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Senate to Aquino: Back off
Drilon rejects call to end Binay probes
MANILA -- Senate President
Franklin Drilon rejected on
Wednesday the call of President
Benigno Aquino III to wrap up the
Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee
probe on Vice President Jejomar
Binay quickly so that lawmakers
could focus on pending bills.
“We cannot stop it by ourselves
because the committee needs
to vote if they have enough
evidence,” Drilon said.
“Every senator has a right to
scrutinize any issue before the
Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri
interview before adding, “but
I’m looking for a good fight
and looking to prove I can still
fight.”
The 35-year-old Pacquiao
isn’t getting any younger and
he’s closer to his retirement than
to his boxing debut. The last
time he won via stoppage was
on November 14, 2009 when he
defeated Miguel Cotto in the 12th
round.
Since then, seven of his last
eight bouts have gone the distance,
one of which was the highlycontroversial loss to Timothy
(Please turn to Page 8)
Former Makati Vice Mayor
Ernesto Mercado
M A N I L A – O n l y Ay a l a
Corp. did not play ball in the
sleazy “open secret” property
transactions in Makati City.
The deal allegedly was that
Vice President Jejomar Binay,
then Makati mayor, would get a
unit in most of the condominium
buildings in the city in exchange
for tax or permit concessions,
except from those owned by
the Ayalas, former Vice Mayor
Ernesto Mercado testified on
Tuesday.
Testifying at the resumption
infection.
Salia became infected while
treating patients in Sierra Leone,
his home country, and became
the second person to die of the
hemorrhagic fever in America.
The U.S. resident’s condition
was already nearing death when
he arrived in Nebraska, officials
said.
(Please turn to Page 7)
(Please turn to Page 7)
of the Senate blue ribbon
subcommittee inquiry into
supposed Makati irregularities,
Mercado alleged that Binay used
dummies to hide his ownership
of these condominium units—a
charge the Vice President’s camp
denied.
As examples (mga halimbawa),
Mercado cited six buildings where
Binay allegedly had units and
presented a notarized affidavit
from Ariel Olivar, an engineer
who admitted he was used as a
(Please turn to Page 6)
US sitcom ‘The Middle’ features ‘tinikling’
Doctor is 2nd person
to die of Ebola in US
NEBRASKA -- The surgeon
being treated for Ebola has died at
a Nebraska hospital only 48 hours
after arriving.
Dr. Martin Salia, 44, who
arrived Saturday from West Africa
in dire health, was pronounced
dead Monday morning from
the virus. He reportedly tested
negative for the virus despite
having been in the throes of
He said Aquino should ask
the Justice Department instead to
hasten its probe.
President Aquino said while on
an official mission to Beijing that
he wished the Senate investigation
on Binay would conclude soon so
legislators could focus on pressing
issues.
The President said that while
he respects the Senate as a coequal branch of government,
legislators also have obligations to
Mercado: Binay demanded
condo units from builders
Pacquiao not predicting
KO in fight with Algieri
MANILA — Manny Pacquiao
hasn’t stopped an opponent in
five years.
And rumblings about his
diminished knockout power have
resurfaced as his title fight with
the undefeated Chris Algieri
nears.
But despite that, the former
pound-for-pound king doesn’t
seem pressured at all to go for
it and make a point that he still
packs a punch by knocking an
opponent out.
“I’m not predicting a
knockout,” Pacquiao said in an
committee. Here, the committee
is saying that there are other
buildings that they need to look
into. That is within the rights and
powers of the committee,” Drilon
added.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III,
chairman of the subcommittee,
said Aquino should keep his
hands off the Senate investigation
against Binay because it would set
a dangerous precedent and be seen
as interference with a co-equal
branch of government.
Sue Heck blows her gym instructor’s socks off with her tinikling
number
A SLICE of Filipino culture
has been showcased yet again in
an American TV series.
In “The Sinkhole” episode
of ABC’s “The Middle,” the
character Sue Heck (played by
Eden Sher) has had to pass her
PE class by mastering a tinikling
routine within a week. Sue gave
the Pinoy traditional dance a
modern twist by doing it to
Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.”
Tinikling has dancers perform
highly synchronized steps
(Please turn to Page 8)
Jihadists in Luzon for papal visit - PNP officer
Story on
Page 8
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PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
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PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
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November 20-26, 2014
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www.thephilippinetribune.com
VIEWS
& COMMENTARY
November 20-26, 2014
Grace Poe is wild card in 2016
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
GUEST EDITORIAL
Planning out of spite
A PLAN is, by its nature, long-term and deliberate. One
cannot snatch a “plan” out of thin air, just because.
And yet this is what we are seeing as word gets around that
the Aquino administration is moving the airport in Leyte to
Palo town from Tacloban City.
The logic is supposedly that the current Daniel Z.
Romualdez airport is beside the sea and is thus vulnerable to
storm surges, like what happened a year ago when typhoon
Yolanda swept into the central Philippines, flattening entire
communities, killing thousands and displacing millions.
President Aquino said the move was recommended by the
Japan International Cooperation Agency. JICA, however,
clarified that it has not done a study on the Tacloban airport,
much less recommended a transfer.
What it has done is suggest a hazard assessment of the
airport, seen as the gateway to Eastern Visayas. It is of course convenient that the transfer, which would
purportedly cost P12 billion, would be made from the city
governed by the Romualdezes, a political opponent, to that
ruled by the Petillas, who are administration allies.
Last names, after all, are a big deal to Mr. Aquino and
his supporters. Recall that his Interior Secretary Manuel
Roxas II emphasized this point to the Tacloban mayor in
the aftermath of the storm.
But names and affiliations are not sound bases for moving
an airport. Good science and a lot of common sense are.
Move it, if it has to be moved at all. But think of the billions
of pesos that could go into rehabilitation of the still-needy
regions, not only in Leyte but in other provinces damaged
by Yolanda.
This latest pronouncement is consistent with the
administration’s propensity to rush its projects, perhaps
realizing it does not have a lot of time left to create an impact
and leave a good legacy to the people.
Alas, in their rush, Mr. Aquino and his so-called planners
forget that government decisions should not be arbitrary
and should not be made out of spite. This is exactly what we
are seeing now, and this is exactly why we cannot take these
words seriously. – Manila Standard Today
SEN. Grace Poe denied again
on Monday that she has any plans
of running for a higher office in
2016. That’s the second time she
has said so amid increasing calls
for the 2013 senatorial elections
top vote getter to run for president
or vice president in the coming
presidential elections.
The neophyte lady senator
made the statement after two
successive reports that she
was being wooed by both the
opposition United Nationalist
Alliance and the ruling Liberal
Party to be the running mate
of presumptive presidential
candidates Vice President Jojo
Binay of UNA and Interior
Secretary Mar Roxas of the LP,
and that a faction of the camp of
President Aquino is considering
fielding the tandem of Poe and
Sen. Chiz Escudero in 2016.
I can believe both reports. Poe
is the hottest political commodity
at the moment and will continue to
be so as 2016 approaches. There
is no doubt that both Binay and
Roxas would love to have Poe as
their running mates for different
reasons.
Binay needs someone who has
integrity and credibility to balance
all the negative reports that have
hounded him in the last few
months, particularly allegations
of overpricing and irregularities
in the construction of a Makati
car park cum office building and
unexplained wealth in relation to
the ownership of several pricey
properties, including the so-called
Hacienda Binay in Batangas.
Roxas, on the other hand,
needs someone who is popular
with the people to offset his
nagging low ratings in popularity
the presidency. Senators Antonio
Trillanes IV and Alan Peter
Cayetano, Binay’s tormentors
in the Senate, are obviously
interested but I doubt if their
ratings would rise to a level
that would gain the interest of
known kingmakers like Aquino
of LP, Danding Cojuangco of the
Nationalist People’s Alliance, and
former Senate President Manny
Villar of the Nacionalista Party,
or even former President Joseph
Estrada of Partido ng Masang
Pilipino.
Sen. Chiz Escudero has both
the popularity and integrity
enjoyed by Poe, but my guess
is Escudero is not too keen on
running in 2016 unless teamed
with Poe. So his fate depends
largely on whether Poe would
run for president, or whether she
would run at all even for vice
president.
I may be wrong, but I believe
Poe would eventually respond
positively to the “growing clamor”
for her to run for president.
Although a political neophyte, I
imagine her to be wise enough
to know that it is too early to
declare for the presidency and that
it is a matter of timing for such
(Please turn to Page 6)
Giving Binay a run for his money
LITTLE did Vice President
Jejomar “Jojo” Binay realize that
Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes
IV would accept his challenge
to debate. And when Trillanes
accepted it, Binay must have
panicked and backed out of the
debate. It’s important to note that
Binay challenged Trillanes to a
debate to bring his case to the
people and answer questions
about his alleged corruption
activities and ill-gotten wealth
when he was mayor of Makati
City. Obviously, it was a bluff. Binay, a lawyer, was probably
thinking that Trillanes, a former
naval officer, didn’t stand a ghost
of a chance of defeating him in a
debate, which is a lawyer’s forte. But Trillanes had one weapon –
truth -- that he could use to force
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surveys. Poe, after all, topped
the last senatorial elections in
overwhelming fashion and has
consistently topped possible
candidates for the vice presidency,
also by a wide margin.
I can also understand why the
two are eager to get Poe to run
as their running mate. First, they
would gain from her popularity
and more importantly, they would
eliminate a strong challenger.
Had Poe declared herself
available for the presidency, I am
certain that she would surpass
Binay in no time in surveys.
Although I can also believe
that Poe might not be considering
a presidential or vice presidential
run in 2016, there is no saying that
she would not capitulate to the
“growing clamor” for her to do
so. I don’t think she is too naïve
to not consider a run for either
the presidency or vice presidency.
There is no better time for her to
do so considering the continued
demolition of Binay and the
consistently low popularity rating
of Roxas.
At the present time, there
is no other name being floated
around for either the presidency
or the vice presidency that could
come close to beating Binay for
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Binay to a corner and beat him
to a pulp. When Binay backed out of the
debate, Trillanes found an opening
for an attack. A few days later,
Trillanes went on the offensive
hitting Binay where it hurts most
– his character. He dropped a
bombshell by saying that Binay
was part of the 2007 conspiracy
to oust then-President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo. Trillanes
was referring to the time when his
rebel group, Magdalo, occupied
the Peninsula Manila Hotel in
Makati City and demanded Gloria
to step down. Trillanes claimed that Binay
– who was then mayor of Makati
City -- reneged on his promise to
mobilize his employees, the city’s
urban poor, and other supporters
to join Trillanes when he walks
out of a court hearing that was
trying him for the 2003 Oakwood
mutiny. But to Trillanes’ surprise,
Binay’s supporters did not show
up and Binay was nowhere
to be found. The rebels then
barricaded themselves in the hotel
but surrendered when the military
was called in. Later on when Trillanes was
detained at Camp Crame, Binay
showed up and apologized. Well, apology or no apology,
the harm was done. But what
was instilled in Trillanes’ mind
was that Binay’s decision to
back out of the debate says a lot
about his character. “In a way,
we were expecting this to happen
because on those instances, we
say that Vice President Binay
had no word of honor and that
he cannot be trusted. I hope
that our people could see his
true character” (translated from
Tagalog), Trillanes said.
A question of character
Having refused to appear
before the Senate Blue Ribbon
subcommittee hearings -- which
he described as a “kangaroo
court” -- and backed out of the
debate, Binay is going around the
country, at taxpayers’ expense,
telling the people that all these
accusations against him were
nothing more than “demolition
jobs.” But as Abraham Lincoln
once said: “You can fool all the
people some of the time, and some
of the people all the time, but you
cannot fool all the people all the
time,” Binay is desperately trying
-- by any means -- to shore up his
(Please turn to Page 10)
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PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
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November 20-26, 2014
Kindness in relationship
Jehovah Jireh
GOD›S other Name is Jehovah Jireh – Yahweh-yireh, in Hebrew,
which means “The Lord Will Provide.” The Name Jehovah Jireh refers
to the place in Mount Moriah where Abraham brought his son Isaac
as a burnt offering to the Lord. As Abraham was about to slay Isaac, the Angel of the Lord called
out to him from heaven and stopped him. The Lord instead provided
a ram as a sacrifice in the place of Abraham’s son. “And Abraham
called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In
the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” (Genesis 22:14, kjv)
I often wondered how Abraham might have felt as he prepared
his son as a sacrifice to the Lord, especially when Isaac unknowingly
asked: “where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” to which Abraham
by faith replied: “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt
offering.” (Gen. 22:7-8). And true to Abraham’s faith and obedience to
God, the Lord did provide a replacement offering for the life of Isaac.
The Lord God is sovereign. He knows and controls everything and
He allows things and events to happen. (Psalm 103:19) God knows
all things past, present, and future. His knowledge is limitless – He
knows everything completely before it even happens (Romans 11:33). Part of His being Jehovah Jireh is His ability to see our needs and to
act on them.
When we are beset by problems and failures, we fail in our faith and
we do things our own way. Worse, we sometimes blame ourselves,
others, and even God. God provides everything that we need according
to His will, purpose, and timing. Though He may take time to respond
to our needs, He is continually protecting us, guiding us, and giving
us peace of mind as we wait upon Him. The writer of the Book of Lamentation in the Old Testament was
going through some difficulties but he was willing to wait for God’s
provision because he knew that God was there for him: “I say to
myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
(Lam. 3:24)
“The Lord Will Provide” is an everlasting, never-ending providence
of God. Not only does He lovingly and faithfully supply our daily
needs, He also takes care of our future, eternal needs. Not far from Mount Moriah, outside the walls of Jerusalem, in a
place called Calvary, God sacrificed His own Son, Jesus Christ, to die
for our sins. Jesus became the “the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) You and I are assured of a place
in heaven because Jehovah Jireh provided for a Savior Who would
release us from the penalty of our sin and give us freedom to live an
everlasting life in His Presence.
