PHiliPPiNe NeWS - Hawaii-Filipino Chronicle

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
City Imposes New
Building Permit
Fee
6
PHILIPPINE NEWS
Noy Signs
Universal Health
Care Bill Into Law
12
JUNE 29, 2013
H a w a i i ’ s O n l y w e e k l y F i l i p i n O - a m e r i c a n n e w s p a p e r
RemembeRing Ruth PfeiffeR
and heR Legacy
by Belinda A. Aquino, Ph.D.
KnightS oF rizAl holD
AwArD gAlA, inStAll
new oFFicerS
▲ Jose P. Rizal Award recipient Dr. Amy Agbayani (row 1, 5th from left)
poses with members of the Knights of Rizal-Hawaii Chapter
Ruth Pfeiffer (far right) at a Filipino community event with (from left) Bea Ramos-Razon, former Consul Eva
Betita, Dr. Belinda Aquino and Dr. Matthew Santamaria.
If you have known someone for 50 years—call it a lifetime—it can
be difficult to know where to begin the bittersweet remembrance of
things past.
I had known Ruth
Imperial Pfeiffer, who
passed on recently,
since the early 1960s
when I first came to
Hawaii as an East-
West Center grantee to
pursue graduate studies
in political science
at the University of
Hawaii-Manoa. She
was a lecturer at the
m u s i c d e p a r t m e n t ,
where her husband,
Professor William (Bill)
Pfeiffer was the faculty
CANDID PERSPECTIVES
Remembering
Aguinaldo, The
Father of Filipino
Freedom
3
LEGAL NOTES
member who specialized in
Filipino folk and indigenous
music. Ruth finished a second
master’s degree in
music education at UH to
add to her first one from
the Theological Seminary
School in Sacred Music in
New York City, where she
majored in organ and
choral conducting.
The Pfeiffers’ beautiful
home in Manoa became
the hub of East-West Center
grantees in the 60s,
mostly from the arts. I believe
this was where I first
met Ricardo Trimillos, a fellow
grantee majoring in ethnomusicology,
who became
a lifelong friend after we
both joined the UH faculty
many years later.
The Pfeiffer household
was rich in music and arts
talk on a broad range of
genres with Ruth playing
mostly classical music and
Visayan songs, which made
many of us nostalgic for the
Philippines. Their three
(continued on page 4)
13
Immigration
Reform Needed
to Address
Nursing Shortage
In celebration of the 152nd birth anniversary of the
Philippines foremost national hero, Dr. Jose P.
Rizal, the Knights of Rizal-Hawaii Chapter held
the 3rd Dr. Jose P. Rizal Award for Peace and Social
Justice Gala on June 23, 2013 at the Filipino Comby
Serafin Colmenares Jr.
DFA: Sex-For-Fly
AllegAtion vS Dole
oFFiciAl conFirmeD
by Louis Bacani
MANILA, Philippines
- Department
of
Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Secretary Albert Del
Rosario said on Monday
that "certain alleg
a t i o n s " o f t h e
sex-for-fly scheme
victimizing distressed
Overseas Filipino
Wo r k e r s ( O F W s )
(continued on page 11)
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(continued on page 7)
A job applicant for abroad

2 News Edition JUne 29, 2013
editorial
School Bullying Is A Serious Issue
We’ve all read high profile stories of teens committing suicide sensitivity and desires for vengeance well after incidences of bullying
took place.
because of high school bullying. Even more devastating are
examples of students such as Eric Harris and Dyland Klebold
who committed mass murders of classmates
New Attitude towArds school BullyiNg
at Columbine High School because they
The good news is, just as the movement to
claim to have been repeatedly bullied. In fact,
change workplace behavior, laws are also now
close to 90 percent of school shootings are directly
beginning to ensure that schools are safer and
linked to some form of bullying.
students better protected from harassment,
A Wisconsin community came up with an interesting
which is a big step forward from the days when
law that attempts to prevent school
school bullying was deemed unavoidable.
bullying before it turns into a potentially serious
President Barack Obama denounced school
problem. In Monona, a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin,
bullying, saying “as a nation we’re founded on
an ordinance was adopted to allow po-
the belief that all of us are equal and each of us
lice to cite the parents of chronic school bullies.
deserves the freedom to pursue our own version
If parents are notified in writing that their child is
of happiness.” His message came in the wake
bullying and that child continues to harass other
of several recent suicides by young people who
children within 90 days from being notified, the
were bullied for being gay. Aside from sexual orientation,
parents can be fined $114 in municipal court.
a student’s color, disability, religion, na-
Monona’s chief of police said while that law is in
tional origin and race have been reasons for
the books, there is a lot of discretion to allow
being bullied.
parents to work on the problem without being
fined.
hAwAii ANd BullyiNg
This ordinance may sound drastic to some, even misplacing Hawaii law prohibits harassment by any students in the public
blame onto parents who may have little control over their children. school system during school hours, on school premises, or during
But with the escalation of violence at schools, could placing more department-supervised activities on or off school property.
accountability onto parents help to correct this problem that often In a Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior Survey, students reported a significant
times end up with drastic consequences?
degree of violence and vulnerability. The study found that
For the most part, initiatives aimed at curbing school bullying 58 percent of Hawaii middle school and 44 percent of high school
have been via public service announcements, school handouts students said that someone tried to hurt them verbally while on
and discussions on the topic covering the basic do’s and don’ts. school property during the past 12 months. Nearly 15 percent said
Despite recent campaigns to stop school bullying, which in years they have been harassed more than once in the past 12 months because
past have been viewed as a normal rite of passage, statistics show
someone thought they were gay or lesbian.
that bullying is still very prevalent. Education alone just hasn’t The Hawaii State 2011 legislature passed H.B. No. 688 “Bullying”
been working.
that requires the Board of Education (BOE) to monitor compli-
The American Psychological Association says 70 percent of ance with the Department of Education rules covering bullying,
middle school and high school students experience bullying in cyber-bullying, or harassment. The anti-bullying law defines “bullying”
school. Five to 15 percent of students are constantly bullied. The
as any written, verbal, graphic, physical act that cause mental
effects of this conduct can be serious. Some short-term effects include
or physical harm to other students. It also includes cyber-bullying.
depression, anxiety, anger, drop in school performance, ex-
The bill also directs the BOE to develop a procedure for students
cessive stress and a general feeling that life is out of control. and parents to confidentially report to school officials incidents of
Reported long-term problems from those who have been bullied bullying and cyber-bullying. It calls for schools to develop a formal
say they experienced feelings of insecurity, lack of trust, extreme investigation process and disciplinary procedures.
(continued on page 3)
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Pacita Saludes
Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq.
Charlie Sonido, M.D.
Emmanuel S. Tipon,Esq.
Felino S. Tubera
Amado Yoro
Sylvia Yuen, Ph.D.
NEWS EDITION
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Hildebrand, Amelia Jacang, M.D., Caroline Julian,
Maita Milallos, Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D., Glenn
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Philippine Correspondent
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JUne 29, 2013
by emil GUillermO
June 12 came on a Tuesday
this month, so many
of us outside the Philippines
weren’t all that free to
celebrate the true Filipino Independence
Day. It was just
too inconvenient considering
our wage slave bosses and
modern colonial obligations
(irony of ironies). Besides,
we’re Americans, right?
That didn’t stop many of
us from celebrating the
weekend after, maybe even
incorporating Father’s Day.
So let’s hope you didn’t just
fixate on the party, and that
you also paused to remember
the real father of Filipino
freedom, Emilio Aguinaldo.
He’s the reason you
should forget that fake independence
day our American
CaNdid PerSPeCtiVeS
News Edition 3
Remembering Aguinaldo, The Father
of Filipino Freedom
colonizers gave the Philippines
to match U.S. history.
July 4th? That’s not Filipino
independence. That’s U.S.
Colonial Failure Day.
No, June 12 is the special
day for Filipinos everywhere,
the real moment
when Filipinos stuck it in the
eye of all the colonials.
Filipinos broke out of
their shell of passivity and
essentially went amok.
And all it took was
Aguinaldo.
His Philippine Revolution
actually began in 1896
against Spain. Those of us
with Spanish last names
and Catholicism in the heart
bear the stamp of that colonial
rule. But the revolution
against Spain failed, and
Aguinaldo went into exile in
Hong Kong.
The Philippines would
still eventually be a backdrop
for more war, and that’s
the strange twist of fate
here.
When the U.S. defeated
the Spanish in Manila Bay, it
set up Act II for Aguinaldo.
Allowed back into the country,
Aguinaldo declared independence
from Spain June
12, 1898.
But Spain, which lost to
the U.S. didn’t recognize it.
And neither did the new
boss, the U.S. government.
And that’s the basis for the
U.S.-Philippine war. If history
is said to be written by
the winners, there’s something
to be said about a war
America won—but doesn’t
care to crow about.
When the memory only
produces shame and regret,
you can understand why.
Also known as the
Philippine Insurrection, it’s a
reminder of a time when
America’s dreams of imperial
greatness got in the way
of its democratic values.
But Aguinaldo’s declaration
and his
fighting spirit
is the reason the war is
worth remembering at all.
The new war began
February 4, 1899. The first
shots came in a Manila suburb,
when American soldiers
shot at “the goo-goos,” perhaps
the least offensive
term used for the Filipinos,
and indicative of the racist
tone in the war.
Insurrection doesn’t
begin to describe the fullfledged
war that lasted three
years with more than
100,000 Americans involved.
Depending on the
accounts you read, the Filipino
civilian death toll
ranged from 250,000 to as
high as 1 million casualties
from disease or starvation.
The war was an American
betrayal. The nationalists,
under Aguinaldo, fully
expected to run the first independent
republic in Asia.
But that promise was
broken when the McKinley
administration sought the
Philippines as a colony and
tapped into a new patriotic
fervor for American Imperialism.
Historians believe
McKinley instigated the war
to gain support in Congress
to ratify the Treaty of Paris.
That's when the U.S. dealt
with Spain directly, cutting
out the new Philippine leadership.
Instead of becoming
the independent country it
had hoped for, Spain sold
the Philippines to the U.S.
for $20 million. Aguinaldo
went from president to insurrectionist,
just like that.
It fueled the fight inside
Aguinaldo and the nationalists
for years to come. And it
it all came after that simple
declaration of independence
on June 12.
emil guillermo is an awardwinning
journalist who writes for the
Asian American Legal Defense and
Education Fund.
T w i t t e r @ e m i l a m o k . V i s i t
www.amok.com
editorial
(cont. from page 2; SCHOOL... )
whAt cAN Be doNe
Laws alone, or ordinances as
the one in Wisconsin which holds
parents accountable, cannot
change students’ behavior. There
needs to be a cultural movement
against school bullying as what
occurred over time in changing
the workplace for the better. Both
parents and children must do
their part; and school administrators
and teachers should not turn
a blind eye when they see improper,
harassing behavior.
For students experiencing repeated
bullying, one of the best
ways to stop the harassment is
to have a journal noting every
single instance of bullying, then
present that journal to a teacher,
counselor or even the principal.
It’s challenging enough for
students to excel academically.
Bullying distracts from learning
and it’s about time that society
takes the issue a lot more seriously.
After all, bullying and hate
crimes are now against the law
in many parts of the country.

