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U.S. expands use of citizenship revocation policy for naturalized Americans

The Justice Department says the civil cases target people accused of concealing crimes, fraud or other material facts during the naturalization process.

by AJPress

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has filed civil actions seeking to revoke the citizenship of 17 naturalized Americans, escalating the Trump administration’s use of denaturalization as part of its broader immigration enforcement agenda.

The cases, filed in federal district courts across the country, accuse the defendants of serious offenses or of concealing material facts during the naturalization process. The allegations include sexual abuse of minors, wire and bank fraud, health care fraud, unlawful wholesale drug distributi-

Cut-off Mindanao towns plead for food, water after Sarangani quake

by AJPress

—

communities in Sarangani and Davao Occidental continued to appeal for food, water, medicine and temporary

shelter days after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off southern Mindanao, leaving reported deaths, damaged homes and schools, and road and bridge failures that slowed relief operations across isolated areas.

Sandiganbayan closes remaining claims in Marcos wealth recovery case filed in 1991

by AJPress

MANILA — A Philippine anti-graft court has dismissed the remaining unresolved claims in one of the government’s largest and longest-running efforts to recover assets allegedly amassed by the family of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, bringing to a close a forfeiture case that began more than three decades ago.

In a resolution promulgated on June 2, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division dismissed the remaining portions of Civil Case No. 0141,

a forfeiture action filed by the government in 1991 through the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). The court said the dismissal applied only to properties not already covered by previous judgments and forfeiture orders.

The ruling does not affect earlier court decisions that transferred substantial assets to the Philippine government, including Swiss bank deposits, assets held through Arelma Inc., the Malacañang jewelry collection

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake has left reported deaths, damaged homes and schools, and slowed relief delivery as aftershocks continue across southern Mindanao. u PAGE 3

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria assumes U.S. Conference of Mayors presidency in historic first

Filipino American mayor becomes first San Diego leader and first openly LGBTQ+ mayor to head the national organization representing U.S. cities

by AJPress

LONG BEACH, CA — San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has assumed the presidency of the United States Conference of Mayors, becoming the first mayor from San Diego and the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor to lead the national organization. Gloria was installed as the 84th president of the bipartisan group during its 94th An-

nual Meeting in Long Beach, where mayors from across the country gathered to discuss policy priorities affecting American cities. The organization represents more than 1,500 cities with populations of at least 30,000 and advocates on municipal issues before Congress and federal agencies.

The leadership transition follows the conference’s suc-

2

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake struck at 7:37 a.m. on Monday, June 8, offshore of Sarangani, near Maasim town, at a depth of about 33 kilo-

Alex Eala rallies to win Birmingham Open title before Queen’s Club exit

Top-seeded Filipina captures the WTA 125 grass-court championship in England, then bows out in the second round of the HSBC Championships in London.

by AJPress

LONDON — Alexandra “Alex” Eala added another milestone to her growing résumé on Sunday, June 7, rallying from a set down to defeat Czech fifth seed Nikola Bartunkova, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, and capture the Lexus Birmingham Open title at Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, England.

The victory gave Eala her second career WTA 125 singles title.

Eala entered the tournament as the top seed

u PAGE 3

Hawai‘i chef Rhoda Magbitang wins Top Chef Season 23

The CanoeHouse executive chef turned Filipino comfort dishes into a finale menu that completed one of the season’s most notable comebacks.

by AJPress

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Rhoda Magbitang, executive chef of CanoeHouse in Waimea, Hawai‘i, won Season 23 of Bravo’s Top Chef, ending a season that moved through the Carolinas and tested chefs on regional ingredients, speed, discipline and point of view. Magbitang defeated Sherry Cardoso and Laurence Louie in the finale, which aired June 8. The season, titled Top Chef: Carolinas, brought together 15 chefs for the show’s

u PAGE 2

F rom the F ront P age

Cut-off Mindanao towns plead...

PAGE 1

meters. PHIVOLCS classified it as a major offshore earthquake and said damage and aftershocks were expected.

The reported death toll had risen to at least 47 by Thursday, with 688 injured and 31 still missing, according to disaster-response figures available in the latest public updates. Officials cautioned that casualty figures could still change as local governments, police and disaster agencies reconciled field reports from areas where communications and access remained difficult.

The scale of the humanitarian emergency also continued to widen. The Department of Social Welfare and Development said 96,090 families, or 430,379 people, had been affected across 350 barangays in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro region as of its June 11 evening report.

Of those, 13,374 families, or 53,274 people, remained displaced, including 9,365 people staying in evacuation centers and 43,909 others temporarily sheltering with relatives or friends. The agency also reported 29,509 damaged houses, including 5,129 totally damaged and 24,380 partially damaged homes.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered national agencies to focus on clearing roads, restoring power and water systems, and accelerating the delivery of relief to isolated communities. During a visit to General Santos City, Marcos said road access was critical so vehicles could bring aid and utility crews could reach damaged facilities.

“The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” Marcos said in an earlier statement.

In Glan, Sarangani, local officials reported that several villages remained difficult to reach because of landslides, damaged roads and blocked access. Some communities were still without reliable power, water and communications, complicating damage assessments and relief distribution. Helicopters were used to bring food, medicine and other supplies to areas that could not be reached quickly by road.

The DSWD identified Glan, Maasim and Malapatan in Sarangani, along with Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad

Santos and Balut Island in Davao Occidental, as among the hardest-hit areas requiring immediate intervention. The agency said more than P55.18 million in humanitarian assistance had been provided to affected families, mostly from DSWD, with additional standby funds and relief supplies available for continuing operations.

The earthquake struck as public schools reopened nationwide for School Year 2026-2027, sending students and teachers into evacuation mode during morning activities. The Department of Education said more than 1,300 public schools had sustained facility damage in earlier assessments, with the count still being updated as engineers and school officials continued inspections across affected regions.

Education officials were assessing which campuses could safely resume classes and which would require repairs, temporary learning spaces or alternative learning arrangements. The government also said mental-health support would be provided for students affected by the disaster, with teachers expected to help monitor learners for signs of trauma or distress.

In General Santos City, one of the hardest-hit urban centers near the epicentral area, officials inspected public buildings, roads, bridges, hospitals and commercial establishments. Some patients were moved to temporary areas after cracks were found in hospital structures. A building at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University collapsed, with authorities reporting that no one was inside at the time.

Transportation and public infrastructure remained major concerns. In South Cotabato, a highway section was reported to have collapsed after the strong shaking, while bridges and roads in parts of Soccsksargen and Davao Occidental were placed under inspection. Officials said some routes had limited access, raising concerns over the movement of ambulances, relief trucks, rescue teams and evacuees.

In Davao Occidental, the Malalan Barangay Hall in Jose Abad Santos collapsed, underscoring the quake’s impact on local government facilities in remote communities. Officials also reported damaged homes, public buildings and

roads in coastal and upland areas, where access for assessment and relief teams was complicated by damaged infrastructure.

Aftershocks continued through the week. A magnitude 5.5 tremor was recorded on Thursday off Davao Occidental, near Balut Island in the municipality of Sarangani, adding to concerns over already weakened structures. Authorities continued to warn residents not to enter damaged houses, schools, government buildings or commercial establishments until engineers complete safety inspections.

Initial assessments linked casualties to falling debris, collapsed structures, landslides and other quake-related hazards. In Malita, Davao Occidental, a canopy roof at Mahayahay Elementary School collapsed as students reacted during the quake. Disaster and humanitarian agencies reported injuries among some students and continuing concern for children in affected communities.

The earthquake also triggered tsunami warnings in the southern Philippines and nearby areas. PHIVOLCS earlier advised coastal residents to move to higher ground or farther inland. Tsunami waves were later monitored in parts of Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat, including a wave of about 1.4 meters recorded in Kiamba, Sarangani. Authorities later said the wider tsunami threat had passed, though coastal communities were urged to continue following local safety guidance.

Energy officials said repair crews were working to restore electricity in affected areas while assessing power lines, substations, fuel depots and other facilities. Marcos said power restoration had reached about 85 percent in affected areas, but some communities remained without electricity because damaged roads and landslides prevented crews from reaching repair sites.

The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are frequent. Across Mindanao, authorities continued inspecting schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, ports, power facilities and public buildings while warning residents to stay away from damaged structures as aftershocks persisted. n

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria ...

cession process, through which Gloria previously served in senior leadership positions before advancing to the presidency. His new role places him in a key leadership position within one of the country’s largest organizations representing city governments.

Gloria, whose ancestry includes Filipino, Puerto Rican, Dutch and Native American roots, is among the highest-profile Filipino American elected officials currently serving in local government. His election also places a Filipino American leader at the head of an organization that serves as a collective voice for cities across the United States.

In remarks following his installation, Gloria said he was honored by the confidence of fellow mayors and

pledged to focus on issues affecting communities nationwide, including housing affordability, public safety and economic opportunity.

Those priorities reflect challenges facing many local governments as cities continue to confront housing shortages, infrastructure needs, budget pressures and growing demand for public services.

The Conference of Mayors has described Gloria’s presidency as a historic milestone, noting that he is the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor to lead the organization. His term begins as municipal leaders across the country continue to seek solutions to rising housing costs, homelessness, transportation demands and economic competitiveness.

Gloria has served as mayor of San Diego since December 2020 after previously serving

Hawai‘i chef Rhoda Magbitang...

1

familiar rhythm of Quickfire and Elimination challenges, with the winner receiving the $250,000 grand prize and the title of Top Chef. Her path to the finale was hardly straightforward. Magbitang started strong, winning early elimination challenges and quickly establishing herself as one of the chefs to watch. Then, in Episode 5, she was sent home.

The loss did not end her season. Through Last Chance Kitchen, the show’s parallel competition for eliminated chefs, Magbitang cooked her way back into the main contest. By the time she reached the finale, her story had become one of recovery as much as momentum: a chef forced to regroup, sharpen her cooking and return with clearer purpose.

