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Founded in 1986
Founding Publisher/Editor:
Lito A. Gajilan
Columnists:
Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel
Joseph G. Lariosa
Gani P. Tolentino
Ted L. Reyes
Atty. Reuben S. Seguritan
Photographers:
Butch Gata
Sheryl Garcia
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not reflect the opinion of the paper nor that of the publisher
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For the past 20 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
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HUMAN SECURITY ACT:
MORE PROBLEMS THAN SOLUTIONS
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CONSIDERING Human Security: Why the New Human Security Act Will Create More Problems than Solutions for the Filipino People?
2004-2007 ushered in an international flurry of condemnation and bad press for the now heavily-isolated Arroyo government, beginning with the massacre of sugar workers at Hacienda Luisita. Since then, the GMA administration has yet to recover-fully from the onslaught of international reports claiming the worst human rights crisis suffered by the country since Marcosian Martial Law.
Consistent reports have been pouring in from the likes of major human right watchdogs such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and even the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, which sent a high-profile rapporteur Philip Alston to conduct first-hand investigation of possible human rights violation afflicting both rural and urban communities. The result was a telling published report that supported the claim that the Philippine military and police were the central perpetrators of national pattern of politically-motivated killings that has gone up nearly 900 under Arroyo’s term.
The Arroyo administration and its supporters in Congress are currently intent on implementing the new Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), also known as the Human Security Act, starting this July 15th.
On February 8th, voting 16-2, the Philippine Senate passed the final reading of the ATA, euphemistically titled, the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007. The day after, the bicameral conference committee of both Houses of Congress adopted the Senate version in full. Eventually, both the Senate and Lower House ratified the bicameral report in a 2-day special session called for President Arroyo. In a matter of days, on March 6th 2007, Arroyo signed the bill into law. The bill was passed into law ahead of other more important and urgent pieces of legislation such the P125 minimum wage increase and the compensation bill for Marcos human rights victims.
In line with the national pattern of human rights violations that have caused the international front to target the Arroyo regime and compare it to the late Marcos dictatorship, the HSA now provides the legal framework for such arbitrary violations to continue and escalate.
The main objective of the HSA is to curb and suppress responsible and legitimate dissent in a country where public opinion is rightfully being shaped by the international front’s denouncement of the Arroyo regime’s domestic policies, namely Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya.
With a definition of terrorism too vague to define, all broad opposition to the Arroyo regime are now eligible to be arrested and cracked down upon. The result will be an undeclared martial law that will literally plunge the Filipino people back into the dark ages of Marcosian Martial Law.
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Visa Lawsuit Will Benefit Rejected Applicants
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(Editor’s Note: REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has been practicing law for over 30 years. For further information, you may call him at 212 695 5281 or log on to his website at www.seguritan.com)
THE class action lawsuit against the Department of State and the USCIS that the American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF) promised last week to file is now being filed.
The AILF said that it has gathered the materials it needs from the potential plaintiffs---those who submitted an adjustment of status application in July 2007.
If the lawsuit is certified as a class action by the court, all those who meet the class description will benefit from the court order. No signature from them is required to be included in that class.
The AILF is a non-profit organization committed to the advancement of fundamental fairness and due process under the law for immigrants.
In the lawsuit it will argue that the rejection of the otherwise properly filed adjustment of status applications is contrary to the Code of Federal Regulations.
In addition, the public was not notified of this change in policy and this lack of notice greatly undermined the public confidence in the transparency of the USCIS policy and procedure. This placed an added burden on the USCIS.
If the AILF is successful in the lawsuit (as it expects it will be), the adjustment applications will be treated as if they had been filed as of the date the applicants originally tried to file them. Although visa numbers are not available, they will occupy an earlier place in the line than those who file later. And since the applications will be pending, they will be entitled to work authorization and travel permit.
Should those who have not filed yet file now?
The AILF says that this is a decision for the potential applicant to make. However, it is of the opinion that those who file in July and receive rejections would have the strongest chance to benefit from a favorable result.
