021723 - Northern California Edition

IRS says more early birds ling taxes

BARELY three weeks after the start of this year’s tax filing season, the IRS had received 19 million tax returns, processed 16.8 million of them, and issued eight million refunds each averaging $1,963.

The message – IRS Deputy Commissioner

Kevin Moorehead told reporters on an Ethnic Media Services conference call last week – is file your returns sooner rather than later, and do it electronically. Ask that refunds be wired directly into your bank account. The IRS turnaround time will be a lot faster.

The reason is that the Inflation Reduction Act put $80 billion in the IRS bank account to hire 5,000 more telephone assisters and to add more Taxpayer Assistance Centers around the country where you can go for free help to file your taxes.

“We expect more than 168,000,000 individual tax returns to be filed, with the vast majority of those coming in before April 18, the tax deadline date,” Moorehead said.

California homeless crisis looms as Gov. Newsom eyes political future

SACRAMENTO — Driving through the industrial outskirts of Sacramento, a stretch of warehouses, wholesale suppliers, truck centers, and auto repair shops northeast of downtown, it’s hard to square California’s $18 billion investment in homeless services with the roadside misery.

Tents and tarps, run-down RVs, and rusted boats repurposed as shelter line one side of the main thoroughfare. More tents and plywood lean-tos hug the freeway underpasses that crisscross Roseville Road, and spill into the nearby neighborhoods and creek beds.

At one of the more established encampments, Daisy Gonzalez used canvas and carpet scraps to fashion a living room outside her cramped RV. Inside, Gonzalez took a quick hit of fentanyl, and turned to a mirror to apply a fresh face of makeup. As the opioid coursed through her body, her anxiety settled, her thoughts grew more collected. But she knows the addiction can’t end well and recounted a half-dozen failed attempts to get clean.

“I really need to get off this ‘fetty’ and stay clean, but it’s so hard out here,” said

SWS:

US backs PH in new dispute with China

from approaching Second Thomas Shoal on a resupply mission to Filipino forces there, according to the Philippine officials.

forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the coast guard in the South China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under a 1951 treaty.

THE United States renewed a warning that it would defend its treaty ally if Filipino forces come under attack in the disputed South China Sea, after a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly hit a Philippine patrol vessel with a military-grade laser that briefly blinded some of its crew.

The incident took place on February 6 when the Chinese coast guard ship beamed high-grade lasers to block the Philippine patrol vessel BRP Malapascua

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said China's "dangerous operational behavior directly threatens regional peace and stability, infringes upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law and undermines the rules-based international order."

"The United States stands with our Philippine allies," Price said in a statement.

He said that an armed attack on Philippine armed

Marcos: EDCA sites won’t raise tensions

by BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Philippines will see to it that giving the United States military access to four new bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will not be seen as a “provocation” that could further heighten tension in the South China Sea.

The president was reacting to growing concerns that allowing the expansion of U.S. military presence in the country will not sit well with other countries, particularly China, which have staked claims in the disputed waterway.

“It’s a valid concern. And it’s something that we have to pay attention to, that we do not be seen as... anything that we do will not be seen as provocative to anyone,” the President said in a chance interview Sunday, February 12.

Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines are claiming parts of the South China Sea, believed to be rich in gas and mineral resources.

China, however, insists that practically all of the South China Sea is part of its territory.

Marcos said he has always been for maintaining peace in the region, and will avoid moves that will disrupt that peace.

 PAGE 2

75% of Pinoys satis ed with Marcos

MANILA — About seven in every 10 Filipinos are satisfied with the performance of President Marcos in the last quarter of 2022, according to a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The SWS on Tuesday, February

14 released the full details of its Dec. 10 to 14 survey on the performance of the President, which showed public satisfaction increasing from 71 percent in October to 75 percent. Dissatisfaction hardly moved from eight percent to seven percent, while those who were

undecided dropped from 21 percent to 18 percent.

As reported earlier, Marcos’ resulting net satisfaction rating for December was “very good” +68, up from the “very good” +63 in the October survey.

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

SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of at 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”;

The treaty obligates the allies to help defend one another in case of an external attack.

China claims the South China Sea virtually in its entirety, putting it on a collision course with other claimants.

Chinese naval forces have been accused of using military-grade lasers previously against Australian  PAGE 2 by

China claims Philippine arbitration case a ‘political drama’ orchestrated by US

KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — China again downplayed the 2016 Hague ruling on the South China Sea, calling it  "illegal, null, and void" as it  accused the United States of using it as a geopolitical tool.

China has refused to recognize the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the case that the Philippines filed in 2013 to question the sweeping nine-dash-line. It did not participate in the case either.

"We would also like to point out that the South China Sea arbitration case brought by the Philippines was pure political drama orchestrated by the U.S.,"  Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press conference on Tuesday, February 14.

"The U.S. invokes its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines at every turn in an attempt to intimidate China, but it will not weaken our resolve and will to safeguard China’s legitimate and lawful rights and interests,"  he added.

The Hague ruling was released in the early days of

Nursing students from Centro Escolar University (CEU) gather for the annual capping and pinning ceremony at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. Philstar.com file photo by Edd Gumban

Fewer Pinoys taking up nursing

by MAYEN JAYMALIN Philstar.com

MANILA — Despite the huge demand for healthcare workers (HCWs) abroad, the local recruitment industry on Monday, Februaary 12 reported a downtrend in the number of

Filipinos opting for a nursing degree.

Recruitment leader Lito Soriano observed that fewer Filipino youth are now enrolling in nursing schools because of the prevailing cap in the deployment of HCWs abroad.

Fewer Pinoys taking up...

Soriano, who owns an agency deploying health workers to Saudi Arabia, said there has been a decline in the number of nurses applying to work since the pandemic as a result of the deployment cap.

“We have been posting on social media job vacancies offering good salaries and numerous benefits for registered nurses, but we have few applicants,” Soriano disclosed.

According to Soriano, there are few applicants because the

country is also producing fewer nursing graduates. Soriano said young Filipinos are discouraged from taking up nursing because of the belief that the deployment cap limits their chances of working abroad.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the government set an annual deployment cap of 7,500 for HCWs to ensure a sufficient supply of nurses in the country.

Citing data from the Professional Regulation Commission, Soriano said a total of 48,686 nursing

US backs PH in new...

graduates passed the licensure examination from 2016 to 2022.

The figure he said is insufficient to fill the huge demand for HCWs in the United States, United Kingdom and other European countries.

To curb the downtrend, Soriano urged the government to raise or totally lift the deployment cap.

Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople previously reported that the government is currently studying the possibility of raising the deployment cap for HCWs. g

Marcos: EDCA sites won’t raise...

He said the additional EDCA sites “will not have the opposite effect from what we want, which is to make the tensions [in the South China Sea] even higher.”

He refused to identify the new sites, saying they are still under study.

“I think when I get back I will have a command conference and we will decide once and for all.

And we’ll announce [the specific details]. But [it will not] take too long,” he said.

In a statement on February 2, after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III finalized arrangements to set up four more EDCA sites, the Chinese embassy in Manila said the U.S.’ military posture in the region escalates tension and undermine regional peace and stability.

It said that Washington, “out of its self interests and zero-sum game mentality, continues to step up military posture in this region.”

Austin “smeared China on the issue of South China Sea to advance the anti-China political agenda of the U.S.,” the embassy said. “Such moves contradict the common aspiration of regional countries to seek peace, cooperation and development.” g

military aircraft on patrol in the South China Sea and other spots in the Pacific.

Despite friendly overtures to Beijing by former president Rodrigo Duterte and his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in January in Beijing, tensions have persisted, drawing in a closer military alliance between the Philippines and the U.S.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday, February 13 that a Philippine coast guard vessel trespassed into Chinese waters without permission.

Chinese coast guard vessels responded "professionally and with restraint at the site in accordance with China's law and international law," he said, without elaborating or mentioning the use of laser.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, where a bulk of the world's commerce and oil transits.

Washington lays no claims to the disputed sea but has deployed forces to patrol the waters to promote freedom of navigation and overflight — moves that have angered Beijing, which has warned Washington to stop meddling in what it says is a purely Asian dispute.

The contested waters have become a volatile front in the broader rivalry between the U.S.

and China in Asia and beyond.

Price said the Chinese coast guard's "provocative and unsafe" conduct interfered with the Philippines' "lawful operations" in and around Second Thomas Shoal.

In July, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on China to comply with a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing's vast territorial claims in the South China Sea and warned that Washington was obligated to defend the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty.

On Monday, Price reiterated that the "legally binding decision" underscored that China "has no lawful maritime claims to the Second Thomas Shoal."

China has long rejected the ruling and continues to defy it.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin on Monday insisted that the Ren'ai Reef is part of China's Nansha Islands.

In a statement shared by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, Wang said that on February 6, a Philippine Coast Guard vessel "intruded into the waters off the Ren'ai Reef (or Ayungin Shoal) without Chinese permission."

He said that in accordance with China's domestic law and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), the China Coast Guard ship "upheld China's sovereignty and maritime order and acted in a professional and restrained way."

"We hope the Philippine side will respect China's territorial

sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and avoid taking any actions that may exacerbate disputes and complicate the situation," he said.

"China and the Philippines are in communication on this through diplomatic channels," Wang added.

Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" Hontiveros, however, rejected Wang's explanation.

"China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is lying," she said.

"It cannot claim that the Chinese Coast Guard ship acted in accordance with international law, when the 2016 arbitral tribunal that ruled against China's baseless 9-dash-line claim was constituted precisely under the Unclos," she said in a statement.

The senator said Ayungin is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. "The Unclos affirms this."

