NOVEMBER 4-7, 2023 Volume 33 - No. 88 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
Marcos looking forward to expanding DATELINE USA Ahead of holiday ties with Japan, US amid Kishida’s visit gatherings, health experts FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
recommend receiving updated COVID, flu vaccines Only 8.5% of California Asians have updated their vaccine, booster
by Jean Mangaluz Inquirer.net
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, November 3 told Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that he looked forward to trilateral engagements with Tokyo and Washington D.C. for
the rest of 2023. After Kishida’s arrival in the Malacañan Palace, the two state leaders had a bilateral meeting. “Our meeting today builds upon the momentum of the recent past and we look forward to expanding cooperation with you, especially in key areas, such as economic development, development
‘Asean should unite vs Chinese coercion’
FOR families everywhere, the beginning of November ushers in the excitement for upcoming holiday gatherings. But it also means the onset of regular viral outbreaks, like the flu, respiratory virus (RSV), and, now, coronavirus. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is currently on a campaign to remind Californians to prioritize updating their vaccines, especially as national as well as cultural holiday gatherings are afoot. The updated COVID-19 vaccine became available in September, but as of Oct. 31, only about 6.7% of all Californians have received it. u PAGE A3
by FatiMa Cielo CanCel ManilaTimes.net
Enrollment begins for more Affordable Care Act insurance plans FOR millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, the end of the year brings a day of reckoning: It’s time to compare benefits and prices and change to a new plan or enroll for the first time. Open enrollment started Nov. 1 for the ACA’s federal and state exchanges. Consumers can go online, call, or seek help from a broker or other assister to learn their 2024 coverage options, calculate their potential subsidies, or change plans. In most states, open enrollment lasts through Jan. 15, although some states have different time periods. California’s, for example, is longer, open until Jan. 31, but Idaho’s runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 15. In most states enrollment must occur by Dec. 15 to get coverage that begins Jan. 1. Health policy experts and brokers recommend all ACA policyholders at least look at next year’s options, because prices — and the doctors and hospitals in plans’ networks — may have changed. It could be another record year ACA plans are now well entrenched — an estimated 16.3 million people signed up during open enrollment last year. This year may see even larger numbers. Enhanced subsidies first
cooperation, and security cooperation,” said Marcos in his opening statement. “While we continue to enhance our bilateral relations, I am pleased that the trilateral engagements at various fronts among the Philippines, Japan, and the United States have commenced — this started u PAGE A2
JOINT STATEMENT. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida deliver a joint statement shortly after their bilateral meeting at the President’s Hall in Malacañang on Friday, November 3. Marcos said the Philippines and Japan signed key agreements that would propel the momentum of the two countries’ relations in the coming years. PNA photos by Rey Baniquet
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) should unite against increasing Chinese interference and coercion, a U.S. senator said amid the deepening maritime conflict between the Philippines and China. Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, a ranking member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that Asean countries “should focus on China’s foreign interference in their domestic affairs, coercive economic practices, unfounded territorial claims, and efforts to divide Asean.” “These are tough challenges the U.S. also faces,” he told visiting Asean journalists. “Asean centrality is a key pillar of the U.S. approach in the Indo-Pacific. By contrast, China exploits Asean’s commitment to consensus in order to undermine its centrality. That is not going to change, so it is very important that Asean presents a united front in the face of increased Chinese coercion and division,” the senator said. On the South China Sea issue, he said that “the willingness of Asean claimant states to push back on China
u PAGE A2
PH still among worst countries for journalists by Ian LaquI JanvIc Mateo Philstar.com
MANILA — For the 16th consecutive year, the Philippines has remained on the list of countries where killers of journalists go unpunished. The Philippines ranked eighth in the latest Global Impunity Index released by New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a slight improvement from seventh in the past two years. The movement was due to the entry of Haiti in the index, which ranks countries based on the number of unsolved journalist murders in the past decade as a percentage of the country’s population. The Philippines is one of the six countries that have appeared every year in the u PAGE A3 Global Impunity Index since CPJ launched
it in 2008. The others were Somalia, Iraq, Mexico, Pakistan and India. The latest index took into account deliberate killings of journalists in retaliation for their work that occurred between Sept. 1, 2013 to Aug. 31, 2023. From 14 unsolved murders in the country last year, the number rose to 20 in the latest index following the killings of Renato Blanco in Negros Oriental on Sept. 18, 2022; Percy Mabasa in Las Piñas on Oct. 3, 2022, and Cris Bundoquin in Oriental Mindoro on May 31, 2023. Four other cases that were not included in the previous index were also now on the list after the motive behind their killings has been determined: Virgilio Maganes in Pangasinan on Nov. 10, 2020; Orlando Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) from Israel arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Philstar.com photo by Jesse Bustos Dinoy in Davao del Sur on Oct. 30, 2021; (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City on October 23, 2023. u PAGE A2
115 Filipinos in Gaza want Fishing tycoon is new Agri chief to be repatriated — DFA by Catherine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed fishing tycoon Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. as secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), relinquishing the Cabinet post he held concurrently since assuming office in June last year. In a press conference in Malacañang on Friday, November 3, Marcos said Laurel's appointment highlights the importance of partnerships ALL YOURS. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shakes the hand of businessman Francisco Tiu-Laurel between the private and public following his appointment as agriculture secretary, which was announced on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. Tiu-Laurel takes over from the president, who assumed the post following his election in 2022. sectors. "... We have found somebody Malacañang photo
who understands very well the problems that agriculture is facing," Marcos said of his appointee. He said he and Laurel "are confident that we have a fair understanding, a good understanding of what it is that needs to be done, what are the problems." Marcos said it took over a year for him to name a new Agriculture chief because he believed that "there are many things that only a president could do." "And the problems were so important and were so deep that u PAGE A4
by Ian LaquI Philstar.com
MANILA — Filipinos in Gaza who want to be repatriated climbed to 115, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday, November 2. This is an increase from only 78 Filipinos who earlier requested for repatriation. There are a total 134 Filipinos in Gaza. “We are waiting for Israel’s Authority for the Filipinos to be allowed in,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said in an interview with ANC. The DFA said 60 Filipinos are
waiting to cross the Rafah border between Egypt and Gaza. On Wednesday, November 1, Egyptian authorities allowed 500 foreigners and dual citizens to pass through Rafah. These include two Filipino doctors from Doctors Without Borders (MFS). "Doctors Without Borders is in charge of them. The 2 have crossed. They will be staying in Arish, which is the town closest to the border and soon they will be going to Cairo," De Vega told ANC. However, the two doctors will not be returning to the u PAGE A2
A2 NOVEMBER 4-7, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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From The FronT Page
Marcos looking forward to... PAGE A1
this year,” he added. Both the United States and Japan are key allies of the Philippines in its territorial row with China in the West Philippine Sea. While the president did not make mention of these issues in his speech, Kishida and Marcos are slated to speak about the territorial disputes during the prime minister’s two-day stay in the country. In turn, Kishida said that Japan wants to foster stronger ties with the Philippines. “And as the international community faces complex crises, we would like to strengthen our cooperation with the Philippines to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law to ensure a world where human BILATERAL MEETING. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio dignity is protected. I very much Kishida shake hands after their bilateral meeting at Malacañan Palace on Friday, November look forward to discussing issues 3. Marcos and Kishida have decided to commence negotiations on a Philippines-Japan with you in-depth today,” said Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA). PNA Photo by Rey Baniquet the Japanese prime minister. n
PH still among worst countries for...
PAGE A1
Audrey Estrada in Lanao del Norte on March 17, 2022, and Federico Gempesaw in Cagayan de Oro on June 29, 2022. The latest index excluded the case of freelance photographer Mario Sy, who was in General Santos City on Aug. 1, 2013, as it is no longer within the 10-year period. “The Philippines remains a dangerous place to work as a reporter, especially for radio journalists,” CPJ stated. “While Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has adopted a more conciliatory approach toward the media since becoming president in June 2022, CPJ reported that a culture of self-censorship persists and Marcos’ change in tone has not yet been accompanied by substantive actions to undo the damage wrought to press freedom under the Rodrigo Duterte administration,” it added. Data from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines showed that at least 23 media workers have been killed during the Duterte administration alone, with another three
reported during the Marcos administration. Not all were included in the CPJ’s Global Impunity Index as it only includes unsolved murders that are confirmed to be work-related. The Philippines improved from fifth to seventh in the 2019 index after dozens of cases related to the Maguindanao massacre were removed as it was no longer within the 10year timeframe for calculating the index. CPJ said the partial convictions in 2019 also adjusted the status of the Ampatuan cases from full to partial immunity. Globally, CPJ said the latest index documents 261 journalists murdered in connection with their work, with no one held to account in 204. “A 78 percent impunity rate is a slight improvement on the 90 percent rate CPJ recorded a decade ago. But it should not be seen as a reason for optimism. Impunity remains rampant and the stark reality is that nearly four out of every five killers of journalists are still getting away with murder,” wrote CPJ
editorial director Arlene Getz. “Overall, CPJ has recorded the murders of 956 journalists in connection with their work since it began tracking them in 1992. A total of 757 – more than 79 percent – have gone wholly unprosecuted,” she added. Syria topped the list with 14 unsolved murders, followed by Somalia with 11, Haiti with six, South Sudan with five, Afghanistan with 18, Iraq with 17 and Mexico with 23. Following the Philippines were Myanmar with five, Brazil with 11, Pakistan with eight and India with 19. Journalists killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine were not included in the latest index as the incidents do not fall under the period covered. But a CPJ report released earlier this year noted that 20 journalists died by Israeli military fire in the past 22 years. Israel is not listed in the impunity index because less than five journalists killed in the past decade were “classified as having been targeted for murder.” n
ADVENTURE. Tourists make the ride of their lives on a 4x4 jeep at the Paoay Sand Dunes in Barangay Suba, Ilocos Norte. The province recently reclaimed the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines’ Best Tourism-Oriented Local Government Unit award and the Department of Tourism Pearl Awards. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
115 Filipinos in Gaza want to be...
PAGE A1 Philippines and will be deployed elsewhere, according to De Vega. Meanwhile, the Rafah crossing
is the only border crossing where civillians can be evacuated from Gaza after an Israeli blockade on Israel and the West Bank. On October 30, 60 Filipinos
from Israel have successfully returned to the country making it the fourth batch of Overseas Filipino Workers to be repatriated. n
‘Asean should unite vs Chinese... PAGE A1
diplomatically is very important.” Asean countries, the senator added, should also focus on increasing maritime domain awareness, joint patrols and economic development in exclusive economic zones. He cited the close security cooperation between the Philippines and the United States, especially in facing China. “I am particularly encouraged by close U.S.-Philippines cooperation on defense and security issues, and our steadfastness in the face of China’s pressure on Second Thomas Shoal. This is vital, and I will continue to press the Biden Administration to ensure our alliance is up to the task of confronting today’s security environment,” Risch said. On Tuesday, October 31, China accused the Philippines of trespassing in Bajo de Masinloc or
Scarborough Shoal. People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force Senior Col. Tian Junli, the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command spokesman, said China’s naval and air forces “tracked, monitored, warned and restricted” the Philippine Navy’s BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39). He said the Philippines “seriously violated China’s sovereignty and international law, and basic norms governing international relations and is highly likely to cause misunderstanding and miscalculation.” Bajo de Masinloc, which the Chinese call Huangyan Dao or Huangyan Island, is located about 198 kilometers west of Subic Bay in Zambales and is thus covered by the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). China claims it has “indisputable sovereignty” over the shoal and the adjacent waters.
Philippine security officials, however, countered that the Philippines does not need permission “to enter its own backyard.” Earlier, Risch, along with U.S. Senators Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Marco Rubio of Florida, sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden to urge him to support the Philippines after the repeated encounters between the China Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard in the disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea. “Your administration has repeatedly stated that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces — including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea — would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitments. China’s actions are testing the credibility and value of these commitments, and we must respond with strength,” they said. n
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Enrollment begins for more Affordable Care... School bullying mirrors deeper racial, ethnic faultlines by Selen Ozturk Ethnic Media Services
THOUGH bullying seems a nearly inevitable part of coming of age, its impacts can last years. At a Friday, Oct 27 EMS briefing, community leaders across California school campuses shared how bullying can incubate cultures of hate at a time of rising racial tensions; who the prime targets and perpetrators are; and what insights bullying can provide about racial and ethnic tensions among youth. Bullying issues as civil rights issues Civil rights issues are at the heart of bullying issues, said Becky Monroe, Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Civil Rights Department. While not all forms of bullying represent unlawful discrimination, some are acts of hate crimes, she added. These acts of hate “inflict physical and emotional harm on students and their school communities.” Becky Monroe, Deputy Director, Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs, California Civil Rights Department, explains how bullying can be a hate crime and discusses the legal obligation schools have to protect students from bullying.
