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SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026
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DATELINE
Deadly floods force rethink of Philippines flood strategy USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
FBI investigates dark-web trove of U.S., Canadian driver’s-license scans Service claimed more than 153 million license records; authorities have not established the source or number of people affected
Marcos orders long-term plans reviewed as widespread flooding, bridge failures and billions in damage expose persistent gaps in flood protection by AJPress
MANILA – Weeks of destructive flooding across Luzon are forcing the national government to reassess how the Philippines prepares for and manages major floods, after swollen rivers damaged bridges and roads, submerged communities and disrupted the lives of millions. The combined effects of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng had
affected about 9.4 million people as of Sept. 2, according to the Office of Civil Defense. Authorities reported 39 deaths and flooding in more than 700 areas, while 178 cities and municipalities were under states of calamity. Agricultural losses had risen to about P3.62 billion by Sept. 3, affecting more than 86,000 farmers and fishers, according to the Department of Agriculture. Government assessments placed combined infrastructure and agricultural damage at nearly P10.8 billion.
Estrada pleads not guilty in P573.75-million flood-control cases
WASHINGTON — The FBI is investigating reports that a dark-web service offered access to a vast collection of U.S. and Canadian driver’s-license scans and other identity documents, raising concerns about identity theft, fraud and the security of information routinely collected for identification checks. The bureau told Reuters on Sept. 2 that it was “looking into the incident” but could not comment further because the investigation was continuing. Federal authorities have not publicly identified the source of the records, explained how they were obtained or determined how many people may have been affected. The investigation followed reporting by cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, who u PAGE 4
Federal judge blocks Trump’s renewed bid to restrict birthright citizenship WASHINGTON — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from applying its latest effort to narrow birthright citizenship to a nationwide class of U.S.born children, ruling that the Supreme Court had already established their constitutional right to citizenship. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction Sept. 2 against key provisions of Executive Order 14418, which President Donald Trump signed Aug. 6. The ruling prevents federal agencies from denying or refusing to recognize the citizenship of children covered by an existing class-action lawsuit while the case proceeds. Boardman wrote that the order was “alu PAGE 4
Senator declines to plead as Sandiganbayan prepares for bail proceedings by AJPress
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., with DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, conducts an aerial inspection of flood-hit areas and damaged bridges in Tarlac following recent typhoons and southwest monsoon. PCO photo
while GOP leaders point to redistricting, resources and incumbency advantages two months before Election Day
Army officers narrow the meaning of certifications submitted to auditors as in traditionally Republican territory and GOP by AJPress leaders argue that favorable district lines prosecutors prepare to move into the vice WASHINGTON — The battle for control of and campaign resources could help them president’s alleged unexplained wealth the U.S. House is widening beyond the rela- retain control. tively small group of districts long expected to decide the majority, as Democrats invest
House Speaker Mike Johnson has said u PAGE 5
orders against Bonoan and directed the Philippine National Police Health Service General Hospital in Camp Crame to release him unless he was being held for another lawful reason. The order did not immediately result in his departure from custody. PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said Thursday night that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was checking for any outstanding warrant u PAGE 4
by AJPress
MANILA — The proposed Pax Silica industrial development in New Clark City remains without a final Philippine-U.S. framework as lawmakers and government agencies examine its environmental, agricultural, legal and infrastructure implications. Among the immediate concerns are the project's potential demands on electricity and water, the status of environmental reviews, possible effects on
by AJPress
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial moved toward a new phase this week as testimony over Department of Education confidential funds neared completion and House prosecutors obtained subpoenaed bank and tax records. Proceedings from Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 remained foagricultural and Indigenous cused on Article I, which accuscommunities, and whether any es Duterte of misuse, misapprofinal agreement with the Unit- priation and irregular liquidation ed States would require Senate of P612.5 million in confidential funds: P500 million released to concurrence. Malacañang said Sept. 1 that the Office of the Vice President no artificial-intelligence data and P112.5 million to DepEd centers are currently proposed while she was education secreinside the Clark Advanced Man- tary. Duterte has denied wrongdoufacturing Park, clarifying earlier descriptions that had raised ing. The Senate impeachment questions about potentially court has made no finding of heavy power and water con- guilt. Army officers narrow scope sumption. u PAGE 4 of certifications
Environmental, agricultural and legal Sandiganbayan orders Manuel Bonoan questions remain under review as officials released as Ombudsman moves to use clarify the scope of the New Clark City project him as government witness
MANILA - The Sandiganbayan has ordered former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan released from hospital detention after removing him as an accused in plunder and graft cases tied to an alleged P573.75 million kickback scheme involving government infrastructure projects. The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division recalled the commitment
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan entered a not-guilty plea for Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Thursday, Sept. 3, after he declined to plead during his arraignment on plunder and graft charges tied to alleged kickbacks from government infrastructure and flood-control projects. Estrada appeared before the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division, which is handling one plunder case and one graft case against him. His lawyer, Laurence Arroyo, waived the reading of the amended Informations, and Estrada confirmed that he understood the consequences. When Estrada declined to enter a plea, the court entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf, as required under Philippine criminal procedure when an accused refuses to plead. The Office of the Ombudsman alleges that Estrada received P573.75 million in commissions or kickbacks u PAGE 5
Control of U.S. Congress hangs Financial records come over widening midterm fight under scrutiny in Sara Democrats expand into Republican-leaning districts Duterte impeachment trial
Major flood-control cases proceed Senate presses for clarity without former public works chief on Pax Silica commitments by AJPress
The scale of the damage has revived a larger question that has confronted successive administrations: why does severe flooding remain a recurring national emergency despite decades of flood-control spending and planning? Bridges fail, communities inundated Central Luzon provided some of the starkest evidence of the latest disaster. In Tarlac City, portions of the Aquino and Agana bridges collapsed after prolonged rainfall and strong u PAGE 3
On Sept. 1, Army officers Manaros Boransing II and Magtanggol Panopio testified about certifications DepEd later used in responding to Commission on Audit questions involving P15.54 million reported as confidential-fund payments for rewards or information. The officers said the certifications covered Army Youth Leadership Summits involving DepEd, but did not certify the propriety of DepEd’s confidential-fund expenditures. Boransing said his unit received no DepEd confidential funds for those activities and had no personal knowledge of how DepEd spent confidential funds. Panopio said he did not know his certification would be connected to DepEd’s accounting for confidential expenditures. Their testimony did not esu PAGE 3
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SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797
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ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026
From the Front Page
Deadly floods force rethink... PAGE 1 currents in the Tarlac River. The Agana Bridge failure sent a vehicle into the river and prompted search operations. Pampanga was among the provinces hardest hit by persistent flooding. Floodwaters also disrupted traffic along portions of the North Luzon Expressway near San Simon. Communities in Bulacan and Pangasinan faced widespread inundation and evacuations, while damaged infrastructure complicated access in parts of Zambales. Inspecting the damaged Tarlac bridges on Sept. 2, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. turned from emergency repairs to the broader shortcomings of the country’s flood-management system. “We already have a master plan. It’s just never been executed,” Marcos said, referring to flood-control planning that he said had existed for decades. Decades of plans, uneven execution The historical record is more complicated than the existence of a single plan that was never implemented. Successive Philippine administrations have developed multiple flood-management programs, and portions of those plans have produced major infrastructure projects. Implementation, however, has often been prolonged, fragmented or divided among separate river basins, metropolitan drainage systems and local projects. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon acknowledged during congressional budget deliberations in August that the country does not have one consolidated national flood-control master plan. The Department of Public Works and Highways has instead relied heavily on individual master plans for major river basins, supplemented by metropolitan and regional programs. Malacañang said Thursday that Dizon is considering another review of flood-management planning undertaken during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III, when Rogelio Singson was public works secretary. That effort included the Metro Manila Flood Management Mas-
ter Plan approved by the NEDA Board in September 2012, three years after Tropical Storm Ondoy caused catastrophic flooding across the capital region and nearby provinces. Developed with World Bank assistance, the plan envisioned a 20- to 25-year program then estimated at as much as P352 billion. It addressed river flooding, drainage networks, pumping stations, communities around Laguna de Bay and other structural and nonstructural measures. Parts of that program were implemented. The $500-million Metro Manila Flood Management Project, approved for financing in 2017 with World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank support and Philippine government participation, has financed pumping-station rehabilitation and construction as well as improvements to drainage systems and waterways. Flood-control works along the Pasig-Marikina river system have also proceeded through several phases with Japanese assistance. Japan International Cooperation Agency records show that planning for the river system stretches back decades, including a comprehensive framework completed in 1990. The issue confronting the government, therefore, is less whether plans ever existed than whether their implementation kept pace with urban growth, environmental change, infrastructure deterioration and increasingly complex flood risks. River-basin plans under review The Marcos administration is now moving to update the planning framework. Malacañang said Sept. 2 that updated master plans and feasibility studies had been completed for 16 of the country’s 18 major river basins as of May 31. Updates for the Cagayan and Pasig-Marikina-Laguna de Bay systems are targeted for completion by the end of 2026. An earlier Palace statement on Aug. 27 described 14 of the 18 basin plans as still being updated and said completion was expected by 2027. The government has not publicly reconciled the differing descriptions.
Officials say older plans must also account for present-day development patterns, updated hydrologic information, climate risks and changes in the areas surrounding waterways. The 2026 General Appropriations Act already directs DPWH to use hydrologic and geospatial studies, vulnerability assessments and environmental analyses in planning flood-control and water infrastructure. It also calls for geospatial validation of projects and coordination among agencies on river-basin and flood-management data. Metro Manila looks underground A separate strategy is taking shape in Metro Manila. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has identified 39 potential “sponge city” sites after reviewing an initial MARINE CARE. Environmental artist AG Saño leads fellow artists and animal welfare advocates in creating a mural calling for an end to 107 locations. dolphin captivity and protection for marine mammals at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc The concept calls for tempo- The activity was organized by Earth Island Institute Asia-Pacific. rarily storing stormwater close to where it falls instead of allowing intense rainfall to immediately overwhelm drainage networks. tifications and said Duterte had documents to the charges, while Five priority projects cover six PAGE 1 locations: Miriam College, Camp tablish that the Army programs not instructed him to obtain the Duterte’s lawyers may challenge Aguinaldo and the University of were fictitious. Instead, it limit- documents. Poa said information their interpretation and evidenthe Philippines Diliman in Que- ed what the certifications could in DepEd’s COA response came tiary weight. The House prosecution panel zon City, and Rizal Memorial demonstrate about how DepEd’s from officials involved in confidential-fund operations. is also considering whether to Sports Complex, Rajah Sulayman confidential funds were spent. Prosecutors aim to complete forgo Article III, which accuses Duterte’s defense challenged Park and Remedios Circle in Manila. The Rajah Sulayman and efforts to connect weakness- their Article I presentation by Duterte of bribery involving payRemedios locations are being es in documents directly to the Sept. 9, although that is not a ments to DepEd officials, and proceed directly to Article II. treated as one combined project. vice president. Presiding Officer court-imposed deadline. Bank and tax records arrive No final decision has been anThe projects could include Francis Escudero reiterated that Attention is also shifting to nounced. underground cisterns, detention the burden of proof remains with Article II, which accuses Duterte Conviction threshold quesfacilities and other systems de- the prosecution. Former DepEd official ques- of accumulating wealth alleged- tioned signed to capture water before ly disproportionate to lawful A separate procedural issue releasing it gradually into the tioned The focus shifted Sept. 2 to income and failing to make re- emerged Sept. 3 when Senate drainage network. Majority Leader Juan Miguel MMDA has said the initial Michael Wesley Poa, Duterte’s quired disclosures. On Sept. 3, House prosecutor Zubiri said some senator-judges projects could be completed by former DepEd chief of staff and June 2027 if financing proceeds. spokesperson, who had also Terry Ridon said the impeach- want the impeachment court to Potential financing of as much been part of her impeachment ment court had furnished pros- revisit the number of votes reecutors with subpoenaed bank quired for conviction. as $200 million from the Asian defense team. The court declared Poa a hos- and tax records involving DuterEscudero ruled in July that Infrastructure Investment Bank has been discussed, although the tile prosecution witness, a proce- te, her husband, lawyer Manases conviction requires 16 affirmaamount and terms have not been dural designation allowing pros- Carpio, and companies associat- tive votes under the Constituecutors to ask leading questions, ed with them. tion’s two-thirds requirement finalized. Six banks submitted records, for the Senate. Zubiri said some The projects are intended to not a finding of wrongdoing. Poa had signed DepEd’s re- while the Bureau of Internal Rev- senators raised the issue besupplement, not replace, river improvements, pumping stations sponses to COA questions about enue produced tax documents. cause several members are unand conventional drainage infra- the confidential funds but tes- The court earlier authorized available, but the court has not tified that he had no personal the subpoenas after finding the modified the ruling. structure. No further impeachment triFlood spending under scruti- knowledge of how the money records sufficiently definite and relevant to Article II. was operationally disbursed. al sessions are scheduled this ny Production of the records week. Proceedings are expected He confirmed that DepEd conThe policy reassessment is unfolding as flood-control spending fidential funds had not been giv- does not establish the allega- to resume next week, with prosremains under intense govern- en to the Armed Forces for the tions. Prosecutors must still ecutors seeking to complete Aru PAGE 5 youth programs cited in the cer- present evidence connecting the ticle I by Sept. 9. n
Financial records come under scrutiny...
