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OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026
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3 Filipinos Among 28 Charged in California Voting Probe DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Nearly 1.6 Million Pounds of Meat Recalled Nationwide Over Safety Concerns USDA warns of serious health risks involving hot dogs, bacon, sausages and other ready-to-eat products; consumers urged to check their refrigerators
Federal allegations spark legal battle over voter eligibility records ahead of November elections by AJPress
LOS ANGELES — Three Philippine nationals are among 28 lawful permanent residents charged with federal election-related offenses in California, as a dispute over suspected noncitizen voters has drawn scrutiny to the accuracy of government records ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The Justice Department announced the charges October 19 under an initiative it calls Operation Protect the Vote. Eleven people were arrested in an oper-
ation involving all four federal prosecutorial districts in California. Officials alleged in a news conference presentation that 23 of the defendants had cast ballots, according to the Los Angeles Times. All 28 defendants are lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, according to prosecutors. They are authorized to live permanently in the United States but are not eligible to vote in federal elections without citizenship. The charges range from misdemeanor unlawful voting to felonies involving false citizenship claims and naturalization statements.
Senate Tribunal Vote on Tulfo Ouster Bid Sparks Rift Among Senators Padilla responds to Tulfo’s disappointment as Lacson questions reported dissent in 6-3 ruling
Americans checking their refrigerators for hot dogs, bacon and deli meats have a new food-safety warning: A Massachusetts manufacturer has recalled nearly 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry after some products were stored at potentially unsafe temperatures. Kayem Foods Inc., based in Chelsea, voluntarily recalled 1,584,361 pounds of products distributed to retailers and foodservice businesses nationwide and to Hong Kong, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
by AJPress
u PAGE 3
Social Security Overhauls Millions of Death and Citizenship Records
LOCAL INNOVATIONS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recognizes outstanding local government programs during the 2026 Galing Pook Awards ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Marcos urged the 10 awardees to sustain their achievements and continue improving their programs to address the evolving needs of their communities and inspire other local government units to adopt innovative governance practices. Photo from MPC Pool
Agency adds 17 million Remulla says Atong Ang fled Philippines; missing death dates and updates 25 million DOJ finds no departure record citizenship records; impact Palace seeks inquiry as agencies differ over fugitive on benefits remains unclear businessman's whereabouts WASHINGTON — The Social Security
Administration says it has added 17 million missing dates of death and updated about 25 million records lacking citizenship information in what it calls the most extensive cleanup of its Social Security number database in 91 years. The agency announced the changes Tuesday, October 20, saying it had correctu PAGE 3
by AJPress
MANILA — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla says businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang left the Philippines through an unofficial route, but Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida says immigration records do not confirm his departure, leaving his whereabouts uncertain in the manhunt linked to missing
cockfighting enthusiasts. Remulla told reporters Tuesday, October 20, that Ang had used a “backdoor” exit, without specifying when or where. “Backdoor siya dumaan,” Remulla said. He stood by the claim Wednesday but described the conclusion as an assessment based on intelligence reviewed over an exu PAGE 2
Sandiganbayan orders Marcoleta’s 90- Ex-DPWH Official Details day suspension as plunder case advances Alleged Kickback System in Senate vows to implement ruling upon receipt; Ombudsman sees possible resolution within a year by AJPress MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta in a plunder case involving P75 million in contributions he received before the 2025 elections, as the Senate prepares to implement the ruling and his lawyers move to present their defense. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Wednesday, Oc-
The three Philippine nationals identified by the Justice Department are Giezell Viduya Adawag, 41, of Vacaville; José Probitsado Amaro, 51, of National City; and Pamele Arbués Line, 56, of Escondido. Prosecutors accuse Adawag of registering to vote on November 5, 2024, falsely declaring U.S. citizenship and casting a ballot that day. She faces a misdemeanor charge carrying a maximum prison sentence of one year if convicted. She appeared in federal court October 19 and was released on her own recognizance, CBS Sacramento reported. u PAGE 2
tober 21, that the chamber would enforce the order promptly upon receipt. He said the Senate had not yet received the directive when he spoke. In an October 19 resolution, the anti-graft court’s Third Division ruled that suspension was mandatory after finding the criminal information against Marcoleta legally sufficient. The court cited Republic Act No. 7080, the Plunder Law, and Republic Act No. u PAGE 2
Romualdez Bail Hearing
State witness says commissions rose to 25%; defense questions evidence linking former House speaker to payments by AJPress
MANILA — A former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer has described an alleged system of advance payments from contractors seeking government infrastructure projects, telling the Sandiganbayan that commissions
demanded by former lawmaker Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co increased from 20 percent to 25 percent during preparations for the 2023 national budget. Henry Alcantara, a former district engineer in Bulacan who is cooperating with prosecutors, testified Tuesday, October 20, during hearings on former House Speaku PAGE 2
MANILA — A divided vote by the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) on a legal challenge to Sen. Erwin Tulfo's qualifications has prompted a public disagreement among senators, with Sen. Robinhood Padilla responding to Tulfo's disappointment and Sen. Panfilo Lacson questioning the motives behind the reported dissenting votes. Padilla said Wednesday, October 21, that Tulfo might not know the full circumstances surrounding the tribunal's decision, which rejected an attempt to revive a petition seeking his removal from the Senate. “Gano’n ba? Wala naman dapat ikatampo siguro. Baka hindi pa lang niya alam kung ano ‘yung totoo,” ("Is that so? I don't think there's any reason to be upset. Perhaps he just doesn't know the truth yet.") Padilla told reporters. u PAGE 2
DUTERTE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL | WEEKLY REPORT
Sara Duterte Faces Crucial Test as Impeachment Trial Enters New Phase With three impeachment articles withdrawn and prosecutors’ evidence submitted, the vice president’s defense prepares to challenge the remaining allegations when Senate hearings resume Nov. 9. by AJPress MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial is approaching a new phase after House prosecutors filed their formal offer of evidence ahead of schedule, leaving allegations of unexplained wealth as the only article her defense must contest when hearings resume Nov. 9. The prosecution submitted its filing Tuesday, Oct. 20, three days before the Senate impeachment court’s deadline. Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan said the early submission was intended to give Duterte’s lawyers more time to examine the material and lodge objections. The defense has 10 days from receipt to respond. The court must then determine which doc-
uments and testimony it will admit. Three impeachment articles withdrawn The trial narrowed Oct. 13, when the impeachment court approved the withdrawal of three of the four articles brought against Duterte. They concerned alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials. Presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero ruled that the confidential funds and threats articles were withdrawn with prejudice, barring their revival against Duterte under the 20th Congress. The bribery article was withdrawn without prejudice because the prosecution had not presented evidence on it. None u PAGE 2
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OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797
From the Front Page
Ex-DPWH Official Details Alleged Kickback...
CLEAN WATER. This child is among the Subanen residents of Barangay Sipakong, Bacungan, Zamboanga del Norte who are benefiting from a DENR water impounding system that provides water for household needs and nearby farms. The DENR said on Wednesday (Oct. 21, 2026) that the 50-cubic-meter facility also helps the community prepare for possible water shortages during the projected very strong El Niño. Photo courtesy of DENR)
3 Filipinos Among 28 Charged... PAGE 1 Amaro allegedly registered by falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, voted in the November 2024 election and later made false statements during a naturalization interview about his previous citizenship claims and voting history. Line is accused of registering and voting in the same election and giving false information about citizenship claims and voting during a naturalization interview. The charges against the two San Diego County residents include felony offenses with possible five-year maximum sentences. The charges remain pending, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Other defendants have questioned the government's account. Ana Domínguez, a Salvadoran lawful permanent resident from Long Beach, told the Los Angeles Times she did not recall registering to vote in 2006, as prosecutors allege. She is not accused of casting a ballot. Relatives of Omar Alexander Muñoz, 72, of Commerce, questioned whether records bearing his name could have been confused with those of younger relatives. That concern has not been established as a case of mistaken identity. The prosecutions have be-
come part of a wider dispute over a separate Justice Department lawsuit filed October 15. Federal authorities want California to set aside mail ballots linked to more than 20,000 registered voters whom investigators consider likely noncitizens until their citizenship can be verified. Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said all 28 charged individuals appeared on that list. California officials dispute the list's reliability. A subsequent declaration by a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services official described an additional group of more than 17,000 voting records potentially associated with noncitizens. Neither figure establishes how many people are ineligible to vote, and neither represents a verified number of unlawful ballots. In court filings, Los Angeles County officials reported that an initial review of 200 records from the original list found 112 registrations had been canceled or were inactive, and those registrants had not been mailed ballots. About 71 percent of the records showed no voting history. Among records with usable birthplace information, 38.9 percent indicated a U.S. birthplace; the total number with such information was not specified. The county said reviewing
thousands of additional records immediately before the election could interfere with election administration and affect eligible voters. Secretary of State Shirley Weber said federal authorities initially had not given her office the underlying list despite demanding action within 48 hours. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said individual violations should be prosecuted if proven but rejected the suggestion that the charges demonstrated widespread election fraud. Federal authorities maintain that additional verification is necessary to enforce citizenship requirements. McCotter acknowledged that some people on the federal list could ultimately prove to be U.S. citizens. The Justice Department contends that the possibility of errors makes state verification necessary, not that its request should be abandoned. In another election-related lawsuit, a federal judge on October 21 granted a preliminary injunction restricting certain PAGE 1 Homeland Security field oper- of the three articles will receive a ations in nine states, including verdict in the current trial. California, involving people The court also lifted restricknown or reasonably suspected tions on public discussion of the to be U.S. citizens. The order withdrawn articles, allowing the was initially stayed to permit parties to address those allegafurther legal proceedings; it did tions outside the proceedings. not resolve any of the 28 pend- Duterte’s lawyers opposed the ing criminal cases. n withdrawals, saying accusations aired in public would no longer be tested through a full defense presentation. The remaining Article II gas subsequently issued arrest concerns alleged unexplained warrants. The Supreme Court wealth, incomplete asset disclolater authorized the transfer of sures and failure to divest busirelated proceedings to Quezon ness interests. Financial assessment disputCity courts, which the Justice ed Department confirmed in June. The prosecution’s case inAng has denied involvement in the disappearances. His la- cludes testimony from Alexander wyers have challenged the pro- Cabrera, a lawyer and forensic secution’s findings and sought accounting expert who estimatto set aside an arrest warrant. ed approximately P817.87 milThe charges remain allegations lion in allegedly unexplained that have not been adjudicated. wealth involving Duterte and The Interior Department rai- her husband, lawyer Manases sed its reward for information Carpio, between 2022 and 2025. Cabrera based his report on leading to Ang’s arrest to 20 million pesos in February. In April, financial records, tax filings, Remulla announced an Interpol corporate documents and stateRed Notice seeking internatio- ments of assets, liabilities and nal police assistance in locating net worth. His estimate remains him. A Red Notice requests that a contested prosecution assesspolice worldwide locate a wan- ment, not a finding by the court ted person and, where national that the couple acquired wealth law permits, provisionally arrest illegally. During cross-examination that person. It is not itself an inOct. 12, defense lawyer Kristernational arrest warrant. Vida said prosecutors would continue presenting evidence in court despite the uncertainty surrounding Ang’s whereaPAGE 1 bouts. n 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The order calls for suspension from his Senate position and any Tulfo had earlier shared a other public office he may hold. cartoon on social media depict- The court said it would be lifted ing three figures holding knives automatically after 90 days from behind his back. The illustration implementation. Preventive susidentified the figures as Padilla, pension does not establish guilt. Villar and Cayetano, reflecting The Office of the Ombudsman his apparent disappointment filed the case in July, alleging that over the reports. Marcoleta received P75 million Causing's petition questioned in January 2025 while serving as Tulfo's eligibility on grounds a SAGIP party-list representative, involving alleged citizenship is- then failed to declare the amounts sues, allegiance to the United in required disclosures. ProsecuStates, political dynasty con- tors allege that the transactions nections and academic quali- constituted unlawful gifts confications. Those claims remain nected to his public position. allegations and were not estabThe contributions were attributlished by the tribunal's ruling. ed to former congressman Mike Under the Philippine Consti- Defensor, P30 million; businesstution, senators must be nat- man Joseph Espiritu, P25 milural-born Filipino citizens, at lion; and businessman Aristotle least 35 years old on election Viray, P20 million. All three were day, able to read and write, reg- charged alongside Marcoleta. istered voters and residents of They have also pleaded not guilty the Philippines for at least two to the charges brought against years immediately preceding them. the election. A college degree is In a November 2025 television not required. interview, Marcoleta acknowlThe tribunal's decision con- edged receiving the contributions cerned the procedural sufficien- and said they were omitted from cy of the petition rather than his campaign disclosures at the the merits of its allegations. The donors’ request for anonymity. denial was issued without preju- Prosecutors have cited those redice to the filing of another pe- marks in the proceedings. tition. n Marcoleta has denied wrong-
Remulla says Atong Ang fled Philippines...
PAGE 1 tended period, including information from former associates who had become government witnesses. “Our theory is that he left the country,” Remulla said. Vida, speaking Wednesday, said checks with the Bureau of Immigration showed no official record of Ang departing. He said he was unfamiliar with the intelligence behind Remulla’s assertion and could not confirm Ang was overseas. An unauthorized crossing, however, would not necessarily appear in immigration records. The conflicting accounts prompted Malacañang to seek an investigation into possible lapses in border security. Palace press officer Claire Castro said investigators should establish whether negligence occurred before deciding if anyone was responsible. Castro said the Philippines’ extensive coastline complicates efforts to detect unauthorized departures, but cautioned against assigning bla-
me without an inquiry. Remulla has suggested Ang could be in Cambodia, but authorities have not publicly confirmed his presence there. In February, Cambodia’s Foreign Ministry said its immigration authorities had no record of Ang entering or leaving through official checkpoints. That earlier statement does not establish where he is now. In April, Remulla cited a reported Calabarzon sighting. In July, police were still checking claims that he had traveled abroad. Neither assessment produced a publicly verified location. Ang faces charges arising from the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts, known as sabungeros, reported missing in 2021 and 2022. In December 2025, Philippine prosecutors found grounds to charge him and other defendants with 10 counts of kidnapping with homicide and 16 counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention. Courts in Laguna and Batan-
Senate Tribunal Vote on Tulfo Ouster Bid... PAGE 1 Padilla did not elaborate on his remarks or publicly confirm how he voted. The exchange followed the tribunal's October 16 decision denying, by a 6-3 vote, a motion for reconsideration filed by Berteni Cataluña Causing. The motion sought to overturn the tribunal's March 2 dismissal of a quo warranto petition challenging Tulfo's eligibility to hold office. The tribunal ruled that the motion was filed beyond the deadline prescribed by its 2020 rules and failed to comply with filing and service requirements. It also found that the amended petition remained insufficient in form. News reports identified Sens. Pia Cayetano, Padilla and Camille Villar as the three members who reportedly opposed denying the motion. All three represent the Senate minority on the nine-member tribunal, which also includes three majority senators and three Supreme Court justices. The tribunal's public announcement confirmed the 6-3
decision but did not identify the dissenting members individually. Lacson criticized the reported votes in an October 17 social media statement, arguing that the procedural deficiencies should have been sufficient grounds to reject the appeal. “Their motive may be deeper than personal issues against Sen Tulfo,” Lacson wrote on X. Lacson also raised questions about Causing's legal standing, citing Sen. Francis Pangilinan's observation that the petitioner had failed to establish his status as a registered voter. Lacson did not provide evidence establishing an improper motive among the senators. Tulfo acknowledged Monday, October 19, that he was hurt by reports of the vote, particularly because he believed he maintained cordial relationships with two of the senators reportedly involved. He said he respected his colleagues' right to exercise their judgment but could not independently verify their votes because the tribunal's individual voting details were confidential.
