010723 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

AS schools prepare to reopen after winter break and more people go back to work, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is recommending that returning students and workers test for COVID-19 and wear a mask for at least 10 days to prevent a spike in transmission.

Public Health officials are asking for the community’s help in reducing the chances of another post-holiday surge and limiting the spread of new COVID-19 strains that could gain dominance in Los Angeles County.

An increase in infection rates would disproportionately affect people over 50 and people with preexisting medical conditions or who are immunocompromised. All three groups are at higher risk for serious illness and death from COVID-19.

Most Filipinos back closer security ties with US – poll

AT least 84 percent of Filipinos believe that the Marcos government must beef up security cooperation with the United States to defend Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a Pulse Asia survey showed.

Pulse Asia President Dr. Ronald Holmes released the survey results on Thursday, January 5 during a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute and the

U.S. embassy in Manila.

Commissioned by Stratbase, the survey was conducted from November 27 to December 1 last year, and polled 1,200 respondents.

Filipinos also believe that the Marcos administration should work with Japan (52 percent), Australia (25 percent), the United Kingdom (24 percent) and South Korea (23 percent).

The survey found that 20 percent of respondents want the Marcos administration to work with China to strengthen security cooperation to defend the

country's sovereignty in the WPS.

In his speech during the forum, Stratbase President Prof. Dindo Manhit said a June 2022 commissioned survey also showed that the top three countries the respondents want the Philippine government to work closely with are the US, Australia and Japan.

Manhit said this showed that the Philippines "must continue to work with its existing allies and forge relationships with new ones" to efficiently address issues in the WPS.

Marcos apologizes for PH airspace asco, praises swift response

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. apologized Friday, January 6 for the New Year’s Day disruption at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other airports in the country caused by the air traffic management system malfunction.

His apology came as he inspected NAIA Terminal 3 almost a week after the fiasco, which either canceled, delayed, or diverted more than 300 domestic and international flights on January 1, affecting at least 56,000 travelers.

Marcos said the airspace mess was a “very unfortunate incident” that no one wanted to happen.

“I’m sorry. Of course, we have to apologize to our kababayans, especially those who came from abroad. Limitado ang kanilang bakasyon. Nawala iyong dalawa o tatlong araw eh. Alam naman natin, very valuable sa Filipino iyong mga Christmas holiday. Kaya kami’y humihingi ng inyong paumanhin at gagawin namin ang lahat nang hindi na maulit ito,” he said.

IF having the family on your employersponsored health plan has been a financial hardship, or outright impossible to afford, help may be on the way.

The federal government recently fixed a controversial Treasury Department rule tied to the Affordable Care Act that denied assistance to many families whose workplace coverage busted their budgets.

Because of the so-called family glitch, if a worker had access to employee-only coverage deemed affordable under federal guidelines, a spouse or dependents could not get help to buy a health plan through Covered California, the state’s ACA insurance marketplace, even if it was not affordable to put them on the employer plan.

This affected an estimated 5.1 million people nationally, more than half of them children, since employers often contribute only to an employee’s premium, leaving workers to pay full fare for other family

MANILA — While countries across the globe impose strict restrictions on travelers from China as it grapples with a new COVID nightmare, the Philippines is among nations being weighed down by differing positions about whether to tighten controls to protect its citizens from the highly infectious disease.

The flurry of global travel restrictions on travelers coming from China was recently imposed amid a surge in COVID

A LAS Piñas City court has acquitted the son of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla for possession of illegal drugs.

Juanito Jose Remulla III was acquitted by Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court (RTC) 197 for possession of 900 grams of highgrade Marijuana leaves amounting to P1.3 million, citing issues over the "chain of custody", according the young Remulla's legal counsel, Pearlito Campanilla.

Chain of custody refers to a tracking record beginning with detailed scene notes that describe where the evidence was received or collected.

Collection techniques, preservation, packaging, transportation, storage and creation of the inventory list are all part of the process used in establishing the chain of custody.

The younger Remulla had pleaded not guilty. The Justice secretary had said that he would not interfere in the case.

MANILA – After his three-day state visit to China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, January 5 said he has invited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a visit to the Philippines.

Marcos, upon his arrival in Manila, thanked Xi and the Chinese government for “the opportunity to reaffirm and deepen the friendship between our two countries and to explore avenues for cooperation that are mutually beneficial.”

China’s sweeping claims in nearly all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea–waters within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone–have been souring ties between both nations for decades.

Marcos told Xi that his administration is open to cooperating with China to pursue an independent foreign policy that upholds regional peace and serves both nations’ interests.

cases after Beijing reversed its zero COVID policy and lifted quarantine mandates for inbound travelers last January 8.

In December, Beijing abruptly began dismantling its tough zero-COVID controls, dropping testing requirements and easing quarantine rules to stem a growing tide of protests by millions locked up in their homes.

The sudden policy reversal, however, was followed quickly by reports of hospitals and crematoria being filled to the brim in China just as Chinese officials dismissed the cases as

simply respiratory infections and insisted that the situation was under control.

The lack of transparency on the actual COVID situation, however, has raised concern from World Health Organization (WHO) which called on China to be truthful about COVID cases and fatality numbers.

Many nations can’t wait for an official WHO advisory and took steps to protect their citizens through tighter arrival controls that included COVID screenings and barring entry of disease carriers. The Philippines is not among those countries.

PH sees no need to close, tighten borders

In the Philippines, although the Department of Health (DOH) had previously noted that there was no need to close its borders for travelers from China, it recently ordered intensified monitoring and implementation of border control measures for these travelers entering the country.

“Following the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in China, there is a need for the country to intensify the monitoring and implementation of border

“I do not believe this will be the last visit that we will be making to China, and we are anticipating, as I continually reiterated, an invitation President Xi and Madame Peng [Liyan] to come to the Philippines and visit us on, perhaps, a state visit [or] official visit in the future,” he said in a speech.

Marcos also noted that he and Xi had an “in-depth and frank discussion on the West Philippine Sea.”

“We took note of our growing maturity of this bilateral relationship – this bilateral relationship which now allows both sides to manage differences on the West Philippine Sea, so as not to allow it to hinder the rest of our fruitful engagements and multi-faceted cooperation,” he said.

“We agreed that maritime issues between the two countries do not comprise the entirety of our relations, but we acknowledge as well that they remain a significant concern and priority for the Philippines and for the region,” he added.

Marcos showcased the direct communication the Department of Foreign Affairs established with its Chinese counterpart, allowing agencies to foster existing bonds further and build trust between the two nations.

Earlier, Marcos said Xi has vowed to find a compromise to ensure that Filipino fisherfolk can resume fishing in the West Philippine Sea.

Fisher’s group Pamalakaya has since asserted that there is no room for compromise in the West Philippine Sea, because the country already has “legal and political claim over our territorial waters.”

The survey also showed that about 80 percent believe that to effectively address issues in the WPS, the government should prioritize the strengthening of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard, and conduct joint maritime patrols and military exercises with allied countries.

"Working with like-minded states, such as the United States, Australia, and Japan, and elevating these ties to strategic partnerships reaffirm the country's 2016 Arbitral win and

back closer...

contribute to the security and stability in the region," he said.

"Working with friends, allies, and partners as a strategy allows the Philippines to practice an independent foreign policy based on the public's interests," Manhit said.

He pointed out that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly expressed his intent to pursue an independent foreign policy with national interests as the primal guide.

"As long as his administration meets that requirement, the country's strategic partnerships

and alliances should not be influenced by pressure and interference from other states," Manhit said.

The survey also showed that 53 percent believe that the protection of marine resources and environment in the WPS is "the most important reason" to strengthen the country's ability to defend and protect the contested waters.

On the other hand, 22 percent think that the protection of the rights of peoples and communities in the coastal areas should be given priority. 

Marcos apologizes for PH airspace asco...

(I’m sorry. Of course, we must apologize to our countrymen, especially those from abroad. Their vacation is limited. Two or three days were lost. We know that the Christmas holiday is precious for Filipinos. That’s why we ask for their forgiveness, and we will do everything, so this does not happen again.)

Marcos then touted the swift response of authorities to the temporary airspace shutdown which, he said, was fixed within six hours.

“Considering how big the problem is, I think that our airport authorities, our Cabinet secretaries and all those who were involved in returning the system had done a reasonably good job.

Six hours is a rather short time considering how much [is] needed to be done to get the system back up into working condition,” he said.

Marcos also noted that the government had extended various forms of assistance to thousands of passengers affected by the airspace fiasco.

But to prevent a repeat of the chaos in all airports across the country, Marcos said he has instructed Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to fastrack negotiations being made with suppliers, who can help the Philippines upgrade the softwares and hardwares of its equipment.

Marcos pointed out that it was a faulty circuit breaker that had caused the uninterrupted power

supply (UPS) to shut down.

“Iyong circuit breaker na naging problema, napalitan na. Bago na iyong naka-install ngayon. Iyong mga UPS, we did an emergency procurement and we are going to procure two units of UPS para meron tayong main at saka meron tayong back up,” he added.

(The circuit breaker that became the root of the problem has been changed. A new one was installed. We did an emergency procurement of the UPS, and we are going to procure two units of UPS, so we’ll have one main equipment and one backup equipment.)

Marcos was in China for a three-day state visit. He returned to the Philippines on Thursday, January 5. 