SD#0482
Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that the San Diego Unified School District, acting by and through its governing board, will electronically receive bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, and services for: CC27-0311-52-00-00 GROUP 5C SHADE SHELTERS AT 4 SITES A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026, outside the main office of Cadman Elementary School, 4370 Kamloop Avenue, San Diego, CA 92117. Upon completion of the first site, contractors shall proceed immediately to Kimbrough Elementary School, 321 Hoitt St, San Diego, CA 92102. Prime contractors must be present at both sites in order to bid this project. All attendees must preregister with the District prior to attending the site walk at sandiegounified.org/sitewalks. The Bid and Contract Documents may be downloaded free of charge at the District’s online Planroom at sandiegousdplans. com. All bids must be received electronically via PlanetBids before 1:00 p.m. on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2026. Prime contractors interested in submitting a bid must go to tinyurl.com/SDUSD-PlanetBids then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” C27-0311-52-00-00 Group 5C Shade Shelters at 4 Sites. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration.” The project estimate is between $1,500,000 and $1,700,000, inclusive of allowances. This is a PSA project and requires prequalification. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: B or other appropriate license, subject to District approval. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction CC27-0311-52-00-00
SD#0483
Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that the San Diego Unified School District, acting by and through its governing board, will electronically receive bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, and services for: CP27-0299-05-00-00 MAIN SWITCHBOARD REPLACEMENT AT GREEN AND WALKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026, outside the main office of Walker Elementary School, 9225 Hillery Drive, San Diego, CA 92126. Upon completion of the first site, contractors shall proceed immediately to Green Elementary School, 7030 Wandermere Drive, San Diego, CA 92119. Prime contractors must be present at both sites in order to bid this project. All attendees must preregister with the District prior to attending the site walk at sandiegounified. org/sitewalks. The Bid and Contract Documents may be downloaded free of charge at the District’s online Planroom at sandiegousdplans.com. All bids must be received electronically via PlanetBids before 1:00 p.m. on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026. Prime contractors interested in submitting a bid must go to tinyurl.com/SDUSDPlanetBids then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” CP27-029905-00-00 Main Switchboard Replacement at Green and Walker Elementary Schools. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration.” The project estimate is between $800,000 and $825,000, inclusive of allowances. This is not a PSA project but requires the District’s prequalification for projects estimated under $1 million. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: C-10, or other appropriate license, subject to District approval. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction CP27-0299-05-00-00
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SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797
Sandiganbayan grants Marcoleta medical furlough as bail hearing opens Comelec official testifies on disputed P75-million funds; court weighs jurisdiction and suspension issues by AJPress
DANGER IN THE AIR. Haze covers the Metro Manila skyline on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, as seen from Antipolo City, Rizal. The Department of Health advises the public to wear face masks and limit outdoor activities as haze from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia has reached parts of Luzon and the Visayas, carried toward the Philippines by cross-equatorial winds. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
Missing Filipino doctor may have been in Timure when flood struck by AJPress MANILA — Filipino physician Juan Carlos Manalo remained missing Thursday, more than a week after catastrophic flooding struck Nepal’s border region with Tibet, as his family pursued new information suggesting he may have been in Timure, Nepal, rather than at Gyirong Port when the disaster hit. Manalo, 30, last contacted his family Aug. 25. His sister, Chiara Manalo, said clarification from the
Isha Foundation indicated he may have been waiting at a hotel in Timure with two Nepali volunteers before the Aug. 26 flood. The family also said information gathered by helpers placed his phone in the Timure area shortly before communications were lost. The Philippine Embassy in New Delhi has been assisting the family and advised against travel to Timure because damaged roads and power outages continue to make access hazardous. Nepal’s disaster authority said
Thursday that 1,252 bodies had been recovered and 4,216 people remained unaccounted for, including 583 foreign nationals. Nepal Police has begun DNA profiling to identify unidentified remains and established procedures allowing relatives abroad to submit profiles for comparison. Only 95 recovered bodies have so far been formally identified, underscoring the difficulty facing families seeking definitive information through the country's expanding forensic identification system. n
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan on Thursday granted detained Sen. Rodante Marcoleta a one-day medical furlough as the anti-graft court began hearing his petition for bail in a plunder case arising from P75 million he received from three individuals before the 2025 Senate campaign period. Associate Justice Karl Miranda, chair of the Sandiganbayan Third Division, allowed Marcoleta to undergo medical examinations at The Medical City in Pasig on Sept. 7. His lawyers told the court that he has stage 2 hypertension and an enlarged prostate. Prosecutors opposed the request, arguing that the medical assessment came from Marcoleta’s personal physician rather than doctors at the New Quezon City Jail, where he is detained. The medical ruling came on the first day of hearings on Marcoleta’s bail petition. Because plunder is punishable by reclusion perpetua, bail is not a matter of right when the evidence of guilt is strong. Prosecutors bear the burden of
showing that the evidence meets that standard. The prosecution’s first witness was Victoria Kadeja Besinio of the Commission on Elections’ Political Finance and Affairs Department. She testified that Marcoleta stated in a verified position paper that the P75 million was received in his personal capacity before the campaign period, was not restricted to campaign purposes and became part of his personal funds. Besinio also said Comelec did not determine whether the money should be classified as election contributions or personal funds. The three individuals identified in the proceedings are former lawmaker Michael Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray. Prosecutors allege that the transfers formed part of unlawful benefits received by Marcoleta while he was serving as a SAGIP party-list representative. Marcoleta and his co-accused have pleaded not guilty. The allegations remain unproven before the court. Comelec earlier terminated its fact-finding investigation after finding insufficient evidence of a pros-
ecutable election offense, although it said Marcoleta had not complied with Section 109 of the Omnibus Election Code. The Ombudsman later filed the plunder case and three cases under Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits gifts to public officials given by reason of their position. Marcoleta’s lawyers are challenging the Sandiganbayan’s jurisdiction, arguing that the dispute belongs within Comelec’s authority. Prosecutors counter that Marcoleta characterized the funds before Comelec as personal rather than campaign money. Miranda said motions to dismiss the case and to withhold a possible 90-day preventive suspension had been submitted for resolution. Defense counsel also told the court that Marcoleta had filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court seeking review of the Sandiganbayan’s action. Marcoleta also posted a total of P90,000 bail Thursday in the three P.D. 46 cases. He remains detained because his petition for bail in the plunder case has not been resolved. n
Legarda’s Senate return uncertain as treatment continues
Zubiri cites serious lung illness; prolonged absence begins to Prosecutors weigh dropping bribery affect budget work article in Sara Duterte impeachment trial House panel considers narrowing case to shorten Senate proceedings by AJPress MANILA — Philippine security officials are warning that suspected foreign influence operations are becoming harder to distinguish from ordinary domestic political debate as online campaigns increasingly use Filipino language, local controversies and familiar partisan arguments. Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson on West Philippine Sea matters, said the military has observed what it calls a more “street-level” form of foreign malign influence. The term refers to localized messaging, not the physical deployment of foreign operatives. According to Trinidad, campaigns that once focused heavily on maritime disputes and overtly pro-China narratives are increasingly attaching themselves to divisive Philippine issues, including Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, flood-control controversies and the May
law-enforcement operation at Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp. in Misamis Oriental. The AFP has not publicly released the full technical evidence behind its latest attribution. Its findings therefore remain an official national-security assessment, not independent proof that every account or narrative it has identified is controlled by Beijing. China has repeatedly denied interfering in Philippine internal affairs and has disputed Philippine allegations connected with the Sanjia Steel case. Independent research, however, has documented organized China-linked influence activity in Philippine political discourse. A Reuters investigation in 2025 reported that Manila-based InfinitUs Marketing Solutions operated fake social-media accounts as part of an embassy-funded campaign, based on company records, account analysis and interviews. InfinitUs denied involvement in illicit digital activity, while China’s Foreign Ministry denied interference.
In June, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab identified a Chinese Spamouflage network using inauthentic Facebook accounts to promote anti-Marcos messages and material favorable to Duterte. The Philippine government has expanded its response. In April, the National Bureau of Investigation created a specialized unit covering disinformation, cyber manipulation and covert foreign interference. A month earlier, the National Security Council said authorities had uncovered China-linked espionage and foreign-directed malign activities involving Filipino nationals. During an August budget hearing, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said some elected officials might be receiving Chinese support to advance pro-Beijing narratives, but acknowledged that credible evidence was difficult to establish. No elected official was identified, and Malacañang said any such allegation would require thorough investigation. n
FBI investigates dark-web trove of U.S...
PAGE 1 said a service called Nexus claimed to hold more than 153 million driver’s-license records from the United States and Canada, along with millions of other identification and travel documents. That figure remains a claim by Nexus and has not been independently verified by the FBI. It also should not be read as a count of 153 million individual victims because one person may have generated more than one scan or record. Krebs said he searched the service for licenses belonging to people who gave him permission and found records for nine of them. Those individuals confirmed circumstances that corresponded with timestamps attached to the images, providing evidence that at least some of the material was authentic. Some records included infrared and ultraviolet images
associated with document-authentication procedures. Krebs also reported that the number of driver’s-license records displayed by Nexus increased by nearly 400,000 over about 24 hours, suggesting new material was continuing to enter the database. Krebs’ investigation pointed toward IDScan.net, a New Orleans identity-verification company whose technology is used to scan and authenticate identification documents. He linked timestamps and characteristics of several images to situations in which licenses had been scanned. Reuters, however, said it could not independently establish the source of the data. IDScan.net told Krebs it was investigating. As of Sept. 3, the company had not publicly established whether unauthorized access occurred, which systems or customers may have been involved, or how many people
were affected. The company says its technology performs more than 21 million identity verifications a month at more than 20,000 locations worldwide. For consumers, the concern is that digital copies of a driver’s license can contain a name, address, birth date, photograph and license number that could be used to impersonate someone. The Federal Trade Commission advises people whose driver’s-license information may have been exposed to check and monitor their credit, consider a free credit freeze, and contact their state motor-vehicle agency. Anyone who discovers identity theft can report it through IdentityTheft.gov. Nexus went offline shortly after Krebs published his findings. Its disappearance does not establish that copies of the information were destroyed or are no longer circulating. (AJPress)
Major flood-control cases proceed without... PAGE 1 or legal basis to hold him. The release followed the Fifth Division’s Sept. 1 decision, by a 2-1 vote, allowing prosecutors to amend the criminal informations and exclude Bonoan from the cases. The Office of the Ombudsman had sought his removal after securing his cooperation as a government witness in cases arising from the investigation into alleged irregularities in flood-control and infrastructure projects. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has said Bonoan’s knowledge of the Department of Public Works and Highways could help prosecutors establish how the alleged scheme operated. Bonoan’s removal from the Fifth Division cases does not end all criminal proceedings against him. A separate graft charge remains pending before the San-
diganbayan Second Division over an alleged P213.75 million in kickbacks connected to P855 million in Bulacan projects. That division rejected prosecutors’ effort to remove Bonoan after Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada had been arraigned, ruling that the amendment would prejudice Estrada’s rights. Bonoan posted P90,000 bail in that case in May. The Ombudsman’s May cases accused Estrada, Bonoan and three former DPWH engineering officials of participating in an alleged arrangement involving infrastructure allocations in the 2025 national budget. Prosecutors allege Estrada received P573.75 million in commissions or “commitments,” including P360 million tied to projects in Metro Manila and Occidental Mindoro and P213.75 million linked to Bulacan projects. Those allegations have not
been proven at trial. Estrada has denied wrongdoing and said he will pursue legal remedies. At his arraignment before the Fifth Division on Thursday, he declined to enter a plea, prompting the court to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. Associate Justice Gener Gito dissented from Bonoan’s exclusion, questioning the procedure and arguing that the Ombudsman’s prosecutorial discretion is not absolute. The majority held that deciding whom to prosecute and whom to use as a government witness falls within the Ombudsman’s prosecutorial authority. Bonoan had been under hospital detention since June after the court allowed confinement at the PNP General Hospital on medical grounds. Police said earlier this week he was clinically stable and remained on medication. n
by AJPress
MANILA – Sen. Loren Legarda remains overseas undergoing treatment and further medical tests for what Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri described as a serious lung illness. Her exact location has not been publicly disclosed, and the timing of her return to the Senate remains uncertain as deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget intensify. Zubiri said Legarda wants to return to the Philippines as soon as possible but still has medical tests to complete. He gave no timetable and said her condition requires continuing care. The description came from Zubiri rather than from a medical statement issued by Legarda or her doctors. Legarda’s latest publicly confirmed medical-leave notice covered Aug. 24 to 26 and Sept. 1
to 2, following several earlier absences in August. The prolonged leave is beginning to affect Senate work. Finance Committee chair Sen. JV Ejercito said agencies assigned to Legarda for budget hearings could be redistributed among other vice chairpersons if she remains unavailable. He said Legarda had acknowledged receiving her assignments but had not indicated when she could return. Her office has continued legislative work during her absence. On Sept. 2, it announced that Legarda had filed a bill seeking stronger government monitoring of fuel inventories and prices and the establishment of a strategic petroleum reserve for severe supply disruptions. Her absence comes as the Office of the Ombudsman continues a preliminary investigation involving Legarda, her son Batangas
Rep. Leandro Leviste and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi over allegations tied to solar-energy projects. The Ombudsman has ordered Legarda and Leviste to submit counter-affidavits, allowing them to answer the complaints and present evidence. The order is not a finding of wrongdoing, and Legarda has denied the allegations. Leviste’s current whereabouts have not been publicly confirmed. Immigration authorities said he left the Philippines on Aug. 2, while the Ombudsman later said his House travel authority runs from July 26 to Sept. 24 and covers travel to several countries. If Legarda remains unavailable as budget hearings accelerate, the Finance Committee may have to shift some of her assigned agencies to other senators so deliberations can proceed on schedule. n
Federal judge blocks Trump’s renewed bid...
