012123 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

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California has a lot to o er storm victims

DURING a calm between storms, officials from the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and the state departments of Public Health, Social Services and Insurance gathered to discuss efforts to help Californians recover from the “atmospheric rivers” that have deluged the West Coast.

The Jan. 17 media briefing, “Staying Alert and Safe Through the Storms: It’s Not Too Late to Be Prepared,” was presented by CalOES and Listos California and co-hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media.

Diana Crofts-Pelayo of CalOES cited the federal government’s recent approval of “an expedited major disaster declaration” for three California counties — Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz — qualifying them for extra assistance beyond what those local governments can provide.

While Gov. Newsom’s administration continues to seek more such declarations for a total of 49 of the state’s 58 counties, California is already deploying numerous

City of San Diego announces selection of long-time resident as new poet laureate

Biden admin rolls out ‘first-ever’ extensive AAPI advancement plan

SAN DIEGO – Prior to his first public appearance at Mayor Todd Gloria’s 2023 State of the City Address, local poet Jason Magabo Perez, Ph.D., was appointed as the City of San Diego 2023-2024 Poet Laureate. During the recent State of the City address, Perez recited his poem “We Draft Work Songs for This City” on stage at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

The Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador for the arts, advocating for poetry, spoken word and literary arts on behalf of the City of San Diego. Perez is the City’s second Poet Laureate, succeeding Ron Salisbury, who was appointed

Rappler, Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion charge

THE Philippine Court of Tax Appeals on Wednesday, January 18 has acquitted Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corporation  (RHC) of four counts of tax evasion.

In a decision by its First Division, the Tax Court ruled in favor of acquittal for “failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt beyond reasonable doubt” on three counts of violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) for willful failure to supply the correct information and one count of violation of Section 254 for an attempt to evade tax.

The case was filed in 2018 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over the failure of Ressa and Rappler to

BBM says family’s ’survival’ prompted entry into politics; their exile, ‘dark days’ for PH

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, January 19 said the “survival” of his family was a motivation for his participation in Philippine politics.

During a dialogue with World Economic Forum (WEF) President Borge Brende in Davos, Switzerland, Marcos also described their exile as “dark days” for the family and even the country.

According to him, he initially did not want to go into politics as he had witnessed the “difficult” life in politics including the “sacrifices” that his father, the late former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., had to make “to get to do a good job.”

“I was determined not to go into politics. I said, why would I go into politics? My father has done everything in politics and the life [in politics] is difficult and I could see the sacrifices that they had to make, that he had to make to get to do a good job and I said, maybe that’s not what I’m meant to be doing,” Marcos said.

But, he said, there was a need “to defend ourselves politically,” thus, he ran for congressman in Ilocos Norte after returning to the Philippines from exile in the United States.

“After we came back from the United States, after exile, when we were first allowed to come back, the political issue was Marcos,” he said.

Marcos: PH walking ne line between US, China

In an interview, Marcos said the Philippines is increasing its cooperation with the U.S. and developing mechanisms to defuse tension with China amid the intense geopolitical rivalry in the Asia Pacific region.

The President cited an African proverb, which states: When elephants fight, the only one that gets trampled is the grass.

"We are the grass in this situation. We don't want to get trampled," Marcos told the Wall Street Journal during an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

The President said the Philippines is in the front line, noting that 150,000 Filipino nationals live in Taiwan and that the southern port city of Kaohsiung is 40 minutes away from the northernmost island of Batanes.

The Philippines is also in a territorial dispute with

Sec. Remulla says SC’s Gigi Reyes ruling may apply to de Lima case

before the court to determine if the arrest or imprisonment is legal or if the inmate must be released from custody.

Reyes was the chief of staff of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile who was accused of plunder in connection with the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam.

“The same reasoning may apply to Sen. De Lima’s case,” Remulla said in a text message to reporters.

The Supreme Court’s First Division granted Reyes’ Petition for Habeas Corpus as it held that her right to a speedy trial was violated. Habeas corpus literally translates to “produce the body.”

It is an order to present a person

The SC however stressed that their grant of habeas corpus “does not adjudge the guilt or innocence of the petitioner.”

But Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the SC’s ruling in Reyes’ case is not a “blanket precedent” and would have to be applied on a “case-to-case basis,

JANUARY 21-24, 2023 Volume 33 - No. 6 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages The
national multi-agency strategy is designed to better serve Asian
American and Pacific Islander communities
SPECIAL RELEASE. The
Friday,
20. The
Philippine Postal Corporation launches commemorative Year of the Rabbit stamps at a restaurant in Pasay City on
Jan.
stamps that mark the
Chinese
New
Year on Sunday, Jan. 22 are available at the Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang
Bonifacio.
PNA photo by Yancy Lim
 PAGE A2 DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA  PAGE A4  PAGE A3
 PAGE A3  PAGE A2
 PAGE A5
Former Philippine senator and human rights campaigner Leila de Lima (C) waves as she arrives to attend her hearing at the Muntinlupa Trial Court in Manila on October 28, 2022. De Lima, an outspoken critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly drug war, has been behind bars since 2017 on drug trafficking charges that she and human rights groups have called a mockery of justice and payback for going after Duterte. Philstar.com file photo PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said the Philippines is walking a fine line between the United States (U.S.) and China to avoid being "trampled" by two competing superpowers in their continuing contest for dominance in the region. During a dialogue with World Economic Forum President Borge Brende in Davos, Switzerland, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described their exile as “dark days” for the family and even the country. Malacañang photo MANILA — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Friday, January 20 that the same argument used by lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes to get released from jail after nearly nine years of detention may possibly apply to the case of former Sen. Leila de Lima. Maria Ressa Inquirer.net file photo
Poet Jason Magabo Perez set to energize expansive literary arts scene for the next two years
THE Biden administration this week unveiled a comprehensive plan that broadly assists federal government agencies and bureaus to better serve the vast Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, released on Tuesday, Jan. 17, comprises “action plans” from 32 federal agencies, which includes all 15 departments of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet. The White House Initiative on Asian Americans,  PAGE A2

Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) — a federal office designed to consult the executive branch on AAPI and Native Hawaiian concerns that was re-established in 2021 — helped facilitate the interagency plan that headlined several critical concerns for the vast community.

WHIAANHPI highlighted seven priorities: improving language access; furthering data disaggregation; combatting antiAsian hate and violence; increasing diversity in the federal government workforce; improving the Covid-19 response; establishing robust community outreach efforts and civic engagement; and further supporting the small business sector.

In a WHIAANHPI-organized webinar on Tuesday unpacking the plan, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra acknowledged the cultural significance of the national strategy.

“For too long, systemic barriers have put the American Dream out of reach for many Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,” said Becerra. “Now we have a choice: We can choose to stand for equity, justice, and opportunity, or the status quo. We have chosen to move forward and stand with our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander brothers and sisters.”

Actor Daniel Dae Kim — who is a member of the President’s

Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders — pointed out the timeliness of such a crucial endeavor.

Referencing the rise in antiAsian hate and violence, he said, “From Atlanta to New York City to Dallas to San Francisco, our communities have experienced pain and trauma with lasting mental health impacts. But history has also taught us how resilient and strong our communities are, and how the richest of our stories and lived experiences make up the very fabric of America.”

At the webinar, United States associate attorney general Vanita Gupta shared that the Department of Justice has sought out prosecutions to combat the surge of anti-Asian harassment, hate, and violence.

However, she acknowledged, “We all know prosecutions are not the fundamental answer to fighting hate in our communities.”

According to national DOJ studies, Asians and Asian Americans are among the least likely of racial groups to seek assistance from law enforcement due to several factors, including lack of language accessibility.

Gupta said that the DOJ instituted a language access coordinator to oversee the department’s ability to cater to all linguistic dialects. But in order to better serve the nation’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, the department — and all federal

agencies as a whole — ought to understand the communities first.

“We don’t have enough good data or the kind of trust we need in these communities for vulnerable victims to report and for us to prosecute these crimes,” Gupta said.

Even though WHIAANHPI comprises the overwhelmingly vast Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, agency representatives spoke on the importance of more sophisticated data collection that acknowledges the cultural differences in and among the three groups.

Daniel Koh, White House deputy cabinet secretary, said, “We know that Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Asian Pacific Islander communities are often aggregated into one, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

He continued, “You can’t take action on something you can’t measure.”

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, data disaggregation involves collecting separate data by more specific ethnic and demographic barriers in order to create more tailored solutions for these narrowed-down groups.

Nani Coloretti, a Filipina American deputy director for the United State Office of Management and Budget, said, “Good data is critical to good policy, particularly when it comes to reaching underserved communities. This is really about being seen and heard.” 

Sec. Remulla says SC’s Gigi Reyes ruling may...

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depending on the facts of each particular case.”

He however said in a text message shared to reporters that his office “will carefully study the ramifications of the court’s resolution.”

Application to all Filipinos

For Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, the Reyes ruling must equally apply to all Filipinos, especially the poor.

“The latest decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Gigi Reyes should equally apply to all Filipinos who have been suffering from prolonged detention due to the country’s slow justice system,” Pimentel

said in a text message shared to reporters.

He added that De Lima’s case is also a “candidate beneficiary of the equal application of this latest SC ruling.”

Sen. Risa Hontiveros also said that she hopes that the SC’s ruling on Reyes is applied equally and not by a double standard.

“If there is a victim of vexatious, capricious and oppressive detention, there may be no one worse off than Leila de Lima,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

Following Reyes’ release from detention, Liberal Party president Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay) said De Lima “must

at least be released on bail as her prolonged detention is inordinately odious.”

“It must be recalled that de Lima has already been acquitted of one of the three cases and that principal prosecution witnesses in the two other pending cases have voluntarily recanted for having been coerced to testify, and the other witnesses have failed to pin down de Lima,” Lagman said in a statement.

De Lima will be marking six years in detention in February on illegal drugs charges she said are trumped up and politically motivated. (Xave Gregorio with reports from Kristine Joy Patag/ Philstar.com)

Marcos: PH walking ne line between US...

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China in the West Philippine Sea, with the Asian giant claiming it almost in its entirety.

Marcos was just in China for a State Visit earlier this month— his first foreign trip this year.

During the visit, Marcos and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping both called for "friendly consultation to appropriately resolve maritime issues."

The two leaders also agreed to resume talks on joint oil and gas exploration in the non-disputed areas in the resource-rich South China Sea.

"I really hope – I would very much like, as you have suggested, Mr. President, to be able to announce that we are continuing negotiations and that we hope that these negotiations will bear fruit because the pressure upon not only China, not only the Philippines but the rest of the world to move away from the traditional fronts of power," Marcos told Xi.

Marcos also said he brought up the plight of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea to Xi, who agreed to find a solution and compromise to protect the livelihood of Filipino fishermen and avoid any misunderstanding.

The Philippines and China also agreed on an arrangement for the establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues

between the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China which, according to Marcos, would lessen tensions in the disputed sea.

The Philippines is in a very precarious balancing act, considering its bilateral ties with the two countries.

China is one of the country's largest trading partners, while the U.S. and the Philippines have a longstanding defense treaty.

In a separate interview with the Financial Times, Marcos confirmed he expected intensified military relations with the U.S., with more U.S. troops and military assets rotating through the Philippines.

He also said the discussion about defense cooperation with Japan is continuing and that his government is trying to put together Australia, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

The President ruled out, however, the reopening of the former U.S. military bases in Clark and Subic, saying it was against the country's Constitution to allow foreign bases on its soil.

On Wednesday, January 18, Marcos said the Philippines' relationship with the U.S. must "evolve" to respond properly to the "other forces that are coming out," especially around the South

China Sea.

During a one-on-one dialogue with WEF President Børge Brende, Marcos said the connection between the Philippines and the U.S. "has remained strong and we are their only treaty partner in Asia and so that has grown stronger and stronger."

