Philippine Daily Mirror: July 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009

180 Degree Wanderers

PALO ALTO, California -- Newspapers tag it “the “Great U Turn”. Think tanks use that caption for   the   180-degree course reversal    by migrant workers, as recession bites.

“Global migration flows have reversed for the first time since the Depression,” notes Wall Street Journal. But where does this “U-turn” go from here?   For migrant-exporting countries, like the Philippines, that’s the over-riding issue.

http://bit.ly/u8A4o

What We Spend on Health Care Is None of the Government's Business

“Preventive care” is one of the magic formulas often invoked in discussions of so-called health-care reform. Don’t worry about the apparent costs of reform, we’re told, because we’re going to save a ton of money with — fanfare — preventive care.

To listen to this promise, you’d think no one would get sick if the government created the right incentives to avoid disease.

http://bit.ly/wEkrP

What Is The Deal

I thought that President Gloria Macapagal was particularly bitter and petulant in her last State Of the Nation Address or SONA. It was quite un-presidential and reduced what could have been a historical moment into a soap opera. It seems like Gloria is approaching the end of her term without the grace of acceptance. Instead, she saw only her enemies and could not resist the temptation to be petulant and arrogant.

http://bit.ly/4kIdB

Entering the U.S. with a Fraudulent Passport (Part 1 of 2)

I am an adjunct professor with the City University of New York – School of Professional Studies, where I have taught the Business Immigration Law course and the Introduction to U.S. Immigration Law course. This summer, I am teaching the online Introduction to U.S. Immigration Law course. I designed this online course last summer, and have enjoyed teaching it since.

http://bit.ly/HBR50

On Quitting

CHICAGO -- How many times have we regretted our actions?

Even when we thought, it was not the right move, we still ended up taking the plunge – the wrong plunge.

I consider Sarah Palin’s act of stepping down from office as governor prematurely as a blunder if she was ever entertaining thoughts of running for higher office or of making more money than she ever earned as a state chief executive.

http://bit.ly/5HcEc

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Rolling the Vaccine Dice

As a layman with no special knowledge about communicable diseases, I have nonetheless been struck by the drumbeat of scare mongering coming out of the World Health Organization and our government regarding “Swine Flu.” My reasoning is simple. Ordinary flu kills some 36,000 Americans annually and its victims are frequently the elderly and those in poor health.

http://bit.ly/hlZaw

Monday, July 27, 2009

Pimentel Asks PGMA to Include Flight of Filipino War Casualties

CHICAGO (July 27)– Opposition Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. asked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Monday (July 27) to seek the influence of President Barack Obama in pressing the American companies to pay up the insurance coverages of the 11 Filipino civilian workers, who died or were injured in both Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

At the same time, the Minority Floor Leader also asked Mrs. Arroyo to get from Mr. Obama “a reasonable yearly quota of the expected 1,000,000 nurses that the US would reportedly need by 2021.”

http://bit.ly/12LtwX

Double Murder in Illinois Still Murky on Details

ROCKFORD (July 27) -- A relative of the Filipino couple murdered in this Chicago’s outlying suburb of Rockford, Illinois felt so bad that she only left a message on the home phone of the couple and did not call them on their cell phone.

The guilt-stricken relative, who only identified herself as “Aurora,” said in a video interview with this reporter that if she were able to talk to the couple, Reynato “Rey” V. Cardino, 77, and Leticia “Letie” V. Cardino, 75, she might have invited them over in her house and it would have prevented their gruesome deaths.

http://bit.ly/4G0RRR

Prober of Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal Wants 'War Crimes' Trial

SAN DIEGO (July 27) -- Five years and a new administration later, the specter of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq still haunts the national consciousness, refusing to die even as the man who had investigated it now shies away from aggressively pursuing the course of justice.

Manila-born Antonio M. Taguba, a major-general in the United States Army forced into retirement in 2007, is hopeful the "war crimes" being blamed on top officials of the (George W.) Bush administration would be prosecuted and the responsible officials held to account.

http://bit.ly/WcKgx

Saturday, July 25, 2009

A diminished figure

SAN FRANCISCO -- Filipino-Americans fret over a stark irony. Martial law fears have resurged precisely when Corazon Aquino, who sparked “People Power” into smashing Marcos dictatorship, battles cancer.

