AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 Volume 32 - No. 69 • 14 Pages
Marcos: Be heroes in our own right, If elected LA mayor, inspire future generations of Filipinos Caruso would tackle DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Asian hate crimes
AS an advocate of crime prevention and public safety, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso has vowed to put an end to Asian hate crimes in his jurisdiction. In an interview with the Asian Journal at the sidelines of the recently hosted event by Caruso in celebration of the first major Hollywood studio film about Filipino Americans “Easter Sunday," he said “(if I win) as a mayor, I will make sure that we stop that.” He took note that the local government should focus on implementing policies and rules that would address concerns about the rising number of hate crimes in the city. “It’s (really) terrible. Hate crimes are up 180 percent,” he said, noting that if he wins, he would make sure that the perpetrators of these crimes would be punished accordingly. “We are going to persecute people who are taking advantage of the Asian population. We have to make sure that they know that committing hate crimes is absolutely wrong and will not be tolerated,” he said. PAGE 4
Another elderly Pinay assaulted in New York City ANOTHER elderly Filipino woman was assaulted by an unidentified woman in New York City last week, the latest in a string of attacks on Filipinos in the United States In an advisory, the Philippine Consulate General in New York said the 74-year-old victim was walking along Madison Avenue near East 52nd Street on Wednesday, August 24 when a woman struck her. The assailant immediately fled the scene. The motive of the attack was unclear as the suspect was unprovoked, the consulate said. Philippine Consul General Elmer Cato, in a post on Twitter, advised Filipinos in New York “to be vigilant at all times when outside their homes” in the wake of the latest attack. Ma. Teresita Daza, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), told reporters on Saturday that Cato had recently raised the issue with authorities in New York. “[They] gave the assurance that they are PAGE 3
MANILA — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday paid tribute to Filipinos of "extraordinary courage" who fought to establish and protect the Philippines as the country celebrates National Heroes’ Day.
"We remember and honor each of them for the sacrifices they made in our behalf so that we may live in peace, security, and liberty as well as realize our full potential as Filipinos," Marcos said in his first National Heroes Day message as the chief executive.
He urged the public to not forget them as "their legacy of heroism lives on in the hearts of our medical professionals, civil servants, uniformed personnel, and ordinary citizens who toil to keep the Filipino PAGE 3
Loss of 1.7M immigrants fuels United States labor shortage and inflation by JENNY
MANRIQUE Ethnic Media Services
CAULDRON LIGHTING. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora (4th from right) and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Carlo Antonio Dimayuga III light the cauldron lighting during commemoration of the 126th Anniversary of the Battle of San Juan del Monte on Tuesday, Aug. 30. The historical event is also commonly known as the Battle of Pinaglabanan. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
CLOSE to 15% of job openings that employ immigrant or foreign-born workers in the U.S. are still vacant, while the legal immigration system is in dire straits. From meat packing to home building to STEM professionals to nurses, the post-pandemic economy is reeling from a labor force decimated by restrictive immigration policies, which worsened under Donald Trump’s administration. The halting of immigration “From the middle of 2019 until the end of 2021, there has been essentially zero net immigration to the U.S,” said Giovanni Peri, Ph.D. Professor of Economics and Founder and Director of the UC Davis Global Migration Center, citing US Bureau census data. “Although in late 2021 and early 2022 these numbers started growing again, the fact that the inflow of immigrants stopped made the country lose more than 1.7 million (immigrants),” added Peri, noting that 900,000 of them would have been college educated who work in the STEM sector – doctors, computer scientists, PAGE 3
Gov’t committed to respect, protect rights of journalists – Palace by KRISTINA
MARALIT ManilaTimes.net
MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, August 30 reiterated the government's commitment to respect and protect the rights of media workers in the country. Press Secretary Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles issued the statement as the country marked the first commemoration of National Press Freedom Day – a day which coincides with the birth anniversary of Marcelo H. Del Pilar who is tagged as the "father of Philippine journalism". "Our government, under the watch of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., recognizes and respects press freedom in
the country as this is guaranteed in our Constitution," the Palace official noted. The declaration of National Press Freedom Day was enacted into law on April 13, 2022, by then president Rodrigo Duterte. With this, all government agencies, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC), local government units as well as the private sector are Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle mandated to enjoin their personnel to engage and participate in any related activity to be conducted in the premises of their respective offices or establishments on National Press Freedom Day. n
Palace to study joint-exploration of West Philippine Sea with China by HELEN
FLORES
Philstar.com
MANILA — The Marcos administration will study the proposal to conduct joint oil and gas explorations with China in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, August 30. “We will study it for now,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in Filipino at a Palace briefing. Asked if the matter was tackled during the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Angeles replied, “When it comes to foreign relations, especially those involving Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles Philstar.com photo contracts, we need advice from the
Department of Foreign Affairs.” Former Chinese ambassador Liu Jianchao has expressed hope that the Marcos administration would continue the joint oil and gas discussions with China in the West Philippine Sea. “I hope that the discussions will continue. I hope both sides will demonstrate some kind of flexibility without prejudicing each other’s claims of their own positions so that the cooperation could happen,” Liu said over the weekend. Liu, currently the minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made
the statement during a dialogue with media organized by the Chinese embassy. Last June, former foreign affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. announced that discussions between the Philippines and China to jointly explore for oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea were terminated. Marcos met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Malacañang in July. During their meeting, Wang extended Chinese President Xi Jinping’s invitation to Marcos to visit China. Angeles, at a media briefing last PAGE 4
Philstar.com photo
Tagle named pope’s special envoy in Asian bishops’ meet by EVELYN
MACAIRAN Philstar.com
MANILA — Pope Francis has designated Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as his special envoy to the 50th general conference of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) slated on Oct. 30. According to CBCPNews, Tagle will preside over the closing mass of the FABC conference to be held at the Assumption Cathedral in Bangkok, Thailand. The 65-year-old cardinal is currently pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization According to the Vatican bulletin, the Asian bishops’ meeting begins on Oct. 12 and will be held at the Baan Phu
Waan Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese of Bangkok. This year’s conference theme is “FABC 50: Journeying together as peoples of Asia … and they went a different way.” (Matthew 2:12). The assembly also marks the belated 50th anniversary celebration of FABC, established in 1970 with the approval of the Holy See. The FABC Secretariat said the 19-day conference will “reflect on the re-emerging and emerging realities and challenges of the Church in Asia.” Prior to being appointed to the Vatican dicastery, Tagle headed the FABC’s Office of Theological Concerns for several years while he was still archbishop of Manila n
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FROM THE FRONT PAGE
Marcos: Be heroes in your... PAGE 1 dream alive." Marcos also said that their heroic deeds do not only remind Filipinos "of the nobility of our race," but also invite them to take part in nation-building. "We are Filipinos—a people destined to greatness. In our veins flow the blood of heroes and in our bodies reside the indomitable spirit required to accomplish incredible feats so long as we manifest our will into action," Marcos said. "As we celebrate this day dedicated to our nation’s heroes, let us strive to fulfill our own promise so that we may also be heroes in our own right and a source of pride and inspiration for the succeeding generation of Filipinos to emulate," he added. The president led the commemoration of the National Heroes’ Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. His father, a dictator, was buried there with military honors in 2016 despite protests saying he is not hero. Around 70,000 individuals were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured, and 3,240 were killed during martial law, according to rights group Amnesty International. Lessons of the past In a statement, Vice President Sara Duterte called on Filipinos
Another elderly Pinay assaulted in... PAGE 1 taking this matter very seriously and are taking steps to address it,” Daza said. “We assure our fellow Filipinos that our Consulate General in New York will continue monitoring these incidents accordingly and is ready to assist hate crime victims and other distressed Filipinos in the area.” Tally reaches 43 Reported hate crimes against
Filipinos have reached 43 mostly in New York City, Manhattan, and Queens, according to Daza. The states under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate in New York are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The latest attack was also the third incident in just a month. On
July 13, an 18-year-old Filipino traveler from Cebu was hit in the face while he was walking with three fellow Filipinos near the Philippine Center in Manhattan. Three days later, a 51-yearold Filipino woman was verbally assaulted and harassed by a homeless woman. The consulate earlier said that such cases were hate-related assaults that were “racially motivated.” (Inquirer.net)
Z. Chen, Senior Director of Government Relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Chen noted that when President Barack Obama left office, there were about 500,000 immigration cases in the backlog compared to 1.4 million cases during the Trump administration. “As of today we have about 1.6 million cases that are waiting to be heard, (each one) typically takes four to six years now,” Chen said. “Many businesses can’t wait to be operational.” Meanwhile, the Automated Export System (AES), the agency in charge of processing work permits, has increased its processing times from 180 days to up to seven months. These backlogs can be fixed through a comprehensive immigration reform. Although almost 70% of Americans are in favor of it, there has been no appetite in a polarized Congress to ease restrictions for even legal immigrants. Chen highlighted how President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act -recently signed into law- originally included provisions to legalize unauthorized immigrants, a provision that had to be abandoned to gain bipartisan support. “The concern about the benefits immigration provides to the country and the economy has been subsumed by the idea that it’s related to border national security issues,” said Chen, who doesn’t see a major immigration reform bill happening even in 2023. Shortage of nursing professionals For Julie Collins, perfusionist and Program Director
Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences in the College of Health Sciences at Rush University, one field where the absence of immigrants is acutely felt is medical care. Working on the COVID floor of her hospital for two years, Collins saw firsthand the impact of the critical shortage of nursing professionals. “I was helping to cover shifts and I saw how burnt out nurses were becoming taking care of patients in COVID units,” she said. “As COVID began slowing down, nurses sought early retirement, some of them changed professions, and some even died of COVID. This left us with fewer nurses to fill the open positions in our units.” Although COVID floors have been essentially shut down, hospitals are short staffed and one-on-one patient care is over, she said. “Oftentimes nurses are caring for multiple patients, which is increasing their chances of creating errors and causing emotional distress,” There are close to 194,000 open positions for nurses, and not enough U.S. nurses to fill them. Since the 80s, when hospitals were understaffed, nurses from other countries have filled these roles. But today, annually, H1B visas are limited to 140,000 and familysponsored visas are limited to 226,000. “I am seeing how tired and exhausted the nurses are and how frustrated they feel like their voices aren’t being heard,” Collins said.” If hospitals come up with a system so that they could keep bringing in (immigrant) nurses, they wouldn’t have problems filling their open positions,” she concluded.
