021023 - New York & New Jersey Edition

DATELINE USA

The loneliness of immigrant elders

THE recent mass shootings in California put a tragic spotlight on the isolation and invisibility of many immigrant elders in the state.

Both shooters in the two mass killings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California were Chinese and neither fit the profile of a mass killer. Both were over 65.

“Is it any surprise that within our communities there are people, elders who have been made invisible, treated not even as human beings, who feel isolated and yes, experience mental health issues like any other community?” asked Helen Zia, an author and activist.

Zia was one of five speakers at a Feb. 3 EMS

Survey: ‘Very good’ satisfaction rating for Marcos

VP Duterte rated as ‘excellent’

by Janvic Mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — A majority of Filipinos are satisfied with the performance of President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte in their first six months in office, a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The satisfaction ratings of the two highest officials were among the data presented during the 2023 SWS Survey Review held at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati on Tuesday, February 7.

In his presentation, SWS vice president Jay Sandoval said Marcos obtained a “very good” net satisfaction rating of +68 in their latest survey conducted from Dec. 10 to 14.

AFP prepares for 2023 Balikatan exercises with US

by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines-United States (U.S.) alliance is “rock solid,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Friday, February 3.

Manalo made the remark after he met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who visited Manila.

“I had a very good first meeting with [Defense Secretary] Austin. There’s no doubt—PH-U.S. Alliance is rock solid,”

MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is preparing for this year’s joint military exercises with the United States called Balikatan amid a refreshed security alliance between the two countries that would give U.S. forces greater access to local military bases.

This year’s joint activities

are expected to be bigger, considering the expansion of coverage of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to include four more Philippine military bases where U.S. forces can operate on a temporary basis.

Among the areas being readied for the Balikatan exercises are those in Palawan and in parts of the West Philippine Sea under

He said it was up from the “very good” +63 that the President obtained in a similar survey on Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

Duterte, meanwhile, obtained a net satisfaction rating of “excellent” +77 in December, up from “excellent” +73 in October.

SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of at

Marcos says Japan trip different from other visits: Groundwork is already there

by gabriel Pabico lalu Inquirer.net

TOKYO — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has maintained that his five-day official working visit to Japan is different from the other foreign trips he made, as interactions with the government and stakeholders have already been developed prior.

Marcos in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, February 8 while en route to Tokyo explained that in other visits that he made, there was an effort to introduce the Philippines to the world, but not the case for Japan.

“Actually sa Japan is different from the other places that we’ve been wherein we just opened up the conversations. Sa Japan, very

No Pinoy fatalities in Turkey earthquake Philippines ready to help

by helen Flores, Pia lee-brago Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippine embassy in Ankara said no Filipino was reported killed in the earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border early Monday, February 6.

the provinces of Gaziantep, Hatay, Adana and Mersin,” the embassy said in a statement.

President Marcos offered his condolences and support to the governments of Turkey and Syria after a powerful earthquake rocked the region Monday, killing over 1,300 people.

“The embassy continues to reach out to the Filipino communities and its other contacts in the region and, as of this writing, has not received reports of Filipino casualties in u

“Our thoughts and prayers go to the peoples and governments of Türkiye and Syria following the strong earthquake that has claimed

4

DELEGATION. Members of the Philippine response team headed for Turkey prepare for inspection at Camp Aguinaldo Tuesday, February 7. The Philippines will be deploying an 85-member team as well as 16 tons of medical supplies to quake-hit regions of Turkey. The government would also send engineers and health workers and provide other necessary assistance to the victims of the quake. PNA photo

The recent mass shootings in California put a tragic spotlight on the isolation and invisibility of many immigrant elders in the state. Ethnic Media Services photo

Marcos says Japan trip...

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well-developed na ‘yong mga interactions natin with G-to-G [governmentto-government] even sa commercial,” the President said.

“So what we’re really having to do now is we are going to have to, we’re finalizing some of the projects that for example, were postponed because of the pandemic, lockdowns; and also now, some new projects that are follow-on from kung ano ‘yong dati,” he added.

It is also the reason why his supposed schedule has been “very specific” as foundation had been laid out already.

“So that’s why kung titignan niyo ‘yong [if you would see the] schedule very specific, may purpose ang bawat meeting, hindi ‘yong [every meeting has purpose, not about the] general introduction of the Philippines to the EU [European Union] or to another country,” he explained.

While this is Marcos’ first visit to Japan since assuming the presidency last June 30, he and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio have already met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York last September 2022.

Furthermore, several government agencies and officials from the two countries have already met, like in the case of the Philippine Department of National Defense which has strongly advocated for the creation of a visiting forces agreement (VFA) with Japan.

Marcos also hopes that discussions would flourish,

Philippines-United States alliance...

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Manalo posted on Twitter.

“We identified key initiatives to improve mutual understanding of our priorities & challenges and to strengthen our relationship in ways that would secure our peoples,” he added.

Austin, meanwhile, stressed that the U.S. “remains determined to support regional peace & prosperity in the [IndoPacific].”

“We deeply value our ironclad alliance & working shoulder-to-shoulder with such an indispensable ally & friend,” the U.S. official wrote on Twitter.

During Austin’s visit, the Philippines and the

U.S. agreed to have four new additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) sites across the archipelago. The Philippine Department

of National Defense said that the “expansion of the Edca will make our alliance stronger and more resilient and will accelerate the modernization of our combined military

especially in the realm of agriculture, so that the country’s agricultural acceleration would take place.

“Well number one, their number one that opens up, hindi lamang the useful exchange of technology, but that’s an important part of it. But also, investment in agriculture, and hopefully opening markets in Japan for our agricultural products. So that’s a very wide-ranging discussion, so yes, we hope to do a lot on that regard para ma-accelerate ‘yong ating agricultural development,” he added.

Marcos along with his delegation arrived at the Tokyo International Airport at 5:36 p.m. (Tokyo time) earlier. He is expected to meet members of Japan’s Imperial Family, along with key government officials like Kishida.

Marcos’ visit to Japan is his ninth official overseas trip since he took office. Prior to this, the President went to Indonesia and Singapore for his inaugural state visit, before flying off to New York for the UNGA.

He also went back to Singapore for business meetings in time for the Formula One Grand Prix, in a trip that was criticized by several progressive groups.

He then went to the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Cambodia, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Thailand, the Asean-European Union meet in Belgium last December, before visiting China for another state visit and Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.

capabilities.”

Meanwhile, China said that U.S. actions “escalate regional tension and undermine regional peace and stability.”

The Philippines and China have an ongoing maritime row in the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the Philippines has rights on the West Philippine Sea, invalidating China’s nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea.

Despite the ruling, Filipino fishers continue to experience aggression and harassment by China. (By Daniza Fernandez/Inquirer. net) n

The loneliness of immigrant...

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virtual briefing who shared perspectives about the isolation and invisibility of immigrant elders spotlighted by the tragedies, and a call to action for the rest of society.

For her latest book, “Last Boat Out of Shanghai,” Zia interviewed a few hundred Asian seniors about their lives – first as refugees, and later as exiled immigrants. “So many have gone through war, starvation, civil war, great trauma, witnessed terrible, terrible things,” Zia said. Many had never told their stories before, even to their grown children. When asked why, they said because they didn’t think anybody wanted to hear.

The recent killings triggered memories that many immigrants have tried to forget, and the news brought panic and fear. Perfectly understandable, Zia says. Working into their ‘golden years’

“Why are people still working in their seventies?” asked Rita Medina, Deputy Director of State Policy and Advocacy at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA), referring to the Latino and Asian farm workers spotlighted in Half Moon Bay.

Medina says many older farmworkers continue to work “into what should be their golden years” because they have to. “It’s a large number of folks we’re talking about.” The 2019 American Community Survey estimated there are about 17,000 undocumented seniors in California who can’t collect social security. Estimates put the number of undocumented farmworkers at around half of the roughly 162,000 who work in the state.

CHIRLA knows domestic workers, farm workers, street vendors, and construction workers who have waited more than a decade to adjust their immigration status. Since many have worked “under the table” or had lowwage social security jobs, Medina says SSI benefits for many wouldn’t be enough to sustain them even if they got green cards.

“They continue to be undocumented.

Some of them are alone here in this country, and their bodies are physically breaking down because of the work that they’re doing. Knee problems from bending in construction, back problems from working as a domestic worker,” Medina said.

California recently passed a health care law that will provide medical insurance to everybody in California regardless of their status. That is good news but it doesn’t start until 2025.

Hidden traumas

Laura Som is a Cambodian Chinese refugee who came to Los Angeles when she was 10-years-old along with thousands of other Cambodians escaping the Pol Pot regime.

