012823 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

Steven Raga sworn in as New York’s rst

Filipino American state assemblymember

FILIPINO American community leader

Steven Raga officially took his oath of office as State Assemblymember representing New York’s 30th Assembly District as administered by United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday, Jan. 15 in Queens.

Raga became the first-ever Filipino American to be elected to any public office in the state of New York and in the 245 years of the New York State Legislature. Before his inauguration on Sunday, the official State Assembly swearing-in at the New York State Capitol in Albany a week earlier.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the Queens Museum with over 300 community leaders, elected officials, and organizations attending, many of whom wore their respective traditional and cultural

Economic crash or soft landing ahead?

THE child tax credit and extended unemployment insurance program are long gone and experts don’t expect new familyfriendly legislation this year.

Recession or no recession?  That is the central question about the economy as we enter the new year.

“We really do not know whether there will be a recession in 2023 or not,” says

Economist George Fenton, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). He joined two other economists on an Ethnic Media Services briefing projecting economic trends in the year ahead.

Mark Zandi at Moody’s Analytics currently has it at 50–50 odds that the U.S. economy will slip into recession and a recent Bloomberg survey of 40 economists set higher odds of 70-30.

Economists can’t read the tea leaves clearly because job growth is expected to slow by the fourth quarter as is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But neither of those is actually declining now, says Fenton.

“The consensus is that if we have a

Duterte, Bato won’t cooperate with PH drug war probe

by PAOLO ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — There are “forces” behind the International Criminal Court (ICC) that want to get back at former president Rodrigo Duterte, which in the process can lead to illegal drugs flooding the country again, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said on Friday, January 27.

Dela Rosa, who is likely among those to be investigated, also made it clear he would never cooperate with such probe, counting on previous assertions of the Marcos administration that it

would not allow ICC investigators into the country.

Former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque said the former chief executive would definitely not allow a foreign court to try him for crime against humanity.

“Former president Duterte reiterates his position that he would never allow foreigners to sit in judgment of him as long as Philippine courts are willing and able to do so,” Roque said in a statement.

Roque said the former leader is ready to face charges from alleged victims of his administration’s illegal drug campaign only before local courts.

ICC resumes probe on PH’s drug war

by JOHN ERIC MENDOZA Inquirer.net

MANILA — The pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court has granted its prosecutor’s request to resume the investigation of the Philippines’ war on drugs during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“Following a careful analysis of the materials provided by the Philippines, the Chamber is not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the Court’s investigations on the basis of the complementarity principle,” the ICC said in a statement released Thursday, January 26.

In September 2021, the ICC prosecutor announced that it was opening a formal inquiry into the Duterte administration’s drugs war after several petitioners accused him and his subordinates, including his former police chief, Ronald dela Rosa, now a senator, of being responsible for the death of thousands of drug suspects. But it halted the proceedings in November 2021 at the Philippine government’s request.

Even President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the ICC need not conduct its investigation since Filipinos “have a functioning judiciary.”

But the ICC said the Philippine

PH foreign policy ‘prospers on partnerships’ – DFA chief

by BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines’ independent foreign policy “prospers on partnerships” that acknowledge the multifaceted interests that the country shares with its neighbors in the region and the world.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique

Manalo stressed this on Thursday, January 26 during the New Year reception of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations.

He said that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) appreciates the PCFR’s important role “in facilitating thoughtful conversation on foreign policy.”

Manalo noted that the Philippines pursues a foreign policy “seeking a regional and global environment

that propels our efforts to fulfill the highest potentials of our nation and each and every Filipino.”

He said that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “has enunciated clearly and consistently, the broad strokes of an independent foreign policy that navigates the critical challenges of the 21st century as it charts the course for a forward-looking, innovative and resilient Filipino nation.”

“His resounding message has been that the Philippines will continue to be a friend to all and enemy to none, as we advance our national aspirations,” Manalo said in a speech.

The DFA chief said that the Philippines is deeply committed to further strengthening the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Beyond the Asean region, the Philippines is “deepening and broadening” its bilateral relations with neighbors such as Japan, Australia, South Korea and India.

“We are advancing our ties with the European Union and its individual members, across political, economic and security areas,” he said.

“Our deep and comprehensive ties stand on shared values. We profess a shared interest in upholding the primacy of the rule of law in international relations,” Manalo stressed.

He said that Manila and Beijing have agreed that the South China Sea China issue “is not the sum  PAGE A5

“But the former chief executive would never subject himself under the legal jurisdiction of any foreign body because it is an insult to the competence and impartiality of our functioning criminal justice system,” he said.

“There are some forces pushing them (ICC) to pursue the investigation. Even the Filipino people, they are not rushing to conduct an investigation. In fact, Filipinos don’t want them (investigators) to come here,” Dela Rosa told reporters in Filipino.

When asked about the possible motive of such groups, he said: “To (take) revenge (on) president  PAGE A2

GoFundMe created for Fil-Am man killed in Monterey Park shooting

by AJPRESS

THE family of a Filipino American man killed during a Lunar New Year shooting in Monterey Park, California has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral costs.

Valentino Alvero, 68, was one of 11 individuals killed during the mass shooting at Star Ballroom Dance Studio on Saturday night, Jan. 21 as the Asian American community celebrated Lunar New Year festivities nearby.

“We want to honor his memory the way he would want, with a big funeral Mass and party,” the fundraiser page created by Alvero’s daughter Kristenne Reidy, reads.

Previously, his family confirmed in a statement that he was among the victims and remembered him as “a loving father, a dedicated son and brother, a grandfather who loved his three granddaughters fiercely, an uncle who loved his nieces and nephews

Ambassador Romualdez: US ‘ nds’ PH ‘refreshing’ under Bongbong Marcos

by DANIZA FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — The United States is seeing the Philippines as “refreshing” under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In an ANC Headstart interview on Thursday, January 26 Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez was asked how the U.S. is seeing the Philippines now that Marcos is at the helm.

“They find it refreshing, to say the least. They’ve obviously seen him when they came here to the Philippines, and they were very pleased to hear the things that

the president has articulated, especially with regard to our relationship [with] the United States,” answered Romualdez, a cousin of Marcos.

He also thought that the President has established to the U.S. that the Philippines wants good bilateral ties while having an independent foreign policy.

“So, I think that overall, President Marcos has communicated to the United States that we’re here, we are friends, and we want to have good relationships with you,” Romualdez said.

“But, at the same time, we have

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez Inquirer.net file photo

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo ManilaTimes.net file photo

Duterte, Bato won’t cooperate...

Duterte and the Duterte administration.”

He said leftist groups and all anti-Duterte forces really want the former leader prosecuted.

“Maybe they want illegal drugs to be back and the war on drugs that we did will be all for naught and these drug syndicates will be emboldened to come back,” he said.

Dela Rosa was chief implementer of Duterte’s war on drugs or “Oplan Tokhang” as then head of the Philippine National Police.

He said nothing might come out of the ICC move as the government has maintained that the former has no jurisdiction over the country.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III has urged the Marcos administration to cooperate to show the Philippines as a responsible member in the community of nations.

He warned that the country might sustain “reputational damage” if it snubs an ICC probe. He also said the global community might conclude that “we are not a responsible and cooperative treaty partner” if the government refuses to cooperate with the ICC. Pimentel said it would be premature to talk about arrest warrants.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who also belongs to the minority bloc, welcomed the ICC decision and expressed hope that President Marcos will adhere to international law and the Rome Statute as part of the Philippines’ commitment to the community of nations against state sponsored impunity.

‘Spirit of comity’

She said she previously welcomed the commitment of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to provide information to the ICC, “in the spirit of comity.”

“Now, I hope for the cooperation of all agencies involved so we may give justice and peace of mind to all the victims. The ICC is filling a long-standing vacuum in the investigation of the statesponsored tokhang,” Hontiveros said. She said the government itself cannot credibly investigate

murders allegedly committed by government agents as part of government policy.

“Justice requires that an impartial body investigate killings connected to the socalled war on drugs. Justice is not fully served when only the foot soldiers are behind bars,” she said.

The senator said the Marcos administration has actively engaged with the wider international community, in contrast to the previous administration, and so it should be necessary for the current administration to express the Philippines’ cooperation with the ICC investigation.

Roque said the resumption of the ICC probe is a “waste of time and resources.”

“The ICC should focus instead on the war crimes and crimes against humanity that are actually happening in places like Ukraine and some African countries,” he said.

He insisted the Duterte administration was able to investigate, prosecute and convict several police officers involved in extra-legal killings of drug suspects.

Rody the Bear

Unperturbed or possibly still unaware of the developments in the ICC, supporters of Duterte have launched a Facebook page to sell teddy bear plushies that they call Rody the Bear to raise funds for the construction of a House of Hope building in Tagum City.

House of Hope is a temporary

home for children undergoing treatment for cancer located at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

Duterte is said to be one of its major benefactors.

In a Facebook video post by a certain Jassy Egan, Duterte is seen carrying two Rody the Bear plushies, urging people to support the children.

“Wala akong ibang hihingiin sa kapwa ko tao, isa lang, suportahan natin ang mga bata (I have nothing else to ask of you but to support the children),” Duterte in his video message said. Each 15-inch Rody the Bear sells for P1,600.

“Proceeds will go to House of Hope, a house for children with cancer that PRRD supports, to kickstart the fundraising for the new building to be built in Tagum City, Davao del Norte to accommodate more children from different parts of the Philippines,” the post said.