"And the Philippines has changed. The United States has changed. The world has changed. And now, we are living within the context of all of these other forces that are coming out, especially around the region, around [the] South China Sea so again, to be able to respond properly we have to evolve these relationships," Marcos said.

The Philippines and China have been in a long-standing maritime dispute as Beijing claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, a portion of which has been renamed the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines scored a victory against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands in 2016. The arbitration court declared Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea as illegal. China has refused to acknowledge the ruling and continues to claim nearly the entire South China Sea. 

JANUARY 21-24, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 A2 FROM THE FRONT PAGE PAGE A1
Biden admin rolls out ‘first-ever’...
LUCKY CHARMS. So-called lucky charms associated with the the Year of the Water Rabbit are being sold at a mall in Davao City on Friday, Jan. 20. The Chinese New Year begins on Sunday, Jan. 22, with astrologists associating the rabbit with calmness, stability and peace. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Rappler, Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion...

declare P162.41 million profit from the issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) in 2015.

PDRs are financial instruments used by some entities to receive foreign investment without violating the constitutional requirement of full Filipino ownership.

The CTA said the transactions of RHC mentioned in the case “cannot be considered as regularly or frequently engaged in the purchase of securities and resale thereof to customers.”

Citing the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opinions, the Tax Court said “it is not repugnant to the nature of a holding company to engage in financial activities to raise capital for its subsidiaries. In fact,

RHC is registered with the BIR as an entity engaged in the Line of Business-‘Financial Holding Company Activities’.”

On allegations that foreign ownership following the issuance of PDRs to foreign entities NBM Rappler L.P. and Omidyar Network (ON), the CTA said “PDRs are not statements nor are they certificates of ownership of a corporation.”

A Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Circular for Brokers No. 2375-99 stated that “for as long as PDR remains unexercised by its holder, the PDR holder has no right of ownership over the underlying shares and all such ownership rights pertain to and belong to the issuer.”

In this case,  the CTA said, “there is nothing in the wordings of the PDR instruments and the

PDR subscription Agreements that would show that foreign entities NBM and ON will become owners of the shares of stock of RI upon the issuance of the PDRs.”

“In sum, since the accused is not required to pay the income tax and VAT on the PDR transactions for the taxable year 2015, the elements of Sections 254 and 255 of the 1997 NIRC, as amended, are rendered nugatory and without legal support. The plaintiff, therefore, failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt,” the court said.

With the dismissal of the tax case at the CTA, there are now only three remaining cases against Rappler–1. the appeal on the Cyber Libel case, another tax case, and appeal on Rappler’s shutdown before the Court of Appeals. 

City of San Diego announces selection of...

in 2020 for a two-year term.

“Jason Magabo Perez is a champion for the art of poetry,” Mayor Gloria said. “I’m thrilled about his selection as San Diego’s Poet Laureate. His work is profound, innovative and uncompromising. As a long-time resident of San Diego, he has shown his dedication to our city through his extensive work as a poet, educator and advocate.”

During his two-year appointment, Perez will create engaging and conceptuallyrich original works that aim to broaden poetry audiences, inspire critical thinking, cultivate community connections and promote a deep appreciation of the art form through poetry projects. As the city’s civic poet, he will also be tasked with elevating an already thriving literary arts scene that enhances San Diego’s cultural richness.

Perez authored the poems “This is for the Mostless” and “I Ask About What Falls Away.” His prose and poetry have been featured in various publications, including Witness, The Feminist Wire, The Operating System, Faultline, Interim, Marías at Sampaguitas and Kalfou.

Perez resides in Clairemont Mesa and serves as a Community Arts Fellow at the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies, Associate Editor for Ethnic Studies Review, as a core organizer of The Digital Sala and as an Associate Professor and Director of Ethnic Studies at

California State University San Marcos. He previously served as an Artist in Residence at the Center for Art and Thought (CA+T).

“I’m truly humbled to serve as the second San Diego Poet Laureate,” Perez said. “I’m thrilled to support the expansive poetics and storytelling of our communities in San Diego. Poetry is at its best when it serves as a generative site for mutual empowerment, humility and dignity.”

Perez believes in “poetry for and by the people, in the power of reclaiming our languages and lyrics, in the power of deep listening, and in the power of collective witnessing.” Ultimately, Perez is committed to “the poetry of our everyday lives,” and reminds us that poetry “has always been liberatory when thoroughly

transdisciplinary, multimodal, relentlessly intergenerational, cross-cultural, community-based, collective and collaborative.”

Perez was selected as the city’s Poet Laureate through a competitive request for qualifications that started in October last year. Applicants were evaluated on artistic excellence, education and training as a literary artist, literary recognition, engagement in past projects involving poetry and other poetry-related experiences.

The Poet Laureate selection committee was comprised of:

• Alberto López Pulido –Department Chair and Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of San Diego and Commissioner for the City Commission Arts and Culture.

• Anthony Blacksher – Poet and publisher for the San Diego Poetry Annual and Professor at San Bernardino Valley College.

• Amelia Glaser – Associate Professor of Russian and Comparative Literature at the University of California, San Diego.

• Stephen Hill – Resiliency and Economic Recovery Senior Advisor to the Office of Mayor Todd Gloria.

The City of San Diego advances and drives an equitable and inclusive creative economy and cultural ecosystem by investing in the work of artists and creatives and the institutions and systems that amplify creative work and experiences. To learn more, visit sandiego.gov/arts-culture. (City of San Diego Release)

DOST Balik Scientist taps Pinoy experts in US to support PH STI

THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Balik Scientist Program (BSP), in efforts to strengthen Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) capabilities in the Philippines through knowledge transfer, provided a recent orientation amongst Filipino scientists in the U.S. through the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) and Philippine Business Mission.

The BSP strategically holds promotion and orientation to spark the interest and patriotism among our Filipino scientists. As part of this mission in the U.S., three scientists immediately signified commitment to participate in the program this 2023. These scientists’ expertise falls under the industry and health sectors.

The BSP continuously encourages Filipino scientists abroad in several strategies and promotions to generate awareness of the compelling impacts they could bring along with them to the Philippines. Balik scientists are engaged to conduct capacity building, knowledge transfer, assessment activities, R&D activities, production of policies and publications, curriculum development, and building linkages that creates impacts.

Two Balik scientists shall be focusing on the industry sector. One, a creative director and expert on packaging and design shall help improve and bring new ideas and technologies that the country can adopt in terms of packaging and design of Philippine products for which to be at par with the

packaging and design of global standards. The other, a biochemist and molecular and computational biologist, shall focus on the turning Philippine plastic waste back to its raw form and be able to create new and sustainable products. Both Filipino scientists plan to engage themselves as a Balik scientists with the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) of DOST where research and development have been implementing such initiatives.

The third Filipino scientist shall be engaged as a Balik scientist under the health sector. He is an expert in mass spectrometric techniques and applies them to environmental biomonitoring, clinical toxicology, and therapeutic drug monitoring. His works pioneer the application of highresolution mass spectrometry to the suspect screening of environmental chemicals present in biological samples which can be extracted not just from blood nor urine but from human hair. He plans to engage with the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

“The Philippines has a reservoir of talents among our young and local researchers that promises to make the Philippines spectacular,” said DOST Undersecretary Leah J. Buendia.

“We can strengthen the Philippine science community and STI ecosystem by having you and the rest of our Filipino scientists.

We hope that you will consider the Balik Scientist Program to share your ingenuity in giving back to the Filipino people,” she added.

The BSP was established in 1975 to counteract the nationwide concern on “brain drain” or the emigration of highly trained professionals from our country, in search of a better standard or living and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in different places worldwide. (DOST Release)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY IFB NO.

PO910-23

POWER SUPPLY REPLACEMENT

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is seeking Bids for a Power Supply Replacement. Bid documents may be downloaded at SCRRA’s website at http:// www.metrolinktrains.com/ contracts. Bids are due on 2/28/23. For further information contact: Dorothea Cantero, Contract Administrator, at canterod@scrra.net. 1/21/23 CNS-3659161# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 21-24, 2023 A3 DATELINE USA
DISTINGUISHED GUEST. BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV 9702) gets a visit from Japan International Cooperation Agency president Tanaka Akihiko (6th from left), who was welcomed by Philippine Coast Guard commandant Artemio Abu (to his left) and other officials, while docked at Pier 13 in Manila on Friday, Jan. 20. BRP Melchora Aquino, the second Teresa Magbanua-class multi-role response vessel and among the largest in the PCG fleet, was constructed by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd of Japan under the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project Phase 2 project of the Department of Transportation in 2016. PNA photo by Yancy Lim San Diego Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez Photo from Bulosan Center for Filipinx Studies/UC Davis
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resources to counter the impacts of the winter storms that have taken at least 20 lives.

Grants are available

“We are anticipating that other counties will be brought in,” said L. Vance Taylor, of the agency’s Office of Access and Functional Needs, but already, “if you live in one of the three approved counties, you’re eligible to apply for federal assistance from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).”

That means being potentially eligible for grant money to replace essential items such as furniture or durable medical equipment, eyeglasses, hearing aids and other assistive devices, or to help with housing, paying for rent and other needs.

The federal disaster declaration also opens a path for people to pursue lowinterest SBA (Small Business Administration) loans and other programs.

The phone number to apply for such help is (800) 621-3362. FEMA also has a mobile app and online portals, available in multiple languages,  at  disasterassistance.gov, and will be sending out Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams to shelters and approved areas to help support people in the registration and application process, by providing literacy and language assistance, and answering questions.

Follow evacuation orders

“We still have to plan so that we’re safe and secure, resilient, independent and healthy

tomorrow,” Taylor said. “If you have access or functional needs, make an evacuation plan. Follow guidance from local authorities. If they say evacuate, you gotta go.”

Also, Taylor said, “sign up for free emergency alerts (via  calalerts.org). Make sure you know what’s going on.”

Floodwaters are dangerous, especially for children

Jason Wilken, CDC career Epidemiology Field Officer assigned to the California Department of Public Health, offered words of caution for those already impacted by floodwaters.

“The best advice is really to avoid floodwater whenever possible,” he said. “If you have children, do not allow them to play in or near floodwaters. Don’t let them play with toys or anything that floodwater has gotten wet until those items can be disinfected. If you must be in contact with floodwater, wear rubber gloves and boots.”

Check with your local water authorities to be sure tap water is safe to use, Wilken cautioned, or has to be boiled or not used at all. Same with well water.

“Bottled water itself is safe but sealed bottles of water could still have been contaminated if they were in contact with floodwaters. The best way to disinfect those sealed bottles is to boil them for a minute.”

There will be mold

For other cleaning and disinfecting needs, Wilken said, “the most common and recommended cleaner is a tablespoon of bleach into a

gallon of water for cleaning utensils or surfaces. This is a good all-purpose cleaner. But you should never combine cleaners.”

Finally, he said, “It’s important to get those wet items out of your home and dry that home as quickly as possible. After 48 hours of dampness you can assume that there will probably be mold growth.”

The CDC has more information on flood safety at  cdc.gov/ disasters/floods/after.html  and on dealing with mold at:  cdph. ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/ DEODC/EHIB/CPE/Pages/Mold. aspx.

Kim Johnson, of the California Department of Social Services, directed the audience to her agency’s website,  cdss.ca.gov, with links to disaster resource guides specific to immigrant communities in multiple languages.

Safety net of services

The disaster proclamations have cleared the way for expanding “our kind of safety net service delivery,” she said,

For example, the state’s 5 million CalFresh clients can turn to their county social service agencies to replace goods already purchased but lost due to power outages.

“Recognizing the tremendous stress that impacted people are having,” she said, “We have and continue to support the Cal HOPE line, which you can reach either by phone (833) 317-HOPE (4673) or through the website (calhope.org) and get connected to someone who can just  PAGE A5

What older Americans need to know about taking Paxlovid

A NEW coronavirus variant is circulating, the most transmissible one yet. Hospitalizations of infected patients are rising. And older adults represent nearly 90% of U.S. deaths from COVID-19

in recent months, the largest portion since the start of the pandemic.

