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NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2023

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 34 - No. 48 • 12 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

FTC scales language barriers to battle scammers THE Federal Trade Commission has a new strategy for battling fraud. As of this fall, its Language Access Initiative provides interpreters who can take fraud reports and provide advice in many more languages than just English and Spanish. At a November 21 press briefing the federal agency hosted with Ethnic Media Services – simultaneously translated into Spanish, Korean and Mandarin – two FTC officials and a lawyer/journalist described how the new multilingual services work and some of the ways they’re expected to help protect consumers. “We’ve long had the ability to hear from people in English and Spanish,” said Monica Vaca, deputy director in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Getting reports from people in other languages has been a limitation for us.” Vaca emphasized the importance of people making those reports not just for their own sake but to help the FTC get the  PAGE 2

‘ALL FILIPINOS AFFECTED BY THE WAR HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR’

Bongbong Marcos: Gov’t secured last Filipino held by Hamas in Gaza held by Hamas in Gaza. Marcos said Noralyn Babadilla is now in Israel. “I have entrusted our officials at the Philippine MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Embassy in Tel Aviv to attend to her needs in cooron Wednesday, November 29 that the government dination with Israeli authorities. With this positive has located and secured the second and last Filipino development, I am pleased to inform the nation by JEAN MANGALUZ Inquirer.net

NO CRACKS IN UNITEAM

‘We just work as Pres. and VP,’ says Duterte on Marcos by ZACARIAN SARAO Inquirer.net

More than 60 Asian American groups raise alarm over surveillance program LOS ANGELES – More than 60 Asian American groups have opposed the anticipated reauthorization of a controversial surveillance measure that could be used to racially profile their communities. In a letter to Congress, the groups said the statute – Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) – has been “misused” to spy on Americans in the past. “The consequences of such misuse have had a profound impact on our Asian American community, resulting in wrongful targeting, unjust surveillance and devastating tolls on careers, livelihoods and reputations,” said the letter signed by a coalition of 63 Asian American organizations. The coalition is led by the Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) and the Asian American Scholar Forum. Section 702 is a surveillance program designed to collect information related to national security threats from foreigners outside the United States. It is granted through annual certifications and relies on the mandatory assistance of American telecom providers. (Nimfa U. Rueda/Inquirer.net)

TRIBUTE. Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin leads the wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the 160th birth anniversary of Philippine hero Andres Bonifacio at the Bonifacio National Monument in Caloocan City on Thursday, Nov. 30. Bersamin said the celebration is anchored on the duties and responsibilities that all Filipinos must share among themselves in ensuring the nation’s progress and prosperity. PNA photo by Ben Briones

MANILA — No “cracks” exist between the MarcosDuterte tandem, otherwise known as the ‘UniTeam,’ Vice President Sara Duterte herself said on Tuesday, November 28. Duterte made the pronouncement after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently revealed that the prospect of the Philippines reintegrating as a state party to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently being studied. His statement fueled speculation that differences may have started to form within the political teamup. The speculation is further fanned with alleged plans within the House of Representatives to impeach the vice president. “Wala naman. Wala namang [cracks]. (There’s none. There aren’t any cracks),” said Duterte at the sidelines of “Bata, Bida Ka!” program for the 31st National Children’s Month.  PAGE 2

2023 digital lending in PH tipped to hit $489M ‘Philippines must build up defense capability’ by RONNEL W. DOMINGO Inquirer.net

MANILA – The Philippine digital lending market is expected to grow by 45.4 percent to reach $488.8 million in 2023 from $336 million in 2022 and is poised for a “rampant surge” over the next four years, according to PayNEXT360. The research and consulting firm — which holds offices in the United Kingdom, the United States and India — said in a report that the adoption of alternative lending channels in the Philippines is growing

by an average of 36.2 percent yearly during the forecast period of 2023-2027. This means that the market is expected to ring up $1.68 billion by 2027, thanks mainly to digital banking service providers such as neo-banks and financial technology or fintech firms. PayNEXT360 describes alternative lending as ranging from personalized business-to-consumer offerings like payroll advances to strategic business-to-business solutions like lines of credit. Payment instruments for these trans PAGE 4

Sara appeals to DOJ: Don’t cooperate with ICC by NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS Philstar.com

Vice President Sara Duterte

that all Filipinos affected by the war have been accounted for,” the president said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Marcos also thanked Israeli authorities for overseeing Babadilla’s release.  PAGE 2

Photo from Facebook/@MayorIndaySaraDuterteOfficial/

MANILA — While maintaining that President Marcos’ foreign policy decisions should be followed, Vice President Sara Duterte said she would urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) not to cooperate in the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s investigation of the bloody war on drugs during the administration of her father. Asked about Marcos’ softened tone regarding the issue of cooperation with the ICC, Duterte said, “We all should respect the position of the president, being the chief architect of foreign policy. His position should be the position of all.” But she stressed her office

would continue to assert its position against cooperating with the ICC’s investigation on her father’s drug war. “But we will continue to reach out to DOJ regarding our position on this matter… and we will lay down the legal basis of our position,” she told reporters on Monday, November 27. Last week, Marcos said proposals for the country to rejoin the ICC are “under study,” raising the possibility of ICC prosecutors being allowed to investigate and possibly prosecute Duterte and his officials for crimes against humanity committed in the conduct of his war on drugs. Marcos made the statement after members of the House of Representatives, whose  PAGE 4

by FRANCISCO TUYAY ManilaTimes.net

DEFENSE Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said on Monday, November 27 the Philippines must build up its defense capability to counter China’s expansionist claims in the West Philippine Sea, which threaten the survival of future generations of Filipinos. Speaking at a symposium in Camp Aguinaldo, Teodoro said China defends its incursions in Philippine waters with arguments that contradict international law. “What China is doing is to contain the survival of future generations of Filipinos,” the official said. He said the Philippines is one of the five countries whose sovereignty is protected by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). “It is not only for us, but it is for the peace and prosperity of our future generations that we are able to explore, exploit and protect natural resources that rightfully belong to [the] Republic of the Philippines patrimony and if we fail in doing so, we are doing a disservice to future generations and for the rest of mankind,” Teodoro said. Experts on maritime law also shared their insights on territorial and sovereign rights during the symposium. China continues to assert its claims on the West Philippine Sea using harassment and intimidation. It has prevented Filipino fishers from entering the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and Chinese ships have been harassing boats delivering supplies to Filipino soldiers stationed at the Ayungin Shoal. To respond to challenges to its sovereignty in the disputed areas, the Philippines must have “robust armed forces and defense mechanisms,” Teodoro said. “We have to build a resilient, redundant and self-reliant defense system,” he said. To achieve that, the Defense department is strengthening its logistical capability. “We’ve built logistical reserves, and we in the Defense department are totally committed to that reserve and project  PAGE 2

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From The FronT Page

‘Philippines must build up defense... PAGE 1

right skills and right people management efficiencies for the right job are essential in acquisitions, efficiencies to building this architecture,” in human capabilities and Teodoro said. The department is also efficiencies in motivating the

formulating a philosophy of operation “that is flexible, adaptable, sustainable, redundant and realistic,” he said. g

FTC scales language barriers to battle... PAGE 1

word out before more people are scammed. “We can only bring cases and do education about scams that we know about,” she said. Fraud toll nears $9 billion Just based on the number of reports people made in English or Spanish, fraud and deceptive or unfair business practices cost U.S. consumers close to $9 billion last year, noted Larissa Bungo, senior attorney with the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. People who are worried they have been victimized can reach out for FTC help either on the phone or online. Doing so will alert the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network – a pool of 3,000 law enforcement officers at federal, state and local levels – to be on the lookout. If the FTC can catch the culprits quickly enough there is the possibility of getting your money back – another reason to not hesitate if you think you’ve been cheated. For example, the FTC was able to recover $245 million that it is returning to customers of Epic Games, creator of the popular game Fortnite, which the FTC alleged tricked young players into making unintentional purchases. The deadline for filing a claim is Jan. 17 of 2024. Don’t hesitate to report fraud Of course, to get money back with FTC help, you have to identify yourself when making a report, but in any case, you will never be asked about your immigration status. Sometimes, success in getting money back depends on how the victim was defrauded. For instance, if payments were made using a credit card, it may be possible to contest the charge with the card company. So be careful. “Only scammers insist you pay by gift

card, cryptocurrency or wire transfer,” Bungo advised. Another reason to not delay reporting suspicions is that scammers often work from overseas where they and the money they obtained are harder for law enforcement to reach. Even if you successfully dodge a scam, reporting the attempt helps inform and thus protect otherwise unsuspecting potential victims, Bungo said. The multilingual call-center staff and information available at the agency’s website can also provide a range of “next steps” for people to consider. By phone, call (877) 382-4357, then press 3. A succession of messages in different languages will tell you what number to press next to reach an in-person interpreter who knows your language. Lines are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, which is 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the West Coast. New language choices available as of last month include Portuguese, French, Tagalog, Somali, Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian, Polish, Korean, Ukrainian, Hmong and Mandarin. The FTC has the ability to find interpreters in almost 200 languages, as needs arise. This multilingual reporting system can also be used to report identity theft situations. For those, call (877) 438-4338, then follow the same process of dialing 3 to access the various languages available. You can make either fraud or identity theft reports online at ReportFraud.ftc. gov or IdentityTheft.gov or, in Spanish, ReporteFraude.ftc.gov and RobodeIdentidad.gov. Those four web pages all have drop-down lists in a box labeled “languages” or “idiomas” that let users complete reports in dozens of other languages. Bungo also described numerous resources the FTC provides at no cost for people to distribute within their

communities, whether online or in print. For instance, there’s a fraud handbook for recent immigrants and refugees and guidance for small business owners. There’s information about “four warning signs of a scam,” descriptions of common tricks such as fake invoices, business impersonation, bad business practices, phony job opportunities, phony online retailers and “phishing” links disguised to look like they’re from companies trying to make a delivery. If asked, the agency will also print and ship these guides to community organizations, at no charge, Bungo said. Information the ‘most powerful weapon’ against scammers Lawyer and journalist Jongwon Lee described a scenario he witnessed and reported on in Atlanta’s Korean community, where a retiree lost tens of thousands to an investment scammer who gained his trust in part by being conversant in Korean. Publicity about the case, a pyramid scheme that became known as Club Mega Planet, helped prosecutors uncover other victims in several states. Making law enforcement aware of additional cases increases the likelihood of criminals being arrested, and prompt reporting can help prevent the stolen money from being spent before it can be recovered. “The FTC’s Language Access Initiative is historic,” Lee said. “It shows that government agencies are looking to do justice for immigrants like us. Language access gets rid of fear and shame and gives you confidence and encouragement that you are not alone and somebody is listening to you.” “Information is the most powerful weapon against scammers. Get educated and informed.” (Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Services)

