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FilAmFest gears up for 6th
year with ‘Bayanihan Spirit’
Organizers expect
record crowds for arts
and cultural festival
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The
6th annual Filipino-American
Arts & Culture Festival, popu- Michael Copon
larly known as FilAmFest, kicks
off its day-long celebration this 15,000 people, according to or-
year with the theme “Celebrat- ganizers, who are expecting an
ing the Bayanihan Spirit.” even larger crowd this year.
The festival takes place from Scheduled performers on the
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, main stage include YouTube sen-
Oct. 2, at Potomac Park on sation Gabe Bondoc, “American
Paradise Valley Road (between Idol” season seven finalist Ra-
Woodman Street and Gilmar- miele Malubay, hip-hop artist
tin Avenue). Bambu from the Native Guns,
Last year ’s festival drew and emcee Hopie Spitshard.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Obama names 2 Fil-Ams to
White House advisory posts
WASHINGTON — President Obama has ap-
pointed two prominent Filipino-Americans
as White House advisers on Asian-American
issues, ABS-CBN News reported recently.
Rozita Villanueva Lee, a familiar face on Capitol
Hill during the fight for Filipino World War II
veterans rights, and Hector Vargas Jr., a well-
known gay rights activist, were named as new
members of the Advisory Commission on Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders.
“These are distinguished and highly-respected
leaders of the AAPI community who have
demonstrated a strong commitment to the
White House initiative’s goal of improving the
lives of underserved Asian Americans and Pa-
cific Islanders," said Greg Macabenta, national
chair of the National Association of Filipino
American Associations.
Filipino Press seeks entrants
for writing competition
NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — The Filipino Press is
launching what it hopes will become an annual
writing competition honoring the literary excel-
lence of young Filipino-American writers.
The contest, dubbed Gawad Panulat News
Story Team Competition, will begin in Novem-
ber and run through January 2011. The paper
is actively seeking young aspiring writers
between the ages of 13-18 to apply for the
compeition. Young writers of Filipino descent
are encouraged to apply for the competition by
submitting a writing sample to contest coor-
dinator Allure Llorente by e-mailing allure@
filipinopress.com by Nov. 1.
For more information, see our ad on page 19
or contact Llorente at (619) 565-9500. Informa-
tion on the contest will also be posted on our
Facebook page (Filipino Press).
inside this edition
BOXING LEGEND JOE FRAZIER
RECALLS 'THRILLA IN MANILA'
The Filipino Press
interviews Joe Frazier
on the 35th anni-
versary of his match
with Muhammad Ali.
Frazier will be in San
Diego on Oct. 2-3 to
sign memorabilia at
Horton Plaza.
SEE PAGE 20
HEALTHY LIVING
County’s medical therapy units: A place for miracles
Page 8
September 25 - October 1, 2010
Returning acts from previous
festivals will also perform, in-
cluding hip-hop dance crew In-
decisive Dance Krew and local
reggae band Monday’s Alibi.
Hosting the first portion of
the festival will be actor, model
and singer Michael Copon, best
known for his role as Felix in the
Justin Rivera hit series “One Tree Hill.”
Joining Copon as master of
ceremonies is comedian and
magician Justin Rivera of Chi-
no Hills, who has appeared on
Comedy Central’s “The Gong
Show with Dave Attell.”
FilAmFest is continuing
its youth program with arts
and crafts, where they can
See fest on 11
DELANO MANONGS
“Delano Manongs” tells the story of farm labor
organizer Larry Itliong and a group of Filipino
farm workers who instigated one of the Ameri-
can farm labor movement’s finest hours — the
Delano Grape Strike of 1965 that brought about
the creation of the United Farm Workers Union.
While the movement is known for Cesar Chavez’s
leadership and considered a Chicano movement,
Filipinos played a pivotal role that began it all.
Filipino labor organizer Larry Itliong, a 5-foot-5,
cigar-chomping union veteran, organized a group
of 1,500 Filipinos to strike against the grape
growers of Delano, Calif.
For eight days they struck alone, getting thrown
out of their labor camp homes, and facing vio-
lence from growers’ hired thugs and the sheriff’s
department. Yet Larry’s story — and the story of
the Filipinos and their union organizing efforts
that began in the 1920s in the U.S. — have virtu-
ally been forgotten. Told from Itliong’s perspec-
tive, the documentary follows Larry’s life arriving
in the U.S. at age 15 and immediately becoming
involved with Filipino labor unions in the canner-
ies and farm fields on the West Coast. The story
of Larry and the Delano Filipinos is a history un-
known to most Filipinos in the U.S. Visit the film's
website at www.delanomanongs.com.
SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Filipino films spice festival
Page 14
www.filipinopress.com
Jazz singer Charmaine Clamor entertains the crowd at FilAmFest 2009. Last
year's festival drew 15,000 people. Organizers expect as many as 20,000 for
this year's festival.
The manong
and the
The dictator
45 years ago this month, Phillip Vera Cruz kicked
off the farm-worker strike that led to the
creation of the United Farm Workers.
Sadly, the late labor leader is hardly remembered
By Benjamin Pimentel
W
e remember two key nar-
ratives in the Filipino ex-
perience this month.
One tells of brutal dictatorship. The
other celebrates the courage of Fil-
ipino-American migrant farm work-
ers and the troubling flaw of a revered
Mexican-American icon.
Tuesday, Sept. 21, marked the 38th
anniversary of the declaration of mar-
tial law and the rise of one of most des-
potic regimes in history.
But one would think it was a glo-
rious time to remember from the way
Imelda Marcos was recently beam-
ing, as she celebrated her son Bong-
bong’s political rise and what she
sees as the eventual return to power
of the Marcos forces.
“I'm truly happy to see Bongbong
here in the senate following the foot-
steps of his father,” she was quot-
ed as saying in the Philippine Dai-
ly Inquirer. Bongbong aiming for the
presidency, she noted, “is a matter of
destiny, a divine plan.”
Amid such silly, scary talk, we shift
focus to the small central California
town of Delano.
Forty-five years ago, on Sept. 8,
1965, Filipino farm workers, led by
Phillip Vera Cruz, Pete Velasco and
Larry Itliong, kicked off the farm-
worker strike that led to the creation
FILAMFEST 2010
FilAmFest is a Filipino-Amer-
ican arts and culture festi-
val. It is one of the largest
inter-generational arts and
cultural events in San Diego.
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
Saturday, Oct. 2
Where: Potomac Park, Paradise
Vally Road (between Woodman
Street and Gilmartin Avenue)
Entertainment
11 a.m.: Opening ceremony,
Risen Beingez
Noon: Katriz Trinida, Lil Desi,
Defcase, Allysse
1 p.m.: Micheal Copon, Joseph
Vincent, Abrina, Bell Middle
2 p.m: Bambu, Hopie Spitshard
3 p.m.: Seefor Yourself, Nate
Burns, Trish, IDK
4 p.m.: Ramiele, Gabe Bondoc,
Monday’s Alibi
Photo: Areeluck Parnsoonthorn 5 p.m.: Joey Casora, Rising
Stars
Filipino American History Month, also
known as the Filipino American Heritage
Month, is celebrated in the United States
during the month of October. The Filipino
American National Historical Society es-
tablished Filipino American History Month
in 1988. In California and Hawaii, where a
large number of Filipino-Americans reside,
Filipino American History Month is widely
celebrated. Many Filipino-American orga-
nizations in these states often initiate their
own independent celebrations.
Some argue that October as Filipino Amer-
ican History Month has not yet attained
the prestige of other similar minority cel-
ebrations, such as the Black History Month
in February, Women's History Month in
March and the Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month in May. This is evidenced
by the fact that no U.S. Congress has ever
resolved to recognize Filipino American
History Month. However, the House of the
111th Congress has introduced a House
Resolution 155 (H.R. 155) to officially rec-
ognize October for Filipinos.
The celebration in 2006 was a pivotal year
as it marked the centennial celebration
of Filipino migration to the United States.
Throughout October, the Filipino Press will
feature stories celebrating Filipino Ameri-
can History Month. We begin in advance
with the story of famed Filipino labor
leader Phillip Vera Cruz.
of the United Farm Workers, one of
the most influential labor unions in
American history.
See VERA CRUZ on 11
Photo illustration: Bill Ramsey Photo: Smithsonian Institution
2 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Verzosa, Puno named ‘ultimate
recipients’ of jueteng money
A recent Senate hearing revealed that retired police chief Jesus Verzosa (left) and Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno receive payoffs from jueteng operators.
By Maila Ager
MANILA, Philippines —
Retired police chief Jesus Ver-
zosa and Interior Undersec-
retary Rico Puno have been
named as "ultimate recip-
ients" of jueteng money at a
recent Senate hearing.
Ve r z o s a a n d P u n o w e r e
among those in the list sub-
mitted by Archbishop Oscar
Cruz and read by Senator
Teofisto Guingona III, chair-
man of the Senate blue ribbon
committee.
The same list named the
following operators of the
multi-billion-peso illegal
numbers game: Lilia “Baby”
Pineda in Pampanga; Paul
Dy in Isabela; retired gener-
Government
borrowings
hit P585B
By Iris C. Gonzales
MANILA, Philippines —
Total government borrow-
ings rose to P584.67 billion in
the first eight months of the
year, more than double the
P269.15 billion recorded in
the same period last year,
latest data from the Bureau
of the Treasury (BTr) showed.
Data also showed that bor-
rowings increased during the
eight-month period because
of the P68.5 billion the gov-
ernment raised through the
sale of global bonds and the
P51.74 billion it raised from
the issuance of Samurai or
yen-denominated bonds.
The government borrowed
P158.107 billion from foreign
creditors and P426.557 billion
from local lenders.
In the same period last
year, the government bor-
rowed P142 billion from ex-
ternal sources and P127.15
billion from domestic lenders
for a total of P269.15 billion,
data also showed.
Of the P158.107 billion it
borrowed from foreign sourc-
es from January to August
this year, project loans from
various multilateral agencies
accounted for P18.010 billion
while program loans amount-
ed to P19.843 billion.
Government borrowings
are expected to shoot-up by
end-September following the
sale of $1 billion worth of peso-
denominated global bonds ear-
ly this month. (philstar.com)
al Eugene Martin and May-
or Domogan in Baguio; Danny
Soriano in Cagayan; a retired
general Padilla in Pasay, Pa-
ranaque, Muntinlupa, and
San Pedro; a governor Espino
in Pangasinan; and a Boy Ja-
landoni in Bacolod.
The names of Verzosa and
Puno were listed under the
"national jueteng payola
flow," along with a certain Ed-
die Fontanilla (“collector on
the ground”) and a retired
general Cachuela (“interme-
diate recipient”).
Guingona said the "sources
of information" were Charlie
“Atong” Ang for jueteng and
jai-alai and Manuel “Manol-
ing” Morato for small-town
lottery (STL).
Mayor Lim admits failure but
disputes hostage crisis report
MANILA, Philippines – Ma-
nila Mayor Alfredo Lim admit-
ted that his team failed in han-
dling the August 23 hostage
crisis but contested the findings
of the Incident Investigation
and Review Committee (IIRC).
Lim recently said some por-
tions of the IIRC report were
"too sweeping," false, and
lacked basis.
At a press conference at the
Manila City hall, Lim also said
"pumalpak kami" (we failed)
but stressed that he and Vice-
Mayor Francisco Domagoso
(Isko Moreno) should not be
blamed for the incident.
Lim asked authorities to
spare Moreno from the charges.
"Please spare the vice may-
or. He has no culpability. I am
Radio station rejects hostage
phone-hogging allegations
MANILA, Philippines — A ra-
dio station recently rejected ac-
cusations that its live interviews
with a hostage-taker holding a
busload of Hong Kong tourists
had prevented a negotiator from
contacting the hijacker.
Aquilino Pimentel, lawyer for
Radio Mindanao Network, criti-
cized an official inquiry's call for
three of its staff to be prosecut-
ed for holding phone interviews
with the hostage-taker. Eight
tourists were killed in the fiasco.
The probe accused the radio
station of monopolizing the phone
Archbishop Cruz recent-
ly faced the Senate to expose
government officials who have
been allegedly receiving pay-
offs from jueteng operators.
But at the start of the joint
hearing by the Senate blue rib-
bon, local government, and
rules committees, Cruz ex-
pressed hesitation about his
revelations and requested for
an executive session so he could
identify the officials on the take.
“So in case the chair would
allow, I'd ask for an executive
session where I give all the
names in the upper bracket of
this whole racket and all the
names in the lower echelon of
the syndicate,” he said.
But Senate President
Juan Ponce-Enrile objected
ready to face charges that might
be slapped against me. I can't
do anything about it," Lim said.
Lim and Moreno were among
the 12 government officials, po-
lice officers, and media workers
held responsible by the IIRC
for the mishandling of the Au-
gust 23 hostage crisis in Manila
wherein eight Hong Kong tour-
ists, and the hostage-taker, Ro-
lando Mendoza, were killed.
"The Vice-Mayor’s and my in-
clusion, and even the negotiator,
on the list of those found culpa-
ble by the IIRC is too sweeping
and totally lacking in factual
and legal basis," said Lim.
Lim belied several points in
the IIRC’s summary of critical
incidents that led to the failure
of the hostage negotiations.
link to the hostage-taker and
stopping a police negotiator from
getting through to him to put for-
ward a deal. The hijacker began
shooting shortly afterward.
"The interview by (radio re-
porter) Michael Rogas gave the
hostages an extra few hours to
live," Pimentel, a former senator,
told the station.
The official inquiry into the
disaster, released Monday, also
called for the country's top
three television networks to be
punished, saying their reports
allowed the hijacker to follow
Photo: inquirer.net
to the request.
“This is the moment of
truth. Let's bring out the
truth. No matter how pain-
ful. Let's name names,” En-
rile said.
Cruz confirmed that he
has a list of government offi-
cials who have either been re-
ceiving bribe from jueteng op-
erators, or directly involved
in jueteng, or in collusion
to allow the proliferation of
jueteng in the country.
“Question 1 and 2, I have
the list of the people. Question
3, yes,” he told the committee.
Asked by Guingona if he
was willing to reveal the con-
tents of the list, Cruz said, “I
can easily do that. It's in front
of me.” (inquirer.net)
Lim particularly elaborat-
ed on the first critical incident
ó the failure to activate the city
of Manila’s crisis management
committee (CMC).
"The statement in the IIRC re-
port with the heading First Criti-
cal Incident... is totally false. We
activated the CMC at the city
hall. It was supposed to be acti-
vated here and not there in the
site of the incident," Lim said.
Lim also puts the blame on
the Manila Police District leader-
ship, particularly on MPD chief
Gen. Rodolfo Magtibay, saying
the CMC, which Lim headed,
was merely an "advisory body."
"(The MPD team) was the op-
erational group as distinguished
from the policy making body which
was the CMC," he said. (MNS)
police movements on the bus
television set.
The networks declined imme-
diate comment on the inquiry,
which recommended prosecutions
against 13 people including police
officers, government officials, and
media employees deemed culpa-
ble for the bloodbath.
The findings also present-
ed a scathing indictment of the
police response to the August
23 hijacking, accusing the force
of negligence, insubordination,
and failing to gather intelligence
as the crisis unfolded.
Ex-Manila policeman Ro-
lando Mendoza hijacked the
busload of tourists in central
Manila, aiming to force the gov-
ernment to give him his job
back after he was sacked for al-
leged extortion. (MNS)
September 25 - October 1, 2010
Government to adjust fourth quarter borrowing program
MANILA, Philippines – The government will make appropriate adjustments
in its fourth quarter borrowing program, following the successful issuance
of 10-year peso-denominated global bonds recently.
National Treasurer Roberto Tan said the government would have to review
its projected cash flow. “We will review our projected cash flow with the
expected inflow from the global peso issue and make appropriate adjust-
ments on our fourth quarter auction program as necessary,” Tan said.
Market investors expect the government to reduce its issuance of Treasury
bills (T-bills) and bonds in the fourth quarter following the successful sale
of 10-year bonds in the global debt market.
Tan also said the Treasury may issue longer-dated debt papers in the
fourth quarter as part of efforts to lengthen maturities now that investors
prefer to park their funds in longer-dated securities. The government re-
cently raised $1 billion worth of peso-denominated global bonds, the first
local currency issue for the Philippines and for an Asian country.
Finance officials said the government decided to issue peso-denominated
bonds to help cushion the economy from the external uncertainties and
developments in the global environment such as dollar fluctuations.
Global investors tendered a total of $13.3 billion for the $1 billion is-
suance or 13 times oversubscribed.
The newly issued bonds, which were priced at 99.607 percent with a
coupon of 4.95 percent and a yield of five percent, will mature in Janu-
ary 2021. By geographical allocation, 37.1 percent of the orders came
from Asia, 32.6 percent from the US and 30.3 percent from Europe.
Proceeds would be used to finance the government’s budgetary require-
ments and is part of the government’s management of external liabilities,
particularly with respect to reducing its vulnerability to foreign currency risk.
The Aquino administration is staring at a widening budget deficit that
is projected to hit P325 billion this year or 3.9 percent of gross domestic
product (GDP) from the original target of P300 billion.
The budget deficit can narrow to P226 billion or 2.5 percent of GDP next
year if the economy grows by as much as seven percent or more than the
official growth target for next year of five percent. (philstar.com)
More projects to lose perks in 2011 IPP
MANILA, Philippines — Some priority economic activities that enjoy
tax and fiscal incentives under the 2010 Investment Priorities Plan
(IPP) may lose such perks under the 2011 IPP as the Aquino adminis-
tration is expected to further trim down incentives and grant perks to
limited and deserving projects only.
This developed as the Board of Investments is set to convene next month
the technical committee of the IPP to start crafting the IPP framework. The
IPP is an annual list of government priority economic activities that would
be entitled to a package of juicy tax and fiscal incentives.
BoI executive director Efren Leano, however, said the 2011 IPP will be
dependent on the Medium Term Development Plan.
“We expect the 2011 IPP to be tight and short but if government says we need
to help more investors then we have to widen the list. This will largely depend
on the MTDP because it will be basis in the crafting of the new list,” Leano said.
Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, who is chair of the
BoI, also made clear earlier that he would limit the grant of incentives by
further tightening the lPP list to specific projects that are really priority. The
tightening of the IPP would be imposed under the 2011 IPP, he said.
Industries that Domingo would prioritize are tourism, IT-BPO type indus-
tries, electronics, mining, housing and agriculture. These industries are
chosen based on their high local value content, export revenue genera-
tion and jobs generation potentials.
Projects under the IPP are granted a maximum of 8 years income tax
holiday, zero duty on the importation of capital equipment, additional
tax deduction on expenses for training and labor, employment of foreign
nationals, among others.  The annual IPP has undergone a tightening belt
over the years by ridding it off of economic activities that are no longer
government priorities or activities that no longer require government tax
and fiscal assistance. (mb.com.ph)
BOP posts $3.478-billion surplus from January-August
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s balance of payments (BOP) surplus
went up by 25.3 percent in the first eight months of the year due to robust
remittances from overseas Filipinos as well as strong foreign exchange
inflows from investments, data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP) reported recently.
Data showed that the BOP position posted a surplus of $3.478 billion from
January to August this year or $703 million higher than the surplus of
$2.775 billion registered in the same period last year.
The BOP refers to the difference of foreign exchange inflows and outflows
on a particular period and represents the country’s transactions with the
rest of the world.
BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said the improved BOP posi-
tion was registered in the first eight months of the year despite the 24.5
percent drop in BOP surplus to $40 million in August this year from $53
million in the same period last year.
“The BOP is relatively low for August as inflows from BSP’s income and
foreign exchange operations were offset by significant payments by
the National Government of its maturing foreign exchange obligations,”
Tetangco stressed.
The country’s BOP surplus plunged to $89 million in 2008 from $8.67 billion
in 2007 due to the full impact of the global financial crisis. The BOP position
recovered last year with a surplus of $5.295 billion. This year’s surplus would
stablize as the growth of imports would outpace the growth of exports.
The BSP’s Monetary Board sees the country’s BOP surplus hitting $3.7
billion instead of the original target of $3.2 billion due to robust foreign
exchange inflows from the higher investment inflows, disbursement of
official development assistance (ODA) loans from multilateral lending
agencies, and the money sent home by Filipinos abroad.
As early as June, the original BOP surplus target of $3.2 billion set by the
BSP for 2010 was already breached.
“Inflows from portfolio investments, remittances, and export receipts for
the balance of the year are likely to result in continued surplus in the exter-
nal position,” Tetangco added.
Latest data showed that money sent home by overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) went up by 7.1 percent to $10.679 billion in the first seven months
of the year from $9.973 billion in the same period last year. The BSP has
already upgraded its growth forecast for the amount of money sent home
by overseas Filipinos to eight percent instead of six percent due to the
strong demand for Filipino skilled workers. (philstar.com)
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 3