“Schools have a legal obligation to ensure that students are not denied opportunities, treated differently, discriminated against, or harassed because of their race,” Moore continued. Conversely, “when there is tension and an increase in acts of hate in the greater community, it will be reflected in schools and among students.” ‘Many kids are playing both roles’ In her book, “Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed,” journalist and author Dashka Slater wrote about how one Albany High School student’s racist Instagram account sent the whole community into a six-year saga of interpersonal hate acts and legal tensions. The Instagram account featured “images of lynchings and slurs, antisemitism and body shaming, and it was specifically racist towards Black girls at the school, who were friends with the creator of the account, a Korean American junior,” said Slater. “It was a massive rupture in the community that included a demonstration at school which devolved into violence, and subsequent lawsuits over free speech.” New York Times journalist
and author Dashka Slater explains why punishing students who engage in bullying is an ineffective approach to handling and preventing bullying. “We often see kids of color harassed for their identity, who harass someone else for their identity,” she explained. As happened at Albany, “Many kids are playing both roles, both the bully and the bullied … The radicalization happens online, as social media algorithms serve kids — many who consider themselves anti-racist — extremist content.” There is “an insane disconnect between what they were doing and who they thought of themselves as being.” Three out of four Americans aged 15 to 25, have encountered extremist content online, and half of this content focuses on race or ethnicity, according to the Government Accountability Office. In responding to this extremism, schools often rush to disciplinary codes, but Slater said they can’t punish kids out of bullying. “The same people who have been marginalized by the justice system are not likely to be helped by it. Schools need to be supporting the victims” — which means “media literacy for students” — “and not think their work is done once they’ve u PAGE A5
Ahead of holiday gatherings, health experts... PAGE A1
“For many Asian cultures, we value and need this intergenerational social connectedness, as we look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, but also Diwali, Japanese and Chinese new years, and other Asian celebrations,” said Rohan Radharkrishna, chief equity officer for the CDPH. He added, “So, now is the time to get vaccinated to update your family and community immunity to prepare for the celebrations and winter gatherings, but the problem is that winter viruses can get in the way and pose serious health risks to our gatherings and cultural celebrations.” While the numbers for COVID-19 are currently low, Radhakrishna said that health officials “anticipate cases to rise as it has each of the previous
winters.” As of Oct. 31, 8.5% of Asians in California are up to date on the latest COVID-19 vaccine. The rate for Asians aged 50 to 60 is 9.9%, and for those 65 and above, the rate is 16%. “Overall, we know this is too low to be prepared for the fall and winter celebration season, so we need higher vaccination rates across the board, but especially for older Asians, who are at greater risk of getting sick,” Radhakrishna said. He added that it is safe to receive the flu and COVID-19 vaccines on the same day and that the RSV virus vaccine is currently available, as well. Anyone aged 6 months or above is eligible for the COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Local officials are also stressing the importance of getting updated vaccines to
avoid compacting hospitals and medical clinics. “We have a good supply of COVID-19 and flu vaccines in Los Angeles County and there are options for everyone 6 months and older,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “I hope that if many people take advantage of the updated vaccines, L.A. County can avoid a big surge in respiratory virus cases this winter that strains our healthcare system and leads to more deaths.” As always, these vaccines are available for free for those who are uninsured and insured, and they are currently available at various pharmacies and through health insurance plans; patients can find vaccine providers at the state-ran https://myturn.ca.gov/. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
PAGE A1 approved during the height of the covid pandemic remain available, and some states have boosted financial help in other ways. In addition, millions of people nationwide are losing Medicaid coverage as states reassess their eligibility for the first time since early in the pandemic. Many of those ousted could be eligible for an ACA plan. They can sign up as soon as they know they’re losing Medicaid coverage — even outside of the open enrollment season. Another important caution: Don’t wait until the last minute, especially if you are seeking help from a broker. Consumers this year will be asked to certify that they voluntarily agreed to brokers’ assistance and that their income and other information provided by brokers is accurate. It’s a good protection for both parties, said broker Joshua Brooker, founder of PA Health Advocates in Pennsylvania. But brokers are concerned the requirement could cause delays, especially if clients wait until right before the end of open enrollment to apply. “Brokers will need to stop what they are doing right at the end before they click ‘submit’ and wait for the consumer to sign a statement saying they reviewed the policy,” Brooker said. Premiums are changing While some health plans are lowering premiums for next year, many are increasing them, often by 2% to 10%, according to a Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker initial review of rate requests. The median increase, based on a weighted average across its plans for each insurer, was 6%. Premiums, and whether they go up or down, vary widely by region and insurer. Experts say that’s a big reason to log on to the federal website, healthcare.gov, in the 32 states that use it, or on to the insurance marketplace for one of the 18 states and the District of Columbia that run their own. Changing insurers might mean a lower premium. “It’s very localized,” said Sabrina Corlette, research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “People should shop to maximize their premium tax credit, although that might require not only changing to a new insurance plan, but potentially also a new network of providers.” Most people buying their own coverage qualify for the
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tax credit, which is a subsidy to offset some, or even all, of their monthly premium. Subsidies are based partly on the premium of the second-lowest-priced silverlevel plan in a region. When those go up or down, possibly from a new insurer entering the market with low initial rates, it affects the subsidy amount. Household income is also a factor. Subsidies are on a sliding scale based on income. Subsidies were enhanced during the pandemic, both to increase the amount enrollees could receive and to allow more families to qualify. Those enhancements were extended through 2025 by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, passed last year. Online calculators, including one at healthcare.gov, can provide subsidy estimates. You may qualify for lower deductibles and copays In addition to the premium subsidies, most ACA enrollees qualify for reduced deductibles, copayments, and other types of cost sharing if their income is no more than 2.5 times the federal poverty level, or about $75,000 for a family of four or $36,450 for a single-person household. ACA plans are grouped into colored tiers — bronze, silver, gold, and platinum — based largely on how much cost sharing they require. Bronze plans offer the lowest premiums but usually the highest copayments and deductibles. Platinum plans carry the highest premiums but the lowest out-of-pocket expenses for care. Cost-sharing reductions are available only in silver-level plans and are more generous for those on the lower end of the income scale. New this year: To help more people qualify, the federal marketplace will automatically switch eligible people to a silver plan for next year if they are currently enrolled in a bronze plan, as long as the enrollee has not made an adjustment in coverage themselves. There are safeguards built in, said insurance expert and broker Louise Norris, so that people are auto-enrolled in a plan with the same network of medical providers and a similar or lower premium. Additionally, nine of the states that run their own marketplaces — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont, and Washington — have enhanced their cost-sharing reduction
programs by extending eligibility or increasing benefits. Some 26-year-olds will get to stay on parents’ plans longer Happy birthday! Existing federal marketplace rules allowing adult children to stay on their parents’ plans though the calendar year in which they turn 26, rather than lose coverage on their 26th birthday, were codified into regulation. u PAGE A4
LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LACMTA will receive proposals for PS115757 - East San Fernando Valley Rail Vehicle Solicitation Support 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, October 30, 2023, 11:00 a.m., via Virtual Meeting: Online. This project is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Set-Aside contract. To participate in this RFP, proposers must be SBE certified with LACMTA prior to proposal due date. For information on the Set-Aside Program, visit: https://business. metro.net/VendorPortal/faces/ home1/certifications. All proposals must be received on or before 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at the address listed above, sent to the attention of Wan Fatimah Wan Nawang. Proposals received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the proposer unopened. 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 Wan Fatimah Wan Nawang at wannawangw@ metro.net. 10/25, 11/4/23 CNS-3750780# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)
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Fishing tycoon is new Agri...
IRONMAN PREPS. City Environment and Natural Resources Office personnel clean and replant the garden on the sidewalk of the Davao City Coastal Road on Friday, November 3. The road network, which features parks and promenades, will be used as the main venue for the Ironman 70.3 race to be held in August 2024. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.
Enrollment begins for more Affordable Care... PAGE A3 States that run their own markets can set similar rules, and some already allow for longer periods on a parent’s plan. Networks may still be small Insurance plans often try to reduce premiums by partnering with a limited set of doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Those can change year to year, which is why insurance experts like Norris say enrollees should always check their plans during open enrollment to ensure their preferred physicians and medical centers are included in the network. It’s also a good idea, Norris said, to look closely for changes in prescription drug coverage or copayments. “The general message is, don’t
assume anything and make sure you check to see who is in the network,” Norris said. Last year, the Biden administration set rules requiring health plans to have enough in-network providers to meet specific driving time and distance standards. A proposal to limit how long patients wait for a routine appointment has been delayed until 2025. What we still don’t know A few things remain uncertain as the end of the year approaches. For example, the Biden administration proposed this summer to reverse a Trumpera rule that allowed short-term insurance plans to be sold for coverage periods of up to a year. Short-term plans are not ACAcompliant, and many have fewer
benefits and can set restrictions on coverage, including barring people with health conditions from purchasing them. As a result, they are far less expensive than ACA plans. The Biden proposal would restrict them to coverage periods of four months, but the rule isn’t final. Also pending: a final rule that would allow people to sign up for ACA coverage if they were brought to the U.S. as children by parents lacking permanent legal status — a group known as “Dreamers.” (Julie Appleby/KFF Health News) KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
PAGE A1 I felt that the authority and the, I suppose, moral suasion of a president was necessary for us to be able to figure out, and it really was; agriculture is a much, much more complicated thing than most people understand," he said. The president said he has ordered Laurel to address the pressing challenges in agriculture, including the high prices of food commodities and the threats of climate change, African swine fever, and avian influenza. Laurel has a good network of experts who can help the government address agricultural problems, he said. Marcos said he has known Laurel "since we were boys, so I am confident to appoint him because I know his whole personality." Laurel, the agricultural representative in the President's Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), was one of Marcos' big donors in the 2022 election campaign, the business news website said. He heads Frabelle Fishing Corp., a leading supplier of fresh, frozen and processed seafood to markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South Africa and the United States. He also held positions in various companies, including president of Frabelle Shipyard Corp., chairman of Westpac Meat Processing Corp., director of Frabelle Properties Corp., and president of Markham Resources Corp.