“Supporting this initiative allows us to extend the legacy of our dear Tatay Digong and would help many more children afflicted with cancer get the help they need,” the post added.

The post promised to present the funds they would collect to Duterte on his birthday on March 28.

The presentation will also be timed with unveiling of the renovated House of Hope in SPMC.

On Egan’s Facebook information, she listed her group as a non-profit based in Bacolod City. 

GoFundMe created for Fil-Am man killed...

like his own.”

“He loved people and hearing about their lives, and in return he shared his own stories with so much gusto and enthusiasm that you couldn’t help but listen and laugh along with him,” the statement continued.

“He loved ballroom dancing, he loved his community, and was the life of any party."

Alvero was a hospitality worker who was planning to retire in his home country of the Philippines, according to his son Val Anthony Alvero’s interview with CNN. Alvero’s GoFundMe can be found at: www.gofundme.com/f/ valentino-marcos-alvero.

The identities of the remaining victims, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office are: My My Nhan, 65; Xiujuan Yu, 57; Lilian Li, 63; Ming Wei Ma, 72; Diana

Yu, 64.

GoFundMe has a centralized page with verified fundraisers for the victims and their families affected by the shooting.

In addition to the individual campaigns for the victims, a GoFundMe campaign named the “Monterey Park Lunar New Year Victims Fund” has been organized by community groups, spearheaded by legal and civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California. It seeks to provide financial support to families who have experienced loss as well as those who have been physically harmed by the shooting. The page has raised over $916,000 of its $1 million goal, as of Friday, Jan. 27. 

Ambassador Romualdez: US ‘ nds’ PH...

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our own policy which is in every way we can, be independent of any influence coming from any country. It’s more of what is best for our national interest,” he continued.

Reaping fruits of Duterte’s foreign policy Romualdez likewise expressed his belief that Marcos is reaping the fruits of former President

Rodrigo Duterte’s foreign policy.

“I think that what President Duterte’s foreign policy, whatever style that he used in communicating to major countries like China and the United States, that is now the fruit that is actually being harvested by President Marcos,” the ambassador said.

“What happened during the time of Duterte was that he just made it clear to the United States

that we are a sovereign country and you cannot take us for granted. I think that the United States has accepted that,” he added. Marcos, said Romualdez, is “now being able to articulate even better” that the Philippines and U.S. should not take each other for granted.

Last year, Marcos said he cannot see the Philippines’ future without the U.S. as an ally. 

Tom, 70; Chia Yau,

77; Yu Kao, 72; Hongying Jian, 62; Muoi Ung, 68; Wen

Valentino Alvero

Former president Rodrigo Duterte with Senator Bato dela Rosa PNA file photo

California’s resolve questioned after it grants Medi-Cal contract concessions

by Bernard J. Wolfson and samantha Young Kaiser Health News

CALIFORNIA’S decision last month to cancel the results of a long-planned bidding competition among commercial health plans in its Medicaid program has some industry insiders and consumer advocates wondering whether the state can stand up to insurers and force improvements in care for millions of low-income beneficiaries.

In a backroom agreement announced in the final days of 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, facing lawsuits, granted concessions that allowed major insurers to claw back business they would have lost had health officials stuck with the state’s initial contract awards for managed-care plans. Oakland-based Blue Shield of California and St. Louis-based Centene Corp. — which owns Health Net, the largest commercial health plan in Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid — were among those that had aggressively challenged the initial results.

“They had this long process, and then they just sort of struck deals,” said Maya Altman, who retired a year ago after nearly 17 years as CEO of the Health Plan of San Mateo, which did not participate in the bidding. “It’s kind of weird. Not transparent — very much behind closed doors.”

It was a remarkable change of course that came four months after the state had announced its initial contract awards. The Department of Health Care Services, which oversees MediCal, had spent years preparing for the bidding competition and touted it as an important means of addressing substandard care.

Eight commercial Medi-Cal plans, covering around 30% of the program’s 13 million managedcare enrollees, were required to submit bids for contracts worth about $70 billion over five years.

Noncommercial, locally governed Medi-Cal plans that cover the other 70% of managedcare enrollees did not have to submit bids, but they will be required to sign the same new contract as the commercial plans, scheduled to take effect next year. State officials said their new decision avoids uncertainty after the losing health plans — Health

Net, Blue Shield of California, Community Health Group, and Aetna — threatened drawn-out legal action. It also dramatically reduces the number of Medi-Cal enrollees who will have to switch plans — from an estimated 2.3 million to about 1.2 million. And state officials said it strengthens their ability to enhance MediCal through the new contracts, which will contain requirements for higher-quality care, greater transparency, and more equitable access.

Other states have faced legal disruption after they put their Medicaid contracts up for bid. In Louisiana, for example, Centene and Aetna in 2019 protested the results of a rebidding process, which led that state to nullify its awards and start over. The new results were announced nearly two years later, with Centene and Aetna among the winners.

“When you create disputes, and lawsuits, they always put some uncertainty into things,”

Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, told KHN. “We feel that we ended up in a place where we achieved certainty. We have a set of [health] plans who are committed to this.”

Consumer advocates had worried that lingering uncertainty would hinder the rollout of a farreaching nearly $12 billion, fiveyear Medi-Cal initiative to provide nonmedical social services that address socioeconomic factors such as homelessness and food insecurity, widely viewed as key health indicators.

Still, the state’s decision to throw out the bidding results has many patient advocates and some health plan executives questioning the value of future contract competitions and even whether health officials will effectively enforce the higher standards in the new contract.

“It would be extremely disappointing if poor-performing plans were able to litigate their way into participating in MediCal,” said Abbi Coursolle, a senior attorney in the Los Angeles office of the National Health Law Program.

Tony Cava, a spokesperson for the Department of Health Care Services, said the bids submitted were still “incredibly valuable,” because they showed how the health plans intend to improve

care. He said commitments made in the bids will be incorporated into the new contracts. Cava also said the department, which had not previously held a statewide bidding competition, now intends to hold one every five years.

Patient advocates and industry insiders gave the state credit for fining health plans that fell short of quality and access standards in a report issued late last year. But they also noted that several of the health plans that will continue to operate in Medi-Cal — including Molina Healthcare and Health Net — were among the lowest performers.

When the state announced its initial awards in August, Blue Shield was shut out, despite its large health care footprint statewide and its long-standing efforts to curry favor with the state’s political class. The state also said initially that it would take Los Angeles County, a huge Medi-Cal contract, away from Health Net.

Between 2018 and 2022, Blue Shield spent at least $31 million on lobbying, political donations, and other contributions, including $20 million to a state homelessness fund Newsom set up, according to a KHN analysis of filings with the secretary of state and the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Health Net parent Centene spent at least $5 million over that period, mostly on lobbying and political donations.

Under the new arrangement, Blue Shield will keep its San Diego County Medi-Cal business after initially losing it in the contract competition, though it will not get a contract in any of the other 12 counties where it bid. Its roughly 129,000 San Diego enrollees will not have to switch plans, but over 100,000 other Medi-Cal members in San Diego will still have to switch, as Health Net and Aetna exit.

In Los Angeles County, Health Net will retain its primary MediCal contract, but will have to split its 1.1 million members 50-50 with Molina under a subcontract.

Molina already subcontracts with Health Net in the county, but currently has only 80,000 enrollees under that arrangement.

Some observers questioned how the split can be maintained. Cava said half of new Medi-Cal enrollees in L.A. County don’t u PAGE A5

ICC resumes probe on PH’s drug...

government’s efforts to probe the drug war “do not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps” that sufficiently mirror the ICC investigation.

“After having examined the submissions and materials of  the Philippines Government, and of the  ICC Prosecutor, as well as the  victims’ observations,

the Chamber concluded that the various domestic initiatives and proceedings, assessed collectively, do not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps in a way that would sufficiently mirror the Court’s investigation,” the ICC further said.

“This conclusion does not preclude the Philippines from providing material in

the future in order for the Prosecution, or the Chamber, to determine inadmissibility of the investigation or of any actual case, if and when needed,” the chamber added.

In 2018, critics of the government’s drug war, along with relatives of suspects killed in police operations, filed a complaint against Duterte before ICC for crimes against humanity.

Duterte said he was ready to face the ICC case lodged against him.

Official estimates from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency pegged the drug war deaths at 6,262 people as of May 31 or during Duterte’s time.

Also, the Philippine National Police said 61 people were killed in anti-narcotics operations since 2022 when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office.

This was despite the new anti-illegal drugs campaign of the Marcos administration that focuses on demand reduction and drug user rehabilitation instead of the killing of drug users, according to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos. 

Steven Raga sworn in as New York’s rst...

attires in celebration of the historic moment and diversity of the Borough of Queens and Assembly District 30, which includes the neighborhoods of Woodside, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Maspeth, and Middle Village.

The speakers at the inauguration were among the who’s who in New York politics, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Speaker of the New York State Assembly Carl Heastie, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Deputy Majority Leader State Senator Michael Gianaris, State Senator John Liu, Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, and long-time friend and Filipino American community leader, Rachelle Ocampo.

Notable attendees included Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and several colleagues in the New York State Assembly including Assemblymember Ron Kim, Assemblymember Juan Ardila, Assemblymember Jennifer Rajkumar, Assemblymember Alex Bores, Assemblymember Jessica Gonzales-Rojas, and City Councilmember Julie Won.  Filipino American community leaders led by Loida Nicolas Lewis, Laura Garcia, Dely Po Go, Juliet Payabyab, Caesar and Dulce Barangan, among others also came in full force to support Raga.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke and administered the Ceremonial Oath of Office.