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4 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Fannie,
Freddie:
Reluctant
realtors
By Nick Timiraos
Two years after they were
taken over by the federal gov-
ernment, Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac face a new chal-
lenge: The mortgage-finance gi-
ants are becoming two of the na-
tion's largest home sellers at a
time when the housing market
shows new signs of softening.
Realtor Brett Barry said
of a recent price reduction
to $200,000 from $265,000:
'They're definitely pushing the
envelope on price. But they're
doing it at the wrong time.'
Fannie and Freddie have al-
ready taken back nearly as many
homes in the first half of the
year as they did all of last year.
They owned more than 191,000
homes at the end of June, double
the year-earlier total. That num-
ber will grow because they are
taking back homes faster than
they sell them.
In recent weeks, Fannie Mae
has warned that it could get
tougher on lenders that are tak-
ing too long to reclaim homes
once they have determined
that the home is vacant or once
they have exhausted foreclo-
sure alternatives, such as mod-
ifications. Mortgage servicers,
which collect fees from Fannie,
could face fines if the process is
See fannie on 5
Advice for foreign
home buyers
By June Fletcher ican citizens: You find a home,
make an offer accompanied by
Q:
I am a non-perma- a deposit, obtain a mortgage,
nent resident alien. pay for inspections and apprais-
Do you foresee any als, and—when all contingencies
difficulties, and will I be able have been removed and the fi-
to get a mortgage from an nancing is in place—close.
American lender? It's a very straightforward
—Vancouver, Canada process if you pay all-cash. If you
A: For you, and for every for- need a mortgage, the process
eigner looking to buy a home, the will be challenging. It will be im-
home-buying process is essen- possible if you have diplomatic
tially the same as it is for Amer- immunity, which would prevent
lenders from seeking redress
should you default.
Assuming you don't have dip-
lomatic immunity, get your pa-
perwork in order. Expect lend-
ers to ask you to show at least a
two-year history of employment
and credit history in the U.S. or
another country. You'll also have
to prove legal residency in the
U.S. for at least two years; if you
haven't lived here that long, some
lenders will accept two bank ref-
September 25 - October 1, 2010
erences instead. You have some
flexibility here, since no specific
documents are required to prove
these things. You also should be
prepared to show your passport,
a valid visa, and, if you have it,
work authorization.
If you need a jumbo loan to
buy a high-end property, lend-
ers are likely to demand at least
a 20% down payment and may
See home buyers on 5
Aggressive
real estate
agent joins
McMillin
Realtor John O. Ronis
will be putting his extensive
knowledge of the South Bay
to work for McMillin Realty
as he recently joined the com-
pany’s network of agents. A
46-year South Bay resident,
Ronis has lived in National
City, Chula Vista, Bonita and
now Eastlake Greens and
says he knows the neighbor-
hoods and surrounding areas
like only a local can.   
John O. Ronis
“As somebody who was
born and raised and contin-
ues to live in the South Bay,
I have a great commitment to
this community that extends
into all facets of my life and
work,” he said. “I saw great
See mcmillin on 5
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 5

fannie ly July. But, like many of Bar- home buyers mcmillin

Continued from p­­­­­age 4

unreasonably prolonged.
ry's bank-owned listings, the
three-bedroom home has still
received no offers. "They're def-
Continued from p­­­­­age 4

charge you a higher inter-

Continued from p­­­­­age 4

opportunity to work with Mc-

CALL 477-0940 TO ADVERTISE
Fannie's recent reminder to initely pushing the envelope on est rate than they would an Millin Realty because of its
banks signals a growing impa- price," he said. "But they're do- American citizen. But if you're similar strong commitment to
tience with delays that have be- ing it at the wrong time." applying for a conforming loan the South Bay.”  
come "exaggerated and unman- If demand remains weak, guaranteed by the govern- Prior to becoming a Real-
ageable," said Edward Delgado, Fannie and Freddie could face ment-sponsored entities Fan- tor, Ronis owned a restora-
a former Wells Fargo & Co. ex- pressure to take more aggressive nie Mae or Freddie Mac, you tion business for more than
ecutive who is now chief execu- steps to hold homes off the mar- will have the same access as 20 years where he toned his
tive of the Five Star Institute, a ket. Fannie, for example, is test- an American citizen to all of superior customer service
provider of training programs ing an effort in Chicago where their programs, at the same skills.  Ronis brings to his real
for mortgage professionals. it will rent vacant foreclosures interest rates, and with the estate career the same prin-
Fannie is effectively saying rather than list them for sale. same terms and fees. ciples of serving each client
"we need to jumpstart the sys- Such a "lease-and-hold" ap- You also should investigate with the utmost respect and
tem. We need to be more expedi- proach could make sense in cer- Federal Housing Administra- putting their needs first that
ent," Delgado said. tain markets where "you believe tion loans. Loan limits differ made his restoration business
Once they take homes back, the supply will take a long time throughout the country, and such a success.  His stance on
Fannie and Freddie must not to absorb, but there's going to be are higher in expensive plac- customer service helped him
only cover the utility bills and an increase in employment going es like California. Moreover, earn the Rookie of the Year ti-
property taxes, but they are also forward," said Douglas Duncan, down payments for borrowers tle his first year as an agent.  
relying on thousands of real-es- chief economist at Fannie Mae. with excellent credit can be An avid baseball player
tate agents and contractors to But renting could prove tricky as low as 3.5%. But act quick- since high school, Ronis likes
rehabilitate homes, mow lawns for firms that have little experi- ly. At this time, you do not to compare athletic training
and clean pools. Fannie had ex- ence as property managers. have to provide a Social Secu- to the real estate industry.
penses valued at $487 million The companies face other bal- rity number to borrow funds. “To be a successful athlete,
on foreclosed properties that ancing acts. To promote neigh- But in Congress, H.R. 5072, you have to have the drive to
had a value of $13 billion dur- borhood stabilization, they have known as the FHA Reform Act practice and improve – this is
ing the second quarter. instituted a program that al- of 2010, has passed the House true of the real estate profes-
While it is expensive for Fan- lows offers only from owner-oc- and been referred to the Sen- sion. To be the best agent possi-
nie and Freddie to hold on to more cupants and community groups ate. As now written, it will re- ble, you have to constantly keep
unsold homes, they nevertheless during the first 15 days that a quire that non-permanent res- up with the market and prac-
want to avoid costly delays. Attor- property is listed. To move sales ident aliens have both a Social tice the skills necessary to tran-
neys' fees can pile up and vacant along, Fannie offers financ- Security number and be au- sition as the market moves.”
homes risk falling further into ing on its own properties with thorized to work in the U.S. to Ronis can be reached at
disrepair. Fannie issued the no- just 3% down payments and no qualify for an FHA loan. (wsj. (619) 565-5616 or jronis@mc-
tice to remind servicers to "min- mortgage insurance. (wsj.com) com) millinrealty.com.
imize processing delays," said a
company spokeswoman.
Delays also add to the un-
certainty over the housing
market, which faces a back-
log of loans that are at least 90
days past due or in some stage
of foreclosure. Analysts at Bar-
clays estimate that this "shad-
ow inventory" sits at around
four million loans.
Already, as borrowers fail
to qualify for permanent mod-
ifications, newly initiated fore-
closures at Fannie and Freddie
have risen for three consec-
utive months to more than
150,000 in July, up nearly 60%
from April, according to LPS
Applied Analytics.
That creates an increas-
ingly delicate balancing act.
The costs of managing those
homes are adding up, but the
companies are reluctant to
slash prices and dump lots of
homes at big discounts.
"Freddie Mac probably owns
loans on the same street. We
don't want to create a down-
ward spiral for values in a giv-
en neighborhood," said Chris
Bowden, the Freddie executive
in charge of selling foreclosures.
Banks are also entering a
less favorable environment for
disposing of rising inventories.
While mortgage rates contin-
ue to fall to record lows, home-
buying activity stalled earlier
this year when tax credits to
spur sales expired.
"One year ago, you couldn't
even keep them on the mar-
ket," said Brett Barry, a re-
al-estate agent who sells fore-
closed homes for Fannie Mae
in Phoenix. "That's so done."
Fannie has reduced the
price three times on a proper-
ty at the end of East Phelps
Road in suburban Phoenix, to
$200,000 from $265,000 in ear-
6 THE FILIPINO PRESS September 25 - October 1, 2010

The time tested recommenda-

tion to beat the cold — chicken
soup — even doctors can’t ex-
plain. But it works like magic in
beating the cold and acts a com-
fort food. Drinking lots of fluids
and of course getting plenty of
rest helps beat the blues and the
symptoms of cold.
Mostly, we need to practice
common sense. While every sea-
son brings its challenges, fall

Seasonal changes:
and winter can do the most dam-
age to your system if you don’t
prepare and protect yourself.
Thankfully, we live in beauti-

Don’t ‘fall’ with season ful San Diego, the envy of many
in other parts of the country, and
we don’t suffer the harsh effects

T
here’s been a sudden
change of weather late-
ly if you haven’t noticed.
It’s getting cold in the after-
noon. Sometimes time flies so
fast that you don’t realize that
the season changes. The next
thing you know there’s an on on-
slaught of pollen or symptoms
of cold. You may feel under the
weather. That is exactly what
I’ve been feeling lately, though I
think stress has something to do
with it. When you get busy you
become exposed to free radicals,
and if you are not watching it
your immune system weakens.
This season, you have to pay
more attention to what you wear
and what you eat to make sure
that you are dressing appro-
priately to beat the cold weath-
er and that your head is not ex-
posed. Although it is fall, we
don’t have to “fall” with the sea-
son. If we are proactive, we’ll re-
alize that every seasonal change
requires adjustments on our
part in terms of what we eat,
wear and drink to keep healthy.
of winter as much.
Still, the old adage “an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of
cure” remains true.
Be good to yourself this fall,
take care — and enjoy the sea-
son.
Does you have any time-
tested tips for keeping yourself
healthy? Send them along with
your comments or suggestions.
E-mail me at susands4@yahoo.
com. And don’t forget to visit us
at www.filipinopress.com and on
our new official Facebook page.

for secretary of DILG. To fill the Indeed, Puno must really be Also “invisible” were Puno and Jueteng payola exposed
Co m m e n ta r y void, P-Noy took over the top enjoying his new role keeping an then PNP chief Jesus Verzosa Then, in an unrelated inci-
post at DILG temporarily while eye on police matters. He was on who, in the midst of the hostage dent on September 11, 2010,  re-

Double whammy he was mulling over whom to ap-

point from a pool of three candi-
dates. With himself as ad interim
top of the world. Then, suddenly
the world turned upside down…
and all hell broke loose!
crisis, flew to Cagayan de Oro to
attend a “function.” Robredo was
around in the periphery but was
tired Archbishop Oscar Cruz
dropped a “bombshell” right in
front of Malacañang Palace al-

hits Puno
secretary and Puno overseeing Luneta bloodbath not involved directly in the nego- leging that two trusted aides of
security matters, the “shooting At 10:00 AM on August 23, tiation with the hostage-taker.   P-Noy were each receiving P2
buddies” were ready to roll. 2010, Rolando Mendoza, a dis- In the aftermath of the Lune- million   monthly payola from
A few days later, P-Noy ap- missed senior inspector in the ta bloodbath, a “lynch mob” in jueteng lords. While he refused
By Perry Diaz tics.   He was one of P-Noy’s clos- pointed former Naga City May- Manila Police Department, hi- the administration singled out to name names saying that he
  est friends and they share a com- or Jesse Robredo as DILG secre- jacked a tourist bus carrying Robredo for the fiasco and tried would do it at the right forum,

