022622 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 1, 2022 Volume 32 - No. 16 • 2 Sections – 20 Pages

DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

AG Bonta announces arrests in alleged Inland Empire hospice scam totaling over $4.2M

LA County drops indoor mask mandate for vaccinated residents by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AS Los Angeles County reaches the tail end of the winter coronavirus surge, county officials have CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta eased indoor masking requirements for those who on Thursday, February 24 announced the are vaccinated. arrests of 14 individuals who were charged in San Bernardino County Superior Court in connection with two hospice companies accused of stealing more than $4.2 million from the federal Medicare and state Medi-Cal programs. Based in San Bernardino County, New Hope Hospice, Inc. and Sterling Hospice Care, Inc. reportedly enrolled patients who were not terminally ill into hospice care, many of whom told investigators that they were allegedly enrolled without their knowledge or understanding of what hospice was. All of the arrested defendants face multiple felony counts including conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, insurance fraud,  PAGE A4

How to ease Los Angeles homeless crisis: Voters see coordination as key, not taxation WITH more than 65,000 people living on Los Angeles County’s streets, there’s desperation in the air. Despite all efforts to address it, the situation is worsening, and frustration mounting. “We’re failing them,” one Latino voter said, as reported recently by the No Going Back L.A. group assembled by the Committee for Greater LA to address homelessness. In a Feb. 9 public webinar, the Committee shared results from six small voter focus groups it convened to study voter sentiment and perceptions around homelessness and identify potentially successful positions that candidates in upcoming elections should consider in addressing the topic. The focus groups showed that voters are generally sympathetic to the plight of the unhoused, even as they’re also frustrated by the scope and seeming intractability of the situation, and sometimes with the individuals themselves. Voters have approved new spending

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Starting Friday, Feb. 25, vaccinated individuals may enter establishments, venues, and businesses across the county that require vaccination proof. “As transmission drops and there is less virus circulating, some tools may afford significant protections against the very worst risks associated with

COVID,” County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Because vaccines are one of these tools, with lower rates of hospital admissions and COVID hospitalizations, it is appropriate in settings verifying vaccination or negative test status,  PAGE A2

Long-awaited gateway in LA’s Historic Filipinotown to be unveiled in May by AJPRESS

REMEMBERING EDSA. A woman takes a selfie while holding a Philippine flaglet during the commemoration of the 36th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution at the People Power Monument in Quezon City on Friday, February 25. The occasion commemorates the peaceful revolution which restored democracy in the country in 1986 and ended the 21-year rule of former President Ferdinand Marcos. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

THE highly-anticipated gateway marking the entrance of Historic Filipinotown is slated to be unveiled in May, according to an update from Los Angeles Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell’s office. In a release sent on February, February 25, O’Farrell, whose district covers Historic Filipinotown, said the Eastern Gateway will be installed and publicly unveiled in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May. “After many years, countless meetings, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, I’m proud to share that the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway will be installed and unveiled this spring,” O’Farrell in a statement. “This project has been a labor of love by so many people in Historic Filipinotown. This beautiful, historic landmark will be a source of pride for the Filipino community, and will  PAGE A2

PH among ‘biggest losers’ in Ukraine war Duterte still won’t pick presidential candidate by MAYVELIN

U. CARABALLO , FRANCIS EARL CUETO AND JAVIER JOE ISMAEL ManilaTimes.net

A STEEP rise in oil and food prices triggered by the war in Ukraine could hit Asian economies hard, with the Philippines among the biggest losers, the Japan-based global investment firm Nomura predicted. “Although ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia-Ukraine can hurt Asia through multiple channels, such as tighter global financial conditions, elevated uncertainty and the risk of weaker global demand, higher commodity prices are the most important transmission channel,” Nomura said in a report released on Friday, February 25. Brent crude oil prices, which are now

over $100 a barrel, reflect the geopolitical risk from the conflict, it said. Russian forces launched a land, sea and air invasion of Ukraine Thursday, February 24. Nomura said food prices have already gone up, partly because Russia is one of the world’s biggest producers of wheat and corn, but also because of the impact of higher oil prices on transportation, fertilizer and feedstock costs, and biofuel substitution. The fallout from the war will be deeply felt in Asia, where most nations import oil,  PAGE A2

New Filipina co-founded software aims to stymie human trafficking at the source

by CATHERINE

VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, February 25 said he prefers to “stay neutral” and not endorse a presidential candidate. In a taped one-on-one interview with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Duterte reiterated that he is not supporting any candidate as his successor, unless there is “a compelling reason” for him to change his mind. “Kung may i-endorse ako, I may or I may not, but preferably, I’d like to stay neutral. Ibig sabihin, wala

akong susuportahan na kandidato (It means I am not supporting any candidate). Unless I have said it, I’ll say it again, there’ll be a compelling reason for me to go out and tell the people what it is,” he said. Duterte, whose daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is running for vice president, said that if “the interest of the people is at stake,” he would be “forced” to give a name. “I’d like to bide my time, I’m not in a hurry. Until now, I have yet to decide whether or not to

 PAGE A5

Filipina co-founder of the new initiative hopes to reduce the number of trafficking victims, especially those of Filipino descent by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

IN a digital world where scamming has essentially become institutionalized, the risk of falling prey to con artists, thieves, and swindlers has become unfortunately easier as the internet evolves. But the insidiousness of the deep underbelly of the internet largely centers around human

trafficking, which has only increased in scope with the advent of the internet and social media. Human trafficking — the illegal trade and exploitation of individuals to benefit from their work, service, and bodies — is also referred to as modern slavery, a highly sophisticated web of criminals that seek to profit from the torment, trauma, and torture of unsuspecting

victims. But as the global human trafficking network has grown, so have the efforts by anti-human trafficking advocates. In conjunction with other antihuman trafficking advocates, community organizations, and coders, Annalisa Enrile, Ph.D. — a Filipina American professor of social work at the University of Southern California with almost 30 years of experience working

on anti-human trafficking efforts — has developed and tested a new software that aims to thwart traffickers before they traffick. The software, named Project Gridlock, currently zeroes in on sex trafficking — the coercion and transportation of individuals for the purpose of sex exploitation — by targeting advertisements on escort websites and other virtual avenues where pimps seek to  PAGE A7 President Rodrigo Duterte

Malacañanh photo by King Rodriguez

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LA County drops indoor mask...

PAGE A1

that we transition to strongly recommending masking instead of requiring masking.” Before they enter establishments and businesses, patrons aged 5 and older must verify that they are fully vaccinated. If they aren’t, they must provide a “recent” negative COVID-19 test result; PCR test results must be taken within two days of entry and antigen test The Eastern Gateway in Historic Filipinotown is expected to be completed in May 2022 in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. results one day. The long-awaited project, which features elements of Filipino culture, will be placed on the stretch of Beverly Boulevard along the eastern Those who are not vaccinated entrance of the neighborhood. Illustration courtesy of the Office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and don’t provide vaccination proof are still required to provide

Long-awaited gateway in LA’s Historic...

PAGE A1 rightfully celebrate vibrant neighborhood

the incredible contributions this Filipino Americans make to the and City of Los Angeles.” As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the City of LA commissioned the gateway, named “Talang Gabay: Our Guiding Star,” to be placed along the stretch of Beverly Boulevard that designates the eastern entrance into the neighborhood. Designed by Filipino artists

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY RFP NO. SP574-22 PROGRAM SOUTHERN MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT SERVICES CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Authority) RFQ NO. MTL2204527 is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide Program REPLENISHMENT - 115 Management Oversight Services. RFP documents may be SPRING FROG AND obtained via download by visiting Authority’s website at http:// GUARD RAILS www.metrolinktrains.com/contracts (free registration). Electronic Proposal are due at 2:00 p.m. (PT) on March 22, 2022. 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 6.18%. For further information contact: Armine Menemshyan, Senior Contract Administrator at menemshyana@scrra.net. 2/26/22 CNS-3557917# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is seeking quotes for the replenishment of spring frogs and guard rails. Bid documents may be obtained at https://metrolinktrains.com/doing-business (free registration). Electronic Bids are due at 2:00 P.M. (PT) on March 18, 2022. For further information, contact Brian Jacob, Senior Contract Administrator, at (213) 452-0316 or jacobb@scrra.net. 2/26/22 CNS-3558816# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Eliseo Art Silva — whose work includes the “Gintong Kasaysayan” mural in HiFi’s Unidad Park — and Celestino Geronimo, Jr., the gateway has design elements giving a nod to Filipino culture and its roots in Historic Filipinotown. Among the symbols include the parol (star-shaped lantern associated with Christmastime), the Gumamela flower also known as hibiscus, which pays tribute to frontline workers; and the Sarimanok (a legendary bird in Maranao art that symbolizes good fortune). The construction has a price tag of $587,000 and will rise 30 feet high and span 82 feet across Beverly Boulevard at the entrance. LA Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza, the first Filipina American on the commission who was integral in the planning of the gateway, said it is a part of LA’s investments in “projects that uplift underrepresented communities.” “The key to building and enhancing the beautiful neighborhood we all know as Historic Filipinotown has always been community. The community has long advocated for more visibility and was committed to bringing the Eastern Gateway to life, and thanks to Councilmember O’Farrell’s leadership and all our community partners, we are almost at the finish line,” said Caloza said in a statement. The effort to install a landmark

a recent negative COVID-19 test before entering and wear a face mask while indoors except when actively eating or drinking. Individuals who show vaccination proof before entering an establishment may also still choose to wear masks indoors. As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the State of California lifted the statewide Covid indoor mask mandate in public settings for vaccinated people, but counties, cities, and other jurisdictions were still permitted to maintain the mandate depending on

transmission levels. Ferrer previously said that the county would drop indoor masking requirements only if 7-day transmission levels reached less than 50 positive individuals per 100,000 residents; as of Monday, Feb. 21, the county’s rate was 133 per 100,000 individuals. But the change was made after growing dissent among the LA County Board of Supervisors urged that the county aligns with the state’s indoor mask mandate, as the Asian Journal previously reported. 

PH among ‘biggest losers’ in Ukraine...

