OCTOBER 28-31, 2023 Volume 33 - No. 86 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
Pres. Biden says US defense commitments to PH ironclad by Ian LaquI Philstar.com
MANILA — The Mutual Defense Treaty extends to the Philippines and the United States in the Pacific, defense secretaries of both nations said. In a joint statement issued on Friday, October 27, both defense secretaries reaffirmed U.S. support for the Philippines in the wake of the recent West Philippine Sea incident involving China. On Monday, October 23 the Philippines protested China's risky actions involving two Chinese Coast Guard vessels SAFETY FIRST. A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel inspects the North Port Passenger Terminal in Tondo, Manila on Friday, October 27, in the West Philippine Sea U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a joint press conference with Australia’s Prime Minister ahead of the local elections and the observance of “Undas 2023.” The PCG will be on heightened alert until Nov. 5 for the orderly operation Anthony Albanese at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 25, u PAGE A2 2023. PNA photo by Yancy Lim Philstar.com photo of sea transport facilities, convenient sea travel, and security of tourists.
DATELINE USA
Napoles gets life term in another ‘pork’ case by ariC John Sy Cua ManilaTimes.net
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
California expands paid sick days and boosts health worker wages
THE Sandiganbayan has sentenced businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles to life imprisonment in another case involving pork barrel funds. In a 60-page ruling released on Friday, October 27, the court convicted Napoles on four counts of malversation, with two prison terms of 6-10 years each and two sentences of reclusion SACRAMENTO — California continues to perpetua, or life term. Based on the records of the case, burnish its reputation as a progressive state for health policy as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills Napoles' nongovernment organization expanding paid sick leave, adding bereavement leave for miscarriages, and boosting wages for health workers. Newsom blessed a rare agreement between labor and the health industry to gradually phase in a nation-leading $25-an-hour statewide minimum wage for health workers. Estimates based on earlier versions of the bill found it would increase health care costs by billions of dollars each year and put pressure on the state’s Medicaid program to raise reimbursement rates for long-term care to maintain patients’ access to services. Other new laws aim to strengthen reproductive rights, as well as patient protections against
(NGO) Kaagapay Magpakailanman Foundation Inc. (KMFI) was endorsed by then Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Salacnib Baterina to handle projects covered by his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). The Sandiganbayan said Napoles, along with Godofredo Roque, Carlos Soriano, and France Mercado, "acted with manifested partiality, evident bad faith, and/or inexcusable negligence" and had caused "undue injury to the government" by giving P9.6 million, which was based on a memorandum recommending the release of Baterina's
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Need help with immigration? Enroll in community college New California program helps students navigate immigration system, for free and regardless of status CALIFORNIANS who need trustworthy legal help to get through the lengthy and complicated U.S. immigration process can find it for free at any of the state’s 115 physical community colleges. At an Oct. 24 press briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services, lawyers, community college officials and a formerly undocumented student described their experiences with the Higher Education Legal Services Project. “Over 10,000 students have benefited from the program” since its launch four years ago, says Alonso Garcia with the Foundation for Community Colleges, “and over 5,700 just last year.” Garcia notes as well that community college faculty and staff are also eligible to receive services whatever their age
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads the oath taking ceremony of newly promoted generals of the Armed forces of the Philippines on friday at the Malacanang Palace, where he told them to get ready to defend the archipelago during his speech. A total of 31 generals were promoted, including AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner. Malacañang photo
PDAF in the amount of P10 million, but with P400,000 in deductions. Baterina and Antonio Ortiz, the director general of the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) at the time, signed an undated memorandum of agreement with KMFI. Baterina had also endorsed the Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc., (PSDFI), another NGO run by Napoles, and gave it the same amount. The PSDFI served as a "project partner" for livelihood projects in the first
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Janet Lim Napoles
File Photo
PH seeks help in finding missing Filipinos by Bernadette tamayo ManilaTimes.net
THE Philippines has sought the help of other countries in finding two missing Filipinos or securing their release if they were indeed kidnapped by Hamas militants, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said. "As to whether they are hostages, we cannot affirm that, although Israel believes that one of them, a male, is likely a hostage. They haven't shown us the evidence," DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said. "The wife though of the supposed hostage has said from the beginning [of the Hamas attack on Israel] that she saw her husband taken on video." "As to what we are doing, well, for the
protection of the hostages, we won't reveal exactly what we're doing other than to confirm that we are talking to all who may be able to help us," de Vega said. "After all, it did produce results for these four hostages who have been released, as you know, [the] two Americans and two Israelis [who were freed recently by Hamas]," he said. "We are not talking to Hamas, but we are talking to governments," he added. Meanwhile, he said three Filipinos — a father and son, and a nun — who were already evacuated to southern Gaza to cross the Rafah border to Egypt decided to return to Gaza City. The father and son, the official said, u PAGE A2
Marcos warns AFP of Filipina caregiver’s courage ‘emerging threats’ touches thousands of Israelis by Catherine S. Valente and FranCiSCo tuyay ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, October 27 told the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to be "ready to defend the archipelago from emerging threats," following the United States' "ironclad" commitment to defend the Philippines against China's aggressive actions. Speaking after the oathtaking of the newly promoted AFP officers in Malacañang, the president urged the military u PAGE A3 "to enhance joint planning
and operations to ensure interoperability across all AFP units and platforms" as they respond to emerging national security and defense realities in the country and within the region. He reminded the new officers that "you are expected to help ensure that the Armed Forces will be more agile, flexible, and responsive to better address emerging issues confronting our nation. We must be ready. u PAGE A2
by PIa Lee-Brago Philstar.com
MANILA — “The morning of October 7th was a very dark hour for humanity. But amongst all the darkness, there is Camille’s story,” Emanuel Miller, a media analyst in Israel, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Camille Jesalva, 31, came to Israel from the Philippines five years ago. She takes care of Nitza, a 95-year-old woman in Kibbutz Nirim. Like their neighbors, the two woke up that morning to the sound of a heavy barrage of incoming rocket and mortar fire, and they sought cover in their bomb shelter. Shortly before 8 a.m. Jesalva began to hear people talking outside. Having previously worked in Dubai, Photo shows Camille Jesalva with her Israeli File photo u PAGE A2 employer Nitza.
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From The FronT Page
Pres. Biden say US defense... PAGE A1
on Sunday, October 22. This incident occurred during a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, involving these Chinese vessels, a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, and an AFP-contracted supply vessel the day before." “The Secretaries reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to both countries' public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces-to include the Coast Guard-anywhere in the
Pacific to include the South China Sea,” the statement read. “Both Secretaries committed to redouble efforts to strengthen bilateral coordination, interoperability, and support for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” the statement added. On Thursday, October 26, U.S. President Joe Biden said that its country’s defense commitment to the Philippines is "ironclad". The United States has
contested China's territorial assertion through increased military operations and a stronger naval footprint in the area, while also enhancing its backing for Southeast Asian allies like the Philippines. In 1951, the United States and the Philippines signed a mutual defense treaty, stipulating that an attack on either party in the Pacific region would trigger mutual defense and assistance." (With reports from Gaea Katreena Gabico)
PH seeks help in finding missing... PAGE A1
returned to Gaza City to "check the condition of the Palestinian father-in-law of the Philippine citizen." "The Palestinian wife [of the Filipino], we believe, is with
them. They are sheltered at a hospital, the same hospital where the father-in-law is staying for shrapnel wounds," he said. There are 136 Filipinos in Gaza, while there are 30,500
more in Israel who are mostly caregivers. He said there are 17,500 Filipinos in Lebanon. "Our main concern now is the Filipinos in Gaza because they are the ones under humanitarian crisis," he said. n
Filipina caregiver’s courage touches... PAGE A1
she realized that these were not Israeli soldiers conversing in Hebrew, but Palestinians speaking in Arabic. She tried to close the bomb shelter window, but had no luck. Moments later, she found herself face to face with Hamas. Jesalva was supposed to fly out from Israel two days later in order to visit her son, and had in her purse 1,500 shekels (about $370), which she planned to give to her family. Without a second thought, she gave the terrorists her purse and said: “Take everything, just don’t take the flight ticket. She’s an old woman and doesn’t understand what’s happening. Take the money and go.” “Unbelievably, that’s exactly what happened. The terrorists took the money and went away,” Miller said. Jesalva then climbed into Nitza’s bed, hugging her to calm her down. She stayed at Nitza’s side for two and a half hours until the Israel Defense Forces arrived to save them. The Filipina cancelled her flight after she promised not to leave Nitza and could not bring herself to go. “The story has touched
thousands of Israelis, who deeply appreciate the kindness and humanity of a person caught up in an awful situation that has little to do with them, yet decided to make the choice to act with true love,” Miller said, as he thanked Jesalva for protecting and not leaving Nitza. Four Filipinos died during the attack while two are still unaccounted for. The two Filipinos are believed to be among the hostages of Hamas. Support for Alacre Meanwhile, the Israeli government assured support to the family of Negrense caregiver Loreta Alacre of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, who was killed in the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7. In his letter to the Alacre family, Israel Ambassador Ilan Fluss expressed his government’s deepest sympathy to the siblings of Loreta and said, “you are now joining a big Israeli family of victims of terror.” “Joining this family entitles you with financial and other assistance, care of the government of Israel, in the same way they support the other bereaved Israeli families,” Fluss said.
He said their embassy in Manila will assist the Alacre family in claiming benefits from the Israel Social Security Institute. The Israeli diplomat was also assisted by Rizza Moldes, officer in charge of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) - Western Visayas, in his meeting with the Alacre family. Loreta had been working as a caregiver in Haifa and Tel Aviv for 15 years. The Department of Social Welfare and Development, OWWA and the Department of Migrant Workers each extended P50,000 in financial assistance to Alacre’s family, as disclosed by Katherine Joy Malagad Lamprea, chief of the protective services division of the DWSD Field Office 6. Speaker Martin Romualdez also gave P500,000. The Department of Labor and Employment assured the dependents of Alacre of a livelihood package. The OWWA shouldered the funeral expenses of Alacre, whose remains lie at her home in Sitio Camay-an, Cadiz City. (With reports from Gilbert Bayoran)
FRIEND OF THE DEAD. Lando Torrifil, who has been cleaning graves for 43 years at a Catholic cemetery in Davao City, says in an interview Thursday, October 26 that grave cleaners like him charge PHP1,000 for grave painting, sweeping, and cutting grasses. Unsurprisingly, the peak season for this job is during “Undas,” he says. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.