"The wider international community recognizes this. It is only China's authoritarian government that seems to think otherwise," Hontiveros said.

She told China's MoFA "to stop lying and stick to the truth: that China is using her military might to justify her blatant and dangerous disregard for international law, with her flimsy historical 'claim' as an excuse."

The Philippines filed nearly 200 diplomatic protests against China's aggressive actions in the disputed waters in 2022 alone. (With reports from Associated Press)

SWS: 75% of Pinoys satisfied...

-30 to -49 as “bad”; -50 to -69 as “very bad” and -70 and below as “execrable.”

Highest in Mindanao

According to SWS, Marcos obtained his highest satisfaction rating among respondents in Mindanao, with 78 percent in both during the October and December surveys. Satisfaction with the President increased to 74 percent in both Balance Luzon and the Visayas, from 69 percent and 65 percent, respectively. It remained at 73 percent among those in Metro

Manila.

Meanwhile, dissatisfaction was highest in Metro Manila at nine percent (from seven percent in October), followed by the Visayas at seven percent (from nine percent) and rest of Luzon and Mindanao at six percent (from nine percent and five percent, respectively).

Based on the latest survey, satisfaction with Marcos was higher among those in rural areas (80 percent) than in urban areas (70 percent). It was also higher among men (77 percent) than women (73 percent).

In terms of age groups, satisfaction with Marcos was highest among 25-34 (80 percent), followed by those in 18-24 (76 percent), 35-44 (75 percent), 45-54 (74 percent) and above 55 (71 percent).

It was also higher among junior high school graduates (78 percent) and non-elementary graduates (77 percent), followed by elementary graduates (71 percent) and college graduates (67 percent).

The December 2022 survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent. g

California homeless crisis looms as...

PAGE 1

Gonzalez, 32, her eyes welling. She turned back to the mirror, finishing her eye makeup. “I want to get help and find a program, but there’s no treatment around here. It seems like nobody cares.”

Across California, homelessness is impossible to escape. Steep increases — Sacramento County saw a 67% rise in its homelessness count from 2019 to 2022 — have so far blunted unprecedented government efforts to fund housing and treatment for people living on the streets. And although some communities have made progress, statewide the gravity of the crisis has deepened.

IRS says more early birds filing...

Although refunds are expected to be somewhat smaller this year because the COVID economic impact payments have ended, Moorehead advised people to file a 2022 return even if you don’t owe taxes.

“While people with income under a certain amount are not generally required to file a tax return, those who qualify for certain tax credits or already paid some federal tax by having taxes withheld from their paycheck may qualify for a tax refund, but they must file in order to get one,” he said.

Kevin Moorehead, Deputy Commissioner, Wage and Investment Division at the IRS, explains the green energy credits available to those who have purchased a green vehicle.

Don’t leave money on the table, agreed Sue Simon, Director of IRS Customer Assistance.

“What we want to do is ensure that anyone who has not filed a 2021 tax return do so.

But in order to collect unpaid benefits, you have to file both a 2021 and a 2022 return. However you fill out these returns, either electronically or by paper, Simon said it is imperative that you put “Zero” as the amount of your adjusted gross income. Then IRS computers can digest that information and by filing for both years, technical errors can be

avoided.

The IRS won’t call you but you can call them on toll free phone lines and get assistance in one of 350 languages. Simon said interpreter services are also available in any of IRS’s 362 taxpayer assistance centers via their telephones.

“There are forms that are commonly used by taxpayers that are available in Spanish, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Haitian, Creole, Vietnamese and Russian,” Simon said. There are online tools at IRS. gov to help people determine if they are eligible for EITC, a Sales Tax Deduction Calculator to determine how much sales tax is allowed as a deduction in your state. There is the Free File Online Lookup tool that helps taxpayers find the right company to file their tax return under the Free File program. Go to IRS.gov and search the Pick List. There is also a tax withholding estimator tool.

“All of those are available in English as well as those languages that I listed,” she said.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) provides help and counseling to taxpayers, free of charge, especially about EITC and additional Child Tax credits which can be hard to understand, Simon added.

Susan Simon, Director of Customer Assistance, Relationships and Education at the IRS, details how taxpayers can get free help filing their taxes.

“During the last two years, we had about 50,000 volunteers throughout the United States doing tax returns. This year, as of today, we have 81,000 volunteers in the United States and Puerto Rico preparing free tax returns for individuals and families.”

Simon said the IRS provides information in a way that taxpayers can have faith and trust that their tax return is being done correctly, that there is no scam going on, that there is no fraud.

A lot of people used VITA. Last year, VITA volunteers prepared 2.2 million tax returns.

“Each one of these volunteers is trained by the IRS. They are certified. They are tested. So, you know you are getting accurate information,” she said. There is a Taxpayer Assistance Locator tool at IRS.gov to find the local office where you can set up an appointment and talk to someone in person.

This year is going to be “significantly better” than the last few difficult years of tax returns some of which the IRS is still processing, Moorehead predicted.

You could get more money in your pocket, he says. (Peter White/Ethnic Media Services)

Encampments have mutated into massive compounds proliferating with hard drugs and untreated mental illness. “Isn’t there supposed to be all this money and housing?” asked Gonzalez’s boyfriend, Joe Guzman, an exconvict who enforces rules for their encampment. Guzman said he has experience in construction but can’t find a job because of a felony drug record.

“Everybody out here is using,” said Guzman, 38, checking their emergency stash of naloxone, an overdose reversal medication, on a brisk November morning. “What else are you going to do, especially when it’s this cold? You have to be numb.”

At its heart, California’s homeless emergency stems from a long-standing shortage of affordable housing. But it is also a public health crisis: The encampments are rife with mental health and addiction disorders. Rats and roaches are endemic, as are stagnant sewage and toxic camp smoke.

Gov. Gavin Newsom brims with frustration — and purpose and new ideas — when confronted with what has become an age-old question for California leaders: Why, for all the money and good intentions poured into helping people out of homelessness, does it look worse today than ever?

Experts on homelessness say California stands out as the state that has done the most in recent years to address the issue, yet communities are struggling to make headway.

“Some people are demoralized,” Newsom said last summer, unveiling a strategy to fund housing for homeless people with mental health and addiction disorders. “Some people have, frankly, given up — given up on us, given up on the prospect that

we can ever solve this issue. And I want folks to know that they shouldn’t give up.”

Newsom has muscled historic investments of public funds to combat the crisis, wresting a staggering $18.4 billion in taxpayer money in his first four years for initiatives directly targeting homelessness, a KHN analysis found. And more money is on the way: Spending is projected to grow to $20.5 billion this year.

As he wades into his second term as governor, the stakes are higher. He has signaled his ambitions for national office and speculation abounds that he’s positioning himself for a presidential run. He has cast himself as a vanguard for liberal values, taking out ads to goad the Republican governors of Texas and Florida for their conservative politics and publicly chiding fellow Democrats for being too meek in their response to the nation’s culture wars, including a right-wing assault on abortion and classroom speech on issues of race and gender.

On this national stage, California’s squalid tent cities loom as a hulking political liability, ready-made visuals for opponents’ attack ads. Newsom’s legacy as governor and his path forward in the Democratic Party hinge on his making visible headway on homelessness, an issue that has stalked him since he was elected mayor of San Francisco two decades ago.

And Newsom is recalibrating, injecting a new sternness into his public statements on the topic, something akin to “tough love.”

He is enjoining local governments to clear out the unsanctioned encampments that homeless advocates have long defended as a merciful alternative in a state woefully short on housing options. And he is demanding that cities and counties submit aggressive plans outlining how they will reduce homelessness — and by how much — as a precondition for future rounds of funding.

“We have written checks, but we’ve never asked for anything in return,” Newsom told reporters in August. “That has radically changed. We mean business. It’s unacceptable what’s going on in this state.”

Newsom has set in motion a costly, multipronged battle plan, in many ways a grand experiment, attacking homelessness on multiple fronts.

Through his brainchild “Project Homekey,” the state has plowed about $4 billion into converting dilapidated hotels and motels into permanent housing with social services. Billions more have been allocated to cities and counties to clear encampments and open additional shelters and supportive housing.

Separate from that, his controversial “CARE Court” plan seeks a novel approach to compelling people languishing on the streets with untreated psychotic disorders to get treatment and housing. It melds the “carrot” of a court-ordered treatment plan, to be provided by local governments, with the “stick” of the prospect of courtordered conservatorship if people deemed a danger to themselves or others refuse to participate.

Newsom allocated $88 million to launch the initiative, and state funding is expected to grow to $215 million annually beginning in 2025.

That’s on top of his CalAIM initiative, which over five years will invest roughly $12 billion into a blitz of health care and social services with the goal of improving health in low-income communities and averting the financial crises that can land people on the streets. This includes direct interventions like emergency housing assistance, as well as unconventional support like help with groceries, money management, and home repairs.

Philip Mangano, a longtime friend of Newsom’s who served as national homelessness czar during the George W. Bush administration, credited Newsom for using his political might to take on a seemingly intractable issue like homelessness after so many administrations ignored it.

“Yes, we are spending a lot of money, and yet the problem is getting worse,” Mangano said.

“But look, the largest investment ever made in the history of our country, on homelessness, came from Gavin Newsom. He sees himself as responsible for taking care of the poorest Californians, and homeless people. I’ve known him over 20 years, and there’s no question that’s where his heart is.”

Still, putting the issue front and center is a serious gamble for someone with Newsom’s ambitions.

