Philippine News Today

BIDEN REAFFIRMS U.S. VOW TO DEFEND PHILIPPINES

Warns China vs ‘provocative’ conduct, boosts ties with Marcos

WASHINGTON D.C. — Meeting Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the White House for the first time, United States President Joe Biden reaffirmed his country’s “ironclad” commitment to defend the Philippines under the two nations’ defense treaty.

Review of California MediCal

eligibility under way

WASHINGTON D.C. - US President Joseph Biden is sending a “first of its kind” presidential trade and investment mission to the Philippines.

Biden made the announcement following his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the White House in Washington

Judge’s ruling dismissing hate crime enhancements on Roque family decried

LOS ANGELES- Nearly a hundred supporters of the Roque family condemned the ruling of the judge in the Roque fam-

ily McDonald drive-thru in Hollywood California assault case dropping the hate crime enhancements on assault

SAN FRANCISCO - MediCal enrollees in California are strongly encouraged to update their information to keep their status as the state reviews eligibility for the first time since the Covid 19 pandemic.

The advisory is being widely disseminated urgently as California has 14 months to review the eligibility of 15 million Medi-Cal enrollees as of April 2023 as an estimated two to three million Californians may have to leave the pro-

VP Harris: PHL-US relations

than ever’

WASHINGTON D.C. - US Vice President Kamala Harris said the relations between the Philippines and the United States are “stronger than ever” as she met Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the US capital.

Press freedom violations still rampant under Marcos regime

MANILA – The situation may not be as bad as the time under the previous Duterte administration, but true press freedom remains elusive under the regime of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Teacher who used anti-Asian slurs reports back to classroom

gram during this “unwinding period” that is happening nationwide.

The information

Pacquiao loses lawsuit in US, told to

Hidilyn Diaz leads PHL team at

WISCONSIN - One teacher’s idea of humor was not only considered not funny, his words had devastating effects on a minor of Asian descent.

pay

$5.1

M P21

$1.00= P55.36

‘stronger

Marcos vows to boost quality of jobs in PHL, rallies FilAms

WASHINGTON D.C. – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has assured overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that the government is working to boost the quality of jobs in the Philippines so that time will come when Filipinos would no longer have to go abroad out of necessity.

During his meeting with the Filipino community in Washington, D.C. , Marcos expressed gratitude to OFWs for “keeping the Philippines a oat” during the pandemic, as they contributed to the country’s economic growth through remittances.

“Noong pandemya ay ang bumuhay talaga sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas ay mga OFW. At kaya’t… Kung hindi po sa inyo ay siguro mas mahirapan po na makabangon ang Pilipinas, kaya’t ulit maraming, maraming salamat sa inyo (The OFWs helped the Philippine economy thrived during the pandemic. If it weren’t for you, the Philippines would have a hard time recovering, that’s why we thank you very much ,” Marcos said.

In return, Marcos said the government will ensure the protection and welfare of OFWs.

“Ang aming isusukli po sa inyo ay lahat

ng trabaho po namin para asikasuhin ang kalagayan ng lahat ng ating mga kababayan, hindi lamang sa Pilipinas kung hindi sa iba’t ibang lugar sa buong mundo (What we will give in return is that we will work hard to ensure the welfare of all Filipinos, not only in the Philippines but also those in different parts of the world ,” he said.

The President also called on Filipino Americans to encourage their children and grandchildren to visit the Philippines and see for themselves the richness of Philippine culture and history.

“Let them see for themselves what the Philippines is about, what is our culture, what is our history. I m sure the first and second and third generation Filipino-Americans are more than happy to learn about their proud Philippine ancestry. Sooner or later, we will be able to welcome you back home to the Philippines, especially those who have reacquired their Filipino citi enship,” he said.

The Chief Executive also mentioned about his recent meeting with US President Joseph Biden, whom he thanked for accommodating Filipinos and providing opportunities for them to thrive.

“Kasama ko po ang ating mga miyembro ng Gabinete upang ipagtibay ang ating pagkakaibigan sa Amerika, United States at saka ng Pilipinas… Naging bahagi po sa usapan namin ay nagpasalamat naman ako sa kanila dahil sa dami ng Pilipino na nandito sa Amerika, na nandito sa US ay lahat naman naging maganda ang buhay at… tinanggap kaagad ng ating mga kaibigang taga-US (I was with the members of the Cabinet to strengthen the friendship between United States and the Philippines. It was part of our discussion wherein I thanked US for welcoming Filipinos in their country, and all of them are living better lives ,” he said.

As the Philippines celebrated Labor Day on May 1, Marcos Jr. said the government is “working conscientiously” to provide opportunities that will uplift the living and social conditions of Filipino workers and their families.

Marcos paid tribute to the workers by describing them as “essential to the sustenance of our soaring economy”.

“That is why we strive to address the cares and concerns of our workers as well as provide them with better opportunities so

that they are capacitated to their full potential as active participants in nation-building,” Marcos said.

“On behalf of our grateful Filipino people, I laud our workforce for their unwavering service and sacrifice in their respective fields and also for their significant contribution in our country s development,” he added.

US air forces set 2 drills this year

CLARK AIR BASE – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) will hold Cope Thun-

der 23-1, a military exercise aimed at the coordination of different aircraft and various defensive and offensive tactics from

May 1 to 12.

The second iteration of this air exercise, dubbed CT-Ph 23-2, will be held from July to 21

“The exercise involves around 160 USAF service members and PAF airmen from different PAF units,” Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a statement.

Some of the aircraft involved in the exercise are the American F-16s and PAF FA-50PHs which earlier participated in the just concluded “ alikatan”.

The focus of the Cope Thunder 23-1 also known as CT-Ph 23-1 is air-to-air operations and subject matter expert exchanges, she added.

“A key component of CT-Ph 23-1 is the mission planning cell (MPC), responsible for planning and coordinating the integration of different aircraft and the execution of defensive counter air (DCA) and offensive counter air OCA operations. The MPC will work closely with SMEEs to ensure that all participating personnel are trained and ready to undertake the mission,” Castillo said.

She added that primary ight operations will take place at Clark Air Base, Pampanga.

“The first week will focus on CA operations. These involve the identification, tracking, and interception of enemy aircraft in the vicinity of friendly forces. To support these operations, SMEEs on maintenance and security forces training will be conducted. These SMEEs will provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain their equipment and ensure security in the operational field,” Castillo said.

Castillo added that the second week of operations will emphasize on OCA operations, which involve offensive attacks on enemy aircraft and ground targets.

She added that these operations require a high degree of coordination and planning, which will be facilitated by the MPC and SMEEs.

Castillo said these exercises aim to provide an opportunity for PAF and the S Pacific Air Forces to enhance their capabilities and readiness to respond to potential threats in the region.

2 police generals, 2 colonels to be axed over drugs

CAMP

CRAME, Quezon City

Four ranking police o cials have been recommended to be removed from the Philippine National Police (PNP) due to alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.

A five-member advisory panel headed by former PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. recommended the acceptance of the courtesy resignations of the third-level ocials, including two one-star generals and two colonels who were formerly with the

PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG)..

The four were among the 953 thirdlevel o cers evaluated by the panel after they submitted their courtesy resignations.

The panel cleared 917 of them, while it endorsed the suspension of President Marcos disposition on the 32 o cers. The names of the o cials were withheld as the National Police Commission (Napolcom) has yet to resolve the administrative cases filed against them.

PHL,

US firms to hire 75,000 Filipino seafarers

WASHINGTON D.C. – United States companies are set to hire about 75,000 Filipino seafarers in the next three to four years, a seafaring industry executive disclosed in Washington.

In a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Washington DC, John Padget, president and CEO of Carnival Corp., said his group of companies is set to hire Filipino seafarers.

Padget, who also represents Carnival Cruise Line, Holland American Airlines, and Seaborn, lauded Filipino workers for their hospitality and competitiveness in the global workforce.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the marine, deck, hospitality, restaurant… everything is based on the happiness, the smile, and the greatness of the Filipino employees,” he said.

Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, who was at the meeting, presented to the S firms “the inter-

est of 200,000 Filipinos” who “adhere to fair and ethical standards and principles.”

Marcos, meanwhile, thanked the US employers for their continued confidence in Filipino professionals and skilled workers.

“When you say that the ladies and gentlemen that we have here today represent 200,000, you do not represent 200,000 employees, you represent 200,000 families and you represent 200,000 communities in the Philippines,” he told the employers.

The Filipinos represent the fourth largest immigrant group in the US after Mexicans, Indians, and Chinese, with more than four million Filipino immigrants, both temporary and permanent.

Through their remittances, Filipino workers contribute to the economic development of both the US and the Philippines with their skills, talents, and expertise.

May 17 airspace shutdown set for airport air traffic system repairs

MANILA INTERNATIONAL AIR-

PORT

There will be a shutdown of the country’s airspace on May 17 to give way to long overdue repairs at the Manila International Airport.

The shutdown will disrupt more than 100 ights at the country s main gateway, the MIAA said.

“Based on our projection, there will be around 130 ights that could be possibly affected and based on the estimate passenger

load, it will be around 20,000 passengers,” said MIAA o cer-in-charge ryan Co.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced the closure of the country’s airspace from midnight to a.m. on May 1 to upgrade the air tra c management system, repair the automatic voltage regulator, and replace the uninterruptible power supply.

As this developed, Philippine Airlines (PAL) assured passengers that it will carry out measures to make sure they will reach their destinations.

“Under normal circumstances, we operate 18 international arrivals and departures. This does not include the domestic sector, so if you include the domestic sector, it would total around 38 to 40 ights,” PA spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.

Co said the early announcement of the maintenance activity gives airlines enough time to adjust ight schedules and inform passengers of changes in travel time.

He said airlines are working on rescheduling ights and options to offer passengers.

Villaluna said PAL “will carry out steps to protect you either by rebooking you in the ne t available ight, giving you options or delaying the departures and delaying the arrivals.”

“We will make the announcements accordingly,” she added.

Court orders hold-departure order on Bantag, Zulueta over Lapid slay

MUNTINLUPA CITY – The hold departure order issued against former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former Bucor deputy security o cer Ricardo ulueta is now o cially included in the ureau of Immigration (BI) system, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said.

Tansingco said the Bureau received the HDO issued by the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court last April 25 in connection with murder cases fi led against Bantag and Zulueta in connection with the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid whose real name is Percival Mabasa.

“The HDO was immediately encoded in our centralized system and may be seen by our immigration o cers at all ports nationwide,” he said.

“Should they be encountered in any airport or seaport, they will be prevented from departing without prior approval from the courts,” Tansingco said.

Manila starts Lagusnilad rehab, earmarks P50 M for work

MANILA – The city government of Manila has started the rehabilitation of the Lagusnilad underpass besides City all, closing it to tra c while work is ongoing.

Manila Mayor Honey Laguna said the city allocated P50 million for the project.

The Lagusnilad Vehicular Under-

pass actually is part of the national road and its rehab should have been made by the national government.

Mayor acuna and other o cials led the ceremonial groundbreaking of the upgrading, concreting and drainage repair of the underpass which is expected to be completed in September.

Lacuna, meanwhile, asked for the understanding of motorists who would be aff ected by the road s partial closure,

saying the upgrading project in Lagusnilad is a long-awaited project that will benefi t countless of Manilans and even non-resident who use the road.

“Actually, Lagusnilad is under the national government. We can’t just do it without fully informing them (national government). But since this is under our city, we will fi nd a way for it to be rehabilitated since we are the ones who are always being approached report-

m udsman suspends airport M o named officer in char e

PASAY CITY – The Board of Directors of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) approved on Wednesday the designation of Senior Assistant eneral Manager ryan Co as o cer in charge after the Ombudsman placed General Manager Cesar Chiong under preventive suspension.

“For the meantime, we will appoint the next in line, the senior assistant general manager for operations,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said, adding that Chiong’s suspension is six months but they will file for a motion to lift the suspension order.

Bautista said his agency was unaware

that an anonymous group had filed a case against two MIAA o cials, including Chiong.

“We were surprised when we got the (Ombudsman’s) order,” he said, adding that they are coordinating with the legal team.

A copy of Ombudsman Samuel Martires’ Order dated April has been posted on various media entities’ Facebook pages.

Anonymous MIAA o cials have filed a complaint against Chiong and Assistant General Manager Irene Montalbo.

Both have been charged with grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The complaint reportedly stemmed from Chiong’s reassignment of about employees less than a year after he as-

In December 2022, the BI also implemented a lookout bulletin order against Bantag and Zulueta, directing all immigration o cers to closely report to the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation any attempt by the suspects to leave the country.

sumed his post in July 2022.

Chiong said he received the Ombudsman s Order and that he is confident of being vindicated after presenting his side.

“The finances of MIAA have vastly improved without any government subsidy in the short stint that I have been at its helm. Putting MIAA in good financial stead is one of my visions. There are others that are just as critical. But for now, I need to focus on the legal issue at hand,” he said.

, F air warnin as fire incidents sur e nearly 0 in pril

QUEZON CITY – The Department of Interior and Local Government and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) warned the public to be e tra cautious as fires in the country went up by percent from April 1 to compared to the same period last year.

In a statement, the BFP said that from the 53 recorded fire incidents in April 2022, the number jumped to 1,332 during the same period this year.

According to the BFP, most common reasons for these fire incidents are due to faulty electric wires; dried leaves, grass and garbage materials which easily catch fire or lighted cigarette butts.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. and the BFP called on the public to take the necessary precautions to prevent fire incidents, especially during the soaring heat of the summer months.

Abalos also urged the local government units (LGUs) to conduct inspection and coordinate with the BFP to ensure the strict adherence of the establishments to the regulations in Republic Act 9514, otherwise known as the “Fire Code of the Philippines (FCP.’’

“Let us make sure that buildings have fire e its, fire protection systems like sprinklers, hose bo and other fire safety features pursuant to the Fire Code of the Philippines. Let us not disregard these things since lives and the safety of our fellowmen are at stake here,’’ Abalos said in a statement.

The I chief said that simple fire safety protocols like unplugging of appliances not being used, regular inspection of the liquefied petroleum gas P tanks, and storing highly combustible materials in secure places.

Power woes grip 2 Mindoro provinces, Negros and Panay islands

SAN JOSE CITY, Occidental Mindoro – The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to transfer generator sets to Occidental Mindoro from Eastern Visayas to help ease the province’s power woes.

DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the generator sets will aid vital facilities on the island, especially hospitals.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured that the national government would intervene to resolve the power outages in Negros and Panay Islands brought on by a problem in the distribution system.

In an interview with the media onboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR 001 on his way to the United States, Marcos said the national government would augment the power capacity of the distribution network in the islands.

“Ang nagkaka-problema ngayon are Negros and Panay Islands (The ones experiencing the problems right now are Negros and Panay Islands). The irony is Negros actually has a surplus of power supply. The reason na nagkaka-brownout is because sa distribution system sa high tension wire (The reason for the brownout is because of the high tension wire in the distribution system)… So that’s what we will have to look into,” he said.

Ex-Antique mayor named SBMA chief

SUBIC FREEPORT – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Jonathan Dioso Tan as the new chairman and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Tan, whose appointment paper was signed by President Marcos on April 28, replaced former SBMA Chairman and Administrator Rolen Paulino.

Tan served as mayor of Pandan, Antique from 2010 to 2019. He served as President of the League of Municipalities (LMP) of the Philippine –Antique and was elected as PRO of LMP-National from 2013 to 2016.

Tan was one of the Philippines’ Most Out-

standing Mayors in 2012 together with city Mayors Alfredo Lim of Manila, Benjamin Lim of Dagupan, Meynardo Sabili of Lipa, Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles, Jennifer Austria-Barzaga of Dasmariñas, and Len AlonteNaguiat of Biñan. He was the only municipal mayor who bagged the award that year.

One of his major accomplishments was making Pandan a recipient of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4P’s, an anti-poverty project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Tan’s initiative to source out funds from Senators paved the way for more development projects in the municipality.

“Kung hindi kaya ng mga gumagawa (If they can’t do it), maybe the government na lang will be the one,” he said.

Senator Raffy Tulfo also wants an indepth investigation into the islands’ rotational brownouts after noting that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) are passing the blame on each other.

On Mindoro, Fuetebella said: “Ang tinatarget sana namin ay maglipat, at itu-

tuloy namin ito, ng mga genset at megawatts iyan galing sa Region papuntang Occidental Mindoro (What we target and we will push through with this is to transfer gensets of megawatts to Occidental Mindoro from Region 8).”

Occidental Mindoro has a power demand of around megawatts but the working power plant there is able to deliver just megawatts (MW), leading to frequent brownouts, said Fuentebella.

Masks still mandatory in trains as Covid-19 cases rise

MANDALUYONG CITY – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) reminded all rail services to enforce the mandatory wearing of face masks as Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases rise across the country.

In a statement, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino directed the Light Rain Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), LRT-2, the Metro Rail Transit Line (MRT-3), and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) to strictly en-

force the wearing of face masks in all trains and stations.

“All o cials, employees, and personnel in the rail sector shall also be subjected to mandatory Covid-19 testing should anyone suff er from symptoms of the virus,” Aquino said.

She reiterated that talking with other commuters or on the phone is prohibited inside trains.

“Disinfection activities shall remain consistent in all trains and stations,” she

said.

The order was issued after the Department of Health (DOH) recorded a 42 percent increase in average daily new Covid-19 infections -- or 637 new cases per day -- during the last week of April.

“We urge all rail operators to undertake these measures with the health and safety of each commuter on top of mind. Let us work together to ensure the safety of everyone during these challenging

QUEZON CITY – The weather bureau issued an El Niño alert on May 2, saying the weather phenomenon might emerge between June and July at 0 percent probability and might persist until the first quarter of 2024.

El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could have negative impacts, such as dry spells and droughts, in some areas of the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), however, said above-normal rainfall conditions during the southwest monsoon season (“habagat”) may also be expected over the western part of the country.

“With this development, the PA-

times,” Aquino said.

Earlier, Octa Research fellow Guido David revealed that the Covid-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila increased to 17.2 percent on Saturday, more than three times the ideal fi ve percent threshold according to the World Health Organization.

This is an increase from a positivity rate of 10.2 percent in the National Capital Region on April 22

GASA El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Alert and Warning System is now raised to El Niño Alert. El Niño (warm phase of ENSO) is characterized by unusually warmer than average sea surface temperatures at the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. hen conditions are favorable for the development of El Niño within the next two months at a probability of 70 percent or more, an El Niño alert is issued,” PAGASA said.

On April 1 , PA ASA eputy Administrator Esperanza Cayanan said the chances for an El Niño between June and August have increased from 55 percent to 0 percent. The probability of l Ni o between November and January 2024 also rose to about percent.

PAF to get 3 more C-130 planes,

MANILA – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) will get three additional Lockheed C-130 “Hercules” cargo aircraft from the United States, thereby greatly boost the PAF’s airlift and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities.

