031523 - Southern California Midweek Edition

In

‘US driving wedge between China, PH’

by Bernadette e tamayo ManilaTimes.net

THE Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Sunday, March 12 said it sees "no problem" with the Philippines over freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, but accused the United States of using the issue to drive a wedge between Manila and Beijing.

Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the U.S. Carlson had said U.S.-Philippine joint patrols in the waterways are important to ensure that it remains free and open to international navigation.

The U.S. has been sending its warships on "freedom of navigation" sorties in the South China Sea, which China claims is part of its territory.

The embassy pointed out that the U.S. military

The

CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta announced he was suing the City of Huntington Beach for violating state laws that require it to approve more affordable housing and 13,000 new homes over the next eight years.

Along with Governor Gavin Newsom and California Dept. of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Gustavo Velasquez, Bonta on Thursday, March 9 said he filed the lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court and asked a judge to impose a fine and force the city to comply with state law.

The state has told Huntington Beach to follow through with a state-approved housing plan to build 13,368 new homes over the next eight years, particularly to increase home availability and accessibility to low-

The embassy issued the statement in reaction to the remarks of U.S. Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson in a television interview on the South China Sea dispute and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation

"On the South China Sea issue, there is 'no problem' of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea," the embassy said.

"When talking about free and open waterways, what the U.S. has in its mind is actually the 'freedom of rampage' of its warships in the South China Sea," it said.

California sues Huntington Beach for violating state housing laws Seeking employment

"has been coming all the way from the other side of the Pacific to stir up trouble in the South China Sea and ganging up with its allies from other parts of the world to flex muscle in the South China Sea."

"By doing these, the U.S. has not only heightened tension, driven a wedge between China and the Philippines, but also has disturbed and upset the u PAGE 2

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

SEEKING employment in the United States is now easier and faster for Filipino registered nurses and caregivers.

Migration consultant Manny Geslani said processing of immigrant visa for registered nurses and caregivers now takes less than a year.

“Gone are the long and tedious wait for twothree years during the pre-pandemic years which discouraged some nurses from applying for work in the USA,” Geslani disclosed over the weekend.

Quoting prominent Fil-American immigration lawyer Salvador Tuy, Geslani said that Filipino nurses and caregivers can depart faster for the U.S. “as long as the required documents are submitted electronically to the hospital or caregiving facility who had requested for the immigrant visa for her.”

According to Tuy, the pathway for Filipino nurses to

A FILIPINO American woman was killed in front of her two children by her partner in Daly City, California on Monday, March 6. Frances Kendra Lucero, 27, was shot and killed by her partner, Romier Narag, also 27, in front of her two children, aged 3 and 4.

Police said the two had argued on their way home from a family dinner. Narag allegedly shot Lucero with a 9 millimeter handgun four times as she tried to run to their house.

Narag has been charged with murder and child endangerment and was booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

The two children are now in the care of Lucero’s family as they undergo social work evaluation, A GoFundMe page has been set up for Frances Lucero. n

Gov’t ramps up drive vs human trafficking

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, March 13 ordered various government agencies to ramp up unified efforts against human trafficking.

The Chief Executive convened the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC in Malacañang to unify efforts meant to combat human trafficking which he described as a risk to the economy and national security.

"The Iacat and the Paocc must take the lead in harmonizing government initiatives, public private partnerships to thwart the business of human trafficking in its multifarious

operations on the ground and now becoming more and more important online," Marcos stressed. He directed the Presidential Communications Office to assist the Iacat in launching a communications campaign that will educate the public about the danger posed by syndicates engaged in trafficking of persons.

"Heightened public awareness is key. The Presidential Communications Office must assist Iacat in its communication campaign against trafficking in persons in order to amplify the effort," the President said, making special mention of unsuspecting Filipinas as well as children who fall prey to unscrupulous people and entities.

Pinoy teens, young children getting HIV

by mayen Jaymalin Philstar.com

MANILA— Filipino teenagers and children are getting infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) too, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

In its latest HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines, the agency reported that 86 Filipinos – aged 19 years and below – were diagnosed with HIV in January 2023.

“There were 79 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old, and seven children less than 10 years old,” the report revealed.

by Bernadette e taMayo ManilaTimes.net

Of the 78 HIV-infected adolescents, 65 acquired the infection through male-to-male sex, eight through sex with both males and females, and five through male-to-female sex.

By age bracket, the DOH said 57 (72 percent of the cases) were 18 to 19 years old, 20 (25 percent) were 15 to 17 years old, and two (three percent) were only between 10 to 14 years old.

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have entered into an agreement to establish local field registration centers (LFRCs) for overseas voters.

86

Except for one case that lacks data on the mode of transmission, all 78 adolescents acquired the infection through sexual contact.

The DOH previously reported a total of 1,454 new HIV cases for January 2023. The figure indicates an average of 46 new HIV cases are reported each day. In 2022, the DOH reported a 21 percent increase in the number of new HIV cases compared to the previous year. n

DFA Undersecretary Jesus Domingo and Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia signed on March 2 a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on the establishment of LFRCs.

The registration centers will be located at the DFA consular offices in Aseana, the DFA said on Twitter on Thursday, March 9.

It will offer the opportunity for Filipinos who are about to go abroad to register as overseas voters (OVs) to be able to vote in their countries of destination during the 2025 national elections, the DFA said. The continuing registration for overseas voting for the 2025 elections began on Dec. 9, 2022, and will end on Sept. 30, 2024. Domingo expressed hope that there will be more registrants through the establishment of LFRCs. Garcia affirmed the poll body's assistance to the DFA as he enumerated the various ways to increase the number of OV registrants and, eventually, the voter turnout. n

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have entered into an agreement to establish local field registration centers (LFRCs) for overseas voters. ManilaTimes.net file photo

its latest HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines, the agency reported that

Filipinos – aged 19 years and below – were diagnosed with HIV in January 2023.

‘US driving wedge between...

joint effort of countries in this region to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," the embassy said.

Now that China and the Philippines are at a critical juncture of post-COVID-19 recovery, "we should keep to the right track of maintaining good-neighborliness and attaining mutual benefit rather than getting distracted by forces who are fanning the flame and driving a wedge between us, even less inviting a bully into our community," it added.

"We need to focus on

cooperation and development, and truly safeguard, promote and build peace, stability, prosperity of our region and bring more tangible benefits to people of our two countries," the embassy said.

Carlson said the EDCA sites, where the U.S. can store arms and equipment, would not only help the provincial and local authorities to enhance their ability to defend themselves, but to grow their economy.

The governors from Cagayan and Isabela expressed apprehension about having their provinces used as EDCA sites, fearing that the sites could

become military targets if the conflict between China and Taiwan escalates further.

The Chinese embassy noted that "intense debates" have been going on recently in the Philippines about the four additional EDCA sites. "The governors of Cagayan and Isabela are not the only ones who publicly expressed reservation to having their provinces used as EDCA sites," it said.

Peace and development, the embassy said, remain the theme of this era and the call of peoples around the world.

It accused the U.S. of "keeping on upgrading" military cooperation with the Philippines by adding EDCA bases and military deployment in the country "to secure its hegemony and selfish geopolitical interests and out of the cold-war mentality." "Whereas the U.S. claims that such cooperation is intended to help the disaster relief efforts of the Philippines and some Americans even tout the EDCA sites as driver of local economy, it is plain and simple that those moves are part of the U.S. efforts to encircle and contain China through its military alliance with this country," the embassy said.

"To bundle the Philippines into the chariots of geopolitical strife will seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger regional peace and stability," it said. n

Seeking employment in US now easier...

enter the healthcare industry in the U.S. has become easier and faster through the electronic processing system implemented by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

He said a foreign nurse who is issued an immigrant visa by the USCIS automatically becomes a green card holder and has permanent resident status in the U.S.

Tuy said that there is a current shortage of 190,000 nurses in the U.S. Nurses there receive an average monthly salary of $6,900 or higher depending on

the specialty and professional experience.

Based on records, about 18,617 Filipino nurses took the latest National Council Licensure Examination – a 90 percent jump compared to the previous year.

“This indicates the strong interest of the nurses to work for better employment opportunities and for their future in America,”

Geslani pointed out.

It is expected that more than one-half of those who took the exams will pursue their desire to work in the US with the passing rate of 80 percent set up by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

California sues Huntington Beach for violating...

to middle-income residents and families.

“This is the colossal challenge that California is confronting,” Bonta said on Thursday. “The message we’re sending to the city of Huntington Beach is simple: act in good faith, follow the law, and do your part to increase the housing supply. If you don’t, our office will hold you accountable.”

On Tuesday, March 7, the City of Huntington Beach declined to reverse a previous action that banned certain housing projects that the state required to address the mounting housing crisis.

housing crisis, we won’t stand idly by as local governments knowingly flout state law meant to protect our communities and bring much-needed affordable housing to the people of California,” Bonta added.

Just hours after the state announced its lawsuit, Huntington Beach filed its own lawsuit asking a federal court judge to block the state’s requirement for new housing projects, arguing that the new projects would urbanize the city dubbed “Surf City USA.”

California is the nation’s most populous state, and with the economic downturn caused and the cost of living skyrocketing across the state, the state is no closer to making significant improvements to the housing crisis.

The demand for Filipino nurses for employment to U.S. Hospitals continues to rise with the easing of COVID restrictions and huge shortage of health workers to care for the rising population of senior citizens known as “baby boomers.”

Meanwhile other Filipino nurses who could not wait for U.S. jobs opted to work in the UK or Germany to join the National Health Service, or the TripleWin system of the Department of Migrant Workers/Philippine Overseas Employment Agency. (with reports from Rudy Santos)

In the lawsuit, Bonta and the HCD argued that Huntington Beach’s ban on certain affordable housing projects violates a multitude of laws, including the state’s Housing Accountability Act (HAA), the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) law, and the Housing Crisis Law — broadly, laws guarantee more state-approved housing.

The suit also mentions the city’s noncompliance with The California HOME Act, which allows homeowners to create additional units on their own property in a “streamlined” process, according to the bill’s website.

“As our state faces an existential

“I am committed to defend[ing] the city and its wonderful property owners who enjoy this quiet suburban beach town,” Huntington Beach Mayor Tony Strickland said.

According to a state law that was passed in 2019, a state judge can force fines of at least $10,000 per month for cities that don’t comply with California’s housing laws that require state-approved affordable housing plans.

The state of California has suffered from a housing and homelessness crisis over the last few decades and each year, the situation has worsened in areas like Orange County. According to federal data on the unhoused, about 170,000 people go unhoused on any given night in California.

Despite billions of taxpayer dollars having been allocated to local governments, each jurisdiction has the power to impose its own housing policies. But Newsom has pressured city governments to shape their housing regulations to meet state mandates.

California housing officials say that the state needs to build 2.5 million homes by 2030 to help curb the housing crisis, but because the state currently builds about 125,000 houses each year (according to the California Housing Partnership), that goal is far from being met.

The state’s lawsuit is the latest development in the years-long feud between Newsom and Huntington Beach, a conservativeleaning town that Newsom has argued promotes NIMBYism, a collective mindset that opposes new housing developments that stands for “not in my backyard.” “Huntington Beach elected officials are the poster child[ren] PAGE 4

DIFFERENT TWIST. Partners Max Mendoza and Gab Calora (wearing mask) sell grilled balut (fertilized duck egg) in Barangay San Jose, La Loma, Quezon City on Monday, March 13. The couple sells an average of 1,200 pieces at PHP30 each, with the delicacy recooked over low fire and garnished with garlic-chili sauce on top.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

AIR POWER F-18 Hornets and other air assets are seen on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, which is docked in Manila Bay on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. The aircraft carrier, in the country for a port visit, was opened to the media on the same day. US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, who was on board the vessel, said the USS Ronald Reagan’s visit strengthens the ties between the Philippines and the US, especially now that the Indo-Pacific waters are a ‘challenging environment to navigate.’ Philstar.com photo by J. Gerard Seguia

Damaging storms and power outages: California prepares for more severe weather

by Antonio RAy HARvey Ethnic Media Services

THE Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is asking all residents across the state to prepare for another round of severe weather systems and potential power outages this week. In a public information campaign driven by Listos California, a program of Cal OES, safety checklists and other resources are being shared with all Californians.

Pandemic stress, gangs, and utter fear fueled a rise in teen shootings

DIEGO never imagined he’d carry a gun. Not as a child, when shots were fired outside his Chicagoarea home. Not at age 12, when one of his friends was gunned down.

Diego’s mind changed at 14, when he and his friends were getting ready to walk to midnight

Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. But instead of hymns, Diego heard gunfire, and then screaming. A gang member shot two people, including one of Diego’s friends, who was hit nine times.

“My friend was bleeding out,” said Diego, who asked KHN not to use his last name to protect his safety and privacy. As his friend lay on the ground, “he was choking on his own blood.”

The attack left Diego’s friend paralyzed from the waist down. And it left Diego, one of a growing number of teens who witness gun violence, traumatized and afraid to go outside without a gun.

Research shows that adolescents exposed to gun violence are twice as likely as others to perpetrate a serious violent crime within two years, perpetuating a cycle that can be

hard to interrupt.

Diego asked his friends for help finding a handgun and — in a country supersaturated with firearms — they had no trouble procuring one, which they gave him free.

“I felt safer with the gun,” said Diego, now 21. “I hoped I wouldn’t use it.”

For two years, Diego kept the gun only as a deterrent. When he finally pulled the trigger, it changed his life forever.

Disturbing trends

The news media focuses heavily on mass shootings and the mental state of the people who commit them. But there is a far larger epidemic of gun violence — particularly among Black, Hispanic, and Native American youth — ensnaring some kids not even old enough to get a driver’s license. Research shows that chronic exposure to trauma can change the way a child’s brain develops.

Trauma also can play a central role in explaining why some young people look to guns for protection and wind up using them against their peers.

The number of children under 18 who killed someone with a firearm jumped from 836 in 2019 to 1,150 in 2020.

In New York City, the number of young people who killed

someone with a gun more than doubled, rising from 48 juvenile offenders in 2019 to 124 in 2022, according to data from the city’s police department.

Youth gun violence increased more modestly in other cities; in many places, the number of teen gun homicides rose in 2020 but has since fallen closer to prepandemic levels. Researchers who analyze crime statistics stress that teens are not driving the overall rise in gun violence, which has increased across all ages. In 2020, 7.5% of homicide arrests involved children under 18, a slightly smaller share than in previous years.

Local leaders have struggled with the best way to respond to teen shootings.

A handful of communities — including Pittsburgh; Fulton County, Georgia; and Prince George’s County, Maryland — have debated or implemented youth curfews to curb teen violence. What’s not in dispute: More people ages 1 to 19 die by gun violence than by any other cause.

A l ifetime of limits

The devastating toll of gun violence shows up in emergency rooms every day.

At the UChicago Medicine

PAGE 4

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Cal OES Assistant Director of Crisis Communication and Public Affairs said during a March 13 briefing that the state is offering “life-saving resources” and providing an update on the states’ “comprehensive effort to protect California communities during these rounds of storms.”

“Gov. Gavin Newsom has activated the State’s Operation Center, which is essentially the full weight of the State,” CroftsPelayo said. “The state has to be able to have tightly coordinated responses and rapidly deploy resources to protect impacted communities.” Cal OES is reporting that so far this year California has experienced multiple large and damaging storms in the form of snow, gusty winds, lightning and torrential rain. It is warning that storms continue to be dynamic and pose a threat to communities throughout the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has activated the State Operations Center to bring state support to county-led emergency response efforts and coordinate mutual aid from neighboring jurisdictions. To elevate the state’s response, Newsom has declared a state of emergency in 40 counties: Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yuba, Calaveras, Del Norte, Glenn, Kings, San Benito and San Joaquin counties have been warned that disaster may occur.

According to Crofts-Pelayo, the impact of the “extreme weather has been significant.” There are 33 shelters opened in 14 counties, about 15,800 people are under evacuation and 6,800 people in 16 counties are without power.

“Our climate is changing and at the end of the day the hots are getting hotter, the wets are wetter, and the dry dryer,” Crofts-Pelayo said. “So, with that we are having to rapidly evolve our response and preparedness messaging to really fit a whole host of different communities. I think that we never really went away from the January storms.”

On March 13, President Joe Biden approved the Governor’s emergency declaration request and has authorized federal assistance to support the storm response effort in California.

Listos California has provided “Preparedness Tips” that the office says will play a critical role

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY IFB NO. PO921-23

HVAC WASHDOWN DUTY CONDENSER MOTORS

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is seeking Bids for HVAC Washdown

Duty Condenser Motors. Bid documents may be downloaded at SCRRA’s website at http://www. metrolinktrains.com/contracts.

Bids are due on 04/06/23.

The contract to be awarded will be funded in part by grants under the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration.

For further information

contact: Brian Jacob, Senior Contract and Compliance Administrator, at JacobB@ scrra.net.

3/15/23

CNS-3677772#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

in keeping communities safe. Californians residing in affected counties are encouraged to sign up for their local community’s warning system at CalAlerts.gov. Use Television, radio, and county emergency services social media channels to get the information to be safe, authorities say.

If asked to evacuate, do so immediately and know that personnel at emergency evacuation centers cannot ask for identification. Everyone is welcome at emergency evacuation centers. Never drive around barricades and never drive into flooded areas. Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters. Visit Listos California for information on the range of resources to help Californians in need.

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

LACMTA will receive Proposals for AE100331 - Transit Operations Engineering Support electronically via email to bids@metro.net. All electronic Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA at bids@metro.net, on or before 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, April 20, 2023. Electronic Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each proposal electronic submittal (email) must be marked Proposal No. AE100331.

For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https:// business.metro.net or for further information email Victor Zepeda at zepedav@ metro.net.

3/8, 3/15/23

CNS-3675305#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

by Liz Szabo Kaiser Health News

NIGHTLIFE. The lighted mausoleum of President Manuel L. Quezon serves as mute witness to park visitors spending quiet time at the Quezon

Memorial Circle on Friday, March 10. The three 66-meter pylons, representing Quezon’s age when he died, stand for the country’s three

US, partners create $10.6-M training program for Filipino factory workers

MANILA — The United States has partnered with manufacturing companies in the Philippines to help develop the skills of the sector’s workers for a five-year training program.

With the U.S. investing $5.3 million (P311 million) in the program, Washington has now given Manila $105.6 million (P5.8 billion) in support of its education and workforce development programs.

According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Unilab Foundation are collaborating on a $10.6-million (P622 million) program called the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce

Development Alliance (AMDev). Half of the funding for the program will come from privatesector partners, namely the Unilab Foundation, Amherst Laboratories, Belmont Softgel Pharma, Fastech Advanced Assembly, Western Digital Philippines, Makati Business Club, and the Investment and Capital Corporation of the Philippines Group Foundation. “We hope that this private sector collaboration will allow the Philippines to advance to ‘high middle-income’ economic status and strengthen its ability to increase suitable, inclusive, and transparent economic growth in the broader Indo-Pacific economic community,” US Ambassador Marykay Carlson said during the

Gov’t ramps up drive vs human...

PAGE 1

Trafficking in persons has been a problem for many countries especially as the global economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, which made life harder for many people, he said.

The Trafficking in Persons Office of the U.S. Department of State conducts a yearly assessment to monitor all countries' efforts to

program’s launch in Laguna on Monday.

The government is aiming to turn the Philippines into an “upper middle-income country” in a few years as it works on postpandemic recovery.

The AMDev will open opportunities for manufacturing sector workers through apprenticeships, and immersion programs. It also opens up connections to a network of other students and professors from educational institutions near manufacturing sites.

The embassy said it aims to get its program recognized academically to allow participants to pursue higher education if they wish. (Philstar.com)

California sues Huntington Beach for violating...

PAGE 2

for NIMBY-ism, and my administration will take every measure necessary to hold communities accountable for

combat human trafficking and provide each country with a grade according to a three-tier scale. Countries and territories under Tier 1 fully comply with the minimum standards while those under Tier 2 do not fully comply with the minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.

Pandemic stress, gangs, and utter fear...

with it all over again.”

Diego said, and his mother once threw a toaster at his father.

and counties do their part, and those that flagrantly violate state housing laws will be held to account.” (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

"Hindi hahayaan ng administrasyong ito ang pagtapak sa karapatan ng mga Pilipino saan man sila naroroon kaya ipaglalaban natin ito sa abot ng ating makakaya (This administration will not allow the rights of Filipinos to be trampled on no matter where they may be and we will fight for this to the best of our ability)," Marcos asserted. n their failure to build their fair share of housing, “ Newsom said in a statement. “The housing crisis facing families across the state demands that all cities

trauma center, the number of gunshot wounds in children under 16 has doubled in the past six years, said Dr. Selwyn Rogers, the center’s founding director. The youngest victim was 2. “You hear the mother wail, or the brother say, ‘It’s not true,’” said Rogers, who works with local youth as the hospital’s executive vice president for community health engagement. “You have to be present in that moment, but then walk out the door and deal

In recent years, the justice system has struggled to balance the need for public safety with compassion for kids, based on research that shows a young person’s brain doesn’t fully mature until age 25. Most young offenders “age out” of criminal or violent behavior around the same time, as they develop more selfcontrol and long-range thinking skills.

Yet teens accused of shootings are often charged as adults, which means they face harsher punishments than kids charged as juveniles, said Josh Rovner, director of youth justice at the Sentencing Project, which advocates for justice system reform.

About 53,000 juveniles in 2019 were charged as adults, which can have serious health repercussions. These teens are more likely to be victimized while incarcerated, Rovner said, and to be arrested again after release.

Young people can spend much of their lives in a povertyimposed lockdown, never venturing far beyond their neighborhoods, learning little about opportunities that exist in the wider world, Rogers said. Millions of American children — particularly Black, Hispanic, and Native American kids — live in environments plagued by poverty, violence, and drug use.

The covid-19 pandemic amplified all those problems, from unemployment to food and housing insecurity.

Although no one can say with certainty what spurred the surge in shootings in 2020, research has long linked hopelessness and lack of trust in police — which increased after the murder of George Floyd that year — to an increased risk of community violence. Gun sales soared 64% from 2019 to 2020, while many violence prevention programs shut down.

One of the most serious losses children faced during the pandemic was the closure of schools — institutions that might provide the only stabilizing force in their young lives — for a year or more in many places.

“The pandemic just turned up the fire under the pot,” said Elise White, deputy director of research at the nonprofit Center for Justice Innovation, which works with communities and justice systems. “Looking back, it’s easy to underplay now just how uncertain that time [during the pandemic] felt. The more that people feel uncertain, the more they feel there’s no safety around them, the more likely they are to carry weapons.”

Of course, most children who experience hardship never break the law. Multiple studies have found that most gun violence is perpetrated by a relatively small number of people.

The presence of even one supportive adult can protect children from becoming involved with crime, said Dr. Abdullah Pratt, a UChicago Medicine emergency physician who lost his brother to gun violence.

Pratt also lost four friends to gun violence during the pandemic. All four died in his emergency room; one was the son of a hospital nurse.

Although Pratt grew up in a part of Chicago where street gangs were common, he benefited from the support of loving parents and strong role models, such as teachers and football coaches. Pratt was also protected by his older brother, who looked out for him and made sure gangs left the future doctor alone.

“Everything I’ve been able to accomplish,” Pratt said, “is because someone helped me.”

Growing up in a ‘war zone’

Diego had no adults at home to help him feel safe. His parents were often violent. Once, in a drunken rage, Diego’s father grabbed him by the leg and swung him around the room,

At age 12, Diego’s efforts to help the family pay overdue bills — by selling marijuana and stealing from unlocked cars and apartments — led his father to throw him out of the house.

At 13, Diego joined a gang made up of neighborhood kids. Gang members — who recounted similar stories about leaving the house to escape abuse — gave him food and a place to stay. “We were like a family,” Diego said. When the kids were hungry, and there was no food at home, “we’d go to a gas station together to steal some breakfast.”

But Diego, who was smaller than most of the others, lived in fear. At 16, Diego weighed only 100 pounds. Bigger boys bullied and beat him up. And his successful hustle — selling stolen merchandise on the street for cash — got the attention of rival gang members, who threatened to rob him.

Children who experience chronic violence can develop a “war zone mentality,” becoming hypervigilant to threats, sometimes sensing danger where it doesn’t exist, said James Garbarino, an emeritus professor of psychology at Cornell University and Loyola University-Chicago. Kids who live with constant fear are more likely to look to firearms or gangs for protection. They can be triggered to take preemptive action — such as firing a gun without thinking — against a perceived threat.

“Their bodies are constantly ready for a fight,” said Gianna Tran, deputy executive director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center in Oakland, California, which works with young people living in poverty, trauma, and neglect.

Unlike mass shooters, who buy guns and ammunition because they’re intent on murder, most teen violence is not premeditated, Garbarino said.

In surveys, most young people who carry guns — including gang members — say they do so out of fear or to deter attacks, rather than perpetrate them. But fear of community violence, both from rivals and the police, can stoke an urban arms race, in which kids feel that only the foolish walk around without a weapon.

“Fundamentally, violence is a contagious disease,” said Dr. Gary Slutkin, founder of Cure Violence Global, which works to prevent community violence.

Although a small number of teens become hardened and remorseless, Pratt said, he sees far more shootings caused by “poor conflict resolution” and teenage impulsivity rather than a desire to kill.

Indeed, firearms and an immature teenage brain are a dangerous mix, Garbarino said. Alcohol and drugs can magnify the risk. When confronted with a potentially life-or-death situation, kids may act without thinking.

When Diego was 16, he was walking a girl to school and they were approached by three boys, including a gang member who, using obscene and threatening language, asked if Diego was also in a gang. Diego said he tried to walk past the boys, one of whom appeared to have a gun.

“I didn’t know how to fire a gun,” Diego said. “I just wanted them to get away.”

In news accounts of the shooting, witnesses said they heard five gunshots. “The only thing I remember is the sound of the shots,” Diego said. “Everything else was going in slow motion.”

Diego had shot two of the boys in the legs. The girl ran one way, and he ran another. Police arrested Diego at home a few hours later. He was tried as an adult, convicted of two counts of attempted homicide, and PAGE 7

BANANAS FOR SALE. A vendor arranges bananas at the Kadiwa store located at a gasoline station in Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City on Tuesday, March 14. The bananas were sold at PHP45 per kg.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Luis Teodoro, Philippine journalism’s champion and critic, dies at 81

MANILA — Luis V. Teodoro — a veteran columnist, media critic and champion of the alternative press — has died at 81.

Teodoro, who had a long-running column in BusinessWorld, was deputy director of media monitor Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, where he helped push for higher standards for the profession through training and through constant reminders on media ethics.

"A pillar of Philippine journalism, Teodoro’s combined careers as an academic and journalist is unparalleled," CMFR said in a statement.

"His place as an esteemed colleague and friend is unique. CMFR will forever uphold his contribution to the work of building of a free and independent press and its role in Philippine democracy."

The Alternative Media Network (Altermidya), of which he was founding chairperson, called Teodoro a pillar of Philippine journalism who advanced "the ideals of pro-people journalism both as a respected member of the academe and through the alternative media that he helped organize in the Philippines."

Teodoro's family has confirmed his passing but has yet to issue a statement.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, which remembered Teodoro as a defender of press freedom, also called him "the staunchest advocate for the best in the profession and the most savage critic of its worst practices" who would continue to be a guide for the profession even after his passing.

"The current and the future generations of journalists have been gifted with Dean Teodoro's lessons on journalism. We pledge to continue his legacy of wielding the pen in the service of the people," the union also said.

Alternative news website Bulatlat, where Teodoro sat on the board, said that he had "many of today's finest journalists in the country, having provided them with tools for analysis they need to better cover stories of marginalized communities and in holding the powerful to account."

The website, in its statement, said Teodoro "was a constant reminder that it is imperative for today's journalists to defend human rights, uphold the highest ethical practice of journalism, and to do their best in bringing about change."

Academic excellence, upholding integrity

Teodoro was a journalism professor at the UP College of Mass Communication, where he was dean for two terms from 1994 to 2000, according to the UP Open University, where he gave a lecture on the political economy of the mass media.

"It was during his deanship that two departments of UP-CMC — the Department of Journalism and the Department of Communication Research — were first named Commission on Higher Education Centers of Excellence," UPOU also said.

"He held a number of professional chairs before his retirement from UP as a full professor of journalism. He conceptualized and raised the initial funds for the construction of the College of Mass Communication Media Center, the cornerstone of which was laid during his deanship of the college."

In a Facebook post, UP CMC said it was "[joining] friends and colleagues in communication and media

in mourning [his] passing."

"As educator, editor, and journalist, Dean Teodoro was pivotal in fostering academic excellence in our discipline, upholding integrity in the practice of media, and defending our freedoms of the press, speech, and assembly," it also said.

According to CMFR, Teodoro kept teaching at UP CMC — online during the pandemic and in the classroom when restrictions on face-to-face classes were eased.

Colleagues to carry on his work

Among the remaining journalists from the Martial Law era, and one who was a political prisoner,Teodoro wrote in a BusinessWorld column on the anniversary of People Power that while it was a momentous incident for the nation, it was "hardly" a revolution.

"It did not dismantle or even truly reform the feudal system. The land tenancy anomaly in fact survived it and even emerged stronger than ever. Inviting foreign investments into the country is still the main development strategy of the successors of Marcos, Sr. as it has been since 1946; and industrialization has never been seriously contemplated as economic policy," he wrote on BusinessWorld.

"That 'revolution' was no social upheaval either. It did not end the vast inequality, the social injustice, and the poverty that still afflict millions of Filipinos. And the most that it did politically was to replace one wing of the ruling elite with another. It did not replace the dynasties that have monopolized political power in this country for decades, and in fact eventually allowed the representatives of their most backward, bureaucrat-capitalist faction to eventually regain and keep power indefinitely," he also wrote.

As a generation of Martial Law journalists passes and with the structural problems that Teodoro lamented in one of his last columns still in place, the Altermidya network that Teodoro helped found promised on Tuesday to "carry on his work and principles" in producing journalism for the people. (Philstar.com)

BAP: Philippines’ banking system not exposed to US contagion

by

MANILA — The Bankers Association of the Philippines assured on Tuesday, March 14 that the country’s banking system is not exposed to the contagion from the collapse of U.S.-based banks.

In a statement, the BAP explained the fallout from the closures of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank will not have any “material impact” on Philippine banks.

“Banks have diversified deposit bases that include all sectors of the Philippine economy, allowing them to continuously provide the liquidity needs of their clients,” the statement read.

SVB’s collapse last Friday, March 10 was precipitated by a bank run, essentially the bank did not have any cash to pay back its depositors. The bank was considered one of the largest lenders to the tech sector.

Two days later, the ensuing panic forced regulators to shut down Signature Bank to soothe equity markets and investors.

Experts reckoned that SVB was the largest bank to fail ever since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. The failure of the two banks sent investors everywhere on edge as the collapse dominated

headlines over the weekend.

“Additionally, banks in the Philippines continue to have capital and liquidity ratios that exceed the requirements set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,” the BAP added.

Philippines equities reacted to the news glumly. Local shares trended downward at the start of the week.

Much like the BAP, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla assured the public that Philippine banks are not exposed to the fallout. “The prudential measures implemented by the BSP provide the necessary support that allows the Philippine banking system to withstand economic shocks,” BAP said. n

FINALISTS. The Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) headed by Director Dr. Josette T. Biyo (3rd row, in grey suit) and their partners for the 6th imake.wemake competition present the 20 top school finalists and their coaches in a press conference at the Sequioa Hotel-Manila Bay, Aseana City Business Park in Parañaque City on Monday, March 13.

promotion of innovation through the imake.wemake competition fostering their goal

unleash

creativity

young Filipinos

innovation using accessible technologies to address problems in society and improve social conditions. PNA photo by Ben Briones

In this file photo from 2017, veteran columnist and journalism professor Luis V. Teodoro attends a press conference against impunity. Philstar.com file photo

Ramon Royandoyan Philstar.com

HIV among teens

IN their teens, there are Filipinos who are getting infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, the Department of Health has reported. In its latest HIV/ AIDS registry, the DOH reported this week that 79 Filipinos aged 10 to 19 years and seven children below age 10 were diagnosed with HIV in January alone.

Of the 86 cases, 78 got HIV through sexual contact, according to the DOH. The department reported that 65 of the infections acquired HIV through male-to-male sex, eight through sex with both male and female, and five through heterosexual contact, with most of the sexual contact unprotected or unsafe. Of the cases, 18 were 18 to 19 years old, 20 were aged 15 to 17 while two were between ages 10 and 14.

The problem raises the need to heighten awareness of safe sex and reproductive health among adolescents. Some sectors have expressed concern that sex education can encourage sexual promiscuity among the youth. Proponents of sex education, on the other hand, argue that adolescents will explore their sexuality anyway, so it is better to provide them with proper information on safe sex, reproductive health and the risks of HIV infection and teenage pregnancy.

Before the COVID pandemic, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS had reported that the number of new HIV infections in the Philippines had more than doubled between 2010

From My Point of View

SINCE taxation is part and parcel of our existence, let’s continue to dwell on this subject matter. We are in the tax season mode, so we’ll provide some insights to navigate this important aspect of our lives whether we like or not.

Child and dependent care credit

For instance, Child and Dependent Care Credit is again a deductible tax credit. I have a client from Fresno, California who was given a $2,000 credit for his two-year-old baby and then some. Because the breadwinner of the house, a nurse, received a refund of more than $10,000. He got excited that at last he can now have some cash to pay for his down payment for his first house. If you have for more than one

and 2016, from 4,300 infections to approximately 10,500. The country has recorded the fastest growth rate in HIV infection in Asia and the Pacific, becoming one of eight countries that account for over 85 percent of new infections in the region, according to UNAIDS.

Last year, the DOH recorded a 21 percent increase in new HIV infections compared to 2021. In January this year, 1,454 new cases were recorded nationwide, or a daily average of 46 new infections. HIV cases in the country have shifted from female sex workers to men having sex with men.

A growing concern for health experts is the increase in HIV infections among teenagers. While new generation treatments have become available for HIV, the infection is still debilitating and can lead to death if it progresses to fullblown AIDS. Health experts are calling for a multisectoral response to the problem, from the home to schools, communities, civil society and concerned government agencies, all moving to save youths from infection. (Philstar.com)

Child and dependent care credits and then some

qualifying individual child, you will get more tax credits. The percentage of the eligible child care expenses is based on the Taxpayer’s Adjusted Gross Income. If you are the Head of the Household even you are a single taxpayer, you can claim your parents who are out of works but reside in your house or siblings who are below 17 years of age, who live with you and provide their support. E-filing early is the better option

In my experience as a tax preparer, e-filing early is the better option. If you expect a tax refund, you’ll receive your refunds from the Internal Revenue in one week especially if it’s deposited directly to your bank account. It’s safe and prompt. Thereafter, the State’s Franchise Tax Board will issue the refund a few days or a week after. Mailing your tax returns is not advisable unless there’s a compelling reason to do so.

Refunds will take a while.

And if you owe back taxes previously, the IRS will automatically deduct whatever tax liabilities are unpaid if you happen to have refunds in your in this 2023 tax year.

Rebates for middle class from FTB

Just in case you received Antiinflation Rebate for middle class lately from the State Franchise Tax Board, it’s a non-taxable. The amount given is $700 for married filing jointly (MFJ) or $350 for an individual or married filing separately. The recipients of this manna from the State depends on their income bracket. For some reason, not everyone receives this rebate.

We must be lucky or well pampered because some taxpayers had received this cash. Others did not. In other States, taxpayers didn’t have this benefit. California must be awash with surplus. That’s how generous our State is, although we feel that its taxpayers are

Progress delayed is progress denied

are caught flatfooted again, not having consolidated. With their franchises in threat of non-renewal, another transport strike was organized to pressure the LTFRB. It is the proverbial gun that they put to the public’s head. Again, LTFRB relented and extended the deadline to Dec. 31, 2023.

ON the back of the nationwide strike planned by transport groups, the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced that it would extend, yet again, the deadline for PUV operators to comply with the first phase of the PUV modernization program. The extension takes effect from June 30 and expires on Dec. 31, 2023.

It will be recalled that the PUV modernization program was championed by former DOTr secretary Art Tugade. Ratified in 2017, jeepney and bus operators were given three years, or until 2020, to comply with the first phase of the program. This first phase requires PUV operators to consolidate into cooperatives or corporations to achieve economies of scale – doing so will enable them to professionalize their operations.

The year 2020 came and went and the greater majority of jeepney and bus operators failed to comply. Transport groups asked for an extension and threatened to mount a nationwide strike if they did not get their way.

The LTFRB relented and granted an extension until June 20, 2023, or another three years.

As the new deadline approaches, many jeepney and bus operators

The LTFRB should show some backbone. If they cave every time transport groups threaten a strike, this PUV modernization program will never come to fruition.

The PUV modernization program will make the country’s public transport system more efficient and environmentally friendly. The program calls for the phase-out of jeepneys, buses and other public utility vehicles that are 15 years old or older. These will be replaced by safer, more comfortable and environmentallyfriendly alternatives over the next three years. Currently, there are 220,000 jeepney units operating throughout the country.

The replacement vehicles are required to utilize Euro-4 compliant or electric engines to comply with the Clean Air Act.

PUVs must also be rigged with CCTV cameras, an automated fare collection system, speed limiters and a GPS system. The DOTr specifies no preference as far as manufacturers of new generation PUVs are concerned.

For as long as they pass the Philippine National Standards and are aligned with the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines of the LTFRB, operators will have no problem renewing their

franchises.

Government has made it easy for PUV operators to replace their decrepit vehicles. A subsidy of P160,000 has been granted to cover the down-payment, chattel mortgage and insurance of a brand new vehicle. A concessionary interest rate of six percent will be applied over an amortization term of seven years. This allows the PUV operators to obtain a brand new PUV with practically zero cash outlay whilst paying affordable monthly installments. The cost of a new vehicle can range from P900,000 to P2.5 million, depending on its load capacity and engine. Some PUV drivers and/or operators may find it difficult to understand how the financial model works. For guidance, they can refer to the LTFRB or enroll in the Driver Scholar Program of TESDA.

Adjunct with the modernization of buses and jeepneys will be the rationalization of routes. New routes will be created while appropriate number of PUVs will be deployed per route.

The benefits of the program are numerous. For the riding public, they will enjoy more efficient and connected routes, shorter waiting times, a safer and more comfortable journey, predictable travel times, more disciplined drivers (due to the elimination of the boundary system) and reduced traffic. For the drivers, they will benefit by way of fixed base salaries plus benefits (which they are presently deprived of), higher incomes by virtue of

overtaxed in property tax, sales tax, income tax and other utility taxes.

In other state like Florida, individual or married tax filers don’t file their state income tax return unless you file your business income. They don’t receive tax refunds in that state.

Itemized vs. standard deductions

In my years of experience, I received several questions whether an itemized deduction is better than standard deductions.

My answer is: ‘It depends.’

If you have more than enough deductions to offer and exceeds the standard deduction, it is better to go for itemized.

Examples of these are:

1. High residential property taxes, mortgage interests, church and charitable donations, medical expenses, drug prescriptions, doctor’s visits, child care expenses, among others. It also depends on the withholding tax you paid on your W-2s. But if you don’t have enough

exemptions or deductibles, the tax software will choose standard deductions chart. For instance, if you are single, the deductions is from $14,700 to $16,450 depending on your income.

For Married filing jointly, the deduction is from $27,300 to $31,500; for Qualifying surviving spouse, it’s from $27,300 to $28,700; for Head of household, it’s from $21,150 to $22,900; for Married filing separately, it’s from $14,350 to $18,550. The amount of deduction depends on a taxpayer’s Adjusted Gross Income.

Prescription and holistic drugs and therapies

I also learned that not only prescription drugs are tax deductible but also holistic medications or also known as natural medicine, alternative and complementary medicine

If you are parents taking care of mentally challenged young kids or adult kids who you claim as dependents, you are qualified to claim these unconventional

medications even without prescriptions.

Plug-in electric vehicles

If you bought electric vehicles last year including SUVs, you are eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 under the new vehicle classification. Through 2022, taxpayers will claim the credit on Form 8936 under the rules in effect before the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act. There’s a provision though. It must meet the requirement that the vehicle was assembled in North America to be eligible for the credit. It will be considered a refundable credit and the advance payment of the credit will be reconciled on the tax return. The Clean Vehicle Credit will expire December 31, 2032.

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

* * * denino1951@gmail.com

vehicles with higher passenger capacities, faster turn around times due to rationalized routes, less working hours, less traffic, less work stress and less franchise costs. It is a win-win situation for all.

There are other reasons why the PUV modernization program needs to be implemented with no more delay. According to the DENR, 80 percent of the pollution in Metro Manila and key cities is attributed to motor vehicle pollution, particularly from old diesel-run PUVs. In terms of motorists’ safety, some 40,133 accidents were recorded involving PUVs between 2016-2019. The extraordinarily high accident rate of PUVs is due to the lack of maintenance of vehicles and failure to replace tires, break pads, headlights and tail lights. The sad reality is that independent PUV operators function from hand to

mouth. They simply do not have the financial elbow room to invest in maintenance. Hence, the need to organize into cooperatives or corporations.

And then there is the outdated boundary system – an arrangement that brings out the worst in PUV drivers. The need to earn the boundary compels drivers to race like mad men to secure as many passengers as possible, even if it means breaking traffic rules. Drivers have no choice but to work 12 to 14 hours per day just to earn a decent take-home pay, after boundary. Many have resorted to taking illegal drugs to meet the physical demands of the job.

The PUV modernization program will eliminate the boundary system in exchange for fixed salaries plus SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-Ibig benefits for the driver. Working hours will

be rationalized and safer driving conditions secured. Drivers will now be accorded the dignity they deserve.

The PUV modernization program is long overdue. Citizens, commuters and drivers have waited six long years for this badly needed program to be implemented. We must not let those who resist change and those who failed to prepare get in the way of progress. Let this be the last time the LTFRB gives in to pressure. At the end of the day, progress delayed is progress denied.

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

* * * Email: andrew_rs6@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan

BUSINESS AS USUAL. There was no sign of a transport strike along Gil Puyat Avenue near Taft Avenue in Pasay City on Monday, March 6. More drivers preferred to ply their routes than join the protest of groups opposing some provisions of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

12,000 troops to join largest PH-US Balikatan

by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

MANILA — Some 12,000 American soldiers will be arriving in the country in the next few weeks to participate in the 2023 Balikatan Exercises, which will be the biggest joint training event between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States military. This year’s activities will also, for the first time with US troops, involve live-fire exercises, specifically in the waters of Zambales.

Col. Michael Logico, director of the Joint and Combined Training Center under the AFP Education, Training and Doctrine Command and spokesman for Balikatan 2023, said around 17,600 Filipino and US soldiers are set to join this year’s joint training exercises.

Around 12,000 of the soldiers will come from the US military while the rest will be from the AFP, along with about 100 from the Australian Defense Force who will be joining some of the events for the first time.

There will also be observers from the Japan Self Defense Force.

Logico told reporters Balikatan 2023 will run from April 11 to 28 with events in various locations in Northern Luzon, Palawan and Antique.

“Yes, this is officially the largest Balikatan Exercise,” he said, noting that the event would be “an interoperability exercise to test our concepts for maritime defense, for coastal defense and maritime domain awareness.”

He added that this year’s

iteration of the joint military training between Filipino and American soldiers would also include cyber defense exercise.

Events would also be held “outside our traditional training areas,” Logico said.

“Part of it is we’re going to be doing live fire exercises into the water. So it’s practically, we’re exercising in key locations where we are able to utilize all our service components,” he said.

Only the Air Force and the Army were participants in previous exercises, he said.

Asked if this year’s Balikatan Exercises would factor in the West Philippine Sea problem with China, Logico said “every country has the absolute and inalienable right to exercise within our territory, we have the absolute, inalienable right to defend our territory.”

But he stressed the joint exercises were not meant as preparation for hostilities with China.

“We are here to practice, we are here to show that we are combat ready,” he pointed out.

Logico said the US military would be bringing in military assets including ships and aircraft.

Training facility

Australia, meanwhile, has donated a new training facility for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Capas, Tarlac.

Acting Defense Undersecretary Angelito de Leon led the official acceptance of the Close Air Support Part Task Trainer, Classroom and Debriefing Facility on Monday.

The facility will be assigned to the Air Force’s 710th Special

Operations Wing (SPOW).

“On behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense (DND), I thank the Australian government, represented here by Her Excellency Hae Kyong Yu, PSM, Australian ambassador to the Philippines, for donating this classroom and debriefing facility to the Philippine Air Force,” De Leon said, quoting the speech of DND officer-in-charge, Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr.

Australian ambassador Yu officially handed the transfer documents to De Leon.

The donation was made possible through the PhilippinesAustralia Enhanced Defense Cooperation Program (EDCP), signed in December 2019.

“With this facility, the PAF will be able to address the technical training gaps of its personnel who will be given more time and training opportunities such as the use of simulator and actual flight events,” De Leon said.

“To reciprocate this goodwill and support, we must collectively ensure that the Philippines will be able to fulfill its roles as a responsible nation-state and a reliable regional security partner,” De Leon said.

The Australian ambassador, in a post on Twitter, said her country is “grateful for the Philippines’ support as Australia seeks to become a more capable defense partner in the region.”

“Australia is investing in capabilities to meet the challenges of our strategic circumstances and ensure the Indo-Pacific remains stable, secure and prosperous,” she said. (with Pia Lee-Brago)

Pandemic stress, gangs, and utter fear...

PAGE 4

sentenced to 12 years.

A Second Chance

In the past two decades, the justice system has made major changes in the way it treats children.

Youth arrests for violent crime plummeted 67% from 2006 to 2020, and 40 states have made it harder to charge minors as adults. States also are adopting alternatives to incarceration, such as group homes that allow teens to remain in their communities, while providing treatment to help them change their behavior.

Because Diego was 17 when he was sentenced, he was sent

to a juvenile facility, where he received therapy for the first time.

Diego finished high school while behind bars and went on to earn an associate’s degree from a community college. He and other young inmates went on field trips to theaters and the aquarium — places he had never been.

The detention center director asked Diego to accompany her to events about juvenile justice reform, where he was invited to tell his story.

Those were eye-opening experiences for Diego, who realized he had seen very little of Chicago, even though he had spent his life there.

“Growing up, the only thing

by Kristine Joy Patag Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Justice has indicted suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and several others over the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and alleged middleman Jun Villamor.

The DOJ panel of prosecutors, in a resolution dated March 9, said it found probable cause to charge Bantag and his supposed right-hand man, SSupt. Ricardo Zulueta over the killings of Lapid — whose real name is Percival Mabasa — and Villamor as “principal by inducement.”

Lapid was known for his hard-hitting commentaries on government officials. He was shot in October last year while he was in his vehicle, near the gate of his private subdivision in the capital region.

“The preliminary investigation established that the murders of [Lapid] and Villamor were attended by conspiracy between and among the respective respondents. The plan of the respondents to kill them both, including its execution, was shown by the evidence for the complainants,” the DOJ said in a statement.

Lapid assassination

On the indictment of Bantag, the DOJ said that “sufficient circumstantial evidence have been presented to establish that he masterminded the assassination of [Lapid].”

establish his participation in the killing of [Lapid],” specifically citing the BuCor official’s call to inmate Denver Mayores to look for a killer as the start of the assassination plan.

“Moreover, it was respondent Zulueta who provided the amount of P350,000.00 as additional payment to the hitman/killer and told respondent Labra that respondent Bantag is thanking them for the assassination,” the statement quoted the resolution.

Others who will face charges are:

As principal by direct participation in Lapid killing

Joel Escorial, confessed gunman Israel Dimaculangan

Edmon Dimaculangan

alias Orly

As principal by indispensable cooperation in Lapid killing

PDL Denver Mayores

PDL Alvin Labra

PDL Aldrin Galicia

PDL Alfie Peñaredonda

Christopher Bacoto

The DOJ said that the call started with Zulueta to Mayores, then to Labra who messaged Galicia who, in turn, instructed Villamor to find a gunman. They found Escorial, through Bacoto.

“The phrases ‘nainip na ang

itaas’, ‘itaas’ is already getting mad, ‘may utos si tanda’, work coming from ‘taas’ were mentioned in the sinumpaang salaysay of the PDLs. They confirmed that the words ‘itaas’, ‘taas’ or ‘tanda’ refers to respondent Bantag,” the statement further read.

Villamor murder

In the murder of Villamor, Bantag, Zulueta, Labra and Galicia were indicted as principal inducement. Others indicted for the inmate’s murder, “as principal by direct participation,” are:

PDL Maria Alvarez

PDL Joseph Georfo

PDL Christian Ramac

PDL Ricky Salgado

PDL Ronnie Dela Cryz

PDL Joel Reyes

“Accordingly, the Panel of Prosecutors respectfully recommends the approval of the two corresponding Informations (charge sheets) in the above-entitled case,” part of the resolution read.

The murder charges will be filed before the courts of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa, over the separate incidents of the killing of Lapid and Villamor, respectively. Bantag meanwhile is also facing criminal raps for alleged torture of Bilibid inmates, and graft and plunder complaints. n

you see is your community,” said Diego, who was released after four years in detention, when the governor commuted his sentence. “You assume that is what the whole world is like.”

KHN data editor Holly K. Hacker and researcher Megan Kalata contributed to this report.

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

It said that several circumstances were shown starting with the call of Villamor to confessed gunman Joel Escorial where the former told the latter not to disclose Bantag’s name when caught. The department also noted the motive for the murder, such as “Lapid Fire” episodes that showed the then-BuCor chief’s house.

“Significantly, the statements of the respondent PDLs corroborate the finding and point to Bantag as the one who ordered the killing,” the DOJ added.

Meanwhile, on the part of Zulueta, the DOJ said prosecution panel held that the statements of the Persons Deprived of Liberty “clearly

DOJ indicts Bantag, several others over killing of Percy Lapid, inmate Jun Villamor EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

The Asian Journal MDWK

Wednesday MARCH 15, 2023

FPJ series not among reasons behind Lovi’s transfer to ABS-CBN

By marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

“I WANT to have my own take on it,” said “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” lead actress Lovi Poe of a character once played by Maricel Soriano in the movie version that also featured her late father, Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ).

“I’ve already watched the movie before, but as part of my preparation for the series, I made sure to see it again. However, I don’t want to find myself copying Ms. Maricel. Also, my character here is totally different from hers in terms of their respective life journeys,” she told reporters recently.

“When it comes to training, I’m currently into one, but I’m not allowed to elaborate on it yet. I’ve been doing this unique preparation even before we started taping for the show,” she added.

‘Bargas’

Asked to describe her character Mocha “Mokang” Dimaculangan, Lovi said: “The term we always use when talking about her is ‘bargas,’ especially in the way she speaks

and moves. This comes naturally to me, too. Not many people know this, but I act according to how I’m dressed. When I’m wearing a gown or a dress, it’s like I’m playing a character.

Continued on Page 10

UPAAGLA announces its entertainment lineup for its gala, awards night

THE UPAAGLA Gala and Awards Night returns this year to the Omni Hotel on March 18, 2023.  Sure to be an evening of entertainment, this year’s Gala will be headlined by the multi-talented television actors and models Alexis and Jojo Riguerra.  Alexis will also be joined by Christian Ylagan as the hosts for the evening. Attendees will enjoy dancing to live music from the Midnight Motion Band and performances by Amber and other surprise guests.

Consul General Edgar Badajos and Jessica Caloza, Deputy Chief of Staff for Attorney General Rob Bonta, are the keynote speakers for the year’s celebration.

The 2023 Gala will raise money for the benefit of the UPAAGLA Endowment Fund that

supports the projects and financial needs of the university, its students and the University of the Philippines community.  In 2022, UPAAGLA donated $2,000 to the College of Engineering and raised almost $6,000 for Kaagapay to assist financially-challenged UP students.

The UPAAGLA wishes to thank this year’s major sponsors – The Dichoso Group of Companies, Garcia & Sahni, Asenso, Megaworld and Dinsmore. The organization would also like to thank the Asian Journal, Philippine Post and media partner The Filipino Channel (TFC) for supporting and promoting the event.

Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite by going to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ upaagla-awards-fundraising-gala-2023tickets-422965861277.

HOLLYWOOD – Surreal sci-fi film

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominated the Oscars on Sunday, March 12, winning seven golden statuettes including best picture, Hollywood’s most coveted prize.

The unorthodox but beloved movie – which features multiple universes, sex toys and hot dog fingers – also won best director, best actress, best original screenplay, best editing and both the best supporting actor and actress prizes.

Michelle Yeoh, who is Malaysian, becomes the first-ever Asian woman to win best actress, for her portrayal of an exhausted Chinese laundromat owner embroiled in battle with an inter-dimensional supervillain who happens to be her daughter.

“Thank you to the Academy, this is history in the making!” she said.

“Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime,” added the 60-year-old, whose career began decades ago with martial arts films in Hong Kong.

Brendan Fraser won best actor for playing a morbidly obese teacher in “The Whale,” capping a remarkable career comeback. Fraser was a major action star in the late 1990s with films like “The Mummy,” before largely disappearing from public view.

“I started in this business 30 years ago, and things – they didn’t come easily to me,” he said. He thanked director Darren Aronofsky for “throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship ‘The Whale.’”

‘American Dream’

“Everything Everywhere,” comfortably the night’s biggest winner, is a word-of-mouth smash hit that has grossed $100 million at the global box office.

In a plot that is not easily described, Yeoh’s heroine Evelyn must harness the power of her alter egos living in parallel universes, which feature hot dogs as human fingers, talking rocks and giant dildos used as weapons.

The film, which features a predominantly Asian cast, was directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – two young filmmakers who were previously best known for an oddball comedy about a talking corpse.

Kwan thanked his “immigrant parents,” while his counterpart thanked his mother for never “squashing my creativity,” including when he

at Oscars

had dressed in drag as a child.

Vietnam-born Ke Huy Quan, 51, who was a major child star in the 1980s with “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies,” completed a stunning comeback from decades in the Hollywood wilderness by winning best supporting actor.

“My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp. And somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage... this is the American Dream,” said Quan.

After the show, he came bounding into the backstage press room, shouting “Wow, wow, wow... Can you believe I’m holding one of these?”

He shared that “Indiana Jones” director Steven Spielberg had grabbed him and said: “You are now an Oscar winner!”

Best supporting actress Jamie Lee Curtis paid tribute to her parents Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both Oscar-nominated actors who never won. ‘All Quiet’ makes noise

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Netflix’s German-language World War I film, finished the night in second place with four awards. It won best international feature and best cinematography early in Sunday’s ceremony.

As the night progressed, it also gathered Oscars for best original score and best production design.

But it ultimately could not stop the “Everything Everywhere” juggernaut, and lost adapted screenplay to “Women Talking,” and best sound to “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun” sequel had been seen as another potential best picture contender, having helped bring audiences back to movie theaters after the pandemic.

While Cruise did not attend Sunday’s ceremony, the night began with a thunderous flyover by two US Navy jets, soaring at 345 mph over the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Host Jimmy Kimmel was then lowered onto the stage, and he quickly launched into a monologue which laid into Will Smith’s infamous attack on Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars.

The specter of “The Slap” has hung over the Oscars since Smith assaulted Rock on stage for cracking a joke about his wife. Smith was allowed to stay at the gala, and accept

Continued on Page 9

‘I am Hope’: Liza Soberano answers Boy Abunda Hollywood question

By Kathleen a llemit Philstar.com

MANILA — Without batting an eyelash and second thoughts, Liza Soberano immediately answered everyone’s hanging question on her quest for a career in Hollywood: What if she fails?

“At least I tried,” the 25-year-old actress answered.

Liza was a guest on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.” Her interview was a two-part special. The first part was aired last Friday, March 10, while the second part was aired on Tuesday, March 13.

“At least, wala po akong regrets pagtanda ko na hindi ko man lang sinubukan ito. I didn’t give my all. I didn’t give myself a chance to discover what it is that makes me happy. What it is that I find fulfillment in,” she added.

Liza said her recent career change does not mean she was not happy with a 13-year career in the Philippines with ABSCBN and her love team with real-life boyfriend, Enrique Gil.

“All those years na nakatrabaho ko ang ABS, si Tito Ogie (Diaz, former manager), si Quen (Enrique’s nickname), I experienced some of the best things in life

because of that. I achieved everything that I had because of that and I left it happy. I left it fulfilled but that doesn’t mean I can’t want more. It doesn’t mean that people don’t change and don’t want growth and want new experiences,” Liza explained.

The actress said she continues to audition and shared that it is tough to get cast for a role because she is competing with a lot of people from other parts of the world.

Liza also shared that she welcomes the change that she is experiencing in Hollywood, where her superstar status in the Philippines does not even

mean a thing.

Mahirap pero gusto ko. I like challenging myself. I love na nandoon ako. Nobody is treating me with privilege. No one cares about the success that I have over here. I like that,” she said.

Boy asked Liza to describe herself “when no is watching.”  “I’m Hope. I’m actually very sensitive but I’m also a big dreamer. There’s a lot that I want for people. I just want the best for everyone. I want to create a good and safe world for everyone, not just for myself, not just for my loved ones but for everyone. Yeah, that’s me,” the actress said.

Michelle Yeoh, winner of the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ poses with her Oscar following the 95th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood on Sunday, March 12. AFP photo

‘Everything Everywhere’ all-conquering

Lovi Poe

Elijah Canlas aspires for filmography like Eddie Garcia’s

By AllAn PolicArPio Inquirer.net

WHILE some actors see romance as a distraction, the opposite is true for Elijah Canlas, who believes that his relationship with Miles Ocampo has only made them better actors.

“We may have our own dreams and goals, but we’re in the same industry and we both love what we do. So we just support each other. She helps me study my script, take down notes and memorize my lines. And I do the same for her. We inspire each other,” he told the Inquirer at a recent press conference launching him as the newest contract talent of Cornerstone Entertainment.

Elijah couldn’t be happier for Miles, whose performances in the drama series “Batang Quiapo” often go viral. “I call her ‘veterans.’ She knows the industry better than I do,” he said of his girlfriend, who started out in show biz as a child star. “And I feel so proud whenever I see her trending because I have seen how hard she works or how stressed she is. And to see her gain success is amazing.”

Explore

Does he mind Miles getting paired with other leading men?

Not at all, said Elijah. In fact, he was the one who actually encouraged Miles to do kissing scenes—something the latter used to be wary of. “Ako pa nga nag-push sa kanya. Before we started dating, we had a chance to work on television (in the TV5 soap ‘Paano ang Pangako’). We were supposed to do a kissing scene, but she didn’t want to do it,” he recalled.

“But now that we’re together, I’m able to tell her that maybe this is a side [of acting] she can finally explore,” the 22-year-old actor said. “I help her get over some of her insecurities … But I can see that the more recognition she gets, the more confidence she gains.”

Asked what attracted her to him at first, Elijah said it was Miles’ talent and her being an old soul. “I noticed how good she was at acting. Then, I found out that she’s an old soul and loves music and writing letters, like me. It was music that broke

Elijah Canlas

the ice for us. I gifted her with a Walkman and cassette tapes,” he related. “Later on, I realized that she’s one of the kindest, most passionate people I have met.”

Numerous awards

Elijah got his first break in 2019, after starring in the acclaimed Jun Lana film “Kalel 15.” His performance as an HIV-positive teenager won him numerous awards, both here and abroad, including best actor trophies at the Asian Film Festival, the Gawad Urian and Famas Awards in 2020. He then rose to prominence amid the height of the pandemic through the hit YouTube boys’ love series, “Gameboys.”

This year, Elijah starred in “About Us But Not About Us”—also by Lana—which is an entry to the first ever summer edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival in April. He’s also part of the upcoming historical film, “GomBurZa.”

Now that he’s with Cornerstone, Elijah said his goal is to penetrate the mainstream and do bigger projects. “It will be a different kind of challenge to be in a big-scale project with a bigger cast … something that takes more shooting days. As an actor, I think it will be exciting to be part of something big.”

Elijah also hopes to dabble in music. “I compose my own music and I’m very much involved in producing it. I’m interested in different genres, like hip-hop and R&B. Now, my dad has introduced me to New Wave. So I have diverse taste in music. Given the chance, perhaps I can pursue music using a different name or with a

Bela Padilla is living

Lorna Tolentino’s dream

By ronnie cArrAsco iii ManilaTimes.net on Bela and her directorial

style.

was doing without getting distracted or mixed up.

different persona,” he surmised.

Expectations

While he has already proven his mettle at such a young age, Elijah isn’t about to rest on his laurels. Awards are great to have, but with them come expectations. “I always feel like I have something to prove and learn. So whatever people’s expectations are of me, I will do my best to deliver,” he said.

Elijah hopes to protect his filmography as much as he can.

“At the end of the day, that’s what matters most to me—the movies you have done and how meaningful and wellcrafted they are. And I’m lucky to have worked with some of the best,” he said, adding that he makes sure to consult, not only his management, but also his family, friends and girlfriend when accepting roles.

“If I feel like I won’t be proud of the project, what’s the point being in it? But now, I can say that every single thing I have done, I’m proud of. And I plan to keep it that way. But I don’t make these decisions on my own. I ask my family for guidance… even Miles,” he said. “We think about how a certain project can help my career. ‘What’s the message? How will people perceive me?’ Those are some of the things we discuss.” If there’s one actor whose body of work inspires him, it’s the late show biz icon Eddie Garcia, whom he worked with in “Kalel, 15.” “I aspire to have a filmography like Eddie Garcia’s,” he said. “I still have a lot to prove. But I’m more confident now about my talent, about who I am and what I can do.”

NOT as much preoccupied with taping for a TV series, expect a busier Lorna Tolentino as she takes on more film assignments this year.

LT is set to shoot “White Noise” in Switzerland helmed by her favorite director Bela Padilla who also wrote the script. But mind you, it’s going to be just one day of shoot which Lorna doesn’t mind at all.

Okey lang, at least, nakarating ako sa Switzerland,” the actress gushed as she heaped praises

In fact, this is primarily the reason why LT readily said yes to the project as did she the first time she was handled by the younger actress. Lorna and Bela first worked together in the film “If” which was shot in South Korea in November last year.

The said movie was — shall we say — essentially a Bela Padilla oeuvre with her as one of the cast members, its writer and director rolled into one.

For this, Lorna couldn’t help but laud Bela who, despite her multi-faceted role, knew exactly what she

Ang napansin ko kay Bela, she had full control of what was happening on the set,” Lorna shared.

In White Noise, however, Bela is not in the cast allowing her to focus more on directing. If my memory serves me right, it’s also Lorna’s cherished dream to be able to direct. For some reason though, that pursuit fizzled out. LT must be seeing herself in Bela who’s lucky to have a partner in Viva Entertainment (her home studio) that trusts her.

Film enthusiasts have yet to see what may be considered as Bela’s cinematic masterpiece, one which will put her alongside young yet prolific women directors like Olive Lamasan, Cathy GarciaMolina, Antoinette Jadaone, to name a few.

Based in London where her family resides, Bela comes home if she gets offers to do movies here.

It was during the onslaught of the pandemic when the multi-hyphenate actress felt she was more at home in the English capital, thus enabling her to extract creative diesel to get her mind running for ideas she could use for her materials.

‘Everything Everywhere’...

From Page 8

Hollywood’s top male acting prize soon after, but has since been banned from Academy events for a decade.

“If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show – you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech,” joked Kimmel.

In the night’s other prizes, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won best animated film and “Avatar: The Way of Water” won best visual effects.

“Navalny” – about the imprisoned Russian dissident Alexei Navalny – won for best documentary.

Dozens of dancers brought a colorful,

energetic performance of “Naatu Naatu,” the showstopper tune from Indian crowd-pleaser “RRR,” which won the Oscar for best original song. Academy bosses hope that Oscars television ratings will pick up from recent years, calling in heavy hitters from the world of music to perform the other nominated songs.

A dressed-down Lady Gaga sang an emotional, heartfelt rendition of her song “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick.” And Rihanna – draped in diamonds, including over her baby bump – sang “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which won for best costume design.

Lenny Kravitz performed the annual “In Memoriam” segment. (Philstar.com)

Seasoned actress Lorna Tolentino (right) has always wanted to direct a movie, which is why she admires Bela Padilla for making it happen so soon in her career. Photos from Instagram/@bela, @lornatolentinofernandez

After 25 years, Barbie Almalbis still makes music for ‘the joy of it’

By AllAn PolicArPio Inquirer.net

AS passionate as she is about music, there were moments in Barbie Almalbis’ 25-year career, she said, when inspiration was hard to come by. There were the inevitable bouts of creative slump. Sometimes, the pressure to earn consistent chart success can be stifling.

But whenever she found herself in such a situation, Barbie soldiered on by reminding herself why she makes music in the first place: For the sheer joy of it.

“I started out just playing and writing songs at home. It wasn’t really a means to an end—I simply enjoyed doing music. But once you enter the industry, suddenly there’s pressure. You have to be successful. And then, you have to sustain it. I did feel the pressure through the years. Not every song you put out will be received the same way,” she said at a press conference.

“But what helps me is going back to the original reason I got into music, which is for the joy of it,” she added. “It’s no longer solely about the reception to my work, although I will always be grateful for that. It’s about the true joy of writing songs.”

Support system

Having a good and reliable support system is also a crucial factor. “I couldn’t have done it without people encouraging me like my husband (Martin Honasan). A couple of years ago, I had a season when I couldn’t write songs. Nothing I was writing was coming out right. And so, he helped me by writing songs together,” she said, adding that she also seeks God’s guidance every day.

Barbie, who navigated a male-dominated field to

Barbie Almalbis become one of the country’s most influential rock artists, started out on the scene in 1997 as the lead singer and guitarist of Hungry Young Poets (later renamed to Barbie’s Cradle)—the group behind such hits as “Torpe,” “Firewoman” and “Tabing Ilog.

In 2005, Barbie pursued a solo career and continued churning out memorable anthems, like “Just a Smile.”

“I didn’t have so many plans growing up, but I always just dreamed of playing music.

I’m so thankful I get to do this and share the experience with others, too,” she said. “I’m always touched by the support of my fans and friends, and humbled and encouraged by their words and stories about how these songs have also become part of their journey.”

To mark her 25th anniversary, the singersongwriter released a new album “Barbie Almalbis: Tower Sessions Live,” which features new arrangements of

Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuses to sign?

her career-defining hits. The 11-track record also includes new songs like “Days Are Long,” “Tigre,” “Silaw” and the carrier single, “Kumpas.”

“It has always been a dream of mine to record our songs live, because there’s always something special that gets captured when we play live together,” Barbie said. “My producers and collaborators did such a great job of making you feel like you’re at the gig.”

Bittersweet

Barbie also reunited with her former bandmates from Hungry Young Poets (Ricci Gurango, Franklin Benitez) and Barbie’s Cradle (Rommel dela Cruz, Kakoy Legaspi, Wendell Garcia) in a concert titled, “Firewoman: 25 Years of Barbie Almalbis,” last March 11 at Mandala Park in Mandaluyong City.

“It’s bittersweet. I’m excited that I will get to jam with them again. I had so many amazing memories with them. But when I think of it, I’m like, ‘Why didn’t we continue?’ But we were young then, a bit crazy and had a lot of growing up to do, so we had to go our separate ways. But then again, I’m thankful for the chance to revisit old songs with them.”

Asked what advice she could give hopefuls aspiring for career longevity, Barbie said it’s important that musicians never stop being music fans. “You have to continue being a music fan because every musician started out as one. Sometimes, when it becomes your job, you don’t feel like listening to new music anymore. The moment you stop being a music fan is the moment you stop finding new inspiration.”

“Sometimes, your work is celebrated; sometimes, it’s not. But you just have to keep going. Keep finding that joy and be proud of what you do,” Barbie added.

FPJ series not among reasons...

From Page 8

On the set, I always rely on my directors for guidance to make sure I’m consistent. The environment I work in helps a lot, too.” When it was time to describe Coco Martin as a coactor, producer and director, Lovi had this to say: “He is such a caring person. He treats everyone on the set equally— that’s the one thing that I will never forget about him ever. I didn’t mean to observe him, but I couldn’t help it. I noticed how approachable he is. Anyone on the set can just come up to him if they have anything to ask.”

Lovi continued: “I’m amazed at how composed he is all the

time, even though he is already tired because he is both the lead actor and the director. He is always ready to talk with his team. After doing scenes with him, I also noticed that he is such a natural at acting. Now, I kind of understand his style. He just enjoys what he is doing. When we exchange lines, it’s like I see Tanggol (Coco’s character) in flesh and blood. I enjoy that process, too.”

‘Kulitan’ scenes

Lovi then compared her career path to Coco’s. “He said he started with doing indies. Those were the kind of movies I did when I was starting as an actress, too. I think this is why we have a similar process when

it comes to acting. It feels good that I’m now doing this project and that he is my leading man.

I’m excited to know what we’ll do together for the show in the coming days, because, so far, we only got to tape our ‘kulitan’ scenes. I can’t wait to level up in my acting for the program because I know our characters still have a lot of exciting adventures together,” she declared.

Of their scenes together, Lovi said the most memorable for her, so far, was the one they did inside a jeepney. Tanggol volunteers to bring Mokang to school. They hail a jeepney, but belatedly realize that there’s only one vacant seat. Tanggol tricks Mokang into sitting on his lap the entire ride.

“The scene came out cute, natural and funny. I don’t always get to play a character like this, and just as Coco said in an interview, we promise to offer a different Lovi through this series. I normally play characters that are very serious and a bit too sensual,” the actress pointed out.

Favorite movie

Lovi admitted to liking Coco’s unique way of directing the show—actors are not given any scripts and are encouraged to improvise. “I’m also not a fan of following the script completely. Just like in my other projects, if I want to add something that I know suits my character, I will add. Of course, there are some directors who want you to stick to the lines completely, I respect them,” she said. “I prefer to show emotions that come from the heart. I will say what I want to say, but, of course, as an actor, I would also like to know the structure [of the show], as well as my character’s backstory. To be fair, we talk about these things on this show, as well.”

Lovi added that one of her favorite movies of her dad’s was actually “Batang Quiapo,” and so she was grateful to be part of its TV adaptation. She also pointed out that the project was never part of the contract negotiation for her transfer to ABS-CBN.

“We didn’t talk about me doing any FPJ series or film. However, it was my dream to be able to work with Coco. I admit to asking for Coco,” she said.

“Not only do I get to work with him in ‘Batang Quiapo,’ but also with a wonderful cast. There’s nothing more I can ask for.”

“FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” airs on weekdays, 8 p.m., on the Kapamilya Channel, TV5 and A2Z.

THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this question a lot from our family law clients. The fact is that California is a no fault state and you do not need your spouse’s signature in order to get a divorce. What is more important is being able to properly serve your spouse with the divorce petition and satisfy the jurisdictional requirement of the Court by showing that either you or your spouse resided in the State for at least 6 months prior to filing the petition and in the County for 3 months prior to filing the petition.

When you file a divorce petition, you have to serve your spouse with the summons and petition. Your spouse then has 30 days to file a response after being served with a divorce petition. If your spouse fails to file and serve you with a response, you can file a request for default against your spouse after 30 days. You can also file a proposed judgment for the court to approve. The default procedure can be done even if there are issues of property division, custody, visitation, and support. However, the Court

will still review your proposed judgment and property division to make sure it conforms to the policy towards equal division of community property. Meaning, you have to propose a division of community property that is pretty much equal between the spouses. If your proposed property division is one sided such as distributing all community property to you and giving all the community debts to your spouse, the Court would probably not grant your judgment. The Court would probably set a hearing for you to explain why this is an equal division of community property.

The only time you may need your spouse’s signature is if your spouse files a response to your divorce petition. This is called “contesting” the divorce. If your divorce is contested by your spouse, you can resolve the case either by “settlement” or by “trial.” However, you do not have to settle all the issues in the case at once. Under the concept of divisible divorce, you can settle some of the issues and set the other issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on for trial. Our office try to resolve cases through settlement because it is more cost effective and the parties are usually happier with the outcome. In that situation, the parties may avoid the cost and uncertainty of going to trial by executing what is called a stipulated judgment which is in essence an agreement as to all the issues in the divorce case.

For issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on,

you will have to go through the litigation process which involves obtaining discovery, exchanging declarations of disclosures, and preparing the case for trial.

Ultimately, you will obtain your divorce at trial in addition to adjudication of the distribution of community assets and debts amongst other issues. It is in the best interest of the party to retain the representation of competent counsel who will assert his or her rights under the family code.

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

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

Kat Alano writes cryptic post after SC junks Vhong Navarro’s rape, acts of lasciviousness cases

By JAn Milo Severo Philstar.com

MANILA — British-Filipino host-model Kat Alano wrote a cryptic post after the Supreme Court’s (SC) Third Division ordered the dismissal of rape and acts of lasciviousness charges against Vhong Navarro due to lack of probable cause.

In her Twitter account, Kat posted about connections.

“So you gotta have frieeeends…” she wrote.

“Friends in all the right places, even when you’re wrong,” she added.

Last December, Kat expressed intense lamentation shortly after news that TV host Vhong Navarro would be allowed to post bail amounting to P1 million for temporary

liberty from Taguig City Jail.

“I feel sick. This is so wrong. It’s all wrong. Bahala na kayo Pilipinas. You deserve what you asked for. Sana hindi mangyari sa inyo to. It’s a nightmare that keeps going. Evil wins,” Alano tweeted. “I can’t stop crying. I feel broken and defeated.

Ayaw ko na talaga.”

It can be recalled that in 2014, Alano claimed she was raped by a famous celebrity, who allegedly drugged her and launched smear campaigns to destroy her career.

SC Third Division granted the Petition for Review on Certiorari filed by Navarro’s legal team.

“Accordingly, the Court DISMISSES the following Informations against Ferdinand ‘Vhong’ H. Navarro for lack of probable cause,” the ruling read.

“The Decision dated July 21, 2022 and the Resolution dated September 20, 2022 of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. SP No. 166222 are reversed and set aside,” it added.

Kylie, Marco add lots of sexy to rom-com genre

TWO of the day’s sexiest dramatic movie stars are excited over a different reunion on the big screen. Kylie Verzosa and Marco Gumabao of 2021’s hit Vivamax movie, “My Husband, My Lover,” have been cast by award-winning and box office director Jason Paul Laxamana in a fun and romantic comedy that is expectedly super sexy titled, “Baby Boy, Baby Girl.”

At a media conference this week, Laxamana, who also wrote the movie’s script, opens the world of “Sugar Dating,” where romantic relationships proceed like transactions. Every expectation is laid out and agreed upon in this arrangement--and with a price. The film hopes to answer whether the setup is advisable, especially for those broken by love?

Gumabao plays Seb, who rose from rags to riches. How? He became a sugar baby. Working as a janitor wasn’t paying the bills, so he turned to sugar dating and took it seriously. Now, he’s looking very expensive. His extreme lifestyle change catches the attention of his ex-

girlfriend, Josie.

Josie is Verzosa, a failed startup businesswoman now struggling in online selling and trying to earn from whatever side hustle she can find. When she learns about Seb’s success, she asks him to groom her for sugar dating. She’ll do everything to be good at it and never struggle financially again.

As Seb helps Josie achieve the “sweet life,” his feelings for her return.

Laxamana said he did a lot of research to be able to write the screenplay for Baby Boy, Baby Girl. He even made an account on one of those social media sites matching potential sugar daddies/mommies and sugar babies to discover the reasons why anyone would want such an arrangement.

“Of course, the movie’s also very sexy because si Kylie at si Marco nga ito,” the director added in presenting the premise and feel of the movie.

Meanwhile, the actors who have forged a friendship from previoulsy working together said Baby Boy, Baby Girl was fun to do.

“I’ve never done a rom-com before. I’m happy to be paired with Marco again and most of all, I’m grateful to finally get the chance to work with direk JP,” the 2016 Miss International titleholder who has successfully transitioned into show business told The Manila Times Entertainment.

Asked whether what many actors say is true — that it’s more challenging to make audiences laugh than to cry or scare — Gumabao replied thoughtfully and professionally. Recalling his first and very recent experience in a rom-com with Kylie Padilla in Viva Films’ “Spellbound” last February, he admitted, “There are times when I wasn’t confident I got the delivery [of punchlines] right, but I believe it’s really the editing that makes everything work. I’m sure it’s the same with this one.”

Again, the pair credit their years of friendship for making them comfortable on the set, especially in their intimate scenes. Together, they promise Baby Boy, Baby Girl will not just entertain but will serve as an eyeopener to another kind of relationship.

Produced by Viva Films, the movie also stars Migo Valid, Yen Durano, Gino Roque, Andrea Babierra, Giselle Sanchez, Marnie Lapus, Gary Lim, Rey PJ Abellana, Marissa Sanchez and Yayo Aguila. It opens in cinemas nationwide on March 22. (ManilaTimes.net)

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barrister’s Corner

Former model Kat Alano

Photo from Kat Alano via Instagram

Kylie Verzosa and Marco Gumabao Photo from ManilaTimes.net