030423 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

California updates several public health orders

WITH California’s state of emergency over, the Department of Public Health announced updates to several state public health officer orders.

The updates to the orders related to vaccination, masking, isolation, and quarantine will take effect in the coming days and weeks.

CDPH reminds Californians that critical tools to fight COVID-19 remain available to everyone at low or no cost. This includes access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatment.

“We stand before Californians today with a humble message of thanks for taking the hard steps to help manage COVID-19, and with an ongoing commitment to be prepared for what comes next,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “Our communities did a lot of the hard work by getting vaccinated and boosted, staying home and testing when sick, requesting

Expanded US access to Philippine bases ‘not for aggression,’ defense chief says

MANILA— A decision by the Philippines to grant the United States greater access to its military bases was “not for engaging in war” but meant to enhance its ability to defend itself against external threats, its defense chief said on Thursday, March 2.

“The geopolitical situation is becoming more

precarious by the day,” Carlito Galvez, office-incharge of the defense ministry, said in a statement.

“We are not preparing for war, rather we are aiming to develop our defense capabilities against eventualities and threats to our security,” he added. His statement came a day after some senators and

a provincial governor raised concerns and opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s decision to give the United States access to four more sites, on top of five locations under a 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA. u

Bongbong Marcos vows to modernize, improve PH transportation system

by Daphne Galvez Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday, March 3 vowed that his administration would continue to modernize and improve the country’s transportation system.

“I assure the Filipino people that the government will strive to modernize and improve the country’s transportation system. This will be one of the cornerstones of our progress as we move full speed ahead into a brighter tomorrow,” the president said after witnessing the signing of the contract for the electromechanical systems and track works for the North-South Commuter Railway project (CP-NS01).

Marcos described the contract signing for the project as a “milestone” towards the completion of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway, which he said, will reduce travel time between Clark International Airport and Calamba City, Laguna.

AAPI community leaders are concerned that the tense U.S.-China relationship, which has become more fraught in recent weeks over accusations of Chinese spying, has spurred on a fresh wave of xenophobia as high-ranking Asian American politicians become the targets of Republican attacks.

Rep. Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, is accused of being “unpatriotic,” by Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, because of her support for Dominic Ng, President Joe Biden’s appointee as Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Ng is accused of having ties to the Chinese Communist Party by Gooden and five other House Republicans.

Chu, a Democrat from California, is the chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and perhaps one of the most well-known AAPI members of the House. A second generation Californian and native of Los Angeles, she is also the daughter

by Rosette aDel Philstar.com

MANILA — Security screening officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will soon no longer be allowed to wear uniforms or jackets that have pockets in them to prevent more incidents of theft at the NAIA, the country’s premier gateway.

Cesar Chiong, Manila International Airport Authority general manager, said the MIAA also prohibited the security screening personnel or SSO to interact directly with passengers or bring passenger bags into their areas of assignment.

These measures are among the MIAA service standard policies for employees of

government and non-government agencies that Chiong ordered “to be implemented strictly” at the NAIA following reports that a Thai and a Chinese tourist were robbed of cash and watch, respectively. Chiong stressed in a statement that incidents like these “negate all efforts of the MIAA to improve the image of NAIA.”

“We strongly condemn such unscrupulous, illicit and selfish acts. Theft violates the trust and integrity required of public servants, and has serious negative consequences for the airport, its stakeholders, and the country as a whole,” his statement read in part.

“We thank the Airport Police

PH reaffirms ‘continuing’ commitment to human rights

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com of justice. Remulla addressed the Human Rights Council 52nd Regular Session in Geneva, Switzerland and enumerated the Philippines’ progress in human rights reforms under the Marcos administration.

MANILA — The Philippines has reaffirmed its “solemn” and “continuing” commitment to human rights for all, but rejects any disturbance to its bureaucratic structures while the government embarks on justice and prison reforms to fix its criminal justice system.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Wednesday, March 1 that the Philippines was pursuing a comprehensive reform agenda to ensure that the rule of law prevailed, and that every Filipino was afforded fair administration

Marcos, Anwar agree to bring South China Sea disputes to Asean

by Daphne Galvez Inquirer.net

He said the case build-up rule had been drafted, which requires a higher level of proof for preliminary investigations in criminal cases, and closer cooperation between prosecutors and law enforcement.

To decongest penal institutions, he said the monthly releases of an average of 500 inmates had been orchestrated, noting that new guidelines had been issued which significantly lowered the bail bond for indigents accused

MANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim have agreed to bring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Anwar said on Wednesday, March 1 that he and Marcos discussed the South China Sea disputes at a bilateral meeting in Malacañang Palace.

He said he agreed with Marcos that the issue should be discussed through Asean to help in reaching an amicable resolution.

“We did discuss the South China issue and I shared President Marcos Jr.’s concern that due to the complexity and sensitivity of the issue, we should try and engage and take the position at a multilateral level between Asean so that we have a comprehensive approach and achieve an amicable resolution to this outstanding problem,” Anwar said following the meeting.

WELCOME. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. officially welcomes Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Kalayaan Grounds of Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, March 1. Anwar is the first head of government to visit the Philippines under the Marcos administration. PNA photo by Rey Baniquet

Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin Remulla Philstar.com file photo

Expanded US access to...

EDCA allows U.S. access to Philippine bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not a permanent presence.

Marcos’ decision, announced during last month’s visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, came amid concern over China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and tension over self-ruled Taiwan.

Galvez has not publicly identified the sites that would be opened to U.S. access.

A former Philippine military chief had said the United States had asked for access to bases in Isabela, Zambales and Cagayan, all on the island of Luzon, facing north towards Taiwan, and on Palawan in the southwest, near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba has opposed the addition of new sites and told a senate

hearing that he did not want EDCA to create problems with China. “Do not let us tell them that they are our enemies because of the U.S.,” said Mamba. “Let them have their own war.” China has said greater U.S. access to Philippine military bases undermined regional stability and raised tensions.

Galvez said EDCA and its defense partnerships “are not intended for aggression.” (Philstar.com)

Bongbong Marcos vows to modernize...

The Department of Transportation and Mitsubishi Corporation held the contract signing at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacañan Palace.

He said the implementation of the civil works for the project would generate thousands of jobs and would have a multiplier effect on the country’s economy.

Marcos also thanked the Japanese government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the financial support for the project and “for being active partners in

the country’s infrastructure development.”

“We are glad to have you with us as we continue to strengthen our relations built on mutual confidence and cooperation, a relationship that has gone on for many, many decades, and I can say without fear of contradiction that the development of the Philippines, especially in terms of infrastructure has shown that Japan has taken a very, very important part in that,” he said.

The CP-NS01 is part of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway project and is financed by the Japan

International Cooperation Agency and the Asian Development Bank.

The scope of the contract includes the design, supply, manufacture, delivery, integration of systems, installation, testing, and commissioning of all equipment and systems for the Malolos-Clark Railway project and the NorthSouth Railway project – South line.

Construction for the project will start in April, and the Clark to Malolos line is expected to be partially operational by the third quarter of 2026. n

Marcos, Anwar agree to bring South China Sea...

The Philippines and Malaysia are claimants to parts of South China Sea, which China is claiming to be nearly entirely its own.

Anwar said he and Marcos also discussed security ties, which the Malaysian leader said remained strong, growing and needed further enhancement.

The Malaysian leader also mentioned the plight of Filipinos facing legal woes in his country, saying he had asked Philippine officials during his meeting with Marcos to collaborate with Malaysia for repatri-

ation of the Filipinos.

“I have asked the Philippines’ assistance and cooperation to expedite the commutation of nationals so that they can be repatriated to the Philippines in a timely manner,” said Anwar.

“And I am pleased that — their willingness to facilitate this arrangement in a mutually agreed fashion,” he said.

On economic cooperation, Anwar said he reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to continue supporting and enhancing the Brunei Darussalam- Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) including host-

ing the Brunei- Indonesia- Malaysia- Philippines Facilitation Center.

He added that the new administration in Malaysia will be “more than happy” to further enhance collaboration and people-to-people interaction.

“Our bilateral cooperation is multi-sectoral covering trade and investment, education, health, agriculture, health, tourism and culture,” Anwar said, adding that the first generation of Malaysian professionals benefitted immensely from work at Los Baños in Laguna and some known centers of learning in the Philippines. n

California updates several public...

treatments when positive, and masking to slow the spread. With these critical actions, and a lot of patience and persistence, we have now reached a point where we can update some of the COVID-19 guidance to continue to balance prevention and adapting to living with COVID-19.”

CDPH is making the following changes to existing COVID-19 guidance.

Masking in high-risk and health care settings

Beginning April 3, masks will no longer be required in indoor high-risk and health care settings. This includes health care, longterm care, and correctional facilities as well as homeless, emergency, and warming and cooling centers. This change takes effect on Monday, April 3 to allow local health departments and individual health care facilities to develop and implement plans customized to their needs and local conditions to continue to protect Californians through the end of the winter virus season. CDPH’s recommendations for the use of face masks for individuals remain unchanged.

Vaccine requirements for

health care workers

Beginning April 3, with federal rules continuing to ensure that most health care workers remain vaccinated for COVID-19, the state will no longer require vaccination for health care workers including those in adult care, direct care, correctional facilities, and detention centers. This change takes effect on Monday, April 3 to allow local health departments and facilities to develop and implement plans customized to their needs and local conditions to continue to protect Californians through the end of the winter virus season.

Reduced isolation time after positive COVID-19 test

Beginning March 13, a COVID-19 positive person may end isolation after five days if they feel well, have improving symptoms, and are fever-free for 24 hours, with less emphasis on testing negative. This change aligns with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and takes effect on Monday, March 13.

Disease control and prevention order

The state public health officer order formerly known as Beyond

the Blueprint is being updated to align with CDPH’s isolation and quarantine recommendations above and includes an updated definition for a confirmed COVID-19 case. The updated order, which will take effect March 13, provides prevention and mitigation strategies for slowing the spread of COVID-19 in homes, workplaces, and communities.

Hospital surge order

On April 3, CDPH will rescind an order that required hospitals statewide to accept transfer patients from facilities with limited ICU capacity as needed. ICU capacity has not been limited during recent COVID-19 surges after the broad use of vaccines and treatments. Vaccine data collection Also being rescinded on April 3 is an order that required providers to ask patients for their email addresses and/or mobile phone numbers when receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. New legislation requires that California healthcare providers who administer vaccines to enter information about patients, including telephone numbers and race and ethnicity. (AJPress)

PH reaffirms ‘continuing’ commitment to..

of crimes and for the dismissal of cases with no reasonable certainty of convictions pending before the courts.

