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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Volume 21 - No. 22 • 16 Pages
T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER
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DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Nationwide survey seeks to gauge Fil-Am attitudes on COVID-19 vaccines A NEW nationwide survey is seeking to gauge how the Filipino American community feels about COVID-19 vaccinations. The project is being launched by the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), through its Tayo project, the group announced in a recent release. The MAGPABAKUNA na Tayo (“Measuring and Gathering data on Pilipino/a/x American Behaviors, Attitudes, and Knowledge Understanding the Novel CoronAvirus vaccines”) study is a 20-minute survey that will be conducted online and via telephone by Tayo and community partners the Council of Young Filipinx Americans in Medicine (CYFAM). The survey is open to all Filipino Americans over the age of 18 and will be conducted in English and Filipino. Participants can answer whether or not they have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Led by Tayo medical advisor Dr.
JUNE 3-9, 2022
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
Duterte counting days to retirement by KRISTINA
MARALIT ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is counting the days until he can step out of the public eye and revert to being a private citizen. “He looks forward to his retirement in Davao City,” acting presidential spokesman and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said on Tuesday, May 31. Andanar shared how the Chief Executive was “upbeat” during the last Cabinet meeting last Monday night, May 30 and how he mentioned that he could
not wait to “spend time with his family and grandchildren.” Meanwhile, acting Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag said the President expressed satisfaction with the performance of his chosen officials throughout the six years of being under his watch. “During the Cabinet meeting, I repeatedly heard him saying, “Hindi ako nagkamali sa mga pinili ko na miyembro ng Gabinete na ginawa talaga ‘yung trabaho (I wasn’t wrong in choosing the members of the Cabinet who really performed their duties),” Matibag said.
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OLDER adults who have survived COVID-19 are more likely than younger patients to have persistent symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, muscle aches, heart palpitations, headaches, joint pain, and difficulty with memory and concentration — problems linked to long COVID. But it can be hard to distinguish lingering aftereffects of COVID from conditions common in older adults such as lung disease, heart disease, and mild cognitive impairment. There are no diagnostic tests or recommended treatments for long COVID, and the biological mechanisms that underlie its effects remain poorly understood. “Identifying long COVID in older adults with other medical conditions is tricky,” said Dr. Nathan Erdmann, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of
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by MA.
COMMUNION. Devotees receive communion bread from a lay minister (left) during the first Wednesday Mass inside the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran Church, Paranaque City on Wednesday, June 1. Catholic devotees of Our Mother of Perpetual Help from afar have been religiously coming to the church for their consecutive nine-day novena mass every Wednesday. PNA photo by Ben Briones
REINA LEANNE TOLENTINO ManilaTimes.net
VICE President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo is ready to meet with Vice President-elect Sara DuterteCarpio for a smooth transition of power. Robredo indicated her readiness in a letter responding to Duterte-Carpio’s request for an initial meeting between their teams. “Warmest congratulations on your proclamation as the 15th vice president of the Republic of the Philippines,” Robredo said in the letter dated May 30 to Duterte-Carpio. “Please be advised that we are ready to meet to answer any questions you may have regarding the Office of the Vice President and to take all necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition,” Robredo said. The vice president said her chief of staff will contact Duterte-Carpio’s team for the meeting. The incoming vice president had requested the meeting in a letter to Robredo dated May 27. “To ensure a smooth transition between the
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Palace to endorse bills to new admin by ALEXIS
ROMERO Philstar.com
MANILA — The Duterte administration will endorse to the incoming government of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. its priority bills that will be bypassed by Congress. Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag said the endorsement of priority measures would form part of the transition to the next administration. “We will make endorsements, but of course, we will respect the prerogatives of the incoming administration on their choice of priority legislations (that) need to be passed,” Matibag told The STAR in a text
message on Tuesday, May 31. He said the passage of laws involves a joint effort of the executive and legislative branches of government. “We have to be mindful that the effort to pass a law does not only come from Malacañang,” he said. Matibag was responding to a question on why the proposed National Land Use Act, one of the bills that President Duterte mentioned in his previous State of the Nation Addresses, was not passed. Data from the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office showed that more than 30 priority bills of the President are not yet enacted into law.
Mayor Christina Frasco of Liloan, Cebu, and Erwin Tulfo
Inquirer.net photos
Marcos names 5 more Fact check: Robredo’s recent US members of his Cabinet trip was not sponsored by Fil-Ams plotting against gov’t PAGE 2
by JEANNETTE
I. ANDRADE
Inquirer.net
by KAYCEE
VALMONTE Philstar.com
Outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo
PNA photo
Robredo congratulates Sara Duterte, prepares smooth transition
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Got long COVID? Medical expertise is vital, seniors should prepare to go slow
President Rodrigo Duterte
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo had just arrived back in Manila over the weekend following a trip to the United States where she spent the past few weeks on vacation and to attend her youngest daughter’s college graduation. CLAIM: A YouTube video claimed that Robredo’s U.S. Philstar.com photo trip was sponsored by Filipino-
Americans to plot against the Philippine government. RATING: This is false. FACTS: Along with her three daughters, Robredo went to the United States on her own account to attend her youngest Jillian’s college graduation and to spend time with family. They did not entertain requests for meet-ups. What the posts say YouTube channel “Showbiz Fanaticz” published the video
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MANILA — After naming key members of his economic team last week, President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. identified on Monday, May 30 five more officials joining his Cabinet, including the spokesperson of Vice Presidentelect Sara Duterte. At a press briefing at Marcos’ national campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City, the incoming administration’s Press Secretary nominee Trixie Cruz Angeles announced the nominations of the following: • Liloan, Cebu Mayor Christina Frasco as tourism secretary
• Amenah Pangandaman as head of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) • Erwin Tulfo as social welfare secretary • Lawyer Ivan John Uy as head of the Department of Information and Communications Technology • Former Manila Rep. Ma. Zenaida Angping as chief of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Angeles said the nominees were chosen “generally for their experience in public service and proven service records.” Frasco was the recipient of the Presidential Lingkod Bayan regional award from the Civil
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From the Front Page
Duterte counting days to... PAGE 1 “Many of the Cabinet secretaries will graduate with honors and were able to accomplish a lot,” he added. Matibag said Duterte also thanked the spouses of Cabinet members who were not selfish with their time. Not much instruction was given during
the meeting but the president’s commitment to work until his last day in office remains, he added. “Even if, let’s say, it’s the last Cabinet meeting, it doesn’t mean that we will stop working from today until noontime ng June 30,” Matibag said. “But as to the instructions, the general instructions have been
to love and serve the Philippines. Nothing has changed.” After the meeting, Duterte treated his Cabinet members and their spouses to a dinner that was filled with music from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Matibag said some former Cabinet members were also present during the event. g
Fact check: Robredo’s recent US trip was not... PAGE 1
entitled, “ILANG FIL-AM, ROBREDO AT GUANZON MAY KINALAMAN SA PINAPLANONG MASAMA LABAN SA ADMINISTRASYON NI PRES. BBM” (Some Fil-Ams, Robredo, and Guanzon are conspiring against the administration of Pres. BBM), referring to former Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon. In the video, the vlogger identified as one Bryan Calagui said that Robredo, her camp, and Guanzon were planning to “ruin the government.” “‘Yung mga Fil-Am na nakatira sa Amerika ay sponsoran itong si ‘Len-Len’ na pumunta sa Amerika,” Calagui was shown saying in the first few seconds of the YouTube video. Robredo has been referred to by her crictics on social media as “Len-Len.”
(These Fil-Ams who live in America are sponsoring this “LenLen” to go to America.) The vlogger added “LenLen,” a derisive nickname proadministration supporters use to refer to the Vice President, is supposedly plotting something, and urged supporters of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice president-elect Sara Duterte to prepare. Without providing pieces of evidence or links, he claimed that a “Philippines page” allegedly leaked information that Robredo met with a so-called “NAFA” in the US. Calagui claimed her visit there, along with accommodation expenses, were again sponsored by unnamed Filipino-Americans. “Ibig sabihin mga ka-BBMSara, hindi lang ‘yung pag-attend ni Len Len sa graduation ng
kanyang anak, meron pang ibang binabalak,” he said. “For sure, may binabalak tong mga to, may niluluto ‘tong mga ‘to. At subukan niyong hanapin yung Philippines na page at makikita niyo dun na yung mga Fil-Am na nakatira sa Amerika ay i-sponsor-an itong si Len-Len na pumunta sa Amerika.” (Fellow BBM-Sara supporters, she did not just attend her daughter’s graduation, there were other plans made. For sure, these people are planning, trying to get something out. I urge you to look for the Philippines page and you will see that the Fil-Ams in America are sponsoring Leni to go there.) Calagui also spent quite some time mocking former Comelec Commissioner Guanzon’s “fighting spirit,” making fun of her doing one of her live Facebook streams. g
Robredo congratulates Sara Duterte...
PAGE 1 outgoing and incoming officials and personnel of the Office of the Vice President, may we request for an initial meeting between the members of our respective teams at the soonest possible time to discuss protocols, policies, precedents and other matters concerning the Office of the Vice President. We further request that this initial meeting be held via Zoom,” DuterteCarpio said. Last May 25, Congress Outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte proclaimed Ferdinand ManilaTimes.net file photos “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as Her closest rival, Sen. Francis to the United States for the president-elect and Duterte- “Kiko” Pangilinan, Robredo’s graduation of her youngest Carpio as vice president-elect. running mate, garnered daughter, Jillian, from New Duterte-Carpio, Marcos’ 9,329,207 votes. York University, said that, running mate, ruled the In a post on Facebook on “[W]e’re back. Ready to work vice presidential derby with Sunday, May 29, Robredo, who again. Energized by the longest 32,208,417 votes. had traveled with her daughters vacation I’ve had in 10 years.” g
Palace to endorse bills to new... PAGE 1
Aside from the proposed National Land Use Act, other legislative priorities of the President that are pending in Congress include the bill creating the department of disaster resilience, the passive income tax and financial intermediary tax reform, a measure creating a unified pension system for the military and uniformed personnel, the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines, department of water resources bill, the government rightsizing bill, a measure reimposing death penalty by lethal injection, the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps bill and the measure providing free legal assistance to uniformed personnel. Digital workforce The Senate on Monday, May 30 approved on third and final reading a bill that aims to improve
the country’s digital workforce competitiveness. With a vote of 18-0-0, senators approved Senate Bill 1834 or the proposed Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act. The measure aims to enhance the digital competence of workers and equip them with skills to make them globally competitive. Sen. Joel Villanueva, principal author of the bill, said the measure underscores the need for the Filipino workforce to be globally competitive with the development of digital careers. Senators also approved on Monday House Bill 10306, which proposes to expand the franchise granted to MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and allow it to serve more consumers in Iloilo. The bill seeks to authorize the firm to operate in the city of Passi as well as in the municipalities
of Alimodian, Leganes, Leon, New Lucena, Pavia, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, Anilao, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Duenas, Dumangas and San Enrique. MORE Power currently distributes electricity in Iloilo City. The chamber also passed House Bill 10554 to expand the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Co. Inc. (DLPC), another distribution utility which operates in Davao City, Panabo City and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali and Sto. Tomas in Davao del Norte. If signed into law, the bill will expand DLPC’s services to Tagum City, the Island Garden City of Samal, Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, San Isidro and Talaingod in Davao del Norte. (With reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla/Philstar. com)
Marcos names 5 more members of...