“Long Beach has the largest Cambodian population in the nation. Many of these refugees experienced extreme violence and trauma during the genocide. Many had and have PTSD, including myself,” Som said.

As she grew up, Som watched the mental health of the elders in her community deteriorate “from the aftermath of wars, extreme violence and neglect by the mainstream community. Some of the symptoms of these traumas are hatred, violence, rage, and depression. Little has been done to shield young children from it,” she said.

Degreed in biochemistry, Som founded the Maye Center in Cambodia Town in Long Beach to provide culturally appropriate therapies for mental health wellness for refugees and immigrants.

Noting her community ended gerrymandering in Long Beach, Som says Cambodian seniors don’t speak English but overcame their fear and organized for the good of everyone. Transforming trauma into activism overcomes fear, especially when community initiatives are successful, Som says.

“And so for us, we break the stigma by saying seniors are relevant.”

The stigma of mental health

Dr. Brett Sevilla is a clinical psychiatrist and medical director of the Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers

(APCTC) which serves predominantly monolingual Asian immigrant families in Southern California.

Sevilla said families who have members with mental illness often consider it shameful and will first try to contain the problem and keep the person at home.

“If they eventually do see a psychiatrist, the person is often severely impaired, angry about being accused of being crazy, and the family is exhausted. Medications may be rejected or not taken consistently, as Western medication is believed to be too strong or even a cause of mental illness.”

Sevilla’s agency overcame these barriers by locating their offices in Asian enclaves, placing staff in local schools, providing culturally affirming services in the client’s native language, and linking families to community resources for practical support.

A decade ago, Linda Yoon, co-founder of the Yellow Chair Collective providing culturally appropriate therapy to Asian Americans in Los Angeles, fell into working with seniors at a Korean housing complex.

“One of the tasks that I was given was doing assessments, wellness checks, for every single resident.” Yoon said.

She said a lot of the residents were older women who lived alone and they would talk to her about their traumas, all the challenges they were going through, and things they just never shared with their children.

“And a lot of them end up kind of crying, really sharing something and then also feeling embarrassed because I was such a young worker that they were sharing something so intimate. There was just so much hidden trauma, isolation and loneliness that I was able to witness,” Yoon said.

She often complains with colleagues that children and families get the lion’s share of resources and they could use more—it’s part of the stigma of being invisible seniors. (Peter White/Ethnic Media Services) n

President Bongbong Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos boards PR001 bound for Tokyo, Japan. Marcos will visit Japan for a 5-day working visit. Screengrab from RTVM video

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet for the first time during the latter’s visit to Manila.

Photo courtesy of DFA Sec. Enrique Manalo

PH detects first XBB.1.5

Omicron subvariant case

by Zacarian Sarao Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) recorded the first case of the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 is believed to be the most contagious among its types.

The DOH’s latest biosurveillance report, which looked at 1,078 samples from January 30 to February 3, found 196 Omicron XBB subvariants, with one being the particularly dangerous XBB.1.5.

It’s a recombinant of the BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineages and has already caused substantial harm in the United States due to its immunity evasion properties. Thus, the DOH is warning that this XBB.1.5 variant of COVID-19 carries a higher risk to public health.

“The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) classified XBB.1.5, an offshoot of the XBB subvariant, as a

Variant of Interest, due to its increasing prevalence globally and enhanced immune evading properties,” the DOH said.

“The variant has been detected in 59 countries across six continents, according to sequence submissions in GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data),” it added.

Citing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the DOH said the subvariant now also accounts for 66.4 percent of cases in the U.S., from January 29 to February 4 this year.

Nevertheless, despite the fear in transmissibility, the DOH noted that current available evidence do not suggest that XBB.1.5 has any differences in disease severity and clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant

“Currently, the subvariant is still reported under XBB by the WHO and will remain classified under Omicron

until sufficient evidence arises showing that the virus characteristics are significantly different from Omicron,” it added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm about a new Omicron sub-variant, XBB.1.5, which has a higher transmission rate and could dramatically increase cases. WHO’s senior epidemiologist, Maria Van Kerkhove, has cautioned that the variant spreads quickly due to its mutations, making it easier to stick to cells and duplicate, which could lead to a spike in hospitalizations and deaths.

924 total Omicron subvariants reported DOH recently reported that 924 cases of Omicron subvariants were discovered in the latest genome sequencing results, with the majority belonging to the BA.2.3.20 strain at 454 cases, followed by 196 cases of XBB subvariants,

u PAGE 7

least +70 as “excellent;” +50 to +69 as “very good;” +30 to +49 as “good;” +10 to +29 as “moderate;” +9 to -9 as “neutral;” -10 to -29 as “poor;” -30 to -49 as “bad;” -50 to -69 as “very bad” and -70 and below as “execrable.”

The net satisfaction rating is the rounded off difference between those who said that they were satisfied and those who declared they were dissatisfied with the performance of a particular government official.

The polling firm has yet to release the percentage of the respondents who were satisfied or dissatisfied with the two officials, as well as the geographic and socio-economic

Survey: ‘Very good’ satisfaction... No Pinoy fatalities in Turkey...

PAGE 1 PAGE 1

many lives and caused massive destruction to their countries. The Philippines is ready to help in whatever way it can in responding to this disaster,” Marcos said in a post on Twitter.

The embassy will continue to monitor the situation of Filipinos affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and stands ready to provide assistance.

The total number of Filipinos in Turkey is currently estimated at 4,006, based on the latest official statistics, mostly concentrated in Istanbul in

the northwest.

breakdown of the responses.

In his presentation, Sandoval also noted that overall satisfaction with the administration was at “excellent” +74 in December.

In terms of specific issues, satisfaction with the government’s efforts to help the poor was at “very good” +64, campaign against illegal drugs at “good” +46, fighting corruption at “moderate” +12 and fighting inflation at “neutral” +1.

The October 2022 survey had 1,500 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent, while the December 2022 survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent. n

The embassy said it is ready to assist Filipinos affected by the earthquake and may be reached via telephone and WhatsApp (+905345772344) and via email at ankara.pe@dfa.gov. ph.

“The Philippine embassy in Ankara extends its deepest condolences to the people of the Republic of Türkiye who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake in Gaziantep,” the embassy said.

“We wish for the speedy recovery of the wounded and deepest sympathies to

the families and loved ones of the victims,” it said.

The earthquake hit the southeastern region of Turkey, 23 kilometers east of Nurda??, Gaziantep located along the Turkey-Syria Border early Monday.

The death toll from one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Turkey exceeded 500 people.

It was Turkey’s most severe quake since 1999, when one of similar magnitude devastated Izmit and the heavily populated eastern Marmara Sea region near Istanbul, killing more than 17,000. n

AFP prepares for 2023 Balikatan...

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jurisdiction of the AFP’s Western Command.

“The AFP and the U.S. Armed Forces are once again holding the 38th iteration of annual bilateral Balikatan exercises. Although this is a bilateral activity, the AFP takes the lead in planning and execution, supported by the U.S. Armed Forces with other like-minded nations as observers,” AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar announced Monday, Feb 6.

“Balikatan 38-2023 will result in the development of the AFP capability not only in the conduct of external defense operations but also in fulfilling its obligation in working with other countries in the region against terrorism and other threats,” he added.

Aguilar said the AFP is grateful to Sens. Francis Tolentino, Francis Escudero and Sherwin Gatchalian for their support for the implementation of the EDCA, which “is in line with our treaty obligation as contained in the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) of 1951.”

Since its signing in 2014, EDCA – according to Aguilar – has continuously facilitated the conduct of military exercises and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations in support of the AFP’s mission.

“Likewise, with the threat of climate change, our partnership with modern and well-equipped countries such as the United States of America will develop the capability of our troops in executing HADR operations

in times of natural calamities and disasters,” Aguilar said.

“In addition to capability development, our engagement with a friend and a long-time ally also brings economic activities and opportunities that will benefit the people of the host local government units,” he added.

Backing EDCA

More lawmakers, meanwhile, have voiced support for an expanded EDCA, with Cagayan de Oro

This year’s joint activities are expected to be bigger, considering the expansion of coverage of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to include four more Philippine military bases where US forces can operate on a temporary basis.

Photo by Walter Bollozos

Features OpiniOn Continuing recruitment

THERE has been no lack of news reports along with warnings issued by government agencies. Yet Filipinos continue to fall for human traffickers who recruit workers for cryptocurrency scamming syndicates overseas.

Some of the victims have been rescued in countries particularly Myanmar, whose borders with Thailand and Laos are favored by lawless elements including opium traders and now cryptocurrency scam rings. Philippine authorities have also intercepted potential victims before they can leave the country.