There are cases where applicants did not apply or permitted the agency to “front desk an application”, and these applicants were not eligible for the relief given by the court.
We believe that the benefits of filing an adjustment of status application even if it will rejected far outweighs the disadvantages.
If a potential applicant does not file will they be included in the AILF class action suit? AILF has said that they will include them as plaintiffs. But the court may consider them as a separate class.
What about the low skilled workers who filed their application in June? They will represent a separate class.
It should be recalled that there were a number of this class of workers that includes domestics and home health aides who were eligible to file in June such as Filipino nationals with priority dates before October 1, 2001. But the USCIS announced that as of June 6, 2007, it was no longer accepting any adjustment of status applications.
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Rizalists Lead Hero Tourism
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CHICAGO, Illinois (JGL) – Everybody loves a winner. Since winning is an exception rather than the rule, people are judged by how they play the game.
In like manner, what matters is not really the length of time you graced this earth but how you lived it.
To Christians, they have Jesus Christ as Exhibit A. Jesus may have lived and died at the prime age of 33, yet the teachings He left behind on Earth (I know His followers will insist He was born again) have remained the yardsticks to be observed and replicated during the last two millennia. And the counting continues.
In the Philippines, two of its foremost national heroes, Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, died at the age of 35 and 34, respectively. While Bonifacio left very limited sources of information from which Filipinos will base their knowledge on his teachings about his philosophies of life, Rizal left behind a slew of essays and novels that could take several lifetimes to absorbe, regurgitate and cerebrate and become a guide for future generations of Filipinos.
Inspirations To Live By
For the numerous teachings of Dr. Rizal that became inspirations to Filipinos to live by, the early American government in the Philippines seized the moment after his martyrdom by appointing a pre-ordained national commission in search of a Philippine national hero. The commission would later declare Rizal the foremost Philippine national hero in its effort to unify the Filipinos.
Unlike Bonifacio, who advocated violence to obtain instant political reforms reminiscent of the recent People Power Revolutions, Rizal’s martyrdom could not have come at a better time for the American colonizers. Rizal was manna from heaven for the Americans as Rizal, like Mahatma Gandhi.
Like The Boy Scouts
It would be in 1951 when the Supreme Council of the Order created a committee that will promote legislation that will secure its charter before the Philippine Congress.
The KOR charter took off from the Boy Scout of the Philippines, which was earlier granted its own charter by virtue of the adoption of Commonwealth Act No. 111.
The KOR bill was signed into law as Republic Act 646. It constituted an official recognition by the Philippine government of Rizal’s “teachings and examples and of the wisdom and necessity of inculcating” in the peoples minds and hearts “so they may strive to follow and practice them.”
If the visions of the law are carried out, it will promote “social discipline, civic virtues, and love of justice.” The members of KOR also known as Mga Maginoong Maka-Rizal have now multiplied and have been classified into five degrees. To become a KOR member, an applicant has to be of legal age; of good moral character and must be sympathetic to the purposes of KOR.
KOR has now a big core of membership in the Philippines. KOR members, who have gone abroad, have organized KOR chapters overseas. The centerpieces of their celebrations are the annual events of Rizal’s birthday on June 19, 1861 and his martyrdom on Dec. 30, 1896.
Reversed Immersion Tour
Like the years before it, Rizal’s KOR Malaya chapter in 146th birthday at Chicago’s Rizal Center last June 19. Among the programs the Chicago Rizal KOR is planning to do is conduct a reversed immersion program for non-members to join a travel familiarization tour to the Philippines that will take them to Rizal’s birthplace (Calamba, Laguna), the schools (Ateneo Municipal in Intramuros and the University of Santo Tomas, both in Manila), and what is now the Rizal Park (the site where Rizal was shot by firing squad), etc.