PAGE A1 and food and energy account for roughly half of emerging market consumption expenditure, it said. “In Asia, India, Thailand and the Philippines are the biggest losers, while Indonesia would be relative beneficiary from higher commodity prices,” Nomura said. It sees rising inflation hurting Thailand, where food and energy accounts for 52.7 percent of the consumer price index or CPI, India (45.9 percent) and the Philippines (43.4 percent). Because most Asian consumers have not fully recovered from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and have seen their savings shrink, inflation could put a squeeze on real disposable earnings, weakening consumption rebound, Nomura said. The impact could be disproportionately felt by lowerincome households. “We also see risk to corporate profit margins, as the entire input cost burden is unlikely to be passed on to consumers. For a 10 percent oil price rise, GDP (gross domestic product) growth could be 0.2pp (percentage point) weaker in India and 0.1pp lower in the Philippines and Thailand,” Nomura said. The Philippines faces a significantly bigger currentaccount deficit due to its high reliance on oil imports and immediate pass-through to consumers due to the lack of  PAGE A5 subsidies, it said.

A major component of the country’s balance of payments, the current account consists of transactions in goods, services, primary income and secondary income. It measures the net transfer of real resources between the domestic economy and the rest of the world. In a related development, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday the Philippines is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine. Lorenzana said Manila has not taken an official stand on the crisis because it is focused on the safety of Filipinos in Ukraine. “Tayo naman we just closely watch what’s happening there. Wala naman tayong pakialam sa Europe; hindi naman tayo katabi ng Ukraine (We have no interest in Europe; we are not a neighbor of Ukraine),” Lorenzana said. But a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called on the international community to reaffirm its commitment to the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes “The Philippines calls on the international community to reaffirm by more than words its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes,” the DFA said. The Manila Declaration “provides the legal framework for recourse to diplomacy, dialogue, and rule of law,” the DFA said. “In the present crisis,

where the situation is not irreversible and there is no compelling reason for any of the protagonists to resort to hostile actions, turning to the Manila Declaration is the pragmatic and decent way to go. We urge all parties to exert every effort to stick to diplomatic and peaceful means to maintain international peace and security and avert a humanitarian crisis,” the DFA added. Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd agreed that the government must concentrate on repatriating the Filipinos in Ukraine. But Pimentel added that the government should appeal to all the nations involved to abide by the UN pledge not to use force against each other or even to threaten the use of force. There are about 380 Filipinos in Ukraine, most of them in the capital Kyiv. Last February 18, six Filipinos arrived home from Ukraine. Four of them boarded international flights from Kyiv, and the others from western Ukraine city capital Lviv. Philippine Ambassador to Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz said the embassy in Warsaw provided fund assistance to the six Filipinos who requested to be repatriated. Basinang-Ruiz added that the embassy, which is coordinating with the Philippine honorary consulate general in Kyiv, is also cooperating with the Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul to facilitate the repatriation. 

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DATELINE USA

AG Bonta announces arrests in alleged Inland... PAGE A1 grand theft, and fraudulent insurance claims, with some defendants also facing charges related to identity theft, money laundering, and tax evasion. Two defendants remain at large. “End-of-life care is a difficult process for families to endure, and patients should be able to trust that their hospice providers are acting in good faith,” said Bonta. “The crimes allegedly committed by the defendants against their patients, Medicare, and our state’s Medi-Cal program will not be tolerated. My office is committed to protecting the well-being of Californians and prosecuting those who abuse the financial integrity of our healthcare system.” An investigation led by the California Department of Justice and assisted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the California Employment Development Department revealed that from 2015 to 2021, the defendants allegedly billed Medicare and Medi-

Cal for millions of dollars, fraudulently claiming that they were providing hospice care to patients who had less than six months to live when in fact these patients were not terminally ill. Each of the defendants allegedly played a role in the scam, which consisted of: paying illegal kickbacks to recruit patients for hospice care, including patients who did not qualify for hospice because they were not terminally ill; taking patient identity information and using it to put them in hospice without their knowledge; falsely representing to patients what services they would be receiving; and billing patients with one company, only to switch them to the other company in order to avoid detection. When a patient is enrolled in hospice care, they give up their opportunity under the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs to receive medical treatment to prolong their life, such as chemotherapy for cancer patients. As a result of the defendants’ alleged actions, numerous ineligible patients

were incorrectly certified as terminally ill and tricked into receiving hospice services, which would have made access to potentially lifesaving medical care difficult in the event that any of them required it. The case was investigated by the California Department of Justice’s Division of MediCal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA). Through DMFEA, the Department of Justice works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program. DMFEA also investigates and prosecutes those responsible for abuse, neglect, and fraud committed against elderly and dependent adults in state licensed facilities. DMFEA regularly works with whistleblowers, the California Department of Health Care Services, and state and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute Medi-Cal provider fraud and elder abuse, and fraud by entities other than Medi-Cal providers when their actions result in fraudulent claims. 

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SFIO appoints experts across F&B, real estate and technology onto advisory board STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. (OTCPink: SFIO), a leading asset management company and innovation group, is pleased to share details about the advisory board it has assembled to lead its global expansion plans across its core divisions. Starfleet Innotech, Inc. has formalized its change to the new company name. Various media have already begun updating their databases to reflect this change, so expect see more of Starfleet across your feeds as they mobilize the communication efforts around the roadmap for 2022. SFIO chairman Jeths Lacson shared a comprehensive look at the strategy towards uplisting to the Nasdaq within the next three years. This strategy revolves around SFIO’s three core divisions: Food and Beverage, Real Estate, and Technology. As SFIO expands the global footprint and scale across these three sectors, the company must be able to effectively anticipate and stay ahead of the nuanced forces shaping each facet of the growing conglomerate. To do this, SFIO has gathered a truly remarkable advisory board, bringing decades of expertise and perspective to SFIO’s leadership team. With perhaps the widest breadth of experience on the team, Roger Oriel serves as an advisor on board, commanding decades of experience as a businessman, investor, and enterprise leader. Roger is chairman of the board of wine distributor Napa Valley Distribution and Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development, the developer of one of the major real estate projects in the Philippines, Lombard by the Bay. Most recently, Roger joined the board of directors of BayaniPay, a California-based fintech firm bridging millions of Filipinos based in the U.S. with their families in the Philippines. Roger will also be providing strategic guidance on their communications efforts, pulling from his experience as the CEO and publisher of Asian Journal Publications, a U.S.-based multimedia publishing company focused on the Filipino diaspora, and as the chairman of the board of Trending Entertainment, an entertaining company focused on immersive streaming platforms. Also supporting the communications efforts on the advisory board is Vince Caruso, the founder and CEO of enterprise marketing firm FMW Media Works Corp. Through FMW Media Works, Vince oversees the production of New to the Street, a monthly business news show that profiles public and private companies for an audience of 83.1 million U.S. households. He is a serial entrepreneur and marketing expert, having led projects spanning fitness, ecommerce and the metaverse. As SFIO continues to broaden their efforts in technology development, Vince will be an invaluable asset to SFIO, ensuring the stakeholders are kept abreast of the progress. On the point of technology, SFIO is thrilled to have Stanley Yang advising the pioneering work

in

technology development. Stanley is the CEO of NeuroSky, Inc., a Silicon Valley-based biosensor solutions company innovating on the frontlines of body and mind analytics. NeuroSky’s wearable devices range from smartwatches to brainwave monitoring headsets. It’s this work in mass market brain-computer interface technologies that has made him a global leader in the field, closely collaborating with Fortune 500 industry leaders and innovative independent developers alike. For the real estate developments, SFIO is hard at work building data-driven wellness systems for healthier and more resilient communities. To support SFIO’s efforts building the data gathering tools necessary for those systems, there are few business leaders with the same depth of expertise that Stanley brings to the table. Finally, Jose Gerardo Noble, or Jinggoy, rounds off SFIO’s advisors, bringing over 25 years of experience across banking, stock brokering, and real estate. He’s a licensed real estate broker, currently serving as the Deputy Sales Head of SM Development Corporation (SMDC), managing roughly 500 of the company’s organic sellers. Under his leadership, his team at SMDC has generated over $600 million in sales over the past two years. While it was his deep well of experience leading real estate projects that first drew SFIO to Jinggoy, it’s his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for F&B that sealed the deal. Beginning with his first Metro Manila-based restaurant franchise in 2012, he now manages over a dozen branches of multiple F&B brands, a restaurant service management company, and a cloud kitchen concept. Let’s trace SFIO’s roots back to the first Epiphany Cafe founded in New Zealand. SFIO is blazing a trail forward through F&B, fueled by the real estate efforts, and enabled by the SFIO technology initiatives. SFIO has set out to accomplish a bold mission and developed a comprehensive, crossdivisional strategy to achieve it. As such, the brilliant team has assembled a similarly bold and multi-disciplinary board of advisors to guide its execution. As SFIO progresses towards the goal of uplisting to the Nasdaq, SFIO will continue to grow the advisory board, as well as the voting board, through similar strategic appointments. Via their individual networks, their experience in their respective fields, and the diversity of perspectives they command as a group, SFIO’s board members will play an integral role in SFIO’s journey these next few years. “I would like to thank you all for your continued support and generous guidance as we shape our shared future as a corporate community. On behalf of Starfleet Innotech, Inc., our division leaders, and our new advisors, I am thrilled to have you onboard in this journey with us,” says Jeths Lacson, CEO and Chairman of SFIO. (Advertising Supplement)