PAGE 1 er Martin Romualdez's petition for bail in a P7.44-billion plunder case involving alleged kickbacks from government projects. Alcantara said Co, a former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, determined the commission rates, which were described as commitment fees. The increase occurred in 2022, after Romualdez became House speaker, although Alcantara said he did not know why Co raised the percentage. The witness acknowledged under cross-examination that the alleged arrangements existed before Romualdez assumed the speakership in July 2022. He said former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo introduced him to Co in 2021, when lawmakers were preparing infrastructure funding proposals. Alcantara also confirmed that he had not implicated Romualdez in earlier sworn statements concerning the infrastructure controversy. He said his dealings over project allocations were conducted with Co, Bernardo and members of Co's staff, rather than directly with the former speaker. According to Alcantara, contractors allegedly provided advance payments in anticipation of receiving government project awards. He described arrangements in which contractors were selected in advance and bidding procedures were manipulated to favor particular companies. Alcantara said he prepared lists of proposed infrastructure projects for submission through different stages of the national budget process. These included requests forwarded through the DPWH central office for inclusion in the National Expenditure Program and separate project lists associated with congressional budget deliberations. He testified that portions of the alleged commissions were paid after projects appeared in pro-
posed appropriations, with additional payments made after their inclusion in the enacted national budget. The former engineer also described delivering money to Co's representatives, initially using plastic storage containers before switching to suitcases. He said the containers sometimes carried tens of millions of pesos and were replaced because their handles could break under the weight. Co has previously denied receiving kickbacks from government projects. The alleged transactions described by Alcantara remain subject to examination in court. New testimony on alleged payments At Thursday's hearing, October 22, prosecution witness Wilt Walter Rosales, a former assistant to Alcantara, testified about cash allegedly delivered to properties associated with Co in Pasig and Taguig between 2022 and 2024. Rosales said the deliveries could have exceeded P1 billion. He described the preparation and counting of cash at the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office before its transport to Co's properties. He also testified that Alcantara instructed him to dispose of acknowledgment receipts for deliveries. Defense lawyers questioned discrepancies between details in Rosales's courtroom testimony and his earlier judicial affidavit. Rosales's account concerned money allegedly delivered to Co, rather than a payment he personally made to Romualdez. Another prosecution witness, Police Maj. Ermelo Dichoso Jr., a former member of Co's security detail, testified Thursday that he accompanied Co to four meetings with Romualdez and other lawmakers. Dichoso said he witnessed Co give Romualdez clothing as a gift. When questioned about whether money had been delivered to
the former speaker during those meetings, he answered that he had not seen such a transaction. Romualdez's lawyers objected to portions of Dichoso's testimony as hearsay. Prosecutors said the witness would help establish terminology allegedly used by Co's associates when discussing money. Defense disputes evidence The latest testimony follows earlier accounts from former members of Co's security detail alleging that suitcases containing cash were transported to properties associated with Romualdez. Defense lawyers have challenged the witnesses' personal knowledge of the suitcases' contents, the identification of delivery recipients and inconsistencies among sworn statements. Several individuals who previously made accusations involving Romualdez have also withdrawn their allegations. Romualdez has denied wrongdoing. His legal team maintains that the prosecution has not presented sufficiently strong evidence that he knowingly participated in or personally benefited from the alleged payment arrangements. The Office of the Ombudsman filed the plunder charge on September 7 against Romualdez, Co and two other defendants. Prosecutors allege that at least P7.44 billion in illicit financial benefits was accumulated through transactions connected to government infrastructure projects between 2022 and 2025. Romualdez pleaded not guilty on September 16 and remains detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas. The Sandiganbayan's Third Division is hearing his bail petition, which requires the court to assess whether the evidence of guilt is strong. The hearings are scheduled to continue through November 12, with trial proceedings set to begin November 23. n
Sara Duterte Faces Crucial Test... tine Ferrer challenged Cabrera’s methods and the completeness of his review. He acknowledged that his team had not examined every banking document and had relied on records available to it, while standing by the conclusions of his report. Carpio separately disputed the treatment of credit-card purchases made abroad, saying they were personal expenses paid from his own funds and were not connected to Duterte’s official duties. The vice president has denied wrongdoing and described the proceedings as politically motivated. Defense seeks eight hearing days House prosecution adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers said Oct. 21 that Duterte’s lawyers had requested eight trial days to present witnesses and evidence. The duration of the defense case will depend on the testimony and documents offered. House prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon said Oct. 22 that Kapunan would conduct the cross-examination if Duterte elects to testify. Her appearance on the witness stand has not been confirmed. The Senate impeachment court has scheduled hearings for Nov. 9-13, 19-20 and 23, subject to further orders and the legislative calendar. Senate President
Sherwin Gatchalian said Oct. 19 that he hoped the proceedings would conclude before year’s end, although no date has been set for a final judgment. Separate legal proceedings House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro said evidence concerning the withdrawn confidential funds and bribery allegations could be provided to the Office of the Ombudsman if it issues a subpoena. The Department of Justice has separately filed a grave-threats case against Duterte before a Quezon City court. Those proceedings are separate from impeachment and carry their own evidentiary requirements. No criminal conviction is established by the impeachment allegations. Public opinion remains divided An OCTA Research survey released Oct. 21 found that 47 percent of respondents wanted to see more evidence before deciding how senators should vote. Twenty-five percent favored acquittal, while 21 percent supported conviction. The survey covered 1,200 adults interviewed Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, with a national margin of error of three percentage points. Its fieldwork preceded the Oct. 13 withdrawal of three impeachment articles. n
Sandiganbayan orders Marcoleta’s 90-day... doing and pleaded not guilty. He contends that the money was intended for his Senate campaign and has challenged the anti-graft court’s jurisdiction, arguing that election-related disclosures fall within the authority of the Commission on Elections. The Sandiganbayan rejected that objection for purposes of its suspension ruling, saying the criminal proceedings and election-related matters involve distinct legal questions. It also said the Senate and its committees could continue operating during his temporary absence. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said in remarks reported October 20 that the case might be resolved within a year, noting that prosecutors had completed presenting their evidence approximately three months after filing charges. His assessment was not a court-imposed deadline. The defense was scheduled to begin presenting evidence Thursday, October 22. No outcome of that scheduled hearing had been confirmed in the reporting reviewed for this article. The prosecution’s closing presentation included a dispute over whether to call lawyer Cecil Federizo, who notarized deeds recording the contributions. Defense lawyer David Michael Gabriel opposed the proposed testimony,
arguing that questioning how the deeds were executed raised concerns about the presumption of innocence. The parties ultimately stipulated that Federizo notarized the documents, according to GMA News. That agreement did not resolve the legality of the payments. In earlier testimony, an Ombudsman investigator said some donors’ tax payments were made by a person identified as working for Marcoleta. The defense has disputed the prosecution’s interpretation of the contributions, which the court must assess alongside other evidence. Marcoleta has been detained since July. His application for bail in the plunder case was submitted for resolution earlier this month; a subsequent ruling was not established in the reports reviewed. He also faces charges under Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits certain gifts to public officials. Separately, the Sandiganbayan ordered another 90-day suspension against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in an unrelated case involving alleged irregularities in flood-control projects. Gatchalian said the Senate would implement that order upon receipt as well. The two senators are members of the minority bloc, but the charges against them arise from separate cases. n
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Dateline USA
ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026
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Nearly 1.6 Million Pounds of Meat Recalled...
Japan National Police Agency Deputy Commissioner Gen. Koichi Tachikawa delivers his opening remarks during the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime + Japan Consultation in Makati City on Wednesday (Oct. 21, 2026). The consultation focuses on strengthening ASEAN-Japan cooperation in combating transnational crimes and advancing joint efforts to promote regional safety and security. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Medicare drug spending limits rise as plan choices narrow for 2027 Beneficiaries have until December 7 to review coverage and insurance costs
miums next year. The temporary Part D premium stabilization program ends after 2026, although its expiration does not fully explain changes across WASHINGTON — Medicare beneficiaries have individual plans. For Medicare Advantage, CMS projects average until Dec. 7 to review coverage for 2027, when prescription drug spending limits will rise and fewer monthly premiums will decline from $14.37 to $12. private plan options will be available in some areas. KFF found that the average beneficiary's choice Open enrollment began Oct. 15 and allows ben- of Medicare Advantage plans with prescription eficiaries to change Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage will fall from 32 to 28. KFF identified 193 drug plans or switch between Original Medicare counties without those plans for general enrolland Medicare Advantage. Changes generally take ment, including areas in California and Nevada; Original Medicare remains available. Provider effect Jan. 1. Under Medicare Part D, the annual out-of-pocket networks, copayments and supplemental benefits limit for covered drugs will rise from $2,100 to may change even where a plan remains available. Negotiated Medicare prices for 15 additional $2,400, while the maximum deductible increases from $615 to $700, according to the Centers drugs, including Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Some take effect Jan. 1. Savings depend on individual plans offer lower deductibles. The spending limit coverage and prescriptions. Separately, Social excludes premiums and medical services; certain Security benefits will rise 3.6% in 2027. Beneficiaries should review their plan's Annual payments made on a beneficiary's behalf count toward it. After reaching the limit, beneficiaries Notice of Change and compare total costs, covered owe no further out-of-pocket payments for covered medicines, physicians and pharmacies. Those moving from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare Part D drugs that year. CMS projects the average monthly premium should check Medigap eligibility because supplefor stand-alone Part D plans will increase from mental coverage is not always guaranteed. Plan comparisons are available at Medicare.gov $35.09 to $36. An October analysis by health policy organization KFF found wide variations, including or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Califorpotential increases exceeding $50 per month for nia's Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program offers free counseling at 1-800-434-0222. some people keeping their current plans. KFF estimates that 4 million stand-alone drug Nevada's Medicare Assistance Program can be plan enrollees who paid no premium in 2026 and reached at 702-486-3478 in Las Vegas or 1-800do not receive low-income subsidies will face pre- 307-4444 statewide. n
by AJPress
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON ELECTION DAY PROTECT YOUR VOTE. California law protects voters from intimidation and improper interference at polling places. Do not let fear or rumors determine how or whether you vote. Every eligible voter has the right to participate. VOTE WITH CONFIDENCE. Our election system is safe and secure and every eligible U.S. citizen voter’s ballot will be counted in the midterm election. MAKE YOUR PLAN. In California, you can vote by mail, return your ballot at a drop box, or vote in person. For language assistance and support, reach out to the Election Protection Hotline:
888-API-VOTE | (1-888-274-8683)
PAGE 1 announced October 17. The recall includes certain hot dogs, chicken sausages, bacon, ham, bologna and turkey products sold under brands including Kayem, al fresco, McKenzie, Triple M and Deutschmacher. Not every product carrying those names is affected. USDA classified the recall as Class I, its highest health-risk category, meaning consumption of an affected item could pose a serious danger. The designation does not mean contamination was confirmed. USDA said no illnesses associated with the products had been confirmed as of its October 17 notice. The problem emerged when a retail customer reported on October 1 that products arrived unusually warm. Kayem's investigation found that a warehouse cooler storing meat and poultry
products had experienced temperature fluctuations, according to USDA. The company attributed the incident to a cooling-system malfunction and said it had corrected the problem. Food kept above appropriate refrigeration temperatures can allow harmful bacteria to grow. Affected meat may look and smell normal, so shoppers should not use appearance as a safety test. The recalled products were made from approximately March 31 through October 7. Kayem said the affected products had been stored and shipped between June 7 and October 14. The dates alone do not establish whether an individual package is included. Consumers can identify recalled items by matching the brand, product description, UPC and lot codes against the official
USDA list and packaging photographs. Packages carry one of three establishment numbers inside the inspection mark: EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A or EST. M 9520. Those numbers must be checked alongside the product information. Walmart has identified affected sales at select stores in eight Eastern states. USDA described distribution as nationwide but has not identified every individual retail location, including those in California. USDA advises consumers not to eat recalled products, but to discard them or return them to the place of purchase. Anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider. The product list is available at fsis.usda.gov/recalls under Recall No. 026-2026; Kayem's hotline is 800-426-6100; USDA's is 888-674-6854. (AJPress)
Social Security Overhauls Millions... PAGE 1 ed records associated with nearly 15 percent of active Social Security numbers since the Trump administration took office. It is also correcting another 8.5 million records containing inaccurate citizenship information, work that remains in progress. The death-date additions drew on Social Security's internal records and State Department data. To update citizenship entries, the agency used information from the Department of Homeland Security's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements service, known as SAVE. Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said improving the records would help prevent fraud and support the administration of benefits. The agency also reported adopting controls intended to reduce errors from manual data entry. Social Security said its database contains nearly 390 million records used by federal and state agencies to verify identities. Its announcement did not specify how many improper payments the cleanup uncovered or prevented, quantify any savings, or explain how the nearly 15 percent figure was calculated. Missing administrative information is not, by itself, evidence of improper payments. A record without a date of death does not establish that benefits continued after someone died. An incom-
plete citizenship entry likewise does not establish that a person is ineligible for benefits. Earlier government audits documented weaknesses in death reporting. In 2023, Social Security's inspector general identified approximately 18.9 million records for people born in 1920 or earlier without death information. About 18.4 million, or 98 percent, were not receiving agency payments and had no earnings reported to Social Security in the previous 50 years. Approximately 44,000 were receiving payments, but the audit did not establish that those payments were improper. The agency has not specified how many of the older records were among its latest updates. Some reporting failures have resulted in improper payments. A March 2025 inspector general report estimated that problems processing valid death reports from states had led to $327 million in such payments. The finding concerned reports submitted between November 2018 and October 2022, not the current cleanup. Mistaken death entries pose a different risk. In July 2026, the inspector general reported that 12,504 of approximately 5.6 million death records posted in 2025 were later deemed erroneous. In a separate review of earlier cases, auditors found that employees had not consistent-
ly documented why incorrect death records were removed. Erroneously recording a living person as deceased can disrupt benefits and access to services. The citizenship updates may be especially relevant to naturalized Americans whose Social Security records still reflect an earlier immigration status. The agency advises people to update their records when their citizenship or immigration status changes. Its procedure calls for requesting a replacement Social Security card and presenting identification and proof of current status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says SAVE verifies immigration or citizenship information for participating agencies but does not determine eligibility for a particular benefit. The October 20 announcement did not direct all beneficiaries to undergo new citizenship checks or announce a general change to retirement, disability or survivor payments. Anyone incorrectly recorded as deceased should visit a Social Security office promptly with current identification, according to agency guidance. Social Security says it can provide a letter confirming the correction for banks and other institutions. Instructions for updating citizenship records are available at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-7721213. (AJPress)
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Opinion
Features
OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797
A time to rethink what makes us laugh Why Filipino Humor Must Evolve WHAT we choose to laugh at says something about what we have learned to accept. Filipinos have long used humor to navigate hardship, build camaraderie and find joy in everyday life. From family gatherings to television variety shows, teasing and slapstick have been familiar forms of entertainment. But some jokes have depended on making people who look, speak, move or behave differently the objects of laughter. What was once dismissed as harmless amusement often reflected a deeper misunderstanding of disability. The recent controversy involving Joshua “Josh” Aquino, the eldest son of television personality Kris Aquino, has brought this uncomfortable legacy into sharper focus. Remarks about Josh, who is on the autism spectrum, during an episode of the Machong Chismisan podcast prompted widespread criticism, public apologies, the termination of the program’s network contract and an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation. Yet the significance of the controversy extends far beyond a prominent family or the conduct of several podcast participants. It raises a question Filipino society can no longer afford to dismiss: When does familiar humor become a form of discrimination? The law draws a line Republic Act No. 9442, enacted in 2007, amended the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities to prohibit specified forms of public ridicule and vilification. Its provisions address mockery arising from
a person’s disability, including conduct that could intimidate or diminish self-esteem. Sections 39 and 40 address disability-based public ridicule, while Sections 41 and 42 prohibit defined forms of vilification, including certain abusive statements and conduct inciting hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule. The law’s implementing rules expressly address degrading jokes and offensive imitation in entertainment. Proven violations can result in substantial fines, imprisonment or both. These protections do not make every insensitive remark a criminal offense. Whether particular conduct violates the law depends on the evidence and applicable legal standards, not public outrage alone. The law recognizes an important principle: Disability-based humiliation cannot automatically be excused simply because someone calls it a joke. But legislation can establish only a minimum standard. Changing the attitudes that allow such ridicule to
Editorial
babe’s eye view Babe Romualdez
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attended the grand opening of the expanded UPS hub at Clark International Airport, which emphasizes and underscores an opportunity that deserves greater national attention. There is no doubt Clark is steadily strengthening its role as a major cargo gateway, with two American logistics giants, UPS and FedEx, investing in the infrastructure that connects Philippine businesses to the world. The significance reaches well beyond additional warehouses or aircraft movements. Reliable logistics can determine whether an exporter wins an overseas order, whether a manufacturer expands production and whether a small enterprise can reach customers abroad. When goods move efficiently, opportunities move with them. When shipments encounter delays, businesses and workers ultimately pay the price. In his message, President Marcos highlighted the important role of logistics in connecting communities, sustaining businesses and bringing opportunities closer to the people. The
Demand and supply Boo Chanco
BBM was perhaps just trying to be dramatic when he urged the people to secure water pails or balde to prepare for the long dry spell of a Super El Niño. But he unconsciously revealed the hopelessness of our situation whose blame should be shared by past presidents including his late father. We have never given water its critical importance in sustaining our lives. The NCR is 90 percent dependent on one dam that sits on top of an active fault line. We have become used to seeing people lining up their water pails in public faucets for their daily needs, even in NCR. BBM is delivering the right message for us to be more judicious in the use of water because every drop counts. But it also implies that we are in a horrible situation because our government has not given the
ManilaTimes.net photo
persist requires something more fundamental. The problem with “biro lang” In Filipino social life, biruan, asaran and kantiyawan can convey affection among willing participants. Yet “biro lang” can also become a convenient excuse when someone objects to being humiliated. The person hurt by a remark is expected to demonstrate a sense of humor, while the person who made it avoids examining the consequences.