Loss of 1.7M immigrants fuels United States...
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. leads the commemoration of the National Heroes’ Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on August 29, 2022. Screengrab from PTV livestream
to "look at the future of our country and its unrelenting longing for the same profound sense of patriotism from us." She said the blood of national heroes is "now permeating into the minds and hearts of many Filipinos who have committed to the cause of rebuilding the nation from the rubbles caused by disunity, hatred, misunderstanding, and acts of hostilities perpetuated by antipeople, anti-government, and local terror groups that hostaged the progress of the country for a long time." The vice president, who also heads the Department of Education, said the lessons of the past must be used to awaken
the heroes inside the hearts of Filipinos, especially the youth. "Let us honor our national heroes with the promise that their sacrifices will serve as our light and inspiration as we vow to protect the integrity of our independence and the interest of our nation against those who wish for us to fail, to fall, and to break as a nation," she added. There is no law, executive order or proclamation officially proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero, according to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. But there were laws enacted and proclamations issued honoring Filipino heroes. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)
SAFE COMMUNITY. Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna inspects firearms during the launching of the National Capital Region Police Office’s Oplan S.A.F.E. (Seen, Appreciated, Felt, and Extraordinary) program at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park in Manila on Monday, August 29. The program aims to ensure the safety and protection of communities against criminal elements. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
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PARAAN KUNG PAANO KAYO MAKAKAPAGTIPID NG TUBIG Socorro, Irvine
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ANG MGA KAKULANGAN SA TUBIG AY KASING-TOTOO NG TAGTUYOT. NGAYON NA ANG PANAHON UPANG MAGTIPID SA TUBIG.
PAGE 1 biomedical engineers, bio experts — and 800,000 would have been non-college educated concentrated in sectors such as food, hospitality, elderly and child care. “We are talking about the 1.1% of the US labor force,” Peri added. Peri spoke during a media briefing on 8/26/22 hosted by Ethnic Media Services that sounded the alarm over how the lack of immigrants is hurting the economy. Meanwhile, public discussion focuses on an estimated 2 million border crossings for the fiscal year. The halting of immigration coincides with more and more U.S. citizens opting to work from home in online jobs, and people in their 50s and 60s opting for early retirement. When companies are struggling to hire people, wages go up and the rising cost of labor translates into inflation, Peri explained. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in July 2022, there were 10 million unfilled jobs in the US. Before COVID, in a similar period, that figure was 6 million. Experts agree that there should be a government effort to make the H1B visa program (sponsored by employers) stronger and more inclusive for all sectors, while addressing the monstrous backlog in green cards and asylum claims. Backlogs and delays in the immigration processes “In the past six or seven years we have seen tremendous delays in the immigration processes across the country, both in the courts and also through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),” said Gregory
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Palace to study joint-exploration of West...
PAGE 1
LA mayoral candidate and real estate billionaire Rick Caruso speaks to media during a Filipino American community event in August 2022. AJPress photo by Andy Tecson
If elected LA mayor, Caruso would tackle Asian... PAGE 1
He also committed to continue to give a voice to the Filipino community. “I want to give a voice to the Filipino community. They’ve been in Los Angeles (for the longest time) but we don’t give the recognition to the Filipino community that they deserve,” he said. “Overall, I want to make a more liveable community, safer for the people,” he added. Caruso, a lawyer by training, believed that to be able to eliminate crimes, there’s a need to strengthen the law enforcement’s rules and policies. It would be recalled that Caruso was then president of the Police Commission at the height of the great turmoil at the LAPD with the Department operating under a federal consent decree. During his presidency at the LAPC from 2001 to 2005, Caruso restored public trust in the LAPD, especially among Black, Asian and Latino Angelenos. At that time, he oversaw a 30% reduction in crime, fought for community policing and police accountability and stood up to political pressure when he hired Chief William Bratton, who is remembered as the most transformational figure in the history of policing in the City of Los Angeles. “There is no doubt that our police force can do better, but the attacks on rank-and-file officers must stop. The men and women of the LAPD risk their lives on a daily basis. Rhetoric about “defunding the police” makes no sense when you consider that murders are skyrocketing and LA is the most under-policed big city in America,” he said. “We need to invest in more training, both to reduce unnecessary use of force incidents and to eliminate any elements of unconscious bias. But when an
emergency strikes, we all want our first responders to arrive quickly and to save lives, and we need to show our support for them with respect and gratitude, along with a constant and firm demand for excellence, fair treatment, and world-class professionalism,” he added. Police visibility, he said, would also be a great help in curbing crimes in the city. “The LAPD is the smallest big city police force per capita in the US and that must change,” he said. He committed to deploy and add some 1,500 officers to the LA force before the end of his first term. Caruso will likewise make sure that the LAPD returns to community-based policing with more senior lead officers working hand-in-hand with community groups and neighborhood leaders to build trust and ensure the communities who need it the most have police officers who reflect their values and demographics. According to Caruso, he also plans to address increasing incidences of gun violence which is prevalent and getting out of control in Los Angeles. In 2021, the city recorded 397 murders, the highest total in almost 15 years — and a 53% increase from 2019 levels. In one year, homicides, car theft, and robberies at gunpoint are all up by double digits. More than half or 54% of the city’s shootings were related to gang violence, and homicides of the homeless increased 22%. “Robberies with a firearm increased 21 percent citywide last year, with LAPD’s central bureau logging the largest increase of 37%.” The aspiring LA mayor said he would also crack down on gun trafficking and illegal manufacturing of “ghost guns."
month, said Marcos has accepted Xi’s invitation but there is no date yet for the visit. Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, cultivated warm ties with Beijing but his administration continued to protest Chinese encroachments and harassment of fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. China continues to ignore the July 12, 2016 ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, which affirmed the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea and nullified Beijing’s claims over almost the entire South China Sea. Joint search, rescue drill Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) will hold a joint search and rescue exercise (SAREX) in the West Philippine Sea on Saturday. The USCG’s Cutter Midgett, with an estimated 200 officers and crew, arrived at the Eva Macapagal Terminal in Manila’s South Harbor on Tuesday. Around 100 PCG personnel aboard BRP Gabriela and BRP Malabrigo will participate in the drill. PCG fleet commander Rear Admiral Charlie Rances said two possible venues are being considered as the site for the exercises: Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro and the portion of the West Philippine Sea
in Zambales. PCG spokesman Commodore Armando Balilo said they are leaning toward holding the SAREX on Lubang Island. Through this exercise, Balilo said the PCG and USCG would be able to check their interoperability and quick response capability. The U.S. has been providing training to PCG personnel and donated equipment to the Philippines. This is the third time the PCG and USCG would be holding SAREX. The first two drills took place in 2019 and 2020. U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson welcomed the USCG’s vessel in Manila, saying, “There is no stronger reflection of our bilateral alliance than the visit and exchanges between our uniformed services.” “The U.S. Coast Guard is a vital and growing part of these interactions and we plan to expand the USCG engagement in the Philippines over the months and years to come,” she added. USCG Cutter Midgett’s skipper Willie Carmichael said they are looking forward to the joint exercise with the PCG. The officers USCG will also take part in the Brigada Eskwela at the Jose Rizal Elementary School in Tayuman, Tondo tomorrow. Sea dispute The European Union (EU) has expressed its full support toward promoting and ensuring peace
and order in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. EU Ambassador Luc Véron met with Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Senior Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. last week at Camp Aguinaldo. DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said Veron and Faustino both agreed to the preservation of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Véron and Faustino said the peaceful settlement of disputes must be pursued, with the EU official ensuring that “these principles remain in line with the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy.” Andolong said Faustino welcomed the increasing engagements of the EU in the region and looks forward to working with the EU in the future. Both officials also welcomed the positive developments in the bilateral relations between the EU and the Philippines, as well as the EU’s interest in defense and security cooperation with partner countries in the ASEAN region. Andolong said Véron also shared the EU’s political commitment to working with ASEAN and looks forward to receiving the Philippine delegation for the commemoration of the 45th ASEAN-EU anniversary at Brussels, Belgium in December. Faustino expressed appreciation for the EU’s assistance to the Philippines’ disaster relief operations. g
“(About) 80 percent rifles that are flooding our streets with untraceable and illegal highpowered rifles that are weapons of war,” he noted. Moreso, he said there is a need to expand the LAPD Gun Unit and insist on a more coordinated approach to gun violence with partnerships with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security. Caruso likewise emphasize on employing “Precision Policing” strategies to concentrate resources around the worst offenders and high-crime areas to address the ‘demand-side’ of the problem. “It’s worked elsewhere – for example, in New York, the NYPD’s shift to a surgical form of “precision policing,” in which law enforcement focuses resources on a small number of individuals who are thought to be the primary drivers of violence,” he said. In addition, he said he would also expand laws around safe storage of weapons in homes with real penalties if violated, especially in homes with children. He said he would also get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. “I will double down on efforts to take guns away from those deemed too much of a risk to own them, such as the Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS) program which gives local authorities a way to remove firearms from individuals who’d lost their right to bear them because of violent crimes, serious mental health issues or active restraining orders,” he said. Aside from making the communities safer, Caruso pledged to put an end to street FREE ANTIGEN TEST. A health worker gets a mucus sample from two-year-old Gabriel Espihon from Mabuhay Subdivision for an antigen test homelessness and clean up at the City Health Office 3, Barangay Salawag, City of Dasmarinas, Cavite on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Gabriel's mother said he had been running corruption. (Donnabelle Gatdula- a fever for three days and had a cold and cough but he was tested negative for COVID-19. PNA photo by Gil Calinga Arevalo/AJPress )
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Rare, deadly diseases in PH get attention from barely enforced law by Kurt
Dela Peña Inquirer.net
MANILA — Republic Act No. 10747, or the Rare Diseases Act, was signed in 2016 and gave “new hope” to Filipinos suffering from rare but often chronic and life-threatening diseases, the Department of Health (DOH) said. But six years later, public health stakeholders stressed that the legislation has yet to be fully implemented, with Prof. Victorio Andres Manhit, president of the think tank Stratbase ADR Institute, saying that there is a “deeply complex issue of inequality”. “There is an evident disproportion in the availability of treatment and resources, and this inequality is being aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said in the hybrid town hall discussion, “The State of the Rare Disease Law: Continuing Implementation and the Delivery of Responsive Health Services to the Affected Population.” “Now that Congress has earmarked P104.9 million for this after six long years, it is time all stakeholders work to address the deeply complex issue of inequality through good governance, political reforms, social investments and multisector efforts,” he said. This, as it was only in 2022 that the law, which was signed to help address the problems confronting Filipinos with rare diseases, was given an allocation of P104.9 million in the General Appropriations Act. Sen. Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said there were funding challenges because of the pandemic and that the appropriation is hardly enough to provide treatment and fund research into new rare diseases. However, he stressed the Senate’s commitment to support the cause, saying that the private sector should be encouraged and offered incentives to partner with the government in the fight against rare diseases. Neglected Alvin Manalansan, health care
