by Rodel Rodis
May 16, 2011
The most popular Filipino in China today is “a retired investment and merchant banker, a retired Certified Public Accountant, and a retired economist who loves to dabble in history and political science, among many other interests”. His name is “Victor N. Arches II” and he is the reported author of an op-ed article that appeared in the Manila Standard Today on April 28, 2012. The article, “It belongs to China”, has been reproduced in its entirety in hundreds, if not thousands, of print publications and online news sites all over China.
“Even Filipino admits Huangyan Island belongs to China!” is typical of the headline that appears in English or in Chinese Pinyin character introducing the Arches’ article.
Ever since the article appeared in the Manila Standard Today, I have been scouring through all the search engines in the Internet to find out anything about “Victor N. Arches II” but I found nothing. I could not even find a single Filipino with that surname. The closest I got was a “Victor Arch” from Indonesia who graduated from a university in Jakarta in 1994 but his postings in Facebook are in Bahasa Indonesia.
If “Victor N. Arches II” had written an article in the past, it would surely have surfaced in the Internet. If he graduated from any college or university in the Philippines and if he ever worked as a CPA in the Philippines, his name would invariably have appeared somewhere in the Internet and a search engine would have surely tracked it.
My suspicion about the true identity of the author was also aroused by the style and substance of the article which was uncannily similar to the way Chinese articles have dealt with the subject.
Consider his opening paragraph: “The Scarborough Shoal does belong to China which discovered it and drew it in a map as early as 1279 during the Yuan Dynasty. Chinese fishermen, from both the Mainland and Taiwan, have since used it. As a matter of fact, Guo Shoujing, (the Chinese astronomer, engineer and mathematician who worked under the Mongol ruler, Kublai Khan) performed surveying of the South China Sea, and the surveying point was the Scarborough Shoal which is considered part of the Zhongsha Islands (renamed Huangyan Island in 1983). By contrast, the “old maps” being relied upon by our Department of Foreign Affairs in its spurious claim on the same territory were drawn up only in 1820, or 541 years after China’s.”
An article which recently appeared in the official China government publication, Xinhua News, entitled “Solid evidence supports China’s sovereignty claim over Huangyan Island” starts with similar information and was written in the same prose style: “In the 13th century, Emperor Kublai Khan of China’s Yuan Dynasty assigned an astronomer named Guo Shoujing to conduct a territory survey to unify the calendar nationwide, said Li Guoqiang, deputy director of the Research Center for Chinese Borderland History and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a government think tank.”
Ironically enough, China’s claim to ownership of the Scarborough Shoal based on historical maps was debunked by the Philippines top Maoist, Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines, who described the claim as an “absurdity”.“This would be like Italy claiming all areas previously occupied by the Roman Empire,” Sison said.
It would be like Macedonia laying claim to the Persian Empire (Iran) based on a map drawn by Alexander the Great in 338 B.C. Or China laying claim to America based on an old map drawn by Admiral Zheng He, for Emperor Zhu Di, in 1421as described in the New York Times bestseller by Gavin Menzies entitled “1421: The Year China Discovered America”.
China can plant “It belongs to China” articles in Philippine publications but the Philippines cannot hope to have even one article published anywhere in China that questions China’s claim to the Scarborough Shoal or to the Spratlys. That is the decided advantage of a totalitarian dictatorship, which does not allow freedom of the press, over a democracy.
Writers from China can regularly post their comments in articles critical of China that appear in online publications such as the online posted comment about my article (“Stand up to China or kneel and beg for mercy”): “we don’t need Filipino care workers’ product too, we don’t know why Ph export to China more than china export to Ph and Ph earn much money from china do not use to Improve the people’s livelihood instead of oppose with China, how stupid Ph pigs, you can choose kneel and beg for mercy to USA, and you do, you are always the dog of USA, we don’t wanna feed you again.”
While the 1.3 billion people of China are unified behind their government’s claim to the Scarborough Shoal, the same cannot be said for the 100 million people of the Philippines at home and abroad.
In an interview with ABS-CBN Balitang America on May 8, San Francisco-based Racquel Redondiez, former Secretary-General of Bayan USA and current Gabriela USA Chair, said that her group would boycott the May 11 global protest against China because the dispute with China is just “a conflict between siblings or friends”.
“The China threat is being used by the U.S. to actually further trample on the Philippines’ national sovereignty,” Redondiez said.
No spokesman of China can match the vitriol spewed by Washington DC-based Adolfo Paglinawan in his denunciations of Filipinos critical of China’s intrusion in the Scarborough Shoal. In his emails to various elists, Paglinawan has blamed the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) for provoking China to impose economic sanctions against the Philippines.
He has demanded that President Benigno S. Aquino (whom he derisively calls “Penoy”) purge his cabinet of officials who have been critical of China starting with Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chair Imelda Nicolas, the sister of USP4GG national chair, Loida Nicolas-Lewis.
Paglinawan told ABS-CBN Washington DC correspondent Rodney Jaleco on May 11: “I would not be surprised if China files a diplomatic protest for the obvious conspiracy between the government and its fronts in foreign lands.” If China heeds Paglinawan’s advice, he would be China’s top witness against the Philippines.
Paglinawan’s cohort in Canada, Romy Marquez, described in his youtube postings the May 11protest of Filipino-Canadians in front of the China Consulate in Toronto as “less than two dozen marching in a circle” in a “lackluster rally”. Marquez claimed that because of the low participation, the protest rally “failed to live up to its billing as a global protest”.
Marquez failed to understand that it was a “global protest” because there were simultaneous protest rallies against China on May 11 by Filipinos in cities all over the world, from Makati to Guam, to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Paris, Switzerland, Ireland, South Africa, South Korea, Hong Kong and other cities.
While the formidable challenge of China can be daunting and intimidating, I take comfort from an email from a Philippine Science High School classmate, Vince Ragay, who expressed appreciation of our global efforts of “applying an approach taken from Sun Tzu himself: gathering sympathy and support from neighbors and allies to pre-empt an enemy attack”.
“Yes, it can come to a bloody turn as it has done so in the past,” Vince wrote. “But I believe that God in Heaven protects our shores and our people. Just as David claimed victory even before he struck Goliath, we, as believers, can also claim the same victory we will have if we remain faithful and steadfast. It is not a mere test of our political, legal or military capabilities but also of our inner stability as children of God. Will God forsake His children when the infidels surround them? History has many lessons we still haven’t truly learned and applied.”
“We have friends and sympathizers within China, for certain. Prayers and protests may seem like incongruous twins in this issue; but I dare say that whatever the Lord has put in your heart to do on this matter, please do it with all of your might.”
Thank you, Vince.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

