October 31, 2013 1

Quake kills 200

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Justice for Pinay
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Azkals is top dog
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Daisy Award for RN
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Virginia vote
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Vol. XXII, No. 24 Online: www. manilamail.us October 31, 2013
Imelda aide on trial
for Monet sale
NEW YORK. The former
personal secretary of former Phil-
ippine First Lady Imelda Marcos
insisted she was authorized to
sell a famous Monet painting for
$32 million in 2010 at the start of
a trial for conspiracy at the Man-
hattan Supreme Court on Oct. 7.
The ex-secretary, Vilma
Bautista, 74, presented to the
court a document showing she
was appointed by Marcos, now
an Ilocos Norte congresswoman,
Fil-Ams defend
Cuisia record
WASHINGTON D.C.
Philippine Ambassador Jose
L. Cuisia Jr. got wide support
from various groups here after
a widely-read columnist in
Manila accused him of spending
more time on business meetings
back home than doing his job in
Washington.
Ambassador Cuisia does
not have me on his coffee break
list or private address book. He
does not know me, offered
Yolanda Stern, founding presi-
dent of the Federation of Phil-
ippine American Chambers of
Pinoy deer hunter survives wilderness ordeal
SAN FRANCISCO. A
72-year-old Filipino hunter
proved he had the skills to sur-
vive a harrowing 19-day ordeal
at the Mendocino National
Forest in Northern California.
Gene Penaor, a resident of
San Francisco, was rescued Oct.
12 after he fell unconscious when
he hit his head and was sepa-
rated from two a hunting buddy
Continued on page 21
Fil-Am inks $35M, 2-year deal
By Jun Medina
SAN FRANCISCO. San
Francisco Giants pitcher Tim
Lincecum signed a $35-million
contract to play two more years
for the Major League Baseball
team he helped win World Series
championships in 2010 and 2012.
The Filipino American star
pitcher will earn $17 million in
2014 and $18 million in 2015,
making him the highest-paid
Pinoy ballplayer not only in the
US but in the world.
The new contract includes
no signing bonus or options but
provides the two-time CY Young
Award winner for best pitcher
with full no-trade protection.
The 29-year-old Lincecum,
who struggled in much of the
last two seasons, actually took
$5.5 million less compared to his
$40.5 million contract for 2012
and 2013.
Lincecums deal preserves
the SF Giants pitching core com-
prised by Madison Bumgarner
and Matt Cain and him.
Despites Lincecums strug-
gles on the mound, Giants
Continued on page 22
Continued on page 21
Remains of murdered
Pinay shipped to PH
By Jun Medina
WASHINGTON. The cre-
mated remains of Filipina immi-
grant Karen Santillan Tait, who
disappeared in 2002 and was
later found to have been mur-
dered by her husband, have been
shipped to her family in Legazpi
City, Albay.
Philippine Ambassador to
the U.S. Jose Cuisia Jr. thanked
the Waynesboro, Virginia Police
Department solving the case and
putting Thomas Neal Tait, Kar-
Continued on page 21
Continued on page 22
Imelda Marcos ex-secretary Vilma Bautista leaves Manhattan court.
Gene Penaor recovering after ordeal.
Karen Santillan Tait
Tim Lincecum becomes highest paid Fil-Am ballplayer.
WASHINGTON D.C. With a
little more than a dozen days left
in the legislative calendar this
year, it is becoming less likely
the House of Representatives
will pass its version of a compre-
hensive immigration reform bill.
Perhaps to entice congress-
men, President Obama softened
his tone on immigration reform
at a speech last Oct. 24 that he
might now be ready to embrace
a Republican proposal to tackle
the bill in smaller, more manage-
able chunks so long as they even-
tually open a path to citizenship
for undocumented aliens.
Obama hinted that he was
no longer tied to the Senate bill,
the elaborate product of months
Continued on page 21
Rodney Garcia, Mail
columnist, writes 30
The Renaissance Man, some
people called him.
For indeed, his talents
spanned a wide yard: from
lawyer, writer, musician, com-
poser, playwright, producer,
educator.
He is known in the Filipino
Continued on page 22 Rodney Garcia
October 31, 2013 22
October 31, 2013 3
Bohol quake kills 200, govt races to re-build homes
MANILA. The death toll for
the Oct. 14 earthquake that dev-
astated large sections of Central
Philippines reached nearly 200
people even as disaster ofcials
struggled to help thousands dis-
placed by the powerful once-in-
a-lifetime tremor.
About 64,000 families across
Bohol Island have been forced
to live in crowded evacuation
centers or rice elds over two
weeks after the Intensity 7.2
quake struck. The government
was only able to distribute less
than 200 tents for them while a
makeshift eld hospital tried to
fend off diseases amid the rains.
Experts from the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology & Seis-
mology (PHIVOLCS) have also
discovered a miles-long wall
resulting from ground rupture
that pushed a stretch of earth up
by as much as 10 feet around the
quakes epicenter.
PHIVOLCS chief Renato
Solidum said the ground ssure
was among the largest since they
began keeping such records in
1987.
Most of our other quake
records show a lateral (sideways)
tearing of the earth, though
weve also had coral reefs rising
from the sea, he said, citing a
6.7-magnitude earthquake that
hit thr adjacent Negros Island
last year.
Fil-Ams are gearing to pro-
vide help to quake victims in
Cebu and Bohol. The Philippine
Embassy in Washington DC has
put out guidelines for safely
donating to victims.
The Migrant Heritage Com-
mission (MHC) has vowed to
give part of proceeds from a Hal-
loween ball to quake victims. The
Philippine Embassy said Fil-Ams
can course their donations either
through government agencies
such as the Dept. of Social Wel-
fare & Development (DSWD)
or the Philippine National Red
Cross. The participating banks
are listed in the Embassys web-
site.
The National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management
Center (NDRRMC) reported the
tremor destroyed or damaged
nearly 46,000 homes in Bohol,
Cebu, Negros Island, the prov-
ince of Iloilo and Siquijor and
Guimaras islands.
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Ground rupture alters Bohol ter-
rain.
October 31, 2013 44
Pinays employer gets jail under new trafcking law
VANCOUVER, Canada.
The employer who subjected
Filipina Leticia Sarmiento to
slave-like working conditions
was sentenced to 18 months in
jail in Canadas rst-ever convic-
tion under a tough new human
trafcking law.
Franco Orr was found guilty
on all three counts of human
trafcking, employment of a for-
eign national without the proper
papers and misleading immigra-
tion ofcials.
Weng Papasin, who
reported the Oct. 19 sentenc-
ing for ABS-CBNs Balitang
America, said the courts order
left Orrs lawyers in shock. Orrs
wife Nicole was acquitted.
Sarmiento said she was
forced to work 18-hour days and
was manhandled when she com-
mitted mistakes. She worked as a
live-in nanny for the Orrs three
children since 2008.
By 2010 the abuse got so bad
that Sarmiento called the police
and was nally rescued. It was
only after she was brought to a
shelter that she learned she was
undocumented, police said, after
Orr brought her to Canada from
Hongkong on a tourist visa.
A member of the Legislative
Assembly Mable Elmore, who
came to the sentencing, noted the
signicance of the ruling.
It sets a precedent in
Canada, the rst nding of guilt
of human trafcking under the
Immigration and Refugee Pro-
tection Act. Its also the rst
sentencing so I think it sends a
strong message of deterrence
that no one should be excused for
violating the law, said Elmore.
Sarmiento expressed the
hope her experience will encour-
age other abused workers to
speak out and ght for their
rights.
Sarmiento is now ready to
move on and looks forward to
the day when she can nally
bring her three children to
Canada.
Remittance scam busted
MANILA. The National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
arrested two suspects Oct. 7
accused in a scam to bilk thou-
sands of pesos in remittances
from overseas Filipinos.
Arlene Galvan and Joshua
Aron Estrellado were nabbed
in separate sting operations in
Quezon City and Caloocan City.
The scam operations
alleged mastermind Jackilyn
de Vera, who reportedly uses
different names with complete
identication documents, is still
at large.
De Vera is said to have
launched the scheme only last
month while still employed by
a legitimate remittance rm
and having access to remittance
transactions. A company ofcial
who sought anonymity said De
Vera sent out email notices to
pay-out agents on the change of
beneciary and instructed her
accomplices to claim the money
under ctitious names.
The pay-out rm became
suspicious because they noticed
that De Vera was using a per-
sonal or private email address,
and not the one that we issue our
employees, the ofcial added.
Galvan, who cashed the
diverted funds, used such bogus
names as Annaliza Bautista,
Rogielyn Cabinian and Caroline
Quizon.
De Vera and Estrellado
attempted to run off with P80,000
in various remittances from Fili-
pinos in Hong Kong, Malaysia,
Taiwan, and Northridge, Cali-
fornia.
Pope tells Pinoys: Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
Pope Francis on Sunday
urged pilgrims to pray for the
people of the Philippines after a
series of natural disasters hit the
Asian nation in recent months.
In his Angelus address on
Sunday, Pope Francis spoke
about the need to pray always,
without growing weary.
He also expressed his close-
ness to the people of the Philip-
pines, especially the victims of
the recent earthquake.
I want to express my close-
ness to the people of the Philip-
pines who have been struck by
a strong earthquake, and I invite
you to pray for that dear Nation,
which in recent days has suffered
different calamities, he said.
Aside from last weeks
earthquake, the country has
also been hit by two destructive
typhoons.
Filipino pilgrims visiting
the Vatican were touched by the
Popes message.
Last Friday, Pope Francis
also encouraged Catholics in the
Philippines and the rest of Asia
to love the Church more and
that you would share the Gospel
to all people with humility and
joy.
He ended his message with
the words: Mabuhay ang Pilip-
nas! Mabuhay ang Asia! Pagpa-
lin kay ng Dios!
The Pope issued the mes-
sage during the three-day Phil-
ippine Conference on the New
Evangelization held at Univer-
sity of Santo Tomas.
MANILA. Pope Francis sent
a video message to a Catholic
Church conference, declaring his
best wishes for the largest Catho-
lic country in Asia, specically
addressing the clergy and faith-
ful in the Philippines.
The message was sent Oct.
18 to the rst-ever Philippine
Conference on the New Evange-
lization organized by the Arch-
diocese of Manila. It was the
rst time the Pope specically
addressed the Philippines and
also his rst address in English
since being elected Prince of the
Church.
He urged Catholics in the
Philippines and the rest of Asia
to love the Church more and
that you would share the Gospel
to all people with humility and
joy.
The conference drew about
5,000 delegates from across
Southeast Asia to the University
of Santo Tomas campus where
the conference was held.
Do not get tired of bring-
ing the mercy of the Father to the
poor, the sick, the abandoned,
the young people and families.
Let Jesus be known in the world
of politics, business, arts, science,
technology and social media,
he said in the message posted on
Vatican Radio.
Luis Antonio Cardinal
Tagle, Manila Archbishop, asked
for forgiveness for the sins of the
Church. We want to say how
sorry we are for the sins, the
hurts, that we have inicted on
non-Catholics and non-Chris-
tians, at the conclusion of the
Philippine conference.
We want to say, we want to
ask forgiveness to the poor that
have been neglected, the hungry,
the thirsty, that we did not see
or hear. We want to ask forgive-
ness from the women who have
been degraded, dehumanized,
he said.
Please pray for me, Pope
Francis asked, I promise to pray
for you, especially to Our Mother
the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of
the New Evangelization.
He ended with a familiar
cheer for Filipinos, Mabuhay
ang Pilipnas! Mabuhay ang
Asia! Pagpalain kayo ng Dios
(Long live Philippines! Love live
Asia! God bless you).
Leticia Sarmiento
Pope Francis
Members of the Filipino American Republicans of Virginia attended a recent fundraiser for GOP gubernato-
rial candidate Ken Cuccinelli at the residence of former US Senator and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham in
McLean, VA. L-R: Lyn Francis, Atty. Gen. Ken Cuccinelli, Inday Alvir and Col. Glen Logan.
October 31, 2013 5
October 31, 2013 66
October 31, 2013 7
October 31, 2013 88
Sulu Sultan dies, prods followers on Sabah
MANILA. Sultan Jamalul
Kiram III, whose followers tried
to re-stake the familys claim on
Sabah last February that trig-
gered a bloodbath, succumbed
to kidney disease but not before
calling on followers to keep
ghting.
Kiram, 75, died Oct. 20 at
the Philippine Heart Center
in Quezon City, spending his
nal years as a ward of the state
because he was too poor to pay
his medical bills. He was buried
in a cemetery reserved for Sulu
royalty in Maimbung, Sulu, the
seat of the 15th century Tausug
empire.
Hundreds of armed follow-
ers occupied several coastal vil-
lages in Sabah last February to
enforce the Sultanates claim.
The sultans of Sulu once ruled
over Sabah (now a Malaysian
province), Palawan and the Sulu
islands.
The Sultanate leased Sabah
to the British North Borneo Com-
pany in 1878, an agreement that Malaysia views as a cession of
sovereignty. The state fell under
British control after World War
II and joined Malaysia in 1963,
shortly after the Sultanate ceded
its sovereignty to the Philippines.
More than 60 people, most
of them Kiram followers, were
killed in the Sabah clashes earlier
this year.
But before he died, he called
on followers to continue pursu-
ing their claim on Sabah, a tim-
ber-rich region thats believed to
have huge oil resources.
His last words to all his
brothers and followers were,
It has already begun. Let us
continue it for the good of our
people. Do not abandon our
people, his widow Fatima
Kiram said.
President Aquinos ofce
offered its condolences to the
Kiram family. They blamed the
Sabah intrusion to the Philippine
governments failure to press the
familys claim to Sabah. Deputy
Presidential spokesperson Abi-
gail Valte acknowledged Kirams
passing does not mean the end of
the Philippine claim on Sabah.
Asian American evangelicals score
churchs racial divide
WASHINGTON D.C. Hun-
dreds of Asian American evan-
gelicals have protested their
alleged offensive racial stereo-
typing in the North Ameri-
can evangelical church that has
forced at least one leading pastor
to issue an apology.
The Asian American evan-
gelicals wrote about their sen-
timents in a four-page letter
entitled On cultural Insensi-
tivity and Reconciliation in the
Church written under the aegis
of the Asian American Christian
United coalition last Oct. 18.
We the undersigned are
distressed about the continuing
divide that persists in the North
American evangelical church in
the area of racial harmony, they
wrote.
The letter was apparently
sparked by a Facebook comment
from Rick Warren, pastor of the
Orange County-based Saddle-
back Church, described as the
crown jewel of the American
evangelical movement.
After returning from open-
ing the churchs Hong Kong
campus last month, he report-
edly posted a photo of a Red
Guard, the young Communist
cadres that policed their com-
munities during Mao Zedongs
Cultural Revolution.
The typical attitude of Sad-
dleback Staff as they start work
each day, he wrote on the post
that has been deleted. Weeks
later he spoke at a conference
that featured a video where a
white pastor appeared to mock
Asians.
Although he insisted it was
meant to be a joke many Asian-
American evangelicals were not
amused, especially from Chi-
nese immigrant families, some
of which suffered greatly during
Maos rule.
The letter signed by about
700 Asian American evangelicals
complained that they continue
to be misunderstood, misrepre-
sented and misjudged.
PH to use gains for new
jobs, ghting poverty
WASHINGTON D.C.
Reaping the fruits of robust
economic growth, Finance Sec-
retary Cesar Purisima said the
Philippines will concentrate on
job creation and poverty alle-
viation to cement recent gains.
Growth is a means to
achieve a virtuous cycle to
accelerate a comprehensive
reform agenda to trigger more
investments, broaden access to
nance and strengthen labor
force through education and
health services to maximize
their contribution, he said at
remarks before the World Bank
earlier this month.
The Philippines has been
outperforming Asias biggest
economies, including China.
The Asian Development Bank
released its latest forecasts this
month, predicting the Philip-
pine economy would grow 6.1
percent in 2014, up from ear-
lier projections of 5.9 percent.
The Philippine Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) expanded 6.8
percent last year.
But 3 million Filipinos
remained jobless and 7.3 mil-
lion dont have enough work,
the ADB report showed.
Experts say the Philippines will
need to generate a million new
jobs a year to make a dent on
chronic unemployment.
On behalf of the Philip-
pines, I welcome the gesture of
support from the World Bank
Group towards a more mean-
ingful development partner-
ship to address constraints to
growth and provide more gain-
ful job creation.
The Philippines has gone
a long way in surmounting
major development challenges
and we are steadfast in our
commitment to continually
improve economic conditions
and the welfare of our people,
particularly the poor and disad-
vantaged, Purisima said.
On the economic front,
the country has nally laid
strong foundations needed for
sustained macroeconomic sta-
bility, healthy scal position
and a robust external sector,
he added, pointing out that
its enabled it to grow at one
of the highest levels in East
Asia. These have also made the
economy resilient to external
shocks.