4 News Edition
HeadliNeS
JUne 29, 2013
(cont. from page 1; REMEMBERING ... )
boys—Gerardo (Jard), Paul
and John—were always
there romping about and
probably wondering why
there were so many people
around. It was an idyllic atmosphere
set against the
majestic Manoa mountain
scenery.
IN THE BEGINNING
Ruth Imperial, affectionately
called “Inday Ruth,”
was music to one’s ears
even if she was just engaged
in ordinary conversation.
She was a child prodigy
who began playing the
piano at age five. Her DNA
must have been wired with
music when she was born.
As she grew up in Dumaguete
in the Eastern
Visayas region, music was
not just a passing interest. It
became her passion for life.
When she entered Silliman
University to doublemajor
in music and English,
she was already a household
word in the community.
She was the pianist for Sunday
School services on
campus and would play the
organ for the worship service
at church. Much of her
early life revolved around
her major role as an accompanist
for vocalists, instrumentalists,
violinists and
other performers.
In time, Ruth became
the leading light of Silliman’s
musical ensemble, which
evolved into a university tradition.
A group known as
“Campus Choristers” was
born, which brought the
community together through
the power of music via concerts
and other musical performances.
The impressive
list of her colleagues in this
pioneer musical tradition included
another talented
artist, Priscilla Magdamo,
and Elmo Makil, a famous
baritone, among others.
In 1952, William Roger
Pfeiffer went to Silliman to
pursue his research interest
in Philippine music. He had
previously studied and
taught at the Chicago Musical
College in Illinois and at
the Westminster Choir College
in Princeton, New Jersey.
He was also an
experienced choir conductor
and baritone soloist with
Westminster Choir.
At Silliman, Bill was responsible
for overseeing the
consolidation and expansion
of the School of Music
as a world-class institution.
Under his leadership, the
school undertook an extensive
study and field research
in the Visayan region, collecting
sound recordings,
which later got published as
“Songs of the Visayas.”
Bill was an accomplished
scholar-researcher
having done similar field
work during his college days
at the Appalachian Highlands
in America. He
Ruth Imperial Pfeiffer
brought with him to Silliman
his appreciation and knowledge
of folk music as a
composer. He encouraged
field research among his
graduate students to collect
recordings of various “musics”
from the different regions.
And because he was
also an experienced broadcast
journalist, he connected
the University Music
School with the larger community
in Dumaguete
through DYSR.
To cut a fascinating long
story short, love entered the
musical arena and Ruth’s
and Bill’s lives came together
at Silliman. Recalls
the Pfeiffer middle son Paul:
“The life stories of Bill and
Ruth Pfeiffer are intertwined
with the history of music in
which they each accomplished
much over the
course of their musical career.”
It was a perfect match.
In the mid-60s, Bill received
a master’s degree in
ethnomusicology based on
his extensive research on
Manobo songs in Mindanao.
His book “Indigenous Folk
and Modern Filipino Music”
is a classic piece of empirical
research in the field, which is
still being used as the definitive
reference until today.
RUTH’S CAREER TAkES OFF
After getting married,
Ruth and Bill settled down in
Hawaii. Combining raising
three boys with her career
as a musical artist was not
easy, but she was determined
to succeed in both
endeavors. In 1970, she organized
a choral group in
Hawaii, which would eventually
become the Silangan
Singers—but more of this
later.
Because Ruth was becoming
famous for her musical
and artistic talents, she
received several grants to
present musical performances
or organize music
programs internationally. In
1976, for instance, Silliman
University President Quintin
Doromal invited her back to
assume the directorship of
the School of Music and
Fine Arts. It was a great opportunity
to pursue her career
and to give back
much-needed service to her
alma mater in the field of
music.
With her remarkable vision
and work ethic, she
worked incessantly to maintain
the highest standards of
music training for her students
at the school. She became
a pro-active cultural
leader in the university community
and beyond. The
Young Singers in Silliman
under her direction garnered
top honors in many competitions,
including the NAMCYA
National Choral Competition
in the Philippines.
Back in Silliman in the
late 70s and 80s, Ruth
taught and strengthened the
school’s music program to
world-class standards. She
later said to Arlie Tagayuna,
who became a member of
the Silangan Singers, which
was formally organized in
1984: “I wanted to have a
choir that sings songs composed
by other people—be
it folk, movie or indigenous
music, so that audiences will
not just see and hear “Dahil
Sa Iyo” (Because of You) as
the only Filipino song. This
emphasis on indigenous or
folk music is what I’ve always
wanted and the one I
stuck to.”
BACk IN HAWAII
Bill’s passing in 1983
was a great loss to Ruth and
her growing family not only
personally but professionally.
Now she was on her
own but Bill had mentored
and guided her well and she
was well-prepared to face
life without him. Back in
Hawaii, she picked up
where she left off for a whole
decade and formed Silangan
Singers in 1984, which
will be her enduring legacy
to the world.
Her Manoa home once
more became a center of
gravity, this time with accomplished
and aspiring singers
who rehearsed rigorously
under her steady direction.
Rehearsals were later held
at the First United Methodist
Church on Beretania Street.
Arlie Tagayuna, now a doctoral
student at UH in sociology,
recalls: “This time her
initiative was to start a new
chorale group with a new
musical repertoire.... She did
further research on arrangements/compilations
of various
musical pieces from the
different regions in the
Visayas and Mindanao when
she was in the Philippines.”
On top of her rigorous
rehearsal schedules as
chorale conductor, Ruth performed
at Philippine Independence
Day, Filipino
Center inauguration, Araw
ng Kagitingan, Filipino Fiesta
and other Filipino community
functions. She was
always so gracious and accommodating
and never
had the “prima donna” demeanor
that we often see in
famous artistic personalities.
She remained the organist
for the First United
Methodist Church and the
Bernie Pauahi Bishop Memorial
Church at Kamehameha
Schools.
She also performed with
the Honolulu Symphony and
the Hawaii Opera Theatre.
She was an accompanist for
visiting musical artists from
the Philippines like Eleanor
Calves, Noel Velasco and
Redentor Romero.
The famous composer
Angel Pena, who was a performer
for the Honolulu
Symphony, always trusted
and valued Ruth as a colleague
in the profession.
Irma Pena, Angel’s daughter
who has worked in Hawaii
as a language instructor, remembers
with fondness
Ruth’s friendship with her father
for more than 40 years.
(continued on page 5)