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How to ease Los Angeles homeless crisis... PAGE A1

measures in recent years to try to improve things. In the City of Los Angeles, voters in 2016 approved Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond measure to develop supportive housing over the following decade. The next year, County voters approved Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax – worth more than $350 million annually — to fund supportive services, also over the following decade. But the 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count survey found 66,436 unhoused people living in Los Angeles County, a 12.7% increase from the year before. In the city of Los Angeles, the 41,290 homeless people counted were 16.1% more than the year before. Homelessness, said Committee Chair Miguel A. Santana, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation, one of the Committee funders, has become “like sunshine and traffic, part of the L.A. ‘brand.’ That is not something to be proud of.” The Committee is developing a proposal for a “center” charged with measurably reducing homelessness independent of the political establishment, by coordinating government, philanthropic, and community efforts, and including the expertise of the lived experiences of unhoused people themselves. A preliminary goal for the center is a 50% reduction in homelessness within five years. Peter Laugharn, President and CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, another Committee funder, added “poor, chaotic governance” to Santana’s characterization of the Los Angeles “brand.” The Hilton Foundation, he said, has provided $175 million to various partners working on reducing homelessness. “We are concerned that the investments are not meeting their potential,” he said as he called for “renewed energy

toward tangible realistic goals” and cited his grandmother’s search for “a single neck to throttle” when performance falls short of expectations. The focus groups, which included Latino, Chinese, African American, white and mixed ethnicity voting men and women both Democrat and GOPidentified, in age groups ranging from early 20 to mid-70s, generally perceive the homeless population as comprised of four elements: the first two, the mentally ill or the drug-addicted, are seen as comprising at least half of the population. The rest of the unhoused population is perceived as either having fallen on hard times or simply preferring to live outside, although being otherwise healthy and capable of working. They expect homelessness will remain challenging in the years ahead, but would like to see greater uniformity in how it is addressed across the county’s 88 municipal governments, along with ambitious targets and transparency in all efforts. “Villanueva (Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva) really has a very hard stance view on homelessness that just wants to put every homeless person like either in jail, or like basically destroy their life,” a millennial participant said. “We’ve seen that it doesn’t do anything.” The unhoused are usually not newcomers to Los Angeles, and the numbers are growing among families, seniors, and the disabled. Veterans have fared better, thanks in part to federal-level focus on their circumstances As stated in its May 2021 report, “We’re Not Giving Up: A Plan for Homeless Governance,” the Committee sees a focus on racism and racial inequalities that contribute to homelessness as a key factor in addressing it. According to data compiled by the University of Southern California’s Price School of

Public Policy, the county’s African American population, 9%, is far over-represented among the homeless population, at 48.1%. The percentage of Native American and Alaska Natives among the unhoused is also more than five times greater than it is among the general population, 2% out of .4%. At 32%, Latino/Hispanic residents are the second-largest percentage of the homeless population, while 48.6% of the general population. Asian Americans are 1.2% of the unhoused, 15.4% of the overall population. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, in releasing the 2020 homeless count survey, noted that although a daily average of 207 people were getting off the streets and into homes in 2019, they were being replaced on the streets, on a daily average, by 227 newly unsheltered people. When housing costs as a share of income exceeds 22%, homelessness increases. In Los Angeles, that percentage is stands at 46.7%, according to the same report. The Committee for Greater LA believes that homelessness is the general population’s top concern and that people have lost all faith in elected officials’ ability to honestly and efficiently direct public resources intended to address it. A poll released Feb. 15 by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies found that 66% of more than 8,000 voters surveyed in early February rate Gov. Newsom’s handling of homelessness as “poor” or “very poor,” up from 55% in September, 2021. On no other topic surveyed, including education, crime, drought, budget management, climate change, wildfire threat, jobs and the economy, and the coronavirus, are voters as critical. (Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Services)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 1, 2022

Long-awaited gateway in LA’s Historic...

PAGE A2 at the eastern entrance to Historic Filipinotown has been in the works for nearly two decades, beginning with a community study of Historic Filipinotown improvements commissioned in March 2003 by then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti, according to the release. “Our community finally had a ‘win’ in 2002, when the City Council, under the leadership of then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti, officially designated a 2.5 square mile area just west of downtown Los Angeles as Historic Filipinotown,” said Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, local community leader and Building and Safety Commissioner with the City of Los Angeles. “20 years later, we have another win: a majestic Eastern Gateway to Historic Filipinotown will rise on Beverly Boulevard! This was hard won — the result of 40 years of community advocacy getting key champions along the way, including this chapter today, from the City of Los Angeles and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.”

In 2018, through a Council motion, O’Farrell committed an initial $152,000 for the Eastern Gateway Project and then identified additional funding for the completion of the landmark. With full funding finally secured, the community helped guide the process which led to design renderings that were released in June 2020. Construction began in March 2021. Community leaders and community-based organizations, including longtime legacy non-profits in Historic Filipinotown such as the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), and Filipino American Service Group, Inc (FASGI), also took part in the planning process. “Pilipino Workers Center is excited and proud of being a part of the collective process to make this HiFi gateway project a reality!” said Aquilina Soriano Versoza, Executive Director of Pilipino Workers Center (PWC). “It really took a robust collaboration of community and city officials

BUILD

His party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, has yet to endorse a presidential candidate. It is, however, supporting the candidacy of Duterte-Carpio, who is the running mate of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the standard-bearer

of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party. Duterte has distanced himself from Marcos, whom he has described as “spoiled” and a “weak leader.” There are 10 candidates for president in the May 9 elections. 

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to accomplish the completion of the eastern HiFi gateway project. The gateway is a great project for creating visibility for the Filipino American community in HiFi and Los Angeles. That visibility gives organizations like PWC more power to lift up the issues our community is facing.” Currently, a 3D model of the installation is displayed at O’Farrell’s District Office along Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. An estimated 10,000 Filipino Americans continue to reside in Historic Filipinotown, while over 600,000 Fil-Ams are said to live in the greater Los Angeles area, as previously reported by the Asian Journal. “Our community has been waiting for this for so long, and we are so excited,” said Cecile Ramos, longtime community leader. “Dreams do come true! As someone who has lived and worked in this neighborhood for many years, I am grateful that our beautiful community is being celebrated for its contributions to our great city.” 

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Duterte still won’t pick presidential... PAGE A1 support a candidate. At this time, nobody’s in my mind actually,” Duterte said. The President had earlier supported the presidential bid of Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, but Go later withdrew from the race.

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O PINION Power of the people

FEATURES

THE 1986 revolt showed the power of a people united behind a common cause, even if it seemed like mission impossible. Seeing how people power put an end to 20 years of authoritarian rule in the Philippines, similar movements for freedom were staged around the world, with equally dramatic success in most cases. These days it seems there is no common cause behind which Filipinos can rally for the greater good. With public officials themselves setting the example, voters seem to believe it’s every man for himself. The nation and public good always take a back seat to personal interests. Memories of the human rights atrocities, large-scale corruption and abuse of power during the dictatorship have receded from the national consciousness, abetted by an aggressive campaign of historical revisionism. The late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who summoned the crowds to EDSA in those four fateful days in February 1986, often lamented the “kanya-kanya” mentality that returned after the revolt. While democracy has been sustained for the past 36 years and there has been no return to Marcos-era authoritarian rule, the institutions that are needed to make democracy work not only remain weak but are being further weakened by

deep-seated corruption and selfish interests. This situation is partly due to complacency. Nation-building calls for sustained heavy lifting, lasting well beyond a four-day peaceful revolt. The dictatorship left the Philippine economy in ruins. From being one of Asia’s most prosperous states, the Philippines became a regional basket case. This was when Filipinos began searching overseas for jobs – any job, even if it exposed them to exploitation and physical abuse – because of the lack of opportunities in their own land. There is always room for long-lasting, meaningful change. People power showed what Filipinos can achieve by rallying behind common goals. The power of the people can always be harnessed to make the nation a better place. If people power can topple an entrenched dictatorship, it can succeed in building a strong republic. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

How to prevent democracy from turning into a dictatorship The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THE commemoration of the historic People Power Revolution of 1986 in the Philippines was eclipsed with two important news headlines that somehow shaped many aspects of social media interaction online among Filipinos wherever they may be around the world. The unprovoked invasion of Russian forces in Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, ignited fear of World War III among people still hurting and hoping to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The fragility of our global security is blamed on the Dictator of Russia, President Vladimir Putin. Such scare touched old wounds still needing closure and healing a generation after because Bongbong Marcos, the son of former Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, whose dictatorship we finally toppled 36 years ago, is now running for the country’s top post himself. The painful reality is that he has been the frontrunner

for a while, thanks to their disinformation campaign and the full utilization of fake news and trolls to discredit the Aquino legacy, the People Power Revolution, the critics of the Marcos Family, and his political opponent, Leni Robredo, who beat him for the vice president post in 2016 and is now running against him for president this May 9, 2022 election. The thought that the Marcos family will be back in Malacañang is unfathomable for many Filipinos who have not been indoctrinated by the Marcos dictatorship and Bongbong’s propaganda to grab the power back. #NeverAgain has been the battle cry to fight against this nightmare scenario, and Filipinos found hope in the candidacy of Leni Robredo, the widow of Jesse Robredo — the former Secretary of the Interior and Local Government of the Philippines during the term of the late President Noynoy Aquino. Jesse Robredo died in an airplane crash in 2012. Follow me as I lay out the interrelationship of events and people in this complicated plot. We know that Noynoy Aquino is the son of the late President Corazon Aquino — the widow of Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., Ferdinand Marcos’ staunchest

critic who was assassinated at the tarmac of the airport upon his return to the Philippines after self-exile in 1983. Cory Aquino united the opposition and defeated Ferdinand Marcos in a snap election in 1986. The dictator tried to cheat his way through the snap election but the courage of the Filipino people who formed human barricades in the streets of EDSA for four days, armed only with their sense of purpose, love for the country, rosaries, flowers, prayers and food even for the soldiers who could have killed them during those four days. Marcos and his family left Malacañang on February 25, 1986. And now, the widow of Jesse Robredo is running against Bongbong Marcos for the presidency. Leni is the exact opposite of Marcos, especially in her lifelong history of public service for the poor and marginalized sectors of the Philippine society, her educational attainment as a lawyer, her gentle and humble way of speaking, her simple lifestyle, and her impeccable record of integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability since she entered politics as a congressional representative before she ran for the vice presidency. The Philippine

