010523 - Las Vegas Edition

Filipinos among AAPI groups a ected most by COVID in California

FILIPINOS are among the top Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) groups affected by COVID-19 in California, according to data presented by the state’s Department of Public Health.

The data released during a recent webinar was to inform the public on AAPI health data disaggregation and how the information can help facilitate better outcomes and support for the community.

The Filipino community was one AAPI group seen frequently throughout data presented within the webinar.

A significant part of the meeting was the presentation of collected disaggregated data that detailed leading causes of death among AAPI groups as well as statistics regarding COVID-19. Speaker Michael C. Samuel with the CDPH Strategic Development and External Relations Fusion Center spoke first on the data related to causes of death.

Samuel showed attendees a detailed chart

Robredo heading home after US stint

FORMER Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo is heading home after over two months in the United States.

“Last stretch of my U.S. trip. In 2 days, I will be back home in Manila,” a post on her Facebook handle wrote on Tuesday, January 3.

In November, Robredo served as a Hauser leader at Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

Robredo, who also serves as the chairman of Angat Buhay since stepping down as vice president last June, spoke in numerous American universities, including Princeton University, as well as at an event hosted by former U.S. president Barack Obama. Most of her talks focused on disinformation, which she had to deal with during her presidential run last year.

The former vice president’s daughters are now in different fields: Aika is presently teaching at the Ateneo de Manila University,  PAGE 2

PH seeks to expand economic cooperation with China

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. emphasized the need to expand economic cooperation between Philippines and China during his meeting with Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

According to a statement from the Office of the Press Secretary, Marcos wanted the two countries to pursue more engagements in trade and economy to help both countries recover from the pandemic.

“We have considered in the Philippines of primary importance to increase the relationship and to strengthen the relationship between China and the Philippines,” Marcos said.

The chief executive added that both countries should also work on projects in the education sector, trade and investment, on top of people-to-people exchanges.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Martin Romualdez described their meeting with NPC Chairman Li as a “very positive engagement.” He said Li wanted both countries to have high-level exchanges through China’s parliament and members of the Philippine congress.

“He feels and believes that our relations should be deepened and strengthened through our legislative bodies having active coordination and more

engagements and meetings so that’s why we’ll look forward to the invitations that have actually been extended in previous years, but due to COVID, did not materialize,” Romualdez said.

Marcos Jand members of the Philippine delegation will be in China until Thursday, January 5. Based on previous statements, Marcos is also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

Up to 14 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during Marcos's visit, which ends on Thursday. The Philippine government said last week  PAGE 3

Airlines mount recovery ights

by FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA AND BENJAMIN L. VERGARA ManilaTimes.net

IT will take at least three days before airlines finish the recovery flights for stranded passengers affected by the power outage that canceled flights to and from Manila on New Year’s Day, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Monday, January 2.

Although the arrival and departure of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other airports continued on Monday, it is estimated that it will take 72 hours or 3 days before operations will normalize.

Local airlines said it will take time to fully restore their schedules as they reposition aircraft that had been held back or diverted to other airports and adjust the schedules of flights based on revised clearances in coordination with local authorities.

Bautista said that around 65,000 passengers were affected when the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC), which serves as the facility for controlling and overseeing all inbound and outbound flights and overflights in the Philippine airspace, went down due to power outage, resulting in loss of communication, radio, radar and internet.

Airlines have been asked to operate additional flights or upgrade aircrafts in order to accommodate more

Over 2M foreign tourist arrivals in 2022 – DOT

by JOHN ERIC MENDOZA Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Philippines received and welcomed more than two million foreign tourists in 2022, the Department of Tourism said on Monday, January 2.

Data from DOT indicated that a total of 2,025,413 foreign tourists arrived in the country from February to December 2022.

There is no data for January 2022 since

the country only reopened on February 10 after lifting travel restrictions due to the  COVID-19 pandemic.

Most of the visitors came from the United States (505,089), South Korea (428,014) and Australia (137,974).

China ranked only tenth with only 39,627 visitors.

Meanwhile, a total of 628,445 overseas -based Filipinos also visited the country within the said period. 

What we know so far about the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 subvariant

MANILA — The XBB.1.5 subvariant, a new version of the Omicron variant, is taking over the United States, raising concerns about a potential surge in COVID-19 cases.

Estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, December 30 showed that XBB.1.5 is responsible for around 40% of the confirmed cases there, up from 20% a week ago. About 75% of cases in the Northeast— or regions spanning New Jersey through New England—are caused by the new variant.

In the Philippines, the presence of the XBB.1.5 subvariant has yet to be detected.

Here’s what we know and don’t know about the new COVID-19 subvariant.

What is XBB.1.5?

XBB.1.5 is a spinoff of the Omicron XBB subvariant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants.

The XBB subvariant drove the surges of infections in Singapore and India in October. Health authorities in the Philippines have so far detected 878 cases of the XBB subvariant.

It is unclear where XBB.1.5 came from, but it is spreading quickly.

What makes it different from XBB?

Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at Johns Hopkins University, told CNBC that XBB.1.5 is different from XBB because it has an additional mutation that makes it attach better to cells.

Are experts worried? Some medical experts are

increasingly worried about the XBB.1.5 and the XBB subvariants.

Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, told Reuters that “probably the worst variant that the world is facing right now is actually XBB.”

In a series of alarming posts on Twitter, epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding called the XBB.1.5 a “super variant” and warned that it is “one of the most evasive variants against immunity.”

Yunlong Cao, a genomics researcher and assistant professor at China’s Peking University, said on Twitter last week that XBB.1.5 evades protective antibodies as effectively as the highly immune evasive XBB.1 variant and binds better to cells.

Does XBB.1.5 cause more

severe illness?

Dr. Barbara Mahon, director of CDC’s Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, told NBC News that there is no indication that XBB.1.5 causes more severe illness than other Omicron versions.

She added that areas with many cases of the variant have not experienced a disproportionate rise in hospitalizations.

“We’re seeing hospitalizations have been notching up overall across the country… They don’t appear to be notching up more in the areas that have more XBB.1.5,” she said.

What should Filipinos do?

The Department of Health said the government continues to implement surveillance and monitoring activities, and is

Filipinos urge Marcos to team up with US, Japan to protect West PH Sea – Pulse survey

by DANIZA FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — The majority of Filipinos want the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to partner with the United States and Japan to defend the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, a Pulse Asia survey showed.

Pulse Asia President Prof. Ronald Holmes revealed in a forum Thursday, January 5 that of the 1,200 adult Filipinos surveyed nationwide, 84 percent chose the US while 52 percent picked Japan to help the Philippines secure its jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.

Others garnered the following scores in the survey:

• Australia – 25 percent

• UK – 24 percent

• South Korea – 23 percent

• China – 20 percent

• EU – 20 percent

• Russia – 17 percent

• France – 12 percent

• India – 2 percent

The survey, conducted from November 27 to December 1, 2022, asked respondents this question: “Among the following, which entities should the Marcos administration work with to strengthen security cooperation to defend our national sovereignty

TOUCHING THE BLACK NAZARENE. A devotee touches the image of the Black Nazarene on the side of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila on Tuesday, Jan. 3, six days before the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. Priest Earl Allyson Valdez, the spokesperson of the 2023 Feast of the Nazarene celebration, said there will be no “Traslacion” this year but other activities will continue, such as the hourly mass and touching the Black Nazarene image.

PNA photo by Yancy Lim

In this June 26, 2022, photo, a Philippine flag is erected at Sandy Cay, a sandbar just 4 nautical miles from the disputed Pag-asa island in the West Philippine Sea where several Chinese naval ships have been spotted. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

PH seeks to expand economic...

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both sides would sign a communication agreement to "avoid miscalculation and miscommunication in the West Philippine Sea", referring to the part of the South China Sea that it claims.

Marcos has insisted he will not let China trample on the Philippines' maritime rights in the area -- in contrast to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte,

who was reluctant to criticise the superpower.

The Philippines ordered its military last month to boost its presence in the contested waters after a Bloomberg report that China had started reclaiming several unoccupied land features around the Spratly Islands. Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and has ignored an international court ruling that its claims have

no legal basis.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of it. Marcos said on Tuesday before leaving for China he hoped to address "political security issues of a bilateral and regional nature".

"The issues between our two countries are problems that do not belong between two friends," he said. (Philstar.com with reports from AFP)

Airlines mount recovery...

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passengers.

Bautista said he discussed with Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Cesar Chiong the possibility of operating the runway 24 hours until the recovery flights are over.

“We will also conduct maintenance checks of the runway on a daily basis so we can be sure that our runway is always safe,” he said.

Airlines, he added, can use the runway even at night “so their operations will also normalize.”

He said two uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) used to provide power to the air traffic management system of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) failed, forcing CAAP to tap commercial power which caused a power surge.

fixed it, the incoming power to our equipment was 300 volts and it had an effect,” Bautista said.

He explained that the malfunction could not be avoided because the ATMC system was outdated.

At present, a back-up power supply is being used and officials have procured a replacement power supply that is expected to arrive in 30 days.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) expressed hope that the government will release the requested P120 million budget to upgrade the system of the NAIA in Pasay City.

workers (OFWs) were affected by the disruption of flights on January 1.

Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said on Monday that all of the affected OFWs were provided assistance for the rebooking of their flights, while some 400 needed help in hotel accommodations.

Food and transportation assistance were also given to the stranded migrant workers.

The DoTr likewise liaised with the airline partners for the provision of food, refreshments, transportation, lodging and accommodation for passengers.

Philippine Airlines on Monday said that 18 domestic and three international flights were cancelled in addition to some delays caused by some flight adjustments.

“There was a problem with one UPS that was being used. When they switched to the backup UPS there was still a little problem so our technical team made a way to fix it. Unfortunately when they

“As early as last year we asked for P120 million for spare parts [of the Air Traffic Management Center],” CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said in a radio interview over DZBB on Monday.

He said that the ATMC will be fully functional in the first quarter of 2023 if the budget is released immediately.

At least 3,000 overseas Filipino

Robredo heading home after...

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Tricia is currently in Chile with Harvard Graduate School students, while her youngest, Jillian,

What we know so far about the XBB.1.5...

confident in detecting variants that may enter the country.

“COVID-19 variants will continue to emerge and re-

emerge,” the DOH said. “What’s important is we continue to employ our layers of protection such as sanitation, masking, distancing, vaccination and

boosters, as well as good ventilation to keep cases manageable and prevent virus transmission,” it added. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

Filipinos urge Marcos to team up with US...

in the West Philippine Sea?”

The choices, from which respondents may select up to three, were: Australia, China, European Union (EU), France, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the United Kingdom (UK), and the U.S.

The survey has an error margin of ±2.8.

Meanwhile, 4 percent of the

respondents admitted that they did not have enough knowledge to give an opinion on the matter, as 0.2 percent answered “none” or did not pick any from the given choices.