Marcos warns AFP of ‘emerging... PAGE A1 Our Armed Forces must be capable of securing and defending the archipelago from emerging threats." The president cited "the continuing changes and emerging developments in our nation's evolving security landscape. Your new positions and ranks shall place you at the forefront, both familiar and new, and novel defense and security challenges that we now face." U.S. President Joe Biden has warned that Washington will be forced to intervene if China attacks Philippine ships in the South China Sea, following two separate collisions involving Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed waterway over the weekend. Speaking alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Biden said he wanted to send a "clear message" to Beijing after China's coast guard tried to block a Filipino supply mission to the Ayungin Shoal. "The United States defense commitment to the Philippines
is ironclad. Any attack on Filipino aircraft, vessels or armed forces will invoke our mutual defense treaty with the Philippines," Biden said. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III is expected to discuss with his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., maritime engagements between their countries in the West Philippine Sea when they meet during the Asean Defense Ministers Meeting conference in Jakarta. Austin called up Teodoro Friday to assure the U.S.' security commitment in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of National Defense said in a statement. Austin "reinforced U.S. support for the Philippines" following the China Coast Guard and maritime militia's attempted obstruction of the resupply mission to Ayungin. The two defense chiefs reaffirmed the importance of the Mutual Defense Treaty that extends to both countries' public vessels, aircraft and armed forces — to include the Coast Guard — covering the
entire Pacific to include the South China Sea. Austin and Teodoro also commended the exercises involving their countries' security forces, particularly last month's bilateral training off Palawan. "The secretaries look forward to meeting in person in Jakarta on the margins of the upcoming Asean Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus," the statement said. During his speech to the new AFP officers, Marcos reiterated his order to the troops to ensure that communities that were once caught up by conflict continue to reap the gains of peacekeeping efforts of the government and its stakeholders. "Sustain and foster greater collaboration with other government agencies and civil society groups, harnessing their respective knowledge, specializations, and technical expertise in coming up with innovative, effective, efficient solutions to the challenges that stand in the way of achieving peace and unity," the president
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Need help with immigration? Enroll in... PAGE A1
or immigration status. The Higher Education Legal Services Project is a partnership between the Foundation for California Community Colleges and the California Department of Social Services. It is easily accessed via the website Find Your Ally, where interested parties can enter their zip code or college of attendance and, in a little over a minute, be connected to the immigration attorney supporting that college. An estimated 50-70,000 undocumented immigrants are currently enrolled in a California community college. Free, ongoing legal services The attorney time is free and continues regardless of when the affiliation ends with the community colleges, Garcia explained. Services include support for legal permanent residency (green cards), DACA Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or advanced parole. All information provided is kept private. The work is done confidentially by nonprofit legal teams approved by California or the U.S. Department of Justice with at least three years’ experience in immigration work. As a student, you can be taking a full load of classes or just one, for credit or not. You can be enrolled in adult education programs through the community colleges or attending more than one community college, in person or online. Services are available upon request in the clients preferred language and services are available either in person or virtual. The program can also help clients obtain fee waivers for citizenship and DACA renewal applications and, as of Nov. 1, with naturalization applications and advanced parole filing. “If anything, I would encourage people to enroll in their local community college for at least one credit so they could access services like ours and hopefully find a way to move forward,” said attorney Manoj Govindaiah, of Oaklandbased Immigrant Legal Defense. Immigration support where it’s needed He noted undocumented immigrants generally confront two major obstacles when it comes to accessing legal services: finding quality lawyers and being able to meet with
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SMALL LANDLORDS ONLY NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS CITY OF LOS ANGELES EMERGENCY RENTERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The program can also help clients obtain fee waivers for citizenship and DACA renewal applications and, as of Nov. 1, with naturalization applications and advanced parole filing. Pexels.com photo by Olia Danilevich
them in person. That’s especially the case for those in rural communities, where resources and transportation are more limited. “This program goes to the schools…bringing support to where it is needed,” said Govindaiah. He added Find Your Ally also offers up-to-date legal advice that can help clients find paths they may not have understood they were eligible for. “California community colleges are always here as an access point to higher education,” Kelly Fletes, Dean of Student Services at Monterey Peninsula College, pointed out. “We accept 100% of the students who apply.” A ‘basic need’ for undocumented students Community colleges are ideal for reaching newly arrived immigrants, many of whom often enroll in ESL classes soon after arriving. Fletes also stressed that as California pushes to meet the basic needs of its population, for undocumented students, immigration services are among those basic needs. “There’s a different level of anxiety that happens when you literally have to watch yourself or watch your back that you or your parents might be deported or they’re at risk of not coming home every day,” she said. “How could you focus on your education?” And the cost of legal services can be out of reach for students not eligible for thousands of dollars of federal financial aid
available to their peers. “I have students that have to work three to four jobs,” Fletes continued, mentioning one who arrived already $10,000 in debt for notyet-completed legal services. Don’t be afraid Sabrina P is a firstgeneration college student of undocumented status. She said she didn’t know what she might qualify for, and worried what her situation might be after school if she didn’t have papers and couldn’t work. She set aside her fears of discussing her immigration status and visited the program. “I asked them a lot of questions. They were like, ‘Don’t worry about it. We’re gonna help you out,’” she recalled. “Every case is different,” she acknowledged, but “Now I can say that I’m in the process of getting my green card. I’m able to work and do other stuff I was denied before because I didn’t have any type of papers. I’m able to support my family a little bit better.” She emphasized the importance for her of getting started as soon as possible, because even if the process takes years to conclude, your age on the date of your original application carries a lot of weight. “That’s often kind of a critical deadline,” she said. “I would suggest to just don’t be afraid. Honestly, that’s the best you can do for yourself, because just asking is not gonna hurt anybody, and maybe help you out.” (Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Srvices)
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California expands paid sick days and boosts... AAPI Equity Alliance co-hosts first Stop the Hate convening in California PAGE A1
AAPI Equity Alliance (AAPI Equity), the Los Angeles County regional lead for the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Stop the Hate Program, co-hosted the first ever gathering at The California Endowment in Los Angeles of communitybased organizations tackling hate across California, as they begin building a statewide network to combat hate. The convening from October 9 to 10 was cohosted with CDSS and the regional leads from other parts of the state, including Sierra Health Foundation (Northern CA, San Joaquin Valley, and Statewide), Asian Health Services (Bay Area and Central Coast), Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (Orange County and Inland Empire), and Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties (San Diego and Imperial Counties). In response to the rising tide of hate during the pandemic, California legislators approved the groundbreaking Stop the Hate program that provided funding administered through CDSS to 80 community organizations statewide providing direct services to victims of hate and their families, and prevention and intervention programs and services to communities vulnerable to
hate. The grant program was recently expanded to award an additional $91.4 million to over 170 organizations. "We're trying something here in California that no one else is trying. The point of the Stop the Hate program was to make an investment towards a permanent difference and build every community up with that infrastructure," said Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). The Stop the Hate program has expanded to include organizations serving the Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Black, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, and disability communities, enabling them to raise awareness of hate in our midst, create collaborative spaces for healing, resiliency, and action, and share resources to support individuals who have been affected by hate. “We applaud the expansion of grantees including organizations serving the Black, Latinx, LGBTQ, disabled, and religious minority communities, and the state’s recommitment to fighting hate in our communities. This convening is the beginning of strengthening the nonprofit network and coalition building to create community change so everyone can live freely, safely, and thrive without fear of hate violence,” said
Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director of AAPI Equity. To kick off the expanded Stop the Hate program, 300 representatives from grantee organizations convened in Los Angeles. Speakers included Joel Gemino (Equality CA), Laila Aziz (Pillars of the Community), Don Han (Groundswell), Lisa Fu (CA Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative), Reena Hajat Carroll (CA Conference on Equality and Justice), Deep Singh (Jakara), Julia Liou (Asian Health Services), Miriam Mesa (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights), and Bayanne Kanawati (Council on American-Islamic Relations) who spoke to the importance of crossracial collaboration and transformative change. “To date, our data shows that over 14,000 people were served through direct services and over 2 million people were reached by the prevention and intervention services in the first year of the program. It is inspiring to witness community organizations make long lasting connections and actively strategize towards the future,” said Kim Johnson, Director of CDSS. AAPI Equity serves as the regional lead for 42 Los Angeles County grantees. n
errant doctors and pharmacists and surprise ambulance bills. Still, in a possible sign of his national ambitions and experience as a businessperson and father, the Democrat tempered the bill-signing season by vetoing free condoms in schools and possession of psychedelic mushrooms. He rejected decriminalizing such hallucinogens even as he supported their therapeutic potential as “an exciting frontier.” He urged lawmakers to try again next year, this time adding specific treatment guidelines including recommended doses and protections for people with underlying psychoses. The bill’s lead author, state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, had introduced the proposal amid successful decriminalization efforts in Colorado, Oregon, and some cities, saying veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression should not be penalized for seeking relief. Newsom also shot down a $35 price cap for a 30-day supply of insulin in favor of his own price-cutting efforts, touting his administration’s $50 million contract to begin sourcing its own insulin as early as next year. He argued this approach would avoid indirect price hikes for consumers that could come in the form of higher premiums to cover cheaper insulin. The governor similarly showed caution in vetoing health and safety protections for domestic workers, arguing that “private