As world in the dark on China’s COVID...

control protocols for incoming individuals, especially from China, at all ports of entry,” said an extremely urgent department memorandum signed by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, officer-in-charge of the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH ordered “heightened surveillance on all respiratory symptoms in all travelers and conveyances coming from China.”

Currently, the government requires only unvaccinated or foreign travelers who are not fully vaccinated to present negative pre-departure antigen or RT-PCR test results before travel or upon arrival.

However, last Wednesday (January 4), DOH reported that eight unvaccinated Filipinos traveling from China tested positive for COVID-19. The health department said the cases were discovered after the individuals were required to undergo testing for failing to present a negative predeparture COVID-19 test result upon arrival at the airport.

“Based on the latest reports from the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), there were eight (8) unvaccinated Filipinos who

arrived in the Philippines from China from December 27, 2022, to January 2, 2023, who tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport via antigen test,” the DOH said.

“The individuals are currently under isolation and have undergone confirmatory RTPCR testing on December 31, 2022 with positive results. The department will continue to monitor developments on the matter,” it added.

Opposing views

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista had mentioned the idea of requiring COVID testing for travelers from China as a safety measure.

“I think we should [impose travel restrictions against travelers coming from China].

The IATF will work on this, but personally, I think we should be very cautious,” Bautista said on the sidelines of an event in Pasay City last December 29.

The DOTr chief’s recommendation, however, lacked scientific basis, according to House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin, who also urged the government not to make “drastic decisions” like making travelers coming from

China undergo COVID testing.

“Before coming up with a decision on the issue of mandatory testing on travelers from China, our government can first seek some clarification with the World Health Organization and the Chinese Embassy on the real situation,” Garin, a medical doctor, said in a statement released last Wednesday, January 4.

She said decisions on imposing travel restrictions should be “based on science and not because we heed the clamor of other nations,” adding that closing doors on China could backfire through a drop in tourism and potential investments.

In a previous statement, Garin also said that the motive for requiring mandatory testing for travelers from China was “clearly political.”

In a Twitter post, Dr. Tony Leachon, health reform advocate and former special adviser to the National Task Force on COVID-19, questioned Garin’s latest statement, noting that China is the epicenter of the original Wuhan strain of SARS Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Many families with unaffordable employer...

PAGE A1

members.

Under a new rule that took effect Dec. 12, if the cost of having you and your family on a workplace plan exceeds an affordability threshold — set at 9.12% of household income for 2023 — your spouse and dependents could qualify for financial aid to purchase insurance through Covered California. Affordability will be determined by how much you would have to pay to have them — and you — on your employer’s cheapest health plan.

ACA insurance subsidies come in the form of federal tax credits that can be taken upfront or settled with the IRS when you file your taxes the following year.

Estimates from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the UC Berkeley Labor Center show that 391,000 Californians previously excluded from subsidies in Covered California would be eligible for them under the new rule. Of those, an estimated 149,000 would likely enroll in a Covered California plan. Those switching from an employersponsored plan would save an average of $1,478 per person this year, according to the two centers.

“Fixing the family glitch is a critical step in really delivering on the promise of the ACA,” says Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “If you don’t have affordable coverage from another source, the marketplace is where you should be able to come for affordable coverage.”

So, if you are paying too much to cover your family members on your employer’s health plan, it is definitely worth finding out whether you can get a tax credit to help pay their premiums on a Covered California plan. But finding the answer is complicated and will take considerable legwork.

If you have steady employment, last year’s income will probably be a good proxy for 2023, adding any pay raise you expect in the coming year. You’ll also need to calculate how much you would pay for your employer’s lowestcost health plan — both for employee-only coverage and for family coverage. If the cost for you alone is under

the 9.12% threshold, you will not qualify for a subsidized Covered California plan, even if your spouse and dependents do. That means a family could be split between two policies, with separate deductibles and different provider networks.

You also need to determine whether the lowest-cost plan offered by your employer meets the minimum coverage standard under the ACA. That means it must cover at least 60% of your total allowed medical expenses during the year and provide sufficient coverage for hospital and physician services. If it does not meet those requirements, you and your family might be able to get a subsidized plan through Covered California, depending on your income.

If two spouses have access to employer coverage, you’ll need to perform this exercise for both options.

Is your head spinning yet? You’re not alone.

“This stuff is just really complicated,” says Kevin Knauss, an insurance agent in Granite Bay. “And how can we possibly expect families that are doing all kinds of different things — kids, Christmas — to really focus on this stuff?”

But don’t ignore the new rule, because you could be leaving money on the table. Covered California has a worksheet to help calculate your eligibility for subsidies. Your human resources department might be willing to help you fill it out. Or you could seek professional help, whether an insurance agent or other certified enroller. You wouldn’t need to pay a penny for either.

To find an insurance agent or certified enroller, log on to Covered California’s website (www.coveredca.com) and click on the “Support” tab. Or call 800-300-1506. Covered California has a very useful FAQ all about the fix to the family glitch.

The enrollment period for 2023 coverage started on Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 31. If you buy coverage this month, it will start on Feb. 1.

The family glitch fix isn’t the only new thing with Covered California. Starting this year, you can put a dependent parent or stepparent on your health plan, as long as they are not eligible for or enrolled in Medicare.

And, in case you missed it, Congress extended through 2025 the supplemental tax credits that increase aid to people who were already getting some before and are available to many middleclass households that did not previously qualify for financial assistance.

The idea behind the expanded financial help is to limit the amount people spend on health care premiums to no more than 8.5% of household income, no matter how much money they make.

Knauss said he talked to a man in Marin County who was seeking a Covered California health plan for his family of four and qualified for a monthly subsidy of $1,400, even though he makes $200,000 a year. Being over 60 and living in Northern California, an expensive region, pushed his family’s premium to a level that opened the door for significant financial assistance, Knauss said.

If you are already enrolled in Covered California, don’t simply renew coverage for this year. Prices and provider networks can change from year to year, and there might be a new, cheaper option in your region. So shop around.

And whether you are new or returning to Covered California, know what your medical needs are likely to be. If you have a condition that requires intensive services, you might consider paying a higher premium in exchange for lower deductibles and coinsurance when you seek care.

Happy hunting. (Bernard J. Wolfson/Kaiser Health News)

Jessica Altman is the daughter of Drew Altman, who is president and CEO of KFF. KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.

This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Older adults can start the Year of the Rabbit on a healthy note even as COVID lingers

WITH vaccines and treatments, we’ve come a long way in preventing the worst outcomes from COVID-19. But older adults remain among the most at risk. As we gather together to celebrate Lunar New Year, there are many tools that older adults — and anyone — can use to help protect against a severe COVID infection.

Here are a few ways older adults and their loved ones can begin the Year of the Rabbit in the best health possible:

Get an updated vaccine. With Lunar New Year dinners and festivals quickly approaching, having an updated vaccine is an effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones — of all ages — as the celebrations ensue. CDC recommends people 65 and older stay current with their COVID vaccines because they are at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID. Staying up to date means getting an updated vaccine as soon as you can. An updated COVID vaccine can restore protection that has waned over time from earlier doses. If you’ve recently had COVID, wait three months before getting your updated vaccine.

Lunar New Year and New Year celebrations across the country this month and next will

be offering vaccine clinics with the updated vaccine, including:

• The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i will be celebrating the Year of the Rabbit at its ‘Ohana Festival with a vaccine clinic 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15, at JCCH, 2454 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI.

• That same weekend is the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival & Parade’s Flower Market Fair, which is taking place on Jan. 14-15 Grant Avenue and will offer vaccines.

• The Tu-Gether Lunar New Year Festival in LA takes place with a vaccine clinic on Jan. 2122 in Monterey Park, CA.

• Later that week, Chinese New Year in the Desert will be held on Jan. 28 with a spring festival — and vaccine clinic — at Fremont East Entertainment District in downtown Las Vegas.

• Chicago celebrates with the Chinatown Lunar New Parade Jan. 29, and vaccines will be available at the event, in downtown Chicago.

• San Diego’s Chinese New Year Fair will have a vaccine clinic on-site on as it celebrates on Feb. 4-5 in downtown San Diego.

• The Manhattan Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival will offer vaccines at its event on Sunday, Feb. 12, which starts at Mott and Canal in New

York at 1 p.m.

Continue practicing healthy habits. In addition to vaccines, there are plenty of things you can do to help protect yourself from a COVID infection. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. When feeling ill, stay home and rest to take care of yourself and the people you care about. Avoid crowded spaces and spaces that are not well ventilated. If you must be in those spaces, limit your time there and consider wearing a mask.

Find ways to relieve stress. The ongoing pandemic has been stressful for many people, including older adults — and admitting that is ok! Daily routines have been upended, and many have experienced increased loneliness, stress, and anxiety. Tips for coping with stress include having an open conversation with someone you trust, taking a break from the news, unwinding with physical activities that you enjoy, eating healthy foods, and finding ways to stay connected with family, friends, and community.

Updated COVID vaccines are currently free and widely available. For more information and to find a vaccine, visit www. vaccines.gov. (From the We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign)

Justice Secretary Remulla’s son acquitted...

Remulla's son is still facing a separate complaint for drug importation and violation of the Customs law at the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office.

After receiving a parcel containing nearly a kilo of kush last October 2022, Remulla's son was arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group.

Possible frame-up

In a 34-page decision penned by Acting Presiding Judge Ricardo Moldez III, he said that the package was intended for a "Juanito Remulla," and not for Juanito Jose Remulla 3rd.