This irony will dog President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when she meets President Barrack Obama on July 30. So will Fil-American activist Melissa Roxas’ abduction.

http://bit.ly/a1z7O

Christian Fellowship House: Residence of Hypocrites & Renegades

Also known as the C Street residence, it is involved in sex scandals, moral hypocrisy and Far Right agenda in Latin America. This secretive Christian mafia is also known as The Family or The Fellowship, founded in 1935 in opposition to FDR’s New Deal, subscribing to far-right Christian fundamentalism and free market ideology. It is officially registered as a church and the $1.1 million building is a meeting place and residence of conservative politicians from both political parties. All profess to be Christian lawmakers. They live in private rooms and pay a monthly rent of $600 and invite other lawmakers for spiritual bonding. They are not accountable to anyone but only to each other. They are not bound by morality or ethics because they are “God’s Chosen” It only applies to the average Joe & Jane and the hoi poloi.

http://bit.ly/3w1mNB

Outdoing Marcos

It is the State of the Nation Address once again. The true state of the country is again the subject of debates. Surely, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would boast about the economic growth and its supposed success in shielding the economy from the impact of the world economic and financial crisis, the infrastructure projects the government was able to finish such as the Clark to Subic highway, and, probably, its peace overtures with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. And as of this writing, Malacañang has issued a statement saying that Arroyo’s state of the nation address would change the impression that she has “questionable designs or plans in office.”

http://bit.ly/d5MBf

Friday, July 24, 2009

New Jersey, We're Number One (Again)

Having been born in New Jersey and lived here most of my life with time out for college and the U.S. army, I must confess I was a bit out of sorts over all the attention that Illinois and former Governor Rod Blogovitch was receiving or the constant references in the press to that state’s record of corrupt political officials.

I was upset, too, when South Carolina’s governor grabbed all the headlines because he had a paramour in Argentina and, upon discovery, concluded it was just one of those teaching moments in one’s life to learn from while continuing to be governor.

http://bit.ly/2eiAWd

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Resurrection

CHICAGO -- When President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will finally have face time and will be able to press flesh with her elusive quarry -- President Barack Obama - during her state visit at the White House in Washington, D.C. this week, July 30, she should not expect too much. She should be conservative.

http://bit.ly/byX8O

Mancao Wants Media, Not Lawyers, To Cover His Court Case

CHICAGO (July 23) -- Cezar O. Mancao wants the media to cover his court appearance. The media should not depend on a layer of spokesmen represented by other lawyers in the case who give different spins on his testimony.

If there is an issue with space to accommodate the media pack, then Mancao has no objection to a motion that the court proceedings be transferred to “a bigger courtroom.”

http://bit.ly/ni9x

Dream It, Then Build It

It has been a busy season for criticism and it looks like the tempo will intensify all the more. Radio, TV and Print have already been swamped with all kinds of bad news, some deserved, others sensationalized. Today, the Internet has allowed once armchair critics to become more read, heard and seen with email and YouTube.

Commentators and commentaries range from the wise to the bizarre, but most of them fall within the gripe category with suggestions coming a close second. The suggestions, though, are laced with a critical nuance and is predicated with comments like, "why did they not do this?"

http://bit.ly/KjCXI

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

IRS Reminds Taxpayers to Take Advantage of Recovery Act Benefits

MOUNTAINSIDE NJ (July 22) — With 2009 now half over, the Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers to take advantage of the numerous tax breaks made available earlier this year in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

“The recovery law provides tax incentives for first-time homebuyers, people purchasing new cars, those interested in making their homes more energy efficient and parents and students paying for college,” said New Jersey’s IRS spokesperson Gregg Semanick. “But all of these incentives have expiration dates so taxpayers should take advantage of them while they can.”

http://bit.ly/pCdZV

10 Filipino workers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan

MANILA (July 22) -- Ten Filipino workers at a NATO base in Afghanistan were among the 16 civilians killed in a helicopter crash at NATO's largest air base in Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday. The Russian-owed civilian Mi-8 helicopter slammed into the tarmac at Kandahar Air Base shortly after takeoff.

http://bit.ly/xIZEn

Journalists Held in North Korea Ask First Lady Obama?s Help

CHICAGO (July 22) -– Asian American journalist Euna Lee is appealing to those supporting her release from detention in North Korea to write First Lady Michelle Obama to seek her help “as a mother” in pressing her and her fellow American journalist Laura Ling’s release from detention.

http://bit.ly/13K2hC

The Fatal Conceit of Health-Care Reformers

It’s easy to get distracted by the details and crushing cost estimates of “health-care reform” while losing sight of the key question: Can a handful of congressmen, most of whom probably have never even run a small business, design an entire market for medical services and insurance?

http://bit.ly/79LCM

Monday, July 20, 2009

Ethnic Media: The Missing Piece in Emergency Messaging

ATLANTA -- When a natural calamity strikes, or an epidemic breaks out, communities with little or no English skills are at high risk because language barriers can prevent access to timely and correct information.