L
ittle did Rico E. Puno real-
ize that when he joined the
administration of his long-
time friend president Benigno
“P-Noy” Aquino III, he would find
himself the target of the Depart-
ment of Justice’s investigation
concerning the Luneta hostage
crisis and also accused of receiv-
ing payola -- or protection money
-- from gambling lords.  What the
hell happened?
 Less than three months ago,
Puno was as virtual unknown in
Philippine government and poli-
mon interest as gun enthusiasts.   tary. However, he made it clear 25 Chinese tourists from Hong to “hang” him.  But Robredo de- ABS-CBN published the names
“Shooting buddies” that his “point man” for the “In- Kong.  Eleven hours later, after fended himself saying that he of the two officials who alleged-
 So, it did not come as a sur- terior” -- security matters – side a botched rescue operation by an was “not in the loop,” claiming ly were receiving jueteng pay-
prise when P-Noy asked his of DILG would be Puno; thus, “elite” SWAT team, eight tourists that it was Puno who was given ola:  DILG Undersecretary Rico
trusted “shooting buddy” to work limiting Robredo to the “Local were murdered by the hostage- sole authority and responsibility Puno and just retired PNP Chief
for him. And what a better place Government” side of DILG. It taker and the hostage-taker was over police matters.  Jesus Verzosa. ABS-CBN’s sourc-
to put him than in a plum posi- effectively split DILG into two fatally shot by police sniper fire.  Consequently, P-Noy or- es claimed that Puno and Verzo-
tion overseeing the 120,000 gun- agencies.    Although Puno ad- The incident put P-Noy in an dered Justice Secretary Leila sa were receiving as much as P5
toting policemen of the Philip- ministratively reported to Ro- awkward and embarrassing po- de Lima to conduct a fact-find- million a month given in tranch-
pine National Police (PNP). bredo, P-Noy was just a phone sition for being “invisible” dur- ing investigation and promised es --every 8th, 15th, 22nd, and
Puno’s appointment as under- call away. It was an “arrange- ing the hostage-taking episode that “heads will roll.” De Lima 29th of the month.
secretary of the Department of ment” that gave comfort to P- which was televised worldwide.  then formed the Incident Inves- Last September 15, P-Noy
the Interior and Local Govern- Noy knowing that his “shooting His leadership was questioned tigation and Review Committee told reporters, “I still have con-
ment (DILG) was made before P- buddy” would take a bullet for and many believed that he failed (IIRC), which included Robredo
Noy could   decide on his choice him should things go wrong. the first test of his presidency.  and three others. See diaz on 18

only to find themselves exploited
and abused by unscrupulous re-
cruiters on a distant shore where
they feel hopeless and helpless.
And I thought slavery was abol-
ished after a bloody civil war in
1865 with the 13th amendment
to the U.S. Constitution.
Just consider the following
news reports this year alone to
gauge how prevalent human
trafficking into the U.S. from the
Philippines has been:
federal complaint alleged that
the victims were recruited by the
couple with promises of work in
the U.S., and then smuggled into
the U.S. on transit visas. Once
the victims arrived, they were
forced to work entire days for as
many as seven days a week with
little pay. Additionally, the cou-
ple confiscated the victims’ pass-
ports and threatened to harm
their families and/or deport them
if they left prior to paying off
able. Eventually, some wound
up in Avoyelles Parish and other
school districts around the state.
Each teacher was charged about
$5,000 by Navarro in placement
fees to obtain a job, and was then
required to sign a contract obli-
gating them to pay 10 percent of
their second-year salaries to the
company. Teachers who could not
afford to pay the fees up front
were directed to loan companies
by Navarro and were charged ex-
ed,” knowing the workers faced
serious economic harm and pos-
sible incarceration for non-pay-
ment of debts in the Philippines.
When the workers arrived at
Manuel and Baldonado’s Florida
residence, the couple confiscated
their passports and “housed them
in overcrowded, substandard con-
ditions without adequate food or
drinking water; put them to work
at area country clubs and hotels
for little or no pay; required them

Modern-day • A Filipino couple, identified

as Maximino “Max” Morales,
44, and his wife, Melinda Mo-
their debt. According to the affi-
davit, the caregivers worked 24-
hour shifts with no regular days
orbitant interest rates.
• A Florida couple plead-
ed guilty on Sept. 17 to conspir-
to remain in the defendants’ ser-
vice, unpaid, when there was in-
sufficient work.”

slavery rales, 46, were arrested by the

FBI in April in Paso Robles, Ca-
lif., after an investigation found
that the couple smuggled Filipi-
off and slept in closets, hallways
and garages with no heat.
• A Philippine-based recruit-
ing company, Universal Place-
ing to hold 39 Filipino employ-
ees against their will working in
country clubs and hotels. The U.S.
Justice Department said Sophia
• POEA Administrator Jenni-
fer Jardin-Manalili said the Phil-
ippine Embassy in Ottawa has
received complaints from several

L
ately, we have been read- cruited in the Philippines pur- no nationals and forced them to ment International, with satel- Manuel, 41, and Alfonso Baldona- Filipino nurses who were alleged-
ing disturbing reports of portedly for good-paying jobs in work as caregivers in their nurs- lite office in Los Angeles, and its do Jr., 45, were owners of a labor- ly recruited by an agent from the
Filipino workers being re- the United States and Canada, ing homes for little or no pay. The Filipino owner, Lourdes “Lulu” contracting service based in the U.S. named Agerico Casey Ga-
Navarro, were ordered on April Florida city of Boca Raton. Man- briel (aka Casey Gabriel) or un-
16 in Baton Rouge, La., to pay an uel and Baldonado promised the der the name of Medical caregiv-
The
estimated $1.8-million in illegal- workers high wages and two to er Management. Gabriel’s modus
ly-charged placement fees, a well three years of steady work in the operandi is to introduce him-
as a $500 fine and $7,500 in at- U.S., then had the workers pay self as an agent of Medical Link
torney fees for allegedly cheat- “substantial recruitment fees, in- or other legitimate U.S.-based
Email Address: filpress@aol.com • Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2226, NationaI City, CA 91950
ing 200 Filipino teachers of thou- cluding their airfare,” which put nurse recruiting agency. He usu-
Office: 600 E. 8th St. Ste. #3, National City, CA 91950 • Telephone: (619) 477-0940 • Fax: (619) 477-1024 sands of dollars in recruiting fees them in debt to their U.S.-based ally holds a recruitment confer-
Website: www.filipinopress.com • Email: filpressads@aol.com for sending ad materials and held them in virtual ser- employers. Once the workers ence without asking any money
vitude for keeping their visas. were in the U.S., the defendants from the victims. After gaining
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus ERNIE FLORES, JR. • Executive Marketing Director SUSAN DELOS SANTOS Some of those teachers arrived “compelled the victims’ labor and their trust, he then asks for mon-
Managing Editor: bill ramsey • Assistant Editor: Brandi Perez in the U.S. only to find that the services through threats to have
Contributing Writers: JENNIFER ANARETA-BURMAN • FE SELIGMAN • ALICIA TORRES DE LEON promised jobs were not avail- the workers arrested and deport- See abelgas on 7
FRANCINE MAIGUE • Valerie Farnal
Graphics & Design Community Outreach: Ruby Chiong • Lorna delos Santos Layout & Design
a2estudioa2.com ARMI GUZMAN • tess adams BRANDI PEREZ/JASON AGUIRRE
Cartoonists
Jason aguirre bill ramsey
JESSE t. REYES/WILLY REGULAR

Columnists/Contributors Webmaster:
VAL ABELGAS JUN GUZMAN SOLY PARAISO PROLINE IMAGE
STEPHEN CHAN GREG B. MACABENTA JESSE T. REYES Circulation
AURORA S. CUDAL JANICE MARTINELLI DOMINGO VARGAS ELY HERNANDEZ
Danny hernaez CORA PASTRANA ALFONSO VILLAMORA
Photographers
REN ROXAS • BO NAVARRO