Additionally, Holmes said, half of the respondents think the Marcos administration should strengthen the country’s military capabilities, especially the Navy and Coast Guard to “effectively

address issues in the West Philippine Sea” while 29 percent believe joint maritime patrols and military exercises with allied countries should be conducted.

Also, he noted more than half of the people surveyed consider the protection of marine resources and the environment as the most important reason to strengthen the country’s ability to defend its seas. g

“I have worked here for the past two months [in Harvard and other speaking engagements],” Robredo wrote in Filipino. “I was also able to relax and spend time with relatives since December 16. Now that I am going home, I

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific said it continues to review its operations while AirAsia Philippines has implemented additional flight adjustments through a recovery flight on Jan. 3, 2023. g PAGE 1 PAGE 1

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, on the first official day of his state visit to China on Wednesday, January 4. Malacanang photo

is now working after she graduated from New York University.

am energized and excited for the work that is to come.”

Robredo served as vice president from 2016 to 2022. She ran for president but lost to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Aric John Sy Cua/ManilaTimes.net)

KADIWA ON MAGINHAWA STREET. People flock to the Kadiwa store to buy fresh vegetables on the corner Maginhawa and Mapagkumbaba streets, Barangay Sikatuna Village, Quezon City on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Kadiwa stores have been offering fresh fish, fruits, vegetables and other produce at a cheaper price compared to the regular market.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Public health agencies try to restore trust as they fight misinformation

OKLAHOMA CITY — By the summer of 2021, Phil Maytubby, deputy CEO of the health department here, was concerned to see the numbers of people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 slipping after an initially robust response. With doubt, fear, and misinformation running rampant nationwide — both online and offline — he knew the agency needed to rethink its messaging strategy.

So, the health department conducted something called an online “sentiment search,” which gauges how certain words are perceived on social media. The tool found that many people in Oklahoma City didn’t like the word “vaccinate” — a term featured prominently in the health department’s marketing campaign.

“If you don’t know how your message is resonating with the public,” Maytubby said, “you’re shooting in the dark.”

Across the country, health officials have been trying to combat misinformation and restore trust within their communities these past few years, a period when many people haven’t put full faith in their state and local health departments. Agencies are using Twitter, for example, to appeal to niche audiences, such as NFL fans in Kansas City and Star Wars enthusiasts in Alabama. They’re collaborating with influencers and celebrities such as Stephen Colbert and Akbar Gbajabiamila to extend their reach.

Some of these efforts have paid off. By now, more than 80% of U.S. residents have received at least one shot of a COVID vaccine.

But data suggests that the skepticism and misinformation surrounding COVID vaccines now threatens other public health priorities. Flu vaccine coverage among children in mid-December was about the same as December 2021, but it was 3.7 percentage points lower compared with late 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The decrease in flu vaccination coverage among pregnant women was even more dramatic over the last two years: 18 percentage points lower.

Other common childhood

vaccination rates are down, too, compared with pre-pandemic levels. Nationally, 35% of all American parents oppose requiring children to be vaccinated for measles, mumps, and rubella before entering school, up from 23% in 2019, according to a KFF survey released Dec. 16.

Suspicion swirling around oncetrusted vaccines, as well as fatigue from so many shots, is likely to blame.

Part of the problem comes down to a lack of investment that eroded the public health system before the pandemic began. An analysis conducted by KHN and The Associated Press found local health department spending dropped by 18% per capita between 2010 and 2020. State and local health agencies also lost nearly 40,000 jobs between the 2008 recession and the emergence of the pandemic.

This made their response to a once-in-a-century public health crisis challenging and often inadequate. For example, during COVID’s early days, many local health departments used fax machines to report COVID case counts.

“We were not as flexible as we are now,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, director of public health at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

At the start of the pandemic, Traxler said, only two people worked on the media relations and public outreach team at South Carolina’s health department. Now, the team has eight.

The agency has changed its communication strategies in other ways, too. Last year was the first year, for example, that South Carolina published data on flu vaccinations every two weeks, with the goal of raising awareness about the effectiveness of the shots. In South Carolina, not even one-quarter of adults and children eligible for a flu shot had been vaccinated by early December, even as flu cases and hospitalizations climbed. The flu vaccine rate across all age groups in the U.S. was 51.4% last season.

Those who have opted out of both the COVID and flu shots seem to be correlated, Traxler said.

“We’re really just trying to dispel misinformation that’s out there,” Traxler said. To that

end, the health department has partnered with local leaders and groups to encourage vaccinations. Agency staffers have also become more comfortable talking to the press, she said, to better communicate with the public.

But some public health experts argue that agencies are still failing on messaging. Scientific words such as “mRNA technology,” “bivalent vaccine,” and “monoclonal antibodies” are used a lot in public health even though many people find them difficult to understand.

A study published by JAMA found that COVID-related language used by state-level agencies was often more complex than an eighth-grade reading level and harder to understand than the language commonly used by the CDC.

“We have to communicate complex ideas to the public, and this is where we fail,” said Brian Castrucci, CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, a charitable group focused on strengthening public health. “We have to own the fact that our communication missteps created the environment where disinformation flourished.”

Most Americans support public health, Castrucci said. At the same time, a small but vocal minority pushes an anti-science agenda and has been effective in sowing seeds of distrust, he said.

The more than 3,000 public health departments nationwide stand to benefit from a unified message, he said. In late 2020, the foundation, working with other public health groups, established the Public Health Communications Collaborative to amplify easy-to-understand information about vaccines.

“The good guys need to be just as well organized as those who seek to do harm to the nation,” he said. “One would think we would learn from this.”

Meanwhile, a report published in October by the Pew Research Center found 57% of U.S. adults believe “false and misleading information about the coronavirus and vaccines has contributed a lot to problems the country” has faced amid the pandemic.

“I was leery like everyone else,” said Davie Baker, 61, an Oklahoma City woman who owns a business that sells window treatments. When the shots became widely PAGE 4

Want a clue on health care costs in advance? New tools take a crack at it

by Julie Appleby Kaiser Health News

NEED medical treatment this year and want to nail down your out-of-pocket costs before you walk into the doctor’s office? There’s a new tool for that, at least for insured patients.

As of Jan. 1, health insurers and employers that offer health plans must provide online calculators for patients to get detailed estimates of what they will owe — taking into account deductibles and copayments — for a range of services and drugs.

It’s the latest effort in an ongoing movement to make prices and upfront cost comparisons possible in a business known for its opaqueness.

Insurers must make the cost information available for 500 nonemergency services considered “shoppable,” meaning patients generally have time to consider their options. The federal requirement stems from the Transparency in Coverage rule finalized in 2020. So how will it work?

Patients, knowing they need a specific treatment, drug, or medical service, first log on to the cost estimator on a website

offered through their insurer or, for some, their employer. Next, they can search for the care they need by billing code, which many patients may not have; or by a general description, like “repair of knee joint,” or “MRI of abdomen.” They can also enter a hospital’s or physician’s name or the dosage amount of a drug for which they are seeking price information.

Not all drugs or services will be available in the first year of the tools’ rollout, but the required 500-item list covers a wide swath of medical services, from acne surgery to X-rays.

Once the information is entered, the calculators are supposed to produce real-time estimates of a patient’s out-ofpocket cost.

Starting in 2024, the requirement on insurers expands to include all drugs and services.

These estimator-tool requirements come on top of other price information disclosures that became effective during the past two years, which require hospitals and insurers to publicly post their prices, including those negotiated between them, along with the cost for cash-paying or uninsured patients.

Still, some hospitals have not fully complied with this 2021 disclosure directive and the insurer data released in July is so voluminous that even researchers are finding it cumbersome to download and analyze.

The price estimator tools may help fill that gap.

The new estimates are personalized, computing how much of an annual deductible patients still owe and the outof-pocket limit that applies to their coverage. The amount the insurer would pay if the service were out of network must also be shown. Patients can request to have the information delivered on paper, if they prefer that to online.

Insurers or employers who fail to provide the tool can face penalty fines of at least $100 a day for each person affected, a significant incentive to comply — if enforced.

And there are caveats: Consumers using the tools must be enrolled in the respective health plan, and there’s no guarantee the final cost will be exactly as shown.

That’s because “unforeseen factors during the course of PAGE 4

POLICE OFFICERS. Police officers listen to the announcement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr. during a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Abalos urged all colonels and generals in the Philippine National Police with purported links to illegal narcotics to immediately resign their posts. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Older adults can start the Year of the Rabbit on a healthy note even as COVID lingers

WITH vaccines and treatments, we’ve come a long way in preventing the worst outcomes from COVID-19. But older adults remain among the most at risk. As we gather together to celebrate Lunar New Year, there are many tools that older adults — and anyone — can use to help protect against a severe COVID infection.

Here are a few ways older adults and their loved ones can begin the Year of the Rabbit in the best health possible:

Get an updated vaccine. With Lunar New Year dinners and festivals quickly approaching, having an updated vaccine is an effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones — of all ages — as the celebrations ensue. CDC recommends people 65 and older stay current with their COVID vaccines because they are at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID. Staying up to date means getting an updated vaccine as soon as you can. An updated COVID vaccine can restore protection that has waned over time from earlier doses. If you've recently had COVID, wait three months before getting your updated vaccine.

Lunar New Year and New Year celebrations across the country this month and next will

be offering vaccine clinics with the updated vaccine, including:

• The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i will be celebrating the Year of the Rabbit at its ‘Ohana Festival with a vaccine clinic 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15, at JCCH, 2454 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI.

• That same weekend is the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival & Parade’s Flower Market Fair, which is taking place on Jan. 14-15 Grant Avenue and will offer vaccines.

• The Tu-Gether Lunar New Year Festival in LA takes place with a vaccine clinic on Jan. 2122 in Monterey Park, CA.

• Later that week, Chinese New Year in the Desert will be held on Jan. 28 with a spring festival—and vaccine clinic—at Fremont East Entertainment District in downtown Las Vegas.

• Chicago celebrates with the Chinatown Lunar New Parade Jan. 29, and vaccines will be available at the event, in downtown Chicago.

• San Diego’s Chinese New Year Fair will have a vaccine clinic on-site on as it celebrates on Feb. 4-5 in downtown San Diego.

• The Manhattan Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival will offer vaccines at its event on Sunday, Feb. 12, which starts at Mott and Canal in New

York at 1 p.m.

Continue practicing healthy habits. In addition to vaccines, there are plenty of things you can do to help protect yourself from a COVID infection. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. When feeling ill, stay home and rest to take care of yourself and the people you care about. Avoid crowded spaces and spaces that are not well ventilated. If you must be in those spaces, limit your time there and consider wearing a mask.

Find ways to relieve stress. The ongoing pandemic has been stressful for many people, including older adults — and admitting that is ok! Daily routines have been upended, and many have experienced increased loneliness, stress, and anxiety. Tips for coping with stress include having an open conversation with someone you trust, taking a break from the news, unwinding with physical activities that you enjoy, eating healthy foods, and finding ways to stay connected with family, friends, and community.

