022223 - Southern California Midweek Edition

THE rash of hate crimes, growing numbers of homeless and mentally ill, and a lack of trust in law enforcement have led to more unsafe conditions on public transit.

People don’t want to ride public transit for fear of being harassed like Esther Lee was on a New York subway October 21, 2021. Lee, 41, is a Korean American. She was insulted, spit on, and called “a f***g carrier.” She filmed 57-seconds of the ugly encounter on her cell phone. Nobody came to her aid and at 42nd St. Lee got out and switched cars.

Lee reported the incident to New York’s Hate Crime Unit, but Deputy Inspector Jessica Corey told her she had escalated the situation by filming it and since the man didn’t use an Asian slur, there was no evidence of a hate crime. However, two months later a Civilian Review Panel saw the video and labeled Lee’s case a hate crime. Then she went public to a local TV station.

“If cases like mine were not being labeled as a hate crime, that meant that many more

Marcos rejects ICC probe on Duterte

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday, February 18 rejected a move by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to resume its investigation into former president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, saying the ICC has no jurisdiction and insisting that the country has a "good" justice system.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Military Academy's alumni homecoming

in Baguio City, the President maintained that the Philippines would not cooperate with the ICC investigation which, he said, would be an "intrusion into our internal matters" and "a threat to our sovereignty."

"My position has not changed. I have stated it often, even before I took office as president, that there are many questions about (ICC's) jurisdiction and what we in the Philippines regard as an intrusion into our internal matters and a threat to our sovereignty," the President said.

Marcos, a known Duterte ally, said he would not allow "former imperialists," such as the ICC, to control the Philippines, unless it could be proven that the international court has jurisdiction over the country.

"So, that is not something that we consider to be a legitimate judgment. So, until those questions of jurisdiction and the effects on the sovereignty of the Republic are sufficiently answered, we cannot cooperate with them," he said.  PAGE 2

by PAOLO ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Senators have filed resolutions strongly opposing the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s move to proceed with its probe on former president Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity committed in his administration’s war on drugs.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada filed Senate Resolution 492 expressing the chamber’s strong opposition to the resumption of the ICC investigation on the Duterte administration’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs that left over 6,000 suspects dead in police operations. Estrada said the decision of the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber to authorize the resumption of the probe is “disrespectful of the Philippines’ sovereignty and undermines the country’s fully capable judicial system.”

The senator cited the government’s efforts in reviewing the anti-drugs operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s anti-narcotics group, which has prompted the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file four criminal cases against abusive police officers.

SENATORS are eying the growing shortage of health care workers in the United States as one of the few problems where there is room for bipartisan solutions, even in a deeply divided Congress gearing up for a presidential election cycle.

The shortage that’s only worsened since the pandemic is a prescription for skyrocketing costs, suffering, and unnecessary death, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the new chairman of the Senate’s top health committee, warned in his committee’s first hearing Thursday.

“We are going to produce legislation, and I think people will be surprised about the level of bipartisan supporters,” Sanders said in a brief interview during a break from the hearing. He called for the committee to “produce something meaningful.”

The shortage of health care workers of all sorts is a widespread problem, but is especially acute in rural areas and minority communities. Sanders pointed to the startling

Church calls for repentance ahead of Holy Week rites

by ROBERTZON RAMIREZ Philstar.com

MANILA — The Catholic Church is inviting the faithful to participate in religious activities in line with the observance of this year’s Lenten season, beginning on Feb. 22, Ash Wednesday.

In an interview with Church-run Radyo Veritas, Fr. Gregory Gaston of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome said Ash Wednesday is a reminder for people to repent, to fast and to spiritually renew oneself.

“If you can, do go to the church on Ash

Wednesday and have ashes placed on your forehead. It is not just for show, but it is also an invitation to reform our lives, to repent,” Gaston said in Filipino.

The prelate also reminded the Catholic faithful to confess their sins to prepare themselves for the Holy Week.

He said confession is God’s way of giving the faithful the strength to fight temptations, committing sins and other circumstances that might lead to committing sins.

This year’s Holy Week will be observed from Palm Sunday, April 2 until Black

by NESTOR CORRALES Inquirer.net

BAGUIO CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said he was not yet inclined to invoke the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States over incidents in the West Philippine Sea because it would only escalate rather than cool down tensions. Speaking to reporters here after joining the annual alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) at Fort del Pilar, the president said activating the MDT at this time would only be “counterproductive.”

“It is because if we activate that, what we are doing is escalating, intensifying the tensions in the area,” Marcos said, adding that the Philippine government is in “constant contact with our treaty partners,” such as the United States and other countries in the Asian region.

“And that I think is the better recourse rather than to go directly to the Mutual Defense Treaty which again, I am very concerned would provoke the tensions rather than cool the tensions down,” he said. The MDT, signed in 1951, is an agreement between the Philippines and the United States to defend each other

by MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN Philstar.com

MANILA — Filipino and American troops are set to hold their biggest joint military exercises in April under Balikatan 2023 amid China’s growing brazenness in asserting its claim over waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Philippine Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., in an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News Monday night, February 20, said Palawan would be among the areas where the exercises would be held.

Several of the land features in the West Philippine Sea occupied

by the Chinese are off Palawan.

Last week, a Chinese coast guard ship beamed powerful lasers on Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Malapascua that was helping deliver provisions to a military outpost on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the Kalayaan Island Group. The military-grade lasers briefly blinded some crewmembers of Malapascua.

The Chinese claimed the laser beams were meant merely to check the speed and distance of the PCG vessel and was not harmful.

“We are now bringing in more

Marcos rejects ICC probe...

Blanket of protection

Former Bayan Muna partylist representative Neri Colmenares on Saturday said that the "unequivocal defense" of Duterte by the House of Representatives only emphasized the need for an ICC investigation.

Colmenares, who serves as legal counsel for the victims, added that the resolution of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo providing a "blanket protection" to Duterte "only points that there can be no fair, comprehensive, and objective inquiry into the thousands of deaths resulting from Duterte's war on drugs in the Philippines."

Arroyo has filed House Resolution 780 urging lawmakers to support Duterte.

"This reiterates that our government is unwilling and unable to investigate, and that the executive and legislative branches of government verily make justice inaccessible. In fact, it reminds us that there is no domestic investigation into acts and omissions of key officials, underway today, at all," Colmenares added. Colmenares noted that there is no trial or named accused before the ICC.

"The defense is suspiciously premature. The politicization of judicial processes, marked by an assiduous resistance to fact-finding, eerily harks back to Arroyo's own time

as a president when cases of extrajudicial killings, desaparecidos and torture also heavily occurred. In choosing to ignore grave rights violations and abuses — acts incompatible with our very humanity — politicians enable and empower violators and abusers. This is how impunity perpetuates," he said.

According to Colmenares, the resolution of the lower chamber is a mere posturing and will not be a hindrance to the ICC investigation.

"The resolution carries a mishmash of arguments that seem to claim that 'the end justifies the means.' In the course of its work, the ICC could also well find value in interrogating the basis of this resolution," Colmenares stressed.

In May 2021, the ICC prosecutor at that time, Fatou Bensouda, requested the court's authorization to launch a preliminary investigation into the extrajudicial killings conducted during Duterte's war on drugs.

Under the Rome Statute, the ICC can investigate and prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights estimated in a 2020 report that at least 8,000 people were killed during the campaign on drugs implemented under Duterte.

In November 2021, the Philippine government requested the ICC to defer the investigation, saying that it had begun its own inquiry into the killings. In June last year, the court's prosecutor, Karim Khan, requested the resumption of the investigation, saying the Philippine government had not substantiated its request for deferral.

Last January 26, a pre-trial panel of the ICC authorized the prosecutor to resume its inquiry. The Philippines withdrew its membership from the ICC in 2019 but the court ruled that the country remained under its jurisdiction.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on January 26 appealed to the ICC to let the Philippines carry out its own investigation and respect the country's sovereignty and judicial systems.

The DOJ also told the ICC that the country has a "working" and "organized" justice system compared to some African nations that the international court had investigated.

Marcos expressed confidence in the Philippines' police and judicial branch and that no external player is needed to resolve its issues.

"I do not see what (its) jurisdiction is. I feel that we have in our police and our judiciary a good system. We do not need assistance from any outside entity," he said. g

Church calls for repentance ahead...

Saturday, April 8.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent.

It is observed by Christians as a holy day of fasting and praying.

During a mass, a priest places ashes on a worshiper’s forehead in the shape of a cross.

Stay vigilant

In line with the observance of Ash Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) has issued a reminder to the public to continuously

protect themselves even with the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

“We should continue to be aware of our individual risk through the assessment of our surroundings and settings,” the DOH said in a brief statement.

It added that individuals should know when to use layers of protection and when to wear a face mask.

“Today, we have kept cases manageable and low, thanks to these practices. Let’s continue protecting ourselves

PH, US set to hold biggest...

components into the training exercise. There are now many new capabilities that we have to develop jointly. So we are including this in the exercises this year,” Brawner said.

“Aside from that, we are saying this is the biggest so far because the United States is bringing in more troops compared to the previous years,” he added.

Brawner said Balikatan 2023 would definitely include “aspects of maritime and territorial defense” along with other combat and noncombat components like counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR).

by assessing our risk and to get vaccinated/boosted,” the agency said.

DOH officer-in-charge

Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier warned the public against becoming complacent as COVID-19’s current numbers do not fully reflect the actual situation in the country.

“COVID-19 may still cause severe or critical infection to the elderly and those with comorbidities, and may even cause death,” Vergeire said. g

He did not give details regarding the size of this year’s maneuver, but based on a US embassy statement last year, the previous exercises involved 9,000 Philippine and US troops, 50 aircraft, four ships and 10 amphibious craft.

