2 OctOber 13-15, 2021 • Socal ASIAN JOUrNAL
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From the Front Page
PH government urges US to... PAGE 1 Bellevue where she succumbed to her injuries on Saturday, Oct. 9. In a statement on Sunday, Oct. 10, the Philippine Consulate General in New York said the incident is the latest in the series of violent acts against members of the Filipino Community in New York City since the start of 2021. “Beginning January, we have seen several of our kababayan, most of them senior citizens, violently assaulted by individuals with mental health issues,” it added.
Ambrocio’s attacker is currently in the custody of the New York police. He was identified as Jermaine Foster, 26, of Irvington, New Jersey. According to FOX 5, Foster snatched a phone away from a 29-year-old woman near the scene of the incident. As he attempted to flee, he pushed Ambrocio to the ground. The suspect has been charged with second degree murder. The consulate, for its part, urged authorities to take the necessary steps to protect the public as well as address mental health issues.
“We have joined calls for authorities to take the necessary steps, including heightened police visibility, to protect the public after we noted the surge in anti-Asian hate incidents that targeted some of our kababayan. We also supported calls for authorities to take the necessary measures to address mental health issues, especially among the homeless,” it said. “We reiterate these calls as we mourn our loss but we also ask ourselves: How many more Maria Ambrocios do we have to mourn before the streets would be made safe again?” it added. n
‘Everybody is hurting’: Community mourns... PAGE 1
more resources available to make this happen,” Cato said. Cruz and Lardizabal spoke with the media outside St. Francis of Assisi in midtown and shared their memories of Ambrocio who passed away Saturday, Oct. 9 after more than 24 hours on life support. They have been friends with Ambrocio for almost 20 years. At the Bayonne Medical Center, Ambrocio was known as “a caring nurse and a wonderful person” who went out of her way to help others. She is remembered by colleagues on how she mentored the younger nurses among them. An oncology nurse, Ambrocio worked at BMC with Cruz. “She is kindhearted, she is not selfish, she always brings food and our co-workers miss her a lot. Everybody is hurting,” she said. One other colleague described her as an “angel sent by God to guard and be with her during her long and difficult journey to a foreign land,” and “who gave her the hope and courage to live and survive the harsh conditions of the concrete jungle of New York City.” In a statement posted on social media, the CEO of CarePoint Health called Ambrocio a longtime devoted and cherished member of the hospital’s family. “Maria devoted her life to helping others, caring for patients, and serving the community. She was caring,
Maria Ambrosio Photo courtesy of Facebook
compassionate, and outgoing. She loved to take pictures and spend time with friends and family. At work, she was generous and always promoted teamwork and positivity,” said Dr. Achintya Moulick. “Maria always appreciated those she worked with and was grateful for the comradery and teamwork.” Compassionate nurse “We always walked in New York together. She is a good person, loving, she is very honest and loyal to her friends, very religious and very good to her family,” Cruz recalled, adding that they were on their way to the Philippine Consulate after a visit to the Philippine National Bank on Seventh Avenue. Lardizabal said she heard the commotion less than a block away and the next thing he saw was a “tall, slender man” barreling directly towards them.
She then heard a thud and when she looked down, her friend was already on the ground unconscious. “I saw her on the ground, ‘Oh my God, Ningning!’…she was right beside me,” she said in between sobs. “I don’t know how I am going to recover from this. She has always been with me.” The robbery suspect, 26-yearold Jermaine Foster was fleeing with a woman’s phone police say he snatched on Broadway and West 40th Street. Foster was charged with murder in the second degree after he was arraigned in court Sunday following Ambrocio’s death. He was arrested Friday for two separate incidents — stealing the cellphone and breaking into an apartment. Among those who attended the memorial mass was theater performer Miguel Braganza who was mugged and attacked outside his apartment last August. “I’m here to just be with the friends and family of Luningning,” he said. “This is a major problem and the city should not take it for granted. When it happened to me, I have friends who sent me messages na nangyari din sa kanila, verbal to physical abuse.” Father Julian Jagudilla called on the dozens of Filipinos who attended the memorial mass to “look after each other and take care of each other”. “There are many more testimonials and anecdotes
u PAGE 4
OVERLOADED. Commuters hang on the steel bars over the estribo (footboard) of the passenger jeepney along Marikina-Infanta Highway in Antipolo City on Tuesday, October 12. Passenger jeepneys may not exceed half of their regular seating capacities under government regulation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Palace urges journalists to respect its stance... PAGE 1 the face of the government, adding that “no one has ever been censored in the Philippines.” “Perhaps we should quote F. Sionil Jose because it does not help if this comes from Malacañang. So this comes from a National Artist: ‘I have criticized Duterte but not on press freedom. The Philippine press is alive and well not because of Maria Ressa. No writer is in jail. There is no censorship. Duterte hasn’t closed a single newspaper or radio
station. The closure of ABS-CBN was made by Congress which did not renew the ABS-CBN franchise,’” he said. “Sure, he has influenced Congress but the real issue against ABS-CBN, as I have pointed out, is not press freedom but money, politics, power and its abuse by the Lopezes who own the TV network. Sure, journalists have been killed in the Duterte regime but just as it were in the past administrations; but those killings cannot be laid at
Duterte’s door,’” he continued. To conclude, Roque said: “Let’s say Malacañang agrees with our national artist.” Last week, Ressa won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize along with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov for safeguarding the freedom of expression. According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ressa “uses freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in the Philippines.” n
Duterte takes responsibility for COVID-19... PAGE 1 “Kung kasalanan man ‘yan, walang iba diyan kung ‘di ako na. Aaminin ko na ‘yan, ako ‘yung nakaupo ngayon sa opisina ko (If that’s a crime, there’s no one else to blame. I admit it is my fault, I am the one sitting in the office),” he added. However, Duterte assured that the government now has money to procure more vaccines against COVID-19. “Fortunately, we have some money. According to (Finance) Secretary (Carlos) Dominguez (III), we have the money. We have the money to pay for the vaccines
for all Filipinos,” he said. He also addressed the Filipinos still hesitant to get inoculated, saying they would get the vaccine while asleep. “Iyan ang problema ‘yung ayaw, ayaw magpabakuna. Kaya hanapin ninyo ‘yan sa barangay ninyo. Akyatin natin ‘pag tulog at turukin natin habang natutulog para makumpleto ‘yung istorya (That’s the problem, those who do not want to get vaccinated. Look for them in your barangay. Let’s go to their places while they are sleeping and inject the vaccine on them so the
story can be completed),” said Duterte. “Eh kung ayaw, eh ‘di akyatin sa bahay eh, tusukin natin sa gabi (If they do not want it, let’s go to their house, vaccinate them at night)...I will lead the journey,” he added. The Philippines currently has a total of 87,690,960 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in its inventory, of which 49,673,491 doses have been administered nationwide. So far, a total of 26,486,522 individuals in the country have received their first dose, while 23,186,969 others have been fully vaccinated. n
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Dateline USa
PFIZER DELIVERY. The latest shipment of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines donated by the United States through the COVAX Facility arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Monday, October 11. Unicef’s Bernardo Bersola; Assistant Secretary Wilben Mayor, also the chief of staff of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process; U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs officer Nina Lewis; and Health Undersecretary Ma. Carolina Taiño pose with the boxes containing 924,300 doses of the U.S.-made jabs. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Q&A: COVID-19 vaccine mandate... PAGE 1 long term side effects? A: The vaccine is proven safe and effective and currently available for children 12+. Side effects are typically mild and normal after receiving a vaccination. Even though children generally have lower rates of COVID-19 and spread the virus less than adults, it is possible for children to become seriously ill from the coronavirus. So, it’s important to make sure eligible children get vaccinated to significantly reduce their risk of becoming sick or spreading the virus to someone else, including younger children in the home. Q: What is the new state requirement? A: Children must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend schools in person, starting the school term after the vaccines have full approval from the FDA for two different groups. The requirement will be phased in by grade span, first grades 7-12 and then K-6. School staff will also need to be vaccinated by the time the requirement applies to the first cohort. Q: What’s the deadline for getting children vaccinated? A. The requirement will take effect at the start of the following term, meaning either January 1st or July 1st, whichever comes first. This will also give both parents and schools sufficient time to prepare and
implement. Based on current projections for full approval for ages 12+, we anticipate the requirement would apply to grades 7-12 starting on July 1, 2022. Q: Aren’t teachers and administrators already required to be vaccinated? A: Right now, they have the option to be tested for the virus regularly if they are not vaccinated, but that option will disappear once the FDA gives final approval for that first student cohort. Q: What if my child isn’t old enough to be vaccinated? A: The requirement will only apply to children eligible to be vaccinated. No vaccines have been approved yet for children younger than 12, but that could happen later this year or early next year. Q: What other vaccines are required for California school kids? A: Vaccine requirements to attend school are not unusual. California already requires kids to have immunizations for polio, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP), measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), hepatitis B and varicella (chickenpox). Q: Are there any exceptions? A: Yes, there will be exceptions for medical reasons and personal and religious beliefs. Students who are not vaccinated will be permitted to enroll
in independent study, but they will not be allowed to attend class in person. Q: There are still concerns from some in the Chinese community about getting the vaccine and its safety. What would you tell those who still aren’t vaccinated? A: Please get vaccinated. We know the vaccines are overwhelmingly safe thanks to the rigorous safety trials that included people of different genders, ethnicities, ages and pre-existing conditions as well as the ongoing efforts to monitor safety as millions of people receive the vaccine. Unvaccinated people were 8.1 times more likely to get COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people between September 12 and September 18, 2021. The COVID-19 vaccines offer a high degree of protection against severe disease, hospitalizations, and death, including against the highly contagious Delta variant. Don’t take a chance with your life. Get vaccinated. Q: Where can families get more information about the vaccine and to make an appointment? A: Visit the state’s websites at www.vaccinateall58.com or www.myturn.ca.gov for more information on the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and to make a vaccination appointment. n
SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • OCtObeR 13-15, 2021
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4 OctOber 13-15, 2021 • Socal ASIAN JOUrNAL
Dateline USa
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‘Are you going to keep me safe?’ Hospital workers sound alarm on rising violence by Bram
P1-BILLION CHECK. PCSO General Manager Royina Garma (2nd from left) turns over the check worth P1 billion to Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) Collecting Officer Purita Belgica (2nd from right) in a ceremony at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City on Monday, October 11. In April, the Department of Finance requested additional dividends from PCSO’s retained earnings from its charity fund for 2019. PNA photo by Joey Razon
PH ranks 7th in global COVID-19 cases with... PAGE 1
relax further the curfew hours starting October 13, which would now be from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. • A pandemic task force official said the government will put up command centers
across the country to address the high demand for medical oxygen amid the coronavirus pandemic. • The Philippines received more supply of Pfizer’s COVID19 vaccine: 924,300 donated by the United States and 272,610
doses procured by government. • New COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila in the last seven days decreased to less than 2,000, the OCTA Research said. The virus’s reproduction rate in the capital region was also down to 0.61. n
‘Everybody is hurting’: Community mourns...