Updated COVID vaccines are currently free and widely available. For more information and to find a vaccine, visit www. vaccines.gov. (From the We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign)

Filipinos among AAPI groups affected most...

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that compared the rate of death for various AAPI groups based on specific causes that were ranked for each subgroup. According to the data presented by Samuel, COVID-19 was the leading cause of death for Filipinos in 2021, followed by ischemic heart disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and hypertensive heart disease.

This depicts how COVID-19 truly made an impact within the Filipino community, where it affected them the most out of all other AAPI groups in California. Data presented by Charsey Porse, who is with CDPH’s Center of Infectious Disease, detailed COVID’s impact even more.

According to the data that was provided, Filipinos have specifically shown a significant impact from COVID-19 based on the cases that had detailed information on race and ethnicity available.

“Among Asian patients (with known detailed race), the largest number of cases occurred within the Filipino, Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese groups,” Charsey Porse, an epidemiologist with the CDPH, detailed.

Want a clue on health care costs in advance...

treatment, which may involve additional services or providers, can result in higher actual cost sharing liability,” federal regulators wrote in outlining the rules.

Insurers will not be held liable for incorrect estimates.

Because the cost estimates may well vary from the final price, either because the procedure was more complex than initially expected, or was handled by a different provider at the last minute, one risk is that “I might get a bill for $4,000 and I’m going to be upset because you told me $3,000,” said Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management and of international health at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Many insurers have offered versions of cost-estimator tools before, but small percentages of enrollees actually use them, studies have shown.

Federal regulators defended the requirement for estimator tools, writing that even though many insurers had provided them, the new rule sets specific parameters, which may be more detailed than earlier versions.

In outlining the final rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pointed out

that some previous calculators “on the market only offer widerange estimates or average estimates of pricing that use historical claims data” and did not always include information about how much the patient had accumulated toward an annual deductible or out-of-pocket limit.

The agency says such price disclosure will help people comparison-shop and may ultimately help slow rising medical costs.

But that isn’t a given.

“CMS has a lot of people who believe this will make a significant impact, but they also have a long time frame,” said David Brueggeman, director of commercial health at the consulting firm Guidehouse.

In the short term, results may be harder to see.

“Most patients are not moving en masse to use these tools,” said Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School.

There are many reasons, he said, including little financial incentive if they face the same dollar copayment whether they go to a very expensive facility or a less expensive one. A better way to get patients to switch to lower-cost providers, he said, is to create pricing tiers, rewarding patients who seek the most costeffective providers with lower

copayments.

Mehrotra is skeptical that the cost estimator tools alone will do much to dent rising medical prices. He’s more hopeful that, in time, the requirement that hospitals and insurers post all their negotiated prices will go further to slow costs by showcasing which are the most expensive providers, along with which insurers negotiate the best rates.

Still, the cost-estimator tools could be useful for the increasing number of people with highdeductible health plans who pay directly out-of-pocket for much of their health care before they hit that deductible. During that period, some may save substantially by shopping around.

Those deductibles add “pressure on consumers to shop on price,” said Brueggeman, at Guidehouse. “Whether they are actually doing that is up for debate.” g

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Public health agencies try to restore trust...

available in 2021, she thought they had been developed too quickly, and she worried about some of the things she’d read online about side effects. A pharmacist at Sam’s Club changed her mind.

“She just kind of educated me on what the shot was really about,” Baker said. “She cleared up some things for me.”

Baker signed up for her first COVID shot in May 2021, around the same time the health department in Oklahoma City noticed the number of vaccines administered daily was starting to decline.

The department updated its marketing campaign in early 2022. Instead of using the word “vaccinate” to encourage more people to get their COVID shots — the term the agency’s social media analytics revealed people didn’t like — the new campaign urged people to “Choose Today!”

“People don’t trust like they used to,” Maytubby said. “They want to make up their own minds

and make their own decisions.” The word “choose” acknowledged this preference, he said. Maytubby thinks the “Choose Today!” campaign worked. A survey of 502 adults in Oklahoma City conducted during the first half of 2022 found fewer than 20% of respondents reacted negatively or very negatively to a sample of “Choose Today!” advertisements. And an estimated 86.5% of adults in Oklahoma City have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine — a rate higher than the state average of about 73%.

Other factors are likely at play that have helped bolster Oklahoma City’s vaccine numbers. In the same survey of Oklahoma City adults, some people who were recently vaccinated said family members or church leaders urged them to get the vaccine, or they knew someone who had died from COVID. One person said money was the motivation — they received $900 from their employer for getting the COVID vaccine.

Meanwhile, the war against misinformation and disinformation wages on. Childhood vaccination rates for the immunizations students typically need to enter kindergarten are down 4.5% in Oklahoma County since the 2017-18 academic year as parents increasingly seek exemptions to the requirements.

That worries Maytubby. He said the primary tactic among those trying to sow distrust about vaccinations has been to cast doubt — about everything from the science to their safety.

“In that aspect, they’ve been pretty successful,” Maytubby said. “Misinformation has changed everything.” g

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Similar to the data provided by Samuel, Porse also revealed which groups had the highest death rates due to COVID. Once again, Filipinos were in the top of the list, alongside the Cambodian and Japanese communities. There was no data explaining why this was the case, however future data collected could lead to eventual conclusions and answers.

While this webinar addressed issues and disaggregated data for the AAPI community as a whole, its information is important to understanding how Filipinos fit within the AAPI community as well as what makes them different. The following sections detail the happenings of the webinar. The information acts as a crucial step towards transparency and understanding regarding health data within our community.

Data disaggregation

The issue of aggregated data takes a step towards being addressed through Assembly Bill No. 1726, written by Attorney General Rob Bonta when he was a member of the state Assembly.

With the passing of this bill, the CDPH became required (on or after July 2, 2022) to make available and collect demographic data that would include an expanded list of AAPI groups that were previously not included as subgroups. A full list of these groups can be found on CDPH’s website dedicated to the bill.

The type of data collected and how much progress has been made in the implementation of this bill was outlined in the webinar, which started with a welcome from Maral Farsi, deputy director of legislative and governmental affairs at CDPH. Attending and speaking were a variety of experts tasked with working together in and towards the implementation of AB 1726.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, chair of the California Commission on APIA (Asian and Pacific Islander American) Affairs introduced how there has so far been meaningful progress in implementation of the bill.

However, while there was progress, they also ran into challenges, specifically the pandemic. In light of this challenge, Ramakrishnan also made clear that the pandemic showed the “dire need” in collecting disaggregated data on AAPI communities.

“We know if we just collect data on ‘Asians’ we don’t have the kind of detailed understanding that we need to target the investments needed to make sure that our communities are being served adequately,” Ramakrishnan explained, hoping that this data will be used to aid in progress m ade for and within AAPI communities.

“Disaggregation doesn’t get at the heart of what this is about, which is data equity. Equity in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data. But it’s

also data to advance equity,” he added, noting the importance not only of the data but how it is used.

Rohan Radhakrishna, deputy director and chief equity officer with the CDPH’s Office of Health Equity, detailed how race and ethnicity data were collected, analyzed, and reported in five broad categories that were defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budgets since 1997, where AB 1726 is a step towards breaking down those categories for AAPI communities.

“Data disaggregation refers to the breaking down of collected data into smaller definable units to better illuminate underlying patterns and trends,” Radhakrishna noted. He went on to describe how each individual has a complex array of factors that affect their life and health.

Radhakrishna listed the following factors as immigration, socioeconomic status, nativity, language, and an individual’s experience as a minority with structural and intrapersonal racism. “These complexities are obscured when data is aggregated into broad categories,” he explained, adding that disaggregated data can therefore illuminate social and health disparities that were otherwise hidden by broader categories.

“Asians aren’t a monolith,” Radhakrishna expressed, where he elaborated how ‘Asian’ is often used as an umbrella term, categorizing groups of people into one. This can therefore “reinforce inaccurate and harmful notions of the model minority” as well as lead to disproportionate access to opportunities and resources.

Implementation

Julie Nagasako, deputy director of CDPH’s Office of Policy and Planning, addressed key actions the CDPH has been taking to implement AB 1726.

“One of the critical steps that will improve our ability to share disaggregated data are updates to our vital records system, both for birth and death data,” Nagasako shared. She was transparent in expressing how as these implementations were made mid-year, in April and June, it would take a bit of time to have a complete year of data under the new protocols for collection detailed by AB 1726.

Nagasako emphasized that the collection and provision of this disaggregated data is not an effort made by one person let alone one department, rather a multitude of teams at CDPH are working on strengthening their coordination. They are aiming to build connections in an effort to better understand how to offer disaggregated data in a way that can help AAPI communities most.

Additionally, in order to ensure “data completeness” Nagasako expressed how the coordination extends to external partners as well. “AB 1726 has to do with how we manage and display the data that we generate,” she explained, highlighting that this data comes from a variety of sources, such as external surveys, federal data, and health systems to name a few.

Nagasako then spoke on another crucial part in the implementation process, where in order to make the disaggregated data available, it would be released bit by bit to the public. One of the resources she referenced, which was referenced by other speakers in the webinar, was the “Asian and Pacific Islander Data Disaggregation Brief.”

CDPH, according to Nagasako, will be incorporating disaggregated data wherever possible, such as an upcoming 2023 health assessment core module. She also noted how, based on feedback from the public, the CDPH’s website that houses the data brief will also include information about upcoming data releases, with links to where people can access them directly.

The data: Leading causes of death and COVID-19

As previously outlined, two speakers, Michael C. Samuel

and Charsey Porse spoke on highlights from disaggregated data that has so far been collected and made available to the public. Both speakers were transparent with attendees throughout, even providing thorough analyses of various data and charts provided as an example.

“Different systems often collect race and ethnicity data with different categories,” Samuel declared before proceeding to show examples of aggregated population data in California. Referencing what Radhakrishna had detailed about how race and ethnicity data were collected, Samuel’s example of aggregated data only showed five broad categories, which included Asians and Pacific Islanders as separate entities.

“Looking at this disaggregated (or in detailed categories) is critical,” Samuel expressed.

As a comparison, Samuel, then after, showed attendees charts of disaggregated data, which included a variety of AAPI groups. This highlighted how the aggregated data had so much missing.

The next set of data that Samuel presented was the chart comparing rates of death among AAPI groups. “COVID-19 is the top leading cause of death based on age adjusted rates,” Samuel described, noting that while there is this common thread amongst the data for different groups, there are still a variety of differences. For example, for the Chinese/Taiwanese group, “lung cancer is the fifth leading cause of death as it is for Vietnamese, but it doesn’t appear in the top five in the rest of the groups,” he said.