Clark International Airport: Fast becoming a major cargo hub timely delivery of essential supplies becomes even more critical, especially during calamities. And for an archipelagic country like the Philippines, “efficient logistics is vital to economic development and the well-being of our people.” The UPS decision to expand reflects a continuing commitment to serving businesses that depend on predictable international connections. It also underscores the increasingly important role the Philippines plays in “connecting businesses across Asia and around the world” through the UPS network, noted UPS EVP and Chief Supply Chain Solutions Officer Wilfredo Ramos. As PBBM emphasized, the 30,000-square-meter state-ofthe-art facility representing a massive $80-million investment is a recognition of the Philippines as “a strategic investment destination.” FedEx is likewise enlarging its footprint. Last May, the company announced the groundbreaking for an expanded Clark gateway that will cover more than 78,000 square meters upon completion. The project builds on the gateway it opened in October 2021, and the land lease agreement signed in July 2024. FedEx says the ex-
pansion will support express shipments, freight and growing e-commerce demand. “When an investor promises a project, it is our job to ensure it opens on schedule,” the President declared. And to ensure the timely completion of projects, he has directed the BCDA and DTI to report every unfinished Clark investment with an opening date. Taken together, these investments strengthen the case for Clark as an increasingly important location in regional logistics, giving us an opportunity to demonstrate that the Philippines can provide the dependable operating environment necessary for further growth. There is also a meaningful economic dimension to our relationship with the United States. Our alliance has enduring security foundations, but its value to ordinary Filipinos must also be evident through livelihoods and business opportunities. Investments by American companies help translate that relationship into activity that people can see, from construction and airport services to warehousing and distribution. We should be careful, however, about assuming that every exu PAGE 5
Balde-baldeng problema construction of water storage and other facilities the priority deserved. Singapore is a good example. Because their population depends on fresh water being delivered by pipeline from Malaysia, their government worked hard to reduce this vulnerability. Singapore has a strategic master plan that aims to transition the country into absolute water self-sufficiency before its final 1962 bilateral water agreement with Malaysia expires in 2061. The Singapore water plan seeks to maximize domestic collection and technology to phase out the reliance on imports. First, Singapore catches rainwater through a highly sophisticated network of drains, canals and rivers leading into 17 domestic reservoirs. Two-thirds of Singapore’s land surface serves as a massive water catchment area. Second, under the 1962 agreement, Singapore can draw up to 250 million gallons of raw water per day from Malaysia’s Johor River. This historically accounted for about 50 percent of its total
demand, but its percentage share is actively dropping as alternative taps expand. Third is NEWater (High-Grade Reclaimed Water). Introduced in 2003, NEWater is ultra-clean, purified recycled wastewater. Sewage is collected across the island, treated using advanced dual-membrane (microfiltration and reverse osmosis) and ultraviolet technologies, and fed into the system. NEWater covers roughly 40 percent of Singapore’s daily water needs, with plans to increase coverage to 55 percent by 2060. Fourth is desalination. Singapore utilizes seawater desalination to generate fresh water directly from the ocean. The country has built multiple high-capacity desalination plants, which currently satisfies up to 30 percent of its total water demand. Aside from boosting supply, Singapore curtails demand to prolong its reserves through progressive, state-mandated strategies. Singapore utilizes advanced u PAGE 5
public lives Randy David
AT a recent forum on leadership, I listened intently as a group of young, reform-minded local government executives shared their experiences of the hard work of governance reform. Their recurring problem, in essence, was how to get people to trust institutions instead of always looking for a connection to bring their needs to the attention of government. This is the root of patronage and dependence, a problem as old as our political system. What was refreshing was to hear it named by public officials themselves. It made me think about what it means for people to trust their institutions. I don’t believe this is achieved by assurances that they no longer need a connection, a patron, or a fixer to get government’s attention. For, more often than not, people look for connections not so much to gain an advantage or evade the rules, but to defend themselves against those who do. What they seek, in short, is insurance against being igno-
NO FREE LUNCH
Cielito F. Habito AS we chart the way forward for our deeply troubled Philippine economy, two sectors stand out as critical pillars that we must reinforce and build on: agriculture and manufacturing. These need priority attention in our economic agenda, following many years of relative neglect, overshadowed by services-dominated drivers that had been favored by both our largest business conglomerates and government policymakers. This neglect led us to what I’ve long described as an economy whose growth has been narrow, shallow, and hollow. I see at least three reasons why agriculture and manufacturing must be central to our strategy in moving forward: First, it’s in these two sectors where we have conspicuously underperformed relative to our Asean peers, particularly Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Second, it’s these sec-
Disability-based humor has sometimes relied on exaggerated gestures, imitated speech or assumptions that a person with a disability is less capable or less deserving of respect. Repeated through entertainment and ordinary conversation, these portrayals can normalize prejudice. Children may absorb such attitudes long before they understand what discrimination means. u PAGE 5
Trusting institutions or finding a connection red, or being overtaken by someone who knows someone inside. Such a habit does not fade because people are told it is no longer needed. It fades only with the repeated experience of being served without anybody’s intercession. That experience need not be your own. Sometimes it is enough that someone you know tells you the process is actually so painless and predictable that no personal favor is needed to get your transaction done. I have seen this happen in chat groups, where someone posts an innocent inquiry: May kakilala ba tayo sa DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) para mag-renew ng passport? Increasingly, the replies come not as a name or a number to call, but as a calm assurance that you don’t need anyone’s help for such a simple thing. You can now renew your passport at many DFA sites located in malls. Someone may add: the lines may sometimes be long, but they move. That’s how old reflexes die and new habits form. But bottlenecks remain everywhere in government. Some are kept alive by politicians who thrive on dispensing favors in exchange for personal loyal-
ty. Others are just the product of badly crafted laws and complex implementing rules that no one has bothered to review. An example of the first is the practice of securing referral and guarantee letters from legislators and local executives for financially strapped patients seeking admission to government hospitals. Needy patients once had to find out for themselves which officials had discretionary funds parked at which state hospital. The Malasakit centers have simplified this by telling people where assistance can be found. But the patronage element remains. In some provinces, a desk near the mayor’s or governor’s office issues slips of paper endorsing requests for medical assistance. These are not guarantees of payment. Whether they make any difference, no one can tell: the only test is to go without one, and few will take that chance with a sick relative. So when the patient is promptly attended to, the credit goes to the governor’s endorsement. Patronage survives here not because it works, but because it cannot be shown not to work. u PAGE 5
Moving our economy forward tors that our richest billionaires have largely shied away from. This could well be both cause and effect of the first, but it simply must change. Third, these two are arguably the most inclusive economic sectors where gross domestic product (GDP) growth would yield more and faster and wider poverty reduction than the last three decades of our growth have delivered. Let’s examine each point more closely. Last year, our agriculture, fishery, and forestry (AFF) sector grew by 3.1 percent, versus 4.1, 5.4, and 3.6 percent for Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, respectively. While we did better than Malaysia’s 1.7 percent AFF growth last year, our average over the last three years was a measly 0.93 percent, against Malaysia’s 2.1 percent. Meanwhile, our manufacturing sector grew 2.5 percent last year, well behind Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, with 8.2, 5.5, and 4.5 percent, respectively. Thailand’s unusual -0.3-percent manufacturing slump has resulted from severe disruption in its top manufac-
tured exports, especially motor vehicles. But it’s in exports where we are truly woefully behind. Last year, while we managed an impressive 19.4 percent growth in agricultural exports to $9.25 billion, it remains a mere fraction of Vietnam’s $68.2 billion, Indonesia’s $51.5 billion, Thailand’s $44.9 billion, and Malaysia’s $25.9 billion. Our manufacturing exports were $53.8 billion, a pittance against Vietnam’s $368.5 billion, Malaysia’s $327.4 billion, Thailand’s $220.8 billion, and Indonesia’s $201.2 billion. There’s no clearer evidence than these numbers of how stunted our agriculture and manufacturing sectors have been. Setting aside numbers, we only need to note how our largest conglomerates and wealthiest families mostly made their billions from banking, property development, energy, and other high-value services. Their involvement in agriculture/agribusiness and manufacturing has been minimal by comparison, and I can understand why. One tycoon admitted to me that they u PAGE 9
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OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797
El Niño strengthens ahead of winter: Duterte impeachment trial: The What it means for U.S. families strange power of dropping charges Pacific Ocean warming could mean wetter conditions across the South, milder weather in the North and increased drought concerns in parts of the West. by AJPress WASHINGTON — El Niño has become a recurring subject in weather reports as forecasters track an unusually powerful warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean. For families hearing about it in the news, the questions are practical: What is happening, how might it affect their state and what preparations should begin before winter? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said October 8 that El Niño was strengthening. Its winter outlook, released October 15, favors wetter-than-average conditions across much of the southern United States, from California to Florida, and along the East Coast. Warmer-than-average temperatures are favored across much of the North during December through February. The changes are already measurable in ocean temperatures and tropical winds, but they do not mean unusual weather has arrived in every community. A Pacific warming with global reach El Niño is not an approaching hurricane or a single storm. It is a natural climate pattern in which surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific become warmer than normal. Normally, trade winds push warm surface water westward toward Asia. During El Niño, those winds weaken, allowing warm water to spread eastward. That movement changes tropical rainfall and atmospheric circulation, which can influence the jet stream — a band of high-altitude winds that steers storms across North America. El Niño develops every two to seven years, and episodes commonly last nine to 12 months. Its influence on U.S. weather is generally strongest during winter, although no individual storm can automatically be attributed to it. Evidence of a strengthening event In its October 8 assessment, NOAA reported that ocean temperatures in the Niño-3.4 monitoring region were about 2.1 degrees Celsius, or 3.8 degrees Fahrenheit, above average. Shifts in tropical
winds and rainfall showed that the ocean and atmosphere were responding together. The agency estimated a greater than 83 percent probability of strong-to-very-strong El Niño conditions continuing through January–March 2027. It also calculated an 83 percent chance of exceeding a historical intensity threshold during October–December 2026. Neither figure measures the probability of flooding in a specific city. Regional outlook points to contrasting risks California and the Southwest: California, Arizona and New Mexico have increased chances of winter rainfall. Rain may replenish reservoirs and ease drought, but intense storms, including atmospheric rivers, can cause flash floods and debris flows. Recently burned hillsides warrant particular attention. Texas and the Gulf Coast: Wetter conditions are favored across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and nearby southern states. Rainfall may benefit water supplies but can overwhelm drainage systems during heavy downpours, especially in low-lying areas. Florida and the Southeast: Florida, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas face increased chances of above-normal precipitation. National Weather Service research links strong El Niño winters with increased cool-season severe-weather activity in parts of Florida, including tornadoes. No particular outbreak is being forecast. Midwest and Great Lakes: Warmer-than-average conditions are favored in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and surrounding states, while parts of the Great Lakes may be drier. A mild seasonal average does not rule out blizzards, ice storms or dangerous cold. Northeast and East Coast: New York, New Jersey and other Atlantic coastal states have increased chances of above-normal precipitation. Whether a storm brings rain, snow or ice will depend on temperatures when it arrives. NOAA does not predict total seasonal snowfall months in advance. Pacific Northwest and north-
an authenticated copy of the land title, a forester’s count of every tree to be cut, and approval by the regional executive director. In one regional charter, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office stage alone takes about 20 days. And for every naturally grown tree cut, a hundred seedlings must be planted. Here, seeking a connection is not a superfluous habit but a reasonable response. Where people cannot manage a procedure on their own, they approach people who can facilitate. So the young executives’ question has a practical answer. People are not weaned from the habit of finding a connection by being told to trust institutions. They are weaned from it by a govern-
Balde-baldeng problema... PAGE 4 sensor networks to identify pipeline leaks rapidly, preventing wastage before water ever reaches the tap. They also impose strict household limits. Through public awareness campaigns, it targets an eight percent reduction in individual daily water consumption by 2030. Here, we depend on private water concessionaires. The two concessionaires operating in NCR are carrying the brunt of needed capital expenditures to build an infrastructure that is currently ancient or not even existing. Those in the provinces depend on water districts that in many cases contract the provision of water services to politically connected private companies that notoriously underperform and overcharge. Our government has also allowed politically influential entities to damage our forests so that the ability of our mountain areas to store water has been severely compromised. As a result, we have flash floods that cause severe loss of lives and property every year. Our government has also done nothing much to preserve our ground water resources. We are close to exhausting our groundwater which also results in land subsidence, an existential threat to safety, public health and economic stability specially in densely populated urban areas. The reality is, there is nothing much BBM can do now to respond
to the dry spell we face in the next few months beyond urging us to buy water pails. The infrastructure that could have helped us should have been built decades ago. Also, the government agencies responsible for water management are scattered across different departments, making a comprehensive national program impossible. Currently, water management is divided among over 30 separate government agenciesincluding the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), local water districts and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – leading to overlapping policies, delays and severe shortages. There was a proposal to create a centralized Department of Water Resources (DWR). Under the proposed legislation, a dedicated Department of Water would consolidate the fractured responsibilities of the NWRB, DENR’s River Basin Control, the Department of Agriculture’s water units and local government units. Instead of “scattershot” projects, the agency would oversee long-term development of master facilities — such as multiuse flood, storage and agricultural reservoirs — to trap heavy rainfall during typhoons and store it for periods of severe drought (El Niño). A separate regulatory branch would oversee private providers and water concessionaires. A uniform regulatory commission would protect consumers from
Philstar.com
IN Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice has no difficulty imagining a cat without a grin; what unsettles her is a grin without a cat. Something has disappeared while its most conspicuous feature remains, an entertaining impossibility that the Philippine Senate has lately given a constitutional dimension. On Oct. 13, House prosecutors withdrew three impeachment articles against Duterte, although the allegations proved less obliging. Two articles had already occasioned testimony, giving the public something unlikely to disappear with an entry in the docket. Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison objected, seeking an opportunity to answer accusations that had acquired the authority of a trial without undergoing its concluding test. A defense lawyer complaining about fewer charges might ordinarily invite amusement; here, the complaint deserves a hearing. Presiding officer Chiz Escudero lifted the sub judice rule’s restriction on public discussion of the withdrawn articles, allowing Duterte to explain herself elsewhere. That restored access to microphones, which was useful, although microphones remain notoriously poor at issuing subpoenas. Still, the inadequacy of that substitute does not necessarily entitle the defense to insist that every allegation be tried. Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro maintains that Article II, involving alleged unexplained wealth and disclosure violations, suffices for removal, and concentrating on it may be responsible advocacy. Impeachment need not become the definitive biography of an officeholder’s alleged misconduct. What makes this uncomfortable is the relationship between the Senate’s legal function and its political influence. In Duterte v. House of Representatives (2025) and Generillo v. Senate (2026), the Supreme Court
ern Rockies: Warmer conditions are favored in Washington and Oregon. Drought could develop or worsen in eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon and parts of the northern Rockies, potentially affecting mountain snowpack and later water supplies. Alaska and Hawaii: Below-normal precipitation is favored across much of Alaska and Hawaii, while warmer-than-average temperatures are favored in many Alaskan areas. Preparing for conditions close to home The most useful preparations depend on local hazards, not the national forecast alone. Residents should check whether their homes and commuting routes are floodprone, identify alternate roads and review evacuation instructions. Those living below recently burned slopes should monitor debris-flow alerts. Clear gutters and drains, inspect roofs and keep important documents protected. Maintain at least three days of nonperishable food and drinking water — at least one gallon per person per day under federal preparedness guidance — plus medications, flashlights, batteries and phone chargers. Families should establish how to communicate during power or telephone outages. Homeowners should check flood coverage before winter. Standard homeowners insurance generally excludes flooding; National Flood Insurance Program policies normally have a 30-day waiting period, with exceptions. Never walk or drive into floodwater. The National Weather Service warns that six inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult and 12 inches can carry away many cars. Operate portable generators outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. A flood watch means flooding is possible; a warning means it is occurring or imminent. Local forecasts and alerts are available at weather.gov. NOAA's next El Niño assessment is scheduled for November 12, followed by an updated PAGE 4 winter outlook November 19. n pansion automatically produces cheaper shipping or immediate benefits for every business. Those outcomes depend on routes, shipment volumes, competition ment that no longer requires one. and operating costs. What addiNaga City has long shown how: tional capacity offers is a stronger its citizen’s charter names the platform. Our responsibility is to person responsible for each step ensure that Philippine enterprisand the time each step should es can make productive use of it. Clark’s development must take. In towns run by young executives, I have seen public assis- therefore be matched by imtance desks at the entrance of the provements beyond the airport municipal hall, staffed by people perimeter. A shipment can move who offer to guide you through swiftly through a modern sorting any process, and point you to the facility and still lose valuable time right office. That desk, in effect, on congested roads or in an unserves as a friend available to predictable clearance process. Every unnecessary delay reduces everyone. (Inquirer.net) the advantage that new facilities *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints are intended to create. Customs modernization reexpressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of mains essential. Clear procethe Asian Journal, its management, editorial dures, digital processing and consistent enforcement can proboard and staff. tect government revenues while *** facilitating legitimate trade. BusiEmail: public.lives@gmail.com nesses should know what documents are required, how their shipments will be assessed and whom to approach when difficulties arise. Predictability is esunjustified price shocks while pecially important for smaller exholding utility companies legally porters, which often have limited and financially accountable for resources to absorb unexpected costs. service interruptions. We must also prepare our peoThe DWR would actively manage major river basins and ple for the work that a growing vital watersheds. By acting as the logistics industry can generate. primary enforcement authority of Modern cargo operations require the Philippine Clean Water Act (RA 9275), the agency could levy harsh penalties against industries polluting primary freshwater PAGE 4 reserves. Intent matters, but so does imThe creation of the department is a no-brainer but it is taking pact. A remark intended to entime in Congress. Then again, the tertain can still reinforce harmful creation of a needed department stereotypes. At the same time, does not guarantee it will deliver as holding performers accountable envisioned. We only have to look should leave room for sincere at the disappointing performance apologies, reflection and improveof the Department of Information ment. Filipino comedy does not have and Communications Technology to lose its spontaneity or irreverto keep our hopes down. The creation of DWR was ence to become more inclusive. first proposed in 2019 by Rep. Slapstick can remain inventive Joey Salceda. The concept was without mocking disability. Sata national policy priority under ire can challenge hypocrisy and BBM who formally integrated the abuse of power. People with disDWR into his priority legislative abilities should also be free to paragenda during his very first State ticipate in comedy and tell stories of the Nation Address in July about their own experiences on their own terms. 2022. The distinction is whether huBut the bill has not moved and the Super El Niño is not waiting for mor reveals something about huus to get our act together. Balde- man behavior or merely invites balde na lang muna. (Philstar.com) an audience to laugh at someone perceived as different. *** For writers, performers, proThe opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily ducers and digital platforms, this reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of calls for greater editorial judgthe Asian Journal, its management, editorial ment. Freedom of expression remains essential, but responsible board and staff. entertainment requires under*** Boo Chanco’s email address is bchanco@ standing the difference between challenging social conventions gmail.com. Follow him on X @boochanco
Trusting institutions or finding... PAGE 4 The second kind of bottleneck is harder to dislodge. It arises where the law requires a permit for something people assume is their own business, like cutting a tree in one’s own yard because a typhoon has left it leaning dangerously, or to make room for an extension to the house. Ask about this in the chat group, a member might say: call this person. It will still be useful to know someone. A 2021 Department of Environment and Natural Resources order meant to simplify the process still requires, for a naturally grown tree, an endorsement from the barangay captain, or the mayor, or the governor, depending on how many jurisdictions are involved. It requires
by By Atty. Noel B. Lazaro
describes impeachment as sui generis: primarily legal and constitutional, with political characteristics. The Senate adjudicates charges while influencing belief, and withdrawal exposes the difference between those activities. Having received an allegation in the impressive company of senators, sworn witnesses, and official records, the public is suddenly left to supply its own ending. That is a complication worth setting beside Jeremy Bentham’s description of publicity as “the soul of justice” in A Treatise on Judicial Evidence (1825). The English philosopher and legal reformer understood public scrutiny as a discipline upon testimony and judgment. Giving an accusation an excellent audience achieves something less, particularly when neither side must risk a decision on its merits. An undelivered rebuttal can remain devastating in the defense’s account, just as an abandoned allegation can remain compelling in the prosecution’s. These possibilities establish no bad faith, but they explain why neither side’s account should escape scrutiny. Whether they establish a mistrial is another question. United States v. Perez (1824) addressed a deadlocked jury and “manifest necessity”; Arizona v. Washington (1978), prejudicial opening remarks; Oregon v. Kennedy (1982), prosecutorial provocation and limits on retrial. These doctrines concern interrupted criminal trials. Philippine precedent is similarly exacting: Galman v. Sandiganbayan (1986) involved a trial rigged to produce acquittals, while People v. Tria-Tirona (2005) and Raya v. People (2021) distinguish fundamental denial of due process from error within genuine proceedings. A controversial ruling does not automatically make the proceeding a counterfeit. The more useful inquiry is what injury withdrawal has caused and whether the Senate can repair it. The Philippine Rules of Court contemplate reopening before a conviction becomes fi-
nal under Rule 119, Section 24, and new trials under Rule 121, Sections 1, 2, and 6. Rule VI of the Senate’s impeachment rules permits suppletory application whenever applicable, although these provisions do not automatically authorize revival of withdrawn articles. Nor does the Corona precedent settle matters: Prosecutors abandoned five articles in 2012 without developing their evidentiary case, whereas testimony on two withdrawn articles has been heard here. Escudero's disposition raises a separate question. Articles I and IV were withdrawn with prejudice, barring revival in the present Congress; Article III, without prejudice. Although Crespo v. Mogul (1987) supports tribunal control over disposition by analogy, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution assigns initiation to the House and adjudication to the Senate. Beyond its one-year bar, any further restriction on future initiation requires justification. For the continuing trial, Rule 128, Sections 3 and 4, and Rule 132, Section 34 of the Rules of Court direct attention to relevance, admissibility, and formal offer. Evidence legitimately bearing on Article II remains subject to challenge; familiar accusations cannot compensate for missing proof. The Senate cannot govern what people remember, but it can address what withdrawal entails, what evidence remains usable, and what it has never decided. Having presided over the appearance of the cat, it owes the public something better than leaving the grin to explain itself. *** 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.