[Send comments to Rodel50@gmail.com or mail them to the Law Offices of Rodel Rodis at 2429 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127 or call 415.334.7800].
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by Dr. Philip S. Chua.
May 16, 2012
Are soft drinks really bad for our health?
Most definitely, yes. On average, there are 10 to 15 calories per ounce of non-diet soft drinks, so a 12-ounce can contains 120-180 calories. Drinking a can of this “liquid candy” a day adds an extra 120 calories to the day’s diet. Statistics show that an extra 100 calories a day leads to a weight gain of 10 pounds a year. Imagine what drinking a can with every meal could do to your health. But, worse than calories, is the more dangerous fact that imbibing soft drinks is associated with the development of Metabolic Syndrome (central obesity leading to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, diabetes, heart attack, stroke).
All of us should abandon soft drinks and also save our children from this dangerous drink. Red wine, even for children (as practices in some European countries), would be safer than these “treacherous and subtle poisons.”
I hate daily insulin shots; any alternative?
If your diabetes is not controlled by pills and your physician prescribes diet, exercise and insulin for you, it will be wise for you to follow this custom-tailored regimen, otherwise complications of diabetes could ravage your entire body and shorten your life. Since you hate insulin shots like every diabetic, you could consider implantation of an Insulin Pump.
This is the state-of-the-art method of administering insulin to insulin dependent diabetic patients. The small device is implanted under the skin and the catheter connected to it is inserted into a vein. The computerized pump contains insulin in its chamber and delivers a precise dose of insulin at a preset time schedule. The insulin chamber is refillable. This pump replaces the needle injection as a method of giving insulin. Further down the line, embryonic stem cell transplant may someday become a routine “cure” for diabetes.
Do video games hurt children?
Excessive video gaming (desktop or hand-held) is hazardous to children’s body, brain, and health in general, causing anxiety, depression and poor performance in school, according to a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There are also physical injuries sustained after months and years of video-gaming. Some of them are back and neck pains, carpal tunnel, finger, hand, elbow tingling and numbness problems, and bad posture.
Since kids usually play alone, their concentration on their games deprived them of their awareness of their surroundings and people around them. Someone coined “Nintendonitis” to describe the injuries from repetitive finger actions, although all other video-gaming gadgets also increase the risk for the same injuries. An official website of a video-game manufacturer states that “some people (about 1 in 4,000) may have seizures or blackouts triggered by light flashes or patterns while watching TV.”
Indeed, parents should teach their children about priority and disciplined and scheduled video-gaming, so it does not interfere with doing home work and school performance, and not transform the child to a loner or one without social skills
Can fruits be contaminated?
Any fruit can be contaminated with chemicals, like the recently discovered fungicide-tainted orange juices from Mexico sold in the United States, or infected with bacteria, like the Listeria-infected canteloupes found in 18 States in America weeks ago, which killed 13 people and the toll is expected to rise. The incubation period (time from ingesting the contaminated food to the time symptoms occur) could be more than 3-4 weeks. The number of deaths here has surpassed the 2009 salmonella outbreak from contaminated peanuts, which was reported to be nine. There were also contaminated eggs, turkey, celery, spinach, and peanut butter reported in the recent past in the USA.
It is prudent to wash hands frequently and wash the fruits well, and discard any suspicious-looking ones, according to appearance, consistency, smell, and taste. The same serious vigilance is applicable to any food or drink items. After all, carelessness could lead to serious or fatal outcome.
Why ban marijuana and not cigarettes?
This is a most interesting question that has beleaguered me also for as long as I can remember. While marijuana has some medicinal uses, cigarettes have nothing but serious health risks, including cancers, lung diseases, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, allergies, asthma, and upper respiratory diseases in children, etc. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that “casual pot smokers might even have stronger lungs than non-users…. with a good evidence that occasional use can increase lung air flow and lung capacity.”
This was a 20-year study among 5000 men and women in Birmingham, Chicago, Orlando and Minneapolis, conducted by The University of California, San Francisco and The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Obviously, this is a politico-economic issue, a harsh reality of our time, where government and society are contributing, by default, to the misery and deaths of four billions of people around the world every year. Not to mention the catastrophic impact on their loved ones.
I am not advocating that marijuana be legalized, but like this reader who emailed me this question, I strongly feel that tobacco is a ruthless killer and should be banned, if we are to save these 4 billion people from dying.
To me, providing a “smokers’ area” in a restaurant or other public places with a common aircon-ventilating system, is like designating a portion of a swimming pool as “urinating area.”
Having said that, I shall defend the right of individuals who smoke, and equally, the right of non-smokers not to be exposed to the more deadly secondhand smoke from inconsiderate and irresponsible smokers.
Can eating a lot of salt cause cancer?
Yes, eating a lot of salt and salty foods increases the risk for gastric (stomach) cancer. Other risk factors include eating pickled or processed foods, presence of H. pylori stomach infection, and a genetic predisposition or family history of stomach cancer. Those with H. pylori infection are 50% more prone to develop cancer of the stomach. The US FDA recommended allowance of salt intake is no more than 2,400 mg a day, equivalent to one teaspoon. The Institute of Medicine and the medical community suggest 1,500 mg per day as the maximum limit for healthy individuals and much lower for those with heart failure or kidney disease, and other conditions where low salt diet is prescribed. Some anti-cancer foods, besides fish with its omega 3 oil, are nuts, like almonds and walnuts and other high-fiber foods, citrus fruits (tangerine, oranges), orange-colored vegetables, various berries, sweet potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, cabbage and other and cruciferous vegetables, red beans, pinto beans, pumpkin, squash, and vegetables in general.
For more data, please visit: philipSchua.com
Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