households and families cannot be regulated in the exact same manner as traditional businesses.” The new laws will take effect in 2024 unless otherwise noted: Sick days California workers will be entitled to five paid sick days a year under SB 616, by state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat from Long Beach. That’s up from the three days required in California since 2014, but short of the seven days Gonzalez originally sought. Advocates say workers shouldn’t have to show up sick, potentially spreading illness, because they can’t afford to stay home. But the California Chamber of Commerce included the bill on its annual job killer list and said it would harm struggling small businesses. Miscarriage and failed adoption leave Parents who experience miscarriages, stillbirths, failed adoptions, or a breakdown in a surrogate pregnancy agreement will all be entitled to bereavement leave under SB 848. The bill, by state Sen. Susan Rubio, a Democrat from the San Gabriel Valley, will include unpaid reproductive loss leave under the state’s existing law allowing up to five days of bereavement leave upon the death of a family member. She called reproductive losses “one of the most traumatizing events a person can experience,” noting that Illinois and Utah enacted similar laws in 2022. The bill applies to companies with five or more employees. Abortion protections A year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Newsom signed nine abortionrelated laws, adding to the strong protections for the procedure that California lawmakers adopted a year ago. Among them is SB 345, which increases protections for medical providers who live in California but mail abortion pills or gender-related medications to states where they are illegal. The bill’s lead author, state Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Democrat from Berkeley, said in a statement that the laws strengthen California’s position “as the national leader for reproductive freedom.” Another bill, AB 1646, by Assembly member Stephanie Nguyen, a Democrat from Elk Grove, allows doctors from other states to receive abortion training in California without having to obtain a California medical license. Behavioral health funding Voters will get a direct say in March on Proposition 1, Newsom’s key behavioral health initiative. Having signed a bipartisan package of bills, Newsom will ask voters to approve billions of dollars aimed at alleviating California’s seemingly incorrigible homelessness crisis. He says that represents a paradigm shift in how California addresses the dilemma, but the proposition is opposed by those worried about expanding involuntary treatment and diverting funding from existing community-based programs. He also signed SB 43, expanding the state’s conservatorship law to make it easier to force people into treatment for mental illness or addiction. Medical licensing fees The Medical Board of California will be required to follow new procedures while investigating complaints, while doctors will pay higher licensing fees to help fund those investigations. SB 815, by Sen. Richard Roth, a Riverside Democrat, mandates the new complaint procedures amid criticism of the board by patient advocates, who say bad doctors often escape sanction. It will gradually boost the license renewal fee to $1,255 every two years, up from $863 currently. It also repeals AB 2098, passed last year, that said it is unprofessional conduct for doctors to spread misinformation or disinformation related to COVID-19. The law was
California Governor Gavin Newsom File photo
entangled in multiple lawsuits with conflicting rulings, including one by a federal judge who called it “unconstitutionally vague.” Pharmacy errors Medication errors harm at least 1.5 million Americans annually and are among the most common medical errors, according to the National Academy of Medicine. In California, they are the top violation resulting in a citation. AB 1286, by Assembly member Matt Haney, a Democrat from San Francisco, imposes what he said is a first-in-the-nation requirement that retail pharmacies report every error. It also gives the pharmacist in charge at each store the authority to increase staffing and the duty to inform the store’s management of dangerous conditions. The California State Board of Pharmacy can close a pharmacy if the conditions aren’t improved. Surprise ambulance bills Patients who call for an ambulance can sometimes receive “surprise bills” topping $1,000, according to Health Access California. AB 716, by Assembly member Tasha Boerner, a Democrat from Encinitas, protects consumers from being charged out-of-network costs for ambulance services and uninsured Californians from being charged what she calls inflated ambulance rates. An analysis by the California Health Benefits Review Program said that would require health plans and insurers to pay more for outof-network services. Lifesaving medications AB 1651, by Assembly member Kate Sanchez, a Republican from Rancho Santa Margarita, will require schools to have emergency epinephrine autoinjectors for use by school nurses or trained volunteers to treat life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. More than 15% of children with food allergies have had a reaction at school, according to the Latino Food Allergy Network, which sought the bill. Food safety By 2027, California will become the first U.S. state to ban four chemicals widely used in processed food and drinks, following the lead of the European Union and other nations. AB 418, by Democratic Assembly members Jesse Gabriel and Buffy Wicks, initially drew headlines because it would have banned titanium dioxide, which is used in Skittles, but that chemical was dropped from the bill. Opponents said the U.S. and California already have sufficient food safety and food labeling requirements. Newsom and the bill’s supporters chided the Food and Drug Administration for failing to take action. (Don Thompson/KFF Health News) This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Napoles gets life term in... PAGE A1 district of Ilocos Sur. The ruling said the TLRC released a total of P35 million to the NGOs through three Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs). Prosecution witness Benhur Luy told the court he processed Baterina's PDAF covered by the SAROs and that he was present during the meeting about Baterina's PDAF between Napoles and former Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Zenaida Ducut, who acted as Baterina's agent. Luy testified that it was agreed that Ducut would receive a 5-percent commission for Baterina's PDAF transactions coursed through the accused Napoles' NGOs. Baterina will receive a 60-percent cut to be given in tranches after he submits the necessary documents. In his defense, Baterina had
pointed out that Luy, along with Marina Sula and Merlina Sunas, admitted forging his signature and falsifying documents on PDAF transactions. Luy "then claimed that his admission corresponds to the irregularities in the documents imputed to him by the prosecution, which made it appear that he participated and signed the subject documents," the court said in its ruling. Baterina was acquitted but was ordered to return P35 million to the National Treasury. The projects turned out to be nonexistent. Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Edgardo Caldona, Arthur Malabaguio and Rafael Lagos concurred with the ruling, while Associate Justices Oscar Herrera and Ronald Moreno dissented. It was the second conviction for Napoles in a week, after she was convicted of similar offenses last week and sentenced to 64 years in prison. n
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Xi talks with Marcos Jr., Duterte ‘just for show’ by Neil JaysoN servallos Philstar.com
FULL ALERT. Top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP), led by its chief, Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. (2nd from left), hold a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Friday, October 27 on the measures to ensure a peaceful balloting process on Oct. 30. The PNP will raise its full alert status beginning Saturday, October 28, as part of heightened security measures for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). PNA photo by Robert Alfiler
‘Enhanced’ Travel Philippines app unveiled by rosette adel Philstar.com
MANILA — The Tourism Promotions Board, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism on Thursday, October 26 relaunched the new and “enhanced” Travel Philippines app. The Travel Philippines app was previously launched in 2020 under the helm of former Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. The previous version, developed by DOT and TPB in partnership with inclusion tech venture builder HIMO Global Inc./Talino Venture Labs, provides users access to the latest travel advisories and safety guidelines in various destinations that have reopened to tourism that year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then dubbed as an “easy-to-use platform” that allows users to create itineraries for their future trips, find up-todate information on their favorite tourist attractions, and get digital copies of travel documents. The current app, on the other hand, offers resource for travel enthusiasts and serves “as virtual passport to uncovering unexplored destinations.” “This is our step into
This Oct. 26, 2023 photo shows Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Marga Nograles and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco leading the launch of the Travel Philippines app. Philstar.com by photo John Unson
digitalization. With a click of a button you are able to see all, you are able to visit and explore our 7641 islands. Our app will also lead you to different tour operators and tour guides to help you craft your itineraries into the Philippines and within the Philippines,” TPB Chief Operating Officer Marga Nograles said on Thursday. She also credited the regional directors for the new app. “This app is a labor of love. This enhanced travel Philippines is a labor of love of the Department of Tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board and every single Regional
Director in all 17 regions of the Philippines because each one of them would like to invite all of you into their home to experience more and more,” she added. The DOT announced that the feature-rich app is now available for download on both Apple and Android devices. The launch of the app, held in Makati City, was graced by Nograles, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Tourism Undersecretaries Mae Elaine Bathan, Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, and Shereen Gail Yu Pamintuan, as well as TPB officials and other personalities. n
MANILA — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to reach out to President Marcos and former President Rodrigo Duterte appear to be mere “false pretenses” as China’s acts of aggression in the West Philippine Sea contradict the Chinese government’s assurances to the Philippines, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said on Wednesday, October 25. “That’s why China’s talks with us are under false pretenses. For me it’s just for show, to show the world that they talk to us, but beneath all that, what their actions say is different,” Teodoro said in Filipino in an interview over radio dzRH. He stressed that Marcos and Xi should continue talks, but the latter should show good faith and sincerity, unlike in previous instances. The defense chief cited Marcos’ visit to China earlier this year to meet with Xi, followed a month after by the China Coast Guard’s use of laser weapons against BRP Malapascua, which temporarily blinded Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel. “The problem is they spoke to President Duterte back then when his term was ending, then they harassed fishermen. President Marcos visited China early this year, and then there’s the laser-pointing incident,” Teodoro said. “I don’t need to answer questions (whether the meetings of President Xi with President Marcos and former president Duterte had no effect whatsoever). We can already see the evidence based on what’s happening,” he added. The defense secretary was speaking about his expectations of China following last Sunday’s (October 22) incident, where China’s aggressive and dangerous blocking of Philippine supply boats en route to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal caused a collision. If China seeks continuous talks with the Philippine government regarding disputes over the West Philippine Sea, it should henceforth be open to the public and not anymore within the
that they’re not transparent. We don’t know how they work, we don’t know who we’re talking to,” he said. The defense chief stressed that if future talks are on the table, China needs to show that it respects the Philippines as a people and a country. Teodoro also confirmed that the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General are building a case against China over last Sunday’s collision. “We can’t file with the International Criminal Court because we already withdrew Chinese President Xi Jinping File photo from there,” he said. “This cloaks of secrecy, according to requires thorough study, and the Teodoro. case should be strong enough.” “Another problem with (With reports from Delon engaging with China (officials) is Porcalla, Sheila Crisostomo)
LOS ANGELES COUNTY LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) AUTHORITY (LACMTA) INVITATION FOR BID REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LACMTA will receive Bids/Proposals for OP104766-2-Suspended Platform Certification, Inspection, Maintenance and Repair at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. All Bids must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 2:00PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read. Bids received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each Bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. OP104766-2. For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Antonio Monreal at monrealan@metro.net. 10/28/23 CNS-3751701# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)
LACMTA will receive Proposals for OP110777 - Elevator and Escalator Consulting Services at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. A Pre-Proposal conference will be held on Monday, November 6, 2023, 11:00 a.m., at One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Virtual Meeting: Online. All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each proposal must be sealed and marked Proposal No. OP110777. For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Manchi Yi at yim@metro.net. 10/28/23 CNS-3750978# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)
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Rule of law recession
CONSIDERING the state of the nation, it’s a wonder that the Philippines wasn’t ranked lower than 100th among 142 countries in the latest Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project. It was a three-point drop for the Philippines from the previous year’s 97th place among 140 included by the WJP in the index. In East Asia and the Pacific, the Philippines placed 13th among 15 countries, ahead of only Myanmar and Cambodia. The Philippines has been on a free fall since 2016, when it plummeted to 70th among 113 from 51st among 103 in 2015. The country continued to plunge, to 88th among 113 in 2017 and 2018; 90th of 126 in 2019; 91st of 128 in 2020 and 102nd out of 139 in 2021. The rankings are based on 44 indicators grouped into eight main categories: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice and criminal justice. Few will disagree with the assessment of the WJP on the state of those indicators in the Philippines. It’s cold comfort to know that the problem is global. “The world remains gripped by a rule of law recession characterized by executive overreach, curtailing of human rights and justice systems that are failing to meet people’s needs,” WJP co-founder and president William Neukom said.