Editorial

Last month, Bureau of Immigration officers intercepted six Filipinos – three at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Jan. 20, and another three at Clark International Airport in Pampanga on Jan. 31. The six, who all initially claimed they were traveling as part of a group tour, were about to board flights to Thai capital Bangkok, with three of them saying their final destination was Laos.

Those bound for Laos said they were offered jobs as a customer service representative for P40,000 a month, sales representative and cook supposedly in an investment company. The other three said they were initially promised jobs in a cargo company, but were later told they would work as encoders and

Babe’s Eye View

NO doubt the visit, the 2nd visit in fact of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, underscores the strong partnership between the United States and the Philippines, coming as it is on the heels of the previous

e-games staff with salaries of $1,000 a month.

All six said they met the recruitment agents through social messaging apps – a common story among human trafficking victims, according to immigration officials. Other victims were offered jobs supposedly in business process outsourcing companies in Thailand and Cambodia, but found themselves working in cryptocurrency scam operations.

A Senate probe has shown that the crime rings force their foreign trafficking victims not only to operate scams but also to work long hours, with their movements restricted and their passports confiscated. Those who resist working or attempt to flee are subjected to beatings and verbal abuse.

Authorities have advised the public to be wary of illegal recruitment through social messaging and even dating apps, and to coordinate with the Department of Migrant Workers before signing up for overseas employment. Probers are also working to

ferret out immigration employees reportedly colluding with human traffickers.

The skills required for these jobs require a certain level of education that should make potential recruits aware of the risks of human trafficking. But the involvement of fellow Filipinos in the recruitment plus the promises of attractive pay and benefits probably help dispel fears of potential victims. Authorities

Secretary Austin’s visit reinvigorates US-PH relations

high-level visits of topranking U.S. government officials that include Vice President Kamala Harris, State Secretary Antony Blinken and a congressional delegation led by Senator Ed Markey in just a little over six months since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took

office.

The Pentagon informed us at the Philippine embassy in Washington, DC that Secretary Austin had wanted to include the Philippines in his itinerary, with South Korea as the original destination. We are pleased with the planned

visit, especially since we have a new Defense Secretary, Charlie Galvez. The U.S. Defense chief had also indicated he had not had the opportunity to meet President Marcos. The timing was perfect since we had also just finished the

must come down hard on these recruiters and any coddlers in government.

In the meantime, those hoping to work overseas must heed the warnings of authorities about the risks of finding employment through social messaging. And if a job offer seems too good to be true, trust your instincts; it’s probably a scam, or a human trafficking racket. (Philstar.com)

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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BaBe Romualdez

WARM WELCOME. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (left) welcomes United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III during a courtesy call at the President’s Hall in Malacañang Palace on Thursday, Feb. 2. During the meeting, Marcos emphasized the importance of further bolstering the cooperation between the Philippines and the United States. PNA photo by Rey S. Baniquet

Dateline PhiliPPines

Marcos confident inflation rate to go down  amid drop in prices of fuel, agriculture products

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand

“Bongbong” Marcos Jr. maintained confidence that the inflation rate will go down with the drop in the prices of fuel and its byproducts and imported agriculture products.

The Chief Executive issued the statement after the country’s inflation rate for last January rose to 8.7 percent, a 14-year high.

It was the fastest recorded surge since November 2008, dislodging the 8.1 percent registered in December 2022.

“As I said, the importation of many of the agricultural products, which have been

a large part of the (increase in) inflation rate... we have already taken some measures so that the supply will be greater and so that will bring the prices down but that will take a little time,” Marcos said in a video statement on Tuesday, February 7.

“And my continuing estimate or forecast is that by – we can see the lowering of inflation by the second quarter of this year,” he added, while further pointing out that steps taken by his administration to address the issue “have not yet gone through the system.”

Citing the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) January 2023 World Economic Outlook Update, Marcos said high inflation

Tycoon and ex-Trade chief Roberto Ongpin, 86

by Ed Paolo salting ManilaTimes.net

is a global problem that will continue to be a challenge to all countries, but that he remains optimistic that “this is going to be as high as it’s going to get” and vowed for the results of the government’s interventions to be felt “down the road”.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) had said that the high inflation rate was mainly driven by increases in housing rentals, electricity and water rates, as well as in the prices of vegetables, milk, eggs, fruits and nuts.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), meanwhile, noted that the government’s economic cluster has identified measures meant to

TYCOON and former Trade minister Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin passed away on Saturday, February 4, his nephew announced on Sunday, February 5.

“Roberto Velayo Ongpin, chairman of Alphaland Corporation, passed away in his sleep last night in Balesin Island. He was 86 years old,” Apa Ongpin said in Facebook post.

He is survived by his wife, Monica Arellano Ongpin; and children Stephen, Anna, Michell, and Julian; and four grandchildren.

Ongpin, who was chairman and CEO of Alphaland Corp., Atok-Big Wedge Co., Inc., and founder of PhilWeb Corp., was previously one of the most powerful ministers during the presidency

Roberto V. Ongpin ManilaTimes.net photo

of Ferdinand E. Marcos, father of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He helmed what was then known as the Minister of

Commerce and Industry from 1979 to 1986. The agency is now the Department of Trade and Industry.

Apa said his uncle was the “youngest Minister for Trade and Industry, during which he made many contributions to the development of the country, as well as defended the currency in the wake of the 1983 financial crisis.”

A Wikipedia on Ongpin states that had helped stabilize the peso by establishing the so-called “Binondo Central Bank,” which allowed the government to directly intervene in the black market.

After Marcos’ ouster in 1986 due to the People Power Revolution, Ongpin was charged with profiteering but was eventually cleared in 2016.

“After leaving government, he built and rebuilt empires,

More holistic approach to protect Pinoys’ mental health – Sen. Bong Go

by CeCille Suerte Felipe Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Bong Go remains firm in advocating for greater government interventions that will effectively address mental health issues, expressing his concern over the spike of suicide cases in the country, particularly at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In separate ambush interviews in Orion, Bataan and Valenzuela City on Friday, February 3, and Saturday, February 4,

respectively Go, who chairs the Senate committee on health and demography, underscored the gravity of mental health problems and its impact on communities, especially the youth.

Based on studies, rates of suicide cases nationwide have drastically increased in past decades, especially among the youth. Because of this, the senator filed Senate Bill 1786, which mandates public higher

education institutions (HEIs) to establish mental health offices, including the hiring, deployment and training of additional HEI-based mental health service personnel.

Out of the 28 million student population in public schools in 2021, 404 youths committed suicide; 2,147 attempted suicide; 775,962 sought guidance counseling, 8,000 of whom are victims of bullying, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“According to studies, reported suicide rates are rising. Since the pandemic started, many have been depressed. Not only students, but also our OFWs because of being quarantined, away from their families… It’s saddening. This needs to be addressed,” Go said in English and Filipino.

“From my end, I’ve filed Senate Bill 1786, which mandates public higher education institutions to establish mental health facilities. This means that counselors should focus on schools because we need to care for many of our students. They may be depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The more that we should

focus on this,” he added.

The mental health offices shall set up campus hotlines with dedicated and trained guidance counselors to provide assistance to the whole HEI community, especially students.

The bill also stated that special attention shall be given to those identified to have mental health problems or conditions, especially those at risk of committing suicide.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the public HEIs, through their mental health offices, shall then initiate and sustain a heightened campaign to raise public consciousness about mental health.

Still in line with his advocacy to support Filipino children’s psychological well-being, Go supported fellow Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s measure that, parallel to his bill, aims to establish mental health and well-being centers in every public school.

Go serves as co-author of Gatchalian’s SB 379, or the proposed Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion

PAGE 10

AFP prepares for 2023 Balikatan...

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez saying it should be “further broadened” to deter “further aggression” by China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“I support that decision. It is in our national interest to pursue and expand our defense partnership with the US to deter further aggression from China in the WPS and possible Chinese seizure of islets that belong to us under international law,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

“More sites along our western seaboard, where Chinese aggression and harassment of our fishermen have been taking place, should be covered,” he pointed out.

Four more locations have been added to the current five Philippine bases where U.S. troops would be allowed to operate under EDCA.

The five current locations are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.

EDCA is a supplemental element of the Visiting Forces Agreement which allows U.S. troops to use Philippine bases on a rotational basis.

“I support the Philippine Air Force base at the former Lumbia airport in

Marcos confident...

PAGE 6

keep food price movements consistent with its inflation and food security objectives, with higher agricultural productivity, food supply augmentation, and energy security seen as priorities to temper upward price pressures.