by Fermin Salvador.
May 16, 2012
Tawagin natin siyang si Scalabrino. Isang lalaking Italyano ang lahi. Halos puti na ang lahat ng buhok at balbas, nasa paga-sisenta. Beterano ng Digmaang-Vietnam, na nagtapos noong 1975. Hindi ko alam dati na pati siya’y dating sundalo bagaman marami nito sa mga teknisyan at may mga dating US navy na nadestino sa Subic. Manipis kasi ang katawan at batay sa pananaw niya sa mga bagay-bagay ay parang isang hiping kulelat. Hindi rin ibig sabihing hindi talaga nagiging hipi ang mga dating militar. Pero malay ako na isa siyang solidong Republican at ang isa pang dating kapwa-teknisyan sa 3rd shift na katsokaran namin pareho, may lahing-Ingles, tawagin nating si Woody na die-hard GOP din.
Nakita niya ako na nasa opisina ko na bukas ang pintuan, bumati, at walang aling-aling na pumasok. Kipkip niya ang isang plastikbag ng bukstor ng Barnes and Nobles na naglalaman ng isang katamtamang libro. Malamang na binabasa habang naka-duty. Pauwi na siya at dumaan lang sa Unit Building para ilagay ang pangalan niya sa talaan ng mga nagboboluntaryong mag-overtime. Hindi mo iisiping wala pang tulog magdamag sa sigla.

Tagapagsalita at Tagapakinig
May reputasyon sa kilometrikong pagkukuwento si Scalabrino. Nagkataong nasa mood akong makinig, at sinasadya kong gawing punto ang makinig sa mga kuwento. Masyado nang na-outnumber sa mundo ng mga ‘talker’ ang mga ‘listener’. Di masamang sadyaing ilagay ang iyong sarili sa minorya.
Nakaupo ako sa hapag ko, nanatiling nakatayo si Scalabrino. May mga bakanteng upuan at di na kailangang sabihin ko sa kanya na maupo siya dahil wala kaming agenda. Pero tila kailangang nakatindig siya para mabalanse ang sarili sa puwersa sa pagsasalita. Ipinatong niya lang ang hawak na libro. Sa gawing ulunan niya’y may orasang-dingding kaya maoorasan ko ang pagdidiskurso niya. Di ko puputulin ang mga nais niyang sabihin. Hahayaan ko lang siya. Tape recorder lang ang makabibihag nang ganap sa bilis ng pagsasalita at paglipat-lipat niya ng paksa.
May sinabi siya tungkol sa isang batas na magpapabago raw sa buhay sa US na malapit nang ipatupad ng Administrasyong Obama. Ayon daw ito sa sinabi sa kanya ni Woody. Isang taon ang nakararaan, noong panukala pa lang ang batas na ito, ay kategorikal na nagsabi si Pangulong Obama na tututulan niya ito. Subalit sa palihim na paraan at nakalusot sa monitor ng midya, ani Scalabrino, ito’y naaprobahan din. Hindi isang beses lang gagamitin ni Scalabrino ang ekspresyong “lumusot sa monitor ng midya”. Susunugin ng nasabing batas ang mga fundamental na karapatan na nakasaad sa konstitusyon. Ang batas na ito ay magbibigay-karapatan sa awtoridad e.g. kapulisan na dumakip at magkulong sa sinumang paghinalaang nasa impluwensiya ng alak. Wala nang due process. Makukulong ka na nang indefinite. Ito ay batay sa sinabi ni Woody na alam kong manginginom at di isang beses nagkaroon ng personal na problema kaugnay ng pag-inom. Nahiwatigan kong ito’y banat laban kay Obama.
Paiskets lang ang salaysay ko dahil hindi madaling i-recall nang buo sa kabuuan ang diskurso. Kahit pa di na ako magbigay ng reaksiyon bagkus ay makikinig lang sa kanya.

Ang mga Bankero
Biglang lumiko kay Ron Paul. Si Paul ay isa sa mga kontender para maging standard bearer ng partidong Republican. Anya, ang diskarte nito’y biglaang tapyasin ang maraming serbisyo at benepisyo na ipinagkakaloob ng gobyernong federal gaya ng medicare. Drastiko. Napamaang ako. Akala ko’y isusunod niya ang kritisismo sa kandidato ngunit idinugtong niyang ito ang paraan para unahan ang mga banko sa plano ng mga ito. Walang babala na magsasara ang mga banko dahil walang usad ang gobyernong federal sa pagsolusyon sa malubhang deficit sa badyet.
Susundan niya ang diskurso ng bigtaym na pagbira nang patalumpati, o sa madaling-salita’y ‘rant’, laban sa mga banko at mga bankero na sa kahatulan niya’y mga salot ng sansinukob. Bumanggit siya ng mga pigurang historikal. Anya, pinatay si John F. Kennedy sapagkat naglayon itong buwagin ang Federal Reserve na anya pa’y may titulong ‘federal’ ngunit ang totoo’y pinatatakbo ng mga pribadong tao at walang katapatan sa US. Ito rin ang dahilan kaya pinatay si Abraham Lincoln, may nasabi raw itong nagpanerbiyos sa mga bankero. Pagkatapos ay pinapansin niya sa akin si Theodore Roosevelt. Isang pangulong ‘macho’ na nanindigan laban sa mga bankero. Kaya sa Mt. Rushmore ay may busto siya kahilera sina George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, at Lincoln.
May aklat ang isang awtor na Indiyan na nabasa niya na sadyang marunong, anya, na 1995 pa ay nagbigay ng forecast tungkol sa mga magaganap na recession. Matatandaan na nagkaroon ng resesyon sa Timog-Silangang Asya kabilang ang Pilipinas noong 1998. Nito na lang huli sa ekonomiya ng US. Nais niyang ma-enlighten ako sa konspirasi ng mga bankero sa mundo na kayang manipulahin ang patutunguhan ng ekonomiya at ang lahat ay artipisyal na pangyayari na nasa ilalim ng kontrol ng mga ito.
Bumaling naman siya sa relihiyon. Sa lahat ng fundador ng relihiyon, ayon sa kanya, si Hesu Kristo lang ang may mensahe ng pag-ibig. Pero minsa’y nagwala si Hesus. Itinaboy niya ang mga puwesto ng mga nagpapautang sa templo saka kumuha ng lubid at hinampas ang mga ito. Sila’y kumakatawan sa mga bankero sa modernong panahon.

