MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2026
611 North Brand Blvd., Suite 1300, Glendale, CA 91203
Volume 37 - No. 13 • 14 Pages
Tel: (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797 • info@asianjournalinc.com
Philippines declares energy emergency as Middle East DATELINE USA Trump orders TSA workers conflict disrupts fuel outlook, revives China talks FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
paid as DHS shutdown strains U.S. airports
Executive action offers temporary relief while funding deadlock persists
Transport strike highlights domestic pressure amid rising fuel costs
by AJPress MANILA — The Philippine government declared a State of National Energy Emergency, citing risks to fuel supply stemming from escalating tensions in the Middle East, as a nationwide transport strike disrupted commutes in Metro Manila and other areas on Thursday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 110, authorizing emergency measures to stabilize energy supply and mitigate the economic impact of global oil market volatility linked to hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. A state of emergency Under the order, Marcos cited an “imminent danger” to the country’s energy security arising from the
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 27 directing federal officials to ensure payment for Transportation Security Administration personnel, as a prolonged funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security continues to disrupt airport operations nationwide. The order instructs DHS to immediately begin compensating officers of the Transportation Security Administration who have worked without pay since mid-February, when congressional appropriations for the department lapsed. The action follows weeks of stalled negotiations in Congress centered on immigration policy and funding priorities. Officials said TSA has initiated the payu PAGE 4
Digital overhaul, fraud safeguards reshape Social Security services for millions of Americans Digital overhaul, fraud safeguards reshape Social Security services for millions of Americans
BALTIMORE, MD — The Social Security Administration (SSA) is implementing a wide-ranging operational overhaul that is beginning to affect how millions of Americans - including Filipino retirees and public sector workers -access benefits, resolve claims, and protect their identities. The changes center on faster service delivery, expanded digital access, and tighter safeguards against improper payments. Faster service, digital access For beneficiaries, the most immediate shift is improved access. SSA reports shorter wait times on its u PAGE 2
Newsom signs law redesignating César Chávez Day as ‘Farmworkers Day’ California shifts March 31 observance to farmworkers as state responds to abuse allegations tied to labor leader’s legacy by AJPress
TRANSPORTATION RELIEF. A commuter takes the free bus ride deployed by the House of Representatives on Friday, March 27, 2026. The free rides will ferry commuters from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to Mabuhay Rotonda, the boundary of Manila and QC, and on to Fairview Terraces from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.; and from Mabuhay Rotonda to Fairview Terraces and vice versa from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday, Thursday and Friday for an indefinite period. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
Philstar.com
MANILA — Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, March 26, announced that the Philippines has successfully struck gas in the Malampaya gas fields at the Camago-3 well. The drilling project, located offshore in Palawan, is part of an $893-million investment by business tycoon Enrique Razon and his partners. An earlier discovery was also made at Malampaya East 1, which marked the first time that gas was found in the area in over a decade. In a video statement, Marcos said that the Camago-3 well pro-
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday, March 26, 2026, signed emergency legislation redesignating California’s March 31 holiday from honoring César Chávez to “Farmworkers Day,” enacting the change immediately ahead of next week’s observance. The measure, Assembly Bill 2156, took effect upon signature under an urgency clause after receiving unanimous approval in both the California State Assembly and Senate earlier the same day. State officials said the expedited timeline was intended to ensure implementation before the March 31 holiday. u PAGE 4
Pope Leo calls for ban on aerial Lawmakers push back vs SC bombardment as war intensifies petition on Duterte impeachment by AJPress VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has called for a global prohibition on aerial bombardment, describing such attacks as inherently indiscriminate, in one of his strongest statements yet against modern warfare as hostilities involving Iran entered a fourth week. Speaking on March 23 before executives and staff of Italy’s ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group, the pontiff said that aircraft
should serve as instruments of connection rather than destruction, warning that civilians should never have to live in fear of violence from above. “No one should fear that threats of death and destruction will come from the sky,” he said. In remarks published by the Holy See, Pope Leo added that after the devastation of the 20th century, aerial bombardment should have been “banished forever,” cautioning u PAGE 2
Philippines receives Russian Philippines hits gas at Malampaya amid energy crisis crude shipment as energy by Jean Mangaluz
conflict, which has heightened risks to global oil shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. The Philippines relies heavily on imported fuel, leaving it vulnerable to external supply disruptions and price shocks. The declaration activates the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), a u PAGE 2
duces up to 60 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. “It is the second major milestone under our $893 million Malampaya Phase 4 campaign, and it is significantly larger than our first. Camago-3 holds an estimated 2.5 times more recoverable gas than the Malampaya East 1 discovery,” Marcos said. “So together, these two wells are projected to extend the life of the Malampaya gas field by an estimated six years,” he added, Marcos said that this discovery spells steadier and cheaper power, noting that Malampaya gas costs P4.80 per kilowatt u PAGE 4
emergency deepens
First delivery in five years signals shift in fuel sourcing as Middle East conflict disrupts global supply by AJPress MANILA — The Philippines has received its first shipment of Russian crude oil in five years, marking a shift in fuel sourcing as the government confronts a tightening global energy market linked to escalating conflict in the Middle East. Shipping data and port records show that the Sierra Leone-flagged
tanker Sara Sky arrived at Limay, Bataan on March 23, carrying about 100,000 metric tons of ESPO (Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean) blend crude, or roughly 700,000 barrels. The cargo was loaded at Kozmino Port in Russia and is intended for processing at the Petron Corp. refinery, the u PAGE 2
by AJPress
MANILA — Lawmakers on Friday, March 27, 2026, criticized a petition filed before the Supreme Court of the Philippines seeking to halt impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, warning that judicial intervention could disrupt constitutionally defined powers. The petition, filed by lawyers, seeks a temporary restraining order to stop ongoing hearings at the House of Representatives, where the Committee on Justice has begun evaluating renewed impeachment complaints. Members of the House maintained that impeachment is a political process explicitly assigned by the Constitution to Congress, with the House holding the exclusive power to initiate cases and the Senate tasked with conducting trial proceedings. Several lawmakers cautioned that court intervention at this stage may raise separation-of-powers concerns, noting that the judiciary has historically exercised restraint in interfering with impeachment proceedings unless clear constitutional violations are established. Constitutional timeline in focus The current proceedings follow earlier rulings by the Supreme
Court of the Philippines involving Duterte’s prior impeachment case. In 2025, the Court nullified an earlier complaint on the basis of the Constitution’s one-year bar rule, which prohibits initiating more than one impeachment proceeding against the same official within a one-year period. That ruling became final in early 2026. After the lapse of the one-year prohibition, new complaints were filed, allowing the House to proceed with deliberations under existing constitutional parameters. Proceedings continue in the House The House Committee on Justice is currently determining whether the complaints are sufficient in substance, a required step before any measure can advance to plenary consideration and, if approved, to a Senate trial. Duterte did not attend initial proceedings. Her legal team has sought relief from the high court, arguing that aspects of the process may violate constitutional safeguards, including due process. House lawmakers rejected that assertion, stating that the complaints were filed within allowable timelines and that proceedings are u PAGE 2