University of the Philippines Concert Chorus— p. 13 In Memory of Hotel Intercontinental— p. 2 A Calesa Ride to Rizal Park— p. 11 The Philippines’ Oldest Distillery — p. 7 January 8-15, 2016 Marcos, crony ordered to return ill-gotten wealth to gov’t By Patricia Lourdes Viray, Philstar.com | MANILA, PH: China raises tension in West Our Life and Times Philippines - The Sandigan- bayan ordered the Marcoses Philippine Sea by conducting Philippine Trip, 2015: and the family of alleged flight test to Kalayaan Marcos crony Alfonso Lim to return all properties claimed Update.PH | MANILA, Phil- “The test flight of China in A Cycle of Poverty and Misfortune by the government. ippines - The Philippines on Kagitingan has definitely raised The anti-graft court issued a Monday accused China of rais- tensions in the region,” Jose 35-page decision on Dec. 14, ing tensions anew in the West said. “That’s the fear, that China 2015, ordering the Marcos Philippine Sea for conducting a will be able to take control of and Lim families to return test flight over a Manila-claimed the South China Sea, and it will properties found to be ille- reef, saying it will be protesting affect the freedom of navigation gally obtained. Beijing’s action. “We will file and freedom of overflight plus In 1987, the Philippine Com- it in due course. Fiery Cross or unimpeded flow of commerce.” mission on Good Government Kagitingan Reef is part of our Vietnam, which also claims (PCGG) filed a civil case Kalayaan Island Group,” Foreign the reef, earlier lodged a pro- against the family of former Affairs spokesman Charles Jose test against China’s test flight. President Ferdinand Marcos told reporters. Hanoi’s protest was rejected by and his alleged crony. China defended its move, say- Beijing, insisting that its actions The Sandiganbayan Second ing the flight test was conducted are within its sovereign right. Division ordered the Marcos to ensure that the reef it now South China Sea is home to vast and Lim families to return the occupies and transformed into oil and mineral deposits and to a remaining assets registered to an artificial island with a run- cluster of contested islands, reefs Airport scene in Manila Alfonso Lim Sr. to the gov- way, adheres to safety aviation and atolls further south, called ernment, which amounts to standards. the Spratlys. Second in a series of articles an estimated value of P378 China has asserted indisput- The Philippines has adopted the million in 2006. able claim over nearly the entire name West Philippine Sea for By Simeon G. Silverio, Jr., Publisher & Editor, The San Diego Asian Journal This includes properties South China Sea and has built parts of the waters that fall under in Tagaytay City (P206.6 man-made islands on seven its exclusive economic zone as San Diego, California, January 8, 2016 million), Batangas (P96.8 reefs, including Fiery Cross, in a allowed by the United Nations million) and Angono, Rizal move that has triggered concerns Convention on the Law of the raveling to the Philippines, especially to a septuagenarian like me, is an arduous (P74.5 million). among several nations, such as Sea. task. One must endure a 14-hour flight cramped in a small space. In the economy Meanwhile, Lim’s properties the Philippines, Vietnam, Unites Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan class section of the plane, there is hardly elbow room to eat, relax and sleep com- in Cagayan and Manila have also have overlapping claims to T States and Japan. fortably. If one is not seated in the aisle seat, he has to ask the other passengers in his row to been sold at a public auction the waters. stand so he could get out to use the bathroom. This is quite disturbing especially if one has to settle tax liabilities and a bladder problem and has to go often. This is why I travel business class, although it costs labor claims, according to the twice as much. In the business class section, there is plenty of space where one can recline Sandiganbayan. Traffic can make Metro Manila his seat without interfering with others’ comfort. Moreover, the food served has better Lim, who died in 2002, quality. In addition, there is a lounge where business class passengers can relax, eat, use reportedly acquired these uninhabitable in 4 years properties through timber ( Continued on page 6 ) concessions and management by Richmond Mercurio, Phil- “While roads are being im- contracts. star.com | MANILA, Philippines proved throughout the country, The court also ordered the - At the rate the traffic situation is the National Capital Region return of sequestered aircraft, getting worse, Metro Manila may urgently needs more limited ac- Why 2 Brazilian tourists were sad to leave the Philippines RP-C208 Cessna Centurion II become “uninhabitable” within cess roads, especially