JUne 29, 2013
HeadliNeS
News Edition 5
(cont. from page 4; REMEMBERING ... )
Irma says: “I always looked
forward to my conversations
with Ruth, who played during
my wedding at Newman
Center.”
She continues: “My dad
Angel requested Ruth when
she was in the Philippines to
bring back a copy of some
‘melodic’ lines from Bill Pfeiffer's
Manobo research, Ruth
immediately complied.”
Angel Pena used it for a
new composition he was
doing at the time. “True to
her word,” Irma further reminisces,
“Ruth delivered the
piece that my dad had requested
and later used for
his ‘Symphonic Variations
on Two Manobo Themes.’
Such thoughtfulness I will
never forget. She is one of
the sincerest, most gracious
persons I have ever known.”
As if she did have
enough on her plate, Ruth
ventured into academia and
became a lecturer and later
associate professor at Leeward
Community College
where she taught Philippine
music and related courses
for many years. She was
one of the pioneers in Philippine
Studies at LCC, which
is patterned after the earlier
Philippine Studies Program
(later Center) at the Manoa
flagship campus.
Even after she retired in
2009, she continued with
her multifarious activities related
to her profession as a
music educator and artist.
Even when she was not
feeling well, she continued
to entertain at her home.
Ric Trimillos, who became
a professor of ethnomusicology
at UH and chair
of the Asian Studies Program,
considered Ruth not
only in professional terms as
a colleague in the world of
music but also as a “great
friend who did so much for
so many.”
A n o t h e r a c c o l a d e
comes from family friend Eva
Rose Washburn-Repollo,
who teaches communication
at Chaminade University.
She says: “Tita Ruth loved to
listen to stories about what is
to come in our lives. She
would sit at the head of the
table in her Manoa house
and just listen. She was al-
ways excited with what we
were doing and came to support
us when we needed it.
As her friend and as someone
who had been through
high school with her boys
Jard, Paul and John, I felt so
blessed to have had a space
in her home where I could sit
in warm welcome. Like the
great accompanist that she
was, she heard our song and
played along, and now her
guidance goes on.”
CONCLUSION
During my last visit with
Ruth after she came out of
the hospital, she was looking
as vibrant and cheerful
as ever. Her appetite was
good and as usual, we
talked about the good old
times and how lucky I was
to have been a permanent
guest in her lovely home on
several occasions in the
past. I kidded her that I
should have applied as a
boarder in some room in
the big house.
After the usual banter
and before I left, I commented
on how well she
was looking and how
quickly she seemed to have
bounced back from illness.
“It has been a beautiful life
for you, Ruth,” I murmured
as I hugged her goodbye. I
had a somewhat eerie feeling
that I might not see her
again. You know, that kind
of premonition.
“A beautiful life,” I
mused as I walked down
the stretch of road by her
house to wait for my ride.
“And a beautiful soul. A life
with not only beauty but
also talent, sensitivity,
courage and hope.” As
these things raced through
my mind, I braced myself to
what seemed inevitable to
life, no matter how beautiful.
And now she has gone
to another realm. Maybe
more beautiful than what
she had inhabited in life.
Her children are grown
and thriving in their respective
careers—Jard in local
business, Paul an internationally-famous
painter and
artist based in New York,
and John as a fashion and
art consultant with Victoria’s
Secret, also based in New
York. Bill and Ruth are undoubtedly
cheering them on
in heaven.
Ruth’s grandchildren
Jessice, Kawi and Ella
Ruth, will carry on the mantle
of the original Ruth emb
o d y i n g l i f e - a ff i r m i n g
values of faith, hope, compassion,
understanding and
appreciation of beauty in
the world, and communicating
these to future generations
through art and
culture as she always did in
life.
(DR. AQUINO, Emeritus Professor
at the UH-Manoa and founding Director
of the Center for Philippine
Studies, is a lifelong friend of the
Pfeiffer family and knew Ruth up
close).

6 News Edition HaWaii-FiliPiNo NeWS
THE UNIvERSITY OF THE
EAST ASSOCIATION OF
AMERICA recently formed
a Hawaii chapter in preparation
for its coming global reunion
to be held in Hawaii in
2015.
Governor Neil Abercrombie
held a swearing-in
ceremony for the Hawaii
chapter’s officers and board
members. The occasion
marked the first time
that the governor initiated
installation cerem
o n i e s i n h i s
chambers.
Founding officers
include President Baybee
Hufana-Ablan;
Vice-President Alfonso
S. Sabangan; Secretary
Felice T. Guillermo;
Treasurer Ernie T. Yadao;
Auditor Amadao Sam Quemado;
Business Manager
Joe C. Lim; P.R.O. Mito
Ablan; and Board of Directors
members Atty.
Mar S. Apuya, Felipe
“Jun” Abinsay Jr., Dr. Marina
Badua, Dr. Erlinda
Cachola, Dr. Amelia Jacang,
Fidel A. Hufana,
Joe G. Quebuyen and
Saturnino L. Ulep.
The newly-formed org
a n i z a t i o n s t a r t e d i t s
JUne 29, 2013
Univ of the East Assn of America Forms Hawaii Chapter
City Imposes New
Building Permit Fee
THE CITY’S DEPART-
MENT OF PLANNING
AND PERMITTING (DPP)
began collecting plan review
fees on certain building
permit applications
effective June 17, 2013, in
an effort to reduce the number
of permits that are submitted
for approval but not
picked up or paid for.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk
Caldwell recently signed
into law Bill 15, which
amends the City’s permit
fee schedule and allows
DPP to charge a plan review
fee of 20 percent of
the total building permit fee
at the time the permit application
is submitted. The
new fee is the first increase
in 10 years.
The plan review fee is in
addition to the building permit
fee and covers building,
electrical and plumbing
building permits. The new
law exempts applications
for fences, retaining walls,
driveways and swimming
pools. City officials sought
the new fee to reduce the
number of permit applications
reviewed and approved
by DPP staff but not
picked up by applicants.
Since 1999, DPP has
processed 2,591 commercial
and residential permits
that were never picked up
by the applicant and therefore
account for more than
$2.6 million in unpaid fees.
In addition to the plan
review fee, the ordinance
raises fees for select zoning
permits.
For more information on
the new fee schedule, visit
DPP’s website at www.honoluludpp.org.
Founding members of UE Assocation of America-
Hawaii Chapter pose with Gov. Neil Abercrombie
A NEW CAMP HAS
LAUNCHED this summer
on the Big Island for students
entering grades 9
through 12 with a passion
for science.
Science Camps of
America has taken learning
outdoors and offering firsthand
experience environments
that range from
beaches to rainforests to
volcanoes to snow-covered
mountaintops.
“The idea is to get teens
outside and into the field to
truly explore science,” says
Michael Richards, camp
founder and executive director.
“We have one of nature’s
greatest laboratories
in our backyard.”
A local entrepreneur
from Kaneohe, Richards
sold his software business
in 2010 and came up with
the idea to start a fun and
educational science camp.
He teamed with geology
teacher Dr. Floyd McCoy to
create a curriculum. McCoy
is a highly-regarded scientist
and educator who has
appeared on specials for
National Geographic, the
BBC, TLC, NBC and Discovery
channels.
The pair chose the Big
Island to launch Science
Camps of America because
of its incredibly diverse
environment, climate
and geology.
“One day we might be
examining lava flows, the
next we might be helping
reforest former ranch land
and the next we might be
stargazing from Mauna
Kea,” Richards says.
fundraising projects to help
sustain expenses for the upcoming
global reunion. Over
1,000 alumni from UE
Philippines and the mainland
are expected to attend.
All UE alumni are encouraged
to contact any of the
officers mentioned above
regarding their membership.
For further information,
please call 723-1473.
New Local Science Camp for Teens
Launches This Summer
The first science summer
camp session, Land
and Sea, was launched
June 22 and extends until
July 1. It will give campers
the chance to examine volcanoes,
geology, beaches,
reefs and the ocean. They
will also visit Kilauea—the
most active volcano in the
world—and explore marine
life by the water and hike
through the mountains.
The second session,
Air and Space, will be held
July 1-10 and expose
campers to topics including
the atmosphere, weather
systems, climate change
and the innovative technologies
that address the
ever-changing world.
Campers will visit Mauna
Loa and Mauna Kea—
home to 13 telescopes
which are some of the
world’s largest. Campers
will gain a better understanding
of climate change
and the solutions to address
this issue, including
seeing alternate energy
development in action.
Floyd says that young
people need to be “science-smart”
because their
future depends on it.
“Over the coming
decades, today’s young
people will make decisions
about how we deal with the
issues of climate change,
rising seas, a longer-living
population, food, water and
energy supply and much
more,” he says. “We need
citizens who, although they
may not be scientists, have
enough of a science education
to make wise decisions
as they determine
the policies and leaders
that will shape the future.”
Participants will gain
the ability to see and understand
their surroundings
in a new and exciting
way. Their experience will
create a strong foundation
of understanding of the
basic systems of the environment.
“Attending camp has so
many benefits for the intangibles
that are so critical
today like leadership, confidence,
teamwork, never
giving up, helping others
and expanding one’s horizons,”
Floyd says. “These
are what are called 21st
century skills. And of
course, there will be opportunities
to make new
friends, explore new places
and have a lot of fun.”
The camp home base
will be at the Pahala Plantation
Cottages in Ka’u.
Campers in both sessions
will also learn about
Hawaiian history and culture
and Polynesian voyaging.
The cost is $2,395 per
session with room for up to
36 campers per session.
The Science Camps of
America Scholarship Fund
is offering three full and
multiple partial scholarships
on a financial need
basis for each session.
To learn more about
Science Camps of America,
visit www.Science-
CampsAmerica.com.