The World Bank Group,
he said, could help Philippine
efforts to build-up resistance
against natural disturbances
and the other ill effects of cli-
mate change which endanger
the lives of our people, poten-
tially reverse economic gains
and threatens poverty allevia-
tion initiatives.
For the Philippines, as for
many middle income econo-
mies confronting new and more
complex challenges, the rel-
evance and value of the World
Bank Group become increas-
ingly distinguished in its ability
to provide knowledge-based
and innovative nancing solu-
tions, Purisima said.
He called on the World
Bank to maintain a vigorous
implementation of strategies
that will help it better respond
to emerging development chal-
lenges.
Sulu Sultan Kiram
Malaysian army troops re mortars on Kiram followers.
Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Budget Secretary Floren-
cio Butch Abad and NEDA Director General Arsenio Balicasan with
World Bank President Dr. Jim Kim at the Fall WB-IMF meetings in Wash-
ington D.C. earlier this month.
Maj. Gen (Ret) Deln Lorenzana, Head, Veterans Affairs Ofce, Philippine Embassy, presented the Philip-
pine ag to the family of Angelesio Tugado who passed away last October 2. The viewing was held at the Fort
Lincoln Funeral Home, Bladenseld Road, Brentwood, Maryland, last October 25, 2013. Receiving the ag
is Ms. Angelyn Tugado Marzan, also in picture are surviving daughters, son in-law Rico Marzan and grand-
children Enrico and Angel.
October 31, 2013 9
Virginians go to polls Nov. 5
ALEXANDRIA, VA. Guber-
natorial candidates Terry McAu-
liffe, Ken Cuccinelli and Robert
Sarvis waged a nal battle for
votes ahead of the Nov. 5 elec-
tions, capping months of often
bitter and negative campaigning.
Both the Democratic and
Republican parties have rolled
out their big guns in the nal
weeks of the campaign. Former
President Bill Clinton as well as
his wife, former State Secretary
Hillary Clinton, has come out
to stand with McAuliffe in cam-
paign sorties.
Cuccinelli has received
backing from GOP stalwarts like
Rick Santorum, Sen. Rand Paul
and Congressman Paul Ryan,
who is leading talks for a budget
deal that would avoid another
debt ceiling crisis early next year.
Paul and Cuccinelli
appeared together at a rally at
the Filipino Cultural Center in
Virginia Beach on Oct. 28.
Meanwhile, the Virginia
Board of Elections has purged
more than 38,000 names from its
voter rolls despite concerns from
local election administrators that
many of those voters are still eli-
gible to cast a ballot.
The purge comes a few
months after the board said it
would use several databases to
nd voters who were now ineli-
gible to vote, either because they
had been convicted of a felony or
moved out of state.
The Democratic Party led
for an injunction on Oct. 3 to halt
the purge. But the Board of Elec-
tions said it had already removed
38,870 names from voter rolls
after county registrars reviewed
the initial lists.
Another 11,138 eligible
voters will remain active on
the rolls after county registrars
reviewed the state lists. And
almost 7,300 will be designated
inactive, meaning they must
sign a form declaring their eligi-
bility to vote.
The Virginia elections will
be the rst after a last-minute
deal ended a 16-day govern-
ment shutdown and averted a
possible default on the countrys
debts. Various surveys indicate
that the GOP absorbed much
of the fall-out from the crisis
that originated from the GOPs
insistence to connect a debt and
budget agreement on defunding
or delaying the Affordable Care
Act or Obamacare.
Pundits say the Virginia
elections could serve as a lith-
mus test whether the GOP brand
has been truly damaged among
voters. However, the disastrous
Obamacare roll-out last Oct. 1
could also convince voters the
GOP was right all along insisting
its delay.
Both McAuliffe and Cuc-
cinelli have launched stinging
character attacks against each
other. Some have complained
they have spent too little time
telling voters what they would
do if elected to Richmond.
That has been further mud-
dled by the entry of a group
backed by New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg calling for
improved gun legislation. The
National Rie Association has
mounted its own counter-cam-
paign over the airwaves.
The NRAs Political Vic-
tory Fund PAC have targeted
the Democrats candidate for
attorney general, Sen. Mark R.
Herring (D-Loudoun) in his race
against Sen. Mark D. Obenshain
(R-Harrisonburg).
October 31, 2013 10 10
Posh QC villages in quake danger zone
QUEZON CITY. Residents
in exclusive subdivisions have
been urged by city safety ofcials
to move because their houses are
sitting on active seismic fault
line that experts say is due for a
major shifting.
The plush communities of
White Plains, Green Meadows
and Blue Ridge lie along the
West Valley Fault Line, warned
city public order and safety head
Elmo San Diego. As many as
700 houses could be affected, he
added.
According to Perla delos
Reyes, geologist and supervis-
ing science research specialist at
Phivolcs, a major earthquake for
Manila is long overdue.
She pointed out that a typi-
cal fault line experiences a major
quake around once every 200 to
400 years. And since it has been
approximately 200 years since
the last major movement of the
Quezon City Fault, she said, It
can move anytime.
These villages are home to
inuential people who may ght
relocation efforts so San Diego
said they are considering having
residents sign waivers to absolve
government from liability if they
do not move to safer ground and
a quake hits.
20 die in road pile-up
LUCENA, Quezon. At least
20 people were killed and 57
injured in an Oct. 18 road acci-
dent along Quezon provinces
notorious death highway in
Atimonan town.
Most of the casualties were
passengers of three buses that
gured in a deadly pile-up that
also involved three trucks and a
tractor trailer.
According to Atimonan
police Chief Inspector Jomar
Yupio the collision occurred
after a 10-wheeler truck bumped
the back portion of one of the
passenger buses which caused it
to cross the opposite lane, hitting
an oncoming bus. The accident
was aggravated by the rains that
made the road slippery, authori-
ties said.
Nineteen of the fatalities
were killed on the spot, while
another victim succumbed at the
hospital. The impact dismem-
bered some victims but reports
say it took rescuers a long time
to extract some victims trapped
in the wreck because of lack of
equipment.
P500K bronze sculpture
in Luneta stolen
MANILA A bronze sculp-
ture in Rizal Park worth about
P500,000 was stolen, an ofcial
said.
Fidel Sarmiento, president
of the Art Association of the
Philippines, said a bronze crown
sculpture made by renowned
artist Juan Sajid Imao was dis-
covered missing inside the Kan-
lungan ng Sining.
Imao was also the sculptor
of the 40-foot bronze statue of
Lapu-Lapu in Luneta.
Sarmiento said the theft
occurred as the Kanlungan ng
Sining was undergoing renova-
tion works.
Sarmiento said one of the
suspects is an employee of a
private contractor tasked to do
the renovation works inside the
Kanlungan ng Sining.
He said a plant was used to
conceal the pedestal where the
stolen sculpture was originally
placed.
US-bound jet stopped
MANILA. Authorities
stopped a US-bound Delta Air-
lines jet from leaving the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport
because of a bomb threat on Oct.
10.
The Manila International
Airport Authority (MIAA)
alerted security personnel of the
NAIA Terminal 1 after receiv-
ing a call from a prankster at 3
a.m. According to MIAA Gen-
eral Manager Jose Honrado, the
caller said a bomb was placed
inside the Delta Airlines ight
172.
It turned out to be a prank,
Honrado said, adding that the
plane was still able to leave on
schedule.
Zambo suspects to
Manila
MANILA. The Supreme
Court has agreed to move the
trial of suspects in last months
deadly Zamboanga City siege to
Manila for security reasons.
The Justice Department has
led rebellion charges and viola-
tions of international humanitar-
ian laws against Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) leader
Nur Misauri, his trusted lieuten-
ant Habier Malik, and 63 others.
The nearly month-long
siege killed over 200 people,
mostly MNLF guerillas, and dis-
placed more than 100,000 resi-
dents whose homes were either
deliberately torched by rebels or
destroyed in the ghting.
Justice Secretary Leila De
Lima sought the transfer of the
trials venue, partly to remove
the possibility the MNLF might
try to free their imprisoned com-
rades had they continue to be
detained in Zamboanga City.
Hundreds homeless
by clash
COTABATO CITY. Over
200 families were forced to ee
after a reght erupted Oct. 16
between two warring groups in
the boundary of Barangay Tali-
tay, North Cotabato and Paga-
lungan, Maguindanao.
Capt. Antonio Bulao, the
Armys 602nd Infantry Bri-
gade spokesman, said armed
men believed to be under Com-
mander Buto Sanday of the
108th base command of the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
harassed followers of Kamad
Andoy, a mayoral candidate in
next years May elections.
The clash forced around 281
families to ee their homes and
sought shelter in local schools
that have been turned as evacu-
ation centers. The 5th Special
Forces Battalion was deployed
to serve as a buffer between the
warring factions but no arrests
were reported.
The government and MILF
are currently nishing nego-
tiations for a permanent peace
accord.
Masskara Festival
BACOLOD CITY. The color-
ful Masskara Festival was held
Oct. 19-20 that was made special
because it also marked Bacolod
Citys 75th anniversary as a char-
tered city.
The festival, rst held in
1980, runs three weeks and
draws thousands of visitors from
various parts of the country and
abroad.
The Masskara Festival was
introduced to help Negrenses to
cope with the string of calami-
ties, including record-low sugar
prices which is the provinces
principal source of income and a
sea collision that killed about 700
people.
It features sports exhibitions,
beauty pageants, street parties
and the charter day parade.
Ronda Pilipinas
Azkals is soccer top dog in Southeast Asia
By Jocelyn Porteria
BACOLOD CITY. The
Philippine national soccer team
Azkals, bucked an early loss,
food poisoning and a deadly
earthquake on the way to captur-
ing the Peace Cup held here Oct.
11-15 via a 3-1 trumping of pow-
erhouse Pakistan.
The Azkals now hold the
best standing in the International
Football Federation (FIFA) world
ranking occupying the 137th spot
and emerging as the new no. 1
football nation in Southeast Asia.
This is the result of the
hard work and sacrice of those
involved with the national team,
particularly the players and the
support of the Philippine Foot-
ball Federation, Azkals man-
ager Dan Palami told this writer.
Getting the top ranking
in Southeast Asia has been our
goal since we started with the
national team. Im glad that our
efforts have been rewarded, he
enthused.
Leading the Azkals squad
is German coach Hans Michael
Weiss and players: goal keep-
ers Neil Etheridge and Bago
City-born Edward Sacapano;
Rob Gier, Paul Mulders, Pat-
rick Reichelt, Marwin Angeles,
Misagh Bahadoran, Jerry Bar-
baso, Jeffrey Christiaens, Jason
de Jong, Chris Greatwich, Mark
Hartmann, OJ Porteria, Chieffy
Caligdong, siblings Phil and
James Younghusband.
Also with the team are:
Bundesliga Club Eintracht
Frankfurts Stephan Schrock,
Jerry Lucena from Esbjerg fB,
Juani Guirado and Patrick Deyto.
On unfortunate situation:
First they were mowed down by
Chinese Taipei 2-1 on the rst
game. Next came a somewhat
unexpected opponent: the food
at their hotel. Several Azkals suf-
fered food poisoning over sev-
eral days. Some of the players
were more badly affected than
the others.
Mark Hartmann, Jason
DeJong, OJ Porteria and Phil
Younghusband were on bed rest
at the hotel. Porteria was so ill
that he was placed on an IV drip.
Then the earthquake shook the
Visayan region.
On the Championship
game: There was good news and
bad news in the starting line-up
for the Azkals as Juani Guirado
was t enough to partner with
Rob Gier at the back, but Paul
Mulders was still nursing a
knock so Chris Greatwich came
in to replace him.
Both Phil Younghusband
and OJ Porteria werent t
enough, leaving no recognized
striker up front.
Pakistan took the lead early
in the game but Philippine Team
did not give up and kept shoot-
ing on target. James Younghus-
band found the net on the 33rd
minute followed by Chris Great-
wich who popped his sixth inter-
national goal.
Turning his marker and
driving at goal again, Schrock
was the best threat on the pitch,
but playing as striker he had no
outlet in front of him, and was
tackled after getting past the
second defender.
OJ Porteria came in for
Bahadoran next, but rather than
playing as a striker he played
the wing. The Philippines almost
extended their lead further after
the restart, as OJ Porteria shot
over from 10 yards out.
Schrock and Reichelt com-
bined well to lay the chance off
for the Kaya forward. Stretch-
ing out to take a touch with his
left, Shrock slotted home with
his second touch to produce the
result ensuring the Peace Cup
was ours at the 88th minute, the
score 3-1.
The Philippine Azkals dedi-
cated their stirring win in the
Peace Cup Football Invitational
to the victims of the destructive
earthquake.
Ironically, despite being
the top dog in SEA in terms of
world rankings, the Philippines
will not be competing in the SEA
Games in Myanmar, the regions
premier competition for U-23
football because it couldnt get
the blessings of the Philippine
Olympic Committee (POC).
This feat, meanwhile, should
provide a huge condence boost
for the Azkals as they gear up
for the 2014 Asian Football Con-
federation Challenge Cup. We
want to win the Challenge Cup
and represent the country in
the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, said
Palami.
Masskara reveler
Virginia native and Azkals striker OJ
Porteria
October 31, 2013 11
October 31, 2013 12 12
Ca. schools to teach Fil-Ams contributions
LOS ANGELES. California
Governor Brown Jerry Brown
signed into law on Oct. 2 a bill
that made it mandatory for state
schools to teach about the contri-
butions of Filipino Americans in
the farm movement there.
Introduced by Fil-Am
Assemblyman Rob Bonta, the
signing of Assembly Bill 123 rec-
ognizes the untold histories of
Filipino and Mexican farm work-
ers such as Philip Vera Cruz and
Larry Itliong.
Cruz and Itliong were farm
workers who helped lead the
Delano grape strike in 1965 to
demand for federal-standard
wages and later helped organize
and lead the United Farm Work-
ers, a pioneering labor move-
ment in the West Coast.
This will give young
Pinoys and Pinays something to
be proud of, some sense of stat-
ure. We will not just be some
Asian minority anymore, said
Roger Gadiano, a Filipino farm
worker who worked alongside
Itliong and Cruz.
The Samahang Pilipino at
UCLA together with the Filipino
Migrant Center and Anakbayan
Los Angeles formed the AB 123
Southern California Coalition to
push for passage of Bontas bill.
Learning our history is a
right. Not only does AB123 give
Filipino-Americans a sense of
belongingits an opportunity
for youth and students to take
what they learn in the classroom,
and begin creating their own his-
tory by getting involved in their
community, said Jewelle Dela
Cruz of the AB123 Coalition.
Defending tness
SACRAMENTO, CA. A Fil-
ipina-American mother of three
defended a photo she posted on
her Facebook page thats sparked
a controversy about her possible
motives.
Maria Kang, who says she
half Filipina, half Malaysian-
Chinese and 100 percent Ameri-
can posed in a workout bra and
matching micro shorts with her
three young sons, 1, 3 and 4 years
old, revealing washboard abs.
On top she asked, Whats your
excuse?
The picture went viral with
more than 16 million views and
thousands of comments, some
supportive and others angry on
Facebook. Some have accused
her of faking the picture.
But Kang says she didnt
post the picture to make other
women feel bad about them-
selves. I wanted to inspire
people, she explained. I
wanted to say, I know you think
you dont have time if you have
kids. But if I can do it, you can do
it, too.
Kang is a former beauty
queen and tness competitor
who founded the nonprot Fit-
ness Without Borders in 2007.
Fil-Am weds gay partner
JERSEY CITY. Filipino-
American stand-up comic Rich
Kiamco and his partner David
Gibson were among the rst to
tie the knot Oct. 21 as New Jersey
ofcially began to recognize
same-sex marriages.
Kiamco and Gibson have
been a couple for the past 10
years.
Last year, Republican Gov-
ernor Chris Christie vetoed a bill
that would have allowed same-
sex marriage in New Jersey. But
a judge ruled in September that
same-sex couples can marry
legally in New Jersey beginning
October 21. Christie is appealing
that decision.
They were among the rst
gay couple to declare their legal
vows at the chambers of Jersey
City Hall at the stroke of mid-
night on October 21, with no less
than Mayor Steve Fulop ofciat-
ing the wedding himself.
Its a statement, an asser-
tion of the civil rights that we
gays and lesbians have, Gibson
said.
Immigration ght lives
PASADENA, CA. Immi-
grant rights activists and faith
leaders gathered for a vigil out-
side Pasadena city hall Oct. 17 to
pray for the passage of a compre-
hensive immigration reform bill
with a pathway to citizenship.
We never got off track with
the immigration reform bill and
the work were trying to do to
push that reform, Pastor Jolo
Buktaw of United Methodist
Church and the Filipino Migrant
Center said in a TFC interview.
