THE FIL-AM PERSPECTIVE

Praying for a Miracle for My Granddaughter Azshara

By Gel Santos Relos

on Asian Journal Op-Ed

 

 

On Saturday, April 12, my husband and I became  lolo and lola. It’s a milestone that we’ve been looking forward to, after our daughter Misty got married in 2012. When that day finally came, however, our excitement was eclipsed by fear and anxiety because it came too soon. Misty was only 24 weeks and 5 days in her pregnancy (a full term pregnancy usually takes 38-40 weeks).

Last year, Misty and her husband Dave lost their baby at 19 weeks. This made the fear of losing this baby even stronger. Many factors can come into play in pre-term labor. It could be blood clotting disorder, cervical incompetence, infection and hypertension, among others.

My son-in-law Dave Reinheimer

Because Misty already knew what contractions and labor feel like, she and her husband Dave were able to rush to the hospital two weeks ago. True enough, she was having contractions, and her cervix (kuwelyo ng matris)  was already dilated up to 3 cm. The amniotic sac (bahay bata) was also starting to bulge.

The able doctors and nurses of Boone Hospital in Columbia, Missouri (yes, they live so far away from us) immediately acted and did everything they could to arrest the contractions. They gave Misty treatment to give the baby a better fighting chance if and when she comes out earlier. They also had to put Misty on strict bed rest.

We have all been praying so fervently for the baby to stay in her mother’s womb. 24 weeks is a critical gestation age to reach because the survivability rate of the baby increases to 50 percent. We were happy about Misty’s progress in keeping the baby, despite the hardship and inconvenience of  doing complete bed rest, being on a catheter and bedpan, and of course, having anxiety, not knowing what will happen.

Almost two weeks have passed when Misty started having contractions again. It was inevitable — the baby had to come out or risk the fatal effect of intra-uterine infection. Misty had to go through emergency cesarean section to deliver her baby. Her husband, Dave was beside her. We were with them in spirit and in prayer.

 

Misty sees her baby girl for the first time

On April 12, at 4:50 am, our beautiful granddaughter Azshara Angelina was born. Our miracle premature baby weighed only  1 lb, 7 ounces, and was just a little over 12 inches when she came out. Her eyes were wide open and she tried to cry — all good signs of how much a fighter this baby is.

Baby Azshara is now in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital, and will have to stay there until  July — her supposed due month. Her doctors say she is indeed a feisty baby, who has surpassed all expectations. They are optimistic she can make it.

Misty has been discharged from the hospital, but she and Dave visit their baby as often as they could to hold her, talk to her, and feed her. Yes, Misty has been pumping breast milk that will nourish Baby Azshara when she is ready to be fed.

For now, Baby Azshara is getting her nourishment  intravenously. She also has so many gadgets to help her breathe better, and many monitoring devices to make sure she is okay.

This season of Lent, our family has already experienced so many miracles and answered prayers from God. Each day that Baby Azshara is alive, fighting and thriving is a miracle indeed.

Misty and Baby Azshara in the NICU

Baby Azshara reminds us of how precious life really is.  We are also reminded of how so powerless we are, how so many very important things are just beyond our control. We are reminded that we can only have true strength through Jesus Christ, and that we can only hold on to our faith in God’s infinite love and wisdom, and believe that everything will work out for the good.

Jesus said: “Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock, and the door shall be opened for you.” He promised that "whatever we ask the Father in His name, He will grant us" — that "if we have faith even as big as a mustard seed, then nothing will be impossible for us".

I ask for your prayers, my dear friends and readers of this column. Please pray for my apo, Azshara Angelina Reinheimer. Please pray for her good health and safety. Please pray for my daughter Misty and son-in-law, Dave, for their faith and strength. Please pray that they may be able to bring home their baby soon, and raise her in a happy, loving peaceful home. Thank you for your prayers.

HAPPY EASTER! 

PH seeking UN intervention: Good or bad for the escalating standoff with China?

