
to predict, the fact that the GOP
has spearheaded opposition
against Obamacare and they still
havent offered an alternative,
its just possible that like the
shutdowns, this ones going to
go against them as well.
Before Obamacare, one in
six Asian American and Pacific
Islander (AAPI) didnt have
health insurance, according to
the Center for American Progress. About two million AAPIs
gained or became eligible for
health insurance under Obamacare. Clearly, this is something
that will impact Asian Americans, including of course the
Fil-Am community.
Meanwhile, US District
Court Judge Andrew Hanen
issued an injunction last Feb. 16,

Continued on page 23

23

March 16-31, 2015

Celebrating Filipino... from page 22

liberation of the Philippines. The
Filipina, Magdalena Leones,
entered the history books as one
of the only five females to have
been awarded the Silver Star by
the US Government. This was
the citation which accompanied
the Silver Star when Leones was
awarded the medal by the U.S.
Army on October 22, 1945 for
gallantry in action at Luzon,
Philippine Islands, from 27 February to 26 September 1944.
LOUD
AND
PROUD.
These are just some of the
women who set the stage for us
to reach our goals, Gloria points
out. In the last 20 years, America
has witnessed women moving
into powerful political positions,
and into prominent positions in
corporations, participating as
ambassadors and astronauts,

and taking their right places

in many other career venues.
Women in this country have not
only had to learn to manage in
the workplace, produce substantial work along with their male
peers, but to change the culture
of the workplace.
Our challenge in this country has been made more difficult
by the fact that we have had to
challenge sexual harassment and
discrimination in the work place,
attempt to pierce the glass ceiling, and yet at the same time, our
traditional role as nurturer of the
family remains unchanged.
The strength of the Filipino
women is embodied in the courage, generosity and kindness
shown by each and every one of
you. The question that we face
as Filipino women is whether

Loudest voice doesnt... from page 22

blocking Pres. Obamas November executive action to delay
deportation of undocumented
immigrants. The stop stemmed
from a suit filed by the attorneys of 26 states, challenging
the legality of the Obama edicts.
House Republicans have yet to
file their own court challenge to
the Obama executive order.

The
executive
action
expands the 2012 Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) to include their parents and would have shielded
as many as four million people
from deportation at least for the
next three years. Experts say, its
almost certain this too will go to
the Supreme Court.

Minister Ariel Rodelas... from page 20

Tagalog names which rhymed
with the maiden name of his
wife, Rowena Dyanghirang
from Cavite. They were born in
three different countries where
the Minister was posted, Mithi
Maria in Jordan, Diwata Maria in
Turkey and Lakan Jose (Tagalog
word for supreme leader) in the
United States. I have observed
these well-centered parents to be
nurturing, firm but gentle and
soft-spoken when communicating with their children. In turn,
they were respectful, cheerful
and smart. Mithi is an 8th grade
student, Diwata, a 4th grade
student at St. Timothy School.
Lakan, the 3rd and youngest, is
only three years old. Whenever
possible, the children wore Filipino costumes of saya at baro
and barong Tagalog in Philippine Fairs, Embassy gatherings
and other community events.
Time permits, I have planned to
teach them a family presentation
of Philippine dances. Masarap
silang turuan, disciplined, graceful and enthusiastic.

Did you know that this Minister also sings? I was told that
he was requested to sing to some
of the farewell parties hosted
by community organizations.
. At the farewell lunch hosted
by the Marinduquenos, he
sang impromptu a capella Joey
Ayalas Ilog. During another
farewell dinner hosted by the
Bicolanos, he belted the Tagalong
version of Sarungbanggi. The
attendees in these two gatherings were so delighted with the
newly discovered hidden talent
of the honoree. Ariel, the Minister, became an instant Singing Idol. At the farewell party
hosted by Ambassador and Mrs.
Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., he sang John
Legends All of You accompanied on piano by his daughter
Mithi. His talent does not end
with singing. He also composes
songs. Inspired by his beautiful
wife-to-be, he composed a Tagalog love song and sang it as a
surprise for her at their wedding
reception. For sure, the new Mrs.
Rowena D. Penaranda was so

Washington Tsismis... from page 21

After I started my affair, I
dropped like 10 pounds in about
a week. It was crazy.
Cheating men change physically. Their love handles disappear, their posture changes and
their muscle tone/definition
returns. Its the bodys primal
means of preparing for courtship
hes readying himself to attract

a mate. In addition, they start

taking much better care of themselves and take a lot of pride in
their appearance. Hes suddenly
pressing his clothes, coiffing his
hair and shaving daily when he
didnt before ... especially when
leaving the house without you.
He has an overnight change
in musical taste.

we should relinquish our role.