*** Atty. Noel B. Lazaro teaches Criminal Procedure and Evidence at the UP College of Law. He served as counsel for former Chief Justice Renato C. Corona during his 2012 impeachment trial.
Clark International Airport... technical competence, familiarity with digital systems and attention to international standards. Partnerships among employers, schools and training institutions can help local communities qualify for these opportunities. The objective should include career development and advancement as the industry becomes more sophisticated. The wider region stands to benefit when airport investment encourages related services and manufacturing. But development must be planned responsibly. Road access, reliable electricity and adequate water deserve attention alongside environmental safeguards. Communities should experience improvements in their daily lives as commercial activity grows. Otherwise, impressive investment announcements will fail to generate the public confidence that sustained development requires. Giving economic cooperation practical substance is vital. Encouraging American businesses to consider the Philippines is only part of our task here in Washington. Equally important is ensuring that companies already committed to our country find reasons to stay and expand. Their experience can influence the decisions of other investors studying where to place their next project. Businesses seek greater resil-
ience in their supply chains, and the Philippines should compete by offering dependable service and the skills of our workforce. We have an opening to earn a larger place in international trade, provided we match our geographic advantages with the quality of our execution every day. Clark’s history gives this transformation particular resonance. Once widely associated with an American military base, it is now helping build commercial connections that can support Philippine prosperity. That evolution offers a compelling expression of how an established partnership can respond to changing national needs. The measure of success will be the opportunities created for Filipinos: the exporter securing another customer, the worker gaining a skilled position and the entrepreneur reaching a market once considered beyond reach. As more cargo passes through Clark, our ambition must be to send more Philippine products into the world – and bring greater prosperity home. (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
A time to rethink what makes us laugh... and perpetuating discrimination. Beyond pity and stereotypes Filipino society must also move beyond portraying persons with disabilities as either objects of pity or extraordinary inspirations. Both approaches can overlook the complexity of ordinary human lives. People with disabilities study, work, form relationships, contribute to their communities and pursue aspirations. Some live independently; others require continuing assistance. Neither circumstance determines their worth. No one should have to demonstrate exceptional intelligence, productivity or kindness to deserve dignity. Respect is not earned by overcoming a disability. It is a fundamental human right. This principle must extend beyond entertainment. It requires challenging derogatory nicknames in schools, discriminatory attitudes in workplaces and barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully in society. The Philippines’ commitments under the United Nations Conven-
tion on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reinforce the importance of combating stereotypes and promoting inclusion. Those obligations should be reflected not only in government policy but also in everyday behavior. Parents, teachers, employers, media organizations and audiences all have a role in shaping what future generations consider acceptable. An audience that stops rewarding humiliation can influence comedy as surely as any regulation. The Josh Aquino controversy may lead to legal findings, further apologies or changes in editorial practices. Whatever the outcome, its larger significance lies in the opportunity to reconsider attitudes that have gone unquestioned for too long. A society known for warmth, compassion and resilience should be capable of preserving its humor without turning disability into a punchline. The real measure of progress is simple: A person with a disability should enter a room and be welcomed as an equal, not anticipated as the next joke. (AJPress)
6
OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 937-9981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797
Philippines eyes year-end filing of general tax amnesty bill Finance Department refines proposal as lawmakers weigh relief and tax compliance by AJPress
TRAFFIC PLANNING. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Romando "Don" Artes leads MMDA, national and local government officials during a meeting at the MMDA headquarters in Pasig City on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. The MMDA and local government units are finalizing traffic and safety plans for Undas 2026 and the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, with road excavation works set to be suspended. Photo courtesy of MMDA
Metro Manila faces ASEAN summit traffic curbs starting Oct. 24 Pasay restrictions begin October 24; November 16–18 declared special non-working days by AJPress MANILA — Commuters and motorists in Metro Manila face weeks of traffic disruptions beginning October 24, with authorities planning venue restrictions, limits on certain public-event permits and a roadwork moratorium ahead of the Philippines’ hosting of the 49th ASEAN Summit in November. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will host regional leaders, with President Donald Trump expected to attend, Malacañang said. Pasay City announced partial road closures around the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) and neighboring Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex from October 24 through November 9. Officials discussed plans during an October 21 interagency meeting. The MMDA has announced a full venue lockdown beginning
November 7. Pasay City’s separate traffic advisory schedules total road closures in the area from November 9 through November 20. The announcements do not clearly establish whether the two phases apply to identical roads and access points. Motorists have been advised to avoid Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, Diokno Boulevard, the World Trade Center vicinity and parts of Roxas Boulevard, where congestion and diversions are expected. Designated bus lanes will also temporarily serve as priority routes for summit vehicles, according to Pasay traffic authorities. Employees seeking access to restricted workplaces have been told to bring company identification; entry remains subject to security controls. From October 24 to November 20, authorities will suspend issuance of permits for fun runs, motorcades, processions and similar events in Manila, Pasay,
Parañaque, Makati and Taguig. Malacañang has separately affirmed the public's right to peaceful protest. A Metro Manila moratorium on road excavation, reblocking and similar disruptive works takes effect November 1 and runs through midnight December 23, covering the summit preparations and holiday travel season. Under Proclamation No. 1447, November 16–18 are special non-working days throughout Metro Manila. The declaration does not apply nationwide. The Department of Labor and Employment says workers who do not report generally receive no pay unless employer policy, established practice or a collective agreement provides otherwise. Those required to work generally receive 130 percent of basic pay for the first eight hours, or 150 percent if the day also falls on their scheduled rest day. Overtime premiums apply. n
Comelec cancels registration of 50 partylist groups ahead of 2028 elections Bayan Muna, Magdalo and Buhay among organizations affected by electoral participation and performance rules by AJPress MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered the cancellation of registration of 50 party-list organizations, including Bayan Muna, Magdalo Para sa Pilipino and Buhay Hayaan Yumabong, citing their records in the past two national elections. The Comelec en banc adopted Resolution No. 11281 on October 15. It identified 10 groups that did not participate in either the 2022 or 2025 election and 40 that, according to the commission, failed to qualify for seats in the House of Representatives in both elections. The 10 include One Philippines, Filipino Family Party and 1-United Transport Koalisyon. Among the 40 are A TEA-
CHER, Democratic Independent Workers’ Association (DIWA), Bayaning Tsuper and BOSES Party-list, formerly known as MOCHA, alongside Bayan Muna, Magdalo and Buhay. The cancellation order invokes Section 6(8) of Republic Act No. 7941, the Party-List System Act. The law permits Comelec to cancel a party-list registration after due notice and hearing for nonparticipation in two preceding elections or for failure to meet the applicable electoral-performance requirement. In a 2010 ruling involving the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, the Supreme Court held that the two grounds must be assessed separately. The court also ruled that a group receiving less than 2 percent of party-list votes cannot be delisted solely on that
basis if it qualified for a seat through the allocation of additional seats. The electoral-performance ground therefore concerns failure to qualify for a seat in both preceding elections. Resolution No. 11281 provides that it takes effect immediately upon publication. The decision concerns organizational registration; it is not, by itself, a finding of electoral misconduct. Any legal challenge or subsequent registration application would be governed by the applicable procedures. The Comelec said the order does not foreclose separate cancellation or disqualification petitions concerning other party-list organizations or nominees for the 2028 elections, including issues involving required manifestations of intent to participate. n
Taguig projects face scrutiny over lake permits, flood-control records
Cayetano senators question LLDA enforcement as an inquiry into disputed construction photographs continues by AJPress MANILA — Questions about permits for projects along Taguig City’s Laguna de Bay shoreline have intensified amid a separate inquiry into flood-control construction records, exposing disagreements among lawmakers and government agencies over responsibility for the public works. At an October 19 Senate hearing on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ proposed 2027 budget, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, questioned Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) acting General Manager Leopoldo Parumog over what they described as disproportionate scrutiny of Taguig, where Alan Peter Cayetano’s wife, Lani Cayetano, is mayor. The senators contrasted publicity surrounding a cease-and-desist order in Taguig with the LLDA’s treatment of comparable enforcement actions in Muntinlupa City and Angono, Rizal. Pia Cayetano also questioned the agency’s detailed social media updates about Taguig. Parumog denied singling out the city, citing enforcement actions in other localities. Questions over permits The hearing also examined which agency was responsible for obtaining permits. Asked about most of the projects under discussion, LLDA lawyer Marian Soriano identified the Department of Pub-
lic Works and Highways (DPWH) as the implementing agency and said it had failed to obtain the permits in question. Alan Peter Cayetano argued that Taguig should not be blamed for permit deficiencies involving national projects simply because the city operates parks and other public spaces on reclaimed land. Soriano’s answers did not establish that every development complied with applicable requirements or resolve the potential responsibilities of other parties. LLDA officials asserted jurisdiction over development around Laguna de Bay, while Cayetano questioned the Philippine Reclamation Authority’s separate role in permitting. He urged consistent enforcement for similar projects elsewhere around the lake and greater consultation with affected local governments on future plans. On October 20, Sen. Panfilo Lacson criticized the Cayetanos’ questioning of Parumog, saying it had strayed from the agency’s proposed budget. Alan Peter Cayetano responded that he supported legitimate investigations but opposed what he characterized as politically motivated scrutiny that was delaying public services. Lacson has cited government inspection reports and other documents as the basis for his concerns. Separate dispute over construction records Lacson has also raised questions about a slope-protection project along the Taguig River, identified in DPWH records as
Contract ID 220B0106 and awarded to St. Timothy Construction Corp., which he has linked to the Discaya family. According to documents disclosed by Lacson, photographs attached to a June 2022 advance payment of approximately P13.74 million bore geographic coordinates pointing to Tacloban City, Leyte, roughly 600 kilometers from Taguig. Subsequent billing submissions either lacked photographs or contained images without usable location coordinates, he said. At the October 19 hearing, Cayetano attributed the discrepancy to a contractor’s error, saying the contractor had also worked in Leyte. He maintained that the Taguig project was completed. Lacson has acknowledged that preliminary inspection findings, including those concerning the St. Timothy project, do not automatically establish that a project was nonexistent. He cautioned, however, against treating the absence of a confirmed finding as proof that all Taguig projects were free of irregularities. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said September 28 that none of the 10 projects nationwide that the DPWH had then conclusively identified as nonexistent was in Taguig. He stressed that other Taguig projects remained under investigation and said preliminary findings of possible irregularities had been forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman for further validation. n
MANILA — The Philippine Department of Finance (DOF) is preparing a general tax amnesty bill for possible submission to Congress before the end of 2026, as the government explores ways to settle outstanding tax liabilities and bolster revenue collection. Finance Undersecretary Rolando T. Ligon Jr. said the department was refining the proposal and assessing its potential revenue implications. The timetable concerns the filing of legislation, not the launch of an amnesty program. No new general tax amnesty has been enacted. Eligibility rules, covered tax years, payment terms and exclusions would depend on the final legislation. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for a tax amnesty in his July 27 State of the Nation Address, citing unpaid income, estate and donor's taxes, as well as value-added tax and related penalties. His administration has also proposed income tax relief for workers and changes to the minimum corporate income tax affecting small businesses.
Estate tax amnesty legislation and proposed amendments to bank secrecy laws have been identified separately among the administration's legislative priorities. Several proposals are pending in Congress, with differing coverage periods. Senate Bill No. 2038, filed by Sen. Erwin Tulfo in April, would provide a one-time amnesty for unpaid national internal revenue taxes for taxable year 2024 and earlier. House Bill No. 10957, filed in August, proposes the same period. House Bill No. 11236, filed in September, would cover taxable year 2026 and earlier, addressing estate taxes, other national internal revenue taxes and tax delinquencies. None of these bills establishes the final terms of the DOF's proposal. The renewed effort follows the passage of Republic Act No. 11213 in February 2019. Former President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed its general tax amnesty provisions but retained separate measures covering estate taxes and certain tax delinquencies. The Department of Finance said at the time that the veto re-
flected concerns over safeguards, including access to bank information and mechanisms for verifying taxpayers' declarations. Bank secrecy reform remains a separate legislative issue. The government views an amnesty as a possible means of encouraging taxpayers to settle liabilities, but international fiscal advisers have cautioned about its effects on regular compliance. In September, International Monetary Fund staff recommended avoiding tax amnesties as part of a broader strategy to strengthen Philippine revenues. The fund has previously warned that expectations of repeated amnesties could discourage timely tax payment and suggested voluntary disclosure programs instead. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry included a General Tax Amnesty Act among the measures it urged lawmakers to pursue during its October business conference. The discussion comes as the Bureau of Internal Revenue reported approximately P2.465 trillion in gross collections from January through September 2026, an increase of 5.58 percent from the same period a year earlier. n
Philippines launches online notarization of documents under new Supreme Court rules
Digital service covers eligible documents, while overseas users face restrictions by AJPress MANILA — The Supreme Court launched electronic notarization nationwide on October 19, 2026, giving individuals and businesses a way to have eligible documents notarized through accredited digital platforms, including by videoconference. The rollout implements rules approved in February 2025. It allows commissioned electronic notaries to serve clients across the Philippines, extending their reach beyond the territorial limits applicable to traditional notaries. Electronic notarization may involve an in-person appearance, a remote session or a combination of both. Three platforms were accredited for the initial rollout: Twala, operated by Ohelio Inc.; QLegal, from Quanby Solutions Inc.; and NotarizeIT, from UNAWA Inc. Users register with an accredited provider and select a commissioned electronic notary. Eligible documents
The system covers electronic documents in PDF or PDF/A format. Traditional notarization remains available, and notarial wills and depositions are excluded from the electronic rules. Scanned documents bearing handwritten signatures may qualify, but previously signed documents are accepted only for acknowledgment, affirmation or oath. Documents requiring a jurat must be electronically signed before the notary during the session, which may take place through authorized videoconferencing. The Supreme Court says electronic notarial acts have the same legal effect as those performed under the 2004 notarial rules when the electronic requirements are met. The launch follows agreements signed October 13 with the Land Registration Authority and Securities and Exchange Commission. The joint memorandum circulars establish procedures for accepting and processing electronically notarized documents in property-re-
lated and corporate transactions. Restrictions for overseas users For users outside the Philippines, the rules require physical presence at a Philippine embassy, consular office or honorary consul’s office. A designated officer must confirm the person’s presence, while the electronic notary must remain in the Philippines. The court cautions that physical and legal restrictions may prevent the arrangement in some jurisdictions. The rules do not authorize overseas users to complete the process from home. In its October 15 announcement, the Supreme Court said discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs were continuing to bring electronic notarization to overseas Filipino workers. The announcement did not confirm service availability at individual foreign posts. Accredited platforms, commissioned notaries and procedural guidance are listed on the Supreme Court’s official eNotarization portal. sc.judiciary.gov.ph n
House seeks answers on P3.5-billion Laos drug seizure Police prepare findings on alleged charter-flight scheme as lawmakers examine possible Philippine links by AJPress MANILA — A House committee scheduled a briefing Thursday on a suspected P3.5-billion methamphetamine shipment intercepted in Laos, as Philippine police prepared to complete their investigation of an alleged plan to fly the drugs to Manila. The Committee on Dangerous Drugs, chaired by Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos, invited Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Isagani Nerez to address the reported Philippine connections and safeguards against trafficking by private aircraft. Its October 22 agenda also included a separate drug seizure in Thailand. Lao authorities intercepted 521 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine at Luang Prabang International Airport on October 1. Malaysian police said 23 bags were brought to a chartered Lear-
jet that had arrived without cargo from Subang, Malaysia. Twenty-one bags contained suspected drugs. Malaysian authorities identified Manila as the intended destination. Lao police detained 13 people in connection with the seizure. Philippine investigators subsequently identified 11 persons of interest. Remulla named former Bangsamoro parliament member Edriezan Hadji Nasser Rimbang as the alleged financier. He also alleged that Police Executive Master Sgt. Aileen Jayne Manalo Mendoza helped arrange the aircraft’s intended arrival and hangar, while pilot Rioklyn Pizarras Toledo arranged the aircraft. Their alleged roles have not been established in court. Toledo has denied involvement and said he cooperated with investigators. No public response from Rimbang to the specific financing allegation was located in the reports reviewed.