GIFT GIVING. City of Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna (in white) and Vice Mayor Yul Servito Nieto inspect the 695,000 Christmas food boxes at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila on Thursday, Nov. 30. The food boxes will be distributed to city residents starting Friday, Dec. 1. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

Bongbong Marcos: Gov’t secured... PAGE 1 “We extend our sincerest gratitude to Israeli authorities for facilitating Noralyn’s release, and for all ongoing assistance to Filipinos in Israel. Our gratitude also goes to Egypt and

the State of Qatar for their crucial role in this process over the past several weeks,” he said. A raging battle between Israeli troops and Hamas militants ensued in Gaza following the October 7 surprise attack of the

Palestinian militant group on Israel. A few days of ceasefire was sought and agreed upon last week to allow the release of civilians trapped and held captive in the war. g

‘We just work as Pres. and VP,’ says Duterte... PAGE 1

pangangampanya. Ang trabaho namin is president and vice president,” said Duterte. (UniTeam was a tandem during the elections. This time, our job is not to campaign anymore. Our job is president and vice president.) “With regard to our working relationship, wala akong narinig kay Pangulong Marcos na reklamo niya with regard sa trabaho namin sa DepEd (Department of Education). Tuloy tuloy lang iyong trabaho,” she added. (About our working relationship, I haven’t heard any complaints from President Marcos about our work in the DepEd. The work continues.) Asked if she had already met with Marcos after he made his statements that he is considering a return to ICC, Duterte said they had not yet File photo seen one another. g

elections is over. “Ang UniTeam kasi, it According to Duterte, her partnership with Marcos was a tandem during the Ngayon naman, continues even after the elections. campaign period for the 2022 ang trabaho namin is hindi na

Vice President Sara Duterte nad President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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Dateline USa

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Why long-term care insurance 2023 digital lending in PH tipped to... falls short for so many PAGE 1

by Jordan rau

and Jonel aleccia KFF Health News

FOR 35 years, Angela Jemmott and her five brothers paid premiums on a long-term care insurance policy for their 91-year-old mother. But the policy does not cover home health aides whose assistance allows her to stay in her Sacramento, California, bungalow, near the friends and neighbors she loves. Her family pays $4,000 a month for that. “We want her to stay in her house,” Jemmott said. “That’s what’s probably keeping her alive, because she’s in her element, not in a strange place.” The private insurance market has proved wildly inadequate in providing financial security for most of the millions of older Americans who might need home health aides, assisted living, or other types of assistance with daily living. For decades, the industry severely underestimated how many policyholders would use their coverage, how long they would live, and how much their care would cost. And as Jemmott belatedly discovered, the older generation of plans — those from the 1980s — often covered only nursing homes. Only 3% to 4% of Americans 50 and older pay for a longterm care policy, according to LIMRA, an insurance marketing

and research association. That stands in stark contrast to federal estimates that 70% of people 65 and older will need critical services before they die. Repeated government efforts to create a functioning market for long-term care insurance — or to provide public alternatives — have never taken hold. Today, most insurers have stopped selling stand-alone long-term care policies: The ones that still exist are too expensive for most people. And they have become less affordable each year, with insurers raising premiums higher and higher. Many policyholders face painful choices to pay more, pare benefits, or drop coverage altogether. “It’s a giant bait-and-switch,” said Laura Lunceford, 69, of Sandy, Utah, whose annual premium with her husband leaped to more than $5,700 in 2019 from less than $3,800. Her stomach knots up a couple of months before the next premium is due, as she fears another spike. “They had a business model that just wasn’t sustainable from the get-go,” she said. “Why they didn’t know that is beyond me, but now we’re getting punished for their lack of foresight.” The glaring gaps in access to coverage persist despite steady increases in overall payouts. Last year, insurers paid more than $13 billion to cover 345,000 long-term care claims, according to industry figures. Many policyholders and their relatives

reported that their plans helped them avert financial catastrophes when they faced long-term care costs that would have otherwise eviscerated their savings. But others have been startled to learn that policies they paid into over decades will not fully cover the escalating presentday costs of home health aides, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes. And in other cases, people entitled to benefits confront lengthy response times to coverage requests or outright denials, according to records kept by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the organization of state regulators. Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an industry trade group, said long-term care was the most challenging type of insurance to manage. “You need multiple crystal balls,” Slome said. “And you have to look 20 years into the future and be right.” The pandemic paused a longterm decline The industry’s wobbly finances haven’t steadied despite a brief profitable surge during the coronavirus pandemic. Earnings rose because thousands of people who were drawing benefits, many in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, died from covid-19, and other policyholders died before using their insurance. Others stopped tapping their benefits because PAGE 5

actions are listed as including cash, checks, credit transfer, direct debits, debit card, credit card and e-money. “The high percentage of the unbanked population, coupled with the growing demand for credit amid the current macroeconomic environment, has resulted in more and more consumers turning to alternative lending providers in 2022,” PayNEXT350 said in a statement. Inflation impact “This trend is projected to further continue in 2023, as inflation continues to impact the disposable income of many across

the Southeast Asian market,” it added. Citing an example, PayNEXT360 noted that fintech startup Salmon launched its first lending product in the Philippines in January 2023. For the launch of its pointof-sale lending service, Salmon partnered with 30 merchants and aimed at millennials and Gen Z consumers “who do not have the time and patience to go through the complicated processes of conventional institutions.” Tonik group also launched new lending products that offer flexible terms, such as no collateral required for consumer

purchases, or the object of purchase—such as a property—to be the collateral itself. Another driver of growth is the trend of digital lenders teaming up with artificial intelligence-powered fintech firms in order to enable accurate credit risk profile assessment, including for the unbanked borrowers — such as UNO Digital partnering with Trusting Social. Also, players are teaming up with one another to diversify their service offerings and add another revenue stream to their core operations — such as Tala teaming up with Union Digital, which launched an e-wallet lending service. g

Sara appeals to DOJ: Don’t cooperate... PAGE 1 relations with the vice president and her father appear to have soured, filed resolutions urging the administration “to extend their full cooperation to the ICC Prosecutor with respect to its investigation of any alleged crime within the jurisdiction of the ICC.” After years of delay, the ICC decided earlier this year to resume its inquiry into the Philippines’ war on drugs. The decision drew pushback from several lawmakers allied with former president Duterte, as well as from Marcos and members of his Cabinet, including Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. Over 6,000 suspected drug

For lawyer and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, ICC’s absence of judicial cognizance over the drug war case precludes it from investigating former president Duterte and his vice president-daughter. Philstar.com file photo

offenders have been killed in Duterte’s drug war based on government data. However, human rights groups said the number of fatalities could be several times higher. For lawyer and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, ICC’s absence of judicial cognizance over the drug war case precludes it from investigating former president Duterte and his vice presidentdaughter. Roque, who is included in the court’s list of counsels, also cautioned President Marcos that his political advisers were using the ICC issue to foment division between the Marcos administration and the Duterte family. The former presidential spokesman opined that the war on drugs case officially came under the ICC’s cognizance only after the Pre-Trial Chamber authorized a preliminary investigation in 2022. “Regardless of our membership status, the Court cannot invoke jurisdiction since it was only in 2022 that the former prosecutor was allowed to proceed with the preliminary investigation. It was two years after the Philippines officially left the ICC,” Roque explained. “What the former prosecutor conducted before 2022 was a preliminary examination, which differs from an authorized preliminary investigation. She acted in her own capacity,” he said, apparently referring to Fatou Bensouda. “The ICC did not have direct participation in this informal process.” Prospective, not retroactive Roque added the jurisdiction of the ICC is applied prospectively and not retroactively. The ICC’s prospective jurisdiction over the Philippines, he said, took effect when the country ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC in 2011. It was rescinded in 2019, one year after the country deposited the notice of withdrawal to the United Nations SecretaryGeneral as stipulated under Article 127. “Without a retroactive effect, the court cannot open past cases involving our former presidents because it will violate their right to due process,” he said. “Thus, the ICC cannot subject FPRRD to a probe because the Philippines withdrew from the Statute long before the Court authorized a preliminary investigation,” he said, referring to the former president by his initials. He expressed belief that given the court’s prospective jurisdiction, it can only investigate a sitting chief executive or current leaders suspected of committing grave crimes against the international community. Roque said he agreed with President Marcos that the Philippine government and the court must settle first the fundamental issue of Philippine sovereignty and judicial independence relative to the court’s jurisdictional reach. “I am worried that PBBM might be getting the wrong advice from people out to harass and muzzle FPRRD and VP Sara. I appeal to president to ignore those sowing discord in the UniTeam and dissension between the Marcos and Duterte families,” he said. “After the botched impeachment moves in the Lower House on the vice president, some ambitious politicos might capitalize on the ICC probe as a way to humiliate Inday Sara or