About 60 million adults in the United States rely on ethnic media for their news. Many of them might find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving information on emergency and preparedness plans.

http://bit.ly/n9sI9

Consumer group disputes NTC's claims; calls for lower cellphone rates

MANILA (July 20) -- Consumer advocacy group TXTPower today rejected claims by the National Telecommunications Commission that it is allegedly "powerless" to stop spam messages unleashed by telecommunications firms and content providers on consumers.

http://bit.ly/2HgTz

Senator calls for 'no-child-left-behind' policy in education

MANILA (July 20) -- The government’s short-sighted approach to education remains the main stumbling block to the country’s long-term economic prospects, opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero said.

“The world has been moving from an economy of goods to an economy of knowledge. Unfortunately, education, which is the main tool in converting to an economy of knowledge, continues to get scant attention from the government,” Escudero said.

http://bit.ly/17OSOo

The Changing Face of Immigration to America: The Story of the Woman Migrant as Today?s Newcomer

WASHINGTON -- Recent statements by President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicate a strong likelihood that congressional debate on immigration will begin later this year. Concern about immigrants’ integration into U.S. culture is a longstanding tension from past debates that will undoubtedly resurface. Fears that immigrants in modern day America are different and lack commitment to assimilate are pervasive and permeate much of the discussion both inside and outside the Beltway.

http://bit.ly/dK5Os

Elderly Fil Am couple found murdered; suspect arrested and charged

CHICAGO (July 20) – A 24-year-old African American has been arrested for the brutal murder of an elderly Filipino couple last July 8 in their home in Chicago’s suburban Rockford, Illinois.

Omarrian T. Jones, of Rockford, was arrested on July 16 after a chase by the Rockford police.

Jones is accused of the killing of Reynato "Ray" Cardino, 77, a retired mechanic who worked part-time assembling bikes at Wal-Mart, and Leticia "Letty" Cardino, 75, a retired building inspector for the city of Rockford, both of 2623 Pleasant View Avenue, Rockford.

http://bit.ly/MzJb6

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Fil Am activist pursues case vs. RP military

MANILA (July 20) — Melissa Roxas, the American activist who was kidnapped and tortured allegedly by Filipino soldiers in May, will return to the Philippines tomorrow, Monday, to pursue the case against her captors.

In a statement on Sunday, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said it would provide protective custody to Roxas upon her return to the Philippines.

Roxas, who accused the military of abducting her and torturing her, is scheduled to appear on July 30 before the Court of Appeals, which is hearing her petition for writ of amparo.

http://bit.ly/4tBLF3

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Women's group seeks nominations for '100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S. Awards'

SAN FRANCISCO (July 19) -- The Filipina Women's Network (FWN) is seeking nominations for the its "100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S. Awards." The award honors women who are changing the face of power in America and who have reached status for outstanding work in their fields and are known for their leadership and achievements. This year's deadline to submit nominations is July 30.

Nominations are being accepted via the FWN nomination secure website (https://filipinawomensnetwork.wufoo.com/forms/100-most-influential-filipina-women-in-the-us/).

http://bit.ly/AWWLX

"Wandering Fire"

SAN FRANCISCO -- The question bugs me years after it was asked. At our United Nations office in Bangkok, the puzzled Malaysian economist tossed a newspaper clipping on my desk. “Eight centuries after his death, this man is still honored,” he said. “But even before we’re a year in our graves, you and I will be forgotten.. Why?”

He’d snipped a Herald Tribune column by George Will. Titled “Memories of a Wandering Fire.” It commented on the eight centennial of Francis Bernardone’s death.

Francis -- who?

http://bit.ly/NFMUQ

Friday, July 17, 2009

Lawfirm files class action lawsuit; gets appointed as class counsel

LOS ANGELES (July 17) -- Getting a green card should be a happy time. For thousands of people, however, the joy of coming to America is diluted by the nightmare of separation from their children who have turned twenty-one and are no longer eligible to accompany their parents. The children are referred to as having “aged-out”.

In 2002, Congress passed the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) to call a halt to this on-going tragedy. Reeves & Associates, a leading national immigration law firm, filed a class action lawsuit, Costelo v. Chertoff, because of the government’s refusal to follow the plain language of this law.

On July 16, 2009, U.S. District Court Judge James V. Selna issued a 21 page decision granting Reeves & Associates’ motion to certify the lawsuit as a class-action and appointing Reeves & Associates as class counsel. “This case affects tens of thousands of families who have been waiting decades to lawfully immigrate,” said Robert L. Reeves, founder and Managing Attorney of Reeves & Associates.

“Before CSPA, children who turned 21 faced many years of separation before they could follow their parents to this country. Under CSPA, the aged-out child is permitted to keep the original processing date (known as a priority date). By allowing the child to keep his place in line, families can be reunited all that much sooner” explained Attorney Nancy E. Miller, head of the firm’s Federal Litigation and Deportation Defense departments.