“Doing nothing puts him in peril, but doing something — he runs the risk of failing,” said u PAGE 4

A view of sunset amid the high-rise buildings in Metro Manila can be seen from Cogeo, Antipolo City in Rizal province on late Monday afternoon, Feb. 13. Visitors often troop to the city’s overlooking spots to get a glimpse of the beautiful sunset. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

First Fil-Am councilor of Mountain View, California takes office

MOUNTAIN VIEW – Emily Ann Ramos became the first person of Filipino descent to serve on the Mountain View City Council upon taking the oath of office on Tuesday, February 14.

Ramos was appointed through a public process to fill a vacancy left by newly-elected California Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber.

Prior to the appointment on Jan. 30, the current City Council held interviews with four finalists, including Ramos — a member of Mountain View’s Rental Housing Committee –and three former councilmembers.

Ramos was supported for the appointment by Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, State Assemblymembers Evan Low and Alex Lee, and Santa Clara County Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Susan Ellenberg.

“I am honored and humbled to have an opportunity to continue my service to the community as a councilmember,” Ramos said.

“As a daughter of Filipino immigrants who came to this country seeking a better future for their family, I’m grateful to live in a city that fosters an inclusive environment where anyone can make a difference. I look forward to working with my colleagues to keep our city at the forefront of innovative solutions to our most challenging issues such as affordable housing and environmental sustainability.”

During her interview, Ramos outlined her commitment to a displacement response strategy, solutions for middle-income housing, the Downtown Precise Plan update, and the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan, all of which benefit Mountain View’s working families.

Professionally, Ramos works as a Preservation and Protection Associate for SV@Home, a locally-based nonprofit advocating for affordable housing and a more equitable Silicon Valley.

Outside of work, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills. She also volunteers her time with the League of Women Voters Los Altos-Mountain View Area’s

Housing Committee.

Prior to her appointment, Ramos served on Mountain View’s Rental Housing Committee since it was created by voters in 2016 to implement and administer City’s Rent Stabilization Program. In 2022, she was honored by State Senator Josh Becker as California Senate District 13 Woman of the Year.

Ramos holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the California Maritime Academy. Born and raised in the Bay Area.

In a letter of support to the City Council, Congresswoman Eshoo said: “I believe that Emily has the experience, knowledge, and passion to continue Mountain View’s tradition of excellent, progressive governance. Emily is prepared from day one to be an effective councilmember. She has a deep understanding of Mountain View and its government and has been actively engaged in all facets of the community.” (Inquirer.net)

China claims Philippine arbitration case...

the Duterte administration, which announced an independent foreign policy that saw the Philippines developing warmer relations with China and Russia. President Rodrigo Duterte also played down the ruling, saying the Philippines cannot provoke China.

The Philippine Coast Guard recounted an incident on Monday, February 13, saying a China vessel blocked them and directed a military-grade laser

against them while they were on a rotation and resupply mission in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.

The laser caused temporary blindness among Filipino crew onboard.  Beijing denied the incident, saying the China Coast Guard was "professional and restrained."  It said they were defending their territorial waters and that Philippine ships were intruding in the area.

The United States was the first country to back the Philippines, calling China’s actions "provocative and unsafe."  Manila has a decadeslong mutual defense pact with Washington and the latter continuously reiterates its "ironclad" commitment to its oldest ally in Southeast Asia.

"The PRC’s dangerous operational behavior directly threatens regional peace and stability, infringes upon freedom of navigation in the

South China Sea as guaranteed under international law, and undermines the rulesbased international order,"  U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said.  The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest a day after it was publicized,expressing disappointment as the incident happened just weeks after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. went on a state visit to China.  Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian on Tuesday afternoon to express concern over the “increasing frequency and intensity” of China’s actions against the PCG and Filipino fishermen.

The embassy said the two discussed ways to implement agreements made during Marcos Jr.’s state visit and ways forward on how to “properly manage maritime differences between China and the Philippines.” g

California homeless crisis looms as...

PAGE 3

Darry Sragow, a Los Angelesbased political strategist. “People want strong, tough leadership and progress on this issue, but if Gavin Newsom is going to make headway in reducing homelessness, he’s going to have to have a pretty stiff spine.”

* * * Daniel Goodman slept on sidewalks, in a tent, or on a jail bunk throughout much of his 20s and early 30s. Now 35, he only in recent years committed to a regimen of psychiatric medication and counseling for schizophrenia, a condition he was diagnosed with at 24.

“I didn’t want to take medication for a lot of years; I absolutely refused,” he said, eager to discuss a change of heart that has enabled him to reclaim a life with his mom in a comfortable neighborhood in the Gold Country city of Folsom.

Tall, with a bright smile and rock-’n’-roll hair, Goodman said he was addicted to methamphetamines for a decade, self-medicating to calm the voice in his head he calls “the witch.”

He panhandled, pushed shopping carts, and bellowed his agony in public fits of rage. It was a hungry, ragged existence during which he cycled from the streets to jail on charges of drunk and disorderly and then back to the streets.

His mom, Susan Goodman, in her form of tough love, eventually closed her home to him after his untreated illness devolved into threatening behavior, including stealing from her and a violent bout of vandalism during which he shattered every window in her house.

“I lived from second to second, and I didn’t have anything to eat or blankets, so I’d think, ‘What can I steal?’” Daniel said. “I put my mom through a lot.”

Her heart broken, Susan would seek out her son on the streets, bringing supplies to his tent. In 2019, after a particularly cold spell, he begged her to let him come home. She responded with an ultimatum: He could move back home if he agreed to get clean and stay on his meds.

Susan, a lawyer, is among thousands of parents who support Newsom’s CARE Court initiative.

For years, families who have watched in despair as children or siblings lost themselves to untreated mental illness have petitioned lawmakers to make it easier to mandate conservatorship and treatment, and CARE Court is a major stride in that direction.

Eight counties, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Riverside, have volunteered to launch the program this year. All 58 counties will be required to start programs by the end of 2024.

Newsom calls it a paradigm shift. Pushing the measure to passage meant standing against

virulent opposition from civil and disability rights groups that argued people have the right to refuse treatment, and warned of a return to the horrors of forced confinement depicted in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

“There’s no compassion in stepping over people on the streets and sidewalks,” Newsom said as he signed the Community Assistance, Recovery & Empowerment, or CARE, Act into law last fall. “They need intervention — sometimes that’s tough.”

Some county leaders have also balked, saying Newsom is sentencing people to a system of care that doesn’t exist. They worry a crush of patient referrals will overwhelm county behavioral health systems. They say they need more money, more time, and funding streams guaranteed year after year.

“There isn’t enough treatment capacity. And we can write a prescription for housing, but the reality under CARE Court is we don’t have what it takes to fill that prescription,” said Michelle Doty Cabrera, executive director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California. “It’s a matter of having the level of funding and housing that is going to help that person be successful.”

Newsom’s response to the pushback has grown heated. He points out that local governments already get billions every year to provide mental health services and that recent state budgets have included funding to expand the system of care.

“I’m exhausted by that — $15.3 billion we’ve provided,” Newsom said at a January news conference, referencing homeless investments over the past two years. The state has provided “unprecedented support,” he said, pounding his fist on the podium. “I want to see unprecedented progress.”

Dr. Tom Insel, who formerly led the National Institute of Mental Health and has served as an adviser to Newsom, credits the governor for bold efforts to direct resources and attention to the nexus of mental illness and homelessness. Research indicates roughly 1 in 20 Americans have a serious mental illness, but for unsheltered homeless people, it’s 1 in 4, Insel said.

He sees CARE Court as a “two-sided mandate,” making counties legally liable for providing services for people whose survival is at risk because of untreated mental illness while putting individuals on notice that they are responsible for accepting that help. Still, he worries the state’s homeless population is so overwhelming in scope, their isolation so entrenched, that it will be difficult to make headway.

“You can have all the clinics and all the medicines and all this

Emily Ann Ramos became the first person of Filipino descent to serve on the Mountain View City Council

NO TO VIOLENCE. Students, teachers and employees of St. Scholastica’s College in Malate, Manila participate in the “One Billion Rising” movement on Tuesday, Feb. 14. The  global campaign  aims to expand awareness on and  end all forms of violence against women. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

California homeless crisis looms as...

good stuff to offer, but if people aren’t engaging with it, it’s not going to help,” Insel said. “And if there’s no relationship and no sense of trust, it’s just really difficult to engage.”

For Daniel Goodman, the return to mental health took both carrot and stick. Looking back, he can see his refusal to take his prescribed medication after being diagnosed with schizophrenia — he felt “freer” without it — set him on a dehumanizing spiral. A primal need for food and shelter led him to ask his mom for help. But without her “hammer” — the ultimatum — he would not have agreed to treatment. And without the medication, he said, no doubt he would be back on the streets, at the mercy of his vicious “witch” and scraping to survive.

“I’ve battled this question [of needing medication] for years,” he said, reaching for his mom’s hand in her sunlit living room. “I accept it now.”

* * *

If California is to make a visible dent in its homeless numbers, affordable housing presents the most daunting challenge. The state lacks the extensive shelter networks common in places with colder climates — an estimated 67% of people living homeless in California are without shelter.

And in recent decades, a mire of zoning restrictions and real estate development practices have transformed the housing market, jacking up rents and home prices and shrinking the options for low-wage workers. For every person moved off the streets, many others stand a paycheck or medical emergency away from losing their housing.

The longer people live on the streets, the more their health deteriorates. Addiction and mental health problems deepen. Chronic diseases advance.

“There’s almost nothing as destructive to health as homelessness, and there’s very little that the health care system can do to make up for it,” said Dr. Margot Kushel, director of UCSF’s Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. “You just fall apart.”

The arrival of covid-19 — and fears the virus would carve a deadly swath through shelters and encampments — gave Newsom an unexpected opportunity: open housing units in record time by throwing pandemic emergency funds at

the problem and circumventing land-use restrictions and environmental reviews that can drag out approvals.