JUne 29, 2013
by atty. emmanuel
samonte tipOn
Who says aliens not
lawfully in the
United States
should be given amnesty
because there is no relief
available for them if they
are placed in deportation?
There is relief available
but it is very difficult to meet
its requirements – probably
even more difficult than attaining
salvation.
Here are the requirements
as prescribed by
Section 240A(b) of the Immigration
and Nationality
Act [8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)]:
The Attorney General (or
his designee, the Immigration
Judge) may cancel removal
of, and adjust to the
status of an alien lawfully
admitted for permanent residence,
an alien who is inadmissible
or deportable
from the United States if the
alien:
(1) has been physically
present in the United States
for a continuous period of
not less than 10 years immediately
preceding the
date of such application;
(2) has been a person
of good moral character
during such period;
(3) has not been convicted
of an offense under §
212(a)(2), 237(a)(2), or
237(a)(3), subject to paragraph
(5) of the Act; and
(4) establishes that removal
would result in ex-
HeadliNeS
(cont. from page 1; KNIGHTS... )
munity Center (FilCom). At
the same time, the newlyelected
officers of the chapter
were installed.
The Order of the Knights
of Rizal is an international
fraternal organization that
was established in 1922 in
Manila and subsequently
chartered by law under Republic
Act 646. Its purpose is
Cancellation of Removal for
Nonpermanent Residents of U.S.
ceptional and extremely unusual
hardship to the alien's
spouse, parent, or child,
who is a citizen of the
United States or an alien
lawfully admitted for permanent
residence.
The term “exceptional
and extremely unusual
hardship” is not defined by
the statute. Hence it is left
to immigration judges, the
Board of Immigration Appeals
(BIA), and the courts
to figure it out. According to
one court, Congress intended
to narrow the scope
of persons eligible for relief
when it added the word “exceptional”
to the former
standard “extremely unusual
hardship.” The alien
needs to show more than
extreme hardship but does
not have to show that the
hardship would be unconscionable.
Only a few aliens
have met this test.
In Matter of Recinas, 23
I&N Dec. 467 (BIA 2002),
the BIA found that the alien,
a single mother who had no
immediate family remaining
in Mexico, provided the sole
support for her six children,
and had limited financial resources,
established eligibility
for cancellation of
removal under § 240A(b)
because she demonstrated
that her United States citizen
children, who were 12,
11, 8, and 5 years old,
would suffer exceptional
and extremely unusual
hardship upon her removal
to her native country. The
factors considered in assessing
the hardship to the
alien’s children included the
heavy burden imposed on
to spread the ideals and
teachings of Dr. Jose P.
Rizal, national hero of the
Philippines, especially
among the youth who Rizal
considers as the “fair hope
of the Fatherland.”
Buoyed by its lofty universal
principles, the Order
has spread throughout the
Philippines and to other
countries. Presently, there
iMMiGratioN GUide
the alien to provide the sole
financial and familial support
for her six children if
she were deported to Mexico,
the lack of any family in
her native country, the children’s
unfamiliarity with the
Spanish language, and the
unavailability of an alternative
means of immigrating
to this country.
Economic hardship or
difficulty in finding work in
the alien’s native country is
generally not sufficient to
meet the standard.
Hardship to the alien is
generally not a factor, although
it may be considered
to the extent that it
may affect the potential
level of hardship of a qualifying
relative. Hardship to a
son or daughter over 21
years of age is not considered,
since they no longer
meet the definition of a
“child”.
(5) The period of the
alien’s continuous residence
has not been terminated
under the "stop time"
rule of INA § 240A(d). The
alien’s continuous residence
is interrupted when
the alien commits a criminal
offense or a Notice to Appear
is served on the alien,
whichever is earlier.
The Attorney General
may grant only 4,000 adjustment
of status applications
per year for persons
granted cancellation of removal.
The 12 million aliens
unlawfully in the U.S. will
wait for hundreds of years
for adjustment of status, assuming
they qualify for cancellation
of removal.
COMMENT: A person
are chapters in the U.S.,
Canada, Australia, the Middle
East, Britain, Spain, Germany,
Belgium, Czech
Republic, and parts of Asia,
with a membership of more
than 10,000. Members include
government officials,
businessmen, academics,
doctors, literary men, engineers,
students, artists, etc.
(continued on page 10)
(or soul) does not have to
prove to St. Peter that the
person’s qualifying relatives
will suffer “exceptional and
extremely unusual hardship”
if such person will not be admitted
to Heaven. A person
has only to establish that he
believes in God, has done
good deeds, and has asked
for forgiveness, expressed
regret, and suffered remorse
for any sins. Thus it is
easier for a reformed sinner
to enter the Kingdom of
Heaven than for an alien
who is otherwise clean from
News Edition
7
entering or remaining in the
United States.
Atty. tipoN has a Master of
Laws degree from Yale Law School
and a Bachelor of Laws degree
from the University of the Philippines.
Office: 800 Bethel St., Suite
402, Honolulu, HI 96813. Tel.
(808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com.
Websites:
www.MilitaryandCriminalLaw.co
m, and www.ImmigrationServicesUSA.com.
Listen to the most witty,
interesting, and informative radio
program in Hawaii on KNDI at
1270, AM dial every Thursday at
7:30 a.m., rebroadcast at
www.iluko.com.

8 News Edition PiCtorialS
JUne 29, 2013
ArAw ng KAlAyAAn CelebrAtion
by carlOta HUFana-aDer
The Philippine Consulate General of Honolulu, together with the Filipino
community, celebrated the 115th Anniversary of the Declaration of
Philippine Independence last June 12, 2013. At the same token, the
gallery of the Alay sa Sakada Lanai, which displays memorabilia and pictorials
of the early sakadas, Filipino-American veterans, the late U.S. Sen.
Daniel Inouye and former Gov. Ben Cayetano, was open to public. Consul
General Julius Torres, Edmund Aczon, Geronimo “Toy” Arre of the Knights
of Columbus and Fil-Am veterans assisted in the cutting of the ribbon.
Consul Roberto Bernardo read the following message from Philippine
President Benigno S. Aquino III: “Today, our people remain united in independence.
May you ignite the patriotism and bayanihan spirit in your
hearts, as together we build and fortify the structures on which
our nation is built. May this event be an opportunity to promote
our cultural heritage and uphold the Philippines’ revived distinction in this
globalized, multicultural milieu.”
Vice Consul Joyleen Santos read the following message from Secretary
Albert Del Rosario from the Department of Foreign Affairs: “We call on
all Filipinos to join in our country’s march towards economic development
and social progress. By investing in the Philippines and engaging in entrepreneurship,
overseas Filipino workers can be more powerful drivers of
growth. Our collective effort will eventually transform overseas employment
from a necessary means of survival to a real economic choice.”
Consul General Julius Torres thanked attendees for participating in the
Independence Day celebration which included a flag ceremony, singing of
the national anthem and a delicious merienda.▪