The Filipino Press is published every Saturday. We welcome news, features, editorials, opinions and photos. Photos must be accompanied by self-addressed,
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those of the publisher, management and staff of The Filipino Press.
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Spirit of change
casts seasonal spell
The falling leaves drift by
my window,
The autumn leaves of red
and gold,
I see your lips, the summer
kisses,
The sun-burned hands I
used to hold,
Since you went away, the
days grow long,
And soon I'll hear old win-
ter's song,
But I miss you most of all,
my darling,
When autumn leaves start
to fall."
— “Autumn Leaves” by
Johnny Mercer
I
t’s that time of year again.
It is the juncture when
temperatures start dip-
ping, leaves begin falling, days
The jueteng
game
I
t’s all a game. The jueteng
game.
A crusading bishop
makes very loud noises about
the proliferation of jueteng in
his neighborhood and all over
the country. He claims to have
proof and the names of promi-
nent local and national officials,
politicians and the top brass of
the Philippine National Police.
He declares that millions are
passing from the hands of gam-
bling lords to the pockets of cor-
rupt officials. And he decries
the decay of the morals of the
poor Filipino people.
He also declares that he will
release the incriminating docu-
ments at the proper time — but
not quite yet.
He then challenges the au-
thorities to go after the un-
abelgas
Continued from p­­­­­age 6
ey allegedly for escrow payments
required for visas to “complete the
process.” However, the president
of Medical Link and Sam Swit-
zer of another agency have denied
any on-going recruitment for for-
eign nurses and any knowledge of
one Agerico Casey Gabriel.
• The FBI is investigating a
complaint filed by Rufino de Guz-
man Jr. who said he and 23 oth-
er Filipinos were recruited as sea-
sonal worker for a big American
company. They paid their recruit-
er $6,000 for a job contract that
guaranteed a salary of $7.25 an
hour. The workers arrived in the
U.S. in July. But instead of go-
ing to Virginia, where they signed
contracts to become waiters, they
were driven to Mississippi, where
they were told to sign another
contract — but not for the jobs or
salaries for which they signed up.
They were hired as housekeepers
instead of waiters for $4.75 per
room, instead of $7.25 per hour.
Their new contract with Roy-
al Hospitality Services required
them to clean up to 18 rooms a
shorten,and people set out pre-
paring for the cold of winter.
The spirit of change casts a
seasonal spell and we’re hav-
ing our usual amazement that
the previous period is only as
close as a recent memory, i.e.,
it’s over. Fortunately, a lot of us
find fall fascinating. And so the
dance of life continues.
The colorful season of Indi-
an Summer is upon us again,
and I am reminded of why au-
tumn is the apple of anyone’s
eye. Sept. 22 is the first day of
fall 2010. Of all the season, au-
tumn is my favorite. There’s a
feel about it, a distinct and un-
deniable aura that surrounds
it. Being a Chargers football
fan, I naturally would favor au-
tumn. But of course it’s much
deeper than that.
named culprits based on his un-
revealed findings.
As soon as the crusading
bishop leaks his unexposed ex-
posé, the media runs the story
in bold type on the front pages
of their newspapers and in sen-
sational breaking-news reports
on TV and radio. Reporters in-
terview officials in Malaca-
ñang, the PNP brass and prom-
inent members of the Senate
and the House, as well as the
crusading bishop.
 Every turn of phrase, every
conjecture, every theory is giv-
en an intriguing meaning, the
better to make the headlines
more exciting.
The authorities, from the
president and the members of
the Senate and the House, to
the top echelon of the PNP and
day, which, De Guzman said was
near impossible to finish. De Guz-
man said the recruiters confiscat-
ed their passports and threatened
to have them deported if they re-
sisted the new jobs.
Donn Duero, welfare officer of
the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration in the U.S. who
is currently based in Los Angeles,
said that one of the avenues used
by illegal recruiters to bring in
Filipino workers into the U.S. is
the H2B visa (temporary workers
and trainees/seasonal agricultur-
al workers), He said that in 2007,
a total of 2,480 Filipinos entered
the U.S. using an H2B visa; 3,684
in 2008; and 1,870 in 2009.
Duero, who is helping De Guz-
man while awaiting investiga-
tion of his complaint against his
recruiters, is asking others with
similar problems to contact his of-
fice. OWWA e-mail: owwausa@ya-
hoo.com. Phone: (661) 878-6149.
I am aghast at the courage of
these illegal recruiters to chal-
lenge the tough laws of the U.S.
against human smuggling and
trafficking. I am amazed that de-
spite strict rules and regulations
imposed by the Department of
First and foremost, I have an
October birthday. So, fall became
my season when I first came
here to America. Before you go
thinking that sounds selfish, we
all have our seasons. With birth-
days in January and February,
my late, lamented Mama, my el-
der sister Nora, and the young-
est in the family, Dana, share a
season together, which is win-
ter. My youngest son Randy’s
May birthday singly gave him
spring. My wife Zeny, with a
June birthday, nailed down the
summer season for herself. But
Papa, who passed on, my young-
er brother Angel, my own sec-
ond son Rommel and my one
and only grandson Jacob and I
were fall guys — and I certain-
ly reveled in that rare, selfish
time when attention was solely
on the five of us — four genera-
tion of Reyes men.
I absolutely loved the leaves of
autumn, both on the tree and off.
Those leaves are definitely
part of it. What color, what art-
istry! On the tree they were like
the robes of royalty, jewels shin-
ing in the woodlands around
a little country home. As the
leaves changed from verdant
green to red, orange and yellow,
whatever I am doing at the mo-
ment often took leave as I gazed
at the artistic canvas of God.
Off the tree the leaves
might seem to be a chore. But
I am quite sure any child who
hated to rake leaves never
knew the joy of jumping feet-
down to the provincial officials,
declare that they welcome the
opportunity to go after the gam-
bling lords and to put an end to
illegal gambling.
But, first, they want the cru-
sading bishop to name names.
Some sparring in media en-
sues over who should make the
next move. Both sides dare the
other side in a game of chicken.
That’s the clue for the Sen-
ate and the House to join the
fray and declare that they will,
forthwith, conduct a congressio-
nal investigation in aid of legis-
lation. They also announce that
they will summon the crusad-
ing bishop, his witnesses, the
police brass, the unnamed offi-
cials who are on the take and
the unnamed gambling lords.
Eventually, names are spilled
and every single one reacts with
righteous indignation. Who,
me? A gambling lord? Who, me,
on the take? Never. I swear on
my mother's grave.
Put on the defensive, the top
brass of the PNP promptly an-
nounce that they are intensify-
ing their campaign against il-
legal gambling. A task force is
organized and the PNP spokes-
man goes on television to an-
nounce the impending arrest of
the unnamed gambling lords.
The country’s most knowl-
edgeable columnists and opin-
ion-makers weigh in on the
burning issue and do one or
more of the following, depend-
ing on which side they like or
State and the Department of
Homeland Security, these re-
cruiters have been able to forge
documents and smuggle these
workers into the country.
And I thought it could happen
only to workers being recruit-
ed for Middle East and South-
east Asia, where tens of thou-
sands of Filipinos have to suffer
physical, emotional and sexual
abuse from employers because
of cruel deception by illegal re-
cruiters, and where tens of thou-
sands more are stranded be-
cause there was no work waiting
for them and they have no mon-
ey to go back home.
And that’s only one side of
the problem. Think of the par-
ents and other relatives who had
to pawn or sell properties, get
loans at usurious rates and bor-
row from friends and relatives.
Think of the pain and frustra-
tion that these soulless illegal
recruiters are inflicting on their
victims and the victims’ families.
Think of the vanished dreams
and the shattered future.
What is even more revolt-
ing is that the recruiters in the
Philippines are never prosecut-
first or diving headlong into
the pile. And if he or she has
a dog like my youngest son’s,
Bauer,” it would probably join
in, too, rollicking and burrow-
ing. Yes, that scattered leaves
in the cool autumn breeze, but
boundless energy gathered
them again for another round.
Certainly, crisp, frosty morn-
ings also help. What a refresh-
ing change from oppressively
hot afternoons and swelter-
ing nights! Then there is a
helpful return to routine as
school starts. And along comes
Thanksgiving, a nostalgic re-
minder that God has indeed
“shed His grace on thee.” The
firewood is cut. The pumpkins
are getting bigger.
And although it may be a
little ahead of schedule, it's
not too early to give thought
to Christmas, too. Not just
Christmas Day, but during the
days leading up to December
25. We could call these daily
gifts “our Christmas projects”
— maybe one per day from
now until then.
My heart is truly overflowing.
That’s surely the sign of fall
season, isn't it?
It is time to ponder.
Let’s think of autumn as a
season of reflection. It is that
time to gain new perspective.
It is the spell to stroll along
the back roads of our minds.
It is the point to think about
what — and where — and why.
Such visits through the muse-
dislike, at the moment:
a) Taunt the new administra-
tion and the president and de-
clare that the rackets are alive
and well, but with new patrons
and protectors;
b) or defend the new admin-
istration and the president
and castigate the political op-
position for making capital of
the issue.
c) or launch a debate on the
whether or not jueteng should
be legalized, the pros giving as
lucid a set of reasons as the cons.
d) Or all of the above.
Meanwhile, no arrests are
made. The betting goes on, un-
hampered. And uncounted mil-
lions continue to pass from the
unnamed gambling lords to
the unnamed officials. No one
misses a beat.
Through all of this, the Fil-
ipino people are kept waiting
for something to come out of
all the sound and the fury over
jueteng.
You may then ask, to para-
phrase Macbeth, do all the
sound and fury signify nothing?
Of course not. Consider the ben-
efits that are reaped.
First, it reestablishes the
reputation of the crusading
bishop. He may never succeed
in stopping jueteng, but no one
can say he didn’t try.
Second, it gives the prom-
inent members of the Senate
and the House an opportunity
to become even more prominent.
With the high cost of media ad-
I am aghast at the courage of these illegal
recruiters to challenge the tough laws of the
U.S. against human smuggling and trafficking.
I am amazed that despite strict rules, these
recruiters have been able to forge documents
and smuggle these workers into the country.
ed despite the rampant crimes-
that they commit. The U.S.
State Department 2010 Traf-
ficking in Person report said of
the 228 human trafficking cas-
es reported by law enforcement
agencies to the Philippine De-
partment of Justice, only eight
individuals in five sex traffick-
ing cases were actually convict-
ed, and that includes two per-
sons who remain at large.
A major hindrance, the report
said, was “widespread corrup-
tion” and “an inefficient judicial
system” that severely limits pre-
vention and prosecution of cas-
es. “Corruption remained perva-
sive in the Philippines, and there
were reports that officials in gov-
ernment units and agencies as-
um of memory never fail to as-
sist us in evaluating the way
we were and establishing the
manner we want to be. This
implies change; another reason
autumn seems to represent a
season of reflection. It’s dur-
ing this period of time the foli-
age turns over a new leaf. And
the weather shifts the scene.
And the time gives a turn to.
Birds make their annual jour-
ney southward. Squirrels fin-
ish storing their nuts. Salm-
on start their phenomenal
swim back to their spawn-
ing grounds. And many of the
larger animals take their final
stretch before curling up for a
long winter’s nap. With incred-
ible consistency, all these crea-
tures in the natural world act
out their individual pageants
without external instruction or
some script to follow.
Quietly, without flair or fan-
fare, most of us move upon our
very own lives, taking us all
from summer to autumn, a
season when we mysterious-
ly write our various agendas
on the tablets of our hearts.
We patiently wait for change
to commence. Without excep-
tion, it does. And we all con-
template on that as well.
Has autumn arrived in your
heart?
Think before you answer.
Close your eyes for a minute
or so and consider what has
been doing deep within your
own heart.
vertising, all of that free public-
ity is worth a fortune and quite
useful in the next elections.
As you know, name recog-
nition is the magic ingredient
in politics. And the most effi-
cient and cheapest way to gain
name recognition is to jump
into a controversy, conduct an
investigation and get inter-
viewed by the media.
Third, it justifies a bigger al-
location for the intelligence fund
of the PNP, the DILG and the of-
fice of the president, the better
to combat the scourge of illegal
gambling more intelligently.
Fourth, it gives the media
priceless readable and view-
able materials that translate
into ratings for TV and radio
shows and circulation for print
media, which in turn translate
into advertising lineage.
Fifth, it reinforces the image
of the columnists as intellectu-
als, crusaders, and guardians
of morality. It also gives them
something to write about (be-
lieve me, it’s not easy coming up
with interesting column topics).
Sixth, it gives the political op-
position ammo against the party
in power and prevents their de-
terioration into irrelevance.
Finally, it gives the new ad-
ministration, from the presi-
dent to the concerned members
of the cabinet, an opportunity to
draw attention away from such
minor issues as poverty, the
economy, health, education, so-
cial services and the like.
signed to enforce laws against
human trafficking permitted
trafficking offenders to conduct
illegal activities, either tacitly or
explicitly,” it added.
The U.S. State Department
urged the government to work
harder in efficiently investigat-
ing, prosecuting and convicting
both labor and sex trafficking
offenders involved in the traf-
ficking of Filipinos in the coun-
try and abroad. It is widely be-
lieved that some government
officials partner with traffickers
and organized trafficking syn-
dicates, or at least permit traf-
ficking operations in the coun-
try, and that law enforcement
officers often extract protection
money from illegal businesses,
7
Allow me to remind you all of
something you may have forgot-
ten. At the root of any agenda
is always this promise. Think of
it as a sort of guarantee. Re-
member, it takes four seasons
to make a year here in our won-
derful adopted country.
The autumn season of your
life may be uncomfortable. Un-
employment might be your lot.
It could be a broken romance.
Perhaps you are grieving over a
recent loss. Maybe you’re lone-
ly or hungry or cold. You feel
anxious about those ugly clouds
over the horizon that indicate
an ominous tomorrow. The
winds of adversity are picking
up and you feel afraid.
Someone famous once said,
“The roots grow deep when the
winds are strong.”
We l l , g u e s s w h a t . I f a u -
tumn — the season of reflec-
tion — has come, expect your
roots to deepen.
Count on it.
Our hope is to grow strong
and taller as our roots dig
deeper in the soft soil along
the banks of the river of life,
so we can all boldly declare,
“Come wind, come weather,
welcome autumn!”
Come to think of it, may
these “autumn thoughts” en-
courage and strengthen you
all, dear folks.
I am a grateful man, myself.
Thankful I had taken time
to reflect.
Happy Fall, everyone!
As you can see, if there were no
crusading bishop, media and Con-
gress would have to invent one.
But what about the citizen-
ry? What do the Filipino peo-
ple get out of this flurry of ac-
tivities? Plenty.
In the first place, everything
is supposed to be for their ben-
efit. The crusading bishop
wants to preserve their mor-
als. The members of Congress
want to preserve their morals.
The president wants to pre-
serve their morals. The media
want to preserve their morals.
Everyone wants to preserve
their morals to ensure they
will become better citizens. So,
that’s good for them.
On the other hand, the gam-
bling lords simply want to offer
them a chance to hit the jack-
pot. That’s good for them, too.
The gambling lords also
simply want to give public of-
ficials, the police and mem-
bers of the clergy some spend-
ing money in exchange for
protection.
Which makes the citizens
stop to think: Do they want to
become better citizens or do
they want to hit the jackpot?
It also makes the public
officials, the police and the
members of the clergy stop to
ask: Do they really want to
stop receiving their spending
money?
Even the crusading bish-
op knows the answer to that.
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
including brothels, the State
Department report added.
The desperation and willing-
ness of Filipinos to pay huge
sums for uncertain jobs are a tes-
tament to the failure of the Phil-
ippine government to provide
jobs to its people.
The continued exodus of
hundreds of thousands of Fili-
pinos yearly to find better jobs
in countries all over the world
remains unabated and the gov-
ernment seems to encourage
them despite the risks that
these Filipinos face and the ad-
verse social and emotional im-
pact that the departures leave
on the workers’ families.
Just like it should in jueteng,
the Aquino administration must
show its resolve to eradicate
the problem of human traffick-
ing and illegal recruitment. The
country owes so much to over-
seas Filipino workers, whose
nearly $20-billion annual remit-
tance has been buoying up the
Philippine economy for decades.
It is only fair and proper that the
government protect them from
these predators. They deserve no
less. (valabelgas@aol.com)
8 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Men’s
hair loss
solutions
About 85% of men will have
significant hair thinning by the
time they’re 50, according to the
American Hair Loss Association.
Some men begin to lose their
hair before they even turn 21.
Uncovering hair loss myths
Does wearing a baseball cap
cause baldness? Nope. Someone
running their fingers through
your hair won't cause it either.
Neither will combing, brush-
ing, twisting, or styling. But
avoid being too rough to pre-
vent hair breakage.
Quit smoking and save your hair?
Several studies show a sig-
nificant relationship between
smoking and how fast male-
pattern baldness gets worse.
So if you need one more reason
to quit smoking, add early hair
loss to your list.
What hair loss says
about your health
Fortunately, in most cases,
hair loss -- known as alopecia --
doesn't signal a medical prob-
lem. And it poses no health risk.
But worries about hair loss's
impact on first impressions or
whether balding makes you look
older are common.
What causes hair loss?
More than 95% of male hair
loss is due to male-pattern bald-
ness, a genetic trait. The gene
can come from either parent. In
other cases, certain medications,
See hair loss on 9
County’s medical therapy
units: A place for miracles
F
or a child they thought
would never walk and
might even struggle just
to move, it’s hard to keep up
with 4-year-old Delaney Cer-
vantes nowadays. Every time
he visits the San Diego Coun-
ty Health and Human Servic-
es Agency’s (HHSA) Califor-
nia Children Services Medical
Therapy Unit (MTU), he has
to make laps around the build-
ing when he gets there and be-
fore leaving – handing out hugs
and smiles to the therapists and
staff that have worked with him
since he was eight months old.
Delaney has been through
a lot. He was born with a
congenital heart defect, suf-
fered a stroke when he was
just three months old, has a
pacemaker and suffers from
hemiplegic infantile cerebral
palsy, which causes him to fa-
vor his right side.
“I was hoping that he would
be able to move around, and I
wasn’t even sure he would be
able to do that,” said Vianey
Salgado-Cervantes, Delaney’s
mom. “The love that he re-
ceives here (at the MTU) and
the time they spend working
with him and listening to him
is incredible. He comes in and
hugs them all, and it’s every-
one, not just the therapists.
He loves to come here.”
Salgado-Cervantes describes
how it was a struggle to even
lift Delaney’s arms for simple
tasks like bathing and dress-
ing him. But determined
parents and weekly sessions
with the occupational and
physical therapists at the
MTU have Delaney walking
and even riding a bike.
“At first it was real hard to
see him struggle and cry, but
his first therapist here put in
so much effort and I saw how
much she worked with him
and pushed him,” said Salga-
do-Cervantes. “He would fall
on his face and she would say,
‘no, you can do it,’ and now
he’s really confident and nev-
er afraid of falling down.
“If he does, he gets right back
up. They have taught him to
never give up and he’s always
confident he can do anything.”
Sharon Kunugi is one of the
therapists that works with Del-
aney. She works on his fine mo-
tor skills and has been his oc-
cupational therapist from the
beginning. “He came in as this
little guy,” she said. And now?
“He has a lot of spunk and is
motivated. He’s just a go-getter
and always up for a challenge.”
Kunugi spends time work-
ing with Delaney on tasks such
as matching shapes, connect-
ing items and playing with
Theraputty to increase finger
strength and other motor skills Michelle Aquino, left, a physical therapist with the San Diego County
See therapy on 9
September 25 - October 1, 2010
Insurance
agents key
to website’s
success
By Janet Trautwein
Federal officials recently un-
veiled a key component of the
health reform package — a new
website called HealthCare.gov.
The site aims to be a one-
stop shop for health care
information, briefing Ameri-
cans on the insurance options
available to them — as well
as the new law’s benefits. But
it won't meet that goal unless
it guarantees consumers ac-
cess to licensed health insur-
ance agents and brokers.
A mind-boggling amount
of information is available on
the website, including details
on government-sponsored
programs and plans from over
a thousand private insurers.
Unfortunately, the gov-
ernment isn’t helping con-
sumers make sense of all
that new information.
That’s where professional
health insurance agents and
brokers come in.
The insurance marketplace
has grown incredibly complicat-
ed, and the new law will only
add to the confusion. Agents
and brokers can help people
navigate the dizzying array of
options and find the health plan
that suits their needs.
Photo: Courtesy photo Some agents even function
as virtual human resources
Health and Human Services Agency’s California Children Services, departments for small busi-
works on a coordination exercise with 4-year-old Delaney Cervantes. nesses. As the Congressional
Budget Office put it, agents
and brokers often “handle
the responsibilities that larg-
er firms generally delegate
to their human resources de-
partments — such as finding
plans and negotiating premi-
ums, providing information
about the selected plans, and
processing enrollees.”
The individuals and busi-
nesses that rely on agents are
overwhelmingly happy with the
service they receive. A survey
commissioned by IBM found
that three-quarters of those in-
terviewed were very satisfied
with their agents’ work.
Another survey, conduct-
ed by Assurant Health, found
that 64 percent of consum-
ers who purchased individu-
al medical insurance through
a professional agent found
their experiences “helpful.”
Some argue that the gov-
ernment could provide these
services more effectively and
at lower cost. But the federal
government has a poor track
record in this regard.
See agents on 9
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 9

agents
Continued from p­­­­­age 8
Consider the federal
1-800-MEDICARE call center.
A Senate investigation found that
consumers waited up to an hour
to speak with someone. Customer
service representatives spoke from
scripts littered with errors and jar-
gon. Worst of all, callers often re-
ceived incorrect information.
Consumers deserve the best
information available when
shopping for something as im-
portant as health insurance. The
government’s new web portal
can certainly help in that effort.
But this new initiative will be in-
complete without including ac-
cess to licensed insurance agents
and brokers — the very experts
who can help Americans make
sense of an ever-more complicat-
ed insurance marketplace.
J a n e t Tr a u t w e i n i s C E O
of the National Association of
Health Underwriters.
hair loss
Continued from p­­­­­age 8
having too much vitamin A, or
not getting enough protein can
cause hair to fall out. Dramatic
shedding of hair known as telo-
gen effluvium can be caused by
illness or stress. In men, hair
loss not due to male-pattern
baldness often reverses itself.
Work to keep the hair you have
Preventing hair loss is eas-
ier than replacing it once it's
gone. If you want to find some-
thing that will work for you, do
your homework. But be care-
ful. Most miracle products and
treatments are shams. When
in doubt, your doctor or a der-
matologist may be able to help.
Hair loss medication: Minoxidil
Although there's no way to
cure male-pattern baldness,
you can slow it down with
some medications. Minoxidil
is an FDA-approved over-the-
counter medication you apply
to your scalp. It slows the rate
of hair loss in men, and some
men even grow new hair. But
once you stop using it, hair
loss returns.
Male-pattern baldness:
What to expect
A tell-tale sign of male-pat-
tern baldness is a receding, M-
shaped hairline. Next, the hair
on top of your head also starts
to thin, leaving a bald spot.
Eventually, the two meet, leav-
ing a horseshoe pattern of hair
around the sides. The Norwood
Scale, seen here, is used to rate
male-pattern baldness.
Male-pattern baldness:
Blame hormones
With male-pattern baldness,
a hormone called DHT causes
hair follicles to shrink. Eventu-
ally, the follicles shrink so much
that no hair can grow in them.
Hair loss medication:
Finasteride
Taken as a prescription pill,
finasteride slows hair loss by
slowing down the body's pro-
duction of DHT. Some men
have been able to grow new
hair while using it. In gener-
al, it's considered to work bet-
ter than minoxidil. Pregnant
women should not handle the
drug since it can cause birth
defects in male fetuses. Like
minoxidil, it works only as
long as it's used.
Should you wear a hairpiece?
Hairpieces have come a
long way in how they look.
Finding the right one, though,
takes time and study. There's
a wide range in cost and qual-
ity. And hairpieces require
regular maintenance which
can run between $60 and
$300 per month. When
shopping, look to match
your own hair color, thick-
ness, and curl.
What happens with
a hair transplant
A doctor will move
healthy hair from the back
and side of your head to the
top to restore a natural look.
Hair transplants can be cost-
ly and you may have to
have several procedures. Af-
ter two months, most of the
transplanted hair is shed, but
new hair grows back. Within
six months the hair starts to
look normal.
Make the most of
the hair you have
There are some styling
tricks you can use to make
your hair loss less noticeable.
Cutting thinning hair short
lets you avoid obvious comb-
overs. Hair care and styling
products may add volume to
your hair. Eating a balanced
diet and handling your hair
gently will also help.
Accentuate the positive
Hair does not make the man.
Remind yourself of all you have
to offer others. Or take care of
things you can control, such
as staying in shape. It's OK
to look to others for support.
If you need a boost, think of
bald men (or those who shaved
their heads) like Ed Harris,
Patrick Stewart, and Michael
Jordan, who ooze confidence.
Then consider yourself in good
company. (webmd.com)