These short-term measures include augmenting supply such

as the temporary easing of import restrictions, price monitoring, and targeted social support, while medium- to long-term priorities include ensuring food security through higher agricultural productivity and ensuring energy security by pursuing the energy transition and development program. n

Tycoon and ex-Trade...

PAGE 6

including making the deals that brought the Shangri-La Group into the Philippines, Tagaytay Highlands, PhilWeb, and culminating in Alphaland Corporation, where he built his crown jewel, Alphaland Balesin Island Club,” his nephew wrote.

our city. I expect the US government to pour in more funds to develop and fully capacitate the air base,” Rodriguez said.

He also said the free ports in Subic, Zambales and in Clark in Angeles City, Pampanga, which are former U.S. military bases, should be used for EDCArelated exercises and humanitarian activities.

“The presence of the U.S. in the former U.S. Navy base in Subic could deter Chinese Coast Guard and military vessels from driving away our fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds in Scarborough or Panatag Shoal, or Bajo de Masinloc, which is near Zambales and Pangasinan,” he said.

He also proposed that Pag-asa Island off Palawan be included in areas open to US troops.

“We have an airstrip there. The DND (Department of National Defense) is also building a small port. We could ask our US counterparts to improve those facilities,” he added.

Oil exploration

Rodriguez said the expanded defense cooperation should prompt the Marcos administration to allow and support oil and gas exploration in Recto (Reed) Bank near Palawan.

He maintained that Recto Bank is “reportedly holding more oil and gas reserves than the Malampaya natural

gas project, also located in Palawan.”

Currently, a local company with foreign partners holds the service contract for exploring oil and gas in Recto Bank.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said EDCA is definitely advantageous to countries prone to disaster like the Philippines.

“We are the most disaster-prone country in the world. There’s no question American troops and their equipment can help us in a big way in critical life-saving disaster relief and recovery operations,” Pimentel said.

He said the arrangement would ensure “immediate availability of US military personnel and logistics to assist the Philippines in responding to natural disasters.”

The 2022 World Risk Index has tagged the Philippines as the most disaster-prone among 193 countries, with extreme vulnerability to destructive typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flash floods, storm surges and landslides.

The senior Mindanao legislator is also counting on the EDCA’s full implementation “to boost the ability of Filipino and American military forces to effectively combine operations and act together when needed.” – Delon Porcalla, Sheila Crisostomo n

Ongpin was a cum laude graduate of Ateneo de Manila and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He worked briefly in Procter & Gamble’s Manila office before joining Sycip Gorres and Velayo from 1964 to 1979.

Apa paid tribute to his uncle’s philantrophy, saying that “he refused to publicize it, but since 1988, he has funded thousands of full scholarships to Ateneo de Manila University, in the name of his brother, Jaime, who passed away in 1987.”

“The brothers had attended both Ateneo and Harvard on scholarship from anonymous donors.”

Ongpin was long regarded as one of the Philippines’ wealthiest businessmen. In 2022, Forbes Magazine named Ongpin as the 23rd richest Filipino with a net worth of $830 million (P44.5 billion).

His remains will be brought to Manila and an official family announcement will be made once details of the wake are finalized, his nephew said. n

PAGE 4

160 cases of unspecified Omicron subvariants, and 154 cases with no lineage specified.

The BA.5 strain still holds the title of the dominant strain in the country, with 12,716 cases already recorded. The BA.2.3.20 follows second, with a total of 4,626 cases.

XBB subvariants account for

1,366 of the total cases, 705 are XBC, and 325 are BA.4. These results paint a grim picture of the current pandemic situation, but all hope is not lost. With the latest genome sequencing results in hand, the DOH is confident that they can develop more effective measures to contain the spread of the virus. n

Sen. Bong Go

Philstar.com file photo

VALENTINE STAPLE. Flower bouquets are sold from P150 to P700 at a shop inside the Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City on Tuesday, Feb. 7, just a week before Valentine’s Day. Vendors expect the prices of flowers to increase to as much as P1,500 as the occasion nears. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

With gains in military capability, PH ranks 16th in Asia Power Index

by Kaycee Valmonte Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines

ranked 16th out of a list of 26 countries in Australian Lowy Institute’s 2023 Asia Power Index.

The index measures power based on its resources – such as economic and military capability, resilience, among others – and the influence it has over other states, nonstate actors and international events. The United States retained its top spot with China trailing by a few score points, followed by Japan, India and Russia.

While the Philippines maintained its rank from the 2021 edition of the index, its overall score declined by 0.4 points to 12.8 from 13.1 out of 100. This is far behind the U.S.’ score of 80.7, China’s 72.5, and Japan’s 37.2 score.

“The Philippines’ strongest measure is defense networks, where it places ninth, reflecting the extent of its bilateral military cooperation

with treaty ally the United States,” the Lowy Institute noted.

The score for defense networks is measured by a country’s regional alliances, its global defense partnerships and its regional defense diplomacy.

Military capability

The index also noted that the Philippines’ military capability has improved two places in the 26-country ranking to place at 17th. The Lowy Institute said the country inched up its future resources score or the measurement for its “projected distribution of future economic, military, and demographic resources.”

“The Philippines exerts more influence in the region than expected given its available resources, as indicated by the country’s positive power gap score,” the think tank said.

When it comes to arms trade, the institute reported that South Korea is the Philippines’ “most significant” arms trade

partner with deals worth around $692 million. The U.S. comes in second with $384 million, followed by Indonesia with $180 million, and Australia with $16 million, and trading numbers with Japan total $6 million.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is currently undertaking a modernization program, with countries such as France, Israel, and India offering to give new technology to the country.

Gaining diplomatic influence

The Asia Power Index also reported the Philippines posted gains in diplomatic influence, which refers to a country’s diplomatic network, multilateral power and its foreign policy thrust.

The Philippines logged a 2.0 score in diplomatic gains over the past year. The five countries the Philippines hold the most number of diplomatic dialogues are China, Australia, Cambodia, South Korea and the United States.

Meanwhile, the countries the Philippines would hold high-level bilateral and plurilateral defense diplomacy meetings include the U.S., Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit last week paved the way for the U.S. to reaffirm its support for its oldest treaty ally in Southeast Asia, such as promising assistance for the AFP’s modernization and to expedite the implementation of their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement by adding four more sites.

This means U.S. troops will soon have access to nine Philippine military facilities. The two countries also agreed to restart joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea.

The Lowy Institute named the U.S. as the Philippines’ top joint training exercise partner with 47 joint exercises, followed by Indonesia with 26, Malaysia at 24, Brunei with 22 and Thailand with 21. n

MERIENDA FAVORITE. Both raw and ready-to-eat corn are sold for P120 for four pieces in this makeshift stall along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The corn sold here came all the way from the provinces of Pangasinan and Bulacan. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

After Jullebee Ranara killing, OFW party-list rep seeks review of labor agreements

by Kaycee Valmonte Philstar.com

MANILA — A lawmaker from a party-list representing Overseas Filipino Workers is seeking an urgent review of all labor agreements the Philippines has with other countries in response to the death of another OFW, reportedly at the hands of her employer.

Citing data from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Rep. Marissa Magsino (OFW party-list) is calling for the review all 25 bilateral labor agreements the country inked with other nations. These include agreements with several Gulf States, Italy, among others.

“It is alarming that most of our [labor agreements]s are lacking explicit provisions relating to social security, equality of treatment, repatriation, and most importantly, on protocols

governing the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses committed against OFWs, and on legal remedies available to them and their families,” Magsino said in a statement.

Magsino also noted that there were leading countries of destination, namely Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, and Oman that the Philippines does not have labor agreements with.

The lawmaker underscored the country’s responsibility to ensure that its workers are protected while overseas through entering agreements with host nations under the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act.

“Our bilateral labor agreements envelop the policy support for our OFWs while they are abroad,” Magsino said.

“If there are some abuses, the agreements should provide for serious

consequences that would deter foreign employers from committing a similar transgression,” she said, as she stressed that deals should leave no room for maltreatment of migrant workers.

Jullebee Ranara is the latest OFW who was killed while employed in Kuwait. Her burnt body was found in the desert early last month and the suspect, the 17-yearold son of her employer, has since been in the custody of Kuwaiti authorities.

Her remains were laid to rest on Sunday, February 5. Following her death, senators have been calling to either impose a deployment ban to Kuwait or a review of the country’s labor agreement with the Gulf State.

The Philippines previously banned the deployment of its workers to Kuwait after Joanna Demafelis’

Former Court of Appeals justice is 5th man in committee to ‘cleanse’ PNP

A FORMER member of the Court of Appeals is the fifth man in the committee that will filter the courtesy resignations of the third level officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. said exAssociate Justice Melchor Quirino Cabarugi Sadang had requested previously that his identity be withheld.