What does that mean for people 65 and older catching COVID for the first time or those experiencing a repeat infection?

The message from infectious disease experts and geriatricians is clear: Seek treatment with antiviral therapy, which remains effective against new COVID variants.

The therapy of first choice, experts said, is Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for people with mild to moderate COVID at high risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus. All adults 65 and up fall in that category. If people can’t tolerate the medication — potential complications with other drugs need to be carefully evaluated by a medical provider — two alternatives are available.

“There’s lots of evidence that Paxlovid can reduce the risk of catastrophic events that can follow infection with COVID in older individuals,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a professor of medicine at Yale University.

Meanwhile, develop a plan for what you’ll do if you get COVID. Where will you seek care? What if you can’t get in quickly to see your doctor, a common problem? You need to act fast since Paxlovid must be started no later than five days after the onset of symptoms. Will you need to adjust your medication regimen to guard against potentially dangerous drug interactions?

“The time to be figuring all this out is before you get COVID,” said Dr. Allison Weinmann, an infectiousdisease expert at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Being prepared proved essential when I caught COVID in mid-December and went to urgent care for a prescription. Because I’m 67, with blood cancer and autoimmune illness, I’m at elevated risk of getting severely ill from the virus. But I take a blood thinner that can have life-threatening interactions with Paxlovid.

Fortunately, the urgent care center could see my electronic medical record, and a physician’s note there said it was safe for me to stop the blood thinner and get the treatment. (I’d consulted with my oncologist in advance.) So, I walked away with a Paxlovid prescription, and within a day my headaches and chills had disappeared.

Just before getting COVID, I’d read an important study of nearly 45,000 patients 50 and older treated for COVID between January and July 2022 at Mass General Brigham, a large Massachusetts health system. Twenty-eight percent of the patients were prescribed Paxlovid, which had received an emergency use authorization for mild to moderate COVID from the FDA in December 2021; 72% were not. All were outpatients.

Unlike in other studies, most of the patients in this one had been vaccinated. Still, Paxlovid conferred a notable advantage: Those who took it were 44% less likely to be hospitalized with severe COVID-related illnesses or die. Among those who’d gotten fewer than three vaccine doses, those risks were reduced by 81%.

A few months earlier, a study out of Israel had confirmed the efficacy of Paxlovid — the brand name for a combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir — in seniors infected with COVID’s omicron strain, which arose in late 2021. (The original study establishing Paxlovid’s effectiveness had been

conducted while the delta strain was prevalent and included only unvaccinated patients.) In patients 65 and older, most of whom had been vaccinated or previously had COVID, hospitalizations were reduced by 73% and deaths by 79%.

Still, several factors have obstructed Paxlovid’s use among older adults, including doctors’ concerns about drug interactions and patients’ concerns about possible “rebound” infections and side effects.

Dr. Christina Mangurian, vice dean for faculty and academic affairs at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine, encountered several of these issues when both her parents caught COVID in July, an episode she chronicled in a recent JAMA article.

First, her father, 84, was told in a virtual medical appointment by a doctor he didn’t know that he couldn’t take Paxlovid because he’s on a blood thinner — a decision later reversed by his primary care physician. Then, her mother, 78, was told, in a separate virtual appointment, to take an antibiotic, steroids, and overthe-counter medications instead of Paxlovid. Once again, her primary care doctor intervened and offered a prescription.

In both cases, Mangurian said, the doctors her parents first saw appeared to misunderstand who should get Paxlovid, and under what conditions. “This points to a major deficit in terms of how information about this therapy is being disseminated to frontline medical providers,” she told me in a phone conversation.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, agrees. “Every day, I hear from people who are misinformed by their physicians or call-in nurse lines. Generally, they’re being told you can’t get Paxlovid until you’re seriously ill — which is just the opposite of what’s recommended. Why are we not doing more to educate the medical community?”

The potential for drug interactions with Paxlovid is a significant concern, especially in older patients with multiple medical conditions. More than 120 medications have been flagged for interactions, and each case needs to be evaluated, taking into account an individual’s conditions, as well as kidney and liver function.

The good news, experts say, is that most potential interactions can be managed, either by temporarily stopping a medication while taking Paxlovid or reducing the dose.

“It takes a little extra work, but there are resources and systems in place that can help practitioners figure out what they should do,” said Brian Isetts, a professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.

In nursing homes, patients and families should ask to speak to consultant pharmacists if they’re told antiviral therapy isn’t recommended, Isetts suggested.

About 10% of patients can’t take Paxlovid because of potential drug interactions, according to Dr. Scott DrydenPeterson, medical director of COVID outpatient therapy for Mass General Brigham. For them, Veklury (remdesivir), an antiviral infusion therapy delivered on three consecutive days, is a good option, although sometimes difficult to arrange. Also, Lagevrio (molnupiravir),

JANUARY 21-24, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 A4 DATELINE USA
JUDITH GRAHAM Kaiser Health News HEALTHY VARIETIES. Different kinds of fruits are attracting buyers in the Kadiwa-Petron Station at the corner of Sgt. Esguerra and Timog Avenues in Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City on Friday, Jan. 20. Mangoes retail for PHP110 per kilo, which is about least PHP40 cheaper than those sold in markets. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
PAGE A1 California
 PAGE A5
has a lot to o er storm...

DATELINE PHILIPPINES BBM says family’s ’survival’ prompted entry...

After swiftly passing House, Maharlika fund gets quietly revamped

MANILA — The controversial bill that seeks to establish the Maharlika Investment Fund was quietly “re-engineered” after it swiftly passed the House of Representatives in December 2022.

Rep. Joey Salceda (Albay) said on Friday, January 20 over ABSCBN News Channel’s “Headstart” that he was among the four people commissioned to rewrite the Maharlika fund bill. He refused to disclose who tapped them to give the measure a facelift and who else was involved.

Salceda said that among the changes that are being pushed was for the Maharlika fund to only involve the securitization of around P44.33 billion in annual dividends from government corporations.

“These are dividends from [government owned and controlled corporations,] so by its nature they are already surpluses,” he said.

Also proposed was the

exclusion of dividends from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which the House included as capital for the Maharlika fund in the bill that it passed.

Salceda added that the Maharlika fund will undergo an initial public offering, after which it will be listed in the local bourse while the government will retain less than 50% ownership and the rest will be in the hands of the private sector.

“It’s no longer a GOCC. It will essentially be another listed company in the Philippine stock market,” Salceda said. “I think it will be more privateled, but definitely it will have public guidance, government guidance.”

It is not yet clear how these proposed changes would be incorporated into the bill, given that the House has passed its version of the Maharlika fund before Congress went on a break for the holidays.

But Salceda told Philstar.com in a text message that these proposed amendments will be

introduced once the Maharlika fund bill is filed in the Senate.

'Crony capitalism' In the TV interview, Salceda said the earlier version of the bill “would not have passed,” before quickly backtracking.

Ahead of making the amendments formal, the lawmaker said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has presented this version of the Maharlika fund at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said the proposed changes to the Maharlika fund “makes it worse.”

“Private profit backed up by state. Crony capitalism will be the ending,” Pimentel told Philstar.com in a text message.

Pimentel had earlier warned against a “soft launch” of the Maharlika fund at Davos, saying that this may be a move to tie the hands of the upper house to passing the measure which he said is prone to abuse and corruption. 

“And for us, we, for us to defend ourselves politically, somebody had to enter politics and be in the political arena. So that at least, not only the legacy of my father but even our own survival required that somebody go into politics,” Marcos added. After his stint in Congress in 1992, Marcos became a governor of Ilocos Norte in 1998 and

then returned to the House of Representatives in 2007.

In 2010, he was elected as senator. He rain for vice president in 2016 but lost to former Vice President Leni Robredo. He became president in 2022.

Marcos continued: “We were in exile for six years so we weren’t sure if we were coming back at all, physically coming

back. My father never made it back. He died in Hawaii. So that was a very trying time, those were dark days for the family and I dare say even for the country.”

The Marcos family was exiled to Hawaii in the United States after Marcos Sr. was expelled from power during the bloodless Edsa People Power Revolution in 1986. The late dictator died on September 28, 1989. 

California has a lot to o er storm...

PAGE A5

support you in helping navigate the events that have occurred.”

Johnson also suggested the state’s “friendship line,” (888) 670-1360 for “our older loved ones who might be isolated, maybe can’t get to the regular social connections they’re used to,” to connect them with help meeting basic needs for food, cash, housing and other resources.

Are you covered for recovery?

Tony Cignarale of the Department of Insurance, offered some words of wisdom in closing, such as cautioning that drivers who only carry liability insurance, not comprehensive, may be out of pocket if their car is damaged by a falling tree. On the other hand, a homeowner without flood insurance may still be covered if flood damage is the result of changes to the landscape because of wildfire.

He advised carefully documenting your damage,

saving receipts for costs such as hotels and meals, being wary of unlicensed con artists and reporting them, and being careful about taking on repair work yourself if you hope to be reimbursed for it.

Further information on these topics is available at (800) 9274357 or at:  insurance.ca.gov.

“We’ll walk you through certain situations and any questions you may have,” he said. (Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Services)

What older Americans need to know about...

PAGE A5

another antiviral pill, can help shorten the duration of symptoms.

Many older adults fear that after taking Paxlovid they’ll get a rebound infection — a sudden resurgence of symptoms after the virus seems to have run its course. But in the vast majority of cases “rebound is very mild and symptoms — usually runny nose, nasal congestion, and sore throat — go away in a few days,” said Dr. Rajesh Gandhi, an infectious-disease physician and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Gandhi and other physicians I spoke with said the risk of not treating COVID in older adults is far greater than the risk of rebound illness.

Side effects from Paxlovid include a metallic taste in the mouth, diarrhea, nausea, and muscle aches, among others, but serious complications are uncommon.

“Consistently, people are tolerating the drug really well,” said Dr. Caroline Harada, associate professor of geriatrics at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, “and feeling better very quickly.”

We’re eager to hear from

readers about questions you’d like answered, problems you’ve been having with your care, and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn. org/columnists to submit your requests or tips.

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.

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 21-24, 2023 A5
PAGE A1
TOURIST ATTRACTION. A flock of pigeons flies above the Monument of Peace in front of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in Davao City on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The birds are a usual sight and has become a tourist attraction at the heart of the city. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

FEATURES OPINION

Minute scrutiny

Now that President Marcos has touted the country’s sovereign wealth fund to the World Economic Forum as part of Philippine post-pandemic recovery efforts, the Senate should do its job and subject the proposal to minute scrutiny.

Giving the President something to present at the annual WEF gathering in Davos, Switzerland must have prompted the super majority in the House of Representatives to railroad the measure within a record 17 days, from filing of the Maharlika bill to formal approval on third reading. Since the passage of House Bill 6608, the proposal has also undergone a name change, from the Maharlika Investment Fund to the current Maharlika Wealth Fund.

Editorial

Private sector participation in the fund remains unclear, including how much say it will have in decision making. Opponents have also noted the stiff cost of maintaining the Maharlika management team and the enormous salaries for those who will be selected to run the fund.

As investment bankers and economic analysts have pointed out, many key issues remain unclear in the proposed financial scheme. Amid a public uproar, the House super majority had dropped like a hot potato the original intent to tap pension funds in the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System for Maharlika. But Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno has said the SSS and GSIS boards can still decide to participate in the fund.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is also strongly opposing proposals to tap the country’s gross international reserves for the fund. But it turns out that part of the reserves will still be used for the fund, which the administration reportedly wants to utilize for infrastructure projects and development programs.