"The name on the shipper's form and his ID were wrong. If you have a parcel and you claim it, you are usually asked for two IDs. If that is spelled wrong, [parcel] will not be given. What happened here was that he was only asked for an ID and in fact it was wrong," Campanilla said in an interview over ABS-CBN'S "Teleradyo" on Friday morning, January 6.

"[The name] Juanito Remulla was very much different from Juanito Remulla III," he added, citing the courier system's lapses on the delivery of the parcel which contains marijuana.

The judge said "it [delivery] can be abused to frame up an innocent person. That [delivery system] helps to send the letters. But it can be used for evil deeds and apparently this is what happened in the case of Mr. Remulla."

Campanilla likewise stressed it was the PDEA agents, instead of commercial courier, who delivered the parcel on the doorstep of the young Remulla in Las Piñas City, which made the anti-drug operation questionable.

"If that is really a regular controlled delivery in our legal opinion then the person who delivered that should be the postman and he received it and opened it," he said.

The lawyer stressed that PDEA arresting agents still continued with the apprehension despite the lack of procedure.

He said Remulla's son will be immediately released. The other complaints against him have yet to be filed in court.

In a separate statement, Campanilla said the acquittal of the young Remulla calls for celebration and thanksgiving.

"Adjustment of acquittal is under applicable loss immediately executory, hence, we shall endeavour to immediately secure the release

of Joey Remulla from detention. His freedom comes in a matter of course in a logical and legal consequence of his being found innocent," he said, reading the statement.

Campanilla described the situation for the young Remulla was difficult for all the people involved and most of all on Joey Remulla and his loved ones, as well as to struggle to win back his reputation and good name.

"He has to contend not only in the legal battle in court but also with the equally debilitating battle of public opinion. He may have won in the first but the battle continues in the second," he said.

He expressed confidence that the illegal importation charges filed against his will be the same as with this case.

"Today we invite the people, especially the media, and all the persons who ulteriorly made baseless criminal charges to carefully read the trial case's decision to clear the window of truth and see deterrence of the judgement," he said.

"There is a reason behind the process which is done under the bill of rights. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are proven by evidence beyond reasonable doubt," he added. 

Marcos invites Xi Jinping to visit...

“There

According to the Presidential Communications Office, 14 bilateral deals had been signed throughout their state visit to China from Jan. 3 to 5. 

As world in the dark on China’s COVID...

“What’s the rationale behind this statement? Other countries have mandated pre-departure testing 48 hours before arrival from travelers from mainland China. Prevention is better than cure. Test. Trace,” Leachon said.

Border controls, mandatory tests

Following rising COVID infections in China and as concerns emerge over the truthfulness of the country’s testing and case reporting, several countries have already imposed strict restrictions on travelers coming from China.

Most countries have begun to reintroduce compulsory preflight COVID tests, while in other countries, travelers from China are required to undergo testing upon arrival. Among these were:

• Canada

• United States

• United Kingdom

• France

• Italy • Spain

• Japan

• South Korea

• Taiwan

• Australia

• India

• Qatar

• Israel

• Malaysia

• Germany

• Sweden.

According to Australia’s health minister Mark Butler, the decision to impose such travel requirements was due to Beijing’s “lack of comprehensive information” about COVID cases. Butler added that the requirement will “safeguard Australia from the risk of potential new emerging variants.”

On January 8, the European Union (EU) “strongly encouraged” its member nations to require travelers from China to present negative COVID-19 tests—taken not more than 48 hours prior to departure from China.

Morroco took a harsher step, banning all travelers coming from China from entering the country to “avoid a new wave of contaminations.”

‘Rescind’ mask mandate?

Amid concerns over infections and deaths sweeping China and

the threat of a new COVID-19 Omicron sub-variant, Leachon asked whether the DOH or the Philippine government should rescind Executive Order (EO) No. 7, which allows optional face mask use in indoor and outdoor settings.

“How about the exec order that face mask is optional? Should we rescind it in the midst of a looming surge triggered by China? ‘Personal responsibility’ on mask-wearing is meaningless if people aren’t informed about risks from COVID-19 to themselves,” Leachon said.

At a press briefing last December 29, Vergeire said the Philippines is “in a much better position than one or two years ago,” adding that the country is better equipped with a high immunization rate and most people still follow minimum public health rules.

Data from the DOH showed that as of January 5, the country’s COVID-19 caseload had reached 4,065,910— with 11,779 tagged as active cases, while 3,998,680 recovered, and 65,451 died. 

LA County residents returning to school...

Los Angeles County currently remains in the Medium Community Level, based on its case and hospitalization rates. As people return to school and work after the winter holiday, they may unintentionally expose others to the disease, increasing outbreaks. It can take up to 10 days for a person who has COVID-19 to test positive or display symptoms of infection.

To limit the post-holiday spread of infection, county residents should test before going back to school or work and upon returning, wear a well-fitting, high-filtration mask indoors for at least 10 days, in addition to continuing to mask in indoor public spaces.

Wearing a mask during the 10-day incubation period for COVID-19 can slow transmission of the virus, minimize disruptions to work and learning, protect the people who are most vulnerable, and help make sure hospitals do not become overwhelmed.

In the past, as new COVID-19 strains have gained dominance, as XBB.1.5 is doing in many parts of the United States, there has been a spike in transmission, resulting in increased hospitalizations and deaths, especially among older people.

Older Los Angeles County residents remain the most vulnerable for hospitalization and deaths compared to other age groups. People age 50 and older accounted for the highest rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Los Angeles County for the 30-day period that ended Dec. 28. The rates increase with age. Residents who are 80-years-old and older, for example, are three times more likely to be hospitalized and five times more likely to die from COVID-19. Residents ages 65-79 were three times more likely to be hospitalized and six times likely to die than residents ages 50-64. Further, people ages 50-64 were more than five times likely to die than people ages 3049.

In Los Angeles County, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 continue to be the dominant COVID-19 strains. However, XBB.1.5 is increasing in the United States, responsible for about 40% of cases nationally and an estimated 9% of COVID cases in California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Given the rise of XBB.1.5 in other parts of

the country, we expect we may start to see increases in XBB.1.5 in LA County as well

To keep safe and safeguard others, Los Angeles County residents should stay up to date on all vaccines, wash their hands, wear a mask indoors and in very crowded outdoor spaces, stay home when sick and seek treatment as soon as they have symptoms.

For information on how to access vaccinations and treatment in Los Angeles County: Vaccinations: Primary series vaccinations, updated bivalent boosters, and flu vaccines are readily available at Public Health sites, pharmacies, and other locations across the county.

Seniors and residents who can’t easily leave their home may arrange for at-home vaccinations or transportation to a vaccination center by calling Public Health telehealth services at (833) 5400473, seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Residents also may visit VaccinateLACounty.com to find nearby vaccination sites, request a mobile vaccination team for a worksite or community event, or an in-home visit if someone is homebound.

Treatment: If a person tests positive for COVID-19 and has symptoms, such as fever, coughing, sneezing, unusual fatigue or muscle aches, oral antiviral medications are available by prescription.

Medicines, such as Paxlovid, should be taken within five days of symptom onset to reduce the risk of hospitalization. To get a prescription, contact a health care provider or access telehealth services by calling (833) 540-0473, seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Insurance is not required, and callers may be assisted in multiple languages, regardless of immigration status.

Test-to-treat sites, where tests and prescriptions for medications are located at one site, are also available in Los Angeles County. To find a site, or for more information, visit ph.lacounty.gov/covidmedicines.

“I offer my condolences to those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19. I know the pain is felt deeply and I hope you find peace,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “With XBB.1.5 rising across the country, I want to be aware that very soon

we could see the new strain become more dominant here in LA County. I hope everyone will take action to help minimize the impact, especially knowing it will be felt most by those vulnerable to severe illness. Every day I see examples of how people in LA County care for others and this is one more way to do so. We have learned a lot over the past few years and it is important that we all put the knowledge to use to help protect our community.”

LA County continues to report a significant number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

The 7-day average case count in the county is 2,111, a nearly 11% decrease from one week ago when the 7-day average of 2,359 cases was reported.

And over the past seven days, the average number of daily COVID-positive patients in LA County hospitals is 1247, nearly the same as last week when the average number of COVIDpositive patients per day was 1207.

The county is currently reporting an average of 20 deaths per day, about a 20% increase from the average of 16 deaths reported per day a week ago.

Public Health reported 24 additional deaths and 2,101 new positive cases.

To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 34,807. There are 1,212 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. (AJPress)

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is seeking Bids for MOW EQUIPMENT TRAILERS. Bid documents may be downloaded at SCRRA’s website at http://www. metrolinktrains.com/contracts. Bids are due on 2/7/23. The contract to be awarded will be funded in part by grants under the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transportation Administration and is subject to a DBE Participation Goal of 0%. For further information contact: Carlos Delgado, Contract Administrator, at delgadoc@ scrra.net.

1/7/23

CNS-3654606#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

can only be one solution: China must abide by the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea that recognizes

A ‘compromise solution’

RETURNING from his first state visit to China, President Marcos considered it a “good start” that Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to find a “compromise… a solution” that will allow Filipinos to fish unimpeded in the West Philippine Sea. The two presidents also agreed to open direct communication lines to prevent miscalculations in the South China Sea.

It wasn’t exactly the bacon that President Marcos was expected to bring home. The Chinese are renowned for moving at a leisurely pace when it comes to acting on controversial issues, and it could take a hundred years before the “compromise” is reached on the fishing grounds. Filipino fishermen’s groups had hoped for a more solid commitment from Xi that Chinese vessels would stay out of the West Philippine Sea.