They lauded President
Obamas vow to make the immi-
gration reform bill one his priori-
ties in the months ahead.
Around America
Fil-Am mother Maria Kang with her three sons.
October 31, 2013 13
October 31, 2013 14 14
Love affair drives Manila gossip mill on overdrive
MANILA. Sixty-year-old
Filipino folk music icon Fred-
die Aguilars relationship with
a 16-year-old girl has pushed
many in Manila in a moral tur-
moil.
Aguilar, whose biggest hit
Anak made him an interna-
tional celebrity in the late 1970s,
was forced to acknowledge the
relationship after his pictures
with the girl began circulating
online.
Most media outlets con-
cealed the girls face and identity
because she is a minor, a practice
often done to protect young vic-
tims. According to Aguilar, he
didnt know the girls age when
he started courting her.
When I found out, it was
too late. What could I do? I cant
back out because I was already in
love, Aguilar said in one inter-
view. He said he would marry
her when she reaches legal age
(18).
The Social Welfare Depart-
ment has launched an investi-
gation to determine if Aguilars
paramour, a minor under Philip-
pine laws, is in any danger. They
have already interviewed the
girls parents whove reportedly
given their consent to the rela-
tionship.
According to Aguilar, the
girls parents were more worried
about his womanizing than their
vas age gap. The singer has been
married several times before.
Under existing laws, Agui-
lar could be liable for a whole
slew of laws, from statutory rape
to child abuse.
He doesnt mind the criti-
cisms and ridiculing that he
was a cradle snatcher or ages
backwards. In the meantime, the
singer has gotten the support of
daughter Meagan, also a suc-
cessful singer, whos waged war
against her fathers detractors on
social media.
As for building a new family
with his 16-year-old partner,
Aguilar, said, Were talking
about having a baby. I told her
I thought she was too young to
have a baby but she said, she
wanted to have one. So, were
talking about it.
Richard, Dawn to reunite for new telenobela
MANILA. One of the coun-
trys most enduring love teams
actor Richard Gomez will reunite
with former girlfriend Dawn
Zulueta in an upcoming TV soap
on ABS-CBN.
They were also paired in last
years top-rating soap Walang
Hanggan. the upcoming series
Youre My Home.
The new series will be a
family drama. This time we
start off as a married couple
and what a married couple goes
through -- conicts (and) differ-
ences, Zulueta said.
Then along the way kung
ano yung mga romantic, yung
mga sweet moments doon na
lang papasok. Ang importante
ay makita nila yung value nung
soap. Its really about family,
how they cope up with strug-
gles, Gomez added.
Zulueta is married to Davao
del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo;
and Gomez to former model and
now Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres.
Pinoys steal show
LOS ANGELES. Filipino
reality contestants Andre Sori-
ano and Cecilia Aragon put on
the De Lux Punk show wowing
the audience at Rhiannas
Styled to Rock that airs on the
Bravo channel.
Contestants will show off
their styles and dress as well
as impress a panel of celebrity
judges, mentors, and guests.
Both Aragon and Soriano
are based in the Bay Area and
San Diego, California respec-
tively. The two impressed Los
Angeles Fashion Week crowd
with their scantily clad futuristic
Crime and Punishment inspired
designs.
Earlier this year, the two
reality show contestants also col-
laborated for San Diego Fashion
Week.
Saying goodbye
MANILA. Actress Angel-
ica Panganiban called her boy-
friend John Lloyd to say good-
bye thinking she would die in
the magnitude 7.2 earthquake
that struck Bohol on Oct. 14.
We were really being
thrown off by the shaking inside
the bus, she related in a TV
interview. Panganiban was in
Bohol to tape an episode of the
TV comedy show Banana Split.
She sent her mom and Cruz
text messages about the quake.
When she saw people running
and shouting in panic, Pangani-
ban said she bid farewell to her
boyfriend. Comedian Pooh said
she saw the walls of their hotel
cracking. TV host Alex Gonzaga
said she prayed to keep calm.
They stayed briey in an open
area near the Capitol building
until they could catch a ight
back to Manila.
Ilo Ilo bags London
prize
LONDON. A lm about a
Filipina nanny in Singapore won
the top prize for the best rst
feature lm competition at the
prestigious London Film Festival
earlier this month.
The Singaporean lm Ilo
Ilo was awarded with The
Sutherland Award, which is pre-
sented to the director of the most
original and imaginative feature
debut in the festival. The lm
has been gathering momentum
in the past few months, gaining
positive feedback from Toronto
to Cannes.
Its also Singapores entry
for this years Oscars award.
The lm stars Filipino
actress Angeli Bayani. Written
and directed by Anthony Chen,
the lm is set at the beginning of
the Asian nancial crisis in 1997
and follows the relationships
of an afuent family in Singa-
pore as they hire a new maid,
played by Bayani, who forms a
friendship with her young ward,
played by Koh Jia Ler.
Fan Page
Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta
Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. is back in the United States after his
completing his tour of duty as Americas envoy to the Philippines. Thomas
was described as winning the hearts and minds of Filipinos, a feat that
appeared to have done literally. Perhaps his biggest victory is winning
one special Filipino heart in particular. Thomas is a divorcee and met
and fell in-love with a smart and beautiful Filipina, Mithi Aquino. Mithi
is a career woman and single-mother-of-two. She was born and spent her
childhood in Jolo, Sulu. She is a Christian. Her father recently retired
as a Major in the Philippine Army, and her mother is a physician from
Batangas province. Mithi and Thomas met at an ofcial function where
the American envoy was the guest of honor. Thomas proposed to his lady-
love during their private trip in Bohol and she accepted. They are now
both in the US where Thomas will take a college post. The couple is plan-
ning a wedding soon. Mithi was in Washington DC last Oct. 21. (Photo
by Bing Branigin)
Singer Freddie Aguilar faces seduction charges for relationship with 16-year-old.
October 31, 2013 15
If you would like to include
your organizations forthcoming
event, please send the information to
mpapoose@aol.com.
Continuing through Nov
5 Nilo Santiago Exhibit, South-
west Series Exhibit Columbia
Pike Public Library, 816 S Walter
Reed Drive, Arlington VA
Continuing through Nov
30 Nilo Santiago Dream Series
Exhibit Aurora Hills Public
Library, 735 S 18th St, Arlington
VA
Continuing through Nov
30 DAY of the DEAD Show (Rec-
yled Art) includes Nilo San-
tiiago piece, Arlington Cen-
tral Library,1015 N Quincy St.
Arlington VA
Continuing through Jan
23, 2014 (Monday-Thursday)
9am - 10pm, (Friday) 9 am -
6:30 pm. Durant Art Center
27th Anniversary Art Exhibi-
tion Young at Art. Includes
Filipino artist Nilo Santiago.
Durant Art Center ,1605 Cam-
eron St, Alexandria , VA.
Continuing through Dec
29 Paul Tanedo Photogra-
phy, Greenspring Gardens
Horticultural Center,4603
Green Spring Rd. Alexandria,
VA 703.642.5173. Meet theArt-
ist/Reception on November 3
at 1-3pm. Contact Paul Tanedo.
com or 703.915-4556
Nov 8 (8pm) NaFFAA
Region 2 and Philppine Nurses
Assoc of Metro DC You and
the Night and the Music Con-
cert. Featuring Allan Palacios
Chan, Tenor; Xi Wang, Soprano;
Christopher L. Koon, Pia-
nist. Immanuel Church on the
Hill, Alexandria, VA. Proceeds
will fund the PNA medical mis-
sion. Contact: Bing Branigin 703-
715-8879
Nov 9 (Saturday) 6pm-
12:00m APODCAA 7th
Annual Dinner Dance, Fort Myer
Community Center, Arlington,
VA. $40. Contact: Romy Valle
240-751-3356 or rgvalle1952@
yahoo.com
Nov 12 (Tuesday)
6:30 pm Philippine Arts Letters
and Media Council (PALM )
with Philippine American Foun-
dation for Charities (PAFC) Book
Launch of Emelina Galangs
Angel de Luna and the Fifth
Glorious Mystery. Young adult
ction. Philippine Embassy.
Contact: Bing Branigin at 703-
715-8879
Nov 16 (Satur-
day) 2pm 5pm PAFC Dr. Jos
e Rizal Youth Awards, Romulo
Hall, PhilippineEmbassy, Wash-
ington, DC. Contact: Aylene
Mafnas 703 868 5660.
Nov 16 ( Saturday) 6:00-
12:00 midnight Feed the Hungry,
Inc. Handog 2013. Hilton
Alexandria Mark Center Hotel,
5000 Seminary Rd., Alexandria,
VA. $75. Music by Swinging DJ.
Formal attire. Contact: Lottie
Buhain 703.978.2709 or lot197@
aol.com
Nov 16 (Saturday)
7:30pm. Filipino Community
Mass, St. Bernadette Catho-
lic Church, 7600 Old Keene
Mill Road, Springeld, VA
22152, Priest Celebrant: Fr. Art
Mallari, Mass Sponsor: The De
La Rosa Family, Choir: Buklod
Kaibigan, Coordinator: Ed Tiong
(703) 403-5624
Nov 23 (Saturday) 6:00pm-
11:00pm PNAMWDC Medical
Mission Dinner Dance Fund-
raising. St. Columba Parish Hall
- 7804 Livingston Rd. Oxon Hill,
MD 20745. $30. Contact: Alice
Andam - (703)216-0671 or pre-
sandam@aol.com
Nov 23 (Saturday)
5:30 USTAAA 4th Anniversary
Gala &Thanksgiving Masquer-
ade Ball.Fairfview Marriott,
VA. Prepaid $65, at door $70.
Free parking. Contact: Amy
Quinto atamysdesign@hotmail.
com
Dec 1 (Sunday) PAFC, Phil-
ippine Embassy and FOCUS,
Paskong Pinoy. Pryzbyla Hall,
Catholic University of America.
Contact: Ador Carreon at ador.
carreon@aol.com
Dec 7 (Saturday) 6:00 pm to
12:00 midnight. Marinduque-
nos of the Capital Area, Inc.
(MCA, Inc.) PASKO NATIN
2013 Dinner Dance @ New For-
tune Chinese Restaurant, 16515
Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg,
MD 20877. $50 adults, $40 teens.
Contacts: Ruby Solomon (703)
501-0112
Dec.7 (Saturday) 7pm to
12pm. CHSNAF-MWDC Christ-
mas Party and Induction of
ofcers will be held on from
Our Lady of Good Counsel,
Vienna,Virginia. Contact - Ruby
deLeon 703-307-3198
Dec 7 (Saturday) 5:30pm-
12:00mn Mabuhay, Inc. Pasko
2013: Ang Paskoy Pag-ibig.Sher-
aton Washington North Hotel,
4095 Powder Mill Road, Belts-
ville, MD 20705
Contact Person: Manny
Lopez (301)452-7305
Dec. 7 (Saturday) 12:00-
5:00pm PAFC Pasasalamat/
Christmas Party and Election of
Board Members & Ofcers. Free.
Lincolnia Seniors Center, 4710
N Chambliss St, Alexandria, VA
22312. Elections for members
only. Inquiries regarding PAFC
elections may be sent to Elvie
Melegrito at elviemele@aol.
com. For holiday party, Contact:
Aylene Mafnas at aylene@mris.
com
October 31, 2013 16 16
Paid foi by the Republican National Committee. Authoiized by Ken Cuccinelli, candidate foi Goveinoi.
www.Cuccinelli.com
Vote Ken Cuccinelli for Governor
@KenCuccinelli /KenCuccinelli
m
Cut taxes on small businesses and middle
class families
Cive small business a fair slot by closin,
looploles tlat benent tle alreaJy powerful
anJ well-connecteJ
Create a Small Lusiness /Jvocate ofnce
to lelp people wlo want to start tleir own
small business
Lets make it easier to
own a small business.
m
r to
ss.
or
"I have spent my ||fe work|ng to put
V|rg|n|ans f|rst. As Governor, you can
trust me to be on your s|de and I ask
for your support."
October 31, 2013 17
October 31, 2013 18 18
Photos by Bing Branigin
Around DC in Pictures
L to R: Rene Calandria, Carmen Stull, PACC President, 2003-2005, Peter Theiman, PACC President 2001-2003,
Mitzi Pickard, PACC President 2005-2007 and John Cabrera,PACC President 2011-2013, at the 20th anniversary of
the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Metro-DC, held last October 18, at the Marriott Hotel, Tysons
Corner, McLean, Virginia.
Edward Anthony Tecson and Leah Suzanne Salvador were married last October 12, at the St. Josephs Church in
Herndon, VA. A wedding reception was held later that day at the Westeld Marriott in Chantilly, VA. Over 300 family
friends from the Philippines and other far-away places came to celebrate with the newly weds. Good food, free-
owing drinks, dancing, and emotional speeches capped the evening. Edward and Leah met while attending college
in Virginia Tech. They were both very active in the Filipino American Society Association (FASA). Edward is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Sabino Tecson of Virginia Beach, VA. and Leah is the daughter of Leonardo and Melly Salvador of
Loudon County, VA. A second reception was held at the Philippine Cultural Center, in Virginia Beach last October
19. The Tecson/Salvador family and friends entertained more friends and relatives at the 2nd venue and enjoyed
Filipino food catered by the Susan Kitchenette, and more music and dancing for the more than two hundred guests.
Right to left: Stuart Goodman, Dan Jimenez, AAA, Sonny Busa, Board of
Director, PAFC, Emil Fernandez, Richie Vicente, PNC Bank, Christian
Rizal Regan, a midshipman at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Mary-
land. Photo was taken during the 20th anniversary of the Philippine Ameri-
can Chamber if Commerce of Metropolitan DC area, last October 18, at the
Marriott Hotel, Tysons Corner, McLean, Virginia.
L to R: James Dullas, Gaby Riego de Dios, Percy Abu, and Harold Ochoco,
got together recently at a restaurant in Virginia. All four men are from the
PMA class 1981, now separated from the Philippine military and living in
the US.
Thelma Anunuevo Billy, (3rd from right), hosted a fund raising and cultural event at the St. Leo Parish Church,
Virginia last October 12. Also in photo with Billy are Marvin Santos, Rudy Regala, Ruby Regala, Alice Santos, Bing
Branigin and other volunteers. Monies raised at the event nance Thelmas various feeding programs for home-
less shelters in Washington, DC and Fairfax, Virginia. Thelma and a small army of loyal volunteers provide three
hot-meals served in those facilities annually. Almost a thousand residents are served on a single mission by Thelma
and volunteers from the church, schools located near her home, and a handful of Fil Am community members. Her
number one supporter is husband George who is always working behind the scenes.
Mia Alfaro Padro (left) poses with Camden, New Jersey Bishop Dennis J.
Sullivan DD and her aunt, Mrs Molly Alfaro Amatulli of Omaha Nebraska
after her conrmation rites at the Saint Katharine Drexel church on Oct. 6,
2013. Mia, 15, is the daughter of Joe Padro and Maria Luisa Alfaro of New
Jersey. A party for Mias close friends was held after the church rites at the
Padro residence. (Photo by Padro family)
The Ilocano Society of America (ISA), Inc. celebrated its 30th founding anni-
versary last Oct. 13 at the Fairview Park Marriott Hotel in Falls Church ,
Va. Here, ISA president Grace Valera is escorted to the stage for her wel-
come remarks by the 2013 Ms. Teen Philippines-America Chastity Centina
(1st Filipino African-American to win the title in 27 years) and 2013 Miss
Teen Philippines-Washington D.C. & 1st runner-up Hannah Cristine Del-
gado (Mom is a Filipina while Dad, who is now deceased, was Peruvian-
American) . The milestone event, attended by many guests, recognized all the
distinguished leaders/community members who formed ISA three decades
ago. (Photo courtesy of ISA).
Six months old Nico Alexander was
christened last October 20, at the
Methodist Church in Herndon, Vir-
ginia. L to R: Rico Jiao, Jr., Ciela
Basilio, Aaron Jiao, Maj.(U.S. Air
Force) Lee Alexander, father of
Nico, and Jean Alexander mother of
the baby.
October 31, 2013 19
Pinay nurse cops coveted award
MCLEAN, Va. A Filipina
nurse based here has won the
DAISY Award, a rare honor
bestowed on outstanding nurses
in the United States and about a
dozen other countries.
Bulacan native Carol
Manilay-Robles was nominated
by the Arleigh Burke Pavilion
(ABP) Family Council which
said theyve been receiving pos-
itive light about her in nearly all
their meetings since 2012.
Robles is Resident Assess-
ment Manager (RAM) of the
ABP Health Center. As RAM,
Carol has a unique position of
coordinating the care plan for all
residents and it is from this per-
spective that she begins to know
residents, their needs and special
requests of family members, her
citation read.