In 2020 he launched “Project Roomkey,” converting dilapidated hotels and motels into temporary housing for homeless people deemed vulnerable to serious covid infections. That morphed into a program to convert underused structures into permanent housing, and today the retooled Project Homekey has laid the groundwork for more than 12,500 housing units.

But much of that is one-time funding for start-up costs. If cities and counties want to participate, they are required to put up money for ongoing operations and services. And many have decided it costs too much to buy in.

“I really wanted to pursue a project, but it just doesn’t work for a lot of rural counties,” said Jaron Brandon, a supervisor in Tuolumne County, a forested province in the Sierra Nevada.

“Rural areas like ours have much lower tax revenues, and we had to figure out five years of funding, so when you start adding up all these costs and requirements, all of a sudden, we can’t afford to think big. It starts cutting into critical issues and basic services like funding roads and wildfire response and public safety.”

Cities taking part in Project Homekey find it’s hard to move fast enough when the newly homeless keep arriving. An estimated 172,000 people were homeless in California in January 2022, a nearly 13% increase since Newsom took office in 2019.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg welcomes Newsom’s push to more aggressively reduce homelessness. He also sees the confounding reality on the ground. The city and Sacramento County have poured millions into new shelter beds and permanent housing, only to see the homeless count surge to 9,200 in 2022, thousands higher than two years prior.

“We have housed over 17,000 people — undeniable success” — in the past six years, Steinberg said. “But it’s not success in the eyes of the public, understandably so, because all we see out on our streets is increasing numbers.”

Steinberg asked himself: “How is it that we are successful in getting tens of thousands of people off the streets only to see the numbers grow?”

Jason Elliott, Newsom’s deputy

chief of staff, runs point on homelessness for the governor.

He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more aggressive.

Clear out encampments, and at the same time connect people with housing and services.

Steer more federal dollars into homeless response. Amend state land-use laws to enable counties to site and build housing faster.

Turn the state Medicaid system, Medi-Cal, into a tool to combat homelessness by marrying health care and housing — for instance, funding the first and last month’s rent and asking insurers to work with landlords to find housing for homeless people.

Elliott rattled through a list of reasons he thinks explain how the problem got so entrenched. California is generous with benefits. Its climate is hospitable. The extraordinary cost of living. He also reinforced the administration’s prime strategy: It’s not just about more money, but forcing cities and counties to go harder at the problem with the resources they have.

“The most important thing that we have to do as a state is build more housing and get more people into services, and fundamentally that is a local government responsibility.” Elliott said. “Local government are the providers of behavioral health services, and they are the ones who choose whether or not housing gets permitted.”

As the administration takes its “just get it done” message across the state, those involved are keenly aware there’s a wider audience.

“There’s a broad sense in this country that we’re falling apart at the seams, and homelessness is part of the proof, to voters, that we’re falling apart. People want this problem fixed, and they want resolute leadership,” said Sragow, the Los Angeles strategist.

“The country is watching. Gavin Newsom has a record of getting out front on big national issues. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.” (Angela Hart/Kaiser Health News)

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

Filipina found alive after 3 days under quake rubble

by Bernadette tamayo and Vince JacoB Visaya ManilaTimes.net

A TEAM from the Philippine Embassy in Turkey on Tuesday, February 14 visited in the hospital a Filipina earthquake survivor who was rescued after three days under the rubble from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria last week.

The Philippine Embassy, on Facebook, said its Mersin-based team checked on the condition of Juliva Benlingan, 33, a native of Lagawe, Ifugao, who was previously reported missing.

According to her sister Maribel, Benlingan sustained wounds on her face, head and feet, and was dehydrated when rescued.

"As she recovers well at an Adana hospital, she thanked God for a second chance at life and the embassy for their well wishes," the embassy said.

The team provided Benlingan with financial assistance and gave her doctors and nurses "tokens of our appreciation."

Maribel said Juliva, mother to a 12-year-old girl, endured 60 hours under the rubble of a collapsed building before she was rescued.

In its continuous evaluation on the ground, the Philippine Embassy said it is "focusing on management of its resources toward the welfare, recovery and return to normalcy of Filipino evacuees."

Displaced Filipinos continue to arrive at the shelter in Ankara, transported by the embassy and on their own volition, it added.

The embassy said its team in Mersin "is also in contact with a set of volunteers from the hospitality industry who have offered to provide food assistance to Filipino-Turkish families who chose to remain in Antakya and to [the] Philippine humanitarian contingent in Adiyaman province."

"We deeply appreciate the charity of kababayan (fellow Filipinos) and our Turkish brethren," it added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also on Tuesday said it will repatriate the remains of one of the two Filipinas who died in the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey.

Julieva Benlingan with her Turkish wards Contributed photo

DFA acting Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said the Philippine government will also repatriate other Filipino survivors who wish to return home.

The Filipina fatality was already buried in Turkey based on the decision of her Turkish husband, de Vega said during a Laging Handa press briefing. He, however, added that Filipinos who are already citizens of Turkey, being married to Turks, should first re-acquire their Filipino citizenship to qualify for repatriation.

"Some of them are already Turkish citizens. They need to re-acquire [first] their [Filipino] citizenship under Republic Act 9225 to avail [of the repatriation service]," de Vega said in Filipino.

"So, madali po 'yan (So, it's easy). Kung magagawa natin (If we can do [that] within the next several days, dapat magsisiuwian na 'yan (they would be expected to come home)," he added.

De Vega noted that there are about 248 Filipinos who were affected by the earthquake, with 64 of them staying at a temporary shelter in the country's capital Ankara.

On the other hand, 70 others sought financial assistance from the embassy, he said.

De Vega added that there is no definite schedule yet on the repatriation of the distressed Filipinos and the body of the Filipina fatality. g

VALENTINE’S LOVE.  A man gives flowers to police personnel in celebration of Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14 along San Pedro Street in Davao City.

The female police officers thanked the man who made their day.

PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Rise for freedom

VALENTINE’S Day is not just a day of hearts. On Valentine’s Day in 2012, a global mass action was launched to end violence against women. The call to action was made amid reports that one in three women worldwide would be beaten or raped in her lifetime. In 2012, the global population stood at seven billion – meaning over one billion women and girls were expected to experience various forms of violence in that year. The One Billion Rising movement was born.

The Philippines, which has elected two female presidents and two vice presidents, recognized the problem much earlier. Republic Act 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act, was enacted in 2004 when the country was led by a woman. RA 9262 has tough provisions against domestic violence.

As in most laws in this country, however, the problem lies in the implementation. Since the passage of RA 9262, there have been numerous complaints about barangay officials who refuse to carry out their mandate stipulated in the law to serve as front-liners in assisting victims of domestic violence. Many women especially in impoverished communities are also unaware of the law and the protection it offers to victims.

The pandemic lockdowns aggravated the problem, with advocacy groups saying reported cases nationwide tripled in 2020. In 2021, over 12,000 cases of violence against women and their children were recorded nationwide, with 5,339 more reported in the first six months of 2022

Babe’s Eye View

BABE ROMUALDEZ

THE announcement by the Philippines and the United States about the expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with four new locations to be added to the current five sites and the conduct of joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea reverberated so well worldwide, with 90 percent of Filipinos welcoming this latest development in the relationship between two longtime allies.

Filipinos across the globe – in particular FilipinoAmericans – were extremely pleased, lauding the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in reaffirming and further solidifying U.S.-Philippines relations. I received hundreds of messages and emails expressing their full support for the President’s decision.

The meeting between our Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was extremely substantial, with the discussions delving on shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, and how

First Person

ALEX

OVER the past few days, U.S. fighter jets shot down four strange flying objects that have crossed over American and Canadian airspaces. This is a ballooning phenomenon.

On Feb. 4, after days of tracking its movements, a U.S. jet fighter fired a single missile to bring down a 200foot balloon closely observed as it crossed the country. The Americans waited for the object to float out to sea off South Carolina before shooting it down to avoid any collateral damage on the ground.

China protested the action, claiming the balloon was owned by a civilian company and used for purely meteorological research. Beijing is asking for the debris of the balloon to be returned to it. Washington is not obliging. The Americans want to know more about the technology being used by

alone. Advocacy groups believe the actual numbers are much higher as many women are unwilling or unable to report their ordeal and seek help.

An 18-day campaign was launched last year, from Nov. 25 – the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – to Dec. 12, Human Rights Day, to promote mass action in ending the problem. The United Nations is supporting the One Billion Rising campaign. With united efforts globally, the UN aims to curb the problem significantly by 2030.

Beyond “flash mobs” and other creative forms of political activism, ending violence against women and children calls for concerted action among multiple government agencies and sectors of society. Filipino women who work overseas face heightened risk of physical, sexual and psychological violence. Domestic helper Jullebee Ranara was just the latest in an ever-growing list of Filipino migrant workers who were abused and brutally murdered by their foreign employers.

For 2023, the call to action of One Billion Rising

is “rise for freedom.” Despite some progress in fighting violence against women, confronting the problem remains challenging in the Philippines, and even more so in other parts of the planet

where women are still treated like second-class citizens. A more aggressive, pro-active approach is needed for this freedom to be attained. (Philstar. com)

90% of Filipinos agree on EDCA expansion and joint maritime patrols

both nations can address these challenges. The decision to restart joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea is not only seen as a positive development in helping the Philippines tighten its security strategy but an important step in securing our borders.

Filipinos are very patient people. We don’t want any conflict. But when push comes to shove, we will staunchly defend ourselves and those that we hold precious. Filipinos are convinced that our strategy of boosting defense ties and enhancing security cooperation with major allies like the United States will build up our capacity and capability to defend our territory and exercise our sovereign rights.