God loves you, I am sure of that. He is there for you. Like the
Psalmist in Psalm 73:26, you can surely declare “My flesh and my heart
may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
We invite you to join us in our Sunday morning worship at 10:00. We are Silver Lake Foursquare Church, also known as, Open Door
Christian Fellowship. We are located on the second floor of the historic
Mayfair Hotel, 1256 West Seventh Street, Los Angeles, California
90017.
TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE
CALL (562) 865-5620
LOVE is the foundation for
building better relationships and
it has several components. The
first and supreme component is
being patient. If you are patient
and kind, you should not be
“overcome by evil but overcome
evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
Implementing kindness into
your relationships has at least
three requirements. What are
they?
1: Be an encourager. If you
are kind you will be sensitive to
people who are discouraged and
you encourage them. By doing
so, that makes you like God.
God hears your desires when you
are afflicted or humble (Psalm
10:17a).
How does God respond when
you share your hurts, frustrations,
and fears with Him (Psalm
10:17b). He strengthens my heart
and inclines His ear to me. One of
the best ways to be an encourager
like God is by taking time to listen
to people.
Most hurting discouraged
people don’t need a great word of
wisdom, or a sermon on why they
should not be discouraged. What
they really need is someone who
cares enough to lovingly listen
to them.
Being willing to listen
to someone who is hurting
emotionally is a great act of
kindness. Kind people are good
listeners. They encourage people
and build them up.
One of the great acts of kindness
and best types of encouragement
in my estimation is a handwritten
letter or a note. In our day of cell
phones, e-mails, text messaging,
and social networking, the most
powerful and meaningful means
of correspondence I believe is still
a handwritten letter.
Handwritten words of kindness
and encouragement last even
longer than spoken words. Long
after a note or letter has been
written, it continues to encourage.
Over the years when you have
become discouraged, re-reading
some of the letters and cards you
received can truly encourage you
time and time again.
ALL FOR
JESUS
A sincere, handwritten note
or letter of appreciation to your
spouse, to your children, parents,
or friends could be something
they will cherish for the rest of
their lives.
This week, get a nice card and
send a kind note to your spouse
or cherished friend. Another
great way to be an encourager is
sharing scripture promises. There
are perfectly matched scripture
promises for every problem
anyone may have.
One reason God gave you
a Bible is so you can use it to
Being willing to
listen to someone
is a great act
of kindness
encourage others. Paul, when
writing to the Thessalonian
believers who were grieving over
loved ones who had died, he wrote
about the second Coming of the
Lord (1Thess 4:13-17).
He writes to them to encourage
one another. One of the greatest
acts of kindness is sharing a
scripture to encourage or comfort
someone. To implement kindness,
not only you need to be an
encourager but…
2: Be compassionate. The
Bible gives us many commands
that deal with compassion. Like
Ephesians 4:32a says, I am to be
kind and tenderhearted to others.
The word “tenderhearted”
means “compassionate.” The
Lord Jesus’ most famous parable
is “The Good Samaritan.” It’s
about kindness that reveals itself
in compassion.
Jesus tells about a man who
falls among thieves as he travels
from Jerusalem to Jericho. They
beat him and leave him dying on
the road.
Then, three different men
come by. First is a priest. He saw
the poor man, but he went on the
other side of the street and moved
on (Luke 10:31).
Next, a Levite, who is a
layman responsible for the care
and upkeep of the temple, comes
upon the beaten man and does the
same thing as the priest. He just
passed by.
Finally, a Samaritan, whom
the Jews despise, comes by, saw
the man, and has “compassion”
on him.
He goes to the severely beaten
man and takes him to the nearest
motel. The next day before he
leaves, the Samaritan gives two
days’ wages to the innkeeper
and asks him to take care for the
injured man.
He also tells the innkeeper that
when he returns he will reimburse
him for any other expenses he
incurs (Luke 10:32-35). Jesus
says in Luke 10:37 I am to “go
and do likewise.” I have no reason
not to help.
If you are kind you will have
compassion on others and will
do something to help meet their
needs. Most of us will probably
never encounter a person who
has been physically beaten up by
robbers.
However, we frequently
encounter emotionally beaten-up
people who need our kindness and
“compassion” just as much. This
is especially true in our homes.
Our spouses and our children
(Please turn to Page 12)
6
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
Mercado: Binay demanded...
Grace Poe is wild card...
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
(From Page 1)
front for Binay’s unit at The Peak
condominium.
Mercado also alleged that
among the other buildings where
Binay owned a unit were the Le
Triomphe condominium; the
Makati Sunrise Tower, now the
Berjaya Hotel; Perla Compania
de Seguros Mansion Condotel;
Prince Plaza II Condotel; and
Avignon Tower.
He said building owners
supposedly agreed to demands
for a condominium unit or two
because they would be given
adjustments in their occupancy
permits so they would be free
from paying real property taxes
for a year.
The occupancy permits are
used to determine the real property
tax payments. If the date in the
permit is adjusted, the developer
could avoid paying taxes for a
certain period. Most times, the
amount of tax payments the
developer could save for these
would be greater than the price
of a condominium unit or two,
Mercado explained.
“If you could save P40 million
if the start of the payment for
the taxes is adjusted for a year,
and you would be asked for a
condominium unit or two worth
P30 million, you would agree,”
he said.
“That is the system why it is an
open secret among those in Makati
that Vice President Binay, when he
was mayor, had a condominium
unit per building. But it’s not 100
percent [of buildings], in fairness
to him. Ayala won’t tolerate that,”
he added.
Mercado also said that even
in getting building permits from
Makati, city engineers were
making money.
He said developers would be
told that the evaluation of their
buildings might take three months
following the working hours
of city engineers. But permits
would be given faster if they paid
“overtime” for the engineers.
Most developers agreed to shell
out the amount for “overtime”
instead of waiting three months,
he added.
Mercado also said Ayala
Corp., which has interests in real
estate, telecommunications and
water services and has developed
its property in Makati into the
country’s central business district,
was steadfast in resisting such
schemes because it did not have to
depend on the Makati government.
“ W h a t Ay a l a i s s a y i n g
is simple. It’s not the Makati
government that developed us. In
fact, we’re contributing to Makati
because Ayala is in Makati City,”
he said.
Without naming names, Sen.
Alan Peter Cayetano said during
the hearing he was told by a
building owner that he was more
than happy to give not just a unit
but a whole floor to Makati City
officials.
Cayetano said the owner, whom
he did not identify, explained that
this could save him money. For
instance, the building owner
may just have been allowed by
a developer of an area to build a
20-floor building. If he wanted
more floors, he would have to
buy another piece of land to build
another building.
But if the city government
would allow him to turn his
20-story building into a 30- to
40-floor building, he would be
able to save the cost of buying
land and spending for a new
building’s foundation.
“So what’s it to me to give
one floor to those from City Hall
if that’s what would happen,”
Cayetano recalled the building
owner as telling him.
In such an arrangement,
Cayetano said, it’s the area
developer who gets angry because
the developer already has a plan
on how the space and limited
resources of an area are to be
used and has already studied the
density of the area.
Mercado also read into the
record the statement of Olivar,
who he said he had been in touch
but who did not show up at the
Senate on Tuesday. Olivar and the
person who notarized his affidavit
were invited by the subcommittee
to appear in the next hearing.
In his affidavit, Olivar said he
was not the beneficial owner of
The Peak condominium unit.
“My name was registered as
owner to conceal the identity of
the true owner of the property.
I know the true owner of the
property to be Vice President
Jejomar C. Binay,” he said.
Mercado said Binay had also
allowed him to stay at this unit
in 2001.
To support his claim that Binay
owned the condominium units,
Mercado cited the invoice from Le
Triomphe which said these were
addressed to the Makati City’s
engineering department.
He said the Le Triomphe units
were under the name of Celso
Santiago, allegedly an uncle of
Binay’s wife, Elenita.
(From Page 4)
declaration.
We all know what happened to
Binay after he declared from Day
One of his vice presidency that
he is available for the presidency
in 2016. He did not only give his
opponents time to map out a time
plan and strategy for demolishing
him, but also opened himself to
the possibility that he would peak
too soon.
I think Binay’s popularity
has peaked and that it would be
downward from hereon. It reached
its crescendo earlier this year and
with all the negative publicity
about his alleged corruption, it is
almost certain to go downward.
Meanwhile, expect the ratings
of Poe to shoot up even more
with the frequent floating of her
name and the sudden high profile
that she has been projecting in
the Senate.
In a privilege speech on
October 27, Poe proved herself
knowledgeable of national issues.
In the speech, she called for
concrete action against poverty
as she denounced the fact that
15 million children remain
hungry and malnourished amid
the continued growth of the
Philippine economy.
It was a scathing denunciation
of the Aquino administration’s
inability to solve the problem
of poverty while boasting of
economic growth.
“We shouldn’t allow the
applause of rating agencies
drown out the grumbling of empty
stomachs,” she said. “We should
let the issue of hunger gnaw at
bureaucracy’s thick walls or the
officialdom’s thick hides the way
an ulcer lacerates the gut.”
In the same speech, Poe called
for an increase in the budget
next year for children’s feeding
programs, which could be done
by doing away with “frivolous”
budgetary items. She also called
for sincere efforts to invest in and
improve agricultural programs by
giving these sufficient funding.
A day after the speech, Poe
made her first statement denying
a run for higher office. A political
analyst had speculated that Poe
would run for president after Poe
used her late father Fernando
Poe Jr.’s campaign slogan of
“altanghap” (almusal, tanghalian
and hapunan) in her privilege
speech.
E a r l i e r, P o e l a m b a s t e d
Philippine National Police chief
Director General Alan Purisima
for travelling out of the country
amid the rising criminality in
the country. She also called for
an investigation into Purisima’s
unexplained wealth.
Poe is definitely not a pushover
senator. According to her website,
Poe has filed and co-authored
107 measures consisting of 34
bills and 73 resolutions in her
first year in office. She sponsored
five bills, three of which have
been approved by the Senate
during the first regular session
of the 16th Congress. She has
also persistently pushed for
the passage of the Freedom of
Information Act.
Just this week, Poe was
named this year’s Lee Kuan
Yew Exchange Fellow, the third
awardee from the Philippines
and the 46 th from all over the
world since the program started.
Lee Kwan Yew fellows are
selected for their “track record
and extraordinary potential to
contribute to the development of
their nations.”
In this coming year, we
can expect Poe’s name to be
mentioned every time there is a
discussion of the 2016 presidential
elections. Despite her reluctance
and denials, Poe has become
the wild card in 2016. And that
bodes well for Philippine politics.
People should be given better
choices for the next president
who will steer the country through
critical times.
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November 20-26, 2014
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P i m e n t e l , Tr i l l a n e s a n d a message from Binay to Drilon.
Senate to Aquino...
Cayetano were all senatorial
In a daily press briefing, Valte
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
Doctor...
(From Page 1)
Officials previously announced
that Salia was in “extremely
critical” condition and late
Sunday said it was an “hourby-hour” situation, according to
several reports.
He was flown to the same
hospital that had previously cured
two other Ebola patients.
Salia’s rapidly declining health
can reportedly be attributed to
a previous Ebola test coming
back negative, according to a
Washington Post report.
He tested negative for the
lethal virus despite being infected,
sources told the paper. In an even
more tragic turn, those around
Salia removed protective gear
and embraced him in celebration.
It is not known if those people
have since become infected.
Salia leaves behind a wife
and two children aged 16 and
20-years-old, according to the
Post. All three live in the U.S.
Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan,
in October, was the first person to
die of Ebola in the U.S. Duncan
passed away at Texas Health
Presbyterian Hospital, in Dallas,
and also infampously infected to
nurses during his stay.
Both Nina Pham and Amber
Vinson were eventually cured of
the virus, but not before being
flown to separate hospitals outside
Texas.
Almost 5,200 people have
died of Ebola around the globe,
the World Health Organization
announced last week.
Nearly 15,000 people remain
infected, and their ranks are only
growing.
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(From Page 1)
the people, aside from conducting
such investigations.
The President noted that a
number of bills are pending before
the Congress, among them the
fiscal rationalization bill, the
military pension system, the
Build-Operate-Transfer Law, the
supplemental budget, and the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
He said he wished that
Congress would focus on these
legislative matters, considering
that he has fewer than 600 days
in office before he steps down
in 2016.
Binay is being investigated
by the Senate Blue Ribbon
subcommittee for allegedly
benefiting from the overpriced
construction of the Makati City
Hall Building II.
Pimentel said his subcommittee,
which has held 11 hearings so far,
had met many obstacles that kept
it from completing its work.
“We have also encountered
unfriendly and uncooperative
behavior from those being
investigated. These are the people
causing the perceived delay.
Makati officials have boycotted
the hearings. Imagine LGU
officials defying the Senate?
Should we allow this to happen at
all, much more continue?” he said.
The Office of the Ombudsman
and the Justice Department are
conducting parallel investigations
into the allegations of corruption
against the vice president.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV,
who has led the attacks on Binay,
said there is no time frame as to
when the investigation may end.
“We will not do this until
the election period. What we
are saying is we can’t afford to
tackle all the evidence in just one
hearing,” he said.
Tr i l l a n e s s a i d t h e s u b committee will present more
witnesses and evidence supporting
questionable transactions in
Makati City, where Binay had
served as mayor.