“This is not the first time that we are doing that,” he said, adding that the Balikatan in April would be the 38th iteration of such drills which included beach landings by Philippine and US Marine personnel.

Brawner said Balikatan 2023 would involve both combat and non-combat drills like field training exercises as well as subject matter exchanges among experts in

classroom set-up.

Asked if electronic warfare would be part of this year’s exercises, Brawner said it would be included but stressed this year’s event was not meant to provoke any country.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s really no provocation because in our planning, we are very careful, we consider that. We also consider the effects on our neighbors, even our ASEAN neighbors,” he explained.

“We are really very careful when we select for instance the scenario that we are going to exercise, but as I said, this isn’t focused only on combat,” he pointed out.

Brawner said China or any other neighboring country is not informed of the specifics of the Balikatan as it is public knowledge anyway and is regularly announced by the military.

“It’s really not a secret that we hold this Balikatan exercise but we also have an observer program which is injected into the Balikatan exercise where we allow our partners to observe the exercises,” he said, referring to partner nations like Japan, South Korea, Australia and ASEAN neighbors.

Meanwhile, PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu on Tuesday, February 21 called on his men to remain steadfast in their task of protecting the country’s territorial

waters.

“We carry the weight of great expectations from both the Filipino people and the global community. It is our solemn duty to uphold the best interests of our country and our people and to never falter in our commitment to this cause,” Abu said in a speech after giving awards to crewmembers of Malapascua and BRP Teresa Magbanua in recognition of their efforts to protect Filipino fishermen.

“As we continually muster our courage, may I remind all the coast guardians to never lose sight of the aspirations that we all set forth at the beginning of my term for us to collectively accomplish,” he added.

He praised PCG officers and men “who have displayed exceptional courage and stern determination to defend” the Philippines and its territory.

He reminded the PCG personnel of the delicate situation in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in areas around Palawan.

“While we may not have the advantage of having larger and more sophisticated vessels, our unwavering determination and strong will to uphold our dignity as one solid independent nation and assert our sovereign rights will undoubtedly make a significant difference,” he said. g

ARAW NG DABAW. Vendors selling indigenous accessories begin to thrive along San Pedro St. as Davao City prepares for its Araw ng Dabaw (Davao Day) celebration next month. Araw ng Davao is a month-long celebration with various activities held every March highlighted by the city’s Charter Day on March 16. Photo courtesy of Robinson Niñal Jr.

Senate resolution filed vs ICC...

“This clearly shows the commitment of our government in ensuring that erring individuals will be brought to justice,” he said.

He added that his resolution was not in conflict with his vote to ratify the Rome Statute that created the ICC 12 years ago.

As early as Nov. 10, 2021, the government had requested the deferral of ICC investigations and proceedings, citing the complementarity principle under which the intergovernmental organization and internal tribunal operate, according to Estrada.

“The letter of request stated that the Philippine government has the first responsibility and right to prosecute crimes. Further, it stated that the ICC may only exercise jurisdiction where the national legal systems fail to do so, which was not the case for the Philippines as domestic institutions are fully functional and more than capable to address the concerns raised in the prosecutor’s notification,” he said, referring to ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan QC.

“It is hereby resolved that the Senate of the Philippines strongly opposes the decision of the ICC to resume its investigation on the crimes committed in the Philippine territory, in questioning the fully capable judicial system of the Philippines, as well as disrespecting its sovereignty,” Estrada said in his resolution.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla also filed a resolution that seeks to defend Duterte from investigation or prosecution by the ICC and also cites that the country has a “functioning and independent” judicial system.

In Senate Resolution 488, Padilla sought “to declare unequivocal defense of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the 16th president of the Republic of the Philippines, in any investigation or prosecution by the ICC.”

He also noted that after a panel of judges at the ICC in The Hague authorized the Office of the Prosecutor to resume its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla declared that “they are insulting us” and described the case as “totally unacceptable.”

Padilla’s resolution likewise pointed out that Duterte believed the widespread serious and rampant illegal drug problem “is an existential threat to the

country’s social fabric” and that he was convinced that fighting illegal drugs, along with corruption and other crimes, “is a prerequisite to achieving genuine growth and prosperity.”

Padilla said Duterte’s presidency saw “remarkable accomplishments” brought about by relentless campaign against illegal drugs, insurgency, separatism and terrorism and corruption and criminality, while the peace and order situation considerably improved.

‘Mechanism exists’

There is a mechanism that will enable the Philippines to cooperate in the ongoing investigation being conducted by the ICC prosecutor, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Responding to Remulla’s statement, HRW senior Asia researcher Carlos Conde cited Article 87 of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

“There is such a ‘mechanism,’ but it would take good faith on the part of Philippine government, which would have to abide by the ICC’s request to cooperate,” Conde said.

“Question is, why is it not cooperating?” he added.

Last Monday, February 20, Remulla said there is no justification for the ICC to enter the Philippines and investigate killings related to the previous administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“If the ICC insists on coming in, let me tell you this: there is no mechanism by which the ICC can come in because this was not contemplated in the drafting of the law of the treaty before we became a signatory for a few years from which we withdrew,” he added.

The Rome Statute provision cited by Conde allows the ICC to make requests to governments for cooperation in an ongoing proceeding.

“The requests shall be transmitted through the diplomatic channel or any other appropriate channel as may be designated by each state party upon ratification, acceptance approval or accession. Subsequent changes to the designation shall be made by each state party in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence,” the provision stated.

“When appropriate … requests may also be transmitted through the International Criminal Police Organization or any appropriate regional organization,” it added.

The ICC may also invite those who are not part of the treaty to provide assistance “on the basis of an ad hoc arrangement, an agreement with such state or any other appropriate basis.”

“Where a state not party to this Statute, which has entered into an ad hoc arrangement or an agreement with the Court, fails to cooperate with requests pursuant to any such arrangement or agreement, the Court may so inform the Assembly of States Parties or, where the Security Council referred the matter to the Court, the Security Council,” the provision stated.

The Philippine government has been insisting that the ICC no longer has jurisdiction after the Duterte administration withdrew from the Rome Statute.

The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber has ruled that the prosecutor can investigate alleged crimes against humanity that happened in the country when it was a member from Nov. 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019.

Recall

Meanwhile, organized labor on Tuesday, February 21 demanded the immediate recall of Senate and House resolutions defending Duterte from the ICC investigation.

Labor coalition Nagkaisa expressed rage over the resolutions filed by several senators and congressmen.

“We believe that this move is a blatant disregard of justice for thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the country and an insult to the ICC’s mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit crimes against humanity,” Nagkaisa said in a statement.

“Justice is not the luxury of the rich and powerful, it is the right of every Filipino,” it added, as it noted that thousands of those murdered during the Duterte administration are crying for justice.

The resolutions supporting Duterte will doubly entice the ICC investigator to proceed with the investigation, according to Nagkaisa.

The group urged the Senate and Congress to withdraw their resolutions and respect the ICC’s mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit crimes against humanity.

“The government must work hand in hand with the ICC to bring justice to the victims of EJKs, and to ensure that those responsible for these heinous crimes are held accountable,” Nagkaisa said. g

Not yet time to invoke PH-US treaty over...

PAGE 1

in case of an armed attack on a public vessel, troops or an airship.

Serious concern Marcos has summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to Malacañang to express “serious concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions” by the Chinese against the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fisherfolk.

“I said that the laser-pointing incident was only a part of what we are seeing as intensifying or escalating of the actions of the militia, marine militia of China, the coast guard of China, and the navy of China,” he said.

“So we are hoping that we can find a better way rather than these incursions into our maritime territory and the rather aggressive acts that we have been seeing in the past few weeks and months,” he added.

The president said he reminded Huang that Beijing’s incursions in the South China Sea were not consistent with what he and Xi discussed in Beijing in January when they agreed to establish a direct communication line to prevent “miscommunication and miscalculation” in the disputed sea.

In his bilateral meeting with Marcos in Beijing in January, Xi promised to “find a compromise

and find a solution” that will allow Filipinos to fish again in their “natural” fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea without Chinese interference.

Despite the increasing Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea, Marcos said in his speech before PMA alumni and top security officials of the government that his administration would continue to uphold the

country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with the Constitution and with international law.

“This country has seen heightened geopolitical tensions that do not conform to our ideals of peace and threaten the security and stability of the country, of the region, and of the world,” he said. But he added: “This country will not lose one inch of its territory.” g

SPROUTING ONIONS. Amid reports of massive hoarding of red onions, a man prepares to sell sprouted onions for only P50 per kilo in Davao City on Monday, Feb. 20. The retail price of onions skyrocketed to as much as P700 per kilogram in December last year due to a shortage of supply that was traced to hoarding. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

US senators say health worker shortages ripe...

numbers of Americans living in medical care deserts to illustrate the point. There are nearly 100 million people who don’t have easy access to a primary care physician, almost 70 million with no dentist at hand, and some 158 million people who have few local mental health providers, Sanders said.

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the nation’s existing worker shortage as many left the workforce as the crisis worsened. Some contracted the virus themselves, and large numbers of health care providers died. An investigation by KHN and The Guardian revealed more than 3,600 health workers in the United States died during the pandemic’s first year alone. Some got burned out or sought higher-paying jobs elsewhere.

“Despite all of our health care spending, we don’t have enough doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, mental health providers, and other medical professionals,” Sanders said, pointing to data that suggest the nation faces a shortfall of about 450,000 nurses and 120,000 doctors in the coming years, and 100,000 dentists now.

While Democrats and Republicans alike acknowledged the shortages hobbling care for hundreds of millions of Americans, any legislative solution must pass not only the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, but also the full Senate and House of Representatives. Far-right House

Republicans have threatened to go so far as forcing the federal government to default on its debts as they demand spending cuts, and high government spending on health care could make new legislation a ripe target.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the committee’s top Republican who is also a doctor, cited a few programs the committee is responsible for updating this year, such as an expiring program that trains many of the nation’s pediatricians. He said funding should reflect what works in the health care system and come “with the appropriate spending offsets.”