The headline news on our recent decision for the expansion of EDCA and maritime patrols with the United States has actually precipitated more inquiries from U.S. companies looking at how they can invest or, at the very least, expand their operations in the Philippines.

The Philippines was at the front and center of international news – that is, until the Chinese

balloon incident came into the picture.

Clearly, the U.S. and the Philippines must also boost economic ties and increase trade and investment cooperation to strengthen the economic backbone, and therefore resilience, of our country. As I have mentioned on several occasions, the Philippines can become a stronger ally that can significantly contribute in advancing a more secure and prosperous region if it is also economically strong. At the end of the day, this is what we all want.

To reiterate, the EDCA is not directed at, or against, any country. Rather, this agreement with the United States is aimed at ramping up our defense capabilities, especially in light of the global security challenges – both traditional and nontraditional – that are emerging, and which all nations must take into account.

Let’s not also forget, the Philippines also has a defense agreement with Australia via the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) signed in 2007 and which took effect in September 2012 following its

Ballooning

China over U.S. airspace. Recovered remnants of that balloon have been sent to an FBI laboratory for examination. Washington has not released technical details to date.

On Feb. 10, U.S. jets downed another “cylindrical” flying object off the coast of Alaska. Here, too, we are not told how much of the downed object was recovered from the frozen sea. All that has been shared is the observation that the downed object did not seem to have any system of propulsion or control.

The flying object has not been attributed to China.

A day later, Feb. 11, another U.S. jet shot down a “highaltitude airborne object” over Canada’s Yukon province, close to the border with Alaska.

Apart from describing it as a hexagonal object, little has been made publicly known.

On Feb. 12, yet another strange flying object was tracked from over Montana and shot down over Lake Huron.

Still, we are not told about the nature of the object nor its origin. Washington says the

object was shot down because it posed a threat to commercial aircraft.

With very little detail disclosed, it is assumed that the three later objects were also balloons or something akin to it. Inasmuch as Washington had not officially attributed the three latter objects to China, Beijing has not issued any statement about them. The mystery deepens.

A debate has erupted in Washington over whether the flying objects shot down while wafting over North America were actually engaged in surveillance. We know next to nothing about the larger framework within which these strange flying objects was launched.

These balloons and whatever equipment they carry are rather costly things. They are not being sent up for the pleasure of watching a balloon waft in the air, carried by atmospheric currents with apparently very little ground control over their precise flight paths.

In addition to the very real

ratification in July of that same year. The agreement was very timely as it paved the way for the conduct of disaster relief assistance by the Australian Defense Force when Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit the Philippines in November 2013.

President BBM’s recent visit to Tokyo is also expected to boost economic as well as security ties between the Philippines and Japan. No less than the President underscored this when he said prior to his departure that the bilateral visit is essential as it is “part of a larger foreign policy agenda to forge closer political ties, stronger defense and security cooperation” in addition to “lasting economic partnerships with major countries in the region amid a challenging global environment.”

In a recent brief written by our friend Gregory Poling with Andreyka Natalegawa and Danielle Fallin titled, “Building a U.S.-Japan-Philippines Triad” published at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ online site, the authors underscored Japan’s growing role in the Indo-Pacific, and

hazard these balloons pose to commercial aircraft, they have been flown over another country’s airspace without prior notice. That is a clear national security concern. We are now told that unidentified balloons have been detected flying across U.S. airspace the past years, although nothing was done about these previous flying objects. One analyst surmised that China could be testing highaltitude or “near space” craft as part of its futuristic weapons development program. When enough has been known about wind currents and weather corridors, these devices could be fitted with warheads.

Defense officials have enough reasons to be worried. Over the past months, North Korea has been testing missiles like mad. A few weeks ago, Pyongyang paraded intercontinental ballistics missiles that could theoretically reach the U.S. heartland.

It is not just North American airspace that have been violated by these strange flying objects.

A large balloon similar to that one shot down off the coast of South Carolina was reported in the vicinity of Colombia. These

why Tokyo and Washington should collaborate more closely in “engaging with other alliance partners, including the Philippines. Japan is uniquely suited to this role given its extensive and long-standing security partnership with the Philippines, creating a robust level of security cooperation between Tokyo and Manila.”

In fact, having security alliances that show we are part of a coalition of likeminded countries can serve as a deterrent and can promote peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

As usual, pseudo-nationalists are looking at it from a negative perspective, saying we may be sucked into the maelstrom if a conflict between the U.S. and China breaks out. In the first place, if there is a conflict in the region over Taiwan for example, the Philippines would not be able to remain a fence sitter for long because of its very strategic location as well as its proximity to Taiwan. We would feel the impact and would be involved in one way or another. In this global world, there is no such thing as an “island nation.”

devices apparently have the ability to circumnavigate the globe and stay aloft for long periods.

The downing of the first balloon was, no doubt, a huge embarrassment for the Chinese leadership. It marked the first  strong response to whatever “near space” strategy China might be brewing. Beijing is probably scrambling for a viable explanation for the other objects shot down the past few days.

The balloon-related incidents reinstates Beijing as the true strategic rival to the U.S.. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine merely exposed its muchballyhooed army as obsolete, badly trained and ill-equipped.

It is an army that belongs to the past century, now forced to recruit convicts to man the frontlines or die in large numbers trying to achieve badly thought-out military objectives.

The Russian army is now hobbled by the fact that its most sophisticated weaponry has been shown to rely on parts made in other countries. Russian technicians are now reported to be cannibalizing refrigerators for chips to be

Fortunately, we have enlightened senators like Win Gatchalian, Chiz Escudero and Francis Tolentino who clearly see the significance of the EDCA expansion and the resumption of joint maritime patrols as good for the country. Even Senate President Migz Zubiri and many key legislators that include Congressman Rufus Rodriguez see the importance of our alliance with the United States. Some may have an axe to grind against the U.S. but they know very well this latest development is a positive step for our country’s security. And more importantly, this decision by President Marcos is appreciated and supported by 90 percent of Filipinos not only here but in many parts of the world, who continue to look at the United States as our most trusted ally and partner. (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

used in assembling missiles.

By contrast, China now appears to be gearing up its military for highly technological warfare. It appears to be devising strategies only poorly understood by the U.S. and its allies.

After the first balloon was downed by a missile, China might have gotten away with the explanation that this was a meteorological instrument that somehow flew off course. After the three subsequent shootdowns, the original Chinese explanation can no longer hold. Beijing better come up with a more viable explanation for why these “lost” flying devices seem to be crossing into the North American airspace in a wave.

Beijing does not have to explain anything until the remnants of downed flying objects reveal them to be of Chinese origin. Depending on the quality of the debris recovered, this could happen in a few days. (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.

Maharlika fund, 9 other bills on fast track to approval by June 2

MANILA — Malacañang and legislative  leaders on Monday, February 13 identified 10 priority bills that  Congress should aim to pass before it adjourns sine die on June 2, including the controversial measure that seeks to create the Maharlika Investment Fund.

The Maharlika fund, which the House of Representatives approved just 17 days after it was filed, was selected as one of the priority measures during the meeting of the LegislativeExecutive Development Advisory Council in Malacañang.

The proposal to create a sovereign wealth fund, which is typically capitalized with excess state revenue that the Philippines does not have, is currently pending before the Senate banks panel chaired by Sen. Mark Villar.

The committee of Villar, one of the authors of the bills  in the Senate alongside Sen. Raffy Tulfo, was set to resume hearings on the measure on Wednesday, February 15.

While the LEDAC has identified the Maharlika fund as a priority which may grease the legislative mill and hasten its passage in the Senate, it is not a guarantee that

it will be swiftly approved. During the committee’s first hearing on the measure two weeks ago, senators raised concerns about investment gains and the proposed fund’s governance structure.

It also faces stiff opposition from the two-member Senate minority bloc, whose leader Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III vowed to block passage.

But the potency of the minority is in question given their lack of numbers in the chamber dominated by allies of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

This was seen when they tried and failed to pry the Maharlika fund from Villar’s panel and send it to the government corporations committee chaired by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. CDC, VIP, mandatory ROTC Another measure identified during the LEDAC meeting as a priority is the bill that seeks to create the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) and the complementary proposal to establish the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP).

The bill creating the CDC, a technical authority on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development for the prevention and control of all diseases of

public health importance and health security events, reached the Senate plenary on Monday as Sen. Pia Cayetano sponsored the measure.

Bills establishing the VIP remain pending at the committee level in the Senate, while a similar proposal and the CDC bill has been passed by the House in December 2022  .

The LEDAC also identified the proposal to make the Reserve Officers Training Corps program mandatory again as a priority.

Like the VIP bills, mandatory ROTC is pending at the committee level, although the panel chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa which is handling it is preparing to send it for  plenary deliberations.

The House approved a bill making ROTC mandatory again in December 2022.

Other bills identified as LEDAC priorities are amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer law, the creation of the Medical Reserve Corps and the condonation of unpaid amortization and interests of loans of agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Also identified as priorities are the Internet Transactions Act, amendments to the law that fixed terms for Armed Forces officers and the Salt Industry Development Bill.



OCTA: Nationwide COVID-19 positivity rate at 1.6%

by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

MANILA — The risk of contracting coronavirus in the National Capital Region (NCR) is now at “low” level as the OCTA Research group noted a positivity rate of only 1.6 percent from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11.

by CHRISTIAN CROW MAGHANOY ManilaTimes.net

Nationwide, OCTA also reported a COVID-19 positivity rate of only 1.6 percent on Saturday, February 11. This was recorded after the Department of Health reported 174 new cases and 9,282 active cases.