PAGE 1 most certainly unconstitutional” as applied to the class because the Supreme Court ruled June 30 in Trump v. Barbara that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment. Trump’s Aug. 6 order was a narrower successor to the broader directive he issued in January 2025. It sought to withhold federal recognition of citizenship in several circumstances when neither parent is a U.S. citizen, including cases involving certain foreign-government employees, people classified by the administration as “alien enemies,” and alleged fraud or commercial arrangements intended to obtain
U.S. citizenship for a child. The administration argued that the new order fit within recognized exceptions to birthright citizenship and that the challenge was premature because agencies had not completed implementation guidance. Boardman rejected that argument, finding that the executive order itself directed agencies to withhold citizenship documents from specified children. Her injunction is not a final ruling striking down every part of the Aug. 6 policy. It applies to the certified class, leaves one territorial provision untouched and allows agencies to continue preparing implementation guidance. The ruling also does not invalidate a separate Aug. 6 exec-
utive order targeting what the administration calls “birth tourism.” That measure directs the State and Homeland Security departments to tighten scrutiny of nonimmigrant visa applicants believed to be seeking entry primarily to give birth in the United States. The constitutional dispute centers on the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which grants citizenship to people born or naturalized in the United States and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” The Supreme Court’s June ruling reaffirmed that protection for U.S.-born children of undocumented or temporarily present parents, while preserving narrow historical exceptions such as children of accredited foreign diplomats. (AJPress)
Senate presses for clarity on Pax Silica... PAGE 1 BCDA nevertheless estimates that the industrial district, at full development, could require about three gigawatts of electricity and 65 million to 90 million liters of water daily. The agency says it plans to rely on surface-water harvesting, treatment and recycling rather than groundwater. BCDA has also projected $40 billion to $70 billion in potential investment and roughly 130,000 to 190,000 jobs over the project's long-term development. Those figures remain government projections rather than committed investments or guaranteed employment. Environmental review remains incomplete. Environment officials told lawmakers Aug. 26 that no project-specific environmental impact assessment had been processed because regulators had not received a sufficiently defined project description. An environmental compliance certificate exists for BCDA's broader New Clark City development plan, but specific facilities would still be subject to applicable regulatory requirements. Agricultural and land-use questions also remain unresolved. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. said Sept. 1 that his department was still assessing possible effects on farming. Two days later, the
Department of Agrarian Reform said it had received no land-conversion application related to the project. Aeta residents in Capas, Tarlac, where New Clark City is located, have raised concerns about possible effects on homes, livelihoods and ancestral claims. BCDA says the proposed site is on government-controlled land designated for development and does not overlap titled ancestral domains. The Senate has begun examining the project. Resolutions filed by Sens. Imee Marcos and Risa Hontiveros seek inquiries into its environmental, energy and socioeconomic implications. A separate legal debate concerns whether any final Philippine-U.S. agreement must be submitted to the Senate. Retired University of the Philippines Los Baños scientist Teodoro Mendoza argues that an undertaking of this scale should require Senate concurrence. His position remains a legal argument, not an established ruling. The Constitution requires two-thirds Senate concurrence for treaties and international agreements covered by Article VII, Section 21, while Philippine jurisprudence also recognizes executive agreements that may take effect without such concurrence under appropriate legal authority. At an Aug. 14 Senate hearing,
Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the document then under review was a discussion paper rather than a formal negotiating instrument. He said the government would not accept provisions inconsistent with Philippine law. Pax Silica is a U.S.-led international initiative aimed at building more secure supply chains for technologies behind semiconductors and artificial intelligence. It links partner countries in areas including critical minerals, chipmaking, advanced manufacturing, energy infrastructure and AI-related hardware. The name combines pax, Latin for peace, with silica, the material from which silicon used in semiconductor chips is derived. The Philippines joined the initiative on April 16 as its 13th signatory. A related plan envisions an approximately 1,620-hectare industrial development within New Clark City, which Philippine officials now describe primarily as an advanced-manufacturing park for semiconductors, electronic components and equipment supporting AI-related industries. BCDA has outlined an initial development of about 500 hectares, with construction previously projected to begin as early as 2028 if planning, agreements and regulatory requirements are completed. n
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AFP says foreign influence campaigns are moving deeper into Philippine political debate by AJPress MANILA — Philippine security officials are warning that suspected foreign influence operations are becoming harder to distinguish from ordinary domestic political debate as online campaigns increasingly use Filipino language, local controversies and familiar partisan arguments. Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson on West Philippine Sea matters, said the military has observed what it calls a more “street-level” form of foreign malign influence. The term refers to localized messaging, not the physical deployment of foreign HONORING HEROES. The Philippine flag is flown at half-mast to honor fallen heroes at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig operatives. City on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. The last Monday of August is observed annually as National Heroes Day. PNA photo by Avito Dalan According to Trinidad, campaigns that once focused heavily on maritime disputes and overtly pro-China narratives are increasingly attaching themselves to divisive Philippine issues, including Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, flood-control controversies and the May law-en- eign Ministry denied interference. controversies and the May law-enby AJPress In June, the Atlantic Council’s forcement operation at Philippine forcement operation at Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp. in Misamis Digital Forensic Research Lab iden- Sanjia Steel Corp. in Misamis tified a Chinese Spamouflage net- Oriental. MANILA — Philippine security Oriental. The AFP has not publicly reThe AFP has not publicly re- work using inauthentic Facebook officials are warning that suspected foreign influence operations are leased the full technical evidence accounts to promote anti-Marcos leased the full technical evidence becoming harder to distinguish behind its latest attribution. Its messages and material favorable behind its latest attribution. Its findings therefore remain an offifrom ordinary domestic political findings therefore remain an offi- to Duterte. The Philippine government has cial national-security assessment, debate as online campaigns in- cial national-security assessment, creasingly use Filipino language, not independent proof that every expanded its response. In April, the local controversies and familiar account or narrative it has identi- National Bureau of Investigation created a specialized unit covering fied is controlled by Beijing. partisan arguments. China has repeatedly denied disinformation, cyber manipulation Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Armed Forces of the interfering in Philippine internal and covert foreign interference. A PAGE 1 Philippines spokesperson on West affairs and has disputed Philippine month earlier, the National Security connected with projects included Philippine Sea matters, said the allegations connected with the Council said authorities had uncov- in the 2025 national budget. Acered China-linked espionage and cording to the prosecution’s Inmilitary has observed what it calls a Sanjia Steel case. Independent research, how- foreign-directed malign activities formation, the amount consisted more “street-level” form of foreign of P360 million linked to projects malign influence. The term refers ever, has documented organized involving Filipino nationals. During an August budget hear- in the National Capital Region and to localized messaging, not the China-linked influence activity in ing, Defense Secretary Gilberto Te- Occidental Mindoro and P213.75 physical deployment of foreign Philippine political discourse. A Reuters investigation in 2025 odoro Jr. said some elected officials million tied to Bulacan. operatives. The accusations have not been According to Trinidad, cam- reported that Manila-based Infini- might be receiving Chinese support paigns that once focused heavily tUs Marketing Solutions operated to advance pro-Beijing narratives, proved at trial. Estrada has denied on maritime disputes and overtly fake social-media accounts as part but acknowledged that credible wrongdoing and challenged the pro-China narratives are increas- of an embassy-funded campaign, evidence was difficult to establish. prosecution’s evidence. The Fifth Division also affirmed ingly attaching themselves to based on company records, ac- No elected official was identified, divisive Philippine issues, includ- count analysis and interviews. In- and Malacañang said any such its earlier refusal to immediately ing Vice President Sara Duterte’s finitUs denied involvement in illicit allegation would require thorough set bail in the plunder case, ruling that an evidentiary hearing must impeachment trial, flood-control digital activity, while China’s For- investigation. n first determine whether the evidence of guilt is strong. Estrada has separately petitioned for bail. He has been detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas PAGE 1 That distinction is particular- because Republican Rep. Andy since surrendering June 1 after Republicans can expand their ly important in 2026 because Barr is running for the Senate, the court issued a warrant in the majority in the Nov. 3 elections, mid-decade redistricting has alte- while South Carolina's 1st is also plunder case. Three former Department of while Democrats are pointing to red the congressional landscape. an open-seat contest. In Texas' redrawn 35th District, Public Works and Highways offiRepublican-controlled states, national polling and several shifting district ratings as evidence including Texas and Missouri, Democrat Johnny Garcia, a Bexar that the political environment has adopted maps that improved County sheriff's deputy, faces Rebecome more favorable to them. GOP prospects in several dis- publican Carlos De La Cruz. The tricts, while Democrats pursued district was reconfigured into terNeither outcome is assured. elsewhere. ritory that Donald Trump would Republicans won 220 House countermeasures seats in 2024 to Democrats' 215. Cook Political Report has estima- have carried by about 10 percenThe composition of the current ted that the changes could provi- tage points in 2024. Independent analysts still rate House has since changed becau- de Republicans with a net advanthese races as Republican-lese of vacancies, special elections tage of roughly five seats. Cook nevertheless has descri- aning rather than toss-ups, altand California Rep. Kevin Kiley's departure from the Republican bed Democrats as favored over- hough some have moved toward Party. The chamber now has 218 all to gain House control while greater competitiveness. Cook's latest ratings identify 21 Republicans, 214 Democrats, maintaining that Republicans Kiley as an independent and two have a viable path to keeping House contests as toss-ups. Inside Elections has projected Demovacancies. Kiley continues to af- their majority. Democrats test Republican ter- cratic gains of between two and filiate with Republicans for com10 seats, a range broad enough ritory mittee purposes. The Democratic Congressional to encompass either a Republican Polling versus the congressiCampaign Committee has expan- hold or a Democratic takeover. onal map Both parties remain well funRecent national surveys have ded its offensive battlefield to 58 given Democrats an advantage districts, compared with 35 on its ded Federal Election Commission the generic congressional bal- initial target list. The designation does not mean on filings through July show the lot and shown higher enthusiasm all 58 seats are considered com- Democratic Congressional Camamong Democratic voters. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released petitive by independent analysts. paign Committee had raised Aug. 31 placed President Do- Republicans are also targeting about $210 million during the nald Trump's approval rating at Democratic-held districts, with election cycle, compared with 33 percent and found 46 percent the National Republican Con- roughly $208 million for the Reof Democrats highly enthusias- gressional Committee identifying publican committee. Republicans, however, entered tic about voting, compared with 36 seats as offensive opportuniAugust with more cash on hand, 31 percent of Republicans. An ties. Among the more difficult dis- approximately $92 million comearlier survey found Democrats leading Republicans 42 percent tricts Democrats are now con- pared with about $80 million for to 37 percent when voters were testing are Nebraska's 1st, Ken- Democrats. Both parties are expanding asked which party they would tucky's 6th, Nevada's 2nd, South Carolina's 1st and Texas' newly field operations and directing support for Congress. resources toward districts where Generic-ballot surveys measu- drawn 35th. Several have historically favo- late movement could determine re the national political environcontrol of the chamber. ment, however, and do not red Republicans. With the majority threshold at In Nevada's 2nd District, Depredict individual House races. District boundaries, candidate mocrat Teresa Benitez-Thomp- 218 seats, even small shifts in a quality, turnout and local issues son and Republican David Flippo handful of districts could decide can produce results that differ are competing for the seat being which party controls the House significantly from national pol- vacated by retiring Rep. Mark when the next Congress conveAmodei. Kentucky's 6th is open nes in January. n ling.
DFA cites geopolitics in failed Philippine bid for UN Security Council seat
not independent proof that every account or narrative it has identified is controlled by Beijing. China has repeatedly denied interfering in Philippine internal affairs and has disputed Philippine allegations connected with the Sanjia Steel case. Independent research, however, has documented organized China-linked influence activity in Philippine political discourse. A Reuters investigation in 2025 reported that Manila-based InfinitUs Marketing Solutions operated fake social-media accounts as part of an embassy-funded campaign, based on company records, account analysis and interviews. InfinitUs denied involvement in illicit digital activity, while China’s Foreign Ministry denied interference. In June, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab identified a Chinese Spamouflage network using inauthentic Facebook accounts to promote anti-Marcos messages and material favorable to Duterte. The Philippine government has expanded its response. In April, the National Bureau of Investigation created a specialized unit covering disinformation, cyber manipulation and covert foreign interference. A month earlier, the National Security Council said authorities had uncovered China-linked espionage and
Estrada pleads not guilty in...
Control of U.S. Congress hangs over...
Deadly floods force rethink of Philippines... PAGE 3 ment and congressional scrutiny. Following allegations involving ghost, defective and substandard flood-control projects, Marcos last year ordered new locally funded flood-control items removed from the proposed 2026 budget while allowing continuing obligations and foreign-assisted projects to proceed. The Commission on Audit has said fraud audits covered nearly 50 flood-control projects and that findings had been forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman. Audit findings and continuing investigations do not by themselves establish criminal liability. Criminal responsibility, where warranted, must be determined through the appropriate prosecutorial and judicial proceedings. Congress will confront the spending issue again as it considers the 2027 national budget.
The administration has proposed about P107.4 billion for flood-control work, including continuing projects, rehabilitation and maintenance and foreign-assisted programs. Senate finance committee chairman JV Ejercito has said lawmakers are seeking information from COA to distinguish projects that should be completed from those flagged for serious deficiencies or suspected irregularities. From emergency response to long-term test DPWH is simultaneously dealing with immediate infrastructure failures from the latest flooding, including temporary connections and repairs in affected areas. Marcos said the national government would provide P300 million toward repairs of the two damaged bridges in Tarlac City. But replacing bridges and
clearing flooded roads address only the immediate consequences. The larger challenge is whether the government can turn decades of separate plans into a coordinated flood-management system, direct public money toward projects supported by engineering and risk data, maintain existing infrastructure and identify interventions that provide the greatest protection to communities. The latest floods have made that question harder to defer. With millions affected and billions of pesos in damage from another cycle of storms and monsoon rains, the next test is no longer whether the Philippines has enough flood-control plans on paper, but whether government can make those plans work together before the next major flood arrives. n
cials, Manny Bulusan, Arturo Gonzales Jr. and Denryl Caesar Cortuna, are also accused with Estrada before the Fifth Division and previously entered not-guilty pleas. Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who had also been named in the Fifth Division cases, was removed as an accused after the Ombudsman sought to use him as a government witness. That development is the subject of a separate court proceeding and remains contested by Estrada’s defense. Estrada also faces a separate graft case before the Sandiganbayan Second Division involving alleged Bulacan transactions. Under Philippine law, plunder requires proof that a public officer amassed at least P50 million in ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of acts specified by law. The prosecution must prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. n
foreign-directed malign activities involving Filipino nationals. During an August budget hearing, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said some elected officials might be receiving Chinese support to advance pro-Beijing narratives, but acknowledged that credible evidence was difficult to establish. No elected official was identified, and Malacañang said any such allegation would require thorough investigation. n NOTICE TO BIDDERS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of San Diego (City) is seeking to receive Electronic Bids for the below named Public Works project. The solicitation, including plans and specifications, may be obtained from the City’s website at: https://www. sandiego.gov/cip/bidopps Contractors intending to submit a Bid must be prequalified. Please refer to the solicitation for instructions. Project Name: Alvarado Trunk Sewer Ph IV and Water Main Relocations Project Number: K-27-2470DBB-3-C Estimated Value: $35,100,000 Pre-Bid Meeting: 09/10/2026 10:00 AM (Microsoft Teams) Bid Opening Date: 10/28/2026, at 2:00 PM License Requirement: A It is the policy of the City of San Diego to encourage equal opportunity in its Construction and Consultant contracts. Bids or proposals from local firms, small, minority-owned, disabled, veteran-owned, and women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged. Contractors are encouraged to subcontract with and/or participate in joint ventures with these firms. The City is committed to equal opportunity and will not discriminate with regard to race, religion, color, ancestry, age, gender, disability, medical condition or place of birth; and will not do business with any firm that discriminates on any basis. Bids shall be received no later than the date and time noted above at: City of San Diego’s Electronic Biding Site PlanetBids at: h t t p s : / / w w w. p l a n e t b i d s . com/portal/portal. cfm?CompanyID=17950 Claudia C Abarca, Director Purchasing & Contracting Department September 1, 2026 9/4/26 CNS-4075079# ASIAN JOURNAL
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SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
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The Philippines must rethink what it means to grow old Part 1 of 2 : Work, dignity and the rights of older Filipinos
THE Philippines is entering a demographic transition that requires a broader understanding of what senior-citizen policy should accomplish. The Philippine Statistics Authority counted 11.42 million people age 60 and older in the 2024 census, representing 10.2 percent of the household population. In 2020, there were 9.22 million, or 8.5 percent. Congress is confronting two immediate consequences of that shift. One is whether to broaden social pension coverage. The other is how to build a health system better equipped for an aging population. More than one million signatures supporting a universal social pension were formally turned over to House leaders in May. The existing Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens remains targeted: Republic Act No. 11916 provides qualified indigent seniors at least ₱1,000 a month. The Department of Social Welfare and Development reported that 4,112,895 indigent senior citizens received the benefit in 2025. Proposals for universal coverage remain before Congress.
