PHILIPPINE NEWS MAINLAND NEWS Pacquiao 10 Embassy Denies 14 Wins Initial Bout Report on U.S. Visa-Free vs. BIR Policy For Pinoys APRIL 26, 2014 H a w a i i ’ s O n l y w e e k l y F i l i p i n O - a m e r i c a n n e w s p a p e r Fil-Ams Urge AqUino to Ask obAmA’s sUpport For Drone technology, tps ApprovAl by HFC Staff obaMa visit to Phl, asia seen as counterweight to china By Elaine Kurtenbach OKYO — President Barack Obama's Ttravels through Asia in coming days aim to re- assure partners about the Obama and Aquino renewed U.S. commitment to the region, with an eye both to China's rising assertiveness and the fast- growing markets that are the center of gravity for global growth. The question: Will it be enough? Nearly seven months after he cancelled an Asian tour due to the U.S. government shutdown, Obama's failure to prevent Russia from annexing Crimea has (continued on page 6) Jakarta, Manila rank high aMong 34 cities U.S. President Barrack Obama with USP4GG Chairwoman Loida Nicolas Lewis Xxxx n anticipation of President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines, leaders of the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) have I called on President Benigno S. Aquino III to persuade Obama to approve the Philippines’ request for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Philippine nationals and to provide drone technology to the ANILA, Philippines - Manila is second Philippines which will help against China’s aggression in grabbing among five cities in Southeast Asia with the highest potential of getting much better in Philippine territory and valuable marine and energy resources. M the next two decades, a report from the Wall Street USP4GG is a U.S.- professionals. Chairperson while President Rodel Rodis Journal quoting US-based consulting firm A.T. Kear- based organization com- Loida Nicolas Lewis is a was former president of the ney showed. prised of well-respected prominent activist, entrepre- San Francisco Community In the report, Manila was next to Jakarta on the business executives and neur and philanthropist, (continued on page 4) (continued on page 4) HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS LEGAL NOTES 94-356 WAIPAHU DEPOT RD., 2ND FLR. Knights of Rizal 5 Employment 13 WAIPAHU, HI 96797 Honor Consul Authorization General Torres for Abuse Victims 2 News Edition april 26, 2014 editorial Keep Middle And Working Class America This was made possible because after Strong the Great Depression of the 1929 and en- suing decade, America's working majority lready in 2014, we are seeing people's had the political will to demand change and revolutions in the Ukraine and greater equality, and eventually got it AVenezuela. Ongoing people's move- through engineered economic policies of ments still very much unsettled are taking the New Deal that included for the first time place in Syria, Egypt, other parts of the Middle powerful influence by government to im- East and Europe. prove the lives of the masses through re- The United States itself had a potential forms, social safety nets such as Social time bomb that was quietly disarmed, for now, Security, massive government projects that in the 2011-2012 Occupy Movement. stimulated job growth, and fair regulations What Americans ought to pay closer at- on industry and commercial activity. tention to and must learn from these revolu- It wasn't free market forces and a blind tions occurring globally is this single-most trust in some invisible hand that improved important message: "Keep the ideal of equal- the lives of working Americans, as Repub- ity a working reality. Keep America's middle licans since President Ronald Reagan and working class robust." would like us to believe. The ideal of equality cannot just be a sell- In fact studies show that inequality on ing point for manufacturing peace among the average have risen under Republicans and masses. But there must be quantified and been more stable under Democrats. It was qualitative proof among the middle- and work- under the two Bush presidents tenure and ing classes (the majority of the people) that their lives are in fact fairly se- Reagan that we saw gaps in income distribution in the U.S. become wider. cured and could potentially get better through hard work, education, and Republican policies that widened the gap of income distribution were constant political reform. deregulation, union busting, favorable taxation for the wealthiest Ameri- This hope for a better life is what brought millions of immigrants to the cans, corporate welfare, and a push for economic globalism. United States; and is the fuel that kept running all great civilizations in history, until that sacred trust no longer had validity. StatuS of today'S Middle ClaSS and inCoMe diStribution The middle class today is shrinking. A study from Pew Research Cen- HiStory of aMeriCa'S Middle ClaSS ter found that the middle class incomes -- defined as