Sino si Nietzche?
Habang nagsasalita manaka-naka’y napapasulyap siya sa gawing pintuan na inaalam kung may ibang tao. Ngunit walang patlang ang pagsasalita niya. Kahit lumilingon-lingon ay patuloy siya sa pagsasalita.
Sentido-kumon, ito ang wala ang maraming tao. Bakit, tanong niya, napakaraming tao ang hindi man lang marunong sumuri. Nabubuhay na lang sila nang parang siklo. Anya, may sinabi si Woody sa kanya na na-quote nito mula kay Nietzche. Si Nietzche… nangapa siya sa isip kung paano ide-describe si Nietzche. Isang pilosoper, ‘kako nang hindi ako nakatiis na di sumabat. Iglap ang pag-ayon niya. Hindi niya maalala ang eksaktong linya nito. Pero naalala niyang natumba siya nang marinig ang sinabi nito na sinabi naman sa kanya ni Woody. Amazing, sa kanya, ang sinabi. Ayokong isuhestiyon ang linyang “Patay na ang Diyos”. Tiyak na di ito dahil relihiyoso siya. Tungkol daw sa pagiging nakaprograma ng tao. Nagpramis siyang hahanapin ang linyang iyon para verbatim ay masabi niya sa akin.

by Fred C. Wilson III
May 16, 2012
“Pet missing? No blame us! Blame hurricane.”
-sign in front of Florida’s ‘Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant-

Ever since I was a 6th grader I’ve always had a special interest in Asia. Its’ people, Asian arts, its’ colorful cultures, and of course the food; oh how I just love the many delicious dishes that continent has created through the ages. What better way to celebrate our planet’s largest continent than by sampling the menus of local Asian restaurants. With our large APA population Chicago and neighboring suburbs has plenty to choose from. How do I know-that’s easy; you don’t get to be a big guy like me dieting. I’m on a diet (doctor’s orders) since I want to live longer. Reader when you’re over 66 and weigh as much as I do you’re just a chicken leg away from the ‘big one’ (massive coronary). GOD willing I’d like to write this column for a few more years. To make this desire a living reality, I have to diet or die. As good fortune would have it, most Asian foods are ideal for my slimming down process.
I don’t have to list Chicago’s Asian restaurants. I assume you’ve lived here long enough to know some of them. If you’re a first time reader continue reading. I’ve listed some of what I consider to be among the better Asian eateries you might want to check out:
* Little Quiapo in my opinion is by far Chicago’s premier Filipino eating establishment. Located at 6259 N. Mc Cormick Rd. where the city meets the suburbs, my wife and I consider this restaurant a must do whenever we’re celebrating something. Birthday parties, an anniversary, graduations, First Communions, Confirmations, or anything else I heartily recommend this folksy little restaurant. If you just want some good eatin’ whenever we’re in the neighborhood give ‘em a call. For more on Little Quiapo call: 773-279-8861 (www.littlequiapo.com).
* If you have out-of-town guests, on a tight budget, hate long lines, the Evergreen’s the place for you. Give ‘em a call at 312-225-8898 (www.evergreenchicago.com). They’re in China-town on the city’s South Side. Parking is usually available depending on what time of day you’re there. We generally go at night since Chinatown parking is at a premium especially during daytime.
* Want the best for less; go to Sun Wah B-B-Q where you get big bowl portions at affordable prices. The menu is varied and it’s damn good eating! This friendly family-style restaurant has all that and more. They’re at 5041 N. Broadway at 773-769-2171 (www.sunwahbq.com). Parking is limited.
* Rival Furama Restaurant, also Chinese, is across the street. Like Sun Wah Furama’s not pricy, has a varied menu, friendly service plus in-house free parking the latter a rarity in any city. Furama is at 4936 N. Broadway. Give ‘em a call at 773-272-1161 (www.furamachicago.com). Since Furama’s a franchise there’s another one in Chinatown.
* Into Korean cuisine but live in the suburbs; no problem. When my wife and I lived in Schaumburg we used to dine at the BBQ Hut located at 1147 N. Roselle Rd in nearby Hoffman Estates. The food’s good, plentiful, superbly prepared, and affordable. Call 847-882-9292; sorry no website.
Reader I’ve listed a pitiful few of the many excellent Asian eateries in Chicago and nearby suburbs. For a wider assortment use the Internet to search Chicago area Asian restaurants. You can’t miss. These are usually people friendly restaurants. I wouldn’t recommend any place where I thought you’d be treated badly, besides who do you trust on food matters some skinny little anorexic whose idea of fine dining is two pieces of lettuce dipped in vinegar or a fat man like me who knows good eating when he sees it? Reader your answer is obvious. (laughing!)
There are numerous cultural events held this month. Space and time don’t permit elaboration. You might want to go to the websites I’ve listed below and do the ‘leg work’ (research) yourself:
* www.explorechicago.org
* www.enjoyillinois.com
* www.chicagoculturalcenter.org
* www.explorechicago.org
These sites list hundreds of Asia-related citywide events. As the old Yellow Pages jingle once said before the advent of the home PC, “let your fingers do the walking.” APA heritage month is more than ‘feeding your face’ (eating), dancing, and listening to pretty speeches at cultural affairs. This is the month for remembering the many achievements the APA community has contributed to global society.
For a taste of the macabre what better way to connect culturally than a trip to the Genghis Khan exhibit held in the Field Museum of Natural History? Reader I’m not one to glorify genocidal killers, but the exhibit is interesting and educational. The Field Museum is at: 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. (www.fieldmuseum.org). Call the museum at 312-922-9410. Unless you possess a strong pair of legs and wanna’ ‘hoof it’ all the way to these museums I strongly recommend you take the 146 bus. Why drive? This bus runs along North Lake Shore Drive. You catch it on Michigan Avenue the section that runs through the ‘Mile’ (Magnificent Mile) to the river. Once the 146 cross the Chicago River it detours along Wacker Drive and runs up State Street from Lake Street to Roosevelt Road where turns left to make the museum campus run.
WARNING! Due to the NATO conferences scheduled for May 20th and 21st I sternly advise you steer clear of Downtown two days before, event days, and after NATO leave town. I was Downtown during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Things can get ugly.
* There are a number of places uniquely Fil-Am in Chicago. There’s the statue honoring Philippine founding father Dr. Jose Rizal that stands in a small public park along North Lake Shore Drive. You know the flag flanked statue of a man with his butt facing the highway? This monument is situated between Lawrence and Ainslie Streets on the North Side.
* The Bataan-Corregidor Bridge is on North Lake Shore and Wacker Drive.
* The Filipino-American Historical Society of Chicago is located at 5472 S. Dorchester Avenue in Hyde Park (South Side). I once served as recording secretary during that organization’s nascence. To contact it regarding Fil-Am cultural events, dinners, and other occasions call 773-941-8696 (www.fahschicago.org).
Reader that’s it; we’ll discuss Science and Religion from a Fil-Am perspective next time. It slipped my mind that May is APA Heritage Month so I temporarily nixed that article. GOD bless you and drive carefully.