“We have to make sure that we’re not wasting the money we’re trying to None of the senators in the packed hearing room disagreed with the fundamental problem that too many medical professionals are leaving their fields and that educational institutions are not graduating enough new ones to replace them and meet the growing needs of an aging population.

Members on both sides of the aisle recognized growing levels of burnout in the medical professions; increased threats faced by health care workers; the costs and challenges of working underserved areas; and financial incentives that steer younger professionals toward more lucrative specialties and higherincome areas.

Senators agreed on some strategies to boost numbers of health workers, such as

encouraging more lowercost educational options like community college and ensuring that existing programs are extended this year, such as the National Health Service Corps that trains doctors for underserved areas and graduate education programs.

A whiff of partisan thinking drifted into the conversation, with some Republicans focused more on decrying government interference in health care. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) suggested the State Department should do a better job clearing foreign students and practitioners to immigrate here. Cassidy raised electronic health records requirements as a contributor to physician burnout, saying they consume too much time. Even in those areas, there were signs lawmakers could agree. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) also raised the idea of unjamming the immigrant backlog.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said vaccine requirements were an impediment. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) raised regulations barring some surprise medical bills as harmful to doctors.

“I think the fact that the committee has made this the first hearing means a number of us have bills. We may try to take a bunch of them up together and see if we can combine them into something,” said Kaine, pointing in particular to the idea of expanding loan forgiveness for people willing to go into areas with shortages. “I think there’s great prospects for bipartisan PAGE 7

Former US soldier sentenced for sexually abusing Pinoy kids

by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

MANILA — The United States District Court in Tacoma, Washington has sentenced a former U.S. Army soldier to 22 years behind bars for sexually abusing Filipino children. Moeun Yoeun, 40, of Steilacoom, Washington, will serve the prison term for child sex trafficking, producing child pornography and traveling to the Philippines to sexually assault young children. The United States Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington announced the conviction through its official

website, identifying the former soldier as a staff sergeant stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Yoeun was found guilty of sex trafficking children, producing images of child sexual abuse and traveling to sexually abuse children after he pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2022.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the former soldier admitted that young girls in the Philippines were threatened with death if they refused his sexual assaults.

“At the sentencing hearing

U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle called the crimes ‘vicious, heinous, and cruel’,” a press release read.

“Mr. Yoeun weaponized his position of trust as a noncommissioned officer in the United States Army to sexually exploit and cause irreversible trauma to impoverished girls in the Philippines,” U.S. Attorney

Nick Brown said.

“He cruelly threatened their lives if they tried to flee from his violent sexual assaults. This lengthy sentence is necessary to deter Mr. Yoeun and others who prey on children,” he added.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that in the plea agreement, Yoeun admitted to, over the course of several years, using adult and child residents of the Philippines to recruit more than a dozen other children to produce pornography. He further admitted to traveling to the Philippines and engaging in sexual acts with at least six children in exchange for nominal amounts of money.

U.S. prosecutors cited numerous studies showing the long-term damage suffered by child sex abuse victims, concluding, ”further research only confirmed and expanded upon this emerging understanding of these insidious effects of childhood sexual trauma. Studies now tell us that the numerous child victims in this case, as a direct consequence of the Defendant’s violent sexual attacks, will face an elevated risk of alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, sexual promiscuity and suicide.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Yoeun will be required to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and will be on federal supervision for 15 years. g

Making public transit safer...

PAGE 1

similar incidents were being mislabeled and dismissed,” Lee said.

Peter Kerre founded Safe Walks NYC in January 2021. He created an Instagram page, setting up a program of volunteers to walk with people to and from transit stops in Brooklyn. In May 2021 Safe Walks expanded to cover Manhattan below 59th St.

“Communities were eager for public safety solutions that did not involve law enforcement. Safe Walks was a great fit, especially for women of color, many of whom reported having negative interactions with the New York Police Department,” Kerre said.

During an Ethnic Media Services press call last week, Kerre told reporters that in most cases victims were alone. “Not only in the subway but walking from the subway or walking elsewhere in the city,” he said.

“So simply having an extra person with you will make a very big difference.” Kerre said if people feel unsafe, a volunteer can ride with them on the subway.

However, it has not solved “the massive intersection of crises” that are at the root of the problem and ever-present on New York subways, says Kerre.

First of those: all the hate crimes mainly targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander community (AAPI). Second, all the mentally ill people on the street.

Third, all the homeless who are in crisis due to unemployment and financial hardships, and then there is the “elephant in the room”: a breakdown in trust between law enforcement and the community.

“They’ve been flooding the New York subways with a massive police presence, increasing surveillance cameras and extracting the unhoused and unwell folks from the transit system but there’s been no indication of what’s being done with them. Many times they end up back within the subway system.”

Collecting data on ridership, ethnicity, and gender would help define the problem but so far New York officials haven’t done that like in California.

“What Senate Bill 434 would do is require that California’s top 10 largest public transit systems collect data from their passengers on the problem of harassment and uncomfortable behavior,” says California State Senator David Min. Min, the only Kirean American in the California Senate, is Vice Chair of the California Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus.

Min named the bill ‘Public Transit for All: Improving Safety & Increasing Ridership’ and introduced it February 13. A former law professor who specialized in banking and housing policy, Min has testified six times before Congress on these issues. “There’s a saying in academia

that the plural of anecdote is data, and so we need hard data at this point if we want to develop solutions. What this would do is to give a voice to the millions of transit riders throughout the State of California,” he said.

Once we have that data, then we can start to develop solutions, Min says.

Janice Li is Board President of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART). Her day job is with Chinese for Affirmative Action, a San Francisco-based organization that has led Asian American civil rights advocacy for more than 50 years.

Li says BART’s pre-COVID riders made 430,000 trips on an average weekday and made up 70% of Bart’s operating costs, about $1 billion/yr. But during the lockdowns ridership dropped to four percent and has since rebounded to just 40% of what it was.

“We will not continue to exist if we cannot find new revenue streams,” Li says.

BART’s average rider has changed. Two-thirds are nonwhite, one third are in households with incomes under $50,000, and 44% don’t own cars. For the working poor of the Bay Area, BART is an essential mode of transportation.

“BART knows that in order to bring back riders, we must continue to prioritize safety. I am proud of the many new initiatives that we launched over the past three years, including our BART ambassador program, bathroom attendants, elevator attendants, and crisis intervention specialists,” Li said.

Making people feel safe means putting more BART personnel in our stations, at our platforms, and riding trains throughout our 50-station system spanning five Bay Area counties, she says.

BART has two new initiatives — Not One More Girl, which is a youth-led campaign to address gender-based harassment and violence on BART, and Let’s Talk About Us, an art campaign to bring visibility to domestic violence in AAPI communities.

“These campaigns are creative and engaging ways for our riders to learn what they can do if they witness these situations happening and resources if they are victims or survivors themselves,” Li said.

Crime on BART trains is down to 7.45 crimes per 1 million trips. There were two homicides at the 24th St. Mission station last year. “Both times they were conflicts that happened in the neighborhood at the street level, where the victims ended up escaping into our underground system,” Li said.

She says what’s needed is more community-based resources to address homelessness, drug addiction, and mental health crises. (Peter White/Ethnic Media Services)

FREE AGAIN. A woman hugs an old man who was among the 205 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who were granted clemency at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Monday, Feb. 20. A total of 416 PDLs were released simultaneously from the prison facilities of the Bureau of Corrections nationwide. PNA photo by

Missing Pinay, 3 kids died in Turkey quake – embassy

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — A Filipina and her three children, previously reported missing, died in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border, according to the Philippine embassy in Ankara.

“It is with deepest regret that the embassy must confirm the passing of a Filipina and her three children, previously reported to be missing under the rubble in Antakya,” the embassy said in a statement.

The Filipina and her children were laid to rest by her Turkish husband in accordance with Turkish tradition.

“The embassy and the entire Department of Foreign Affairs family express their deepest condolences for this tragedy,” the embassy said.

More than 20 families are at the Philippine embassy’s shelter.

The embassy has met more than 70 Filipinos who have decided to remain in the provinces. It is accelerating the repatriation of Filipino citizens who want to return to the Philippines.

More than 46,400 people have died across Syria and Turkey since the earthquakes struck nearly two weeks ago.

Homeward bound Meanwhile, members of the 82-man Philippine inter-agency contingent sent by the government to help victims of the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey are now preparing to return home.

Office of Civil Defense spokesman Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the search and rescue team is now on stand-by.

While waiting for instructions from local authorities if they will be tasked to conduct more search, rescue and retrieval operations, members of the team are helping the medical team in

serving patients.

At the Laging Handa public briefing on Monday, February 20, Alejandro said the search and rescue personnel have cleared 38 buildings since arriving in Adiyaman in Turkey.

The medical team, on the other hand, has so far provided ambulatory medical care to at least 603 patients through a field hospital.

Alejandro said the entire contingent would leave Turkey on Feb. 24 and hopefully will be back in the country by March 1.

“Our medical team operates the field hospital every day. Members of the search and rescue team no longer has search assignment, so they are helping the medical team,” he added.

The Philippine government is also preparing to send help either by means of cash or non-food items to Syria, which was also affected by the strong earthquake. g

IPU renews call for de Lima’s release as her detention nears its sixth year

by Kaycee VaLmonte Philstar.com

MANILA — The InterParliamentary Union has renewed its call for the release of former Sen. Leila de Lima and to have all charges against her dropped already, as her detention nears its sixth year mark next week.

The decision was made during its 170th session held in Geneva from January 21 to February 2 this year. The Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians “is ever more convinced that the steps taken against Ms. de Lima came in response to her vocal opposition in the way in which the then President Duterrte was waging a war on drugs.”