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Service Commission in its 2021 search for outstanding government workers, according to Angeles. She said Frasco was also named the top performing mayor in the Central Visayas region. Frasco won her third term as mayor of Liloan in the recent May elections. A lawyer, professor, and businesswoman, she served as the spokesperson for Sara Duterte, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, during the election campaign. She was also the vice president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines’ Visayas cluster for the term 2019 to 2022. Frasco is the daughter of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and the wife of Cebu Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco. Pangandaman, currently assistant governor and chief of staff at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), started her career as a researcher in the Senate. She later became head of the policy research group, political and constituency, and later chief of staff in the office of then-Senate President Edgardo Angara. Pangandaman also worked as chief of staff of Senator-elect Loren Legarda, who said the incoming budget chief “brings to the table
a deep-seated knowledge of the budget and legislative process (and is) a dedicated government worker with an exceptional work ethic.” In 2016, Pangandaman served as assistant secretary in the DBM and was appointed undersecretary and concurrent director of the budget technical bureau in 2018. She later joined the BSP as a technical adviser and subsequently became managing director. In 2021, Pangandaman was named assistant governor of the BSP. According to Angeles, “(Pangandaman) has over two decades of policy development in finance expertise.” Angeles described Uy as “an expert in technology law (and) well-experienced in information technology project management.” She noted that Uy “oversaw the formulation of the Philippine digital strategy for 2011 to 2016,” and added that the lawyer was an international commercial arbitrator on areas involving ITrelated disputes. Uy was chair of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology during the late President Benigno Aquino III’s term. He also served as chief information officer and director of the management
information systems office of the Supreme Court. A member of the Philippine bar, he is well-known in the Philippine legal and IT circles. He is a cyberlaw expert and also lectures on computer forensics, cybercrime, electronic evidence, e-commerce and digital ethics. Public service As for Tulfo, Angeles said the media personality “is known for his involvement in covering and helping Filipinos here and abroad through his social programs and partnerships with other organizations,” Angeles said. Tulfo, she said, has been in public service, “doing social work [for] three decades.” Tulfo is the brother of Senatorelect Raffy Tulfo and former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo. He works as a broadcaster in the government media channel, People’s Television Network, and previously as a news anchor for media network TV5. He also hosted shows produced by his brother, Ben, who owned Bitag Media Unlimited Inc., which is known for hard-hitting public service programs. Tulfo also backed the AntiCrime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support Inc. u PAGE 4
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Got long COVID? Medical expertise is vital... Nationwide survey seeks to gauge Fil-Am... PAGE 1
Alabama-Birmingham’s school of medicine. Failing to do so means older COVID survivors might not receive appropriate care. What should older adults do if they don’t feel well weeks after becoming ill with the virus? I asked a dozen experts for advice. Here’s what they suggested. Seek medical attention. “If an older person or their caregiver is noticing that it’s been a month or two since COVID and something isn’t right — they’ve lost a lot of weight or they’re extremely weak or forgetful — it’s worth going in for an evaluation,” said Dr. Liron Sinvani, director of the geriatric hospitalist service at Northwell Health, a large health system in New York. But be forewarned: Many primary care physicians are at a loss as to how to identify and manage long COVID. If you’re not getting much help from your doctor, consider getting a referral to a specialist who sees long COVID patients or a long COVID clinic. Also, be prepared to be patient: Waits for appointments are lengthy. At least 66 hospitals or health systems have created interdisciplinary clinics, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, an industry publication. For people who don’t live near one of those, virtual consultations are often available. For specialist referrals, ask whether the physician has experience with long COVID patients. Also, more than 80 medical centers in more than 30 states are enrolling patients in a fouryear, $1.15 billion study of long COVID that is being funded by the National Institutes of Health and is known as RECOVER (Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery). Older adults who choose to participate will receive ongoing medical attention. Pursue comprehensive care. At the University of Southern California’s COVID recovery clinic, physicians start by making sure that any underlying medical conditions that older patients have — for instance, heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — are well controlled. Also, they check for new conditions that may have surfaced after a COVID infection. If preexisting and new conditions are properly managed and further tests come back negative, “there is probably
an element of long COVID,” said Dr. Caitlin McAuley, one of two physicians at the Keck School of Medicine clinic. At that point, the focus becomes helping older adults regain the ability to manage daily tasks such as showering, dressing, moving around the house, and shopping. Typically, several months of physical therapy, occupational therapy, or cognitive rehabilitation are prescribed. Dr. Erica Spatz, an associate professor of cardiology at the Yale School of Medicine, looks for evidence of organ damage, such as changes in the heart muscle, in older patients. If that’s detected, there are wellestablished treatments that can be tried. “The older a person is, the more likely we are to find organ injury,” Spatz said. At the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, a rehabilitation hospital, experts have discovered that a significant number of patients with breathing problems have atrophy in the diaphragm, a muscle that’s essential to breathing, said Dr. Colin Franz, a physician-scientist. Once inflammation is under control, breathing exercises help patients build back the muscle, he said. For older adults concerned about their cognition after COVID, McAuley recommends a neuropsychological exam. “Plenty of older patients who’ve had COVID feel like they now have dementia. But when they do the testing, all their higherlevel cognitive functioning is intact, and it’s things like attention or cognitive fluency that are impaired,” she said. “It’s important to understand where deficits are so we can target therapy appropriately.” Become active gradually. Older patients tend to lose strength and fitness after severe illness — a phenomenon known as “deconditioning” — and their blood volume and heart muscles will start shrinking in a few weeks if they lie in bed or get little activity, Spatz said. That can cause dizziness or a racing heart upon standing up. In line with recent recommendations from the American College of Cardiology, Spatz advises patients who have developed these symptoms after COVID to drink more fluids, consume more salt, and wear compression socks and
abdominal binders. “I often hear that going for a walk feels awful,” Spatz said. When returning to exercise, “start with five to 10 minutes on a recumbent bicycle or a rower, and add a couple of minutes every week,” she suggested. After a month, move to a semi-recumbent position on a standard bike. Then, after another month, try walking, a short distance at first and then longer distances over time. This “go slow” advice also applies to older adults with cognitive concerns after COVID. Franz said he often recommends restricting time spent on cognitively demanding tasks, along with exercises, for brain health and memory. At least early on, “people need less activity and more cognitive rest,” he noted. Reset expectations. Older adults typically have a harder time bouncing back from serious illness, including COVID. But even seniors who had mild or moderate reactions to the virus can find themselves struggling weeks or months later. The most important message older patients need to hear is “give yourself time to recover,” said Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn, director of the Mayo Clinic’s COVID Activity Rehabilitation Program in Rochester, Minnesota. Generally, older adults appear to be taking longer to recover from long COVID than younger or middle-aged adults, he noted. Learning how to set priorities and not do too much too quickly is essential. “In this patient population, we’ve found that having patients grit their teeth and push themselves will actually make them worse” — a phenomenon known as “post-exertional malaise,” Vanichkachorn said. Instead, people need to learn how to pace themselves. “Any significant health event forces people to reexamine their expectations and their priorities, and long COVID has really accelerated that,” said Jamie Wilcox, an associate professor of clinical occupational therapy at the Keck School of Medicine. “Everyone I see feels that it’s accelerated their aging process.” Consider vulnerabilities. Older adults who have had COVID and who are poor, frail, physically or cognitively disabled, and socially isolated are of considerable
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of aggregating socioeconomic, public health, and other data under one broad AAPI category oftentimes obscures pernicious inequalities at the individual ethnic community level,” the group said in the release. The survey comes as Fil-Ams continue to be underrepresented in medical research, despite being the second largest Asian ethnic group in the United States. “Despite making up over 6% of the U.S. population, less than 0.2% of the National Institutes of Health budget is dedicated to studying the health of Asian American populations,” stated Dr. Palma. “Oftentimes academic researchers label immigrant groups like Filipinos as ‘hard to reach,’ but in my experience it’s often that they aren’t sending
the right people to ask and engage with us,” she continued. Tanglao, FYLPRO president and Tayo project direct said, said the survey results will help create a deeper understanding of the pandemic’s effect on the Fil-Am community. “The lack of disaggregated data has made it difficult to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 on the Filipino community. This is the first step in better telling our story,” she said. The survey, which is supported by a grant from the CDC Foundation, can be accessed at redcap.link/ FYLPROTayoSurvey. Analysis of results is expected in late fall 2022. For more information about the survey, visit https:// bit.ly/TayoVaccineSurveyInfo. (AJPress)
(ACT-CIS), the front-runner party list in the May 2022 national elections. As for the PMS secretary nominee, Angeles said that Angping “comes with the professional experience in the fields of public service and administration and international relations and diplomacy.” “(Angping) is a three-term congresswoman who advocated legislative measures that promoted diplomatic relations, tourism development, public health and education, women and children’s welfare,” she added. Angping served as a congresswoman in Manila’s third congressional district for nine
years. She is also a member of the Marcos Jr. transition team. She is the wife of former Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping. Economic team Just last week, Marcos announced key appointments to his economic team, emphasizing his incoming administration’s focus on steering the economy out of a slump. A day after he and Duterte were proclaimed winners by Congress in the May 9 polls, Marcos said he was nominating BSP Gov. Benjamin Diokno as his finance secretary and former National Economic and Development Authority chief Felipe Medalla as BSP governor. Marcos also named former UP
President Alfredo Pascual as trade secretary and Manuel Bonoan, chief executive of San Miguel Tollways Corp., as head of the Department of Public Works and Highways. Angeles also said that there was no formal invitation yet for President Duterte to join his successor’s executive family. Angeles clarified reports that Marcos was eyeing President Duterte to be the drug czar under his incoming administration. “That was during the first interview, postproclamation interview. (Marcos’) words were that it wasn’t a formal invitation. But if [Duterte] should want to, he certainly would be considered,” Angeles said. g