“I know Assemblymember Steven Raga will continue in the fine tradition of Filipino Americans in public service in our nation, as he broke the glass ceiling becoming the first-ever Filipino American to be elected in New York State, and it’s not surprising why voters of all backgrounds chose Steven to become their next Assemblymember,” Sen. Schumer said.

After being administered the Oath of Office, Assemblymember Raga delivered a speech reflecting upon his recent journey to the office, as well as his early upbringing growing up in an immigrant singlemother household, and thanked

supporters and friends.

“Today, I am humbled by the outpour of support, filled with gratitude for the duty that you have entrusted upon me, and excited about the possibilities for collaboration, and working together towards a better Assembly District 30, and New York State,” said Assemblymember Raga.

“This is a historic day,” said State Senator John Liu. “The Filipino American community has done so much for New York, our city, our state, and indeed our nation. The community continues to grow by leaps, by bounds, and I am honored and look forward to serving our respective communities, and representing the Asian American

community in the chambers of Albany, alongside the first-ever Filipino American to be elected in New York State.”  “I’m proud to have encouraged Steven to seek this position and serve our borough in elective office,” Congresswoman Grace Meng shared. “I congratulate him for this historic feat for the Asian American community and for Queens. I am more than confident that Assemblymember Raga will deliver, advocate, and fight for his constituents in the 30th Assembly District and I look forward to working with him to deliver support for the families of Queens, and our shared constituencies.”  Cultural performances from performers within the district followed, including the reciting of the poem  Maspeth Marches On by renowned poet and Maspeth native, Vincent Tomeo, the Sinulog by Filipino American dance group, CEBU Inc. Tribu Cebuano,  Ecuadorian Traditions and Customs by local Ecuadorian dance group, Yachak Kallary directed by Javier Chanla, and the closing performance,  Bayan Ko, performed by Miguel Braganza II and Krizia Daya. Anna Lucente Sterling, Filipino American reporter and video journalist based in New York City was the event’s master of ceremonies. (Momar G Visaya/ AJPress)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer administers the oath of office of New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga, joined onstage by Filipino American community leaders led by Loida Nicolas Lewis.

Photos by Jonathan Rampagoa

Assemblymember Steven Raga, the first Filipino American elected in New York State, poses with Filipino American community leaders and supporters who came in full force at his inauguration ceremony.

Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Carl Heastie, pins the Official New York State Assembly Pin on Assemblymember Steven Raga after taking the Oath of Office, and speaking.

In this October 2019 photo, relatives of victims of so-called extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs light candles to call for justice for their slain loved ones. Inquirer.net file photo

Assemblymember Steven Raga sitting alongside U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Assemblymember Steven Raga alongside members of the Nepali American Community.

PH foreign policy ‘prospers on partnerships...

PAGE A1

total of our relationship.”

The economic and people-topeople ties between the Philippines and China also play a critical role in the pursuit of economic development and a peaceful and stable region, he added.

“We share the United States vision of a free and open IndoPacific and we believe in its potential to further empower the peoples and communities in the region,” Manalo said.

These relationships, he continued, are energized by mutual interests in upholding democracy

and freedom, rule of law, peace and stability and human rights.

“We are building on existing relationships, forging new areas for cooperation and increasing dialogue with neighbors in South Asia and the Pacific, as well as in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, in bilateral, regional and international fora,” he said.

The country also aims for a more fair, responsive, and constructive multilateralism, he said. “Multilateralism serves as an important space for the Philippines

Economic crash or soft landing...

PAGE A1

recession that it will be short and shallow. But it could be short and deep, it could be long and shallow. We’re really not sure what’s going to happen,” he says.

The debt ceiling

“I think the next year is going to be incredibly challenging,” says Dr. Wendy Edelberg, former chief economist at the Congressional Budget Office who now directs the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution. Her pessimistic outlook comes at a time when Washington is embroiled in a “down to the wire” fight on the debt ceiling.

as a foremost vanguard of the rights of migrants in all corners of the world.”

“The world is changing and it behooves us to move along with these waves of change,” Manalo pointed out.

The administration’s transformative agenda lays the groundwork for a resilient Philippine economy, innovative solutions to uplift the dignity and welfare of every Filipino, especially the marginalized and disadvantaged, as well as an agile and active diplomacy, he said.

California’s resolve questioned after it...

choose a plan and are assigned to one instead, according to the most recent data. These assignments will be used to help balance enrollment between Health Net and Molina, he said.

The state and the five participating health plans issued an unusual joint statement, and the plans put a positive spin on it. Centene said the state’s revised decision “is in the best interest of millions of members.”

A Blue Shield executive said it was “honored to continue serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries in San Diego County.”

In an investor call this month, Molina’s CEO, Joseph Zubretsky, noted that his company’s Medi-Cal membership will double with the new agreement, though it would have tripled under the state’s initial decision. He summarized the situation for Molina as “taking three steps forward, taking one

step back, and ending up being two steps ahead.”

Consumer advocates, patients, and medical professionals expressed relief that the new agreement allows Community Health Group, the largest MediCal health plan in San Diego County, to keep operating there. Had the initial results held, it would have lost its contract, and its 335,000 members would have had to choose new plans.

Christine Xayalinh, a member of Community Health Group in Escondido, said the plan afforded her treatment for Type 2 diabetes and referred her to University of California-San Diego for a successful gastric bypass.

“I know some people do have concerns about their health insurance,” Xayalinh, 29, said, “but for me, it’s been a lifesaver.”

With the contract awards decided, the state’s hope of improving Medi-Cal will hinge

on its ability to enforce the new contracts.

“The focus now needs to be on making sure that works,” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, executive director of the California PanEthnic Health Network. “This is a very vulnerable population of Californians who are not getting what they need.”

This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

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.

If the U.S. defaults on its debt payments it would likely trigger a worldwide recession. There are warning signs already. Stocks tumbled last week, and the DOW was down 275 points, giving up its gain for the year.

“I’m nothing but worried,” Edelberg said.

“I unfortunately have a similarly depressing assessment,” said Dr. Rakeen Mabud, Chief Economist and Managing Director of Policy and Research at the Groundwork Collaborative, a left-leaning activist group. She said there are two major threats on the horizon.

“The first is that Jerome Powell pushes us into a recession. I think we are well on our way. The medicine has not yet hit the system and we are likely to see some real economic contraction, some unemployment ramping up because that’s what he’s trying to do.

“The second threat this year is a return to government cutbacks and austerity that Republicans have already signaled is a top priority. The House GOP kicked off their 118th Congress by voting to help the super wealthy dodge their taxes,” Mabud said.

At the moment, the Republicans are a house divided between the McConnell faction and the Marjorie Taylor Greens and they have not been able to make good on their threats to defund public television or cutback on Social Security benefits.

Corporate welfare

Mabud noted that the Fed has increased interest rates seven times over the last year and will likely do it again at the next Open Markets Committee

meeting at the end of January. But she said higher prices and rising unemployment are not the best strategy to curb inflation because it will throw millions of people out of work, slow down wage growth, and cause immense financial and economic pain.

We’re stuck in a system where very rich corporations hold power and are able to shape the economy so it benefits them, she said.

“We saw rampant profiteering during the pandemic. We’re still seeing that, right? Anyone who has gone to buy a dozen eggs in the grocery store, you have noticed that egg prices are up,” Mabud said. “It’s not because it costs more to produce eggs or they are scarce at Kroger…

These are producers who are raising prices beyond what their production costs would justify.”

What’s the fix? Mabud argues that Congress should pass a federal price gouging law and the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice should go after the profiteers.

Compared to other recessions, the economic downturn from COVID was not that bad. “It was shallow precisely because policymakers stepped in to take action for people. Not for banks, not for big companies, but for people,” she said.

Child poverty

The American Rescue Plan funds are not gone but largely spent and the Child Tax Credit ended in 2022. In two years it lifted 2.9 million children out of poverty. Edelburg wants to see the child tax credit expanded so child poverty “doesn’t shoot right back up.”

There are some prospects for curbing corporate profiteering.

President Biden wants to put an excess profits tax on oil and gas companies and it could be applied more broadly. Congress could ban stock buybacks as a way to avoid paying taxes.

The Inflation Reduction Act passed last year includes a 15% minimum corporate tax that stops the common practice of reporting large profits to shareholders but none in taxable income to the IRS.

The Trump administration cut the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% in 2017 and it will last until 2025. Fenton points out that raising it from 21% to

28% would generate a trillion dollars in tax revenue in the next ten years.

Democrats have some leverage here and they could do some horse-trading with the Republicans. A tax break for corporate research and development expired last year and the business lobby desperately wants that deduction put back in place.

“Lawmakers who want to see expanded benefits for families and children could leverage that to force the hand of lawmakers,” Fenton said.

Edelberg agrees. “Solving the corporate tax system is not going to necessarily solve the problems that we’re facing in our economy today. It’s not going to solve the urgent issues at hand.  It’s going to put us on a much better path over the longer term.” (Peter White/ Ethnic Media Services)

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) INVITATION FOR BID

LACMTA will receive Bids/ Proposals for MA951752 - IP CLUSTER ASM at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. A Pre-Bid conference will not be held. All Bids must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, March 3, 2023, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read. Bids received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each Bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. MA95175-2.

For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Andrew Coppolo at coppoloa@metro.net.