by Don Azarias
May 16, 2012
“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our government’s reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”
Sound familiar? Of course, that was Sen. Barack Obama’s speech on the Senate floor on March 20, 2006 when he was still an unknown junior U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois. And, apparently, with his eyes already set on the White House, Obama knows that, making that kind of statement, will make voters take notice of him and enhance his lackluster performance in Congress and improve his chances of moving to the Oval Office.
As part of the 2012 presidential campaign, it’s one of the political issues that the Republicans are likely to resurrect in order to remind the American voters of many of President Barack Obama’s self-serving rhetoric before and during the 2008 presidential campaign. Another thing that will be scrutinized is his involvement in the Solyndra, Inc.’s $535 million government loan fiasco. The California company is a solar panel manufacturer that sought bankruptcy protection after receiving the government loan despite warnings from government and private auditors of the company’s precarious financial position. An audit report by PricewaterhouseCoopers concluded that Solyndra had suffered recurring losses from operations and negative cash flows, raising substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Obama ignored all those warnings and ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide the government loan as a payback to one of his major fundraisers, Oklahoma billionaire George Kaiser, an investor in Solyndra, Inc.
The public may want to know that Obama was also involved in providing government loans to Amonix Co. that laid off two thirds of its work force, A123 Systems that laid off a significant number of employees and Ener1 Co. that just recently filed for bankruptcy. It’s hard to believe that Obama, through his green-tech program, directed the DOE to provide loans to those companies without thoroughly examining their books. Of course, Obama never intended to do that, no matter what. His primary goal was to provide government loans to those companies as a way of paying back some of his principal fundraisers who are also those companies’ investors. For the readers’ information, the Obama administration gave those companies $5.9 million, $118.5 million and $249 million, respectively. Including Solyndra’s $535 million, that’s almost a billion dollars courtesy of the hardworking American taxpayers.
Included in the Republicans’ campaign strategy is their plan to use the Solyndra loan debacle as code word for Obama’s handling of the economy. They will try to exploit Obama’s ties to those unsuccessful companies that received government loans as a campaign issue. They’ll make a case against Obama’s claim during the 2008 presidential election campaign that he was a Washington, D.C. outsider and will change the inner-workings in the nation’s capital if he is elected president. Yet he failed to live up to that promise..
The Republicans have sought to highlight the connection between Obama’s fundraisers and the above-mentioned companies. They’ll argue that the president used his influence to benefit campaign supporters and, thus, was no different from those typical Washington political insiders that he promised not to become.
For the record, Steve Spinner, an Energy Department official, has raised at least $500,000 for Obama’s campaign while Steve Westly, a venture capitalist who was an unpaid adviser to the Energy Department, has raised between $200,000 and $500,000. Emails released by congressional investigators show Spinner was actively involved in the Solyndra loan, despite pledging to step aside because his wife’s law firm represented the company. Westly tried to warn Obama against the May 2010 trip to Solyndra’s Fremont, California headquarters to promote the firm but the president made the trip anyway.
Obama and Energy Secretary Steven Chu have said the loan program was intended to spark investment in renewable energy programs that otherwise would not qualify for a private loan and that the Obama administration officials knew from the start that investment in some of those companies would fail. Then why, in the world, would they provide those companies with government loans if they are doomed to fail when the United States already has unsustainable amount of debts and deficits in its books?
According to a Treasury Department report, the U.S government could lose nearly $3 billion on those green energy loans. The White House asked a former official to conduct the review in response to investigations by congressional Republicans into the Solyndra. What’s this, a hypocritical act of contrition?
During the 2012 presidential campaign, the Republican message will aim to undermine Obama’s case on rebuilding the economy as well as undercutting his perceived strengths among voters on character issues such as honesty and integrity.
Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster had this to say: “All of the sudden the companies that end up getting the grants are those who happen to be well politically connected.” I think Ayres is right on target. Obama has raised campaign money, not only from Solyndra investors in exchange for those large federal loans, but also from investors of Amonix, A123 Systems, Ener1 Company and other companies that were beneficiaries of the U.S. government’s largesse courtesy of the Obama administration.
And with Obama supporters benefiting from billions in taxpayer money while laid-off workers are losing their jobs and homes only proves, once and for all, that Obama has become a typical Washington insider. That’s a change we can believe in.