Sadang, who was at the CA from 2011 to 2017, also served as the presiding judge of the Cavite Regional Trial Court (RTC) and was a law professor of the University of the East (UE).

According to Abalos, Justice Sadang has a good track record and is known for his integrity.

Four members of the committee were initially named--Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, PNP Chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., former Defense chief Gilbert Teodoro, and Undersecretary Isagani Neres from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs.

Abalos said that the 5-man committee will meet on Monday, February 13 for the vetting process on the PNP colonels and generals who submitted their courtesy resignations. (ManilaTimes.net) n

WARM RECEPTION. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian (in red shirt) gets a warm welcome from children during his visit to the Reception and Study Center for Children in Quezon City on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The residential facility provides social work interventions to neglected, abandoned, and abused children. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Philippines deports two Japanese fugitives linked to robbery scheme

by Kristine Joy Patag Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines on Tuesday, February 7 deported two Japanese fugitives, upon the request of the Japanese government that is investigating the string of robbery operations in the country led by a “Luffy,” who is believed to be detained in the Bureau of Immigration’s facility.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla led the deportation of the two Japanese nationals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday morning, state-run PTV4 reported.

Immigration revamps warden facility personnel after six phones seized from Japanese detainee

Remulla has earlier identified the two deportees as Kiyoto Imamura and Toyisha Fujita.

BI, in a separate statement, said Fujita, arrested on February 7, is wanted in Tokyo for involvement in telecommunications fraud that victimized Japanese people.

Two more Japanese fugitives, who were included in the request for deportation of their government, remain in the country owing to their pending cases in domestic courts. They are Yuki Watanabe — believed to be “Luffy” — and Tomonobu Saito.

Watanabe and Saito are still facing charges of Violence against Women and their Children in court, and these cases are keeping them on Philippine soil.

Remulla said a motion to withdraw Information (charge sheet) has already been filed, but the Pasay Regional Trial Court has yet to resolve them. Should the cases be dismissed, the two

Japanese nationals will be deported immediately.

The DOJ chief, in an earlier interview with reporters on Monday evening, Feb. 6 said they are hoping to deport the remaining two Japanese fugitives by Wednesday, February 8.

Remulla has said they suspect that cases filed against the Japanese nationals were contrived to keep them in the Philippines and not be deported.

“This is the first time actually that the secretary of justice has stepped in in this kind of proceedings and has exposed the way that several lawyers have been frustrating the ends of justice. This was never done before. It is due to the courts,” he said. Japan investigation

The justice chief also said the turnover of evidence seized from the Japanese nationals is ongoing.

“Regarding the telephones that were seized by the Bureau of Immigration, we are turning over 24 telephones and other accessories,” Remulla said separately on Tuesday morning.

“Luffy” is believed to be directing robberies in Japan from his detention cell in the Philippines.

The recovered phones have since been turned over to Japanese authorities. n

More holistic approach to...

Act, which will provide mental health services, emotional, developmental and preventive programs and other support services.

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Escudero on Tuesday, February 7 said the Department of Health (DOH) should lead a nationwide study on suicide cases among students to enable the government to get a bigger picture of the current mental health state of Filipinos.

Alarmed over reports

of suicide cases among students, Escudero, who chairs the Senate committee on higher, technical and vocational education, said a comprehensive study is needed to have a holistic and effective approach to addressing the problem in general.

“The data we have found is not enough. This is my call: the DOH should look at the current mental health situation in our country, not only among students –elementary, high school or

Secretary Austin’s visit reinvigorates...

PAGE 5

Bilateral Strategic Dialogue with the United States which we hosted in Manila the other week.

Following his arrival, Secretary Austin immediately proceeded to Camp General Basilio Navarro in Zamboanga City, where he met with officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including the commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom).

He described the visit as “heartwarming” because of the enthusiastic welcome he received from the local soldiers and officials – several of whom attended U.S. military institutions for advance courses –who engaged with him. Of course, the U.S. troops stationed in Zamboanga were also elated at the visit of the former U.S. Army four-star general whose name is legendary among American soldiers, having served as commanding general of U.S. Forces in Iraq.

college – but also among ordinary Filipinos from various sectors, whether employed or unemployed. It is important to get those data, so that we will know how to remedy or solve this problem,” he added in Filipino and English.

The Bicolano senator noted that the move would also supplement the recent survey conducted by the DepEd on the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of elementary and high school students. n

After Jullebee Ranara killing...

body was found in her employer’s freezer in 2018 and the murder of Jeanelyn Villavenda in 2019. The ban was lifted after negotiations between the two countries.

Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots”

Ople shut down the possibility of a deployment ban, saying the Philippines would instead pursue talks with Kuwait to further

ensure the protection of Filipino workers deployed there.

Ople said discussions that will be held will be similar to the negotiations recently done with Saudi Arabia. n

The courtesy call of Secretary Austin on President Marcos was very timely, and the discussions were very straightforward to a certain extent. The President expressed his deep appreciation for the continued assistance of the U.S. to the Philippines on many aspects of our bilateral relations, especially on the modernization of our armed forces.

As President Marcos himself said, “…the future of the Philippines and, for that matter, the Asia Pacific, will always have to involve the U.S. simply because those partnerships are so strong,” adding that we can only properly navigate geopolitical issues, especially in the Asia Pacific region, “with the help of our partners and our allies in the international sphere.”

Part and parcel of the entire relationship between the United States and the Philippines is our military alliance as underscored by the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). There is absolutely no doubt that the visit of Secretary Austin has reinforced all these agreements, particularly EDCA with four new locations to be added to the existing five that have been previously designated. While details have yet to be finalized, the new EDCA sites will be in very strategic locations.

As described by Greg Poling who is

director for the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Washington, DC-based think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, EDCA “allows U.S. forces to construct facilities at agreed-upon Philippine military bases for the use of both countries… and was meant to facilitate the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the long term while allowing U.S. forces the access necessary to fulfill its alliance commitments in the short term.”

Part of the agreement threshed out during the visit of Secretary Austin is the allotment of $82 million by the U.S. for infrastructure investments at five current EDCA locations which will support economic growth and jobs generation in local communities.

Discussions about additional locations have been ongoing for the past several months, and one important component would be humanitarian and disaster response (HADR), especially since the Philippines is very vulnerable to natural disasters. We have over 7,600 islands and many of these would require disaster resilience, which is really one of the main reasons why we have agreed to the EDCA as the U.S. would be able to help us develop these areas into becoming disaster resilient.

Definitely, the agreement will also help us in our efforts to be more prepared to deal with natural disasters that may come our way. As we have seen for ourselves, weatherrelated disasters are becoming stronger and inflicting so much damage on people and property, with lives also lost in the process.

According to latest reports, the global economic losses due to natural disasters amount to over $313 billion in 2022 alone. The 2022 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released late in January also showed the connection between economic losses due to climate crisis and human trafficking. The report included the Philippines. (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

SITE VISIT. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (2nd from left) leads the inspection of the Air Traffic Management Center in Pasay City on Monday, Feb. 6. Accompanied by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines chief Antonio Tamayo (not in photo), and (from left) Senators Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito and Grace Poe, the group said it was satisfied after the inspection but will still wait for the final report on the system glitch that caused massive flight disruptions on Jan. 1. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Security personnel escort one of the two Japanese fugitives as they board a plane at the airport in Metro Manila on February 7, 2023. AFP / Jam Sta. Rosa

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in Las Vegas in Part 2 of Citizen Pinoy’s ‘Your Tanong, My Sagot’

LEADING U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel continues to answer immigration questions from Pinoys who made the trek to Radiant Beauty Skincare Med Spa in Las Vegas. It can be said that the place where one goes to get clearer skin also became the venue to get clearer answers to their immigration concerns for that day.

• Roland wants to know if his wife can petition her halfbrother.

• Rowena wants to petition a housekeeper from the Philippines. She needs to know what the requirements are and how long the process will take.

• Cora, who is a green card holder, would like to petition her six siblings. She wants to know if it is better for her to become a U.S. citizen first. PAGE

Coco’s ‘pamana’ from Susan Roces

by Tessa Mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net

STOP any Filipino on the street and say the words, “Pag kailangan ng gamot,” ten to one — no matter the age — that person will burst out singing, “Wag mahihiyang magtanong...”

[All together now] “Kung may RiteMed ba nito? May RiteMed ba nito?”