Newly-appointed Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
Laurel was also the former chairman of the Diamond Export Corp., president of the Bacoor Seafront Development Corp., chairman/president of Bukidnon Hydro Energy Corp., and president of the Agusan Power Co. Laurel is the chairman of the World Tuna Purse Seine Organization. In his speech accepting the Agriculture portfolio, Laurel thanked Marcos for his trust and confidence. Laurel said he will present to the public his programs for the DA in coordination with the president. He said his focus will be to ensure that the country's harvest is abundant and that it reaches the table of every Filipino. Laurel also said he will modernize the agricultural sector, and improve the welfare of farmers and fishermen. His appointment will be up for confirmation by the Commission on Appointments after Congress resumes session on November 6. Lawmakers welcomed Laurel's appointment. Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said Laurel has the management experience and the common touch to lead what is perhaps the most important agency in the country today. "I am glad that the president personally headed the Department of Agriculture for a time, and instituted a wholeof-government approach in implementing important reforms in the agricultural sector that strengthened our food security. But it is also right that the DA now be helmed by a new Secretary who can be devoted to the agriculture sector, and not have to juggle it with other national concerns," Zubiri said. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said the President made the right decision in appointing a fulltime Agriculture secretary, since increasing food production must be a top government priority. "Now, if the question is if Mr. Tiu Laurel is a good choice for DA secretary, let us give him time to prove himself," Pimentel said. Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, said the president has the prerogative "whom to appoint. Let us respect his decision." Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said Laurel "has extensive exposure and knowledge in fishing and agriculture. I know him to be a sincere, no-nonsense, honest, and hardworking patriot." Sen. Mary Grace Poe said that with the gargantuan tasks ahead, the new DA secretary must have the focus, fortitude to get things done, and a genuine feeling for the sector. Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Laurel's leadership of Frabelle Fishing Corp. showcased the potential of private enterprises in fostering food security, economic growth, and technological advancements in agriculture. House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe said Laurel's cognizance of the importance of having cutting-edge technologies for food preservation and storage will translate to lesser food wastage and longer shelf life for the country's produce. "Every year, billions worth of agricultural products go to waste because we have not been investing in storage and preservation facilities. "This appointment of Secretary Laurel in the DA would hopefully change that," Dalipe said. House Minority Leader and 4P's Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan said Marcos' relinquishment of the Agriculture portfolio meant that he can now concentrate wholly on his job as president. AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee said, "There are still so many challenges that the agriculture sector is still facing, and we hope that under the leadership of Secretary Laurel, the government can still focus on the sector to resolve the problems of our countrymen whose livelihood
depends on this sector." Quezon 3rd District Rep. Reynan Arrogancia said Laurel is the "prudent choice" for Marcos, since he will broaden the ways the DA can be more responsive to the demands of the agricultural sector. Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Francisca Castro questioned the appointment of Laurel and called it a "political payback" for Laurel's generous contribution to Marcos' campaign coffers. "Government positions should not be used by Marcos as a way to pay back political debt. He should choose someone that is perfect for the position and would serve farmers and fisherfolk," Castro said. Magsasaka party-list nominee Robert Nazal said Laurel's appointment is a "breath of fresh air," citing the new official's 30 years in the agriculture industry. Other government officials also lauded Laurel's appointment. Agriculture Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Leocadio Sebastian said he is ready "to work with him in pursuing lasting solutions to advance Philippine agriculture." Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation (PAPA) Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon said he is looking forward to partnering with Laurel in implementing programs that would help alleviate poverty, especially in the provinces and remote areas of the country. Laurel "has an extensive experience in food production and market distribution; hence, he knows how to play with the forces of demand and supply," Gadon said. Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Azcona said: "Rest assured that SRA will be supportive of the DAs programs as it has in the past, and we are looking forward to strengthen this partnership with the DA." Agricultural stakeholders also welcomed Laurel's appointment. The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi) described him as "a proven and tested agribusiness entrepreneur," who "will be able to manage the agriculture portfolio efficiently and well." Pampi President Felix Tiukinhoy Jr. expressed hope that "all sectors of agriculture provide him needed advice and support to ensure that agriculture becomes a strong pillar of the national economy." The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas said Laurel will be facing big challenges in reforming the agri-fishery sector. "The fishers are giving a standing order to the new DA Secretary to strengthen local food production by renouncing liberalization policies of importation of agricultural and fisheries products," said Pamalakaya National Chairman Fernando Hicap. The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Executive Director Jayson Cainglet said the group is "hoping to hear a firm commitment from the new DA secretary that he will reject, much more to support, all proposals to reduce tariffs on all agricultural commodities." The Federation of Free Farmers National Manager Raul Montemayor said he hopes Laurel "will listen closely to and act promptly on the concerns, particularly of small farmers, municipal fishers and other disadvantaged members of the agricultural sector." The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc., United Sugar Producers Federation (Unifed), Meat Importers and Traders Association, and Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. also expressed support for the new Agriculture chief. Manuel Lamata, president of Unifed, said the group is "looking forward to working with him and presenting to him the state of the sugar industry and how the department can extend its assistance and resources to our industry, particularly now that we are in the thick of our milling season." n
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School bullying mirrors deeper racial... PAGE A3 punished the perpetrators.” Black youth as primary targets Connie Alexander-Boaitey, president of NAACP Santa Barbara, said across California — even in communities where they’re underrepresented — Black students experience “the highest levels of hate.” African Americans comprise 2% of the population of Santa Barbara County, or “100 to 300 youth in our schools. We are often positioned in a way that says ‘Oh, but there’s not that many,’ but that many are still being harmed.” This violence most often starts “with the violence of language,” often between ethnic groups, she said, highlighting one example in spring 2022 of a junior high student “called the N-word by young Latino students. It’s every day, it’s weekly, it moves itself into physical violence. This young man was assaulted, thrown to the ground, beaten up. The boys jumped on his neck and chanted ‘George Floyd’ … It took five months for him to even be able to see a therapist.” Santa Barbara’s relatively small Black African American population experiences a disproportionate amount of bullying, says Connie AlexanderBoaitey, President, Santa Barbara NAACP. She notes that this racially motivated bullying is rooted in our societal erasure of Black people. The same dynamic of bullying between Latino and African American students has since continued in similar, more recent verbal and physical assaults, she added. The origin of this hate, said Alexander-Boaitey, is a “breakdown between communities. This is where the struggle is: how do we have leaders from the Latino and Black community sit down and have our own conversations? What supports it not happening is the erasure culture of ‘we don’t really need to talk about that, it was just a single incident.’ But it’s a constant.” Fighting AAPI hate in liberal areas Mina Fedor — a sophomore at Piedmont High School and the Founder and Executive Director of AAPI Youth Rising — said school bullying is pervasive even in progressive areas, “and a lot of it is Asian students making
Three out of four Americans aged 15 to 25, have encountered extremist content online, and half of this content focuses on race or ethnicity, according to the Government Accountability Office. Pexels photo by Keira Burton
fun of other Asian students, and trying to bring down other AAPI groups to seem like they can fit in more, or else it’s seen as a big joke that people adhere to.” She said she first began experiencing this hate while attending seventh grade in Berkeley during the COVID-19 pandemic. “At the time,” she said, “many Asians were being blamed for a virus that doesn’t discriminate, with comments that target our sense of belonging — ‘Go back to where you came from,’ the idea that we’re perpetual foreigners, model minorities that are too successful.” Because social media accounts are often hidden from adults, they can become platforms for particularly cruel and aggressive bullying, says Mina Fedor, founder and executive director of AAPI Youth Rising. To combat this hate, Fedor said she “organized a small community gathering at Berkeley’s aquatic Park hoping for about 70 attendees. Instead, over 1200 people showed up for the rally. That day, I realized that I can make a difference by taking these small actions … and I formed AAPI Youth Rising.” ‘It’s easier being a bully than it is being bullied’ Anahí Santos — Youth Wellness Coordinator of One Community Action in Santa Maria, on the Central Coast — said “I am Mixteca, from the Mexican state of Oaxaca; most of us who migrate come to California, and what we see here are Latino youth bullying indigenous peers. The closer you are to whiteness the safer you are … and you see that
even with the gangs here on the south side of our city which are predominantly indigenous and sometimes Black,” segregated from whiter Latino north side gangs. “In our communities it’s easier being a bully than it is being bullied,” she said, “because by the age of 12 we’re already worrying about being a caretaker in our family, having to work to survive. It’s easier to navigate school through that violence, and in the long term it turns into gun violence, drug abuse, even jail.” Anahí Santos, Youth Wellness Coordinator at One Community Action, talks about the compulsion young people feel to align themselves with whiteness and how that leads to bullying. Since this path stems from an inability to connect socially with peers, Santos said that encouraging this connection is key: “There’s just a lot of racism that’s embedded within Latino culture, and it’s our own community hurting itself … Even though we’re from the same country, we’re not experiencing the same things, not learning what it is to be proud of ourselves and where we come from. When youth can express themselves in healthy ways, they can care for themselves in healthy ways.” “When youth can understand peers’ different cultural backgrounds,” she added, “although we can’t 100% experience it ourselves — whether that be the hatred or the joy in being other — students can connect in the sense of being proud of themselves, their history and future.” n
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Finally, a DA chief
AFTER 16 months of serving concurrently as the secretary of the Department of Agriculture, President Marcos has finally relinquished the post. On Friday, November 3 he swore in his campaign donor Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. as DA chief. The shipping tycoon has his work cut out for him. Since the start of the Marcos administration, among the biggest problems have been food security and other agriculture-related issues. There were supply shortages and consequent price spikes in basic commodities, from sugar to large broilers to onions and, recently, rice. The problems were linked to hoarding, profiteering and low production as well as the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Food inflation has been fueling the high inflation rate. Last year, confectionery and other sweetened food items drove food inflation. The government has yet to provide a satisfactory explanation for the anomalous importation of 440,000 metric tons of refined white sugar at the start of 2023 – a deal awarded to just three lucky entities handpicked by the DA. The importation combined with the start of the sugarcane harvest failed to soften sugar prices. In the latest inflation figures, the key driver was the spike in rice prices, which an ill-conceived price cap failed to tame. Rice supply has always been a politically sensitive issue in this country, but even more so for President Marcos, who had campaigned for the nation’s top post on a promise
of providing rice at P20 a kilo. Meanwhile, only 11 provinces as of this week can boast of being completely free of African swine fever, which has devastated the country’s hog industry. Domestic producers, however, insist that there is enough pork supply and there is no need for increased importation. What is needed, they say, is to tighten procedures in clearing the entry of imported pork and pork products, which they blame for the spread of ASF. Laurel, owner of Frabelle Fishing Corp., will be assuming the top DA post amid concerns raised by fishers’ organizations about policies he might pursue that could be detrimental to small-scale fishermen. The marginal fisherfolk are opposing a proposal to allow large commercial fishing boats to enter the municipal waters – 15 kilometers from the shoreline – reserved for small-scale fishing. And speaking of resources, the country, which has one of the world’s most extensive coastlines, ManilaTimes.net photo needs to wean itself from a disgraceful dependence on imports for its salt needs. Laurel will have to One thing in which there is general agreement enormous demands of the presidency, is a positive oversee this effort, in coordination with other is that having a full-time, hands-on secretary of development. The nation can only hope that Laurel concerned agencies. agriculture, who will not be distracted by the will not disappoint. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Divide and conquer
The Long View Manuel l. Quezon III SOONER or later when it comes to the People’s Republic of China, the “Art of War” will be quoted. It’s a smorgasbord of useful ones: “Next best is to disrupt his alliances,” (3.5); “Do not allow your enemies to get together,” (3.5, Tu Yu); “When he is united, divide him,” (1.25); and specifically, these two: “Look into the matter of his alliances and cause them to be severed and dissolved. If an enemy has alliances the problem is grave and the enemy’s position is strong; if he has no alliances the problem is minor and the enemy’s position weak,” (1.5, Wang Hsi); and “Sometimes drive a wedge between a sovereign and his ministers; on other occasions separate his allies from him. Make them mutually suspicious so that they drift apart. Then
you can plot against them,” (1.25, Chang Yü). These quotations have to do with President Joe Biden reiterating that the American commitment to mutual defense is “ironclad,” and the ramping-up of opposition, within the ruling coalition, to the president’s restoring the traditional security relationships of the country. For his part, Biden was referring to increasing aggressiveness on the part of China when it comes to Filipinos on the high seas, and an overall deterioration in the relationship between the two countries. America, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the EU have demonstrated increased solidarity with the Philippines as it stands up to China. In contrast to this has been the very public courtship of Beijing by both ex-president Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, the vice president, and the highprofile visits of their associated
FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte cannot be faulted for strongly coming to the defense of his daughter, Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte, after her request for a huge amount of confidential funds for her department was turned down by the House of Representatives. Some of those funds were instead allocated to government offices that are engaged in intelligence work. After six years of being able to get his way in Congress, he probably could not accept that some House members who once kowtowed to his whims would “disrespect” his daughter. The saying “sic transit gloria mundi” (thus passes the glory of the world) had come to roost and that must have terribly pained him. But rather than sticking to the issue, Duterte questioned the motives behind the House’s action and threatened to kill Rep. France Castro, the principal critic of the fund request, and her alleged fellow communists. In response, Castro filed a complaint against Duterte at the Quezon City prosecutor’s office for grave threats and commission of a cybercrime.