skyways, and RP-C333 Cessna Golden four years, an official of a foreign and rail.” Good News Philippines | Eagle, which are registered chamber said yesterday. The Philippines is seen as an MANILA, Philippines - When under the name of Taggat John Forbes, senior advisor of important automotive market Brazilian couple and travel blog- Industries. The aircraft have the American Chamber of Com- growth area in the region as the gers Natalie Deduck and Robson been grounded at the Manila merce of the Philippines, told volume of vehicles sold is ex- Cadore decided to leave their Domestic Airport since 1994. The STAR that if roads and other pected to surge. country to backpack around the Aside from Marcos and Lim, infrastructure are not upgraded Domestic vehicle sales in 2020 world, they never planned on the other defendants in the immediately, the traffic mess would account to between eight visiting the Philippines. case were former First Lady in the metropolis would likely to 10 percent of the projected But after a trip to Boracay and Imelda Marcos, Alfonso Lim worsen on the back of the coun- total sales of five to six million Bohol, Nat and Rob are already Jr., Teodoro Q. Peña, Taggat try’s fast-developing automotive units within member economies planning to go back. Industries, Pamplona Red- industry. of the Association of Southeast The Love and Road bloggers wood, Southern Plywood, “Metro Manila is at risk of Asian Nations. have discovered that nature and Western Cagayan, Veterans becoming uninhabitable as an- From 168,000 units sold in people are the best features of the Woodworks Inc., Sierra Madre nual new car growth increases to 2010, vehicle sales in the country Philippines, and these have given ( Continued on page 12 ) 500,000 by 2020,” Forbes said. ( Continued on page 12 ) ( Continued on page 14 ) Encinitas is the site of the future Divine Mercy Shrine. “e graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is -- trust. e more a soul trusts, the more it will receive.” The site is on Encinitas Blvd., east of I-5, about a mile and a half from Moonlight Beach and two miles south of the Paramhansa Yogananda -- Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul, Diary Entry #1578 Self-Realization Center. If you would like to know more about the project, please contact Zarina Cruz at [email protected] or check for updates on www.divinemercyhills.org, the ocial website of the Divine Mercy Hills Foundation of Southern California (DMHFSC). GPS 701 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas 92024 or Google Jesus I Trust In You! “Divine Mercy Shrine Encinitas” for directions to site. Future Site of the Divine Mercy Shrine Encinitas CA A project of the Divine Mercy Hills Foundation of Southern California (DMHFSC), a 501(c)3 non prot. Mission Statement. The DMHFSC is dedicated to the design, development, and maintenance of a Divine Mercy Shrine located in Encinitas, CA. for the purpose of spreading to an aching world the Divine Mercy message and devotion. To draw people of all nations, cultures, and beliefs to a vessel with which they are to keep coming in prayer for graces to the fountain of mercy - the Image of the Divine Mercy. For meditational and contemplative prayers venerating this image with trust in our Lord Jesus Christ who said, "I promise that the soul that will venerate this Image will not perish. I also promise victory over its enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I myself will defend it as My own glory... By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls." Through this shrine we shall proclaim to the whole world God's unfathomable Mercy. Preliminary Architectural Concept by DOMUS Studio Visit www.divinemercyhills.org Page 2 Asian Journal San Diego | 619.474.0588 | www.asianjournalusa.com January 8-15, 2016 Benitez was the first public relations Court of St. James and the United King- manager Siegfried Schober, offered Maxims Hotel, Resorts World Manila. manager of the InterCon. dom of Great Britain. her three months’ training at the hotel’s In memory of the Hotel pastry section. After just a month of Frenchman Christian Pirodon was The top floor supper club El Castellano Chef Billy King was InterCon Manila’s training she was offered the position InterCon Manila’s resident manager featured singing divas Pilita Corrales executive chef from 1986 to 1988. Be- of third commis by then pastry chef from 1991 to ’94, general manager from InterContinental Manila and Carmen Soriano. It later became fore coming to Manila, King worked in Roland Lutz. Not long after, the hotel 2005 to ’08 and area general manager known as Bahia, which was famous for numerous hotels in London and the Mid- sent her to Europe for further train- for the InterContinental Hotels Group its Mongolian barbecue and Makati City dle East.