Salgado-Cervantes. “I was real

therapy
Continued from p­­­­­age 8
– the necessary skills that will
help Delaney in every day func-
tions such as dressing himself
and opening doors and drawers.
“ H e ’s m a d e l o t s o f p r o g -
ress with using his hands and
grasping,” said Salgado-Cer-
vantes, noting that Delaney
gets out his shoes and socks
and helps get himself dressed
now. “People will ask which
side the paralysis is on be-
cause they can’t tell anymore.
That’s just awesome.”
Michelle Aquino is the
physical therapist working
with Delaney. Her task is to
improve his mobility and abil-
ity to get around on his own.
She spends her time with Del-
aney having him walk on a se-
ries of buckets, climb stairs
and Delaney’s latest accom-
plishment – riding a bike.
“He rode a bike for the first
time (at the MTU’s recent
adapted summer camp),” said
impressed and now he’s been
asking me for a bicycle.”
The skills Aquino is work-
ing with Delaney on have al-
lowed him to do such things
as ride the school bus to pre-
school and play on the play-
ground with other children,
according to his mother. He
just finished his first year of
inclusion preschool and was
promoted to year two.
“Being in this program has
been a big help,” said Salgado-
Cervantes. “I would recommend
it to any parent. They should
talk to somebody here and they
will be able to help you.
“I feel so fortunate,” she con-
tinued. “It’s a real comfort to
us to know someone else cares
about us and knows what we
are going through.”
California Children Servic-
es (CCS) is a statewide pro-
gram that provides treatment
for children with certain phys-
ical limitations and chronic
health conditions or diseases.
10 THE FILIPINO PRESS
AURORA SORIANO-CUDAL
My Personal
Testimony
Praying in
times of illness
I
picked up a book that I
found lying on the table of
disposal things at the re-
ception room of the Congre-
gational Tower. I was attract-
ed by the title, “In Times of
Illness”. I thumbed through
it and found words of com-
fort and prayers of hope and
strength. The author, Rob-
ert M. Hamma, organized the
content of the book in such a
way that the reader can focus
on particular feelings that we
often experience when we are
sick or in pain.
Here are some of the in-
sights I gained from reading
this book.
Times of illness challenge
us on many levels. We often
feel physically, psychologically
and spiritually drained. Under
such circumstances, prayer
can be especially difficult. It is
hard to focus our minds when
we are sick and words elude
us. Lack of sleep added to the
side effect of medications may
make us drowsy and the pains
in our bodies are a constant
distraction. A host of conflict-
Chapel of Roses
Nature Garden
ing emotions boil up within
us: fear, frustration, regret,
cannot be simply ignored or
pushed below the surface. On
a spiritual level, the feeling
of comfort or the assurance of
faith that we seek may seem
like just a faint memory.
No matter what hurt, what harm, what sin you
may have committed, the desire for peace of
heart is the beginning of God’s work in you.
At times like this it is help-
ful to remember two things:
The first is that the desire
to pray is itself a prayer. We
would not long for God, we
would not want to pray, if God
had not already put that de-
sire in our hearts. No matter
how weak or infrequent that
desire may be, it is a grace of
the Spirit. No matter if you
have not prayed in years and
feel guilty about turning to
God now that things are fall-
ing apart, the recognition
Glen Abbey Memorial
Park & Mortuary
619-498-4600
that you need God is itself an
invitation from God to come
home. No matter what hurt,
what harm, what sin you may
have committed, the desire
for peace of heart is the be-
ginning of God’s work in you.
The second thing to remem-
ber is summed up in this tra-
ditional bit of wisdom: Pray as
you can, not as you can’t. There
is no right or wrong way to
pray. Our prayer may last but
a second, or we may toss and
turn through the night calling
out to God with every breath.
Structure may be helpful to
some, while others will want to
make it up as they go along.
Both the desire to pray and
our feeble attempts at prayer
are the work of the Holy Spir-
it within us. As St. Paul said in
the Letter to the Romans: “The
Spirit helps us in our weak-
ness, for we do not know how to
pray as we ought, but that ev-
ery Spirit intercedes with sighs
too deep for words.” Sometimes
the very best prayers are the
simplest. Did not Jesus hear
the prayers of these people in
the gospels who called out to
him: “Lord, that I may see.”
“Lord, that I may hear.” “Lord,
that I may walk.” “If you will,
you can heal me.”
The best way, indeed the
only way to pray is from our
hearts. If we do that, any
prayer we make is a true and
genuine prayer of faith.
DANNY HERNAEZ
From Whom All
Blessings Flow
Look at HIM!
“F
or whoever exalts him-
self will be humbled,
and whoever humbles
himself will be exalted.” (Mat-
thew 23:12)
I love Stacie Orrico's song “Don't
Look at me.” She sings, “Don't look
at me if you're looking for perfec-
tion. Don't look at me, I will only
let you down.  I'll do my best to
point you in the right direction.  The leaders were busy bark-
Don't look at me, look at Him.”
These lyrics remind me of a
resounding theme I noticed re-
cently in Mark 15:9-10, Matthew
23:1-39 and Luke 18:9-14: lead-
ers who shined the spotlight on
themselves. They had no inter-
est in making Jesus the main at-
traction. God pulled a few lessons
out of each passage for me to do
the mirror test on my heart. The
problem that tripped up the lead-
ers in Jesus' day might look fa-
miliar to you and me:
Lesson #1 - Envy
The chief priests were burn-
ing with envy over the popular-
ity of Jesus. He had only been on
the scene for three years, yet the
marketplace was always buzzing
with the latest Jesus story!  Per-
haps the chief priests wondered,
“Why is HE the center of atten-
tion? What makes HIM the au-
thority figure?” Envy is a poison
we may not even recognize. We
September 25 - October 1, 2010
give it a nicer title like “keeping
up with the Jones” or “climbing
the corporate ladder,” but being
upset with someone else's success
is a bone-rotting toxin. Proverbs
14:30 confirms it saying, “A heart
at peace gives life to the body, but
envy rots the bones” (NIV).
Lesson #2 - Practice
what you preach
ing legalistic orders to others, but
didn't apply the rigid rules to their
own lives.  Legalism is a strict ad-
herence to the law and rules, and
usually packs a punch of guilt if
the regulations aren't followed to
the letter. James 1:22 says, “Do
not merely listen to the word, and
so deceive yourselves. Do what it
says” (NIV). The leaders of Jesus'
day had great amounts of scrip-
ture memorized, but did not live
it out.  They focused on the rules
and making others follow them,
rather than on pleasing God. If we
are focusing on keeping rules and
rituals, instead of building a rela-
tionship with Jesus, we too are
missing the point.  Maybe shift-
ing our angle is in order.  Look
up. Let Bible study move us past
just reciting scripture to allow-
ing its life-giving Spirit to pene-
trate our actions.
Lesson #3 - All for show
Dressing up and looking good
made the Pharisees believe
their own press. They seem-
ingly had it all together. Do we
act that way too?  When asked,
“How are you?” Do we put on a
happy face and respond, “Fine,”
when in fact, all is not fine?  Do
we fear what people will think
or how they will react if they
know we messed up again? It's
easy to think, “My issues are
nobody's business.” Truth is,
they are God's business because
you belong to Him.
Lesson #4 - Clean the inside
“Woe to you,” Jesus repeat-
ed over and over to the Phari-
sees throughout Matthew 23.
The junk that was brewing inside
their hearts didn't resemble the
righteous life they claimed to live.
Everyone sees our pretty
outside attire, but God knows
what's going on beneath the
surface. When He cleans house,
He starts on the inside. What's
lurking in your dark corners?  If
self indulgence, self-reliance, or
self-centeredness has camped
out in your heart, let the house-
cleaning begin! Soon your outer
beauty will radiate your new in-
ner beauty.
This mirror test revealed
some junk in my life. What did
you see in your reflection? A
prideful heart, or a passion for
Christ? Are you wanting others
to look at you, rather than God?
Psalm 10:4 says, “In his pride the
wicked does not seek him; in all
his thoughts there is no room for
God.” Pride is a venom. Making
room for God takes deliberate ac-
tion.  As the song says, “Don't
look at me, look at Him.”
Dear Lord, pride can camp
out so easily in our hearts. Will
you clean us from the inside out
and let us reflect You? In Jesus'
Name, Amen.
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 11

fest
Get Results
The term “Bayanihan” orig-
Continued from p­­­­­age 1 City declares Oct. 2 FilAmFest Day inated in the Philippines and
refers to a community work- The

learn how to make parols and
write their name in Alibata
(hosted by AF3IRM/GABRIE-
LA Network San Diego) and
a children’s area featuring
carnival games and prizes
hosted by Gawad Kalinga.
The Kabataang maka-Bay-
an (KmB/Pro-People Youth)
is hosting the senior program
with bingo, a dancing area, a
videographer (who will be inter-
viewing and documenting peo-
ple’s stories) and a photo booth.
Also on the grounds will be
a health and wellness program
hosted by Operation Samah-
an. There will be information
booths and testing areas that
will address health issues in
the community.
In an effort to increase
awareness of higher education
and positive well-being with-
in the Filipino-American com-
munity, FilAmFest is awarding
selected scholarship applicants
$500. Students can still apply
online at www.FilAmFest.org.
There will also be booths
from area schools to assist pro-
On Tuesday, Sept. 28, San Diego City Councilmember Tony ing together to achieve a com-
Young will present a special resolution declaring Saturday, mon goal. It is reminiscent of
Oct. 2, FilAmFest Day during the council's regular session. people in the community car- A free weekly publication that
Festival Director, J.R. Melchor said it is important to re- rying a bahay kubo, or nipa serves the 150,000 plus Filipino-
ceive a proclamation to recognize FilAmFest Day because, hut, from one place to anoth- Americans of San Diego County.
“our community has earned and deserves this recognition. er. In essence, the task cannot Call (619) 477-0940
“It acknowledges all the hard work that the FilAmFest be done single handedly. or check us on-line
Organizing Committee members and its many partners FilAmFest embraces the filipinopress.com
have tirelessly contributed over the year,” Melchor added. Bayanihan spirit with its
“The recognition helps to make the unprecedented ac- four goals: to foster a sense
complishment of gathering so many members of the Filipino of community and enhance
community and their friends and family in ‘Celebrating the pride in the Filipino cultural
Bayanihan Spirit,’ ” he said. heritage; to build inter-gener-
ational collaboration and cul-
tural understanding among
spective students with any in- Performing Arts Company, a children, youth, adults and
formation they need. martial arts exhibit by Doce seniors; to promote effective
The art program will be Pares San Diego, SAMAHAN networking among individu-
hosted this year by Thumb- Filipino-American Perform- als and various groups rep-
print Gallery. Artists will ex- ing Arts, an education center resenting businesses, civic
hibit work ranging from digi- and more. organizations, local govern-
tal prints, photography, acrylic There will also be a desig- ment, educational institu-
and spray paint. Some of the nated area in the cultural tent tions and public agencies;
artwork displayed will reflect that showcases Filipino he- and to revitalize the Paradise
the festival’s “Celebrating the roes, Filipino-American his- Hills community as a place to
Bayanihan Spirit” theme. tory, political issues, games, raise families, operate busi-
The cultural program, comics and a photo booth. nesses and collaborate with
spearheaded by the Kuya Ate The purpose of the cultural diverse peoples, groups and
Mentorship Program, will tent is to educate festivalgo- institutions.
feature workshops hosted ers on the beauty of Filipino For more information visit
by the PASACAT Philippine art and culture. www.FilAmFest.org.