“In conclusion, great progress has been made in analyzing and sharing disaggregated race and ethnicity data. There are important differences observed between disaggregated groups,” Samuel concluded in his section, pointing out that this data should hence be interpreted with caution in order to get an accurate understanding.

Continuing from what Samuel had spoken about, Porse provided ample detail about data collected regarding COVID-19. “Relative case and death rates of COVID have varied across racial and ethnic groups throughout the pandemic,” Porse started, before providing statistics that showed that when 2020 ended, “28% of COVID-19 cases were missing race and ethnicity data.”   However, this data with CDPH has since improved.

“Cumulatively now, about 19.5% of our COVID-19 cases are still missing race and ethnicity information, which spans the entire pandemic period,” Porse emphasized the difference in numbers.

There is still of course more to be done as many of the cases that do include race and ethnicity data, specifically for AAPI communities, are still “missing data in detailed race ethnicity subgroups,” Porse explained. She then provided more numbers, where in 2020, around 5% of California COVID cases were reported among Asians and around 89% of those cases were missing detailed race information.

“Due to the amount of missing data, we cannot calculate rates for race groups due to statistical unreliability,” Porse continued, detailing how around 12% of California’s COVID-19 deaths in 2020 were among Asians and that 16% of those deaths were missing detailed race information. This highlighted that while data was being collected, they were not enough to completely tell the story due to the lack of disaggregation.

However, Porse reassured attendees that while there was “under-reporting of detailed race information,” which makes it “hard to measure disparities and draw conclusions across subgroups.” The CDPH intends to continue to improve on data collection as well as making it available to the public. (Amrylois Ferido/AJPress)

PERMIT RENEWAL. The Davao City government starts the processing of the one-stop-shop renewal of the mayor’s permit for this year on Tuesday, Jan. 3. The city’s Business Bureau set up processing in strategic areas of the locality for the renewal of the mayor’s permit that will run this January. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Safe religious devotion

The annual Traslacion or procession is not yet being revived, but a “Walk of Faith” will be held on Sunday, January 8 in Manila on the eve of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. Starting at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park at 2 a.m., the procession is expected to last about three hours as participants make their way to Quiapo Church, home to the Black Nazarene image.

Devotees are allowed to bring Nazarene replicas, but nothing larger than two feet tall. The traditional pahalik or kissing of the original image is prohibited although devotees can touch the Nazareno. There will be midnight masses on Jan. 8 and 9, with Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula celebrating the mass on the feast day itself.

The Catholic Church and city officials led by Mayor Honey Lacuna, who is a physician, are appealing to participants to strictly observe basic COVID health safety protocols, starting with masking and hand hygiene. Physical distancing is still encouraged although this is not easy to observe in a procession.

Authorities are also appealing to devotees with symptoms of illness – those with fever, sore throat, continuous sneezing, coughs, cold and diarrhea –to skip the Nazarene activities. Viruses can spread rapidly in mass gatherings, and COVID-19 is still very much around, with highly infectious strains detected in the country.

These new coronavirus strains are proving to

Editorialbe highly evasive to both natural and vaccine immunity. Even if fully vaccinated and boosted people show only mild or no symptoms if infected by these new strains, they can pass on the virus to vulnerable members of their household such as the elderly and those with comorbidities, who can suffer serious illness or even succumb to COVID. The current dire COVID situation in China illustrates the threat posed by the new strains of the Omicron subvariant.

The Philippines has lifted mandatory masking outdoors along with restrictions on religious gatherings. The Catholic Church itself, however, has found it prudent to cancel the traditional Traslacion for a third year in a row, to avoid creating a COVID superspreader event.

The Church has had its share of COVID deaths, with members of the clergy and supporting laity succumbing to the illness. In January last year, amid an Omicron-driven post-holiday surge in cases, Quiapo Church was closed to devotees and guarded by police on the Feast of the Black Nazarene, with masses instead live-streamed. This year the restrictions have been eased, but

2023: A year of economic opportunities for the Philippines

BABE ROMUALDEZ

THE World Health Organization is cautiously optimistic that the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer be a global health emergency by mid next year. According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the number of weekly COVID-19 deaths has dropped to almost 90 percent since its peak at the end of January last year. Many experts also believe that COVID-19 will likely become endemic, meaning the virus would still be around but more manageable, like the cold or seasonal flu.

There is, however, great concern about the situation in China due to surging infection rates, compelling some countries to require travelers from China to present negative COVID-19 swab results. Whatever it is, we are all praying and hoping that the outbreak would be controlled to a certain extent and would not result in new mutations of the Omicron subvariants such

as BA.5, BA.2.75 and the BF.7 that has been identified as largely responsible for the spike in infections across China. The U.S. has offered assistance with their effective mRNA vaccines, but China has so far declined the offer. There are reports, however, that people from the mainland are getting Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine in Hong Kong.

Nevertheless, the lifting of worldwide restrictions is driving a lot of optimism that 2023 could be a year of recovery for most of the global economy, including the Philippines.

Finance Secretary Ben Diokno says “the worst is over and the best is yet to come” for the Philippines. And despite projections of a global recession this 2023, the Development Budget Coordination Committee predicts that the Philippine economy will grow by 6 to 7 percent in 2023 in the face of external headwinds.

“…an average GDP growth of 6.5 percent is nothing to be sneezed at: it is still one of the highest, if not the highest, growth rates among ASEAN+6 economies,” said Secretary Diokno, referring to the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and

dialog partners Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, India and New Zealand.

Driving this optimistic economic outlook are several factors that include the early approval of the 2023 national budget; the country’s strong international credit profile that continues to be at investment grade and the stable and resilient banking system that is characterized by strong capitalization well above international norms.

He also points to the country’s adequate buffers against external headwinds, such as the hefty level of our gross international reserves of $95.1 billion as of November 2022, the low external debt to GDP ratio of 26.8 percent by the end of September 2022 and a favorable external debt profile. The Philippines also has a steady supply of foreign exchange from overseas Filipino remittances, export revenues from business process outsourcing firms, tourism receipts and inflows from foreign direct investments, Secretary Diokno disclosed.

Significantly, the policies and reforms that have removed barriers to foreign investments

to allow for more participation in Philippine industries have made the economic environment more attractive and favorable.

The “game-changing laws” such as the Public Service Act and amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Law are “expected to boost foreign direct investments in particular, and the economy in general,” the country’s Finance chief said. Great opportunities are certainly opening up with more countries taking interest in the Philippines as an investment destination.

No doubt all the trips of President Marcos are extremely important, leading to enhanced trade and economic partnerships worldwide.

Economic opportunities from the U.S. abound for the Philippines following the passage of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act by the U.S. Congress, allocating a record $858 billion to the U.S. Department of Defense.

One of the significant provisions of the NDAA is outlined under Section 5949 that prohibits executive agencies from buying or obtaining any electronic parts, products or services that include “covered

semiconductor products or services” from certain Chinese companies which represent a sizeable and growing share of the chips market and a broad range of American electronic equipment such as mobile phones, networking equipment and automobile parts.

Although Section 5949 takes effect five years after the enactment of the 2023 NDAA with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council issuing the implementing rules and prohibitions in 2026, the Philippines can take advantage of the fallout from this legislation. Just consider, the Philippines’ semiconductor and electronics exports to the world amounted to $45.92 billion in 2021, with most of the exports going to the U.S. The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act of 2022 or CHIPS Act signed into law by President Joe Biden last August is also a positive development, according to the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, as this will diversify the source of semiconductor wafers which the Philippines imports for the assembly, test and packaging

New year chaos

to all stranded passengers.

disruption that happened around 9:49 a.m. of Jan. 1, the first day of 2023.

IRIS GONZALES

COULD the New Year chaos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) be a portent of things to come for us, here in this insanely chaotic nation of 110 million? I surely hope not because this is certainly bad news for us.

Is it possible that somebody or some groups with vested interests – rumored syndicates in the airport, for instance –sabotaged aviation systems to make our airport authorities look incompetent? Wasn’t it just a few months ago that some groups desperately wanted changes in airport leadership?

Or could the rumor going around our chat groups that somebody mis-plugged an equipment which triggered the shutdown, be true? “Nasaksak sa 220 (volt) ang computer,” so goes the story in the grapevine.

There are so many conspiracy theories but what is clear is that at the end of the day, some 65,000 passengers were affected by a massive airport

What a way to start the New Year in our land of mayhem. Just a few days ago, I wrote about the noticeably positive changes in our airport when I flew out of the country last week. I was pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed a smooth experience at NAIA. Oh how swiftly things would change.

Now, about to head back to Manila, I’m quite anxious. Would I be able to make it home or, like many other flights, would our plane be sent back in mid-air?

Even tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan could not help but heave a sigh of frustration: “We’re told radar and navigation facilities at NAIA down. I was on my way home fm Tokyo – 3 hours into the flight, but had to return to Haneda. 6 hours of useless flying but inconvenience to travelers and losses to tourism and business are horrendous. Only in the PH. Sigh,” MVP tweeted on Sunday, Jan.1.

Only in the Philippines, indeed. We make positive changes once in a while, only to fall two steps backwards.

So what really happened?

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, in a brief phone call, said there is absolutely no truth to the report going around that “nasaksak sa 220 (volt) ang computer.”

Sec. Jimmy was hearing a New Year’s Day mass with his wife when his phone started buzzing minutes after what turned out to be a power outage.

He immediately informed President Marcos of what happened.

Despite this – and strangely – Marcos’ social media account talked about our destiny in 2023 and nothing about how our destiny was actually unfolding with the airport mess.

What really happened was a loss of power in the Air Traffic Management Center. The exact reason for this is being investigated. The center’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) also bogged down, crippling the country’s airspace. ATMC is the facility in charge of all inbound and outbound flights between Manila and elsewhere.

The system likewise failed to connect to the commercial power supply from Meralco.

Sec. Jimmy said the equipment was acquired in 2010 but started operations only in 2018. It also did not have a back-up system.

“At around 09:49 a.m. the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) went down due to a power outage which resulted in loss of communication, radio, radar and internet. The primary cause identified was a problem with the power supply and the degraded uninterruptible power supply which had no link to the commercial power and had to be connected to the latter manually. The secondary problem was the power surge due to the power outage which affected the equipment,” the Transportation department said in a separate statement.

As of 5:50 p.m. on Jan. 1, operations resumed, while equipment restoration is still ongoing.

The Transportation department has instructed airline partners to provide – free of charge – food, refreshments, transportation, lodging and accommodation for all affected passengers.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) also advised all its airports to attend

These efforts are all good but at the end of the day, passengers just want to fly back home or head toward their planned destinations.

10 years behind Moving forward, Sec. Jimmy said we need to acquire an upgraded system, which would need a budget of more than P13 billion.

“With what happened today, we need to fast-track the backup system. if you compare us to Singapore, they are at least 10 years ahead of us,” he said at a press conference that day.