On October 21, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Maj. Gen. Alexander Morico II said seven of the 11 persons of interest had appeared before investigators. Police had issued approximately 40 subpoenas to people, businesses and government offices, he said, emphasizing that not everyone summoned was a person of interest. Morico said investigators were checking documents and surveillance footage and intended to submit their report to Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. by Friday, October 23. Police and drug enforcement legal officers would then determine whether charges should be filed. House Resolution 1559, filed October 19, calls for an inquiry into weaknesses in private-aviation oversight and coordination between Philippine and foreign authorities. The measure remains pending in the House. n
RISKS. The Philippine Stock Exchange index rises anew Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 due to bargain-hunting and investors’ decision to keep a wait-and-see stance ahead of Thursday’s, Oct. 22 rate setting meet of the Bangko Sentral ng Piliipinas’ Monetary Board. On the other hand, the Philippine peso weakened against the greenback. PNA file
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ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026
LEGAL SERVICES
LEGAL SERVICES
LEGAL SERVICES
CASE NUMBER: 26CU052038C
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9018340
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9020626
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Colleen Taylor Dreiling filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Colleen Taylor Dreiling to Taylor Sam Truong. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 11/12/2026 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego Central Courthouse 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEP 30, 2026 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT MICHAEL S. GROCH Judge of the Superior Court AJ 2010 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, and 11/06/2026 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required. A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date.The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 2010
CASE NUMBER: 26CU054274C
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Siro Bustamante Bautista and Lorena Garcia Herrera on behalf of a minor filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Sofia Garcia to Sofia Bustamante Garcia. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 11/25/2026 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego Central Courthouse 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: OCT 13, 2026 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT MICHAEL S. GROCH Judge of the Superior Court AJ 2112 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, and 11/06/2026 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required. A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 2012
MCS USA located at 3940 Horton Rd, Bonita, CA 91920. Registrant: Tommaso Maggini, 3940 Horton Rd, Bonita, CA 91920. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/21/2026. Signature: Tommaso Maggini. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/21/2026. AJ 2003 10/02, 10/09, 10/16, and 10/23/2026.
AJSD 2003
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9021463
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9020727
PEACE MASSAGE located at 12233 Woodside Ave, Lakeside, CA 92040. Registrant: Guochan Mao, 3620 3rd Ave 207, San Diego, CA 92103. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Guochan Mao. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/28/2026. AJ 2004 10/02, 10/09, 10/16, and 10/23/2026.
AJSD 2004
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9021321
CEASEFIRE located at 10465 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA 92121. Registrant: Cesar Fernandez, 10465 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA 92121. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/05/2026. Signature: Cesar Fernandez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/05/2026. AJ 2007 10/09, 10/16, 10/23, and 10/30/2026.
Oceanside Senior Home Care located at 4668 Marblehead Bay Drive, Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant: Family Comfort Care INC., 2579 Arundel Ave, Carlsbad, CA 92009. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/02/2026. Signature: Bella Amor D. Morales. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/02/2026. AJ 2008 10/09, 10/16, 10/23, and 10/30/2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9021995
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9022115
AJSD 2007
SoCalFrameless located at 1655 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110. R e g i s t r a n t : SoCalFrameless, 1655 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/23/2026. Signature: Barry Cohen. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/13/2026. AJ 2013 10/23, 10/30, 11/06, and 11/13/2026.
AJSD 2013
AJSD 2008
a. Lia at Zion located at 1430 E Plaza Blvd E-15, National City, CA 91950. b. Lia Salon located at 1430 E Plaza Blvd E-15, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Sung Soon Song, 1430 E Plaza Blvd E-15, National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/14/2026. Signature: Sung Soon Song. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/14/2026. AJ 2014 10/23, 10/30, 11/06, and 11/13/2026.
AJSD 2014
a. IPC Consulting located at 8181 Allison Ave Apt 326, La Mesa, CA 91942. b. IPC EC located at 8181 Allison Ave Apt 326, La Mesa, CA 91942. Registrant: Tiffany Ignacio, 3400 Cottage Way, Ste G2, Sacramento, CA 95825. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Tiffany Ignacio. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/24/2026. AJ 2005 10/02, 10/09, 10/16, and 10/23/2026. AJSD 2005
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9021887
Safe Road Towing located at 1057 Leslie Rd, El Cajon, CA 92020. Registrant: Mira Transport and Recovery Inc, 1057 Leslie Rd, El Cajon, CA 92020. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Milad Kamil. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/09/2026. AJ 2009 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, and 11/06/2026.
AJSD 2009
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9022283
The Mary Joe Real Estate Company located at 4012 Aguila St. Unit A, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant: LLHD Real Estate Partners, LLC, 4012 Aguila St. Unit A, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Joseph Heaphy. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/16/2026. AJ 2015 10/23, 10/30, 11/06, and 11/13/2026.
AJSD 2015
7
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9020711
Fresh Scent Car Detailing located at 1120 Sycamore Ave, Ste 2G, Vista, CA 92081. Registrant: Christian Luke Burgos, 1120 Sycamore Ave, Ste 2G, Vista, CA 92081. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/22/2026. Signature: Christian Luke Burgos. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/25/2026. AJ 2006 10/02, 10/09, 10/16, and 10/23/2026.
AJSD 2006
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9021951
JNJM Properties LLC located at 1531Petal Drive, San Diego, CA 92114. Registrant: JNJM Properties LLC, 1531Petal Drive, San Diego, CA 92114. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/08/2023. Signature: Jonathan Macaspac. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/12/2026. AJ 2011 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, and 11/06/2026.
AJSD 2011
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2026-9022282
Tidewater Living located at 4012 Aguila St. Unit A, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant: SHD Housing, LLC, 4012 Aguila St. Unit A, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Joseph Heaphy. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/16/2026. AJ 2016 10/23, 10/30, 11/06, and 11/13/2026. AJSD 2016
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ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026
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Palace urges Dela Rosa to surrender as arrest talks draw Senate scrutiny Interior chief warns of potential mass casualties; Senate leader questions negotiations with alleged armed group by AJPress MANILA — Malacañang urged Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to surrender Wednesday, October 21, as authorities pursued talks intended to secure his arrest without a confrontation that officials warned could turn violent. Speaking at a security meeting Tuesday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said negotiators were in contact with people allegedly protecting Dela Rosa in Mindanao. He warned that an attempt to arrest the senator by force could cause as many as 10,000 deaths, but provided no publicly documented basis for the estimate. Remulla said the senator was believed to be in a remote part of Davao City, sheltered by a group with substantial financial resources and armed personnel. He did not identify the group or disclose evidence supporting his account. The claims could not be independently verified. “Sumuko ka na kasi para wala nang dugong dadanak,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said
in Filipino. (Surrender so that no blood will be spilled.) Castro warned against helping Dela Rosa evade authorities and described the alleged protection of the senator by armed individuals as a national security concern. She did not identify those involved. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian questioned negotiations with the alleged group, saying authorities should not negotiate with unauthorized armed groups. He acknowledged that he did not know the group's circumstances and said he would leave operational decisions to Remulla, who has argued that negotiation is preferable to risking civilian and police lives. Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief, is wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged killings connected to former President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug campaign. The ICC issued a warrant under seal on November 6, 2025, and made it public on May 11, 2026. The ICC continues to list Dela Rosa as at large. Judges found reasonable grounds to believe Dela Rosa
bore criminal responsibility as an alleged indirect co-perpetrator of murder as a crime against humanity. The warrant concerns at least 32 people allegedly killed between July 2016 and April 2018. The allegations have not been proven at trial. Dela Rosa has denied wrongdoing. His lawyers argue that Philippine authorities cannot enforce the ICC warrant without an order from a domestic court. Government lawyers dispute that position. The senator left the Senate compound early on May 14 after a confrontation at the Senate the previous evening that included gunfire. No casualties were reported. Remulla said this week that he regretted relying on an understanding with then-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano that Dela Rosa would remain in Senate custody. On May 20, the Supreme Court declined, by a 9-5-1 vote, to grant Dela Rosa temporary protection against arrest. The justices stressed that they had not decided the underlying legal dispute over enforcement of the ICC warrant. n
Philippines sees $100 million in potential farm investments after Rome forum Government reports international investor interest in five agricultural commodities, with financing commitments yet to be detailed by AJPress MANILA — Philippine agriculture officials say discussions with prospective financiers at a United Nations-backed forum in Rome could generate about $100 million in investments, although binding agreements covering that amount have not been publicly identified. Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the Philippine delegation held approximately 12 bilateral meetings at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, held October 13–16. The delegation presented 27 proposals involving coffee, seaweed, mango, jackfruit and cocoa. The estimate reflects potential financing, not money already received. The Department of Agriculture has not publicly detailed signed commitments, participating investors or a timetable for disbursement tied to the reported
amount. The country entered the forum with a $57.43 million investment portfolio prepared in cooperation with FAO and the Asian Development Bank. The larger figure discussed afterward reflects the government's expectations following meetings with prospective backers, rather than an increase in verified funding. FAO’s published profile allocates $26.4 million to coffee projects and $24.8 million to seaweed, together accounting for nearly 90 percent of the initial portfolio. Proposed spending includes processing facilities, equipment, postharvest handling, quality control and other investments intended to increase the value of farm products. For growers and processors, such projects could address obstacles in moving beyond raw commodity sales, including inadequate postharvest facilities and limited access to higher-value markets. The benefits would
depend on whether financing is secured and facilities are built. The FAO profile projects an overall internal rate of return of 24.57 percent and a net present value of $42.2 million. Both are estimates based on proposed projects, not returns earned by investors. FAO also projects 4,116 direct beneficiaries if the portfolio is fully implemented. The Philippine presentation formed part of a wider effort to attract commercial and development financing to rural economies. Across the Rome forum, 38 countries and five regional initiatives presented $20.16 billion in proposed agrifood projects, according to FAO. Those totals represent investment opportunities, not completed transactions. Among the smaller Philippine proposals are $4 million for mango, $1.8 million for jackfruit and $285,000 for cocoa, with investment plans involving processing and other value-adding activities. n
FLOOD WALL. Ongoing construction of a revetment wall in Brgy. Calizon, Calumpit, Bulacan in an undated photo. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 said they aim to finish the flood walls in three barangays in Calumpit by early 2027. DPWH photo
Sara Duterte defense weighs Supreme Court challenge to impeachment voting rule
Legal team questions revised conviction threshold as separate petition by two senators awaits judicial resolution by AJPress MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team is considering asking the Supreme Court to review the Senate impeachment court’s revised voting formula, a dispute over how many senators must support a conviction in her ongoing trial. Defense spokesman Michael Poa said a petition could be filed within the next two weeks, although discussions involving Duterte and lead defense counsel Sheila Sison had not been concluded. Speaking Thursday, October 22, on the sidelines of a Rotary Club of Manila meeting, Poa told The Philippine Star that the defense hoped to secure a judicial interpretation of the constitutional voting requirement. He said the issue could have implications for future impeachment proceedings. The dispute concerns Article XI, Section 3(6) of the 1987 Constitution, which requires the concurrence of two-thirds of all Senate members to convict an impeached official. The provision has traditionally been understood to require 16 votes in the 24-member Senate. On September 23, however, the Senate impeachment court overturned an earlier ruling by presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero that fixed the threshold at 16. By a vote of 13-1, with six senator-judges not participating,
GCash parent Mynt raises record P60.9 billion in Philippine IPO Landmark stock market listing draws international investors and more than 140,000 GCash users, expanding public participation in the country's digital finance sector by AJPress MANILA — Mynt Inc., the parent company of GCash, raised P60.9 billion in the largest initial public offering in Philippine stock market history, marking a milestone for the country's expanding digital financial services industry. The company made its debut on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on October 20, 2026, under the trading symbol GCASH. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attended the ceremonial listing, which surpassed the previous IPO record established by food manufacturer Monde Nissin in 2021. At its offering price of P6.60 per share, Mynt was valued at approximately P441.5 billion, making it the seventh-largest domestic company on the exchange at the time of listing. The offering attracted institutional investors from the Philippines and overseas, including
funds associated with BlackRock, Citadel and Fidelity International. Retail participation was also substantial. According to the PSE, 140,725 GCash users invested approximately P1.1 billion through GStocks PH, a stock-trading service accessible through the GCash application. The platform enabled eligible users to subscribe to IPO shares through their mobile phones, with a minimum initial subscription of 100 shares, equivalent to P660 at the offering price. The P60.9-billion offering included newly issued shares, shares sold by existing investors and an overallotment portion. Approximately P10.6 billion in gross proceeds came from newly issued shares, while proceeds from the sale of existing shares went to selling shareholders. Mynt said the capital raised for the company would support the expansion of its digital financial services, product development and general corporate operations.
Backed by Globe Telecom, Ant Group and Ayala Corp., Mynt operates a financial services platform offering electronic payments, money transfers, lending, savings, investment and insurance products. The company reported 41.5 million monthly active users during the second quarter of 2026, reflecting the scale of its operations in a country where digital financial services have become increasingly integrated into everyday transactions. Mynt President and Chief Executive Officer Martha Sazon said nearly 90 percent of GCash customers came from low- and middle-income households, describing financial inclusion as a central part of the company's business. Mynt also reported revenue of P43.27 billion for the first half of 2026, an increase of 10.4 percent from the corresponding period a year earlier. Net income rose 7.3 percent to P10.82 billion during the same period. n
The petition seeks to invalidate the September 23 ruling and preserve the 16-vote requirement. Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has expressed the view that judicial review would be more appropriate after the impeachment court votes on conviction or acquittal. He argued that the constitutional dispute could remain hypothetical unless a verdict depended on fewer than 16 affirmative votes. The voting issue remains unresolved as Duterte prepares to answer the sole remaining impeachment article. On October 13, the Senate impeachment court accepted the House prosecution’s withdrawal of three charges involving alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery and grave threats. The remaining Article II concerns allegations of unexplained wealth, undeclared assets and prohibited business interests. Duterte has denied wrongdoing and disputes the prosecution’s allegations. House prosecutors submitted their formal offer of evidence on October 20, ahead of the October 23 deadline. The defense has 10 days from receipt to file comments and objections before the impeachment court rules on admissibility. Proceedings are scheduled to resume November 9, when Duterte’s lawyers are expected to begin presenting their defense. n
Philippines plans 60-day freeze on pork import permits
DA targets mid-November as hog raisers protest falling prices and trade investigation proceeds by AJPress
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomes Mynt, Inc.'s historic PSE listing, highlighting growing investor trust in Filipino innovation and its potential to create broader economic opportunities for Filipinos. PCO file photo
the impeachment court adopted a formula that counts only senators legally and factually capable of participating when judgment is rendered. Under that interpretation, 14 votes would be sufficient if only 20 senators qualified to participate. The required number could change depending on the circumstances at the time of the final vote. Duterte’s defense maintains that the 16-vote requirement should remain in effect. Poa has argued that changing the calculation after the trial began raises questions about due process, particularly because the defense entered the proceedings under the original interpretation. The House prosecution disputes that position. Its legal spokesman, Benjamin Tolosa Jr., said in September that the Senate ruling rested on sound legal grounds and did not constitute grave abuse of discretion. The Supreme Court dismissed three earlier petitions challenging the revised formula on September 30, citing procedural grounds that included lack of legal standing and prematurity. The dismissals did not determine whether the Senate’s interpretation complies with the Constitution. A separate challenge was filed October 6 by Senators Robin Padilla and Christopher “Bong” Go, together with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan and several other petitioners.