The Court defined the class as “aliens who became lawful permanent residents as primary beneficiaries of third- and fourth preference visa petitions listing their children as derivative beneficiaries, and who subsequently filed second-preference petitions on behalf of their aged-out unmarried sons and daughters, for whom USCIS have not granted automatic conversion or the retention of priority dates pursuant to § 203(h)(3)” said Jeremiah Johnson, managing attorney of the San Francisco office of the firm.

In a statement, Reeves said the government’s response to CSPA has been inconsistent at best. "The Board of Immigration Appeals has issued one case permitting the retention of the original priority date and another denying the retention. United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has recognized the retention in some cases and refused to recognize it in others. In some cases, these inconsistencies affected children in the same family, as is the case with Teresita Costello. One of her daughters was allowed to keep the original priority date and her other daughter was not. In other cases, USCIS has simply ignored the request to retain the original priority date. Before the Court, USCIS took the position that these children should give up their place in line, go to the back of the line and wait another ten years to be reunited with their families."

The class action lawsuit seeks to compel USCIS to comply with the requirements of CSPA or INA 203(h)(3) and process subsequent petitions filed by the parent using the parent’s original priority date. “It is incomprehensible why USCIS would deny these requests given the plain language of the statute and the Congressional history of CSPA.” said Reeves.

http://bit.ly/3vhjgH

End premature 'presidential' forum, says labor group

MANILA (July 18) -- The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has sought an end to all "presidential" forum, calling them "premature and inappropriate."

"Right now, we still don’t have a single presidential candidate. What we have now are individuals supposedly aspiring or planning to be presidential candidates. So it is not correct to be staging so-called ‘presidential’ forums this early," said TUCP secretary-general and former Senator Ernesto Herrera.

http://bit.ly/Emynw

APEC economies expect trade finance to improve, survey says

SINGAPORE (July 18) -- A survey among the APEC economies has shown that 10 out of 18 surveyed APEC economies expect that the trade financing situation should ease over the next six months. Nevertheless, the situation still bears watching given continued uncertainty in credit conditions.

http://bit.ly/ZmEgO

RP takes part in South African's Arts Festival

GRAHAMSTOWN (July 17) -- For the first time in its presence in South Africa, the Philippines took part at the 2009 National Arts Festival held in this town from July 2-11, 2009. The South African National Arts Festival is one of the most important events on the country’s cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent.

http://bit.ly/KRjgE

Davide to serve as vice chair of UN General Assembly Committee

NEW YORK (July 17) -- The Philippines will play a key role in the forthcoming 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly following the election of Ambassador Hilario G. Davide Jr. as vice chair of the Disarmament and International Security (First) Committee, the Philippine Mission to the United Nations reported yesterday.

http://bit.ly/2V0jl

Senate asks to look into bitter rivalry among RP's top sports officials

MANILA (July 17) -- Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero asked the Senate on July 15 to look into bitter rivalry among the country’s top sports officials which could doom the chances of the country’s athletes in the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos this December.

“Our athletes have become unwilling spectators to this sad spectacle. It is now time to act on the issues that have prejudiced the country’s preparations for the Laos Games,” the 39-year old lawmaker said.

http://bit.ly/TUZ1g

Japan contributes USD 1.3 million to APEC climate change initiatives

SINGAPORE (July 17) -- With energy security and climate change emerging as two very real challenges to economic growth, Japan has contributed JPY 120,000,000 (approximately USD 1.3 million) to promote energy efficiency activities throughout the APEC region.

According to the Japanese Senior APEC Official, Makoto Shiotoa, “This sum is specifically directed toward the development and implementation of energy efficiency policies, goals and action plans in APEC economies.”

http://bit.ly/oVKZZ

FilAnm Pre-Med student is Miss USA International

HOUSTON (July 16) -- The Filipina beauty and brains is making waves once more. Not in the Philippines, but in the good ol' United States of America where the opportunity for a Filipino American to compete and win in a national pageant has not been achieved yet until now.

http://bit.ly/GqohG

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Award-winning film 'Baler' shown to Pretoria audience

SOUTH AFRICA (July 16) -- The award-winning film "Baler", featured last month in the Indio-Bravo Film Festival in New York City, was shown at the Philippine Embassy here on Sunday. The event is the Embassy's project tp build a stronger camaraderie among Filipinos in the country and to introduce Philippine history, culture and its beliefs to the host country and the local community.

http://bit.ly/aCtZ9

UK amends travel advisory to Mindanao

LONDON (July 16) -- The British government has amended its travel advisory to the Philippines allowing "essential travels" to most parts of Mindanao but at the same cautioned its citizens against all travel to south west Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago "because of ongoing terrorist and insurgent activity."