PAGE 2 that would reveal just how much Luningning was loved and admired and how much she brightened people’s lives, ultimately, measuring up to her name – Luningning, which means sparkle or brilliance in Filipino,” Cato said in his remarks, describing what happened to Ambrocio as “an unfortunate incident that could have probably been avoided had the streets of New York been made safer.” Consulate’s plea The Consul General noted that the incident happened at a time when violence against members of the Filipino community and the larger Asian and Pacific Islander community—whether induced by pandemic-exacerbated xenophobia or by mental illness—remains on the rise. According to Cato, at least nine members of the Filipino community have been at the receiving end of unprovoked acts of violence that have been reported to or monitored by the Philippine Consulate since January. He mentioned the 72-yearold Filipina who ended up in the ICU after she was assaulted while entering her apartment
Maria Ambrocio’s friends Emilia Cruz (left) and Norma Lardizabal (right) speak to the media outside of St. Francis of Assisi church in Midtown New York on Monday, October 11. The pair were with Ambrocio when the assault happened. AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
building in Queens. This was followed by the face slashing of Noel Quintana, a 61-year-old Filipino on board a subway train in Manhattan, and the violent attack on Vilma Kari, a 65-yearold Filipina who was walking to church also in Manhattan. A few weeks ago, a 67-year-old Filipina nurse was also assaulted while distributing face masks on a subway train also in Manhattan and more recently, a 75-year-old Filipina was badly injured after she was shoved while exiting a subway station in Queens.
“Most, if not all, of those who were behind these acts of violence, are mentally ill and homeless individuals and, according to reports, there are more than 12,000 of them in the streets of New York City,” Cato said. “The Filipino Community stands in solidarity with many others who have been calling on authorities to give more focus on improving mental health care as well as in strengthening ‘Kendra’s Law’ so that dangerous people could be taken off the streets.” n
THE San Leandro Hospital emergency department, where nurse Mawata Kamara works, went into lockdown recently when a visitor, agitated about being barred from seeing a patient due to COVID-19 restrictions, threatened to bring a gun to the California facility. It wasn’t the first time the department faced a gun threat during the pandemic. Earlier in the year, a psychiatric patient well known at the department became increasingly violent, spewing racial slurs, spitting toward staffers and lobbing punches before eventually threatening to shoot Kamara in the face. “Violence has always been a problem,” Kamara said. “This pandemic really just added a magnifying glass.” In the earliest days of the pandemic, nightly celebrations lauded the bravery of front-line health care workers. Eighteen months later, those same workers say they are experiencing an alarming rise in violence in their workplaces. A nurse testified before a Georgia Senate study committee in September that she was attacked by a patient so severely last spring she landed in the ER of her own hospital. At Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, security was called to the COVID unit, said nurse Jenn Caldwell, when a visitor aggressively yelled at the nursing staff about the condition of his wife, who was a patient. In Missouri, a tripling of physical assaults against nurses prompted Cox Medical Center Branson to issue panic buttons that can be worn on employees’ identification badges. Hospital executives were already attuned to workplace violence before the pandemic struck. But stresses from COVID have exacerbated the problem, they say, prompting increased security, deescalation training and pleas for civility. And while many hospitals work to address the issue on their own, nurses and other workers are pushing federal legislation to create enforceable standards nationwide. Paul Sarnese, an executive at Virtua Health in New Jersey and president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, said many studies show health care workers are much more likely to be victims of aggravated assault than workers in any other industry. Federal data shows health care workers faced 73% of all nonfatal injuries from workplace violence in the U.S. in 2018. It’s too early to have comprehensive stats from the pandemic. Even so, Michelle Wallace, chief nursing officer at Grady Health System in Georgia, said the violence is likely even higher because many victims of patient assaults don’t report them. “We say, ‘This is part of our job,’” said Wallace, who advocates for more reporting. Caldwell said she had been a nurse for less than three months the first time she was assaulted at work — a patient spit at her. In the
SaBle-Smith and andy miller Kaiser Health News
four years since, she estimated, she hasn’t gone more than three months without being verbally or physically assaulted. “I wouldn’t say that it’s expected, but it is accepted,” Caldwell said. “We have a lot of people with mental health issues that come through our doors.” Jackie Gatz, vice president of safety and preparedness for the Missouri Hospital Association, said a lack of behavioral health resources can spur violence as patients seek treatment for mental health issues and substance use disorders in ERs. Life can also spill inside to the hospital, with violent episodes that began outside continuing inside or the presence of law enforcement officers escalating tensions. A February 2021 report from National Nurses United — a union in which both Kamara and Caldwell are representatives — offers another possible factor: staffing levels that don’t allow workers sufficient time to recognize and de-escalate possibly volatile situations. COVID unit nurses also have shouldered extra responsibilities during the pandemic. Duties such as feeding patients, drawing blood and cleaning rooms would typically be conducted by other hospital staffers, but nurses have pitched in on those jobs to minimize the number of workers visiting the negative-pressure rooms where COVID patients are treated. While the workload has increased, the number of patients each nurse oversees is unchanged, leaving little time to hear the concerns of visitors scared for the well-being of their loved ones — like the man who aggressively yelled at the nurses in Caldwell’s unit. In September, 31% of hospital nurses surveyed by that union said they had faced workplace violence, up from 22% in March. Dr. Bryce Gartland, hospital group president of Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare, said violence has escalated as the pandemic has worn on, particularly during the latest wave of infections, hospitalization and deaths. “Front-line health care workers and first responders have been on the battlefield for 18 months,” Garland said. “They’re exhausted.” Like the increase in violence on airplanes, at sports arenas and school board meetings, the rising tensions inside hospitals could be a reflection of the mounting tensions outside them. William Mahoney, president of Cox Medical Center Branson, said national political anger is acted out locally, especially when staffers ask people who come into the hospital to put on a mask. Caldwell, the nurse in Kansas City, said the physical nature of COVID infections can contribute to an increase in violence. Patients in the COVID unit often have dangerously low oxygen levels. “People have different political views — they’re either CNN or Fox News — and they start yelling at you, screaming at you,” Mahoney said. “When that happens, they be-
come confused and also extremely combative,” Caldwell said. Sarnese said the pandemic has given hospitals an opportunity to revisit their safety protocols. Limiting entry points to enable COVID screening, for example, allows hospitals to funnel visitors past security cameras. Research Medical Center recently hired additional security officers and provided de-escalation training to supplement its video surveillance, spokesperson Christine Hamele said. In Branson, Mahoney’s hospital has bolstered its security staff, mounted cameras around the facility, brought in dogs (“people don’t really want to swing at you when there’s a German shepherd sitting there”) and conducted deescalation training — in addition to the panic buttons. Some of those efforts pre-date the pandemic but the COVID crisis has added urgency in an industry already struggling to recruit employees and maintain adequate staffing levels. “The No. 1 question we started getting asked is, ‘Are you going to keep me safe?’” Mahoney said. While several states, including California, have rules to address violence in hospitals, National Nurses United is calling for the U.S. Senate to pass the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act that would require hospitals to adopt plans to prevent violence. “With any standard, at the end of the day you need that to be enforced,” said the union’s industrial hygienist, Rocelyn de LeonMinch. Nurses in states with laws on the books still face violence, but they have an enforceable standard they can point to when asking for that violence to be addressed. De Leon-Minch said the federal bill, which passed the House in April, aims to extend that protection to health care workers nationwide. Destiny, the nurse who testified in Georgia using only her first name, is pressing charges against the patient who attacked her. The state Senate committee is now eyeing legislation for next year. Kamara said the recent violence helped lead her hospital to provide de-escalation training, although she was dissatisfied with it. San Leandro Hospital spokesperson Victoria Balladares said the hospital had not experienced an increase in workplace violence during the pandemic. For health care workers such as Kamara, all this antagonism toward them is a far cry from the early days of the pandemic when hospital workers were widely hailed as heroes. “I don’t want to be a hero,” Kamara said. “I want to be a mom and a nurse. I want to be considered a person who chose a career that they love, and they deserve to go to work and do it in peace. And not feel like they’re going to get harmed.” This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. n
California becomes the first state to require...