1/28/23

CNS-3663903#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

SURFING HAVEN. Foreign and local tourists enjoy swimming and surfing in San Juan, La Union on Friday, Jan. 27. San Juan is considered the Surfing Capital of the North and is known for its consistent intermediate-quality surf and two surfing seasons from July to October and November to March. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Investors’ concerns

TWO laws have been passed to promote the speedy and efficient delivery of services to the public: Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, and RA 11032, the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. Rodrigo Duterte, from Day One of his presidency, harped on the need to speedily complete transactions with the government.

As in most laws in this country, however, the devil is in the implementation of those two laws. President Marcos, back from his latest trip to sell the country overseas as a business and travel destination, said the top concerns raised by foreign investors have been ease of doing business, high power costs and unreliable legislative guarantees particularly for public-private partnerships.

Editorial

In an interview with television news anchors last Monday, January 23, the President, responding to a question, said he would promote transparency in government, although he noted that this issue has not been among the concerns raised by foreign investors eyeing the Philippines. Instead the investors – including those he encountered at the just concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland – raised concerns that have been around for a long time.

International surveys have shown the Philippines consistently trailing the major economies in Southeast Asia in terms of ease of doing business. Philippine power costs are also the highest in the region, competing with rates

Sentinel

THE astronomical price of onions in the market is caused by a confluence of smuggling and overpricing by middlemen.

Middlemen buy low from local farmers and then sell high to shops, markets and groceries.

Onion smugglers, on the other hand, are protected by the brother of an influential person and a former congressman from a province in Central Luzon.

Hay, Pilipinas kong mahal!

Kelan kaya tayo magbabago (Sigh, my beloved Philippines! When will we change)?

Our leaders are either corrupt to the core or incompetent whose subordinates and relatives run circles around them.

The following is a jocular story (author anonymous) about the Philippines that I picked up from the internet:

Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of Heaven, God was nowhere to be found for six days.

Eventually, the Archangel

SIX months on, President Marcos continues to name new members of his team, filling the void in existing positions or creating new positions altogether.

And he seems to have a penchant for tycoons’ men or  executives of some of the country’s most prominent businessmen, if not the businessmen themselves.

Indeed, some of those appointed are from the different sprawling conglomerates, namely from the groups of the Aboitiz, Razon, Gokongwei, Tan and very early on,  San Miguel Corp.

Frederick Go

The latest appointment is Frederick Go, Robinsons Land president and CEO who is now presidential adviser on investment and economic affairs.

This appointment isn’t surprising because Go, although a nephew of the late tycoon John Gokongwei, is quite well known in the private sector for his business acumen. For instance, he grew RLC from only five assets when he took over in 1992

in Japan. This is one of the major disincentives to manufacturing in the Philippines. The whimsies of politics, meanwhile, make legislative guarantees unreliable.

There are other entrenched problems that have dampened investments in the Philippines. These include the weakness of the regulatory environment and the rule of law, chronic rentseeking as well as what respondents in business surveys have described as an inefficient and corrupt judiciary.

With local government units getting a larger share of national revenues, more services have also been devolved to them. LGUs and barangay offices, however, are notorious for piling on layers of red tape and making everything harder for those trying to do business in this country. Every layer of red tape is an opportunity to collect “facilitation fees” or grease money. Even the current spike in the prices of eggs, which President Marcos deems to be unreasonable, may be traced partly to additional fees and requirements reportedly imposed by LGUs and barangays on poultry producers.

Michael found Him on the seventh day, resting. The king of all angels asked God, “Where have you been?”

With a deep sigh of satisfaction, God proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, “Look, Michael. Look what I’ve made!”

Puzzled, Michael said, “What is it, my Lord?”

“It’s a planet,” replied God, “and I’ve put life on it. I will call it Earth. It will be a great place of balance.”

“Balance?” inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to various parts of the planet. “For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth but cold and harsh.

Southern Europe is going to be poor but sunny and pleasant.”

“I have made some lands abundant in water and other lands parched deserts.”

“This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice.”

Michael, impressed by God’s work, then pointed to a group of islands and said, “What are those?”

“Ah,” said God, “That’s the

to a P223-billion company with 53 shopping malls and over 100 developments.

He holds key roles in the sprawling business empire of the Gokongwei Group and has vast experience both in international and local business environments, such as being chairman of  Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. or LIPAD, the company managing the Clark International Airport in Pampanga and the Gokongwei Group’s businesses in China.

Investments Go will be tasked to help bring big-ticket investments – foreign and local – into the country, from water, infrastructure, power, etc.

It’s a task that also falls on the shoulders of our economic managers but perhaps Go, 53 or much younger than Marcos’ socalled Old Boys Club economic team, brings in a breath of fresh air and hopefully much needed new ideas on how to bring in more investments to the country.

Rafael Consing Rafael Consing is ports tycoon Enrique Razon’s long time CFO and, in the words of Razon himself, “has made a very significant contribution to the success of the business,” referring to his International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Philippines, the most glorious place on Earth. There are beautiful beaches, rivers, mountains and forests. The people from the Philippines will be handsome, modest, intelligent and with a terrific sense of humor. They will travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high-achieving and known as messengers of peace and love.”

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration. However, he then asked, “What about balance, God? You said there would be balance.”

God replied wisely, “Wait until you see the idiots they will put in government.”

*       *       *

Are we Filipinos suffering from such a massive load of karma that we elect leaders who rob us blind or run our country to the ground?

One can say it’s the fault of the electorate. But the electorate is either ignorant or easily tempted by bribes.

It’s a chicken-and-egg syndrome: we elect leaders who buy votes for a measly sum, then these officials steal from us because they need to recoup the money used to bribe us.

Razon  said, “We have accepted his retirement with regret.”

Consing, who will  be helping the office which will be led by Go, is a six-time Corporate Governance Asia Awardee for Best CFO (Investor Relations) for Asia – from 2016 to 2021. In 2019, he was also recognized as the Best CFO for Southeast Asia, and 2017 and 2019 Best CFO in the Philippines by Alpha Southeast.

The Aboitizes Of all the conglomerates though, it is the Aboitiz Group which has the most number of appointees in the Marcos administration.

There’s Energy Regulatory Commission chair Monalisa Dimalanta, former chief legal counsel and compliance officer of Aboitiz Power Corp., the Aboitiz Group’s listed power arm. And then there’s Dennis de la Serna, president and CEO of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), the company tasked to privatize state-owned power assets.

De la Serna was also with – you guessed it right – AboitizPower as its first vice-president for regulatory affairs.

Energy Secretary Raphael

The President has said he would push for digitalization in all government offices to cut red tape and human discretion in transactions with the public. Previous administrations have

implemented similar measures over the past decades. E-governance and other measures to improve the investment climate need a more aggressive push. (Philstar.com)

But can we blame the masses, who comprise the majority of the electorate, for accepting money? They’re hungry, and hungry stomachs will ignore principles.

The masses elect leaders based on popularity and not on principles. This is why the masses vote for popular but moronic personalities.

The intelligent voters are enormously outnumbered by the ignorant masses. *       *       *

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was elected 36 years after Ferdinand Sr. was deposed. He certainly won’t steal, as he is trying to salvage his family’s name.

However, this columnist has heard whispers that BBM is clueless about what his subordinates and those close to him are doing.

He has gotten rid of an official who allegedly sold key positions for millions of pesos each. But some of those close to him are doing the same thing, according to reports from objective sources, and those with an axe to grind.

As to the latter sources, there’s a saying: where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Lotilla didn’t really hold executive positions in the Aboitiz empire but is identified as an ex-Aboitiz man nonetheless because he served as independent director of AboitizPower. The three energy officials are all highly qualified but unfortunately for them, there’s a lot of mistrust among other power players because of their ties with AboitizPower.

Tycoon Sabin Aboitiz himself has been appointed as convenor of the Private Sector Advisory Council.

The  council  is composed of business leaders across five main sectoral groups.

Designated  sector leads include agribusiness company La Filipina Uy Gongco Group of Companies Aileen UygongcoOngkauko for Agriculture; RFM Corp.’s Joey Concepcion for Jabs to Jobs; Union Bank’s Henry Aguda for Digital Infrastructure and Ayala Corp.’s Paolo Borromeo for Health care.

Manuel Bonoan

Manuel Bonoan, former president and CEO of San Miguel’s SMC Tollways, is among the first appointees of Marcos. He was handpicked by Marcos as Secretary of Public Works and Highways mainly because they know each other from way back.

I was told, for example, that a lucrative position at the Bureau of Customs – such as being a collector – could be had for P50 million.

Whew! Do we expect people that coughed up that amount to be honest and clean?

Now that BBM has been told, it would be wise for him to investigate. *       *       *

I have some unsolicited advice for the President: Why does he not make his elder sister Imee take part in his system of governance?

The President should consult Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios R. Marcos on critical issues from time to time. She doesn’t have to give up her position in the Senate.

Senator Imee has her ear on the ground. She knows what’s happening in and out of government. Imee means well. We can’t take away from her the desire to replace her father’s infamy with honor and respect through her brother’s good governance.

And then, this is my unsolicited suggestion to First Lady Liza: Spend time in charity work.

People will love her and the

men

Bonoan is a native of Solsona, Ilocos Norte.

During his hearing at the Commission on Appointments last November, presidential sister and Senator Imee Marcos said of Bonoan: “Ilocanos dare to build while others only dream. He is a proud product of that legacy.

Agbiag ni Apo secretary Manuel Bonoan (Long live Apo Manuel Bonoan).”

Jaime Bautista

Another executive from the private sector is Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista who was with the Tan Group for the longest time as former president of Philippine Airlines, among other positions.