In Chicago, the KOR Malaya chapter is actively recruiting new members. Interested parties may get in touch with KOR member, Mariano “Anong” Santos at his emai address at pinoynewsmagazine@yahoo.com or tel. 847.329.1073 or 847.329.1070 or 847.528.4991. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
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A PHYSICIAN from Daytona sent this upper-popper titled: “The Psychiatrist and the Proctologist”. Share this, he said. And even readers who have their “M.As” ( married already ), may find the item “Marriage Can Be Fun ( Huh?)” worth perusing. To make your Sunday complete, take the four question “Test for Professionhals below. Enjoy – Juan L. Mercado
“A Tour of Verbiage” -- Two doctors opened an office in a small town and put up a sign reading: “Dr. Rama and Dr. Montemayor : Psychiatry and Proctology.”
The town council was not happy with the sign, so the doctors changed it to: “Hysterias and Posteriors.” This was not acceptable either. So in an effort to satisfy the council, they changed the sign to : “Schizoids and Hemorrhoids.” No go. Next, they tried: “Catatonics and High Colonics.” Thumbs down again. Then came : “Manic Depressives and Anal Retentives.” Still no good. Another attempt resulted in : “Minds and Behinds.” Unacceptable again. So they tried “Lost Souls and Butt Holes.” No way. How about “Analysis and Anal Cysts?” Nope. Try this for size: “Nuts and Butts?” Uh uh. “Freaks and Cheeks?” Still no go. “Loons and Moons?” Forget it.
Almost at their wit’s end, the doctors finally came up with: “Dr. Rama and Dr. Montemayor, Odds and Ends.” And everyone loved it!
Engaged couples rarely realize that marriage is, of course, more complex than sign boards. Girl: “When we get married, I want to share all your worries, troubles and lighten your burden.” Boy: “That’s very kind of you, darling, but I don’t have any worries or troubles”. Girl: “Well that’s because we aren’t married yet!” Girl to her boyfriend: “One kiss and I’ll be yours forever”. Guy replies: “Thanks for the early warning.”
Then, this doctor married this good-looking lady. And after the wedding, he laid down these rules: ‘I’ll be home when I want, if I want and at what time I want. And don’t hassle me. I expect a great dinner unless I tell you that I won’t be home. I’ll booze, play golf, and party my old buddies, anytime. Any comments?’ ‘No, that’s fine,” the new bride said. “Just understand that there will be sex here at seven o’clock every night --- whether you’re here or not.”
After the honeymoon, there’s the back-to-reality phase. Wife: “Do you want dinner?” Husband: “Sure! What are my choices?” Wife: “Yes and no”.
A newly married man asked his wife: “Would you have married me if my father hadn’t left me a fortune? “ “Honey,” the woman replied sweetly, “I’d have married you, no matter who left you a fortune.”
Wife: “What are you doing?” Husband: “Nothing”. Wife: ‘Nothing ...? You’ve been reading our marriage certificate for an hour!” Husband: “I was looking for the expiration date”.
A wife asked her husband: “What do you like most in me, my pretty face or my sexy body?” The husband looked at her from head to toe, then slowly replied: “I like your sense of humor”.
Husband and wife can have a bitter quarrel even on their wedding anniversaries. This couple did. And the husband yells: ‘When you die, I’m getting you a headstone that reads, ‘Here Lies My Wife -- Cold As Ever’!’ “Yeah?’ she replies. ‘When you die, I’m getting you a headstone that reads: ‘Here Lies My Husband -- Stiff At Last’
The following quiz consists of four questions. They will show whether you’re qualified to get a college diploma. Try them.
Q1 : How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator? The correct answer is: Open the fridge, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.
Q2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator? Did you say open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close it? Wrong. Correct Answer: Open the fridge, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant, then close the door. This tests your ability to think through repercussions of previous actions.
Q3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All animals attended except one. Which animal? Correct Answer: The Elephant. Remember you just put him in the fridge.. This tests your memory.
OK. You have one more chance. Q4. You must cross a river but it is full of crocodiles. You do not have a boat. How do you cross? Correct Answer: You swim across it. Were you paying attention? All the crocodiles were at the conference called by the Lion King. This tests whether you learn quickly from your previous mistakes.