In May 2009, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) amended its travel advisory to the Philippines by lifting travel restrictions to the “east side of Mindanao.”

http://bit.ly/raIII

Judge asks Baja accuser to withdraw RICO complaint

CHICAGO (July 16) -- Judge Victor Marrero of the United States District Court of Southern New York asked the lawyers of Marichu Suarez Baoanan to withdraw the RICO claims against former Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Lauro Liboon Baja because according to Baja’s lawyer the complaints “have no legs or factual bases” to stand on.

Marrero made the request to Baoanan’s lawyers, Ivy Suriyopas of the Asian American Legal Defense Fund (AALDEF) and Aaron Mendelsohn of Troutman Sanders LLP, during the case management conference last July 10.

http://bit.ly/1anthQ

Philippines coping well in the global economic crisis, say analysts

SINGAPORE (July 15) – “The Philippines is coping well in the existing global economic crisis and has made significant economic progress.” So says the report of external analysts, documenting progress of the Philippines toward APEC’s Bogor Goals.

http://bit.ly/PcZzS

Obama Asked To Take Up Torture of Fil Am With GMA

CHICAGO (July 16) -- Instead of taking with her the 100 Filipino congressmen in her audience with President Barack Obama on July 30 in Washington, D.C., President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo might be better off taking with her her Defense Secretary.

The lawyer of abducted Filipino American Melissa Roxas wrote on July 15 President Obama to bring “to the attention of the Philippines President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in your meeting with her on July 30” the case of Ms. Roxas, “a U.S. citizen residing in Los Angeles, California, who was abducted and tortured by suspected military agents in the Philippines.”

http://bit.ly/3fvkG

Ship In A Storm

It used to be murky waters; it is now a storm. The Philippine ship is adrift, not because there is no crew, but because its crew is suspect.

A captain and his crew man a ship so that the vessel can sail towards its destination safely with its passengers and cargo. While captain and crew have the highest authority at sea, authority which is almost absolute, this authority is anchored on the purpose of why there is a ship in the first place. In other words, there is a mission and a destination to accomplish and the ship is the main mechanism for attaining both.

http://bit.ly/ItULM

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

PGMA to speak at NAM Summit in Egypt

EGYPT (July 14) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will represent the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations in the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Egypt on July 15 to 16 as its spokesperson. The summit will be held in Sharm El Sheikh at the southern tip of the country.

http://tinyurl.com/kwohwc

Friday, July 10, 2009

After one ship's crew returns home, another is held up in high seas

NIGERIA (July 10) -- Sichem Peace, a Singapore flag chemical tanke, and six of its crew including two Filipinos, were seized by Nigerian armed militants on July 4 about 18 miles off Koko, Nigeria, according to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

The DFA has instructed the Philippine Embassy in Abuja to make representations with Nigerian authorities for the safe release of the Filipino crew, and for the Philippine Embassy in Singapore to facilitate the conduct of the negotiations.

http://tinyurl.com/kstxzz

'It's difficult to unite the opposition' -- Pimentel

MANILA (July 10) -- Citing a lack of genuine efforts to unite the opposition for the 2010 elections, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. has expressed doubts it will happen.

He said that although the former president Joseph Estrada has been busy going around the country, the biggest obstacle is the apparent determination of Senators Manuel Villar and Manuel to seek the presidency.

http://tinyurl.com/kmmll7

Citizen's group asked SC to stop poll automation deal

MANILA (July 9) -- The Concerned Citizens Movement has asked the Supreme Court to steop the signing of a contract between the Comelec and a technology consortium represented by Dutch-owned Smarmatic International and its Filipino-owned counterpart Total Information Management, for the automation of the 2010 elections.

The contract, which is set to be signed this Friday, has several provisions, which violated the law, according to the petition fro certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition filed by the group's lawyer, Harry Roque.

http://tinyurl.com/nffrbm

Peace talks to resume in Oslo, says NDFP

UTRECHT (July 9) -- Following a statement from Malacañang that immunity for the rebel panel would be restored starting next week, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has announced the resumption of peace talks with the government in August.

"Preparations are being made by the Negotiating Panels of the NDFP and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) for the resumption of formal talks in the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway sometime in August 2009," NDF negotiating panel chairman Luis Jalandoni said in a statement.

http://tinyurl.com/mplmxn

Thursday, July 9, 2009

EU provides additional humanitarian assistance grant to Mindanao

BRUSSELS (July 9) -- Mindanao will be receiving additional grant of Euro 3 million (approximately P200 million) from the European Commission, its Humanitarian Aid Department has announced. This humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by the conflict in the southern province of the Philippines is in addition to the Euro 6.5 million given in October and December 2008, and the Euro 3 million in rehabilitation assistance provided in October 2008.

http://tinyurl.com/m9mlv8

Filipino doctor garners top honors in Europe

LONDON (July 9) -- A Filipino PhD student at Cardiff University in Wales won back-to-back awards from two international health associations.