JUNE 29, 2013
News Edition
9
PHILIPPINE NEWS
Japan To Take Phl's Side in South China Sea Dispute
by Camille DIOLA and Alexis ROMERO/
Thursday, June 27, 2013
M A N I L A , P h i l i p p i n e s -
JApAnese deFense mini
s t e r i t s u n o r i o n -
o d e r A o n T h u r s d a y
assured the Philippines that
Japan will be on its side in defending
disputed territories in
the South China Sea.
Onodera, who is in a twoday
visit in Manila, told Department
of National Defense
Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in
a courtesy call that Japan will
cooperate to resolve the sea
row with China.
"We agreed that we will
further cooperate in terms of
defense of remote islands as
well as the defense of territory,
or territorial sea as well
as protection of maritime interest
... We will cooperate
with the Philippine side in this
matter," Onodera said.
The Japanese official
said that both countries are
facing "common concerns" as
China feuds with different
states over territorial claims in
overlapping waters.
" I a l s o s a i d t h a t
Japan(ese) side is very concerned
that this kind of situation
in South China Sea (as
it) could affect the situation in
East China Sea," he said.
Onodera also said that
peaceful means over military
might should remain paramount
and that the rule of law
must be considered in seeking
arbitration.
"I would like to emphasize
here that the current situation
should not be changed with
use of force ... I think this the
concept that is agreed upon
in international communities
these days," he said.
Likewise, Onodera
lauded the Philippines' action
in seeking arbitration to resolve
the matter.
“I have also learned
about the Philippines’ efforts
for the United Nations (UN)
arbitration process in the principle
that the Philippine side
seeks to solve this problem
based on the rule of law.
Japan side is totally supporting
these kinds of efforts,” he
said.
He added that Japan's
priority, meanwhile, is to keep
and protect its own territorial
space in sea or air more than
to get involved in international
matters.
Onodera visited U.S.
naval base at Subic Bay before
meeting with Gazmin,
while Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe intends to visit
the country in July.
Japan claims that China
had intruded into the
Senkaku Islands, which
China calls Diaoyu Islands.
The Philippines for its
part, accuses China of intruding
into various areas that are
within its exclusive economic
zone
Chinese intruders have
strengthened their presence
in the Panatag (Scarborough)
Shoal off Zambales and
Ayungin Shoal off Palawan.
MANILA, Philippines - A FilipinA
hAs been nAmed
one of New York City’s best
teachers.
Marietta Geraldino, geometry
teacher in 10th and 11th
grades at the Fredrick Douglas
Academy II in Manhattan,
was one of the 11 teachers
who received the “Big Apple
Award” last June 12.
On its website, the NYC
education department said
the award was meant to recognize
the top teachers
in public schools
across the city.
“Marietta is able to
deconstruct the most
complex mathematical
concepts and make
them palpable to even the
most resistant students,” the
website quoted Geraldino’s
principal as saying.
Geraldino has been
teaching for 24 years – nine
in New York and 15 years in
the Philippines.
“During her 24 years of
teaching, she has constantly
searched for ways to grow as
They have also built
structures in the Mischief
Reef or Panganiban Reef,
which is about 70 nautical
miles from Palawan and Subi
Reef, an islet 12 nautical
miles southwest of Pag-asa
Island in the same province.
The Philippines has been
advocating a multilateral
rules-based approach to settle
the West Philippine Sea
Pinay Among Best Teachers in
New York
by Helen FLORES
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
(continued on page 11)
an educator and
seeks out professional
development
opportunities to improve
her practice,”
the website added.
Geraldino was
chosen from the more than
2,000 nominees submitted by
students, teachers, schools
and families.
Aside from the Big Apple
trophy, the winners received
$3,500 each and classroom
grants. They were also
named Big Apple ambassadors
for school year 2013-
2014. (www.philstar.com)
Geraldino
▪

10 News Edition HeadliNeS
JUne 29, 2013
(cont. from page 7; KNIGHTS... )
The Hawaii Chapter was established
in 1971. Among its past comm
a n d e r s a n d m e m b e r s a r e
distinguished members of the community,
Filipinos as well as non-Filipinos.
The chapter’s successful
projects include: the erection of the
Rizal Statue at FilCom,
passage of a City Council
resolution naming part of
College Walk as Dr. Jose
P. Rizal Square, the roving
Rizal exhibit, the Alay kay
Rizal Dramafest at UH,
the annual Rizal Youth
Leadership Institute, the
Annual Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Award for Peace and Social
Justice, and the annual
Rizal birth and death
anniversary celebrations. Last year,
the chapter hosted the 4th USA Regional
Assembly and Conference in
September 2012.
dr. Jose p. rizAl AwArd
The Dr. Jose P. Rizal Award for
Peace and Social Justice is given annually
by the Knights of Rizal-Hawaii
Chapter to a person who exemplifies
Rizal’s life and teachings of the
Philippines foremost national hero.
Rizal was a polymath and excelled in
many fields. He is known for his literary
works, keen scientific mind, devotion
to an educated citizenry, vision
of an ideal community, but most of
all, his dedication to and struggle for
freedom and equality. For his love of
country, he paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Rizal Award is open to all nationalities
residing in Hawaii, male
and female. The candidate must be
nominated by at least three reputable
civic, professional or community organizations,
and must submit a nomination
form detailing his/her
accomplishments, the impact of said
achievements on the community,
and how such achievements promote
the ideals and teachings of Dr.
Jose P. Rizal. The nominee must
show exceptional leadership,
achievement, service and advocacy
in the promotion of change through
peaceful means, intercultural understanding,
social justice, and democratic
principles.
Our previous awardees were Dr.
Belinda Aquino and Dr. Jorge Camara.
This year, the awardee is Dr.
Amefil (Amy) Agbayani, Director of
Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity
(SEED) at the University of
Hawaii-Manoa. Dr. Agbayani is a
well-known advocate for civil rights
and social justice in Hawaii. She
Dr. Amy Agbayani │Photo : Tim LLENA
spearheaded advocacy efforts that
resulted in systems changes to lift
the aspirations of Filipinos and other
vulnerable communities in Hawaii.
An active proponent of immigrant
and language access rights, she
was one of the founders of the
Hawaii Civil Rights Commission,
serving as its first chair.
Agbayani mobilized
and spearheaded academic
and community
stakeholders to initiate
landmark studies on education
disparities at UH-
Manoa for Native
Hawaiians and Filipinos in
recruitment, retention, faculty
selection problems,
and community service
barriers, resulting in the institutionalization
of a UH system-wide Diversity
Initiative to bridge the gap
between higher education and marginalized
communities. She cofounded
Operation Manong, a public
school-based tutorial program serving
immigrant students. Now called
the Office of Multi-Cultural Student
Services, this program fosters ally
building through respect and interest
in learning from one another’s multicultural
heritage, history, and struggles
in order to develop a deep
sense of purpose and strong values
for peaceful civil engagement, social
justice, equity, and opportunities to
reach one’s potential for the greater
good through socially responsible
collaboration. With the help of lawmakers,
community leaders and
other stakeholders, she was able to
build an infrastructure to preserve,
promote and perpetuate Philippine
languages, Philippine studies, Filipino-American
history, culture, arts
and more.
As SEED Director, Agbayani institutionalized
and enacted educational
reform that benefitted
generations following the Filipino Diaspora
in 1906 and uplifted all of
Hawaii’s diverse people up to the
present. She oversees more than 14
programs and over 50 full time professionals
to address education disparities
as a social justice issue.
Through SEED, she forged a legacy
of championing talented and passionate
professionals from diverse
backgrounds, who themselves overcame
adversity to achieve academic
credentials in higher education. Agbayani
is also a champion of
Hawaii’s working poor. She supported
initiatives to empower vulnerable
workers through labor equity
education, leadership training, union
organizing and community partner-
(continued on page 11)