However, Secretary Bautista has long been retired from the conglomerate prior to his appointment, unlike  another ex-Tan executive Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso, who was president of Philippine National Bank at the time of his appointment as chief of Government Service Insurance System.

Like father, like son

There’s really nothing new or illegal in appointing people from the private sector. Other presidents have done it – from Marcos Sr. to the Aquinos. Marcos Jr. is perhaps just

President if, for example, she gets involved in feeding the hungry and caring for sick children in cancer wards.

Other charitable ventures Ma’am Liza could do for her husband are innumerable. The list is endless.

Many first ladies of the United States espoused their own causes.

Jill Biden supports military families. Michelle Obama supported the reduction of childhood obesity and education for girls. Laura Bush supported childhood literacy.

Hillary Clinton espoused health care in the U.S. Barbara Bush supported childhood literacy; the cause was also taken up by her daughter-in-law Laura.

Before her husband became President, Ma’am Liza’s law firm defended persons wrongly accused in court. My defunct Isumbong mo kay Tulfo program referred them to her. I hope she continues to do it. (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.

taking a page out of his father’s playbook who tapped private sector executives into key positions in government.

In fact, Marcos Sr.’s men are said to be among the best and the brightest in government and some of them came from the private sector – Cesar Virata, David Consunji, Roberto Ongpin, etc. We all know that executives from the private sector are professional, well educated and highly skilled.

But with what happened to Marcos Sr.’s administration –where crony capitalism became a buzzword as his businessmen friends enriched themselves – Marcos Jr.’s private sector appointees will be closely watched.

Will they work, go after their ex-boss’ competitors, become clout chasers or, to the best of their ability, serve our country well? Let’s wait and see. (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

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

RAMON TULFO

Remains of slain OFW Jullebee Ranara now in PH

by DANIZA FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — The remains of Jullebee Ranara, the slain overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait, arrived in the country on Friday, January 27.

Flight EK 334, carrying Ranara’s remains, landed at PAIR PAGS Cargo in Pasay City at 9:40 p.m., according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

The remains of Ranara will be autopsied anew, which will be conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation, DMW Secretary Susan Ople said.

Citing an autopsy report conducted in Gulf state, Kuwaiti media said that Ranara was raped and impregnated.

Ranara, a 35-year-old household service worker, was

The Department of Migrant Workers Sec. Susan “Toots” Ople condoles the relative of the overseas Filipino worker who died in Kuwait. Photo from DMW murdered by the 17-year-old son of her employer. Her  body was burned and abandoned  in a desert in the

host country. According to Ople, the wake of Ranara will start on Sunday, January 29. 

Filipinos’ quality of life unchanged – SWS US defense chief Lloyd Austin to visit PH

by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

MANILA — A national Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found 39 percent of adult Filipinos saying their quality of life was the same or unchanged compared to a year ago.

In the survey conducted from Dec. 10 to14, 2022, 34 percent of adult Filipinos said their quality of life was better than 12 months before, while 26 percent said it got worse. The exact phrasing of the survey questions was:

“Comparing your quality of

life these days to how it was 12 months ago, would you say that your quality of life is better now than before, same as before or worse now than before?”

The Fourth Quarter 2022 Social Weather survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Face-toface is the standard interviewing method for SWS. The only exceptions were early in the pandemic when movement restrictions made face-to-face impossible and

PH growth exceeds target

THE Philippines' economic growth beat expectations last year, fueled by strong consumer spending despite rising prices, officials said Thursday, Jan. 26.

Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 7.6 percent in 2022, faster than the pandemicblighted 5.7 percent output in 2021, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a briefing.

The reading topped the government's target of 6.5-7.5 percent growth.

"There was so much pent-up demand... and that significantly improved economic activities," Balisacan said in a briefing.

"We are confident that we will remain in our high growth trajectory," he added.

Growth in the last three months of the year also beat expectations, expanding 7.2 percent against a 6.6 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

"The improvements in labor market conditions, increased tourism, revenge and holiday spending, and resumption of faceto-face classes supported growth in the quarter," Balisacan said.

Agricultural production, however, grew just half a percent last year, barely contributing to the overall output.

Consumer spending weathered rising inflation as pent-up demand to spend in restaurants and entertainment as well as more jobs fueled domestic demand, Balisacan said.

"Clearly, if not for the high inflation and elevated prices during this period, growth could have been higher," he said.

Inflation hit 8.1 percent in December, the fastest in 14 years, prompting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to aggressively raise interest rates. Inflation stood at 5.8 percent for the full year, above the bank's target.

Balisacan said keeping commodity prices in check and ensuring food security are at the top of the government's priorities "as global and domestic headwinds persist."

Officials are aiming for growth of 6-7 percent this year amid fears of a global economic slowdown.

The growth "remains robust as the government continues to intensify its efforts to restore the economy to its high-growth trajectory, creating more and better-quality jobs and speeding up poverty reduction," Balisacan said.

Contractions in the agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors— expected following a devastating storm in November — slowed GDP during the quarter from JulySeptember's 7.6 percent.

"Among the major emerging economies in the region that have released their Q4 2022 real GDP growth, the Philippines grew the fastest, followed by Vietnam at 5.9 percent and China at 2.9 percent," Balisacan said.

"Our robust performance in the fourth quarter reflected strong domestic demand, with threefourths contributed by household consumption and almost a fifth by investment," he said.

Industry and services powered fourth quarter growth with expansions of 4.8 percent and

mobile phone interviews were conducted. Normal face-to-face field operations resumed in November 2020.

The area estimates were weighted by the Philippine Statistics Authority mediumpopulation projections for 2022 to obtain the national estimates.

SWS said the survey items reported were noncommissioned. They were included in SWS’s initiative and released as a public service. 

9.8 percent, respectively, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported.

"The growth in domestic demand was met by expansion in the services and industry sectors, with production in most subsectors back to their pre-pandemic levels," Balisacan said.

Services growth was mainly driven by wholesale and retail trade, while the expansion of manufacturing and construction subsectors supported industry growth, he said.

Fourth-quarter growth was driven mainly by the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (up 8.7 percent), financial and insurance (up 9.8 percent) and manufacturing (up 4.2 percent) industries, National statistician Dennis Mama said.

The biggest contributors to full-year gains were motor vehicles and motorcycles repair 8.7 percent, manufacturing with 5.0 percent and construction with 12.7 percent.

Gross national income grew by 9.3 percent in October-November and by 9.9 percent for the full year.

Net primary income from the rest of the world expanded by 57.5 percent for the quarter and by 76.4 percent in 2022.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) attributed the robust economic performance in 2022 to the resumption of faceto-face classes, the resurgence of local tourism, and increased activities of small and large enterprises, which brought the unemployment rate down to its lowest since 2005 at 4.2 percent.

"The report validates our country's economic strategies, and it rightfully shows that this government... is on track with our Agenda for Prosperity. This likewise augurs well for the Philippines in 2023 where international financial institutions as well as the private sector forecast the local economy to remain one of the fastest-growing among the economies in the region," DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a statement on Thursday.

"As long as we continue to follow our economic blueprint, we are optimistic that we will achieve single digit poverty levels and upper middle-income status according to plan," Pangandaman said.

Balisacan said the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 will ensure inclusive growth that creates "more and better, green, or resilient jobs" for Filipinos.

"Inclusive growth across the archipelago will be our vehicle for reducing poverty incidence from 18.0 percent of the population in 2021 to a single-digit level by 2028."

Specifically, Balisacan noted that the National Economic and Development Authority will continue to support consumers and affected sectors through the extension of reduced tariffs on various products, facilitation of an accessible food supply chain, reduction of transport and logistics costs, and other measures to cushion the impacts of inflation on the purchasing power of households. (Eireene Jairee Gomez /ManilaTimes.net)

MANILA — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III will visit the Philippines “to advance regional stability and further strengthen the defense partnerships with the United States.”

The U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement that Austin will depart January 29 for a trip to South Korea and the Philippines, where he will meet senior government and military

leaders in both countries.

“This trip reaffirms the deep commitment of the United States to work in concert with allies and partners in support of the shared vision of preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the US defense department said.

Austin’s trip to the Philippines comes after several highlevel engagements between Washington and Manila, including between U.S.

President Joe Biden and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The U.S. defense chief’s visit to the Philippines also comes just two months after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris took a trip to the country where she sought to show Washington’s commitment to Manila, especially amid China’s incursions into the West Philippine Sea. (Xave Gregorio/ Philstar.com)

INSPECTION. A personnel of the Highway Patrol Group verifies the registration document and rider’s license of a fellow cop inside the Manila Police District compound along United Nations Avenue in Ermita, Manila on Friday, Jan. 27. Data showed the HPG impounded 13,442 motorcycles for various violations from July to November last year.

Asian Journal WKND

GUIDE COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

By Kristofer

HOST-ACTRESS Kris Aquino shared glimpses of her health journey during the past year in a message commemorating what would have been the 90th birthday of her mother, the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

Kris uploaded on her Instagram a lengthy Reel 10 minutes long that started out with images of Cory through the years, followed by those of Kris with her sisters Ballsy, Pinky, Viel, and her brother the late President Noynoy Aquino.

The music accompaniment of the entire Reel was a medley of  “Scars in Heaven” by Counting Crows, “Bright Side Of Broken” by MercyMe, and “What Are Words” by Chris Medina.

The Reel then showed a quote that read “Sometimes, the person you need to talk to the

The action-packed superhero series “Mars Ravelo’s Darna” just got more explosive with the addition of Super Soldiers, a gang of villains who banded together to beat the iconic superhero Darna (played by Jane De Leon).

