Scam alert: Consumers warned about 3 popular text-based scams
These texts provide links that scammers use as a vehicle to steal consumers’ sensitive payment data
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert warning about three popular text-based scams. These scam texts claim consumers owe past-due charges and provide fraudulent links for resolving the charge. The links are often a vehicle by which scammers can steal consumers’ sensitive payment data.
Scammers often use the threat of a “late fee” or use words like “urgent action required” to pressure consumers into clicking the links. The California Department of Justice asks consumers to slow down and proceed with caution when faced with these types of messages.
“These scammers are relentless. While text-based toll charge scams remain widespread, consumers across our state are also receiving texts claiming they owe a parking ticket charge,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Bad actors are getting more sophisticated and show little signs of slowing.”
Bonta urged consumers to not click on links in texts appearing to alert them to overdue charges, visit only official websites and talk to friends and family who may be unaware of these dangers.
If you receive a possible scam text:
• DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.
• File a complaint. File a complaint with the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Office of the Attorney General. Be sure to include the phone number from where the text originated and the website listed within the text.
• Delete any scam texts received.
• Check your account using a legitimate website.
• Secure your personal information and financial accounts. Regularly check your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized transactions, especially after suspecting a scam. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
Toll charge scams
These texts claim consumers owe FasTrak express lane or toll charges, link to a website, and ask for online payment. This scam is designed to trick drivers into entering banking or credit card information into a website fraudulently claiming to
Duterte speaks out after arrest, takes responsibility for ‘war on drugs’
During arrest, Duterte refused fingerprinting, threatened legal action and other details from his confrontation with police
by Klarize Medenilla AJPress
US immigration raids keep Pinoys on edge
MANILA — Against the backdrop of an administration enforcing tighter immigration policies, her uncertain residency status in the United States feels like facing death for Maria, a 54-year-old Filipino caregiver.
She has attended multiple seminars conducted by a migrants’ group on what to do if confronted by law enforcement and always keeps her legal documents on hand.
“They have given all the help they could to prepare you for the situation. [But] you know, it’s kind of like death—you don’t really know when it will happen, and you can’t fully prepare for it. Even if you’re aware, fear can still get the better of you,” Maria, not her real name, told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
“I’m ready,” she told herself as she went to a grocery store recently, reassuring herself with her identification card, license and marriage contract that she carried with her.
But as she entered the shop, she saw what appeared to be an immigration raid.
Panicked, she immediately left the place. She locked herself in her room during the following two days that she was off from work.
That had never happened to her before, she said. She called her children in the Philippines.
“I told them, just in case something happens, they should be ready. I don’t know. No one knows … That’s when people start
u PAGE 2
DFA clarifies: 24 Filipinos deported not because of Trump’s actions
by John eric Mendoza Inquirer.net
MANILA — U.S. President Donald Trump did not cause the deportation of 24 Filipinos from the United States, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday, March 10.
In fact, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said they were charged under Trump’s predecessor Joseph Biden.
“Hindi po si President Trump ang nagpa-deport sa kanila. Hinuli sila, kinasuhan sila, panahon pa ni Biden,” De Vega said in a radio dwPM interview of the 24 deportees.
(President Donald Trump did
not deport them. They were caught and charged under Biden’s time.)
“Nagkataon lang na presidente na si Trump nang sila ay ma-deport,” he added. (It just so happened that they were deported under the Trump presidency.)
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said these Filipinos were deported due to their involvement in criminal activities.
De Vega also downplayed this, noting that this number is very small compared to around 2 million Filipinos in the United States.
by Frances Mangosing Inquirer.net
MANILA — Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th president of the Philippines, rose to power in 2016 on a promise to eradicate crimes, particularly illegal drugs. A former Davao City mayor known as “The Punisher,” Duterte won with over 16 million votes. His campaign promise was to kill criminals. His presidency was defined by a bloody drug war that led to thousands of deaths and drew international scrutiny. Government data recorded at least 6,200 drug-related deaths, but human rights groups estimate the toll could be as high as 20,000.
Lawyer and Akbayan party-list nominee Chel Diokno cited an official report listing 20,322 drug-related deaths as “accomplishments,” with 3,967 in police operations and 16,355 in vigilante-style killings.
With this, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2018 launched an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity under Duterte’s leadership, covering his tenure as Davao mayor from 2011 to 2016 and Philippine president from 2016 to 2019. Duterte responded by withdrawing the Philippines
Sara says she could be next after Duterte’s arrest
by neil Jayson servallos Philstar.com
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte believes she could be the next person the International Criminal Court (ICC) will arrest after her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was taken into custody for crimes against humanity over the war on drugs.
“My mother warned me, told me to be careful because I might be the next target of the ICC,” Duterte told reporters at Villamor Air Base on Tuesday night, March 11.
Last year, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV bared that the vice president has been included in the ICC’s investigation into the drug war because she allegedly green-lit tokhang operations when she was Davao City mayor from 2016 to 2022, as reportedly stated by witnesses who have come forward before the tribunal to testify against her.
The ICC’s investigation covers the killings committed during the drug war from July 1, 2016 to March 16, 2019 –when former President Duterte yanked the country from the Rome Statute.
It also covers the Davao death squad killings between Nov. 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016.
The former president was Davao City vice mayor from 2010 to 2013, during which time his daughter was mayor. It has been over a year since Trillanes’ statement, but the ICC has yet to confirm whether it would be including the vice president’s last stint as mayor in the investigation.
Run for president
The former president has asked the vice president to run for president in the 2028 elections in case something happens to him.
“If I disappear in the political scene, either I was removed or I died or for whatever reason, I told her, ‘I will ask the Philippines to help you when the time comes. Run for the presidency,’” Duterte said in an interview with GMA’s “24 Oras” a day before his arrest on Tuesday. According to Duterte, he even encouraged the vice president to emulate his style.
“If you become the president, follow my style and you will be
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez Inquirer.net file photo
US immigration raids keep Pinoys ...
PAGE 1 getting arrested,” she recalled.
Potential major disruption Filipinos working in the United States, especially those who are undocumented, are gripped by fear and anxiety amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
The stricter policies, an immigration lawyer warned, could even disrupt health-care delivery, which has a large immigrant labor force.
According to an October 2024 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, immigrants comprise 16 percent of the total U.S. workforce.
They make up 31 percent of home care workers, 22 percent of residential care aides, and 22 percent of nursing assistants in nursing homes, according to the document prepared by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Based on data from the Department of Migrant Workers, nearly half—47.55 percent, or 921—of overseas Filipino workers deployed to the United States last year were health-care professionals.
Staffing shortages
Mark del Rosario, a Filipino in-house immigration lawyer for a U.S. health-care staffing agency, said employers recognize the shortage of health-care professionals with a significant number of workers retiring or leaving the workforce daily due to aging.
Hospitals are already struggling with staffing shortages, he said, noting that these employers will feel the impact even more with tighter immigration policies, as they will have a harder time bringing in foreign nurses.
“For example, nurses in particular are not eligible for an H-1B (visa), so they must apply for a green card. And since the process takes longer for both petitioners and applicants, many lose their legal status or have to leave the country,” Del Rosario explained to the Inquirer.
This leads to “a disruption in
a specialty occupation—a qualification most registered nurse positions do not meet.
As a result, bringing foreign nurses to the United States has already been “significantly delayed,” Del Rosario said.
Students in training
Another challenge, he pointed out, is the situation of those already in the United States on valid visas, such as F-1 student visa holders working under Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Many had hoped to apply for a green card while working under OPT, but their visas had expired before they could apply for a change of status.
“So it’s a challenge on how to stay in the U.S. and how to maintain work authorization because, on the other hand, the employers are expecting you to work continuously to provide the needed health-care services,” he said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.
“About 194,500 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade,” the agency said, noting that demand for health-care services will increase due to the growing number of older people, who typically have more medical needs than younger populations.
to safety concerns. She first visited the United States in 2016 with plans to settle permanently with her children from her first marriage. But she had to frequently fly between the United States and the Philippines because her children’s births were not registered.
Her last entry in the United States was in December 2019. She tried to return home multiple times in 2020 but was unable to due to the pandemic travel restrictions.
Stranded in the United States, she met her second husband and has been working as a caregiver since then.
Her second husband is a Filipino U.S. citizen who later abandoned her.
She has since filed for divorce, which is still pending, and plans to pursue a Violence Against Women Act (Vawa) case. However, she remains uncertain about her status, especially with stricter immigration policies affecting others like her in similar situations.
Stressful to watch him
Currently employed by a Trump supporter, she laments the daily stress of watching news about the president and being asked for her opinion on political issues.
“I have told my agency that I want to stop taking care of my patient because I get scared every time they ask me something. I feel like I’m lying to them, even though we haven’t really talked about (my status). But I have no choice
Rodrigo Duterte’s path to the...
PAGE 1
from the ICC in 2019, a move widely seen as an attempt to evade accountability.
However, on March 11, 2025, Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) upon returning from Hong Kong. His arrest followed an ICC warrant related to his administration’s drug war and alleged crimes against humanity.
The following timeline outlines Duterte’s rise to power and eventual ICC arrest, based on INQUIRER.net’s archives and previous reports.
2016
May 9 – Duterte won the 2016 presidential election with more than 16 million votes.
June 30 – Duterte was inaugurated as the first Philippine president from Mindanao, vowing to eliminate crime and corruption within six months.
July 1 – Duterte launched a nationwide anti-drug campaign, later known as the Philippine war on drugs. Government data recorded over 6,200 suspects killed in drug war operations, but human rights groups estimate a much higher toll, alleging police executions and cover-ups.
October 13 – Then-ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced her office was “closely following” the Philippines as drug war deaths continued to rise.
November – Duterte suggested withdrawing from the ICC, calling it “useless,” following Russia’s exit from the tribunal.
2017
April 24 – Lawyer Jude Sabio filed a complaint against Duterte before the ICC, accusing the latter of “mass murder” in the Philippines. Sabio represented Edgar Matobato, a confessed member of the Davao Death Squad, who alleged Duterte was behind the killings in Davao City as mayor.
June 6 – Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and thenMagdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano filed a “supplemental complaint” with the ICC, supporting Sabio’s allegations
the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which is the treaty that established the ICC. However, the treaty states that the withdrawal shall only take effect “one year after the date of receipt of the notification.”
2019
March 17 – The Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC took effect, seen as Duterte’s move to avoid accountability for the drug war killings. However, the ICC retained jurisdiction over crimes committed from November 1, 2011, to March 16, 2019, when the Philippines was still a member-state.
2020
January 15 – Sabio withdrew his ICC complaint against Duterte, saying it was “not in the interest of justice” and was just “propaganda.” He claimed former senators Trillanes and Leila de Lima had influenced him to file the case.