concern. This group has been more likely to experience severe effects from COVID, and those who survived may not readily access health care services. “We all share concern about marginalized seniors with limited health care access and poorer overall health status,” said Erdmann, of UAB. “Sprinkle a dangerous new pathology that’s not well understood on top of that, and you have a recipe for greater disparities in care.” “A lot of older [long COVID] patients we deal with aren’t accustomed to asking for help, and they think, perhaps, it’s a little shameful to be needy,” said James Jackson, director of long-
term outcomes at the Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The implications are significant, not only for the patients but also for health care providers, friends, and family. “You really have to check in with people who are older and vulnerable and who have had COVID and not just make assumptions that they’re fine just because they tell you they are,” Jackson said. “We need to be more proactive in engaging them and finding out, really, how they are.” We’re eager to hear from
readers about questions you’d like answered, problems you’ve been having with your care and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn. org/columnists to submit your requests or tips. (Judith Graham/ California Healthline) This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. g
Melissa Palma, a board certified preventive medicine and public health physician in Chicago, IL, the survey team includes CYFAM members Abigail Ahyong, Giana Apoderado, Neille John Apostol, Siegried Chen, Diana Del Rosario, Sheena Garcia, Samantha Sumait, Matthew Roces, Mericien Venzon, and Megan Yee, with additional support provided by FYLPRO board members and Tayo core leaders Mark Calaguas, Jobel Vecino and Leezel Tanglao. Tayo hopes the survey will not only improve data collection on Filipino Americans specifically, but also assist in the disaggregation of data on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities at large. “The longstanding practice
Marcos names 5 more members of... PAGE 2
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Senators Zubiri, Romualdez tackle legislative agenda, SONA with BBM SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ Zubiri and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Tuesday, May 31 led the contingent of lawmakers from both Houses of Congress, in discussing legislative agenda with incoming President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos during a meeting in his headquarters in Mandaluyong City. During the courtesy call, Zubiri, who is rumored to be vying for the top Senate post, led the senators in discussing legislative plans for the next six years of the Marcos administration while Romualdez, who is poised to become the next Speaker, presented programs on the part of the House. The visit came after Zubiri was quoted in a report as saying that Marcos has already expressed his desire for congressional leaders to immediately “shape up” the legislative agenda for the next Congress. “In my discussion with our incoming president, Presidentelect Bongbong Marcos, he wants to shape up the legislative agenda immediately,” Zubiri said in an interview at the Senate on Monday, May 30. “He instructed me and incoming Speaker Romualdez to sit down and discussed possible legislative agenda for the Sona [state of the nation address],
discussions for the Sona,” he said. In return, Zubiri said he committed to Marcos that he would help him whether or not he becomes the next Senate president. “So, we have a series of meeting and we’ve been discussing how we can assist the President-elect on his legislative agenda for the 19th Congress,” he explained. The lawmakers’ visit came a day after Marcos received ambassadors from Singapore, United Kingdom, France, and European Union during separate courtesy calls at BBM headquarters in Mandaluyong City last Monday, May 30. This developed as Senate insiders also disclosed that there were strong indications that Migz is a cinch to bag the Senate presidency as he has the number to muster the majority against his closest rival Sen. Cynthia Villar. Earlier, reports also indicated that Villar who was apparently aware that Migz could have her number had reportedly offered a term-sharing agreement with him. Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa disclosed Tuesday that Villar has discussed with him of her willingness for a term sharing with Migz. “Open naman si Senator Cynthia ng term sharing. In fact, nag-offer siya noon pa, nag-offer
siya ng ganoon. I’m not sure with Migz kung okay sa kanya pero kay Ma’am Cynthia is okay naman siya mag-term sharing,” Dela Rosa, who is backing Villar’s Senate presidency bid, said in an interview with reporters. Zubiri, however, did not discuss the possibility of term-sharing during his visit to BBM. He was accompanied by Senators Nancy Binay, Ronald Dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Ralp Recto, Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, and Raffy Tulfo during the visit. Romualdez was joined on the other hand by Iloilo Rep. Janet Garin and Isabela Rep. Tonypet Albano. Zubiri who was re-elected as a senator in the recent election is inching closer to becoming the next Senate president after securing the support of the majority of the senators. Romualdez, on the other hand, is also the sure and runaway winner as the next House Speaker for the next congress. Observers also believed that the government will have a healthy relationship between the executive and legislative branches as the three major parts of the Philippines—Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—are well represented.
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Get vaccinated against COVID-19 to keep your immunity strong against severe illness & death. ISRAEL-BOUND PINOYS. Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Abdullah “Dabs” Mama-o (4th from left) poses with Israel Ambassador Ilan Fluss (6th from right) for a souvenir photo with the first batch of 61 Filipino hotel workers bound for Israel during the send-off ceremony at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration building in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, May 31. Around 500 Filipino hotel workers will be hired for the initial phase. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
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A continuing battle
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IT was his most remarkable campaign vow, and by his own admission, President Duterte overpromised: the drug scourge in the country was not eliminated within six months of his assumption to power, or even after six years. Now in the final weeks of his presidency, he is urging his successor to continue the battle against the drug menace. This goes without saying, since drug offenses are among the crimes that the state is tasked to fight. Still, the Philippine National Police has found it necessary to remind its personnel that the campaign will continue into the new administration. What might need clarity is whether the campaign against illegal drugs will be carried out using the same brutal methods that have characterized the war waged by the Duterte administration. The president has lamented that the involvement of politicians and law enforcement officials themselves in the illegal drug trade hampered his campaign, and he has admitted underestimating the extent of the problem nationwide. What the president did fulfill in his campaign promise is to kill: the PNP has reported that over 6,000 drug suspects have been slain in police operations since the start of the current administration in
2016. The enormous profits from the illegal drug trade, however, continue to draw players, even at the risk of being shot dead while resisting police arrest. The bigger dealers simply use drug money to buy protection. This has allowed them to run drug trafficking rings even while behind bars, or slip tons of prohibited drugs through Customs. The drug killings were also not accompanied by the same level of zeal in addressing the continuing demand, which is a social and public health problem. Addressing the demand calls for a holistic approach, with parents, educators, health professionals, religious groups and the community working on preventive measures and helping drug abusers kick the habit even as law enforcers go after the suppliers. It is a complex problem that even advanced economies have not completely eradicated, and the campaign now awaits a new direction from the incoming administration. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Looking towards a Marcos Jr. presidency
Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ THIRTY-TWO days from now, Filipinos and the whole world will witness the swearing in of Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the 17th president of the Republic of the Philippines, proclaiming to the world our flourishing democracy. During my interview last Thursday, May 26 at CNN’s The Source with Pinky Webb, I said that the overwhelming mandate the president-elect received will be the biggest motivation for him to do well, and give back to the people his best service ever in earning their trust. It made me recall what he told me when he first joined government at the young age of 23 as vice governor of Ilocos Norte: “It’s time to give back to the people who put us here” – which undoubtedly is his mantra as he begins his presidency. Those who are accusing Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of being
a “revisionist,” or that he wants to “rewrite” history – they got it all wrong. History is judged by those who write it – Bongbong Marcos is about to write history. No doubt there will always be what I would call the hardliners who will never change their minds or their attitude towards BBM – perhaps as a matter of conviction or principle, but worse, out of vindictiveness or bitterness – even if he does well. One can continue to argue about the things that happened in the past but whichever way one looks at it, the overwhelming majority of people – all 31 million of them who cast their votes for Bongbong Marcos – have made their judgment loud and clear: they are willing to give him the chance to prove his worth with hope and prayers for his success. I have known the presidentelect for a long time and I know that when he puts his mind into it – he can do it. How he worked very hard during the campaign is a preview of how hard he will work twice over as president. As BBM himself said, “Judge
me not by my ancestors, but by my actions.” He promised to be a president for all Filipinos – which is in keeping with his core message of unity that has resonated very well with millions of Filipinos during the campaign. I know he was not merely paying lip service because as we are beginning to see, he is already looking for people from different political persuasions, who are prepared to work with him – certainly a good way to start as he charts the course of our country under his leadership. One of the issues the president-elect tackled during his press briefing following his proclamation in Congress was foreign policy, particularly our country’s relationship with the United States and China. It is obviously clear that we will continue to pursue a truly independent foreign policy that would truly benefit the Philippines. There is no question that a country should always look out for its own national interest while continuing to forge bilateral
relationships with all nations. “We have to find an independent foreign policy where we are friends with everyone; that’s the only way. We have to be good neighbors and ask them to be good neighbors to us as well. It is of mutual benefit to us,” he affirmed. People certainly welcomed BBM’s statement that we will not compromise our sovereignty in any way. “We are a sovereign nation with a functioning government. We do not need to be told by anyone how to run our country. There is no room for negotiation there. It is sacred, inviolable,” he said. On the issue of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, Bongbong Marcos assured that it will be used to continue to assert our country’s territorial rights. “It’s not a claim, it’s a territorial right. That’s what the arbitral ruling can do to help us,” he said, promising that we “will not allow a single square millimeter” of our maritime rights to be trampled upon.