PAGE 1 A model for ethnic studies has been a priority among education advocates and state lawmakers from the five ethnic caucuses (Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Jewish, Latino, and Native American), who believe that social studies curricula neglected many cultural groups “America is shaped by our shared history, much of it painful and etched with woeful injustice,” Newsom said in a statement regarding the mandate. “Students deserve to see themselves in their studies, and they must understand our nation’s full history if we expect them to one day build a more just society.” According to the California Department of Education (CDE), more than 75% of K-12 students attending public school are nonwhite, meaning a vast majority are students of color. Educators and lawmakers — including California Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside), who authored AB 101 — argue that a more inclusive social studies model that more accurately reflects the demographic makeup of the state would benefit the rapidly diversifying student body. Specifically, the ethnic studies requirement is designed to help fill in the gaps that previous social studies curricula had in regards to the histories of the struggle of marginalized communities. “The inclusion of ethnic studies in the high school curriculum is long overdue,” Medina said in a statement. “Students cannot have a full understanding of the history of our state and nation without the inclusion of the contributions and
struggles of Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans.” The new law comes after a tumultuous 2020 and the so-called summer of racial reckoning which spurred renewed conversations of race, ethnicity, and justice in America. Since then, the state has expedited the drafting of the ethnic studies curriculum, which had already been in the works for three years. But previous versions — one of which was vetoed by Newsom last year — were criticized for the exclusions of some groups, like the Arab, Armenian, Jewish, and Sikh American communities, and for being too politically correct. Older drafts of the bill included niche terms like “cisheteropatriarchy” and “hxrstory” as well as lesson plans that described capitalism as the root of exploitation toward native people and communities of color. Despite the historic value of the curriculum’s inclusion in high school classrooms, the mandate has its critics. Republican and conservative groups have been campaigning for months against any teachings that remotely touched on critical race theory, an interdisciplinary study of structural and systemic racism. Others think that the bill is not thorough enough in its mission to offer a more inclusive and complete look into the histories of certain groups. Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum — a group of educators and experts that consult school districts and who
contributed to the early drafts of the mandate — argued that the curriculum that Newsom signed into law is “a watered-down version” of history, citing lessons that were excluded in the final draft like “the true causes of police brutality” against the Black American community. California becoming the first state to mandate an ethnic studies requirement aptly reflects the state’s history in cultivating ethnic studies as a branch of academic study. The ethnic studies movement dates back to the 1960s, when students from San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley demanded the inclusion of courses that covered African American, Asian American, Chicano and Native American studies. The state’s requirement follows ground-breaking ethnic studies requirements that school districts across the state implemented over the last couple of years. Last year, the Los Angeles Unified School District — the second-largest school district in the nation — approved a district-wide ethnic studies course requirement in order to graduate, starting with the 2023-2024 academic year, as previously reported in the Asian Journal. Other school systems — like the California State University system — also recently approved an ethnic studies requirement for graduation. “It’s been a long wait,” Medina said. “I think schools are ready now to make curricula that is more equitable and more reflective of social justice.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
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Dateline PhiliPPines
PH’s pandemic scars seen turning off foreign investors by Gabriel
Pabico Inquirer.net
lalu
MANILA — Economic scars left by the coronavirus pandemic would make the Philippines among the least attractive destinations for foreign direct investments in Asia Pacific over the next decade, according to a new report released on Monday, October 11. Out of 14 Asia Pacific economies tracked by UK-based Oxford Economics, the Philippines ranked 13th in terms of ability to attract FDIs, which come in the form of investments from multinational companies opening up shop here and boosting local employment. This is because pandemic scars run deep in the country. Oxford Economics gave the Philippines an “overall scarring” score of -0.4, matching the score of Taiwan which emerged as the least appealing Asia-Pacific economy for FDIs over the next 10 years. “This adds further weight to our forecast that the extent of economic scarring caused by the pandemic will be especially large in the Philippines,” the think tank said. Oxford Economics’ FDI attractiveness scorecard examined an economy’s appeal to foreign investments based on five indicators, namely labor dynamics, quality of infrastructure and logistics, political and business climate, market size and growth prospects, and export structure.
Under labor dynamics, the Philippines scored 0.3, among highest in the region, because of its relatively young workforce and cheap labor costs. The country likewise bagged good scores in terms of market size and export structure. However, the country got a score of -1.3 in terms of quality of infrastructure and logistics despite the Duterte administration’s hefty investments in the past five years under its “Build, Build, Build” program. In its report, Oxford Economics forecasts infrastructure investment in the Philippines to account for 2.3% of gross domestic product by 2025, among the lowest in the region. The Philippines also scored poorly in political and business climate with a rating of -0.8 due to its protectionist Constitution that limits foreign investments and persistent difficulties in opening up a business in the country. Overall, Taiwan emerged as the least attractive Asia-Pacific economy to FDIs in the next 10 years after the pandemic and US-China tensions led to some reshoring of manufacturing by Taiwanese multinationals. China, meanwhile, remains the top destination for FDI given its “rapidly growing domestic market” and investment liberalization efforts over recent years. Oxford Economics projects inflows to China to account for over 9% of global FDI over the next decade. FDI reaches 19-month high
Lacson, Sotto vow discipline for Cabinet by Paolo
roMero Philstar.com
MANILA — Cabinet officials will not be spared from prosecution if caught engaged in illegal activities under the leadership of Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III if they win as president and vice president, respectively, in the 2022 elections. “If we become president and vice president of this country, Filipinos may yet witness the spectacle of a Cabinet member turned rogue being arrested for extortion. This is the kind of discipline that the Lacson-Sotto leadership intends to instill in government officials,” Lacson said. “It’s about time we make example of high-ranking officials. We cannot fire the small fry just to let the big fish continue to extort,” Lacson said in an interview on Radyo 5. He also pushed anew for the digitalization and interoperability of systems in government agencies to minimize corruption. Lacson said while government agencies, such as the Bureau of Customs (BOC), are computerized, their systems are not yet automated so human intervention and red tape are still possible. “If you just change the personnel, they will be lost in their new assignments. Worse, if they get bitten by the corruption bug, the problem starts all over again,” he said. Lacson noted that several BOC personnel would merely observe the new head for a few weeks to see if he or she has the political will to reject corruption. “People can reform too, but if they see the new head would give in to corrupt personnel and practices, they will all backslide,” he said. n
Latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed FDIs to the Philippines posted a net inflow of $1.3 billion in July, the largest in 19 months. Year-on-year, FDIs grew 52% in July. That brought the sevenmonth net inflows to $5.6 billion, up 43.1% compared with the same period last year. For this year, the BSP sees FDIs posting a net inflow of $7 billion. Driving the surge in FDIs in July was the rebound in economic production everywhere back then, said Nicholas Antonio Mapa, senior economist at ING Bank in Manila. This was a month before the hyper-contagious Delta variant triggered another hard lockdown in August. “The pickup in July FDI is an important and welcome development. The overall improvement in real sector activity compared to last year, both in the Philippines and globally contributed to the rebound in direct investment flows,” Mapa said in an email exchange. “Should the recovery continue, we can look forward to a modest recovery in direct investments, which will help bolster the recovery efforts further,” he added. n
Health workers hold a rally outside the Lung Center of the Philippines on Monday, October 11 to air their demand for better benefits. ManilaTimes.net photo by John Orven Verdote
Health experts to Duterte: Don’t hinder Senate probe by red
Mendoza ManilaTimes.net
A GROUP of doctors and health experts called on President Rodrigo Duterte to allow key government officials to testify in the Senate investigation into the questionable purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers. In its manifesto, the group also urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to create an “independent panel,” which would investigate claims of corruption in the Department of Health (DOH).
The more than 300 physicians, including six former officials of the DOH, who signed the manifesto said the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed “free and unrestrained politicians and people with absolutely no competence in running the country, much less this catastrophic health debacle, to abuse power with impunity, misuse and steal taxpayers’ money and insult their intelligence, feed on the Filipinos’ desperation and helplessness at the time when their plea for true leadership is loudest but has remained unheeded.”
“Ito pong alleged na pangyayari na ito ay nangyari sa gitna ng pandemya habang kami po ay nagbubuwis at naghihirap sa pakikipaglaban sa COVID-19 para mailigtas ang mga Pilipinong nagkakasakit (These alleged corrupt activities happened at the height of the pandemic when we were fighting COVID-19 to make every sick Filipino safe),” Dr. Ma. Encarnita Limpin, president of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), said during a media forum on Monday. Dr. Norbert Uy, a former presu PAGE 7
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WITH the campaign for the presidency in the May 2022 elections having begun in earnest, it is time for the candidates to move beyond promoting their personalities and political affiliations and begin addressing the many substantial issues faced by the nation. After all, if one is bold enough to apply for a job, he or she must be prepared to have something relevant to say in the interview. Voters also benefit from a deeper discussion of the issues that should be included in any presidential candidate’s platform. Too often, candidates resort to repeating mere buzzwords and motherhood statements such as “provide economic opportunities,” “improve peace and order” or “achieve food security” to curry favor with voters without explaining — and in some cases, perhaps not even fully understanding themselves — what those ideas mean. Voters cannot make informed choices if they are not actually informed, and so in the coming weeks we will from time to time share our views on key election issues. These views can be regarded as what we would like to see in candidates’ detailed policy platforms, but to be clear, they are not endorsements. Rather, they are offered as “talking points” for the all-important interview between candidates and voters. As the Philippines recovers economically from the coronavirus pandemic and then moves beyond recovery to return to growth — a trajectory we are confident will be realized within the next year or two — implementation of a responsive energy policy will be critical to the country’s success. Despite the gains made in the 20 years since the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) of 2001, the Philippines is still beset by chronic problems of high energy costs and insufficient and sometimes unreliable supply. Until these problems are resolved, the Philippines will continue to fall short of its investment and economic
growth potential, and continue to be at risk from external shocks, such as the crisis in energy supply and prices currently spreading around the globe. A responsive energy policy for the Philippines has three pillars: more government investment in energy; promoting diversified investments development in energy resources, with preference given to sustainable energy; and comprehensive reform of the energy regulatory structure and market. Again, as these are planks in a policy platform, each candidate may have different ideas about how to realize each of the objectives; these simply represent broad problems for which there may be a number of reasonable solutions. We can, however, offer some examples of what we believe would be a productive approach to managing the country’s energy. With respect to government investment in energy, the Epira mandates that electricity generation and distribution be privatized, but where government can improve energy security and the investment environment is in, on the one hand, properly funding what infrastructure it still does control (such as the power barges and other small plants managed by the National Power Corp.) and on the other, subsidizing or partially subsidizing incentives such as the feed-in tariff to encourage development, particularly in renewable energy. This would, in turn, enable government to
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
diversify its energy strategy and encourage development of potentially productive sources that have until now been given very little attention. Most of these, of course, are renewable energy sources, such as biomass generation, tidal power, and hydrogen energy storage, and these, along with the more familiar solar, wind, hydro and geothermal sources should be given preference. A diversified strategy can also include other, not necessarily “sustainable” but still cleaner and more efficient sources, so long as they represent a substantial improvement over current, obsolete means of creating electricity.