MANILA — The Department of Agriculture is preparing a 60day suspension of new import permits for selected pork cuts, with mid-November the target start, as hog raisers protest falling farmgate prices and competition from imported meat. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Thursday the proposed restriction would cover pork belly, shoulder and hind-leg cuts, known locally as liempo, kasim and pigue. He cited November 15 as a target date but said legal procedures must first be completed. The proposal concerns sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances, not a blanket prohibition on pork entering the country. Tiu Laurel has said previously contracted shipments
would be allowed to proceed. The move comes amid a three-day “pig holiday” from October 22 to 24. Participating hog raisers are withholding live pigs from sale to press for higher tariffs and other relief. AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones, chairman of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, said participation is voluntary. The group plans to demonstrate outside the DA headquarters in Quezon City on October 23. Department figures show farmgate hog prices fell from about P215 per kilogram in June 2025 to P150 in August 2026, even as domestic production grew 6 percent in the first half of this year. Pork imports rose 5.16 percent year on year to 602,655 metric tons in January through August, according to Bureau of Animal Industry figures. Tiu Laurel estimated available pork
stocks cover 170 days of domestic pork consumption. Separately, the DA opened a preliminary safeguard investigation October 9 into whether increased pork imports have caused or threatened serious injury to domestic producers. The Philippines notified the World Trade Organization of the inquiry October 21. The investigation is not a finding that imports caused the industry's losses. The measures under consideration follow the government's May decision to expand the 2026 minimum access volume for pork from 54,210 to 204,210 metric tons to help address shortages and consumer prices. The DA has also proposed higher pork tariffs: 25 percent within the import quota and 35 percent above it in 2027, followed by 30 percent and 40 percent, respectively, in 2028. n
Philippines turns to homegrown energy to reduce reliance on imported fuel
Renewable power projects expand as government seeks more reliable energy supplies by AJPress MANILA — When oil prices surge overseas, the effects can reach Filipino households through transportation costs and the prices of everyday goods. The Philippines is trying to reduce that vulnerability by producing more energy at home, including power from sunlight, rivers and geothermal resources. The country remains heavily dependent on foreign energy. Net imports accounted for 51.5 percent of its total primary energy supply in 2025, government figures show. Coal, much of it imported, generated 57.2 percent of the nation's electricity, while renewable sources supplied 25 percent. The government wants renewables to provide 35 percent of electricity by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. It is also pur-
suing ways to reduce oil use in transportation, which accounts for about 70 percent of national oil demand. On October 8, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin outlined plans to prepare for fuel shortages and encourage electric vehicles and alternative fuels. The government is also proposing petroleum reserves to help respond to disruptions in international supplies. New power projects are beginning to come online. Meralco PowerGen said the first phase of its large MTerra Solar project began commercial operations in August. Aboitiz Renewables reported completing six solar plants and a geothermal facility over four years, alongside a battery storage installation. An Aboitiz-led consortium also took over an existing hydroelectric complex in February. The transaction transferred owners-
hip of operating facilities rather than adding newly built power plants. More renewable projects have secured awards through government auctions, but an award does not mean a plant is already supplying electricity. Developers still face construction, permitting and transmission requirements. Greater domestic electricity generation could help limit exposure to imported fuels over time. It would not automatically bring down household power bills, which also reflect generation costs, contracts and network charges. Renewable electricity also cannot directly replace most gasoline and diesel used in vehicles. In September, the National Grid Corporation presented a long-term transmission plan outlining upgrades needed to carry power from new generating facilities to customers. n
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Gatchalian urges stronger AFP cyberwarfare capabilities amid 2027 budget review by AJPress MANILA — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to strengthen its cyberwarfare capabilities as senators examined defense funding for 2027, saying military preparedness must extend beyond conventional weapons. At an October 19 Senate hearing, Gatchalian cited conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East as evidence of changing security conditions. He called for equipment to help the military prepare for warfare involving cyberspace, without identifying a particular acquisition or funding requirement. The appeal comes amid a substantial gap between the defense department's modernization request and the government's spending proposal. Of the proposed P324.6-billion Department of National Defense budget, P50 billion is earmarked for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, compared with its P134-billion request. Those figures concern modernization funding, not the entire defense budget, which also covers operations, personnel and other requirements. In a statement published October 22, Malacañang defended the P50-billion proposal. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said it was 25 percent above the P40 billion in programmed modernization funding for 2026, and that agency requests must be assessed against available resources. The still-pending 2027 proposal requires congressional
Senate President Win Gatchalian
Photo by Wendell Alinea/Senate Social Media Unit
approval. The 2026 budget separately included P50 billion in unprogrammed modernization appropriations, which are subject to funding conditions. Sen. JV Ejercito, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and presided over the defense hearing, indicated that raising the proposed modernization allocation to at least P70 billion could be considered if resources permit. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. discussed funding needed for existing obligations and military infrastructure, including facilities in Palawan and along the eastern seaboard. The AFP is assessing cyber defenses. On October 13, AFP chief Gen. Antonio Nafarrete inspected Cyber Command at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The military said he reviewed its facilities, capabilities and readiness to address digital threats, and reaffirmed efforts to protect
military information systems. Cyber capabilities are increasingly important for protecting communications, command networks and sensitive information on which military units rely during operations. The wider government cybersecurity program operates under a 2024 executive order adopting the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023–2028. It directs national agencies to develop aligned cybersecurity strategies, with the Department of Information and Communications Technology overseeing implementation. Gatchalian also urged support for the AFP's disaster-response capabilities, particularly during major typhoons. At the hearing, Ejercito pressed defense officials to account for funded modernization projects, asking what equipment had been delivered, which systems were in use and what impeded implementation. n
Senators seek clarity on P112B standby funds after court ruling Budget officials say release conditions may need revision as Senate reviews the proposed 2027 spending plan by AJPress MANILA — Senators pressed budget officials Thursday to explain how the government could access P111.984 billion in proposed standby appropriations for 2027 after a Supreme Court ruling tightened the constitutional rules governing their use. At an October 22 Senate hearing, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian questioned whether approved foreign-assisted project loans would be the only remaining basis for releasing unprogrammed appropriations under the decision. He also sought assurances that Congress would not increase total spending beyond the president’s proposed budget. Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said the department’s preliminary reading suggested that some excess revenue collections might still be used, but acknowledged that the relevant release provisions would need revision. He committed to working with lawmakers to align them with the ruling. Unprogrammed appropriations authorize spending only
when specified funding conditions are met. The administration’s P7.2-trillion budget proposal for 2027 includes P111.984 billion in such funds, equivalent to about 1.6 percent of planned expenditure, according to the Department of Budget and Management. In a decision dated October 7 and announced October 20, the Supreme Court declared the 2024 budget law unconstitutional because Congress raised unprogrammed appropriations by P449.5 billion, pushing total appropriations beyond the president’s recommendation. The court separately invalidated the 2025 budget law over a P17.99-billion congressional increase in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Special Road Fund. The justices also struck down two provisions of the 2026 budget allowing standby funds to be released on the basis of new revenues or excess collections from individual non-tax sources without regard to overall revenue targets. The court said unprogrammed appropriations remain constitutional in principle but require defined purposes,
spending priorities and enforceable safeguards. De Leon said the 2027 proposal does not include Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs, or SAGIP, which the court described as a prohibited lump-sum appropriation in earlier budgets. The allocation had already been removed from the 2026 budget. Senate finance committee chairman JV Ejercito raised concerns that restrictions could complicate funding for military modernization. Malacañang has directed the Office of the Solicitor General to seek reconsideration of parts of the ruling. Senators separately examined the proposed P58.533-billion Local Government Support Fund. Gatchalian called for transparent, merit-based allocations, while Sen. Imee Marcos questioned financial assistance levels. De Leon attributed the proposal to administration priorities, including rice distribution. Of that proposed total, P37.493 billion is designated for financial assistance to local governments, with requests subject to eligibility and reporting requirements. n
Moving our economy forward...
PAGE 4 let go of their prominent food manufacturing business long ago when agrarian reform fragmented our agricultural lands and hampered the reliability of their raw material supplies. In manufacturing, growth potential lies not in our limited domestic market, but these thrive best when also geared for exports, as is the case with the major manufacturing industries in our dynamic neighbors. But our higher costs of doing business due to governance and infrastructure inadequacies make competing in the export markets a tough call to make for Filipino and foreign investors alike. It is in agriculture and agribased manufacturing industries where investments would have the widest and strongest benefits, both sectorally and, especially, geographically. All our
regions contribute equitably to the country’s overall agriculture output and incomes. In stark contrast, Metro Manila and Calabarzon alone already account for more than half of our GDP from services. It follows that growth driven by services provides lopsided benefits for those in the National Capital Region and surrounding provinces. It’s also important to note that labor productivity is highest in the manufacturing sector at around P708,000 per worker in 2018 prices, compared to P463,000 and P177,000 in services and agriculture, respectively. And the close interlinkage between agriculture and manufacturing makes a strategy for agri-based industrialization eminently logical, and widely beneficial. But getting there will take a great deal of homework. The first hurdle to overcome is the
scale issue, and the ideal way would be to cluster our small farmers into strong and effective cooperatives that could assure investors in agri-based manufacturing of reliable raw material supplies. An out-of-the-box interim solution would be to ease land ownership ceilings but only to serious agribusiness investors, while we wait for those cooperatives to take root. Thailand did not call its agriculture ministry the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives for nothing. And it exports nearly five times more farm-based products than we do. (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Email: cielito.habito@gmail.com
PHONES FOR MEDALISTS. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino with officials and national sports association heads and the medalists in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games during the POC General Assembly at the East Ocean Palace in Parañaque City. All medalists received iPhones. POC photo
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DFA rebukes Chinese Embassy as lawmakers reject ‘list’ warning House and Senate members seek Ambassador Jing Quan’s recall while Malacañang urges diplomatic restraint by AJPress
LOOK. 7th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime + Republic of Korea Consultation in Makati City on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. The consultation, the last of the day’s dialogue partner talks, focuses on strengthening ASEAN-Republic of Korea cooperation against cybercrime, online scams and trafficking in persons. PNA photos by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Police investigate alleged ex-officer links to illegal scam hubs Interior chief says dismissed personnel are being used as enforcers as authorities track three suspected operations in Metro Manila by AJPress MANILA — Philippine authorities are investigating allegations that dismissed police officers and military personnel are helping protect illegal online scam operations as some networks reportedly move from large compounds into rented homes. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday, October 21, that former members of the security services were being used as enforcers. He did not publicly identify those allegedly involved or present evidence establishing individual wrongdoing. Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. warned that serving or former officers found shielding prohibited operations would face prosecution. PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said legal action would depend on investigators substantiating the allegations. Remulla said authorities
were tracking three suspected small-scale scam hubs in Metro Manila. Operators increasingly rent houses accommodating roughly 10 to 20 people, he said, instead of the sprawling facilities previously associated with Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGOs. Remulla also said the suspected operations chiefly targeted senior citizens. Authorities were studying broadband activity and suspicious movements to locate the facilities, he said. He did not disclose the addresses of the three sites. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the closure of offshore gaming operations in 2024. Republic Act No. 12312, approved in 2025, subsequently prohibited offshore gaming and specified forms of assistance to illegal operations. Any prosecution involving alleged protection of these facilities would require evidence establishing individual involvement. The enforcement campaign
has produced arrests and immigration apprehensions in separate investigations. On October 2, the Bureau of Immigration apprehended 244 foreign nationals at two suspected POGO-related sites in Zamboanga Sibugay. On October 12, immigration officers and military personnel apprehended 76 foreign nationals at a suspected scam facility in Cubao, Quezon City. Neither bureau announcement alleged involvement by dismissed officers. The issue arose during this week's ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime in Makati, where officials discussed regional intelligence sharing, online fraud and cooperation against cross-border criminal networks. In a separate October 15 operation, police arrested five women at a suspected offshore gaming facility in Makati. Investigators seized computers, phones and storage devices and began examining the digital evidence, police said. n
MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs criticized the Chinese Embassy’s social media statements Thursday, October 22, and reserved the option of further diplomatic action after the mission publicly placed nine Philippine lawmakers on an unexplained “list.” The department described the embassy’s online language as “escalatory and undiplomatic,” saying it undermined efforts to improve bilateral relations. It also reaffirmed the Philippines’ One China policy, based on a 1975 joint communiqué with Beijing. The dispute intensified October 20 when the embassy reposted a statement by nine members of the House of Representatives urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to consider removing Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan. “Put on record. You are now on the list,” the embassy wrote. It did not explain the list’s purpose or announce a formal entry ban against the nine lawmakers. On October 18, the embassy had said Philippine politicians advocating Jing’s expulsion would not be welcome in China. Pinoy Workers party-list Rep.
Karl Fernandez Legazpi, one of those named, said the prospect of losing an opportunity to visit China was “a small price to pay” for standing up for Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. He said his criticism was directed at Beijing’s actions, not the Chinese people. The dispute followed comments Jing made October 15 after he was asked about Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s description of China as a regional troublemaker. Jing said China could easily prevail if it used force, but added that Beijing would not choose force and preferred peace. Marcos said the remarks sounded like a threat. Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro summoned Jing on October 19 and described his statement as provocative and unacceptable. Jing rejected that characterization and said his words had been taken out of context. On October 21, ten House members filed Resolution No. 1562 urging Marcos to declare Jing persona non grata or ask Beijing to recall him. Its authors include Legazpi, Leila de Lima, and Akbayan lawmakers Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña and Dadah Kiram Ismula.
Senators Risa Hontiveros and Erwin Tulfo have filed separate resolutions seeking action against Jing. The Makabayan bloc, meanwhile, has urged de-escalation while upholding Philippine maritime rights. The diplomatic dispute unfolds against longstanding disagreements over the South China Sea. A 2016 arbitral ruling found no legal basis for China’s expansive historic-rights claims beyond the maritime entitlements allowed by the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Beijing rejects the decision. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Philippine government may declare a foreign envoy persona non grata, requiring the sending government to recall the diplomat or terminate the envoy’s functions. House Resolution No. 1562, which remained pending first reading, does not itself expel Jing. Malacañang has not endorsed Jing’s removal. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration would not prevent legislators from filing resolutions, but urged consideration of the consequences of any action, including the welfare of Filipinos living in China. n
Alex Eala exits Ningbo Open afer tight loss to Diana Shnaider Competition watchdog finds illegal market allocation involving onion imports; charges against two organizations dismissed by AJPress NINGBO, China — Alexandra Eala's run at the Ningbo Open ended Thursday, October 22, with a 7-5, 6-4 defeat to Russia's Diana Shnaider, as the Filipino tennis standout fell short of reaching the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 tournament. Eala, 21, entered the match ranked No. 20 in the world, facing the sixth-seeded Shnaider, who held the No. 13 ranking. Both players are left-handed, and their first professional meeting produced two closely contested sets. Shnaider took the opening set 7-5 before securing the second 6-4, overcoming Eala's resistance to advance to the last eight. The result ended a campaign that had begun positively for Eala. On Monday, October 19, she defeated France's Diane Parry 6-3, 6-1 in the opening round, snapping a three-match losing streak. That victory was Eala's 34th WTA Tour-level singles win of 2026, a substantial increase from the 15 tour-level victories she had recorded throughout her career before the start of the season. Her progress has been marked by several milestones, most
Photo from Instagram/ @alex.eala
notably her first WTA Tour-level singles championship at the Washington Open in August. Eala defeated American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final after earlier over several established players. The Washington title helped consolidate Eala's position among the world's leading players and added to a season in which she reached a career-high ranking of No. 18. At Ningbo, Shnaider advanced to face fourth-seeded American
Iva Jovic, who eliminated Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3 in another second-round match Thursday. The tournament is part of the WTA Tour's late-season Asian schedule, with players competing for ranking points and prize money ahead of the final events of the year. Eala's defeat leaves her with one victory from two matches in Ningbo, following her opening-round exit at the Wuhan Open earlier this month. n
Photo credit Agri Info Davao
Philippine coconuts bound for Liberia as Manila explores West African market Donation of 32,000 young coconuts offers a possible opening, but no commercial orders have been announced by AJPress MANILA — A shipment of 32,000 young coconuts from Davao to Liberia is giving Philippine agricultural officials an opportunity to explore West African markets, though the consignment is intended for humanitarian distribution rather than commercial sale. Davao City-based Avante Agri-Products Philippines Inc. dispatched the coconuts in two 40foot refrigerated containers bound for Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, according to the Department of Agriculture. The shipment comprises 1,600 sacks, weighing an estimated 50 metric tons. Its declared free-on-board value is $22,400, a valuation of the cargo rather than evidence of reve-
nue from Liberian customers. The coconuts are intended for distribution to rural communities, including through feeding programs. The Agriculture Department said Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture is helping facilitate the consignment and shipping company CMA CGM is providing temperature-controlled transport. The department’s Davao regional office described it as the first shipment of whole green young coconuts from the Philippines to Liberia. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government wants initial shipments to lead to sustained demand and better returns for farmers. No orders for further shipments were cited in the department's announcement. The Philippines already exports a range of coconut products, in-
cluding oil and processed foods. The Philippine Coconut Authority estimated in 2025 that about 2.8 million farmers depended directly on the industry. In a separate effort to expand overseas access, officials have been assessing coconut manufacturers for the United Arab Emirates market. A government report published in October said nine of 24 companies evaluated under Project Coco Bridge were considered export-ready, although that designation does not establish sales. Liberia is also expanding domestic coconut production. Its Agriculture Ministry announced plans in March to develop government-funded coconut seed gardens in four southeastern counties. n
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Features
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JOUR N AL Friday, October 23, 2026
INSIDE >>> L I F E S T Y L E • C O N S U M E R G U I D E • C O M M U N I T Y • M A R K E T P L A C E
Filipino-British model Christina Nadin makes Victoria’s Secret runway debut Her appearance in Los Angeles follows Kelsey Merritt’s historic walk in 2018 by AJPress CULVER CITY, Calif. — Filipino-British model Christina Nadin made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut on Sunday, October 18, joining Kelsey Merritt among the models of Filipino descent who have appeared in the lingerie brand’s runway production. Nadin walked in the show’s PINK segment at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. She wore a bright pink bra with heart details, black sequined flared pants and a metallic silver jacket, accessorized with silver jewelry and a pale pink handbag. Philippine fashion and entertainment publications identified Nadin as the second Filipina to walk in the show. Filipino-American model Kelsey Merritt became the first in November 2018, when she appeared in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York, also participating in the PINK segment. Ahead of Sunday's event, Nadin announced her participation on Instagram, sharing photographs and videos of preparations for the show. Merritt subsequently congratulated her in the comments, according to PhilSTAR Life. The 2026 production marked the show's return to the Los Angeles area after its two previous editions were staged in New York. The event featured performances by KATSEYE, Megan Moroney, Tate McRae and Megan Thee Stallion. Victoria’s Secret executive creative director Adam Selman told Reuters that the runway presentation was organized around
seasonal themes, with the PINK segment separating portions of the main show. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray also attended the event. Victoria’s Secret Philippines had previously announced her participation as a special guest representing the Philippines. Born in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, Nadin is the daughter of a Filipina mother from Legazpi, Albay, and an Irish-British father. She grew up in the United Kingdom and spent summers visiting relatives in the Philippines, according to a 2022 interview with The Third World. Nadin began pursuing modeling as a teenager after being approached by a scout in London. At 17, she traveled from Aylesbury, England, to attend castings in the British capital. Her career includes a runway appearance for L’Oréal Paris in September 2025, a 2022 lookbook for Kith and a 2021 advertising campaign for Guess Originals, according to the fashion industry database Models.com. In her 2022 interview with The Third World, Nadin discussed her
Photos from Instagram/@christinanadin
Filipino upbringing and her interest in supporting initiatives in the Philippines. “I would love to be involved in a project that in some way gives back to the Philippines,” she said. Outside modeling, Nadin founded Bahay Kubo, a Los Angeles-based hair accessories brand whose concept draws on her Filipina mother's fashion style during the 1990s. According to the company's website, a portion of its sales supports community-led initiatives in the Philippines.