Editorial

Filipino fishermen have long complained of being driven away from their traditional fishing grounds in the WPS by swarms of large fishing boats backed by Chinese coast guard vessels. The swarms typically consist of about 200 vessels that encroach on the Philippines’ 200-mile maritime exclusive economic zone. The Chinese coast guard is under its military command.

Beijing has been standing firm in its refusal to accept the 2016 ruling of the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which invalidated China’s entire nine-dash-line claim over nearly all of the South China Sea. The arbitral

ON Nov. 22, 2022, while appearing in the TV news program One News: The Chiefs, National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos revealed that top Philippine security and foreign relations cluster officials were scheduled to meet to review the 1951 Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

According to her, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a review of the MDT considering several U.S. requests and proposals, particularly about the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

She added that the government had already formed a study group – composed of officials from the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of National Defense (DND), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – that would study and review the MDT. She said that the study group would discuss how the 71-year-old mutual defense treaty could be reworded or modified to make it responsive to the changing times.

This is not the first time a

First Things First

WRITING from Manila, I have to presume President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (BBM) had an unquestionably successful state visit to China, following the standard playbook for state visits.

He was warmly welcomed on Tuesday, January 3, had his first talks with Chinese officials on Wednesday, January 4, was feted at a state dinner that same day, had further talks the next day, signed some bilateral agreements, and issued a joint communique to mark the end of the visit.

Although the visit appears to have been rushed — state visits normally take at least six months to prepare, while this one was agreed upon only in November, while China was battling the resurgence of COVID-19 — BBM had at least a couple of things going for him. He and Chinese President Xi Jinping had met earlier at the APEC summit in Bangkok last November, and very much earlier, in 1975, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., BBM's father, made a precedentsetting visit to Beijing to establish

ruling also awarded the Philippines sovereign rights specifically over Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank.

It is unclear if President Marcos directly raised the arbitral ruling with his Chinese counterpart –something that Rodrigo Duterte, an avowed admirer of Xi Jinping, did during his presidency.

Arriving from Beijing on Thursday, January 5, Marcos merely said he and Xi agreed that maritime disputes “do not comprise the entirety of our relations.” But President Marcos said he also mentioned that such disputes pose significant concerns for the entire region and must be resolved peacefully.

It was just a getting-to-know you event, and President Marcos said it was likely that there would be more such meetings and exchanges of visits between him and the Chinese leader. In terms of building goodwill, the state visit has been a success. Promoting the welfare of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, however, will need a more aggressive follow-through. (Philstar.com)

review of the 1951 MDT was raised. In December 2018, then DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the review of the 1951 Philippine-U.S. MDT and its relevance in the 21st century by his department. He stated that the time had arrived for the MDT “to be revisited, given that its provisions were formulated in the early 1950s.” He added that the defense department was assessing if the MDT “should be maintained, strengthened, or scrapped.”

The changing nature of the MDT

The 1951 MDT, like other mutual defense treaties signed by the U.S. with its Asian allies, established a consultative security relationship expressed in broad terms.

It did not contain definite defense provisions nor serve as a deterrence against any armed attacks. It calls for mutual consultation rather than an automatic retaliatory response to any act of armed aggression.

The major issue that bedevils the alliance is the clarification of U.S. security commitment to the Philippines as provided for in the 1951 MDT and as it relates to China’s maritime expansion in the South China Sea. In June 2011, Manila sought an unequivocal U.S. commitment to Philippine defense

in the face of Chinese expansion in the South China Sea.

Philippine officials argued that an armed attack on Philippine forces anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea, should trigger an automatic U.S. armed response.

The 1951 MDT, unfortunately, does not specify a retaliatory armed response to external armed aggression since it only requires each signatory to consult each other and determine what armed action, if any, both would take. U.S. policy remains vague and ambiguous regarding the nature of its treaty commitment. It stops short of any reference to an automatic response if an armed conflict erupts in the South China Sea.   Since 2015, however, an increasing number of U.S. policymakers have supported the view that the Philippines is a strategic bellwether of China’s maritime expansion in the Western Pacific and, at the same time, the natural barrier to check China’s expansionism.

The U.S.’s ability to guarantee the Philippines’ external defense depends on whether American forces are physically prepositioned to provide an immediate response. The U.S. can defend its ally only if it has access to facilities near the South China Sea from where it

happened in Beijing?

diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines.

These were two solid starting points: the latter especially is something the Chinese leaders have not forgotten. But despite the presence of the Malacañang press traveling with the President and the 200 or so businessmen, there was hardly any coverage of what happened during the visit.

Having accompanied President Marcos Sr. on his historic China visit in 1975, I was anxious to see how the Chinese hosts would receive the son after the almost royal treatment they had given his father.

At the state dinner, I surmised BBM would be served the finest in Chinese cuisine, the most exquisite Maotai, and told what Deng Xiaoping had told his teetotalist father in 1975, that "between two enemies, a drop of Maotai is too much, but between two friends no amount of it is enough." On that visit, Marcos Sr., who had not touched alcohol at all in Malacañang, was compelled to toast in Maotai, even as he said, "Your generosity far exceeds our capacity."

There was no quotable press report on this though, and no photos of President Xi or Prime Minister Li Keqiang toasting BBM either. The first and only happy

picture I saw on the front page of The Manila Times on Thursday, January 5, the last day of the visit, was that of Li Zhanshu, chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress. He was described as the first highranking Chinese official to meet with Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet entourage for talks on Wednesday.

This prompts me to ask: Did China's censorship rules smother the press coverage of the state visit? Or was there nothing for the Malacañang traveling press to report at all?

On the other hand, two major stories shook the nation at this time. First, on New Year's Day, two days before BBM's departure, a huge power failure shut down all the communications system and radar at Manila's Air Traffic Management Center, causing the cancellation of 400 international and domestic flights and stranding 60,000 passengers until 8 p.m. It has yet to be determined what exactly happened, but some heads will simply have to roll after this.

Second, Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. of the Department of the Interior and Local Government stole the thunder from everybody else when he directed 300 police officials to tender their courtesy resignations

can quickly react during an armed confrontation.

Testing the MDT Washington adopts a neutral position on the maritime sovereignty issue and leaves the ambiguity of the MDT provisions in mid-air. However, the U.S. attitude toward China became more critical in the waning years of the Trump administration, which engaged the latter in a strategic rivalry.

President Joseph Biden has decided to continue his predecessor’s policy of competing strategically with China. In late January 2021, newly appointed Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the MDT’s implications for the security of the two countries, specifically in the act of armed aggression against the Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea.

On March 20, 2021, Secretary Lorenzana reported the presence of around 220 blue-hulled Chinese fishing vessels anchored in a line formation at Julian Felipe Reef (international name Whitsun Reef). The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) alleged that the Chinese fishing boats were manned by Chinese maritime militia as early as March 7.

for being allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade. Given the fact that Abalos has no operational control over the police, this is certainly a bold move taken while the President is out of the country.

The above two cases serve to remind the President that his most serious problems are not abroad but at home.

In the absence of adequate information, how can we say the China visit was either a success or a failure? We cannot. We need the President to tell us what exactly happened in Beijing, and what we must do now to move to the next level.

Before the Chinese visit, there was a big push for a joint oil, gas and mineral exploration of the West Philippine Sea as a way of calming the South China Sea waters. It is an idea with huge political and economic consequences, and charged with a lot of interest from the business sector. Unless China has already thumbed it down, many of us believe we must continue pushing.

In 1968, President Marcos Sr. approved the drilling activities of the Swedish-Filipino consortium in the Reed Bank, which he incorporated later as part of the Kalayaan Island Group. In 2001, under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. started exploring the Malampaya gas field, 65 kilometers northwest

On April 9, Secretary Blinken conveyed to former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. Washington’s concern over the massing of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea and reiterated the treaty’s applicability in the disputed area. The Biden administration deployed the carrier strike group, the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, and the amphibious ready battlegroup, the U.S.S. Makin Island in the South China Sea in early April 2021.

The joint vision for the alliance

The Whitsun Shoal incident presented to the Biden administration’s security officials working with their Philippine counterparts—and in conjunction with an ongoing Philippine-U.S. military exercise— the need to resist the Chinese coercive attempt to occupy a land feature inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This also proved the MDT’s applicability in a crisis in the South China Sea.

Washington’s vigorous show of support to Manila during the stand-off led to a dramatic improvement in Philippine-U.S. security relations at the end of the Duterte administration.

On Nov. 16, 2022, the two countries formulated a new bilateral defense guideline that came in the form of “Joint Vision

of Palawan. It brought together Dutch Shell Exploration, Chevron and the Philippine National Oil Company, to supply 40 percent of Luzon's total energy requirements through five major power plants.

But Malampaya's natural gas reserve is expected to run out by 2024.

Also under Arroyo, Petron (Philippines) signed on March 14, 2005, a joint maritime seismic understanding (JMSU) with China National Offshore Oil Corp. and Petro Vietnam to undertake a seismic survey of 142,886 square kilometers west of Palawan. In 2010, however, Congress passed the Archipelago Baseline Act, which "delineates Philippine sovereign interests and restricts the government from JMSU-like agreements without due process and transparency."

In November 2018, President Duterte signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation on oil and gas development. However, the MoU was never fully activated, and in June 2022, Duterte decided to leave it in the hands of the next administration.