“The Philippines continues its tradition of open, constructive, and active engagement on human rights with the UN and international stakeholders, including civil society,” stressed Remulla.

“There are a lot challenges in our mission to reform our jail and prison system in the Philippines, and our unique situation drives us to find new ways and outside-thebox- solutions to hurdle them,” he added.

Upon the Philippine government’s invitation, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and his team visited the Philippines last month to initiate an immediate program for capacity building of doctors.

“Come July, after their training, this group would become mentors to cascade down their knowledge in order to have forensic experts in all regions of the country,” the Council said.

Remulla draws line vs ICC

However, Remulla was firm on stating that the Philippines “rejects” the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s drug war investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The ICC earlier cleared the way for its prosecutors to resume the investigation into the drug war killings, a decision currently under appeal with the ICC’s Appeals Chamber.

It was anticipated that the UNHRC will try to convince the Philippine delegation to allow it, but Remulla said: “We draw the line, as any sovereign state must,

when an international institution overreaches and departs from the boundaries of its creation.

Upon this context, the Philippine government rejects the ICC’s decision to resume investigations over alleged crimes committed during the anti-illegal drug campaign.”

Remulla has been vocal about not letting the ICC conduct its probe on Philippine soil, viewing the whole process as an insult and act of attempting to “take over” the country’s functioning justice system.

Upholding sovereignty, the complementarity principle in international law, and the ICC’s lack of jurisdiction over the Philippines have been key arguments of the government’s top litigators in stopping the ICC probe.

Remulla did assure the UNHRC that there was no culture of impunity in the Philippines, stressing that its own investigative and human rights mechanisms would be enough to address extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations being

alleged and no longer needs the help of external bodies like the ICC.

“National sovereignty and international solidarity, go hand in hand, complement each other and create the fertile ground in which human rights can truly flourish. Let us uphold sovereignty and harness solidarity to promote and protect human rights and dignity for all,” he said.

“We have a working justice system that is a cornerstone of our accountability mechanism. Our prosecutors and courts are ready, able and willing to prosecute anyone if the evidence so warrants,” he added.

Last year, the Philippines held constructive dialogues with multiple human rights committees and participated in an enhanced interactive dialogue with the Council.

“The Philippines had accepted 215 out of 289 recommendations received at the Universal Periodic Review, assuring that extrajudicial killings had never been, and would never be a state policy,” Remulla said. n

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STOP THE KILLINGS Mothers of “Oplan Tokhang” victims appeal to then President Rodrigo Duterte to stop the killings in this file photo on Oct. 28, 2017, just a year after he launched his brutal war on drugs that left more than 6,000 mostly poor suspects dead by the time he left office on June 30, 2022. Inquirer.net file photo

WREATH-LAYING. Visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim offers a wreath at the monument of Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, in the City of Manila on Thursday, March 2. Anwar is the first head of state to visit the Philippines under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.. PNA photo by Rey Baniquet

California’s massive Medicaid program works for some, but fails many others

by AngelA HArt And BernArd J. Wolfson Kaiser Health News

NEWBORNS. Former inmates. College students. Expectant moms. People with disabilities. Foster kids. Homeless people. Single dads. Your neighbor. Your coworker.

You.

California’s Medicaid program, called Medi-Cal, serves a whopping 15.4 million people, offering care from cradle to grave: Half of all births are covered by Medi-Cal, as are more than half of all stays in nursing homes.

No more jackets, pockets for NAIA...

Department,

it added.

Earlier

tourist.

“Even though these people manning the screening areas are employees of the OTS and not of the MIAA, they still operate in NAIA which we administer. It happened under our roof, so it is critical that we resolve these issues so as not to cause alarm among passengers and affect their confidence to travel to the Philippines,” Chiong said.

The MIAA also ordered the installation of an additional camera on top of the screening machine at the transit area of

Terminal 2 and the removal of the film or tints covering the glass panels, which obscure transparency, following the Feb. 22 incident.

“We are trying to remove all possible forms of obstruction. This is one of our major deterrents to illegal acts such as pilferage or theft. These facility changes will not be limited to Terminal 2,” Chiong said, as he revealed that they are also aiming to improve the vetting and background checks on OTS personnel. n

Everything about Medi-Cal is massive, from its upcoming fiscal year budget of $139 billion to the expansive list of benefits and services it offers. The way the program works — or doesn’t — could spell life or death for many enrollees.

“It’s critical, from the single pregnant mom, to the extremely frail elderly population that needs a nursing home,” said Jennifer Kent, former director of the state Department of Health Care Services, which administers Medi-Cal. “If it weren’t for Medi-Cal, so many people would either be dead or would be severely compromised.”

In a new series, California Healthline will shed light on Medi-Cal’s successes and failures through the experiences of its enrollees. They include

Stephanie Lammers, who can’t get her troubling abdominal symptoms checked at a clinic 50 miles from her small Calaveras County town because the transportation Medi-Cal is supposed to provide isn’t trustworthy; Carolina Morga Tapia, a Fresno woman who credits Medi-Cal with helping her have five healthy children; and Lucas Moreno Ramirez, a Los Angeles County man with stage 4 lung cancer who had to fight to keep his treatment going.

Medi-Cal is at a critical juncture as it attempts to serve the needs of a diverse patient population with a dizzying array of medical needs — from childhood vaccinations and cancer screenings to state-of-the-art care for rare genetic disorders. Roughly half of enrollees are Hispanic, and, next year, California will become the first state to expand eligibility to all immigrants who qualify, regardless of their legal status.

Medi-Cal is also undertaking several new initiatives that aim to save taxpayer money and improve quality. State officials are demanding that the 23 health insurers that serve most Medi-Cal patients provide better care — or face significant penalties, including potential expulsion from the program.

The state is also adding innovative social services that fall outside the traditional realm of medicine, including helping some enrollees pay for rent and buy groceries.

“People are watching

California,” said Cindy Mann, who served as federal Medicaid director under former President Barack Obama. “What the state is doing is ambitious and very aggressive. It makes a significant mark on health care and health policy, not just because of the size and breadth of its program, but by being very comprehensive.”

But only a sliver of enrollees will get the new social services, even as many patients struggle to obtain basic care or get in to see their doctors. In reality, the type of care you get in Medi-Cal depends on where you live and which insurer provides your benefits.

That means the program is working for some, but failing for many others.

If you are in Medi-Cal, we would like to hear from you, whether you live in a big city or a rural region, regardless of your age, race, or ethnicity, and whatever your medical, dental, or mental health condition. Have you had difficulty seeing the right doctor for what ails you, even to the point of putting your life at risk? Or did MediCal provide good care, perhaps sparing you serious harm or disability? Either way, please consider sharing your experience with us.

Here are snapshots of patients who have used the program at a critical time in their life.

‘I Just Don’t Go to the Doctor Anymore’

When Stephanie Lammers leans over to put on her shoes, it feels as if she’s squishing u PAGE A5

US-China tensions bring on...

of a WWII veteran.

‘Sheer Buffoonery’

“This is absolutely alarming, but not unsurprising, given the parties involved,” John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC, told Ethnic Media Services. “Gooden has questioned Chu’s patriotism, which is repulsive, reprehensible, and unforgivable.”

“Congresswoman Chu is a true patriot. Any accusations of being a Communist are sheer buffoonery,” said Yang.

“To suggest that Dominic Ng is somehow a spy is laughable and flies in the face of common decency,” he added.

Yang noted that any time China comes into the national conversation as an adversary, there is a palpable spike in racist attacks. “We do have geo-political differences with China, but also a hot war with Russia, yet no one is profiling Russian Americans.”

The White House should issue a statement about how Chinese Americans have contributed to the nation’s well-being, suggested Yang.

‘Ramping Up Xenophobia’

Manjuusha Kulkarni, Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, told EMS she was very discouraged by the attacks on Chu and Ng. “Upstanding citizens who are leaders in our community are under attack only because of their ethnicity,” she said, adding that she would not be surprised to see a spike in hate crimes against the AAPI community. “We are ramping up xenophobia once again,” she said.

“Chinese Americans are not responsible for the spy balloons and there is no evidence that they are engaging in dangerous activity. A lot of Chinese immigrants are against the CCP, and may be why they migrated: to seek a new life and a different form of government.”

Kulkarni said she is alarmed by the number of bills in state Legislatures across the nation which seem to be fueled by xenophobia. Of particular concern to her is Texas’ SB 147, which, in its original form would have barred Chinese citizens from buying homes in the state. The bill has been modified, after a volley of concerns about racism.

Chu’s Loyalty and Competence in Question

In an interview with Fox News’ Jesse Waters Feb. 22, Gooden stated that Ng had ties to the Chinese Communist Party. He went on to say that Chu should be investigated, along with Ng.

“I question her loyalty and competence,” said Gooden. “If she doesn’t realize what’s going on then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies.”

Gooden went on to say: “I’m really disappointed and shocked that someone like Judy Chu would have a security clearance and entitled to confidential intelligence briefings until this is figured out.” He called for the congresswoman to be relieved of her committee assignments.

‘Loyalty Should Not Be Questioned’

Democrats, and Republican Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin — who co-chairs the new House Select Committee on China along with Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois — immediately denounced the statements by Gooden, saying they were racist. Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi appeared on Face The Nation with Margaret Brennan Feb. 26 and condemned the attack on Chu.

“One of my colleagues, unfortunately, attacked Judy Chu, the first Chinese American Congresswoman in the United States Congress, saying that somehow she’s not loyal to the United States. I find that offensive as an Asian American myself,” said Krishnamoorthi. Gallagher agreed. “Well, let me say we should not question anybody’s loyalty to the United States. I think that is out of bounds. It’s beyond the pale,” he said.

FBI Letter

On Feb. 15, Gooden and five Republican members of Congress sent a letter to FBI director Christopher Wray, alleging Ng’s ties to the CCP and calling for an investigation. The letter stated that between 2013 and 2017, Ng served as the executive director of the China Overseas Exchange Association which is a front organization for the United Front Work Department, a Chinese intelligence service whose mission is to liaison with foreign political parties, influence operations, and collect intelligence.

COEA subsequently merged with the China Overseas Friendship Association, which “remained a front group for UFWD when Mr. Ng began a 5-year terRm as COFA’s executive director in 2019,” stated the members of Congress in the letter.

“Organizations like the UFWD and its affiliated groups play an increasingly important role in Chinese foreign policy and allow political actors like Mr. Ng to gain influence in sensitive American institutions to advocate for the interests of communist China. This tactic is regularly employed by the CCP to infiltrate governments and influence policies for CCP-oriented outcomes,” they wrote. “The Biden Administration has allowed the CCP to infiltrate the thirdparty sector and, consequently, political leaders that have existing relationships to these groups and are privy to U.S. intelligence. Further encroachments cannot be tolerated.”