Should cases against de Lima continue, the IPU requests that one of their trial observers be present to monitor the conduct of her cases before branches 205 and 256 at the Regional Trial Court in Muntinlupa City.

The IPU expressed “grave

concern” that de Lima “continues to languish” behind bars even after a key witness already retracted his statement against her.

The parliamentarians' group also pointed out that de Lima had to go through criminal proceedings “with no clear end in sight,” noting that some official proceedings “maligned her as a woman and injured her dignity as a human being” with some of the sessions bringing to light her alleged sexual conduct.

Last year, star witness Rafael Ragos recanted his allegations of receiving money from New Bilibid Prison inmates involved in illegal drug trading and handed it to de lima’s aide.

Ragos is the former National Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director and former Bureau of Corrections Officer-in-Charge.

“In his retraction, Mr. Ragos said that he had been forced to testify against her by the then Secretary of Justice Vitaliano Aguirre II, who led the witch hunt against Ms.

de Lima in the Philippines’ House of Representatives Justice Committee’s hearings in 2016,” the IPU noted. Following Ragos' recantation, the Department of Justice however said they will leave it up to the courts to decide on the matter.

Ragos has already finished his testimony before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204, which is handling one of the two remaining drug cases of the former senator where the former is key witness. De Lima's team has said they will seek provisional liberty for the former lawmaker again, through a supplemental for bail.

The Geneva-based IPU, composed of elected national legislative bodies from across the world, was established in 1889. It "works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy." (with reports from Kristine Joy Patag)

envoy to China for trade, investment, tourism

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has picked businessman Benito Techico as his special envoy to China for trade, investments and tourism.

Marcos administered the oath of office to Techico in a ceremony held at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Tuesday, based on a video uploaded by state-run Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) on its official Facebook page.

"President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administers the oath of office to Mr. Benito Techico as the Special Envoy of the President to the People’s Republic of China for Trade, Investment and Tourism in a ceremony at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace on Feb. 21, 2023," RTVM said.

As Marcos' special envoy to China, Techico is tasked to coordinate with government officials, business leaders and other important stakeholders to promote and improve economic cooperation between the Philippines and China, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in another Facebook post.

The PCO also shared several photos of the oath-taking ceremony.

The Office of the President (OP) said Marcos is optimistic that with Techico's appointment, the two countries' ties would improve.

"During the ceremony, the President emphasized the

importance of Mr. Techico's appointment, expressing his hope that it would bring forth new opportunities for economic development, growth and most importantly, peace and stability between the Philippines and China," the OP said.

Malacañang has yet to release Techico's appointment paper.

Prior to his new position in the government, Techico served

as chief executive officer and president of Philippine Blue Cross Biotech Corp. Marcos' foreign trips have so far generated a total of 116 investment projects worth PHP3.48 trillion (USD62.926 billion), with China yielding the highest investments amounting to USD24.239 billion, based on a report from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). (PNA)

ECO-FRIENDLY BAGS. Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda (center) and Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval (left) look at ‘bayong’ (woven bags) made by

OVER the years, there have been numerous incidents of harassment and intimidation by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) against Philippine vessels, like last Dec. 17 when CCG vessel 5205 sailed dangerously close to a boat delivering food, noche buena packages and other supplies to troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

This latest incident at Ayungin Shoal where this same Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5205 shadowed and pointed a militarygrade laser at the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrol vessel BRP Malapascua – resulting in temporary blindness for some Philippine crew – is causing more and more Filipinos to become increasingly angry at the way the Chinese have been encroaching into our territory.

What is worse is that the Chinese are now claiming the area as theirs, with the China Foreign Ministry spokesperson saying it was the PCG vessel that did not have permission and “intruded” into the waters when in fact, Ayungin Shoal is located about 105 nautical miles off Palawan and is therefore clearly well within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.

As Congressman Rufus Rodriguez said, “How can we intrude into our own territory?”

Members of the international

ONLY Nixon could go to China!” There goes one of the most famous proverbs in highstakes geopolitics, which, quite ironically, can be traced back to Hollywood, namely the 1991 film “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.” The logic behind the supposed “old Vulcan proverb” is pretty straightforward: Any unexpected foreign policy turnabout is most feasible under leaders with robust domestic standing.

As a relatively hawkish Republican, U.S. President Richard Nixon’s outreach toward Maoist China in the early 1970s was less vulnerable to domestic criticism than, say, by a more dovish Democratic counterpart, who would have easily been

Weak maritime patrol capability

THE Philippines, with 7,641 islands, ranks fifth among states with the most extensive coastlines, according to The World Factbook of the US Central Intelligence Agency covering 198 countries and 55 territories. That coastline totals approximately 36,289 kilometers, which must be properly policed to keep out intruders, protect the environment and catch pirates, smugglers, drug dealers and other lawbreakers.

Guarding the western seaboard of the archipelago is particularly challenging as foreign vessels led by Chinese militia ships escorting massive swarms of their fishing vessels operate within Philippine territorial and sovereign waters. For such missions in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard says it has all of three offshore patrol vessels. The PCG says it needs at least 30 ships to effectively patrol the WPS alone. This acute lack of capability is surely among the factors emboldening Chinese coast guard vessels, which are under military supervision, to enter the WPS at will, shoo Filipino fishermen away from the Philippines’ maritime exclusive economic zone and challenge the operations of the PCG and Philippine Navy. Apart from Chinese militia incursions into Philippine waters, smugglers appear to operate with ease around the archipelago, especially if protected by local political kingpins, bringing in through porous coasts a wide range of contraband

Editorial

including shabu, guns and even motorcycles. Large containers of prohibited drugs are unloaded from ships in the high seas and plucked out of the water by smaller boats, and then freely brought in through poorly policed coastal areas.

The PCG is under the Department of Transportation. The Navy has its patrol vessels, but their numbers and capability are also limited, especially when ranged against the coast guard and naval assets of China. This is despite the modernization boost for the Armed Forces of the Philippines that was carried out by the Duterte administration.

The country will have to turn to allies and other friends to boost Philippine maritime patrol capabilities, including electronic surveillance of the waters around the archipelago. With the Philippines buried in P13.42 trillion debt as of the end of 2022, any coast guard modernization can be expected to be modest. It is an investment in national security, however, that cannot be put off. (Philstar.com)

Filipino patience running out over China’s latest incursion

community have also expressed their concern in light of this inyour-face kind of aggression and intimidation being demonstrated by China, among them the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Denmark, calling out China for its dangerous and provocative actions.

Canada described China’s actions as “coercive” and a “violation of international law and contrary to the maintenance of regional peace and stability, and the rules-based international order,” while both Germany and Denmark also called on China to abide by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which is “legal and binding.”

A friend from the diplomatic corps told me that China’s actions are “getting more and more unconscionable and provocative,” even preposterously accusing the U.S. of orchestrating the arbitral case. Absolutely not true – it was China’s aggression that precipitated our decision to file the case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s expansive maritime claims, including its ridiculous nine-dash-line with absolutely no basis whatsoever in international law.

Filipinos were extremely pleased when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned the Chinese ambassador over this latest incident involving a Chinese Coast Guard vessel. From what I am told, the President was cordial,

but at the same time was very firm and clear in expressing his serious concern over the “increasing frequency of action by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fishermen in their bancas.”

Filipino fishermen have long been suffering from the intimidation and restrictive actions employed by Chinese vessels which are depriving them of their livelihood, with reports that they were being threatened or their fishing gear confiscated. Numerous protests have also been filed over the illegal fishing activities of Chinese vessels in disputed territories in the South China Sea, with other claimant nations like Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia complaining about Chinese fishing fleets encroaching on their maritime territories.

In fact, there are calls for the European Union to impose sanctions on Chinese fishing vessels over alleged illegal fishing activities. An independent study commissioned by the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries (PECH) last December on the “Role and impact of China on world fisheries and aquaculture” showed that the large number of Chinese distant water fleets that go dark by using techniques like turning off their identification system, increase the possibility of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing infractions.

According to the study, “One of the most important environmental consequences of the Chinese fishing fleet on the EU’s distant-

water fishing activities is the depletion of fisheries stocks, which is associated with environmental degradation and results in reduced resource availability for all actors involved.”

During the visit of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to the fishing community of Tagburos in Palawan last November, she spoke about the risk that fishing communities face “when foreign vessels enter Philippine waters and illegally deplete the fishing stock; when they harass and intimidate local fishers; when they pollute the ocean and destroy the marine ecosystem.”

If one can recall, over 200 Chinese fishing vessels were seen at Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) in March 2021 with reports that they have been anchored

in the area since December 2020, raising fears of “possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to safety of navigation” in the West Philippine Sea.

Given these numerous incidents in the past, no one can really blame Filipinos for the continued and increasing anger at and distrust of China. This latest incident has also prompted many enlightened legislators to consider working together with other countries aside from the United States to maintain maritime peace and security in the region.

Certainly, we cannot and must not “drop the ball” on this one like what happened in 2012 when we “lost” the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

I have often said – Filipinos

are a patient people, and while everybody wants a peaceful resolution to all these incidents that have been repeatedly happening over the years, it is clear to all of us that “what is ours is ours,” period. We are not claiming anything outside of what is clearly within our territorial waters. As President Marcos had said: “We have no conflict with China; the issue we have is that China is claiming territory that belongs to us.” (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

Marcos Jr.’s foreign policy: A quiet revolution?

accused of “appeasement.” In many ways, a similar dynamic is shaping the ongoing transformation in Philippine foreign policy under President Marcos Jr., yet with opposite implications for China.

To be clear, I fervently believe that a Leni Robredo or, say, Panfilo Lacson administration would have certainly taken a patriotic and strategic approach to China.