That being said, I believe that our relationship with other countries that have conflicting maritime claims, among them China, will continue along the path started by President Duterte who reached out not only to resolve issues but to have strong economic ties with them. While we value our friendship with old allies like the United States, we certainly want to reach out to other nations – and this is not a motherhood statement but a fact that we need to accept. During our meeting with U.S. embassy chargé d’affaires Heather Variava who paid a courtesy visit to the presidentelect at his campaign headquarters, BBM reiterated his continuing belief that the United States, a longtime ally and friend of the Philippines, must continue to work together not only in regional security but more on economic cooperation for the recovery of the global economy. “No one country can do it alone,” he said. Needless to say, the White
House was very pleased with the telephone conversation between President Joe Biden and president-elect Marcos. During my private meeting with him last week after I arrived from Washington, he requested me to stay on in Washington as his ambassador. Of course, I am more than honored to be his ambassador, but more than that – to do whatever I can in helping him succeed. By noon of June 30, we will witness another historic occasion that should make us proud that our democratic system – while not perfect – is very much functioning. Once again allow me to reiterate: For those who have strong doubts about the incoming president, judge him not by the past but by what he intends to do for our beloved country. (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.
*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
Buckle up: It’ll be a bumpy ride in the next six years of ‘democracy’ under Marcos if…
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PENDING the decision of an enlightened Philippine Supreme Court (SC) on petitions to disqualify/cancel the candidacy of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, then we Filipinos should fasten our seatbelts. If the weeks prior to June 30 oath taking of Marcos will be an indicator, then we are in for a bumpy ride — far worse than what we’ve experienced in the past six years under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. While even more questions arise on the legitimacy of his candidacy built on his selfdeclared primary motivation to save the Marcos family name, and they have been doing everything to win at all cost. To win at all cost would entail using lies, deception and misrepresentation, allegedly peddled by an army of paid trolls and “influencers” to “refresh” the Marcos brands, and to rewrite history by twisting the facts and fabricating narratives in order to sow so much hate against the Aquinos and Leni Robredo. This toxic disinformation has been employed to program the mind of susceptible Filipino people that they — the opposition, including the mainstream media -- are the enemies of the people, while Bongbong and his family are the "true heroes" who can
make the Philippines great again by continuing the “golden years” of the presidency of the deposed dictator, Ferdinand E. Marcos. To win at all costs would also allegedly include forming the “UniTeam” — the unified forces of traditional politicians and political dynasties, including those already convicted of plunder, graft and abuse of power — all motivated to keep the status quo, hold on to power, and enrich themselves using their public post in betrayal of public trust. To win at all costs would also allegedly include employing vote buying, using “hakot” and cheating using computer programming to ensure the Marcos and Duterte victory. And so as we wait for the SC to decide on the two petitions, and as we wait for the Commission of Elections (Comelec) to even act on the alleged violations against the Omnibus Election Code, we look at any signs that might give us a glimmer hope that indeed, the sin of the father would not be the sin of the son. Unfortunately, what we have been hearing and seeing now so far would make it feel like the Philippines has retrogressed back to the Marcos Sr. years. Up to this point, Bongbong Marcos has not yet presented to the Filipino people the details of his vision, platform and programs — something that a candidate
would have to start with before running for office. But because his primary motivation is to clear the Marcos family name, he has failed to work on this number one requirement that would have been the basis of the Filipino people to make an informed decision when compared with those of other candidates running for President. “Unity” was his answer to everything, and he did not even join any debates (except the one produced by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s SMNI) to face the Filipino people, the independent truth warrior journalists tasked with asking hard questions, fact checking, and scrutinizing whatever vision, platforms, and programs he was offering the nation. “Unity” does not qualify as a valid platform. After being "presidentelect", Marcos had a “press conference,” but he did not invite members of the free independent press other than SMNI, Net25 and GMA 7 — all deemed to be “friendly” to Marcos. No hard probing questions were asked on behalf of the Filipino people who need clarity about how he would run the country in the next six years. Bongbong could not even articulate his plans to solve the pressing problems plaguing the nation, his foreign policy and principles on international relations, which would cover
our dispute with China on our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. It also took him a long time to announce his appointees for cabinet positions. Some were encouraged about his choices to lead his economic/financial team, but more are alarmed that his appointees for the other cabinet posts were chosen not because of their merit, qualification, knowledge and expertise about the departments and institution they will be heading but based on their “loyalty” to Marcos and Duterte, how they have helped him/them in this campaign. To discuss some of them: Vice President-elect Sara Duterte was picked as Department of Education Secretary, and people are concerned about further revisionism of history in favor of the Duterte and Marcos legacies at the expense of the truth and the facts of what truly happened in our nation’s recent history. Trixie Cruz-Angeles was appointed Press Secretary, thanks to her vlog defending Marcos by spreading disinformation. Cruz was slapped with a threeyear suspension by the SC for violating provisions of the Code of Professional Responsibility. Bongbong Marcos, however, did not designate a presidential spokesperson because he said he would be the one who would
personally face the media, and his non transparency during the campaign period is a red flag. Broadcaster Erwin Tulfo was appointed Secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development, bypassing career officials in the department. The Tulfo brothers were staunch Marcos and Duterte supporters. Worse, Tourism Secretary Bernas Romulo-Puyat confirmed that the P60 million in ad placement fees paid to Ben Tulfo’s Bitag Media has not yet been returned to the department. As ABS-CBN News reported, state auditors flagged the payment for “possible conflict of interest” because the former tourism chief, Wanda Teo, is Tulfo’s sister. The Tulfos have not returned the money despite their declaration to do so. Duterte Transparency and accountability are two important principles that are required in democracy as they keep the public servants in check, knowing that they are NOT above the law, and should therefore be embodied by public officials even during the campaign period. If they could not be honest and transparent during the campaign , what more could we expect from them when they are accorded public trust and the power of the office they are voted and/or appointed to? What would be our basis of knowing that they are not abusing
their power, especially when it comes to handling taxpayers money? How can they be held accountable if the people who surround them are their family members and political allies? How can Bongbong Marcos lead a country toward the eradication of graft and corruption when his own family has not been made accountable for their transgressions against the country? How can we end impunity in the Philippines when Marcos himself would say we need to forget the past despite the abuse of power of public officials, who continue to be accorded so much power by being in government, including the Marcos and Duterte families and their minions? How could there ever be justice under the Marcos presidency? *** 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
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Next Senate minority bloc eyed to have at least three members MANILA — Reelectionist Sen. Risa Hontiveros hopes that there will be at least three lawmakers who will be part of the Senate minority bloc in the upcoming Congress, but believes that strength in numbers are not as important as having a "true minority." Hontiveros won another term in the Upper House, but is the lone opposition candidate who made it to the so-called "Magic 12" in this year's polls. "Umaasa kami na at least tatlo kung hindi man mas marami at dahil nang nasabi ko dati, hindi naman ang pinakaimportante ay ang absolute number ng minorya. Ang pinakamahalaga ay tunay na minorya kami," she told
reporters in an interview at the Senate building on Wednesday. ("We are hoping that there will be at least three or more members, but as I said before, having an absolute number is not the most important. What is the most important is having a true minority.") She explained that a "true minority" will act as a check, serve as a fiscalizer, and work with members of the majority as well. Talks are currently ongoing with possible members of the minority, including Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, although Hontiveros said "he can speak for himself." Hontiveros, who was
proclaimed senator-elect on May 18 at the Philippine International Convention Center, earlier said she is hopeful that members of the opposition in Congress can remain a "true and effective minority" despite possible supermajorities in both chambers. Consensus is needed in passing legislation, but the minority is there to scrutinize them to serve as a check. The Senate Minority Floor Leader, the post of which is being held by Sen. Franklin Drilon in the current Congress, is tasked to "constructively criticize" the majority's programs and policies, among others, according to the Senate website. (Philstar.com)
MONDAY TRAFFIC. Motorists experience bumper-to-bumper morning traffic along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday, May 30. The volume of vehicular traffic has dramatically increased as Metro Manila and 62 other places in the country have been placed under the most lenient Alert Level 1 classification until June 15. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
DOTr disputes NAIA ranking Group questions suggestions for next as worst business class airport by richmond
mercurio Philstar.com
MANILA — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has called a study ranking the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as the world’s worst business class airport “unsubstantiated,” saying that the gateway has come a long way under the Duterte administration. The DOTr and NAIA-operator Manila International Airport Authority in a joint statement highlighted the improvements they have undertaken in the past six years for the country’s main gateway. “While the study shows unfavorable rating and unsubstantiated claims about NAIA, it cannot be denied that significant improvements have been carried out in the country’s main gateway in the past six years under the Duterte administration,” the statement said. The DOTr said under Secretary Arthur Tugade, the agency has stamped out longstanding issues that have tarnished the reputation of the NAIA for years, such as the infamous “laglag-bala” extortion scheme and “bukas-bagahe” or baggage pilferage scheme. “We should also not turn a blind eye to the remarkable developments reached that aim to improve the services at the airport, such as the rehabilitation and upgrade of the airport facilities, including its terminals and runways,” it said.