by Arnold De Villa
May 16, 2012
According to Floyd Whaley, writer of “The Sydney Morning Herald (May 16, 2012)”, Chief Justice of the Philippines, Renato Corona allegedly maintains 82 U.S. dollar-denominated accounts in five different banks with a total of $US28.7 million. In a country with an average monthly income of a little less than $300.00 and with Corona’s approximate monthly income of only a $1,000.00, journalists would surely speculate on how opulence could be amassed from a general scarcity. Other reports also indicate that this Chief Justice is being charged with money laundering considering the claims that more than $US30.0 million flowed from his account in a span of four years.
The rest of the story is peppered all over cyberspace, printed media and the broadcast press. Google spanned out more than 4 million results in less than 0.16 seconds, making this article a stale turtle. Since details are everywhere and the case is on its third day, I am not reporting further on what is going on with gossip, allegations and facts.
Although it is true that millionaires are no longer the highest level of affluence (having been replaced by billionaires), it is intriguing to find out how some Filipinos do away with millions despite their scant earnings. It is also worth noting that many of them belong to the higher echelons of the government, either as public servants or as career politicians, or well-connected elites. According to the United Nations Development Program, nearly $2 billion dollars or 13% of the Philippine annual budget is lost to corruption each year. Many of the business people in that Asian corner perceive the Philippines as the most corrupt center in the region.
This makes us wonder whether Filipinos back home are still fighting for survival or thriving for existence. I can only understand the proliferation of greed through the light of an unspoken fear of poverty. No one willfully desires to be poor. As such, those in the middle will try to climb to the top, either through connections, education or bribery. Many in the middle class will tend to hug anything that can bring them closer to the millionaire’s row. The unconnected poor, on the other hand, without the same opportunities of assistance or education, will tragically remain poor. Handful rotten apples surely do not represent an entire garden. Yet an entire garden may be contaminated by the different degrees of rotten apples in the same environment. The thread of corruption buries itself in the deepest fibers of our culture; the social values and the daily interaction of regular transactions or extraordinary deals are all entwined. The depth and scale of corruption that some travelers to the Philippines perceive has grown into a systemic layer of accepted habits and social norms. It becomes a struggle for survival. And if Philippine corruption were a bacterium, it would have a semblance of MRSA, an antibiotic resistant organism that does not die easily with any medication.
How poor is poor, how rich is rich, what is enough and what is not much? Subjective questions offer subjective responses. The levels of poverty and wealth vary according to the relative assessments of wealth and poverty. Nonetheless, since the idea of having more is much more expected than having less, the tendency to possess and the ability to stay in the status quo are also desired more than anything else.
It is evil to be poor. Back in the Philippines, there seems to be an attitude that equates the poor with everything that is not good. “Mahirap lang” is a common expression that reflects the low expectations most Filipinos assume towards poverty. And the only way to avoid it is through the accumulation of wealth. Since there are those who commit financial crimes as a way of life, and because they mistakenly think of themselves as untouchables, the quantity of tainted millionaires has gradually risen. This group has grown not as an offshoot of social improvement, but as an involution against the fear of poverty. This reality provides us with the rationale of having millionaires in the land of the poor.
When such behavior exists, the Philippines will have a more difficult time to solve so many issues pertaining to justice and equality. When people like the Chief Justice behave nonchalantly towards the accumulation of unexplained financial wealth, those who desire to know would be condemned as being nosy, out of line, or simply vindictive because of envy or jealousy. “Inggit lang iyan” will be the common response against those who are proactive in knowing the truth.
In the Philippines, there seems to be no space for equal opportunities and equal improvement. A rise from rags to riches can either be attained only through extraordinary skills and talents (sports, acting or music), connections, or travel abroad. As such, many of the middle class are left with the only option to leave their families and work offshore. The ability to work in the Philippines does not provide a space solely defined by equal opportunity.
Greed, especially among those who can afford to be greedy, is treated more like an opportunity instead of an undesired trait. The thought that if others are doing the same thing, that they are getting richer and are not being caught, then everything must be okay and those small peccadilloes can then be considered. From a couple of hundreds, to thousands to millions, one shady deal after another, inappropriately accepted as an entitlement more than as a reward for good work.
Many of the millionaires among the poor in the Philippines have developed a strong tolerance against the undesirable sight of paupers and beggars. In fact, many Filipinos do so as a defense mechanism to thrive in the midst of contradictions.
Besides Chief Justice Renato Corona, there are surely others who have done the same, though perhaps kept less than he did. Maybe they were not as conspicuous as keeping so many bank accounts within Philippine shore. But above and beyond them, there are also a million poor people who will never ever think of committing such atrocities simply because they will never have the same exposure to do so. And then, there are those in the middle. Some will do well, some will leave forever, and some will give back. That is where many of us are situated. And that is how many of us would hopefully do something. Between millions and poverty, it is only the middle that can link excess with want and thereby create a wider spread of wealth.