Last year, several of the world’s largest and most efficiently managed sovereign wealth funds lost massive amounts in global investments. For 2023, most economic analysts have warned of worse times ahead and a possible global recession. The Philippine government has said Maharlika will not place investments outside the country, but it looks like this is also not yet final. The only thing that has remained unchanged in the proposal is the use of “Maharlika” – a word that seems to have a special place in the heart of the current national leadership.

There has been no counterpart Senate measure filed so far. With the country buried in a record high P13.64 trillion debt as of end-November 2022, and with inflation at a 14-year high, the government cannot afford any profligacy. Senators must give the Maharlika proposal the careful scrutiny that it did not receive from the House super majority. (Philstar.com)

Upbeat

BRIEFING a group of businessmen at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Finance Secretary Ben Diokno forecast Philippine growth this year at 7 percent. That has to be a fighting target.

By contrast, the most optimistic independent analysts downgraded our growth forecast from 6.3 to 6.2 percent. Most estimate our growth to be in the range of 5 percent.

It is most important to point out that no one, under any scenario, is forecasting our economy to slide into recession. Some of the major economies are seen to slide into recession, which is technically two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

Since we are not a primarily trading economy, we will be relatively insulated from the trend towards recession in some major economies. We are not, however, insulated from the main factors stalling the economy: mainly energy costs.

Commonsense

Our growth prospects will definitely be better if we are able to contain inflation. Our economy is estimated to have grown by 7 percent in 2022 despite an elevated inflation regime. The prevailing inflation rate is discounted against nominal growth performance.

The robust growth number Diokno forecasts must have worked on the assumption of a dramatically lower inflation rate. Only such an assumption makes his bold estimate feasible.

The strong 2022 performance has been due largely to the release of pent-up demand during the two years of mobility restrictions. We see this phenomenon in most other economies. It is sometimes described as “revenge spending.” This is not, however, an inexhaustible force that will drive economic growth into the future.

In 2023, however, we must transition beyond pent-up demand. We need to attract new business activity and more investments.

Investors do not come to town with bags of cash to set up businesses from scratch.

Most usually, they form joint ventures with local businesses or take advantage of privatization deals. Much of the money that powers business in our markets are invested in equities. Such investments are called “hot money” because they can quickly sell down and run away at the first sign of a downturn. We have clear disadvantages when it comes to attracting investments – or even keeping Filipino capital to stay home.

We do not have a large corporate sector like Thailand. Nor do we have large stateowned enterprises such as Vietnam. Large corporate entities are efficient at forging joint ventures and inviting partnerships. In addition, we have a Constitution that keeps alive old economic orthodoxies inherited from the 19th century. We saw the effects of our antibusiness Constitution in the most recent Supreme Court ruling on joint mineral exploration in the South China Sea.

President Marcos is usually accompanied on his foreign trips by a business delegation composed of our most important tycoons. This is because they are

the ones most capable of forging partnerships with international investors. There is no sense in bringing along a delegation composed of small businessmen and NGO types. They attract no investments.

Over the longer term, our development policy should focus on rapidly enlarging our corporate sector and building agro-industry. This is the only way we can tap into the channels of direct investments. To achieve this, our government must be stubbornly pro-business. Enough of the old economic nationalism that dragged us down to the bottom the past few decades.

The widely anticipated recession in the major economies this year may be overstated. China, to be sure, will grow by about 3 percent. This is its slowest pace of growth in two generations and may produce a lot of social stresses, particularly in the form of disillusionment among young workers. But it will still be growing.

The U.S. is working very hard to avoid sliding into recession. However, the U.S. is quickly running short of workers

even as it tries to revive its manufacturing base. The low unemployment numbers seen in the U.S. economy is only one side of the coin. The other side is demographic inability to provide enough workers to sustain growth.

Some analysts are saying that, because of security concerns, the world will veer sharply from globalization and head towards localization.

For example, the U.S. is now encouraging local production of computer chips even if what they produce will likely be more expensive (although not necessarily inferior) to those produced by Taiwan.

Nevertheless, the experience with the pandemic and the war in Ukraine encourages firms to shorten their supply chains or risk getting stranded.

In our neighborhood, rising tensions at the Taiwan Strait encourage high tech industries in both China and Taiwan to relocate some of their production. We have little chance to compete for these investments because of our poor infra, expensive power and inferior human capital. The only site we have to offer is the

Woes of senior citizens

WHEN former President Rodrigo Duterte stepped down from office at the end of his term on June 30 last year, at least 100 or so of enrolled bills approved by the 18th Congress and transmitted to Malacanang were left behind un-acted at his desk. One of which lapsed into law as Republic Act (RA) 11916, or the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens Act of 2022. This was a month after several other enrolled bills lapsed into law without the signature of Mr. Duterte.

This law increased the monthly social pension to elderly Filipinos, aged 60 years old and above, who is frail, sickly, or with a disability, and without a pension or permanent source of income, compensation, or financial assistance from family or relatives to sustain basic needs. The same law  directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the National Commission on Senior Citizens (NCSC) to

distribute this cash aid to all qualified senior citizens from the present P500 to P1,000 a month.

Under our country’s 1987 Constitution, an enrolled or printed bill that both chambers of Congress approved and ratified into law gets automatically enacted 30 days if no action was taken after being submitted to the Office of the President. Nonetheless, an enrolled bill that lapsed into law is effective as any other statute that was approved and signed by the President.

This is unless otherwise vetoed by the President. In fact, seven bills approved by the 18th Congress got vetoed several weeks after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) took office at Malacanang.

RA 11916 got through the previous Congress six days before they adjourned for the May, 2022 national and local elections. Its enactment got fully supported by all lawmakers because obviously our country’s senior citizens who are all registered voters comprise quite a huge number to provide very good winning margin in closely contested elections.

We could only thank our

Senior Citizens Party List Representative in Congress, Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes for succeeding to push the passage into law of RA 11916. Originally, the DSWD provides in its annual budget to distribute P500 per month of social pension for the so-called “poorest of the poor” senior citizens registered under the agency. The DSWD, along with the Office of Senior Citizens’ Affairs (OSCA) in all local government units and barangay chairpersons evaluate and vet the beneficiaries of this State aid for the needy elderly.

Ordanes bewailed the present monthly social pension though has been “discriminatory” and unfair to other senior citizens deserving also of the government cash aid, or “ayuda” given their similar dire straits. Thus, Ordanes disclosed, he has earlier filed a bill calling for Universal Social Pension Program for All Senior Citizens to expand its coverage.

Based from the last census done by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Ordanes cited, the number of senior citizens all over the country have increased from a year ago level of 12 million to around 13.8 million. By rough estimates,

he calculated, the funding requirement would amount to P160 billion each year. “That amount is drop in the bucket if the national budget this year now amounts to P5.3 trillion,” he quipped.

However, we learned from Rep.Ordanes during our Kapihan sa Manila Bay last Wednesday (January 18) that his colleagues in the present 19th Congress failed to provide for the additional P26 billion allocation under the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) they passed into law last year to implement the P500 increase of monthly social pension for indigent senior citizens.

Moreover, Ordanes disclosed, the DSWD and the NCSC have yet to craft and submit for approval the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for RA 11916. The DSWD was mandated by this law, among other things, to turn over to the funds for social pension of senior citizens to the NCSC that should henceforth administer this annual allocation.

Ordanes had only good words for former DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo whom he credited for totally throwing his agency support to increase the monthly

social pension for senior citizens. In a statement last year, Tulfo strongly appealed to the legislators of the 19th Congress to prioritize the appropriation of funds for the program in order to effectively implement the provisions of RA No. 11916 that could otherwise end up among the country’s unfunded laws.

Sadly though, Ordanes rued, the joint congressional Commission on Appointments last year bypassed twice the confirmation of Tulfo. PBBM named one of Tulfo’s deputies undersecretary Eduardo Punay as officer-in-charge. “Marites” has it Valenzuela City Rep.Rex Gatchalian is reportedly eyeing the DSWD post.

On the other hand, Ordanes scored the inordinate delay by the NCSC to discharge its full mandate after its creation in 2019 under RA 11350.

Attached under the Office of the President, the sevenman body has so far only able to sign a memorandum of agreement with the DSWD for the transition of its mandated functions, Ordanes noted.

According to him, the NCSC is currently being grilled in House public hearing on this score.

Thus, many of our ageing and

industrial zone beside the new airport San Miguel is building in Bulacan (with very little government encouragement). This new industrial site is expected to host about $200 billion in investment – a boon government did not even plan for.

As has been the case for decades now, remittance inflows from our foreign-based workers fuel our consumptionled growth. Remittances is not an inexhaustible boon, however. While aggregate annual remittances is still growing, our November numbers show an unusual decline in remittance flow.

Ben Diokno’s 7 percent growth number is encouraging. But so much has to be done at home to keep our economic expansion sustainable.

We can begin by correcting whatever it is that made onions in our market the most expensive in the world. (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.

ailing senior citizens qualified to receive this monthly state pension will have to wait until both the IRR and the budget for it come out.

Hopefully, these requirements are put into place while our senior citizens are still alive and kicking, so to speak.

Now at 70 years old, Rep. Ordanes could only wish his much younger colleagues in the present Congress would join him to call upon the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DSWD and the NCSC to work out the full implementation of RA 11916. Or the other option, he added, is to pass a supplemental budget. However, he acknowledged this would be a longer and tedious process as it would go through the legislative mills in both chambers of Congress.

An elder statesman like the 62-year old PBBM, Ordanes hopes the Chief Executive would expeditiously act on the woes of their fellow senior citizens. (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

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Davos forum chief praises PH for remarkable growth

WORLD Economic Forum (WEF) President Børge Brende lauded the Philippines on Wednesday, January 18 for its remarkable gross domestic product (GDP) growth, describing it as the "fastest growing" economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

During a one-on-one with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Brende noted that the Philippine economy outpaced that of other countries in Southeast Asia.

"It is incredible — I think now, the Philippines is the fastest growing of the Asean countries," Brende said.

Marcos told Brende his government is concentrating on micro, small and medium enterprises because they comprise a big part of the economy.

"And I think that's where the growth is coming from," Marcos said as he noted that his government is keeping an eye on the country's unemployment rate amid reports of a recession last year.

"My theory, my belief, and I think I'm right is that, as long as the unemployment rate stays low, then the recessionary forces are something that we can resist. So that's why I think — that gives a good foundation for growth," he said.

Addressing delegates to the WEF's country strategy dialogue, Marcos said the Philippine economy is forecast to grow at "around 7 percent" this year.

He cited the Philippines' "strong macroeconomic fundamentals" as the driver behind the projected growth this year.

"We project our economy to grow by around 7.0 percent in 2023," Marcos told the business

and world leaders attending the prestigious forum.

"Our fiscal discipline, structural reforms, and liberalization of key sectors instituted over the years have enabled us to withstand the negative shocks caused by the pandemic and succeeding economic downturns, and map a route toward a strong recovery," he added.

Last December, the Development Budget Coordination Committee projected a GDP growth that could hit the targeted 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent range for 2022.

But it also forecasted growth to slow down in 2023 to between 6 and 7 percent due to external headwinds such as the slump of major economies.

The inflation forecast was also raised to a range of 3.7 to 4.7 percent, from the earlier 2 to 4 percent, following the uptick in food and energy prices due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and disrupted supply chains.

Inflation in December last year hit 8.1 percent, the highest since November 2008, mainly due to the higher prices of select food items including onions and other vegetables.

Marcos expressed high hopes for the country's continued growth, noting that its demographic sweet spot will play a major role in fueling rapid development.

The demographic sweet spot is the period where the majority of the country's population is in the working age with few dependents.

Marcos also agreed with Brende that among the main obstacles for the Philippines would be infrastructure, quality of education, research and development, and bureaucratic red tape.

The President said he is confident the country will be

able to overcome these hurdles, "because we have a very, very good workforce."