Senate Majority Leader Alan
Peter Cayetano, on the other hand,
said that while senators wanted to
terminate the hearings soonest,
it was Binay who has refused
to cooperate with them by not
attending the Senate hearings.
candidates who won under the
Team Pnoy, a coalition party of
the Aquino administration during
the May 2013 mid-term elections.
From the Palace, deputy
presidential spokesperson Abigail
Valte said there was nothing
wrong in the President conveying
also said there was no request
from the President himself to stop
the Blue Ribbon subcommittee
inquiry.
During his interview from
China, Aquino said he respects
the Senate as a co-equal branch,
she said.
8 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
Pacquiao not predicting KO in...
(From Page 1)
Bradley in 2012, and the only
fight that didn’t last the full 12
rounds was his brutal knockout
loss to Mexican rival Juan Manuel
Marquez.
That stunning defeat
to Marquez ironically was the
closest Pacquiao got to scoring
at least a stoppage when seconds
before he lunged towards that
devastating counter punch in
the sixth round, he was all over
Marquez during that round. It
was also revealed after the fight
that Marquez’s nose was already
broken at that point.
Pacquiao may not have been
able to score a knockout as of
late but he has proven that he
can still dominate a fight in his
victories over Brandon Rios last
year and Bradley in their rematch
last April.
And another dominating
performance against Algieri on
Nov. 23 at The Venetian in Macau
could pave the way for the muchawaited megafight with Floyd
Mayweather.
Talks about a PacquiaoMayweather bout, which could go
down as the richest fight in boxing
history, have come up anew and
the sport’s only eight-division
champion Pacquiao hinted at the
possibility of it.
“As long as I’m still in boxing
and Mayweather is still in boxing,
then there’s always a chance for
that (fight),” said Pacquiao in a
separate interview.
“I’m willing to fight anybody.
I’m not ducking anyone.”
November 20-26, 2014
New group of jihadists
deployed in Luzon?
MANILA – A new jihadist
group has deployed a 15-man
team to Luzon ahead of the visit of
Pope Francis in January next year.
Luzon is the Philippines’
largest group of islands.
An intelligence officer of
the Philippine National Police
(PNP) who spoke on condition
of anonymity on Monday said the
team, led by Jemaah Islamiyahtrained Abdul Basit Usman, is
a composite group from the Al
Hansar Khilafa, which has sworn
allegiance to the Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and similar
extremist organizations.
The source, who is familiar with
the movements of local militants,
added that the deployment of the
Usman team may have something
to do with the papal visit.
“This only confirms that the
operation of the Al Hansar Khilafa
is now all over the country,” the
officer said in a phone interview
According to him, Al Hansar
Khilafa was formed last July and
its more than 60 fighters come
from different militant groups in
the country.
“Their members come from the
Rajah Solaiman Movement-Abu
Sayyaf Group of Isnilon Hapilon
and Usman’s former men in the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
[MILF],” the source said.
Recruits from the Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)
and three members of the Jemaah
Islamiah (JI) complete the group.
The source said Usman’s men,
who could now be in Metro
Manila and in the Southern
Tagalog region are all trained in
making explosives.
Another police intelligence
source earlier said a group of
foreign jihadists has set up a cell
in Luzon and may also be plotting
to kill the pontiff, who will be in
the Philippines from January 15
to 19.
The other source admitted
that he has scant information
about the Khilafa Islamiya in the
Visayas but that the Luzon cell
is headed by an Islamic cleric
from Bangladesh with four other
foreigners joining the group.
The group had just come from
Cotabato where they trained some
militants in bomb-making.
The other source said the
formation of Usman’s group,
called the “Bangsamoro Justice
Movement [BJM], may have been
disrupted by the arrest of Khair
Mundos last June and Ricardo
Ayeras of RSM.
US sitcom...
(From Page 1)
between large bamboo poles. It
is said to imitate the movements of
the tikling bird dodging bamboo
traps set by farmers.
According to one of the show’s
creators, as reported by “Unang
Hirit,” they decided to touch on
tinikling after she remembered
having danced it when she was
still a member of the Girl Scouts.
“The Middle,” currently on its
sixth season, follows the life and
exploits of middle-class Heck
family.
Recall that in March, NBC’s
hit TV series “Grimm” featured
Pinoy mythical creature widely
called Aswang that folklore says
feeds on human fetus.
9
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
Makati Science High School building
COA chief wonders why
Makati school cost $1.3B
MANILA - The Makati
City government’s initial cost
estimate for the P1.3-billion
Makati Science High School
building was only P348.6 million,
Commission on Audit chairperson
Grace Pulido Tan said on Tuesday.
Testifying before the Senate
Blue Ribbon Sub-Committee, Tan
said that based on their records,
the Makati government was
only planning to spend P348.6
million for a 10-storey high
school building with a four-storey
dormitory.
The figure is based on the
estimate approved by the city
mayor, Tan said.
The COA chief pointed out that
the Makati government used the
initial cost estimate as basis for the
procurement of design services
for the project.
She wondered why the Makati
government spent P1.3 billion
when it only originally planned to
construct a school building with a
much lower estimated cost.
“Paano naging P1.3
(billion) itong proyektong ito
na samantalang noong umpisa,
what they had in mind and what
they wanted to build, I mean the
agency itself which is Makati, was
only going to be worth P348.6
million?” she asked.
Tan said the original cost
estimate had been reached when
the first three phases of the project
were completed. The construction
had six phases.
“I would like to say that ito po
yung mga tinatawag naming red
flags, just like in the case of the
parking building,” Tan said.
“These are already the things
that catch our attention and
compel us to really look into this
matter,” she added.
Tan clarified that she is not
concluding that the school
building is overpriced.
November 20-26, 2014
10 PHILIPPINE
TRIBUNE
Aquino vows fight vs. ISIS
MANILA -- The Philippines
has committed to help in the
fight against the growing threat
of the Islamic State, amid reports
that the jihadists beheaded 19
people, including an American
aid worker, which United States
President Barack Obama decried
as “an act of pure evil.”
O n Tu e s d a y, P r e s i d e n t
Benigno Aquino III expressed
the government’s commitment to
November 20-26, 2014
www.thephilippinetribune.com
help Turkey in its fight against IS
to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu during a meeting at
the Palace.
Aquino noted that Turkey
“faces the difficult challenge of
addressing the threat of ISIS in
the embattled town of Kobane in
Syria near the Turkish border.
“It is a threat that has brought
great conflict to that nation and
to many other nations beyond
that vital region. The various
pressures presented by extremism
seek to test the resolve of Turkey,”
the President said.
“Just as your people have
partnered with us in advancing
a just and lasting peace in
Mindanao, allow me to say that
it is my nation’s hope that we
will be able to help Turkey as
it confronts the persisting and
emerging challenges of our time,
such as the threat of ISIS. Rest
assured, you will find a partner in
the Filipino,” he added.
Aquino earlier created
a technical working group to
monitor and profile foreign
fighters and terrorist groups.
Davutoglu, for his part, pledged
his country’s full support behind
the peace process, in particular the
disarmament of the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front.
Davutoglu said he has directed
senior Turkish diplomat Haydar
Berk to focus on the disarmament
process as chairman of the
Independent Decommissioning
Body.
“I have instructed him [Berk]
to stay in the Philippines and
if needed, don’t come back to
Turkey until you finish this job,”
the Turkish leader said, eliciting
laughter from officials attending
the luncheon.
Aquino and Davutoglu also
witnessed the signing of an
expanded air services agreement
that will allow direct flights for
the first time between the two
countries.
Obama, meanwhile, confirmed
the beheading of American
aid worker Peter Kassig, who
converted to Islam and took the
name of Abdul Rahman after
the ISIS released a video. The
video showed the severed head
of Kassig.
It also showed the gruesome
simultaneous beheadings of at
least 18 men described as Syrian
military personnel, the latest in
a series of mass executions and
other atrocities carried out by IS
in Syria and Iraq.
Obama said “actions such as
beheadings represent no faith,
least of all the Muslim faith
which Abdul Rahman adopted as
his own.”
Kassig, 26, is the sixth foreign
captive executed by Islamic
State and its sympathizers after
the jihadist group seized large
portions of northwestern Iraq
and eastern Syria and declared an
Islamic caliphate on the territory.
The video also recounts the
growth of IslamicState from
2003, when its founder Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi began terrorist
operations in Iraq.
“The Islamic State’s choice
to show the entire beheading
process of the Syrian pilots is
another attempt to terrorize the
American public from supporting
its involvement in a war against
IS,” SITE’s director, Rita Katz,
said in a statement, using an
acronym for Islamic State.
Giving Binay a run...
(From Page 4)
sagging ratings, which had dipped
10% in the last few months. Indeed, Trillanes hit the
nail right on the head when he
questioned Binay’s character
and trustworthiness. However,
I’m sure he’s aware that it’s a
dangerous road to take in political
campaigns because the outcome
could go either way – help or
destroy the candidate. But Binay
knows it, too, and that’s why
he’s trying very hard to gain the
people’s sympathy.
A Philippine Inquirer reader,
M a r i o “ Ya o ” B o c o f r o m
Salcedo, Eastern Samar, wrote
a commentary titled “Binay’s
only saving grace,” which said:
“Ramon Tulfo’s column titled
‘Oplan Nognog just an invention’
(Metro, 10/23/14) confirmed my
suspicion that ‘Oplan stop Nognog
2016’ was an idea hatched by Vice
President Jejomar Binay’s PR
men and was intended to elicit for
Binay sympathy or compassion
from the “politically vacuous
masses,” and consequently gain
votes for him as a candidate in the
2016 presidential election.
“When I first read and heard
of ‘Oplan stop Nognog 2016,’ I
immediately sensed that the word
‘Nognog,’ a funny, charcoal-black
comics character that stirs up
mixed feelings of ridicule and
pity, could be a mere ‘gimmick’ to
generate sympathy for Binay, he
being dark-skinned. In fact, one of
the factors that made the ‘Binays
rule Makati one after the other is
because they go to great lengths
to emphasize their looks.’
“Little did Binay’s PR men
know that by using the same
kind of gimmick, they revealed
themselves to have run out of
ideas to defend and save the Vice
President from the avalanche
of corruption charges now
swamping him. No amount of
denials, allusions to political
persecution, demolition job, or
whatever, will extricate him from
the political maelstrom he is in
now. Only his presence in the
Senate blue ribbon subcommittee
hearing, to answer point by point
the corruption charges hurled
against him, will be his ‘saving
grace.’ ”
Serendipity or conspiracy
Binay might have thought
what his “saving grace” is going
to be? And guess whom did he
run into? Grace Poe! Binay met Grace at a meeting
of the Kapisanan ng mga
Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP)
in Tagaytay City last November
13. Grace was a guest of KBP;
Binay was an uninvited guest, a
“gatecrasher.” Binay claimed that
he dropped by the KBP event to
formally apologize for backing
out of the debate with Trillanes,
which the KBP was supposed to
organize. However, it’s debatable
whether the Binay-Poe meeting
was serendipity or a wellorchestrated “chance” encounter
– or conspiracy -- between Binay
and an unsuspecting Grace. As
it turned out it was anything but
coincidence. Binay later told the
media that it was an “impromptu
visit.” And from that “impromptu
visit,” a rare photo worth a
thousand words was taken of
Grace giving Binay a priceless
beso-beso. And no sooner
had the KBP event ended than
rumors started to swirl around
of a potential Binay-Poe tandem
in 2016. When asked about
the “coincidence,” Binay tried
to downplay it; however, he
admitted that he was open to
teaming up with Grace in 2016. Indeed, if Grace agreed to join
Binay, it would be a powerful
team. Recent surveys show that
Binay and Poe are the top picks
for president and vice president,
respectively. Although Grace had made it
clear that she was not running
for president in 2016, the United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and
the Liberal Party are wooing her
to be the running mate of their
respective standard bearers. But many believe that if there
was one person who could beat
Binay, it’s Grace. And who
would be a better running mate of
Grace Poe than Sonny Trillanes? Working in tandem, they could
give Jojo Binay a run for his
money… or should I say, “the
people’s money?”
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11
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HOMELAND NEWS BRIEFS
Senate EDCA’s proper forum - SC
MANILA –Several justices are entertaining the idea that the
Supreme Court refer to the Senate for scrutiny and concurrence the
controversial Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca)
between the Philippines and the United States.
Justices Marvic Leonen, Jose Perez and Bienvenido Reyes and
Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno raised the possibility during the
four-hour oral arguments Tuesday on the petition of former Senators
Rene Saguisag and Wigberto Tañada Jr., Makabayan legislators and
civil society groups questioning Edca’s constitutionality.
The justices hinted that the high court, for now, might not be the
proper forum to debate on the merits of Edca, that the Senate could be
asked to scrutinize the agreement and that the petitioners should raise
their objections before the senators.
“It is not even better for this court to see Edca take its shape and
then if there is a violation of law bring the matter to the proper forum,”
Sereno told the petitioners’ lawyers.
Leonen told the lawyers that arguments against Edca “should be
given to the Senate who are your representatives.”
Under the Constitution, the Senate is empowered to ratify treaties
that the country enters into.
The petitioners’ lawyers said the court could still rule on Edca’s
constitutionality and whether the executive branch committed grave
abuse of discretion by agreeing to the pact.
Party list junks own House rep
MANILA – His own party mates on Tuesday charged former
Ating Koop party-list Rep. Isidro Lico with a P75-million graft and
malversation case in the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB).
In the complaint, Ating Koop, represented by Sibayan Lumbos and
Associates Law Office, included Lico’s alleged coconspirators who
acted either as “bagmen or facilitators” for kickbacks from projects
funded by Lico’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or
pork barrel when he served in the 15th Congress.
The co-respondents were Reynaldo Golo, Lico’s liaison officer;
David Serrano Jr., the municipal assessor and budget officer of Sta.