The NCR still has the most number of COVID-19 cases at 59 as of Saturday, followed by Rizal

(9), Cebu (8), Davao del Sur (8), Cavite (7) and Negros Occidental (7).

The nationwide positivity rate on Feb. 9 and 10 was also at 1.6%.

“As predicted two weeks ago, NCR improves to low risk as of Feb. 9, 2023,” OCTA Research fellow Guido David tweeted on Wednesday, February 15. 

Palma named member of Vatican body

Palma, 72, is the newest member of the Vatican office.

The Dicastery for Culture Education was formed as the result of a merger between the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Culture of which the archbishop was a former member.

It is currently headed by Portuguese Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, who was appointed by the pope as its prefect in September 2022.

Divided into two sections, the dicastery “works for the

MANILA  –  A group of health advocates urged Filipinos on Valentine’s Day to show extra love for their hearts by keeping them in shape this heart month.

In a statement on Tuesday, February 14, the Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) emphasized that cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains to be the leading cause of death nationwide and worldwide.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows ischemic heart disease or coronary heart disease, caused by narrowed arteries, was the top cause of death in the country from January to September 2022.

It claimed the lives of more than 77,000 or 18.5 percent of total deaths.

Meanwhile, CVD is the leading cause of death globally killing over 18 million people each year

development of human values in people within the horizon of Christian anthropology, contributing to the full realization of Christian discipleship.”

The dicastery also coordinates the activities of pontifical

or 33 percent of total deaths in the world.

The HPA noted that the risk factors are diverse which include poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, and excessive alcohol usage.

Persons with pre-existing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure are at higher risk.

Meanwhile, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations President Karen Villanueva said there is no cure for heart disease and only the factors that contribute to it can be treated.

“That's why some patients struggle with adjusting to a new normal lifestyle after their diagnosis. So as early as now, change your unhealthy habits and don't wait for a heart scare before putting your heart health first," she said.

"Prevention is always better than cure and it is our

academies, such as the Pontifical Academy of Archeology and the Pontifical Academy of Theology.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu congratulated Palma on his appointment. 

responsibility to help manage our heart condition in partnership with our health provider."

In line with this, the HPA encouraged everyone to destroy years of unhealthy eating and commit to more wholesome nutrition by knowing which foods to eat more or limit to prevent CVDs.

"Diet matters when it comes to heart health. It is best to choose home-cooked meals versus fast food or junk food which is high in unhealthy fat,” HPA technical adviser Maria Fatima Villena said.

“Incorporate more fiber like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This can help combat plaque build-up that can clog the arteries,” she said.

The HPA is a network of noncommunicable diseases (NCD) prevention and control organizations. (PNA)

Marcos backs peaceful resolution on Ukraine in call with Zelenskyy

MANILA – President

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Monday, February 13 that he supports Ukraine’s effort to reach a “peaceful resolution" to its ongoing conflict with Russia.

“I had the pleasure of talking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday (Monday),” Marcos said on his official Twitter account on Tuesday morning, February 14 after the Ukrainian leader tweeted about it the previous day.

He also expressed admiration for the nationalism shown by Ukrainians.

“I told him that we in the Philippines are watching with admiration, the bravery and the nationalism that has been displayed by the Ukrainians during this crisis and that we join in his effort to reach a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict

in his country. Mr. President, we are with you in your search for peace,” he added.

Zelenskyy, who has long been seeking a phone conversation with Marcos, was the first to tweet about their call on Monday night.

“Had the first phone call in the history of bilateral relations with President of the Philippines @ bongbongmarcos,” he said.

“Thanked him for supporting sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We discussed further deepening of cooperation, in particular on international platforms,” he added.

Last month, Ukrainian Charges

D’Affaires of the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia Denys Mykhailiuk said they have been trying to have the two leaders speak to each other since Marcos assumed office in June 2022 but failed to receive a response.

LOVE DAY.  Senator Christopher Go hands a bouquet of  fresh flowers to Senator Imee Marcos at the session hall on Valentine’s Day Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Other male senators likewise celebrated the special day with gifts for their female colleagues. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

ng pag-email sa mga contact information na nakalista sa ibaba para sa mga gumagamit ng Ingles at ang mga may limitadong kasanayan sa Ingles. Ang draft na HOMEARP Allocation Plan ay makikita para sa pampublikong komento sa website ng Housing Department mula Marso 1, 2023 hanggang Marso 15, 2023. Upang humiling ng mga espesyal na akomodasyon para sa alinman sa mga pagpupulong o isang alternatibong pormat para sa anumang nauugnay na naka-print na materyales, mangyaring tumawag sa (408) 294-9337 (TTY) sa lalong madaling panahon, ngunit hindi bababa sa tatlong araw ng negosyo bago ang pulong. Ang lahat ng mga pampublikong pagpupulong ay maa-access ng mga may kapansanan sa pagkilos.

Iskedyul ng Mga Pampublikong Pagdinig

Marcos later clarified that he did not snub Zelenskyy’s request for a phone conversation and has always been willing to talk with him.

Mykhailiuk then apologized to his Philippine counterparts for the “misunderstanding.”

In November last year, Marcos described the RussiaUkraine war as “unacceptable” and reiterated his call for both nations to end the conflict diplomatically.

“...War is unacceptable and we ask all parties involved, there were several speeches that I made, urging that peace be brought back to Ukraine and that the confrontation be brought to the diplomatic space," he said. Ukraine has been in conflict with Russia since February 2022, leading to the death of thousands and driving millions of Ukrainians to flee the country.

(PNA)

Pampublikong Pagdinig

at Pag-apruba ng Mahalagang Pagbabago sa FY 2021-2022 Annual Action Plan at HOME ARP Allocation Plan

Housing and Community Development Commission Online na pagpupulong

- agenda / Zoom link: https://www.sanjoseca.gov/ your-government/departments/ housing/about-us/housing-community-development-commission/ agendas-minutes/-fsiteid-1

Konseho ng Lungsod ng San José City Hall ng San Jose 200 E. Santa Clara Street Online na pagpupulong - https:// www.sanjoseca.gov/news-stories/ watch-a-meeting

Marso 9, 2023, simula 5:45pm

Tingnan ang webpage ng HOMEARP ng Housing Department, https://www. sanjoseca.gov/your-government/ departments-offices/housing/nonprofit-grant-programs/home-arp-program para maghanap ng mga elektronikong kopya, o tumawag sa (408) 793-5542 o Lungsod ng San José - Housing 200 E. Santa Clara St. 12th Floor (Tower) Pagbibigay ng mga Pampublikongkomento: Marso 1, 2023 –Marso 15, 2023 Mga Pampublikong Pagdinig at Pag-apruba ng Mahahalagang Pagbabago sa FY 2021-2022 Annual Action Plan at HOME ARP Allocation Plan

Maaaring magbago ang mga petsa ng pagpupulong. Mangyaring tingnan sa http://www.sanjoseca.gov/housingconplan para sa mga update.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Para sa mga tanong o komento tungkol sa Draft ng Mahahalagang Pagbabago sa FY 2021-2022 na Annual Action Plan, mangyaring makipag-ugnayan kay Stephanie Gutowski sa (408) 535-3500 o stephanie.gutowski@sanjoseca.gov

PARA RESIDENTES QUE HABLAN ESPAÑOL: Para preguntas o comentarios acerca de Proyecto las Correcciones Substanciales de Proyecto FY 2021-2022 Planes de Acción Anual, por favor contactar a Luisa Cantu (408) 535-8357.

THÔNG TIN LIÊN LẠC:: Nếu quý vị có những câu hỏi hay ý kiến liên quan đến Bản Dự Thảo Báo Cáo Thẩm Định Thành Quả Hàng Năm

(CAPER) và Bản Dự Thảo Về Những Thay Đổi Kế Hoạch Đáng Kể Hàng Năm cho Tài Khoá 2021-2022, xin vui lòng liên lạc cô Janie Lê qua số điện thoại (408) 975-4414 hoặc qua điện thư Janie.le@sanjose.ca.gov

使用華語的聖荷西居民：此通知是市府 綜合年度績效報告和2021-2022 年度計劃的重要改變。此通知提供公聽會的日期以及公眾的檢閱和建議。詳 細資料，請電，華語 Ann Tu (408) 975-4450. CNSB# 3670077 by XAVE GREGORIO Philstar.com

First casting announced for ‘Here Lies Love’ on Broadway

Jose Llana, Conrad Ricamora to reprise original roles; International casting search for other company members now underway

THE producers of “Here Lies Love,” the groundbreaking musical from the minds of Grammy®, Oscar®, and Tony Award® winner David Byrne (concept, music and lyrics) and Grammy Award® winner Fatboy Slim (music), announced on Wednesday, February 15 that Jose Llana (“The King and I,” “The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee”) and Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away with Murder,” “The King and I,” “Soft Power” – Grammy nominations) will join the show’s Broadway company, recreating the critically acclaimed roles they originated off-Broadway.

“Here Lies Love,” which tells the story of former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos' rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution, will begin performances Saturday, June 17 ahead of an official opening night on Thursday, July 20.

Developed & directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers, with choreography by Olivier Award nominee Annie-B Parson and additional music by Tom Gandey and J Pardo, the show’s home at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway at 53rdStreet) will be transformed into a dance club where the audience is immersed in the story.

Jose Llana portrays Ferdinand Marcos, the tenth president of the Philippines whose 20-year dictatorship spanned from 1965 to 1986. He was the husband of Imelda Marcos. He lived in exile in the United States until his death in 1989.