"We have the youngest workforce in Asia. You might be surprised to know, to learn, that the average age of Filipino workers is 23 and a half years old. So that is a huge demographic dividend," he added.

The President pointed out, however, that even with the demographic edge, the government has to sustain growth by improving the quality of its workforce through training.

He said the workforce is well-trained, sophisticated and English-speaking.

In terms of technological knowhow, the President said Filipino workers are on equal footing with those from any other country.

Marcos said his government is developing its infrastructure by promoting public-private partnerships and by reforming the bureaucracy, especially through digitalization.

He said reforming and reshaping the global economy gives the Philippines an opportunity to develop further.

"It's not a clean sheet of paper, but maybe a half clean sheet of paper where we can still design and draw, and put down our ideas for what the global economy should look like," he said.

The President has a friendly bet with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the country's growth rate. Georgieva is predicting 5 percent, and Marcos 6 and a half.

Georgieva earlier said the IMF is willing to help member countries, including the Philippines, reach sustainable growth.

She commended Marcos for his leadership amid the challenges he faces. 

Floods across PH leave 33 people dead, a ect 1.6M

MANILA — At least 33 individuals died due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain this month, the Office of Civil Defense reported on Thursday, January 19.

The shear line, the northeast monsoon, and a number of low pressure areas have been dumping rain across the country since the start of the year, forcing people to flee their homes and destroying crops.

More than 1.6 million people were affected by the weather disturbances. Of those, over

266,000 were displaced.

Seven people were missing, while 12 individuals were injured.

The cost of damage to infrastructure hit P206 million, while the cost of damage to agriculture reached  P414.3 million.

Assistance amounting to P86 million was provided to affected communities, OCD said.

PAGASA said on Thursday that the shear line—or the weather system formed when cold and warm winds converge—will bring scattered rain showers and

thunderstorms to Bicol region, Quezon province, Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, and Northern Samar.

Meanwhile, residents of Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Aurora, Laguna, and Oriental Mindoro will experience rain due to the northeast monsoon.

The state weather bureau warned that floods or landslides may occur due to moderate or heavy rains.  (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

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PH eyes nearly 5M foreign tourists this year - DOT

MANILA – The Department of

Tourism (DOT) aims to attract 5 million foreign visitors this year.

In a television interview on Thursday, January 19, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco noted that about 2.6 million tourists visited the country last year.

"As far as 2023 is concerned, the target is to double that number to around a minimum of 4.8 million tourists," she said.

The country's target for international arrivals was 1.7 million in 2022.

"We far exceeded this target by almost a million arrivals, especially considering that we've only reopened our borders in February of 2022," Frasco said.

The national government has implemented the 'eTravel' system to help the DOT achieve its goal

of enticing more tourists in 2023.

It is a one-stop electronic travel declaration system that replaced the One Health Pass.

The DOT and the Department of Transportation are also working on the improvement of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, the Cebu City Pier 1, and the Davao International Airport.

The DOT also launched projects aimed at boosting the country’s tourism and ensuring the country is ready to receive global tourists.

These include "Philippine Experience" and "Bisita Be My Guest."

Asked about the measure seeking to amend the holiday economics law, Frasco said they create opportunities for families to spend time together and explore

other parts of the country.

"Definitely, increasing the number of long weekends helps domestic tourism. Our President, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr passed a proclamation recently to increase long weekends to nine and it also stoked a lot of interest and excitement among fellow Filipinos in terms of booking their trips for 2023," she added.

Under the measure, holidays that fall on a weekend would be moved to the nearest Monday.

In 2007, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9492, which moved regular and special holidays to the nearest Monday to boost domestic tourism.

However, the late former president Benigno Aquino III ended this practice under Proclamation 84 signed in 2010. (PNA)

Senate wants DBM, DepEd execs charged

THE Senate blue ribbon committee has found that the 39,000 laptops purchased in 2021 for public school teachers for P979 million were overpriced and recommended the filing of criminal charges against officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Sen. Francis Tolentino, committee chairman, on Thursday, January 19 said the panel also admonished former Education secretary Leonor Briones for the anomalous purchase.

But Tolentino said there was no evidence to link Briones to the anomaly, and that she was deceived into approving the purchase.

The laptops were distributed to government teachers to help them conduct online classes at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a 197-page report, the committee recommended graft charges against officials of DepEd and the DBM's Procurement Service (PS) involved in the purchase of the laptops.

The report named DepEd Undersecretary Analyn Sevillla, former DepEd undersecretary Alain del Pascua, former DepEd assistant secretary Salvador Malana 3rd, Director Abram Abanil, former PS-DBM officers in charge Lloyd Christopher Lao and Jaysonmer Uayan, BAC chairman Ulysses Mora, and other members and staff of the special bids and awards committee.

"There is sufficient basis to believe that there was a conspiracy

to facilitate and/or generate an overprice which indicates manifest partiality, evident bad faith and/or gross inexcusable neglect on the part of senior officials and staff of the DepEd and PS-DBM," the committee said.

It was cited as "highly irregular" jacking up the price of one computer in the approved budget for the contract from P35,036.50 to P58,300.

It recommended the abolition of PS-DBM and requiring government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to do their own procurement to make them accountable for public funds.

The committee proposed that if the P979 million is recovered, the amount be placed in a special National Teachers Trust Fund to support the health and medical needs of government teachers and the educational needs of their children.

The committee has requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council to investigate the overpriced procurement and to look into the bank deposits of the implicated individuals.

The repeated changes made by DepEd in the use and allocation of the P2.4 billion from tablets to mobile connectivity loads for students and then to laptops for teachers "is highly arbitrary, unjustified, improper and not beneficial" to DepEd teachers and students, the committee said.

In a press briefing hours after the committee released its report, DepEd spokesman Michael Wesley Poa said the department will not comment until it sees

the full report, but added it will "seriously" consider the panel's recommendations.

The DepEd "has always said that it is committed to transparency and accountability, and that applies to the procurement process. So we appreciate the investigation conducted by the blue ribbon committee. As to the findings and recommendations, [we] will definitely consider those recommendations and findings so that we can strengthen our internal controls in procurement," Poa said.

He said the DepEd has revised its procurement processes by separating the procurement and administration components, and streamlining internal controls for efficiency and transparency.

Poa said the department will see whether the DepEd itself or the Office of the Ombudsman will file the charges against the officials named in the committee report, but assured they will cooperate with the Ombudsman in securing the documents for the case.

The officials will be placed under preventive suspension only after the investigating body has been determined, Poa said.

He said he has yet to brief Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte about the blue ribbon ruling and will seek guidance, along with the Office of the Solicitor General, regarding the recommendation to use the proceeds from the overpriced transaction as a trust fund for teachers. (Bernadette E. Tamayo   and Red Mendoza/MnailaTimes. net)

PH excellent investment destination - Arroyo

FORMER President and House Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in enticing foreign investors who attended the World Economic Forum (WEF).

"In one sentence, the Philippines is an excellent investment destination. We will welcome you," the former president said.

In an interview with Radio TV Malacañang, Macapagal-Arroyo underscored the importance of the WEF where political and business influencers meet.

Macapagal-Arroyo, who is herself an economist, cited the reactions of international leaders like former United Kingdom prime

minister Tony Blaire to the President's investment pitch for the Philippines.

"First of all, their reaction to our COVID response is positive. Second, they recognize how well the Philippines is run. In fact, historically, the country has a nice track record in picking good economic managers notwithstanding the President," she said.

Marcos, she added, understands the importance of the partnership between the government and the private sector for economic growth "That means that our economy is stable and as such we have a good economic forecast this 2023," Macapagal-Arroyo said.

Marcos' participation in the WEF resulted in investment pledges from Morgan Stanley and logistics firm DB World, which

committed to expand their operations in the Philippines.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Filipinos will feel the effects of the President's aggressive efforts to bring in more investments to the Philippines beyond his term.

Balisacan said the government has created a long-term path for the Philippine economy, dubbed "Ambisyon Natin 2040," the direction the country will take for prosperity.

Investments, supported by good policies, can get productivity growing, he said.

"But those technologies, innovations are not manna from heaven, we have to work for this and we have to get foreign investors to come in to improve productivity," Balisacan added. 

SWS: 3 million families experienced hunger in Q4 of 2022

MANILA — A new poll by the Social Weather Stations showed that an estimated three  million families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The survey conducted on December 10 to 14 found that 11.8% of Filipino households experienced involuntary hunger — being hungry and not having anything to eat — in the last three months of the year.

The latest hunger figure is slightly above the 11.3% obtained in a survey in October 2022, but it is slightly below the 12.2% in April.

SWS said the 11.8% hunger rate is the sum of 9.5% who experienced “moderate hunger” — or those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” — and 2.3% who

experienced “severe hunger” — or those who experienced it “often” or “always.”

The highest hunger incidence was highest in Mindanao, where 12.7% of families or around 738,000 said they experienced this. The pollster noted that “it has been highest in Mindanao in 38 out of 100 surveys since July 1998.”

It was followed by Visayas at 12%, Metro Manila at 11.7%  and Balance Luzon at 11.3%.

“The 0.5-point increase in Overall Hunger between October 2022 and December 2022 was due to increases in the Visayas and Balance Luzon, combined with decreases in Metro Manila and Mindanao,” SWS said.

The polling firm added that overall hunger rose among those who rated themselves as

“non-poor” to 7.8% from 6.7%, and among “non-food-poor” to 11.8% from 7.4%

Hunger fell slightly among “self-rated poor” to 15.7% from 16%, and among “self-rated foodpoor” to 17.7% from 18.9%.

The survey was based on faceto-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide, with 300 each from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The margin of error for national percentages is ±2.5%, while it is ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The highest incidence of hunger is in Metro Manila, where 16.3% of families or roughly 558,000 said they experienced this, followed by Mindanao at 15.3%, Balance Luzon at 9.6% and the Visayas at 7%. (Philstar.com)

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Former President and House Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ManilaTimes.net file photo
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success story for crewmen: Overstayed crew member obtains immigrant visa in Manila through Obama-era provisional waive regulation, on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

JULIE came to the U.S. as a crew member in 2004 and overstayed, leaving her eight-year-old daughter, Jolina, back in the Philippines. The years of separation broke Julie’s heart, but she believed her sacrifice would help build a better future for her daughter.

Miss Universe owner on Celeste Cortesi not entering Top 16

MISS Universe owner Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip answered a query why Philippine bet Celeste Cortesi failed to enter the Top 16 of the competition.

In Olivia Quido’s YouTube channel, the Pinay skincare expert and Miss Universe 2022 judge told Anne, “Filipino fans are surprised that they are not in the Top 16.”

“I’m surprised also, Thailand. Because I sit down and I thought, ‘Goodness heaven, what is happening here?!’ You know what, Italy doesn’t come in…” Anne said. “I counted myself, like 15, all 20 of them that used to be in the poll internationally, everyone just ripped off the poll. Like, ‘Oh my goodness, everything just went upside down.’ So you wouldn’t know,” she added.

Anne believed that the judges had high standards for the 2022 edition of the pageant.