‘Anywhere except the Philippines’ Sadly, what happened last Sunday brought us irreversible damage and major inconvenience to tens of thousands of passengers.

I heard that in Singapore, some foreign tourists planning to head off to Boracay after landing in Manila, changed their plans and looked for other destinations instead.

Overheard from these foreigners: “Anywhere except the Philippines!”

For sure, Sec. Jimmy and his team or the Marcos

of chips. According to Mckinsey research, global demand will also continue to grow, with semiconductors poised to become a $1-trillion industry by the end of the decade.

We are catching up as a top exporter of semiconductors and electronics to the U.S., and a strong sign that the United States is looking at the Philippines as one of the alternative sources for its imports is the upcoming visit to Manila of U.S. executives from the Semiconductor Industry Association in mid-January.

As Sec. Diokno said, 2023 augurs a bright future for the Philippines – and we have the potential of being one of the leading economies in the AsiaPacific region as long as we remain focused and not “drop the ball,” with our leaders and policy makers keeping their eyes on growing our economy.

A prosperous new year to all! (Philstar.com)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

administration for that matter only inherited this problem but it is now their duty to address it. Clearly, our aviation system –among many other systems in this country – is old and outdated. Did the previous administrations do anything to upgrade it? How about maintenance efforts?

That said, I wonder what former transportation secretary Art Tugade and the Duterte administration did to address this system. And to think secretary Tugade even wanted his son to manage our airport.

Last Sunday’s New Year chaos puts the spotlight on how we run things in this country.

As a reader pointed out, “Whatever is in place is dependent on the person in charge and not on proven procedures.”

How many more snafus can this country bear? (Philstar.com)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

Email: eyesgonzales@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.

prudence is still needed in preventing Nazarenerelated activities from spreading illness and death. Religious devotion and protecting public health need not be incompatible. (Philstar.com)

Dateline PhiliPPines

PNP Chief Azurin leads resignation of close to 1K police officials

by Francis Earl cuEto ManilaTimes.net

PHILIPPINE National Police

Chief (PNP) Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. led the close to 1,000 police officials who tendered their courtesy resignations on Thursday, January 5 and called on his colleagues to do the same as part of the "cleansing of the police force".

Azurin tendered his resignation a day after Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on those linked to the illegal drug trade to step down.

"I heed the call of the Honorable Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and the concurrent chairman of NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission). Thus, I am submitting my resignation from the police service voluntarily," Azurin wrote in a letter addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PNP PIO Chief Col. Rederico Maranan said, a total of 956 ranking officers are expected to submit their courtesy

resignation.

The highest-ranking official is a police general. There are also 812 police colonels, 8 Lt. Generals, 21 Maj. Generals, 114 Brig. Generals who will resign.

Azurin said they submitted to President Marcos 22 names from whom five will be asked tby the Chief Executive to stay.

"A stronger vetting process among personnel of these units and among all key positions in the PNP will be implemented with strong resolve. Similarly, our counterintelligence efforts must all the more stepped up to protect the integrity of all police undertakings," he added.

He said that he will submit himself to the soon to be formed evaluation committee that will be by Marcos to determine if he was in any way involved in the narcotics trade, or if he had been tolerating police officers who were.

But Azurin also said that not all officials were pleased with the "request" of Secretary Abalos.

He said that during their command conference with colonels and generals, some expressed apprehension, other said they would not resign because this has been their "bread and butter, their career and that they have not committed any wrong for the last 30 years".

Azurin even sent a message saying that the PNP, not the officials personally, is on trial and that they should prioritize the interest of the organization.

He said that while several expressed resistance, he expects everyone to comply before Jan. 31, 2023.

This is not the first time such drastic measures have been used to clean up the Philippine police force.

Former president Fidel Ramos cracked down on police in the early 1990s, ordering all officers over 56 years of age or with more than 30 years of service to resign. This resulted in the resignation of the PNP chief and nine other senior officers. g

‘Tighten PH border watch amid China COVID surge’

by JaviEr JoE ismaEl ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, chairman of the Committee on Health, called for securing the country's borders and strengthening the monitoring of incoming travelers as a rise in COVID-19 cases in China raised concerns around the world.

"Secure our borders. Let's intensify further our monitoring," said Go in an interview after personally providing aid to flood victims in Misamis Oriental on Monday, January 2.

"Review our protocols now, especially on the incoming travelers from China where according to reports there is a rise in COVID -19 cases, and lockdowns are being implemented anew," he added.

Go also urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to review and strengthen Covid-19 guidelines to prevent

the Philippines from being impacted by the surge.

"I appeal to our health authorities, our IATF, to intensify, to review our guidelines. Our study on this matter has to be made on a daily basis and ensure that no new cases could enter the country as it is hard to go back to zero," said Go.

"We have to ensure that our past efforts against COVID-19 will not go to waste. Our COVID response has already reached that far, and we do not want to go back where we are compelled to implement lockdowns, and our countrymen will again lose their jobs," he added.

The Philippines sees a need to step up monitoring and border control for incoming travelers, particularly from China, which is seeing a record rise in COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Saturday, December 31.

The DoH ordered all ports of entry to increase surveillance of any respiratory

symptoms in any travelers from China and to report any symptomatic passengers who are intercepted.

In the meantime, Go reminded Filipinos that they cannot relax their vigilance as long as COVID-19 is still present.

"For me, it is important to balance everything. It is still dangerous as COVID is still around," said Go.

"Let us protect the life and health of every Filipino," added Go.

Go also reiterated his call for those who are eligible to get COVID -19 vaccinations and boosters.

"As I have said, let us all get our booster shots, get ourselves vaccinated. We still have sufficient vaccines for everyone," said Go.

"The vaccine is the only key or solution for us to go back to our normal lives and reach herd immunity. If you are vaccinated, you are more protected," he pointed out. g

Most OFWs able to leave after airport shutdown

MANILA — Only a few overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by last Sunday’s airspace shutdown are still unable to leave and awaiting flights for their jobs abroad, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.

DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac reported that the government has assisted about 3,000 affected OFWs needing to rebook their flights.

“We are not seeing rebooking issues now,” Cacdac said in Filipino during the Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday, January 5.

He noted that some of those who sought rebooking were already able to leave, but there are still those awaiting their rebooked flights on Jan. 6 and 7.

The DMW is providing accommodation until the OFWs are able to depart, according to Cacdac.

DMW Secretary Susan Ople previously ordered all recruitment and manning agencies and labor attachés to assist OFWs in explaining the delay in their arrival to their foreign employers.

During the same public briefing, Cacdac gave assurance that the government is exerting efforts to address the plight of OFWs affected by the ban on deployment to India.

He said the DMW and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) are working closely to resolve the issue.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration declared India as a “non-compliant” country based on the assessment of the DFA.

Deployment of OFWs to noncompliant countries is prohibited under the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act.

‘Keep their jobs’ OFWs who were trapped at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) due to the New Year’s Day technical glitch should be able to keep their jobs, a key House of Representatives official urged the DMW.

“I am urgently calling on the DMW to give our OFWs the necessary protection from termination or sanction, and reassure them that their jobs are safe and that they don’t need to worry,” Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo said on Thursday.

“Our OFWs should not be the ones to suffer because of this disruption,” Salo, who chairs the House committee on overseas workers affairs, added.

He called on Ople to take “neces-

sary actions to protect the welfare of OFWs.”

“Private recruitment agencies should immediately coordinate with their foreign counterparts or foreign employers to provide updates on the flight status of affected OFWs,” Salo said.

“Manning agencies should likewise undertake the same measure with their foreign principals concerning affected seafarers,” he added.

The lawmaker also called on other government agencies to ensure that the needs of OFWs and other passengers are provided for while they are stranded at airports, following fears raised by OFWs returning to their employers that they might get terminated or rejected by their employers for failure to show up on time.

“We are fully aware of and understand the fears of our OFWs. The government must do everything in its power to ensure that our OFWs are not sanctioned, or worse, terminated because of this unfortunate event,” Salo said.

Special rate

Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo appealed to airline companies to give a special airfare rate to returning OFWs, who dream of being with their families after a long separation from them.

Tulfo said the fare price in and out of the country has doubled due to the breakdown of the Communications, Navigation and Surveillance System for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

He added that many OFWs delayed their long-planned vacations to be with their families to celebrate the past Christmas and New Year due to high airfare rates.

Several OFWs who were distressed by the destruction of the CNS/ATM sought the senator’s help and expressed their frustration due to the excessive exaggeration of other airline companies in raising fares.

Tulfo noted, for example, the one-way flight from Manila to Japan costs from P90,000 to P140,000, which cannot be afforded by OFWs who have limited budgets.

The STAR, however, checked on Thursday afternoon with the website of an airline that showed a roundtrip Manila-Japan-Manila ticket was pegged at a little over P20,000, while another airline set the fare at over P40,000.

Tulfo specifically urged Philip-

pine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to consider providing a preferential pricing system for OFWs, who are considered national heroes.

“It would be unfair for our OFWs to absorb the fault or negligence of the CAAP for the maintenance of their CNS/ATM system. Many of them only come home once… a year. The money that was supposed to be a welcome or support for their family was forced to go to the fare,” he said.

The sudden increase in fares is said to be caused by the demand-based algorithm that airlines use to impose airfare increases, according to an airline company that spoke with Tulfo’s office.

The senator said his office is coordinating with the DMW for possible subsidizing of discounted airfares for OFWs affected by this problem.

“I stand with my colleagues, especially Sen. Grace Poe and Senate President Migz Zubiri, in initiating an investigation as to the breakdown of essential navigational and air traffic control systems,” he added, noting this is one of the first things the Senate will discuss when it resumes session on Jan. 23.

No penalties

In a related development, foreign nationals whose flights were canceled or delayed after the CAAP’s Air Traffic Management Center encountered problems were given by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) until Jan. 12 to fix their flights without added immigration penalties.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco noted that foreign nationals whose visas and Emigration Clearance Certificate have expired during the period when the technical problem occurred at the NAIA were given extensions until Thursday next week.

“Considering what happened to many foreign nationals who were unable to leave on their scheduled flights, we issued this advisory to assist them in rescheduling, without having to worry about overstaying,” Tansingco said.

“This extension is given in the spirit of the hospitality of the Filipino people. Those who were affected did not mean to overstay their visas, hence, appropriate considerations are given to them,” he added.

Foreign nationals are only required to present their confirmed ticket showing their canceled flights or boarding passes from Jan. 1 or onwards, according to the BI official. (Philstar.com)

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

Meet the Filipina American cinematographer of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

by Kristofer Purnell

Philstar.com

MARVEL'S "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" was uplifted by its female actors; women were also pivotal for the film behind the camera, including Filipina American director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw.

Arkapaw grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from the American Film Institute's (AFI) Conservatory program in 2009.