The proposed Philippine Geriatric Center Act is further along. The Senate approved Senate Bill No. 1509, but differences with the House version still must be reconciled through the bicameral process. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. identified a national geriatric health center as a priority when he called Congress into special session in June. Pensions and geriatric care are essential, but they should not define the entire national response to aging. A serious policy for older Filipinos must also address dignity, independence and equal opportunity. That includes the right to work. The same Congress considering how to provide greater security to older Filipinos is also considering measures to expand employment opportunities for senior citizens. On Aug. 11, the House Committee on Senior Citizens acted on a consolidated proposal seeking additional employment
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
opportunities for older workers and greater incentives for private employers. Yet the Philippines does not have to begin by writing a new prohibition against age discrimination. It enacted one a decade ago. Republic Act No. 10911, the Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act, declares that employment should be based on abilities, knowledge,
Judicial firepower
The Long View Manuel L. Quezon III I HAVE become convinced that among the many defects of our rulers is the absence of imagination. I am referring to a specific kind of affliction, the inability to view one’s institution and its place among other institutions, from a perspective broad enough to include the past, and wide enough to consider the reasons for the institution’s being, besides what it actually does. A case in point is what might seem a minor decision by the House some years back to ape the executive by having people in marching band uniforms serve as a kind of interior ceremonial guard in the premises during one State of the Nation Address. I remarked to a then-legislator that this contravened the deepest-held principles of parliaments, going back to the socalled Mother of Parliaments, the House of Commons, which jealously guarded its prerogatives to be free from physical intimidation ever since King Charles I tried to arrest some MPs, helping to ignite the English Civil War. It is symbolically respected by the executive in our case, with military honors being rendered by
Undercurrent
Eleanor Pinugu A young actress recently drew heavy criticism after videos of her relief efforts circulated online. In one clip, she was filmed distributing aid while standing in floodwater, despite what appeared to be a dry road nearby. Many accused her of staging the scene and unnecessarily exposing the aid recipients to the risk of getting leptospirosis. The backlash was amplified by the fact that the actress was also criticized just a few weeks back for promoting online gaming by giving away free iPhones. Some commenters speculated that her Pampanga relief effort was simply a PR stunt to rehabilitate her image. The actress later explained that their truck had broken down in the flooded area and that residents began lining up before they could move. Whatever one makes of the incident, the controversy does raise a larger question about the
the military to the president, outside the Batasan, since soldiers, however high their rank, can only enter upon invitation. The legislator’s eyes glazed over, of course, and I recall some sort of nonsensical but expected rejoinder to the effect that we’re not British, which is beside the point. I was reminded of this narrow-minded lack of imagination upon seeing that Congress had enacted the law, the President had signed it, and the Supreme Court even issued implementing rules and regulations (IRRs), establishing judicial marshals. We are, perhaps, more familiar with court sheriffs who have existed since the American colonial era: they execute writs, serve processes, and implement judgments. They operate under judicial control and are authorized to use reasonable force and can request police assistance but have never been, and are not, a dedicated, armed, law-enforcement service. On April 8, 2022, then President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11691, creating judicial marshals; on Aug. 20, 2024, the Supreme Court approved the IRRs for the law, which came into effect on Dec. 11 of that year. The law itself had first been proposed by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta to address killings not just of lawyers but of judges.
Babe’s Eye View What’s interesting—and trou-
bling—is both the logic and the provisions of the law. The logic of the law is supposedly to assert judicial independence and achieve security for the courts. The assassination of judges and court personnel, the sponsors of the law argued, was continuing unabated and, worse, remained unsolved. To continue to depend on the Philippine National Police, the proponents further argued, would keep the judiciary vulnerable to violence and political pressure. Since the Constitution granted administrative supervision over all courts to the Supreme Court, it seemed logical for Congress to create an organic security force under the supervision and control of the Supremes, who would be freed of having to rely on another branch for their own safety. Judicial marshals would thus provide armed security, undertake threat investigations, and render limited assistance to court processes. Sheriffs would continue to execute civil judgments and processes. Here, our lawmakers deviated from what had, from the start, been the model for the proposed marshals in the first place: the system of United States Marshals. That system retains the entire chain of command for the marshal service in the executive u PAGE 8
‘Ayuda’ for content ethical concerns that come with documenting charitable work and turning someone else’s hardship into a content opportunity. The term “poverty porn” was largely used to criticize humanitarian campaigns that feature distressing pictures of malnourished children. While the shocking impact of these photos could be quite effective for eliciting reactions and getting donations, this approach is considered unethical in the development sector because it commodifies a person’s suffering by using exploitative images of their most vulnerable moments. In the social media age, poverty porn has also been used to describe the way some politicians, content creators, and even ordinary individuals use the images and narratives of impoverished and disadvantaged individuals as a backdrop for online posts aimed at generating engagement and strengthening their personal brand. Is it really so bad, though? If people are getting help in the process, shouldn’t we just see it as a win-win situation?
First, it is important to clarify that filming and documenting charitable work is not inherently wrong. Storytelling is not just valuable for fundraising; it is also important for transparency and accountability. Having well-documented impact reports can ensure donors know where their assistance went, raise awareness about the cause, and encourage more people to give. The problem with poverty porn is that the beneficiaries’ suffering becomes part of the product. These posts often employ narratives that reduce beneficiaries to passive, helpless, or “kawawa” recipients. Their circumstances are sensationalized while the person providing the assistance becomes the protagonist and is portrayed as a compassionate, heroic savior. Research suggests that poverty porn can also negatively influence how we perceive people experiencing poverty. An experimental study first published in 2023 found that exposure to negatively framed posts and images led to the perception that people from an imu PAGE 8
Babe Romualdez THE horrific videos from the Himalayan border of Nepal and Tibet were harrowing. A wall of ice, mud and rock came crashing into a mountain river, unleashing a flash flood that swallowed homes, roads, bridges and communities. Hundreds have been reported dead, with many more missing as rescuers confront broken roads, unstable slopes and the threat of further flooding. For Filipinos, the disaster should not be treated as a distant tragedy in a faraway mountain range – it is a warning. Scientists are still examining the precise chain of events. Early assessments indicate a massive ice-and-rock avalanche collapsing into a river, generating the destructive surge. Experts have cautioned against attributing any single disaster solely to climate change but aver that rising temperatures are destabilizing high-mountain environments. Glaciers are retreating, freezeand-thaw patterns are changing and slopes once held together by ice are becoming more vulnera-
Sketches
Ana Marie Pamintuan CALL it divine intervention. This is how Sen. Panfilo Lacson sees the heavy rainfall and catastrophic floods that continue to inundate Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. The disaster, Lacson said, has rekindled public outrage over the flood control corruption scandal. He hopes that the outrage will be sustained. Unlike in the 2025 wet season, today’s public anger is worsened by the thought that a year since the “mahiya naman kayo” anti-corruption crackdown was launched and the government promised to fix defective flood control infrastructure, there’s not a lot to show for the promises. Worse, flood control projects aren’t the only ones turning out to be defective. Over the weekend, two concrete bridges collapsed one after the other, forcing a long detour to enter Tarlac City. Public works officials said sup-
skills and qualifications rather than age. Except where a lawful exception applies, employers may not publish job advertisements containing age preferences or limitations, require applicants to declare their age or birth date during the application process, reject applicants because of age, deny promotion or training on that basis, or force workers out simply because they have grown u PAGE 7
Himalayan landslide can very well happen to us ble. The Philippines has no Himalayan glaciers, but the basic lesson applies directly to us: when extreme weather meets weakened terrain, the result can be catastrophic. Our country is one of the most disaster-prone in the world. An average of 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine area of responsibility every year. PAGASA’s latest climate projections indicate heavy daily rainfall becoming more frequent, with extreme rainfall increasing in parts of Luzon and the Visayas. We don’t have to imagine what rain-induced landslides and flash floods look like. We have witnessed them in Leyte, Benguet, Cebu, Davao de Oro and many other provinces. But too often, we describe these events as natural disasters when it is human actions that have made them deadlier. Illegal logging strips mountains of roots that help hold soil together and absorb rainfall. Kaingin and uncontrolled land conversion expose slopes to erosion. Mining and quarrying can destabilize terrain when laws, engineering standards and en-
vironmental safeguards are ignored. Roads and settlements are built in areas classified by geohazard maps as highly susceptible. Rivers are narrowed or clogged, while watersheds lose their capacity to slow and store water. Then the rains come – and government officials act surprised. The connection is not complicated. Forests cannot prevent every landslide, especially those driven by earthquakes or immense geological forces. Neither can every flood be blamed on logging or mining. Healthy forests and watersheds are among our strongest natural defenses. When they are destroyed, rain runs off faster, soil erodes more easily, rivers fill with sediment and communities downstream face greater danger. A DENR-supported assessment of the Laguna de Bay basin, for example, warned that rapid deforestation in the watershed is causing soil erosion and sedimentation, reducing the lake’s storage capacity and increasing flood risk for Metro Manila. This is precisely why environmental protection is not an u PAGE 8
Dangerous ‘resilience’ porting pillars of the Aquino and Agana bridges gave way from the force of the Tarlac River current. But the 25-year-old Aquino Bridge was reportedly retrofitted only three years ago. A portion of the Tarlac River Dike that was finished only last February also collapsed. The Department of Public Works and Highways has just failed a test of the “new normal” following the appearance of potholes in the newly rehabilitated EDSA after just a few days of heavy rain. In fact there are whispers about a new bagman emerging in the DPWH. * * * The promise of putting behind bars the big fish in the flood control and budgeting anomalies also faltered way back in Christmas 2025. We’re now into the “ber” months of 2026, and two incumbent senators plus Curlee and Sarah Discaya are in jail. But people are focused on the TOTGA – the ones that look like they’ll get away – led by the perceived whales in the ocean of corruption, former House appropriations committee chair Zaldy
Co and former speaker Martin Romualdez. An intriguing pattern has emerged, of people popping up to hurl damning stories against Romualdez, and then disappearing. Upon resurfacing, they recant their statements. Romualdez’s camp maintains that he has nothing to do with the recantations. Former senator Bong Revilla, a veteran of plunder indictments, is suspected to be already one step closer to TOTGA status after he was granted bail by the Sandiganbayan based on insufficiency of evidence. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla lamented the propensity of the courts to grant bail even for normally non-bailable offenses such as plunder and malversation of public funds, not only to those undergoing trial, but even to those already convicted but awaiting final judgment on their appeals. Apart from Revilla, another example is former police senior superintendent Rafael Dumlao III, who was allowed to post bail by Angeles City Regional Trial Court u PAGE 8
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Von Hernandez THE rains came not as a warning but as a verdict–a verdict that our government is failing to do what is necessary to prepare our nation for the catastrophic impacts of a changing climate. Over the past week, a series of typhoons, supercharged by the southwest monsoon, dumped torrents upon our islands and submerged our cities in trash-laden floodwaters. With over half a million people displaced and damages to agriculture and property already estimated to run in the billions, this is not a freak weather occurrence. It is a portent of things to come. Filipino commuters wading through waist-deep floods every time the skies open has now become a routine urban inconvenience, even in the nation’s premier metropolitan centers. But we shouldn’t accept this as our new “normal”—unless we want to admit that the gold standard of Filipino resilience is simply learning how to swim to work. We cannot allow ourselves to be conditioned into accepting the soggy consequences of corruption and incompetence that have brought the nation to this sorry and sordid state of affairs. Now, weather agencies are monitoring the specter of a “Super El Niño” in late 2026—one that climate models warn could rank among the strongest and most destructive on record. If our recent monsoon flooding is what a “normal” season does, imagine the sheer catastrophe when typhoons are fueled by a monstrous, record-breaking climate anomaly. Recalling our tragic and unforgettable experience with Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan), we know exactly what happens when systemic unpreparedness meets extreme weather: coast-
Protecting what protects us al communities become ground zero for absolute devastation. While leaders pump billions into questionable flood control Band-Aids that wash away with the first drizzle, the country is left completely exposed to the impending climate hammer. Yet, even as the waters rise, the national conversation remains fixated on concrete and steel—the same materials compromised by decades of greed. To be clear, flood control infrastructure like dikes, seawalls, and pumping stations is essential. But these projects must be built with both structural and institutional integrity, insulated from the rot that has plagued this sector for too long Here is what baffles the mind: while the government frantically tries to reengineer its way out of this self-inflicted crisis, with the deployment of new multibillion flood control projects, it completely ignores a solution so obvious, cost effective, and immune to embezzlement that it should have been prioritized decades ago. Mangroves. Scientific studies confirm that a coastal greenbelt just a hundred meters wide can slash wave energy by three quarters. That is not environmental hyperbole—it is engineering fact. Mangroves absorb the fury of storm surges, serve as nurseries for the fish that our coastal communities depend on, and sequester carbon from the atmosphere at rates that dwarf tropical forests. Every year, they grow stronger. Every storm, they stand firmer. Unlike concrete that cracks or the projects that never materialize, mangroves do not vanish into the pockets of the corrupt. They ask only for space and protection. This is the ultimate low-hanging fruit of Philippine climate adaptation. It costs a fraction of a mega infrastructure project, while delivering immediate returns in storm protection, food security, and local livelihoods. It provides vulnerable communities the physical buffer they
desperately need while we work to purge the deeper rot in our infrastructure sector. Protecting and restoring the country’s remaining 300,000 hectares of mangroves is not an alternative to flood control—it is the very foundation upon which any sensible disaster resilient strategy must be built. The Iloilo City government recently demonstrated the way forward, passing a landmark ordinance that establishes a 100-meter “no-build” coastal greenbelt zone, and a total ban on reclamation. Across the country, 127 local governments have enacted similar measures, proving that coastal greenbelts are sound environmental policy and practical governance. But local action can only go so far. Without a national law, these gains remain fragile. Enacting a National Coastal Greenbelt Act is no longer optional—it is a matter of absolute survival. The Marcos administration should have certified this as urgent upon taking office years ago. The storms will come and the floodwaters will rise again. Mangroves are here, now, ready to shield us—if only leadership possesses the wisdom and the will to protect them. To delay is to gamble with lives. Our people are running out of time. And our government is running out of excuses. Congress must waste no time in passing the National Coastal Greenbelt Act. The climate emergency does not wait for legislative gridlock, and neither will the next super typhoon. (Inquirer.net) ***
ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026
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The lawyers behind Sara Duterte’s impeachment defense by AJPress
A 16-member legal team led by Sheila Sison combines senior litigators, tax and corporate lawyers as the vice president contests four articles before the Senate MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte entered her impeachment trial with a 16-lawyer defense team drawn largely from Fortun, Narvasa & Salazar, a Makati-based law firm with a broad litigation practice. Leading the group is Sheila C. Sison, who delivered Duterte’s opening statement and has directed the defense before the Senate impeachment court. The July roster includes Sison; Philip Sigfrid Fortun; Gregorio Y. Narvasa II; Kristine R. Ferrer; Michael Wesley T. Poa; Carlo Joaquin T. Narvasa; Justin Nicol B. Gular; David Ronell M. Golla VII; Lindon Miguel C. Bacquel; Karol Grace G. Oroceo; Clarlaine F. Radoc; Francesca Marie V. Flores; Miguel Carlos A. Fernandez; Mark C. Vinluan; Ralph B. Bodota; and Roberto N. Batungbacal. Most are affiliated with Fortun, Narvasa & Salazar. Sison, admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2014, graduated as class valedictorian from San Sebastian College of Law. Her practice includes criminal and civil litigation, appellate work. Fortun and Narvasa bring decades of litigation experience. Ferrer, a certified public accountant and lawyer, heads her firm’s tax practice and works in taxatiThe opinions, beliefs and viewpoints on, corporate law and litigation.