fellow of the Stratbase ADR Institute and co-convenor of UHC Watch, said every Filipino has the right to health and no one should be left behind. He had said in a column that the law envisioned that Filipinos with rare diseases are diagnosed early and provided immediate access to interventions so that their rate of survival is increased, and they are given a chance to live a normal way of life. But the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already claimed 61,720 lives, Manalansan stressed, “posed several challenges and showed the gaps” throughout the Philippines’ health system. He said addressing the crisis has been the “priority and concern of the government for two years now, and still counting”. As a result, patients, like those who were diagnosed with rare diseases, “are sadly kept on the sideline”. The DOH had said: “Because of the rarity of their disease, not much poor assistance was given to them in the past. There is scarcity in terms of expertise and available treatment for these patients in the country.” It said the Rare Diseases Act, which was signed by the late President Benigno Aquino III, was expected to address these gaps and provide the much needed attention that Filipinos afflicted with rare diseases highly deserve. Manhit stressed that this was the reason that it was high time for the government to address the problems confronting the implementation of the law, saying that it would guarantee access to responsive medical care. Rare diseases The World Health Organization defines a rare disease as an “often-debilitating disease or condition with a prevalence of 0.65 percent to 1 percent”. Here in the Philippines, a disease is considered rare when it affects one patient in every 20,000 population: Patients afflicted with rare diseases often have their quality of life reduced to taking medications, check-
ups and suffering from pain. “They are often dependent on other people to attend to their basic needs. They also need lifelong medical care, food supplements, medications and multidisciplinary therapies to alleviate the symptoms and effects of the disease,” the DOH said. According to the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders (PSOD), 5,000 to 8,000 rare diseases are thought to exist, with an estimated 250 new diseases being discovered on a yearly basis. ADOPT-A-PARK PROJECT. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora (3rd from left) and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Carlo Angara had said in a bill he filed then that a rare disease or “orphan disorder” is afflicting less than 1,000 Filipinos and that many of the cases are because of genetic defects, with many patients exhibiting symptoms in early childhood. “Unfortunately, there is minimal interest among research institutions in learning more about these diseases because they affect only a small segment of the population,” Angara stressed. Likewise, because of the rarity of the diseases, medicines and health care products have been called “orphan drugs” because of minimal attention paid by pharmaceutical companies to them because of the high cost of production resulting from low demand. Life-threatening Because of this, Angara said some patients die as early as infancy or, if they manage to survive, suffer from chronic and debilitating illnesses that greatly diminish their quality of life, not to mention the severe strain on their families. In a 2017 article published in the Science journal SciDev.Net, it was said that about 80 percent of rare diseases are of genetic origin that begin in childhood, with about 30 percent of patients dying before the age of five. The PSOD said as of 2017, there are 319 patients in the PSOD registry, which accounts for 63 rare diseases. But Manalansan said as of 2021, there are already 887 cases registered with rare diseases. g
Antonio Dimayuga III (2nd from left) look at a fountain during the inauguration of El Polvorin Linear Park at the San Juan Elementary School on Tuesday, Aug. 30. The park was left in a state of disarray after several demolition and construction activities until the city government included it in the MMDA’s Adopt-A-Park Project. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
ASEAN committed to tackle marine pollution – official by Bernadette
tamayo ManilaTimes.net
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is committed to address marine pollution, among the fastestgrowing threat to human health and economic development not just in the region but globally. "Marine debris is in fact among the fastest-growing threats to human health and economic development. This growing threat is recognized globally," ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Ekkaphab Phanthavong said on Tuesday in a video address to the 2022 East Asia summit on marine cooperation. The three-day Manila workshop on maritime and scientific cooperation was geared toward creating healthy and sustainable oceans. Phanthavong noted that the reduction of marine pollution is a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal by 2025, including marine debris. "The ASEAN is committed to strengthening collective action to address this pressing issue," he said. The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has urged the international community and concerned experts to address marine pollution since it is an issue that "transcends boundaries and
nationalities." "Picture this, by the year 2050 there will be more plastics than fishes in the sea. The oceans will be overheated and acidified and 90 percent of coral reefs will be wiped out of existence," DFA Acting Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said. "There will be waves of mass marine life extinction, causing enormous disruption in the ecosystem of coastal cities such as Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta, Seoul, Tokyo. Non-coastal states will not be spared from this environmental tragedy," she added. "All of us gathered around in this forum would bear the same consequences of our wanton neglect of our maritime resources and ecosystems," according to Lazaro, also DFA acting undersecretary for bilateral relations and ASEAN affairs. "This is such a bleak illustration of a doomsday scenario if we do not do anything about the environment. This goes without saying that the dire state of our oceans is something that requires immediate action," she said. Aside from the 10-member ASEAN, the summit participants included Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States. "We may be individually
different from each other in terms of government, or culture or beliefs. But marine pollution is an issue that transcends boundaries and nationalities," Lazaro said. DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu, ASEAN Philippines national secretariat director general, said the Philippines has a maritime economy and maritime culture. "Maritime cooperation will therefore always be a key priority. It's only natural for us to protect the oceans, which provide for the majority of our subsistence," Espiritu also said. Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga could not attend the summit, but she sent a message to the participants. She said climate change plays a vital role in "accelerating the deterioration" of oceans, "which threatens our food and water security." Yulo-Loyzaga noted that the Philippines has passed the Producers Responsibility Act of 2022 which institutionalized producers' responsibility for plastic packaging waste. "I hope that this workshop can become a vehicle for all of us to discuss the realities of our maritime situation, explore avenues for cooperation and strengthen our commitment to protect and preserve our oceans," Lazaro said. g
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PPA revamp a strong step forward A BILL recently introduced in the House of Representatives and backed by several key business groups would correct the problematic status of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) as both a port regulator and operator. The measure is, to use a popular phrase, a “no brainer,” and should be passed as quickly as prudence allows by both houses of Congress. Under House Bill (HB) 1400, or the proposed "Philippine Ports Corp. Act" filed by Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette HerreraDy, the regulatory functions of the PPA would be "decoupled" from the agency and transferred to the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina). The PPA would thus be converted into the Philippine Ports Corp. (Philports), a government-owned and -controlled corporation under the Department of Transportation. The new Philports would own, develop, manage and operate public ports within the old PPA system, as well as collect port fees and dues approved by Marina, which already has responsibility for regulating shipping enterprises. HB 1400 received a strong endorsement last week from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), and Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP). In a joint statement, the business groups welcomed the proposed changes, saying that the "problematic mandate" of the current PPA has led to a steady rise in cargo-handling rates and harmed the country's competitiveness. The statement, signed by PCCI President George Barcelon, Philexport President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. and SCMAP President Pierre Carlo Curay, stressed
that "the Philippines is said to have the highest cargo handling cost in Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), which undermines its global competitiveness." The business groups also pointed out that divorcing the regulatory and operating functions of the PPA was part of the 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan. "This policy reform will address not only the conflict of interest, but more importantly, the competitive neutrality issue hounding the port authority. Competitive neutrality recognizes that significant government business activities in competition with the private sector should not have a competitive advantage or disadvantage simply by virtue of government ownership and control," the group's statement said. "In PPA's case, the competitive neutrality issue centers on its power to regulate against competition to protect its commercial interest, sometimes at the expense of public interest," it added. Higher port charges are reflected in higher cargo handling costs passed on to customers in the form of higher shipping rates. Over the past six months, shipping rates into or from Philippine ports have increased by about 25 percent. This is not entirely due to PPA fees, of course, but they are an aggravating factor, particularly since the PPA is permitted to collect 10 to 20 percent of cargo handling charges. The business groups also called for the revocation of the Letter of Instruction 1005-A that permits this, as it is not explicitly included in HB 1400. Irrational and counterproductive We fully agree with the position of the business groups. No matter what sector is involved, it is irrational and counterproductive for a government
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
agency to serve as both a regulator and service provider, as it puts the agency in the position of regulating itself, often to the detriment of legitimate private sector competition, and ultimately harming consumers. Another example of such an arrangement is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), which both regulates casinos and operates them. Similar to the call of HB 1400 to separate regulatory and operational functions of the PPA, we have recently urged the same be done with Pagcor; only in the latter's case, we believe the government
should remove itself from operating casinos entirely. Ports, being important public infrastructure, are of course a different matter. The changes proposed by HB 1400 are not just matters of good administrative housekeeping, they are important for the country's economic recovery and growth, particularly with the prospects of increased trade as a result of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). We urge Congress to treat the measure with some urgency, and move quickly to pass it. (ManilaTimes.net)
Marcos doing well in his first 60 days
Postscript
Federico Pascual Jr. BEFORE the inauguration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., we received a prognosis by an investment banker expressing doubts that the world would accept the late dictator’s son because of his lack of leadership qualities, management experience and a college degree. Yet as Marcos completes his first two months in office, within the 100-day “honeymoon” allowed a new president, many world leaders – including US President Joe Biden and Pope Francis – have already welcomed his presidency and expressed support. Regardless of the acceptance by his peers, however, questions linger about his stance on human rights, the view possibly dimmed by the shadow cast by the grim records of past Philippine leaders, including his father Marcos Sr. and former president Rodrigo Duterte. His Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla is not helping any, not after rejecting calls to act on the case of former senator Leila de Lima, who has been detained