worse, remove her from office,” he added. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, for his part, said rejoining the ICC would be unconstitutional if done without Senate concurrence. Dela Rosa is one of 11 former officials being investigated by the ICC for possible crimes against humanity. Despite Marcos’ hinting at allowing the country to rejoin the ICC, Dela Rosa said he is counting on the chief executive’s previous statement that he is “very firm not to allow the ICC to interfere in our justice system, that’s a very fundamental issue. No. 1 is sovereignty and no. 2 is jurisdiction.” “If you want to rejoin, that will still have to go through the process before we enter into any agreement,” Dela Rosa said in an interview over ANC. “After the president’s ratification, it has to be concurred by the Senate by a two-thirds vote. So that’s the process. Back to zero, back to square one,” he added. The senator said failure to follow such process would be unconstitutional. No skeletons in closet But for Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, allowing the ICC to investigate on Philippine soil the drug war killings during the Duterte administration will send a clear message to the world that in the issue of human rights the government has no skeletons in the closet. “By allowing ICC to come, it’s telling the world that we have nothing to hide here,” Abante, who also chairs the House committee on human rights, said. Abante has authored a resolution allowing the ICC to investigate former president Duterte and some of his officials for possible case of crime against humanity in the conduct of his war on drugs. The gesture, he added, will show that the current administration is “very transparent with its processes” and its justice system is functioning. “We just want to show to the whole world and to the ICC that our justice system is running smoothly,” he pointed out. But he stressed the ICC should not be allowed to indict or prosecute the former president and his officials in the country. “They can come in and investigate and even ask questions to the family of the victims but they cannot prosecute here,” he said. Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay, a human rights lawyer and a vocal critic of Duterte, maintained that letting the ICC in is not a surrender of sovereignty. “If we believe in the rule of law, then we must let ICC come in,” Lagman said. Abante and Ramon Gutierrez (1-Rider party-list) filed House Resolution 1477 on the ICC entry during plenary on Nov. 21, while Lagman filed his – HR 1482 – on the same day. Marcos said the ICC issue is “under study” with Speaker Martin Romualdez making it clear that lawmakers would be guided by whatever the Palace would decide on the matter. This happened amid a word war between House leaders and Duterte, who called the lower legislative chamber a “rotten institution” after it rejected his daughter’s request for P650 million in confidential funds for the OVP and the Department of Education, which she heads. g

Why long-term care insurance falls... PAGE 4 they fled facilities and went to live with their families, who provided unpaid care. Overall, earnings went from $2.3 billion in losses in 2019 to two years of profits totaling $1.1 billion, before receding into the red in 2022 by losing $304 million, according to Fitch Ratings. Still, none of that was enough to reverse the industry’s longterm decline. Doug Baker, a director in Fitch’s U.S. life insurance group, said long-term care insurance “is one of the riskiest in our universe” because of the lingering financial burden from underestimating the number of people who would tap their policies. More insurers now offer hybrid plans that combine life insurance with long-term care. Those policies are less generous than the ones offered a decade ago — and using the long-term care benefit drains some or all of the money policyholders hoped to leave to their heirs. “I don’t think people will offer unlimited again,” said Tom McInerney, the chief executive of Genworth Financial, which suspended selling plans through brokers in 2019. “One way or another, taxpayers are going to have to pay more for long-term care needs of the baby boomers.” Many experts believe it’s untenable to expect that a private insurance market can protect most people from the growing burden of long-term care costs. “The whole situation is poorly suited to that kind of insurance offering,” said Robert Saldin, a political science professor at the University of Montana who studies the industry. Falling profits and skyrocketing premiums Starting in the 1970s, longterm care insurance was touted as a way to keep older people from eroding their retirement savings or resorting to Medicaid, the state-federal program for the poor and disabled. Early plans were limited to nursing home care but later expanded to cover in-home care and assisted living centers. Sales of the policies doubled from 1990 to 2002. As demand grew, however, there were signs the industry had vastly miscalculated the cost of its products. Insurers set early policy prices competitively low, based on actuarial models that turned out to be markedly inaccurate. Forecasters’

estimates of policyholders’ longevity were wrong. U.S. life expectancy increased to nearly 77 years in 2000 from about 68 years in 1950, federal records show. And as people lived longer, their need for care increased. Industry officials also failed to account for the behavior of savvy consumers determined to keep their long-term care coverage. Insurers counted on policy lapse rates — people giving up their policies or defaulting on payments — of about 4% annually. The actual lapse rate was closer to 1%. As the miscalculations sent profits plummeting, insurers raised premiums or exited the market. By 2020, sales of traditional policies had dropped to 49,000 and the number of carriers offering plans had fallen to fewer than a dozen from more than 100. Premiums for some consumers doubled in just a year or two. Three class-action lawsuits accused Genworth of failing to disclose to policyholders that it had planned multiyear rate increases, leaving them without information they needed to decide whether to keep their policies. Genworth settled the lawsuits with offers to allow customers to adjust their policies, and in some cases it paid cash damage to those who accepted reduced benefits. The company did not admit wrongdoing. The increases continue. AM Best, a rating agency, said in a report last November that Genworth “will continue to need annual rate increases for at least several more years to reach economic break-even.” Prices for new policies have jumped, too. A decade ago, a couple aged 55 could expect to pay about $3,725 a year for a policy that included $162,000 in total benefits and 3% annual inflation protection, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. Today, a policy that is virtually the same would cost $5,025, 35% more, even as rising health costs and inflation have eroded the value of the benefits. And that’s only for the people who can qualify. To limit their losses, insurers have narrowed the eligible pool of clients. In 2021, about 30% of applicants ages 60 to 64 were denied long-term care insurance. For applicants 70 to 74, the rejection rate was 47%. Even among people in their 50s, more than 1

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in 5 were turned down. Chronic health conditions, a history of stroke or diabetes, or psychiatric illness may all be grounds for disqualification. At the same time, insurers began scrutinizing claims more closely. “They tightened their belts,” said Alan Kassan, a senior partner with the California law firm Kantor & Kantor, which represents clients challenging denials. “Then they tightened their claim administration and started denying claims more and more.” In 2022, the proportion of traditional long-term care claim denials varied, from 4.5% in Rhode Island to 9.6% in Alaska, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Despite efforts to limit liability, financial problems forced several high-profile insurance providers to drastically revise policy terms and premiums or go into insolvency, affecting the investments of thousands of clients. They included Alice Kempski, a retired nurse who, after her husband died, bought a policy from the insurance company Penn Treaty and American Network in 2004 on the advice of a financial adviser, paying premiums of $180 a month for 16 years. By 2017, she was hobbled by osteoporosis and was struggling to manage her multiple medications, according to her daughter, Ann Kempski. She sold the family home in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2017 and, now needing help bathing, moved to an assisted living center there. But when the family tried to file a claim, they discovered that Penn Treaty was insolvent and the policy had been taken over by the Pennsylvania state insurance guaranty fund. The fund had frozen Kempski’s benefits and increased her premiums to about $280 a month, her daughter said. Her doctor told Penn that she had “mild dementia” and osteoporosis and should be in an assisted living facility. But the insurer said that there was not enough evidence that she needed help with two daily living activities or had severe cognitive impairment, conditions that would trigger coverage, according to correspondence between Kempski and the company. Kempski was paying roughly u PAGE 7

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This photo shows a an 18-foot buoy effigy afloat the West Philippine Sea in Zambales put by the Association of Masinloc Fishermen in protest of the continuing harassment of China against Filipino fishermen at the Scarborough Shoal. Philstar.com photo

40 boats to join Christmas convoy to Ayungin Shoal by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

MANILA — At least 40 boats will be participating in the threeday Christmas caravan being organized by the Atin Ito Coalition in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) next weekend. The group intends to depart from Palawan on Dec. 10 and sail toward the general vicinity of Ayungin Shoal where soldiers are stationed at the grounded BRP Sierra Madre. While the caravan is not being allowed to visit and bring Christmas gifts to government troops manning the rusty warship, the National Security Council

(NSC) has permitted the civilian boats to traverse its general vicinity. Atin Ito’s convoy is then expected to visit Patag and Lawak Islands as well as Pag-asa Island where they can bring gifts for residents and soldiers stationed there and leave those intended for troops on the BRP Sierra Madre for delivery by the Philippine Coast Guard or the Philippine Navy in a rotation and resupply (RORE) mission. Akbayan, one of the groups under the Atin Ito Coalition, said one of the 40 boats joining the caravan is a mother vessel that can accommodate a maximum of 100 persons.