She has also examined witnesses during the proceedings. That mix is relevant to a case centered partly on confidential funds, financial records and the procedures used to authorize, release and liquidate government expenditures. The House of Representatives voted 257-25-9 on May 11 to impeach Duterte and transmitted four articles to the Senate. Article I alleges misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds. Article II concerns alleged unexplained wealth and issues involving statements of assets, liabilities and net worth and business interests. Article III alleges bribery and corruption within the Department of Education. Article IV contains allegations involving threats and an alleged assassination plot directed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and others. Duterte has denied wrongdoing and described the proceedings as politically motivated. The allegations remain unproven, and the prosecution bears the burden of establishing its case before the senator-judges. Poa occupies an unusual position in the proceedings. He served as a Department of Education undersecretary, chief of staff and spokesperson while Duterte was education secretary, then joined her impeachment defense. Because of that former role, prosecutors called Poa to testify about matters connected to Article I and the department’s P112.5 million in confidential funds. He temporarily stepped
aside from his duties as defense counsel and spokesperson before taking the witness stand, with Gular assuming communications duties. On Sept. 2, the Senate impeachment court declared Poa a hostile witness for the prosecution, allowing prosecutors to ask leading questions. The designation is procedural and does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing. Prosecutors questioned Poa about the handling and documentation of confidential funds at the Education Department. Defense lawyers objected at several points, and the court ordered one characterization by a private prosecutor stricken from the record. Duterte’s defense roster has also changed over time. Her 2025 legal team included Maria Selena Golda Fortun and Reynold Munsayac. After the Supreme Court declared those proceedings unconstitutional and new complaints were filed in 2026, the lineup shifted. By July, Ferrer and Oroceo were in the trial roster, while Munsayac and Maria Selena Golda Fortun were not. The changes explain why earlier published lists do not always match the team associated with the current trial. The Senate will ultimately determine whether the prosecution has established any of the four articles. Until then, the accusations remain matters for adjudication, and Duterte’s lawyers may continue to challenge the evidence.
expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Von Hernandez, a Goldman Environmental Prize laureate, is the vice president of Oceana, the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation.
Part One of Three You built an empire. But did you build a family? On the difference between a successful business and an enduring legacy. Inside Family Business Prof. Enrique Soriano THERE is a moment that visits almost every successful founder. The business is running well. The children are grown and working in the company. Money flows. And yet, quietly, in the back of the mind, a question begins to take shape — one that no spreadsheet can answer: What happens to all of this when I am gone? This question is not about money. You have already solved the money problem. This question is about family — whether the love, the trust, and the unity that you worked your whole life to build will survive the transfer of what you built. The painful truth that family business advisors see again and again, across Asia and around the world, is this: the business often survives the founder. The family does not always. "The first generation builds. The second generation enjoys. The third generation destroys." This old proverb is not destiny. It is a warning. And the families who have broken this cycle have done so not by working harder, but by thinking differently — about what they are really building. Money Is a Love Language In many Asian families, love is expressed through provision. Founders who grew up with very little poured everything into making sure their children would never go without. They worked seven days a week. They sacrificed holidays, rest, and sometimes their own health. The business was not just a business — it was an act of love, expressed in the only language the founder knew.
And so money became the family's love language. The measure of care was financial security. The measure of success was profit. The measure of a good parent was a child who wanted for nothing. This is not wrong. But it is incomplete. Because money, without governance, without structure, without shared values and clear roles, can become the very thing that tears a family apart. We have seen it happen. The founder passes away. The will is read. And suddenly, children who have sat together at every family dinner for forty years are looking at each other across a boardroom table as strangers — or worse, as rivals. What Is Family Governance? Family governance is the set of structures, agreements, and practices that help a family manage the intersection of two very different worlds — the family and the business. In the family, decisions are made from love. Authority comes from age and relationship. Disagreements are resolved over meals. There are no job descriptions for being a son or a daughter. In the business, decisions should be made from strategy. Authority comes from role and responsibility. Disagreements have procedures. There are job descriptions, performance reviews, and accountability. Without governance, these two worlds collide. Promotions are given out of loyalty rather than merit. Salaries become a reflection of favoritism rather than contribution. Meetings become family arguments in disguise. And the eldest child, simply by virtue of being born first, is assumed to be the next leader — whether or not they have the skills, the desire, or the calling for it. Family governance creates the bridge between these two worlds. It answers the questions that love alone cannot answer: Who makes decisions when the founders
are no longer here? How do we resolve disagreements without destroying relationships? What are the rules for family members joining the business? Who owns what — and how? Legacy Is a Choice, Not an Accident The founders who have built great businesses have done so through discipline. They planned. They set goals. They made hard decisions. They held people accountable. Legacy works the same way. A family that will remain united across generations does not arrive at that unity by accident. It gets there because someone — usually the founder, in their wisest years — made the deliberate choice to build not just a business, but a family institution. This series is written for you, the founders, and for your children who love you enough to want to get this right. In the articles that follow, we will explore what it means to move from an informal family business to a structured one, how to define roles and responsibilities honestly, and how to begin the most important transition of your life — from owner to steward. Because the greatest gift you can give your children is not just the business you built. It is a family that still loves each other after the estate is settled. *** 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.
*** Prof Enrique M. Soriano serves as a Mentor at the Singapore Institute of Directors Board Readiness Program, where he contributes to the development of current and aspiring directors in corporate governance, board effectiveness, and strategic oversight. He advises multi-generational family enterprises and boards across Asia, advocating for merit-based board composition and principled stewardship to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Philippines must rethink...
PAGE 6 older. The prohibition extends to employment advertisements published online. Violations may carry fines of P50,000 to P500,000, imprisonment of three months to two years, or both. The central policy problem, therefore, is not the absence of a legal right. It is whether that right is sufficiently visible, accessible and enforceable in the labor market. A job advertisement requiring an applicant to be “below 35,” for example, is not merely a matter of preference when age has no legitimate relationship to the work. Where no statutory exception applies, an arbitrary age ceiling can conflict directly with RA 10911. The principle behind the law is straightforward: an applicant should be judged on the ability to perform the job. A birth date is not a measure of competence. That principle goes to dignity as much as employment. Work can provide income, but it can also provide independence, professional identity, social participation and a continuing sense of contribution. For an older person who remains willing and capable, exclusion from employment solely because of age can amount to exclusion from a significant part of economic life. Digital hiring should make compliance easier to monitor,
not easier to evade. The Department of Labor and Employment should make age-discrimination compliance a more visible part of labor enforcement. Government should publish regular data on complaints, investigations, dispositions and penalties so workers, employers and policymakers can assess how effectively the law is operating. Recruitment platforms and publishers should likewise have clear procedures for identifying advertisements containing unlawful age restrictions. Congress should examine whether RA 10911 would benefit from more accessible administrative remedies, explicit safeguards against retaliation and provisions suited to automated or algorithmic hiring. A criminal penalty may deter violations. It is less useful if an applicant has no practical way to challenge discrimination promptly. The United States provides a useful comparison, although Philippine law should not be regarded as inherently weaker. The U.S. Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects workers and applicants age 40 and older at covered employers and generally prohibits age preferences in job advertisements, subject to limited exceptions. Philippine law is more explicit in one significant respect. RA 10911 generally prohibits requiring applicants to disclose
their age or birth date during the application process. U.S. federal law does not categorically prohibit an employer from asking, although such inquiries can attract scrutiny when they suggest discriminatory intent. The lesson is not that the Philippines lacks modern legal standards. In important respects, those standards are already in place. The more pressing task is to make them meaningful. Age should neither qualify nor disqualify a person by itself. The relevant inquiry is whether an individual possesses the competence, qualifications and capacity required for the work. That principle becomes more important as the country's older population grows. A credible national policy on aging must protect people when work is no longer possible or desired. It must provide adequate income security and health care in later life. But it must also protect those who still want to participate. Older Filipinos should not have to choose between being treated as people who need protection and people who still have something to contribute. They can be both rights-holders and productive members of society. Pension security and geriatric care address vulnerability. Equal opportunity protects dignity and independence. An aging Philippines needs both. (AJPress)
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SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
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The pain no one could see Senate panel advances P7.23-billion Ombudsman budget for 2027
SEPTEMBER is Suicide Prevention Month, and I want to share a part of my story that I once wanted to keep hidden. Grief does not always look like grief. Someone can appear to be living fully—traveling, smiling and collecting extraordinary experiences—while privately struggling to keep going. When my marriage of 24 years ended, my world as I knew it fell apart. Along with the heartbreak came debt, uncertainty and a future I no longer recognized. I slipped into a darkness so deep that I began struggling with suicidal thoughts. When all I had left was my faith, I asked God to rebuild my life. But first, I ran. I traveled to escape the noise, the work and the pain because, at the time, it felt like the prescription that might take away my misery. For several seasons, it helped. Every mountain I climbed, desert I crossed and unfamiliar place I explored reminded me that beauty still existed—even when I could no longer see it in my own future.
Travel gave my overwhelmed heart room to breathe and helped carry me through my grief. But eventually, I learned that although distance could offer relief, it could not do the deeper work of healing for me. Lasting healing began when I stopped concealing my pain and allowed faith, honesty and support to become part of my recovery. There is healing in transparency. Revealing our pain can be far more freeing than concealing the story we never wanted anyone to know. Financial distress can also affect far more than a bank account. Debt, divorce, job loss and housing uncertainty can touch our identity, security and hope. Behind the numbers, people may be carrying rejection, grief, fear or shame that no spreadsheet can reveal. Looking back, I can see how God took me to places I could never have reached on my own—literally, figuratively and spiritually. He met me in the desert, steadied me on the mountains and reminded me through every sunrise that darkness does not last forever. I asked God to rebuild my life. First, He rebuilt me. I could not have imagined then that God would use those very wounds to shape the work and ministry through which I now help
others restore more than their finances—their hope, confidence and belief that life can be rebuilt. I share this not for sympathy, but because someone reading these words may be quietly carrying more than anyone knows. If you are in a place of darkness, please tell someone. Seeking professional help is not weakness or a failure of faith. God’s help may reach us through a trusted friend, pastor, doctor or crisis professional. What you feel today is not the end of your story. There is hope beyond what you can see right now. Please stay long enough to discover it. If you are in the United States and need emotional support, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to speak with a trained counselor.
*** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Kathy Current is a financial coach, mortgage advisor, and author of Heal Your Money Wounds God’s Way, where she combines over three decades of financial experience with timeless biblical wisdom. Kathy addresses real-life questions about God and money, helping readers find freedom and purpose in their financial lives.