on unfounded charges since 2017. Neither is Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., who barred opposition leaders, lawmakers, justices, lawyers, academics and bureaucrats from personally greeting De Lima on her 63rd birthday on Saturday at Camp Crame. But we see a glimmer of hope in Marcos’ display of openmindedness. To our amazement, he attended the burial of former president Fidel V. Ramos, who played a key role in the 1986 People Power Revolt that overthrew his father’s regime. His list of holidays for 2023 includes Feb. 25, recognizing the EDSA event. If Marcos will continue to prove that he is above the redversus-yellow quarrels and that he will not only tolerate but even champion democracy and respect human rights, he will continue to earn the respect not only of Filipinos but also of world leaders. One good thing going for Marcos is his having assembled a solid economic team led by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, recognized as Global Central Banker of the Year by The Banker, an international monthly banking and finance magazine affiliated with
the Financial Times. Thanks to Diokno, while the economy contracted by an alarming 9.5 percent in 2020, it emerged from the pandemicinduced recession with a gross domestic product growth of 5.7 percent in 2021, an expansion sustained with an impressive 8.3 percent in the first quarter of 2022. In his first State of the Nation Address on July 25, Marcos emphasized that he is keen on making the Philippines an investment destination. The economic team must be working on this. The day after his SONA, the economic managers, including NEDA Chairman Arsenio Balisacan, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Felipe Medalla, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual and the rest of the Cabinet, addressed the business community and diplomatic corps at their own event at the PICC called the Philippine Economic Briefing. The next Philippine Economic Briefings will be in Singapore this September and in New York in October, as parallel briefings to the state visits of Marcos aimed at investors. These meetings, as well as
round table discussions with global business leaders, could help boost investor confidence and increase foreign direct investments in the Philippines. The President must remember, though, that economic progress must be achieved alongside peace. If this administration could prove that peace is also on its agenda, including the end of extrajudicial killings and the respect for freedom, then he would become a president that even his harshest critics would respect. NCAP fines same as LTO rates We still hear grumbling against the nationwide NoContact Apprehension Program that uses computerized cameras to take videos of traffic violations and send the record to a central base that starts a process for collecting fines from erring drivers. One good deterrent to the violation of a law is the certainty of being caught and punished. The NCAP system certainly does that, with such coldblooded objectivity that many drivers who are used to loose enforcement protest. Many drivers, especially of public utility vehicles, say the fines are “too high.” Critics also question the sharing of the funds collected – which usually
is 70 percent going to the private supplier and maintainer of the equipment, and 30 percent to the government. As to the fines that many drivers said were too high, we found out that they were merely based on the existing rates of the Land Transportation Office. The fines in a Joint Administrative Order issued on June 2, 2014 by the LTO titled “Revised Schedule of Fines and Penalties for Violation of Laws, Rules and Regulations Governing Land Transportation” are similar to those imposed under NCAP by Metro Manila city governments. An example: Reckless driving draws under LTO rules a fine of P2,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second and a P10,000 fine for each subsequent violation – plus the confiscation of the offenders’ license. The same penalties are imposed under NCAP. Some LTO officials said a study in Iran has shown that bigger fines have contributed to decreasing traffic fatality, injury and offenses. They also cited a World Health Organization study in Spain that attributed a 14-percent reduction of accidents, injuries by 15.7 percent and deaths by 14.5 percent to heavier traffic fines.
Dexter Cardenas, chief of the Quezon City Traffic Management bureau, reported a 93 percent drop in the number of traffic violators in the city. QC Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed her faith in NCAP, as did Valenzuela Mayor Wes Gatchalian, among five Metro mayors who have adopted NCAP as part of their traffic violation detection system. Gatchalian reported a lower incidence of road rage in his city, while Belmonte said road safety considerations convinced her and the city council to adopt NCAP technology. She said NCAP has increased citations by 99 percent. On the reported 70-30 percent (sometimes 60-40 percent) sharing in the fines, the mayors explained that the camera systems are used under a publicprivate partnership agreement. An average NCAP system can cost P60-100 million, depending on its coverage. (Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** NB: Author is on Twitter as @FDPascual. Email: fdp333@yahoo.com. All Postscripts are also archived at ManilaMail.com
Fighting online sexual exploitation of children
Babe’s Eye View BaBe romualdez FOR seven consecutive years, the Philippines has maintained its Tier 1 ranking in the Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US State Department every year. In the latest report released last July, it noted that the Philippines continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts to fight human trafficking despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but gave several recommendations that include increased efforts to investigate, prosecute and convict complicit officials and labor traffickers. But one priority recommendation that was pretty poignant for those who read the report was the need to increase support for programs that provide specialized care for child victims of sexual exploitation. Online sexual exploitation of children or OSEC is considered as the “modern face” of human trafficking and described as one of the most heinous crimes in the world today because it victimizes children who are the most vulnerable members
of society. A 2019 study by the International Justice Mission – a non-government organization based in Washington, D.C. – which was released in May last year identified the Philippines as a “global hotspot” for OSEC. The study disclosed “disturbing findings” that the estimated prevalence of internetbased child sexual exploitation in the Philippines more than tripled within three years, with data from participating law enforcement agencies from across the globe showing that the country received more than eight times as many referrals as any other country during the 2010-2017 baseline period. A study by the UN International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) in 2016 also said that the Philippines has become “the global epicenter of the live-stream sexual abuse trade, and many of the victims are children.” At the World Economic Forum in Davos last May, Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock revealed during a panel discussion on cybersecurity that data from private industry and public hotlines as well as law enforcement agencies
showed a consistent rise in the number of online child abuse images. According to Stock, 2021 was “the worst year on record” and warned that an even bigger number of children could become victims of abuse and exploitation due to internet connectivity. “Every image, every video is evidence of a horrific crime with a real victim who suffers for the rest of their life,” Secretary General Stock said, sharing that “the sheer volume of images is already overwhelming law enforcement worldwide. Unless the public and private sectors do more to unify our efforts, we will only see this upward trend in cases grow.” Based on data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a private non-profit corporation with funding from the U.S. government, the Philippines has been identified as the top source of child sexual abuse materials. Our special envoy to UNICEF, Nikki Prieto-Teodoro, disclosed that the number of OSEC cases has almost tripled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the lockdowns playing a big part. The country has become number
one for child trafficking and online pornography, Nikki said, noting that parents are actually “marketing their children online for profit.” According to Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, chair of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, the government has declared war against online sexual exploitation of children, stressing that punishment is certain for those who engage in the exploitation. He also warned telecom companies and internet service providers that they will also be charged for OSEC if they refuse to cooperate with government in tracking down abusers. Some companies like PLDT are already utilizing technology that can help prevent online sexual exploitation of children, with 1.3 billion attempts to open OSEC-related web addresses that have been blocked since the telco launched its child protection platform. Considering that online child pornography has become a very lucrative, billion-dollar global industry, the cooperation between the DOJ and the AntiMoney Laundering Council is a good move to help track the online payments made to the
operators of these online sex sites, with a lot of the “paying customers” coming from Europe. As noted by UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres, technology has given consumers “the ability to anonymously demand increasingly dangerous and degrading content that fuels human trafficking.” OSEC is a global problem that has been going on for many years, and we certainly need to continue cooperating with other countries and international agencies to combat this horrific, disgusting and shameful crime that continues to be a growing threat to society. In some of my meetings with officials of the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, they confirmed that the Philippines is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to human trafficking and online sexual exploitation of children, and encouraged us to continue our collaboration to combat this global menace. In a 2014 column titled “Trafficking Filipino Children,” I wrote about an international child prostitution ring that has been victimizing Filipino children, and how cooperation
with British, Australian and U.S. authorities by their Filipino counterparts busted this ring. Codenamed “Operation Endeavor,” it took two years for the authorities to successfully uncover those behind the syndicate whose network of operations covers the U.S., Asia and Europe. The criminals used the internet to set up cybersex dens and forced children to perform sexual acts in front of a web camera that streamed the child’s “performance” to a global audience. One of the most traumatic things that can ever happen to a child is to become a victim of trafficking and sexual exploitation – but the worst is when it is parents themselves who engage in the trafficking and sell their own children. There is absolutely no question – the hottest place in hell should be reserved for them. (Philstar. com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
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Dateline PhiliPPines
SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022
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Senate probe into sugar fiasco: Officials say Marcos initially did not oppose sugar importation by Franco Luna Philstar.com
TRAFFIC. A motorcycle stops in between two vehicles along Quezon Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Riders face fines or revocation of their licenses under House Bill 1419 or the Anti-Lane Splitting measure that prohibits motorcycles from lane filtering or splitting, defined as using or sharing a lane already occupied by one vehicle by another vehicle on a road or highway. PNA photo by Ben Briones
Solon urges public to scrutinize social media posts, avoid fear-mongering MANILA — A lawmaker has urged the public to scrutinize information about crime incidents posted on social media first before sharing these to avoid unnecessary fear-mongering. During the hearing of the House of Representatives committee on public order and safety, committee chair and Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said that the credibility of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is taking a toll due to the posts about crime on the internet — only to find out that the incident had either been already solved or did not happen recently. Fernandez noted that crime incidence actually dropped compared to recent years, despite numerous posts on social media about several criminal activities. “Some of our public servant and other agencies of the government and other people were saying na ‘oh lumalala yung krimen, ano ginagawa ng PNP’ (crime rate is going up, what is the PNP doing). They are accusing something right away against the PNP. But it was proven, I read also the news article about what you said after a week that you have found out that old video,” the lawmaker said. “Yung nai-upload nung
concerned citizen (was an old video) and that’s a reason why we have to go back to the volume of crimes. Kasi nga mako-compare mo, ito bang nangyayari is isolated? Makikita mo naman yung crime volume or index natin bumababa from 10 years ago and today,” he added. (The video uploaded by the concerned citizen was an old video and that’s the reason why we have to go back to the volume of crimes. Because if you compare, are these events isolated? You can see the country’s crime volume or index go down from 10 years ago to today.) “And that’s a reason why I wanted to make a plea to our citizen to be wary also of those videos that you wanted to upload,” he further said. Fernandez did not single out a particular incident, but there have been posts on social media about the supposed growing incidence of crime in the country. However, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. — who was also in the committee hearing — recently complained about fake news spreading on social media sites. According to Azurin, there has been a surge of sensational crime reporting on social media, including some that have been solved already by the police.