“We will still go to the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and hopefully we will get as near as possible, it depends what is practical and safe,” Akbayan party president Rafaela David told TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Wednesday, November 29. The NSC had initially rejected the planned Christmas convoy, citing security risks considering recent incidents in the Philippine Navy’s RORE missions to the Ayungin Shoal. But after a dialogue, the NSC granted clearance but on condition that the convoy will not really go to Ayungin Shoal but will be allowed to pass in the general area at a safe distance from the Sierra Madre. g

development which could lead to misuse of funds despite having a “strong legal framework” and a “potential to be successfully managed.” “The authorities should clearly define its role in infrastructure investment with appropriate governance stipulated to avoid misuse of funds. The MIF should be run by professionals and the board should comprise independent directors,” the report said. Despite not having a complete nine-member board of directors,

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Tuesday that the administration is confident that the MIF will be fully operational before the end of the year. Among the board of directors of the Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) are three independent directors from the private sector which must be submitted by the MIC’s advisory board to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. At present, MIC President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rafael Consing Jr. stands as the u PAGE 7

Maharlika faces risk of fund misuse - Singapore-based think tank by ian laqui Philstar.com

MANILA — A Singapore-based think tank raised red flags on the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) due to the risk of its potential misuse of funds and lack of accountability. A 79-page report by the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (Amro+3) released on November 27 pointed out that Maharlika has not clearly defined its role in infrastructure

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FEATURES

O PINION In harm’s way

THANKS to intervention by U.S. naval forces, another hijacking meant to show support for Hamas was foiled. Two of the rescued crew of the chemical tanker M/V Central Park are Filipinos. Five of the hijackers have been taken into custody by the U.S. Navy. The pirates had boarded the Liberian-flagged tanker, which is owned by an Israeli businessman, as it was transiting the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, November 26. The U.S. Navy received a distress call from the Central Park and responded. The conflict did not end there: the U.S. Navy reported that in the early hours of Monday, November 27, two ballistic missiles were fired from areas in Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels toward the tanker and U.S. guidedmissile destroyer USS Mason. Fortunately, the missiles missed their targets and landed in the sea. The Houthis are the same rebels who hijacked the Bahamas-flagged commercial ship Galaxy Leader last week and brought it to Yemen together with the crewmembers including 17 Filipinos. Hijackings targeting Israeli-owned vessels have intensified amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Filipino sailors, who are part of the crew of almost every commercial vessel on the planet, are in harm’s way. Apart from rescuing Filipinos held hostage by

Hamas and its supporters in other countries, the government must also provide mental health support to the victims. Filipino worker Jimmy Pacheco, who was among the hostages freed by Hamas during the four-day pause in the fighting, is reportedly suffering from trauma after 49 days of captivity in besieged Gaza. This type of trauma could last much longer than the period of captivity. The 17 Filipinos on the Galaxy Leader remain in captivity along with the rest of the crew – collateral damage, as one lawmaker put it, in the Israel-Hamas conflict. While Philippine officials have received word that the 17 are safe, there is no assurance that they will not suffer the same psychological trauma as the overseas Filipino worker who was freed by Hamas. Their plight, like those of the crew of the tanker Central Park, highlights the costs of the OFW phenomenon, which arises from the lack of better opportunities in their own country. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Disengagement

The Broader View HARRY ROQUE AT last, the chief executive has gone on record against efforts to remove his vice president from office through a constitutional process. Last week, I appealed to President Bongbong Marcos Jr. to publicly express his categorical support for Inday Sara Duterte. It might have taken him several days to speak, but his statement somehow reassured the millions of Duterte and UniTeam followers. It means PBBM finds no compelling reason for the House of Representatives to initiate an impeachment case against the VP. It is his way of telling allies in Congress, led by presidential cousin and Speaker Martin Romualdez, to let the matter drop. Any politician worth their salt will not defy the wishes of the country’s top leader. Personally, I would have wanted more elaboration from the president. If I were in his shoes, I would have emphatically stated that the UniTeam is as united as ever. That mutual trust and confidence remains the bedrock of the Marcos-Duterte administration. As partners, they work tirelessly to address every

internal and external threat to national stability, security and progress. Despite some issue-based differences in opinions, there is absolutely no feud nor acrimony between the Marcoses and the Dutertes. Neither is a brewing ‘them versus us’ faction among the political parties within the alliance. By saying so, the chief executive would have disabused duplicitous politicians of any notion that they could succeed in the 2025 mid-term and 2028 presidential elections without the combined support of the Marcos and Duterte forces. With the impeachment moves dead in the water, I thought that the anti-Sara instigators and leftist agitpropists in the Lower Chamber would lay low. I was wrong. Seemingly, they have moved to an insidious backup plan that could further erode the public trust in VP Sara, if not oust her from power. It might also be geared towards annihilating the Duterte political brand. I cannot help but think that some leaders and members are out for blood. In the past weeks, former President Rodrigo Duterte and Inday have crossed swords with the speaker and his allies over the controversial confidential fund allocation. Moreover, there

was a recent ‘snubbing incident’ between Inday and Martin at the Villamor Airbase. While I admire Inday Sara’s sincerity and honesty, I would advise her to remain civil to her political rivals within and outside the UniTeam alliance. I also understand if Martin got upset by the cold shoulder treatment. He is but human. However, the speaker should not be surprised by the VP’s reaction. His congressional allies would not have trained their guns on Inday without his blessings. But the incident should not warrant any form of political vendetta that jeopardizes our judicial independence and national sovereignty. A public servant must always prioritize national interest over personal issues. So, what is their Plan B? Right after PBBM voiced his anti-impeachment stance, the House human rights committee filed Resolution 1477, urging the Philippine government to cooperate with the preliminary investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the war on drugs campaign of FPRRD. It is currently under review by the justice committee. The speaker has also denied fast-tracking the bill’s passage. While a resolution is non-

WHAT can the Marcos administration gain from bringing the country back to the fold of the International Criminal Court? For one, it’s a good way of burnishing the Marcos brand and remaking the global image associated with Ferdinand Marcos as a gross violator of human rights. Ferdinand Junior has nothing to fear; the ICC is not about to investigate him or his relatives for Rome Statute crimes. For another, it may free up state resources and manpower that are currently undertaking the difficult task of identifying which of over 6,000 drug deaths officially reported by the police are cases of extrajudicial killings and which ones resulted from legitimate law enforcement operations. As Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra has lamented, probers are having a tough time finding witnesses and material evidence to establish EJK cases. Last year, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla urged police officers involved in the killings to come out and testify, promising them protection under the Marcos administration. There are no takers so far.

binding, it expresses the overall policy opinion of a co-equal branch of government. It might also provide a legal cover for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reconsider its original position on the issue. In the past, the DOJ has threatened to arrest ICC investigators if they insist on coming to the Philippines without the authorization of our government. According to the ICC, the probe focuses on alleged crimes against humanity of murder committed in Philippine territory between Nov. 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019. Take note, Sara was the Davao City mayor from 2010-2013 and 2016-2019. Digong served as the local chief executive from 2013-2016 and our president from 2016-2022. There have been news reports that the complainants have included VP Sara in the case documents filed before the Hague Court. What does this mean? Should the government allow the preliminary investigators to set foot on Philippine soil, there is a possibility that the ICC can issue summons, even warrants of arrest, for Digong and Sara. Provided that the Court finds reasonable grounds against them. Under Articles 86 and 87 of

the Rome Statute, the Court mandates State Parties to fully cooperate with the criminal investigation and prosecution under its jurisdiction. The request for cooperation shall be transmitted through diplomatic or appropriate channels upon ratification, acceptance, approval or accession of the State Party. In surrendering persons to the ICC, the Court may transmit a request for the arrest and surrender of a person. State Parties must comply with these requests. A person can challenge the request before a national court based on ne bis in idem principle (a person cannot be tried more than once for the same offense). The requested State shall immediately consult with the ICC to determine if there has been a relevant ruling on admissibility (Article 89). In 2018, the Philippines deposited the instrument of withdrawal addressed to the United Nations SecretaryGeneral. As stipulated in Article 127 of the Statute, the withdrawal took effect in 2019 or one year after the date of the receipt of the notification. A State’s withdrawal, meanwhile, shall not affect any cooperation with the Court in connection with criminal investigations and proceedings

that commenced before the date on which the withdrawal became effective. The ICC states that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes that occurred in Philippine territory while it is still a State Party. But it was only in 2021 – two years after we officially left the ICC – that the Pre-Trial Chamber authorized its Prosecutor to start its investigation. I maintain that the Court no longer has jurisdiction over the said crimes. Furthermore, we have functioning and competent domestic courts that are able and willing to give justice or provide legal remedies to those victims of alleged extrajudicial killings between 2011 and 2019. On more than one occasion, I have heard PBBM say that the country has disengaged with the ICC. Their intrusion or intervention insults our sovereignty as a nation. Our country will not cooperate with the Court in any way or form. Our lawmakers should heed and respect the president’s position. (Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

Back to the ICC?

Sketches

ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN

ManilaTimes.net photo

Guevarra told “The Chiefs” on OneNews that separating the legit kills from the extrajudicial is needed to build a case for possible murder as a crime against humanity – the Rome Statute offense that the ICC is pursuing against Rodrigo Duterte when he was mayor and then president. The country has a law covering crimes against humanity: Republic Act 9851, the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity. Harry Roque, Duterte’s lawyer in the first criminal case filed against him after his presidency, says those pushing for an ICC probe can instead file a case in the Philippines for violation of RA 9851. Incidentally, Harry says the criminal case against Duterte is proof that the country’s justice system is working. Duterte has said he is willing to face any complaint filed against him in connection with his brutal campaign against illegal drugs – but only in the Philippines. What will he do if the Marcos administration decides to make the country rejoin the ICC? * * * From the unequivocal statement that “we’re done talking with the ICC,” President Marcos is now saying the proposal is being studied.

The first in the administration to seemingly change his tune on the issue was Remulla, who had previously maintained that it’s an insult to the country’s justice system and sovereignty for the ICC to conduct a probe on Duterte’s war on drugs. President Marcos, in a chance interview, reiterated that the country’s justice system is functioning and there’s no need for the ICC to step in. But for the first time, he said rejoining the ICC is “under study” by his government. BBM wasn’t misquoted or taken out of context; the story was carried even by the Presidential Communications Office. In Southeast Asia, only Cambodia is part of the ICC, which conducted the probe on the Khmer Rouge’s murderous campaign in that country. In 2018, after a long and expensive trial, the court found two Khmer Rouge leaders guilty of genocide. The Rome Statute was adopted in 1998 by 120 countries, with 21 abstentions. Seven voted against: China, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, the U.S. and Yemen. Since then, Burundi, Gambia and South Africa have withdrawn from the ICC. Israel, Sudan, Russia and the U.S. have signified that they are not ratifying the treaty. The Philippines ratified the Rome Statute on Aug. 30, 2011,

becoming the 117th member of the ICC. The court has jurisdiction over Rome Statute crimes committed in the country since Nov. 1, 2011. On March 17, 2018, after the ICC chief prosecutor announced a preliminary examination of drug deaths in the Philippines since July 1, 2016, the country filed a written notice of withdrawal from the ICC. The withdrawal took effect a year later, on March 17, 2019. The ICC maintains that despite the withdrawal, it has jurisdiction over possible crimes committed when the Philippines was still a party to the Rome Statute. The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber, upon the ICC prosecutor’s request, authorized the opening of an investigation on Sept. 15, 2021, after finding “reasonable basis to conclude” that crimes within the court’s jurisdiction had been committed. Guevarra and other legal eagles of Marcos 2.0 have said that since the investigation was initiated two years after the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect, the ICC has no jurisdiction over the cases. In June 2020, Duterte had created an inter-agency panel to reinvestigate the drug deaths. After monitoring the progress of this undertaking to determine its “genuineness,” the ICC

prosecutor determined that “the overall failure to take meaningful action to bring perpetrators to justice, particularly when combined with promises of immunity or protection from accountability, constitutes a form of encouragement to perpetrators to continue committing violent crimes against suspected drug users and dealers.” Last Nov. 20, several members of the House of Representatives filed a resolution urging the government to extend “full cooperation” in the ICC’s probe. BBM’s statement was in reaction to this development. * * * Inevitably, there is speculation that Marcos 2.0 is laying the groundwork for handing over the drug war probe, along with Duterte, to the ICC. Make that the Dutertes – father and daughter – because Vice President Sara Duterte is included in the ICC probe, as mayor of Davao City when drug killings attributed to so-called death squads occurred. And because Daughterte is implicated, there are suspicions that the House resolution – and perceived shift in the administration’s stand on the issue – could be part of the ongoing intramurals (denied all around) within the UniTeam. Speaker Martin Romualdez’s

reaction to the filing of the House resolution has been, don’t look at me. He also previously distanced himself from the “informal discussions” in the chamber about impeaching Daughterte over the P125 million in confidential funds that she requested in her first six months as VP, and which she spent in just 11 days in December. Because this issue would necessarily implicate the approving authority for the fund transfer and source of the secret funds – the Speaker’s cousin BBM himself – Romualdez’s statements on the VP’s impeachment could be true. On the ICC probe, whether or not Romualdez had a hand in the House resolution, there are indications that Marcos 2.0 is having a change of heart. Even Duterte’s chief Tokhang enforcer, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, sensed the shift and said it surprised him. BBM has said the government is studying its options. Really, what has he got to lose? From the continuing tirades of Rodrigo Duterte, it looks like BBM has already lost the support of that clan anyway. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

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Maharlika faces risk of fund misuse... PAGE 5

sole presidential appointment on the board. His actions, particularly the revision of MIF’s implementing rules and regulations, have drawn scrutiny from critics due to the removal of educational qualifications required for his position. Others have highlighted his connection to past fraud cases, a factor that disqualifies an individual from board membership in MIF. Nevertheless, Consing clarified that the cases he was associated with have already been resolved and cleared. As a former governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Diokno currently serves as a member of the MIC's board of directors, holding the position of chairman in his ex-officio capacity as the finance secretary. The remaining board of director positions consist of two regular directors appointed by Marcos, along with the CEOs of the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The think tank also highlighted the potential conflicts arising from different objectives within the MIF, which could pose challenges in certain investment scenarios. “Given the MIF has to ensure long-term value and promote socio-economic development, there could be a risk that the different goals might be at odds with each other in some investments, for instance, there could be a trade-off between the rate of return and the public good nature of certain projects,” the think tank said. In a press briefing on November 15, Consing said the priority for the MIF will be some projects approved by the National Economic and Development Authority board. AMRO, established in February 2016, is an international body tasked with performing regional macroeconomic oversight. It monitors, evaluates, and reports on economic and financial situations and forecasts within the ASEAN+3 region, comprising the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), along with China, Japan and South Korea. Not a sovereign wealth fund Amro+3 also noted that the MIF leans more towards being a "national investment" fund rather than a sovereign wealth fund.

Citing examples from other countries that have sovereign funds, the think tank explained that a sovereign fund typically invests surplus revenue from natural resources like oil, similar to the United Arab Emirates, or fiscal surpluses, akin to Singapore’s Government Investment Corp. “The MIF is a national investment fund mainly investing within the country to support national development strategies, similar to the Indonesia Investment Authority, and Temasek Holdings,” the thinktank said. Indonesia Investment Authority and Temasek Holding have a similar mandate to the MIF which invests in local infrastructure for the economy’s development. According to the Department of Finance, the goal of the MIF is to “promote sustainable economic development by making strategic and profitable investments in key sectors” to be done “through public-private partnerships and co-investments.” They also pointed out the benefits that can be expected from the MIF: Enhancing investment capital: the MIF is poised to serve as a long-term source of investment capital that will foster economic growth and job creation. Promoting infrastructure development: the MIF can be used to finance various infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges, and airports, improving connectivity and enhancing the country’s attractiveness to investors. Boosting foreign investment: by attracting foreign investment, the MIF can draw in fresh capital and technology. Financial positions of contributing gov't institutions The think tank also emphasized that the MIF's capital size might impact the standing of certain government financial institutions, noting that the capital is "relatively small" compared to the investible funds it oversees. “The contributions to the MIF’s capital from government financial institutions (GFIs) are relatively small compared with the size of their investible funds, there could be some impact on the institutions’ financial position in the event of losses,” Amro+3 said. The MIF, expected to have a capitalization of P500 billion, currently holds a capital derived

from P50 billion from LBP and P25 billion from the DBP, both remitted last September. In October, the two state-run banks asked the BSP for regulatory relief to keep up with the required capital adequacy ratio (CAR). This came after purported weakening due to the remittance of the initial capital for the fund. However, the LandBank said that it is above the BSP’s required 10% CAR just a day after Marcos granted the bank an exemption from remitting its legally mandated annual net earnings for 2022. In a press conference on November 15, Consing assured that the two-state run banks do not need to withdraw their remitted capital as it will be used to “generate returns.” “When you put in a seat capital for a company you’re not thinking about how I am going be exiting (but) you want to be able to generate returns out of it. And that’s exactly how are we doing it,” he said. A part of the MIF's initial capitalization, amounting to P50 billion, will stem from the national government. This will include a portion of the dividends (100%) from the BSP remitted to the national government during the first and second fiscal years following the MIF's commencement. The BSP contribution is yet to be remitted. The BSP’s earnings plunged by 71% in eight months to P22.91 billion from January to August compared with last year’s P78.82 billion. Last June, Diokno reassured that the contribution from BSP to the MIF would not compromise the bank's stability. The report on the Philippines, encompassing notes regarding the MIF, resulted from AMRO's latest yearly consultation mission. This mission occurred during a visit spanning from August 29 to September 8. “Amro recognizes the authorities’ ambition to step up investments in infrastructure, long-term development, and sustainable growth,” the think tank said. “However, at the operational level, it is essential for the authorities to closely monitor the MIF and its management body, the Maharlika Investment Corp., to ensure that the objectives are achieved, the country’s long-term development needs are met, and the governing law is strictly adhered to,” it added. g

7

PEACE RALLY. An anti-war group consisting of Indigenous Peoples, Christians, and Muslims, holds a rally at the Freedom Park in Davao City on Wednesday, Nov. 29, calling for the cessation of hostilities between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. Despite the rain, the multi-sectoral interfaith gathering pushed through, with the participants pledging to launch another rally to call for peace in the Middle East. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Why long-term care insurance falls... PAGE 5

$5,400 a month out-of-pocket to the assisted living center. She moved in with her daughter when the pandemic hit, but she continued to pay full rent to the facility to save her spot until she returned in 2021. In March of that year, when her daughter was preparing to refile a claim for long-term care insurance and her premiums had reached $320 a month, Kempski had a massive stroke. She died the next month. The insurer never paid for any of her care. Coverage in a facility but not at home The policy held by Angela Jemmott’s mother, Jewell Thomas, went unused for a different reason: Like many older policies, it covered only skilled nursing care in a facility. Her children had purchased the policy after Thomas’ husband died at 56. But decades later, once Thomas developed dementia in her 80s, her children realized how desperately their mother wanted to stay home. Jemmott said they tried to add a rider to the policy to cover home care but were told that their mother’s age (older than 75) barred addons. Now the siblings jointly pay about $4,000 a month for two home health aides, while still paying the insurance premium of more than $2,500 a year. “We feel like if we stop paying it, another unforeseen need will arise and cause us to wish we kept it,” Jemmott said.

Not all policyholders are displeased. Bert Minushkin, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, paid monthly premiums for 27 years, beginning in 1993 when the policy was offered as a benefit by Westinghouse Electric Corp., where he worked as a nuclear engineer. Over time, he paid about $120,000 toward the policy, said his daughter Lisa Heffley, 61, of Louisville, Kentucky. Diagnosed with dementia, Minushkin began declining swiftly in 2019. His wife spent $220,000 on assisted living facilities and private aides for him over three years, with about $90,000 of the cost offset by his policy, Heffley said. He died in February 2022 at age 91. “He didn’t break even, but thank God he had it,” she said. Turning to crowdfunding Many experts say what’s needed is a governmentsubsidized or public program that requires people to carry long-term care insurance, as the Netherlands and Singapore have. But federal efforts to create such a system, including the CLASS Act, which was repealed in 2013, and the WISH Act, introduced in 2021, have failed to gain traction in Congress. At the state level, Washington this summer started a first-in-the-nation program that will provide long-term care benefits for residents who pay into a fund, but the maximum benefit of $36,500 will not cover a year in most assisted living

facilities. Lack of a safety net leaves some people unprotected, like Jeffrey Tanck, a real estate broker in Washington, D.C. In 2021, his mother, Sue Tanck, at 75, suffered a serious fall, leaving her with broken arms and a traumatic brain injury. She had been the primary caretaker for his father, Roger, then 77, who had rapidly worsening dementia. Without warning, Jeffrey Tanck had to assume charge of his father’s care, moving him into an assisted living center in Ocala, Florida, that now charges $4,600 a month, and had to get his mother into a skilled nursing facility paid for by Medicaid. With no money to cover his father’s costs until he sold their house, Tanck resorted to a plea on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe. Wanting to shield himself from a similar financial crisis somewhere down the road, Tanck, who is 51, applied for long-term care insurance, only to be denied. The reason? He takes antidepressants, which help him cope with the anxiety and stress of caring for his parents. “What are people supposed to do?” Tanck asked. “I’m going to need something.” g KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

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November 30, 2023

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

INSIDE

LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE

Kathryn, Daniel confirm breakup Rob and Paolo debunk myths about men’s behavior by Christina alPad

by Boy ABundA

ManilaTimes.net

Philstar.com

AFTER more than a decade I RECENTLY had a fascinating of on and off-screen romance, conversation with Rob Gomez Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel and Paolo Gumabao whose Padilla — collectively known as perspectives on matters KathNiel — have called it quits, concerning men were both the two stars confirmed. interesting and entertaining. Bernardo first posted her Our “usapang lalaki” began statement Thursday night on with Rob saying that there is truth Instagram saying, "Chapter to the idea that men, in general, closed. I hope this finally helps are not body conscious. all of us move forward. I won't be “Yes, I can say that I am not entertaining questions regarding conscious (with my appearance) this anymore. Thank you for as compared to a woman. I care understanding." less about how I look, like now She also posted a lengthier (before he sat down for our message that said: conversation), I picked my own "I've been in showbiz for outfit as opposed to a girl who almost 21 years now, 12 years has to put on her makeup first as the one-half of Kathniel, and and with a hair stylist also, aside 11 years as someone who loved from thinking or choosing what Deej even behind the camera. clothes she has to wear,” Rob "I didn't grow up in this said. industry constantly being He is also not particular when it controlled and dictated on. I comes to working out in the gym. was lucky to have had the best It’s no big deal whether the place Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo ABS-CBN photo guidance and support system is fully air-conditioned or not. when I started my career and and friendship. He knew me will always be grateful for you." “I don’t have any preference I've continuously worked hard more than anyone else. He A few minutes later, Padilla since my focus is to work out. to earn people's trust. But since was my first boyfriend. He was followed suit and posted a poem There’s no need for an air-con I became an adult, I took it my comfort zone. He was my on his Instagram account, @ so I can perspire more” Rob said. upon myself to take charge person. I will always have love supremo_dp. “I don’t know with others, of my own life-the projects I for him. "11 years. but me, I don’t even wipe the work on, the way I dress, the KD "Like any other relationship, sweat, hindi ko rin pinupunasan people I surround myself with. we tried our best to make it Pagibig. ‘yung pawis ng iba sa (gym I've always tried to be my own work. We've been drifting S a m u n d o , b u h a y a t s a equipment),” he laughed. person. I was encouraged to apart for a while now, and we limitadong oras na tayo ay Paolo agreed to what Rob had think for myself and decide for ultimately had to accept that nandito, revealed, and added that he, too, myself. Even when it comes to we can't go back to where we Isang malaking biyaya ang is not meticulous. He can do his love. Especially when it comes used to be. It just won't be fair pagmamahal. workout routine inside or outside to love. Ang mahalin ka. At mahalin the gym. to pretend that everything is "I promised to never lose still the same. mo. Paolo said, “I’m also not myself in this industry, so I've Ang mga alaala natin ay particular about where to go "These past few months have always been as authentic to you been tough, but thank you for laging kong baon sa aking puso basta may mabubuhat na exercise as I can be. I know what many of giving us the time we need to at magiging liwanag sa mga equipment, it’s fine with me.” you are thinking right now. I'm process the pain and finally face madidilim kong araw. However, Rob and Paolo have well aware of the rumors and the elephant in the room. Thank you for dancing with differing views on the general speculations going around, and Our love story began with me during my highs and thank notion that men don’t articulate as hard as it is to put everything respect and ended with respect. you for singing with me during their emotional pain. The former into words, I want you to hear it "Kathniels, we know you are my lows affirmed he would rather keep straight from me: It's true that hurting, and trust me, this also Our lives may drift away, but to himself instead of letting Deej and I have decided to part hurts us both more than you can our love will still ride that tide." emotions influence him to do or ways. He then said, "Kathniels, say things he would later regret. imagine. The last thing we want "What Deej and I had was is for this family to break apart m a r a m i n g s a l a m a t s a p a g “It’s more difficult when real. It was never for show. We with everyone taking sides- mamahal ninyo. Maraming you try to explain and explain were together not because of please don't. salamat sa napaka gandang and then someone would say the cameras, not because of the "Deej and I will continue to pinag samahan natin. Hinding something that wouldn’t give fans, not because of the money support each other as we try hindi namin ipag papalit at any bearing, ‘yung parang hindi that comes with a successful love to heal and move forward from hindi makukumpara kahit anong naman kailangan (sa sitwasyon) team. We were genuinely in love. this. We will continue to love pang gawin nila. Hinding hindi ‘yung ambag na solusyon. It’s We grew up together, dreamed you and make you proud, but nila pwedeng sirain yun. This is better to try to solve it internally. together, and saw many of those we hope you understand that beyond show business. Pamilya But if you couldn’t handle it dreams become a reality-still this is something we really need. kayo at mga kaibigan. anymore then that’s the time you together. M a g i g i n g m a h i r a p p e r o can tell someone,” Rob stated. We hope you can join us in this "That's almost half of my life healing process and not let those kailangan natin yakapin ang Paolo is not the type who that I would never regret and precious memories go to waste. kinabukasan. would hide his feelings. would never trade for anything Kaya natin to." "I pray for us to grow, and “Yes, I do talk about my in the world. These are 11 years Bernardo ended her statement heal." feelings because I grew up with that brought me joy, adventure, with a message for her former " B a l [ t h e i r t e r m o f my mom na talagang magsasabi and the feeling of being home. boyfriend: "Deep, you gave me endearment], ang pag mamahal ng, ‘Hey, Pao, what’s going on? Is Years that taught me the real 11 beautiful years and the kind ko sayo ay walang hanggan at there something bothering you?’ meaning of unconditional love of love I will forever cherish. I walang katapusan." Kumbaga nasanay na ako since I was young that I talk about my feelings,” he shared. Everyone experiences sadness

Paolo Gumabao

Rob Gomez

or pain. Thus, both actors stressed their respective points on the impression that a man shedding emotional tears is perceived as weak or less masculine. According to Rob, crying is good as it can help ease the physical and emotional pain brought by a difficult situation while Paolo believes that crying shows how strong a man is. Rob and Paolo also gave insights on the belief that brave men never surrender or step back from anything. For Paolo, a man can display his bravery not through any form of fights but from having a great sense of responsibility. “Matapang hindi dahil sa away pero matapang sa desisyon sa buhay,” he said. “Ang pagiging matapang ko ay ‘yung pagharap ko sa problema ng buong-buo, pagtanggap ng mali,” Rob uttered. “You pick your battles. You don’t always have to win and when that happens, it doesn’t mean you lose, too. Ang pagpapakumbaba, ‘yun ang mas matapang for me.”

GMA photos

Paolo never denies that men can be flirtatious, too. And what are the tell-tale signs that a guy is flirting with a girl? “Simple lang, if you see someone you like, you go to her and speak to her. It’s all in the body language kumbaga titingnan mo depende sa sitwasyon,” replied Paolo. Do they believe what other people have been saying that men are more likely to cheat? Rob deemed it as an unfair notion about men given that regardless of gender, it will happen if one places himself or herself in a situation that will lead to cheating. “Me, I think the whole cheating game right now sobrang uso because I believe it comes from your environment,” declared Paolo, who is currently romantically involved with a nonshowbiz girl. “But she has plans of joining (showbiz) soon,” he added. Everything that Rob and Paolo articulated was definitely on fleek as the Gen Zers would say. Need I say more?

SexBomb Girls reunite for intimate Christmas party Carmina posts cryptic messages by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

FORMER members of the iconic Filipino girl group the SexBomb Girls gathered for a reunion Christmas party. Rochelle Pangilinan-Solinap, Izzy Trazona-Aragon, Weng Ibarra, CheChe Tolentino, Jacky Rivas, Sunshine Garcia-Castro, Cynthia "CY" Yapchingco-Lim, Mhyca Bautista, and Aifha Medina-Cheng all shared on their Instagram accounts photos of the girls hanging out. Photos and videos on the ladies' Instagram stories showed the

Former members of the SexBomb Girls

ex-SexBomb Girls played party games and exchanged gifts. "Ang saya lang makita at makasama kayong muli. Dati sabay kumain, maligo, at matulog. Ngayon may kanyakanya nang buhay," Rochelle wrote in one of her posts. "Sarap ng kwentuhan at tawanan kagabi. Ulitin natin to!" Other members wrote similar captions like Izzy's "Night with them is (heart emojis)," Weng's "So Happy Together," and Aifha's "We all come from the same root, but the leaves are all different." Fans noticed that among the original members missing from

the party were Aira Bermudez, Jopay Paguia-Zamora, Johlan Veluz, Yvette Pabalan, and Louise Bolton. It can be recalled that Jopay was the inspiration for rock band Mayonnaise's song of the same from 2004, which saw a resurgence during and shortly after the pandemic. Several former members of the SexBomb Girls had mini-reunions for advertisements, including one for Netflix, which made fans assume that the group's iconic show "Daisy Siete" would be arriving on the streaming platform.

for twin kids Cassy, Mavy

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

ACTRESS Carmina Villaroel has been sharing a series of cryptic messages on her social media accounts, this as rumors of her son Mavy Legaspi calling it quits with singer Kyline Alcantara began circling. Last November 25, Carmina posted on X (formerly Twitter) a black and white image of actor Morgan Freeman with word directed at Mavy and his twin sister Cassy, the latter currently in a rumored relationship with singer Darren Espanto. "People can destroy your image, damage your personality, create rumors about you but they can never take away your good deeds," the message said. "Because no matter how they describe you, you will always be admired by those who know you best." The next day, Carmina posted a graphic that read, "Mom knows best," and on November 29 yet another graphic, this time of a man peering out of lake dock, which said: "Protect your peace." The same day of Carmina's initial post, her husband and fellow actor Zoren Legaspi posted a video on his Instagram account of a dinner he had with his two kids and Winwyn Marquez, Dasuri Choi, and Arra San Agustin. "Keep Smiling guys. It's good to Photo from Instagram/@rochellepangilinan have GENUINE FRIENDS. Ingat

Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legaspi with their twins, Cassy and Mavy Legaspi Photo from Instagram/@mina_villarroel

kayo," Zoren wrote for the post, to which Carmina commented: "Maraming salamat sa mga tunay na nagmamahal sa mga anak namin. Mahal din namin kayo." Last week, Kyline had posted on

at least two social media accounts, "I knew it," which led to many fans speculating she and Mavy have split, some even linking the latter to Dasuri, who co-hosts "Eat Bulaga" with Mavy.

EntErtainmEnt

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Dolly to start working with Nicole Kidman in January

by MArinel cruz Inquirer.net

ACTRESS Dolly de Leon has announced that since Hollywood labor disputes were settled earlier this month, she will be flying to Munich, Germany, to finally begin working on Season 2 of the mystery-drama series “9 Perfect Strangers” with actress-producer Nicole Kidman, no less. “We will start shooting on Jan. 15, so I will fly there on the first week of January,” de Leon told Inquirer Entertainment during the opening ceremony of the 2023 QCinema International Film Festival over the weekend. Swedish filmmaker Ruben Ostlund’s “Triangle of Sadness,” where de Leon plays one of the main characters, was the festival’s opening film last year. "I’m not really ready for it yet. Because of the strike, I didn’t read the script that was sent to me. I waited until everything was over. Now, I’m just waiting for them to send the rest of it. I only have the first six episodes. I’m waiting for the seventh, eighth and ninth,” she added. De Leon is expected to stay in Germany for six months. “I’m hoping that my stay there will be shorter. There’s a possibility that the shooting will only last for four months,” she said. “Expectations? I’m going to have so much fun doing it, and I’m already sure of that. I also know that it’s going to be challenging because the cast is so small. It’s going to be super cold there, too—it will still be winter when I arrive. That’s also part of the challenge, and the fun.” The award-winning actress continued: “I already saw the first season (currently streaming on Prime Video). In the second season, Nicole’s character is going to be way crazier! The story is about a psychiatrist who treats her patients with therapy, as usual, and with some hallucinogens. She has nine patients, and in Season 2, I’m one of them.” Booked and busy De Leon shot two Hollywood films earlier this year: Nathan Silver’s comedy “Between the Temples,” starring Jason Schwartzman and Carole Kane; and Paul Feig’s action-comedy “Grand Death Lotto,” starring

De Leon signed up with CreaZion Studios as one of its clients.

John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu. “It’s going to come out on Prime Video sometime next year. It’s both action-packed and funny,” she said of “Grand Death Lotto.” “It’s set in the very far future of Hollywood. It’s about a bunch of people who are into buying lotto tickets. The story gets interesting when one wins a jackpot prize because anyone can kill that person and take the prize.” The film is special to her because it was the first-ever Hollywood film that she has done, she said. “I was very nervous at the start. I really felt intimidated. But I quickly realized that they were all so warm, nice and friendly, so I felt at home right away—on my first day on the set,” said de Leon, this time, during a press conference organized for her by CreaZion Studios, which also announced that it will now manage all her career-related affairs here in the Philippines. De Leon also shot Alex Thompson’s “Ghost Light” early this month in Chicago. The story, by writer Kelly O’ Sullivan, is about a family’s way of healing through theater after experiencing death among its members, she explained.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2023

Kris shares new health setbacks

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by izA iglesiAs ManilaTimes.net

Kris Aquino has encountered new setbacks in her path to recovery from autoimmune diseases. In an Instagram post on Sunday, November 26 she shared the challenges she is facing, including abnormalities in her blood panel that demand immediate medical attention. "There's something I chose not to reveal but I feel I must. There were some abnormalities in my blood panel. My hemoglobin hit an all-time low, my sodium was as always low, but my potassium also dropped. If I want to get healthier it starts with my nutrition," Aquino said. Since the 52-year-old is unable to tolerate iron supplements, she will receive iron infusions instead. "My Churg Strauss syndrome can affect many organs because it causes damage to blood vessels. My lungs have already shown some minor damage, but now my heart is showing signs of exhaustion - just to pump blood that lacks nutrients all over my body, it needs to overcompenInquirer.net photo sate," she said.

Besides acting At the media gathering, de Leon was asked to talk about the fact that she isn’t merely a working actress in Hollywood, but also a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Science (Ampas). She then explained the importance of her being the first and only Filipino actor included in the Actors’ Branch. “First of all, everything happens via email. I would get email invitations asking me if I’d like to go to screenings or get screeners. But because I’m based here, I recently filled out a form requesting for screeners. I’m about to watch films for free! I’m excited about that,” she began. “I was also asked if I could vote for the International Branch. While I’m already under the Actors’ Branch—meaning I can vote under the best actor/actress and best supporting actor/actress categories—I was also asked to vote under the best international feature film category. I declined because I have a film that’s under consideration for a nomination, ‘Iti Mapukpukaw,’ and I feel that it’s a conflict of interest because I will definitely vote for that. At least, I get to vote in those four PAGE 10 Julia Barretto

Kris Aquino

Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino

Aquino has been in the United States since June 2022 to undergo treatment for her autoimmune conditions. So far, she is diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria, autoimmune thyroid-

itis, churg strauss syndrome or EPGA, scleroderma or Crest Syndrome. The actress-host has since been keeping her followers updated on her journey through social media.

Julia: Braver and more daring by izA iglesiAs ManilaTimes.net

Photo from Instagram/@juliabarretto

JULIA Barretto stands out as one of the most popular and talented actresses in her generation. Her journey in the entertainment industry began in childhood, and over the decades, she starred in numerous television shows and movies. Filipinos have witnessed her evolution, from portraying sweet and innocent roles to taking on rom-com teen flicks, and eventually embracing bolder and more mature characters like her last film "Expensive Candy," which had an an R-13 rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. Released in 2022, the film marked her foray into the sexy genre. At 26 years old, Barretto continues to exude confidence, evident in her decision to become the 2024 Calendar girl for rum brand, Tanduay. "I'm very excited because it's an honor to have been tapped to represent the brand for 2024. But I'm also nervous because it means having to be a lot braver in expressing myself. More than anything, I'm just very grateful, it's a big thing for me. I hope the team and my new family are proud and happy about the calendar," Barretto said during the media launch.

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NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2023 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WHILE cardiovascular mortality rates the past decades have gone down, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has remained the leading cause of death in the United States. Several clinical studies have shown that there is a strong association between dietary patterns and the incidence of CVD, and that people eating predominantly plant-based foods have lower rates of heart disease compared to those on animal-based foods. This does not even include the beneficial anticancer effect of plant-based foods and the higher risk of cancer for meat-eaters. What is plant-based diet? The definition varies as there are different forms: 1. Vegetables, fruits, cereal, yogurt, beans, fish, and poultry; 2. Elimination of refined sugars, white flour, and animal oils; 3. Minimal animal products; 4. Seafood, with and without dairy; 5. Eggs and dairy; 6. No animal products at all (vegan), just ‘plants.’ But the common among them is absence of red meat. The major concern and rationale here is that red meat consumption is linked to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Those diets, some with multivitamin supplements, have been proven safe and healthy, practiced for centuries in Asia and rural Europe. Is eating red meat safe? While eating red meat even only once a week is obviously not a plantbased diet, it could be safe among some people, depending on their genetic make-up, metabolism, and lifestyle, especially those who do regimented exercise daily. Since science still does not know who among us (based on our genes) could safely smoke, eat red meat ad libitum, drink alcohol daily, or not exercise at all, and still not get sick, the prudent health strategy is to minimize or eliminate red meat and high carbohydrate diets, and concentrate on proteins. This might sound against what we learned in the kindergarten and beyond, but clinical evidence today shows the adverse effects of eating a lot of carbohydrates day in and day out (soft drinks, potato, rice, bread, sweets, etc.) and saturated fats (red meats), especially processed meats. All soft drinks are toxic to our body, especially to children. Someday, science would be able to categorize us humans, based on our genetic composition as to who could eat, drink, or use what, and “are immune to their bad (unhealthy) effects, and who would develop major diseases (cardiovascular, metabolic,