Commission on Audit has given the Office of the Vice President the highest audit rating for three consecutive years. Meanwhile, Sara Duterte, the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, is running for vice president in Marcos’ unityteam. Just why did the Philippines fall prey to the Marcos dictatorship (and arguably, even Duterte’s dictatorship, and arguably, even Donald Trump’s), and how could we prevent this from happening again? Let me share with you this article “How Do Democracies Turn Into Dictatorship,” focusing on the attribute of the Dictator Filipinos seemed to be drawn to. “Resist the allure of political “strongmen.” These figures enter the political stage often claiming to be an outsider to the political establishment, and vowing to “get tough” on everyone that is apparently sapping the nation’s strength, thereby “saving” the nation. Strongmen often turn their ireful gaze onto many different groups, including minorities, immigrants, the political opposition, and established national leaders; strongmen tend to view these groups as both personal and national enemies. Furthermore, these strongmen

claim that in order to carry out their task of “rescuing” the country, they need to have all barriers to their power removed. As such, they often believe that democratic institutions such as political checks-and-balances are an unnecessary hindrance on their power and that these barriers only serve to “stop things from getting done.” For strongmen, “getting things done” means silencing, intimidating, and even persecuting their enemies until they can no longer participate in national politics. Strongmen need to be stopped at the POLLS. Elections tend to affirm strongmen by giving them a popular mandate for their regime, but their respect for democracy ends the day after the election. Beating strongmen means NOT giving them a position of power to abuse in the first place, or by denying them a mandate and voting them out of power. Ultimately, the best way to protect democracies against becoming a dictatorship is to continue embracing democratic practices. Voters need to make conscientious electoral choices that reject candidates or political groups that threaten to undermine the democratic process. Maintaining democracy requires voters to become yet

more steadfast in their empathy towards others and participating in national politics with a frame of mind towards cooperation and understanding.” We can stop this karmic curse if we learn from history. We have the power right here, right now, to reject and VOTE OUT candidates or children of dictators who have abused their power and never ever give them access to power again. Reclaim that power inherently ours as provided for by the Constitution. Vote for the best and the right candidate who respects our democratic principles. Protect our democracy, and remember that in a democracy, we have a government of the people, by the people, for the people. ***

social inequalities in all societies. The oil-driven inflationary surge will magnify inequalities even more. This will drive up social tensions in most societies, ours especially. The recent surge in oil and then food prices will make life more miserable for our most vulnerable sectors. We have enough rabblerousing political groups that are not shy about exploiting the misery for political advantage. They will try to harness misery for political ends and demand short-term relief even at the cost of long-term aggravation. We do not know how long the present oil price regime will last. It could become the permanent benchmark for how the precious commodity is priced. What is clear is that in the immediate term, it will drive inflation higher. That translates into pain for all consumers. It is easy to manage economic recovery, understood as the pace of economic expansion. It is difficult to cure the inequality that is sometimes exacerbated by non-inclusive growth. The

latter will require much more time and effort. It will need a leadership committed to building an inclusive society. We are not sure at this point how much higher oil prices will rise. We are not sure how much inflation will pick up. We are not sure if the invasion and the flurry of economic sanctions imposed to punish Russia will cause recession. What we know is that the coming period will be much more difficult for a world struggling to return to some form of normality after the onslaught of a pandemic. Some countries will get through this difficult time better than others. The quality of leadership some countries enjoy will certainly matter. The sort of leadership we need to get though what could be a long period of difficulty ought to be central to our electoral conversation. (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.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/ Gel.Santos.Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos

Tougher

First Person ALEX MAGNO THE times just got tougher. Russia just did the unthinkable: mount a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. By land, sea and air, Russian forces are swarming into a peaceful neighbor. It is the largest conventional military operation in the European theater since the end of World War II. There is little doubt about the outcome of this war. The Ukrainians may be a valiant people. But they have little to stand up against the might of Russia’s military. Prolonged resistance is not likely. Ukraine is a flat country ideal for agriculture. It is also ideal for mechanized warfare. There is no place for the Ukrainian armed forces to hide. There is no place for an organized insurgency to thrive. As this is being written, Russian paratroopers have occupied most airports after a massive barrage of missiles. Ground forces surround the

capital Kiev. With control of the air, the Russians can quickly wipe out Ukraine’s obsolete armored brigades. Vladimir Putin’s objectives are clear. He wants regime change in Ukraine. He will achieve that by the blinding efficiency of his armed forces. A whole nation is being gobbled up by ruthless military power as the world watches almost helplessly. The western powers have massed brigades in the NATO membercountries surrounding Ukraine. But since Ukraine is not a NATO member, those brigades cannot go into battle. All the NATO membercountries have lined up economic sanctions against Russia. But it will take weeks before the effects of these sanctions could be felt on the ground. By the time they do, Putin would have presented the world with a fait accompli. Ukraine will cease to be a sovereign nation. Most of the economic sanctions will hurt everyone nearly as much as they hurt Russia. The Russian stock exchange lost 33 percent of its

value on the day the invasion commenced. The price of oil climbed to over $100 a barrel. It is a price level that almost guarantees recession in the industrial countries. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will certainly magnify the supply disruptions caused by the pandemic. A nation of 40 million, Ukrainian agriculture feeds 600 million. With a large portion of Ukrainians certain to be displaced or forced to become refugees, disruption of the country’s agriculture will certainly be felt in the grocery shelves. Ukraine is not only an agricultural powerhouse. The country is also a tech hot spot. Ukrainian mines hold large deposits of uranium and titanium. The main shock wave arising from the Russian invasion expresses in a stronger inflationary trend, driven by rising food and oil prices. Most of the world’s economies were already on an inflationary path before Ukraine happened due to the disruptions in the supply and value chains inflicted by

the pandemic. Inflationary pressures will be heightened. For most Filipinos, Ukraine might seem a world away. But in our tightly knit global economy, the economic repercussions of Russian aggression hit us in real time. The spike in oil prices is felt immediately at the pumps. Fuel costs will be the main driver of our inflation rate into the foreseeable future. With higher fuel costs, the price of everything rises. The fish and vegetables in our markets need to be transported from elsewhere. We have seen the prices of basic goods spike the past few days. Because of the spike in oil prices, government is forced to roll out a direct subsidy program that will cost our taxpayers about P3 billion. The program will certainly not be enough to hold back the impact of higher transport costs on the ordinary consumer. But it is certainly better than withdrawing excise taxes on the product. This will certainly drive up our deficit and force us deeper into debt. The pandemic sharpened

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.

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New Filipina co-founded software aims... PAGE A1 recruit unsuspecting victims. According to Enrile, the software’s algorithm goes through escort ads, picks up the phone numbers, and spams the pimps using language and messaging that makes it sound like a potential buyer trying to make a connection. And because the team utilizes a bunch of different phone numbers to communicate with these traffickers, they won’t know which calls are legitimate or ones coming from Project Gridlock. Enrile said that Project Gridlock worked with the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, law enforcement representatives, child welfare experts, trafficking survivors, and other experts on the subject matter to identify the websites and online avenues most frequented by traffickers, pimps, sellers and buyers. Project Gridlock was launched in Los Angeles over Super Bowl weekend, and Enrile told the Asian Journal that from that Friday, Feb. 11 to Sunday, Feb. 13 the software was able to target 5,000 pimps and traffickers. “We believe it causes disruption, and at the very least it pushes people out and at the very most, it requires perpetrators to address how they’re exploiting in a different way,” Enrile told the Asian Journal in a Zoom interview on Friday, Feb. 18. “If this is where we are seeing the most growth, especially around large events like the Super Bowl and you see this explosion of ‘new-to-town’ ads, can you rough this system enough so that you can push these traffickers, who have these quotas to meet, out in the open?” Enrile posed. Enrile explained that it was difficult to get the project kickstarted because of the lack of visible achievements that come with prevention efforts, i.e. there’s not much to see before a trafficker trafficks. When a trafficker who has already trafficked is arrested by law enforcement, for example, they can measure the severity of that person’s crimes. “It’s not really a win for them. And that’s a problem, like with any prevention program, it’s like, how do you measure something that doesn’t exist because you’ve stopped it?” Enrile said, adding that a large chunk of antitrafficking efforts that are victimcentric focus on recovery after the fact.

“Let’s give [victims rehabilitation] services, but nobody ever wants to say, ‘Let’s teach buyers not to buy. Let’s teach perpetrators not to sell,’” she noted. But Enrile noted that much of the support for the program came from support from anti-trafficking advocacy community. Two weeks before the Super Bowl, Enrile’s Filipina American friend — Charisma De Los Reyes, who also happens to be commercial sexual exploitation of children program coordinator for Child Welfare Services in San Diego County — helped raise funds to pilot the project. Within five days of fundraising, the group garnered $10,000 to start the project, which Enrile said is constantly being refined to better serve the community in the name of protecting would-be victims and inhibiting traffickers. “I think that you have to be willing to take a chance on these out-of-the-box ideas,” Enrile said. And for Enrile, it is worth it to take on these large, disruptive changes to a massive global exploitation ring that operates in plain sight. “Sex trafficking is a small percentage of the numbers when we talk about human trafficking, but it is responsible for almost the majority of the profit that is derived from human trafficking as a whole. Human trafficking, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO), is a $150 billion industry, and sex trafficking specifically accounts for a whopping $99 billion. Generally, traffickers tend to target migrants, disabled people, and other vulnerable individuals. But victims tend to be disproportionately women, specifically, women of color and children. According to the ILO, 71% of trafficking victims are women and girls, and 1 in 4 victims are children. As a Filipina American expert on the issue, for Enrile, there is inextricable emotional proximity to the fact that Filipinos are among the most-targeted groups by traffickers. Enrile explained that the fact that labor is the Philippines’ largest export coupled with the fact that migration from the country is notably high, the risk of trafficking increases. “We tend to take jobs that are also very invisible, jobs that are service-oriented and dirty,

dangerous, and demeaning that makes us more vulnerable to trafficking,” Enrile explained. According to the United States State Department’s report on trafficking from the Philippines, “A significant number of Filipino migrant workers become victims of sex trafficking or labor trafficking in numerous industries, including industrial fishing, shipping, construction, manufacturing, education, home health care, and agriculture, as well as in domestic work, janitorial service, and other hospitalityrelated jobs.” Of the estimated 10 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in 170 different countries, 3% are working without contracts, making them more susceptible to trafficking. Additionally, traffickers work with facilitators around the world through “social networking sites and other digital platforms, recruit unsuspecting Filipinos through illegal recruitment practices such as deception, hidden fees, and production of fraudulent passports, overseas employment certificates, and contracts to exploit migrant workers in sex and labor trafficking,” the State Department wrote. The history of exploitation of Filipinos is deeply rooted in United States militarism when it comes to sexual exploitation. Enrile said the painful stereotype of Filipinas among American soldiers as “little, brown, f*cking machines” also influenced her work to stop sex trafficking, with Project Gridlock in particular, which sought out Filipina- and Asian-centric ads. As of press time, Project Gridlock is in the process of possibly collaborating with law enforcement agencies and institutions that may benefit from the software to aid in stopping trafficking at the source. Enrile said that the team is constantly looking to refine the software and better target these traffickers to stop exploitation before it actually happens. “It’s like a tennis game,” Enrile explained. “The traffickers get ahead, we get ahead, the traffickers get ahead and we get ahead. We’re constantly pivoting around each other to address these incremental shifts, but lately, I’ve been wanting to see what are the huge, disruptive shifts we can do to stop this problem.” g