The letter was signed by Gooden, and Reps. Tom Tiffany, R-Minnesota, R-Florida, Ben Cline, R-Virginia, Doug La Malfa, R-California, and Keith Self, R-Pennsylvania. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services)

RESPITE. Fire victims of two villages in Davao City listen to words of encouragement from Senator Bong Go on Thursday night, March 2. Go said

California’s massive Medicaid program works...

something inside her abdomen, she said.

Lammers, 53, has been suffering from frequent bouts of nausea, pain, and bloating for six months.

Her gastroenterologist wants to perform diagnostic procedures, including a colonoscopy and, if anything shows up, a biopsy. But Lammers, who lives in a motel with her boyfriend and teenage daughter in the Gold Rush town of San Andreas, doesn’t have a working car and can’t readily get to the clinic — which is 50 miles away.

For Lammers, like many MediCal enrollees who live in rural areas, lack of transportation is a major impediment to obtaining care. The problem is particularly acute for patients who need to see specialists.

Lammers’ dermatologist and eye doctor are over an hour away from San Andreas, the county seat of Calaveras County, about 125 miles northeast of San Francisco. She isn’t seeing a neurologist, despite a series of mini-strokes and stress-related seizures. And she hasn’t been to a podiatrist in two years, even though her toes are twisted over one another and hang down, causing her to trip. She’s often in excruciating pain when she walks.

Medi-Cal is supposed to provide free transportation to enrollees who can’t otherwise get to their appointments.

But Lammers, whose health plan is California Health & Wellness, owned by Centene, the nation’s largest commercial Medicaid insurer, stopped using its ride service nearly a year ago, after she missed dozens of appointments because drivers just didn’t show up, she said. She was getting threatening letters from doctors’ offices over the noshows.

Once she had to hitchhike more than 30 miles home from a counseling appointment.

On other occasions, Lammers said, she did not receive the reimbursement she was owed for arranging her own rides.

“I just don’t go to the doctor anymore,” Lammers said. “If I go to the doctor, my boyfriend has to take the day off work, and if he takes the day off work, we have no money.”

During the last three months

of 2022, Lammers canceled five appointments she had scheduled for the diagnostic abdominal procedures because her boyfriend had to work each time and couldn’t take her. She finally stopped rescheduling.

California Health & Wellness contracts with Modivcare, a Denver-based medical transportation company that is no stranger to patient complaints and lawsuits.

Before she gave up on the ride service, Lammers said, she would call California Health & Wellness to try to resolve the issue, only to be told that Modivcare was a separate company. “I’m like, ‘If you guys hired them and put them in charge of transportation, who oversees their screw-ups?’”

Courtney Schwyzer, a member of a legal aid team representing Lammers on various Medi-Cal matters, said the failure of medical ride services is a systemic problem.

In late February, Schwyzer and her fellow attorneys filed a petition in court that she hopes will force the state Department of Health Care Services to address the problem.

California Health & Wellness spokesperson Darrel Ng said the company monitors the quality of its contractors, but a shortage of transportation providers in rural areas “has created unique challenges.”

Modivcare provides more than 4 million rides for MediCal recipients annually, and more than 99% are without complaint, said Melody Lai, a company spokesperson.

Lammers, who is unemployed and trying to start a custom craft business called Stuff by Steph, said doctors have warned her that if she doesn’t reduce her stress level, it could shorten her life. But arranging medical care is the most stressful thing in her life right now, so she doesn’t try anymore.

“In order to keep from dying, I have to not go to the doctor,” she said.

‘It’s a Blessing’ Medi-Cal helped save the life of Carolina Morga Tapia, a 30-year-old, full-time mother of five who lives with her family amid almond groves in an agricultural enclave of Fresno.

Nine years ago, a bacterial infection triggered premature labor during the 25th week of her second pregnancy, and Morga

Tapia almost died. She spiked a fever, bled profusely, and needed immediate transfusions and emergency surgery. After several days in critical care, she fully recovered.

But the doctors could not stop the premature birth, and her baby came out weighing just 1 pound. She and her husband, David Nuñez, named her Milagros Guadalupe, and she died four days later, on Sept. 13, 2013 — a Friday.

In each of her subsequent pregnancies, Medi-Cal paid for Morga Tapia to get shots of synthetic progesterone, intended to prevent another preterm birth. Those shots — one a week for about 20 weeks — can cost an average of more than $10,000 per pregnancy.

Morga Tapia and Nuñez, a construction worker, signed up for Medi-Cal when she was pregnant with her first child more than a decade ago. They’ve been on the same Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal plan ever since.

The plan paid for prenatal care through all six of Morga Tapia’s pregnancies, and it has provided all the medical and dental care the family needs, she said.

“Without Medi-Cal, we would have to be paying for all of our children,” said Morga Tapia. “It saves a lot of money, and it’s a blessing to have that extra help.”

Her children, four girls and a boy, range in age from 1 to 10. They all go to the same children’s clinic and see the same pediatrician.

The kids, all in good health, get routine checkups, vaccinations, and other preventive care, Morga Tapia said. She gets appointment reminders via text and cards in the mail notifying her when it’s time for the kids’ vaccinations and wellness checks, as well as her Pap smears, she said.

Her family’s experience contrasts sharply with the state’s assessment of their health plan, according to a report on quality of care in Medi-Cal issued late last year. The report, which evaluated Medi-Cal health plans on pediatric care, women’s health, and chronic disease management, put Anthem Blue Cross in the lowest tier, and below par on multiple measures in numerous counties, including Fresno.

Another state report, released

in late January, detailed how quickly insurers provide appointments for their patients, and put Anthem Blue Cross’ Medi-Cal plan near the bottom of the heap.

Anthem Blue Cross spokesperson Michael Bowman said in a statement that the period covered in the reports coincided with the covid-19 pandemic, “when our safety net providers dealt with significant challenges with workforce and appointment availability.”

Morga Tapia doesn’t give the insurer low marks. “It’s different for everybody. I have a good healthy family, and what MediCal covers is really fortunate for us,” she said.

‘I Don’t Want to Die Yet’

In late 2021, doctors gave Lucas Moreno Ramirez a few months to live.

Struggling with diabetes and late-stage lung cancer, Moreno Ramirez suffered debilitating pain as he hacked and labored for breath. His doctors recommended that he stop treatment and start hospice care. He felt as if they were giving up on him.

“They said they’re going to give me opioids for my pain and help me have a comfortable death,” said Moreno Ramirez, 68, who lives in Norwalk, in Los Angeles County. “I told them I don’t believe in that. I don’t want to die yet.”

A former landscaper and factory worker, Moreno Ramirez

learned he had to be his own advocate, fighting for the care he believed he deserved from Medi-Cal.

He said his Christian faith gave him strength, and over the next few months, Moreno Ramirez pushed the program and his doctors to keep battling his cancer, using a different treatment with fewer side effects than chemotherapy.

“I believe in prayer,” he said.

“But I believe in science and medication, too.”

Moreno Ramirez is one of the roughly 1.6 million Californians enrolled in both Medicare, which covers people who are 65 and older or have disabilities, and MediCal, which kicks in to cover the costs and benefits that Medicare doesn’t.

He also relies on his MediCal insurer to help him navigate the byzantine system. L.A. Care, the largest Medi-Cal plan with nearly 2.6 million members, connected him with a care manager who worked with him to identify a different treatment called Tagrisso and advocated for him to get it.

Even with the new medication, Moreno Ramirez’s coughing fits returned last year, and his symptoms grew so painful he suspected the cancer was growing. He asked to see his pulmonologist but was told the first appointment would be in June 2023. So he switched doctors and scored an appointment nearly six months

sooner.

“My old doctor didn’t help me. I didn’t trust him,” Moreno Ramirez said. “He was always too busy for me. I told my doctors, ‘Give me a chance.’” Having taken his care into his own hands, he says he’s not in pain, his cough has subsided, and he feels hopeful for the future. “Now I feel good,” he said. He has also sought more attention for his diabetes and received a continuous glucose monitor to measure his blood sugar. It’s better controlled now than it has been in decades, he said.

“You have to stand up for yourself and advocate,” said Joann Pacelo, the care manager who helped Moreno Ramirez change doctors, get quicker referrals to specialists, and get approved for in-home nursing visits.

“A lot of times it’s difficult with Medi-Cal because the doctors are busy and the reimbursements are so low, but no one should be denied the care they deserve.”

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

SEARCH FOR JUSTICE. Police escort a suspect in the hazing death of John Matthew Salilig on Thursday, March 2 as he appears for inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice in Manila. Salilig’s body was found dumped at a vacant lot in Imus, Cavite on Feb. 28, drawing outrage and condemnation from various institutions and sectors. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

Fire prevention

AT the end of February, the Bureau of Fire Protection held a parade featuring some of its trucks and equipment as well as new regular personnel: women firefighters.

The parade kicked off events to mark Fire Prevention Month, while at the same time saluting Women’s Month. March, usually the warmest, driest month of the year, has been picked to raise public awareness of fire safety measures. Coincidentally, the deadliest fire in the country, which claimed 162 lives, occurred on March 16, 1996, with most of the fatalities students celebrating their graduation at the Ozone Disco in Quezon City.

The BSP wants the public to be mindful in particular of electrical wiring at home and in offices. Records show that faulty electrical wiring has been the most common cause of fires nationwide. At around 2 a.m. on Dec. 4, 1998, degraded electrical wiring in a decades-old building housing the Bahay Kalinga orphanage in Paco, Manila set off a fire that razed the structure, killing 28 people, mostly children and infants.

On Dec. 23, 2017, an electrical short-circuit on the third floor of the New City Commercial Center mall in Davao City set off a fire that burned for 32 hours. Thirty-eight people, most of them working in a call center on the fourth floor, were trapped and perished in the fire. Probers said the mall

ON Feb. 14, Juan Ponce Enrile celebrated his 99th birthday with a grand celebration, attended by political heavyweights, including President Marcos Jr. and his fellow nonagenarian Imelda Marcos, reminding people of a trope that’s been running for a decade now: Enrile as the avatar of biological and political longevity.

The memes and tweets, of course, can be quite funny: Enrile having a dinosaur as his first pet, Enrile in the Garden of Eden, Enrile surviving countless plagues and pandemics, Enrile being older than many things— from the discovery of penicillin to the inauguration of the Third Reich. At one point, I joined the fun by tweeting about “nine lives of Juan Ponce Enrile,” from Marcos’ Minister of Defense and EDSA leader to Senate president and plunder suspect.

