AUGUST 3-9, 2024 Volume 34 - No. 62 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
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PH, US forces hold joint military USA exercises in West Philippine Sea
DATELINE Fil-Am White House chef retires after 29 years FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
by PIA LEE-BRAGO
Philstar.com FILIPINO American Cristeta "Cris" Comerford has left the White House kitchen MANILA — Philippine and United States forces after 29 years of service. Citing a spokesperson for First Lady Jill held a joint military exercise in Philippine waters on Biden, The Washington Post reported about Wednesday, July 31 as defense and foreign officials of the retirement of Comerford, who served the two countries concluded their meeting in Manila. state dinners and family meals to five U.S. presidents throughout her decades-long tenure. Her last day was Friday, July 25. In a statement sent to the media outlet, Biden said that Chef Cris "has led her team with warmth and creativity, and nourished our souls along the way" in her "barrierbreaking career." "With all our hearts, Joe and I are filled with gratitude for her dedication and years of service," she said. Chef and humanitarian José Andrés previously posted about the culinary expert's retirement, calling her a "national treasure" and a "culinary diplomat" who "has shown the world how an immigrant can celebrate American food and share it with the world’s leaders." "Congrats on retiring. We love you, Cris," he added. PAGE A5
California seniors: Retain your home, car, and assets while qualifying for Medi-Cal FOR low-income residents of California, health care costs became less of a concern on this year, when on Jan. 1, the state rolled out its final phase of Medi-Cal expansion, providing free health care to all residents, regardless of immigration status. Also beginning Jan. 1, Medi-Cal eligibility will be based solely on income. Assets are not included, which means a person can own a home, a car, even a stock portfolio, and still be eligible for benefits, explained Yingjia Huang, Assistant Deputy Director at California Department of Health Care Services. “Those are considered assets that no longer need to be verified, or included in the basis of the determination,” she explained in an interview. People living on retirement or pension benefits of under $1,732 per month would qualify for Medi-Cal, Huang clarified. Living with family Adriene Clark, client advocate at the Alameda County Department of Social
The two allies’ Maritime Cooperative Activity was held within the country’s exclusive economic zone specifically in the waters west of Palawan, involving the USS Mobile and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz. Earlier, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo met with
U.S. Defense Chief Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for their 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, held for the first time in Manila. The joint maneuver included a series of events aimed at enhancing communication and operational PAGE A2
Blinken says US to provide $500 million in military funding to PH
STRONG TIES. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (from left) hold a press conference after convening the 2+2 ministerial meeting at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, July 30. Blinken said the U.S.’ defense and security support to the Philippines will continue whoever wins the U.S. presidential election in November. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
MANILA — The United States will provide $500 million in military funding to the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, July 30, as Washington boosts ties with Manila in the face of China's growing assertiveness. Blinken was in Manila with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as part of an Asia-Pacific tour to strengthen Washington's latticework of alliances aimed at countering Beijing. "We're now allocating an additional $500 million in foreign military financing to the Philippines to boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region," Blinken told a joint news conference. Blinken described it as a "once in a generation investment" to help modernise the Philippine armed forces and coast guard. Blinken and Austin met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has taken a strong stand against Chinese actions in the South China Sea, before PAGE A2
Marcos’ net satisfaction rating rises in June by GABRIEL PABICO LALU Inquirer.net
MANILA — Satisfaction with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s performance dipped in March but started recovering in June, based on a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. In a report dated August 1, SWS said Marcos’ net satisfaction rating was at +20 in March 2024 — down 27 points from the +47 score that he got in December 2023. However, it bounced back up to +27 based on a survey conducted by SWS from June 23 to July 1. The net satisfaction rate for June 2024 was the aggregate score obtained, as 55 percent of respondents interviewed said they were satisfied with Marcos’ performance, 28
percent were dissatisfied, and 15 percent were undecided. “The national Social Weather Survey of June 23 – July 1, 2024, found 55% of adult Filipinos satisfied, 15% undecided, and 28% dissatisfied with the performance of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as President. Compared to March 2024, gross satisfaction with President Marcos rose from 50%, gross undecided fell from 19%, and gross dissatisfaction fell slightly from 31%,” SWS said. “The resulting net satisfaction rating is +27 (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied), classified by SWS as moderate (+10 to +29). This is a 7-point increase from the moderate +20 in March 2024, following a decline from
California Attorney General Rob Bonta highlighted the critical nature of the upcoming election, describing it as an “inflection moment” for democracy in the United States.
California Attorney General Rob Philippines won’t stop drug war arrests by Interpol – DOJ Bonta urges Filipino Americans to support VP Kamala Harris PAGE A4
by DAPHNE GALVEZ Philstar.com
MANILA — The Philippine government cannot stop the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) from serving arrest warrants that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue against former President Rodrigo Duterte and several others for the killing of thousands of suspects during his bloody war on drugs, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday, August 1. At a media forum, Remulla said that while the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, it is still part of the Interpol, to which it
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has obligations. He noted that the ICC and the Interpol are “used to working together” and the international tribunal could bring in the Interpol to enforce arrest warrants. “We are not in the business of blocking any movement of the Interpol, unless a policy is laid out, which of course will go against our international commitments. Kaya hindi natin ginagawa yun (That’s why we don’t do it),” he said. Citing the principle of comity, Remulla said the Philippine government will not obstruct anything as long as it does not violate the country’s laws. “The principle of comity dictates Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla speaks to members of the press on Thursday, August Philstar.com photo PAGE A2 1 at Department of Justice forum in Manila.
by MOMAR G. VISAYA AJPress
CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta delivered a message to the Filipino American community, emphasizing the critical importance of the upcoming 2024 presidential election. In a speech during a Zoom call hosted by the Filipino Americans for Harris group on Tuesday, July 30, Bonta issued a rallying cry for Filipino Americans to unite in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, highlighting the stakes of the election and the community’s pivotal role in protecting democracy. “I got a front-row seat to her trajectory, and I’ve supported her at every turn, because she’s got the experience, the expertise, the energy this country needs, especially now. Kamala Harris is the antidote to Trump,” he said. PAGE A2