Carol takes the volumi-
nous content of a three ring
binder at a quarterly meeting
and turns it into a plan for staff to
follow. It becomes the guidepost
for making sure that someones
personal and clinical needs are
known, noted and followed. If
and when a problem does arise,
a quick call to Carol will ensure
that the matter is resolved. It
doesnt take a lot of explanation,
because Carol knows the resi-
dent, and knows what you are
talking about.
Beyond the normal scope
of her duties, Carol observes a
situation and sees that it is taken
care of, regardless of whether
or not it is in her job descrip-
tion. She is one who rolls up her
sleeves and takes action. She has
been seen clipping a residents
nails, responding to a call bell,
comforting a family member
with a cup of tea, the citation
went on.
She always has a smile on
her face, greets residents and
family members by name, knows
how to make the system work,
and is always ready to respond
to a request. She has set the bar
high for showing what being a
nurse means. She always puts
the resident rst, respects their
rights, and leads by her example.
If we could clone a nurse, the
model would be Carol Robles.
We are grateful to and for Carol
and all that she does to bring a
high level of quality care to our
loved ones.
The DAISY Award for
Extraordinary Nurses was estab-
lished in 1999 in honor of Pat-
rick Barnes who succumbed to
ITP, an auto-immune disease.
His family, particularly his wife
Tena, were impressed with the
quality of care and compassion
he received from nurses who
saved his life more than once
that they decided to form the
DAISY (which stands for dis-
eases attacking the immune
system).
As we discussed what
to do in Patricks memory, we
knew that rst and foremost, we
needed to say Thank You for the
gifts nurses give their patients
and families every day, just as
we had experienced, the Barnes
family said. DAISY is a 501 (c) 3
non-prot organization.
The DAISY Award has since
become a coveted prize for all
nurses here.
Carols family hails from
Baliwag, Bulacan. She arrived in
the US on an H-1B visa in 1991
and is married to IT consultant
Rey Robles with whom she has a
teenage son, Ryan.
She is active with the Phil-
ippine Nurses Association of
Metropolitan DC where she is
treasurer; and the Miss Teenage
Philippines Pageant where she
serves as assistant director. The
Manilay-Robles are perennial
volunteers at the Mrs. Philip-
pines Home for Senior Citizens
in Oxon Hill, Md. and has been
in charge of decorating the Presi-
dents Hall for the Christmas
season since 2011.
Carol Manilay-Robles
Celestino Almeda, 96,
spokesman, and Maj. Jesse
Baltazar, 93, a wounded
Bataan defender & POW,
presented Sen. Ted Cruz (in
blue) their written demand
of the American Coalition
for Filipino Veterans for his
public apology and to sup-
port their bills in the Senate.
Daughter of veteran, Ange-
lyn Tugado-Marzan, joined
them. Retired military chap-
lain Georgette Beltran, and
Eric Lachica, coalition exec-
utive director, assisted during
their 30-minute meeting in
the senators Washington DC
ofce on Sept. 30, 2013.
October 31, 2013 20 20
October 31, 2013 21
General Manager Brian Sabean
always wanted to keep the right-
hander from Bellevue, Washing-
ton the son of a Filipina mother,
Rebecca Asis, and an American
father, Chris Lincecum.
Brian (Sabean) said up front
that it was a priority to solidify
our starting pitching, and Tim
is a big part of that, Assistant
General Manager Bobby Evans
told the San Francisco Chronicle.
We see the difference that your
starting pitching can make in
a make-or-break September or
postseason.
Tim bounced back from the
pitching woes he experienced for
most of 2012 and the rst part
of 2013, winning four out of his
ve last starts. His highlights
included a sub-four earned run
average, pitched his rst career
no-hitter, and reached the 1,500
strikeout milestone.
He was an All-Star for four
consecutive years from 2008 to
2011 and won the Babe Ruth
Award in 2010 as the most valu-
able award of the MLB postsea-
son.
Fil-Am is highest paid... from page 1
as her agent to prove that she
was authorized to sell the paint-
ing to the Marlborough Fine Arts
gallery.
Bautista allegedly conspired
to sell the artwork part of the
French Impressionists famed
Water Lilies series and trying
to peddle other valuable paint-
ings that prosecutors say she had
no right to sell.
She has been charged with
illegally conspiring with two
nephews to four paintings
bought by Marcos and for failing
to pay taxes on millions of dol-
lars she reaped from the sale of
one painting.
Assistant District Attor-
ney Garret Lynch told the jury
the case was a simple story of
greed, opportunism and fraud.
Bautistas lawyer Susan
Hofnger portrayed her client
as a simple intermediary who
got caught up in a decades-long
dispute between the Philippine
government and the Marcos
estate.
The painting vanished after
the dictator Ferdinand Marcos
was ousted in 1986 and forced to
ee to Hawaii. It resurfaced with
Bautista and is part of a multibil-
lion-dollar roster of property the
Philippines claims was ill-gotten
Marcos wealth.
The Philippines Presiden-
tial Commission on Good Gov-
ernment (PCGG) is believed to
have recovered only a fraction of
the estimated $5 to $10 billion of
alleged Marcos loot.
Bautisa said Marcos bought
the painting with government
money in the 1970s when Presi-
dent Marcos ruled the Philip-
pines under martial law.
That battle doesnt belong
here in a Manhattan criminal
courtroom, Hofnger said in her
opening.
The London gallery, Marl-
borough Fine Art eventually
agreed to handle the sale, and
a Swiss collector agreed to pay
$32 million for the masterpiece,
Claude Monets well-known
water lily painting, Le Bassin
aux Nymph (1899).
These were the valuable
paintings that had disappeared
from the townhouse used by
Mrs. Marcos in the Upper East
Side up to 1986 when Marcos
was toppled from power.
The other paintings were
another Monet work and the
paintings of Alfred Sisley and
Albert Marquet.
Prosecutors say Bautista had
taken the paintings and hidden
them for two decades, even
though she was aware the Phil-
ippine government was looking
for them.
Bautista reportedly tried to
sell the paintings unsuccessfully
through her two nephews in the
black market in Bangkok after
she ran out of money in 2009.
He said selling Monets
famous painting was easier
because it was not placed in the
Philippine goverments list of
missing paintings.
Imelda aide on trial... from page 1
last Sept. 24. His family called it
a miracle.
He was reported missing a
day after his forest mishap after
he failed to show up at a pre-
arranged rendezvous. After his
friend led a missing persons
report, the Lake County Sheriffs
Department began searching
for him. An initial search ended
with bad weather and no trace of
the missing man.
Penaor said he woke up
disoriented in heavy fog. That
night he built a re and set up
a makeshift shelter of leaves
underneath and above him for
warmth. He woke to more fog
and zero visibility again the next
morning.
Twice he saw helicopters
ying above him and he tried
to send smoke signals but they
didnt see him. During the 19
days he was lost in the wilder-
ness, authorities said it snowed
many times with temperatures
ranging between 25 and 70
degrees at times.
According to a police detec-
tive who spoke with Penaor
after he was rescued, the Pinoy
deer hunter feared he was going
to die but would try to survive
for as long as he could.
He relied on jungle sur-
vival skills he probably devel-
oped back in the Philippines but
honed in the American forest,
living to tell a tale many survival
reality show hosts might envy.
Penaor survived by con-
serving what food he could
kill and cook, mostly squirrel
and other small game, keeping
his nighttime res embers hot
under leaves during the day,
conserving bullets and staying
hydrated until he saw what he
described as an army of hunt-
ers and caught their attention
with smoke from his re.
Penaors nephew Julius
Bura said He was in survival
mode.
He stayed focused. He had
a rie with him, a lighter and two
garbage bags. To keep himself
warm, he burned leaves, and he
would use the garbage to wrap
his upper body, Bura said in
an interview with The Filipino
Channel, adding his uncle ate a
snake, squirrels and lizards, and
drank from a creek which con-
tained algae.
He was carried to safety on
a makeshift stretcher made from
tree branches and the rescuers
coats, the police said.
The Mendocino County
Sheriffs Ofce said fellow hunt-
ers found Penaor, who was in a
hard-to-reach area just north of
Lake Pillsbury. He was located
more than three miles from the
point where he was last seen by
his hunting partner.
I had faith that my dad was
still alive, his son Jeremy said.
Penaor is now back with
his family in San Francisco. We
prayed every day that the Heav-
enly Father would bring him
home safely to us. And a miracle
happened, Bura said.
Pinoy deer hunter... from page 1
of intense bipartisan nego-
tiations, to achieve what he has
called a major priority for his
second term.
The President prodded the
GOP, suggesting it could con-
sider immigration as a way to
improve their popularity with
moderate voters.
However, time constraints
and the anger from the bruis-
ing showdown over the debt
ceiling and 16-day government
shutdown show House Republi-
cans are in no mood to take up
another controversial issue.
There will denitely have
to be a cooling off period, said
Marshall Fitz, the director of
immigration policy for the pro-
gressive Center for American
Progress in one interview.
In Pasadena, CA. Fil-Am
immigrant rights activists and
religious leaders held a vigil Oct.
20 to push for an immigration
bill with a pathway to citizen-
ship.
We are continuously pro-
moting and ghting for a more
comprehensive and just immi-
gration reform, Jewel dela Cruz
of the Filipino Migrant Center
said.
We never got off track with
the immigration reform bill and
the work were trying to do to
push that reform. Unfortunately
it comes at a time when there are
a lot of other issues with the gov-
ernment, Pastor Jolo Buktaw of
United Methodist Church and
the Filipino Migrant Center said.
The immigration bill is one
of the three issues he wants to
push forward and move prior to
the end of this year, he added.
After the US Senate passed
a comprehensive immigration
reform bill during the summer
but stalled in the House because
leaders said they wanted to
tackle immigration through a
series of smaller bills.
House Speaker John
Boehners ofce said Oct. 24 the
House would not consider mas-
sive, Obamacare-style legislation
that no one understands, refer-
ring to the Senate bill.
Instead, the House is com-
mitted to a common-sense, step-
by-step approach that gives
Americans condence that
reform is done the right way,
they added.
Still, some GOP leaders have
been quietly working behind the
scenes to craft legislative pro-
posals that might pass muster
with rank-and-le Republicans
that if joined with a legalization
program, could draw the White
House in.
Many Democratic lawmak-
ers believe that if Speaker John
Boehner puts the Senate-passed
immigration reform bill on the
House oor, it would pass with
a bipartisan majority, similar to
the votes over the debt limit bill
and the continuing budget reso-
lution.
Majority Leader Eric Cantor
of Virginia and other House
Republicans have met in small
groups to write bills that would
change parts of the immigration
system.
Immigration bill... from page 1
October 31, 2013 22 22
Commerce (FPACC).
She said she was appalled
to read the writings of Manila
Times columnist Bobby Tiglao,
himself a former ambassador.
Stern said she saw nothing in the
countrys anti-graft and business
divestment laws that prevent
Cuisia from doing his job law-
fully.
Is a professional rival out to
cut down Ambassador Cuisia?
she asked.
Tiglao, a veteran journalist,
worked as head of former Presi-
dent Gloria Macapagal Arroyos
Presidential Management Staff in
2004-06 and was later appointed
as Philippine Ambassador to
Greece and Cyprus.
Tiglao was part of the
Arroyo appointees recalled to
Manila after President Aquino,
now the frequent target of his
scathing commentaries, took
ofce but not before he too
was hounded by allegations he
wasnt spending enough time
on the job and living lavishly in
Athens.
In his Oct. 21 column, Tiglao
questioned Cuisias involve-
ment with several large com-
panies such as SM Prime Hold-
ings, Phinma and Manila Water,
among others, suggesting there
is conict of interest because
these rms have major dealings
in the US.
For 2012 Cuisia was
reported in the annual reports to
be present in board meetings of
the two companies in February
17, March 22, April 24, May 14,
June 11, July 27 and 30, October
29, November 13, and December
12. Thats nine of the 12 months
last year, Tiglao complained.
I am quite sure Cuisia also
attends the board meetings of the
seven other rms he is a director
of, especially in Chevrolets Phil-
ippine distributor where he is
the chairman.
I assumed the two rms
annual reports were accurate,
he added.
By no stretch of logic can
he claim that his involvement in
these nine corporations doesnt
distract him from his work at
such an important post as the
US. Taxpayers are paying diplo-
mats to be full time at their work,
and not as part-time ambassa-
dors, Tiglao wrote.
Fil-Ams in Washington as
well as foreign affairs depart-
ment ofcials, he claimed, are
worried that Cuisia seems to be
relying too much on the deputy
chief of mission in his past three
years.
The Foreign Affairs home
ofce quickly issued a statement
backing Cuisia, insisting there
was nothing unlawful or irregu-
lar in the envoys activities
His directorship in the
boards of private companies
does not interfere in the effec-
tive performance of his duties,
Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul
Hernandez said.
But the reactions were even
stronger from the worried
Washington community.
It is my hope, that many
will come to support and defend
your position. Clearly, you have
demonstrated above and beyond
your passion for the Philip-
pines and ensuring Fil-Ams are
updated and educated (about)
the Philippines and how we can
continue to partner resources
between both countries, wrote
Virginia Beach business owner
and community leader Naomi
Estaris.
She red off a lengthy letter
outlining Cuisias work for Fili-
pinos in Virginias Tidewater
region.
It is ironic that as I have
gotten to know the Philippines
much better in this non-political
and non-prot work assisting
the Filipino people of many cul-
tures, that you have gotten to
know the United States and our
diverse cultures as a well-liked
and trusted representative of
your country, wrote Al Santoli,
president of the Asia America
Initiative, a DC-based non-prot
devoted to helping conict areas
in Southeast Asia, including
strife-prone Sulu and Basilan.
Our health, education,
emergency relief, livelihood
building and peace mediation
programs have assisted more
than one million persons during
your time as ambassador to the
United States, he pointed out.
Your timely calls on AAIs
behalf to government ofcials
in Manila have assured that
our donated medicines, school
books, seeds and water purica-
tion materials could reach com-
munities in all major regions of
the Philippines that been in seri-
ous need, Santoli added.
Amb. Cuisia is one of the
most effective, efcient and ener-
getic Filipino public servants
Ive worked with. His com-
mitment towards the advance-
ment of Philippine-US relations
is evident through his efforts
in working tirelessly with the
Obama Administration/White
House, Congress/Hill, State
Dept., Defense Dept., USAID,
Millennium Challenge Corpora-
tion, etc. on integral issues re:
Philippines-US relations, wrote
Fil-Am DC community activist
Mitzi Pickard.
She said Cuisia understood
the pivotal part that the Fili-
pino American community and
younger generations can play
in bridging ties between the two
nationsas well as assist with the
development, progress and sta-
bility of the Philippines.
As Chairman Emeritus of
the FPACC, Stern said, I am
compelled to keep track of the
Philippine Ambassadors actions
because the FPACC has a bi-
national mission. I keep notes
but I have no complaints about
his work output and appreci-
ate the amount of time spent on
the complex geopolitics he is
ensnared in.
I have to say that what-
ever his salary, the Philippines
is getting a three-in-one bar-
gain (in Cuisia) as ambassador,
banker and nancial expert, she
stressed.
I do not condemn whistle-
blowers who report crimes they
witness. But of late the campaign
against corruption has turned
into a free for all and the crime
is not precise, and this one does
not t well, Stern rued.
It is beginning to look like
Get all the Presidents men! We
must pull ourselves together to
ght corruption and dynasties,
inequality, negative habituation
but not by the death of the coun-
try, Stern said.
American community as a legal
counsel for associations includ-
ing the Philippine American
Foundation for Charities (PAFC);
Feed the Hungry; Philippine
Nurses Association of Metro
Washington, DC; and Marin-
duqueneos of the Capital Region.
But his law experience began in
1982 as Associate County Attor-
ney for Prince Georges County.
Later he would join publish-
ing rms where he used his legal
expertise at the Thompson Pub-
lishing Group (as senior editor);
Warren Gorhman & Lamont
(as project manager) and the
Research Institute of American
(as attorney-editor). He also
engaged in private practice from
1985-1991focusing on immigra-
tion issues. Most recently, he was
Of Counsel to the Collins Firm
in McLean, Virginia and was
a frequent writer and speaker
on estate planning and taxation
issues.
He was a member of the Bars
of Maryland, Virginia, California
and the U.S. Tax Court and other
federal courts. He earned his J.D.
at George Washington Unity and
his B.A. Philosophy at George
Mason University.
As a writer, he penned
a column in Manila Mail
called Play it by Ear, containing
vignettes drawn from his life
and from members of the FilAm
Community. They were always
very entertaining stories written
with humor, interesting twists,
or endearing conclusions show-
ing his in-depth understanding
of people, culture and society.