Mayors, treasurers emerge as strongest pairing in Sandiganbayan case study Analysis highlights recurring links between political authority and financial administration by AJPress MANILA — Mayors and local treasurers emerged as the strongest recurring pairing in a network analysis of more than 400 Sandiganbayan cases from 2016 through 2025, highlighting where political authority and financial administration frequently intersect in local government. The analysis by University of the Philippines Diliman political scientist Rogelio Alicor Panao covered more than 1,800 public officials included in cases before the anti-graft court. The mayor-treasurer relationship registered a network weight of 83, the highest among the pairings examined. Accountants and mayors followed at 72, while accountants and treasurers registered 63. The figures measure relationships within the case network. They are not conviction rates and do not establish wrongdoing merely because officials held particular positions or appeared in the same case. The pattern broadly reflects the structure of local government finance. Under the Local Government
Code, treasurers have custody and management of LGU funds and responsibility for disbursements. Accountants oversee accounting and internal-audit functions, review supporting documents and maintain financial records, while budget officers coordinate with treasurers and accountants in preparing and administering local budgets. Under the New Government Procurement Act, Republic Act No. 12009, the local chief executive serves as Head of the Procuring Entity, while procurement decisions are also subject to procedures involving Bids and Awards Committees and other designated officials. Those overlapping duties mean several officials may lawfully participate in different stages of the same government transaction. Their appearance together in a Sandiganbayan proceeding does not by itself establish conspiracy or criminal liability. The study comes as procurement authorities strengthen monitoring and compliance systems under RA 12009, including more data-driven tools intended to improve oversight across national agencies and local governments. n
Philippines weighs holding back U.S. sugar exports as domestic output weakens SRA awaits harvest data as pest outbreak and El Niño pressure supplies by AJPress MANILA — The Philippines is weighing whether to hold back raw sugar exports to the United States as weaker production, a spreading crop pest and El Niño pressure domestic supply. Sugar Regulatory Administration Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the agency has not decided whether to use the next U.S. allocation and will assess yields once milling resumes in October. For U.S. fiscal 2027, the Philippines was allocated 145,235 metric tons raw value under the tariff-rate
quota system, the second-largest allocation after the Dominican Republic. The quota runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027 and provides preferential market access, but does not require Manila to ship the amount. The caution marks a reversal from earlier this year, when the government approved exports of up to 100,000 metric tons after production left inventories elevated and farmgate prices under pressure. About 99,000 metric tons had been shipped by early August. Production has since weakened. SRA data for Aug. 2 placed raw
sugar output at about 1.85 million metric tons, roughly 11 percent below a year earlier. The supply picture has also been complicated by the red-striped soft scale insect, which can reduce sugarcane yields, and by El Niño. By late July, infestations had been reported across nearly 94,000 hectares, while PAGASA said a moderate to strong El Niño could persist into the first half of 2027. The SRA has classified sugar from the coming crop year for the domestic market, signaling that local supply will take priority while regulators await harvest data. n
Anti-graft office seeks added resources for staffing, enforcement and investigations by AJPress MANILA — The Senate Committee on Finance has advanced the Office of the Ombudsman’s proposed P7.23-billion budget for 2027, moving the spending plan to plenary deliberations as the anti-graft agency seeks additional resources for investigators, enforcement operations and staffing. The amount reflects the Department of Budget and Management’s recommendation for the Ombudsman in the proposed 2027 national budget. The agency had sought about P12.797 billion, but that larger figure was an agency proposal rather than an enacted appropriation. Among the Ombudsman’s priorities is a proposed Marshal Service, for which officials sought about P168 million and 100 positions. The unit would support the serving of warrants, protection of investigators, securing of evidence and enforcement of Ombudsman orders. Sen. Panfilo
flood-control projects. Remulla told senators that 35 such cases had reached the courts, including 31 before the Sandiganbayan and four before regional trial courts. Another 166 cases were undergoing preliminary investigation, while the office was conducting 107 lifestyle checks. Those proceedings do not by themselves establish criminal liability. Individuals charged in criminal cases retain the presumption of innocence unless convicted by a court. The Ombudsman is also seeking resources for office facilities and vehicles, while Remulla has announced plans to assign an assistant ombudsman specifically for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Lacson has proposed broader fiscal autonomy for the Ombudsman and suggested that Congress consider allowing part of funds recovered for the government in corruption cases to support the agency’s operations. Both proposals would require legislative action. n
Dangerous ‘resilience’...
PAGE 6 Judge Irin Zenaida Buan even after his conviction for the ransom kidnapping and grisly execution of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo inside Camp Crame. Remulla may be reminded that among the beneficiaries of this liberal application of bail rules is President Marcos’ immortal mother herself, Imeldific. Convicted of seven counts of graft (no plunder yet when the offenses were committed), Imeldific was allowed by the Sandiganbayan to post bail. In the four years of the Marcos administration, the anti-graft court has also dismissed, mostly due to inordinate delay, the remaining wealth cases against the current ruling clan. BBM has drawn flak for telling foreign correspondents recently that the cases were dismissed because it was not proven that the wealth was ill-gotten. Historical revisionism worked for BBM in the 2022 elections. But this time, that tack is stoking public anger and distrust. And this time, his allies-turned-arch enemies in the UniTeam are among those disputing the false narrative. You can discern the level of public anger in the reaction to BBM’s crooning love songs to his
wife Liza on her recent birthday celebration, while people were drowning, getting electrocuted, falling into open drains, catching leptospirosis and seeing their properties destroyed in the floods. Pinoys love singing and birthdays are big in our country. Under normal circumstances, that karaoke moment and the need even of presidents for family bonding and some me time would have been understandable. Some might have even been touched by the First Couple’s PDA. But with everything coming apart around us, from bridges to the rule of law and public accountability, what comes to mind for many people at the sight of that video is, how come they are having fun while we’re drowning in misery? Gov. Lilia Pineda and her son Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda of flood-submerged Pampanga were also called out after being spotted wearing pricey luxury brands while interacting with their flood-hit constituents. Speaking to “Storycon” on One News last Monday, Pineda apologized for hurting public sensitivities while pointing out that her family has some wealth. She said that she simply grabs
any clothing at hand upon rising for the day’s work. Whether the explanation will appease the critics remains to be seen. Lacson is glad to see the anger and hopes it can be sustained until lasting reforms are in place. Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David posted on Monday a similar message. “There comes a point when resilience becomes dangerous because it teaches us merely to endure,” David said. “After every disaster, we are told to be resilient. This time, let us also be defiant,” he declared. “Let us refuse to normalize preventable suffering. Let us demand answers. Let us demand accountability. And where the law allows it, let us act together as citizens to hold accountable those who fail in their duty to protect the public.” Once the anger disappears and people become indifferent and resigned to the idea that corruption and the waste of public funds are normal, the nation is lost. (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.
Judicial firepower...
PAGE 6 department, where all police and military power lies. What Congress and the presidency agreed to do, by contrast, was create a separate, independent, armed force, answerable only to unelected judges. No one then, and now, with the sole (self-interested, to be sure, but he still had a point) exception of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who abstained from approving the law, seems to have cared that the judiciary now has a private army. Because this is the point: finding the police feeble, or corrupt, PAGE 6 sent. Giving aid inevitably involves perhaps the most important (and or incompetent, or all of the poverished background had less a power imbalance because the most uncomfortable) question: Is above, Congress’ solution was agency. The authors also highligh- donor possesses something that this post primarily helping people to create a private army for a juted previous research suggesting the beneficiary urgently needs. understand their situation, or am I that this could trigger a cognitive Can a person really say no to being just doing this so that more people shift in which the perceived lack of filmed if they think it could mean will admire me? Good intentions can go a long agency translates into dehumani- losing access to food, money, or way, and helping others in times of other assistance? zation. During these moments, it is crisis is important and much-nee- PAGE 6 In simpler terms, showing people in disempowering ways may important to examine not just ded work. The challenge now is abstract concern for activists. It attract sympathy in the short term, whether help was given, but to keep the spotlight on the issue is public safety, economic secubut it could also reinforce percep- whether the dignity of the person rather than on ourselves and to en- rity and national survival. We already possess much of tions of them as helpless and less receiving it was preserved in the sure that the stories we tell never capable. In the long run, this could process. This is where a few reflec- come at the expense of another the information needed to redupotentially lead to less concern, tive questions can help. (1) Is sho- person’s dignity, well-being, or ce the danger. The Mines and less respect, and less support for wing their face really necessary to right to be treated with respect. Geosciences Bureau has geohazard maps identifying areas suspolicies aimed at more sustai- tell the story? (2) Before filming, (Inquirer.net) ceptible to floods and landslides. *** nable poverty alleviation. It also did I give them the chance to opt Local governments know which out by explaining to them that The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints becomes easier for the public to overlook the structural inequalities maintaining their privacy would expressed by the author do not necessarily families live below unstable slothat reinforce poverty and reduce not compromise their access to reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of pes, beside swollen rivers or in a disadvantaged person’s circum- the assistance being offered? (3) the Asian Journal, its management, editorial places where evacuation routes can quickly become impassable. stances to something that they’re Am I portraying them as a helpless board and staff. The real question is whether we beneficiary, or am I also highligh*** solely responsible for. act before the disaster – not after ting their voice and agency? And Email: eleanor@shetalksasia.com There is also the issue of conit. Enforcement must be relentless against illegal logging, illegal mining and irresponsible quarrying. Financiers and protectors of these operations must be prosecuted, not just poor workers caught onsite. Mining permits and environmental compliance certificates must never become shields for destructive practices. Local officials who ignore hazard warnings or allow construction in no-build zones must be held accountable. At the same time, legal and responsible mining should be distinguished from operations that disregard science and the law. The Philippines needs mineLIGHT MOMENT. Former Department of Education (DepEd) spokesperson, lawyer Michael Wesley Poa (2nd from left), greets private prosecutor rals for industry, energy transiBenjamin Tolosa Jr. on Day 21 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial at the Senate in Pasay City on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. tion and national development. Poa was questioned regarding the disbursement of DepEd’s PHP112.5 million in confidential funds. PNA photo by Avito Dalan But no investment can justify
‘Ayuda’ for content...
Lacson has separately proposed legislation creating such a service. The budget hearing also examined confidential expenses. The DBM-recommended spending plan contains P51.468 million for confidential expenses. During an earlier House hearing, an Ombudsman finance official said the agency was seeking an additional P148.532 million for that purpose. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said confidential funds would support sensitive investigations and security requirements. Senators indicated they could consider additional funding but made no commitment to provide the full amount sought. Staffing remains another challenge. The Ombudsman has 1,247 vacant plantilla positions and has sought funding to fill more of them. Remulla said the office had hired 60 lawyers this year and expected to add 40 more by November. The personnel shortage comes as the agency handles a substantial caseload, including investigations involving questioned
diciary never before (here, and never before, anywhere else, for that matter) expected to wield armed might. “When the guns speak, the law falls silent,” how often have lawyers and judges both repeated this, ad infinitum and ad nauseam? So what happens when the guns speak on the orders of an unelected judge? With incredibly broad powers: a national force covering the entire judiciary; command that does not pass through the interior or justice departments or even the police; concurrent jurisdiction to investigate crimes against judges, staff, or court property; the power to arrest, conduct searches, carry firearms, issue mission orders,
and even run its own academy. The US, South Korea, and Ukraine have internal police-type units reporting directly to their Supreme Courts, but their powers are far more limited, their ability to operate much more circumscribed: mostly, they only cover the Supreme Court, not all courts; in Korea they cannot even conduct arrests. (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @ mlq3
Himalayan landslide... endangering communities or sacrificing watersheds that took generations to form. Responsible development means rigorous assessment, transparent monitoring, proper use of rehabilitation funds (if they exist) and swift suspension when safety standards are violated. Reforestation should be more than ceremonial tree planting, with the right native species, planted in the right places, protected long enough to mature. Critical watersheds and remaining old-growth forests should be defended as national infrastructure. A forested mountain is as essential to flood control as a concrete dike, and often more enduring. Barangays in high-risk areas should have practical evacuation plans that residents understand. Warning systems must reach people quickly, including those without smartphones. Roads, bridges, schools and evacuation centers should be designed according to hazards shown on government maps. Families in highly dangerous areas must be given realistic relocation options, not simply ordered to leave without livelihood, transport or basic services. Climate change is no longer a prediction for the next generation – it is an amplifier of dangers we already face. Stronger
rainfall on denuded mountains, silted rivers and poorly planned communities are a formula for tragedy. The heartbreaking scenes from the Himalayas show how quickly a familiar landscape can be transformed into a field of mud and debris. Homes disappeared, roads were erased and families were separated in just minutes. Geography offered no mercy, and there was hardly any time for escape. We cannot stop every typhoon, earthquake or landslide, but we can stop people from cutting protected forests, tearing into unstable slopes and building where danger is already identified. We can enforce the law before lives are lost. We can treat warnings as instructions, not suggestions. The Himalayan catastrophe can very well happen to us – not in exactly the same way, but with the same terrifying speed and human cost. If that happens, we can no longer say that nature gave us no warning – it is already before our eyes. (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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ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026
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JOUR N AL Friday, September 4, 2026
INSIDE >>> L I F E S T Y L E • C O N S U M E R G U I D E • C O M M U N I T Y • M A R K E T P L A C E
Elijah Canlas confirms split from Miles Ocampo, denies cheating allegations by AJPress MANILA — Elijah Canlas has confirmed that he and actress and television host Miles Ocampo have ended their relationship again, while denying allegations that infidelity or another person caused the breakup. Canlas addressed the separation in a Sept. 1 interview with entertainment personality Ogie Diaz while promoting his upcoming film “Edjop.” He described the breakup as mutual and amicable, said they had tried to make the relationship work after reconciling, and declined to discuss the reasons in detail. He also denied cheating on Oc-
ampo and said there was no third party involved. His comments represented his account of the breakup. Canlas also addressed online speculation involving singer-actress Thea Astley after the two were seen together during a trip to La Union. He said Astley was a longtime friend and that others were with them. Astley separately said they had been friends for years and denied being a third party. Canlas and Ocampo began dating privately around 2021, confirmed their relationship publicly in 2022, separated in 2023 and later reconciled. Canlas, represented by Corner-
Photo from Facebook/@notelijahcanlas
stone Entertainment, is promoting “Edjop,” in which he portrays activist Edgar “Edjop” Jopson. The film is scheduled to open in Philippine theaters nationwide this month.
by Momar G. Visaya
great place to start but I’ve already monitored some of the secondary pricing and that session is blowing up,” he said. “It’s amazing to see, I can’t wait to have her out there late at night and see all of the Filipino crowd behind her, it’s going to be really special. Prior to the official start of the tournament, the United States Tennis Association staged a few events catered for the fans. Except for some ticketed events at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, everything else was free. There were product activations from sponsors such as Chase, Amex, Dove, Cadillac, Fage, Lavazza, among others. Eala Among Stars of the Open Eala was one of the tennis stars who took centerstage at the Stars of the Open. What was initially planned as a mixed doubles event featuring American stars Learner Tien and Iva Jovic against non-Americans Joao Fonseca who was paired with Eala. The event evolved into four singles matches, Fonseca was replaced by Flavio Cobolli because the former had to withdraw due to an abdomen injury. The Stars of the Open drew a sold-out audience, majority of whom were Filipinos. Eala against her friend Iva Jovic were the third match, which ran for about an hour. After the one set match, majority of the Filipinos left, leaving Alex Michelsen and recent Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils finishing in less than an hour. Amanda Anisimova battled it out with Martha Kostyuk in the evening’s first match, revealing in
Photos from Momar Visaya and X/@WTA
the post-match interview that they have been friends since their junior days. Among the evening’s fun moments was when Eala and Jovic brought out their dads onto to the court to play mixed doubles with them. Official US Open coverage highlighted the electric atmosphere under the lights and the mix of competitive play with entertainment. Full matches and highlight clips, including walk-ons, big points, and celebrations were posted on the tournament’s site and YouTube channel, with strong viewership—especially for the Eala-Jovic match. This was the fourth year of the signature event, showcasing rising young stars in entertaining and high-energy singles exhibition matches. That wave of national pride, enthusiastic support, and commercial buzz has made the 21-year-old one of the most watched and celebrated young players in women’s tennis right now.