Americans with in- The advent of the middle class in the U.S. is a relatively new phe- comes between $39,000 and $118,000 -- is falling nomenon. Historians believe a truly middle class society in which greater In the last 12 years, incomes for the wealthiest Americans quadrupled equality existed emerged after World War II, the generation of the baby even as their tax rates were halved; CEO and executive compensation boomers. Economic measures that supported this belief was the rise in has grown 126 times faster over the last three decades than the average homeownership, higher employment, stable inflation, and general feel- worker pay. ings of well-being among the masses. A 2010 Census Bureau study found that incomes for the bottom tier of For many middle aged adults today, they can easily draw from their Americans fell four times faster than they did for the wealthiest after this own personal family experiences as proof of better times during the baby latest recession. boomers' generation. Our parents, and practically all our uncles and aun- Collectively, the bottom 90 percent of Americans own just a little over ties owned homes, had steady full-time employment if they chose to work, half of the nation's entire wealth; the wealthiest 0.01 percent of Americans had ample discretionary income after having had paid basic bills. Income own 5 percent. distribution in America was at its highest and opportunities flourished. So for a good 40 some years since WWII, Hawaii and the rest of the PeoPle'S uPriSingS don't JuSt Suddenly HaPPen U.S. enjoyed a stronger economy in terms of inflation and closer to equal Fortunately, the U.S. is still economically prosperous enough to keep income distribution. (continued on page 3) NEWS EDITION www.thefilipinochronicle.com www.efilipinochronicle.com Contributing Writers Advertising/Marketing Director Clement Bautista, Teresita Bernales, Ed.D, Serafin Chona A. Montesines-Sonido Gov. Neil Abercrombie Charlie Y. SONIDO, M.D. Columnists Colmenares, Jr., Ph.D., Linda Dela Cruz, Fiedes Carlota Hufana Ader Mayor Peter Carlisle Publisher and Executive Editor Doctor, Danny De Gracia, II, MA, Carolyn Weygan- Account Executives Sen. Will Espero Hildebrand, Amelia Jacang, M.D., Caroline Julian, Carlota Ader Chona A. Emil Guillermo Federico Magdalena, Ph.D., Deborah T. Manog, Maita J. P. Orias Grace F. Fong, Ed.D. Milallos, Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D., Lilia Q. Santiago, MONTESINES-SONIDO Big Island Distributor Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, Ph.D. Ph.D., Jay Valdez, Psy.D., Glenn Wakai Grace Larson Publisher and Managing Editor J. P. Orias Creative Designer Ditas Udani Pacita Saludes Junggoi Peralta Dennis GALOLO Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq. Philippine Correspondent Maui Distributor Edwin QUINABO Charlie Sonido, M.D. Greg Garcia Cecile Piros Emmanuel S. Tipon,Esq. Associate Editors Photography Molokai Distributor Felino S. Tubera Tim Llena Maria Watanabe Belinda A. AQUINO, Ph.D. Amado Yoro Administrative Assistant Contributing Editor Sylvia Yuen, Ph.D. MEMbEr, Shalimar Pagulayan SOcIETy OF PrOFESSIONAL JOurNALISTS The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle is published weekly by the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Inc. It is mailed directly to subscribers and distributed at various outlets around Oahu and the neighbor islands. Editorial and advertising deadlines are three weeks prior to publication date. Subscriptions are available at $75 per year for Oahu and the neighbor islands, continental U.S. $85, foreign country $95. Copyright 2007-2012. The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Inc. is located at 94-356 Waipahu Depot, Waipahu, HI 96797. Telephone: (808) 678-8930. Facsimile: (808) 678-1829. E-mail: [email protected]. Opinions expressed by the columnists and contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle management. Reproduction of the contents in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission from the management. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. 3 april 26, 2014 CaNdid PerSPeCtiVeS News Edition Aloha Democracy? Gutting Campaign Finance Reform Changes Real the infamous Koch Broth- Nature of System ers and other wealthy hind the recent Mc- ited to use their money to Robert Reich, the former donors to candidate Scott Cutcheon decision, the buy—excuse me—sup- Labor Secretary and now a Walker in the mid-term ideological bent of an ac- port, their preferred candi- UC-Berkeley economist elections of 2010. Nation- by emil GUillermO tivist conservative court dates. with the numbers: “That wide, it led to the rise of the has been completed. It The green lights are on the richest 400 Americans Tea Party. ne of the issues that began with the Citizens all the time. There are no now have more wealth Walker went on to win came up during my United issue in 2009, in red lights for the wealthy.