“Any equipment/platform that can augment our cargo airlift eet will be of great help in the transport of personnel and logistics for our focused military operations,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said.

Castillo said the additional C-130s will also improve the PAF’s HADR capabilities in “times of calamities and disasters.”

At present, the PAF operates four models of the C-130s for transport and other related missions.

Earlier, a statement coming from the White House said the US will be helping to enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by transferring two Island-class and two Protector-class patrol vessels and three C-130H aircraft pending “applicable Congressional notification requirements”.

Additionally, two Cyclone-class patrol vessels are now enroute to the Philippines after its transfer shortly after its decommissioning on March 31 in Bahrain.

CAMP CRAME, Quezon City – Five ranking police o cials were included in the latest reorganization in the Philippine National Police PNP , the first under new PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr.

In an order, Acorda reassigned Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., Director for Comptrollership (DC), as the new Director for Intelligence (DI) of the police force.

Acorda was DI’s head prior to being named as PNP chief.

Nartatez was named acting DC after his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Jesus Cambay, retired from the service last April 20.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil replaced Nartatez as DC.

Brig. Gen. Vincent Calanoga was

named acting director of the Police Regional O ce PRO astern isayas , replacing Marbil, while Brig. Gen. Roger Laroza Quesada was designated as acting deputy Regional Director for the Administration of PRO (Bicol).

Brig. Gen. Limuel Esto Obon was designated as the director of the Human Rights Affairs O ce.

“I am confident that these new Ocers-in-Charge and Acting Directors will bring their expertise and experience to their respective positions and lead their units with utmost professionalism, integrity, and dedication to service,” Acorda said.

He added that these new appointments re ect the police force s commitment to ensuring effective leadership and management across various units and o ces.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – An American fugitive wanted by authorities in Florida for racketeering and financial fraud was arrested in Palawan, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansignco said Rick Lee Crosby Jr., 44, was apprehended in Puerto Princesa City by operatives of their fugitive search unit (FSU) on April 29, after serving a warrant for deportation.

Crosby will be immediately sent back to the US as he was already ordered expelled by the BI last December when the bureau’s board of commissioners issued an order for his summary deportation.

The board also ordered his inclusion in the immigration blacklist, banning him from re-entering the Philippines.

He was detained at the National Bureau of Investigation’s Puerto Princesa istrict O ce before his transfer to the BI facility in Taguig City.

BI-FSU acting chief Rendel Ryan Sy said Crosby has been on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since April 2020 when he was issued an arrest warrant by the 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, Florida.

He was reportedly charged before the court with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, money laundering, and an organized scheme to defraud.

Sy added that Crosby is an undocumented alien who is liable to immediate deportation after the US government has canceled his passport.

5 PNP generals get new posts in first reshuf e y new chief

Judge...

charges.

(From page 1)

Community supporters attended the preliminary hearing of attacker Nicholas Weber to hear the court’s decision on the case and witnessed that Judge Neetu Badhan-Smith found probable cause for two felony assaults committed by Weber, including one with great bodily injury after reviewing evidence presented by the prosecution and the defense on April 4-6 but the hate crime enhancement on both assault charges were dropped.

The court found that Weber’s assault against the family may be indiscriminate but was not motivated by racial bias because he also engaged a non-Asian bystander who came to the family’s aid.

All the while, the judge acknowledged that eber used “vulgar and offensive” racist slurs against the family and verbally stated his intent to kill the family, she nevertheless emphasized a time gap between the racial slurs and the assault.

“And the tragedy is that…those few minutes were enough for them to believe that that wasn’t a hate crime. But the Roque family has to live for the rest of their lives knowing that they were assaulted because they were Asians,” said

VP Harris...

(From page 1)

“Under your leadership, we have been able to continue to do the work that we have that is a priority around our mutual prosperity and security,” arris told Marcos Jr. during their meeting at the Number One Observatory Circle in Washington D.C. arris first met Marcos in Manila during which she also ew to Palawan where she met fishermen.

Harris and Marcos vowed to boost mutually beneficial partnerships between Manila and Washington on a wide range of areas, such as digital inclusion and clean energy economy.

President Marcos thanked Harris for “laying the groundwork” for his meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House last Monday.

“I think that has given us the very attractive opportunity to continue to strengthen that relationship between our two countries in the face, in the conte t of all of the di culties and complexities, the rising tensions in our region and the world. And once again, we turn to our American partners, our only treaty partner in the world,” Marcos said.

“After all the different cycles as in any friendship… I was telling (US) Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken yesterday, like any friendship we go through many cycles… We’re very, very happy to be here, to get this opportunity to speak with you and to have spoken with your President,” he added.

Harris, for her part, lauded Marcos for his leadership and effort to give priority “around our mutual prosperity and security.”

“During my visit to the Philippines, we discussed many issues including the importance of clean energy economy. You and I share a passion for that… As well as issues that relate to food security and what we must do around digital inclusion,” said arris, who was accompanied by US Second Gentleman ouglas mhoff.

“And on the issue of security of course, the work that our countries are doing together as it relates to the South China Sea, as it relates to what we must do in terms of continuing to work together through our Coast uards,” she added.

In November last year, Harris traveled to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, where she met with residents, civil society leaders, and Philippine Coast uard o cials.

“I was honored to go to Palawan. I went there after you and I met,” arris told the President, in which he replied “I saw it, yes.”

Dominico Vegas, Secretary-General of Anakbayan USA, who spoke to an outraged crowd of community members after the hearing. “That’s unfair. And that’s why we’re angry right now, because what we witnessed up there is not justice.”

Community members pointed out the legislation that is supposed to protect victims of hate crimes is weak and failing to deliver justice to victims. Community leaders added that it’s apparent that the law is not equipped to provide solutions to the fundamental problems of racism and discrimination against migrants and communities of color.

“And the tragedy is that those few minutes were enough for them to believe that that wasn’t a hate crime. But the Roque family has to live for the rest of their lives knowing that they were assaulted because they were Asian. That’s unfair! And that’s why we’re angry right now, because what we witnessed up there is not justice,” rails Vegas. “We saw injustice unfold before our very eyes. We saw how broken the legal system is to say that it’s not a hate crime because he wasn’t saying those things when he was hurting the family.”

For her part, Abi Felix of Bayan SoCal vowed to “continue to be agitated at the slowness and ine ciency of the courts in addressing hate crimes and truly failing working class

Harris said she grabbed the opportunity to chat with some of the fishermen in Palawan. “ I met with the fishers there and met with the Coast Guard which the US and the Philippines our Coast Guards are working together in that region very closely,” arris told the meeting with Marcos.

Joining President Marcos during the meeting were First Lady Louise AranetaMarcos, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, Mrs. Maria Lourdes Romualdez, and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos.

people like the Roque family.”

“To this day, the Roques continue to rely on the community for material support while both the U.S. and Philippine states continue to neglect their needs. To this day, it is through the community that the Roques have been able to gain support, services and answers for justice,” Felix added.

Filipino Migrant Center’s Katie Joaquin dwelt on the importance of community support for the Roque family through the Justice for Roques campaign as it is an example of what is possible when you are organized.

“Together with the Roques we are shining light on an issue that’s widely ignored. With every rally, every event, every media hit we’re letting another person know that they are not alone. Their experience matters. And there is a powerful community to fight alongside them.

That is a ictory we can all celebrate,” Joaquin stressed.

Hundreds of community members and organizations mobilized to 14 court hearings for nearly a year to get justice for the Roques. While the campaign was successful in growing the mass movement of people on the issue of anti-Asian hate and violence against migrants, supporters felt failed by an outdated, racist, and out-of-touch justice system.

Community organizations shared their determination to continue growing the mass movement to defend migrant workers and called on attendees to stop Asian hate by joining organizations and by taking up the Justice for the Roques campaign. Campaign supporters plan to mobilize in support of the Roque family to yet another court hearing for the attacker Nicholas Weber’s arraignment last May 1st at 8:30 a.m.

Teacher...

(From page 1)

The Asian American community was angered when a school district in Wisconsin allowed a teacher accused of mouthing anti-Asian slurs back into his classroom.

A report from the Daily Beast last week stated that teacher Robert Perkin did indeed engage in insensitive and unprofessional conduct, but his word did not qualify as being any form of discrimination or harassment.

Perkin is a band teacher at the Wassau School District and the Asian American

Biden...

D.C.

(From page 1)

The US leader noted Manila and Washington’s “strong partnership” and “deep friendship, one that has been enriched by millions of Filipino-Americans and the communities all across the United States.”

Biden also committed to step up America’s support in a wide range of issues, including climate change mitigation and economy.

“We’re tackling climate change, we’re accelerating our countries’ chances… and we’re standing up for our shared democratic values and workers’ rights… and together we’re deepening our economic cooperation,” Biden told Marcos.

Marcos thanked Biden for America’s

(From page 1)

Press freedom violations are a regular occurrence under the current government. So says the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), which marked the 30th World Press Freedom Day this week by reporting no less than 60 cases of violations against media practitioners since the son and namesake of the late dictator assumed o ce last year.

The NUJP is the nationwide organization of working journalists in the country which exists as a watchdog for press freedom.

The 60 violations were listed as:

*19 harassment incidents, including surveil-

community was incensed when he used such words as “ching chong” and “ch!nk” inside the classroom, then was allowed to get away with it.

Media organizations in the city such as the Wassau Daily Herald and The Wassau Pilot and Review covered the story, and they reported that Asian Americans felt what the school district did send “a strong message that using racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs are permissible as long as they are made in good faith.”

The parent of the victim stated that his son was devastated at what his teacher had said. Tha Vongphakdy told radio station

assistance and sought to strengthen “alliances and partnership in the face of the new economy that we are facing post-pandemic.”

Monday s Oval O ce meeting also included discussions on security, education, and other initiatives as part of Marcos’ five-day o cial visit to ashington.

Philippine cabinet o cials with their US counterparts also held a meeting with Marcos and Biden in an expanded bilateral meeting in the White House.

Among the Philippine o cials who attended the expanded bilateral meeting include National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano; Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.; Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Antonia Yulo Loyzaga; Trade and

lance and verbal assaults;

12 cases of red-tagging by government officials

*9 cases of libel and/or cyberlibel; death threats against media workers; instances when legitimate media practitioners were denied coverage of a newsworthy event; other cases of judicial harassment; arrests;

1 online attack/harassment;

1 censorship;

1 cyberattack; and,

1 physical attack against pressmen

The most serious cases involved the assassination of broadcaster Percy Lapid on October 3, last year, followed by the killing of editorial cartoonist Benharl Kalil a little more than a month later, on November 5, 2022.

Of the total, 72 percent of the victims were individual media practitioners, while the remaining 28 percent were media organizations.

NUJP data showed that 90.2 percent of the victims were from Luzon including Metro Manila, 3.5 percent were from the Visayas, and 1.2 percent took place abroad.

Oddly enough, there were no documented cases of press freedom violations in Mindanao.

In a statement, the NUJP said: “On World Press Freedom Day, we remind ourselves that while there have been victories in court, with the acquittal of Maria Ressa and Rappler of tax cases, for example – many, far too many of us are still facing threats and that our freedom is still fragile.

The organization, however, also noted that there have been restrictions on the freedom of the press, notably the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the SIM Registration Act that binds individual freedom.

WAOW: “When I saw it in my son’s eyes as he s crying on the oor, it broke my heart that a grown man can do this to my son.”

The student who was at the receiving end of Perkin’s insults said the incident was not only intentional but was also part of an ongoing pattern of verbal misbehavior.

The district is predominantly white but has a significant mong-American population.

An open letter from the Asian American community stated that they were “angry, hurt, and worried about the kind of classroom culture East High School tolerates.”

They added that they were also concerned at the “unacceptably low standards

Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual; Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy; Justice Secretary Jesus Crisoin Remulla; Migrant Workers Department Secretary Maria Susana “Toots” Ople and Foreign Affairs Secretary nrique Manalo.

Marcos is also set to visit the Pentagon, meet Cabinet executives and business leaders during his stay in Washington.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and the United States (US) have agreed to enhance cooperation in agriculture in efforts to boost food security and e ciency, as well as research and development in the sector.

President Marcos Jr. and US Department of Agriculture S A o cials led by Secretary Thomas Vilsack sealed the

The NUJP added that there hangs the threat of the use of the tactics that the Duterte government used against the Philippine aily Inquirer, Rappler, and ABS-CBN “that continue to chill our community.”

In a related development, the human rights group Karapatan said the Marcos regime continued the weaponization of laws against the media. This weaponization of laws to attack the

it allows for its teachers.”

Keith Hilts, district superintendent, wrote his own letter to parents saying, “While a preponderance of the evidence shows that Mr. Perkins did not engage in harassing or discriminatory behavior, he did engage in insensitive and unprofessional conduct.”

(Note: While the district superintendent referred to the teacher as ‘Perkins,’ the various media organizations reported his name as ‘Perkin.”)

Hilts further defended the band teacher by adding that he “uses humor to engage students and create a ‘fun’ environment.”

deal on setting up a ministerial team on agricultural cooperation during a meeting , according to the Presidential Communications O ce.

In the meeting, Marcos also sought to bolster mutually beneficial agreements to strengthen agriculture research for development, as well as capacity-building initiatives specific to the advancement of biotechnology agenda in the country.

Marcos said he wanted to increase market access of Philippine agricultural products to the US.

The USDA, for its part, also looked forward to strengthened knowledge transfer between the US and the Philippines, as well as continued cooperation on agriculture innovation systems. (Claire Morales True)

rights to press freedom and free expression “must stop,” said Karapatan.

The group said the Marcos government must support the decriminalization of libel and also review the cybercrime law.

The Philippines is one of the very few countries in the world where libel is a criminal, rather than a civil, offense.

PHL... (From page 1)

“The United States remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea,” Biden stressed in his opening remarks during his bilateral talks with the Philippine leader on May 1 (US time). (See related stories, Joint Biden-Marcos statement inside)

After their e panded talks with their ocials, Biden and Marcos issued a joint statement that reiterated that any armed attack on the Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific would invoke the S mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

In their joint statement, Biden and Marcos also emphasized their commitment to freedom of navigation and over ight in the South China Sea, as they said they believe in the significance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law.

Biden also assured the US will continue to support the modernization of the Philippine military.

“Our countries not only share strong partnership. We share deep friendship, one that has been enriched by millions of FilipinoAmericans and communities all across the United States,” he said.

“We’re tackling climate change, we’re accelerating our countries’ chances… and we’re standing up for our shared democratic values and workers’ rights… and together we’re deepening our economic cooperation,” he also told Marcos.

Marcos and iden welcomed the identification of new sites under the US-Philippines

Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

In the joint statement, both leaders said this “will strengthen Philippine security and support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization goals, while driving US investment to local communities across the Philippines and improving our shared ability to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.”

Both leaders underscored their “unwavering commitment” to freedom of navigation and over ight in the South China Sea, as well as the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law.

“The leaders support the right and ability of Filipino fisherfolk to pursue their traditional livelihoods. The leaders note the ruling of the 2016 arbitral tribunal, constituted pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the statement added.

They also a rmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which they described as an “indispensable element of global security and prosperity.”

Both Biden and Marcos conveyed their support for Ukraine in its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, “noting that the con ict with Russia has adversely affected food and energy security in the IndoPacific.”

Marcos, who is on a working state visit from May 1 to 5, also met Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US business leaders and the Filipino community and made history later as the first

foreign head of state to be given full honors at the Pentagon under the administration of President Biden.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin welcomed Marcos at the Pentagon with full honors.

The US Department t of Defense Protocol o ce said the full honors given to President Marcos was the first given to a foreign head of state or government under the Biden administration.

. In their meeting after the honors, Austin expressed his country’s commitment to the defense of the Philippines. “President (Joseph) Biden has made clear our commitment to the defense of the Philippines is ironclad. And let me tell you once again that our Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on our armed forces, coast guard vessels, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific including anywhere in the South China Sea,” Lloyd told Marcos.

“So, make no mistake Mr. President, we will always have your back in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region,” he said.

In his remarks at the Pentagon, Marcos said the “call of the times… is asking for us to meet the new challenges perhaps we have not faced before.”

“That’s why it is very important that it is continuing… the exchanges that we have started,” Marcos said. “I look to a very bright future between the Philippines and the United States – a future that is founded on the long experience and as you say, friendship and familial relationship because the people-topeople exchanges between our two countries have been ongoing at every level.”

The visit of Marcos at the Pentagon comes

in the wake of the Philippines and the US rea rming their security alliance amid tensions in the South China Sea and the Asia-Pacific region.

In his opening remarks during his meeting with President Biden, President Marcos Jr. said the Philippines and the United States need to seek ways to strengthen the alliance and partnership of both countries.

Marcos Jr. and Biden renewed their commitment to elevate Manila and Washington’s alliance during their bilateral meeting in Washington.

Marcos noted with concern the escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific and cited S assistance in maintaining peace and contribution to the stability and development of the region.

David and

Goliath

in the South China Sea dispute

On April 23, a Chinese Coast uard vessel and a Philippine Coast Guard ship nearly collided with each other near the disputed Ayungin Shoal in the South China Sea. The former was more than twice the size of the latter.

IN THE TRENCHES

The much larger and faster Chinese vessel was trying to block the Philippine maritime law enforcement ship, which was carrying a group of journalists, and was making a very dangerous maneuver that could have resulted in a fatal accident.

The incident could have spoiled Chinese Foreign Minister in ang s goodwill trip to Manila to repair bilateral ties soured by the Chinese Coast uard s constant harassment and bullying of small states in the South China Sea.

The actions taken by the Chinese Coast Guard were a direct opposite to what China s diplomats wanted to convey to eijing s neighbors in the region.

It was like China s right hand was doing something that its left hand did not know.

It s bad policy. ut the Chinese Coast uard could not be totally blamed. It was just doing its job to protect Chinese national interests, the same way that the Chinese Foreign Ministry was also doing what it could to advance eijing s national interests.

owever, China has to get its act together. This kind of foreign policy cannot continue forever.

China either has to carry out strong-arm tactics and drop its smiling face to its neighbors, or make friends with countries that claim portions or the whole of the South China Sea and stop harassing its weak and small neighbors.

The Philippines has shifted its own strategy, from appeasing China under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte to shaming Beijing for its bullying in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard has been making public incidents in the South China Sea every time China does something stupid, like pointing military-grade laser, shadowing and blocking a patrol vessel, issuing radio warnings, and deploying hundreds of militia vessels in areas considered part of the country s 200-nautical-mile e clusive economic one (EEZ).

Recently, the Philippine Coast Guard has been allowing local and international journalists to join its maritime and air patrols in the West Philippines Sea to show the press how China has been bullying its neighbors in the South China Sea.