Under the command of General Borgo (Richard Quan) are Narda’s former suitor Noah Vallesteros (Paolo Gumabao), her co-worker Andrei Abesamis (Young JV), Borgo’s aide Xandra (Kim Rodriguez), police officer Arthur Pineda (Eric Fructuoso), journalist Sigfried Cruz (Joshua Colet), Mayor Zaldy Vallesteros (Simon

Ibarra), and his assistant Maisha Rodriguez (Dawn Chang), who all transformed as Extras and earned their superpowers. Noah and Andrei first paired up to use their fiery and explosive powers to wreak havoc during a charity ball event, while Sigfried was given a serum to transform into an Extra after proving his loyalty to Borgo.

After revealing his connections to drug syndicates and Brian Robles’ (Joshua Garcia) dead father,

officer Arthur escaped

police

from a

TANONG, MY SAGOT IN SAN DIEGO, PART 2. Leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in San Diego, in Part 2 of Citizen Pinoy’s “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Some of the questions Atty.

Ariel Felix & Myra Aquino lead an all Fil-Am cast & crew to film dark comedy

The team includes a 6-time Emmy nominee, a Sundance & SXSW alum and a cast with extensive TV, film

LOS ANGELES – Currently appearing in the new actionthriller “Plane” starring Gerard Butler, actor ARIEL FELIX (“Mile 22,” “The Master,” “Chicago Fire”) is setting his sights on his next film project. This one is a little more personal. Felix and award-winning director MYRA

AQUINO are busy prepping for “She Done Did It,” a dark comedy that will feature and highlight the talents of an all Filipino-American cast and crew.

The story is about four estranged siblings, first generation Fil-Ams, who are brought together by an unforeseen circumstance. It was on vacation in Maui when Felix was inspired to write the story. “Originally, my Filipino actor friends and I just wanted

& Broadway credits

to collaborate and work on something together. I looked for stories that we can tell, even tried commissioning some. I was inspired to write once I got to Maui. I found time to go snorkeling but basically ended up spending almost the whole week on my balcony coming up with a first draft of the script.”

He reached out to Aquino, who has been winning awards and accolades for her film “Beauty Queen” this film festival season. Together, they made revisions to the original script. They start shooting at the end of the month.

“As the project took shape, the prospect of an all-Pinoy team got more and more exciting,” Felix said. “I mean, when does it ever happen in Hollywood? Has it PAGE B5

Sinulog: Praise dance worship

LOS ANGELES – Holy Name of Mary Parish (724 E. Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, CA) celebrated the Feast of Santo Nino last Sunday, January 22nd, 2023. The Eucharistic celebration was presided by newly-ordained priest, Fr. Eric Cruz, SS.CC. This year’s celebration marks the 65th Anniversary of the Parish. Catholic faithful from various parishes participated in Preliturgy activity which included a procession, Sinulog, a ritual dancing to call or hail Senyor Santo Nino, the Christ Jesus.

Members from Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusadeof Holy Family/ Glendale and Vessels of Mary from Holy Name of Mary Parish provided the dance for the “ One Beat, One Heart” Music dedicated to Santo Nino. In the 16th century, the first Santo Nino was presented to Queen Juana, wife of King Humabon. She was overjoyed upon seeing the innocent and kind face of Baby Jesus. She was baptized and embraced Catholicism. The natives were also baptized. Ferdinand Magellan planted the Cross of Christianity on the day baptism occurred in Cebu. To this day,

Filipinos from various walks of life bring prayers to the Santo Nino. He is the protector and has power to grant and answer their prayers. Devotions to him are part of every parish’s life.

Every Filipino home has an image of Santo Nino. The image is particularly revered by people from Cebu where Spaniards established the first colonial capital. The devotion to Christ Child Jesus has spread beyond that region. Bernadette Blackshaw, a parishioner from Holy Name of Mary/ San Dimas commented,”

This year is truly special for we are not only celebrating Santo

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from...

PAGE B1

what options are available for her 35-year-old grandson to join his parents in the U.S.? Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in the second installment of “Your Tanong My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from San Diego and adjacent areas.

Watch this encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, January 29 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

‘Super Soldiers’ up action in...

PAGE B1

hospital with Sigfried’s help to become Borgo’s ally. When Mr. X, the mastermind behind the drug syndicates was unveiled to be Mayor Zaldy, he desperately attempted to escape

Darna and the cops by injecting a serum on himself that turned him into a giant Extra with astounding muscular strength. Meanwhile, his assistant Maisha frantically sought the help of businesswoman

Victoria Villaceran (Carla Martinez) who turned out to be another Borgo’s identity.

Maisha accepted the serum from Borgo and joined his soldiers of Extras. With a group of super

soldiers and her arch-nemesis Valentina plotting to cause even more danger, Darna is pushed to her limit as the stone’s protector who must save the people of Nueva Esperanza. (ManilaTimes.net)

Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade of Holy Family Church in Glendale, California and Vessels of Mary Dance Group collaborated to celebrate Sinulog at Holy Name of Mary Parish in San Dimas during the Feast of Santo Niño.

Jo Solomonson leads Sinulog dancers at Santo Niño celebration.  Contributed photos

Thelma (left) and John (right) get answers to their immigration questions from Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel.

Salvie (left) and Fulvio (right) ask their questions during the Citizen Pinoy “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in San Diego.

Nino but will also remember how we as a faith community came together to recognize the many gifts of our attendees.”

Children from Holy Name of Mary Parish School sang “ Awit

Kay Santo Nino”; accompanied in the piano by Candice Brown. Drum player Mikey Gopar provided percussion music beats for the dance. Viva Santo Nino! g

Ariel Felix

Myra Aquino

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY MEGAMIX SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 2:

Event showcases businesses, community leaders, chambers of commerce and entertainment

EXISTING and innovative new businesses in the San Gabriel Valley will be featured at the Second Annual San Gabriel Valley MegaMix Expo Thursday, February 2, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel Valley.

“Following the success of our first event, we are pleased to produce our Second Annual MegaMix Expo empowering businesses within our

community,” said Tony Chisu Gutierrez, founder of San Gabriel Valley MegaMix Expo. More than 1,000 registrants attended the first expo.

“The event is a unique networking opportunity for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and their clients to buy, shop, support and invest in the community. Attendees include representatives and buyers from startups to Fortune 500

companies. With networking, live music, food vendors, a fashion show and raffles, this exciting Expo launches our 2023 regional recovery program for businesses affected by the COVID-19 shutdown,” he said. The event provides a dynamic networking venue that promotes business opportunities, wellness, and education. By highlighting community leaders and decision-makers, the busy

program will include workshops on how to form an LLC and two presentations on nonprofit formation and grant writing.

Registration for the event is at www.sgvmegamixexpo.com.

A few exhibitor booths are still available. Receive $10 off the price of admission by using promo code 10offAsianJournal. Further information is available by calling Tony Chi-Su Gutierrez at 714.655.4894. g

Motion for bifurcation and status only dissolution for spouse’s that want to move on while divorce is pending

Corner

THE decision to terminate one’s marriage typically brings to the forefront many issues all at once. Issues pertaining to property, support, and child custody need to be addressed in a divorce proceeding. In a long term marriage especially, these issues are often heavily litigated between the spouses, and can

take a significant amount of time to resolve. Frequently, a spouse would like to “move on,” and re-attain single status as soon as possible, but has a perception that to become divorced, issues concerning property, support, and child custody first need to be resolved. Many erroneously believe that getting a divorce prior to resolution of property, support, and custody issues is like putting the “carriage before the horse”—an impossibility.

Under the Family Code, a spouse can “bifurcate” the issue of marital status and terminate the marriage without having to wait until the issues pertaining to property, support, and child

custody are resolved.

A judgment dissolving the marriage need not resolve all issues raised in the divorce petition. If there are issues set forth in the petition with regard to property, support, and custody, the Court may nonetheless separate the issue of dissolution of marriage status and grant an early trial on that issue (a “status only” judgment). Obtaining a “status only” judgment is most beneficial to those persons who want his or her marriage terminated as soon as possible. Through a “status only” judgment, a person is restored to single status more quickly, enabling a person to

How Chapter 13 can reduce your debt and make your monthly payments affordable

Minding Your Finances

Atty rAymond BUlAon

ARE you struggling every month to pay your debts, especially your credit card bills?

remarry even if other issues concerning the marriage have yet to be resolved.

It is important to note, however, that a judgment terminating the marriage itself also brings with it the consequence of terminating rights associated with marriage.

To address the foregoing, the Court may impose conditions on a “status only” judgment, to preserve rights which normally would exist if an early dissolution of marriage status were not granted. These conditions are contained in Family Code Section 2337. The Court may require a spouse seeking early dissolution of marriage status

Are you always worried about not having enough left over for your mortgage, rent, food and other basic living expenses after you make your monthly debt payments? Do you want your credit card payments to be more affordable and manageable?

One type of relief provided by our legal system to people in debt comes from Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. This is commonly known as “Chapter 13 Debt Consolidation or Debt Adjustment”.

It is generally available to individuals and small business owners. It is called a “consolidation” because it allows you to combine your debts into one monthly payment. But it is also called “debt adjustment” because in a lot of cases, certain debts included in the Chapter 13 repayment plan can be “adjusted” down or reduced so that you do not have to pay them in full.

Let’s say you owe $30,000 in credit cards. Most credit card companies require a minimum payment of 3% of the outstanding balance every month.. Thus, on the above amount, let’s say that you are required to make total minimum payments of at least $900 per month (3% of $30,000) to keep your account in good standing.