JUne 29, 2013
HeadliNeS
News Edition 11
(cont. from page 10; KNIGHTS... )
ships. Active in electoral politics,
Agbayani believes that
electing and appointing public
officials is critical since
they are responsible for
making crucial decisions
that affect society.
Among the positions
that Agbayani has held are
the following: board member
of the East-West Center
Alumni Association, member
of the American Civil
Liberties Union, president of
the Filipino Community
Center, chair of the Hawaii
Civil Rights Commission,
member of the Hawaii Democratic
Party National Committee,
co-chair of the
Hawaii Friends of Civil
Rights, chair of the Hawaii
Judicial Selection Committee,
board member of the
Hawaii Women’s Political
Caucus, vice chair of the
National Federation of Filipino
American Associations
Region 12, and member of
the Quality of Life Alliance.
She has also received the
following awards: East-West
Center Outstanding Alumni
Award, Hawaii’s Women
Lawyers Distinguished
Service Award, Honolulu
YMCA Outstanding
Achievement Award, Honpa
Hongwanji 5 Living Treasures
Award, Na Loio Keeper
of the Flame Award, University
of Hawaii Distinguished
Alumni Award, and University
of the Philippines Distinguished
Alumni Award. She
obtained her bachelor’s degree
from the University of
the Philippines and her
master’s and Ph.D. degrees
in political science from UH-
Manoa.
iNstAllAtioN of officers
The event also included
the installation of the new
set of officers of the chapter
who will serve for the next
two years. The new chapter
commander is Sir Dr. Arnold
Villafuerte, KCR, director of
the Bilingual Health Program
and the Easy Access
Program of the State Department
of Health. The immediate
past commander is
Sir Dr. Raymund Liongson,
KGOR.
The other chapter officers
are: Sir Felipe Tan,
deputy commander; Sir Darwin
Arellano, chancellor; Sir
Randy Cortez, pursuivant;
Sir Allan Alvarez, deputy
pursuivant; Sir Florante
Pumaras, exchequer; Sir
Ryan Fernandez, deputy
exchequer; Sir Danny Villaruz,
auditor; Sir Clement
Bautista, archivist; Sir
Richard Ancog, chaplain;
and trustees Sir Serafin Colmenares
Jr., Sir Geminiano
Arre, Sir Tony Sagayadoro,
Sir Benjamin Sanchez, and
Sir Raymund Liongson.
The installing officer was
Sir Serafin Colmenares Jr.,
KGOR, Western USA Area
Commander. The guest
speaker was Sir Julius Torres,
Consul General of the
Philippines, who is also a
member of the Knights of
Rizal.
(cont. from page 1; DFA... )
DFA Sec. Albert Del Rosario
have been "confirmed."
"Certain allegations
were confirmed and this
was accomplished by the
t h r e e w i t n e s s e s f r o m
Riyadh (in Saudi Arabia)
coming forward and providing
us their testimony," Del
Rosario said at a televised
press briefing on Monday.
He said those confirmed
were allegations of sexual
harassment, molestation,
and abuse of authority.
"However, until such
time as other people are
able to come forward, all
other allegations will remain
as allegations to be further
investigated," Del Rosario
said.
While they are "looking
at various alleged offenders,"
Del Rosario said the
confirmed accusations involved
an official of the Department
of Labor and Employment
(DOLE) who
reportedly molested a distressed
OFW in exchange
of repatriation.
The embattled official
has been recalled as of
Monday and will be investigated
once he arrives in the
Philippines.
The DFA is looking at
the filing of graft and corruption
cases against those
proven guilty, according to
Del Rosario.
The official assured that
they will investigate all of
those who have been involved
in the allegations. He
also urged other victims and
witnesses to surface.
Last week, Akbayan
Party-list Rep. Walden Bello
disclosed that three labor officials
in the Middle East are
allegedly involved in pimping
distressed OFWs in exchange
for a ticket back to
the Philippines.
At least four female
OFWs have since surfaced,
claiming that they were
forced to do sexual activities
with labor officers in Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia and were also
offered to foreign nationals.
One of the accused,
labor attaché to Jordan
Mario Antonio, has denied
t h e a l l e g a t i o n s .
(www.philstar.com)
ADVertiSe now AnD See How
tHe FACe oF bUSineSS
iS CHAnging!
No matter how small your ad,
it gets our readers attention!
CALL 678-8930 OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE @
www.efilipinochronicle.com
www.thefilipinochronicle.com
PHiliPPiNe NeWS
(cont. from page 9; JAPAN.. )
dispute. It has also
China, however, insists
that the row be addressed
through direct bilateral negotiations.
A report from the newspaper
The Japan Times said
the meeting between Onodera
and Gazmin was
meant “to keep China in
check.”
The report also quoted an
unnamed source as saying
that Onodera and Gazmin
would work out a “coordinated
response” toward
China.
Onodera clarified that
their security efforts are not
directed against a specific
country.
“The Japanese govern-
ment is not aiming at protecting
from any specific nation
but our stance is that we keep
out territorial space, territorial
air and sea space well-protected.
This should be done
according to the rule of law,”
he said.
Last January, the Philippines
challenged China’s territorial
claim to most of the
West Philippine Sea before
an international tribunal of the
UN.
China claims almost the
entire West Philippine Sea
and the East Sea. The area,
delineated by a so-called
nine-dash line, covers more
than 100 islets, atolls and
reefs.
The Philippines believes
China’s nine-dash line, which
outlined its claims over most
of the sea, is illegal. China’s
claims also overlap with
those of the Philippines,
Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and
Vietnam. (www.philstar.com)

12 News Edition HealtH & FaMilY NeWS
JUne 29, 2013
Dan Brown’s Novel Is A Writing on
f
the Wall
teacHaBle mOments by Jose clarO
Pres. Noynoy Aquino
This won’t be about Dan
Brown vs. Francis Tolentino.
This is about
our understanding of literature
as revealed by what
seems a public approval of
a fake letter, which the anti-
Tolentino fans made viral
over social media. The letter
was an uncreative argument
by referring to a disclaimer
stating: “This book is a work
of fiction. Names, characters,
places, and incidents
are products of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to
actual events or locales or
persons, living or dead is
entirely coincidental.”
By that disclaimer, people
have dismissed Chairman
Tolentino’s reaction as
nonsensical. By that disclaimer,
people have come
to believe that there is really
no need to react negatively
over the portrayal of Manila.
This deserves another
reading.
Presumably, everyone
should know that a disclaimer
is a figment of imaginative
work created not by
writers but lawyers. These
words were skillfully crafted
to prevent anyone from
suing an author for libel. But
in reality, every literary work
is based on reality. Nothing
is purely imaginative or
purely fictional and most are
rarely coincidental.
Literature is a mirror of
human experiences. It cannot
be a mirror if the text
doesn’t reflect an image of
reality. Even the most absurd
sci-fi plots depend on
the reality of human emotion
and conflict to keep the
piece credible and the
reader engaged.
More importantly, the element
of setting in literature
is one particular element
that depends a lot on our
shared perception of a specific
place or time. An author’s
choice of setting
enables the reader to relate
to the details in the fictional
story and feel the appropriate
emotions necessary for
the author to unravel his/her
theme. The choice of setting
depends less on imagination
and more on an accurate
perception of what
others think is reality.
Which is why we have to
thank Chairman Tolentino for
his reply letter. It started this
exchange, this debate, this
conversation that ultimately
revealed the most important
reason as to why Metro
Manila has deteriorated to its
hellish condition. From the
tweets and Facebook posts
of many of those who countered
Tolentino, we are given
a picture of citizens who
don’t give a damn if their
home is compared to hell.
Would you allow a director to
use your house as a scene
for other people to visualize
what hell is like? Would you
not feel reviled if the director
described the ugliness that is
your house as a perfect
image for inferno? But then,
maybe that is the problem.
Not everyone thinks Metro
Manila is their home. Perhaps,
many of us are just
transients waiting for an opportunity
to leave Metro
Manila. And that is perhaps
why we’re okay with other
people calling it hell.
But we should also thank
Dan Brown. His novel is a
writing on the wall. We have
been weighed and are found
wanting. If we are honest
enough and if we care
enough for our home, we
should be angry at ourselves
for not doing anything as we
saw Metro Manila become
dirtier and smellier by the
day. It was our own apathy
that destroyed by neglect a
once beautiful city.
Metro Manila is not a
damned city. Instead of investing
our energies in writing
negative posts about
Brown or Tolentino, why not
channel our energy to restoring
Manila’s old glory? That
is what Carlos Celdran and
Ivan Man Dy are doing by
educating Filipinos through
their old Manila walks. That
is what Gina Lopez is doing
by trying to save the Pasig
River. They are among the
few that have not given up
on Metro Manila.
In the end, the worst response
is to dismiss what
has been written about
Manila as merely fictional.
My Philo teacher kept reminding
us in class that fiction
is a lie that leads to the
truth. The power to be awakened
by the truth contained
in fiction will enable us to
face reality and transform a
condemnation into a wakeup
call for social redemption.
A really great author,
Graham Greene wrote in
The End of the Affair, “A
story has no beginning or
end: Arbitrarily, one chooses
that moment of experience
from which to look back or
from which to look ahead.”
It’s time for us to forget what
we have done to Metro
Manila and start looking
ahead to see what we could
s t i l l m a k e o u t o f i t .
(www.philstar.com)
PHiliPPiNe NeWS
Noy Signs Universal Health Care Bill Into Law
by paolo rOmerO /
Saturday, June 22, 2013
MANILA, Philippines -
P R E S I D E N T A Q U I N O
SIGNED ON WEDNES-
DAY a law granting health
insurance for Filipinos
funded through proceeds
from sin taxes.
Bacolod City Rep. Anthony
Golez, one of the
principal authors, said yesterday
Republic Act 10606,
the Universal Health Care
Act, will ensure that all Filipinos,
especially the poorest
of the poor, will get
health insurance coverage
from the Philippine Health
Insurance Corp. (Phil-
Health).
“I firmly believe
in the benefits
that this
law will bring to
Filipinos and in
achieving universal
health
care for Filipinos,”
he said.
“I am glad
that President
Noynoy finally signed it into
law, and I am mighty glad
and proud to have been
part of the legislative
process in crafting one of
the more important pieces
of legislation at this point in
time in our country’s history.”
The law is a consolidation
of over 50 bills from
Rep. Anthony Golez
the House of Representatives
and the Senate to
amend RA 7875 of 1995
creating the
P h i l H e a l t h ,
Golez said.
It mandates
a n a t i o n a l
h e a l t h i n s u r -
ance program
(NHIP) as the
means for the
healthy to help
pay for the care
of the sick and for those
who can afford medical
care to subsidize those
who cannot.
It shall be compulsory
in all provinces, cities and
municipalities, notwiths
t a n d i n g t h e e x i s t i n g
health insurance programs
of local government units.
(www.philstar.com)