EMPLOYMENT
The DOTr said more projects are still in the pipeline to improve the airport’s facilities and its services to ensure a safe, reliable, convenient and comfortable travel experience to the air riding public. “Despite challenges, setbacks and criticisms, it is undeniable that the country’s main gateway – the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – has come a long way from where it was before,” the agency said. NAIA has been named the worst airport in the world for business class travelers by global luggage storage app Bounce, recording a score of 0.88 out of 10. Bounce said the study looked at the biggest airports in the world by passenger volume, analyzing them on various factors such as the number of lounges, number of destinations that the airport serves, annual on-time flights and the airport’s Skytrax rating. It said the NAIA got the worst score in three categories: its number of destinations, on-time performance and rating from Skytrax. The DOTr, for its part, said Bounce is a luggage storage business that operates in several airports in the U.S. and Asia, but has no operation whatsoever in the Philippines. In response to the claims in the study, the DOTr said NAIA is a destination airport and not a hub airport, which is why there are not many business class lounges and onward destinations. “The number of destinations
is dictated by and determined through bilateral and air services negotiations,” the agency said. “Passengers using business class lounges are those passing thru for brief business trips or for stop over to take their onward/ connecting flight to their final destinations. Airlines primarily determine their need to put up business class lounges for their customers. Business class lounges abound in hub airports, which NAIA is not,” it said. The DOTr also noted that it is highly implausible that the ontime performance contributed to the NAIA’s supposedly worst rating. “To recall, during the last quarter of 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic hit), the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines reported that the airlines’ running on-time performance average was 83 percent – a far cry from the previous OTP of 40 percent in 2016,” it said. “Lastly, the Skytrax website showed that NAIA had a 3-star rating. The 3-star rating is applied where staff service standards or the production facilities are fair or average,” the agency said. The DOTr said NAIA has made it to the top 10 of the world’s most improved airports based on the 2018 World Airport Awards, also conducted by Skytrax. “Since then, we have already undertaken more improvements in our facilities, all geared to improve the entire passenger experience of a traveler,” it said. g
admin to continue ‘bloody’ drug war by Gabriel
Pabico Inquirer.net
lalu
MANILA — Suggestions for the next administration to continue the war on drugs despite a “damning” report from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) heaped criticisms from a rights group, saying that the anti-drug campaign has been bloody and deadly. In a statement on Tuesday, May 31, Karapatan called out outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte for suggesting to President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the continuation of the drug war, which was supposedly made in some of the meetings between the two leaders. Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay claimed that the drug war only pushes for more killings and even more impunity. “Despite the CHR’s damning report indicting the Duterte administration for failing to protect human rights in the sham and bloody drug war, Duterte wants the incoming Marcos-Duterte administration to continue this murderous campaign,” Palabay said. “Without doubt, this only means more killings and even more impunity,” she added. Palabay was referring to the CHR report released mid-May, where the Commission said that the administration’s drug war only encouraged impunity and
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failed to protect the people’s rights. CHR remained firm on its assertions that there were many instances when law enforcers used excessive force and showed an intent to kill drug war suspects, citing that police have been using the “nanlaban” tag too much, or claims that suspects fought it out with the police. As of April 30, the so-called Real Numbers on the drug war released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency showed that 6,248 suspects have died in legitimate drug operations since Duterte took office on July 1, 2016. Palabay said the drug war should not continue as CHR’s report also highlighted that justice has not been provided to most of the drug war victims’ families. “The CHR’s report clearly states, verbatim, that ‘justice remains elusive’ for the victims of the sham drug war and their families, precisely because of the failure of domestic accountability mechanisms due to the Duterte administration’s blatant efforts to stonewall independent inquiries and investigations,” Palabay noted. “The ICC should therefore resume its investigations as soon as possible to prosecute Duterte,” she added. The war against illegal drugs
has been a landmark campaign of President Duterte, who ran in 2016 on a promise to rid the streets of illegal drugs in three to six months. Duterte and his allies have earned criticism for the drug war, not only because of failing to remove drugs from the country, but also due to the campaign being bloody and violent. However, there are some sectors that claim that the number is larger, leading to complaints against past and present PNP officials and President Duterte himself before the International Criminal Court (ICC), for allegedly committing the crime against humanity of murder. Last September 2021, the ICC pre-trial chamber authorized the start of the investigation of the drug war, acting upon the request of former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. But in November 2021, ICC granted the Philippine government’s request to stop the investigation of the drug war killings, with the latter claiming that the justice system in the country is fully functional. As of now, there has been only one case where police officers involved in the drug war were convicted — that of teenager Kian delos Santos, who was summarily executed despite surrendering and pleading innocent, according to court findings. g
HOUSING
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Applications must be received by 5PM on Friday, July 1, 2022. Apply online through DAHLIA, the SF Housing Portal at https://housing.sfgov.org. Due to COVID-19, applicants will apply online as we are not accepting paper applications. Applicants must complete first-time homebuyer education and obtain a loan pre-approval from an approved participating lender. For more information or assistance with your application, contact HomeownershipSF at (415) 202-5464 or info@homeownershipsf.org. For questions about the building and units, contact the Sales Office at (415) 829-7813 or bmr@88atthepark.com. Units available through the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and are subject to monitoring and other restrictions. Visit www.sfmohcd.org for program information.
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Three 1-bedroom rental unit available at $1,465.00 per month Two parking spaces available to BMR renters for an additional $100 a month and will be offered to households in lottery rank order. Must be income eligible and must not own a home. Households must earn no more than the maximum income levels below: 55% 1 person-$53,350; 2 persons-$60,950;3 persons - $68,600 Applications must be received by 5PM on Friday, June 24 2022. Apply online through DAHLIA, the SF Housing Portal -DAHLIA at housing.sfgov. org. Due to COVID-19, applicants will apply online as we are not accepting paper applications. Please contact the Imagine That Consulting for building information at (916) 686-4126 or 1463LombardBMR@gmail.com. Units available through the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and are subject to monitoring and other restrictions. Visit www.sfmohcd.org for program information.
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Community
JUNE 3-9, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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Mayor Breed announces balanced budget that focuses Project PEARLS & Saint Joseph’s Arts on building San Francisco back from COVID-19 Foundation show how heroes & Two-year budget commits to strengthening economic recovery, restoring public safety, supporting workers and families, and building on efforts to reduce homelessness and address behavioral health
SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor London N. Breed on Wednesday, June 1 unveiled her budget proposal for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The annual $13.95 billion for FY 2022-23 and $13.85 billion for FY 2023-24 follows months of collaborative work with elected officials, City departments, non-profit organizations, neighborhood groups, merchants, residents, and other stakeholders. Approximately half of the budget consists of self-supporting activities, primarily at the City’s Enterprise departments, which focus on City-related business operations and include the Port, the Municipal Transportation Agency, the Airport, and the Public Utilities Commission. The General Fund comprises the remaining half, which support public services such as public health, housing, support for those experiencing homelessness, safety and fire services, parks management, and others. “San Francisco is getting back to basics, which means focusing on our economic recovery, creating a safe and welcoming city for all, supporting workers, children and families, and continuing the investments we’ve made to reduce homelessness in this city,” said Mayor Breed. “We have a lot of work to do, but by building on these core services that our residents deserve, we can do the work of bringing our city back from the challenges of COVID and create a brighter future.” Economic recovery The Mayor’s proposed budget invests $48.9 million over the two years to promote the city’s economic recovery. This will include new direct support for small businesses, as well as new events, activations, public space improvements, and marketing efforts to support areas that rely on workers, tourists, and other visitors. The funding proposal will also continue the city’s existing Ambassador programs located in areas like MidMarket, Union Square, Downtown, South of Market, and along the Embarcadero. The Mayor’s proposed budget also includes $7.2 million over the two years to support an enhanced Tenderloin cleaning initiative, which will expand Public Works’ current cleaning operations in the area. In addition to enhanced cleaning efforts, the Mayor’s proposed budget includes $5.0 million over the two years to support enforcement of the street vending ordinance, developed in partnership with the Board of Supervisors. Public safety and alternatives to policing Since the beginning of COVID-19, the Police Department has experienced both a high rate of officer attrition and difficulty attracting new officers to the Department. To address this, the Mayor will fund a Police Hiring Plan to fill the City’s approximately 200 vacant police officer positions. The budget supports this plan by providing: • Academy Classes: Resources to support four academy classes in each fiscal year, backfilling a total of 220 officers over the two years. • Recruitment: Adjusting entry-level step salary for incoming officers, making San Francisco a more competitive department compared to other Bay Area cities. The budget also provides funding to develop recruitment tools and strategies. • Retention: Funding to offer retention bonuses to officers at 5- and 15-years of service to promote longevity and reduce the department’s high attrition rate. • Modernizing department functions and continuing to promote reform. In addition to funding the ongoing police reform work underway, the budget adds 12 new professional staff positions over the next two years to continue reform work and sufficiently support Public Records Act requests. The city made significant investments during the last budget cycle to develop new alternatives to law enforcement response strategies. This budget maintains investments for the Street Crisis Response Teams (SCRT), Street Wellness Response Teams (SWRT), and Street Opioid Response Team (SORT). Further expanding on these investments, the Mayor’s proposed budget invests in strengthening community-based outreach teams to improve the city’s response to non-emergency and non-medical calls for service that had been the responsibility of law enforcement previously. Enhancements include new Crisis Counselors, which will be embedded in the 9-1-1 Call Center and can help to respond to mental and behavioral health calls as part of the City’s services-first strategy. Homelessness and behavioral health The city has made bold new investments in homelessness and housing over the last several years through the Mayor’s Homelessness Recovery Plan, which has helped the city experience a 15% reduction in unsheltered homelessness, according to the latest point-in-time count. Building on these efforts, the proposed budget includes funding for ongoing operations of 410 new adult shelter beds in a non-congregate or semi-congregate setting that were acquired in the current fiscal year, as well as continuing operations for three Shelter-in-Place (SIP) hotels that would otherwise close at the end of 2022. The proposed budget also continues funding for Safe Sleep sites in the Mission and Bayview districts, a 70-unit cabin site on Gough Street, and adds onetime funding to create a new 70-unit cabin site in the Mission. The Mayor’s proposed budget also invests in strategies to end homelessness and provide housing subsidies for transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) residents who disproportionally face barriers to housing, services, and employment. These investments fund a citywide strategic goal to end Transgender Homelessness in the next five years. The Mayor’s proposed budget includes funding to continue the implementation of key aspects of Mental Health SF. Expanding the city’s behavioral health treatment bed capacity remains a priority, and the budget includes $57.5 million over the two years for the operation of newly-acquired bed facilities. This funding will support the goal of reaching 400 beds, greatly improving access to these services for those who need them most. Labor and wage equity The most significant, ongoing investment in the upcoming two-year budget is a $240 million investment in the city’s public and non-profit workforce. This includes providing a 10 percent wage increase over the period of the two-year budget for non-sworn city workers. The budget also fully restores a 3 percent wage increase for the city’s sworn employee unions. It also increases wages for non-profit workers next fiscal year, in