Denmark topped the index anew, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Estonia and Ireland. At the bottom were Venezuela, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Cameroon, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Mauritania. In East Asia and the Pacific, New Zealand topped the list, followed by Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mongolia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Myanmar and Cambodia. It’s no mere coincidence that the countries at the top of the list are also among the most prosperous. This has been evident for many years now, yet the situation in the Philippines has deteriorated instead of improving. There have been some improvements particularly in the field of human rights under the Marcos administration, but there is still a wide room for reforms. If the administration wants to attract more job-generating investments and stop the continuing exodus of Filipinos for greener pastures abroad, the momentum for change must be sustained and intensified. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
The Maharlika mystery
The Long View Manuel l. Quezon III THE president wanted it, the president got it, and then the president suspended it: now people wonder what gives when it comes to the Maharlika Investment Fund. Viswa Nathan, writing in The Asia Sentinel (the last of the fiercely independent Southeast Asian papers) puts forward two possibilities. The first, courtesy of economist JC Punongbayan, is that the president wants to put Benjamin Diokno in charge of the fund, but it would require his giving up the finance portfolio and necessitate a Cabinet revamp in turn. The second, courtesy of an unnamed source, is that the president has emerged from the cloud of sycophancy that normally surrounds all presidents and has discovered that the Philippines is not an investment darling of global finance. Strangely missing was the possibility bandied about earliest and which happens to be simplest: the president suspended implementation upon being tipped off the Supreme Court was poised to impose a
TRO based on one of the cases filed to oppose the scheme. This reason has the benefit not only of simplicity but also clarity – It reminds us of one institution not totally in the president’s control: the judiciary. The theory is that in speedily remitting their share of the Maharlika scheme’s funding, the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines did so without the necessary clearance from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Viswa Nathan for his part says the real problem is one of perception, specifically, crime, pointing to the recent murder of a New Zealand citizen, and the laggard status of the country which has attracted roughly a third to half of what our neighbors have been attracting in terms of foreign direct investments. He puts forward an intriguing possibility: that there is money aplenty for investments if only the president can tap the increasing wealth of the already very rich in the Philippines. “But the president has a thorny problem to consider,” he writes: “He carries the baggage of his own deeply corrupt ancestors.” One might suppose that nervous plutocrats would be looking more to the fate
Sketches
ana MarIe PaMIntuan FINALLY, after six years of kowtowing to Beijing and yellow-bellied cowering over the imagined prospect of China pulverizing Philippine forces, the country is taking the dispute to other arenas. On Thursday, October 26, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that the Philippines would file an environmental case against China before an international tribunal, for the “innumerable and immeasurable” damage it has caused to natural resources in Philippine waters. Apart from this tack, the Marcos administration appears to be moving to reduce the vulnerability of the Philippine economy to Chinese economic coercive measures. Chinese official development assistance loan facilities have high interest rates compared to those offered by other countries such as Japan. These days it looks like several big-ticket projects funded by Chinese ODA are being dropped by the Philippines.
A report this week said the Department of Finance had informed Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian that the Philippines is no longer interested in the ODA from Beijing for the P83-billion Mindanao Railway Phase 1. The report said the government is also pulling out of the Philippine National Railways South Long Haul, a.k.a. the PNR Bicol. Such withdrawals, if replicated in other recipients of Chinese ODA, can affect Beijing’s vaunted Belt and Road Initiative, through which the Chinese had hoped to project soft power through infrastructure-related investments in about 150 countries and organizations. These are encouraging steps in decoupling from China. People had been saying this throughout the Duterte administration, that instead of kowtowing to Beijing in hopes of benefiting from stronger ties with the world’s second largest economy, the Philippines should go in the opposite direction, reducing dependence on Chinese trade and ODA. The Australians have been doing this, according to Ambassador HK Yu, after they were subjected to trade “coercive measures” by Beijing, which affected up to $20 billion worth of
of firms like Unilab, the LT Group, Inc., or the GMA Network for more specific signs of ancestrally inspired interest (of which there seems little to none, so far). At the very least, the power of the presidency is such that if the president were to invite Filipino moguldom to invest in the scheme, no one would be able to say no — and would make at least token investments. An apocryphal tale from the bad old days of the 1980s comes to mind instead. The story is that, as the economy tanked, then Prime Minister Cesar Virata convinced the then-president to convince his closest friends to repatriate a few hundred million dollars of their own money to help prop up the government’s financial prospects. This story perhaps inspired the very early rumor (dating to the day after the election results were known) that the incoming administration would propose a sovereign wealth fund as an instrument to discreetly repatriate funds. It would certainly address a criticism readers of Conrado de Quiros would remember well. He always liked to point out that one problem with Filipino ill-gotten wealth was that it was unpatriotic. It was stashed away abroad,
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senator Mark Villar during the signing of the Maharlika Investment Fund bill. File photo
while that of our neighbors was reinvested in their own economy (his favorite example of this were the Suhartos of Indonesia). We saw recently the relative finesse with which the MarcosRomualdez tandem took away the confidential funds that are the bedrock of Duterte-style political operations (they gladly seconded the Duterte motion to ask for millions, joined in the chorus of shock when radicals denounced it, nodded in agreement when
it was pointed out the money was best used by security agencies, and complimented the Dutertes on their nobility and patriotism in letting it be taken away). They have proven far more accommodating — and far more elastic — toward the post-Edsa system than the Dutertes. So much so that Vergel Santos has become alarmed at the rapidly emerging prospect of a consensus emerging that the Marcos-Romualdez
New approaches
Australian exports to China. Other countries including the Philippines have suffered from the same Chinese economic coercion over the past years. This is beginning to backfire, however, as countries show economic resilience and China is seen to be an unreliable trading partner. * * * On the maritime front, we commend the Philippine Coast Guard for refusing to be cowed by Goliath. Our boats, whether private or belonging to the PCG, look puny beside all those China Coast Guard vessels, but we’re gaining ground in international opinion. Beyond risking being rammed by those big ships, what else can be done to uphold our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea? The government can step up the timeline for joint patrols with allies, as part of freedom of navigation operations. It shouldn’t matter if the foreign patrol vessels are military, since the China Coast Guard (unlike our civilian PCG) is under their military command, directly under President Xi Jinping. Those CCG maneuvers against our ships around Ayungin are military activities. We have the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in
The Hague to support our claim in that area; China has only its imaginary nine-dash-line, now expanded to 10, to show the world. Apart from this, as retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has pointed out, there are old maps showing what constitutes Philippine sovereign waters, and treaties to back them up. So far, we have been receiving many expressions of support for our cause in the West Philippine Sea. Recently there was the statement from key members of the foreign relations committee at the U.S. House of Representatives. Thursday reports from Washington said U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement opposing interference with routine Philippine maritime operations around Ayungin Shoal as well as other destabilizing actions in the South China Sea. Aside from the U.S. and Australia, with which we have a visiting forces agreement, we have received expressions of support from U.S. treaty ally Japan, our biggest aid donor; the European Union as a grouping along with some of its member
states individually, and Canada. It helps that journalists are being allowed to tag along by the PCG in its resupply missions to the troops on the BRP Sierra Madre, our outpost grounded on Ayungin Shoal. It is easier to illustrate how Goliath is bullying David. * * * There are speculative reports that the Chinese are waiting for the rusty World War II transport, which looks like a prop on “Waterworld” or a “Mad Max” movie, to crumble and disintegrate into the sea – which will be soon. When this happens, the Chinese can then grab Ayungin and develop it into yet another artificial island, the way it turned those huts that it built on Panganiban “Mischief” Reef ostensibly as fishermen’s shelters into a multi-story military building sitting on an artificial island. The arbitration court in had ruled in 2016 that the Philippines has sovereign rights over Ayungin, Panganiban and Recto Bank. That ruling has been recognized by the countries that have been expressing support for the Philippines in the dispute. But throughout much of
combination is more predictable, responsible, businesslike, and accommodating than their coalition partners can ever be. (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3
the six years of the Duterte administration, the Philippine government treated the arbitral award like a dirty family secret, a source of national embarrassment. Rodrigo Duterte also feuded with the countries that could have exerted some non-military forms of pressure to compel compliance with the ruling. Instead China enjoyed free rein to embark on a frenzied artificial island-building, facing little challenge even when its vessels sank a Philippine fishing boat and left the Filipinos to flounder in the high seas. For allowing itself to be buggered, what did the Philippines get in return? Three “friendship” bridges across the Pasig River. Now the new administration is pursuing new tacks. On multiple fronts, there are ways of compelling adherence with international rules and enforcing a rulesbased order, without armed confrontation. Hurray for this new administration. (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.