In recognition of his research work on the health and welfare of seafarers, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III, a medical doctor and Nippon Foundation Fellow at the Seafarers International Research Centre, was judged to have the best studies at two international conferences held in Europe.

http://tinyurl.com/nrwd4e

Age of Transition

I never realized that I was born in an age of transition. The myopic mind, attached so much to the narrow self, cannot grasp the nuance of unfettered time. It cannot appreciate history except for selected details, and is not able to flow to the future beyond imaginary images. The myopic mind sees only metered time, as though it were counting the miles traveled by minutes and seconds to measure a taxi fare. Indeed, time is directly proportional to one's level of consciousness.

http://tinyurl.com/nkvun2

The Long and Winding Road of Biologic Drugs

A recent American Cancer Society review has found that cancer deaths among American men dropped nearly 20 percent between 1990 and 2005. The death rate among American women also fell dramatically.

These victories in the fight against cancer can be attributed to several factors, including key new medical treatments developed over the last few decades.

Such advances represent years of painstaking research supported by billions of investment dollars. This year, Congress has the opportunity to ensure that medical researchers continue to develop breakthrough treatments for diseases like cancer by protecting the intellectual property rights of biotechnology researchers while simultaneously promoting patient safety.

The path from the research lab to the patient is long and tortuous. For example, consider the work of cancer researcher Dr. Napoleone Ferrara. In 1989, while working at an upstart biotech company, Dr. Ferrara identified a biological mechanism integral to the growth of certain malignant tumors that had potential for a new, highly effective cancer treatment.

Translating these findings into viable medicine was challenging, but seven years later-- 1996 -- a treatment to inhibit tumor growth was developed.

The treatment was a special kind of medicine known as a "biologic."

Like all biologics, this therapy was created using an elaborate procedure involving genetically engineered living cells. The final product was an antibody that specifically targeted tumor growth -- a cancer-fighting smart bomb, of sorts.

However, before the biologic could be administered to patients, the Food and Drug Administration required the drug to undergo three separate clinical trials over the course of eight years. This requirement was key to ensure the safety of the drug in human patients.

In 2004, fifteen years after Dr. Ferrara's initial discovery, the biologic drug Avastin was approved for medical use. Avastin has since been approved for the treatment of certain kinds of lung and breast cancer, as well. And it's currently undergoing some 450 clinical trials for other uses.

Avastin is a success story in biologics research, not only because of the scientific breakthroughs and research required, but also because it is one of the few drugs in human trials that make it to treatment with an appropriate safety profile.

It's also an expensive proposition. It takes hundreds of millions to billions of dollars and sometimes decades to develop a successful biologic therapy.

In order to ensure that investment into research for drugs like Avastin, policymakers must support and protect biologics research while also ensuring patient safety.

Lawmakers can act this year to simultaneously expand the availability of today's biologics, which are often expensive, and guarantee that the next generation of patients will have access to even more advanced biologic therapies that have yet to be invented. They can also act to create a system of safe copies of biologic drugs, known as "follow-on" or "biosimilars," to ensure that the maximum number of patients get the benefits of biologics.

Current debate surrounds protecting data confidentiality surrounding development of new biologics to allow those investing in their development to recapture their investments and reward them for their assumption of risk for a potential billion dollar failure. However, as well, an approval process for "follow on" versions of these drugs is also part of this debate.

Policymakers must take into account the significant time and deep investments in new biological research and drug development to ensure that future generations obtain the benefits from these cutting edge drugs. Political pandering cannot be the basis of decisions that will impact this and future generations of patients who are relying upon these advancements; instead, rigorous economic analysis must be used to ensure continued investment in new biologics research.

Further, increasing access to biologics to allow the benefits of these amazing drugs to be disseminated to as many patients as possible is critical. But just as critical is a system of review that ensures that safety of follow on biologic forms is established. Adverse drug experiences in Europe have led to a requirement of clinical trials to ensure safety of these drugs, and should be adopted here.

The truth is that we need all the research we can get so that as many patients as possible obtain the benefits of new biologics and follow-on forms. Let's hope our leaders in Washington recognize this and move quickly to safeguard biologics research while ensuring patient safety.

(Bryan A. Liang is Executive Director, Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law; and Co-Director, San Diego Center for Patient Safety, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.) http://tinyurl.com/lebte8

Rehab By Amnesia

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A “penniless” Imelda Marcos got cloying front-page coverage by hosting a five-star hotel standing-room-only bash for her 80th birthday. Girls tossed roses as she made a bejeweled entrance, followed by violinists.