Finally, reforms to the regulatory structure and energy markets are badly needed; shortcomings in these areas are more responsible than anything else for the Philippines’ lack of progress in energy development. Good ideas such as expanding distribution competition, creating a forwards market to reduce power price volatility, and expanding renewable distributed energy generation have been slowed or thwarted entirely by a planning and regulatory structure built on outmoded ideas and awash in red tape, and that is something that desperately needs to change. (ManilaTimes.net)
Enormous challenges face our next president
Babe’s Eye View BaBe Romualdez WITH at least five major candidates filing for president of the country in the May 2022 elections, there is no doubt that popularity will not be enough to bring the country together, but the ability of the new leadership to put together a good economic team, coupled with experienced health experts in the aftermath of the worst pandemic to hit the world. Whoever will be inaugurated as the next occupant of Malacañang will face enormous challenges. As highly respected NEDA chief Karl Chua said, it will take 10 years for the economy of the Philippines to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and return to pre-pandemic growth. While the economy is slowly recovering and is expected to expand by up to five percent this year and up to nine percent next year as growth prospects remain promising – the losses will be felt up to the next 10 to 40 years, Secretary Karl warned. A key factor in sustainable re-
Commonsense
maRichu VillanueVa THIS is a free country. Everybody and anybody can dream. But to the very few who made it to the presidency, they believe it was destiny, fate. In principle, we cannot begrudge the 97 Filipinos who boldly stepped up to offer themselves as candidates vying to be elected as successor to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. This number will be down to less than ten though once the Commission on Elections (Comelec) makes the final cut of these presidential wannabes. In the end, we might have more or less five candidates who are really serious contenders in next year’s presidential contest. Officially, the Comelec reported this total number of 97 aspirants who filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) to enter the May 9, 2022 presidential elections. On the other hand, 29 individuals filed their COCs to signify their ardent dreams also to become the next Vice President (VP) of
covery would be the vaccination rollout, as averred in the September Call Market Report issued by economists from First Metro Investment Corp. and the University of Asia and the Pacific, who said they “remain confident that the economy will overcome the current obstacles – especially with faster vaccination rollouts and better weather conditions.” It goes without saying that economic recovery will be an uphill climb, with the government doing a tough balancing act between lives and livelihood. Several positive developments are driving optimism however, such as the decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and the lowering of hospital admissions. The government is set on vaccinating at least 50 percent of the target population by the end of this year, and speeding up the rollout to reach the target of 80 to 90 percent immunization by the first quarter of 2022. Secretary Charlie Galvez has confirmed that we have secured enough vaccines, which is why guidelines for the inoculation of children aged 12 to 17 is now being drafted to expand the vaccination coverage. In addition,
booster shots will be administered to health care workers starting in November. Worldwide scientists are optimistic that the pandemic will be “under control” by next year because of the effectiveness of the vaccines, particularly the US-made ones, plus the emergence of promising drugs and other therapies to treat severe COVID-19 infection. According to the Asian Development Bank, sustained growth in public infrastructure spending is necessary for the country’s economic growth this year and next. Even the United States recognizes the importance of investing in infrastructure to revive its economy, underscored by the massive $2-trillion social infrastructure bill being pushed by President Biden. Under the proposed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, new spending is outlined to modernize, improve or rehabilitate roads, bridges and transport systems over a period of five years as America’s roadways are deteriorating, while over 45,000 bridges are described to be in poor condition. According to the “2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure” issued
‘Place-holder’ candidates
the country. This is a free country. Everybody and anybody can dream. But to the very few who made it to the presidency, they believe it was destiny, fate. During the weeklong filing period from Oct.1 to 8, the Comelec received a total of 47,853 COCs and certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONAs) from individuals and organizations who will run next year for various national and local elective posts. As earlier announced by Comelec official spokesman James Jimenez, the seven-man poll body will come out on Oct. 29 with the official list of candidates who have fully submitted and met the documentary requirements of their individual COCs filed. Jimenez clarified though the official list is only to enable these candidates to make last-minute corrections of their names and other erroneous entries in their COCs. Once all of these lists of COCs are finalized, the Comelec will start the crucial process of vetting and screening to determine the legitimate candidates who really have bona fide intention to run and resources to support his or her candidacy.
These 47,853 candidates will vie for the 18,100 national and local government posts up for grab in next year’s elections. Or this is about an average of three individuals vying per one elective post. However, this law of average does not apply though in every presidential race that we had had in the Philippines. In fact, there were only five candidates in the last May, 2016 presidential race that had 130 presidential candidates who submitted COCs to the Comelec. Eventually, it was former Davao City Mayor Duterte who won the presidential derby. As required by the country’s laws, the Comelec has to accept and entertain anybody who submits and meets the complete documentary requirements in filing their COCs and CONAs for whatever elective positions. Among those who trooped to Comelec to file COC for the presidential elections included the usual scene-stealers like Daniel Magtira. Aside from his ludicrous claims to be the “husband” of Kris Aquino, he was previously declared by the poll body as a “nuisance” candidate. A newcomer in this category is
by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the current state of US infrastructure only merits a grade of “C” and would need about $2.6 trillion over the next decade to put everything in good condition. Aside from roads and bridges, the US infrastructure bill also covers spending to improve broadband internet access with an estimated 40 million Americans having no broadband access; upgrade public rail and other transport systems; improve airports and ports; expand the network of electric vehicle charging stations and rebuild or improve water and power systems, among others. Everyone knows the critical role that infrastructure plays in generating jobs and spurring economic growth, especially during times of economic depression. Certainly, the P39.5 billion released by the Development Bank of the Philippines for infrastructure lending to both private and government firms to finance over 400 infrastructure projects across the nation is a big step towards the right direction. As articulated by Build Build Build committee chairman Anna
Mae Lamentillo, a good infrastructure network is necessary to achieve real and inclusive economic growth, citing the risks and difficulties that people in the countryside go through because of the lack of roads and bridges. To date, some 29,264 kilometers of roads, 5,950 bridges, 11,340 evacuation centers, 150,149 classrooms, 214 airport projects and 451 seaport projects have been completed under the Build Build Build program, said Lamentillo, who believes the program should be institutionalized. The World Bank report titled “Well Maintained: Economic Benefits from more Reliable and Resilient Infrastructure” also highlights the importance of keeping infrastructure in good condition to boost prosperity. In fact, G20 finance ministers have placed infrastructure maintenance at the top of their policy agenda, seeing it as an investment with significant, long-term benefits. Clearly, our next president will need a good economic team to boost economic recovery efforts and navigate the challenges that the country will be facing in the
coming years. For our part, we continue the work we have been doing with Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez and the Department of Trade and Industry to attract American companies that are planning to relocate to the ASEAN region as part of their diversification efforts from China. As the current chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Washington, my focus will be on the economic recovery of our country and the region. We have lined up several economic activities such as our first in-person networking event the embassy organized with the US Chamber of Commerce. We also plan to hold several hybrid forums with US business groups and put together investment promotions forums with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) headed by Director General Charito Plaza. (Philstar.com) ***
Laurencio Jun Yulaga, a self-proclaimed “international scientist” who claims to be a Harvard graduate and said that electrocution can cure COVID-19. And mind you, he has a VP running mate, Alexander Lague who claims to own an oil company and wants collected urine converted into perfume and fertilizer. Obviously, they will be among those who would be cut out by the Comelec. But how would Comelec treat the likes of former presidential spokesman and later as Foreign Affairs undersecretary Ernesto Abella who registered himself as an “independent” candidate? Or for that matter, incumbent Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa who admitted having entered the presidential race for possible substitution later by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio? That is, if the President’s daughter who has been topping the mock polls in surveys changes her mind and decides to run after all in next year’s presidential elections. This is because our election laws allow for substitution of candidates for those under the same political party. The filing for substitution is until Nov.15. Like an after-thought candidate for the ruling administra-
tion PDP-Laban, Sen.Dela Rosa was one of the last-minute entries in the presidential race. As the presidential standard-bearer—for now of the PDP-Laban-the former top cop of the country was fielded with fellow Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go as his VP runningmate. Sen.Dela Rosa, who arrived two hours before the COC deadline last Friday, wore the green shirt emblazoned with the logo of Mayor Sara’s regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) inside the red jacket with PDP-Laban logo. Sen. Dela Rosa subliminally presented himself as a unifying body for the two pro-Duterte political parties. But an hour later on the same day in Davao City, Mayor Sara filed her COC for re-election at Davao City Hall under her own HNP. The PDP-Laban is not among the political parties that earlier entered into a coalition agreement with HNP. But the following political parties signed up for coalition with HNP for next year’s elections, namely: LakasCMD party; the Nacionalista Party (NP); the National Unity Party (NUP); Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) party; and the People’s Reform Party (PRP). So there are now loose talks
that certain candidates are supposedly the designated “placeholder” candidates for certain presidential timbers and VP still on hold. It would not be a surprise if President Duterte himself changes again his mind and revive his initial plans to run for VP as substitute candidate to Sen. Go, his long-time aide. Slips of the tongues have come out publicly that two COC filers for the Lakas-CMD for president and VP elections are among these so-called “place-holders” for some real candidates still under the wraps of political strategists. Belatedly reacting to this not-so-new political tactic, Senators and House lawmakers have initiated proposed legislation to amend Sections 69, 261 (CC) and 264 of the 1985 Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines. While it seeks to stop the mockery of our electoral process, Congress would be hard put to pass into law dis-allowing “place-holder” candidates because it would be like cutting off one of their own tentacles to power. (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