I would be proven wrong, of course, in implying that his final act is that of infamy—and today, the indefatigable Enrile is chief presidential legal counsel:

A NEWS report on Thursday, March 2 in Business Mirror that headlined “Senate grills defense brass on plans for EDCA expansion, sites” raised much curiosity for its sheer lack of detailed information. I found this unusual for a reportage by veteran newsman Butch Fernandez, whom I have known for decades.

Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. led a team that updated senators on the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the report began, but was confronted with questions from the chair of the foreign relations committee about the selection of new EDCA sites.

The report said Galvez briefed the senators on the following: “The status/completion rate of the five EDCA sites; purpose of each site (both old and new); benefits and risks of the sites and other matters related to EDCA.” But it did not provide a single data or detail on any of these important points of the briefing.

Had the Senate committee, or Galvez’s team, requested the reporters covering the hearing

lacked a working sprinkler system.

Faulty electrical wiring was also seen as the cause of the predawn fire that struck the Manor Hotel in Quezon City on Aug. 18, 2001. Probers said the six-story building lacked fire escapes, fire alarms, water sprinklers and emergency lighting. Seventy-five people died, many of them participants in a Christian crusade organized by a Texas-based ministry.

Chemical fires can be particularly difficult to put out, so factories and other industrial installations are encouraged to be fully compliant with fire safety standards. On May 13, 2015, a fire ignited by welding sparks at the entrance to the Kentex rubber slipper factory in Valenzuela City trapped the employees as the rear gate could not be opened and there were no fire exits. It took five hours to put out the fire. By that time, over 70 people were dead including some of the owners.

Local government units should also be mindful of their responsibilities in ensuring compliance with building and fire safety codes. LGU officials in charge of inspecting buildings for compliance with the safety standards and issuing

business permits have been convicted of graft

and negligence in carrying out their duties in connection with deadly fires.

Last year, over 13,000 fires were reported

JPE’s not-so-secret path to longevity

The latest in many positions that span eight administrations, including two Marcoses and two Aquinos.

For understandable reasons, many have taken interest in the health and wellness “secrets” of the 99-year-old former Senate president, and countless articles have been written about this theme. Over the years, he has indulged journalists with some responses, from eating saluyot to exercising regularly. Not surprisingly, how he coped with COVID-19 was also the subject of public attention—including his reported use of virgin coconut oil (VCO) and ivermectin.

As a medical anthropologist, I’m more interested in how these practices—and people’s perceptions of them—reflect on our society and our notions of longevity—beyond the actual efficacies, if any, of any of his prescriptions.

Some, for instance, give credence to the widely circulated rumor that he resorted to stem cell therapy.

One of the earliest explanations—at a time when his old age was only beginning to become meme-worthy— was stem cell therapy, which

not to disclose the details for “security” or whatever reason? I noted the absence of details also in other newspaper reports about what Galvez reportedly presented to the committee.

Instead, the Business Mirror report shifted to the committee chairperson, Sen. Imee Marcos, who asked for “details of the latest plan to construct four more U.S. military bases in the Philippines as part of EDCA’s implementation.” Note that the term “U.S. military bases” is interchangeably used as “EDCA sites.” Butch Fernandez may have seen no practical difference between the two terms. And he may be correct!

Sen. Marcos echoed the concerns expressed by local government officials (Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba and Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III) whose jurisdictions were reportedly designated as new EDCA sites, the report noted. Moreover, she “wonder[ed] aloud” if the inclusion of one northern province was “meant to provide the U.S. forces a footstool in case of conflict [between China and the U.S.] over Taiwan.” Taiwan is geographically closest to the northernmost tip of Cagayan province.

was itself just emerging as a medical procedure at the time.

“In a country where many elite are obsessed with anti-ageing, wealthy Filipinos are shelling out between $12,500 and $18,000 per session of stem cell therapy in the belief it will improve their overall health and make them look younger,” as one AFP news report noted in 2013, citing Enrile as one of the patients of Villa Medica in Germany alongside Imelda and former president Joseph “Erap’’ Estrada—even as the Department of Health warned that it was an unproven anti-aging procedure.

Other therapies are less dramatic, but no less interesting. The resort to VCO, during COVID, is consistent with people’s turning to this product in past outbreaks, including the SARS outbreak in 2003; promoted by our scientists on both scientific and nationalistic grounds. As for ivermectin and its promotion by politicians, it is a clear case of what my research associate Vincen Yu and I call “pharmaceutical messianism” in a 2022 article in Social Science and Medicine.

As for Enrile’s longevity, however, I think the explanation

The point Imee Marcos raised, the report further noted, was “something that deviates from the understanding that the Philippines is expanding ties with treaty ally the U.S. mainly because of a need to boost security in the West Philippine Sea.”

In fact, last Feb. 27, Marcos Jr. called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to defend the country’s territory in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. He told the troops in Cebu: “Even if there is war in Ukraine, the South China Sea is said to be the most difficult and most complicated problem. That is why I said the mission of the AFP has changed. We need to safeguard those that we did not think much about previously.” Nonetheless, the Business Mirror report said, Sen. Marcos “told the Executive [her younger brother Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] to prioritize the construction of unfinished EDCA bases, noting that only five of the 21 sites previously agreed upon were far from completed.”

Way back on April 26, 2014 (or nine years ago), I wrote in this space regarding the inception of the EDCA: “The exact provisions of the agreement – the subject of

is far simpler: As a man of extreme privilege, Enrile has access to the best health care, at a time when health care has progressed to greatly increase life expectancy. This is the same reason why Imelda is now 93; Duterte, 77; Erap, 85: all of the them far beyond the 72-year life expectancy of the average Filipino. Surely, regular exercise, healthy diet, and genetics are likewise important factors, but even the ability to eat well and exercise regularly require a lifestyle that many Filipinos don’t have access to.

Meanwhile, there are also popular explanations of Enrile’s longevity that verge on the mystical, most notably the adage, “Ang masamang damo mahirap mamatay.” Enrile, after all, has outlived all the major protagonists of 1986, including Cory Aquino, Cardinal Sin, Fidel Ramos, and Joma Sison. And he has survived a fake ambush, various arrests and indictments, charges of sedition and corruption; even today, he faces a plunder charge but is free because of—in the Supreme Court’s words—his “fragile health and advance age.”

Astoundingly, he has not only

negotiations since 2012 – have been kept under wraps by both the U.S. and the Philippine governments. Once announced as a done deal, the agreement’s provisions should be made public for any concerned party to question and challenge –whether they are equitable, just, legal or constitutional.”

I then cited what the Department of Foreign Affairs had couched as the EDCA objectives “in terms that require definitive clarifications.” For instance:

• Increasing the presence of U.S. troops on a “rotational basis” in Philippine territory (averaging 600 armed personnel since 2002) towards developing a “minimum credible defense posture.”

• Building this minimum defense posture in order to “enhance maritime domain awareness” and to “develop a deterrence capability.”

• Developing “deterrence capability” through “highimpact and high-value” joint military exercises which promote “interoperability and capacitybuilding” that will also bolster “humanitarian assistance and disaster response.”

“The core issue in the EDCA, however,” I further wrote then, “is military access and facilities. The

nationwide, claiming lives and destroying property. The public knows the risks. Fire prevention must not only be confined to a special month, but observed around the clock. (Philstar.com)

managed to physically survive, he has also managed to resurrect his political career several times, losing elections in 1998 (as presidential candidate), 2001 (as senatorial candidate), and 2019 (again as senatorial candidate), only to return to the national stage in glory.

Again, in this, there is no secret other than the country’s political realities; the very fact that he is far more known for immortality than for impunity speaks of the redemptive value of longevity

itself. In Philippine politics, to add to a much-used line from Harvey Dent: Either you die a hero, live long enough to see yourself become the villain—or live even longer and become a Juan Ponce Enrile. (Inquirer.net)

* * * 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.

* * * glasco@inquirer.com.ph

‘EDCA sites’

U.S. would be allowed to build its own military facilities within Philippine bases/camps (foreign bases within national bases?), provided Filipino military (and civilian?) officials would have access to such facilities.” But I pointed out, “The decade-old U.S. facility built within a Philippine base in Zamboanga City has been off-limits to Filipinos.”

At the time, then U.S. president Barack Obama was scheduled to come to Manila. With implicit certainty, the International New York Times reported that Obama was expected to announce the signing of the EDCA that would “give American ships and planes the most extensive access to (Philippine military) bases” since the two huge U.S. bases [Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base] were thrown out in 1992.

The INYT described the EDCA as “the centerpiece” of Obama’s trip which “aims to reassure America’s allies of its treaty commitments, respond to China’s growing assertiveness as a regional economic-military power and promote the U.S. role in the region’s economic growth.”

The EDCA “is a modest step to reassert America’s military presence in Asia,” the INYT emphasized, adding, “But it could

nonetheless antagonize China.”

A year later (April 25, 2015), I wrote in this space, one of a number of pieces following up on the EDCA, about what then Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said in a joint press conference with the visiting Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. Gazmin announced that the Philippines would establish basing arrangements for the American and Japanese militaries. He declared, “Under a plan to ‘roll back’ China’s aggressive actions in the SCS/ WPS, the Philippines would allow the U.S., Japan and ‘other allies’ access to the country’s military bases.” On what legal basis, he didn’t say.

Today, are we not hearing similar or closely-related proposals from defense and foreign affairs officials, as well as from members of the Senate and the House of Representatives? (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

* * *

Email: satur.ocampo@gmail.com

Nine years later, still no clarity on

Juan Ponce Enrile Inquirer.net file photo

Marcos names PH special envoy to China

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has named Maynard Ngu Special Envoy of the Philippines to the People's Republic of China for Trade, Investment and Tourism, Malacañang announced on Friday, March 3.

The Chief Executive formally swore Ngu into office on the same day, according to the

Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

Prior to his appointment, Ngu served as the Chief Executive Officer of Cosmic Technologies Incorporated, the company behind cellphone brand Cherry Mobile.

As special envoy, part of his duties include international trade and investment between the Philippines and China and spearhead discussions with business stakeholders in

order to maximize significant trade and other economic opportunities.

Ngu is the second special envoy picked by the President to China.

In February, Marcos tapped Benito Techico also for the same post. Techico was the CEO and president of Uni-Orient Travel, ground handler of chartered flights for local and international tourists. n

Cebu Pacific eyes record 24M passengers in 2023

by Elijah FElicE RosalEs Philstar.com

SINGAPORE – Budget carrier

Cebu Pacific hopes to fly a record 24 million passengers this year, expressing confidence the resurgence in travel appetite would enable it to breach its alltime high.

In an interview with The STAR, Cebu Pacific CEO Mike Szucs said the airline expects to match, if not exceed, its previous high of 22.47 million passengers carried in 2019.