There were also reports, particularly from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), where the supposed victim was found to have just made up a story about her being abducted — as witnesses whom she claimed helped her get away from kidnappers did not recount anything weird happening. Fernandez also stressed that while some netizens are really eager to have the crime solved by the police, some are doing it for the limelight — which further damages the PNP. “Kasi (Because) there are two personalities eh, one is if you wanted to upload it to a concerned agency to know it because you wanted to solve it. But others wanted for self glorification. They wanted to have so many views to the detriment of the organization itself,” he said. “That’s the reason why I wanted this to be checked as well and to us, our people, to be responsible enough. The organization and the PNP is doing its job but unfortunately with this kind of uploading of past crimes that were committed and being uploaded and a lot of people are commenting is damaging our organization,” he added. (Inquirer.net)
MANILA — The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's second hearing into the sugar fiasco saw doubts raised over Malacañang's rejection of the importation order behind the sugar fiasco being investigated by lawmakers. The controversy stems from Sugar Order No. 4 or SO4, which would have authorized the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar into the country to bridge a deficit that has been pushing up the local prices of the sweetener. The Palace eventually rejected the order, saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. never signed off on the order. Majority lawmakers in the first hearing pounced on claims by a former agriculture undersecretary that the move was meant to prevent a shortage in sugar. Here's a rundown of the principal findings at the hearing thus far: Marcos wasn't against SO4 at first Former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, among the officials who quit his post in the wake of the controversy, said that there was no opposition from the chief executive earlier on before he eventually disowned the order. But citing data from the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Sebastian said that while there isn't technically a shortage at the moment, the effects of the accelerating deficit could be felt as early as end-August, which prompted his office to offset the diminishing supply with imports greenlit by industry groups. The SRA is an attached bureau under the Department of Agriculture, concurrently headed by Marcos. Former SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica added that in a meeting dated August 4, his office reiterated the importation plan and they presented the facts of the tightness of sugar supply and the rising sugar price in the market. Serafica said that "almost all" of the industry stakeholders recommended 300,000 metric tons of sugar in position
papers and meetings with the government, the same amount listed in SO4. Sen. Risa Hontiveros questioned why not even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was cool to the sugar order in the face of "near unanimity" among industry groups about the need to import. "Many things are not clear. And it also seems that many powerful forces are at play... Who is feeding the President or Malacanang wrong information?" the opposition senator said. "Is the president caught in the crosshairs of opposing camps? [And] is it not the Executive Secretary's job to protect the president? Are they not gatekeepers of these competing interests so that the President make policy decisions unfettered by political considerations?" Importation weakening the local sugar industry Senators at the hearing Tuesday also pointed out the significant disparity between the price of sugar in the world market and domestically, with international prices of sugar standing at P22 per kilo while the cheapest retail price is at P70 per kilo. Meanwhile, retail prices of sugar in the country are now at P100 per kilo with the P70 per kilo available only in just a few outlets around the archipelago. "Is sugar P22 in the market? Even if we go to give the money as a subsidy to the sugar industry, the consumers are still not at a loss, so why don't we think of the right policy to balance that," Sen. Grace Poe asked as she recommended the government look at the timing of the importation and the harvest season. "I really think we can support the industry by adding a little bit of tariff and that tariff will not even disadvantage consumers because it will still come out cheaper...I support the sugar industry but I should also advocate for our consumers who are clearly the ones getting the short end of the bargain." The same majority senators in the upper Chamber rushed to the defense of the president by shifting the conversation to the need to import in the first place. Sen. JV Ejercito said the
SRA’s supposed efforts to implement the Sugarcane Industry Development Act were not felt by local sugar planters and refiners. "It's saddening to think that our local industry, it really won't develop. The rice, no one will invest. The sugar industry, what is happening now. As long as the entry of smuggled agricultural products continues," Ejercito said in Filipino. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri framed the rejection of SO4 as a move against importation to help farmers strengthen the sugar industry on the ground. "The President stopped the order and called it illegal, and he wants the farmers to take advantage of his newfound mandate as DA secretary so we can help farmers longterm so we no longer need to import," he said. He went on to call for "unity" among players in the industry: "Right now, it's a mess because they're all fighting. One is calling the other side pinklawan, and the other one is calling them Marcos loyalists. We should stop calling each other names." Attendance To recall, Sebastian at the first hearing said that he sent two memos to Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez on the impending SO4 and the possible sugar crisis. He never got a response and admitted he signed for Marcos of his own volition to prevent a sugar crisis. Citing a memo sent to him by Rodriguez months earlier, he said he believed he had the authority to do so. Rodriguez at the same hearing last week admitted to receiving these but said he purposely did not reply because Marcos had yet to come to a decision on the matter. Sebastian on Tuesday reiterated that he got "signals that the sugar order is a go" given the lack of opposition from the Palace but later admitted this was only his "own perception." Sens. Koko Pimentel and Hontiveros questioned why Rodriguez was not present at this hearing to clarify this, to which Tolentino said he received word that the latter would be at a Cabinet meeting. g
8 AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL
Dateline PhiliPPines
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‘No end to searching’: Kin of ‘desaparecidos’ renew call to surface loved ones by gaea
Katreena Philstar.com
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MANILA — Families and friends of victims of enforced disappearances from Marcos’ martial law to the previous Duterte administration on Tuesday, August 30 renewed their call to surface their loved ones. Kin of the disappeared reiterated their demand to surface 1,902 desaparecidos at a gathering in Bantayog ng mga Bayani in commemmoration of the International Day of the Disappeared. “Parating walang katapusang pagluluksa, walang katapusang paghahanap, walang katapusang katanungan hangga’t hindi natatagpuan ang mga mahal namin sa buhay,” said JL Burgos, brother of Jonas Burgos. (There is no end to mourning, searching, and questions until we find our loved ones.) Burgos, an activist, was abducted on April 28, 2007 during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Isabel Batralo, vice chairperson of Desaparecidos, criticized the seeming disinterest of the government in addressing cases of disappearances despite the enactment of the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012. Desaparecidos is a group representing the families of the disappeared. The Philippines is neither a signatory nor a party to the International Convention for
the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. “Some of us, especially those whose relatives were abducted during the Marcos dictatorship, already died without seeing a glimmer of justice nor having even a slightest hint to their loved ones’ whereabouts,” Batralo said in a statement. “What good is this law if it can’t punish those who perpetrate enforced disappearances? When will we see the day when the government ratifies and/ or implements laws and conventions, according to its obligations?” she added. According to the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, enforced disappearance occurs when persons are arrested, detained or abducted against their will or otherwise deprived of their liberty by officials of different branches or levels of Government, or by organized groups or private individuals acting on behalf of, or with the support, direct or indirect, consent or acquiescence of the Government, followed by a refusal to disclose the fate or whereabouts of the persons concerned or a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of their liberty, which places such persons outside the protection of the law. Under a new Marcos admin Desaparecidos denounced the disappearance of women’s rights advocate Elgene Mungcal and Anakpawis organizer Maria Elena
Pampoza. They are believed to have been taken by state agents in Moncada, Tarlac on July 3, 2022. The group also urged the public to strengthen their support to kin of victims of involuntary disappearance and other human rights violations, especially that the Marcoses are back in power. “Under a Marcos Jr. presidency, we recognize that it will be more challenging for us to demand justice, especially with the massive campaign to distort history and facts on the human rights violations committed during his father’s rule,” Batralo said. Desaparecidos cited the case of Adora Faye de Vera, whose husband Manual Manaog was abducted in 1990 and remains missing. De Vera, who endured torture and rape during Martial Law, was arrested on charges of multiple murder last week. She is also accused of rebellion in a separate case. “With her recent arrest of fabricated charges, Adora is once again subjected to another form of injustice under another Marcos, while enduring the pain caused by the continuing disappearance of her husband,” Batralo said. Adora is the elder sister of Commission on Higher Education chairperson Prospero "Popoy" de Vera. He has distanced himself from his sister's arrest and reiterated his support for the government's anti-insurgency efforts. g
US donates P27 million reading materials to Bicol schools by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com
MANILA — The United States government has donated reading materials worth P27 million to the Department of Education (DepEd) office in Bicol. The U.S. Agency for International Development handed over the 540,000 early grade reading materials, representing the first batch of materials that USAID is providing to DepEd this schoolyear as part of its Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) project. USAID-Philippines acting deputy mission director Jennifer Crow and education director Thomas LeBlanc led