Now let me remind you that making minimum payments ONLY each month is guaranteed to keep most people in debt for the rest of their lives. The reason for this, obviously, is the high interest rates that the credit card companies are charging you.

As much as 80-90% of your minimum monthly payment can go to interest alone and this is why you will never get out of debt. Only a very small portion of your payment goes to paying off the principal. Of course, the banks and the credit card companies love this and are getting richer every month at your expense.

So, in our example above, let’s say it costs you $900 just to make minimum monthly payments on your credit cards. However, you are living paycheck to paycheck and you are struggling very hard to make your payments each month. As a matter of fact, you are always paying late and you are getting calls from bill collectors all the time. You are afraid that sooner or later, you will get sued by creditors and that your wages will be garnished. And then you’ll be in deeper trouble.

You’re sick and tired of being in debt and you realize that you need help. You’re confused and don’t know what to do. The only thing you are sure about is that you need some type of debt relief because you don’t see your financial situation getting better anytime soon.

Well, you may be a good

candidate for Chapter 13. Of course, individual situations vary. But generally, in Chapter 13, you only pay based on what you can afford each month. The court looks at your income and your monthly living expenses and determines if your proposed monthly payment is in your and the creditors’ best interests.

Thus, if the Court determines in this situation that all you can afford to pay each month is, let’s say, $300 or $400, this would be your Chapter 13 monthly payment. Depending on your income, you may pay for 3 to 5 years, although 3 years is typical for people with lower income. Now you may wonder: “If I am only paying $300-400 per month for 3 years, that means I won’t be able to pay all my debts in full, correct? What happens to the unpaid balance after 3-5 years?”

Well, that is exactly one of the great benefits of Chapter 13. First, you pay 0% interest on credit cards and most debts. Secondly, once the court approves your proposed $300400 monthly payment, that is all you would be obligated to pay.

After 3-5 years, all your payments are considered “payment in full” and the rest of your debts simply get wiped out. You can consolidate all types of debts in Chapter 13: credit cards, personal loans, late mortgage or car payments, property taxes, income and other taxes, student loans, back child support, etc.

Compare the benefits of Chapter 13 (0% interest on credit cards and most debts, lower payments, reduced debt amounts, pay off debts in as little as 3-5 years) vs. trying to pay your debts on your own and paying the outrageous interest rates being charged by the banks and the credit card companies. You will be amazed at how much easier it would be for you to finally get out of debt with Chapter 13.

Maybe you need to rebuild credit and start saving again. Or perhaps purchase a home one day like what others have done. Your financial future may be at stake. Don’t procrastinate. If your debts have become unmanageable and you need legal help, find out whether Chapter 13 may be beneficial to you.

Disclaimer: In a typical Chapter 13 case, my clients are often able to cut their debts in half (or even more!) especially if they have limited income. But of course, cases vary, and I will need to review your individual situation to see if you qualify for a debt reduction. For a free attorney consultation, call TollFree 1-866-477-7772

* * * 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)

Kris health update...

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most, is in heaven,” which Kris directed at Cory, Noynoy, and even her father Ninoy.

The actress added another quote this time saying, “Maybe life isn’t about avoiding bruises. Maybe it’s about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it,” followed by photos of her face, skin, and body’s reaction to the medications she’s been receiving.

She later shares that she had an adverse reaction steroids which resulted in hives and bone pain, and she couldn’t suppress it with opioids like morphine and fentanyl as she is allergic to them, too.

Since the middle of 2022, Kris has been in the United States looking for treatment as she is suffering from several autoimmune diseases.

Kris then followed up with photos of her children Josh and Bimby, her fluctuating blood pressure measurements, and her birthday message proper for Cory.

“I prayed about my decision on whether to show everyone what it’s been like  — because you never wanted anyone to know how difficult it was for you,” Kris had written.

Informing her mom, and her followers as well, Kris said her exact conditions  were chronic spontaneous urticaria, autoimmune thyroiditis, Churg Strauss Syndrome or EPGA, and Scleroderma or Crest Syndrome. She adds it’s likely she already has a fifth condition, and a 50% chance of a sixth.

“Mom, the best tribute I can offer you is that even those who say they hate my guts... saludo raw sila sa pagpapalaki ko kay Kuya & Bimb  — parehong respectful, affectionate, hindi namimili ng taong kakaibiganin,” continued Kris, calling Cory “the best role model in the world.”

The actress concluded her message by recounting something Cory has said that Kris would only have a successful relationship if she finds the male version of her mother.

“With all I’ve been trhrough, I finally see so much of you in me  — what I’m trying to say, Mom, is I’m no longer looking for someone to complete me,” Kris ended. “Finally realized the truth in what you’d always say to me: ‘Kristina, know your worth’... Yes Mom, I do.” g

On being a humble servant-leader

Pastor’s Notes

reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS

IT’S a given,” I told someone last week. “It’s a given that when you’re a leader, you’re bound to suffer.”

“Then why should I be a leader?” this person remarked.

“Well, if you want to make a difference in people’s lives, if you want to make positive changes in the society or the community, then you need to lead,” I answered. “And that comes with courage and ability to undergo pain and suffering from working with conflicts and dealing with difficult issues and people.”

“That’s what it means to be a servant leader,” I explained.

“You’re willing to take risks, speak   honestly, take constructive criticisms, listen to people, learn from mistakes, work collaboratively, be a team player, delegate responsibilities, and be   a life-long learner.”

“And you can only be this kind of leader if you have a humble heart,” I added.

This recent conversation with this person came to my mind as I reflected on the Scripture

Readings this Sunday (January 29). “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility,” the Book of Zephaniah tells us. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, the Kingdom of God is theirs,” the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel remind us.

Indeed, servant leadership entails humility to serve God despite all the challenges and suffering we encounter. It involves serving ungrudgingly and willfully. But it’s also realizing that God chose us to lead or serve despite our imperfections. Hence, we find consolation in the words of St. Paul in the    Second Reading this Sunday: “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise.”

Servant leadership is about embracing the spirit of the Beatitudes. It’s being poor in spirit, relying on God’s mercy and power because we cannot do everything solely through our human efforts. We need divine grace to surrender everything to God. And, of course, we need other people’s help.

It means being able to “mourn”— not being afraid to be vulnerable, human, and authentic. Surprisingly, that’s how we feel connected with people. As Brene Brown points out well:

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful lives, vulnerability is the path.”

Servant leadership is having a courageous and resilient heart to face any trial, persecution, and false accusation. It is believing in one’s pure intentions for the sake of the well-being of others and the common good.

Servant leadership is speaking boldly about the truth for the sake of justice but with openness to dialogue, empathy, and mutual understanding.

Let’s take this challenge of humble leadership! Let’s do it for the glory of God!

* * * 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.

* *

Motion for bifurcation and status only...

to do any of the following, all designed to protect the interests of the spouse who is not seeking early dissolution: 1) indemnify the other spouse for adverse tax consequences resulting from the early termination of marital status, 2) maintain the other spouse on existing health insurance, 3) indemnifying the other spouse from loss of rights to a probate homestead or probate family allowance, 4) indemnify the other spouse for loss of benefits under employee benefit plans, 5) joinder of an employee benefit plan, and 6) any other condition that the court determines is just and equitable.

With a “status only” judgment, the Court reserves jurisdiction to adjudicate any other issues concerning the marriage, including division of property, award of support, and custody issues. Accordingly, if you would like to obtain a “status only” judgment, and resolve any other issues pertaining to the marriage later, it is advised that you consult with an experienced attorney. * * *

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.

* * *

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. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com. Visit our website at kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

New minimum wage law requires upward adjustments for some salaried employees

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr

SOME salaried employees in California, including a category of relatively higher-paid workers, may be entitled to pay increases because of minimum-wage increases that went into effect this year. In 2017, the California Legislature enacted a new minimum-wage law aimed at raising the statutorily-mandated minimum wage from $10 per hour to $15 per hour. The increase was to be phased in over multiple years, from 2017 to 2023. As of January 1, 2023, the State’s minimum-wage law was increased to ensure that California employees be paid at least $15.50 per hour for their work.

Although the goal of the minimum-wage laws are to ensure a certain level of pay for the lowest-paid workers in the California economy, the minimum-wage increase also has a direct impact on the pay rates of higher-paid employees; specifically, salaried employees considered exempt under the Executive, Administrative or Professional or exemptions, as well as exempt computer

professional employees.

Under California law, California employers may lawfully classify certain categories of employees exempt from certain requirements guaranteed to non-exempt hourly wage earners, including— most importantly—overtime pay. Non-exempt employees are guaranteed overtime pay computed at one and one-half times their regular hourly rate of pay for all work in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week, as well as double pay for all work in excess of 12 hours in a day.

To avoid paying overtime— which can quickly add up to dramatically increase pay for some workers—employers rely on exemptions in the law for employees in Executive, Administrative or Professional categories. However, in order to rely on such exemptions, the law requires that the employee be paid “a monthly salary equivalent to no less than two (2) times the state minimum wage for full-time employment.”

With the lawful minimum wage increased to $15.50 per hour, it means an employee must be paid a minimum annual salary of $64,480, or $5,373.33 per month, in order for the overtime exemption to apply. Any salaried employee paid less than those amounts must

be paid overtime for all work in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Because special minimum-wage rules apply to exempt computer professional employees (including a higher minimum-wage rate), computer professionals must be paid a minimum annual salary of $112,065.20 for the exemption to apply. If a computer professional is paid less than that, he or she is entitled to overtime pay computed at their regular rate, which can be no less than $53.80 per hour.