Manny Pacquiao mentioned in Marvel’s ‘VisionQuest’ by AJPress FILIPINO boxing champion Manny Pacquiao receives a brief mention in Marvel Television’s VisionQuest, when a conversation about an injured hand turns to his record in the sport. The reference comes in “Reboot,” the third episode of the Disney+ series, released October 21. Thomas Shepherd, played by Ruaridh Mollica, tells Vision (Paul Bettany) that he can manage an injury to his right hand because he is a southpaw, or left-handed. E.D.I.T.H., an artificial intelligence persona played by Emily Hampshire, responds with Pacquiao’s name and a reference to eight world titles. Vision repeats the information, prompting Thomas to ask whether he follows boxing or is merely trying to make conversation. Pacquiao does not appear in the episode. The distinction in the dialogue refers to a central achievement of Pacquiao’s career. Guinness World Records recognizes him for winning boxing world titles in eight different weight divisions. He reached that milestone in November 2010, defeating Antonio Margarito to claim the World Boxing Council super welterweight title. Created for television by Terry Matalas, Vision-
Screengrab from Disney+
Quest follows a rebuilt Vision as he searches for meaning and becomes involved with Thomas, a young man whose identity is tied to his past. Disney describes the series as the final installment of a trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along. The eight-episode season is scheduled to conclude November 11. The reference follows other Filipino connections to Marvel screen productions. Filipino American actor Jacob Batalon plays Peter Parker’s friend Ned Leeds in the Spider-Man films. Shanti Dope’s song “Amatz” was heard in the 2021 Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Robi Domingo says he and John Lloyd Cruz have reconciled
TV host credits actor with efforts to resolve reported disagreement following wedding reception by AJPress MANILA — Television host Robi Domingo said he and actor John Lloyd Cruz have resolved their differences following reports of a confrontation at the December 2025 wedding reception of actors Ria Atayde and Zanjoe Marudo. Domingo confirmed the reconciliation during an October 20 appearance on GMA Network’s Fast Talk with Boy Abunda. When host Boy Abunda expressed relief that the two had settled their differences, Domingo replied, “Yes, yes. We're good.” Domingo characterized the earlier disagreement as unintentional but did not elaborate on its circumstances. He said Cruz had contacted managers at Star Magic, ABS-CBN’s talent-management arm, to help resolve the matter. He added that the issue had also been settled within their circle of
friends. “And doon sa circle of friends namin, okay na. All is well,” Domingo said. Reports of an alleged confrontation emerged in January after entertainment commentator and talent manager Ogie Diaz recounted an account of an exchange between the two at Atayde and Marudo’s December 22, 2025 church wedding reception. According to Diaz's account, the disagreement reportedly involved a remark Domingo made while hosting the celebration. The precise exchange and circumstances surrounding the alleged encounter have not been independently established. In a January 16 interview with the Philippine Entertainment Portal, Domingo neither confirmed nor denied the reported incident, saying his main concern was that the newlyweds and their families
Photo from Instagram/@iamrobidomingo
were satisfied with the celebration. Atayde, speaking to ABS-CBN News in January, said she had been unaware of any disturbance. “If something happened between them, they kept it away from me,” she said. “It wasn't something that disrupted the event or anything.”
Kris Aquino set for two-part TV interview with Boy Abunda by AJPress MANILA — Kris Aquino will join longtime television collaborator Boy Abunda for a two-part interview airing October 28 and 29 on GMA Network. The appearance will bring the former talk-show partners together in person on television for the first time since their joint program ended in 2015. Abunda confirmed the special during the October 21 episode of Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, following a network teaser about the reunion. The interview is part of a weeklong series of episodes marking his October 29 birthday. At an October 20 media briefing, Abunda said the recorded conversation lasted more than two hours. He said they discussed Aquino's health, her work and finances, personal relationships, political views and family. Her younger son, Bimby, also participated. Abunda said Aquino described having better days but still experiencing periods when a day of work leaves her bedridden for several days. On October 16, Aquino disclosed on Instagram that she had undergone an operation after completing work commitments. She also reported symptoms she associated with another autoimmune condition. Aquino, who has publicly discussed treatment for multiple autoimmune illnesses, did not specify the new condition or the procedure. Abunda said he asked what might persuade Aquino to re-
Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino
turn to television. He recounted her reply: “I will only go back to television with a king.” Abunda is known as the “King of Talk.” Although he said they discussed potential collaborations, no new regular television program has been announced. Aquino has resumed selected commercial projects amid continuing treatment. She appeared in an August promotional campaign for Netflix Philippines as a fictional content executive and returned as a Shopee brand ambassador in September. During a September media appearance, she expressed hope of taking on more entertainment work in 2027 while emphasizing the need to choose projects carefully because of her health. The interview also covered Aquino's sons. According to Abunda, Bimby spoke of his intention to care for his older brother, Josh, in the future.
In a discussion of politics, Aquino expressed interest in serving as health secretary if given the opportunity, Abunda said in remarks reported by the Philippine Entertainment Portal. His account did not amount to an announcement of a government appointment. Aquino and Abunda previously co-hosted programs including The Buzz, Boy & Kris, SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon and Aquino & Abunda Tonight. They remained in contact after their last joint program: Abunda visited Aquino in California in 2023, she appeared remotely on his show, and he attended her birthday gathering in February 2026. Fast Talk with Boy Abunda airs on GMA Network at 4:05 p.m. Philippine time. The second installment of the interview is scheduled for Abunda's birthday.
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OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026 • ASIAN JOURNAL
Bianca Manalo cites public duties in breakup with Win Gatchalian
Actress says she remains friends with Senate president and continues to support him despite their separation by AJPress MANILA — Actress and former beauty queen Bianca Manalo said her former partner, Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, devoted much of his attention to public service, which she cited as a factor in their separation. In an interview broadcast Thursday, October 15, on GMA Network’s Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, Manalo described Gatchalian as hardworking and said she understood his commitment to serving the country. She expressed continued support for him despite the end of their relationship. Manalo did not specify when they separated. The two began dating in 2018. Asked about their current relationship, Manalo said they remained friends and continued to share responsibility for their three dogs. She said she could still turn to Gatchalian for assistance and
that they remained in contact. Questions about their relationship surfaced in 2025. Gatchalian attended the State of the Nation Address alone that July and declined to comment when asked about Manalo. During a January 2026 interview with broadcaster Korina Sanchez, he described his love life as “non-existent,” without mentioning Manalo. In June, Sparkle GMA Artist Center, Manalo’s talent management agency, stated that she was single and rejected rumors involving her and another couple. After Gatchalian was elected Senate president on June 17, Manalo congratulated him publicly. Gatchalian thanked her during a radio interview two days later. Manalo also addressed speculation about her personal life during the television appearance. She said she was not ready to enter another relationship and was concentrating instead on spending
Photo from Instagram/@biancamanalo
time with her mother, sisters, nieces and nephews. She appeared on the program with fellow former beauty queens Ariella Arida and MJ Lastimosa to promote Red Crown, a GMA Pictures film set in the world of beauty pageants. Directed by Dominic Zapata, the satirical comedy-thriller is scheduled to open in Philippine cinemas on October 28..
Jackie Lou Blanco reflects on marriage regrets, renewed ties with Ricky Davao
Actress recalls unresolved disagreements, their separation and the relationship they later rebuilt by AJPress MANILA — Jackie Lou Blanco says she regrets that she and her late husband, actor-director Ricky Davao, did not resolve their disagreements before separating, recalling prolonged silences and the difficulties their children experienced. In an interview on journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdes’ Usapang Real with Luchi this month, Blanco said she usually sought discussions during disputes, while Davao, in her account, sometimes stopped speaking to her for as long as two weeks. “We played a big part in not fixing our marriage,” she said. Blanco added that they never sought marriage counseling. “Love grows cold because you let it grow cold,” she said, describing their failure to work through conflicts together. The actors married in 1989 and had three children: Kenneth, Rikki Mae and Ara. Blanco said
they continued sharing a house for a time after their relationship deteriorated, although they slept in separate rooms. One daughter sometimes passed messages between her parents when they were not speaking, she recalled. Blanco eventually moved to a nearby home. Over time, the former couple established a more cordial relationship. Blanco recalled inviting Davao and his then-girlfriend on a family trip to Boracay, an experience she acknowledged was initially uncomfortable. They also resumed attending family occasions together. Blanco had previously expressed regret about the separation in a 2023 television interview, particularly its effect on their children. Asked about her comments later that year, Davao said the breakup was not planned and that they had to move forward. The actors also appeared together in GMA’s 2023 drama Love Before
Photo from Instagram/@jackielou.blanco
Sunrise. Davao died May 1, 2025, at 63, following complications related to cancer, according to his family. Speaking at his wake, Blanco recalled visiting him in the hospital before his death. She said she promised to care for their children and asked his forgiveness for anything she had done.
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HEALTH @HEART Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS THE modern landscape of human health is marked by a profound shift. While our ancestors fought a daily battle against infectious diseases like cholera and smallpox, today’s most pressing health threats are largely silent, chronic, and deeply intertwined with how we live, work, and interact with technology. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, the greatest risks to global health have become chronic lifestyle diseases, mental health crises, and the compounding effects of climate change. At the forefront of modern health risks are Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), commonly referred to as lifestyle illnesses. Cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions, and cancers are responsible for the vast majority of deaths globally. Unlike the rapid onset of a virus, these conditions develop quietly over decades, fueled by sedentary behavior, ultra-processed diets, and tobacco or alcohol use. The automation of daily life and the shift toward desk-bound occupations have engineered physical activity out of our routines. Combined with the ubiquity of cheap, calorie-dense foods, metabolic health has plummeted, turning conditions like obesity and hypertension into global epidemics that strain healthcare systems to their breaking points. Simultaneously, humanity is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. Often described as a silent pandemic, disorders such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness have escalated dramatically. The hyper-connectivity of the digital age has paradoxically left individuals feeling more isolated than ever. Chronic stress—born from economic instability, the relentless pace of modern work, and the addictive design of social media—erodes neurological and immunological resilience. Mental health is no longer viewed as separate from physical well-being; it is a foundational component. The systemic neglect of psychological care, coupled with the rising rates of substance abuse and burnout, constitutes a premier threat to
My Encounter with De La Salle Brother Armin Luistro
“I remember my father saying that the Luistros are originally from Taal, Batangas,” recalls Brother Armin Altamirano Luistro, the Filipino educator and former education secretary who now leads the De La Salle Brothers from Rome. The family settled in Pangao, Lipa City, where Luistro grew up with seven siblings in their maternal grandmother’s ancestral Aranda home. He remembers the spacious rooms, family chapel and pilgrims who visited. Those recollections are intertwined with Lipa’s religious history, including reports of Marian apparitions and showers of rose petals at the Carmelite monastery in 1948. The Catholic Church has not recognized the reported events as supernatural. Luistro identifies Bishop Alfredo Maria Obviar, then chaplain of the Carmelite monastery, as his granduncle. Obviar later served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Lucena, established in 1950, and became its first residential bishop in 1969. Luistro attended Our Lady of the Rosary Academy and Canossa Academy before completing elementary school at De La Salle Lipa in 1973. He recalls that the school began admitting girls during his high school years and that his graduating class in 1977 included female students. A scholarship took him to De La Salle University in Manila. After a semester studying economics, he shifted to philosophy and letters, influenced by the philosopher Emerita Quito, who also taught this columnist. He completed his bachelor’s degree in 1981 and later earned a master’s degree in religious education and values. He also holds a doctorate in educational management from the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod. He credits the study of philosophy with teaching him to look beyond immediate appearances, test assumptions and ask which values endure. His university education, he says, helped an initially shy student become more confident and critical in his thinking. “I was very lucky. I could say what I am now is a product of
De La Salle Brother Armin Luistro (right) with Asian Journal columnist Rogelio Constantino Medina during a commemoration of the death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino.
Pope Leo IV (center) with Brother Armin Luistro (extreme left) in Rome during institute feast of St. John Baptist de la Salle, founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and patron saint of teachers.
Holy Angel University (HAU) in Angeles City, Pampanga, confers the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, on Br. Armin Luistro, De La Salle Brother Armin FSC (5th from left). Luistro.