Perhaps BBM could task former president Arroyo, now House senior deputy speaker and member of the President's entourage, to act as special action officer for this project. In Arroyo's nine years as president, she made 10 visits to China — three

for a 21st Century United StatesPhilippines Partnership.” This document states the two sides’ intention to ensure the MDT’s relevance in addressing current and emerging threats and their common efforts to support a mutual understanding of the two allies’ roles, missions, and capabilities within the alliance.

These developments indicate both countries’ consensus on the need to transform the MDT from a mere consultative mechanism to an anchor that will provide stability to their alliance as they address common security challenges they will face into the 21st century.

More significantly, the joint vision for the US-Philippine Partnership showed that instead of [unilaterally] rewording or modifying the MDT to make it responsive to the changing times, the treaty should be allowed to undergo the processes of what President Marcos described as “negotiation and evolution.” (Philstar.com)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

Should the 1950 Mutual Defense Treaty be reworded or modi ed? What

state visits, two official visits, two working visits, and three special visits to address an important conference. In seven years, she signed 65 agreements with China, and Xi considers her a real friend. She could help push the project.

But even before any of this, BBM could invite China to partner with the Philippines in making sure our disputed waters remain free of unnecessary incidents. Using China's joint patrol with Vietnam in the Tonkin Gulf as a model, BBM could propose something similar for China and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. Since we have neither a sizable navy nor a comparable coast guard to partner with China's, BBM might consider organizing a Philippine maritime militia similar to that of China for the same purpose.

On behalf of our fishermen, BBM could also ask China, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, all the South China Sea claimant-states, to establish a joint fishery zone beyond the 200-nautical mile EEZ limit of all these states. He could pursue these initiatives even after his Chinese visit. (ManilaTimes. net)

* * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

PHILIPPINES

PNP Chief Azurin leads resignation of close to 1K police o cials

led the close to 1,000 police officials who tendered their courtesy resignations on Thursday, January 5 and called on his colleagues to do the same as part of the "cleansing of the police force".

Azurin tendered his resignation a day after Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on those linked to the illegal drug trade to step down.

"I heed the call of the Honorable Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and the concurrent chairman of NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission). Thus, I am submitting my resignation from the police service voluntarily," Azurin wrote in a letter addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PNP PIO Chief Col. Rederico Maranan said, a total of 956 ranking officers are expected to submit their courtesy resignations.

The highest-ranking official is a police general. There are also 812 police colonels, 8 Lt. Generals, 21 Maj. Generals, 114 Brig. Generals who will resign.

Azurin said they submitted to President Marcos 22 names from whom five will be asked tby the Chief Executive to stay.

"A stronger vetting process among personnel of these units and among all key positions in the PNP will be implemented with strong resolve. Similarly, our counterintelligence efforts must all the more stepped up to protect the

integrity of all police undertakings," he added.

He said that he will submit himself to the soon to be formed evaluation committee that will be by Marcos to determine if he was in any way involved in the narcotics trade, or if he had been tolerating police officers who were.

But Azurin also said that not all officials were pleased with the "request" of Secretary Abalos.

He said that during their command conference with colonels and generals, some expressed apprehension, others said they would not resign because this has been their "bread and butter, their career and that they have not committed any wrong for the last 30 years".

Azurin even sent a message saying that the PNP, not the officials

Gov’t closely monitoring new Omicron subvariant

MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday, January 6 assured the public that health authorities are monitoring "very closely" the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5.

In an interview after his ocular inspection of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Marcos said the government is not letting its guard down over concerns about new COVID-19 variants, adding that the country is still "in the same status."

"So, we're watching it. Of course, very closely. But so far, mukha naman maayos, mukha namang nama-manage natin (everything seems fine and it looks like we are managing it),” Marcos said.

"At, mukha naman kagaya ng mga bagong variant na mga pumapasok dito, na dumadating. Naka-abang tayo. Binabantayan natin nang husto (And just like the new variants that could potentially enter the country, we are carefully monitoring it),” he said.

At present, the Philippines is still free of this more transmissible subvariant of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.

Like before, the President said he has always "looked at the hospitals and the occupancy rate" in assessing the situation about the COVID-19 variants.

"Kasi I start to worry pagka ‘yung ospital ay hindi na kaya tanggapin ang pasyente dahil punong-puno na sila. Wala pa tayo roon (I start to worry if the hospitals can no longer accept patients because they are already full. We have not reached that stage yet),” Marcos said.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday, January 3 said it is confident in its ability to detect new variants of COVID-19, and assured Filipinos of the government's continued surveillance and monitoring efforts.

"The DOH further reiterates that COVID-19 variants will continue to emerge and reemerge. What's important is we continue to employ our layers of protection such as sanitation, masking, distancing, vaccination and boosters, as well as good ventilation to keep cases manageable and prevent virus transmission," the DOH said in a statement. (PNA)

Over 14 million SIM cards registered as of Jan. 4

MANILA – Over 14 million subscriber identity modules (SIM) cards or about 8 percent of active cards in the country have so far been registered since the rollout of SIM registration on Dec. 27.

During a press conference at the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, January 6, NTC Regulation Branch Director Imelda Walcien said as of Jan. 4, a total of 14,050,125 SIM users have so far registered -- made up of 1,200,897 DITO Telecommunity (DITO) subscribers; 6,135,596 Globe Telecom (Globe) subscribers; and 6,713,632 Smart Communications (Smart) subscribers.

The total makes up 8.31 percent of the 168,977,773 active SIM users as of September 2022.

“We are still waiting for the update on the number of subscribers as of December 31, 2022,” Walcien said.

The count is based on daily reports submitted by the country’s three telecommunications companies (telcos).

Walcien said an up-to-date count of SIM registrants is available at the NTC website at https://ntc.gov.ph/.

“We requested telcos to give an update every day and their cut-off is at 11:59 p.m. daily. Their update should be submitted on or before lunch the following day. And we will post the update on our report at 3 p.m. the same day,” Walcien said.

The SIM card registration started on Dec. 27, 2022.

Under the implementing rules

and regulations of Republic Act 11934, also known as An Act Requiring the Registration of SIM Cards, mobile phone subscribers with prepaid SIM cards must register and verify their phone numbers with their respective telcos within 180 days from Dec. 27.

To ensure continued smooth SIM registration, NTC Deputy Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez said the NTC Task Force was created to help boost the information drive on SIM registration.

“We are hoping that with the continuous information drive of telcos, as well as the assistance of government agencies involved like the NTC, DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology), CICC (Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center), DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), and all of the government agencies that need to be tapped, we will have effective implementation of the law,” Lopez said.

She said the NTC has also coordinated with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and cable TV network service providers to advertise and enjoin their viewers to have their SIMs registered.

To date, she said the SIM registration under telcos has been quick and smooth.

“Although understandably for the first few days there have been glitches as any system but they were able to bounce back from that and we have 14 million registrants so far,” she said. (PNA)

personally, is on trial and that they should prioritize the interest of the organization.

He said that while several expressed resistance, he expects everyone to comply before Jan. 31, 2023.

This is not the first time such drastic measures have been used to clean up the Philippine police force.

Former president Fidel Ramos cracked down on police in the early 1990s, ordering all officers over 56 years of age or with more than 30 years of service to resign. This resulted in the resignation of the PNP chief and nine other senior officers. 

PH in ation rose further to 8.1% in December

INFLATION in the Philippines went up even higher at 8.1 percent in December 2022 from 8 percent in November, bringing the full-year average to 5.8 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. National Statistician Dennis Mapa said in a press briefing the December readout was mainly driven by faster rate of increases in prices of vegetables especially cabbage, rice, and fruits like bananas.

Other big contributors to faster

inflation were restaurants and accommodation services as well as housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.

Inflation in December was the highest since November 2008, and was more than twice as high as the 3.1 percent recorded in December 2021.

It was slightly below the 8.2 percent median forecast in a Reuters poll, but within the central bank’s 7.8 percent to 8.6 percent forecast for December.

Core inflation, which strips

out volatile food and energy components, rose to 6.9 percent in December from 6.5 percent in November.

Food inflation at the national level rose further to 10.6 percent in December from the prior month’s 10.3 percent.

The Philippine central bank has not ruled out further interest rate hikes in 2023, after raising the benchmark by a total of 350 basis points last year to curb inflation and support a weak peso. (Inquirer.net)

LEADING U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel visited San Diego, where he answered questions of Kapamilya from the “America’s Finest City” and neighboring areas. In Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” viewers will hear answers to the following immigration concerns:

• Kathy, of Mira Mesa, wants to know if a person can visit the U.S. even if they are under petition.

• Raquel of San Diego is asking if she can petition her cousin in the Philippines as her caregiver.

• Edith is waiting for her green card through her U.S. citizen daughter. Her other daughter who is 15 years old, is in the U.S. on a tourist visa extension. Edith wants to know how her 15-year-old daughter can stay in the U.S. with PAGE B2

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actor Carlo Aquino gave hints on the status between him and “Love on a Budget” co-star Charlie Dizon.

In an interview with the media after the press conference announcing the collaboration between Mavx Production and Star Cinema, Carlo said he and Charlie are in the “getting to know” stage.

“Ako, kinikilala ko si Charlie. Kung gusto niyong malaman, very positive ang pagpasok niya sa buhay ko,” Carlo said.