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

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

Ariel Felix & Myra Aquino lead

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ever? And if we don’t continue to tell our stories, then who will?”

Playing Felix’s siblings on screen will be Princess Punzalan, fresh from her recurring role in FOX’s “The Cleaning Lady,” Emy Coligado (“The Good Fight,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Girl Who Left Home”) and Broadway vet Evan D’Angeles, whom Felix worked with in the American Premiere of Philip Himberg’s “Paper Dolls” in Washington, DC.

Director of Photography is Mike Maliwanag, whose films have premiered at Sundance, South

By South West and Outfest; Editor is 6-time Emmy

nominee Ben Bulatao; Sound Engineer is Matt Perez; Hair and makeup artist Eugene Condé has also joined the team. Working along side them is Producer Paul Martinez, himself an accomplished actor and performer, and who also produced

an all...

Felix’s “The Others,” which had a successful film festival run and is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Felix said his colleagues were very open when he approached them with the project. “I’m blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to work with these artists,” he said. “They were excited about the script but also about being a part of this allFilAm crew, telling a story they can relate to.” He has found that the most challenging task so far is fundraising. “We’re lucky that the owners of one of my favorite spots in Carson, Manila Sunrise, have generously offered to cater our shoot. But filmmaking is expensive and we’re still seeking financial help.” Anyone interested in contributing should reach out to Ariel on Instagram: @_arifelix. Ariel Felix is repped by Worldwide Artists, Headline Talent and Industry Entertainment. g

*

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

Servant leadership is having a courageous and resilient heart to face any trial, persecution, and false accusation.

Clients fit into classic Chapter 7 profile & eligibility for honest debtors

of new medicine like Remdisivir to fight the inflammation in your organs and lungs. If the medical treatment works, then you eventually recover and you’re back to normal good health.

Atty. LAwrence yAng

W clients have different financial and asset situations, which make them start thinking about getting rid of accumulated debt. Nobody starts with borrowing money with the intention of defaulting and not being able to pay back. Certainly, in my over 30 years of practice in bankruptcy law, I have seen potential clients, not many actually, very few who have actually deliberately perpetrated fraud by deliberately borrowing a lot of debt without any actual intent of paying back, but by and large, clients are what’s referred to in bankruptcy law as HONEST DEBTORS.

Bankruptcy law provides HONEST DEBTORS with the opportunity to start fresh again in life without the burden of accumulated debt. This is a very important right and privilege given to individuals in the USA to give every individual the chance to become productive people again without the burden of accumulated debt, with the caveat that this privilege is given only to HONEST DEBTORS.

Who is an HONEST DEBTOR?

Let’s give an analogy. You live everyday without the intention of getting sick. But then everyone who is human actually does get sick once in a while. When you do get sick, then you need medication to get well. Say you’re perfectly healthy enjoying life then all of sudden you get Co-vid that’s so severe that you can’t breathe and you need to get intubated. Intubated means that since you can’t breathe on your own, a procedure that involves sticking a tube down your throat into your windpipe forces air in and out of your lungs using a ventilator. Our Latino brothers and sisters refer to this as the dreaded “El Turbo”. Imagine your lungs to be a balloon and the ventilator forces air into the balloon then sucks it out again, air forced in, then sucked out continuously. Then, you’re given maybe a host

So the analogy is that you go through life living and enjoying life everyday. You like to travel and eat. So year after year you travel and tour a country that you haven’t been to before. You charge all the cost and expenses to your visa and MasterCard. In year one, you owe $5K, in year two, $10K, in year three, $15K and year four, $20K, in year five $25K and in year six, $30K. In addition, you like to eat in restaurants, not even the high class ones like Mr. Chow, just the ordinary restaurants that serve good food. Every time you eat out, it costs $100. You eat out 3X a week. So in one month your eating out costs you $1,200 a month, all of which you charge to your credit cards. Every year of eating out, you add $14K to your credit card debt. Do the math, just six years of eating out costs you more than traveling abroad every year. Six years of eating out adds $80K to your credit card debt.

Therefore, in six years of enjoying life by traveling abroad and eating out, your total credit card debt is $30K plus $80K; you now owe $110K just by enjoying life. Now you walk into my office and tell me you owe $110K of credit cards and you need $3,500 to keep them current every month. Your income before the pandemic hit was $100K a year. Your wife used to make $50K a year. With the pandemic, your income is reduced by half, and your wife lost her job. She’s been getting pandemic unemployment of $3K a month. You own a house and the mortgage is $2K a month. Your home equity is $350K because the fair market value of your house in LA is $750K and your mortgage balance is $$400K. You pay $500 a month for a MB 350 2018 model with another 2 years to go.

So the question is are you an HONEST DEBTOR? And the answer is YES of course you are. Remember our analogy? You were going through life enjoying each day of your life but all of a sudden you get hit

with a serious case of Co-vid that requires the El turbo. Don’t tell me that it was your intention to get Co-vid all along. Of course, it’s certainly not true that it was your intention to get Co-vid all along. The same is true with your accumulated credit card debt of $110K. You were just enjoying your life traveling and eating out, not realizing that your debt was getting bigger every year, because that’s what those credit cards are designed for. It’s designed for a slow build up that prevents you from feeling the build up. Your income was good before the pandemic hit. Therefore, you’re exactly the HONEST DEBTOR that bankruptcy law envisioned. You need a fresh start in life without the burden of accumulated debt of $110K that requires $3,500 a month to keep current. In Chapter 7, you will keep your house, your car, all your other assets within applicable exemptions, even if your house equity is now $350K, you keep it as you get rid of your $110K of credit card debt! That is a sweet deal, but absolutely necessary to give you a fresh start in life to make you productive again.

This is the reason why Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice. After his second fresh start without accumulated debt, his business, started become more successful and more successful until now it’s a multi-billion dollar business worldwide! This is also the reason why Milton Hershey filed for Chapter 7 once. After getting a fresh start without accumulated debt, his Hershey chocolate business became more and more successful until it became the multi-billion biggest chocolate business that is the biggest and most successful in the world!

In short, Mr. Disney and Mr. Hershey were both HONEST DEBTORS, same as you and all my clients, all of whom are HONEST DEBTORS. So they get a fresh start in life without accumulated debt, keep all if not most of their assets so they become productive again. In fact, some of my previous clients are now millionaires after being given their fresh starts some time ago.

Another client also has $400K

Removing the conditions of your permanent residence without your petitioning spouse’s participation

A PERSON who obtains his/ her green card via marriage to a U.S. citizen spouse, and who is married for less than 2 years has conditional permanent resident status. A conditional permanent resident has a green card that is valid for 2 years. In order to continue to have permanent resident status after 2 years, the conditional permanent resident and his/her US citizen spouse must file an I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence during the 90 days before the expiration of the green card. 8 CFR 216.4(a)(1)

But what if things don’t work out with the U.S. citizen spouse after getting married, and the conditional permanent resident can no longer get the participation of his/her U.S. citizen spouse in filing the I-751 petition? In such a case, the conditional permanent resident may seek an I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement. In order to qualify for an I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement, the conditional permanent resident must show that the marriage upon which his/her status was based was: 1) entered into in good faith, and 2) terminated. 8 CFR 216.5(a)(1)(ii) With respect to the required showing that the marriage was entered into in good faith, the conditional permanent resident must show that his/her marriage was not a “sham.” A marriage is considered a “sham” if, when they married, the couple did not

of equity in his house and he owes of $200K of credit cards. He used these cards to fund his business before the pandemic struck. His business is now dead in the water, and not able to recover. He needs a fresh start in life by wiping out the $200K of credit cards. He is also an HONEST DEBTOR who deserves to become productive again. I have no doubt that with his determination he will become a millionaire in the near future after he gets rid of accumulated debt of $200K. After becoming a millionaire, he will become a multimillionaire

intend to establish a life together. An intent to obtain something other than or in addition to love and companionship (such as a green card) from that life does not make a marriage a sham. Matter of Soltan, A76 888 125 (BIA 2001).

Documents such as joint bank and credit card statements, and photos that demonstrate that the marriage was entered in good faith should be presented.

Also, in order to qualify for an I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement, the conditional permanent resident must show that the marriage was terminated. By “terminated,” the USCIS requires a valid, formal divorce judgment. An I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement cannot be approved in cases where the conditional permanent resident is legally separated or in divorce proceedings that are still pending. Also, once the marriage is terminated, the conditional resident may file the I-751 petition immediately, and does not have to wait until the normal 90 days before the expiration of the conditional green card.

It is worth noting that if the

then, maybe just maybe, he may be so talented that he may even become a billionaire.

If you need debt relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

* * *

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

* * *

“God says, ‘I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will

conditional permanent resident and his/her U.S. Citizen spouse live in California, a valid divorce judgment must be obtained in the California courts. I have had numerous California-resident clients in the past who have obtained a “quick” divorce judgment in Nevada only to face USCIS scrutiny after presenting the Nevada divorce judgment in support of an I-751 waiver request (since one must be a Nevada resident to obtain a divorce in Nevada). The assistance of an experienced attorney in handling the divorce as well as the I-751 waiver request is accordingly recommended.

* * * 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.

* * * Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA). LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-6390277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

rescue them and honor them. I will reward them with long life; I will save them.” Psalm 91. Written by Moses a long time ago, maybe 3000 years ago.

* * * 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) 2841142 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)