By Gel Santos Relos

On Asian Journal Op-Ed

 

 

(PHOTO CREDIT: bigstory.ap.org)

WHEN it comes to the territorial row, China does not want the United Nations (UN) to intervene and demands that the Philippines should resolve the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea dispute with China alone, through bilateral talks. Should the Philippines just go with what China wants?

President Benigno S. Aquino III remains undaunted with the Philippine government’s decision to pursue the arbitration case in a UN tribunal, despite Beijing’s ominous warnings of consequences.

“We are not here to challenge China, to provoke them into any action, but I do believe that they should recognize we have the right to defend our own interests,” Aquino told the media.

Though cognizant  of the Philippines’ limitations in terms of military capabilities, Pres. Aquino maintains that “the state shall pursue an independent foreign policy and in its relations with other states, the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination.”

“I subscribed to this oath when I assumed office. I have to defend national territory and our sovereignty…We went through arbitration primarily because that is a means to resolve the dispute consistent with the policy that is peaceful and in conformity with the international law,” the president added.

On March 30, the Philippines asked a UN arbitral tribunal to declare Beijing’s claims over most of the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea as a violation of international law, submitting nearly 4,000 pages of evidence to back its case.

The standoff between China and the Philippines escalated further, when the Chinese harassed Philippine ships attempting to replenish the supplies of Filipino soldiers stationed in Ayungin Shoal. The outpost, however,  was successfully restocked over the weekend, after a civilian ship outmaneuvered the Chinese vessels.

“The Philippines must bear all consequences for its provocations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said Monday, in pointed comments on the UN case and the latest maritime standoff between the two countries on Saturday.

Hong accuses the Philippines of using the Ayungin incident to hype up the Philippines’ case, ahead of the UN filing. China has been consistent in its refusal to take part in the UN arbitration, warning that bilateral relations between the Philippines and China will suffer.

“This fully shows that the Philippines’ unilateral moves of international arbitration is to cover up the fact to occupy Chinese territory and create troubles in the South China Sea. This is political provocation by abusing international laws,” Hong said.

Asserting its ownership of disputed waters, Hong said that “China will not allow the Philippine side to illegally occupy (Second Thomas Shoal) in any form.” China claims nearly the entire South China Sea — a vital avenue for world trade that is also believed to harbor vast oil and gas reserves.

Such territorial claims overlap those of the Philippines, as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

The Philippines  contends China’s claims, saying that they are illegal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that they interfere with Manila’s sovereign rights to its continental shelf.

While the United States has not taken any position in the territorial dispute between the two countries, it has maintained the importance of freedom of navigation in the vital waterway.

The US went further to criticize China, through a statement issued by State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf. “The attempted Chinese blockade, which led to a two-hour standoff with the Philippine ship, is a provocative and destabilizing action,” she told reporters.

Harf further said that the Philippines has permission to resupply troops stationed at the remote reef (The Second Thomas Shoal) because they have kept a naval presence on the shoal, even before the 2002 declaration of conduct in the South China Sea.

“As a treaty ally of the Republic of the Philippines, the United States urges China to refrain from further provocative behavior by allowing the Philippines to continue to maintain its presence at Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal),” she was quoted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“It is a political provocation by abusing international legal means,” Hong counter-argued, stressing that China will, by no means, allow the Philippines to seize the Ayungin Shoal, in any way. Hong contends that such disputes are “excluded” from the arbitration process of the UN sea treaty.

China also warned the US not to intervene with the maritime dispute between its ally, the Philippines, and China. “America is not a party concerned over the South China Sea dispute,” and has reiterated it took no positions on sovereignty issues, Hong said. “We urge the American side to honor its commitment and do more things that are conducive to peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

Meantime, the Aquino administration is ready for China’s anticipated sanctions against the Philippines, following its decision to question a territorial dispute with the China through the UN arbitral tribunal.

Would the Philippines’ seeking UN intervention hurt or help in its escalating territorial standoff vs China? Should the US stay out of the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China?