Elena, Camarines Norte; Alex Nuñag; and a “Jane Doe” who assumed
the name Charlene Lizen and who was allegedly endorsed by Lico to
collect his kickbacks from dubious projects of the National Commission
on Muslim Filipinos that were financed with his PDAF.
November 20-26, 2014
Senate eyes major changes in budget
MANILA -- The Senate will
introduce major changes in the
proposed P2.6-trillion national
budget for 2015 as the Upper
Chamber starts plenary debates on
next year’s national expenditure
program.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero,
Senate Finance Committee
chairman, said there would be
substantial amendments with
about P91.82 billion worth of
funds realigned to substantiate
government allocations for
education, health, nutrition,
rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
But Escudero assured none of
these amendments would appear
as pork barrel funds or the so-
called Priority Development
Assistance Funds (PDAF).
“None of this will be pork in
whatever name or form. There
will be no earmarks sporting new
titles,” Escudero stressed.
The Senate has chosen to
abolish the pork barrel fund
system after several of its
members were implicated in the
pork barrel controversy.
Senate President Franklin
Drilon vowed the Upper
Chamber will exercise stringent
measures to ensure the pork
barrel system isn’t revived in
next year’s financial plan and
even prompted the Department
of Budget and Management
(DBM) to make sure the system
isn’t incorporated in next year’s
expenditure program.
Senate Minority Leader Juan
Ponce Enrile, Senators Ramon
“Bong” Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy
Estrada are now facing plunder and
corruption charges in connection
with the PDAF scam. All three
senators are now under the custody
of the Philippine National Police
(PNP).
As the chief sponsor of
the proposed 2015 General
Appropriations Act (GAA),
Escudero vowed to make
substantial improvements on the
House-approved Palace budget
proposal.
LP in talks with NP for 2016 slate - solon
MANILA -- The ruling Liberal
Party is teaming up with the
Nacionalista Party with the LP
fielding the standard bearer and
the NP fielding the running mate,
Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas, the LP’s
vice president for the Visayas, said
Monday.
The team-up prompted the
opposition United Nationalist
Alliance to assert that the Senate
hearings against Vice President
Jejomar Binay were part of the
Oplan Stop Nognog in 2016.
“The LP-NP team-up only
confirms and bolsters our claims
that the Oplan Nognog plot
was hatched by the LP-NP
conspiracy to oust VP Binay and
prevent him from becoming the
next President,” UNA interim
president and Navotas Rep. Toby
Tiangco said.
He was reacting to Treñas’
statement that an LP-NP team-up
wold be unbeatable in the 2016
presidential elections.
Treñas said it would be best
for the LP and the NP to team up as
both had the right candidates and
political machinery to win in 2016.
“I think that an LP-NP team-up
will be unbeatable in all levels in
2016, Treñas said.
On Sunday, a Palace official
said a faction within the camp
of President Benigno Aquino
III—including his sisters—is
rooting for Poe and Escudero
to run for President and vice
president in 2016, repudiating
Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas.
12
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
TRAVEL
November 20-26, 2014
www.thephilippinetribune.com
NEGROS REVISITED
LAST October, my husband
Bob Begg and I went on our
yearly visit to my hometown –
Manapla, Negros Occidental,
where the rest of my family still
reside today. Coming home to
see them is always an exhilarating
experience for me.
Manapla, located in the
northern part of Negros Occidental
is about 20 kilometers from Silay
Airport in Bacolod City. Bacolod
is only an hour flight from Manila.
It is serviced by several airlines,
which makes it a very convenient
and accessible place to visit.
I always look forward to
coming home to Manapla. I so
missed the famous Manapla
puto (rice cake) which have
been around for at least four
generations. Of course, my
husband and I feasted on the fresh
seafood and the uniquely flavored
Bacolod chicken inasal, skewered
on bamboo sticks and grilled to
perfection, the recipe of which I
could never recreate or duplicate
in my own kitchen. We spent
part of our weekend exploring the
Negros Farmers Weekend Market
where we found all kinds of fresh
vegetables, fruits and Bacolod’s
most tasty home-cooked meals
sold on different food stalls.
Most produce sold in the market
By Cristina Begg
are organically grown by local
farmers. The whole morning
was spent dining al fresco at the
market as I enjoyed the freshly
squeezed sugar cane juice with
calamansi (or local lime). It is
not only very healthy; it’s very
delicious too.
As former home of huge sugar
plantations and rich Spanish
families, Negros Occidental
draws tourists because of its
rich heritage, colorful festivals,
interesting places and colorful
museums.
Located in the town of
Manapla is the Jose Gaston
Mansion, the ancestral home of
one of the sons of Yves Leopold
Germain Gaston, Jose Gaston and
his wife Consuelo Ascona. Yves
Germain was a Frenchman who
settled in Negros Occidental and
modernized the sugar industry
in the province. The mansion
was built in the 1930s. It has
high ceilings, large windows and
wooden floors, which were typical
of the period. The mansion was
featured in the Peque Gallaga
classic movie “Oro, Plata, Mata.”
The white mansion stands in
the middle of the hacienda and a
prelate resides there – Monsignor
Guillermo Gaston, who designed
a chapel for the people in the
hacienda. The chapel is called
“The Chapel of the Cartwheels”
and it mirrors the daily lives of
the people in the community.
The chapel is shaped like a giant
salakot, a native hat of Filipinos
usually worn by farmers. All
parts of the chapel were made
out of cartwheels and other farm
implements. The benches were
made by families who attended
the mass, while the candleholders
were made out of mortars. Even
the image of Christ mounted on
the cartwheel that served as the
crucifix, was made to look like a
fair-skinned farmer. “The Chapel
of the Cartwheels” is simple and
unique and there is nothing like it
anywhere else in the Philippines
or in the world.
Another interesting place to
visit in Negros Occidental is
the Church of the Angry Christ
located at Victorias Milling
Company (VMC), the biggest
sugar mill in Negros. It is one of
the most controversial churches
in the Philippines in the late 40s.
Officially known as the St.
Joseph the Worker Chapel, the
church houses a mural done by
Alfonso Ossorio, scion to the
founder of VMC. The mural
Bob and Cristina Begg (seated on the right) having lunch at Hotel
Celeste’s Lucia Ristorante with Mr. Choi Duazo, Sales Manager
and Ms. Onelle Pacheco-Verzosa, Director of Sales and Marketing
of the hotel.
depicts the Reincarnation of God
and the final days of Judgment.
The façade features a mosaic of the
wedding of Joseph and Mary, who
were depicted as brown-skinned
Filipinos and were wearing native
costumes. Other artworks found in
the church include the paintings
on the outside walls depicting the
Prodigal Son and the Last Supper
and the Virgin Mary with the Holy
Spirit which can be found at the
back of the Church.
A few minutes ride take us to
Silay City where we visited some
of the most illustrious mansionsturned-historical landmarks in
Kindness in relationship
(From Page 5)
often get emotionally beaten up
in our fallen world.
Therefore, we need to be very
sensitive and look for opportunities
just to let them talk about their
hurts, frustrations, and fears, as we
listen with kind, compassionate
ears. Then, we should say or do
something to help them heal and
feel better.
To i m p l e m e n t k i n d n e s s
into your relationships: be an
encourager, be compassionate
and …
3: Be yoked to Christ. A yoke
is a heavy, wooden harness that
fists over the shoulder of a team
of oxen.
In ancient times, a farmer
would train a new ox by yoking
it to an experienced ox. The
inexperienced ox would learn to
plow by walking alongside the
experienced ox.
In the same way, when we
take on the “yoke” of Christ, He
teaches us how to be kind. By
asking us to take His “yoke,” Jesus
is saying, “Come, let me teaches
you.” He also said, “My burden is
light” (Matthew 11:30).
When you put on the yoke
of Christ, you can claim God’s
promise in Philippians 4:13 saying,
“I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.” If I put on
Christ’s “yoke,” I will always seek
to ease the “burden” of others by
being “kind.”
When I am sowing the seeds
of kindness, the amount of harvest
will be determined by the amount
I sow. 2Corintinas 9:6 says,
“If I sow sparingly, I will reap
sparingly. But if I sow bountifully,
I will reap bountifully.”
To i m p l e m e n t k i n d n e s s
into your relationships, be an
encourager, be compassionate,
and be yoked to Christ Jesus,
our Lord.
If you want to learn more,
you’re cordially invited to join
us in one of our meetings. Be
a support partner of All for
Jesus Ministries as well. In the
meantime pray this prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I am a sinner.
My sin deserves judgment but
I need mercy. I open my heart
now to you. I turn from my sin.
I take my place at your feet. My
blessed Redeemer, I give you
my heart. Come into me and
be my Lord and Savior. Thank
you for saving me. In Jesus’
name, amen.” Come and visit us
soon. WORSHIP AND BIBLE
STUDY SCHEDULE: Sunday
@ 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday @
7:00 p.m. Email us at all4jesus@
ca.rr.com or call us any time at
562-896-0107 and let us know
you’re coming. Our meeting
place: 10356 Monterey Street,
Bellflower, CA 90706.
13
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
ENTERTAINMENT
www.thephilippinetribune.com
KimXi: The secret’s out
THE Kim Chiu-Xian Lim
tandem, known to their throng
of fans as “KimXi,” continues to
be among the most marketable in
local show business, evident in the
string of hit TV shows and movies
they have done in recent years.
During a press conference
for their upcoming film “Past
Tense” – a sort of reunion project
for the love team that last worked
together January this year – Xian
expounded on factors that make
their pairing work since hitting
it off on the romantic comedy
TV series “My Binondo Girl.”
“Uumpisahan ko na sa yung
inaalalayan kasi ako lagi ni Kim sa
mga eksena na she really wants to
work. Kumbaga may nakikita ako,
may nakikita siya, it’s an open
thing na parang pwede kaming
magsabi (sa isa’t isa),” he said.
During the course of their teamup, Xian also learned to consider
other people’s opinion about their
work. “Kasi dati, ayoko pang
tanggapin, pero ngayon tanggap
lang ako nang tanggap dahil
marami akong natututunan.”
Kim, for her part, shared,
“Tinuturuan niya ko ng jokes.
Hindi kasi carry ng face niya
mag-joke, so sa’kin niya na lang
pinapasa. Ta’s ako, ‘yung mga
serious serious, binibigay ko
sa kanya, so parang tulungan.”
And there is also the
matter of making fans happy.
“Kung pano kami minahal
ng mga sumusuporta samin,
ganun (pa) din kami. Hindi kami
nagbabago or hindi namin kinocompare ’yung love team namin
sa iba,” she explained. “Siyempre
utang namin sa mga lahat ng fans
(kung anong meron kami ngayon),
sobrang solid sila sumuporta.”
After missing working with
each other for months, Xian and
Kim are more than happy to
team up again in “Past Tense.”
“Pinagdarasal talaga namin na
sana hindi nawala yung suporta
ng fans sa’min. Sana kung ga’no
nila kami sinuportahan sa ‘Bride
For Rent,’ sana nandiyan pa rin
sila para suportahan kami (dito
sa pelikulang ’to),” Kim said.
In the romantic comedy
“Past Tense,” Kim and Xian test
their acting mettle with actresscomedian Ai Ai delas Alas.
The veteran actress’ humility
made quite an impression on Kim.
“Parang ’wag mong ilagay sa
utak mo kung nasaan ka man,
kung anuman ’yung narating
mo, sobrang andiyan ka na pero
magmamaldita ka (na), ‘Ayoko
na, cutoff ko na, uuwi na ko!’
Hindi siya ganun,” she said of
Ai Ai. “(Instead, she would ask,)
‘Ilan pa ba? O sige tapusin na
natin, hanggang dun na lang ang
kaya ko.’ Parang ganun na kaya
pa namang habaan ang oras…”
Kim is no stranger to how
critical people are in show
business, and how simple
things can spur chitchat. “(Pero)
kay Mama Ai, (’pag) pinagusapan siya, ‘Ang bait ni Ms.
Ai, kahit ang tagal na niyang
artista pero ganun pa rin siya.’
Parang gusto ko ganun din ako.”
She wishes to have the same
impact on people “na pag-alis
Vina: Robin is still so sweet,
but we have boundaries now
VINA Morales’ favorite
leading man is still Robin Padilla.
And although they haven’t topbilled an acting project since
2000, the singer-actress is happy
to see that her screen tandem with
the action star hasn’t lost its spark.
In the 2014 Metro Manila
Film Festival (MMFF) entry
“Bonifacio: Ang Unang
Pangulo”—a reunion film for
the ex-couple — Robin plays the
titular character Andres Bonifacio;
Vina, the revolutionary hero’s
second wife Gregoria de Jesus.
On a recent set visit, Vina told
a small group of reporters that
Robin was just as thoughtful as
he was when they made their first
film, “Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum,”
in 1991. “He has remained very
sweet, gentlemanly… but of
Vina Morales
course there are boundaries
between us now. Still, there’s
been a lot of teasing around here.”
The 39-year-old described her
romantic scenes with Robin in
(Please turn to Page 14)
ko, maganda ’yung mga sinasabi
sa akin ng mga tao. Pag-talikod
ko, maganda ang reviews.”
Xian, meanwhile, noted how
professional the veteran actress is.
“Kaka-recover pa lang niya
sa sakit, tapos wala talaga siyang
reklamo kahit ’yung bahay na
pinagshu-shooting-an namin is
sobrang dumi, puro alikabok,
tapos pinapahiga si Ms. Ai
Ai sa sahig, pinapagulunggulong siya, kung anu-anong
pinapagawa, kay Ms. Ai okay
lang talaga lahat,” he shared.