Fil-Am actor JB Tadena joins ‘The Pitt’ for Season 3 Former satellite engineer will play Dr. Reed Thomas in HBO Max medical drama by AJPress LOS ANGELES — Filipino American actor JB Tadena has joined the recurring cast of HBO Max’s “The Pitt” for its third season, playing Dr. Reed Thomas, a physician at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Tadena is among seven recurring guest stars added for the new season, alongside Stephen Chang, Barry Clifton, Chris Diamantopoulos, Lawrence Kao, Brent Sexton and Hannah Ware. His casting adds another performer of Filipino heritage to the Emmy-winning medical drama. Isa Briones plays Dr. Trinity Santos, while Kristin Villanueva and Amielynn Abellera portray nurses Princess Dela Cruz and Perlah
Alawi. Their characters have also spoken Tagalog on the series. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Washington, D.C., area, Tadena studied computer engineering at Penn State University and worked as a satellite engineer before pursuing acting. His television credits include “Kung Fu,” “The Cleaning Lady,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Westworld” and “SEAL Team.” Created by R. Scott Gemmill and starring Noah Wyle as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, “The Pitt” follows doctors, nurses and patients during a single emergency-room shift, with each episode advancing the story roughly one hour. Season 3 is scheduled to premiere in January 2027 and is set
The “ber” months may have made him the enduring face of Philippine Christmas, but at 81, the singer-songwriter’s life continues well beyond the holidays by AJPress
ON BOARD THE EALA EXPRESS Filipino fans in Frenzy at the US open fan week WE are witnessing the rise and rise of Alex Eala. Tens of thousands of Filipino fans trooped to the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens to get a glimpse of the 21-year-old Pinay tennis phenom. From the mixed doubles match with Felix Auger-Aliassime to the Stars of the Open to practice courts, the fans followed. Eala Mania After Eala broke out at the 2025 Miami Open last year, her stardom continued to consistently and exponentially grow. In a series of historic firsts, she became the first Filipino player to claim a Grand Slam win in a main singles draw when she won over number 14 Clara Tauson at the Grandstand of the US Open last year. She also became the first Filipino at Wimbledon early this year to reach a record fourth round. Then last month, she won her first WTA 500 title at the Mubadala DC Open earning her a Top 20 appearance for the first time as well. In an extraordinary feat, she beat tennis champions along the way. From Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng to defending champion Leyla Fernandez, top players Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka, and eventually Jessica Pegula. The mania continues at the US Open as major mainstream media outlets like Forbes, The New Yorker, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Economist have profiled the movement extensively, noting how it has turned her into a cultural symbol and marketable star. Andy Roddick has publicly supported “Eala Mania,” calling it great for the sport and has expressed support and admiration to the Filipina youngster. Her first-round match this week is scheduled for a Louis Armstrong Stadium night session due to demand, and US Open Tournament Director Eric Butorac has publicly welcomed the energy. In an interview with Tennis Channel, Butorac discussed placing Eala’s first-round match on the Louis Armstrong Stadium night session citing the strong fan demand and energy around the Filipino star. “We knew it had to be on a major stadium, we thought that’s a
Jose Mari Chan, a man for all seasons
Photo from Instagram/@jaybeetadena
on Nov. 12, 2026. The series won five Emmys in 2025, including outstanding drama series. Tadena is also part of the cast of David Fincher’s “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” starring Brad Pitt and written by Quentin Tarantino.
MANILA — Every September, Jose Mari Chan seems to reappear almost on cue. As the Philippines enters the “ber” months and Christmas songs return to radio, television and public spaces, Chan’s voice once again becomes part of the national soundtrack. His 1990 classic “Christmas in Our Hearts” has become so closely identified with the season that he has often been playfully described in media and popular culture as the “Father of Philippine Christmas.” But Christmas tells only part of the Jose Mari Chan story. At 81, Chan remains a working singer-songwriter and businessman whose professional life has never been confined to the final four months of the year. While his Christmas recordings bring him renewed attention each September, he continues to divide his time between music and the sugar business in Negros that has been part of his family for decades. His connection to the industry dates to his father, Antonio Chan, who established a sugar trading business in Bacolod in 1960. Chan later became involved in the family enterprise while pursuing music, a path his father initially regarded as less dependable than business. Chan managed to make room for both. His entertainment career reaches back to the 1960s, when he appeared as a host and singer on ABS-CBN’s 9 Teeners. Over the decades that followed, he built a catalog that included “Beautiful Girl,” “Please Be Careful With My Heart” and “Can We Just Stop and Talk a While.” Then came Christmas in Our Hearts. Released in 1990, the album and its title song took on a life far beyond that of an ordinary seasonal recording. Over time, Chan became inseparable from the Filipino Christmas season, his music returning with remarkable regularity as soon as September arrived. The association has survived generational change. Filipinos who were not yet born when
Photo Courtesy Jose Mari Chan/Jojo Guingona
the album was released have encountered Chan through the annual return of his songs, television appearances, advertising campaigns and social media memes. Yet his career has continued on a parallel track. Chan has remained involved in the sugar business in Negros and has said he still travels regularly to Bacolod, particularly during the milling season. Music, meanwhile, remains an active part of his life. Earlier this year, he said he had no plans to retire from performing as long as audiences continued to want to hear his songs. That longevity has given Chan an unusual place in Philippine popular culture. His recordings belong to several generations, but he has never been reduced entirely to nostalgia. The annual return of “Christmas in Our Hearts” may be the most visible part of Chan’s public life, but it is only one part of a career that has continued to evolve with the years. At 81, he remains active in the work that has defined much of his adult life, moving between music and business with the same steadiness that has carried him across generations.
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SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
Features
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Sampaguita Pictures actress Jean Lopez dies at 86
Silent killer called diabetes
Veteran performer worked alongside many of Philippine cinema’s leading stars during the 1960s
and tempeh) • fresh fruit: apples, apricots, bananas, berries, melon, oranges, peaches, and pears • whole grains and starchy vegetables: whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, sweet potatoes, skin-on white potatoes, winter squash, peas, and corn • Greek yogurt, cottage cheese • healthy fats: olive oil and olives, avocado, nuts, and seeds • water and unsweetened drinks.” Complex carbs vs. refined carbs “The type of carbohydrates you eat can have a big effect on your blood sugar. Refined or simple carbs get broken down into glucose quickly. They cause a rapid spike in blood glucose levels, which can make it harder to control your diabetes. Foods high in refined carbs include white bread, white pasta, white rice, soda, fruit juice, baked goods, candy, and other foods high in added sugars. “Complex carbohydrates help control your blood sugar. They contain fiber, so they’re broken down at a slower rate. As a result, they have less of an effect on your blood glucose. Foods high in complex carbs include whole grains such as wholewheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa, as well as beans and other legumes, and starchy vegetables (like corn, sweet potatoes, and peas).” Sample diabetes meal plan “The best diabetes eating plan is one that you enjoy and that fits with your lifestyle. Consider choosing from options like the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, or another plant-based or low-carbohydrate diet. “You can find helpful meal planning guides and sample recipes at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Food Hub. Many of these meals use the Diabetes Plate method, in which you divide your plate into three balanced sections: • non-starchy vegetables on 50% of your plate • complex carbohydrates on 25% of your plate • lean protein on 25% of your plate. “Here are some examples of combinations that you might prepare under the Diabetes Plate method: • turkey meatloaf with a mixed green salad and quinoa • baked salmon with sautéed garlicky greens and a sweet potato • tofu and bell pepper stir-fry with brown rice • roasted skinless chicken with air-fried baby potatoes and cauliflower florets • lentil soup with kale, diced tomatoes, and chopped sweet potato. – Medpage Wonder drug SGLP-1 Thanks to brilliant scientists
by AJPress Veteran Sampaguita Pictures actress Jean Lopez, who appeared alongside some of Philippine cinema’s leading stars during the 1960s, died Sept. 1, her family said. She was 86. Her daughter Barbi Castelvi announced the death on social media, describing it as sudden and unexpected. Another daughter, Billie Jean, said Lopez had been praying with her husband, former actor Romano Castellvi, shortly before she died. The family has not publicly disclosed a cause of death. Lopez emerged during the period when major studios helped define Philippine popular cinema. She appeared in films including Ang Magkakapitbahay, Tanzan the Mighty, Susanang Daldal, Mga Batang Iskwater, Mga Batang Turista, The Sound of Buwisit, Together Again and Ayos na Darling. Her screen colleagues included Dolphy, Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes and Eddie Gutierrez. Her career extended beyond film. Family accounts described her as a singer, model, dancer and television producer, while historical records place her on the late-1960s program Tayo’y Maghapi-hapi. Lopez and Castellvi, an actor known for action and spy films, married in 1969. They also appeared together onscreen, including in Together Again in 1967 and Ayos na Darling in 1968. The couple later left the Philippine entertainment industry and moved with their family to
HEALTH @HEART Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS
There are about 589 million (1.31 billion by 2050) adults with Type 2 diabetes around the world, 40 million (projection: 76100 million by 2050) in the United States, and 4.7 million (projected to be 8.6 million by 2050) in the Philippines. There are almost 43 percent globally who are still undiagnosed, walking around with this metabolic disease, unaware, while the disease and its complications get worse. Among those who are 20 years old and younger, there are 1.21.8 million globally who have Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and 352-364 thousand in the USA; no available statistics for the PhilipPhoto from Instagram/@ barbicastelvi pines. Canada. Older Philippine Star accounts said they Serious complications subsequently relocated to the United States. Type 2 Diabetes can result in Castellvi survives Lopez, according to the fami- acute (short-term) and chronic ly’s account of her final moments. Billie Jean said (long-term) complications, baher father was beside Lopez as she prayed shortly sically damaging blood vessels before her death. and nerves all over the body, damaging various organs, by narrowing/blocking tiny blood vessels, like in the eyes (blindness), brain (stroke), kidney failure needing dialysis), foot ulcer/ gangrene (amputation), bladder and sexual dysfunction. T2D can be prevented T2 Diabetes is a horrible, devastating disease, if not treated early before complications start. If diagnosed early, one can look (appear totally) healthy and live a basically normal life, some by simply talking a pill, like Metformin, daily; others with insulin. With proper diet, discipline, and healthy behavior (no alcohol, no tobacco, consciously/consistently minimizing carbohydrates, like rice and wonderful sweets, unfortunately) and poisonous soft drinks, walking exercise daily), a diabetic can be fully active, successful in their career, travel, and enjoy life like normal. But it requires personal discipline and Photos from Instagram/@kissmymike_official sacrifices. But the gains in health the story as personal but not University of North Carolina at are worth the effort, hard work, autobiographical. He said the Chapel Hill and lived in the state and pain. Best foods for diabetics caregiving storyline drew part- for about 17 years. “Many different foods can The project received support ly from his experience helping through the 2025 Filmed in help control or lower your blood care for his father-in-law. Born in the Philippines, Tal- NC Fund, and Talplacido was a sugar when you have diabetes. placido moved to North Carolina 2025 Lambda Literary Writers Consider adding these wholesome picks (in reasonable porin 2008 to pursue an MBA at the Retreat fellow. tion sizes) to your plate: • non-starchy vegetables: asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, leafy greens, mushrooms, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini • lean protein: beans, eggs, fish and shellfish, lean poultry, lean red meat (like sirloin or flank steak), lentils, reduced-fat cheese, and soy foods (like tofu
Mike Talplacido’s ‘In This Moment’ continues U.S. festival run by AJPress FILIPINO American filmmaker Mike Talplacido’s feature directorial debut, In This Moment, is continuing its U.S. festival run after premiering Aug. 23 at the Roxie Theater during the San Francisco Queer Film Festival. The 82-minute independent drama is scheduled to screen Sept. 18 at Cinema Diverse, the Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival, followed by a Sept. 25 appearance at the OUT at the Movies International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Set in North Carolina, the film follows Luis, a Filipino American writer, and his husband, David, as their marriage is tested by infidelity, grief and caregiving. Zeus Oira plays Luis, with John Wilkins III as David and Ellen B. Williams among the principal cast. Talplacido, who wrote and directed the film, has described
Singer-Actor Eduard Bañez Reconnects With His Motherland
EDUARD Bañez is a former Filipino actor and television host and a current U.S.-based educator and digital entrepreneur who identifies as a historian and philanthropist. After a diverse career in the Philippine entertainment industry, he joined his parents, Eduardo and Zarina Bañez of Baliuag, Bulacan, in Los Angeles, California, where he expanded his life’s focus toward education, community service, and global history. Bañez has a deep appreciation for heritage and history. After migrating to the United States, he pursued advanced studies in political arts and media history at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He prominently lists “historian” as a core part of his personal and professional identity. He also actively funds and supports charitable initiatives in the Philippines. His philanthropic work includes financing local church programs, assisting underprivileged children in areas such as Tondo, Manila, and sending financial relief to communities recovering from devastating floods and typhoons. He works as a media producer, content creator, and platform founder, shifting his focus to production and digital entrepreneurship. In Los Angeles, he leverages his background in the entertainment industry to build, manage, and produce content across a variety of self-started digital ventures. Operating as an independent producer in the “new generation of entertainment,” he designs digital media campaigns and targeted content tailored to niche markets. As a co-founder of lifestyle platforms, including a dedicated dating app, he directs the technical and media production pipelines for new applications. Bañez began pursuing his professional musical ambitions
and trailblazers, a wonderful friend of those who are struggling with weight and T2 diabetes, SGLP-1 class drug, was discovered. GLP-1 (glucagon like peptide) acts by mimicking a natural gut hormone that stimulates insulin secretion, slow down stomach emptying, and curbs the appetite/signal fullness (satiety) to the brain for us to stop eating. Those actions help treat diabetes and overweight. SGLP-1 was first in clinical use April 2019 in Europe, and on May 26 (my birthday!) 2023, it was introduced in the United States. Since then, 100 million people are on GLP-1 drug, with great clinical results. More than those two avenues of benefits from this class drug, clinicians have found added health wellness premiums to various organs (brain, heart, liver, kidneys, etc.) from these drugs. Complications from GLP-1 There is no drug in the world, including aspirin, our 129-yearold friend since August 10, 1897, that does not have potential side-effects. For GLP-1, some of the common side-effects are: nausea, vomiting, bloating, stomach pains, diarrhea, constipation, which happens when starting the drug, or when increasing the dose. Some of the more serious complications, which are reported as rare, less than 1-2 percent incidence: gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), acute pancreatitis, bowel obstruction, inflammation of the gall bladder, kidney injuries, worsening retinopathy, thyroid cancer (extremely rare). The super benefits from SGLP1 drugs massively outweighs the side-effects and possible complications from them. Metaphorically, T2 Diabetes Mellitus, is like a man-eating tiger, but when detected early, handled properly, can be tamed like a pet, to allow diabetics and those overweight (to trim down safely) to enjoy this fabulous world and a wonderful life. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, conferred by then Indiana Governor, later Senator, and then presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
Philippine tourism department partners with DreamWorks’ ‘Forgotten Island,’ offers Philippines trip Singer-host-actor Eduard Bañez.