- See more at: http://asianjournal.com/editorial/ph-seeking-un-intervention-good-or-bad-for-the-escalating-standoff-with-china/#sthash.5PbojfQ4.dpuf

Embattled CA State Senator Leland Yee and the Filipino connection

By Gel Santos Relos

On Asian Journal Op-Ed

 

FILIPINOS in California are still in a state of shock and disbelief, after waking up to the news last Wednesday. After a series of raids in the Bay Area and Sacramento, California State Senator Leland Yee was arrested on March 26 for being implicated in an alleged corruption conspiracy, which involves arms trafficking and fraud in acquiring campaign funds for his candidacy (Sen.Yee was running for CA Secretary of State).

As reported by Philippine Daily Inquirer: Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) and 25 others were named in a federal complaint charging them with firearms trafficking, money laundering, murder-for-hire, drug distribution, trafficking contraband cigarettes and honest services fraud. Yee was released on $500,000 bail on the same day. His lawyer said the senator plans to plead not guilty to corruption and gun charges.

Many kababayans refused to believe Lee’s culpability in any of these accusations, and even publicly defended Yee’s character. They highlighted his staunch support for the Filipino community, especially in the last 12 years of his career in state politics. As Balitang America reported, Yee fought for equal benefits for Filipino World War II veterans, as well as better working conditions for San Francisco hotel workers, who are mostly Filipinos. Yee has also been very visible in many Filipino-American community events.

On a personal note, he visited our ABS-CBN headquarters in Redwood Shores, CA to support our 24-hour fundraising telethon for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. In 2009, Yee was also one of the speakers during the awarding of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in America” by the Filipino Women’s Network (FWN).

The federal complaint against Yee accuses him of soliciting illegal campaign donations, in exchange for political favors and of conspiring to smuggle weapons from countries like the Philippines. Balitang America reported that according to authorities, Yee’s first Filipino arms broker (who remains anonymous) even distributed guns to rebel groups in the Philippines.

In the affidavit, Yee was quoted as saying that he visited Mindanao two years ago, upon the invitation of Mindanao officials. He also said  that he was surrounded by people who had high-powered guns. Yee also reportedly tapped a contact (a Filipino from Daly City named Dr. Wilson Lim), whom he cited as having associates in the Philippines, who were “trying to overthrow the current government.”

Balitang America also reported that according to the indictment,  Lim’s nephew was the contact for the weapons deal and that a captain in the Philippine military was to provide the weapons. The weapons would be shipped to Manila or to the Port of Cagayan de Oro, and then shipped again to various countries.

What is ironic is the fact while Yee was reportedly trying to broker the arms deal to the undercover agent (now identified as Emmanuel V. Pascua), the senator was also in the midst of sponsoring two gun control bills in California. As stated in the indictment, Yee reportedly also told an undercover FBI agent that he was unhappy with his life and that he“wants to be a free agent” and “hide-out in the Philippines.”

If found guilty, Yee could face up to 20 years for each count of corruption against him. He could also be forced to pay up to $500,000 in fines. According to Yee’s lawyer, the senator plans to plead not guilty to six charges of public corruption and one count of conspiring to sell guns without a license.

Yee withdrew his candidacy from the California Secretary of State race last Thursday. However, he has not responded to mounting calls seeking his resignation as state senator.

This news follows another big disappointment for the Filipino-American community.  Another staunch supporter, former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, had to resign from his post as San Diego Mayor in 2013 (after being in office for less than a year) due to multiple allegations of sexual harassment. He later pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and battery.As US Representative for California’s 51st District, Filner championed the Filipino World War II veterans’ cause.

The big question now is: Will and should Leland Yee resign from office, or at the very least file a leave of absence without pay, pending the results of the investigation and trial?

The California State Senate voted last Friday to suspend Yee. He will be able to keep his annual base  salary of $95,000, despite his suspension.

- See more at: http://asianjournal.com/editorial/embattled-ca-state-senator-leland-yee-and-the-filipino-connection/#sthash.7kSwytC8.dpuf

Fil-Am who breached WTC security: Hero or fool?

By Gel Santos Relos

on  Asian Journal Op-Ed

 

“In Balitang America’s daily online poll Isyu Ngayon, 80 percent of viewers believe that Casquejo is a fool and that what he did was careless — a crime that could get him a year’s sentence in jail.  On the other hand, 20 percent of the voters described Casquejo’s act as amazing. Not many people have the courage to even attempt what this kid has done.”