Mayor London N. Breed
line with increases for public sector employees. Additionally, the budget further invests in the wages of frontline staff in the city’s permanent supportive housing buildings, including case managers, janitors and desk clerks. The Mayor’s proposed budget also includes ongoing funding for early educator raises that were recently launched by the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Early Care and Education (OECE). This investment will maintain the $8,000 to $30,000 annual raises of the over 2,000 cityfunded early educators, enabling educators to be more fairly paid for their crucial work, and also helping attract new, quality educators to the field. Children, youth, and families The proposed budget includes nearly $25 million each year to support four recommendations from the Mayor’s Children and Family Recovery Plan, providing childcare vouchers for low-income families and transition-aged young adults with children; increased staffing, and parental support and training at Family Resource Centers; and the creation of an improved system to help families identify and sign up for services. The Mayor’s proposed budget aims to support overall child and family wellness through an annual $5 million investment. These funds will support UCSF hospital clinicians to work with community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide onsite support to children and youth, train and coach CBO staff to identify signs and symptoms of mental health needs, provide clinical support to CBO staff, and increase agency capacity to provide wellness and referral services. One-Time projects and housing The Mayor’s proposed budget makes significant one-time investments in housing and other projects that span a wide range of needs. The budget adds funding to increase the number of units subsidized under the existing Senior Operating Subsidies program, funding for emergency repairs and capital improvements identified in existing nonprofit affordable housing projects, and funding to meet the needs of the Sunnydale Commercial and Community Center. This funding will be targeted towards a gym and community center that are envisioned for this HOPE SF project. Hiring and contracting reform The city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years demonstrated what’s possible when city departments collaborate and move quickly in a crisis. But the collective focus on the emergency health response also created delays in hiring, contracting, and other city processes. The Mayor’s proposed budget funds a new project team across the City Administrator’s Office, the Controller, the Department of Human Resources, and the City Attorney to develop and implement reforms to core city processes that will promote faster hiring and contracting and ultimately improve the provision of services across city government. This budget also makes investments in several city departments including the City Administrator’s Office, Public Works, Public Health, and others to increase human resources staffing to more help bring more people into city employment. Investments in capital and information technology The proposed budget prioritizes investments in critical infrastructure, including $216 million over the two-years for capital infrastructure investments, funded through a mix of General Fund and debt-support, which will prevent the city from falling far behind on its capital and infrastructure needs. Notable capital investments include renovation of the Chinatown Public Health Center, street and sidewalk repairs, seismic retrofit planning for the family shelters, ADAcompliant renovations, and critical roof repairs to several City buildings. Financial resiliency Despite the stark economic impact of COVID-19, San Francisco weathered the last several budget cycles without any layoffs or major service reductions, all while making critical investments that support vulnerable residents and recovery. This would not have been possible without making fiscally responsible choices – years of building and maintaining reserves and constraining new, ongoing spending. Given great uncertainty about the future of the local economy, it has never been more important to maintain reserves. In order to hedge against growing structural deficits and the need to reduce expenditures, the proposed budget leaves approximately $130 million in the Fiscal Cliff Reserve, established in the prior budget cycle to protect against dramatic projected shortfalls due to the loss of one-time federal revenue. Mayor Breed’s complete budget proposal for FY 2022-23 and 2023-24 can be found at https:// sfmayor.org/mayors-office-public-policy-andfinance-0. The Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold public hearings on the budget in June, makes recommendations for approval, and makes changes to the budget before it goes to the full Board. The entire budget is heard and must be voted on and approved by the full Board of Supervisors by August 1. Finally, the budget returns to the Mayor for signature and final adoption. (SF Mayor’s Office Release)
dreamers break cycles of poverty
Families living in extreme poverty in the Philippines will benefit from fundraiser ‘A String of PEARLS’ at Saint Joseph’s Arts Foundation, featuring Chaz Bear, Franco Finn SAN FRANCISCO – On June 12, 2022, Project PEARLS & Saint Joseph’s Arts Foundation will be hosting one of their most important fundraisers, “A String of PEARLS: A Scholarship Benefit” taking place at Saint Joseph Arts Foundation (1401 Howard Street, San Francisco), from 4-7 p.m., which is centrally located in the SOMA Pilipinas cultural district. The funds raised will support the scholarships of over a hundred college scholars who are living in extreme poverty. Project PEARLS is a nonprofit organization on a mission to help children and families break the cycle of poverty in the Philippines through education, literacy, empowerment, nutrition, and healthcare. Project PEARLS is much more than the band-aid charity it started out as 12 years ago. With a small, dedicated staff supported by hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers in the Philippines and in the U.S., it is now a heart-centered nonprofit that implements effective programs to educate, empower, nourish, and deliver healthcare to thousands of children and adults in a handful of underserved communities throughout the islands. The organization is now reaching a huge milestone in following students from kindergarten through college. In the next three years, over 100 scholars will be in college. Project Pearls scholar, Princess Soria, was born and raised in the slums of Tondo where her single mother and other two siblings were working in charcoal pits. She was enrolled in the project’s Scholarship Program when she was 12. She is graduating this June with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Far Eastern University. She has been to New York in 2018 to represent Project PEARLS and Philippines at the United Nations Summit for Women and Girls. “I was only in 5th grade when I became a Project PEARLS scholar. As a child, I worked in the charcoal factory to help my family have food on the table and for me to have school allowance. I never thought I would finish elementary school but this June, I am graduating from college with a degree in Psychology. With the help of Project PEARLS, it is possible to dream big and make those dreams realities,” Soria said. Their family now lives in a relocation village in Bulacan which Project PEARLS also serves. The pandemic pushes millions more Filipinos into poverty. The Philippines Statistic Authority reports that an estimated 23.7% of the population of 110 million live in poverty. Project PEARLS is committed to break that cycle of poverty by educating and empowering its scholars, their families, and their communities. Melissa Villa, founder and Executive Director, has this to say, “Twelve years ago, I met these children living in the slum community in Manila. They were covered in soot, flies and dirt. Children as young as three years old were already helping their parents in scavenging
garbage or in making charcoal. With their inquiring minds, they made me realize that they are not just hungry for food, they are very hungry for education. So, we launched a Scholarship Program to put these children to school and out of the dumpsite working. We started with over 40 preschool scholars and now, we have over 700 scholars from preschool to college who are more hopeful to get out of poverty.” The benefit show will include a live and silent auction, music, cocktails, food and an unbridled celebration of the power of a community reaching out to help the most vulnerable populations. Join host and auctioneer, Franco Finn, a.k.a. The Warriors “Hype Man”. Headliner is Chaz Bear, known professionally as Toro y Moi, a Filipino-American singer, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer from San Francisco Bay Area. Guest Performers are Kat Damian, DJ ET – both FilipinoAmericans from San Francisco Bay Area. Featured Partner is The City Eats, a non-profit organization dedicated to unifying the community through the purpose of eradicating hunger amongst the inner-city homeless population. Featured Designers are Vinta Gallery, a bespoke and readyto-wear modern Filipiniana and Filipino-inspired fashion & accessories. Evaro Italia, an Italian luxury women’s wear inspired by nature and Italian culture that offer a range of beautifully crafted pieces that bring sophistication and elegance to contemporary fashion. Culinary Highlights Yana Gilbuena, a Philippineborn, critically-acclaimed, ancestrally-taught chef, started the SALO Series as a way to educate folks about the history, culture and rich heritage embedded in Filipino cuisine. Her work centers on the decolonization/redigenization through food. Yana will be serving her delicious and creative dishes to the VIP guests. Matteo Lavorini is a professional truffle hunter from Italy who has been working in the
business for 12 years, combining his passion for nature, animals and cooking. Matteo is also a chef specializing in mushroom and truffle dishes that he will serve to the VIP guests at the event. He will also have Matteo Truffle products to auction and to sell. The Sarap Shop specializes in nostalgic Filipino-American comfort food, with menus designed to make every-vore feel welcomed. Their food truck will be at the event. Live & Silent Auction items include: • NBA Golden State Warriors memorabilia package – autographed jerseys of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson plus on the court experience with Franco Finn the Warriors "Hype Man" • All-inclusive Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 5-day vacation for two • 5-night stay in Waikiki Beach Resort for two • Tickets for 2 to an upcoming Toro y Moi show and 5 signed merchandise. • Nobu Hotel Stay and Dining for two • Modern Filipiniana clothing from VINTA Gallery • Italian luxury women’s wear and accessories from Evaro Italia. General admission tickets is priced at $50 (will feed 15 children in need). VIP tickets start at $2500: Tickets for four; early admission; exclusive cabaret table seating; full service of drinks and hearty hors d'oeuvres from Chef Yana AND Matteo Truffles; Your ASPIRATION Tickets will send one scholar to college for a year and will provide 600 meals to children and families in need. $1500 will be tax deductible. VIP Tickets for $5000: Tickets for eight; early admission; exclusive salon seating; full service of drinks and hearty hors d'oeuvres from Chef Yana AND Matteo Truffles; Your ASPIRATION Tickets will send two scholars to college for a year and will provide 600 meals to children and families in need. $3500 will be tax deductible Tickets and Corporate Sponsorships are available at https://projectpearls.givesmart. com. (Project Pearls Release)
ConGen Ferrer meets Stop AAPI Hate co-founder Dr. Russell Jeung during AAPI Heritage Month SAN FRANCISCO – Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer met with Dr. Russell Jeung, co-founder of the advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate (https:// stopaapihate.org/) on Tuesday, May 24, at the Sentro Rizal San Francisco. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. every May. Dr. Jeung underscored that Stop AAPI Hate advocates for policy changes and works to prevent hate crimes and racism through education and civil rights expansion. “We want to prevent hate before it becomes a crime,” he said. Consul General Ferrer thanked Dr. Jeung for his advocacy work and emphasized that the Consulate is ready to collaborate with Stop AAPI Hate to help prevent anti-Asian hate and foster understanding among communities. “We condemn all forms of racism and harassment directed towards any particular race, ethnic group or community,” said Consul General Ferrer. Stop AAPI Hate is a coalition that was formed amid rising xenophobia and racism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stop AAPI also runs a reporting center and provides reports and related resources on its website: https://stopaapihate. org/. Stop AAPI Hate tracks discrimination, violence, bullying and injustice against Asian Americans in the U.S., with the aim of advancing equity through education and advocating for policy changes to dismantle systemic racism. (San Francisco PCG Release)
Dr. Russell Jeung (left), Co-founder of STOP AAPI Hate, and Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Frank R. Ferrer.