The Chinese Coast Guard was not only making unsafe and dangerous maneuvers, it also has no legal rights to block and warn local vessels to sail in waters within the Philippine .

China has been clearly violating international laws when it continued to encroach into the Philippine EEZ as well as by ignoring a 2016 decision made by the Permanent Court of Arbitration PCA nullifying its e cessive and illegal ninedash-line claims on the South China Sea.

Might did not give China the right to impose its will in the disputed areas in the South China Sea. It has to obey and adhere to international law under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the aw of the Sea nclos .

The April 23 incident near Ayungin Shoal was a clear escalation of China s harassment in the South China Sea.

The Philippines can expect more of the same bullying from China in the weeks, months and years ahead as countries in the region continue to assert their claims in the South China Sea.

The Philippines is not alone in upgrading its military facilities in the Spratlys. Malaysia, ietnam and Taiwan have been reclaiming and expanding their occupied features.

The only difference from what China did in the last 10 years was that the reclamation and improvements made on features by the other claimants were not as e cessive and epansive as building islands with 3-km runways and secured pors.

Chinese activities in the South China Sea dwarf those undertaken by five other claimant countries combined from island-building to deployment of navy, coast guard, and militia vessels.

Chinese fishing eets have

(Continue on page 27)

Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Philippines and United States

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is honored to welcome Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Washington, DC. The leaders recognize the remarkable ties of friendship, community, and shared sacrifice that serve as the foundation of the U.S.-Philippines alliance.

President Biden and President Marcos welcome the historic momentum in .S.-Philippine relations, and resolve to continue expanding engagement and cooperation on all issues of common concern. In efforts to promote inclusive and broad-based prosperity, invest in the clean energy transition and the fight against climate change, uphold international peace and stability, and ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law, the United States and the Philippines will remain the closest of allies, working together to deliver a better future for our citizens and tackle the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century.

Partnering for Peace and Security: Strengthening our Alliance, Upholding International Law, and Expanding Regional Collaboration

President iden rea rms the nited States ironclad alliance commitments to the Philippines, underscoring that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke .S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

The leaders welcome the identification of new sites pursuant to the U.S.-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which will strengthen Philippine security and support the Armed Forces of the Philippines moderni ation goals, while driving .S. investment to local communities across the Philippines and improving our shared ability to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The leaders underscore their unwavering commitment to freedom of navigation and over ight in the South China Sea, and the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their e clusive economic ones consistent with international law. The leaders support the right and ability of Filipino fisherfolk to pursue their traditional livelihoods. The leaders note the ruling of the 2016 arbitral tribunal, constituted pursuant to the nited Nations Convention on the aw of the Sea NC OS . They a rm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. The leaders convey support for kraine s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, noting that the con ict has adversely affected food and energy security in the Indo-Pacific.

The leaders welcome cooperation with partners that share the nited States and the Philippines commitment to international law and mutual respect, and in that spirit, they rea rm their strong support for AS AN centrality and the AS AN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. They look forward to establishing trilateral modes of cooperation among the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, as well as the Philippines, Australia, and the United States. Furthermore, they welcome the uad s commitment to support a peaceful and stable, rules-based region with ASEAN at the center, through its efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.

elivering Prosperity and Resilience riving roadBased Economic Growth, Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition, and Promoting the Well-Being of Our Citizens President iden and President Marcos resolve to draw on the strength of their partnership to promote enduring economic growth and prosperity in the United States, the Philippines, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. To that end, President iden will dispatch a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines on his behalf, to enhance U.S. companies investment in the Philippines innovation economy, its clean energy transition and critical minerals sector, and the food security of its people. Furthermore, the leaders announce that the United States and the Philippines will co-host the 2024 Indo-Pacific usiness Forum the nited States marquee commercial event in the region in Manila, which will further establish the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains and high-quality investment. Additionally, the two countries will pursue engagements with stakeholders, including in the business and social sectors, regarding opportunities to enhance bilateral economic engagement in a manner that is worker-centered, sustainability-driven, fair, and transparent, focusing on sectors in which it is critical to develop resilient supply chains and in which significant and meaningful economic value-added and employment can be generated in the United States and

(Continue on page 27)

Good news from Pangasinan governor

We are hearing many good and positive things happening in our home province Pangasinan and our hometown Binalonan.

Health & Wealth

And so when we were invited to the installation of officers, inaugural banquet and ball of the United Pangasinanes of America Inc. (UPAI), my wife Virginia Jimenez Madlaing and I hurriedly drove to the ilton otel rand allroom in urlingame, California where the event was scheduled, especially when we learned that the guest of honor and speaker is Pangasinan overnor Ramon uico III, who before becoming governor was congressman of the fifth district and mayor of our hometown Binalonan.

e were hoping we could meet overnor uico during the event but important commitment back home prevented him from ying to California. e, however, did not disappoint his provincemates and guests as he spoke through live video.

Moreover, Melecio . Patague II, the provincial administrator, known as the ittle overnor at the Capitol in ingayen, attended the event and made sure to get suggestions, recommendations and feedback from provincemates. Pataque was vice mayor of the governor when he was mayor of inalonan.

In his live video message, ov. Ramon “Mon Mon” uico III amazed the attendees when told them some of his major projects with assistance of Board Member Shiela Marie F. Baniqued. These projects include:

1. Construction of the Pangasinan East-West Expressway P to shorten travel time throughout the province from four hours to less than one hour;

2. Construction of the Pangasinan Salt Center to boost one of the natural products in the province

3. Establishment of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College, an e pansion of the niversity of astern Pangasinan P established by ov. uico III in inalonan, Pangasinan when he was the Mayor of this booming town in eastern Pangasinan. The university has so far helped more than ,000 scholars FREE of expenses;

4. Improvement of the ealth Care System province wide to benefit the population especially the senior citi ens

5. Construction of the CAPITOL COMPLEX to include a mall, 5-star hotel, recreational facilities and amenities to boost tourism.

In concluding the special report on the upcoming projects of ov. uico II in Pangasinan, r. aniqued echoed “Pangasinan ang aling ” She e plained that when ov. uico III was the Mayor of inalonan, “ inalonan ang aling” was the motto. When he was the Congressman in the 5th District, “Fifth istrict of Pangasinan ang aling “became the motto. Tonight, I invite you A to say, “ PAI ang aling ” she shouted.

ov. uico III was scheduled to induct and install the upcoming PAI o cers. On his behalf, Atty. Noel incent inducted and installed the following o cers Alvin Padilla, president Charito Ro as- ui, vice president Marita N. Padilla, secretary; Norma Bitanga, assistant secretary; Lee Junio, controller; Angelina E. Requindin, assistant controller; Josephine J. de la Cruz, treasurer; Susan Arcilla, assistant treasurer; Arse Valdez, auditor; Becky Bautista, assistant auditor; Conrad Barcelon, Marcel Cayabyab and Rodil Peralta, sergeant-at-arms;

rnesto Abalos Chairman , Jose “Pepe” Rosario Jr., Amor Wui (Board Secretary), Caridad Aquino, Romulo Arenas, Nemy G. Bautista, Romy Cerezo, Rudy Junio, Chris Torres, Bernard Valdez, board of directors at-large, with past UPAI President Fred Almeron as adviser

Chris Alanzalon, Andy Junio, Carlito Carrera, Gloria Junio, Jose Castillo, Lyn Descalzo, and Ben Rufo, board of directors- town a liates.

Newly appointed UPAI President inducted the following appointed o cers li abeth Alan alon, PRO dna Ro asGorospe, PRO; Lorette de Veas, historian; Jose Manuel, parliamentarian; Pacita Aningalan, mutual assistance; Jose Esteves, former Mayor of Milpitas, California, Constitution and y-laws Angeline Noguera, outh Representative Norma Panoringan, current Mrs. Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, back in Manila…

As this issue comes out, Ferdinand Marcos Jr AKA Bongbong would still be in the US, no doubt doing some last minute shopping.

After his face-to-face with good, old Joe Biden, Junior and company will head to London to attend the coronation of King Charles. He will be right at home there, as Junior spent many years attempting but failing to earn a degree in one of the most expensive schools in the world located in merry olde England.

And after? No, sir. No back to Manila voyage for him. The supposed president will then head for Indonesia for one of those leaders meeting that is really just an excuse to travel and sociali e, chat a little on some serious matters, then finally head home with an accomplishment report that no one believes anyway.

Malacanang did not – or would not – say how many are part of the presidential party, although the figure generally accepted is 0. Some, not all, are government o cials who may actually get some work done. But it’s a safe bet that there are also a good number of amuyongs in the batch. And no, I do not know the English word for amuyong, although the likes of pests, leeches, and sleazeball cockroaches come to mind.

In his absence, what matters did he leave to caretaker Sara No H to make a mess of?

For one, on May 1, Labor Day, the country’s working class rightfully asked if this latest trip was absolutely necessary at this time.

Labor has been getting plenty restive again, and this time it s for a very valid reason. In ation in the Marcos era has been pretty high, we must all admit, but salaries have not risen to meet the rising prices.

One of the most disturbing data that comes from various sources is that the daily minimum wage is not even half of the minimum pay necessary for a family of four to survive.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. The average Filipino –let’s call him Juan dela Cruz; quaint, no? – works eight hours a day, five days a week, knowing full well that the money he takes home to the wife and kids is insu cient. ecause of this pathetic state, he has to either 1 find an e tra job, 2 borrow from any and all sources, or sell his belongings.

If he does not do any of the three, his family will either go hungry regularly or his landlord will threaten to evict him.

If he gets desperate enough, he may consider doing something not quite legal. It can start small enough. He could, for example, engage in the buy and sell business, which comes as second nature to many Filipinos.

This reminds me of what a couple of close friends attempted to do some decades ago. They set up a small business with an o ce and all and called it Alpine Trading.

When I asked one of them why and where they got the name, he said their motto was, “Tell me what you need, and alpine it for you.” Yes, yes, even back then my then young buddies were into dad jokes. That buy and sell business didn’t last too long, though. One went back to selling insurance while another started with a small school bus business, which was actually two small vans that picked up and took home a group of kids from a private school. No franchise from LTFRB or anything.

It was, shall we say, an extra legal business.

Juan dela Cruz is adept at creating such sources of income, which some call the underground economy. If lucky, he may eventually need to register the business and pay the necessary taxes.

Or he may graduate to selling items whose source he does not want to know anything about. It could be stolen goods, in which case he wants to claim deniability. A relative or friend just asked him to sell the second hand item cheap. It can be a case of cheap brandy, a relatively new laptop, or a bicycle or motorcycle.

When caught with what is considered a contraband item, he can say he didn’t know.

This scenario is a lot more common that one would think.

If poor Juan is never caught, he can graduate to bigger and better sources of illicit income such as online scamming, which sure beats setting up jueteng operations any day of the week.

(Continue on page 27)

Do You See Us?

The last three years represent an unprecedented time for Asian American and Pacific Islander AAPI activism in the United States and, in particular, California. As a community, we have grappled with a collective trauma that will no doubt reverberate for years to come. We have experienced racism, xenophobia, and violence that left many injured and some did not survive.

We live each day with the weight of feeling unsafe, unempowered, and uncertain about our future.We are treated as perpetual outsiders, forever foreigners, as if we don’t belong.

. As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, we are launching the #InvisibilityCampaign that seeks to uplift Asian American and Pacific Islander e periences. California must have policies that address our specific needs and improve theBEING of our communities, such as in-language accessibility and accurate data collection.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been reduced to simplistic caricatures that render us invisible in so many aspects of daily life. The “model minority” myth hides the true needs of our more vulnerable Southeast Asian communities. Our Pacific Islander communities are often wholly overlooked, despite what the term “AAPI” encompasses. The model minority myth persists and creates a social expectation for AAPIs to be quiet, work hard, and keep our heads down.

Our invisibility is also caused by the perpetual foreigner myth, where we are seen as being summarily un-American. We have generations of AAPIs whose lineage in the United States go back centuries, yet our faces are seen as never being American enough.

We are altogether cast in a separate category of belonging where despite our numbers as the fastest growing racial group in this state and this country, we are massively underrepresented in popular culture, leadership and elected positions, and even as subjects for studies. In film and mainstream media, we’ve been reduced to the casually comedic “chingchongs,” emasculated orientals, submissive China dolls, or fetishized dragon ladies.

So on the heels of the momentum created by the Stop AAPI Hate movement and the recent improvement of Asian representation in popular culture, where do we go and how do we demand to be seen Further, how do we fight for our equitable share of resources and educate others about our complex histories in our constant battle to be humanized? The goal of the campaign is to uplift different Asian American and Pacific Islander e periences and the need for proper policies that address our needs that are often obscured by inaccurate data and insu cient language accessibilities in government services.

And so, we introduce the InvisibilityCampaign.As a first step, we are combat Asian invisibility by spearheading four California Assembly bills to reject patterns of discrimination and visibilize our needs.

To dismantle the model minority stereotype, AB 617 Jones Sawyer will remove e clusions in eligibility criteria for immigrant residents to access an expanded range of services within the One California program.

Additionally, A 43 alra will tackle the invisibility of AAPIs by reforming California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation s C CR data reporting system to disaggregate demographic data by ethnic populations.The CDCR lumps Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans into the “Other” category in its population reports. Aggregating this broad range of communities conceals the disparities and diversity of these populations, which results in a failure to provide culturally responsive and targeted resources to specific populations. A 43 will ensure that C CR disaggregates data for different communities within the incarcerated population, which can inform targeted policies for incarceration reform. Because AAPIs have a large immigrant community that speaks more than 40 different languages in California, Asians are disproportionately likely to face language barriers when seeking the services and support they need.

AB 1084 aims to ameliorate these language barriers by providing bilingual stipends to staff at community-based organizations who provide in-language social services to underserved immigrant communities. .

The #InvisibilityCampaign does not conclude at the end of this legislative cycle. It goes on until we are seen as full, complex individuals with names, histories, and struggles worth acknowledging as part of the fabric of this country. We refuse to be reduced to stereotypes, treated as a monolith, or cat-

(Continue on page 27)

Teacher Appreciation Week”: A teacher nourishes the soul of a child

Teacher Appreciation eek is May -12, 2023, and this year, we’re joining together to tell teachers that we will listen to them, we will stand with them, and together we will act so that every student has a teacher who feels respected and supported. https www. nea.org TA

Let’s appreciate our teachers - they shape the minds of the students and make a difference in their lives. Teachers, thank you for all that you do to our students, the hope of the future. Actually, you are a life-saver because you are saving the future… since our students will soon be our leaders of tomorrow, the hope of the future!

My colleague once said “A teacher nourishes the soul of a child for a lifetime. He or she presents the past, reveals the present, and creates the future…; they inspire them…” What a food for thought!

So, since they direct and lead the path students choose, a teacher serves as a source of inspiration for the students to look up to. They are role models for students to emulate.

This week, we have a chance to remember our teachers who inspired us and made our school days memorable, meaningful and fruitful. They deserve to be remembered and appreciated for a job well done professionally without any mental reservation!

Suzanne Capek Tinsley, a veteran educator once said, in her published article What Makes a Teacher Memorable? “… students often remember teachers who were kind or funny or brilliant or passionate. They remember teachers who cared about them. They remember teachers who were supportive or encouraging or saw something in them no one else did. They remember teachers who challenged them and made them think. And truth be told, students also remember teachers who were maybe just a little quirky. After all, memorable teachers don’t have to be perfect.”

During my college of law days at the Manuel L. Quezon niversity M , I remember Justice Santiago M. apunan and Judge A. Caesar Sangco for their efforts to make the class alive by telling and narrating weird and humorous stories based on their e perience practice to keep the students engaged. They always break the monotony for every long lecture in Criminal Law and Civil Law.

Their moves provided the breaks law students need in between serious readings of the Criminal Code, the Civil Code, Family Code, and other textbooks for aspiring lawyers to read. I will never forget their stories and in fact, I have been sharing them with colleagues and friends during our free time.

In high school, how can I forget my Pilipino teacher in rdaneta Community igh School C S , now the rdaneta City National igh School CN S Ms. Pa e uman Aside from teaching, she also served as a confidant, a friend, a mentor, and an adviser to our group - D’Heartaches! After class, we go to her house and play, talk, listen to advise, and she is always there for us.

We get a lot of encouragement, not only in our classes, but in all aspects of our life. I will never forget her!

I don’t remember much about elementary, but I do remember Ms. Dolores Alcayaga, the famous school principal of the rdaneta Central School CS who was a disciplinarian. Most students hated her because of her strict disciplinary ways, but now I realized she was right! She was after the welfare of the students.

My former student in college at Arellano University, a former dean and now a full-pledge college professor and a distinguished educator, Angelina Santa Elena, PhD. at the Jose Ri al niversity JR , was very appreciative of her college day.

This was what she said “My idol professor funny, great, challenged us, and always inspired us to be successful in life.”

Also, allow me to comment and commend the foster grandparents volunteers under the Seniors Council Foster Grandparent Senior Companionship Programs from Salinas Valley, Seaside, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and Watsonville, all in California, who went back to school and assisted regular teachers in the classroom as teacher aide instead of retiring, spending their time, going (Continue on page 27)

IMMIGRATIONS

How marriage fraud is being investigated

Marriage fraud is a major part of USCIS investigations because they believe that marriage is a fast way to get a green card. In some cases, containing weak documentary relationship evidence, the adjudicator may refer the case for an investigation. This additional scrutiny may include deep public record searches, an early morning visit at their home, and interviews with neighbors, family and co¬ workers.

How do the USCIS investigate marriage fraud?

To detect frauds, the immigration authorities require a lot of proof that a marriage is real, including more documentation than for other family-based immigration applicants. They subject marriage-based immigrants to a longer and more detailed personal interview than other applicants go through, as well as a two-year testing period for couples who have been married less than two years when their green card is approved or when they enter the U.S. on their immigrant visa.

The U.S. government will not normally follow a couple around or investigate their life beyond the required paperwork and the interviews it always conducts. But it has the power to do so if it sees grounds for suspicion. Inspectors of the Department of Homeland Security can visit your home, talk to your friends, and interview your employers, and so on. By requiring more of married couples than of others, the U.S. government has set up a system that gives it a lot of information about whether a marriage is the real thing or not.

What is the information that the USCIS is looking for a married couple?

The “normal” married couple has a fair amount in common. They share a language and religion. They live together and do things together, like take vacations, celebrate important events, birthdays, and holidays, join clubs or gyms, and have sex and children. Typical couples also combine financial and other aspects of their lives after marriage. They demonstrate their trust in one another by sharing bank and credit card accounts and ownership of property, such as cars and houses. They celebrate each others’ birthdays and meet each other’s families.

Based on this information, it is advisable to seek the advice of an immigration attorney to inform you of the chances of your immigration petition or application.