vera cruz “Why don't we know

Continued from p­­­­­age 1
Sadly, it’s a chapter in U.S.
history in which the role of
the Pinoy has largely been
downplayed.
When people hear of the
Great Grape Strike of 1965,
they hear the na me Cesar
Chavez, the revered Mexican-
American labor leader.
F e w h a v e h e a r d o f Ve r a
Cruz, Velasco and Itliong, the
manongs, the Pinoy farm work-
ers who, after years of oppres-
sion, took a stand against exploi-
tation — and who inspired their
Mexican counterparts to rise
against an unjust labor system.
A new documentary, “Del-
ano Manongs: Forgotten He-
roes of the UFW,” by Fil-Am
filmmaker Marissa Aroy ex-
plores this chapter in Ameri-
can history.
“Why don’t we know about
the Filipino strikers?” she
asks in the trailer for the
documentary.
“Why are their contribu-
tions not heralded in the histo-
ry books or passed down from
generation to generation? And
why hasn’t anybody heard of
Larry Itliong, the UFW’s sec-
about the Filipino
strikers?
Why are their
contributions not
heralded in the history
books or passed down."
ond-in-command during the
most powerful era in farm la-
bor organizing?”
When Chavez died in 1993,
he was honored as a hero of
the farm workers and civ-
il-rights movement. He de-
served the honor, and his sto-
ry surely should be known by
all Americans.
When Vera Cruz died the
following year, his passing was
largely ignored. And he cer-
tainly did not deserve that.
Thanks to Vera Cruz and oth-
er Filipino farm workers, farm
workers emerged as a major
political force in the 1960s.
Phillip Vera Cruz himself
epitomized the Filipino as a
warrior for justice.
His sense of justice and de-
mocracy was deep and broad.
So much so that it led him to
break with Cesar Chavez,
who turned out to be a bril-
liant but flawed leader.
This is the part of the story
where the dictator comes in.
While Chavez clearly saw
the injustice suffered by U.S.
farm workers in the 1960s,
he apparently did not under-
stand and appreciate the in-
justice endured by Filipinos in
general in the 1970s.
In 1977, Chavez did some-
thing that stunned many Filipi-
nos in America, including Vera
Cruz: Chavez visited Manila as
a guest of Ferdinand Marcos.
And that’s not all.
At a time when Filipinos
were being jailed and tortured
and brutalized, Chavez public-
ly praised the Filipino dictator.
In his memoir, Vera Cruz
said, “What Cesar did there
in the Philippines is the sad-
dest day in the history of the
farm workers movement in this
country. It was a disgrace.”
In a 1993 profile in Filipinas
magazine, he recalled: “We in
the union believed in the gener-
al principle of freedom. Cesar’s
trip to a dictatorship was in di-
rect contradiction to those prin-
ciples we stood for.”
Disgusted and disillusioned,
Vera Cruz later left the UFW,
though he remained a steadfast
advocate of farm-worker rights.
The real reasons for
Chavez’s decision to embrace
Marcos have remained un-
clear. But the incident under-
scored Vera Cruz’s greatness
as a selfless, unflinching advo-
cate for the oppressed.
He saw farm workers — Fil-
ipinos, Latinos, and other eth-
nicities — being exploited in
the fields of California and oth-
er states, and joined them in
fighting for justice.
And he saw the people of
the homeland they left behind
being bullied and abused by
a dictator, and took a stand
with them in their struggle to
be free. (Inquirer.net)
12 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Old Classics & Broadway Hits
Concert on tap for Oct. 2
Rosegold International Inc. school's operetta program un-
and its affiliated companies der the direction of Professor
present Old Classics & Broad- Elena Reyes.
way Hits Concert. The con- Rosa enrolled in the school
cert, held in honor of all Filipi- of Science in Education at
no-American professionals and Far Eastern University for
businessmen, will be held Sat- her Bachelor’s and continued
urday, Oct.2 at 7:00 p.m. It will her education at Centro Esco-
take place at the Scottish Rite lar University in Manila. She
Concert Hall located at 1895 took advance courses in music
Camino Del Rio South, San Di- at the Manila Conservatory of
ego. Music and exclusive studies at
The concert features Profes- University of Sto. Thomas, Ma-
sor Terri B. Dela Rosa. nila where she later became
Rosa started her musical one of the Music Directors. At
career at the age of 7 and has the same time she still con-
played both classical and con- tinued studies in Piano under
temporary music for the last 60 the German-Filipino Professor
years. Marcelino Carluen. She held a
Born in 1938 in the Philip- piano concert at PHIL-AM Au-
pines, her parents are Profe- ditorium in Manila and was in-
sor Clemente Contrerars Basa vited many times at different
and Ricarda Lucero Encarna- secular organizations such as
cion from Cavite City and Pan- the Kiwanis Club, Lions Club
amitan Kawit, Cavite. They International, Doctor's Associ-
were teachers at Malate Catho- ation Meetings and Programs
lic School and under their guid- and also at the Inauguration of
ance, Rosa’s natural gift in mu- the Philipine Heart Center by
sic flourished. the wife of the late President
She attended Pedro Guevar- Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda.
ra Elementary School and Jose Rosa continued her studies
Abad Santos Binondo Manila in the U.S. attending different
High School where she was seminars and training in music
chosen as the pianist of the and composition in New Jer-
New community organization
offers Filipino language classes
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A
group of community volunteers
have formed a new Filipino
Advertise
language organization called
Mag-Filipino Tayo (Let’s Speak
Filipino).
with us
The organization, operat-
ing as a non profit California
public benefit corporation, will
be focusing on promoting the
GET RESULTS learning and use of the Fili-
pino language for individuals
at all levels who do not nec-
(619) 477-0940 essarily have access to public
schools where it may already
or visit us be taught.
The organization will target
Filipino-Americans who were
online born or raised here who either
want to learn the language,
filipinopress. or just want to improve their
skills, but have few or no op-
com portunities to learn or improve.
Vince Bumanglag, one of the
organizers, is a business own-
The
er who wants to learn the lan-
guage so he can relate better
with his Filipino customers.
“I was born in the Philip-
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Rose Gold
sey and Virginia State. Aside
from singing, Rosa is also an
arranger and composer of both
contemporary and gospel mu-
sic. She has been a very pop-
ular figure and judge in many
choral competitions. She also
taught many piano students
in her spare time showing both
kids and adults how to express
themselves through music.
"Don't play, sing" is her man-
tra. She means that metaphor-
ically. Her passion for what she
does really plays into that.
pines, but did not grow up
speaking Filipino,” he said.
“This school definitely fills a
need.”
However, Mag-Filipino Tayo
is not just for beginners. It is
also for those who already un-
derstand the language or can
actually converse in the lan-
guage, such as intermediate or
“heritage” speakers.
Genevieve Esmende, one of
the volunteer organizers, is one
example.
“I understand fluently be-
cause my parents spoke to me,”
she said. “But I did not always
reply back in Filipino because,
unfortunately, I was not confi-
dent enough. An organization
like this would help me gain
more confidence.”
The organization has al-
ready organized Filipino mix-
ers, where people at all levels
have showed up at a restau-
rant to practice the language
in an informal setting. So far,
the mixers have been popular,
12:02 PM Page 1
www.coverall.com
The development of her
unique style is the result of a
lifetime of musical influence.
Growing up in a talented mu-
sical family meant that Rosa
was always surrounded by dif-
ferent forms of music. Her fa-
ther was a classically trained
violinist, his brother a jazz pia-
nist with various bands. Rosa
was exposed to a wealth of mu-
sic as a child, all of which influ-
enced her development.
Rosa is a member of the
Music Teacher Association of
Northern Virginia, USA, Cal-
ifornia Association of Profes-
sional Music Teachers and
"ASCAP"-American Songwrit-
ers Composers Authors and
Publishers.
In addition to Rosa, the con-
cert will also feature guest art-
ists Tenors Adolfo and Luigi
Luevano, Linda Jabling (So-
prano) and Erano Resty Yong-
co (Tenor). The affair will also
be graced by prominent per-
sonalities and government of-
ficials.
Tickets are $25 or VIP for
$35. For tickets, call (619) 410-
7146, (619) 381-3795 or (619)
405-2550.
with attendees participating
in fun exercises in a positive
setting. The next mixer will
held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday,
September 30, 2010 at Quiz-
no’s, 5252 Balboa Ave.
The organization’s first
six-week classes, twice each
week, will begin on Oct. 5,
from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays
and Thursdays. The 18-hour
“crash course” is designed for
adults in learning common
phrases used in different re-
al-life situations relating
to the culture and tradition
for everyday conversation.
The cost is $99, but some fi-
nancial assistance has been
made available by anony-
mous donors.
For more information and
registration, please contact
Dr. Juanita Santos Nacu at
(858) 335-5024 or e-mail at
drjsnacu@att.net or Vicente
Bumanglag at (760) 224-4635
or e-mail at vbumanglag@aol.
com.
SDG&E introduces new bill design
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San
Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
customers will receive new
bills that are designed to be
easier to read and understand.
“Our goal with this rede-
sign effort is to help our cus-
tomers better understand the
charges on their SDG&E bill,
so they can more effectively
manage their energy usage on
a monthly basis,” said Caroline
A. Winn, vice president of cus-
tomer services for SDG&E.
The re-designed bills were de-
veloped based on input from a
broad range of stakeholders, in-
cluding SDG&E customers, the
California Public Utilities Com-
mission's Consumer Services
and Information Division and
the Division of Ratepayer Advo-
cates, as well as consumer advo-
cacy groups, such as Disability
Rights Advocates and the Utility
Consumers' Action Network.
The new SDG&E bill de-
sign includes a number of
enhancements:
September 25 - October 1, 2010
GET LISTED: To have your event listed in Save the Date, e-mail your
information (include date, time, location, cost, and phone) to filpress@
aol.com. Keep in mind we publish on Saturdays, so ensure your event
happens on the day of publication or during the following week.
September 26
21st Annual AIDS Walk San Diego
San Diego County’s largest one-day HIV/AIDS fundraiser will take place on
Sunday, Sept. 26 at Balboa Park.
The 21st annual event will raise funds for more than 20 San Diego County
HIV/AIDS service organizations.
AIDS Walk San Diego is a program of The San Diego LGBT Community Cen-
ter. More information is available by calling (619) 291-WALK.
September 26
Changemaker Festival
The Changemaker Festival at El Prado Patios will take place Sunday,
September 26 at Balboa Park from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
The event is organized by the Foundation for Change. It will feature
music by Super Sonic Samba School and a "Farmers' Market" style
feast by Coronado Catering. Individual tickets are $35 or $60 for a pair.
September 26
CFAC Candidate's Debate Forum for chula vista
The Concern Filipino American Club (CFAC) Candidate's Debate Forum for
Chula Vista City Council will take place on September 26, 2010, Sunday
at 12:00 p.m. at Point Point Joint Restaurant in 916 E. 8th Street, Unit 1-2,
National City, CA 91950. Lunch $7 and up.
Chula Vista City Council Candidates: Larry Breitfelder (attending) and Pat
Aguilar (pending). For more information contact MarissaAcierto.CFAC@
gmail.com or (619) 549-0014.
September 30
Candidates' Forum for the City Council
of National City
The Candidates' Forum for the City Council of National City will be held
on Thursday, Sept. 30 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall, First
United Methodist Church, 242 E. 8th Street, National City, CA.
The event is free and open to the public.
OCTOBER 2 & 3
The annual Mater Dei Bazaar & Carnival
The annual Mater Dei Bazaar & Carnival will be held on October 2 and 3
from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It will be held at the Mater Die Catholic Parish
located at 1571 Magdalena Ave., Chula Vista.
The event will include carnival rides, Spam Musubi, Plate Lunch, Ha-
waiian food, Mexican food, Filipino food, pizza, popcorn, cotton candy,
pies, shave ice, halo halo. It will also feature entertainment, including
3-4 local hula halaus, St. Augustine High School Band, Mater Dei Steel
Drum Band, Mater Dei Island Crew Band, karaoke contest and more.
Admission is free.
October 17
Tribute for Walter Pennington
A “Tribute for Walter Pennington" will be held on Sunday, October 17,
2010 at 3:00 p.m. It will be held at Southwest Lodge Masonic Center 1040
B Ave. National City, CA 91950 (on the corner of B Ave. and 12th Street.
A potluck will be held with a requested $10.00 donation, which will be
given to Walter’s widow.
The tribute will include performances from the following bands: Time-
piece (Walter’s last group), Bits and Pieces, Robins, Rubbersound, Imperi-
als, BeatJacks, Mindinterprotation and others.
November 6
Early San Diego Regional History Conference
The Early San Diego Regional History Conference will take place on Sat-
urday, November 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Old Town Cultural and
Historical Program Campus, 3939 Conde Street, San Diego. CA 92110.
The event is brought to you by the Early San Diego Regional History
Collaborative, the SDUSD Old Town Program, and local historical parks.
Come discover San Diego’s lost history & local gems. This year’s confer-
ence theme is El Pueblo Perdido: The Lost Heritage of Early San Diego,
Focusing on 1769-1848 and beyond.
For more information call Angela at (619) 423-7248 or email Karla at
kshiminski@sandi.net.
• Improved appearance
and larger paper size for
To help smooth the transition
to the new format, SDG&E is in-
reading ease; cluding new reference fact sheets
• Easier-to-find account in- in this month’s bill for residential
formation, including account and business customers. More
number, bill amount, payment information is available at www.
due date, and receipt of previ- sdge.com/yourbill. Additional-
ous month’s payment; ly, residential customers can call
• Enhanced graphics for SDG&E at (800) 411-7343 and
easy comparison of energy us- business customers can call (800)
age for a 13-month period; 336-7343 with any questions
• More prominent con- about the new bill.
tact information for SDG&E; SDG&E is a regulated pub-
• A clearer and more de - lic utility that provides safe
tailed breakdown of charges;
• And, new front-page mes-
and reliable energy service to
3.4 million consumers through
sage section highlighting key 1.4 million electric meters and
billing details and information. more than 840,000 natural
Bills will continue to be gas meters in San Diego and
printed on recycled paper stock southern Orange counties. 
and billing envelopes are made The utility’s area spans 4,100
with recycled paper. The new square miles. SDG&E is com-
bills will not affect customers' mitted to creating ways to help
current billing cycle, payment our customers save energy and
due date or rates. money every day.  SDG&E is a
Customers enrolled in pa- subsidiary of Sempra Energy
perless billing also will see (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500
the new bill design online, energy services holding com-
starting today. pany based in San Diego.
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 13