Eduard Bañez with his dad Eduardo Bañez.
DreamWorks Forgotten Island © DWA LLC / Courtesy of Philippine Department of Tourism–North America by AJPress
More solo photos of Eduard Bañez.
Eduard Bañez with his beloved mom Zarina Eduard Bañez on the cover of Brixton U.K. Bañez.
by reviving Sharon Cuneta’s classic ballad “Kahit Maputi Na ang Buhok Ko.” Written by legendary composer Rey Valera, Bañez’s emotional rendition gained significant traction early in his career, garnering more than 120,000 views on YouTube. The milestone became a turning point, motivating him to take his singing career seriously. Shortly afterward, he was launched into the local entertainment industry as part of Star Magic Batch 15 in 2006, training alongside batchmates such as former Miss World Megan Young, Bela Padilla, and Jessy Mendiola.
Over the years, he worked as an MTV Asia host, a newscaster for Net25, and a news anchor for TV5’s Aksyon TV. He also broke into international media as a host for Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. He has also worked on international production sets alongside global icons such as Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, and Sia. *** 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: rogelio.medina@asianjournalinc.com
LOS ANGELES — The Philippine Department of Tourism-North America has partnered with DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, tying the upcoming Filipino-inspired animated feature to a campaign promoting travel to the Philippines. The collaboration includes a North American sweepstakes whose grand prize combines airfare to Manila with hotel stays in Tagaytay and El Nido. Forgotten Island, which opens in U.S. theaters Sept. 25, centers on Jo and Raissa, longtime friends preparing to go their separate ways after high school. Their final night together takes an unexpected turn when they enter a portal leading to Nakali, a fantastical island populated by beings drawn from stories they heard from their Filipino families. H.E.R. voices Jo and Liza Soberano plays Raissa. The cast also includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng and Lea Salonga. Joel Crawford and Filipino American filmmaker Januel Mercado wrote and directed the movie, with Mark Swift serving as producer. The three previously worked together on DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Universal Pictures is distributing the film. Under the tourism promotion, one grand-prize winner will receive one round-trip economy-class ticket to the Philippines provided by United Airlines. The package also includes a three-day, two-night stay in a Deluxe Room at Escala Tagaytay and a four-day, three-night stay
in a one-bedroom Premium Villa at Lihim Resorts in El Nido. Both hotel prizes include daily breakfast for two. The sweepstakes runs through Oct. 15 and is open to eligible legal residents of the United States and Canada who are at least 18 years old. No purchase is required, and entries are limited to one per person. A winner is scheduled to be chosen at random on or around Oct. 16 from eligible entries received during the promotion period. Airfare and hotel stays are subject to the conditions specified
in the official rules, including availability, validity periods and certain hotel blackout dates. Expenses not expressly included in the prize remain the winner’s responsibility. The sweepstakes is administered by Industry’s Finest LLC on behalf of the Philippine Department of Tourism-North America. United Airlines, Escala Tagaytay and Lihim Resorts in El Nido are providing the prize components. Complete eligibility requirements, entry instructions and prize conditions are available at philippinetourismusa.com/forgotten-island/.
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ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2026
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CHP crime suppression teams ICE arrests in San Francisco Bay report 15,000 arrests statewide Area rise nearly 70%, data shows by AJPress
by AJPress
SACRAMENTO — California Highway Patrol Crime Suppression Teams have made 15,197 arrests, recovered 7,042 stolen vehicles and seized 656 illicit firearms since Gov. Gavin Newsom launched the program in 2023. The initiative began in San Francisco before expanding in 2024 to Oakland, San Bernardino and Bakersfield. In August 2025, CHP extended the model to six regions: the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, Central Valley, Los Angeles, Inland Empire and San Diego. The teams work with local law enforcement on auto theft, violent crime, organized crime, illegal firearms and drug trafficking. Since the statewide expansion, CHP says the teams have made 5,949 arrests, recovered 1,192 stolen vehicles, seized 206 illicit firearms and confiscated 1.7 million grams of illegal drugs, including about 108 kilograms, or 240 pounds, of fentanyl. CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said the strategy combines intelligence-driven enforcement with local partnerships to target emerging crime trends and dangerous offenders. In February, a Crime Suppres-
SAN FRANCISCO — Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in the San Francisco area increased nearly 70% during the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to data released by UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. The project reported 4,970 ICE arrests from January through July 2026, up from 2,928 during the same period in 2025. David Hausman, co-director of the project and a UC Berkeley law professor, said arrests out-
side jails and prisons, including at immigration check-ins and in communities, have increased sharply. In July alone, the project recorded 982 arrests in San Francisco and 4,274 statewide, both described as record monthly totals in its data. University of San Francisco law professor Bill Hing said the figures indicate broader ICE activity throughout the Bay Area. He also said some people detained during immigration appointments have pending asylum claims. The project reported that
more than 600 children have been detained in California. The Department of Homeland Security disputed the project’s conclusions, saying ICE enforces immigration law and accusing researchers of presenting unaudited data without sufficient context. DHS said nearly 70% of people arrested by ICE nationwide have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. The Deportation Data Project obtained the enforcement information after seeking federal records and filing litigation for access.
California lawmakers approve tougher penalties for assaults on utility workers by AJPress File photo/www.gov.ca.gov
sion Team canine unit in Victorville helped apprehend a suspect wanted in connection with 15 attempted murder cases after receiving a federal alert. The Newsom administration also cited declines since 2024 in homicide, robbery, property crime, motor vehicle theft and
violent crime. California’s homicide rate is 3.5 per 100,000, which the administration said is the lowest since statewide reporting began in 1966. Nearly 400 CHP cadets are expected to graduate in 2026, bringing the total since 2019 to more than 2,900.
California lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1330, which would increase penalties for assault or battery against utility workers and send the measure to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Authored by Sen. Jesse Arreguín, D-Oakland, the bill would place utility workers among protected service professionals, including peace officers, health care workers, nurses and lifeguards. If signed, violations could carry up to one year
in county jail, a $2,000 fine, or both. Arreguín said the bill responds to attacks on utility workers. In March, PG&E workers in El Dorado County were fired upon while replacing a power pole, injuring one worker and two sheriff’s deputies. In August, a Southern California Edison crew in Mentone was shot at; the suspect later died following a shootout with deputies. Arreguín’s office said at least 450 violent incidents or threats have targeted workers of California’s major utilities since 2024.
Alameda moves to address vacant storefronts S.F. supervisor seeks to bar evictions for less than a month’s unpaid rent by AJPress
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The City of Alameda is considering zoning changes to reduce vacant storefronts along Park Street and Webster Street, its main commercial corridors. The Planning Board will hold a public hearing Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. on proposals to simplify approvals for retail, personal services, offices and other businesses.
The changes would update the Community Commercial and North Park Street Gateway zoning districts and related municipal code provisions. City officials said the proposal follows a review of regulations that may create unnecessary barriers for businesses seeking to open or expand. Following public input and review, the Planning Board will make a recommendation to the City Council, which will consider the amendments for adoption.
by AJPress
San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder is proposing legislation that would prevent landlords from evicting tenants for unpaid rent unless the amount exceeds one month of federally defined fair market rent. Current city rules allow eviction for any amount of unpaid rent. Fielder said the proposal would give renters greater protection during the city’s affordability and housing crisis. The threshold would be based on annual U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development notice. No reason has been publicly disclosed for figures. Current fair market rents in San Francisco are $2,485 for a studio, $2,977 for a one-bedroom the layoffs. Also in the tech sector, silicon chip designer Synopsys has unveiled plans to slash 128 jobs at its Sunnyvale headquarters. Those job cuts are set to take effect on Dec. 16. The latest round of tech layoffs come as we head into the final quarter of a year that has already blown past the total number of job cuts in the technology sector last year. There have been 123,305 tech employees laid off across 289 comby AJPress panies, according to tracking website layoffs.
Amazon cuts nearly 150 Bay Area jobs by AJPress SAN FRANCISCO - Amazon has announced plans to cut nearly 150 jobs around the Bay Area. A state filing with the Employment Development Department indicates that the e-commerce giant will be slashing 70 jobs in Sunnyvale and another 78 positions at its Bush Street office in San Francisco. The job cuts, which are set to take effect on Oct. 20, are all permanent, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN)
and $3,604 for a two-bedroom apartment. Fielder said the measure would not erase rent debt or allow tenants to live rent-free. Landlords could pursue eviction once the unpaid balance reaches the applicable threshold. Similar protections have been adopted in Los Angeles, Oakland and Berkeley. The legislation is co-sponsored by Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Shamann Walton, Connie Chan, Bilal Mahmood and Chyanne Chen and is supported by Mayor Daniel Lurie. Tenant advocates say evictions have increased as San Francisco rents have risen. The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the proposal beginning in October.
Mayor Lurie launches overhaul of San Francisco homelessness contracts
SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a multi-year effort to competitively reaward all San Francisco homelessness services and housing contracts, emphasizing measurable outcomes and greater accountability for public spending. Between now and May 2029, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing will review its entire contract portfolio using outcomes-based standards. The process begins with a request for information and input from service providers, people with lived experience of homelessness, advocates and community partners. The initiative is part of Lurie’s Breaking the Cycle plan addressing homelessness, addiction and behavioral health. The administration says unsheltered homelessness has fallen 22% to a 15-year low, while shelter placements have in-
creased 40%. More than 600 treatment-focused beds have also been added. Lurie said the city must ensure that roughly $1 billion in homelessness spending produces measurable results. Future contracts will establish clearer performance standards, link funding to outcomes and redirect resources when programs fail to meet expectations. Priorities include preventing homelessness, moving clients more quickly toward stable housing and ensuring city-funded programs operate responsibly within surrounding neighborhoods. HSH Executive Director Mike Levine called the initiative a reset of how San Francisco funds and delivers homelessness services. New contracts will be introduced in phases through May 2029 to maintain continuity of care, minimize disruption for clients and communities, and support the service-provider workforce during the transition.
Mayor Lurie announces $5.8 million to help San Franciscans retain CalFresh benefits by AJPress
benefits under the new requirements, while the program is exSAN FRANCISCO — Mayor pected to place more than 1,000 Daniel Lurie announced $5.8 mil- participants in qualifying comlion in grants to United Way Bay munity work assignments. Under H.R. 1, CalFresh recipiArea and Project Open Hand to help San Franciscans meet new ents ages 18 to 64 who are able federal work requirements and to work and do not have children under 14 must meet monthly retain CalFresh food assistance. The grants support the Cal- work requirements unless exFresh Community Works Pro- empt. Those who do not comply gram, administered by the San may receive benefits for only Francisco Human Services three months within a 36-month Agency. Officials estimate about period. United Way Bay Area will co17,000 residents could lose
ordinate nonprofit host sites across San Francisco, while Project Open Hand will oversee placements within its programs. Assignments are intended to help participants satisfy federal requirements while gaining workplace skills. The grants run through June 30, 2028. Lurie’s administration has also budgeted $34 million to help residents retain CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits following federal cuts and support broader food-access outreach across city.
Consulate Watch
Filipina Women’s Network launches Bay Area book donation initiative Young Fil-Ams explore Philippine culture during summer camp visit
The Philippine Consulate General in San Fran- highlighting Filipina leadership, literacy and cisco continued its community and cultural out- efforts to strengthen cultural awareness among reach in Northern California through programs younger Filipino Americans.
SAN FRANCISCO — Fifty-six young Filipino Americans in the Filipino Education Center Galing Bata’s Padayon Summer Camp visited the Philippine Center July 16 for an interactive program highlighting Philippine culture, heritage and traditions. Deputy Consul General Maria Paz G. Cortes welcomed the campers. Activities organized with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Silicon Valley, Philippine Department of Tourism Office and Philippine Center Management Board included traditional attire, tourism destinations, Filipino games, a sari-sari store activity and the
SAN FRANCISCO — The Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network launched “DISRUPTing Northern California: A Library on Every Block” July 29 at the San Francisco Public Library, with plans to donate 300 books across the Bay Area and beyond. The event also honored the late Helen Marte Bautista, an FWN founding member and former library
commissioner. Mayor Daniel Lurie presented a posthumous Certificate of Honor, while Consul General Arnel G. Talisayon recognized Bautista, FWN founder Marily Mondejar and the authors of the five-volume DISRUPT series, which features leadership stories from 167 Filipina women and their journeys overcoming significant personal barriers.
Summer campers wearing Filipiniana attire pose with FEC Galing Bata Program Director Shari Sarinas during the cultural study visit at the Philippine Center. San Francisco PCG photo
song Paa, Tuhod, Balikat, Ulo. The Consulate commended The program concluded with Galing Bata’s continuing cultur- From left, DISRUPT authors Janet Mendoza Stickmon, Michelle Florendo, Lucille Tenazas, Alicia del Prado and Ellen Samson participate in a Q&A a pabitin game. al education efforts. moderated by San Francisco Public Library Filipino American Center Program Manager Jaena Cabrera. San Francisco PCG photo
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