Alex and the harmful side effects of fame

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Saturday, JANUARY 21, 2023 LIFESTYLE CONSUMER GUIDE COMMUNITY
Back then, Alex was not super famous yet. But even then, she was already an “eksenadora.” Now that she’s way up there, it’s no surprise that Alex gets embroiled in controversies that she thrives on. Her rude behavior towards the waiter goes to show that fame has harmful side effects when not handled properly. n
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“ATTORNEY-OF-LAST-HOPE” MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL HELPED OVERSTAYED CREW MEMBER GET A VISA ON AN ENCORE SUCCESS STORY OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY! When Julie (left, photo above) completed her contract as a crew member in 2004 she planned on returning to the Philippines to her eight-year-old daughter. However, she unknowingly overstayed while visiting family, and then could not leave due to the 10-year ban. She consulted with Atty. Gurfinkel (right, photo above) on several occasions, until President Obama created the Provisional Waiver program. This was an answer to Julie’s prayer, as she was able to return to Manila for her immigrant visa on an approved provisional waiver, and immediately return to the U.S. as a green card holder. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, January 22 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement) Julie had been watching “Citizen Pinoy” and she knew that the “Attorney-of-Last-Hope” Michael J. Gurfinkel might be able to help her. She had been consulting with him in January 2008, August 2013, and January 2016 before the priority date on her mother’s petition became current. A change in the law that Julie had been praying for happened when then President PAGE B2 PAGE B2 Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi at the 71st Miss Universe main competition on Jan. 45, 2023 in New Orleans, United States. Photo from Instagram/@ Alex Gonzaga Photo from Instagram/@cathygonzaga WHEN the video of Alex Gonzaga smearing cake on a waiter’s face went viral, I suddenly remembered the time my son IC [Mendoza] cohosted TV5’s defunct talk show, “Juicy,” with Alex.

A success story for...

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Barack Obama issued the Provisional Waiver regulation in 2016, enabling Julie to avoid the 10-year bar if she left the U.S. for her visa.

When her mother’s petition became current,

Although the U.S. Embassy gave her a challenging time with multiple interviews and additional requirements, Julie was still able to get her visa issued in September 2022 without being charged with fraud or requiring a fraud waiver. She was also able to bring her now 26-year-old daughter Jolina to the U.S. with her under the Child Status Protection Act.

Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, January 22 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

Miss Universe owner on...

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“I’m surprised, but I’m not shocked by the quality or by the high standard, benchmark of the judges. That’s why I think we have a good curriculum, I think we have a good term in terms of judging the beauty Olympics here, the beauty of humanity here,” Anne said.

“Because we see so many aspects, that’s why I’m not shocked… But I’m surprised,

because usually they get (in),” she added.

She also denied that the result was rigged.

“Why do we have to do that? What for?” she said.

“And did you think long term, okay. How much do I pay for the organization when I acquired it, yeah?” she added.

“Do I have to jeopardize myself by doing this particular rigging? No!” g

Donny, Belle lead PMPC 35th Star Awards for TV honorees

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

THE 35th Star Awards for Television is set to happen on January 28, 6 p.m., in  Winford Manila Resort and Casino in Manila.

TV host-turned-politician Senator Raffy Tulfo and former actress Connie Angeles will lead this year’s honorees as recipients of the Excellence in Broadcasting Lifetime Achievement Award and the Ading Fernando

Lifetime

The 35th Star Awards for TV edition is led by the newly elected PMPC President Fernan de Guzman and his team. On hand to support the PMPC for this exciting awards night is

JAMSAP Entertainment Corporation led by Jojo Flores and Maricar Moina.   Frank Lloyd Mamaril directs the show.  PMPC elects new set of officers

It’s an overwhelming vote for both veteran showbiz writer-reporters Fernan de Guzman and Mell Navarro as president and vice president, respectively, of The Philippine Movie Press Club, Inc. (PMPC) for the year 2023.

Maureen Wroblewitz ‘lost’ self in past relationship: ‘I wasn’t loved the way I wanted to be loved’

MAUREEN Wroblewitz opened up about how she “lost” herself in her past relationship, disclosing that she is still “healing from trauma.”

The model-beauty queen showed herself lip-synching the chorus of “Flowers,” American singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus’ recently released song, through a video on Wroblewitz’s TikTok page on Friday, Jan. 20. She also put the phrase “when you finally learn how to prioritize yourself” in the video.

“Started to cry but then remembered I / I can buy myself flowers / Write my name in the sand / Talk to myself for hours,” she lip-synched.

“I’ve never really spoken about my past relationship, but this song really speaks to me,” Wroblewitz continued in the caption. “That’s the thing about being in a public relationship, no

one really knows what happens behind closed doors.”

She then spoke about how she is still building herself back up, noting that she would expound on the matter when she is ready to do so.

“I have lost myself over the past few years and I’m finally realizing who I really am. I am working on myself and healing from past trauma because I don’t want to make the same mistakes,” she stated. “Maybe one day I’ll be ready to speak about it because I know it could help a lot of people.”

Wroblewitz was then cheered on by netizens via the comments section, but one @ user2623747482 caught the model’s attention after the latter concluded that she was pertaining to her previous relationship with singer JK Labajo in the video.

“The focus of this Tiktok is not my ex but my personal experience! I’ve been dealing

with mental breakdowns because of my past experience for [eight] months,” Wroblewitz explained. “I gave so much of myself, I had nothing left. I’m still in the process of realizing all my past mistakes, red flags, etc., so I don’t bring it into my next relationship.”

“I am not perfect, I wasn’t either in my past relationship but I’m learning to be better everyday. I am learning to prioritize my needs,” she added.

“I wasn’t loved the way I wanted to be loved so I’m doing all that to myself right now. Self care, self love!”

Wroblewitz and Labajo, who reportedly started dating in 2017, announced their breakup in June last year, with the singer saying at the time that they were both “so young” and that they “have to enjoy themselves.”

In November, Wroblewitz was then speculated to be in a new relationship after she was seen with a mystery man in Siargao. A

month after, she confirmed that she “already has someone,” but it was not immediately known if the model was referring to the same guy she was seen with. g

Exes Moira, Jason release new songs within days of anniversary

SINGER Moira Dela Torre has released a new song that riffs of her hit “Tagpuan,” five days after her ex-husband Jason Hernandez released a song on the anniversary of their wedding date.

Moira’s new song titled “Ikaw at Sila”  — her first single since the break-up  outside of soundtracks

and live recordings  — features the staple heartbreaking themes of the singer’s forte, but on a deeper level calls back to some of her past songs.

The song begins with same line as her duet track with Jason “Ikaw at Ako,” which the new song doesn’t just reference in the title and opener but also uses the said words in the middle of the chorus.

“At nakita kita sa tagpuan

ng iba, may kinang sa mata na hindi ko mabura,” Moira sings in the chorus in  a hard reference to her song “Tadhana” before continuing, “Pano mo ko nasaktan ng ganito? Kala ko ba ikaw at ako?

Pero ba’t mag-isa na ako?

Scattered around are lyrics of an individual seeking clarity why a significant other decided to hurt them, most expressively sung in the bridge, “Ang dami mo palang

tinatago, ginamit mo lang ba’ko?”

Coincidentally, Jason released the music video of his new song “Oras” last January 14  — the date he and Moira got married in 2019.

The music video features content creator Albert Nicolas who tries to turn back time each time he and his significant other, played by Miss Earth Philippines

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she was able to file for and get her provisional waiver approved. Despite several hurdles, including the delays due to the pandemic, the embassy interview was finally set. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was able to get a visa for his client, Julie (left) and her daughter, on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy. Maureen Wroblewitz Photo from Instagram/@mauwrob
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Achievement Award, respectively. Adding glitter to the night would be the presence of showbiz’s hottest tandems -Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano and Kelvin Miranda and Mikee Quintos – who shall receive the German Moreno Power Tandem of the Year.
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Art Hearts Fashion: Celebrating 10 years of changing lives through fashion

THERE is more to fashion than what meets the eyes. At Art Hearts Fashion, Erik Rosete heads the company with a passion that truly allows one to see how much heart and art lie within the realm of fashion.

The Asian Journal had the chance to sit down with Rosete, whose words emphasized the heart he has for the art that is fashion. His company is a result of the good and impact that can come from hard work, dedication, and passion for your craft. Celebrating 10 years this 2023, Art Hearts Fashion continues to grow and expand, where their impact can be seen throughout the world of fashion.

The story of success

The beginning of Art Hearts Fashion is an inspiring story. Erik Rosete, who was and is at the heart of it all, only wanted to make a difference in the lives of those he cares about. This journey started around 12 years ago, where Rosete thought that some of his friends were very beautiful, believing that they could get into modeling and be successful at it.

“I knew nothing about fashion, I was in real estate. I just knew how passionate I was about supporting my friends and trying to do something for them,” Rosete expressed, where this dedication can be seen not only in words but in action. Rosete went to New York and started to pitch his friends to different agencies.

“Being here in Los Angeles, it’s kind of like one of those things where people get sucked into a dream, but they don’t have a lot of direction,” Rosete said, describing how LA can make one feel. This emphasizes how he became the sense of direction and guidance for his friends who were experiencing this.

In New York, he pitched his best friend to the number one agency, IMG, for a career in modeling. It was ultimately a success, however, not just for her but also for Rosete as IMG wanted for him to sign a contract with them.

“You belong in this field. We loved what you did. You brought her in here, you really put up a pitch. We want you to bring in more models and we want you to work with us as a manager,” IMG reportedly told Rosete, seeing not only the potential in his best friend but in him due to his own passion and dedication to help her.

For months Rosete and his best friend stayed in New York to develop this new part of their lives. However, eventually they made their way back to LA and Rosete was left to figure out what he was to do next.

It wasn’t long till he was contacted by another designer who had just started his career. They had heard about what Rosete had been doing in New York for IMG and wanted him to do the same for him. Once again, Rosete led someone to success. As there were not any organized fashion weeks in LA at the time, Rosete ended up taking the designer to New York.

“Within 6 months of managing him, we had his largest show in New York. We had Kendall Jenner and it was her first fashion show ever that she did with us,” Rosete described. Many of the sponsors for this show also included an array of other big names. Just Dance, Alex Morgan, Entertainment Tonight, Kris Jenner, Lance Bass, and so many others were present at this show, establishing Rosete as someone who would only continue to make a mark in the industry.

“All of these doors opened as a result of the doors that had closed while I was trying to help my friend. So, the universe was telling me this is the field you want to get into,” he said, never allowing anything to deter him from moving forward.

During this journey, Rosete had met a lot of different people. From photographers to accessory designers to artists, and he realized he needed to do something with all that he had

learned. The story did not stop at the New York fashion show as back in LA, a venue called 333 Live was calling for him.

The owner of 333 Live wanted Rosete to bring his fashion shows to this venue. At this point in time Rosete was using the name Art Hearts Fashion for his business. “It was the three elements that really got me moving. It was the art of it, the heart of it, because I was investing so much of my own free time into it, and the fashion of it. So, the art, the hearts, and the fashion were the three elements that make up my company,” Rosete revealed.

Shows like this are however costly, therefore new designers could not easily afford it. “So, when we started going into runway shows I invited all of the designers and all of the artists I had worked with that could not afford to be able to do the show,” Rosete emphasized how he wanted to celebrate those who would not otherwise have had this opportunity.

This first fashion show held by Art Hearts Fashion at 333 Live was so successful that the owner of the venue spoke to Rosete with full belief in what he was doing. “You’re a hit. This is something that I’ve seen only one other time in my life, and it was with Prince,” they expressed, continuing to declare how this was a once in a life opportunity for Rosete.

“If you do not do this event again, within a month, I will never let you use my venue again…you don’t want people to forget who you are and what you just did,” they told Rosete, encouraging him to move forward in creating the next big event. Rosete had however already used everyone for the first show and had, at the time, nothing and no designer to use for his second show.

“I have no brand. I have no designers. And I have an event in two weeks,” Rosete explained. However, this slight hurdle resulted in the birth of his own personal fashion brand, Mr. Triple X.

The character of Mr. Triple X is not named after Rosete, but rather a mysterious character that people would inevitably ask questions about. This was reflected in the fact that at the second show Art Hearts Fashion put on, 333 Live was packed with those who “wanted to know who Mr. Triple X was.” His own brand therefore took the show by storm and yet again Rosete produced another success.

Art Hearts Fashion then moved on to the next big thing, being integrated into fashion weeks. Rosete once again called IMG in New York, which at the time owned Mercedes Benz fashion week. This time he told them about how Art Hearts Fashion wanted to bring a charity event that supports a lot of artists to New York Fashion Week. They essentially said they would get back to him, which to Rosete signaled a possible answer of no.