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • OCtObeR 13-15, 2021
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Moreno won’t back down from presidential race Quarantine for travelers shortened by KriSTina
MaraliT ManilaTimes.net
MANILA mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso will not back down from next year’s presidential race. The former actor’s camp issued the statement amid an online clamor for him to drop out of the May 2022 polls, riding on the belief that he is “more winnable” and “much qualified” for the land’s highest elective position. Past surveys among presidential candidates showed Domagoso as the top choice for president among voting-age Filipinos. “Why would Isko withdraw? Clearly, he is the more winnable and as much qualified to lead us out of this pandemic and the bad economic condition we are in. It’s high time that we all focus on the sad plight of the Filipinos and our country,” Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernest Ramel said in a statement, hitting the #WithdrawIsko campaign on social media against the local chief executive. This was echoed by Domagoso’s chief campaign strategist, Angelito Banayo, who noted that the mayor, in choosing Dr. Willlie Ong as his running mate, is proof that he has a set plan on how to steer the country towards recovery amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. The Domagoso-Ong tandem, Banayo noted, is anchored on the party’s vision to have an administration aimed at healing “the wounds of divisiveness” and dealing with the “extreme crisis
the country is facing” because of Covid-19. “His resolve to run for the presidency on a platform of unity and transparent governance has reaped political goodwill from all sides of the political spectrum and various sectors of society,” he stated. Banayo then pointed to Domagoso’s 10-point agenda of governance called “Bilis Kilos,” which was mainly based on his many accomplishments as mayor of the nation’s capital which include the construction of mass housing for the poor of Baseco, Tondo and Binondo; swift construction of a Covid-19 field hospital and a new-look Ospital ng Maynila; free antigen testings; free Remdisivir and Tocilizumab for coronavirus patients; and continuous delivery of boxes of assistance and food boxes to Manila residents hardest hit by the pandemic. All these, Banayo said, are examples of Domaagoso’s political will to alleviate the plight of Filipinos. #WithdrawISko trended online almost immediately after Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo announced she will also be gunning for the presidency next year. To recall, Robredo had been vocal in her willingness to have a united opposition and had discussed the possibility with Domagoso, Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. All three eventually filed their respective certificates of candidacy (CoC) for president.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso ManilaTimes.net photo
Talks between Domagoso and Robredo particularly turned sour due to their differing views on certain issues. This includes Domagoso’s stance regarding late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, a matter Robredo said is “non-negotiable”. Interestingly, the former dictator’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., was Robredo’s closest rival for the vice presidency in 2016 and is also making a run to be the next occupant of Malacañang. Domagoso went on the defensive and asserted that the world does not revolve around the fight between the Marcos and Aquino families. Robredo, Domagoso further said, must not talk of unity when she herself failed to do this as head of the Liberal Party. “You cannot talk of unity when you yourself hindi mo nga maunify sarili mong [party] (when you can’t even unify your own party),” he said. ■
Health experts to Duterte: Don’t hinder... PAGE 5 ident of the PCP, said medical workers have been sacrificing their time and effort to help in the pandemic, so it is only fitting that Duterte “rewards” their efforts by allowing government officials to testify in the Senate Blue Ribbon hearings. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said that government officials had testified in 12 Blue Ribbon hearings before the President issued a memorandum stopping them from further attending the inquiry. Another former PCP president, Dr. Anthony Leachon, said that when he sat down as a “resource person” in the hearings, he felt that the voices of health workers
and the public were not being heard. The group also wants the Senate to complete its investigation. Roque said the President supports the move of the Senate Blue Ribbon panel to turn over documents and evidence to the DOJ and the Ombudsman. Limpin said that while the Commission on Audit found no evidence of corruption in the Health department over the transaction for the PPE, the group still wants the truth to come out. She said she needs to find out why the DOH passed on the responsibility of buying PPE to the Department of Budget and Management, in the process incurring additional expenses on the
part of the government. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said she respects the call of the PCP and other medical experts to let government officials testify freely in the Senate inquiry, but they have already participated in numerous hearings to explain their side. “The national government has been transparent, at nakapagsumite na tayo sa mga kinauukulang ahensya and the investigations are undertaken, and iwanan na po natin doon (We have submitted [the necessary documents] to the proper agencies, and the investigations were underway, so let us leave it at that),” Vergeire said. ■
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MALACAÑANG on Monday, October 11 announced that the new testing and quarantine protocols for passengers from countries, territories and jurisdictions designated as COVID-19 lowrisk areas will apply to travelers already quarantined before the new guidelines took effect last October 8. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases last week issued a resolution shortening the number of quarantine days for individuals fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease. “Kung kayo ay nasa pang-anim nang araw sa quarantine facility, magpa-RT-PCR na po kayo. Kasi kung negative ‘yan, pupuwede na po kayong mag-home quarantine (If you are already on your sixth day at a quarantine facility, have your RT-PCR test. If it’s negative, you may already undergo home quarantine),” Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a press briefing. The task force earlier ruled that fully vaccinated international travelers from “green” or “yellow” areas must undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of the negative result of their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests taken on the fifth day from their arrival. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers, as well as those whose vaccination status are unverified, must undergo quarantine, also at a government-approved facility, until the release of the negative result of their RTPCR test taken on their seventh day in the country. The previous guidelines required travelers arriving from yellow countries to undergo 14 days of quarantine upon their arrival and take the RT-PCR test on their seventh day in the country. Travelers from green countries need to take an RT-PCR test on their fifth day in the country and complete the seven-day quarantine at a government-approved facility. The Bureau of Quarantine, under the revised protocols, will ensure strict symptom monitoring of international passengers from yellow and green countries in isolation facilities, according to Roque. Fully vaccinated non-overseas Filipino workers and authorized foreign nationals must book their flight at least six days before departure while unvaccinated,
partially vaccinated travelers or with unverified vaccination status have to spend eight days in a quarantine facility. Documents needed to confirm the vaccination status of a traveler include a certification from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in the country of origin for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their spouses, parents and/or children traveling with them. Filipinos or foreigners fully
vaccinated in the Philippines must present a VaxCertPH digital vaccination certificate or the BOQ-issued International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICV). Non-OFWs and foreigners fully vaccinated abroad must present the national digital certificate of the foreign government, which accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement or a BOQissued ICV. (Kristina Maralit/ManilaTimes)
8 OctOber 13-15, 2021 • Socal ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Ombudsman junks graft case vs Tulfo siblings on P60-million PTV ad deal by Gabriel
Pabico Inquirer.net
lalu
MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the graft complaints filed against former Tourism secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo, her brother Ben Tulfo, and other individuals in connection with the controversial P60million TV ad deal due to lack of probable cause. In a resolution dated October 6, the Ombudsman ruled that conspiracy cannot be established in this case because Teo was not privy to the contract entered into between People’s Television Network (PTV) and Bitag Media, which is owned by her brother. The Ombudsman said Teo was not aware that Kilos Pronto is produced by Bitag Media. Based on the decision signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires, a conspiracy among persons involved must be established to be able to prove a violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Teo, as head of the Department
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of Tourism (DOT) at the time the TV ad pact was forged, was accused of providing unwarranted benefits when tourism advertisements worth over P60 million were channeled into PTV and placed alongside Bitag Media programs aired on the public television station through a blocktime agreement. “There is no conspiracy. In the eyes of the law, conspiracy exists when two or more persons come to an agreement concerning the commission of the crime and decide to commit it,” the ruling penned by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Rosano Oliva said. “In the instant case, nowhere was it directly shown that Sec. Teo was aware that Kilos Pronto is owned by Bienvenido Tulfo, her sibling. There is also nothing on record showing that then Sec. Teo had performed an overt act in pursuance or in furtherance of the supposed complicity,” it added. The Ombudsman also noted that Teo did not have a hand in the deal between PTV/People’s
Television Network Inc. and Bitag Media regarding the DOT ads. “As can be gleaned from these antecedent facts, it is clear that then-Secretary Teo’s participation and involvement in the questioned transactions is limited only insofar as DOT and PTV/ PTNI are concerned. In fact, all payments made by DOT were in favor of PTV/ PTNI,” the resolution explains. “The insinuation that she has a hand in the side contract executed between PTV/ PTNI and BMUI (Bitag) through Kilos Pronto considering that its proprietor Bienvenido Tulfo is her sibling is unfounded,” it also states. In addition to that, the Ombudsman also mentioned that the suggestion to have DOT ads aired through PTV did not come from Teo herself or Tulfo as it was Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar who brought up the proposal during a January 2017 Cabinet meeting. The issue about a possible conflict of interest in the advertise-
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DELIVERY RIDERS. Riders of an express door-to-door delivery company “kill” time on their mobile phones while waiting for the next order in front of a mall in Imus, Cavite on Tuesday, October 12. A rider usually earns between P15,000 and P20,000 a month from an average of 12 to 15 deliveries a day. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
ment deals since Teo and Tulfo were siblings emerged when the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the transaction in 2018. COA’s marking of the transaction drew a broad condemnation of the Tulfos, prompting a Senate hearing on the said issue.