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Finance, trade officials invite US investors in PH by MAYVELIN

U. CARABALLO ManilaTimes.net

Throngs of people join the People’s Rally of Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo in Cebu City. Inquirer.net photo by Nestle Semilla

Robredo: True unity is support from various groups, sectors by GABRIEL

PABICO Inquirer.net

LALU

TALISAY CITY, Cebu — Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday, February 24 said true unity is found in having people from different beliefs and walks of life rallying together — just like various sectors and former cabinet officials — for a common advocacy. Robredo issued the statement during an event at the St. Scholastica Academy in Talisay, after being asked about the endorsements made by various sectors in recent weeks. Robredo’s presidential bid was endorsed by Cabinet officials of former presidents Fidel Ramos and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, along with some economists and former United Nations officers. “Ako, sobrang humbled, sobrang thankful, sobrang grateful lalo na kasi unsolicited. Gustong sabihin, ang mensahe kasi noon sa akin mas marami na ngayong mga tao saka mga groups ang nararamdaman how important this election is going to be. Meaning to say, hindi lang siya simple na labanan ng mga personalities pero pinaglalaban

na ano ‘yung mangyayari sa atin in the next six years,” Robredo said. “So, iba-iba ‘yung pinanggalingan pero iisa ‘yung hangarin. So if at all, ito talaga ‘yung tunay na unity eh. ‘Yung unity sa aspirations for the country, hindi siya unity sa mga political na considerations pero ito iba-iba na itong grupo,” she added. Robredo noted that despite the officials coming from different backgrounds, they have seen how crucial the upcoming elections are — and how it would affect the country for the next six years. “Iba-ibang pinanggalingan, iba-iba– halimbawa, ‘yung pinakaunang lumabas ‘yung cabinet ni President Ramos, tapos cabinet ni President Aquino, tapos cabinet ni President Arroyo,” she said. “Tapos ‘yung, halimbawa, ‘yung mga retired UN officials, ‘yung mga retired DSWD officials, so iba-iba. Iba-iba ‘yung pinanggalingan pero one aspiration for the country and how to achieve that aspiration would depend on the results of the elections,” she added. In terms of how her campaign should address the gap between

her and the frontrunner, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Robredo said the primary concern is fighting disinformation. Still, the Vice President remains hopeful that Cebu City would deliver votes again for her, just like in 2016 when she got 807,000 votes in the said province — over 151,000 votes more than othe next candidate, former senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Robredo won against Marcos in 2016 by around 260,000 votes. “Ako, I am very hopeful. Kasi noong 2016, pumunta ako dito, nangangako ako pero wala pa akong resibo. Meaning to say, lahat na sinabi ko sa mga Cebuano ay pangako. At nagpapasalamat tayo na grabe ang tiwalang binigay sa akin, pero ngayon na pagbalik ko, iba na eh,” she explained. “Nangangako ulit ako, pero meron na akong resibo na nagfa-follow through ako sa aking mga pangako, na hindi ko pinabayaan ‘yung Cebu in the last almost six years that I was Vice President,” she added. According to a recent Pulse Asia survey, Robredo will face an uphill battle in the 2022 national elections: against Marcos Jr. 

PH positivity rate nearing WHO-recommended level MANILA — The country’s positivity rate for COVID-19 cases went down to 5.6 percent yesterday, the lowest this year, based on data from the Department of Health (DOH). This is near the five-percent standard of the World Health Organization to indicate that a country can still manage its COVID-19 cases.

Based on the Feb. 25 case bulletin of DOH, the positivity rate was pegged at 5.6 percent of the 28,039 swab samples tested. According to DOH, there were 1,671 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the overall tally to 3,658,892 infections. Of this, 55,140 cases are active. There were 59 fatalities,

raising the death toll to 56,224 while the number of recoveries reached 3,547,528 due to 1,586 COVID-19 patients who recovered. The bulletin showed of the active cases, 49,988 are mild while 2,784 are moderate. A total of 1,424 cases are considered severe and 299 in critical condition. (Philstar.com)

THE Philippines, which implemented game-changing reforms to increase the country’s competitiveness, should be considered by American companies for investment and trade opportunities. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez emphasized this point during a virtual economic briefing hosted at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night. Dominguez said the current government signed into law and put in place reforms to improve the Philippines’ growth and

competitiveness, such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises and the amendments to Retail Trade Liberalization. “Now that market entry barriers in the retail industry for foreign retailers have been eased, we urge you to establish and expand your retail trade operations in the Philippines,” he told American investors. Lopez said that the Philippines intends to extend its trade benefits with the United States and eventually upgrade it to a freetrade deal (FTA). “We’ve been wanting really to start the discussion (on FTA) because as you know, right now, the Philippines [is] enjoying real-

ly a good GSP program with the United States. Of course, we’re trying to have that renewed for this year,” he said. GSP stands for Generalized Scheme of Preferences, which is designed by the US to promote economic growth and development in developing countries by providing preferential, duty-free access to the US market for products from 122 designated beneficiary countries and territories, including the Philippines, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). “Of course, the next step really is how we can elevate it into an FTA so that it becomes a more long lasting kind of trade arrangement,” Lopez added. 

37 Filipinos en route to Poland for repatriation to PH – DFA by CHRISTIA

MARIE Inquirer.net

RAMOS

MANILA — Thirty-seven Filipinos are now being transported out of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv for eventual repatriation to the Philippines following Russia’s invasion of the eastern European country, a foreign affairs official said on Friday, February 25. The Filipinos are now on their way to Ukraine’s western city of Lviv, where they will be transported to the border of neighboring Poland. The Filipinos are traveling by bus after airports in Ukraine have closed following the invasion. “As of now, there are 37 Filipinos on the road, on the way to

Lviv eventually for repatriation,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said in a Laging Handa briefing. Among the 37 are four Filipinos who were supposed to leave Ukraine on Thursday night, February 24, for the Philippines. “Pero hindi po natuloy dahil nagsarado po lahat nga airports ng Ukraine [Their flight did not push through because Ukraine’s airports are closed],” Arriola said. “Mula sa Kyiv, sila ay nasa isang bus na rented po ng ating embahada papunta silang Lviv [From Kyiv, they are on board a bus rented by the Philippine embassy to Lviv],” she noted. The Philippine Embassy in Warsaw

has jurisdiction over Filipinos in Ukraine. Philippine Ambassador to Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz and Consul General Mardomel Melicor are now in Lviv to welcome the Filipinos, according to Arriola. Meanwhile, DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. will await the arrival of the Filipinos at Poland’s border. “So we have to travel by land na po ngayon [now] but the DFA is on top of the situation and we are just waiting for our kababayans to tell us that they need repatriation and we will assist,” Arriola said. So far, the DFA has accounted for 181 Filipinos in Ukraine, where the repatriation of Filipinos remains voluntary. 

SWS survey: Majority of Filipinos believe ‘fake news’ is serious issue

MANILA — Majority of Filipinos believe that the problem of fake news in media is serious, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed on Friday, February 25. According to the survey conducted from December 12 to 16, 2021, 69 percent of the respondents consider the problem of the spread of fake news in media such as television, radio and newspaper as serious. Meanwhile, 21 percent said they are undecided, six percent it is somewhat not serious, while three percent said it is not serious at all.

“Compared to December 2017, those who consider the problem of fake news in media as serious rose by 9 points from 60%,” SWS said. The survey further found that 67 percent of Filipinos believe that the problem of fake news in the internet such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is serious, while 24 percent are undecided, five percent say it is somewhat not serious, while three percent said it is not serious at all. The SWS survey also found that 51 percent said it is very or somewhat difficult to spot fake

news on TV, radio, or social media. “Those who consider the problem of fake news in media as serious are higher among those who say spotting fake news is very easy (82%) and somewhat easy (78%) than among those who say spotting fake news is somewhat difficult (62%) and very difficult (58%),” SWS noted. The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide, with sampling error margins of ±2.6% for national percentages. (Inquirer.net)

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Immigration questions of the Fil-Am South Bay Community take centerstage in this Sunday’s special episode of Citizen Pinoy CITIZEN Pinoy features a new episode, where the show’s host, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, reaches out to various Filipino American community organizations across the U.S. and gets to know more about them. On the premiere of Citizen Pinoy’s community outreach, Atty. Gurfinkel meets the Fil-Am South Bay Community of San Jose, California, and neighboring areas. He sits with their officers and finds out that the FASBC was created to uplift the members and support one another during the bleak times of the pandemic, when many people lost their livelihood and source of income. Atty. Gurfinkel also answers immigration questions from the local community, like “What are the requirements for petitioning siblings of a U.S. citizen? Can a 3-time divorcee petition and

marry her soulmate in the Philippines even if she was deported 26-years ago? Will a green card holder, who overstayed in the Philippines due to COVID restrictions, be allowed to return to the U.S.?” Other Fil-Am community organizations in the U.S. may also get the chance to be featured on Citizen Pinoy. Visit the Facebook page of the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel and signify your interest by sending a private message via messenger. Watch this special community episode on brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, February 27 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 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. (Advertising Supplement)

Ruffa marks 10 years since annulment of marriage: ‘No regrets, just love’ By Dana

Cruz Inquirer.net

RUFFA Gutierrez looked back at her marriage with her exhusband, Turkish businessman Yilmaz Bektas, as she marked 10 years since their union was annulled. The actress recalled her “bittersweet journey” from being a married woman to a single mom by showing throwback moments with her Ruffa Gutierrez Photo from Instagram/@iloveruffag children via her Instagram page

yesterday, Feb. 24. She also showed her old Facebook posts announcing that her marriage was officially annulled. “On this day, ten years ago, my annulment was granted. Thank you Facebook memories for making me remember. What a bittersweet journey it has been,” she said. Gutierrez then told fans that though some people are no longer in her life, she is grateful for the lessons that she learned PAGE B2

CITIZEN PINOY FEATURES A NEW EPISODE WHERE ATTY. GURFINKEL REACHES OUT TO FIL-AM COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (center) meets with the officers and members of the Fil-Am South Bay Community (L-R: Rhea Salazar, Jen Young, Joyce Lynn Layos, and Ana Rita Reyes) in this special episode where Citizen Pinoy reaches out to the Filipino community and organizations. Atty. Gurfinkel discusses the mission and purpose of the FASBC, and highlights the group’s service to the community. He also addresses some of the immigration questions and concerns from some members of the community. Watch this special episode on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, February 27 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

Regine reacts to replacing Karla in ‘Magandang Buhay’ By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA singer Regine Velasquez clarified that she is only a guest host for ABS-CBN morning talk show “Magandang Buhay” and didn’t permanently replace Karla Estrada, who is now running for a partylist seat. During her contract renewal signing with ABS-CBN last Wednesday, Regine said she’s having a good time hosting the program.