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DOJ: PH to pursue case vs China over coral damage by DaPhne galvez
hand and on many more likely to be obtained by scientists and other experts tapped for the undertaking. He said the Department of Justice will coordinate with the PCG in helping scientists and others involved in the case check areas affected and “see for themselves the beauty that we might lose and the rich marine resources that humanity might never see again,” Remulla said in Filipino. He said the evidence would include satellite imaging, cinematography and locationbased photographs “to show the abomination that China is doing to our waters.” Asked how confident the government is in making China accountable considering Beijing’s disregard for the 2016 arbitral ruling, Remulla said the case is intended to “address the rest of the world” that the Asian power “cannot respect the environment and the rules.” “World opinion is very important. It’s also a shame campaign. We have to show the world what they’re doing to us,” he said. The DOJ first broached the idea of suing China for environmental depredation before an international court following the discovery by the PCG of Chinese fishermen’s plunder of corals in the West Philippine Sea. But China’s reclamation activities and construction of island fortresses in the West Philippine Sea would also be included in the case, Remulla said. ‘Sea of Asia’ It was suggested during the meeting that the West Philippine Sea be referred to as “Sea of Asia” to make it “relevant to the international community,” the DOJ chief said. “It’s a matter of nomenclature. If we say West Philippine Sea, South China Sea, we’re referring to the
same body of water so we might as well call it the Sea of Asia,” Remulla said. MANILA — China will be made He emphasized that the use of to answer for the “innumerable the term is not intended to dilute and immeasurable” damage it or weaken the Philippine position, has inflicted on the Philippine as the name would only be used in environment, Justice Secretary the environmental case. Jesus Crispin Remulla said on In a separate statement, the Thursday, October 26 as he bared DOJ said the highlight of the case the administration’s decision would not be the ongoing maritime to proceed with the filing of an dispute but the environmental environment case against Beijing degradation and destruction before an international tribunal. caused by China’s activities. “We were encouraged to “Our primary intention behind pursue what we think is a good this suggested term is to engage case to pursue on behalf not only the international community in of the Filipino people but the rest a way that transcends territorial of humanity. It’s just a matter disputes. We hope to underscore of organizing the evidence and the point that this sea, regardless showing it to the proper tribunal,” of the territorial claims and Remulla said at a press briefing. disputes, is a shared heritage and A similar case – labeled as resource for all of Asia, and by crime against humanity – filed extension, the world,” it said. by former ombudsman Conchita “By adopting this term for Carpio-Morales and former this specific case, we aim to rally foreign affairs secretary Albert del the international community Rosario against Chinese President against harmful environmental Xi Jinping was junked by the actions, emphasizing that no International Criminal Court in matter who claims ownership, 2019, citing lack of jurisdiction. the responsibility to protect and The decision to push through preserve it is a shared one,” the with the filing of a case came after DOJ added. Remulla’s meeting with Philippine Meanwhile, U.S. nuclearCoast Guard-West Philippine Sea powered aircraft carrier Ronald spokesman Jay Tarriela as well Reagan conducted flight as with legal experts including operations off Eastern Luzon on renowned environmental lawyer Wednesday in a show of enduring Antonio Oposa and former alliance between the Philippines solicitor general Francis Jardeleza, and the U.S. amid escalating who was part of the legal team tensions in the West Philippine that secured a victory for the Sea. Philippines in its arbitration U.S. embassy spokesperson case against China before the Kanishka Gangopadhyay said the Permanent Court of Arbitration in USS Ronald Reagan’s visit was a The Hague in 2016. regular exercise of the country’s Remulla said they hope to have “ironclad” alliance with the the case ready for filing before an Philippines. international tribunal by the early “We have an ironclad alliance part of 2024 or by March “at the with the Philippines and we are latest.” very glad we get to have these The justice chief said he believes visits because they really show the the Philippines has a strong case strength of our relationship,” the based on the “ample” evidence at embassy spokesperson said, as quoted by ABS-CBN News. The USS Ronald Reagan is the U.S. Navy’s sole forward-deployed aircraft carrier It is the flagship of Carrier Strike 5 group, which includes the Ticonderoga class guidedmissile cruisers USS Antietam (CG 54) and USS Chancellorsville (CG 62). “The last time we had the Reagan before this visit, we knew for months… In response, I would just say that these visits are part of our alliance. They happen all the time at regular intervals,” Screengrab from Philippine Coast Guard shows damage to marine environment and coral Gangopadhyay said. (With reports reef. Photo courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard from Neil Jayson Servallos) Philstar.com
STRICTLY FOR BUSES. Passengers board a bus at the EDSA Bus Carousel MRT 3 Ortigas station in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, October 26. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced that it would soon impose hefty fines on motorists for the unauthorized use of the EDSA Carousel due to the repeated disregard of the EDSA Bus Lane regulation by private vehicles. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Paolo Duterte: I’m just protecting my family by Delon Porcalla,
eDith regalaDo Philstar.com
MANILA — After his father issued a death threat against a progressive lawmaker, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Thursday, October 26 said he came out in the open to defend his family from vicious attacks by their political adversaries. “It is imperative upon me to stand by my family and protect my family. I think anybody who is in my situation will do the same thing,” Duterte said. On Wednesday, October 25 Duterte urged ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro to “come out clean” and “stop the drama” after criminal charges were filed against his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. “If the former president has said something that threatened her, then maybe she should come out clean. We all have the right to file a complaint against anyone in court. But public servants should not be onion-skinned and should not make use of this right as a tool to silence critics,” Paolo said in a statement. The former president’s death threat against Castro prompted House leaders to unite as Castro filed a grave threat complaint against Duterte before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office on Oct. 24.
Rep. Paolo Duterte
The death threat stemmed from Castro’s scrutiny and the reallocation of the controversial confidential and intelligence funds of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte. “Why are they making it seem as if I am at fault when my life is being threatened and I am, once again, being red-tagged?” Castro said in Filipino. (With reports from Sheila Crisostomo, Phistar.com file photo Diana Lhyd Suelto)
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Gets namin ang aming customer mga Pilipino May magagandang rate, guaranteed delivery, at walang hidden fee, samahan ang milyon-milyong nagtitiwala sa Remitly kapag nagse-send ng pera sa mga kaibigan at pamilya.
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From fraud to green card: Watch this inspiring success story on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday IT started in June 1998, when Reggie entered the U.S. under an assumed name. Since then, he obtained a fake entry stamp to the Philippines to make it appear he left the U.S. even while he remained in the United States. He was also able to renew his visitor visa at the U.S. Embassy in Manila under the assumed name. All these years, Reggie lived under a series of
lies. Finally, Reggie and his wife consulted with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel who obtained a fraud waiver and green card through a petition by his U.S. citizen wife. Find out how Reggie was finally able to legally acquire his green card. Watch this success story PAGE B2
Kris Aquino on Boy Abunda after reunion in US: ‘The friend who until now fights my battles with me’ By anne Pasajol Inquirer.net
KRIS Aquino delighted fans after she revealed that she had a reunion with her longtime friend and “other brother,” King of Talk Boy Abunda, in California. The Queen of All Media documented her threehour conversation with her former “The Buzz” co-host and announced that it would be shared with the public soon, as per her Instagram page on Friday, Oct. 27. “Seriously, it was a heartwarming reunion. Boy freaked [out] because I needed a shot while he was here and he really hates needles,” Kris wrote. “Nagkwento pa lang ako ng pinagdadaanan kong mga treatment at ‘yung at least 18 pieces of vitamins, supplements,
GREEN CARD OBTAINED DESPITE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF FRAUD, ON AN ENCORE SUCCESS STORY OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY! Some people commit fraud. They may have entered the U.S. under a different name. Some may have submitted fake documents. Reggie (left) committed multiple acts of fraud on his journey to legalization. Be sure to tune in and find out how leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to secure a fraud waiver and green card for Reggie despite all of his fraud. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, October 29 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
Dimples Romana joins News5 family By BaBy a. Gil Philstar.com
Boy Abunda, Kris Aquino and Bimby.
as well as medicine to help prevent my migraines and protect my liver because of my chemotherapy and of course my antihistamines… parang the whole [three] hours Boy was here, he was stopping himself from crying pero bumigay din
Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino
siya talaga,” she continued. Kris clarified that Abunda’s interview with her was impromptu and that it was only filmed on a mobile phone, with the help of her son Bimby and Batangas vice governor PAGE B4
THERE is definitely no slowing down for Dimples Romana. Just this week, she walked into a new home network and, of course, that is TV5. She was a vision in red as in TV5 red as she reminded us of her iconic teleserye character Daniella Mondragon from way back. In the teasers prior to her announcement, Dimples photos were with her iconic red trolley in tow. During her contract-signing with TV5, which was held at PAGE B2
Right on her birthday, Nov. 13, Dimples Romana will make everyone’s morning ever brighter as Gud Morning Kapatid welcomes her with open arms as the show’s newest host. Present during her contract-signing with the Kapatid network are (from left) TV5 COO Dino Laurena, TV5 chief finance officer Pierre Buhay, TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero, News5 chief Luchi Cruz-Valdes and Dimples’ manager Alan Real.
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Philippine Airlines apologizes to Vice Ganda By JAn milo Severo Philstar.com
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) has apologized to Vice Ganda after the “It’s Showtime” host aired frustrations about the alleged overbooked flight. In Vice’s Twitter account, Vice said that their supposed happy travel became a nightmare when they were about to return home. “GRABE KA @flyPAL!!! Grabeng pangaabala at perwisyo ang dinulot mo sa masaya sanang trip na ito!!! Bakit kayo ganyan??? Ilang beses nyo kaming pinaranas ng overbooking sa puntong di nakasakay ang kasama namin. Ngayon ako naman ang nawalan ng upuan!” he wrote. “Sistema nyo na ba talaga ang overbooking @flyPAL??? Alam nyo ba kung gaanong stress ang idinudulot nyo sa pasaherong di nakakasakay sa binook at binayaran nyang flyt? May damdamin pa ba kayo ng malasakit para sa pasahero? Pera pera?” he added. The airline company then replied to Vice’s tweet. “Hi, Vice. We would like to express our apology for the disruption and inconvenience you have faced during what should have been a joyful journey. We truly understand your frustration, and we are genuinely sorry for the trouble this has caused you. “Your concerns about overbooking have not gone unnoticed. We are here to assure you that we take your feedback to heart and are committed to looking into this matter immediately. “We were able to retrieve your booking details, and we are already in the process
Atasha Muhlach
Instagram photo/@tvjofficial
of investigating the issue with our Bangkok station. “We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently to resolve this matter for you. Expect to hear from us with updates as soon as we receive information from our Bangkok station. Thank you.” PAL then issued another statement explaining what happened. “Hi, Vice. We deeply regret the recent incident during your recent flight with us and would like to offer a clear explanation
of the situation. “First and foremost, we want to clarify that the flight was not overbooked, and we operate with the utmost commitment to safety. During pre-flight safety checks, two business class seats were identified as unserviceable due to safety concerns, rendering them unfit for passenger use. “As a result, you were among the passengers offered a seat downgrade to economy class, a decision made to ensure safety and the operational integrity of the flight. “We acknowledge that this may have been inconvenient and we extend our sincere apologies for any discomfort you experienced. “We have received an update that eventually, two alternative passengers were identified and agreed to accept the downgrade offer, allowing you to return to your originally booked business class seats. We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this situation. “Your feedback is invaluable, and we are dedicated to improving our communication and services for the benefit of all our passengers. If you have any further concerns or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly.” Vice, however, was not satisfied with PAL’s explanation. “Hindi yan ang sinabi sakin sa counter! Ang sabi ng staff ‘THE FLIGHT WAS OVERBOOKED AND MY SEAT WAS GIVEN TO ANOTHER PASSENGER.’ MAG BATO BATO PICK NA LANG KAYO NG STAFF SA COUNTER KUNG SINO SA INYO ANG PAL-PAK! YUNG PANALO LIBRE KO NG ROUND TRIP TICKET VIA CATHAY PACIFIC!” Vice said. n
Dimples Romana joins News5...