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14 THE FILIPINO PRESS
11th San Diego Asian Film Festival features four Filipino films
T
he San Diego Asian Film
Festival (SDAFF) is
launching its 11th season,
which runs Oct. 21-28 at the
Mission Valley UltraStar Cine-
mas. As one of the largest film
exhibitions of its kind in North
America, the SDAFF kicks off a
brand new decade and 11th fes-
tival with more than 140 films
from 20 countries, including
Cambodia, China, Hong Kong,
Japan, India, Ireland, Iran, Kyr-
gyzstan, Mexico, North Ko-
rea, Pakistan, Philippines, Sin-
gapore, South Korea, Taiwan,
Thailand, Vietnam and the U.S.
This season, in particular, the
festival will be showcasing some
extraordinary Filipino cinema:
• “If I Knew What You Said”
— A love story between a deaf
boy who loves to dance and a re-
bellious rocker girl.
• “Manila Skies” — Inspired
by a true story, a lone, deranged
hijacker struggles to survive in
modern Philippine society.
• “Ninoy Auqino and the Rise
of People Power” — A documen-
tary about Benigno Aquino, who
fought to free the Philippines
from a martial-law dictatorship,
co-presented by The Filipi-
no Press.
• “The Mountain Thief” —
Set in a Filipino “dump town,”
a single father is wrongfully ac-
cused of murder.
More than 100 filmmakers
and actors are scheduled to at-
tend including John Cho (“Har-
old and Kumar,” “Star Trek”),
Aaron Yoo (“21,” “The Wack-
ness”), Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost”),
Justin Lin (director, “Fast and
the Furious”), Justin Chon
(“Twilight”), Danny Pudi (“Com-
munity”), Ellen Wong (“Scott
Pilgrim vs. The World”) and
Harry Shum Jr. (“Glee,” “League
of xtraordinary Dancers”). The
festival will also honor the Co-
alition of Asian Pacifics in En-
tertainment.
The festival is book-ended by
the opening night film on Thurs-
day, Oct. 21, with the U.S. pre-
miere of “Legend of the Fist,” an
epic Chinese martial arts film
starring Donnie Yen, and the
closing night film on Thursday,
Oct. 28, with Taiwanese crowd-
pleaser, “Au Revoir Taipei.”
Other highlights include:
• Spotlights on trans-racial
adoption (four feature films)
with most directors in atten-
dance for a question-and-answer
session.
• “Free Films at Four,” every
weekday at 4 p.m. films are free
to the public.
• All 14 short film programs
will be presented in high defini-
tion for the first time.
• Special events each night,
including the Gala Awards Din-
Filipino films
spice festival
In "If I Knew What You Said," a rebellious rocker
girl dabbles in romance with a deaf boy who
loves to dance. The movie is one of four films
featured during the upcoing San Diego Asian
Film Festival.
A scene from "Ninoy Aquino and the Rise of People Power." The documentary
traces Benigno Aquino's fight to free the Philippines from a martial-law dicta-
torship in the Marcos era.
Set in a Filipino "dump town," a single
father is wrongly accused of murder in
"The Mountain Thief."
ner on Oct .23, live music show-
case and a panel celebrating the
art of dance in films and music
videos.
“We are especially grateful to
our top sponsors – Toyota, our
Official Car Sponsor, Barona
and Wells Fargo — for support-
ing our vision. Thanks to the
generous support of many cor-
Inspired by a true story, "Manila Skies" focuses on a lone, deranged hijacker
porate partners, we are able to
struggling to survive in modern Philippine society.
present a high quality, mean-
ingful festival experience,” said
SDAFF Executive Director Lee
Ann Kim.
Since the festival ends less
than a week before the gener-
al election, the SDAFF is also
promoting civic responsibili-
ty and democratic participa-
tion through a campaign called
“Reel in the Vote,” showcasing
public service announcements
that were created by artists to
encourage Asian-Americans to
vote.
Discounted tickets are avail-
able online until Oct. 17. Tick-
ets can be purchased at the Haz-
ard Center UltraStar box office
beginning on Oct. 19. For ticket-
ing info, film details and sched-
ule, visit the festival website at
www.SDAFF.org.
Mission Valley UltraStar Cin-
emas is located at 7510 Hazard
Center Drive.
September 25 - October 1, 2010
GET LISTED: To have your concert, club or event listed in What's
Happening, e-mail your information (include date, time, location,
cost, and phone) to filpress@aol.com. Keep in mind we publish on
Saturdays, so ensure your event happens on the day of publication
or during the following week.
The Greatest Hitmakers perform Sept. 26 at Pala Casino.
IN CONCERT
THE GREATEST HITMAKERS
Rico J. Puno • Marco Sison
Rey Valera • Nonoy Zuniga
When: 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 26
Where: Pala Casino
Tickets: $38-$98.
Online: www.usasiamediacenter.
com.
Phone: 1-888-874-1719. Tickets
also available at Pala Casino.
ANG GANDA DIVA?
Lani Misalucha and Vice Ganda
When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 16
Courtesy photos Where: Pala Casino
Tickets: $48-$98.
Julius Obregon
Online: www.starmediaentertain-
ment.com. KARAOKE
Phone: 1-818-549-1456.
18TH ANNUAL FIEST FILIPIANA
Tickets also available at Pala
WIN FREE TICKETS Casino.
MEXICANA
KARAOKE COMPETITION
TO THE KICKOFF
When: Saturday, Oct. 23
RECEPTION THEATER Where: Seafood City, 1420 E.
The festival is hosting its COPLEY SYMPHONY HALL Plaza Blvd., National City,
annual kickoff reception at Bayanihan Philippine National (619) 477-6080
6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. Dance Company
EL JUAN RESTAURANT
29, at Viejas Casino’s Dream- When: 2 p.m.Sunday, Sept. 26
Eric de Leon one-man band
Catcher Theater and want you Where: 750 B St., San Diego
When: 6-9 p.m. Thursdays
to be there. Be the first to get Tickets: $15-$65.
Where: 2316 Highland Ave.,
an exclusive sneak peak at the Online: www.sandiegosympho-
National City, (619) 477-6262
11th season with free food, ny.com.
entertainment and giveaways. Phone: (619) 235-0804. GAPORESTO & KARAOKE
The festival is giving away two Also available at box office. When: 7 p.m.-midnight, Tuesdays
pairs of invitations to this ex- to Sundays
citing party. To enter to win, e-
Bayanihan
mail contests@sdaff.org with
“VIEJAS” in the subject line.
CLUBS Where: 933 S. Harbison Ave.,
CAFE LA MAZE STEAKHOUSE National City, (619) 267-3746
Julius Obregon and Friends JASMINE
Show When: 9 p.m -1 a.m. Wednesdays
When: 7 p.m. Sundays Where: 4609 Convoy St., San
Where: 1441 Highland Ave., Diego, (858) 268-0888
National City, (619) 474-3222
SIZZLER JULIUS OBREGON
LUCKY STAR SHOW ROOM
Wednesdays Filipino Night with When: 7 p.m. Fridays
Eric de Leon Where: 1325 E. Plaza Blvd.,
Thursdays: Moonlight Serenade National City, (619) 477-2590
Orchestra Big Band
Fridays: Ballroom dancing/ SPORTS
Karoke TOP GUN FLAG FOOTBALL
Where: 3893 54th St., San Diego, Register now for five-man, all-
(619) 229-8228 passing flag football leagues in
Chula Vista, Mira Mesa, North
MCDINI'S DINER & EVENTS
County/San Marcos and Santee.
Filipino food every Saturday Evening and weekend leagues
with live Filipino Bands
begin in late September. Inter-
FILIPINO FILMS LINE-UP, SCHEDULE Where: 105 E. 8th St., National league playoffs with neighboring
City, (619) 474-6771 counties. Call toll-free (877) 846-
“If I Knew What You Said”
A love story between a deaf boy who loves to dance and a rebellious TROPHY LOUNGE 3178 or visit TopGunFlagFootball.
rocker girl. Staring Joseph Balan. (Romance/Drama) Rising Star com. Must be 18+ to play. Refer-
When: 8 p.m. Thursdays ees needed.
When: 5:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22, 7:40 p.m., Monday, Oct. 25
Where: 999 National City Blvd.,
“Manila Skies”    National City, (619) 477-9862
Inspired by a true story, a lone deranged hijacker struggles to survive
modern Philippine society. (Drama/Thriller)                                                                       
When: 8:40 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 23 Lani Misalucha and Vice Ganda
star in "Ang Ganda Diva?" at
Pala Casino on Oct. 16
 “The Mountain Thief”
Urban drama about people who climb the mountains of trash.
(Drama)
When: 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 24; 9:35 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 27
“Ninoy Aquino and the Rise of People Power”
Through People Power, Benigno Aquino made nonviolence into a
method for driving out national dictators and strengthening the
cause of democracy. He set off a wave that rippled around the planet.
(Documentary) Co-presented by The Filipino Press.
When: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 26
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Pala Casino presents WCK MuayThai Oct. 2
PALA, Calif. — Ten profes-
sional and amateur Muay Thai
fights will be center stage at
Pala Casino Spa & Resort on
Oct. 2.
Muay Thai, the fastest-
growing, adrenaline-rushing
striking sport, also known as
the art of eight limbs, allows
fighters to utilize hands, el-
bows, knees and shins to bring
the opponent down.
The event is headlined by
the Light Heavyweight Muay
Thai vs. MMA five-round bout
between Denis “The Pirate”
Grachev (Russia by way of San
Diego) and Fernando Gonza-
Best Buffet in Town
Summer Promotions:
Dinner Special $ 9 .99
Mon-Fri. 4pm-9pm only. Not valid
with any other discount offer
Lunch: $ 7 .99 Mon-Fri. 11am-4pm
Dinner $ 11 .49
Sat. Sun, Holiday All day
CATERING • GROUP PARTIES • ALL SPECIAL OCCASIONS $
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Come and visit us also at : 5541 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. , CA 92117*** 6901 Walker St La Palma, Ca 90623
lez (Temecula, Calif.). Grachev,
an IKF (International Kickbox-
ing Federation) World Light
Heavyweight Champion, for-
mer European champion, has a
professional Muay Thai record
of 15 wins, nine of them by way
of knockout, and two losses.
His last memorable fight was
against Joe Schilling of Los An-
geles, which ended in Schilling
being knocked out. Grachev
also holds a perfect boxing re-
cord of eight wins and zero
losses. His opponent, Fernan-
do “The Menifee Maniac” Gon-
zalez is a professional Muay
Thai fighter and a very popu-
542 Broadway • Chula Vista, CA 91910 • Tel: (619) 427-8472
All You Can Eat & Drink
Sushi Bar, Snow Crabs, Garlic Crab, Oysters, Mussels, Crawfish,
Salmon Fish, Cocktail Shrimp, B-B-Q Pork Rib, Korean Beef Rib,
Pork Chop, Roast Beef, Fry Chicken, Fried Rice, Soup, Salad Bar,
Fruits, Ice Cream, Bakery… more.
lar MMA fighter, who’s fought
in King of the Cage and WEC
promotions. His MMA record
stands at 17 wins and eight
losses.
One of the most decorat-
ed fighters, Romie Adanza (7
wins, 2 losses) will defend his
IKKC MuayThai Internation-
al Super Bantamweight title
against Haigang Huang of Chi-
na. Adanza is coming off of a
win against a Brit, Andy How-
son, which brings his record to
seven wins and two losses total.
Adanza will square off with the
National Muay Thai Champion
of China, Haigang Huang, who
– Open 365 Days –
Oriental Buffet
The Finest Asian Gourmet
is also a part of the Chinese
National Muay Thai team. His
pro record comes to 26 wins
and 12 losses.
Luis Bio vs Terris James is
a bout a lot fight fans can get
excited about. Bio, an Ensena-
da, Mexico fighter is coming off
of several consecutive wins. He
is a cool-headed technical fight-
er, who will be met in the ring
by a quick, explosive James, a
former IKKC World Champion
from Albuquerque, New Mexi-
co.
Also on the card is Artem
“The Russian Experiment”
Sharoshkin, who has recently
Lunch Coupon
1
00 Off
Per Adult. Buffet Dine in Only.
Coupon good for up to 1 person.
Not valid with any other offer.
Dinner Coupon
2
$ 00 off
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Coupon good for up to 1 person
Not valid with any other offer.
15
secured an IAMTF US Na-
tional Welterweight Cham-
pionship Title, and who will
debut as a pro in California
against a fighter from Texas
Check us
Van “Tactic” Vo.
All bouts are subject to
out online
change. Fights start at 7:00
p.m. Tickets are priced at at:
$40 and $100 ringside. Tick-
ets are on sale now, with no
service charge, at the Pala
Privileges Center in the casi-
filipinopress.com
no, or call 1-877-WIN PALA
(1-877-946-7252) or (877) The
446-7962.
Fans must be at least 21
years old.
Try Our Famous
Crispy Pata, Sisig, Pancit, Seafood,
BBQ, Pasta and More
Karaoke Filipino breakfast –
served all day
Tuesdays thru Sundays:
7pm - 12pm
Party trays to go
(Free delivery orders of $400 or more)
Closed on Mondays
GAPORESTO & KARAOKE
Serving Filipino and International Cuisine
933 S. Harbison Ave., National City, CA 91950
(619) 267-3746
16 THE FILIPINO PRESS September 25 - October 1, 2010

as part of the American Dream. ter.com, and search "Francine

But saturated fat, empty calories
and empty wallets sound more
like a nightmare. Pack yourself
Francine Maigue a homemade roasted turkey and
sun-dried tomato wrap, easy ca-
prese salad, or good ol' spinach
The Pampered and papaya tinola (hold the rice
to be extra healthy) for you and
Maigue." See you online!
Check back every week for
ways to pamper yourself and
those you love. Why? The an-
swer if simple: You deserve it!
Got a business or event I
should know about? Wish to
agree or disagree with me?

Pinay your loved ones. Any one of those

dishes with a side of extra cash
is easily more appetizing than
Want to send me a love note? (I
love those.) E-mail me at the-
pamperedpinay@yahoo.com.
what you will find on a drive-
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hat would you buy
with an extra $1,000
during the holiday sea-
son? Plane tickets? Toys for the
kids? A family feast? Forget lot-
tery tickets, spare cash can be
found just by tweaking a couple
of your weekly spending habits.
Do your own nails
Not too long ago, gel and acryl-
ic nails were as important of a
month. By Christmas, you
could save $300! Doesn’t your
manicure look better when
there's money in your hand?
Make your own coffee
Think Savebucks instead
of Starbucks, and watch your
wallet thicken up fast. Treat
yourself to a fashionable ther-
mos, and rock the “I'm caffein-
ated, but eco-friendly and bud-
signer handbags later.
Other money-savers
Return that item in your clos-
et that still has the tag on it.
(Just when exactly did you plan
on wearing that?) Drop your un-
used gym membership. (Flabby
PlenTy of TonS of AnD loTS AMAzInG
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The trends have even swayed in
favor of a more accessible man-
icure — the do-it-yourself kind.
Short and sultry in deep jew-
el tones is the way to sport your
nails this season. “But my nail
artist is like my therapist,” you
say? Make a nail date with your
best gal pals and dish while you
paint and pedi. If you must head
to the nail salon, wait it out and
save up for one mani/pedi you
outfit you plan to wear to your
company holiday party?)
$avings: At $5 a day, five
days a week, you could be shell-
ing out $100 a month on your cof-
feehouse habit alone (and that's
a low estimate). Brew yourself a
mug and a pot of $300 by the end
of the year. Now that’s delicious!
Bag your lunch
The drive-thru is fast, famil-
iar — and it’s taking its toll on
gathering dust in someone else’s
home. The list of simple ways of
putting money back into your
pockets goes on and on!
As your friend, I must tell you
that broke is no joke — and it’s
not a good look on anyone. Know-
ing where to save and where to
splurge is always in style. Cut
your spending where you can.
One can do a lot of pampering
with an extra $1,000-plus lat-
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FM1008071_FilipinoNews_2.indd 1 8/31/10 1:49 PM

can spoil yourself with right be-
fore those hot holiday parties.
$avings: On average, wom-
en who get their nails done
regularly spend $50 each sit-
ting. A visit to the salon every
other week adds up to $100 a
your wallet and waistline. That
burger, fries and soda combo you
keep ordering for lunch may be
as comforting as it is convenient,
but this daily habit is one worth
ditching. We’ve been conditioned
to see the land of Happy Meals
er in the year. For now, frugal is
fabulous, my pampered friends.
Wanna keep in touch and
join in on fun weekly chats
with other Pampered Pinay
fans? Simply check out www.
Facebook.com or www.Twit-
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 17