May 16, 2012
In an unexpected – but not surprising — turn of events in the Scarborough Shoal territorial dispute between the Philippines and China, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a press conference last April 30 in Washington DC announced that the United States is maintaining a “neutral stand” in their dispute. However, in an attempt to downplay the effect of the Obama administration’s hands-off policy, Clinton said: “While we do not take sides in the competing sovereignty claims to land features in the South China Sea, as a Pacific power we have a national interest in freedom of navigation, the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, and the unimpeded, lawful commerce across our sea lanes.”
For the first time, Uncle Sam made it crystal clear that the “little brown brother” is on his own in the territorial dispute with China over a shoal in the middle of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). It seems that Uncle Sam doesn’t see any strategic or economic value in a group of islets and rocks that is submerged in high tide.
However, to allay the Philippines’ fear of Chinese encroachment, Clinton said, “The US supports a collaborative diplomatic process by all those involved for resolving the various disputes that they encounter. We oppose the threat or use of force by any party to advance its claims. And we will remain in close contact with our ally, the Philippines.”
Mutual defense treaty
In my article, “Scarborough Incident” (April 26, 2012), I wrote: “In my opinion, the only time that the U.S. would intervene is when her national interests are threatened. And for as long as China doesn’t block the shipping lanes in the South China Sea or prevent any country from exploring for oil or natural gas in the South China Sea, the U.S. would not intervene in any territorial dispute between China and the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal or the Spratlys. Who cares who owns these little islands as long as the waters around them are open to exploration… or exploitation?”
Well, what else could Clinton say knowing full well that in the event of an armed conflict between the Philippines and China, the U.S. would not be able to send the Marines and deploy them on Philippine territory because the Philippine Constitution prohibits the stationing of foreign military forces on its territory. But what would the self-proclaimed “nationalists” do if U.S. military forces arrived?
In this situation the “nationalists” might just swallow their “national pride” lest China would claim our country for the second time in history. It must be remembered that in early 1400s, China established a colonial government in Lingayen in the province of Pangasinan and proclaimed the entire island of Luzon as her territory. However, during that short time China ruled Luzon, she didn’t have any control beyond Pangasinan.
Chinese intrusion
In my article, “What if China attacked the Spratlys?” (July 13, 2011), I wrote: “By just looking at the two countries’ military forces, there is no way the Philippines could survive a Chinese attack. The Philippine Navy has one World War II-vintage frigate and an Air Force that consists mainly of helicopters and no jet fighters. In a matter of days the entire Spratly archipelago could be in the possession of China — without firing a single shot!
“The only thing that is deterring China – momentarily — from attacking the Spratlys is the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, on the presumption that the US would come to the aid of the Philippines if the latter invoked the Mutual Defense Treaty. But that is a big ‘IF’ because President Barack Obama would have difficulty in convincing Congress and the American people to go to war in the South China Sea while the US is still embroiled in wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya… unless her national interests and security are threatened.”
With the war in Iraq and the revolution in Libya over, Obama has set the timetable for the withdrawal of American combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. However, he signed an agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to maintain American military presence in Afghanistan for 10 more years after the combat troops have gone home. Interestingly, his announcement followed Clinton’s pronouncement of U.S. “neutrality” in the Scarborough Shoal dispute. Was it a coincidence or part of a grand plan?
With the recent agreement between the U.S. and Japan to relocate 9,000 U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa to other bases in Western Pacific, does it seem that the U.S. is downsizing its military presence in Asia-Pacific? I don’t think so. On the contrary, the Obama administration is establishing alliances with other nations in South Asia and South East Asia to contain a rising China, which has become more assertive – and aggressive – in trying to control the oil-rich South China Sea. In 2010, China claimed the entire South China Sea as one of her “core national interests” just like Tibet and Taiwan.
New American geostrategy
In November 2011, U.S. and Australia announced the expansion of American military presence in Australia with the initial deployment of 2,500 combat-ready marines in Darwin, Australia, which is strategically located in the Timor Sea. The U.S. will also station warplanes in airbases in Northern Territory and warships including submarines at the HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia.
In addition, U.S. would eventually station military aircraft including Global Hawk spy drones in the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean, which is a territory of Australia. These unmanned high-altitude “Spy in the Sky” drones could cover the troublesome South China Sea where six countries (China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines) are claiming the oil-rich Spratly archipelago.
The Cocos Islands would provide a closer presence to the South China Sea than the British-owned Diego Garcia Island, which is 1,478 nautical miles farther west in the Indian Ocean. The lease of the U.S. base at Diego Garcia is due to expire in 2016. The U.S. would then close the base and move the operations to Cocos Islands, which is 1,992 nautical miles west of Darwin.
The strategic location of the Cocos Islands – also known as Keeling Islands — is crucial because of its proximity to three shipping lanes: Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, and the Timor Sea. With the ability of the U.S. to control these choke points, Chinese ships could be blocked from transporting oil from the Middle East where more than 50% of her foreign oil comes from.
With China’s dependence on foreign oil, her strategic oil reserves will be depleted in less than 30 days if war with the U.S. breaks out.
It’s all about oil
It is interesting to note that in the past several years, state-owned Chinese oil companies have been buying stocks from oil fields in Australia. It seems that China is looking at Australia as a major source for oil. If China starts getting Australian oil, her dependence on Middle East oil will decrease. Makes one wonder if the expansion of U.S. military presence in Australia might have any bearing on China’s infusion of investment capital into Australia’s oil industry?
Today’s geopolitics is like a game of chess. A chess grand master doesn’t win by chance or luck; he wins by planning his moves in advance and executing them cunningly. Could it be that Uncle Sam is going to sacrifice Scarborough Shoal in his opening gambit to checkmate China?

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

As soon as Barack Obama made history when elected as the first Black President of the United States in 2008, the rise to political prominence and strength of the newly formed Tea Party also marked the beginning of GOP’s apparent loss of control to the ultra Conservatives and religious Rights. Tea Party favorites also rose to prominence as is the case of Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Santorum and others. Not very surprisingly, Republican moderates have swung to the extreme right of the party if only to please the Tea Party and its conservative block. Soon, the political rhetoric of the Right Wing Republicans took a turn for the worst (for civil libertarians) on questions of marriage equality and civil rights, abortion, labor rights, healthcare, etc.
Being a member of the Christian faith, I have listened to our pastors as they professed the Biblical teachings on marriage, abortion and other subjects that have become hot button issues in this year’s election. With President Obama’s decision to openly declare his support to marriage equality, the topic has consumed the network roundtable discussions, blogs and opinion pages in print and on line. While supporters of marriage equality (a.k.a gay marriage) are ecstatic, people who are for DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) are livid and inconsolable. If only for that reason, Obama has lost their vote. True, President Obama has likely taken this bold step to energize Hollywood and his gay supporters’ base for his Super PAC but can I blame him? When he is faced with the avalanche of campaign money from the rival party, what is he left to do?
Despite my personal belief in the Bible’s concept of marriage, that is, a union between a man and a woman, I also believe that it is purely a personal choice and should not be legislated. The government has no business making that decision for us. God created us with a freedom to choose between right and wrong, between good and evil. While He gave us the Ten Commandments and the Bible to refer to His words and teachings, He didn’t deprive us of the opportunity to make our choices. We were told of the consequences if we did wrong but God Almighty didn’t strip us of our intellect and free will to make our choice.
When God created Adam and Eve, He provided them with everything they needed and could possibly enjoy in their paradise. But He planted a tree in their midst and told them not to eat of its fruit, which was the knowledge of good and evil. Why did God have to put that temptation before them when He could have simply made the entire place perfect and temptation-proofed as a child-proofed home when we want our kids to be safe? Couldn’t it be because He wanted to test our devotion to Him? And couldn’t it be also because He would rather have us worshipping and praising Him on our own free will than doing so because we had no other choice? Would God rather be worshipped by puppets and robots than by believers who chose to praise and worship Him because they knew that it was the right and good thing to do?
People ought to stop politicizing religious issues and Congress should be smart enough to avoid falling into this trap of treating religious questions as a question of law. God’s laws are above man’s laws but they are solely based on man’s faith in God’s divine wisdom and the knowledge that his or her rewards or punishment is certain, irrespective of place and time.
It’s time politicians and government and religious leaders stop interpreting the separation of church and state for their benefit and convenience. In affirmation of the words of America’s first Baptist church founder, Roger Williams, “a hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut, “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Furthermore, Article VI states that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
Why doesn’t anyone see that all these fuss about prohibiting gay marriages and abortion issues are a mere challenge to the U.S. Constitution? Why can’t someone from Washington find the courage to put an end to this politics of convenience and interpret the Constitution like it really is?
I will probably be hearing from some pastors, or even from my own pastor… But hey, I’m only expressing an honest and carefully thought out opinion. It’s my job…my duty… and my God-given right.