Note: This is not a legal advice.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

1. PETITION FOR NURSES LVN AND CAREGIVERS

Our Law Firm entered into agreement with nursing facilities in the U.S. to process applicants for Nurses, LVN and Caregivers in the US You may qualify if you have RN or LVN license. Caregivers will need six months of caregiving experience.

Applicants Inside or outside the United States may qualify.

Bankruptcy Basics

We also process Bankruptcy cases.

1. Bankruptcy will actually improve your credit within one year because your unsecured debts are discharged. Although the bankruptcy will be in your records for 10 years, not filing bankruptcy will make your credit even worse until most your debts are paid.

2. If you are being sued by your creditors, most money judgment can be eliminated in bankruptcy.

3. Collection actions continue and you can be sued if you are in debt settlement.

4. Chapter will eliminate all unsecured debts. If you are near retirement age, you must eliminate most of your debts.

CAR ACCIDENTS

Our Law Firm successfully settled a car accident for $675.000.

FAMILY LAW

We also handle uncontested DIVORCE.

ITIN and INCOME TAX PROBLEMS

We can help you if you need an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer ID number) We also prepare income tax returns and if you are under IRS audit, and need a representation with IRS, need to reduce your ta liability or need to offer a payment plan to IRS, we can help you with that.

SUCCESS STORIES

For the month of April, 2023, we received approval from USCIS for four naturalization applications, one Fiancée visa petition, two removals of condition on residence and five adjustment of status applications.

If you have immigration problems the aw O ces of Crispin C. o ano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse, which could lead to deportation and family separation.

Chris Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He has practiced immigration law, bankruptcy, personal injury and income tax representation since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw. net Website: www.crispinlozanolaw.com/ with offices in Hayward and Cerritos, CA.

Leading nuclear power energy firm set to invest in PHL

WASHINGTON D.C. - A top nuclear energy firm based in the nited States has expressed interest to invest in the Philippines after a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Washington D.C.

In the meeting, Oregon-based NuScale Power Corporation said it is planning to conduct study to locate a site in the Philippines. NuScale is known for developing a small nuclear power system, described as safe, modular, and scalable.

President Marcos said the country “essentially has a shortfall in power supply” and the support of NuScale would help address this issue.

“We need everything. We just have to have everything and this new technology is something,” the President said.

Clayton Scott, NuScale executive vice president for business, said the company has “very high confidence that our technology will perform as expected.”

Scott is referring to NuScale’s small modular reactor (SMR) technology, which was borne of research by leading nuclear scientists supported by the US government. Its SMR is the first and only one of its kind to receive design approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Com-

mission.

Nuscale has existing projects in Utah, Romania, Indonesia, and Poland providing safe, reliable and cost competitive clean energy to consumers.

In the Philippines, NuScale is expected to invest $6.5 to 7.5B to provide 430MW to the country by 2031.

Among the NuScale o cials present in the meeting were Clayton Scott, executive vice president for business, and Cheryl Collins, director for sales.

Nuscale was accompanied by local partner Enrique Razon, representing his Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (Prime Infra). Razon, also the chairman and CEO of the Manila-listed company International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSCI), has been investing heavily on building assets through Prime Infra to support infrastructures on energy, access to clean water, waste management, among others.

Joining the President in the business meeting were Speaker Martin Romualdez, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr. (Claire Morales True).

Consumer spending seen to settle at 5.5% this year

MANILA – The BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, has projected that the Philippines’ household spending this year would settle at 5.5 percent as consumer confidence continues to recover since its all-time low in the second quarter of 2022, the height of the pandemic.

The research group said the consumer spending outlook in 2023 is lower than the 8.7 percent estimated growth for 2022 due to elevated in ation over the past few months.

“In ationary forces will remain elevated across 2023, but nominal income growth is still forecast to outpace in ation, which ensures real income growth for consumers, giving greater propensity for spending. owever, in ation is likely to remain

elevated, and we expect the central bank to tighten monetary policy further in an attempt to maintain control,” the BMI said in its commentary released to the media on Wednesday.

From 2023 to 2027, the BMI sees consumer spending in the Philippines settle at an average of 5.9 percent.

“The slowdown in growth is in line with expectations, but the pace of deceleration was more modest than predicted. Elevated energy prices and tightening monetary policy will result in further deceleration during the forecast period,” it added.

The Fitch Solutions unit also said it e pects in ation to go beyond the central bank’s target of percent to percent this year.

California firm, Ayala group ink pact to build e-motorcycles in PHL

and Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr.

Among those who attended the meeting for the IMI include Ayala Corporation chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala and Automotive and Industrial regional manager Dave Corry.

Zero Motorcycles, on the other hand, were represented by its chief executive officer Sam Paschel and Alex Acket, chief operating officer.

Paano Ginagastos ang Iyong mga Buwis?

Under the partnership, the California firm will lead the way in setting up the first electronic vehicle (EV) motorcycle manufacturing site in the Philippines, the Presidential Communications Office reported.

IMI will assemble Zero’s electric motorcycle models and other assemblies in its facility in Laguna in conjunction with the manufacturing facilities for Zero in California.

The IMI-ZERO operations is a pioneering activity for the Philippines for the assembly of an electric motorcycle platform. It is expected to employ 200 workers for its assembly line, from manufacturing , packing and shipping 18,000 EVs per year.

The cooperation agreement has a projected amount of US$ 65M. The activity is also seen to support the Philippines’ development of its electric vehicle ecosystem.

The US-based company will take the lead in establishing the first electronic vehicle (EV) motorcycle manufacturing site in the Philippines.

During the meeting, Zero said the Philippines is a “clear choice” for its operations as the firm aims to globalize its manufacturing business, targeting Europe, Asia and other markets, while supporting US demands for sub-assemblies.

“The Philippines… for us [is] a perfect partner for us to expand our manufacturing. This is a good place for us to build a global manufacturing base,” a representative of Zero said.

IMI said it is uniquely positioned to have both the competency of electronics manufacturing as well as bike assembly under one roof.

Zero’s electric motorcycles will be made available in 2024 through AC Industrials.

IMI said it is uniquely positioned to have both the competency of electronics manufacturing as well as bike assembly under one roof.

IMI provides global manufacturing solutions, including innovative electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and power semiconductor assembly and test services (SATS) for diversified markets such as those in the automotive, industrial, aerospace, and other industries.

It supports the electronics manufacturing for the electric vehicle ecosystem from the vehicle itself to its charging infrastructure.

Joining the President in the business meeting were Speaker Martin Romualdez, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla,

Miyerkules, Mayo 10, 2023 sa ika-5:30 p.m. (tiyak na oras)

In Person: VTA Headquarters, 3331 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134 – Conference Room B-106

Sa pamamagitan ng: us02web.zoom.us/j/87207700818

Makipag-ugnayan sa Of ce of the Board Secretary sa (408) 321-5680 o mag-email sa board.secretary@vta.org para sa mga tanong o para kumpirmahin ang petsa, oras, at lugar ng pagpupulong. Ilalaan ang mga serbisyong wikang pasenyas at interpreter kapag hiniling sa pamamagitan ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa Board Of ce nang hindi bababa sa limang araw bago ang pagpupulong. Tinatanggap ang mga nakasulat na komento hanggang 10:00 a.m. sa ika-10 ng Mayo sa pamamagitan ng email.

Eto ang Resulta ng Awdit! Ipinag-utos ng Committee ang pag-awdit ng pinansyal na mga rekord ng Measure A Program at iskedyul para sa FY 2022 (Hulyo 1, 2021 –Hunyo 30, 2022). Ang Crowe LLP, isang independyenteng sertipikadong pampublikong accounting rm, ay nagsagawa ng compliance audit at nag-isyu ng unquali ed ("malinis") na opinyon, na nagsasabing nag-comply ang VTA, sa lahat ng materyal na aspeto, sa mga kinakailangan para sa measure. Ito ang ika-17

Webinar ID: 872 0770 0818

magkakasunod na awdit na nakakakatanggap ng malinis na opinyon. Available ang mga resulta ng Awdit sa website ng VTA vta.org/cwc-fy22audit at sa

Administrative Of ce ng VTA sa 3331 First Street, San Jose, CA 95134 sa Building B Main Lobby.

Eto ang buong kuwento! Noong

Nobyembre 2000, inaprubahan ng mga botante ng Santa Clara County ang Measure A, isang kalahating sentimong buwis sa benta para sa mga proyektong pagpapasulong ng kapital at operasyon ng espesipikong pampulikong transit. Nagsimula ang pangongolekta ng buwis noong Abril 2006. Kasama sa mga tampok sa FY 2022 ang mga pangunahing aktibidad para sa proyekto ng VTA na BART Silicon Valley Extension, proyektong Eastridge patungong BART Regional Connector, at Caltrain Electri cation na mga pagsisikap.

Sumali sa pag-uusap!

Fil-Am singer H.E.R joins production of Broadway musical on Imelda Marcos

as the character of Aurora Aquino, mother of the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

It was announced Lea will appear in the musical for five weeks from the July 11 to the August 13 shows. After her five-week stint, guest stars from the Philippines will take over her role. An international casting search is also underway.

Aside from being one of the cast members, Lea joined the show’s producing team.

“I’m so excited to be joining Here Lies Love as both a performer and producer,” she said in a press release. “I’m thrilled to be part of this show, as well as part of a company comprised of an abundance of Filipino talent, a first in roadway history We’re showing the world what we’re capable of ”

in 1991 with Miss Saigon.

The immersive musical, which features music by David Bryne and Fatboy Slim, dramatizes the rise and fall of the Marcos matriarch and follows the dictator’s family through to the People Power Revolution. It will reportedly “transform part of the Broadway Theater into a dance club” to immerse the audience.

Here Lies Love started out as a 2010 concept album featuring singers like Cyndi Lauper, Florence Welch, Sia, and Tori Amos.

In 2013, it was adapted into a musical, which premiered off roadway in New York City, with Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda, Jose Llana as the dictator, and Conrad Ricamora as opposition leader Ninoy Aquino.

NEW YORK - Now, there are two top Filipino celebrities as coproducer of the “Here Lies Love,” a Broadway musical on the rise and fall of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

This after multi-award-winning Filpino-American singer H.E.R. announced she was joining the production team of “Here Lies Love” which is set to run this July.

“Filipinos are a global people. We come in all colors and build bridges

across cultures. I am beyond excited to produce my first roadway musical and forge a unique and meaningful partnership with Here Lies Love,” the Grammy Award-winning singersongwriter said in her announcement.

“Here Lies Love” was conceptualized by award-winning singer-songwriter David Byrne and DJ-producer Fatboy Slim.

Tony Award winning Filipino singer and actress Lea Salonga earlier was announced as a co-star in the musical and a co-producer as well.

Reports from US showed the musical’s producers earlier addressed criticisms, explaining that the show “offers a creative way of re-information an innovative template on how to stand up to tyrant.”

“We cannot tell the modern history of the Philippines without the United States. They’re intertwined. Here Lies Love is an Anti-Marcos show. It is a pro-Filipino show, being told in a quintessential American form: the Broadway musical,” the producers said in a statement as early as last January.

“Here Lies Love” also marks the return of Lea Salonga to the Broadway scene.

Lea will perform “Just Ask The Flowers”

The production will serve as Lea’s first Filipino role on the roadway stage and first stint as a producer.

Here Lies Love will also mark her return to the Broadway Theater –where she made her Broadway debut

Following its off- roadway premiere, the musical has since built a following, and has been staged in London and Seattle.

ere ies ove s o cial opening night on Broadway is set for July 20, with preview performances starting on June 17.

Hit drama series “Dirty Linen” comes to life in the first-ever G! Kapamilya fan convention

Snag your �ckets now to this uni ue gathering for fans of mystery and suspense

SACRAMENTO, CA. MAY 1, --- Suspense. ies. eceit. Scandalous affairs. Mystery. And revenge. All these ingredients make for a riveting drama that is “ irty inen,” which has consistently been in the top 10 shows in cable and satellite, and on i antTFC in the .S. since its launch on January 23, 2023.

The series has gained a loyal following due to its well-crafted plot and characters.

This gripping drama comes to life and fans can get the chance to e perience the gritty and authentic feel of the show when A S-C N, A S-C N International, and reamscape ntertainment bring irty inen The ltimate apamilya FanCon to Sacramento, California on June 24, 2023.

The first-ever apamilya convention will feature performances from irty inen cast anjoe Marudo Aidan , Francine ia Chiara , Seth Fedelin Nico , and Janine utierre Ale a Mila , together with John Arcilla Carlos .

The FanCon is the ultimate opportunity for fans to immerse themselves in the world of the show where the audience can get e clusive access to the cast and e perience unforgettable adventures that will bring the show to life.

There will be a variety of games and activities for guests to participate in immersive e hibits where guests e perience the world of irty inen e clusive sneak peek of new episodes and so much more.

The convention will be memorable for fans who will get the chance to connect with other supporters of the

phenomenal series, enjoy outstanding entertainment, and win e citing pri es and giveaways. This is, indeed, the ultimate fan e perience.

Tickets are 55 for general admission and 5 for general admission that includes IP perks. IP ticket holders get e clusive access to meet and greet sessions and a group photo opportunity with the cast.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, or you may call the bo o ce at 1 - 0 -51 1

Mondays ednesdays from 12 00 P.M. until 5 00 P.M.

e there for irty inen The ltimate apamilya FanCon on June 24, 2023, from 2 00- 00 P.M. at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, California. 1515 J St. Sacramento, CA 5 14 The event is presented by orld Remit and M 3.

o to myTFC.com dirtylinenfancon for tickets and for more information.

Bruno Mars set for two-night concert at Philippine Arena June

Yes, Virginia. Multi-awarded singer-songwriter Filipino American Bruno Mars is coming back to Manila for not just one but two nights of concert at the country’s biggest covered arena, the Philippine Arena in Bocaue,Bulacan.

This was confirmed by local promoter Live Nation Philippines in a social media post which said Good news for the Filipino American singer-songwriter added a second show date to his Philippine show.

The Grammy Award-winning artist will now be performing on June and at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

Concert producer Live Nation Philippines cited an “overwhelming demand” in ticket sales.

Presale for the second night started on May 1 at 10 a.m. General sale, meanwhile, will open on May 2.

This will be Bruno Mars’ fourth concert in the country. He last performed in Manila in 2018 for his 24K Magic World Tour.

The Filipino-American artist is known for the hits “Just the Way You Are,” “Versace on the Floor,” and “That’s What I Like,” to name a few.

The Honolulu, Hawaii-born and raised Bruno Mars, 37, is Peter Gene Hernandez in real life. His parents were half Jewish, half Puerto Rican American Peter Hernandez, who played the percussion, and Bernadette San Pedro Bayot, a singer and Hula dancer Filipina born in the Philippines. (Jennifer T. Santos)

‘Ápplause,’ tribute concert for Aliw founder, set in July

The Aliw Award’s executive committee for the July 31 2023 “Applause - a musical tribute to AAFI founder Alice H. Reyes” - announced the addition of sponsors for the event, which will be held on July 31.2023, at the Manila Hotel Fiesta Pavilion.

Joining Mayor Joy Belmonte of Queon City are reenfield evelopment Corporation, Alpha One A-1 International Sales, Inc. Liza Macuja Elizalde and anish honstruct Inc.

With less than four months to go, the executive committee Co-chaired by Birdie Reyes |||, 1st Vice President and Aristeo Garcia, 2nd Vice President, is e erting all efforts to ensure the success of the once-in-a-lifetime event.

At a meeting held last April 15, the final list of subcommittees was released, as follows: ways and means committee co-chairmen Rema T. Manzano and Ofelia Cajigal, with the members Brian Lu, Jose adulla Jr, and lna Miralles Fabiana.

Reception committee co-chairmen Tess Tan and Francia Conrado with members Ofelia Cajigal, Leonora Cabael, ennis Aguilar, Anna i a Ouano ,Virginia Bongalosa and Elizabeth Oshiro.

Invitation committee chairman Joey Nombres with members Leonora Cabael ,Virginia Bongalosa and Anna Liza

“Applause” will feature selected entertainers of the year and lifetime achievement awardees, a first in the history of Philippine live entertainment.

Invitations have been sent to Pilita Corales, Lea Salonga, Martin Nievera, Gerald Santos, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Jed Madela, Gerphil Flores, Kuh Ledesma, Sarah Geronimo, Julie Anne San Jose, Jose Mari Chan, John Lesaca, and Boy Abunda.

Invitees who will be abroad on July 31 have been requested to send their video messages for airing at the tribute.

“Applause” will be directed by trustee Joey Nombres, who has been with Aliw since its inception, as a member of the staff of the late director Mitos illarreal.

Tickets to the dinner show which starts at 6pm. Will be available by May 1, 2023.

Except for the sponsors tables, seating will be on a first come first served basis, so the public is encouraged to arrive early.

inner is at pm and the show will start at 7pm.

For more information, please contact the following:

Birdie Reyes at: 551-221-1881.

Rema Manzano at: 945-849-1422.

Ofelia Cajigal at: 917-899-6197.

Aliw Landline at: 8921-5135.

‘Eat Bulaga’ controversy far from over; changes possible

According to him, that belongs to “someone not born in 1 1” or when TAP was founded and started producing the show. He does not think that it is accurate that TAPE gave Tony s alleged 20 of the shares as the show s producer.

According to Tito Sen as reported by their mother studio GMA Network, he decided to give the interview “because all of a sudden one member of the corporation, an o cer of the corporation, was interviewed and was not accurate.”

“As a matter of fact, there were false statements that were made,” he added. “So we would rather, and with the consent of Vic and Joey, that we would rather explain and elaborate or perhaps give light to what is true on some of these statements that were made. Iyon ang dahilan.”

Mahigit tig-30 million pesos ang utang sa kanila, for 2022 alone.”

e broke down their finances, saying “S C documents show that TAP had a 213 Million net profit for 2021. Paano kang nalugi?”

e points out 2022 as an election year. “Ang political ads, nadagdag doon sa regular, at lumuwag na ang COVID. So iyong e pect better than 2023 net profit na iyon ang ni-report mo.”

“But then again, we were informed that a little over 400 million pesos of political ads that were placed in Eat Bulaga, vanished,” he revealed.

It seems nothing is crystal clear yet on the fate of the popular noon time show “Eat Bulaga” and its producer, Television and Production Exponent (TAPE) Inc.

This as one of its hosts, former Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto, reacted to claims by TAP s chief financial e ecutive, Dapitan City Mayor Bullet Jolosjos

Interviewed on latest episode of “Updated with Nelson Canlas,” Sotto, one of the triumvirate known as Tito, Vic and Joey who are the main stars of the noontime show, Tito Sen, as the former senator is called, clarified several things about the ongoing controversy rocking the longest noontime show, including insinuations that TAPE is losing or lost P400 million in the show.

Tito Sen said TAPE in fact still owes his brother, Vic Sotto, and co-host Joey de Leon several millions of pesos, approximately P30 million.