“Imelda had a penchant for luxury”, Lee Kwan Yew recalls in his memoirs. “When ( the Marcoses) visited Singapore, they came in two DC-8s, his and hers…Like Hollywood melodrama, these could have only have happened in the Philippines.”

http://tinyurl.com/mqew9q

Fil Am Press should be vigilant says visiting columnist

CHICAGO (July 9)– The Filipino American community mass media have big shoes to fill and should not take their important roles for granted.

This was the response by visiting author and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Conrado S. De Quiros when asked by a guest, Anong Santos, publisher-editor of Pinoy Monthly, during the open forum if the Filipino American media can influence events in the Philippines.

http://tinyurl.com/n757up

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

California: The "Furloughing" of Common Sense

How many California state employees does it take to screw in a light bulb?

We'll find out soon enough.

After steadily growing both its budget and bureaucratic payroll for years, California's fiscal house of cards collapsed last year, opening a $24 billion hole in its upcoming budget.

http://tinyurl.com/l7bn3w

Monday, July 6, 2009

Team Philippines all set for 2009 ?Hollywood Olympics?

MANILA (July 6) -- Twenty-eight Filipino performing artists hailing from all over the Philippines, U.S. and Canada comprise Team Philippines at the 13th World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) to be held at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles, California on July 11 to 18, 2009. This year’s delegation is led by Philippine National Director Carlo Orosa, Philippine Associate Director Oliver Oliveros, and KB Entertainment’s Kitchie Benedicto.

http://tinyurl.com/l2b3ee

Of Bitches and Cowards

“The problem with the Philippines,” US senator Mike Mansfield snapped, “is it has 60 million cowards and one son-of-a-bitch”

Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship cowed many. The “New Society”, Imelda would regale a lick-spittle press, was “the most democratic in history” -- until a housewife snapped: Tama na. Sobra na.

http://tinyurl.com/m9bdoz

Wise Latinas, White Males and the Federal Judiciary

Judge Sonia Sotomayor apparently believes that her experiences as a woman and Latina give her an edge in reaching certain types of conclusions. She has so stated publicly on several occasions, most recently in 2001, when she said in a speech, “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a White male who hasn't lived that life.”

Now while this statement may be politically incorrect, and you or I may or may not agree with it, it is hardly an assertion of racial superiority. “I would hope”, “richness of her experiences”, “more often than not” and “better”, hardly seem to be words one would use to express innate superiority.

http://tinyurl.com/mmsk32

Filipina ballet dancer in lead role of Tchaikovsky's 'Sleeping Beauty'

BARCELONA (July 6) -- Filipina ballet dancer Elline Damian stars in a lead role as Princess Aurora of Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famous ballet "Sleeping Beauty", a production presented by the Ballet Sta. Coloma de Gramenet-David Campos at the famed Gran Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona during the 7th Anniversary of Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day on June 30, 2009.

http://tinyurl.com/mk6tqq

Fil Am rights victim files complaint against RP in US

CHICAGO (July 6) – Filipino American Melissa Roxas has filed a complaint/protest against the Philippine government before the United States Department of State for her abduction and torture by suspected military agents in the Philippines last May.

A 21-page complaint, obtained by this reporter, was filed July 1 before U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton asking to conduct an “impartial and vigorous investigation of the Philippine government’s culpability and that appropriate sanctions are meted for the intentional abduction, kidnapping and torture of Ms. Melissa Roxas.”

http://tinyurl.com/m5g5hw

Fil Am groups discuss cut of US military aid to RP with US Congresswoman

NEW YORK (July 6) -- Filipino Americans met with the staff of US Congresswoman Nita Lowey at the lawmaker's district office in White Plains, NY to discuss the case of human rights victim Melissa Roxas, a US citizen of Filipino descent, and US military aid to the Philippines.

Organized by the NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP), the delegation included Fr. Ben Alforque, president of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), members of Sandiwa national Filipino-American Youth Alliance, and writer/professor Luis Francia. They met with Repreentative Lowey's district staff Stephen Papas and Virginia Noriega.

http://tinyurl.com/msy6w8

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Message to Washington: Biologic Meds Offer Hope to Cancer Patients

This year, nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

For patients and families alike, a diagnosis is a terrifying experience. Husbands feel powerless. Future plans that were once certain are shelved. Children start asking questions that don't have easy answers. New doctors and unfamiliar medical terms become a daily reality. Anger and desperation often set in.

http://tinyurl.com/mb867o

It Is Frightening

Over the years, I have suffered deep stabs of pain every time I read of another life subjected to torture and summary execution. There is a helplessness that drags my soul to depths of despair, even though the individuals involved are not friends or relations. There is rage, too, at the evil which drives power to extreme abuse, when authority provides a protective cloak at people no better than beasts.

http://tinyurl.com/m4r86b

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Silliman Alumni to hold pre-Tipon Silliman 2009

NEW YORK (July 1) -- In preparation for its "Tipon Silliman 2009", Josephine Juele Jalandoni, New York/New Jersey Chapter President of the Silliman University Alumni Council of North America (SUACONA), invites fellow alumni from the tri-state and nearby states to a pre-Tipon Silliman 2009 events and gatherings.