He published a book in 2004
The Right Place, a collection
of stories of his and other peo-
ples experiences in the United
States as they grapple with the
challenges of a new country.
He is a gifted and master-
ful storyteller with a remarkable
range of style, wrote Herminia
Smith of the Library of Congress.
Another masterful milestone
that combined music and play-
writing is a musical Hacienda,
a story depicting the peoples
revolution of 1986 and the down-
fall of Ferdinand Marcos. It was
staged twice in Washington, DC
in the 1990s.
And then there are his
songs, recorded forever in a CD
Im Like You. These songs
with light melodies and deep
thoughts like Sana, Summer
Song, Thank You, Lord, and
many, many more. Words to
these songs appear in www.rod-
shacienda.com.
But through all these, he is
most proud of, and he will often
tell you, his three children, who
have obviously inherited pre-
cious talent from their father.
Karla, the eldest is an accom-
plished dancer and now appears
in Broadway musicals; Jitter, the
middle child works with Wall
Street Journal putting together
the companys events; and
Rocky, the youngest and only
son, is an incredible saxophonist.
A Renaissance Man Rod
was. And he surely will be
missed around town.
Fil-Ams defend Cuisia... from page 1
Rodney Garcia. Mail... from page 1
ens husband, to prison.
If not for their efforts, our
kababayan would most likely
remain nameless and her killer
would still be on the loose,
Cuisia, citing in particular the
efforts of Waynesboro detective
Alyssa Campbell who doggedly
pursued the case and Prosecut-
ing Attorney James L. Camblos
III of the Ofce of the Common-
wealth Attorney.
We thank them and the
good people of Waynesboro for
going out of their way to make
sure that Karen get a decent
burial and for her family in the
Philippine to somehow nd clo-
sure and solace that justice was
served, Cuisia added.
The Waynesboro Police
Foundation and the citizens of
the city raised enough funds to
cover the cremation and ship-
ping of Karens remains and
donated the rest to a foundation
intended to support her daugh-
ter, who now lives with relatives
in the U.S.
Consul General Ariel
Pearanda said the embassy had
been coordinating with Waynes-
boro authorities since October
last year after they identied
the remains that have been in
the custody of the West Virginia
Medical Examiners Ofce since
2002 as Karens.
Authorities stumbled upon
Karens disappearance only last
year after her husband failed
to account for her whereabouts
while he was being investigated
over unrelated charges of child
sexual abuse.
Authorities then ofcially
declared Karen a missing person
until a few months later when
DNA samples collected from
her parents in the Philippines
and daughter here in the United
States matched those of the
remains of an Asian woman that
were recovered at the Greenbrier
State Forest in September 2002.
Through meticulous police
work by Waynesboro and West
Virginia authorities, Thomas Tait
on Feb. 11 pleaded guilty of kill-
ing Karen and was immediately
sentenced by a judge to a 30-year
prison term in West Virginia.
Child pornography
Tait also awaits sentencing
after a Waynesboro court found
him guilty of 20 counts of child
pornography, an offense that
could carry as much as 100 years
in jail.
Members of the closely-knit
Filipino community in Virginia
observed that the authorities
success in cracking the riddle
of the killing of Karen Tait after
such a long time is nothing short
of divine intervention.
I think we nd here the
just hand of God at work, said
Benny Villarivera, a retired nurse
of Chantilly, Virginia.
But it took Cpl. Alyssa
Campbell, a veteran detective,
nearly two years of exhaustive
investigative work to build the
case against Thomas Tait, includ-
ing trips to the Philippines to
interview Karens family.
It all started in March 2011,
when Waynesboro police were
investigating reports of unre-
lated alleged child sexual abuse
against 52-year-old Thomas Tait
when they discovered more than
80,000 images of child pornogra-
phy on his personal computer.
Tait was charged -- and con-
victed -- with 20 counts of pos-
session of child pornography
materials. He has not yet been
charged with child abuse, but
that original case remains active.
This has been the most
complex case, Campbell told
the News Virginian about the
extent of their their investiga-
tion, noting that they worked
with authorities in West Vir-
ginia, with the US Department
of State, with numerous other
federal agencies, medical exam-
iners, and the FBI.
In the course of their inves-
tigation, Campbell said they
became concerned about the
whereabouts and welfare of
Karen after Thomas Taits alibis
did not seem to add up.
Remains of murdered... from page 1
October 31, 2013 23
21 Tips to
maximize
sleep
M
OST Ameri-
can adults sleep
poorly, accord-
ing to a study of the National
Sleep Foundation on 1,506 adults
which was reported in Washing-
ton by the Associated Press. The
ndings are obviously applica-
ble to most of us in general.
Statistics reveal that over
100 million people in the United
States do not regularly get a
good nights sleep, and that
about another 33 million have
occasional sleepless nights. Sleep
is very important for a healthy
body and mind.
Lack of sleep translates to
lesser mental acuity and concen-
tration, poorer health, greater
driving hazards, reduced pro-
ductivity, and diminished sex
drive.
Sleep experts recommend a
minimum of seven to nine hours
of sleep in 24 hours, especially
for young children and teenag-
ers. The survey showed that
adults sleep an average of 6.9
hours a night. The few minutes
to three hours of sleep depriva-
tion is enough to cause problems.
Seventy-ve percent of
adults reported they frequently
have difculty in sleeping, like
problem in initiating sleep,
waking up often during the
night, and/or snoring, waking
up too early, and feeling unre-
freshed and tired. Many also
stated that they ignored the
problem, and some do not even
think they actually have any
sleep decit. Only about 50 per-
cent of those surveyed stated
they were able to sleep well most
of the time. Twenty-ve percent
thought their sleep problem had
adverse effects on their daily
routines.
Richard Gelula, the Chief
Executive Ofcer of the Sleep
Foundation, said theres a link
between sleep and quality of life.
People who sleep well, in gen-
eral, are happier and healthier,
said Gelula. But when sleep is
poor or inadequate, people feel
tired or fatigued, their social and
intimate relationship suffers,
work productivity is negatively
affected, and they make our
roads more dangerous by driv-
ing while sleepy and less alert.
Obviously, the quality of
sleep, besides the number of
hours, is very important. Chris
Drake, senior scientist at the
Henry Ford Sleep Center in
Detroit and co-chair of the 2005
poll task force, stated that some
of the nations sleep habits can be
attributed to an always-on-the-
go society.
The commercial world
of today stretches business to
24 hours a day, with 24-hour
pharmacy, restaurants, casinos,
supermarkets, etc., so people
tend to stay up late, watch late
night shows on television, surf-
ing the web on the internet, etc.
All these reduce peoples time
to sleep. And some people even
need more than nine hours of
sleep to feel refreshed and rested.
This study also showed
(1) Sixty percent of adult stated
they have driven a vehicle
while drowsy from lack of sleep
the past year; and four in 10
reported they have had an acci-
dent or near accident because
of tiredness or falling asleep at
the wheel. (2) Seventy- ve per-
cent claims their partner has a
sleep problem, snoring as the
most common complaint. (3)
Four out of ten of those surveyed
reported lack of sleep adversely
affected their sexual relation-
ship, having lost interest in sex,
having poorer performance or
having sex less often. (4) Seventy
percent claimed that their phy-
sician never asked them about
their sleep.
The recommendations of
the National Sleep Foundation
and experts in the eld are absti-
nence from any stimulant, coffee
and alcohol before bedtime, and
to seek medical help if they think
they are having sleep problem
and/or snoring, or not getting
enough rest at night.
Lack of sleep reduces the
normal recharging time of our
body battery, our energy source
causing a chain of reactions in
our physiology and body chem-
istry. This low-battery condi-
tion leads to physical and mental
stresses to our system. All these
alter the normal homeostasis
(internal balance) within us,
weakening our immune system,
and increasing our risk of devel-
oping metabolic diseases, hyper-
tension (high blood pressure),
stroke and heart attack, among
others, or aggravating existing
illnesses.
The prescription for a
healthy lifestyle, for maximal
maintenance of good health and
disease prevention, besides reg-
ular medical check-up, includes
the following ingredients: Ade-
quate sleep, rest and relaxation,
total abstinence from tobacco,
strict moderation in alcohol
intake; daily exercises (like brisk
walking), low-fat, low-choles-
terol, low-carb, high-ber diet
(vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts,
etc), and, equally important,
having a happy and positive atti-
tude in life.
So, how can one maximize
sleep?
Here are some helpful
tips, which I have found useful
myself: (1) Stick to a schedule;
dont sleep late on weekends;
(2) Dont eat or drink four hours
before bedtime; (3) Avoid nico-
tine and caffeine; (4) Exercise in
the late afternoon; (5) Slightly
cool room (68-72 degrees F) is
ideal for sleep; (6) Sleep only
at night; dont take afternoon
naps, at least not more than 20
minutes; (7) Eat light at night,
and if you enjoy wine, a glass
of red wine will help you sleep
more restfully, more than one
could impair sleep; (8) Keep pets
off your bed for less distraction
and for hygiene;(9) Free your
mind, leave problems outside of
the bedroom, have a calm wind-
ing down period by listening to
soft music or by reading a book,
and or praying; (10) Keep the
bedroom dark (no blue lights,
or lights from cell phones, PDA,
etc) and quiet, since darkness
and silence are conducive to
sleep; use ear plugs, if needed,
place black tape over electronic
lights;
(11) Make your bed comfort-
able (12) For a healthier mindset,
the bedroom is only for sleep and
sex, not for TV or eating; (13) No
TV four hours before bedtime,
Rumors, Innuendos,
Accusations
Q
UESTION: In a recent
column, you briey
mentioned that one can
be sued in court if he or she
says or writes something that is
untrue about someone. Can you
expound on this?
ANSWER: Yes. The issue of
reputational harm is quite com-
plex and covers a wide range of
legal topics. In this column, I
will focus on what is commonly
referred to as defamation.
Defamation laws protect the rep-
utations of individuals and other
entities, including corporations,
from untrue and damaging state-
ments. A statement may be con-
sidered defamatory if it tends to
harm the reputation of another
as to lower him in the estima-
tion of the community or to deter
third persons from associating
with him. Defamation may be
written or oral. Written defama-
tion is commonly referred to as
libel, whereas oral defamation
is generally known as slander.
The law of defamation
varies from state to state, but the
legal elements are substantially
the same. To have a legitimate
claim for defamation, the plain-
tiff must generally prove the fol-
lowing: (a) the statement must
be about another person, and it
must be false; (b) the statement
must have been published to
a third party, who cannot also
be the person who was defamed
(in this context, publishing
does not mean that the state-
ment must be printed; rather,
the statement must have been
made available to someone other
than the person about whom
the false statement was made);
(c) the person about whom the
defamatory statement was made
must have been damaged or
injured by the statement; and (d)
if the plaintiff is a public gure
(for example, the mayor of the
District of Columbia), he or she
also must prove that the defen-
dant acted with actual malice
by publishing the defamatory
statement or at the very least had
a total disregard for whether the
statement was true or not.
QUESTION: Can you give
a few examples of defamatory
statements?
ANSWER: Typically,
defamatory statements include
communication that suggests
that the plaintiff was involved
in in a serious crime involv-
ing moral turpitude or a felony;
communication that reects
negatively on the plaintiffs char-
acter, morality or integrity; and
communication that suggests
that the plaintiff suffers from a
physical or mental defect that
would cause other people to stop
associating with that person.
Recent examples include charg-
ing someone with being a com-
munist; calling an attorney a
crook; describing a woman as
a call girl; and the list goes on.
On the other hand, calling some-
one a bitch or son of a bitch
does not rise to the level of defa-
mation. In any event, since defa-
mation is considered in context,
there are no hard-and-fast rules
about particular statements or
phrases, although hyperbole or
opinions are generally viewed
as not defamatory. In Virginia,
for example, a person cannot be
held liable for making a state-
ment about another person if it
is true (i.e., truth is an absolute
defense to a defamation claim);
nor can a person be held liable
for statements expressing an
opinion. Note, however, that
merely labeling a statement as
your opinion does not make it so.
In other words, you cannot say,
It is my opinion that John Doe
embezzled money from Cor-
poration X and bought a $10M
house in Manhattan in 2012
with his fraudulently obtained
money, and assume that your
statement will be protected as an
opinion if the statement is later
proven to be false.
QUESTION: Are there
defamatory statements that are
considered so egregiously harm-
ful that they are treated differ-
ently under the law?
ANSWER: Yes, you are
referring to defamation per
se. Defamation per se means
defamation that is so intrinsi-
cally damaging such that there is
no requirement that the plaintiff
establish damage or injury. In
other words, the plaintiff only
has to show that the defama-
tory statement was made. This
is because in defamation per
se cases, both malice and dam-
ages are presumed. There are
states that are considered per
se statesmeaning that these
states provide special protec-
tion for plaintiffs claiming defa-
mation per se. For example,
Maryland allows plaintiffs to
le defamation lawsuits without
proving actual damage for state-
ments that maliciously attack the
chastity of a single or married
woman.
QUESTION: What types of
compensation are available in
defamation cases?
ANSWER: If you prevail in
a defamation case, you may be
entitled to actual, punitive and
other damages that the court
may deem appropriate. Actual
damages, also known as com-
pensatory damages, are dam-
ages that are paid to compen-
sate the plaintiff for loss, injury,
or harm suffered as a result of
defamation (for example, loss
of earnings, pain and suffering,
etc.). Punitive damages, also
known as exemplary damages,
are damages that are intended to
deter the defendant and others
from engaging in conduct at
issue in the lawsuit. Punitive
damages are awarded only in
special cases, and usually only
Continued on page 30
Continued on page 30
October 31, 2013 24 24
On Dying, Death, and Remembrances
I
t is mostly the grammar that
concerns us most, at this time
of the year, when we con-
front or are confronted by the
souls of the dead, of our faithful
departed. The nality of death
itself is uncontested. It is the
memory that lingers and always
brings us to a point of choosing
whether to talk of them in the
present or past tense. And our
expressions or acts of remem-
brance are what anthropolo-
gists or sociologists call part of
a systematic pattern of behav-
ior handed down by parents to
offspring, deeply rooted in a
nations culture but is evolving
over time.
I, for one, am not spared
by the memories. The dying
moments of my fathers father
had the semblance of a family
reunion. My parents and I, my
siblings, my uncles and aunts,
my cousins, the towns doctor
and parish priest, were all sum-
moned in haste to witness my
grandfather lying on his back
on his bed, his mouth open and
making these gurgling sounds,
gasping for air. We were all
gathered there, not making any
sounds, just watching. Finally,
the gurgling stopped, like the
last toll of a church bell. The last
image of him I have taken with
me was the doctors stethoscope
on my grandfathers chest and
the doctors nod to the parish
priest for the nal rites to begin.
Dying or at the instance of
death, depending on ones reli-
gious faith and beliefs, is a rite
of passage, to another life or to
immortality; to a Christian, to
heaven or to hell, or to the Res-
urrection; to a Hindu, to another
form of life, a mammal, a fowl or
a bird; or to an Australian aborig-
ine, to entering the land of his or
her mythological ancestors.
Before the arrival of Magel-
lan in 1521 and the subsequent
Spanish expeditions to evange-
lize the Philippines, death to an
Igorot, in the Mountain Prov-
ince, was not a cessation to his
way of living but simply of his
being called by some anitos
to another good or better way
of life. There was a rite followed
by an old or an inrm to induce
a certain anito to whisk him
away from his painful condi-
tion. In the Visayan provinces, in
the case of a datu or a barangay
chieftain, some of his slaves were
sacriced in the hope that they
would be accepted in his stead
by an ancestor spirit who was
calling him away.
Before the commercializa-
tion of death brought about by
technological changes occurring
in the 18th and 19th Centuries,
before the emergence of funeral
parlors, funeral directors, the
morticians, and the so-called
doctors of grief, the rite of
passage associated with dying
had occurred in the privacy of
a bedroom. Immediately upon
death, prayers performed by the
mourners, following the Chris-
tian traditions, had two main
parts, the acknowledgment of
the sins committed and the rec-
ommendation that these sins be
forgiven. These were followed
by an absolution.
Nowadays, the site of death
is displaced. More often than
not, a person no longer dies at
home in the company of loved
ones but in a hospital, alone.
Death in a hospital takes away
the ritual ceremony over which
the dying person expresses his
nal messages to his family and
friends, including the distribu-
tion of properties. Dying in a
hospital is simply a cessation
of care, a decision made by an
attending physician and the hos-
pital team. Sometimes, they even
have a say on the disposal of the
dead body. His wills, too, have
been reduced to a legal, written
and notarized, document.
The disposal of the dead
takes many forms because of a
deep-rooted refusal to link the
physical body with physical
decay. Memories play an active
part; those who are left behind
perpetuate the dead persons
way of life by choosing a resting
place that reects the deceaseds
beliefs, motives, and aspirations.
