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PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
3
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
4
VIEWS
& COMMENTARY
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
How will they solve a problem like Mar?
GUEST EDITORIAL
The jester
IN April 2013, while campaigning for the administration’s
senatorial team in a high school auditorium in Cavite,
President Benigno Aquino III uttered something we
remember very clearly today. “By 2015, we would not only be able to make travel from
Baclaran to Bacoor faster, We would also have additional
capacity for 250,000 passengers because of the LRT Line 1
Extension. If this does not happen, and there is Secretary
Abaya who will supervise this project, the two of us will
perhaps let ourselves be run over by a train,” Mr. Aquino
said in Tagalog. Today is December 29, exactly two days before the end of
the year, and there have been no developments whatsoever
with the train’s Cavite Extension Project. The Department
of Transportation and Communications has not given any
notice to proceed to the Light Rail Manila Corp. The President and his transport secretary aren’t preparing
to be run over by anything, either. We really should not expect otherwise. A Palace spokesman
said the President’s statement should not be taken literally.
“The President was speaking with a sense of urgency,”
Secretary Herminio Coloma said, “when he announced his
desire to see the project ‘within two years.’”
“Any reasonable person would understand this to have
been an aspirational statement,” Coloma said.
Between then and now, many reasons have been cited for
the delay in the project. Abaya said it was caused by a failure
in the bidding process under the public-private partnership
program. The government is still pursuing the project, we
are assured, and it will be just a matter of time. How much time they have is a problem, because we are
down to the last few months of the Aquino administration
and the President and his allies are busy campaigning for
their bet. Abaya, for his part, appears too busy awarding
billions of pesos worth of maintenance contracts for the MRT
3 without the benefit of public bidding.
No, we don’t want our top officials lying on the tracks
awaiting their certain deaths. What we want, instead, are government leaders who take
themselves seriously enough to refrain from making stupid
statements even in jest. How can we not think of them as
jesters when such nonsense escapes so freely from their
mouths? We wonder, too: Which part of “Daang Matuwid” is real
and which is a joke? What words uttered by the President
were aspirational and which reflected reality?
Which promises did he intend to keep when he made them
and which did he use for mere effect?
Mr. Aquino claimed he was a man of honesty and integrity.
The people believed him in 2010. Five years later, we knew
we should not have taken his promises literally. – The
Standard
IF THE May 2016 presidential
elections were a referendum on
the administration of President
Aquino as the latter wanted it
to be, Liberal Party presidential
candidate Mar Roxas may be
facing another disappointing
defeat.
From all indications, the
President’s endorsement of his
candidacy has only added to
the burden of his own lack of
acceptance by the voters. He is
now being pictured as a puppet
of Aquino who will do the latter’s
bidding throughout his presidency.
Exactly five months after
Aquino personally chose him
to be the administration’s
presidential candidate to continue
his “Daang Matuwid” program,
Roxas remains stuck at the bottom
of the five-man presidential race.
In the latest Pulse Asia
survey, done after it became
highly probable that independent
candidate Sen. Grace Poe and
PDP-Laban aspirant Davao City
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte would be
disqualified by the Commission on
Elections, Aquino’s anointed was
lagging in fourth spot, behind the
resurgent Vice President Jejomar
Binay, the official candidate of
the opposition United Nationalist
Alliance.
Binay had 33 percent, followed
by Duterte and Poe, both with 21
percent; Roxas with 17 percent;
and Sen. Miriam Defensor
Santiago, 4 percent. It was a big
14-point jump for Binay, who only
had 19 percent in the September
survey. Duterte also gained by 7
percent while Poe lost 5 percent
from September. Roxas dropped
by 3 percent.
In the Social Weather Station
survey, released a couple of days
after the Pulse poll, Binay and
Poe were tied with 26 percent.
Roxas fared better, coming in
third with 22 percent, followed
While it may be true that Aquino
has the highest performance
rating for an outgoing president
at this time, Quimbo conveniently
overlooked the fact that the
President’s performance rating
in December dropped by 9 points
in December, which continues
a downward trend from August
2010 or one month after he became
president. His performance rating
is now 58 percent, down 30 points
from 88 percent in 2010.
With the people finally realizing
that most of Aquino’s campaign
promises remain unfulfilled,
particularly his benchmark goals
of eradicating corruption and
poverty, it is not unlikely that
his net satisfaction rating could
go down to single digit or even
negative before he steps down
from office.
Quimbo also overlooked
the results of a recent survey
that showed that Aquino’s
endorsement of Roxas would
have a negative effect on Roxas.
An SWS survey conducted in the
last week of November showed
that Aquino got a -6 net effect
on endorsement nationwide and
-26 percent among crucial Metro
Manila voters. The figures reflect
the percentage of those who will
probably vote for his candidate
minus those who will probably
vote against him. As columnist
(Please turn to Page 6)
An evening to remember
LAST December 20, 2015,
marked the day the world
renowned and award-winning
University of the Philippines
Concert Chorus (UPCC) –
or simply, “Korus” – was in
Sacramento, California on the
first leg of its U.S. Winter Tour.
As usual, Korus presented a
repertoire of music that made
the audience call for an encore.
And for those who have seen
them perform in Sacramento two
decades ago, and two years ago,
their recent performance brought
back fond memories of their
ability to awe the crowd with their
vibrant musical form.
I remember their first sojourn
into Sacramento in 1996 when
my wife Dolores – who was then
the Chairman of the Filipiniana
F o u n d a t i o n a n d U P C C ’s
Sacramento coordinator -- and
about 20 couples and I waited
for their arrival at our home.
Philippine Tribune
18012 Pioneer Blvd. #E, Artesia, CA 90701
Tel. (562) 865-5620 • Fax (562) 865-6332
e-mail: thephilippinetribune@gmail.com
VAL G. ABELGAS
BOBBY CRISOSTOMO
AILEEN GALON
MEH GUEVARRA
CERES VILLANUEVA
by Duterte, 20, and Santiago, 4.
In the September SWS survey,
Binay had 26 percent, Poe had
24 percent and Roxas, 20 percent.
Based on the surveys, the
possible disqualification of Poe
and Duterte would benefit Binay
more than it would Roxas. If
the moves to disqualify Poe and
Duterte were orchestrated by
the administration as alleged by
the two aspirants’ camps, then
it obviously has boomeranged
as it put back Binay in front of
the field.
If eliminating the two previous
frontrunners would not spell
victory for Roxas, what would?
Aquino and his fellow
Liberals think a more aggressive
endorsement by the President
would raise Roxas from the
doldrums. And so the President
promised to accompany Roxas
and his running mate, Rep. Leni
Robredo, in their campaign sorties
starting next month.
But will it really help? Rep.
Miro Quimbo, Roxas’ spokesman
believes so.
“The support of the President
becomes the most crucial in a
tight race like this,” Quimbo
said. “It becomes even more
significant when the outgoing
president is a popular one, not
a lame duck. P-Noy has the
highest performance rating for an
outgoing President in our history.”
Editor
Chief Photographer
Marketing Director
Art Director
Account Executive
The Philippine Tribune is published by the PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE INC. Views and opinions
expressed herein by writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher,
management and staff of Philippine Tribune.
They arrived in two buses, one
containing the 40 performers
and the other containing their
luggage. In spite of the long travel
from Washington State where
they started their tour, the young
U.P. college students looked
refreshingly full of energy. After
a welcome reception they were
assigned to their host families
during their stay in Sacramento.
Their performance at the Luther
Burbank High School Auditorium
was roundly applauded by the
mostly Filipino-American crowd.
A few days later, Dolores, who
was then a member of the Board
of Directors of the Sacramento
Philharmonic Symphony, brought
the UPCC performers for a
joint performance of Korus and
the Philharmonic Symphony
and guest conductor, kabayan,
Maestro Eugene Castillo.
Their maiden performance in
Sacramento was a success due
in part to the conductor, Prof.
Reynaldo T. Paguio, whose adept
orchestration of the performance
was lauded resoundingly.
Two years later, UPCC was
back in Sacramento for another
outstanding performance. With
their successful performance in
Sacramento in 1996, the turnout
grew bigger.
In 1999, Prof. Paguio passed
away following a surgery and
from complications of diabetes.
We didn’t know what happened
to UPCC after Prof. Paguio’s
death. But we heard that they
continued to perform in some cities
near Sacramento, to wit: Vallejo
and Union City. In 2013, Dolores
and I attended a conference of the
Northern California Sister Cities
of which Dolores is Chairman
of the Sacramento-Manila/
Pasay City Sister Cities. We met
Dr. Rozzana Aliga, the UPCC
coordinator for Vallejo, who
mentioned that UPCC was going
to perform in Vallejo. Their next
performance was in Union City.
Dolores found an opening in the
UPCC’s schedule and suggested
that they perform in Sacramento
after their performance in Union
City. Dolores linked with Vice
Mayor Jim Navarro, the UPCC
coordinator for Union City, and
they worked out a schedule. They
agreed that UPCC would come in
and out of Sacramento on the day
of the performance, which was
December 29, 2013. However,
there was no venue yet. Ant the
event was only six weeks away!
Fortunately, Dolores was
introduced to Fr. Phil Ganir, a
Filipino priest at Saint Ignatius
Parish Church. It didn’t take too
long to get Fr. Ganir to agree,
after all Dolores and I have been
5
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Corruption still PH’s biggest
problem, Standard poll shows
Poverty, drugs, unemployment come next
MANILA -- Despite
almost six years of the Aquino
administration’s “Straight Path,”
Filipinos consider corruption as
the most important problem of the
country, the latest The Standard
Poll shows.
Resident pollster Junie Laylo
said 31 percent of the surveyed
PRAYER is the means by the morning, Lord. Each morning 1,500 registered voters who said
which we talk to God. King I bring my requests to you and they are likely to vote in next
David in the Old Testament was wait expectantly. O God, you take year’s elections, named corruption
called “after God’s own heart,” no pleasure in wickedness; you as the most important problem.
Among the five areas where
because he consulted the Lord in cannot tolerate the slightest sin. all matters that concerned his life. Therefore, the proud will not be the survey was conducted from
We should bring to Him allowed to stand in your presence, Dec. 4 to 12, those from Metro
Manila were most concerned
in prayer all our hurts, pains, for you hate all who do evil.”
anxieties, fears, and at the same
I pray in Jesus Name for with corruption (38 percent),
time, praise Him for Who He is your total deliverance from any followed by South Luzon/Bicol
and what He has done for us and bondage, wickedness, diseases, (33 percent) and North/Central
what He is doing in our lives. afflictions of body and mind, Luzon (30 percent). Those less
There is no prescribed time in perverse and unclean lifestyle, and concerned were from the Visayas
prayer. It does not have to be demonic spirits of any kind. May (29 percent) and Mindanao (28
long or repetitive. You can talk the Blood of our Lord Jesus cover percent).
Although corruption has
to the Lord any time of the day or you from the top of your head to
night because God is ever-present the soles of your feet and may always been a top concern since
in our lives, twenty four hours a you have freedom from fear and May, this was the first time it was
day, seven days a week.
anxiety as you look forward to a viewed as more important than
My prayer for you as we leave new year that the Lord is bringing unemployment, which dropped
2015 and enter into the new year into your life with hope, peace, from 29 percent to only 10 percent
in December, Laylo said.
of 2016, is that the Lord God will and joy. Other important problems
bring to your hearts and minds
I pray, too, that you will always
any un-confessed sin and to ask remember that the Lord God is identified by respondents were
for forgiveness in Jesus’ Name. your strength; He will make your poverty (15 percent) and illegal
Your heart is the seat of your feet like deer’s feet; and He will drugs (14 percent).
Poverty, now seen as the
soul, the “inner man” that either make you walk on the high hills of
obeys or disobeys God or accepts life. (Paraphrased from Habakkuk second most important problem,
did not even figure in the top
or rejects what God wants you to 3:19).
do. Do you pray for those who
Happy New Year to you. May five problems in the May and
had offended you and do you ask God’s grace and mercy be upon September polls, where it
the Lord Jesus to forgive and to you and your love ones. May the registered a low 3 percent and 2
bless them? Now is the perfect New Year 2016 bring you what percent, respectively.
Metro Manila residents were
time to do it!
you were hoping for in 2015. I pray that the Lord will reveal Leave matters to God. As the least concerned with poverty (9
to you today that the life of a psalmist in Psalm 46:10 extols us: percent) while those from North/
Christian is anchored in truth “Let go [of your concerns]! Then Central Luzon and South Luzon/
— that God is indeed love, but you will know that I am God. I Bicol (both 19 percent) thought
God is also holy. The love of rule the nations. I rule the earth.” it is the second most important
problem of the country.
God and His holiness goes hand- (God’s Word translation)
The prices of goods and services
in-hand. In Psalm 5:3-5, David
We at Silver Lake Foursquare
prayed: “Listen to my voice in Church, also known as Open also dropped from its third-place
Door Christian Fellowship, wish ranking in May (17 percent) and
you a joyous and prosperous September (16 percent) with only
New Year. Please visit us. We 9 percent saying it is one of the
meet on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. most important problems of the
for our worship service at 2808 country.
(From Page 1)
Despite the problems they
West Temple Street, Los Angeles,
jurisdiction.
identified, 64 percent said they
California 90026.
The protesters, composed of
47 young men and women, led by
ex-marine captain Nick Faeldon,
held bonfire and other activities
on Pagasa Island in a symbolic
defiance of China’s expansionism
in the South China Sea, including
its construction of seven artificial
islands in the disputed waters.
The group is expected to sail
back to Puerto Princesa, Palawan
for their departure to Manila on
Dec. 30.
Padilla said personnel from
the Western Command visited the
youth, giving them provisions.
“We salute them and hailed
what they have manifested as
regard the concern over our
territory in the West Philippine
Sea,” Padilla said, referring to
areas of the South China Sea that
the Philippines claims.
“We also praised them for
being nationalistic and patriotic
and for forming a group to be able
to sail to Pagasa Island.”
Earlier, the military had
opposed the Kalayaan Atin
Ito mission, saying it could
complicate security concerns in
the area.
On their journey back to
Manila, Padilla said the Western
Command would provide escort
personnel to the youth group and
their movement would also be
monitored to ensure their safety.