Today’s health dilemma global longevity and quality of life. Beyond individual choices and internal struggles, our health is being radically reshaped by our changing planet. Climate change is no longer a distant environmental issue; it is an active public health emergency. Rising global temperatures have expanded the geographical range of disease vectors, leading to a resurgence of mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria in previously unaffected regions. Furthermore, extreme weather events—such as historic heatwaves, wildfires, and floods— cause immediate trauma while destroying critical healthcare infrastructure and threatening food and water security. Air pollution alone, driven by fossil fuel combustion, claims millions of lives annually through respiratory and cardiovascular complications, proving that human health is inextricably linked to environmental health. The greatest health risks of today are complex, systemic, and heavily influenced by the environment we have built. Mitigating the dangers of chronic diseases, mental illness, and climate change requires looking beyond the walls of traditional hospitals. It demands a holistic reevaluation of urban design, food systems, digital environments, and environmental policies. Protecting public health in the modern era is no longer just a task for doctors, but a collective responsibility requiring systemic global action. Sugary drinks - gastric cancer Sugary beverages are very popular, especially among the young. New studies reveal that “The regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased risk of developing gastric (stomach) cancer, yet a similar link is not observed with beverages containing artificial sweeteners, despite carcinogenic warnings about the sweeteners.” To my knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and gastric cancer incidence. This study was reported by the authors in the study, published recently in Gastro Hep Advances. “In this prospective cohort study with long-term follow-up, higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, but not [artificially] sweetened beverages, was associated with a higher risk of incident gastric cancer,” they wrote. Sugar-sweetened beverages have previously been linked to a variety of cancers, including those of the colorectum, breast, and liver; however, research regarding gastric cancer has been lacking. I have written several articles on soft drinks, which I called ‘poison liquid candy,’ responsible for countless cases of metabolic syndrome, especially among children as they grow up
to adulthood. There is no healthier drink than reverse osmosis filtered water in glass bottles, not in plastic containers, which contain a lot of microplastics. Coffee or tea, not more than 4 cups a day of either, are also considered healthy drinks. Eczema- intense itching Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by dry, erythematous patches and intense pruritus. You will be itching to see your dermatologist when your eczema flares up. Diagnosing eczema relies primarily on a thorough clinical evaluation rather than specific laboratory tests. Dermatologists evaluate the patient’s medical history, checking for a genetic predisposition to atopic conditions like asthma or hay fever. Diagnostic criteria, such as the Hanifin-Rajka guidelines, require the presence of hallmark signs, including chronic or relapsing intensely itchy rashes that follow age-specific patterns—often presenting on the face in infants and in the flexural skin folds of the elbows and knees in older children and adults. Treatment follows a stepwise, individualized approach aimed at restoring the skin barrier and controlling inflammation. The cornerstone of baseline management is intensive hydration using fragrance-free moisturising cream (not lotion), thick emollients applied immediately after bathing to lock in moisture and trigger avoidance. During acute flare-ups, topical anti-inflammatory therapies are required. Low- to moderate-confidence evidence demonstrates that potent topical corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors (like tacrolimus), and Janus kinase inhibitors (like ruxolitinib) are highly effective in reducing pruritus and clearing rashes. For severe or treatment-resistant cases, systemic solutions—such as targeted (super expensive) biologic injections like dupilumab (Dupixent) or oral immunomodulators—provide advanced, long-term therapeutic relief. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, conferred by then Indiana Governor, later Senator, and then presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today. SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
The late President Noynoy Aquino Brother Armin Luistro with with Br. Armin Luistro, FSC during Rogelio Constantino Medina Lasallian Br. Armin Luistro, President Aquino’s visit to De La Salle (right) at People Power Armin Luistro during his grade school days at De La Salle Lipa. F.S.C. Monument in EDSA. University in Manila.
my formation in La Salle. La Salle has a good reputation, a kind of self-assurance,” he says. His religious vocation developed alongside his studies. He began formation with the De La Salle Brothers in Manila in April 1979, received the religious habit in October 1981 and professed his first vows a year later. He made his perpetual vows in May 1988. His early assignments included teaching religion and serving in pastoral roles at De La Salle Lipa and La Salle Green Hills. In 1988, he became district vocation director, guiding candidates for religious life. From 1989 to 1997, he held leadership responsibilities in houses of formation, including the La Salle House of Studies and the novitiate. He then served as provincial superior of the Brothers’ Philippine district from 1997 to 2003, overseeing schools and religious communities. He also helped establish the SIDHAY Foundation for Street Children. His work took him beyond the Philippines. In August 2000, he co-founded De La Salle Catholic University in Manado, Indonesia, with Bishop Josef Suwatan. Luistro subsequently became president of De La Salle University in Manila, serving from 2004 to 2010, and Philippine secretary of education from 2010 to 2016. Travel took him across Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas. He describes travel less as a pleasure than a requirement of his vocation. As provincial superior, he visited schools and communities and participated in regional gatherings with other Lasallian leaders. “I do that because of my work,” he says. When his schedule permits, he prefers reading stories that illuminate human ex-
perience, finding time alone with books restorative. Elected the 28th superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in May 2022, Luistro assumed responsibility for the worldwide religious institute. Pope Leo XIV appointed him on June 24, 2025, to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, which handles matters involving religious institutes and their communities. Across his years in classrooms and leadership offices, Luistro has challenged the idea that quality education must be costly or confined to established campuses. He points to the Lasallian Volunteer Program, through which graduates and other volunteers work alongside underserved communities to provide educational support. The program, established in 1994, has served communities in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Its early work included Canumay in Antipolo, where volunteers lived alongside residents and supported community development. He describes volunteers living among the communities they assist rather than treating outreach as an occasional campus activity. He also cites initiatives for children who have experienced homelessness and for families unable to afford conventional schooling. Such programs, he argues, reflect the mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle, whose educational work emphasized access for the poor. He says he came to appreciate the university’s motto, Religio, Mores, Cultura—religion, morals and culture—more deeply after entering religious life. He sees
those ideals as practical obligations rather than ceremonial language. Luistro acknowledges that some people associate Lasallian schools with privilege. For him, that reputation makes it especially important to examine whom the institutions serve and whether educational opportunities reach those who need them most. The same questioning applies to institutional leadership. Luistro believes that even successful organizations must remain open to criticism from within, including by the people entrusted with running them. For leaders, he says, challenging familiar ways of working is not simply a matter of pursuing change for its own sake. “If an institution has reached the point where it can say, we are doing everything so well, I think that is the beginning of its decline,” he says.
*** 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. *** Associate Professor III Rogelio Constantino Medina is an award-winning Filipino international journalist, columnist and academic. He is well regarded for his extensive contributions to Philippine media and major international news publications. His career spans several decades and covers a wide range of fields, including news, business, travel, lifestyle, science, sports and health. He has written for major international publications such as the Far Eastern Economic Review in Hong Kong, The Japan Times in Tokyo and Gulf News in Dubai. Notably, he made history as the first Filipino journalist to interview Japan’s first astronaut, Dr. Mamoru Mohri. He is also credentialed with the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Press Centers in New York City and Washington, D.C. *** Email: rogelio.medina@asianjournalinc.com
Photo from Instagram/@claubarretto
Claudine Barretto files cyberlibel complaint against Cristy Fermin by AJPress PASAY CITY, Philippines — Actress Claudine Barretto filed a cyberlibel complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday, October 21, against entertainment columnist Cristy Fermin and her Showbiz Now Na!co-host Rommel Villamor, known as Rommel Chika, over remarks allegedly made about her online. Accompanied by lawyer Lance Abrahm Mateo, Barretto disputed statements concerning her health, finances and a recent hospitalization. She contends that the remarks damaged her reputation. The truth of the disputed assertions has not been established. Barretto's lawyer earlier sent Fermin and Villamor a cease-anddesist letter concerning a video posted on Fermin's YouTube channel. The letter characterized the remarks as “untruthful, scandalous, and damaging” and demanded that the commentators stop making similar statements. Speaking to reporters at the
NBI, Barretto said she had objected to Fermin's commentary since last year. “Last straw na ito,” she said. “I'm very hurt. My children are very hurt. My fans are very hurt.” Asked whether she would reconsider if the commentators apologized, she said no. Barretto announced her intended legal action through a statement read during GTV's Kalurks on October 18. Other entertainers, including Bea Alonzo and Sharon Cuneta, have filed separate cyberlibel complaints involving Fermin. Those disputes are unrelated to Barretto's allegations. A complaint submitted to the NBI is subject to investigation and does not establish that the individuals named committed a crime. Fermin earlier questioned the complaint's merits. In comments published October 22 by Pilipino Star Ngayon, she said: “Anak, hihintayin na lang namin ang kopya ng reklamo niya at sasagutin namin. Sa korte na lang kami magtutuos.”
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ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2026
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Freedom West housing plan advances in San Francisco
Mayor proposes development agreement for long-delayed Western Addition project
PH Embassy, DOE Secretary Garin Advance Energy Security Cooperation Talks With US Officials Philippine Secretary of Energy Sharon S. Garin and Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on 15 October 2026 to discuss ways to deepen PH-U.S. energy cooperation, including in civil nuclear energy and fuel security. Secretary Garin leads a Philippine delegation for an Advanced Civil Nuclear Energy Reverse Trade Mission organized by the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
San Francisco reports 84% drop in speeding at camera sites City study finds sustained decline; impact on traffic injuries remains unknown SAN FRANCISCO — Excessive speeding fell 84% at monitored locations after San Francisco installed automated cameras, according to an 18-month report released Oct. 15 by the Municipal Transportation Agency. Vehicle surveys showed the share traveling at least 10 mph above the posted limit dropped from about 10% before installation to 1.6% in May 2026. The agency estimates roughly 42,000 fewer such speeding incidents daily at camera sites. The figures do not represent a citywide 84% decline. The agency has not yet determined whether cameras reduced collisions, injuries or traffic deaths. San Francisco launched California's first automated speed enforcement program in March 2025. It operates 56 cameras at 33 sites on streets with elevated injury risks. At Franklin Street near Sherman Elementary School, excessive speeding declined 94%, according to the report. Preliminary research by the University of Cal-
ifornia, Berkeley's Safe Transportation Research and Education Center found speeding also fell during the warning period before fines began. Reductions at camera locations were greater than on comparable streets without cameras and persisted 40 to 50 weeks after activation. The city began issuing citations in August 2025. Cameras detect vehicles traveling at least 11 mph above the limit; civil fines begin at $50, with reductions for eligible lower-income owners. Citations do not add driver's-license points. From August 2025 through June 2026, the program issued 235,792 violation notices. Approximately 63% of vehicle owners who received a warning or citation received no second notice. The agency reported $6.5 million in first-year revenue and about $4.3 million in program costs recorded through June 2026. It expects to direct approximately $2.2 million toward improvements such as speed humps and pedestrian-crossing signals.
Alameda weighs zoning changes to fill vacant storefronts Planning Board to review proposed rules for Park and Webster streets Oct. 26
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Proposed zoning changes intended to reduce vacant storefronts along Alameda’s Park Street and Webster Street commercial corridors will go before the city’s Planning Board on Monday, Oct. 26. The board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. to consider amendments that would simplify the approval process for businesses seeking to open or expand in the two commercial districts. The proposal would revise the Community Commercial (C-C) and North Park Street Gateway (NP-G) zoning districts and related provisions of the municipal
code. The changes would allow a broader range of retail, personal-service, office and other commercial businesses to operate without obtaining certain discretionary permits. According to a city staff survey presented in July, vacancy rates were 12% in the Webster Street commercial district and 9% in the Park Street area. City officials have identified several contributing factors, including changing retail conditions, construction costs, building conditions and local regulations. The proposed amendments follow three working-group meet-
SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor Daniel Lurie introduced legislation Tuesday to advance Freedom West 2.0, a redevelopment proposal that would replace aging cooperative housing and create nearly 2,400 homes in the Western Addition, with more than 17% designated affordable under the city's plan. The project would reshape roughly 10 acres in the Fillmore neighborhood with a mix of market-rate and subsidized housing, shops, public spaces and community facilities. The site has 382 existing cooperative homes, developed in the early 1970s after urban renewal displaced thousands of predominantly Black residents. Longtime cooperative members have pushed for reconstruction as their buildings deteriorated. Working with development partner MacFarlane Partners, the resident-owned nonprofit aims to preserve hous-
ing for current residents and retain limited-equity ownership, although the redevelopment would change the mix of housing types. Freedom West board president Mattie Scott has said keeping longtime residents in the neighborhood is central to the plan. The initial phase is a 115-apartment affordable senior building, supported by $23 million from the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development. Officials anticipate breaking ground in the first half of 2027. A later phase calls for 267 replacement cooperative units, with the city saying a majority of current shareholders would remain homeowners. Lurie's proposal, co-sponsored by District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, would establish a 25-year development agreement alongside project-specific zoning changes. The agreement has not been approved; the city
Consulate Watch
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco recently joined four activities highlighting Filipino creativity, international technology cooperation, business outreach and maritime security.
Planning Department still lists environmental review and hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors among remaining steps. The proposal includes approximately 1.5 acres of publicly accessible open space, improved walking and cycling routes, and a 5,000-square-foot technology and entrepreneurship center. City officials estimate the redevelopment could generate about 9,000 construction and permanent on-site jobs, although the figure is a projection rather than a hiring commitment. The cooperative expects revenue from ground leases, retail space and profit-sharing tied to market-rate development. State legislation sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener provides another potential financing avenue through eligible property-tax revenues, but any additional city funding remains subject to required approvals.
Events included an upcycling workshop, a Silicon Valley diplomacy panel, a meeting with a Philippine property developer and a Fleet Week security seminar.
Upcycling workshop showcases Filipino design More than 40 people attended an Oct. 9 workshop at the Philippine Center's Kalayaan Hall, organized with Upcyclers.com and the Apl.de.Ap Foundation International for Filipino American History Month. Eight upcyclers redesigned donated garments and led hands-on activities, including block printing on denim supplied by the Salvation Army. Clothing donated by Apl.de.Ap was transformed into new pieces. Consul General Arnel G. Talisayon connected the practice with Filipino textile traditions, while Upcyclers.com founder Gia Carrascoso spoke about creative reuse. The program ended with a fashion show featuring Heart Keona Noble-Dean, third runner-up at Miss Philippines USA 2026, and Stacy Anne Nova Flores, Miss Philippines Left photo: Consul General Arnel G. Talisayon; right photo: Upcyclers. Northwest USA. com founder Gia Carrascoso.
ings involving business representatives, real estate professionals and Planning Board members, as well as a public workshop in July. The Planning Board will consider whether to recommend the amendments to the City Council, which would have final authority over their adoption. The Oct. 26 hearing will take place at City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave. Residents may participate in person or remotely. Written comments can be submitted to jwarner@alamedaca.gov by noon on the day of the meeting for inclusion in the meeting record. Workshop participants and organizers gather at the Philippine Center.
San Francisco PCG photo
Bay Area residents face federal voting charges Tech panel examines global innovation and AI Justice Department charges 28 statewide as California challenges disputed voter list
SAN FRANCISCO — Five residents of Petaluma, San Francisco, Daly City, Hayward and San Jose are among 28 lawful permanent residents charged with federal election-related offenses, the Justice Department announced Monday, Oct. 19. Federal agents arrested 11 defendants statewide that day under “Operation Protect the Vote,” a coordinated effort involving California’s four U.S. attorney’s offices. Prosecutors allege that the five Northern District defendants falsely claimed U.S. citizenship to register, voted, and later made false statements during naturalization proceedings. Lawful permanent residents, or green-card holders, cannot
vote in federal elections. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. In Petaluma, agents attempted to arrest a woman accused of voting in 2024 but did not find her at home, according to KRON4, which accompanied investigators. The criminal cases coincide with a separate Justice Department lawsuit seeking to set aside mail ballots associated with more than 20,000 California voters flagged by federal investigators as “likely noncitizens” ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The designation does not establish that those individuals are ineligible or voted unlawfully. California Attorney Gener-
Economic Assistant Danica Vismonte represented the Consulate at an Oct. 8 SF Tech Week panel hosted by the Consulate General of Georgia at the Georgian Innovation Hub. Moderated by Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt of the Tech Diplomacy Network, the discussion featured diplomats from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Italy and Portugal and European Union digital envoy Gerard de Graaf. Speakers examined artificial intelligence, startup investment, workforce training, research commercialization and partnerships with Silicon Valley. The Consulate said the discussions could help identify connections for Philippine technology businesses.
al Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber oppose the request, arguing that the evidence is inadequate and the proposed intervention risks excluding eligible voters. Los Angeles County officials told the court Tuesday that a preliminary review of 200 flagged records found 112 inactive or canceled registrations. Among Tech diplomacy discussion at the Georgian Innovation Hub. San Francisco PCG photo records with usable birthplace information, 38.9% indicated U.S. birth, raising questions about the list’s accuracy. The case was reassigned Wednesday to U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who earlier dismissed a separate Justice Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil met RockDepartment lawsuit seeking California voter-registration re- well Land International representatives Eldwin Tecson and Nigel Chua on Oct. 9 to discuss the cords. company's outreach to Filipino communities in the United States. The meeting covered residential developments in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Batangas and Cebu, along with interest among overseas Filipinos in housing and retirement options. The Consulate emphasized clear disclosure of payment terms and total financial obligations. Rockwell Land's outreach itinerary also includes Los Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, left, with Eldwin Tecson, center, Angeles, San Diego and Seattle. and Nigel Chua. San Francisco PCG photo
Rockwell Land discusses outreach to overseas Filipinos
California launches AI tool to match skills with state jobs
CalCareers service suggests job classifications but does not determine eligibility SACRAMENTO — California has launched an artificial intelligence-assisted tool to help job seekers identify state government positions suited to their experience, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Oct. 19. Available through CalCareers, the Skills Matching prototype analyzes uploaded résumés or information entered manually and recommends potentially relevant state job classifications. It is intended to help applicants navigate a hiring system with numerous specialized job titles. The California Department of Human Resources and Office of Data and Innovation developed the feature using technology from AskCA, the state's experimental digital assistant for government services.
Applicants can upload PDF or Word documents of up to five megabytes, or describe their work history, skills and education. No CalCareers account is required. The state says personal information submitted through the tool is not stored by CalCareers, and each session begins without retained data. During its initial rollout, the feature drew approximately 21,500 clicks to explore it, while nearly 8,000 submissions of résumés or other information were reported, according to the governor's office. Those figures measure participation, not successful applications or hires. CalCareers cautions that AI-generated matches may be inaccurate or incomplete. Recommendations do not establish
whether applicants meet minimum qualifications, determine examination eligibility or guarantee employment. Users must consult official job specifications and individual postings before applying. The prototype is part of a broader effort to revise state recruitment. CalHR is simplifying certain examination requirements for licensed mental health professionals and has tested pooled recruitment, allowing departments to coordinate hiring for similar positions. The service is accessible at CalCareers.ca.gov. Its instructions advise applicants not to submit Social Security numbers, birth dates, financial records or other unnecessary sensitive information.
Fleet Week seminar focuses on security technology The Consulate participated in the Oct. 7–8 San Francisco Fleet Week Senior Leaders Seminar alongside U.S. military, government and technology-industry representatives. Discussions addressed artificial intelligence in defense modernization, power-grid reliability and drones and other unmanned systems used for maritime surveillance, search and rescue and emergency response. The Consulate identified maritime security, infrastructure protection and disaster preparedness as topics relevant to Philippine Consulate representatives attend the Fleet Week Senior Leaders Seminar. interests. San Francisco PCG photo
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