Yet, one can’t deny that Mr. Marcos is overseeing a seemingly seamless transformation in our foreign policy by discarding his predecessor’s pro-China antics in favor of a more assertive stance in the West Philippine Sea as well as more robust defense cooperation with traditional allies.

And given Mr. Marcos’ large electoral mandate, high approval ratings, and the relegation of the House of Duterte to a “junior partner” status, the dramatic shift in our foreign policy is likely more

sustainable and real than many Marcos critics acknowledge.

Not long ago, many confidently predicted that the current president would end up consolidating the pro-Beijing direction of Rodrigo Duterte.

For instance, one reputable international news outlet published an op-ed piece entitled, “Bongbong Marcos will move the Philippines closer to China” shortly before Mr. Marcos’ expected election victory. Over the succeeding months, a whole host of news agencies and experts speculated on how China would supposedly benefit from a fully acquiescent Philippines under a Marcos-Duterte regime. In fairness, one can’t blame these observers for jumping to conclusions, since Mr. Marcos himself repeatedly backed Duterte’s China policy throughout the 2022 presidential elections.

But just as I questioned the

“debt trap” thesis in the past, correctly predicting that there won’t be much of Chinese infrastructure investments in the Philippines, to begin with (See, for instance, “Duterte’s Chinese Chimera,” 4/16/18), I also penned a whole series of articles last year, which (correctly) predicted a potential major policy shift under Mr. Marcos.

In fact, shortly before his assumption of power, I penned a piece for another publication, where I forecasted “Marcos Jr. will likely adopt calibrated assertiveness towards China while welcoming pragmatic cooperation on the economic front.” By early October, I forecasted an expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) deal, which would give the Pentagon access to a whole host of bases close to Taiwan’s southern shores in another article.

To be clear, this piece is not about flaunting one’s scientific “predictive” capacity, but rather about the art of scenariobuilding. As I argued in a piece in early-2022, three factors would shape a Marcos Jr. presidency: “(i) margin of victory and, accordingly, a potentially newfound sense of personal destiny, (ii) factional politics and personalistic jostling within the ruling regime, and (iii) external pressure/encouragement from international partners, especially Washington and Beijing…” (“Marcos Jr. presidency: Three possible scenarios,” 3/22/22).

Mr. Marcos not only secured an empathic electoral victory, but he is also atop a dominant coalition, which has broadly marginalized pro-China players. Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos has been actively courted not only by Washington, but also by Tokyo, London, Brussels, and a whole host of

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of

traditional allies.

Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos’ trip to Beijing last month produced zero breakthroughs on either the West Philippine Sea disputes or a whole host of unfulfilled infrastructure investment projects. Like many experts, Beijing (incorrectly) viewed Mr. Marcos as Duterte’s strategic clone.

Barely a year into office, a self-assured Mr. Marcos has revitalized defense relations with Western powers while standing up to bullying by Eastern powers. In a bizarre twist of events, it took a Marcos to correct Duterte’s foreign policy excesses sans any major backlash at home.

* * *

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.

* * * rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph

China Coast Guard Vessel No. 5205 is shown directing a laser beam at the BRP Malapascua in the West Philippine Sea in this photo taken on Feb. 6, 2023.

Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard

Bill legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes pushed

MANILA – Two members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 21 pushed for the passage of a bill legalizing marijuana or cannabis for medicinal purposes.

During a public hearing, Surigao Del Norte 2nd District Representative Robert "Ace" Barbers, House Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairperson, said that while cannabis may be legalized for medicinal use, House Bill (HB) 6783 does not allow its recreational use.

“Recently, more and more countries are easing regulations on the said drug for medicinal purposes. Other countries have already allowed its recreational use. For our purposes, we will limit it for medicinal purposes only,” Barbers said.

Former House Speaker and now Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez authored HB 6783 seeking to remove cannabis from the list of illegal drugs and substances.

Alvarez said the classification

of cannabis and its derivatives, as a dangerous drug, "makes no sense at all." "And we must correct this absurdity,” he said.

Barbers said there is evidence that cannabis oil and other derivatives are helping seriously ill patients.

“It is just a matter of time before we are deluged with calls to open our eyes and minds to the latest scientific developments now benefiting humanity,” he said. “If our chemical heavy pharma couldn’t find the cure to these illnesses, why would we stand in the way and deprive the afflicted of relief and enjoyment of their lives.”

He said it is about time that authorities should look at the positive side of the substance of cannabis.

“If there is a good side to it, then by all means we should consider it. Look at the substance amphetamine, a major component of shabu. It is a critical component or ingredient of many medicines now being

consumed worldwide,” Barbers said. In defending his bill, Alvarez pointed out that many acts of violence, crime and fatal accidents are attributable to the consumption of alcoholic beverages, lung cancer to cigarette smoking and diabetes to sweets and soft drinks consumption, and yet the government allows the production and sale of these products.

“Something is definitely not right,” Alvarez said. Despite the injuries that alcohol, cigarettes and soft drinks bring, the government still allows their production and sale simply because of tax revenues, he said. “If this is the ultimate saving grace that justifies allowing said products to be produced and sold to the public, then with more reason cannabis should be allowed. It is a potential source of billions worth of revenues. The experience of other countries

ABISO SA PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG

and states that rolled back senseless prohibition against this substance is clear proof,” he added.

Alvarez cited the State of Colorado, which was able to collect over USD1 billion in cannabis tax revenues since legalizing it in 2014. In 2021, Colorado collected USD423 million from cannabis tax revenues, up almost 10 percent from the prior year.

According to a study by the RCG Economics and Marijuana Policy Group, should the State of Nevada legalize recreational cannabis, the move will support over 41,000 jobs by 2024 and generate over USD1.7 billion in labor income, he added.

“Let us give cannabis a second chance. Let us make this happen by giving our all-out support for HB 6783, otherwise known as An Act Removing Cannabis and any Form of Derivative Thereof from the List of Dangerous Drugs and Substances Under Existing Laws’,” he said. (PNA)

Marcos OKs 19 projects to boost PH innovation

by Catherine S.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has approved 19 projects as part of his administration's efforts to promote and advance the culture of innovation in the country, Socioeconomic Planning

Secretary Arsenio Balisacan announced Tuesday.

Marcos, who heads the National Innovation Council (NIC), gave the nod for the projects during a meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday, February 21.

"The Council has approved 19 projects or project proposals amounting to P115 million under the Innovation Grants—majority of which sought to address the pre-commercialization and commercialization requirements of innovative products or services, the enhancement of innovation facilities and services, and the

conduct of capacity-building activities," Balisacan said during a Palace press briefing.

"The Marcos administration is committed to promoting and advancing the culture of innovation in the country through increased collaborations with the private sector, especially as we prioritize the development of infrastructure, pursue digital transformation, and work towards creating a more attractive and enabling business environment and investment climate in this term," he added.

Balisacan pointed out that innovation "plays a critical role in our pursuit for sustained and accelerated economic growth and development, as it serves as a catalyst for raising overall productivity and elevating the quality of our goods and services."

"Only through a collective national effort can we truly pursue

and attain these goals for our future," said Balisacan, who also serves as head of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

"The Marcos administration reaffirms its commitment and determination to turn these visions and plans into a reality, and build a strong economic foundation for the future generations of Filipinos. What we desire is to not only improve the way we do things today, but also to make us betterprepared for whatever outcomes the future may bring," he added.

During the meeting, Balisacan said the Council, which serves as the government's main coordinating body for innovation policies, has also approved six Executive Members for 2023 to 2026, with the seventh slot to be filled by a climate change expert. These members, he said, come from the ranks of businesses, entrepreneurs, academe, and the

Senators say health worker shortages ripe...

PAGE 4

progress on this.”

Senators credited Sanders with the initial progress toward a compromise. He spent his first weeks in his post meeting with committee members from both parties to identify areas of bipartisan agreement.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Sanders reached out to meet with her and discuss her priorities. They both named workforce shortages as a top

issue, she said, adding, “We’ve got good stuff to work on.”

“In my conversation with him just on the floor this week, about what we might be able to do with the workforce issue, I think he was kind of probing to see if we could put together some efforts to just focus on these on workforce shortages,” Murkowski told KHN. “There is a great deal of interest in legislating in this space.”

“What it’s going to look like,

scientific community.

Balisacan said the Councils also presented to the President salient features of the Republic Act 11293 or the Philippine Innovation Act, as well as updates on the formulation of the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document.

"This document outlines the country's ten-year vision and long-term goals for innovation and thus, serves as a detailed roadmap towards improving innovation governance," he said.

To recall, the National Innovation Council is a 25-member body tasked to develop the country's innovation goals, priorities, and long-term national strategy.

The president serves as the Council's chairman, with the secretary of the NEDA as vice chairman. They are joined by sixteen ex-officio members along with seven executive members from the private sector who were nominated during the meeting. g

I can’t tell you yet,” she added. “We are going to produce legislation,” Sanders said as the hearing ended. “I don’t do hearings for the sake of hearings.

(Michael McAuliff/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

SA PAMAMAGITAN NITO, IBINIBIGAY ANG ABISO na magsasagawa ang Lupon ng Mga Superbisor ng Probinsya ng San Diego ng pampublikong pagdinig sa Mga Milyang Ibiniyahe ng Sasakyan (Vehicle Miles Traveled), kasama ang pagbabago sa mga opsyon sa programa para sa mitigasyon at pangkalahatangideya ng pamamaraan sa Framework ng Likas-kayang Paggamit ng Lupa (Sustainable Land Use Framework), isang panukala para sa pagsusuri ng bawat isang parcel, at introduksyon sa mga tuntunin para sa likas-kayang pagpapaunlad sa unincorporated na lugar at nauugnay na pagbubukod sa Batas sa Kalidad ng Kapaligiran ng California (California Environmental Quality Act) ayon sa sumusunod:

IMPORMASYON NG PAGDINIG:

Petsa: Marso 1, 2023

Oras: 9:00 a.m.