Her early film credits include shooting the films "Palo Alto," "Teen Spirit" and "The Sun Is Also A Star," as well as music videos for Janelle Monáe, HAIM, Arcade Fire and the Jonas Brothers.

Prior to the "Black Panther" sequel, Arkapaw's biggest

project was being behind the cinematography of the 2021 Marvel show "Loki," where Tom Hiddleston reprised his popular character. Autumn was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show.

She actually replaced her friend and fellow AFI alumna, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison, on the project as Morrison had a scheduling conflict.

"When Rachel found out that she was unable to shoot, she brought my name up,” Autumn told The Hollywood Reporter. “Obviously, I was already interested. But after speaking to Ryan [Coogler] and meeting him, it just solidified that for me, because he’s a very special individual.”

In the same interview,

Arkapaw discussed the film's visual style, which explores the groundbreaking feats of the first movie and illustrates aspects of grief.

"The intention this time was to... give more scope to that world. We’re shining light more on our female protagonists … dealing with grief, rebirth,” she said.

She cited as an example the film's finale, when Letitia Wright's Shuri burns funeral clothes on the beach and mourns her brother T'Challa, played by the late Chadwick Boseman, whose soul fills both movies.

"Ryan and I wanted to [shoot] at the end of the day. That was the best light for the angle we wanted," the filmmaker recalled. "And we got a little bit lucky; there was a lot of wind

that day, and the trees

Celeste’s communication skills take spotlight in Telemundo interview clip  Enrique pens sweet birthday message for Liza

by Jeline Malasig Philstar.com

AN interview clip of Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi went viral as Filipinos took notice of her communication skills days before the grand coronation of the beauty pageant.

The 25-year-old Filipino-Italian was interviewed by Telemundo 42, the Spanish-language channel in Louisiana, where the crowning of the 71st Miss Universe will be held.

Celeste was approached by its correspondent minutes after she arrived at the New Orleans airport.

The clip of her interview was reposted by an online pageant community on Facebook, where it has earned 12,000 likes and “love” reactions and 160,000 views so far.

“Ayun, nilabas na interview [niya] from @telemundo42,” Facebook page Powerhouseph wrote with a heart-eyed emoji.

The original video is also uploaded on Telemundo 42’s own Facebook with the following caption, as translated from Google:

“The beautiful Miss Universe Philippines 2022, #CelesteCortesi, minutes after her arrival at the #NewOrleans airport.”

Those who watched the interview praised Celeste for “improving” her communication skills, especially amid the looming coronation.

“Celeste, your accent sounds Italian Spanish! Go get that crown! Very eloquent…” a Filipino Facebook user commented with folded hand emojis.

“Nag-improve [‘yung] communication skills niya… laban, Celeste!!! Wear the 5th [fifth] crown,” another Pinoy wrote with a raised arm emoji.

“Articulate… laking improvement… hope and pray she will win. Wait, maka-vote na nga..” commented a different Filipino.

Some non-Filipinos who also watched the clip also expressed fondness for Celeste.

“Una de mis favoritas,” a Facebook user wrote with a heart-eyed emoji. It translates to “One of my favorites.”

The Pasay beauty grew up in Italy and has assimilated the heavy accent of how Italians speak in English.

Despite this, she said that it is her values which make her a Filipina, crediting her Filipina mom.

“And what makes me a Filipina are the values that my Filipina mom always gave me throughout my journey here. She always expressed the values of Filipino people, and those values have been with me up to this day. And that’s what makes me a Filipina, a real Filipina,” Celeste said last year.

She will compete against more than 80 delegates in the beauty pageant with the coronation happening on January 14.

If Celeste wins, she will bag the country’s fifth Miss Universe crown.

Pia opens up about burnout

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

MISS Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach admitted to experiencing burnout during the last few weeks of 2022, only letting off steam during the holiday season.

Pia posted on her Instagram account a photo of herself in the United Kingdom where she is currently spending time with her fiancé Jeremy Jauncey and his family.

In the post's caption, Pia expressed her gratitude of being able to "switch off" this holiday season to "focus on the art of doing nothing" which she very much needed.

"No plans. No itinerary. Just chilling. Not even answering messages or emails. Sometimes you need that. To 100% disconnect yourself from the grind," the former Miss Universe wrote.

Pia continued further by doubling down on the burnout she experienced after completing the 2022 New York Marathon by filling up her calander thinking it was the correct decision.

"That turned out to be the wrong move. Naubos ako, kumbaga. I tend to feel guilty for taking time for myself. It happens to a lot of us who love pouring ourselves into the things we love," Pia added, asking if others felt the same and how they recharged. She ended her post saying wishing everyone had a promising beginning to 2023, and hoped that "those who wrote 'get healthy' in their goals / resolutions are still powering through."

This is not the first time that Pia has dealt with stress and mental exhaustion, having admitted to feeling imposter syndrome in the past and sought professional help.

by Jan Milo severo Philstar.com

Actor Enrique Gil penned a short but sweet birthday message for his girlfriend Liza Soberano who is pursuing a career in the US.

In his Instagram account, Enrique posted a series of photos of him with Liza.

"We might be worlds apart, but you’ve never been closer to my heart," Enrique wrote.

"To the most beautiful soul in the world. To my best friend and baby, I love you so much. Happy Birthday!!" he added.

Meanwhile, Liza thanked her family, friends and fans for remembering her birthday.

"So this is 25," Liza wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you everyone for all the birthday greetings. Especially to my family, friends, lizanianz, lizaviors and lizquen back home who have been there for me since day 1," she added.

Liza also teased an upcoming project under James Reid's

Careless Music.

"I’m eternally grateful for each and every one of you. I wish I could be with all of you today to celebrate how far we’ve all come just like we used to but for now I hope I can continue making you all proud! I love you and can’t wait for what’s in store this 2023.

The ‘husband’ Liza Lorena will ever have

by allan PolicarPio Inquirer.net

LIZA Lorena has been in the industry for 60 years now. And she doesn’t see herself stopping anytime soon. After all, she considers the craft of acting as her “husband.”

“I don’t see myself retiring. That will only happen if I lose my ability to memorize lines. But as long as I can do that and as long as I can walk … Well, actually, even if I do become a wheelchair user, I will still work if producers think I can still be useful,” she said at a press conference for her Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, “Family Matters.”

“This is my life. I never got married. And so, this is my husband—my profession,” stressed Liza, who has two children: actor Tonton Gutierrez with former matinee idol Eddie Gutierrez; and Wednesday with businessman Honey Boy Palanca.

Wonderful script

In “Family Matters”—directed by Nuel Naval and produced by Cineko Productions—Liza is Eleanor, a doting wife who tries her best to take care of her frail husband, Francisco (Noel Trinidad), amid growing tension among their children.

Aside from the “wonderful script,” the prospect of working with Noel for the first time made the film offer too good to pass up. “I’m a big fan of his. I have yet to work with him so thank God I got to have this opportunity in my lifetime,” she said. ‘I used to watch him on ‘Champoy’ and ‘Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata.’”“At first, Noel was worried that I’m ‘suplada’ or mataas.’ So, when we finally met, I hugged him immediately, so that he could feel comfortable with me,” she said.

Prolific show biz career Liza has had a prolific show biz career in film and television, and has delivered memorable and

award-winning performances in such movies as “Oro, Plata, Mata” (1983 FA Awards best supporting actress); “Halimaw” (1986 MMFF best actress); and “Miguelito” (1986 Gawad Urian best supporting actress).

“Hopefully, in my lifetime, I get another acting award,” she said. But in an industry that puts a premium on youth, Liza observed that the roles she gets have become more limited as she grew older. But that’s OK, she said—“Lahat ay may panahon.”“I’m just thankful to God that there’s still space for us in this industry at our age, and that the industry still wants us,” she told the Inquirer. “I’m thankful to my director and all the producers who still put their trust in us.”

Aging was something Liza never really feared or felt daunted by. Growing old is a privilege denied to many, so they say. “You can never be young forever. I enjoyed every aspect of my life, from my youth to now. You can’t be young forever. You will get wrinkles and that’s part of the process. You won’t look the same way you did, but I still

feel beautiful at my age,” she said.

‘Never been happier’

Looking back at her life and career, Liza can proudly say that she has “never been happier.” “I have faced so many challenges in life, but I didn’t take them to heart. That’s all part of life,” she said. “These days, I stay with positive and happy people … I try to avoid people who make me feel unhappy or ruin my mood … people whose values don’t align with mine.”

Meanwhile, asked what advice can give young aspiring actors on how to achieve the career longevity she enjoys, Liza stressed the importance of professionalism.

“You need to learn how to apologize when you’re late. You have to be courteous to the people you work with. Greet or wish them a good morning. You have to be pleasant to everyone, especially the production staff and crew.” “If you ever find your career on a low, you will be able to come back if the industry loves you. But if you have a bad attitude, everyone will want you out,” she said.

Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi Photo from Instagram/@celeste_cortesi

Celebrity couple Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano Photos from Instagram/@enriquegil17

Pia Wurtzbach

Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach

were blowing. There wasn’t a ton of cloud cover. You got that nice, beautiful flare coming in the lens.”

Arkapaw said the scene encapsulated the entire film. "It’s about family, and it’s about rebirth. It’s about trying to let go of grief, but it does stay

with you, and sometimes you have to carry it with you, and you’re reminded of it. It’s one of the most beautiful endings I think I’ve seen.”

Composite image of Autumn Durald Arkapaw and a scene from "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Photos from Instagram/@marvelstudios

I promise to work harder and become better with each day that passes," she said.  "This is a sneak peak of something special I shot with the @carelessph team back in December at Joshua Tree. Stay tuned for the live performance video!!" she added.

Liza Lorena in “Family Matters” Inquirer.net photo

Kris gives new health updates post-New Year’s, hopes to make a documentary

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

was surprised since she has been private about chronicling her health journey.

"[I'm] hoping na after the many months na titiisin ko ang immunosuppressant therapy...  I'd be able to show all of you in a documentary — na hindi ako sumukp, sa lahat ng kinailangan pagdaanan, tinuloy ang laban," Aquino wrote, also using a yellow heart emoji.

Aquino offered kind words for Leviste, who she claimed visited even though his family lives a distance away, and that her "ever present pearls" made up for the New Year's tradition of wearing something with polka dots or stripes.

The "Queen of All Media" also asked for more prayers as her son Bimby is set to be confined for a full medical assessment as he and his brother Josh had primary immunodeficiency genetic testing done since they share the same blood type as Aquino, her sisters, and Aquino's mother the late President Corazon Aquino.

"I’m a firm believer it’s better to know early so if needed, solutions are still available... Thank you for being so compassionate & consistent," Kris ended her comment, adding she would send over approved pictures for posting in the future.

Divinely drag in concert

GORGEOUS Drag Race

Philippines season 1 winner

Precious Paula Nicole and equally stunning cohorts Viñas Deluxe and Brigiding bring the fabulous expression that is drag to the mainstream concert stage with their first major event, "Divine Divas: The Ultimate Drag Experience," on February 10.