The Tipon Silliman 2009, which has its theme this year, "Leaving Imprints for Tomorrow," is scheduled to be held July 8-12 at the Royal Plaza Hotel at 1905 Hotel Plaza Boulevard, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in downtown Disney World.

The pre-Tipon get-together during the July 4th weekend will kick-off with a SUAA-NYNJ-sponsored brunch at the residence of Jalandoni, on July 4 at 10 a.m. Attending alumni will meet Silliman University President Dr. Ben Malayang III and his wife, Gladys; Jocelyn Somoza dela Cruz, SU Director of Alumni Affairs, and SAAI Executive Secretary Yolanda Maxino, who are visiting New York.

Jalandoni requests attending alumni to come on time as the brunch will end at 2 p.m. to allow time for Dr. Malayang and his entourage to proceed to the next scheduled activity.

Following the brunch meeting is a boat ride around Manhattan Island to watch the annual Macy’s Fourth of July Independence Day fireworks on the historic Hudson River.

The five-hour boat ride on Zephyr includes dinner. The Zephyr embarks from the South Street Seaport in downtown Manhattan at 6:00 p.m. Alumni intending to join the boat ride and fireworks viewing are asked to get in touch with Joji Jalandoni at (201) 401-7559 or by email at jijalandoni@aol.com.

On Sunday, July 5, President Malayang will be attending an 11 a.m. Sunday Worship Service at the Filipino American United Church of Christ (Fil-Am UCC) in Queens, New York.

At 4:00 p.m. the SU President will be a guest speaker at the installation of Rev. Reuben Cedino as Pastor of Fil-Am UCC. After the ceremonies, a fellowship with guests and Sillimanians follows.

http://tinyurl.com/n8qtbd

JEEP project launched in Mindanao universities

MARAWI CITY (July 1) --- Mindanao students will get a boost in their chances at landing better, market-driven jobs with a new project that seeks to enhance students’ English proficiency skills and language training capabilities of Mindanao universities.

Launched by the USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) in six Mindanao universities, the Job Enabling English Proficiency or JEEP project is designed to turn out graduates with the English language skills needed for productive employment in careers requiring reasonable proficiency in the language, a statement from the agency said.

http://tinyurl.com/knjg2u

Whatever Happened to Two Companions of Melissa Roxas?

MANILA – Ever since Filipino-American activist Melissa Roxas filed a petition for writ of amparo before the Supreme Court accusing military men of abducting and torturing her, the public has never heard from her two Filipinos companions, Juanito Carabeo and John Edward Jandoc.

The three were abducted by suspected military agents on May 19 in La Paz, Tarlac. Roxas was released on May 25 and soon went back to the United States to reunite with her family and seek medical treatment.

But whatever happened to Carabeo and Jandoc?

http://tinyurl.com/mp3wxs

Filipinos in Korea win top prizes

SEOUL (July 1) -- In recognition of their dedication to family and contribution to creating a more open Korean society, the Korea Exchange Bank acknowledged three Filipinos who won top prizes in the 1st Global Family Award it sponsored.

Vilma Montanegro received the Grand Prize for Model Family, while Young-mi “Maritess” Lee and Narlita Quinal were respectively declared runners-up in the Model Family and Filial Piety categories during an awarding ceremony held at the bank headquarters on June 24.

http://tinyurl.com/n6yhcj

Fil Am Lawyer Pleased Mancao Was Made State Witness

CHICAGO (July 1) -- The Filipino American lawyer of Cezar Ochoco Mancao was pleased that the Philippine Department of Justice kept its pledge to let Mr. Mancao become a state witness.

Arnedo S. Valera, of Fairfax, Virginia, told this reporter in an email that “Mancao's acceptance as a state witness is one clear indication that the Philippine Government is really interested in resolving the Dacer-Corbito double murder cases. Cezar Mancao's testimony is crucial and a key in this case. Cezar's position has been to tell the truth no matter what, and that justice be served.”

http://tinyurl.com/leozu3

Extradition Trial of Aquino Called Off

CHICAGO (July 1) – The extradition trial of Michael Ray B. Aquino scheduled on July 1 has been put off. No date has been announced for its continuance, according to Aquino’s lawyer, Mark A. Berman.

Mr. Berman also said that the deposition of Mr. Aquino’s co-accused, Glenn G. Dumlao, “has been adjourned without a date.”

http://tinyurl.com/kwcoj3

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