the handover of the reading materials at the Sto. Domingo Central School and Salvacion Elementary School in Albay on Aug. 22. “We are working with DepEd so that children who are returning to school have access to age- and context-appropriate learning resources,” LeBlanc said. “Our presence here today affirms USAID’s support and commitment to our shared vision of improving education outcomes for Filipino children.” More than 1.2 million early grade reading materials will be distributed to around 7,000 public schools in Bicol, Western Visayas and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao under the ABC+
project, bringing the total amount of aid to P63 million. The reading materials, which include picture books, storybooks and leveled readers, are written in mother tongue languages, English and Filipino to address gaps in reading practices of young learners and help students from kindergarten to Grade 3 develop foundational reading skills. The materials were developed in collaboration with DepEd to ensure quality and relevance to Filipino early grade learners. More than 11 million copies of reading materials have been distributed to kindergarten to grade 3 students in the three regions under the ABC+ project in the past two years. g
DOLE-DOT PARTNERSHIP. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma (2nd from left) and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco (2nd from right) show the memorandum of understanding they signed at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City on Tuesday, Aug. 30. The MOU is for the staging of a multi-month tourism job fair during the Hotels Supplier Show on Sept. 22-24 at SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
DOJ on barring of De Lima’s visitors: PNP followed rules by eveLyn
MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday defended the police officers who barred guests from visiting former senator Leila De Lima at her detention cell at Camp Crame over the weekend. DOJ spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano said members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were merely performing their job when they prohibited visitors from personally greeting De Lima, who turned 63 on
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Saturday, August 27. “The PNP was merely following the rules,” Clavano said. Among those who were not allowed to visit De Lima were retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, former senator Franklin Drilon and lawyer Chel Diokno. Clavano said the denial to visit De Lima was a matter that should
be left for the courts to decide. Police maintained that the denial of De Lima’s guests was bound by “strict rules on visitation” under the PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2018-02. Written requests should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the date of visit, police said. De Lima has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center since February 2017 on drug charges. g
Kare-kare ranks as 52nd best stew in the world –Taste Atlas by Jean
MangaLuz Inquirer.net
MANILA – The traditional Filipino kare-kare has been ranked as the 52nd best stew in the world, according to Taste Atlas. Taste Atlas is an extensive food guide website that compiles and ranks international food dishes. Kare-kare received 4.3 stars out of 5, based on reviews, ranking higher than Moroccan couscous and gumbo from the United States. Taste Atlas described karekare as “a traditional Filipino Kare-kare is not the first stew consisting of meat such as tripe, pork leg, ox tail, goat or Filipino dish to have received chicken, vegetables, and a thick, international recognition from savory peanut sauce flavored the famous food website. Taste Atlas recognized two with annatto seeds.”
AJPress photo
Filipino dishes in the Taste Atlas Awards 2021, ranking sinigang first in the soup category while lumpia ranked second in the side dish category. g
Dela Rosa urges BoC to be transparent: I’m powerful but not ‘power-tripping’ by MaiLa
ager Inquirer.net
MANILA —Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Tuesday, August 30 asked the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to be transparent after he was denied a spot report on a raid conducted in a sugar warehouse in Davao. As vice chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, Dela Rosa said he wanted to get information about the raid in the province, but local customs collectors told his office to request it at their central’s office. The committee chaired by Senator Francis Tolentino is investigating the issuance of the controversial Sugar Order No. 4 that would have authorized the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar. “We shall be transparent. Kung wala tayong tinatago (If we’re not hiding anything)… The U.S. Agency for International Development gave over 540,000 “early grade reading materials” to the Department of Education in the that’s a public document, spot Bicol Region under its Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) project. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila reports are public documents,”
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Macairan, raLPh edwin viLLanueva
Dela Rosa said during the ongoing hearing of the committee. Dela Rosa, a former police chief, said that spot reports in the Philippine National Police are made accessible to the media. “E bakit sa customs, vice chairman ng blue ribbon committee ayaw bigyan ng spot report ng customs collectors niyo dun sa Davao? Bakit, may tinatago ba kayo?” Dela Rosa asked. (But why are your customs collectors in Davao refusing to give the vice chairman of the blue ribbon committee the spot report? Are you hiding something?) Immediately, the senator clarified that he wasn’t mad at the Commissioner, but he only wanted to know why the local customs collectors denied their request for spot reports. “Hindi naman ako nagpapower-tripping, commissioner. Ako lang, gusto ko lang maka-
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contribute dito sa committee na ito na maging successful kami sa aming investigation,” he said. (I’m not power-tripping. I just want to contribute to the committee so that we can be successful in our investigation.) “Hindi ako nagpa-powertrip, matagal na akong very powerful physically and whatever. Powerful ako pero ayokong gamitin yung power dito para ipapahiya kayo or ipakita na siga kami na mga senador. Ayaw namin ng ganun,’ Dela Rosa added. (I’m not power-tripping; I’m already very powerful physically and whatever. I’m powerful, but I don’t want to use my power to embarrass you or to make us senators look menacing. We don’t want that.) In the end, the Commissioner promised to call the concerned customs official’s attention and review their processes and modify them accordingly. g
The Asian Journal
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Wednesday AUGUST 31, 2022
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How Rhiza Pascua stays High-powered GMA Pinoy TV on top of the game performers ‘together again’ at Pechanga By
Resort Casino live Sept. 24 & 25
Pat-P Daza Philstar.com
HOW do you make a big showbiz name even bigger? In the entertainment industry, Rhiza Pascua stands out in the arena of international live concerts. Live Nation, an American events promoter/ venue operator based in Beverly Hills, California has been Rhiza’s long-time business partner. Live Nation, which has also been billed as “the world’s leading live entertainment company,” recently acquired 51 percent of the Rhiza Pascuaowned Music Management International (MMI). With the acquisition, the promoter is now known as Live Nation Philippines with Rhiza as managing director. It has also retained her all-Filipino staff. When news of the acquisition was announced, entertainment industry folks had fun speculating on the amount that Live Nation paid Rhiza, and it seems everyone believes the figure to be in the tens of millions of US dollars! Rhiza — also known as RP to close friends — has a strong business sense that’s been honed by over 30 years of experience. She has put the Philippines on the global touring map and promoted sold-out concerts with artists like U2, Coldplay, Madonna and Bruno Mars, to name a few. Although Rhiza lives in the United States, she maintains a home in Manila. For years,
Rhiza, also known as RP to close friends, has put the Philippines on the global touring map and promoted sold-out concerts with artists like U2, Coldplay, Madonna and Bruno Mars, to name a few.
she has been driven by the desire to give Filipinos in the Philippines the experience of watching the hottest international performing artists when they go on tour. Thanks to the likes of Rhiza, the need to travel abroad just to catch your favorite artist is a thing of the past. Nowadays, you can almost be sure that these mega popstars will include Manila in their itinerary when they tour Asia, thanks to Rhiza’s long and fruitful business relationship with Live Nation. It also helps that her strong work ethic and straightforward Continued on Page 10
SIX of the most soughtafter singers, comedian, and showbiz personalities from Manila, led by famed actor Dingdong Dantes, takes centerstage at the Pechanga Resort Casino as they perform in a live concert entitled “Together Again,” on September 24 and 25 at 6 p.m. Pechanga Resort Casino is well-known for hosting only the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers aimed to provide the ultimate experience, especially to its FilipinoAmerican patrons. The long wait is over as famed television and showbiz performers come to perform live next month. With Dingdong are a host of the best celebrities under GMA Pinoy TV — Bea Alonzo, Lani Misalucha, Ai-ai Delas Alas, Julie Anne San Jose, and Rayver Cruz — who will showcase different talents in singing and comedy stints. Dantes, a multi-awarded actor, is also famous as a commercial model, dancer, TV presenter and film producer. He is married to the beauteous actress, Marian Rivera. The ‘Darling’ of cinematic screen known for her TV drama series and a string of hit movies depicting real life stories, multi-talented Bea Alonzo, also pursued to be a
screenwriter-novelist to hone her skills. Internationally acclaimed singer, Lani Misalucha, the Philippines’ Nightingale, earlier dubbed as the “New Siren of the Strip” during her stints in Las Vegas, is the only Asian to have captured the headlines in a main showroom at the Vegas strip. Ai-Ai Delas Alas, alongside the group, is the life of the party. The “Queen of Comedy” will once again showcase her talents for never-ending fun
and laughter. At the heart of it all are two award-winning singers and actors — Julie Anne San Jose, bringing along her talent as a songwriter, musician and top-rated stage performer and artist, while Rayver Cruz, who has risen from being a child actor in a comedy sitcom, will wow the crowd his dancing and performing skills. There is no way to miss this! Doors open at 5 p.m., and showtime starts at 6 p.m. at the Pechanga Theater.
Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-the-art, acoustically perfected sound, plus comfortable chairs, and an up-close view from every theater seat. Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/ casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the number one casino in the country by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Pechanga offers more than 5,400 of the hottest slots, 152 table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @PechangaCasino.