Lyrics to the jingle of the country’s most affordable pharmaceutical line, the catchy ditty is very much ingrained in local pop culture and permanently so with its original singer — the late but forever beloved Queen of Philippine Movies, Ms. Susan Roces.

The beautiful, talented and famously kind-hearted Tita Susan quietly passed on last year on May 20 at age 80. Spared from a lingering illness, she succumbed to cardiac arrest only a day after being hospitalized for chest pain and difficulty breathing. Wife of the late and legendary Fernando Poe. Jr. — the king to her queen — she is survived by her daughter Sen. Grace Poe Llamanzares, and her brood in real life.

In show business and more so in the eyes of the public, Tita Susan is also survived by the day’s reigning King of Philippine Prime Time TV, Coco Martin. To him, her loss is as heartbreaking as real life, tightly bonded as Cardo and Lola Flor on and offcam, thanks to the longestrunning series on TV, “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.”

Perpetually humble despite all his success — a significant part perhaps owed to “Lola Flor’s” wisdom and guidance — Coco will never assume he has the right to any legacy Tita Susan had

built and left behind, despite their closeness.

Case in point, on a very special day last Monday, Coco, still mourning Ms. Susan’s death, recalled how he — just like every motorist or passenger whizzing by the Quiapo area — wondered in longing whose face would eventually replace the veteran actress’ picture with the famous RiteMed checkmark on the billboard that seemed to be hers forever.

“Palaisipan sa akin kung sino ba ang papalit sa kanya?

YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT IN LAS VEGAS PART 2. Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya at the Radiant Spa in Las Vegas in the second installment of “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Among the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are – From Rowena (top left): What are the requirements and how long will it take to petition a housekeeper from the Philippines?; From Cora (top right): I am a green card holder. Is it better if I become a U.S. citizen first before I petition my six siblings in the Philippines?; From Roland (bottom right): Can my wife petition her half-brother?; From Jessica (bottom left center): My siblings are already Documentarily Qualified, and we are just waiting for an interview date at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Why is it taking so long? Watch Part 2 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” at the Radiant Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, February 12 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM Eastern Time) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

In

show business and more so in

the

eyes

of the public, veteran actress Susan Roces

is

also survived by the day’s reigning King of Philippine Prime Time TV, Coco Martin. ABS-CBN photo

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

OSA hazardous

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)

“recommends the use of home sleep apnea testing or polysomnography for adults with daytime sleepiness or unrefreshing sleep, or other signs and symptoms that raise suspicion of moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).”

OSA is a condition where a person involuntarily holds his breath for a prolonged period of time (a dozen or hundred times) while asleep, resulting in low blood oxygen level, depriving vital organs of essential oxygen. OSA increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. About 80 percent of these individuals do not even know they have OSA.

The incidence of OSA around the world is about 936 million – 22 million in the United States, and about 4 million in the Philippines. In the U.S., OSA is estimated to be at 27 percent among men and about 16 percent among women. Obesity is a factor. Undiagnosed OSA is dangerous to health.

Whether snoring or not, if you usually have unrestful sleep, tired when you wake up and feeling “blah” or fatigued by early to mid-afternoon, consult with your physician, who would evaluate you and possibly refer you to a Pulmonologist-Sleep expert for a sleep study or home sleep apnea (self) testing.

Lessons from COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. As of February 4, the average daily infection rate was 40,680, average daily death rate of 458 (a day!), average hospitalization rate at 30,815, and 10 percent positivity testing rate, according to the New York Times tracker.

The current dominant subvariant, responsible for most COVID-19 infections is XBB.1.5, causing 66 percent of the cases, followed by the BQ.1.1, 20 percent. The original omicron variant is gone, leaving its subvariants: XBB.1., BQ.1., and BQ.1.

With the arrogant posture and carelessness of a number of politicians and some people inspiring society to lower its guard, COVID-19 will linger with us for an unforeseen future.

As long as we, as a nation and as a people, refuse to adhere strictly to science and the principles epidemiology in dealing with infectious diseases like COVID-19, and are willing to temporarily give up some civil liberties like the right to choose in order to save lives, we will never be ready and prepared for any future epidemic or pandemic.

We have had more than a million lives lost to COVID-19 in the United States. If the government and our people continue to do the same in the next killer infectious disease we may encounter, and not learn from our COVID-19 experience, many more millions will die, and the U.S. economy may not survive (to recover) the next time around.

Lower COVID mortality

Recent studies have shown that those in health care (physicians, nurses, techs, aides, etc.) have a significantly lower COVID infection rate, hospitalization, and deaths, compared to the general population.

“Obviously, some of this is due to higher income, access to care, and other socioeconomic factors, but it’s also likely much of this protection came from workplace policies, such as use of personal protective equipment, vaccination requirements, infection prevention protocols, and other protective measures.” reported Mathew Kiang, ScD, MPH, of Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and colleagues, in MedPageToday.

Indeed, personal hygiene, masking distancing, and especially vaccination, are effective in preventing infections and deaths, even with the current XBB.1 and XBB.1.5 subvariants.

Life is precious, and we’ve got only one. Let’s not play Russian Roulette with it.

Dangerously unprepared

All countries are “dangerously unprepared for future pandemics,” according to a report in Geneva (Reuters) by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) published on recently, “calling on countries to update their preparedness plans by year-end.” The COVID pandemic has so far killed more people than any earthquake, drought or hurricane in history, says the IFRC in its World Disaster Report 2022.

In the United States, the main problem is the conflict between strict implementation of the evidence-based long-proven epidemiologic protocol in fighting infectious disease and the constitutional rights of the people, who are invoking the freedom to choose (not to use mask, not to social distance, not to get the vaccines) and co-mingle with the rest of the population, many with subclinical COVID-19 or viral carriers, spreading the viruses to others.

Strictly speaking, to prevent transmission and save lives, the medical protocol calls for separation of those who have been vaccinated, those wearing masks and doing social distancing, those who are not carriers or infected FROM those refusing the above mitigation measures and demanding to have the freedom to choose what “to do with my own body,” as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Since the physical (geographical) separation of these two groups are not realistic, practical, nor feasible, the only option are federal mandates for these mitigating measures, especially vaccination. Those who refuse should stay home and not mingle with the rest of society until the pandemic is contained. This is an epidemiologic protocol to follow if we are to prevent the death of a million or more people. We must be understanding and compassionate enough to agree to temporarily waive our civil rights and follow the mandates to help save lives.

Of course, I am talking strictly medical and scientific here (no politics), highlighting the same principles and practices in infection wards in all medical centers around the world, [which is] strict isolation. Unless we are willing to do this constitutional sacrifice and implement strict epidemiologic protocols, our efforts in our war against any infectious disease in the future will certainly fail (as we did with COVID-19) to prevent a million deaths or greater. Doing the same and expecting a better result is certainly being foolish, if not stupid, to say the least. * * *

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve

Carla not giving up on love despite regret in marrying Tom

By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

CARLA Abellana might have just been through a painful separation from exhusband Tom Rodriguez but she remains hopeful that she will meet the love of her life at the right time.

where she opened up about her thoughts on romance after her failed marriage, as well as answering questions about her former partner. The topic was brought up by Alonzo after she asked Abellana if she would ever fall in love the same way she loved Rodriguez.

Carla Abellana Photo screengrabbed from YouTube/Bea Alonzo

The Kapuso actress made the revelation on a lie detector vlog uploaded on Bea Alonzo’s YouTube channel on Sunday, Feb. 5,

“I’m hoping that I will fall in love again. Hindi naman siguro impossible (perhaps it’s not impossible),” Abellana PAGE 15

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration...

PAGE

• Jessica, who came to the Q and A session with her mother, Marosa, wants to know why it is taking so long for her siblings to get an interview date at the U.S. Embassy in Manila even if they are already Documentarily Qualified.

Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers the questions of Roland, Rowena, and Cora (clockwise from top right).

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

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman

of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today. SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Jessice (center) and her mother, Marosa, (left) asked Atty. Gurfinkel (right) about a delay in her siblings’ Embassy interview.

a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. * * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints

Filipino American musician Steve Lacy wins Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album

The multitalented “Bad Habit” musician’s win adds to the expanding list of Fil-Ams finding success in the popular music circuit

By Tessa Mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net

ON Sunday, Feb. 5, the rising alternative R&B artist Steve Lacy won the Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album for his highly popular album, “Gemini Rights” — his firstever Grammy Award.

“It’s dope, to have it be mine. I didn’t have to change. I just have to be myself and get better at being myself and continuing to work hard,” Lacy told reporters shortly after winning the award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, held at the Crypto. com Arena in Los Angeles.