“Kumbaga si Ms. Ai, go with
the flow lang talaga, ‘Gagawin
ko ’to dahil gusto ko ’to.’”
Xian Lim and Kim Chiu
November 20-26, 2014
14 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
ENTERTAINMENT
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
Vina...
Why Cristine
kept mum
on pregnancy
Angelica
wins best
actress plum
AFTER admitting she’s
having a baby on lived television,
Cristine Reyes explained why
she had to keep her pregnancy
a secret.
In an interview with ABSCBN›s showbiz talk show “The
Buzz” on Sunday, the 25-year-old
actress revealed she kept mum
about being pregnant because
“nung first three months ko po na
akala ng lahat ay nagtatago ako,
critical po yung stage ko.”
“Right now, andito na ako sa
stage na sure na 100 percent safe
ako and our baby. I made sure na
safe muna kami,” she said.
Cristine added: “Advice ng
doctor, bed rest po ako ‹cause
nagkaroon ako ng bleeding.
Kailangan ko alagaan ang sarili
ko. Hindi ako nagwo-work and
all.”
The ABS-CBN artist also said
her pregnancy did not come as
a surprise for her and her nonshowbiz boyfriend Ali Khatibi. “We›re happy because it was
planned,” Cristine said
“First test namin... akala namin
negative pa so na-sad kami. So
nung gabi, nag-test ulit kami,
ANGELICA Panganiban won
the Best Actress award at the
2014 Cinema One Originals film
festival, which held its awards
night on Sunday, Nov. 16.
The ABS-CBN actress, who
was part of the film “That Thing
Called Tadhana,” bested veteran
actress Shamaine Buencamino
(“Lorna”) and transgender actress
Mimi Juareza (“Seoul Mates”) for
the award. Angelica is currently in
the United States and was not able
to accept the award.
Maria Isabel Lopez was
named Best Supporting Actress
for “Lorna” while Sandino Martin
(“Esprit de Corps) and Matt
Declan (“Soap Opera”) won the
Best Actor award. Meanwhile, “Violator” came
out as the film festival›s big winner
as it bagged the Best Picture, Best
Sound, Best Editing, and Best
Supporting Actor awards.
Here is the complete list
of winners at the Cinema One
Originals 2014:
Best Picture: Violator
Best Director: Kanakan
Balintagos (Esprit de Corps)
Best Actor: Sandino Martin
(Esprit de Corps) and Matt Daclan
(Soap Opera)
B e s t A c t re s s : A n g e l i c a
Panganiban (That Thing Called
Tadhana)
Best Supporting Actor: Andy
Bais (Violator)
Best Supporting Actress:
Maria Isabel Lopez (Lorna)
Best Screenplay: Jay Abello
and Dwight Gaston (Red)
Best Cinematography: Aditya
Kumar (Bitukang Manok)
Best Editing: Lawrence Ang
(Violator)
Best Production Design: Hal
Balbuena (Esprit de Corps)
Best Music: Tengal (Hindi Sila
Tatanda)
Best Sound: Corinne de San
Jose (Violator)
will feature Cirque du Soleil-type
numbers aside from her repertoire
of new songs, a few ballads and
pop tunes.
Host Boy Abunda asked if
Lani had backed out of a concert
that was originally scheduled on
Oct. 17.
“Walang katotohanan ’yun.
Actually, ngayon ko lang narinig
’yon,” a surprised Lani said.
“Actually, ang pinaka-main
reason doon is sa production,
on the production side,” she
explained.
Having performed for US
audiences for a long time, the
singer noted how different they
are from Pinoy viewers. “Ang
mga Amerikano mas madali
silang ma-please. In other words,
mabababaw lang sila,” she said.
Cristine Reyes
positive na,” she added.
Asked if she concerned how
her pregnancy will affect her
showbiz career, Cristine said:
“Confident naman po ako, kahit
anong mangyari, babalik at
babalik po ako.”
“Sa akin kasi, I›m happy and
contented now sa lahat ng nagawa
ko, lahat ng naachieve ko sa buhay
ko and sa career ko. So right now,
wala akong wino-worry.”
She also admits going to
marriage counseling with Ali.
Rumors about Cristine›s
pregnancy surfaced last September
when she walked out of a press
interview after she was asked if
she›s carrying a baby.
Why Lani loves Las Vegas
SINGER Lani Misalucha and
her family live in Las Vegas and
she has come to love the place for
its laid-back ambience.
“’Di ba ang Las Vegas parang
’pag tiningnan mo napaka-busy…
Alam mo ang family life doon, ang
private life doon ay talagang gusto
ko. Parang laid back compared to
California,” she said on “Aquino
& Abunda Tonight.”
Lani has imbibed the Las
Vegas vibe after performing there
for a long time. She channels the
feel of the vibrant entertainment
city in her upcoming concert, “La
Nightingale.”
According to Lani, the show
(From Page 13)
Angelica Panganiban
“Bonifacio” as “simple.” No bed
scenes, no torrid kissing.
Not that there was any need for
that. “The chemistry is still there.
We didn’t need to act; Robin and
I would merely exchange glances,
and the staff and crew would start
cheering,” Vina said.
She especially liked reenacting
Andres and Gregoria’s wedding.
She and Robin had never been
“wed” in the movies until now.
“Puro pa-cute lang dati,” she
quipped. “The [wedding] scene
was fairly straightforward, but put
together really well— lighting,
everything. You can really feel
the couple’s love for each other.”
Vina recalled always being
“spoiled” by the actor: “When he’s
not on set, he made sure someone
else assisted me. Actually, he’s
that way with all his leading
ladies. He has also remained
down-to-earth, and treats the staff
with kindness.”
She noticed a few changes,
Vina said, but all for the better.
“He’s no longer short-tempered,
he seems happier now… good boy
na!” Best of all, she said, both she
and Robin have clearly matured
as actors.
Asked about the intrigues
that may sprout from this screen
reunion, Vina said Robin’s wife,
Mariel Rodriguez, had nothing to
worry about.
“Bonifacio” is Vina’s first
stab at a historical drama, and
she made sure to do her research
to better play Gregoria, or Aling
Oriang. “She’s a loving wife and
a fighter—a very strong woman.
I can relate to that,” she said of
her character.
15
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
COMMUNITY
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
DOT offices in US target Asian-American market
LOS ANGELES – Amazing
destinations. Exciting mix of
events and activities. Affordable
tour packages. Twin destinations
to the Philippines and other Asian
cities. Competitive rates. Value
for money. These are only
a few of the great draw cards
for the Chinese-American and
mainstream Americans traveling
to Asia in the coming years.
In a highly successful
campaign launched via a Product
Presentation jointly conducted
by the Philippine Department of
Tourism-Los Angeles and GTT
International/Majestic Vacations
last November 7, Philippine
Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.,
the event’s guest speaker, said
outbound travelers from the
United States – specially the
Chinese-American tourists -- are
looking for new and alternative
destinations. They can now look
to the various tour packages the
Philippines has to offer.
The campaign, which
introduces, promotes and
encourages visits to the
Philippines’ unique and worldfamous tourist and travel
destinations, is aimed at raising
the Philippines’ international
tourism profile. It is just one of
the many promotional activities
lined up by DOT in support of
the “Visit the Philippines Year”
2015 campaign and to brand
the Philippines as a unique and
supplemental travel destination
among the Asian-Americans and
the mainstream Americans who
visit the Philippines neighboring
countries for vacation purposes.
The event followed the official
campaign launch in San Francisco
conducted by DOT-San Francisco
office on November 5, which
was also held in partnership
with GTT International/Majestic
Vacations, one of the largest
airline consolidators for the Asian
region.
The multi-media presentation
by Director Ma. Corazon
Jorda-Apo of the Philippine
Department of Tourism’s Market
Development Group featured the
country’s popular destinations
like Manila, Palawan, Boracay,
Cebu, Bohol, among many others.
In her product presentation, Ms.
Jorda-Apo also focused on the
exciting activities visitors to the
Philippines will surely enjoy:
beach holiday, scuba diving,
shopping and health and wellness
activities.
These destinations are being
developed as part of twin
tour packages with Asian tour
destination cities such as Hong
Kong thru Cathay Pacific, Taipei
thru China Airlines and Eva Air,
Shanghai thru China Eastern
Airlines or Tokyo thru Delta
Airlines, among others.
Ambassador Cuisia personally
invited all those present to visit
the Philippines, discover the
country’s exciting mix of events
and activities in its various
(Please turn to Page 17)
BLESSING OF NEW FOREX
OFFICE. The new Forex Global
offices and warehouse in the
City of Industry was blessed last
Tuesday with Fr. Thomas Asia
of Our Lady of the Valley Parish
officiating. Forex, one of the biggest Filipino freight forwarders
in the US, was headquartered
in Los Angeles before moving
to the City of Industry. Above,
Forex management and staff,
led by president Jaime P. Carino
Jr., with Fr. Asia. At left are officers of the Press Photographers
of the Philippines during a visit
with Carino, which coincided
with the blessing. (Above photo
by Bobby Crisostomo)
TRIBUNE
16 PHILIPPINE
COMMUNITY
www.thephilippinetribune.com
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
Holiday Noodlefest at
Leelin Bakery and Cafe
CELEBRATING THE LEELIN REBRAND. The Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce recently
held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for Leelin Bakery and Café’s flagship store in the City of Cerritos
to celebrate the company’s rebrand of all its retail outlets in Los Angeles this year. Photo shows Cerritos City Mayor Mark Pulido (third from right) cutting the ceremonial ribbon with Mendrei Leelin,
Cecile Leelin, Teresa (Momsy) Leelin, Manuel (Popsy) Leelin and Menard Leelin. Also in attendance
were Cerritos Chamber Board Directors: Melanie Broad, Jim Edwards, Ken Kraus, Alexander
Khananashvili and Jae Lee with Chamber Ambassadors Gigi Manzinilla, Isela Buenabad, Amber
Lee and Mary Ann Wood. IT’S BACK! The much
awaited Pancit Platters Promo
begins this weekend at Leelin
Bakery and Café!
From November 15, 2014 to
January 4, 2015, Leelin Bakery
and Cafe is offering Pancit/
Spaghetti Party Platters (10-15
servings/tray) for only $24.99
per tray! (Regular price is $29.99/
tray) Included in the promotional
offer are Leelin all-time favorites:
Sotanghon, Bihon, Canton, Mixed
Pancit and Spaghetti.
Celebrate the holidays with
family and friends and make
your get-togethers even more
enjoyable with party-sized Pancit
Platters from Leelin Bakery and
Cafe. Leelin’s line of Pancit Party
Platters offer delicious varieties
of noodle dishes, along with the
convenience of ready-to-eat food
at affordable prices.
Lock in your discount by preordering/pre-paying your Pancit
Platters before January 4, 2015.
This promotional offer is valid
only for pre-orders made at least
24 hours in advance and cannot be
combined with any other promo
or discount.
For your holiday parties or
get-togethers, serve your Pancit
Platter alongside a variety of meat,
fish, and vegetable dishes as well
as signature Leelin entrees such
as Lumpiang Shanghai, Fresh
Lumpia, Dinuguan, Caldereta,
Lechon Kawali and Barbecue.
Leelin Bakery and Cafe provides
everything you need, from
appetizers to main entrees and the
most delectable desserts such as
Leelin’s original Sansrival cakes,
Sylvannas and Kakanin (native
delicacies).
At the bakery side, get huge
savings on Leelin’s original
Spanish Bread (now only $4.99
for two packs: regular price is
$2.75/pack) and Leelin’s original
Crunchy Cake Poppers (now only
$5 for 3 packs; regular price is
$1.99/pack).
For more information about
Leelin Bakery products or to ship
Leelin gift packages all over the
continental U.S., log on to our
website at www.leelinbakerycafe.
com and visit our online store.
To place your Party Platters
order, visit or call the following
Leelin Bakery and Café locations
in Los Angeles County:
Cerritos
11489 South Street
Cerritos, CA 90703
Tel. no. (562) 924-5990
Eagle Rock
2700 Colorado Blvd. Ste.110
(Inside Eagle Rock Plaza)
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Tel. no. (323) 543-2676
Panorama
8340 Van Nuys Boulevard (at
Roscoe)
Panorama City, CA 91402
Tel. No. (818) 891-5253
North Hills
16130 Nordhoff St.
North Hills, CA 91343
Tel. No. (818) 895-9100
West Covina
2429 So. Azusa Avenue
West Covina, CA 91792
Tel. no. (626) 964-1811
Los Angeles
209 So. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Tel. no, (213) 382-2351
Negros revisited
(From Page 12)
Negros, among them: the Balay
Negrense, the Hofilena Mansion
and the Ruins in Talisay.
Balay Negrense was once
the ancestral home of Victor
Fernandez Gaston. Typical of the
architectural style of the 1930s,
Balay Negrense’s steps were built
in conformity with the old Filipino
architectural superstition “oro,
plata, mata”. This superstition
says the design elements in a
house – particularly staircases –
should not end in a multiple of
three, in keeping with a pattern
of oro (gold), plata (silver), and
mata (bad luck). The mansion was
declared as a Heritage House by
the National Historical Institute
in 1994.
The Hofilena Heritage House,
meanwhile is the only inhabited
museum in Silay. Built in the
1930s, the structure retains its
original materials. The house
displays the Ramon Hofilena art
collection of more than 1,000
pieces of works by Filipino
masters and national artists.
Another place that is worth
visiting is the Ruins in Talisay
City. The Ruins is what remained
of the grand mansion that Don
Mariano Lacson built following
the death of his first wife, Maria
Braga. The mansion was reduced
to its skeletal remains when
during the early part of World War
II, guerilla fighters burned it down
to prevent the Japanese forces
from using it as a headquarters.