There has been speculations that Tito Vic and Joey and TAPE may separate ways and that the show may move to another television station, but nothing definite has come out about the reports.

Meanwhile, Canlas reportedly asked Tito Sen who rightfully owns “Eat Bulaga” and the former Senate leader has a ready answer “If it s a copyright issue, definitely, it s owned by Joey de Leon and the three of us (Tito, Vic and Tony). Kami, s’ya ang nag-imbento ng pangalan.”

When Canlas pressed the former senator if the four of them had “Eat Bulaga” copyrighted, Sotto said: “Uncontestable! Copyrighted or not, may copyright din sila ng merchandising, yung TAP eh. Meron din kaming mga naka-file eh. Immaterial ‘yun. Ask the lawyers. There’s no such thing na ikaw ang may pagmamay-ari nito pero itong mga nag-imbento, hindi sila? Hindi pwede ‘yun.”

As the show’s brains, Tito Sen said they have also committed themselves to keeping the show’s integrity, which is why he also distances himself from the show whenever he’s elected in o ce.

“You know ‘Eat Bulaga,’ the three of us and Tony, we’ve always tried our best to keep the image of ‘Eat Bulaga’ as ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Gan’un ‘yun eh. Kaya nga iniiwasan namin ‘yung mga controversial na tao, political, ganyan. As a matter of fact every time I’m elected into a major position in government, I leave. Hindi ako nakiki-alam. At umaattend lang ako kapag inimbita nila ako kung merong anniversary, kapag merong birthday,” saidd Sotto, adding that he never campaigned in the show and even paid for political ads.

“We’ve tried our best to avoid getting ‘Eat Bulaga’ contaminated with political issues or controversial issues. We were very successful eh… With all the controversies that surrounded ‘Eat Bulaga,’ we were able to preserve ‘Eat Bulaga’.”

Sotto clarified that the Jalosjos family and their corporation owns TAPE Inc. As senate president for four and a half years, Sotto said he has gained access to o cial records that show who’s behind TAPE Inc.’s ownership.

“If you’re talking about ‘Eat Bulaga,’ it’s owned by Tito, Vic and Joey. And now, if you’re asking about TAPE, TAPE is owned by them (Jalosjos family),” he said.

“Seventy-five percent Jalosjos family, 25 si Tony,” Sotto admitted. “I don t know what they plan to do with that 25 . In fact, mali pa nga yung sinabi ng TAP oard member, 20 percent lang daw. indi, 25 si Tony. Tig- yung iba. e have the records eh, we can check the records.”

Sotto first shared as MA News reported the history of “Eat Bulaga” how Product Specialist Inc. was the originally producer and soon lost money, how for one year the show ran on “blood, sweat, and tears” of TVJ (Tito, Vice and Joey and Tony Tuviera, about how TAP Inc. finally came on board in 1 1.

e also shared the financial rhythm the show came to know: How January to March were lean months, how the -Ber months were like “piyesta.”

“It’s been that way. Its ups and downs, nakaka-recover,” he said.

“Kaya we were always able to carry on. Kaya going back to one of your questions. Anong nangyari, bakit bigla? Ang sabi sa ‘min, nalulugi raw. Kailangan daw, baguhin ang nagpapatakbo. At kailangan daw i-reinvent ang Eat Bulaga, at mayroon daw mga portion na bored sila,” he continued.

The former Senate leader who is a singer and a composer disclosed they had a sit-down meeting to address this and were in fact able to find a way forward.

“Kaya okay na except lately, ‘ika nga, hindi na let sleeping dogs lie. Lately, biglang a member of the board tells media something else,” he said.

According to Sotto in the GMA News report, TAPE owed Vic and Joey money. “Ang laki ng utang kay Vic at kay Joey.

When asked where it went, Sotto said “you better ask TAPE.”

“I am disappointed, at the very least. I am disappointed at what’s happening. Lahat-lahat na,” he said in the GMA News report.

arlier, Mayor Jalosjos, who is chief finance o cer of Television and Production Exponent (TAPE) Inc., which produces “Eat Bulaga,” appeared on Boy Abunda’s “Fast Talk” on the MA channel, and clarified several rumors surrounding the long-standing noontime show.

“I want to assure everyone that we are financially stable. The company is okay. We’re doing good. We can pay our talents. We can pay GMA so wala po tayong talagang problema when it comes to money,” Jalosjos said on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.”

Jalosjos also said the rumors about Vic Sotto being owed P2 billion, and not having been been paid in nearly a year, is all fake news.

“That’s why maganda po talaga kung sana pwede rin makausap all the talents, maimbita natin sa show din to assure everyone that we are in good relations with the company and with the board, and tuloy-tuloy ang ligaya kay ‘Eat Bulaga,’” he said.

“Updated with Nelson Canlas” has reached out to Bullet Jalosjos and is waiting for a response, GMA News said.

US cities keep building luxury condos almost no one can afford

EMILY YOUNG throws open the shades of the threebedroom penthouse. “This is amazing,” she says, walking past the wine fridge and wet-dry bar. “ ook at that fireplace.” Ms. Young, a real estate agent with a Marc Jacobs handbag on her hip, is giving a tour of one of the most luxurious apartment buildings in Austin.

At the Hanover Republic Square, there’s a “vinyl parlor” with a DJ-quality turntable; a movie theater; a dog–grooming spa and a rooftop pool on the 44th oor. There, you can gaze at sunsets and a neighboring skyscraper. Nearly complete, it rises 66 stories and will have a pool to rival the Hanover’s. Actually, that’s not quite right it’s “pools,” plural. There will be three of them.

Austin is experiencing an unrivaled apartment boom. In 2021 the region including the Texas capital issued nearly 26,000 multifamily housing permits, about 11 units per 1,000 residents. That’s more per capita than any large US metro area since 1996, when Las Vegas OK’d new apartments at only a slightly higher level, according to rental marketing firm Apartment ist. y the same measure, which is based on an analysis of US census data, Austin topped the 50 largest US metropolitan areas in 9 of the last 10 years.

Many, if not most, of these apartments are classified as lu ury, depending on how you define it. Some developments are likely using a bit of real estate puffery. uildings such as the anover have become a ashpoint in a fierce, often bitter debate raging in Texas, the US and around the world. It’s about the best way to shelter this generation and the next, particularly in the most sought-after and expen-

sive cities.

Academics, developers and people in their 20s and 30s particularly those most active on social media have reached an unusual level of consensus. Their solution, supported by a wealth of scholarly research, is simple and elegant: Loosen regulations, such as zoning, and build more homes of any kind cheap, modest and palatial. IM

The shorthand for the movement has become “ uild, build, build” or “Yes, in my backyard” Yimby, for short. It’s a rejoinder to the “Not in my backyard,” or Nimby, crowd, the hidebound folks who typically thwart construction.

Texas is famous for its business-friendly ways, and David Ott is one of many embracing the Yimby approach. He oversees the Texas projects of Houston-based Hanover Co., which developed the building Young was showing on a recent March afternoon. He says Austin is getting overbuilt, so rents will indeed come down, especially in the suburbs. “It’s simple supply and demand,” he says.

Inconveniently for the Yimbys, Austin, like other cities, is still way more expensive than it was years ago, even though it’s built so many apartments. As a result, a small group of academics is starting to question the free-market path. These critics note that the market leads developers to build luxury housing on scarce and sought-after property to maximize the return on their investment. “Yimbys say, e have to let the market build, ” says enjamin Teresa, an urban planning scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University. “ ut what kind of housing are you building, and for whom?”

Mortgage Payment Assistance

Today, the iden- arris Administration announced an action that will save homebuyers and homeowners with new FHAinsured mortgages an average of $800 per year, lowering housing costs for an estimated 850,000 homebuyers and homeowners in 2023.

Vice President Harris and Department of Housing and rban evelopment

Secretary Fudge will travel to owie, Maryland, today to announce that HUD, through the Federal Housing Administration

F A , will reduce its annual mortgage insurance premium by 0.30 percentage points, from 0.85% to 0.55% for most new borrowers. The mortgage insurance premium is the monthly fee that homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages pay to insure their mortgages, which they pay on top of their monthly principal and interest payments.

Homeownership is currently the principal source of wealth creation for most American households. ut due to a nationwide shortfall in the supply of affordable homes and shifting demand for housing during the pandemic, first-time homebuyers have struggled in recent years to achieve homeownership. Firstgeneration homebuyers and first-time homebuyers of color who are less likely to have su cient resources for a si eable down payment due to a longstanding gap in intergenerational wealth transfers have been particularly affected.

Today’s announcement is an important step in making homeownership more attainable. FHA-insured mortgages, which accounted for 7.5% of home sales in the third quarter of 2022, are targeted at homebuyers who otherwise may not be able to achieve homeownership. This cost-lowering measure will make buying a home more attainable and affordable for more low- and middle-income borrowers.

FHA insures loans with a small down payment and more e ible underwriting, enabling families to begin building wealth through homeownership earlier than they otherwise might and providing an open door to credit-worthy borrowers. More than 0 of F A borrowers are first-time homebuyers, and over 25% are homebuyers of color. The average home purchased with FHA-insured mortgages cost around half the price of the overall national median home and have an average mortgage amount of less than $270,000.

y lowering its annual mortgage insurance premium by 0.30 percentage points, FHA’s action will help new homebuyers all over the country achieve homeownership. For example, the average homebuyer in Prince George’s County – where Vice President Harris and Secretary Fudge are traveling today – will save nearly $900 per year, based on the average home price in the county of around $300,000. In addition:

Over the last several years, FHA’s mortgage insurance fund has accumulated reserves at a level that is more than five times the required threshold set by Congress. This was made possible by HUD’s responsible and responsive management policies, home price appreciation, and significant refinance volume which together have led to an accumulation of substantial reserves. These dynamics make it possible for HUD to calibrate premiums more appropriately to the performance of the loans FHA insures and pass savings on to consumers in a responsible manner and without jeopardizing the long-term sustainability of FHA’s mortgage insurance fund. The premium reduction will take effect on March 20, and will be re ected in the President s F 2024 udget.

The iden- arris Administration s Commitment to ousing Stability and Affordability

Today s announcement follows a range of actions the idenHarris Administration has taken to promote housing stability and affordability. In part due to policies the Administration has put in place, foreclosures and evictions remain well below prepandemic levels. The Administration implemented a series of measures that protected homeowners from foreclosure, including enhanced loan modifications to resolve delinquencies. In addition, the Homeowner Assistance Fund is helping struggling homeowners catch up on their mortgage payments and utility costs. The Administration also stood up a first-of-its-kind national eviction prevention infrastructure, providing million payments to households in danger of eviction.

In addition to the changes announced today, the Administration and HUD have taken a range of steps to make homeownership a reality for more Ameri-

(Continue on page 27)

Pacquiao loses case vs Paradigm, ordered to pay $5.1 M to US firm

LOS ANGELES/MANILA – Filipino world boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is facing another setback.

After his defeat during last year’s presidential elections, the boxing legend and former Senator lost in a civil suit filed by a nited States-based management firm.

This as California jury awarded $5.1 million (approximately P282 million) to Paradigm Sports Management (PSM) founded by Iraqi-American promoter Audie Attar in the civil lawsuit Paradigm had filed against Pacquiao for alleged breach of contract, according to a tweet of ABS-CBN North America correspondent Steve Angeles.

Pacquiao ew to os Angeles last week with his wife Jinkee and he himself testified during the trial of the case before a California Superior Court in Los Angeles. He claimed the lawsuit should be junked alleging Paradigm had breached its contract with him.

But by 9-3 vote by the jury, Paradigm was awarded $5.1 million in damages, according to a report by ABS-CBN News’ Steve Angeles on May 3.

Neither Pacquiao nor Paradigm CEO and founder Audie Attar who had testified weeks earlier were present in the courtroom as the jury handed in their verdict.

Pacquiao had filed a cross-complaint in the same court against Paradigm Sports in which he accused Paradigm of breach of conduct, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud, among other allegations, but it was not known what was the decision reached on the complaint.

“Manny Pacquiao s cross-complaint filed reveals in detail the complete sham nature of Paradigm’s complaint,” Pacquiao attorney ale insella said in a statement after the filing in August 2021.

Pacquiao, whose assets were estimated at million and is ranked No. in Forbes list of highest-paid athletes of the last decade (2010 to 2019) with total earnings of million, has no immediate reaction to the jury’’s decision.

According to the lawsuit, Paradigm claimed that Pacquiao committed a breach of contract when he concealed his preexisting agreement with another promotional company, TGB Promotions, which hindered PSM’s efforts in arranging a fight for him.

During closing arguments, Paradigm’s counsel Judd Bernstein claimed that Pacquiao made it impossible for the company to successfully fulfill its duties.

Paradigm alleged that Pacquiao concealed his pre-existing agreements with TGB Pro-

motions and that other people interfered with their efforts to secure a fight.

Pacquiao signed with Paradigm Sports in February 2020, a move that put him in a position to face UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a mega-bout, as the Irish fighter is also represented by the agency. However, plans for that fight fi led out when Mc regor lost to Dustin Poirier last February.

Bernstein said Pacquiao’s alleged breach of contract caused them to lose million in revenue, on top of the $3.3-million advance payment they gave him.

Pacquiao’s camp had said he was taken advantage of by Paradigm.

Reports stated that Pacquiao had claimed that Paradigm “falsely promised” that it would arrange a mega fight between him and

McGregor which never materialized.

Paradigm had staged the “Money Fight” between McGregor and boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017 which generated million in revenues, the biggest money fight in history after the Pacquiao and Mayweather face-off in 2015.

Pacquiao’s defense attorney Bruce Cleeland said Paradigm failed to deliver on fights, endorsements, and complete a $4-million advance.

Cleeland contended that Pacquiao did not breach his contract and had the right to terminate his partnership with Paradigm since those obligations were not met.

In Pacquiao’s countersuit that accused Paradigm of breach of contract, concealment, and misrepresentation, the jury voted 10-2. The $5.1 million amount that Pacquiao has been ordered to pay PSM reportedly includes $1.8 million in damages and the $3.3 million advance PSM gave to the boxing legend.

Pacquiao entered into an agreement with PSM, which has in its stable Conor McGregor, with an initial plan to arrange a lucrative fight with the UFC star. The bout, however, did not materialize.

Instead, the eight-division world champion ended up signing a different deal to face Errol Spence Jr., who was then replaced by Yordenis Ugas due to injury. Pacquiao lost to Ugas in 2021 in what turned out to be his last pro fight.

In the trial, Pacquiao’s defense attorney Bruce Cleeland claimed PSM failed to live up to their commitments to the boxing star. But PSM countered by questioning Pacquiao’s credibility.

Pacquiao has not fought professionally since losing to gas, but instead figured in an e hibition fight with orean video blogger DK Yoo in December last year.

Hidilyn leads PHL team at Asian Weightlifting Championships in South Korea

SOUTH KOREA/MANILA – Tokyo

Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz will lead the Philippine campaign at the Asian Weightlifting Championships scheduled May 3-15 in Jinju, South Korea and due to conict in schedule will not compete in Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

The Zamboangueña will compete in the women’s 59kg category along with fellow Olympian Elreen Ann Ando of Cebu, PNA’s Jean Malanum reported.

Others in the lineup are Rose Jean Ramos (women’s 45kg), Rosegie Ramos (women’s 49kg) and Kristel Macrohon (women’s 71kg) of Zamboanga City, Vanessa Sarno of Bohol (women’s 71kg), Lovely Inan of Angono, Rizal (women’s 49kg) and John Febuar Ceniza of Cebu City (men’s 61kg).

Also joining the trip are coaches Nicolas Jaluag (Bohol), Patrick Lee (Pampanga) and Christopher Bureros (Cebu), and Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella as head of delegation.

The Asian Weightlifting Championships is the second qualifying event for the Paris Olympics after the World Championships in Bogota, Colombia last year.

The 32-year-old Diaz joined and won the 55kg gold medal in Colombia but the category is not included in Paris. The SEA Games and 2018 Asian Games champion decided to move up to 59kg where Ando is also

trying the get an Olympic berth.

Ando saw action in Tokyo, finishing seventh overall in the 64kg category. She got three medals at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- a bronze in snatch and two silvers from the clean and jerk and total lift. She also won the silver medal in Vietnam.

Sarno, the reigning Asian champion, won the women’s 71kg category in the Vietnam SEAG, setting new records in snatch (104kgs), clean and jerk (124kgs) and total (239kgs). She bagged three gold medals at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Rosegie Ramos, a protégé of coach Allen Drayfus Diaz, also competed in Uzbekistan where she took the gold medal in the 49kg. She secured a bronze medal in the Vietnam SEAG.

Rose Jean Ramos, 17, successfully defended the women’s 45kg title at the World Youth Weightlifting Championships in Leon City, Guanajuato, Mexico. She topped the clean and jerk (85kgs), came in second in the snatch (70kgs) and registered the best total of 155kgs.

Ceniza won the silver medal (55kg) at the 2019 Manila SEA Games.

After the Asian Championships, five athletes namely Ando, Macrohon, Sarno, Inan and Ceniza will return to Manila and

join teammates Angeline Colonia (women’s 49kg), Rosalinda Faustino (women’s 55kg), Dave Lloyd Pacaldo (men’s 67kg) and John

e ter Tabique men s kg in the ight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 11. Diaz will skip the SEA Games to focus on her training.

PG&E Incentive Program Provides Customers Bill Credits While Supporting the Grid

Participating Customers Rewarded Over $55 Million in Bill Credits for Lowering Energy Use and Strain on the Grid Last Summer

OAKLAND, Calif.— The 2023 season for the Power Saver Rewards Program launches today, and Pacific as and lectric Company (PG&E) residential electric customers are encouraged to register now. The program rewards participants for temporarily reducing energy use when demand for electricity is high. Last year, PG&E customers received over $55 million in bill credits.

Power Saver Rewards Program event days are triggered by the state’s grid operator, the California Independent System Operator, calling a Flex Alert and/or an Energy Emergency Alert Watch between May 1 and October 31. Notifications to customers to reduce energy use as part of the program are sent out the day before an event. Over the ten event days in 2022, the

average customer bill credit for program participants was $35.

Currently, more than 1.7 million customers are enrolled in the program. Customers who reduce energy use between p.m. and 9 p.m. on event days will receive an automatic credit on their energy statement after the program season ends. Customers receive $2 per kilowatt hour (kWh) [1] for decreasing electricity use during events. There is no penalty for not reducing energy.

“The Power Saver Rewards Program is a win for our customers and lessens the demand on the grid, strengthening reliability and benefitting the environment. ast year this program was a difference-maker and helped avert rotating power outages during record-setting temperatures,” said Aaron

August, PG&E Vice President of Utility Partnerships and Innovation.