His tomb or mausoleum is an
extension of family property,
protected from commerce and
held in perpetuity, a variant of
homeownership. Mourners who
go to this tomb or mausoleum
are akin to visiting a relatives
house, a dwelling full of memo-
ries. Cremation, the other choice,
excludes the appearance of a pil-
grimage.
The manner and sites of
internment of dead bodies per-
formed by the early Filipinos,
centuries ago, have become tour-
ists attractions. The Tinongchol
Burial Rock, near Kabayan,
which is about four-hour drive
from Baguio City, in the Moun-
tain Province, displays a rock
that is as tall as a three-story
building, housing the mum-
mied remains of the Ibaloi
ancestors. The cofns are stuffed
in holes bored into solid rock.
Nearby, on Mount Timboc, more
burial caves have been discov-
ered revealing mummies deter-
mined to be at least 500 years
old; these mummies, unlike the
Egyptians, are not wrapped.
The tombs or mausoleums
serve as a sign to us the living
of the presence after death of
the loved ones. The presence is
not derived from a concept of
immortality central to a religion
of salvation but to our unwilling-
ness to accept their departures.
We hold on to our memories.
This is why the Manila North
Cemetery, established in 1890,
now has at least one million
mausoleums and graves, includ-
ing those housing the remains
of Ramon Magsaysay, Sergio
Osmena, Manuel L. Quezon,
and Manuel A. Roxas, all former
presidents of the Philippines.
On All Souls Day, in the
Philippines, a day reserved for
the dead, there hovers always
an air of family duty, almost a
national compulsion, to go and
visit the graves of the loved
ones. You and I go to be in their
presence, to get acquainted once
again with the memories of
how it was when we all shared
moments of mirth and grief. It is
the only time, in our life, that the
past merges with the present, the
dividing line disappearing. We
do this because it is our duty, the
living, to conjure up the future
with them. It is what we owe to
the dead.
The insane logic of
terrorists
MANILA.
T
heres something that
dees logic in the modus of
todays terrorists, whether
they sow their destruction in
Zamboanga City, Philippines or
in Nairobi, Kenya; whether they
take their orders from Nur Misu-
ari or from the al-Shabaab.
The recent outbreaks of
terror and mayhem in the Philip-
pine south and in the expatriate
hub of Nairobi have some things
in common. They took place in a
ash, as acts of carnage must if
they are to succeed. They were
results of sieges, naked force,
and blinding displays of re-
power.
What ensued in both acts of
terrorism was chaos and destruc-
tion. And a loss of many lives.
Which leads to the puz-
zling nature of the attacks: the
sacrice of civilian lives, which
often include those of children of
tender ages.
The driving force behind the
movements of the sort that sud-
denly made their presence felt
recently in both Zamboanga City
and Nairobi is a desire to achieve
something, whether its indepen-
dence or lost territory. Or a cry
for justice, equality or simply
space to freely exist. Whatever it
may be, the cause must include
acceptance, not only by the
authority or the challenged gov-
ernment, but also of the people at
large.
No movement will win
and ourish without a mass of
people behind it. An idea may be
nurtured by the blood of its ini-
tial protagonists, but it will never
germinate nor grow without the
acceptance and support of the
masses. A cause will never take
off without universal support.
Even if its armed component will
win the initial battle, it will never
grow into a widespread move-
ment. It will never have a popu-
lar mandate.
Those who led mass move-
ments in history knew this, that
they needed the masses to be
the backbone of their agitations.
Mao and Fidel Castro knew it.
Gandhi and Martin Luther King
Jr. knew it. And thats why they
rallied and inspired and cajoled
the masses in order for them to
have the multitude behind them.
No movement succeeds without
the people.
And thats why the great
leaders of the past hectored and
harangued their fellow citizens
to their cause. Thats why they
took pains to get the people on
their side. Because they knew
that without the people, they
were nothing.
So why, therefore, did Nur
Misuaris Moro National Libera-
tion Front here in the Philippines
and the al-Shabaab in Kenya
wreak their destruction on civil-
ians, innocent people who had
nothing to do with their strug-
gles, who had no quarrel with
them, who were there by pure
accident? Why did the MNLF
use the cowardly tactic of herd-
ing innocent civilians as human
shields? And why did the al-
Shabaab go on a brutal rampage
in that shopping mall in Nairobi,
murdering people without pity?
If their respective causes are
just and deserving of popular
support, why did they sacrice
the lives of so many innocent
people just to get public atten-
tion? It doesnt make any sense,
it doesnt stand to logic. No just
cause kills people, especially
innocent ones. No movement
will ever thrive when innocent
lives are sacriced on the altar of
an unjust cause.
Is it therefore the template
of modern movements to dis-
regard popular sentiment and
blaze their way through via
brute force? Is this the new way?
No more winning the hearts and
minds of people?
Ho Chi Minh, George
Washington, Abraham Lincoln
and Ramon Magsaysay of the
Philippines took pains to get on
the side, not only of Almighty,
but more importantly, of the
people. Even the insane Adolf
Hitler sought the support of the
German people to rally behind
his ultimately awed and fatal
vision.
The suicide ights of 9/11
didnt bother to rally any one,
they just carried out their deadly
attacks. The murderous ram-
pages of sick individuals that
periodically shatter the tranquil-
ity of US campuses and neigh-
borhoods dont bother with
hearts and minds. The Boston
Marathon bombers were of the
Continued on page 30
October 31, 2013 25
Names
A
llah means God --
unless youre a Chris-
tian in Malaysia, read
Time magazines headline. Or
Sikh, Hindu or athiest for that
matter. A new Kuala Lumpur
court decision stipulates only
Muslims can invoke the name of
Allah. And that triggered con-
cern beyond Association
of Southeast Asian countries.
Four years back, KL courts
ruled that the term Allah tran-
scended different faiths. Why
then the ipop? Islam (is)
vulnerable to conversion efforts
by other faiths, the decision
asserts. Anyway, Allah was not
an integral part...in Christian-
ity.
No? Herald editor, Fr.
Lawrence Andrew, said hell
appeal. Non-Muslim Malaysians
reacted with anger. Appalling,
snapped Jagir Singh who heads
the Consultative Council of Bud-
dhism, Christianity, Hinduism,
Sikhism and Taoism. Bahasa
Malaysiaspeaking Christians
used Allah even before forma-
tion of Malaysia,. recalled Rev.
Eu Hong Seng,
Sabah and Sarawak
churches, where Christians are a
majority, protested. As they have
done for years, theyd invoke
Allah in worship and in the
Al-Kitab --- the Bahasa Malay-
sian version of the bible. Malay-
sias Parliament, in 2011, allowed
circulation of Al-Kitab. Todays
ruling fractured the 10-point
solution by KL.
This rekindled 2007s uproar
when government claimed a
franchise on Allah. It cons-
cated 15,100 bibles, printed in
Indonesia, which used the word
Allah. After the High Court
shredded that ban, in December
2009, non-Muslim places of wor-
ship, including Sikh temples,
were ransacked.
Islam is the religion of the
federation but other religions
may be practiced in peace and
harmony. says the Malaysian
Constitution. Malaysia signed up
to the UN Declaration of Human
Rights. Article 18 undergirds
freedom of an individual or
community, in public or private,
to manifest religion or belief in
teaching, practice, worship and
observance.
Those principles apply to
ethnic Malays who form two-
thirds of Malaysias 28 million
people. Chinese and Indians
number 22 percent and 7 percent
respectively. About 9 percent of
Malaysians are Christian.
See the issue in the context
of next door Philippines, Singa-
pore and Indonesia.
Muslims here form 5 percent
of population. Catholics consti-
tute 83 percent, Iglesia Ni Kristo
Immigration Notes
By J.G. Azarcon, Esq.
Tourist visa
V
isitors for business or for
pleasure are covered by
the B nonimmigrant visa
category.
For a B visa to be issued,
the applicant must demonstrate
the following: (a) that he intends
to stay in the US for a limited
duration; (b) that he intends to
depart the U.S. at the expiration
of his authorized stay; (c) that he
intends to maintain his foreign
residence which he has no inten-
tion of abandoning; (d) that he
has sufcient funds or nancial
arrangement to cover his travel
expenses; and (e) he will engage
solely in activities relating to
business or pleasure.
Presenting proof of ade-
quate nances or afdavit of
support does not by itself entitle
the applicant to the issuance of
the visa. This has caused a lot of
frustration on the part of many
relatives of US citizens in the
Philippines. The US consul must
be convinced that the applicant
will return to the home country
after a brief visit. Because there
is a lot of discretion involved in
the evaluation of proof, there is
never an assurance that a visa
will be issued even if you load
your application with documen-
tation.
Since most applicants can
easily present an adequate af-
davit of support, the US consul
will likely pay more attention
to the applicants ties to his
home country and any ties to the
United States.
Extensive property hold-
ings, ownership of a business
generating substantial revenue,
or very lucrative and stable
employment would likely be
perceived as indicators that the
alien will return to his home
country. Close family ties in the
home country would also be a
positive factor. Close family ties
in the U.S. however would be a
negative factor, just as the exis-
tence of a pending immigrant
petition for the alien.
The applicant need to
submit documentation not only
with respect to the nancial abil-
ity issue, but also those that will
show attachment and incentives
for the alien to return to his home
country after a brief visit. Copies
of real estate deeds, bank state-
ments, stock certicates, owner-
ship of business, and certicate
of employment may indicate
that the alien has no immedi-
ate reason to abandon his home
base. Close family ties to the
home country can be demon-
strated by afdavit.
The above documentation
will not guarantee approval of
the application. But at least it
will improve ones chances if the
application is reviewed by a rea-
sonable consular ofcer.
VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINES
NOVEMBER 2013
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried sons/daughters
of US citizens Jul 01, 2001
Second:
A: Spouses/minor children of
permanent residents: Sep. 08, 2013
B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years
of age or older of permanent residents Mar. 01, 2003
Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens Jan. 08, 1993
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens Apr. 22, 1990
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority workers Current
Second: Professionals holding advanced
degrees or persons of exceptional ability Current
Third: Skilled workers, professionals Dec. 15, 2006
Other Workers Dec. 15, 2006
Fourth:
Certain Religious Workers Current
Fifth: Employment creation/
(Million or half-million dollar investor) Current
The joys of home ownership
O
h my God, Im so
teary eyed; I want to
cry!! These are the
exact words and emotions my
client burst out after stepping in
their new home after our closing
on that day. She is not alone and
Im used to these mixed emo-
tions given the same situations
with my clients. I always share
the same emotions and some-
times my client/s and I both
scream and jump for joy. Even
if you have not own a home ever,
you kind of know what I mean.
Buyers for the last ve to
six months are out there jump-
ing over the fence and ready to
buy. These are combinations of
low interest rates of all times,
school about to end and start,
they have been procrastinating
due to unsure real estate market
and the promising trend of home
selling and buying. Even sellers
who were afraid to sell started
to do repairs and renovations to
get the top dollar on their home.
Truly, the sun is shining bright
like a diamond in the skyI
mean real estate. It has been long
overdue.
Home buying and sell-
ing is not an easy process but
very rewarding as the old Fili-
pino clich mas masarap ang
tagumpay pag pinaghihirapan.
I cannot imagine a seller and/
or a buyer without a Realtor.
The process is so complicated,
legal binding and risky if you
do not have proper professional
representation; unless you were
a real estate agent before or in
that kind of industry. I always
love to see buyers and sellers on
the settlement table anxious and
so excited for the closing to end
so they can turn over and get the
key ready for their new phase of
life and experience. (Short sale is
an entirely different story).
Whenever I do buyers pre-
sentations, I highlight the bene-
ts of home ownership and those
who have been renting for so
long were surprisingly unaware
or just afraid that they cannot
fulll the big responsibility of
home ownership.
Words and emotions cannot
express how I feel whenever I
received interesting feedback
from my clients whether they are
buyers or sellers, short sales or
standard sales. I want to share
with you the latest message I
received from one of my clients
who recently bought their home
last week. He even posted this
on his Facebook. These are the
reasons why we Realtors are
working hard and these are also
the reasons why we put our cli-
ents on top of our professional
priorities. This is the true Joy of
Home Ownership. Do I need to
say more?
Buying a house was a
spur of the moment for me and
my wife. Weve been renters
throughout our married life,
back in Quezon City and after
we immigrated to Virginia in
2003. We always found a reason
not to do it -- we didnt have
enough money, we knew so
little about buying a home, too
many hurdles to jump over. But
renting has its disadvantages
and the worst of them struck us
recently. We decided to nally
buy a home but the rst chal-
lenge was where to start? After
asking around, we knew wed
be coming in with a handicap
-- the markets picking up, com-
petition for decent, affordable
housing was heating up, and we
had an extremely tight budget.
Weve always suspected this was
going to be a long shot but
God answered our prayers and
led us to the right people, and
one of them was Jocelyn Porteria.
From the start, we felt comfort-
able with Jocelyn anyone will see
right away, is very skilled, expe-
rienced and hard-working; and
she also made us laugh which
melted all our anxieties. For a
couple of weeks, she made her-
self our best friend, available
night and day, over coffee meet-
ings or phone calls. She set up an
internet show room tailored to
our specications which made
nding the right house easier.
She volunteered her observa-
tions (and criticisms) which
helped us decide.
When we nally found our
dream home Jocelyn moved
with lightning speed to get an
offer to the seller. I was truly
amazed she was able to give us
a contract to sign in 24 hours.
She worked the deal to clos-
ing, always ready to advise us
on what we needed to do and
getting the papers in promptly
so the sale never fell off-track
(we even got some money back
from the closing costs). Were
moving to our new home at
the end of October. If theres
anything I learned about home
Continued on page 30
Continued on page 30
October 31, 2013 26 26
GARLIC SWEET POTATO
T
his is an excellent pairing
for any holiday dish, and
also as a snack or a meal by
itself. According to our ances-
tors, backed up with my own
research, sweet potato is one of
the most powerful foods on the
face of earth - it has properties
which, when eaten moderately,
can reduce the risk of some ill-
nesses, including cancer.
Ingredients:
3 large sweet potatoes
4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled
and minced
6 to 8 pieces button mush-
rooms
salt (optional) and white
ground pepper to taste
pinch turmeric
1 tablespoons chopped fresh
parsley
1 teaspoon milled axseed
(optional)
Methods:
Peel the sweet potatoes and
dice to about 1 squares; cover
the peeled and diced ones with
cold water in a bowl to prevent
from browning. Strain thor-
oughly and discard water and
steam the sweet potatoes in a
steamer or bake for 20-30 min-
utes until tender. (Check for
doneness during cooking for
preferred tenderness.) Set aside.
In a non-stick skillet, cook
the garlic in medium low heat
with small amount of oil until
light golden. Then remove the
garlic from heat and transfer to a
small plate. In the same skillet,
cook briey the mushrooms and
sweet potatoes and toss until hot
to the touch. Add the garlic and
season very lightly with salt and
white pepper. Before serving,
add the turmeric, parsley and
axseed.
Serve hot or cold.
Editors Note: Master Chef
Evelyn: 100 Most Influential Fili-
pina Women in the U.S., 2009, Fili-
pina Womens Network; MHC Most
Outstanding Migrant Award in
Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC Dakila
Special Achievement Award, 2011;
Owner/Chef, Philippine Oriental
Market & Deli, Arlington, Virginia;
Founder and President of CHEW
(Cancer Help Eat Well) Founda-
tion, a 501 (c) (3) public charity
formed to help and cook pro-bono for
Filipino-Americans who are afflicted
with cancer and other serious ill-
nesses; Culinary writer; Member,
Les Dames dEscoffier International,
Washington DC Chapter; Member,
International Cake Exploration
Society, Member, Culinary Histo-
rians of Washington, D.C.; Master
Chef, French Cuisine and Patisserie,
Le Cordon Bleu, London.
PICTURE
After a long night of making
love, he notices a photo of
another man on her nightstand
by the bed.
He begins to worry. Is this
your husband? he nervously
asks.
No, silly, she replies, snug-
gling up to him.
Your boyfriend, then? he
continues.
No, not at all, she says,
nibbling away at his ear. Is it
your dad or your brother? he
inquires, hoping to be reassured.
No, no, no!!! she answers.
Well, who in the hell is
he?, he demands.
And she responds, Thats
me before the surgery.
MEDICINES
The lady teacher asks the
pupils what kind of medicines
they know and what they are
used for.
The rst pupil said: Tyle-
nol.
Very good! And what is it
used for?
It is used for headache.
The second pupil said:
Nytol.
Excellent. And what it is
used for?
To help you sleep.
Now it is Johnnys turn and
he said: Viagra.
Johnny, what is it used
for?
I think it is used for diar-
rhea.
Who told you this?
Nobody, but every evening
Aunt Susan tells Uncle Dave,
Take a Viagra, maybe that little
shit will get harder.