January 18 – De Lima, still detained during this time, denied Sabio’s claim, saying she did not direct him to file the complaint. She also disclosed that she had filed her case against Duterte before the ICC in October 2017.
2021
August – Families of Duterte’s drug war victims under the Rise Up for Life and for Rights, with their counsel from the NUPL lawyers, urged the ICC to prosecute Duterte for leading the violent anti-drug campaign in the country.
September 15 – The ICC’s pretrial chamber authorized a formal investigation into crimes against humanity in Duterte’s drug war, covering events from July 1, 2016 to March 16, 2019.
November 10 – The Philippine government, through thenAmbassador to the Netherlands Eduardo Malaya, formally requested the ICC to defer its investigation, claiming that the Duterte administration was already addressing drug warrelated killings and that “the country’s justice system was working.”
November 18 – ICC Chief
requested the pre-trial chamber to resume its investigation into drug war-related deaths, including those linked to Duterte’s tenure as Davao City mayor.
June 30 – Duterte’s six-year presidency ended, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. Despite stepping down, Duterte remained a polarizing figure in Philippine politics.
2023
January 26 – The ICC pretrial chamber reopened its investigation into drug war killings, stating it was not convinced that the Philippines was conducting sufficient investigations to justify halting the probe.
November 24 – Marcos said his administration was studying the possible return of the Philippines as a member-state of the ICC.
2024
January 31 – Retired police officer Arturo Lascañas, a self-confessed member of the Davao Death Squad, revealed that he had testified before ICC investigators. Lascañas accused former President Rodrigo Duterte of masterminding the DDS and named several individuals involved in the previous administration’s bloody anti-drug campaign.
November 14 – Marcos insisted that the Philippines would not cooperate with the ICC’s investigation into the Duterte administration’s drug war.
2025 March 7 – Duterte traveled to Hong Kong and led the PDPLaban senatorial campaign sortie among overseas Filipino workers. During the sortie, he asserted that everything he did during his term as president was for the Filipino people, amid a looming ICC arrest warrant.
March 9 – The Marcos administration said it was “prepared for any eventuality” if the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Duterte, according to PCO Secretary Jay Ruiz.
March 11 – Upon returning from Hong Kong, Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on an
RISING ANXIETY A protest held in Chicago on Jan. 20 conveys the sentiments of the Filipino community about the second Trump administration’s drastic immigration policy shift that threatens to upend countless lives, in this photo provided by the militant group Migrante USA.
Trump health care proposal billed as consumer protection but adds enrollment hoops
by Julie appleby KFF Health Newa
THE Trump administration issued its first major set of proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act on Monday that federal officials said are intended to crack down on fraud in the program. Policy experts said they will make it harder for consumers to sign up for coverage, potentially reducing enrollment.
Details were released Monday after a draft press release was inadvertently posted earlier.
About 24 million Americans signed up for insurance plans sold under the ACA, known popularly as Obamacare, for 2025. The Biden administration achieved record enrollment levels after increasing premium subsidies for many lowerincome people, which resulted in reducing the monthly cost of some plans to $0. It also made it easier for some very low-income people to sign up at any time of year, instead of waiting for an enrollment period each fall. But the program became plagued by fraudulent enrollment last year, generating about 274,000 consumer complaints through August, most focused on rogue insurance agents and other bad actors, to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The Trump administration said in a statement Monday that the new regulations include “critical and necessary steps to protect people from being enrolled in Marketplace coverage without their knowledge or consent, promote stable and affordable health insurance markets, and ensure taxpayer dollars fund financial assistance only for the people the ACA set out to support.”
Policy experts said the changes, though, will impose new paperwork burdens likely to hamper enrollment.
“Under this banner of trying to crack down on the bad actions of some insurance brokers, they are penalizing consumers, particularly lowincome consumers, with more burdensome requirements and
more limits on their access to coverage,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and the co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.
Among other new requirements, consumers would have to provide more information proving their eligibility for special enrollment periods and for premium subsidies when they enroll. The regulation would also shorten the annual enrollment period by a month. And it touches on social issues, limiting eligibility for “Dreamers” — a nickname for immigrants in the country illegally who were brought here as children, based on neverpassed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act.
The proposal would eliminate the year-round opportunity for a special enrollment period for people with very low incomes.
But it would also set new requirements for the remaining special enrollment periods, which allow people to sign up after major life events, such as when their income changes, they lose their job-based coverage, or they get divorced, marry, or move. They would now have to provide evidence of their eligibility when applying under those special situations.
People auto-reenrolled into zero-premium plans during the regular enrollment period would be charged a small monthly payment until they confirm or update their information.
The ACA marketplaces, according to the proposal, would have to seek additional data from consumers, including the self-employed or gig workers, who estimate their income for the coming year but don’t have tax return data filed with the IRS for previous years.
The Biden administration made changes to reduce fraudulent enrollment last year including requiring threeway calls among insurance brokers, their clients, and the federal insurance marketplace, healthcare.gov, when certain sign-ups or coverage changes were made.
Some of the Trump administration’s proposed changes could help warn certain consumers that they’ve been unknowingly enrolled in an ACA plan, such as a requirement that some customers on even the least expensive plans receive a small, monthly premium bill.
However, the additional paperwork and other eligibility requirements “will probably have a downward effect on enrollment,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president and the director of the Program on the ACA at KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. “Some of that could be protecting enrollees who were fraudulently signed up or don’t realize they’re still signed up.”
Still, it could prove difficult for some people if they’re not able to document an expected change in income. “They might have a legitimate claim but have a hard time demonstrating it,” Cox said.
The annual open enrollment period would end Dec. 15, a month earlier than this year. The designated period is when most people sign up and is intended to prevent people from waiting until they get sick to enroll, a move that helps slow premium growth.
The Trump proposal also touches on social issues.
It would reverse the Biden administration policy that allows Dreamers to qualify for subsidized ACA coverage. That decision is already the subject of a court challenge brought by 19 states seeking to overturn it.
Also under the Trump proposal, gender-affirming care would not be considered part of the “essential health benefits” that all plans must cover.
According to an FAQ that accompanied the initial press release of the proposed regulations, the provision could “lead to increased outof-pocket costs for individuals requiring sex-trait modification services, as they may need to seek plans that offer this coverage as a non-EHB or pay
Duterte speaks out after arrest...
remarks were his first since being put on a plane to The Hague.
The ICC has not announced a date for Duterte’s first appearance before the court.
As reported in the Asian Journal , Duterte, 79, was arrested on Tuesday, March 11 for “crimes against humanity” regarding the former president’s role in the extrajudicial anti-drug killings.
The video, which has been viewed more than 10 million times, appeared to have been recorded while he was en route to The Hague; Duterte arrived at the Netherlands on Wednesday, March 12.
“This will be a long legal proceeding, but I say to you, I will continue to serve my country. And so be it, if that is my destiny,” Duterte added in the video. “I am okay, do not worry.”
Though Duterte appeared calm in the video, new details of his arrest in Manila show that he initially reacted defiantly to the detention procedures, according to Philippine Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre.
Before Duterte boarded the government-chartered plane to The Hague, there was a 12-hour standoff at the air base where Duterte “resisted”
PAGE 1
OK. (You) should not be afraid to be jailed,” Duterte told the vice president.
Duterte added that as a lawyer, he will face the accusations against him.
“I offer no apology. I did what I had to do as I needed to do my
fingerprinting and yelled at officers, “You have to kill me to bring me to The Hague.”
“One of my officers sustained a head injury after being hit hard with a cellphone,” Torre told reporters on Thursday, March 13, adding that Duterte’s daughter — Veronica “Kitty” Duterte — hurled “expletives, but I kept my cool.”
Duterte’s other daughter — Sara Duterte, the vice president of the Philippines — arrived in the Netherlands on Wednesday, according to her office.
Over the last few days, the
job,” Duterte said. “(If) they can prove it (crimes against humanity), then I’ll go to prison. If I die tomorrow or tonight, I will not wake up.
The Filipino people should remember that I loved them and I offered my dedication during my time. Thank you,” he added.
Philippine government, led by President Bongbong Marcos, confirmed that “Interpol asked us to [arrest Duterte] and we have commitments.”
“We followed every single necessary procedure…We followed the legal procedure that was necessary,” Marcos said at a press conference on Tuesday evening.
“This is what the international community expects of us as the leader of a democratic country that is part of the community of nations,” Marcos said, affirming that Duterte’s arrest did not violate the Philippines’ sovereignty. n
Sara says she could be next...
Meanwhile, he maintained that there is no reason for him to reconcile with Marcos as there was no disagreement between them.
“When our paths cross, we can have a chat. That’s life,” he said. (With reports with Bella Cariaso)
DFA clarifies: 24 Filipinos deported not...
“Sabihin natin 24 deported. Ilang milyong Pilipino ang nasa U.S.? Two million. Ilan ang illegal? Maaaring 300,000. Ano yun? Napakakaunti,” he said.
(Let’s say 24 were deported. How many Filipinos are in the U.S.? Two million. How many illegals? Maybe 300,000. What about that? It’s very few.)
“Naiintindihan namin kung nababahala ang mga Pilipino diyan, pero sa magandang paraan. Wag sila masyadong magpapansin sa dyaryo. Alam ko ang Philippine Daily Inquirer, it’s in English, eh di
During Trump’s first term, De Vega previously said that the United States deported “only a few hundred or less” undocumented Filipinos each month, which was fewer than during the Obama administration.
pwedeng basahin ‘yan ng U.S. Hinihingi mo eh, hindi na nga ikaw hinuhuli eh,” De Vega continued.
(We understand if Filipinos are alarmed, but express it in a good way. They should not use newspapers to gain attention. From what I know, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, it’s in English, so the U.S. could read that. It’s as if you ask for it, you were not getting targeted anyway.) n
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, accompanied by former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, waits in a chartered jet for the flight to The Hague on Tuesday, March 11. Contributed photo
Filipino caregivers rally against home care agency for unpaid wages
THE California Labor Commissioner’s Office has ordered a Torrance-based caregiving agency to pay $2.2 million in unpaid wages to dozens of Filipino home care workers in the South Bay Area of Los Angeles County, according to a Feb. 20 citation.
To celebrate this longawaited victory for the dozens of affected workers, the Filipino Migrant Center and other allied workers’ advocacy groups organized a rally on Feb. 24 outside the headquarters of Amity In-Home Care Services.
“We’re here to uplift the efforts of the caregivers [who worked for Amity In-Home Care Services], whose brave fight against wage theft and labor exploitation has culminated in a monumental investigation and outcome in this case,” said Romeo Hebron, executive director of the Filipino Migrant Center.