“Guest host pa lang ako ngayon sa ‘Magandang Buhay’ kasi nga wala si Momshie Karla so I am the one doing her part now. But I am having such a wonderful time working with Jolina and Melai,” she said. “’Yung mga nanonood sa amin tuwing umaga, napapansin siguro na tawa lang kami nang tawa. Para lang akong naglalaro. I do hosting in ‘ASAP’ pero iba ‘yung format ng ‘Magandang Buhay.’ I remember doing the same before. I kinda missed it,” she added.

She thanked ABS-CBN for giving her the morning show. “I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to do a morning show with two other girls who I love very much. They are all so game, sobrang nag-e-enjoy lang talaga ako,” she said. “Hindi pa naman po ako totoong host. Nagpapanggap pa lang ako right now. But like I said, I am so happy to be given the opportunity to be a special host of ‘Magandang Buhay’.” n

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TKO returns with a big bang, live at Pechanga Theater! IT’S gonna be another evening of funfilled laughter, excitement and family entertainment and togetherness at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California. T.K.O. (Tawanan! Kantahan! Overload!), comes back with a bang come Saturday, March 5, 2022, to perform live at 8p.m., at the halls of Pechanga Theater with tons of jokes and antics to kick off your New Year. Pechanga Resort Casino is well-known for hosting the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and provides a wholesome entertainment to the delight of the crowd and patrons of the casino. Fan-faves Bugoy Drilon and Kris Lawrence will appear as special guests of the T.K.O troupe — Negi, Wacky Kiray, and Rufa Mae Quinto. Negi and Wacky Kiray commonly do various comedy streaks in both local and national scenes while making waves in the Filipino American comedies. Highly acclaimed by her followers and audience, Rufa Mae Quinto will render special performances with matching songs and laughter that will surely wow the crowd. As an entertainer, she has done various comedy shows in both local and international scenes. Bugoy Drilon and Kris Lawrence – both winners in reality television singing competitions in the Philippines – have the ability to capture the hearts of the audience with their songs and performances. Mark your calendars on March 5 with the number one entertainment hub in Southern California- Pechanga Resort Casino at Temecula, California. Tickets starting at $38 may be purchased by calling 888-810-8871 or via online at www.pechanga.com. Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer

Reimbursement for community contribution towards a spouse’s education and student loan during marriage Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-theart, acoustically perfected sound, plus comfortable chairs and an up-close view from every theater seat. Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/ casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the number one casino in the country by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Pechanga

offers more than 5,000 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga. com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @ PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)

ONE of the biggest problem of millenials and Gen Z are educational cost and student loan debt. This eats up a large part of a households budget even among married couples. However, what happens to all the money paid towards one spouse’s education and student loans if the marriage fails and leads to divorce. Well, California Family Code Section 2641(b)(1) provides that upon divorce or legal separation, the community “shall be reimbursed” for its “contributions” to a spouse’s education or training that “substantially enhances” the spouse’s earning capacity. Under Family Code Section 2641(a), reimbursable community “contributions” means payments made with community or quasi-community property for a spouse’s education or training or for the repayment of a loan incurred therefor, no matter where the parties resided when the payments were made. Family Code § 2641 reimbursement is not limited to education or training received during marriage. Rather, by its terms, application of the statute is governed solely by whether community funds were used to pay for the education or training. Thus, educational costs and loans paid with community funds are within the ambit of § 2641 reimbursement even if the education occurred before marriage. Marriage of Weiner, supra, 105 CA4th at 239-240, 129 CR2d at 291; In Marriage of Mullonkal & Kodiyamplakkil (2020) 51 CA5th 604, 607-608, 265 CR3d 285, 288, the court held that the community is entitled to reimbursement where spouse paid off student loans for education she attained before marriage with funds from her salary earned during marriage. In Mullonkal & Kodiyamplakkil, the trial court erroneously held § 2641 did not apply because, among other things, the student spouse (Wife) repaid her premarital education with her own earnings during the marriage, and the nonstudent spouse

(Husband) failed to contribute to Wife’s education/loan repayments and family expenses. “[B] ut nothing in [§ 2641] contemplates denying reimbursement to the community where the student spouse pays for her own education or where the nonstudent spouse did not somehow earn an entitlement to an equal share of the community. Indeed, the statute refers to community contributions to education, and makes no reference to the source of the community contribution.” Marriage of Mullonkal & Kodiyamplakkil, supra, 51 CA5th at 615616, 265 CR3d at 294. At a minimum, reimbursable community expenditures include amounts paid for the student spouse’s tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation. Fam.C. § 2641, Law Rev. Comm’n Comment, 23 Cal. L.Rev. Comm’n Reports 1 (1993) Beyond this, however, community expenditures are a reimbursable “contribution” only if directly related to the educational experience. Ordinary living expenses that would have been incurred regardless of whether one spouse was attending school such as rent, food and clothing, health care and entertainment, are not reimbursable under § 2641. Marriage of Watt (1989) 214 CA3d 340, 354, 262 CR 783, 791-792. *** 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)

Amy encourages us to ask ourselves why we do good deeds

DOING good deeds, TV host Amy Perez believes, won’t need acceptance or recognition from others if the act is rooted from Christ. Perez spoke about people’s different motivations in doing good in her Instagram post today, Feb. 22, where she shared a verse on Philippians 2:13 that says, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” “The good works we do are the evidence that our faith is alive, according to James 2:1426. Therefore, good deeds are a vital aspect of our lives as believers,” she said. “The average person living in biblical times would have considered the Pharisees exemplary in their righteous living. However, the Pharisees were also known for making a show of their good deeds.” For Perez, God must be the central reason why people should do acts of kindness. “Today’s exhortation from Jesus reaches the level of our hearts, testing our motivations for why we perform acts of kindness. We won‘t need to seek acceptance from others if we know our righteousness is

Amy Perez Photo from Instagram/@amypcastillo

rooted in Christ,” she explained. “We find in Philippians 2:1213 that it is God who is working in us to give us the motivation and strength to do good,” she added. “Because of God’s grace toward us, our deeds become a spontaneous outpouring of praise to the Lord.” Perez is known to her fans as an enthusiastic Christian who often shares her reflections on faith via social media. (By Alex Brosas/Inquirer.net) g

Ruffa marks 10 years... PAGE B1 along the way. “I now realize that not everyone is going to stay forever but I still have to keep on going and thank them for the life lessons that made me the woman I am today. No regrets, just love,” she added. Gutierrez parted ways with Bektas in 2007 and their annulment was granted in

February 2012. She has since been a single mother to her daughters, Lorin and Venice, following the split. She has also been open about the abuse she experienced while with Bektas. The actress said in September 2020 that she had no plans of getting married again since she was content with what she had in life, though she did not close her doors on love. g

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Goodness from within Pastor’s Notes reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS AN old Cherokee story goes like this: An old man says to his grandson, “There’s a fight going on inside of me. It’s a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil—angry, greedy, jealous, arrogant, and cowardly. The other is good—peaceful, loving, modest, generous, honest, and trustworthy. These two wolves are also fighting within you and inside every person too.” The grandson takes a moment to reflect on his grandfather’s words and then asks, “Which wolf will win?” The grandfather gives a simple reply, “The one you feed.” Isn’t this a great story to examine one’s heart and all the good and evil intentions that may flow from it? We are what

is within us and what comes out from within one’s heart through our words. One’s words and attitudes show which kind of wolf we feed inside us. Indeed, if we keep feeding the “bad wolf” with anger, envy, arrogance, and resentment, it would manifest itself in how we communicate and behave with others. We would have a sour look on our faces and treat others unkindly and unlovingly. It’s hard to hide ill feelings unless one is good at faking them. But if we keep feeding the “good wolf,” I’d say that it will turn into a “lamb,” making our attitudes, behaviors, and inner life more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, benevolent, mild, faithful, modest, and chaste (fruits of the Spirit, see Galatian 5:22-23). It’s why Jesus says in this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 6:3945), “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” Feeding the “good wolf”

then cultivates a good heart to produce good fruits, resulting in a consistency of words and actions. As John J. Pilch states, “it is important that one’s emotionfused thoughts (heart-eyes), selfexpressive speech (mouth-ears), and purposeful activity (handsfeet) be perfectly coordinated. Anything else is stage-acting.” (The Cultural World of Jesus, Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C, Liturgical Press, pp. 44-42) What I find exceptional when there is a consistency of intentions, words, and actions in one’s life is the wholeness, peace, and joy it brings. It’s why it’s vital to pray and receive help from the Word of God, the grace of the Sacraments, and the many ways that the Holy Spirit works in the world. *** 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. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