Teo maintained that there was no irregularity in the transactions as it was a governmentto-government contract, adding that the corruption claims were incredible. A lawyer claiming to represent Bitag Media then said that the P60 million ad payment
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FOR SALE
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would be returned, but Tulfo said later on that the money was already gone because it was already used up. Tulfo also said that he would not return the money as it came from a legitimate and clean transaction. n
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MDWK The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 13, 2021
Wednesday OCTOBER 13, 2021
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Filipino designer Oliver Tolentino closes LA Fashion Week red carpet night T
by AJPRESS
he expected crowd doubled and quickly became standing roomonly at the fashion show of Beverly Hills-based designer Oliver Tolentino on Friday, October 8 for Los Angeles Fashion Week (LAFW). Tolentino presented a 33piece couture collection on the rooftop of the Peterson Auto Museum, with its landmark red racing stripe façade, for the closing show of LAFW’s red carpet night. Hollywood and Manila celebrities turned out to support Tolentino. Apl.de.Ap from the Black Eyed Peas and boxing champ Nonito Donaire chatted next to each other front row, while Hollywood Fil-Am actors Mike Cabellon, who co-stars with Ted Danson in “Mr. Mayor,” and Carlin James, from “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” miniseries, watched on the other side. Also front row were actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Sylvia La Torre’s granddaughter and known for “Camp Rock” and “Hannah Montana”), singer Kiana Valenciano, and Philippine Consul General Edgar Badajos. Many guests front row donned the designer’s creations, including former Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner in a black beaded lace mini dress. Tolentino kicked off the show with his muse and former Supermodel of the World Philippines, Tutay Maristela, vamping solo on the runway in
Tutay Maristela and Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados take a final walk at Oliver Tolentino’s LAFW 2021 show.
a bright red ball gown with a beaded bodice and thousands of hand-cut rosettes. Gazini Ganados (Miss Universe Philippines 2019) stepped out in a modern bright terno and surprised many with her LA runway debut. Tolentino showcased his style of old Hollywood glamour with intricate couture details and top-notch finishing. He presented beautiful sequined column gowns in pink hues, followed by difficult to make outfits in gold and silver chain mail, including a silver gown one with layered peplum at the hip and a high slit. Another notable look was an impressive structured bell skirt mini dress out of silver chain mail,
modeled by Tutay. Blue dresses followed in sequins, beads, and handcut-flowers, as well as side peplums and geometric layered strips. In a final segment of black dresses, Gazini modeled a gown with a black fully-beaded bodice and shimmering red ball skirt. Tutay closed in a black multilayered voluminous tulle skirt gown that had hints of white horsehair underneath. The collection was well received and featured enough requisite bling, while staying true to elegant old Hollywood glamour, worthy of any red carpet, and making it a hugely successful night for the designer.
Tolentino walks down the runway during the final bow of his LAFW show on October 8.
Ganados dons a red terno designed by Tolentino. Photos by John Salangsang, courtesy of Oliver Tolentino
Apl.de.ap, Ninito Donaire and Tolentino after the show Photo by Andrew Caruthers
A closeup of Tolentino’s black and silver swirl cocktail dress
Actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and singer Kiana Valenciano
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FilAm Arts presents ’Tikim Fest,’ a month-long Filipino culinary experience in SoCal October is FilipinoAmerican History Month, and if there’s one thing that’s a big part of Philippine culture, it’s FOOD. FilAm ARTS (The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture) in partnership with Farmfluence and Los Angeleno presents the first “Tikim Fest,” a month-long celebration of Filipino arts and culture through culinary experiences across the Southland. FilAm Arts has partnered with select Filipino and Filipino-American chefs in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego to showcase both traditional and Filipinoinspired cuisine through a prix fixe menu or special menu item The participating restaurants are donating part of the proceeds from the sale of the special menu item or prix fixe menu to FilAm Arts. “Filipino Cuisine is having a moment and we want to celebrate our Filipino and Filipino-American chefs making their mark in the American culinary landscape. The goal of Tikim Fest is to spread the word about Filipino food and flavors and invite everyone including non-Filipinos to have a “taste.” Tikim is the Tagalog word for Taste,” says Marcelline “Marcie” Taylor, FilAm Arts board member. “We want to highlight, celebrate and illuminate Filipinx History through the lens of food with some of Southern California’s best chefs,” added FilAm Arts Executive Director Giselle Tongi-Walters.
Featured chefs are Vallerie Castillo-Archer from Yamashiro (LA), Barb Batiste from Big Boi (LA), Ross Pangilinan from ReMix (Long Beach), Mix Mix Kitchen and Bar and Terrace by Mix Mix (Orange County), Ginger Lim-Dimapasok from Cafe 86 (LA, San Diego, Las Vegas) and Jeff Roberto from Sushi on a Roll (San Diego). To view the menus and the dates of availability, please visit http://tikimfest.com. To close out the monthlong Tikim Fest, FilAm Arts is partnering with Farmfluence and Alma Backyard Farms to produce the ultimate Sunday Funday Brunch experience. Farmfluence is a Filipino-founded content-totable platform with a mission to shine the light on our local farmers and make high-quality organic produce accessible
through engaging content. Featured chef for “Sunday at the Farm” on October 24 is Hawaiian-Filipino Chef Charles Akua IV. He has prepared a Filipino-inspired menu with lots of Hawaiian Island vibes as well as ingredients sourced from Alma Backyard Farms, where the event will take place. Cocktails will be provided by Don Papa Rum, a premium aged, single-island rum from the Philippines. Coffee will be provided by Teofilo Coffee Company which uses Philippine coffee beans. Music will be provided by FilipinoAmerican singer-songwriter Michael Barnum and Filipino musician Nievera. TIKIM Fest is sponsored by Farmfluence, Filgrimage The Digital Series, Don Papa Rum, Pamana Kali, Los Angeleno, and Island Pacific Market.
Bautista brothers carry on father’s legacy WORKING with family members can be difficult at times, especially when it comes to public service. But for brothers Herbert and Hero Bautista, carrying on their father’s legacy serves as a guiding light for both. “Our father was our inspiration. He was the reason why we entered public service,” Hero shared. Both entered at a young age, with Herbert becoming the president of the Kabataang Baranggay National Federation in 1986, and Hero being one of the council members. In later years, Hero devoted his time to running the family business while Herbert continued to make strides in the political field. However, the call to serve the public remained. For Hero, this led to the creation of the Batang QC Foundation in 2004 and has been continuously helping kids go to school through this foundation. Apart from that, he is also an active member of YMCA of Quezon City, the Rotary Club of Cubao West, the Knights of Columbus and the Quezon City Capitol Jaycees, among others. Despite being executives in their own rights, both brothers see to it that their staff and employees can easily approach them. “We always treat our employees and staff as family. That was how we were raised by our parents — we learned love and God is always the first,” Herbert said. This solidarity allows their
Do I have a community property interest in a house which my spouse acquired before our marriage?