While Biden’s recent statements are something Filipino leaders have been wanting to hear for decades— and until quite recently, American administrations had refused to be categorical— there will always be suspicion over how firm that commitment is. Many reasons are given for this, but they generally fall into one of two: what I like to call the American sobriety test: Americans are skeptical of Filipino maturity which made it impossible for them to trust Filipinos not to drag Americans into trouble by reckless misuse of an American security guarantee; the other is the Filipino belief that America is a fickle and unreliable ally, born of repeated disappointments dating back to World War II and most recently, the Obama administration’s leaving the Philippines in the lurch when China violated an agreement brokered by Washington
between Beijing and Manila. China can always backpedal; it loses nothing when it does so, as it can apply pressure again in the future. But the moment the Americans backpedal, or leave allies in the lurch, their credibility is shot, and so is the effectivity of any Filipino administration that puts its faith in an American security guarantee. In 1988, according to an official who was there, President Corazon Aquino, meeting with China’s paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, raised the question of the Spratly Islands. He waved it aside, saying they need not discuss it for 25 years. That was at a time, of course, when the U.S. bases still existed in the Philippines and were scheduled for renegotiation and renewal in 1991. It was likely no one at the time expected it not to be renewed for another quartercentury. In recent years, the official Chinese version is that
he said to her, “In view of the friendly relations between our two countries, we can put aside the issue for some time being and take the approach of joint development.” Benito Lim once wrote an interesting exploration of Philippine-China relations from Corazon Aquino to Fidel Ramos, in which he identified a bias for Taiwan as a constant irritant during the Aquino presidency finally settled by Ramos—only for Ramos to be confronted with increased aggressiveness by the Chinese in the Spratlys— which suggests the Deng timetable became obsolete after the removal of the U.S. bases. (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
Challenges of Duterte crime raps
Commentary
Raul J. PalabRIca
social media influencers and mass media allies, also to Beijing. But Biden’s guarantee comes at a time of great strain for the United States, as pointed out by Niall Ferguson and Jay Mens in a recent commentary on the Middle East: “No one can read the mind of Xi Jinping, but there should be no doubt that China is watching all this and calculating. With crises afoot in Eastern Europe and now the Middle East, the Pentagon’s nightmare is a third crisis in the Far East, the region where the stakes are highest. It is not hard to imagine a Chinese blockade of Taiwan—perhaps with January’s election there as the pretext. The United States, which no longer has the vast military-industrial complex of the first Cold War, would be torn between three simultaneous conflicts, each making demands on a finite stockpile of weapons and munitions.”
The crime of grave threats is committed when a person threatens another with the infliction of any wrong amounting to a crime on his or her person, honor, or property. It does not make a difference if the threat was not pursued or did not materialize for whatever reason. It is enough that a threat had been made. Depending on the attending circumstances, the offender may be imprisoned for at least six months and ordered to pay a fine of P100,000. Based on the TV program where Duterte made the threat against Castro, a copy of which she submitted in support of her complaint, there is prima facie (or reasonable) proof that Duterte had committed that crime.Ahead of his reply to the complaint, some of his supporters had said in his defense that his threat should not be taken seriously because it was made in his usual aggressive type of talking and that he was justified in criticizing the people whom he felt had treated his daughter badly on the issue. Aside from its penal consequences, the complaint has serious political undertones. If the prosecutor finds merit in it and files it in court, it is not farfetched that Duterte would view it as a subtle move to undermine his reputation and, indirectly, also that of his daughter whose ambition to succeed President
Marcos in 2028 is an open secret. Note that the popularity (and earlier election) of VP Duterte is attributable principally to her being the daughter and political heir-apparent of the former president. Notice how she hardly uses her married name in public. It is evident the elder Duterte considers Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin and close confidant of Mr. Marcos, as the possible opponent of his daughter in the next presidential election. For practical political reasons, that’s a prospect that Duterte does not want to happen and would seek to avoid at all costs. On the other hand, dismissing the complaint for lack of probable cause, or in compliance with the directive of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to file only cases that have strong chances of being upheld by the courts, could be messy. That may open the Department of Justice, which has supervisory authority over prosecutors, to criticisms of selective justice or giving Duterte a pass for political considerations. Worse, it may create a precedent for future complaints of grave threats whose underlying circumstances, except for the personalities involved, may be similar to Castro’s complaint. Astute criminal defense lawyers would surely invoke that precedent.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte
The crime of grave threats has been in the books since the 1930s and the manner by which it should be handled by prosecutors and decided by the courts had been extensively discussed in numerous Supreme Court decisions. Because of that, prosecutors have to have very good reasons in case they opt to deviate from the guidelines laid down by the high court on the evaluation of that crime. Although there is no shame
Malacañang file photo
in being reversed by a court, prosecutors, as a matter of professional pride, prefer not to be at the receiving end of a judicial rebuke for failure to follow established procedures. More so, if the reprimand is done in public. Either way, Castro’s complaint goes, one thing is clear: Duterte no longer has immunity from suit that he once enjoyed as president. As an ordinary citizen now, any statements he makes and any act he commits that
appears to violate a law makes him vulnerable to a criminal complaint by any person who may feel aggrieved by those statements or actions. Duterte’s political world has come full circle. (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.
*** Comments to rpalabrica@inquirer.com.ph.
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Dateline PhiliPPines
Well-milled rice to reach P52; harvest 85% complete by Bella Cariaso
per kilo and the LGU will only sell at P20 per kilo,” So explained. So said the next palay harvest is expected in March 2024 as farmers have started to plant again. “Many farmers planted again so the turnaround is faster. We expect to harvest again in March next year. Our stocks now will reach the end of February so we don’t see any problem (in the supply),” he noted. Based on the monitoring of the DA, the retail price of local regular milled rice ranged between P41 and P45 per kilo; local well-milled rice, between P45 and P53 per kilo; local premium rice, between P50 and P60 per kilo and local special rice, between P50 and P65 per kilo. Imported well-milled rice ranged between P45 and P48 per kilo; imported premium rice, between P47 and P58 per kilo and imported special rice, between P54 and P60 per kilo. Vegetables Meanwhile, So confirmed that the farmgate price of chayote in Benguet had plummeted to P9 per kilo, but retail cost remains high at P90 per kilo. In a radio interview, So said the retail price of chayote should only increase by P10 per kilo or to P19 per kilo. Yet based on the monitoring of the DA, the retail price of chayote in Metro Manila ranged between P25 and P90 per kilo. So said that except for potatoes, the retail prices of other highland vegetables and lowland crops have started to go down. The retail price of potatoes
ranged between P160 and P230 per kilo, and cabbage at between P120 and P160 per kilo, while MANILA — The main onions should not exceed P200 harvest season for rice is 85 per kilo as the buying price in percent complete, farmers’ Nueva Ecija was only at P80 per group Samahang Industriya ng kilo. Agrikultura (SINAG) chairman According to So, the retail price Rosendo So said on Friday, of lowland vegetables like bitter November 3, noting that wellgourd also decreased because of milled rice could reach P52 per bountiful harvest, while prices of kilo in December amid the high pork and chicken remain stable. farmgate price of palay. Meanwhile, the retail price of In a radio interview, So medium eggs ranged between added that the harvest season is P7.20 and P8.60 per piece. expected to be completed next The retail price of pork shoulder month and the stocks could last or kasim ranged between P260 until February 2024. and P330 per kilo and pork belly “We already harvested at least or liempo, between P290 and 85 percent and the remaining is P400 per kilo. Whole chicken about 15 percent. The farmgate ranged between P140 and P200 palay is now at P28 per kilo and per kilo. that equivalent to rice is about For his part, United Broiler P52, P54 per kilo,” So said. Raisers Association (UBRA) and So has pushed for the return Philippine Egg Board chairman of the price ceiling amid the Gregorio San Diego said that he upward trend in the retail price of does not expect the farmgate rice due to the high buying price price of eggs to increase further. of palay. San Diego has attributed “We will return to that (higher the upward trend in the retail retail price of rice). That is why prices of eggs to a drop in the last time, we warned that the production after the devastation retail price of rice will increase of recent Super Typhoon Egay if the price ceiling is not and Typhoon Goring, adding reimposed,” So said, noting that that the farmgate price of eggs in Isabela, the farmgate price of increased between P0.15 and palay is at P28 per kilo. P0.20 per piece. So said the local government Fight hoarders of Cebu is providing at least P30 In Congress, House committee per kilo over its decision to sell on agriculture and food vice P20 per kilo of rice to consumers. chairman and Quezon province “(The P20 per kilo) is Rep. David Suarez welcomed highly subsidized by the local the P10 reduction in the price of government. We don’t know the onion as he said the chamber will volume the LGU will release as continue to combat hoarders and it needs to subsidize at least P30 price manipulators. per kilo as the buying price of “Buoyed by this (price palay in Cebu is also high at P26 reduction) development and upon the instruction of Speaker Martin Romualdez, the House committee on agriculture and food will intensify its investigation on hoarders and price manipulators, not only of onions but of other staple food items like rice,” he noted. He added that the Speaker has made it clear that the House will extend all-out support to Pres. Marcos’ call for an all-out war against smuggling, hoarding and price manipulation. “Our mission order is clear: there is no room for smugglers, hoarders and price manipulators under this administration,” he Farm workers check on their crops, spray organic pesticides, and remove unwanted weeds at said. (With reports from Sheila a rice field in Tanay, Rizal. Philstar.com photo Crisostomo) Philstar.com
No overtime pay for teachers who worked in BSKE MANILA — Teachers who served as poll workers during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will not receive overtime pay, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Comelec chairman George Garcia said the poll body is restricted from providing extra pay to teachers who performed poll duties beyond 24 hours. “Inasmuch as we would like to give, there is this joint COADBM circular which provides that only employees of an agency are entitled to claim overtime pay,” Garcia said, referring to the Commission on Audit and Department of Budget and Management memo. “The teachers who served as electoral board members are not employees of Comelec,” Garcia said while adding budget provided to Comelec for the conduct of BSKE does not provide for overtime pay. Garcia issued the statement in reaction to the call of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) for the Comelec to give overtime pay to teachers who served for more than 24 hours as poll workers. The group said the honorarium for teachers serving as members of the electoral board (EB) was considered per diem, or a daily allowance, and computed based on three days – three eight-hour shifts – or 24 hours of nonstop work. The Comelec has raised the honoraria to P10,000 for the EB chair and P9,000 for members. The service honoraria, however, are subject to 20-percent tax deduction. Garcia said the Comelec hopes to pay the honoraria to all the teachers who served as poll workers by Friday, November 3. Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday, November 2 that teachers who rendered services during the BSKE may be entitled to additional service credits. Responding to reporters through Viber, DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas said teachers who were on duty for more than 24 hours last BSKE “could be given additional service credits on top of the five days service credits.” Under Comelec Resolution No. 10933 dated June 21, 2023,
A woman watches as an official posts figures on a tally board at a polling station as they start the counting of votes of the nationwide village and youth representative elections in Manila on October 30, 2023. Philstar.com photo
teachers who work as election officers shall be automatically entitled to five days of service credits. Bringas, however, said that while not convertible to cash, the additional service credits that may be given to teachers who rendered services beyond 24 hours during the BSKE are as good as leave credits to offset their absences. Around 500,000 public school teachers served as poll workers during the BSKE on Oct. 30. Some 2,500 teachers backed out in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, most of them citing threats and security concerns in their respective areas. Teachers’ liability On Wednesday, Nov. 1, Garcia reiterated that the Comelec will look into the possible liability of teachers who backed out from serving as poll workers. The TDC explained that a number of teachers were prompted to back out from performing poll duties for fear for their lives, adding that it is unlikely for teachers to think of sabotaging or intentionally delaying the elections. Garcia said the Comelec respects the decision of teachers who backed out before the elections considering that poll duty is not mandatory. However, he said there few teachers who backed out suddenly after the polling precincts opened and even refused to turn over the election paraphernalia to their replacements. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, during a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Nov. 1, expressed his support to Comelec’s plan to file charges against teachers who backed out from serving as poll watchers. Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) on Thursday called on DepEd to provide aid to teachers who might
be unjustly charged. ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua said some teachers’ decision to back out from serving during the BSKE was well within the exercise of their “right to life and security.” Quetua said that stricter measures that would protect the teachers and impose heavier penalties against those who would harass them and sow fear during election period must be put in place. “Teachers who serve as BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors) experienced first-hand several forms of harassment by the supporters and watchers of the candidates. On top of that was the heavy workload extending beyond 24 hours. This was no different from the situation of our teachers in schools – overworked, underpaid and under attack,” Quetua said in Filipino. The ACT reiterated its call for higher and tax-free election service honoraria for teachers, additional compensation for extended poll work hours and enforced safety and security measures while they are on duty. In a chance interview with reporters after she cast her vote at Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Matina, Davao City on Oct. 30, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte gave assurance that legal aid will be provided, especially by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), to teachers who served during the 2023 BSKE. Duterte cited the Memorandum of Agreement signed by DepEd, PAO and Comelec on Sept. 18, committing to protect teachers who render service during elections. Based on the record of the Comelec around 8,000 teachers served as BEI chairpersons and members during the BSKE. n
CHALLENGES IN AGRI SECTOR. Workers unload various agricultural products at the Divisoria Market in Manila on Friday, November 3. Newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr. has been tasked to address the pressing challenges faced by his department, among them the high prices of agricultural commodities and the threats posed by climate change, African swine fever, and avian influenza. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
PNP relieves Pasay police chief, 26 others by Francisco Tuyay ManilaTimes.net
THE Pasay City police chief and 26 other policemen have been relieved over allegations involving the existence of a Philippine offshore gaming operation (POGO) near the city police substation. PNP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Jean Fajardo said the removal of Col. Froilan Uy was approved by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head BGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. Fajardo said that Uy would be replaced by Col. Mario Mayanes as acting director of the Pasay City Police Station. Colonel Uy’s removal came shortly after the PNP Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) recommended on October 27 an in-depth investigation on the possible neglect of duty of lawmen regarding the existence of a POGO facility near a police station. Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. has also ordered a thorough probe into the existence of POGO, which is allegedly involved in human trafficking and other illegal activities inside the Chineseoperated POGO hub, which is adjacent to a police substation in
the city. Last Sunday, October 29, elements of the anti-human trafficking task force of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided the six-story building along Williams Street in Pasay City on suspicion it was involved in human trafficking.