According to the Feb. 20 citation, Amity misclassified its agency’s caregivers “as independent contractors.” California Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower said, “Misclassifying workers is not a simple paperwork error. It is a deliberate violation of the law that denies employees earned wages, protections and benefits they are legally owed and entitled to.”
Additionally, Amity had also violated several labor laws, including refusing to: pay for overtime, provide workers’ compensation insurance and give the proper wage statements to the workers.
The total citation, including interest and other penalties, amount ran up to $2,327,2577, with about $2.2 million that will be paid to the misclassified caregivers.
The citation followed a years-long investigation into dozens of complaints from at least 50 workers who began filing formal complaints against Amity in 2019.
According to its website, Amity In-Home Care Services serves as “a non-medical service home care agency” that provides “assistance and custodial care” to patients.
(Amity has not responded to requests for comment on this story.)
Amity CEO Linda Reyes, who is also Filipino, was at the center of many of their workers’ complaints.
Precy Tanuyan, a former Amity employee who worked with the agency for three years, shared that she was supposed to be paid twice a month, but either she would not receive her check or the check would bounce.
Tanuyan said, “I would have to call Nancy and tell her I have to pay for my house and other bills, but she would make up excuses and make me run around to get my check. While workers like me were suffering, Nancy had multiple other businesses and appeared to be living a life of luxury.”
In 2023, Bet Tzedek Legal Services got involved in the case which led to a state inspection of Amity’s headquarters. The state then issued a stop order,
because of the company’s refusal to provide workers’ compensation insurance, the Labor Commissioner’s Office said in a statement.
Among those affected include Alma Bernal, a Filipina caregiver who worked for Amity between 2019 and 2022. Bernal shared her story at the Feb. 24 rally, stating that Amity would not pay her on time, which caused her “anxiety from worrying” to the point where she needed “medication due to [her] high blood pressure.”
Once she got in touch with the Filipino Migrant Center, she learned about workers’ rights and much of Amity’s treatment of its workers was not only abnormal but illegal.
The state’s investigation into Amity found that employees frequently worked more than 12-hour work shifts— sometimes 24-hour shifts— without a break or overtime pay. Bernal also shared that her paychecks would regularly bounce “due to insufficient funds,” a common occurrence among Amity’s employees.
This citation, seen as a win for workers’ rights, is somewhat of a rarity in California, a state that had a 47,000-case pileup in 2024 (according to an audit of the Labor Commissioner’s Office). Labor disputes such as this often take even longer, if they are ever investigated.
Filipino Migrant Center stated that in-home caregiving positions—which are often filled by undocumented immigrants and non-English speakers—are especially at risk for exploitation.
As previously reported in the Asian Journal, many of these workers are often isolated and dependent on their employers who deprive them of their rights and wages.
“The citation against Amity and Nancy is a victory for the workers and community to hold Nancy and Amity accountable and for justice to be brought to the workers,” Bernal said at the rally. “We want the suffering and exploitation of the workers to end. To all the workers like me who were victimized by Nancy Reyes of Amity and other agencies, don’t be afraid to stand up and fight back!”
(Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
Filipino boxing prospect Martin takes act to Vegas, eyes world title eliminator
MANILA — Rising Filipino star Carl Jammes Martin will strut his stuff in the world’s boxing Mecca — Las Vegas — against Colombia’s Jose Sanmartin at the Mandalay Bay on March 22.
After beating his first two opponents in Mexico last year, Martin will be fighting in a 10-round, non-title super bantamweight bout, and a win should boost his chances to land a world title eliminator.
“I am so thrilled to be fighting in Las Vegas, Nevada. When I was a little boy, I grew up watching some of the greatest fighters in boxing history all showcasing their talents in Las Vegas. I watched many Manny
Pacquiao fights out there, and now I’m fighting in Las Vegas,” said the 25-year-old fighter from Lagawe, Ifugao.
“This is a dream come true,” he added.
Martin (25-0, with 20 knockouts) stopped Anthony Jimenez Salas via second round technical knockout in September 2024, then did the same to Ruben Tostado Garcia in the fifth round in December the same year — both in Mexico.
International matchmaker Sean Gibbons, also the president of Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, expressed his all-out support to Martin’s campaign, hoping to arrange a
world title shot for the Filipino by the end of the year.
“This is a very exciting time in Carl’s career. To have his first fight here in the United States to be in Las Vegas, where Carl’s idol Manny Pacquiao has fought so many times, is a dream come true. Carl is looking to impress everyone next week on
KOs. (Philstar. com)
for services out-of-pocket.”
As a proposed rule, the measures now face a public comment period and potential revision before being finalized.
“None of it will go into effect right away,” said Katie Keith, director of the Center for Health Policy and the Law at Georgetown University. “The question is how much will apply in 2025 versus 2026.”
The FAQ acknowledged that some of the proposed changes, including ending year-round enrollment for very low-income people, “may increase the administrative burden for consumers associated with enrollment and verification processes or could deter some eligible low-income individuals
from enrolling.”
But, it continued, “we believe that enhancing program integrity and reducing improper enrollments outweighs these potential impacts on access to coverage.”
Some lawmakers and conservative groups have pointed to the concerns about unauthorized enrollment and the role, if any, that ACA subsidies or enrollment periods have in fueling the problem.
The right-leaning Paragon Health Institute, for example, released a report in June that, among other things, called for the Biden administration’s expansion of the special enrollment period for lowincome people to be reversed.
“There is substantial amounts of fraud and waste in the ACA exchanges and the Biden administration pursued the enrollment-at-all costs strategy, and was tolerant of the waste, fraud and abuse,” said Brian Blase, a former health aide during Trump’s first presidency who is president of the Paragon Health Institute and influential within the current Trump administration. “Clearly a different approach to protect legitimate enrollees and taxpayers is needed.” KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Scam alert: Consumers warned...
PAGE 1 represent tolling agencies.
FasTrak is the electronic toll collection system used on tolled bridges, lanes, and roads in California. It allows drivers to pay tolls electronically without having to stop at toll booths. FasTrak does not request payment by text with a link to a website. The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), operator of The Toll Roads in Orange County, advises account holders to verify a valid text notification by logging into their account at thetollroads.com or through The Toll Roads app. For all other toll agencies, please use official webpages only — you can find a list of California toll webpages below:
Parking charge scams These messages aim to scare consumers into thinking something they’ve dreaded has happened: that they’ve earned a parking ticket and have forgotten to pay it. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), an agency that scammers have imitated, does not request payment by text with a link to a website. For more information on paying a SFMTA parking citation, please visit SFMTA.com/PayCitation.
If you live or visit another city, please use the official website of that city or transportation agency. Package
scams These text messages often state that there’s an issue with your delivery and include a link to “resolve” the problem. Package
scams are more common over the
giving season but can occur at any time. Delivery companies do not ask for payment to release a package or correct a delivery error — any such request is a scam. Consider signing up for alerts from trusted carriers like UPS, FedEx, or USPS. These alerts will notify you of package updates directly from the source. (Inquirer.net)
International matchmaker Sean Gibbons (left) with Carl Jammes Martin.
Contributed photo
his way to his ultimate goal winning the world title in 2025,” Gibbons said.
But Martin faces a tough test in Sanmartin, a former world title challenger from Barranquilla, Colombia, who totes a record of 35-9-1, including 21
Community supporters and advocacy groups rallied in late February against a Torrance-based caregiving agency that has been ordered to pay $2.2 million in unpaid wages to dozens of Filipino home care workers. Photos courtesy of Rozlind Silva / Kabataan Alliance
Dateline PhiliPPines
Manila to Beijing: PH a ‘sovereign state’
by Jane Bautista Inquirer.net
MANILA
— The Philippines pushed back against China on Monday, March 10 after its top diplomat dismissed last week the tension between the two countries as a “shadow play,” with a “screenplay” for Manila written by external forces.
In a statement on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said, “China should recognize that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and the interests and well-being of the Filipino people.”
The DFA also disputed “the recent remarks of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterizing the developments and incidents in the South China Sea as mere theater staged under the direction of other countries.”
“No creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue, which is China’s refusal to abide by international law, particularly the 1982 Unclos and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the department said, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Hague arbitral court’s ruling in 2016 affirming the Philippines’ sovereign claim over its adjacent waters.
“We call on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region,” the DFA said, as it also noted the “adverse effects” of Beijing’s actions on Filipino fishermen and other communities confronted by Chinese harassment at sea.
‘Shadow play, chess pieces’
In a press conference on March 7, Wang resorted to various metaphors in articulating China’s view on its maritime tensions with the Philippines.
“For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is livestreamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China. People are not interested in watching the same performance again and again,” Wang said.
He also quoted “an official from a regional country” as saying
that tensions between Beijing and Manila were “like a shadow play”—which Wang said was a “vivid analogy.”
“Infringement and provocation will backfire and those acting as others’ chess pieces are bound to be discarded,” he said.
“The Philippine side should stop misleading the international community, using the South China Sea issue to instigate disputes, and counting on external forces to undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea region,” he added.
The Philippines has embarked on what it calls a transparency initiative to shed light on Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea, particularly the waters close to Manila which it calls the West Philippine Sea.
This initiative includes embedding journalists on maritime patrols and resupply missions. Manila’s approach has resonated with its allies, especially Washington.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said earlier that “The greatest external threat actually is Chinese aggression, Chinese expansionism and the attempt by China to change the international law through the use of force or acquiescence [and] reshape the world order to one that it controls.”
Manila and its allies will take the necessary measures if Beijing attempts to restrict freedom of flights in the South China Sea or impose an air defense zone,
Teodoro also said.
‘Squid tactics’
Senate President Pro Tempore
Jinggoy Estrada also issued a statement in response to Wang’s remarks, which he called “another blatant attempt to undermine our country’s legitimate concerns and distract the public from their persistent illegal incursions and provocations.”
Estrada also called on the international community to denounce what he described as Wang’s “baseless assertions” and support the Philippines in defending regional peace, stability and the rule of law.
“Our sovereignty is not a performance, and our resolve is not an act,” the senator said in a statement. “No amount of squid tactics can conceal the fact that China has been, and continues to be, engaged in a pattern of illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive behavior at sea— and most recently, even in the airspace of the Philippines.”
Estrada was referring to a Chinese military helicopter that came as close as 3 meters to an aircraft of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources conducting a patrol last month on Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.
“We cannot turn a blind eye [to] China’s escalating coercive tactics against our maritime scientists and personnel as well as their illegal presence in our territorial waters,” Estrada said. (With reports from Reuters, AP and Tina G. Santos/Inquirer.net)
SWS survey boosts support for Marcos admin’s Senate bets – lawmaker
by Jown Manalo Inquirer.net
MANILA — The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on Filipinos’ senatorial candidate preference regarding the West Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute strengthens public support for the Marcos administration’s Senate slate, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. said Sunday, March 9.