 

16-YEAR-old Filipino-American Justin Casquejo made headlines last week, for managing to sneak through the supposedly tight security of the 104-storey One World Center in New York City – one of the sites of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Despite the state-of-the-art security system (which has been reported as worth tens of millions of dollars),  the Fil-Am teen managed to climb his way to the top and take pictures. How did Justin Alexander Casquejo do it? 

Accounts made public by investigators stated that at 4am on March 16, Casquejo found a way through a one square foot hole in the fence surrounding the One World Trade Center. The 16-year-old climbed scaffolding onto the 6th floor, took an elevator to the 88th floor and took the staircase up to the 104th floor. At the rooftop, he climbed a ladder all the way to the spire – One World Trade Center’s antenna.

As Balitang America New York Correspondent Don Tagala reported, Casquejo (who is from Weehawken, New Jersey) snuck past a sleeping security guard (who has since been fired). After 2 hours of capturing the view from the spire through photos, NY Port Authority Police arrested Casquejo on his way out at 6am. His camera and cellphone were confiscated. Casquejo was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing and another trespassing violation. If found guilty, he could face up to a year in jail.

Tagala further reported that Casquejo took to Twitter to “apologize to those who may have been insulted or [who] felt disrespected by his actions.” He also said that “it was not his intention to do so.” The Casquejo family declined Balitang America’s request for an interview, while the case is being investigated. Digging deeper, Tagala reported that being a parkourist, Casquejo considers himself a daredevil.

Tagala found posts of the teenager on Twitter, showing photos of himself on top of a Hoboken, NJ crane and hanging from a crane without any safety precautions. He also tweeted that the last thing he wants to be is a normal person, because it is boring. He also intimated via Twitter that he needs help.

This news elicited mixed reactions, not only from Filipinos, but also among mainstream Americans from different parts of the world. Some berated the teen for breaching security and violating the law. Others believe that Casquejo needs help, because such reckless and dangerous behavior is indicative of a psychological disorder.

There are also those in social media who think that what the kid did was amazing and totally awesome. Still, others compared his sneaky skills to those of the “barefoot bandit.”

There are some who even argued that Casquejo need not apologize, because they deem him a hero. They contend that he only revealed the inefficiency  of the security at One World Trade Center.

New reports about a previous breach support this argument further. According to police, 4 men, accused of organizing a parachute jump from the top of the 104-storey One World Trade Center in New York City in September last year, were arrested after they turned themselves in at a city police station.

Based on media reports, security cameras around the World Trade Center recorded at least two figures in black suits and black helmets landing and walking off into the night with their parachutes (at about 3amET on September 30). After 6 months, Marko Markovich, 27; Andrew Rossig, 33; Kyle Hartwell, 29; and James Brady, 32, arrived with their defense lawyers at a police station on Monday and were arrested on charges of burglary and reckless endangerment, police said. They were also reportedly charged with breaking a local law, which bans jumping from structures. The tallest skyscraper in the United States, which is still under construction.

“They’re professional thrill-seekers,” Andrew Mancilla, a lawyer representing Brady, said in a telephone interview, adding that all four men would plead not guilty. And how did they do it? According to police, Brady was reportedly employed as a construction worker at the World Trade Center site. Just like Casquejo, the four men gained access to the site by sneaking through a hole in the construction fence, Mancilla said. Could the security guard on duty be sleeping as well?, we ask.

So what do you think? Is Filipino teen a hero or a fool?

In Balitang America’s daily online poll Isyu Ngayon, 80 percent of viewers believe that Casquejo is a fool and that what he did was careless — a crime that could get him a year’s sentence in jail. On the other hand, 20 percent of the voters described Casquejo’s act as amazing. Not many people have the courage to even attempt what this kid has done. What do you think?

 See more at: http://asianjournal.com/editorial/fil-am-who-breached-wtc-security-hero-or-fool/#sthash.vMlTlSPB.dpuf