L01_Fishing_BW_F_13x21_outlined.indd 1 New Master SCG Legend 4/5/10 4:18 PM Page 1 7/30/10 5:40 AM
18 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Center for Pop Music
Founder passes away
By Rowena Joy A. Sanchez
MANILA, Philippines —
Butch Albarracin, founder of
performance training school
Center for Pop Music Philip-
pines (CPMP), passed away
Sept. 16 at the Makati Medical
Center due to lung cancer. He
was 64.
Albarracin put up Cen-
Butch Albarracin
Get your scare in Old Town
this Halloween season
Get a good fun fright and a
bit of history with the lineup of
spooky events this Halloween
season at one of the most haunt-
ed areas in San Diego, Old Town
San Diego State Historic Park
and Fiesta de Reyes.
Séance at the Seeley Stable
Old Town San Diego State
Historic Park will be host-
ing “Séance at the Seeley Sta-
ble. Is Anybody There?”. Dur-
ing this performance, audience
members will hear scary, fun-
ny, and tragic stories of people
who once lived in early San Di-
ego during the 1800s. Patrons
will be present at a “séance” led
by Madam Stolichnaya as she
attempts to summon “real live”
ghosts who will tell their sto-
ries in a fun and spooky way.
Performances take place Octo-
ber 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30, and
31 at 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. Adults
are $10 per ticket and children
12 to 18: $5.00. For reservations
visit: www.brownpapertickets/
event/12812 or for more infor-
mation: (619) 220-5422.
ter for Pop in 1984. A number
of its graduates are now certi-
fied stars in their own right in-
cluding Sarah Geronimo, Erik
Santos, Sheryn Regis, Rachelle
Ann Go, Jonalyn Viray, Jimmy
Bondoc, Roselle Nava, Geneva
Cruz, Frenchie Dy, Rhap Sala-
zar and Charice Pempengco.
In a tribute piece posted
on the website of the Philip-
pine Marketing Association, of
which Albarracin was a mem-
ber, he was described to have
run CPMP “with the same
hands-on passion that he gave
to it when he established it 23
years ago.”
More, “he also personal-
ly hired his voice coaches and
handled the training of the cen-
ter’s 200-plus staff by himself.”
In connection to this, he put up
the CPMP Coaches Academy.
From their house’s garage in
Cubao, Quezon City, Center for
Pop went on to expand into 20
branches all over the country as
well as more than 30 extension
classes in numerous schools
particularly in provinces. And
from 30 enrollees, CPMP now
has 4,000 students.
PMA also vouched for Albar-
racin’s encouraging spirit. “He
believed that we all have poten-
Ghost tours
Michael Brown leads San Di-
ego’s only real ghost tours. Dur-
ing his walking tours, guests
will get to visit various paranor-
mally active places in Old Town
State Park such as the Whaley
House, a park that used to be
cemetery, and a haunted broth-
el located on the Whaley House
property. He shares tips, tricks
and techniques to find ghosts
and other paranormal happen-
ings in Old Town State Park.
His tours are every Thurs-
day through Sunday in Octo-
ber. Walking tours begin at 9:00
p.m. in front of the Fiesta de
Reyes fountain.  Adults are $19
and children 6-12 are $10. Kids
5 and under free. For more info
visit: www.oldtownsmosthaunt-
ed.com/.
Old Town Theatre:
Quoth the Raven
Write Out Loud will pres-
ent “Quoth the Raven” in the
Old Town Theatre on Satur-
day afternoon, October 16 at
12:30 p.m. and on Monday eve-
tial to be better than what we
are presently and it is our task
and responsibility to polish and
enhance our God-given talents.”
According to abs-cbnNEWS.
com, Albarracin’s remains lie in
state at Sanctuarium in Que-
zon City. His burial was held on
Sept. 24 at Himalayang Pilipi-
no, Quezon City.
As if in tribute to Albarra-
cin's contribution to OPM and
its artists, one of CPMP stu-
dents, Charice continues to
shine bright in the US. She is
featured in the latest edition of
U.S. magazine Newsweek. Ti-
tled “Asia’s Rising Pop Star,”
the piece written by Sonia Kole-
snikov-Jessop talked about the
new “Glee” star ’s Cinderella-
like story, from her humble be-
ginnings to her astonishing rise
to superstardom.
“In my opinion, she will
put the whole of Asia on the
map as a huge global super-
star,” Charice’s mentor and al-
bum producer David Foster was
quoted in the article as saying.
The last paragraph of the ar-
ticle looks to be a piece of advice
for the young songstress:
“To avoid the fate of countless
young stars who made it and
then let it all slip away, she will
have to keep her head firmly on
her shoulders. But with Foster
having officially taken on the
role of godfather, and Oprah in
her life as her quasi fairy god-
mother, it looks like this Cin-
derella could continue her hap-
py fairy tale.”
ning, October 18, at 7:00 p.m.
Quoth the Raven will feature
stories and poems of mystery,
fantasy and delusion brought
chillingly to life by profession-
al actors. Authors include Ed-
gar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury,
Lafcadio Hearn, H.P. Lovecraft
and Jerome K. Jerome. Tick-
ets cost $15 for adults and $13
for students, seniors and active
military. For more info, please
visit:www.writeoutloudsd.com/.
Old Town Theatre:
War of the Worlds
Presented by Cygnet Theater
Company, War of the Worlds is
a staged radio play that re-en-
acts the day of Oct. 30, 1938,
when millions of radio listen-
ers were shocked when news
alerts announced the arrival
of Martians forging a ferocious
and seemingly unstoppable at-
tack on Earth. The War of the
Worlds performance is on Oct.
25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Old Town
Theatre. Tickets are $10 for all
ages. For more information vis-
it, www.cygnettheatre.com or
call (619) 337-1525.
Movie night and
costume contest
Everyone is invited to get
in the ghoulish mood with a
free spooky movie night under
the stars. Bring lawn chairs,
blankets and your bravest
face and enjoy a family-rat-
ed spooky movie under the
stars. The movie night will be
held Friday, Oct. 29, and Sat-
urday, Oct. 30 at 8:00 p.m.
in the Fiesta de Reyes court-
yard. Before the movie on Sat-
urday, there will be a costume
contest for all ages featuring
prizes from merchants in the
park for the various catego-
ries of costumes. Admission is
free.
Trick-or-Teat
Trick-or-treaters are invit-
ed to come out Saturday , Oct.
30, and Sunday Oct. 31. from
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 to collect
goodies from participating
shops and museums through-
out the park. Admission for
this is free.
There is free parking avail-
able in the Caltrans parking
lot on Taylor Street in Old
Town after 5:00 p.m. on week-
days and all day on week-
ends. For more information
about any of these events, vis-
it www.Fiestadereyes.com or
call (619) 297-3100.
Stephanie Lanare Maxwell to
host new Christian talk show
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San
Diego’s, own Stephanie La-
nare Maxwell will host a new
Christian Talk Show entitled,
“Around San Diego”.
“This show will feature
some of the best and the
brightest in the Christian
community. It will capture the
essence of what’s really going
on in our streets, in our city,
in our communities, and ulti-
mately our world,” said host
Stephanie Maxwell.
The show will entertain
guest from all walks of life.
From pastors and preachers,
to storytellers and ministers,
to community developers, and
entrepreneurs, Around San
Fil-Am journalist plans
first-ever Fil-Am International
Book Festival in San Francisco
By Neni Sta. Romana Cruz
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. —
One need not have a special rea-
son for visiting a library apart
from the obvious love for the
written word. It was for that
and other special reasons that
my San Francisco-based jour-
nalist friend Gemma Nemen-
zo and I ventured out to the
new Walnut Creek Library in
the East Bay two days after its
much-touted opening. We both
had decided that this would be
our own private celebration of
National Children’s Book Day.
Truly a library for contem-
porary times, it features 94
public computers with Internet
access and a 65-inch television
screen. But the most heart-
warming observation was that
despite the glitz and allure of
technology, the most popular
preoccupation of the students
who came for the opening was
seeking a favorite nook to sit
and read a book.
On the day of our visit, it was
a very busy place, still inviting
many visitors, especially the
youth who were still on summer
break. There were library fly-
ers, library stickers being given
out, summer reading program
booklets. A little boy was asking
for a bookmark, which sent the
librarian scurrying around so as
not to disappoint.
Nemenzo’s special reason for
the library visit is her current
endeavor to organize a first-
ever Filipino-American Inter-
national Book Festival at the
San Francisco Public Library
on Oct. 1-2, 2011 — and her ul-
timate goal of having Filipi-
no-authored books in all pub-
lic libraries in California. She
strongly feels that Fil-Am kids
should have access to their her-
itage while non-Filipinos ought
to feel the presence of the com-
munity in the United States, es-
diaz
Continued from p­­­­­age 6
fidence in him [Puno] but I will
talk to him as soon as I get back
to Manila and I’ll ask him about
these allegations and see what
his responses are.”   Puno de-
nied the allegations.  However,
he indicated that he was will-
ing to resign his post or be reas-
signed to spare P-Noy from fur-
ther embarrassment.  eas: Pampanga governor Lilia
On Sept. 17, the IIRC com-
pleted its work and submitted
its recommendations to P-Noy.
The report cited 12 persons
and three networks.  Puno and
Verzosa were named in the re-
port. In a press conference prior
to his departure for the United
States, P-Noy said, “The report
is recommendatory in nature. I
have forwarded it, and its rec-
ommendations, to a legal team
composed of the Executive Sec-
retary and the Chief Presiden-
September 25 - October 1, 2010
Diego will encompass a full
myriad of those who are liv-
ing through and working for
Christ in their businesses,
ministries, and lives.
Around San Diego will also
feature some of the best in Gos-
pel music, and Christian en-
tertainment, as well as actors
and actresses, and a full host
of those in the entertainment
field who are living their lives
through, and for Christ also.
The show will allow attend-
ees to testify on the goodness of
Jesus Christ, and share genuine
stories of how Christ healed, re-
stored, repaired, and complete-
ly ratified their lives, while de-
livering them from a life of sin.
The atrium of the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library. Filipino-
American journalist Gemma Nemenzo hopes to organize the first-ever
Filipino-American International Book Festival at the library on Oct. 1-2, 2011.
pecially since the Filipinos are
the second largest Asian minor-
ity group next to the Chinese.
It envisions opening up the
U.S. market for Philippine pub-
lishers whose titles do not have
a presence here. Amazon, the
online shopping giant, requires
an available inventory of titles
for these to be marketed and de-
livered with its known dispatch;
on the other hand, Philippine
publishers are discouraged to
ship these books because of the
costs of shipment and maintain-
ing a storage area in the Unit-
ed States, with no certainty of
sale. With the book festival idea
conceptualized by Nemenzo and
writer Mila de Guzman, that
perennial obstacle will hope-
fully be overcome, thanks to
the Philippine consulate in San
Francisco. Consul General Mar-
ciano Paynor Jr. has committed
tial Legal Counsel to make a
thorough review of the IIRC’s
recommendations.”
On Sept. 21, the Senate start-
ed its own fact-finding investi-
gation on the jueteng payola is-
sue. Called to testify, Archbishop
Cruz identified Puno and Verzo-
sa as the recipients of “nation-
al jueteng payola flow.” Cruz
also named the following as sus-
pected jueteng lords in their ar-
“Baby” Pineda; Paul Dy in Is-
abela; retired general Eugene
Martin; Baguio Mayor Mauricio
Domogan; Danny Soriano in Ca-
gayan; a retired general Padilla
(involved in Pasay, Parañaque,
Muntinlupa and San Pedro);
Pangasinan governor Amado
Espino; and, a certain Boy Ja-
landoni in Bacolod. Pineda is
married to the reputed “Jueteng
King” — Rodolfo “Bong” Pineda
— who was investigated by Con-
gress in 1998, 2000, and 2005.  (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)
It will enable those who want or
desire a new walk with Christ
the opportunity to do so.
Host, creator, writer, and
producer, Stephanie L. Max-
well will develop show topics
that will state our human con-
dition, address our daily trials,
and tribulations, and discuss
them in both a biblical, as well
as spiritual manner that at the
end of the day lends itself to a
life being lead to Christ!
Taping begins in October,
check your local public access
channel for airdates and times.
For more information about
Around San Diego, contact
Stephanie L. Maxwell at (619)
563-2018.
Photo: Joe Mabel
to making a storage room in the
consulate premises available for
the books from the Philippines
especially for the event.
The FilBookFest will go be-
yond being a mere sales event
for books, although sales cannot
but be a gauge of success. Add-
ing a special dimension will be
workshops on writing, publish-
ing, storytelling for kids, culi-
nary talks and demos, alterna-
tive therapies like the hilot and
herbal remedies.
The time is ripe for the rich-
ness of Philippine literature to
go beyond our shores. There
are more interested readers
out there than we think. And
perhaps, we, back home, will
gain a better appreciation of
books and reading.
For more information, e-
mail filbookfest@yahoo.com.
(Inquirer.net)
However, nothing came out of
those investigations.
Double whammy
The hostage crisis and the
jueteng payola scandal hit Puno
like a double whammy.  While he
is presumed innocent until prov-
en guilty in a court of law, it’s
the opposite in the court of pub-
lic opinion; that is, he is guilty
until proven innocent. It all boils
down to perception and in poli-
tics perception is reality. 
The bottom line is: The
jueteng payola scandal could be
the defining moment of P-Noy’s
presidency. Either he eradicates
jueteng — as he promised dur-
ing the campaign — or jueteng
would spell doom to his anti-cor-
ruption crusade.
At the end of the day, Puno
can protect his “shooting buddy”
by falling on the sword.  That
would be a noble act.  That is
also the price of true friendship.
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS
Regine Velasquez begins
filming ‘Mrs. Recto’
MANILA, Philippines —
Asia’s Songbird Regine Velas-
quez recently began filming
her upcoming movie titled
"Mrs. Recto."
Coney Reyes, Jazon Gainza
and Christian Bautista are
also part of the movie project.
According to Velasquez,
the movie follows the life of a
female vendor who sells fake
college diplomas along C.M.
Recto Avenue.
She is expected to finish the
project before her wedding in
December.
Velasquez is set to wed
her long-time boyfriend Ogie
Alcasid.
In his previous interview,
19
Alcasid said President Benig-
no Aquino III, Megastar Sha-
ron Cuneta and businessman
Manny Pangilinan will be
part of their entourage.
Alcasid said they would
ask Lea Salonga to sing in
their wedding.
Alcasid’s marriage to former
beauty queen Michelle van Ei-
meren was annulled in June.
Alcasid and van Eimeren
met during the 1994 Miss
Universe pageant where she
was a contestant. They got
married in 1998 and have
two daughters. The two an-
nounced the end of their mar-
riage in 2007, but they report-
edly remain friends. (MNS) Regine Velasquez
20 THE FILIPINO PRESS September 25 - October 1, 2010

Boxing legend Frazier recalls ‘Thrilla in Manila’

‘Smokin’ Joe’ visits JOE FRAZIER SIGNS MEMORABILIA
San Diego to sign Joe Frazier will visit San Diego to sign autographs and take pictures
(for a price) with fans on the 35th anniversary of his legendary match

autographs on with Muhammad Ali, dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila."

When: 5-7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 2; 5:30-7 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 3

anniversary of fight Where: American Icon Autographs, 324 Horton Plaza Space No. 31
(on the first level next to 24 Hour Fitness and Ritz Camera)
Cost: $99 - Flat items up to 16" x 20"; $129 - Other items;
$29 - Inscriptions; $69 – Photo Opportunity
By Brandi Perez Phone: (619) 955-5777
Filipino Press Staff Writer Online: www.americaniconautographs.com

L
egendary boxing great Joe
Frazier still has some fight
left in him. Thirty-five
years after the historic “Thril-
la in Manilla” fight against Mu-
hammad Ali, the winner of the
bout still remains questionable.
“The fight was a good fight,”
Frazier said. “I thought I won
the fight up until the bell rang.
I was going blind in one of my
eyes. I couldn’t see. Somehow
Ali found out about that, so he
closed my other eye.”
The fight was stopped before
the 15th and final round. Fra-
zier said he didn’t want to stop
the fight but he couldn’t get mad
at his corner because he knew
they were protecting him.
The epic fight was the third
time Ali and Frazier faced each
other. The Oct. 1, 1975, bout was
held at the Araneta Coliseum in
Quezon City, Philippines, for the
Heavyweight Boxing Champi-
onship of the World.
Frazier won the first fight
on March 8, 1971, at Madison
Square Garden with a 15-round
unanimous decision.
Ali won the second fight on
Jan. 28, 1974, again at Madison
Square Garden with a 12-round
unanimous decision.
Frazier didn’t mind facing Ali
three times.
“It was fun. I loved fighting
him,” he said. “He says he won
two out of three of the fights. I
say I won all three of them.”
Joe Frazier, left, lands a hard left punch to the face of Muhammad Ali during one of their three bouts in the 1970s. The
third and final bout, dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila," took place at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines, on
Oct. 1, 1975. Frazier is in San Diego on Oct. 2-3 to sign memorabilia at American Icon Autographs in Horton Plaza.
When asked if he wished
he could have fought Ali a few
more times, Frazier was quick
to respond, “I could go for a fight
right now.”
There has always been ten-
sion between the two fighters.
Ali was aggressive while Frazier
took a more respectful approach.
“I thought he was a real-
ly rude guy,” Frazier said. “He
called guys fighting names. He
would change their names. He
gave me the nickname ‘Tom.’
That’s not what my momma
named me.”
Frazier (32-4-1) was never
one to boast about his accolades,
something that set him apart
from him rival.
“Ali thought he was greater
than the Lord,” Frazier said.
But Frazier takes no offense.
He tries to keep things light,
even now.
“My job is to smile upon ev-
erybody,” he said.
Frazier prides himself on
sportsmanship. He said one of
the great things about boxing is
that race has never been an is-
sue.
“I’ve never had a racial prob-
lem,” he said. “I’ve fought white
guys and black guys. They al-
ways come up to me afterwards
and say, ‘good job.’ My job is to be
a good man.”
The 66-year-old could not pin-
point who he thought the great-
est boxers of all time were, rath-
er he chose an era.
“All those guys from the
’70s, I’d have to take my hat
Photo: Courtesy photo
off to those guys,” Frazier
said. “They’re real champions.
They’re all great guys.”
Boxing has endured several
changes through the years. One
area Frazier sees a big change in
is sportsmanship.
“When guys fell down the op-
ponent would go to the corner,”
Frazier said. “Now guys want to
beat them up. I think they need
to take it back to the old way. It
would make men men.”
Despite his age, Frazier said
he's still in fighting shape.
“I’m 66 and I’m feeling good,”
Frazier said. “I’m as strong as
two ass mules. I’ve been to some
of the greatest places in the
world. I’ve met a lot of great peo-
ple.”
Frazier has been able to see
the world thanks to a successful
boxing career that lasted from
1965 to 1976, with a brief come-
back in 1981.
His launching point was in
1964 when he won the United
States’ only Olympic boxing gold
medal in Tokyo, Japan.
“In 1964 I was the only guy
who won a gold medal for the
United States,” Frazier said. “I
fought the big boys. I got a pat
on the back from the world.”
Afterwards, Frazier turned
professional and went on to win
29 consecutive fights and be-
came the undisputed heavy-
weight champion in 1970.
George Foreman broke Fra-
zier’s undefeated streak on
Jan. 22, 1973, in Kingston, Ja-
maica. Foreman dominated the
bout and the fight was quickly
stopped in the second round. He
took away Frazier’s world cham-
pionship title.
In 1976, Frazier (32-3) fought
and lost to Foreman for a second
time by a fifth-round knockout.
After that he retired.
In 1981, Frazier attempted a
comeback against Floyd “Jum-
bo” Cummings in Chicago, Illi-
nois. The fight went 10 rounds
and Cummings took the win. Af-
ter that, Frazier retired for good.
“Smokin’ Joe” won 32 of his
37 professional fights. Of them,
27 wins, or 73 percent of his vic-
tories, came by way of knockout.
His best-known punch was a
powerful left hook. The orthodox
fighter was known for adopting
the bob-and-weave defensive
style.
The International Boxing
Research Organization rates
Frazier among the 10 greatest
heavyweights of all time. He
was inducted into the Interna-
tional Boxing Hall of Fame and
the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Frazier spent several years
training fighters. He backed
off from training in 2007. Since
then, he’s had to put his gym up
for sale.
Although he is no longer
training fighters, Frazier keeps
busy. He travels about two or
three times a month for person-
al appearances.
“People want to see the guy
who beat up Muhammad,” he
smiled. “It’s a great feeling.”
The light-hearted legend said
he is in great shape. He has a bit
of a limp when he walks but he
says it’s due to spinal injuries he
sustained in a car accident. Oth-
er than that, he said he still has
some fire left in him.
“I’m 66 years old and I weigh
225 pounds, nothing but muscle
and bone,” Frazier laughed. “I’m
like a rail.”
Frazier will sign memorabil-
ia in San Diego on Oct. 2-3 at
American Icon Autographs at
Horton Plaza.
September 25 - October 1, 2010 THE FILIPINO PRESS 21
22 THE FILIPINO PRESS September 25 - October 1, 2010

The Greatest Hitmakers tour Seafood City

stores, meet San Diego fans prior to concert

Photos: Susan delos Santos

The Greatest Hitmakers, in San Diego for their performance on Sunday, Sept. 26, at Pala Casino, made the rounds at
area Seafood City markets to sign autographs and greet fans last week. In these photos, The Hitmakers greet fans at the
Mira Mesa branch of Seafood City on Tuesday, Sept. 21 and Seafood City in National City on Wednesday, Sept. 22. For
more photos, see our Facebook page (Filipino Press).

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