offices to quickly address any concerns that are brought to them. The brothers were able to team up once again when Hero became councilor of the 4th District of Quezon City during the term of Herbert as mayor. Herbert served as the experienced mentor who helped his brother navigate the waters of local politics. Meanwhile, Hero was the fiery newcomer who was ready to help his constituents but needed some guidance in the new playing field. One of their crowning achievements as brothers is the passage of a local ordinance establishing the Quezon City Scholarship Program for
Photo from Instagram/@herbertbautista
Specialized Courses. Authored by Hero who is a staunch proponent of education for all, and signed by Herbert during his term as mayor, the ordinance expands Quezon City’s scholarship program to include specialized courses such as international studies, environmental science, social work and community development, and other courses. Herbert served as mayor for three consecutive terms while Hero is currently an incumbent councilor. Hero continues to find ways to serve his constituents, especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic severely affecting the livelihood of Filipinos. (ManilaTimes.net)
PH Consulate General and Fil-Am community in LA to celebrate Filipino American History Month 2021 with a fashion show on Philippine textiles
LOS ANGELES — The Philippine Consulate General and the Filipino-American Community in Los Angeles (FACLA) will celebrate FilipinoAmerican History Month with a commemorative dinner and cultural fashion show on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at the Church of the Scientology of the Valley in North Hollywood. In a statement, Consul General Edgar Badajos said, “this event is part of the Consulate General’s mandate Tingog party-list. of promoting the Philippines By Jan Milo Severo It will be recalled that the party-list, Philstar.com and its culture in its jurisdiction, represented by Yedda Romualdez, voted where more than 1.3 million NETWORK giant ABS-CBN released a against the ABS-CBN franchise last year. Filipinos live, the largest in statement saying they respect Kapamilya host ABS-CBN supporters, as well as Karla’s the United States, as well Karla Estrada to run for representative of son Daniel Padilla and girlfriend Kathryn as partnering with FilipinoBernardo’s fan base KathNiel, stormed social American associations in media sites opposing Karla’s run. organizing activities aimed at In a statement by the network, ABS-CBN educating the public about our said they respect Karla’s decision to run for community’s contributions to public office. American society.” “In her desire to continue serving her The highlight of the event kababayans, Karla Estrada has decided to is a cultural fashion show run for public office,” ABS-CBN said in a dubbed, “Ani” (Harvest), which statement. will feature traditional Filipino “We respect her decision and wish our fabrics integrated into high Kapamilya well as she pursues her mission of fashion pieces and wearable service,” it added. creations by Philippine-based Karla recently said that she asked the fashion designers Jhay Layson, network’s executives for permission. Laura Concepcion Santos and “Nagpaalam ako sa aking mga bosses sa Edwin Uy. These designers ABS-CBN at ako naman ay pinayagan nila are stalwarts of the Philippines’ at talagang susuportahan nila ako. Hangad biggest fashion-designers guild, ko na magkaroon ng boses ang aking mga the Designers Circle Philippines. Kapamilya sa Kongreso,” Karla said. The show is under the direction “Kung dumating man ang usapin muli of renowned Filipino pageant tungkol sa ABS-CBN prangkisa, alam ko na and fashion show director, magiging bukas ang Tingog sa usapin na ito,” Concon Siñel. she added. Kapamilya host Karla Estrada ABS-CBN photo According to Siñel, “Ani” also features a kaleidoscope of everything that is beautiful about the Philippines: its original music, colorful and vibrant dances, its magnificent destinations and the best in contemporary fashion. Assisting Siñel is Manilabased events maven Jerome Malate, who is the show’s runway director. The event will be covered by ABS-CBN the marriage applying the ratio of Moore (1980) 28 C3d 366, International and LA-based discussed above. 371, 373, 168 CR 662, 664, 665. Barrister’s In the Marriage of Marsden, community publication, Asian Other expenses associated with Corner the real property was purchased Journal. the property are not considAbout the designers by the husband for $38,300 ered in the calculation such as In their special fashion prior to the marriage. The origimortgage interest, taxes, and nal mortgage was $30,000. By collection produced for this insurance. In essence, the real Atty. Kenneth event, the featured designers the time the husband got marproperty would accumulate UrsUA reyes incorporated various indigenous ried, the house was now worth both a separate property and a community property component $65,000 while the mortgage has textiles from different parts of GENERALLY, in California, gone down by $7,000. Both the the Philippines — from to the by the date of separation. The property acquired by a spouse appreciation of $26,700 and the intricately patterned fabrics appropriate remedy in this situof Luzon and Visayas to the prior to marriage is considered ation where separate property is mortgage reduction of $7,000 brightly colored weaves of separate property under family would be separate property subsequently paid with commuMindanao – into their creations code section 770 while those since it occurred prior to marnity funds is “apportionment.” to create a modern look that is acquired after marriage are riage. Marriage of Marsden The process of apportionboth chic and fashion-forward. considered community assets (1982) 130 CA3d 426, 181 CR ing between the separate and Jhay Layson under family code section 760. community property component 910. This young Filipino How do you characterize real During the marriage until the is laid out in the Marriage of womenswear and menswear property purchased prior to Marsden. In that case, the court time of trial, the property has designer combines an marriage but with the mortgage determined the ratio or percent- appreciated another $117,500 exuberant vision to fabrics and principal paid down using com(property now valued at age in which the mortgage loan silhouettes with a carefree yet munity income or funds during $182,500) while the mortgage principal was reduced during gentle approach to femininity. the marriage? The community has further declined by $9,200 the marriage and applied that Layson, who is also the in this situation acquires a pro up to the date of separation. percentage to the appreciaFounder and Creative Director tanto interest in the ratio that The ratio at which community tion of the real property during of TCMI International, a the payments on the purchase funds paid down the mortgage the marriage. The community modelling academy, creates price made with community ($9,200) during the marriage property component would his collection by drawing his funds bear to the total payments then consist of the reduction to the original purchase price inspiration from the works on the purchase price and any ($38,300) amounts to 24.02%. in the mortgage loan principal appreciation should be apporThis percentage of the property of Filipino masters in visual during the marriage plus the tioned accordingly. Marriage portion of appreciation during Continued on Page 12 art, whose depiction of local
ABS-CBN respects Karla’s decision to run as party-list rep that voted against franchise
Hero and Herbert Bautista with Liza Soberano
Designer Jhay Layson
Designs by Jhay Layson
Designer Laura Santos
Santos’ designs using T’nalak textiles
Designer Edwin Uy
Uy’s national costume creation
color are unmodified and undistorted. Prior to the global pandemic, in 2019, he spent several fashion seasons touring his collections in the Filipino communities in the U.S. (particularly Houston, Beaumont, Austin, Cheyenne and Los Angeles) and in Europe (Rome, Kristiansand, Madrid and Paris) – as well as fashion weeks in Manhattan, Bangkok and the Philippines. Laura Santos Fast-rising designer Laura Santos established her fashiondesign career in 2014, creating gowns for brides and the entire bridal entourage. Santos is the granddaughter of “Don Juan” Santos, the founder of Glenmore Shoes, a well-respected Filipino shoe brand famous in the 1960s through the 1980s. Glenmore was renowned for its handcrafted leather shoes, boots and accessories. After several years of designing wedding gowns, 2021 saw Santos entering the ready-to-wear market. This is the result of her newfound vision to pay homage to Filipino culture, while preserving the distinctive identity for which her designs have been known.
Using homegrown textiles from Philippine indigenous handwoven fabrics (such as ramit, yakan, inabel and t’nalak) as accents for her prêt-à-porter collection, Laura fuses her minimalist style with boho chic. Edwin Uy An award-winning fashion designer of Filipino, Chinese, and Spanish descent, Edwin holds a degree in Mathematics from the Philippines’ University of the East before taking his place in the fashion industry. Uy has created a name for himself in the Philippine fashion industry because of his beautiful and unique ensembles. He balances creativity and wearability, qualities that make his creations very appealing to women. Aside from his bridal and evening wear collections, Uy is also known for his versatility as a couturier, creating fabulous show-stopping costumes. His works have been used by top artists and celebrities in their major concerts and special events. His national costumes for innumerable pageant candidates have reaped countless “best in national costume” awards in the Philippines and in international pageants.
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 13, 2021
Epiphany kiosk
File photo from SFIO
Hypergrowth global expansion of Epiphany Café commences as part of SFIO’s $100M business roadmap to be achieved by 2022 SMOKEFREE Innotec, Inc. (“SFIO”) announces the opening of franchising slots for Epiphany Café in the U.S., Australia, UAE and Canada, following the completion of acquisition of Agrokings Inc. This will be marketed as part of SFIO’s global investor roadshows, which will be held in key states in the U.S., including Los Angeles, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, from October 2021 onwards. A new name for SFIO is also well underway. Meanwhile, SFIO’s ‘The Global Academy’ — a masterclass and business coaching arm of the company — has been established, which will lead the global marketing campaign of SFIO by conducting informative sessions to highlight the entrepreneurial mindset about investing and owning a business. A key part of SFIO’s strategy is tapping into businesses and individuals who are in the sharing economy, which is aligned with its business model and particularly, the integration of co-ownership and microbusiness concepts in the holistic franchise model of Epiphany Café.
This fully integrated Epiphany Café franchise system will be epitomized at its upcoming pilot stores and is backed up by robust industry and market research to ensure the viability and sustainability of the business. SFIO has recently fullyowned Australian-based subsidiary, Accord Investment Group (AIG), and has successfully completed the strategic acquisition of MLV Group and Big Lou’s Donuts (BLD). BLD is a successful Australian company headquartered in Melbourne that specializes in producing a wide range of commercial donuts for retail and wholesale supermarkets across Australia. The state-of-the-art donut factory of BLD is capable of producing more than 9,000 donuts per hour. The facility will be utilized by SFIO to produce Epiphany Café’s pillow-soft donuts as part of its expansion plan in Australia. Additionally, SFIO has also successfully acquired MLV Group – a well-established accounting firm, 100% Filipinoowned company in Australia serving more than 5,000 Filipino-Australian clients which has a seen growth rate of more
than 30% annually due to its reliable, professional, and trustworthy services. MLV Group will also provide accounting and financial services to the SFIO conglomerate while pursuing its accounting firm expansion throughout Australia. “The acquisitions will expedite the expansion of Epiphany Café in Australia. Big Lou’s donut factory will be utilized as the central commissary to supply the Epiphany Café outlets with its signature pillow-soft donuts using SFIO’s Smart-Freeze technology while continuing Big Lou’s supply of commercial donuts to supermarkets across Australia,” says Jeths Lacson, CEO and Chairman of SFIO. There will be more synergistic companies to be acquired in the next 12 months to bring value to the conglomerate to strengthen the portfolio of the company. SFIO’s official website (www.sfio.co.nz) is now live with relevant and informative content about the company and its subsidiaries. Investor pitch deck and calendar of events pertaining to SFIO’s global campaign and roadshows will be posted on the website soon. Stay tuned for more updates.
(Advertising Supplement)
community Do i have a community property...
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 13, 2021
From Page 10 appreciation during the marriage of $117,500 ($28,223.50) plus the reduction in mortgage balance during the marriage ($9,200) would constitute the community component of the real property. The rest was the husband’s separate property.