However, contrary to what Rosete had believed, IMG called back to tell him nothing but good news. The company told him that they had one final spot left, right after Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, the finale. As the finale event, Art Hearts Fashion featured Rosete’s brand Mr. Triple X and nine other brands.

“We became the biggest grand finale of Mercedes Benz fashion week in New York,” Rosete detailed, where Art Hearts Fashion’s finale, even while being positioned directly after two of the biggest brands in the world, had the most audience members.

“They (IMG) invited us season after season to do the same,” Rosete recounted how this moment had changed the course of Art Hearts Fashion. They were the grand finale every season until Mercedes Benz stopped doing New York Fashion Week.

This did not mean the end of Art Hearts Fashion as the company continued to grow. They started to hold bigger venues, added more days to their events, and even now hold shows at conventions.

Marking their tenth year this year, Rosete described how, “This last year alone, which was our 9th year in business, we added LA Swim Week and Art Week. So, we added two major events already leading into our ten-year anniversary. And these major events were picked by WWD, Daily Front Row, Forbes, and LA Weekly as the hot events that were happening.”

They were not the only ones talking about Art Hearts Fashion as Rosete expressed how, “Forbes Magazine named our Art Week event in Miami, just last month, as one of the Stylish Highlights and places to be. .”

“Out of nowhere, we went from this brand that supported independent designers to now working with Nike, Doc Marten, Saks Fifth Avenue, Vogue, and all of the biggest partnerships in the world,” he revealed, highlighting Art Hearts Fashion’s place within the world

one that is prominent and continuously evolving.

Three words: Art, hearts and fashion

The story Rosete told of his beginnings only emphasizes the achievements Art Hearts Fashion has made in the last ten years as well as what will continue to mark their successful future. In understanding the beginning and early successes of Art Hearts Fashion, one can come to see why it is the success that it is today and why it has made such an impact in the fashion world.

The name ‘Art Hearts Fashion’ is itself a bit of a tongue twister. “Is it Arts Hearts?” Rosete spoke on how people often ask how to pronounce the company name. It however helps people remember the company and especially what it stands for.

The name is quite personal to Rosete as each separate word has a meaning. “Art Hearts Fashion is three words, with three meanings. The three different elements that make up each event,” Rosete explained, where the number three itself has become important to the company. An example is the 333 Live venue, which is where the company had its start.

“Art, Hearts, Fashion became the three core values that we hold,” he continued, explaining how these values became the charitable elements, where the people involved and supporting it became the heart of the organization, Rosete included as the person behind it all. These people include the hundreds of make-up artists, hair stylists, photographers, stylists, designers, and models, who Rosete all cites as playing an important role in every event held.

“Those were the people that, combined, were creating and telling this story,” he further emphasized the team effort that goes into every event. Rosete then gave a behind the scenes description of what happens behind the runway, where every single look alone can involve five to six people.

Their involvement with these events is of course rewarded, especially in the ability to gain street credibility for the hard work that they do. Art Hearts Fashion therefore gives them this chance that they would most likely not find anywhere else.

“I may be one person that does a lot, but there are a lot of people that are helping to get it accomplished,” Rosete highlighted how while he may be the father of Art Hearts Fashion, an entire ‘family’, including himself, is involved in making their events a success.

“Art, Hearts, and Fashion are the three elements that make us and it’s also the thousands of people that over the last ten years have helped to support and make dreams come true,” he continued, detailing how Art Hearts Fashion has changed many lives over the years, not just in the lives of those involved but also who the events are held for.

The company, over the course of their ten years, has raised millions of dollars for charity. Their shows also often emphasize the importance of inclusion and diversity. “We were the first to put cancer survivors & children with disabilities on the runway. We debuted the first designer with Down Syndrome and the first double amputee. We granted the Make a Wish Foundation anniversary wish and were featured on the Today show,” Rosete outlined the many firsts that Art Hearts Fashion has had, changing many lives in the process.

This work that Art Hearts Fashion and Rosete has been doing continued on even through the pandemic. During the pandemic, the company produced fashion films based on their designers stories, and while returning from the pandemic produced a fashion show painting masks for Northwell to raise money for their charity..

“We did a lot more than survive the pandemic, we really excelled during it. We started to focus on the production of fashion films,” Rosete expressed how they wanted to tell stories not just through the runway, which was not possible during the pandemic, but artistically. Essentially, Art Hearts Fashion navigated through the pandemic through the art, hearts, and fashion as they have always done for years.

Fashion moves the world

As we spoke to Rosete, he admitted that 20 or 30 years ago, when he was working in real estate, fashion was something he didn’t care about. “I thought fashion was logos and people being manipulated into spending a lot of money on brands and brand names,” he explained, showing how fashion was not something he put much thought into at the time.

It wasn’t until his friends within the industry and people he wanted to work with, showed him the other side of fashion. “The production side of it. The fashion show side of it. The difference between fabrics and structure. All the different elements that you don’t appreciate when you’re not in the fashion industry,” Rosete affirmed the hard work that he realized truly went into fashion.

“If somebody buys something that makes them feel special, that changes the way they feel,” he conveyed, emphasizing how “something (clothing, accessories, etc.) can make them hate themselves, love themselves, or desire themselves or others.” This sense of feeling is controlled through their fashion sense, Rosete detailed.

“The power that fashion has over someone and how it makes someone feel, is a lot more impactful than people think,” Rosete said. This is something he tries to reflect upon in his own brand Mr. Triple X, “If I create a brand that’s edgy and cool, if that person wears it, are they going to feel edgy and cool?”

“I just love the way fashion looks on people and the way it makes them feel. And I love having my own brand that can make someone feel sexy wearing a complete full conservative outfit,” he expressed, depicting how fashion can provide people with a sense of empowerment. “That’s the power that I learned fashion has. It changes things, changes communities,” Rosete added.

“Art Hearts Fashion is a way to celebrate that power and utilize it for the good,” he declared, where one such way Art Hearts Fashion celebrates this power is through how they connect with other cultures and designers from foreign countries. “With Art Hearts Fashion, we have so much art, so many hearts, and so much fashion that we’re getting cultures from all over the world,” Rosete continued, additionally bringing up how they have been able to work with people from India and Dubai.

“You get to appreciate the person’s culture, their identity, and how they want to feel and look,” he added, where one community and culture Art Hearts Fashion constantly connects with and appreciates is the Filipino community.

Art Hearts Fashion and the Filipino community

“We’ve always been tied with the Philippines since day one. We’ve had the blessing of having the biggest Filipino designers in the world join us,” Rosete proudly told Asian Journal. In their first finale show at Mercedes Benz’s New York Fashion Week, one brand on their runway was curated by designer Furne Amato, who is one of the biggest Filipino designers in the world that Rosete mentioned.

Additionally, Michael Cinco, another big Filipino fashion designer, was just at one of their New York shows. Rosete has also worked with many others, such as Rocky Gathercole, may he rest in peace, Cary Santiago, Joey Galon and Kenneth Barlis. This emphasizes his strong connection and respect for Filipino culture and fashion.

Not only has Rosete worked with designers, but he has had the chance to work with Filipino models as well. “My first show in New York, I had Janine Tugonon as my opening and closing model, and at the time she had just won Miss Universe Philippines. After modeling in my show, she got picked to be the first ever Victoria Secret Filipina model,” Rosete recounted, expressing a sense of pride in getting to work with the Filipina model.

“These types of magical things that were happening were all tied in with community and people and places from all over the world,” he continued, emphasizing how working with others from different communities, backgrounds, and cultures is a part of what Art Hearts Fashion does and how it has been integrated into their programming.

He hopes to continue working with Filipino artists as well as designers from other foreign countries. “If we’re able to have partners in different countries, in places that are tied in with our partnerships, I would absolutely love to do it,” Rosete affirmed, noting that the only thing that has been holding this expansion back is finances.

However, much like the many other obstacles he has faced, finances will not be a hurdle that Art Hearts Fashion cannot overcome. “We should never let finances hold us back from being able to support so many people.” Rosete reassured, noting that if they’re able to bring this support to a country like the Philippines, it would help so many models, make-up artists, photographers, and in general those involved within the industry by giving them an international platform.

Rosete described how there are already many local fashion weeks and events that happen in other countries, however unlike those in London, Milan, and Paris, they don’t reach the U.S. “We (Art Hearts Fashion) have the biggest fashion designers from Australia, Dubai, the Middle East, the Philippines, Latin America, showing with us here in the U.S.,” he explained, showing that Rosete wants for these artists and designers to get the recognition they deserve.

“If we (Art Hearts Fashion) were to go somewhere and take our platform to another country, it would establish them worldwide because of our networks that are worldwide. We would bring that worldwide attention to them with us,” Rosete thoughtfully declared, highlighting how an expansion would not only help Art Hearts Fashion but also those they work with.

Plans for the future

As Art Hearts Fashion is in their tenth year, there surely is more to come for both the company and Erik Rosete. “For the future of our personal platform, I foresee us being able to expand as much as we can, responsibly, but also combine stories with what we’re doing, everywhere,” he described, emphasizing how the future of fashion is evolving.

While the company will continue to grow, Rosete wanted to ensure that through this growth no one is left behind, where every designer that works with them will see an impact upon their life and career.

“If we have 33 designers showing at our platform, you better believe that all 33 are going to be on fashion channel. They’re going to be getting published everywhere,” he signified, where the goal for Art Hearts Fashion is “to get as many eyeballs as possible on our designers.” Art Hearts Fashion gives this opportunity for growth and exposure to so many. Rosete also gave advice to those who are still making their way into the industry now.

“Never let anyone tell you no,” he declared, further speaking on the importance time has on one’s growth and career. “Time is the most valuable thing you can have. Investing your time into something is the most important thing that you can do,” Rosete added. While one may have money and power to be able to pursue something, time is what Rosete feels is most important in order to develop something spectacular and successful.

“For me, I did this for my own personal reason. I did it to tell my story within a platform that tells so many stories,” Rosete described, showing the importance of the story behind everything one does.

“Invest your time and your heart into it and make sure you have a story to tell. Every brand should have its own unique DNA,” he continued, marking how Art Hearts Fashion itself is a success due to the fact it truly is a unique company that puts heart into everything they do all the while highlighting the stories behind everyone they work with.

Speaking to Rosete, one can’t help but feel the same passion and heart he expresses for his company and what he does. If you are interested in what Art Hearts Fashion has in store for their tenth year, make sure to visit their website as well as checking out their social media.

If you are an aspiring designer or someone simply looking to get into the world of fashion, Art Hearts Fashion is one of the best ways to go. They have multiple events lined up this year that you shouldn’t miss, such as New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Miami Swim Week! With the intention of celebrating their tenth anniversary to the fullest, make sure to keep an eye out for all of these grand events. You surely will see the success and story that Erik Rosete has been able to achieve and tell with Art Hearts Fashion throughout the years.

The following are links to their website, social media handles, as well as a way to contact them directly: Website: https://artheartsfashion. com/ Email: info@artheartsfashion.com https://www.facebook.com/

JANUARY 21-24, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 B4
Miami Swim Week
Erik with Jose Forteza Sr. Editor of Vogue Latin America and Camilla Franks Celebrity Fashion Designer from Australia Erik backstage
Amrylois Ferido
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Erik Rosete at the New York Fashion Week Contributed photos Miami Swim Week Grand Finale Mister Triple X with super models Tyson Beckford and Georgina Mazzeo of fashion as
ArtHeartsFashion @ArtHeartFashion @artheartsfashion g

On the call to discipleship

THIS Sunday’s (January 22)

Gospel presents Jesus’ intimate but challenging way of following him as his disciples. As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. He told them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

As the Gospel relates, the two brothers immediately followed him.