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 31, 2022
Parent’s right to change child’s residence to another state in custody cases Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes PARENTS that are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network is in another state. This decision often have a significant impact on the visitation of the other parent because it would be more difficult for the noncustodial parent to exercise his or her visitation rights in a frequent and continuing manner if the custodial parent moves to a different state hundreds or thousands of miles away from the non custodial parent. The parent that has Custody
of the child has a presumptive right to change the child’s residence unless the non custodial parent can show that the move would be a detriment to the child. In cases where there has not been any final custody order, the court has to make a custody determination using “the best interest” standard. Court will look at the factors and decide what is in the best interest of the child. Custody is usually given to the parent that is more likely to allow frequent and continuing contact between the child and the other parent. On the other hand if there has been a final Custody determination, then the non-custodial parent would have to show a “significant change in circumstances” to change the custody arrangement. The Court would then consider certain factors laid out in the case Marriage of LaMusga in deciding whether the child would suffer
detriment from the relocation and whether a change of custody should be ordered. The La Musga factors which the Court will consider are 1) the children’s interest in stability and continuity in the custodial arrangement; 2) the distance of the move; 3) the children’s age; 4)the children’s relationship with both parents; 5) the relationship between the parents including, but not limited to, their ability to communicate and cooperate effectively and their willingness to put the children’s interests above their individual interests; 6) the children’s wishes if they are mature enough to make that inquiry appropriate; 7) the reasons for the proposed move; and 8) the extent to which the parents currently are sharing custody. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific
legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Jo Koy: If you’re scared of failure, then you might not want to do showbiz By AllAn
PolicArPio Inquirer.net
Jo Koy
Photo from Instagram/@jokoy
JO KOY is no stranger to rejections. He has been told “no” more times than he can count in his 33 years in the business. Some of them were disheartening, yes, but never did they make him feel like a “failure.” “If you feel like that’s going to happen—and I say this to everyone trying to make it in this field—if you’re scared of failure, then you might not want to do show business. Because you will fail every day—and they will tell it to your face,” he told “Headstart” in an interview to promote the Manila stop of his “Funny is Funny” world tour on Aug. 31 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. If there’s one thing Jo has learned in entertainment, it’s that it can take multiple tries just to get a “maybe,” and even more to get a “yes.” And that still doesn’t guarantee anything. Keep moving
Chis Hero Bayani, Triple G USA Tournament Chairman 2022 and Bro Charlie Bonilla, giving appreciation trophy to Mr. Geoffrey Jimenez, tournament major major sponsor, in his house in Granada Hills, CA.
“Whether you’re auditioning, producing something you want to create or pitching to direct a film or a project, they will say, ‘No, no, no, no, no.’ That can make you feel like a failure. But the moment you feel that way, then you might as well just quit,” he added. “I was like, ‘Fine, you said, no, but I will keep moving till I get that yes.’” Case in point: Jo Koy’s first Netflix special “Live from Seattle” (2017). The streaming platform didn’t want it. “They said no eight times,” Jo recalled. He dug money out of his own pockets. He hired his own camera crew, a director and editor. And just as he was about to film his special, he received a call from Netflix saying, “We heard you’re shooting your special. We don’t want it.” He had no money left after producing the special. And there were two things that could happen afterward: either Netflix changes its mind and buys it, or upload it to YouTube for free and pray it goes viral. Continued on Page 12
Knights of Columbus Council No. 14772 hosted Pro life rally in Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA headed by Bro. Don Calvo.
How Rhiza Pascua...
From Page 9 business style have put her on top of the game despite the cutthroat competition. Rhiza is a workaholic who has achieved an enviable work-life balance. She has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and is also currently studying law. Aside from being the managing director of Live Nation Philippines, she is the loving wife of Angelo, a hands-on mom to her three grownup children Gab, Jacob and Isabella, and a very caring only child to her parents. But Rhiza looks forward to the day that she can retire and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Already, she has
placed daughter Isabella on the board of Live Nation Philippines. Mommy Rhiza is proud that Isabella is doing well and showing that she has inherited her mom’s strong business acumen. Mother and daughter are currently charting new ways to make the live international entertainment scene even bigger and better in the Philippines. Indeed, people are already buzzing about the rumored visits to Manila of the likes of Blackpink, Harry Styles and Coldplay next year. When I asked Rhiza if they are indeed coming over, she replied that Live Nation “works only with A-listers.” That sure sounds like a confirmation to me!
Los Angeles Chivalry Lions Club holds induction and installation of new members Held August 18 at Filipino American Community Los Angeles
LOS Angeles Chivalry Lions Club recently held induction and installation of new members at the Filipino American Community Los Angeles (FACLA) in Historic Filipinotown on August 18, 2022. The Lions Club’s motto is to create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world. Further it is to promote the prinicples of good government and good citizenship. This year’s President is Garth Garcia and Vice President is Trinity “Trini” Foliente and all officers and members were inducted by Immediate Past District Governor Bhong Gracia. The event was filled with a lot of musical concert style performances and dancing. There were also fundraising raffle draws and more. This year, the charter’s goal is to put up a signage at the FACLA location for it to be more visible and send aids to kids with disability in San Juan Batangas.
The charter organizer of the Los Angeles Chivalry Lions Club Lion Edgardo Sy with charter club secretary Lion Emma Landicho Sy.
Fontainebleau property to feature high-end shopping complex By RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman IT seems a precursor for resort-casino properties that are being built in Las Vegas nowadays – retail space that will help draw in more customers. You can see it with properties like the Wynn/ Encore, or the Venetian/Palazzo, or the Bellagio, or Ceasar’s, or Aria (with the nearby Crystals shopping center) where both tourists and locals have multiple avenues to walk to and explore the many shops (and restaurants) that are located inside its mega-venues. Fontainebleau seems to be the latest property to explore the trend as it recently announced that its Las Vegas location, which will include about 3,700-plus rooms, a casino, a giant convention space and several restaurants, will have about a two-level shopping district spanning about 90,000 square feet and feature about 35 high-end stores. While there is no report yet on what highend stores may be joining the Fontainebleau’s shopping district when the property opens in late 2023, many are excited at the prospect of seeing another destination rise in a town that hasn’t seen a high-end luxury hotel built in the city in decades. Located close to the expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Fontainebleau will also feature pool experiences, spa and wellness offerings, and nightlife options – you simply just don’t come to Sin City to do one or two things… it’s more of a whole plethora of
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.
experiences that you want to indulge in and be a part of. Already, it is a prominent building at the north end of the Strip, it’s huge blue façade with the “fb” letters readily seen by casino visitors as they either traverse Las Vegas Blvd. or visit any of the resort-casino properties within its vicinity. According to the most recent releases about the Fontainebleau, it “aims to allow for the retail space to be fully integrated into the resort ecosystem, with all stores neighboring the prominent casino and food and beverage venues so that guests can play a round of blackjack then do some shopping without having to leave the center of activity.” But the Fontainebleau is not the only property planning updates to its mega-venues in Las Vegas. Caesar’s Entertainment, which is competing with MGM and Wynn for dominance in the Las Vegas Strip, is renovating its Bally’s hotel-casino property, which will now be rebranded to the Horseshoe name. Renovation on the property is expected to be finished by the end of 2022. Workers recently removed the Bally’s lettering from its façade so that the Horseshoe name can go up. The Horseshoe brand, according to Caesar’s, has always been a valued and iconic place. It has long been associated with the casino operations of Benny Binion, a former Texas resident who launched the World Series of Poker at his Glitter Gulch casino in 1970. It was known as the center for high-stakes, risk-takers and gamblers looking for sports betting action. Binion had a motto for his Horseshoe brand: “good food cheap, good whiskey cheap, and a good gamble.” Also on the north end of the Strip, Circus Circus is getting its own renovation – a modest one, but which is intended to highlight the original feel of the property – of Las Vegas being a family destination for fun. Among the work being done on the property is repainting, a renovation of the “big top,” a revamping of the pool to double its capacity and give it a new resort-feel look, and the plan to add new rides to the Adventuredome theme park area. With current visitor levels to Las Vegas rising and the airport reporting a record number of passengers passing through recently, Sin City is coming back from its dark days when the Strip was empty and there were no visitors during the height of the pandemic. Perhaps that is why some casino-resort property groups are positioning their pieces better on the Strip in order to get a bigger slice of the consumer market coming back to Las Vegas. After all, the city remains to be one of the most attractive options for tourists and visitors from around the world, what with its restaurants, top shows/acts/singers on display, shopping, spa/resort experiences, sports events, off-Strip activities, and, of course, gambling. Recently, there have been news of the housing market slowing down in Las Vegas. This has given way to buyers having more of negotiating power at the table, as opposed to a
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 31, 2022
Renderings by Fontainebleau Development of what the 90,000-square-foot shopping district will look like, integrating the space fully into the resort ecosystem. Images captured from
Russ Bateman walks along the Strip whenever the weather is good. Behind Russ (to the right) is the façade of the Fontainbleau, which is scheduled to open in late 2023, which will include 90,000 square feet of shopping/retail space.