Lokasyon: County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310, San Diego, California 92101 Puwedeng lumahok sa Pampublikong Pagdinig ang sinumang miyembro ng pangkalahatang publiko alinsunod sa mga regulasyong ipinapatupad sa panahon ng pagpupulong. Dapat bumisita sa https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cob/bosa. html ang mga gustong lumahok sa pagpupulong at/o magkomento para sa impormasyon sa kung paano gawin ang mga ito.

APLIKANTE: Probinsya ng San Diego

MGA NUMERO NG PROYEKTO/KASO: Pagbabago sa programa para sa mitigasyon ng Mga Milyang Ibiniyahe ng Sasakyan (Vehicle Miles Traveled, VMT), pangkalahatang-ideya ng pamamaraan sa Framework ng Likas-kayang Paggamit ng Lupa, isang panukala para sa pagsusuri ng bawat isang parcel, at introduksyon sa inisyal na hanay ng mga tuntunin para sa mga likas-kayang tuntunin sa pagpapaunlad (Mga Tuntunin sa Pagiging Likas-kaya) para sa likaskayang pagpapaunlad sa unincorporated na lugar.

RITUAL. Eleonora Atencio (right), 43, a member of the Dumagat/Remontado indigenous people in Tanay town, Rizal province feeds her 5-month old daughter Liang during the ritual food ceremony at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) compound in Balara, Quezon City on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The MWSS has turned over a total of P160 million in “disturbance fees” to the Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) of Rizal and Quezon provinces for their respective ancestral domains which were affected by the construction of the P12.2-billion New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project.

Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

LACMTA will receive Proposals for PS100859 - Oracle HCM Cloud Suite Implementation at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, March 17, 2023. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each proposal must be sealed and marked Proposal No. PS100859. For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Annie Duong at duonga2@metro.net.

2/22/23

CNS-3671483# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

PAGLALARAWAN NG PROYEKTO: Tatanggap ang Lupon ng Mga Superbisor (Lupon) ng impormasyon sa pag-unlad ng programa para sa mitigasyon ng Mga Milyang Ibiniyahe ng Sasakyan (VMT) at pagsasaalang-alang ng mga opsyon na maaaring suriin at isama ng tauhan sa programa. Ang kahilingan ay para makapagbigay ang Lupon ng direksyon sa mga partikular na opsyong ibinalangkas ng tauhan sa ulat na ito. Babalik sa Lupon ang tauhan sa loob ng anim na buwan (180 araw) para magbigay ng nabago sa isinagawang karagdagang pananaliksik, karagdagang pagsusuri sa bawat opsyon, at mga rekomendasyon sa mga aytem na dapat isama sa programa para sa mitigasyon ng VMT. Makakapagbigay din ang Lupon ng direksyon sa tauhan hinggil sa anuman sa mga item, kasama ang kung hindi ba sila dapat isama sa karagdagang pagsusuri, o mga item na gusto sana nilang makitang higit pang pinapaunlad. Pagkatanggap ng direksyon sa Marso 1 at karagdagang direksyon sa loob ng 180 araw, ihahanda ng tauhan ang programa para sa mitigasyon ng VMT at Ulat ng Epekto sa Kapaligiran (Environmental Impact Report, EIR), magsasagawa sila ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa stakeholder at pagpapasuri sa publiko, at babalik sila sa Lupon para sa pagsasaalang-alang bago lumipas ang Pebrero 2025. Magbibigay din ang tauhan ng pagbabago sa Framework sa Likaskayang Paggamit ng Lupa, kasama ang pangkalahatang-ideya ng ipinapanukalang pamamaraan para maisulong ang pagsisikap na iyon, pagpapakita ng inisyal na hanay ng mga tuntunin para sa likas-kayang pagpapaunlad (Mga Tuntunin sa Pagiging Likas-kaya) para ipaalam ang tungkol sa mga desisyon sa paggamit ng lupa sa hinaharap, at pangkalahatang-ideya ng: pamamaraan sa pagsusuri ng bawat isang parcel na magbibigay ng data na kinakailangan para maunawaan kung paano pinakamakakatulong sa pangangasiwa ng pagpapaunlad sa Mga Mabisa at Infill na Bahagi ng VMT, partikular na ang pabahay at abot-kayang pabahay at mga pagtatasa ng mga pangangailangan ng komunidad sa labas ng mga lugar na ito para matukoy kung paano natin mas mahusay na masusuportahan ang pagiging likas-kaya at pagkamatatag sa mga kasalukuyang komunida na maaaring hindi pinlanong makakita ng higit na paglago hangga’t maaari sa hinaharap. . Inaasahan ang tauhan na bumalik sa Lupon sa susunod na anim na buwan (180 araw) nang may mga nabago sa pag-usad ng pagsusuri ng bawat parcel at higit pang opsyon para sa Framework sa Likas-kayang Paggamit ng Lupa, kasama ang pangkalahatang-ideya ng pagkakaayon sa bagong batas ng estado na nagbibigay ng mga karagdagang pagkakataon para sa pagpapaunlad at dami ng panrehiyong estratehiya sa pabahay at mga pagsisikap ng Probinsya na kasalukuyang ipinapatupad.

LOKASYON: Matatagpuan ang proyekto sa unincorporated na bahagi ng Probinsya ng San Diego, na binubuo ng 3,570 square mile sa timog-kanlurang sulok ng Estado ng California.

KALAGAYAN NG KAPALIGIRAN: Hindi saklaw ang mga pagbabago sa Mga Milyang Ibiniyahe ng Sasakyan (VMT), Framework sa Likas-kayang Paggamit ng Lupa, introduksyon sa Mga Tuntunin sa Pagiging Likas-kaya, at pamamaraan sa pagsusuri ng bawat isang parcel sa ilalim ng Seksyon 15061(b)(3) at 15378(b)(5) ng Mga Alituntunin ng Batas sa Kalidad ng Kapaligiran ng California (CEQA) dahil wala itong potensyal na magresulta sa direktang pisikal na pagbabago sa kapaligiran man o sa makatuwiran, nakikinita, at hindi direktang pisikal na pagbabago sa kapaligiran.

PANGKALAHATANG IMPORMASYON: Maa-akses ng mga indibidwal na may kapansanan ang pampublikong pagdinig na ito. Kung kailangan ang mga serbisyo ng interpreter para sa may kapansanan sa pandinig, mangyaring tawagan ang Tagapagsaayos ng Mga Amerikanong May Kapansanan sa (619) 531-5205 o ang Serbisyo ng Relay ng California, kung mag-aabiso sa pamamagitan ng TDD, nang hindi lalagpas sa pitong araw bago ang petsa ng pagdinig.

TANDAAN: Kapag hahamunin mo ang pagkilos na maaaring gawin sa panukalang ito sa hukuman, maaari limitado ka sa pagbanggit lang sa mga isyung binanggit mo o ng ibang tao sa pampublikong pagdinig sa itaas, o sa nakasulat na liham na inihatid sa Kumakatawan ng Pagdinig sa o bago ang pagdinig. Maaaring limitahan o ipataw ng Mga Panuntunan ng Kumakatawan ng Pagdinig ang mga kinakailangan matapos ang pagsusumite ng naturang nakasulat na liham.

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, mangyaring makipagugnayan kay Jennifer Crump sa JenniferE.Crump@sdcounty.ca.gov or (619) 323-8589.

2/22/23

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ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

Valente ManilaTimes.net

PNA photo by Ben Briones

The Asian Journal MDWK

Coco admits having ‘one longtime girlfriend,’ but insists on keeping personal life private

By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

COCO Martin might be known for being strictly tightlipped about his private life, but he appeared to have confirmed that he’s in a relationship with a mysterious longtime girlfriend.

In an interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila, the “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” star made the brief revelation about his private life on her Youtube channel, which was uploaded on Thursday, Feb. 16.

“You’re a very private person, at pasensya ka na (and I’m sorry). Kailangan ko ‘tong tanungin, ganoon ang buhay (I have to ask this question, this is life). So, you have one longtime girlfriend?” Davila asked Martin.

“Sakto lang (It’s okay),” Martin answered, before bursting into laughter.

Davila, while laughing, persuaded the actor to answer if he’s in a relationship with someone at the moment.

“Opo (Yes),” Martin replied, although he did not disclose her identity. When asked by the broadcast journalist on whether their relationship is going to end up in marriage, he said, “Dapat po, dapat (It should be).

During the interview, Davila also asked the 41-year-old actor if he sees himself having children in the future. While he sees himself being a father “anytime,” he stressed that he wants to keep his personal life away from the spotlight.

“Sa akin kasi, gusto ko panatilihing pribado ‘yung buhay ko. Kasi mahirap po pag in-all out mo, lahat pakikialaman. Diba parang sa isang magkasintahan, pag nagliligawan kayo, pag nagdedate pa lang kayo, gusto ng lahat magkatuluyan. Pag kayo na, ang daming opinyon hanggang sa magkasira kayo. Bakit ko hahayaan? Ito nga lang sa ginagalawan ko [sa showbiz], ang gulo-gulo na eh. Papapasukin ko pa sila sa personal na buhay ko?” he

explained. (For me, I want to keep my personal life private. It’s hard to be all-out about my life because a lot of people want to pry. For example, for partners who are currently in a relationship, when you’re in the courting and dating stage, people want you to get together. But when you finally decide to date, there are a lot of opinions about your relationship which might end up ruining what you have. So, why would I allow it to happen?

It’s messy to be in showbiz, so why would I want others to be involved with my personal life?)

Martin also noted that he doesn’t talk about showbiz once the cameras are off, saying that he prefers to focus on everyday problems at home.

“Sa bahay po namin pag umuuwi ka, ni-isang beses, hindi ako tinanong about sa trabaho kasi ayokong pinaguusapan ‘yung showbiz. Kunwari, maganda ba si ganyan? Mabait ba si ganyan? Hindi nga namin pinag-uusapan ‘yung project na ginagawa ko,” he said.