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Plant-based foods Alzheimer’s, or cancer) doing the same. That future would be most welcome. Any studies supporting plantbased diet? The data above are supported by many recent landmark reports, including Song et al.’s large prospective cohort study of U.S. nurses and other health professionals, which shows “higher intake of animal protein (including processed red meat, unprocessed red meat, dairy, poultry, and eggs) was positively associated with mortality, whereas the inverse was true for high intake of plant protein.” In another recent meta-analysis, Kwok et al. found similar results with vegetarians experiencing a 29% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality relative to nonvegetarians. These findings suggest the importance of protein source and support recommendations to increase plant protein intake, which in turn calls for education of physicians, patients, and the public about the largely unrecognized protein content of plants (e.g., peanuts and beef having the same protein content, 26 g per 100 g). What are some actual clinical proofs? Here are some actual reports from the medical literature that are mind-opening and truly convincing: • “The 16-week randomized controlled trial showed that participants who ate a diet of vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits significantly improved their overall metabolic condition,” said Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., and her colleagues. “Our study suggests the potential of a lowfat plant-based diet in diabetes prevention, addressing both core pathophysiologic mechanisms — insulin resistance and diminished beta-cell function — at the same time. The prevalence of diabetes is 46% to 74% lower in people who eat a plant-based diet compared with meat lovers in the general population.” • “Diets rich in plant- vs animal-based monounsaturated fatty acids show significantly lower rates of total and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, particularly when the plant-based fatty acids replace other notoriously unhealthy fats, including saturated or trans fats, as well as refined carbohydrates.” • “In the study of more than 63,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and nearly 30,000 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up, an average of 22 years of follow-up showed that a higher intake of monounsaturated fatty acids from plants was associated

with a 16% lower risk for death from any cause. A higher intake of monounsaturated fatty acids from animals was meanwhile associated with a 21% higher risk for death from any cause.” • “In overweight adults with no history of diabetes, a low-fat, plant-based vegan diet can reduce visceral fat and significantly improve both pancreatic beta-cell function and insulin resistance, potentially decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to researchers.” What is the societal cost-benefit from this diet? The benefit to society in general of a healthier diet implemented by the people at large is a massive reduction of disease and healthcare-related expenditures, which is currently almost 60 percent of Medicare beneficiaries. If plant-based diet is adopted, the incidence of hypertension will be reduced to 25 percent and save about 30 percent (billions of dollars) of the Medicare budget. So, what is the healthy strategy? Turning off the faucet of unhealthy foods that are poison to our body now to prevent diseases and maximize longevity makes more sense than mopping up the floor of major illnesses and premature deaths later. A rational and practical approach is to eat mostly plant foods and push ourselves away from the dining table less than full, as our mothers and grandmothers have been telling us for centuries. *** 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 main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, conferred by then Indiana Governor, later Senator, and then presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today. SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Julie Anne sports blond hair by Dolly Dy-Zulueta Philstar.com

JULIE Anne San Jose mesmerized her fans with her blond look in her new music video. Released under Universal Records Philippines, Julie Anne delighted her fans when she put on a new look in the music video for her newly released song "Something.” The track is a chill love song that delves into the depths of emotions associated with falling for someone. It captures the essence of feeling right about a special person believing in the purity of their intentions. The lyrics of the song, which is a combination of English and Filipino, present the profound connection and trust that two people feel towards each other in a budding romance while also showing the vulnerability that comes with it.

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Jane De Leon on her chemistry with Janella Salvador: Totally unexpected by Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

IF she had her way, actress Jane de Leon said she would personally do all her action scenes and not rely on a stunt double, especially for her latest project, the horror flick “Shake Rattle and Roll Extreme” (SRRE). Jane, who first dabbled in action on the defunct series “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” then on the recent TV adaptation of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna,” said she made sure to communicate this to Joey de Guzman, her director in “Rage,” one of three episodes in the Regal Entertainment-produced horror franchise. “I told Direk Joey that, as much as possible, I wanted to be the one to do all my action scenes. If I see that I couldn’t, then I’d personally let my stunt double know. This all started in ‘Ang Probinsyano.’ Coco (Martin, who produced and starred in the long-running series) had been very supportive of me doing action. On the set, he would tell the production team, ‘Let Jane do it.’ It was in that show where I developed my confidence. I was able to do it in ‘Darna,’ too, then here in ‘Shake,’” she said. “In my head, I kept hearing Coco say it’s much better that the audience is seeing me do my own stunts, that the more natural my acting is, the better. But I’m very proud of my stunt doubles— mas madugo ang trabaho nila,” Jane told Inquirer Entertainment during a recent media gathering to promote SRRE, which will be screened in cinemas nationwide starting Nov. 29. Collaborative Meanwhile, Joey said working on “Rage” was made easy for him by the fact that he and Jane have already been friends for years. “She was part of the music video that I directed. I knew her then. She was also one of the few people I knew first when I came to the Philippines from New Zealand, so directing her wasn’t too hard,” he said. “She was really game. Jane was keen on working with the stunt team, trying to do rehearsals even though we didn’t ask this from her. In time, she even came in to brainstorm with us. I like to be collaborative as a director. It had been fun working with her,” the director said. “Rage” is about a group of friends struggling to survive an alien infection that makes Earth people really violent and have the strong desire to kill each other, explained Joey. Jane said she actually suggested to Regal executive Roselle Monteverde to get Joey to do “Rage.” She explained: “Joey is very passionate about what he does. We first worked together in 2015, but we’ve been friends even before I became an actor. I know he’s really good when it comes to action, because he has already done it in ‘Day Zero’ for Reality Entertainment. I’m so proud of him because he did a great job in ‘Rage.’ Even Tita Roselle was

Jane De Leon

impressed. He came up with something that’s more than what we expected. Compared to the other two episodes, ‘Rage’ was the most difficult to film. Eight shooting days weren’t enough, but because of Direk Joey and his team, we were able to pull through.” Jane then reacted to comments on why she has yet to come up with a new TV project some 10 months after “Darna” aired its finale. “They think I’m not doing anything new because I’m quiet, but, really, we’re cooking something up for them. They just have to be more patient. To be honest, ABS-CBN has already talked to me and my manager about my next teleserye. We had hoped to start working on it this year, but its production schedule conflicted with that of the movie I was supposed to do,” she said. Five movie projects Jane is committed to doing five movie projects, including Jun Robles Lana’s “How to be a Good Wife,” which also stars Janella Salvador. They start shooting for the film, a coproduction between Regal and IdeaFirst Company, in December. “This project with Jea (Janella’s nickname) wasn’t part of the original film lineup. The idea to do a film with her came up when Tita Roselle saw the two of us hanging out at the ABS-CBN Ball. She said, ‘Gawan ko kayo ng movie!’ Jea and I looked at each other and said, ‘Sure! We’re game!’ It turned out that Direk Jun already has an existing story,” Jane recalled. “Jea and I are so happy because this is our first movie together. We actually didn’t expect that we would end up becoming a trending topic on the day we had

Photo from Instagram/@imjanedeleon

our story conference. We realized that our fans really missed seeing us together. Imagine if the film was already released,” said Jane. Jane said that, in the beginning, she couldn’t believe people were pairing her up with Janella. “This was totally unexpected. I asked people about this and they said the audience is actually feeling the kilig, that Jea and I have chemistry. If this is what the audience wants, then we will gladly give it to them. We want to make them happy, to keep them entertained. It’s not usual that people have this clamor, especially from younger fans,” she pointed out. In return, Jane said she and Janella would make sure, “To spread only love and positivity. We try to be good examples to them. As for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who showed us nothing but love, we try to teach others to respect them,” she stressed. “What Jea and I have is sisterhood. For me, it’s hard to find a true friend in show biz, someone who will not judge you. Jea and I have this huge love for each other. When one has a problem, you can count on the other to be there.” In fact, Jane said she made sure Janella “supports” her decision to go on dates. “With everything that’s happening around us, we all deserve to be happy. I’m dating a guy outside show biz, and Jea supports this. I chose a nonshow biz guy because show biz is full of drama. I don’t want drama. While I’m open to anything, I just feel that dating someone outside this industry is more peaceful. They respect the time I dedicate to my work. They understand that my job as an actor is my priority.”

Dolly to start working with Nicole... PAGE 9

"Something" has a soothing melody and, given Julie Ann’s evocative vocals, it transforms into pure magic and is sure to resonate with anyone who has experienced the magic of love. The song showcases her ability to connect with her audience on a deep emotional level and re-

affirms her status as one of the country’s most beloved and celebrated artists. Her comeback single easily became part of the New Music Friday Philippines playlist on Spotify and reached the No. 6 spot on iTunes Philippines Charts for All Genres and Pop categories.

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categories and, to me, that’s very important because we now have a voice and finally it can be heard.” When asked for updates on the Oscar campaign for a nomination for Carl Joseph Papa’s animated drama “Iti Mapukpukaw,” de Leon said it kind of breaks her heart that the campaign is having a hard time taking off. The film needs at least P6 million for promotions and, so far, they have only raised half of it, she said.

“The challenge is the funding. You need a lot of money for people to watch,” she began. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but when you say ‘Oscar campaign,’ you don’t just go around and say, ‘Vote for us!’ You say, ‘Please watch our film,’ so you reserve theaters, you give people tickets so they can watch the film for free. You send out screeners. You host dinners, soirees. You host a lot of events and this costs a lot of money.” De Leon pointed out that,

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while the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has already given financial aid, the film needs more from other arts-related branches of the government. “The fee for the public relations person alone costs $20,000. PR people schedule interviews, meetings and book restaurants. They get paid a lot because they do all the leg work. So far, we’ve been doing a lot of activities to raise funds, but things have to happen soon because voting should be done by mid-December.”

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2023

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NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2023 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678