It is known as the Taj Mahal of
Negros.
Highlight of our trip was
the Masskara Festival, which is
now on its 35th year. This year’s
theme was “Masskara 2014, One
Rhythm, One Bacolod, A Million
Smiles.
It was an amazing cultural
celebration. The masks worn had
evolved so much since the festival
started in 1980. They were used to
be made of paper mache decorated
with feathers, now they were worn
as extravagant headdresses, some
made of fiberglass exquisitely
adorned by sequins and beads. An
estimated 80,000 people took part
in the four-day celebration from
October 16 to 19.
There is just so much to visit
in Negros and food to try. We
don’t leave Bacolod without
going to our favorite dessert
place, Calea and Felicia’s and my
favorite restaurant, Café Bob’s.
But as with every vacation, ours
had to end too. Before flying
back to Los Angeles, we stayed
for a couple of days in Manila.
Our accommodation of choice
was Hotel Celeste, a charming
boutique hotel in Makati. We were
greeted by very friendly staff and
were treated to an hour foot and
leg massage. Hotel Celeste’s great
advantage is its close proximity
to Greenbelt, a shopping center
offering plenty of dining choices
and great place to meet friends.
The hotel’s European inspired
interiors matched its luxurious
furniture pieces. We had lunch
with Ms. Onelle Pacheco-Verzosa,
Director of Sales and Marketing
and Mr. Choi Duazo, Sales
Manager at the hotel’s Lucia
Ristorante, one the best authentic
Italian restaurants in Makati.
We did not pass the chance of
visiting Ayala Museum as it was
just walking distance from the
hotel. While we enjoyed ourselves
immensely, we needed to go back
home to Los Angeles as we look
forward again to when we come
back to the Philippines for our
yearly visit. Call us at 310-3275143 for more interesting places
to visit or go to our website at
www.travelinternational.net
17
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
COMMUNITY
www.thephilippinetribune.com
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
PRESS CLUB INDUCTION.
Judge Ralph Ongkeko inducted the officers of the Filipino
American Press Club of Los Angeles Est. 1978 Inc. (FAPCLA)
last Saturday, Nov. 15, at the
Shiraz Restaurant in Glendale.
From left: Naomi Armada,
board member; Dr. Ludy Ongkeko, outgoing president and
board member; Cecille Ochoa,
auditor; Lou Sabas, treasurer;
Dante Ochoa, secretary; Muni
Zano, vice president, and Evelyn Aviado Portugal, president and board chair. Consul
General Leo Herrera-Lim was
keynote speaker.
TOURISM MEETING. From
left: Michael Wang Sr., China
Eastern Airlines; Robert Knox,
GTT International/Majestic
Vacations; Benjamin Diep, All
Nippon Airways; Eva Adan, Administrative Officer, Philippine
Department of Tourism-Los
Angeles; Manny Ilagan, Officerin-Charge, PDOTLA; Eliza
Chung, GTT International/
Majestic Vacations; Philippine Ambassador to the United
States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.; Philippine Consul General Leo M.
Herrera-Lim; Maria Corazon
Jorda-Apo, PDOT Director,
Market Development Group;
Julie Olson, Cathay Pacific;
Gary Huang, EVA Air; Jenny
Lee, China Airlines; Andy Liu,
Air China; Muling Peng, GTT
International/Majestic Vacations; Roger Wang, Air China;
and Philippine Department
of Trade Representative Jose
Dinsay.
DOT...
(From Page 15)
destinations, and experience the
warmth and hospitality of the
Filipino people.
GTT International/Majestic
Vacations Regional Manager
Eliza Chung presented highly
affordable twin tour packages
featuring Asian cities and
Philippine destinations to the
audience composed mainly of
travel agents, tour operators and
airline representatives. While
many of the travel agents have
already been selling Philippine
destinations to their clients,
the special tour packages will
add more incentives for them
to aggressively promote the
Philippines as an important and
must-see destination.
DOT-Los Angeles Officer-inCharge Manny Ilagan expressed
a deep appreciation for the
overwhelming support provided
by the various Asian airlines –
Eva Air, China Airlines, Cathay
Pacific, China Eastern Airlines,
Delta Airlines, ANA, as well as
hotel-partners such as Remington
Hotel and Resorts World Manila
– and the travel agents and tour
operators, and members of the
Chinese media, who packed
the banquet hall of the Capital
Seafood Chinese Restaurant in
Monterey Park during the event.
According to records from the
2012 US Census, Chinese-American
formed 26% of the total Asian
American population. This shows the
largest number of potential travelers
to Asia. Meanwhile, the US tourist
market alone contributed a volume
of 493,338 arrivals to the Philippines
or 15.10 of the total visitor volume
recorded from January to August
this year.
The Philippines aims to capture
a sizable share of the affluent and
growing Chinese-American market
by introducing and promoting
Philippine destinations through
sustained advertising and marketing
campaigns to would-be visitors
from the Chinese-American and
mainstream American community.
18
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
U.S.
& WORLD NEWS
November 20-26, 2014
Four rabbis killed as two Palestinian
militants storm Jerusalem synagogue
US President Barack Obama, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony
Abbott and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after
agreeing to strengthen their military cooperation in the Asia-Pacific
region.
3 powers urge peaceful
resolution of sea rows
BRISBANE, Australia —
The US, Australian and Japanese
leaders on Sunday called for
peaceful resolutions of maritime
disputes, a day after Barack
Obama warned of the dangers of
outright conflict in Asia as China
contests disputed territory.
In a joint statement Obama,
Tony Abbott and Shinzo Abe
urged “freedom of navigation
and over-flight, and the peaceful
resolution of maritime disputes
in accordance with international
law’’.
The trio said they were
committed to deepening
their already strong security
cooperation in the Asia-Pacific,
which comes amid China’s
increasingly assertive expansion
in the region.
Beijing is locked in dispute
with four Southeast Asian
countries over lonely outcrops
in the South China Sea, and with
Japan over another set of islets.
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The three leaders, meeting in
Brisbane on the sidelines of the
G20 leaders summit, said their
partnership aimed to ensure a
peaceful, stable, and prosperous
future for the Asia-Pacific.
“They noted that this
partnership rests on the unshakable
foundation of shared interests and
values, including a commitment to
democracy and open economies,
the rule of law, and the peaceful
resolution of disputes,’’ the
statement said. “The three leaders
reaffirmed the global reach of
their cooperation and the value of
comprehensive US engagement in
the Asia-Pacific region.’’
Obama has repeatedly denied
that the United States is bent
on thwarting China’s economic
and political emergence, but has
stressed that Beijing must be a
responsible actor on the world
stage.
In a speech in Brisbane on
Saturday he warned of the dangers
of outright conflict in Asia and
vowed that Washington would
remain anchored in the region.
The US president said while
there had been stunning economic
progress in Asia since World War
II, there were also genuine dangers,
saying there were “disputes over
territory — remote islands and
rocky shoals — that threaten to
spiral into confrontation’’.
JERUSALEM -- Three of
the four rabbis killed Tuesday
in an Israeli synagogue during
a frenzied attack by Palestinian
militants are America, authorities
said, the other is British.
Rabbis Aryeh Kopinsky, 43;
Avraham Shmuel Goldberg,
58; Calman Levine; and Moshe
Twersky, 59, were hacked, stabbed
and shot to death around 7:00
a.m. by two unnamed terrorists,
according to police.
The first three men are dual
U.S.-Israeli citizens and fourth
is a dual British-Israeli citizen,
authorities told CNN. The FBI
is now involved in the murder
investigation because U.S.
citizens were killed.
Two militants -- identified to
the New York Times by relatives
as cousins Odai Abed Abu Jamal,
22, and Ghassan Muhammad Abu
Jamal, 32 -- stormed the west
Jerusalem synagogue wielding
knives, axes an a handgun,
according to reports.
They were fatally shot during
a shootout with police responding
to calls for help from the roughly
30 people in the synagogue at the
time of the attack, according to the
Jerusalem Post.
Six other people were injured
during the attack, including two
police officers, and have been
rushed to a nearby hospital, police
told CNN.
“To see Jews wearing tefillin
Masked Palestinians hold knifes and axes as they celebrate an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue while standing in front of a poster
of the attackers,Ghassan and Uday Abu Jamal, during a rally in
Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip November 18, 2014.
and wrapped in the tallit lying
in pools of blood, I wondered if
I was imagining scenes from the
Holocaust,” Yehuda Meshi Zahav,
the veteran leader of a religious
emergency-response team, told
the Times of the ritual straps
and prayer shawls worn by the
worshipers.
“It was a massacre of Jews at
prayer.”
Witnesses described the
horrific assault that left pools of
blood everywhere and shattered
the calm of an otherwise ordinary
Tuesday.
“I turn around and I see a man
with a pistol who starts shooting
point blank at people next to him,”
Rabbi Yosef Pasternak told Israeli
radio, according to the Times.
“Immediately after, someone
enters with a knife, a butchertype knife, and also goes on
a rampage in all directions,”
Pasternak recalled, adding he
escaped death by hiding under
a chair.
Another Rabbi inside the
building as the attack unfolded
said he and his 13-year-old nephew
also hid from the attackers under
chairs. Blood spattered on the
young boy as he cowered in fear.
“People were in the middle
of prayer and people could not
respond,” said Rabbi Shmuel
Pinchas, according to the Times.
Israel troops destroy attacker’s home
JERUSALEM -- Israeli forces
demolished the east Jerusalem
home of a Palestinian who carried
out a deadly October attack,
just hours after Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu promised
strict measures to deal with a
rising wave of violence in the
area.
The demolition in the Silwan
neighborhood targeted the
property of Abdel Rahman alShaludi, who killed two people
last month when he drove his car
into a crowd standing on a light
rail platform in Jerusalem.
In recent weeks, a total of 11
people have died at the hands of
Palestinian attackers - mostly in
Jerusalem but also in Tel Aviv and
the West Bank.
The victims include four
Jewish worshippers and an Israeli
policeman who were killed after
two Palestinian cousins, wielding
meat cleavers, knives and a
handgun, stormed a synagogue in
the west Jerusalem neighborhood
of Har Nof. The two assailants
were shot to death by police
afterward.
The attack was the deadliest in
Jerusalem since 2008 and sharply
escalated already high tensions
after weeks of religious violence.
Responding to Tuesday’s
attack, Netanyahu said he had
ordered security forces to hit back
hard at Palestinians involved in
violence against Israelis, and
resume the policy of home
demolitions, a punitive tactic that
has caused much controversy in
the past.
Sitting amid the rubble of
the al-Shaludi family home
demolished early Wednesday, his
grandmother said she was proud
of his actions.
“No one should feel sorry for
us, for our demolished home,” she
said, refusing to give her full name
for fear of reprisals.
Meanwhile, worshippers
returned Wednesday to the scene
of the attack, the Kehilat Bnai
Torah synagogue, seeking comfort
in prayer. One of them, Gavriel
Cohen, said the attack showed
“that our future in this world is
dependent on God.”
19
PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
US
& WORLD NEWS
November 20-26, 2014
Obama calls beheadings ‘pure evil’
BUSINESS
SOLUTIONS
Claro R. Perez
Home loan and home
retention programs
(Perfect time to buy a home
while interest rates is low, home
value is low and different FHA
loan program to assist Home
Buyers with low fico score, low
down payment and with previous
Foreclosure, BK, and shortsale
that are finalized a year old)
BACK to Work Program
FHA/HUD Loan Program:
This loan program allows home
buyers that have a previous
discharged bankruptcy, short sale
and foreclosure that is one year
old that allow consumer to buy a
home. This program requires the
following:
a. Proof of financial hardship
like curtailment of income before
economic events happen like
foreclosure, bankruptcy and short
sale, best evidences is the tax
return to show the real drop of
income before the economic event
happen.
Other evidence are illness,
divorce, and loss of job prior to
filling the mentioned financial
remedy requires evidence.
c. One (1) month paystubs (
must be in the job for 24 months.)
d. Two (2) Bank Statements
e. Copy of Driver License and
SSS Card.
f. Consumer must be permanent
residence or US Citizen.
g. First time or previously a
homeowner are acceptable.
h. This FHA Back to Work
Loan Program is applicable for
condo that are FHA approved.
i. Middle credit score must be
620 and up.
j. Debt Income Ratio must be
43% below.
k. Requires 3.5% down and
1.5% closing cost (6 mo. Property
tax, 6 months Home Insurance,
Escrow Fee, Title Insurance, &
Appraisal Fee.
l. No broker origination,
Processing, credit report, and
other fee pertaining to broker.
m. Mandatory requirement is
Hud Counseling Certificate from
accredited counseling agency.
Important factors on this
Back To Work Program is
before the economic financial
incident happen with extenuating
circumstances like curtailment
of income that will show on tax
return that caused the financial
economic incident.
FHA .5% Down Program:
Home loan for low income
borrower with income limit not to
exceed $ 78,000.00 per year. Same
guidelines of FHA Back To Work
Loan Program Hud Counseling
certificate not required.
FHA 500 Loan Program:
This loan will allow home buyer
with mid score as low as 500 fico
score same guidelines of FHA
Back To Work Loan Program,
HUD Counseling Certificate not
required.
Stated Income Verified
Asset Loan Program: This loan
program is for home buyer that
are in business for two years and
up. Below are the guideliness of
this program:
1. Requires letter from CPA
that indicate applicant is in
business for over three years.
2. Requires credit score of 720
and up.
3. For a loan under $ 417,000.00
needs 20% down and reserve of 6
month mortgage payment plus the
20% down.
4. For a loan from $ 417,500.00
and up to $1.2million requires
30% down and $100,000 reserve
plus the 30% down.