FASGI fundraiser features Becca Godinez TH Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), a non-profit organization in Historic Filipinotown dedicated to serving the Filipino community, will kick start a year of raising funds to support on-going programming. In its 40th anniversary, FASGI has helped millions of individuals through programs that include mental health education, naturalization application assistance, arts incubation, health and wellness, and assistance to WWII veterans. FASGI has also implemented programs to deal with COVID protocols and prevention. Together with Individual Health Care Services, Inc., FASGI will be executive producing its first concert featuring actress/singer Becca Godinez. Entitled “Becca Godinez: In My Life,” the concert is Becca’s most intimate show to date as she revisits her time as one of the Philippines’ most indemand performers during the 1970’s and 1980’s. This musical journey will trace Becca’s career from hit-music recording artist, concert singer, television host, and thespian with Repertory Philippines. Joining her on stage are special guest artists Mike Monserrat (dancer/choreographer and member of the original “Penthouse 7” crew), Spanky Rigor (co-founder/musician of the 70’s hit group VST & Company), Broadway actors Jennifer Paz (“Evita,”and “Songs for a New World”), Red Concepcion (“Miss Saigon,”and “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”), Nicole Santiago (“Mama Mia” and “Criers for Hire”) and Natasha Kaiserman (Becca’s daughter), who will be making her L.A. concert debut. Becca will also be joined by guest vocalists Charmie Morales, Leah Auditor and Tina Cruz. Myke Gonzaga, one of the most in-demand musical directors, leads the band which also features Abe Lagrimas, Jr. (drums), Bryant Simpson (bass), Sandro Rebel (keyboards) and Michael Seaman (piano). The concert will also feature a special virtual appearance by Cocoy Laurel, one the Philippines’ legendary actors and Becca’s co-star in many theatrical productions. When asked what the audience will experience, Becca said, “Gosh, my career spans about 50 years!! I chose each guest because they were all part and parcel of what I’ve done as a performer – from hosting TV shows, to being a theatre artist.” FASGI’s Executive Director Yey CoronelAlcid stated, “The FASGI Board wants all our fundraisers to be memorable and fun. We know that this concert will truly entertain because it combines Becca’s talent, charisma, and energy with her showmanship, creativity, and style. More importantly, Becca understands and shares FASGI’s passion in helping those in need to lead richer and more fruitful lives. It is important for FASGI to raise additional funds because most of our programs have either limited or no funding. Our clients become part of the FASGI family, so we commit to care for their needs and provide the utmost quality in services. We embrace our motto, “Happy to serve; Honored to help!” Any funds raised will go towards additional services for seniors, human trafficking survivors, and artists/ performers with our Arts Incubator Program. We will also create a revolving loan fund for US citizenship applicants who find costs prohibitive;

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Filipina actress and singer Becca Godinez

and resume the Kalayaan Festival, a whole day of medical and holistic healing for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.” Co- Executive Producer Trinity Foliente, owner of Individual Health Care Services said, “I have known and partnered with FASGI since Yey Coronel became Executive Director in 2015. Under her leadership, I have seen FASGI’s dedication to serving the Filipino American community increase and expand. FASGI always goes the extra mile to help the community in any way possible. They are dependable and efficient and never cease to amaze me.” Tickets for the one-night-only concert on Saturday, March 12 are $100/$60/$45 and can be purchased by contacting Yey Coronel 818-2710901 [phone/text] and Trinity Foliente 818-4552132 [phone/text] or via email at admin@fasgi. org. Special balcony pricing of $25 is available for seniors, military, and students by calling 818271-0901. Tickets are also available at the Aratani Theatre website by visiting www.jaccc.org or by calling 213-680-3700. FASGI’s Acting Board Chairperson, Celina Taganas-Duffy is excited for the concert. “Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to see Becca perform. She’s truly amazing and we’re honored she’s headlining this benefit concert to raise funds and further FASGI’s mission to provide vital services to our community.” She is joined on the Organizing Committee by Co-Chairperson Ronnie Cross (FASGI Board Member), Mae Abeleda (FASGI Board Treasurer), Ferdinand “Bong” Soriano (FASGI Board Member), Ethel Provido (FASGI Program Director), Evelyn Andamo (Principal, Westin Enterprises, Inc.), Ethel Rubio (Principal/Owner, Ethel G. Rubio Assoc. AIA, PRO, Kalayaan

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US women soccer team scores in fight to end unequal pay Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. ABOUT two months before the start of the 2019 World Cup in France where it was scheduled to defend its title as World Cup Champions, the US Women Soccer Team sued its employer, the United States Soccer Federation, Inc. (“Federation”), for equal pay. Back in 2019, this column wrote about how and why the lawsuit began. The following is a recap: At the time the lawsuit was filed, the US Women Soccer Team (“Women’s Team”) had won a record three World Cup championships, four Olympic gold medals, and many other international competitions. For the last 13 years, it has been ranked number one in the world. In contrast, the US Men Soccer Team (“Men’s Team”) has never won a World Cup or an Olympic gold medal. In the 2018 World Cup event, they were eliminated early and did not even qualify to the knockout stage. However, the United States Soccer Federation, Inc. (“Federation”) the common employer of both the Women’s Team and Men’s Team, has consistently paid the women athletes substantially less than their male counterparts. For example, a comparison of the Women’s Team and Men’s Team pay shows that if each team played 20 friendlies in a year and each team won all twenty friendlies, female players would earn a maximum of $99,000 or $4,950 per game, while their counterpart male players would earn an average of $263,320 or $13,166 per game. A female player being asked to try out for the World Cup team is paid $15,000 while a similar male player would earn $55,000. Players are paid a bonus for each advance to the World Cup. In 2014, the men advanced several rounds but were ultimately eliminated. However, they still earned a performance bonus totaling $5,375,000. When the women’s turn came in 2015, they won the Word Cup and were paid only $1,725,000. The women were paid nearly four times less than the men while performing better. The Women’s Team had asked the Federation several times to be paid equal to the Men’s Team. The Federation refused. The Federation has

publicly admitted that it pays the Women’s Team less than the Men’s Team but defended the practice by saying that “market realities are such that the women do not deserve to be paid equally to the men.” It claimed that the female players do not generate as much money as the males due to fewer viewership. The Women’s Team refuted the Federation’s claims, stating that the Federation continued its “intentional gender discrimination” even when the Women’s Team earned more profit (for the Federation), played more games, won more championships, and garnered higher television audiences. For example, during the 2015 World Cup title game, the women garnered approximately

1964. (California’s Fair Pay Act, in contrast, prohibits employers from paying employees less than those of the opposite sex for “substantially similar work,” even if their titles are different or they work at different sites. This means the lower paid employee does not have to prove that the higher paid employee of the opposite sex has exactly the same job as she (or he) does.) In May 2020, the Women’s Team suffered a setback when the judge on the case essentially dismissed the women’s equal pay claims, ruling that during the class period in question, each women’s player actually made more money per game than their male counterparts. The women appealed, stressing that a closer look at their rates of pay would show that the women had to win more games than the men to receive their bonuses. On February 22, 2022, the Women’s Team and the Federation jointly announced that they had arrived at a settlement where the Women’s Team named in the lawsuit have agreed to a total of $22 million in back pay. The Federation has also agreed to pay an additional $2 million into an account designed to benefit the Women’s Team in their post-career goals and other charitable efforts related to women’s soccer. Each player will be able to apply for up to $50,000 from this fund. This agreement is contingent on a collective bargaining agreement between the parties which is yet to be finalized. The settlement will also require court approval. Be that as it may, both sides are hopeful that this is the first step to pay equality. *** 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 or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award, and is a Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas in 2018.] (Advertising Supplement)

“California’s Fair Pay Act, in contrast, prohibits employers from paying employees less than those of the opposite sex for “substantially similar work,” even if their titles are different or they work at different sites. This means the lower paid employee does not have to prove that the higher paid employee of the opposite sex has exactly the same job as she (or he) does.” 23 million viewers, making it the most watched soccer game in American TV history – male or female. Because of this, the Women’s Team claimed that the Federation had no legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for the gross disparity in pay. Nor can the pay difference be explained away by any bona fide seniority, merit or incentive system or any other factor other than sex. The federal Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from discriminating against its employees on the basis of sex by paying lesser wages to employees of the opposite sex for “equal work.” These include jobs, the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions. The exceptions are made based on (i) a seniority system; (ii) a merit system; (iii) a system which measures earnings by quantity or quality of production; or (iv) a differential based on any other factor other than sex. The women also claim that the Federation’s discriminatory conduct on the basis of gender violated the Civil Rights Act of

Incorporated, Community Leader), Rosalie Caratao (Community Leader) and Thelma Sugay (President, Filipino American Press Club of California). FASGI and Individual Health Care Services are honored to have LA City Commissioner Dr. Cris B. Liban and his wife, Benel Se-Liban (Managing Partner of JBC Group, LLC) as the presenting sponsor for the show. Other sponsors include Asian Journal; Joel & Luchie Pengson, Eleos The Cognitive Center of Southern California, MVCMG – the Moreno Valley Community Medical Group; Joel A. Pengson, M.D., A Medical Corporation; Josie Jones, Admiral Home Health Inc., Admiral Hospice Care and Alpha Hospice Care; Ronson Provido, P.E., Century Engineers, Inc.; D-1 Productions, MonteMaria Cellars; and

BayaniPay. The Aratani Theater strictly follows current State, County and City COVID protocols, which change daily. To maintain a safe environment for the artists and the audience, patrons should be prepared to wear masks once inside the theater for the duration of the entire show and may be asked to present valid vaccination cards. The venue will not accept negative COVID tests results. Patrons should be vaccinated and/or boosted prior to entering the theater. For more information on the concert, please visit The Filipino American Service Group, Inc. at www. fasgi.org. Becca Godinez: In My Life is produced and directed by LXV Enterprises, LLC to benefit the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. g

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Pahrump, NV real estate is a great investment “LAND will always be a great investment because there will never be any more made, which is why it is ‘precious’,” thus says Precious Properties owner and Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman. With a career spanning more nearly five decades, Quitevis-Bateman knows what she is talking about. From her start in 1974, the Pangasinan-born businesswoman has helped hundreds of clients invest wisely in real estate, and since 1992 has been actively selling real estate in Pahrump, Nevada (NV) which sits at an elevation of 2,695 feet above sea level. The Harvard Business School graduate sees the potential for growth and continued development in Pahrump. It has come a long way from the time it was inhabited by the Southern Paiute, a Native American tribe, and later when other settlers came to the area in the late 19th century. Its name is derived from the Southern Paiute name for “Water Rock” which is Pah-rimpi. Even though the area does not see a lot of rainfall, Pahrump sits on the third largest aquifer in the United States, which means there is plenty of water underground. According to the latest data available, real estate in Pahrump has appreciated about 155% over the last ten years alone, which puts the unincorporated town in the top 10% nationally for areas whose real estate values have appreciated exponentially. Due to this, many observers see Pahrump as being one of the best longterm investments that people

Fely Quitevis-Bateman with Dan Harris, whose family donated the land where Desert View Hospital is located.