Elements of the raiding team discovered two Chinese workers, Shui Niu, 27, and Lu Hat You, 22, who were reportedly held against their will in one of the rooms of the POGO building. Government operatives also rescued seven Filipinas supposedly working as prostitutes, along with 700 other workers. n
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Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya at Little Manila in Woodside, New York on Citizen Pinoy
LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel and the Citizen Pinoy team head to Little Manila in Woodside, Queens, New York to talk to Kapamilya who ask immigration questions in Citizen Pinoy’s latest edition of “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Woodside is one of the neighborhoods with the largest Filipino population in the state of New York. The area is known as “Little Manila”
because of the many Filipino businesses, like Kabayan Bistro, a popular Filipino restaurant, and Max’s Restaurant, where Citizen Pinoy’s Atty. Gurfinkel answered questions from the guests. • Lorna was petitioned by her employer back in 2007. To date, she has not yet received her green card and she is worried because her employer is PAGE B2
Daniel Padilla on burnout but agreeing to do 3 movie projects By Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net
Daniel Padilla Instagram photo/@supremo_dp
DANIEL Padilla, who claimed to have experienced getting “burned out” recently, said he had to step back in order to reflect on where his career and personal life were headed. But in one of his first public appearances this year, the actor said he had been “reborn” and was feeling “refreshed and ready to go.” “I retreated into my shell this 2023. I needed to take care of my personal life, my peace of mind. I went into Zen mode. I kept quiet. It’s not a secret that when it came to social media, I decided to detach myself. I have now found my drive. I’m excited to go back to work,” he told reporters at his launch as brand ambassador of RKitchen Foods Corporation on Oct. 30 in Taguig City. “Now, I just think I have more
wisdom. I’m reborn. I’m excited to learn new things, because as they say, once you stop learning that’s when you’ll start to drown in your own glass of water,” he pointed out. In fact, Daniel is scheduled to do three movies and will begin shooting the first one this November. “Kamatayan,” which is “a story about life,” will be directed by Dan Villegas, he reported. Three projects Daniel is also set to work with Venice best actor John Arcilla. “The other project is still a secret,” he told Inquirer Entertainment. “Of all the stories pitched to me recently, it was with ‘Kamatayan’ that I felt really excited. Hearing about it for the first time, I felt like my blood pressure shot up. I want to tell stories like this. It reminds me of ‘Shawshank Redemption.’ It’s PAGE B2
KAPAMILYA IN WOODSIDE, QUEENS, NEW YORK GET ANSWERS TO THEIR IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS FROM LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL IN PART 1 OF “YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT.” Atty. Gurfinkel (right) answers the following questions – From Marisa (left), a civil surgeon who conducts physical exams for those applying for a green card: What can I tell patients who ask me “How long before my case gets approved?”; From Kerwin (second from left): My wife and I filed our joint petition on our third year of marriage. Why has my green card not arrived yet?; From Lorna (third from left): I was petitioned by my employer in 2007. I have not received my green card yet and my employer is now 94 years old, What can I do? Be sure to tune in for the answers to these questions from Kapamilya in Woodside, Queens, New York in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 5 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
Nadine Lustre, John Lloyd Cruz lead 2023 Gawad Urian nominees By Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com
THE Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino revealed the nominees for the 2023 Gawad Urian Awards, the ceremony’s 46th edition. Sundance Film Festival 2022 darling “Leonor Will Never Die” and Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2022 Special Jury Prize winner “Blue Room” led all nominees with 10 nods, closely followed by Lav Diaz’s “Kapag
Wala Nang Mga Alon” with nine nominations. All three are up for Best Film, with another Cinemalaya 2022 film, “12 Weeks,” by Anna Isabelle Matutina, having six nominations. Matutina and the directors of the previous three films, Martika Ramirez Escobar, Ma-an L. AsuncionDagñalan and Lav Diaz, are all up for Best Director. Also with notable multiple nominations were FilipinoIrish movie “Nocebo” with
seven, Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2022 big winner “Deleter” with five and Cinemalaya 2022 Best Picture “The Baseball Player” with four nods. A fourth Cinemalaya 2022 entry, “Ginhawa,” got three nominations, MMFF 2022 film and Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) 2023 big winner “Family Matters” and Japan’s entry to the 2023 Academy Awards, PAGE B3
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Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration... EV test drives, celebrity car showcases,
PAGE B1 now 94 years old. She wants to know what she can do to get her green card. • Kerwin shared that in their third year of marriage, he and his wife filed their joint petition. Kerwin wants to know why it is taking a long time for his green card to arrive. • One of the guests asking a question is an internist from Woodside who also happens to be a civil surgeon who conducts physical exams as part of the documentation required for those applying for a green card. Dr. Marissa gets the same question from many of her patients after the physical exams: “How long before my case gets approved?” While it is not part of her job, she wants to know what she can tell her patients. Atty. Gurfinkel is also given a quick tour of “Little Manila” by local resident and restaurateur Nel Castellvi. Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in Woodside in Queens, New York. Watch this brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 5 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET
and more: 2023 LA Auto Show promises exciting new displays, opportunities for car enthusiasts The world’s biggest auto convention comes back Nov. 17-26 at LA Convention Center
Lorna (left) with Atty. Gurfinkel
Kevin (left) with Atty. Gurfinkel
Dr. Marissa (left), a civil surgeon, with Atty. Gurfinkel
through select Cable/Satellite available on iWantTFC. Viewers providers), right after TV Patrol may download the free app. Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also (Advertising Supplement)
Yeng Constantino to rewrite lyrics of her hit songs
admitted that sometimes her lyrics make her cringe. “Alam mo ‘yung parang ang SINGER Yeng Constantino bata-bata mo pa nu’ng sinulat revealed that she will rewrite the mo ‘yon kaya parang gusto lyrics of some of her hit songs. mong i-update lang ng konti kasi During her guesting in very childish pa ‘yung point of “Magandang Buhay,” Yeng said view mo,” she said. she wanted the new generation “Mayroon akong mga ganun to get to know about her songs. na gustong ire-lyric para “Grabe ‘yung mga fans sobra appropriate naman sa age ko kapag kinanta ko siya,” she added. Yeng recently released her album “Reimagined,” which features her re-recording of “Salamat” and “Lapit.” “Makalipas ang ilang taon, nasa pangangalaga ko na ang aking music catalogue,” she said. “At dahil dyan, binigyan ko ng bagong bihis ang ilan sa mga kantang minahal n’yo galing sakin. Ito ang ‘Reimagined.’ Unang limang Yeng Constantino is grateful for her 17 years in the music industry. The message that she would kanta sa marami pang susunod,” like to tell her younger self is ‘just relax.’ Yeng Constantino via Instagram she added. n By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com
akong natutuwa na nu’ng nalaman nila ‘yung balita na hawak ko na ‘yung catalogue, parang may personal favorites sila na ‘Ate, gawan mo na ito ng bagong version, pwede po bang ire-lyric itong kantang ito?’” “That’s the good thing about owning your own songs,” she added. The “Hawak Kamay” hitmaker
By aJPreSS
ARE you a muscle car enthusiast with an eye for the classics, or are you into the latest automotive technology? Or do you want to know what it feels like to sit in a luxury exotic whip or a drift demo? Or, perhaps, you just need inspiration for a new, reliable set of wheels that promises the best safety features for a family of five. Whatever your car needs and wants are, the future of transportation is here, and you can get a sneak peek into the vast, innovative world of all things automobiles at the 2023 LA Auto Show. One of the largest automobile conventions is back for a whopping 10-day showcase from Nov. 17-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where you can learn about, test-drive, or just marvel first-hand at thousands of the latest models from the most sought-after brands in the industry. The immersive convention, tickets for which are on sale now, is in its 116th year, and as always, technological innovation and brand-to-consumer interconnection are front and center. This year’s exhibition includes the exciting new Electric Avenue, which will allow attendees to drive zero-emissions electric vehicles (EVs) around a mile-long test track. Among the available brands offering models to test-drive include Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia, Lucid, Polestar, Porsche, and Volvo. For the first time, attendees will also get the chance to ride motorcycles from Verge Motorcycles. As demand for more energy-conscious automobile options continues to rise among consumers, so does the accessibility and availability of EVs. Long gone are the days when hybrid cars and EVs were only for high-earning consumers as more and more affordable options for EVs have become available. The convention’s Electrification Discovery Center will have a plethora of EV experts and ambassadors to answer all questions — in
multiple languages — related to purchasing a more energy-efficient car at a reasonable price. Automotive expert and reporter Matt DeLorenzo will also lead weekend sessions during the convention called “How to Buy an Affordable Electric Car,” which is sure to illuminate the prospective EV consumer. “With California leading the world as the most influential market for gas and electric vehicle ownership, it’s essential that the Los Angeles Auto Show gives visitors the opportunity to experience the newest products and latest technology,” said Los Angeles Auto Show President Terri Toennies. “The show will allow consumers to discover the power, handling and comfort of these innovative vehicles, as well as the new electric motorcycle offering for licensed visitors to experience alternative mobility solutions.” But if you’re interested in the LA Auto Show for the flash and pomp of what the automobile industry has to offer, Kevin Hart’s showcase of the Kevin Hart Kollection will feature the actor and comedian’s private and diverse collection of hotrods. As a fervent car enthusiast, Hart’s collection will include a slew of vintage classics, including a mint-condition 1959 Chevrolet Corvette and the 1970 Dodge Challenger Bane, which was previously unveiled at the 2023 SEMA automotive industry trade show. “I’m pumped for people to see my cars in person,” Kevin Hart said. “Some have been at the big hot rod shows, but this is the first time they’ll all be together. And to do it at a major international event like the LA Auto Show was the ideal place to make it happen. I can’t wait for fans to see them and find out which one is their favorite.” From electric vehicles and hybrids to classic gas-powered automobiles, you’re sure to find your next set of wheels at the LA Auto Show. To learn more about the 2023 LA Auto Show or to purchase tickets, please visit https://laautoshow. com/. n
From left: Chie Filomeno, Vice Ganda, James Reid and Solenn Heussaff at the 2023 Opulence Halloween Ball held in Marquis Events Place in Taguig on October 31, 2023. Philstar.com / Anjilica Andaya
Myths, folklore take center stage at 2023 Opulence Halloween Ball By KriStofer Purnell Philstar.com
THE Opulence Halloween Ball made a grand return four years after its inception, as celebrity guests donned costumes and outfits resembling figures from mythology and folklore all over the world. The ball’s co-producer Mond Gutierrez kicked off the black carpet arrivals last October 31 at Taguig’s Marquis Events Place wearing golden armor designed by Bonito Penaranda. Among the early surprises was fashion designer Rajo Laurel, who was wearing his own version of the god of love, Cupid, waving his pink dress as he posed for photos. A number of celebrity couples were also among the first arrivals, including KC Montero and Stephanie Dods, Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero, and Mond’s own parents, Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez. Other couples in attendance were Drs. Hayden
Kho and Vicki Belo as celestial gods for the sun and stars; Angelique Manto wearing a dragon on her chest as a symbol for strength and David Guison as Hermes and James Reid and Issa Pressman as Hades and Persephone, the god and goddess of the Underworld. “Drag Race Philippines” contestants Marina Summers, M1ss Jade So and ØV Cünt each had their own interpretations of the ball’s theme. Marina went as a statue since that is how people perceive mythological figures today, while M1ss Jade wore a daring outfit made from neon rosaries, dubbing herself “the female Jesus, Goddessa.” Perhaps even more daring than M1ss Jade was young actress Andrea Brillantes as the biblical figure Lilith, finishing off her look with an actual 10-foot albino ball python draped around her body. Actresses Kaila Estrada and Chie Filomeno both went as Gen Z versions of the Gorgon Medusa — PAGE B3