Dr. Russell Jeung, Co-founder of STOP AAPI Hate (third from left), talks with Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco officers: (from left) Vice Consul Adrian Audrey Baccay, Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer, Deputy Consul General Raquel R. Solano, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona. Photos courtesy of San Francisco PCG
Co m m u n ity Jo u Rn A L
FILIPINO
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THE ASIAN JOURNAL
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Friday, June 3, 2022
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Summer promotions are here at Graton Casino! ROHNERT PARK – In this hot summer, come to the allround leisure and entertainment destination – Graton Resort & Casino – to cool down the heat! The last Friday of June and July there is Big Ford Truck Giveaway, where it is guaranteed to give out a Ford F-150 at 10 p.m. and cash prize drawings every hour from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Plus, there will be one (1) winner of $10,000 cash at 11 p.m. – and it is waiting for you to be the winner! And, starting from today till Aug 25, every Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Beat the Heat Slot Tournaments will be held, with the top prize up to $15,000 cash, and total prizes up to $500,000! All reward members get one free entry into each tournament. For more information related to the promotion, please visit
GratonResortCasino.com or call 707-588-7100. In addition to the exciting entertainment gaming, Graton Resort & Casino will also host three concerts “Vietnamese Night Summer Concert,” “Filipino Hitmakers Concert” and “William So Concert” on 6/3, 6/25 and 9/2 respectively. Many popular Vietnamese singers and artists will perform on June 3. The lineup includes: MC Ky Duyên, HÀ Thanh Xuân, Đan Nguyên, Minh Tuyet, Nguyen Hong Nhung, Trinh Lam, Lam Anh, Vân Son, Bao Liêm, Ky Phuong Uyên, Nguyun Hung… Their diverse performance at the concert will leave you with an unforgettable memory! Th Filipino Hitmakers Concert will be held on June 25. The concert will feature
performances by Marco Sison, Hajji Alejandro, Rey Valera and Nonoy Zuñiga. The concert also features Pops Fernandez as a special guest. This is going to be the hottest party of the summer! William So, the "Prince of Love Songs," will perform on the night of September 2. With his charming voice, he will bring his masterpieces such as “Men Shouldn’t Let Women Cry,” “Na Shui,” “Ai Yi Ge Ren Hao Nan,” “More Kisses, More Sorrows.” We believe that fans who grew up listening to his music will gather for a fun and memorable evening. Tickets are selling out fast. Please purchase tickets online at GratonResortCasino.com as soon as possible. Don't miss out on these rare opportunities! PAGE 12
YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT IN CHICAGO. Leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel (2nd from right) answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in Chicago in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Among the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are: From Ann (right): My mother was petitioned by her sister (our aunt) years ago. But by the time the petition was approved, only our youngest sister was able to come with our mother since my sister and I had aged out. Our aunt is still alive. Is there still a chance for my other sister to come to the U.S. via the Child Status Protection Act? From Mike and Maria (3rd and 4th from left): My mother petitioned my sister 15 years ago, but she passed away in 2018. I (Maria) submitted an I-864 (Affidavit of Support) in place of our late mother. How long would it take for the California Service Center to respond to our request for humanitarian reinstatement? Watch Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in Chicago on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, June 5 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in Chicago on Part 1 of a series of Q&A on Citizen Pinoy LEADING U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel visited Chicago, where he answered questions from Kapamilya from the “Windy City” and neighboring areas. In Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” viewers will hear answers to the following immigration concerns: Maria’s mother petitioned her sister 15 years ago but passed away in 2018. Maria asks if she can bring her sister to the U.S. by submitting an Affidavit of Support and if so, how long would it take for the California Service Center to respond. Dahlia’s mother tried to bring her children to the U.S. via her
H1B visa 29 years ago. Their mother also attempted to bring her granddaughter as well, pretending that she was her youngest daughter. Her mother was caught and her H1-B was revoked. Dahlia wants to know if she can petition her mother now that she (Dahlia) is an American Citizen. Pauline wants to know the easiest way for her to get a green card if she came to the U.S. as a tourist and then changed her status to an F-1 (Student). Ann’s mother was petitioned by her sister (Ann’s aunt) years ago. By the time the petition was approved, only her youngest sister was able to come to the U.S. with
their mother, since Ann and her other sister had aged out. Ann wants to know if there is still a chance for her other sister to immigrate to the U.S. via the Child Status Protection Act. Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from Chicago. Watch this brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, June 5 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)
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JUNE 3-9, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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‘Not really interested’: Creating safe working environments: Rajeev Agarwal James quashes dating rumors shares how Sales Rain thrived amid COVID-19 by
ritchel Mendiola AJPress
THE COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way businesses work. With the virus limiting social interaction, corporations across the globe were forced to close their offices and send their workers home. In turn, the demand for office spaces gradually decreased as employees adapted to remote work. In the Philippines, a 13.9% office vacancy was recorded at the end of the third quarter last year, according to professional services and investment management firm Colliers. It also recorded the least office transaction volume, at around 69,000 square meters amid the Delta variant surge of COVID-19. Still, some seat leasing services managed to avoid being severely impacted by the subdued office leasing activity in the country. One of them was Sales Rain, a premier office space provider with multiple sites in Manila. Rajeev Agarwal, Sales Rain CEO, shared with the Asian Journal how his company thrived and expanded despite the global health crisis. One step back, two steps forward According to Agarwal, the pandemic was a “one step back, two steps forward” process for Sales Rain. While they lost some clients to the crisis, the company’s quick response and strategic decisions successfully created new growth opportunities. “As everyone knows, office real estate was one of the hardest hit sectors during COVID,” Agarwal noted. “It was one step back, two steps forward for us… We did lose a few clients, but that make up was a very small portion of our business.” “On the brighter side, we gained some new clients,” he added. For this to happen, Agarwal said the company readily provided the “highest level of support” to its clients and helped them “with whatever we can during the tough times.” These include creating safe office spaces and assisting with vaccinations. “We provided discounts, more flexible terms, social distancing,
Sales Rain CEO Rajeev Agarwal
sanitized facilities, work from home and hybrid setups, on-site and off-site support, and help with the vaccination program,” he enumerated. Agarwal also attributed Sales Rain’s high retention rate to the sacrifices its own employees made amid the pandemic. “The kind of sacrifice our employees made being physically present in the offices, overcoming little to no transportation, and many other hardships were some of the key differentiators that helped us retain clients and win some new clients,” he stressed. Keeping in mind the constant threat of infection while working at an office, Agarwal said Sales Rain compensated by paying all of its employees, getting them vaccinated, and extending concern to their families. And unlike other companies that decided to let go some of its workforce, Sales Rain retained all of its own. Ushering growth and expansion Despite COVID-19 and its variants, Sales Rain remained a leader in providing premier seat leasing services, coworking spaces and private offices. Its client retention rate was more than 90%, and new offices and further expansions were welcomed before 2021 ended.
Agarwal pointed out that these are due in part to their existing clients growing during the pandemic. “One of our existing clients added the entire new floor in BGC,” he said. “Another client signed up for the entire new floor in Ortigas and additional floor again in Eastwood.” In June last year, Sales Rain announced its expansion in BGC to house multinational organizations and startup businesses across various industries. The new floor accommodated over 250 workstations and various workspaces, like conference halls, interview rooms, and training facilities. Likewise, Sales Rain expanded in Ortigas with the intent to provide outsourcing businesses with flexible and cost-effective workspace solutions. The new floor it acquired in One Corporate Center catered mostly to BPO and call center companies, having amenities such as common areas, meeting rooms, training rooms and sleeping quarters. Additionally, Agarwal announced that Sales Rain is opening its first office in Palawan soon, and that it’s already fully occupied, indicating the company’s relentless pursuit of creating sustainable working environments to serve and
accommodate clients better. “So overall our retention rate was more than 90% and very satisfactory given the situation,” Agarwal said. Office market recovery With the Philippines showing marked improvement in terms of handling the pandemic, property market experts have predicted the office space demand to grow in the next few months of 2022. Furthermore, the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector will remain as the country’s biggest demand driver in the local property market – something Agarwal himself has acknowledged. “The Philippines is a growing economy with a thriving BPO industry. It’s also home for topquality and hardworking people who are naturally hospitable and can speak good English,” he noted. According to him, the country is an ideal destination for business professionals who can work from anywhere. Of course, this is a prospect that Agarwal admitted to being excited over. “For those who are not required to be in the office full time, [the] work from home [setup] will evolve into work from anywhere. Now that travel restrictions are being lifted, digital nomads and some business professionals would want to explore the world and work from anywhere,” he explained. “The Philippines is a perfect destination for those. We currently have many domestic and international clients from over 20 different countries. We are very excited about our future prospects,” he added. For Sales Rain’s prospective customers, Agarwal assured that the company will continue to provide safe working environments that are both flexible and economical. “They can continue to expect the same dedication, service, pricing, and wholesome inclusions,” he said. Sales Rain is a renowned provider of world-class offices in prime business districts of the Philippines. It provides access to adaptable workspaces, competitive rates, and prime locations that guarantee immense growth for numerous business process outsourcing companies and startup businesses. (Advertising Supplement)
by Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
ACTOR and singer James Reid clarified that he is still single. In his recent interview with Chris Trondsen of Pacific Rim Video Press, James said he has no interest of having a relationship
Singer-actor James Reid
right now because of work. “Oh, we’re single, yes,” James said. “I’m not really interested right now. I’ve been trying to stay single for as long as possible just because there’s a lot that I’m trying to do right now,” he added.
Photo from Instagram/@james
Summer promotions are... PAGE 11
• “Vietnamese Night Summer Concert” Concert Date & Time: Friday, June 3, 2022, 8:30 p.m. Venue: The Event at Graton Resort & Casino 288 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Ticket Prices: $48, $68, $88 • “Filipino Hitmakers Concert” (Sold Out) Concert Date & Time: Saturday, June 25, 2022, 7 p.m. Venue: The Event at Graton Resort & Casino 288 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Ticket Prices: $58, $68 • “William So Concert” Updated Concert Date & Time: Friday, September 2, 2022, 9
p.m. Venue: The Event at Graton Resort & Casino 288 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Ticket Prices: $68, $88, $108 Located in Sonoma County, Graton Resort & Casino has a commanding presence among the rolling hills of Northern California's wine country. Owned and operated by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Graton Resort & Casino features table games, the latest slot machines, upscale and casual dining, plus entertainment options for visitors and locals alike. For more information, please visit www. gratonresortcasino.com. (Advertising Supplement)
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John Lloyd Cruz heads list of celebrity celebrityworld birthday celebrants in the month of June By Ferdie Villar
AWARD-WINNING actor John Lloyd Cruz heads the list of famous personalities celebrating their birthdays in the month of June. He turns 39 on Friday, June 24. One of the most successful movie actors in the Philippines, John Lloyd is a five-time Box Office King winner (given out by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation). He has also garnered Best Actor awards from the FAP/Luna, FAMAS, Gawad Urian and PMPC Star Awards, as well as Best Supporting Actor nods from FAMAS and the PMPC Star Awards.