can make in the United States over the past decade and into the future. Despite a downturn in the housing market, Pahrump’s real estate portfolio has continued to appreciate. According to Quitevis-Bateman, Pahrump, which is located in Nye County, the largest county in Nevada and the third largest in the U.S., has continued to attract many investors in many fronts – real estate, business, entertainment, dining – and that about hundreds of millions worth of projects are in the pipeline, some of which have begun construction. America West will be building thousands of new homes, Quitevis-Bateman added. The Precious Properties owner also shared additional advantag-

es for the companies and residents of Pahrump, and Nevada for that matter: a competitive business state tax, a county sales tax of 6.75% (not on food items), and no taxes associated with estate/inheritance, franchise, gift, inventory/interstate commerce, corporate income and personal income. Pahrump is only located about 63 miles northwest of Las Vegas and eight miles from the California border. Located in the southwest corner of Nye County, it is approximately 364 square miles in size. The latest census data available places the population at 48,000; the area has experienced an annual growth rate of about 15-17% in the past few years, pre-pandemic. Currently, Pahrump has 11 zip codes, and

Anything grows in Pahrump due to the abundance of water. The unincorporated town sits on the third largest aquifer in the U.S.

the main area code for the town is 775. While it is accessible by road, Pahrump also has an airport, Calvada Meadows, which is open 24 hours. Pahrump’s most notable residents have included the late Art Bell (who was married to a Filipina, Airyn Bell), Apple co-founder Ronald Wayne, filmmaker J. Niel Schulman and members of the Escape the Fate band. The late Michael Jackson was said to have purchased a home in Pahrump in 2008, where he had a music studio. Quitevis-Bateman, who has been a Nye County commissioner and who has helped countless of her kababayans invest in Pahrump real estate, find mean- Fely Quitevis-Bateman with Nye County Chief Planner Brett Waggoner. ingful opportunities in Nevada, or connect people to each other, can help those who are looking to invest in real estate find a good opportunity to do so in Pahrump. Having seen the growth of the community since 1992 has provided Quitevis-Bateman a wealth of knowledge and insight into what areas in Pahrump are the best places to plunk down your hard-earned money in. Whether your desire is to invest in real estate, buy a place in preparation for retirement, or just to own property or a second home, Quitevis-Bateman can find that special niche for you. Schedule a call with Fely Quitevis-Bateman of Precious Properties today at (702) 5384948, (775) 513-8447 or (805) 559-2476 and find out why buying real estate in Pahrump is a solid investment and a great plan for your future. (Advertising Supplement) Photo above shows two of Fely’s clients – A Japanese and a Chinese investor.

Quitevis-Bateman (extreme right) with Nye County Commissioners at a meeting in Mountain Falls Country Club during a glove factory presentation.

B8 FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 1, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Is bankruptcy the right choice for you? OVER the last 35 years, many clients always ask me “Attorney, should I file for bankruptcy?” This question is asked after they have told me what their problem is. The problem is always financial: having a hard time paying credit cards; behind on mortgage payments and there is a threat of foreclosure from the bank; owe a big amount of money to the landlord for my business; lots of medical bills; my income is only enough to pay for the rent or mortgage and monthly necessities, have no extra income to pay for other debt mostly credit cards; creditors keep calling me to pay but I can’t pay. So, if you distill the problems to their essence, income is short, and creditors are not getting paid. That’s basically what the problem is. Let’s look at famous people, or businesses that have filed for bankruptcy. We presume all of them had income that was short, and creditors were not getting paid, so they decided to get bankruptcy relief. There’s Walt Disney who filed for Chapter 7 twice before his Disney theme parks took off. Of course, now Disney is a successful global business worth billions. There’s also Milton Hershey who filed for Chapter 7 before Hershey chocolates became the biggest chocolate business now worth also billions doing business worldwide. Orange County filed for bankruptcy reorganization about 15 years ago. Hertz, the car leasing company just got out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy recently. The country of Argentina decided to do a DIY bankruptcy about 20 years ago when it declared to all its creditors worldwide that Argentina was not going to pay any of it’s debts because it was bankrupt. Creditors who owned Argentine promissory notes lost billions of dollars overnight. The Catholic Church here in the USA, several of it’s dioceses declared bankruptcy to handle the large number of child molestation lawsuits against it. This is very sad for me to say because I am Catholic. I don’t mean the bankruptcy they filed to protect themselves, but the huge volume of child molestation cases is just incredible. This is an assault by the devil on the church. There’s no question about that. K mart, which used to be everywhere before, filed for bankruptcy about 15 years ago. Sears Department

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng stores filed for bankruptcy about 10 years ago. So if you have ever been to Disneyland, ate a Reese’s pieces or Hershey chocolate bar, leased a Hertz car, visited Argentina, visited a Catholic church, bought something at K mart or Sears, and gone to Orange county, you are dealing with entities that have decided that bankruptcy was the right choice for them. And of course, the Trump companies have filed at least 4 bankruptcies during the nineties and have avoided billions of dollars of debt. Let’s just leave it at that. What’s the secret in these bankruptcies? They continue to survive but without debt or with much reduced debt, thus assuring their survival in the future. In other words, their incomes are the same, but they don’t have to pay debt anymore which guaranties that they can survive. It’s pretty simple and beautiful concept really. Let’s say your net household income is $7K a month. You have 2 kids in high school. You have a mortgage on the house. You have two car payments. Everything is cool until you have to allocate part of that $7K net income to pay your $50K of credit card debt. $50K of credit card debt needs $1.5K of your $7K net income. That means your net income is actually only $5.5K, not $7K. Now ask yourself, how long can you continue paying $1.5K a month from your net income? Let’s say you can pay it for 5 years. That’s $100K in a little over 5 years. After paying $100K to keep $50K of credit cards current for 5 years, how much of it do you still owe? Sad to say, you still owe the very same $50K of credit cards! Can you really afford to live like this until you die or at least until you retire? Let’s say you will retire in 10 years. This means you would have paid $200K of minimum card payments, yet you still owe after $200K of payments, the very same $50K. When you retire in 10 years, your net income will drop by half. At that time, your net income of $3.5K a month is only

enough to pay the mortgage and food. There’s nothing left to pay the $50K of credit cards. Now if you had decided that bankruptcy is the right choice for you today, then in 10 years from now, you will have saved $200K which you can invest at the rate of 7% a year. That will double every 6 or 7 years. In 10 years maybe you will have $400K in your investment portfolio that will generate $2.8K a month for you in retirement. So, in retirement you will have your $3.5K of retirement income, plus $2.8K, or $6.3K of retirement income monthly, which is just $700 short of your income when you were still working. So is bankruptcy the right choice for you? You decide. But whatever you decide, it will affect your retirement income in the future, and it will affect how you survive your retirement. Praying always helps It also helps to pray to our God, Jesus and the Blessed Mother Mary for divine protection against the virus, and financial problems, because we have a God who loves us and showers us with infinite mercy. All we have to do is humble ourselves and pray. 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! 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 all-powerful 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

Reinstatement for surviving beneficiaries of an I-130 petition filed by a deceased relative

DEAR Attorney Tan, My US Citizen mother filed an I-130 immigrant petition on my behalf, which has a priority date in February 2000 and which has been approved. She filed the I-130 petition after I came to the US in 1999 as a tourist from the Philippines. Since my arrival, I have lived in the US and have been out of status. Since I was petitioned as an unmarried adult daughter, I was advised that I had to wait several years to get a green card. Recently, my mother passed away. Can I still get a green card through my mother’s petition? -Apparently In Limbo Dear Apparently In Limbo, When your mother passed away, the I-130 that was approved on your behalf was revoked by operation of law pursuant to 8 CFR Section 205.1. However, depending on the facts of a particular case, all is not lost. You may be eligible to get a green card pursuant to INA Section 204(L). Under INA Section 204(L), relief from an automatic revocation of an I-130 petition is available to certain surviving relatives. Surviving relatives who are eligible to seek 204(L) relief include a 1) principal or derivative beneficiary of an I-130 petition that was filed by a deceased permanent resident or U.S. Citizen, and 2) derivative beneficiary of an I-130 petition that was filed by a permanent resident or U.S. Citizen where the principal beneficiary has died. Section 204(L) relief is also available to

derivative beneficiaries in I-140 employment-based petitions where the principal beneficiary has died. Another requirement for Section 204(L) relief is that the person seeking relief must have “residence” in the US. What is meant by “residence?” It is your primary home or principal actual dwelling place. At least one beneficiary must have resided in the U.S. when the petitioning relative died, and must continue to reside in the U.S. when seeking Section 204(L) relief. It is worth noting that all beneficiaries of a petition can benefit from Section 204(L) relief as long as at least one of the beneficiaries meets the residence requirement. Further, although “residence” is required, Section 204(L) does not require actual physical presence in the U.S. when the relative died. In your case, it appears that you are eligible to obtain a green card. You are a principal beneficiary of an I-130 petition filed by your US Citizen mother. Further, you appear to meet the residence requirement in that you have been in the US since your arrival in 1999—you resided in the US when your mother passed away, and currently reside in the US. A check of the

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. Seven of my high school classmates passed away in 2021. They have all gone to meet their creator. I would like to mention

their names here: Ricardo A, Victor Y, Jerry L, George C, Jimmy G, Edward N and Ricardo D. Three died of co-vid, one slipped and fell in the bathroom, one of heart attack, two of cancer. I pray all of them are in heaven with our Lord enjoying eternity with their loved ones.. *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advise for anyone. There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

USCIS visa bulletin indicates the priority date for the I-130 petition filed by your mother on your behalf is current, so you can file an I-485 adjustment of status application, requesting reinstatement of the I-130 petition filed by your mother pursuant to Section 204(L). As a sidenote, Section 204(L) relief is also available if one’s relative died while the I-130 was pending, not only after the I-130 petition was approved. Section 204(L) relief therefore is broader than Humanitarian Reinstatement of a petition under 8 CFR Section 205.1, which can only be requested by the principal beneficiary when the petitioner him/herself has died, and after approval of an I-130. Relief under Section 204(L) is discretionary, and can be denied if factors in support of relief are not presented properly. It is accordingly recommended that you seek the assistance of an experienced attorney. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association. LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-6390277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

*** “Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything.” Philippians 4:6 *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 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. (Advertising Supplement)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 1, 2022 B9

B10 FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 1, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797