During the ceremony, Lacy — who was nominated for for Grammys in total — also performed performed his universally acclaimed single and chart-topping, viral hit “Bad Habit,” which was also nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance of the year.

Lacy, 24, is half Black and half Filipino American and has been an assiduous singer-songwriter-producer since the early 2010s. But he skyrocketed to international popularity in 2022 with the release of “Bad Habit” and “Gemini Rights,” his second studio album that peaked within the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.

Born Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya, Lacy is the son of a Black American mother

Georgina advises fellow moms:

By KaThleen a. lleMiT Philstar.com

IF there’s anyone who knows what she is talking about staying fit and healthy while managing a demanding business with several branches, it is model-entrepreneur Georgina Wilson.

After having three kids, all in their toddler years, and co-founding the lifestyle brand Sunnies Studios in 2013, it is safe to say that Georgina speaks about maintaining good health based on her experience.

So, how does a busy mom of three takes care of her household and her role as brand director of Sunnies Studios?

“I know what my body needs and I really think you should listen to your body. Sometimes, we get so caught up with everything that we need to do, but your body is so intelligent. It can tell you that it’s time to rest, to calm down. As a mom, I think you really need to be smart about the decisions you make in a day,” said Georgina in an exclusive sitdown

interview organized by Promil and Wyeth Philippines Inc. for Philstar.com’s Lifestyle and Entertainment show “Slam Book.”

Her pieces of advice are not breakthrough; in fact, several famous people and even everyday people ascribe to the motto of “Eat healthy and stay active.”

Wilson added that joining parenting groups and reading articles on raising kids, taking educational classes, as well as supplementing her kid’s diet with Promil have helped her and her kids.

For Georgina, these are quite manageable. Check out how she does these with these tips:

1. Wake up early and walk around your neighborhood.

Georgina attested to the power of 40 minutes of exercise by walking in the morning. She said that it helps you get your daily dose of Vitamin D, which is an essential vitamin that helps supports healthy bones, manage calcium levels, reduce inflammation and support the immune system and glucose metabolism.

Coco’s ‘pamana’ from Susan...

Academy and a Filipino American father and was born and raised in Compton, California. Lacy was raised primarily by his mother, and when he was 10 years old, his father passed away.

Following the ceremony, Lacy posted a photo of him and his mother on Instagram with a humble thanks to the fans and The Recording Academy.

“My mommy and i had the best time at the grammys. Thank u y’all [sic] for ur love and support. It means the world to me. i wake up and get paid to be myself. what a dream? still waking up from that one,” Lacy wrote.

EMPLOYMENT

Lacy’s interest in music began at an early age and in 2011, he formed an alternative R&B band called The Internet along with friends Syd Bennet and Matt Martians — who were members of Odd Future — and Patrick Paige II and Christopher Smith; Lacy served as the lead guitarist of the band.

In 2013, The Internet’s third album, “Ego Death,” would earn Lacy’s first Grammy nomination at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. Lacy was also nominated for Grammys for Best Urban Contemporary Album in both 2016 and 2020. n

Kasi mahirap siyang palitan. Wala akong maisip, wala akong idea kasi nag-iisa talaga siya, eh. Parang siya lang ang puwedeng magsabi, ‘Gagaling ka, giginhawa ka,’ na maniniwala ka sa sasabihin niya,” he recalled.

The story explained why a somewhat emotional and jittery-looking Coco Martin walked through the doors of Luxent’s ballroom before his speech, where the entire team of RiteMed executives waited to welcome him. That Monday, he was officially named Tita Susan’s successor for the brand and advocacy she dearly loved.

Coco clarified, however, that he cannot regard himself as a successor but as someone who has been fortunate enough to be part of Tita Susan’s life and

deeply honored with the task of carrying on her devotion to empowering quality and affordable healthcare for the masses.

“Alam naman natin kung gaano kabigat ang responsibilidad na aking kakaharapin. Siyempre po dahil ito sa aking lola, kay Tita Susan. Alam naman natin kung gaano ni-re-respeto at minamahal ng lahat ng Pilipino si Ms. Susan Roces. Kaya nakakatakot kasi isang napakalaking obligasyon ito para sa akin,” Coco confided in the audience.

Involving Ms. Susan in every way he considers and approaches the ambassadorship, he always keeps in mind that the revered actress would never endorse any product or line she did not trust.

“Alam [ni Ms. Susan]

‘yung responsibilidad niya sa mga Pilipino. Kaya ngayon, bawat galaw ko pinagiisipan ko talaga na ayokong makasira sa napakagandang reputasyon na iniwan ni Tita Susan.”

Valuing the RiteMed endorsement not as a project but as a challenging and meaningful “pamana” from Ms. Susan, Coco added, “Hindi ako nangangako, pero gagawin ko ang lahat para maitama ko ang sarili ko at maging karapat-dapat sa pagtitiwala niyo sa akin.” Such then goes RiteMed’s new TVC and, eventually, an adjustment to Ms. Susan Roces and RiteMed’s contribution to pop culture, courtesy of this generation’s hero of the masses, Coco Martin: “Ang sabi ng lola ko, ‘wag mahihiyang magtanong...” n

Steve Lacy

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Recording

‘Your body is intelligent. Listen to it!’

MUSICAL REIMAGINES A SHAKESPEARE CLASSIC

Introducing: Broadway smash hit & Juliet ’s Filipino American cast members

by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

AS Broadway fans, we are lucky to see one Filipino American cast member in a musical. We celebrate if we see more than one, like in the case of Miss Saigon, The King and I, Flower Drum Song, Aladdin, and just recently, Into the Woods.

One of the hottest tickets on Broadway today is & Juliet, an award-winning new musical that has been packing in the audiences at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43 Street) since it began performances last October, and celebrated its Broadway opening on November 17, 2022.

The musical boasts a diverse cast with 15 of the 25 company members making their Broadway debuts. There are four Filipino Americans –three of whom are marking their debuts: Brandon Antonio, Jasmine Rafael, and Alaina Vi Maderal and they are joined by Nico DeJesus, who is also the Assistant Dance Captain.

The musical is an exciting reimagination of Shakespeare’s classic love story and delves into what could have happened next if Juliet hadn’t ended it all over Romeo, and got a second

chance at life and love – on her terms.

Featuring a book by David West Read, the Emmy Award-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” music from legendary five-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Max Martin, direction by Luke Sheppard, and choreography

by Emmy Awardwinner Jennifer Weber, & Juliet uses some of the most beloved pop songs of the last three decades to flip the script on the greatest and most tragic love story ever told.

& Juliet is a multigenerational story of selfdiscovery, empowerment,

and love. This fresh retelling of Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, all written by Max Martin and his collaborators, making this jukebox musical an instant pop favorite. Among the songs used in the musical are classics from Kelly Clarkson, Katy

Perry, Britney Spears, and Backstreet Boys including “Since U Been Gone,”

“Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life,”

“That’s The Way It Is,” “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” and many more.

& Juliet had its World Premiere in September 2019 at the Manchester

Opera House in England, before moving to London’s West End, where it began performances in November 2019 at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London and went on to win three Olivier Awards.

The Broadway-bound production debuted last summer at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, where it broke box office records and played to standing-room-only audiences. An Australian production of & Juliet will premiere this month at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. It also broke box office records in the Stephen Sondheim Theater last month, making it a certified hit. The previous record has been held since 2014 by Beautiful – The Carole King Musical.

Their Journey to & Juliet Brandon Antonio did his due diligence the moment he found out that the show was going to have a Toronto run. This was around February 2020, a month before all the global pandemic lockdowns.

“So I started to do my research and I heard that & Juliet was a jukebox musical with songs by Max Martin and it’s a what-if story if Juliet lives at the end of Romeo and Juliet,” Antonio shared. “Max Martin is like the greatest songwriter of all time, I mean, those are all the songs that I grew up with, my favorite songs in the entire

Nico De Jesus Alaina Vi Maderal

Lorna Courtney and the cast of & Juliet

Photo by Matthew Murphy The company of & Juliet

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Brandon Antonio Jasmine Rafael

Moira’s new song sparks rumors about ex Jason’s cheating

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

SOCIAL media were abuzz after Kapamilya singer Moira Dela Torre sang a new song in her concert last Friday, February 3.

In the song, Moira talked about an experience wherein she was cheated on multiple times.

Social media users were quick to point their fingers to Moira’s ex-husband Jason Hernandez.

“You said you made a mistake. But isn’t a mistake only a mistake if it’s one time. But if it’s again and again, sorry honey, but I just gotta run for my life,” part of the song’s lyrics said.

“Wasted five years of my life. Were they worth all of your lies, oh why? You said you made a mistake. But

there’s no one else to blame. ’Cause you didn’t do it just one time or two times or three times or five times. I forget bye bye,” it added.