JUne 29, 2013
by reuben s.
seGUritan
The nursing profession is
one of the fastest growing
careers in the United
States. The number of employed
registered nurses is
expected to grow 26% from
2010 to 2020, making it the
top occupation in terms of job
growth. Licensed practical
nurses and licensed vocational
nurses are expected to
increase 22%. Even during
the economic downturn,
182,000 RNs were employed.
The high demand for
nurses and healthcare workers
in general can be attributed
to the growing and aging
population. By 2025, there
will have been 50 million
more Americans than there
were in 2006, and every day
for the next twenty years
10,000 Americans will reach
65 years. By year 2020, four
out of every ten patient visits
will be by baby boomers.
Because of the aging
baby boom generation, the
demand for healthcare will
continue to grow at a high
rate, so much so that by 2030
the U.S. is projected to have
a shortage of more than
900,000 nurses. The Affordable
Care Act law will further
raise the demand as the law
expands insurance coverage
to more than 30 million Americans
by 2014.
The increase in nursing
leGal NoteS
Immigration Reform Needed to
Address Nursing Shortage
school enrolment is at best
only modest and far from sufficient
to meet the demand. In
2011, the increase was only a
little over 5%. At the same
time, however, the average
age of nurses has gone up
and more and more nurses
are nearing retirement age. It
is predicted that nurses over
50 years old will soon comprise
about a quarter of the
entire RN population.
Given the magnitude of
the shortfall and the imminence
of the surge in demand,
domestic measures
will no longer be sufficient to
avert the shortage. Immigration
rules that have been in
place specifically to restrict
the entry of foreign-educated
nurses must be changed in
order to ensure that patient
care is not compromised.
MaiNlaNd NeWS
Where to Invest In An Uncertain
Market
by assOciateD press
NEW YORK — THE INvESTMENT
LANDSCAPE
can be a scary place.
This year’s stock market
surge has stalled and the
market is too choppy to provide
any sort of reassurance.
Savings accounts earn practically
nothing. Bonds, a traditional
haven, seem like a
poor choice because interest
rates are likely to go up. The
stocks people invest in for
safe, steady income, like utilities
and health care, aren’t
as cheap as they used to be.
The Associated Press
asked experts where they’re
putting their money in these
uncertain times. Their suggestions
are opinions, and
you should do your own research
before making any
decisions.
Anton Bayer, CEO of Up
Capital Management in Granite
Bay, California.
His idea: Floating-rate
and shorter-term bonds Pay
attention, because this one is
a little complicated.
The Federal Reserve has
been buying $85 billion worth
of government bonds each
month to try to make longterm
loans cheaper and stimulate
the economy. As long
as the Fed is propping up demand
for bonds, the Treasury
doesn’t have to worry too
much about enticing buyers
and can pay out low interest
rates on them. If the Fed pulls
back on its bond-buying
spree — something that Fed
chairman Ben Bernanke has
said could happen soon —
then the interest rate on
bonds will go up.
That’s bad for people who
already hold the Treasury
bonds. Here’s why: Most
Treasury bonds pay out a
fixed rate. If you own a 10-
year Treasury note that pays
2 percent interest, and rates
go up to three percent, you’re
still going to get paid two percent.
That means you’re
missing out on investing in a
higher-paying bond. It also
means that the underlying
value of your bond is going to
go down: No one wants to
buy a bond with a 2 percent
yield in a 3 percent yield market.
You can get all your
money back if you wait until
the bond matures, but that
will take 10 years.
Bayer recommends floating-rate
bonds, because the
interest rates they pay
change along with the Fed’s
interest rate. Be careful,
though, because floating-rate
bonds are often issued by
riskier companies.
Bayer also recommends
fixed-rate bonds with shorter
durations. If you own a bond
paying a fixed interest rate,
and then interest rates rise,
it’s better to be able to get
your money back in one year
instead of 10. Keep in mind
that the shorter-term Treasury
bonds will pay much
lower rates: A 10-year Treasury
note is paying about 2.1
percent. A one-year Treasury
note is paying 0.1 percent.
Bayer says that investors
who were used to the higher
interest rates of previous
decades will have to retool
their investing strategies.
“That’s the biggest mistake
that investors are making
right now,” Bayer says.
“What worked for the past
decade is not going to work
now.”
Blake Howells, portfolio
manager and analyst at
Becker Capital Management
(continued on page 14)
News Edition
13
For instance, most RNs
do not qualify for the H-1B
visa for “specialty occupations”
because employers
generally do not require a
bachelor’s degree for the position.
To be eligible for H-1B
classification, an RN would
have to be in a supervisory or
very specialized position.
The limited number of immigrant
visas and long waiting
times have also
contributed to the deficit of
qualified nurses. Most foreign
nurses are eligible for classification
under the employment-based
third preference
(EB-3) category for skilled
workers. However, under EB-
3 an employer would have to
wait between five to more
than ten years before a visa
becomes available to its
sponsored nurse.
The visa retrogression
has undeniably hampered
the recruitment of much
needed healthcare workers
from foreign countries, including
the Philippines. For
the past six years since the
retrogression began, thousands
of qualified nurses
have simply been waiting for
their priority dates to reach
the cut-off for visa availability
under the EB-3 category.
Unsurprisingly, not all of
them end up pursuing their
visa application. Some of
them have simply been discouraged
by the delay, while
some are lured by equally
promising professional opportunities
in other countries.
The U.S. therefore
loses the benefit of their
skills and talent.
While immigration rules
remain restrictive and recruitment
of foreign nurses is
sought to be kept at a minimum,
patients face increasingly
longer wait times in
understaffed hospitals or are
placed in the care of overworked
nurses. Urgent action
in reforming immigration law
is needed to ensure that the
health of millions of Americans
is not endangered.
reuBeN s. seguritAN has been
practicing law for over 30 years. For
further information, you may call him at
(212) 695 5281 or log on to his website
at www.seguritan.com

14 News Edition PHiliPPiNe laNGUaGe
daYaSadaS
by pacita c. salUDes
Rinambakan ti SAN
NICOLANEOS USA iti
maikapito nga anibersaryona
ken kappili nga
opisyalesna nga
agserbi iti tawen 2013 -
2015. Naaramid idi Junio
14 iti Pacific Beach Hotel
Grand Ballroom.
Adu dagiti opisyales ti
Gobierno a kadua ni Gobernador
Abercrombie a timmabuno.
Da senador Will
Espero, Joey Manahan,
Rep. Romy Cachola, Consul
General Julius Torres,
ken dadduma pay. Kasta
met kadagiti nagdonar
kadagiti pammadayaw ti
reyna iti daytoy a rabii. Ti
corona-ni Sen. Will Espero,
Ti setro-da Chita Gonzales
ken Edgar Santiago Jr., ti
Tropeo da Mr. ken Mrs. Lito
Alcantara, Banda-da Jenalyn
Ramos ken Walter
Maikapito Nga Anibersaryo Ti San
Nicolaneos U. S. A.
Ken Panagsapata Dagiti Opisyales
Madamba, ti bouquet -da
Valerie Acebedo ken Alain
Pacis.
Ni Flor Martinez ti nangi
turong ti Programa ket ti
nalaing nga ubing nga isu ti
reyna iti daytoy a rabii ti
nangkanta ti National anthem
ni Reyna Deija Santiago
Laya ti Lupang
Hinirang ken ni Rossi Patton
ti nangbendision ni Felipe
Cabana.
Welcome Adress ni
Cesar Bonilla ti nalatak nga
anunciador ti KPHI - PINOY
SUNRISE ken bise president
ti organisasion. Ni
Councilman Joey Manahan
nga isu ti nangiyam-ammo
ti Guest Speaker ni Gov.
Neil Abercrombie a namangsapata
kadagiti
kabarbaro nga opisyales Ti
PRESIDENTE ni - Nalatak
a John H. De Los Santos,
BISE PRESIDENTE -
Cesar Bonilla, SEKRE-
TARIA - Biatriz Santiago,
KATULOGAN A SEKRE-
TARIA - Wilhelmina Ibay,
TRESRORERA - Liza Mamuad,
KATULOGAN A
TRESORERA - Emelita
Guillermo, AUDITOR -Warlita
Baltazar, KATULON-
GAN NGA AUDITOR - Gina
Lardizabal, DAGITI PRESS
RELATION OFFICERS -
Lydia Kamiya, Rosemarie
Aquino, Victoria Caraang,
BOARD OF DIRECTORS -
Fely Burigsay, Letty Tesoro,
Teddy Reyes, Cresente
Guillermo, Rodolfo Ibay,
Lee Kamiya, Steven Riban,
SGT-AT-ARMS - Jose Baltazar,
Hermie Tesoro, Joe
Dumayag, Edgar Santiago,
ADVISERS: Estrella
Cariaga, Joey Manahan -
City Councilor, LEGAL AD-
VISER – Ben Martin E SQ.
Dagitoy dagiti kabbarbaro
nga opisyales babaen ti
Panangidaulo ti Presidente
mainanama a rumong
rungbo ti San Nicolaneos
of Hawaii Kasta met ti pammatalded
ken panangdayaw
ti Consul
General Julius Torres.
Ti coronation ti QUEEN
INFANTIL AGPAAY DEI-
JAH LAYA mainanama a
nakalalagip ta damo pay
nga adda reyna INFANTIL ti
kommonidad, a binilangatan
ni Sen Will Espero, a
babaen ti Speechna
nasayaat a medida ti rusat
ti organisasion. Kalpasan ti
panagrikkep ti Sekretaria ti
Ita Ta Nasapapay
JUne 29, 2013
naunday a programa nagtuloy
ti salsala dagiti amin a
dimmar-ay. Nangted pay ti
naka lalagip iti dayta a rabii
ti pannakaala dagiti amin a
dimmar-ay iti pakalaglagipanda
a ladawan babaen ti
kaadda ti OPISYAL A PHO-
TOGRAPHER Iti dayta a
rabii.
Katibker dagiti ramramay
Agsukay iti daga inka mulaan
Dika agsulit agitukitka naimbag a gagem
Usarem ta panawen, bigat aldaw malem
Agmulaka tapno adda apitem
Linaon ‘ta utek iganaganmo tapno di nakuriteg
Nainsiriban a pampanunot inka aramaten
Pangpasagneb natikag a pakinakem
Adda iti kinaregtam ti talingengen
Kinadalus ta puso ti mangpasimbeng
Partuat tai sip ti manglapped tubeng
No adda agblag palapalen ida ti isem
Agmulaka latta dimo sardayan
Aglabas ti aldaw dagitanto ti pagapitam
Agdildilpatto dagiti di nagtigtignay
Matada nakamulagat, eppes a panawe, itattapay
Agmulaka latta dika denggen ublag
Namaraymay, natikagman daga a pagirukitam
Ala latta, amangan ta nasagsagneb ti matamaam
Gasanggasat adda agbunga adda met saan
Salukagmo addanto latta masupapakan
MaiNlaNd NeWS
(cont. from page 13; WHERE .. )
in Portland, Oregon
His idea: Big-name tech
companies, regional banks
Howells likes Microsoft and
Apple, but not necessarily for
their best-known products.
He likes Microsoft not for
the Windows operating system,
which has garnered
mixed reviews, but for the
servers it sells “that make big
companies and big data farms
run.” He likes Apple not for the
iPhone and iPad — after all,
the company’s stock is down
19 percent this year and it’s
largely because people are
worried that Apple can’t keep
churning out blockbuster
gadgets — but because of the
iOS operating system. He
thinks it will help Apple keep
customers who won’t want to
go through the hassle of
switching all the information
on their iPhones and iPads to
another system. “That gives it
a little bit more sticking power
than a BlackBerry or a Nokia,”
Howells says.
He likes certain regional
banks, like Pittsburgh-based
PNC Financial Services
Group and Minneapolisbased
US Bancorp, crediting
their plain-vanilla businesses
of making loans and accepting
deposits. He says they’re
“in much better shape than
they were at the start of the
downturn,” before the 2008 financial
crisis. But he’s iffy on
the megabanks, even if some
are selling at prices much
lower than before the financial
crisis. (www.philstar.com)