As he walked farther, he saw two other brothers, James and John, mending their nets with their father. They, too, were fishermen. Then, they immediately followed him, leaving their boat and their father.

As in the call of Matthew, it’s hard to think that this was the first time that the two sets of brothers heard Jesus. I would say that they must have heard him preach and witnessed him heal people. As John the Baptist’s passion and preaching impacted them (some biblical experts claim they were also John’s disciples), Jesus’ words and boldness affected them strongly too. They could not resist following Jesus immediately because he spoke with certainty and authority, and his message came from a source beyond himself. And so, it is understandable that the disciples would be attracted to follow Jesus immediately.

Considering this story on the calling of the disciples would

help us reflect on what drew us to keep believing in Jesus and practicing this faith through Catholicism. I’m sure there are reasons bigger than life that attract us to Jesus. I would say it’s our profound experience of his unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness. It’s the strength and joy we receive from following and believing in him amidst life’s challenges and struggles.

But there are also the lessons, the wisdom he taught, and the life he led, which all make complete sense, especially in this troubled world beset by suffering, division, war, poverty, and hunger. We want our society and children to practice the values he taught and lived, such as selfless giving, compassion, mercy, justice, and care for those who feel alienated by society.

His promise of eternal life through his resurrection gives us hope and meaning. His vision of a kingdom of love, justice, and peace in this world defines our mission as a church and society.

As Jesus’ followers, there are times when we get discouraged. That’s when we must exercise the virtues of a “fisherman,” according to William Barclay in his reflection on the call to discipleship in The Daily Study Bible Series.

First, we must have patience. Like a fisherman who must learn to wait patiently until the fish take the bait, we must not be restless and quick to move. Instead, we must learn to wait and be patient with the results of all our hard work, whether in raising a family, building a career, or fulfilling a ministry.

Second, we must have perseverance. We must learn not to be discouraged but always to try again. Failures and

disappointments are all part of life. As St. Paul says in his Letter to the Hebrews 6:11-12: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Third, we must have courage. We must be ready to take risks and face the “fury of the sea.” Living and proclaiming the truth of the Gospel is not for the lame but for the brave.

Fourth, we must have an eye for the right moment. As a fisherman knows the right time to fish, the right time to cast and not to cast, we too must have the wisdom or the insight to be fishers of men and women—the right time to speak the truth and the time to be quiet.

Finally, we must know how to fit the bait to the fish. Like a fisherman knows that one fish will rise to one bait and another to another, we must understand that one ministry approach may not fit all people. It’s especially true to ministry to a multicultural and multi-generational church.

Let’s continue to welcome the year with eagerness and readiness to fulfill God’s call. Indeed, that call entails being “fishers of men and women” who will continue to be attracted to the person of Jesus!

* * *

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

* * *

Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Employees’ right to bereavement leave now guaranteed under new law

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

A NEW law in California has guaranteed bereavement leave to all California employees. California’s Assembly Bill 1949 (A.B. 1949) went into effect this year, and makes it unlawful for an employer “to refuse to grant a request by any employee to take up to five days of bereavement leave upon the death of a family member.”

Although some employers previously had policies for bereavement leave, prior state leave laws do not contain requirements that an employer offer bereavement leave. This new law applies to all California employers with five or more employees. Employees must have worked at least 30 days for their employer for the law’s protections to apply.

A.B. 1949 guarantees the right to take leave for the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law. The five days of guaranteed leave may, but need not be, taken on consecutive days. However, all five days,

Exes Moira, Jason release...

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2020 Roxie Smith, call it quits a la “About Time.”

“Araw-araw  pinagsisisihan ko na  hinayaan lamang na magka gan’to. Kung alam ko lang ito na ang ating hangganan, susulitin ko ang bawat oras na kasama ka,” Jason sings in the chorus.

Jason himself appears in the music video, singing as the fictional couple have their dates and arguments, culminating in Albert’s character

opting to stop time to lean on Roxie’s shoulder, emotionally full of regret.

Moira and Jason announced their breakup at the end of May 2022 after being married for three years, with the latter admitting to be unfaithful, offering apologies to the public and Moira.

A month before the official split,  netizens were quick to notice that Moira deleted all photos and videos of Jason on her social media accounts, sparking initial split rumors.

After several days of silence following the announcement, Moira released a new statement clarifying that while their marriage was never perfect, she never cheated on Jason.

In September 2022, Jason released the song “Ako Nalang”  — his own first track since the breakup  — which many speculated was about Moira as  several lyrics mentioned the aforementioned Ikaw at Ako” and Moira’s collaboration with I Belong To The Zoo “Paalam, Patawad.” g

whether taken in a row or intermittently, must be taken within three months of the death of the family member.

If your employer had an existing bereavement policy prior to the law, the leave shall be taken pursuant to said policy, except that all employees are guaranteed a minimum of five days of bereavement leave.

Unless a prior policy guaranteed paid bereavement leave, the

The new law expressly prohibits employers from discriminating or retaliating against any employee who exercises their rights under the new bereavement leave law, or for giving information or testimony regarding their own or a fellow employee’s exercise of rights in any inquiry or proceeding. Employees whose rights under California’s new bereavement leave law are violated may take legal action against their employer under the law.

* * * 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.

bereavement leave granted may be unpaid; however, A.B. 1949 specifies that employees may use any vacation, personal leave, accrued and available sick leave, or paid time off that they may have. Employers have the right under the law to request documentation proving the death of the family member. However, the law requires that any such documentation, as well as the fact that the employee has requested bereavement leave, must be kept confidential.

* * * The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine for 11 years, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)

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EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT
Pastor’s Notes
A.B. 1949 guarantees the right to take leave for the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law.
Moira dela Torre and Jason Hernandez Philstar.com photos

READ this if you owe the IRS money and can’t pay.

If you just received a letter from the IRS for a tax bill that you can’t pay, you’re probably wondering what will happen next if you don’t have the money to pay them. Or perhaps you already know that you owe the IRS but for whatever reason, have just ignored all the letters you’ve received to date because you never figured out what you can do. And now they just sent you a final 30day letter saying that if you do not pay, they can do all these bad things to you. There are also people who have not filed their tax returns for years and are afraid to come out and face whatever consequences there might be. Relax. It’s most likely not as bad as you think if you act now.

IRS problems have a way of ruining all aspects of your life. They take a toll on you FINANCIALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. They’re there when you go to bed at night and they’re there when you wake up in the morning. The IRS is relentless and is the WORST CREDITOR you can have.

People with IRS Problems are always looking over their shoulders for the IRS. Once

How to solve IRS problems

you owe the IRS money, they become very aggressive in their collection attempts. They can: (a) take all the money you have in your bank account through a BANK LEVY (b) Serve your employer a WAGE GARNISHMENT order (c) Take your assets and sell them at an auction (d) File a federal tax lien against your home.

If you own a small business, PAYROLL TAXES are the worst. The IRS can close your business, sell your assets, and hold you PERSONALLY LIABLE for the unpaid taxes.

The IRS leaves no stone unturned in its never-ending quest to collect taxes. Imagine having the IRS attack your pension, Retirement or Social Security Check!

Taxpayers with IRS problems can never build up retirement funds or assets. When you have IRS problems, there is NO END IN SIGHT! You get up every day with this incredibly large problem on your shoulders. You wonder if today might be the the day when the IRS shows up at work, at home, or if they decide to take your money in the bank or your paycheck.

This is a HUGE BURDEN TO CARRY EVERY DAY?

SOLUTION: Are there ways out of IRS problems? Yes, there are. But you must make the decision to end them and no one else can decide that for

you. When you decide that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and you want the things that everyone else has and YOU’RE READY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, there are options available to you!

I can help you end the misery of debt problems, including IRS problems. I do all the talking with the IRS. I will handle all the meetings and correspondences with the IRS. I will keep the IRS away from you and your family so that you can go to work and carry on a normal life.

Your IRS problems will not go away by themselves. Let me help you understand your options in ending your IRS nightmare! If you owe $10,000 or more in IRS taxes, call my office at 866-477-7772 and schedule a free attorney consultation.

* * *

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.

* * *

None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 6,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

Happy New Year of the ‘Wabbit’ 2023!

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng

THIS Sunday, January 22 is, as most people know, Chinese New Year of the Rabbit for 2023. The New Year is also using the element of water; therefore, it’s the year of the water rabbit, which Elmer Fudd calls “Wabbit”. Elmer Fudd is a cartoon character, who’s mostly involved with “Bugs Bunny” and Fudd calls him the pesky “Wabbit.” In any event, we have a new year to look forward to.

It’s time to get rid of your accumulated debts this new year and start fresh or reorganize. Life is so much more enjoyable without handing over your paycheck to MasterCard and Visa, don’t you think so? And even Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief twice before his business became wildly successful, and Milton

Hershey also filed for Chapter 7 once before his chocolate empire became the biggest in the world. So make no mistake about it, there’s a right time to get rid of accumulated oppressive debt, and this year of the Wabbit is it.

Kidding aside, I would like for us to pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to ask for His infinite divine mercy for each one of us, and the whole world to have a good and peaceful year. Pray this 3 x “O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You! Then pray to our Eternal Father, that we offer to You the Body and Blood, soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

Follow this with “For the Sake of His sorrowful Passing, please have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

I would like to pray for the end of Ukraine war this year, with a victory for Ukraine. It’s no secret that Jesus is not happy with Russia having banned Him from its borders. And waging

an unjust war with a false basis is just wrong. I pray that Putin will see the error of his ways and just stop what he’s doing. I pray that Jesus will take care and protect the Ukranians and give them a righteous victory without plunging us into a world war that benefits no one except the devil himself.

Further, I would like to pray that we turn the corner and lay this COVID virus to rest and let it be just an endemic. I pray for the end of the pandemic.

* * * Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

* * *

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California.  Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

How important is it to have a living trust?

THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or unprepared.

If you pass away with at least $184,500 in gross assets and you do not have a living trust (even if you have a will), your beneficiaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross asset, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them. For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc. This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states.

Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner’s attorney gets paid a statutory rate for attorney’s fees commencing with 4% of the gross estate. The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well. There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate’s obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succession if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims. The probate court file would be public record.

On the other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while

you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the trust. This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind.

The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money. Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries’ identities would not become a public record. Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust.

If you are contemplating setting up a trust or have an existing trust that needs to be updated because your family circumstances have changed over the years, you should set an appointment with an experienced attorney that understands and can competently advise you in the law.

* * * Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.  The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.  This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.  The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you.  This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C.  This article is not a solicitation.

* * *

LAW

Donny, Belle lead...

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De Guzman and Navarro are joined by the new set of officers and board members, namely: Jimi Escala (Secretary), Mildred Bacud (Assistant Secretary), Boy Romero (Treasurer), Lourdes Fabian (Assistant Treasurer), Eric Borromeo (Auditor), Leony Garcia and Glen Sibonga (Public Relations Officers); with Joe Barrameda, Roldan Castro, Rodel Fernando, John Fontanilla, Rommel Placente, and Francis Simeon as board members.

Founded in the late 1960s, the PMPC is known as the pioneer group of entertainment press in Philippine showbusiness. It is currently composed of entertainment columnists and editors from various media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, radio showbiz talk shows, and online blog sites.

The organization behind the staging of the annual Star Awards for Movies, Music and  Television, the star-studded and much-awaited showbiz events in the country, the PMPC also holds various events such as medical missions for the entertainment press and acting workshops for newbie actors and actresses, among others.

The newly elected PMPC administration is set to embark on new meaningful projects and collaborations with other organizations. g

JANUARY 21-24, 2023 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 B6
The successful face-to-face election took place on January 13, 2023, at the PMPC headquarters in Quezon City.
Minding Your Finances
(Advertising
Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.
Supplement)
Atty. Kenneth ursuA reyes
Barrister’s Corner DonBelle as seen in Metro Magazine ABS-CBN photo
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