5. Does not require tax return
and paystubs.
6. Business license and
evidence that applicant is a
business owner: S corporation or
sole ownership.
One day Foreclosure or
Bankruptcy, or Deed In Lieu,
and or Shortsale Loan Program:
This program will only allow one
incident. Provided your credit
score is good, income and with
20% down.
For consumer with credit
(Please turn to Page 20)
BEIRUT -- The Islamic State
group has beheaded Peter Kassig,
releasing a video Sunday showing
a masked militant standing over
the severed head of a man it
said was the former U.S. Army
Ranger-turned-aid worker, who
was seized while delivering relief
supplies in Syria last year.
President Barack Obama
confirmed Kassig’s slaying after
a U.S. review of the video, which
also showed the mass beheadings
of a dozen Syrian soldiers.
The 26-year-old Kassig,
who founded an aid group to
help Syrians caught in their
country’s brutal civil war, “was
taken from us in an act of pure
evil by a terrorist group that the
world rightly associates with
inhumanity,” Obama said in a
statement.
He denounced the extremist
group, which he said “revels in the
slaughter of innocents, including
Muslims, and is bent only on
sowing death and destruction.”
The slain hostage’s parents,
Ed and Paula Kassig, said they
were “heartbroken” by their son’s
killing, but “incredibly proud” of
his humanitarian work.
Kassig “lost his life as a
result of his love for the Syrian
people and his desire to ease
their suffering,” the parents said
in a statement from Indianapolis,
where a vigil was held Sunday for
the slain American. His parents
attended the vigil.
With Kassig’s death, the
Islamic State group has killed
Grisly. An image grab taken from a propaganda video released on
Nov. 16 by al-Furqan Media allegedly shows members of the Islamic
State jihadist group preparing the simultaneous beheading of at
least 15 men described as Syrian military personnel.
five Westerners it was holding.
American journalists James Foley
and Steven Sotloff were beheaded,
as were British aid workers David
Haines and Alan Henning.
Unlike previous videos of slain
Western hostages, the footage
released Sunday did not show
the decapitation of Kassig or the
moments leading up to his death.
“This is Peter Edward Kassig,
a U.S. citizen ... who fought
against the Muslims in Iraq,” said
the black-clad militant, who spoke
with a British accent that was
distorted in the video, apparently
to disguise his identity. Previous
videos featured a militant with a
British accent that the FBI says
it has identified, though it hasn’t
named him publicly.
The footage released Sunday
identifies the militants’ location
as Dabiq, a town in northern Syria
that the Islamic State group uses
as the title of its English-language
propaganda magazine and where
they believe an apocalyptic
battle between Muslims and their
enemies will occur.
The high-definition video also
showed the beheadings of about
a dozen men identified as Syrian
military officers and pilots, all
dressed in blue jumpsuits. The
black-clad militant warns that
U.S. soldiers will meet a similar
fate.
“We say to you, Obama: You
claim to have withdrawn from
Iraq four years ago,” the militant
said. “Here you are: You have
not withdrawn. Rather, you hid
some of your forces behind your
proxies.”
All 50 states feel freezing temperatures
NEW YORK – Temperatures
in all 50 U.S. states dipped to
freezing or below on Tuesday
as an unseasonably cold blast of
weather moved across the country,
while heavy snow prompted a
state of emergency in western
New York.
In the U.S. South, states were
bracing for a record chill from the
Arctic-born cold that swept the
Rocky Mountains last week.
Every U.S. state, including
Hawaii, was bitten by temperatures
at the freezing point of 32 degrees
F (0 C) or below, the National
Weather Service said.
H a w a i i ’s M a u n a K e a ,
a dormant volcano, had low
temperatures of 30 F (-1 C) to 32
F, said NWS spokeswoman Susan
Buchanan.
The morning was the coldest
overall across the country in
November since 1976, according
to Weather Bell Analytics, a
meteorologist consulting firm.
Typically, such cold is not seen
until late December through
February, the NWS said.
I n w e s t e r n N e w Yo r k ,
a storm dropped several feet
of snow, prompting Governor
Andrew Cuomo to declare a
state of emergency for 10
counties. National Guard troops
were deployed to help residents
cope with the storm, which was
expected to last for days.
A total of 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2
metres) of snow was expected in
many areas of western New York.
20 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
November 20-26, 2014
www.thephilippinetribune.com
Home loan and home...
(From Page 19)
score below 600 CRP has a in
house program to enhance/repair
your credit to be acceptable.
For homeowners with existing
hardship CRP has traditional
solutions for this crisis situation
include Forbearance, Debt
Negotiations, Loan Modification,
Deed in Lieu, or Bankruptcy.
We h a v e f o u n d t h a t w h e n
homeowners seek these solutions,
it usually leads to failure or
rejection due to non-qualification.
Financial evaluation and financial
counseling is a must to determine
what kind of solutions are
available.
DIFFERENT HOME
RETENTION OPTIONS
AVAILABLE
Short Sale: Also known as
short pay-off, this is when lenders
accept a discounted payoff on an
existing mortgage to be sold based
on the present market value. This
allows the homeowners to sell the
property to avoid foreclosure on
their credit. Contrary to popular
belief, lenders do not want to own
a property and they simply want
to recapture a respectable amount
on their original investment.
There are no upfront cost from
the borrower, and the homeowner
can even stay on the property
during the short sale process at
no cost. Short sale is an option
if the homeowner has no means
to continue paying the mortgage
obligation due to insufficient
income.
Short Refinance HARP/FHA
Streamline: If your property
market Value is less than the
existing loan, short refinance is an
option, you can lower your loan
amount and mortgage payment.
Other benefits are you will have
an affordable mortgage payment
and one mortgage payment that
includes your property tax, hazard
insurance, mortgage insurance,
principal, and interest. Besides,
you are locked to a 30-year fixed
and lower interest rate loan.
This option requires a two year
employment, sufficient income
and a credit that have no existing
open collections, tax liens, and
judgment. Important benefit is
to contribute a huge factor to
balance your debt income ratio.
FHA Streamline Loan Program
accepts homeowners with late
mortgage payment. HARP Home
Affordable Refinance Program
this will end by December 31,
2015.(Loan owned Fannae Mae
& Freddie Mac
Loan Modification: This option is
to negotiate with your existing lender
in lowering your monthly payment
because of a current adjustable loan.
Criteria and guidelines are: you are
behind in your mortgage payment
because of mortgage increase in
payment due to a current adjustable
loan program that caused your
inability to make your payment on
time. To be able to avail of this
program, you have to support new
modified payment by providing an
income that will give you the ability
to make payment on time. Its just
common sense. Insufficient income is
the important factor for this program.
Second Mortgage Settlement
Program: This option is applicable
only if your second lien became
unsecured debt due to reduction
property value and the first mortgage
is higher than the property value.
It can be negotiated to pay off the
existing second mortgage from 80%90% reduction.
Credit Repair/Enhancement
Program: This is a in-house program
by CRP, CRP will send a dispute
directly to Experian, Transunion, and
Equifax utililizing the Federal Law:
Fair Credit Report Act which can
delete and investigate any erroneous
& obsolete derogatory report like
collection, tax lien, charge off, and
other derogatory report. This a money
back program if CRP can not fixed
or repair your credit we are happy to
refund your money. CRP have deleted
970.000 negative account for the last
15 years and we have a proof that
came from the three credit bureau
that is program works. Most important
we will refund 100% of the fee if
we handle your home purchase and
mortgage transaction.
For Home Retention option in
the event that the above-mentioned
options don’t work for you because
of reduction of income, insolvency or
hardships, your may seek advise from
a Bankruptcy Lawyer and discharge
all your debt to improve your debt
Income ratio and start fresh.
Previously declined on your
Loan Modification and Home Loan
Application due to income or credit
score? CRP can help. CRP assisted
thousands of clients with Bad Credit,
Loan Modification, and Home Loan
(Purchase and Refinance).
For detailed information call:
Claro R. Perez Toll free number:
1-626-331-8889 or 626-922-4916
CEO & President, Loan Modification
Specialist, & Certified Debt
Settlement/Credit Enhancement
Advocate CRP Business & Mortgage
Solution Inc.
For Home Loans and Business
& Commercial Loans: Call Fe A.
Perez 1-626-905-2531 DRE Broker
Providence Realty and Mortgage
Inc.
For Purchase, Listing & Home
Loan Call: Carlo A. Perez 1- 626922-4013 Licensed DRE Broker
NMLS 900304/1169288 Division
Capital Inc.
We are open Monday to Friday 9
a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday by
appointment only.
We are located at 279 W. Badillo
St., Covina, CA 91723
21 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
HOMELAND NEWS
November 20-26, 2014
Who was Manila John?
Tubbataha Reefs, Hamiguitan
named Asean heritage parks
By Leni Dinsay
WHO was Manila John?
It is most fitting to celebrate
Veterans Day by writing about our
Veterans who braved themselves
to the danger they encounter and
embraced the many sacrifices they
had to endure including death.
They gave themselves unselfishly
for the love of their country
and gave us the freedom we are
enjoying now.
When SSG. Daniel Saam
asked me if I knew Manila John,
“Manila John who” was my reply.
He informed me John Basilone
was a WWII hero. Coming from
Manila, Philippines myself, my
curiosity mounted high to why
John was called Manila John. So
much so that when SSG. Saam
asked if I would like to attend
a church service in the church
where Manila John was married,
at St. Mary of the Sea Catholic
Church in Oceanside, CA., my
“Yes. Let’s go!” answer was
faster than lighting. Truly the trip
proved to be worthwhile because
we were also able to see the bust
erected in honor of Manila John in
the busiest section of San Diego
known as Little Italy. As the
name connotes you can imagine
the Italian restaurants thrive in
abundance. The inscription on the
bust says:
Gunnery SGT. John Basilone
1st Bn 27th Reg 5th Marine Div
At eighteen, he joined the
Army. In 1934 he was posted to
the Philippines where he won a
light heavyweight inter service
boxing championship. He fell in
love with Manila and got himself
a nickname: Manila John”. He
was so popular that everywhere
he went “Manila John” could
be heard in chorus. It is of no
wonder that he was well like as
one writer puts it “He was the
best of his generation, a very
good role model who we can
use to straighten out our youth
and young men of today” He
was stationed in Fort McKinley
with the 31st infantry in Manila.
He was so good in straightening
what was undesirable that he
earned another name “The Pope
of Manila WWII.”
After 3 years in the Army he
was discharged went home and
worked and in a chemical plant.
In 1940, he was getting restless
and unhappy of waiting for the
war that he saw coming. Logically
calculating the situation, the
fastest way to get back to Manila
was to join the marines. He said,
“What if some Marines will
land at Dewey Blvd. and Manila
John aren’t with them. So he
decided to join the marines as
private. Other Marines observed
it, John’s favorite topic was about
Manila. He was really in love with
Manila. Indeed Manila John truly
deserved his namesake.
William Lansford, another
Marine wrote his comrades spoke
highly of him. They said “ his
simplicity, his cheerfulness, his
grasp of human nature, the charm
and easy grace he carried his
honor, gave us not only confidence
but pride”. We were the proud
Basilone Boys, envied by many.
He was married to Lena May
Rigg on June 10, 1944.John was
killed in Iwo Jima on February
20, 1945. Lena was notified of
his death on March 7, 1945 on
her 32nd birthday. She never re
married. It must have been too
painful for the young bride, who
had all the bright beautiful future
ahead of her, having married to a
Sgt. John Basilone
guy whom every girl dreamed of.
Women were attracted to John not
only for his dashing personality as
ladies would say “Tall, dark and
very very handsome”, but because
of the kind nature he possessed.
When Lena died on June 11, 1099,
which would have been their 54th
wedding anniversary, she was still
wearing her wedding ring.
John was born in a framed
house in Buffalo, NY but the
family moved to Raritan, NJ.
(Please turn to Page 22)
MANILA - The Tubbataha
Reefs Natural Park in Palawan and
Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife
Sanctuary in Davao Oriental have
been added to the list of Southeast
Asia’s most treasured parks,
Environment Secretary Ramon
Paje said yesterday.
He said environment ministers
from member states of the
Association of Southeast Asian
Nations approved the nomination
of Tubbataha and Mt. Hamiguitan
as the 34th and 35th ASEAN
heritage parks, respectively
during the 15th Informal ASEAN
Ministerial Meeting on the
Environment held in October in Tubbataha Reefs
Vientiane, Laos.
He said the government is in Mindanao; the Mts. Iglitdelighted by the designation of the Baco National Park in Occidental
two nature parks, which brings to Mindoro, and the Mount Makiling
seven the total number of ASEAN Forest Reserve in Laguna.
“The designation of Tubbataha
heritage parks in the Philippines.
The five other ASEAN heritage Reefs Natural Park and Mt.
parks in the country are the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife
Apo Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Sanctuary as regional heritage
Range Natural Park and Mt. parks is long overdue, both having
Malindang Range Natural Park been named earlier as UNESCO
World Heritage sites,” Paje said.
“This latest recognition
indicates that the natural
characteristics of both Tubbataha
park and Mt. Hamiguitan
sanctuary are so exceptional they
deserve to be protected for the
benefit of everyone in Southeast
Asia,” he added.
22 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
BUSINESS
& FINANCE
November 20-26, 2014
G20 mulls overhaul of global energy market
BRISBANE, Australia – An
overhaul of the global energy
market could be a surprise
outcome of the G20 summit with
plans for a new agency to protect
against oil and gas supplies being
used as foreign policy tools, a
report said Saturday.
Energy security is a vital issue
for many countries, and the longterm stability of oil markets is
seen as crucial to ensure the
reforms necessary to meet the
G20′s aim of lifting its combined
economic growth by at least two
percent over the next five years.