Jessica Sanchez, the American teen from Chula Vista, Southern California with Mexican and American roots, has wowed millions of television viewers all over America and other parts of the world.
Due to her good and strong voice and impressive vocal technique, Jessica has been dubbed by no less than the American Idol judges as one of the best singers today. Even professional singers, Americans and otherwise, have learned to love her. In the Philippines, international singing sensation Charice, award-winning stage actress and singer Lea Salonga and lead band singer Arnel Pineda are rooting for her to win the popular talent show. American Idol mentors Jimmy Lovine and Akon are also betting on Jessica not only because of her beautiful voice but also because she listens to their advice and, more importantly, she delivers.
As of press time, Jessica is one of the remaining three finalists, making her only the second contestant with Filipino roots – the first is Jasmine Trias of Hawaii and Cavite – to reach the Top 3. The other two finalists are gospel singer Joshua Ledet of Louisiana and guitar-playing singer Philips Philips. Basing on reviews by experts, it is predicted that Jessica will emerge as one of the Top 2 contenders in this week’s contest, and will be able to gun for the American Idol title during the final week of the contest.
Undoubtedly, Jessica is just a few steps away from making history not just for Filipino singers but for Asian artists as well. Charice may have impressed Oprah and David Foster, but she has yet to make a bonafide hit record of global impact. One Philippine newspaper stated that a victory for Jessica will be a culmination of the struggles of Filipino singers who inhabit the entertainment capitals in the world. Filipinos can do decent covers of popular songs, so good that Arnel Pineda filled the big shoes of Steve Perry in the band Journey. Filipinos not only champion karaoke singing, we are also singing in choirs in many churches around the world.
The time is now for Jessica Sanchez to win. The time is now for the Filipino people to fill the world with their beautiful voices. But Jessica can only capture the American Idol title with the support of the millions of people who are watching the show and who will vote for their favorite singer. The supporters mainly are Americans, white and black. Americans of Asian and Mexican descent, the Filipinos included, who constitute the biggest block in the United States, will surely help ensure Jessica’s victory. So this week and the final week, let us all be one with the millions of her followers and vote for a truly good singer, that’s Jessica, to be proclaimed this season’s American Idol.

American Idol judge saves Jessica Sanchez, once married to FilAm Cris Judd

Showbiz authority Ricky Lo did it again.
The GMA 7 show host and Philippine Star entertainment editor and columnist interviewed again popular actress, singer and American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

In his interview this time, Ricky Lo was able to elicit some vital information about J-Lo’s ties with Filipinos and the Philippines. He wrote about it in his column entitled “The Pinay in J-lo.”
The latest J-Lo twist on Pinoys was her saving American Idol contestant Jessica Sanchez, a Filipino-Mexican-American teener from Chula Vista in San Diego County in California who has emerged as one of the top 3 finalists of the popular talent show.
 It can be remembered that Jennifer went onstage and grabbed the mike from a stunned Jessica and “scolded” everybody for not voting for a truly talented singer, thereby retaining Jessica among the Top Four. 
Ricky told J-Lo: “On behalf of the Filipinos, I want to thank you for ‘saving’ Jessica Sanchez on American Idol.” 
“You are very welcome!” was Jennifer’s curt reply.
Ricky continued: “I notice that you have such a strong Philippine connection…”
In his column Conversations, Ricky said he thought he saw a sparkle in Jennifer’s eyes. “I guessed that only she and I knew what I meant, with the other journalists absolutely clueless,” he wrote.
Ricky said that based on Jennifer’s reply, he found out that Jennifer’s second husband (lasting 10 months), dancer Cris Judd, was half-Filipino.
Also,  beauty queen Dayanara Torres, the ex-wife of Marc Anthony, J-Lo’s third  ex-husband, had a Filipino as boyfriend, in the person of actor Aga Muhlach, who is now happily married with Charlene Gonzalez.
It was also gathered that Jennifer’s first husband was Ojani Noa and their marriage lasted for only 11 months. Jennifer is now romantically linked to dancer-choreographer Casper Smart.
It was even Jennifer who brought up her “Philippine connection” during the third interview of Ricky Lo with the actress also at the Four Seasons.
She volunteered the information about her second failed marriage, saying, “Yes, my ex-husband was half-Filipino.”
Jennifer is now preparing a concert with singer Enrique Iglesias, who is half Filipino. Enrique’s father is famous singer Julio Iglesias and his mother is a Spanish Filipina.
During the interview and presscon for her latest movie, “What To Expect When You’re Expecting,” Ricky Lo asked Jennifer the question: “Did you know that making babies is a popular cottage industry in the Philippines?” There was laughter from the gallery. “My question is: Having had twins, what tips can you give expecting women not only in the Philippines but all over the world?”
Jennifer had a ready answer: “You know, making babies is a very personal experience. One woman’s experience may not be the same as those of the others, or different from mine, so I can’t really give any tips.”
“That’s okay. Thank you, Jennifer!” Ricky countered.
“What To Expect When You’re Expecting” of Liongate which has Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks and Anna Kendrick and Jennifer’s co-stars, opens this week in Manila theaters.
Ricky Lo had a prize from J-Lo during the interview and presscon. When J-Lo saw him, she approached him, thanked him and planted a kiss on both his cheeks.
At the end of the presscon, Ricky handed copies of his three interviews with Jennifer and the actress flashed her sweet smile and thanked the columnist-television host. “Glad to see you again!” she said.
“J-Lo made my day!” Ricky Lo said.