The coordinator of the group,
Joy Ban-eg, said the journey to
Pagasa Island would not be the
last but the first in a series of
similar voyages that would be
launched “in the near future.”
My prayer for you
in the New Year
China...
believed the country is heading
in the right direction, compared
to 36 percent who said it was on
the wrong track.
This was an improvement
from September, when 53 percent
believed the country was going in
the right direction and 47 said it
was on the wrong track. In May,
51 percent said it was going in the
right direction and 49 disagreed.
Most who thought the
country was heading in the right
direction came from the Visayas
(53 percent) and Mindanao (52
percent), who were affected by
the cash dole they were receiving
under the government’s Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
The response from the Visayas
and Mindanao was even better
than the national response rate of
46 percent, compared to Metro
Manila where 45 percent cited
the 4Ps as a reason and 40 percent
in North/Central Luzon. Only 36
percent cited the 4Ps as a reason
in South Luzon/Bicol.
Other reasons given accounted
for a far lower percentage: absence
of war or disorder, 3 percent;
government aid during calamities,
employment opportunities and
educational benefits, all 5 percent.
Only 8 percent said they based
their view on economic progress
or on improvement in the fight
against corruption while 10
percent said it was on the right
track because of improvements
in infrastructure or the detention
of high-ranking government
officials.
On the other hand, most of
those who said the government
was going in the wrong direction
based their decision on their
wages (40 percent), followed
by the rising cost of living
(15 percent) and the lack of
government assistance to disaster
victims (15 percent).
Of those concerned with
wages, 51 percent were in Metro
Manila and 48 percent in the
Visayas. Forty-five percent from
North Central/Luzon and 32
percent from South Luzon/Bicol
shared the view while only 25
percent were from Mindanao.
The survey, conducted between
Dec. 4 and 12, involved faceto-face interviews with 1,500
registered voters who said they
would certainly vote in 2016, and
who came from 76 provinces and
38 cities.
The national figures have a
margin of error of plus or minus
2.6 percent, with a confidence
rate of 97.4 percent because
the sample size was equally
distributed geographically and
differentiated between provinces
and their component cities.
6
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
SC issues TROs on Poe’s...
(From Page 1)
READY FOR THE REVELRY. Workers wrap fireworks at a
makeshift factory on Saturday in Bocaue, Bulacan. Production of
fireworks has stepped up in anticipation of New Year celebrations
despite the Department of Health advisory to avoid the use of
firecrackers as numerous incidents have led to scores of injuries.
Police uncover Abu plot
to bomb Zamboanga mall
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The
Abu Sayyaf Group is planning to
attack KCC Mall of Zamboanga,
the biggest shopping center here,
according to the police.
Chief Insp. Joel Tuttuh,
spokesperson of the Zamboanga
City Police Office (ZCPO),
said they have been receiving
persistent intelligence reports
on a plan of the ASG to bomb
KCC (Koronadal Commercial
Corporation).
Tu t t u h s a i d t h a t i n t h e
past weeks, reports from the
intelligence communities showed
that the target of a bomb attack
would be the target of the KCC
mall, “particularly its basement
area.”
Tuttuh added that KCC Mall
has been lacking in security
measures.
“The security is loose…The
ASG is not that stupid that they
would show protruding wires
if they sneak in improvised
explosive device,” Tuttuh said.
But Mayor Maria Isabelle
Salazar immediately sought to
prevent panic, saying the police
and military have been doing their
best to thwart any attack.
She said her government has
been coordinating closely with
Sulu and Basilan, the known bases
of the Abu Sayyaf, “so that they
will be able to avert any threat in
the city of Zamboanga.”
Salazar said security “is always
the concern for the city.”
“That is why we have been
working very hard together
with the different industries and
business sectors for the safety of
everyone,” she said.
She said KCC mall has
been fully equipped with x-ray
machines and K9 units.
2 troopers killed in Abu attack
M A N I L A — We s t e r n
Mindanao Command (WMC)
units are now pursuing suspected
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
bandits who killed two soldiers
and wounded another during an
attack in a military detachment
in Talipao, Sulu Monday early
morning.
Major Filemon Tan, WMC
spokesperson, said the attack
took place at 2 a.m. in Sitio Palan,
Barangay Mapallam, Talipao.
In the unprovoked assault, two
soldiers were killed while another
one was wounded.
Government return fire
drove away the ASG bandits
and inflicted still undetermined
number of casualties among the
brigands.
Tan did not identified the slain
and wounded troopers pending
notification of their next-of-kin.
effective until further orders from
the SC.
This means that Poe is already
assured of the inclusion of her
name in the list of qualified
presidential candidate and in the
ballots which would be printed by
the poll body.
Te explained that the TROs
were issued by the Chief Justice
in line with the provisions of
the SC’s internal rules and on
recommendations by the justices
in-charge of the cases.
The SC justices are on recess
until January 10. The TROs
issued by Sereno are subject to
confirmation by the majority of
the justices in a full court session
on January 12.
Meanwhile, Poe thanked the SC
for its “just and compassionate”
decision in granting the TROs
on Comelec rulings cancelling
her COC.
The lady senator remains
hopeful that the High Court would
uphold the truth and the spirit and
intent of the provisions of the
Constitution pertaining to naturalborn Filipinos.
“I thank the Supreme Court for
a just and compassionate decision.
From the start, I put my full
faith in the judicial process. The
Comelec denied our people their
choices in an open election but
I am confident that the Supreme
Court will uphold the truth and
the spirit of the Constitution,” Poe
said in a statement.
“We are confident the SC will
honor previous jurisprudence
on the rights of foundlings to a
country and citizenship. I also
pray that they will carefully look
into the facts of my residence and
my actual physical presence in the
country,” Poe said.
Poe expressed optimism that
the SC will let the people decide
for a “truly democratic elections”
and will decide the same way it
did on her father’s case in 2004.
Article VII, Section 2 of the
Constitution provides that “no
person may be elected President
unless he is a natural-born citizen
of the Philippines, a registered
voter, able to read and write, at
least forty years of age on the
day of the election, and a resident
of the Philippines for at least ten
years immediately preceding such
election.”
On December 23, the Comelec
as a full commission (en banc)
with all seven members in session
dismissed Poe’s petitions against
the rulings of the poll body’s
first and second divisions which
cancelled her certificate of
candidacy (COC) for president.
In a 5-2 vote, the Comelec
en banc upheld its first division
ruling that disqualified Poe on
questions of citizenship and
residency. The petitioners in the
disqualification cases were former
Senator Francisco Tatad, La Salle
professor Antonio Contreras and
former University of the East Law
Dean Amado Valdez.
The Comelec en banc also
affirmed its second division
ruling that cancelled Poe’s COC
for her failure to meet the 10year residency required by the
Constitution. The poll body voted
5-1-1 in favor the division ruling
based on the case lodged by
lawyer Estrella Elamparo.
The rulings of the Comelec
en banc were challenged in two
separate petitions filed with the
SC.
Meanwhile, Elamparo filed
with the SC yesterday afternoon
a manifestation objecting to the
issuance of a TRO.
She cited “the long standing
jurisprudence that no one has a
vested right to any public office,
much less a vested right to an
expectancy of holding of holding
public office.”
“(Poe) claims she has a clear
and unmistakable right to run for
president despite the Comelec
unanimously declaring that she
is not a natural born Filipino
citizen, perhaps the most basic
qualification required of someone
running for president,” she said.
“Under no circumstance can
it be claimed that inability to run
or be included in the ballot as
a candidate can cause clear and
irreparable damage to a person
— as if it were a life and death
situation. On the contrary, the
damage to the electorate will
be grave and irreparable if the
decision of respondent Comelec is
not implemented. The possibility
that the voters may be misled
into voting for a candidate who
is, based on undisputed facts, not
qualified is serious. If later on it is
confirmed that s,” she said.
How will they solve...
(From Page 4)
Alex Magno aptly describes it,
Aquino’s endorsement is a reverse
Midas touch.
Some political pundits even
claim that perhaps Roxas would
have been better off if he had run
with his own agenda than claiming
that he would continue Aquino’s
“daang matuwid” program. That
Roxas remains lagging behind
is a clear manifestation of how
Aquino’s administration measures
up to the people.
So how will the Liberals solve
a problem like Mar Roxas?
The opposition warns that
the government would pour all
its resources to back the Roxas
campaign, such as the possible
use of the billions of pesos under
the Conditional Cash Transfer
program and the billions of pesos
of unused funds from the various
departments.
Wi l l t h e y p u r s u e t h e
disqualification of Poe and
Duterte, which after all have
basis in law, and risk a virtual oneon-one with Binay, with Santiago
burdened by failing health?
While surveys have shown that
Binay could benefit more from
the disqualification of the two
frontrunners, the Liberals may
actually favor a one-on-one race
with Binay for the simple reason
that it simplifies the campaign
because they only have to train
their guns on one opponent who
is more vulnerable to attack than
either Poe or Duterte. And it would
be easier to make the people
accept a Roxas win because of
the many dents in Binay’s armor.
One month before the official
campaign starts and less than five
months before the actual election,
every move remains tentative
on the part of the candidates
and every analysis remains
speculative until the Supreme
Court has made a final decision on
the disqualification cases against
Poe and Duterte.
Meanwhile, the voters are
left hanging and confused, many
of them unable to decide whom
to vote for in May. It also left
in disarray potential campaign
donors who are unhappy with
the Aquino administration.
Apparently, the Liberals are
basking in the confusion.
(valabelgas@aol.com)
7
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Civilians arm selves vs BIFF
K I D A P AWA N C I T Y,
Cotabato — Residents of a
remote village in M’lang town
in North Cotabato, majority of
whom are Ilonggo settlers, have
started arming themselves to
protect their lives, properties, and
livelihood from possible attacks
launched by armed Moro fighters.
But the Ilonggos, contrary to
reports, are not members of the
Ilaga Movement, an extremist and
pro-government, para-military
group organized in the 70s to fight
against Moro rebellion.
“No, we’re not members
of the Ilaga. We are ordinary
civilians who wanted to protect
ourselves from our attackers,
Moro inhabitants coming from
nearby town of Kabacan in
North Cotabato,” said Armando
Tongcua, chairman of Barangay
Tibao, M’lang.
On December 26, three
of Barangay Tibao’s civilian
volunteers and tanods (village
peacekeepers) were injured when
they engaged in a running gun
battle with armed Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF),
a breakaway group from the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Among those wounded were
Tongcua’s brother, Nolly; Sonny
Catague, barangay tanod who
suffered fracture on his right
arm after it was hit by a bullet
fired at by the attackers; and
Jomar Magarso, an armed civilian
volunteer.
They were taken to the M’lang
Specialist Hospital in Poblacion
for treatment.
Tongcua said the attackers
came from nearby Barangays
Cuyapon and Lower Malamote of
Kabacan and traveled to Barangay
US to deport illegal...
(From Page 1)
unaccompanied children crossing
into the United States from
Mexico slowed this year, but the
numbers surged upwards again in
October and November.
Several Latin American
countries are in the grip of violent
lawlessness and the El Niño
weather pattern has plunged a
number of countries in the region
into drought.
The Department of Homeland
Security did not dispute
anonymously sourced reports in
The Washington Post and Wall
Street Journal that a crackdown
is imminent.
According to the reports,
hundreds of families living in
the United States whose asylum
requests have been denied will be
rounded up and sent home.
DHS Immigration and Customs
Enforcement spokeswoman
Gillian Christensen told AFP that
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh
Johnson “has consistently said
our border is not open to illegal
immigration.
“If individuals come here
illegally, do not qualify for asylum
or other relief, and have final
orders of removal, they will be
sent back consistent with our laws
and our values.”
Refugee rights activists argue
the families are fleeing corruption,
gang violence and drought in their
homelands and should be treated
as refugees.
Republican presidential
hopefuls including front runner
Donald Trump who took to Twitter
to claim credit for the deportations
are vying for who can promise the
toughest stance on immigration.
Trump tweeted: “Wow, because
of the pressure put on by me, ICE
TO LAUNCH LARGE SCALE
DEPORTATION RAIDS. It’s
about time!”
In contrast, Hillary Clinton’s
campaign said the Democratic
front runner had “real concerns.”
Clinton “believes it is critical
that everyone has a full and fair
hearing, and that our country
provides refuge to those that need
it,” read a statement reported in
US media.
“We should be guided by a
spirit of humanity and generosity
as we approach these issues.”
In the 2015 fiscal year, the
arrests of non-documented
migrants crossing the US southern
border dropped by a third to the
second lowest level since 1972.
Tibao through pump boats.
Tongcua said they have to
defend themselves because they
believe nobody would.
“There is no Army detachment
here. No police outpost. Every
time the BIFF rebels attack us,
it’s only us who would defend
our lands, our properties, our
lives. Nobody would, but us,” he
explained.
Barangay Tibao is situated near
the Liguasan marsh, believed a
BIFF base.
They have been attacked and
harassed many times, in the past,
he said.
He admitted, though, the
firearms they used are unlicensed.
“Paunsa makapa-lisensya sa
amon mga armas? Pirting mahala
man sad pud (How could we get
the licenses for our guns? It’s
so costly),” said the barangay
chairman.
Tongcua said they already
informed their local officials and
local police about use of guns as
their protection.
“Kabalo sila (town mayor and
town police chief) ani tungod
kay ang amon barangay usa
man kaconflict area (They knew
about this because our barangay
is considered a conflict area”, he
stressed.
Barangay Tibao has at least
35 members of the Barangay
Peacekeeping Action Team
( B PAT ) a n d m o r e t h a n a
hundred from civilian volunteer
organizations (CVOs) – all armed.
“Each house here has a gun. Ever since, our residents here
would save money just to buy
a gun. This is our shield, our
protector,” he said.
The report on the arming of
the civilians in Barangay Tibao
in M’lang came after members of
the Ilaga Movement in Midsayap
town, also in North Cotabato,
have publicly challenged BIFF to
a “gun duel.”
“Kami ang harapin n’yo at
‘wag ang mga sibilyan,” an Ilaga
commander told BIFF.
FIESTA FARE. A man checks one of the roasted pigs, locally
called lechon, being offered at a lechon store in La Loma district
in Quezon City. Lechon is one of the traditional Filipino dishes
for Christmas.