I believe we have too much
to offer. In fact, I believe that
Filipino women offer a model
for what this country needs
women determined to succeed
in their chosen professions while
maintaining a strong commitment to family and to the community.
Fifteen years later, Glorias
tea bag metaphor is still relevant
as ever. But our mantra is no
longer youve come a long way,
baby, she declares. That was
yesterday. Today we are loud,
proud and we lead without a
doubt. Sisters, we need to step
up, and power up!
Send
your
comments
to jdmelegrito@gmail.com
The GOP-dominated Congress has shown no new signs it
was ready to take up comprehensive immigration reforms.
The loudest voice doesnt
always win the debate. Sometimes, its the guy with the better
idea. Hopefully, I can point to
a better instance of American
democracy at work next time visitors from Manila come calling.
touched with this romantic gesture of the groom. Then, when
the children started coming, he
also composed and sang baptismal song for each of them.
Additional unknown tidbits that I came to know about,
Ariel was a member of the Philippine Political Science Association and founding president of
the UP Moriones, an association
of students from Marinduque
where he was born. Now, have
you heard him speak in Spanish,
Turkish, Arabic and French? PSI forgot to ask if he knows how
to cook, too.
The Minister has a total
package type of personality
both as a diplomat and a family
man. Over the years, he developed warm relationships with
the community that earned their
regards and respects, concurrently balancing his attention
to political, legislative, and consular affairs. As a family man,
we see a happy home. Do we still
wonder why he received a long
list of farewell party invitations?
Ive never really liked jazz.
But I struck up with this woman,
we enjoyed it together. I started
listening to it all the time, just to
think about her.
Theres nothing wrong with
trying new things. But when its
out of the blue and your significant other isnt exposed to the
change, its a warning sign that
something is amiss.
He remembers things wrong

Politically incorrigible... from page 22

and entrepreneurship that made
America the leader in the industrial world. I see American warships coming not to battle but to
bring aid to the distressed hit by
natural calamities. And I see a
nation that has given opportunities to peoples of the world, like
me, my wife and the rest of my
family to make the most of life
under the umbrella of freedom.
If you cannot stand the sight
of the American flag, why stand
on the land wherein its planted?
***
In Manila, there are calls for
the resignation of Pres. Noynoy
Aquino over the disastrous mission that killed Asias Usama Bin
Ladin but resulted in a massacre of most of the raiding police
commandos. At risk is the fate
of the tentative peace agreement
with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front whose fighters figured in
the fatal encounter.
The kin of the fallen com-

mandos are crying for justice.

Caught on video was the merciless execution of a wounded
trooper. The MILF is not willing to surrender the brutal killer
or killers and PNoy is unlikely
to demand it as a condition for
proceeding with the peace agreement. Peace is preferable to war.
Another armed group called
the BIFF was also involved in
the ambush. The MILF says
that there is no need to fight the
BIFF once the MILF people are
installed in power because they
will be isolated once the people
realize that the new government is working. So this means
that the government will end up
spending billions of dollars for
the autonomous region while
the BIFF and the Abu Sayaff will
continue to sow terror. Where is
the peace?

Sugar and Spice... from page 20

Finally I was called in. I was told
IF there was a next time I had
their permission to hit back but
not to hit first. I was appalled.
Why did I have to wait to be
hurt?
I was forbidden to talk to
boys. They need not have bothered. I gained notoriety as a
pugilist. My second refused to
talk to me and the rest of my

classmates gave me a wide berth.

I transferred to another school
the next year.
I have shrugged off the
prickles of my youth. But once
in a while something or someone
ruffles my serenity. When that
happens my husband raises one
sardonic eyebrow and whispers,
Watch out. My wife has her war
paint on.

or loses track of the details.

I was talking to my wife
about a movie we saw and laughing about one of the scenes. She
wasnt laughing. I asked, What?
Dont you remember? She then
informed me that we hadnt see
it together.
As he spends more time
with both of you, the memories
of his time spent with his mistress and the memories of his
time spent with you will start
to blur together. Schedules get
crossed and he wont be able to
keep track of where he was on
any given day. The time he spent
with another woman will be
unaccounted for often, with
no explanation.
He needs lots of privacy.
I was working from home
and I started closing the door
more often, saying that the kids
were loud or that I just needed to
work quietly. I was online chatting with my mistress.
To take time for ones self is
normal. But when its out of the
normal patternor is more and
more frequentits a sign that
something else is going in. Going
into work early, leaving late,
getting off the phone suddenly,
taking lots of private calls from a
relative (mom, sister, someone
untrackable) are also red flags.
He has a drastic change in
sexual appetite and style.
I started my affair and all

I wanted was sex, but not from

my wife. She knew something
was up, because our sex life was
always pretty active.
After I started up with [my
mistress], I started sleeping with
my wife much more often. She
told me I was really aggressive in
bed and that she hadnt seen me
that way before.
A sudden shift in whats
regular or familiar in bed
without a discussion of wanting something new is a big
warning sign of cheating. All of
the men I interviewed expressed
having the feeling of a huge rush
of testosterone which would
manifest as a new confidence
during sex. They felt strong,
masculine, the embodiment of
virility and like every woman
wanted them. Their egos were
growing daily. Keep reading...
He hides his financial history from you.
I was meeting [her] for
lunch almost daily. And our hotel
visits were three or four times
per week. Covering that was
very difficult. I opened a PayPal
account, got a PayPal debit card
and attached a personal checking
account to [my PayPal account]. I
would make online transfers into
PayPal and she couldnt see any
of my transactions.
Most cheating men will
need an untraceable way to pay

To be continued

24

March 16-31, 2015