US defense chief’s Manila visit to focus on EDCA, plans to address new threats

STARTING in April millions of families could see their health coverage disappear as the government unwinds pandemic-era policies.

During 12 months after April 1, 2023, between 15-18 million Americans will lose health coverage provided during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

“Through COVID legislation, states have mostly kept people covered through Medicaid without interruption in exchange for an increase in their Medicaid federal matching funds,” says Farah Erzouki, Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). She spoke to reporters during an Ethnic Media Services briefing cosponsored by CBPP last week.

When that program ends, so will the continuous coverage requirement, and all 89 million Medicaid enrollees will have to

by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress

CALIFORNIA’S vast Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has been wrought with multiple tragedies: the Lunar New Year party massacre on Jan. 21 that killed 11 people and injured others and the Jan. 23 Half Moon Bay shooting that killed seven people. Most of the victims of these two murderous rampages were Asian Americans and members of the Hispanic community, but there continues to be little to no clear explanations for what led to these tragedies.

With the proximity of these attacks and the widely celebrated Lunar New Year, the Asian American community is on high alert, especially as it tries to move on from wrongly being placed in the crosshairs of racist violence and harassment during the peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gloria Pan, Senior Vice President, National Member Engagement, Campaign Innovations & Gun Control at MomsRising, said in a national press briefing, “This was a horrific intrusion on one of our most cherished

AT a meeting to simplify the nation’s covid vaccination policy, the FDA’s panel of experts could agree on only one thing: Information is woefully lacking about how often different groups of Americans need to be vaccinated. That data gap has contributed to widespread skepticism, undervaccination, and ultimately unnecessary deaths from covid-19.

The committee voted unanimously Thursday to support the FDA’s proposal for all vaccine-makers to adopt the same strain of the virus when making changes in their vaccines, and suggested they might meet in May or June to select a strain for the vaccines that would be rolled out this fall.

However, the panel members disagreed with the FDA’s proposal that everyone get at least one shot a year, saying more

MANILA — The World Bank awarded a fresh loan program to the Philippines to support the domestic economy's recovery from the pandemic and improve the resilience of the financial sector.

In a statement on Tuesday, January 31, the Washington-based lender granted the country a $600-million loan. Aside from supporting the Philippine economy's recovery from the pandemic, this new loan financing is aimed at supporting three policy reform areas: the stability of the financial sector, improving financial inclusion for Filipinos and businesses, and climate and disaster risk finance.

"Policy actions that strengthen the stability of the financial sector – including banks and insurance companies – will help Filipino families, businesses, and investors withstand financial shocks and enhance their resilience by ensuring that problems in these financial institutions are detected at an early stage without severe disruptions to the economy,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

The Philippine economy took a hit at the onset of the pandemic. The economy sank to lows unseen since World War II as the Duterte  PAGE 3

Millions to lose coverage during the ‘unwinding’ FDA experts are still puzzled over who should get which COVID shots and when MENTAL HEALTH OR GUN CONTROL OR BOTH? AAPI community leaders seek solutions following recent shootings in Monterey Park, Half Moon Bay Pres. Marcos urges diplomatic community to back PH growth plan Pres. Marcos okays tax refund for foreign tourists

by DAPHNE GALVEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, January 31 urged members of the diplomatic community to work with his administration in achieving its Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.

This, he said, would serve as the country’s blueprint for its economic and social transformation in the next six years.

“I urge our friends in the Diplomatic Community to work with us in achieving our development goals as laid out in the plan through partnerships and cooperation with your respective governments and also your business sectors,” he said in his toast remarks during the Vin d’Honneur in Malacañang, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

“Let us discuss opportunities where our countries can participate,” Marcos added.

The president said post-COVID realities demand recalibrating strategies and focusing on urgent concerns that would really matter to the people – food security, job generation, poverty reduction, and managing inflation.

These strategies, he said, would entail “new thinking”

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the implementation of the Value-Added Tax (VAT)

Refund Program for foreign tourists by 2024 in an effort to boost tourist arrivals in the country, Malacañang said on Sunday, January 29.

The program is among the “Quick Wins” recommendations presented by the tourism cluster of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) in a meeting with Mr. Marcos last Thursday, January 26.

PSAC is composed of business leaders and industry experts providing technical advice to the President on the government’s economic objectives in six key sectors — agriculture, digital infrastructure, health care, infrastructure, jobs generation, and tourism.

According to the Palace, the president will soon issue an executive order on the tax refund, which other countries are also implementing as an enticement to tourists.

This would allow foreign tourists to get a refund on the VAT they have paid for their purchases here which they would bring back to their home