( PS : Anderson Consulting Worldwide says 90 percent of all professionals got all the questions wrong. But many of preschoolers tested gave several correct answers. “This conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a four-year-old.”) ####
(E-mail : juan_mercado@pacific.net.ph )
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THE LAST time we wrote a piece about Mister X was.... we can hardly recall now. It was when “YMCA”, his favorite dance music, was still in the charts. But looking at Mr. X now, we don’t doubt that if the piece is played now, he could still manage a few mean kicks and bumps.
But we know he has now passed his jurassic past. He now has a cellular phone. From time to time, he surprises his friends with a celfone call. But his friends are also surprised when they try to return his call. More often than not, they miss his booming voice as a recorded message answers for him. You see, he needs a few minutes to dig deep into his pocket, to search for the cloth that wraps the cellular device, unwraps it, and fumbles to open it, so by the time he is ready to answer the call, the caller would have shut off his celfone. Mr. X has not quite gotten the hang of morphing fully out of his jurassic level.
But Mr. X is still as sharp-looking as before. He still sports his wide-brimmed CharlesBronson cowboy hat. “How dja like my hat?” is still his favorite intro to the charming ladies. A western long-sleeve shirt over faded jeans, accented fashionably by metal-tipped pointed collars, and of course, high-heeled leather cowboy boots with threatening pointed toes.
Then he opens the flap of his bulky portfolio, serving as his saddle bag, but unlike before, instead of the deadly martial chako, brass knuckles, well-honed knife, he puts out a small family bible, holy pictures and estampitas and rosary. Yes, in his post-jurassic age, Mr. X has mellowed and transformed himself spiritually. He would rather talk to friends about the inner peace he derives from his return to the sacraments of reconciliation and communion (after 30 years).
His mode of getting around used to be a macho mini truck with a covered back which he refers to as his Silver (of the Lone Ranger). Now he tools around in a donkey, a red toy-car Volks. It was actually somewhat of a return to a previous profession. He used to be a Volkswagen sales jock on the Hudson, before becoming a realtor.
Nowadays Mr. X busies himself spreading the gospel of Toastmasters Club, and regularly runs the group of realtors who call themselves the Macboys. They meet every afternoon at a burger place. After lunch, Mr. X rounds them up for coffee. (He calls himself CEO - Coffee Executive Officer) to shoot the breeze and to exchange trade talks about the suffering real estate business.
Tony Figueroa, top honcho of the Toastmasters, to keeps the spirit of the Macboys up, preaches that work is damaging to the “barkada”. Gali Munar thought up the name Macboys, after the name of the burger place where they meet. But George Esguerra by example may cause it to be changed to Mac-ulit. You’ve got to hand it to George. If you want discussion of a topic to stop, ask him to espouse it. Even if Dal Abuel and Ben Abao sponsor it. Especially if Fil Salvo supports it. (There, George, we use the word especially.) Special service to you.
“Old age is mandatory. But feeling young is optional,” advises Mr. X to his friends.
No wonder Mr. X, a.k.a. Xerxes Treyes, who likes to call himself Filipino Yankee, from Sagay, Negros Occidental, Philippines is always feeling young. Greying? You’d hardly notice especially since he doffs his cowboy hat off less and less these days.
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Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 26 years, and is an active member of the State Bar of California and New York, as well as the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Immigration Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has always excelled in school:
Valedictorian in High School; Cum Laude at UCLA; and Law Degree Honors and academic scholar at Loyola Law School, which is one of the top law schools in California.
WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com
Four offices to serve you:
LOS ANGELES:
219 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, California 91203
Telephone: (818) 543-5800
SAN FRANCISCO:
966 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94103 Telephone: (415) 538-7800
NEW YORK:
60 East 42nd Street, Suite 2101, New York, NY 10165 Telephone: (212) 808-0300
PHILIPPINES:
Heart Tower, Unit 701, 108 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati, Philippines 1227
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