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SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2023 Volume 34 - No. 38 • 12 Pages
T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER
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PH boosts WPS watch with new US aircraft USA
DATELINE Undocumented Filipinos in US now estimated at 309,000 FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE Philippines is the sixth top source of undocumented (unauthorized) immigrants in the United States, a population estimated at 309,000 in 2021, according to Sept. 13 report by the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. The estimated unauthorized immigrant population in the U.S. was at 11.2 million in 2021, up from 11.0 million in 2019 and a larger annual growth rate seen since 2015. Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, India, Venezuela, China, Colombia and Brazil are the ten largest populations of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The estimates derive from MPI’s unique methodology, developed with demographer Jennifer Van Hook at The Pennsylvania State University’s Population Research Institute, to assign legal status PAGE 4
THE United States government on Tuesday, Sept. 19 handed over a surveillance aircraft to the Philippines for monitoring increasing incursions by China in the West Philippine Sea, particularly its alleged harvesting of corals in one of the areas that lie within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The turnover of the U.S. aircraft came days after China’s alleged large-scale destruction of corals and other marine life in the Rozul (Iroquois) Reef and Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea caught the world’s attention.
It also comes as a satellite image, which was released on Tuesday, showed at least suspected Chinese ships massing once again at Rozul Reef, which is 125 nautical miles from Palawan and situated at the southwest edge of Reed (Recto) Bank. Ray Powell, SeaLight director, said their imagery partners at Planet Labs provided “clear visual evidence” of at least 35 Chinese fishing and maritime militia vessels operating at Rozul Reef. Powell told The Manila Times that although they cannot determine by these particular images that
Maharlika Investment Fund challenge goes to PH Supreme Court by JULIE M. AURELIO, TINA G. SANTOS Inquirer.net
As AI rapidly develops, so do tech-based scams, FTC warns Text scammers utilize AI to steal sensitive information like passwords and Social Security numbers as scam-based losses increase ORGANIZED scam operations have been a serious threat since before the digital age. But with the onset of more sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it is significantly more difficult to escape the grasp of the booming scam industry, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns. Earlier this year, FTC Chair Lina Khan reported that the agency was seeing an uptick in criminals using highly advanced AI tools to “turbocharge” fraud and scams. “As this stuff becomes more embedded in how daily decisions are being made, I think they invite and merit a lot of scrutiny. Those problems and concerns are quite urgent, and I think enforcers, be it at the state level or the national level, are going to be acting,” Khan told Bloomberg earlier this year.
those ships were those of the Chinese maritime militia, “history, the size of the vessels, and their behavior tell us these are Chinese.” Historically, he pointed out that People’s Republic of China (PRC) vessels have been monitored “consistently” in that particular area. Likewise, Powell noted that neighboring Southeast Asian countries do not have fishing ships as large as those in the satellite image. The “swarming/rafting” behavior of the ships in the satellite image is also noticeable, he said, which PAGE 2
PRESIDENTIAL ADVICE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday, Sept. 19 to shun corruption and abuse so they could earn the people’s trust, as he emphasized the administration’s zero-tolerance policy for corruption and human rights abuses within the police force. Malacañang photo
MANILA — The Philippine Supreme Court was asked on Monday, September 18 to declare unconstitutional Republic Act (RA) No. 11954, or the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act of 2023, a petition that lawmakers said would not prosper because “exhaustive measures were taken” to meet all requirements of the 1987 Constitution and safeguards were installed against its misuse. In a 56-page petition for certiorari and prohibition, the petitioners — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares, and former Bayan Muna Reps. Carlos Isagani Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite — challenged the constitutionality of the MIF by claiming that it is a “dangerous” law as it “entrusts hundreds of billions in public funds to unknown fund managers and an amorphous ninemember Board of Directors.” Named respondents in the petition were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the Senate, and the House of PAGE 3
Divorce bill gets PH Senate panel’s nod Reintroduced ‘Reuniting by MAILA AGER
Families Act’ focuses on Asian immigrant families
Aside from the five authors, four others also signed the panel report, including Senators JV Ejercito, Grace Poe, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel MANILA — A panel in the Senate has III and Senate President Pro Tempore Loren finally approved a consolidated measure Legarda. “The state shall assure that the court that provides for an absolute divorce in the proceedings for the grant of absolute Philippines. Instituting divorce is part of Senate Bill No. divorce shall be affordable, expeditious, 2443, which aims to expand the grounds for and inexpensive, particularly for indigent litigants,” the bill reads, the dissolution of marriage. Absolute divorce is defined under the bill as It was approved by the Senate committee on by HANS CARBONILLA Inquirer.net women, children, family relation and gender “the legal termination of a marriage by a court equality, which also released a report for in a legal proceeding.” MANY Filipinos in the United A petition or complaint for divorce must plenary approval. Listed as authors of the consolidated bill be filed by one or both spouses, which would States aspire to reunite with their are panel head, Senator Risa Hontiveros, have “the effect of returning both parties to loved ones in the Philippines. While some are already living the Senators Raffy Tulfo, Robin Padilla, Senators PAGE 4 Pia Cayetano, and Imee Marcos. PAGE 2 “American Dream” with families, it can take decades for a U.S. citizen to reunite with even one family member. To address issues similar to this, the Reuniting Families Act aims to implement various measures to accelerate and enhance the process of family reunification. On Sept. 19, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) members and Asian attract foreign investments. immigrant rights activists by GAEA KATREENA CABICO But groups such as Karapatan, announced the reintroduction of Philstar.com National Union of Peoples’ the Reuniting Families Act and MANILA — Advocates called Lawyers, Kalikasan People’s zeroes in on Asian immigrant on the United Nations Human Network for the Environment families. Rights Council to examine and KATRIBU - Kalipunan ng First introduced by Rep. and the “alarming” human rights Katutubong Mamamayan ng CAPAC Chair Judy Chu (CA-28) situation under President Pilipinas stressed that Marcos in February 2018, the act refers Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the has shown little difference from to efforts to make it easier for policies that perpetuate it. his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte family members, such as spouses, Marcos has pledged that human in terms of human rights issues children, and parents, to reunite rights will be protected during his after more than a year in office. with families who are U.S. citizens A protester raises a placard during a demonstration in observance of the International term as he seeks to strengthen KATRIBU national convenor or legal permanent residents. Human Rights day in Manila last December 10, 2022. Philstar.com photo ties with the United States and These reforms may involve PAGE 4 Inquirer.net
The legislation seeks to increase the visas per country limits from 7 percent to 15 percent
Advocates urge UN action on ‘alarming’ human rights situation under Marcos Jr.
changes in visa categories, processing times, and other aspects of the immigration system to prioritize and expedite reunification. Bureaucratic delays at major play At a press conference near Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Chu expressed concern that due to bureaucratic delays, threequarters of the family visas that were supposed to be issued in 2021 have been lost. In a livestream on X (formerly Twitter), Chu pinpointed the fact that Asians comprised over a million people who are still in immigration backlogs for years. “I’m particularly concerned about how this backlog is affecting families from Asia. Asians make up not only 80 percent of the employment visa backlog but they make up 40 percent of the four million family-based visa backlog,” she said. “Family-based immigration is an American value and contributes to the economic prosperity and resilience of our nation, but our broken immigration system forces PAGE 2