The program, initiated by the California Public Utilities Commission, encourages energy conservation during extreme heat waves to lessen the overall strain on the grid and prevent the need for rotating outages. Customers successfully shifted energy usage away from peak demand times on event days. During peak hours, customers temporarily reduced usage by taking actions such as turning their thermostat to 78 degrees or higher (health permitting , turning off lights not in use, unplugging electric vehicles, and waiting until after peak hours to use large appliances such as washers, dryers and electric ovens.

PG&E electric customers with a Smart-

Meter not enrolled in a con icting peak hour program are eligible to participate. Most customers enrolled in a Community Choice Aggregator can also join. Customers can disenroll from the program at any time through the program website.

It’s easy to enroll and get rewarded for reducing energy use this summer. Visit powersaver.pge.com to learn more and sign up.

About PG&E

Pacific as and lectric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge. com/news.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO BIDEN: PRESS MARCOS ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN PHILIPPINES

Washington, DC On May 1, U.S. Representative Janice Schakowsky (IL09) and fourteen other members of Congress—including Susan Wild (PA-7) and Ilhan Omar (MN-5)—sent a letter to President Biden urging him to address the worsening human rights violations in the Philippines during his bilateral meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Citing the hundreds of extrajudicial killings and illegal arrests that have continued with impunity under the Marcos administration, the Congressmembers requested that Marcos meaningfully

investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Recently, Alex Dolorosa, an organizer and paralegal with the BPO Industry Employee Network (BIEN) in the Philippines “was found dead after years of surveillance and red-tagging of him and his organization,” the letter states. “We also recognize the legacy of Marcos Sr.’s martial law during which an estimated 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured and over 3,200 were killed. And we do not forget that the Marcos Sr. administration received substantial backing from three separate United States ad-

May is CalFresh Awareness Month in L.A. County

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Departments of Public Social Services (DPSS) and Public Health (DPH) have launched the annual CalFresh Awareness Month (CFAM) campaign to prevent food insecurity by ensuring the health and well-being of thousands of low-income families and individuals in the nation’s largest municipal county.

CalFresh is California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The program provides monthly food assistance to qualifying L.A. County residents at risks of hunger.

A 2022 study by the Public Exchange at the USC Dornsife College found that more than 800,000 L.A. County households experienced some form of food insecurity between July 2021 to July 2022 -an increase of 24 percent from 17 percent the previous year. It’s believed that among low-income households, food insecurity today is higher than pre COVID-19 pandemic levels.

One of the highest priorities of the County of L.A. is to aggressively address food insecurity, or the lack of consistent access to enough food to maintain an active and healthy life. The partnership is working together to help individuals and families receive this critical support. With the help of Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, DPSS and DPH are

administering grants to community-based organizations to conduct culturally appropriate outreach to assist communities that suffered disproportionately from health and economic conditions caused by the pandemic.

“So many lives are transformed by receiving CalFresh,” said DPSS Director Jackie Contreras. “That’s why outreach and enrollment are so important to ensure that every eligible resident receives the benefits they need, as quickly as possible.”

Throughout the month of May, the CFAM partnership will participate in community events held countywide, conduct media outreach, and social media, to amplify messages about the benefits of CalFresh. This year’s theme, “The Power of Partnership,” e emplifies the commitment to encourage eligible residents to apply. The partnership includes the support of the 88 cities of the County, university and community college campuses, school districts, and farmers’ markets, to inform the public about the program.

The campaign, which initiated in L.A. County in 2011, serve today as “best practices” for outreach strategies, are now implemented by California Counties statewide. Last Thursday, May 4, the partnership hosted a Community ick-off vent and Resource Fair from 9 a.m. to p.m. at Amelia Mayberry Park in Whittier, CA.

ministrations.”

The Congressmembers additionally highlighted the widespread reach of the Philippine human rights crisis as demonstrated by Brandon Lee, an environmental and human rights defender and U.S. citizen who, in August 2019, was shot by state forces in the Philippines and subsequently paralyzed from the neck-down. The Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines determined that his case was a human rights violation, but the perpetrators remain at large.

The fifteen members of Congress are

the latest voices joining the chorus raising concern over President Marcos’ visit to the US this week. On Monday, over a hundred Filipino activists and concerned community members staged an all-day vigil and multiple rallies in Washington, DC. The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and over one hundred faith organizations and institutions also initiated a letter to President Biden expressing deep concern over Marcos’ visit in the midst of increasingly dangerous conditions for activists, journalists, and workers in the Philippines.

Social Security Update

YOUR PERSONAL MY SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT IS FOR EVERY STAGE IN YOUR CAREER

Your personal my Social Security account is here for you at every stage of your career. You don’t have to be retired or even close to retirement to take advantage of it. With an account, you can conduct much of your Social Security business online. For example, you can request a replacement Social Security card (in most states and the District of Columbia) whether you receive benefits or not.

If you are not currently receiving benefits, you can use your personal my Social Security account to: Review your earnings history. stimate your future benefits to help plan for retirement. Get instant proof that you do not receive benefits.

Check the status of your Social Security application, if you decide to apply for benefits.

If you already receive Social Security benefits, use your account to: Change your address. Get instant proof that you receive benefits. Set up or change your direct deposit.

Get an instant copy of your Social Security 1099 (SSA-1099) or SSA1042S.

Opt out of receiving certain notices by mail and instead receive them in the secure Message Center.

Please encourage your family and friends to create their personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Are We Out of the Woods With COVID?

Omicron variants are killing 200-300 people a day but population immunity in the U.S. is higher and more stable than a year ago.

Covid Arcturus

The Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco says the number of new COVID-19 cases is decreasing, wastewater infectiousness is relatively low and hospitalizations are going down.

“The state of COVID, at least as far as I can tell, feels reasonably mild compared to what we’ve seen in the past years, and remarkably stable,” says Dr. Robert Wachter.

Wachter briefed reporters on an Ethnic Media Services conference call last week.

He said the biggest surprise about new variants driving the pandemic in the last 18 months has been the relative lack of surprises.

“We are still on the same Greek letter that we were since December 2020,” Wachter said, referring to the Omicron variant whose name derives from the Greek alphabet.

Since March, the World Health Organization has been monitoring the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, aka “Arcturus.” The variant has a higher transmissibility than previous ones but doesn’t appear to be more dangerous. The new strain accounts for about 10% of COVID-19 cases worldwide. People who get it tend to have a fever and some get pink eye. Both symptoms don’t last very long.

“The last year or so really feels like new variants are a little scary and then they turn out

not to be that big a deal. And so I think, if past is prologue, that’s likely to be what happens with this newest variant,” Wachter says.

Staying safe even as COVID-19 restrictions fade

r. illiam Schaffner, Professor and Chair, Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says that while Covid can still be deadly, the risk of severe infection has diminished.

r. illiam Schaffner, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center still wears a mask in crowded places, as does Wachter.

“Many of our population have experienced COVID. Many people have been vaccinated, and of course many people have experienced both, and so our level of protection is very high, and these Omicron variants seem to be spreading, producing milder disease,” Schaffner says.

“The therapies, the testing, the treatments that we’ve gotten used to all work about as well as they have for the last 18 months. In some ways the biggest changes are political and sociological. It’s clear that any rules and restrictions are pretty much gone,” Wachter says.

Americans have largely stopped wearing masks or hung them on their car mirrors just in case they may need them.

Schaffner says we need to keep our guard up. Older and immunocompromised people, as well as the unvaccinated, are the COVID patients who end up in the hospital. Vulnerable people need to get vaccinated, boosted, and

wear masks.

“It turns out that the quality of the mask and the fit is important,” says Schaffner. The N- 5 mask fits securely around your nose and chin. In the early days of the pandemic they were hard to find and controversy about wearing masks created a lot of confusion. Masks are no longer mandated except in hospitals and other places where the risk of infection remains high and it remains high for certain people.

“The other early mantra – that it’s really about protecting others and not you – it’s also wrong. It is about protecting others, but it certainly protects you, too.

It’s probabilistic. It lowers the chance of getting infected,” Schaffner says.

“If we’re not masking… I would say condoms prevent babies, masks prevent infectious disease. You’ll hear a lot of arguments about wearing both of them. But that doesn’t mean they don’t work,” says Dr. Ben Neuman, Chief Virologist of the Global Health Research Complex at Texas A&M University.

Arcturus variant likely not a game changer

Neuman said the Arcturus variant is different enough from the current vaccine strains that it has the potential to evade them because “it s about as different from Omicron as Omicron was different from elta and so just like we saw the Omicron wave come through, there is at least the potential for that.”

Wachter doesn’t think the new variant will be a game-changer though. For one thing, enough people have immunity now so the possibility of a super-spreader event is unlikely.

“The vaccine and the booster still work reasonably well in about the same way that we have thought for the last 18 months or so.” Paxil still works reasonably well, your home test still works reasonably well, Wachter says.

“The risk of getting very sick is probably not any different now than it will be in 3

years… so we all have to come up with strategies that allow us to live our lives as fully as we can while mitigating the risks in a way that’s practical and sustainable. And that s different than two years ago, when we were all trying to get through it,” he says.

achter and Schaffner told reporters that they get boosted regularly. They are waiting for new vaccines that will be available in a few months for u, CO I -1 , and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Long COVID

Dr. Robert Wachter, Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, discusses what medical professionals and researchers have learned about long covid and what they’re still working to understand.

For people who get re-infected, the danger of long COVID increases, especially for women. Wachter’s wife, a former reporter who now writes books, has long COVID and she is learning to live with it.

“A year ago she was not disabled in any way in terms of getting through her days. Certainly, many people have it worse than she does,” Wachter says. “But most days at about one or two in the afternoon, she will text me and say I’m hitting a wall. I need to take a nap. She never had to do that before.”

A little bit of brain fog is making her “a little less good than she was” but it’s a consolation to know what’s causing it, he says.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO BIDEN: PRESS MARCOS ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN PHILIPPINES

Washington, DC On May 1, U.S. Representative Janice Schakowsky (IL-09) and fourteen other members of Congress— including Susan Wild (PA-7) and Ilhan Omar (MN-5)—sent a letter to President Biden urging him to address the worsening human rights violations in the Philippines during his bilateral meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Citing the hundreds of extrajudicial killings and illegal arrests that have continued with impunity under the Marcos administration, the Congressmembers requested that Marcos meaningfully investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Recently, Alex Dolorosa, an organizer and paralegal with the BPO Industry Employee Network (BIEN) in the Philippines “was found dead after years of surveillance and red-tagging of him and his organization,” the letter states. “We also recognize the legacy of Marcos Sr.’s martial law during which an estimated 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured and over 3,200 were killed. And we do not forget that the Marcos Sr. administration received substantial backing from three separate United

States administrations.”

The Congressmembers additionally highlighted the widespread reach of the Philippine human rights crisis as demonstrated by Brandon Lee, an environmental and human rights defender and U.S. citizen who, in August 2019, was shot by state forces in the Philippines and subsequently paralyzed from the neck-down. The Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines determined that his case was a human rights violation, but the perpetrators remain at large.

The fifteen members of Congress are the latest voices joining the chorus raising concern over President Marcos’ visit to the US this week. On Monday, over a hundred Filipino activists and concerned community members staged an all-day vigil and multiple rallies in Washington, DC. The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and over one hundred faith organizations and institutions also initiated a letter to President Biden expressing deep concern over Marcos’ visit in the midst of increasingly dangerous conditions for activists, journalists, and workers in the Philippines.

Review...

(From page 24)

campaign comes as for the first time in three years, an estimated 80 million Americans across the country whose health care is through Medicaid will have their eligibility for it checked.

Suspension of the redetermination process became important step of the 2020’s Families First Coronavirus Response Act that required Medicaid programs nationwide to keep everyone enrolled during the COVID-19 public health emergency. But since emergency is now considered over as of March 31, states have to confirm everyone s eligibility again.

Enrollees are strongly asked to watch out for notifications from their local Medi-Cal o ces particularly if they are sent yellow envelopes as they need to provide more information and must respond right away to keep their coverage or ran the risk of getting disenrolled if they do not respond or because of administrative barriers, such as local Medi-Cal o ces not having their current contact information.

At a joint Ethnic Media Services/California Black Media news briefing, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, speakers broke down the steps involved in the redetermination process, who is at risk for being disenrolled, what people can do to get ready, and how to get information in 19 languages on the DHCS website.

California’s Medicaid program, MediCal, is the country’s largest, serving about 15 million people – including 5.7 million children, 70% of them nonwhite. Over the next 14 months, the state will be reviewing accounts to make sure contact information is up to date and that everyone enrolled is still eligible.

Assistant Deputy Director of California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Yingjia Huang impressed upon the need for updated information from MediCal members to update their addresses, their phone numbers, and their email addresses and the easiest way to do this is online.

“Not everyone will be redetermined at the same time. All our members will actually have different medical renewal months. And so depending on the renewal

month, they may potentially get auto renewed and they will get a letter in the mail from their local medical county o ce stating “congratulations, your medical has been renewed for one year,” Huang stated. “Or if they are not renewed automatically, what’s going to happen is the local MediCal o ce will need to send out a packet in the mail and the packet will come in a yellow envelope.”

Huang added that it is critical that packets are returned by the due date as there is a possibility that one will lose coverage from MediCal if that’s not completed by the due date.

“If you are not eligible for MediCal, because you may have made more money over the course of the pandemic, the county will automatically send your information to Covered California, which is the state’s exchange for you to purchase insurance with a premium tax credit. That process is automatic. Covered California will automatically take your case and they will review all the income, making sure your information is accurate, and to connect you to a plan for you to choose and make a plan and plan selection,” assured Huang.

Children’s Partnership Executive Director Mayra Alvarez shared that her organization continues to serve because of the need to help families keep their coverage, keep their children’s, keep their own MediCal coverage as access to care is essential for everyone to be healthy and to thrive, particularly during this pandemic, which has also exacerbated mental health issues for children and youth across the state.

“Over half of all of our kids in California depend on MediCal. Overwhelmingly, the people that are enrolled in MediCal are people of color. In fact, almost 70% of children enrolled in MediCal are children of color. It is a lifeline for so many in our communities, and it’s a program that continues to be available for the millions enrolled,” Alvarez underscored.

Alvarez lamented that multiple analyses at the federal level that have found children are more likely to lose coverage because of procedural issues and administrative barriers, not because they’re no longer eligible. Aside from changes in contact information, another thing to take into consideration is

if there are new members of the family who hadn’t been born at the time of the last eligibility check, or if you’ve assumed new caretaking responsibilities.

Sadly, however, that with the redetermination process it is estimated that 2.3 million MediCal beneficiaries may lose their MediCal coverage that may translate to 800,000 to 1 million children losing their MediCal coverage.

“Nevertheless, as we continue to strengthened MediCal for our family, last year the State of California did enact the policy to cover young kids in MediCal continuously. That policy is slated to begin in 2025 and we are initiating to have this moved this policy as early as possible,” Alvarez said.

On a brighter note, Alvarez announced that they are gearing up to expand the MediCal coverage to undocumented community when in January 2024 when 26-49 year olds will be newly eligible to MediCal in California, the first state in the country to allow all eligible undocumented people to be a part of MediCal.

Towards this end, Huang chimed, “On the MediCal application, there is an option for no SSN. You don’t have to select an immigration status. That is no longer needed with eligibility expansion happening in the State of California. The counties are trained and systems are programmed to understand those responses and confer medical eligibility as such. It is no longer needed for eligibility.”

“You don’t have to indicate your citizenship status when applying for MediCal and undocumented Californians also need not worry that using Medi-Cal will impact their applications for a green card under “public charge” rules, a widespread, long-standing fear,” Alvarez emphasized in this expansion of coverage process. “New rules in late 2022 barred any past, current or future use of public safety net protections, such as Medicaid, but also including housing, food and tax credits, from being deemed a “public charge,” and jeopardizing immigration applications. Nor does signing up your child for benefits count against you.”

California Department of Health Care Services Associate Governmental Program Analyst Maria Romero Mora echoed optimism on support for eligibility

determination of MediCal members and advised them to contact their county CS o ces for their plans and learn to navigate that system if they don’t know how to do it.

“And there’s a lot of support online. The Navigators are supporting families hand in hand to walk them through that process. The local o ces are there to receive those calls or in person with the eligibility piece to make sure that that individual doesn’t lose their coverage,” Mora implores members. “Anybody, regardless of their immigration status, regardless of their income, can apply for MediCal. I started working with children that were undocumented to enroll them into emergency medical in a local health plan. That was 15 years ago, and we’re in a much better position.(Jun

Los Angeles County kicks off ordinance for sustainable food ware

LOS ANGELES - The County of Los Angeles started implementing an ordinance that requires all food-service containers, cups, dishes and cutlery distributed by restaurants and food facilities in unincorporated areas be recyclable or compostable.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the measure in April 2022 to reduce plastic blight, unburden landfills and reduce our dependence on harmful fossil fuels. The vote made Los Angeles County the largest municipality in the nation to take aggressive action against the scourge of singleuse plastics.

The ordinance requires full-service

restaurants to use reusable food service ware for dine-in customers. It also prohibits the sale or rental of single-use coolers, packaging and plastic peanuts, and pool toys (unless products are encased in durable material).

Food facilities must begin complying on May 1. Food trucks will have an additional six months to comply. Operators that can demonstrate e treme financial hardship or the inability to serve food safely in alternative packaging can apply for waivers.

Enforcement will initially be complaint-based, prioritizing education and working with businesses to transition to sustainable, takeout food ware. After the

first year of implementation, the County will evaluate whether additional measures are needed to support businesses to reduce waste. As a last resort, violations may be subject to fines of up to 100 per day, up to a ma imum of 1,000 per year.

Nearly 100 million plastic utensils are discarded across the United States each year, according to studies. But only an estimated 15% of single-use plastic items in California are recycled. Most recycling facilities in greater L.A. do not accept food service ware of any kind because of their size and contamination. It’s far easier for producers to just use fossil fuels to create so-called “virgin plastic.”

New York City has spent upward of 43 million in ta ypayer funds each year to dispose of single-use plastics.

“California communities spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year on litter cleanup and waste prevention programs,” said Rita Kampalath, acting Chief Sustainability O cer for os Angeles County. “But these strategies cannot keep pace with the rapid proliferation of single-use items. This ordinance will save taxpayer dollars and free up dwindling land space.”

More than 1 million residents live in unincorporated Los Angeles County, which represents two-thirds of the County’s land.

At former petroleum refinery, Governor Newsom showcases California’s

What Governor Newsom said: “California’s clean energy future is here, and there’s no better example of that than this petroleum refinery-turned renewable fuels hub. The fuels of the future are clean and California is leading the way with billions of dollars to supercharge this transition while creating thousands more good green jobs and growing our economic might.”

Resources Board (CARB) consider a more stringent fuel standard and accelerate refinery transitions to clean fuels production.

Upside...

PARAMOUNT – With unprecedented state investments supporting the state’s transition away from fossil fuels, Governor Gavin Newsom visited a renewable fuels facility in Paramount to spotlight California’s nation-leading transition to clean fuels and broader commitment to green jobs.

Governor Newsom toured World Energy – a renewable fuels company that converted a petroleum refinery to become the world s first producer of sustainable aviation fuel and is currently building out the facility to produce clean hydrogen – to see California’s clean energy transition at work.

World Energy has received millions of dollars in grants from the state to support their clean energy projects, and is one of hundreds of companies that have received state funding. Already, World Energy Paramount has produced 150 million gallons of renewable fuels – the equivalent of taking 250,000 cars off the road and represents the broader success of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which has dramatically reshaped the state’s fuels market. Since its inception in 2009, LCFS has doubled California’s use of clean fuels.

Additionally, the Governor marked International Workers’ Day while at World Energy and met with hundreds of union construction workers who are building the next phase of the facility that will produce clean renewable hydrogen.

Governor Newsom also highlighted the state’s recent action to fully transition to zero emission trucks after the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a world-leading regulation last week to phase out the sales of medium and heavy-duty combustion trucks in California by 203 . World Energy will soon produce clean hydrogen, which many new trucks will rely on for fuel.

California’s Clean Energy Record: MOVING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS: Last year, the Governor directed state agencies to move faster on climate action, setting ambitious new targets for renewable energy, clean buildings, carbon removal, and clean fuels in the transportation sector. The Governor’s California Climate Commitment includes billions of dollars for supporting and accelerating the state’s clean energy transition.

CLEANER FUELS: In 2009, California adopted the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to cut greenhouse gas emissions and other toxic air pollutants by improving vehicle technology, reducing fuel consumption, and increasing transportation mobility options. LCFS has dramatically reshaped California’s fuels market over the last decade – reducing the carbon intensity of fuels in the state by 10% and more than doubling the use of cleaner fuels, displacing over 24 billion gallons of petroleum fuel. Last year, the Governor requested that the California Air

Additionally, Governor Newsom directed CARB to establish a 20 percent clean fuels target for the aviation sector.

“Just make sure that you have an identity outside of the partner that you are with. Learn to love yourself, so when you find someone who isn t treating you right, you ll know when it’s time to exit from their life and be on the road to healing,” Manalo shares wisdom applicable to any relationship.

“Empowerment is you giving the power back for the good of yourself,” she shares what she has achieved in nine years in the self-defense milieu. “Empowering people is taking that energy curated for yourself, to help others. You’re helping people learn how to love themselves and take their life back.”

Healing is something she has experienced as well. Getting there began with forgiveness “not just for yourself but those that caused the trauma.” It’s the only way to start the path, she concedes. Self-re ection comes ne t “especially with the help of those closest to you.”

In the worst of times, trust prayer, she names a source of strength.

Manalo s success backs up her advice. She has 32 ,000 Instagram followers including the son of legendary Manny Pacquiao and a boxing champion for business partner, who trusts her completely by elevating her to her post as his equal and student at the same time. Together they fulfill their company mission to turn folks into “better versions of themselves.” – Adapted from original reprinted with permission from INQUIRER.NET

(Philippine News Today Executive Editor Cherie Querol Moreno is founder-executive director of ALLICE Alliance for Community Empowerment, 4-term Commissioner with San Mateo County Commission on Aging, and program manager of Peninsula Family Service Got Wheels!)

clean fuels and clean energy jobs rrevolution

Offline

(From Page 13)

The various scams have become so widespread that the government was forced to make mandatory the SIMs used in cellphones, and the big telcos are playing ball because they know that they played a part in the spread of the scamming industry. They’ve even said that millions of SIMs remain unregistered because they were likely used in illegal operations of some kind.

But Juan’s problems are nothing compared to the constant humiliation being experienced by the Philippine Coast Guard, who are harassed endlessly by their Chinese counterpart.

Even as Junior goes on an extended excursion, the Chinese were at it again. Days before the president left to meet Biden and later Charles, another incident occurred which was the equivalent of a bully continuing to spit on the face of the 98 pound weakling that is the Republic of the Philippines.

See, a Chinese Coast Guard came close to colliding with a Philippine Coast Guard vessel inside Philippine waters. The Chinese ship was three times bigger than the Philippine boat.

Guess what happened next.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry had the gall to accuse the Philippines of being the guilty party, and even bringing along international media to intentionally embarrass China. cuse my French, but my first impulse when I learned about it was to internally scream, “p*t@ng in@ nyo, China!”

Little Junior said he had a brilliant solution to the gnawing problem. He would ask Rodrigo Duterte’s buddy Xin Jingpin if he would agree to some kind of compromise where Filipino fishermen would be “allowed” to fish in Philippine waters.

He may not be as cowardly as his predecessor, but Junior is showing that he does not comprehend what China is doing to his country.

He probably is unaware that other small nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia have faced off with China s coast guard, and didn’t blink. Under Duterte and now under Marcos, the country’s coast guard does not only blink even before seeing the whites of the slanty Chinese eyes – yes, I know I sound like a racist, but I can’t help it – they may even be peeing in their pants when a Sino ship approaches within shouting distance from them.

My solution is simple. Junior can tell Joe B: “Sir, can you pay my country one dollar or one gazillion dollars a year, and your magnifique th eet can sail all around the est Philippine Sea as much as they like?”

Pretty, please, Mr. Re-electionist President?

I am only half joking, folks.

As I See It

(From Page 12)

to vacation places, and enjoying their moments with their families. at home.

They’re likewise revered by the students at San Jose Job Corps (SJJC), where they were assigned, because the students considered them as their mentors and buddies.

FilAms Grandma Dolores Misa and the late Grandpa Avelino Ocampo were part of this institution. Grandma Dolores was assigned to assist English teacher Fehmida Shaikh while Grandpa Avelino was assigned to help NLRO Instructor Elpidio R. Estioko.

hen asked, randma olores, said “I love assisting the students. This is one way of giving back to the community. If I can help, in my modest way, why not?” That’s the reason why Job Corps students love her and will never forget her.

As to grandpa Avelino, “even with my old age, I still want to render public service because it is in my heart. I love doing it and I find satisfaction whenever I see a student benefit from what I do, even in a very little way.” Grandpa Avelino connected with the students and will never forget him.

henever I see my former students from the niversity of the Philippines (UP-Diliman), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Arellano University (AU), and the Graduate School, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), I’m happy to hear their comments/stories… signs they remembered me. So with my former students at De Anza Community College and the University of Phoenix.

The teaching profession is most often not completely understood, but teachers still chose to teach and work with students sharing their expertise and care. For the most part, they are underpaid, underappreciated, and under-resourced and they are typically asked to do more with less in return.

Just like St. Teresa of Calcutta (also known as Mother Teresa), a teacher for 20 years who sacrificed a lot working with people who needed her services, their sacrifices are worth appreciating. Teaching is a noble profession and teachers deserve recognition and appreciation! They prepare the students to take over the future, the youth being the hope of tomorrow.

So, this week, we would like everyone to take the time out of their very busy schedules and say thank you to a teacher. Expressions of gratitude are rare for teachers, so we are sure that they would welcome and appreciate your gestures. A teacher is not a babysitter, so they say… and school is not a day care.

Let’s remember that teachers are professionals and they do a job that is in our best interest. Besides, it takes a special; kind of person to become a teacher because it takes patience and under-

standing to be one… Few, if any, teachers continue in the profession for recognition and financial rewards. Instead, they do it because it is what they like to do; it is their calling!

I would say - thank you for all the teachers the world over. Let’s thank a teacher today because it means a lot to them. They deserve the best!

(ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and a multi-awarded journalist here in the US. Lately, he published his book Unlocking the Chain of Poverty: In Pursuit of the American Dream. The book is now available with Amazon, Barnes Noble and Xlibris Publishing. For feedbacks, comments, email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com.)

Health & Wealth

(From Page 12)

Some highlights of the Inaugural Banquet Ball include Invocation by Father oeffrey araan National Anthems, lement of Time and elcome Address, ernard alde Acknowledgements, liabeth Alanzalon; Presentation of Awards, outgoing UPAI President Fred Almeron, assisted by outgoing UPAI First Lady Cynthia Almeron Introduction of the Inducting O cer, Jose “Jojo” Castillo mcees were were Charina Torres San Diego and Rolly Junio.

Presentation of the 2023 ecutive O cers and oard of irectors, Dr. Ricky Paningbatan, DDS; Presentation of Boquet to the outgoing UPAI First Lady Cynthia Almeron, by UPAI First Lady Marita Padilla, assisted by former Miss Pangasinan Jennifer Castillo; Valedictory Address Transfer of Gavel of Authority and Responsibility, by outgoing UPAI President Fred Almeron; Inaugural Address, UPAI President Alvin Padilla.

Delegation from Pangasinan who attended the jampacked Grand Ballroom include the board members representing the various districts of Pangasinan. Administrator Melecio E. Patague II, former Vice Mayor of Binalonan, Pangasinan, who joined the Binalonan Group Table 23 arranged by UPAI board of director Romy Cerezo; comprising of Virgie Tomeldan Guico and her daughter Alei; the former Aida Torres, former President of the Binalonan Association of Northern California (BANC); Virginia Jimenez Madlaing and hubby; and Celestino Medios and his wife from Balungao, Pangasinan.

Other guests included Daly City Mayor Raymond A, Buenaventura consuls from the o ce of Consul eneral Frank R. Ferrer ocers from various associations like US Ilocano National Associaition (USINA), Sarrat Association of Northern California (SANC).

Before his inaugural address, UPAI President Alvin Padilla requested for a moment of silence to re ect on the death of PAI director emeritus Sozimo de Veas, past UPAI president and beloved husband of UPAI historian Lorette de Veas.

In his inaugural address, President Alvin Padilla pledged, with all humility, to serve UPAI altruistically with competence, honesty and dedication. Emphasizing the word “US,” he asked for involvement, cooperation and unity among all the o cers and members of PAI.

Congratulations to all the new PAI o cers

(ART GABOT MADLAING is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker (DRE #00635976) in California since 1981. He is founder of MOBILE SIGNING SERVICES, FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and ACAPINOY. Art is active Evangelist with the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco, California USA.)

In the Trenches

vestment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The leaders also applaud progress in developing the Indo-Pacific conomic Framework, which will deliver concrete benefits to our workers, families, and businesses by promoting trade, supply chain resilience, clean economy development, and anti-corruption throughout the region. The two leaders look forward to seeing one another again in San Francisco this November for the AP C conomic eaders eek, to advance sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the region.

Recognizing that the climate crisis poses an existential threat to the world, and the Philippines particular vulnerability to the effects of climate change, the leaders rea rm they will undertake urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They resolve to expand collaboration on renewable energy production to accelerate the clean energy transition while bringing down energy costs and expanding energy access for families. The leaders hail progress in negotiating a U.S.-Philippines civil nuclear cooperation agreement (“123 agreement”). The United States and the Philippines will also pursue an ambitious program of cooperation on wind, solar, and geothermal energy, while enhancing cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the waste, road, and shipping sectors.

The leaders further resolve to expand cooperation on environmental protections, including enhanced domain awareness, marine conservation, and protecting coastal areas from environmental degradation. Acknowledging the paramount significance of science and technology in propelling our countries forward, the leaders pledge to promote increased cooperation and knowledge sharing between the United States and the Philippines through the Science and Technology Agreement (STA), and they welcome U.S. plans to establish an Open-RAN Interoperability Lab in Manila. Recognizing the importance of enhancing and sustaining joint efforts in outer space activities, the leaders also welcome their countries’ plan to prioritize and strengthen bilateral space cooperation, including by convening their first bilateral Civil Space ialogue this year.

The leaders underscore the importance of strong democratic institutions, rule of law, and respect for human rights, including freedom of expression, press, and association, and they note the importance of countering any form of violence in our societies, such as that against civil society, women, children, and marginalized groups. The leaders welcome the establishment of a bilateral abor orking Group as part of the U.S.-Philippines TIFA, which will provide an important opportunity for the United States and the Philippines to work together on implementation of internationally recognized labor rights, and to facilitate exchange and dialogue among U.S. and Philippine governments and labor unions, as well as employer organizations.

The leaders recognize that the people-to-people ties between the two countries are an indispensable pillar of our partnership, manifested in their immense contributions to both the United States and the Philippines. The leaders note the service and sacrifice of Filipinos in orld ar II, and more recently, the significant contributions of Filipino Americans on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Looking to the future, President Biden and President Marcos express the utmost confidence that the special ties between their nations and their people will only grow stronger with time, as the United States and the Philippines continue to realize their shared vision of partnership, peace, and prosperity.

Ken Go

(From Page 12)

been e cessively fishing and e tracting resources from the South China Sea like there’s no tomorrow.

From all angles, China has been showing to the world what a schoolyard bully it is.

Looking back to the April 23 incident near Ayungin Shoal, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel’s size was really intimidating. It could really split the BRP Malapascua into two had the two vessels collided.

hat good would it make if China defeated smaller states in a war or in the territorial dispute?

China fears getting humiliated in the international community. It might win a shooting war against smaller states but could lose in the war of global public opinion.

China places greater value on its face than crushing its opponents. The Philippines knows this and it has been playing its cards well.

It knows international law will always be on its side.

The Philippines may be facing a giant in the South China Sea. But it is reminded that David had killed Goliath.

Do You See Us?

(From Page 13)

egorized as “other.” As AAPIs make up over 15% of the state population, we deserve to have the full spectrum of cultures within our communities acknowledged and a commitment to serving our unique needs.

For 40 years, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California has been lifting up the voices of our AAPI communities, especially those that are most disadvantaged.It is time we shift the narrative, so we all can be seen, heard, and understood by the reality of our experiences and needs.

Joint Statement...

the Philippines.

(From Page 12)

The leaders welcome their countries’ plans to prioritize bilateral economic cooperation through the U.S.-Philippines Trade and In-

(From Page 20)

cans. HUD changed FHA’s underwriting policies to allow lenders to use positive rental history in evaluating applicants’ creditworthiness for an F A-insured mortgage making it easier for first-time homebuyers to qualify. In addition, HUD expanded access to housing counseling so consumers can seek assistance from more than 1,500 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and the 4,000 -certified housing counselors. changed the way in which student loan debt is evaluated in FHA mortgage underwriting, enabling more borrowers making payments on student loans to qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage. And last year the Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity Task Force (PAVE) announced more than 20 concrete agency actions to root out racial and ethnic bias in home valuations, including strengthening guardrails against unlawful discrimination in all stages of residential valuation, empowering consumers to take action, and building a well-trained, accessible, and diverse appraiser workforce.

The President has also taken substantial steps to increase affordability for renters and homeowners by increasing the overall supply of housing. Last May, the Administration released a Housing Supply Action Plan, which set the goal of closing America’s housing supply shortfall in five years. For e ample, the Supply Action Plan calls on Congress to pass the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which would boost the supply of single-family homes available for sale to low- and middle-income families in communities throughout the country.

The Administration has also secured rental assistance for more than 100,000 additional households through FY22 and FY23 appropriations and the American Rescue Plan. And in January, the Administration proposed an A rmatively Furthering Fair ousing rule and announced new actions to increase fairness in the rental market through its Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, which lays out principles and actions to drive federal, state, local, and private sector action to strengthen tenant protections and encourage rental affordability. This is a hite ouse report.

Thanks for your inquiries, Call Ken Go 562-508-7048 1st Innovative Finance Group or write to kennethgo@verizon.net CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636

New survey results show health systems starting to recover from pandemic

GENEVA -- After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, health systems in countries have started showing the first major signs of health system recovery, according to the WHO interim report on the “Fourth round of the global pulse survey on continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic: November 2022–January 2023”.

By early 2023, countries reported experiencing reduced disruptions in the delivery of routine health services, but highlighted the need to invest in recovery and stronger resilience for the future.

Among the 139 countries that responded to the fourth round of WHO’s pulse survey, countries reported continued disruptions in almost one-quarter of services on average. In 84 countries where trend analysis is possible, the percentage of disrupted services declined on average from 56% in JulySeptember 2020 to 23% in November 2022- January 2023.

Persisting disruptions are due to both demand- and supply-side factors, including low levels of health care-seeking in communities as well as limited availability of health workers and other health-care resources such as open clinics or available stocks of medicines and products.

“It is welcome news that health systems in the majority of countries are starting to restore essential health services for millions of people who missed them during the pandemic,” said Dr Rudi Eggers, WHO Director for Integrated Health Services. “But we need to ensure that all countries continue to close this gap to recover health services, and apply lessons learnt to build more prepared and resilient health systems for the future”.

First notable signs of recovery

Heart of Hope

In this new survey, fewer countries reported intentionally scaling back access across all service delivery platforms and essential public health functions since 2020-2021 reporting, showing an important step to return to pre-pandemic levels of service delivery and broader system functioning.

By the end of 2022, most countries reported partial signs of service recovery, including in services for sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; nutrition; immunization; communicable diseases (including malaria, HIV, TB, and other sexually-transmitted infections); neglected tropical diseases; noncommunicable diseases; management of mental, neurological and substance use disorders; care for older people; and traditional and/or complementary care.

The number of countries reporting disruption to their national supply chain system reduced from nearly half (29 of 59 responding countries) to about a quarter (18 of 66 responding countries) within the last year.

Despite signs of recovery, service disruptions persist across countries in all regions and income levels, and across most service delivery settings and tracer service areas. Countries are also dealing with increasing service backlogs – most frequently in services for screening, diagnosis and treatment of noncommunicable diseases – which can lead to negative consequences as people are delayed access to timely care.

Recovering essential health service delivery is critical because disruptions – including to services for health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliation may have even greater adverse health effects at population and individual level than the pandemic itself,

especially among vulnerable populations.

Integrating COVID-19 services into essential health services

In another important step towards system recovery and transition, most countries have made progress in integrating COVID-19 services into routine health service delivery. About 80-90% of countries have fully integrated COVID-19 vaccination, diagnostic and case management services as well as services for post COVID-19 condition into routine service delivery.

Still, most countries (80% of 83 responding countries) reported at least one bottleneck to scaling up access to essential COVID-19 tools (e.g. COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines and personal protective equipment - PPE), with health workforce issues and lack of funding representing the most common barriers.

Further support needed for recovery, resilience and preparedness

Most countries have started to apply what they have learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic, including through the institutionalization of a number of innovative service disruption mitigation strategies into routine health service delivery. These include deployment of telemedicine approaches, promotion of home-based care or self-care interventions, approaches for strengthening health workers availability, capacities and support mechanisms, innovations in procuring and delivering medicines and supplies, more routine community communications, and partnerships with private sector providers.

Premature ejaculation

About percent of men experienced premature ejaculation at one time or another. If it occurs rarely or occasionally, it is not a permanent issue to be seriously concerned about. If persistent, this condition could be devastating to the couple.

What is premature ejaculation?

The most satisfying love-making is when orgasm of the partners occurs exactly at the same time. Normally, the timing does not have to be perfect for a couple to have an enjoyable sex, but if the male ejaculates before penetration or just one minute or less after penetration, it is called premature ejaculation. In some cases, premature ejaculation could also happen during masturbation. When male climax occurs too soon, the man feels inadequate and the woman, unfulfilled and disappointed. But there is hope.

How long should intercourse last?

There is no set rule for this. In a survey of 4,400 heterosexual partners, the act lasts for an average of 19 minutes, 10 minutes of foreplay, and 9 minutes of actual penetrating intercourse. Other studies show the average vaginal sex lasts about minutes. Some women want longer foreplay before orgasm is possible. Certain positions make some men ejaculate later or sooner. Being candid with each other and e ploring various techniques will help the couple find the best strategy.

What causes prejaculation?

The exact cause is not known. It was previously thought to be psychological, but science now knows the cause is a complex interaction between psychological and biological factors. The psychological role includes sexual abuse, early sexual experiences, depression, poor body image and self-esteem, the guilt of rushing through sexual encounters, and the actual worry about premature ejaculation itself. The other factors are: stress, anxiety, problem in the relationship; and erectile dysfunction. The biological factors are inherited traits, abnormal levels of the hormones, infection of the prostate or urethra, abnormal levels of brain chemicals, the

neurotransmitters.

When should a physician be consulted?

If premature ejaculation happens most of the time, it is time to see a physician, no matter how embarrassing. In some cases, talking to a physician could be so reassuring it could help. Some men think ejaculation after minutes of sex is premature. Actually, as we stated above, minutes is, on average, is normal for most people, and that occasional prejaculation is not a problem. Ejaculation outside the vagina, results in no pregnancy.

How is prejaculation diagnosed?

Premature ejaculation is confirmed if the man always or nearly always discharges his semen within seconds of penetration; unable to delay ejaculation during the sex act all the time or most of the time; when he feels frustrated and depressed over it and usually avoids sex because of it. The two types of prejaculation are: Primary (life-long), when the man experiences premature ejaculation his whole life, from the very first se ual encounter Secondary Acquired , when it develops after having no ejaculatory problems in the past. Besides asking about the details of your sexual life, the physician will also ask about your personal, medical, and family history, and some info about your partner. This is followed by a complete physical examination. If erectile dysfunction is also present, a male hormone (testosterone) level and other tests might be ordered. A referral to a urologist might be needed.

What is the treatment for prejaculation?

The management for this condition includes behavioral modification, medications, topical anesthetics, and counseling. Each man varies in response to the treatment. Behavioral therapy combined with drug could be a most effective option. Masturbation an hour or two before sexual intercourse to delay ejaculation sometimes helps. Another is abstinence from intercourse for a period of time and perform other modes of sexual play with the woman to reduce anxiety and pressure before the actual intercourse. oing egel pelvic oor e ercise to strengthen weak pelvic oor muscles that can cause prejaculation helps. When one holds back on passing gas (sort of puckering, tightening the anus), the muscles involved are the pelvic muscles. To do the Kegel exercise, hold the contraction for seconds and then relax for seconds, repeating this same cycle (3 sets of ten) a day. This can be done while sitting, standing, or even walking.

What is the pause-squeeze technic?

This is another maneuver that can help treat prejaculation. Start the sexual encounter the usual way until the urge to ejaculate starts. Have the woman squeeze the end of the penis at the area between the head of the penis and the shaft, maintaining the vaginal squeeze for several seconds, until the urge to ejaculate wanes or stops. Repeat as often as needed. Make this your routine strategy with your sex partner. After repeated use, the man eventually feels he is in control of his ejaculation better. Another option is to stop sexual stimulation or withdraw the penis out of the vagina, and wait until the arousal has declined, and then start again, a technic called start-stop-start. Available in the drug stores are special condom that could help delay ejaculation, with benzocaine or lidocaine numnbing anesthetic agent in them. Some of them are: Lifestyles Everlast Intense, Trojan Extended, and Durex Performax Instense. The anesthetic agent (like EMLA, a prescription drug, or Licdocaine spray) could be applied to theT penis 10 minutes before sex to minimize sensitivity and aid in delaying ejaculation. Sometimes these could reduce arousal in either partner.

How about pills?

Although these drugs have not been approved by the F A specifically for premature ejaculation, the following have been tried by physicians: antidepressants (Paroxitine), analgesics (tramadol), clomipramine, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra), and the following which are still being tested modafinil, dapo etine, and silodosin. Counseling combined with medication has also been found effective among many patients. The most important first step is to openly acknowledge the problem, and then seeking medical consultation. Premature ejaculation is treatable. The more candid, positive, and open-minded the man is, the more effective the therapy is.

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE FOR THE WEEK

MONEY, LAST POWER OF OLD AGE

In spite of the advice of many, preachers, philosophers and others that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil; regardless of the warning, it is hard to argue that the more money we have, the better it is for us specially in our old age. Money is our last power at old age. With adequate money, we can stay safe, secured and comfortable. People look at us in a different way, treat us with care and respect. Here are some ideas and suggestions inspired by the writings of some experts, what money can do for us, how we conduct ourselves and how to deal with others at old age. Do not retire early. If you have to retire, get all the benefits and find something that will keep you active physically and mentally. Travel and bond with true friends, play a sport, learn a new hobby and volunteer in your community or parish. Solve crossword puzzles, play Scrabble, write your memoirs, and above all, read ...this will keep you alert and keep Alzheimer’s at bay. Live in your own place to enjoy independence, privacy and a solo life. If you move in with your children, your rank or degree of importance is reduced to that of a bed spacer who has no place of honor or, worse, like crumbling furniture merely displayed with no added value. You have to conform to their own rules that are not sometimes kind, considerate nor mindful of you. Hold on to your nest egg, bank deposits and assets. If you want to help your children, do give, but not to the extent that you wipe out your life’s earnings.Don’t believe your children’s promise to care for you when you grow old, priorities change. Many children are not guilt-ridden nor filled with a sense of moral obligation when the wife and offspring take top billing in their lives. However, there are still children who would consider it a privilege to show compassion, genuine love and deep concern for their parents but be warned that not all children think alike. Expand your circle of friends to include young ones who will definitely outlive your old BFFs. Keep up with new inventions, trends, music and lifestyle including all the scams and schemes you should guard against. Remember that when you mix with the young, you also open a fresh avenue to channel your thoughts, experiences and values through, so that the lessons you learned are not lost, forgotten or buried with you. Be well groomed and smelling fresh of spring water all the time. There’s nothing more depressing than seeing people exhale when you walk by because you smell like camphor chest or dirt. Old age or bust, don’t look and smell like a corpse when you’re not one yet. Do not meddle in the life of your children. If they ask for your counsel, give it, but be ready to accept that they may not take it. Their situations in life cannot be compared to the situations that you experienced in your life. The playing field has changed and they need to develop their own set of survival skills. Champion and encourage their dreams and desires but on their own terms. Do not use old age as your shield and justification for turning grumpy. There’s nothing more annoying than an arrogant, old fool. Welcome each day as another chance to be kind and forgiving to yourself and to others. Listen to what others may say. Do not throw your weight around just because you are a septuagenarian (person who is between 70 and 80 years old) or a nonagenarian (a person between 90 and 99 years old). You are not a depository of knowledge. Even if the roles have been reversed, make growing old a fun-filled, pleasant experience for you and others. Most important of all, money is your last power in old age. If you are broke at old age, nobody, not even your children nor your in-laws will come close to you; not even your spouse will respect you. If you are broke at old age, you become a parasite. Money buys you power when you need it most at old age. Give but don’t allow to be used. Love but don’t allow your heart to be abused. Trust but don’t be naïve. Listen to others but don’t lose your voice.

Mary’s Lessons for Us

The Blessed Mother Mary was united with Her Son Jesus Christ in the work of salvation. She was present, also suff ering erself, during the Passion and Death of Her Divine Son. She intimately united with Her Son Jesus to do the Divine Will of the Father. Now, on Easter Season, what can we learn about our Blessed Mother?

First of all, we have to note that on that fi rst day of the week, the narratives in the account of the Resurrection there is a clear mention that Jesus was not in the tomb; see Jn. 20: 1 – 10; Mt. 28: – 8; Mk. 16: 1 – 6. When our Lord has risen the accounts say that He was not in the tomb. Where did He go? The Sacred Scriptures’ account may, therefore, be lacking; but, the Sacred Oral Tradition can supply what is missing. The answer to that query is that the Risen Lord Jesus went to see is Mother fi rst. She was united with im in is Passion and eath is also to be given honor to receive fi rst the glorious news of the resurrection by seeing and meeting Her Son Himself, the Risen ord. The Risen ord Jesus went to is Mother fi rst to give Her the glorious news of His resurrection and at the same time to be able to personally see and be with Him. But it was not Her mission to bring the news of the resurrection to others. The narrative of the resurrection gave us Mary Magdalene, with other women with her on that early morning, to meet the Risen Lord; she was tasked to tell the other disciples about the Risen Lord and His instructions. That said, what lessons can we learn more from Blessed Mother Mary during this Easter Season? I want us to consider three things fi rst, Mary s silence. er silence during aster, we can imagine was a diff erent one this time it was not so much of trying to listen to Her Son Jesus; but this time more on an act of adoration and reverence. Not that She lacked those before the resurrection; but now, more than ever, is the direct consciousness of the Divinity of Her Son; that, all His Apostles and disciples must learn from Her how to behave and act before Her Son. Her silence was Her act of profound reverence and adoration of Her Son, true man and now very much displayed His being true God. During this Easter Season, for our context, this Marian silence must remind us and to cultivate in us deep devotion and reverence every time we make our prayer and in liturgical celebrations when we are in Church. The challenge, oftentimes, is not being able to behave in Church with reverence and devotion; people are texting and chatting in Church while Mass or prayers are going on, or people are having habits of going to Church, behaving and dressing up as if the Church is like any other place not a place of God nor a place of worship. The silence of Mary is our example of tuning in to God involving our whole being.

Second, Mary’s Presence with the Apostles and Nascent Church. Her role as Mother-guide; Mother-intercessor; Mother-protectress of the early Christian Church were in display to all. Her role towards the Church and to humanity over owed until our present day and still to the future until the end of earthly time. She is in eternity with Her Son, the Risen Lord Jesus, so also She is taking care of us, as our Heavenly Mother, now and always. Hence, this role of the Blessed Mother towards us must urge us to seek Her and to love Her, as Christ, our Lord, Himself willed for us in relation to Her. We should not hesitate to go to Her and ask Her guidance, Her Mother protection, and Her perpetual intercession for us.

In conclusion; Easter Season is also by devotion a Marian Season; I mean that, everything that Jesus Christ did for us has a Marian element. Jesus Christ has a human body to off er on the Cross, and that body came from His Mother Mary. His victory over sin and death, all His actions as true man, human nature, united Him to us human creatures because of His Mother Mary; hence, His victory is also Mary’s victory as it is also all of humankind’s victory in Him. e are grateful for the yes, the “fi at,” of Mother Mary to od s will. As we rejoice and glory this season in our Risen Lord Jesus, we are also joyful and grateful for our Blessed Mother Mary, for, through Her the whole humanity and creation became recipient and participant of divine life in Jesus Christ, Her Son. Amen.

Recipe of the Week Pangasinan’s Hundred Islands National Park reopens

Adobong Okra

ere is the recipe of my version of Adobong Okra.

Ingredients:

250 grams okra, trimmed, cut into half diagonally

1 cup pork belly, cut into strips

1 2 head garlic, peeled, crushed

1 small si e onion, peeled, chopped

1 4 cup vinegar

1 4 cup soy sauce

1 2 tsp. peppercorns, crushed

2-3 pcs. bay leaf

cooking oil

salt

Cooking procedure:

In a pan, place the pork and add 1 cup of water bring to a boil and simmer for to 10 minutes or until pork are tender and all the liquid has evaporated and start to render fat. Add more water as necessary. Shift pork at one side and stirfry garlic and onion fragrant, stir in the pork. Pour 1 2 cup of water and add in bay leaf, peppercorn, soy sauce and vinegar. ring to boil and simmer for 5 to minutes without stirring. Add in okra and stir cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the okra are just cooked but firm. Correct saltiness if required. Serve hot with a lot of rice.

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan – The famous Hundred Islands National Park INP here will reopen on July 1 to tourists from the first district of Pangasinan.

City tourism o cer Miguel Sison said the national park will accommodate 1,000 guests daily or 50-percent of its original capacity based on the guidelines under the modified general community quarantine M C .

e said that based on the city s guideline, INP will only accommodate tourists from the first district of Pangasinan within July and August.

It will be reopened to the whole province by September, and to the whole of Ilocos Region in October and November, he added in a PNA report by ilda Austria and iwayway parraguirre.

“And in ecember, depending on the situation, we might possibly be able to accommodate tourists from all over the country,” Sison said.

isitors are advised to bring proof of residences like identification and the like.

Sison said health protocols and other guidelines will be strictly implemented to ensure the safety of guests and employees, as well as prevent the possible spread of the coronavirus disease 201 Covid-1 .

Aside from the guests, boatmen themselves have to wear face masks and regularly disinfect their boats. They have to follow all guidelines otherwise, they will not be allowed to sail, he said.

Sison added that fees like registration or entrance, and environmental fee to be charged per person remains the same.

owever, guests are advised to bring e tra money for additional e penses in the rental of motorboats and other facilities.

Physical distancing will be strictly implemented thus boats or bancas are only allowed to ferry 50 percent of capacity. There will be thermal scanning and contact numbers and addresses of guests have to be listed.

“The large boat can contain eight persons, five persons for medium boats, and two to three persons for the small boats. The rates, however, are the same since it is already in the city s ordinance and e penses of the boatmen are the same. Only one representative of a group is allowed to enter and transact business at the tourism o ce,” he said.

Tourists may take off to the island through the ucap harf, olo each, and ued stations.

owever, overnight stay and snorkeling in the islands will not be allowed in the meantime, but tourists may avail of the helmet diving, and accommodation establishments A s at the city proper, Sison said.

“ e will prioriti e those who have booked with A s in the city, but then again health standards will be applied even within the accommodations. oitering outside of one s room will not be allowed,” he said.

e added 0 percent of the A s in the city have already secured or applied for the certificate of authority to operate from the epartment of Tourism.

“ e advise tourists to follow the health protocols as we aim to gradually open the INP to tourists,” Mayor Arth ryan Celeste said in a separate interview.

Meanwhile, Celeste said the city will continue to distribute relief packs to workers in the city whose works are still affected by the pandemic.

Coinciding with re-opening of INP is the blessing and inauguration on July 1 of the souvenir shop and the three-dimensional artwork at the oor of the ucap port situated at the Tourism and ntertainment Center.

The artworks painted by members of the Tanghalang Sandaang Pulo is an added attraction which will welcome guests before they board the motorboats going to the Hundred Islands

California approves world’s first regulation to phase out dirty combustion trucks and protect public health

the medium and heavy-duty trucks that travel California roads to zero-emissions technology by 2045, providing major eet operators including state, local and federal government eets with different options to begin transitioning next year.

For example:

Drayage trucks (i.e. big rigs), local delivery and government eets must transition by 2035;

Garbage trucks and local buses must be zero-emission by 2039;

And all other vehicles covered by the regulation must be zero-emission by 2042.

ant NOx. The new rule is expected to generate 2 . billion in health savings, and eet owners will save an estimated $48 billion from the transition to cleaner vehicles.

This adds to California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule, approved by Biden Administration last month, which requires manufacturers to accelerate sales of new zero emissions heavy-duty trucks by 2035. The two regulations work in tandem to drastically cut air pollution – especially in disadvantaged communities – and achieve Governor Newsom’s bold vision for ZEVs in California.

regulations last year requiring 100% of new car sales to be ZEVs by 2035, following Governor Newsom’s 2020 executive order to develop new rules for in-state sales.

ZEVs are a top state export thanks to California’s success, spurring major advances in manufacturing and job creation

California is home to 55 ZEV and ZEV-related manufacturers and leads the nation in ZEV manufacturing jobs

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved world-leading regulation to phase out the sales of medium and heavy-duty combustion trucks in California by 2036 – moving the state forward on Governor Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plan to dramatically cut pollution, protect public health and accelerate the transition to clean vehicles. CARB also approved first-in-the-nation regulation to limit train pollution.

Known as Advanced Clean Fleets, the new rule puts the state on a path toward accomplishing Governor Newsom’s goal of fully transitioning

Governor Newsom said: “The future happens here first, and California is once again showing the world what real climate action looks like. Last year, our state approved one of the world s first regulations requiring all new car sales to be zero emissions. Now, with these actions requiring all new heavy-duty truck sales to be zero emission and tackling train pollution in our state, we’re one step closer to achieving healthier neighborhoods and cleaner air for all Californians.”

The new regulation aims to protect some of California’s most vulnerable communities that sit near trucking corridors and warehouse locations and have some of the worst air in the nation. While trucks represent only 6% of California vehicles, they represent a quarter of the state’s onroad greenhouse gas emissions and over a third of the state’s emissions of the harmful air pollut-

California also paved the way for lower emissions from rail transportation, with CARB adopting a nation-leading regulation to accelerate cleaner locomotive technologies, limit idling and require newly built passenger and freight trains to be zero emission by 2030, and 2035, respectively. The reduced nitrogen oxide and diesel pollution – of which there is no known safe level of exposure – will bring an estimated $32 billion in health savings by preventing 3,200 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

CALIFORNIA’S ZEV RECORD:

California achieved its goal of 1.5 million zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) sold in the state two years ahead of schedule

21.1% of all new cars sold this year in California were ZEVs, according to the California Energy Commission

40% of ZEVs sold in the U.S. are sold in California, according to the Veloz EV Market Report

California approved one of the world s first

Billions of dollars are going out the door to deploy vehicles and build ZEV charging infrastructure across the state, with a record amount dedicated to disadvantaged communities:

$2.9 billion investment plan approved by the California Energy Commission in December accelerates California’s 2025 electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling goals

$2.6 billion investment plan approved in November by the California Air Resources Board supports a wide range of ZEV projects, with 70% of the funds directed to disadvantaged and lowincome communities – the state’s largest-ever investment in the equitable expansion of clean transportation

To support the needed infrastructure and services to make this transition, agencies across government – including GO-Biz, CARB, CEC, CalSTA, and the CPUC – have signed a Zero Emission Infrastructure Joint Agency Statement of Intent.

California is investing $9 billion towards the ZEV transition, including ZEV trucks and infrastructure, through the California Climate Commitment.