Last week, Moira gamely answered a social media user’s query asking her to join a blind date.

In her Faceebook account, Moira posted photos of her, which delighted social media users because of her physical transformation.

“Pwede na po kayo sumali sa blind date?” a Facebook user asked.

Moira refused the invitation, saying she was once blinded by love.

“Naging blind na po ako sa pag-ibig dati. Ayoko na po. Bye po tenkyu po,” Moira answered.

Moira and Jason confirmed their breakup after three years of marriage last May 2022. n

Carla not giving up...

14

answered. However, she clarified that romance is not a priority at the moment.

Abellana also candidly admitted that she regretted marrying Rodriguez, although she initially hoped that it would be a lie.

“Siyempre, gusto kong sabihin na ‘no’ kasi kahit papaano, kung paano tayo pinalaki ng kultura natin, dahil Catholic din ako, na parang no regrets ka dapat kasi part ‘yan ng plan ni God. But then honestly, kung si Carla, tanggalin mo lahat ‘yun, then yes. Talagang nagsisi ako[ng pakasalan siya],” she said.

(Of course, I want to say no. Since I’m a Catholic, we come from a culture where we have to face things with no regrets since it’s God’s plan. But then personally, as Carla, remove all of those, then yes. I really regretted marrying him.)

The “Rosalinda” star also noted that she has been seeing changes in herself since her split from Rodriguez, but clarified that she would rather not work with him again in the future.

“Honestly, nasa process pa ako (I am still in the process) of changing. I wouldn’t say that I am already a changed person, but I can definitely see

Georgina advises fellow...

2. Eat right!

The model entreprenuer stressed that the Philippines is not lacking in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, thus moms or everyone in general should not find it difficult to eat a balanced diet.

“I believe in eating right. I am a huge proponent of nutrition. I believe every bite counts so don’t eat the wrong things,” she said.

It is also important for her case because she needs to be in top shape due to the

demands of her work and her family life that can easily deplete her energy.

3. Sleep the right way.

It’s a no brainer, but Georgina believes this should be among the top lists simply because the body needs its rest to recharge for another day’s worth of activities.

“I also really do believe, do the right amount of sleep. My brain doesn’t work when I don’t sleep right. So, be in bed by 10 p.m. For me, it’s eight hours,” she said. n

Introducing: Broadway smash hit & Juliet’s...

PAGE 14

world.”

His agent also emailed and asked him if he was interested and obviously, he said yes. The pandemic may have complicated everything, but that didn’t stop Antonio from chasing his dream. He was working full-time at a health clinic as a receptionist at this time and because of this, he couldn’t just come to New York for his dance call so he called in sick for a couple of days and flew to New York.

changes already na untiunti pa lang nangyayari so, mahabang process siya (slowly happening so it’s a long process),” she added.

Abellana then stressed that she is never getting back with Rodriguez again, saying that while she believes in second and third chances, she doesn’t agree in giving a fourth or fifth chance.

“There has to be change, ‘yun bang ganun (if that makes sense). Hindi pwedeng paulit-ulit na (It can’t happen over and over again,”) she said.

Abellana and Rodriguez tied the knot in October 2021, but speculations about their marriage going south started as early as 2022 when fans noticed that they haven’t been following each other on Instagram.

The Kapuso actress eventually broke her silence about their relationship status in June 2022, saying she was “disrespected, betrayed and was made to look stupid” by her ex-husband. Rodriguez, who’s an American citizen, also confirmed in the same month that their divorce had been finalized.

It is unknown, however, whether Abellana and Rodriguez’s marriage has been nullified in the Philippines, as of this writing. n

It worked out well for him because he was given the role of Richard and an understudy to two of the principal roles, Romeo and Francois. He has done both so we had to ask if he preferred one over the other.

“It’s hard to choose because they both have highlights and they’re both challenging in different ways. Francois has quite a journey of self-discovery, which is fun to play and he gets to sing a Britney Spears song, which is amazing, I love being able to do that,” he explained.

“I also love to have like a full-on rock star. So that’s fun to play Romeo in the sense that you just get to live in that sort of fantasy. So I love playing both. I really couldn’t choose.”

Antonio, who was born in Toronto and raised in the suburbs, remembers being a kid who loved to sing in the karaoke and was forced by his family to sing every time there is a gathering.

“I didn’t realize that theater was going to be in my in my pathway to performing until probably high school because that was when I started doing theater stuff,” he shared. “I was about 14 or 15 when I realized that theater might be something worth pursuing.”

Jasmine Rafael meanwhile was working in a restaurant when her manager called her to audition for the musical. Up until this point, she has been auditioning for New York projects but nothing seemed to pan out so she told her manager not to send her any more New York projects. Her manager insisted and she was told the basics –the premise of the show and the use of pop songs.

Jasmine was cast and she was told to be in NYC to start the rehearsal process in a little less than two weeks. She dropped everything, left her job, and told her family and friends that she was

off to achieve her three-year-old dream.

“It wasn’t like a lifelong dream because I just simply didn’t see a lot of people look like me or sounded like me, with my abilities, on Broadway, but then since it started diversifying, I allowed myself to have that specific trait and it’s been amazing to see the dream come true,” Rafael told the Asian Journal in an interview.

Rafael comes from a family of performers so it is no surprise that she knew she wanted to perform as early as five years old. Her dad was a pianist and composer, her mom was a choir director, and her brother AJ is a singer.

She describes the past couple of months of being in the show as a whirlwind, similar to the way she was cast, and a constant learning curve.

“It’s been really busy. A lot of excitement, learning, and growing, especially in terms of our lifestyle and how to sustain energy,” she said.

Especially for 15 of them in the company who were making their Broadway baptisms of fire. Was it what she expected?

“Yes and no,” Rafael replied laughing. “I really didn’t know what to expect. It just takes everything from you. And that’s like, more than I thought it would, in a way. It was like I know how to dance I got to sing you know, but to do it at this frequency like eight shows a week mentally, so that wasn’t what I expected. But it’s kind of better than I would have expected, the bond that I have with the cast and how much fun I’m having is like really, really amazing.”

Amazing is the same word that Alaina Vi Maderal used to describe how it feels being part of one of Broadway’s biggest hits this season.

“I think I always knew that the show was going to be received very well because it was a huge hit in Toronto. We knew we were going to have a fun time in New York City,” she recalled. “I am very grateful to be a part of the show and to be received so well from the theater, Broadway, queer, and even Asian American community in Toronto.”

As a part of the Toronto ensemble, Maderal was in Canada for the whole summer last year.

Now, she describes her NYC situation as a wonderful feeling, especially when she’s on the subway on her way to work

and she gets that moment when she realizes her reality and she would get that ‘Wow, I can’t believe that I’m on my way to go work in a Broadway theater in New York City’ kind of feeling.

“I guess my life now feels sort of surreal because the city has so much energy and I mean, this is what I’ve always imagined my life to be like but I kind of still feel like I’m up in the clouds a little bit,” she revealed. “Just because I haven’t been back down to reality. Just because this is everything that I’ve ever, ever wanted, so I still feel like I’m in this like dream state, a surreal place. And I’m trying to come back to reality but knowing that this is my reality is kind of a fun experience for me. It’s definitely real!”

For Nico de Jesus, being assistant dance captain for the show is his full circle moment.

“Growing up Filipino in San Diego we all did hip hop. It wasn’t ever a thing that we thought that we could do on Broadway. So to be a part of & Juliet is kind of a full circle for me - to grow up doing hip hop in southeast San Diego and then now doing it on Broadway is kind of crazy to me,” de Jesus told us in our interview. “I’m excited that there are three other Filipinos that are here with me amongst many other different types of Asians that are in the show as well.”

De Jesus made his Broadway debut in 2018 as part of “Pretty Woman: The Musical” at the Nederlander Theatre, eventually becoming one of the show’s dance captains. He also played Romeo on Newsies and was a part of In The Heights led by Vanessa Hudgens.

As dance captain, de Jesus says he “assists the dance guys in any way to make sure that the show choreographicwise remains at the level of when the show opened” and that if new people are coming into the show, they’re also in charge of helping get them into the show seamlessly.

To keep fit, de Jesus follows a strict diet and regimen to be able to perform consistently at a high level.

“My thing is [that] I take care of myself and I treat myself like an athlete,” he shared. “I take it to the extreme - I’m vegan and I do intermittent fasting. I go to the gym every day and it’s all just to maintain, to make sure that my body can do what it needs to do.” n

Georgina Wilson

Photo from Instagram/@ilovegeorgina