P3.8B MRT deal awarded
without public bidding
MANILA – Citing an
emergency, the Department
of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) has
awarded without public bidding
a P3.81-billion long-term
maintenance contract for the
Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) to a Korean-Filipino group.
The joint venture of Busan
Transportation Corp., Edison
Development & Construction,
Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMICorp.
Inc. and Castan Corp. won the
deal by negotiated procurement.
A DOTC statement said the
contract aims to improve the
services of the glitch-prone MRT3, which spans the North Avenue
station in Quezon City to Taft
Avenue in Pasay City.
“Beginning Jan. 5 next year,
the winning concessionaire will
fulfill the general maintenance
requirements for three years,”
the DOTC said in a statement on
Christmas Eve.
Former MRT general manager
Al Vitangcol faces trial for
graft for awarding the previous
maintenance contract, also
without public bidding, to a group
that included his uncle-in-law
and a fund-raiser of the ruling
Liberal Party (LP). The company,
which was newly organized
and had less than P1 million in
capitalization, replaced Japanese
giant Sumitomo.
The contract, signed by
Transport Secretary and LP
president Joseph Emilio Abaya,
was worth $1.15 million a month.
It was extended several times,
lasting 10 months.
Abaya, who replaced Mar
Roxas as DOTC chief, said he was
just two days into the job when he
signed the deal. Abaya was spared
from indictment by the Office of
the Ombudsman.
It is not clear why, despite
the large amount involved, the
indictment was for graft instead
of the serious and non-bailable
offense of plunder.
Under the new contract
awarded this Christmas season,
the DOTC stated that the service
provider will procure the spare
parts needed to increase the
number of operating trains,
especially during peak hours.
8 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
LP may use P64-B CCT funds for campaign -- UNA
MANILA - The P64-billion
fund for the government’s
conditional cash transfer
(CCT) program this year could be
used to bankroll the campaign of
Liberal Party candidates next year,
according to the opposition United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of
Vice President Jejomar Binay.
UNA spokesman Mon
Ilagan said it was LP stalwart
and Caloocan City Rep. Edgar
Erice himself who said the
CCT program, also known as
the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino
Program (4Ps), would ensure
“an easy win” for administration
presidential bet Manuel Roxas II
No, we won’t -- Palace
MANILA – Malacañang
assured the nation yesterday
that the government will not use
the P64 billion allocated for the
conditional cash transfer (CCT)
program to bankroll the campaign
of Liberal Party candidates,
particularly presidential aspirant
Manuel Roxas II.
Presidential spokesman Edwin
Lacierda also justified for the nth
time the implementation of the
program to lift the marginalized
sector from the cycle of poverty.
“The CCT program has been
implemented by the Aquino
administration since the start and
over the years, we have expanded
the number of beneficiaries
from 800,000 families to 4.4
million families. It is a program
envisioned to implement the
President’s credo that no one
should be left behind,” he said.
“To allow our poorest brothers
and sisters the opportunity to
break the inter-generational
cycle of poverty cannot even be
remotely described as misuse and
perhaps those who accuse as such
are, for all intents and purposes,
doing a disservice to our people
who have benefited from the
program.” United Nationalist Alliance
spokesman Mon Ilagan had said
the budget for the CCT program
could be misused and that LP
stalwart and Caloocan City Rep.
Edgar Erice himself stated it
Edwin Lacierda
would ensure “an easy win” for
Roxas next year because the
funds were being given directly
to the poor.
43 dead in wild storms across US
(From Page 1)
damaged or destroyed by rare but
extremely powerful December
twisters as residents of Alabama
and Florida were warned they
could be next.
Millions of people trying to
get home after Christmas were
stranded by the bad weather,
which grounded flights and buried
major highways and roadways in
snow, ice and floodwaters.
Officials pleaded with people
to be wary of flash flooding
after several cars were swept off
roadways and to be wary of slick
conditions following freezing
rain.
Over 1,100 US flights were
canceled and another 1,650
were delayed Monday morning,
according to tracking service
FlightAware.
Airports were already
overwhelmed by frustrated
travelers after some 1,640 flights
were scrapped and more than
6,400 delayed Sunday as the storm
system essentially shut down
airports in Texas.
Hardest hit on Monday was
the major hub of Chicago, where
freezing rain and gusting winds
grounded over 450 flights,
according to FlightAware.
The National Weather Service
said more than 20 states—from
Texas to as far north and east as
Maine—were under a weather
watch or warning. Over a foot
(30 centimeters) of snow was
expected in some areas and flash
flooding and freezing rain in
others.
The powerful storm system
fueled by unseasonably warm
air that began in the deep south
Wednesday had already dumped
as much as 41 inches (104
centimeters) of snow in parts of
New Mexico and 10 inches of rain
in parts of Arkansas, Missouri,
Oklahoma, and Texas the weather
service said.
The governors of New Mexico,
Texas and Missouri declared
states of emergency for all or parts
of their states Sunday to better
handle storm damage. Alabama,
Mississippi and Georgia also took
similar measures.
At least 11 people were killed
over the weekend as tornadoes
struck the heavily populated
Dallas area in Texas.
The rare December twisters
flattened homes, knocked cars
off highways and flipped big-rig
trucks like toys. The NWS said
that at least nine twisters touched
down in the region late Saturday.
Hardest-hit was the Dallas
suburb of Garland, where
authorities confirmed eight
fatalities after a tornado packing
winds of up to 200 miles (320
kilometers) per hour bore down
on the city.
City officials said this was only
the second time since 1950 that
such a powerful twister struck
the area.
Aerial footage showed rows
of flattened homes, while others
had roofs ripped off and windows
shattered. Some 600 buildings
were damaged or destroyed,
officials said.
in 2016.
“It was Congressman Erice
himself who said that the 4Ps is
LP’s mechanism to make Mar
Roxas win. This scenario of
using 4Ps funds to influence or
indirectly buy votes for their bet in
the 2016 polls is very alarming,”
Ilagan said.
“The conditional cash transfer
literally comes with ‘conditions’
and with some strings attached.
With P64 billion allocated to
DSWD (Department of Social
Welfare and Development) for
this purpose, the distribution of
CCT funds from January to May
2016 will definitely affect voting
behavior. No doubt, it has become
a legal mechanism to buy their
way to Malacañang,” he said.
Ilagan said UNA is also
convinced that the P3-trillion
national budget for 2016 is
nothing more than an LP war
chest intended to “turbo-charge”
the chances of Roxas and other
LP bets in the national elections.
He said the government has
steadily increased the funding for
CCT starting from P29.2 billion
in 2011, and it has risen to P64
billion for 2016, targeting about
five million beneficiaries.
Ilagan said the LP, as the ruling
party, will use everything in its
disposal to ensure that its bets
would top the 2016 elections.
Ilagan, meanwhile, maintained
that Binay would continue the
CCT program should he get
elected president next year.
The Vice President, however,
said the CCT program needs to
be complemented with bigger
government spending for health
centers and hospitals, facilities as
well as cheaper medicine.
An evening to...
(From Page 4)
loyal supporters of the Saint
Ignatius Parish School where
our two daughters graduated and
where our five grandchildren are
now going to school. We got
the church as the venue for the
concert… at minimal cost!
That was the time when
Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda hit
Tacloban City hard. Upon the
recommendation of Dolores to
the Board of Directors of Eskwela
Natin (Our Filipino School), of
which she was the President, the
proceeds from the concert were
donated to the typhoon victims
through three non-profit relief
organizations, to wit: Lions Clubs
International Foundation (LCIF),
Red Cross Sacramento Chapter,
and the Catholic Relief Services.
The concert was well attended.
After a short reception for the
performers, they headed back to
Union City. We wished they could
have stayed longer and there were
families who were willing to host
them. But time was short.
This year, they came back
and stayed longer… one week!
There were eighteen performers,
including the conductor, Professor
Janet “Jai” Sabas -Aracama.
There were five host families from
Sacramento and another five from
Davis. They’re part of the Davis
Yolo Pinoy Group, which former
mayor of Davis Ruth Asmundson
organized.
To my knowledge this was the
first time that Sacramento and
Davis community groups had
worked jointly in a project of this
kind. The reception committee
was delegated to the Davis Yolo
Pinoy Group of which a member,
Dr. Rich Naval, is owner of
Bravante, a St. Helena winery that
caters to a select number of highend restaurants in the Bay Area.
In addition to their concert,
the UPCC performed at the
Blessed Sacrament Cathedral
and in several “Simbang Gabi”
masses that included St. Paul,
Divine Mercy and the St. Maria
Gorretti Catholic Church, which
was officiated by Bishop Jaime
Sotto. They also participated in
Maharlika Lions Club’s caroling
project in several homes.
After the 5:30 AM “Simbang
Gabi” at St. Maria Gorretti, the
host families gave a despedida
party for the performers at the
beautiful country estate of Lito
and Dr. Malu Bautista in Elk
Grove. The others in attendance
were hosts Pete and Vicki
Lumbang, host Ludy Garrucho,
Ludi Lapus, Joseph Stayner and
Fely Villanueva, and Dolores
and myself. Hosts Bert and Julie
Melliza couldn’t make it due to
prior commitment. We drove the
performers to Vallejo where the
Union City group was waiting to
bring them to their next stop.
And now it’s time to say
goodbye to a wonderful group
who dedicated themselves
to sharing the rich culture of
the Filipino people. And in
recognition of their talents, they
have received awards from all
over the world, including the
Grand Prix at the 6th International
Krakow Choir Festival in Poland
on June 14, 2015. Indeed, they
have represented the Philippines
superbly as its ambassadors of
goodwill.
The parting hugs and kisses
evoked a poignant mixture of
sweetness and sadness. As we
savor the sweet success of the
Korus performance, we also felt
a tinge of sadness that they’re
leaving. But we also know that
they’d be back to Sacramento.
And when they do, we’re ready to
welcome them back to our homes.
But for now, au revoir.
And to the Ad Hoc Committee
who made it happen, kudos and
more power to you!
Dolores V. Diaz (Chair), Ruth
Uy Asmundson (Co-Chair),
David Yolo Pinoy Group, Johnny
Abilay, Myrna Agbunag, Fred
Aquino, Mark and MaryAnn
Bamba, Raul Bernaldez, Josie T.
Canlas, Joe and Gladys Carrasco,
Perry Diaz, Didi Loteyro, Pete and
Vicki Lumbang, Bert and Julie
Melliza, Ramon and Celsa Taraya,
and Zenny Yagen.
And to the Host Families who
lovingly cared for the Korus
performers during their stay in
Sacramento, a BIG THANK
YOU.
Paul and Marisa Agnew,
Ruth Asmundson, Lito and
Malu Bautista, Ludy Garrucho,
Dan and Ludi Lapus, Pete
and Vicki Lumbang, Alita and
David MacKill, Bert and Julie
Melliza, Rich Naval, and Rebecca
Neumann.
Last but not the least, SPECIAL
THANK YOU goes to Joseph
Stayner and Fely Villanueva for
handling and transporting the
luggage from the San Francisco
Airport to Davis, and then from
Davis to Sacramento, and finally
to Vallejo.
SPECIAL THANK YOU goes
to Raul Bernaldez for setting up
the sound system and lighting. He
was also the official photographer
and responsible for updating the
Facebook account of Eskwela
Natin.
SPECIAL THANK YOU goes
to Bing and Lynn Ventura for
letting us use their 15-passenger
van for transporting the
performers.
Not only did the Korus make
lovely music, they brought out
the lovely music of togetherness
amongst the members of the
Filipino-American community
in Sacramento and Davis. The
concert was indeed an evening to
remember.
(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)
ADVERTISE.
(562) 865-5620
9
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
HOMELAND NEWS BRIEFS
ABS-CBN crew survive ambush
COTABATO CITY — Various sectors in Mindanao took turns
Sunday in condemning the ambush of a TV news team in Marawi City
last Saturday, deploring the incident as a “cowardly act” and affront
not only to the spirit of the current Yuletide season but to social strides
for good governance.
The officialdoms of Lanao del Sur and the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) ordered an in-depth police probe on the
motive and identities of perpetrators in the ambush of an ABS-CBN
news team at Banggolo, the central commercial district of Marawi City,
at 12:40 p.m. on Saturday.
Iligan City-based ABS-CBN reporter Ronie Enderes, cameraman
Lito Balansag, and driver Gary Montecillo were unhurt but the window
shields of their service car were shattered by bullets fired by motorcycleriding armed men.
In an earlier report, Enderes said they saw two motorcycles with
riders in tandem following them from the border of Marawi City and
Ditsaan-Ramain town in Lanao del Sur where the news team conducted
coverage of one NGCP pylon toppled down in the area on December 25.
“We sped up but the motorcycles kept on chasing us until we reached
Banggolo where two gunshots were fired at the driver’s side. Thank
God, none of us was hurt though traumatized,” Enderes said.
Militia chief threatens mediamen
MANILA – A leader of the military-backed Magahat Baghani militia
forces warned Mindanao-based journalists Thursday they could be
ambushed on their way to cover the 47th anniversary celebrations of
the Communist Party of the Philippines on Dec. 26.
In a text message sent to Mindanao-based journalists, a man claiming
to be Bobby Tejero of the Magahat militia said covering the CCP
anniversary was an admission that they supported the communists and
were thus the enemies of the Magahat Bagani.
“Good day to all media in Mindanao, we would like to inform
you that we will target for ambush whoever in media will attend the
anniversary of the CPP/NPA/NDF. Because anyone attending the
anniversary is a sympathizer of the NPA, which is why media should
not attend to avoid being involved in the war. The war between the NPA
and the armed lumad Magahat. The military and police have nothing to
do with this because this is a fight between the tribe and the NPA. Thank
you very much. For your information Bobby Tejero commander of the
Magahat… please spread to the whole of Mindanao,” the message,
quoted by the online Davao Breaking News, said.
Tejero and his brother Loloy and Garilo Laylo—members of
the Magahat forces formed by the military to fight the communist
insurgency—have been charged with murder in relation to the deaths
of lumad school executive director Emerito Samarca and two other
tribal leaders, Dionel Campos and Datu Bello Sinzo in Lianga, Surigao
del Sur on Sept. 1.