“Normal lang [pinaguusapan namin]. Problema sa bahay, kung anong dapat ayusin. Kasi mga kapatid ko, nasa akin din. May mga pamangkin ako, ako ‘yung tatay eh. Meron akong lola pero ako ‘yung head of the family

Filipino Canadian teen gets first-ever platinum ticket from ‘American Idol’

By evangeline valderraMa Inquirer.net

FILIPINO

platinum ticket of the American Idol’s 21st season with his soulful rendition of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind,” all while playing the piano.

Venegas, who was one of the contestants in Season 2 of ABS-CBN’s The Voice Teens, wowed Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan as he confidently hit each riffs and runs, his voice curling and doing slow vibrato.

The performance of this 17-year old native of Vancouver, Canada was so powerful that Richie quipped that he needed to validate if he was indeed just a teenager as he said.

Richie asked Venegas’ mom, Iris, to verify his age. “He’s claiming to be 17-years-old, but he’s performing like a 45-year-old.”

Venegas’ mom told him that one of her son’s first concerts was Richie’s. “He was inspired by you, and that’s when he learned to sing from his heart.”

ngayon,” the actor added.

(When I come home from work, we never talk about showbiz. Not even once. We never talk about if a certain celebrity is beautiful or kind. We don’t even talk about the projects that I’m doing at the moment. We talk about normal things. Just problems at home, and what needs to be fixed. It’s because my siblings are with me, my nephews and nieces see me as their father. I may have a grandmother but I’m the head of the family now.)

The “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” star was also asked how he manages to resist temptation in the industry, where he mentioned that his hard work is a reminder to not be involved in entertaining certain desires.

“Mahirap nga po. Ako naman sabi ko nga ang lahat naman ng tao, lalo na bilang lalaki, dadaan at dadaan diyan. Pero sa akin kasi, kapag nagmature na, makikita mo rin ‘yung magiging kapalit, lalo na ngayon. Pag ikaw, gumawa ka ng isang pagkakamali, lahat ng pwedeng pinaghirapan mo, lahat ‘yun malulusaw lang,” he said.

(It’s hard. For me, everyone has a stage where they’re faced with temptation, especially as a man. But for me, when you mature, you eventually realize

Continued on Page 9

‘Iconic’: Megastar Sharon Cuneta, Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez repeat concert, live at Pechanga Resort Casino March 19

BOWING to numerous requests, Philippine Megastar Sharon Cuneta and Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez will once again hold a backto-back concert dubbed “Iconic,” on March 19 at 6 p.m., at Pechanga Resort Casino.

Similar successful ‘Iconic’ performances were held in Manila in 2019 and the past year in other key states in America. And again, the Pechanga concert forms part of the duo’s U.S. concert tour for 2023.

Pechanga Resort Casino is well-known for hosting only the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers aimed to provide the ultimate experience especially to its Filipino-American patrons.

Cuneta is not only a multi-awarded actress but her talent spans to singing where most of the ballad songs she rendered made waves in the Filipino movie and song industries.

Velasquez, on the other hand, is a prime performer, and has built a niche for herself, even reaching the consciousness of the United States’ Filipino-American population. Her unparalleled singing talent has inspired local performers to emulate her unique vocals.

Together, these phenomenal icons and singing sensations – Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez – will join forces one more time, to perform on stage at the Pechanga Resort Casino on March 19, 2023. The North America Music Tour 2023 is produced by Louie Ocampo and Raul Mitra.

It’s definitely a date! Don’t miss this magical milestone as Sharon & Regine’s Iconic II Concert duet deliver sentimental songs full of memories that have topped most playlists for decades.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States.

Voted the number one casino in the country by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for

the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering 5,400 of hottest slots, 152 table games, a 1,100 room and suite hotel, dining, luxury spa, and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook and on Twitter @PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)

“We’ve flipped the switch now. I inspired him back then, he just inspired us today. Let me tell you, that performance was spot-on professional,” said Richie.

“You sang notes and runs that I haven’t felt in my body in a long time, and I felt so connected, I feel so alive,” said Perry.

Bryan, for his part, told Venegas: “You are exactly what we look for, what we pray for.”

Platinum ticket

Because of Venegas’ impeccable performance, he was awarded the first ever platinum ticket, which Richie said would mean that he could “coast

through one whole week of Hollywood week.”

The exclusive platinum ticket, introduced only last year by American Idol, will be given through the audition round. This is expectedly higher than the golden ticket that is usually given to contestants who are able to advance to the next round after an impressive performance. For Venegas, this means that he need not join the first round of performances during the Hollywood week and be able to watch from the sidelines.

Troy emotional after daughter diagnosed with autism speaks a sentence for first time

By

Jan Milo Severo

Philstar.com

ACTOR Troy Montero turned emotional upon seeing his daughter with actress Aubrey Miles, Rocket, spoke a sentence for the first time.

In his Instagram account, Troy posted a video where Rocket sings the birthday song.

“Overflowing Happy Tears!! Rocket’s OT teacher shared this video with me today during our session summary

and oh my gosh, I almost cried on the spot (I waited till I got to the car LOL) then I sent this to Rocket’s mommy and it totally made her day!” Troy captioned the post.

“Tears of happiness, hearing four words coming from our non-verbal little girl, ugh. She can say letters and a few select words but until today nothing put together like this,” he added.

Rocket was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She’s turning four years old next week.

“We’ve probably watched this video 30-40 times already and for sure we’ll hit 100 by tomorrow. She’ll be turning 4 next week and hopefully she’ll sing along as we wish her a Happy Birthday,” Troy said.

“Great job my (Rocket) we love you so much! We are so proud of you!” he added.

Vice Ganda remains ‘home’ in ABS-CBN

VICE Ganda — dubbed as “The Unkabogable Star” — reaffirmed his loyalty in ABSCBN as he officially renewed his contract with the company he calls home.

At the contract signing nicknamed “The Unkabogable Day” held Wednesday, February 15 Vice also thanked Madlang Pipol for the success of his recent film “Partners In Crime.”

Co-starring Ivana Alawi, the movie served as his comeback in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) and was listed as one of the top-grossing movies in last year’s MMFF. With his back-to-back achievements, Vice could not help but look back on his decades-old career with much gratitude.

“The journey has been quite long na rin. There were difficult times, but there were a lot of fun times. It was colorful pero kung susumahin mo, it’s a winning journey,” Vice said.

Looking ahead, Vice said he will continue his loyalty to the network that made him a household name.

Vice started as a standup comedian and singer in the late 90s. Soon, he was scouted to play bit roles and eventually supporting characters on television and film. But his biggest break came in 2009 when ABS-CBN asked him to join “It’s Showtime.” The audience loved his brand of comedy and soon fans would fill movie houses and live events

‘The Unkabogable Star’ Vice Ganda Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

venues to enjoy his work.

As such, Vice made sure to thank the ABS-CBN bosses and to promise that he will stay a Kapamilya.

“Maraming maraming salamat po sa patuloy na pagtitiwala, pagbibigay ng trabaho, oportunidad, pagkakataon... I am so grateful.

“Nakapirma na talaga yung puso ko rito. ‘Yung paa ko nakabaon na dito sa bahay na ‘to. Ayoko na lumabas... I’d rather be here inside my home. This is the safest place for me,” Vice shared. Several Kapamilya artists, colleagues, friends, and loved ones also gave their heartfelt tributes for the Unkabogable Star.

“Thank you for your

Unkabogable loyalty and love for ABS-CBN and for all of us. With or without a contract, you stood by us even in our most difficult times. Binigyan mo ng lakas ang lahat ng ating mga Kapamilya sa gitna ng lahat ng ating pagsubok,” said ABSCBN COO of Broadcast Cory Vidanes.

Among the ABS-CBN executives present at the contract signing were chairman Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN COO of Broadcast Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN Group CFO Rick Tan, Star Magic and Entertainment Production head Laurenti Dyogi, and ABS-CBN head of Non-scripted Format Louie Andrada.

Over the years, Vice received various awards as a Kapamilya star. In 2021, he was named as the Best Entertainment Program Host at the Asian Academy Creative Awards and Most Trusted Entertainment/Variety Presenter at the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards.

Recently, Vice was voted by the De La Salle Araneta University community as Most Outstanding Twitter Influencer, Most Outstanding Social Media Personality, Most Influential Multimedia Filipino Celebrity, and Most Outstanding Entertainment Show Host at the 5th Gawad Lasallianeta.

Vice also won Best Variety Show Host at the 2023 Platinum Stallion National Media Awards of Trinity University of Asia. (ManilaTimes.net)

Coco Martin

Photo from Instagram/@dreamscapeph

Celebrity couple Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero with daughter Rocket Photo from Instagram/@troymontero

Tyson Venegas Photo from Instagram/@tysonvenegas

Canadian teen Tyson Venegas won the first-ever

UERM-MAASC performs humanitarian medical missions in Bangued, Abra

LOS ANGELES – After two devastating earthquakes centered in the region of Abra, residents needed some relief. About forty doctors, nurses, and paramedical personnel mostly from Los Angeles, California and belonging mostly to the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay-Medical Alumni Association of Southern California (UERM-MAASC) joined some local volunteers and performed medical mission, gift giving and feeding programs for the indigent children and families in the municipality of Bangued in the province of Abra. For three straight days – January 31 to February 2 – remote barangays in the municipality of Bangued, namely Bgy. Banacao, Bgy. Sagap and Bgy. Calaba, were served by the medical mission team. A total of 887 patients were seen and were given free medications for chronic problems like diabetes, hypertension and arthritis,

as well as chronic pulmonary conditions like COPD and asthma. Antibiotics were also provided for those with current infections. All patients were given at least a month’s supply of multivitamins. Five hundred underserved children participated in the feeding program and received McDonald’s meals, toys, multivitamins, hygiene and dental kits, plus 5 kilos of rice for

Filipino directors question banning of Hollywood film ‘Plane’

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

THE Directors’ Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) opposed the government’s plan to stop the theatrical release of the controversial Hollywood movie “Plane.”