The SWS survey, conducted from February 15 to 19, found that 78 percent of Filipinos prefer candidates who assert the country’s rights in the WPS amid China’s aggressive actions.
The survey also found that preference for candidates who support the Philippines’ claims in the WPS was highest in Metro Manila at 87 percent and lowest in Mindanao at 67 percent.
Gonzales said the survey results indicate a strong backing for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s senatorial ticket, increasing their chances of victory over “Team China” and “those associated with former President Rodrigo Duterte.”
“The survey proves that the people strongly support the candidates of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. They are the ones who make up Team Pilipinas,” he said in Filipino.
He added that the poll results also reinforced the advantage of administration candidates over those linked to Duterte, whom he associated with proChina policies.
Gonzales also recalled that Marcos clearly distinguished his candidates from those of the opposition during the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas campaign launch in Ilocos Norte on February 11.
During the event, Marcos emphasized that none of his endorsed senatorial candidates are pro-China or support Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), which he has outlawed.
“None of them applaud China or feel pleased when we are being water cannoned, our Coast Guard rammed, our fishermen blocked, their catch stolen, and our islands seized as part of their territory,” he said in Filipino.
“None of them act like the acolyte of a false prophet who is now suffering the consequences of his abuse of our youth and women. None of them defend crime hubs and centers of exploitation of women—like the POGOs,” he added.
Gonzales also cited previous
A brief scene during Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ rally in Laoag City in February 2025.
Photo by Marianne Bermudez/ INQUIRER file photo
surveys showing that nine in 10 Filipinos do not trust China, reinforcing public rejection of candidates perceived to be aligned with Beijing.
“If our people do not trust the Chinese, they will not trust China’s defenders,” he added.
The SWS survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, polled 1,800 registered voters nationwide, including 300 from Metro Manila, 900 from Balance Luzon (Luzon outside Metro Manila), 300 from the Visayas, and 300 from Mindanao. n
Duterte faces justice
FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte may finally be made to face the International Criminal Court for the thousands of people who were killed in his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs.
His arrest at the NAIA was based on a warrant or diffusion request issued by the ICC to the International Criminal Police Organization. The Interpol relayed this to the Philippine government, which implemented the arrest, citing the country’s commitments as a member of the Interpol.
The arrest was quickly challenged on Tuesday, March 11 before the Supreme Court. Whether the challenge can bring Duterte back to the country, however, is uncertain.
The message in his unprecedented arrest by virtue of a warrant issued by a foreign tribunal is that there’s a price to pay for disregarding due process and the rule of law in fighting criminality.
Duterte’s camp is criticizing the government for allowing a foreign court to try a Filipino, despite the existence of a local law governing crimes against humanity, and especially after the country’s withdrawal from ICC membership. His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, slammed his arrest as a “blatant affront to our sovereignty.”
The arrest must be complemented by genuine and sustained efforts to eliminate the factors that
allowed Duterte and his aides to carry out one of the world’s bloodiest government campaigns against the drug menace. Duterte has been unapologetic about his brutal crackdown, vowing to do it again if given the chance. He had previously cited laws that allowed even notorious drug dealers to be cleared or to flee after being granted bail. He cited the glacial pace of justice – also a reason why his anti-crime campaign enjoyed a measure of public support. He pointed to corruption in the Philippine National Police, with rotten members among the biggest coddlers of drug dealers, or who are engaged themselves in trafficking. A police officer, Col. Jovie Espenido, described the PNP as the “largest organized crime group in the country,” although he later apologized for it.
The PNP, even under Marcos 2.0, has not moved a muscle to find one of its own, dismissed superintendent Rafael Dumlao of the Drug Enforcement Group. Dumlao remains free even after his conviction as the mastermind of the ransom kidnapping – in the guise of a drug bust – and gruesome execution of South Korean businessman
does not
the
BaBe Romualdez
UNDOUBTEDLY, the Trump administration 2.0 is giving pause to many diplomatic posts in Washington, D.C. as they anticipate the changes that may come as President Trump ushers in “the dawn of the Golden Age of America.”
In his speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, President Trump was unequivocal: “America is back,” he declared, recollecting that from the moment he stood beneath the dome of the Capitol, “it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era” in the history of the United States.
Predictably, the first few weeks of the new Trump administration has shown so many changes almost immediately as the president signed “nearly 100 Executive Orders and taken more than 400 Executive Actions…”
THERE are no secrets (not for very long, anyway) in the Philippines. So much so that speculation was rife that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s trip to Hong Kong was a prelude to seeking asylum in China to avoid being apprehended by Philippine authorities upon the request of International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). A curious plan, if that was the case, considering China has made numerous use of Interpol’s red notices to enable the arrest of Chinese citizens in other jurisdictions. Not to mention that in November 2024, during the 92nd General Assembly of Interpol held in Glasgow, among those elected to a three-year term was the Delegate for Asia, Yong Wang of China. As part of its projection as a country devoted to the international rules-based order in contrast to America, it wouldn’t have done for China to foil an
to “restore common sense, safety, optimism and wealth” all across the United States which, the president said, is what he was elected to do. “The American Dream is unstoppable, and our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed, and perhaps will never witness again,” he told the members of Congress, urging Democrats to work with him to truly make America great again. “Every day my administration is fighting to deliver the change America needs to bring a future America deserves and we’re doing it. This is a time for big dreams and bold action.”
Even before his over 90-minute speech – said to be the longest joint address to Congress in recent history – a lot of changes were already underway, especially in the field of foreign policy. There is no question the biggest one is in the European theater, in particular the conflict in Ukraine.
During the recent Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP)
New diplomacy in Washington
“Prospects of the Philippines” conference, one of the most asked questions was the meeting at the Oval Office between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky that resulted in a heated exchange. In the interviews made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he made it very clear that President Trump is “trying to bring an end to this conflict” and the plan is to “get the Russians to a negotiating table” and explore whether peace is possible.
If signed, the minerals deal, Secretary Rubio explained, was supposed to be “an agreement that binds America economically to Ukraine,” which was going to be a “security guarantee in its own way” because America would be involved, and it would be in its own interest to protect Ukraine.
As I told the FOCAP members as well as local media who were present, one has to read between the lines and understand President Trump’s mantra of “America First” to
see what he believes in. The bottom line, I think, is that he does not want the United States to be a country that will continue to finance conflicts that are happening all over the world – a style he has practiced as “the art of deal-making” in forcing Ukraine and Russia to come to the negotiating table.
The obvious lesson to be learned is that each country has to be ready to beef up its own defense and boost its economic security in the long run. That’s exactly what we have been trying to do even during the time of president Duterte – telling our friends in Washington that we want to be economically prosperous to achieve economic security so that we will have our own wherewithal and resources to modernize our armed forces – and be a real partner not only of the United States with our mutual defense treaty, but other like-minded countries as well.
There is no question that every country has its own role to play in the global arena – a give-and-take, quid pro quo kind of diplomacy where
The last hurrah
Interpol warrant. In the end, Duterte decided not to flee or publicly seek asylum. It would have dissolved his political persona. Returning home and defiance behind bars allows what remains of his political infrastructure to be deployed, and more to the point, a chance to try to sway the public.
In the battle for public opinion, two contending characterizations of public opinion are at play. The first believes that Filipinos are always for the underdog. The second believes that Filipinos worship power, and, by extension, despise the defeated. Corollary to this is that we consider rooting for the underdog as actually a sly cheering on of those who show that the powerful are really powerless. More to the point: can someone contemptuous of the weak become a suitable martyr once he faces his comeuppance? That’s what is at play in the coming days. Now it’s a question of extradition ahead of mobilization. The handicap of the Duterte network is that its core identity is antipeople power, and so, anti-
mobilization. The job of the faithful, after all, is to cheer as the strongman strong-arms the weak, while those who can summon mass turnout, whether Apollo Quiboloy or the Iglesia ni Cristo, have themselves been neutralized. Even the Great Eagle Father’s lieutenants are now forced to contemplate that they themselves are liable for future arrest.
One observer tweeted: “The next chess move is for the daughter (the older one) to speak out and test her might.”
But to this one might respond, you can only test your clout once and if you fail, what will that mean for your own trial? So it was the vice president who basked in the adulation of the crowds in Hong Kong but neither accompanied her father home nor made any statement once he was arrested.
And so, the Great Eagle Father came home, possibly for the last time. He was arrested with a degree of dignity, not to mention surgical precision and efficiency, I’d previously thought impossible to achieve in our shambolic republic. Anticipating his arrival, there was an
undercurrent of expectation (or was it fear?) that Duterte’s return would transform him into the underdog and unleash protests. I was puzzled by this since his power and influence have always been based on the charisma of intimidation; of challenging his foes to go after him, knowing they won’t dare. Which only works so long as your opponents are held at bay. To be sure, his apprehension might provoke public opinion, but would it galvanize protest?
After all, his rise to national power was accompanied by his being framed as an anti-protest, anti-people power leader. You cannot summon what you took pride in abolishing, or at least, repudiating.
But the original fracture in the Great Eagle Father’s coalition involved two women: his partner, referred to as his “common-law wife,” and his anointed political heir Sen. Bong Go on one side, and his daughter and sons on the other. It was noteworthy that his last moments of freedom were spent in the company of his second family. Victory, as Count Galeazzo Ciano once wrote, has a hundred fathers. But defeat is an orphan.
Readers by now will be familiar
everybody does their part and are not reliant or dependent on one country.
As I have always emphasized to legislators and officials in Washington, we are not there to ask for money – what we are asking for are opportunities to partner with investments so we can carry our own weight in defense partnerships – instead of us just asking and receiving.
In other words, diplomacy can also be approached as a business partnership where the conditions are mutually beneficial and satisfactory to both partners – which is perhaps the best way to navigate the foreign policy direction in Washington today with the business orientation of the Trump administration.
A lot of people I know are starting to think that perhaps this could also be applied to other countries as well. In the Philippines, we have never really had a businessman as president but recently, people have been talking about it and wondering whether a businessman or a CEO would be better as the next president, who could have the technical
and administrative skills to run the country.
Realistically speaking, the Philippines plays a role in global security because of our geographic location – which is why we have to be strong enough both economically and militarily for us to be able to play a major role in the region.
A good indication of where President Trump has set his sights on is when he said, “We are going to conquer the vast frontiers of science, and we are going to lead humanity into space and plant the American flag on the planet Mars, and even far beyond.” Who knows what it would be like 50 years from now –diplomacy could be conducted in space. Planets will have their own diplomats and armed forces – and that would, indeed, be literally out of this world. (Philstar.com)
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * *
Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
with the tale I’ve chronicled of how circumstances have combined against the Great Eagle Father. One shouldn’t underestimate the resentment of the political and business classes over past, present, (and the threat of future) disruptions and past slights at the hands of Duterte, and the shambolic frittering away of the political advantage by his eldest daughter; not to mention the chronic inability of a fan base to palpably organize whenever
there’s been a showdown, and of course the arrest, on his home (and Duterte’s) turf of Quiboloy and the shrugging off of the Iglesia ni Cristo rallies. (Inquirer.net)
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * *
Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3
ManilaTimes.net photo
Former President Rodrigo Duterte
Malacañang file photo
Babe’s Eye View
Jee Ick-joo in his own car inside Camp Crame. Dumlao’s wife is herself a law enforcement officer in the active service. Such systemic weaknesses must be addressed decisively if
nation
want a repeat of Duterte’s war on drugs. (Philstar.com)
Manuel l. Quezon III
The Long View
Rodrigo Duterte arrives in The Hague
by dianne saMpang Inquirer.net
MANILA — A day after his arrest, former President Rodrigo Duterte arrived on a chartered plane in The Hague in the Netherlands on Wednesday evening, March 12.
The chartered plane, a Gulfstream 6550 jet with tail no. RPC2519, landed at the Rotterdam
The Hague Airport at around 11:55 p.m. after making a refueling stop in Dubai. It left Villamor Air Base in Pasay City around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11.
Based on online flight tracker
FlightRadar24, Duterte’s flight was monitored by over 30,000 trackers as of 11:56 p.m., making it the number one most tracked flight worldwide.
The former president is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly committing crimes against humanity during the drug war orchestrated during his administration.
The ICC, based in The Hague, investigates individuals charged with the most concerning crimes in the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.
Upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon served him with a notification of an arrest warrant from the ICC.
Government data shows that the drug war claimed more than 6,000 lives, but human rights watchdogs estimate the death toll to be over 20,000.
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, shortly after the ICC launched an investigation into alleged human rights violations during the drug war.
However, the government recently said that it is obliged to cooperate with the International Criminal Police Organization once the ICC issues an arrest warrant on Duterte.
The ICC, based in The Hague, said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Duterte committed the crime against humanity of murder as an “indirect co-perpetrator” during the antidrug campaign that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands.
First Asian ex-head of state to face ICC charges
The 79-year-old is the first Asian former head of state to
face charges at the ICC, which rules on the world’s worst crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
Once in ICC custody, Duterte will be taken to a detention center before an initial appearance likely to be scheduled in the coming days.
The center, located close to the North Sea coast, offers each prisoner an individual cell equipped with a computer to work on their case, and an outdoor exercise area.
Speaking to Agence FrancePresse outside the ICC, Gilbert Andres, a lawyer representing drug war victims, said: “My clients are very thankful to God because their prayers have been answered.”
“The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is a great signal for international criminal justice. It means that no one is above the law… There will be a day of justice for everyone… even powerful men such as Rodrigo Duterte,” Andres added.
Duterte supporters at detention center
But others came out to support the former leader.
Dozens of pro-Duterte protesters gathered in front of the detention center, unfurling a banner reading: “We are with Duterte” and waving flags.
“There has been no due process,” said caregiver Duds Quibin, 50. “This is kidnapping. They just put him on a plane and brought him here.”
‘Oppression and persecution’
Earlier Wednesday, lawyers filed a petition to the Supreme Court in the Philippines accusing the government of “kidnapping” Duterte and demanding it “bring him back.”
“The ICC can only exercise its jurisdiction if a country’s national legal system is not functioning,” lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., son of Duterte’s former chief legal counsel, told reporters outside the court, insisting the Philippines’ judicial system was “working properly.”
Before her father’s departure, Vice President Sara Duterte said he was being “forcibly taken to The Hague,” labeling the transfer “oppression and persecution.”
Failed alliance
A one-time alliance between President Ferdinand Marcos and the Duterte family has exploded spectacularly since the 2022 presidential election, when Sara Duterte ran as vice president on his ticket.
She is currently facing a Senate trial on several charges, including corruption and an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.
Duterte himself had earlier taken to social media, claiming the Supreme Court would step in and prevent his transfer.
“What is the crime that I committed? Show to me now the legal basis of my being here,” he said on Instagram live.
‘Rotting at the cemetery’
At a church in the capital Manila, people whose family members were killed in the drug war welcomed the arrest.
“Duterte is fortunate, there’s due process for him,” Emily Soriano, mother of drug war victim Angelito, at a press briefing organised by a local rights group.
“There was no due process for my son. He will be lying down on a good bed. My son is already rotting at the cemetery.”
For Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, Duterte’s arrest marked “a critical step for accountability in the Philippines.”
China, however, warned the ICC against “politicization” and “double standards” in the Duterte case, saying it was “closely monitoring” it.
The high-profile case came with the ICC currently under sanctions from Donald Trump.
The U.S. president is unhappy at the court issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged crimes committed during the Gaza war.
‘Davao Death Squad’
The Philippines quit the ICC in 2019 on Duterte’s instructions.
But the tribunal claims jurisdiction over killings up to then, including ones in the southern city of Davao when Duterte was mayor.
The ICC said in its arrest warrant there were “reasonable grounds to believe” at least 19 people had been murdered in Davao by members of the “Davao Death Squad,” headed by Duterte. Additionally, at least 24 were killed by Philippines police in various locations, judges believe.
On Sunday, March 9, Duterte lashed out at the ICC probe, labeling ICC investigators “sons of whores” while saying he would “accept” an arrest.
Duterte is still hugely popular among many who supported his quick-fix solutions to crime and remains a potent political force.
(With reports from Agence France Presse)
VP Sara’s The Hague trip cleared by OP, Palace says
MANILA – Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Wednesday, March 12 said the travel authority of Vice President Sara Duterte to The Hague in the Netherlands was issued by the Office of the President (OP).
“The Office of the President issued a travel authority to VP Sara as of last night (Tuesday, March 11) 8 p.m.,” Castro told reporters.
However, she said the PCO was not “immediately updated” about the supposed travel “as the information was initially disclosed only to limited people due to the unusual urgency and the confidentiality of the document.”
The Office of the Vice President earlier said Duterte departed Manila at around 7:40 a.m. of Wednesday, via Emirates Flight EK 337, bound for Amsterdam, following the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the local police. The former president’s arrest stemmed from the International Criminal Court’s ongoing investigation into
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PRICE WATCH. Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs Genevieve VelicariaGuevarra (left) and Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica (right), along with officials from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippine National Police, and the Quezon City Market Development and Administration Department inspect the meat section at the Balintawak Cloverleaf Market in
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Cruz Consulting located at 895 39th St, San Diego, CA 92102. Registrant: Juan Samuel Cruz, 895 39th St, San Diego, CA 92102. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/12/2025. Signature: Juan Samuel Cruz. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/18/2025. AJ 1629 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1629
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002560
San Diego E-Bikes located at 1189 E Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92021. Registrant: Wissam Gibo, 1189 E Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92021. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/05/2025. Signature: Wissam Gibo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/05/2025. AJ 1637 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1637
CASE NUMBER: 25CU009270C TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Maria Alejandra Adame Hernandez, a.k.a Alex Adame, a.k.a Alejandra Adame, a.k.a Alejandra M. Adame filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Maria Alejandra Adame Hernandez, a.k.a Alex Adame, a.k.a Alejandra Adame, a.k.a Alejandra M. Adame to Alejandra Maria Adame. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 04/14/2025 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. C-61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: FEB 20, 2025 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT
Maureen F. Hallahan Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1633 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required. A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained form the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 1633
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002254
EVK Empire located at 3 Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant: Rebekah Lombrozo, 3 Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/29/2025.
Signature: Rebekah Lombrozo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/31/2025. AJ 1630 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1630
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004301 247 Royal Movers located at 720 Edgewater Dr #F, Chula Vista, CA 91913. Registrant: 10X Estate Movers, LLC, 720 Edgewater Dr #F, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/01/2024. Signature: Anthony Octavio Jimenez JR. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/28/2025. AJ 1638 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1638
CASE NUMBER: 25CU010238C TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Huang Hsien Elbaz filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Huang Hsien Elbaz to Linda Lee Elbaz. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 04/17/2025 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101
A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: FEB 26, 2025 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT
Maureen F. Hallahan Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1635 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE.
The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required. A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained form the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.
A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.
Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 1635
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003319
Proper HVAC Inc. located at 839 First Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant: Proper HVAC Inc., 1111 6th Ave Suite 550, San Diego, CA 92101. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/16/2025. Signature: Luis B Rasmuzzen. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/18/2025. AJ 1631 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1631
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004138
a. Martin Movers LLC. located at 2701 Midway Dr. Unit 81992, San Diego, CA 92138.
b. Martin Movers located at 2701 Midway Dr. Unit 81992, San Diego, CA 92138. Registrant: Martin Movers LLC., 2701 Midway Dr. Unit 81992, San Diego, CA 92138. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/16/2013.
Signature: Gary Martin. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/27/2025. AJ 1639 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1639
FOR PROBATE ESTATE OF Bette L. Robbins
CASE NO: 24PE002401C
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Bette L. Robbins
A Petition for Probate has been filed by Mark Robbins in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO
The Petition for Probate requests that Mark Robbins be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent.
The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)
The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
Date: 05/01/2025
Time: 01:45 P.M. Dept.: 503
Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
Branch Name: Central, Probate
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Evane K. Abbassi, Esq. (SBN 335491) Abbassi Law Firm c/o Estate of Bette L. Robbins 6320 Canoga Ave, Suite 1610 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-585-3872 Attorney For Mark Robbins Publication Dates: 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025 AJ 1644 AJSD 1644
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003776
CERTIFIES located at 12004 Calle Naranja, El Cajon, CA 92019. Registrant: Alexander Mcclung, 12004 Calle Naranja, El Cajon, CA 92019. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 11/01/2024. Signature: Alexander Mcclung. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/24/2025. AJ 1632 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1632
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003304
JN Construction located at 4214 Lois Street, La Mesa, CA 91941. Registrant: Matchless Corporation, 4214 Lois Street, La Mesa, CA 91941. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Noemi-Maria P. Quirino.
Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/18/2025. AJ 1640 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1640
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003104
Treasure Listing located at 17028 Garden Walk Way, San Diego, CA 92127. Registrant: Sullaway Solutions, P.O. 28789, San Diego, CA 92198. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Keaton Sullaway. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/13/2025. AJ 1623 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, and 03/14/2025. AJSD 1623
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002296
AK Painting located at 2466-B Van Ness, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: ANAUAK INC. , P.O. BOX B02, Imperial Beach, CA 91933. This business is conducted by A Corporation.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/12/2024. Signature: Salvador Verastegui. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/03/2025. AJ 1625 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, and 03/14/2025.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003091
Crest Home II located at 35822 Bay Sable Ln., Fallbrook, CA 92028. Registrant: a. Frank Douglas Dowden, 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028. b. Katherine Mary Dowden, 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028 This business is conducted by A Married Couple. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/27/2010. Signature: Frank Douglas Dowden. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/13/2025. AJ 1627 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, and 03/14/2025. AJSD 1627
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003410
K G Designs located at 1939 Corte Verbena, Chula Vista, CA 91914. Registrant: K Shoes Corp., 524 E San Ysidro Blvd #A, San Diego, CA 92173. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/22/2023. Signature: Carol Kang. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/19/2025. AJ 1634 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004527
Mel’s Makerspace located at 2326 Dragonfly St, Chula Vista, CA 91915. Registrant: Melanie Tulagan, 2326 Dragonfly St, Chula Vista, CA 91915. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/23/2025. Signature: Melanie Tulagan. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/05/2025. AJ 1641 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1641
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002748
ISTINA FIAMMA located at 9324 SanFrancisco Street, Spring Valley, CA 91977. Registrant: Kendal Davis, 9324 SanFrancisco Street, Spring Valley, CA 91977. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Kendal Davis. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/07/2025. AJ 1624 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, and 03/14/2025. AJSD 1624
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003090
a. Crest Home Care located at 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028. b. Crest Care located at 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028.
Registrant: a. Frank Douglas Dowden, 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028.
b. Katherine Mary Dowden, 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028
This business is conducted by A Married Couple. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/01/1994. Signature: Frank Douglas Dowden. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/13/2025. AJ 1626 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, and 03/14/2025.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003092
Crest Home III located at 4791 Marblehead Bay Dr., Oceanside, CA, 92057
Registrant: a. Frank Douglas Dowden, 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028.
b. Katherine Mary Dowden, 3916 Limber Pine Rd., Fallbrook, CA, 92028
This business is conducted by A Married Couple. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/25/2003. Signature: Frank Douglas Dowden. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/13/2025. AJ 1628 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, and 03/14/2025. AJSD 1628
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003459
Sunset Breeze Apartments LLC located at 3721-3727 Sunset Lane, San Ysidro, CA 92173. Registrant: W And M Properties LLC, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/13/2004. Signature: Dennis H Pennell II. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/19/2025. AJ 1636 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1636
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004298
RevMac located at 2216 Caminito Livorno #2, Chula Vista, CA 91915. Registrant: Joshua Gregory McQueen, 2216 Caminito Livorno #2, Chula Vista, CA 91915. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2025. Signature: Joshua G. McQueen. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/28/2025. AJ 1642 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1642
SAN DIEGO
Jacob Batalon reflects on ‘Novocaine,’ Filipino roots, and his recent engagement
FILIPINO American actor
Jacob Batalon is stepping into a new chapter of his life, both personally and professionally.
The 27-year-old actor, best known for his breakout role as Ned Leeds in the MCU’s Spider-Man films, announced his engagement to his longtime girlfriend last week via Instagram, sharing the joyous milestone with his fans.
Alongside this personal development, Batalon is also gearing up for the release of his latest film, Novocaine, where he stars alongside Jack Quaid. The film, set for a global release on March 14, promises to showcase another facet of Batalon’s everexpanding range as an actor.
Reflecting on his engagement, Batalon expressed his excitement about this new phase in his life.
“We’re planning on enjoying our engagement,” he told the Asian Journal, hinting that he and his fiancée Veronica Leahov are taking their time to savor the moment before diving into wedding planning. While he remains relatively private about his relationship, his enthusiasm was evident as he discussed his future with his partner.
On the professional front, working on Novocaine proved to be a rewarding experience for Batalon. “Working with Jack
by MOMar G. Visaya / AJPress
Quaid and the rest of the cast was really fun. Everyone was super nice and supportive, and they helped me a lot. It was just a fun time working in South Africa,” he told us. The film, which blends elements of action and psychological thrills, allowed Batalon to challenge himself in new ways. He spent nearly two months filming on location, fully immersing himself in the role.
Batalon’s journey to Hollywood is one of perseverance and unexpected turns. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Filipino parents, he never envisioned a career in acting as a child. Initially, his artistic inclinations leaned toward music—his mother would often have him sing karaoke at family gatherings, and he briefly studied music theory at Kapi‘olani Community College.
However, it wasn’t until he attended the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts that he found his true passion for acting. His very first audition, a self-taped submission for what was described as a supporting role in a Marvel movie, turned out to be the life-changing opportunity that landed him the role of Ned Leeds.
Since then, Batalon has carved out a space for himself in Hollywood, moving beyond his endearing sidekick role in
Spider-Man to take on lead roles in diverse projects. In 2022, he made his debut as both the star and executive producer of Syfy’s Reginald the Vampire, a dramedy based on Johnny B. Truant’s Fat Vampire book series. Acting as an executive producer gave Batalon an entirely new perspective on the industry. “It was really enlightening. I learned a lot about the business and also a lot as an actor. It was stressful, but really fun,” he admitted.
Batalon has also expanded his filmography with roles in horror and comedy, including last year’s Tarot, which became a hit on Netflix. When asked about his approach to choosing projects, he explained, “At this point, I’m not really looking for anything specific—just whatever I find to be really fun and exciting.”
Despite his growing success, Batalon remains deeply connected to his roots. He comes from a large family, with four brothers and three sisters. His parents immigrated to Hawaii in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and like many Filipino families, they initially had more traditional career aspirations for their children. “My mom was disappointed that I wanted to be an actor. She wanted me to be a nurse,” he shared with a laugh. “But she was supportive of my
Judy Ann Santos elated by ‘souvenir’ after Fantasporto best actress plum
by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net
NOT even an excess baggage charge can dim the happiness of Judy Ann Santos who bagged the Best Actress award at the 45th Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal for her performance in “Espantaho.”
On her Instagram account on Monday, March 10, Santos described her Best Actress plum as a “beautiful souvenir” from the film festival, as she shared a picture of herself while holding her trophy.
“Napakaganda ng souvenir na maiuuwi ko mula dito sa Porto, sa Fantasporto,” she said. “Ang lamig tapos ang bigat-bigat ng award. Iniisip ko gaano [kalaki] babayaran ko sa excess baggage ko pauwi pero masayangmasaya akong babayaran, maiuwi lang ‘to.”
(This is such a beautiful souvenir to bring home from Porto, at the Fantasporto Film Festival. It’s so cold and the award is so heavy. I’m thinking how much excess baggage I’ll shoulder going home. But I don’t mind paying for it as long as I can take it back with me.)
Santos also expressed her gratitude to Chito Roño, Chris Martinez, and Atty. Joji Alonso, who served as the director, writer, and producer of “Espantaho,” respectively, as well as her castmates and crew.
“Of course, congrats kay Direk Chito, Chris, Atty. Joji, and to all the cast and crew of ‘Espantaho.’ Siyempre, para sa atin ‘to. Hindi naman ako makakarating dito kung hindi kayo ang kasama ko. To God be the glory. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas,” she said.
(Of course, congratulations to Direk Chito, Chris, Atty. Joji, and to all the cast and crew of
“Espantaho.” Of course, this is for us. I wouldn’t be able to reach this stage without you. To God be the glory. Long live the Philippines.) Sisterly friendship Following Santos’ win, Sharon Cuneta took to her Instagram page to congratulate her close friend for her recent milestone. “Just a few days ago, my sister @officialjuday and I were texting while she was in Barcelona. Now she is in Porto,
and she just won Best Actress in the 45th Fantasporto Festival there for ‘Espantaho!!!’” she wrote. “CONGRATS AGAIN SIS KO (my sister). More pride for the Philippines (and for your Ate who LOOOOVES YOU!!!)!!! See you soon! I love you very much,” she continued. The “Espantaho” star thanked Cuneta in the comments section, saying winning the award gave her a unique sense of fulfillment. Santos is the fourth Filipino to receive an acting plum from the Portugal-based film festival after Barbie Forteza, Ian Veneracion, and Cristine Reyes. Her performance in the Chito Roño-helmed horror film also earned her a Best Actress win at the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last December.
venture in the end.”
For aspiring Filipino actors looking to break into Hollywood, Batalon has simple yet powerful advice: “Keep trying and keep working hard. It’s about how you prepare for the moments and staying ready for opportunities when they come.”
As for what’s next, Batalon has several projects in the pipeline.
“There are a few things coming up. I just wrapped a project that I believe will be on Amazon, and there are some other things in the works,” he teased. While he remains tight-lipped about future roles, his steady stream of work suggests that he has no plans of slowing down. n
Jacob Batalon, Amber Midthunder, Jack Quaid, and Ray Nicholson
Hailee Steinfeld
Photo from Instagram/@voguephilippines
My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)
RogelIo ConstantIno MedIna
TO celebrate Women’s Month, kindly allow me to give tribute to some remarkable women in their own quiet, simple way this March.
My mom, Rosita Constantino Medina, St. Mary’s and UST high school alumna, is a Kapampangan. She loves to cook and sing and joins Bible studies. She has many friends in the entertainment world being the niece of the late LVN director Felicing Constantino. She is related to former President Diosdado Macapagal on the Vitug side.
She remembers that it was her best friend actor Georgie Quizon (known for Stariray, Close to You and Captain Barbell films), comedian Dolphy’s brother, who arranged preparation for her debut that was published by the old Manila Times and Manila Bulletin. Singer Cenon Lagman, dubbed as the Prince of Kundiman, was her childhood best friend. Fernando Poe Jr., or FPJ, the King of the Philippine Movies, was also her childhood friend (Rosita’s relative was the gardener of the Poe family). Singer-actor Fred Panopio (his hit songs were Pitong Gatang, Tatlong Baraha, and Markado) was her neighbor in Quezon City. I was fortunate to recover a few photos of her younger years since most of them were included in a fire that destroyed our house
Honoring my mom this Women’s Month
years ago.
* * While doing the usual brisk walking with my mom in Green Valley, Fairfield in California, we happened to pass by the house of Fe Cangco, 68, a neighbor along Adagio Drive, who migrated to the U.S. in 1998. She used to work in a post office in San Francisco for two years and in Max’s Restaurant (already closed) Vallejo City for over ten years. She has five children, one of whom is a police officer in Suisun City, Alvin Cangco, a friend of my nephew Michael Isip.
* * *
One of the persons I could not forget during my CITEM days is Dr. Mina T. Gabor, founder and first executive director of the Center for International Trade, Expositions and Missions. She has made significant contributions to the country’s trade promotion efforts. She is a former tourism secretary. I learned a lot of managerial skills from her and she even trusted my foreign language skills in dealing with our product specialists.
MTG is a name that echoes with reverence and admiration in the corridors of international travel and tourism. Her journey, from her early days to her present position of influence, is an inspiring narrative of unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism and exceptional leadership.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be the editor of CITEM Trade Update that gained acceptance and recognition locally and abroad.
U.S. First Lady Melania Trump said in the past that “I’m proud of what this country continues to do for women. In the United States, women are playing vital roles in society. They are mothers, wives, doctors, CEOs and elected officials, to name just a few.”
She adheres to equality, freedom and the responsibility women have to help each other achieve success. “As an immigrant myself, having grown up in a communist society, I know all too well the value and importance of freedom and equal opportunity – ideals which this great nation was founded and has continued to strive towards throughout its history.”
* * *
The Philippines’ First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos cites the exceptional role of women in society. She recognizes women as “the primary caretakers and educators in the family and they are a big contributor to our workforce.”
She has thrown her support behind the worldwide movement to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
* * *
Loida Nicolas Lewis, who is in the Philippines for a fireside chat and book presentation on March 16 from 2 p.m to 4 p.m. at The Studio Space of Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street, Building 6, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, wrote that: “As I remember all the wonderful women around me, I am reminded of a scripture that speaks to women’s hearts: ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7). Let’s not be anxious or stressed — instead, let us keep going in joyful gratitude, knowing that God hears us and will help us at the right time.”
* * * Ed Sicam, husband of Paulynn Sicam, was my editor at the Manila Chronicle. He assigned me to cover for the TV stations as I had then a column TV Network Update.
I remember he assigned me to interview Lea Salonga, the little girl who was little no longer. So I went to a restaurant where I saw Lea and her mom. Lea’s mom was so sweet and thoughtful
even when I was already working in Malacanang as information officer.
Lately, I have been getting in touch with my former editor, who was so kind to me as ever.
* * *
One person I could not forget is my lifestyle editor at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the late Lita T. Logarta. She was a very supportive, thoughtful and understanding boss. She assigned me to interview oftentimes ambassadors assigned to the Philippines and to cover other events and personalities. She even allowed me to write for other sections like sports, entertainment and travel.
Successful, star-studded awards gala caps second Manila International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS – The Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) capped its second edition with a successful, star-studded closing night and awards gala last March 7 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
In glamorous, glittering rites, the MIFF, which is sponsored by BingoPlus and Megaworld, presented Audience Favorite Awards, Lifetime Achievement, Visionary, Trailblazer and Special Awards, and honored Filipino American first responders in the Southern California wildfires.
King Palisoc’s “Song of the Fireflies,” a dramatization of the true story of the rise of the Loboc Children’s Choir from its small town roots in Loboc, Bohol to worldwide acclaim, won four of the six Audience Awards, voted on by MIFF goers. The drama-musical, written by Sarge Lacuesta and produced by Culturtain Musical Productions, MQuest, Hartman and CMB Film Services, Inc., bagged Best Picture, Best Actress (Morissette), Best Supporting Actress (Rachel Alejandro) and Best Supporting Actor (Noel Comia Jr.).
“Song of the Fireflies,” as the Audience Best Picture winner, received a $150,000 coproduction package deal from Birns & Sawyer, one of the oldest film equipment rental companies in Hollywood, run by CEO, FilAm Mari Acevedo.
“Song of the Fireflies” also won a Special Award for promoting Philippine music, arts and culture through the inspiring story of the Loboc Children’s Choir.
“My Future You,” a comedyfantasy-romance about two people who meet on a dating app, but it turns out that they live in two different timelines, bagged Best Director (Crisanto B. Aquino) and Best Actor (Seth Fedelin).
Regina Aquino’s documentary, “Faith Healers,” nabbed a Special Award for spotlighting early Filipino healthcare professionals in America while touching on the history of Filipino migration and the Philippines.
Cathy Garcia-Sampana’s “Hello, Love, Again,” starring Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards, was honored as a Worldwide Box Office Hit Trailblazer for being the first Filipino film to gross over P1 billion at the box office and the first Filipino movie to break into the US box office top 10.
Louise Araneta-Marcos, the Philippines’ first lady who led the special guests in the exciting ceremonies at the International Ballroom, received the Visionary Award for championing Philippine cinema. Araneta-Marcos is actively working on a bright future for Philippine cinema, especially on the world stage. Through CineGang Inc., a groundbreaking initiative towards boosting the Philippine movie industry, the
first lady seeks opportunities to continue uplifting local films.
In her message, the first lady said, “What a truly proud moment to witness our Filipino and Filipino American film luminaries coming together, side by side. Seeing our countrymen – regardless of where they are in the world –unite in creativity and passion is a testament to the boundless potential we can achieve when we work together. May this be the beginning of many more meaningful collaborations that will allow us to showcase the vcry best of our talents to the world.”
Honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to Philippine cinema were Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, actress and film industry worker advocate; Ricky Lee, venerable
When I was based in Tokyo as a correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, I would fax my stories to the news desk.
scriptwriter and mentor to generations of filmmakers and the Philippines’ National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts; the late Lily Monteverde, the producer popularly known as Mother Lily, who gave breaks to many filmmakers, actors and actresses; and Vilma Santos, regarded as the Star for All Seasons, who has won numerous accolades in her career that spans over six decades.
Cited as Trailblazer Awardees for helping pave the way for Filipinos in Hollywood were Tia Carrere, an accomplished film and television actress and a twotime Grammy award-winning musical artist; Nico Santos, best known for portraying Mateo on “Superstore,” which ran for six seasons on NBC, Oliver T’sien in the film “Crazy Rich Asians” and Recorder Theel in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; and Gene Cajayon’s “The Debut,” celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025 as the first Filipino American film to be released theatrically nationwide in the U.S. and a significant touchstone in FilAm history.
The evening also paid tribute to the late veteran actress Gloria Romero, hailed as the Queen of Philippine cinema.
In one of the night’s stirring moments, MIFF saluted some of the Filipino American first responders who represent the numerous men and women who battled Los Angeles’ recent wildfires. Actor and
you. Maraming, maraming salamat for your tireless and selfless work and for the many sacrifices you and your families have made for service to others, to us.” Grammy-nominated singer Deborah Cox serenaded the Fil-Am responders, including Officers Edward Acedillo, Dexter Barras, Mariko Jackson, Eric Payumo, Arleen Rojas and Marlowe Viray; Fire Captains Allan Anolin, Arnold
Pete
Philippines President Bongbong Marcos with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos
Loida Nicolas Lewis had a fireside chat and book presentation in Manila on March 16, 2025 hosted by Karen Davila.
Some of the MIFF 2025 award winners with several members of the festival team members.
Audience Best Picture winner - ‘Song of the Fireflies’ Photo by Steven Lam
Best Actress winner Morissette Amon Photo by Steven Lam
Annette Gozon Valdes accepts Worldwide Box Office Hit Trailblazer Award for ‘Hello, Love, Again’. Photo by Steven Lam Best Actor Seth Fedelin
Photo by Steven Lam Best Supporting Actress winner Rachel Alejandro Photo by Steven Lam
Ed Sicam (standing, 3rd from left) with his family
Left photo: Rosita Flores Constantino (3rd from left) with the Darling Twins (Aurora and Esperanza) of Premiere’s Kuskos Balungos’ film; Right photo: Rosita with Fernando Poe Jr. during their teenage years.
The indefatigable Mina T. Gabor
AJ columnist Rogelio Medina with Fil-Am Fe Cangco of Green Valley, Fairfield, Solano County, California.
U.S. First Lady Melania Trump
Rosita Constantino Medina with her daughter Victoria Isip at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Photos collated by Rogelio Medina
presenter Reggie Lee said on stage, “Tonight, we honor their heroism and say thank
Anolin, Russell Arcebido, David Dantic, Jimmy de los Santos and Eddie Diaz; Sergeants Jonathan De Vera and Christian Ventura; and Battalion Chief Ramon Valdoria. Sofronio Vasquez, the first Filipino and Asian winner of NBC’s “The Voice,” Rachel Alejandro, Morissette, Deborah Cox, Immaculate Heart of Mary Children’s Choir and St. Genevieve Valiant Voices (both under choir director
Avendaño), with
County Supervisors hear financial outlook for upcoming budget
COUNTY financial experts provided an update on the County’s financial outlook at Tuesday’s (March 12) Board of Supervisors meeting and set the stage for the upcoming budget that goes into effect on July 1.
The presentation gave insight into the challenges to balancing the coming fiscal year’s budget and strategies to manage them to ensure the community is supported. The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)’s recommended budget is released to the public on May 1.
“To release a balanced budget, we’ll have to make tough decisions now – choices that will result in changes to our level of services and cuts to existing contracts,” said CAO Ebony Shelton. “But we do not see this as just about balancing numbers – it’s about making tough choices today to ensure that the County can continue to invest in the future for our communities.”
A December snapshot of the budget projected a $138.5 million ongoing funding gap for the 2025-26 fiscal year due in part to slowing sales tax revenue. The gap reflects escalating costs for existing programs as well as new funding requests.
To address the gap, county staff members are acting now to reduce costs, find efficiencies and streamline programs and services. Funding for services that are mandated will be prioritized, while also continuing to respond to the region’s needs. The county is beginning to prepare for these impacts this fiscal year.
Staff is also working with the Board of Supervisors and the public to gather their input during the budget process.
What the county does
The county funds many
programs and services in the region, which has a large unincorporated area in addition to 18 incorporated cities and 18 federally recognized tribes. In the unincorporated area, county government is responsible for the day-to-day things a city government would do — like law enforcement, roads, building permits, animal shelters and protection, along with parks and libraries. Some cities also contract with the county to provide these types of services.
County government also works to deliver many services that support the entire region. These include emergency preparedness; criminal prosecution and detention facilities; delivery of federal and state social service assistance within the region like access to food and financial support for vulnerable people; health programs including behavioral health services; food and restaurant inspections; elections and beach water monitoring.
Where the money comes from Funds from other government agencies make up about half the county’s budget and must be used as directed. The other half comes mostly from property taxes, fees for services and other sources. Some of these funds must be used in specific ways.
The funds that remain are known as general purpose revenue, and that’s the portion the county can decide how to invest.
While general purpose revenue is increasing, so is the cost of doing business, and there are new requests for funding to support programs and other departmental operations.
The CAO wrapped up the presentation by commending staff for addressing community needs
while implementing innovative solutions for the future.
Public input is critical County residents are encouraged to take part in the budget planning process. Visit Engage San Diego County to take a survey and to use a new tool to rank County budget priorities in order of importance to you.