“Let’s leave it like that kasi usually ‘pag may lumalabas, may mga naninira, may mga taong alam niyo ‘yun,” he added.

treasures what he and Charlie have right now. “Importante sa akin ‘to. Nirerespeto ko ‘yon. Irespeto din nila sana,” he said.

Dating rumors between the two began when Charlie posted a photo of her, together with Carlo and her friends. They were seen getting cozy with each other. They were also seen hanging out in a restaurant in La Union recently.

Charlie and Carlo will headline the Star Cinema movie “Love on a Budget,” scheduled for release this year.

Kapamilya actor Carlo Aquino Photo from Instagram/@jose_

He asked for respect from the public because he

Carlo’s ex-partner, Trina Candaza, had earlier confirmed their breakup. They have a two-year-old daughter named Mithi. g

Glaiza enjoys impromptu bridal shower from friends

Divinely drag in concert

GORGEOUS Drag Race Philippines season 1 winner Precious Paula Nicole and equally stunning cohorts Viñas Deluxe and Brigiding bring the fabulous expression that is drag to the mainstream concert stage with their first major event, “Divine Divas: The Ultimate Drag Experience,” on February 10.

Fire & Ice Media production — the newly formed company of LGBT powerhouse couple, singersongwriter Ice Seguerra and wife, actress, and former Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Liza Diño — will be staging the preValentine extravaganza that will elevate drag artists and their craft into more than just mere entertainment.

Fresh from their multiple wins at the Aliw Awards for Best Stage and Musical Direction for Seguerra’s anniversary concert, Fire & Ice media wants to shine the spotlight on the art of drag through Divine Divas’s concert.

Happening at New Frontier Theater in Araneta City, Cubao, the concert will be a showcase of the various disciplines that drag represents — impersonations of music superstars like Beyonce and Lady Gaga, as well performances of original songs that the drag artists themselves helped create and bring to life.

But more than the performances, the concert also aims to present the colorful, multi-faceted lives of the drag queens — from their struggles to their triumphs. After all, beneath the glamorous make up and the wonderful clothes, there is a human being wishing simply to be seen, represented, heard, and loved.

“This is a very inspiring moment for me because I’ve never thought of this when I was younger, I’ve never seen someone like me when I was younger, but because I dreamed and believed, it’s happening. And now, to be that inspiration to the younger queer artists and the LGBTQ community is one big beautiful thing,” Brigiding said.

Part of the reasons for staging this concert is also to bring the art out onto a bigger platform, a bigger stage, one that is not limited to a niche audience and a very specific, limited crowd.

“This is an opportunity for drag queens to be seen on the main stage and to be considered as mainstream artists. Fire &Ice wants to support that. Especially since we are part of the LGBT community. We deserve to be front and center and not just be on the sidelines. Through this concert, we hope that more people will appreciate these drag performers and help normalize drag as a form of entertainment,” producer Diño explained.

As for Seguerra, this is a key moment in the history of Philippine drag, “Local drag queens are finally there on the main stage. You see their names alongside mainstream artists and concert performers. For me, that’s a big thing because drag has always been on the sidelines. Has always been underground.”

The time has definitely come for drag to take the spotlight and shantay its way onto the mainstream stage. (ManilaTimes.net)

Sam: There’s so much more to do after 16 years in showbiz

AS an artist who wears many hats, Sam Concepcion believes he still hasn’t reached the peak of his career and he still wants to achieve more — may it be in the movies, music or theater.

“I’m in many different lanes. (I think) you can measure that (success) in different ways,” he said in a virtual call. “But if one would say that I haven’t reached my peak, I think that’s a good thing. Because then, if I have reached my peak, wala na akong ibang kailangan gawin or you know there’s nowhere else to go.

And I really feel there’s so much more to do. I have so much more to learn and to experience. And so, I’m in a best position I’ve ever been para sa akin.” Sam started in show business when he emerged as the grand winner of ABS-CBN’s Little Big Star in 2006.

He recently renewed his contract with Viva Artists Agency (VAA). The 30-year-old actorsinger appeared in the movie Miss Granny and was the lead actor in the film  Indak opposite Nadine Lustre. He is set to star in HBO Asia’s fantasy series Halfworlds. Last year, he bagged the Male Pop Artist of the Year award at

the 13th PMPC Star Awards for Music for his single Loved You Better alongside Iñigo Pascual for his single Lost. He previously shared the stage with Billy Crawford and James Reid for The CR3W concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and played the lead role in the musical Joseph the Dreamer.

Having been in the industry for 16 years now, there are still things he wants to do like staging more concerts when it comes to his music and taking on meaty roles when it comes to acting. In his words, he enjoys being a versatile artist, “And so, as much

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration...

PAGE B1 PAGE B4

her.

• Jefferson was petitioned as single by his mother, Virginia. However, he got married. Jefferson now asks if there is a way to revive his mother’s petition.

Atty. Gurfinkel also gets a surprise visit from the Cruz family. It was nearly 10 years ago when Atty. Gurfinkel helped the grandfather, Lando Cruz, after the U.S. Embassy in Manila denied his son Allan’s visa because of a misunderstanding. The Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel were able to help bring Allan and his son, Chean, to the U.S. It was a memorable success story featured on Citizen Pinoy.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from San Diego

and adjacent areas. Watch this encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, January 8 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers),

right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app.

Glaiza enjoys impromptu...

PAGE B1

kuwarto at cafe lang ang bonding natin ngayon kung saan saan na tayo nakakarating pero hindi parin tayo mawawala sa mga mahahalagang moments ng isa’t isa,” Glaiza wrote in the caption.

Glaiza added that it still has not sunk in that she will be having another wedding ceremony this month, but nonetheless was grateful for her friends’ efforts.

Sobrang na appreciate at chini-cherish ko yung mga ganitong moments dahil oras ang pinakamainam na maibibigay mo sa tao kaya salamat mga sis ” Glaiza ended.

The “Liway” actress first tied the knot with Irish businessman David Rainey last October 2021 in an intimate ceremony in Northern Ireland ala “Game of Thrones”; their second wedding will be held this time in the Philippines.

Glaiza shared then that she and David received a “Celtic blessing” and was considering having another wedding in her home country. g

THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this question a lot from our family law clients. The fact is that California is a no fault state and you do not need your spouse’s signature in order to get a divorce. What is more important is being able to properly serve your spouse with the divorce petition and satisfy the jurisdictional requirement of the Court by showing that either you or your spouse resided in the State for at least 6 months prior to filing the petition and in the County for 3 months prior to filing the petition.

When you file a divorce petition, you have to serve your spouse with the summons and petition. Your spouse then has 30 days to file a response after being served with a divorce petition. If your spouse fails to file and serve you with a response, you can file a request for default against your spouse after 30 days. You can also file a proposed judgment for the court to approve. The default procedure can be done even if there are issues of property division, custody, visitation, and support. However, the Court will still review your proposed judgment and property division to make sure it conforms to the policy towards equal division of community property. Meaning, you have to propose a division

Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuse to sign?

of community property that is pretty much equal between the spouses. If your proposed property division is one sided such as distributing all community property to you and giving all the community debts to your spouse, the Court would probably not grant your judgment. The Court would probably set a hearing for you to explain why this is an equal division of community property.

The only time you may need your spouse’s signature is if your spouse files a response to your divorce petition. This is called “contesting” the divorce. If your divorce is contested by your spouse, you can resolve the case either by “settlement” or by “trial.” However, you do not have to settle all the issues in the case at once. Under the concept of divisible divorce, you can settle some of the issues and set the other issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on for trial. Our office try to resolve cases through settlement because it is more cost effective and the parties are usually happier with the outcome. In that situation, the parties may avoid the cost and uncertainty of going to trial by executing what is called a stipulated judgment which is in essence an agreement as to all the issues in the divorce case.

For issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on, you will have to go through the litigation process which involves obtaining discovery, exchanging declarations of disclosures, and preparing the case for trial.

Ultimately, you will obtain your divorce at trial in addition to adjudication of the distribution of community assets and debts amongst other issues. It is in the best interest of the party to retain the representation of competent counsel who will assert his or her rights under the family code.

* * *

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.  The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.  This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.  The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you.  This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC.  This article is not a solicitation.

* * *

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Celeste’s communication skills take spotlight in Telemundo interview clip

AN interview clip of Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi went viral as Filipinos took notice of her communication skills days before the grand coronation of the beauty pageant.

The 25-year-old Filipino-

Italian was interviewed by Telemundo 42, the Spanishlanguage channel in Louisiana, where the crowning of the 71st Miss Universe will be held.

Celeste was approached by its correspondent minutes after she arrived at the New Orleans airport.

The clip of her interview was

reposted by an online pageant community on Facebook, where it has earned 12,000 likes and “love” reactions and 160,000 views so far.

Ayun, nilabas na interview [niya] from @telemundo42,” Facebook page Powerhouseph wrote with a heart-eyed emoji.

Miss Filipina International 2023 search announced

THE search is on for Miss Filipina International (MFI) 2023. With the theme, “Confidence and Empowerment through Beauty,” MFI is calling for candidates from around the world to join the pageant which is offering bigger prizes this year.

The 2023 Miss Filipina International winner will receive $10,000 cash prize. The other prizes are $5,000 for the first runner-up, who will be crowned Miss Tourism; and $2,500 for each of the second and third runners-up. Candidates to MFI, to be held on August 5 in Los Angeles (venue to be announced), must be from ages 16 to 27 and of at least one-fourth Filipino descent.