Magsanoc, Inquirer editor, dies
LETTY Jimenez Magsanoc, long-time editor in chief of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer, passed away at the St. Luke’s Medical Center
Global City on Christmas Eve.
Magsanoc was one of the founders of the Inquirer; the name of
the new newspaper was her suggestion, inspired by her experience.
When it launched on December 9, 1985, it was yet another addition
to the so-called mosquito press struggling to report the news under
the Marcos regime. But in her quarter-century as chief editor, she was
instrumental in making the Inquirer the country’s leading newspaper.
In 1998, a senior senator paid it the ultimate compliment, saying that
regardless of what senators and other public officials did, the Inquirer’s
front page set the daily agenda.
That was a direct result of Magsanoc’s human-face approach to
journalism.
After serving as associate publisher and first editor of the Sunday
Inquirer Magazine, she was appointed editor in chief of the Inquirer
on June 14, 1991. In that capacity, she oversaw coverage and analysis
of eight national elections, five presidencies, and four impeachment
crises — as well as brought her sense of magazine design to the
broadsheet, infusing the lifestyle, entertainment, culture, and youth
pages with her distinctive style.
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Poe asks 3 justices to inhibit in DQ cases
MANILA – After securing
a restraining order against her
disqualification in next year’s
presidential election, Sen. Grace
Poe now wants three justices of
the Supreme Court (SC) out of
her cases.
In a motion filed on Tuesday,
her lawyers led by George Garcia
sought the inhibition of Senior
Associate Justice Antonio Carpio
and Associate Justices Teresita
Leonardo de Castro and Arturo
Brion from Poe’s petitions
contesting the Commission on
Elections (Comelec) rulings
disqualifying her from the May
2016 polls.
Garcia argued that the three
justices should inhibit from
the case since they took part in
earlier deliberations of the Senate
Electoral Tribunal (SET) on a
disqualification case against Poe
filed by Rizalito David, a losing
senatorial candidate in the 2013
elections.
Earlier, Carpio said he and
his two colleagues would have
to inhibit if the SET case was
elevated to the SC because based
on rules they cannot review their
own decision.
“We filed a motion to disqualify
and inhibit the three justicemembers of the Senate Electoral
Tribunal because they already
prejudged the case, as far as we
are concerned, at least on the issue
of citizenship,” Garcia said in an
interview.
Garcia stressed they were
not questioning the integrity of
the three justices and they only
wanted the three to inhibit because
of their membership in the SET.
The Comelec rulings canceled
Poe’s certificate of candidacy
due to misrepresentation on her
citizenship and residency in the
country.
The same issue of whether or
not she is a natural-born citizen
eligible to run for the legislature
was resolved by the SET last
month in deliberations where the
three justices participated.
The SET, however, did not
touch on the residency issue.
David has filed a petition with
the SC questioning the tribunal’s
majority ruling upholding the
eligibility of Poe to run for senator
in the 2013 polls.
In the SET, the three justices
voted with the minority that
Poe is not a natural-born citizen
unless she proves that either of
her biological parents is Filipino.
Poe’s lawyers are also seeking
the consolidation of all the
disqualification cases.
In a separate motion filed also
yesterday, they asked the high
court to consolidate for practical
purposes their two petitions
assailing the separate resolutions
of the First and Second Divisions
of the poll body with that of David
involving the SET ruling.
The high court is set to hear the
cases in oral arguments on Jan.19,
2016 at 2 p.m.
Saudi Arabia executes Filipino for murder
MANILA -- Joselito Zapanta,
the Filipino who was convicted for
killing the Sudanese accountant of
his landlord in Saudi Arabia on
April 13, 2010, has been executed
on Tuesday, December 29, the
Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) announced.
According to the DFA, the
35-year-old Zapanta’s death
penalty was carried out after
the family of the victim, Imam
Ibrahim, refused to execute an
affidavit of forgiveness or tanazul.
Zapanta is survived by his
father, mother, sister, and two
children.
DFA Spokesperson Charles
Jose said that the government
provided Zapanta all necessary
assistance and ensured that
his legal rights were observed
throughout the whole judicial
process.
The government, likewise,
arranged and funded the jail
visits of Zapanta’s mother and
sister to the Malaz Central Prison
on November 28 to December
2, 2015, March 8, 2013 and
November 2012, he added.
“We appeal to all our nationals
overseas to follow the local laws
of their host countries at all times
and to avoid involvement in
criminal activities,” he stated.
10
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
ENTERTAINMENT
Walang Forever tops MMFF 2015 awards
ROMANTIC-comedy
“Walang
Forever” dominated the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) awards
night at the Kia Theater in Cubao
on Sunday, taking home five major
awards, including the coveted Best
Picture prize.
Directed by Dan Villegas,
“Walang Forever” also took the top
acting awards for lead stars Jericho
Rosales and Jennylyn Mercado.
The film also bagged the trophies
for Best Screenplay and Best Original Story.
Mercado scored a back to back
win as Best Actress, having won the
same award last year for “English
Only Please,” which was also directed by Villegas.
In her acceptance speech, the actress thanked Villegas for including
her again in his film, and her son,
Jazz, for serving as an inspiration.
“Maraming, maraming salamat
po Atty. Joji (Alonso), Quantum
Films. Maraming salamat po sa
pagkuha sa akin taun-taon. Maraming salamat po direk Dan Villegas
sa walang sawang pagtulak sa akin.
Jennylyn Mercado accepts the Best Actress trophy for “Walang
Forever.”
Para po sa ating lahat ito. Para po
sa aking inspirasyong si Jazz, sa
nanay ko at sa lanat ng bumubuo ng
‘Walang Forever.’ Napakagandang
Christmas gift po nito. Lord, thank
you,” said Mercado.
Pedring Lopez’s “Nilalang,”
which stars former adult film star
Maria Ozawa and Cesar Montano,
also took home five awards, includ-
ing Best Editing and Best Cinematography.
Erik Matti’s “Honor Thy Father,”
likewise, bagged five awards, including Best Director.
Randolph Longjas’ “Buy Now,
Die Later” took home the 2nd Best
Picture award and Best Production
Design, while “My Bebe Love”
took home the 3rd Best Picture
award, the Gatpuno Antonio J.
Villegas Cultural award, and the
Best Supporting Actress award for
Maine Mendoza.
For the New Wave Category,
“Ari: My Life with a King” took
home majority of the awards, including Best Actor for Francisco
Quinto, Full Feature Best Picture
and Full Feature Best Screenplay.
This year’s festival has been
beset with several controversies,
including the disqualification of
“Honor Thy Father” from the Best
Picture race one day before the
awards night, and allegations of
“ticket swapping.”
Here are the complete list of winners:
Offical Entries: (Major Awards:)
Best Child Performer - Krystal Brimmer (“Honor Thy Father”) Best Festival Sound - Ditoy Aguila
(“Nilalang”) Best
Festival Musical Score - Jessie
Lazaten (“Nilalang”) Best Festival Original Theme Song - “Tao”
(“Honor Thy Father”) Best Festival
Make Up Artist - Ryan Panaligan
Dec. 31-Jan. 6, 2016
and Ericka Racela (“Honor Thy
Father”) Best Festival Visual Effects – “Nilalang” Best Festival
Production Design - “Buy Now,
Die Later” Best Festival Editing
– “Nilalang” Best Festival Cinematography – “Nilalang” Best
Original Story - Dan Villegas and
Antoinette Jadaone (“Walang Forever”) Best Screenplay - Paul Santa
Ana (“Walang Forever”) Best Director - Erik Matti (“Honor Thy Father”) Best Supporting Actor -Tirso
Cruz III (“Honor Thy Father”) Best
Supporting Actress - Maine Mendoza (“My Bebe Love”) Gatpuno
Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award
- “My Bebe Love” 3rd Best Picture: “My Bebe Love” 2nd Best
Picture: “Buy Now, Die Later” Best
Picture: “Walang Forever” Best
Actor: Jericho Rosales (“Walang
Forever”) Best Actress: Jennylyn
Mercado (“Walang Forever”)
Special Awards:
Best Float - “Buy Now, Die Later” FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence - “Walang Forever” Male
Celebrity of the Night - Cesar Montano Female Celebrity of the Night
- Jennylyn Mercado
New Wave Entries
Full Feature Category:
Best Supporting Actor - Thou Reyes
(“Toto”) Best Supporting Actress
- Bibeth Orteza (“Toto”) Best Actors - JM De Guzman (“Tandem”)
and Francisco Quinto (“Ari: My
Life with a King”) Best Screenplay – “Ari: My Life with a
King” Best Director - John Paul Su
(“Toto”) Special Jury - “Toto” Best
Picture - “Ari: My Life with a
King” Manila Bulletin Entertainment Best Full Feature Film - “Ari
My Life with a King”
Animation Category:
New Wave Animation Special Jury
Prize - “Little Lights” (Rivelle
Mallari) New Wave Best Animation Picture - “Buttons” (Marvel
Obemio, Francis Ramirez & Jared
Garcia) Manila Bulletin Entertainment Best Animation Film Award
- “Momento”
Student Short Film Category:
Special Jury Prize - “Daisy” (Brian Reyes) Best Short Picture “Mumu” (Jean Cheryl Tagyamon)
RUFFA... from Page 12
na talagang minahal siya ng mga
Pilipino,” she said.
At 18, Ruffa was the Philippines representative to Miss World
in 1993 where emerged second
runner-up.
“It was a great time for me.
It opened a lot of doors for me
and parang forever na ’kong Miss
World sa mata ng mga tao… and
I think it’s going to be the same
thing for Pia,” she said.
In the meantime, Ruffa has no
plans yet preparing her daughters
to be beauty queens like her.
“I want them to enjoy their youth,
enjoy their life. But if that opportunity comes, why not? I’ll make
sure that they’ll be trained properly,” she said.
It Pays to Advertise
with
Philippine Tribune.
Dec. 31-Jan. 6, 2016
Dingdong Dantes:
Happy daddy
DINGDONG Dantes still can’t
seem to get over the reality that
he’s now a father.
In an interview on “24 Oras,”
Dingdong said he’s always excited to go home after work to be
with his daughter.
“Totoo ang sinsabi nila na tanggal lahat ng pagod mo (kapag
nakita mo siya) at lalo na kung
’yung inaantay mo eh, andiyan na
sa harap mo,” he said.
As to people who are waiting for
more details about Baby Letizia,
Dingdong has only one request:
be patient.
“As parents, gusto namin na
maibigay sa kanya (Maria Letizia)
’yung kanyang right to decide
(what she would want to share
with the public),” he said.
The baby will be baptized in January with Ai Ai delas Alas as one of
the godparents.
Meanwhile, Dingdong said he
doesn’t know when Marian would
resume work.
“Hindi ko po sigurado. Pero
siguro magandang bigyan muna
rin siya ng oras at panahon to concentrate on her new task which is
to be a mother. And I believe she’s
doing it very, very well,” he said.
Nonetheless, Marian Rivera
never fails to make fans feel her
love, gracing the DongYan and
MRFriends fans club Christmas
Party recently.
“Nami-miss na rin niya kasi
sila and alam niyang sobrang matutuwa sila… kung umattend siya.
And she also wants to see them
and to assure them that everything’s alright,” he said.
Marian and Dingdong will celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Dec. 30.
sa inyong lahat.”
For his part, Santiago uploaded a
short clip of Santino and Sabina
opening their Christmas presents
on his own Instagram page. He
also posted a photo of him with his
kids.
Last June, Santiago and Barretto also set aside their differences to
show support for the 11th birthday
celebration of Sabina
First reports of their separation
surfaced in July 2013.
Barretto earlier accused Santiago of “physical, sexual, psychological and economic” abuse, supposedly dating back to 2002.
These are detailed in her complaint against the actor for his alleged violation of the Anti-Violence against Women and Their
Children Act of 2004.
Santiago, meanwhile, alleged
that he was a victim of domestic
violence. The actor accused his
wife of being mentally ill and
having a history of drug abuse
-- claims backed by the actress’
estranged siblings Gretchen, Marjorie, and JJ.
Both Barretto and Santiago repeatedly mentioned the welfare of
their children in explaining why
they took the spat to court, and
why they were seeking sole custody of their kids.
Meanwhile, Barretto’s niece,
Julia Barretto, took a break from
her busy schedule to spend the
holidays with her family in Los
Angeles, California.
The “And I Love You So” star
shared pictures of her and her
mother, Marjorie; sisters Dani
and Claudia; and brother, Leon,
as they spent Christmas with their
relatives and friends in the US.
Best director winner Erik
Matti scores MMFF
Claudine, Raymart spend
Christmas together
ESTRANGED couple Raymart
Santiago and Claudine Barretto,
whose legal feud hogged headlines in 2014, set their differences aside on Friday to celebrate
Christmas with their children.
On her Instagram account, the
36-year-old Barretto posted a photo of her with Santiago and kids,
Santino and Sabina. It had the caption: “Merry Christmas po
“LET US demand for better
films… Thank you MMFF for the
free publicity,” controversial director Erik Matti on Sunday said
in a message that he sent to the
organizers of the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival wherein his film
“Honor Thy Father” is an official
entry.
Matti, who won the best director
award, was a no-show. Instead, he
made a female member of his crew
read his speech. To the audience
he said, “You deserve better… Di
ako titigil kung ‘di kayo titigil (I
won’t stop if you won’t stop).”
Matti’s movie, starring John
Lloyd Cruz, was disqualified from
competing in the best picture category because of a violation of
the MMFF rules and regulation,
according to Metro Manila Development Authority chair Emerson
Carlos.
The MMDA is the host of the
annual film event. In an interview
prior to the awards ceremony at
the newly built Kia Theater in Cubao, Quezon City, Carlos said “the
Executive Committee decided to
disqualify the movie from the best
picture category for failure to disclose some material facts.”
He added: “We’re just upholding the rule of law so that every
film entry gets a fair treatment.
(The producers) informed us of
the screening on Nov. 4 or 5 but
the material fact that was considered was the time they asked to
come in as an official entry on Oct.
22 or 23. With that, they submitted
certifications, stating among other
things that they have not or will
not participate in any festival other
than the MMFF.”
“Honor Thy Father” was the
opening film in the 2015 Cinema
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
One Originals Digital Film Festival in November.
Claudine Barretto posts
Rico Yan’s old
handwritten love letter
CLAUDINE Barretto posted on
Instagram a photo of a handwritten
love letter from her ex-boyfriend
Rico Yan—all the 90s babies are
abuzz over it.
Barretto and Yan is considered
as the most popular love team during their time. The two started as
on screen partners and eventually
a real life couple. Their relation-
11
ship lasted for four years until
Yan’s untimely demise due to
hemorrhagic pancreatitis in 2002.
The love letter was accompanied
with a snapshot of their photo.
The post reads:
“To my hunny,
By the time you read this, I
must be in CDO already. Just want
to thank you for last night. You
were wonderful!!! And because
of that, I’m sure I’m gonna have
a hard time sleeping without you
by my side tonight. :( But nevertheless, I still love you very much!
MWAH!!”
A YEAR OF SURPRISES... from Page 12
On Marriages
The year also saw actress Toni
Gonzaga and Senator Chiz Escudero tying the knot with their
significant others, – director Paul
Soriano and actress Heart Evangelista – respectively.
Baby Z
One of the nation’s biggest showbiz couples, Dingdong Dantes and
Marian Rivera turned into one of
the biggest showbiz parents on
Nov. 23, when Marian gave birth
to Maria Letizia Gracia-Dantes,
nicknamed “Baby Z.” Dingdong
and Marian were married on Dec.
30 2014, in a grand ceremony
dubbed “The Royal Wedding.”
In Memoriam
With the year welcoming the
likes of Yaya Dub and Heneral
Luna into the ever-growing family of Philippine showbiz, the time
has also come to say goodbye to
some of the beloved members of
the business – this year saw the
likes of actress Liezl Martinez, comedienne Elizabeth Ramsey, and
child actress Julia Buencamino
take their final bows.
In Conclusion, with 2015 slowly
fading away, and with the curtain
slowly drawing to a close, the time
has come to take a bow and say
goodbye to a wonderful year of entertainment – and look forward to
what the ebb and flow of fate brings
to Philippine showbiz for 2016.
Dec. 31-Jan. 6, 2016
A happy and healthy new
year for Ruffa
Ruffa Gutierrez
with her
daughters;
(inset) At the
Miss World 1993
pageant
T’S a “new year, new me” for Ruffa Gutierrez.
For her New Year’s resolution,
Ruffa plans to spend more time
with her kids, and hopes “to have
a successful 2016.”
As a gift to herself, Ruffa now
aims to live a healthier lifestyle
and will start by becoming a vegetarian. She also plans to come up
with a regular exercise routine.
“Hindi na rin tayo bumabata kaya
kailangan alagaan natin ’yung katawan natin,” she explained.
But there’s one problem – her
sweet tooth.
“I crave for desserts pero kailangan talaga ingatan natin ’yung
pag-intake natin ng mga sweets,”
she said, adding, “If you go to different parties there’s always wine,
or champagne, so siguro as long as
you do everything in moderation
kasi it’s the holidays naman, ’di
ba? So kailangan mag-celebrate
naman tayo.”
Ruffa will welcome the New Year
in Palawan with her two daughters.
The 41-year-old actress has
ventured into the health and wellness business. She plans to introduce the product to the public
next year.
In addition, she is still busy
preparing for the fourth season of
“It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez.”
She is also coming out with
a book – following her mom’s
“’Day, Hard” – under ABS-CBN
Publishing and intended for release in time for Valentine’s Day.
In the book, Ruffa will share tips
and pieces of advice on matters of
the heart inspired by her past experiences on love and heartbreaks.
“I guess (with) every person that
’ve loved before there is always a
reason; a certain fondness for that
person. (I have) no regrets being
with my ex because I had two kids
with him,” she expressed.
Ruffa was married in 2003
to Turkish businessman Yilmaz
Bektas, with whom she has two
daughters, Lorin Gabriella and
Venezia Loran. They separated in
2007.
Her mom has always been vocal when it comes to Ruffa’s relationships. But Ruffa understands
that it’s her mom’s way of protecting her unica hija.
“I’m grateful to my mom na
pumigil siya because kung hindi
siya naging mahigpit sa ’kin siguro
I wouldn’t be able to have the kind
of life that I have now,” she said.
Ruffa is currently in a relationship with French businessman
Jordan Mouyal.
She is still not thinking of settling down, though. “I’m building
my empire,” she said.
After 42 years, the Philippines
has brought home the Miss Universe crown and as a beauty queen
herself, Ruffa is proud of what Pia
Wurtzbach has achieved for the
country.
“Sabi ko talaga, ‘This is the
time.’ Number one, napakatalino
ni Pia, maganda… If the Philippines win it’s a statement and what
a statement it is. We made a big
statement,” she said.
She and her two girls held their
breath watching the competition.
Ruffa said even her boyfriend,
who is currently in France, joined
the Miss Universe hype.
“Every year naman tayong mga
Pilipino we cheer. Every year we
wake up at seven in the morning,
we eat breakfast and we cheer for
our candidate because these last
couple of years naging malakas
tayo,” she said.
She even compared the momentous event to that of a Manny
Pacquiao boxing match.
“What I love about the Filipino
people is you can see the support,
number one, on the online voting.
Masasabi ko talaga na ’pag nagmahal ang mga Pilipino talagang all
out. So napakaswerte niya (Pia)
Please turn to Page 10
A year of surprises in
Philippine Showbiz
With 2015’s final days upon us,
the time has come, once again, to
take a look back upon the year’s
biggest events in Philippine
showbiz – a year full of surprises
– a year where a lip-syncing app
boosted a young girl from Bulacan
into stardom, a year where enough
voices were heard on social media
to launch a historical biopic from a
box office blunder into one of the
highest-grossing Filipino films of
all time.
Here are the highs and lows of
Philippine showbiz for 2015:
The AlDub Phenomenon
You’ve seen the billboards,
you’ve read the countless Facebook posts, and you’ve heard
people from across the nation (and
abroad) shriek with delight and
groan with sadness at the year’s
biggest showbiz spectacle – the
unlikely love story of a Yaya Dub
(Maine Mendoza), a lady who
communicates via Dubsmash, and
one of the country’s biggest heartthrobs – Alden Richards.
Filled with kilig moments,
laugh-out-loud jokes, exciting
twists and turns enchanting the
Filipino nation, and with the Eat
Bulaga kalyeserye recently undergoing new and interesting developments, we’re just as excited as
the legions of AlDub fans to see
what comes next for 2015’s largest showbiz phenomenon, into
2016, and perhaps, beyond.
Popoy and Basha Reunite for a
Second Chance
The long-awaited sequel to
one of Philippine cinema’s most
unforgettable romantic movies,
A Second Chance once again focuses on Popoy and Basha, now
struggling with the hardships and
intricacies involving married life.
The film is packed with memorable hugot lines that you’re sure
to see on Facebook, and genuinely
tear-jerking scenes that’ll have
you reaching for the nearest box
of Kleenex. A Second Chance is
one of the year’s biggest releases,
earning rave reviews from critics
and unseating 2014’s The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin as the
highest-grossing Filipino film of
all time, to the tune of P556 million (and counting) worldwide.
Heneral Luna
Beset on all sides, threatened by
foreign films, Heneral Luna, like
its titular character, charged forth
from what seemed like oblivion,
turning back the tide, smashing
box office records, rushing forward
and turning into one of the highestgrossing Filipino films of all time,
earning more than P250 million. It
also broke most of the rules in conventional cinema, relying more on
word-of-mouth and the Filipino netizens on social media instead of a
massive advertising campaign.
Combining a compelling story,
remarkable cinematography, an
amazing musical score, fantastic
visual effects, great acting, humor
and a deeper, underlying moral to
boot, Heneral Luna stands alone
atop the Filipino movie landscape
for this year, victorious amongst
a sea of rom-coms and rehashed
horror films, unique in its achievement as an indie film.
Felix Manalo’s RecordBreaking Launch
The biographical film dramatizing the life and struggles with religion of the titular first Executive
Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo
broke two Guinness world records
upon launch – one for the largest
audience in a film premiere, and
another for the largest audience
in a film screening – with 43,624
people attending the film’s launch.
Forevermore’s Finale
One of the year’s highest-rated
teleseryes, Forevermore stars Liza
Soberano in her very first leading
role as the hardworking strawberry farmer, Maria Agnes Calay,
paired with the feisty child of a
hotel magnate, Alexander Grande
III, played by Enrique Gil.
What follows is a tale of an unlikely romance, with plenty of comedy, tender moments, and hardships
for the young couple to overcome.
And, as with all great love stories,
the ending was one of the mostawaited of the year, with the finale
becoming one of the highest-rated
endings for 2015, earning a 27.6
percent ratings from the data gathered by AGB Nielsen Philippines.
Pangako Sa’Yo
The KathNiel loveteam star in this
teleserye remake’s tried-and-tested formula – Kathryn Bernardo
is Yna Macaspac, a simple but
beautiful young lady, while Daniel
Padilla is Angelo Buenavista, the
rebellious son of a powerful politician.
What makes Pangako Sa ’Yo different, however, is that it draws
parallels between the KathNiel
loveteam’s characters and another
couple 20 years back from the
series’ timeline, in an interesting
twist that sets into motion a chain
of events that changes the characters’ lives. The series has since become a force to be reckoned with,
peaking at a 39.7 percent rating
from the Kantar Media National
TV Ratings, and earning up to two
million tweets bearing “#PSYUnangHalik.”
Please turn to page 11
Dec. 31-Jan. 6, 2016
WHEN American chef, author,
and television personality Anthony Bourdain recently visited the
country to shoot a segment for the
next season of “Parts Unknown,”
a travel and food show aired over
CNN, he was on a different mission. This time, Bourdain explored the socio-political side of
the Philippines by traversing into
controversial issues like the unabated killing of journalists, and
the possible return of the United
States military bases in the country.
In the shoot, Bourdain discussed these contentious topics
with Cotabato City-based photojournalist Mark Navales and Ben
Razon, owner of the Oarhouse
Bar where the filming took place.
When Navales sat down with the
Manila Bulletin to review what
transpired prior to and during
the Parts Unknown interview, he
recalled that he was “surprised”
when the production coordinator
called him up.
“I was inquiring as to what
the shoot is all about,” he noted.
“They said the topic is about those
journalists carrying firearms.”
In fact, Navales said the shoot
for this particular segment of the
Bourdain show began in a shooting range somewhere in Pasay
City.
When the interview commenced at the height of typhoon
“Nona,” Bourdain initially asked
the Mindanao photojournalist if
it is important for media men to
carry firearms.
“I told him it is necessary, in my
case as a journalist, to arm myself
considering what happened in the
massacre,” said Navales who was
the first photographer to arrive at
the site where 58 people, including 33 journalists, were massacred in Maguidanao more than six
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
years ago.
“Second, the environment here
is quite different because of politics,” he added. “Third, as protection for my family. After seeing
the massacre, I don’t want to see
myself in that place, knees bended
and begging for their lives.”
Bourdain’s bearing changed,
said Navales, upon hearing the
photographer’s reply.
“He looked a bit dumbfounded,” he said. “I explained to him
that as a stringer, I need to survive
and be protected for the sake of
my family.”
Navales, nonetheless, gave his
assurance that he is not the “wild,
wild West.”
“We act properly,” he said. “We
don’t tuck the gun in the waist. We
follow the law accordingly.”
Bourdain, a 1978 graduate of
the Culinary Institute of America
and a veteran of numerous professional kitchens including many
years as executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in New York,
also showed interest in how Islam
came to Mindanao.
“I told him that Islam started
in the Northern part in the TawiTawi and Jolo area through Sheik
Makhdum,” said Navales.
Makhdum Karim was an Islamic
preacher from Johor, in presentday Malaysia. He was a trader
who brought Islam to the Philippines in 1380 and established a
mosque in Simunul Island, TawiTawi, known as Sheik Karimal
Makdum Mosque which is the
oldest mosque in the country.
Razon, for his part, told Manila
Bulletin that Bourdain wanted to
know why the Filipinos were primarily a “happy, surviving and
creative people in spite of the realities of struggle, tragedy, politics,
and corruption.”
“I told him that our patience
and acceptance of all those things,
including the social support of
family have kept most of us going
and enabled many to approach life
creatively instead of succumbing
to helpless despair and depressing
cynicism,” said Razon, who was
a former photojournalist prior to
venturing into bar business.
The author of the 2000 book
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures
in the Culinary Underbelly also
inquired about the Filipinos’ exceptional talent to do cover music.
To this, Razon pointed out that
this can be credited to “the artistic and musical influences that the
Filipinos derived from both Spain
and America, and more with
latter-day p op culture of Americans.”
“It has translated itself into our
natural ability to duplicate much
of it and use to entertain–for a living,” he explained. “The prime
roots of that recent phenomenon
being born in the bands of musical
artistic talent that formed around
the American bases of AngelesClark and Olongapo-Subic from
the post war presence of visiting
GIs and Vietnam era to entertain
soldiers passing through them. It
became a generational passage of
13
entertainers as a result.”
While feasting on “chicharon
bulaklak,” the special longganisa
from Razon’s hometown of
Guagua, Pampanga and consuming San Miguel Pale Pilsen, Bourdain would throw several questions to his guests.
He mentions the “balot” which
he said is not even distinct to the
Philippines since there are also
balot in other places like Vietnam
and about Subic.
Bourdain showed that he is
aware that Philippines and US are
good allies so his question was
why the US bases were kicked
out.
Razon informed him that it was
because the Senate has repudiated
the treaty covering the bases.
Bourdain, nevertheless, was very
positive about the good relations
between the Philippines and US. He
also sounded optimistic that there
might be a chance that the US bases
would be back again.
Razon pointed out to the Parts Unknown host that with a new president to be elected next year, a treaty
or agreement with the US covering
the military bases is possible.
In describing Bourdain, Razon said the celebrated host of
the Travel Channel’s culinary and
cultural adventure programs No
Reservations and The Layover
prefers letting his subjects express
their story, “whether it’s about
their work or life or food.”
“It’s funny how his own production team describes him as
generally a ‘quiet and reserved’
kind of guy unlike how you see
him in his on-camera persona,”
he said. “Which they then say is
because he saves his thoughts and
questions for when he does talk to
the people on-cam during filming
the story they are doing. Makes
sense to me!”
14
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
December 31-Jan. 6, 2016
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM
TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL
GROUP
ANOTHER year has ended and
a new one has just arrived! With
the coming of 2016, I would like
to pause a moment to express our
sincerest thanks to our clients for
their patronage over the years.
Our company would not have
been this successful had it not
been for the support that we have
been provided with by our most
prime assets – our customers and
clients who continue to choose
Travel International Group for all
their travel needs.
We anticipate that the year
2016 will bring with it more in
terms of mutual success. Travel
International is committed to providing our valued clients with
exceptional services and we will
– as we have promised – do our
best to keep out service standards
high for us to meet your expectations.
With the New Year comes new
hopes and expectations. From
our end, we would like to start off
2016 by providing you with an
opportunity to avail more of the
services and travel packages we
are offering to our valued clients,
especially our latest product –
Private Tour Services.
We wish you and your family a
very HAPPY NEW YEAR and we
are extremely hopeful that in 2016
and in the coming years we shall
further strengthen our relationship.
For all your travel needs, call
us at Travel International Group
at (310) 327-5143 or at our tollfree number at 1-844-320-1499.
You can also check out our amazing tour packages and special
promos at www.travelinternational.net. Travel International
Group, Inc. has a global network
of offices in Yangon, Myanmar;
Hanoi, Vietnam; and Bangkok,
Thailand.
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Dec. 31-Jan. 6, 2016
15
Healthy Media Noche
by CJ Juntereal
FOR many of us, the Christmas
season is a time to eat, drink, and
be merry—with a lot of emphasis
on EAT. There are, however, more
and more people who choose to
practice moderation and continue
to maintain their healthier lifestyle
during Christmas. With a little bit
of thought and adjustment, the
Noche Buena feast can accommodate both styles of eating.
These are recipes that retain the
festive flavors of Christmas, but
with less fat and sugar, and more
fiber. Instead of baked ham, a large
chicken is marinated overnight in a
brining solution to give it that same
“ham-like” flavor. Pair it with
roasted vegetables instead of pasta
or rice to get in your daily recommended serving of complex carbohydrates. Everyone’s favorite fruit
salad is lightened up by replacing
cream and condensed milk with
a syrup made of citrus juice, and
fresh fruits are a better choice than
canned fruits soaking in a heavy
sugar syrup. Add a fresh green salad and some fruit-infused water to
round out your meal. Enjoy!
ROAST CHICKEN ‘HAM’
1 large chicken (at least 1.5 kg.)
2 liters water
1/4 cup coarse kitchen salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pink curing salt or
salitre/salt peter
2 tablespoons coarsely ground
black pepper
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/3 cup brown sugar or honey
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon thyme
1. Mix together all ingredients except chicken and water in a small
bowl.
2. Heat salt and spice mixture with
1/2 liter water until dissolved. Add
the remaining 1 1/2 liters and let
the solution cool.
2. Thoroughly wash and dry the
chicken, inside and out.
3. Place the chicken in a plastic
container or ziplock bag large
enough to hold it comfortably.
Prick chicken all over with a skewer.
4. Pour brine mixture over chicken, making sure chicken is submerged. Cover tightly with plastic
wrap and place in the refrigerator
for 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours, remove chicken
from brine and pat dry.
7. Preheat oven to 350F.
8. Stuff chicken with one small
onion sliced in half, 1/2 a carrot, a
slice of fresh orange, and a slice of
fresh pineapple. Tie legs together
and tuck wings under chicken.
9. Place on a rack in a roasting
pan and place in oven. Roast for
about two hours or a thermometer
inserted in the thickest part of leg
and thigh registers 180F or until
juices run clear when pierced with
the tip of a sharp knife. Toward the
end of the roasting period, brush
chicken occasionally with a pineapple juice and soy sauce mixture.
10. When chicken is cooked, remove from oven and let rest 10
minutes before slicing and serving.
TO MAKE GRAVY:
1. Place roasting pan over medium
heat. Pour in one cup of chicken
stock and bring to a boil, scraping
up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
2. Pour into a saucepan and boil
until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add 1/2
cup pineapple juice, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, one tablespoon pineapple jam, one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4
cup cold water. Simmer until
thickened. Season to taste with
salt, black pepper, and brown sugar if you would like it sweeter.
ROASTED VEGETABLES
1 cup each of the following vegetables cut into 1 inch chunks:
eggplant, zucchini, tomato, sweet
potato, carrot, onion
2 cups squash cut into 1 inch
chunks
1 cup raisins
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon rosemary, crumbled
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Gently mix together all vegetables in an oven-proof casserole or
roasting pan.
3. Add olive oil, rosemary, garlic,
salt and pepper to taste, and mix
gently.
4. Place in oven and roast for one
hour or until vegetables are soft,
stirring occasionally to make sure
vegetables are evenly cooked.
5. If your oven is big enough, you
may roast this together with the
roast chicken.
Fresh Fruit Salad with Dalandan
Syrup
3/4 cup fresh-squeezed dalandan
juice (or use orange juice)
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed calamansi
juice
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon grated calamansi rind,
use the green part only
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
plus more for garnish
2 cups sweet pineapple, chopped
into 1/2 inch chunks
2 cups sweet pomelo, chopped
into 1 inch pieces
1 cup dalandan segments
1 cup apples, chopped into 1/2
inch pieces
WANTED ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES 562-865-5620
TRIBUNE
16 PHILIPPINE
COMMUNITY
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Nazareth
procession
on Jan. 10
in Azusa
Architect Fernandico Gonong Jr. with Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong”
Marcos Jr. during his visit to Manila.
Sen. Bongbong Marcos with brother-in-law Greggy Araneta and
sister Irene Marcos-Araneta.
LOS ANGELES -- Irene
Marcos-Araneta, youngest sister
of vice presidential candidate
Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong”
Marcos Jr., and her husband,
Greggy Araneta, will meet their
brother’s supporters in Southern
California at a political event to be
hosted by the Bongbong Marcos
Movement-USA (BBMM-USA)
on Sunday, Jan. 3, from 1 to 5
p.m. at the FACLA Social Hall at
1740 W. Temple St., Los Angeles,
CA 90026.
Architect Fernandico Gonong
Jr., chairman of BBMM-USA and
host of the event, said Greggy
and Irene, the youngest of three
children of the late President
Ferdinand E. Marcos and the
former First Lady, now Ilocos
Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez-
footing and that he expects him to
gain more supporters as the people
become more aware of the many
solid achievements of Bongbong
Marcos as Ilocos Norte governor,
congressman and senator, and
those of his late father when he
was president from 1965 to 1986.
Marcos has consistently
placed second in vice presidential
surveys, Gonong said.
In the December Pulse Asia
survey, Marcos had closed in on
leading contender Sen. Francis
Escudero. Only 6 percentage
points separated Escudero (29
percent) and Marcos (23 percent).
In the latest survey conducted
in December by The Standard,
Marcos was second with 19
percent, behind fellow Sen.
Francis Escudero, who had 33
percent. Marcos’ share was up
4 percent from 15 percent in
October while Escudero’s share
was 7 points down from his
October rating.
In the Social Weather Station
survey, Marcos was tied for second
with Liberal Party candidate
Rep. Leni Robredo, both with
19 percent behind Escudero’s 30
percent.
“In all these three prominent
surveys, Bongbong gained ground
and was closing in on Escudero,”
Gonong noted.
“I expect him to overtake
Escudero before the May
elections. After all, Bongbong has
the most solid achievement both
as local executive and legislator,
and the best vision among the
candidates,” he added.
military, five farmers went to
their farms on Thursday to spray
insecticide on their crops in
Maguindanao and were captured
and executed by the rebels,
Petinglay said.
In Esperanza, rebels fleeing
from Army troops took a family
hostage on Thursday, freeing a
mother and her child but killing
three farmers, she said.
The rebels also stormed
the villages of Simsiman and
Malagkit in Pigcawayan, North
Cotabato, killing a village official.
They also fired a grenade at a
Roman Catholic chapel during
Christmas Eve Mass, killing two
churchgoers.
Petinglay said villagers in one
area hid in a Roman Catholic
church after word of the rebel
assaults spread.
At least four rebels died in
a clash when they assaulted a
military outpost in Esperanza on
Thursday, sparking a gun battle,
she said.
One other wounded rebel was
reported to have died in a village
clinic, she said.
Lt. Col. Ricky Bunayog, 33rd
Infantry Battalion commander,
said two homemade bombs were
left by the rebels in a jungle trail
where pursuing troops would
pass, but the soldiers found the
explosives.
Mama claimed the people killed
by his group were militiamen, and
said the attacks were inspired
by IS, the group of jihadists that
holds swaths of Iraq and Syria.
IS has claimed responsibility
for the downing of a Russian
commercial plane over the Sinai
Peninsula in Egypt, killing all
224 people onboard, on Oct. 31,
and the multiple attacks in Paris
that left 129 people dead and 352
others wounded on Nov. 13.
Irene to meet Marcos supporters in LA event
Marcos, will be in Los Angeles
to rally Filipinos in the United
States to support and elect Sen.
Bongbong Marcos.
“It will be a great opportunity
for supporters of Bongbong and
the Marcos family to meet with
Irene and Greggy and to hear
directly from them the plans of
her brother,” Gonong, a highly
successful architect, said.
Gonong, who recently met
with Bongbong Marcos in the
Philippines, said the Marcos
family is solidly behind Marcos’
candidacy for vice president. He
said the family was happy to know
that they have loyal supporters in
the US who are helping Bongbong
in his candidacy.
Gonong reported that Marcos’
candidacy has taken a solid
Moro rebels step up...
(From Page 1)
and lost five of their own in
clashes with government troops.
“I am announcing now, we
will continue our attacks against
soldiers so they better prepare,”
Mama said.
“The soldiers should be ready
all the time, because we will strike
anytime. We don’t want them in
our land,” he said.
About 200 BIFF insurgents
took part in at least eight
attacks on Thursday and Friday,
according to Capt. Joan Petinglay,
spokesperson for the Philippine
Army’s 6th Infantry Division.
Other reports gave the number
of insurgents at 300 and said
eight farmers were killed in the
border towns of Esperanza in
Sultan Kudarat and Datu Abdulla
Sangki in Maguindanao early on
Thursday.
The attacks forced 200
families, or 6,000 people, from
their homes in the villages of
Paitan in Esperanza and Kakal in
Datu Abdulla Sangki, according
to Chief Insp. Bryan Bernardino,
Esperanza police chief.
They are now sheltering at the
Esperanza municipal stadium,
he said.
“They celebrated Christmas
in the town stadium. They return
to their communities at daytime
but return to the gym at night,”
he said.
Petinglay said the military
learned about the impending
attacks and secured towns and
villages and warned villagers not
to venture out, preventing a large
number of casualties.
Despite warnings from the
AZUSA, California -- A
procession of the Nuestro Senor
Jesus Nazareno will be held
on Sunday, Jan. 10, at the St.
Frances of Rome Church at 501 E.
Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702
to culminate the annual fiesta
celebration of the parish.
Mass will be held at 5 p.m. at
the St. Francis of Rome Church
to be presided by Rev. Richard
Vega and Rev. John Cordero, after
which a candlelight procession
will be held. Reception follows
at the Fr. Edward Landreau
Auditorium.
A nine-day novena will
precede the fiesta celebration and
procession, as follows:
Saturday, Jan. 2, 2:30 p.m.
novena followed by a 5 p.m.
mass; Sunday, Jan. 3, 2:30 p.m.
novena followed by a 5 p.m. mass;
Monday, Jan. 4, 5:15 p.m. mass
followed by novena at the chapel;
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 5:15 p.m. mass
followed by novena; Wednesday,
Jan. 6, 5:15 p.m. mass followed
by novena; Thursday, Jan. 7, 5:15
p.m. mass followed by novena;
Friday, Jan. 8, 5:15 p.m. mass
followed by novena at the chapel;
Saturday, Jan. 9, 2:30 p.m. novena
followed by a 5 p.m. mass; and
Sunday, Jan. 10, 2:30 p.m. novena
followed by a 5 p.m. mass.
For more information, please
contact Linda at (626) 965-4988.
Mama’s claim, saying in a
radio interview that the BIFF
only “wanted to project it is
still a force to reckon with after
[being] reduced to a ragtag
[band] of bandits following Army
offensives in January.”
Petinglay said all units of
three Army brigades in the region
had been placed on full alert for
possible BIFF attacks.
The hardline BIFF broke off
from the larger Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) in
2011, opposing the MILF’s
decision to hold peace talks with
the administration of President
Aquino and opting to continue
to fight for a separate Islamic
homeland in Mindanao.
Police searching for
missing Fil-Am in NJ
MIDDLETOWN, New
Jersey – Police in Middletown,
New Jersey, reported that a
22-year-old Filipino resident is
missing has been missing since
Sunday, December 13, after he
was last seen at 1:30 a.m. at his
home on Kentucky Avenue.
A massive search was launched
Sunday near Natco Lake to try and
find John Fernandez, 22, but there
was no sign of him, police said.
Fernandez is described as
5’10 with a thin build and black
hair. He may be wearing a dark
gray leather jacket with a gray
fabric hood and black high top
“Heely” sneakers with wheels
similar to a roller skate, according
to a report by the Middletown
Patch. His Facebook page says he
studies accounting a Seton Hall
University.
Divers were called in from
the Monmouth County Sheriff’s
Office Underwater Search team
to search the lake and police dogs
were also used in the search. ATV
John Fernandez
units and the sheriff’s department
helicopter combed the wooded
area, but there was no sign of
Fernandez.
Anyone with information is
asked to call Detective Kelly
Godley of the Middletown Police
Department at (732) 615-2120.
ADVERTISE , IT WORKS!
PLEASE CALL (562) 865-5620
17
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
BUSINESS
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Bigger capital flight seen in 2016
How to view home
buying in 2016
THE most popular and
intelligent discussion of 2016
would begin with the fact that
history is very strongly against the
Democrats in 2016, according to
an article in the Federalist. An analysis of elections shows
a startlingly uniform pattern
over time: the incumbent party
consistently lost ground relative
to the challenger party. There
are a number of reasons from the
article that led to this conclusion, “
the simplest explanation being that
governing exposes a coalition’s
internal tensions and, as the saying
goes, friends come and go, but
enemies accumulate. The longer
you are in power, the more people
come up with reasons to blame
you for things and consider giving
the other guy a chance. The
natural American distrust of our
political class and distaste for
permanent ruling parties is also
an ingrained factor.”
Houses may not be homes, but
homes can certainly be houses
people live in. What had happened
in the previous housing crisis
taught us an important lesson.
Economic and demographic
changes may severely impact the
value of houses when it’s time
to sell. We live now in an “Ideal
Economy” with a shrinking
industrial base and a greater
premium on knowledge and
personal connections, which
make social, educational and
business networking even more
important. As a famous book
author predicted, the coming
decade will likely see more intense
clustering of jobs, innovation and
productivity in smaller number
of bigger cities and city region. This outcome, if true, could affect
prices of existing homes and
decision making of big builders
moving forward to find more
homes to construct.
At the moment, urban areas
where people can walk to work
and to stores are becoming more
popular. A survey sees more
higher clusters are to show higher
property value appreciation. Far
flung suburbs are losing value
relative to cities and close in
suburbs that offer such walk-able
areas. These denser populated
places seem to fit in better with
more environmental conscious
values too. But that might
change as soon as prices of these
neighborhoods have gone sky
high.
Attitudes towards renting have
also been changing. Buying a
house has become less appealing
to some, 57% of survey has
said. For the most part, renting
can be just as successful as
owning at achieving the American
Dream. What you owe, you don’t
own. We will hardly ever be able
to own out house free and clear
with home prices being so high
nowadays. I am comparing the
present situation to home buyers
in the late 60’s when home prices
where averaging 50-80K and
back then, home buyers were
only using about 30% of their
income to pay for their mortgage
payments.
The point I would like to make
is that home buyers should really
put into consideration facts about
what they intend to do with their
homes, areas of better school
disctricts that will affect house
values in the future. A great factor
is the distance to shops and work
places that home buyers have to
endure day in and out, our days are
already short and time should be a
major influence to your decision
where you would like to buy.
I am all for owning a house
but I have experienced my second
housing crisis and I see the same
pattern of people losing their
homes for the same reason all
over again. So, I would like
you to be open-minded and see
the good, of course, but also try
to find something negative and
discuss it with your family and
if it will all work out, then pull
the trigger. This is definitely a
good time to lock in on these very
low rates now. If you want to be
mobile and ambitious it might be
sensible to rent first. It may be
wiser to choose housing that best
meets your personal needs, among
the choices you can afford.
For homeowners that might
MANILA -- Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas expects portfolio
investments, or “hot money,” to
post a bigger net outflow of $1.3
billion in 2016 due to external
headwinds and as the US economy
shows signs of recovery, triggering
capital flights from the country.
The net outflow target next
year is significantly higher than
the expected $200-million net
outflow this year, which is actually
a revision of the previous target of
$1.4 billion for 2015.
Bangko Sentral reviews twice
the hot money target, alongside
other economic data such as
foreign direct investments,
balance of payments, remittances,
among others.
“External headwinds
emanating from the slowdown
in the Chinese economy and the
modest growth in Japan have
affected the country’s external
trade,” Bangko Sentral said in a
report announcing the revision.
It also said expectations on the
US Federal Reserve rate lift-off
led to volatile capital flows. The
Fed decided to increase interest
rates on Dec. 17, 2015.
Foreign portfolio investments
are overseas funds that are
temporarily invested in local
stocks, government securities
and money market. These are also
called “hot money” because of the
ease they are invested in and taken
out of the local markets.
Bangko Sentral said financial
accounts had incurred net
outflows in the third quarter
which “emanated mainly from the
reversal of portfolio investments
to net outflows from net inflows in
the third quarter of 2014.”
The portfolio investment
account recorded net outflows of
$3.2 billion in the third quarter,
a reversal of the $885 million net
inflows a year ago.
Latest data from Bangko
Sentral showed that hot money
in the first 11 months of 2015
posted a net outflow of $429
million, significantly lower than
the $707-million net outflow a
year ago.
Hot money registered a net
outflow of $68.79 million in
November, a reversal of the
$369.9-million net inflow a year
ago, as fund managers concerned
with the impending interest rates
hike in the United States pulled
out their investments in the local
markets.
Inflows fell 39.4 percent to
$1.08 billion in November from
$1.79 billion in the same month
last year, while outflows declined
by 19 percent to $1.15 billion from
$1.42 billion.
2015 OFW remittances to hit $29.7B
MANILA – Money sent home
by overseas Filipino workers are
forecast to reach $29.7 billion
this year, making the Philippines
the world’s third largest recipient
of remittances, according to the
World Bank.
Based on the World Bank’s
Migration and Remittances
Factbook 2016, India would be
the top recipient of remittances
that are seen to hit about $72.2
billion, followed by China with
$63.9 billion and the Philippines.
Trailing behind are Mexico
($25.7 billion), France ($24.6
billion), Nigeria ($20.8 billion),
the Arab Republic of Egypt
($20.4 billion), Pakistan ($20.1
billion), Germany ($17.5 billion),
Bangladesh ($15.8 billion),
Vietnam ($12.3 billion), Belgium
($11 billion), Spain ($10.5
billion), and Indonesia ($10.5
billion).
The Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) estimated that
remittances coursed through the
country’s bank system would
expand over five percent from
$24.31 billion in 2014.
The World Bank outlook is
a mix of remittances coursed
through the formal and non-formal
sectors.
However, remittances as a
percentage of gross domestic
product (GDP) are projected to
remain at 10 percent.
The same report likewise
disclosed that international
migrants would send $601
billion to their families in their
home countries this year, with
developing countries receiving
$441 billion.
The World Bank said the real
size of remittances is “significantly
larger” as there are unrecorded
flows through the formal and
informal sectors.
Tourism reaches milestone despite ‘tanim bala’
MANILA -- Despite the socalled “tanim bala” scare, or
the alleged extortion scheme
where bullets were found inside
the luggage of passengers at the
airport, the Philippine tourism
industry reached a milestone
this year, as international visitor
arrivals topped the 5-million mark
for the first time on record.
“The short answer to the
question whether it [tanim bala]
has affected tourist arrivals is no,”
Tourism Undersecretary Benito
Bengzon Jr. says in a news briefing
in Makati City.
“We are grateful that Philippine
tourism, despite all the challenges,
is still able to grow at a higher
rate than what you see in most
Asian countries and the global
average,” says Bengzon, who led
the welcoming of the 5 millionth
international visitor at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport this
month.
Bengzon, who is in charge
of tourism development, says
while the full-year official figures
remain to be released, the Tourism
Department believes that 23-yearold Filipino-American Gabby
Grantham became the 5 millionth
visitor in the country this year
when she arrived at Naia Terminal
2 from New York at 3:48 a.m. on
Dec. 21.
Bengzon, a veteran in the
Tourism Department, says the
tourism industry would likely
end the year with 5.2 million to
5.3 million visitor arrivals, up by
8 to 10 percent from 4.83 million
arrivals registered in 2013.
Officially, data show that
in the first 10 months of 2015,
international visitor arrivals
increased 11.1 percent year-onyear to 4.396 million, on the
back of a 14.9-percent growth in
October alone, when the ‘tanim
bala’ scare began to hog the
headlines.
18
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
US & WORLD
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Pope calls for unity against IS atrocities
VATI CA N C I TY—P ope
Francis urged the world in his
Christmas message on Friday to
unite to end atrocities by Islamist
militants that he said were causing
immense suffering in many
countries.
Security was tight at the
Vatican as Francis, marking the
third Christmas since his election
in 2013, read his traditional
Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi” (to
the city and to the world) address
from the central balcony of St.
Peter’s Basilica.
Tens of thousands of people
had to have their bags checked
as they entered the Vatican area
and then go through airport-style
screening if they wanted to enter
St. Peter’s Square.
Counterterrorist police with
machine guns discreetly patrolled
the area in unmarked vans with
dark windows.
Francis issued a plenary
indulgence for Catholics in hopes
of spreading the Church’s message
of mercy in a world torn by war,
poverty and extremist attacks.
An indulgence is an ancient
church tradition related to the
forgiveness of sins.
Pope Francis
After calling for an end to the
civil wars in Syria and Libya, the
Pope said: “May the attention of
the international community be
unanimously directed to ending
the atrocities which in those
countries, as well as in Iraq, Libya,
Yemen and sub-Saharan Africa,
even now reap numerous victims,
cause immense suffering and
do not even spare the historical
and cultural patrimony of entire
peoples.”
He was clearly referring to
Islamic State (IS) group militants
who have carried out numerous
attacks in those countries and
destroyed many cultural heritage
sites.
In October, IS militants blew
up the Arch of Triumph, a jewel in
the exquisite collection of ruins in
the Syrian oasis city of Palmyra.
T h e P o n t i ff c o n d e m n e d
recent “brutal acts of terrorism,”
including the Nov. 13 attacks by
Islamist militants that killed 130
people in Paris, and the downing
of a Russian plane over Egypt’s
Sinai peninsula that killed 224
people on Oct. 31. Both were
claimed by IS.
“Only God’s mercy can free
humanity from the many forms
of evil, at times monstrous evil,
which selfishness spawns in our
midst,” he said. “The grace of
God can convert hearts and offer
mankind a way out of humanly
insoluble situations.”
Francis called for peace
between Israelis and Palestinians
in the area where Jesus was born.
“Where peace is born, there
is no longer room for hatred and
for war. Yet precisely where the
incarnate Son of God came into
the world, tensions and violence
persist, and peace remains a gift
to be implored and built,” he said.
He asked God to bring
consolation and strength to
Christians who are being
persecuted around the world and
called for peace in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Burundi,
South Sudan and Ukraine.’
Francis said the human dignity
of far too many people around the
world was trampled on, including
that of refugees and migrants.
“Even today great numbers of
men and women are deprived of
their human dignity and, like the
child Jesus, suffer cold, poverty,
and rejection,” he said.
“May our closeness today
be felt by those who are most
vulnerable, especially child
soldiers, women who suffer
violence, and the victims of
human trafficking and the drug
trade.”
S. Korea, Japan agree to end ‘comfort women’ row
TOKYO -- South Korean
President Park Geun-hye
and Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe pledged to take the
opportunity to boost bilateral ties
soon after the agreement by the
foreign ministers.
The accord will be welcomed
by the United States, which
has been keen for improved
relations between its two major
Asian allies in the face of an
increasingly assertive China and
an unpredictable North Korea.
S t r a i n s b e t w e e n To k y o
and Seoul have prevented the
two countries from signing an
agreement to share sensitive
military information, so a year
ago they signed a three-way pact
under which Seoul routes its
information to the United States
which then passes it on to Japan,
and vice versa.
Park “hoped that since the two
governments worked through
a difficult process to reach this
agreement, they can cooperate
closely to start building trust and
open a new relationship,” her
office quoted her as saying to Abe.
Abe told reporters in Tokyo
that Japan has apologized and
expressed its remorse, but added
future Japanese generations
should not have to keep on doing
so.
“We should never allow this
problem to drag on into the next
generation,” he said, echoing
remarks he made marking the 70th
anniversary of the end of World
War Two on August 15. “From
now on, Japan and South Korea
will enter a new era.”
Japan was “painfully aware of
its responsibilities” for the affront
to the women’s honor and dignity,
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio
Kishida told a news conference
in Seoul with his South Korean
counterpart.
“Prime Minister Abe expresses
anew his most sincere apologies
and remorse to all the women
who underwent immeasurable and
painful experiences.”
Calling the agreement “epochmaking,” Kishida told reporters
later: “I believe this has set up a
stage for advancement of security
cooperation between Japan and
South Korea, as well as among
Japan, the United States and South
Korea.”
Japan will draw on its
government budget to contribute
about one billion yen ($8.3
million) to a fund that will help
the former “comfort women,” and
work with South Korea to run a
program to restore their honor and
dignity, Kishida said.
Afghan
militia
beheads
IS fighters
KABUL, Afghanistan —
Militiamen loyal to an influential
Afghan lawmaker beheaded
four Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria (ISIS) fighters and publicly
displayed their severed heads,
officials said Sunday, highlighting
an increasingly brutal conflict as
the jihadist group makes inroads
in Afghanistan.
The killings in volatile
Nangarhar province bordering
Pakistan provoked horror and
condemnation in a country that
has witnessed four decades of
bloodshed and war.
The militia force loyal to
Haji Zahir, deputy speaker of
parliament, has been battling
self-styled ISIS militants in Achin
district in the province for weeks.
Zahir said the group captured
and beheaded four of his fighters,
prompting his men to retaliate.
“If they behead you, behead
your son, do you expect us to cook
sweets for them?” the firebrand
politician told reporters.
“Sweets are not distributed
during war. People die.”
Zahir’s men placed the severed
heads of four militants atop stacks
of stones on the side of a main
road in Achin, district officials
said.
“If they were criminals then
they should have been punished
by the judiciary, not by a kangaroo
court,” district chief Haji Ghaleb
said in comments cited by the
local media.
“This barbaric incident should
not have happened.”
Nangarhar faces an emerging
threat from loyalists of ISIS,
which controls territory across
Syria and Iraq and is making
gradual inroads in Afghanistan,
challenging the Taliban on their
own turf.
19
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
BUSINESS
SOLUTIONS
Claro R. Perez
Home loan program for those
who lost their homes thru
short sale, deed in lieu of
foreclosure and foreclosure
NUMBERS of previous home
owners lost their homes caused
by financial hardship,property
upside down in value have filed
Bankruptcy, sold their homes
through Shortsale and just
have their home Foreclosed
and return the property to their
lenders through Deed In Lieu to
Foreclosure. Government have
designed new home loan program
that will allow home owner with
previous financial predicament
that caused them to lost their home
and can buy a home.
Below are the Government
FHA Loan Program:
FHA Back to work program:
This will allow home buyers
to buy a home with 1 year old
Bankruptcy, Shortsale, and
Foreclosure provided there is
evidence that reduction of income
before the Bankruptcy, Shortsale
and Foreclosure exist. Down
payment will be 3.5% and credit
middle score must be 620 and up.
FHA standard loan program:
this will allow home buyers
to buy a home with 2 year old
Bankruptcy after discharge, 3
years of Shortsale, Deed In Lieu,
and Foreclosure. Down payment
will be 3.5% and credit middle
score must be 620 and up.
FHA 99.5 loan to value with ½
% down payment, if your income
is below $ 75,000.00 per year with
credit middle score of 620 and up .
Loan Limits:
FHA Maximum loan limits
for Orange County and Los
Angeles County is $ 625,000.00
and for Riverside County and
San Bernardino county is $
355,000.00. Conventional loan
limit for Orange County and Los
Angeles county is $ 625,000.00
and high balance loan have
no limits and minimum down
payment is 5%.
Conventional loan limit of San
Bernardino and Riverside county
is $ 417,000.00.
Debt to Income Ratio for
FHA loan is maximum of 57%
and FHA Back to work loan
program 43%:
Example: for $ 355,000.00
loan FHA standard and FHA Back
To Work Program 3.5% down is
$ 12,425.00
Income requirements for
FHA: Gross Income per month-$
5000.00
Income requirement for FHA
Back To Work Program: Gross
Income per month-$6200.00.
If you are a self employed
own a business for two years
or more Stated Income Verified
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Asset loan program is available
and required Fico score of 720
and up and down payment of
25%. Also requires 12 months
of bank statements that show
sources of down payment and
at least 12 months of mortgage
payment reserve. Stated Income
doesn’t require tax return and
paystubs or proof of income. For
more detailed information call
CRP. We have a in house credit
repair and enhancement program
to assist prospective home buyers
with imperfect credit and CRP
have deleted 800,000 derogatory
account for the last 15 years and
have a proof that credit repair
works. Free credit repair for
serious home buyers that can
make honest commitment to buy
a home. Free evaluation.
Other CRP Programs:
Loan Modification Program,
2nd Lien Debt Settlement Program,
Credit Enhancement/Credit
Repair, Refinance, Real Estate
Selling and Listing, Home Loan,
SBA Business Working Capital
Program
And our Life Line Program
Provide free cell phone, free
service, and free activation
for Seniors and Low Income
individual from 18 years old and
up.
(With group of 12 individuals
we come to your place and
provide free cell phone) It’s
a way to help seniors and low
income individual.)
For detail questions on
all CRP programs give us a
call: Claro R. Perez 1-626922-4916, 1-626-331-8889 Fe
Perez BRE license BRE Broker:
SBA Business Developtment
Broker 1-626-905-2531 and
Home Purchase and Listing
Call: Carlo A. Perez License
BRE Broker 626-922-4013 for
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Adapon : 1-626-674-4717.
Business Address: 279 W.
Badillo Street, Covina, Ca.
91723
Hours: M-F 8:00 AM TO
5 : 0 0 P M S AT U R D AY B Y
A P P O I N T M E N T O N LY
8:00AM-1:00PM
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Trump ramps up attacks on
Clinton and husband Bill
WASHINGTON —Any yearend holiday moratorium on US
presidential campaign feuding
ended Monday with Donald
Trump unleashing new attacks on
Democratic rival Hillary Clinton
and blasting her husband Bill’s
“terrible record” with women.
Trump, leading the pack
of Republican White House
contenders, revived a flash
point that he brought up last
week when he issued a warning
about campaigning with former
president Clinton after Hillary
deplored Trump’s inflammatory
rhetoric.
The message was an ominous
one: Bill Clinton’s history of
marital infidelity will be a drag on
his wife’s campaign to become the
first female commander in chief in
US history.
“If Hillary thinks she can
unleash her husband, with his
terrible record of women abuse,
while playing the women’s card
on me, she’s wrong!” Trump
posted to his five million Twitter
followers.
Hours earlier, the billionaire
real estate mogul noted how
Clinton “has announced that
she is letting her husband out to
campaign but he’s demonstrated
a penchant for sexism, so
inappropriate!”
And in a Sunday interview on
Fox News Trump declared Bill
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton
Clinton “fair game, because his of Trump’s anti-Muslim remarks
presidency was really considered as a recruiting tool.
to be very troubled because of all
Trump demanded an apology,
the things that she’s talking to me but none was given.
about.”
Clinton and Trump are locked
The remark refered to a in battle for their respective
recent interview that Hillary parties’ presidential nominations.
Clinton gave to Iowa’s Des
Barely a month before the
Moines Register, in which she first votes are cast in the state-bysaid Trump had “demonstrated state nomination process, the top
a penchant for sexism” after he candidates appear to be looking
used vulgar language to criticize past the primaries and going head
Clinton’s 2008 campaign loss to head, with Trump reviving an
to Barack Obama, and declared issue that nearly derailed Bill
her bathroom break at the latest Clinton’s presidency.
Democratic debate “disgusting.”
Clinton admitted he had a
During the debate Clinton sexual relationship with an intern
accused Trump of being “ISIS’s while he was president. Other
best recruiter,” referring to the rumors and accusations of sexual
self-described Islamic State impropriety dating back to his
extremist group, and said the time as governor of Arkansas have
radical jihadists were using videos dogged Clinton for years.
Kin of drowned Syrian boy land in Canada
VA N C O U V E R , B r i t i s h
Columbia —Relatives of a Syrian
boy whose lifeless body washed
up on a Turkish beach, sparking
worldwide concern for the refugee
crisis, have landed in Canada.
Mohammed Kurdi, his wife
and their five children arrived in
Canada as refugees on Monday,
sponsored by Mohammed’s sister
Tima Kurdi, who wiped away
tears as she greeted her relatives at
Vancouver airport’s arrival gates.
Speaking through his sister,
who translated from Arabic,
Mohammed Kurdi thanked
Canadians and the government
for making his dream come true.
“I’m happy! Very happy!”
he said in English to a crowd
of reporters gathered around the
family.
His teenage son Shergo said
he was looking forward to going
back to school and starting a new
life.
The reunion comes at the end
of a difficult year for the family.
Tima and Mohammed’s threeyear-old nephew, Alan Kurdi,
drowned along with his fiveyear-old brother and their mother
Tima Kurdi, left, who lives in the Vancouver area, lifts up her
5-month-old nephew Sherwan Kurdi after her brother Mohammad Kurdi and his family, who escaped conflict in Syria, arrived
at Vancouver International Airport, Monday, Dec. 28, 2015, in
Richmond, British Columbia.
while crossing the waters between
Turkey and Greece in September.
The boy’s father Abdullah
Kurdi said after the tragedy that
the family was trying to get to
Canada to join his sister Tima.
Abdullah has since declined to
come to Canada. He lives in Iraq’s
Kurdistan region. Tima said she
wished Abdullah was in Canada.
“All of us here wish you were here
with us,” Tima said when asked if
she had a message for him.
Mohammed Kurdi has been in
Germany since leaving his family
in Turkey seven months ago to
find work. He had yet to meet his
youngest child, who was born in
July, but the family reunited in
Frankfurt before flying to Canada.
SPORTS
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Curry is Male Athlete of the Year
OAKLAND, California –
Stephen Curry’s greatness as a
basketball player can be measured
by his record-setting shooting
numbers that are changing the
game.
His immense popularity
derives from something less
tangible.
While many NBA greats rely
on uncommon height and athletic
ability that average fans can only
dream of having, Curry’s game
relies on the traits that every
casual player can work on: shoot,
dribble and pass.
The difference is, perhaps
nobody ever has put those three
skills together the same way
Curry has the past year as he has
dominated on the court and made
the once downtrodden Golden
State Warriors the NBA’s mustwatch team.
“The way that I play has a
lot of skill but is stuff that if you
go to the YMCA or rec leagues
or church leagues around the
country, everybody wants to
shoot, everybody wants to handle
the ball, make creative passes and
stuff like that,” he said. “You can
work on that stuff. Not everybody
has the vertical, or the physical
gifts to be able to go out and do a
windmill dunk and stuff like that.
I can’t even do it.”
That’s about all Curry is unable
to do on the basketball court. His
amazing year, in which he won
an MVP, led Golden State to its
first title in 40 years and helped
the Warriors get off to a recordsetting start this season, earned
him The Associated Press 2015
Male Athlete of the Year.
Curry finished first in a vote
by US editors and news directors,
with the results released Saturday.
He joined LeBron James, Michael
Jordan and Larry Bird as the only
basketball players to win the
honor in the 85 years of the award.
Curry beat out golfer Jordan
Spieth, who won two majors, and
American Pharoah, who became
the first horse since 1978 to win
the Triple Crown.
Serena is Female Athlete of the Year
SERENA Williams spent a
good portion of 2015 deflecting
questions about whether she
could complete the Grand Slam.
After coming oh-so-close, she
can acknowledge how much she
cared about the rare feat.
“I wanted it. But ... winning
one (major title) is not easy. And
then, (when) you have a ‘bounty’
on your head, it’s even harder,”
she said with a laugh. “If you
know anything about me, I hate
to lose. I’ve always said I hate
losing more than I like winning,
so that drives me to be the best
that I can be.”
Williams’ will was on display
time and again, along with her
best-in-the-game serve and other
skills, fashioning comeback after
comeback to nearly become the
first tennis player in more than
a quarter-century to win all four
Grand Slam tournaments in a
season. In a vote by U.S. editors
and news directors, Williams was
chosen as The Associated Press
Female Athlete of the Year for the
fourth time.
Results were announced
Friday.
Williams collected 50 firstplace votes and 352 points. Carli
Lloyd, whose hat trick in the final
lifted the U.S. women’s soccer
team to the World Cup title, was
the runner-up, with 14 first-place
votes and 243 points. UFC star
Ronda Rousey finished third,
one spot ahead of the woman
she stunningly lost to last month,
Holly Holm. UConn basketball
player Breanna Stewart was fifth.
Lifter Hidilyn Diaz
PH lifter Hidilyn Diaz
makes it to Rio Games
MANILA -- Hurdler Eric Cray
will no longer embark on a lonely
trip to the 2016 Olympics in Rio
De Janeiro.
Lifter Hidilyn Diaz will keep
him company after the 24-yearold pride of Zamboanga City
booked a ticket to the global
Summer Games, Philippine
Sports Commission chair Richie
Garcia confirmed Monday.
Diaz will be on her third
consecutive Olympics after
earning a wildcard berth in 2008
Beijing and qualifying through
rankings in 2012 London.
Garcia said the fantastic
news came from the Philippine
Weightlifting Association and
coach Elbert Atilano, who
accompanied Diaz in the world
championships in Houston, Texas,
last month.
“It’s a welcome development.
We’re proud to have Hidilyn
competing in the Olympics for the
third straight time,’’ said Garcia.
According to Atilano, Diaz
clinched the Olympic berth after
scooping three bronze medal in
the International Weightlifting
Federation World Championship
in Houston.
She lifted 96 kilograms in the
snatch, 117 in the clean and jerk
for a 213 total in the women’s 53kg division, good for third place in
the three events behind champion
Hsu Shu-ching of Chinese Taipei
and silver medalist Chen Xiaoting
of China.
Diaz cut down weight after
competing in the 2008 and 2012
Games at 58 kg.
“Officials from the IWF have
already informed me that Hidilyn
will go to the Olympics. They will
make the formal announcement
after the Asian championship in
April,’’ said Atilano.
Next year ’s Asian
championship will be held in
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where male
lifter Nestor Colonia is bidding to
secure a slot to Rio.
Atilano said Diaz would not be
going to the Asian championships
anymore, the last Olympic
qualifier for the sport, while
Colonia is hard pressed to win
medals in Uzbekistan to join Diaz
and Cray.
The Filipino-American Cray
qualified to Rio de Janeiro after
meeting the Olympic standard
in the men’s 400m hurdles in a
Cayman Island race sanctioned
by the International Association
of Athletics Federations early
this year.
Colonia, who also grew up in
Zamboanga City, placed third in
the clean and jerk with 158 during
the worlds but finished fourth in
the snatch (124) and total with
282 in the men’s 56-kg category.
Pinoys lead Asean chess
FILIPINO International
Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia
grabbed the solo lead while
compatriot Woman International
Master Shania Mae Mendoza
kept her share of top spot after
the seventh round of the Jafpa
Asean Chess Championship
i n J a k a r t a o n S a t u r d a y.
Garcia, stalwart of Ateneo de
Manila University, drew with
Vietnamese Grandmaster Dao
Thien Hai and moved in front
after countryman GM Darwin
Laylo toppled erstwhile co-leader
Fide Master Li Tian Yeoh in
the 11-round Open division.
Mendoza, standout of Far
Eastern U, downed Indonesian
WFM Abidah Shanti Nur to
keep pace with Vietnamese
WGM Thi Mai Hung Nguyen,
who toppled Indonesian WFM
Dita Karenza in the Women’s
How to...
(From Page 17)
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hopefully accommodate your
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Finance at 562-508-7048. BRE
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please Call Ken Go at 562-5087048 or write to kennethgo@
verizon.net.
division also set for 11 rounds.
T h e 2 0 - y e a r- o l d G a r c i a
raised his total to 4.5 points
with Dao and three others
sharing second with 4.0 points.
Laylo was at 3.5 points in
the company of countryman
IM Paulo Bersamina.
GlobalPort in
1st playoff win
MANILA -- GlobalPort moved
on to the next round of the 2016
PBA Philippine Cup playoffs, but
it took a lot of Terrence Romeo
in the second half to turn back
Barako Bull.
Batang Pier’s spitfire guard
only had five points in the first
half on 2-of-12 shooting from the
field as Barako Bull’s defensive
game plan focused on slowing
him down.
“We were surprised by their
defense, we practiced it but it’s
still different on an actual game,”
Romeo said. “They had this
changing defense where every
time we would go on a pick and
roll they would go on a zone or
they would go man-to-man.”
“We were confused by their
defense,” added Romeo, who
scored 28 of his game-high 33
points in the last 24 minutes of
GlobalPort’s 94-85 victory Friday.
Romeo, though, was too good
of a player to remain quiet all
game long.
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015 - Jan. 6, 2016

2 philippine tribune

Transcription

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