PAGE B1 the board room of the executive floor, News5 chief Luchi CruzValdes was there to greet her as well as TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero. With the recent ratings of AGB Nielsen showing the growth of News5 in terms of TV performance and advertisers, this is the perfect moment for spicy and interesting characters to be added into the mix and join the growing organization. “Very, very extremely welcome addition. Sino naman hindi nakakakilala kay (who doesn’t know) Dimples Romana? So, we now have a celebrity icon within the newsroom and this is an empowered woman. Woman of knowledge. Maalam at iyan ang gusto namin sa News5. Swak na swak!” Cruz-Valdes shared. Meanwhile, Zaballero said
that it was during an executive meeting that it was announced that Dimples would be joining the News5 family. “Napapalakpak kami! Talagang lu-me-level up na ang Gud Morning Kapatid. Everyone was just so happy.” Of course, we sat down with Dimples to gather her thoughts on why she has embarked on this journey after more than 20 years in her showbiz career. “It is something I feel like is a level up! I would host naman but in the beginning of my career, I was always perceived as an actress. Pero ganoon pala iyon ano when you get past your 20 years in the industry, you evolve,” she said. Right on her birthday, Nov. 13, Dimples will make our morning ever brighter as Gud Morning Kapatid welcomes her with open
arms. Dimples is a mother of three, an entrepreneur, a multiawarded actress and a mentor to many of today’s young stars. She has wisdom when it comes to managing her life and that is a great input for the morning show. The segments which Dimples will be at the helm are as follows: May Bahay, about home improvement tips on a budget, and Smart Parenting, on practical parenting advice. “News 5 got me for Gud Morning Kapatid and to be honest, it is not far from what I do, ang daldal ko naman, plus the energy is really nice,” she shared. Dimples just finished her stint in the action series The Iron Heart and has a major teleserye slated for next year. For now, she
is focused on doing a daily show for the Kapatid viewers. She then reflected on how much blessings she has now and shared that it is indeed her harvesting season in life. “Ako kasi naniniwala ako doon sa if you work very hard and patiently and quietly, mahihinog lahat ng itinanim mo, eh and every morning, I wake up and ask myself, ‘Do I deserve this?’ And I have been working hard for the past two decades,” she said. Dimples will co-host Gud Morning Kapatid with Jester delos Santos, Justin Quirino, Maoui David, and Chiqui RoaPuno. The show airs Mondays to Fridays at 9:30 a.m. on TV5. Catch the show’s livestream via the News5Everywhere YouTube channel, so don’t miss out on it even while on the go. n
Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was able to get a green card for his client, Reggie (left), despite the multiple frauds he committed.
From fraud to green...
PAGE B1 on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, October 29 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
Miss International Andrea Rubio tells pageant fans to have ‘voice of honor’ By Armin P. AdinA Inquirer.net
NEWLY crowned Miss International Andrea Rubio appealed to beauty contest afficionados from all over the world to make the global pageant community a lot less toxic and a little more uplifting, in light of the proliferation of hateful words against contestants, winners and even organizations. She called on all pageant lovers all over the world “to always have that voice of honor, to honor our countries, to be good for our candidates, to make them feel the greatest,” the Venezuelan content creator told INQUIRER.net at the Yoyogi Gymnasium in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward after her coronation on Oct. 26. Rubio said that this will boost the delegates’ morale onstage. “They’re full of energy because their countries are there for each one of them. So just love each other. That’s the most important thing, so that your candidates can also shine,” she explained.
She bested 69 other aspirants from all over the world, including the Philippines’ Nicole Borromeo who finished as third runner-up, to inherit the Miss International title from 2022 winner Jasmin Selberg, and become the ninth Venezuelan woman to capture the crown. “I feel so honored. I’m happy to be part of this legacy that Miss International has given [Venezuela] for 61 years,” Rubio said, adding that the Venezuelan queens created a WhatsApp group to cheer for her. “So that’s massive. That’s a huge goal and achievement. So I’m just happy,” she continued. For the longest time, Venezuela has been on top of the Miss International scoreboard in terms of most winners crowned. Whenever a country inches its way closer, Venezuelan queens snag more crowns to distance itself even farther from the other nations. Rubio attributed this record feat to the Venezuelans’ passion. “We’re so passionate about PAGE B4
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(From left) Piolo Pascual as Pedro Pelaez, Enchong Dee as Jacinto Zamora, and Cedrick Juan as Jose Burgos
Photos from Jescomtv
‘GomBurZa’ director on uncanny resemblance of Piolo, Enchong and Cedrick to their characters by Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net
WHEN placed side by side, the photos of actors Piolo Pascual and Cedrick Juan, and martyrs Pedro Pelaez and Jose Burgos, have an uncanny resemblance, according to “GomBurZa” director Pepe Diokno when asked why the two actors were picked to play these all-important roles in the said historical drama. The film tells the courageous story of three Filipino Catholic priests who were publicly executed by garrote in Bagumbayan in 1872. It also features Dante Rivero as Mariano Gomez and Enchong Dee as Jacinto Zamora. A production of Jesuit Communications (JesCom), the historical drama is an official entry to the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in December. In a recent virtual chat, Diokno revealed that there were a lot of actors considered for the major roles. However, the role of Burgos was “quite tricky” to cast. “In general, casting became a challenge for us because a lot of the lines are in Spanish. The actors had to be willing to put in the work to learn the language,” he began. “Since this is a historical film, there’s continuity. The actors couldn’t work on another project while doing the film. “Lastly, the look of the actors was also important. Cedrick is the perfect choice to play Padre Burgos. He looks so much like the priest. His commitment to the role was something else, though. I’m so impressed and proud of him in this movie. Piolo also looks so much like Padre Pelaez, who looked like a movie star with very strong and chiseled features. Even the resemblance of Enchong and Tito Dante to their characters was uncanny,” Diokno added. He also said it took a while to complete the cast because the film is not just about the three priests. “It also shows their effect on our society,
so we had to cast soldiers and ilustrados at the time. It was literally a cast of many people. I’m happy that the people who are really meant for the project were the ones who came into the project,” the director said. Diokno added that he had always wanted to work with Rivero, whom he last saw in Erik Matti’s action film “On the Job: The Missing 8.” “I made sure to ask him to join us here. It also happened that he is the same age as Gomez in the story. You know how they say that they don’t make stars like Tito Dante anymore? That’s true,” said Diokno. “I got to share stories with him in between takes. These were all precious conversations. He is also very meticulous, down to the details of the forks and spoons he used in a scene. He also contributed a lot into creating Gomez. I will always treasure my time with him while making this movie,” he said. Improving characterization Dee’s role as Zamora is one of the hardest, said Diokno. “Zamora somehow lost his mind. We had to dig deep into that in order to answer questions like ‘Who is Zamora really? What happened to this man?’ Adding to that was the fact that Zamora was actually a gambler. Props to JesCom for allowing us to tell the truth about him,” he began. “Zamora was the most human among all the characters. He was flawed. He had a dark side and this comes out in the film. Enchong did a workshop to really define his character. Other than that, shooting with him was super breezy. He is the kind of actor who can easily go in and out of character,” said Diokno. If he had his way, Diokno said he would include Piolo as a major cast member. “Pelaez is one of the unsung heroes in our history. You can really trace the relationship of Pelaez to Burgos, and then Burgos to Jose Rizal (national hero). If not for Pelaez, there would be no Rizal and no PAGE B4
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KC Concepcion considers Sharon Cuneta, Gabby Concepcion’s reunion as ‘silver lining’ By hannah mallorca Inquirer.net
WHILE KC Concepcion admitted that her parents Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion’s reconciliation will remain a “fairytale,” she’s nonetheless grateful that she will see them together in one place. KC took to her Instagram account on Tuesday, Oct. 24 to express her excitement over Sharon and Gabby’s reunion show, while noting that she considers it as her form of “silver lining.” “Sometimes talaga a fairytale will remain as a fairytale na lamang (only)… Pero (But) that’s okay! Thankful ako sa mga (I’m thankful for the) ‘silver lining’ natin in life,” her caption read, while sharing a glimpse of her favorite moments with the seasoned actors. Meanwhile, Cuneta shared a sneak peek at her upcoming reunion with Gabby, where the latter was seen wrapping his arms around the Megastar’s shoulders. KC confessed last September that she wants to be “best friends” again with Cuneta, when she was asked if there’s a moment
PAGE B1 Mark Leviste, who had earlier flown to California to be with Kris. Kris then apologized to the team of GMA magazine show “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” (KMJS) as she was not able to accommodate their request for an interview. “Boy never asked for anything pero sa laki ng utang na loob namin sa kanya…binigay ko ng buong-buo yung medyo naputol ng ilang beses na footage,” Kris said. “Happy Birthday (Oct. 29) to the keeper of all my secrets, the one who assured me that come what may he’ll be there for my sons, and the friend who until (From left) Sharon Cuneta, KC Concepcion, Gabby Concepcion. Photo from Instagram/@kristinaconcepcion now fights my battles with me,” in her life she wants to rewrite. This came Meanwhile, Gabby admitted that while he she addressed Abunda. “To days after she confirmed unfollowing her doesn’t know anything about his daughter and stepfather Kiko Pangilinan and stepsister the Megastar’s alleged misunderstanding, he Kakie Pangilinan. is optimistic that it will be resolved. n
Lovi Poe reveals 2-year engagement, also considered Italy wedding By Kathleen a. llemit Philstar.com
LOVI Poe commended her friends for keeping a tight lid on her biggest secret: she had been engaged for two years to scientist Monty Blencowe before they
Kris Aquino on Boy Abunda after...
announced their engagement and tied the knot in the same month last August. The actress faced the press on Thursday, October 26 as she launched the newest collection of jewelry brand Imono. “’Yun na nga. Since we’re
talking about it, two years before I announced, I was already engaged. And you know what’s nakaka-proud? A lot of my friends know. The ones I already invited already knew that I was engaged for that long and walang lumabas,” Lovi revealed.
She recounted how her friends made the conscious effort to hide her engagement, even refraining from opening up about it among their common circle of friends. “Sabi ko, ang galing ng mga kaibigan ko ha. Test of friendship PAGE B7
my other brother, I love you completely.” Kris also thanked Leviste as well his constituents in Batangas for letting the politician spend time with her in the United States, although the Queen of All Media assured them that the vice governor would return to the Philippines in a few days. Fans and fellow celebrities appear ecstatic after seeing Kris and Abunda together again, as per their comments on the post. Kris has been staying in California while undergoing medical treatments for her autoimmune diseases. Prior to Abunda, Kris also had a reunion with actress Kim Chiu whom she calls her “panganay” (eldest child). n
‘GomBurZa’ director...
PAGE B3 Filipino revolution as we know it,” he pointed out. Diokno said his team really sought Piolo out for the film. Later on, Piolo was also asked to share his ideas on how to improve characterization. “He learned all of his Spanish lines. He had to do a monologue that’s probably five minutes long and it was purely in Spanish. He memorized it from start to end, with inflections. Our Spanish coach said his accent was flawless.” The other minor cast members that Diokno thought were worth mentioning were Elijah Canlas, Tommy Alejandrino, and Arnold Reyes. “We put Elijah and Tommy together and they gave the film a different energy. They’re youthful and they sort of reminded me of today’s young people, who are very idealistic and want to change so much with our society.” Reyes plays Sgt. Fernando Lamadrid, who led the Cavite mutiny in 1872. “He led the other actors in a big battle scene. It was an important action sequence,” Diokno pointed out. Male-dominated film The director said he was aware of the fact that this is a maledominated film and, therefore, has no central female character.
Still, he made sure to point out that women were a part of the revolution. “That was one of the things that we talked about when we launched the project. At the time, the church was dominated by priests—I think it still is. Also, women weren’t allowed to go to schools then,” he explained. “It was really important for us to put female characters who helped our lead characters—we have nuns, we have indios from the different segments of society. Since this culminated in a revolution, we have female Katipunan fighters, as well.” With the film premiering at the MMFF on Christmas Day, Diokno is confident that Filipino families will love to see it, “Because it talks about us as a nation. In all the special screenings that we’ve had, a lot of people end up teary-eyed. We’ve screened the film for students, teachers, and parents to get their feedback. They were all surprised with all the things they didn’t know about GomBurZa and history,” he pointed out. “GomBurZa” is Diokno’s fourth film, with “Engkwentro” (2009) being his debut project and “Above the Clouds,” second (2014). He also did “Kapatiran” in 2015. n
Miss International Andrea Rubio from Venezuela (left) with her predecessor Jasmin Selberg. INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
Miss International Andrea Rubio tells pageant fans...
PAGE B2 pageants in our country. It’s part of our culture. We have teachers for all of the areas to develop skills to come here—speaking, runway, doing our own makeup and hairstyle—so, I think we’re very prepared for the role. And we’re a very optimistic people, so I think that’s what makes us different,” she explained. She succeeds the most well-traveled Miss International titleholder in history, who has done a great job of promoting the pageant in the global community. And Rubio said she is up for the challenge of sustaining what Selberg has built on for the brand. “I’m ready to travel. I’m ready to learn in each and every point of where I’m going to be based in, and to spread also the messages that I’m going to learn in those places. That is our mission as Miss International,” she declared. Rubio’s competition heralded a new era in the Miss International pageant. Other than finding a new venue for this year’s contest and starting the show in the evening instead of in the afternoon, organizer International Cultural Association implemented even more significant changes in the 61st edition of the global tilt. Instead of doing it onstage, the ladies introduced themselves in pre-taped videos during the opening segment, where they also shared their brief personal backgrounds. They then appeared in their national costumes, gleefully dancing to an upbeat live musical performance. And while they did not parade in swimsuits onstage, the ladies appeared in another pre-taped segment in their swimwear. The “Best in Swimsuit” award was also renamed to “Miss Fitness” to put more emphasis on the health aspect of the segment. But perhaps the biggest, and most impactful change in this year’s competition, was the scrapping of the speech segment. Instead of delivering speeches prepared in advance, the seven finalists underwent a question-and-answer round, something that the Miss International pageant has never done for decades. Rubio, along with Borromeo and the rest of the runners-up, will stay in Japan for a few more days after their coronation for a series of official appearances. n
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On loving one’s neighbor Pastor’s Notes ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas ELIZABETH Barrett Browning (1806-1861) wrote the iconic lines that begin with “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” These words resonate with many people, as love is the language of our souls and represents our deepest longing. We were created to love and be loved. According to a myth, when God formed us with body and soul, the first thing He did was kiss our souls.
This kiss remains embedded in our being, fueling our perpetual yearning for love. However, love is not without its challenges and sacrifices. It demands selflessness, forgiveness, patience, understanding, and empathy. True love goes beyond a mere sentiment; it is a conscious decision to embrace someone with all their flaws, persevering in that commitment regardless of the cost. Jesus expanded the concept of love to encompass our neighbors, as He proclaimed in the Gospel: “What good is it to love only those who love you? Even sinners do that.” In light of this, God’s call to love extends far beyond our immediate family and close
friends. He calls us to love our neighbors, embracing individuals of all creeds, tongues, and races. Let us constantly remind ourselves of the greatest commandment found in this Sunday’s Gospel: “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” *** 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. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
FABAG celebrates Fil-Am History Month in Glendale
GLENDALE — October is Filipino American History Month, celebrated all over the United States. A very successful Filipino American celebration, “Making a Difference Day,” was hosted by the Filipino American Business Association of Glendale (FABAG-GLAC) on Monday, October 23 to say “thank you” to organization members and its friends and to honor first responders: City of Glendale Fire and Police Departments and Master Staffing. It was a great event as those invited dignitaries, special guests and different Legislative offices attended, such as Hon. Edith Fuentes (center) with performers at the Filipino American Business Association of Senator Anthony J. Portantino Glendale’s annual celebration of Fil-Am History Month. Contributed photos and Field Rep, Erica Nam, Christopher Khachadourian from Assemblymember Friedman’s Office, Glendale Mayor Daniel Brotman, Councilmembers Elen Asatryan, Ardy Ardashes Kassakhian, Ara Najarian and City Manager and Roubik Golanian. Also present were Desiree Portillo-Rabinov, Board of Trustee from GCC, GCC Chief of Police Gary Montecuollo and Adel Luzuriaga from GCC Foundation Board. Ingrid Gunnell and Shant Sahakian from GUSD also joined in the event. FABAG thanked everyone FABAG presents Glendale Police Department Police Chief Manuel Cid with a recognition. PAGE B6
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
Keeping your job despite the limitations of injury or sickness: What is the interactive process at work? Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights atty. C. Joe sayas, JR. Q: I WAS recently diagnosed with an illness that will require surgery and weeks of recovery. I’m worried about my job and someone suggested I should inform my employer and request accommodation so the “interactive process” can begin. What is the interactive process and what should I expect from it? A: In California, employers with 5 or more employees are generally legally required to engage in a “good faith interactive process” when an employee requests an accommodation due to a disability, medical condition, or pregnancy. The interactive process is the way in which the employer determines whether and what kind of reasonable accommodation can be made to an employee. Reasonable accommodation is a change to an employee’s job tasks, or the way the job is done, or the work environment, which would allow the disabled employee to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need to go on medical leave due to a disability or pregnancy, the employer’s granting you the leave constitutes reasonable accommodation. In order for the employer to determine whether or not the employee needs reasonable accommodation, or what kind of accommodation, the employer and the employer must first engage in a good faith interactive process. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on disability and also require an employer to
engage in an ongoing, good faith interactive process with an employee to determine whether reasonable accommodation can be made to an employee with a known disability. The employer’s duty to engage in good faith interactive process may be triggered by any of the following situations: ∙ Request by the disabled employee (oral or written) ∙ Employee notifies employer of restriction or limitations ∙ Employee has missed several days of work due to illness or injury ∙ Employee’s manager or supervisor notices deficits in employee’s job performance. During the interactive process, the employee may be asked to provide documents requested by the employer to support their request for reasonable accommodation (for example, a medical certification outlining the employee’s work restrictions). The employer may ask the employee directly what kind of accommodations are needed for them to do their job. During the interactive process, both the employer and employer must participate in a good faith dialogue to explore all possible accommodations. Engaging in interactive process keeps the lines of communications between employer and employee open to facilitate the disabled employee’s return to work. An employer’s failure to engage in interactive process may violate employment law. Consider the following case: Margarita Ramirez worked for World Oil Corp for 16 years. She started as a filing clerk and was eventually promoted to Collections Specialist. In 2016, Ramirez injured her right wrist, elbow and shoulder. Her work restrictions were accommodated throughout her years of employment. However, despite these
FOR RENT
accommodations, Ramirez’s condition worsened and she underwent a right elbow surgery and took a medical leave of absence. In December 2018, Ramirez notified her employer that she was released to return to work with several restrictions. However, the employer decided to place her on a leave of absence as an accommodation, instead of engaging in interactive process and returning her to work. Ramirez resigned from her position in June 2020. The case went to trial. The jury found in favor of Ramirez and awarded her compensatory damages of $137,795 in past economic damages, $196,919 in future economic damages, $1.3 million in past noneconomic damages, and $1.3 million in future noneconomic damages. The jury also found by clear and convincing evidence that the employer acted with malice, oppression, and fraud and awarded punitive damages in the amount of $3,000,000. *** 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. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetar y damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He is lead counsel in the case of “Alvarez v XPO Logistics Inc.” which is one of 2022’s Top 10 Labor and Employment Settlements in California. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer for 12 years, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)
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Writ of mandamus relief for unreasonable Reinstating a delay in pending immigration filings deceased petitioner’s Legal Advice Atty. DArrick tAn A COMMON question that is asked by a person who has a pending immigration petition or application is “how much longer until USCIS makes a decision?” The question is understandable, in that an unreasonable delay in the USCIS’ adjudication of a petition or application can have adverse effects, including loss of employment and employment opportunities, possible termination of employment, and difficulties in obtaining student and credit loans. While an immigration filing is pending, the typical response by USCIS upon inquiry is that further time (usually 90 or 180 days) is needed to make a decision. However, often that 90 or 180 days that USCIS needs to make a decision turns into months and sometimes years. What option does a petitioner or applicant have to compel the USCIS to act on his or her case? Pursuant to the Mandamus and Venue Act of 1962, a Writ of Mandamus action can be filed in the US District Courts to compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and
the USCIS, DHS’s bureau, to act on a petition or application for which adjudication has been unreasonably delayed. The statute allows for an “action to compel an officer of the United States to perform his duty.” The legal duty for USCIS to promptly act on a pending petition or application can be found in the Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”), 8 USC Sec. 1571, and 5 USC Sec. 555(b). These statutes form the basis of Writ of Mandamus relief. The APA gives the court authority to “compel agency action unlawfully held and
to conclude a matter presented to it.” A typical case in which Writ of Mandamus relief is a viable option is in a green card application based on marriage. I have had several inquiries in recent months concerning delays in processing of these cases. Typically, the green card applicant along with his or her U.S. Citizen spouse is interviewed by a USCIS officer and at the end of the interview, the green card applicant is advised that additional time is needed by USCIS to make a decision. The timeframe given
It is important to keep in mind that Writ of Mandamus relief is available to a variety of pending petitions and applications, not just green card applications based on marriage. unreasonable delayed.” The policy for processing immigration applications is set forth under 8 USC Sec. 1571, which states that “the processing of an immigration benefit application should be completed no later than 180 days after the initial filing of the application.” Further, 5 USC Sec. 555(b) states that “within a reasonable time, each agency shall proceed
to make a decision is 180 days; however, more than 180 days pass and no decision is made. The applicant then seeks to get updated status of the application via an Infopass appointment, and is advised that the case is still under consideration and more time is needed. In such a case, a writ of mandamus can be filed in Federal Court to compel the
USCIS to act on the application. Often, a decision is made on the case after the Writ of Mandamus is filed in that the unreasonable delay is brought to the attention of the USCIS. A prompt decision is often made by USCIS after filing to avoid the use of government resources in having to defend the meritorious action. It is important to keep in mind that Writ of Mandamus relief is available to a variety of pending petitions and applications, not just green card applications based on marriage. To determine whether Writ of Mandamus relief is a good option in your pending immigration case, it is recommended that you seek the advice of an experienced attorney. *** 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. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association. LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com (Advertising Supplement)
family based petition
Barrister’s Corner Atty. kenneth UrsUA reyes IT is very common for beneficiaries of family based petition to wait many years before their petition’s priority date becomes current. This is usually the case with U.S. Citizen parent petitions to adult son or daughter. This is also common among petition’s between Siblings. What happens when the Petitioner dies? Are all those years of waiting wasted? Not quite. Normally, the Petition is automatically revoked once the Petitioner dies. However, all is not lost by the death of the Petitioner. The beneficiary has a couple of options depending on whether they are inside the U.S. or outside the U.S. The beneficiary may either avail of the INA § 204(l) which was signed into law in 2009 if the beneficiary is inside the U.S. at the time the petitioner’s death and continues to reside inside the U.S. Alternatively, if the beneficiary is outside the U.S., beneficiary may seek to reinstate the petition based on humanitarian grounds. The DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) may exercise discretion “for humanitarian reasons” to reinstate the petition and to allow the Affidavit of Support requirements to be satisfied by the qualifying I-864 of a spouse, parent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild or legal guardian of the beneficiary, as long as the petition was “approved” prior to the Petitioner’s death. If the beneficiary is inside the U.S. either in legal status or grandfathered by INA §245(i) and the priority date on the petition is current, the beneficiary may apply for adjustment of status. The beneficiary may also apply for
an employment authorization card. DHS discretion does not mean “guaranteed” approval. The case will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Some of the factors that the DHS may consider are 1) disruption of an established family unit; 2) hardship to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; 3) beneficiary is elderly or in poor health; 4) beneficiary has had lengthy residence in the U.S.; 4) beneficiary has no home to go to; 5) undue delay by USCIS or consular officer in processing petition and visa; 6) and Beneficiary has strong family ties in the United States. The beneficiary must be prepared to show proof of the original I-130 that was filed, proof of I-130 approval if approved, a copy of the Petitioner’s death certificate, proof of substitute sponsor’s relationship to the beneficiary, and meet all the I-864 requirements. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenryeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Members of FABAG with Glendale Fire Department Fire Chief Timothy Ernst.
FABAG celebrates...
PAGE B5 for always supporting the FilAm community. To honor the first responders, they were presented with small “Hero” trophies, brochures and lapel pins from FABAG. Glendale Fire Department Fire Chief Timothy Ernst was joined by staff, firefighters and they brought a fire engine to proudly join in the celebration. Glendale Police Department Police Chief Manuel Cid was also joined by other police officers, by office staff and many more. May Mallari, founder and owner of Master Staffing, and staff were also present. Master Staffing has provided professional health care services (RNs, LVNs, therapists, etc) to hospitals and homes since 2003. Everyone enjoyed the lively program, singing, dancing, great music, together with lots of delicious and yummy food, sweet desserts, fruits and
nuts, and had a wonderful time during Meet-Mix-Mingle. THANK YOU to our Donors and Sponsors who genuinely gave their support - Renee Rasper, ARKO Foods, Arleen Lapid Penaflor, Community Services and Parks ARC, DJ John Solon, Edwin Vargas, Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas, Jhet Guevarra, Jo Solomonson and Vessel of Mary dance group, Perla Bermudez Santos and MoTHER FYS dance group, Tagumpay M De Leon and LA Rondalla, May Mallari, Theresa de Vera, Rey Roca, Toto Mortel and Editha Maniquis Fuentes. Also in attendance were George Saikali and Nora Yacoubian from YMCA, Cora Aragon Soriano, Beth Neaman, Geraldine Yumping, Teresita Payawal, Leilanie Panyawai, and many more. FABAG is a small non-profit organization founded in 1990 and is community-based and community supported. (Contributed by Edith Fuentes) n
A very successful Filipino American celebration, “Making a Difference Day,” was hosted by FABAG on Monday, October 23. Contributed photos
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 28-31, 2023 B7
Heart Evangelista Asian Pacific Islander business council thrives claims someone stole her with successful events and ongoing engagement contacts to enjoy Europe KAPUSO actress Heart Evangelista revealed that someone stole her contacts for that person to enjoy Europe. In her Instagram live session, Heart said that she will give her contacts if that person just asked her. “Women should support each other. You just ask me. If you asked me for contacts, I would have given it to you,” she said. “Imagine mo, years and years ko siyang trinabaho tapos ganu’n lang? Kinuha lang ‘yung sheet, eh. Pero ganu’n talaga. Baka kailangan nila,” she added. When asked by her followers if it was Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach she was referring to, Heart said: “I’m not gonna name names.” “You know, I think everybody naman, lahat naman, pwedeng gawin. I mean, you could do everything and if you like to do it, you can do it. It’s just the way or matter of doing it. That’s the only thing that sucks. Like, I expected more from you know, but I don’t know, ganu’n talaga,” she said. “Parang kung baga, survival mode na ‘to. And ako, ‘di naman ako kailagang mag-survive. Okay naman ako. I think this is the sad part here in the Philippines. Everybody’s really crab mentality. Like, pwede namang ‘Girl, pwede bang ganyan?’ Sure, why not, no?’ Hindi ‘yung ganu’n. Nakaka-turn off. Nakaka-sad,” she added. (Jan Milo Severo/ Philstar.com) n
Actress Lovi Poe marries British movie producer Monty Blencowe in scenic Cliveden House in Taplow, Berkshire, England in August 26, 2023. Jun Lalin via Instagram
Lovi Poe reveals...
PAGE B4 ito, ‘no? Not a single thing came out until I announced. So ayun. Two years po. I’m so happy because my friends knew about it and they were just mum about it,” she added. Even talent manager Jun Lalin, who attended her England wedding last August, had to play innocent when he was asked by showbiz writers if the actress was getting married. He had his invitation five months before the wedding. Lovi said she is grateful to her family and friends for keeping it a secret. She wanted to share one of the best news in her life, but she withheld it out of respect for Monty and his family, who she described as “very private.” Italian dream wedding The actress also revealed that she had planned to get married in Italy. She and Monty went to different places in Italy, even checked out the dreamy destination wedding, Lake Como. “We went to so many places. I-share ko na lang. Two years before the wedding, I had a dream to get married in Italy. So we first met up sa England and we looked up Cliveden and that was the first place we saw. And then we flew to Italy, we went to Lake Como and went to these different locations to check out what would be the
best wedding venue for us. We ended up choosing the first one that we saw... And also, there’s another place in Sicily. ‘Yung mga ganyan,” she shared. They ended up tying the knot in England last August. Lovi said it was teamwork and hardwork for both her and Monty. She was taping for her show, “Batang Quiapo” while planning for her wedding. Ditto for Monty, who is a scientist. “I was on the set. It was hard. It was hardwork but mabuti na lang my husband is very hands-on and very supportive. Kumbaga, my god, that was a dream wedding place. You know what I mean? “It was so perfect the fact that he was just (saying), ‘This is the best place for a wedding and I think it will be memorable.’ I didn’t wanna push this kind of place but he was the one who said that it’s something that I would deserve. So he gave it to me. I’m so happy. It started with that,” she added. Although they had a wedding planner, everything from the food and drinks were handpicked by her and Monty. “Teamwork talaga e. My taste is different from his taste. So kailangan talaga mag-merge ‘yun. That was a perfect example of us meeting in the middle,” Lovi said. n
THE Asian Pacific Islander (API) Business Council of the Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce has been making waves since its successful launch that took place at Seafood City on March 23, 2023. The council continues to bolster its mission of fostering collaboration and celebrating diversity within the local business community. In commemoration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the API Business Council held its second event on May 24th at The Cube. This celebration brought together community leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses for a special gathering to honor the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the API community. Following these impactful events, the API Business Council is proud to present API Power Hour, hosted by Selina Thomas at 6 Degrees HR Consulting. Hosted today, this dynamic networking opportunity aims to provide a space for API businesses to connect, share insights, and build meaningful relationships within the Santa Clarita Valley. “The API Business Council is making significant strides in creating an inclusive and supportive environment for Asian Pacific Islander businesses. Our events, like the upcoming API Power Hour, are designed to empower local
Many important figures were in attendance at the event. Pictured above from left to right are Ivan Volschenk (President & CEO of Evolve Business Strategies all while successfully managing the SCV Chamber), Ivy Manalang (VP of Asian Journal), Dennis Sugasawara (VP of Cardenas Legacy Tequila and an API Council Board Member), Selina Thomas (CEO & Founder of 6 Degrees HR Consulting and API Council Board Member), Jennifer Avancena (Founder and Chair of the API Council), Jacqueline Rude (Owner of Webster Floral), Patsy Ayala (Chairperson of Latina Business Alliance), Ligaya Kelly (Owner of Canyon Kennels & API Council Board Member), Zony Gordon (well renowned artist), Tina Louise, Rafferty Yao (Owner of Star World Home Health Care), and Carlo Avanceña from Calajo Catering. Photo by Peter Warda (Senior Vice President of The Musella Group)
entrepreneurs and strengthen the fabric of our diverse business community,” said Jennifer Avancena, Chairperson of the API Council Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce. The Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce encourages businesses and individuals interested in engaging with the API Business Council to join the API Council and explore ongoing opportunities for collaboration and growth. For more information about the API Business Council and upcoming events, please visit www.scvchamber.com.
Jennifer Avancena, founder and chairperson of API Business Council of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting the growth and success of the local economy
by providing resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy for businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley. n
B8 OCTOBER 28-31, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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