In a statement released on their Facebook page, DGPI said that the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) already approved its release but politicians are just opposing it.

“A proposed ban on the public exhibition of the film ‘Plane’ has been making the rounds of the news cycle,” DGPI said.

“The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) opposes to stop the showing of this movie, as we

believe agency and free choice must remain with the public, rather than imposed by politicians. To out rightly ban the film, especially one already approved the MTRCB, is a cure much worse that the illness itself, injurious to free expression and sets a precedent for films to be held hostage by imagined slights to our country’s reputation,” it added.

The DGPI also compared the movie to the fake news and troll armies who are revising history.

“If the state can tolerate free expressions for trolls, fake news, and historical revisionism without worrying about their effect on the country’s prestige, then the state can do the same for a work that members of the foreign press have regarded as mindless B-movie entertainment rather that a reliable commentary on our country’s affairs,” it said.

“We support allowing the film to screen, informing the public of any problematic claims it makes, inviting open debate, or simply ignoring the film altogether. But we stand against censorship or banning the exhibition of this film from screening,” it added.

The petition was signed by DGPI president Mark Meily, board members Carlos SiguonReyna, Perci Intalan, Ed Lejano, Marlon Rivera, Roni Berfubi, Keith Sicat and Remton Zuasola.

Senator Robin Padilla last Saturday said that he received a response from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to ban the movie “Plane” from screening in local theaters.

500 children participated in the feeding program during the UERM-MAASC mission in Bangued, Abra.

their families.

The medical mission group was treated to two sumptuous dinners courtesy of Hon. Edgar Badajos, Consul General of Los Angeles, together with Dr. Joselito Bringas, a UERM alumni and his wife Councilwoman Rowena Bringas of the municipality of Bangued. Also, the group made a courtesy call to and met with Mayor Hon. Mila Valera and her husband, Abra Governor Dominic Valera. It was a unique experience made exception by the hospitality and highlighted by the sumptuous meals at the Bringas’ residence and at the mission sites.

“The humanitarian endeavor was hard but to be able to experience the joy in the faces of patients especially the children, to be able to improve the lives in those barangays, I know our group will do it again,” said Dr. Pauline Jose, UERM-MAASC President.

“Once again, we thank our Lord for the opportunity to serve and improve somebody’s life one barangay, one community at a time,” said Dr. Edgar Banez, UERM- MAASC Past President and Mission Coordinator.

(UERM-MAASC Release)

PNAA members return to the Philippines for the first time since pandemic

THE Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) and the Philippine Nurses Association of America Foundation (PNAAF) returned to the Philippines for the first time since the pandemic for their 6th International Collaborative Conference in Vigan, Ilocos Sur last January 21 and 22.

With the theme, “2023: Moving Forward with Innovations, Opportunities, and Successes,” global nurse leaders, local nurses and nursing students exchanged their inspirational stories and experiences during the conference.

Promoting resilience, compassion, and nursing excellence, the symposium covered diverse topics in healthcare, leadership, nursing practice, competency, education, and entrepreneurship with the aim of maintaining the high morale of aspiring professionals despite the predicaments brought about by the pandemic.

PNAAF President Nancy Hoff expressed her enthusiasm for the success of the event.

“Our sincerest gratitude to Governor Singson who provided the conference venue and hosted the cultural night dinner; our deepest appreciation for the hard work of the planning leaders of UNP CON, PNA Ilocos Sur, the PNAA Foundation, and their team members whose strength and collaborative efforts made it happen. The excellence and passion of the speakers who shared their knowledge and experiences were well received by the engaged conference participants. Thank you, GMA for capturing all these in photos and videos, and for many to see,” she said.

The collaborative efforts of the involved institutions were also commended by PNAAF Public Relations Committee Chair Colonel (Retired) Bob Gahol.

“The collaboration between the PNAA Foundation, the University of Northern Philippines, and the PNA Ilocos Sur exemplified the true meaning of the “Bayanihan spirit. Many

thanks to GMA for sharing this event with the entire Philippines and the world,” he said.

Aside from the conference, The Philippine Nurses Association of Metropolitan DC also successfully turned over Health Hub and 10 toilets and baths to the Aetas of Castillejos, Zambales through their Healthy Aetas Community project.

The turnover ceremony was attended by more than 300 Aetas, representatives of the National Commission on Indigenous People, tribal leaders, catechists, and other guests. The Health Hub is a response to address the lack of sanitary human waste disposal in the community.

PNAA and PNAAF officers also had the chance to visit GMA Network and was welcomed by GMA International First Vice President and Head of Operations Joseph T. Francia and GMA International Marketing Director Beth C. De Guzman. “We continue to honor the invaluable role Global Pinoy nurses play in American society. We are pleased to refresh our partnership with the PNAA in support of their meaningful projects for their members and for their target beneficiaries in the U.S. and in the Philippines,” Francia said.

(GMA Pinoy TV)

“Opo. Ang sabi nila sa akin, kinausap po nila ang distributor. At ngayon ang gusto natin masulatan natin ang mismong producer,” Padilla said in an interview with DWIZ.

The former action star said he met with the agency headed by chairperson Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio in his office last Friday.

Padilla said during his manifestation at the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, that he hopes the review board will ban the Gerard Butler starrer after it supposedly put the Philippines, specifically Jolo, in bad light. In its official statement issued on February 16, MTRCB said it will reevaluate the film.

Coco admits having ‘one...

From Page 8

the fruit of your actions. When you do something wrong, everything that you worked hard for will be gone.)

Martin has long been involved with Julia Montes, who starred as his leading lady in the 2012 soap opera “Walang Hanggan” and his childhood friend-turned-wife in “Ikaw Lamang” in 2014.

While the rumored sweethearts have yet to

confirm or deny romance speculations, they have been spotted together in various encounters including visiting the grave of the late Fernando Poe Jr. on his 83rd birthday in August of last year. The “Doble Kara” star was also surprised by Martin on the set of “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” on her birthday in March 2022, and were seen together going through voter registration in September 2021.

The promotional movie poster of “Plane” starring Gerard Butler. Photo courtesy of

UERM-MAASC Medical Mission and Feeding Program spearheaded by President Dr. Pauline Jose and Mission Coordinator Dr. Edgar Banez together with Bangued Mayor Mila Valera at the municipal office. Photos provided by UERM-MAASC

Patients were treated by the medical mission’s doctors, nurses and paramedic personnel for chronic medical conditions and given free medications, multivitamins and antibiotics.

PNAA and PNAAF officers and memb3rs at the conference in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

community

Minding Your Finances

Atty. RAymond BulAon

ARE you being harassed by your creditors all the time due to unpaid bills? If you are, you know how stressful that can be. You may feel scared, angry, or embarrassed about your situation but you just don’t know what to do.

The prospect of debt relief through bankruptcy may sound appealing to you but you are not quite sure if this is really the way to go. Perhaps you have heard good things and bad things about bankruptcy, and you need to learn more about it before making a decision.

But just how can you tell when it’s time to make that move and declare bankruptcy?

Of course, situations vary and whether or not bankruptcy is your best alternative will depend on the facts and circumstances of your case. But generally, the answer has to do with your ability to pay, which means that you need to consider your income, expenses, your assets and the amount of your debt.

You also need to look at the types of debt you have. For example, if you are dealing with nothing but IRS taxes and they type of taxes you have cannot

Is bankruptcy the solution to your debt problems?

be wiped out in bankruptcy, you may have other options in solving your tax problems besides filing for bankruptcy.

Generally speaking, however, here are a few questions you should be asking yourself to help you assess whether it’s time for you to consider filing for bankruptcy:

(1) Are you struggling to pay even the minimum payments on your credit cards? (2) Have you started borrowing money just to be able to cover your basic living expenses such as rent or mortgage, food, gas, etc? (3) Have you lost track of how much you owe? (4) Are bill collectors calling you because you have accounts in collection?

(5) Have creditors taken legal action against you such as filing a lawsuit, obtained a judgment and threatening to garnish your wages or levy your bank account?

If you said “yes” to any or most of the above, you could be in a financial danger zone and you need to take action as soon as possible before your financial problems get worse. It may be time to face your financial reality instead of pretending that everything is “OK”. Perhaps you’ve been ignoring your pile of bills and

Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust

Barrister’s Corner

the collection calls. But you’re only going to be able to do this for so long. Sooner or later, you need to face your creditors and do something to change your situation.

I believe that bankruptcy should be a last resort and that you need to exhaust all debt relief options before resorting to it. But I also believe that a lot of people put off the decision to file bankruptcy for too long that they needlessly suffer in debt when they could have acted sooner to rebuild their finances and their life.

Since 1997, I have helped thousands of clients get out of debt. Let me help you determine if bankruptcy is right for your situation.

* * *

NOTE: Due to the current lockdown order caused by COVID-19, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems.

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

THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are:

1. Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process. If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a

petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $166,250 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc. If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending

designate as beneficiaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneficiary, with certain exceptions, of your estate.

4. You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes

If your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. It allows you to set up a vehicle for certain charitable giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection.

5. You can choose who will administer your estate after your death

on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case. If the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

2. Your estate is not public record.

When you file a probate case, the public has access to your probate case file. The public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. If the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny.

Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. Strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away.

3. You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneficiaries does not have to be equal. The people you

When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efficient and cost effective distribution of estate assets.

If you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by banks, financial institutions, wealth management firms, and business management firms for a reasonable fee. This minimizes conflicts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members.

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

* * * Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

“With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case.”

Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes