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JULY 22-28, 2022 Serving San Diego Since 1987 • 12 Pages
T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r
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DATELINE Boost now or wait? Many wonder how best to ride out COVID’s next wave
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PH Gov’t to bolster booster campaign by reD
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FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
GWYNETH Paige didn’t want to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at first. With her health issues — hypertension, fibromyalgia, asthma — she wanted to see how other people fared after the shots. Then her mother got colon cancer. “At that point, I didn’t care if the vaccine killed me,” she said. “To be with my mother throughout her journey, I had to have the vaccination.” Paige, who is 56 and lives in Detroit, has received three doses. That leaves her one booster short of federal health recommendations. Like Paige, who said she doesn’t currently plan to get another booster, some Americans seem comfortable with the protection of three shots. But others may wonder what to do: Boost again now with one of the original vaccines, or wait months for promised new formulations tailored to the latest, highly contagious omicron
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Acting Health Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. Photo by John Ryan Valdemor
THE government will launch a major campaign to improve booster coverage that targets at least 23 million more Filipinos starting next week, the Department of Health (DoH) said. Called “Pinas Lakas,” the new campaign will be launched on July 26, with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. taking the lead in convincing Filipinos to get their booster shots. DoH Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the program aims to administer boosters to 90 percent of senior citizens and 50 percent of the target population in the remaining 80 days of the first 100 days of the new administration.
by aLeXis
romero Philstar.com
Philanthropists, 9 others receive Gawad Alab ng Lahi Award
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Marcos invites Filipinos to listen to first SONA
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NEW YORK — A Filipina lawyerphilanthropist seeking a cure for a rare degenerative disease that afflicts Visayan men and an American businessmanphilanthropist who helped bring the Balanggiga Bells back to the Philippines were among 11 individuals, organizations, and enterprises that were honored last week by the Philippine Consulate General in New York and the Hiraya Foundation for FilipinoAmerican Heritage Preservation. Also honored in the first-ever Gawad Alab ng Lahi: Pagkilala sa Mga Natatanging Dangal ng Lahing Pilipino held at the Whitby Theater in Manhattan were Filipino nurses who have been tirelessly serving in the frontline against COVID-19 and veterans seeking recognition for Filipino World War II veterans. “Our Gawad Alab ng Lahi awardees bring not only pride and honor to the Filipino race—they are the flames that should inspire all of us to work together to help us achieve
“Instead of a wider vaccination rollout, we will instead reach out to the communities so that we could increase the vaccine take-up,” Vergeire said in a briefing in Manila. She added that the campaign will target around 397,000 doses of vaccines per day to reach 39 million boosted individuals before the end of the administration’s first 100 days in October. So far, 71.4 million have received their primary series, and 15.7 million have received their booster shots. The campaign comes as the country continues to report additional subvariant cases, with 816 new detections of the highly infectious BA.5 subvariant, 42 additional BA.4 and 52 additional BA.2.12.1
REMEDIAL CLASS. Grade 6 students listen to their teacher Fe Rosal (left) during the remedial and enhancement class at San Miguel Elementary School, Congressional Avenue, City of Dasmarinas, Cavite on Thursday, July 21. Under DepEd Order No. 25, teachers are mandated to conduct remedial classes for students who failed in not more than two subjects while those with low grades of 75 to 79 in any subject must attend enrichment classes. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
MANILA — President Marcos has invited Filipinos to listen to his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25, where he will discuss his key policies and priorities as the country’s 17th Chief Executive. “Nalalapit na ang ating pinaka-unang State of the Nation Address (Our first SONA is approaching),” Marcos said in a Facebook post published last Sunday, July 17. “Samahan niyo po ako at pakinggan ang estado ng ating bansa at ang mga plano at mithiin natin bilang isang sambayanan para sa mga susunod na taon (Join me and listen as I talk about the state of our country and our plans and aspirations as a nation in the succeeding years),” he added. Marcos’ first SONA will be held more than three weeks after he assumed office and on the same day that the 19th Congress will formally open session. He is expected to enumerate his priority bills and to ask Congress to pass measures that will help his administration carry out its programs. The President will also present the details of the
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Most Filipinos trust results of May elections – Pulse Asia by Pia Lee-BraGo Philstar.com
MANILA — Most Filipino adults trust that the results of the May 2022 elections are accurate and credible, according to a Pulse Asia survey released on Monday, July 18. During a virtual forum, Pulse Asia Research president Ronald Holmes presented the results of the survey on the Filipino voter’s perception of the conduct and legitimacy of the 2022 national elections
commissioned by Stratbase ADR Institute. Holmes said the nationwide survey was conducted from June 24 to 27 using faceto-face interviews based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above. The survey found that 82 percent of respondents had “big trust” in the outcome of the national and local elections. Trust is most pronounced in Mindanao as 96 percent of the respondents believed in
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Boracay Island
Inquirer.net file photo
US House agrees to block aid Senator Padilla Boracay, Palawan and Cebu to PNP until PH meets basic blames opposition hailed World’s Best Islands for ‘baseless’ US law DOT celebrates back-to-back human rights standards accolades for PHL destinations blocking PNP aid by Xave
GreGorio Philstar.com
MANILA — The House of Representatives of the United States has agreed on an amendment to a defense spending measure blocking aid, including equipment and training, to the Philippine National Police until the Philippines is deemed to have met basic human rights standards. The amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2023, introduced by Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pennsylvania) and adopted by the US House through a voice vote, provides that no funding will be made available to the State Department for assistance to the PNP until the Secretary of State certifies that the Philippines has:
• Investigated and successfully prosecuted police who violated human rights, ensured that they cooperated with judicial authorities in such cases, and affirmed that such violations have ceased • Established that the Philippine National Police effectively protects the rights of trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, government critics, religious leaders and other civil society activists to operate without interference • Taken effective steps to guarantee a judicial system that is capable of investigating, prosecuting and bringing to justice members of the police and military who have committed human rights abuses • Fully complied with domestic and U.S.
MANILA — Senator Robin Padilla on Tuesday, July 19 blamed the opposition for the “baseless” move by United States (U.S.) lawmakers to block the aid for the Philippine National Police (PNP). The U.S. House of Representatives has green-lighted amendments to a law that would hinder aid to the PNP unless actions are taken to investigate alleged human rights abuses by the police in the campaign against illegal drugs. Padilla, an Army Captain in the Reserve
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by Daniza
FernanDez
Inquirer.net
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) applauded the naming of the country’s three island destinations among “The 25 Best Islands in the World” by the New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure (T+L). Boracay Island featuring its postcard-perfect sunset ranked 9th in the T+L World’s Best Island list, followed by Palawan at 11th with a photo of an idyllic lagoon in El Nido, and Cebu at 16th with Taoist Temple, in Cebu City. According to T+L,
readers were asked to “weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated islands according to their activities and sights, natural attractions and beaches, food, friendliness, and overall value.” “The Philippines is truly blessed with the unrivaled beauty of our natural resources coupled by the warmth and endless talent of the Filipinos
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JULY 22-28, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc PH Gov’t to bolster booster... meets with SoCal Fil-Am supporters by Donnabelle
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LOS ANGELES — Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc is encouraging Filipino American professionals, especially his fellow Ilocanos, to move back to the Philippines to help in the realization of the province’s goal to become the commercial hub of Northern Philippines and eventually turn it into the gateway to East Asia. In a recent meet and greet event on July 12, organized by U.S. supporters at Noypitz Bar & Grill in Cerritos, Manotoc said the main reason for his California visit is to “hire” talented Fil-Ams who are willing to work with him to accomplish his future endeavors for the province. “We are working towards becoming the commercial hub of Northern Philippines and the gateway to East Asia. One of the hopeful purposes, why I am here, to be honest, is to invite you back to Ilocos Norte,” he said. He said he would definitely need the assistance of the bright minds of Ilocos in bringing the vision of greater economic progress to the province during his term. “I know many of you visit (Ilocos Norte) but I do believe that our province poses many opportunities and that I want to discuss tonight of course in terms of agriculture and tourism, our twin powerhouse industries of Ilocos Norte, and also in many other industries such as services, responsible mining, BPOs, many things that we would like to explore and I’m sure in the next six years of the BBM (President “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.) presidency, many of these plans and visions will be realized and I hope to invite you on this journey of development in Ilocos Norte,” Manotoc, the 33-year-old son of Senator Imee Romualdez Marcos and basketball coach Tommy La’O Manotoc, said. He likewise called on the Filipino communities in the United States to contribute to the Philippine economic growth by actively supporting, not only the projects of Ilocos Norte, but also those of the country as a whole. “The opportunities for growth
Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc on Tuesday, July 12 speaks to a crowd of Filipino Americans during a meet and greet event in Cerritos, California. AJPress photos by Noel Ty
Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc fields questions from the audience ranging from being from the Marcos lineage to the rising inflation in the Philippines.
in the Philippines and Southeast Asia are very prime and although we face many challenges such as COVID-19, the rising fuel prices due to the conflict in Ukraine, and the (increasing) inflation rate, we do see and we are poised especially because of our young population, to grow in the next few years,” he noted. “So I hope to work with all of you and I hope to work with the Ilocano communities out here in California and of course the Filipino communities because I know that building these bridges could benefit us in the long run not only for our country and our kababayans in the Philippines but also for the Filipino communities here in the United States,” he added. He echoed the inauguration
speech of Marcos Jr. in calling for Filipinos to unite and adhere to a common goal of uplifting the Philippines, particularly in terms of economic growth. “One of the regrets that I’ve had is that historically the Marcos’ name has been very divisive, but I think recently with this 2022 elections, we’ve seen the ability of our president (Bongbong Marcos) to unite the Philippines and now we are hoping for six years of true progress, of true assistance to those in need. We look forward to synergizing with all of you and I would like to congratulate all of you for showing that the Filipino is truly world class and all of you, in your own way, embody that,” he said. When asked about how he
could contribute to reclaiming the Marcos name and legacy, Manotoc said, “I think in my small way, I contribute to the socalled Marcos legacy by trying to govern and manage the province as best I can.” At this point, he said public service should be given an utmost priority and it’s high time to start setting aside indifferences from the past. “The victory of BBM has also painted a slightly different picture of the Marcos legacy and [the president’s] inaugural speech, we are not here to rewrite history. We are not here to look back, we are here to move forward and together, and that is his real intention in the next six years,” he said. “We do not want to hold grudges or to get back on certain people. That is not the purpose of public service and that is something that I always admire in my uncle that throughout the campaign, whatever was thrown at him, he never engaged in socalled dirty politics or bickering. He was above it all and I think that is also something that the 31 million that voted for him truly appreciated.” Despite the critics of the Marcos family and political dynasties, Manotoc said, “We want to make sure that BBM’s victory is our victory and the victory of the Philippines and we will ensure that.” Before assuming his gubernatorial post, Manotoc served as a senior provincial board member from the second legislative district of Ilocos Norte from 2016 to 2019. From this three-year stint, he was also the chairman of the National Movement of Young Legislators – Ilocos Norte Chapter. In the 2019 gubernatorial elections, Manotoc ran unopposed as governor of Ilocos Norte to replace his mother who ran as a senator. In the 2022 elections, Manotoc won overwhelmingly against Rodolfo Farinas, giving him another three-year term. When he first took office, it was reported that one of his priorities was to make health services more accessible and
PAGE 1 cases in the country. COVID-19 weekly cases continue to rise as well, with an average of 2,259 cases reported on average during the week ending July 19, of which, 900 cases were reported in Metro Manila alone. Vergeire said that even with the sustained increase in COVID-19 cases and admissions in hospitals, most of them remain mild and asymptomatic. She added that while Omicron in general does not lead to a severe disease, some fully vaccinated individuals who have not yet received their booster shots may experience severe symptoms due to the variant. “Let us remember that since Omicron arrived in the country, it has affected our vaccines, that is why we are urging everyone to receive their boosters because if you receive your first booster shots, the decreased protection from Omicron will increase by as
much as 85 percent,” Vergeire said. She said that the DoH is now studying the possibility of redefining the status of fully vaccinated to include those who received their booster shots. But she added that this will be studied at the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases level. The official said that there is a possibility that restrictions will be lessened once the “wall of immunity” due to vaccinations have been reached, but there is no final consensus yet on which restrictions will be loosened. Meanwhile, Vergeire has appointed DoH Assistant Secretary Nestor Santiago of the Field Implementation and Coordination Team as the new incident manager of the National Vaccination Operations Center, while OIC Undersecretary Beverly Lorraine Ho will be the deputy spokesman. n
US House agrees...
PAGE 1 audits and investigations regarding the improper use of prior security assistance “The time is long overdue to begin putting some basic human rights guardrails in place in the United States-Philippines relationship,” Wild said in her remarks on the House floor. She said that those who oppose her proposal would raise the U.S.’ national security interests against China, but she countered that there is a need to maintain credibility on human rights issues. “The need to counter the Chinese regime’s authoritarianism on the international stage is precisely why it’s so important that we maintain our credibility on human rights. It is why it is so vital that we do not undermine our own case for democracy and open ourselves up to charges of hypocrisy by supporting brutal regimes out of short term expediency,” she said. Wild’s amendment, however, included a waiver that would give the U.S. president leeway to provide the PNP with assistance for up to 180 days provided that: • The foreign affairs panel of the U.S. House and the foreign relations panel of the U.S. Senate is informed not later than 15 days before the effectivity of the waiver • The waiver is vital to the national security interests of the United States or its partners and allies The amendment to the defense spending bill borrows language from the proposed Philippine Human Rights Act which Wild also introduced in 2020 and refiled the following year. According to the U.S. Embassy, the Philippines is the largest recipient of military assistance from the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region, having received more than P57 billion worth of planes, armored vehicles, small arms and other military equipment. Defense assistance to the Philippines from the U.S. continues despite adverse findings by the State Department in its latest report on the human rights situation in the country, where it flagged extrajudicial killings, forced disappearance, torture, arbitrary u PAGE 4 detention and harsh prison conditions. n
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 22-28, 2022
Mayor Arvin Amatorio of Bergenfield, New Jersey (second from right) was among the awardees of the first-ever Gawad Alab ng Lahi staged by the Philippine Consulate General in New York and the Hiraya Foundation for Filipino-American Heritage Preservation last week. Photo shows Mayor Amatorio with (from left) Deputy Consul General Arman Talbo, Consul General Elmer G. Cato, and Dr. Romulo Aromin, President and Chair of the Hiraya Foundation. Photo courtesy of Hiraya Foundation
Philanthropists, 9 others receive... PAGE 1 our shared aspirations for our country and our people,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said. “We hope that the Gawad Alab ng Lahi will inspire more of our kababayan to stoke the flames of Filipino pride by demonstrating the best of our race in whatever they do,” Dr. Romulo Aromin, President and Chair of the Hiraya Foundation said. The awards recognized and celebrated the contributions of individuals and organizations— both Filipino-Americans and foreign allies —to uplift the lives of kababayan abroad and at home, providing better lives for themselves and their families. Atty. Geraldine Acuna-Sunshine, a member of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University who is also president of the Sunshine Care Foundation and co-founder of the Collaborative Center for X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism, was presented with the Gawad Alab ng Lahi for spearheading efforts to find a cure for the disease that afflicts Filipino males from the Visayas while providing comprehensive support for patients and their families in the Philippines. Dr. Henry Howard, Philippine Honorary Consul in Miami, Florida, was recognized not only for his scholarship programs in the Philippines but also for his role in securing the release and eventual return of the Balangiga Bells from the United States. The other awardees include the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA), which
was recognized for the service and sacrifice of its members, especially during the coronavirus pandemic that claimed the lives of as many as 66 nurses from the Philippines. Another awardee was Dr. Leo Felix Jurado, Chair of the Nursing Department at the William Patterson University in New Jersey, for his role in getting the Philippines included as a testing center for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) that benefitted thousands of Filipino nurses. Also recognized was the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FILVETREP) which was behind the successful efforts that secured the congressional gold medal for Filipino World War II veterans. The other Gawad Alab ng Lahi awardees are the Association of Filipino Teachers in America (AFTA); Mayor Arvin Amatorio of Bergenfield, New Jersey; theater actor Miguel Braganza II; Concentrix Philippines; Carnival Cruise Lines; and United Food of Asia. The awardees each received a mixed media trophy made of wood, metal, glass, and abaca designed by Filipino pop artist Normie Meimban. The ceremony was hosted by Marc Dela Cruz, the first Filipino to play the lead role in the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” Dela Cruz and singer Kirby Asunto, along with conductor Michael Dadap and the Children’s Orchestra Society, also performed for the audience that was made up of prominent members of the Filipino Community. n
Most Filipinos trust results of... PAGE 1 the result and least manifested in Luzon at 73 percent. Some four percent of Filipino adults expressed distrust on the election results while 14 percent were undecided on the matter. Among the developments that transpired in the period leading up to the survey period was the proclamation by Congress
on May 25 of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and their oath-taking last month as the two top officials of the land. Satisfaction with the automated voting system or counting of votes through the vote counting machines (VCMs) is expressed by 89 percent of
Filipino adults. Faster release of electoral results was the most often cited primary benefit of the automation of elections in the country as expressed by 72 percent of the respondents. A huge majority of Filipino adults or 89 percent are in favor of using the automated voting system in future elections. n
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JULY 22-28, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588
Marcos invites Filipinos to listen to... Senator Padilla blames opposition for... PAGE 1 government’s medium-term fiscal framework, which is aimed at cutting the budget deficit, promoting fiscal sustainability and enabling robust economic growth. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno previously said the framework would be implemented in two stages over the entire term of the President. Among the goals set under the strategy is for the economy to grow by 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year and by 6.5 to 8 percent from 2023 to 2028. The government also aims to reduce poverty incidence to nine percent by the end of Marcos’ term. Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration managed to bring poverty incidence down from 23.5 percent in 2015 to 16.7 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, according to Diokno. He said between the first semester of 2018 and the first semester of 2021, poverty incidence rose to 23.7 percent. Economic managers also seek to elevate the country to upper middle-income status, where per capita income for Filipinos is at $4,046 by the end of Marcos’ term. The administration also wants to reduce the debt-to-gross domestic product ratio from 63.5 percent as of the first quarter of 2022 to 60 percent by 2025. Marcos has also vowed to make agriculture his “highest priority,” saying a strong economy cannot be built without a robust agricultural sector. The President, who temporarily heads the agriculture department, has directed the agency to increase food production and to craft a multiyear plan to construct the Philippines’ value chain to address a food crisis that he said may affect the Philippines in the next two quarters. He cited the need to increase the production of rice, corn and livestock while ensuring that their prices remain affordable. Clear roadmap Senators are anticipating the first SONA of Marcos, who they hope will present a clear roadmap on how his administration will address the daunting challenges the country is facing. Sen. JV Ejercito expressed hope that Marcos will detail his plans for the country’s economic recovery and pandemic response in his SONA on Monday, July 25. “I hope to hear some specifics on the direction he wants to take for the country. His inauguration speech was inspiring, but his SONA needs to flesh out the details of his plan to address the challenges we face,” Ejercito said in a statement. “He needs to come up with a plan that balances the need to protect our people from the current and future pandemic and the urgency of reviving our economy in the face of mounting debt, external pressures and inflation,” he added. The senator said he expects Marcos to discuss a comprehensive economic plan that will go beyond proposals to raise existing taxes and levy new ones. “There have been talks about raising taxes. This cannot be a stand-alone plan; rather, it should be part of a comprehensive economic blueprint that I hope will be discussed in the SONA,” Ejercito said. He also emphasized the need to anchor the country’s pandemic response on the Universal Health Care law, which he principally sponsored
during his first term at the Senate. Ejercito recently filed an amendment to the measure, seeking to adjust current PhilHealth contribution schemes. As principal author of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act and an advocate for local farmers, Ejercito called on Marcos to elaborate on his plan for food security amid the threat of an impending food crisis. Sen. Nancy Binay said Marcos should also mention how he intends to cushion the effects of rising fuel prices and his economic roadmap for the next six years. Sen. Robin Padilla said he is excited to listen to the SONA, especially now as a senator. Padilla added that he used to attend Duterte’s SONA, but as a “third person.” “I’m excited to what President Marcos will say. Because when we were campaigning, he always said he would continue the good programs of Duterte,” Padilla told reporters in Filipino. He added that he was keen on what Marcos will say about the war on drugs, Build Build Build and agriculture. ‘Proportionately represented’ Allies or partners of the administration party under the supermajority coalition will be “proportionately represented” when the 19th Congress convenes on July 25, presumptive speaker Martin Romualdez said on Monday, July 18. “We will also go by seniority, merit, experience and, of course, the initiative to make the sacrifice and hard work needed for each of the positions,” Romualdez told reporters in a chance interview. Romualdez, Marcos’ first cousin, is expected to be elected as the speaker on July 25, when the new Chief Executive delivers his first SONA. The reelected first district congressman of Leyte province said that while many members of the 19th Congress are qualified for leadership and committee posts, the House will be guided by “our time-honored traditions of having the respective parties properly represented.” Romualdez served as majority leader in the 18th Congress (July 2019-June 2022). Asked who would be his successor as majority leader, he replied: “We’ll let you know next week. We’ll try to get those who are willing to make the sacrifice of hard work and get a consensus to help us on (legislative) measures.” Also on Monday, the House leader does not see any problem regarding the submission of the proposed national budget for 2023, which he promised to pass before the year ends, just like they as lawmakers always do. “The most important is the 2023 national budget, which we will pass definitely within the third quarter for the President to sign before the year ends. The executive department can submit the proposed budget within 30 days of SONA delivery,” Romualdez said. He also delivered an inspirational message to the third batch of neophyte congressmen who finished the executive course on legislation for members of the 19th Congress at the Belmonte Hall inside the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City. 1,365 guests Meanwhile, more than 1,300 individuals are invited to attend Marcos’ first SONA before the
PAGE 1 Force, said that uniformed personnel had upheld human rights. Padilla was the Army Captain in the Reserve Force in 2019. In July 2020, he was elected as the Philippine Army Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board Strategic Communication Committee chairperson. “Witness ako nito sa pagiging makatao ng AFP at ng PNP… Hindi po ako nagsisinungaling sa inyo, mga mahal kong kababayan. Kung meron akong nakikitang mali na ginagawa ng PNP o AFP o anumang sangay sa gobyerno na may kinalaman sa human rights, ako po ang unang unang magsasalita at magsasabi sa inyo,” he said in an interview on Sonshine Media Network International. (I have witnessed the respect the AFP and PNP show for human rights. I will not lie, my beloved fellow Filipinos. If I see human rights violations by the PNP, AFP, or any branch of government, I will call them out.) “Pero sa tagal ko po, ako nagtrabaho mahigit isang taon sa AFP, kitang kita ko ang paggalang ng naka-uniporme sa civilian,” he continued. (I have worked for more than a year in the AFP. I have seen how our men and women in uniform respect human rights.) Padilla urged the opposition to stop politicking and heed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s call to unite. “Hindi ko naintindihan kung saan nanggaling ito, kung saan humuhugot ang opposition sa banat-banat na puro human
The Philippine National Police said it was able to procure P764.115-million worth of new equipment, which will be given to its units nationwide. Photo from Facebook / PNP
rights violations,” he said. (I do not understand where this is coming from, where the opposition pulls criticisms about human rights violations.) “Ang hinihiling lang namin sa inyo, hindi ito ang oras na maging masyado tayong mapulitika. Wala nang sinisigaw ang ating bagong Pangulo kundi unity tayo, magkaisa na tayo. Ito dinadamay na naman ninyo ang U.S., dinadamay na naman ninyo ang Europe. Pambihira,” he went on. (My appeal to you is that now is not the time for politicking. Our new president has called for unity. Let us unite. And do not drag the U.S. and Europe into your politicking. Unbelievable.) Padilla also asked the international community what they wanted to hear, as Filipinos “overwhelmingly” supported former President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched the war on drugs, and incumbent
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., adding that the voice of the people is the voice of God. For Padilla, the Philippines is at the losing end if the world will not unite. “Ang ating mundo ngayon talagang kung ‘di tayo magkakaisa malulugi po tayong mga Pilipino. Ito ang oras na tayo kahit magkakaiba tayo ng ating mga adhikain pero pagdating sa kapakanan ng bayang Pilipinas at kapwa nating Pilipino parang awa niyo na po, magkaisa na po tayo,” he explained. (If we don’t unite now, we will end up as the losers. This is the time to unite despite differences in our beliefs, for the sake of our country and our people.) Based on human rights groups’ data, around 30,000 people in the country suffered extrajudicial killings. However, government figures show that only over 6,000 were killed in Duterte’s drug war. n
Boracay, Palawan and Cebu hailed...
PAGE 1 manifested in this citation of Travel + Leisure that included our Cebu, Palawan, and Boracay in their prestigious list,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said. Boracay and Palawan also topped T+L’s 5 Best Islands in Asia alongside Phuket, Thailand, Bali, Indonesia, and The Maldives. “Travel + Leisure readers fondly recalled pre-COVID-era visits to the best islands in Asia. Now that the region is reopening, they’re surely eager to return to these five ports of call, including the islands of the Maldives, as well as those found in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.”, stated T + L. “We express our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to all tourism stakeholders from the public and private sector, the national and u PAGE 5 local government units, the efforts of the previous administration included, and all the hardworking employees and officials of the Department across the country for forging forward amidst the challenges of the pandemic and contributing in their own ways so our country may earn the title as one of the most beautiful in the world. The natural beauty of a country can truly shine through when we are united in heralding our best qualities,” Frasco added. The Philippines among the 40 Most Beautiful Countries The Philippines concurrently was named among “The 40 Most Beautiful Countries in the World” by lifestyle travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler (CNT). The country is accompanied in the list by other countries such as Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States of America, among others. Manila among the Top Cities in the World Meanwhile, the City of Manila ranked 34th in Time Out’s list of best cities in the world. The ranking comes as a result of a survey among city-dwellers worldwide. The choice is a result of several criteria that include aspects like walkability, good public transport, safety, and sustainability other than a thriving nightlife, amazing food and
El Nido, Palawan
Inquirer.net file photo
drink, and art and culture. According to Time Out, the nation’s capital is “an undervalued hotspot for art and culture, with unique customs and food to boot,” which are primarily influenced by Chinese, Spanish, and American heritage. “The pandemic brought the longest lockdowns, cruel liquor bans, and the demand for spacewearlike face shields, but a strong vaccine drive has helped this megacity stay afloat,” the magazine wrote, acknowledging the city’s aggressive vaccination campaign. “Manila was voted the third most resilient in this year’s survey, and not a single respondent described the city as rude – instead, it was admired by many for the welcoming and infectious smiles of its people,” the magazine added. “May this global recognition of the beauty of our natural resources inspire our efforts to raise the Philippines’ standing in the tourism industry by introducing tourism infrastructure development and improvements that would enhance connectivity and convenience in reaching our destinations,” Frasco said. n
Ilocos Norte Governor... PAGE 2 more inclusive by funding and upgrading medical facilities and public health programs. Later on, he initiated the creation of an inter-agency committee to guarantee the delivery of basic health services to the province’s indigenous people and communities. By next year, Manotoc, a graduate of Claremont McKenna College in California with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, is planning to offer scholarship assistance for medical students, thus increasing the number of health personnel and doctors practicing in the province. His flagship program, “NariMAT nga Aglawlaw,” also debuted last October, strengthening the province’s bid for a cleaner, greener, and healthier environment. During the open forum at the Meet and Greet event, Manotoc said that he would continue to push for harnessing renewable energy sources in the province. “I know even geothermal, is another potential energy source that they say can truly be a game changer. In addition to renewable energy, which we’ve already welcomed in Ilocos Norte, wind and solar especially, hydro energy, they say, can also be large-scale and there are many opportunities for hydro power plants in the Philippines which have not been tapped yet. I think, ultimately it needs to be wholistic and eclectic approach to energy in the Philippines, but this is something that becomes
Manotoc stops for photos with Fil-Am attendees during a meet and greet event in Cerritos, California. AJPress photo by Noel Ty
more pressing in the last few years with the crisis in Ukraine and the inflationary pressures that we face in the economy,” he said. Currently, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte is also conducting a series of soil restoration programs in selected municipalities to increase the productivity of the province’s arable lands and ensure a greater yield of its high-value crops. To further promote the sand dunes of Paoay, one of Ilocos’ famous tourist attractions where the classic Filipino movies “Himala” and “Ang Panday” were filmed, Manotoc said they recently hosted a short film festival and competition to support local artists in the province. “This is something that our tourism department has actually been pushing and finally they said gumagaling na tayo, the
young kids are very talented in Ilocos Norte. Although I am not artistic myself, I am a proponent of the creative industry, we have actually added an art scholarship recently to the provincial government to support many of our local artists. We take our cue from our forever First Lady Imelda Marcos who always says that art is the greatest form of humanity and love,” he said. With the help of various agencies, Manotoc said he also pushed for the installation of free WiFi services in several public areas, equipping the province with upgraded internet connectivity and accessible communication services. After his remarks and answering questions, Manotoc posed for photos and met with audience members. He was joined by his girlfriend Jamie Herrell, who was named Miss Earth 2014. n
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Philippines keeps Tier 1 status, but efforts to address trafficking lacking – US report by Gaea
katreena Philstar.com
cabico
MANILA — The Philippines continued to fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but failed to report vigorously probing labor trafficking crimes and holding accountable officials complicit to the crimes, the United States said in its annual report. The Philippines kept its Tier 1 ranking in the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the U.S. State Department. Tier 1 ranking — the highest ranking — indicates that a government has made efforts to address the problem that meet the standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The Philippines has maintained its Tier 1 ranking since 2016. “The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity,” the report read. Such efforts included identifying more trafficking victims than in 2020, drafting standard operating procedures
on the identification and monitoring of trafficking-related corruption cases, and sentencing nearly all traffickers to significant prison terms. It also lauded the Philippines for creating the Department of Migrant Workers, supporting more victims in participating in the criminal process, and increasing funding to the interagency anti-trafficking council. DMW is mandated to oversee law enforcement action against illegal recruitment agencies, create a database to track recruiters involved in trafficking crimes, and raise awareness of trafficking indicators among migrant workers Still not doing enough But while the Philippines met the minimum standards, “it did not report vigorously investigating labor trafficking crimes that occurred within the Philippines or take adequate steps to investigate and arrest individuals suspected of purchasing commercial sex from trafficking victims, nor did it provide training for labor inspectors on indicators of human trafficking,” the U.S. State Department said.
“The government prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers, and it did not report holding accountable officials allegedly complicit in human trafficking crimes,” it added. The U.S. State Department observed that the government slightly decreased anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts. Authorities reported 168 law enforcement-led anti-trafficking investigations, compared with 248 anti-trafficking operations and 233 investigations of illegal recruitment in the previous reporting period. The Philippines initiated prosecution of 298 alleged traffickers, fewer than the 377 prosecutions in 2020. It also convicted 56 traffickers compared with 73 convictions in the previous reporting period. The U.S. State Department also said that while the country increased victim protection efforts, it lacked a reliable mechanism to consolidate statistics on the total number of victims identified and assisted. Recommendations The U.S. State Department made the following recommendations to the
u PAGE 7
NO TO VAPE BILL. Senators Pia Cayetano (4th from left), Alan Cayetano (3rd from left), and health advocates hold pieces of paper with a message, calling on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to veto Senate Bill No. 2239 or the Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act, popularly known as the Vape Bill, during a press conference at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Wednesday, July 20. The group said the passage of the bill would put the health of Filipinos at risk. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
Buboy Fernandez thinks Pacquiao boxing comeback ‘possible’ by Mark
GionGco Inquirer.net
MANILA — Buboy Fernandez is not discounting the possibility that Manny Pacquiao comes back from retirement. Pacquiao is slated for an exhibition fight in December against South Korean YouTuber DK Yoo in a still to be announced venue. It’s also possible that the “special boxing match” against Yoo could lead to Pacquiao’s ring return as far as Fernandez is concerned. But Fernandez, Pacquiao’s childhood friend and longtime trainer, said that it’s all up to the former welterweight champion if he does decide to unretire. “Depende pa rin sa kanya kung talagang babalik siya sa ring,” Fernandez said Wednesday, July 20, at Shangri-La Fort where Pacquiao and Yoo are scheduled for a contract signing and press conference. (It still depends on him if he returns to the ring.) “Hindi natin masabi pero sabi ko nga (we
Trainer Buboy Fernandez
Photo by Mark Giongco
can’t really say but like I said), it’s possible,” Fernandez added. Pacquiao, 43, hasn’t fought since dropping a unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in August of last year. n
Marcos invites Filipinos to listen to... PAGE 4 joint session of Congress at the Batasan complex in Quezon City. House of Representatives Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza said they have started sending out invitations to 1,365 guests over the weekend while the rest of the invitations will be delivered this week. “So far, we are OK with the coordination with Seven Filipina wards from the Philippine Embassy shelter in Damascus take a picture before boarding their flight back to the Philippines on different agencies and with Malacañangy,” Feb. 25, 2021. The wards, along with 31 others, are victims of human trafficking who were illegally hired to work in Syria. Photo from Department of Foreign Affairs / Release Mendoza told GMA 7’s “BalitangHali” on Monday.
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Get vaccinated against COVID-19 to keep your immunity strong against severe illness & death.
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Among the invitees are Vice President Sara Duterte, former presidents, former vice presidents, former speakers, former Senate presidents, members of Marcos’ Cabinet and members of the diplomatic corps. This will be the first face-to-face SONA of a Philippine president since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Duterte’s last two SONAs in 2020 and 2021 were held in a hybrid or mixed live and virtual setup as a precautionary measure against the virus. n
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JULY 22-28, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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OpiniOn
Child health red alert
Features
The Philippines merited special mention in a new report released last week by the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. Unfortunately, it was not a flattering commentary by the WHO and Unicef on the state of Philippine public health. Unicef’s executive director warned of a global “red alert for child health” amid “the largest sustained drop in childhood immunization in a generation,” with the worst situations recorded in five countries: Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and the Philippines. WHO and Unicef officials attributed the alarming drop to the disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic in the delivery of public health services alongside misinformation about vaccines. In the Philippines, hysteria over the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia led to a slide in the general childhood immunization program even before the arrival of COVID. The Dengvaxia scare was blamed for the return of polio in 2019, about 19 years after the Philippines was declared free of the crippling disease. There was also a resurgence of measles, with 47,871 cases and 632 deaths recorded nationwide in 2019. Pandemic lockdowns beginning in 2020 further derailed the national immunization program. Unicef and the WHO, in their report last week, said about 25 million children worldwide failed to get
inoculated in 2021 against common vaccine-preventable diseases led by diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. The “historic backsliding” in childhood immunization is happening at the same time that severe malnutrition is on the rise, weakening the immune systems of children, Unicef and the WHO warned. “The convergence of a hunger crisis with a growing immunization gap threatens to create the conditions for a child survival crisis,” the UN said. Health experts lament that this is eroding the enormous progress achieved in global child vaccination in the two decades before the COVID pandemic struck. Mobility restrictions are now being eased, and governments must move aggressively to make up for the years lost in the childhood vaccination program. In the Philippines, this is critical especially with face-to-face classes resuming this year. School children must be in the best of health for optimum learning. It is not yet too late to turn back the tide and save children from lifelong debilitation and even death. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Filipinos are fully behind the PCA arbitral ruling
Babe’s Eye View BaBe Romualdez LAST Tuesday, July 19, I was asked to deliver the keynote address at an international forum titled, “Redefining Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in an Age of Uncertainty,” organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute to commemorate the anniversary of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration Tribunal Ruling. Conducted via hybrid format, the forum gathered local and regional security experts who discussed the complex issues surrounding the Indo-Pacific and how the Philippines can harness its maritime potential and position itself as a key player in the maritime domain. The powerhouse roster of panelists included director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) Lisa Curtis; BowerGroupAsia director of research and Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) senior associate Murray Hiebert; Ambassador Jana Sediva of the Czech
Republic; the British Embassy in the Philippines’ deputy head of mission Alistair White; National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies associate professor Yusuke Takagi; Australia National University professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies John Blaxland; De La Salle University professor and Stratbase ADRI program convenor Dr. Renato de Castro; and retired Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Rommel Jude Ong, currently the executive director of the Security Reform Initiative and Professor of Praxis at the Ateneo School of Government. The three-and-a-half-hour conference examined the evolving security architecture in the Indo-Pacific and the need for the Philippines to engage in strategic alliances with like-minded states to promote peace and stability in the region through a rulesbased international order. No one will argue that the 2016 PCA arbitral ruling continues to be the single most important document during these volatile times. And as I have always said, it was not only a victory for
the Philippines but for the international community as well for the primary reason that the decision is underpinned by the rule of law. As noted by ADRI president Professor Dindo Manhit, the 2016 arbitral ruling has “defined what is ours as it legitimized and validated our claims in the disputed waters. Under a rules-based international system, the Permanent Court of Arbitration has legally transformed our maritime claims into territorial rights.” No less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself has recognized this, saying, “We have a very important ruling in our favor. We will use it to continue to assert our territorial rights. It’s not a claim, it is already our territorial right,” asserting that “we will not allow a single square millimeter” of our maritime coastal rights to be trampled upon. It was interesting to learn that in a recent Pulse Asia survey commissioned by Stratbase, 89 percent of Filipinos believe that the President should assert our rights in the West Philippine Sea, and 90 percent agree
that the new administration under President Marcos must invest in the capability of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard to protect the country’s territory and marine resources within its exclusive economic zone. Moreover, 84 percent also agree that the new government should form alliances with other countries to defend Philippine territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea. In his presentation, retired Navy Rear Admiral Rommel Jude Ong asserted that “our defense posture needs a serious reset” to mitigate China’s maritime posture and restore a rules-based order within our exclusive economic zone. A reset would also enable us to “contribute to regional stability under the framework of a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as the ASEAN Outlook in the Indo-Pacific” (AOIP).” As I explained in my keynote remarks, we need to continue with AFP modernization efforts to build a more reliable and credible Philippine armed forces in order to strengthen our territorial or external defense capabilities. One positive development that has
happened is the acquisition of the abandoned Hanjin shipyard in Subic by U.S.-based equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. The shipyard, now known as Agila Subic, will help strengthen and transform the Philippine Navy – which is an anchor tenant occupying 250 acres of the facility – into a multi-capable naval force with the activation of the Naval Operations Base that will play a major role in our military modernization efforts. I agree with the assessment of RADM Ong that for modernization to be sustainable, we must bring the local defense industry into the picture, as “some of the items we are procuring can actually be done by a local company,” he said. At the same time, there is a need to review the legal structure as current laws tend to be biased against local industries instead of supporting them, he added. I for one know that we have a pioneering Filipino company that produces worldclass firearms, ammunition and other defense products – Armscor – which has always been supportive of the SelfReliant Defense Posture
(SRDP) program that both former defense secretary Del Lorenzana and Department of National Defense OIC General Jose Faustino Jr. have been wanting to revive for the Philippines to attain defense self-sufficiency. And while I believe that diplomacy is still the best way to find a peaceful resolution to the contentious issues surrounding the Indo-Pacific, it is equally important for us to be able to defend ourselves if a situation such as an intrusion in our exclusive economic zone occurs. Filipinos are known for having a deep threshold for patience and are prepared to sacrifice for the sake of peace. In Tagalog, “mahaba ang pasensiya ng Filipino.” But make no mistake about it – when push comes to shove, we Filipinos will stand up and fight for what is rightfully ours. (Philstar.com) *** Email: babeseyeview@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.
Resilience and tourism
Zilch
ma. louRdes Tiquia THE economic drivers, pre-pandemic, were OFW remittances and the BPO industry. We remained buoyant during the crucial pandemic years, again because of OFW remittances which registered a record high through banking channels of $31.4 billion in 2021. Cash remittances rose by 5.1 percent from $29.9 billion in 2020, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. If we add personal transfers in cash and the value of noncash items brought, or sent, by Filipinos abroad, the overall amount of total personal remittances reached $34.9 billion, a record high and up by 5.1 percent from the $33.2 billion in 2020. Personal remittances from OFWs accounted for 9.8 percent of the country’s 2021 GDP. The increase happened in spite of almost a million OFWs who were repatriated (all for free) due to the pandemic. The BPO industry, on the other hand, contributes over 11 percent to the GDP. It is the single largest
sector and employs over 1.2 million people across 1,000 outsourcing companies. This sector contributes $30 billion to the economy each year. It is estimated that the Philippines holds 10 to 15 percent of the global BPO market and could potentially grow between 8 to 10 percent every year with the changing work set-up because of the pandemic. This has led to the growth of the “gig economy,” opening up to more workers doing WFH. The country’s tourism industry can be the main driver of our reboot only if we are to look at it in terms of sustainability, balancing carrying capacity viz income and resiliency. The Philippine travel and tourism sector made a significant jump in 2021 when it registered a $41-billion contribution to our economy based on the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest Economic Impact Report, or EIR. This sector has been contributing an average of 22.5 percent of the total economy, or roughly $29.6 billion. The lockdowns led to the drop in income by almost 81 percent, thus in 2020, the country only earned P17.8 billion. As restrictions
were gradually eased in 2021, the figure rose to $41 billion, representing 10.4 percent share in our total economy. And this is where tourism can be linked with employment because of its multiplier effect in both national and local, leading to a recovery of 1.3 million more jobs, which can even reach 7.8 million jobs, according to WTTC. If the trend is sustained, tourism’s contribution to GDP could be worth in excess of $155 billion in 2032, accounting for 21.5 percent of all jobs in the Philippines. But we cannot just be part of the herd. The country has to lead in terms of number of visitors because we have 7,641 reasons to be so. Of the 7,641 islands, only 2,000 are inhabited. More than 5,000 islands of the archipelago are yet to be given names. The 50 largest islands have a combined area of 300,000 square kilometers and a combined population of 108.9 million, meaning these 50 largest islands contain 99 percent of our population. The passage of the long-delayed Land Use bill is urgently needed so we can define the limits of land for ecotourism. Imagine if
each of the 81 provinces has a designated area, the best area for ecotourism. In 2020, because of the pandemic, the Philippines had only 1,482,535 visitor arrivals while Thailand had 6,702,396. Malaysia had 4,332,722 while Indonesia had 4,052,923 and Vietnam 3,686,779. In 2019, Philippines had 8,260,913 visitors while Thailand had 38,178,194; Malaysia at 26,100,874; Vietnam at 18,008,591 and Indonesia at 16,106,954. Why are we not a chosen destination among Asean countries? The Philippines has the 7th highest number of islands in the world after Sweden, Finland, Norway, Canada, Indonesia and Australia. Luzon and Mindanao are contiguous, but Visayas is composed of several separate islands and islets. Peace and order is vital as well as transportation to connect the various islands by air, water and land. There are 30 island provinces that can be destination magnets. Imagine having a tourism ranking like the Michelin star which can signal our country is ready, not just the luxurious destinations but ecotourism that brings to the fore the
culture of each province. And we should learn from Siargao, a global destination because of surfing. Siargao taught us to pursue sustainable (carrying capacity), inclusive and resilient tourism. Boracay showed us why carrying capacity needs to be built in the process of development as well as tourism. Boracay gave us a second chance of stewardship and that is why the roadblocks need to be attended to. Farm-to-table is sustainable tourism, but it is not sexy to those lens that see only the upper-end destinations. Tourism is not just marketing, publicity and all that glamor. It is solving the roadblocks that matter. These roadblocks have been identified quite often: “1) development and management of tourism destinations is seen in piecemeal rather than holistic approach; 2) infrastructure remain inadequate to support tourism development and sustainability; 3) tourist destinations are affected and need to recover from different disasters and pandemic; and 4) responsibility to manage growth and promote sustainable tourism between
national and local government is unclear.” Imagine developing the biodiversity quad of a destination in Oslob, Dumaguete, Siquijor and Bohol? Or the DuSiBo Triangle? In between those islands are rich biodiversity hubs, which have to be protected and nurtured. Carrying capacity has to be the single most important index. We close once we breach the capacity; hence, other destinations can be considered. Imagine having a calendar of destinations that take into planning the factor of resiliency. Imagine if each province can do that and we have 81 destinations calendared according to the activities unique in each area. But what unites all these? Culture (food and clothing) and heritage (spiritual). Tourism is the biggest industry in the world, and we are sitting on a heap of gold by not tapping our potentials. (ManilaTimes. net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Boost now or wait? Many wonder how best to ride out COVID’s... PAGE 1 subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5? The rapidly mutating virus has created a conundrum for the public and a communications challenge for health officials. “What we’re seeing now is a little bit of an information void that is not helping people make the right decision,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of infectious diseases at the Emory University School of Medicine. Del Rio said the public isn’t hearing enough about the vaccines’ value in preventing severe disease, even if they don’t stop all infections. Each new covid variant also forces health officials to tweak their messaging, del Rio said, which can add to public mistrust. About 70% of Americans age 50 and older who got a first booster shot — and nearly as many of those 65 and older — haven’t received their second covid booster dose, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency currently recommends two booster shots after a primary vaccine series for adults 50 and older and for younger people with compromised immune systems. Last week, multiple news outlets reported that the Biden administration was working on a plan to allow all adults to get second covid boosters. Officials are worried about the surge of BA.4 and BA.5, which spread easily and can escape immune protection from vaccination or prior infection. A recent study published in Nature found BA.5 was four times as resistant to the currently available mRNA vaccines as earlier omicron subvariants. Consistent messaging has been complicated by the different views of leading vaccine scientists. Although physicians like del Rio and Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine see the value in getting a second booster, Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee, is skeptical it’s needed by anyone but seniors and people who are immunocompromised. “When experts have different views based on the same science, why are we surprised that getting the message right is confusing?” said Dr. Bruce Gellin, chief of global public health strategy at the Rockefeller Foundation and Offit’s colleague on the FDA panel.
Janet Perrin, 70, of Houston hasn’t gotten her second booster for scheduling and convenience reasons and said she’ll look for information about a variant-targeted dose from sources she trusts on social media. “I haven’t found a consistent guiding voice from the CDC,” she said, and the agency’s statements sound like “a political word salad.” On July 12, the Biden administration released its plan to manage the BA.5 subvariant, which it warned would have the greatest impact in the parts of the country with lower vaccine coverage. The strategy includes making it easier for people to access testing, vaccines and boosters, and covid antiviral treatments. During the first White House covid briefing in nearly three weeks, the message from top federal health officials was clear: Don’t wait for an omicron-tailored shot. “There are many people who are at high risk right now, and waiting until October, November for their boost — when in fact their risk is in the moment — is not a good plan,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, head of the CDC. With worries about the BA.5 subvariant growing, the FDA on June 30 recommended that drugmakers Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna get to work producing a new, bivalent vaccine that combines the current version with a formulation that targets the new strains. The companies both say they can make available for the U.S. millions of doses of the reformulated shots in October. Experts think that deadline could slip by a few months given the unexpected hitches that plague vaccine manufacturing. “I think that we have all been asking that same question,” said Dr. Kathryn Edwards, scientific director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program. “What’s the benefit of getting another booster now when what will be coming out in the fall is a bivalent vaccine and you will be getting BA.4/5, which is currently circulating? Although whether it will be circulating in the fall is another question.” The FDA on July 13 authorized a fourth covid vaccine, made by Novavax, but only for people who haven’t been vaccinated yet. Many scientists thought the Novavax shot could be an effective booster for people previously vaccinated
Philippines keeps Tier 1... PAGE 5 Philippine government: • Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict complicit officials and labor traffickers • Strengthen the capacity of local government units to provide reintegration services for trafficking survivors, including trauma-informed care, job training, and in-country employment • Increase support to government and NGO programs that provide specialized care for trafficking victims, including child victims of online sexual exploitation • Establish and implement
a process to ensure systematic and ongoing input from a diverse community of survivors on the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of anti-trafficking policies and programs • Increase efforts to ensure victims receive court-ordered restitution and compensation ordered through civil judgments • Increase resources for anti-trafficking task forces to conduct timely investigations, coordinated operations, and prosecutions while providing robust victim and witness assistance services • Increase efforts to identify and assist labor trafficking
victims, including by providing training to law enforcement, social service providers, and labor inspectors on indicators of trafficking • Increase resources for law enforcement units designated to investigate all forms of trafficking • Consistently implement the coordinated interagency response to providing services to returning Filipinos exploited in sex and labor trafficking overseas • Create a central database for information on illegal recruiters and human trafficking cases to facilitate interagency coordination in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting traffickers n
with mRNA shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna because its unique design could broaden the immune response to coronaviruses. Unfortunately, few studies have assessed mixand-match vaccination approaches, said Gellin, of the Rockefeller Foundation. Edwards and her husband got covid in January. She received a second booster last month, but only because she thought it might be required for a Canadian business trip. Otherwise, she said, she felt a fourth shot was kind of a waste, though not particularly risky. She told her husband — a healthy septuagenarian — to wait for the BA.4/5 version. People at very high risk for covid complications might want to go ahead and get a fourth dose, Edwards said, with the hope that it will temporarily prevent severe disease “while you wait for BA.4/5.” The omicron vaccines will contain components that target the original strain of the virus because the first vaccine formulations are known to prevent serious illness and death even in people infected with omicron. Those components will also help keep the earlier strains of the virus in check, said Dr. David Brett-Major, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. That’s important, he said, because too much tailoring of vaccines to fight emerging variants could allow older strains of the coronavirus to resurface. Brett-Major said messages about the value of the tailored shots will need to come from trusted, local sources — not just top federal health officials.
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“Access happens locally,” he said. “If your local systems are not messaging and promoting and enabling access, it’s really problematic.” Although some Americans are pondering when, or whether, to get their second boosters, many people tuned out the pandemic long ago, putting them at risk during the current wave, experts said. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said he doesn’t expect to see the public’s level of interest in the vaccine change much even as new boosters are released and eligibility expands. Parts of the country with high vaccine coverage will remain relatively insulated from new variants that emerge, he said, while regions with low vaccine acceptance could be set for a “rude awakening.” Even scientists are at a bit of a loss for how to effectively adapt to an ever-changing virus. “Nothing is simple with covid, is it? It’s just whack-a-mole,” said Edwards. “This morning I read about a new variant in India. Maybe it’ll be a nothingburger, but — who knows? — maybe something big, and then we’ll wonder, ‘Why did we change the vaccine strain to BA.4/5?’” (Sam Whitehead and Arthur Allen/Kaiser Health News) KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. n SD#0157
Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that the San Diego Unified School District, acting by and through its governing board, will receive “ELECTRONIC-ONLY” bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, and services for HORTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RE-ROOFING AND BEAM REPAIR A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, 2022, outside of the main office of Horton Elementary School, 5050 Guymon Street, San Diego, CA 92102. ALL CONTRACTORS MUST PREREGISTER WITH THE DISTRICT PRIOR TO ATTENDING THE SITE WALK AT https://sandiegounified.org/sitewalks Site walks will follow the latest District COVID-19 policies which can be found at https://www.sandiegounified.org/covid-19_status. PLEASE SEE BID FOR DETAILS (No. CC23-0233-39). Please refer to Planwell (www.crispimg.com, click on PlanWell, Public Planroom, search SDUSD and project bid number CC23-0233-39 for project details. All bids must be received electronically at or before 1:00 p.m. on August 18, 2022. Firms interested in submitting a bid package must go to https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43764 then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” CC23-0233-39 Horton Elementary School Re-Roofing and Beam Repair. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration”. The project estimate is between $2.7 million and $3.2 million. This is a PSA project and requires prequalification. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: B, C-39 or other appropriate license, subject to District approval. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, Linda Hippe, Strategic Sourcing and Contracts Director (TOC), Strategic Sourcing and Contracts Department CC23-0233-39
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JULY 22-28, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588
LEGAL SERVICES CASE NUMBER: 37-2022-00026062-CU-PT-CTL
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioners Erika Pantoja and Jhovany Pantoja on behalf of a minor filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Christian Manuel Pantoja to Franco Manuel Pantoja. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 08/17/2022 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. C-61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: JUL. 05, 2022 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Michael T. Smyth Judge of the Superior Court AJ 987 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, and 08/05/2022 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.
AJSD#987
LEGAL SERVICES
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF EILEEN MARIA MOSS. CASE NO: 37-2022-00014128-PR-LA-CTL
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: EILEEN MARIA MOSS A Petition for Probate has been filed by MELISSA CARDENO in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO. The Petition for Probate requests that MELISSA CARDENO be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 08/10/22 Time: 2:30 P.M. Dept.: 502 Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 Branch Name: Central, Probate If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. ATTORNEY: EARTh ShAh FIRM NAME: ShAh ATTORNEY GROUP ADDRESS: 16521 REDwOOD DRIvE, CERRITOS CA 90703 TELEPhONE: 562 659 4526 ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER: MELISSA CARDENO 07/15, 07/22, AND 07/29/2022 AJ 990 AJSD 990
CASE NUMBER: 37-2022-00027166-CU-PT-CTL
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioners Samantha Suzanne Pinon filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Samantha Suzanne Pinon to Samantha Suzanne Leslie. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 08/24/2022 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: JUL. 12, 2022 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Michael T. Smyth Judge of the Superior Court AJ 992 07/22, 07/29, 08/05, and 08/12/2022 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.
AJSD#992
LEGAL SERVICES
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9015248
Advanced Car Stereo located at 252 Calle Florecita, Escondido, CA 92029. Registrant: REM Cyber Compliance Solutions Inc, 252 Calle Florecita, Escondido, CA 92029. This business is conducted by Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/20/2022. Signature: Ramin Asef. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/06/2022. AJ 985 07/15, 07/22, and 07/29, and 08/05/2022. AJSD#985
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9015585
American Motorhead located at 31926 Via Ararat Dr., Bonsall, CA 92003. Registrant: Rick Thomas Ortiz, 31926 Via Ararat Dr., Bonsall, CA 92003. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/22/2018. Signature: Rick Ortiz. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/11/2022. AJ 989 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, and 08/05/2022.
AJSD#989
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9015948 Unique Spa located at 6610 El Cajon, San Diego, CA 92115. Registrant: Dirk Langer, 1889 Eucalyptus Hill Rd., Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Dirk Langer Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/14/2022. AJ 994 07/22, 07/29, 08/05, and 08/12/2022. AJSD#994
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9013886
Histology Market located at 2336 Ridgeview Dr., San Diego, CA 92105. Registrant: Kenye Noda, 2336 Ridgeview Dr., San Diego, CA 92105. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Kenye Noda. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/17/2022. AJ 979 07/01, 07/08, 07/15, and 07/22/2022.
AJSD#979
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014354 Didi’s 1040 & More located at 10717 Camino Ruiz, Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92126. Registrant: Madonna E. Arceo, 11476 Belshire Lane, San Diego, CA 92126. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/23/2022. Signature: Madonna E. Arceo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/23/2022. AJ 982 07/01, 07/08, 07/15, and 07/22/2022.
AJSD 982
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014205 OG Flooring located at 442 D St., Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Omar R Gutierrez Garcia, 442 D St., Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/06/2022. Signature: Omar R Gutierrez Garcia. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/22/2022. AJ 980 07/01, 07/08, 07/15, and 07/22/2022.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014687
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014909
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014496 Versa Solar Services located at 2025 L St., San Diego, CA 92102. Registrant: Moisés Vergara, 2025 L St., San Diego, CA 92102. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2017. Signature: Moisés Vergara. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/24/2022. AJ 984 07/08, 07/15, 07/22, and 07/29/2022.
AJSD 980
a. My Doctor Weight Loss Clinic located at 1941 Highland Avenue, National City, CA 91950. b. House of Botox located at 1941 Highland Avenue, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: My Doctor Weight Loss Clinic, Inc, 1941 Highland Avenue, National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/01/2022. Signature: Caroline Han. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/30/2022. AJ 983 07/08, 07/15, 07/22, and 07/29/2022. AJSD 983
Clear Edge Pools located at 934 Dale Court, San Maros, CA 92069. Registrant: a. Nicholas Escalona, 934 Dale Court, San Maros, CA 92069. b. Kymberlee Escalona, 934 Dale Court, San Maros, CA 92069. This business is conducted by Married Couple. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Nicholas Escalona. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/28/2022. AJ 981 07/01, 07/08, and 07/15, and 07/22/2022. AJSD 981
AJSD 984
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9015142
ITALO JEANS located at 1435 Santee St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. Registrant: High Tech Zone Inc, 1435 Santee St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. This business is conducted by Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/20/2022. Signature: Mohamad Chahine. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/05/2022. AJ 997 07/22, 07/29, 08/05, and 08/12/2022. AJSD#997
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014310
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9015544
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014691
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9016158
Montenegro Maintenance located at 650 Morrison St., San Diego, CA 92102. Registrant: Elfego Armando Montenegro, 650 Morrison St., San Diego, CA 92102. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/15/2002. Signature: Elfego Armando Montenegro. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/23/2022. AJ 986 07/08, 07/15, 07/22, 07/29/2022. AJSD#986
JE Permits located at 404 W. Lincoln Ave., #1, Escondido, CA 92026. Registrant: James Elizaga, 404 W. Lincoln Ave., #1, Escondido, CA 92026. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/28/2022. Signature: James Elizaga. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/28/2022. AJ 991 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, and 08/05/2022. AJSD#991
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014789
Brave Heart Child & Family Counseling located at 5230 Carroll Canyon Road, Suite 314, San Diego, CA 92121. Registrant: Belinda Juang Lee, 5230 Carroll Canyon Road, Suite 314, San Diego, CA 92121. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.. Signature: Belinda Juang Lee. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/29/2022. AJ 995 07/22, 07/29, 08/05, and 08/12/2022.
AJSD#995
EMPLOYMENT
a. Jungle Hippie located at 5108 Brighton Ave., Ocean Beach, CA 92107. b. Jungle Hippie Boutique located at 5108 Brighton Ave., Ocean Beach, CA 92107. c. The Jungle Hippie located at 5108 Brighton Ave., Ocean Beach, CA 92107. d. The Jungle Hippie Boutique located at 5108 Brighton Ave., Ocean Beach, CA 92107. Registrant: Jaclyn Andrea Meltzer, 5108 Brighton Ave., Ocean Beach, CA 92107. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/15/2015. Signature: Jaclyn Andrea Meltzer. Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/11/2022. AJ 988 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, and 08/05/2022. AJSD#988
Moment Engineering located at 4707 Soria Drive, San Diego, CA 92115. Registrant: Geo Environ Engineering Consultants, Inc, 4071 E. La Palma Ave., Suite B, Anaheim, CA 92806. This business is conducted by Corporation. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Fahad Masud. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/18/2022. AJ 993 07/22, 07/29, 08/05, and 08/12/2022. AJSD#993
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9014716
MB Fundraising & Communication located at 1606 Via Costina, San Ysidro, CA 92173. Registrant: Mariela Brambila, 1606 Via Costina, San Ysidro, CA 92173. This business is conducted by Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Mariela Brambila. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/28/2022. AJ 996 07/22, 07/29, 08/05, and 08/12/2022. AJSD#996
SAN DIEGO
(818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588 • http://www.asianjournal.com
SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 22-28, 2022
JOURNAL
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Filipino American breakout actor Brandon Perea makes feature fi fillm debut in ‘Nope’ by Klarize
Medenilla / AJPress
THE most anticipated film of the summer is, undoubtedly, “Nope,” the latest offering from Academy Award-winning writer and director Jordan Peele that promises a new take on the classic extraterrestrial blockbuster. And just like his previous feature endeavors, “Nope” promises suspense and horror with a signature Peele smattering of thought-provoking commentary on the zeitgeist that will keep audiences discussing and theorizing. Among the most anticipated parts of the film includes the prolific, diverse-in-every-way cast. Academy Award winner Daniel Kaluuya (“Get Out,” “Judas and the Black Messiah”), vivacious character actor Keke Palmer (“Hustlers”), and Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun (“Minari,” “The Walking Dead”) come together to investigate a mysterious phenomenon that has been abducting residents and animals of the Santa Clarita community. The film also features an exciting actor to watch in Brandon Perea, the 27-year-old Filipino American actor who, in his feature film debut, delivered a breakout performance. Perea (Netflix’s “The OA”) — plays Angel Torres, a tech expert who works at the nowclosed Fry’s Electronics in Burbank and helps a sibling team of horse trainers — OJ Haywood (Kaluuya) and his sister, Emerald (Palmer) — in capturing footage of a sighted UFO that has been causing their horses to behave violently. As a character, Angel serves as somewhat of a stand-in for the audience and Perea’s lived-in performance as the comically dry Angel makes you go, “Yeah, I know a guy just like this.” But there’s still a necessary sweetness to Angel that Perea naturally brought to his performance that meshed perfectly with the rest of the principal cast. When recounting his experience with working on “Nope” with the Asian Journal, Perea beamed, sharing, “I feel like for anyone, that would be an incredible experience and it was truly something I’ve never imagined. I keep calling it a miracle job because that’s the only way to describe it. Perea shared that he was “an emotional wreck” when he got the role. “It was funny because I got Jordan to cry as well,” Perea said, recounting a “speech” he gave Peele after getting the part where he said “You know this industry can be so hard and it has its ups and downs and rollercoasters around and I
27-year-old Brandon Perea’s makes his feature film debut in “Nope,” from Academy Award-winning writer and director Jordan Peele.
“Nope,” Brandon Perea’s debut film, will be released on Friday, July 22.
felt that maybe he could relate as well. It was very touching.” Peele is somewhat of a modern rendering of the great Alfred Hitchcock — a brave visionary who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of mainstream horror in an attempt to capture a nottoo-cynical but not-too-cloying representation of humanity. His heroes feel less like types, individuals who are fallible and with their own quirks. Perea shared that his audition piece for Angel
was a more quirky, nerdy retail worker, but knowing that Peele opts for the more “grounded performances,” Perea peppered in his own knowledge and takes of who this character could be — and Peele ended up rewriting the character for Perea. “Usually what we see when we go into retail stores are people who don’t really wanna be there, so I feel like that’s the energy I usually get [from those employees], and Jordan thought that was really funny, and that’s what he ran with: a more hard-nosed character who’s just mad at everything,” Perea shared. Initially, Angel comes off as this dry, knowit-all tech- savvy person who can’t be bothered with the ignorance of the customers he serves, a deadpan version of “the kind of person who thinks he’s the smartest person in the room” type, Perea explained. But once he finds out that OJ and Emerald
are different from his usual clientele, he softens and becomes an invaluable companion on the mission to figure out what the hell is going on in the sky. At the start of the film, “Angel’s dealing with heartbreak, and I feel like when you deal with heartbreak, you end up in this lonely spot and looking for purpose. I felt like this mission that they go on can fulfill that emptiness and purpose and the group becomes a family that Angel’s never really had. He’s trying to be a part of something,” Perea said. Within 30 seconds of meeting Angel, it’s clear that this is the kind of person who moderates Reddit and 4chan boards and consumes “Ancient Aliens” every night while stoned. It’s a depiction of people who very much exist in the real world, which makes the film’s world feel all the more real — and disturbingly so. With “Nope,” Peele sought to create “not only a flying saucer horror film, but really, the quintessential one.” In production notes, Peele acknowledges that it was an ambitious undertaking, narratively and technologically, and Peele, once again, takes advantage of the eerieness of liminality and the uncanny valley. While the level of horror is significantly lower than that of Peele’s previous two films — “Get Out” (which earned Peele the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay) and “Us” — the character development in “Nope” is far more dynamic. One of Peele’s strengths is his commitment to not just racially and ethnically diverse representation, but grounded representation. Each of the main characters — two Black leads in Kaluuya and Palmer and two Asian supporting characters in Perea and Yeun — have their own neuroses and personalities; they’re fascinating characters who also happen to be people of color. “That’s what Jordan did so well with ‘Nope’ — he sprinkled in real things about race in these characters but it isn’t what defines them completely,” Perea said, “They’re normal humans going through something crazy. And I think Jordan really knocked it out of the park with bringing the story to a real place.”
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JULY 22-28, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
H.E.R. to star in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ 30th anniversary special By Kristofer
Purnell Philstar.com
FILIPINA American R&B singer H.E.R. has been tapped to play Belle in the upcoming animated and live-action hybrid 30th anniversary special of the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast.” This will make the mutiawarded artist the first Afro Filipina to portray a Disney princess; legendary actress Lea Salonga was only the singing voices for Jasmine and Mulan for their respective films. “I can’t believe I get to be a part of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ legacy,” H.E.R. said about her casting. “The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle! I have always wanted to be a Disney princess.” The special will feature never-before-seen musical performances, brand new costumes and set designs all inspired from the original French fairytale. H.E.R. and other co-stars will be performing songs from the 1991 animated film in front of a live audience at Disney Studios. An ongoing unofficial poll by Billboard are asking Internet users who should star opposite H.E.R., with suggestions such
Filipina American R&B singer H.E.R. Photo from Instagram/@hermusicofficial
as current frontrunner Harry Styles, as well as Shawn Mendes, Nick Jonas, Zayn Malik, The Weeknd, Anderson .Paak, and RM from BTS. Jon M. Chu, director of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In The Heights,” serves as one of the special’s executive producers alongside director Hamish Hamilton and H.E.R. “With her obvious extraordinary talent and stage presence, H.E.R. is the perfect embodiment of our Belle, and we are thrilled for our audiences to see her in this celebration of creativity,” Chu said. n
Pinoy group SB19 included in Teen Vogue’s most favorite boy bands of all time Purnell Philstar.com
P-POP (Pinoy pop) group SB19 was named by young fashion magazine Teen Vogue as one of their all-time most favorite boy bands alongside the likes of BTS, The Beatles, and One Direction. Teen Vogue’s list of 33 boy bands was in no particular order, and SB19 was the 18th group listed in between Puerto Rico’s Menudo and R&B group All-4One. The magazine included the music video of SB19’s hit song “What?” and acknowledged the group’s meteoric rise following the release of another hit single, “Bazinga.” BTS and The Beatles were among the first boy bands mentioned by Teen Vogue, arguably as the most popular groups then and now, with R&B group Boyz II Men sandwiched in between them. One Direction was
City of San Diego explores potential use of city-owned properties for childcare facilities
City seeking input from providers, aims to use information for future solicitation
SB19, consisting of Josh, Pablo, Stell, Ken, and Justin, were formed in 2016 by Korea’s ShowBT Group subsidiary in the Philippines and debuted two years later. Photo from Instagram/@officialsb19
By Kristofer
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588
accompanied by fellow staple boy bands like the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, *NSYNC, New Kids on the Block, The Jonas Brothers, Big Time Rush, Five Seconds of Summer, The Wanted, and The Jackson 5. Korean groups that made Teen Vogue’s list apart from BTS were EXO, SEVENTEEN, Big Bang, SHINee, Monsta X, and Seo Taiji and the Boys. Second-generation K-pop group Super Junior and popular Taiwanese group F4 — and all their succeeding variations — were notably snubbed. SB19, consisting of Josh, Pablo, Stell, Ken, and Justin, were formed in 2016 by Korea’s ShowBT Group subsidiary in the Philippines and debuted two years later. Other singles by the group include “Tilaluha,” “Go Up,” “Alab,” and “Mapa,” as well as their collaboration with fellow Filipino act Ben&Ben “Kapangyarihan.” n
Filipino American... PAGE 9 The realism within the characters adds to the unsettling nature and the mounting suspense of the film, which, although its central concern is a possible UFO, also begins to unpack the equally as unsettling human obsession with spectacle. And when it comes to the essential question over whether he believes aliens exist, Perea remains open-minded. “You know what? It is a big universe and it is ever growing as we’re talking right now,” he said. “There has to be something, and I hope it’s not human form. I hope they look like little green, weird things—” he paused, looking up addressing the extraterrestrial community that may or may not exist, “Sorry, not weird! Y’all are stunning! Please don’t eat me.” “Nope” comes out in theaters on Friday, July 22. n
SAN DIEGO – In an effort to address the shortage of affordable child care facilities, the City of San Diego on Monday, July 18 issued a Request for Information (RFI) to child care providers asking for their input on how it can potentially establish child care facilities on city-owned properties. “Affordable, quality childcare has declined rapidly throughout the pandemic and has yet to fully recover. Through my Chairmanship of the City Council’s Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, I requested that staff look at all City-owned properties to see which one or ones could be used or transformed into a space for childcare so that the City can be part of the solution to add more childcare slots for families,” said City Councilmember Raul A. Campillo. “I am thrilled to see us taking this next step to bring a knowledgeable partner on board to help narrow down which spaces are suitable for a daycare.”
Last May, the Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee asked the City to identify properties owned by the City that could be turned into or made available for the construction of childcare centers. The facilities assessment identified a list of 72 sites, consisting of 18 libraries, 12 office buildings and 42 Parks and Recreation facilities. Information gathered from the RFI will assist the city in determining the requirements necessary to potentially establish viable childcare facilities and help inform a future Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFI is expected to close on Friday, Sept. 16, and an RFP is expected to be issued next year. Anyone interested in submitting a response to the RFI is required to register on the city’s website by visiting sandiego.gov/ purchasing/bids-contracts/ vendorreg. “San Diegans are in dire need of childcare and, since the city has the ability to house
these services, we believe it’s important we get involved” said Lucy Contreras, Deputy Director in the city’s Department of Real Estate and Airport Management. “This Request for Information is essential in making sure we understand what is needed to ensure potential future childcare operators will create practical and safe facilities.” Since the San Diego Municipal Code does not allow childcare facilities on Parks and Recreation land, on Monday, July 25, the City Council is expected to consider a potential ballot measure initiated by Councilmember Chris Cate that would allow voters to determine if they want that changed. If passed, residents would vote on it in this year’s November election. “The need for childcare has been well documented through various studies at both the state and local levels and the City of San Diego is committed to bringing more accessibility for childcare to the community and to City employees,” said Andrea O’Hara, Executive Director for
the city’s Office of Child and Youth Success. “That is why the city is providing, to city employees, an internal childcare needs assessment that will compliment this imperative RFI released today. This RFI and the childcare needs assessment will ultimately cultivate a carefriendly culture and support with the expansion of childcare supply in the community.” According to a report by the San Diego Workforce Partnership, 70% of San Diego families with children have all parents in the household working. The report also found that a San Diego family with two children and living on a median income can spend up to 40% of their monthly budget on childcare. The San Diego County YMCA reports, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, 522 of San Diego County’s providers have closed (approximately 12%.) As of March 2022, a number of those childcare centers and providers had not yet reopened. (City of San Diego Release) n
Mayor Gloria announces ‘Parks After Dark’ free community celebrations to bring neighbors together and reduce crime SAN DIEGO – As part of an effort to bring communities together and create safer neighborhoods, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, San Diego County Health and Human Services Director Nick Machionne, and the San Diego Parks Foundation on Friday, July 12 announced the launch of “Parks After Dark,” a new “Come Play Outside” program that will transform three San Diego neighborhood parks into community festivals every weekend this summer. San Diego’s “Parks After Dark” will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the City Heights, Linda Vista, and Skyline Hills Recreation Centers from 6 - 9 p.m. from July 14 through Aug. 27. The events will feature live entertainment, activities for all ages, games and free meals for kids. “We’re so grateful to our partners at the County, Parks Foundation and Price Philanthropies for making three of our popular neighborhood parks centers of fun and community for families on summer nights,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. “These hosted nighttime activities will create lasting summer memories in a safe, healthy and fun environment.” The City of San Diego received a $500,000 grant from the County of San Diego to launch the program. “The County of San Diego is pleased to help support ‘Parks After Dark’ that provides a wide range of enjoyable, supervised activities and safe services to our neighborhood children and adults,” said Chair Nathan Fletcher, San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “The County is supporting programs that improve youth mental health – and being able to enjoy our parks is one way to do that.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria File photo/www.sandiego.gov
“Parks After Dark” is based on a popular County of Los Angeles program that has brought hundreds of thousands of Angelenos together every summer for more than a decade. It’s designed to positively activate public spaces to reduce crime and create social cohesion by bringing joy to the community and create safe places to play on summer nights. In Los Angeles, data showed that the first three parks to host similar programs saw a 32% decrease in serious and violent crimes within their first three years, between 2009 and 2013. “The San Diego Parks Foundation is
grateful to Mayor Gloria, Chair Fletcher, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, and the Price Philanthropies Foundation whose partnerships and generosity will help make this a summer to remember for San Diego families,” said Michel Anderson, San Diego Parks Foundation Board Chair. “This program builds on the success of last year’s ‘Come Play Outside’ programs and will give folks of all ages something to celebrate in their community this summer.” The program is made possible by the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, and Price Philanthropies Foundation. The 2022 “Parks After Dark” schedule and activities can be found at https://comeplaysd.com/ programs/. In its inaugural summer 2021, the San Diego Parks Foundation’s “Come Play Outside” programs served more than 16,000 children youth and families. They were made possible by Price Philanthropies Foundation, the JEM Project, Walter J. & Betty C. Zable Foundation, Hervey Family Fund at The San Diego Foundation, Robert & Allison Price Charitable Trust, the Walmart Foundation, Albertsons Foundation, and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, and the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department. San Diego Parks Foundation strives to connect all San Diegans to high-quality parks through philanthropic and volunteer contributions to the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, and to support the City’s mission to build a world-class inclusive park system that strengthens communities and provides equitable access to recreational opportunities. Learn more at sandiegoparksfoundation.org. (City of San Diego Release) n
Calling all cosplayers! San Diego Public Library offers exclusive card and hosts special events for Comic-Con Limited-edition card, costume repair services, comic book panels and superhero storytimes planned
SAN DIEGO – Comic-Con International’s world-famous summer convention is back and the City of San Diego Public Library (SDPL) is celebrating with an exclusive library card, storytimes and a conference focused on the role comics play in promoting education and literacy. Central Library in downtown will also host a cosplay repair station to mend any costume emergencies during Comic-Con. This year’s Comic-Con library card was designed by Tijuana-based artist Charles Glaubitz. The exclusive card is licensed by Comic-Con and is the first time an SDPL card has been produced in Spanish. It features a person in a costume riding a zebra and reading a book with the iconic Central Library dome and Tijuana Arch at the bottom of the card. The card was released on Preview Night at Comic-Con on Wednesday, July 20, at the SDPL booth on the San Diego Convention Center floor and was to be available at all SDPL locations starting Thursday, July 21. Supplies are limited and the cards are available on a first come, first served basis. During Comic-Con, SDPL’s Central Library, located at 330
Park Blvd., will offer a cosplay repair station. People can visit the IDEA Lab on the 4th floor of Central Library July 21 – 23 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for quick fix solutions to costume problems including sewing supplies, 3D printers, adhesives and soldering irons. No appointment is necessary and all ages are welcome. SDPL has also teamed up with Comic-Con International for the 5th annual Comic Conference for Educators and Librarians. The five-day conference offers
several panel discussions on how to use comics as a medium for learning. The conference is free to attend but space is limited and registration is required. Comic-Con badge holders can attend without registration. For more on SDPL’s ComicCon library card and other events, including the Superhero Storytimes planned at several libraries, visit the Comic-Con @ the Library web page. With a vision of being the place for opportunity, discovery
and inspiration, the San Diego Public Library is a hub for knowledge and lifelong learning. As the largest library system in the region, it serves a population of more than 1.4 million people. Learn about events at the San Diego Central Library @ Joan Irwin Jacobs Common and 35 community branch libraries, find links to programs and resources or search for materials in the online catalog at www.sandiegolibrary. org. (SDPL Release) n
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 22-28, 2022
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A solar field in western Pahrump? As for noise, there will be the typical noise generated during THERE is no doubt that the Commission to talk about its the construction, but once way the world is consuming its proposal for its Basin Solar operational, the field will not natural resources, we are in for project – a 20-megawatt produce noise. catastrophic results down the photovoltaic solar field that will Traffic in and out of the facility road. Whether it’s in a couple be set on 100 acres in western will be kept to a minimum as of decades, half a century or a Pahrump, according to a news there will only be one truck century from now, the world’s report from the Pahrump Valley visiting the site on a weekly basis, burgeoning population needs Times. The project is set to per officials, adding that “the to manage the Earth’s resources be located on land bounded site largely operated itself from more efficiently, or look for ways by Basin Avenue to the south, remote communications.” to harness what nature gives us. Bannavitch to the west, and On the question of water usage In terms of energy usage, that Betty Avenue to the north. in the project, ConEdison does It is one of the many multiple can include harnessing the sun’s not intend to drill any wells to power, which is exactly what solar farms that have been service the site, but instead will a company wants to do in the proposed in the State of Nevada have the necessary water trucked and areas like Pahrump, western side of Pahrump. in after being purchased from a Consolidated Edison Amargosa and Beatty. The local municipal water provider. Development Inc. recently difference with this project During the construction phase, went before the Nye County is that Basin Solar is being about 20 acre-feet of water would be used primarily for dust control, and would go down to about two acre-feet or less per year when the field is operational. ConEdison revealed that if everything goes according to plan, construction should be able to begin early 2023, with the site commercially operational by the end of the year. As for how the project will benefit the town, aside from aiding in the quest for renewable energy and helping alleviate the drain on the electric grid, positives will come from the taxes and purchase of regional goods and services, as well as up to 150 construction jobs associated with the project. Once the project is finished, two full-time jobs within the community will be the end-result. A total investment of about $40 million is expected to be Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman drove around in Pahrump recently with her good friend and Philippine Realtor Nida Santos. made for the Basin Solar project, with roughly 37% to 50% of the amount invested directly in Nevada. In examining the plans and the private land that will be used for the project, Nye County Commissioner Debra Strickland posed an observation, asking what the highest and best use for a 100-acre parcel of land would be. She opined that the benefits of the project being situated in private land versus public land managed by the BLM would be significantly higher. The advantages would include not having to take away the people’s land, using an area that is located in a flood zone which creates a different set of challenges for other kinds of development, and Realtors Fely Quitevis-Bateman and Nida Santos drove by near Realtor Nida Santos, a friend of Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman potential homeowners not having the proposed solar project in Pahrump, which will provide cheap for over 40 years, has been amazed at the big progress in to deal with expensive flood insurance should the land be electricity to the town’s residents. Pahrump during her second visit to the town. By RealtoR
Fely Quitevis-Bateman
put on private land, unlike majority of proposals which are being planned on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. According to officials attached with ConEdison, once complete and fully operational, Basin Solar can produce energy to power an estimated 6,000 homes. The company is the second-largest solar developer in the country and operates about 30% of the solar capacity in the state. During the presentation, officials debunked the myth that a photovoltaic solar field will raise the ambient temperature around the site. The technology, according to officials, is designed to absorb the heat.
Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948, or send email to fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com.
developed into homes. This project will be a great addition to Pahrump, and just one of the many well thought out endeavors being planned in the town, which is only 62 miles west of Las Vegas. It is a perfect project for the town as it located in what is known as the sun belt; in fact, much of Nevada is in such an area. With a lot of developments being proposed in Pahrump, including a huge gaming/ entertainment hub that will house the first peri-mutuel horse racetrack in Nevada, servicing the energy needs of the community will of utmost importance. Having an additional source of renewable energy will keep the town in good stead and allow it to thrive. Areas like Pahrump are generating huge interest, not just for businesses but for many would-be homeowners and investors. The affordability of land and property prices, when compared to other areas in the United States, is a huge plus,
as well as its proximity to a big city like Las Vegas. One can, indeed, have the best of both worlds – live within the peaceful, unencumbered, beautiful surroundings of the town for the most part, and head for the lights, extravaganza, glitz and glamour of the big city when it beckons. My decades of experience in real estate will help you, my kababayans, in your quest for your piece of the American Dream – whether it’s your first or second home, a rental property, or an investment. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-5384948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@ precious-properties.com or fely. precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)
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JULY 22-28, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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