For 2023, Szucs said Cebu

Pacific targets to serve as many as 24 million guests, capitalizing on the sustained rise in passenger bookings, as travelers complete

trips that they had to postpone due to the pandemic.

“Ballpark figure, total passengers this year (would range) maybe around 23 million to 24 million. I think it would be 75 percent for domestic, 25 percent for international,” Szucs said. Cebu Air Inc., operator of Cebu Pacific, has yet to release its operating statistics for 2022. Based on records from the Civil Aeronautics Board, however, Cebu Pacific and its regional unit Cebgo Inc. flew a total of 13.19 million passengers last year, of which 12.75 million are domestic guests and 435,841 are international travelers.

Prior to the pandemic, Cebu

Pacific carried an all-time high 22.47 million passengers and posted a capacity of 26.01 million seats, for a load factor of 86.4 percent in 2019.

By the close of 2023, Cebu Pacific aims to rebalance passenger bookings to a 70:30 mix between domestic and international flights, especially as the low-cost carrier would bring in 15 additional aircraft to service both local and foreign routes.

“They (international routes) are reopening, but they are not just there yet. They are progressively reopening. By the end of the year, we would be close to the 70:30 mix in terms of seat capacity that we had pre-pandemic,” Szucs said. n

by Gabriel Pabico lalu Inquirer.net

MANILA — Former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairperson Efraim Genuino has been found guilty of graft by the Sandiganbayan, for unlawfully releasing P37.06 million worth of Pagcor funds to an association training Filipino swimmers.

In the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division’s decision dated March 3, Genuino along with ex-Pagcor president Rafael Francisco and former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair William Ramirez were found to have violated Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for allowing the directly release of funds to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) in 2019. Pasa was training athletes who were slated to compete in the 2012 London Olympics. However, Sandiganbayan said that state prosecutors were able to prove that Genuino and the other convicted respondents acted in

manifest partiality in providing Pasa with the funds — as it should have been coursed through the PSC.

According to the anti-graft court, Ramirez wrote a letter to Genuino authorizing Pagcor to deduct from the PSC’s legal monthly income share the amounts due to Pasa — which goes against Section 26 of R.A. No. 6847 which established PSC.

“Plainly, the direct release of a portion of the PSC’s share from PAGCOR to PASA was illegal as it directly contravened the abovequoted provision of the law,” the decision, penned by Third Division chair and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.

Sandiganbayan also noted that defense witness Julia Llanto admitted that there was no PSC Board Resolution that authorized Pagcor to directly release the funds to PSC.

“Llanto likewise confirmed that there was no PSC Board Resolution authorizing Pagcor to directly release a portion of the PSC’s income share from Pagcor

to PASA,” it added. The cases against Genuino was filed by the Office of Ombudsman in 2016, while the former Pagcor chief was arraigned in 2017.

As to the charge against Genuino for allegedly using the Pagcor funds to facilitate the training of the swimmers in a facility owned by his family, Sandiganbayan dismissed the case after the prosecution failed to prove Genuino’s links to TRACE Aquatic Center.

Former Pagcor senior vice president Edward King, former executive vice president Rene Figueroa, and former assistant vice president Valente Custodio were cleared from the charges involving this case. As for Genuino, Francisco, and Ramirez, a penalty of imprisonment from six years and one day to a maximum of 10 years was handed down. All three are also disqualified from public office. Cases against ex-Pagcor vice president Ester Hernandez and Pasa president Mark Joseph were ordered archived as both remain at-large. n

THE 71st Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel will have a special homecoming celebration in her hometown of Houston, Texas on Saturday, March 18.

Fans and supporters will have the chance to meet and celebrate with the beauty queen at the Hilton Houston Post Oak at 7 p.m. CST (local time).

The Miss Texas USA organizers made the official announcement on social media late last week. Tickets for the upcoming homecoming event went on sale on Monday, February 27 at Miss

Texas USA’s official website.

R’Bonney was born in Houston to a Filipino father and an American mother. She grew up in Missouri City and later in Friendswood, with her three older brothers.

Last Jan.14, she became the ninth Miss USA to win Miss Universe. She was crowned at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her success also made history as she became the first ever Filipino American to win Miss Texas USA, Miss USA, and Miss Universe. (Inquirer.net)

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

Michael J. Gurfinkel continues to answer immigration questions from Pinoys who

made the trek to Radiant Beauty Skincare Med Spa in Las Vegas. It can be said that the place where one goes to get clearer

skin also became the venue to get clearer answers to their immigration concerns for that

Liza Soberano on wanting a clean slate: I can no longer be boxed in

by Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

CONTROVERSIAL celebrity

Liza Soberano would still want to be called “Liza,” and not necessarily by her real name, Hope, “because most people know me by that [screen] name.”

Inquirer Entertainment made sure to ask this from Hope Elizabeth “Liza” Soberano before sitting down with her for a 10-minute interview recently.

We also talked with the Filipino-American actress about the issue of her Instagram and YouTube accounts suddenly going blank during the weekend, something that most of her followers initially thought was the work of hackers; until she uploaded a 14-minute vlog explaining that “Liza” was merely created by a network and did not always reflect who she really was, and that now, as “Hope,” she is breaking free and assuming full control of her brand.

“Personally, I wanted a clean slate as I launched all the projects that I’m currently working on. For the longest time, I’ve been kind of boxed into this idea that people had of me and of my branding, and so, I wanted to kind of erase all that. I didn’t delete all the posts, and just archived them. I want people to know that I can no longer be boxed in and that, this time, I’m taking control over my own narrative and I will stay true to my heart’s needs and wants,” Soberano told Inquirer Entertainment shortly after she was launched as the brand ambassador and chief advocacy officer of the Philippine-based financial services and digital payments company, Maya.

She added that the Liza Soberano brand would now be “all about working on my passions, feeding into my happiness, and constantly growing to get better and learn.”

Soberano joined Star Magic, ABS-CBN’s talent management arm in 2011 and rose to fame in 2014 after playing opposite Enrique Gil in the Kapamilya network’s romantic-comedy TV series “Forevermore.” She left Star Magic in 2022 and signed

up with Careless Music in June of the same year.

“Everything is fast-paced and that’s why it’s so hard to process all the changes that have been happening. I didn’t even realize until now how much I’ve changed or grown from March last year—when I first started working with Careless—to this year,” said Soberano, when asked to describe her life since she has chosen to make the United States as her home base.

“I didn’t realize how different I’ve become. I’ve been doing so many big things and I’ve been experiencing so many changes in my personal and professional life. Yes, it’s fast, it’s complicated at times, but it’s fun and totally worth it because I feel like I’m growing into a person that I’m proud of, being able to do things that I could only imagine before,” she pointed out.

Isn’t flying to and from the Philippines so tiring, since she is also expected to clock in regularly now that she has work to do with Maya and for her advocacy, the nongovernmental organization Save the Children

Philippines?

“I actually enjoy long flights because that’s when I get to rest, although my schedule isn’t as hectic as when I used to tape or do movies,” Soberano began.

“Now, because I’m not filming, I get to have breaks, but I’m also working on a lot of things behind the scenes—things that people don’t know about—so it’s also pretty hectic, but it’s fun because I’m also working on myself. Everything that I’m doing now is for me and all the advocacies I care about.”

Advocate for children

When asked why she felt it was important for her to actively advocate causes related to children, Soberano explained: “For somebody with a huge platform, it would be a waste if you don’t use it to encourage positive change or encourage people to lend a helping hand. Ever since the pandemic happened, I made it a point to constantly lend my voice to those who feel they don’t have one.

“Children are the next generation of leaders and people who are going to bring positive change. They should be protected and helped in their early years. Save the Children is such a great organization to be closely working with because not only does it work for the children, it also works with the children in order to have insights into what their specific needs are.”

Soberano said Maya’s campaign theme, “My bank, my money, my way,” reflects the current state of her life. The actress explained: “I’m taking full control over my life now and I’m not allowing traditional stereotypes of how a celebrity should be—how one should present herself, who she should associate herself with, and the projects that she should take on. I’m just taking full creative freedom and empowering myself.”

Soberano was partly referring to one of her recent gigs, acting for the Hollywood movie “Lisa Frankenstein,” featuring Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse, and directed by Diablo Cody. Hollywood career

Miss Filipina International 2023, under new ownership and bigger prizes, launched

BEVERLY HILLS – Miss Filipina International (MFI) 2023, now owned by Worldwide Media Entertainment Corporation, headed by Geoffrey Jimenez, chairman of the board of directors, was launched with bigger prizes for the winners at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

Jimenez also announced that MFI will move to a glamorous venue, the famous International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton, home to many of the most prestigious awards shows and events in Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Los Angeles. The black-tie dinner gala coronation night on Saturday, August 5, 2023 celebrates the 10th anniversary of the beauty pageant which gives the biggest cash prizes. The winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize and a $10,000 gift certificate from iSkin Beverly Hills. The other prizes are a $5,000 cash prize and a $10,000 gift certificate from iSkin Beverly Hills for the first runner-up, who will be crowned Miss Tourism; and a $2,500 cash prize and a $5,000 gift certificate from iSkin Beverly Hills for each of the second, third and fourth runnersup.

Jimenez said, “We are excited to stage Miss Filipina International 2023 in the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton, an elegant venue befitting our search for the best and brightest Filipina who is beautiful inside and out. We will go all out to tap the Beverly Hills setting as a marvelous opportunity to showcase the culture, fashion and vibrancy of the Philippines and its people through our candidates.”

Jimenez also stressed the uniqueness of the U.S.-based MFI because it is open to candidates who are of at least one-fourth Filipino descent

from around the world.

Candidates must also be from ages 16 to 28.

An immigrant success story, Jimenez rose on his own merit, due to hard work, discipline and determination. Proud of his humble beginnings in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, Jimenez, the son of a farmer and a housewife, immigrated to America and like many of his fellowmen, dedicated himself to the nursing profession.

Today, he is the CEO of more than 30 hospices and home health agencies across California and the Midwest. Along the way, he has become a Filipino

American community leader, a philanthropist and passionate advocate of Filipino talents and a supporter of events that boost Philippine arts, fashion and culture.

Jimenez brings his commitment to promote the Philippines, the beauty and artistry of its people to Miss Filipina International. For more details, including how to apply, call (818) 9285449 or (949) 231-2171 (mobile). To apply online: www.MissFilipinaIntl.com. For sponsorship inquiries, email: missfilipinainternational@gmail. com.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration...

day.

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

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

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

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

to Part 2 of “Your

from Las

Miss Filipina International 2023, now owned by Worldwide Media Entertainment Corporation, headed by Geoffrey Jimenez, chairman of the board of directors, will be held for the first time in the famous International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The black-tie dinner gala coronation night on August 5, 2023 celebrates the 10th anniversary of the beauty pageant which gives the biggest cash prizes.

Liza Soberano Inquirer.net photo

Philippine Madrigal Singers kicks

off US tour on March 12

Los Angeles is the first stop of a 26-city Tour

ON March 12, Los Angeles will be the first to experience the unique sound of the Philippine Madrigal Singers that has put Filipinos in the forefront of the choral music world globally.

The Tour is aptly called “Journey to 60: The Philippine Madrigal Singers North American Concert Tour” as the award-winning group shall be celebrating its 60th anniversary while building its third establishment, the first Center for Choral Music in the Philippines.

The kick-off concert on March 12 will be at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles and starts at 5pm as part to the Golden Thread Series, co-presented by the Resonance Collective and Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA.

Recognized by the UNESCO as Artists for Peace for “putting their fame and influence to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace,” the Philippine Madrigal Singers is one of the most awarded choral groups in the world, having won all the top prizes in most of the world’s prestigious choral competitions, including the Grand Prix in the 2016 Concurso

Internazionale di Guido d’ Arezzo, Arezzo, Italy. They hold the distinction of being the first choir in the world to win the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice (1997 and 2007) and the first Asian choir to be accorded

the BrandLaureate Premiere

Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (2012).

The group’s virtuosity across a vast repertoire range, its continuing promotion of Filipino choral works and the rousing and

deeply emotional impact that each performance has on all audiences the world over, as they sing in the distinctive set-up of sitting in a semi-circle without a conductor, have established their reputation as a pioneering force in choral music and an inspirational role model for other choirs. The Madz presents gems from the renaissance, Philippine

traditional, folk, sacred and unique interpretations of popular music that are crowd favorites. This concert will also feature the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra Junior Strings. This much awaited concert heralds the return of the multi-awarded world renowned choir since its last US tour in 2017.

Tickets are available at $50

VIP, $25 General Admission, and $15 Student/Senior https:// bit.ly/PhilMadrigalSingers. Reserved seating is available for sponsors, contact admin@ musicartsinternational.com. For group sales contact info@ resonancecollective.org. Venue address is 540 South Commonwealth Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90020.

Is now a good time to file bankruptcy?

Debt Relief

IF you live in LA County — or in Southern California, which included Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties — and you own the house that you live in, now is a good, no, now is a very good time to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy fresh start. Why? Because the homestead exemption under 704.730 of the California Code of Civil Procedure has been increased a lot, and when I say a lot, it’s a lot.

If you filed for Chapter 7 before the amendment and owned the house that you were living in Los Angeles County and needed to wipe out $100,000 of credit cards but had equity of $200,000 in your house, and you were younger than 65 years old, you would not haven been able to file for Chapter 7 total wipe out of the $100,000 credit cards without losing your house to the Chapter 7 trustee.

If it was before amendment, you would have had to file a Chapter 13 and pay the entire $100,000 over five years if you did not want to lose your house. Your plan payment would be about $1,600 a month. After paying $1,600 a month for 60 months, the court will give you an order discharging your debts.

In effect, you paid 100% of principal through the Chapter 13 plan, without paying any interest for 5 years. That would still have been better than paying $3,000 a month of minimum payments every month to keep the $100,000 current.

On the other hand, assuming your income under the “means test” makes you eligible for Chapter 7 relief this year, and you waited until now to file your bankruptcy, you would be eligible for a complete wipe out of the $100,000 without making a single payment and still be able to exempt your house (keep it

despite the bankruptcy), even if the equity in your house had increased to $300,000 or even to $400,000, or even to $600,000!

This is really quite amazing the likes of which, we as bankruptcy lawyers have never seen before in our lifetime.

How is equity calculated?

Let’s say your house is now worth $1.0M using comparable sales of similar properties around your neighborhood. You owe a first trust deed balance of $400,000. This makes your equity (your own money) in your residence at $600,000. In other words, if you were to sell your house for $1.0M to Redfin for cash, you will net maybe $550,000 after deducting commission and closing costs, that entire amount of $550,000 is your equity in your house. That’s your money. The way house values are increasing in here in S. CA since mortgage rates are rock bottom low again never seen before low, about 2.5% fixed 30 years, anyone who owns a house here in LA is definitely sitting on a big pile of cash. It’s almost unbelievable that you can exempt your house under 704.730 even if your equity in the house is $600,00. But it’s true. I’m having clients with $400,000 of equity, or even $500,000 of equity qualify for Chapter 7 to wipe out credit card debt they have racked up during the pandemic to pay for basic necessities, food, shelter and transportation.

Many people lost their jobs during the pandemic and because of it. Surely, the pandemic unemployment benefits have helped tremendously but still not enough. So many households had to rely on credit cards to make up for the difference.

Many households have increased their credit card balances by $20,000 to $30,000 during the pandemic just to make ends meet, or even a lot more than that to hang on the

Vilma Santos-Recto open to return to politics

a business that ground to a halt during lockdown. Are these credit cards dischargeable in Chapter 7? I would say that if you are an honest debtor, they should all be dischargeable.

However, I do suggest that you consult with an experienced bankruptcy attorney of your choice to determine your eligibility for Chapter 7, or Chapter 13. There may be some nuances in the circumstances of your case that may affect your case.

For instance, client used or drew down on $50,000 of credit cards last year, by buying gift cards then selling these gift cards for cash.

The $50,000 in cash was then deposited into a bank account then sent offshore. Well let’s just say that this is certainly not a routine case. The bank statement going back the last 12 months will show that $50,000 was in the account then was sent overseas. This may involve a continuation of the first hearing for production of a lot of documents to explain what happened to the $50,000.

Some creditors may file adversary cases to object to discharge. Under the worst case, there could be a criminal referral by the U.S. Trustee. On the other hand, if client is an honest debtor, he should be able to get a discharge after navigating choppy waters in his bankruptcy proceeding.

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

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Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal opinion and no attorneyclient relationship is created between the reader, any third party and attorney.

* * * Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

by Den AfiniDAD-BernArDo Philstar.com

“STAR for All Seasons” Vilma Santos-Recto is yet to be named a National Artist, considered as the highest honor conferred to a Filipino artist. But as a politician, she has already received the Presidential Lingkod Bayan, the most prestigious award given to a public servant.

According to “Ate Vi,” she never knew that she would join and even excel, as a local government official.

“I never dreamt na papasok ako sa politics! Never! Never in my wildest dreams,” she professed at last Monday’s (Feb. 27) press con for her launch as new endorser of motorbike hailing app Angkas.

“But I guess it was meant to be. May purpose ‘yung Panginoon. I just did my best and tinulungan naman N’ya ko, so naging public servant ako for 24 years.”

When she won as the first woman mayor of Lipa, Batangas in 1998, Vilma was enrolled by her husband, former senator and now Batangas congressman Ralph Recto, in a crash course on public administration and local governance at the University of the Philippines. Hanggang sa maging governor ako at congresswoman, every day is a learning process.

Kasi iba-iba ang kinakaharap mo It’s really a fulfillment para sa’kin kasi mayroon akong nagawa, nakapagsilbi ako, para sa mga

kababayan natin nang walang

kamera. And they appreciate you pinagkakatiwalaan ka nila, para sa’kin legacy ‘yun. Para sa’kin ‘yun ang importante, to respect the trust they give you especially for a woman like me. Barako country ang Batangas, ‘di ba?

So pinagkatiwalaan ako to serve them, malaking bagay para sa’kin ‘yun.”

Given her good track record in public governance, Vilma has been urged by “Vilmanians” to run for higher office such as senate, and even for vice president and president.

To this, she said: “I really don’t mind kasi iba ‘yung fulfillment eh ng pagiging isang public servant.

It’s very, very fulfilling… Kung meron lang din akong isang legacy na pupwedeng iniiwan, palagay ko, ‘yun ‘yung serbisyong ginawa ko as a public servant.”

Ate Vi, however, had reservations when returning to government since she has just celebrated her 60 years in showbiz with a lineup of projects.

“Sa kaso ko kasi, hindi madali.

Alam mo, ‘pag nagsilbi ka, it’s really a sacrifice. Gusto mo talaga magsilbi. Ako kasi nu’ng naging public servant ako, naskaripisyo talaga ‘yung career ko… Sa priorities ko, my first priority is my immediate family. Family first before everything. And then second is being a public servant. Ang medyo napunta sa third ‘yung show business

ko… six years na wala na akong nagawang pelikula because I got so involved sa pagiging legislator, congresswoman, ‘di madali eh, kasi batas na pinaguusapan dito. ‘Di kamukha ng local chief executive, local government, para ka lang nasa bahay. Para kang nanay. You take care of a bigger family. But being a legislator, a congresswoman, you really need to study.”

The “Star for All Seasons,” nonetheless, is not shutting her doors in returning to the campaign trail in the future.

“Pero kung plano after three years, sa ngayon, wala pa sa ngayon. With all honesty. Kung babalik, why not? Pero kung hindi rin, okay. Marami pa rin akong pwedeng gawin na interesting din. Looking forward ako na baka magdirect ako, ‘di ba? Marami pa. Maraming pwedeng gawin na sa tingin ko magiging exciting at magiging open ako para sa lahat ng challenges na darating pa.”

Sarah Geronimo thanks parents on her 20th showbiz anniversary

by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

DESPITE a seeming fallingout with her parents Divine and Delfin, Sarah Geronimo made sure to express her gratitude to them as she celebrated her 20 years in show business.

The singer-actress had a small celebration together with her husband, actor-TV host Matteo Guidicelli, and head of Viva Communications Vic del Rosario, as seen in a video shared by fan account @ksgdlz on TikTok.

Geronimo was surprised with a bouquet and a cake, while Guidicelli can be heard asking his wife for a speech in the background.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Lord at umabot ako ng dalawang dekada dito sa showbiz, at sa lahat ng sumu-suporta sa akin, ang mga Popsters,” she then

said. (I thank the Lord as well as those who support me, my Popsters, [who are the reason why] I was able to stay here in show biz for two decades.)

“At sa akin pong mga magulang, sa aking Mommy Divine at aking Daddy Delfin guwapo, sa aking family, my fur babies, my Viva family, ABSCBN family, thank you (To my parents—my Mommy Divine and handsome Daddy Delfin, to my family, fur babies, Viva family, ABS-CBN family, thank you),” she continued. “And my husband, thank you, my love, Matteo Guidicelli.”

In the video, Del Rosario can also be seen teasing the couple to have a baby, saying it should be their “priority” and that “money will come in after the baby.”

Geronimo marked her 20th showbiz anniversary on March 1 with the release of her new song

“Habang Buhay.” Meanwhile, it can be recalled that her secret wedding with Guidicelli in 2020 sparked the interest of the public amid the disapproval shown by her mother, Divine. Despite this, Geronimo asked her parents in October last year for forgiveness for her “life decisions” that affected their relationship.

Vilma Santos-Recto Philstar.com photo

Sarah Geronimo ABS-CBN photo

“ Many people lost their jobs during the pandemic and because of it. Surely, the pandemic unemployment benefits have helped tremendously but still not enough. So many households had to rely on credit cards to make up for the difference.”

Hydrafacial: Give your skin the best 30 minutes it deserves (you’ll thank yourself for it)

WHEN was your last facial treatment?

This is one of the questions I ask my clients at the beginning of my consultation. Surprisingly, most of them can’t remember, or they admit to not having regular facial treatments at all.

Age has always been the “taboo” word in my line of work.

Though we have accepted the truth that aging is a natural process, it is not the part of growing old that usually bothers us, but “looking older” than our actual age. And quite frankly, you can tell a person’s age by just looking at their skin.

The skin is the largest organ of the body. The skin and its derivatives (hair, nails, sweat and oil glands) make up the integumentary system. One of the main functions of the skin is protection. It protects the body from external factors such as bacteria, chemicals, and temperature. When we age, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged. The number of pigment-containing cells (melanocytes) decreases. The remaining melanocytes increase in size. Aging skin looks thinner, paler, and clear (translucent).

Pigmented spots including age spots or "liver spots" may appear in sun-exposed areas.

It is a known fact that we have different types of skin. While there are products and treatments that suit to any skin type, it is important to start with the (most) basic treatment such as a monthly facial. So before you consider doing any cosmetic injectables like Botox , fillers , PDO thread and the like, you have got to go back to the basics. This is similar to how you take care of your nails, and doing a “re-touch” on your grey hair roots –– both done on a regular basis.

Sadly, people tend to take facial treatments for granted. I would usually tell my clients

that “if you have good skin, the more you need facial to preserve your beautiful skin. And if you have sensitive skin that easily gets clogged or prone to skin discoloration, all the more you need to have regular facials to prevent it from getting worst . Now that we have established how important it is to have regular facial treatments, allow me to to talk about the best innovation “in the face of facials.,” The Hydrafacial machine. And I am so excited to announce that the latest edition of Hydrafacial machine is now available ISkin Medspa and MiSkin. My dear readers, meet SyndeoTM.

SyndeoTM SyndeoTM is “the most innovative and advanced Hydrafacial delivery system–ever.” The way it “elevates the entire experience by making it more personalized and seamless,” is just phenomenal. But first, what is Hydrafacial? It is a non-invasive treatment that, unlike traditional facials, is performed via device rather than by hand, for deeper penetration and longer lasting results. It improves skin health, addresses individual concerns, and creates a glow like no other.

And with its latest edition, SyndeoTM, it allows more for personalization and customization. Simply download the app and it analyzes your skins’ needs and recommend what serum or booster is the most applicable for you. This technology is exclusively available as a customized protocol at our spas, wherein we incorporate our signature protocol for facial so that you can enjoy the benefits of this amazing machine.

There are four solutions that can help cleanse, exfoliate, peel and hydrate your skin –– and all of that can be done in as little as 30 minutes. It delivers long-term skin health and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of all skin types. It offers instant, noticeable results with no downtime or irritation. You may put on makeup and return to your normal activities right after the treatment . The Hydrafacial treatment removes dead skin cells and extracts impurities while simultaneously bathing the new skin with cleansing,

Daily-rate eployees must be paid overtime wages

hydrating and moisturizing serums.

The truth of the matter is we are all going to age. But I tell my clients: “You have two options. Either accept that and let yourself go, or you do something about it” - Or even better if there is a way to enjoy it. Take this Hydrafacial treatment for example.

With so many ways to delay aging, you just have to choose the best and right approach for you. Opt for non- invasive types of treatment, and the most affordable one you can find –– and get educated about it. It is also important to get consultations with professionals that you trust.

There are so many options to take care of your skin. but having facial treatments is something we all need as part of our monthly skin care routine. It is best to compliment good skin regimen at home with regular facial. Invest in your skin. Your skin is still the best accessory you can have. And if it only takes 30 minutes to have a soothing, refreshing, non-irritating and immediately effective facial treatment, I highly suggest you take it. You’ll thank yourself later.

Come check us out for free consultation. For more information on Hydrafacial, go to iskinbeverlyhills.com or you may also visit hydrafacial.com.

Visit iSkin Med Spa and MiSkin MedSpa for a free consultation. iSkin is located at 8665 Wiltshire Blvd penthouse Beverly Hills, 90211 or call 424-382-1002.

MiSkin MedSpa is located at 9227 Haven Ave. Suite 120 in Rancho Cucamonga or call 9099898464. You may follow us on social media: @iskinmedspa and @ miskinmedspa. * * *

Imee Ong-Maghanoy is an established aesthetician, a business owner and CEO of iSkin Beverly Hills, iSkin MedSpa and MiSkin MedSpa. Imee has been in the aesthetics industry for more than 20 years. She has a degree in Biology and Doctor of Dental Medicine. iSkin MedSpa and MiSkin MedSpa are fast emerging as a top Spa destination in LA. iSkin is located at 8665 Wilshire Blvd penthouse Beverly Hills. MiSkin MedSpa is located at 9227 Haven Ave. Suite 120 in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

(Advertising Supplement)

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr

THE US Supreme Court recently highlighted the importance of overtime laws. In eliminating “oppressive working hours”, it sought to ensure that employees are properly compensated for “the burden of working extralong hours.” The Court ruled that daily-rate employees must be paid overtime, as wages based on a daily rate does not qualify as a “salary” that would exempt the employee from overtime.

Michael Hewitt worked as a “Toolpusher” on an offshore oil rig. His work schedule had him on duty for 28 consecutive days, followed by 28 consecutive days off. When he was on duty, he worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, such that he routinely worked 84 hours per week. Hewitt’s employer, Helix Energy Solutions Group (“HESG”), paid him a daily rate that ranged from $963 to $1,341 per day in the 3 years he worked for the company. Under that compensation scheme, Hewitt was paid over $200,000 annually.

HESG did not pay Hewitt any overtime for work in excess of 40 hours in a week, as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), contending that Hewitt was a highly-paid executive exempt from overtime. Hewitt filed a lawsuit claiming that he was owed overtime wages. In

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. v. Hewitt, the Supreme Court agreed with Hewitt, finding that the daily rate paid to him by HESG did not satisfy the salary-basis requirement for the executive exemption from overtime.

Under the FLSA, an employee is exempt from overtime as a bona fide executive if they meet the following 3 requirements:

(1) they are paid on a “salary basis,” meaning that they “receive a predetermined and fixed salary that does not vary with the amount of time worked”;

(2) they are paid no less than $455 per week; and

(3) they satisfy the “duties” test, meaning that they manage the enterprise, direct other employees, and have the power to hire and fire those employees.

The salary-basis test can only be met if an employee receives a “predetermined amount” that is “not subject to reduction because of variations in the quality or quantity of the work performed.” The exempt employee “must receive the full salary for any week in which the employee performs any work without regard to the number of days or hours worked.” The Court emphasized that “if...an employee works any part of a week, he must receive his ‘full salary for [that] week’—or else he is not paid on a salary basis and cannot qualify as a bona fide executive.”

The Court ruled that, since Hewitt’s paychecks were computed by multiplying his daily rate with the number of days he actually worked in the pay period,

HESG could not satisfy the salarybasis required for exemption from overtime. In other words, because his weekly pay could vary depending on the number of days he worked, he was not paid a “salary” within the meaning of the overtime exemption. Since Hewitt worked 84 hours per week, under the FLSA’s requirement that overtime wages be paid for all work in excess of 40 hours per week, he is owed 44 hours of overtime pay for every week that he worked. The Supreme Court’s ruling is a reminder that employees paid on a fixed daily rate, regardless of how much income they make, must be paid overtime. Under federal law, overtime is any work in excess of 40 hours per week. Under stricter California law, any work in excess of 8 hours in a day, or 40 hours in a week, is entitled to overtime.

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

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

(Advertising Supplement)

Liza Soberano on wanting a clean slate...

“Being able to do a Hollywood film is something that I’ve always dreamed of. I aspired for change and it happened before the pandemic, actually, around 2019. I was in the States for quite some time because I had an accident that injured my finger and I had surgery there,” she began. “I met a lot of amazing creatives and people who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. That inspired me to want to work there. Also, I have family there so, I want to work closer to them. I likewise wanted to challenge myself, and

what better place to do that than in Hollywood.”

We then asked her to share some of the best practices she has observed while shooting the film. To this, Soberano said:

“What I enjoyed about working there was that for every take, they allowed me to try different things. That is also a thing here, but then, the way they went about trying something different each and every time was so drastic—they would start with a simpler acting, then they would go harder and harder, more intense with each take.

“Also, the environment on

the set was really great. Here in the Philippines, especially with actors, you mainly only get to talk with the directors, producers and the glam team while on the set. There, I was able to talk with the lighting director and the DOP (cinematographer), and I got to build a relationship with every department. People there see themselves as equals. They don’t see actors as unreachable. It actually makes me want to bring that culture here, so that everybody is given as much creative freedom, power and respect on the set.”

Notice To The Public

In compliance with Section 5 of RA. Act No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the Public the Zenaida Chua Wiltse has filed a petition to change the first name from Agrifina to Zenaida in the Certificate of Birth No. 214 of Sinait, Ilocos Sur, Philippines.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his/her written opposition with the Philippine Consulate General, Los Angeles, California within the two weeks period of this publication. #35578

LEGAL NOTICE SERVICES

Imee ong-mAghAnoy

Beauty Talk with Imee

How to obtain custody and visitation rights for unmarried dads

paternity “shall be recognized as a basis for the establishment of an order for child custody, visitation, or child support.”

(Family .Code §§ 7573, 7644; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W., supra, 175 CA4th at 1132, 95 CR3d at 485; In re J.L. (2008) 159 CA4th 1010, 1019, 72 CR3d 27, 33.)

ESTABLISHING parentage rights for moms is a lot easier than establishing one for unmarried Dads. Moms can establish this by simply showing proof of her having given birth to the child (Family Code §7610).

Establishing parentage rights, including custody and visitation rights, becomes more problematic with unmarried Dads because proving yourself as the biological father does not automatically make you the natural father of the child. Under the family code, there are competing presumptions of paternity which allows the non biological father to be deemed the natural father of the child.

A typical situation is when boyfriend gets girlfriend pregnant. Girlfriend for some reason decides to exclude boyfriend from baby’s life so she breaks up with boyfriend, does not give the boyfriend any information about her delivery, and does not state the boyfriend as the father in the birth certificate or decides to name someone else as the father. Girlfriend does this because her parents disapprove of the ex boyfriend.

One way a presumption of Paternity is created is by executing a voluntary declaration of paternity.

A Voluntary declarations executed before 1997 give rise to a conclusive presumption of paternity and can be overcome only by blood or genetic tests ordered on noticed motion by the mother or presumed father must be made within three years of the date of execution of the voluntary declaration (Family. Code. § 7576; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W. (2009) 175 CA4th 1119, 1133, 95 CR3d 477, 485.) If the voluntary declaration of paternity is executed after 1996, it is not characterized as a conclusive presumption. Instead, it “shall establish the paternity of a child and shall have the same force and effect as a judgment for paternity issued by a court of competent jurisdiction” and trumps §7611 presumptions discussed below. A post 1996 voluntary declaration of

Another way of establishing presumed father status is if you fall under any of the categories listed (a) to (f) under family code §7611:

(a) He and the child’s natural mother are or have been married to each other and the child is born during the marriage, or within 300 days after the marriage is terminated by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce, or after a judgment of separation is entered by a court.

(b) Before the child’s birth, he and the child’s natural mother have attempted to marry each other by a marriage solemnized in apparent compliance with law, although the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and either of the following is true:

(1) If the attempted marriage could be declared invalid only by a court, the child is born during the attempted marriage, or within 300 days after its termination by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce.

(2) If the attempted marriage is invalid without a court order, the child is born within 300 days after the termination of cohabitation.

(c) After the child’s birth, he and the child’s natural mother have married, or attempted to marry, each other by a marriage solemnized in apparent compliance with law, although the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and either of the following is true:

(1) With his consent, he is named as the child’s father on the child’s birth certificate.

(2) He is obligated to support the child under a written voluntary promise or by court order.

(d) He receives the child into his home and openly holds out the child as his natural child.

(e) If the child was born and resides in a nation with which the United States engages in an Orderly Departure Program or successor program, he acknowledges that he is the child’s father in a declaration under penalty of perjury, as specified in Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure. This subdivision

shall remain in effect only until January 1, 1997, and on that date shall become inoperative.

(f) The child is in utero after the death of the decedent and the conditions set forth in Section 249.5 of the Probate Code are satisfied.

An alleged biological father who does not meet any of the § 7611 conditions for presumed father status has no constitutionally-protected “liberty interest” in establishing a parentage relationship with a child as against the rights of a presumptive father who has an extant parentage relationship with the child. (Dawn D. v. Super. Ct. (Jerry K.) (1998) 17 C4th 932, 940–942, 72 CR2d 871, 876–877)

The facts get even more complicated if the girlfriend, whom boyfriend gets pregnant is married to another man because the law provides a conclusive presumption of paternity to the husband of the girlfriend. Under Family Code §7540, the child of a wife cohabiting at time of conception with her husband, who is not impotent or sterile, is “conclusively” presumed to be a child of the marriage. This conclusive presumption may be challenged by showing that the husband was sterile. It may also be challenged by filing a motion for blood or genetic testing under Family Code §7541 but this has to be done within 2 years of the childs birth. In addition, only persons with standing can bring this motion which is limited to the husband, child, mother and a presumed father as listed in Family Code §7611 and 7612.

Even absent a recognized rebuttal, the court has discretion as a matter of due process not to apply § 7540 conclusive presumption of paternity when it would not further the statute’s underlying policies of preserving the integrity and stability of an extant marital family, protecting children from the stigma of “illegitimacy,” and promoting individual rather than State responsibility for child support ... as where the ostensible § 7540 presumptive father never developed a parental relationship with the child and the only established parent-child relationship is with a third person.

(Brian C. v. Ginger K. (2000) 77 CA4th 1198, 1200–1201, 92 CR2d 294, 296; In re Kiana A. (2001) 93 CA4th 1109, 1115, 113 CR2d 669, 675.)

Procedurally, the ex-boyfriend

What’s next for AllTV?

by Ronnie CaRRasCo iii ManilaTimes.net

ON the last day of February, viewers were banking on AllTV's promise that the Villar-owned network — as per its media release — is going full throttle in its operations this March.

Supposedly if we're not mistaken, it should have taken off the ground between the third and fourth quarters of 2022.

However, so many factors had to be taken into account such as enhancing its signal to achieve greater audience reach across the country, hence the understandable delay.

Content-wise, tasked to oversee how this is successfully accomplished is no less than Willie Revillame, the owner's most trusted figure.

But as it is, even Willie finds it difficult to position his own program at the home he had given up his seven-year GMA stay for.

It's been a little over a year since Willie bowed out of GMA, refusing to ink a renewal contract.

To be fair, the Wowowin host made public that it would have been dishonorable of him had he agreed to slug it out with GMA while he already grabbed the Villar's handsomer offer.

As a curious — if not antsy — viewer, whatever happened to AllTV's hyped lofty plans that would put them at par with the other networks?

As an online entertainment columnist wrote, it appears that former Senator Villar, the AllTV big cheese, is not willing enough to go on a spending spree following Mr. Manny Pangilinan's regrettable mistake of buying TV5 in 2009.

If true as it seems to be from an industry pundit's point of view, then Willie must be understandably facing a predicament with regard to this.

Willie — whose powers are

should file a Petition for Parentage as soon as the child is born. While the case is pending, the ex-boyfriend may seek temporary visitation order although this may be on a limited or even monitored basis. If successful in proving parentage, the ex-boyfriend may be granted custody and visitation rights. However, the ex-boyfriend would also have the obligation of paying child support based on California guidelines.

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not necessarily limitless — can only function so much. For how can he make his brilliant ideas a reality if he's only allowed to make do with resources available to him?

Let me tackle the case of Willie's bosom buddy Randy Santiago.

Theirs is like Damon and Pythias' friendship that began when Willie was simply one of Randy's so-called Hawi Boys. As such, it was Willie's job to shield then-super popular Randy from mobbing fans a la bodyguard.

According to Randy in his interview last year, Willie had offered him to join AllTV but he couldn't say yes as he still had an existing contract with TV5 until December.

January came. No news yet which AllTV show Randy would fit in. Better yet, there is exactly no confirmed upcoming show neither for Randy nor any artist reported to have signed up with the network.

Assuming that AllTV would be in full swing this March, new shows are ideally being planned months ahead.

Likewise, artists joining this lineup of programs are named and thus written about in network-generated media releases for advanced publicity.

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

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Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President

We're already in the first quarter of 2023, but there hovers a disturbing silence when AllTV's presence should be loud and clear.

Since early February, Willie's "Wowowin," Toni Gonzaga's eponymous show as well as Ruffa Gutierrez, Ciara Sotto and Mariel Rodriguez's "M.O.M." have temporarily ceased to air, uncertain when they'd return on TV (but no worries, their respective talent fees are paid as per their contracts).

If it's any consolation, however, Senator Mark Villar assured the public that the family-owned network is here to stay.

Meanwhile, in a related development, Cristy Fermin revealed on her online program "Showbiz Now Na" that Willie's camp of late has been sending feelers contemplating his return to GMA.

Pero mahihirapan si Willie. May pinamilian kasi siya: between AllTV and GMA which was supposed to renew his Wowowin contract for one to two years."

Cristy thus questioned Willie when the latter announced he had no idea if his show was among those which wouldn't air temporarily, "If so, why the feelers?!"

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, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

We’ll take it.*

Willie Revillame and Toni Gonzaga ManilaTimes.net photo

Anne Curtis, Erwan Heussaff’s daughter

Dahlia spends birthday at Tokyo Disneyland

by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

DAHLIA had a magical celebration of her 3rd birthday as her parents, Anne Curtis and Erwan Heussaff, took her to Tokyo Disneyland to mark the occasion.

The celebrity couple sent birthday greetings to their daughter along with photos from their trip, as seen on their respective Instagram pages on Thursday, March 2. Dahlia dressed up as Disney princess Cinderella while enjoying the rides in the theme park with her parents.

“A dream is a wish your heart makes. Happy 3rd birthday my petite princess Dahlia Amélie,” Curtis wrote. “[I] will always pray for your dreams to come true.”

“Stay wild, child,” Heussaff, for his part, said. “Our little baby is [three].”

Netizens and celebrities including Anne’s sister and Dahlia’s aunt, actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, greeted the child on

What fuels Piolo Pascual

by IzA IglesIAs ManilaTimes.net

FOR three decades in the entertainment industry, Piolo Pascual became one of the most respected and well-loved actors in the Philippines who is known for his numerous iconic films and series. But apart from his professionalism, Pascual's down-to-earth nature makes it easy for people to relate to him.

A hard worker, an active person, a traveler and someone who looks for quality and security, the 46-year-old disclosed that his fuel in pursuing a lot of passions is his drive to give his best in everything that he does.

"I just don't like compromising. I always give it my best in everything that I do, and I always like to improve. When everything comes your way, you have to think of how to innovate and how to improve on what you can offer, that is something new and different," Pascual explained.

"It also pays to be distinct, and I guess being 100 percent in your

performance only goes to show your character," he added.

Recently, Pascual was tapped by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation as their new ambassador. For him, this partnership represents quality, service and reaching as many Filipinos as possible —values that are important to him and what makes him completely confident of the brand.

During the launch of Shell V-Power, Pascual expressed his excitement saying, "I've been a long-time user, and this collaboration is a perfect pairing for me. I always choose Shell and for me, I won't settle for anything less. I'm looking forward to representing Shell V-Power and encouraging every Filipino to try this new formulation. It's 100 percent or nothing," he said.

Currently, Pascual is living a simple life in Batangas — a place where he spends almost all of his free time to relax away from the lights and the busyness of the urban living. A serene place to wake up to, his rest house is surround-

‘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 back-to-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 multiawarded actress but her talent spans to singing where most of the ballad songs she rendered made waves in the Filipino movie and song industries.

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.

ed by the mountain and sea. But of course, being the bankable star that he is, Pascual needs to show up in every work opportunity in the city as much as possible. A car owner and a motorcycle driver, he makes sure that whatever he uses is protected much like his body.

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

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)

her special day through the comments section. Anne and Heussaff, who got

married in 2017, welcomed Dahlia in 2020 while they were staying in Australia.

Dahlia dressed up as Disney princess Cinderella while enjoying the rides in the theme park with her parents.

Photo from Instagram.com/@annecurtissmith

Piolo Pascual says he doesn’t settle for anything but the best.

ManilaTimes.net photo