Born in Antipolo, Philippines, and now based in Hawai‘i, Magbitang brought to the competition a cooking style shaped by Filipino food, Pacific ingredients and fine-dining technique. Before joining CanoeHouse, she trained at Le Cordon Bleu and worked in Los Angeles kitchens, building the technical foundation that would later support her more personal cooking on

on the City Council, including as council president and interim mayor. He became the first openly LGBTQ+ person and the first person of color elected mayor of San Diego.

His election brings additional national visibility to San Diego while placing one of California’s largest cities in a prominent leadership role within the organization. The conference’s policy resolutions often shape its advocacy efforts on housing, transportation, public safety, climate resilience and economic development.

Gloria succeeds Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who served as conference president during the past year. As he begins his term, Gloria has said he intends to emphasize practical approaches to addressing the challenges facing cities and their residents. n

the show.

The final challenge asked each chef to prepare a fourcourse progressive meal that reflected the people, places and experiences that shaped them. Magbitang answered with a menu rooted in Filipino family cooking.

She served sweet potato with uni, lugaw, grilled eggplant omelet with pork belly, and kaldereta with short rib.

The dishes were familiar in spirit but carefully composed for the competition: lugaw, the rice porridge often associated with comfort and care; tortang talong, the grilled eggplant omelet common in Filipino homes; and kaldereta, a rich braise often served at gatherings and celebrations.

Magbitang chose not to close with a traditional dessert. Instead, she ended with kaldereta, a dish she linked to her father. It was a quiet but telling decision. Rather than using the finale to distance herself from home cooking, she leaned into it and asked the judges to meet the food on its own terms.

That choice gave the meal its force. The menu did not present Filipino cuisine as a flourish or a theme. It treated it as structure: the source of flavor, memory and technique. In a compe-

tition where chefs are often pushed to declare who they are through food, Magbitang’s answer was direct. Her win also brought attention to the culinary world she represents. She is the first Top Chef winner from Hawai‘i, and her finale placed Filipino dishes in one of American food television’s most visible settings. For many viewers, the victory offered a rare mainstream moment for food long understood in Filipino households as layered, demanding and deeply expressive.

The season itself was built around place, with the Carolinas providing much of the backdrop and pantry. Against that setting, Magbitang’s finale added another geography: the Philippines of her childhood, the Hawai‘i where she now cooks professionally, and the restaurant kitchens that shaped her technique.

By the end, the judges were not simply weighing a comeback. They were weighing a meal that connected personal history with control and refinement. Magbitang’s final menu made its case without excess: Filipino food, handled with confidence and precision, belonged at the center of the finale.

The judges agreed. n

U.S. expands use of citizenship...

on, use of false identities and immigration-related misrepresentations.

The actions were brought under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the government to seek revocation of naturalization if citizenship was illegally obtained or procured through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.

None of the civil complaints has yet resulted in a judicial determination of liability, the Justice Department said.

The announcement has drawn renewed attention to denaturalization, a consequential but limited legal process that allows the federal government to challenge citizenship granted through naturalization. It does not apply to people who became U.S. citizens by birth. It applies only to naturalized citizens, and the government must prove its case in federal court.

Federal officials said the latest cases involve naturalized citizens originally from several countries, including Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Jamaica, India, Somalia, China, Congo, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Philippines.

Among the cases cited by the Justice Department is that of Jheromell Obejera Arcilla, a native of the Philippines. The government filed a civil denaturalization complaint in federal court in Maryland alleging that Arcil-

la sexually abused a minor before and during the period in which he naturalized and made false statements in connection with his citizenship application.

The department said Arcilla was indicted in 2020 on Maryland sexual offense charges and pleaded guilty in 2021 to one count of sex abuse of a minor. The government is seeking to revoke his citizenship on claims that he lacked the good moral character required for naturalization and knowingly misled immigration authorities.

Other complaints described by the department involve people accused of concealing fraud schemes, false identities, undisclosed criminal conduct or immigration misrepresentations.

The Justice Department also cited cases involving a Cuban-born woman who admitted in criminal proceedings that she and co-conspirators fraudulently billed tens of millions of dollars through physical therapy clinics, and an India-born staffing company executive accused of filing fraudulent H-1B visa petitions and making false statements during naturalization.

The Justice Department’s Civil Division has made denaturalization a stated enforcement priority. A department memorandum directed federal lawyers to prioritize cases involving national security concerns, war crimes, human rights violations, gang or cartel activity, undisclosed felonies,

sex offenses, violent crimes, financial fraud, immigration fraud and other significant matters.

Because denaturalization can result in the loss of citizenship, the cases are subject to federal court review and require the government to establish the legal grounds for revocation. Federal law has long permitted the government to seek denaturalization when naturalization was obtained through fraud, concealment or legal ineligibility.

If a court grants denaturalization, the person loses U.S. citizenship and the legal benefits attached to it, including a U.S. passport and protection from removal as a citizen. The person may revert to a prior immigration status and may become subject to deportation proceedings, depending on the facts of the case.

The Justice Department said the 17 cases were brought by its Office of Immigration Litigation with assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. attorney’s offices in several jurisdictions.

The cases underscore a narrow but consequential legal reality for naturalized immigrants. U.S. citizenship obtained through naturalization can be challenged in court if the government alleges and proves that it was obtained through fraud, concealment or statutory ineligibility. n

Alex Eala rallies to win Birmingham...

and highest-ranked player in the field. The Birmingham Open, a grass-court event in the weeks preceding Wimbledon, carried a total purse of $225,000 and attracted several players ranked inside the world’s top 100.

The championship match tested Eala’s patience and adaptability. Bartunkova took the opening set and appeared poised to seize control, but Eala gradually shifted the momentum with steadier serving, disciplined baseline play and timely point construction in longer rallies.

After taking the second set, Eala held firm through a tight decider, secured the decisive break and served out the

championship.

The title capped a demanding week for Eala. Less than 24 hours earlier, she had defeated Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, in a rain-interrupted semifinal that featured multiple delays and stretched deep into the evening.

Rather than fading physically after that late match, Eala returned Sunday and produced another three-set victory under pressure.

The final also carried an unusual subplot. Eala and Bartunkova had partnered in doubles earlier in the week before their campaign ended in the opening round. Days later, they met again with the singles title at stake.

Eala’s grass-court winning

Federal judge blocks Trump’s

$100,000 H-1B visa fee

Federal court rules administration lacked congressional authority to impose six-figure charge on skilled-worker visas, setting up a likely appeal over the limits of presidential immigration powers.

by AJPress

BOSTON — A federal judge on Monday struck down President Donald Trump’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, ruling that the administration lacked authority to impose the charge without congressional approval and marking a significant legal setback for one of its most consequential immigration policies affecting highly skilled foreign workers.

U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin of Massachusetts found that the fee functioned as an unauthorized tax rather than a permissible immigration restriction. The decision came in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of 20 Democratic state attorneys general challenging the policy, which was announced in September 2025 and applied to new H-1B visa petitions.

The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations requiring

specialized knowledge and expertise, including positions in technology, engineering, health care, education and scientific research.

The program is capped at 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 available for workers who hold advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.

The administration argued that the president possessed broad authority under federal immigration law to restrict the entry of foreign nationals when deemed in the national interest. Sorokin rejected that argument, finding that Congress had not authorized the executive branch to impose a six-figure charge as a condition of visa issuance.

The ruling removes, for now, a major financial hurdle that critics said would have fundamentally altered the economics of the H-1B program. State officials, universities, hospitals and employers had argued that the fee would make it substantially

more difficult to recruit specialized workers and could worsen labor shortages in sectors that depend on highly skilled talent.

For decades, employers have used the H-1B program to fill positions in industries facing shortages of qualified workers. Existing government filing fees generally amount to several thousand dollars, making the proposed $100,000 charge a dramatic departure from longstanding practice.

The ruling affects foreign professionals and U.S. employers in health care, engineering, information technology and academic research, where the H-1B remains a major legal work-visa route.

The administration is expected to appeal, leaving higher courts to decide the policy’s future and the broader question of how far a president may go in reshaping immigration rules without Congress. n

Sandiganbayan closes remaining...

PAGE 1

and proceeds from artworks that courts previously determined were subject to forfeiture.

streak ended days later at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, where she lost to sixth-seeded American Iva Jovic, 6-2, 6-2, in the Round of 16. The result came after Eala opened her Queen’s Club campaign with a win over Zhang Shuai.

The Birmingham triumph still marks another boundary pushed in Eala’s fast-rising career. Her 2025 semifinal run at the Miami Open announced her arrival among the sport’s emerging talents; her title week in Birmingham gave her another grass-court trophy before Wimbledon, even as Queen’s Club offered a reminder of the demands of moving quickly from one high-level tournament to the next. n

Civil Case No. 0141 was filed on Dec. 17, 1991, as part of the government’s post1986 campaign to recover alleged ill-gotten wealth linked to the Marcos family and their associates. According to court records, the petition covered a broad range of assets, including corporations, bank accounts, real estate holdings, jewelry, paintings and other properties. The complaint placed the value of the assets involved at roughly $5 billion, excluding properties already covered by separate cases.

Over the years, portions of the case were resolved through separate rulings.

The most prominent involved approximately $658 million in Swiss deposits that the Supreme Court ultimately ordered forfeited in favor of the state. Other rulings upheld the forfeiture of assets associated with Arelma Inc., a corporation found by the courts

to have held funds linked to the Marcoses, as well as the Malacañang jewelry collection and other identified properties.

The remaining claims stayed pending for years as the litigation continued.

Court records show that in recent hearings, the Sandiganbayan repeatedly asked government lawyers whether they intended to continue presenting evidence on properties still listed in the original petition but not covered by earlier judgments. In May, the court questioned state lawyers about delays in presenting evidence and witnesses related to the unresolved assets.

The government subsequently informed the court that it would no longer present additional evidence regarding the remaining properties. According to the Sandiganbayan resolution, the position was based on advice from the PCGG that most of the assets identified in the petition had already been recovered through various proceedings and judgments.

With no further evidence to be presented on the unresolved properties, the court dismissed the remaining claims.

The resolution leaves intact all prior forfeiture judgments obtained by the government under Civil Case No. 0141 and related proceedings. It closes only the unresolved portion of the 1991 petition that remained pending before the anti-graft court.

The PCGG, created in the aftermath of the 1986 People Power uprising, has reported recovering hundreds of billions of pesos in cash, shares, real estate and other assets from the Marcoses and their associates through settlements, forfeiture proceedings and court judgments. Civil Case No. 0141 was among the most significant cases filed as part of that recovery effort.

The Sandiganbayan’s June 2 resolution effectively closes the remaining chapter of that particular forfeiture case while leaving earlier recoveries and final court rulings undisturbed. n

Former PAL chief Stanley Ng named tourism undersecretary

Aviation executive brings private-sector

experience to Department of Tourism as Philippines pursues long-term visitor growth.

by AJPress

MANILA — Former Philippine Airlines president and chief operating officer

Stanley K. Ng has been appointed undersecretary at the Department of Tourism, bringing decades of aviation and corporate leadership experience to an agency seeking to expand visitor arrivals and strengthen the country’s tourism industry.

Ng previously led Philippine Airlines through a period marked by the recovery of international travel, route restoration and renewed passenger demand. In 2025, the airline announced a leadership transition in which Richard Nuttall succeeded Ng as president, while Ng moved to PAL Holdings as vice president and member of the board.

The appointment adds an executive with extensive airline and transportation experience to the tourism department at a time when connectivity remains a critical factor in the growth of the visitor economy. Industry observers have long identified air access, regional connectivity and transportation infrastructure as key components in attracting both international and domestic travelers.

Ng joins the Department of Tourism under Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay, who assumed office earlier this year. The department has said its leadership team is focused on promoting a more competitive, inclusive and sustainable tourism sector while strengthening partnerships with stakeholders across the travel industry.

According to government

data, the Philippines recorded 6.48 million foreign visitors and returning overseas Filipinos in 2025, generating approximately P694 billion in tourism receipts. While tourism activity has continued to recover in recent years, officials have emphasized the need to broaden access to destinations and increase tourism-related investments across the country.

Ng’s appointment reflects the close relationship between aviation and tourism in an archipelagic nation where air travel serves as the primary gateway to many destinations. His experience in airline operations, route development and transportation management is expected to bring a private-sector perspective to the department as it pursues long-term tourism growth. n

Regulators say PH financial system is sound, but debt and property risks bear watching

by AJPress

MANILA — The Philippines’ financial system remains sound, but regulators are watching a buildup of risks tied to consumer borrowing, corporate debt, property valuations and global shocks, according to the Financial Stability Coordination Council.

In its 2025 Financial Stability Report, the FSCC said banks remain well capitalized and liquid, giving them room to absorb stress. The council’s concern is not an immediate threat to the system, but the way risks in one part of the economy can move through households, companies, banks and markets more quickly than before.

The FSCC, institutionalized under Executive Order No. 144, brings together the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Department of Finance, Securities and Exchange Commission, Insurance Commission and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation to monitor threats to financial stability.

council said unsecured consumer loans, including credit card borrowings, have been growing faster than income. Most borrowers remain current on their payments, but the FSCC said the trend could leave families more exposed if prices rise, interest rates remain elevated or income growth slows.

Corporate debt also bears watching. The FSCC said company borrowing remains broadly manageable, but some firms face debt maturities in the next few years, including obligations in foreign currency. Those payments could become harder to manage if the peso weakens or financing costs rise.

major role across banking, property, utilities, retail and other industries. The FSCC did not say those exposures are currently unsafe, but said concentration can create channels for stress to spread if conditions deteriorate.

External risks add another layer of uncertainty. The FSCC said Middle East tensions, including a U.S.-Iran war scenario analyzed in the report, could affect the Philippines through higher oil prices, inflation, exchange-rate pressure and tighter global financing. The council said Philippine banks have limited direct exposure to the region, while the broader economy remains vulnerable to energy price shocks because of its reliance on imported fuel.

Cybersecurity was also listed as a top concern in an FSCC survey, along with loan delinquencies, possible loss of confidence in banks, stricter lending standards and concerns over government debt.

The report identified three domestic pressure points: rising borrowing by households and companies, strains in parts of the property market and concentrated lending to large business groups.

Household debt is one area under closer scrutiny. The

Property markets present another source of risk. The FSCC report cited elevated property prices, uneven demand and high vacancy rates in some office markets. Metro Manila’s office vacancy rate stood at 19.8 percent in the third quarter of 2025, slightly lower than 20 percent in the previous quarter, according to figures cited in the report.

Banks remain healthy, but lending is concentrated in key sectors and among large corporate groups, the council said. The report said that pattern reflects the structure of the Philippine economy, where conglomerates play a

The report’s message was measured but clear. The financial system is stable, regulators said, but the country’s risk map is becoming more complex. Stability remains intact, but it now depends on how well borrowers, banks and policymakers manage pressures that are building across the economy. n

Deaths of two Ateneo players put school, coaches and sports-safety rules under scrutiny

gency response.

MANILA — The drowning deaths of two Ateneo de Manila University basketball players during a team activity in Aurora have widened into an inquiry over student-athlete safety, school supervision and coach responsibility when training moves beyond the court.

Rene Clert Baterbonia, 19, and Divine Adili, 21, died on June 8 during an off-season activity of the Ateneo men’s basketball team in Dipaculao, Aurora. Ateneo confirmed the deaths and said it was supporting their families, teammates and the university community.

The incident occurred not during a game, but during a school-linked activity away from campus, placing scrutiny on planning, supervision, risk assessment and emer-

Ateneo has said head coach Thomas Anthony “Tab” Baldwin and team manager Christopher “Epok” Quimpo have gone on leave while the university conducts a fact-finding inquiry. The leave is not a finding of wrongdoing, and no agency or university body has announced a final finding of liability.

According to Ateneo, the team was conducting a conditioning exercise in kneedeep water near the shoreline when massive waves and a powerful rip current struck. Most players returned to safety, but Baterbonia and Adili were pulled away. Initial police information also cited strong current and deeper waters. The two were taken to a medical facility, where efforts to revive them failed.

Ateneo has said no weights were used. Aurora police also

said initial first-responder accounts did not show weights attached to either player or visible bruises during first aid.

Investigators are examining the activity’s location and conduct. Aurora police have said it took place about 300 meters from the resort’s designated safer area, despite reported advice to stay in shallow waters.

The DOJ has directed the NBI to determine whether evidence supports charges. The PNP-CIDG has summoned coaches, players, barangay officials, resort personnel and the team bus driver. CHED has required Ateneo to submit an incident report, while DOLE separately summoned Baldwin over his Alien Employment Permit. Authorities have not issued final findings, and the case remains under review. n

FeAtures OPiniOn

Philippine independence and the unfinished work of freedom

EVERY June 12, the Philippines commemorates the birth of a nation that dared to declare itself free.

The flag raised in Kawit in 1898 was more than a symbol of separation from colonial rule. It was a claim to dignity. It announced that Filipinos were not subjects to be governed by foreign powers, but a people capable of shaping their own destiny.

More than a century later, however, a harder question remains: Has that freedom become real in the daily lives of the Filipino people?

The Philippines is politically independent. It has its own Constitution, elected leaders, courts, flag, anthem and place among nations. No foreign monarch governs the islands. No colonial governor signs decrees in Manila. In the formal sense, the Filipino nation is free.

Yet political independence is not the same

BOTH the House of Representatives and the Senate adjourned sine die on June 3, ending the first regular session of the 20th Congress. They won’t reconvene until July 27, when the second regular session will begin with the election of officers and then a joint session for President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address to Congress. In the meantime, neither chamber can hold ple-

as full freedom.

A people can be free on paper and still be constrained by poverty. They can be free to vote, but trapped in patronage. Free to speak, but weakened by fear, disinformation or economic dependence. Free to dream, but compelled to leave the country to survive. Free to call themselves citizens, but treated too often as clients, subjects or statistics by those in power.

This is the unfinished question of Philippine independence.

The Filipino struggle did not end with the lowering of a foreign flag. It entered a more difficult stage: the struggle to build a society in which freedom is not reserved for the wealthy, the connected or the powerful, but made real in the daily lives of ordinary people.

True freedom means more than national sovereignty. It means a farmer is not chained to

The phantom menace

nary sessions, and no laws can be passed. The activities of both chambers are limited to committee hearings and meetings of the Commission on Appointments to confirm or reject executive appointments, while bicameral committees can continue to monitor, for oversight purposes, executive programs and implementation of the laws. Of course, the President, for his part, can call Congress to a special session

to tackle specific legislation considered urgent.

The Senate’s adjournment took place when Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian, as acting Senate president, gaveled the session to a close on June 3. Not to be outdone, the “king without a kingdom,” as former Sen. Franklin Drilon calls him, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, issued

debt. A worker is not forced to choose between hunger and abuse. A young graduate is not driven abroad by the absence of opportunity.

Demand and supply Boo Chanco

THERE was this interesting article at The Washington Post last week about the alarming decline in the population of many countries. It cited a recent essay for The Financial Times by John Burn-Murdoch suggesting that the culprit is smartphones.

Burn-Murdoch’s data suggest that smartphones could be causing birth rates to decline because young people

A voter is not manipulated by money, dynasty or machinery. A journalist is not threatened for

Ostracize the crooks

are spending less time together. They are simply substituting scrolling smartphones for the social activity that leads to babies.

The article asked: Because less socialization is a big part of the problem, what can we do about it? Should we ban smartphones? Should we sue TikTok to make its content less compulsively scrollable? Should we force single young people to attend mandatory speed dating?

Or, The Post op/ed piece by Megan McArdle suggested: why not change the culture around smartphones to limit

their harm? Communities, she wrote, could collectively decide to give kids dumb phones rather than smartphones… and “to generally treat the infinite scroll as something like smoking… it’s bad for you and kind of déclassé.”

Déclassé. Borrowed from French, it is often used to describe something that used to be fashionable, respectable, or high-class, but has since become unseemly, vulgar, or out of style.

Déclassé. Used to describe

Philippine independence and the ...

asking questions. A citizen is not made to beg for services that should be delivered as a matter of right.

The limits on freedom today are often found within the habits of national life. They can be seen in corruption treated as normal, in political dynasties treated as inevitable, in poverty treated as fate, in silence mistaken for peace, and in endurance romanticized as virtue.

Filipinos are often praised for their resilience. But resilience should not become an excuse for injustice. A people should not have to be endlessly resilient because systems repeatedly fail them. The Filipino spirit is strong, but strength should not be used to justify suffering.

There is also a deeper challenge of civic life: the tendency to accept less than what the nation deserves; to confuse loyalty to personalities with love of country; to inherit historical wounds without confronting them honestly; to allow misinformation to replace memory; to mistake spectacle for leadership and popularity for public service.

Independence Day, therefore, should be more than a patriotic ritual. It should be a

national examination.

What does freedom mean to a family divided by migration? What does sovereignty mean when hunger still dictates choices? What does democracy mean when elections are shaped by fear, money or deception? What does nationhood mean when citizens distrust the very institutions meant to protect them?

These questions do not diminish the meaning of June 12. They deepen it.

The heroes of independence did not fight merely so Filipinos could inherit a flag. They fought so Filipinos could stand upright as a people. The unfinished task is to make that dignity real not only in ceremony, but in governance, justice, education, livelihood and truth.

For Filipinos abroad, the question of freedom is equally personal. The diaspora carries the nation across oceans, building lives in other countries while remaining bound to the homeland by memory, family and obligation. Their success is a source of pride. But their departure also reflects a painful reality: for many, the freedom to prosper had to be found elsewhere.

To ask whether Filipinos are truly free is not to deny

Ostracize the crooks ...

PAGE 6

things or behaviors that are considered inferior or unfashionable.

The Post op/ed pointed out that social sanction can be much more effective than any law at deterring destructive behavior. I immediately thought, maybe social sanction can punish corruption in a way the Sandiganbayan has failed all these years.

“Few people shoplift, vandalize public property… because they’d be ashamed to violate the social contract – and even more ashamed to have the neighbors find out.

“It is possible to rewrite the social contract, constructing new social norms to handle new kinds of destructive behavior… But it takes a lot of work, because the social sanctions that reinforce the norms have to be applied (consistently!) by ordinary people going about their daily lives.”

That op/ed piece at The Post made a strong point about society working together to discourage bad behavior. For us, we could work together to make politicians and tycoons

the gains of independence. It is to insist that independence must be completed in the lives of the people.

A truly free Philippines would not merely be sovereign. It would be just. It would not merely hold elections. It would cultivate accountability. It would not merely celebrate heroes. It would form citizens. It would not merely export workers. It would create conditions worthy of their return. It would not merely remember history. It would learn from it.

June 12 should still be celebrated with pride. But pride must not become complacency. The flag should be raised not only as a tribute to the past, but as a demand upon the present.

The Filipino people are free from colonial rule. But the deeper freedom - from poverty, fear, corruption, ignorance, helplessness and the politics of dependence - remains unfinished.

That is the true challenge of independence.

The nation was born when Filipinos declared themselves free. It will become fully free only when every Filipino can live with dignity, truth and genuine power over the conditions of life. (AJPress) n

The phantom menace...

PAGE 6

a memorandum to his rump (senator-supporters, that is) saying he was declaring an adjournment sine die. Except it seems no legislature on Earth (definitely not American ones from whom we borrowed our parliamentary practices) does so by letter, as it requires a session where the appropriate motions can be made and approved first.

It’s like that American editorial cartoon that showed former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., fist raised, as a bored American customs agent in Honolulu told him, “Yes, Mr. Marcos, aside from martial law, do you have anything to declare?”

The Palace has made noises that President Marcos might call Congress to a special session; in any case, the existing Cayetano-era impeachment trial schedule calls for the trial proper to begin on July 6, with hearings from 2 p.m. onward until July 22. After the State of the Nation Address, hearings will be from 3 p.m. onward starting July 28. Two questions arise: how many senators will be left when the trial begins or when the new session starts? And what to do about the phantom menace that is Cayetano?

Cruz, added, “members of the Congress who are in jail cannot fully function as legislators. They may propose bills (such as the case of former senator Leila de Lima). But they generally cannot attend and vote in sessions. (People v. Jalosjos, Trillanes v. Pimentel).”

Since there remains the distinct possibility that up to nine senators are in danger of ending up in jail here at home or abroad, while remaining in office but unable to do their jobs, Cruz dares to suggest the time has come to reconsider how we interpret the Constitution’s language. Specifically, the phrase “all of the members” which, he says, “is generally set as a standard under the Constitution for the exercise by the Congress of quite a number of its powers which require votes.”

and the second, more categorical. On March 4, 1949, it said it didn’t want to rule on Avelino questioning Cuenco’s assumption of the Senate presidency, but if it did, it believed a valid quorum existed. On March 14, 1949, upon a motion for reconsideration, the Supreme Court categorically announced there was a quorum and Cuenco was validly elected.

plundering the country social pariahs.

Doing so is justified in the Bible. God has always ordered his people to remove wickedness… In his words in several verses in Deuteronomy, “purge the evil from among you.”

Corruption and stealing from the national or sacred treasury are treated as severe moral and structural crimes in the Old Testament, and handled differently than common theft.

While everyday property theft was settled through financial restitution, institutional corruption by leaders, judges and priests was condemned by God as a nation-destroying sin.

Proverbs 29:4 highlights how systemic theft ruins a society: “By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.”

The prophet Isaiah links systemic government corruption directly to the moral decay of the state. Just as ancient societies crumbled from within due to moral rot, modern na-

tions fail when their corrupt leaders systematically plunder the national treasury.

That should be enough Biblical verses to convince the Bible-quoting Senate President he is walking on the wrong side. Jesus warned us about those who falsely claim to have been sent by him. Through their fruits, our Lord warns, we should know who they really are.

My main point today is the need for Philippine society to act decisively to purge the evil from among us.

It is tragic that we are a society blinded by money. Whoever has it and has plenty of it is honored and never mind how that wealth was acquired.

We invite them to be wedding sponsors. We beg to be invited to their parties. We do selfies with them which we proudly post on Facebook. We give them awards at the local Rotary Club. Corrupt public works contractors are interviewed on television showing their ill-gotten wealth and presenting them as models for our youth.

We must stop lionizing and

When it comes to the detained, the Supreme Court permits no flexibility. Former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio reminds us that the Supreme Court has ruled that a detained prisoner “cannot practice their profession nor engage in any business or occupation, or hold office, elective or appointive while in detention.”

Tony Laviña, who quoted constitutional law professor Carlo

start ostracizing politicians and business tycoons who we know couldn’t have become wealthy in the right way.

The late US President Harry S. Truman made it clear that “no man can get rich in politics unless he is a crook…” That means, if politicians are among the wealthiest people in a society, that society is fundamentally corrupt. Or put more simply: a rich politician must be a crook unless proven otherwise.

We should flood our giant billboards with that quote from President Truman so people will wake up.

Unfortunately, we have normalized corruption. Many of us, at one point or another, had been guilty of saying, lahat naman sila corrupt. “Basta may nagawa”/“As long as they share the money”.

Corruption in the Philip-

Simply put, if you insist, despite their absence, that all senators should be counted in computing specific requirements, such as the two-thirds required for conviction in an impeachment trial, you would have the absurd situation where that verdict would be an impossibility not because of the evidence, but for sheer lack of warm bodies. In fact, he lists five instances where the Senate would find it impossible to discharge its constitutional responsibilities for lack of members able to vote: participate in a declaration of war; give its concurrence to treaties; achieve a quorum or elect its officers; expel colleagues; or convict in an impeachment.

Since Avelino v. Cuenco has become famous again, we forget there were two decisions: the first was more conservative

pines is sustained by a public that applies accountability selectively. This inconsistency allows corrupt practices to persist, shielded by the very citizens who should be demanding reform.

Stop denouncing corruption if you are not ready to do something about it.

Will the top conglomerates stop contributing to the campaign funds of known corrupt politicians? I don’t think so.

Are the Makati Business Club, the Management Association of the Philippines and other similar business groups ready to lead a nationwide campaign to ostracize corrupt politicians? To treat rich and corrupt politicians as déclassé? Nope, they thrive in the same cesspool environment.

Everyone I talk to in high society lament our country’s

A large chunk of the resolution summarized the chief justice’s views: “The Chief agrees with the result of the majority’s pronouncement of the quorum upon the ground that, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the constitutional requirement in that regard has become a mere formalism, it appearing from the evidence that any new session with a quorum would result in the respondent’s election as Senate President, and that the Cuenco group, taking cue from the dissenting opinions, has been trying to satisfy such formalism by issuing compulsory processes against senators of the Avelino group, but to no avail, because of the latter’s persistent efforts to block all avenues to constitutional processes. For this reason, he believes that the group has done enough to satisfy the requirements of the Constitution and that the majority’s ruling is in conformity with substantial justice and with the requirements of public interest.” (Inquirer.net)

* * *

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

* * * Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3 n

state of corruption and claim to worry about the future of generations to come. Well, take one more step and do something. We can’t just blame the Sandiganbayan for this failure. A national campaign to ostracize corrupt politicians will show we are finally ready to follow the Biblical command to purge the evil from among us. The only problem is, our leaders have lost any sense of shame. Kapalmuks na ang mga ito. Hindi tinatablan ng hiya. Kawawang Pilipinas! (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.

* * *

Boo Chanco’s email address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on X @ boochanco. n

In-fighting, grandstanding, colluding—kawawa ang Filipino

Because rather than work, the Senate has shown who it truly prioritizes

by Carl Martin agustin Inquirer.net

As they say, elect a clown and expect a circus, and this week in the Senate has proven just that. Following Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s arrest on Monday, June 1, for plunder and graft charges in connection with the flood control scandal, the then-majority bloc skipped the plenary session scheduled the same day, leaving 11 minority senators without a quorum.Come the next day on Tuesday, June 2, half of the seats remained vacant, and another day in the Senate came to pass.

In a Facebook post, Alan Peter Cayetano maintained that their absence was a boycott aimed at defending Senate independence. He also criticized recent politically-charged warrants and investigations motivated by a desire to tip the scales in favor of the minority bloc in the Senate.

But, for the then-minority bloc comprised of Senators Risa Hontiveros, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Vicente “Tito” Sotto, among others, it was simply an effort to avoid a confrontation in the Senate, where their dwindling numbers through Estrada and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa would put their strength into question. Nonetheless, regardless of which side you’re on, it’s

plain to see that the Senate, embroiled in an uncertain power struggle, has been stopped from doing its actual job.Rather than attending to their official tasks, some members of the Senate have instead prioritized politicking and grandstanding, leaving highly important bills and agendas by the wayside Everything else they could’ve done

PAGE 10

Chavit Singson arrested in Quezon City on cyberlibel charge, posts bail

Former Ilocos Sur governor was released after posting a P60,000 cash bond, police said

by AJPress

QUEZON CITY — Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson was arrested Thursday, June 11, in Quezon City in connection with a cyberlibel case pending before a Vigan court, police said.

The Quezon City Police District served an arrest warrant on Singson, 84, at his residence in Barangay Ugong Norte, Quezon City. The warrant was issued by Branch 21 of the Regional Trial Court in Vigan City, according to police accounts cited in Philippine news reports.

Police said the warrant involved an alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, in relation to cyberlibel.

Singson was brought to Police Station 12, also known as the Eastwood Police Station, for booking, documentation and other legal procedures.

He later posted a P60,000 cash bond and was released from police custody, police said.

Police did not immediately provide details about the complainant, the case record or the allegedly libelous statement.

The Cybercrime Prevention Act classifies online libel as a cybercrime offense when libel, as defined under the Revised Penal Code, is committed through a computer system or similar information

and communications technology.

Singson is a longtime Ilocos Sur political figure and businessman who has served as governor of Ilocos Sur and mayor of Narvacan. No plea, court appearance or statement from Singson’s legal counsel was immediately available in the verified reports reviewed as of Thursday evening.

Singson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court n

Mindoro’s Sablayan town named Unesco biosphere reserve

by Andrew ronquillo Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The town of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro has been named world biosphere reserve during the 38th session of the UNESCO International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program in Hernandarias, Paraguay.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO announced the designation during the observance of World Environment Day on June 5.

Senate Publishes Amended Impeachment Rules Ahead of VP Duterte Trial

by AJPress

MANILA — The Philippine Senate has published amendments to its impeachment trial rules, giving senators the authority to elect presiding officers in cases involving officials other than a sitting president. The move comes as the chamber prepares for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The changes, approved under Senate Resolution No. 48 and published on June 9, 2026, revise Rule II of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials. Senators may now designate a presiding officer by majority vote, though the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court continues

to preside over presidential impeachment trials, as required by the 1987 Constitution.

Vice President Duterte’s Trial

The Senate convened as an impeachment court on May 18, 2026, following the House of Representatives’ transmission of Articles of Impeachment. The complaint alleges graft, unexplained wealth, and constitutional violations, charges Duterte has denied. Pre-trial conferences are ongoing, with a session set for June 18, 2026, and trial proceedings expected to begin in July 2026. Conviction requires a two-thirds vote of all 24 senators (16 votes).

Leadership Dispute and Le-

gal Context

The amendments follow a contested Senate leadership reorganization in early June, with Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian assuming primary leadership responsibilities. Former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano questioned the procedural basis, but a petition challenging the reorganization was dismissed by the Supreme Court on June 10, 2026, citing lack of legal standing.

Analysts say the changes formalize informal Senate practices, clarifying procedural discretion without altering constitutional mandates on quorum, trial structure, or conviction thresholds. n

Filipino Sakadas’ legacy honored 120 years after their arrival in Hawaii

A new US congressional resolution seeks to honor the legacy of Hawaii's first Filipino immigrants

by inQuirEr nEt US Bureau

WASHINGTON

– A new US congressional resolution seeks to honor the legacy of the first Filipino immigrants who arrived in Hawaii 120 years ago, recognizing the plantation workers who helped transform the islands’ economy, culture and labor movement.

Rep. Jill Tokuda of Ha-

waii introduced the measure honoring the Sakadas, the pioneering Filipino laborers whose sacrifices and resilience helped lay the foundation for the Filipino American community.

Triumph over adversity

“The story of the Sakadas is one of unmatched courage and triumph over adversity,” Tokuda said in a statement announcing the resolution.

The first group of 15 Filipino

workers arrived in Hawaii in 1906 to work in the plantation industry, beginning a migration wave that would reshape the islands for generations. Fighting for workers’ rights

Despite harsh working conditions, low wages and discrimination, the Sakadas preserved their culture while fighting for better treatment and workers’ rights.

10

The Matibay na Bayan ng Sablayan Biosphere Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot, where some of the Philippines’ most important terrestrial and marine ecosystems are protected.

“Sablayan stretches across Occidental Mindoro from mountain forests above 2,200 meters to coral reefs and open sea,” UNESCO said.

The town is known for the Apo Reef Natural Park, home to the largest contiguous coral reef system in the Philippines, as well as the critically endangered tamaraw in its upland forests.

UNESCO cited Sablayan’s

surge in ecotourism from 34,000 in 2022 to 153,000 in 2024, commending the town’s conservation efforts while paving opportunities for development.

Sablayan is the fifth global biosphere reserve in the country after Puerto Galera, Palawan, Albay and Apayao.

“This international recognition is a testament to the community’s resilience, sus-

tainable development and tireless conservation efforts,” the Department of Tourism said as it welcomed the designation yesterday.

Sablayan joined other biosphere reserves in Albania, Algeria, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Canada, Iran, Mongolia, Montenegro, Paraguay, Portugal, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, or 797 sites across 145 countries. n

Filipino American fugitives among FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters’

by inQuirEr nEt US Bureau

LOS ANGELES – Filipino Americans are among the fugitives on the FBI’s newly launched “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list, aimed at helping authorities track down individuals accused of fraud.

Among the eight fugitives on the list are Michael Lizaso Marasigan, John Michael Dimitrion – also known as John Dela Cruz – and his wife JulieAnne Baldueza Dimitrion. The list was released on Thursday.

Michael Lizaso Marasigan, 48, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, was convicted in a $34 million bingo fraud scheme in Guam. He was added to the FBI list after allegedly failing to return from a court-approved trip to the Philippines.

The FBI said Marasigan and other defendants defrauded patrons of the Guam Shrine Club’s Hafa Adai Bingo by

falsely claiming proceeds would help transport children to Hawaii for medical treatment.

The United States District Court in Guam issued a federal arrest warrant for Marasigan on June 25, 2025, after he was charged with violating the conditions of his release.

John and Julieanne Dimitrion John and Julieanne Dimitrion, a husband-and-wife team of mortgage brokers, disappeared in July 2010, days before they were scheduled to appear in federal court in Honolulu after pleading guilty to charges related to a mortgage fraud scheme.

Federal prosecutors said the couple stole more than $1 million from struggling homeowners during the housing crisis through their company, Mortgage Alliance.

The FBI said the stolen funds helped finance an expensive lifestyle.

John Dimitrion was known for his interest in sports cars, jewelry, designer clothing, high-end electronics and Airsoft replica firearms, while Julieanne Dimitrion had a preference for luxury purses, shoes and designer items, according to the bureau.

The couple’s case was featured in a 2012 episode of CNBC’s “American Greed: The Fugitives.” Despite tips reportedly coming from around the world, their whereabouts remain unknown.

The FBI urged anyone with information about the fugitives to contact authorities at http://tips.fbi.gov, by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or by contacting the nearest FBI field office. n

According to authorities, the Dimitrions targeted homeowners facing foreclosure by offering to buy their properties, help repair their credit and invest the proceeds. Instead, prosecutors said, the couple kept the money for themselves.

Filipino Sakadas’ legacy honored...

PAGE 9

“Faced with harsh plantation conditions and systemic injustice, these 15 men refused to be broken,” Tokuda said. “They preserved their heritage, fought for workers’ rights and built the foundation for today’s vibrant Filipino community.”

The Sakadas played a key role in organizing historic multiethnic labor strikes that helped strengthen Hawai‘i’s labor movement and improve conditions for future generations of workers.

Today, more than 4.5 million Filipinos live in the United States, making up one of the country’s largest Asian American communities. In Hawaii, Filipinos account for about a quarter of the state’s population.

Sakadas’ enduring legacy

“This resolution ensures our nation permanently recognizes their sacrifices and enduring legacy not only in Hawaii but across the United States,” Tokuda said.

Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii also praised the contributions of the Sakadas during this year’s Fiesta and Flores de Mayo cel-

ebration at the Filipino Community Center, located on the former site of the Oahu Sugar Mill where many Filipino immigrants once worked.

“This month, when we especially celebrate the accomplishments of our Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Hawaii and across America, we continue to carry forward the Sakadas’ flame as the true embodiment of our American dream,” Case said.

Sakada Day

The resolution highlights

the contributions of Sakadas and their descendants in agriculture, education, health care, public service and civic engagement. It also seeks national recognition of their legacy, building on Hawaii’s annual Sakada Day, observed every Dec. 20.

The measure is co-sponsored by Case, Reps. Grace Meng and Dan Goldman of New York, James Moylan of Guam, Judy Chu, Nanette Barragán, Ro Khanna and Kevin Mullin of California, and Bobby Scott of Virginia. n

In-fighting, grandstanding,...

PAGE 8

Following the Monday absence, the then-minority bloc took issue with the boycott and lamented the various tasks they weren’t able to attend to.

“Ang Senado ay hindi pagaari ng iisang may hawak ng gavel. Institusyon ito ng taumbayan at napakadaming mahalagang panukala ang nabibinbin dahil sa drama ng mayorya (“The Senate does not belong to one person holding the gavel. It is an institution of the people, and many important measures are being delayed because of the majority’s drama”),” said the then-minority bloc in a joint statement.

According to the Office of Senator Risa Hontiveros, whom we’ve reached out to, the supposed plenary agenda that day included the following: The third reading for Senate Bill No. 2092, or an Act Declaring the Waling-Waling (Vanda Senderiana) as the National Orchid of the Philippines; House Bill No. 6639, or An Act Granting Philippine Citizenship to Bennie Francois Boatwright

III; and House Bill No. 6644, or An Act Granting Philippine Citizenship to Matthew James Ramos.

Meanwhile, several bills were to be discussed for amendment: Senate Bill No. 1511 or the Anti-Hospital Detention Bill, which aims to prevent medical institutions from holding patients hostage for being unable to pay their bills; and Senate Bill No. 1905 or the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers, which seeks to establish formal channels for compensation and benefits for community health frontliners.

Not to mention, Senate Bill No. 1900 or the Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperatives Act, as well as Senate Bill No. 1991 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Act (Senate Bill No. 1991), were also unable to proceed.

“Four of the eight [bills] on the agenda today were supposed to be agriculture bills that would have benefited farmers and fishermen, and all of the citizenship bills were not acted upon due to this abandonment of responsibility,” said Senator Kiko

Pangilinan after Tuesday’s session.

A victory for whom?

Now, following Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s surprise appearance in Wednesday’s, June 3, plenary session, the Senate finds itself in the middle of yet another power shift: a new majority of 12 versus a new minority of 10, and with Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian, elected also on Wednesday, at the helm.

But with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano continuing to assert his position as Senate President, the confusion continues. Was his ousting constitutional? Which Blue Ribbon Committee will we follow? Each side has its arguments, and yet we’re still at an impasse with no end in sight.

But in the end, regardless of allegiances, it doesn’t matter who is Senate President or not, or who the majority is. Until this circus is sorted out, the people who rely on the Senate to do their jobs can do nothing but watch and stand by as their pleas are tossed by the wayside. n

Sandara Park named public relations ambassador for South Korea’s Overseas Koreans Agency

The 2NE1 member’s appointment links her cross-border career with a government office serving Korean communities abroad.

by AJPress

MANILA — Sandara Park, the South Korean singer and actress whose public career began in the Philippines before she rose to wider recognition as a member of 2NE1, has been appointed a 2026 public relations ambassador for South Korea’s Overseas Koreans Agency.

The agency held an appointment ceremony on June 4 at its headquarters in Incheon, South Korea, where Park received her letter of appointment alongside Korean history lecturer Choi Tae-seong. The role is a public outreach post intended to help promote awareness of the agency’s work with Koreans living outside South Korea. It is not a diplomatic appointment.

The Overseas Koreans Agency operates under South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handles programs and services for Korean communities abroad, including public engagement and

Heart

identity-related initiatives. Its appointment of Park places a widely recognized Korean entertainment figure in a campaign connected to the overseas Korean experience.

Park’s selection carries particular resonance in the Philippines, where she first became a household name. She entered Philippine show business through ABS-CBN’s “Star Circle Quest” in 2004 and later appeared in local television, film and music projects before returning to South Korea. In 2009, she debuted as part of 2NE1, one of the K-pop groups that helped expand Korean pop music’s international reach.

In remarks connected to the appointment, Park referred to her years in the Philippines and said that living abroad helped her better understand the lives of overseas Koreans.

She said she hoped to help connect Korean communities abroad with South Korea.

Choi, a well-known history educator in South Korea, was reappointed after previously

Evangelista says

by AJPress

Heart Evangelista is looking back on a past relationship with candor and humor.

During her June 5 appearance on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the actress, fashion figure and television host opened up about dating, generosity and the point at which giving too much can

serving as a public relations ambassador for the agency. South Korean reports said he had led educational sessions meant to broaden awareness of overseas Koreans and their place in Korean history and society.

The ambassadors are expected to participate in public-facing activities promoting the agency’s programs. Park is also expected to appear in agency-related content as part of the campaign. n

past relationship made her feel like a ‘sugar mommy’

begin to feel uncomfortable.

Evangelista appeared on the program with Sean Lucas ahead of the launch of their GMA game show, “The People Have Spoken,” which premiered June 6.

The conversation turned personal when Abunda asked who should pay on a date. Evangelista said that, in a romantic setting, she generally believes the man should pay, joking that a

woman already spends time and money preparing for the date. With friends, however, she said she is naturally generous and enjoys hosting.

Asked whether she had ever spent money on a man, Evangelista answered openly. She said she has always been “very, very generous” in relationships and considers giving one of her ways of showing love.

But one past relationship,

she said, left a different feeling.

“I did have one boyfriend that I felt like, he was not too — there was something that left a bad taste in my mouth,” Evangelista said during the interview. “Just one, but I won’t say who.”

She added that the experience made her feel as though she had become a “sugar mommy,” using the phrase

Yasmien Kurdi brushes off criticism over law school posts:

by AJPress

Yasmien Kurdi is not letting online criticism take away from her law school journey.

The actress and law student responded with grace after a social media user questioned why she was posting about law school while still in the early years of the program.

The exchange came after Kurdi shared reflections from her first year of law school, including the subjects that challenged and inspired her.

She mentioned Criminal Law, Constitutional Law and Obligations and Contracts among the courses that shaped her early experience.

One commenter suggested that Kurdi should wait until bar review before posting about law school. Kurdi answered calmly, reminding the commenter to enjoy the course and not let pressure

‘Enjoy the journey’

take over.

For Kurdi, the posts appear to be less about showing off and more about documenting a demanding personal goal as it unfolds.

Kurdi is studying law at Arellano University, where she previously earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, graduating magna cum laude in 2019. Her return to school has drawn attention because it comes alongside a long-running entertainment career.

Kurdi first became widely known through GMA’s “StarStruck,” where she finished as First Princess in the talent search’s first season. She has since built a career as a Kapuso actress while also embracing roles as a wife, mother and student.

In earlier posts, Kurdi has

Ella Pangilinan, Enrique Miranda welcome first child

The couple announced the arrival of their son, Fernando León Miranda, months after sharing that they were expecting their first baby.

by AJPress

MANILA — Ella Pangilinan and her husband, Enrique Miranda, have welcomed their first child, a son named Fernando León Miranda, a family milestone Pangilinan announced through social media over the weekend.

Pangilinan shared the baby’s arrival through Instagram Stories on Saturday, June 6, posting a black-andwhite image of Miranda holding their newborn and another image showing the baby’s feet. In her caption, she wrote that she was taking in the first moments with their son.

The announcement came months after Pangilinan shared in January that she and Miranda were expecting their first child. The couple married in December 2023, following a relationship that had drawn attention from entertainment and lifestyle readers because of Pangilinan’s well-known family.

Pangilinan is a content creator and designer, and the eldest daughter of businessman, speaker and coach An-

thony Pangilinan and actress Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan. She is also the sister of actor Donny Pangilinan. Miranda, who is not in show business, comes from a Cebu-based family with ties to the Lhuilliers and to Philippine motorsports through his brother, race car driver Daniel Miranda, the long-

Heart Evangelista says past ...

to describe a moment when she believed her generosity had gone too far.

Evangelista did not identify the former boyfriend. When Abunda asked for clues, she declined to name him, keeping the exchange playful and saying her former partners were good-looking. She also softened the remark by saying the unnamed ex may simply have needed “extra help.”

The interview came as Evangelista and Lucas were promoting “The People Have Spoken,” GMA’s new quiz-and-talk show that asks celebrity teams to guess the

Image from Instagram/@ellapangilinanx

time partner of actress Sofia Andres.

While the announcement drew attention from fans and entertainment followers, Pangilinan and Miranda kept the moment quietly personal, sharing only a few glimpses of Fernando León as they embraced their first days as parents. n

recently opened up about dating, generosity and boundaries during an appearance

most popular answers from a surveyed studio audience. Evangelista did not linger on the story. She offered it as a passing recollection,

Claudia Barretto asks court to remove father’s legal surname

by AJPress

Claudia Barretto is taking a legal step to change her name.

The singer and content creator has filed a court petition seeking to remove Baldivia, the legal surname of her father, actor-comedian Dennis Padilla, from her name. Padilla’s real name is Dennis Esteban Dominguez Baldivia Jr.; Dennis Padilla is his screen name.

The petition asks that Claudia’s name be changed from Claudia Isabelle Barretto Baldivia to Claudia Isabelle Barretto, according to reports citing a copy of the filing that Padilla shared publicly.

Padilla responded to the petition in a public social media post, saying he was saddened by the filing but would respect his daughter’s decision. Addressing Claudia directly, he said his love for her would not change.

The filing does not mean the name change has already been approved. In the Philippines, a change of surname generally requires court approval, and a judge must determine whether the petition meets the legal require-

Atasha

ments.

Claudia is the daughter of Padilla and former actress Marjorie Barretto. She is also the sister of actress Julia Barretto and Leon Barretto.

Known for her music and digital work, Claudia is represented by Viva Artists Agency, which identifies her as a performer, content creator and influencer. Her released songs include “Stay,” “Finally Found It,” “Nothing To Do,” “Everything,” “Vacant” and “No Changing My

Love.”

The petition has drawn attention because of the Barretto family’s long public profile in Philippine entertainment. The family has previously been the subject of public reporting over legal surname matters, including earlier proceedings involving Julia.

The petition remains pending, and no court decision has been publicly reported. Claudia has not publicly discussed the filing. n

Muhlach Spotted With Jacob Ang at Family Wedding: Are Sparks Flying?

by AJPress

one that said less about an unnamed former boyfriend than about how generosity can look different in hindsight. n

Yasmien Kurdi brushes off ...

11

connected her legal studies to a deeper interest in women’s rights and legal awareness, including laws that pro-

tect women and children. The online exchange highlighted the pressure public figures can face when sharing personal milestones be-

fore the finish line. Kurdi’s response kept the focus on the process itself: law school is difficult, but for her, the journey is still worth sharing.n

Manila, Philippines — Atasha Muhlach, the 24-yearold actress and Eat Bulaga! co-host, recently caught fans’ attention when she was photographed alongside businessman Jacob Ang at his sister Carmela Ang’s wedding. The two were seen seated together during the celebration, smiling for photos shared by attendees.

Atasha, daughter of actor Aga Muhlach and former beauty queen Charlene Gonzales, has been making waves in Philippine entertainment since 2023, balancing hosting gigs with acting roles in popular television series. Her twin brother, Andres Muhlach, was also in attendance.

Jacob Ang, 24, is the youngest son of Ramon S. Ang, president and CEO of

San Miguel Corporation. He holds executive roles in the family’s automotive business, including leadership over BMW distribution in the Philippines.

While their appearance together sparked online chatter, neither Atasha nor Jacob has confirmed a romantic

relationship. Sources close to the families describe their connection as social, with no official affirmation of dating. Fans are watching closely, but for now, this is one wedding appearance that has captured the spotlight without any official “relationship status” confirmation. n

Iwa Moto, Pampi Lacson to Marry in 2028; Jodi Sta. Maria to Attend as Bridesmaid

by AJPress

In a rare display of professional composure and longterm commitment, Iwa Moto and longtime partner Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson Jr. have announced plans to marry in August 2028, following the completion of Lacson’s annulment from actress Jodi Sta. Maria.

Moto, who first rose to prominence in reality television and later established a career in Philippine dramas, confirmed the engagement on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda. She shared that Lacson had given her a promise ring early in their relationship, a symbol of a commitment now formalized through their planned wedding.

The couple has spent 14 years navigating the complexities of a blended family. They have two children together, Hiromi(b. 2013) and Caleb Jiro (b. 2021), while Lacson’s son Thirdy from his previous marriage to Sta. Maria remains part of their extended family network.

In an unusual and noteworthy gesture of goodwill, Sta. Maria will serve as one of Moto’s bridesmaids. Moto described their relationship as having evolved from lim-

ited interactions into a genuine friendship, fostered by shared parenting responsibilities and mutual respect.

The couple has chosen to hold their wedding after the 2028 national elections, citing both practical and personal considerations. Moto emphasized that the ceremony will be self-funded and kept intimate, reflecting a preference for privacy while managing public visibility.

Their engagement and

forthcoming wedding draw attention not as a headline event, but for the way the couple has managed public attention alongside personal and family transitions over an extended period.

The 2028 nuptials are therefore significant not just as a personal milestone, but as a reflection of a long-term partnership that has successfully balanced professional demands, family life, and media scrutiny. n

Vic Sotto, Ice Seguerra eye big-screen reunion for possible MMFF bid

by AJPress

MANILA — Vic Sotto and Ice Seguerra may be headed back to the big screen together.

More than 40 years after they first became a beloved onscreen tandem, Sotto and Seguerra are exploring a new movie project being eyed for the holiday season and possible consideration for the Metro Manila Film Festival.

The project has not been announced as an official MMFF entry. Public reporting so far describes it as a planned collaboration with a possible December release window, meaning its festival status will depend on production plans and the MMFF selection process.

The pairing is rich with nostalgia. Seguerra first won

Paulo Avelino, Vic Sotto, Francis M trace roots to senators in landmark Avelino v Cuenco case

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines —

The latest leadership change in the Senate is citing a landmark Supreme Court ruling from 1949 which involves numerous lawmakers whose descendants continue to be in the public eye.

On Wednesday, June 3, 12 senators were present in the plenary hall as Minority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III moved to declare all positions in the upper House vacant, a motion that was approved without objections.

The present senators then elected Sherwin Gatchalian as the new Senate president pro tempore and effectively the acting Senate President (SP) since a dozen senators are not enough to elect a new SP, as indicated in the 1987 Constitution, to replace Alan Peter Cayetano.

Prior to adjourning the Senate sine die (indefinitely), Gatchalian explained that what he and his fellow senators conducted was in line with the law, as indicated in the 1949 Supreme Court ruling Avelino v Cuenco and a 2015 Senate precedent.

The precedence

During a Senate session held on May 5, 2015, there were only 12 senators present during the roll call— similar to what took place on June 3.

Three senators, including Jinggoy Estrada, were detained while four others were abroad. Despite this, then-SP Franklin Drilon called for a quorum.

Under normal circumstances, a majority is 13 because the Senate has 24 members.

However, on June 3, the present senators counted only 22 since Estrada was detained again while Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa was in hiding due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, meaning both were out of the Senate's jurisdiction.

If the effective membership is reduced to 22, then a majority would be 12 senators.

Avelino v Cuenco is based on an incident where Mariano Cuenco was designated to preside over the Senate, and later elected SP, after predecessor Jose Avelino exited the chamber with several colleagues leaving

a dozen senators to elect Cuenco.

Before the walkout, there were 22 out of the 24 senators present. Vicente Sotto — Tito's grandfather — was in the hospital while Tomas Confesor was in the United States.

Avelino filed a petition before the Supreme Court claiming there was no valid quorum to elect Cuenco; he remained the rightful SP

A month later, the High Court ruled to dismiss the petition and upheld Cuenco's election, reasoning that Confesor was beyond the Senate's ability to compel attendance.

Because of this, the court treated the Senate's effective membership as 23 instead of 24. Twelve senators, therefore, constituted a majority of the body's effective membership and could validly conduct business.

The ruling introduced the concept that senators beyond the chamber's "coercive jurisdiction" may not necessarily be counted in determining a quorum.

Related: Avelino v Cuenco: Why heated Senate bloc contest hinges on 1949 case Descendants

It may come as no surprise that Tito's grandfather was in the Senate at the time, and since then, the Sotto family has produced numerous politicians and actors, including Vic, Vico, Val, Gian, Lala, Ciara, Danica, Oyo Boy and Miko.

People may be surprised though to learn that Jose Avelino is the great-grandfather of actor Paulo Avelino.

The senior Avelino ran for president in 1949, months after the Supreme Court ruling, with fellow senator Vicente Francisco as his running mate under their own

wing of the Liberal Party. However, they lost to the other wing bannered by the incumbent Elpidio Quirino and Fernando Lopez, the latter a senator who backed Cuenco and a member of the Lopez clan who founded ABS-CBN.

Another senator who backed Cuenco was Enrique Magalona — father of actor Pancho Magalona, grandfather of Francis Magalona and great-grandfather of the late rapper's children.

Jose E. Romero, father of National Artist Eddie Romero, would have been in the Senate, however, after the 1946 elections he was replaced by Prospero Sanidad following an election protest. Also in the senate at the time were future Philippine president Carlos P. Garcia, decorated lawmaker Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez and Pablo "Ambo" Ángeles David.

It should be noted that the latter is not related to Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio "Ambo" David despite their similar names and both hailing from Pampanga.

There were also the Philippines' first woman senator Geronima Pecson and first elected Muslim senator Salipada Pendatun. Three decades earlier, Hadji Butu was merely appointed to the Senate during the American occupation.

Other notable senators were Lorenzo " Ka Tanny" Tañada, Vicente Madrigal and Ramon Diokno, who were the ancestors of former Sen. Wigberto "Ka Bobby" Tañada and Rep. Erin Tañada, former Sen. Jamby Madrigal, and former Sen. Jose "Ka Pepe" Diokno, Rep. Chel Diokno and director Pepe Diokno. — with reports from Ian Laqui n

Health @Heart Healthspan - Lifespan

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

Healthspan is the stage in life where people are practically disease-free or able to ambulate without loss of balance, feed themselves, bathe and dress without help, socialize with family, friends, and society, travel, or even drive, doing the things we love, and feeling comfortable and well. That is the span of wellness, being healthy, no matter the age. Lifespan is how long people live. Obviously, the quality of life, how we age, is far more important than the number of years of life.

Everyone is, naturally, interested in maximizing longevity, aspiring to live to 80, 90, 100, or longer, but while people today live longer, lifespan is greater, healthspan seems to be lagging: the number of years people are healthy in their lifetime is barely catching up. Hopefully, with a society that is more health-conscious than ever before, healthspan will grow wider, and people will be living longer, healthier lives in most years of their senior life. Healthspan represents minutes, hours, days, and years of living comfortably well, and not existing, dominated by diseases and loss of independence.

Harvard Special Health Report says: “Over the past century, average lifespan has increased dramatically. In 1900 in the United States, a newborn could expect to live about 47 years. Today, that number is closer to 79.

Improved sanitation, antibiotics, safer childbirth, vaccines, and better emergency care all deserve credit… Many people now live a decade or more dealing with multiple chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease, arthritis, and cognitive decline. The result is a wide, often painful gap between how long people live and how long they live well. From a medical standpoint, what we're really trying to extend is not just the number of years, but the number of good years-healthy, active years in which you can participate in life on your own terms.”

Genetics has about a 10-30 percent effect on lifespan, which leaves 70 to 90 percent of other factors that can

determine our lifespan and also our health span: our discipline, behavior, and habits, our lifestyle. And these are factors within our control, directly in our hands!

“The same is true at the microscopic level. Inside your cells, aging is driven by a set of biological processes often called the hallmarks of aging: things like DNA damage, failing energy-producing structures (mitochondria), chronic low-grade inflammation, and changes in the microbes that live in your gut, our vital microbiome.

To support a longer healthspan, the Harvard Medical School’s Report suggests the following scale-tipping discipline:

“Eating mostly whole, minimally processed foods, with an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils, and limiting red and processed meats, refined grains, and sugary drinks.

Moving your body regularly, including aerobic activity for your heart and lungs, strength training for muscles and bones, and balance work to prevent falls.

Avoiding tobacco in all forms and limiting or avoiding alcohol.

Prioritizing sleep, usually seven to nine hours per night, and getting help if you have persistent insomnia or suspected sleep apnea.

Managing stress, mood, and social connection through practices like spending time outdoors, meditation, counseling when needed, and nurturing relationships.

Keeping up with preventive care, including recommended screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, cancers, and vaccinations appropriate for your age.”

As I have written in the past, some people seem to have locked their mindset in a self-destruct suicidal mode: besides driving recklessly, with a cigarette, or beer can in one hand and a cellphone in the other, eating a lot of junk food, carbohydrates, processed and ultra-processed red meats, drinking soft drinks (which are poisonous to the body), being a sedentary couch-potato, finger-exercising (only) with a TV remote, smoking, drinking, using illicit drugs, all of which lead to diseases,

faith

shortening both healthspan and lifespan. It is time to look at the mirror, wise up, reset our mindset, and ask ourselves: “Why am I destroying my body, which I am supposed to love and protect, for my and my family’s sake?”

Healthcare access

The United Nations Population Fund and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation(PhilHealth) established a partnership aimed at improving maternal health, family planning, and healthcare access for millions of Filipino women and families. On another front, the DOH Metro Manila center has launched a campaign (“Ligtas Tigdas,” Freedom from Measles) to immunize 1.2 million children ages 6 months to 59 months against measles and rubella.

New anti-COVID

The US-FDA just approved a new oral antiviral agent, ensitrelvir (Xocoba), to help prevent COVID-19 among people exposed to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus in COVID-19) infection. While the agent could also be effective against mild to moderate COVID-19, it is not approved to treat COVID-19 as a primary indication in the USA. It is officially approved as a prophylactic drug. As of May 10, 2026, the WHO reported 2,581 cases of COVID-19 infections, 1400 cases in Brazil, and 277 in Thailand. COVID-19 epidemic trend in the USA and in the Philippines is declining severely. Emergency room visits sit at 0.1 percent. The current variant appearing in wastewater across multiple US states is BA.3.2, nicknamed “Cicada.”

Bath tub infections

Bathing in a tub is less preferred than a shower because of water waste and high incidence of infections, like hot tub folliculitis, infection of hair follicles, urinary tract infection (more common among females, and Legionnaires’ disease. Immersing ourselves in a bathtub, hot tub, or whirlpool cleans our anus, contaminating the water with E coli bacteria and other bacteria from our skin. This is especially common in bathtubs in motels and hotels. The healthier choice is the shower, where dirty water goes down the drain. Also, a bathtub uses between 35 and 70 gallons of water, depending on the size of the tub, while

For years, I thought financial freedom was mostly about numbers.

Better income. Bigger savings account. Smaller debt. Simple, right?

Then I spent three decades in the mortgage industry and discovered something surprising. I’ve seen people earn six figures and still lose sleep over money. I’ve seen families move into beautiful homes and remain anxious about their future. I’ve also met people with far less who seemed to walk around with a peace that money couldn’t buy.

That’s when I realized money is a little like a microphone—it doesn’t change what’s inside us. It just makes it louder.

The Bible says in 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Notice it doesn’t say, “May your bank account prosper.” It starts with the soul.

That’s not always the message our culture sells us.

We’re told that if we just make more money, buy the right house, get the promotion, or finally reach that magical financial number, everything will fall into place. Yet many people ar-

Prosperity Begins in the Soul

rive there and wonder why they still feel worried, insecure, or stuck.

The issue often isn’t the money. It’s the story we’ve been carrying about money.

Maybe you grew up hearing, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” In my Filipino household, wasting food was practically a crime. If I didn’t finish my rice and adobo, I was convinced God, my mother, and every ancestor before me were disappointed. Those lessons taught gratitude, but some of us also picked up fear, scarcity, and beliefs we never stopped to question.

Over the years, I noticed many of my clients weren’t struggling because they lacked information. They were struggling because of what was happening beneath the surface: unhealed disappointments, fear of failure, shame from past mistakes, beliefs that quietly whispered, “I’ll never get ahead” or “I’m just not good with money.”

No budget spreadsheet can fully fix what needs healing in the heart.

That’s one of the reasons I wrote Heal Your Money Wounds God’s Way. I wanted to help people look beyond dollars and cents and uncover the hidden beliefs that may be standing between them and the life

they’re praying for.

Because prosperity isn’t just about what you have. It’s about becoming the person who can receive, steward, and enjoy God’s blessings with peace.

And sometimes the greatest financial breakthrough doesn’t begin in your wallet. It begins in your soul.

Since this column happens to fall during my birthday month, I’d love to celebrate by giving away copies of my book to the first 50 people who reach out. Consider it my birthday gift to you—and perhaps the beginning of a different conversation about prosperity.

To request a copy of the book, email: kccurrent@ gmail.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.

* * *

Kathy Current is a financial coach, mortgage advisor, and author of Heal Your Money Wounds God’s Way, where she combines over three decades of financial experience with timeless biblical wisdom.

Kathy addresses real-life questions about God and money, helping readers find freedom and purpose in their financial lives. n

Vic Sotto, Ice Seguerra eye...

over audiences as a child performer on “Eat Bulaga,” where Sotto was already one of the country’s most recognizable comic actors and television personalities. Seguerra became known for quick-witted exchanges, natural charm and the duckwalk that remains part of the show’s pop-culture memory. Together, they became a familiar presence in family

an 8-minute shower uses about 17 gallons (2 gallons per minute).”

* * *

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.

* * *

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a

entertainment, appearing in television and film projects that made them favorites across generations.

Seguerra has since built a wider career as a singer-songwriter, actor, director and producer. In recent years, Seguerra has also moved behind the camera, including directing “Eat Bulaga” for part of its monthly programming schedule.

Sotto, meanwhile, re-

Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, medical missionary, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He is a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, US senator,

turned to the MMFF in 2024 with “The Kingdom,” an action-political drama co-starring Piolo Pascual that showed a different side of the veteran star after years of comedy and fantasy fare.

The possible Sotto-Seguerra reunion remains in development. But for fans who remember their early years together, even the possibility is enough to stir holiday-season anticipation. n

and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry S. Truman, President George HW Bush, Astronaut Gus Grissom, pugilist Muhammad Ali, distinguished educators, renowned scientists, etc. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com. On Amazon.com, search for “Where is My America?” Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com n

P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)

The Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2026, held June 8–11, celebrated the Asian Development Bank's 60th anniversary while addressing pressing challenges in the clean energy transition. Reflecting ADB’s updated 2025 Energy Policy, the forum highlighted the region’s growing need for secure, resilient, and inclusive energy solutions amid projected 4.0% growth in 2026, persistent energy access gaps affecting over 400 million people, and rising geopolitical tensions.

ACEF provided a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange, bringing together governments, private-sector actors, academia, financial institutions, NGOs, and development partners. Discussions focused on four priorities: energy security through diversified sources, resilient systems, equitable inclusion, and intelligent energy systems using AI and smart grids.

I had the chance to meet professionals from multiple nationalities, including Filipino urban professionals John Marc Reyes, Jon Goyena, Ricky Buenaflor, Stef Bernardo, Daniel Marco Cuanjunco, Gio Almonte, Regina Padojinog, and David Huang; photographer Noli Estrada; Indonesian Sandi Saputra; Belgian Jens Jaeger; American CEO Danica Starks; and Danish CEO Rune Damgaard. Graduation Night of PSF Film and Theater Workshop Batch 2026

The Philippine Stagers Foundation held a memorable graduation ceremony following a late-afternoon musical play recital. I was fortunate to be among the new graduates aspiring to a career in film and theater, perhaps even in Hollywood.

Asian Journal Joins the Signing of LOVEPH

On June 9, Asian Journal Publications participated in the ceremonial signing of pioneer partners of LOVEPH at Sava Bay City, Manila. The event marked a milestone in public-private partnership for Phase 2 of Philippine Tourism Digitalization, led by the Department of Tourism through Assistant Secretary Sharlene

Asia Clean Energy Forum 2026 at ADB

Zabala-Batin, Product Development Director Paulo Tugbang, and NCR Assistant Regional Director Ivannovich Agote. The initiative promotes tourism digitalization, expands merchant participation, and enhances visitor access to Philippine tourism products and destinations. PEPI officers present included Chairman Victor Lee, CEO Marinel Barquin Lee, and Managing Director Victor Roy Santiago, while Asian Journal was represented by Marketing Development Director Jesus Noel Godinez and Multimedia Journalist Rogelio Constantino Medina.

Honesty Is Priceless Honesty remains priceless in everyday acts. Two Manila senior high students recently returned a lost cellphone to me without expecting a reward. Their story, shared in Police Files Tonite and Asian Journal editions across the U.S., earned recognition from their schools, superintendent, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. Similarly, a GMA Network cameraman returned my se-

nior citizen ID without seeking a reward. Years ago, I was offered money in a professional setting, which I respectfully declined, believing integrity outweighs any reward.

These examples recall my grandparents, who returned a large sum to a family in Paco, Manila, at the start of World War II without expectation of thanks. Such acts, by students, colleagues, or family, show that honesty cannot be measured in money.

Birthday Greetings

Happy birthday to: Stephanie Quitlong (Philippine Stagers Foundation), Gemma Aguilar, Sheryl London (June 9); Rod Navarro Jr., Dr. Luis Calingo (June 10); Geleen Eugenio (June 12); Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones, Mario Medina (June 13); Gelo Bautista, Gabriel John Rimando (June 14); Anna Orlina (June 15).. * * * 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.

* * rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com n