Fire & Ice Media production — the newly formed company of LGBT powerhouse couple, singer-songwriter Ice Seguerra and wife, actress, and former Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Liza Diño — will be staging the pre-Valentine extravaganza that will elevate drag artists and their craft into more than just mere entertainment.

Fresh from their multiple wins at the Aliw Awards for Best Stage and Musical Direction for Seguerra's anniversary concert, Fire & Ice media wants to shine the spotlight on the art of drag through Divine Divas's concert.

Happening at New Frontier Theater in Araneta City, Cubao, the concert will be a showcase of the various disciplines that drag represents — impersonations of music superstars like Beyonce and Lady Gaga, as well performances of original songs that the drag artists themselves helped create and bring to life.

But more than the performances, the concert also aims to present the colorful, multi-faceted lives of the drag queens — from their struggles to their triumphs. After all, beneath the glamorous make up and the wonderful clothes, there is a human being wishing simply to be seen, represented, heard, and loved.

"This is a very inspiring moment for me because I've never thought of this when I was younger, I've never seen someone like me when I was younger, but because I dreamed and believed, it's happening. And now, to be that inspiration to the younger queer artists and the LGBTQ community is one big beautiful

by alex Brosas Inquirer.net

EVEN if she had a quite steamy love scene with Ian Veneracion in “Nanahimik ang Gabi,” Heaven Peralejo is not about ready to strip in her future projects.

When asked if she was ready to throw all caution to the wind the way other sexy stars do nowadays, Peralejo said she can’t disrobe for the big screen.

“Siguro ibibigay ko na po sa kanila iyon (Maybe, I will give it to them ),” she said during the movie’s grand media conference, Dec. 13.

“I think, when it comes to my craft, siguro parang planado lahat ng ginagawa ko (maybe all the things I do are planned). Whatever I choose, whatever character I put myself into, parang everything is calculated. I don’t think I can see myself in that kind of sense pa. I want to respect also my parents’ opinion. If hindi okay sa kanila iyon, I think I will respect that,” she explained.

But this is not to say that Peralejo did not give her all in portraying her character of Me Ann, the love of Ian Veneracion’s chief character.

“I think I gave my all in this film. What you will see in this film is Me Ann and not Heaven,” she said, noting that she and Veneracion had been very comfortable with each other so that doing

thing," Brigiding said.

Part of the reasons for staging this concert is also to bring the art out onto a bigger platform, a bigger stage, one that is not limited to a niche audience and a very specific, limited crowd.

"This is an opportunity for drag queens to be seen on the main stage and to be considered as mainstream artists. Fire &Ice wants to support that. Especially since we are part of the LGBT community. We deserve to be front and center and not just be on the sidelines. Through this concert, we hope that more people will appreciate these drag performers

and help normalize drag as a form of entertainment," producer Diño explained.

As for Seguerra, this is a key moment in the history of Philippine drag, "Local drag queens are finally there on the main stage. You see their names alongside mainstream artists and concert performers. For me, that's a big thing because drag has always been on the sidelines. Has always been underground."

The time has definitely come for drag to take the spotlight and shantay its way onto the mainstream stage. (ManilaTimes. net)

Ricky Lee hopes more Filipinos return to cinemas and support local films

by Charmie Joy Pagulong Philstar.com

NATIONAL Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee wished that more Filipinos will return to the cinemas and watch local films. He also urged the government to give more assistance to the film and entertainment industry in the same way the Korean entertainment industry has received strong support from its government.

“May mga nanonood na sa atin, pero ‘pag pumasok ka sa sinehan sometimes there are only two, three or four people inside the theaters, so nakakalungkot na isipin na ganun,” Lee said during the Pandesal Forum held recently at the Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City. He was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII).

“Abroad actually andami ng nanonood, andaming pumapasok. I think (streaming) will not go away because it has become a habit of the people to watch content via streaming. But I think eventually  andami ng manonood sa sinehan kasi iba pa rin yung experience when you watch inside a movie house, when you look at the big screen and then you surrender yourself totally to the big screen,” he told  The STAR

“When you watch a film on streaming devices, you control  eh. You can edit it, you can post it… so you’re in control. The experience of watching a movie (in theaters), when you just let go, when you just lose control and let the story envelop you and bring you where it wants to go, it’s a very rare experience that you cannot experience while you are watching on streaming platforms. So, I hope that we really, really get back to watching films in movie houses,” he furthered.

Moreover, Lee shared the opinion of film industry executives that holding film festivals, such as the Metro Manila Film Festival, QCinema International Film Festival and Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, will also facilitate in encouraging people to return to theaters.

“Yung Cinemalaya, punongpuno yung mga sinehan lalo na sa CCP (Cultural Center

of the Philippines) maski na pandemic  pa rin. So people are really eager to go inside the theater.  Pero yung mapuno ang theater  ngayon, it may take time because  mahirap ang mga tao. Andaming pagkakagastusan. Ang mahalmahal ng price  ng ticket. So, I suppose the government should help.”

He also stated the Philippines should learn from the Korean wave or Hallyu which includes K-pop and K-dramas. “I think there’s nothing wrong with watching foreign films, especially K-dramas where we can learn so much. But we also have to support our local content.”

“The thing with K-dramas  kasi malinaw yung the Korean pride,” he observed.  “’Pag nanood ka kitang-kita mo yung  pride nila na Korean  sila. From the food, to the music, hanggang sa damit (all the way to their fashion). The Korean pride is there. (It’s) very, very strong. I think that’s one thing that we can learn. I think we have Filipino pride pero kulang pa. I think pwede pa nating i-push  yung pagiging Filipino. Because we tend to… nakatingin tayo sa labas. Medyo na-colonized  yung mind (natin).”

The renowned screenwriter likewise noted how the Korean government strongly supported its entertainment business, which he believes is what the local industry people “badly need.”

He asserted, “I think we need more support from the government and not only from the private entities.  Yung Korean content, it worked,  na-a-

appreciate siya all over the world because it comes as a wave. You have K-pop, K-drama, Korean food, Korean costume, so sabaysabay sila. It’s like a wave that’s being supported by the government. Umagos sa buong mundo ng tulong-tulong.”

Hindi sila hiwa-hiwalay which I think  sa atin dapat ganun din. Tulong-tulong ang Pinoy music, Pinoy TV, Pinoy movies, Pinoy food, lahat yan supported by the government at lahat ng kailangan pa para sumuporta. We go as a wave  dala-dala natin ang Pinoy pride over Filipino content.”

Meanwhile, Lee said that the FFCCCII award is “very important” to him because it “brings me back to my FilipinoChinese roots.”

“Hindi na ako masyadong marunong mag-Chinese. I stopped studying Chinese when I was in Grade 5, when my father died. But I can understand a little Chinese. I just can’t speak it and I still know my Chinese name.”

The first screenplay he cowrote was Dragnet in 1973. The film starred Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada as an undercover police officer, who investigates a drug syndicate.

“That was my first film and it portrayed the Chinese in a very good light. Usually  ang Chinese, when they are portrayed in Philippine movies,  mga chekwa, mga katatawanan stereotype. (But in Dragnet) I think that’s one of the first portrayal of Chinese that’s positive. Dun ako nagsimula,” he said of the film that gave him his break.

love scenes together was not a problem.

“About sa comfortability doon sa pagkandong ko kay Chief, kay Ian (About the comfortability of having Chief, Ian, sit on my lap ), kasi he made me feel so comfortable around him. Since we’re comfortable with each other, we get to laugh at each other’s joke. ‘Yung pagkandong (sitting on the lap), it’s work, it’s not malicious,” she said.

“I think iyon ang maganda sa aming dalawa. We have set the boundaries very clearly. Once

she

(I think

what’s beautiful between [Ian and me]). We have set the boundaries very clearly. Once I saw him as Chief, it was fast for me to get to the character of Me Ann because all three of us, it’s teamwork. It would be a shame to these veterans if I did not work hard.)

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee says the Philippines should learn from the Korean wave or Hallyu, which is being strongly supported by the Korean government. Philstar.com photo

Kris Aquino

Photo from Instagram/@krisaquinoworld

Precious Paula Nicole, Viñas Deluxe and Brigiding will take centerstage in ‘Divine Divas: The Ultimate Drag Experience.’ Photo from Instagram/@preciouspaulame

Heaven Peralejo

Photo from Instagram/@heavenperalejo

TELEVISION personality Kris Aquino has given another update about her health as she continues to battle several autoimmune conditions in the United States.

Several photos of Aquino

circulated online after she was visited by Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste, who was spending the holidays with his family abroad.

One of these photos was posted on the Instagram account Kris Aquino World, to which Aquino herself commented on as she

na nakita kong si Chief na siya, ang bilis kong magpunta doon sa character na Me Ann kasi kaming tatlo, it’s teamwork kasi, eh. Nakakahiya naman sa mga beterano na actor na hindi ko galingan,”

explained.

that’s

Damage control

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

THE holidays may be behind us but their collateral health effects, among others, will linger a while. Medically speaking, it is actually a time for “damage control” for those of us who have overindulged during the festivities. And I plead guilty to have also succumbed to the temptation myself.

The post-holiday “makeover” is just as a healthy preemptive measure, more so for those who really want to maintain their normal weight or those who have diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, etc.

As with anything else, damage control is best as a preventive strategy. However, special celebrations and holidays expose all of us to that great irresistible gastronomical temptation.

For dieters, those who are watching their weight or counting calories, these occasions are tough times. Blessed are those strong-willed souls, whether or not they carry a calorie-counter on one hand and a scale on the other. These health-conscious individuals will reap their rewards in terms of stamina, energy, a stronger immune system, and even longevity, as shown by medical statistics.

Yoyo dieting is harmful

Our physiology is at the optimum when we consume just the right amount of calories to maintain our normal weight and when our glucose (blood sugar) level is on an even keel most of the time. When we over-eat and then try to starve ourselves to compensate for our indiscretion, our blood glucose spikes up and down, described as yo-yo dieting. This severe fluctuation in our blood glucose level has adverse effects on our body and on our immune system. And this poses even greater danger for persons with diabetes.

Eating several times a day, even 5 or 6 times a day, NOT exceeding the total 24-hour caloric need of our body, is a healthier habit, which helps maintain our blood glucose level in a more stable, less erratic, pattern during the day. But the key is caloriecontrol (especially the ones from carbohydrates) combined with daily exercise.

The ‘fat hormones’

The urge to eat is controlled by hormones in our body. And these hormones fluctuate depending on how much sleep we get, what types of food we eat and how much calories we take in, and on how much physical activities we indulge in daily. Scientific researchers are focusing on

specific substances they call “fat hormones,” which our own endocrine glands in the body produce. There are hormones that make one eat and there are also hormones that signal the brain for the person to stop eating. These substances control hunger and satiety.