Many of John Lloyd’s films over the years have been commercial successes. His movies with leading ladies like Sarah Geronimo, Toni Gonzaga and Bea Alonzo have earned hundreds of millions at the tills, with a few becoming among the highestgrossing films of all time in the Philippines. After a few years’ hiatus, John Lloyd made a comeback movie with “Servando Magdamag” which was directed by Lav Diaz. The versatile actor is said to be making a comeback movie with Jasmine Curtis-Smith, which reportedly started shooting in May after a long delay.
Estela Bejar McCovey, a former Mrs. United Nations International winner, celebrates her birthday on Saturday, June 11. John Lloyd Cruz (left) celebrates his 39th birthday on Friday, June 24. He is shown in photo above with beauty impresario Ferdie Villar (middle), who came up with the idea for the Box Office King and Queen Awards in the ‘60s, and actress Bea Alonzo (right), taken a few years back.
Vico Sotto, current Mayor of Pasig, will celebrate his 33rd birthday on Friday, June 17.
John Lloyd is currently being represented by Crown Artist Management, a talent agency established by actress Maja Salvador. He signed a contract with GMA-7 Network in November of 2021. The actor currently stars in the GMA-7 sitcom “Happy ToGetHer” which is directed by Edgar Mortiz. With John Lloyd in the sitcom are Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Miles Ocampo, Jason Gainza, Edgar Former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr. Mortiz, Eric Nicolas, Carmi celebrates his 84th birthday on Sunday, Martin, Janus del Prado, Badjie June 5.
Mortiz, Ashley Rivera, Kleggy Abaya, Wally Waley, Leo Bruno, Jenzel Angeles and Vito Quizon. John Lloyd has a son, Elias, whom he co-parents with actress Ellen Adarna (married to Derek Ramsay). Other June celebrants are: June 2: Dr. Loi Ejercito Estrada; June 3: Christine (TinTin) Garcia; June 4: Kundiman Queen Sylvia La Torre, multi-awarded movie actress Pacita Arana; June 5: Former Philippine
Louie Rubio, one of the best ballroom dancers in the Bay Area, celebrates his birthday on Monday, June 20.
Lambert Paniza, one of the most successful businessmen in the Peninsula area, will celebrate his birthday on Monday, June 13.
Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Wowowin dance choreographer Anna Feliciano; June 8: Former Mr. United Nations World winner Scott Ancheta; June 9: Hotel executive Ben Carian; June 11: Dancer/actor/musician Gabriel Valenciano, former Mrs. United Nationals International winner Estela Bejar McCovey; June 13: Veteran editor/ columnist/book author Julie Yap Daza, Daly City businessman Lambert Paniza; June 15: The late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, Philippine News Today owner/ publisher Francis Espiritu; June 17: Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto; June 19: Fiesta Filipina Cuisine
of Las. Vegas owner Ernie Guevarra; June 20: Ballroom Dancing King Louie Rubio; June 21: Former Ilocos Sur Governor and current Narvacan Mayor Luis (Chavit) Singson, former Miss R.P. Tourism and Miss Philippines runner-up Krystal Ann Dizon Grant; June 22: Colma community leader Aida Viray; June 24: Burlingame business executive Mightor Garcia; June 25: Actress/model Andi Eigenmann; June 27: Former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo; June 30: Bank executive Bernie de Barrio. To all June birthday celebrants, Many Happy Returns of the Day!
Grand opening of Sky River Casino coming soon! A new gaming destination in Elk Grove, CA SKY River Casino, the much-anticipated and long-awaited new gaming destination in Northern California, is scheduled for grand opening in Fall 2022. Having officially broken ground on March 9, 2021, this $500 million gaming development in Elk Grove, South Sacramento is right off Highway 99, a convenient commute from nearby cities. An Asian brand identity has been developed for Sky River to visually communicate to prospective guests a format which demonstrates how the property is an Asian-friendly destination. Besides creating a Chinese name for the property, an auspicious icon – a Vermilion Bird – has been designed and added to the logo. This elegant and noble bird symbolizes prosperity and elegance, bringing pride and prosperity to all Asian guests. Sky River Casino offers over 100,000 square feet of gaming space, with 2,000 slot machines, 80 table games, poker rooms, high-limit VIP rooms, and 15 global eateries, including SR Prime Steakhouse, Japanese cuisine Fukuro by Kru, and a one-stop food plaza called The Market, which will offer a superb dining experience with a variety of delicacies from all over the world. In addition, the property is slated to have a spa, hotel, shopping outlets and the largest convention center in the area. Sky River Casino is a joint venture by the Native American tribe Wilton Rancheria in Sacramento and the well-known Boyd Gaming Corporation headquartered in Las Vegas. Boyd Gaming is a diversified operator of 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states nationwide, offering its guests an outstanding gaming experience, delivered with unwavering attention to customer service. Sky River Casino offers 2,000 of the most popular slot machines, 80 table games, poker rooms, high-limit VIP rooms, and 14 global eateries and a gourmet food plaza. Right off Highway 99, Sky River Casino is only a 15-minute drive from Sacramento and a little over an hour drive from downtown San Francisco and Oakland. For more information, please visit http://www.skyriver.com/ or follow Sky River Casino on Facebook or Instagram. Sky River Casino is located at 1 Sky River Parkway, Elk Grove, CA 95757. (Advertising. Supplement)
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Features
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 3-9, 2022
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Pahrump Balloon Festival is back! by RealtoR
Fely Quitevis-Bateman
THE 9th Annual Pahrump Balloon Festival is back on the table and will take place this fall, from November 11 to November 13. According to an article in the Pahrump Valley Times, the event, which has generated keen interest from the town’s residents, is scheduled over the Veterans Day weekend at Petrack Park, and will feature a lot of activities for people of all ages. Of course, the main feature of the Pahrump Balloon Festival will be the hot air balloons that will launch throughout the weekend. Organizers said that they are expecting more brand-new balloons to launch and fly over Pahrump that will capture the attention of event-goers. Also at the event, there will also be the ever-popular carnival and three bounce houses for youngsters, as well as food vendors on site and merchandise vendors for attendees to buy all sorts of gifts and souvenirs. Aside from these, a car show will take place on the north soccer fields after the balloon launches, corn hole and horseshoe tournaments, and music for entertainment. As the Pahrump Balloon Festival happens over the Veterans Day weekend, organizers are arranging something special in honor of those who have served the
country. There will be a sunrise Veterans Day ceremony to be held on the first day of the event (Nov. 11, Veterans Day) that will feature more flair than usual. The planned ceremony “will see a hot air balloon rise over the field during the ceremony, from which a parachuter will jump and unfurl the red, white and blue glory of the American flag.” Per the article, the local VFW Riders group will be taking part in the ceremony and will provide the color guard that will present the colors. As an added attraction to the event, a “turkey drop” (not a live turkey, mind you) will be done at the final day of the event, with balloon pilots scattering certificates for free turkeys over the park on Sunday morning. How exciting is that? Attend the event, and you may even get your Thanksgiving bird for free! Many residents and supporters are glad that the Pahrump Balloon Festival is back on the calendar. Earlier this year, the event had been canceled until Doug Dubin and Doug Campbell went before the Nye County Commission to request a festival permit. After addressing concerns from the commissioners, including parking and location of the carnival, the organizers received unanimous approval for the permit.
Photo above shows a 3,000-plus square-foot building on Acoma Ave. that will be on the market soon.
Of course, this is just one of the many activities taking place year-round in Pahrump. The town has plenty to offer in terms of recreational activities for residents and visitors – the town is no longer the sleepy town it once was. Golf, a popular sport across America and an activity that many Americans (and kababayans) take pleasure in, can be had at the Mountain Falls Golf Club designed by famed acrchitecture firms Nicklaus Design Group and Cal Olson Design. The 18-hole golf course and country club with breathtaking views is also capable of hosting events of all
types – weddings, holiday parties, corporate events. Tennis, bowling, martial arts, horseback riding and cycling are just some of the recreational and sports activities that can be done in Pahrump. There are leagues and groups that cater to aficionados of these activities, and these groups are always welcoming more members to their fold. Walking and hiking, whether by yourself or with friends/groups members, or even with the furry members of the family, are also big in Pahrump. There are many parks and areas that offer trails for the casual or the adventurous. These
Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948 or send email to fely@preciousproperties.com.
areas also offer an opportunity for bird-watching or just plain naturetripping. If you have the itch for the track (the racetrack, that is), go no further than the Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, which hosts various driving schools, track rentals and is home to a private motorsports country club. It has North America’s longest racetrack at 6.1 miles, and that may soon expand to over 9 miles when expansion is completed. Right next to the racetrack is Spring Mountain Estates, which features luxury trackside homesites and is minutes away from Lake Spring Mountain where more activities await the adventurer – paddle boarding, kayaking, flying on a jetpack, among others. Homesite owners are welcome to all the amenities that the country club has to offer and that includes the lounge, workout facility and other services like massage therapist. Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme left) with (from left) Dr. Phil (the best dentist in Clark Whether you are visiting County), Atty. Bing Longakit and Mary Jane, who are all my investors in Pahrump at Turnberry My son Primo and his cousin John are scouting for a commercial property for a project he Pahrump or moving to the town Place Tower 1 in Las Vegas. We all had a celebration dinner at Benihana’s at Westgate Resort. wants to build in Pahrump.
as resident, there are many things to keep you occupied. And with Las Vegas just 62 miles away, the opportunities are endless for more activities on your to-do list. Take a look at what Pahrump has to offer. Real estate in the area is currently affordable, and presents a great opportunity for the savvy buyer/investor. In fact, many of my clients are now reaping the benefits of their investments. Whether you are looking for a new home, a second home, an investment property (maybe for an Airbnb), or just the chance to own real etsate, I can help you look for the best opportunities in the area. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)
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JUNE 3-9, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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