Daniel Padilla on burnout but... PAGE B1 an epic film and the character is very Tom Hanks. “I was even more excited about it when I learned that the screenplay was by Sir Ricky (Lee, National Artist for Film). It took a while for us to start because I felt that I needed to take care of this project. The story is really sensitive, so it needs to be done right. I’ve long been preparing for it. I need to start working on it soon,” he shared with reporters. The project with Arcilla—“a story that’s intense, almost a thriller film”—was something Daniel said he wished for. “Who wouldn’t want to work with Sir John? That’s what every young actor wishes for—to be able to collaborate with a really talented coactor and eventually learn from him. I imagine that our scenes together would be awesome. You can’t expect what will come out of them,” he said. ‘Move pieces correctly’ However, Daniel said supporters of “KathNiel” (his onscreen partnership with reallife girlfriend Kathryn Bernardo) will not be seeing them together in 2024. “I still have to finish all three movies. Allow us to work solo first, to find ourselves independently. We’ve decided to take a break so that when we return to working together, it
will be really heartfelt.” When asked to recall his reaction after watching Kathryn for the first time in Petersen Vargas’ dramatic project “A Very Good Girl,” Daniel said Kathryn was exactly how he imagined her in the movie. “We’ve been talking about the project even back when she was just creating the character. I’d rather not share what my suggestions to her were. The spotlight should be on her. I’d be happy to just stay in her shadow and watch over her,” said Daniel. He then expressed how proud he is of his girlfriend. “Who else could do something like that than Kathryn? They said the ball was in her court. I would like to say she took that shot and made it. In her own way, she helped resurrect our movie industry,” the proud boyfriend said. As to whether the couple already has plans to settle down, the 28-year-old said: “We want to take it easy. We want to move our chess pieces correctly. We plan to finish our commitments first, especially because we will be renewing our contracts with ABS-CBN soon. We will lay out our plans first, then go to that ‘next level.’ This is how we want it. We don’t want to still be distracted by other things when we’re already there. It’s hard to
be doing things all at the same time. This is just my opinion— not everyone thinks the same, though.” Christmas single Daniel then pointed out the importance of hard work when it comes to achieving your goals. “Nothing is impossible if you do your work right. You can’t just wish for good things to happen to you. You have to believe and work hard for it,” he stressed. “Take singing and my music. I’m not really a singer, but I am able to pull off concerts. I work on my music and my performance. I always practice. That’s what I mean when I say nothing is impossible.” Daniel said he plans to release a Christmas single before the holidays. “I know it’s kind of late now, but as they say, it’s never too late for Christmas. I want to feel Christmas through my songs. That’s really why we miss the songs of Jose Mari Chan. They help us feel the love during Christmas,” he said. “Who doesn’t love Christmas songs? I love them, especially those by Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. As we get older, we constantly need to find reasons to celebrate Christmas. The music, the candles, even the smell of Christmas food, help a lot.” n
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Why Mrs. Lovi Poe-Blencowe keeps glowing despite long-distance marriage By Tessa Mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net
Imono’s gracious owner and gifted creative director, Valerine “Goldy” Tang Hing, who described the latest pieces to carry a “celebratory” theme with lots of gold mixed with pearls, colorful gems, trinkets and other metals, many of which Lovi fashionably layered on her neck, wrists and fingers. “The holiday collection is so beautiful that my stylist and I couldn’t choose what to use today. So we decided I should just wear them all!” giggled the gorgeous face of Imono, who, all the more, stunned everyone by wearing a hot and sexy black body suit and net tights for the mid-morning affair. Going back to her glow, Lovi explained that she remains very much the blushing bride because she is joyful and grateful that she married a very supportive and understanding man. Lovi said that since getting together with Monty three years ago, he never stopped her from pursuing Lovi Poe layers pieces from Imono’s holiday collection. her career, well aware that she is passionate was just as radiant as the holiday jewelry about acting. collection she helped launch that day for her “We haven’t even talked about where longtime brand ambassadorship, Imono. we’ll eventually decide to settle in the Incidentally, The T-Zone was sat beside PAGE B7
HARDLY a week after her fairytale wedding at the centuries-old Cliveden House in Berkshire, England, last August, noted actress and the former Lovi Poe had to fly back to Manila to return to set and resume work on her top-rated primetime series. Now officially Mrs. Blencowe, she and her lucky new hubby Monty (short for Montgomery) needed to go back to their long-distance relationship (LDR) since Batangas vice governor Mark Leviste, Kris Aquino and Kim Chiu. Kim Chiu via Instagram work was likewise waiting for him in the United States. Monty is a scientist and film producer based in Los Angeles. Finally holding her first major media conference since exchanging “I do’s,” it was good to see Lovi, just before the long All Saints/All Souls break, still in high spirits. You’d think she’d seem a bit down, longing for her husband of barely three months, with whom she didn’t even get to honeymoon. Admirably and ever the professional, ACTRESS Kim Chiu revealed that it was Batangas vice governor she had her emotions in check. In fact, she Mark Leviste who made her reunion with Kris Aquino possible. In an interview with the media during the “Linlang” thanksgiving press conference, Kim said she is happy to finally meet her “Ate” Kris again. “Sobra po akong nasiyahan. Noong una, nahihiya ako kasi baka nagpapa-treatment siya at bawal puntahan. Ayokong kulitin siya handsy outfit for the night. PAGE B2 kasi kapag nag-text ako na pupuntahan ko siya, gagawa siya ng Kaila’s Ushi Sato outfit meant to Unique outfits included Max paraan,” Kim said. present Medusa in the present Collins as the Greek goddess “Kinamustahan ko muna siya kay Sir Mark at siya ang gumawa ng day as a sparkly, glowing party of snow Khione; Solenn paraan na pumunta ako. Naging smooth ‘yung pagkikita namin at girl, while Chie’s modern take is Heussaff dressed up as her may kwarto na ako sa bahay nila,” she added. of Medusa as a goddess rather “Encantadia” character Kim said that she turned emotional when she met Kris but held than a monster. Cassiopea; Vice Ganda as the back her tears because Kris did not want her to cry. Mond later returned to the Greek goddess of the soul “Naiyak ako, as in sobra. Pero ayaw ni Ate na maiyak ka. Parang sa black carpet to accompany actor Psyche; Rhian Ramos as “Lord tagal ng ‘di namin pagkikita, ang dami naming napag-kwentuhan,” Piolo Pascual, the two joking of the Rings” character Arwen; she said. that the latter’s upcoming film, Mond’s sister Ruffa in a golden “Inabot na kami nang oras na kailangan niyang umalis kasi “Mallari,” and Mond himself dress by Jop Dacon inspired by magpapa-checkup na siya,” she added. were inspirations behind his the Egyptian queen Cleopatra Kim also said that Kris is now doing better than before. “Ate is doing well na ngayon. Not super well, but better than before. Pero marami pa siyang treatment na kailangan harapin. Masaya ako na nakita ko siya, nakayakap ko siya,” she said. (By Jan Milo Severo/Philstar.com) n
Kim Chiu says Mark Leviste organized her reunion with Kris Aquino
Myths, folklore take center stage at 2023 Opulence...
Composite image of actors John Lloyd Cruz and Nadine Lustre
Philstar.com / File
Nadine Lustre, John Lloyd... PAGE B1 “Plan 75,” each had two nods. Netflix film “Doll House” and MMFF 2022 3rd Best Picture “Nanahimik Ang Gabi” nabbed one nomination each. Veteran actor Jaime Fabregas will be the recipient of the Natatanging Gawad Urian, an award previously given to filmmaking animator Roxlee, actresses Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor, and the previously mentioned Diaz. The 46th Gawad Urian Night will take place at the University of the Philippines Film Institute on November 29. Here are the full list of nominees: Best film “Blue Room” “Leonor Will Never Die” “12 Weeks” “Kapag Wala Na Ang Mga Alon” Best director Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan for “Blue Room” - AsuncionDagñalan won this category at Cinemalaya 2022 Lav Diaz for “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” Martika Ramirez Escobar for “Leonor Will Never Die” Anna Isabelle Matutina for “12 Weeks” Carlo Obispo for “The Baseball Player” Mikhail Red for “Deleter” Red won this category at MMFF 2022 Best actor Tommy Alejandrino for “The Baseball Player” - Alejandrino won this category at Cinemalaya 2022 John Lloyd Cruz for “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” - Cruz won the Boccalino d’Oro in this category at the 76th Locarno Film Festival. Baron Geisler for “Doll House” Andrew Ramsey for “Ginhawa” Noel Trinidad for “Family Matters” - Trinidad won this category at FAMAS 2023 Best actress Max Eigenmann for “12 Weeks” - Eigenmann won this category at Cinemalaya 2022 Chai Fonacier for “Nocebo” Shiela Francisco for “Leonor Will Never Die” Nadine Lustre for “Deleter” - Lustre won this category at MMFF 2022 Best supporting actor Soliman Cruz for “Blue Room” - Cruz won this category
at Cinemalaya 2022 Dido dela Paz for “Ginhawa” JK Labajo for “Blue Room” Ronnie Lazaro for “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” Rocky Salumbides for “Leonor Will Never Die” Best supporting actress Shamaine Centenera for “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” Claudia Enriquez for “12 Weeks” Bing Pimentel for “12 Weeks” Nikki Valdez for “Family Matters” - Valdez won this category at FAMAS 2023 Best screenplay “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” “Leonor Will Never Die” “Plan 75” directorwriter Chie Hayakawa won this category at the 77th Mainichi Film Awards “Blue Room” “12 Weeks” “Nocebo” Best cinematography “Blue Room” - Neil Daza won this category at Cinemalaya 2022 and FAMAS 2023 “Deleter” - Ian Guevarra won this category at MMFF 2022 “Nocebo” “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” “Leonor Will Never Die” “Plan 75” Best editing “Leonor Will Never Die” “Nocebo” “Blue Room” “The Baseball Player” - Zig Dulay won this category at Cinemalaya 2022 “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” “Deleter” - Nikolas Red won this category at MMFF 2022 Best production design “Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon” “Blue Room” - Marxie Maolen Fadul won this category at Cinemalaya 2022 “Leonor Will Never Die” - Eero Yves Francisco won this category at FAMAS 2023 “Nocebo” Best music “Blue Room” Mikey Amistoso and Jazz Nicolas won this award at FAMAS 2023 “Leonor Will Never Die” “Nocebo” Best sound “Nocebo” “Deleter” - Armand de Guzman won this category at MMFF 2022 “Leonor Will Never Die” “Blue Room” “The Baseball Player” “Ginhawa” “Nanahimik ang Gabi” n
and Kylie Verzosa in an outfit inspired by water “as an Aquarius.” Celebrity photographer BJ Pascual wore a blended outfit between an angel and a devil — he had flesh wings for ears and hooves instead of feet — but secretly admitted he just “wanted to dress up like a slut.” Miss Universe 2022 Celeste Cortesi also attended the ball and gave her thoughts on
her successor Michelle Dee’s chances in Miss Universe 2023; Michelle would have likely attended but her flight to El Salvador for the Miss Universe 2023 pageant was a day before the ball. Celebrity couple Billy Crawford and Coleen Garcia and aptly enough Mond’s twin brother, Richard Gutierrez, closed the black carpet arrivals in their eye-catching outfits. n
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Accelerating America’s green transition: Igniting the future with APLFI’s electric mechanic scholarship
AJMG, JTC SIGN AGREEMENT. Asian Journal Media Group (AJMG) and Jorivim Transport Corporation (JTC) recently forged an agreement for JTC to be the official transportation service of the Balikbayan Magazine as it travels and covers stories and places for balikbayans nationwide. Shown in photo at the signing held at Sentro 1771 at One Bonifacio Highstreet Mall in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig are (seated, from left) Roger L. Oriel, publisher and CEO of AJMG, Richard M. Gebana, president of JTC; (standing, from left) Geralou Sagun, AJMG administrative officer, and Marlene Gebana, marketing director of JTC.
Richard Gutierrez continues to enjoy success of ‘The Iron Heart’ RICHARD Gutierrez, in reaffirming his commitment as a Kapamilya, signed a new contract with ABS-CBN during the “Solid Kapamilya: Network Contract Signing” event at the ABSCBN Dolphy Theater. This event held special significance, given the continued success of “The Iron Heart,” the hit Kapamilya primetime action series in which Gutierrez plays a leading role. “The Iron Heart,” originally a Kapamilya production, found its way to Indonesian television screens. It is now airing in the Southeast Asian country’s free TV channel ANTV under the title
“Apollo,” occupying the Asian drama timeslot. The series is also dubbed in Bahasa Indonesia to ensure its accessibility to a broader audience. Gutierrez, riding high on the success of “The Iron Heart,” expressed his contentment with both his life and career. “I think where I am now in my life and where I am in my career is exactly where I want to be, and that is to be a solid Kapamilya,” the actor said. Gutierrez also praised ABS-CBN for its resilience in the face of numerous challenges. PAGE B7
Richard Gutierrez is looking forward to new projects under ABS-CBN after the massive success of his action series, ‘The Iron Heart.’
THE Apl.de.Ap Foundation International (APLFI) gears up to supercharge America’s green future! With excitement, APLFI announces the Electric Mechanic Scholarship. This initiative provides financial aid and strategically bridges the pressing skills gap in the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) landscape, a sector ready for dynamic expansion. U.S. EV market landscape: PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts a tenfold boost in the U.S. EV charging infrastructure by 2030, with a potential of 35 million charging stations supporting 27 million electric vehicles. As 286 million gaspowered vehicles still dominate the roads, the Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) market could reach a staggering $100 billion valuation by 2040. APLFI’s Electric Mechanic Scholarship emerges as a cornerstone in this electric evolution, addressing the transformative shift signaled by the surge in zeroemission vehicles. Apl.de.Ap, APLFI’s Grammy-winning founder, emphasizes, “The rise in EVs reshapes our job landscape. We must place our communities at the forefront of this change.” The global EV landscape: EV adoption represents more than a fleeting trend; it stands as a robust cornerstone in the worldwide movement against climate change, echoing its influence across diverse sectors like energy, real estate, and urban design. APLFI’s scholarship doesn’t merely offer support; it actively propels our commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future. APLFI’s legacy: Navigating the future Originating from vibrant Southern California, APLFI champions the transformative contributions of Asian Americans to automotive culture. In the vibrant tapestry of the modified vehicles like Honda Civics and Toyota Supras emerged as shining beacons, heralding a renaissance in the automotive realm. This global awakening
At SEMA in Las Vegas, NV., Apl.de.Ap proudly introduces his foundation’s fresh Electric Vehicle Scholarship Initiative. Captured here, Apl.de.Ap stands proudly beside the Foundation’s freshly minted 1967 F100 EV hotrod – a fusion of vintage charm and modern-day marvel, symbolizing the innovative spirit driving the scholarship forward. Photo by Jerel Natividad/Green Thumb Garage
not only captivated an entire generation of car aficionados but also set the stage for the world’s premier automakers to unleash unparalleled feats of engineering and artistry. With a steadfast commitment to innovation, APLFI sets its sights on steering the future of automotive evolution. Scholarship overview: Powering the future of EV skills With more than 664,000 automotive professionals in the U.S. as of May 2022, APLFI’s Electric Mechanic Scholarship actively invites industry veterans and enthusiastic newcomers alike. Dive into an immersive training experience, featuring state-of-the-art EV technologies such as battery management, gas-powered to EV conversions, electronic systems, and EV diagnostics, all bolstered by this scholarship. Strategic collaborations: Crafting a brighter tomorrow APLFI actively partners with top educational institutions, government agencies, and automotive trailblazers. These strategic alliances promise to amplify the program’s impact,
furnishing selected candidates with invaluable resources, mentorships, and an expansive network. Stay updated with APLFI: For the latest news, application processes, and deadlines, keep a close watch on APLFI’s official channels. For a deeper insight into the Electric Mechanic Scholarship, reach out to info@aplfi.org. Established in 2011 by the renowned Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, APLFI stands as a 501(c)(3) beacon for youth empowerment. With a foundation in education, healthcare, and disaster relief, the organization crafts opportunities through impactful partnerships with both local entities and international NGOs. Apl.de.ap’s personal journey and visual challenges inspire a holistic approach with healthcare at its core. By blending Apl.de.ap’s rich Filipino heritage with actionable strategies, APLFI uniquely transforms personal experiences into broadreaching, positive impacts. (APLFI Release) n
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Pastor’s Notes ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas IT’S the month of November when we experience the changing of seasons marked by the onset of cold weather, falling autumn leaves, and shorter days. If you’re like me, you’ll take these somber days as opportunities to reflect more deeply on life and our Christian faith, spending more time in quiet prayer, spiritual reading, and meditation. As a Church, we begin this month by honoring all the men and women who led saintly lives, leaving behind legacies of heroic virtues for us to follow so that we do not stumble in the darkness of these challenging times. We also remember our beloved deceased family members who, despite their flaws, tried their best to show us their love and support. Later in the month, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day with our families and friends, giving honor to God and our country for the blessings we have received throughout the year. The world and our country may be plagued by wars, which we never
Praying to the God of all people
imagined would happen in our lifetime and generation, yet we never fail to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over our lives and trust in His providence and care. People may be divided in their worldviews and politics; the moral landscape, particularly concerning sexuality and gender, may have drastically changed. But there is one thing that must unite us: our love for God and for one another, which Jesus reminded us last Sunday as the greatest of all commandments. Our First Reading this Sunday (November 5), taken from the Book of Malachi, reminds us that God is the ultimate authority, deserving reverence and fear from all nations. It’s what we need to pray for in times of war: that nations, their leaders, and citizens may have a fear of God and follow His ways of love, forgiveness, humility, compassion, and peace. The following words from the Book of Malachi resonate deeply with the troubles of our times: “Have we not all the one Father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we
break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?” Therefore, whether we are Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, or belong to any other faith or belief, it is crucial that we work towards peace and justice, promoting and respecting the dignity of every human person, and advocating for decent living conditions for all people. Let us continue to proclaim the Gospel of love, compassion, and mercy. Let us continue to share it with a world filled with hatred and pride. As St. Paul reminds us, the Gospel we preach “is not a human word, but as it truly is, the word of God,” and it is actively at work within us who believe. *** 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.
Filipino American history month was proclaimed and celebrated in cities across Southern California From My Point of View dan e. nino CERRITOS – The Filipino American History Month in the United States was proclaimed by President Joe Biden in October. Taking a cue from this pronouncement, California Congresswoman Michelle Steel (R-California 45th District) and Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii 1st District) principally authored a bicameral resolution celebrating in October the PAGE B7
EMPLOYMENT
Pictured are partial attendees during the historic proclamation of the Filipino American History Month held at the City of Cerritos Council Chamber on Oct. 26. First row, from left: Marissa Pulido, City Planning Commissioner Gloria Pulido, unidentified person, Kaitlin Venice Casica, Madeline Jean Miranda and Rafael Miguel Arriola (president, internal vice president and co-treasurer respectively of Cerritos High School Magkaisa Club; Second row, from left: Former Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido, Councilwoman Lynda Johnson, Vince Casica and Aimee Bondoc Casica. Top row from left: Demeven Quirino, Johnny Itliong, Councilman Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Lee Natividad, Let Freedom Ring Committee member Dan E Niño, Mayor Bruce Barrows, Councilman Naresh Solanki and Councilman Chuong Vo. Photo by Cerritos Press Office
EMPLOYMENT
Employee protections for workers mislabeled independent contractors Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights atty. C. Joe sayas, JR. Q: I AM a trained electrician from the Philippines but I do not have a license here in California. I have worked on projects for my company for almost 5 years, but I haven’t been paid a lot of overtime. Other workers at the job site have the same problem. My company says that they don’t owe us overtime because we are not their employees. They said we are independent contractors because they never directly hired us. Our boss, who was the one who would assign us to projects, now says that we are contractors and not employees. But I believe our boss is also an employee of the company, and the managers from corporate who would come to the job site and order all of us around. Can they really avoid paying us overtime just by calling us independent contractors? A: No, simply designating a worker as an independent contractor does not determine whether or not California’s employee protections apply to that individual. Specific provisions of California law dictates whether or not you are considered an employee subject to the state’s overtime requirements. The employees under California’s so-called ABC test, you are considered an employee unless the company proves all of the following: (A) that you were “free from the control and direction of the employer in connection with the
performance of the work,” (B) that the work you performed is “outside the usual course of the company’s business”; and (C) that you “customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business.” As I mentioned, the company has to prove all three of the above. From your description that the managers directed your work at the job site, it would appear that they are unable to prove prong “A” of the ABC test. Prong “B” is also problematic since installing
that the above-described ABC test could not be applied unless the employee and his co workers first proves that the company was the hiring entity. The Court of Appeal disagreed, noting that interpreting the ABC test “to include a threshold hiring test, with the worker bearing the burden, would…run counter to the intent of the California wage and hour laws, which ‘are remedial in nature and must be liberally construed in favor of affording workers protection.’” The Court of Appeal concluded that “the ABC test does not include a threshold hiring entity test.” You are more likely an employee given the ABC test. Hence, you should be paid overtime for the past 4 years that you worked with the company. I strongly suggest that you and your co-workers meet with an experienced employment attorney to learn more about your rights under California’s employee protection laws. *** 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 monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine for 11 years, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)
The employees under California’s so-called ABC test, you are considered an employee unless the company proves all of the following: (A) that you were “free from the control and direction of the employer in connection with the performance of the work,” (B) that the work you performed is “outside the usual course of the company’s business”; and (C) that you “customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business.” electrical wiring in new homes would seem to be in the “usual course” of a home builder’s business. You noted that the corporate representative said that the company “never directly hired” you and your co-workers to justify his contention that you are not employees. That specific defense was soundly rejected by the California Court of Appeal recently in the case of Mejia v. Roussos Construction, Inc. In that case, the construction company argued
EMPLOYMENT
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Here’s how to get your excessive underarm sweating under control
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The duty to provide complete and accurate financial disclosure in a california divorce
(and finally rock those fall outfits you’ve been wanting to try) Beauty Talk with Imee
Imee Ong-mAghAnOy I WILL cut to the chase and say it now: sweating excessively is never pretty and you can do something about it. Congratulations! Summer is over which means that “sweating season” is done and you are officially being forced out of your summer wear and into those gorgeous autumn wardrobe you’ve been eyeing for ages. The good news though is that lightweight and breathable fabrics never really go out of style. The not-so-good news, however, is that holiday parties are happening soon and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to find yourself awkwardly socializing whilst keeping your “armpit situation” in control, let alone be wearing a sweat suit to an event, do you? That’s what I thought. Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is an exaggerated response of the sweat glands to release excessive amounts of sweat, in absence of appropriate stimuli. People who have this condition can sweat anytime, anywhere, in any temperature, and up to four to five times more than the average person. It is believed to be caused by an overactive sympathetic nervous system. Some research indicates that there may be a hereditary component to the condition. The main point is that it is a real medical condition and can unfortunately affect a person’s mental wellness and self esteem. The struggle is real Excessive sweating can have a major impact on your daily life, as in everything from career prospects, to social life, and mental and emotional health. We put premium on the way we physically present ourselves, so having to deal with something as highly stigmatized as sweating, affects your lifestyle that inevitably puts you in embarrassing situations and
Barrister’s subjects you to judgmental area beating treated, the results Corner reactions. Hyperhidrosis is last for up to six months. Some also linked to higher rates of stress, anxiety, and depression. Hyperhidrosis sufferers often have to avoid certain clothing items, fabrics, and colors, while having to ritually practice keeping tissues on hand, using them to absorb underarm sweat, or always having a fan or towel with them. And while it is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind, this condition can have a major impact on wardrobe and fashion choices. The solutions are within reach Keeping your underarm sweat under control does not have to impact your style and ultimately your life. If you’re struggling to deal with the effects of excessive sweating, there are measures you can take such as wearing moisture-wicking clothing. Many athletic brands offer fastdrying layers and outerwear. It may also help to spend time in well-ventilated, air-conditioned spaces. You may also use deodorants and antiperspirants. Deodorants help prevent and conceal body odor, but do not have any “anti-sweat” properties. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, have properties (aluminum salts) that can temporarily halt the production of sweat. They come in different formulations such as gels, creams, sticks, powders, and wipes. The treatment is here! If you’re tired of sweat stains caused by deodorants, and having to consciously plan your wardrobe around sweating, then it’s time to find a treatment option that works for you. Botox/Dysport. That’s the product name for an injectable protein made from Botulinum toxin, which is a neurotoxin. Botox injections have come to be widely used in managing primary Hyperhidrosis when topical treatments have failed. The treatment works by blocking the nerve signals that instruct the sweat glands to become active. Treatment takes 30-45 minutes, and the results show in three to four days. Depending on each person, as well as the
clients do this about once or twice in a year . Keep in mind that this treatment is performed by licensed and trained professionals and are determined on a case-to-case basis. We can help you decide on the best treatment plan by analyzing your condition and asking you basic questions that would help us determine the best course of action and a more sustainable lifestyle choice or practice for you. By reducing your sweat level and getting it under control, you’ll regain some freedom in your wardrobe, and beyond. Give us a call. We’d love to help you. If you are in the LA area, feel free to swing by iSkin Beverly Hills. And if you happen to be in the Inland Empire and Orange County, we have MiSkin Spa for you r self-love and selfpampering needs. For more information you may visit iskinbeverlyhills.com. Visit iSkin Med Spa and MiSkin MedSpa for a free consultation. iSkin is located at 8665 Wilshire Blvd. Penthouse Beverly Hills, 90211 or call 424382-1002 MiSkin MedSpa is located at 9227 Haven Ave. Suite 120 in Rancho Cucamonga, 91370 or call 909-9898464. You may also follow us on social media: @iskinmedspa and @miskinmedspa. *** Known to several Filipino-American awarding circles, Imee has recently been awarded the “Premier in Beauty and Skin Treatment.” for iSkin Face and Body Spa. She maintains a monthly beauty column on Asian Journal, and a YouTube Channel, “Beauty Talk With Imee.” Imee Ong-Maghanoy is an established aesthetician, a business owner and CEO of iSkin Beverly Hills, iSkin MedSpa and MiSkin MedSpa. Imee has been in the aesthetics industry for more than 20 years. She has a degree in Biology and Doctor of Dental Medicine. iSkin MedSpa and MiSkin MedSpa are fast emerging as a top spa destination in LA. iSkin is located at 8665 Wilshire Blvd penthouse Beverly Hills, CA 90211. MiSkin MedSpa is located at 9227 Haven Ave. Suite 120 in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 91370. (Advertising Supplement)
Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes COUPLES that are going through the divorce process in California should understand that the Family Code and the Family Courts requires that they provide complete and accurate disclosure to the other spouse. The financial disclosures are taken seriously by the Courts and failure to disclose could have serious consequences for the non-disclosing party in a divorce case. The parties are required to prepare and exchange preliminary declaration of disclosure which includes and fl-142 schedule of assets and debts, fl-150 income and expense declaration, 2 years tax return, a statement of all material facts and information regarding the valuation of all assets that are community property or in which the community has an interest, a statement of all material facts and information regarding obligations for which the community is liable, and an accurate and complete written disclosure of any investment opportunity, business opportunity, or other incomeproducing opportunity presented since the date of separation that results from any investment, significant business, or other income-producing opportunity from the date of marriage to the date of separation. If the case does not settle and proceeds to trial, the parties would have to exchange final declaration of disclosure which consists of the above information with the characterization of the assets and debts whether community or separate and the valuation of those items. Family Code Section 2100 states that “[a] full and accurate disclosure of all assets and liabilities in which one or both parties have or may have an interest must be made in the early stages of a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation of the parties.” This disclosure must be made regardless of the characterization
of the assets and liabilities as community or separate property. Family Code Section 1100 defines disclosure as “the act of providing information to the other party or to the court.” Disclosure can be made in a variety of ways, including through the exchange of financial documents, such as tax returns and bank statements, or through written declarations. Family Code Section 721 states that “[e]ach party to a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation has a duty to make full and accurate disclosure of all financial information and material facts.” This duty includes disclosing information about all assets and liabilities, as well as information about income and expenses. The duty of disclosure is important for several reasons. First, it allows each spouse to have a full understanding of the marital estate before they enter into negotiations, settlement, or go to trial. This helps to ensure that the division of property and debts is fair and equitable. Second, the duty of disclosure helps to reduce the likelihood of fraud and concealment of assets. If a spouse fails to disclose all of their assets or liabilities, the other spouse may be able to set aside the divorce judgment. Finally, the duty of disclosure helps to promote the public policy of California, which favors the speedy and efficient resolution of divorce cases. If a spouse fails to comply with their duty of disclosure, they may face a number of penalties. The court may order the spouse to pay the other spouse’s attorney’s fees and costs. The court may also order the spouse to disclose the hidden assets or liabilities and award the non-disclosed asset to the other spouse. In some cases, the court may even set aside the divorce judgment. The best way to comply with the duty of disclosure is to be honest and forthright with your spouse and with the court. Gather all of your financial documents and review them carefully. If you have any questions about what to disclose, consult with an experienced divorce attorney. Here are some specific tips for complying with the duty of disclosure: 1. Disclose all assets and
liabilities, regardless of the characterization as community or separate property. 2. Disclose all income and expenses, including income from employment, investments, and businesses. 3. Disclose all debts, including credit card debt, student loans, and mortgages. 4. Disclose all gifts and inheritances received during the marriage. 5. Disclose all business interests, including partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies. 6. Disclose all information about any income-producing opportunities that arose after the date of separation but that resulted from any investment made during the marriage. If your divorce entails significant assets such as a business interests, real estate holdings, retirement plans, inheritance, it is important to seek the guidance of an experienced family law attorney to help you navigate through your case. *** 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, APC This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist with extensive trial experience. 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 was a former CPA prior to law practice. He is Managing Partner of the LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC and Managing Partner of REYES CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC. located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw. com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw. com. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 4-7, 2023 B7
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Filipino American history month was...
Richard Gutierrez
Instagram photo/@richardgutz
Richard Gutierrez...
PAGE B4 “With everything that ABSCBN has gone through over the years, I think we are not just surviving but thriving. They were able to pivot successfully, and until today, we are still giving world-class shows to Filipinos worldwide. It is the reason why I am here as a Kapamilya. I am proud to be a Kapamilya.” Gutierrez also expressed his gratitude to his fans, coactors, and ABS-CBN for their unwavering support throughout his illustrious career. Joining Gutierrez at the ceremony were ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez, president and CEO Carlo Katigbak, COO of broadcast Cory Vidanes, group CFO Rick Tan, head of TV Production and Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi, Star Magic’s Love Capulong, and Gutierrez’s mother and manager Annabelle Rama. As Gutierrez looks ahead, he
expressed his enthusiasm for the next phase of his career. “We have a couple of things lined up. I think The Iron Heart set a high bar so we really need to think of a new concept that will further elevate the the action, storytelling, and locations we delivered for The Iron Heart.” Richard also revealed his desire to collaborate with talented actors such as Jodi Sta. Maria, Kim Chiu, Belle Mariano, and Donny Pangilinan. He remained open to reuniting with Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, with whom he had previously worked in “La Luna Sangre.” Gutierrez joined ABS-CBN in 2017 and worked with Angel Locsin, Daniel, and Kathryn in “La Luna Sangre.” He was also part of one of the longestrunning action series, “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” and hit movies “Unbreakable” and “Fantastica.” (ManilaTimes.net) n
Why Mrs. Lovi... PAGE B3 future because, like I said, I’m just very happy that, he’s very understanding of my job. That’s why I’m the one who does the traveling [to see him] from wherever I am or wherever he is. “I’m so lucky he is taking [our arrangement] the positive way because he really wants to see me shine and succeed as an individual. I know we’re on the next level —the next stage [of our lives] — but he still wants to see me fly,” Lovi added appreciatively. As for baby questions and when they plan to have a little bundle of their own, Lovi was frank in replying, “Of course, we want to have a baby, but, so far, right now, we just want to focus on work and being together.” With the holidays coming, Lovi is looking forward to a freer schedule so that she and her husband can finally go on honeymoon. “Any suggestions?” she jokingly asked the room. After satisfying all the burning questions about her new married life, Lovi thoughtfully took the opportunity to thank Goldy and Imono for being part of her wedding. “I wore an Imono locket which had the photo of my dad [the late King of Philippine Movies, Fernando Poe, Jr.] inside, and I gave one to Monty too to keep in his suit pocket, with
his dad’s picture there as well. That way, we made them part of our wedding even if they’re no longer with us,” she touchingly said. Taken by surprise, Goldy deeply appreciated Lovi’s gesture and how it’s not just lip talk. She does wear Imono jewelry wherever she goes and whatever she does. So finally, in her speech, Goldy recalled how Lovi has been an ambassador for Imono Jewelry for several years now. “She is an incredibly effective endorser because the jewelry products of the company suit her perfectly. In fact, Imono’s prices are very affordable, but when Lovi wears them, they appear quite luxurious,” the entrepreneur added. “Following her wedding, we just wanted to reintroduce Lovi as our endorser. “I can truly say that we’ve been very supportive of each other and Lovi, especially with the brand and every collection that we launch, like our latest holiday collection.” It wasn’t lost on Goldy that the celebratory theme of the holiday pieces is very timely for Lovi what with the momentous milestones she had just had. “We should really celebrate all the good things that happen to us every day,” said Mrs. Blencowe. And for sure, they’re all the more easy to appreciate when one is deeply in love. n
PAGE B5 history and culture of Filipino American and their immense contributions to the United States. This was followed by the City of Los Angeles, Cerritos and Carson and other cities in the United States where there are large concentration of Filipino-Americans. On October 26, the City Council of Cerritos presented a proclamation to the Filipino community with the participation of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Cerritos and Magkaisa Club of Cerritos High School -- at the Cerritos City Council Chamber led by its Mayor Bruce Barrows, Chuong Vo, Naresh Solanki and Fil-Am council members Lynda Johnson and Frank Aurelio Yokoyama. Mayor Barrows in his opening statement said, “On Sept. 29, 2023, Congresswoman Michelle Steel submitted House Resolution 744, which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. This recognizes the month of October 2023 as Filipino American History Month and celebrates the history and culture of Filipino Americans and their immense contributions to the United States. The Filipino American community is the third-largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the United States, with a population of approximately 4,500,000.” California is home to nearly 2 million Filipinos, approximately 30,000 of which live in California’s 45th District according to U.S. Census Data. He added, “According to the 2021 American Community Survey, the Filipino Community is the largest of the Asian population in the City of Cerritos.” As of 2023, statistics show, out of about 50,000 residents in the City, Filipino-American residents account for 7,383. Reading a portion of the House Resolution 744, Mayor Barrows told the gallery of mostly Filipino-Americans clad in their Filipiniana costume, “From the
Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Filipinos and Filipino Americans have a long-standing history of serving in the Armed Forces of the United States.” It will be noted that more than 250,000 Filipinos fought as USAFFE forces and guerrillas under the United States flag during the World War 11 to protect and defend the U.S. interests in the Pacific Theater. “Filipino Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that may be bestowed on an individual serving in the Armed Forces, and continue to demonstrate a commendable sense of patriotism and honor in the Armed Forces.” According to the resolution, “Filipino Americans play an integral role in the healthcare system of the United States as nurses, doctors, first responders, and other medical professionals, and approximately 1 in 4 working Filipino adults in the United States is a frontline healthcare worker. “In 2009, Congress first recognized October as Filipino American History Month for their many contributions including music, dance, literature, education, business, hospitality, journalism, sports, fashion, politics, government, science, technology, the fine arts, and other fields that enrich the United States. For the many contributions of Filipino and Filipino Americans, it is fitting that we join with our nation and celebrate the month of October as Filipino American History Month and honor our Filipino community members.” Accepting the proclamation were Ms. Ellen Rodriguez-Swing, President of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Cerritos and its vice chair, Mr. Lee Natividad and Miss Kaitlin Casica, President of Cerritos High School Club
Magkaisa. After the passage of the House Resolution during the118th Congress 1st Session, Rep. Michelle Steel said, “The Filipino Americans in Southern California have contributed so much to our communities. I am proud to introduce this resolution to honor the rich history, culture, and heritage of the Filipinos across this country, to commemorate their successes, and celebrate their commitment to the American Dream.” “On behalf of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA) Greater Los Angeles Region and our constituent-members, we welcome the American community as a whole to help us celebrate Filipino-American History Month during October each year,” said Noel S. V. Omega, President of NaFFAA Greater Los Angeles Region. “This celebration reminds us to work together to break cultural barriers and create a climate of inclusivity, harmony and compassion towards all. We invite everyone to learn about the history and contributions of Filipinos in America. Together, we can build bridges across communities to secure a stronger future as we learn from each other.” The earliest documented Filipino presence in the continental United States was October 18, 1587, when the first ‘‘Luzones Indios’’ arrived in Morro Bay, California, on board the Nuestra Señora de Esperanza, a Manila-built galleon ship. The Filipino American National Historical Society recognizes 1763 as the year in which the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States was established in St. Malo, Louisiana. *** 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. *** denino1951@gmail.com
B8 NOVEMBER 4-7, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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