BRA
A man walked into the
ladies department of Macys and
shyly walked up to the woman
behind the counter and said, Id
like to buy a bra for my wife.
What type of bra? asked
the clerk.
Type? inquires the man,
Theres more than one type?
Look around, said the
saleslady, as she showed him a
sea of bras in every shape, size,
and color.
Actually, even with all
of this variety, there are really
only four types of bras to choose
from.
Relieved, the man asked
about the types.
The saleslady replied:
There are the Catholic, the Sal-
vation Army, the Presbyterian,
and the Baptist types. Which one
would you prefer?
Now totally befuddled, the
man asked about the differences
between them.
The saleslady responded,
It is all really quite simple...
The Catholic type supports the
masses.
The Salvation Army type
lifts the fallen, the Presbyterian
type keeps them staunch and
upright, and the Baptist makes
mountains out of mole hills.
FINALLY
For centuries, Hindu
women have worn a red spot on
their foreheads. We have always
naively thought that it had some-
thing to do with their religion.
The truth has recently been
revealed by the Indian Embassy
in Washington, D.C. When one
of these women gets married,
she brings with her a dowry.
On their wedding night,
the husband scratches off the
red spot to see if he has won a
convenience store, a gas station,
a donut shop or a motel in the
United States.
AY NAKU!
Inday: Sir, karamihan pala
ng nakalibing sa sementeryo
ginahasa.
Sir: Paano mo nalaman?
Inday: Kasi nakalagay sa
lapida nila RIP!
GMA
Dumalaw si GMA sa mental
hospital...
Dok: Lets welcome Presi-
dent Arroyo!
Pumalakpak lahat ng pasi-
yente maliban sa isa na nasa
sulok...
GMA: O, dok, bakit yung
isa, hindi pumalakpak?
Dok: Maam, magaling na
po siya!
Q & A
Sa isang beauty contest...
Emcee: Whats the big prob-
lem facing the country today?
Contestant: Drugs
Emcee: Very good, why do
you say that?
Contestant: Ang mahal kasi
eh!
MAG-SWIMMING
Dumalaw si Andoy sa kum-
pare, pero si misis ang inabutan.
Andoy: Wala ba si pare,
mare?
Misis: Nandun sa swim-
ming pool... tinuturuang luman-
goy ang baboy.
Andoy: Bakit baboy pa?
Misis: Sabi kasi ng doktor
niya, lahat daw ang lumalangoy
ay puwede niyang kainin.
CONDOM
Mam: Inday, sa susunod,
ayokong pinakikialaman mo ang
condom namin ng sir mo!
Inday: Mam, huwag kayong
magbibintang! Di kami sanay ni
sir gumamit niyan! Sobra kayo!
TRANSLATIONS
Tamang translation ng mga
kanta:
Sometimes When We Touch
- Minsan Kapag Tayoy Naghi-
hipuan
Touch Me In The Morning -
Hipuan Mo Ako Sa Umaga
Stairway To Heaven - Mula
Paa Hanggang Singit
Hurt So Good - Array, ang
Sarap!
Cant Be With You Tonight -
Meron Ako Ngayon
October 31, 2013 27
At The Onset
of Ber
T
he fall season has just
begun but Ive been hear-
ing Christmas carols and
seeing Christmas TV movies
already, not in the Philippines,
but here.
Back home, the Christmas
spirit is in the air the moment
the August calendar page is
replaced with September. On
cue, Christmas songs are played
in most radio stations that create
excitement and spark the cel-
ebratory mood of people. This
practice is still true today. Joy
to the World, Jingle Bells,
Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem,
Hark the Herald, Ang Pasko
ay Sumapit, at marami pang
iba, are heard during the ber
months of September, October,
November and December, four
months of nostalgic Christmas
music. Currently, the songs are
being played. To add, Christmas
festivities are extended till after
January 9 to celebrate the feast of
Santo Nino. It is only then that
the Parols (lanterns) and Christ-
mas light decors are taken down
from the windows of houses.
I am not sure when and how
this peculiar custom has started
in the Philippines, but I am
quite convinced that the United
States have caught up with this
practice. A couple of years now,
while in the car, Ive heard over
the radio this seemingly out-of-
the-ordinary Christmas music
in July, I repeat, July. Moreover,
Ive already seen Christmas
TV movies shown at the Hall-
mark Channel of Verizon. Some
friends told me that the pre-
season showing of the movies
long before the Christmas season
starts were just amusing to them.
Since autumn is my favorite
season, I would like to fully
enjoy its air, sights and sounds.
I would like to witness the com-
plete cycle and beauty of the fall-
ing leaves of gold, yellow and
red as I am still in the fall season
mode.
Personal Zone
Who has time for down
time? Like most busy women,
we always thought that once our
children grew up and left home,
once we got a little closer to
retirement age, wed have more
free time than we knew what to
do with. Wrong. I wish! I say
now. My days are so full now
that I have challenges that com-
pete for my time. As the saying
goes, the only permanent thing
in this world is change, is true.
Our priorities keep on changing,
in a minute, in an hour, in a day,
a week, a month, a year, etc., as
they happen a lot of adjustments
had to be made. All too often, to
make room for these tasks, the
rst thing we give up is our per-
sonal time those moments in
the day, large or small that used
to give us pleasure. In doing so,
were dismissing a valuable and
vital part of our lives.
My primary doctor, during
one of my physical check-ups,
said that personal time is not
a luxury it is a necessity.
Having a free time, even just
a few moments of peace and
quiet everyday would help for
my well-being. I see her point
and am fully in agreement with
her. Setting aside a me time
in my schedule would help
combat stress which can cause
sleep problems. She continued
that it can suppress the immune
system and increase the risk for
heart disease and high blood
pressure. Moreover, Ill develop
some kind of calmness to be able
to deal with the demands of the
challenges at home and with the
family.
We should really under-
stand the need for personal time
and the importance of actually
extracting that time out of our
busy schedule. Forget about
excuses. The few minutes a day
of free own personal me zone
would certainly give us great
values that we need and deserve.
What Works for Me
Learn to take a break. We are
too focused on others and forget
to focus on ourselves. Overcome
the idea that were too busy to
have free time. Per my primary
doctor, it is vital to our mental
and physical health - so, take a
break a few minutes every day,
a few hours every week, a get-
away or vacation once or twice
a year. (After lunch every day,
I go to my bedroom to watch the
TV or do a crossword puzzle or
just close my eyes. A few hours
every week, I go to the book store
or to my favorite mall to browse
around and this year, I went to
Florida to visit with my youngest
daughter).
Make a list of activities that
Id like to spend free time on,
healthy activities that will make
me feel better and give pleasure,
things that I used to do but no
longer seem to have time for, and
things Id like to do even if Ive
never done them before. (I truly
enjoy full body massage, din-
ners and ballroom dancing with
my husband. I shall start to have
facials on a regular basis and
get a few more orchid plants (I
wish I had a green house) and a
toy size puppy, a Bichon like my
daughters to take care of. May
be next year, Ill try to start put-
ting at a miniature golf course).
Set Firm Dates. This remain-
ing months of the year, I I look
forward to having a little adven-
ture with a friend or my daugh-
ter to see the Rockettes in New
York or the Russian Ballet at the
Kennedy Center, also plan to
visit my sister in San Francisco-
well stay at the Ritz and enjoy
the spa service.
Create a Space for Myself.
At home, my rst line of defense
is the kitchen nook and computer
room where I can just watch
the TV or read with my feet up
and sip very cold fruit juice, but
when I really want peace and
quiet without any interruptions,
I hide in our vacant cozy guest
room. My husbands sanctuary
is the family room. Focus on
Quality, not quantity. I want to
put off personal time for some
doable and more practical activi-
ties, focusing on getting just a
few minutes of personal time
every day little breaks which
can add up to big results. A few
minutes like going out on our
deck every morning to have my
tea or making plans for the day
or just enjoy the quiet and hear
the chirping birds would make
my day. When it is drizzling
outside, curling up on a warm
bed in a cozy room with a book
or some magazines waiting to
be read would be conducive to
taking a blissful nap.
Rearranging activities so
things get progressively quieter
as bedtime approaches is deeply
satisfying; also setting the ther-
mostat a few degrees cooler will
help anyone get a good sleep.
Whichever activity that
will give ease, rest, and fulll-
ment would be a good therapy.
However, waiting for the perfect
time to do a gigantic activity may
never come.
Sometimes, doing nothing is
a luxury to an absolute busy bee.
The Circle of Life
T
he past month gave me
exuberant joys and excru-
ciating sorrows. Anticipa-
tion of a wonderful week spent
with family was high leading up
to my birthday. Getting older has
not dimmed the pleasure I get
every mid-October. I cant help
it. I turn into a giddy schoolgirl.
And with our sons sched-
uled visit from California, it
was doubly festive. Our young-
est child makes it his mission to
make family and friends happy,
a positive force in our energetic
circle. His trips back to Virginia
therefore are always a cause for
celebration.
But the week that followed
was lled with sad news. News
of friends who have passed on
and of friends who have suffered
health setbacks trickled in from
all directions.
In physics, opposites cancel
out each other and create equi-
librium. Life aint so generous or
rational.
It is easy to get buried under
the weight of melancholy. I had
to dig deep to nd that mental
swagger that has saved me from
giving in to wretchedness.
The reminders of mortal-
ity had prompted discussions
about death and dying between
Mitch and me before. Many
times, what starts off as a serious
and somber discussion would
end up in hilarity and laughter.
The other night, I brought up an
unresolved topic. I was caught
off-guard by the absurdity of his
answer.
Well, we both will be cre-
mated, right? I looked at Mitch
for agreement.
But I will not be able to
breathe inside that chamber.
And I cant stand the heat. The
ames will burn me He said in
all seriousness. Then broke into
ts of laughter.
I pressed on and got a de-
nite yes. I made a mental note
to revisit this discussion armed
with more information. We
should make our choices nal
and irrevocable. That means
written on legal documents.
Many of us have heard of verbal
agreements that were shrugged
off because of sentimentality and
loss. And that has ignited bitter-
ness among the living.
But the gloom and doom
have given way to some great
news. Our grand-twins who
were born two months ahead of
schedule are thriving. They are
blessed with all they require both
in and out of the hospital. They
may soon go home to enjoy their
beautiful nursery. The other
three grandsons are healthy and
happy. As rambunctious and
mischievous as normal boys can
be. The cycle of that life circle is
on the upswing.
A good friend reminded me
of a favorite verse: Therefore be
at peace with God, whatever you
conceive Him to be, and what-
ever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul. With all
its sham, drudgery and broken
dreams, it is still a beautiful
world. Yes, from Max Ehrmans
Desiderata.
And this from a cousin who
has weathered personal heart-
aches: the cycle of life - death,
birth, living, dying - can be so
confusing and painful and beau-
tiful.
The circle of life spins inexo-
rably with a purpose all its own.
So lets celebrate LIFE in all its
glory, agonies, and exasperating
detours.
Visit us online:
www.manilamail.us
October 31, 2013 28 28
Winter is coming
U
gh.brrrrrrr. winter is coming. Like
bears, many of us Pinoys will wrap
up ourselves in winter clothes and
sit shivering in front of our replaces. For
many, itis time to reminisce.
A Tsismoso forwarded this compel-
ling piece which she says has to be read
slowly so you can digest every word.
READ SLOWLY!
AND THEN IT IS WINTER
Time has a way of moving quickly
and catching you unaware of the passing
years. It seems just yesterday that I was
young, just married and embarking on
my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it
seems like eons ago, and I wonder where
all the years went. I know that I lived them
all. I have glimpses of how it was back
then and of all my hopes and dreams.
But, here it is... The winter of my life
and it catches me by surprise....How did
I get here so fast? Where did the years go
and where did my youth go? I remem-
ber well seeing older people through the
years and thinking that those older people
were years away from me and that winter
was so far off that I could not fathom it or
imagine fully what it would be like.
But, here it is...my friends are retired
and getting grey...they move slower and
I see an older person now. Some are in
better and some worse shape than me...
but, I see the great change...Not like the
ones that I remember who were young
and vibrant...but, like me, their age is
beginning to show and we are now those
older folks that we used to see and never
thought wed be. Each day now, I nd
that just getting a shower is a real target
for the day!
And taking a nap is not a treat any-
more... its mandatory! Cause if I dont on
my own free will... I just fall asleep where
I sit!
And so...now I enter into this new
season of my life unprepared for all the
aches and pains and the loss of strength
and ability to go and do things that I wish
I had done but never did!! But, at least I
know, that though the winter has come,
and Im not sure how long it will last...this
I know, that when its over on this earth...
its over. A new adventure will begin!
Yes, I have regrets. There are things I
wish I hadnt done...things I should have
done, but indeed, there are many things
Im happy to have done. Its all in a life-
time.
So, if youre not in your winter yet...
let me remind you, that it will be here
faster than you think. So, whatever you
would like to accomplish in your life
please do it quickly! Dont put things off
too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do
what you can today, as you can never be
sure whether this is your winter or not!
You have no promise that you will see all
the seasons of your life...so, live for today
and say all the things that you want your
loved ones to remember...and hope that
they appreciate and love you for all the
things that you have done for them in all
the years past!!
Life is a gift to you. The way you
live your life is your gift to those who
come after. Make it a fantastic one.
LIVE IT WELL!
ENJOY TODAY!
DO SOMETHING FUN!
BE HAPPY!
HAVE A GREAT DAY
And I Love each and everyone of
you, some as my children, or grand &
great grandchildren, some as old friends
or relatives, and one special one just
because
I want to.
Remember It is health that is real
wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
LIVE HAPPY IN 2013! LASTLY,
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOUVE
EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST
YOULL EVER BESO - ENJOY THIS
DAY WHILE IT LASTS.
Your kids are becoming you......but
your grandchildren are perfect!
Going out is goodComing home is
better!
You forget names.... But its OK
because other people forgot they even
know you.
You realize youre never going to be
really good at anything.... especially golf!
The things you used to care to do,
you no longer care to do, but you really
do care that you dont care to do them
anymore.
You sleep better on a lounge chair
with the TV blaring than in bed. Its called
pre-sleep.
You miss the days when everything
worked with just an ON and OFF
switch.
You tend to use more four-letter
words..what..when Now that you
can afford expensive jewelry, its not safe
to wear it anywhere.
You notice everything they sell in
stores is sleeveless!
What used to be freckles are now
liver spots.
Everybody whispers!!
You have 3 sizes of clothes in your
Editorial
Go out and vote
The Nov. 5 elections in the Commonwealth of Virginia will
ask voters to choose a new governor, lieutenant governor, attor-
ney general and nine other posts in the state legislature that will
become vacant by retiring representatives.
The campaign, especially for the top posts, has been deeply
partisan, with a lot of mud-slinging that will probably turn off
many voters.
Majority of Filipinos have a habit of sitting on the fence until
the nal moment, and theres no reason to think the coming
elections is any different. But they have become a signicant
voting bloc in Virginia. In areas like the Tidewater region, their
support has become imperative.
Candidates, especially gubernatorial bets Terry McAuliffe
(D) and Ken Cuccinelli (R), have made sure theyre seen at
Filipino community events in the Commonwealth. They have
actively engaged the Fil-Am community and promised them a
larger role if they get to Richmond.
The Fil-Am community is now the 2nd biggest block of
Asian Americans. Yet their number is not evident in the nations
political representation.
Elections should be seen as opportunities to make the Fil-Am
presence felt. They are vehicles for expanding the communitys
clout, pushing projects and promoting values that are important
to Filipinos. The coming electoral exercise in Virginia is a chal-
lenge for Fil-Ams to improve their lot and help shape the future
of the Commonwealth.
Whether youre a Republican or Democrat, be part of the
change. On Nov. 5, go out and vote.
Continued on page 30
Manila Times
October 31, 2013 29
Cuccinelli vs.
McAuliffe
O
n November 5, 2013, Vir-
ginians will decide who
will be their next gover-
nor. Republican Ken Cuccinelli
versus Democrat Terry McAu-
liffe.
Cuccinelli is the incumbent
Attorney-General of the Com-
monwealth. He started his public
service career as a Senator in the
state legislature before getting
elected as Virginias Attorney
General. He is an engineer and a
lawyer.
McAuliffe has no record of
public service. He built his career
in politics, not as an elected of-
cial, but as the money maker. He
built his reputation as the most
prolic fund raiser during the
Bill Clinton years and the failed
presidential candidacy of Hillary
Clinton. He is a lawyer.
The fund-raising prow-
ess of McAuliffe is giving him
advantage in this campaign. If
you watch television regularly,
you will notice that Cuccinelli
is badly outgunned in the battle
of TV ads. The relentless nega-
tive TV ads that McAuliffe has
unloaded on Cuccinelli have
taken its toll. Based on polling
results, McAuliffe has taken
a healthy lead among women
although he is very competitive
among men.