Property/real estate investors of Realtor Fely QuitevisBateman (above, middle) were at her ranch house in Pahrump recently. With Realtor Quitevis-Bateman in photo are Luila Ecat from Spokane, WA and Jean Gatos from London.
time when sellers had all the chips fall their way due to the shortage of home units available. With construction still at a good pace and many projects still in development or planned for the Las Vegas area and surrounding communities, housing will still be in demand for the area. A study by UNLV researchers expect the population of Clark County, where Las Vegas is situated in, to grow by 1 million people by 2060 – and that growth will mean more people looking for housing opportunities. If you are looking to purchase your first home, a second/vacation home, an investment property or land in Nevada, let us look together at what’s available in the market. We can find one that will suit your needs and your budget. I have had decades of experience in real
estate and I am confident my team and I can help you find that piece of land or property that will help you accomplish that American Dream of homeownership. Many of my clients who have brought their own properties before have now turned them into investments, such as by turning their places into Airbnbs or retals. My company, Precious Properties, is a fullservice company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 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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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 31, 2022
Jo Koy: If you’re scared of... From Page 10 He was disheartened, but he dug deep. Thankfully, the risk he took paid off. “That’s what they said to me before I went up onstage… Just because I was filming, it doesn’t mean they’re going to buy it,” he told reporters in a separate
online interview. “But I knew that routine was good. And I had to kill it, and it had to be undeniable.” The Filipino-American comedian, whose real name is Joseph Glenn Herbert, has since released two more Netflix specials (“Comin’ In Hot” and
“In His Elements”), which made him a household name in the Philippines. Universal comedy Jo’s material is inspired by his experiences growing up in the United States with his Filipino mother whose hilarious quirks, quips and affectations remind fans of their own moms. He also has a sense of finding humor in the most seemingly mundane aspects of Filipino and Filipino-American culture. But while his jokes and punchlines are influenced by his Filipino experience, the essence remains universal. “You don’t have to be a Filipino to get a mom joke. My mom’s a mom. She just happens to be Filipino. That’s the beauty of comedy. We can laugh and we can cry. And at the end, you realize that they’re all relatable,” he pointed out. Doing stand-up is a cathartic exercise for Jo. “Some people pay someone to listen to their problems; I get paid to tell you about my problems,” the 51-year-old stand-up comic jested. “But we have to talk about our stories and be more vulnerable. We shouldn’t be afraid to shine the light on things that we think are negative. Because later on, you realize that it happens to others, too.” Mounted by Live Nation Live, Jo Koy’s “Funny Is Funny” Manila show is his first since the pandemic hit. How will this new routine differ from the one he did for his “Just Kidding” show in January 2020? “It’s about my stories of struggles in the business,” he said of his upcoming show—a version of which will be available on Netflix on Sept. 13. “This is really special for me because I get to go to the Philippines and do the show live, before everyone else sees it on Netflix,” he said, adding that one thing he observed from his last visit to “the motherland” is how Filipinos embrace entertainment— singing, acting, dancing. “It’s in our blood, the gift of entertainment,” he said. “It’s amazing how talented Filipinos are.”
When bankruptcy is the best solution: What you need to know laws are not intended to be an easy way out for people who simply want to take advantage of the system. Rather, it is for honest debtors who want to pay their creditors as much as possible but simply lack Atty. RAymond the ability or resources to do BulAon so. Thus, when you have too much debt and little hope of CONSIDERING bankruptcy being able to reduce the debt on your own, filing bankruptcy is often the last option for may be your best alternative. most people in attempting to People find themselves resolve their debt problems. saddled with debt for a million Realizing the conditions for different reasons. Common bankruptcy, the kinds of reasons for finding yourself debts that may or may not with spiraling debt include be discharged, as well as the having too many credit cards effects it can have on one’s credit report, may help people with high interest rates, loss of employment, disability, make the right decision when and sometimes, simply living considering bankruptcy. beyond your means. These are Perhaps you’ve been facts of life. No one is perfect advised by a bankruptcy and sometimes we simply attorney that it is your only way out of debt but somehow, make bad decisions that can lead to serious debt problems. you’re still not ready to face Having to file bankruptcy that reality. I understand doesn’t mean that you are your reluctance. You may financially irresponsible. It feel embarrassed to admit only means that circumstances that your finances are out of control. There may be feelings have led to unmanageable debt. of guilt for the things you It can be thoroughly did that led to your present miserable to be drowning situation. Some people even in debt. You may even fear feel that filing bankruptcy is getting your mail out of an admission of failure and the mailbox because of the that is not something they are constant collection letters that willing to accept. All these feelings are normal for anyone you receive. The collection going through difficult financial calls are stressful and are making you very nervous times but let me tell you that about what creditors may do none of these things are what next. No matter how much bankruptcy is really all about. you pay on high interest credit See, the government cards, the interest keeps the has provided a means for balance growing. Your credit people who have too much has already been ruined by debt to obtain a new start by late payments, and there eliminating the heavy burden that their debt has caused. The seems to be no hope.
Minding Your Finances
A lot of people tend to over-analyze their situation to the point that they feel their head is about to explode just thinking about their financial problems. They have thought of all the bad things that could possibly happen to them if they file for bankruptcy without realizing that all their fears are unfounded. They lose sight of the fact that they are actually worse off remaining where they are instead of taking action to change their situation for the better. It is impossible to live a normal life when debt is uncontrollable. If you are in debt and don’t know what to do, take action by consulting with a competent bankruptcy attorney who can help you decide if bankruptcy is right for you. The purpose of filing bankruptcy is to help you start over again by eliminating or reducing the debt you owe. Its purpose is to give you a chance to begin again with a clean slate. Let me evaluate your situation and help you explore all possibilities. For a free consultation, call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772..
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Ride the blast from the past Immigrant Living: 101 and Bemonette AdevA mAglAyA FORGET the past and fully live in the moment. Why? It is because life is just too short. Or so they say. I say we still ought to make time for the past. Whether we like it or not, the past is a big part of who we have become. At some point, it may be worth our while to back track and come full circle just before the end game is in sight. So the next time you get an invitation to a reunion, GO. High school and college reunions are compelling reasons to go back and ride the blast from the past. Take the ride because it may never come again. Life is not only short. It is unpredictable as well. You have been too busy building a career, raising a family and have become so engaged with the nitty gritty to bother about such things as reunions. No you’re not indifferent nor have you become snotty nor too big for your britches that you can’t be bothered. At any rate, there is nothing in this world to make anyone feel like a puffed up toad and think he or she is better than anyone else. Life has a way of cutting back to size any show of hubris and arrogance. So what is your excuse for ducking reunions? In truth, you may just have too much on your plate for far too long. But this time around, you have to make time because there might never be a next time. And you may just miss out on one of the grandest rides of your lifetime. There’s an upside to finally letting the past catch up with us. We get perspective. We hear life stories. Some are compelling while others are cautionary, sad tales. And if reunions really serve their purpose, we come out of the experience happy. We have checked off one item from our bucket list. You may come out humbled by the experience of living this long and having walked this journey with classmates who, in all likelihood, come from a similar background and are cut from the same cloth. You feel you have been blessed abundantly along with your contemporaries having made it this far. Someone said that reunions are like masquerade balls. Many try to hide the scars of living behind a mask. Like postings on social media, we all try to present to the world the best versions of our photoshopped images. If that is the case, so
“… Mark my words, there will be a lot of humble bragging. Don’t get annoyed. It is part of reunions. We let people take a bow or take a victory lap …” be it. There is great fun and sidesplitting humor at reunions and celebrations of this sort. We see the same people and notice that they have changed very little from what you perceived them to be so many years ago. Then there are the few swan like characters that truly evolved from the gawky, awkward phases of youth — truly beautiful inside and out. There are the class clowns. They are still funny, still the center of attention with the same mannerisms and facial expressions as we reminisce with great fondness and hilarity the antics and practical jokes they pulled on their classmates. And then, there are the quiet, deep ones, still staying in the background and taking it all in. It’s a menagerie of characters, a few of whom, you may want to be friends with spanning time and distance. The memories come gushing forth with shocking clarity as we dust off the cobwebs from our memory banks and dig up photos and put them on social media —a before and after, side to side comparison in reverse, from the once great to “Whatever happened???” Hmmm, I am not sure the results would please many. Oh, if we can only read the thought bubbles that float around during reunions! If you were psychic or a passably good mind reader, you can read what they really mean when they effusively say, largely out of well-meaning kindness, of how great you look. Okay just for the night we will be suckers for compliments, we will take it even if it is a polite white lie. We look at the adolescent crushes we had many moons ago and for which we kept quiet at the time for fear of ridicule and embarrassment and we see them now with fresh eyes, a far cry from our teenage ideas of “cute” and say to ourselves, “Girl, what in heaven’s name were you thinking?” Well, turnabout is fair play. The guys are probably thinking the same thing about you. For as nature would have it, the lean and scrawny spring chickens of the past have grown to mature Rhode Island Reds, meatier, heavier and may even waddle around like ducks. ROTFLOL!!!
This is where the laugh track comes in. If we have become truly wise over the years, many of us know without a doubt that our great sense of humor and more importantly, our unflinching faith in the goodness of God and the people who love us, got us this far. No one really gets far without great help. We all know, even without the details that each one’s life is fraught with joy and beauty mixed with the untold tales of struggles, challenges and problems that tend to overwhelm. No one is spared the latter. Life can be an equal opportunity tormentor. Very few have charmed lives. It is how we deal with what life throws at us that define who we are at this moment in time. These twists, turns and blows every life goes through shape and mold us as they structure and restructure our innards. Somehow, if these don’t break us, they only make us stronger, more pliable and in the end, victorious. Yes, you can say you have arrived. We are still students of life learning from one another as we laugh and compare notes, celebrating moments and grieving quietly at times. Mark my words, there will be a lot of humble bragging. Don’t get annoyed. It is part of reunions. We let people take a bow or take a victory lap. We are each a built-in audience for each other. We still need each other’s approbation. And if we have truly grown through the years, we are now big-hearted and generous with praise. Reunions allow us to reconnect with those we chanced to walk with years ago when life was lighter, simpler and the sound of youthful laughter resonated in our hearts. Someday, hopefully in the far future, if we are so blessed, we can be reunited once again, perhaps in another lighter, gravity-defying dimension. May I suggest heaven? ***
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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Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya writes for Asian Journal. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 31, 2022
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 31, 2022