Llana returns to this role after creating it at the Public Theater off-Broadway (Lortel nom). His Broadway credits include “The King & I” (Lincoln Center and US/UK tours), “The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee” (Drama Desk Award), “Wonderland,” “Flower Drum

Song,” “Rent,” “Streetcorner Symphony” and the 1996 revival of “The King & I.” Additional New York theater credits include his many collaborations with the Public Theater including “Saturn Returns,” “On The Town” and “Twelfth Night.” Appearing on numerous cast albums, Jose is also a best-selling recording artist with the VIVA Philippines label. He has made two appearances with American Songbook at

Lincoln Center, which led to the release of his second solo CD, “Altitude.” Find Jose Llana on Twitter/Instagram: @thejosellana.

Conrad Ricamora portrays Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, a Philippine senator, opposition leader and the Marcoses' primary critic. His assassination in 1983 ignited the People Power Revolution which finally ousted Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos from power. Ricamora’s television and film credits include six seasons opposite Viola Davis in “How To Get Away With Murder” (Oliver), recurring role on “The Resident,” “Fire Island,” “Over The Moon,” “Talladega Nights,” “The Light of the Moon,” “Raising Christopher” (writer/producer/actor). He has

appeared on Broadway via “The King And I” (Lincoln CenterGrammy Nomination), as well as Off-Broadway with “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Here Lies Love” (Public Theater - Theatre World Award, Lortel nomination), and “Soft Power” (Public TheaterDrama Desk, Lortel, Grammy Nominations); His other stage credits include “Soft Power” (Ahmanson Theatre); “Tartuffe,” “Woyzeck,” “Fuddy Mears” (Clarence Brown Theatre); “Romeo and Juliet,” “Richard III,” “Midsummer” (Utah Shakespeare Festival); “The Taming of the Shrew” (North Carolina Shakespeare Festival). Ricamora receieved the 2016 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award and the 2017 Equality California Award. Find Conrad Ricamora on Twitter/ Instagram: @Conradricamora.

Both actors received Lucille Lortel Award nominations for their performances at the Public Theater off-Broadway. Ricamora previously reprised his role in the show’s Seattle Rep production. Jose Llana said, “This is a dream: to be a Filipino actor, playing a Filipino character, telling a crucial part of Filipino history, which is also part of American history. I'm honored to return to Here Lies Love. We built a family creating this show 10 years ago, and now we get to do it again on Broadway. See you on the dance floor!”

For his part, Conrad Ricamora said, “Working on Here Lies Love allowed me to embrace my Filipino heritage––all that Pinoy pride! This is a huge moment for increasing representation on stage, and I’m so excited and proud to bring this revolutionary show to Broadway.”

An international casting search is now underway for the remaining company of 20+ actors.

Ticket information

As the official card sponsor of “Here Lies Love,” American Express® card members have Early Access to exclusive presale tickets before the general public, from Monday, March 13 at 10 a.m. EST through Monday, March 20 at 9:59 a.m. EST at Telecharge. com.

Presale tickets for “Here Lies Love” are available exclusively to Audience Rewards® members from Monday, March 20 at 10 a.m. ET through Wednesday,

March 22 at 9:59 a.m. ET. It's free and fast to join at www. AudienceRewards.com.

Audience Rewards is the Official Rewards Program of Broadway, providing membership benefits and rewards for more than 2.7 million members and representing more than a quarter of all Broadway tickets purchased through Ticketmaster and Telecharge.

Free and easy to join, Audience Rewards allows buyers to earn Show Points on every ticket purchase, to be redeemed for free tickets, theater collectibles, unique experiences, and more. Founded in 2008 by a unique coalition of prominent theater owners, including Nederlander, Shubert, and Jujamcyn, major national presenters, and key performing arts centers from across the country, Audience

Rewards has offered members first access presales to more than 100 Broadway shows and 200 VIP experiences and events, which have included a meet and greet with Jake Gyllenhaal, a walk-on role in Rock of Ages, a cooking class with Gavin Creel & Celia Keenan-Bolger, celebrity Q&As, backstage tours and much more.

Tickets are on sale to the general public beginning Monday, March 27 at 10 a.m. EST online at Telecharge.com or by phone at 212-239-6200.

For information on groups of 10+, contact Broadway Inbound at broadwayinbound.com or call 866-302-0995.

More information about the wide variety of standing and seating options available throughout the theater’s reconstructed space will be announced soon. Sign up now at HereLiesLoveBroadway.com for early access to tickets.

Additional show information

From its world premiere at The Public Theater in 2013, “Here Lies Love” has enjoyed popular and critical acclaim. The show returned to The Public in 20142015, debuted at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2014, and most recently opened at Seattle Repertory Theatre in 2017. The creative team for Here

Lies Love on Broadway includes three-time Tony Award® nominee David Korins (scenic design), Tony Award® winner Clint Ramos (costume design), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting design), M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer (sound design), and three-time Tony Award® nominee Peter Nigrini (projection design), with casting by Tara Rubin CSA, Xavier Rubiano CSA, Gail Quintos and general management by Foresight Theatrical. Additional creative team members include ATW Jonathan Larson

Grant recipient J. Oconer Navarro (music director), Billy Bustamante (assistant director), Renée Albulario (assistant choreographer), Bobby Garcia (casting consultant/Philippines), Gregory T. Livoti (production stage manager), and Ryan Gohsman and Sheryl Polancos (assistant stage managers). Giselle “G” Töngi is the show’s Cultural and Community Liaison.

“Here Lies Love is produced” by Hal Luftig, Patrick Catullo, Diana DiMenna for Plate Spinner Productions, Clint Ramos, and Jose Antonio Vargas, with Aaron Lustbader serving as Executive Producer. They are joined by Giselle “G” Töngi, Celia Kaleialoha Kenney, Bobby Garcia and Girlie Rodis, Miranda Gohh, Rob Laqui, Georgina Pazcoguin, Yasuhiro Kawana, Triptyk Studios, Shira Friedman, and Hunter Arnold/ TBD Theatricals.

Franco Finn to host NBA All-Star weekend events

FILIPINO American Franco Finn, who is the in-arena emcee/ host and television personality for multiple National Basketball Association (NBA) champion the Golden State Warriors, will represent the organization in the upcoming 2023 NBA All-Star festivities in Salt Lake City, Utah, according to a release provided by the organization.

Known as the first and only Filipino/Asian American “Hype Man” in the NBA, Finn will host two events during AllStar Weekend: the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, February 17, and All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, February 18. This will be his first time joining the All-Star festivities on-site as host for events featuring the biggest, brightest and current/upcoming NBA league stars.

Finn, who many Warriors fan know and love, regularly entertains and energizes sold-out crowds during Warriors home games (now at Chase Center). He hosts the pre-game show “Warriors Warm-up,” introduces the team’s starting line-up, and conducts contests and promotions at the arena. He is in his 20th season with the Golden State Warriors franchise.

Franco Finn is a firstgeneration San Francisco native. Born & raised in the Mission & Excelsior districts in Francisco, he eventually settled in the Sunset District. Franco attended French American International School (FAIS) in grade school, where he had a bilingual education and learned how to be fluent in French. Finn then attended Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco, and received his B.A. in Communications at Santa Clara University.

For nearly a decade, Franco has been an aviation professional, working in many capacities within the airline industry from Brand Marketing, Partnerships, Communications, External Relations & Employee Engagement. Currently, Franco manages the Community Relations & Engagement efforts for the state of California at Alaska Airlines, while also serving as their company media spokesperson, host, and travel influencer.

Franco is an active member in the San Francisco community where he also serves on the Executive Board of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, board member for the Hotel Council of San Francisco, and was recently appointed as a Commissioner for the City & County of San Francisco’s Film Commission.

When Franco is not working his business and corporate jobs, people recognize him and his voice in the last 20 years as the in-arena emcee/host and TV personality for the current NBA World Champion the Golden State Warriors.

Finn is also a well-known professional auctioneer, nicknamed the “Hypeman Auctioneer,” where he shares his voice and influence at many charity benefits, galas, celebrity events and all types of fundraiser events around the San Francisco Bay Area, the country & beyond.

He’s a graduate of the Mendenhall School of Auctioneering in North Carolina, as well as a member of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) with a Benefit Auction Specialist (B.A.S.) designation. Franco has been involved in a multitude of fundraising events for

Franco Finn becomes the latest Fil-Am to land a big hosting gig, as he will host two events in the upcoming NBA All-Star weekend.

Photo provided by Golden State Warriors many years, working with some of the most recognizable nonprofit charities and organizations from the American Red Cross, March of Dimes, The Ronald McDonald House, the Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, and the Make-AWish Foundation, just to name a handful, helping to raise millions of dollars and counting, in his career.

Within the Filipino American community, Finn has been an active member in community events over the past 20 years, generously and proudly providing his emceeing talents to the Pistahan Parade and Festival, SF Giants Filipino Heritage Night, and Filipino American History Month Celebration at City Hall. Finn’s media background and experience includes being a current segment host on KRON 4 TV, where you can see his recurring “Franco On The Fly” travel segments. He also has

Jose Llana plays the role of Ferdinand Marcos in “Here Lies Love.” Conrad Ricamora portrays the role of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino in “Here Lies Love.” Photos by Billy Bustamante

Success story: A terminated case is reinstated and visa issued, on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

JOSEPH was petitioned by his mother in 2007 and waited 12 long years for his Nanay Pilar’s petition to become current. Unfortunately, Joseph was in Zurich, Switzerland for work and was unable to attend his embassy interview in April

2019. Despite Joseph’s attempt to contact the National Visa Center to reschedule his interview date, he received a termination letter, where the Embassy said Joseph failed to contact them within the allotted one-year period, and

his file had now been destroyed. Joseph consulted with the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel to get his case back on track. After writing to the Embassy, arguing for Joseph’s eligibility, Atty. Gurfinkel convinced the

Lovi unleashes ‘Batang Quiapo’

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

SUPREME actress Lovi Poe feels beyond blessed to be given another big project more than a year since transferring to ABS-CBN. From "Flower of Evil" and "Sleep with Me," the 34-year-old is now living a dream by starring in "Batang Quiapo," an action-comedy teleserye inspired by the 1986 film of his father, late film icon Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ).

"It's a dream for me. I keep saying it out loud kasi it's something I've never done before. But sa mga interviews ko way, way back, tinanong ako kung anong paborito kong movie niya, ang sabi ko 'Batang Quiapo,' and now nangyayari na siya," Poe happily shared to The Manila Times in a one-onone interview.

"There's this pressure. Kahit ano namang project ang ibigay sayo. But more than anything it's just the excitement and kasi the fact na ipinagkatiwala sayo yung mga ganitong klaseng project, for me it's just a blessing. As much as possible, you just want to give your all and give your best because of the trust that was given to you," she added.

With her in headlining "Batang Quiapo" is no less than country's "Primetime King" Coco Martin who also serves as the show's director. It will be remembered in their previous interviews that the two have always wanted to work together even before Poe's network transfer.

Now that it finally happened, Poe has nothing but praises for her leading man.

"He's very collaborative because very improv style yung kay direk Coco. You don't know where the cameras are sometimes so talagang you have to be on your toes for sure. But so far so good kasi nga na-enjoy ko. When I entered, I was already told na iba yung style. And you know when it challenges me, I'm always up for it," Poe noted.

Ang sarap kasi relaxed at enjoy lang. Yun ang magandang part — yes, meron siyang ibabato na linya pero it's up to you kung gusto mong dagdagan

So he lets us be. We understand na din kasi our characters and I think that's his way of showing us that he trusts us as actors," she continued.

In "Batang Quiapo," Poe plays Mokang, Tanggol/ Baldo's charming friend who will put up with his shenanigans. Martin's character, on the other hand, is a stubborn yet loving son to his mother (Cherry Pie Picache), father (John Estrada), grandmother (Charo Santos), and younger brother (McCoy de Leon). Based on the teaser alone, the show is set to give viewers not only intense action scenes but also important values that viewers can learn from.

Poe has been having the time of her life in shooting in an open location where they are joined by the community in Quiapo. But what challenged her the most in the series were her Tagalog lines.

Yung kilos okay, sanay ako kasi magalaw ako. Ang pinakanahirapan ako in particular is sa Tagalog. Marunong naman ako magtagalog pero yung lutong, kung paano mo sabihin. My god, yung first day, to be honest kumakabog talaga yung dibdib ko. Sabi ko, 'paano ko sasabihin?' Buti na lang may mga kasama ako na gina-guide ako. Kahit si Coco tinuturuan ako so nag pa-practice ako kung paano yung Tagalog ko. Tapos as time went on, nagawa ko naman siya."

Asked what the audience can expect in this action-packed series, Poe promised, "It will be very entertaining. Siguro lahat nandito — family, drama, action-packed, comedy, different types of people. It's not just my character and Coco's character that you have to look out for. Everyone, aside from the veteran actors, influencers, ating mga FlipTopers or rappers. Sobrang huhusay nila, nakaka-amaze, nakakagulat."

"FPJ's Batang Quiapo" also stars Benzon Dalina, Mark Lapid, Ronwaldo Martin, Jojit Lorenzo, Ping Medina, Mercedes Cabral, Alan Paule, Lou Veloso, Susan Africa, Pen Medina, Lito Lapid, Irma Adlawan, and Christopher de Leon. Malu Sevilla will co-direct the series with Martin.

by KrIstofer Purnell Philstar.com

FILIPINA American actress Vanessa Hudgens has confirmed that she and professional baseball player Cole Tucker are engaged.

Rumors of Cole popping the question during the latter part of 2022  circulated last week and was picked up by media outlets like TMZ and People.

Vanessa confirmed the engagement when she posted on her Instagram account a photo of her with the Colorado Rockies player as she showed off the diamond ring on her finger.

"YES. We couldn’t be happier," Vanessa simply placed in the caption, accompanied by a white heart emoji.

Among those who congratulated the couple were actresses Lily Collins, Monique Coleman, Sarah Hyland, Ashley Benson, Nina Dobrev, Brittany Snow, Ashley Park, and Vanessa's sister Stella.

Vanessa had previously dated Oscar-nominated "Elvis" actor Austin Butler for over eight years but broke up in 2020; later in the year she was linked with Cole whom she had met over Zoom, as she had shared on "The Drew Barrymore Show."

Since then Vanessa has been attending Cole's Major League Baseball games while Cole has frequented as Vanessa's plus-one to events and companion on social media posts.

She is best known for her role in the "High School Musical" franchise and will next be seen in the upcoming film "Downtown Owl" and a voice role in "Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas."

Filipina American actress Vanessa Hudgens with professional baseball player Cole Tucker

Photo from Instagram/@vanessahudgens

Lovi Poe

Photo from Instagram/@lovipoe

Health @Heart

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

IN these troubling times of wokeness, extremely radical ideologies, and confusing state of people’s minds, remembering wonderful memories and retrieving decades-old cherished joys and happy events could be a beneficial antidote to these challenges today. Unfortunately, even in our 40s and 50s, remembering old memories and recalling previous knowledge in our younger years hidden in our brain may be difficult, if not impossible, for some. But there is good news on the horizon!

A drug already in use for bronchial asthma, previously approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), has been labelled recently as a “magic pill” for its ability to restore lost memories and recall previously hidden knowledge.

The same could be achieved with optogenetic therapy, but the “magic drug” is comparatively safer, non-invasive and equally effective.

Magic memory pill

a most promising potential in keeping the brain of billions around the world youthful, with healthier memory maintenance and more efficient retrieval of old data. All these with a safe “magic pill.”

Drug ‘stops’ aging

Infusing older patients with blood of younger and healthier individuals shows promise at “turning back the clock on aging,” but new studies show that scientists may be able to achieve the same without using another person’s blood.

Researchers from Columbia University in New York reported that “an anti-inflammatory drug can rejuvenate the system which manufactures blood in the body and possibly increasing the human lifespan by decades!”

The investigators, scientist Passegue and graduate student Carl Mitchell, discovered “the anti-inflammatory drug anakinra, approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis cases, reverses some of the effects of aging on the hematopoietic system. The drug is available under the brand name Kineret…Administering the drug returned aging blood to a younger and healthier state.”

alternative.

Coffee and liver disease

There is a dual epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus around the world. Obesity increases the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Losing 30 to 50 percent of body weight among the severely overweight by strict dieting have been founds to cure diabetes, even to the point of stopping insulin for good. This is no longer a theory but a proven scientific fact.

New studies found that coffee “helps protect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among people with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D)…caffeine intake was correlated with decreased liver fibrosis in NAFLD and other chronic liver-related illnesses.”

Portuguese scientists discovered that caffeine and polyphenols in coffee may reduce the severity of NAFLD among those with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The research was sponsored by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) and was reported in the journal Nutrients

* * *

CONSULATE IN SAN FRANCISCO. Philippine Consul General Neil Ferrer welcomed Filipino postgraduate public administration students under the joint academic program of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) and San Francisco-based Golden Gate University (GGU), at the Philippine Center in San Francisco last January 31. The students were accompanied by Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez, the Filipino American Vice Provost for Global Affairs of GGU. The callers comprise the pilot batch of postgraduate students under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two universities in 2022. Consul General Ferrer said that the joint ADZU-GGU program opens opportunities for students from Philippine provinces to enroll in a world-class American university, and learn best practices from local governments and civil society organizations in California. As a token of appreciation for their visit, Consul General Ferrer gave the students copies of the book “Images of America: Filipinos in San Francisco.” San Francisco PCG photos

“If proven effective, this novel approach could offer a new ray of hope for millions suffering from conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s, or simply help everyday people remember critical elements of their lives lost to the passage of time,” according to the research team from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The research is ongoing and

And this means extending lifespan!

Published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, this wonderful and exciting discovery, when worldwide clinical trials confirm its effectiveness, might just be the fountain of youth Ponce de Leon and all of us have been searching for.

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.

* * *

Manicures and cancer

Many women prefer gel manicure because it lasts longer and do not easily chip. However, ultraviolet light from nail lamps has been associated with increased risk for cancer, according to some studies. The long wavelengths of ultraviolet light (UVA) from the UV nail dryer can damage the DNA and cause mutation in human cells that elevates the risk for skin cancer.

In other studies, using a strong sunscreen prior to gel manicure appear to lessen the risk. Having gel manicure, without UV dryer, appears to be a logical, safer,

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

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

Success story: A terminated...

Embassy to reinstate the case. Joseph’s new interview was scheduled in March 2022 and Joseph’s visa was issued, to the joy of Nanay Pilar who was finally reunited with her son after such a long time.

brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, February 19 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement) POSTGRAD STUDENTS OF ADZU-GGU JOINT PROGRAM CALL ON PH

Franco Finn to host NBA All-Star...

extreme sports competitions. His previous stints include being an on-air personality and host for TV and radio for entities such as CBS, Comcast SportsNet, the Oakland Raiders (NFL Network), KOFYTV, Radio Disney, KGO AM 810, and guest appearances on ESPN Radio.

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worked as a freelance emcee/ host for the San Francisco Giants' special events department for the past 14 seasons. He is a local and national emcee – Franco has hosted a variety of signature events, as well as sporting events from NASCAR to Red Bull’s