One of McAuliffes TV ads
claims that Cuccinelli in the past
has introduced legislation that
will in effect ban womens right
to use contraceptives. A woman
or even a man would likely con-
sider that as extreme. The prob-
lem with this TV ad is that it is
absolutely untrue. Cuccinelli can
only scratch his head in disbe-
lief at such audacity to lie and
hope that there are enough sen-
sible people who will care to go
behind the ad and nail down the
truth.
Cuccinelli has never intro-
duced legislation with language
specically banning the use of
contraceptives. What McAul-
life and his liberal allies in the
media have done was to twist
and stretch the Republican can-
didates stand on the concept of
personhood and inject blatant
lies to shock women.
McAuliffe has another TV
ad relating to Cuccinellis past
proposal to tinker with no fault
divorce. According to the Demo-
cratic candidate, Cuccinelli will
prevent women from getting out
of a bad marriage.
Again, this is a gross mis-
representation. The reality is that
in divorces, it is more likely than
not that women and children get
the short end of the stick. The
rationale for limiting no-fault
divorce is to encourage preserva-
tion of marriage for the benet of
all members of the family. No-
fault divorce is tantamount to
marriage-at-will which enables
the economically superior
spouse to walk away leaving the
other not only emotionally but
nancially in tatters.
McAuliffe would like to
make abortion a wedge issue in
this election. The right to abor-
tion is not going to change who-
ever is elected governor. Unless
My adventure
T
his time of the month, this
writer always struggles
to nd a subject to write
about. Its not that there arent
enough here or back home in the
Philippines.
Natural and man-made
calamities are worthy topics to
wrestle with. The Bohol killer
quake that evokes memories of
another dark reaper in July 1990
that killed over 1,600 people
and isolated large parts of Cen-
tral Luzon and the Cordilleras,
prompting one of the largest air-
lift operations ever mounted by
the Philippines and US together.
Or the botched roll-out of
the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
enrolment that proved an embar-
rassing debacle for President
Obama. It was a self-inicted
wound that raises the prospect
Republicans could get the delay
they wanted; and show how
unnecessary the GOP-instigated
tactic of forcing a government
shutdown and debt crisis.
There is, however, the jour-
nalists principle of proximity.
And there was an event thats
preoccupied this writer during
the last few weeks. We nally
bought our rst home.
I have fought off buying a
house, whether here or n Manila.
For some reason, weve been
afraid to take the plunge, pre-
ferring instead the exibility of
being renters. Sometimes, I think
if that didnt have some psycho-
logical, subliminal roots having
had experienced foreclosure of
the family home. We so dreaded
it that my daughter had to pinch
and save here for 5 years to pay
for a condo in Cainta, a Metro
Manila suburb, as a birthday gift
for her mom. But now that weve
decided to nally buy a house in
our adopted home, we saw it as
our biggest adventure together.
You may view an adventure
differently, preferring to enjoy
the uncertainty and a certain
risk. I go into it like a battle, with
planning and resolve. Boring.
But I enjoy boring. Because we
knew more than zero about home
buying, we searched for people
who could guide us through the
process. I invited Ramon Llamas
for coffee.
I got to know Mon through
Attorney Arnedo Valera of the
Migrant Heritage Commission,
and after a couple of interviews
for The Filipino Channel and
Manila Mail at Fil-Am nancial
literacy seminars. As a mort-
gage ofcer, he obviously knew
his business. But what drew
me even closer to Mon was his
unheralded philanthropy. A
former seminarian whos fed
Manilas large army of street
urchins during the Christmas
holidays for many years. Ive
offered to write about it but hes
rejected it; I only learn about his
latest charities after the fact.
When I told him that I called
Jocelyn Porteria to ask her to
be our realtor, Mon lighted up.
Theyve worked together for
countless clients, he revealed.
Joceyln, who I call Jo, also
writes a column in this paper
and was the closest real estate
practitioner we could nd.
It turned to be a fortuitous
choice; that became evident
after I arranged for her to meet
my wife and daughter. Theyre
not exactly the easiest people
to win over especially just after
one meeting but Joceyln quickly
pulled them to her side with
an excellent lecture (she was a
Opinion
Continued on page 30
Rodney Garcia:
A Remembrance
H
is guitar stuck to his lean
body like an extension of
himself. This 1997 char-
coal rendition by Mya Talavera
Grossman captures it best the
music and the man.
For the longest time, Rodney
and his acoustic instrument
made music, songs he wrote
himself and sang at benet con-
certs to feed the hungry. In later
years, hed accompany daughter
Jitter on vocals and son Rocky on
the sax. Music was his passion
and pride.
But after his third stroke
months ago, his ngers could no
longer pluck the strings.
Thats 70 percent of what
he does, says eldest daughter
Karla. It sucked the life out of
him. No longer able to play the
guitar, he sold all seven of his
prized possessions. Losing the
use of his ngers to bring life
to the strings was devastating.
There were still songs to write,
concerts to organize and causes
to serve.
Thats why it was hard
for many in the community to
accept the fatal turn of events
when Jitter put out the word that
Daddy is not doing well and
we are asking those that would
like to say their nal goodbyes
to come. He was on life sup-
port at Inova Hospital in Fairfax.
The suddenness was shocking
because everyone thought he
was on the mend.
Days earlier, he was having
fun laughing during a comedy
show, dining with his buddies,
celebrating his 59th birthday
with family and close friends,
regaling new acquaintances with
his stories and bonding with his
own children who came from far
away to be with him. He hoped
for a game changer, something
that will dramatically turn things
around and spur him to unleash
his creative talents once more.
He was also desperately
lonely. He ached for companion-
ship, for human touch, for face
to face interaction. He needed a
listening ear, a comforting pres-
ence at the table. He looked for-
ward to spending evenings with
kindred spirits, bantering over
beers, jamming with other musi-
cians even if all he could do is
watch and gently move his frail
body to the pulsating beat of the
Tutubi Band. Its heartbreaking
to hear the music and not be able
to jump on stage and be part of
the revelry.
Thankfully, old and new
friends in the community
responded in a way they could,
with compassion and under-
standing and love. They took
him to dinner and arranged for
rides to his doctors appoint-
ments and other places he
needed to go. PAFC sponsored a
yard sale. Feed the Hungry, the
Philippine Nurses Association
and other groups and individu-
als pitched in. Friends opened
their homes and Rodney spent
his last days in relative comfort,
until that fatal evening when his
brain and body couldnt take any
more shocks to the system.
My memories of Rodney
date back to GWU in the 1970s.
He was a law student. I was
working at Gelman Library.
Along with Froilan Tiglao, then a
library worker, wed hang out at
the Red Lion, a favorite watering
hole, bantering over beers about
Continued on page 30
October 31, 2013 30 30
the U.S. Supreme Court reverses
itself, abortion will continue to
be available. As a parent, would
you not want to be informed
that your minor child is about
to undergo a major medical pro-
cedure that could impact on her
health? McAuliffe says no while
Cuccinelli says yes.
It is untrue that limiting no-
fault divorce will trap a woman
in a bad marriage as the TV ad
claims because a woman who is a
victim of abuse, cruelty or aban-
donment can still seek divorce.
So who has the best interest of
women on this issue? I wonder
if McAuliffe would like to see a
marriage end just because one
spouse has bad breath.
TV ads aside, what can Vir-
ginians expect from Cuccinelli
and McAuliffe?
Cuccinelli has a solid record
in public service. As a senator,
he worked to limit the power
of eminent domain to prevent
state and local government from
expropriating private homes and
businesses for private develop-
ment instead of public use. He
championed lower taxes and less
regulation pro-business policies.
As Attorney-General, he
demonstrated his adherence to
real blind justice when he led
the ght to exonerate a African-
American Thomas Haynesworth
who languished in jail for years
after he was erroneously con-
victed of rape. In addition to
Haynesworth, three other falsely
accused gained freedom because
of Cuccinellis work. In the ght
to stop Obamacare, he joined
Attorneys General of other states
to stop what most Americans
view as bad legislation according
to polls.
McAuliffe on the other hand
brags about his private sector
experience. He claims to be an
entrepreneur. The Washington
Post however characterizes his
business investment pattern as
one that relies on government
programs, political connections
and access to wealthy investors
in pursuit of big prots from
himself. A review of McAu-
liffes business history by the
Post shows him often coming
out ahead personally, even if
some investments fail or become
embroiled in controversy. While
he is good at sourcing capital,
his record says nothing much
about executive or management
acumen which is material to the
ofce that he is now seeking.
McAuliffe promises jobs,
jobs, jobs. Ask the investors and
former employees of Global
Crossing, a telecommunications
rm that went insolvent in the
1990s costing billions of dollars
to investors while McAuliffe
walked away with $8 million.
Ask the investors of Greentech.
To attract investors, the company
projected 25,000 employees in the
U.S. that could produce 1 million
electric cars in 2015-17. In 2012,
McAuliffe boasted to report-
ers that 900 jobs will be created
before the years end. To date,
the company has approximately
80 full time employees and pro-
duced only a few test cars.
After Greentech became the
subject of investigations by the
Securities and Exchange Com-
mission and the Department of
Homeland Security for its invest-
ment for greencard solicitations
targeting rich Chinese nation-
als, McAuliffe distanced himself
from the company.
Virginians are faced with a
choice between a social and scal
conservative who believes in a
lean and efcient government
that encourages entrepreneur-
ship and a liberal who is propos-
ing more government expendi-
ture the cost of which he refuses
to quantify when confronted by
a debate moderator. We have
someone with a solid tract record
in public service and given a
stamp of approval by voters in
previous elections and some-
body who wants to jump in from
the private sector whose claim to
fame is soliciting dollars. McAu-
liffe could solicit money from all
of us to fund whatever promises
he made in the name of govern-
ment. Its called more taxes.
Forget the TV ads. Pick your
candidate and vote. Ill go for my
man, Ken.
teacher back home) on home
buying interspersed with folksy,
funny tales (Jocelyn and my wife
found a common thread, Cavite).
I sat back and just relished the
banter between them, realizing
Ive already won half the battle.
When they nally found the
right house Jocelyn later inti-
mated that they shared a dance.
Then she got to work. She gave
the seller an offer the same day,
and gave me a contract to sign
within 24 hours. This was shortly
followed by Mons email that
my housing loan has been pre-
approved, catching an interest
rate before it continued rising.
Mon and Jocelyn worked
together to work the contract
through the underwriters. I kept
sending them nervous emails
only because I was anxious and
didnt realize they already had
my back. When I needed to buy
homeowners insurance, Mon
suggested another friend, John
Cabrera.
John has always been some-
one ready to help despite his
tight schedule (aside from his
insurance business, hes also
president of the Philippine
American Chamber of Com-
merce of Metro DC). Hes helped
me once before on behalf of my
brother who brought some busi-
ness from Manila.
During the closing, when
I was asked to sign a tall pile of
papers (the nal stage where
the new owner gets the keys to
the house), the closing ofcer
remarked with seeming amaze-
ment at the excellent deal I got
from my insurance agent.
I was tempted to tell him
that I got the best people to
work for me. If theres a lesson
I learned from this adventure,
its that the biggest challenge is
not so much as nding the most
skilled or experienced, rather in
nding the most trust-worthy.
Even as we prayed fervently for
the success of this endeavor, we
soon realized God heeded our
petitions by pointing us to Mon,
Jocelyn and John.
My adventure... from page 29 Cuccinelli vs. McAuliffe... from page 29
anything that spiced our fancy.
In the succeeding years, com-
munity service was our common
sphere. Both sons of Filipino
World War II veterans, we also
fought the good ght in Con-
gress for veterans benets.
He was proudest of his chil-
dren Karla, Jitter and Rocky. He
and wife Ella, long before their
separation and eventual divorce,
raised them well. I know Ella, a
loving and devoted mother, con-
tinues to be very much a part of
their childrens lives.
Thank you, Rod, for the
memories. Well never ever say
goodbye. Send your comments
to jdmelegrito@gmail.com
same bent.
Its because theirs were lost,
senseless causes whose only
purpose was to inict carnage,
to sow terror and to destabilize
order. Its because the perpetra-
tors know that the public will
never support nor acquiesce to
their mad plans.
Instinctively, the people
know which ones are the just
causes to rally behind. Nur
Misuaris men and those of al-
Shabaab didnt bother to set the
stage for their agitations because
they probably knew the people
wouldnt give them support.
Thus, they didnt bother to win
hearts and minds. And thats
their fatal aw.
The insane logic... from page 24
buying, 90 percent of it involves
trusting your realtor. Beyond
the nancial requirements, I
consider nding an able, trust-
worthy realtor like Jocelyn just
as important. We will always be
indebted to Jocelyn.
Note: Jocelyn Porteria is a
Realtor licensed in VA. She earned
a designation of ASP, Accredited
Staging Professional; ABR, Accred-
ited Buyers Specialist; CDPE Cer-
tified Distressed Property and Short
Sale Expert, (SFR) Short Sales and
Foreclosure Resource. For more info,
visit her website at www.jprealdeal.
com or call her at 571-432-8335 or
email at realdealconsulting@yahoo.
com for a free confidential evalu-
ation of your property, individual
situation, property value, and pos-
sible options.
The joys of home... from page 25
closet..2 of which you will never
wear.
But OLD is good in some
things: Old Songs, Old Movies,
and best of all, Old Friends!!
Stay well, Old Friend. Send
this on to other Old Friends and
let them laugh in agreement.
*Its not what you gather,
but what you scatter that tells
what kind of life you have lived.*
Washington Tsismis... from page 28
where the defendants conduct
was egregiously insidious.
QUESTION: Do criminal
statutes for defamation exist in
the U.S.?
ANSWER: Yes, approxi-
mately 17 states, including Vir-
ginia, have criminal defamation
statutes. However, these states
rarely bring criminal charges
defamation. For example, Sec-
tion 18.2-417 (Slander and Libel)
of the Virginia Code makes it
a Class 3 misdemeanor for a
person to falsely accuse a female
of being unchaste.
QUESTION: Is there a time
limit within which one must sue
for defamation?
ANSWER: Yes, and its
called statute of limitations.
A statute of limitations is a
law which places a time limit
on pursing a legal remedy for
wrongful conduct. A statute of
limitations generally starts to
run at the time a claim accrues.
Ordinarily, that is the time at
which an injury is suffered. In
Virginia, for example, Section
8.01-247.1 (Limitation on Action
for Defamation, etc.) of the Vir-
ginia Code requires that actions
for defamation be brought
within one year after the cause
of action accrues. Similarly, Sec-
tion 5-105 of the Maryland Code
(Title 5, Courts and Judicial Pro-
ceedings) of the Maryland Code
states that an action for libel or
slander must be led within one
year from the date it accrues.
Rumors, Innuendos,... from page 23
Rodney Garcia:... from page 29
especially for children; (14) Take
a hot shower or bath before going
to bed; and, (15) Do NOT rely on
sleeping pills or sedatives, they
could be dangerous, especially
for the elderly; (16) Do not glance
at the clock in the wee hours; (17)
Pillow must be comfortable and
just right to support the neck in
neutral position; stomach sleep-
ing is discouraged; (18) Use a
pillow between your legs for
better alignment of the hips and
to reduce back pains; (19) Seal
the mattress with air-tight plastic
wrap to prevent inhaling mold
and dust-mite droppings, which
cause allergy and a restless night;
(20) When you wake up in the
morning expose yourself right
away to bright sunlight through
your window or outside, since
light is a most powerful regu-
lator of our biologic clock; (21)
Live a healthy lifestyle and try to
enjoy life.
2.3 percent. No one dictates how
anyone addresses a God Of A
Hundred Names as Barbara
Greene and Victor Gollancz title
their book on prayers of various
faiths. Banning titles of divinity
would constitute prior restraint.
And thatd fracture the Philip-
pine constitutions shield for lib-
erty of expression
Religious intolerance can
trigger strife, Singapores Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong cau-
tioned Public debate cannot be
on whose religion is right and
whose is wrong, but on ratio-
nal considerations of public
interest
Indonesia is home to the
worlds largest Muslim popula-
tion ( 205 million). They account
for 13 percent of the worlds Mus-
lims. But no one who believes
in the power of one supreme God
can claim exclusivity, warned.
Endy M. Bayuni, Jakarta Post
senior editor a founding member
of the International Association
of Religion Journalists There
is no such thing as the God for
Catholics..,or Allah for Mus-
lims....
Indonesia and Malaysia
may rightfully claim to have
developed a more moderate
strand of Islam. But there is only
a thin line dividing tolerance
and intolerance, So we should
not take this moderation for
granted...
21 Tips to maximize... from page 23
Names... from page25
October 31, 2013 31
October 31, 2013 32 32