MFI, now owned by Worldwide Media Entertainment Corp., promises a bigger MFI pageant. Geoffrey Jimenez, chairman of the board of directors, said, “We will continue the Miss Filipina International tradition as a pageant that promotes the Philippines’ arts and culture. MFI candidates and eventually, the winners, will embody the best of the modern Filipina – smart, talented achievers in their own beautiful way. As our theme proclaims, MFI hopes to empower and bolster confidence and poise in our candidates.”

For more details, including how to apply, call (818) 928-5449 or (949) 231-2171 (mobile). To apply online: www.MissFilipinaIntl.com. g

Sam: There’s so much more...

as I can, I’ve never really  parang (gone) to just one lane.  Kasi  feeling  ko hindi ako ganung type of artist.”

“The challenge for me (is) when to portion time  kung ano man yun. (Like) when will I make movies? When will I make songs? Or when will I do theater? So that’s a challenge for me every year na kung paano i-da-dive or how we will juggle different things. But I don’t think I will ever find myself doing just one thing,” he added.

Sam is also not closing doors on doing sexy roles. “If it’s tastefully done, if it’s a good material then, you know, I’m also still an actor and I’m willing to act,” he said.

He is also willing to try a dancing competition, like Billy. “Yeah, why not? That would be an interesting challenge,” he remarked.

On how he’s able to keep a loyal fanbase, Sam shared, “If you stay true to what you do and make excellence a habit, and you deliver what you do with passion, the people will love with what you do, regardless.

“And so it’s not so much trying to hold on to, you know, people trying to love you but really it’s what you give that you get back. And so I believe that if I just keep doing that, it will bear good fruit so yun lang. Galingan lang natin every time.”

Sam decided to stay with VAA because it has been a “very productive” move for him. “I like staying where I will grow. And I really did feel that  nung nandito ako sa  Viva despite  na  most of my years kinain ng pandemic years,” he explained.

“As in  kakalipat ko lang nun, I think it was 2019 when I did Indak and The CR3W (concert) and Para sa Broken Hearted (film). And then  kinain na ng pandemic years yung time ko with Viva.”

“And despite all of that, you know, there was plenty of work that was done, movies that were made and songs that were released. I have no doubt that this is where I’m supposed to be,” he declared. g

Heart bonds with Chiz in Japan after shutting down separation rumors

HEART Evangelista and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero appeared to have rekindled their romance, as the actresssocialite and the politician were spotted together exploring various tourist sites in Japan.  As seen in a series of photos posted on Evangelista’s Instagram page Thursday, Jan. 5, she was enjoying her time in Japan with Escudero and her stepchildren, Quino and Chesi.

The family vacation marks their first public appearance after she shut down rumors last Dec. 31, 2022, that they had broken up.

One of the actress’ vacation snaps showed her and Escudero enjoying coffee at what appears to be a coffee shop at the Roppongi district in Tokyo,

Japan. The senator was also tagged in the caption of her post.

Evangelista also shared a snippet of Escudero observing a cat on her Instagram Stories on the same day.

Fans of the actress expressed their support for Evangelista and Escudero, as they hoped for the best in their relationship.

“Loved to see couples believing and fighting for love,” one netizen said.

“I’m so happy seeing you together. Ewan ko ba, di nyo ako kilala pero affected ako [emoji] Basta, I love seeing couple stays as couple. Sad ako kapag may naghihiwalay,” another fan wrote.

(I’m so happy seeing you together. I don’t why, you may not know me but I got affected with [your relationship]. Anyway,

I love seeing [a] couple staying [together]. I’m sad when a couple breaks up.)

The fashion icon previously shared glimpses of herself bonding with Quino and Chesi at a restaurant and on the streets of Japan.

Rumors about Evangelista and Escudero’s separation swirled on social media after eagle-eyed netizens noticed that the former had dropped her marital surname from her Instagram account and revealed in October last year that she would be staying abroad “indefinitely.”

Despite break-up speculations, the couple seems to have shut down the rumors for good after Evangelista said she would be spending time with Escudero and his children for the holidays. g

Good news for business owners: Loss of business income due to COVID-19 may be covered by insurance

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

THE COVID-19 pandemic caused significant business disruptions. However, numerous businesses have been denied insurance relief for the losses they incurred. Some have turned to the courts for help only to again be denied.

But in a recent victory for the insured, the California Court of Appeals found that a popular San Francisco restaurant, John’s Grill, was entitled to an insurance payout from business losses they suffered as a result of the public quarantine orders that forced them to cease operations. John’s Grill sued their insurer for breach of the insurance contract and bad faith denial of insurance coverage for their COVID-19 claims.

Prior to the John’s Grill case, many businesses had been denied COVID-19 insurance claims based on policy language that required physical loss or damage of business property. Many courts agreed with company arguments that the forced closures of businesses to stop the spread of COVID-19 did not involve a physical loss or damage.

However, the Court in the John’s Grill case note that the insurance policy there included

language that did not require proof of physical damage or loss.

Specifically, an endorsement included coverage for “loss or damage” caused by a virus, which is broad enough to encompass a loss that does not involve physical alterations of property. It covers costs of tearing out and replacing items for mitigation, virus removal, and testing.

The business-interruption provisions of the insurance policy were also covered. If the presence of virus on John’s Grill’s premises led patrons to cease coming to its restaurant due to the fear of contracting an illness the court believes that a reasonable insured would also have an expectation of coverage ”for the “resulting loss of its ability to use the restaurant for its intended purpose.

In the almost 3 years since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down or severely interrupted the operations of many business, insured businesses have been quickly turned away by insurers denying their claims. The important lesson of John’s Grill is that relief for business losses arising from COVID-19 may be obtained from insurance coverage, depending largely on the specific language of the applicable policies and the reasonable intents of the insured.

The court remarked that the parties customized the insurance policy to accommodate additional

Celeste’s communication skills take spotlight...

PAGE B4

The original video is also uploaded on Telemundo 42’s own Facebook with the following caption, as translated from Google: “The beautiful Miss Universe Philippines 2022, #CelesteCortesi, minutes after her arrival at the #NewOrleans airport.”

Those who watched the interview praised Celeste for “improving” her communication skills, especially amid the looming coronation.

“Celeste, your accent sounds Italian Spanish! Go get that crown! Very eloquent…” a Filipino Facebook user commented with folded hand emojis.

Nag-improve [‘yung] communication skills niya… laban, Celeste!!! Wear the 5th [fifth] crown,” another Pinoy wrote with a raised arm emoji.

“Articulate… laking improvement… hope and pray she will win. Wait, maka-vote na nga..” commented a different Filipino.

Some non-Filipinos who also

watched the clip also expressed fondness for Celeste.

Una de mis favoritas,” a Facebook user wrote with a heart-eyed emoji. It translates to “One of my favorites.”

The Pasay beauty grew up in Italy and has assimilated the heavy accent of how Italians speak in English.

Despite this, she said that it is her values which make her a Filipina, crediting her Filipina mom.

“And what makes me a Filipina are the values that my Filipina mom always

gave me throughout my journey here. She always expressed the values of Filipino people, and those values have been with me up to this day. And that’s what makes me a Filipina, a real Filipina,” Celeste said last year.

She will compete against more than 80 delegates in the beauty pageant with the coronation happening on January 14.

If Celeste wins, she will bag the country’s fifth Miss Universe crown. g

coverage for “property damage from fungi, wet rot, dry rot, bacteria or virus that may occur in a restaurant environment.” And under the endorsement language the parties agreed upon to accomplish this objective, the wording is broad enough to bring within the scope of coverage loss of use of property.”

This decision is good news for business owners who continue to experience denials of their insurance claims related to COVID. They are well advised to have their policies evaluated by experienced insurance lawyers.

*

* * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 30 years, the law firm successfully obtained significant recoveries in wages and monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. Mr. Sayas was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine for 11 years, and is past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)

Debt problems? Know your options before things get worse

Minding Your Finances

WHEN people are going through financial difficulty and are unable to pay their bills, their first reaction is often to ignore their debts and avoid contact with creditors. They think that by doing this, somehow the creditors will simply give up and go away.

Then one day they get a summons delivered to their home or work and that’s when they start to panic after learning that they’ve been sued. The next step of course is a wage garnishment, a bank account levy, a lien against their real property or any combination of the above. That’s when they rush to see a bankruptcy attorney to find out what can be done to protect themselves.

If your house is in foreclosure, it’s even worse especially if you have not made any plans for where you would be moving after the foreclosure sale. If there is a second mortgage on the property for which you may still be legally liable after you’ve lost

your home, that issue needs to be addressed as well.

But these issues are best addressed before the foreclosure, not after. There may also be tax issues involved. Will there be tax consequences after a foreclosure or short sale?

The answer varies from case to case. It may be necessary to consult with a tax professional to find out if you will owe taxes to the IRS if you decide to short sell your home or let it foreclose. Can you imagine losing your home and then find out later on that you have just created another problem for yourself?

Don’t rely on your realtor or anyone else for tax advice when it comes to tax or legal matters. You need to go to a professional who is qualified to give you the advice that you need.

There basically only 4 ways to get out of debt if you’re on the verge of insolvency: (1) increase income so you can start paying larger amounts on your debts to hopefully avoid filing bankruptcy, (2) reduce expenses so that you can increase your disposable income and have more money available for debt repayment, (3) Convert assets you don’t need into cash and use the money to negotiate with creditors, and (4) File bankruptcy to wipe out debts or consolidate

your bills (This requires filing either a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13).