The Australian newspaper
said that central to ensuring open
markets was the creation of a new
global institution, giving a greater
voice to rising economies and
addressing energy security fears.
It said this weekend’s Brisbane
summit would not establish the
new agency, but was aiming to
agree the principles that it would
adopt.
If approved, it would lay down
principles of governance for all
participants in energy markets
and sit above both the OPEC
cartel and the International Energy
Agency (IEA).
There was no immediate
comment from the Australian
government or other G20
delegations.
The emergence of energy as a
central G20 platform comes with
oil prices diving well below the
(From left) Spain’s President Mariano Rajoy Brey, Italy’s Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi, France’s President Francois Hollande, US
President Barack Obama, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission
President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President
Herman Van Rompuy (far R) take part in a multi-lateral meeting on
the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brisbane on November 16, 2014.
Who was...
(From Page 21)
His father, a tailor from Italy
came to America with the hope
that he would be able to raise an
American family. His mother who
was a devout Catholic did not
forget to inculcate John and his 9
brothers and sisters the Catholic
faith, the love for God, the respect
for labor therefore to work hard
and to honor their country.
Every year Raritan hold a
parade to honor their favorite son,
to re-live the beautiful memories
John Basilone left behind, the
good kid on the block that grew
to become great. With his easy
smile and gentle manners, he
charmed everybody especially
the mothers who prayed and
hoped their daughter would be
the lucky one whom John would
marry. Why not? Mothers always
wish what is the best for their
daughters and John was the best.
John was so popular that he was
once caught saying, “ I am sick of
being glamorous. Celebrities and
politicians sought him constantly
whether for a pose, interview or
a handshake. He once told Time
magazine “I am an ordinary
Marine and I want to stay as one.”
There was no denying Gunnery
Sgt. John Basilone; USMC was
the biggest draw in the war sound
business.
If you want to have a glimpse
of some of the heroic escapades of
Sgt. Basilone, try watching Steven
Spielberg’s HBO mini series “The
Pacific” featuring Tom Hanks.
In a real war world, he did a
one-man fight that lasted all night.
He kept firing until 3:30am as his
ammunition ran out. He did this
shoeless and shirtless. There was
no time for anything except to
face and fight the enemies single
handedly and became a perfect
hero. Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone
was the only enlisted Marine
in World War II to receive the
$80-per-barrel mark, with global
prices collapsing by some 30
percent since June.
Russian President Vladimir
Putin, who reportedly supports the
idea of a new institution, admitted
volatile energy prices were a
major concern.
”We’re considering all the
scenarios, including the so-called
catastrophic fall of prices for
energy resources, which is quite
possible, and we admit it,” he
said in an interview with the TASS
agency ahead of the G20 when
asked about global imbalances.
Putin said Russia, a key major
oil and gas producer, was wellplaced to deal with such issues
but expressed concern about how
emerging economies would cope.
”Our reserves are big enough
and they allow us to be sure
that we will meet our social
commitments and keep all the
budgetary processes and the
entire economy within a certain
framework,” he said.
”And what about those who
don’t have these reserves?
”It will be hard for them in a
situation like that, but I’d like to
say once again that I expect us to
have a joint discussion and seek
a joint solution on how to change
things for the better and eliminate
these imbalances.”
nation’s highest military award,
the Purple Heart, the Navy Cross
and the Medal of Honor.
If you go towards San Diego,
you might be on the Gunnery
Sgt. John Basilone Memorial
Freeway. That is “Manila John”
to us Filipinos.
His death was truly a great
lost. He could have just sat out
the rest of the war, but he was
ready to make great sacrifices for
his country.
A perfect hero indeed. I salute
you Manila John.
23 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
Private sector wants a ‘port czar’
2015 real estate trends
MOST of the information
in this article are from PRWeb.
com. I felt this prediction is
very similar to my thoughts and
forecast towards our Real market
going forward.
1 Downtowns all over the U.S
are expected to press forward with
more apartments, shops, eateries,
and offices on city blocks as
buyer demand indicates people
likely to walk to work and shop
in route home. 2.) Prospective
Homebuyers Opt to Rent Longer
and not rushing to buy a home
unless they feel ready, although
most want to become homeowners
in the future.
3. Too Few Construction
Workers May Restrict Housing
Market Growth
Home builders have faced
new challenges this year due
to intense labor shortages, and
predictions new shortages will
sweep other corners of the job
market in 2015. The report
remarks that most Millennials
between the ages of 18 to 33
have already integrated into the
work force. Simultaneously, many
seasoned construction workers
are near retirement. Builders
may be even more challenged
to keep up with the demand for
new homes without sufficient
numbers of younger worker to
fill vacated positions. As 2014 has
already proven, when inventory
levels drop, home prices, and
market advantages may flip from
homebuyer to seller.
4.) Shrinking Size of
Residential and Commercial Real
Estate Needs
With the consumer strength the
Millennial generation has going
into 2015, their pulse reading
that shows they prefer borrowing
over buying. Millennials are
switching things up and it is
raising eyebrows. They are
swapping homes for vacation
or securing short-term rentals
and piggy-backing with friends
and family over checking into
hotels. The report believes the
trend will continue and carry its
influence into office sharing and
neighborhood development.
5.) Real Estate Will Consist of
Less-of-the-Unexpected
The future of residential real
estate, according to interviewees,
may be more likeable by those
weary of the recent housing
roller coaster rides. “Remarkably,
housing seems to be putting the
excesses of the bubble and the
ensuing collapse behind it” while
“returning to the classic principles
of supply and demand,” the report
says.
6.) Greater Global Influence In
Real Estate
The trend of opportunistic
international investors will be
distinctly sharper in 2015 - a
year when foreign investors
may “be the best prospect for
increasing investment volume in
2015.” Interviewees are paying
more attention to the impact of
geopolitical risks, global unrest,
and natural disasters. This may
prompt international investors to
expand their ingrained tradition of
investing wealth in the U.S..
7.) New Players in the Real
Estate Arena
Attention is drawn to the
new Defined Contribution Real
Estate Council which helps plan
sponsors and their participants
achieve higher investment success
through the use of institutional
quality real estate. “With a
combined $12.6 trillion in capital,
individual retirement account
(IRA) and defined contribution
(DC) funds” the hope is retirees
will identify and taking advantage
of investment opportunities in
high-quality commercial property
for a mixed-asset portfolio.
8.) Higher Intensity around
Real Estate Performance
For the broad sweep of publicly
traded building companies and
real estate corporations, the
study reveals that efficiency and
performance will become greater
drivers as investors “want more
services for less money” and
as the biding becomes more
intense. “The drive for efficiency
and effectiveness in both service
delivery and cost will filter from
investor expectations down to the
service providers,” it states.
9.) Lack of City Upgrades
Could Hurt Real Estate
The report covers spending on
bridges and roads and the lack of
spending on educational buildings
and health care facilities. It calls
for the U.S to take a sober look
(Please turn to Page 24)
MANILA - Saying the lifting
of the truck ban was not enough
to solve port congestion, the
private sector yesterday urged
the government to appoint a
“port czar” who would oversee
all problems at ports, including
smuggling and traffic jams.
This was one of the
recommendations made during
M o n d a y ’s P o r t s S u m m i t
attended by government and
private sector representatives to
analyze problems and solutions
besetting ports in Manila.
“Only one person should
handle port congestion and other
problems, and this should be a
port czar,” said Noemi Saludo,
chairman emeritus of the Port
Users Confederation (PUC),
one of the summit convenors.
“ We t h o u g h t , m a y b e
somebody should handle this
because they are always blaming
the truck ban,” Saludo said.
But she explained that the “truck
ban is just one of the reasons”
contributing to the congestion at
ports. And this has been addressed
already by the Cabinet clusters.
“But what is happening
inside? That’s why we decided
to hold this (summit),” she said.
Saludo said the Philippine
Ports Authority (PPA) has
designated managers to
oversee issues inside port.
B u t a c c o r d i n g t o h e r,
there are other problems
that need to be addressed
such as traffic, congestion,
abandonment of containers
and smuggling, among others.
On abandonment of
containers, one of the traders
who attended the summit asked
the Bureau of Customs to address
“suspicious” or questionable
cargoes that cause delays on
the release of container vans.
Cargoes become “suspicious”
or questionable when they lack
documents required by the BOC.
Five offices under BOC deputy
commissioners inspect these
cargoes before the commissioner
approves their release.
Should the commissioner
find any problem, the cargoes
are sent back to his deputies.
The delays, according to the
trader, could sometimes last
up to three months, like what
happened to one wine shipment.
24 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
SPORTS
November 20-26, 2014
www.thephilippinetribune.com
Pacquiao-Floyd imminent - Arum
Donnie Nietes, who is nicknamed ‘Ahas,’ walks to the ring wearing his pet snake like an oversized necklace before his fight with
Mexico’s Carlos Velarde Saturday night in Cebu City.
Nietes TKOs Mexican foe
CEBU CITY — Donnie
Nietes displayed the prowess
worthy for big fights with a onesided win that is expected to
cement his place as the longest
reigning Filipino world champion
of all-time.
Nietes retained his World
Boxing Organization (WBO)
junior flyweight crown with a
seventh round TKO of Mexican
challenger Carlos Velarde in
this bustling city Saturday night,
paving the way for a promising
future for the 32-year-old fighter.
The bout ended after the
seventh round of the main event
held in front of an animated crowd
at the Waterfront Hotel here
when Velarde was forced to quit
following a clash of heads that left
the visitor with a nasty cut in his
left eyebrow.
With Velarde an image of
a bloodied fighter in his stool,
veteran referee Robert Byrd
signaled for the end of the bout
in an anticlimactic finish that gave
Nietes, who has been a world
champion in two weight divisions
since 2007, a clear path to break
the record of the great Gabriel
“Flash” Elorde in January.
N i e t e s m a d e Ve l a r d e a
stepping stone for his impending
Valentine’s Day fight at a bigger
stage in Macau and a move to the
112-lb flyweight division.
MACAU — Unseen hands
have been doing the rounds to
make the super fight starring
Manny Pacquiao and Floyd
Mayweather finally happen
sometime in the first half of 2015.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob
Arum told reporters on Tuesday
that “(US television) networks
are actively moving” to pave the
way for the most lucrative fight in
history to take place.
Arum, however, mentioned
the name of Showtime chief Les
Moonves as a major player in the
secret talks being held to make
the megabuck matchup a reality.
“I am talking to responsible
people who are talking to the
Mayweather people and these
are people who have the ability to
move ahead and make it happen,”
said Arum.
Arum said the fight can take
place anywhere in the US or even
here in Macau but made it clear
that he feels something different
this time.
The gigantic Cowboys
Stadium, which hosted two
Pacquiao fights in 2010, could
be the perfect venue although
it will be too early to count out
Las Vegas and Macau, which is
often described as ‘Las Vegas
on steroids’ owing to its moneypulling power mainly from
Chinese gamblers.
“I am more enthused right now
but all I am saying is that I am
more optimistic than I have ever
been,” Arum said, making sure he
won’t get the public’s impression
that the fight everyone’s talking
about is going to happen.
Besides, Arum said Chris
Algieri is out there and determined
to ruin everything when they get
it on Sunday noon at the Cotai
Arena.
Moments later when a cast
of mediamen descended into
Pacquiao’s training session, the
Filipino star was a bit reluctant
to dig deep into the possibility,
saying he has to “get past Algieri
first before talking about another
fight.”
But it was obvious Pacquiao,
who turns 36 on Dec. 17, is
thrilled that the Mayweather talks
are taking center stage again.
Asked if he personally believes
that a showdown with the brash
US fighter will take place,
Pacquiao horsed around with his
response.
“The thing with Mayweather
is sometimes it’s bad (weather)
and sometimes it’s good weather,”
he said.
Should a deal fall into place
for such a massive match, both
fighters are expected to earn
the fattest paychecks of their
respective careers but when
pressed to comment on what
would entail it to happen, Arum
declined to go into the nitty-gritty
of the finances.
“No, I don’t want to talk about
that,” he said, knowing it is the
most touchy of all the issues
surrounding the bout.
But Arum insists he won’t be
sending much of his time drooling
over what that fight can bring
them.
Besides, Algieri, regardless of
the lopsided odds, remains a live
underdog.
If Pacquiao performs miserably
against Algieri, the Mayweather
duel goes out the window.
2015 real estate trends
(From Page 23)
at why it has dropped by onethird. Interviewees urge that the
foundation of our commerce
cannot be left eroding around us.
If such investments don’t pick
up it could be “painful” for real
estate. Investors and youthful
Millennials may avoid locations
whose roads are inadequate or
cities dragging in communication
technology. “Real estate depends
upon ease of commutation,” the
report concludes.
10.) Balancing Excessive
Optimism to Prevent another
Housing Bubble
Real estate professionals,
investors, and all public sectors
influenced by housing trends
are reminded to not “forget
the hard-learned lessons of the
recent past.” The report states,
“Homebuilders — and their
lenders — clearly recognize
that the recent price recovery in
housing has outstripped incomes.”
I would just like to add that
2015 should be a buyers market
and prices will level off and rates
will remain low in order to keep
the trend in an upward motion.
Remember we will be holding
a mortgage educational seminar
every Wednesday for home
borrowers who would like to
know more on how to get a
mortgage application process.
Call to RSVP.
Thanks for your inquiries and
comments, please call Ken of 1st
Innovative Finance Group at 562508-7048 or write to Kennethgo@
verizon.net. Like us on facebook
@1st innovative Finance group.
25 PHILIPPINE TRIBUNE
www.thephilippinetribune.com
November 20-26, 2014
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