The survey also asks how you’d like to stay informed about the budget process, by email, text or some other form of communication. The survey will be open through March 28.
The information from the survey will be considered along with community feedback gathered throughout the year as the County’s recommended budget is developed.
After the release of the recommended budget on May 1, people can share their thoughts online by submitting comments through June 12 on Engage San Diego County (https:// engage.sandiegocounty.gov/ budget-2025-27).
You can also share in-person at upcoming open houses, a virtual meeting, or by attending or calling into the Board of Supervisors public budget hearings on June 3 and June 9. The Board’s budget deliberations and adoption take place on June 24. Visit the Clerk of the Board’s website (https://www. sandiegocounty.gov/content/ sdc/cob.html) or call 619-5315434 for information on Board of Supervisors meetings and to request translation services. Visit the county’s budget website at https://www. sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/ openbudget/en/home.html for additional details.
(Tracy DeFore/County of San Diego Communications Office)
City of San Diego to transform old Serra Mesa Library into affordable housing for veterans and families
Project will move forward following City Council approval of ground lease and construction of 60 homes
SAN DIEGO
– As part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s Homes for All of Us initiative to provide housing for San Diegans of all income levels, the City of San Diego is entering into a long-term ground lease with a nonprofit developer to convert the vacant old Serra Mesa Library site into 100% affordable housing. Half of these homes will prioritize military veterans and include supportive services for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
On Monday, March 10, the City Council voted to allow Community HousingWorks to enter into a 65-year lease and turn the 0.34-acre lot located at 3440 Sandrock Road into 59 affordable homes, including 56 one-bedroom homes and three two-bedroom homes. There will also be one unrestricted twobedroom manager unit.
These homes, known as the Serra Mesa Apartments, will be restricted for 55 years to households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income (AMI). Those in that range are considered most at risk of experiencing homelessness. Thirty of these homes will prioritize veterans.
“Serra Mesa Apartments is precisely the type of project my policies are designed to incentivize — affordable housing on underused public land, in high-resource neighborhoods with easy access to quality jobs, transit, schools, and essential services,” said Mayor Gloria.
“This project demonstrates our commitment to ensuring lowerincome families and our veterans can afford to live in communities that provide the opportunities and stability they deserve.”
A ground lease means the city will retain ownership, but the developer will construct
the housing and share revenue with the city. Once the lease expires, the developer will turn the improvements back over to the city.
“The transformation of the old Serra Mesa Library into 59 affordable homes is a positive step that will provide housing to those who desperately need it in order to stay off the street,” said District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo. “Those who served our country should never have to worry about having a safe place to call home. Thank you to all community members who offered input on this project and to Community HousingWorks for carefully considering and speaking to community concerns when this project came to committee.”
The property will include 22 parking spaces, a lobby and community room spaces, a computer lab, laundry facilities, leasing offices, a case management and resident services area, bike parking and a second-story courtyard furnished with seating, trees and greenery. If and when Community HousingWorks closes on financing, they expect construction to be completed within 26 months.
“This is a great opportunity to activate a vacant community space into much-needed affordable housing while serving those to have willingly served our nation,” said Economic Development Director Christina Bibler. “These new homes and their central proximity in Serra Mesa will enjoy the convenience of access to public transit, grocery stores, pharmacies, schools and community parks.”
The former library closed in 2006 when the new Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Branch Library opened on Aero Drive.
Governing Board renews commitment to protecting students from human trafficking
Board builds on two years of concrete measures to reunite missing youth with their families and safeguard students from exploitation
EL CAJON – Grossmont Union
High School District (GUHSD) Governing Board President Dr. Gary C. Woods announced that the Governing Board unanimously passed Resolution 2025-26, reaffirming the district’s steadfast commitment to protecting students from the dangers of human trafficking. Recognizing the increasing threats of online exploitation and the heightened risk that runaway and missing youth face of falling into the hands of traffickers, the Board has directed the district to strengthen its safety measures, expand its education and prevention efforts, and update its protocols for responding to reports of missing students.
“The Governing Board’s commitment to safeguarding students is unwavering,” said Governing Board President Woods. “Two years ago, this Board made protecting students from human trafficking a top priority. Since then, we’ve equipped staff, students, and families with resources to prevent exploitation and established new procedures for responding to
missing youth situations. With the passage of this resolution, the Board reaffirms our dedication to this critical work.”
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan has noted that human trafficking is a $150 billion global industry, with sex trafficking alone generating $810 million annually in San Diego. Many victims are minors between the ages of 14 and 17, often lured through social media and online platforms.
Of particular importance to the Governing Board is strengthening response protocols for missing student situations. In addition to the threat of trafficking, runaway and missing youth are at significant risk of exploitation and sexual assault by individuals who may not be traffickers but still pose serious harm to a child.
Under this resolution, the Governing Board calls on the district to strengthen response protocols in its Operational Bulletin for missing and runaway youth situations, ensuring collaboration with organizations specializing in locating missing
youth and combating human trafficking. The district will also expand digital safety awareness efforts for students and families, promoting resources such as the GoGuardian Parent application to help mitigate the risks of online exploitation.
The approved Resolution 2025-26 can be found here, and it builds on two years of concrete actions initiated by the Governing Board, including a process for distributing community alerts whenever a GUHSD student is reported missing, with parental consent. This process is part of the Board’s comprehensive approach to ensuring that all available resources are swiftly mobilized to locate missing students and prevent potential exploitation by traffickers or others.
“We are committed to keeping our students safe and ensuring that our community has the tools, resources, and knowledge to prevent exploitation,” said Dr. Woods. “Through these actions, we can build a safer, more secure future for all students.”
(GUHSD Release)
Commissioner Lara urges Californians to understand insurance coverage for floods and
mudslides in wildfire-affected areas
LOS ANGELES — With sustained rains and an approaching atmospheric river increasing the risk of mudslides, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is reminding residents — especially those in wildfireaffected areas — that insurance companies are legally required to cover mudslides and debris flows if they result from recent fires that have destabilized hillsides.
“Protecting consumers is our main focus,” said Commissioner Lara. “With this atmospheric river on the way, communities recovering from wildfires face an even greater risk. It’s critical for Southern California residents to understand their insurance protections and take the necessary steps to secure the assistance they need. Those impacted should check their policies and seek help to make sure they receive the coverage they deserve.”
Wildfire-scorched landscapes, often referred to as “burn scars,” leave hillsides vulnerable to flash floods and debris flows. Without vegetation to absorb rainfall, water rapidly runs off, and extreme wildfire heat can create a water-repellent soil layer, further amplifying the risk. Even light rain can trigger dangerous flooding, especially in steep areas. Homes, roads, and
infrastructure near recent burn area face heightened danger, often with little warning.
Many policyholders may not be aware that homeowners’ and commercial insurance policies typically exclude flood, mudslide, debris flow, and other similar disasters — unless they are directly or indirectly caused by a recent wildfire or another peril covered by the applicable insurance policy. The Department of Insurance has posted a fact sheet for consumers to answer questions about what their policies cover.
The Montecito mudslide in Santa Barbara County in January 2018 that followed the destructive Thomas Fire claimed 23 lives and caused more than $421 million in damage, according to Department of Insurance data.
Following that disaster, the governor enacted a new law to help prevent confusion about coverage following mudslides.
Commissioner Lara also urged consumers to take the following steps to prepare for the winter storm season:
• Use their smart phone to perform a home inventory to create a record of their belongings and store scans of important documents that they can easily access.
The building was then used for storage until 2019. In 2020, the city issued a request for proposals, inviting organizations or individuals to apply to enter into a lease and develop and operate the property for permanent supportive housing and supportive services.
To help get the project off the ground, the City Council also approved a $4 million Bridge to Home loan on Monday. Under the Bridge to Home program, the city invests directly in affordable housing projects to help builders complete their financing.
During the meeting, the City Council also approved a $3.1 million Bridge to Home loan for another project, the Navajo Family Apartments. This project will bring an additional 44 apartments to households earning 60% AMI or less. Eleven of the units will be set aside for persons with special needs with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
With the approval of both the Serra Mesa Apartments and the Navajo Family Apartments on Monday, a total of 17 projects have received Bridge to Home funding since Mayor Gloria launched the program in 2021. These projects total 1,353 affordable homes, and six more projects will be presented to City Council this year.
Before Monday, the latest project to receive Bridge to Home funding was The Grant at Mission Trails, approved by City Council on Feb. 25. This project received $2.5 million in Bridge to Home funding and will include 47 affordable homes, plus one manager’s apartment. Fourteen of these homes will be reserved for persons experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. (City of San Diego Release)
musical director Troy Laureta, delivered powerhouse musical performances.
Star presenters included Tia Carrere, Mark Dacascos, Reggie Lee, Liza Soberano, Carlin James, Apl.de.Ap, Anna Perez De Tagle-Kline, California’s first Filipina assembly member Jessica Caloza, Dingdong Dantes, Krista Arrieta Kleiner, KaladKaren (Jervi Wrightson) and MJ Lastimosa.
The MIFF screened 16 films, including entries to the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival, world premieres, and select additional films.
Launched in 2024, the MIFF is headed by cofounders Omen Ortiz (Chairman), Ebradu Udarbe (President), Lisa Lew (Executive Producer), Celia Abaya Dy (Coordinator), Ruben V. Nepales (Media Relations) and Janet R. Nepales (Media Relations).
The key team is composed of Leo Dela Cruz (Chief Financial Officer), Ron Ramores (Coordinator), Meriden Angeles (Coordinating Producer) and Erickson Ilog (Coordinator).
• For renters, consider purchasing renters’ insurance to protect their personal belongings, which typically are not covered by their landlord’s homeowners’ policy.
• Consider comprehensive auto insurance, which would protect their vehicle in the event of flood damage.
• Visit the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) “winter wise” web page to read more tips to prepare for winter weather.
• Consider flood insurance for future disasters in addition to their homeowners’ insurance policy.
The National Flood Insurance Program currently provides the majority of flood coverage written in the state, but private flood insurance is also available. Flood insurance takes effect 30 days after it is purchased, except in the case of a home purchase where flood insurance is required by the lender. The Department of Insurance can help consumers with insurance coverage or claim questions. Contact us at our consumer hotline at 800-9274357 or through online chat or email at insurance.ca.gov. (CA Dep’t of Insurance Release)
• Locate their insurance papers and put in a safe place or upload to an online location.
‘The Voice’ winner Sofronio Vasquez and Grammy nominee Deborah Cox deliver a powerful duet.
Photos by Steven Lam
Lifetime Achievement Awardee Boots Anson Roa
Photo by Steven Lam
Reggie Lee pays tribute to FilAm first responders.