‘Hunger hormone’

The hunger hormone is Ghrelin, which is secreted by our guts (stomach and intestines). When its level goes up, we feel hungry and have the urge to eat. The level of Ghrelin goes up when we get less sleep or not enough sleep. This is the reason why those who are trying to lose weight should get adequate amount (about 8 hours) of sleep. An imbalanced meal and stress also elevate the Ghrelin level. Food deprivation obviously increases the Ghrelin level, hence it is better to keep the level of this hormone on an even keel and not fluctuate too much by eating regularly (or even more than 3 times a day) but at a controlled total calorie ceiling to maintain health and body weight. So, starving oneself is not a good way to lose weight, since this will lead to a Ghrelin “boomerang” in the latter part of the day.

‘Satiety hormone’

The opposite or counterhormone, which is called Leptin, signals the brain when to stop eating. It controls the appetite. This “satiety hormone” is produced by fat cells in the body. When a person loses weight, the leptin level in the blood stream also goes down. As a result, there is a “rebound” weight gain. The best strategy in losing and maintaining a desired weight level is to lose in a slow and steady pace, about one to two pounds a week, and not more. In this manner, there will still be an effective level of leptin in the body to control the urge to eat.

Appetite suppressants: Dangerous!

Most appetite control pills, juices, solutions and powders on the market are not physiological and use an unnatural way to suppress (by force) the appetite for weight control. While they are readily available and very popular, they have potential adverse side-effects on the heart, liver, kidneys and brain in the long haul. Some serious complications, and even deaths, have been reported from the use of these diet substances.

Since greater calorie intake than output is the cause of increase in body weight, the safest, most natural, strategy is to eat less and burn more calories with physical exercises, making the output of calories (energy) greater than the intake of calories (food).

The healthier “makeover” for our post-holiday misadventures includes daily gradual incremental reduction in the food we eat, daily

physical exercises (as simple and easy as brisk walking for about 30 minutes a day), and hitting the scales daily (yes, daily) to check on any progress. This will aid you greatly in making you more religious to your overall personal health program. Drinking a lot of water (not fruit juices, and especially NOT soft drinks, which are toxic in themselves!) can help a lot.

Excess weight that does not come down only means a greater reduction in food intake is needed.

The excess weight gained over the holidays could be safely eliminated within a week. There is really no need to buy expensive prepared “diet” foods, which are nothing but high protein-low carbohydrate, calorie-portioned, meals. Rice, bread, soft drinks, and sweats are the top culprits that cause weight gain fast and increase the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses. With discipline and resolve, and daily exercise, anyone can achieve the same weight control by counting calories.

For those who are overweight to begin with, the same strategy (output of calories must exceed the intake) works like wonders.

Simply put, more exercise and less food, until the scale tells you that you have achieved your dream weight (and body!) for the NEW YOU in the exciting new year.

I pray that 2023 shall be a year of new hope and that the world would be a lot wiser and smarter.

Together, let us welcome and cherish each other with understanding and compassion and savor the great wonderment still ahead of us.

To all people of goodwill (and others as well) a happy new year, peace be with you, and may God bless us all around the globe.

* * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * *

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday. com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

Benjamin and Chelsea now engaged

BENJAMIN Alves has revealed that he and his model-influencer girlfriend Chelsea Robato are now engaged, after being in a relationship for three years.

The actor made this announcement by showing himself and Robato posing in front of a neon sign bearing the words “Will you marry me?” via his Instagram page on Friday, Dec. 30. He also gave a peek at the engagement ring he had given to Robato.

“What a fairytale it is, to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said.

Fellow celebrities who sent congratulatory greetings to the couple were Solenn Heussaff, Lovi Poe and Andrea Torres. Actors Janine Gutierrez, Iza Calzado and Mark Herras said their congratulations to the pair as well.

“Congrats man! So so happy for you both!” Heussaff told Alves.

“Woot wooot! So happy for you guys!” Poe said to the couple.

“OMG (Oh my God)! Yay!” Torres gushed. Alves and Robato celebrated their third anniversary as a couple last July. They are also business partners in their online flower shop business, House of Roses. (Inquirer.net)

Heart bonds with Chiz in Japan after shutting down separation rumors

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

HEART Evangelista and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero appeared to have rekindled their romance, as the actress-socialite and the politician were spotted together exploring various tourist sites in Japan.

As seen in a series of photos posted on Evangelista’s Instagram page Thursday, Jan. 5. she was enjoying her time in Japan with Escudero and her stepchildren, Quino and Chesi. The family vacation marks their first public appearance after she shut down rumors last Dec. 31, 2022, that they had broken up.

One of the actress’ vacation snaps showed her and Escudero enjoying coffee at what appears to be a coffee shop at the Roppongi district in Tokyo, Japan. The senator was also tagged in the caption of her post.

Evangelista also shared a snippet of Escudero observing a cat on her Instagram Stories on the same day.

Fans of the actress expressed their support for Evangelista and Escudero, as they hoped for the best in their relationship.

“Loved to see couples believing and fighting for love,” one netizen

said. “I’m so happy seeing you together. Ewan ko ba, di nyo ako kilala pero affected ako [emoji] Basta, I love seeing couple stays as couple. Sad ako kapag may naghihiwalay,” another fan wrote.

(I’m so happy seeing you together.

I don’t why, you may not know me but I got affected with [your relationship]. Anyway, I love seeing [a] couple staying [together]. I’m sad when a couple breaks up.)

The fashion icon previously shared glimpses of herself bonding with Quino and Chesi at a restaurant and on the streets of

Japan.

Rumors about Evangelista and Escudero’s separation swirled on social media after eagle-eyed netizens noticed that the former had dropped her marital surname from her Instagram account and revealed in October last year that she would be staying abroad “indefinitely.”

Despite break-up speculations, the couple seems to have shut down the rumors for good after Evangelista said she would be spending time with Escudero and his children for the holidays.

David on his acting, admiration for Daniel

by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

DAVID Licauco is among the most honest interviews Philstar. com has done lately, with the actor being as candid as he can about his sudden fame, popular team-up with Barbie Forteza, admiration for Daniel Padilla and rating of himself as an actor through the years.

The actor did a more than 30-minute long interview, extending for a few minutes more while waiting for his next appointment.

He revealed that he did not expect his portrayal of Fidel Reyes, the bestfriend of Crisostomo Ibarra (Dennis Trillo) in "Maria Clara at Ibarra," will be a hit.

"They (the people behind the show) told me that he’s the best friend of Ibarra na medyo modern 'yung attack," said David. "They also told me that he is the love interest of Klay (Barbie Forteza). To my surprise, I didn’t expect that people would like the pairing of Klay and Fidel. Nakakatuwa talaga."

He has come a long way since his role as Malik in "Mulawin vs. Ravena," the 2017 fantasy series that was the sequel to the hit 2004 show "Mulawin."  Philstar.com asked him to rate himself as an actor, and he gave an honest self-critique of his own work throughout the years.

"Definitely 1. Naalala ko minememorize ko lang ang lines ko. Alam mo 'yun, masabi ko lang 'yung line?" he shared about his acting stint in "Mulawin."

His next assignment was a 4. He played the bestfriend to Bea Binene's character in the 2018 drama "Kapag Nahati Ang Puso."

The following year, he starred as the "Chinito Heartthrob" Kobe, the man who stood between the romance of lead stars Kylie Padilla and Ruru Madrid in "TODA One I Love." He gave his supporting role in the 2019 show a rating of 4.5, saying "medyo hindi pa ako confident doon sa acting ko."

His next two projects, "Heartful Cafe" (2021) and "Mano Po Legacy: The Family Fortune" (2022), both earned a 6.5 rating.

He said he learned a lot from both shows. In "Heartful Cafe," he was the male lead opposite Julie Anne San Jose with Barbie in a guest role.

David and Barbie were reunited the following year in "Mano Po Legacy: The Family Fortune" (MPL).

Interestingly, all three are costarring in "Maria Clara at Ibarra."

His Valentine movie with Shaira Diaz titled "Without You," set for release on February 15 in theaters, also helped his acting a lot.

"Honestly, throughout the years, may nababasa ako especially sa MPL, may nababasa akong tweets na, 'Ang bano umarte ni David Licauco. Wala akong ma-feel.' Pero honestly ako, may na-feel ako. Na-feel ko siya e at nakaramdam ako e. Pati ang mga direktor nakaramdam din e. Pero para sa mga manonood kasi, iba siguro 'yung basehan nila ng pagiging magaling na aktor. Siguro mas magalaw, mas may facial reactions. Ganon e. Dati pag nagre-react nakatingin lang sa mata. Mata-mata acting ako dati e," he revealed.

David admitted that he was hurt with the posts that said he was "bano" or lacking in acting. Despite these, he is thankful for the constructive criticisms and these inspired him to research on how to "act better."

His currently airing project pits him in scenes with seasoned and acclaimed actors including lead star Dennis Trillo and Barbie.

"Na-realize ko especially being around Barbie na napakagaling mag-react. Even si Dennis Trillo na napakagaling magreact. 'Ah okay. Siguro ganito nga para sabihin ng mga tao na medyo marunong naman akong umakting.'

"Kaya siguro ngayon

nagkakaroon ako ng praises, like good feedback from this show, playing the role of Fidel. It was mainly because of that realization of mine na siguro nga dapat ganito umarte. Hindi dapat mata-mata. Hindi dapat ramdamramdam," David shared. He rates his portrayal of Fidel as 8.5.

For acting inspiration, David said he looks up to actor Daniel Padilla, whose romantic roles are similar to what he has been doing in his TV shows.

He revealed that some of his acting scenes in "Maria Clara at Ibarra" were inspired by Daniel's acting in the movie "Can't Help Falling In Love."

"Yung eksena ko nga sa Filay (love team of Fidel and Klay), ang inaral ko kanina, same siya don sa movie ni Daniel Padilla na 'Can't Help Falling In Love,'" he said, adding that he's a fan of Daniel and the actor's reel-and-real-life girlfriend Kathryn Bernardo.

"Kinikilig ako sa kanila, fan nila ko. Ginagaya ko 'yung mga ano niya (Daniel), kung paano niya sabihin," David added.

The 27-year-old actor also shared how he sees himself as an actor in five years. He said since he is blessed with youngish looks, he thinks he can still pass for the "cute and kilig" roles until he's 29. When he turns 30, he sees himself going into more serious roles.

David aspires to be recognized like any other actor as they spend more years in their profession.

"A Best Actor Award would be far-fetched. I don't know, but then, I'm aspiring to bag one of those awards. Hopefully, someday," he shared.

Benjamin Alves and Chelsea Robato

Photo from Instagram/@benxalves

Heart Evangelista and Sen. Chiz Escudero Photo from Instagram/@iamhearte

David Licauco

GMA photo