If you’re feeling paralyzed by debt and can’t think clearly at the moment, you need a good attorney who can properly evaluate your situation and recommend possible solutions. The first thing you need to do when you don’t know what to do is to realize that sometimes, you cannot do it on your own. There is nothing wrong with getting legal help.

The sooner you get help, the sooner you would be able to protect your home, your job, your car, your bank account and other assets. For more information and to schedule a free consultation, please call Toll-Free 1-866477-7772

* * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray J. Bulaon has successfully helped more than 6,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free evaluation of your situation, please call his office at TOLL- FREE 1-866-477-7772.

Kris gives new health updates post-New Year’s, hopes to make a documentary

TELEVISION personality

Kris Aquino has given another update about her health as she continues to battle several autoimmune conditions in the United States.

Several photos of Aquino circulated online after she was visited by Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste, who was spending the holidays with his family abroad.

One of these photos was posted on the Instagram account Kris Aquino World, to which Aquino herself commented on as she was surprised since she has been private about chronicling her health journey.

“[I’m] hoping na after the many months na titiisin ko ang immunosuppressant therapy...  I’d be able to show all of you in a documentary — na hindi ako sumuko, sa lahat ng kinailangan pagdaanan, tinuloy ang laban,” Aquino wrote, also using a yellow heart emoji.

Aquino offered kind words for Leviste, who she claimed visited even though his family lives a distance away, and that her “ever present pearls” made up for the New Year’s tradition of wearing something with polka

“I’m

Is there a right timing to file chapter 7?

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng

WHAT is timing? In life, as we all know, there’s such a thing called timing. Like the timing is right. Or, the timing is wrong. If the timing is right, then good consequences flow from the decision made. If the timing is wrong, then bad consequences flow from the decision made. Let’s say you just crossed the pedestrian lane and right after your foot lands on the sidewalk, a car comes speeding through and misses hitting you by a hairline. We would say that your timing is right because if you had just slowed down a bit, then your timing would have been wrong. Your timing is right because you safely crossed the pedestrian lane a split second before the car comes speeding through, so you’re perfectly well and healthy. If your timing were wrong, then you would have been hit by the speeding car and would probably be dead. Or, let’s say in Kobe’s case, his first year death anniversary just passed a couple of days ago, he waited until the fog cleared before getting on the helicopter, then his timing would have been right. But he got on the helicopter when the fog was thick, so his timing was wrong. Bad consequences when you got the timing wrong.

Or, you’re over 65 and waiting for the vaccine that they say you have priority for. Sure you have priority but can you actually get an appointment to get vaccinated? Try getting the appointment. I tried for two weeks. I couldn’t get one. Now we’re waiting for the pharmacies to have them. Maybe we’ll get them next month. But while we’re waiting to get vaccinated, we get infected. Then we have wrong timing. Good timing is to get the vaccine now so we don’t get infected, right? In the meantime, just mask up and keep isolated as much as possible.

If you’re afraid of getting an adverse reaction like dying from the vaccine, I suggest you say 3 hail Marys and one Psalm 91 when you get vaccinated. That will give you divine protection from adverse reaction.

Filing bankruptcy also has such a thing as good and bad timing. It’s not true that the faster you file your case the better. Sure in some cases a fast filing makes sense. For example, creditor has just obtained a judgment against you for $500K. You own a house with $10K of nonexempt equity. It would make sense to do a fast Chapter 7 filing to prevent the creditor from getting a judgment lien against your house. But not all cases are the same.

In a recent case, client who is married owes credit card debt of $10K. Her husband owes $80K of credit card debt. They were married in 2014. A year after

they married, the bought a house using a down payment of $300K. Wife owned the $300K as her own money before they got married. However, when they bought the house, they purchased the house as community property. Just hold this thought here for a moment.

The $300K down payment came from the wife as her own sole and exclusive property. So this means that they should have bought this house as wife’s sole and separate property since the entire down payment came from her sole and separate property. What is sole and separate property? This is money owned by the person as her or his own property before they married.

Let’s say you already have a million dollars saved up before you married your spouse. That one million dollars remains your own money even after you get married, unless of course, you decide to gift some of that to your spouse during marriage.

So what happened in this case was that wife had in effect gifted husband with a community property share on the $300K down payment and gifted him a community property interest in the house. I asked her why she did this. She said because of love and affection for her husband. Therefore, there is no question that she gifted husband with the community property in the house.

They decide to sell their community property house in December of 2017 and use the proceeds to buy another house. This time, the house is only in the name of wife, as her sole and separate property. In addition, husband does a quitclaim of his community property share to his wife. So, this is a good thing for wife because the second house is now her sole and separate property.

Now the question is can the husband file a Chapter 7 to get rid of his $80K of credit cards? There are some threatened lawsuits. Lawyer letters demanding payment or else face a lawsuit for collection.

Chapter 7 case, then the odds are very good that most trustees and most judges would consider that a valid and legitimate transfer, after all, it’s been 4 years and the statute of limitations to question the transfer has lapsed.

If you have too much debt and need relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

Praying always helps It also helps to pray to our God, His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Mother Mary for divine protection against financial problems, because we have a God who loves us and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, showers us with infinite mercy. All we have to do is humble ourselves and pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for a drop from his ocean of infinite mercy. Jesus revealed in 1930’s to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska of Poland that all sinners which we all are and those who do not believe in God and those who do not yet know Jesus, should all be brought to His sacred heart and be submerged in the ocean of His infinite mercy, for the sake of His Sorrowful Passion. Anything you ask for when you pray the chaplet for His divine mercy will be granted, if compatible with His will. Moreover, you are guaranteed a peaceful death. What is the current proof that God and Jesus are divine and all powerful? I refer you to exhibit A, the incorruptible body of Carlo Acutis!

g

Of course husband can file for Chapter 7, but can he file Chapter 7 right now? See, this is a timing problem. If the timing is wrong, then there will be bad consequences. Let’s say husband files his Chapter 7 today. Well, lots of bad things can happen to the house. Why? Because in Chapter 7, the trustee has the power to sell the house if he can legally access it. In this case, they bought the second house in late 2017, about 3 years ago. Even if this house is only in the name of the wife as her sole and separate property, and even if husband quit claims his share of the community property to her, this transfer of community property to wife only happened 3 years ago. Fraudulent transfers are subject to claw back within 4 years after the transfer date. This means the trustee can argue that the transfer by husband to wife in 2017 was fraudulent because he can still question it as a fraudulent transfer because 4 years have not yet passed.

If husband waits another year to file his Chapter 7, then the trustee arguably would lose the right to question the fact that the house is the sole and separate property of wife because 4 years have lapsed since the transfer.

Of course, even now on the third year, if husband decides to file his Chapter 7, he would still have a fighting chance against Chapter 7 trustee who tries to force the sale of the house by arguing that the same love and affection that caused his wife to give him a community property interest in the first house is his cause for giving back his community property interest to his wife in the purchase of the second house. How would the judge look at this argument? Who knows? But if husband waits another year to file his

Current ongoing physical proof God is almighty Incorruptible body of Carlo Acutis died 2007 at age of 15 Look at the incorruptible body of the blessed Carlo Acutis who died at 15 in 2007. You can look at his body in Rome, Italy, now 14 years after his death. He looks like he’s just asleep in his jogging suit and rubber shoes! That is a perfect example of an ongoing sign on earth that the God of Moses, our God, my God, is almighty and allpowerful that He even suspends the natural laws of biology and physics without any effort. He resurrected His one and only beloved son from death on the cross. Indeed, He has power over death.

I have actually thought, “What would the other religions believe if they actually saw the incorruptible body of the blessed Carlo Acutis? I think even Buddha, if he were alive today, would truly believe that Yahweh is the one True God.” No need to think about reincarnation and nirvana because his incorruptible body is available for all to see in Rome, Italy. We won’t need any kind of explanation on the efficacy of modern day mummification. Come on, man, that’s all bull. The truth is in plain sight. Believe your own eyes, that the one true God is all-powerful and His name is Yahweh, “I am who am.” He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.

“Eternal Father, we offer you the body, blood, soul and divinity of your dearly beloved son, jesus christ, our Lord and Savior, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world, for the sake of his most sorrowful passion, please have mercy on America and the whole world.”

* * * Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

* * *

284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

Enrique pens sweet birthday message for Liza

ACTOR Enrique Gil penned a short but sweet birthday message for his girlfriend Liza Soberano who is pursuing a career in the U.S.

In his Instagram account, Enrique posted a series of photos of him with Liza.

“We might be worlds apart, but you’ve never been closer to my heart,” Enrique wrote.

“To the most beautiful soul in the world. To my best friend and baby, I love you so much. Happy Birthday!!” he added.

Meanwhile, Liza thanked her family, friends and fans for remembering her birthday.

“So this is 25,” Liza wrote on Instagram.

“Thank you everyone for all the birthday greetings.

Especially to my family, friends, lizanianz, lizaviors and lizquen back home who have been there for me since day 1,” she added.  Liza also teased an upcoming project under James Reid’s Careless Music.

“I’m eternally grateful for each and every one of you. I wish I could be with all of you today to celebrate how far we’ve all come just like we used to but for now I hope I can continue making you all proud! I love you and can’t wait for what’s in store this 2023. I promise to work harder and become better with each day that passes,” she said.

“This is a sneak peak of something special I shot with the @carelessph team back in December at Joshua Tree. Stay tuned for the live performance video!!” she added. g