JUne 29, 2013
21St univerSity oF Sto. tomAS meDicAl
Alumni ASSociAtion in AmericA (uStmAAA)
grAnD reunion AnD meDicAl convention ●
June 26-30, 2013, ● Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach
Resort ● Contact: (248) 626-2878 or 808-680-0558
uFch mS. teen hAwAii FiliPinA ScholArShiP
CoMMUNitY CaleNdar
ON JUNE 19, 2013, FILIPINOS IN
SAN FRANCISCO, led by the National
Alliance for Filipino Concerns
(NAFCON), banded together to
form a “Filipino Immigrant Rights
Task Force” to educate and organize
Filipino-Americans around the
issue of “genuine comprehensive
immigration reform.”
Numbering over 50 Filipinos
from all over San Francisco, the
task force united after three
months of planning community forums,
multi-media projects and
mass-actions. These projects aim
to capture the attention of congressional
representatives and
the public with stories that tell the
triumphs and struggles of undocumented
Filipinos in the U.S.
“Our goal is to show the government
and all of America
that undocumented
people in this country
deserve dignity and justice,”
says said Harold
Butanas, an undocumented
worker and a
member of Migrante
Northern California. “Immigration
reform should be about protecting
our rights and keeping our families
together instead of treating us like
criminals. It should not be a crime
to find work to support yourself
and your family.”
Butanas came to the U.S. in
2007 as a high-skilled welder and
became a victim of human trafficking.
Promised a three-year contract
and a salary of $22 per hour, Butanas
and 67 other Filipinos
PAgeAnt ● SunDAy ● June 30, 2013, 6 PM ● Ala Moana
Hotel ● Contact: Jenny Quezon at quezonj001@hawaii.rr.com
59th AnnuAl inStAllAtion oF oFFicerS &
BoArD oF DirectorS, FiliPino chAmBer oF
commerce oF hi ● SAturDAy ● July 20, 2013, 6 PM
● Tapa Ballroom, Hilton, Hawaiian Village ● Contact: Bernadette
Fajardo (342-8090)
MaiNlaNd NeWS
Filipinos in San Francisco Form Immigrant
Rights Task Force
worked for two months
before the company
dropped them from the
payroll. In addition, they
were paid only $18 per
hour.
Following Butanas’
testimony, the task force
discussed NAFCON’s
“Principles and Demands
on Genuine Comprehensive Immigration
Reform,” which articulates
the need to address issues of
“Forced Migration” and other demands
including legalization for all
undocumented, ending deportations,
reunification of families and
an end to human trafficking.
“No immigration reform is genuine
unless it includes all the
pieces in NAFCON’s principles and
demands,” says Jun Cruz, the alliance’s
public information officer.
New Study Shows Asian-Americans Face
Significant Housing Discrimination
ASIAN-AMERICAN HOME-
BUYERS AND RENTERS face
discrimination and adverse
treatment as or more often than
other communities of color when
seeking a home, according to a
new study by the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) and The
Urban Institute.
Entitled “Housing Discrimination
against Racial and Ethnic
Minorities 2012,” the study
shows that discrimination is still
widely prevalent in major metropolitan
real estate markets
across the country. Most alarmingly,
the types and methods of
discrimination uncovered by this
study are generally undetectable
by the home seekers themselves.
“Discrimination continues to
be a systemic problem in the
housing industry, especially for
communities of color,” says Lisa
Hasegawa, Executive Director
of the National Coalition for
Asian Pacific American Community
Development. “Housing discrimination
significantly impacts
educational and economic opportunities.
We still have further
to go as a nation to safeguard
the civil liberties guaranteed to
all Americans under the Fair
Housing Act.”
Key highlights from the report
include:
• On average, Asian-American
homebuyers are told about
15.5 percent less homes and
are shown 18.8 percent less
homes than non-Hispanic
White buyers. Similarly,
prospective Asian American
renters are told about 9.8
percent less homes and are
shown 6.6 percent less units.
• Minority home seekers
whose ethnicity is more
readily identifiable (according
to name, physical appearance
or accent, for
example) are significantly
more likely to be denied an
appointment than minorities
perceived to be white.
• Asian renters are more likely
than a decade ago to be
shown fewer units, while
trends for black and Hispanic
renters seem to be improving.
One anecdote shared by researchers
included an Asian-
American woman who was
shown only one apartment and a
white borrower of comparable
qualifications who was shown
that same apartment as well as
News Edition
ClASSiFieD AD
Valbin Corporation is currently seeking tS/Sci
tAgAlog linguiStS who are also fluent in
Maguindanao and/or Maranao. Please send us your
resume and salary requirements if interested at
jobs@valbin.org
15
bUSineSS DireCtory
For more information on the Filipino Immigrant
Rights Task Force, email Cruz at:
jun@filipinocc.org.
three additional units. While victims of this
type of discrimination are often unaware of
the unequal treatment, it clearly increases
the length and cost of a home search, constrains
opportunities and limits choices.
The report concludes that fair housing
enforcement alone is insufficient and calls
for a multipronged strategy to encourage
diverse neighborhoods and to equalize the
quality of services, resources and amenities
in minority neighborhoods.
HaWaii-FiliPiNo NeWS
Philippine Naval Ship to Visit
Honolulu
THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GEN-
ERAL OF HONOLULU has announced
that the Philippine Navy’s
newest ship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz,
is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on
July 12, 2013.
The ship was named after Commodore
Ramon “Monching” Alcaraz, a World War II hero who commanded
one of the Philippines Offshore Patrol’s Q-boat which shot down three Japanese
aircraft. He and his crew were later captured and imprisoned as POWs by
the Japanese. Alcaraz later retired in 1966 and died on June 25, 2009.
Formerly the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz can
travel at speeds of up to 28 knots and is armed with a 76 mm gun and two Mk
38 mod 2 gun systems. Its acquisition maintains the momentum of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines’ modernization program. The ship will also serve as
a laboratory for maritime security training for the Philippine Navy.
The BRP Ramon Alcaraz will leave Honolulu on July 15, 2013. Consulate
officials encourage the Filipino community to attend the arrival and send-off
ceremonies.

16
News Edition
JUne 29, 2013