The husband in that case was awarded his separate property component of the real property plus one half of the community property component. The Marsden apportionment method is also applicable to situations where a community real property is later transmuted
into one spouse’s separate property through execution of a quit claim by the other spouse but is subsequently paid using community funds. Marriage of Broderick (1989) 209 CA3d 489, 257 CR 397. In litigation, the community interest in the situations mentioned about is proven through expert witness testimony typically by a forensic CPA. Since California case law allows the creation of a community interest in real property acquired prior to marriage, one has to consider vehicles to protect themselves if you own property and you are contemplating of getting married. There are several ways of avoiding the creation of a community interest on your separate real property. One, you can sign a prenuptial agreement. Two, the parties can execute a postnuptial agreement if the parties are already married. Three, the parties can execute a transmutation agreement with a waiver of any family code section 2640 reimbursement claim. If your divorce case involves complex issues of asset distribution, it is best to retain the representation of competent counsel. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com Visit our website at kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Pistahan at bayanihan comes to the santa clarita Valley on Oct. 16 THE Fil-Am Association of Santa Clarita Valley, in cooperation with the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Program, will celebrate its biggest cultural event of the year! Pistahan at Bayanihan will be held at the Newhall Community Center (22421 Market St, Newhall, CA 91321) on October 16, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The indoor and outdoor festivities include cultural shows featuring songs and dances. There will be a variety of Filipino delicacies and cuisines as well! Participating vendors include Max’s Restaurant, Kazuyo — Filipino Japanese Fusion, Juan & Nita’s Bagnet-Silog, Calajo Catering and more! Southern California’s premiere fashion designer Carl Andrada has been dressing up beauty queens for over a decade. At this event, he will showcase his Filipino inspired designs to be modeled by Fil-Am beauty pageant title holders along with our local beauties. Live performances from the well soughtafter Philippine folk art dancers, Kayamanan Ng Lahi, will take you on a journey through Philippine history. This event will feature Philippine folk dances including the national
dance, the Tinikling. The event will be hosted by the Best KJ (Karaoke Jockey) in SCV, Andy Pabalan and the elegant Florence Pagador. Talented singers Jennifer Martinez, Elisha Soronio, Julia Camia, Marco Soronio, Mnason Abrot and Kyle Dizon will take you back in time with Philippines Kundiman songs and top pop songs. The dynamic and electrifying Malou Zagala Toler, one of the very few Filipino singers to hit the stage of Viper Room, will absolutely bring energy to as well. High-powered singer Elisha Soronio will share the stage with Malou — both ladies will bring the energy to its highest level!! Mask will be required for indoor festivities. Buy your admission tickets (including VIP seats) and read Event Details here: https://www.filamofscv.org/filamculturalfest. Admission does not include food. If you would like to participate and become a sponsor or vendor, please contact (661) 7133967 or email info@filamofscv.org. This fundraising event will benefit the city of Sariaya, Philippines under the Sister Cities program.
When is the best time to sell my house? Ask the Realtor
JAson AgcAoili THERE are two conditions that can determine the best time to sell your house. The first condition is during a “seller’s market” and the second condition is seasonal. A seller’s market occurs when there are more buyers actively looking to purchase, and there’s a low inventory of homes listed for sale on the market. The increase of buyers on the market typically occurs when the finance rates for home loans are low. We are currently in a seller’s market based on the current housing market conditions. What we’ve actually been experiencing in Southern California’s current real estate
market are buyer offers above the list price. The second condition for the best time to sell is seasonal. Historically, there are more buyers in the market starting in the Spring season of the year and throughout the Summer months. Family relocations and job relocations usually happen towards the end of the school year while the kids are out of school. Additionally, people tend to visit open houses more during the warmer months. If you track the market, or your neighborhood, you’ll see the increase of homes for sale during this time of the year. During the fall and winter season, there are less buyers in the market. There are multiple reasons for the slow down during this time of the year. Buyers are less active in visiting open houses due to the colder weather and buyers are less likely to make large purchases due to the upcoming holidays when their household holiday spending increases.
Should I wait until the spring or summer? If you’re planning to sell your home, but you don’t need to sell immediately and you would like to increase the value of your home, you can take advantage of the winter months to make necessary repairs or renovations on your property. Then once spring nears, you’ll be more than ready to list it on the market at a higher value. If time is a factor and you need to sell immediately with urgency, don’t wait until the Spring season. There are still buyers looking and ready to purchase at any time throughout the year, regardless of the season. You can also take advantage of being one of few homes listed during the Winter season. You can always test out the market by listing it and assess buyer’s feedback: How many are ready to make an offer? Is your asking price too high or low? Are buyers looking for certain renovations, i.e. Continued on Page 13
The buckeT lisT
Face the fear of public speaking Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA WHAT is your greatest fear? Some say that for most men, the greatest of fears are the fear of death, fear of failure and fear of public speaking. I know of someone who is deathly afraid of dogs, completely convinced that dogs are out to bite her. Telling her that her fear is baseless only drives her into raging fits. There is another I know who cannot abide the polka dot print design on anything she sees. There are a number of people who are afraid of riding boats and planes and just the thought of being in either one makes them nauseous. Weird huh? But who is to say that their fear is not valid as yours. There are perhaps as many kinds of fears as there are people on earth but the one that many people admit to is the fear of speaking before crowds. Psychology can dig up all the reasons for such fears deeply entrenched in the human psyche. But whatever the reason is, there is a time during one’s life that confronting that fear that paralyzes you from fully functioning and realizing your full potential on earth needs to be addressed. It is time for a face-off. If you are so inclined to add this to your bucket list, try mustering enough courage to face
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“… Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear.” — Mark Twain this one fear that you think is worth conquering. People admit that having them speak in front of a crowd is like facing a firing squad. They would rather melt away than speak up. Experts say that there are baby steps that can be taken to conquer this. The one thing that characterizes people who speak in public at a drop of a hat is confidence— lots of it— that it practically oozes out of their pores. It is doubtful they started out with that level of confidence right off the bat. Most professional public speakers probably had to start being afraid themselves until they had a winning judo match with that gnawing fear in their gut. Mastery comes with taking baby steps, learning consistently from those that went before and were great, engaging speakers. Choose a role model and emulate what works. First off, one must dive deep into the sea of available information and cull out nuggets of wisdom on wide ranging areas to know what to speak of. In short, read up and never stop learning. Otherwise, one would simply be winging it with disjointed thoughts and flawed delivery. It sounds cheesy but there may be some truth to
the advice — fake it until you make it. In the beginning, that is probably how it works until repetitive practice over time builds that precious confidence and the chutzpah to speak unrehearsed and extemporaneously in public. Sometimes, the words come out so smoothly that you know without a doubt there is a higher spirit that flows in a particular speaker. Perhaps, the same is true of any other fear that you decide to have a face--off with. The greatest battle is with yourself when you finally decide you have had it living with the fear that threatens to eat you up and finally doing something about it. One day, you might even surprise yourself on how far you have gone with that ounce of courage you mustered early on in order to gain mastery of a particular kind of fear. *** 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.
*** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 13, 2021
A time to celebrate Filipinos
THE Filipino American Business Association of Glendale/Greater Los Angeles County (FABAG-GLAC) will commemorate Filipino American History Month on Saturday, October 23 at Pacific Community Center and Park (501 S. Pacific Avenue, Glendale, CA). This year’s theme, “Pistahan Sa Glendale,” will showcase the following: Kultura Philippine Folk Arts, Holy Family Filipino Chorale, and Filipiniana Fashion Show by Carmelo Designs. The event will start at 3 p.m, followed by a business expo and food sampling at 4 p.m. and a cultural presentation at 5:30 p.m/ This joyful occasion will also highlight the contributions of hardworking, dedicated and selfless individuals who made a difference in the lives of so many. This year, FABAG-GLAC will honor and give tribute to the late Ruby De Vera, former President of Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees (LAFACE) and one of the founders of FABAG/GLAC. The organization will celebrate its 32nd anniversary as well. As it continues to empower Fil-Am businesses and partners through networking
mixers, seminars, workshops, and educational outreach, the organization remains strong in the community. Nelly Costanios Aquino, an active member of the community, made a comment about the upcoming event. She said, “It is good for people to reminisce the beauty and culture of the Philippines. We need to remind everyone that we have values and traditions worth sharing. By having Philippine History Month, there is a time set aside to celebrate who we are.” Another resident of the City of Glendale, Nini Maldonado, shared: “When I was growing up, I experienced traditions of ‘mano po,’ Simbang Gabi, Fiestas! There was always something in life to celebrate about. I miss those times.” All are invited to come and join this wonderful celebration. Pacific Community Center and Park observes CDC guidelines and protocols. Mask up! For more information, call: Marlene Cagatao at (818) 450-9704; Celia DeFato at (626) 660-7389; or Jo Solomonson at (626) 627-6672. (Contributed by Jo Solomonson)
Members of the Filipino American Business Association of Glendale/Greater Los Angeles County pose with community members modeling Philippine costumes at a previous event. Photo courtesy of Edith Fuentes
When is the best time to sell my...
From Page 12 kitchen upgrades, bathrooms? If buyer offers are less than expected, you can remove it from the market and wait to relist it again after reassessing it. Do you need to renovate? If you do need to make renovations, upgrades, or repairs, to be able to list it at the highest market value, I offer a service and concierge program that will cover the costs of the required renovations and make your property ready to sell. This will decrease your initial out of pocket expenses and help you get the highest and best offers. What is your goal? When you need to sell your property, always ask yourself— what is your goal? Do you need to relocate immediately? Do you need the money from the equity? Is it time to purchase a larger
home? Do you need to downsize? Is it time to move on? Is it time to finally retire? There are things in life that can’t be bought or replenished, and that’s time.
Life’s Short, Love Where You Live. Call / Text 213-608-5837 for a complimentary initial consultation, property value assessment, or questions for Selling, Buying, or Investing in real estate. Connect with me @jasonarealtor on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. *** JASON AGCAOILI, REALTOR | Ca DRE #01947185 JASONAREALTOR.com | HomeSmart Realty Group. Your Realtor for the Los Angeles Metropolitan, South Bay, Beach Cities, and Long Beach. | Member - California Association of Realtors and the South Bay Association of Realtors |Member – Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (Advertising Supplement)